A bumpy ride ahead

LET’S face it: 2014 was not only a terrible year for Malaysia, but also for the rest of the world.

There were so many natural disasters (floods, snow storms, typhoons), diseases (Ebola), aviation disasters the world over, terrorism and so many other nasty things happening somewhere every single day.

Will be smooth sailing in the Year of the Wood Goat?

Dato’ Joey Yap foresees more trouble ahead, during a meeting with this Chinese Metaphysics and Astrology consultant.

Yap, who’s also a prolific author and educator, adds: “This year will be challenging. Some of last year’s negative effects will also be felt this year.”

He says the negative energy will dissipate only in August.

Yap, 38, explains that the Year of the Goat actually began on Feb 4 this year at noon, according to the Chinese calendar, although the start of the Lunar New Year was celebrated on Feb 19 by Chinese the world over.

He foresees a general sluggishness in the economy in the first half of the year.

All this has to do with the problems inherited from 2014.

The property market will also be generally sluggish.

Industries that will do well are electronics, manufacturing, essential goods (food), healthcare industries, seaside resorts, financial advisers, the palm oil industry as well as the mining industry.

The aviation industry will also continue to face a challenging time this year.

Yap, however, thinks that things will pick up towards the end of the year. “Within the three-year cycle, there will be ups and downs.”

He adds that for several years, the various animals in the Chinese zodiac have been experiencing their lowest ebb because they ran afoul of the Grand Duke (Jupiter).

Things got a bit better in 2010 but the challenging years soon returned, beginning with 2014.

“It is a different cycle though. This one will last for three years,” says Yap. “Overall, around the world, there will be a lot of people who want change. The United States, Russia and even China are going through that transition.

“It’s the energy from 2014 overlapping into 2015. This is the general consensus. The people want something different but they don’t know what.

“There will be issues such as bombings and threats during different times of the year.

“You will also see a lot of irrational acts due to lack of tolerance and understanding.”

As for how things will fare in Malaysia, Yap says: “A lot of it depends of how we perceive things around us. If you look at it positively, you can do something about it.

“As a country, we can be resourceful. So try to be resourceful in 2015 instead of being challenged.”

Below, Yap gives a general overview of what those born under the various animals in the Chinese zodiac can expect in this Year of the Wood Goat.

How you fare in the year of the Wood Goat

Goat(1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)

Your intellect and creative energy will be all fired up in 2015, igniting a new sense of confidence and independence to take on challenges for the year. If your career is based in the creative and artistic field, there is no stopping you this year as your dynamic energy will flow freely for all to see. Those not in this profession will still benefit from an increased learning capacity and insights which will support them in any training or educational tasks. Stress will take its toll on you if you continue to push yourself too hard, so take time out to relax.

Monkey(1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004)

This year, you will be swinging from one good opportunity to another. There are positive indications for career progression and personal happiness as well. The only limits here are the ones you set for yourself. Not only will you encounter the opportunity for a job promotion but you are also likely to become involved in new business projects that will prove to be financially rewarding for you in the long run. Despite your exuberance for life and your newfound luck, you have the dark tendency to lose yourself in the moment.

Rooster(1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005)

It is time for you to consider reversing the trend that your life has always taken. Instead of constantly chasing wealth and success like you did in the past, why not spend more time with the people that matters most to you – your family and friends. Money does make the world go round but it cannot buy you happiness or the love and the respect of your family and friends. Take a step back from the craziness of life and look inside yourself and you will discover that for all the skills and money one can have, what matters most is a good heart and soul.

Dog(1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006)

You will be blessed with the innate ability to seek wealth and prosperity this year. In addition to the ability to make money, there are indications that the women in your life, or women in senior positions, will be more than happy to lend you a hand in setting your plans into motions or putting them back on track if they have been derailed. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for new opportunities to further your goals but always remember to be diplomatic, poised and gracious when pursuing them. It is possible that 2015 will offer you numerous challenges, so the best thing you can do will be to rise above it, while keeping yourself grounded.

Pig(1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007)

This year denotes positive consequences for your career. If you are employed by an organization, it is likely that your efforts will finally be recognized by the top senior management and that you will soon be on your way for a promotion and salary increment. If you doing your own business, exploring new markets could spell an increase in profit for you. As long as you are prepared to think outside of the box, you will see the progress. This year might be the right time for you to evaluate your friendship with the people around you as some of your so-called friends are becoming envious of the success you will enjoy this year.

Rat(1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008)

It is time to reach out to others and to seek the support that you rightfully deserve. When you do so, you will see how easy it is to get the help you need and thus allow yourself the opportunity to expand your influence or take on more responsibility. When your efforts are noticed by the right people, it will, of course, be rewarded in your monthly pay cheque. Although it is fun to constantly chase after wealth and success, you would do well to also make an effort to spend some quality time with your spouse or partner. Doing so will keep the flames of your love for each other burning, even when it has sizzled out for a while in the past year.

Ox(1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009)

It is grand to have high ambitions, but sometimes, you need to look at what is right in front of you and set goals that can be achieve in the short term. You will attain success easily this way. In 2015, this is especially true as there are signs that your head is constantly up high in the clouds, chasing lofty goals, while forgetting about the more tangible ones on the ground. This means that you need to work a little bit harder than your peers to achieve your goals.

Tiger(1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010)

The new year is poised to be an outstanding year for you. Not only can you look forward to your career success and personal happiness but all and any problems that you will face this year will be solved in a blink of an eye. You will have plenty to celebrate about – whether it is a graduation, making a lifelong commitment to a partner, welcoming a new addition to the family or receiving a promotion. With so much to cheer for, do remember to thank the people who have helped you reached your goals.

Rabbit(1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011)

You would benefit greatly when you focus on your relationships in 2015 and really work hard to make the most out of all the support and friendship that is being offered to you. Noble people that surround you throughout the year will contribute to the level of your success for the year. It would be prudent to show some gratitude and also to work to maintain an allegiance with certain people for your own benefit. This is because the relationships that you have worked on cultivating in every area of your life may prove beneficial for your career development, financial success and personal happiness.

Dragon(1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012)

This will be an exciting year for you as you will have a slew of different options and opportunities that will present themselves to you if you are willing to grab onto them. Even when you feel overloaded by all these choices, rest assured that you will have a noble person waiting in the corner to help lighten your load. The positive influence this year means that great things will take place in terms of your career – either taking it to new heights or kick-starting it again. While you will see immense progress in your career, do remember that you will need to commit yourself fully in order to achieve the maximum end results you crave.

Snake(1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013)

You should be coiled and ready for action in 2015, for this year will be rich with opportunities for you to grow as a person and to improve your skills, social position and career prospects. Since your growth is pretty much self-directed, you will find that you have ample support from a variety of sources to guide and support your growth. It will be particularly beneficial for those who work in education and research, or for those who are engaged in long-term study, as it will enhance their learning capacity.

Horse(1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014)

This should be a year about focusing on loving yourself more. In short, you must learn to take care of yourself this year. This means that it is vital for you to create a sense of work-balance that includes getting proper rest, eating healthily and taking the time to treat yourself right. That being said, you should not neglect your work responsibilities completely as there are some exciting opportunities coming your way which you should grab onto.

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