CALL me a cynic but I've never bought in to the world of astrology.The notion that one person can predict my future by gazing at the stars seems like hokum to me.

Tom Potter

CALL me a cynic but I've never bought in to the world of astrology.

The notion that one person can predict my future by gazing at the stars seems like hokum to me.

I am however willing to be converted if someone can prove otherwise - which is exactly what Yandong Wang set out to do.

With Chinese New Year under way, the owner of St Matthew's Street based medicine and treatment centre, Chinese Health challenged me to reconsider the clout of clairvoyance.

The expert in alternative treatment, who is known as Sabrina to most of her clients, offers free consultations for remedying the cause of pains and complaints rather than simply treating the symptoms.

But Sabrina is often most in demand for her innate ability to foresee people's destiny. She said: “People are forever coming in and asking me what is in store for them next year.

“I can tell by when they were born whether they will have a good year or need to avoid certain things.

“Chinese astrology is I think more detailed than western horoscopes that you find in the back of newspapers. It is more specific to the individual and people in China take it very seriously, even postponing their marriages if the year is not right.

“As for this coming year, monkeys and pigs will be lucky in love. Rats will have a good year for money and their careers while tigers and dragons - who are generally the luckier of the animals - will find it easy getting help from other people when they need it.”

Sabrina is also a dab hand at palm reading but saves that talent for when she's with friends in the pub.

To celebrate New Year, Sabrina is offering free pearls of wisdom and guidance for next year at Chinese Health. The centre also stocks dozens of alternative cures for a variety of ailments:

“We offer acupuncture, Chinese massage and herbal medicine to anyone who wants an alternative to conventional remedies,” said Sabrina.

“We have a range of different seeds and leaves which we mix together to serve different functions.

“Acupuncture is a very popular treatment, especially for pain relief. It has even helped people with their new year's resolutions to lose weight and give up smoking.”

Have you had your fortune told? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

I was born in 1982 - a year represented in Chinese astrology by the dog and the element, yang water. So what does 2009 - the year of the ox - have in store for me?

Sabrina said: “This is a good year for people who were born in the year of the dog.

“You will be lucky in your career and will either grow in your current job or move on.

“Money has never bothered you and this year will be no different.”

Which animal and element represent the year in which you were born?

1 Feb 05 1924 - Jan 23 1925 Yang Wood/Rat Feb 02 1984 - Feb 19 1985

2 Jan 24 1925 - Feb 12 1926 Yin Wood/Ox Feb 20 1985 - Feb 08 1986

3 Feb 13 1926 - Feb 01 1927 Yang Fire/Tiger Feb 09 1986 - Jan 28 1987

4 Feb 02 1927 - Jan 22 1928 Yin Fire/Rabbit Jan 29 1987 - Feb 16 1988

5 Jan 23 1928 - Feb 09 1929 Yang Earth/Dragon Feb 17 1988 - Feb 05 1989

6 Feb 10 1929 - Jan 29 1930 Yin Earth/Snake Feb 06 1989 - Jan 26 1990

7 Jan 30 1930 - Feb 16 1931 Yang Metal/Horse Jan 27 1990 - Feb 14 1991

8 Feb 17 1931 - Feb 05 1932 Yin Metal/Ram Feb 15 1991 - Feb 03 1992

9 Feb 06 1932 - Jan 25 1933 Yang Water/Monkey Feb 04 1992 - Jan 22 1993

10 Jan 26 1933 - Feb 13 1934 Yin Water/Rooster Jan 23 1993 - Feb 09 1994

11 Feb 14 1934 - Feb 03 1935 Yang Wood/Dog Feb 10 1994 - Jan 30 1995

12 Feb 04 1935 - Jan 23 1936 Yin Wood/Boar Jan 31 1995 - Feb 18 1996

13 Jan 24 1936 - Feb 10 1937 Yang Fire/Rat Feb 19 1996 - Feb 06 1997

14 Feb 11 1937 - Jan 30 1938 Yin Fire/Ox Feb 07 1997 - Jan 27 1998

15 Jan 31 1938 - Feb 18 1939 Yang Earth/Tiger Jan 28 1998 - Feb 15 1999

16 Feb 19 1939 - Feb 07 1940 Yin Earth/Rabbit Feb 16 1999 - Feb 04 2000

17 Feb 08 1940 - Jan 26 1941 Yang Metal/Dragon Feb 05 2000 - Jan 23 2001

18 Jan 27 1941 - Feb 14 1942 Yin Metal/Snake Jan 24 2001 - Feb 11 2002

19 Feb 15 1942 - Feb 04 1943 Yang Water/Horse Feb 12 2002 - Jan 31 2003

20 Feb 05 1943 - Jan 24 1944 Yin Water/Ram Feb 01 2003 - Jan 21 2004

21 Jan 25 1944 - Feb 12 1945 Yang Wood/Monkey Jan 22 2004 - Feb 08 2005

22 Feb 13 1945 - Feb 01 1946 Yin Wood/Rooster Feb 09 2005 - Jan 28 2006

23 Feb 02 1946 - Jan 21 1947 Yang Fire/Dog Jan 29 2006 - Feb 17 2007

24 Jan 22 1947 - Feb 09 1948 Yin Fire/Boar Feb 18 2007 - Feb 06 2008

25 Feb 10 1948 - Jan 28 1949 Yang Earth/Rat Feb 07 2008 - Jan 25 2009

26 Jan 29 1949 - Feb 16 1950 Yin Earth/Ox

27 Feb 17 1950 - Feb 05 1951 Yang Metal/Tiger

28 Feb 06 1951 - Jan 26 1952 Yin Metal/Rabbit

29 Jan 27 1952 - Feb 13 1953 Yang Water/Dragon

30 Feb 14 1953 - Feb 02 1954 Yin Water/Snake

31 Feb 03 1954 - Jan 23 1955 Yang Wood/Horse

32 Jan 24 1955 - Feb 11 1956 Yin Wood/Ram

33 Feb 12 1956 - Jan 30 1957 Yang Fire/Monkey

34 Jan 31 1957 - Feb 17 1958 Yin Fire/Rooster

35 Feb 18 1958 - Feb 07 1959 Yang Earth/Dog

36 Feb 08 1959 - Jan 27 1960 Yin Earth/Boar

37 Jan 28 1960 - Feb 14 1961 Yang Metal/Rat

38 Feb 15 1961 - Feb 04 1962 Yin Metal/Ox

39 Feb 05 1962 - Jan 24 1963 Yang Water/Tiger

40 Jan 25 1963 - Feb 12 1964 Yin Water/Rabbit

41 Feb 13 1964 - Feb 01 1965 Yang Wood/Dragon

42 Feb 02 1965 - Jan 20 1966 Yin Wood/Snake

43 Jan 21 1966 - Feb 08 1967 Yang Fire/Horse

44 Feb 09 1967 - Jan 29 1968 Yin Fire/Ram

45 Jan 30 1968 - Feb 16 1969 Yang Earth/Monkey

46 Feb 17 1969 - Feb 05 1970 Yin Earth/Rooster

47 Feb 06 1970 - Jan 26 1971 Yang Metal/Dog

48 Jan 27 1971 - Feb 14 1972 Yin Metal/Boar

49 Feb 15 1972 - Feb 02 1973 Yang Water/Rat

50 Feb 03 1973 - Jan 22 1974 Yin Water/Ox

51 Jan 23 1974 - Feb 10 1975 Yang Wood/Tiger

52 Feb 11 1975 - Jan 30 1976 Yin Wood/Rabbit

53 Jan 31 1976 - Feb 17 1977 Yang Fire/Dragon

54 Feb 18 1977 - Feb 06 1978 Yin Fire/Snake

55 Feb 07 1978 - Jan 27 1979 Yang Earth/Horse

56 Jan 28 1979 - Feb 15 1980 Yin Earth/Ram

57 Feb 16 1980 - Feb 04 1981 Yang Metal/Monkey

58 Feb 05 1981 - Jan 24 1982 Yin Metal/Rooster

59 Jan 25 1982 - Feb 12 1983 Yang Water/Dog

60 Feb 13 1983 - Feb 01 1984 Yin Water/Boar