YEAR OF THE FIRE HORSE 2026

Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures that combines monthly lunar cycles with the solar year. This is a major holiday in China and many other East and Southeast Asian countries, focusing on new beginnings, honoring ancestors, and ushering in good fortune for the year ahead, typically falling between late January and mid-February. Each year is associated with one of 12 zodiac animals, adding another layer to the cultural significance. We have been in the year of the snake for the past 12 months, learning how to shed, how to let go and how to evolve. This energy begins for us February 4th 2026 as we enter the year of the Horse, this year is associated with the element of fire, giving us the year of the fire horse. 

I am definitely not an expert on the lunar new year, but I do know energy and I am here to give you my energy breakdown for this lunar event. The horse is associated with transformations and forward motions, making this a year of action and movement. That momentum forward through this fire can also bring instability, which is where being more in tune with your own energy can be of benefit. 

Looking back to the previous year, the year of the snake, this past year provided us with the needed shed to bring us forward into this energy. The year of the snake was associated with the element of wood, so as we push forward into a fire element, think of the shedding that occurred over the past year. The past year has been the wood you need to build the fire in the upcoming year. All of the inner work, the diving deeper within and reconnecting back to your inner being, all of that work is going to be ripened as we trudge into the year of the horse. 

FIRE HORSE ENERGY

The energy we are entering is fierce, asking you to tap into that fire within yourself. What have you been desiring? What are some of those deeper ideas and aspirations that you have been journaling about? Think about all of those things that live in the fire of your belly, this is the time for them to rise up from your depths and be seen fully, in all their fiery glory. We’ve been in hibernation mode, in deep introspection mode for the winter, as we emerge for the spring, let this energy of fire carry you forward. 

The energy of fire is associated with passions, going back to that deeper questioning of what are your desires, what is lighting your inner flame? And if that is something you don't know, start with the investigation of that. Freewriting is a great shadow work tool for just allowing the subconscious to naturally flow through and come to the surface with your pen. Allow what's burning underneath to gently rise to the surface by putting pen to paper. While you explore these fires within, be mindful of the rate at which the fires are burning. Meaning, take notice when you start to get agitated, when the pressure starts to build, and give yourself space to breathe. Take the lessons of the previous year, of taking time to tend to self, to shed, and seek refuge in those insights when life shows up. Because it always does and always will no matter how enlightened we become. Peace is not the absence of turbulence, it's the ability to ride any wave with inner ease. 

Fire energy can be fun and also a bit chaotic feeling, sudden bursts of energy is very much the vibe of this coming year. The fire horse is all about driving full force ahead, with whatever is burning from within you. For the upcoming year the best way to handle these bursts of energy, the changes, the waves, is to learn how to pause and slow down. Take with you the energy and lessons of the previous year, the year of the snake, and offer yourself rest when you need it. Learning to be more in tune with yourself happens when we take time to listen, turning our attention and awareness inward first, before leaping forward. Fire doesn’t need any encouragement to move, only encouragement to temper itself as much as possible, and this temperance can only be achieved when we learn to pause. 

As you leap forward to your goals and aspirations this year, mindfully ask the guide within, in those moments of pause, for the best pathway forward. Tap into your inner fire, your power, as you step into this new lunar year. Happy year of the Horse. 

For more on the Chinese zodiac, this is one of my favorite resources HERE

She had a great breakdown for each Chinese zodiac sign for the coming year.