In this article Tony Holdsworth reviews the important dates for 2023. As founder of The Imperial Feng Shui Company and now also an IFSA UK Chapter Committee Member, Tony retired from a successful career in banking, finance and insurance at the age of 43, to begin his esoteric studies with Yi Jing and Western Astrology.
Mercury Retrograde
These periods occur when Mercury appears to travel backwards in the night sky. Communication and understanding are affected, so it is wise not to sign significant contracts at this time. In addition, there are usually travel delays. Mercury goes retrograde two or three times each year for a period of approximately 3 weeks, but there is also what is known as a ‘shadow period’ of up to 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after.
The Mercury Retrograde periods for 2023 are:-
29th December 2022 to 18th January 2023
21st April to 14th May
23rd August to 15th September
13th December to 1st January 2024
Caution
Every year, people born in certain years need to take care. This year, those born in 2017, 2008, 1999, 1990, 1981, 1972, 1957, 1948, 1939, and 1921 should avoid attending funerals or visiting sick people in hospitals (or for that matter, going to hospitals at all). If it is absolutely necessary to attend a funeral, then they should turn away when the coffin is being lowered into the ground or passes through the curtain to be cremated. More generally, they should avoid dangerous activities or visiting dangerous places and the prescribed Chinese wisdom is to wear a red band or string around the waist for protection.
Other Days to Avoid
In addition, there are some other days on which you should avoid undertaking anything very serious and certainly avoid using them for significant business discussions or signing contracts. The dates in China are a little different, but for Western Europe, the UK and USA they are:-
3rd February (2nd and 3rd February USA)
19th March
4th May
20th June
6th August
22nd September
6th November
21st December (20th December USA)
3rd February 2024
Excavation/Digging
Every year there are certain sectors of the garden and house in which significant digging or major alterations should be avoided. Serious accidents can be caused by undertaking major refurbishment work within a house in the wrong years or in the wrong months and significant excavation leading to building work within the land surrounding a garden at the wrong time can even lead to death, so it is really important to be careful when undertaking substantial digging or constructing foundations for a building.
This year, the principal sectors to avoid are east, west, north-west and a small sector in the south-west. Should you be intending to undertake any form of exterior excavation or interior alterations involving excavation of the floor or ground in other geographical sectors, please contact me and I can advise you of the sectors to avoid in specific months and even specific days.
Summary
All in all, it looks to be a very confusing year and, as far as we are all concerned, personally looking after our health is probably paramount.
In addition, we should ensure that our businesses are ready to flourish at the end of this obviously recessionary period by planning new innovative working practices and approaches to our customers. As far as most of the West is concerned, applying focused, disciplined and highly organized approaches towards one’s business and personal life will be vital to achieve just peace and prosperity through the year.
Do remember the world’s economic troubles don’t have to impinge on one’s own life and applying unconditional love and attempting to help others as much as possible is most definitely the way forward as well as, if nothing else, taking one’s mind off the depressing news!
