Welcome to the Year of the Fire Horse 丙午

Today - February 5th 2026 - marks the beginning of the new year of the Fire Horse! The Lunar New Year is not until February 17th, but starting today is an interim period when the energies of the past year begin to dissipate, and Fire Horse energy is building up to take center stage. This is a great time to set intentions for the new year and get familiar with the themes of the Fire Horse to prepare for the start of the Lunar Year.

So, in honor of today being the Solar New Year, we will explore the theme of 🔥 Fire 🔥 in the coming year, and over the next 12 days, we will take a look in to the various aspects of the Fire Horse to better understand what this new year will mean for us personally, in relationship, and for the world at large.

Let’s start by talking about what the “Fire” in the Fire Horse means. Fire is one of the Five Elements of Chinese cosmology, along with Water, Earth, Wood and Metal. These are different than the classic “4 Elements” we know in the west, because the Five Elements do not describe physical substances, but processes of life. For example, Fire represents inspiration, realization, expression and transformation: the process of coming to understand what we want, acting on this desire and seeing our life transform in accordance with this expression. 🌷 Flowers 🌷 are an elegant symbol of Fire. Imagine a fruit tree: After spending months or years getting established and slowly growing, one day it puts out its first flower, and everything changes. Suddenly, there is a realization of all that hard work in the form of a totally new form of expression, in accordance with the trees Inner Nature (Xing 性). Inner Nature is what we are meant to be, rooted in the deepest root of who and what we are. Fire is therefore the process of becoming what we are meant to be.

“Inner Nature (Xing 性) is who we are meant to be, rooted in the deepest root of who we are. Fire is our Inner Nature coming through in everything we do: the process of becoming what we are meant to be.”

Each element has a Yin and Yang aspect, and the Fire this year is Yang in nature, symbolizing the blazing Fire of the Sun, as opposed to the cooler, Yin Fire of the Moon. The character representing Yang Fire is 丙 Bǐng. This is a very old character, first found on “Oracle Bones,” the earliest form of Chinese writing used for divination purposes, where symbols were inscribed on tortoise shells which were then cracked by fire to reveal messages or instructions from spirits. Originally, 丙 Bǐng did not mean fire, and was instead the symbol of a fishes tail. the below images are all early variations of this character, where you can see the fish tail appearance:

So, what does a fish’s tail have to do with Fire? it seems the two couldn’t be more opposite and yet, if we think of the Fire of the Sun not as a static object but instead a process, the connection becomes more clear:

All plants grow towards the Sun, moving towards its light. They never reach the Sun, of course, but the process of seeking the sunlight gives rise to all the diverse forms of plant life in the world. The light of the sun propels all plants to reach the fullest expression of their Inner Nature, driving them forward in the process of transformation to become what they are meant to be. In this way, the tail of the fish is an apt symbol: it is what propels fish forward towards their goals and fulfillment. Put a fish on the land and its tail is of no use, but in its proper place underwater, it brings to realization all fishy endeavors. Both the image of the Fish Tail and the Sun are symbols of a drive towards fulfilling one’s Inner Nature, bringing inner dreams and desires into reality through action and expression. This is the essence of Fire.

So, in a year governed by 丙 Bǐng Fire, we can expect our own Inner Nature to be strongly seeking expressing, whether or not we feel ready. Our deepest dreams, desires and motivations will be coming to the surface and into expression - even subconscious feelings and drives we may not be aware of or comfortable with. All of this is in service of aligning us on the outside with who we are on the inside, and transforming us in the process. When we are aware of our motivations & desires, they can move more productively into expression, but when we deny or avoid these truths, they find a way to express anyhow, but in less helpful and constructive ways. Now is a great time to take stock of our motivations and goals for the coming year - get clear on what we want for ourselves, our relationships, work and community. Taking honest stock of our priorities is important for Fire years, when we will be acting out these motivations whether we’re aware of it or not.

In the wider world, we expect the underlying motivations of communities, politicians and global communities to become clear and come into dramatic expression. Whatever is under the surface becomes visible: in Fire years, the truth comes out. This can be wonderful for voices speaking the truth to become more amplified, motivating widespread change. It can also be a time when bias and hidden resentments break out into the open - all will be revealed, it is up to us how we process on a personal level what is coming out. The best advice is to be kind to ourselves and others as we are all going through this collective process. We all have hidden, tangled webs of feelings that can be messy when they begin to bubble up, but hiding is not an option in Fire years, so finding a healthy outlet is necessary to prevent these darker aspects from doing greater harm. This is true personally as well as on the community, collective and global levels.

Next, we will examine the character of the Horse, which further emphasizes the fiery nature of the year. Saddle up!