Do you smell a rat? If not, you're probably not paying attention, because the Earth Rat Year has arrived!

The Rat traditionally brings abundant times, but this is a Brown Earth Rat year (some say Yellow) with Yang Earth (mountain) above the Yin Water (ocean) below. Earth controls Water in the Taoist theory of the five elements so don’t expect to continue the extravagant lifestyle you were just getting used to in the year of the Pig. In fact, the Rat is here to help us deal with the aftermath of last year's Pig-out. Be smart and frugal, dump the gas guzzler, and anything else that reeks of excess, and don’t be afraid of your hormones.

With Earth over Water, there's not much stability either out in the world or inside your nest since mountain floats in the oceanic waters without an anchor. Whatever stability there is will be fragile at best. Although there will be many new political alliances and apparent "new" beginnings, the underlying situation is one of insecurity and submerged tensions which won't be dealt with openly. 1948 was the last Earth Rat Year when Israel was established and the blockade of Berlin began, both events part of a build-up to long-standing conflict.

Emotionally, people will be very concerned about mother and security issues. Any sense of insecurity will translate somatically as muscle difficulties, digestion issues, diabetes, and weight problems (both over- and under-) since Earth energy corresponds to embodiment and support. Speaking of mother issues, the health of Mother Earth will continue to be worrisome. Yang earth sitting on the Rat (ocean) is the image of a floating mass of ice on a big ocean and the melting of the polar ice caps as well as flooding and other water problems will be of major concern.

In 2008, expect a big emphasis on business and the bottom line since Rat is fond of scurrying around for resources and cleverly storing them for the future. Mental Rat wants to cover all his bases. Earth will slow things down this year, making success happen only through a very calm and thoroughly pragmatic approach. People will be security conscious and interested in traditional barometers of success but their success will happen only in slow motion, causing them to be insecure and worried. Even though we will have the tendency to dart about promoting ourselves (as well as our schemes), it will prove useful for us to move away from compulsively being involved with our self-centered survival needs and cultivate a more sympathetic nature. Meditation and contemplation will help us to extend kindness to others, allowing us to achieve the best possible outcomes in Rat’s year.

A nocturnal creature, Rat is heavily influenced by the Water element – cold and dark generating wisdom and sexuality. In China, it's known as the "Flower of Romance" so it's likely to be a hot and sexy time and you won't be able to keep up with all the sex scandals in the tabloids.

Quick, alert, and clever, the Rat's characteristic qualities are evident in the Chinese folktale in which he uses his shrewdness to conquer Ox and become the first animal in the zodiac. You see, Rat told Ox about a contest to select the 12 animals of the Taoist zodiac only because he wanted to hitch a ride on Ox’s back. Ambitious Ox trudged and struggled on (as Ox tends to do) carrying Rat on his back over difficult territory. When confronted with turbulent rivers, Ox swam over them being careful of the precarious position of his tiny passenger. When they finally arrived at the village, people saw Rat riding on Ox's back and declared him number one in the animal sequence for accomplishing such a magnificent feat. In the Buddhist version, the first animal to arrive at the dying Buddha’s bedside would become the first animal of the zodiac. Rat rode on Ox's back and as Ox neared Buddha's bedside, Rat jumped off and got to Buddha first.

Cooperate with the rodent and 2008 will be a breeze. Give him your respect and you'll learn to survive anything.

RABBIT

There can be disharmony, worries, irritation, and health challenges as Rat forms a negative relationship with Rabbit. Still, there are some work opportunities. The Ox can be your friend, so carry an ox pendant for luck. If you're single and looking, this is an excellent time for romance.

PIG

The pace of the Rat year might be a bit too frantic for your nature, but at least Rat respects your personal power and charisma. So go for what you want. You'll have a lot of support for whatever path you choose to take. A good year for business in spite of minor delays and/or financial difficulties.