In 2024, there was a pivotal change for virtually every home or business because we entered a new Period according to the Flying Star School of Feng Shui. Some of the flying stars changed their essential nature with the beginning of Period 9 (2024-2043) and that new cycle continues into its second year in 2025.
The flying stars are code for energy which is created in a house when it is built and it is unique to each structure as well, based on the precise compass orientation of the structure. This affects all structures, be they commercial or residential. There is a set “chart” or magnetic field sealed into the structure when the roof goes on. And yet, the annual influences are allowed entrance from each of the eight directions, flying into the structure and nestling into a year-long stay with the permanent flying stars.
This is where we see a lot of variation in how the annual stars can impact people differently. For example, if the flying star 3 enters your home into the northwest sector in 2025, that star will affect you differently if it is little-used space like a laundry room, compared to a bedroom where you spend a third of your life.
Do the Stars Change Their Influence Every Year?
With 2025 starting officially in February, many people still wonder about the flying star 8, which was the major health and wealth star in the past Period 8 cycle (2004-2023). Is this still a good star to utilize? In this case, I can say that the 8 star has been demoted from A+ to B+. The 8 star is unique in that it can still retain its positive influence beyond its own Period. Unlike the 5 star, which is really only great during Period 5, the 8 star is one of the special status “White Stars,” which can exude a positive impact outside its own Period.
But take that with a grain of salt because the flying stars also exist in the company of other stars, never in solitude. For example, the 8 star is related to the bones and muscles, hands, fingers and joints. If the 8 star is paired with a 5 star, this could instigate or perpetuate aches, pains and injuries to the limbs.
In Period 9, the 9 star is seen as King and able to attract wealth and health luck, depending on how it is positioned in any structure. However, the 9 star used to be associated with accidents, fires, and mental instability. That can still be the case, due to compounding negative circumstances.
One of the stars which changed the most beginning in Period 9 was the 2 star. The 2 star was “dead” energy for many decades and it was reborn into Period 9, so we can see some positive influences with a 2-9 or 9-2 combination. This combination used to be associated with poor health, bleeding, accidents, and even stupidity. But now this combination has a much more benign connotation for good health and even good wealth through land ownership.
In 2024, I was asked by a fellow feng shui practitioner, to help her refine a list of definitions for the flying stars, pairing the mountain dragon and water dragon (permanent stars) with the annual stars in every conceivable combination. Even sticking to the Period 9-only interpretation of the stars, there were still a lot of unknowns, such as where these energy combinations could reside in a floor plan, who would be using the space, and how the space was designed or decorated.
There are so many variations to make any space unique, we might need the assistance of A.I. in the future, if we really want to “automate” these readings with a higher level of accuracy. This is also why a generic run down of the annual stars in each direction is but the tip of the iceberg.
This is actually a simple technique, one which I only use when it is impossible to know when a structure was built. If I compare the span of two major consecutive Periods (40 years), for when a house was probably built, I would still use the Flying Star method. But if someone told me their home was originally “built sometime in the 1700’s,” then I would also resort to the much simpler annual star with trigram direction pairing.
Here is the list for 2025 and where each annual star positions itself for the year:
Annual 1 water star will be in the Southeast. Because the southeast is the Xun/ Wood trigram, we can relate to this pairing as harmonious, a productive cycle since water nurtures wood. We might anticipate that whoever spends a lot of time here may be particularly creative. Romances may flare as well.
Annual 2 earth star will be in the center. This is not a direction and therefore, predictions about the 2 star in the Feng Shui realm will be rather muted. However, within the separate discipline of Nine Star Ki, the center star sets the “trend” for the year.
Annual 3 wood star will be in the Northwest/ Qian Trigram. Here there is a domination cycle of 6 Metal (Qian) dominating 3 Wood. We might presume this area of the house could generate conflict, misunderstandings, power struggles and even legal issues.
Annual 4 wood star will be in the West/Dui Trigram for 2025. This is also looked upon as a destructive combination where the energy of West (Metal) dominates the “guest” of the 4 wood star. Metal chops Wood. This could put pressure on career for those who spend time in the West sector of their home. It may also produce health problems associated with the 4 wood star, such as the lower back, hips and legs.
Annual 5 earth star will be in the Northeast/ Gen trigram. This is the one star where I feel like I can give some elemental advice on, without being reckless. The annual 5 star, as guest, often trumps the permanent stars in terms of importance or influence. If you have an area of the house that usually needs the fire element, for example, then the annual 5 star in that location would be an exception year. Instead, this 5 earth energy can be managed and subdued with hefty amounts of metal in the northeast sector for 2025.
Annual 6 metal star will be in the South/ Li trigram. Most practitioners look at that and assume the fire energy of the south will “melt” or dominate the 6 metal, causing harm to the 6 star body areas like the head or lungs. This may be true; however, I would need to know more about this area before recommending earth to bolster the 6 metal star. This area might need another element, depending on what permanent stars this annual 6 star joins.
Annual 7 metal will be in the North/ Kan trigram. At a glance we read this as 7 metal nurturing the Water energy of the North. However, like the annual 6 star, I want to know more. I have clients who typically need the fire element in this location and with the addition of the 7 metal star, it can actually be preferable to “control” the 7 metal with fire. Otherwise, when we see a pairing of the 7 star with the 1 water energy of the North, it is easy to see someone succumb to addictions or compulsive behaviors. If this is a real concern, it is time to introduce the Wood element. Wood drains the 1 water energy, which in this instance can symbolize alcohol (and now other addictive substances).
Annual 8 earth will be in the southwest/ Kun trigram in 2025. Here you have the “hard” 8 earth joining the “soft” 2 earth. Two stars the same element implies a certain stability. There are many permutations of the stars as trigrams, including this doubling up of earth energy as indicating something significant to do with land or real estate. Each trigram and star is also associated with family members, such as 2-Kun being the Mother and 8-Gen being the youngest son.
Annual 9 fire star will be in the east/ Zhen trigram for 2025. This can be positive over all with the 3 wood energy of the East supporting the 9 fire energy as the guest. The 9 fire is now in its prime in Period 9 for supporting health and wealth.
For me, 2024 was the Year of the Floor Plan App! Clients clued me in on the various Floor Plan Apps available, making it easy for anyone to generate an accurate floor plan for Feng Shui purposes. Guessing about directions and their boundaries is not good enough.
Kartar Diamond of Feng Shui Solutions® has a full-scale consultancy, including assistance with property searches, design phase and existing homes and businesses. She is the author of three books, 6 ebooks, 36 Cast Study Lessons and more to come. See the books she’s authored or browse through her online Traditional Feng Shui school.