New Year’s Lessons in the Cards

Today I am delighted to post a New Year's reading by Helen Howell! Thank you, Helen, for sharing these lessons with us!

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Helen Howell

Now I know we all like to do a New Year’s Reading, but I also like to work out my Current Year Card represented by the Tarot.  I find this is a great insight into the lessons of the forthcoming year that applies to me personally. You can if you wanted to, do this reading on your birthday but I like to do it New Year to New Year. 

Working out your year card is very easy. Take your birthdate and the current year and add them together like this: Day, Month, Year. For me, the numbers are: 7 + 3 + 2013 = 2023. Next I add  2+0+2+3, which equals 7. My card is The Chariot! 

This year then the lessons for me (and I say lessons, because when we stop to analyse the card we find more than one lesson within its story) are held within the Chariot Card. What does this actually mean for me?
   

The Rider Tarot Deck (U.S. Games)

When I look at the Chariot card I see movement, but not only movement. The charioteer needs confidence, a self assurance, if he is to control those two horses and take them in the direction he wants to go.  A lesson this year is for me to trust and believe in my abilities to take things in the direction of my choosing.

Also a big part of this lesson for this year is maintaining a balance between my thoughts and emotions so that one or the other does not pull me off course.  When we analyse the Chariot card we can see the Charioteer as representing our conscious self, and the horses representing different aspects  of our emotions or impulses.  The trick then to steering a steady course through the obstacles that life throws at me, or if you like, the challenges I have to meet, is to maintain a balance between those forces that oppose one another in order to make them work for me rather than against me.

The one thing that really jumps out at me here is that the drivers of these chariots appear to be in charge. The image shows us a man getting his horses to behave. There is exhibited in these images a certain amount of self assertiveness. Part of this lesson is to acknowledge one’s ego.  The ego is what helps drive you towards success, but this doesn’t mean you must let it take over, just that it plays a part in helping you achieve the success in projects you may undertake. 

Crystal Visions Tarot (U.S. Games)

Now this is a number 7 card and in numerology 7  represents self awareness, self expression and progression.  I can see how all of these fit in with the image of The Chariot. In order to progress forward in your life you need to develop a self awareness that also allows you to express yourself clearly.  The Chariot is a card of movement, but also a card of change - as it can take you from one place to another.  In the Tarot number sequence, 7 seems to indicate reflection, insight, wisdom, confidence and personal growth.  This all ties in nicely with the Chariot card, and the numerology meaning, as it is the balanced achieved through reflection, self awareness and confidence that gives us the insight to understand ourselves better and steer that steady course towards personal growth.

If I put all this information together I come up with at least three strong lessons to learn or continue working on for this year:

1: Maintain a degree of self confidence in my own abilities so that I keep moving onwards and upwards.

2: Don’t bury my ego, but instead acknowledge it and allow it in a controlled way to help me towards successful conclusions of my goals. Don’t be shy about expressing myself or promoting my own work.

3: Continue to learn to maintain a balance between my thoughts and my emotions so that they can work together rather than against each other. 

So you see working out and analysing your Year Card can be a very valuable tool in your own personal journey.  Why don’t you have a go!  Happy New Year to  you all! 

Helen