Reflect on lessons learned and get insight into the coming year with this Winter Solstice tarot spread.
The Winter Solstice is a time of reflection. Tune yourself into this natural cycle with an end-of-year reflection tarot spread and take some time to contemplate lessons learned.
With the cooler months upon us, the time has come to turn inward. Draw this tarot spread for yourself, or give a friend the gift of your insight.
Position 1 (Far Left): Where you started.
This card symbolizes where you began the year. Look closely at the imagery and traditional meaning, as well as your own spontaneous impressions, for clues into your emotional, circumstantial, and mental state in which you began it. Knowing where you started is the best way to understand the journey that followed.
Position 2 (Top Left): Obstacles & Challenges.
“Life can only be understood by looking backward, but it must be lived looking forward.” So said the Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard. We all know intuitively what she meant by this. And the longer we live, the clearer her insight becomes.
Look to this card to understand the obstacles and challenges you faced over the last year. Think about how it applies to things that felt unfair or senseless. Do they make more sense in the larger context of your journey as you look back on them?
Position 3 (Bottom Left): Assets & Advantages.
This card represents the assets and advantages you had over the last year. Those gifts from the universe to aid you along your way.
Did you use them to their fullest capacity? Or might you use them more efficiently in the coming year? Or apply them in a new way according to your current circumstances?
Position 4 (Top Right): Lessons Learned.
This card is the most important one in the spread. So, spend some time really thinking about it.
How does this card represent the lessons you learned in the last year? The answers may surprise you. If this card seems like an odd draw, it’s especially important to really think about how it applies to the knowledge you acquired over the last year.
And if the card you draw seems expected, look closer.
Position 5 (Bottom Right): Where you find yourself now.
Read this card as an indication of where you find yourself now. The “center of the universe” nature of human consciousness is disorienting. Use this card to ground your understanding of where you actually stand.
How has the last year shaped your current position? Are there things you wished you’d done differently? Or are you exactly where you want to be?
Remember that either answer is okay. Regrets are instructive. Contrary to the flawed advice that you should “regret nothing,” it’s normal and human to regret things. More importantly, it’s a glaring sign of self-awareness, and acknowledging it consciously is the very best way to not make the same mistake twice.
Which is not the same thing as making no mistakes. You are, after all, human. And therefore, gloriously imperfect.
Aim to make different mistakes. 🙂
Position 6 (Far Right): Navigating your path from here.
This card offers a glimpse into the coming year. Look to it for insights on how best to navigate your path forward.
Happy Yule!
