Chinese New Year 2016 – Year of the Fire Monkey!

Feb 8, 2016 — Jan 27, 2017

Hold on to your hats because 2016 is the year of the Fire Monkey! According to the Chinese calendar, the Fire Monkey year symbolizes adventure, success, joy and laughter.

The personality traits of the monkey are curiosity and mischievousness. People born in monkey years are known for their enthusiasm, innovation, and self-confidence. Leonardo Da Vinci, Alice Walker, Julius Cesar, and Eleanor Roosevelt are just a few of the notable personalities born in monkey years.

In the traditional five-element philosophy, fire energy is filled with movement, restlessness and activity. If you’ve been contemplating making big changes in your life, this is the year to do it! However, it is very important to think through ideas before taking action. Impulsiveness needs to be channeled correctly to avoid reckless behavior. The desire to shake things up, create change, and forge a new path must be balanced with planning and calculated risk taking to avoid regrettable mistakes.

The fire monkey is the most active and aggressive of the monkey symbols so maintaining balance is always more challenging in fire monkey years. When out of balance, the natural competitive energy can become overbearing and destructive. Emotions can run amok and relationships can lead to heartbreak.

Within TCM taking care of our health involves taking good care of our heart to avoid “heart fire” a diagnosis of excess. Anxiety, depression, a feeling of powerlessness or hopelessness, poor sleep, poor relationships, isolation, insecurity, blood circulation disorders, hot flashes, neck and shoulder pain, and sexual dysfunction are all indications that one’s life and health are out of balance. Shifting energy that is out of balance with acupuncture allows us to enjoy many possibilities and excitement that this year has to offer!

If you are generally feeling content with life, your relationships are good at home and at work, you are eating healthy and sleeping well, and wake with a sense of enthusiasm, then you can be reasonably confident that you are in that wonderful place of balance. May all the excitement and joy of the Monkey Year continue to be yours!