The Year of Strong External Energy and Marital Conflict — A Time When Opportunities Turn into Burdens

When the year's energy strongly shakes your innate disposition, events move quickly, and opportunities and burdens grow together. Especially if marital conflict is also present, the direction of the relationship can be determined through recurring patterns of arguments. During such times, it's crucial to pay attention to each other's words and actions and practice stopping before conflicts deepen.

If you are going through a difficult time with unexpected conflicts arising in your married life, the energy of this year might be creating a tense atmosphere. Particularly during periods when the year's energy strongly interacts with one's innate disposition – known as a 'year of strong external energy' – various events can unfold rapidly, significantly impacting many areas of life. During these times, recurring conflict patterns in marital relationships can become more pronounced. Rather than simply being bad luck, this can serve as an opportunity to become more sensitive to each other or to reflect on the relationship after encountering unexpected situations. In such periods, where the year's energy significantly stimulates your birth chart, opportunities and burdens grow together, and the results of your endeavors often become apparent within that year. Therefore, managing your physical strength, sleep, and expenses becomes more important than usual, and your performance can vary depending on how well you manage these aspects.

A Year of Strong External Energy, Simply Put

A 'year of strong external energy' refers to a period where the energy operating throughout the year clashes intensely with an individual's innate disposition, much like a powerful wind. Similar to a tense tug-of-war, the flow of that year often brings significant changes to our lives or triggers unexpected events. During this time, work may progress rapidly, or great opportunities may suddenly appear, but they are often accompanied by a corresponding sense of burden or responsibility. It's like riding a roller coaster; sometimes it offers thrilling experiences, but at other times, it can lead to dizzying moments. It's easy to mistake such periods for purely good fortune, but without preparation, the strong energy can easily lead to burdensome or difficult situations. If positive energy acts strongly, great achievements can be made, but if negative energy is strong, it can manifest as unexpected hardships.

How It Manifests in Marital Conflict

In a year of strong external energy, marital relationships tend to become more sensitive or prone to frequent conflicts than usual. For example, minor arguments can escalate significantly, or feelings of resentment towards each other may arise more often. Financial issues can be a particular flashpoint, with unexpected expenses or sensitive reactions to each other's spending habits igniting conflict. Furthermore, dissatisfaction with individual roles or responsibilities can surface, creating tension in the relationship. This period is akin to encountering unexpected obstacles on a path you were walking together. Such conflicts can lead to increased focus on each other or serve as an opportunity to re-evaluate the relationship. The important thing is to recognize these conflict patterns and establish rules together to stop before arguments escalate.

When It Acts Strongly vs. Weakly

When It Acts Strongly

• It can become an opportunity for the relationship to deepen as you approach each other with greater honesty and passion. There is a possibility of forming a stronger bond by overcoming difficulties together.
• You may discover new aspects or potential in your spouse that were not apparent before, leading to a sense of surprise. This can inject fresh vitality into the relationship.
• By setting significant goals together and working towards them, you can share a sense of accomplishment and become strong supporters for each other. This serves as a foundation for growing together as a couple.

When It Acts Weakly

• Minor misunderstandings or feelings of resentment can easily accumulate, leading to a cold atmosphere in the relationship. You might feel indifferent to each other or that the emotional distance has grown.
• Differences in lifestyle or values may become highlighted, making it difficult to understand each other. This can easily lead to frequent arguments or dissatisfaction.
• Expectations for the relationship may decrease, or there might be a stronger tendency to focus on individual lives rather than relying on each other. This can result in neglect of the relationship.

Differences Based on Timing

Even within the same 'year of strong external energy,' how it affects your marriage can vary depending on several factors. For instance, April, when spring is in full bloom, and October, in the depth of autumn, have different seasonal energies, leading to different impacts of the year's strong energy on your marriage. Some months might have a strong fire energy, making emotional outbursts more likely, while other months might have a strong metal energy, prompting a more objective review of the relationship. Furthermore, how each spouse's innate disposition interacts with the year's energy is also important. A young couple with small children and a middle-aged couple who have achieved financial stability might experience the same 'year of strong external energy,' but the aspects they need to focus on, and thus the patterns and resolutions of conflict, will differ. This is why the same strong energy must be interpreted and received differently depending on the stage of life and the season you are in.

Common Misunderstandings

• There is a misconception that a 'year of strong external energy' only brings good things. However, strong energy can bring positive changes, but it can also lead to unexpected burdens or crises. If you are unprepared, strong energy can become a factor that destabilizes the relationship, much like a boat being tossed about in strong winds if its sails are not properly managed.
• When marital conflict arises, there is a tendency to blame only one person. However, from a birth chart perspective, conflicts between couples often occur due to the clash of their energies. Especially in a 'year of strong external energy,' these clashes can be more frequent and intense. Rather than focusing on who is more at fault, it is important to understand how your energies are failing to harmonize.
• Recurring conflict patterns are often dismissed simply as 'differences in personality.' However, recurring conflicts in specific areas such as communication style, spending habits, or the division of household chores and childcare may be connected to the underlying energetic flow between the two individuals. It is necessary to identify these patterns and make conscious efforts to improve them.

Direct Application to Marital Conflict

• Establish a 'no-argument rule.' Agree that if emotions escalate or accusatory language begins, you will pause the conversation and each take a 10-minute break. During this time, it's important to calm down and have an opportunity to reconsider the other person's perspective. After the designated time, you can continue the conversation more rationally.
• Create a 'compliment jar.' Whenever you notice something good or appreciated about your spouse, write it on a small note and put it in the jar. When the relationship is difficult, opening this jar and reading the notes together can inject positive energy into your bond. It's important to practice this consistently, even for small things.
• Schedule regular 'money talks.' Set aside time, perhaps once a month or every two months, to honestly discuss your couple's financial status and future spending plans. Increasing mutual understanding of financial matters and finding common ground through discussions about unexpected expenses or investments can greatly help prevent conflict.
• Re-evaluate 'role distribution.' Before dissatisfaction builds up regarding household chores or childcare, it's advisable to have regular, honest conversations and adjustments about whether each person's role is fair or burdensome. It's important to flexibly adjust roles so that neither partner feels overwhelmed.