Over 5,000 attendees were present at Dato’ Joey Yap’s yearly Feng Shui & Astrology seminar in January 2019.
During the seminar, Dato’ Yap provided insights into the Year of the Earth Boar, covering both the year’s forecasts and the projected global economic climate.
He specifically highlighted February 8th, 11th, and 12th as auspicious dates to resume work in 2019.
A notable collaboration with EZ-Link resulted in the launch of special edition EZ-Link cards.
Source: Joey Yap Group. The event in Singapore was sold out.
On January 13th, 2019, renowned author and fengshui authority Dato’ Joey Yap presented his insights on the impending lunar new year to a crowd of 5,000 in Singapore at his annual Feng Shui & Astrology seminar.
Dato’ Yap, recognized for his straightforward approach, captivated the fully booked audience—with attendees still inquiring about tickets during breaks—through practical advice, humor, impactful Cantonese sayings, and perspectives drawn from fengshui, qimen philosophy, face reading, and his personal journey as an entrepreneur.
Characterizing the Year of the Earth Boar as a period of “stable progression,” he suggested that the first half of the year might see slow global political and economic development. However, a surge in activity is anticipated in the latter half of 2019, driven by the tangible outcomes of investments made earlier in the year.
Industries aligning with the year’s dominant fire and water elements are predicted to thrive. This includes online retail, benefiting from the fire element (technology/online) and water element (retail). Sectors emphasizing mobility, such as water, hospitality, tourism, and fast-moving consumer goods, are poised for growth, while the property market might experience stagnation.
Property purchases are expected to be negatively impacted by stagnant prices and limited financing options. Technology firms are advised to prioritize customer retention in light of increasing industry regulations.
Dato’ Yap encouraged attendees to analyze their individual bazi (八字, literally ’eight characters’) charts to understand potential obstacles in the coming year. The bazi chart reveals an individual’s potential and how external energies might interact with their personality.
For instance, the dynamic Year of the Earth Boar favors novelty and calculated risks. Individuals with water-dominant bazi charts will navigate these energies adeptly, while those lacking the water element might feel overwhelmed. However, increased self-awareness and openness to change can mitigate these challenges.
Dato’ Yap highlighted February 8th, 11th, and 12th as particularly auspicious dates for new business ventures in the coming year.
Certain dates and times are considered more auspicious than others for beginning work for the first time in the year of the pig. However, these dates may be ineffective for those who have specific animals in their bazi charts.
The year is expected to be particularly favorable for those who offer clarity, a characteristic associated with the fire element. Dato’ Yap suggests exploring technologies or systems that enhance consumer trust by verifying providers through online presence. Additionally, individuals born in the years of the monkey, horse, tiger, and rabbit are predicted to experience heightened luck.
General predictions for 2019, the Year of the Earth Boar, include:
Individuals with pigs in their bazi:
“This is your year to shine, as all eyes are on you,” remarked Yap, adding that challenges from the preceding year will likely find resolution. He reassured, “As long as you are alive, there will be problems. It’s about having better problems than the year before.”
To illustrate, Yap recounted his early seminar experiences in 1999, starting with an audience of eight, including himself and a friend. Fast forward to this year, his seminar in Malaysia drew thousands, while the Singapore event was sold out.
“My problem next year is finding a bigger venue,” he quipped. “I’d rather have this problem than an eight-person problem.”
He advised those with pig in their bazi to practice forgiveness and compassion to overcome their challenges. Pigs might experience both fame and notoriety during their year, prompting Yap’s cautionary advice, “Be mindful of your online posts.”
Individuals with snakes in their bazi:
Change is inevitable for those with snake in their bazi. Female benefactors, such as superiors or business partners, will be particularly instrumental in their journey.
Individuals with monkeys in their bazi:
Monkeys are encouraged to embrace the year with enjoyment and social connections, maximizing opportunities to meet new people. Yap advised the audience, “Connect with as many people as you can (at this event) – but wait until after February 4th to reach out.” He emphasized that the predictions become effective from the Lunar New Year and not before.
He also cautioned that monkeys might attract envy due to their favorable circumstances, suggesting, “Since you’re aware of this, you might as well enjoy life to the fullest.”
Individuals with rats in their bazi:
“Your purpose is to be of service to others,” Yap stated. “You can choose to be useful or not. Which do you prefer?” He emphasized the potential for rats to become valuable assets to others.
Rats are also anticipated to find exceptional deals in property, even by the standards of billionaires. Yap pointed out that those who aren’t billionaires can still benefit: “If you work for them, you can find these deals for your bosses, take a small commission - you know what to do.”
Yap also advised rats to be mindful of potential forgetfulness, particularly those in sales or brokerage, to avoid overpromising and under-delivering.
Individuals with horses in their bazi:
Horses possess a keen eye for lucrative property deals. “Whether you can capitalize on them depends on your financial capacity,” Yap remarked, suggesting those with horse in their bazi to explore partnerships to seize these opportunities.
Individuals with rabbits in their bazi:
Rabbits will find their expertise acknowledged if they position themselves strategically. Dato’ Yap advised, “Pursue ventures that increase your visibility.” He illustrated this with the example of a rabbit posting a YouTube video that has a higher likelihood of going viral.
Individuals with roosters in their bazi:
Roosters will experience enhanced comprehension of complex subjects.
However, they might also face unexpected breakdowns. “You might experience conflicts with tools and equipment,” noted Yap. “Exercise caution if your work relies heavily on them.”
Individuals with goats/sheep in their bazi:
“This is the year to pursue any artistic endeavors,” encouraged Yap, clarifying that “art” extends beyond the fine arts. He included marketing, public relations, networking, presentations, and deal-making as forms of art that goats/sheep can master this year.
Seizing this opportunity is crucial as the stars won’t align this way for another 12 years, he emphasized. He recommended, “Acquire a new skill or conduct research. What you learn this year will have maximum impact. Choose something beneficial for your career to boost your income and success rate.”
Individuals with dogs in their bazi:
Dogs might experience bouts of negativity but can counter this with self-forgiveness and kindness, according to Yap.
He explained, “Forgiving yourself and treating yourself with kindness can alleviate inner negativity and unhappiness.” He further advised, “Karma is cause and effect. To change the effect, address the cause.”
Dogs should brace themselves for increased pettiness directed their way. Yap’s advice? “Many will harbor negativity towards you. Learn to forgive them to move forward.”
Individuals with tigers in their bazi:
Tigers are encouraged to pursue business knowledge. “Understanding business management is essential for everyone, particularly if you aspire to leadership roles,” Yap stated. He underscored the importance of business acumen for anyone in a decision-making position.
Individuals with rooster, goat, monkey, and tiger in their bazi:
Extra caution regarding personal safety is advised for these individuals. Roosters should avoid potentially hazardous locations due to their proximity to natural disasters. Goats might encounter a higher risk of physical injuries. Tigers might be prone to collisions, while monkeys could experience minor cuts.
Health predictions:
Dogs are predicted to be susceptible to illnesses, while pigs might require surgery. Oxen are advised to avoid funerals, not due to traditional beliefs about attracting spirits, but because of potential exposure to viruses.
Amidst laughter, Yap clarified, “If you don’t have ox in your chart, attend as many funerals as you like.”
Snakes have a favorable outlook for addressing existing health issues. “This is an optimal year for procedures like surgeries, potentially reducing complications by at least 50%,” he added.
The northeast direction is associated with illness in 2019. “Avoid sleeping in the northeast sector if your bazi indicates multiple illness stars. You could experience prolonged downtime,” warned Yap. However, he assured that it’s fine if a bedroom is located in the northeast and the occupant doesn’t have illness stars in their bazi.
Wealth predictions:
While accumulating wealth might be straightforward, retaining it poses a challenge. Monkeys are susceptible to financial losses, snakes will likely have significant expenses, and rabbits should prioritize saving.
Yap advised monkeys to be cautious about losing easily gained wealth, particularly in ventures involving trade and partnerships. He added, “On the bright side, it indicates that you have something to lose.”
Snakes should anticipate significant upfront expenses. Yap recommended investing in experiences but only after February 4th.
Rabbits are urged to save diligently. He noted, “Saving 70% is commendable, but ensure the remaining 30% is actively working for you,” acknowledging that building a nest egg solely through savings takes time.
Dogs are encouraged to use their resources to benefit others, perhaps by assuming community leadership roles. Dragons might be inclined towards unnecessary purchases. Yap’s lighthearted advice? “It’s going to happen anyway, so you might as well embrace it,” he said. “It doesn’t signify a lack of money, but rather a different approach to managing it.”
Audience questions primarily revolved around career paths, business management, and investments, with some inquiries about enhancing health. Some key takeaways from Yap’s responses include:
Work-life balance: Yap views balance as stagnation, while imbalance signifies progress towards a goal. “Balance is not beneficial,” he asserted, illustrating his point with a stationary marker upright versus one rolling on its side.
Instead of striving for balance, he suggested aiming for increased efficiency and value in one’s work to either earn more or accomplish tasks quicker.
Relationship issues: These often stem from unfulfilled expectations from our partners. Although often attributed to incompatible bazi, like the clash between a dragon and a dog, Yap believes it boils down to unmet expectations.
He emphasized, “Relationships last longer when expectations are fulfilled.”
Social media: Yap commented on the misleading portrayal of perfection on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, leaving viewers questioning their own seemingly inadequate relationships and lives.
He pointed out, “Social media creates unrealistic expectations about how life should be. The purpose is to evoke envy, but the reality is often different.”
In the spirit of reciprocity, he suggested, “If you seek improvement, be your partner’s benefactor.”
Fame: Dato’ Yap advocates for increasing one’s visibility. He explained, “Capitalizing on fame can save years of marketing efforts. Fame provides access to people’s minds, allowing you to occupy a space there. Owning that mental real estate allows you to carve out your market.”
Academic merit: Yap views academic success beyond formal education. He defines it as graduating from the “university of life”, not just achieving high grades in a traditional institution.
He elaborated, “Graduating from life is more challenging. If you already knew what you needed to know, you would have achieved it by now.”
He exemplified this by highlighting the extensive behind-the-scenes effort that went into the sold-out event, from building brand awareness to accumulating shareable expertise. “Getting to this point, from where you are to where you want to be, requires knowledge,” he said.
Offerings to the God of Wealth: Yap clarified that the God of Wealth is actually a personified star located in the south. While traditional offerings involve physical items, Yap believes it’s about maintaining a balance.
“When you make a wish or request something, a spiritual agreement dictates that you offer something in return,” he stated.
For instance, to achieve a 30% increase in sales, one must put in the effort to achieve it, whether through attending sales workshops or making 10 sales calls daily.
“Everything you offer represents your commitment to putting in the work,” he added.
While you can strive to have five impactful conversations a week to boost sales, you can’t control whether those conversations will resonate with potential customers. That’s where the God of Wealth comes in.
“If you don’t hold up your end of the bargain, neither will the God of Wealth,” he asserted. “Intending to do nothing guarantees no results. It’s an exchange of energy. Focus on what the universe can provide."
Part of signage that shows the Business
Academy logo and event details.
In 2019, Dato’ Yap is set to share his entrepreneurial experiences. While still rooted in Chinese metaphysics, he will incorporate business principles and feature insights from billionaires. This event will be hosted in Malaysia.
The Joey Yap Business Academy is his initiative to guide aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, particularly those yet to reach the S$5 million revenue mark, on how to succeed in business.
“My expertise lies in securing a place in the client’s mind,” he remarked.
Scheduled from May 18th to 20th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the inaugural Business Academy saw its gold tier tickets sell out during a pre-launch in 2018. Twenty silver tier tickets were available for S$2,997 at the seminar.
Dato’ Yap’s exclusive Mythical Twelve Chinese Zodiac EZ-Link cards debuted at the seminar and will be available for purchase at River Hongbao. This series marks a unique partnership between Dato’ Yap and EZ-Link.
Personally designed by Yap, the cards depict individual Chinese zodiac signs alongside his 2019 predictions for each. At the seminar, the complete set of 12 cards in a presentation box was priced at S$120, with individual cards in presentation packaging costing S$12.
The world’s leading fengshui organization achieved 15,000 ticket sales within two days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, alone. The seminar is slated to tour globally over the next two months, with planned stops in the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, and Cambodia within the Asia Pacific region.
Explore:
Check out seminars for other countries in the global series
Download the *Thriver’s Guide 2019_. This document contains predictions for individual animals of the zodiac.
Hashtags: #joeyyap, #fsa2019
^ This writer attended the event as a guest.
*According to Chinese tradition, destiny is influenced by one’s birth date and time. While the animal zodiac is widely recognized, it’s just one aspect. The bazi (八字, literally ’eight characters’) comprises eight parameters derived from the hour, day, month, and year of birth, which collectively impact an individual’s life. Four of these characters are represented by animals.
A person’s future is shaped by the prevailing energies of a particular year and how these energies interact with their bazi and current circumstances, including their profession, future aspirations, and social interactions. One’s fortune can either be amplified or challenged by others. Deciphering these intricate interactions typically demands years of dedicated study.