Alright guys, so today I finally got around to trying that simple birthday tarot spread I’ve been eyeing. Y’know, nothing fancy, just wanted to see what kinda energy pops up as another trip around the sun rolls in. Grabbed my trusty old deck – the one with the slightly dented corners, been with me forever. Figured home vibes are best for this kinda personal stuff.
The Setup Was… Well, Honest
First off, cleared a spot on my coffee table. Pushed aside that half-finished mug of cold tea – almost knocked it over, typical. Lit a small candle I had lying around, not even a special one, just vanilla scented. No incense ’cause honestly? The cat hates the smoke and starts sneezing up a storm. Good light? Eh, lamp was kinda staticky, but whatever. Got comfy on the floor with a cushion. Phone buzzing? Ignored it. Put it face down. Focus, right?
Shuffling & Setting the Stage
Held the deck for a minute. Didn’t really have a big question, just kinda thought “Okay, what’s coming for this next year?” Shuffled those cards like my life depended on it. Felt a bit awkward at first, dropped a couple, picked ’em up. Standard. Eventually settled into a rhythm. Thumbed through ’em – that familiar sound, that smell of old cardstock. Cut the deck three times to the left. No real reason, just how I always do it.
Here’s the super basic layout I went for:
- One card for The Past Year’s Lesson – What got dumped in my lap that I hopefully learned from?
- One card for Right Now Energy – Where am I parked at this exact birthday moment?
- One card for A Hint for the Year Ahead – Not a fortune teller, just curious what flavor the vibe might be.
Simple. Three cards laid out left to right in a line.
Flipping Them Over & My Gut Reactions
Took a breath. Flipped the first one for The Past Year’s Lesson.
Plop. The Ten of Swords. Oof. Okay, yeah. Brutal honesty here. Felt that immediately. Like, “Yep, that sucked.” That card screams “it’s over, stop picking at the scab.” Definitely resonated – last year had some real gut-punch endings. Lesson? Probably “let stuff die gracefully instead of dragging it around like dead weight.” Harsh, but needed. Check.
Second card, Right Now Energy. Flipped it cautiously.
The Wheel of Fortune. Huh! Actually laughed out loud. Just sitting there on the floor, candle flickering. It felt… weirdly accurate? Like, absolutely spinning? Things feel unpredictable, chaotic, but maybe with potential? Not settled AT ALL. Captures the “what even is happening right now” mood I’ve been in perfectly. Okay, deck, you got my number this time.
Finally, the third card for A Hint for the Year Ahead. Deep breath.
Queen of Cups. Interesting! Completely different energy from the other two. Felt calmer looking at this one. Suggests maybe leaning into feelings more? Being nurturing, trusting intuition? Could be internal, could be relationships. Feels softer than the Swords or the Wheel’s chaos. Less about battles and chaos, more about emotional depth. Not what I expected, but a nice counterpoint. Feels like the deck whispering “maybe chill a bit?”
Wrapping it Up & My Thoughts
Just sat with them for a bit. Didn’t rush. Looked at the little story they told: Ouch (Ten Swords) -> Spinning (Wheel) -> Deep Feels (Queen Cups). Kinda makes sense for where I think my headspace is transitioning.
Snapped a quick pic – terrible lighting, dog barked outside making me jump, totally imperfect. Blew out the candle. Collected the cards, gave ’em a little knock like “thanks.”
Was it groundbreaking? Nah. Did it feel oddly spot-on for a random Tuesday pull? Yeah, actually. Love how a simple three-card thing can just poke at stuff swirling underneath. Definitely keeping this quick spread in the rotation for next year, just to see how it shifts. Anyone else tried it? Feels way less intimidating than those giant spreads!
