Pulling Tarot for the Year Ahead

Happy Yule to all those who recently celebrated on the Solstice, and Happy New Year to all those who will be celebrating at the stroke of midnight come January 1st!

The dawn of a new year welcomes a fresh turn of the wheel, and a whole new season of possibilities that lie ahead. One "New Year's" ritual I've observed for the past few years is pulling a Major Arcana card as a guide and prognostication for what's to come. Why Major Arcana vs. just any tarot card from the deck? Well if we're looking at the year broadly, that means we need a card that can inform BIG life events, changes, and milestones. The Minor Arcana and Court Cards are more rooted in the day-to-day and advice on specific point-in-time scenarios. To get a feel for the ebbs and tides of a full year, Major is what's called for.

For the past two years in a row, I've pulled The Wheel of Fortune as my card for the year.

This image of The Wheel of Fortune card is from This Might Hurt Tarot by Isabella Rotman.

The Wheel of Fortune speaks of karma, destiny, and big turning points in the cycles of my life. And in hindsight, this card was spot on for me! In 2020 I knew I needed to make big, bold career changes but I was cowed by the uncertainty and chaos of the pandemic. When I drew The Wheel of Fortune for a second time for 2021, I knew it meant that all this chaos and uncertainty was not a good reason to stay stuck in old patterns. If anything, they were exactly the forces I needed in order to get UNstuck and finally move forward! And it gave me the courage to finally quit a job that was demanding my mental and physical health in exchange for a steady paycheck.

I'm not sure what lies ahead for me in 2022, but I feel confident that I did right by The Wheel this past year and I won't be drawing it again. What new Major Arcana will lend its energy to my life's journey next year? I'll be pulling a new card in just a few days and I can't wait to find out.

~ Anna