Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology: August 2025
August 7 takes us into the Wood Monkey month. We’re now in the second half of the Wood Snake year and the beginning of fall in the Northern hemisphere according to the Chinese solar calendar, a season ruled by Metal, the element of clarity and spirit. In the Feng Shui Flying Stars Bagua chart, monthly star 5 strengthens the influence of annual star 2 in the center, both heavy Earth element stars, a reflection of the month’s clashing elements, indicating the need to err on the side of caution.
Yang Wood in the heavenly frequency of the month is associated with leadership and community power, yet it’s also the most divisive of the Chinese Five Elements. Like a tree, Yang Wood stands tall and doesn’t bend. We may encounter polarizing views and injustice that may lead to unease and unrest, especially with Metal in the Monkey cutting Wood’s direction of growth. As Wood is the element of anger, rising anger will motivate communities around the world to push for change and reforms. Tune in to Wood’s frequency of compassion when you need to decide whether to stand firm in your beliefs, or soften up.
The Monkey as a Yang Metal sign is the warrior of Chinese astrology. Yang Metal is heroic but can also be harsh and cutting. Think of the nature of Metal – you can use an instrument like a needle or surgical knife to heal or a sword to protect, or you can use Metal as a weapon to harm. Metal is self-reflective, sharp, and cold by nature – this quality of Metal can help us release our attachments and expectations. Consider what you need to cut and release in order to move forward.
The least understood and most mysterious of the Chinese Five Elements, Metal is also the element most lacking in our modern society. An imbalance of Metal in the environment can contribute to grief, unhealthy attachments, inability to focus, lack of empathy, and sharpness of words. As Fire helps mold Metal into shape and moderates the hardness of the month’s Yang Wood, add Fire element activities and foods such as berries, tomatoes, and bitter greens into your diet. Soak in the light and keep sharing your light! Fire also produces Earth, the element we need to stay centered in the heart, mind, and spirit. Mindfulness practices such as Qigong, yoga, and meditation can provide us with much needed grounding.
Signs and day masters with affinity to the Monkey
The signs that are in harmony with the Monkey are secret friend the Snake and allies the Rat and the Dragon. Those with these signs in their chart can generally expect a more supportive, social, harmonious month ahead.
As a travel star, the Monkey brings a faster-paced month after the heaviness of Yin Earth in the Sheep in the previous month. Those born in year or day of the Tiger, Horse, and Dog can expect August to be a busy, active month as the Monkey amplifies these signs’ willpower and love of adventures as their travel star. Be extra mindful on the road if your chart contains a Tiger, the sign opposite the Monkey.
This is a fantastic month for those born on a Yin Wood or Yin Earth day or year to schedule personal or professional consultations as the advice you get will be exactly what you need with the Monkey activating your Divine Support star, bringing you guidance and help from friends and strangers alike in times of need.
*Yin Wood years are years that end in 5 such as this year, 2015, ‘05, ‘95, ‘85, ‘75, ‘65, and so on. Yin Earth years are years that end in 9 such as ’69, ‘79, ‘89, ’99, ‘09 and so on. You can calculate your natal BaZi birth chart using this chart calculator to discover the element of your birthday (which is also called your self-element or day master - this is the most important element in your chart. Your day master is the focus of a BaZi reading and much more significant than the element and sign of your year of birth.)
Happening in August: Intro to Chinese Astrology Mini Course
Join my online course on Chinese astrology (BaZi)! Activating the stars in your chart is one of the ways you can apply Chinese metaphysics as a strategic tool to give yourself a competitive edge so you can keep leveling up. Learning how to read your own chart yourself, rather than getting a reading, will offer you a much deeper understanding of what the elements represent in your life and how they and the signs influence your actions. After all, you know yourself and your history better than anyone! You’ll learn how to work with the stars as well as your favorable elements and animal signs, and collaborate with divine timing to align yourself with the flow of the universe. Click here to sign up – please register by August 17 for the early bird price! Course starts on August 23!
Hexagram of the Month: hexagram 64, Before Completion
The I-ching hexagram for the Wood Monkey pillar can give us additional insights into the month and that is hexagram 64, Before Completion. Fire trigram above Water trigram as opposing forces highlights the Yin and Yang, the up and down of life. The Yin always turns into Yang and vice versa. Once you reach a peak, you may only stay there momentarily before you start your way down. As the last hexagram in the I-Ching, Before Completion symbolizes the circle of life. The end of a cycle always takes us into the beginning of another cycle.
Feng Shui for the Wood Monkey month (August 7 - September 6)
In the Flying Star chart for the month of the Wood Monkey, the numbers in green are the annual stars for the current year (good until February 3, 2026), while the numbers in blue refer to the monthly stars (good from August 7 to September 6, 2025).
This month, flying star 5 of misfortune “flies” to its home location in the center of the annual Feng Shui chart. Star 5 in the center amplifies the influences of the annual stars as the stars are at their strongest in their original locations.
The ruling trigram of a specific period can provide us with additional guidance to issues that may arise during the particular period, just like the five elements can provide insights for what lies ahead. As the 5, an Earth element star, doesn’t relate to a trigram, listen and trust your inner guidance. Return to the center whenever you feel like you’re losing yourself, whether to a person, a cause, a job, or a belief.
This month’s most vibrant sectors are the South, with monthly star 9 of joy and prosperity strengthening annual star 6 of authority; the Southeast, with monthly star 4 of romance and academic excellence strengthened by annual star 1 of wisdom and upcoming prosperity, and the Southwest, with the still vibrant annual star 8 of past prosperity combining with monthly star 2. Do most of your daily activities in these sectors of your home or office to take advantage of the auspicious energies. You may find yourself being more productive and happier when you spend more time in these sectors. The Southeast especially makes a good space for entertaining and creative activities.
Be mindful when using 2025’s most afflicted sectors, which are the center and the Northeast sector: avoid loud noises and keep the sectors clean and tidy. Keep the center quiet, especially if the center of your home is an open space, so that you don’t accidentally trigger the sector as the 5/2 combination can cause all kinds of misfortune and illness. 7/4 combination in the West and 6/3 in the Northwest also bring conflicting energy of Metal clashing with Wood.
Reinforce all doors and windows located in the North and West sectors, visited by the annual and monthly 7, which makes these sector more vulnerable to robberies and fire dangers. Monthly star 3 of arguments strengthened by annual 9 occupies the East sector: be aware of your emotional state and leave the room temporarily if you start feeling angry or irritable.
*Keep in mind that the effects of the visiting stars are also influenced by their interactions with the natal stars.