I believe, for most people, 2017 is the year things really went down. I say this because I still hear about it, a lot, from many sources. It's February 2018 and still the negative energy from events of 2017 hang in the air, like a stagnant smell that has overstayed its welcome.
The longer this atmosphere continued in the popular culture and my community around me, I found it started to irritate me. I found it irritating because it has persisted. In the longevity, it feels like there's an acceptance of giving up personal power to outside events. I believe that if we looked at our personal events and happenings of 2017, our year might look entirely different.
I found 2017 wasn't a bad year at all. In fact, it was a year of growth and steady momentum.
At first I found myself wanting to agree that the entirety of last year was garbage. Without even thinking about it, simply to be agreeable, I started to go along with the side comments and jokes. I do not like all of the major events of last year, but I began invalidating all of the progress and hard work I was accomplishing for myself by renaming an entire year.
To try and gain some perspective, I turned to the tarot.
If you take 2017, add all of the numbers together, we can connect that number to a major arcana card from any deck. 2 + 0 + 1 + 7 = 10. The major arcana 10 is the Wheel of Fortune.
This particular card reminds us that our perspective of our fortune or misfortune shapes the world around us, as the wheel turns, as a year passes. We can have a calm, centered, authentic way of navigating a year that has many ups and downs, highs and lows. Or, we can ride those highs and lows and let them toss us to and fro. Before we know it, the year has passed us by and we still feel exhausted. No future is set in stone. Either path is entirely your choice.
It should go without saying, that there were many public and private stories of positive energy in the year that still need celebrating, voices that still need to be heard. In letting go of the unhealthy 2017 energy, we are not condoning immoral actions or behaviors that happened. We are letting go of the energy that effects us in negative ways and stops us from being our best selves.
Even though the year's political events took front and center for most people in their lives, please take a moment to think back on the events of YOUR year. Your personal year. Look back at your accomplishments. Look back at what fears you faced. Look back at those you love.
Then let 2017 go.
Take 3 deep breaths,
Charles