Wednesday, January 29, 2025 marks a brand new year in the lunar calendar, also known as Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year. The starting date of Chinese New Year changes each year, usually falling on a day between January 21 – February 20. The lunar calendar begins with the first new moon of the year and ends with a full moon. Filled with traditions and rituals, Chinese New Year is the most important and celebrated holiday in the Chinese calendar. For two weeks, business life just about comes to a halt, while the focus shifts to family, and traditions center around bringing good luck and long life.

In Chinese astrology, each zodiac year is represented by the combination of an animal sign (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig) and one of the five elements in Nature (Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth). The animal signs repeat in a 12-year cyclical pattern and are assigned based on a person’s date of birth. The essence and spirit of our lunar signs help us tune in to certain aspects of our personalities.

Read this post to find your animal sign and learn your fortune in the Year of the Wood Snake.

Transition from the Year of the Dragon

Every animal sign in the zodiac is connected, and therefore, one influences the other. As a powerful and mysterious leader, Dragon provided every animal sign the opportunity to create profound change in their lives throughout 2024. As Dragon—the luckiest of animals in the zodiac—hands its reins to the wise, flexible, and determined Snake, all signs have the opportunity to discover their innate capabilities and exercise flexibility in how they move, think, interact with, and respond to others.

In addition, Snake will be inspired and backed by Dragon’s formidable power throughout the year. Snake is creative and transformative in its own right, with its ability to shed its skin and start anew; however, Dragon lends Snake its ability to transform from the visible to the invisible. This provides each animal sign the added flexibility to explore the depths of their own character traits, expand their horizons, and create new health, life, and opportunities for the coming year.

Wood Element and Liver/Gallbladder System

The Snake is the sixth animal sign in the lunar calendar. This year’s element is Wood, which energetically relates to Liver energy. The Liver’s nature is to move its energy upward and outward freely. This movement is much like the branches of a tree—hence the association with Wood. The Liver, and its partner, Gallbladder perform many important energy functions that are vital to your health.

The Liver/Gallbladder organ system is all about smooth flow. Wherever there is an excess or deficiency—of Qi, blood, or emotion—it’s the Liver’s job to smooth things out. The cooperative relationship between the Liver/Gallbladder and the Spleen/Stomach results in a healthy digestive system. Healthy Liver function is also evident in physical and emotional flexibility, and healthy eyes, hair, and nails. The Liver is the main organ responsible for women’s health. Keeping Liver Qi flowing smoothly is the key to normal menstrual cycles, reproductive health, and breast health.

Snake Spirit

The Year of the Wood Snake provides a double-dose of flexibility and movement (Wood/Liver and Snake) with determination (Snake). Snakes echo Liver Qi movements. Picture the way a snake gracefully slithers across the ground, moving so freely. This is a representation of Liver Qi in action.

Historically, snakes also represent creativity and fertility. Their ability to shed their skins is a symbol of rebirth, regrowth, and faith in the future. Can you be flexible enough to let go of old patternsand create a new life for yourself? If we can align ourselves with Nature’s energy flow, we will enjoy greater health and flexibility throughout the lunar year.

Get ready for a powerful energy shift! With Snake’s determined spirit and the Wood element’s ability to go with the flow, life can progress in incredible ways throughout 2025.

Wood Snake’s Influence

People born in the Year of the Snake (1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025) are wise, watchful, creative, open-minded, devisive, and tenacious. They are financially fortunate and never have to worry about money. Snakes say little and possess great wisdom. Although Snakes may seem cold at first, they are intense, passionate, and loving to those they get close to. Snakes have a negative quality, too—laziness. They also have a tendency to be quite vain, selfish, devious, and a bit stingy, yet they have tremendous sympathy for others and try to help those less fortunate. Snake people tend to overdo, since they have doubts about other people’s judgement and prefer to rely on themselves. Determined in whatever they do, Snakes hate to fail.

The influence of Wood/Liver will encourage all signs to connect and flow smoothly and peacefully, so that all messages are communicated with ease. The message for all signs this year is flexibility and self-awareness. With the Wood Snake at the helm, animal signs that can shift their perspectives and flow into the Wood Snake’s watchful energy will have the opportunity to experience life through a new, and more open-minded lens.

Have Fun With Lunar New Year!

Understand the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

Try some of these lucky foods! Including our favorite—dumplings!

Read about the Great Race, an ancient fable that explains how the Chinese zodiac was created.

What does your sign say about you? Learn your fortune in the Year of the Wood Snake!