a Reading for My 31st Year
Why not do an extensive, complicated reading to kick off the year?
The Celtic Cross reading is many cards, making it an intense and long interpretation. But the aesthetic is unmatched *chef’s kiss*.
I wanted to do a complex reading for my birthday to challenge myself and grow my exposure to more cards. Of course, as I flipped over these cards I realized that several key cards are ones I’ve seen often recently and even new cards have themes I’ve grown use to.
I wouldn’t dare claim to call the Universe ‘consistent’ but I do believe that some messages are simply too loud and too persistent to ignore.
Before I get into my cards, here’s a quick summary of the Celtic Cross.
- Center, overall message. What will the theme of my year be?
- A force that works against or in tandem with the center.
- The root of your problems, the large issue to work on through the year.
- The recent past, a recent conflict (internal or external)
- The way things are heading.
- Near Future. A New situation, the beginning of something, If it’s good, make the most of it; if it’s not, it won’t last forever.
- The way you contribute and create value.
- The impact of others, a romantic partner, friends or outside influence.
- Hopes & Fears. An attitude, a fantasy, an aspiration.
- The end of the year goals, lessons, result of my efforts.
1. Queen of Wands
🔥 Leo ♣︎
What will the theme of my year be?
The Queen of Wands is showing up a lot for me these days.
And what an amazing card to continue to pull.
Wands is the Fire suit. Fire is the first spark of creation, energy, confidence and force. It’s outward energy that compels action.
This queen brings life into the desert as she grows flowers in the midst of a sandy throne. She is confident, strong and happy. She owns her sexual power. She is encouraging. She lights up a room.
This is the time to step into my energy. Be very aware of its power and using it for good. Use my energy to build people up, to make those around me better and to be a good friend & partner because I do have the energy to spread good will.
Be magnetic. Be exciting. Be magic.
This is the card that tells me if I go for it, I will not be denied.
2. Page of Cups
🌊 Cancer ♥
A force that works against or in tandem with the center.
Some interpretations of the Celtic Cross reading would interpret Card 2 as opposition to Card 1. I’m sure that’s often true.
But, I believe the cards are telling a story and you have to honor that story. Here, the Page of Cups is working WITH the Queen of Wands. The Page of Cups is traditionally a card of meditation and spiritual growth. It could even be psychic ability if you interpret the Page to be talking with the fish, from the mysterious, primordial subconscious sea in the background. (I do love the truly ancient interpretations of the cards and I’m certainly in no position to argue.)
Alas, this Page is encouraging his queen to tap into the Divine. Trust and build intuition to reach her full potential. Trust yourself, trust the universe.
3. The Knight of Pentacles Reversed
🌎 Virgo ♦️
The root of your problems, the large issue to work on through the year.
That’s a big smack in the face shouting ‘a lack of discipline!’
It’s undeniably true.
When upright, this knight is enjoying the fruits of his labors, his fields are tended and he’s been rewarded. But you can sell your harvest at the market if you didn’t wake up Every. Single. Day. and tend to your fields. If I expect to grow this year, I have to do the work.
I have to build habits, construct systems and foster accountability that keeps me on the right path.
I have to enjoy self-discipline.
4. The Magician Reversed
💫 Gemini & Virgo
The recent past, a recent conflict (internal or external).
This is an interesting card to get for ‘recent conflict’ because my pettiest self wants to point to an antagonist, a villain in my origin story, a truly upside-down/backward/corrupt magician.
But that would give someone a huge amount of credit in MY story. So, let’s circle back around.
The Magician Reversed can often mean you’ve been living with misaligned energy. The Magician (upright) chooses his own path, he chooses what he wants to bring into the world.
I’ve been passively floating through life for most of this year.
Now that I’ve begun this spiritual journey I need to
- Maintain momentum!
- Realize that I HAVE started. I HAVE evoked the energy of the Universe. I am tapping in! Now, it’s time to get into the right routine and stay on the path to building something.
Stop talking in future tense. Talk in present tense.
I’ve started. It’s happening now.
5. Seven of Swords
⚔️ Leo ♠️
The way things are heading.
Sevens are action cards. Swords is the suit of mindsets.
This card is about having control over your mind & beliefs. What am I saying out loud everyday? What am I manifesting? What am I committed to.
There is power in making a choice.
Choose the path, walk it.
6. Wheel of Fortune Reversed
🎡☸️ Aquarius, Scorpio, Leo, and Taurus
Near Future. A New situation, the beginning of something, If it’s good, make the most of it; if it’s not, it won’t last forever.
At first I was nervous to see this card, fearing it was the end of something. Then I realized that’s exactly why I should be excited.
The Wheel of Fortune is shouting that I’m ready for change, I am making change that will last. It is the end of something. It’s the end of this version of me. It’s the end of repeating destructive, unhealthy, unbelieving cycles.
I am responsible for building the future I want. I will overcome challenges, I will be disciplined, I will embrace uncomfortable change.
The ending of the old is the beginning of the new.
7. Eight of Pentacles Reversed
🌎 Virgo ♦️
The way you contribute and create value.
I may be projecting, but this deck of cards has some real sass. But snark recognizes snark.
The Eight of Pentacles is a skilled worker, with a peaceful, steady rhythm. He’s working on this craft and seems as ease with his results.
Good for him!!! But this card is reversed. For me, at this particular time, this card is about accepting imperfection.
I recently did a home project and I wasn’t happy with the results. So, I spent a week wallowing and feeling like a failure to fix it the following weekend. I pouted because this work (that I had never done before) wasn’t easy and didn’t go perfectly. Ridiculous!
That week was such a waste of mental time & space. I knew it was, I knew it was illogical to be so upset and yet I continued to spiral into an existential crisis simply because I hadn’t had one in a while.
This card tells me that this year will be full of big challenges. It will be hard work. I cannot let the desire for perfection hold me back from making progress. Progress will not be perfect. I will often have no idea what I’m doing. AND THAT’S OKAY.
I bring a lot of value. I’m the Queen of Wands! My work is good and after many more mistakes, it will be even better.
8. The Fool Reversed
The impact of others, a romantic partner, friends or outside influence.
This is an intriguing card to get for “Others” since it’s often such a self-facing card. It took some digging but this is one I imagine I’ll look at in hindsight and have a clearer understanding of its meaning.
When upright, The Fool just follows his instincts. He believes in magic, he makes magic happen, he’s luck, everything just works out for him.
Reversed this card tells me there are those that doubt magic. There are people that will doubt me, my intuition, the entire journey, and that’s totally okay. It’s not their journey.
9. Three of Cups
🌊 Cancer ♥️
Hopes & Fears. An attitude, a fantasy, an aspiration.
Woo! This card is a celebration. In the #9 spot, it’s also a warning.
This card is three women celebrating a harvest. They’re dancing, they’re drinking, they’re joyful. They’re surrounded by abundance.
As much as I hate to repeat a metaphor, the Cards love to and we’re back with another harvest metaphor. The fact is, you can’t celebrate the harvest if you don’t continually put the work into the fields every day.
My greatest hope is that I come out of this year a healthier, wealthier, smarter, more intuitive version of myself. My greatest fear is that a lack of discipline holds me back from reaching my potential.
10. Eight of Swords
⚔️ Gemini ♠️
The end of the year goals, lessons, result of my efforts.
This card seems to be a fairly bummer conclusion to the year.
But remember – Swords is the suit of mindsets. Eights represent movement.
This woman is not tightly bound, she could escape her bindings and all these swords are around her, to pick up. They don’t surround her and this water certainly won’t drown her.
This card tells me that this year is just the beginning of this journey. There will be deeper, more challenging work in the future. There could be an intense, spiritual development that moves all my attention inward.
There could be a completely different card when I do this reading in six months.
Tarot is a tool. If I don’t like the way this reading ends, I can change it.
But maybe I do like the way it ends.
This year has been hard. It’s been very challenging mentally, spiritually and even physically.
I haven’t dealt with the challenges of 2022 in a way that I’m proud of. I learned a lot. I learned a lot the hard way.
I learned more about my destructive tendencies, about the way I do or do not maintain relationships, how I deal with anger, grief and petty frustration. I didn’t create healthy habits. I didn’t express myself creatively.
I was not the best version of myself.
So, when I see a reading like this, chock full of messages on improving myself, my circumstances;
I know 2023 will be hard.
Becoming a truly better version of myself with sustainable habits will be really hard.
Confronting spiritual trauma and intuition blockers will be really hard.
Listening to the Universe when I went to play maze games on my phone will be really hard.
But if I put the work in, I’ll be successful.
If I listen to my intuition, I’ll make the right decisions.
I make the effort. I am the Queen of Wands.
I’ve already started.
I’m walking the path and I’m going to move forward.