Birthday Reading for My Year of The Lovers
Another birthday, another birthday tarot reading! My birthday was July 8th and it was fantastic. My sister came in from Philly and two friends from Boston came for a visit as well and we just lived it up. That's why my reading write up is a little late! I did schedule in the time to draw the cards on my actual birthday though, because that just makes me so happy. If you want to do a birthday reading for yourself, or have me do one for you, it really doesn't have to be on your birthday. I just love the symbolism and the nurturing effect of spending quality time focusing on myself on my special annual day. I'm entering a new tarot year cycle, like you do every year, and this one will be ruled by The Lovers. The Lovers represent personal values and personal belief systems. They come after the energy of The Hierophant which is society telling you the norms of behavior, emotion, action, and belief. With The Lovers comes self-made decisions and choices about what you personally believe and how you want to align your actions with those beliefs. These decisions often involve how and who we love, how we form partnerships, and what we believe and do in our relationships. I'm going to get married during my year of The Lovers! Whoot!
I will get to writing more of my thoughts on what a year of The Lovers entails at a later date, but for now, I'm exploring the possibilities of how The Lovers energy will manifest in my current year through this tarot reading. Here are the cards from The Wild Unknown Tarot deck that I drew and the meanings of the positions below:
What do I bring with me to this year of The Lovers?- Ace of Wands Creativity, ideas, passion, drive, fecundity. This looks like the best card of the draw to me right now! :) I'm bringing a lot of enthusiasm and fresh energy with me to the start of this year. The Ace of Wands reminds me of all the ideas and creative projects I have going on right now. It feels like I have something wonderful to bring with me, that I am inspired, and ready to create. I can bring sunshine, creativity, and a sense of blossoming into the coming year. There is a lot of potential with the Ace of Wands, the key is to tap into that potential, work hard, and make something happen. Pure potential is great, but it doesn't manifest on it's own- I have to make use of it. It is a seed that needs to be nurtured in order for it to grow. My challenge is to keep going when the initial excitement of the year's beginning recedes and I have still have to do the work of caring for and growing my projects.
What is The Lovers beneficial influence?- V of Swords reversed Learning to get along, figuring out how to communicate, refraining from competition. The V of Swords reversed signals the cessation of the classic struggle inherent in all 5 cards in the tarot deck. The Swords often have to do with a battle of the mind, so this year could find me learning how to quiet the negative voice inside my head that says, "You're not doing as well as others. You are not fitting in. You need to beat the competition. You are not worthy of love. You are doing a bad job at life." Or any other dark thought pattern that acts to separate myself mentally from those around me because I've decided that we are at odds. The Lovers is a card of harmony, it's about working together towards common goals, it's realizing that we are all one, and there is room for each of us to succeed. This year is a time for compromise and focusing on shared goals. It is a year for learning to love myself and to value my contribution to the world.
What blocks or oppositions need I be aware of?- III of Swords reversed Refusal to make decisions, carrying past hurts, stuck in a negative space. Ah yes, the challenge for me this year will also be about the mental blocks that keep me from feeling integrated and whole with the Universe. We are all guilty of getting stuck thinking about how things have gone wrong in the past and sinking into our suffering and sorrow. Life is suffering! Yes, but it is also joy. It is a balance. It is a duality, just like The Lovers. This card shows us the yin and yang of life and asks us to make an effort to figure out the process of integration into a whole self. The III of Swords reversed is a clear warning to me that I will tend towards the negative this year, shying away from compromise, holding onto grudges, and keeping a narrow worldview. That is basically how the mind works in general, so my obstacle is known and acknowledged. Now all I have to do is keep that awareness and not let it stop me from working towards the integrated harmony of The Lovers. That's it!?
What do I need to learn during this cycle?- The Hermit reversed Coming out of my shell, spiritual connection to others, involvement in the world. I love being The Hermit, spending my time in quiet contemplation and isolation, exploring my calm inner center and the spiritual mysteries of life. This Hermit behavior is solitary though, and a year of The Lovers is about connection. I would love to learn this year how to connect and how to enjoy that sharing with others on a spiritual level. I want more people to find my tarot business and join with me on this path of discovery and self-awareness. I want to create a supportive and nurturing community that helps to lift each other up, instead of relying solely on my own resources to grown and protect myself. This is a difficult thing for me, it will not come naturally. The next card, The Emperor, has some advice on how I can effectively leave my shell and be more extroverted in the world.
How can I best incorporate these lessons into my life?- The Emperor Confidence, authority, extroversion, nonstop power poses. The Emperor is the epitome of outward confidence, discipline, and authority. He truly knows what he knows and is not afraid or shy to exhibit that. The masculine energy here means doing and involvement, not being and isolation. I need to define my structures and trust in my foundation. Honestly, I feel like I do have a lot of self-confidence, I'm just not particularly keen on sharing that with others. I feel like the message here is, "Just do it." Use fire energy to do without overplanning, overthinking it, or hesitation. I really can't accomplish my goals by being the Hermit, no matter how much I would love it if that happened. Perhaps a bit of time working with the outward energy of the Emperor is enough so that I can build up a sustainable business and then go back within in the future, where I like to hang out.
What area of my life will be most influenced by The Lovers?- IV of Pentacles reversed Financial stability will be difficult to achieve, feelings of security in the world will be lacking. Things are not looking so well financially for me at this time. Moving to Nashville, car repairs, medical bills, it all adds up and The Willow Path Tarot isn't quite at the point where it covers all the expenses, nor is touring with Kristen. The IV of Pentacles reversed is all about holding onto your money, perhaps even greedily, but definitely not spending wads of cash on whatever might be tantalizing and shiny in the moment. Perhaps this year I will better define my relationship to money, or at least define it at all. Right now I feel like I am a super responsible money manager, paying my bills, and knowing to the penny what my cashflow situation is. Yet at the same time I am a super good vacation planner budgeting meticulously for the longest, most fun trip. I can earn it, but I can also spend it. What will make me happier though? Getting a steady job and having some money in the bank? Or being self-employed and having the freedom to make my own schedule but without that financial security? Perhaps this year of The Lovers will help me align my financial goals and values with my actual work actions.
What will be the most likely result at the end of this year?- Father of Pentacles reversed Finances out of wack, time management skills lacking, not succeeding in being an Emperor. The way things are going right now I'm really resisting the need to get out of my introverted state and do more out in the world. The Father of Pentacles is the ultimate business manager. He knows how to market himself, set his financial goals, and work to achieve them. I'm really good at knowing what my goals are, but not on the part about working and moving towards those goals. I make great plans, but I do not execute well. If I truly want to succeed in growing my business, creating a firm financial structure, and feeling secure in my physical world, I need to be more present and involved in that physical world. I need to show up, connect, ground, and interact. This is my wake up call that if I don't change my outlook on work, home, and finances, I'm not going to make any progress in ruling this domain during this year of The Lovers. The Lovers do not lend me much help here because they are associated with Gemini and Air, which is so my thing, living in the cerebral world of thinking and planning. The energy energy of the Father of Pentacles reversed reminds me that I may be in my air element with a Lovers year, but my element does not support the kind of physical security in the world that I am craving right now. I need to adjust course and work towards my goals more concretely.
Okay, well there you have it, my birthday reading for myself. I feel like there is big work to be done this year and I know where to focus my energy if I am committed to growth. I know there are tons of grounding things I can do for myself to support that growth and I am excited to put in the effort. My life feels purposeful and directed, now my challenge is to follow that feeling. Wish me luck!