Rat Month Starts This Week: Here’s My Diary

Going Gentle into the Good Night.
“What can men do against such relentless hate?” Boyens, Walsh and Jackson, The Lord of the Rings.

As I suggested last month and as you will have noticed, the descent of the qi into Winter has not been gentle. Only if you have been in a monastic retreat since October will you have failed to notice that the world is a perilous place right now.
And here comes an Earth Rat month; not generally a beast with much to say, this Rat’s natural eloquence is clogged by the sheer bulk of what needs to be said. All Rats, being yang Water, signal the time of slowing down into the Winter sloth, otherwise generally a good time for catching up. We are used to exchanging around a glowing fire tales of the year passed as we prepare for next. But an Earth Rat is a gagged Rat; there is a dearth of good stories to tell and a certain misgiving in the air. The fear is that the year’s drama is still not over.
What can we do about this? Well, paradox is sometimes called the route to wisdom and I think there’s a triple paradox here. Ram Dass used to say that some of us need to ascend and some of us need to learn our zip code. So first step is to get real if we live in la-la land or to recognise the fundamental illusion of life if we’re rooted in logic and the sensible. One way or another, we need to know what’s going on if we are to change it. Second step is to continue to breathe in golden light, forgive, send love and hug trees. This last is essential but if it were enough of itself we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in. Next take responsibility – we get the politicians, gurus and giants of industry we deserve; most of the desecration of the Earth has happened in my lifetime, I wear leather shoes, I turn on lightbulbs I am part of the problem. Then from this responsible position oppose: oppose callousness, greed and easy heartlessness. Resist excessive diagnosis and the analysis that grinds to nothingness. And above all oppose small-mindedness and meanness of spirit. When in doubt love. I know you do. Hope this helps though. These are dark times.

Where to do what, when and why.
The North has been the chief relationship and wealth area of the year and now the place of future planning. The Rat of the North is the great plotter; join him and dream your future here now. Face and locate this way – especially East Group people – for even greater inspiration and output. No more Water now but plants – and brightly lit Christmas trees – are fine.

Rat Pillars; know your Rat rating.
Birth in the Rat hour (23:00pm-01:00pm): wily kids.
Birth in the Rat month (December*): work involving discussion.
Birth on the Rat day#: natural articulacy.
Birth in the Rat year: a tradition of involvement.
* Caution, the Chinese month generally starts and finishes a few days after ours.
# Just ask.

Richard Ashworth© 2015