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Years (lo)

• According to the system of elemental divination, the lunar years may be caclulated according to a twelve-year cycle (lo 'gros bcu gnyis, Ch. shi er shu xiang), which accords with the sequence: mouse, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog and pig, or according to a sexagenary cycle (rab byung), in which each of these animals is combined with each of the five elements in turn. In addition, each of the years has four aspects, corresponding to its vitality, body, destiny and luck elements. A further extension into a cycle of 180 years is obtained when the vitality, destiny and body numeric squares are differentiated for each of the sixty years. In addition, there are ancient Chinese calculations which determine the twenty-four meteorological phases of the year (dus tshigs nyer bzhi, Ch. er shi si jie qi), and the sequence of the years may also be correlated with the twelve sectors of growth and decline, or with the four tomb signs. When the years are counted, there is both a standard (dkyus ma) method of consecutive calculation, and an inverse method (ldog) of counting, which determines the so-called log men aspects, which are important for natal horoscope in particular. GD (from the Glossary to Tibetan Elemental Divination Paintings)