Happy New Year! What will the Snake bring in 2025?
Wily, charming, intuitive, and transformational, snake intelligence gives birth to surprises and wisdom. So, expect a year of challenges and triumphs, mirroring the snake’s twists and turns through time. I’m betting 2025 will be so full of events our heads will spin.
New Year Celebrations in Bhutan
A special Bhutanese holiday Nyilo happens on January 2, celebrating the Solstice, the return of the Sun. Then the official New Year of Losar happens the following month. Losar arrives on 2/28 in 2025 on the New Moon, following the Buddhist lunar calendar. “Losar” comes from the Tibetan words “lo,” meaning “year,” and “sar po” meaning “new”. Losar is observed in Bhutan, Tibet, and Mongolia. In Mongolia it is called White Moon “Tsagaan Sar”, as white represents new beginnings, purity, and wellness.
The Wood Snake Brings Transformative Energy
2025, the Year of the Wood Snake, brings hidden and unfinished matters into the light. She brings renewal and growth. The Wood element fuels creativity, new projects, and forward-thinking, allowing Snakes to use their intuition, intellect and to evolve personally. This will be a year to shed old habits and embrace new opportunities fulfilling the potential in every realm. The Wood Snake’s high frequency encourages innovation and change, making 2025 a time personal growth and discovery.
Characteristics of People Born in the Wood Snake Year
People born under the Wood Snake sign are considered intuitive and shrewd, skilled at keeping their thoughts and intentions private.
Wood Snake people are often seen as mysterious, strategic, and intelligent. They have a charm that draws people in. Their presence is both captivating and calm. Snakes are very intuitive and see beyond the obvious. They are smart and tackle problems strategically.
Snakes are regarded as great thinkers and possess strong communication skills but say very little. This deep insight can make them seem secretive. They may be driven by ambitious goals and can be strong competitors in any area they choose.
The Bhutanese Zodiac and Losar Celebrations
The Bhutanese and Chinese Zodiac operates on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal. The Snake appears every 12 years, including 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, and 1953. However, 2025 is particularly significant as it marks the Year of the Female Wood Snake, which happens only once every 60 years! That’s because each of 12 Zodiac animals has 5 versions, corresponding to the Five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. That’s 12 x 5 = a 60 year cycle!
In 2025, we enter the Year of the Snake, the sixth animal in the zodiac cycle. This temple painting below is a depiction of the universal laws of time in Buddhist tradition.
The Losar New Year celebration begins on Losar New Year’s Eve, with “Nyi Shu Gu” and continues for two full weeks. The first three days have the biggest celebrations.
In the earliest times, Losar New Year was observed at the winter solstice, but the date was later moved to occur on or near the Chinese and Mongolian New Years. This normally puts Losar New Year in February or March on the Gregorian calendar.
As Losar New Year approaches, Bhutanese begin to prepare by cleaning their homes and making special offerings at temples called “Lama Losar.” Old possessions are often gotten rid of and new ones bought this time of year as well. Temples and monasteries are ornately decorated for the occasion, and special “puja” rituals are done at monasteries.
On New Year’s morning, breakfast is eaten just at sun rise, and various rituals are observed. A meal at noon and a mid-afternoon snack are also traditional. Families often go on picnics together, and it is a day that mixes celebration with relaxation.