01/01/2026
Understanding the Transition from Snake to Horse
This is a long read, but I think you will find it valuable.
I wanted to take a moment today to clear something up, because I am seeing a lot of people saying that we are already in the Year of the Horse now that 2026 has begun. It is a beautiful idea, but it is not actually how the Chinese zodiac works.
Each zodiac year is not determined by January 1st. It is determined by the Lunar New Year, which always falls on the second new moon after the Winter Solstice. That is the moment the energetic archetype of the new zodiac year truly activates.
This year, that date is February 17, 2026, under a New Moon in Aquarius that is also a solar eclipse. That is when the Year of the Fire Horse officially begins. That is when the horse energy arrives fully. That is when the archetype shifts.
Which means that right now, even though the calendar says 2026, we are still in the tail end of the Year of the Snake.
This matters because these energies work together in ways that influence how we feel as we move from one year to the next.
Moving from a Nine-Year to a One-Year: There is another layer to consider. In numerology, 2025 was a nine-year, the end of a cycle. And 2026 is a one-year period, the beginning of a new cycle.
The nine-year period is a period of release, endings, clarity, closure, and shedding. It is the moment life asks us to let go of everything that cannot come with us into the next nine-year cycle that began in 2017.
The "one" year is the energy of rebirth, new identity, new direction, new intention, and the clear statement of “I am.”
So we are already in the "one" energy of 2026… but the snake has not yet left us energetically.
Why the Snake Still Matters Right Now: The Snake teaches transformation through shedding. It asks us to let go of layers that no longer fit. It guides us into deeper truth and deeper alignment.
As we move into 2026, the numerology says “begin.”But the snake says, “Not quite yet.”
Right now, we are in the in-between.
Think of it this way: When a snake sheds its skin, the new skin underneath is tender, raw, sensitive, and exposed. It takes time for the new scales to strengthen. It takes time for the snake to feel fully ready to move with confidence and speed again.
That is where we are.
We have shed so much in 2025, especially in the final months. We are entering the new year with fresh skin, new clarity, and a different sense of who we are. But this new version of us still needs rest, softness, protection, and time to integrate.
The First Six Weeks of 2026
The energy between now and mid-February is a period of:
• integrating the lessons of the past nine-year cycle
• restoring our inner strength
• rebuilding our energy
• allowing the new identity to settle
• healing the raw places
• slowly stepping into the “I am” of the one year
The number six is significant here, too. Six represents growth, expansion, nourishment, stability, and the early sprouts of new life. It is supportive energy, not rushing energy.
So the first six weeks of this year are not about launching yourself into massive action. They are about letting the new skin form, adjusting to your new self, and honoring the transition.
Then the Horse Arrives!
When the Lunar New Year arrives on February 17th, the shift will feel immediate and powerful. The Fire Horse is bold, passionate, determined, rebellious, magnetic, and unstoppable!
But the Horse will not ask you to gallop if you are still healing the skin you just shed. You will be ready for that momentum only because the Snake prepared you.
So for now, give yourself:
• rest
• recalibration
• gentleness
• slow integration
• softness
• trust
Your new scales are growing. Your new identity is forming. Your next chapter is approaching.
You are not behind. You are not late, you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
Give yourself these first six weeks to restore, integrate, and settle into your new skin.
The Horse will call you soon enough, and when it does, you will be ready to run!
How to Work With Snake Energy: Preparing for the Fire Horse
Now that we understand we are still in the final stretch of the Year of the Snake until the Lunar New Year on February 17th, I want to share how we can work with the Snake rather than against it. These next six weeks are not a mistake, a delay, or a pause for no reason. They are an essential part of your transformation.
Snake energy is powerful, spiritual, intuitive, and deeply connected to renewal. It teaches us how to shed, heal, and emerge.
Here is how to move with it.
1. Honour the shedding process
Snake energy invites you to let go of the skin that no longer fits. This is not metaphorical. It is real. You have been shedding beliefs, identities, relationships, old dynamics, and heavy emotional layers throughout 2025. The shedding is not finished yet.
Ask yourself:
• What is still clinging that I know needs to go?
• What habits or emotional loops no longer belong in my life?
• What part of me is trying to stay when I know she is done?
Let the answers surface gently. You do not have to force the release. It will come naturally as you move with the energy.
2. Protect your new skin
A freshly shed snake is sensitive. The new skin is thin and highly receptive. That is where you are right now.
This is why many of you may feel:
• extra tender
• emotionally sensitive
• easily overwhelmed
• more introspective
• less social
• less tolerant of drama or chaos
• more protective of your peace
This is not regression. It is integration. Your new self needs protection while it strengthens.
Give yourself:
• quieter days
• slower mornings
• early nights
• gentle movement
• nourishing foods
• boundaries that hold firm
• fewer obligations
• more space to breathe
This is how your new self becomes sturdy enough to carry you forward.
3. Stay close to your intuition
The Snake is one of the most intuitive archetypes in the entire zodiac. It does not move from logic. It moves from the inner knowing. This is the perfect time to practice listening to your instincts.
Notice:
• the pull toward certain people
• the desire to withdraw from others
• urges to reorganize your life
• intuitive nudges about what is coming
• clarity rising out of nowhere
This is the Snake guiding you toward the clean break that the Horse will accelerate.
4. Release what cannot come with you
You can use these weeks to clear out what has expired.
This can look like:
• cleaning your home
• tossing what feels energetically heavy
• unfollowing people who drain your spirit
• saying no more often
• letting relationships naturally fade
• releasing obligations that feel forced
The Snake values clean endings. The Horse values bold beginnings. You need both.
5. Rest more than you think you should
This is crucial. The Fire Horse is one of the most dynamic, energetic archetypes in the zodiac. Once February 17th arrives, there will be movement. Fast movement. Inspired movement. Breakthroughs. Opportunities. New directions. Momentum.
Your body needs rest now so it can meet that energy later.
So if you feel tired, you are supposed to. If you feel slow, you are supposed to. If you feel like cocooning, you are supposed to.
Let yourself recharge. Let yourself rebuild. Let yourself integrate.
6. Prepare the soil for the next chapter
The Snake clears the field. The Horse ignites it. Use this time to gently prepare your mind and spirit for what you want to begin in 2026 after the Lunar New Year.
Think about:
• Who am I becoming?
• What does the next version of my life look like?
• What am I craving?
• What direction is calling me?
• What would I choose if nothing held me back?
This is the foundation that the Fire Horse will launch you from.
7. Trust the timing
You are not late stepping into 2026. You are right on schedule.
These next six weeks are a sacred, energetic space. You are healing, transitioning, restoring, and preparing.
When the New Moon in Aquarius and the solar eclipse arrive on February 17th, the shift into the Fire Horse will be undeniable.
You will feel ready, clear, capable, and renewed.
You will not be shedding anymore. You will be rising!
If a six-week integration plan for moving through the Snake phase would support you, let me know. I can create a complete guided journey for this transition if you'd like. My New Year's gift to you! Just comment below if you're interested. I am making it for myself, but happy to share it!