Patrick and I can mark the most profound transformations in our lives by the moments we have beheld the magnificence of a serpent. The snake, consequently, has become a totem in our family.

One of these shifts happened in the early days of our relationship - our first trip together in Nosara, Costa Rica, a place we now call home. We were lounging in a pool at the top of a waterfall when we noticed a beautiful snakeskin laid out beside us like an offering. Years later, on the night Patrick proposed to me, a five-foot-long boa lazily crossed his path on his walk home. Both were quiet symbols of letting go of the old and welcoming in the new.

Snakes embody transformation in its purest form. They shed their entire skin, leaving behind a perfect, transparent replica of their former selves. This old skin holds the imprint of the past - a ghost, in a sense. Yet, in very little time, even this old form dissolves and becomes nourishment for new life.

Transformation is a sudden and profound shift - a release of outdated beliefs, patterns, and ideas that no longer serve. In these moments, we let go of an old identity, creating space for new awareness. This process awakens a deeper part of ourselves; we begin to see the world differently; we call in new experiences and opportunities.

We have just entered the Year of the Snake in Chinese astrology. This is the time to embrace the power of transformation, to shed what no longer serves you so that you can embody your pure brilliance.

If you feel this itch, this calling - it is your time.

Perhaps you’ve been rehashing old pain, unconsciously using it as a tether that holds you back, numbing what needs to be felt and faced. There comes a time when we must shed the skin that carries all of this so we can stretch into our light.

If you are ready, take a moment to be with the present pattern and take time to honor it. When a snake begins shedding, the skin over its eyes becomes opaque. This is a reminder that we also can pause, look within, and fully recognize our ways of being. There is always a reason why we operate in that way, so search also for the gifts that this way of being has given you. (EXAMPLE: If I have been controlling, this pattern has probably helped you to succeed in some way) 

Also, acknowledge how the pattern has held you back. Then, lean in, and when the moment comes, like the snake, release the old version of yourself and welcome the new.

After shedding, we are raw and awake. Like fresh, tender skin, we need time to nurture ourselves—to be gentle and to drink deeply from the sources that sustain us. Transformation is about letting go but also about honoring the space that remains. Too often, we rush to fill it. 

But here now, go slow. 

Feel the renewal. 

Bathe in your heightened senses. 

This is when you are more aware of the world within and around you. 

As you step into this Year of the Snake, embrace your transformation. 

Honor what you are releasing. 

Celebrate the space. 

Move forward with intention and clarity.