WISDOM FROM THE CARDS

Auspicious Influences
by Anne Barton

In review of what was presented last month… I shared that in some years of our life we encounter unique and special influences that augment our journey and provide opportunities for leaps in our progression and evolution.  These are called Auspicious Influences.  These influences, shared in December’s issue, can occur multiple times throughout your life:

• The Fated or Purpose-Finding Years
• Years of Recognition
• The Wish Fulfillment Years
• Millionaire’s Spread/Good Money Cards
• Years with Blessed Endings

There are other auspicious influences that only happen once in a lifetime (or in some cases twice), and as promised, I’m sharing those this month.  You may note as you read through these descriptions that there is a recurring point made: many of these influences are more evident and even more in your control when you are living consciously.  This means paying attention, listening to your heart, seeing all of your experiences as opportunities for growth, learning and creating a more joyful and fulfilling life.  Perhaps the messages from Whale can help in this regard (see below)!  Any tool that helps you quiet yourself and go within is of value in the process of living consciously…

Age 44 – Pre-birth Year
Age 45 - Rebirth Year

Most of the cards in the deck go through a 45-year cycle that is repeated after we turn 45 and again at age 90. This essentially means that the cards in your birth year are the same in your 45th and 90th year, with a few exceptions. What this means is that at age 44 and 45 we have an opportunity to experience a rebirth, of sorts. The physical process of rebirthing involves a guided experience that includes specific breathing techniques designed to get us in touch with what we went through as we entered this world for the first time. It is quite dramatic and effective, as it offers us an opportunity to reprogram ourselves with more positive thoughts.

This same principle applies to the Pre-birth and Rebirth Years. During the age 44 year, we are back in the womb, metaphorically speaking. We are experiencing our life as a journey through our own Spiritual Spread. Many people find the age 44 year to be very confusing on a mundane level. But the potential for spiritual development and increased self-awareness is great. On one hand, the Pre-birth Year is like being an expectant mother. We are pregnant, in a sense, with a child that is to be ourselves. There is often some sense of confusion or anxiety about an uncertain future, just like the would-be parent who doesn't really have any way of knowing just what her child is going to be like. During the Pre-birth year, you may find that you don't have a clear direction, and there is some uncertainty about your life that causes apprehension in certain areas. But it is a very powerful time to meditate and explore your inner self. The more soul searching we do at age 44, the more powerful and positive will be our Rebirth at age 45.

At age 45 we have, in almost every sense of the word, all of the cards that we were born with. We get a chance to experience who we are and what made us the way we are. In some ways, the experiences at age 45 mirror our experiences during the first year of our life, though few of us can actually remember what happened in that first year. But it was that first year, and actually the first seven years of our life, that molded our character. Here again, we have those same cards all in one year. They present us with an opportunity to remake ourselves. Here we are presented with many of the same kinds of experiences that molded our character earlier in life. But now we are more conscious, more mature, and much more able to translate these experiences into a positive meaning for our life. Just as in a rebirthing process, we can elevate our character by choosing to take a higher path as each of these experiences presents itself to us for reevaluation. If we handle this age 45 year with care, we can use it to alter the course of the rest of our life.

Age 52 - The Critical Year

The Age 52 year is one of great significance. In one manner of speaking, it represents an important decision that is made in our lives - the decision to truly live or not. To truly live means to make choices from that part of us that loves our life and is glad for the opportunity to be here on the planet. The opposite of this is to live our lives always from our fear side, always sacrificing that which would make us happy by doing everything in our power to avoid that which we are afraid of. All of us have fears, and all that separates those who are 'alive' from those who are 'dead' is the ability to face these fears and to make conscious choices in spite of them. It is only those who never question their fear-based decisions that end up in lives that are going nowhere, lives that have little happiness or joy.

A good example of this would be someone whose fear of abandonment in personal relationships causes him to stay with a partner who is abusive in some way. Because the person has such a great fear of being 'left alone,' he will stay with such an abusive partner even though he is not happy or enjoying the relationship. This is an example of making decisions based upon fear instead of love. If we are making our most important choices in life based upon fear and avoiding negative things, we are literally dead even though we may still be breathing.

During this year, you will be given an opportunity to deal with several of the most important fear-based challenges of your life in a very loving and positive way. To a large extent, these challenges are signified by your Environment Card this year. In some way, this card represents one of your most important lifetime challenges; however, because it falls in the Environment position, it is literally given to you as a blessing without effort this year. It will be very easy to deal with the experiences represented by this card and to access it on its most positive and powerful side. You might say that, in an area that you usually have great difficulty, everything will be handed to you on a silver platter. It will come easily and require little effort. Therefore, it can represent the last opportunity in this lifetime to overcome this challenge. It seems to be true that those who do not 'get it' during this year never do. It represents a final and loving call from our soul to rise up and claim our birthright of happiness and joy.

Ascent to the Pinnacle Year

The Ascent to the Pinnacle Year begins a particularly significant five-year cycle of your life. This cycle's effect on you will depend largely on the direction of your life to this point. If you are aware of your personal goals and purpose to a large degree, this year and the next three years together will mark a rising up to a position of accomplishment and recognition. This year will see significant advancements in your career interests, marking the first step up a ladder that culminates in three years when you reach your Pinnacle Year. At that time, you could reach the very top of your profession and end up on a new level of work and attainment. Many people have achieved great goals and dreams during this three-year period. If you are career oriented, this is the time to press forward with any plans to advance yourself. Many people get promoted or in some way recognized for their contributions during this year.

If, on the other hand, you are not so certain about your life's direction or purpose, the next three years will mark a culmination for you of your life as you know it. These next three years will be the last three that you will spend in your current mode of life. What is actually happening is that you are reaping the best that this cycle of life has to offer you right now. Whatever your life direction at this time, the next three years will give you as much as that direction has that is good for you. Allow yourself to enjoy it as much as possible, because it is slowly coming to its fruition and end. Be prepared during the Pinnacle Year to make a big change, to depart from a significant chapter of your life, and to move on to a new and better cycle. You actually have a great deal of power at your disposal. Use it for your best advantage.

The Pinnacle Year

The Pinnacle Year is much like it sounds. We reach the highest point in some way related to our life during this year, often stepping off into an entirely new direction at that time. People have become president of the United States during their Pinnacle Year, while others lost the race during their Pinnacle Year. Another example is of a businessman who had his company reach the highest point possible during that year. In every case, the individual involved reached the final destination of a cycle of his life and in most cases began a new cycle. Those who are career minded usually achieve some amount of fame or recognition this year. Some become notoriously famous.  Just how your Pinnacle Year will play out for you will depend largely on your lifestyle, your direction in life, and in what arena you are playing out the dramas of your life at that time.

Some people reach the Pinnacle Year quite unaware of what is happening in their life, and the year goes by with little or no meaning. But even in their cases, if we examine the circumstances and events of the year, we see the effect of this powerful position playing itself out. At its essence, the Pinnacle Year is one of transformation. Something dies to make way for something new to come in. The reason it is often so dramatic is because of its position in the very top center of the Grand Solar Spread. This position often brings some sort of fame or recognition, whether we like it or not. People notice us and what we are doing. This can result in great success for those who have clear goals, dreams, and direction for their life that include recognition by the public in some way. But sometimes during this year, we don't reach our goals, or we do, but not in the way we planned. George Bush was in his Pinnacle Year when he lost the election to Bill Clinton. Likewise, Bob Dole had just completed his Pinnacle Year when he lost to Clinton. In both these cases, we still see the playing out of the theme of the great ending, which at its essence is what the Pinnacle Year is all about.

The Pinnacle Year comes every forty-five years and many people experience it twice in the course of their lifetime. If you also include the Planetary Ruling Card, a person could experience four or more of these pinnacles before they leave this earth plane.

The Most Blessed Year

This year marks the end of the five-year cycle started by the Ascent to Pinnacle Year. After all of the rising up and transformation associated with those two years, this year seems mild by comparison. However, many good things are possible this year. This position is governed by the most beneficial planet, Jupiter, both vertically and horizontally. It is the wish-fulfilling year of all wish-fulfilling years. I have noted that most people receive that thing that they truly want the most during that year. And many times that gift turns out to be one of the most significant blessings of their life. The gift that is received can be mundane, such as money or a relationship, or it can be a very spiritual thing such as inner transformation or the resolution of a lifelong problem on an emotional level. It makes an interesting study to talk to people about what exactly happened to them during one of these years.

If you have one of these years coming soon, you have a special opportunity. Ask yourself just what it is that would be the greatest gift you could receive now. The chances are good that you will receive it over the course of this year. Be honest with yourself about this. Don't just dream up some big wish for the fun of it. It doesn't work that way. This is something that you want in your heart of hearts - something that will truly bring you happiness and peace of mind. Be open to all possibilities, and see what happens. You are blessed now and nothing can really hurt you. Trust that you can proceed ahead in most any direction you choose, knowing that you are protected by divine forces.

I hope you have taken the opportunity to look up your card!  If not, here is where you will find a chart to help you do that.  Just look up your birthday and you’ll find your Birth Card. (And do it for your friends and family too!) 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS