The Wheel of the Year: My New Year's Tradition

 

The Wheel of the Year: My New Year's Tradition

Every year, as the calendar resets and the dark winter nights stretch out, I turn to one of my most cherished rituals: my annual Wheel of the Year tarot spread. For the past six years, this reading has been my map and a source of insight as I move through the seasons. Since it’s now the start of a new year, I wanted to share a bit about this practice with you.

If you’re not familiar, the Wheel of the Year is the annual cycle of seasonal festivals celebrated in many pagan traditions. It marks eight key moments: the solstices, equinoxes, and the cross-quarter days in between. Each point is a celebration of the Earth’s rhythm, a moment to pause and acknowledge the turning world. As a Norse pagan, connecting with these natural cycles grounds my practice in the land around me, even here in the UK. It’s a reminder that we are part of a larger, ever-changing story.

My personal way of honouring this turn is with a 13-card tarot spread. It’s a simple but powerful layout. I draw one card for each month of the coming year, from January through December. Then, I draw a final, thirteenth card. This card sits in the centre of the wheel, acting as the overarching theme or guiding energy for the entire year. It’s the heart of the reading, the thread that ties all twelve months together.

Preparing for this reading is a ritual in itself. I always wait for a quiet evening after the Winter Solstice has passed. I cleanse my space and my deck, often with a simple candle and a moment of meditation. I don’t ask specific questions for each month. Instead, I hold a general intention: “Show me the guiding energy and lessons of the months to come.” Then, I shuffle until it feels right, and draw the cards one by one, placing them in a circle with the theme card in the middle.

The beauty of this spread is in its longevity. I keep the reading in my journal, and each month I revisit that month’s card. Sometimes it makes perfect sense as events unfold; other times, its meaning becomes clear only in hindsight. That thirteenth card, the yearly theme, often proves to be profoundly accurate, revealing a lesson or energy that quietly coloured the whole twelve months.

For example, one year, my theme card was The Hanged Man. It was a year that required immense patience, a shift in perspective, and learning the value of surrender. Another year, the Nine of Pentacles appeared as the theme, and it truly was a year of enjoying the fruits of my labour, finding comfort in my own space, and cultivating independence.

How to Do Your Own Wheel of the Year Reading

You can do this reading at any turning point, the calendar new year, your birthday, or at Samhain, which many see as the pagan new year. Here is how I approach it.

1. Prepare Your Space. Take a moment to settle. Light a candle, if you like. Hold your deck and think about the coming year. You might ask a simple question like, "What do I need to know about the journey of this coming year?"
2. Shuffle and Connect. Shuffle your cards thoroughly. I often shuffle until one or two cards jump out naturally. I set these aside as additional clues before drawing the main spread.
3. Lay Out the Cards.
   • First, draw one card and place it in the centre of your space. This is your Theme of the Year card. It holds the core energy or main lesson for your next twelve months.
   • Next, draw twelve more cards. Place them in a circle around the central card, like numbers on a clock. I start at the 12 o'clock position for January, and work clockwise around the circle, ending at the 11 o'clock position for December.
4. Begin Your Reading. Start with the central theme card, sit with its message. How might this energy influence the entire year?
5. Walk the Wheel. Move around your circle of months. Look at each card not in conversation with the central theme. Does the energy for March feel challenging? Does August look especially bright? Note the flow from one card to the next and see if a story emerges.
6. Keep a Record. I recommend writing this spread down in a journal or a dedicated page in your planner. A quick photo on your phone works, too! This allows you to revisit it each month. When you check in, you can see how the card’s energy is playing out in your daily life. It’s a wonderful way to witness your own growth and the accuracy of your intuition.

This practice is more than a divination exercise for me. It’s a way to partner with time. It helps me move with the year and encourages me to see the slower, seasonal lessons within the rush of daily life. If you feel drawn to seasonal rhythms, I can’t recommend creating an annual ritual like this enough. It doesn’t have to be this exact spread; it could be a one-card pull at each festival or a journal prompt at the new moon. Find what anchors you to the turning wheel.

If you decide to try a Wheel of the Year spread, I’d love to hear about it. What is your favourite way to mark the turning of the seasons?

Mars!

**Disclaimer for TarotwithMars**

The tarot readings and content provided on this blog are for entertainment, self-reflection, and spiritual guidance purposes only. They are not a substitute for professional medical, legal, financial, or psychological advice.

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