On the new moon of January 28th, the year of the Fire Rooster begins. This year is going to be passionate and action-packed, and is an opportunity to focus on your personal development in your inner world as well as the world at large. Though there will be lots to bring into balance this year, it’s also an amazing year for truly following your heart’s desire. This is a time to invest in your own strength and vitality. Those who focus with determination and endurance will surely see the fruits of their labor.

A Fire Rooster year can bring about conflict between people with different backgrounds and belief systems. It is important to learn to temper emotions and respond to conflict from a place of mindfulness. Meditation is a great way to bring stillness to agitation, because it brings a sense of peace, clarity, focus and connection. 

The Fire element relates to the heart organ, and so this year, focus on nourishing and protecting your heart. In Chinese medicine, bitter foods and drinks are cooling and healing for the heart. So load up on bitter greens, grapefruit, sesame seeds, green tea, and other bitter nourishment.

Another way to balance fire energy is to make sure you cultivate your inner water element to calm the fire, as water is the yin to fire’s yang. To bring more of this calming energy into your life, drink lots of water and tea throughout the day, get plenty of sleep, stick to a routine and regular bedtime to balance the intensity of the fire energy. It’s also an important time to fortify your immune system with healthy foods and teas, and to strengthen your constitution with herbal tonics, acupuncture, bodywork, and regular exercise.

This year isn’t all about work – it is also a time for entertainment and tourism. Stretch your personal limits by stepping out of your comfort zone, engaging in conversation with people from different backgrounds; or travel to a far away land to learn more about the world.  You may be surprised what you discover!

In this year of the Fire Rooster, we wish all of you the confidence, trust, wisdom and clarity to step forward into your destiny. May this year be full of abundance, positive change and opportunities, and health.

Happy New Year! Or as is said in Chinese, “Xin Nian Kuai Le!”

By Wei Bertram