Tarot: Doing a Celtic Cross spread for the New Year

One brief shining: Laid out the cards selected by intuition from my Wildwood Tarot deck, placing the first card horizontal, for the present, and the second card over, vertical for the challenge, then in the way of this spread, cards from three to ten, four surrounding the first two, and four more running up the far right side beside those six, and turned them over one by one to get an answer to my question, how do I live my best life in 2026?

This year of new beginnings (as are all years) opened itself it to me in many ways. Moments of reflection, what happened last year? Moments of projection, how will I be in this new year? What will I be? Who will I be?

The virtue of a tarot spread draws on its evocative strength, not predictive messages. The Celtic Cross spread identifies many threads that need attention, matters that will support or impede answering my question, How do I live my best life in 2026?

Without belaboring a full reading I’ll offer some highlights.  My present showed the two of Stones, a card that suggests a need for grounding and balance while taking on an adversary. I took this to reflect my role in the struggle for a renewed and cleansed nation.

The challenge to living my best life, strikingly, displayed the ten of Vessels, or happiness. This card had two powerful messages for me: a challenge this year will be giving and receiving support and love. That is, not going so far down a political struggle path that I lose sight of family, friends, spirituality, Shadow. Second, as a ten it represents the end of a cycle, a coming home, a feeling of security. I take this to mean I’ve been on a path, trying to find a way to be in the world that gives back while also leaning into love and support. And, I’ve tentatively struck that balance. Next comes living out of that love and support toward a rich future.

The rest of the cards encourage reliance on creativity, on my subconscious, on intuition, all leading toward the 10th, or result card, #1 of the Major Arcana, the Shaman.  Here’s Gemini on the meaning of that card:

• Connection to Nature: He is a master of his surroundings, understanding weather patterns, healing plants, and the habits of wild creatures.
• Mediator and Guide: As a gatekeeper to unseen worlds, he reads signs and explains the rules of the spiritual structure to others, often acting as a teacher for those who listen.
• Balance: While the Seer (The High Priestess) represents inner knowledge, The Shaman represents coming into one’s outer surroundings and the practical application of that knowledge. 

Not sure what this suggests as the result of living my best life in 2026, but I’d be happy to represent any of those three.

Addenda: If you have time, read the David Brooks article I posted a link to in the gratefuls. I agree with his premise that we have swung too far toward the autonomy end of the autonomy-community pendulum. I disagree with him that broad political buckets like conservative or liberal either explain it or offer a remedy to it.

I do, however, strongly agree with him that we must love, deeply, passionately. I love my friends, my family, Shadow, Artemis, a nation devoted to succor for any in the world who need it. I love justice and compassion. I love Judaism and being a Jew. I love Mother Earth and Great Sol. I love plants and wild neighbors. I love you, dear reader.