The Year of the Fire Horse: Energy Through Practice

Yoga practitioner in bird dog pose on the Manduka PROlite Fire Horse yoga mat

Lunar New Year marks a moment of renewal, intention, and forward movement. It is a symbolic transition that invites reflection on where we have been and how we choose to move into what comes next.

This Lunar New Year, we introduce the limited-edition PROlite Fire Horse yoga mat. A symbol of transformation and inner momentum, the Fire Horse carries the energies of courage, passion, and purposeful growth. It represents strength rooted in clarity and progress shaped through conscious action. Not force, not urgency, but intentional movement forward.

On the mat, Fire Horse energy shows up in small, real ways. The decision to return to practice after a difficult week. The courage to try again after falling out of a pose. The discipline to stay when the body wants to leave. The quiet strength of consistency. Transformation rarely happens overnight. More often, it looks like repetition, patience, and commitment to showing up.

 

Honoring Lunar New Year: Teacher Reflections

Below, teachers in our community reflect on what Lunar New Year and Fire Horse mean to them.

A person performs yoga poses on a mat in a bright room with large windows and a potted plant nearby.

Yan Chen, yoga teacher based in Hungary

"Lunar New Year has always been a time of going home—reconnecting, slowing down, and beginning again.

Over time, my yoga practice has become another kind of home—a place where I return to myself. Each time I step onto the mat, I’m reminded that energy doesn’t need to be forced. Some days it feels quiet, other days more expressive, and both are part of the practice.

The Fire Horse is often described as bold and powerful, but for me, this year feels more about learning how to pace my energy. Practice reminds me that courage isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s simply returning—to the mat, to myself—again and again."

 

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Donna Vo, yoga teacher based in the United States

"Lunar New Year is one of my favorite holidays and deeply meaningful in my Vietnamese culture. The timing feels more aligned with nature—arriving closer to the end of winter, when things are naturally beginning to shift and awaken.

Three traditions my husband and I celebrateand hope to pass on to our growing family:

Cleaning and resetting the home: Before the new year, we declutter and reorganize to let go of what we've accumulated. This creates physical and energetic space to enter the new year with clarity and intention.

Honoring our ancestors: On Lunar New Year's Eve, we set up an offering table with fruit, something sweet, rice, tea, flowers, candles, and incense. It's rooted in gratitude for our ancestors, our home, and the abundance we hope to welcome in the new year. We say a prayer together and let the incense burn overnight.

Preparing red envelopes (lì xì): I place fresh bills into red envelopes for the kids in my family, friends, and sometimes even strangers. Red symbolizes luck, joy, and protection—a small gesture of goodwill and shared luck for the year ahead."

 

A person performs yoga poses on a mat, showcasing flexibility in a scenic studio and a vibrant cultural setting.

Bea, yoga teacher based in Indonesia

“For Lunar New Year, I return to a power flow practice, focusing on arm balances and inversions as a way to welcome fresh energy and challenge myself on the mat.

The Fire Horse represents courage and transformation. To me, that means showing up even when it feels difficult, trying without attachment, and trusting the process. Renewal is about allowing yourself to begin again without pressure.

One tradition especially close to my heart is sharing angpao, a symbol of generosity, care, and connection.

My advice: Just try. Practice. Don’t give up. And don’t compare yourself to others."

 

Wen Dai, yoga teacher based in England

“This year is the Year of the Horse. To celebrate Lunar New Year, I am practicing on my PROlite Fire Horse yoga mat. In Chinese culture, the circle is symbolic of many things harmony, unity, and the oneness of the infinite universe. So today, I am going to flow with the circle in mind. Try this with me. Happy Lunar New Year.”

 

Helen He, yoga teacher based in China

Join Helen for a Fire Horse Flow, a practice inspired by the energy of the New Year. The Fire Horse is more than a marker of time. In Eastern philosophy, it represents the wisdom of energy in motion. This flow invites you to work with momentum, cultivating strength, vitality, and awareness while learning how to guide powerful energy with intention, clarity, and presence. 

加入瑜伽老师 何海伦(Helen He) 的 火马流动练习(Fire Horse Flow),一同迎接新一年的能量。 “火马”不仅是时间的象征,在东方哲学中,它蕴含着关于能量流动与互动的智慧。在充满速度与动力的一年里,这堂课程邀请你唤醒内在之火,同时以觉知与意图引导能量的方向,在力量、清晰与平衡中前行。

 

How will you bring Fire Horse energy into your practice?

 


 

Shop the PROlite Fire Horse Yoga Mat

A rolled Manduka yoga mat featuring a black horse logo and the brand name in red, displayed with a textured surface.

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