A 2018 Theme Reading for Myself!

Happy 2018! I know we're already a week into the year, but I finally had a chance today to sit down and go in depth into the cards I drew for myself for 2018. It ended up being an interesting, insightful, and guiding reading for me, even though I felt pretty unimpressed upon first look at the cards. That's the thing about tarot cards, they can go deep if you are willing to take the plunge. You can try out this spread for yourself or I'm happy to do a reading for you using this spread. You can hop over to my email tarot readings page and order one up any time this month. I'd be so excited to hear from you.

In the meantime, let's see what the cards had to say for my 2018. Whoopee!

My overall theme for 2018: Queen of Wands reversed My theme for 2018, as represented by the Queen of Wands reversed, is centered on an internal connection to and exploration of Fire energy. This year, I will take a long look at my inner fire, inner creativity, spirit, passion, light, brilliance, and inspiration. I'm not a naturally fiery person, but we all have this place inside of us where our spirit resides. Perhaps the fact that I don't usually connect with Fire energy is why the Queen of Wands has shown up as my 2018 theme, in order to point out to me where inside me of me could use more focus and attention.

I intend to get really comfortable with spirit this year, the kind of deep down familiarity that takes time to develop. I intend to explore the element of Fire and what its light can help me create and manifest in this world. The Queens are already focused internally and this reversal points inward as well, indicating a push to gain clarity on what my soul calling is, what I actually desire to be doing with my life. I am relatively content with the work I do, my home situation, my relationships, my path towards my best health, and so forth. But what is the point of all of that? What is the meaning? Why am I here in this body on this Earth at this time? The Queen of Wands reversed asks me to look within and endeavor to answer that question for myself, listening to the calling of my soul.

One reason I'm interpreting this card as being all about me, and not a theme of being influenced by people coming into my life who are Queen of Wands types, is the reversal. My wife is such a Queen of Wands, and this reversal says to me, "Hey, this year isn't about Kristen and what she wants and what she is doing. This year is about you and your connection to what lights you up inside." So often, Kristen and my own desires, needs, and wants overlap, so there is some murkiness is separating out my own voice clearly from all those ambitions. And, of course, there are many things I want for Kristen and helping her lights up my little heart. Overall, the theme for 2018 is about my own passions in life and feeling like I'm connected to my higher purpose.

My greatest obstacle in 2018: Page of Wands reversed My greatest obstacle is getting stuck in Page of Wands exploration and not progressing to Queen of Wands mastery. I shall not be immature and miss my growth! Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad about Page of Wands energy, but it is less developed and in control than Queen of Wands energy. The Page is about new beginnings, but I've already come so far on my journey of internal discovery and exploration. I don't want to stay in that phase of "just figuring things out". I want to take what I have learned and get to the next level of development.

Leveling up is difficult work. It requires belief, trust, and holding onto a vision of myself that is, as yet, unrealized. The Page of Wands wants to distract me with new ideas, tangents or run away creative pursuits that are far afield from my objectives. The Page sees something shiny and amazing and wanders off in wonder. That can't be me this year. I know so much already that I can process and synthesize in order to transform to a higher level of my conscious development. I am in the middle of this transformative energy, which is a challenging place to be. It's not a comfortable place, it's not a glamorous place. It lacks the pizazz of a new beginning that the Page of Wands loves, but I will stay the course this year knowing that distractions will abound.

Those distractions could also take the form of messages from the outside world. Pages often represent messengers and we all know what it feels like to be inundated with outside messages that conflict with or contradict our inner guidance. This year I must be wary and questioning of information and news from the environment around me. Oftentimes, I take information at face value, as factual and true, and that can be damaging or hurtful. Truth is subjective to our individual experience and interpretation. On my inner journey of self development, I will not be distracted or dismayed by messengers trying to block or rewind my progress. When we grow, we also outgrow, and that can include no longer running with the same crowd, following the same news outlets, or believing in the same spiritual constructs.

My greatest support in 2018: Knight of Pentacles The Knight of Pentacles is my rock in the year ahead. He gently reminds me to, "Just keep going, plod, plod, plod along with unceasing dedication and devotion to the goal." There is a grounded belief in success due to prolonged effort embedded  within this Knight's aura. He is serious and calm. I will not be distracted from my purpose. I will not get hot-headed or overemotional above my challenges, successes, and failure. His energy doesn't quit when faced with setbacks or hardships or a long bumpy road. It's just one foot in front of the other. The the only way to make progress is to keep trying and keep taking steps along my path. I am guided by the Knight of Pentacles with his steadfast and dedicated energy.

A lot of the steps probably aren't going to be particularly glamorous or awe-inspiring, but they will be rewarding and deeply gratifying in my body. One of my major goals for 2018 is centered around a healthy body, so this Knight gives me support in the area of health. He is also a harbinger of financial security, so he gives me a little pep in my step that I won't be worrying greatly about finances in the year ahead. The Knight of Pentacles is also a symbol of a solid relationship with a steady partner- also great news. Taking my mind off health concerns, money matters, and relationship upheavals gives me more head space for self-development and consciousness raising. I want to delve into the meaning of my existence, not the everyday drama of my life situation.

I am not much of an Earth energy person, so if you're following along that means I'm mostly a Water and Air energy person. Water and Air are the feminine elements, associated with being and intuition. Fire and Water are the masculine elements representing action and practicality. The first trilogy of cards in this reading all have this masculine, action-oriented vibe about them, but I'm writing about an internal development of raising my consciousness to align with my higher purpose. I like the idea of applying active and practical energy to an internal process. I'm not going to feel my way towards this or think my way into an understanding. I'm going to do things this year to answer this calling. I will seek out meditation groups, consciousness classes, books and podcasts about self-development, etc. I'm exciting to be doing something about my questions and quest for my higher calling this year.

I see these first three court cards as different aspects of my own personality. We all hold the potential for each of the personality types that the court cards represent, just like we all hold all the signs of the zodiac within our charts. The Queen of Wands reversed advises me to go on in an internal journey of self-discovery leading towards the raising of my consciousness and seeking my higher purpose. The Pages of Wands reversed reminds me not to be distracted by messages and opportunities that are unrelated to my purpose and only slow my progress. The Knight of Pentacles is my rock who is on a slow roll ever forward without falter, no matter how minuscule my progress or difficult the journey.

Message from Fire: VIII of Cups reversed The dominant element in this reading is Fire with total of three cards from the Fire suit of Wands. The card I drew for as a message from Fire is Water card, though. Go figure! Water is associated with the emotional realm, and being a rather Watery person myself, I hear the VIII of Cups reversed a message to walk away from old ideas of "who I am". Just because my Sun and rising sign are in Water signs does not mean I have to be emotional about everything. I contain multitudes of personalities and choices. I can decide to leave an old identity in the past if it no longer fits with who I really am. The personality, the identity, the ego, these are all words for the armor we use to hide or protect our true selves from the world. When we take away our armor, we reveal the shining light that is our essence, our core, our soul.

The VIII of Cups reminds me that it can be difficult to leave the ego behind. I have so carefully constructed the fortress of my personality to make me feel safe and special. When I shed that, or transform that, I am walking into the unknown. The mystery of what is possible for me is terrifying and makes me want to scramble back into the shell of my old self. Growth requires risk and getting out of my comfort zone. It is scary, but is so worth it. I have to keep reminding myself that I want the unknown, I want growth, I don't want or have to be like I am now. I am expansive and limitless.

The VIII of Cups reversed is an excellent indication of change in the realm of Fire, representing creativity, passion, and spirituality. The reversal says that this change will come from within, a shift in emotional capacity, emotional intelligence, or emotional perspective is needed. It is time for me to take a journey, mostly metaphysically, but also travel is a loved and needed way for me to expand. This year I already have plans to travel to New Orleans, Walla Walla, and Nicaragua. These types of trips open my heart and mind so much. It is time for me to take a leap forward, to develop a new way of being, and go on a spiritual journey. Here I go!

Message from Earth: VII of Cups The practical, grounded realm of Earth reminds me that there are always evaluations, options, and choices to make in life. The challenge of the VII of Cups is to decipher which opportunities are real and which are illusions. It isn't always easy to emotionally distance or untangle myself from any given situation. I often lead with my heart and ask myself, "How does this make me feel? If I did this instead, how would that make me feel?" My emotions can be wildly inaccurate and lead me astray. Earth nudges me to examine this practice and perhaps shy away from it a little bit in the year ahead. I may benefit from a more balanced approach, rather than leaning too heavily upon my emotions.

The VII cards are also about a turning point or a transition. When faced with the multitude of options that lie before me, I can shatter the illusion of overwhelming choice, recognize my chosen path and more forward with clarity. It is time to make dreams, hopes, and wishes into reality instead of pie in the sky aspirations. Earth lets me know that I need to do the work. I must take action instead of just sitting around wishing. I know what my wishes are, it's time to bring in the how of accomplishing them.

Earth energy is about the practical elements of our lives, like work, health, and home. The VII of Cups, representing, possibility and choices, may cause me to think, "Oh, there are many ways to be healthy," but in reality, the only way to be healthy is to eat right and exercise. I will do that. The VII of Cups may say, "Oh, you'll find a great new apartment, there are tons of them." Actually, there may be few that meet my needs so I better be proactive about getting there to rent the dream home before someone else shows up and nabs it. The VII of Cups could say, "Financial security can mean different things to different people." Sure, it can, but I only need to define it for myself and then make sure my income covers all my expenses and savings plans. It's time to break through illusions of choice and just get on with the work already.

Message from Water: VI of Wands reversed My 2018 message from Water is the VI of Wands reversed. I love how I got a Fire card as a message from Water and a Water card as a message from Fire. I seek balance and wholeness and this type of reading makes me smile. The VI of Wands reversed brings a message of internal triumph and victory. Generally, with a reversed VI of Wands I might warn that victory is far off, but the slant of the reading makes me write that victory will be known from within, perhaps with very little to no external recognition. I will feel an inspired sense of accomplishment and achievement surrounding the theme of raising my vibe and being more conscious this year. The VI is not an end point, but hurdles will be overcome and progress will be made.

The VI of Wands is often about being recognized and honored for your achievements. Reversed, I may find myself without any input from those around me or my external life situation to indicate that I'm doing much of anything to applaud. That is something that I will have to deal with as it happens. Will I feel unappreciated? unrecognized? let down? disappointed? I can't count on the world around me to give me the messages of winning that I may hope for or deserve. I can be okay with that. I love meeting my own expectations and praising my own efforts. I can design and implement ways to recognize myself for my achievements so that I feel buoyed and joyful about the work I'm doing inside. This type of self admiration will meet my emotional needs for acknowledgment and praise.

Another aspect of this internal journey that I am on is a feeling of isolation. I may not be able to share my experiences and progress with those around me. People may tire of hearing what a great job I'm doing on my personal quest for self-development. People most like to talk about themselves and may become defensive or upset if I am on a rampage of talking about how great I am doing. I am a relatively private person in the first place, but this still sounds like a recipe for aloofness and extreme isolation. Water advises me to find like-hearted people who are also doing super well and following their soul path. I can strike a gentle balance with those closest to me, allowing them in on my journey without feeling judged that they are doing something less worthwhile with their time and energy.

Message from Air: The Lovers Lastly, The Lovers is my message from Air and this is indeed an Air card, so the only element that matched up in this reading and the only Major Arcana card in this reading. Very interesting. Who doesn't love The Lovers card? It speaks of love, personal values, beliefs systems, and unification. It sighs with contentment that I will be able to express my views and values with clarity and empathy this year. That is a relief after the potential humble brags denoted by the VI of Wands earlier in this reading. The Lovers tells me that I will be mentally attuned to my values and beliefs this year and be able to clearly understand and articulate my thoughts. I like that!

The Major Arcana factors gives a bit more significance to this card in the reading. Perhaps there is some gift I am meant to share in the realm of Air or it could indicate a big lesson I am ready to learn. Air represents the realm of the mind and communication, so The Lovers can signify an enhanced ability to connect on a mental level with myself and others, sharing my personal values and outlook on life and meaning. I can use these connections I am able to form to create friendships and deepen the relationships that I already have. One of my goals for 2018 is to make more friends, so finding people who share my values is something I am ready to pursue and can aptly communicate.

The Lovers can also indicate change and transition, making decisions that align with my true values and core essence in order to live my best life. There are many cards of change in this reading, which is something that I embrace and actually look forward to experiencing in 2018. At first glance, I wasn't especially hyped on the cards I drew for 2018. I got two VIs, a VII, and VIII, which is a fun little run, but not beginning cards or ending cards which bring an edge of excitement to a reading. These high numbers indicate a continuation of lessons or explorations already undertaken but not yet complete. The same can be said for the three Court Cards which show development and areas to focus on for change within my personality and how I present myself to the world. I've really enjoyed exploring these cards more in depth and creating a story for my year that is a bit more interesting than my initial reaction to this draw.

If you are interested in having a 2018 reading with this spread, I'll be offering it in my email readings selections. If you happen to be in Nashville, we could set up an in-person reading if you prefer. I'm wishing you clarity and vision for 2018!