As we enter the year of the Fire Monkey in 2016, it's a good idea to be aware of the challenges ahead and take advantage of any opportunities that will be ripe for the pickings!
BY CAITLYN NG LI YUIN
liyuin@ocision.com
A quote by Lorne Michaels goes, "People go to the zoo and they like the lion because it's scary. And the bear because it's intense. But the monkey makes people laugh."
Indeed, the monkey is one of the most comical creatures in Nature, with their expressive faces that are able to mimic a wide range of human-like emotions. They are full of curiosity and intelligence, cunning and mischief, making them a popular animal with people from all walks of life.
As one of the 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac calendar, people born in the year of the monkey generally exhibit some characteristics similar to the animal: great intellect, charismatic and skillful. By examining the 12 zodiac signs as well as the economic analysis and industry outlook for 2016 from the teachings of this ancient art, people will be able to get a good overview of what is in store for this year.
Part of the general public's perception of feng shui is that it is associated to Chinese folklore, myths and age-old anecdotes. Two of the industry's top specialists in feng shui, The Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences and Datuk Joey Yap, have helped to change this viewpoint with their unique methods. So come and swing into the year of the Fire Monkey along with these experts, and find out what to expect!
Chart 1- BaZi chart for the year of the Fire Monkey 2016
Source: joeyyap.com
The oneness of man and environment
The Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences (MINGS) was formed under the inspiration of Professor Master David Koh with his vision to introduce feng shui as a science and review its positive integration into the daily highs and lows of an individual. MINGS focuses on 'environology', the science of feng shui, which is a study that focuses on creating a balanced and harmonious relationship between man and the environment.
They took a look back at the year 2015, where first off, the weather had topsy-turvy patterns. Hot seasons were cool, and cool seasons were hot; in fact, they predict that the dry period will spill over into 2016. They had also predicted that it would be a time of instability and fighting; Malaysians were battered from all sides with news (both local and foreign) of economic and geopolitical uncertainties. There were also a few outbreak cases of preventable diseases, notably dengue, ebola and MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome).
MINGS founder and honorary life president Professor Master David Koh.
"Come 2016, it will not be an easy year, for Malaysia and for the world. It marks the coming of the highly energetic monkey, bringing with it more uncertainty, but plenty of opportunities for the well-prepared. With perseverance, hard work and careful planning, we can prevail and emerge as champions, as we always do," enthused MINGS founder and honorary life president Koh.
His words were echoed by Professor Joe Choo, who used the world hexagram to show that there will be a lot of 'noise' symbolising events that will scare people in the new year, but no real danger and everything will resume normalcy in due time. One such example would be the falling currency values and unstable markets, but those will slowly start to recover. She also predicted that the news headlines in 2016 will predominantly feature countries like China, Japan, United States of America and the Philippines.
This will take place as the events in the East continue to unfold. China has been contesting disputed islands with the Philippines, Japan, Vietnam and Korea for years. In 2015, it has taken unprecedented steps to stamp its authority by reclaiming land on these islands to build a base for military and commercial activity, and by repelling approaching vessels from other nations.
China is also in the midst of mooting an alternative international development bank to the famous World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), which can dramatically swing the balance of power and influence away from the West.
MINGS president Professor Joe Choo.
"Thus we expect more friction and tension amongst China, Japan, North and South Korea as well as the United States over the disputed islands. The United States and Japan may also engage China to derail its lofty financial plans," said MINGS president Choo.
Over on the world economy side, Malaysia is categorised in the Southeast sector alongside other countries such as Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Singapore. This sector is by far, the best sector for 2016. This is due to a favourable combination between the Wood (representing scholars and business) and Water (representing happiness, fame and wealth) elements present. Beginning in Month 1 itself, it is predicted that there will be a financial upswing which means good times in Southeast Asia during the Lunar New Year.
The economy will also be doing well in Months 3, 5, 10 and 12. However, Month 4 will see financial conflicts and a short dip in the economy. Lawsuits will take prominence in Month 8. Disease outbreaks will occur in Months 6 and 9, with a high likelihood of fatalities in Month 9. Despite all of this doom and gloom, overall, the Southeast is still the best sector for this year.
The 2016 hexagram for Malaysia is IOO.IOO - Zhen, which means 'thunder'. With the top and bottom trigrams identical, it indicates a loud noise, excitation, division and revolution. This hexagram implies that 2016 will be the year where Malaysians will have to deal with the aftermath of events that occurred in 2015. Some of these events include the deterioration of the ringgit's value, the GST (Goods and Services Tax) increasing cost of living, the slump in global oil prices which is affecting the nation's reserves while petrol prices remain relatively high, and growing activism alongside street protests with the polarisation of races.
Based on the hexagram, the Southwest will benefit when it is righteous, but the Northeast will not gain because the road is a dead-end. When changes occur, one must always be in the right place - otherwise, it will not be beneficial. Interestingly, the main beneficiary for the Southwest sector in 2016 is the state of Johor, which is seeing rapid development in the Iskandar Malaysia project.
Empowered through feng shui and astrology
Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics founder Datuk Joey Yap.
The celebrated and global bestselling author, consultant and educator of Chinese Metaphysics and Astrology, Datuk Joey Yap, has put in some of his advice for 2016 as well. He stated that people should focus on current trends and build a macro picture of the outcomes in all spheres in life to cater to the endless possibilities which will confront them in 2016.
"Regarding the aspects of business and career outlook, wealth opportunities, personal well-being as well as relationships with others, 2016 will be a better year for those born in the years of the Ox, Rat and Snake. According to my calculations, there will be financial opportunities coming from real estate and property investments, so I would encourage people to opt for longer term investments in order to reap better returns.
"In this regard, I also note that the Qi flow of 2016 favours properties that are located in the areas of East, South, Southeast and Southwest in relation to the city of Kuala Lumpur," explained Mastery Academy of Chinese Metaphysics founder Yap.
Based on the BaZi chart provided by Yap (Chart 1 above), here are some analysis and key observations for the year 2016:
1) The Bing Chen Day Pillar is associated with a rising sun. This Day Pillar represents a lot of new business venture opportunities. This is particularly apparent in the Fire industry such as energy, oil and gas, telecommunications, food and hospitality, pharmaceutical and aviation.
2) The Shen (Monkey) in the Year Pillar forms a half combination with the Chen (Dragon) in the Day Pillar. This combination belongs to the Water element which represents influence. This denotes a stronger impact in regards to economic influence.
3) Another half combination is also formed between the Shen (Monkey) and You (Rooster) in the Hour Pillar, which belongs to the Metal element. This represents an increase in wealth, power and influence.
4) Likewise, another combination is formed between Yin (Tiger) in the Month Pillar and the Chen (Dragon) in the Day Pillar. This combination belongs to the Wood element which represents growth and resources. A high number of combinations in the Chart denotes that there will be a lot of merges and acquisitions, particularly in the financial sector happening this year.
The Wood industries which represent the agricultural, commodities, timber and educational sectors will come under regulatory and legal pressure from lawsuits. The wealth outlook for Wood industries is deemed bearish. This is due to the poor performances and water-related issues in these sectors.
The property, insurance and construction sectors which consists of the Earth element industries have a strong wealth element, but it is predicted that it will also be the weakest for 2016. This would indicate that these sectors may have robust earnings but are not able to take full advantage of its annual financial prospects, therefore causing a slowdown. This could be a result of the lack of the right products or opportunities to tap into. It would spell good news for the consumer market though, as homebuyers will be able to pick their dream home at the right location for the right price.
The Fire-related sectors such as aviation, energy, food and hospitality, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications will overcome a competitive environment. Due to the clash of the Wood (Resource element) and the Wealth element, these sectors will potentially have difficulties in raising fund and maintaining their share values. This is a result of cash flow issues. The strong Water element in 2016 also implies regulatory threats or governmental pressure. Therefore, the outlooks for these sectors are deemed bearish.
The logistics and transportation, beverages, aquatics, service-based and tourism businesses which make up the Water industries will face strong competition from their counterparts. This would most likely be a healthy competition driven by financial opportunities. The challenge lies in coming up with a practical business model.
The Metal industries such as the finance and banking, automobiles and manufacturing sectors will gain opportunities in the midst of competition or collaborations. Larger corporations will be acquiring better deals despite the tough competition while agile players will be aiming for long-term or fixed margin deals.
Yap also had these words of wisdom for those looking to invest in 2016, "Ding You in the Hour Pillar signifies investment opportunities. The property sectors which is represented by the Earth element has a strong Wealth element. This would indicate that these sectors may have the prospects of robust earnings.
"Investors should look for properties with strong brand names or have a flawless reputation, which will allow them to prosper this year. Additionally, we can foresee many companies diversifying or seeking for opportunities to invest in Water-centric businesses. An example of such businesses would be the current trend of vape liquid."
