Chinese New Year: What to Expect in the Year of the Wood Snake!

With the (western) New Year’s now in the backburner, Wood Central is turning its attention to the upcoming Chinese New Year—the first since 1965 to be ruled over by the wood snake—a sign of wisdom, intuition, and renewal. It’s a combination of an animal (the snake) and an element (wood) that occurs once every six decades, and according to the South Morning China Post, promises to be a year of “entering into a year of death and rebirth, a year to make responsible decisions to evolve spiritually, moving away from old ways and habits that no longer serve us well.”

How is the Chinese New Year determined?

The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, each year associated with a different animal: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. These animals represent unique archetypes and energies and are influenced by a cycle of five fundamental elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. The combination of an animal and an element defines the predominant characteristics of any specific year.