Year Ahead Spreads
The Comic Spirit and Strength
Happy New Year! It's busy season for this tarot reader. Last year I took on too many readings in January and February, and got emotionally and spiritually drained. This year I'm holding myself at 5 readings a week, where my stamina feels comfortable. Thus I'm scheduled a couple weeks out, but for year ahead spreads that's ok. Some people wait for their birthdays as well.
In the spirit of newness which this season brings, I also pulled myself an additional spread using Kim Krans’ Archetypes deck. I thought it would be interesting to see how my Rider Waite Smith interacted with this oracle deck. My card of the year in RWS was very intentionally selected, Strength. It is also my word for 2024.
Kim Krans posted a video on Instagram last week regarding the Archetypes year ahead spread and instructed the theme card should be randomly selected as card 13. As we taught in our workshop last week, there are multitudinous ways to choose a card for the year and what matters most is if it feels right for you.
The Comic
“You may estimate your capacity for Comic perception by being able to detect the ridicule of them you love, without loving them less: and more by being able to see yourself somewhat ridiculous in dear eyes, and accepting the correction their image of you proposes.”
George Meredith “The Comic Spirit” 1877 (in the public domain so easily read in its entirety on line).
I read this essay in college decades ago and it stuck with me. Meredith distinguishes the Comic Spirit as something very different from satire, humor and irony. He elevates it to the level of spirit in so far as he connects it with love, and also with common sense. He sees the biting wit we so often associate with comedy as base when compared to the comic spirit—comedy lifts you up while shining a “ridiculous” light on you, while satire is easy prey and brings you down. I use what I would call humor throughout my day. It is part who I am, how I keep things light and connected. This comic spirit is something I need to consider. I often tell my employees (and children and friends), that I only tease you because I love you, and this is true. When we feel comfort and affection for those we feel close to we are able to shine a commonsensical ridiculous light on them, without inflicting pain. At least that’s the goal.
This card as a theme for the year is interesting in so far as it asks me to elevate my spirit and be careful as Krans says, that comic doesn’t become “harsh or drunk,” (I am doing Dry Janauary!) When coupled with the Strength card from RWS, I am reminded that strength without soft edges can hurt others and that the Comic Spirit encompasses that aspect of strength I find most compelling, grace.
What’s on deck
I’ll be digging in to year ahead spreads and particularly January cards in the weeks ahead, big themes, connections, and am more than happy to offer advice or answer questions on your spreads in the comments if you have any.
I owe paid subscribers an episode of “Roughcut,” and promise it by end of week.
Contact me if you would like to schedule a tarot reading to launch your 2024.
xo Hanna