In the Chinese tradition, 2020 is the Year of the Rat — which promises lots of happiness, health, overall prosperity.
Tell me now, is summoning a Rat one of the things on your New Year’s To-Do list? Probably not! However, you might want to reconsider any aversions to Rats based on ancient astrological wisdom and Shamanic traditions.
In Chinese Zodiac, the Year of the Rat is the first year of a zodiac reset and is an outstanding year for personal and business prosperity. The symbolism of this nocturnal creature is: Adaptability, Business Acumen, Extreme Intelligence, Intuitiveness, Resourcefulness and the ability to Withstanding Public Opinion.
If you are ready to up-level your life or your business, consider this list of Rat qualities as something you could coach around. Above all, this messenger foretells of restlessness with the status quo.
Rat as a Spirit Guide, Animal Totem or Dream Messenger invites you to tap into the importance of claiming our territory, hustling to get what we want and not being surprised if an occasion ‘rat trap’ appear in your path.
Native American Rat Symbolism
In Shamanic traditions the Rat is revered for its quick-witted resourcefulness and tenacity. Ask yourself:
- How am I like a Rat?
- Have I fully claimed how often I have a solution or different approach to a concern or problem?
- Am I likely to get outside the box in my thinking and forge a new trail into uncharted territory?
- Do I stay the course, resisting the temptation to get frustrated when wading through garbage (of life) is what the goal requires?
Whatever your answers are to these coaching questions, visualize yourself as a Rat for just a moment. Imagine endless energy, gusto and unwavering commitment to your 2020 life or business goals.
Rat as Your Spirit Guide
Rather than being a Rat yourself, are you ready to have Rat be your Spirit Guide? If so, the process is pretty simple. Close your eyes; sit in stillness; use your breath to guide you inward. Imagine you had been invited to a sacred ceremony in which you are to meet the Spirit Guide who will best serve you in this new decade of change and transformation. Say with the intent to receive, “Come Spirit Guide. Appear to me as a Rat or similar industrious critter. Make yourself known to me!”
Take care to manage your monkey mind; do not allow naysaying thoughts to talk you out of your ability to call in a Spirit Guide. Whether you see a Rat-like creature in physical form, or you merely sense a curious presence, pay attention to which direction your Rat Spirit Animal presents itself.
Is it from the North, East, South or West? Capture as much detail as you can to use in decoding the symbolism and meaning of your vision quest. End your mental ceremony by deepening your inhalation as if to take in all that may have been shown you and to invite future dreams of clarity. Exhale consciously and forcefully, signaling the close of this ceremonial journeying.
Take a few minutes to capture the details; scribe any messages ready to be revealed. Shamanic Dreaming is a skill you can practice and strengthen throughout this coming year and throughout your lifetime. Above all, your own personal interpretations of the symbols during a dream-state are most accurate.
Consider these guidelines for discerning directional message of your Rat Spirit Guide or any other Messenger you encountered during your dream time:
- North is the ‘spirit of wind’ and brings deep wisdom. When a Spirit Guide approaches from this direction is it often a message of great significance and an affirmation you are on the right path.
- East is where the sun rises and brings the ‘spirit of sun’, signifying new beginning. A messenger approaching from this direction reminds us that each day we can start anew.
- South is the ‘spirit of earth’, known as the direction of emotions and unresolved lessons. It represents peace and renewal for those who are willing to not shrink back for the Fires of self inquiry.
- West is the ‘spirit of water’, the direction from which darkness comes. It holds the power of change, the place of dreams, introspection and the unknown. The west signifies purity and strength.
Rat Totem Animal
Different from a Spirit Guide, when you have Rat as your Totem Animal you are the ultimate master of your environment, be it a castle or a cave according to a powerful resource site know as What Is My Spirit Animal. Consider this insight: People with the Rat Totem Animal are rarely surprised, yet they are always surprising others, due to the tremendous energy in your mind and spirit for foresight, developing instincts and overall cunningness. Apply these qualities to a success entrepreneur or holistic healing arts practitioner.
The warning to those choosing a Rat as their Totem Animal is that it often leads to a ‘gypsy spirit’. You may find yourself fidgety, and wanting to pack up with your dearest possessions for the great unknown. This is where you may choose to acquire a new crystal moving into the New Year to temper and ground the Rat energies.
Athena Chakeres, a good friend to SWIHA and owner of Everything Just Rock advises, “Ground with Hematite, Smokey Quartz or Red Jasper. These stones will help you stay grounded any kind of situation. As you approach the New Year gift yourself grounding stones which are the colors of the Rat -- black, brown or red. Rat-colored rocks providing psychic protection and banishing negative energies.”
Rat Dreams
In the world of dreams, when something is underground, often a symbol will resides within the subconscious and may come out in your dreams. Just as a coach life coach cannot tell you what to do with our life – rather help you go within for our own answers – when looking to interpret your dreams, only you truly know what the symbolism is.
Dreaming of a rat can have multiple meanings: It may be a warning that you may have gotten lazy, are settling for less, or have given up adventure in your life. Or, it could be a warning someone within your circle is being dishonest and telling lies about you –aka “ratting you out.” A Rat Dream is almost always an invitation to leave your comfort zone and venture into uncharted territory.
Many coaches and hypnotherapists work with metaphors to assist you as you seek to understand your dreams and their meanings. Or, you can self-coach yourself using this simple, yet profound coaching protocol.
R = Recall as much detail as possible about your dream. Make a list of what and who was in your dream. Once you begin to re-tell your dream, more details may appear. Write it all down.
A = Analyze every element of the dream you have listed. Ask questions such as these:
- Who does the Rat in my dreams represent? Me? Or someone else? Who might the Rat be?
- How am I like a Rat? How is the person who came to mind as a rat, like a Rat?
- If I knew, what the message of my Rat Dream was, what would it be?
- Is my Rat Dream a prophetic dream, a recurring dream, or an epic adventure dream? Was my dream a foretelling or warning? Is my dream recurring to make sure I get the message? Do I live a small and sheltered life, or do I give myself permission to live – and dream – boldly, lividly and epically?
Note: Your dream doesn’t have to be a dream about a rat; it’s your dream -- it can be about anything you remember and a ready to face! The questions still apply.
T = Transform your dreams into nightly shamanic journeys; the word shaman meaning "one who knows!"
We can choose to know what our dreams are telling us. Best-selling author and Dream Coach Denise Linn offers this sage insight, “In every waking and sleeping moment, the Universe is whispering to you. You’re constantly surrounded by signs, coincidences and synchronicities, all aiming at propelling you in the direction of your destiny. Be present to you dreams!”
As you go in to 2020 it would be natural to want a glorious Horse or powerful Lion to guide you – and probably not a Rat. Here’s the thing: When you chose a Rat totem or Spirit Guide, you gain the tremendous adaptability and tenacity to reach your goals. When push comes to shove, you will not be afraid to get your hands dirty to do what needs to be done and to accomplish your personal and business goals.
Life Coach Instructor James Patrick says something similar to this in every class he teaches: “You cannot let harsh reality of life affect your drive to succeed. If anything, be a RAT! Release All Trials! Relish the race! Shift what happens in your mind so you can be the master of your destiny!”
