Doesn’t starting a New Year feel like opening a new book? The pages are crisp and have that new book smell. There is the anticipation of the new story waiting to unfold before you as you turn page after page.
On New Year’s Day, we had a New Moon in Capricorn. Along with the Sun and Mercury, Pluto was also in Capricorn, marking the first day of the New Year as a powerful one for change and transformation. Pluto challenges you to release the old, the dead wood, and the story that no longer serves you, in order to make room for a new story to unfold.
The conjunction of all these planets in Capricorn inspired me to create a tarot spread designed to help me discover what old story I needed to release and what the new story is that I want to embrace. I came up with seven questions or card positions. If you don’t have an oracle or tarot deck, just take some quiet time to journal the following questions:
- What old story do you need to release?
5 of Coins from Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti What story have you told yourself about you, your life or your work for the last year or two? The story that served you but doesn’t any longer. Here’s what showed up for me in this position, and I had to laugh. Yes, I was so ready to get rid of the story of “not enough”—in any form.
- What new story for this New Year should you embrace?
The Empress from Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti Again, I laughed out loud when I saw this card. That tarot can be so witty and humorous. From one extreme to the other. I’d much rather embody this story in my work and my life, wouldn’t you? I’ll happily embrace being an abundant source of creativity and life.
- What is my role as the hero of my story?What kind of action do you have to take? What kind of spiritual, mental, emotional or physical stance do you need to take to be the champion for your story?
- What challenge do I need to be prepared for?It’s always a good idea to be prepared when you are the hero on a journey, so look at what you need to be prepared for. Bad weather? Monsters? Defeat? Loneliness? Just go prepared.
- What sacrifice must be made?No doves or goats necessary, but what about that bad habit of spending too much time playing a video game, or the willingness to say yes to any and every request? In order to receive gifts, your arms must be open and empty.
- What is the gift?If you are not pulling cards but just writing in your journal, then use your intuition with this question. What is the gift that will be yours when you meet the challenge and make the sacrifice? And, of course, be ready to receive the gift with awareness and gratefulness.
- What is the Happily Ever After?Hey, I love fairy tales and romance novels, so of course there has to be a happily ever after (HEA) outcome. And if you live this year’s story to its fullest, if you really take a stance as the hero, face the challenge, make the sacrifice, receive the gift, how could you NOT have an HEA? What will yours be? What do you want it to be?
While others are setting goals or choosing themes for the New Year, as creatives, especially if you are a writer, the act of choosing a new story for the year is powerful, very powerful. I’ve done this reading for numerous clients in the first weeks of the New Year and I am already seeing their new stories manifest.
You are the author.
So tell me, what is your story for 2014?