The Wheel of the Year

Using tarot, art and journaling we will plant the seed for the goals we want to achieve over the next year and see how we can nurture them into reality. Setting our intentions we open to divine guidance on manifesting our goals by pulling eight tarot card for each spoke on the wheel. These spokes relate to the solar calendar consisting of the winter and summer solstice, spring and fall equinox and the four cross quarter days that fall six weeks between them. These days are often associated with holidays/holy days in many cultures across the world. We will have some fun creating a vibrant background and will write our response to each card answering the questions on how we can see our intentions sprout, grow and ripen into a fruitful harvest.

 

Supplies

This is a suggested supply list , however you can do this project in many ways using what you already have at home.

• A tarot deck
• A journal – I suggest using a sturdy multi-media sketchbook (I use Stathmore Visual Journal) or a piece of watercolor paper.
• Clear tape
• Watercolors – yellow, orange and red. A pan to mix them in.
• Large watercolor brush.
• Salt shaker
• Paper towels, container of water.
• Scissors, glue stick, pencil, pen.
• Tarot images. You can print photocopies of the eight cards you pull or perhaps use a tarot deck that you don’t use for readings anymore. You will also need printed images of the backs of the cards if you use photocopies.  You can also create  your own tarot cards and backs.

Wheel of the Year Tarot Spread

Before you pull the cards for this spread I suggest you find a quiet space, light a candle and ask the Tarot to bring you guidance on how to manifest your intentions. Pull one card for each of the following eight points on the wheel.  Ask yourself the question and trust whatever card you receive. Place them in a circle. You can visit my website to see a quick reference of meanings; look on the main menu bar at top: major arcana,, minor arcana, court cards. If you do not have a tarot deck there are many affordable tarot apps.

• Solstice – December 21st 

  What intention or goal do you want to give birth to?

This is the shortest day and longest night in the northern hemisphere. The sun begins its journey back bringing a sense of rebirth. In the southern hemisphere the sun is at its zenith, and days will begin to wane. Where ever you live the New Year traditionally is a time to set intentions. The card you pull for the solstice is here to help you get clear about the goal you wish to manifest.

• Imbolc – February 2nd

  How do you initiate this seed into life?

Imbolc is an old Gaelic word that means in the belly. Think of yourself as gestating  your intention,  holding it close. This card in the spread shows you how to begin your process of giving life to your intentions.

• Equinox – March 19th

  How can you nurture this fragile sprouting?

This is a time when the hours of sunlight are equal to the hours of darkness. Come into a place of balance; giving attention and receiving excitement around your project. This third card teaches you how to take care of the tender shoots of your intentions.

• Beltane – May 1st

  What leap of faith can you make to see your goal bloom?

This is a time of joyous celebration. In ceremonies people leap over the Beltane fire and engage in acts of the sacred marriage to ensure the flowering of the seeds that have been planted. This card will help you leave behind doubt and worry and think positively about your goal.

• Solstice – June 20th

  How can you harness energy to see your intention flourish and grow?

This is the second solstice in the year, major shifts begin to happen.  The tarot card you pull will tell you how to use this powerful time of action to make your dream become reality.

• Lammas – August 2nd

  What final effort do I need to make for my goal to ripen and bear fruit?

This is when we begin to see some results yet we need to still maintain efforts. Ask this card what needs to be done to ensure the ripening of your intentions.

• Equinox – September 22nd

  What will help you harvest your goal?

For this time of equilibrium pull a card to find out what to keep and what to let go of and what needs to be done to bring in the fruits of your labor.

• Samhain – October 31st

  What offering of thanks can you give your helping spirits?

This is the culmination of the years work. Give gratitude to those who have come before, our ancestors. Pull a card to see how you might conclude the process of manifestation.

 

 

Creating your pages

Here are instructions on how I created my pages however you have creative freedom to do anything you wish, there is no right or wrong. If you do not have watercolors and do not wish to purchase them, look around your home and find any art supplies you might already have. Perhaps you can use collage, decorative paper, pastels, crayons or colored pencils to create a background that reflects the journey of the sun as it travels through the wheel of the year.

 

Background

• Mix three containers of yellow, orange and red with water. You can use a muffin pan or small yoghurt containers or a watercolor pan.
• Have a jar with water and paper towels handy.
• Wet your watercolor paper with clear water, you can use a large watercolor brush or even a sponge.
• While your page is still wet, working quickly make a large yellow circle in the middle of your page. Rinse your brush.
• Make a ring of orange surrounding the yellow, with a tiny rim of white between. Rinse your brush
• Fill in the rest of the page with red again leaving a thin white circle between the orange and red. Rinse your brush well and dry it on the paper towel.
• Dip your brush into to the yellow paint and overlap the orange, blending the two.
• Rinse your brush again and blend the orange into the red.
• While the paint is still wet sprinkle salt over the entire page and let it dry.
• When the watercolor is dry brush the salt off the page using a paper towel.

 

Laying out the Tarot Spread

• Lay out the cards you pulled or copies of those cards on your background in a circle. I used full-sized cards here so I was unable to make a circle on my page, so I made an elliptical shape.
• If you are creating your own cards you can use  decorative paper to create the backs.
• Write out the question for each of the points of the wheel and glue it onto the back of the card.
• Use a piece of clear tape alongside one edge to tape the card to the page.
• Name the Holy Day. I used rubber stamps for the days and year. Other options are to write them, cut out letters from magazines and glue them down to form the word or use letter stickers.
• Draw a border around the card, so that when you open the window you have a frame.Using a pencil draw some wavy lines to write between. Use capital letters filling the entire line top to bottom.

 

 

 

Journaling

• Read the question again, look at the tarot image, forget about old learned answers instead respond in an intuitive way. Look at the symbols and colors, notice your feelings.
• Write your response to each card. Don’t worry too much about whether or not it will fit in the space, somehow it always works out. If you want to write more you can continue around the edges maybe writing along each side of the card in a circular way or draw more lines…. anything goes, be creative have fun.
• This first journaling will be your blueprint for making your intentions real.
• As each of the holy days come around, you can revisit that particular point on the wheel, read the question, open the window and notice where you are in your process of manifestation. You can journal about the previous six weeks, or about what you plan to do next.
• Keep these pages active, keep it spinning.
• ASK, BELIEVE, RECEIVE

Video

https://youtu.be/ebGsf7UeJLU

Sharing

We have a Facebook group: Tarot Visual Journaling where you are welcome to join and show your work if you wish,ask questions or see what others are doing.

Downloadable PDF

Save this on your desktop for easy reference: eWorkshop 3 Click here

 

May the wheel carry you to your best possible outcome,

Lisa