Wood Rat Month ~ December 2023

This timing we are in carries the energy of the beginning of the ongoing pandemic. I probably didn’t need to tell you that. You can feel it right? In many ways, this month marks a starting over point.

Here we are at the beginning of another Cycle of 60 months. If you study Qi Men Dun Jia, you might also note that the Wood Dragon year indicates the beginning of a ten year cycle or decade. If you want to do forecasting with Chinese Astrology, you’ll want to track ALL the time cycles and see how they mesh up. In my mind they are like gears engaging, matching and meshing. Some of the gears are big, such as the 180 year cycle. Some are as small as days and hours. The Cycle of 60 Pillars is always there to guide us.

Of course, this same Cycle of 60 covers individual years too. The last time we had a Wood Rat year was in 1984. The energy of the Wood Rat brings novelty, firsts, and beginnings. People with this pillar in the year are often known for their inventions. Elizabeth Holmes immediately comes to mind, along with a popular astrologer on Twitter. Jimmy Carter, who on his second day in office pardoned Vietnam War “draft dodgers”, was born in a Wood Rat year too.

In this current timing, the inventive nature of the Wood Rat suggests you be very aware of who you are dealing with, especially if your transaction with them involves trust or money. We’re in Period 9 now and it’s hard to tell what’s real isn’t it? One way to get around these issues is to do business locally or with people you’ve been able to trust in the past. Get face to face with people. A video call is better than a phone call. A telephone call is better than messaging or email. Trust your instincts if something feels off. If someone is wanting to sell you something they invented, proceed with caution. Everything you want is available from a safe source but you have to do the work to find it.

If you are attached to returning to the same well because it feels comforting in this time of radical change, I want you to rethink that. For “well” you could substitute any noun that comes up for you in this context. A noun is a person, place or thing. If you find you still want to return to the well, maybe the key is in returning without expectations? Or even better, return to the well with the intent to restore it yourself? Maybe you want to become a working well.

Practical Applications

The sign of the Rat often indicates a talent for strategic planning. We can all use this month for that purpose, but Rats will be most proficient. The Rat is best friends with the Ox who is the executioner of the Rat’s plans. Although it ultimately may be draining for the Ox, or disappointing for the Rat, there is big learning that comes from this relationship.

The most emotionally intelligent Rats will be humbled by the deep sensitivity of the Ox, perhaps to good effect. Oxen will lose some false premises courtesy of the Rat. Consider letting these things happen to you. When it comes to general timings*, the alliance of Rat and Ox is not a long lasting one, so if you have one of these branches and you want that kind of energetic exchange, get to it. Actually, anyone can play with this energy for a limited time. You’ve got two months. When the Tiger arrives in February the window closes.

If you are a 己 yin Earth or 乙 yin Wood year or day stem person, this month your Nobleman is present. For 乙 Yi people the Nobleman may be a woman, for 己 Ji people it might be a man. This energy of the Nobleman is related to the N location of your home.

Even though this Rat month brings an exclamation point to the Ingratitude Punishment between Rat and Rabbit that we’ve been experiencing all year, those born in a Rabbit month have some special protection that will last into the new year. Maybe it has to do with your work. Yes, someone might be wanting to reciprocate what they see as your disregard, however, you may also have the perspective that things are going more smoothly. Usually this means they are. Both of these things can happen at the same time.

If you have a Horse in your Ba Zi, this month it is clashed by the cold Water of the Rat. Water for a Horse sometimes means fear, but it also carries the possibility of learning how to deal with what challenges you without running away. If it brings anxiety, maybe that is a prompt for you to do better planning. Consider the position of the pillar when you interpret this.

If you happen to be a 甲 yang Wood day stem person, get ready for all the eyes that will be on you from now until the end of summer probably.

*Meaning this may not apply to your life’s patterns but applies to this current timing.