Zodiacs

Every now and then it's good to get back to the lab and see what new obstacles have been placed in the maze of life. There is no small number this year, and your annual check-up might take up most of it. Time to activate your secret power of rapidly changing your mind, often for no apparent reason. You may find reasons aplenty this year, even if they're mostly paper tigers. Keep your mind on the reward of that drop of sweetened water and keep pressing on the levers.

Metal Rat:
25 Jan 2020 – 11 Feb 2021
28 Jan 1960 – 14 Feb 1961
Earth Rat:
07 Feb 2008 – 25 Jan 2009
10 Feb 1948 – 28 Jan 1949
Fire Rat:
19 Feb 1996 – 06 Feb 1997
24 Jan 1936 – 10 Feb 1937
Wood Rat:
02 Feb 1984 – 19 Feb 1985
05 Feb 1924 – 24 Jan 1925
Water Rat:
15 Feb 1972 – 02 Feb 1973
18 Feb 1912 – 05 Feb 1913

Fortune direction:

Northeast

Augmenting your fortune:

Desk lamps with no lamp shade

Lucky colours:

Blue

Red

 Health

The Visitor with Condolences Star is darkening your doorstep this year. While not the most powerful of malign influences, it is well worth being proactive against it; no slipping into the slough of despond, or swallowing in one gulp the more ludicrous promises from the rat race. Think not of rats' feet over broken glass in a dry cellar. Instead, turn to what has meaning at work and your routines to keep pests at bay.

 Wealth

You certainly won't be as poor as a church mouse, but opportunities for becoming a great rat mogul are sparse at best this year. On the bright side, the relative lack of investment opportunities for rats also means there are fewer chances of blowing your hard-earned cheddar. Everyone likes a good vintage cheese and it might be a good year to think about turning the ones in your larder into a long-term investment.

 Love

Before anyone can get close enough to stroke your whiskers, you'll need to get them past the various gods of petty bickering, which are going to be on you like a rat up a drainpipe this year. The good news is that love is closer than you might think, so no need to loiter on your front doorstep and hope that the key to your heart comes passing by – just keep an eye out for those you live, work and play with - there's more to be made of them.

 Career

Expect the unexpected. Known for small shocks and annoyances, the Heavenly Dog Star pays a visit and it is likely to interrupt any progress and have you ratting around for no purpose at all. If you're involved in personnel or have to deal with many people as part of your workday, then take special care to avoid exacerbating friction.

Guiding hexagram from the Yi-Jing (Book of Changes)

Judgement:
The Gentle. Success through what is small. It furthers one to have somewhere to go. It furthers one to see the great man.
Image:
Winds following one upon the other: the image of the Gently Penetrating. Thus, the superior man spreads his commands abroad and carries out his undertakings.
The Forest of Changes:
Duke Ling of Chen was no ruler, and his behaviour with Xia Ji was outrageous. An arrow was loosed from the Yellow Emperor's bow and Duke Ling came to his end.
Verdict:
Apparently, assassination can be moral. Or as Mencius once noted about the removal of the Shang Dynasty's final ruler, he had heard of the cutting of a rotten fellow, but never the overthrowing of a ruler. You can certainly be Duke Ling, just be careful of your actions this year.