Day of the Rat

Many religious rituals in Myanmar are based on the day of your birth. This is derived mainly from ancient Burmese astrology, called Mahabote, which is thought to have Hindu origins. There are eight days of the week (Wednesday is divided into morning and afternoon), and each day is represented by an animal, a ruling planet, and a direction. I was born on a Thursday, the day of the Rat. To achieve optimal results in my practice, the Theravadan tradition in Myanmar suggests that I should always bow, offer incense, bathe the buddha, etc. at altars specifically designated for the Rat.  I was directed to the altar shown above at the Myitkyina pagoda (see Reclining Buddha). I offered incense.