The 2024 reading can be summarized as follows (original post details):
The core question:
How our shifting mindset (coming out of the Pandemic) in 2023 might manifest in action and behavior?
What the reading said about the energy in play in 2024: The Soter (Savior).
In January 2024, the cards described us as being in a state of discomfort and seeking relief. We were pinning our hopes on some superhero, a champion, political or social leader, an election, or a technology that would relieve us from our suffering. We were desperate for salvation, and this desire blinded us to seeing our challenges and challengers clearly.
Reflection: There was no doubt that 2024 began with powerful hopes and aspirations that turned out to be illusory. Almost all our so-called saviors did not deliver—Americans, Biden, the Republican Party, employers, climate activists, the Fed, technology gurus, UN/NATO, Kamala, etc. Their integrity took a hit, and our sense of hope and trust in others was once again dented. Many find themselves at the end of 2024 adapting to a new reality (that was always there) and feeling that the important things they hoped for in 2024 will take longer to achieve and cannot be left in the hands of others.
What the reading said about how to proceed in 2024: Phronesis (Practical Wisdom).
The pentagon symbol on this card represents the many different considerations and complexities we will need to manage in 2024. What seems straightforward is, in fact, a complex assortment of interlocking variables that must align. It will be a difficult year of negotiation, contradictory perspectives, and differing points of view. There will be deep fakes and misinformation. There will be alternate truths that will need to be unraveled. 2024 will be a challenging year, and none of us will achieve everything we hope and pray for. We are going to have to learn to live in a grey zone.
Reflection: So much complexity and division. Data shows armed conflict and political violence doubling in 2024, mainly because of wars in Ukraine, the Middle East, Myanmar, Sudan, etc. America's own political system (during an election year) was characterized by division and divisiveness—young versus old; men versus women; outsiders versus insiders; blue states versus red states. Deep fakes and misinformation abounded, making all of us question our own eyes and ears. Until, in the case of Joe Biden, what we were being told about his abilities became so blindingly apparent. Trust in news and media sources, science, and political representatives is at an all-time low (Pew) . Only religious institutions buck this trend!
What the reading said about the truth we will discover in 2024: Acinetos (immovability)
2024 will go down in history, and how we respond to this moment will be remembered for generations. The truth of 2024 is that fulfillment and success will not be achieved in the short term. Instead, we must raise our minds to the enduring legacy we (individually or collectively) leave. Play the long game and focus on what really matters rather than what is convenient, popular, or easy.
Reflection: It is so easy to become dejected or disillusioned when we see how the worst in people feels like it’s being validated and rewarded, while the best in people seems to be punished and stifled. I don't know about you, but I've certainly questioned whether to join them or fight them. In the end, I concluded it's best to navigate uncertainty with heartfelt values and principles because we have to live with ourselves and the legacy we leave. True progress is slow, and perseverance is key.
What the reading said we did not expect in 2024: Abraxas (magic) reversed.
Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but what we least expect as we enter 2024 is a year of festering and stagnation. Mired in immobility with a rising or increasing sense of urgency surging around us. A year where the unpleasantness intensifies, the troubles get more troubling, where divisions get more divided and the status quo calcifies. We will overestimate the progress we'll make in 2024 but underestimate the importance of the small steps that will be achieved this year.
Reflection: It's always troubled me that in the story of Pandora's box, which was said to contain all the evils of the world, Pandora's curiosity released the evils, but she was able to close the box so that only one thing remained: hope. Perhaps now I'm beginning to understand why hope was considered an 'evil' alongside death, greed, envy, and hatred. Hope was truly dashed in 2024. At different points in the year, we had hope for democracy, peace, decency, equality, dignity, freedom, joy, optimism, patriotism, environmentalism, reproductive rights, etc. Perhaps Nietzsche was right when he said, "Hope is, in reality, the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man."
What the reading said about 2024's ultimate outcome: Bythos (depth).
We will gain a deep appreciation of what lies ahead. It is a year when we will be pulled deeper into our communities and our relationships. It will be a year of deep reflection and learning. We will emerge from 2024 with a clearer and more truthful understanding of our current situation and the direction we need to move in. At first blush, 2024 won't be a year of relief unless, like me, you believe that ridding ourselves of illusion and gaining clarity and understanding of the causes of our suffering and discomfort is, in itself, a step in the right direction.
Reflection: There's no doubt we are deep into this—and I'm not just talking about American politics. On a planetary level, we are deep in conflict. We are deep in a political shift away from democratic principles and the triumph of totalitarian leaders. We are deep into capitalism and global elitism. We are deep into a man-made climate crisis that we are unwilling to address if it means a tiny percentage of humanity makes less money (even though most of them have more power, money, and fame than they'll ever need). We are deep into the ransacking of institutional infrastructure that took centuries to establish. I'm not sure the cards were right about the 'clarity' that would come in 2024, but maybe the clarity is that some of the things we've taken for granted can no longer be counted upon.
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