Divinations reveal a 12 months of transitions

(RNS) — If there’s one factor pagans, witches, brujas and different non secular folks agree on as they give the impression of being forward and make predictions for the 12 months of 2023, it’s that change is coming.

“(This) can be a 12 months of transition,” mentioned Lorraine Anderson, an oracle deck creator and non secular trainer based mostly in Los Angeles in an electronic mail. “I’m excited to welcome 2023, and regardless of some obstacles, the 12 months forward looks like (a) improbable interval of progress, evolution, and readability.”

Annual divinations are a typical observe in quite a lot of non secular traditions. Typically they’re carried out privately for oneself or a small group, generally extra broadly for anybody to reference or make the most of. Practitioners use tarot, astrology, runes and numerous different divinatory strategies to take the heart beat of the 12 months to come back, not promising particular eventualities however sketching the 12 months’s character. 

A tarot card studying utilizing the Moonchild Tarot deck. Picture courtesy of Lorraine Anderson

Anderson, like {many professional} readers, makes annual predictions meant for everybody. Her 2023 imaginative and prescient, crafted utilizing each the Kuan Yin Oracle and Moonchild Tarot decks, reveals the potential for actual good points in our non secular power. Blessings, she mentioned, will come within the type of “inspiration, expression and recent views.”

In her studying, the presence of the Judgement card highlights the significance of self-reflection and private understanding. The three of cups, she mentioned, warns us to “go away room for enjoyable and connection to the individuals who imply essentially the most.”

“The spirit of collaboration is your most essential aim” for the 12 months, she mentioned, emphasizing the necessity for group.

Lorraine Anderson. Courtesy photograph

Wanting into the longer term on this method might be scary, understanding it would reveal obstacles or upsetting potentialities. It takes bravery, Anderson believes, to look ahead. Everybody desires to have “the perfect 12 months ever.”

Nonetheless, most readers take consolation within the warnings as a lot as they do in constructive predictions.

Theresa Reed, greatest referred to as the Tarot Woman, is a “planner by nature” and loves year-ahead readings. “If I’m conscious of what’s taking place, I’m extra more likely to make higher selections,” she instructed RNS in an electronic mail interview. She has been doing readings for greater than 40 years. 

Like Anderson’s, Reed’s predictions for 2023 are crammed with momentum, however her studying speaks extra particularly to present socio-political circumstances, from conflict to public well being. “The 12 months is ruled by the Chariot,” she mentioned, “which is related to the quantity 7.” Journey will return, however crises on the world stage will escalate, she famous. 

“This may occasionally appear scary at first, however there may be an finish in sight. The need of the individuals is mightier than the iron fist,” Reed mentioned. “Youthful leaders will start to take the reins, and the outdated method is coming to an in depth quickly.”

Reed defined, “The Chariot provides everybody the power to get again within the driver’s seat of their lives. You’ll have higher choices this 12 months and extra willpower at your disposal.” You don’t should settle, she added. “Give attention to what you need and go for it.”

A tarot studying by Theresa Reed. Picture courtesy of Theresa Reed

Reed mixed her tarot studying with astrology, noting three main 2023 astrological occasions. “Jupiter strikes into Taurus in Might. Saturn strikes into Pisces in March. And Pluto takes a dip in Aquarius in March,” she mentioned. She drew a card from her Weiser Tarot for every of those planets.

In keeping with her studying, the Hanged Man, drawn for Jupiter, suggests the endurance and sacrifice of the previous years, by way of the pandemic, will repay in 2023. The Seven of Wands, drawn for Saturn, suggests “there are nonetheless struggles that should be wrangled,” she mentioned, akin to social justice, fairness and reproductive and identification rights. 

The Excessive Priestess was drawn for Pluto, the planet of transformation. “The divine female is woke up, and the patriarchy can be present process large modifications,” she mentioned. “Folks need peace.”

These three main astrological occasions additionally took heart stage in Diotima Mantineia’s 2023 studying, which she makes publicly out there yearly. “We’re in the midst of an period of large social, political, and environmental upheaval,” she wrote. 

Mantineia is an expert astrologer and witch. She has been doing annual readings for many years. “I’ve been fascinated by prediction since I first began finding out astrology method again in 1969,” she instructed RNS.

“The astrology of the upcoming 12 months crops the seeds of a collective awakening to actuality that the approaching years will deliver to fruition,” Mantineia wrote. In different phrases, put together to vary or be modified.

“The planetary patterns impress private searches for reality and produce shifting energy dynamics to the collective and in our private lives,” she mentioned. Mantineia, like the opposite readers, sees a name for group power and unity.

Jupiter is the one to observe, she mentioned: “Questions of reality, justice, regulation, and faith will demand solutions from people, organizations, and governments, in addition to artists and scientists.”

In her full studying, posted to her weblog Urania’s Nicely, Mantineia offers an in depth month-to-month outlook, demonstrating the way to personally navigate this 12 months of transformation. “It’s possible you’ll really feel that you just’d fortunately cross on the modifications, and be high quality with a little bit of stability, perhaps even boredom, again in your life after these previous couple of years,” she mentioned.

However that’s not what’s within the playing cards or the celebrities.

Theresa Reed. Picture by Jessica Kaminski

Mantineia, Anderson and Reed all present the same normal outlook: 2023 can be a 12 months of transition, transformation and alter — socially, politically, personally. Discovering power deep in your self, embracing and even unleashing your skills and welcoming group is the way in which by way of the approaching chaos as we experience the Chariot to 2024.

Their readings additionally aligned with the community-specific Letter of the 12 months, maybe one of the vital well-known annual divinatory predictions.

The letter is divined by Cuba’s senior-most clergymen of Lukumi, who’re skilled within the historical divinatory system referred to as Desk of Ifá. Lukumi, usually referred to as Santeria, is also called Regla de Ocha and is a Yoruba non secular observe that finds its origins in Africa.

“The Letter of the 12 months is among the most essential ceremonies,” defined Olosha Afefe Omooya, and isn’t meant for most people. Omooya is a priest and a professor residing in Miami and, though he’s not one of many leaders producing the letter, he pays consideration.

The letter affords technical info akin to advised choices, prayers and meditations, he defined. It additionally contains the 12 months’s governing Orisha, the divine spirits, generally thought-about deity, or forces of nature, inside the Yoruba non secular observe. This 12 months’s governing Orisha is Obatalá, one of many oldest of the orishas and creator of humankind, accompanied by Oshún, a river deity related to femininity.

Omooya did add that, for 2023, the letter usually advises “an consideration to well being issues and the avoidance of extra of processed meals, higher schooling work towards home violence,” notably with respect to girls, youngsters and the aged. It additionally referred to as for “continued work for unity locally,” he mentioned.  

The letter, as Omooya defined, is decided by the Asociación Cultural Yoruba de Cuba, a corporation of clergymen sanctioned by the Cuban authorities. Some clergymen consider “the Letter needs to be particular to nations.” At the moment, many communities divine their very own Letter of the 12 months, mentioned Omooya.

Within the U.S., that work is completed by Miami-based clergymen. Their Letter of the 12 months, he defined, “concludes that 2023 will result in social rebirth,” and “speaks to eradicating of obstacles and favorable modifications.” The governing Orisha is Eleguá, a deity of roads or paths, additionally accompanied by Oshún.

Whereas the letter’s predictions are meant just for the Yoruba group, Omooya welcomes the rising curiosity in it. “Many practitioners preserve their religion and veneration personal due to discrimination,” he mentioned. “I hope that curiosity within the letter interprets into an invite to higher perceive the Yoruba religion,” in addition to Cuba and the Cuban diaspora within the coming years.