2003 is the Year of the Sheep in Chinese Astrology. The Sheep year starts on February 1. Sometimes I'll be going too fast on a short interpretation offered and will look at the Year, and say someone was born in the Year of the Sheep, let's say, when they were born in January. But, this isn't cut and dried. You aren't a Horse on Jan 31st and a Sheep on Feb 1st. People born at that time are shapeshifting into the next sign. So by January the Horse characteristics are giving way to the Sheep; it would be like a Sheep with a little look of the Horse left. This applies to all birthdates at the beginning of the year before the next Chinese New Year takes place.

Sheep people have a wide spectrum. On the positive side they have a valuable commodity in their 'wool' - a talent they can take to market over and over again. Julia Roberts would be a good example. They are loyal, but they need to be sure they own up to their own actions, and not take the blame for other people which they are prone to do. They feel they are stronger than others, and when compassion floods into their being, they will protect someone they feel can't take the punishment as well as they can...even if that 'well' isn't that much better.

On the other hand, negative Sheeps can be predator or prey. They can victimize or be a victim. That's why its imperative that Sheep follow the rules and not take any chances outside the rules and regs. or it will probably catch up with them at some point. The more the Sheep follow the positive characteristics, the less likely they will be victimized in some way.

The Sheep energy is also called the Goat. I learned this system as this area being a Sheep and it works for me, altho they each have their affinity for the year. The Sheep tends to reflect the mass consciousness and can be like lemmings going to the sea; they can get into flocks and follow the wrong leader. As for a Goat, one can be the 'goat' of a situation.

Just as in the Chinese 5 element system upon which acupuncture is based, each meridian is named after an organ of the body (stomach, spleen, heart, etc.) the Chinese say don't take that literally; yet if the meridian stays out of balance the organ will be affected.

The meridian in the 5 element acupuncture system for which the Sheep is the archetype, is the Small Intestines. The Small intestines discriminate, and that's not bad. In its extreme, Sheep probably do discriminate, but as the organ of the body, the Small Intestines take the food that's been processed to that point and decide whether it goes back into the body as healthy nutrients, or is eliminated. So, too, should Sheep people recognize who's good for them in their life, and not hang around with an unhealthy element, who can draw them into their 'spell'.

The Sheep's foundation is fear of intimacy They either prefer casual relationships, or run from relationships altogether. Mom instilled feelings that sex was dirty and so the Sheep runs from surrendering to this 'base' experience.

Their shadow issue revolves around frustration and anger. Their mate can keep their nose to the grindstone to provide for the family, and dream of getting away to something more meaningful.

The Sheep has to deal with elements of greed and need. Dad may have been an affluent person who gave freely, because he obtained it in any way possible, or he may have struggled to meet needs all his life. That's why Sheep can become victims, because they have a strong need to have all the good things in life, that perhaps others have.

No matter what year you were born, there is Sheep energy somewhere in your chart:

Ox - The Ox finds Sheeps as mates. Oh, I know in other texts you read that the Ox should stay away from Sheep and vice verse. But they are natural mates, as opposites attract. The Ox can get frustrated at a mate who attracts the wrong type of friends.

Tiger - The Tiger has Sheep for coworkers or the boss. Tigers feel bigger and better than the Sheep and can get into problems when they feel superior.

Cat- Cats have Sheep as children, the first one in particular. Cats need to teach their children to be independent and not follow the crowd...the wrong crowd.

Dragon - The Dragon has a Sheep for a mother. Mom could give the Dragon a firm foundation of truth and integrity....or she could feel she's been a victim all her life, and display that to the Dragon, creating a foundation of instability. For the Dragon needs to have things and live the good life, but Mom may have given the Dragon a feeling of insecurity.

Snake - The Snake has siblings for Sheep. The Snake wants perfection. Yet it wants to be loved and hates being rejected. It can be drawn into a subservient position of doing what the Sheep wants to keep that approval.

Horse - The Horse has bankers and people who deal with their money as Sheep. The Horse needs to find the Sheep with high standards and integrity too handle its money.

Sheep - The Sheep has grandparents who have instilled either good or bad into this child. That is, Dad's mom and Mom's dad. These grandparents reflected the Sheep energy whether they actually were or not. They set a lot of the qualities that the Sheep reflects today. If they were upstanding, the Sheep absorbed that energy; if they didn't, if they felt victimized then the Sheep gets the wrong message.

Monkey - The Monkey has a stepfather who is a Sheep. The Monkey's need for control revolves around this person if his actions aren't of the highest quality.

Rooster - The Rooster has Sheep for friends. The Sheep, being bigger, can protect the Rooster from bigger animals. When the Rooster hearlds the dawn with "cockadodillo" the Rooster may need the protection from sleepy animals who would rather sleep.

Dog - The Dog has a father who was a Sheep, or masquerading as a wolf in sheep's clothing, as they say. The Dog got the feeling that in order to succeed in this world, he should follow his father's example.

Boar - The Boar has religious mentors, coaches and college teachers who are Sheep. These Sheep can lead the Boar to higher spiritual planes, or higher throught in education. Sheep can also take the recalcitrant Boar on European vacations and expose him to the consciousness of the world.

Rat - The Rat has a Sheep for a tax man, or a sex therapist. The Rat deals with unconditional love, or abandonment/betrayal. He needs a Sheep who will deal with him on the up and up.

Now, Sheep, don't write someone off who's a potential mate, just because they aren't an Ox, or a Taurus (which is Ox energy). More often you marry the animal energy that's opposite that at the time of your birth, which is more reflective of you personally; but theOx is part of the picture. A person may not be born in that year, but their, month, day or hour animal may be that energy or they can have a lot of planets in that area. After awhile you'll be able to recognize just who represents the energy and who doesn't.

copyright 2003, Pamela Leigh Powers