An invitation for the year ahead.
Happy New Year 🤍
This year brings a change in Chinese astrology. Although the shift doesn’t officially happen until February, the energy already feels different. We move from the Snake into the Yang Fire Horse - from no legs to four, from shedding into movement, direction, and momentum.
But, crucially, the Horse isn’t asking us to rush or push forward blindly. It’s asking us to move in ways that feel aligned.
In Chinese medicine, there’s a powerful energetic centre that speaks directly to this theme:
an acupuncture point, DU4, known as Ming Men, which translates as ‘the Gate of Destiny’.
Ming Men sits between the two kidneys and represents the fire of the Kidneys. This fire gives us the energy, motivation, and drive to be active in the world.
At conception, Chinese medicine teaches that our destiny or soul’s mandate is planted in the body. But when we live in ways that aren’t aligned with our destiny, this fire doesn’t fully activate. Instead, we rely on willpower and effort, using up our life force to keep going & push through.
When we are moving in a direction that’s aligned with our destiny, something different happens.
The Ming Men begins to wake up.
Energy flows more easily.
Action feels supported rather than forced.
Because, as the Chinese texts say, our destiny comes from Heaven, it isn’t shaped by our conditioning or by the adaptive behaviours we learned growing up to stay loved, connected, and safe. It exists beneath the masks we learned to wear.
The Horse this year is asking us to look honestly at:
Where we might still be performing
Where we’re living from habit rather than truth
Where something no longer feels right
And to begin taking steps - however small - toward what does feel true.
So the invitation for this year is simple, but profound:
Listen closely to what lights you up in your body
Notice where you feel most alive
Pay attention to what gives you energy - rather than drains it
And gently begin taking steps in that direction.
