Personal Year 1
“I Am…”
“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”
Keywords: Beginnings, Individuality, Will, Discovery, Seeds, Innovation, Self
Ideal For: Planting seeds, starting new projects, asserting yourself as an individual, using your imagination to plan for the future, tapping into your true will, experimenting with new things
Crystal Companions: Citrine, Clear Quartz, Yellow Calcite
Tarot Card Archetype: The Magician
Secondary Archetype: The Wheel of Fortune
Tertiary Archetype: The Sun
Power Cards: The 4 Aces
This is the first year of a new 9 year cycle; a fresh start - a blank slate - a year charged with possibility! Whether or not you were able to ditch all that wasn’t working last year, and regardless of whether you have a clear and direct path for the next 12 months, is not a concern. The point is, anything can happen and you’re in the driver’s seat.
This first year in the 9-year cycle is that of the individual. It is a year of discovery, and setting (loose) goals. This means experimenting, trying new things and not getting too hung up on final results. It is also a year to plant seeds that you hope will grow through the course of this new cycle, so be sure to select those seeds wisely and tend to them carefully. While you will want to keep an eye on your progress, it’s best not to grasp too tight. Remember, this is only Year 1, leave room for pivots, surprises and the unknown!
While contemplating all the new things you might wish to explore, also bear in mind that this isn’t the year to allow other people’s ideas, expectations, or obligations dictate your flow. This may mean you can expect some degree of push back (internally or externally) as you make important decisions and declarations, especially if they deviate from the herd or established norms.
In a Year 1, you mustn't be afraid to go your own way, speak your truth and honour your inspirations. There is a difference between being selfish and self-caring. As long as you are being mindful of greater impacts, there is no reason to suffocate your needs for the sake of others. Besides, there will be other years where working in partnership will have its place (Year 2) or community will play a larger role (Year 3). For now, this year is about you, and the better you understand where you are and where you’re truly being called, the more precise you can be in how you choose to make the most of the 12 months ahead.
So, if you haven’t already, breathe out the remnants of the previous years and breath in the possibilities of the current. Be open to the shifts this new year (and cycle) may bring, and allow yourself to invite real, meaningful change into your life. This year is yours; the only question is, what is it you truly desire?
Conscious Ways to Integrate the Number 1
Create a motivational playlist to pump you up and get you inspired when your energy is low.
Contemplate the meaning and significance of a dot.
Ask yourself: What natural skills/talents do I posses? When do I feel my best? What lights me up?
Contemplate the symbolic importance of a seed as it relates to a Year 1.
Read: One Year Manual by Isreal Regardie.
Start something completely new that really excites you.
Carry a small pouch with associated crystals: Citrine, Clear Quartz, Yellow Calcite.
Pay attention to when 1 shows up in sequence, in a reading or other synchronistic ways.
Embrace the energy of The Magician with our Musickal Meditation.
In 2024, we are collectively in a Year 8. This is the year of Strength and carries the theme of generation (power, effort, results). A Year 1 in a Year 8 could be summed up with the following affirmation: “I generate new ways of being and knowing myself this year”. Read more about our collective Year 8.
Want to know more about 2024 has in store for you? Explore our offerings to get personalized insight into your year ahead!
Primary Archetype: The Magician
The Magician is power and skill personified. In the RWS tarot, we see a figure standing before a table displaying an array of potent tools representing each of the 4 elements. They posture with arms extended, one pointed up to the sky, one down to the ground; a unification of Heaven and Earth. It is here, in this poised and centered space, The Magician has the ability connect to all planes, focus their intent, and direct their Will.
The good news is, you don’t need any physical tools to yield this power. Consider that everything you require, you already possess, and it is only a matter of combining the right ingredients in the proper order to bring forward the desired results. The Magician is also a solitary practitioner, guided by instinct and intuition. In this sense, you don’t need armies or force to get your way - pure imagination will do!
Secondary Archetype: The Wheel of Fortune
The message that the Wheel of Fortune conveys in the context of this potent personal year is to remain open to the possibilities. Not everything has been established and there is so much room for flux. Balance achieving your goals with remaining in the flow. In other words, pushing too hard could lead to karmic consequences. Let the divine take the wheel every once in a while too! In this way, you can retain some idea of how things may unfold, while also remaining open to the twists and turns as your new path unveils itself. If you can stay optimistic and faithful, despite outer circumstances, you will have the best chance to make the most of the opportunities ahead.
Power Cards
There are also numbered suit cards in each deck which can represent the year ahead. With them, we may be able to uncover some more practical insights and messages to help guide us. Read about the 4 Aces below!
Ace of Wands: It’s startling to think that a massive fire can begin with a single match. And that’s not to speak of fire safety, but rather, to make a point that something of immense power can begin quite humbly. Ask yourself “what is lighting my spark?” Tuning into what makes you excited may be the key to opening up to new and potentially life-changing paths this year.
Ace of Cups: The Cup is associated with the water element and in this case, its advice for you is to keep your heart open and available. New relationships have the potential to flourish and old relationships can see incredible renewal. Emotional abundance is available to you should you want it, so take time to recognize early in the year any past hurts that may be blocking this area from flowing freely.
Ace of Swords: “New”, “fresh” and “different” are all keywords that could be attributed to a Year 1, and the Ace of Swords assures that those breakthroughs aren’t strictly designated to the physical. Be open to new ways of thinking and feeling too. In an effort to invite this energy, The Ace of Swords asks you to be clear and honest about the life you’re living, as well as precise with your vision moving forward. Not all things will make the cut.
Ace of Pentacles: Rome wasn’t built in a day and most things in life, of worth, take time to cultivate. This year, don’t just focus on the destination. There is benefit to the journey and that journey starts with a single seed. Enjoy the process as you look to the long term, and ask yourself, “what am I planting and is it worth the wait?”