Horse Sense

Today I was researching the Chinese Astrology signs.  As you read the predictive description (and I'm sure this works with Western Horoscopes), you gravitate to the words that sound like you and ignore the others.  Consequently, it becomes very believable.

The Chinese lunar calendar is made up of five cycles of twelve years each - so a complete cycle is 60 years.  An animal represents each of the twelve years, and elements (Water, Wood, Fire, Metal and Earth) make up the five cycles.  The elements have either negative or positive poles (Yin - and Yang +).  Animals are also assigned a fixed time - so your time of birth can create a secondary animal influence.  There is a fixed element for each animal and a second element ascribed to the year cycle. Confused yet?

So my year - 1954 is the year of the Horse; the fixed element is Fire; Season is Summer; Direction is South; Polarity (+); the second element is Wood; time of birth for me is 9am (just verified with a phone call to Mom) which is the Hour of the Snake (9am to 11am).  In short I am a Wood Horse.

"These are more reasonable and less impatient Horses who are able to discipline their minds and think systematically.  They will have happy dispositions and be highly gregarious and good conversationalists.  Their interests are many and varied. They are athletic and hard working. Progressive and unsentimental, they can easily throw out the old in order to welcome the new."

Hour of the Snake: "The Snake lends wisdom and discernment to the Horse, making it move more slowly but with a greater assurance of success.

 From "Simple Chinese Astrology" by Damian Sharp

The triangle of affinity - Horses, Tigers and Dogs.  Incompatible with Rats.

Makes sense to me (the Horse) :)