Everyone wants to know what 2021 has in store, especially after the tumultuous, unpredictable nature of 2020. Even as we look ahead, it’s important that we consider the past, what we’ve learned, and what we need to leave behind. Many people associate tarot with the future and predictions, but it’s also useful for reflection and guidance. More is in our control than some of us care to admit, and this is a year that calls on us to take responsibility for our actions and inaction. As we make plans for 2021, let’s be guided by key takeaways from 2020, what we know to be true about ourselves, and what we are willing to do to create the futures we want.

You can use your tarot deck for a reading and for general guidance as well as readings specific to your career, love life, and self-care. Here are four Tarot spreads that can be used to assess your current state and help set the tone for this year.

Tarot Spreads for Guidance

Sometimes we have big questions. We want to know how we are going wrong, which skills we need to develop, and how we need to change our behavior. Tarot spreads for guidance are a great start to identifying habits that need to go and highlighting the adjustments that would help us grow.

In this tarot spread for guidance, cards 1 and 2 are at the bottom, card 3 is above them, and cards 4 and 5 are like wings at the left and right.

1: What am I being called to do?

2: What is the obstacle that has kept me from answering the call?

3: Where do I need to put my focus in order to move beyond the obstacle?

4: What do I need to learn?

5: What is the source of my strength for this task?

Tarot Spreads for Career

One area of life that is often in flux is career. From employment status and company to negotiating compensation and managing side hustles, the questions are abundant. As in many other aspects of life, timing and understanding of potential are important. We need see the difference between where we are and where we could be, and we need to adjust our positions at the right time.

In this tarot spread for career, cards 1 and 2 are next to each at the top. Card 3 is beneath them, in the middle with cards 4 and 5 at either side of it.

1: What is your potential?

2: Where are you now in relation to your potential?

3: What is keeping you from reaching your potential?

4: How can you remove the obstacle?

5: What will support you in overcoming the obstacle and reaching your potential?

Tarot Spreads for Love

There are always questions about love and romantic relationships. It’s not unusual to look for guidance beyond our own understandings of the dynamics between us and our partners. In most cases, we already know the answers, but the cards put them right in front of us. Sometimes that is exactly where we need the information to be.

In this spread for love, three cards are set in a horizontal line. The first card is at the left, the second card is at the right, and the third card is in the middle.

1: What is my role in this relationship?

2: What is their role in this relationship?

3: What are the dynamics of this relationship?

Tarot Spreads for Self-Care

More than a buzzword, self-care is critical to overall wellbeing. It’s necessary for all other aspects of life to flourish but often set aside in favor of those other areas. It’s helpful to make an assessment of self-care and develop a plan to improve it.

In this tarot spread for self-care, card 1 is at the top with 2 and 3 slightly lower and at its sides, 4 beneath it, and five across the top of all of the other cards.

1: What do I need to center in my self-care practice?

2: What do I need to do to take care of my mind?

3: What do I need to do to take care of my heart?

4: What do I need to do to take care of my body?

5: What is the obstacle to achieving better self-care?

Use these spreads with a spirit of openness. Understand your readings as a starting point. They are not accusations or demands. Your tarot cards will help you see how your decisions and behaviors have impacted your life to this point, and they give guidance for moving forward. Change does not come with knowing or seeing, but with acting on the information. It will take time and commitment. Remember that you can always revisit these areas and use these spreads to check-in with yourself, and you can change the questions so they are more precise and relevant to your position as the months go back. Take these spreads with you this year, and let them guide you through a transformative 2021.