Chinese New Year of the Rat

By Susan Levitt

Rat year is a time of strong endings and fresh beginnings because Rat is the first sign of the Chinese zodiac that starts a new 12-year cycle.

Anticipate scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, and an increase in technological inventions. Creativity flourishes, with advancement in everything from artificial intelligence to soil analysis on Mars.

Chinese New Year is the second new Moon after Winter Solstice.

Rat is considered a lucky astrology sign, making Rat year a time of abundance and good fortune. Social Rat loves the pack, so this year is ideal to work collectively to launch new strategies. Ventures begun in a Rat year are fortunate, but only if well planned.

So plan, organize, then plan again. Rat is a doer who cares about performance, progress, and rewards. Anticipate scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, and an increase in technological inventions. Creativity flourishes, with advancement in everything from artificial intelligence to soil analysis on Mars.

During a Rat year there is a focus on money for both personal and global finance, like the last Rat year 2008 of the Great Recession. 2020 brings an even stronger focus on international markets, excessive wealth, and real estate because it’s a Metal year. Autumn and winter are the most fortunate seasons.

Metal Rat

Of the five Taoist elements Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood, this is the year of the Metal Rat.

The element Metal represents money and the resources of Mother Earth such as gold and silver. Anticipate fluctuations in world economies and shifts of political power. There can be a financial reset of rich and poor, with more people raised out of poverty. But Metal also represents weaponry, and Rat year can bring collective militarization.

Metal personality traits include strength, independence, focus, intensity, righteousness, and fluency in speech. The Metal personality is very determined and powerful. One born in a Metal year succeeds by being less opinionated, accepting change, and gracefully releasing the past.

The element Metal rules the lungs in Chinese Medicine so take care of your lungs this year, especially in autumn.

Rat Personality

Those born in Rat years (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020) are smart, sharp, funny people who are highly perceptive. They are excellent at analyzing data to arrive at the correct conclusions, and can quickly figure out how to solve problems. Their quick wit and style makes them popular, and are delightful when they turn on the charm.

Feng Shui for 2020 Metal Rat Year

By Susan Levitt

Create good luck in 2020 Rat year with good feng shui! Feng shui is part of Chinese medicine whereby health can be restored and maintained in a calm, peaceful environment.

2020 is a Metal year. In feng shui, the element Metal is represented by the clean, pristine environment. If there ever was a time to reduce clutter, it’s now. Rat year is an excellent time to organize and clean up, especially organize and clean up your financial records. There is always a focus on money in a Rat year.

The room to enhance in Rat year is the bedroom that correlates to the Element Metal. (5 Elements info below.) Metal is a yin element, and the bedroom is a yin room for quiet, rest, and sleep. Make your bedroom a healing sanctuary.

Rats are nocturnal animals. The hours of the Rat are 11 pm – 1 am. Those born during Rat year or hour can have a predisposition for insomnia. The Rat mind is always working and thinking, creating and planning. So 2020 is the year to create a peaceful bedrooms for you and your family.

Lucky Charm

The lucky charm for Rat year is an Ox charm, the full body not just the head.

Rat’s harmony trine of compatibility is with another Rat, Monkey, and Dragon. Outside of the compatibility trine, Rat’s closest ally is hard-working Ox. Next year Metal Ox 2021 will be time to follow through and complete what was stared in this Rat year. The best metal for the Ox charm is silver or silver tone. The best color for the charm is silver or white. For those who collect charms in jade, a green jade Ox is always delightful, and can be worn in all years except Sheep. A green jade Ox is most fortunate for those born in Wood Ox year 1985. The next Wood Ox year will be 2045.

Do not wear an Ox charm if you were born in Sheep year because Ox is opposite Sheep. I was born in Sheep year, so no Ox charm for me. But if an Ox charm is inspiring, stabilizing, and protective for you, then 2020 is your year for an Ox charm, and is recommended for those in Ox’s harmony trine Ox, Snake, and Phoenix (Rooster).

In 2021 the year of the Metal Ox, the lucky charm will be a silver or white Rat. And full body, not just the head.

METAL YEAR

Five Elements

Taoist feng shui is based on the 5 elements of Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood:

FIRE/HEART/LIVING ROOM – In Chinese medicine, the element Fire is represented by the heart. The living room is the heart of the home. Your living room is best with accents of the bright and lively Fire colors red, purple, orange, and all shades of red. Bright accents stimulate conversation and activity. Strong Fire brings passion, energy, and creativity.

EARTH/STOMACH/DINING

ROOM – In Chinese medicine, the element Earth is the stomach. The dining room is where we eat and digest food. The dining room is best in earthen tones of gold, terra cotta, or other soft yin colors. Red paint in Winter 2019 — Page 9

a dining area is too stimulating and people eat too fast. Strong Earth brings stability. balance, and patience.

METAL/LUNGS/BEDROOM – In Chinese medicine, the element metal is the lungs. The bedroom is where we sleep and breathe deeply while resting. Best bedroom colors are white, cream, and soft pastels. Avoid bright big prints on bedding and drapery, especially in a child’s room, because it’s too yang and not restful. Strong Metal brings logic, clarity, and intelligence.

WATER/KIDNEYS/

BATHROOM – In Chinese medicine, the element water is the kidneys. In the bathroom, paint this room in a soft, quiet, and calm color for peaceful elimination of waste and for soothing bathing or showering. Light blue is fine. Strong Water brings wisdom and serenity.

First Thing Seen

WOOD/LIVER/

KITCHEN – In Chinese medicine, the element wood is the liver. Wood is used in a kitchen to feed the cooking fire. The kitchen must be kept very clean because this is where food is prepared, so white walls are best. But green accents or a plant are recommended to introduce the Wood element into this Wood room. Strong Wood brings growth, enthusiasm, and enthusiasm.

The energy of any room can be transformed by adding a coat of fresh paint. If all rooms of your home have white or ivory walls, all white is too much of the element Metal that can lead to arguing. So paint one room with color. Or add a backsplash of color on one wall, or trim a room with color. Don’t know which room to paint? Paint the room that’s in the most need of sprucing up.

How Luck Enters

What is the first thing seen when you enter your home? Your eye goes somewhere, so direct the eye by organizing each room so that the first thing seen sets a pleasant tone to make the room inviting to enter.

Make sure that the first thing seen in each room is clean and inspiring. You do not want to see a pile of paperwork or any type of clutter. Stay tidy, especially during this element Metal year, the time for a clean, pristine environment.

Lucky Plants

It can be fortunate to add healthy plants and flowers to your home and workplace to increase abundance. The energy of a room is brightened by the addition of flowers and plants. And plants offer fresh oxygen.

Indoors or out, it’s best to have plants that stay evergreen all year, and that do not lose their leaves in any season.

Lucky flowers are orchids, peonies, and lilies. Roses are fine in a home or office, but remove them if there’s arguing (influence of the rose’s thorns.) Avoid thorny plants like cacti. Plants with round and soft leaves are better.

Where to start? By developing tidy habits. Stop mess before it builds by maintaining the habit of tidying up before you leave your home or office. Then a peaceful environment awaits you when you return. Especially at your place of work, it’s not favorable to leave a mess over the weekend. Then start at your front door. Clean your entry to welcome all the good luck that will come into your home and place of business in the new year. Wash, sweep, or vacuum the front steps, porch, entry hall, lobby — whatever the entry is where you live.

Make this area clean, well lit, and inviting. Check the entry’s lighting fixtures, make sure the doorbell works, and paint touch-ups on scuff marks. Add an welcome mat if needed. Or replace an old one if it’s worn out its welcome.

For a business, make sure that your entry is clean and inviting, and that there is good signage with clear address numbers. A business must be easy to find, and attractive to enter. One third of business success is good feng shui at the entrance.