Well Begun is Half Done

As the practically perfect, ever practical, and wondrously magical Mary Poppins said, “Well begun is half done.” Wise words to keep in mind when facing a New Year. For me, memories of a clean book bag, empty notebooks, and new shoes planted the notion of autumn as the time for new beginnings firmly in my psyche. Although that impulse still remains, January is fast developing its own special appeal. With the holidays over and the novelty of cold weather and warm clothes wearing thin, the thought of four more months of a Minnesota winter just about does me in. Right when I need it the most, the calendar hands me a gift—a fresh, shiny new year, with no mistakes in it (or “no mistakes in it yet,” as Anne Shirley always said).

As you snuggle in and let January work its alchemy, keep your tarot cards handy. They’ll be useful as you identify your goals and map your journey. Once you know where you want to go and how you’re going to get there, the work is half done.

You may have several areas in your life where you desire change. The following spread can be used over as needed for each area. Reshuffle your deck each time for each area (that is, you’ll want all the cards available when reading for each area). If you have several decks, select a deck for each area and leave the readings out so you can see them all together. This works out nicely because you can look for repeating themes or patterns that yield additional information.