In the Chinese 60-year cycle, this is one of the most powerful Fire combinations. Yang Fire represents the sun: bright, direct, expansive and highly visible. The Horse is itself a Fire sign, associated with peak summer energy, speed, charisma and independence. When Fire sits upon Fire, the result is intensity, momentum and visibility. After several years in which Fire was less dominant in the annual cycle, 2026 marks a clear energetic shift. In Five Element theory, Fire gover

I went back through WhatsApp to find my first message to Elen - 13 March 2023. Since then, our chats have flowed through acupuncture, dogs, crystals and small magic moments. What felt like casual conversation was, in fact, the quiet beginning of a way of working together—and of this community acupuncture project. Elen and I met on the sidelines of our daughters’ football match in Victoria Park, East London. Standing there week after week, we offered coaching insights to one a

Over recent years, the gut microbiome has become a key focus in the wellness world—linked to everything from mood and metabolism to immunity. This raised a fascinating question: could acupuncture change the bacteria in your gut? I explored this question in my review of the research which was recently published in The Journal of Chinese Medicine. A Quick Refresher: What is the Gut Microbiome? The gut microbiome is essentially your internal ecosystem—trillions of bacteria, viru