The first week of January swiftly came and went and I’m still not super clear on any resolution or intention. How about you?

I’m more drawn to choosing specific words or feeling states to cultivate, instead of reaching or striving for something specific because this feels more aligned and manageable.

We’ve still got a few more weeks of the Snake energy left before galloping off with the Horse frequency next month which is where I’m seeing people heading already which I’m curious about because shedding takes time. It’s generally the last few micro shifts, tweaks and changes which make all the difference in any transformation process so it’s important to not skip this part. It may feel frustrating or you may have less patience the closer we get to the Horse energy but it’ll be worth the final push or struggle, I promise!

Have you ever seen a snake actively shed its skin? I have and it’s pretty mesmerising! It makes tiny micro undulating movements with its entire body and scale by scale its skin begins to peel away revealing a shiny new coat. The old skin is discarded as a shell of the Snakes former self, left to decompose in the elements. I’ve come across many skins over the years, if you find one in tact you can even see the pockets of where the eye sockets here, it’s pretty cool!

On the top of my bookshelf I have a natural woven basket from my travels to Africa filled with snake skin I’ve found which sit amongst chunks of Rose quartz. Trixie (my cat) is super cautious each time she walks past this bowl to her favourite box, sniffing and gently poking the skin to see if it’s alive. Some days she spends more time with the skins and other days she just walks past as if they don’t exist to lay in her favourite box on top of the bookshelf.

Even when the skin is shed it continues to holds the energy of its owner, it continues to carry its scent and will forever be imprinted with the life it once lived. So just because you’ve shed the old doesn’t mean it’s not attached to you anymore, it’s still you and apart of you so send your gratitude and thanks to the skin which once protected and held you. Give it permission to take with it all that’s no longer serving you or aligned with your highest good so you can make peace with what was and move into this next cycle knowing you’re complete with the old and ready for the energy of the Horse.

Once the shedding it complete and the old is no longer physically attached, the new exposed skin is fresh, bright, colourful and unscathed. Just like new clothes it can take time to wear in, until it fits just right and until you feel comfortable in this new outfit of skin.

The Fire Horse begins 17 February ushering in intense, passionate and dynamic energy. It symbolises momentum, independence and transformation. During this cycle expect bold moves, new opportunities and a big drive for adventure, but also a risk of burnout or overextension due to the fast pace. Try balancing this fiery energy with patience and moments of stillness is key. It’s a year for decisive action, breaking routines, pursuing ambitions, and embracing change for personal growth and new projects.

So until the 17 February, try and use these next few weeks as intentional as possible so you can fully and completely embrace the Horse energy knowing you’ve done your absolute best to completely and fully shed all that’s been weighing you down with all the macro and micro undulating movements along the way. This way you’ll be more than ready to welcome in and embrace the dynamic energy of the Horse and be on your merry away!