What Happens In Your 'Enemy Years', According To Chinese Astrology

Every Chinese zodiac sign has a mortal enemy sign with whom they're incompatible. But what happens when you are living through an 'enemy year', a Chinese lunar year that is dedicated to your enemy zodiac sign?

Also called liù hài (六害; six damages), enemy signs in Chinese astrology refer to six pairs of two zodiac signs each that never see eye to eye, no matter what. They are Rat and Goat, Ox and Horse, Tiger and Snake, Rabbit and Dragon, Monkey and Pig, Rooster and Dog.

Here's what happens in your “enemy years”, according to Chinese astrology.

1. You may feel disconnected

Since each lunar new year emphasizes certain qualities and behaviors based on the Chinese zodiac sign it represents, it's normal to feel disconnected when one is living through an enemy year. For example, a person born during the Year of the Rat will feel ill at ease when it's the Year of the Goat. You will feel as if the world is interested in subjects and trends or is engaged in collective behavior that goes against the grain for you, or at least feels alien in some way. It's easier to bear this if one is naturally introverted. However, extroverts tend to face more challenges during their enemy years because of the energy of dissimilarity they feel in social situations.

2. You may be working harder but see fewer results

When you are living through an enemy year, it's important to remember that luck will not be explicitly on your side. So it's best to rely on one's own resources, willpower, and skills to make things happen. Nevertheless, even after making an effort, you may feel as if you are not receiving the fruits of your labor or getting less than what you deserve. This time period can feel unsatisfactory in all areas of life, especially in one's career or studies.

3. You learn valuable life lessons

One good thing that comes out of the enemy years in Chinese astrology is the opportunity to learn life lessons from the other side of the table. Fate will place people, situations, and challenges on your path during your enemy years to help you see life from the perspective of your enemy zodiac sign. For example, if you were born during the Year of the Tiger, you do not like to accept defeat easily. But living through your enemy year of the Year of the Snake can teach you that the path of least resistance can often lead to greater wins and more satisfactory victories, even if the final result looks slightly different from what you envisioned. You may also learn the value of patience and mindfulness.

4. You may meet a karmic soulmate

It's common to meet one's karmic soulmates during one's enemy years in Chinese astrology. These are people you know from your past lives who have unfinished business with you or who have come to teach you a harsh life lesson. Interestingly, people form a lot of karmic relationships during their enemy years, not just with karmic soulmates. These new relationships are typically toxic, volatile, high-intensity, and full of conflict.

5. You may experience feelings of jealousy or inadequacy

During our Chinese zodiac enemy year, it's common to feel jealous or envious, even if we aren't like that usually. This is because the energy focuses exclusively on the enemy zodiac sign, highlighting opposing ideologies and personality traits. This can bring out feelings of inadequacy.

6. You may postpone big events

Because the energy of enemy years in Chinese astrology can be damaging for a particular Chinese zodiac sign, it's considered not to be a good year to get married or enter into significant commitments or contracts for that zodiac sign. If it's not possible to postpone such events, you should invite as much auspicious energy into the ceremony as possible through the use of lucky colors like red and gold, lucky numbers like 6 and 8, and picking an auspicious time of the day for the proceedings.