January 22nd marks the beginning of the New Lunar Year, where we’ll transition away from the Tiger and towards the illustrious Rabbit. The Rabbit is the fourth animal in the Zodiac Cycle, and it certainly differs quite a bit from the Tiger! Whereas Tigers are noted to be headstrong, thrill-seeking types, Rabbits are more subdued and tend to keep to themselves.
So, to all the sweet softies who we’re celebrating this year: gong hei fat choy! Read on to learn a little more about your zodiac counterpart, and what this year might hold in store for you.
Your Bunny Type-Beat
The Rabbit is truly a contradictory sort of being, which I suppose is fitting, considering their year begins on the Capricorn/Aquarius cusp. Rabbits generally make an effort to appear kind and sensitive, preferring to watch from afar and not engage in conflict. However, from this distance, they can be quite naturally judgy, and are notable for their arrogance in most things.
That doesn’t mean they’re two-faced, though. Rabbits are quite earnest in their dealings and expect such deliberations in others they meet. While yes, they have a tendency to look down on others, they don’t then go and pretend to like those they don’t. They reserve that energy for people they love, and when they love, they love plentifully.
…of course, you’re free to take all of this with a grain of salt. But it’s fun to play parallels with oneself, you know? As an Ox, myself, I certainly enjoy wearing that moniker with a badge of pride. Especially bearing this parable in mind:
The Rabbit is the fourth of all zodiac animals. Legend has it the Rabbit was proud—arrogant even—of its speed. He was neighbors with Ox and always made fun of how slow Ox was. One day, the Jade Emperor said the zodiac order would be decided by the order in which the animals arrived at his party. Rabbit set off at daybreak. But when he got there, no other animals were in sight. Thinking that he would obviously be first, he went off to the side and napped. However, when he woke up, three other animals had already arrived. One of them was the Ox he had always looked down upon.
ChineseNewYear.net
2023 Tidings
This year, the Rabbit will be paired with the element of Water, although the sign is inherently governed by Earth. Water years tend to be years of great strength and change, both for good and ill. The significance of Water being paired with the Rabbit means this will also be a year of balance (Water’s yang vs. Rabbit’s yin), abundant creativity (both are fairly artistic symbols), and big professional strides.
In other words: this should be a fairly eventful year for everyone, especially Rabbits. The last Water Rabbit year was in 1963, so anyone born that year should hopefully have an auspicious 2023 as well.
By comparison, last year’s Water Tiger was rather tumultuous and chaotic, which…I mean, I don’t know about you, but that was certainly apt for me! I could use some prosperity, please and thank you.
(Featured Image: Ulriika Joutseno from Pexels)
