It’s been so nice to hear from many of you as you’re switching out your 2021 charms for your new 2022 charms! If you don’t know what I’m referring to, there is a Chinese zodiac animal associated with each year. This past year has been the Year of the Ox, and we will soon be welcoming the Year of the Tiger. In BTB feng shui, one of the adjustments or cures is to carry with you the year animal’s best friend as an amulet or protective charm. 

The Tiger’s best friend is the Pig, so it is auspicious to carry a realistic three-dimensional representation of a Pig with you during 2022, the Year of the Tiger. The Pig charms that I sell in the Holistic Spaces shop are ones that I personally make by hand and bless. I enjoy making these charms every year, and I chose to put them on a keychain because it’s a practical way to keep the animal close to you. 

I get a lot of questions about these charms, and especially about what to do if they break. If your charm breaks, it’s actually a good thing. The purpose of a protective amulet is to protect you, and if it breaks that means that it’s doing its job. The charm has absorbed or deflected some negative qi. It is a good idea to replace the charm if it breaks, but it isn’t something to be worried about. 

Another question I get is about what to do with the old charm after you’ve purchased a new one for the current year. I recommend that you take the old charm off your key ring, and really humbly thank the charm for protecting you and offering you support. Then, you can take the cord off of the charm and burn it. Offer it to the fire, and then be thankful to let go of anything that may have been holding you back, or anything from 2021 that you don’t want to carry with you. 

Then, if you’d like to recycle the metal parts, you may do that. You can also keep the animal and place it on your altar or in a safe place. You might want to keep each animal and collect them until you have all twelve animals. There’s a powerful feng shui adjustment where you have one of each of the zodiac animals together, which represents harmony amongst all the different archetypes of every person in the world. You will have gotten to know each of the twelve animal archetypes during the time you carried them with you. As you keep each animal close to you for a year, you start to understand each one. 

After you’ve thanked your 2021 charm, and recycled it or put it in a safe place, you can put the new charm on your keychain. With humble thoughtfulness, curiosity, and openness, invite your new Pig charm to offer you good luck, support, and companionship in the Year of the Water Tiger. 

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who has purchased a charm from me this year and in previous years. I appreciate you supporting me as a small business, and I hope you have a wonderful 2022! 

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com