The Tarot Reading to Do At The Beginning of Each year…

It is a new calendar year, and so it’s time for one of my favourite things to do between late December and the end of January… Setting aside time for a year-ahead tarot spread. Click here to jump to how it works.

This spread is something I return to every winter – not to predict what will happen, but as a reminder to check in with myself, and look at things from unexpected angles. It provides me with a little overview of what themes, lessons, or perspectives might be worth holding onto as the year goes on.

It allows me to acknowledge the change of the year without setting new years resolutions now. I think trying to reinvent yourself while the natural world is still in hibernation mode doesn’t make much sense, so I avoid setting goals such as these until springtime… in line with the seasons.

As with how I treat all types of divination, I don’t hold onto the message as a fixed or definite prediction of the future. Tarot, for me, isn’t about being told what will happen. It’s more like being offered a alternate viewpoint or a reminder of something I might already know but haven’t fully acknowledged yet. For me, the cards often reflect lessons, advice, or emotional undercurrents rather than literal events.

For example, there might be a month where I draw The Sun – a card often associated with joy, warmth, and positivity – and yet, when that month comes, it still contains difficulty or exhaustion… I wouldn’t see the card as “wrong” as it wasn’t meant to predict a joy-filled month. Instead, I take it as a suggestion: look for the small pockets of light. Hold onto the moments of ease when they appear. Let joy be something you practise, not something you wait for. Tarot works best for me when I approach it this way – not as a verdict, but as an invitation to engage more consciously with whatever is already unfolding.

How it Works

The year-ahead spread uses thirteen cards in total. Twelve are laid out in a circle, each one representing a month of the year. January sits at the top, and the cards move clockwise through February, March, and so on, until December completes the circle. One final card is placed in the centre. This central card represents the overarching theme or guiding energy for the year as a whole.

Once the spread is laid out, I like to note each card down in my journal or calendar. Sometimes it’s just the card name and its position. Other times I’ll add a sentence or two about how it feels to me in that moment – perhaps taking into consideration the plans I already have in place for that month – for example, moving to a new city, trips I have already booked… etc. I revisit these notes at the beginning or end of each month as the year goes on.

a more in depth look:

Start with the centre card.

Before looking at the individual months, I always spend time with the central card first. This is the heart of the spread – all other cards will relate to this one in some way, and it is the wider lesson – or the focus of the year.

I like to ask myself a few gentle questions here. What does this card ask of me? What might it encourage me to practise more consistently? What does it remind me not to overlook? This card becomes a lens. As the months unfold, I often notice it echoing back in unexpected ways.

Move around the circle, month by month.

Traditionally, the spread moves clockwise, with January at the top of the circle. Each card sets the tone or focus for its month. I don’t rush this part. Even though it’s tempting to scan the whole year at once, I try to give each card its own moment of attention.

Rather than asking “What will happen in March?”, I ask things like: what energy might March carry? What might be helpful to lean into then? What might need extra awareness or care? The cards answer better when the questions are open and human, rather than demanding specifics.

Make some notes.

As I go, I write down each card’s position, its title, and a few immediate impressions. Not a full interpretation – just what strikes me in that moment. A word, a feeling, an image, a question. What does this card feel like it’s asking? How might it show up in ordinary life? What does it remind me of?

These first impressions are important. They’re often less polished, but more honest. Later in the year, when I look back, it’s usually these early notes that ring the clearest.

Bring context into the reading.

The cards don’t exist in isolation, and neither do we. If I draw The Hanged Man for May, I might read that as a slower pace, a pause, or a shift in perspective. It could suggest a month where progress feels suspended, or where patience is required. If July’s card is The Wheel of Fortune, that contrast might hint at movement, change, or things turning unexpectedly after a period of stillness.

I find it helpful to notice these relationships between the months. Where does the energy rise? Where does it soften? Where might rest be needed, and where might momentum appear?

Use the spread throughout the year.

At the beginning of each month, I return to the card assigned to it. I sit with it for a few minutes and ask how it feels now, after the events of the previous month… What growth I expect needs doing, or has already been done. I might write a sentence or two in my journal about what’s already showing up, or what I’m aware I’m stepping into.

Sometimes the meaning is immediately obvious. Other times it only becomes clear at the end of the month, in hindsight. Both are fine. Tarot doesn’t always speak upfront – sometimes it waits for lived experience to catch up.

What I love about this practice is how often the card’s theme becomes clearer once life starts moving through it. A card that felt abstract in January can suddenly feel very literal in June. A message that seemed small can turn out to be foundational.

And that’s really it. Just notice what you notice. Let the cards act as prompts, not rules.

If you decide to try this spread, leave some space after the reading to sit quietly with it. Write down what stood out – even if you don’t fully understand why yet. That first, instinctive response often stays the sharpest. Then, as the year moves on, those notes become something surprisingly intimate: a long conversation between you and your tarot, unfolding one month at a time.

a list of questions you may like to ask yourself during a year-ahead spread

Here is a list of questions or journal prompts to explore alongside your spread, something to help when a card feels particularly confusing. Use these to brainstorm and reflect, come back to them as the year goes on…

For the centre (theme) card

What feels immediately familiar about this card?
What does this card seem to ask of me over time, rather than all at once?
Where in my life might this theme already be present, quietly?
What might change if I consciously worked with this energy rather than resisting it?
What does this card remind me not to rush?

For each monthly card

What kind of pace does this card suggest for this month?
Does this feel like a month of action, rest, adjustment, or observation?
What might this card be inviting me to notice more closely?
Where could this energy show up in ordinary, everyday moments?
What would it look like to meet this month with curiosity rather than expectation?

When cards feel challenging or unclear

What support might this card be pointing me towards?
Is this asking for patience, boundaries, or a shift in perspective?
What might this card be protecting me from?
How could this be an opportunity to respond differently than I usually do?
What would it mean to soften around this message instead of bracing against it?

When cards feel light or expansive

How can I stay present with this energy without clinging to it?
What small joys or openings might this card be highlighting?
How can I practise this energy gently, rather than waiting for it to arrive fully formed?
What does this card teach me about receiving?

Looking at the spread as a whole