Although the Dao exists beyond space and time, the world around us is constantly changing. Each year carries its own unique energies that we can tune into to grow, adapt, and move more gracefully with the natural flow of the Dao.
This is the year to gather energy and use it wisely.
Harnessing Fiery energy: Position yourself in a sustainable way
In Chinese cosmology, each individual lunar year (tree snake, water dragon, groundhog, etc.) repeats itself every sixty years. Traditionally, some of these years have more significance than others. Fire Horse is one of those years…
It combines two powerful Yang forces: the horse’s quest for freedom and progress with the volatile, accelerating nature of Fire. The last time this cycle happened was in 1966, when China’s Cultural Revolution began…Historically, Fire Horse years have been pivotal points—times of upheaval, rapid transformation, and the breaking down of old patterns. The charge is the same this year.
This energy is now available to you. The question is how you work with it.
Last year I encouraged you to take a thoughtful approach – figure out what you need to do and set your priorities. Now is the time to step up that effort, but ideally in a sustainable way.
A horse has two qualities: the power to pull the plow and the speed to gallop. Whatever is on your plate from last year, you have the inner strength to move on. You can also use this energy to break into new areas – areas you sense can really help you grow. Following the inward and more reflective energy of last year’s Snake, 2026 rewards those who take bold, decisive and considered action. Fire also carries real risks—impulsivity, recklessness, and fast-moving conflicts are the shadow side of this energy. Ambition and forward momentum are available to you, but there is also the risk of burning out or pushing too hard in the wrong direction.
That’s why scheduling matters. Be careful not to injure yourself – this will reduce your ability to move forward. If your mind or body is overworked, rest. Like a horse running a long course, this is a marathon, not a sprint. You will find that you can go beyond your previous limits, but do so before exhaustion. By the end of the year, you may need to sprint. Keep something in reserve, and when the time comes, look inside – you’ll know.
And don’t forget to feed the horse. Find out what gives you energy and actively seek it. It can be physical, emotional or mental. What feeds you may not feed others, and that’s okay.
This also applies to your practice. Try to go beyond your 70% effort – only to the point of exhaustion or pain, not beyond. Practice a little longer than before and you might find yourself with a new 70%. Just be careful not to injure yourself. Injuries quickly undo hard-earned gains.
Geo-political landscape
Fire doesn’t only affect individuals – it passes through societies, institutions and systems. History tells us that this energy tends to shake up what has become rigid or outlived its usefulness. Old structures crack, familiar patterns are torn apart, and what replaces them may actually be better—more honest, more aligned with how things actually work. This kind of change is rarely comfortable, but often necessary.
Instead of focusing on events on a national or global scale – where most of us have limited influence – this is the year to focus on what’s close to you. Look at your immediate community. Strengthen important relationships. Build networks of people you trust, who share your values, who you can count on when things get uncertain. This kind of local, human-scale investment isn’t retreating from the world—it’s one of the most powerful things you can do during big shifts.
When systems change rapidly, those with strong personal networks and established communities weather the turbulence much better than those who face it alone. The Taoist arts have always emphasized this – your practice builds an inner stability that no external event can shake. Bring this principle into your relationships and local environment.
This is not a year of despair or anxiety over things beyond your reach. This is the year of clear-eyed optimism and purposeful action where you can really make a difference. Something new is trying to appear – in the world and possibly in your own life. Approach it with curiosity rather than fear, and you may find that disruption opens doors you didn’t know were there.
AI: Shifting Perspectives of Self-Worth
For the past two years, I’ve been pointing out AI and its growing impact—and every year its capabilities are expanding faster than most people realize. The job transfer I described is no longer on the horizon. This is happening now.
In addition to the economic consequences, this change has serious emotional and psychological consequences. In the United States and much of the world, people’s self-worth is closely tied to their economic role. As these roles inevitably change, it will become increasingly important to find a basis for your identity that does not depend on your position in society.
This year, do what you can to strengthen yourself financially – for yourself, your family and your loved ones. But also look within and find that spark that makes you know it’s worth going on, no matter the circumstances. Taoists understood the importance of the material world, but they also knew that lasting meaning came from the spiritual path. This wisdom is as relevant today as ever.
Energy Arts Training Center Update
Energy Arts Training Center is our main school in Longmont, Colorado. This school is the heart of our entire Energy Arts community.
Winter Session classes are going well here as we experience surprisingly low snowfall in Colorado. I gave weekly lectures on advanced external dissolution, advanced Taoist breathing and Taoist meditation, focusing on the relationship between the qi body and the emotional body. The students give their best and absorb the lessons well.
Last summer Heaven and Earth in itThe instructor training and the Intensive were a great success. It was wonderful to meet so many old friends (many of whom we hadn’t seen in years) and new faces from all over the world. We look forward to seeing what happens this summer.
In addition to our physical school, we also have a virtual school program Energy Arts live. For those unable to physically join us in Colorado, EA Live gives students access to live broadcasts and recordings of our weekly personal lessons and guided practices. In addition to my classes, my leading instructors from around the world offer a wide range of exercises including Tai Chi, Qigong, Bagua, meditation and more.
Our winter session will end in the next few days, but you are welcome to join us if you want to register.
The Taoist arts offer real and lasting benefits. The best way to get the most out of your exercise is to make it a regular part of your life.
Upcoming events
In less than a month, I will be teaching the workshop “The Art of the Spiral: Embodying the Neigong of Twisting in Tai Chi.” The natural twisting and spiraling of energy is evident in nature from the microscopic helix of DNA to the celestial turns of galaxies. The use of coiling and twisting in the body for health and strength is a hallmark of Tai Chi, making it an excellent tool for absorbing the essence of neigong twisting in the body.
This is a unique dThe ual edition is supported by an accompanying online course recorded with senior instructor Paul Cavel on the manifestation of twisting neigong in Bagua unification practices. The two complementary perspectives of Tai Chi and Bagua for learning and integrating twisting neigong offer students a more yin and yang approach to embodying the practice. Paul will personally help me in March. I hope to see you at this workshop in person or online March 14-15 (Saturday-Sunday).
This summer I will be teaching one of the most powerful and rarely offered subjects in the Energy Arts system – Spiral Energy Body Qigong, July 25-August 5. It’s been over a decade since I last extended training on this topic. In keeping with the Year of the Fire, Spiral energy body represents the element of fire within the Energy Arts system.
Where Opening energy gates is Qigong represents the element of water and works with the downward current of energy, Spiral energy body it cooperates with the element of fire and the rising current, moving the energy anywhere in the body at will. Together with my senior instructors, we lead students into the balance of fire and water with a one-week deep dive into the water method of Taoism. July 18-23 prepare for the following Spiral energy body two weeks intensive. Registration will open soon. Check out the details here.
Conclusion
The Fire Horse appears once per generation and brings with it a charge that can either uplift or overwhelm depending on how you encounter it. Breakthroughs are truly within reach this year – in your practice, work and inner life. So are disturbances if energy is left unchecked. The Taoist path has always been about learning to work skillfully with the forces present, and that skill is needed now.
I want to thank everyone in the wider Energy Arts community – especially those who continue to support the longevity of the Taoist lineage by attending our events and participating in Energy Arts Live. May you experience this Fire Year with the courage to act boldly and the wisdom to know when to balance and harmonize. I look forward to meeting and training as many of you as possible in the year ahead.
In recognition
Bruce Francis
Founder, Energy Arts
