Having hit the big ’50’ this June, I figured I should do a reading for my 50th year. Here’s my process.

Required: A Tarot deck.

Setup: First, determine your year card. This is done by dividing your age by 22 (or however many majors your deck of choice has, counting the Zero/Fool card). You’re looking for the remainder. Identify that card and pull it from the deck. Place this card in the center of your reading space. The remaining cards shall circle it like the positions on an analog clock face.

For example: for my 50th year, 50 / 22 = 6 remainder. -1 for the Zero card means my card this year is 5, the Heirophant.

Next: Now, shuffle the remainder of the deck and draw twelve more cards, each representing a month in your new year and place them in order drawn starting at the 12 o’clock position above your Year card, and working your way around the clock face. Note which month each location represents.

Reading the spread: For each month, consider the card you have drawn for that month and their warnings and messages to you. Do this in whatever style and methods work for you. For your Year card in the center, consider it for the year as a whole for yourself. It could be a role to take on, a persona in your life who will take significance this year, or events to be prepared for in the year to come. While the monthly cards are short-term in their scope and impact, the Year card is much larger and significant.

(I’ll share my reading in my next post)