. New Moon Greetings – February 17, 2025
Fire Horse New Year
Today is the convergence of the new moon and the Fire Horse New Year. Both are great times to begin new projects or bring fresh energy to an existing project.
Each year of the Chinese calendar is named for an animal of the Chinese zodiac plus one of the five elements of Chinese philosophy. Unlike the western elements of earth, air, fire, and water, Chinese philosophy considers the five elements of earth, air, fire, mental, and wood. In both systems fire represents (among other things) passion, energy, dynamism, enthusiasm, and transformation. Added to that is often the clarity in how to push through blocks and move forward. So the energy and symbolism of the Fire Horse is very powerful.
New moon energy is of course always about beginnings. At new moon, our beautiful earthly satellite seems to disappear but then
slowly day by day it reappears. We can align with that energy as we engage with new projects, envisioning the energy expanding each day. The new moon and the Fire Horse are in sync today, so take some time to give attention to your dreams and projects.
Embracing Fire Horse Energy
Stop for a moment and consider if there are new or existing projects you’d like to breathe life into. If it is an existing project you might sit with a journal and write to identify why it has slowed down or stalled. Ask, “How can I get forward motion with this project?” You can wait quietly for an answer, however another technique I like is to pose the question aloud and then pick up your pen and begin to write, “I can get forward motion by…” Often when you get to the last word, ideas will begin to flow.
For new projects and dreams, sit quietly and imagine the outcome. With every exhale imagine you are breathing your dream into existence. Pick up your pen, and ask, “What else should I do to create forward motion?” Write or draw what comes to you and be prepared to carry through.
You might consider identifying projects in three areas: garden, personal, and community. And also consider limiting the number so you can actually focus on them. Most of us have many projects happening at the same time, but choosing the most important ones allows you to focus your energy. It goes a long way to brining dreams into reality.
My Projects for New Moon and the Fire Horse Year
Here are my top projects for this new moon infused with Fire Horse Energy.
In the garden, I am expanding on my existing project of spinning home grown fibers to dying them with other garden plants. I’ve been researching plants I already grow that create vivid colors, like calendula and nettles. And I will also be planting Japanese indigo, which requires a rather complicated process to create dye. You can certainly dye yarn without understanding the chemistry. However, I’m intrigued by why certain fibers need different approaches and it does boil down to chemistry. So a big part of my project is devoting time to learning this process before summer when I will be experimenting with all of these plants.
My personal project is learning a new qigong form on primordial energy so that I might be able to share it with others. Like every new form, this requires dedicated practice time and that is always the challenge – carving out the sufficent time to learn it well. However, that is why I am naming this as one of my three projects to give it a boost in energy.
And lastly my commumity project (one of them) is working to understand the caucus system here in Colorado as I will be caucusing for Phil Weiser for Governor. Caucuses happen before the primaries and are a kind of community meeting about issues and candidates. Weiser has been a very strong Attorney General and has stood up against the push toward authoritarianism. It feels important to show up for this event.
Fire Horse versus New Moon
These two energies are aligned with bringing life to new projects, however there is at least one big difference. Fire Horse energy is bold and energetic. It races ahead and change can happen quickly. New Moon energy, on the other hand, is more subtle. The term “waxing moon” came from a time when people made their own candles for light. Each time you dipped a candle wick into hot wax, the wick was coated with a little more wax until slowly a candle was formed. The waxing moon reminds us that change can often be subtle and incremental.
So which is it? Dramatic quick change or slow incremental change? I think it can be both. Be patient if change is slow, but be open to a dramatic shift in energy. The important thing is to name and commit to your projects.
Whether it is improving your garden, improving your personal life, of the life of your community, today is an auspicious day to focus some energy on a new goal or breath energy into an existing goal. I’d love to hear what you are calling into being with Fire Horse energy.
About this Blog Post & and Qigong Practice
This post is part of my lunar blog series. I post each new moon as it is a great time to begin projects and set intentions with the increasing light. Topics are related to related to plants and ideas featured in my book, Growing Mindful. . Other topics are related to mindfulness, gardens, qigong, and intentional living. For more details and a list of past lunar blog posts, click here.
About Qigong – I lead qigong at Bluff Lake Nature Center in Denver on the last Sunday of each month(except for January and February). You can find the schedule in announcements on the home page. I have also partnered with other graduates of the IIQTC (Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi) to offer virtual HeART of Body Compassionate Self Care Practice Circles based on qigong and tai chi. Check out the information here: Global Healing Circles or contact me if you need more information.
