Whether 2025 was full of difficulties, challenges or successes, we tell ourselves to be positive and to move forward, for there is in the air a sense of the opportunity for a fresh start.
This feeling is especially strong now, not simply because it is a new calendar year, but because, according to the symbolic belief system of numerology, life unfolds in repeating nine-year cycles, with each year carrying its own symbolic theme. In numerology, years are reduced to a single digit and 2025 becomes a nine when its digits are added together (2+0+2+5).
2025 marks the end of a nine-year cycle after which the cycle begins again with year one. This, however, is not a new idea, for numerology has ancient roots in Babylonian mathematics, Egyptian mysticism, and Greek philosophy, reflecting man’s long-standing desire to understand life’s transitions, particularly during times of uncertainty.
Also, did you know that the number nine carries deep symbolism across cultures? In ancient Greece, it was linked to attainment and wisdom, in China to wholeness and authority, and in Christian tradition to spiritual completeness.
However, year nine is not about rushing into something new or forcing progress. Instead, it is associated with resolution, emotional processing, and of the letting go of what no longer aligns with one’s life. It is a time of completion, reflection, and inner clearing, which might feel uncomfortable, but which is necessary for renewal and rebirth in the new year one.
Even if you do not fully embrace numerology, for anyone who may have had a difficult 2025, or for those who simply feel ready to move on to a new phase, this notion of a time for resolution and the idea of a closing year can be comforting, allowing for acceptance and helping with the letting go of what is over.
Modern spiritual language often speaks of “clearing the soul” or “realigning energy,” ideas which encourage us and which may help us feel supported during times of change.
For sceptics, seeing 2025 as a year of closure encourages the taking of action even if the heart is not ready, for sometimes the head must lead over the heart. Viewing an ending as meaningful can help us to heal, to make intentional choices, and to accept that not everything is within our control. I certainly want to believe that there is a purpose to it all.
There are different ways to honour closure. Some people, like me, find release through writing or creative expression. Others journal about what they are ready to let go of, reassess goals, or practise self-care rituals to mark the end of a chapter. What matters most is acknowledging the end and consciously deciding what will or will not be carried forward.
Chinese astrology is another belief system that also recognises cycles of completion, with a 12-year cycle, where each year is linked to an animal, reflecting certain qualities and energies. 2025 was the Year of the Snake and the snake shedding its skin, emphasises inner change and preparation rather than action.
In contrast, 2026 is the Year of the Horse, a symbol of freedom, energy, drive, and forward movement. While the snake teaches completion and strategy, the horse embodies action, exploration, and expansion.
It is always fun to look up which animal we are in relation to the year we are born! I am a Wood Dragon, a sign traditionally associated with strength, resilience, and transformation. The Dragon symbolises courage and vision, while the Wood element reflects growth, compassion, and the ability to endure profound change.
It is said that Wood Dragons experience life in powerful chapters, often shaped by deep emotional turning points that ultimately lead to renewal. Seen this way, periods of difficulty are not random, but part of a longer process of becoming and understanding oneself more fully. If I can embrace this idea, it is rather enlightening to understanding myself and what happens in my life!
Even though numerology and Chinese astrology developed separately, both systems suggest that recent times have been about shedding old layers, closing chapters, and preparing for something new.
Consequently, as we move into 2026, we can close the door on 2025. We are rarely the same people at the end of a year as we were at its start. We may have faced changes in relationships, in work, or in plans. We may have had experiences that were joyful and rewarding, or challenging moments that tested our strength. Often, these changes occur because their purpose has been fulfilled, even if that purpose may not yet be clear, but we must trust the process even if it is not easy to do so.
Whether or not you believe in these symbolic transitional systems, they can offer hope and be psychologically empowering and encouraging. I want to believe in them and that better things are to come, and writing this article is a way for me to reflect on the past and the future.
I find comfort in the phrase I read on a Facebook post that said, “You are not falling apart; you are falling into alignment.” It is a reminder that even difficult times have meaning, that some endings were necessary for our protection and to make way for growth as we may be moving toward something better, or becoming someone stronger.
So, perhaps 2026 will be the year you pursue your dreams, explore new places, form new friendships, or learn a new skill. Our experiences shape us, some leaving scars, others bringing healing and growth, but all of them make us who we are, more resilient and hopefully open to taking on new opportunities.
Therefore, whether you see this moment through numerology, symbolism, or simply the passage of time, a new chapter is opening as one year ends and another begins. Whatever your 2025 held, be it joy, growth or challenges, may 2026 be a year of alignment, courage, and hope, and may you find peace with the past, embrace the present, and welcome the possibilities ahead.
Happy New Year One to you all.
So now you know!
Read Isobel Costas’s last article: Did you know…A little bottle of magic
