On the next New Moon, which falls on the 29th January 2025, we move into a new Chinese Lunar year. We are leaving behind the Year of the Wood Dragon and flowing into the Year of the Wood Snake. 
In this episode, I talk about what the Year of the Snake may hold for us, and what opportunities it may bring. We will talk a little about how the Chinese New Year or Lunar festival is celebrated, and I’ll be sharing some of my musings about “new years” in general - there are many different “new years” out there (beyond January 1st!). I believe that new beginnings, new chapters and a "new you" can come at any time - each inhale can invite the new, each exhale can release the old.
Is "New Years" really the 1st of January??
I’ve been reflecting on the fact that the Gregorian calendar (prevalent in the modern Western world)  holds no personal resonance for me as a marker of beginnings and endings; I see it as arbitrary and man-made, disconnected from nature. Perhaps you feel the same -  are there periods or seasons of your life that carry more meaning for you?

As a herbalist, practitioner of natural medicine (which sees us woven into the web of life), surfer, vegetable grower and as a woman connected to monthly rhythms within my own body, I feel more connected to the cycles of nature - tides, moon, seasons, stars, plants & animals - and look to these as a compass to align my flow with life, and with Mama Nature. These are the cycles that nourish life! I also love learning the cycles and seasons of my own physical place in the world: summer swells and summer storms, the clear blue skies of winter, the first call of the Pacific Koel bird when it arrives in summer - and the absence of its call when it returns north, which heralds the turning towards cooler weather.
What opportunities does the Wood Snake bring?
I particularly loved the perspective of Jill Lander, Feng Shui practitioner, on what this coming year may hold:
"We are entering into a year of death and rebirth, a year to make responsible decisions to evolve spiritually, moving away from old ways and habits that no longer serve us well. Among all living creatures, the Snake is the best equipped due to its magnetic resonance to hear the heartbeat of Mother Earth. It is a dynamic year to learn from the past, moving forward with wisdom, awareness, transformation and compassion. 
Mythology recognises the Snake as a creature of healing, which influences the physical body to shift to a more spiritual outlook. A great deal of quiet progress can be made in 2025 with the help of this planetary energy. Honour this transformative beginning every day with positive thoughts".
https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3293097/chinese-horoscopes-year-wood-snake-2025-predictions-health-wealth-work-and-love-plus-wood-snakes#
Toko-pa Turner, Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home
https://www.instagram.com/tokopa/
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Disclaimer
Chinese Medicine is a personalised, functional medicine that treats the individual and the root cause of their presenting imbalance (what conventional medicine would call the symptom, disease or condition). This means that your doctor of Chinese Medicine will work one-on-one with you to achieve a ...