A new lunar year dawned with the new moon on February 17. The Chinese Year of the Yang Fire Horse brings a “wildfire energy” that can lead to dramatic changes and potential breakthroughs.

“If ever there was a year to be bold, this is it,” according to Gaela Morrison, artist and feng shui consultant.

The last Fire Horse year was 1966. The Vietnam War was escalating. The civil rights movement was at a crossroads. The Black Panther Party was founded. And the year marked the beginning of the Cultural Revolution in China.

“If 1966 is any blueprint, we can expect a breakdown of long-accepted hierarchies and systems of authority,” writes Ada Tseng, in the LA Times.

Don’t expect a comfortable or peaceful year, but a pivotal one, Morrison says. The Fire Horse only comes around every 60 years. It can unleash rebellious energies and must have freedom at any cost. Impulsiveness, volatility, and upheaval are likely.

Think back to 1966. It was a time of immense change. It’s especially vivid for me because it’s the year I graduated from high school. War protests, rebellion against authority, breakthroughs in the arts, psychedelics, the Beatles, and even the mini skirt symbolized newfound freedom. Revolution was in the air!

It was a vibrant, heady time to be alive.

Now, the hotblooded horse is back! We can expect sudden shifts and changes, and very unexpected events and opportunities, Morrison predicts.

To balance the heat, it’s important to stay grounded. Incorporating the elements of water and earth will be helpful and doing things that slow you down – walks in nature, yoga, meditation, qigong, journaling, and art making – are recommended.

Fire represents illumination, purification and transformation. It burns away illusions. Fire Horse energy is social, talkative, and greatly values relationships.

“Assert your intention to form new bonds with others with likeminded values,” Morrison advises. Be proactive in making new connections and work together with your community.

It’s a good time to take calculated risks. Look before you leap! Avoid impulsive actions, and plan and organize before you initiate new activities or adventures.

Watch for burn out from moving too fast – speed without intention becomes chaos.

Fatigue and nervous energy can be a side effect. Watch for impatience, volatile emotions, and anxiety. Take frequent breaks, and don’t skimp on afternoon naps and rest. At the same time as things speed up it will be necessary to adapt and go with the flow.

“Be a bigger version of yourself, dream big, take bold action,” Morrison advises. But use contemplative practices to slow down and balance the intense fire energy.

Living in your own truth and being authentic is paramount. Anything false will collapse.

For the more spiritually minded, fire or “Shen” in its purest form is divine light and represents insight, the electric current of the lightning bolt, and illuminated understanding. Shen is related to the heart. It is “the way that the light of heaven extends itself into us and then through us to manifest in our actions on earth,” Morrison writes.

It’s important to get calm and listen to your heart so you can truly hear and align with the Shen energy.  The Chinese hexagram for 2026 is Fellowship (Heaven/Strength above Fire/Clarity) and supports working together to create change and true community.

So, cultivate your own clarity and focus on the expression of what is true to your own heart, your highest aspirations. If you were alive on planet earth in 1966, think back to the best memories of that time. Happy Year of the Chinese Fire Horse!