Visualising the Year Ahead Through Tarot

A Collective Tarot Reading for 2026

With the “New Year, New Me” energy settling in, friends have been reaching out for Tarot readings, curious about what lies ahead. I view Tarot not as a fixed prediction set in stone, but as a pathway for understanding, anticipation, and planning, a tool to help you visualise your goals.

The Spread

To honour this transition, I used a spread that reflects the wisdom of nature and Ayurveda, acknowledging that every month holds its own specific energy. I drew one card for each month and one to represent the year as a whole, starting the process by cleansing the space and setting a clear intention: to communicate insights that empower your growth and reach exactly who needs to hear them.

I hope these intentions resonate with you as you prepare for the year. Because everyone processes information differently, I have created three ways for you to engage with this reading. For a quick overview of the energy, check out our Short. For a guide through the seasons blended with social work and Ayurvedic insights, read the Monthly Breakdown.

Finally, for a comprehensive analysis of how these narratives weave together, read the Letter. You choose how you engage. I hope this serves you well.

Tarot Blessings,
Pratishta Natarajan 

The Year of the Fool: A Love Letter to 2026

If 2025 felt like a year of rigid structures or heavy lifting, 2026 is asking for something terrifyingly simpler: Innocence.

The overall energy anchoring us this year is The Fool. Now, don’t let the name trick you. The Fool isn’t foolish; they are simply unscarred. We are stepping into the unknown with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, acting as if we have never been hurt before. It is a radical act. To stand at the edge of a cliff, not knowing if you will fly or fall, and to step out anyway because your spirit demands it? That is not naivety; that is the wildest kind of trust. We are taking a leap of faith, knowing deep in our nervous systems that we are protected.

January, February, March

As we take this leap, we land in the heat of January with The Magician. You are going to feel a surge of kinetic energy right out of the gate. This is the month where we learn to be resourceful. You aren’t waiting for permission or new tools anymore; you are realising you already have them in your bag. Knowing this helps you upskill, leading directly to the inception of a brilliant new idea in February’s Ace of Wands.

But here is a gentle warning from the therapist’s couch: Trust that you have enough energy to see it through, but remember that a flame that burns too bright burns out. In your excitement to birth this new version of yourself, think about sustainability. Do not borrow energy from tomorrow to pay for today.

Because by March, with the Two of Pentacles, reality hits. That inception of new ideas often creates a mountain of logistics, and suddenly, you might feel tested. Are you trying to do too many things at once? Do you feel like you’re “slacking off” and falling short in every single area? Stop. Save yourself the crashouts. This is about prioritising.

Ask yourself: What is actually important to me right now? Choose three things to work on, and no more. One short-term goal, one medium-term, and one long-term. That is it. If you try to carry the whole mountain, you won’t move an inch. Take tiny, actionable steps towards those three things and watch them manifest. You can balance time, but only with proper scheduling and intention.

April, May, June

As the air cools and we move into April with the Page of Swords, remember that on this path, whether it’s relationships, business, or family, you are essentially a beginner. Acknowledge that you are at the learner stage. Apprenticeship is important.

It brings back a quote I love: “I’m not afraid of a man who has thrown 100 punches; I’m afraid of the man who has thrown one punch 100 times.”

What does an apprentice do? They study! It is fine. Actually, it is beautiful, to invite knowledge into your life and really lean into the joy of skill development. Let yourself be bad at something new for a while.

In this journey of self-improvement, May (the Three of Pentacles) brings a shift. You will come across “kindred spirits”, people who somehow magically seem to get your vision and intention without you having to explain it. You can just feel a vibrational match when this happens. Get ready for impactful collaboration and true career progress.

While May is about the process, June brings Justice, and a reward. It may be a kind word from your boss expressing how much your work means, a deep acknowledgment of love from a partner, or even a cute note from an innocent child. Either way, get ready to see some results. Use this as motivation and proof that you are on the right path.

And a note on the flip side: if things aren’t falling into place in June? Maybe it’s trying to send you a message. Rejection is oftentimes just universal protection. If a door slams shut, don’t pick the lock. It’s closed for a reason.

July, August, September

Then, we enter the deeper waters of the year. July brings the Two of Swords. It’s time for duality again. But honestly? I haven’t got much for this because the block isn’t external; it is internal. The fork in the road is imagined, but if it feels real to you, it can lead to you inadvertently manifesting it. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Do a mental audit: Is this a fact, or is this a fear?

By August, with the Eight of Cups, the realisation lands: you need to walk away. This could represent a physical ending, a tangible one, or an emotional ending. Both are equally painful, and often the same process. Did you know that emotional pain and physical pain are processed in the brain in the same way? It is time to have courage. Just because you have to let go of that thing doesn’t mean you have to lose everything you loved about yourself from that time. Often when we heal, we do a complete 180 and reject the past, but this is an invitation to call back the parts of life that matter most to you. Reclaim who you are. You are not one thing, you are not your trauma, you are not your successes. You are you.

We emerge in September as the King of Cups, learning how to stay detached from both our successes and our failures. We truly practice Vipassana, seeing things as they truly are. We practice discernment. This doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy life or have joy; you just have it without getting attached or thinking it is permanent. Just like pain is not permanent, neither is pleasure.

October, November, December

As the earth warms up in October, the Ten of Pentacles reminds us that when we go through challenges, we come back to community. Family doesn’t always have to be external. It is your internal sense of being home, supported, and held. Signal that your community is building. Cherish it, but remember to share the wealth without comparison or jealousy.

When we get jealous, we hyper-focus on the one trait we think the other person has that we don’t. We lose empathy. We don’t ask, “What are you holding? How are you feeling? Would I actually want to walk in your shoes and have all your challenges, too?” Check in with your self-worth. You are abundant, and so is your lived experience. So start putting in the effort and hard work to manifest the future, coin by coin. Earth energy is sluggish and slow-moving, but it has firmly planted roots and lasts forever.

November brings the Seven of Cups. Now that you’ve reached a milestone, you are presented with so many choices for your next steps. They can feel overwhelming because you don’t know the outcome, but unlike the Fool at the start of the year, you’ve worked too hard for this. You can’t lose your way now. Your indecision is keeping you stagnant.

Remember, just because something looks shiny or “socially right,” it doesn’t mean it is the right thing for you. Trust your gut. The less trodden path that subtly calls you home is the one to follow.

It is asking you to remember to be the Fool again. This whole year is about leaps of faith, some bigger than others. It’s time to tune into that same enthusiasm and energy you started with at the inception.

And finally, in December, with the Three of Wands, we are looking out to the future, reflecting, ready to bask in all our hard work. It is important to pause and celebrate yourself here. True creativity and connection take rest and time. Your inner wisdom already has the answers. So allow yourself to rest while your subconscious works on calling in your future. Look out to the horizon for the cycle to start again.

Month By Month Breakdown

Overall Energy- The Fool 

The Message: Innocence. We are stepping into the unknown with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, acting as if we have never been hurt before. It is a radical act of trust to stand at the edge of a cliff and leap, knowing deep in your nervous system that you are protected.

Practical Tip: The “Leap List.” Write down three things you would do this year if you knew you could not fail. Pick one. That is your North Star.

Ayurveda & Oils: Cedarwood. This is your “Master Blender.” In perfumery, Cedarwood acts as a fixative, holding volatile scents together. It grounds the airy energy of The Fool and blends harmoniously with every other oil in this forecast. Pair with monthly essential oil to anchor your intention.

Social Work Insight: The Secure Base. In attachment theory, we can only explore the unknown when we feel we have a “secure base” to return to. In 2026, you are building that secure base inside yourself.

January- The Magician

The Message: Resourcefulness. You aren’t waiting for permission; you are realising the tools are already in your bag.

Practical Tip: Do a “Skill Audit.” Write down 3 skills you already possess but haven’t used in a while. How can they solve a current problem?

Ayurveda & Oils: Rosemary. In Ayurveda, this stimulates Prana (life force) to the brain. Diffuse it to wake up your resourceful mind.

Social Work Insight: Strengths-Based Perspective. We solve problems by looking at what is strong, not just what is wrong.

February- Ace of Wands

The Message: Inception. A new idea catches fire. But remember: a flame that burns too bright burns out. Focus on sustainability.

Practical Tip: Energy Mapping. Don’t just schedule your time; schedule your energy. If a task is high-drain, book rest immediately after.

Ayurveda & Oils: Sweet Orange. A “Rajasic” (energising) oil that promotes creativity without the aggression of hotter oils.

Social Work Insight: Burnout Prevention. Self-care is not a luxury; it is an ethical imperative for sustainability.

March- Two of Pentacles 

The Message: The “Crashout” Warning. The new idea created logistics. You are juggling too much. Stop and prioritise.

Practical Tip: The Rule of Three. Choose only 3 focuses: 1 short-term, 1 medium-term, 1 long-term. Everything else is on pause.

Ayurveda & Oils: Bergamot. Excellent for balancing the nervous system when you feel pulled in two directions (Vata imbalance).

Social Work Insight: Executive Functioning. When overwhelmed, the brain freezes. Breaking tasks into tiny steps unfreezes the frontal lobe.

April- Page of Swords 

The Message: The Apprentice. “I’m not afraid of the man who has thrown 100 punches, but the man who has thrown one punch 100 times.” Study deep.

Practical Tip: Be a Beginner. Sign up for a class or read a book on a topic you know nothing about.

Ayurveda & Oils: Basil (Tulsi). Known as an “adaptogen,” it clears mental fog and sharpens the intellect for study.

Social Work Insight: Growth Mindset. The belief that intelligence can be developed (vs. fixed) is the key to resilience.

May- Three of Pentacles 

The Message: Kindred Spirits. You will find a vibrational match with collaborators who just “get it.”

Practical Tip: The Reach Out. Send one message to someone whose work you admire. Just say, “I see you.”

Ayurveda & Oils: Ylang Ylang. harmonises the heart energy, making you open to connection and collaboration.

Social Work Insight: Systems Theory. We do not exist in a vacuum; we grow through our relationships with the systems around us.

June- Justice

The Message: The Reward. Acknowledge your results. If the result is a “no,” remember: Rejection is universal protection.

Practical Tip: Reframing. If a door slams shut, write down three reasons why that might actually be a good thing for your future.

Ayurveda & Oils: Frankincense. A spiritual oil used to deepen breath and gain higher perspective/truth.

Social Work Insight: Cognitive Reframing. Changing the narrative of an event changes the chemical emotional response to it.

July- Two of Swords 

The Message: The Internal Block. The stalemate is in your head. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Practical Tip: Fact vs. Fear. Draw a line down a page. List the facts of the situation on one side, and your fears on the other. See the difference.

Ayurveda & Oils: Clary Sage. Known to clear the “spiritual eyes” and help with indecision.

Social Work Insight: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy. Belief influences behaviour, which creates results that reinforce the belief. Disrupt the cycle.

August- Eight of Cups

The Message: Walking Away. It is time to have courage and leave what no longer serves you. You are not your trauma.

Practical Tip: The Digital Declutter. Unfollow 5 accounts that make you feel inadequate. Walk away from the noise.

Ayurveda & Oils: Cypress. The oil of motion and flow, it helps with emotional processing and letting go of the past.

Social Work Insight: Identity Reclaiming. You are distinct from your experiences. Healing is remembering who you were before the hurt.

September- King of Cups

The Message: Emotional Mastery. Practicing Vipassana (seeing things as they are). Detached from success and failure alike.

Practical Tip: The 5-Minute Pause. When a big emotion hits, wait 5 minutes before reacting. Observe it like a wave.

Ayurveda & Oils: Sandalwood. Deeply grounding and cooling. It settles the emotional heart without freezing it.

Social Work Insight: Emotional Regulation. The goal isn’t to not feel; it’s to feel without being hijacked by the limbic system.

October- Ten of Pentacles 

The Message: Community & Legacy. Beware of envy; it kills empathy. Share your harvest.

Practical Tip: The Dinner. Host a meal (even a simple one). Feed people. Abundance grows when shared.

Ayurveda & Oils: Patchouli. An earthy, grounding oil that connects us to the physical realm and abundance.

Social Work Insight: Social Capital. The value of your life is often measured by the strength of your networks and safety nets.

November- Seven of Cups 

The Message: Choice Paralysis. Beware the shiny objects. The less trodden path is the one calling you home.

Practical Tip: The 24-Hour Rule. Do not say “Yes” to any new commitment until you have slept on it.

Ayurveda & Oils: Vetiver. Known as the “Oil of Tranquility.” It sedates a hyperactive mind and grounds you into your gut instinct.

Social Work Insight: Decision Fatigue. The quality of your decisions deteriorates after a long session of decision making. Rest to decide better.

December- Three of Wands – Done Have Card

The Message: The Horizon. Rest. Let your subconscious do the work while you wait for your ships to come in.

Practical Tip: Active Rest. Schedule a block of time to do absolutely nothing. No phone, no book. Just be.

Ayurveda & Oils: Lavender. The universal balancer. Promotes deep rest so the subconscious can process the year.

Social Work Insight: Restorative Rest. Rest is not just the absence of work; it is a physiological necessity for creativity and repair.

For December 2025 – January 2026 Tarot reading for your zodiac sign, just check the inaugural edition of WWeaV under WINDOW. Here’s your link https://wweav.com/magazine/

Take care.

Signing off..

Pratishta Natarajan, Writer, WWeaV