Year of the Rabbit

I used to have a cute, cuddly rabbit as my pet. It was incredibly smart, able to unravel my carrot supply and feed himself. Also, I didn't need to potty-train him since he knew that he can only poop and pee in his cage. In my long and tiring search for an appropriate name, I stumbled upon the Chinese zodiac that is the rabbit. Apparently, if you were born on 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987 or 1999, you are known to be part of the “Year of the Rabbit”.

The positive characteristics of this sign include being articulate, talented, ambitious and clever especially in business. Rabbits never back out of contracts and put much importance in their word. With the great potential to be a good gambler, a rabbit has the uncanny ability to choose the right thing- but they rarely gamble because they are wise and conservative. Hmm.. maybe I should start looking for some rabbit-friends, round them up and hit Vegas!

Lion's Pride

If you were born some time between July 23 and August 22, then the Leo zodiac sign represents you. Just like a lion, you are a mighty and proud beast- the king of the jungle, if you may. You are confident, ambitious and you are a born leader. You are very generous with both material possessions and things that cannot be quantified such as time and love. You encourage others to do better, bringing out the best in those around you. When you are sure about a friendship with a person, you are fiercely loyal and a great friend to others.

However, you have the tendency to judge a book by its cover. You have pre-conceived notions about others that are final even before they are confirmed. You can be domineering and stubborn, always wanting things to go your way. Vanity is another one of your flaws. These negative traits could root from your confidence, so try to embrace the virtue of humility and you will have a wonderful life.

Virgo Venom

IF you were born some time between August 23 and September 22, then your sun sign is Virgo. It is represented by a virgin woman in that age span between puberty and marriage. It is said that you carry your childhood innocence well into adulthood. This can be a good or a bad thing – child-like innocence is always refreshingly charming, but being a childish brat can make you public enemy number one.

On the positive side, you are very observant, analytical, helpful and reliable. You absorb details with precision and you are always there for those who need you. However, you have a tendency to be interfering- being there even when you're not wanted. You can also be cold and skeptical, so it's pretty hard for you to make friends and trust people in general. Because you do so much for yourself and others, you are very fussy which causes you to in cramming for deadlines, resulting in poor-quality, high-quantity accomplishments. Learn how to prioritize and manage your time accordingly, and you'll be fine.

A Balancing Act

If you were born from the 24th of September to the 23rd of October, then your star sign is the Libra. Your unique zodiac is the only sign represented by an inanimate object – the others use either people or animals. Your positive traits are plenty and promising. You are the life of every party, being an easygoing, charming and sociable person whom everyone likes to be around. Your diplomatic nature complements these traits and you are the person who usually solves problems or conflicts that arise between friends. You maintain the peace to make sure everyone is having a good time.

However, the scale which represents your zodiac was there for a reason. Plenty as your positive traits may be, so are your negative traits. Because you have so many friends who always want your company, you tend to be indecisive and change your mind often, not knowing that this hurts the people around you. You are also easily influenced by your peers. Your charm makes you flirtatious and self-indulgent, hence it's hard for you to find love. Balance your positive and negative traits and you are sure to have a long and happy life.

Sweet Sting

If you were born from October 23 to November 21, then your zodiac sign is the fatal Scorpio. Much like the animal itself, you appear like a small, defenseless creature to the world that can be easily killed with a toothpick. But deep inside that shiny shell lies a strong creature capable of protecting itself and can even cause death on its enemies. That is who you are. You are determined, headstrong and extremely capable of greatness. Your dedication in the tasks assigned to you and the ease with which you accomplish them gives you sure success in life. When you commit to something or someone, you keep your word.

At the same time, you expect the same courtesy from others. This gives you a merciless personality and require yourself to seek revenge for those who have wronged you. Just like the scorpion's poisonous tail, your sadistic attitude drives you to pierce into others to cause them great pain. Learn the power of forgiveness and try to focus on your positive traits. Let go of past issues with people and keep moving forward with your life.

Dream Dictionary

What do you dream about? I've always had this recurring dream where I find myself flying from one place to another. Every single time after I wake up from this dream, for the first five seconds, I genuinely believe that I can fly. A dream is like a movie. Your mind provides you with moving images with sound and because of this, certain emotions are evoked from your psyche as you sleep. Jung and Freud hypothesized that dreams are a form of interaction between the conscious and subconscious, and in each dream lies a message. This leads me to my next question: what do dreams mean?

Dreaming about animals like ants, bears, bees, birds, pigs and tigers are all signs of prosperity, health and good fortune. But dreams about snakes, rats, spiders, wolves and monkeys symbolize deception and poor health, so be cautious. Losing body parts especially teeth is a sign of death or failure. Dreams about superpowers like flying and superstrength depict a sense of freedom and success. Whatever you dream about, always remember that the real world is waiting, and the power to change your life is in your hands.

Dream On

Since I was young, I've always had a notebook and a pen beside my pillow on my bed. I called it my “dream journal”. Because dreams are so easily forgotten when we wake up, it had to be within grabbing distance from me so I can write the little that I remember. Browsing through it, I was surprised to see certain entries from as early as a month ago were completely forgotten and if I didn't write it myself, I wouldn't believe that I actually dreamt these things.

Physicist John Hartmann shows studies proving that dreams are a form of psychotherapy. Because the main goal of sleeping is to allow your brain to rest, external factors like stress and emotional anxiety can create a conflict with the ultimate goal of sleep. Hence, we dream. Our subconscious creates solutions to the problems we have during the waking hours, and during this “therapy session”, we are able to relax and visualize all our problems being solved. I guess the reason why you forget them instantly as soon as you wake up is because back in the real world, there are problems to be solved, and stress to cope with.