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Wood Snake Chinese New Year, Imbolc, Rising Energy, & Tree Qi Gong: Attuning to Life’s Interconnected Flow

Writer's picture: Vince WishartVince Wishart

For many, the idea of a snake can bring up less-than-desirable feelings. But what are the snake's attributes? There is always great learning in every situation when we have the eyes to see it.
For many, the idea of a snake can bring up less-than-desirable feelings. But what are the snake's attributes? There is always great learning in every situation when we have the eyes to see it.

As the Earth’s energy begins to rise with the lengthening days, it is an excellent time to pause and contemplate the intricate web of life and our deep connection to it.

Ancient cultures celebrated this profound interconnectedness, harmonizing their lives with the rhythms of the Earth and the cosmos. In today’s fast-paced, digitized society, these practices hold vital wisdom for overcoming the pervasive challenges of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.


Let’s explore the symbolic wisdom of the Wood Snake, the rising energy of the Earth, and the practice of Tree Qi Gong—drawing inspiration from the Chinese New Year, Imbolc, (the Celtic festival honouring the early signs of Spring), and the natural cycles that sustain us.


The Wood Snake: A Symbol of Transformation and Grounded Wisdom

In Chinese astrology, 2025 is the year of the Wood Snake. The Snake is a powerful archetype, embodying transformation, intuition, and grounded energy. The Wood Snake, in particular, reminds us to stay rooted while shedding what no longer serves us. Just as a snake sheds its skin, we too are invited to let go of outdated patterns and emerge renewed.



Walking barefoot is a great way to practice grounding or "Earthing"
Walking barefoot is a great way to practice grounding or "Earthing"

The Snake’s connection to the Earth

highlights the importance of grounding ourselves in nature’s rhythms. When we embrace the transformative wisdom and regenerative mysteries of the Wood Snake, we cultivate resilience, renewed vitality, and a sense of purpose. Attunning to the energies of the natural world can counteract the disconnection so many feel in modern life.



Earth’s Energy Rising: The Promise of Renewal

Imbolc, celebrated around February 1st, marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. Imbolc, meaning 'in the belly', is a time of rebirth and awakening, as the Earth’s energy begins its ascent, hinting at the renewal of spring. Similarly, the Chinese New Year welcomes new beginnings, usually on the second new moon after Winter Solstice, aligning with the cycles of nature and offering an opportunity to reset and realign our lives.


This rising energy is palpable - the sap begins to flow in trees, the days grow longer, and the first stirrings of spring emerge. For us, it’s a reminder to align with these cycles by nurturing our own growth and reconnecting with what sustains us: nature, community, and inner balance.


Tree Qi Gong: Embodying Interconnection

Tree Qi Gong offers an excellent opportunity to attune to the energies of of the Season. It is a practice deeply rooted in the experience of interconnectedness. In Tree Qi Gong we mirror the Qi (life energy) Flow of Trees, with their deep roots and expansive branches, as they move through a seasonal cycle of ~ growth, flowering, fruit bearing, withering falling leaves, the stillness of Winter, and back into the stirring of sap and the growth cycle. Practicing Tree Qi Gong allows us to:


  • Ground Ourselves:

    As we embody the rooted stability and flexibility of trees through the cycle of the seasons, we enhance our physical and emotional stability and flexibility. The practice deepens our connection to the Earth and allows us to receive strength, comfort, kinship, wisdom, and adaptability through the seasons of life, as we navigate the ever changing circumstances of life and relationships.

    In the practice we: attune to and embody the flow of sap as roots drink water under the ground, the growth of branches and leaves reaching for the light, the brilliance of flowers at the peak of fertility, heaviness of the branches under the weight of the fruit, the leaves falling to the ground, sap moving inward, energy conserving for the winter and the flow of sap again -

  • Connect to Universal Energy: Through mindful breathing and visualization, we align with the flow of energy that sustains all life. We experience profound communion, belonging, peace, and vitality

  • Foster Relationality: When we tune into and mirror the energy of trees and the Earth, we cultivate a sense of unity, not only with nature but within ourselves. This creates more capacity to be present and attune to others ~ exactly what's needed for cultivating healthy relationships.


This practice can be a powerful antidote to the feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression that are so common today. By aligning with the natural world, we nurture the relational energy that sustains both our inner and outer lives.



Relationality: Wisdom of Ancient Cultures

Ancient cultures inherently understood the importance of relationality—the interconnected web of life that binds us to the Earth, the cosmos, and each other. Indigenous practices, Chinese medicine, and Celtic traditions all emphasize attuning to nature’s cycles as essential for health and well-being.


In contrast, modern society often severs these connections, replacing them with screens, artificial schedules, and disconnection. This dissonance is a significant factor in the rise of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. We’ve evolved to feel connected to the natural world, and restoring this connection is key to healing.


When we attune to the Earth’s rhythms—the rising energy of spring, the grounding presence of trees, or the wisdom of cycles like the Chinese New Year and Imbolc—we reconnect to something greater than ourselves. This not only fosters personal well-being but also deepens our ability to attune to one another.



Practical Steps to Reconnect

  1. Practice Tree Qi Gong: Spend time in nature, standing with a tree or imagining yourself as one. Focus on your breath, grounding your energy into the Earth and drawing vitality from it.

  2. Honor Nature’s Cycles: Celebrate natural shifts in the cycle of the Wheel of the Year with gatherings and offerings of song, dance, poetry, art, blessings, herbs, flowers, food, water, candles, sacred fire, and meditation, setting intentions that align with the energy of renewal and growth. When possible, join in the traditions of holidays like Imbolc or the Chinese New Year.

  3. Spend Time Outdoors: Even a short walk in nature can help you feel more connected and grounded.

  4. Engage in Rituals: Light a candle, journal, or meditate to reflect on what you’re ready to release and what you’re inviting into your life. This honours and reflects the natural cycle of life, growth, fruition, death, transformation and rebirth, allowing vital energy to move to support new life. This is another way to work with the ancient wheel of life or medicine wheel calendar of the year, which is based on the earth's relationship with the sun, moon, and seasons.

  5. Foster Community: Share these practices with loved ones or join a group that celebrates nature and relationality ~ Attuning to those close to you during these times and inviting them to join with you in celebrating these harmonious ways of the ancients.


Attune to the Earth, Attune to Each Other

The wisdom of the Wood Snake, the rising energy of the Earth, and the practice of Tree Qi Gong remind us of life's profound interconnectedness. When we align with the earth's natural rhythms, we cultivate inner harmony and strengthen our capacity to attune and connect with others.


So many ancient collectivist cultures knew how to do this. The past few hundred years have ushered in the modern individualistic society. The people who do things the old ways are becoming a rarity. It is truly a blessing to have access to the ancient practices and teachings of Qi Gong. We can ask ourselves a question at this juncture: Where do I want to be: remembering how to be in connection or perpetuating disconnecting behaviours such as indulging in the digital devices of the individualistic society where self-centred behaviours are celebrated? Where does either choice lead?


If it is true that the greatest human need is connection, what am I doing to find it or make it happen? How much is connection via a digital screen - a true connection? If we spend 4 hrs in unnatural screen time in a day, can we find balance by spending the same amount of time in the natural realms including eye-to-eye, face-to-face, and heart-to-heart relationships with others?


In a world that often feels disconnected, connecting with nature can be a gateway to awakening a sense of belonging and attunement within our human relationships - and this will ultimately improve our quality of life with renewed vitality, purpose, and relational well-being. Let this season of rising energy inspire you to root deeply, shed what no longer serves, and grow toward the light—just as the Earth does.


Vince Wishart

An experienced group facilitator, NLP Life Coach, Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, Qi gong Instructor and community builder, Vince has been running men's groups & community talking circles for 7+ years. Read Vince’s Full Bio





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