A talk by Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo on the occasion of Losar at Dzamling Gar
Happy Tibetan Losar! Today my topic is the condition of this year according to Tibetan astrology.
This year is the year of the Wood Snake. According to Tibetan elemental astrology, the Life element and the Health element of the year is Fire and the Fortune element is Wind so this combination means there will be a lot of movement.
The characteristic of the Snake is that it’s very honest but also direct which means that it may tend to clash with others. The Snake is determined, has a sharp mind and is a hard worker although at times it does not think well about the effects before taking action. The Snake can be a little rough when it gets angry.
The Snake always has a lot of ideas, often trying to do two things at once. It is smart and talented, especially in the arts and easily falls in love. When people born in the year of the Snake find something they really like, they try to move very quickly, like fire. The Snake can be quite jealous. However, on the positive side the Snake is very honest and if he/she puts a little effort into whatever they do, there is a very good chance that they will succeed.
Those born in the year of the Snake will get along better with those born in the Ox and Bird years.
If your birth animal is Snake or Horse, there is a tendency to have physical problems such as blood disorders or conditions connected with heat – skin problems, gallbladder and bile disorders. Emotionally you may tend to be a little more angry so it’s good to do peaceful practices such as Avalokiteshvara, Medicine Buddha and Vajrasattva.
If you are a Snake, you should not plan important things in the year of the Pig which is the seventh “corner” or “house” [ed. in opposition] and is considered a difficult time. If your birth year is the Pig, you may encounter some challenges in the year of the Snake so it will be beneficial to take special care of your health.
If your birth animal is Tiger or Monkey, they are both the fourth house from the Snake which is considered cutting or harsh, which means you may have some obstacles. It may be health issues but more likely whatever you try to achieve, something sharp may cut your path and create a blockage. This year the Tiger and Monkey should pay attention to their fortune or prosperity.
In general, there are two ways to consider the aspects of the year. One way is to look at the condition of the outer nature of the year and the second is to look at the condition of beings, including human beings, who live in that nature. For this there is the divination of the Ox.
The Ox Divination
When we look at the image of the Ox for this year, the color of the ox’s body is red which symbolizes Fire. This means it will be a dry year and crops may not be abundant. This astrology method is very ancient so by “crops” today we mean any material wealth that we may receive and since the land is very dry it means that financially we may have some challenges. This year may also bring intemperate weather such as rainstorms, hail and thunderstorms.
The mouth, lips and abdominal area of the Ox are also red, which means that the digestive system or capacity to digest will be fine, not weak.
The horns, the ears and the tail of the Ox are green hence the first month of spring, of summer, of autumn and of winter will be more windy.
The four hooves of the Ox are yellow indicating that the general situation will be more favorable in lower areas such as at sea level, rather than in the high mountains.
This year the mouth of the Ox is closed and the tail turns to the right which indicates that domestic animals may encounter some challenges although the year should be a little better for people.
The oxherd is a young child which means that this year is positive for children, but not very good for senior people and more harmful for middle-aged people. The childhood period is represented by the element opposite to Fire which is why this year is good for children. The predominant element for senior people is Wind. When Fire combines with Wind, Wind becomes stronger which is why it is not very good for senior people. The predominant element of middle-aged people is also Fire, so double Fire means that this year won’t be the best for them.
The color of the oxherd’s clothes, chuba, is green. Since Fire is the main element, the green color is supportive of Fire which will become a little stronger and be positive for the energy aspect. Although the chuba is green, the color of the belt is white which represents the Water element, hence the Fire element will be well balanced.
This year the oxherd is barefoot indicating that this year people will be very busy and it will not be easy to find peace or calmness.
The right side of the oxherd’s hair is close to the ear and lies more to the front while the left side is close to the shoulder and lies more to the back indicating that this year is positive for women, who will be less busy while men will be a little more busy.
The oxherd is holding a whip made of a soft material and dragging it on the ground which means he doesn’t plan to hit anyone. It indicates that this year won’t be the best in general but it won’t be particularly difficult.
Mewa 2 for this year
This year is quite particular – we call it a “black” or dark year – because the mewa of the year is 2. Among the 12 astrological animals there are four animals – the Snake is one of them – that when they are combined with mewa 2 become a little heavy so in Tibetan this year is a black year. Although there is not much we can do to change that particular aspect, we can do something to protect ourselves.
The year is not good for starting a new business or starting a new life activity. If you are already engaged in something, then you can continue and finish it but it’s not the best year to start a new project.
It is not favorable for building a house or an activity that involves digging the ground or an activity related to water. If you have already started a project, you can go ahead and finish it.
If your birth animal is Tiger or Rabbit, this year you may encounter some challenges, especially with your fortune. It will be beneficial to hang prayer flags to strengthen your energy and wear clothes that are green or blue. Green is the mother of Fire and since your Fire element may be stronger this year the green color will be a good protection. The blue is also good because it symbolizes the Water element which can control the element of the year.
If you are a Snake or Horse your life element is Fire so this year it’s better to avoid wearing green and red as well as blue. The best colors for you will be yellow and white. Once you are wearing one of those colors then the other colors are fine.
If you are a Monkey or Bird, your life element is Metal which is represented by the color white. This year the best color for you to wear will be red and also yellow.
If your birth animal is Pig or Mouse, your life element is Water. This year should be quite positive for you and you are naturally protected. If your birth animal is Snake, this year will be a little challenging. Newborn babies, people who will be 13, 25, 37, 49, 61, 73 and 85 years old this year will encounter some challenges. [ed. These ages are according to the way Tibetans count the years. In the Western calendar they will be 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 84 years old.]
If your birth animal is the Horse, your situation is similar to the Snake because these two share the same Life element and are like neighbours. The Snake [the animal of the year] is in the “fourth corner” – which means obstacles – to the Tiger and Monkey so these two signs should be extra careful. It will be beneficial to do practice of Odzer Chenma because it helps to clear the path from obstacles. If your birth animal is the Pig, this is in the “seventh corner” in relation to the animal of the year, the Snake, so you may have some health issues. In this case it will be good to do practices such as Mandarava or Medicine Buddha.
For those whose birth animals are the Dog, Sheep, Dragon and Ox, this year the first three animals are in a neutral position. The Ox, however, may meet some challenges because its Fortune element is the same as that of the Snake so for this reason the Ox is not in a strong position this year.
The 5th Tibetan month, from 26 June until 26 July, may be rather a challenging month and if your birth animal is the Snake you should be a little more careful at this time.
The 6th day of the 11th month in the Tibetan calendar, Friday December 26, is not a good day, not only for the Snake but for everyon so if you are planning activities such as travelling, buying or selling, it would be better to avoid them on that day.
February 18 is Tibetan Losar in 2026.
It is important to bear in mind that this astrological forecast is general and does not talk about us as individuals even though we are also a part of the global situation.
It is important to enjoy our lives no matter what a year brings. We have such wonderful teachings, such a big family, such a great Master and we are here together in this amazing place [Dzamling Gar] which is the gift of Rinpoche and also the result of collaboration and the hard work of many people. No matter what astrology says we should continue to move ahead with our lives and try to learn something each day: how to become a little calmer, how to become a little kinder to each other, how to use our time in a more useful way, how we can respect each other, and how we can be humble. And then we try to do our best. Thank you.
Menpa Phuntsog Wangmo is the International Director of the Shang Shung School of Tibetan Medicine.
