Why do millennials think the year of the fire horse will save them?

A friend was several minutes into telling me astir her caller messy breakup erstwhile she paused for a infinitesimal of reflection. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter because it’s each going to beryllium good soon,” she said, smiling. Why’s that? “Because, it’s nan twelvemonth of nan horse.” At first, I was confused. This friend had ne'er earlier expressed nan slightest liking successful nan Chinese Zodiac, fto unsocial thing else remotely astrological aliases spiritual. But present she was, uncovering solace successful nan truth that from 17 February, we displacement from nan twelvemonth of nan snake into nan twelvemonth of nan horse.

She’s not nan only one. Since that speech a fewer weeks ago, I’ve had respective akin chats pinch different friends who’ve confided successful maine astir their various woes – family arguments, money troubles, rental nightmares – only to show maine specified seconds later that it would each beryllium okay because of nan presence of “the horse”.

One friend explained that nan snake was each astir “shedding past traumas” and leaving toxicity behind, whereas nan equine is astir entering nan twelvemonth pinch a cleanable slate and starting anew. Another is obsessed pinch nan numerology broadside of it all; nan numbers successful 2026 adhd up to 10, which, added together, bring america backmost to one.

“It’s immense for resetting your energy,” she gushed. And a caller friend told maine she’s readying connected casting a emotion spell to triumph her ex back, which apparently besides has thing to do pinch nan horse. And nan moon.

The obsession exists acold beyond my ain relationship circle. On societal media, location are thousands of viral videos astir why nan twelvemonth of nan equine is truthful significant. “It’s astir taking risk, rebellion, courage,” says 1 TikToker successful a video pinch much than 76,000 views. “The snake is each astir shedding nan aged layers. Renewal, rhythm rebirth, and we’re going into nan horse, which is creating freedom, courage, compassion, and creation.”

The letting spell portion seems to beryllium captivating a batch of self-help influencers, pinch one claiming that she has seen group leaving down “things that person felt particularly uncomfortable, for illustration relationships, jobs, situationships” successful nan run-up to nan twelvemonth of nan horse. She continues: “I felt nan impulse to fto spell much earlier February begins, and I tin really measurement into my power.”

Another TikTok personification points retired that this twelvemonth is particularly important because it falls connected nan time of a star eclipse. “This is ace aggravated energy, and it’s going to people an important infinitesimal successful quality history,” she tells her followers successful a clip that has been liked much than 39,000 times. Similar sentiments person been going viral connected Instagram – “2025: The Snake. Cleared your path. 2026: The Horse. Moves you forward,” sounds 1 meme that has been liked much than 427,000 times.

So, is nan twelvemonth of nan equine really that large a deal? The Chinese Zodiac is made up of 12 animal signs, specified arsenic nan rabbit, nan dragon, nan snake, and of course, our humble horse. According to Chinese astrology, nan equine is defined by traits specified arsenic confidence, responsibility, and intelligence. Horses move accelerated and activity freedom, resenting being reined in.

According to Chinese astrology, nan equine is defined by traits specified arsenic confidence, responsibility, and intelligence. Horses besides move accelerated and activity freedom, resenting being reined successful - truthful Fire Horse years are considered particularly strong, rebellious, and energetic and sometimes moreover seen arsenic unlucky for births successful definite cultures, for illustration Japan. The past Fire Horse twelvemonth was 1966, which was nan opening of an era of bonzer societal upheaval. In position of what this intends for 2026, it’s each astir discovering caller ways of being and transformation.

Combine this pinch nan numerology of it all, and that revamping modus operandi becomes other potent. 2026 brings america to a Universal Year 1 (2025 was a Universal Year 9, which was astir endings), which intends we’ve stepped into a caller numerology rhythm and are starting from nan opening again. Then there’s nan occurrence equine portion of it each – each twelvemonth corresponds pinch 1 of nan 5 Chinese elements; those that extremity successful six aliases 7 are ever fire.

“A Fire Horse twelvemonth heightens nan Horse’s earthy dynamism,” says Ada Ooi, integrative Chinese medicine clinician and laminitis of 001 London. “Fire brings intensity, urgency, and passion, which tin consciousness motivating but besides demanding. This operation often creates a faster gait of life and a stronger thrust to achieve, making it particularly important to enactment attuned to nan body’s limits and power reserves.”

As for why truthful galore group person go invested successful each this, well, it seems that thing that makes consciousness of an progressively chaotic world is thing to cling to. In 1 TikTok video, a personification points retired really nan past occurrence equine twelvemonth was nan commencement of China’s Cultural Revolution, arsenic good arsenic erstwhile “Cold War tensions peaked, ideological divides hardened, civilian authorities unrest intensified,” she continues earlier citing a litany of different examples. Perhaps this twelvemonth of nan equine will beryllium arsenic transformative connected a world scale.

On a individual note, nan thought of his caller and breathtaking equine power is appealing to many. “Culturally, nan Horse represents resilience and drive, qualities galore group people gravitate towards during times of uncertainty aliases transition,” explains Susan Gu, a accepted Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist astatine London-based wellness clinic, The HVN.

“The symbolism offers reassurance and motivation, encouraging group to return initiative, spot their instincts and move guardant pinch confidence. In this sense, it functions little arsenic fortune-telling and much arsenic a psychological and affectional reset.”

In a nine wherever belief and different accepted belief systems beryllium astatine nan fringes, galore group still yearn for a higher meaning, if only to make consciousness of nan world and their spot successful it. Enter spirituality: nan beliefs, ideas, and systems that beryllium extracurricular of emblematic Western ideologies and are becoming progressively celebrated among adrift generations looking for thing to cling to.

Regardless of whether you judge successful nan meaning of immoderate of this, going into a caller lunar twelvemonth pinch an invigorated consciousness of renewal is undoubtedly a nett positive. And who knows? If we judge that alteration is coming, who is to opportunity it won’t beryllium for nan better? If it’s a prime betwixt pessimism and hope, well, I cognize which 1 I’d alternatively choose.