The Chinese Zodiac assigns one of the signs to each year, and there are a total of 12 signs (all animals). There is a story behind the order in which the animals are assigned, and of course there are many variations on this story. This is my favorite.
A very long time ago, Buddha decided to hold a race and he invited all the animals of the kingdom. Even though all the animals were invited, only twelve showed up for the race, and so Buddha rewarded those twelve by naming a year after each of them, and the order in which they finished the race was the order in which the calendar years were arranged.
Rat was very excited about the race, but saw that there was a large river that crossed the race path. Knowing he wasn't a very strong swimmer, Rat made a deal with Ox, persuading him to let Rat ride on his head across the river. Once they were across the river, Rat dashed ahead of Ox and was the first across the finish line.
Tiger is both fast and a strong swimmer, and so he finished third, just after Ox. Surprisingly, Rabbit was next to cross the finish line. He had been jumping across the river from stone to stone, but slipped and fell in. He managed to scramble onto a log and made it to shore, tired and wet, but finishing in fourth place.
Dragon should have been a shoe in for first, as he is able to fly, however he came in fifth. Dragon had stopped on his way to the finish line to save a village from a flood, and then he had seen Rabbit drowning in the river and had blown up a wind to help guide him to shore.
Horse would have been next, however Snake had wrapped himself around one of Horse's legs and when Horse made it out of the river, Snake slithered forward, startling Horse who reared back. Snake slipped into sixth position, with Horse following right behind him.
Goat, Monkey and Rooster decided to work together to build a raft to cross the river. When they got to the other side, Monkey and Rooster insisted that Goat go first, as he had kept them calm when they were panicking on the river. So Goat crossed first of the three of them, followed by Monkey and then Rooster.
Dog had been a favorite to finish early, but he was too playful, and spent a lot of time splashing and playing in the river, allowing other animals to pass him by.
Buddha thought Dog would be the last, but then Pig surprised him by showing up. Pig had gotten so hungry during the race, he stopped to eat, but he ate too much and grew sleepy and had to take a nap. When he woke up, he became the last to cross the finish line.
The twist to the story is that Cat isn't part of the zodiac at all. Cat liked to sleep in late and knew he risked missing the race, and so he asked Rat to wake him up. Rat, however, was too excited to remember his promise to Cat and forgot! And so Cat overslept and missed the race and has no place in the Zodiac. He never forgave Rat and that is why they are foes.
2022 is the year of the Tiger, more specifically the year of the Water Tiger. Tiger years are associated with courage and spontaneity and can be a bit of a roller coaster (not really something I think many of us want to hear...), but fear not because the fact that it is a water year helps tame some of that fiery Tiger energy. This year will temper that unpredictability and lends a sense of quite self-control.
Tiger years are often considered quite lucky, but as with many forms of luck it can be fickle and luck can change quickly. So always remember to use a cautious approach and not let any lucky streaks drive you to recklessness.
Overall, the Year of the Tiger will be exciting and highly charged, so be ready for a wild ride and make sure to dedicate time to self-care and calm, so that you are ready for whatever this year might throw your way!
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