Guest Author - Heather J. Hasan

This year, February 7, 2008 to January 25, 2009, we will experience the Year of the Earth Rat. The Year of the Rat marks the beginning of the Chinese astrological cycle and is believed to be a year of prosperity, wealth, and new beginnings. This year is a perfect time to make a fresh start in all areas of life.

Expect this year to be fairly calm, since this year is the year of the Earth Rat. The Earth element is known for its stablizing nature and will allow the flow of life to run more smoothly. This opens the door for abundance and success.

Rat Traits

The Years of the Rat in the 20th century were 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, and 1996. If you were born in one of these years, you are a mighty Rat! Some of the terms used to describe the personalities of people born during Rat years are:

- strong-willed
- passionate
- natural-born leader
- dominating
- charming
- meticulous
- egotistical
- intelligent

Although rats possess great will-power, they also suffer from depression from time to time. Rats are perfectionists and expect everything to go their way. Their personalities are black and white and when they fail at a task, they may feel like a failure in general. This may be the case at times, but Rats know how to jump right back into the game. They know how to plan and strategize, making them reliable and dependable.

Despite the fact that Rats are usually employed in high-paying career areas (i.e. psychology, medicine, law, politics) they are thrifty with money and save often. They want to insure the future for their families and themselves.

Rats are family oriented, spending as much time with family as possible. They are dedicated to providing for the family and being the bread winner.

If you are a rat, be careful what zodiac signs you partner with. Rats get on great with Dragons, Monkeys, and Oxen but are almost always completely incompatable with Rabbits, the Horses, and the Pigs.

Have a wonderful Year of the Rat!