Cycles of Time - An introduction

Repeated changes occur in nature

We are very familiar with the cycles of time as we experience them all the time. For example, there is the 24-hour cycle with night and day.

The lunar cycle lasts 28 days. The moon shows its surface to us on earth but gives the appearance of a new moon, the multiple sizes of the crescent and full moon.

The annual solar cycle where earth goes round the sun in 365 days. There are four seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

Cycles appear in nature all the time.

The Ancient Masters in China studied the changes in nature and have come up with several cycles in time. There are two of interest. The first one is a cycle of 180 years which has nine 20 year components known as Periods. Then there is the second cycle which is 360 years which has two 180 years cycles.

Cycles – repeated changes occurring in nature

The 180-year cycle where tangible changes happen all the time

In 1973, the people in the UK voted to join the European Economic Community, but in 2016, 43 years later, they voted to leave the European Community.

The opinion of Europe to the people in the UK has reversed.

In the 1970s, we communicated with wired telephones with landlines, written letters and telegrams. We received our TV signal from our TV antenna, which picked up electronic signals in the airwaves.

Now, in the 2020s, we have landlines to get TV programmes and the internet for electronic mail and source of information. We use a smartphone to connect through wireless communication.

The use of landlines and wireless communications have reversed!

Attitudes:  It was once very formal, but now it is casual. There is even a word called "smart casual". This can be seen in the workplace with the way we address colleagues. Previously we used surnames, and now it is first names. We ate in a formal setting using cutlery on a dining table. Now, it is fast food like hamburgers or pizza and using our hands. Needless to say, the clothes are very different. Previously it was a jacket and tie all the time, now becoming very casual. Suits are worn with white trainers!

It might appear to be random, but within Chinese Philosophy, change is happening all the time.

One of the critical books in the "I Ching" or "Yi Jing". It is known as the "book of changes."

Therefore, change is part of the way of life.

How can this change be predicted?

In Feng Shui, it deals with some cycles - hour, day, month, year, 12 years, 20 years, 180 years and the supercycle of 360 years.

We encounter cycles in all our lives.

We are a cycle in itself - we are born, grow up, produce children, live, and then die.
This is a product cycle

We see constant changes in ladies fashions. The hemlines move up and down. Denim Jeans appeared in the 1970s. It disappeared and remerged in the 2010s.  

At one time, the high street had the butcher, greengrocer, off-licence, bakery, grocer, coffee shop or café and cobbler. The supermarkets came in, and these shops virtually disappeared.

Now, these trades are reappearing as artisan shops – bakery, greengrocers etc. There is virtually a coffee shop around every street corner in every part of the world.

The 180-year cycle

The cycle that I am going to discuss is the 180 cycle which comprises 9 twenty year Periods.

Each 20-year Period has different types of energies and hence, different characteristics.

This 20-year Period can explain the rise and fall of towns or why certain parts of the city thrive or become ghost towns. It also explains the rise of types of businesses, behaviours and attitudes and declines of others.

In Feng Shui, each Period is characterised by a family and its members. The family, the parents (father and mother) with six children (three sons and three daughters). Each Period is described using the characteristics of the family member. Also, each Period has the pre-dominant Energy coming from a different compass direction.

Hence, each 20-year Period would have a different trend:

1. Personal – gender – skills & behaviour
2. Trends – business – what type of business
3. Appearance – person and buildings
4. Property regions

This cycle consists of 9 twenty year components or Periods, which number from 1 to 9. These numbers relate to Lo Shu Square and the movement of the numbers.

Let us take Period 1.

The Energy for Period comes from the North. Therefore, the environment benefits from the dominant Energy from the North and takes on the relevant Characteristics.

1. The regions, towns and properties that the North Energy flow will benefit from this Energy. The regions and towns will see increased prosperity and confidence.
2. The Country will see characteristics of the North Energy – It becomes more creative and will become busy with lots of activity.

Period 2 is about Energy coming from the South West and so forth as shown in the Table below.

Table of the nine Periods or 20-year cycles.

The timings of the Period, duration and change over date is in line with the conjunction of the planets Saturn and Jupiter.

These great conjunctions occur approximately every 20 years when Jupiter "overtakes" Saturn in its orbit. They are named "great" for being by far the rarest of the conjunctions between naked-eye planets. The last one occurred in 2020. The next conjunction will occur in 2040.

The Table above shows that we are now in Period 9. The official date for the change of Period is 4^th February 2024. This calendar and hence this date was developed a few thousand years ago. Like things in nature, they are only appropriate, and drift can happen.

I use Feng Shui and associated methods to monitor what is happening in nature. I look at the available and surrounding evidence and relate it to the theory. In other words, I try to understand how nature works using the tools of Feng Shui. I look for evidence to support the hypotheses that I am studying. I do not look to construct an elegant theory that is not supported by evidence or neutral observations.

I have seen the change of Periods 3 times, in 1980, 2000 and 2020. They are gradual and takes years for the changeover to occur. It does not happen on a specific date and time.

Secondly, there are other timetables for the change.

Let us take, for example

The Early Heaven Sequence of 9 periods in the 180 cycle

There are two types of lines in the trigram: the broken or yin and the whole or yang. The yin line is six years, and the yang line is nine years.

For example, Kun is three yin lines (6 years), that is ( 3 x 6=18 ) 18 years

Tui has one yin line (6 years) and two yang lines (9 years each)  ( 6 + 2 x 9 = 24 ). A total of 24 years.

Qian has three yang lines (3 x 9 =27 ). A total of 27 years.

The second method can be justified theoretically and looks elegant. However, it does not reflect what happens in nature.

The following posts are outlines for Period 7 (1984-2004); Period 8 (2004-2024) and Period 9 (2024-2044).

Trends for Period 7 – 1984 to 2004

Trends for Period 8 – 2004 to 2024.

Trends for Period 9 – 2024 to 2044