Have you ever thought about what you’ve learned over the past year? Using tarot to reflect on the past year can help you see things more clearly. It’s a easy but useful way to use structure and intuition to see lessons and patterns.
Why Use Tarot for Year-End Reflection?
Using tarot for year-end reflection can help us in a couple of ways when we are getting ready to do it. First, tarot spreads give us a structure to our reflection. By asking very specific questions, we can keep our focus on what we want to reflect about. It also helps hone our intuition about what has happened over the last year.
Tarot also helps us see patterns that may not be obvious to us. This year, tarot helped me see how unhappy I was at work, which I kind of knew anyways, but I was really able to see a pattern when I used tarot.
When we use tarot card it also helps us do an honest self assessment of how our year went. Tarot cards are a reflection of you, and maybe a card will come up that highlights something we hadn't noticed before. For example, if you have the High Priestess show up in your year end reflection, it could be telling you that you really paid attention and trusted your intuition.
The Power of Lessons and Gratitude
Reflecting on the lessons we have learned and what we did with those lessons can help us pay attention to the growth we have made, and also where we can continue to grow.
Maybe you have focused on financial growth over the past year. You could expect a pentacle to show up in your year end reading. If it is the King of Pentacles, it could indicate that you have made great growth. However, if the Two of Pentacles shows up, it might be a good idea to review the choices you made over the year to see if the choices you made were beneficial or not.
Maybe your family has been a big focus over the year. Getting a Ten of Cups in your reading could ask you to reflect on how grateful you are to have your family with you. It could be asking you to remember all the good times over the year.
If, however, the Four of Cups appears in your reflection, perhaps it is asking you if you have been connection well with your loved ones. Maybe you, or one of your family members, has been emotionally distant. It could be time to see what work can be done in the new year.
Crafting the Right Questions for Your Reading
Asking the right questions in your year end reflection is the key to having a reading that is beneficial to you. Here are a couple of ideas to think about when creating your tarot spread.
Open ended questions are one way to ask a revealing question in your spread. Open ended questions usually begin with How, What, or Why. These kinds of questions encourage true reflection, while yes or no questions don't offer much in the way of help.
What to Ask for Maximum Clarity
Instead of asking, “Did I succeed this year?” try “What did I learn from this year?”
Here are a few other open ended questions you can when you are using tarot for year-end reflections.
- What were the key lessons I needed to learn this year?
- What challenges did I overcome, and how did they shape me?
- What blessings or gifts did this year bring into my life?
- What can I carry forward into the new year with gratitude?
Focus Area Questions
One way to approach your end of year tarot reading reflections is to focus on one specific area of your life. For example, you might want to ask about the growth you have had in your relationships, Maybe it was a tough year at work and you are struggling to see any progress. You can do a career focused reading to help you figure it out.
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Tarot Spreads for Year-End Reflection
Here are a couple of tarot spreads that are quick and easy to use.
Simple 3-Card Spread
This spread gives you a quick overview of your year:
- The biggest lesson from the past year.
- A challenge you faced and overcame.
- Something to be grateful for.
5-Card Spread for Deeper Insights
This spread will go a bit deeper into your year:
- A highlight or success.
- A challenge or obstacle.
- The lesson learned.
- A blessing to appreciate.
- What to take into the new year.
Customizing Spreads
Feel free to use these spreads by adding or rearranging card positions based on what you want to focus, such as spirituality or relationships.
Preparing for Your Tarot Reflection
Of course you want the best tarot reflection you can have, so here are a few ways of using tarot to reflect on the past year.
Setting the Mood
Use candles, incense, or quiet music to create a calm space. Use crystals like amethyst or clear quartz for clarity and introspection.
Set Clear Intentions
In order to have a reflective, helpful reading you need to know exactly what you want to reflect on.
If you use something like “I want to know if things will get better next year, the universe isn't going to understand what you are asking. The question is too vague and it isn't giving the universe any directions.
Instead, your intention could be ” I want to reflect on the lessons I learned this year and discover how I can use them in the new year”
This question is much more focused on reflecting, growth, and is action based. It will give you guidance on what you could focus on in the new year.
Journaling Before and After Your Reading
You all know how much I love journaling. If your question is unfocused, like the first one I used above, journaling will help you clarify your intention. It helps you figure out your expectations and focuses should be in your reading.
Then writing about your reading will help you focus as well. It helps you figure out what to next and what you want to take into the next year.
Interpreting Your Reading: Finding Lessons and Gratitude
Reading tarot cards asks you to use your intuition as well as reading the cards in an analytical way.
Making Sense of the Cards
Sometimes you may get an unexpected or confusing card that may seem like it doesn't match at first. Remember that you don't have to rely just on the book meaning. Instead:
- Focus on their symbolism, imagery, or emotional impact
- Remember that their meaning might become clearer after some journaling and reflection.
Reframing Difficult Cards
Sometimes you might get a “negative card.” This card might be hard to understand, but it can still offer you lessons. Cards like the Ten of Swords or the Five of Pentacles can be reframed into questions that might be more beneficial. still offer lessons to learn.
If the Ten of Swords shows up in your reading you could ask yourself questions like these:
- What situations felt like they pushed me to my limits?
- Were there endings or losses that were especially challenging?
- Did I experience moments when I felt defeated or overwhelmed?
While the Ten of Swords can indicate endings, it can also be seen as a turning point, you have no where else to go but up. You could also ask yourself these questions:
- Resilience: How did I survive or grow stronger through these difficulties?
- Clarity: What truth or realization came from this experience?
- Letting Go: Were there people, habits, or beliefs I needed to release, even if it was painful?
One way to reframe the Ten of Swords from a negative (ex. this was a painful year with lots of endings) to a more positive statement, such as “I learned to let go of what isn't working for me, even if it was hard. I am redy to move forward stronger and more self aware.”
Ways to Improve Your Tarot Reading
You might want to try a couple of other practices when you are using tarot to reflect on the past year.
Daily Gratitude Practice
Pull a card each morning and think of one thing you are grateful for that day. identify one thing you’re grateful for that day. Not only will your mindset change, but showing daily gratitude shows the universe that you appreciate what is has offered you.
Turning Insights Into Action
The last step in using tarot to reflect on the past is to focus on what you are gong to do the next year. Create an action plan based on your reading’s messages. You can set goals using the lessons you have learned about throughout this process.
FAQs About Using Tarot to Reflect on the Past Year
This is totally up to you. You could use the 3 and 5 card spreads offered above. However if you want to dig deeper, you could use 7 or 11 cards.
While we have been focused on the end of the year readings in this post, you can do them anytime you want. Some people do them every month, others every quarter. You could do them weekly, but that is pretty intense.
Yes! Even beginners can listen to their gut and rely on their intuition.
Last Thoughts
Using tarot at the end of the year is a great way to grow and feel thankful. By asking open ended, specific questions, choosing a tarot spread that works for you, and taking time to reflect on the messages in your cards, you will learn important lessons and insights from the past year. I can't think of a better way to take care of yourself, finish up the year, and get ready for what’s ahead.
