This reflection was developed in collaboration with Spirit Wind Internal Arts, Dr. Dylan Kirk, Sifu Chik Mason, and Dr. Salvatore Sandone.
Entering the Year of the Fire Horse
As we welcome the Lunar New Year and enter the Year of the Fire Horse, I want to pause and reflect on its meaning for our community.
Earlier this week, my colleague Dr. Dylan Kirk shared a thoughtful letter about the significance of Bing Wu — the “double fire” year — symbolizing brightness, intensity, motion, transformation, and peak energy. Fire upon fire. Movement upon movement. A year that encourages expression, forward momentum, and bold change.
It is powerful imagery.
Yet what resonated most with me in Dylan’s reflection was not just the fire — but the reminder of balance within it.
Balance Within the Fire – The Horse Stance
Dylan reflected on the traditional Horse Stance — Ma Bu — in Chinese internal arts as a cultivation of rootedness and grounding. He shared a teaching from his Sifu, Chik Mason, who reminds students that the tallest building without a strong foundation will crumble, and the tallest tree without deep roots will fall in the wind. The stance, therefore, is the foundation of martial arts — but we must not become so fixated on rooting that it prevents further movement.
This teaching carries wisdom across traditions.
In our practice, we know this posture as Kiba Dachi. Though our systems differ in lineage, the principle remains the same: strength begins at the base.
Kiba Dachi and the Foundation of Strength
I often tell our students that if their stance is weak, everything built on top of it will eventually reveal that weakness. When the legs begin to shake in Kiba Dachi, that is not a signal to escape — it is an invitation to grow.
The horse stance is not flashy. It does not travel. It does not spin or leap. It asks us to sit, to root, to endure. Five minutes can feel like an eternity. Legs shake. Breath grows heavy. The mind negotiates with discomfort.
And yet — this is where we build.
Stillness as Preparation
A strong stance teaches more than leg strength. It teaches patience. It teaches presence. It teaches that stillness is not weakness — it is preparation.
The Fire Horse is dynamic. It runs fast. It surges forward. It does not hesitate. In a year symbolized by amplified fire and outward motion, it may be tempting to chase speed, achievement, and constant change.
But power without foundation is unstable.
Dylan also referenced the Daoist tale of the old farmer who responds to both good fortune and hardship with “maybe so, maybe not.” Change will come. Gain and loss will cycle. The lesson is not to cling to either — but to remain steady within both.
Riding the Fire Horse with Discipline
So this year, as the Fire Horse runs, let us ride it well.
Let us strengthen our Kiba Dachi.
Let us cultivate grounding in the midst of motion.
Let us move boldly — but from a firm base.
Let us build foundations that will not crumble when tested.
Fire expands. Discipline contains. Together, they create transformation.
A Year to Deepen the Stance
To Dr. Kirk — and to his teacher — thank you for the reflection and reminder.
To our students and community — this is a powerful year to deepen your stance, quite literally.
Gong Xi Fa Cai.
Xin Nian Kuai Le.
