Reflections on 2017, Hopes for 2018
Hi! Welcome to my latest contribution to the Tarot Blog Hop. This time around, a collection of tarot bloggers are all writing about the following topic:
"...before you fling yourself headlong into the spirit of seasonal over-indulgence, take a moment to reflect on what this year has brought you and what you wish for the next year to bring. Which card(s) best represent or celebrate your past year and which best represent your wishes for the year ahead. You can either select the cards you think fit best, or draw them randomly and see what the Tarot thinks."
I decided to pick my cards intentionally. I went through my Rider Waite Smith tarot deck and on the first time through I set aside about half the cards! Yes, 2017, like most years, had it's ups and downs and most of the themes of human experience represented in the tarot cards came up for me at some point last year. Here I narrowed it down though, into three groups, or categories of sorts, to sum up the major themes of 2017 for me.
This first group of cards I chose because I got married in 2017! II of Cups, The Lovers, X of Cups, IV of Wands, and the IX of Cups all speak to me of love, relationship, commitment, family, celebration, and dreams coming true. I love the color and vibrancy of these cards, as they remind me of all the joy and happiness that I found in 2017. Relationships are important to me in this lifetime so being able to find a romantic relationship that I want to commit to for the rest of my life is amazing for me. This group of cards reminds me of all my blessings and all the light that filled my life throughout 2017. It was truly a joyful year!
This next group of cards is all about the work I've done in the area of self development in 2017. The VIII of Pentacles, Temperance, II of Wands, VII of Pentacles and The Magician remind me of positive change I have enacted or begun in 2017 This year I've done a good deal of reflecting on what is important to me and working to align my actions with those values that I'm uncovering. I'm also putting a lot of effort into changing my perspective and upleveling my mindset. I have a lot of limiting beliefs about what I am capable of, who I am, abundance, balance, and possibility. I am a badass manifestor with big dreams that are possible and available to me. These cards support these positive beliefs and make me feel like anything is possible.
This last collection of cards represents the other side of being a badass manifestor, all the things I confronted in 2017 and am striving to work with or overcome. The VIII of Swords, The Devil, II of Swords, IX of Swords, and IX of Wands. These represent issues of doubt, anxiety, overindulgence, indecision, mental barriers, overwhelm, and fatigue. Most of the trouble and blockage in my life revolves around self created limitations of my mind. I've learned and explored these issues in 2017, and am still learning about them now.
I chose just three cards to signify my hopes and dreams for the coming year: Strength, The High Priestess, and The Fool. These Major Arcana cards represent themes I would like to embody or experiences I would like to have in 2018.
Strength is my chosen word of the year for 2018. I chose this card/word for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason is that this word just felt right! I was making a long list of possible words of the year for 2018, just free associating, and when Strength came up, I just knew it was my word. I realized that this is my tarot birth card, and on my birthday this year, I will also be entering a Strength year. Synchronicity! I also have a goal to get in shape in 2018, which is the physical manifestation of Strength. I strongly associate with the inner Strength represented by this card. It follows along the same lines of self development that I have been exploring in 2017. I think a mindset of Strength, both internal and physical, clearly tells the Universe what my intention is for my year ahead.
I chose The Fool for similar reasons. I want a fresh start, fresh energy, and a fresh mindset. The Fool isn't bogged down by preconceptions, past failures, or fear. The Fool is ready to take a leap of faith and be spontaneous, follow her dreams, and dream big at that.
Lastly, I chose The High Priestess because is the ultimate tarot reader! To me, The High Priestess means intuition, calm inner center, connection to Source, the feminine, being over doing, and knowledge of self and inner values. I didn't devote as much time to learning and practicing tarot, or involving myself in other spiritual pursuits in 2017. That's something I want to amend in 2018. The High Priestess reminds me of that commitment to my spiritual development and to spending time doing one of the things I love best, offering guidance and inspiration through the tarot to those who are looking for that.