So last weekend, I figured since New Year’s vibes were still kinda hanging around, why not try that Year Ahead Tarot Spread everyone keeps mentioning? Honestly, I’d never done a full year reading before – felt a bit intimidating, you know? Like, twelve whole cards? My usual one-card daily pull already gives me enough brain fog sometimes. But hey, new year, new experiments, right?
Getting My Stuff Together (AKA Clearing The Dining Table)
First things first, gotta create space. My cat, Mr. Whiskers, loves sprawling on my cards mid-reading, so I gently… uh… relocated him to the couch. Grabbed my trusty, slightly dog-eared Rider-Waite deck. That deck and I, we’ve been through some stuff. Brewed a strong cup of chamomile tea (calm energy, they say), dimmed the overhead lights, flicked on the desk lamp instead. Mood lighting matters, guys.
Actually Doing The Thing: Step-by-Step Floundering
Okay, deep breath. Searched up “Year Ahead Spread” real quick because, frankly, I forgot the exact positions. Found the common one with 13 cards – 12 for each month plus one overall theme card. Panic moment number one: 13?! That seemed… excessive. But I committed.
Step 1: The Shuffle Sesh. Shuffled for ages, cut the deck a few times, just thinking about the upcoming year, the energy swirling around. Focus felt important. Was I focused? Mostly, except when Mr. Whiskers started loudly grooming himself nearby. Distractions are real.
Step 2: Pulling the Theme Card. Closed my eyes, asked for the overall energy of 2024, fumbled a bit pulling from the middle, and voila – The Magician! Okay, cool. Action, resources, manifestation. Got it. Felt positive. Maybe I can actually handle this year?
Step 3: Diving Into the Months. This is where it got messy. Laid out the remaining twelve cards in a big semi-circle around the Theme card. Felt like setting up dominos. Pulled each one consciously, asking “What’s the main theme for [Month]?” like a mantra.
- January? Three of Swords. Oof. Right out the gate? Okay, noted. Potential heartache, tough choices. Great start.
- February? The Tower. Seriously? Fireworks? Upheaval? My tea suddenly felt less comforting.
- March? Six of Cups. Nostalgia, childhood stuff. Maybe a breather after the Tower? Here’s hoping.
And it just kept rolling like that. Some cards made zero sense to me in the moment (Eight of Pentacles in May? Huh?). Others felt spot-on based on my gut feeling about certain projects (King of Wands in October – bold action time!).
The Head-Scratching Part: Trying to Make Sense of It All
Staring at 13 cards spread over my slightly sticky dining table. The Magician chilling centrally, surrounded by this chaotic timeline. This is where the real work started.
First, I just looked at each month card individually, squinting like it might reveal secrets if I stared hard enough. Remembering the basic meanings helped a little. Like, Ace of Cups for August? New emotional beginnings? Nice! But Court cards always trip me up. Knight of Swords for November? Is that rushing in or charging ahead?
Then I tried seeing the connections. Was there a story? The Three of Swords (Jan) to the Tower (Feb) felt like a classic “ouch” transition. And Strength following The Chariot (Sept after Aug)? Maybe managing energy?
Key Realization: I won’t remember everything now! I snapped a quick pic of the spread with my phone. Blurry, but hey, evidence. I jotted down quick keywords for each position in my beat-up planner: “Jan: Ouch / Feb: Boom! / March: Old stuff”… super professional.
The Aftermath & My Honest Take
My brain felt like mush. Mr. Whiskers decided my planner was his new bed. My tea was stone cold.
Is this a crystal ball prediction? Nope, not for me. It felt more like getting potential heads-ups. That Three of Swords in January? Maybe it’s a warning to nurture relationships early on. The Tower in February? Could be a literal event, or just a reminder not to get too attached to plans. Seeing challenges laid out weirdly helps prep mentally.
The best part? Honestly, the ritual itself. Taking focused time to think about the whole year, month by month. It forced me to acknowledge the passage of time and different energies needed.
Would I do it again? Probably, maybe quarterly? A whole year’s spread is a commitment! But yeah, it was cool. Messy, confusing, a little daunting, but definitely an experience. Next time, I’ll make sure my tea stays hot.
