Calling All Metal Rats

[Encephalon]

Any other Metal Rats in here? My DOB - 09/12/60.  Gonna be a good year for me.

 

[silent thunder]

wife is earth monkey -'68

i'm earth rooster -'69

and our son is a fire dog -'06

 

we'll take whatever kind of year comes and love each other.

[doc benway]

I am also a metal rat - 1960

In the Tibetan tradition, the culmination of a full cycle can be a harbinger of positive or negative change.

I don't want to be morbid or alarm anyone, but I've been advised to practice a long life mantra regularly throughout the year and to perform Tsethar, the ritual of liberating sentient beings marked for death. 

 

 

 

[Taomeow]

4 hours ago, steve said:

I am also a metal rat - 1960

In the Tibetan tradition, the culmination of a full cycle can be a harbinger of positive or negative change.

I don't want to be morbid or alarm anyone, but I've been advised to practice a long life mantra regularly throughout the year and to perform Tsethar, the ritual of liberating sentient beings marked for death. 

 

 

 

 

In the taoist tradition, the meeting of two rats (your own and the Rat of the year) can result in a fight or in cooperation, the clash being more likely in a yang year (which this one is).  To protect oneself from a conflict with the big Rat, a lesser Rat is advised to befriend the Ox, who is its ally and protector.  This falls into the category of feng shui "medicines," although there's some debate as to whether it's traditional enough, since the "animals" first appear in the known records only 2500 years ago.  The "medicine" in this case consists of an image (3D, not a picture) of the ox worn on the body -- as a pendant or in the pocket.  

Edited February 6, 2020 by Taomeow

[Piyadasi]

23 minutes ago, Taomeow said:

 

In the taoist tradition, the meeting of two rats (your own and the Rat of the year) can result in a fight or in cooperation, the clash being more likely in a yang year (which this one is).  To protect oneself from a conflict with the big Rat, a lesser Rat is advised to befriend the Ox, who is its ally and protector.  This falls into the category of feng shui "medicines," although there's some debate as to whether it's traditional enough, since the "animals" first appear in the known records only 2500 years ago.  The "medicine" in this case consists of an image (3D, not a picture) of the ox worn on the body -- as a pendant or in the pocket.  

 

 

I wonder.. do I count as a Rat just because my Year sign is a Rat? Is 'befriending the Ox' actually just wearing an ox pendant and that's it? Are there any more specifics around the pendant? Where can one get appropriate pendants or is there nothing specific one has to look for beyond 'it should be an ox'?

 

I'm interested in Chinese Astrology somewhat, but so far I haven't really found a book that had a decent amount of *practical* advice for someone who doesn't want to dive into it too deeply.

 

Could you perhaps direct me to one or some other alternative?  Or maybe I'm being too picky and I'll have to dive in if I want something I can apply in life.

 

Thank you.

[Taomeow]

8 hours ago, Piyadasi said:

 

 

I wonder.. do I count as a Rat just because my Year sign is a Rat? Is 'befriending the Ox' actually just wearing an ox pendant and that's it? Are there any more specifics around the pendant? Where can one get appropriate pendants or is there nothing specific one has to look for beyond 'it should be an ox'?

 

I'm interested in Chinese Astrology somewhat, but so far I haven't really found a book that had a decent amount of *practical* advice for someone who doesn't want to dive into it too deeply.

 

Could you perhaps direct me to one or some other alternative?  Or maybe I'm being too picky and I'll have to dive in if I want something I can apply in life.

 

Thank you.

 

There's more traditional schools that assert the main "animal" -- that aspect of one's qi that manifests as psychophysical traits -- is that of the month, not the year, so "I'm a Rat" would mean "born in the Month of the Rat" to those schools.  But in general "I am this and that animal" is pop feng shui -- the real one looks at the four animals (Year, Month, Day, Hour) and their interactions, or six (adding Conception and Life animals), and they are generally tangential to the main reading.  For purposes of the year's chart interacting with one's natal one, we look for that particular animal appearing anywhere, as a year, month, day or hour animal, and take it that everything that concerns someone born in the year of the Rat applies to everyone who has a Rat anywhere in the chart -- in the month, day, or hour.  (It's true for all 12 animals of course.)

 

Like all taoist art-science-practices, it's not something that can be learned with any depth from any one books, it is a tremendously involved course of study, and getting the basics right is a prerequisite but nothing more.  Since I was a beginner once and started "somewhere," I can only recommend the books from my own experience of being a beginner (and I did have to sift through a ton of trash before zeroing in on the really useful and accurate entry level sources) -- Elizabeth Moran/Joseph Yu ("The complete idiot's guide to feng shui," and nevermind the idiotic title) and Ted Kaptchuk ("The web that has no weaver" -- this one is about TCM but the two, in conjunction, were supportive of my understanding and complemented each other.)  And the Ta Chuan for the fundamentals (which of course has its own prerequisite, the I Ching.)  

[doc benway]

My wife is an ox (sorry sweetheart, only referring to your sign!), perhaps that will be of some support?

Thanks. rey much for the advice Taomeow. Any particular material you would recommend for the ox?

Edited February 6, 2020 by steve

[Taomeow]

8 hours ago, steve said:

My wife is an ox (sorry sweetheart, only referring to your sign!), perhaps that will be of some support?

Thanks. rey much for the advice Taomeow. Any particular material you would recommend for the ox?

 

Hmm, got me thinking.  The next year after this, 2021, will be Yin Metal Ox.  The Ox was actually first in line to start the new cycle, but the Rat talked her (it's a she, a cow in fact, when it's yin) into giving him a ride -- and just as they were arriving, jumped off the cow's back and ran forward, making it to the deadline first to be Number One.  (The cow didn't hold it against the rat though and they remained friends.  I am a Taurus in my Western zodiac, so the cow/ox roughly coincides with the Chinese sequence in this case -- and that makes Aries a rat. The overlap is not complete though because in the  Western system the dates of the zodiacal sequence  are fixed -- which makes little sense to me -- and in the Xia calendar, lunisolar-movable.  So it depends on the year.)  Anyway, back from digression:

 

so, Metal Ox ought to be fine, and this means actual metal or any precious or semiprecious stone (also dominated by the Metal phase).  Another option is Earth -- clay, terra cotta.  Rat has Water in it, and Earth Controls it.  So, you can go with either stone or metal pendant or figurine, preferably of the Earth color (yellow, tan, khaki, brown, terra cotta) or with a clay or terra cotta one. 

 

As for the wife's support -- you have two animals that are compatible to begin with, Ox and Rat, so you can count on the usual amount of support from that direction.  

Edited February 7, 2020 by Taomeow

[gendao]

On 1/30/2020 at 5:53 PM, Encephalon said:

Any other Metal Rats in here? My DOB - 09/12/60.  Gonna be a good year for me.

I was told your year is bad for you.

Personally, I never noticed any difference though...most years seemed to be varying degrees of sh*tty, lol.

[doc benway]

26 minutes ago, Taomeow said:

 

Hmm, got me thinking.  The next year after this, 2021, will be Yin Metal Ox.  The Ox was actually first in line to start the new cycle, but the Rat talked her (it's a she, a cow in fact, when it's yin) into giving him a ride -- and just as they were arriving, jumped off the cow's back and ran forward, making it to the deadline first to be Number One.  (The cow didn't hold it against the rat though and they remained friends.  I am a Taurus in my Western zodiac, so the cow/ox roughly coincides with the Chinese sequence in this case -- and that makes Aries a rat. The overlap is not complete though because in the  Western system the dates of the zodiacal sequence  are fixed -- which makes little sense to me -- and in the Xia calendar, lunisolar-movable.  So it depends on the year.)  Anyway, back from digression:

 

so, Metal Ox ought to be fine, and this means actual metal or any precious or semiprecious stone (also dominated by the Metal phase).  Another option is Earth -- clay, terra cotta.  Rat has Water in it, and Earth Controls it.  So, you can go with either stone or metal pendant or figurine, preferably of the Earth color (yellow, tan, khaki, brown, terra cotta) or with a clay or terra cotta one. 

 

As for the wife's support -- you have two animals that are compatible to begin with, Ox and Rat, so you can count on the usual amount of support from that direction.  

 

Wonderful!

I'm humbled by your knowledge and generosity...

[doc benway]

43 minutes ago, Taomeow said:

so, Metal Ox ought to be fine, and this means actual metal or any precious or semiprecious stone (also dominated by the Metal phase). 

 

Would this include jade?

It seems to have some unique characteristics...

[Taomeow]

54 minutes ago, steve said:

 

Would this include jade?

It seems to have some unique characteristics...

 

Yes, jade will be fine.   (I love it!) 

[Gerard]

*Rats get on really well. 9/10

Rat-Monkey 10/10

Rat-Dragon 10/10

Rat-Ox/Buffalo 9/10

 

When you are born in a specific year you'll be clearly emerging out of that energy to the point that your face will be manifesting the characteristics of that animal. Same goes with your Yang-cosmic sign (Libra, balanced, holes in the cheeks are quite common and called in Astrology the holes of Libra; Leo and their hair like the lion's man; Aries facial features resembling that of a ram; Scorpio's strong magnetism (eyes); etc.)

 

If your third eye/upper tantien is fully open you'll be able to see this stuff on people's faces, as clearly as a starry night in the Sahara.

 

Ancient Taoists came across this by minute observation like anything else. They also saw the animal physical influences (facial) on everyone.

 

Earth sign (Yin) is your animal one.

 

Western/Sumerian Astrology is your evolutionary one (Yang-Heaven).

 

<b>Health</b> is something Rats should watch out for this year (diet mainly), anything else will be good for them. Good luck and prosperity, generally speaking.

 

Certain animals suffer the negative influence of their same energy. I myself had trouble in 2014 Year of the Wood Horse; my sister told me I aged noticeably when I sent her a photo. I was aware of that anyway as I struggled that year due to living in a "non-ideal" location: SouthEast.

 

Horse-horse is just too Yang! Not good especially if a Fire Horse encounters an Earth, Wood or another Fire Horse. Conflict. 

 

Monkey-Monkey is another example of an excellent pairing and they do well in their ruling years.

 

Dragon-dragon I see conflict as this is a highly dominant and egotistic animal. They don't do well in their ruling year.

 

Sheep-sheep. Good. Mutual support and understanding.

 

Rooster-rooster. Not good. They quarrel too much since it is also a very egotistic and industrious animal  but to themselves like the Dragon. They tend to do well independently. 

 

Rabbit-rabbit. Good. No dramas.

 

Not sure about the rest. These are my personal observations based on what I have seen during human interaction.

You also have the monthly and hourly animals.
 

*Rats display very different traits depending on the hour they were born. I'll post another day some info I have about this. 

 

[doc benway]

7 hours ago, Taomeow said:

 

Yes, jade will be fine.   (I love it!) 

 

Me too... I was recently at the wonderful Field Museum in Chicago.

They have such a wonderful collection of jade!

When I was deeply into taijiquan, I dreamed of acquiring a Han dynasty style jian with jade fittings.

Alas, it was never to be.

 

 

 

[Taomeow]

4 hours ago, steve said:

 

Me too... I was recently at the wonderful Field Museum in Chicago.

They have such a wonderful collection of jade!

When I was deeply into taijiquan, I dreamed of acquiring a Han dynasty style jian with jade fittings.

Alas, it was never to be.

 

 

 

 

Who hasn't dreamt of a Jade Destiny jian!    Even Japanese emperors included one in their Three Treasures regalia.

 

 

[Encephalon]

Uh-oh.  I'm effed.  Was advised to stay away from horses and rabbits.  Married a horse, my wife gave birth to a rabbit.  The lady at the mail-order bride company said that inauspicious Taoist combinations were no grounds for getting my money back. All sales final.  Looks like a trip to the Mexican market for some ox-tail soup... by the gallon.

[Encephalon]

I've Oxe'd  out my house, including the fridge.  Ready for a balanced relationship between my ratness and my ox.

[Vajra Fist]

On 06/02/2020 at 8:01 AM, Taomeow said:

 

In the taoist tradition, the meeting of two rats (your own and the Rat of the year) can result in a fight or in cooperation, the clash being more likely in a yang year (which this one is).  To protect oneself from a conflict with the big Rat, a lesser Rat is advised to befriend the Ox, who is its ally and protector.  This falls into the category of feng shui "medicines," although there's some debate as to whether it's traditional enough, since the "animals" first appear in the known records only 2500 years ago.  The "medicine" in this case consists of an image (3D, not a picture) of the ox worn on the body -- as a pendant or in the pocket.  

 

 

Thanks for this. I'm a wood rat, do I count as a lesser rat in this case?

[Earl Grey]

22 minutes ago, Vajra Fist said:

 

 

Thanks for this. I'm a wood rat, do I count as a lesser rat in this case?

Wood is chopped by metal, so...

[Vajra Fist]

53 minutes ago, Earl Grey said:

Wood is chopped by metal, so...

 

I've been told to look after my lungs, apparently. Worrying with coronavirus floating around. Have been doing lots of breathing exercises!

[Encephalon]

"The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes" by T. and L. Lau is my go to reference although I'm still using the 7th edition from 2010.   My Triangle of Affinity for the Rat includes the dragon and monkey.  I took your advice and purchased an Ox pendant.  Could you explain the prescription for Ox energy?  Is this because of the year?  
Thanks in advance.

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Encephalon