There's no wrong way to calculate and work with your Tarot Card of the Year—no one way is any more valid than another (this is all just made up to help support you and your growth)! Your Tarot Card of the Year can describe themes of your current evolution, provide support, and most importantly, help you live out and embody the archetypes of the Tarot. Even if you may be less than enthused about your card of the year (I see you, Tower babes!), collaborating with it can offer you insights and profound wisdom. It also ends up turning you into a bonafide Tarot genius—spending a whole year, or many months, in the energy of a particular card grants one knowledge that can be gained no other way.

This is what I call "Living The Tarot". Below are 4 different ways to calculate your Tarot Card of the Year:

1.) Add your life path number to the current year's number. You get your life path number by adding up your birthday. So, June 6, 1980, becomes 6+6+1+9+8=30. The Major Arcana ends at 21, so reduce the number down to 3+0=3 (Empress is their life path card.) 3+5(2+0+2+1=5) becomes 8. That means, this person's card of the year is Strength. This is the method I use.

2.) Use your birthday, but replace the year you were born with the current year. Using our example from above, June 6 is 6+6+2+0+2+1=17. The person's card of the year is the Star, with their year beginning on their birthday.

3.) Have a ritual that plants you firmly in this new year, this new iteration of yourself, and pull a card within the container of the ritual.

4.) Pick a card consciously. One year, I really needed logic and clarity, so I chose the Ace of Swords. I meditated on it all year, and it served me well. Pick a Tarot card that you need in particular and practice embodying its energy.

5.) Pick several cards as needed, or seasonal cards, or a card of the month.