A New Year and a New Number

By Lalia Wilson


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As the year changes the vibration of the universal number of the year changes as well. Since these numbers line up with the tarot it is interesting to see how the universal number and your individual number will change.

Two thousand and eighteen will be a 2 + 0 + 1 +8 = 11/2 year. Numerologists write the master number, here 11, and its reduction, 2, as 11/2. (Other master numbers are 22/4, 33/6, 44/8, and so forth.) But when we translate this to tarot, we have some problems. Let’s start with some numbering the Justice card as number eleven, and others the Strength card as number eleven. Which do you prefer? It will make a difference. The two card is universally the High Priestess. Assuming we use the Justice card for eleven, we have both Justice and the High Priestess as the universal number for the year. 

The universal number has to do with world events, but only specifically applies to individuals whose month and day of birth add up to nine. Thus someone born on May 4th or September 18th, or November 7th, is always in sync with the universal number. The majority of us are not so attuned. This is important because we have a “card of the year” that is determined by the sum of our month of birth, our day of birth, and the current year. Consider the pop star Adele Adkins who was born on May 5th. Her month and day add to ten or one. The universal year is 11/2, and Adele’s personal year is 12/3. Three is a year of great creativity and procreation. Will Adele have another child? Will she issue another award winning album? Will she win more awards? All those are possible.

Before we go on to calculate your personal year number, let’s reflect upon which trump card to associate with your number. Some taroists add the numbers with numbers greater than 21 diminished by subtracting 21 successively until you get a result between 1 and 21. With that number, you pull the corresponding trump to find your card of the year. Numerologists, on the other hand, only "keep" master numbers, so they would always reduce the total until they have a single-digit number (excepting 11, 22, 33, and so on). This method presents two options when translated to the tarot. The first option is having every year only be represented by one of the first nine trumps. The second option, which is my preference, is to have a constellation of trumps for each year number.

Thus 2018 (an 11/2 year) is a constellation of 2 and 11 and 20—the High Priestess, Justice, and Judgment. 

The complete constellations are:

*     One: 1, 10, 19 (Magician, Wheel of Fortune, and Sun)

*     Two: 2, 11, 20 (High Priestess, Justice, and Judgment)

*     Three: 3, 12, 21 (Empress, Hanged Man, and World) (Adele’s personal year cards)

*     Four: 4 and 13 (The Emperor and Death)

*     Five: 5 and 14 (The Hierophant and Temperance)

*     Six: 6 and 15 (The Lovers and The Devil)

*     Seven: 7 and 16 (The Chariot and The Tower)

*     Eight: 8 and 17 (Strength and The Star)

*     Nine: 9 and 18 (The Hermit and The Moon)

Angeles Arrien (author of the highly recommended Tarot Handbook) includes the minor cards in the constellations and switches Strength and Justice, thus having these constellations:

*     The Magician Constellation: I, X, XIX, plus all the Aces and all the Tens.

*     The High Priestess Constellation: II, XI, XX, plus all the Twos.

*     The Empress Constellation: III, XII, XXI, plus all the Threes.

*     The Emperor Constellation: IV, XIII, plus 0 The Fool, and all the Fours.

*     The Hierophant Constellation: V, XIV, plus all the Fives.

*     The Lovers Constellation: VI, XV, plus all the Sixes.

*     The Chariot Constellation: VII, XVI, plus all the Sevens.

*     The Adjustment or Justice Constellation (here using Justice as # 8): VIII, XVII, plus all the Eights.

*     The Hermit Constellation: IX, XVIII, plus all the Nines.

Calculate your number for 2018. Next we have the option of assuming this personal year number begins January 1st, or with our birthday in 2018. I am a proponent of January 1st, but if your birthday is later in the year see what your experience is. Either way, have fun with these numbers and cards.

The cards used to illustrate this article are from The Healing Light Tarot created by Christopher Butler and published by Lo Scarabeo.


All submissions remain the property of their respective authors. All images are used with permission. Tarot Reflections is published by the American Tarot Association - 2018  Questions? Comments? Contact us at ATAsTarotReflections@gmail.com