Welcome in the Lunar New Year: Say Hello to the Horse and Respectful Farewells to the Year of the Snake ~
The Lunar New Year is a time of significant transition. In the Chinese Zodiac, each Lunar year has its own animal personality, yin/ yang polarity and elemental qualities that the ancients used to assist them as they navigated life. There are twelve signs in the Zodiac Cycle which repeats every twelve years.
The Chinese usher in their New Year with over 15 days of carefully orchestrated celebrations. Our society doesn’t invest the same time or care in ceremony, however, I have found that it’s profoundly valuable to take a pause and acknowledge important rites of passage. Let’s take some time to respectfully acknowledge the transition of one archetypal energy to the other.
Goodbye to the Year of the Snake.
The Snake’s energy has made her exit quietly as the Lunar New Year gets underway. As you would imagine, she has returned to her underground Winter nest. Just make sure that there aren’t any snake holes and other CONTRADICTIONS left open for you to trip and fall into!
Balancing Out
The Year of the Snake was filled with holes, trickery and downright treachery. Certainly a year of extreme transformation. However, the Snake wasn’t all bad news. She assisted us in shedding massive layers of denial and ignorance and, at the same time, held the energy for greater wisdom and caution about how we’re taking care of ourselves and the Earth. Under her penetrating gaze we were given the opportunity to shed any lies that we may have been telling ourselves about taking care of ourselves, each other and the Earth. For that, we thank her.
Finding Our Way in Times of Transition ~
Call on your own power animal and natural instincts to help you discern the best way to show your appreciation and make the decisions that will guide you correctly into the New Year.
Following a path that leads through Love, rather than fear or violence will be a tremendous help. As you gaze softly at this symbol for Reconnecting with Love, let your unconscious mind gather up important information about how you’re doing with that…
For example, does it feel like you’re off track when it comes to following your own path? Are you using the kinds of emotions and energies that will help you be successful?
If not, perhaps this transition provides an opportunity to start again from a place of Love.
Introducing the Year of the Yang Fire Horse, starting on February 17th, 2026.
Year of the Horse: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026…
Complimentary Signs: Tiger and Dog. Secret Friend: Sheep/Ram.
Against Rat.
Positive Qualities: Warm-hearted. Upright. Positive. Patient. Steady.
Challenging Qualities: Emotional. Extravagant. Opinionated. Inflexible.
With this Feng Shui Mandala, it’s possible to call on the horse’s high energy and willingness to follow direction. His creative fire is a fortunate addition to any team, combining steady support with firm footing, which is great for building momentum towards any cooperative venture.
Horse’s ability to swiftly jump over dangerous obstacles is impressive and tremendously useful.
However, if he gets spooked, watch out. His reaction could be quite unpredictable. Not only can it set things back substantially, it could also take quite a bit to regain his trust.
To make friends, approach him confidently and in the open. Don’t come from behind, make sudden moves or jump in suddenly from out of nowhere!
If you’re looking for some help, you can hardly find a more patient and emotionally forthcoming partner. Approach him with kindness and respect. Build some trust and he will likely reciprocate.
Does horse see important opportunities or obstacles for you on the path ahead? What agreements do you need to make to work well with him? Notice how if you’re unsure of yourself, he can easily pick it up. Does he have any advice about building trust? Ask in a forthright, straightforward and honest manner and you will be told. If you’re smart, you’ll take it to heart.
Feng Shui and Grounding in The New Lunar Year ~
As you can imagine, the Lunar New Year is an excellent time to prepare for new plans and personal growth for the future using the Art of Feng Shui. The seedlings that are nurtured now are very close to being activated in the Spring.
You can utilize the Archetypal Energy of the Horse to help you prepare the way!
Use the Soul Contract Circle to release any agreements or harmful obligations that would pull you away from your Soul’s true path and purpose.
Follow up with this Soul Prayer Chart and imagine you can uproot any destructive goals, obstacles or karmic seeds that need to be cleared out before they take root and grow in this New Lunar Year:
“I uproot any harmful conditioning, tendencies or “stakes” that may still be planted in the past landscapes of my mind.”
You may want to be specific about any harmful seeds of karma that you would rather not activate again this year. For example, in the past, have you been overly suspicious, jealous or inconsistent? Do you tend to be too much in a hurry and push yourself to hard? Do you have karmic difficulties in your relationships? What else comes to mind? This is a great opportunity to tend your own garden before those seeds sprout again!
“I unearth any seeds of karma or tendencies that still get me into trouble or cause impediments to my success.”
Use Mapacho Medicine to release any harmful or out of date intentions and stop sending your energy to them.
It’s far better to invest your energy into intentions and projects that support the best in what you want to manifest now!
Use this Soul Prayer Chart for Divine Protection to help you release any confusion or miscommunication that may have come up for you.
The best way to use this symbol is to relax and imagine that all the lines are coming in and connecting into the center spoke of the wheel. Do that both crossed and uncrossed over the midline of your body until you feel the connection has been made.
Now you can tune into life affirming energies to nourish you as you make your way through the Year.
Pull yourself out of any disappointing events filled with negative energy.
Make an agreement with yourself to stop tuning into negativity and to learn from past mistakes. What do you need to learn from how you’ve been using your energy?
Now you’re ready to use this Soul Prayer Chart to look into the future. Gaze softly, without pushing. What do you see, if anything?
Where are you headed?
Is that okay with you?
Can you tell what if anything needs to change? What adjustments might help?
There may be some conflicts, shock or energy fixations leftover from the past that block your ability to perceive things clearly. If that’s the case, you’re not alone! Use Condor Medicine to help you soften and relax them.
“I relax and allow any frozen or tense thoughts to melt away.”
Breathe deeply and imagine the lines going in towards the center are going loose and limp like cooked spaghetti noodles until the tension releases.
There may be more than one. Do yourself a favor by taking the time now to resolve them so that you don’t carry them into the new year.
Bring your senses into balance so that you can be more present for the transition and see things as they are.
“How am I perceiving this? Am I accessing chaos, destruction or balance?”
“I perceive my situation clearly.”
If you’re accessing chaos, integrate Divine Protection again and consciously turn the volume of your senses down so you can regain balance. If what you’re accessing seems dead or hopeless, turn the volume up to a more balanced perception of how things really are.
“I integrate generative life force to energize my path forward into the Lunar New Year.”
“I connect with life affirming directions and channels of communication.”
Note: This symbol for Divine Protection can help you whenever you’re confused or feel like you’ve come up against a blank wall.
Dissolve destructive blueprints of past extreme or indulgent behaviors with positive affirmations. For example:
“I surrender destructive blueprints of extremes, co-dependence, negativity and no win situations that interfere with my personal growth and happiness.”
“I send them to the Light. My future is bright and clear.”
Always remember to release pain or harmful energies into the Light!
Relax and let old systems collapse that block the future or no longer serve us.
The New Lunar Year is and ideal time to let them go completely.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll probably feel much more present and balanced.
Respectfully close the door all the way on the past year so you can be open for what’s next in the New Lunar Year.
Now that one door has closed completely, another can open properly. Prepare yourself by asking for the very best and aligning with the creative energy of your Soul!
Yes. The male, quick footed Horse is a very different energy to operate under than the female, cunning Snake!
Now that you’ve gone through this process, what do you think you will need to do differently to work with this new energy?
What is the message from the Archetypal energy of the Horse?
Is he willing to work with you?
Are there any warnings? Opportunities?
Is there something specific you could ask about that would be beneficial?
Is there anything else that you need to do to make friends with him?
As you contemplate the answers you’ve gotten through your intuition, reinforce your ability to communicate and manifest with the generative energy of the New Paradigm and connect with what’s most important for you to remember.
Empower your ability to manifest in 2026:
Affirm that living in Freedom is a Birthright and that you are empowered to be free and ___________.
You are willing and able to Access Peace from Within.
Now that you’ve gained this new perspective and awareness about the Lunar New Year, put your feet firmly on the ground and place your palms on the inside of your knees. Let the symbol help you spin out discordant energies so you can get grounded and bring clarity into the New Year.
“I am grounding with an awareness of the new energies.”
“I work in cooperation with these energies to ground and manifest in the New Paradigm.”
Congratulations! You may want to get up and move around to integrate this new information and the insights that you’ve opened up to.
Author, Hypnotherapist & Reiki Master/Teacher ~ Rheanni Lightwater
For information on setting up a private consultation, call or text Rheanni at 505-271-4612 or request a consultation through email: rheanni@soulresourcesllc.com
Private sessions are available online using Zoom or in person when you visit Santa Fe, New Mexico (Mountain Standard Time).
Rheanni Lightwater is an Award Winning Author and Creator of the Intuitive Learning Circles. She is co-owner of Soul Resources, LLC and is Certified in Hypnosis, Regression Therapy, Dream Tending, Biosomatics, Cranio-sacral Therapy, Integrative Kinesiology, Space Clearing and is an Advanced Reiki / Energy Medicine Teacher.
She has been in the Healing Arts since 1991. Rheanni sees her role in the healing process as a mentor who can guide you through some of the more difficult transitions of your life. She offers a safe, learning space for you to discover how powerful and capable you are.
