Topic: Rat

[Nichi]

I don't even like writing the word. The little buggers. At this house, off and on over the years, we've had a problem with them -- which is why my feeding of the birds has gone in cycles. Over the winter, I boldly moved forward with sunflower seeds for the guys (birds and squirrels, that is) in front. Now that must close. I'm already lonelier for it.

Part of the work we've had done to the house has been to close off the access points to the house. We thought that was a done deal, but apparently not.

"Rats" carry such a shameful stigma - far moreso than "roaches". There was a story the other day in the local news, however, that "9 out of 10 houses" in this area are dealing with them. That takes some of the pressure off, but in general, I'll always believe that their presence here when I was away at California was responsible for the death of one of my cats. So I'm not feeling too generous about them.

As I said, we thought they were gone. But yesterday I had a couple of encounters - one inside a heating duct, and the other outdoors. When one was scrambling to get out of the heater-closet, I shouted bloody murder at it. I'm hoping that the fear I created for him won't be forgotten. But then something happened a couple of hours later which made my skin crawl.

I had drifted off to sleep on the couch, sitting up, and opened my eyes to see this critter outside the front window. He was on the rod-iron standing-hanger, peering into the window. His/her body-language was extremely lithe and expressive: this is an intelligent animal. In my sleepy blurriness it took a few moments to understand what I was looking at. The funny thing is that he's kind of cute, though every fiber in my being is abhorred. I immediately got up and scared him off, but I have no doubt he'll be back. As a matter of fact, he looks familiar. Bizarrely, I think he thinks I'm his mother.

We already have rat poison laid down in strategic places - that effort will have to be doubled.

The whole subject is so taboo in my conditioning, though.  I've been dealing with some depression, so it comes at a time when it's like the straw breaking the camel's back. To my culture-mind, he represents the ultimate destitution and degradation. Yet, surprisingly, here's what the animal-totem people say about "rat":

Rat'sWisdom Includes:

    * Abundant reproduction
    * Ability to live unseen
    * Stealth
    * Defense
    * Intelligence
    * Symbol of fertility and wealth

Guess I'd have to agree about the "stealth" part of that equation.

[Nichi]

In Chinese astrology, though I'm a water-snake in that system:

The Sign of the Rat

Being born under this sign determines many talents, as well as other characteristics that may not be so commendable. Rats are very lively and need a lot of mental and physical stimulation. They can be calm and perceptive, but sometimes their brains can cause a mental restlessness, tempting them to take on too much, only to discover they are unable to meet their commitments. Rats are blessed with one of the best intellects going. Add to their intelligence a curiosity and a bright imagination, and they seem as sharp as a needle.

The sign of the Rat is the first sign in the cycle giving Rat people exude great leadership qualities and are good at taking the lead. They don't mind a lot of responsibility and they demonstrate a strong presence that other people respect. For those with the Rat nature, status and monetary satisfaction are the greatest motivation.

[Nichi]

Now to confess the deep dark secret:

Years ago, maybe 10 years ago, before we became aware of them being around, I had a dream one night as I was stalking "the perimeter" of the house. My dream-body does that, no matter what is going on. I came upon this big sienna-colored clump of hair-and-straw. I can still see it in my mind, but it wasn't for a couple of years, when their presence became known, that I understood it to be a rat's nest, underneath the house.

The image is kind of creepy, but what it says to me is that I have a connection with these critters. It's a challenge to get over an instinctive revulsion about that. I have to be careful about not making the situation worse, by inadvertently attracting them.

[Nichi]

I have a theory that part of the revulsion about them is a genetic memory, of the Plague in Europe, during the Middle Ages.

[Michael]

We have rats all the time - at first I was upset, especially when dead rat maggots fell from the ceiling onto my bed pillow.

But by now we just feel sorry for them. They are a regular feature in our house, and after trying every kind of system to rid the place of them, I eventually came back to rat poison. In your case, there is likely a plague - it happens occasionally - so that the ones who die are quickly replaced by others.

Don't be concerned. It's quite a normal feature of living on this planet.

[Nichi]

We have rats all the time - at first I was upset, especially when dead rat maggots fell from the ceiling onto my bed pillow.

Yessirree, that would definitely upset me too.   

But by now we just feel sorry for them. They are a regular feature in our house, and after trying every kind of system to rid the place of them, I eventually came back to rat poison. In your case, there is likely a plague - it happens occasionally - so that the ones who die are quickly replaced by others.

Don't be concerned. It's quite a normal feature of living on this planet.

Good way to look at it, thanks, M!

[Nichi]

I saw my lower self in the form of a rat. I asked, "Who are you?"

It replied, "I am the destruction of the heedless, for I incite them to wickedness. I am the salvation of the friends-of-God, for if it were not for me, they would be proud of their purity and their actions. When they see me in themselves, all their pride disappears."

Hujwiri
Sufi
11th Cent Pakistan