We know how Murphy’s Law goes: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Your keynote presentation crashes. The catering is bad. A deal falls through. Some of these things you and your business can walk away from, but some have devastating results. That said, whether the outcome is negligible or terrible, why start off any business venture with the spectre of negativity hanging over it? Why tempt Murphy’s Law?

That’s where Date Selection comes in. Maybe everything that can go wrong won’t actually go wrong, but when you have to clinch a deal or launch a new product, why not carry out such a key activity at a time and day when the energies of the universe are optimized for that particular endeavour? Look to a Chinese Solar Calendar and you’ll find a multitude of dates to either avoid or seek out: bad dates, usable dates, good dates and personalized good dates.

In business, watch out for the bad days first. There are the Year, Month and Day Breaker Days, which occur when the energies of the day clash with the energies of the year, month or hour. Engage in activities during these Breaker Days, and projects will suffer complications and problems. The Year Breaker Day has slightly more generic side effects, and if unavoidable, should be used to start short-term projects only that will be quickly completed. Month Breaker Days are more malevolent, and can cause the dissolution of partnerships and the failure of businesses.

Then there are the Three Killings Days. These Three Killings are the Robbery Sha, Calamity Sha and the Annual Sha. On Robbery Sha days there is a high likelihood of being robbed, losing or misplacing money or valuables. Calamity Sha day brings with it bodily harm, injuries and illness. Annual Sha days cause procrastination, setbacks and delays, and should be avoided for projects with tight deadlines, deals that require quick approvals or any property-related transactions.

The Killing Days can be identified by referring to the Three Harmony combinations and the Earthly Branch of the Year. The Three Harmony combinations involve the grouping of the 12 Earthly Branches into four frames: Water, Fire, Wood and Metal. The Killing Days are the days whose elements oppose the ones in the Three Harmony groups. There are also Three Killing Days of the Month, which are determined by referring to the Earthly Branch of the Month instead of the year.

Another few days that should be avoided are the 10 Ferocious and Big Disaster Days, also known as No Wealth Days. Avoid these days, as they are negative days for business deals and wealth trading, and should not be used to out contract signings, asset acquisitions, business trips or official openings.

Of course, with the bad, there’s also the good. A date selection technique called the 12 Day Officers Method is a good way to look for auspicious days for specific activities. The “Officers” refer to the type of Qi governing a specific day, and by matching the type of Qi with the right activity, you can give your business venture a proper boost of positive Qi that may carry it through successfully.

For an official launch or business opening, look for a Success, Open or Stable day to open your doors. Of the three, an Open Day is best, since it welcomes in customers and clients, and also helps bring in your Noble (Helpful) People who can help you draw in more business. Never have an official opening on a Breaker Day, especially a Personal Breaker Day. If possible, you will also want to find a date where the Yearly Prosperity Wealth Star is present.

For asset acquisition, you will want a day with an Earth presence (Earth is described as “the storage of ten thousand things”) and four particular Earthly branches associated with that Element: Ox, Dragon, Dog and Goat. Two stars are used to determine which Earth Branch to use: the Asset Star and the Month Asset Star, though the Asset Star is recommended for long term acquisitions. The day can be further personalized based on the type of material acquired, and the personal Prosperity Wealth Star Day. If possible, asset acquisition should also fall on a Full Day to ensure the assets stay “full”.

When selecting a date for contract signing or commercial deals, it’s best to select a date that ensures that all parties keep their promises and comply with the set obligations and responsibilities. Contract signings should tap into Qi that aids harmony and wealth, and for this, the Initiate, Success and Stable Days are ideal. For full fairness, Three Harmony Combination that includes both parties should be used, otherwise one party may end up with an advantage over the other. Avoid all Breaker Days and No Wealth Days.

With so many factors to take into consideration such as logistics, personnel and marketing, it’s not easy to start or sustain a business. Selecting a suitable date, however, means you can ensure that any business event or activity you undertake gets a positive start, one that may carry on to future successes and triumphs.