1 week Ago By Lisa Stardust
The Lunar New Year commences on 29 January, coinciding with the first new moon of 2025, which will be in Aquarius, a sign of progress and evolution. The celebration lasts until 12 February, during the Lantern Festival and the full moon in Leo. The Lantern Festival (Shangyuan Festival and Cap Go Meh) is a moving affair that aims to release emotional upsets from the previous year and bring in fresh energy.
Reconciliations are made, love is found, and gratitude is in the air. The new year is met with family reunion dinners, fireworks, gifted red envelopes with money in them (known as “hóngbāo” in Chinese and “bao lì xì” in Vietnamese), and parades. The Lunar New Year pays tribute to an animal from the Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle that determines a person’s sign.
This year, the snake takes centre stage. The snake is resilient and perseveres through setbacks. It is funny and diligent – as well as cunning and occasionally self-serving.
Next year, the horse will have its moment of glory starting on 17 February 2026, bringing popularity and independence. The snake is the sixth of the 12 signs. According to legend, the order of the animals in the Chinese zodiac was based on a competition amongst them which was held at a river.
The order of the winners became the cycle of the animals. The snake hitched a ride on the hoof of the horse, who was originally coming in sixth place, and jumped off it at the end of the race, stealing its win. Therefore, the horse became the seventh sign.
Morally speaking, snakes can have loose scruples and act strategically to get their way. That said, the snake brings wisdom, healing, and transformation our way, regenerating itself to be bolder and more assertive. As the snake sheds its skin, it lets go of the past and transcends into a more powerful being.
The same can be said for our emotions. Releasing old views and transcending them to embrace new beliefs will be easy once we let go of the desire to be in control. Only then will we be free from former situations and able to live as we please.
Since the reptile slithers by the grace of intuition, we can conclude that our feelings and senses will lead us towards decision-making in the upcoming year. Learning to trust our impulses will be challenging, but we shouldn’t second-guess our hunches. Beyond that, the snake is a creature full of juxtapositions.
It is a mysterious, private force that rarely expresses its deep desires. However, it is great at speaking up and communicating about matters that don’t involve or impact it directly. We can anticipate wanting to advocate for others but being shy when using our voices for personal causes.
The snake is adaptable to new environments yet stubborn in thought. It demands loyalty from others and will do anything to attain success. We should move cautiously through the year to ensure we’re using the best qualities of the snake and not the shadow side of its personality.
With the snake being in the wood element, we can expect hope, romance, vitality, and artistry to shine. Since this sign and element match every 60 years, the year ahead will be meaningful in our work, finances, and relationships. We can connect with others intensely since the wood snake enhances compassion and empathy.
Understanding those we care about is a top priority. From a financial perspective, 2025 promises a steady cash flow; however, avoid making high-risk investments. Focus on long-term gains to have a reliable source of extra income in the future.
Working with colleagues closely and team building is vital in cohesively creating greatness. The caveat is that one coworker could sabotage the project or throw others under the bus for personal advancement. To attain prosperity, one should wear gold for wealth, green for good fortune, and red for harmony (also to repel negativity).
Do not harm any snakes in 2025, as it can lead to bad luck. Honour them and give them the respect they deserve. Travelling east is ideal because the wood snake is a Yisi year, with Yi representing Wood and Si representing Fire.
Hence, it is necessary to lean into the abundance that the east brings..
