2014 is the year of the wood horse. The wood horse is also called the green horse because green is the associated color with the wood element in the 5 Element system. The year of the horse begins on February 4th in China and February 3rd in the USA due to time zone differences. Chinese New Year’s Day is celebrated 4 days prior to the astrological calendar change and is therefore celebrated on January 31st, 2014 in China (Jan. 30th, USA).
The horse sign rules between 11am and 1pm. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), this is the hand heart shaoyin time of day and is associated with the fire element. Thinking of dragons? The dragon is also a fire element sign but rules the 7pm to 9pm time period of the hand pericardium jueyin ministerial fire element.
People born between 11am to 1pm have the horse as their ascendant sign and will have many of the characteristics of those born in the year of the horse and will be attracted to those born in the year of the horse. The horse direction is south and the season associated with the horse is summer. Fire is the horse’s fixed element and the horse is a Yang sign. The fixed color for the horse is red but green is the special color associated with the wood horse. Summer is the fixed season for the horse but spring is the special season associated with the wood horse.
Horses tend to be happy and well-liked, although sometimes stubborn. Horses are friends and lovers but may be given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour. Horses are intelligent and perceptive. The classic horse type is athletic, quick, majestic and passionate. Horses love their independence and are influential & competitive. Horses have great mobility and are connected with travel. Horses help us escape trouble and carry us to success and victory.
The wood horse is considered a more reasonable and less capricious horse. Nonetheless, a horse needs to roam free and will exhibit independence even when bound to a given set of circumstances. People born in the year of the wood horse tend to be good natured, gregarious and comfortable with change. The 12-year cycle wood element mixes with the horse’s fixed fire element to create a powerful year. Horses are quick, so be ready for exciting opportunities that may burn brightly and rapidly. Expect things to come and go at a rapid pace. Deepening relationships helps to strengthen ties and allows us to be carried healthily in the year of the horse.
The US Department of the Treasury continues its tradition of printing lucky money associated with the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The year of the horse lucky money features a $1 note with a serial number beginning with 8888, 8 being considered a lucky number. The US Department of the Treasury notes that the year of the horse in 2014 “represents good fortune and prosperity, signifying success in the New Year.”
