Though the Dao exists beyond space and time, the world around us is constantly changing. Each year carries its own unique energies, and by tuning into them, we can grow, adapt, and move more gracefully with the natural flow of the Dao.

This is the year to gather your energy and use it wisely.

 

Harnessing the Fire Horse Energy: Pushing Yourself in a Sustainable Way

 

In Chinese Cosmology, every unique lunar year (Wood snake, Water dragon, Earth pig, etc) repeats every sixty years. Traditionally, some of those specific years have more importance than others. The Fire Horse is one of those years… 

It combines two powerfully Yang forces: the Horse’s drive for freedom and forward motion with the volatile, accelerating nature of Fire. The last time this cycle came around was 1966, a year that saw the beginning of the Chinese Cultural Revolution…Historically, Fire Horse years have been pivot points — times of upheaval, rapid transformation,  and the breaking of old patterns. This year carries that same charge.

That energy is now available to you. The question is how you work with it.

Last year, I encouraged you to take a thoughtful approach — to figure out what needed to be done and prioritize it. Now it’s time to ramp up that effort, but ideally in a sustainable way.

A horse has two qualities: the strength to pull a plow and the speed to break into a gallop. Whatever is on your plate from last year, you have the internal power to keep moving forward. You can also use this energy to break into new territory — areas you sense can genuinely help you grow. Following the more inward and reflective energy of last year’s Snake, 2026 rewards those who take bold, decisive, and well-considered action. The Fire Horse also carries real risks — impulsiveness, recklessness, and fast-moving conflict are the shadow side of this energy. Ambition and forward momentum are available to you, but so is the danger of burning out or pushing too hard in the wrong direction.

This is why pacing matters. Pay close attention to not injuring yourself — that will cut into your ability to keep moving forward. If your mind or body starts to overstrain, rest. Like a horse running a long course, this is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll find you can push past your previous limits, but do so just before exhaustion. By year’s end, you may need to sprint. Hold something in reserve, and when the time comes, look inward — you’ll know.

And remember to feed your horse. Find out what gives you energy and actively seek it out. It can be physical, emotional, or mental. What fuels you may not fuel others, and that’s fine.

This applies to your practice as well. Try going just beyond your 70% effort — just to the edge of exhaustion or pain, not past it. Practice a little longer than you’re used to, and you may find a new 70% waiting for you. Just be careful not to injure yourself. Injuries undo hard-won gains quickly.

 

Geo-Political Landscape

The Fire Horse doesn’t just affect individuals — it moves through societies, institutions, and systems. History tells us that this energy tends to shake loose what has become rigid or outlived its usefulness. Old structures crack, familiar patterns break apart, and what replaces them can be genuinely better — more honest, more aligned with how things actually work. That kind of change is rarely comfortable, but it is often necessary.

Rather than fixating on what’s happening at the national or global level — where most of us have limited influence — this is a year to focus on what’s close to you. Look at your immediate community. Strengthen the relationships that matter. Build networks of people you trust, people who share your values, people you can count on when things get uncertain. This kind of local, human-scale investment is not a retreat from the world — it’s one of the most powerful things you can do in a time of large shifts.

When systems change rapidly, those with strong personal networks and grounded communities weather the turbulence far better than those who face it alone. The Daoist arts have always emphasized this — your practice builds an internal stability that no external event can easily shake. Bring that same principle into your relationships and your local environment.

This is not a year for despair or anxiety about things beyond your reach. It is a year for clear-eyed optimism and purposeful action where you can actually make a difference. Something new is trying to emerge — in the world and possibly in your own life. Approach it with curiosity rather than fear, and you may find that the disruption opens doors you didn’t know were there.

 

AI: Shifting Perspectives of Self-Worth

For the past two years, I’ve been pointing to AI and its growing impact — and every year its capabilities expand faster than most people anticipate. The displacement of work that I’ve been describing is no longer on the horizon. It’s happening now.

Beyond the economic implications, this shift will carry serious emotional and psychological consequences. In the United States and much of the world, people’s sense of self-worth is deeply tied to their economic role. As those roles inevitably change, it will become increasingly important to find a foundation for your identity that isn’t dependent on your position in society.

Do what you can this year to strengthen yourself financially — for yourself, your family, and those you love. But also look inward and find that spark you know is worth pursuing, regardless of the circumstances. The Daoists understood the importance of the material world, but they also knew that lasting meaning comes from the spiritual path. That wisdom is as relevant today as it has ever been.

Energy Arts Training Center Update

The Energy Arts Training Center is our main school located in Longmont, Colorado. This school is the heart of our entire Energy Arts community.

Winter Session classes are going well here as we experience a surprisingly low snow fall in Colorado. I’ve been teaching weekly sessions on Advanced Outer Dissolving, Advanced Daoist Breathing, and Daoist Meditation focusing on the connection between the qi body and emotional body. The students are giving their best and absorbing the lessons well.

Last summer’s Heaven and Earth instructor training and Intensive was a great success. It was wonderful catching up with so many old friends (many of whom we hadn’t seen in years) and new faces from around the world. We’re equally looking forward to what’s coming up this summer.

Alongside our physical school is our virtual school program Energy Arts Live. For those unable to join us physically in Colorado, EA Live gives students access to live-streamed broadcasts and recordings of our in-person weekly classes and guided practices. In addition to my classes, my senior instructors from around the globe offer a wide range of practices including Tai Chi, Qigong, Bagua, Meditation, and more. 

 Our Winter Session closes in the next few days, but you’re welcome to join us if you’d like to register.

The Daoist arts offer real and lasting benefits. The best way to get the most from your practice 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 in nature is evident from the microscopic DNA helix, to the celestial turning of galaxies. Utilizing coiling and twisting in the body for health and power is a hallmark of Tai Chi, making it an excellent vehicle for absorbing the essence of twisting neigong in your body.

This will be a unique dual release supported by an included online course recorded with Senior Instructor Paul Cavel on manifesting twisting neigong in the unification exercises of Bagua. The two complimentary perspectives of Tai Chi and Bagua to learning and integrating twisting neigong will give students a spectrum of both more yin and more yang approaches to embodying the practice. Paul will also be assisting me in person in March. I hope to see you at this workshop in-person or online on March 14-15 (Sat-Sun). 

This summer, I will be teaching one of the most powerful and rarely offered subjects inside of the Energy Arts system – Spiraling Energy Body Qigong, July 25 – August 5. It has been over a decade since I last offered an extended training on this subject. Appropriate to the year of the Fire Horse, Spiraling Energy Body represents the fire element within the Energy Arts system. 

Where Opening the Energy Gates Qigong represents the water element and works with the descending current of energy, Spiraling Energy Body works with the fire element and the ascending current, instantaneously moving energy anywhere in the body at will. Along with my Senior Instructors, we will be leading students into the balance between fire and water with a one week deep dive into the Water Method of Daoism July 18 – 23rd to prepare for the following Spiraling Energy Body two week intensive. Registration will be opening soon. Watch for details here.

 

Conclusion

The Fire Horse comes around once in a generation, and it brings with it a charge that can either lift you or overwhelm you, depending on how you meet it. Breakthroughs are genuinely available this year — in your practice, your work, and your inner life. So are disruptions, if the energy is left unchecked. The Daoist path has always been about learning to work skillfully with whatever forces are present, and that skill is exactly what’s called for now.

I want to thank everyone in the wider Energy Arts community — especially those who continue to support the longevity of this Daoist lineage by attending our events and participating in Energy Arts Live. May you move through this Year of the Fire Horse with the courage to act boldly and the wisdom to know when to balance and harmonize. I look forward to seeing and training with as many of you as possible in the year ahead.

In appreciation, 

Bruce Frantzis 

Founder, Energy Arts