2025 – Year of the Snake
Jefferson Breland
(1/2025) It is that time of year again to check in with our old friend, the Chinese Lunar New Year.
As I mentioned last year, historically, Americans have usually seen Chinese astrology as only a placemat in Asian restaurants. The use of astrology in general, both Western and Eastern, has been very limited. That was not always the case. There was a time when Astrology and Astronomy were synonymous, just as Alchemy and Chemistry were synonymous.
Whether or not you truly believe in astrology, like many esoteric pursuits, astrology can be used to see ourselves and our lives from a different angle. And as they say in science, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
When we let go of any rigid idea, such as 'astrology is a bunch of malarkey,' we can begin to find wisdom in more and more places.
We need not go only to socially accepted "experts" as those we find on Instagram and TicTok to find new ways of thinking and doing to expand our possibilities and improve our lives. Wisdom is all around us. We just have to look for it.
We are about to enter the Year of the Snake (also called the Serpent). If you are like me, you may be a little uncomfortable being around snakes or even the idea of being in the presence of snakes or simple knowing snakes exist in the world watching us and waiting for the perfect time to crawl into our sleeping bag to keep warm. I digress.
Some people love snakes. Some even keep them as pets inside their homes where they live and sleep. When I was a kid my best friend had a boa constrictor. It often escaped its cage and was fond of lying stretched out behind the cushions on the couch. Those were the occasions where I often heard my mother calling me home when no one else could hear her. Let’s just say it left a lasting impression on me.
If we are able to look at snakes from a completely neutral, non-judgmental, not-creeped-out-at-all point of view, we can begin to see that snakes offer us an example of how to look at life differently.
The Year of the Snake begins on January 29, 2025. Let us begin our understanding, by expanding our idea of what a "Snake" is and what means to be born a Snake person.
Let’s face it, snakes, the leg-less kind, are everywhere, almost. Curiously, there are no snakes on a few islands called Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, New Zealand, and the continent of Antartica.
The snake, like the dragon, has a bad reputation in Western culture. The snake is almost always the bad guy. Eve comes to mind… Slytherin House in the Harry Potter novels, Kaa, the snake in the novel, Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. There are quite a few examples from various cultures where snakes are not appreciated. This may be because they don't look like puppies.
As is often the case, Chinese culture sees things a wee-bit differently than their Western counterparts. In Chinese culture, Snake people are considered the deepest thinkers and the enigma of the Chinese astrological cycle.
Their personalities, their graceful, soft-spoken natures can lead them to be philosophers, theologians, political wizards, or crafty financiers among other similar pursuits. They enjoy the finer things in life: fine clothes, jewelry, home furnishings, art collecting as well as good food, music, books, and the theater.
The Snake person exudes sex appeal with little effort. The original femme fatale or the brooding stranger whom you can’t look away from may very well be born in the year of the snake. The cool, serene, exotic beauty of this sign mesmerizes people.
Many feel that the most powerful and charismatic people tend to be born under this sign. Snakes are considered ambitious because they strive for control through power and authority.
Snake people are endowed with a particular inborn wisdom; they can be religious and mystical, trusting their own often reliable instincts rather than follow other people’s advice. This self-reliance can make them hard to read and not the best of communicators.
Typically, Snakes tend to be very careful about what they say, and they will write and rewrite correspondence until they feel it is fit for the historical record.
They treasure their privacy and will have many a dark secret locked up within. Elegant in speech, dress, and manners, the Snake person dislikes indulging in useless small talk or other frivolities.
Some Snake persons may have a slow or lazy way of speaking, but this does not in any way reflect on their speed of deduction or action. It’s just that they like to ponder things, to assess and formulate their views properly.
Snake people are not likely to be bothered by money problems. They feel fortunate to have what they need. Should funds be low, they are extremely well-equipped to remedy the situation. Money is just a means to an end for them.
The Snake is one of the most tenacious signs of the Chinese zodiac. They can be possessive and very demanding in their relationships. At the same time, they may view their coworkers with a certain distrust. They will never forgive anyone who breaks a promise. Snakes may also prone to being neurotic, even paranoid, where their personal fears and suspicions are concerned. When the Snake’s anger is roused, their hatred can be limitless. Their antagonism is silent and deeply rooted. They will express their displeasure through icy hostility rather than a volley of hot words.
In another contrast to the nasty snake stereotype, all snake people have a sense of humor. Some may prefer a dry wit; others are sardonic, scintillating, or even diabolical. The best time to observe this is when the Snake is under duress. The Snake can crack a joke to lighten the atmosphere.
Now that we have a different idea of what the Snake represents, how do we use this information to help ourselves improve our lives.
I find it useful to think of the animals of Chinese astrology as archetypes for all potential human qualities. When you explore the qualities of the animals, do you identify with the one associated with your birth year? Are you drawn to the qualities of other animals?
When we look past our usual stories about animals like the Rat or the Snake, we can begin to see their positive qualities. If we stick with the standard stories of sewers, trash, plague, venomous, evil, and just plain gross, we will never see their virtues.
Another way to look at a snake’s (again, the leg-less kind) ability to shed its skin is that it represents rebirth and transformation. The snake also represents flexibility, speed, and adaptability.
We can use the attributes of all twelve animals of Chinese astrology to see what capabilities we want to grow in ourselves.
I encourage each of you to explore your full potential through the lens of Chinese astrology. The animals simply represent a different angle of how to be in this world. Who knows, the snake may be your best teacher.
You are a Snake Person if you were born in one of the following years:
February 10, 1929, to January 29, 1930; January 27, 1941, to February 14, 1942; February 14, 1953, to February 2, 1954; February 2, 1965, to January 20, 1966; February 18, 1977, to February 6, 1978; February 6, 1989, to January 26, 1990; January 24, 2001, to February 11, 2002; February 10, 2013, to January 30, 2014; January 29, 2025, to February 16, 2026
The best Chinese zodiac animals for the Snake to befriend are the Ox and the Rooster. These three are part of the "Second Triangle of Affinity, a group comprised of people who are dutiful and dedicated to achieving great heights and succeeding through their constancy and unfailing determination.
People born in the years of the Pig (also called a Boar) are the polar opposites of the Snake in their ways of thinking and philosophical outlook.
Jefferson Breland is a board-certified acupuncturists licensed in Pennsylvania and Maryland with offices in Gettysburg and Towson, respectively.
He can be reached at 410-336-5876.
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