Chinese New Year 2014: The Meaningful Year of the Horse - The Blog for Whats-Your-Sign.com by Avia

Here we are again on the precipice of the Chinese New Year. This year, 2014, is the year of the Horse.

The Chinese New Year is activated upon the second new moon after the Chinese winter solstice. In this case, that happens tomorrow, 01/31/2014.

Not only is this the year of the Horse, this is the year of the Wooden Horse.

To explain, there are 12 animals that govern a particular year (they cycle ’round every 12 years). And each Chinese zodiac animal corresponds to an element. Chinese elements (which are a wee bit different than Western astrological elements) are: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

It’s noteworthy that the Chinese New Year of the Wooden Horse will have a different quality than…let’s say a Metal Horse, or a Fire Horse. Just as each Chinese zodiac animal flavors a year with its own unique characteristics – so too does the overarching element offer distinct features within a given year.

So what do we have in store for us on this Chinese New Year of 2014? What can we expect from that magical Wooden Horse?

Well, it’s nowhere near the realm of Chinese philosophy, but I can’t help but think of the Trojan Horse when I think of what 2014 has in store for us.

Actually, the parallels aren’t that far-fetched. This year will offer us numerous surprises.

Don’t panic! These aren’t the kind of surprises that entail Greek warriors jumping out of a wooden horse on the attack. Nope. These are going to be serendipitous pleasures – unexpected synchronicities – pleasant coincidences that make us go “OH!”, and “Yeah!”

Why? Because the Horse is a grounding energy. Horses are symbolic of stability, structure, and plotting a path in order to reach a destination, or accomplish a task.

This is juxtaposed the Horse’s need to be wild, free and ever-roaming Nature’s glorious terrain.

These two aspects: Wildness vs. Stability collide to create some pretty awesome “wow-factors” in the year of 2014.

The Horse (no matter what its element), is a teacher. The Horse guides and shows us the way. They have amazing instinct, a remarkable sense of direction, and an uncanny ability to detect trouble far better than most humans.

These regal beasts have a lot to teach humans. You horse-people out there know exactly what I mean. Many a tale has been told about a horse saving a life, knowing the way when a human is clueless, or sniffing out trouble way before a ‘two-legged’ would have an inkling of foul play.

Consequently, the Chinese Year of the Horse has a quality of full-on alertness. This year will find many of us on-point, switched- on, and in-tune on a level we’ve never experienced before. Because this year is enriched with the equine vibe, many of us will inherit the Horse’s ability to detect trouble and get savvy about how we react to our environment.

Hand-in-hand with that alert quality, comes an element of protection. We’re going to find ourselves divinely guided, and ultimately protected in 2014. This is super-auspicious. This means that when we were tentative to take risks in previous years, this year we’re going to feel the gumption of the Horse.

In other words, this year’s Horse is going to kick us into action. What’s even better, is that Horse energy is going to stick around with us to make sure we don’t fall flat on our faces.

Horse-energy may give us a swift kick in the pants for motivation, but they won’t kick us to the curb, alone and defenseless. No way. Horses hang out with their human counterparts to make sure the path is clear for exploration and achievement.

To underscore that point, we’re going to have the Horse’s guidance and protection at our backs to buffer any ill-influence we might incur from our choices. In other words, this is a great year to take a risk. Have you been thinking about playing the stock market? Embarking on a new career? Setting out on a new adventure? Thinking of exotic travel? Do it! This is a fabulous time to do so – while under the watchful, supportive eye of the Horse.

The Chinese sign of the Horse is also extremely amicable – meaning, this sign represents the spirit of friendliness. Therefore, this year will likely see you making new friends, forging new business partners, and broadening your social circle.

The Horse also has an innate willingness to help those in need. This kind of charitable energy will underscore 2014. The world could certainly use a little kindness, and the Horse is just the sign to bring that to the forefront.

As a Wooden Horse, you can expect growth and passion. The Horse is a pretty passionate sign to begin with – it’s that wild streak they all have within them. But wood also expresses compassion in the form of combustion.

Consider: What do you start your campfires with? Yep, wood. The freedom-loving personality of the Horse combined with the flaming potential of wood makes for a transformative year.

Here’s the Chinese New Year of the Wooden Horse in a nutshell:

Expect some unexpected (but wonderful) surprises.
Acknowledge guidance and protection.
Anticipate new connections in the form of partnerships and relationships.
Observe the teachers around you, and embrace new knowledge that is bound to come your way this year.
Get ready to get ignited. The Wooden Horse is primed and kindled to set you afire with passion.

Now having said all that, I am obliged to tell you this: No matter how powerful astrology (in any culture) is, the ultimate factor of your path and destiny is YOU! Please don’t let the stars and planets govern you. Simply know that you are the ruler of your fate. Yes…the constellations and the whirly-twirly of our cosmos are certainly influential…but the final factor is you.

I hope this post on the Chinese New Year 2014 and the meanings of the Wooden Horse will help you navigate through the year with ease and joy.

If you liked these observations, don’t miss my page on Chinese Zodiac Signs and Their Influence on the Chinese New Year. You might also like my symbolic meaning of the Horse page here.