ABOUT THE "YEAR OF THE HORSE"
- Lainey Molnar
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Okay, but what is the Year of the Horse? Excuse me, Year of the Fire Horse. Why is everyone talking about the Chinese zodiac this year??
The Chinese New Year begins with the New Moon that falls between Jan 21 and Feb 20 (this year it is the 17th of February). Technically it's still the dead of winter and not the time for renewal according to nature on our hemisphere, but in traditional Chinese cosmology, spring does not begin when flowers bloom. It begins when yang energy starts to return after the yin of winter, so they celebrate the energy shift and the "spark" of spring. Plus in in lunar traditions all across cultures, the New Moon is the start of the cycle. It is when intention is planted, so it's a perfect time to start a new year.
It also kind of aligns with the pagan or Celtic Imbolc. Traditionally around February 1 or 2, it is a cross quarter festival that marks the earliest stirring of spring, when light becomes noticeably longer. It is about hope, setting intentions, and also purification. A clean slate, if you will.
As the Chinese zodiac switches, the dynamic of a year does too. 2025 was the Year of the Snake, which was about shedding skins. It brought about inner journeys, deep transformations, painful endings. A lot of lurking shadows, old patterns resurfaced, but we also gained a lot of wisdom, and we now trust our intuition more. It was a hardcore one, for sure, I personally struggled through it, but it taught me so much. We are still technically at the last stretch of this until the 17th of February, so if you feel pressure, endings, walking into walls amplifying, it's because there are still those skins to shed before we can move on to horsey year.I'm literally sitting here typing this crying, fresh out of a breakup, so ughhhhh I'm so over the snake.
Anyway... Spring in itself is a new beginning, so why not give yourself the gift to hope and plant new seeds?
The world as we know it is already at crossroads, big changes are happening. The Earth’s axis wobbles slowly and it takes roughly 25,772 years for it to make a full circle through all twelve zodiac constellations. Each zodiac sign "lasts" roughly 2,100 to 2,200 years, this is why astrologers talk about ages like the Age of Pisces, the Age of Aquarius, etc.
The Age of Pisces is generally considered to be ending now, and the Age of Aquarius is said to be beginning, though there is no universally agreed exact date. Some astrologers place the shift around 2025–2050, while others argue it is a gradual transition. So we are in the middle of starting a 26,000 year old cycle while also entering the Age of Aquarius.
This one is a bit more "New Age", but many also believe that humanity experiences long cycles of denser consciousness followed by shorter periods of heightened awareness. About 11,000 to 13,000 years of “darkness”, followed by about 2,000 to 2,500 years of “light”.
Dark does not mean evil. It means denser matter, slower vibration, stronger identification with physical reality, hierarchy, survival, and separation. Light refers to increased awareness, intuition, unity, creativity, and remembrance of interconnectedness. According to this worldview, the last long dark cycle included the fall of earlier advanced civilizations, the rise of rigid power structures (familiar?), and heavy material focus. The light cycle is associated with spiritual awakening, rapid technological and psychic development.
And they say we are currently transitioning into the "light". It may not look like it, but it's because it unfolds gradually, and what we experience first is instability, not bliss. Systems break down before coherence appears. Shitstorm before blossoming.
Anyway, I got sidetracked...
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So the Year of the Horse is about galloping forward, naturally. Wooo! It is a year of freedom, action, and bravery. The Snake works quietly and strategically, but the Horse thrives on adventure, and risk taking. This is a year that encourages you to trust your instincts, follow your passions, and move confidently toward your goals.
This year is about celebrating your individuality, breaking free from limitations, and being unapologetic. It favors optimism, adaptability, and a sense of adventure. A great time for bold moves, pursuing dreams, starting new projects, and taking leaps of faith. Patience is less rewarded than action, but impulsivity without thought can also backfire.
I personally do love a good "Fuck it, let's do it!" so I'm already very excited. It's important to know that this isn't a gospel, it doesn't mean every single individual will be jumping out of airplanes while launching an Etsy shop for their new taxidermy squirrel business. It means there is an energetic undercurrent that affects everyone, and you can stay ahead of the curve by understanding and utilizing it for your own benefit, whatever that means to you. Even if you believe this to be bullshit, who wouldn't want to be excited for an opportunity to become more confident, more aligned, more themselves?
I also know many of you might look at this description of an assertive, confident, adventurous, yeehaw year and freak out because it isn't "you". Maybe you are introverted, shy, and love routine and comfort, or something like this. So for you gals: It doesn't mean you will have a hard time. It simply means life will arrange situations for you where you can learn to be more of these, for your own benefit, in your own pace, in a way that is authentic to you. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable, sure. But we're all galloping full speed ahead towards something better!
LET'S GOOOOOOO
Ps. I don’t wish to feed this into ChatGPT to correct the grammar, because I think we should inhabit the Earth for a bit longer, so please just roll with the imperfections
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