The element of Fire adds tenacity and drive to a sign and this is especially the case with the Fire Rat. He is purposeful and alert and has style and presence. Provided he is disciplined and prepared to put in the effort, what he achieves this year can be an important foundation for the future. The Horse year will be demanding and not always easy, but it represents a real chance for the Fire Rat to show his qualities and prepare himself for the success that awaits.
Tip for the Year
Make the most of chances to learn. What you do now can often have long-term value. Also, enjoy your personal interests, for these too can benefit you, sometimes in an unexpected way.
The Earth Rat
There is a Chinese proverb which states, ‘He who comprehends the times is great.’ As 2014 starts, the Earth Rat would do well to reflect on his position and what he would like to see happen. Having ideas in mind will not only give him something to work towards but also allow him to use his time and energy more profitably. The Year of the Horse, while not always easy, does have considerable possibility.
As with all Rats, the Earth Rat is blessed with an enquiring mind. If something intrigues him, he will always endeavour to find out more. His curious nature will serve him well this year. Remarks he hears, subjects he reads about or invitations that come his way may all give him the chance to try new activities, go to new places or take up new interests. This is very much a year to be open-minded and game.
Earth Rats who are newly retired or who retire this year will find that with more free time available they will have more chance to develop their interests. Their actions can make this an often stimulating time. Another encouraging feature of the year will be the support the Earth Rat receives from those around him. Not only will family and friends be encouraging, but other enthusiasts or a local interest group can add to the pleasure his interests bring.
Also, quite a few Earth Rats will have dormant talents just waiting to blossom. It could be they enjoy music, art, writing or another creative activity but have not had the chance to either explore or develop their skills. Now is the time. The Horse year is one of interesting possibility.
The Earth Rat would also do well to give some consideration to his general well-being and take regular and appropriate exercise. He may be tempted to join a keep-fit class, but whatever he does, by remaining active (and sometimes sharing activities with others), he can benefit. However, before starting any new exercise regime or if he has any concerns, it is important he seeks medical guidance.
During the year the Earth Rat will often have social occasions to look forward to and the chance to meet his friends, and April, June, September and December could be particularly full and pleasing months socially.
As always, the Earth Rat will give much attention to his home life, including tackling domestic projects, sorting out maintenance problems and smartening living areas. The Horse year is one for action, and the plans the Earth Rat carries out during it, including some he may have thought about for some while, will bring him considerable pleasure.
Over the year he will also find others, particularly younger relations, seeking his views and grateful for assistance he is able to give. However, while his domestic life can bring him much contentment, there may also be issues that concern him. Minor matters have a tendency to escalate in Horse years and if the Earth Rat detects difficult undercurrents or potential problems, he would do well to address these early on. With dialogue and compromise, awkward situations can often be dealt with, but in the Horse year early action is advised.
This also applies to a possible friendship issue. Here again the Earth Rat should be mindful of the views of others and wary in potentially awkward situations. Fortunately his ability to read people and situations can serve him well and he is a skilled diplomat, but disagreements could arise and risk casting a shadow over some of the year’s activities. Earth Rats, be warned and tread carefully.
Another area which requires care is finance. Over the year the Earth Rat needs to watch his spending as well as plan for more major outgoings. Also, when completing paperwork, especially if tax, pension or benefit related, he needs to be thorough and query anything which is not clear. This is a year to be thorough and disciplined.
Despite this, the Earth Rat would do well to try and make provision for travel, if possible. A change of scene could do him a lot of good and he could enjoy new experiences and be inspired by the sights he sees. This is a year which can open the Earth Rat’s mind to new possibilities.
Overall, the Earth Rat can derive much personal benefit from the Horse year, although to get the most from it he does need to act upon his ideas and develop his interests. This could include nurturing talents which may have lain dormant for some time. The Horse year does hold considerable scope for the Earth Rat, but money matters need to be handled with care and while the Earth Rat can look forward to many agreeable times with others, the year can give rise to problems, which ideally should be addressed early on. The Earth Rat will need to remain aware of these potentially awkward aspects and proceed with caution. This can be a satisfying year with scope for personal development, but it is also one which requires care.
Tip for the Year
Be open – you can gain a great deal from the support and encouragement you are given as well as enjoy the way many of your ideas develop. Also, make the most of your own special skills. These too can bring pleasure – and a possible surprise.
Famous Rats
Ben Affleck, Ursula Andress, Louis Armstrong, Lauren Bacall, Dame Shirley Bassey, Kathy Bates, Irving Berlin, Kenneth Branagh, Marlon Brando, Charlotte Brontë, Jackson Browne, George H. W. Bush, Glen Campbell, Jimmy Carter, Jeremy Clarkson, Aaron Copland, Cameron Diaz, David Duchovny, Duffy, T. S. Eliot, Eminem, Colin Firth, Clark Gable, Liam Gallagher, Al Gore, Hugh Grant, Lewis Hamilton, Thomas Hardy, Prince Harry, Haydn, Charlton Heston, Buddy Holly, Mick Hucknall, Henrik Ibsen, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, LeBron James, Jean-Michel Jarre, Scarlett Johansson, Gene Kelly, Avril Lavigne, Jude Law, Gary Lineker, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ian McEwan, Katie Melua, Claude Monet, Richard Nixon, Ozzy Osbourne, Sean Penn, Katy Perry, Sir Terry Pratchett, Ian Rankin, Lou Rawls, Burt Reynolds, Rossini, William Shakespeare, James Taylor, Leo Tolstoy, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Spencer Tracy, the Prince of Wales, George Washington, the Duke of York, Emile Zola.
Water Ox 6 February 1913 to 25 January 1914
Wood Ox 24 January 1925 to 12 February 1926
Fire Ox 11 February 1937 to 30 January 1938
Earth Ox 29 January 1949 to 16 February 1950
Metal Ox 15 February 1961 to 4 February 1962
Water Ox 3 February 1973 to 22 January 1974
Wood Ox 20 February 1985 to 8 February 1986
Fire Ox 7 February 1997 to 27 January 1998
Earth Ox 26 January 2009 to 13 February 2010
The Personality of the Ox
The more considered the way,
the more considerable