Year of the Snake 2025–January 29-February 12, 2025

The Year of the Wood Snake is a period of transformation, wisdom, and adaptability. According to Chinese Buddhism, before the Buddha entered Nirvana only twelve animals came to pay homage. So the Buddha honored them by naming a twelve-year cycle after them. The Snake, the most complex and “unsettling” force among the twelve, was the sixth animal to pay its respect to the Buddha. This year is the Year of the Wood Snake, which officially began when the new moon entered Aquarius at 4:36 a.m. PT on Jan. 29, 2025.  More than two weeks of parties, customs and banquets will demonstrate the excitement for the new year in East Asian countries.

The  last time a Wood Snake year occurred was in 1965. (See January 7, 2013 post on the Year of the Water Snake). Unlike in European lore, the  snake is known for its intelligence, strategy, and charm, while the Wood element brings flexibility and creativity. This combination encourages personal growth, analytical thinking, and cautious decision-making. This year will emphasize adaptability, long-term planning, and personal development. 

While the overall mood and atmosphere will be renewal and generation–as a snake sheds its old skin– people must slither into new beginnings in an increasingly chaotic and tumultuous global climate. The symbolism of the snake is nonbinary–neither all good nor all bad in its impact.  

The Year of the Snake 2025 will be very different, veering on cataclysmic if caution and diligence are not sustained. The Snake — with a strong fire element, along with some metal and earth elements — is a zodiac sign that can cause significant clashes and conflicts, of coiling unpredictability or recovery and transformation. Surprises–both good and bad–will lurk around every corner.  Be prepared for the unfathomable! We already are suffering from the snake in the White House.