The Waiting is Over
For the Snake, the waiting is over. You’ve showed us everything; things we never dreamed of or believed possible. The year of the Snake told us stories that were true, and many that were not. The Snake revealed things we should have already known, and maybe we did know them – for years, but we didn’t acknowledge it. Snakes made that acknowledgement impossible to avoid.
The Snake is a symbol of secrecy, withdrawal and magic; the occult. We could talk forever about all the secrets that came to light last year.
When I say the Snake was waiting, it might have been for credit or acknowledgement – a favor in return? Maybe now you’re back to enjoying the benefits of not being perceived. Staying under the radar has its delights too. There’s more time to research and study for one thing.
To get more acknowledgement requires a more public life. The Snake’s ability to hide out in plain sight means they are always an important player and maybe they don’t want everyone to know what they are doing. Maybe they feel safer being “invisible”. This is the paradox of Snake.*
Another paradox of the Snake is that they are the little Dragon, the one whose magic sometimes gets out of control. The Snake possesses the occult knowledge the Dragon craves; the Dragon will teach the Snake about wielding the magic safely, that is without harming themselves.
The Dragon, being a better communicator than the Snake sometimes steals the Snake’s fame by presenting the Snake’s work without acknowledgement. Maybe they just forgot that it wasn’t their idea? Maybe Dragons feel so much bigger than the Snake that it makes sense to them. You’ll see this in nature.
First Principles
What inspires me say all these things I just said about the sign of the Snake? Am I just making sh*t up? The answer is no.
I work with original Chinese sources for all of my divination. First principles are what I rely on: the original meanings of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, Wu Xing and yin/yang. I study Chinese characters and I can tell you that the ideograph 巳 is sometimes interpreted as a fully formed fetus. I can also tell you why people say it is a fetus at seven months of gestation.
To get more specific, I know that the Hexagram which corresponds to the year of the Wood Snake (2025) is 49 Ge – sometimes translated as molting. Sometimes it’s translated as Revolution, Skin, or Change. The lines of the hexagram describe three kinds of change, none of which regard snakes shedding their skin. The first kind of change is related to ritual animal sacrifice by skinning, i.e. painful changes resulting in death. Sound familiar? This hexagram also describes a magical changes invoked by a shaman, and political change or revolution.
Shedding Your Skin
Knowing what I know, you didn’t see me talking about Snakes or anyone else shedding their skin in 2025. That metaphor doesn’t quite work. I find it annoying when memes dilute the ancient meanings of these concepts.
As a person who works with metaphors, I think people could “shed their skin” every year because shedding your skin is a metaphor for change and renewal.
For me, to call what happened last year shedding your skin glosses over the gravitas of the events; another spiritual bypass. It’s another metaphysical McNugget for your comfort and consumption.
I’m open to talking about all of the deaths and the skinning of America. If you want to talk about the year of the Wood Snake as a year of storytelling, transformation or shape shifting? Yes. If you want to say we saw people’s true faces, that their masks came off, I’m here for it.
Now that I’ve said that, let me make the logic fuzzy. If you had skin problems in the year of the Snake, that’s pretty typical for the clash of Fire and Metal, and some people may have shed literal skin in the year of the Snake. Those problems may continue in 2026. It depends on your bazi. Welcome to my world.
This is the final Animal Fortune for 2026 and I’m feeling a little fiery about it. Can you tell?!
Small Advantages (and Disadvantages)
Snakes did gain advantages as the Tai Sui or year boss of 2025 and even though that timing has ended, you sill have some small advantages. Your attitude and approach to challenges will make a big difference. I’m not talking about positive thinking, I’m saying that you can decide to leverage your good luck through action and planning.
Slow down and be understood. Communication will be important for you Snake, just like everyone else. In your case, focus on truth and facts. Avoid making false reports that are backed by good intentions. Your year of being protected as the source of powerful tricks is over. If you stir the pot, people are going to know it was you. There will likely be consequences. Keep your information network protected. As Hannibal said to the Minnesota Shrike “they know“.**
Crime and Punishment
There are potential legal problems to solve for the Snake in the year of the Fire Horse. You’ll know what this applies to by the position of the pillar in your chart and what the Snake means to you. It’s not great news unless you’re a lawyer or an investigator and litigation is your work. Even if that’s not your job, you probably have skills in these areas, being a Snake.
Snakes have potential “breakups” with plans, contracts, relationships and family. If you are a beneficiary of a trust, make sure you understand the terms.
Educate yourself if you haven’t already done so. Know that there will be lots of changes this year. If you feel like life is too unstable Snake, I suggest you speak to others about it. You’ll find out they feel the same way. Take courage and do what you were planning to do anyway.
Snakes will find they have a big workload and yet there could be a minor loss of wealth. If you feel hopeful anyway, you’re in the flow of the year.
The Special Sauce of the Fire Horse Year
It’s going to be a quieter year, but don’t sleep on those relationships you nurtured in 2025. Most of your wealth opportunities in the year of the Fire Horse come from friends and other people you know. People want to help you, so make sure they can find you. Alternatively, go find them. If you’re not on a team, you may be lessening the magnitude of your success this year. Get advice and give it. Consider donating your expertise to a good cause.
For Snakes who are entrepreneurs, your reputation is everything. This year you can enhance it through your actions. Rely on your actions more than words in this aspect. If you’re a Snake who is an employee, you could get promoted this year. Keep your eye out for helpful Noblemen that will be around all year, certainly you can’t miss them in May.
If there really is a special sauce of the Fire Horse year, you will probably be sampling it. If you want to learn to be a cook, or want people to recognize your cooking abilities, then cook!
The Fire Horse brings you a fairly smooth path, good food and drink and a small boost of fame. Maybe that last one is what you’ve been craving most. It’s not too big, not too small. It’s just right.
Speaking of what’s just right for the Snake, is the timing Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has been waiting for here?
AOC was born in an Earth Snake year (1989) and she has the self clash of Horse. Her day pillar matches the year pillar of 2026. In a bazi matching pillars are called Fu Yin and it signifies a “crying event”. The question is whether the crying will be happy or not. I think this timing could be just right.
Ba Zi of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
b. October 13th 1989 11:50 am
Alexandria is currently experiencing second Fu Yin – her Life House matches her Big Fate which runs from 2017-2027. That means it ends in 2027 which is a Fire Sheep year. It’s going to be a big deal. Her values and principles could be tested.
I wonder if the Fire Sheep could bring her more of the popularity that would help her accomplish her goals in the government.
I think AOC is conflicted about popularity, but she may have finally landed in a place where she understands the power of it, and she feels strong enough to intiate big changes. What she wants to do will entail huge personal risk. This has been a problem for her all along. I don’t think she will cave now. Her career luck is pretty good, but this year there could be tension in her marriage.
What stands out to me is that AOC really wants Metal which is her success element, however, she would prefer not to be transformed by it. I think she has had to confront that energy over and over.
What politicians get for transformation these days is wealth and I’m sure it’s tempting. Many politicians have made promises and then once they got elected they transformed, because that’s how politics work in the USA. If you want to get things done, you have to go along with whoever is at the top of the food chain. Then you can be nearer the top of the food chain too.
Unfortunately, you could still be eaten by your colleagues if they change their minds about you.
I guess we will have to see what happens when AOC gets to her next big Fate of Earth Tiger. She will be experiencing the Fire Penalty but I’m not sure that’s a negative for her. In this same timing AOC will become a dominant Fire person. She’s going to experience a ton of Fire. I will be watching to see if it’s enough put her in a position to run for President in 2028.
If you want to be in a position of power like that, it helps to have a strong self. Stay strong on the ethics too AOC!!!
*Jeffrey Epstein rides the cusp between Water Dragon and Water Snake by the way. Pam Bondi was born in 1965, a Wood Snake year.
**The television series Hannibal is from a Water Snake year.
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