Happy Lunar New Year! February 8, 2016 marked the official beginning of the Year of the Monkey. This cycle, the monkey has the element of fire, hence this year is a "Fire Monkey" year. This interesting article shares insights into the shifting qi:

There are two significant energetic shifts that will affect everyone this year. The first is that we’re moving into a Fire year after two Wood years. Wood is growth, enthusiasm, the innocence of youth and the pursuit of a vision. Wood qi is fresh and unformed. It has the drive to break through barriers, but it lacks wisdom and refinement, so can sometimes be unstable and reckless. Fire qi is the full expression of Wood’s vision. Fire brings forth the rose, lays the paint on the canvas, and gives voice to the song that’s been forming in the depths of your heart. Fire is intense, passionate, and calls forth our need to connect with one another. In a Fire year, no longer satisfied with the pursuit of our dreams, we now can bring things into actuality. And as we see things manifest, we want to gather with our tribe, raise a glass and celebrate.

To read more and to see what this means for your specific Chinese astrological sign, go here: More on the Year of the Fire Monkey