If you have experienced a sudden and unexplainable urge to quit your job, move to a new city, or just run out of the house this morning, you are not the only one. We are in the midst of a huge, energetic shift. According to January 2026, we are in the last month of the Wood Snake year—the month of the Earth Ox. But the Fire Horse is already coming in, and its brightness is visible in the sky, as it is meant to officially take over in February. In the realm of Chinese astrology, the Ox and the Horse share what is termed as a “Harmful” or “Conflictual” relationship. On the one hand, the Ox is all about persistence; it sticks it out to the end, making no changes at all. On the other hand, here comes the Horse as the embodiment of liberation, speed, and instant moves. Thus, energies were foreshadowed to clash as early as January 9th, and that was to be a powerful Sun-Mars alignment. This will cause a feeling of “restlessness” like being stuck in traffic while riding in a Ferrari—your soul yearns to gallop while your reality still creeps at a turtle’s pace.
The Conflict: Why the Ox and Horse Don’t Mix
The month of the Earth Ox is coming with a theme of “the Grind”. It is the period during the year when we are meant to be diligent and finish all the work that was not done in 2025. But the Fire Horse ripples are gradually disrupting this firm, stable energy. A great analogy would be to visualise a forest fire (Horse) moving towards an immutable mountain (Ox). The fire causes the mountain to start cracking. For the people whose birth years are Rat, Ox, or Horse, the friction would have its climax this Friday. A feeling referred to as “The Itch” may occur, which is a need for change so strong that it is almost felt physically. But there is a warning: since this unrest is the result of a conflict rather than a flow, any significant life choice made this afternoon is likely to be based on annoyance rather than insight.
Rat, Ox, and Horse: The ‘Danger Zone’ This Friday
In case your zodiac sign is among these three, your inner meter for “patience” probably reads zero today. The reason is that you will have to wait till Monday to enter into any contracts or have the Talk. The Rat: You are the Horse’s arch nemesis, so it’s only natural that you, the Horse, are feeling most “threatened” by this shift. The Horse’s fiery chaos has made it impossible for you to keep to the minute-by-minute schedule you had so neatly drawn up. The Risk: A quick decision, on your part, to “cut the losses” on a project that is really just waiting for a little more time. The Ox: You’re hosting the month, but you’re exhausted. You want the stability you fought for in 2025 to give you good returns, but the waves of the Horse are making your surroundings feel uncertain. The Risk: Standing firm and being so unyielding that an honest chance for improvement passes you by. The Horse: You are sensing the arrival of your “Home Year” (2026), and you are already getting your engines ready. You want to run, but the Earth Ox month is firmly gripping your reins. The Risk: Being burned out. If you run before the gate officially opens, you will be worn out before the real luck of 2026 even starts.
How to Handle the ‘Fire Horse’ Ripples Today
To go through this Friday without affecting the “Communication” or “Professional” areas negatively, you must take these three steps: 1. Give up the ‘Friday Afternoon’ Resignation: If you are getting “done” with your job right now, just wait. The Mars-Sun alignment is intensifying your rage. If by Tuesday you are still in such a bad mood, then it is a calling. If not, it was just the Fire Horse. 2. Ground the Fire: As Earth (Ox) and Fire (Horse) are at odds, use Physical Earth to calm your nerves. Walk around, do some planting, or just stand on the grass barefoot. It will help you release the extra static energy from your body. 3. The ‘Draft’ Strategy: Just like we proposed for Mercury-Mars, keep your most daring ideas as drafts. The Horse wants to announce them now, but the Ox month claims they should be more “mature”. The year of the Fire Horse will be one of the decade’s most transformative and prosperous years for those who dare to act fast. But, for today, give way to the Ox. Let the restlessness be a sign, not a command.
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