A Challenge for you

Not in the too distant future we will embark on a new year. It has been my habit for many years to draw cards on the new year.
When I draw cards, I mean a divination of sorts with special divination cards. It tells me what to expect for the upcoming year. It is nothing written in stone, and nothing specific either.

I usually pull one animal totem card for the year. This tells me what to expect in terms of the habits and nature of the animal.
Will it be the butterfly this year that starts as a caterpillar, surviving until it's time to cocoon itself only to be born again with diaphanous wings of freedom?
Or perhaps the Badger that fights to the bitter end for itself and family whenever an intruder threatens it's boundaries? 
Maybe this year it will be something even more elusive such as the owl that only comes out at night to feed and watch the shadows grow long, the overseer of darkness.
Who knows? 
Either way, that animal totem will tell me what I may expect within myself and what the upcoming year may have to offer me.  Possibly to show me how I may have to react, or the courage I'll need to carry with me in order to get through the things this year will bring with it. I love pulling the animal totem cards, just for this purpose. We all need a totem once in a while.

Then I will pull three more cards from a different deck. I use these simply as an overview of the entire new year that lies before me. Of these three cards, the first will tell of the early part of the year, the second for the middle part and the third for the final closing of the year. (divided equally with 4 months in each part). As I said, this is just a general overview of my year ahead.

One can get much more detailed and draw a card for each month of the upcoming year, and if I have a feeling or read something in the cards previously drawn, I may do this, but usually the overview is enough.

Remember, to write down the cards you draw and their meanings. Keep them somewhere so you can refer back to them.
This is a reminder, we may all want to take a look at what our future may have in store for us.
So pull out your cards now, start shuffling them and touching them. Keep them close. Get them ready to read for YOU.

Maybe this would be a good year to start a diary of sorts. A grimoire, book of shadows or just a magical guide for your personal use. Call it your Journal of Journeys, because all of life is a journey ..take verbal pictures with your journal so you can look back and reflect at the end of the year at how far you've come, where you could have made better choices and what you may want to continue or give up doing for the next year.
Let that be a challenge for you in the upcoming  year..one habit. Get a book ( I suggest a 3 ring binder and a new pack of paper. Fill the book with the paper. Decorate the book) Now..the habit is... writing in your journal of journeys. Whether you decide for a once a week session, a daily session or even a once a month, either way, make it a habit.
Take the time to write. This is just for you. Put it in a safe place and don't worry about grammar or spelling. At the end of next year, you can decide what to do with it. Burn it, keep it, keep parts of it and burn the rest. It's your book,, do what you wish with it.
Include magical workings, thoughts, misgivings, good times, bad times, arguments, include in it what you want. Did you feel good today? Accomplish something you've wanted to do for a long time? Hated the day, burnt the toast?
Well hell..write about it. You'll feel better. Really you will.


The Crone of burnt toast and journals

Sage