2020: Year of the Metal Rat

If you’ve been by the clinic lately, you’ve seen the colorful lanterns in the window which celebrate the Chinese New Year, starting January 25th. 2020 marks not only the beginning of a new decade in the West* but also of a new 12-year cycle in the Chinese lunar calendar. The rare coincidence of the two calendars (only happens every 60 years) makes this an opportune time for reshuffling the current order of things, and not just on a societal level. The coming year and, indeed, decade will be a potent time for making personal changes regarding your health and in pursuit of your life goals.

As the first year in the Chinese Zodiac’s 12-year cycle, 2020 is the year of the Metal Rat. While rats may give you the shivers, you must admit that they are survivors. These savvy vermin thrive at finding food and adapt quickly to new environments and conditions. This is why, in Chinese culture, they symbolize cleverness, creativity, fertility and rebirth--all of which will be available to us in spades this year.

It will be an auspicious year for nearly all of the zodiac signs and especially for oxes, dragons, monkeys and pigs, according to Chinese Zodiac.org. In terms of your personal aims, the inventiveness of the rat will put wind in your sails if you’re starting a new business venture. And you’ll have access to more grit than usual if you decide to return to school, hone a new skill, or take on a challenging project.

It’s also the time to level up your health. The primary element for this year is Metal. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Metal element is associated with the Lungs and skin. According to Lillian Pearl Bridges of the Lotus Institute, this year will be a boon for respiratory health and improving any imbalances in the immune system. If you have allergies, get sick often, or have an auto-immune disease, this could be your year to sort out the cause and achieve full health!

Additionally, the metal element resonates with virtue and integrity (think: strengthening our mettle). With the combination of the rat and metal energies, we’re more likely to evolve towards wellness. We’ll be more adept at making positive changes--whether it be quitting smoking, putting boundaries around work or screen time, or getting back to the movement we love.

You may or may not subscribe to the concept of the Chinese Zodiac. Either way, take a moment to contemplate the qualities exemplified by the Metal Rat--creativity, innovation, resourcefulness, and abundance. How do you see them playing out for you in the year ahead?

Happy New Year and Happy Year of the Metal Rat!

*While conventional wisdom would say that 2020 begins the new decade, the Farmer's Almanac maintains that the new decade begins January 1, 2021.

Sources:

Bridges, Lillian Pearl. Year of the White Rat 2020

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0914/1204/files/Year_of_the_Rat_Forecast.pdf?54

Chinese Horoscope 2020 – Year of the Metal Rat

https://www.thechinesezodiac.org/horoscope-2020/

What Animal Is The Year 2020? Chinese New Year Is Almost Here

https://www.romper.com/p/what-animal-is-the-year-2020-chinese-new-year-is-almost-here-19494996

What’s so special about 2020?

http://www.tremeritus.net/2020/01/02/what%E2%80%99s-so-special-about-2020/

When Does The New Decade Really Begin, 2020 or 2021?