Advent Blog 2025 — From Quiet Becoming to Courageous Motion

Chinese astrology is an ancient system that looks at cycles of time and energy rather than making predictions about the future. It follows a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal symbol—such as the Snake or the Horse.

What interests me about Chinese astrology is that rather than telling us what will happen, Chinese astrology offers a lens for reflection. It helps us notice patterns, understand seasons of growth or change, and make sense of transitions. Think of it less as a rulebook and more as a mirror—one that invites us to pause, reflect, and consider how we want to move forward as the energy of a new year unfolds.

Like many of us do now, I turned to AI to gain a better perspective.

I learned that because the energy of a Year of the Snake is internally transformative, it is never meant to be loud. For individuals, the work happens inwardly. Collectively however, it can look dramatic because systems are being tested, pressure points revealed, and illusions stripped away. (That tracks with the global upheaval experienced in 2025 with the new “ transformational” US President.)

Snake energy is about becoming before doing. It invites reflection, discernment, and the shedding of skins we’ve outgrown.

For me, it was a year of noticing what no longer fit—roles I had outlived, expectations I was carrying out of habit, and versions of myself that once kept me safe but were now keeping me small.

Nothing rushed.

Nothing forced.

But everything changed.

The Snake doesn’t push you forward. It asks you to sit with yourself long enough to hear your own truth. And once you do, there’s no unknowing it. That was the real work of 2025—quiet, internal, and deeply foundational.

And now… we’re heading into the Year of the Horse

The Year of the Horse brings momentum, courage, and a deep hunger for freedom. It’s not about endless planning or waitingu until everything feels perfect. It’s about trusting that the clarity you’ve earned is enough to take the next step.

If the Snake whispers, the Horse moves.

For me, this transition feels significant. The introspection is no longer the point. The becoming now asks to be lived.

Horse energy doesn’t tolerate stagnation. It nudges us to stop circling the same questions and start walking in the direction of the answers we already have. It invites honest expression, aligned action, and movement that feels expansive rather than exhausting.

Why this matters now

The shift from Snake to Horse mirrors a truth I’ve come to know deeply:

You don’t leap forward until you’ve made peace with who you’ve been.

The Snake year helped me do that.

And it feels like 2026, a Horse year is asking me to honour it—by moving. Not recklessly but courageously.

To me, this is the energy of choosing freedom with intention. Of saying yes to what feels alive, and no to what requires me to abandon myself. It beckons me to step into the next chapter not because I’m ready in every way—but because I’m aligned.

An invitation for you

Perhaps the past year felt quieter than expected for you, or you’ve been doing more internal reflection than usual. You have been out there.

That was my kind of year. I often sensed a shift coming but couldn’t yet name it I understand now that it wasn’t wasted time.

That was Snake work.

And now, as we approach the Year of the Horse, the invitation is simple and powerful:

Take what you’ve learned about yourself—and live it.

Move toward what feels freeing.

Trust the clarity you’ve earned.

Let momentum be meaningful.

This isn’t about starting over.

It’s about moving forward—unleashed, yet unshaken.