The Chinese New Year of the Fire Horse

may it bring you new beginnings,

wonderful health and great experiences

17th February 2026

Flow is Life eNews - February 2026

Did you know?

"The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, which is based both on the Moon's phases and the Earth's orbit around the Sun.

The traditional Chinese calendar is used for religious purposes, festivals and for agriculture.

The Gregorian calendar is also used in the People's Republic of China for administrative and commercial purposes."

read more from Royal Museums Greenwich - What is Lunar New Year

"Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson
American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer (1914-1994)

We can find so many teachings and lessons in Nature

If only we stop and take notice!

Every winter, many of us feel that the season seems to be never-ending, with the endless grey skies, rain, and cold; affecting both our energy and mood.

Yet no matter how we feel, we cannot ignore the simple truth - that this is what it is - weather, and both we and the planet rely on it to sustain life.

While contemplating what to write for this month's eNew, the timeless words of Ralph Waldo Emerson (above) appeared on my screen. At that same moment, I was aware of the cheerful song of our resident robin outside, seeming to be competing with the wind and the rain battering against the window! 

The weather, words and song reminded me that I always have a choice as to how I interpret and respond to my surroundings.

In this case, I could either let winter’s dreariness overwhelm me or, allow the words and the song to inspire me to greet the day, and my tasks, with openness and acceptance.

So after a long slow nourishing breath .. this eNews has been written and a number of tasks from my to-do list have been ticked off!

Take Care

Janet 🙏

See Flow is Life's QiGong Classes and Forest Bathing sessions here

Flow is Life - Classes & Sessions
what happened in January

Winter: YIN energy & Water element meant that we started the year small, calm and slow to support the introspective restorative nature of the season.

QiGong Classes

Class highlights:

• Silk Reeling - nourishing & mobilising our joints

• Acupressure - self-massage to remove stagnant or sluggish Qi energy

• 8 pieces of Silk Brocades (Ba Duan Jin) - a set of 8 gentle movements prescribed to preserve and enhance vitality, flexibility, strength ....

"I did enjoy the session and looking forward the next ones.
It's the absorbing and concentration of the moves I look forward to.
They take me to a place of peace, and quiet" EM

Forest Bathing

The theme for January was stillness yet to notice signs of spring emerging.

3 wonderful mornings in the woodland; 2 were crisp, clean & cold - the 3rd dull, cold & damp, each session being so very different.

"It really was worth getting out of bed for. Very calm beautiful magical and relaxing and then it started to thaw, how the wood changed in minutes! I think it was telling us it was home time and leave us to get on with it!" RC