Weather and Wellness in the Year of the Horse

27 May 2026

KOTA KINABALU: As Sabah moves deeper into the Year of the Fire Horse, many residents report a heightened sense of movement, urgency and emotional intensity — a dynamic reflected not only in local moods but in the weather itself.

Prolonged dry spells, sudden heavy downpours and rising temperatures across the state have underscored a single lesson, according to Dr Cleopatra Lajawai balance matters.

“Fire can inspire growth, courage, movement and progress,” said Dr Cleopatra , CEO of AEI Wellness Sdn Bhd and QiMag Wholistic Professional Plt. “Yet excessive Fire without balance may also lead to exhaustion, impatience, emotional overwhelm, impulsiveness, burnout, instability, and even destruction.”

Cleopatra , a practitioner and commentator on sustainable wholistic wellness, draws a parallel between the symbolic energy of the Horse and the amplifying effect of the Fire element — traits she sees mirrored in modern life.

“The Horse symbolises freedom, momentum, action and expansion, while the Fire element amplifies energy, visibility, enthusiasm and transformation,” she said.

Across Sabah, the signs of that amplification have been visible. Farmers and community leaders describe fields suffering from heat stress, forest areas vulnerable to fires and rivers showing fluctuating levels after intense weather swings.

The disruption has brought a sharper awareness of how delicate the balance of nature can be.

“Continuous drought and prolonged hot weather can lead to dryness, dying crops, forest fires, destruction and suffering,” Cleopatra said.

“When heat becomes excessive, the environment weakens, rivers shrink, and even the strongest landscapes begin to struggle.”

For her , the natural counterpoint to excessive heat is straightforward: water. Rain cools the ground, nourishes trees and restores waterways, she said, but she warned that the opposite extreme — too much water — carries its own hazards, including flooding and erosion.

“This is why true sustainability is not found in extremes,” she said.

“Not too much fire. Not too much water. But an amount and quality that is ‘just right’ for harmony, growth and regeneration.”

Her prescription for restoring that balance begins before a crisis hits: awareness, preparation and stewardship. Farmers prepare for dry seasons; communities shore up drainage before heavy rainfall; forests regulate heat through tree cover and water cycles.

“Nature itself continuously prepares, adjusts, and restores balance,” she noted.

She argues that human wellness follows the same principle. Rather than waiting for burnout, illness or environmental damage, she recommends building resilience early through healthier lifestyles, restorative environments and stronger social supports.

“Sustainable wellness encourages us to build balance earlier — through healthier lifestyles, restorative environments, emotional regulation, supportive relationships, proper nourishment, and deeper connection with nature,” she said.

Her framework is organised around what she calls the 10 Sustainable Wholistic Wellness Pillars: Soul; Mental & Emotional; Body; Auric & Frequencies; Air; Water; Food & Nutrition; People & Relationships; Home & Workplace; and Environment. When one pillar becomes dominant, she warned, imbalance follows.

“Too much work without emotional recovery; too much stimulation without stillness; too much ambition without grounding — these are common patterns,” she said.

Modern life, Cleopatra observes, already carries “strong Fire characteristics” in the form of constant digital connectivity, fast-paced schedules and reduced opportunities for stillness. That intensity, she says, makes it all the more necessary to deliberately cultivate counterbalancing practices.

Simple, practical measures are central to her message: spend time in nature; breathe fresh morning air; drink sufficient water; improve sleep rhythms; reduce emotional overstimulation; maintain healthier food choices; reconnect with supportive communities; and create calmer, healthier living and working spaces.

“True wellness is not about suppressing energy, but learning how to regulate and direct it sustainably,” she said.

Sabah’s landscape offers plentiful resources for that renewal. From the slopes of Mount Kinabalu to the state’s forests, rivers and coastal winds, nature provides lessons in resilience and rootedness, she said.

“Even the most powerful mountain stands firmly because it is deeply rooted,” Cleopatra observed.

“Sustainable wellness is not built through constant acceleration, but through the ability to regulate energy wisely and remain grounded while moving forward.”

As the Kaamatan harvest festival approaches, Dr Lajawai urged communities to use the season as a time of reflection and gratitude.

“May this Kaamatan celebration remind us to appreciate the blessings of the land, the importance of community, the resilience of nature, and the spirit of gratitude that sustains us through changing seasons,” she said.

Looking ahead, she said the Year of the Fire Horse offers both a challenge and an opportunity.

“Progress does not always require force. Sometimes true progress comes from learning when to move, when to pause, and how to remain grounded while moving forward,” Cleopatra said.

“Just as nature balances fire with water, movement with stillness, and strength with regeneration, we too may benefit from creating greater balance within our own lives.”