Welcome to 2022. If this tarot spread has anything to say about what we can expect, we're in for another year of transformation, shifting paradigms, personal development, and wisdom gained through experience.
For this spread, I used my trusty Month-by-Month wheel approach. This entails drawing a total of 13 cards: 12 cards, one for each month; and a final, 13th card, that corresponds to an overarching theme or lesson we'll encounter repeatedly throughout the year. (You can get one for yourself, too! Learn how here.)
And in honor of a new year, I've use a new tarot deck: The Starchild Tarot. This beautiful, ethereal, softly colored deck is created by a well known Instagram artist, and is a lovely bit of art to work with as I dive into a year in which I want to make "art" a central theme and calling.
So without further ado: 2022.
The Spread
P.S. You can listen to the audio version here. Might be nice to come back to throughout the year!
Overall Patterns
Wow, ya'll. This is a lot. I count no less than 6 Major Arcana, which is nearly half of the entire spread. This means there will be huge amounts of karmic or collective energy and events being felt at a both an individual and global level.
There are also 4 Wands cards. Wands are the suit of fire, will, passion, and energy. If we need to get through this major, pivotal year, we're going to need that fire for sure.
But there are also 8 reversed cards. A reversed card indicates a barrier, a lack of the core meaning of the card, or an internal pause we'll need to take to gain clarity on the question or situation at hand. With so many of these cards reversed, despite the fire and despite the Major Arcana, this feels like a year of Pause and Reflection. There may be much happening in the world, even if it we don't feel very "active" or "productive."
This isn't a bad thing. Despite what society tells us, our essential value does not come from what we produce. This year may, in fact, be asking you to challenge that very belief.
Central Theme or Lesson: Knight of Wands, Reversed
The Knight of Wands, when upright, is an extremely powerful, dynamic, energetic character. He has a vision for the future and he is frickin' GOING AFTER IT. He might not have a plan. But that isn't stopping him.
Reversed, however, there may be some barriers. Perhaps you'll realize you do need a plan. Perhaps you'll realize that you don't know what you want. Perhaps you'll realize that the way you've been spending your energy simply isn't sustainable, and the fire you're expending isn't being re-invigorated through the work. You may need to rest and recuperate to refuel that inner flame once more.
January: Akashic Records
January starts out with a bang. For those unfamiliar with this concept, the Akashic Records are said to be an accounting of anything that has every happened or been done by a living creature. Each of us has, they say (dating back to Egyptian times), an Akashic Record of our own that we can access to understand past lives, see patters, clarify our calling. And each of these individual soul records then exists in a Library of sorts.
So to me, this month feels like a reconciliation amongst the past, present and future of us as individuals, as well as our civilization as a whole. So many people have been talking about us "entering a new paradigm." If that were true, are you ready?
February: The Star, Reversed
Another Major Arcana card, as well as our first Reversal. The Star is associated with Aquarius, and is a bright, pure, visionary energy that radiates outward for all to see and marvel at.
Reversed, we may be falling into the shadow side of The Star: A lack of clarity around our future, uncertainty around the roles within the constellations of our lives, or so much objectivity that we've lost sight of the emotional essence of what we want for ourselves.
February asks you to pause and reflect on your vision of the future. What is it? Where? Who is in it? And most of all, how do you want it to FEEL?
March: Nine of Swords, Reversed
The uncertainty and insecurity of February begins to fade. You're ready to take up mental arms once more. These card feels like a tiny pin-prick of light at the end of a very dark tunnel. There is hope in the air. Can you feel it?
Perhaps the first blossoms of spring will bring good tidings our way. Don't let fear, anxiety, or self-doubt cloud your ability to see and understand the truth of your situation.
April: Transformation
Our third Major Arcana card. The Transformation card represents a gateway, a threshold into the unknown. You may have been getting glimpses of the end goal of this transformation. You may have been planning for this transformed state for some time now.
But any Transformation comes with a little fear. Or maybe a lot, depending on the person. Because we can't ever know the future for certain. And transformation is all about the future and our future selves.
This month, embrace the nature of the gateway. This pause between one phase and the next. You'll never be the same again.
May: Queen of Wands
This month, you may feel called to step into a role as a healer of some kind, or seek out this healer for yourself.
You can think of the Queen of Wands as an intuitive light. She radiates emotional strength and resilience in even the most lifeless of landscapes. She is a warm fire on a cold day. She is a cup of tea in the rain. A streetlight on a foggy day.
Find the Queen within you and share this warmth with the world in May!
June: Ten of Wands
An ending is at hand. Celebrate your success! This card could mean that a long-term dream is ready to be made manifest. You've put in the energy, the passion, and the hope to hone your plan. It's now time to put those skills to use in a material way, to move from wish to dream to reality.
But sometimes this can be a hard moment to reckon with. We may feel resistance to this ending, fear of future success. We may want to stay in research mode, keep building our vision boards, or keep our dream simply that.
But energy and passion is not meant to be hoarded. Find the fulcrum between feeling "ready" and "getting started" this June.
July: Starseed, Reversed
A new, pivotal life journey or cycle is at hand. The door is opening, you're looking through it.
And feeling...ill prepared.
You want to get started, to take that first step. But something is holding you back. A fear. A lack of clarity. A sense of your own naivite and deflated optimism. You've failed in the past and aren't sure you're ready to set yourself up for failure once again.
But this journey hasn't presented itself to you just because. Trust your gut. Find stillness and get in touch with your inner knowing to determine your next steps in July.
August: The Hierophant, Reversed
You're feeling seriously disillusioned by the powers that be right now. You may have seen the shadow side of a political, religious, spiritual, or philosophical leader or mentor in your life right now. It's possible that you've uncovered the hidden agendas and goals in their rise to fame and prominence. You thought they were there to help, you thought they were altruistic.
But now something has you questioning that belief. You may find yourself turning away from these kinds of leaders or mentors altogether. You crave their certainty of belief and calling, their charisma. But is that simply because you haven't cultivated that knowing for yourself?
September: Seven of Wands, Reversed
A choice is at hand. And, as I'm sure you've guess by now, you're not ready to make it. You may find yourself battling between your head and your heart, your logic and your intuition, your own wants and the collective's needs/agenda. It's exhausting, honestly. All this work to figure out, to know, to act.
You can see the future. You know you're on the precipice.
This month will help you gain the courage to take the next step. Rest up, little tiger! You'll soon get to play again.
October: Nine of Crystals, Reversed
There is something blocking you from abundance and comfort this month. You may be overly fixated on the past, letting your past failures dictate your current choices. Is your risk aversion warranted, or is it resistance to change that is holding you back from your ultimate potential.
This month could have SO much to offer you. Get present and see what the universe is ready to give.
And if you're hoping that it's just money, that may be your first belief to question. Is abundance only financial? Are you blind to the blessing already in your life?
November: Ten of Crystals, Reversed
Once again, something is holding you back from the ultimate payoff. A dream manifested is close at hand. But you aren't ready or willing to receive it yet.
This may be a fear response. After all, a dream fulfilled is a dream ended. What dream comes next? Is there always more and more and more work to be done?
The closer you get to the end of a project, the more this resistance rears its ugly head. Take note of this as you go about your November. It may become a very familiar energy if you don't look it in the face soon.
December: Perspective
What a beautiful card to end the year on! With all that reflection, pause, transformation, and karmic energy floating around throughout the year, Perspective is exactly the thing we've gained.
You now have some much wisdom from 2022 to carry you into 2023. You are not who you were in January. And that's okay. You're more than you were. There's no going back now. We carry our old selves with us, personal guides on our future journeys.
Bon Voyage, my friends!
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