2023: numerology for the new year

hello friends, and welcome to 2023.

new years can hold a lot of promise, and a lot of pressure. it can feel like we're supposed to set big goals and make plans to achieve them, overcome bad habits and replace them with healthy ones, level up and become our best, brightest selves. thankfully i've seen less of this kind of messaging since the pandemic began in 2020, but that internal stress to set intentions, make vows and grand resolutions, can be hard to shake. and for many, it feels like 2022 ended with a whimper rather than a bang, with social media falling apart before our eyes and uncertainty now feeling like a major part of daily life.

what does it even mean to start a new year, to turn the page and begin a new chapter? what does it look like, feel like? what can a new year offer?

if you haven't already heard this, please let me be the first to tell you: the new year does not have to mean a goddamn thing to you. it can be a day just like any other, bringing opportunities and possibilities for both growth and rest, joy and curiosity, connection or retreat. just like the new moon, just like the start of new astrological seasons, it can mean as much or as little as you make of it.

but if new years feel exciting for you, if there's magic flowing through your veins at the potential in another calendar year beginning, if you'd like to honor this shift in a tangible way, read on.

numerology offers really beautiful ways to process where we are in larger cycles. each year has its own numerological fingerprint, giving us a lens that we can view our movements, choices, and actions through. this isn't meant to be predictive or take our free will away, but it is meant to help us understand what we are moving through, what we are experiencing.

using numerology, we can calculate both the universal year (the energy that we as a collective will be holding and moving through) and our personal year (the energy that each of us individually will be sitting within). and in looking at these numbers together, we can get a deeper picture of what the year may hold for us, and can also begin to consider what tools will help us along the way, what support we might need, and what we have to look forward to.

2022 was a 6 universal year (2+0+2+2 = 6), and as 6 is a number associated with harmony, choices, responsibility, community, reciprocity, and stability, you may have experienced themes connected to caretaking, duty, settling into important routines, and engaging with those you love in new and necessary ways.

2023 is a 7 universal year (2+0+2+3 = 7). 7 is a number of spirituality and purpose, of internal wisdom, of questioning everything. in 7 years, we search for deeper meaning, question our drives and motivations, crave understanding and knowledge that helps us put ourselves and our choices into richer, clearer context.

7 is the spiritual seeker, the deep sea diver, the innovator and the inquirer. with so much curiosity in the air, there's potential for new connections, new adventures, new opportunities for learning, growth, and play. sometimes 7 has us moving beyond the stability that we found with the 6, preparing to take new chances, push our own boundaries. but amidst all of this seeking, we may not always find answers — sometimes, questions just keep multiplying.

the great thing is, 7 doesn't mind being in a constant state of wonder.

think about the two major arcana archetypes that fit into this tarot constellation: the chariot (card 7) and the tower (card 16 / 1+6 = 7). both of these archetypes explore control, boundaries, and movement, but in different ways. they long for authenticity and truth, need to understand what drives us forward or up or down, require depth and purpose in everything they do — and they aren't afraid to make dramatic changes or permanent shifts in order to facilitate growth. in the same way, minor arcana sevens are often cards of assessment and adjustment, as we consider what we know and what we don't, honor what we have, and recognize where we may need to make changes in order to reach our ultimate goals.

as we move into 2023 and a collective 7 year, we have a chance to uncover some important truths, to heal from past wounds, and to look forward with optimism. and if we're brave enough to engage with the truths that are uncovered, this year has the potential to bring deeply necessary transformation.

in addition to the universal year's energy of 7, you can also calculate your own personal year number, and look at those energies together to get a better sense of what 2023 may hold for you.

to do this, simply add up the digits of your birthdate's month and day (keeping master numbers 11 and 22 whole to start, if they're part of your birthday). consolidate those digits into a single digit number, then add them to the universal year number, consolidating digits again to get a final single digit number. for 2023, you'll add 7 to whatever your birthdate's month and day's consolidated digit is.

(if you don't wanna math, you can also use this online calculator.)

once you understand this technique, you can use this same formula to calculate your personal year for any year of your life, adding that same total for your birthday to any year's consolidated digit, past or future. this can be a particularly interesting exercise when looking back on major years in your life, or when anticipating something on the horizon.

using this method, you can start to get a better sense of where in the cycle you are now, where you have come from, and where you're going next.

what's your 2023 personal year number? to give you a place to start once you've completed your calculation, i've listed a few potential themes for each digit. i would encourage you to pull the cards associated with your yearly number out of your deck and spend some time meditating on them, journaling with them, or thinking about themes that may feel relevant to your future.

pay special attention to any aspects of your personal year number that may overlap with or be in opposition to themes of our universal 7 year, as those may be particularly important for you over the next twelve months.

1 year // magician, wheel, sun // aces, tens: new beginnings, independence, breakthroughs, big ideas. what visions for the future are blossoming in your imagination? what are you ready to initiate and innovate? when you think about all that is possible, what do you anticipate the most?

2 year // priestess, justice, judgement // twos, pages: choices, contemplation, observation, authenticity, moving deliberately. how are you balancing different energies in your life? what are you preparing to invest in? what kinds of partnerships are you forming, and what will they require from you?

3 year // empress, hanged one, wheel // threes, knights: joyful movement, connection, expression, creative risks. how are your dreams beginning to take shape and form in tangible ways? what are you sharing with the world? where do you find hope, inspiration, abundance?

4 year // emperor, death // fours, queens: exploring structures and systems, setting limits, hard work, shoring up foundations. where could discipline and organization help you thrive? what are you protecting? how do you find practical solutions to intangible or ever-changing challenges?

5 year // hierophant, temperance // fives, kings: change, adventure, finding freedom, redefining goals, useful friction. what is being disrupted, or, where are you ready to disrupt something? what discoveries are you making? how can you balance what you have experienced with all that you are still learning?

6 year // lovers, devil // sixes: community, responsibility, finding stability, a fresh start after a necessary shift. what are you devoting yourself to, nourishing, nurturing? how and when do you experience compassion, fulfillment, harmony? who do you take care of, and who helps to take care of you?

7 year // chariot, tower // sevens: questioning and questing, taking risks, being honest with the self. which problems are you solving, and which are you still identifying? what are you searching for, and what does that pursuit look like? where are you experiencing reconciliation?

8 year // strength, star // eights: achievements, understanding power, taking ownership, joyful growth. what are you dedicated to, committed to? when do you feel true self-confidence? what are you willing to work for, and how does that kind of intensive effort lead to mastery, empowerment, leadership?

9 year // hermit, moon // nines: honoring truths, wrapping up projects and journeys, caring for others, knowing the self. what are you examining carefully, and what may you be ready to release? what or whom are you in service to? how are you integrating all that you've learned and experienced?

what might your year hold? how can numerological cycles help you put your 2022 into clearer context, and empower you to look to 2023 with attention, purpose, and anticipation? and in working with specific numbers and their corresponding archetypes, how can you embody and celebrate this energy, in a way that works for you?

in a few days, i'll share a simple year-ahead spread that you can use to work with your personal yearly number more closely. this spread will go out to all three paid tiers only, so if you've been thinking about leveling up, this is a great time to do so.

feel free to share this piece with any friends you have who may be interested in numerology or personal exploration, and watch this space — i'll be sending out updates this month on my book (pre-order finding the fool right here!), new client readings, and email courses.

if you love these numerology exercises and want to learn more about using techniques like this in your personal readings, join the waiting list for my tarot numerology class, devils & digits, and check out my numerology book list over on bookshop. i've also got recommendations for favorite tarot books, astrology books, herbalism books, and more.

thank you for being here, and wishing you a safe, healthy, and beautiful 2023!