In looking for an oracle card spread that resonated with me for the new year, I came across this birthday spread by Asali Earthwork. At first glance, it seemed a little more complicated than what I would normally be drawn to but as I explored the card placements and their explanations it just felt perfect. Although I have not seen it done, I knew that I intended to use a number of my oracle card decks in whatever spread I decided on and this twelve card grouping would certainly give me that opportunity! And I absolutely loved the inclusion of numerology by calculating a personal year card!

1) CARD TO REPRESENT YOUR LAST YEAR (DRAW FROM DECK OR CALCULATE PERSONAL YEAR CARD FOR LAST YEAR).
This position reflects the overall energy of the past year of your life. Looking at the card you drew, how did your experiences relate?

Oh and how to calculate your personal year card, if you prefer that approach instead of simply drawing from the deck? Very simple, at least the way I do it. Add your birth date up but instead of your birth year use the year you’re calculating for. So for example, my birthday last year was on 09/30/2019 so I add it up as 09+30+2019=2058, and simplify it numerology style so 2058=2+0+5+8=15.

Now, you can go further if you have a double digit and I could, for example, take the 15 and make it 1+5=6 but since the number came up under 22, I can stick with 15, which would make my last tarot year card, The Devil. I’ll just resist the temptation to simplify it down to The Lovers just to feel more comfortable- not that it would help, in the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) tarot imagery, The Lovers & Devil card are eerily similar so the bond(age) is clearly there.

2) WHAT TO LEAVE BEHIND IN PREVIOUS YEAR?
You can’t, and shouldn’t, take everything with you. To make space for the new, some of the old has got to go. When you look at the card you drew, what is it asking you to leave behind or what practice is coming up to support you in the releasing work? Reflect on how this card connects to the previous position.

3) WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU INTO THIS NEXT YEAR?
Lessons learned must be integrated so that we don’t have to learn them again the hard way. Some of the old is worth keeping with you, like old notes you reference to support you through whatever you’re working towards. When you look at the card you drew in this position, what is it asking you to bring from the past year? Reflect on how it connects to the two previous positions. Any connections to draw? What is the story being told in these three retrospective positions?

4) CARD TO REPRESENT YOUR NEW YEAR (DRAW FROM DECK OR CALCULATE PERSONAL YEAR CARD FOR THIS YEAR).
Now to look ahead. Whether you choose to draw a card or calculate a year card, what is revealed to you? What does your intuition say this could be about? Are there intentions and practice you can set now that connect with the card? Remember there are no outright positive or negative cards- it’s all about the context (so no panicking if you get The Tower!).

Look at the very first card in this spread. What’s the relationship between the past year and this year’s card? What story is told? What evolution is taking place?

5) HOW OR WHERE MAY CHALLENGES ARISE IN THE COMING YEAR?
Shit happens. We can’t avoid the dips and dives but we can prepare, reinforce, adapt, survive, and learn from these experiences. Think of this as a heads up that allows you take a deep bracing breath to ground yourself in your power. You will make it through.

6) HOW OR WHERE MAY BLESSINGS ARRIVE IN THE COMING YEAR?
What’s the opposite of shit happens? Good shit happens? However you want to phrase it, I do believe that good will come to you, and often, in the span of a year so make a note, see where you can make even more space for it. What are some ways you can set yourself up for the blessings? If you draw a more challenging card, where is the lesson or silver lining beyond the immediate impact?

7) THIS YEAR’S GUIDANCE FOR PHYSICAL WELLNESS?
This section of the spread is pretty straightforward and it relates to the different domains of our lives, I chose to go with a four elements approach- if you like you can change the descriptors to what fits best for you, for example physical to the element of earth or perhaps material wellness. Whatever works for you is best for you!

8) THIS YEAR’S GUIDANCE FOR MENTAL WELLNESS?
Mental wellness includes your discernment, perspective, mindset, communication, self-talk, and all the ways your mind moves you through your days.

9) THIS YEAR’S GUIDANCE FOR EMOTIONAL WELLNESS?
This position is for heart-work. Connection, trauma, joy, intimacy, and all the mushy and sometimes ouchy stuff comes up here. Forgive my choice of words, mushy and ouchy are the words that come up for me around this work which probably reveals a few things about myself!

10) THIS YEAR’S GUIDANCE FOR SPIRITUAL WELLNESS?
This position makes space for your spiritual practice, ancestral and guide connection, intuition, creativity, imagination, and vision for yourself and the future you want to help create.

11) MESSAGE FROM GUIDES AND ANCESTORS?
Rounding out the spread, some support from those who move with you, unseen though always felt.

12) MESSAGE FROM YOUR INNER SELF?
This is Ori, you at your highest vibration, the innocent inner child who is also your wise future ancestral elder self, the space that your spark and power comes from, the youest part of you.

Trust this incarnation of yourself.

Trust yourself.