I asked geomancer Aldric Dalumpines to share tips and a brief forecast for 2016, the Year of the Fire Monkey.
He says the fire monkey brings too much fire and, with it, the lack of water. As such, to attract prosperity, luck and protection from fire, he recommends putting eight red watermelons (small ones the size of melons would be perfect for this purpose) and a pineapple to adorn the dining table.
The watermelon centerpiece must be on the dining table by Feb. 7, the eve of the Lunar New Year. The offering should be left on display through the 15-day celebration that lasts until Feb. 23.
There should be one watermelon and pineapple basket for the home and another for business, where it must be displayed in the office’s dining area.
Feng shui aficionados should prepare this basket as an extra offering at the altar or grave of their dearly departed ancestors.
Fruit of choice
The fruit of choice is the watermelon, as it symbolizes the water element that will counter the challenges of the fire monkey year.
Pineapples symbolize wealth, luck and excellent fortune.
Master Aldric says the fire monkey “threatens to burn, literally and figuratively, people’s homes, businesses, money, relationships, career (political or not), health and love life (being a leap year, beware of shotgun marriages)—if homes and offices are not properly protected by feng shui.”
Restaurants, hotels, bakeries, barbecue kiosks, food carts, food courts and businesses that deal with LPG, stoves, cooking appliances, peripheral kitchenware and the like will experience a downturn.
For those in the food business, Master Aldric suggests working hard at staying competitive by offering customers quality, great taste and value-for-money service.
Marsala red or oven-brick red is this year’s lucky color, as it can control the intense heat of the fire monkey year. Wearing this color helps one overcome any difficulty in life. Master Aldric encourages women who work in the food industry to wear marsala red lipstick.
When it comes to food, “Remember not to live to eat but eat to live—a life of wealth, happiness and good health,” he says.
To attract those, have any of the following lucky seafood during the Chinese new year festival, beginning Feb. 8 and lasting for 15 days thereafter: mussels, clam shells, oysters—all for attracting and absorbing maximum prosperity and luck in the coming year.
Also, people should drink at least 8-12 glasses of, preferably, alkaline or hydrogen-rich water to boost vitality in this fire element year.
2016 forecast
Wealth luck for: Rat, Ox, Dragon, Rabbit, Sheep, Snake, Rooster and Pig.
Be careful with your wealth: Tiger, Monkey, Horse and Dog.
Health luck for: Rat, Ox, Dragon, Snake, Rooster, Pig and Sheep.
Be careful with your health: Tiger, Monkey, Rabbit, Dog, Horse and Rooster.
Career luck for: Ox, Rabbit, Sheep, Dog and Dragon.
Be careful in your career: Rat, Tiger, Snake, Horse, Monkey, Rooster and Pig.
Love life luck for: Pig, Rooster, Snake, Rabbit and Ox.
Be careful in love life: Dog, Monkey, Sheep, Dragon, Tiger, Rat and Horse.
All will be generally lucky, according to Master Aldric, except for the Tiger and the Monkey. Ironically, though, the luckiest ones are those born in the special monkey years 1944, 1956 and 1968, as they will experience overwhelming good fortune in 2016.
Lucky food and trinkets
A stroll along Binondo at this time of year is most captivating. The display of lucky plants and auspicious fruits is a feast for the senses.
One of the stops in my itinerary is Shin Tai Shang. Christina Lee, who manages the store, comes from a family of Taiwanese immigrants who have brought their traditions, in their tastiest and most appealing forms, to their adopted country.
At this time of year, their food and trinket display is at its finest, consisting of items imported from their native Taiwan.
Deck your New Year table with lucky food, such as pineapple cakes. These little pastries are famous in Taiwan. The Lees’ family recipe is delicious!
Pastries in the shape of chickens, fish and pigs can be used as offerings, instead of presenting a real cooked whole chicken, a whole fish and a pork dish.
Or go for tikoy in fancy containers, assorted candies, gold ingot-shaped rice cakes, singing dolls, monkey stuffed toys, figurines of chickens laying golden eggs. It is said that having items that symbolize good fortune as New Year offerings is a sure way to invite prosperity.
Christina says many believe that the more elaborate the offerings are to the gods and one’s ancestors, the more prosperous the coming year will be.
Shin Tai Shang is at 815 Salazar St., Binondo, Manila.
Lastly, for the Year of the Fire Monkey, Eng Bee Tin has the perfect tikoy to serve. It’s in banana flavor.
Eng Bee Tin is at 628 Ongpin St., Binondo, Manila; tel. 2888888.