What You Need
- Any tarot or oracle deck
- A journal and a pen
- Twenty to thirty minutes with nobody needing anything from you
- A candle if you like (see the note about pets below)
A good night for this is any evening in December. The winter solstice, around December 21, is lovely if you want a natural moment to pause. But any quiet evening works.
The Spread
Shuffle however feels right to you. Lay three cards in a row from left to right.
- What I am releasing. Something from this year that I am ready to set down.
- What I am keeping. Something worth holding onto, even if it was quiet.
- What I am carrying forward. What I want to bring into the new year.
How I Read Each Card
I am still learning tarot, and I keep my method simple. For each card, I do the same three things.
- Look at the picture first and notice what I feel, before I look anything up.
- Check what the card traditionally means, in a book or a guide I trust.
- Ask how both of those fit the position it landed in.
Tarot works best as a mirror. If something in the reading does not fit your year, that is information too. You are the one who knows your life.
Releasing
- What have I been carrying that was never really mine?
- What am I ready to stop explaining or apologizing for?
Keeping
- What small thing this year was better than I gave it credit for?
- Who or what helped me through, and did I thank them?
Carrying forward
- What do I want more of next year?
- What is one gentle step I can take in January? Not a resolution, just a direction.
- Optional: Add a sentence or two about the year behind you, or about a card that surprised you the first time you tried this spread.
If a Card Feels Heavy
A hard-looking card does not mean a bad year ahead. In the “releasing” spot, a difficult card is often just naming something that is already ending. Many cards that look frightening, like Death or The Tower, are about change and clearing space rather than anything literal.
If the reading stirs up more than you expected, close the journal and take a walk, make some tea, or talk with someone you trust. Tarot here is for reflection, not a substitute for support, and you can always come back to it another day.
A Note About Candles and Pets
If you share your home with cats or a dog, as we do, keep candles well out of reach, or use a flameless one. A curious paw can undo a quiet evening very quickly.
If You Want a Place to Keep It All
If you would like to keep going after this one evening, our 30-Day Tarot Journal is a printable that pairs one card and one page a day with any deck you already own.
And if you would like a gentle note from us now and then, you can join the Tending List and get a free set of printable bookmarks.