2019 Will Be Defined by These Two Tarot Cards

A year can be measured in a multitude of ways. In terms of the Tarot, 2019 will be the year of The Hanged Man or The Empress.

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Tarot and astrology both involve a blend of intuition and mathematics, and as such, annual thematic cards are divined through very basic means: just add up the digits of the year in question. So, for 2019, determining the year’s ruling cards is as simple as adding 2+0+1+9 = 12 (The Hanged Man), and then furthering that equation by adding 1+2 = 3 (The Empress). If helpful, consider the double-digit card a baseline for the collective mindset and the single-digit card a more individual mode.

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2018 was marked by the Justice and High Priestess cards, and it was impossible to ignore their influences on the zeitgeist. Using the approach of the double-digit card as the collective, it’s easy to see how themes of law and order loomed large in the cultural consciousness. Legal issues abounded in the government in the U.S.—think the Russia investigation and numerous skirmishes surrounding the border—and were accompanied by ample debate in regard to trans rights and the fates of those whose abuses were brought to light by the #MeToo movement. Justice is a card that speaks of karmic righteousness, and many of us seemed to wrangle with cosmic rights versus wrongs, shadow-boxing with complicated ethics and moral dilemmas. Ultimately, each of us came to understand that we must rely only on our own voice of internal knowing (The High Priestess) to make decisions and lead the way to the future.

The Tarot-centric themes of 2019 only serve to continue this developing narrative. The Hanged Man speaks of surrender, release, and sacrifice, and often comes up when querents need to make choices around personal discipline and the relinquishing of bad habits. This is a crucial time for letting go of anything that is not serving us, for stepping into the embodiment of our higher selves. On a cultural level, it is a clarion call to surrender the comforts of our various privileges and unearned advantages. We will be forced to see things through new eyes, and The Empress will guide us on an individual level, assisting in making this process of letting go a thing of grace and beauty. She will accomplish this by asking what we are creating, what we are nurturing, where our energy can be softer and more loving, and how we can mirror or mimic the unconditional love of the divine.

With this guidance in mind, it’s best to welcome whatever the New Year brings with open arms. And should you find yourself in need of a bit of guidance, simply pull a card—enhanced perspective is sure to follow.

Image by Terralyx via Twenty20