Year of the Metal Rat (鼠—shǔ)
Chinese New Year is early this year, beginning on Saturday, January 25 (the day after the Aquarius new moon) and ending at the full moon Lantern Festival. Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar. 2020 is the Year of the Metal Rat (metal (金—jīn) a year of “new beginnings.” Which is interesting as some say 2020 is also the year of the “reset.”
The Rat is the very first of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac, quite like the sign Aries. It is written that it was rat who first arrived at the Jade Emperor’s party. Rat represents a new day, it is Yang (outward moving) and midnight hours. Rat’s virtues are kindness, diligence and generosity. Rats live a quiet peaceful life and they always know where food is. They are clever, financially secure, quick thinkers, optimistic, sensitive to the emotions of others, reliable and stable.
They are also very hot tempered, independent with great creative imaginations. Rat people need to be careful of their health in 2020. Success for the Metal Rat this year will be with work and education. More care will be needed with relationships, communication and health. Best matches for Rat are Ox, Monkey and Dragon.
The Metal Rat years are 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020. It is suggested that all Metal Rat people create an altar to the Buddha with a statue of the Buddha at the center. Tending to it with prayers, fruits and flowers each day. Auspicious times then are ahead.
ARIES: Your work in the world will be guided and directed by promptings and impressions from above. You are to initiate new ideas: new possibilities creating new probabilities creating new outcomes, unreflective of the past. You will need to meet important people, then become one yourself. You will learn to act with humility while attaining great goals. Develop what is necessary to solidify these tasks. You’re the person for this job.
TAURUS: It’s important to contact people afar concerning their health, welfare, family life, plans and future agendas. Keep in touch with family. The outer aspects of these interactions hide a deep spiritual purpose. With strength and calmness speak the truth of your aims and purposes; listen carefully to the other(s). There’s a seed of enlightenment in their words. Be not afraid to ask for all that is needed. Read Matthew 7:7.
GEMINI: You hold within yourself secret talents. You may or may not know this. They need to be called forth now with intention. You can ask that you recognize them. Do not be secretive about resources. However, you must protect them. Pay all debts on all levels – physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. You and another may need to travel somewhere to discover information. Where would that be?
CANCER: There’s a spiritual task you’re being asked to provide from Jupiter, the planet central to the Aquarian Age distributing Love/Wisdom. Jupiter asks that you provide more love to your groups and communities you interact with. You are to be wise, distributing truth with love and wisdom to those around you. Not gossip, not opinion, not another’s point of view, not interpretation, but the truth within your heart. This safeguards you.
LEO: You are the most important communicator to co-workers and colleagues. Leo is the sign of love in the heart. Sometimes that love is obscured by hurts, sadness and imperfect interactions in relationships (all relationships are). Sometimes we turn away from people, bestowing our love on pets, gardens, crystals and climbing rocks. It might be good to think of all the people you’ve known. Lovingly say to them, “Hello, my friend, hello.”
VIRGO: It’s a special time for you to ponder upon what avocations you want to pursue; what talents, gifts and skills you already possess. It’s a good time to think back on how you’ve cared for loved ones and what you want to do for others in the future in terms of serving them. I see you in a garden, vines of honeysuckle, and hops climbing a tall arbor. It’s good for your garden this year to obtain a biodynamic calendar. Maria Thun’s is best.
LIBRA: You’re thinking about family relationships. Friends are sometimes Libra’s family. You’re attempting to have an intact sense of family and greater feeling of foundation. These times may bring up childhood memories, perhaps wounds. We cannot heal until wounds surface. You have the strength to face these shadows, the wisdom to understand them and the love, latent and in potential, to heal. In emotional crisis, take Ignatia Amara, the homeopath that soothes & settles grief.
SCORPIO: You need to enter into deeper relationships with intelligent and passionate people. You need real interchanges of ideas and beliefs so you can grow new values and experiment with unique plans for the future. A new foundation of thought seeks to meet the challenges of the new realities about to take place in our world. Stay focused, have purposeful intent, take up a new study. Mars asks you what are you devoted to, what are your ideals?
SAGITTARIUS: Observe how your sense of identity has expanded. Have your values also changed? Compare today’s values with what you valued previously. You have deepened into a sense of greater responsibility and climbed to a level of success. Always you ask, “What’s next?” Every question we have reflects a developmental stage. Whatever is occurring, stand always in the light. A Sag’s journey is sometimes long and arduous. Sometimes you step into the unknown. Remain there.
CAPRICORN: You communicate these days with great depth of feeling. Don’t worry if people step back. Your life-force is showing through, filled with the fire of intention and conviction. It’s as if God were speaking. Capricorn’s glyph is almost the signature of God. You’ll be asked to organize things, to show leadership and drive, to impress (give to) others with ideas that become ideals within them. You do this already. Yes, but now more so. Avoid those who resist.
AQUARIUS: You’re going to enter into an internal state for a while, interacting and investigating things deep within; things confidential, religious, private and personal. Do not feel caught up in limitations or hindrances. They only mean you’re working toward overcoming them. Place yourself first in the coming days so that you can protect yourself and maintain vibrant health. A new identity of strength and courage is forming within you. Slowly, gently. A new you coming forth.
PISCES: Careful telling people about future hopes, wishes and dreams. They will not be understood. Careful with your time each day. Plan early what your actions will be. Outline a time schedule. Employ a quiet firm discipline – the first step toward working under the Will of God. Speak softly yet vibrantly and always with love (another discipline). You will be called to a far distant shore. You will consider what is best. Call the Soul to stabilize and direct all endeavors.
Risa – writer, teacher, counselor, mentor, astrologer, esotericist. Founder & Director of The Esoteric & Astrological Studies & Research Institute, a contemporary Wisdom School for the Ageless Wisdom teachings. The foundations of the Teachings are the study & application of Astrology & the Seven Rays. Email: risagoodwill@gmail.com. Web journal: www.nightlightnews.org/ Facebook: Risa D’Angeles & Risa’s Esoteric Astrology (2 FB pages). All FB messages are posted on NLN (website) – under Daily Studies. Astrological, esoteric, day to day news – art, literature, psychology, history, religion, economics, geography & cultural journalism.
Recognition of the unique value of every living being expresses itself in reverence for life, compassion for all, sympathy with the need of all individuals to find truth for themselves, and respect for all religious traditions. The Esoteric & Theosophical Worldview