A Personal Year Primer
Though most of us operate by a 12-month calendar, our experiences tend to move in cycles of 9. Observing numerological phases, such as the Personal Month and Year, allow you to better understand where you might be spiritually, as well as let go of recurring patterns that seemed to present themselves right on schedule.
As you get to learn how the pattern of your life actualizes numerologically, you may find it helpful to have some more insight into how each number expresses itself for you over time. I strongly encourage you to journal what unfolds each month, so that you develop your own understanding of how numerological energy expresses itself, transforms, and transitions - not only in your life, but within you.
Below is a quick overview of the themes that tend to pop up during each numerological year.
Year 1: The Year of Yes
General Themes
Improving intuition, learning how to trust your inspiration, tapping into Source energy without over-exerting yourself; focus, ambition, learning how to take the initiative and see it through; a year usually characterized by promotions of some kind, as well as rising above previous circumstances into a completely new stratosphere (if work from previous year was accomplished). Major projects receive their directive energy and green-light. Often, great or marked improvement in health and well-being after previous trials or delays.
Challenges
A need for speed, hyperfocusing on the wrong thing, not allowing or planning for the unexpected, getting blindsided by other people’s unpredictability or unreliability; arrogance, trumped up sense of infallibility, anxiety, and impatience. Also a risk of overexertion or workaholism, which can lead to burnout.
Consider: Seeing what happens when you say "wait" instead of an automatic "yes" to any and every new idea. Developing and sticking to a practice that slows down or eliminates impulsive behavior, having an accountability buddy, maintaining a gratitude journal (to foster humility); logging all inspired ideas for future execution; promoting yourself in personal and professional endeavors, and eliminating whatever’s still hindering you from doing that successfully.
Year 2: The Sower's Year
General Themes
Cultivating and making manifest past visions, improving one’s life through hidden knowledge or information; learning how to effectively sustain the life of oneself, projects, dreams, relationships, and opportunities. Fostering healthy and balanced emotional connections to others. Learning to identify and tend to what's needed for you to remain balanced. An excellent year to plant long-term plans and put some energy into investments. Invitations to delve into the unseen and unknown. The 2 energy often moves you to place an emphasis on resource-gathering, and said resources may seem plentiful - or obscured/blocked.
Challenges
Being too secretive or lockjawed; a balancing act associated with keeping secrets, for good or for ill, in ways that help or hinder; having secrets exposed, for good or for ill, in ways that help or hinder. Obstinacy and recalcitrance that lead to losses of previous year’s gains. Lying through one's teeth about critical or long-standing issues during this time may create the illusion of harmony, but that illusion gets shattered in later years (often by year 8). Water retention, an excess of indulgences, and bloating conditions are more likely if emotional challenges are not resolved effectively.
Consider: Addressing blockages head-on, identifying the root causes of avoidant behavior where applicable, working with water in a spiritual context; retroactive healing has some pretty powerful results during this period and, where appropriate, past life regression. Those who may have repressed memories should secure a support team during this year and prepare for their release.
Year Three: The Year of Endless Possibility
General Themes
Learning how to balance work, rest, and play; releasing dogma to embrace a more open-minded state; making room for the unexpected and incalculable. It is a good year for those looking to experiment with new creative concepts, flinging them at the wall and seeing which of them sticks (and how). This year is one in which you’ll be pulled to try all sorts of new things, from different relationship styles to communication to philosophy.
Challenges
Difficulties surrounding commitment and integrity, an elevated state of restlessness or boredom from one’s baseline, in some cases, shocking displays of immaturity - whether coming from you, or people around you. There may be an overextended focus on playing and not taking things seriously, which can lead to inappropriate reactions or conflicts with other people, which will require accountability to resolve effectively.
Consider: Putting in a more conscious effort to test what balance looks like for you. As inner child challenges tend to be more prominent during this year, taking the time to explore childhood challenges if/where applicable. Making sure that you have at least one outlet for creative expression, no matter how simple or seemingly silly.
Year Four: The Builder’s Year
General Themes
Establishing solid foundations for future progress, work and construction; coming in from the 3 Year’s “recess” to focus on learning and expanding, especially in intellectual or practical pursuits. Four years can be notoriously characterized by lots of work, whether it’s work on a relationship, within a job situation, or on a dream. It is quite normal for people to be confronted with tests of stability and delays during this time, as fours tend to be slow but steady in their expression.
Challenges
Delays, slow progress, and straight-up restrictions or blockages - whether internally- or externally-imposed, real or perceived. Unresolved 2-Year emotional issues come right on up to be dealt with, often dealing with our subconscious archetypes. Trust issues. Retention, stubbornness/recalcitrance, and tight-fistedness should be resolved swiftly. Burnout from an excessive focus on work or “getting results” is also a common risk.
Consider: Identify whether you need to be working with said delays, slow progress, or restrictions, or getting to digging to the root cause. Sometimes it’s an inefficiency that needs to be eliminated, or something that’s not actually right for you that you’re trying to make work. 4 energy will show that it cannot, and that’ll look like blockages. Consider relaxing any desire to restrict without having all information first. Lean into the more technical, practical aspect of the 4 to boost your fact-finding, theory-testing efforts, and do both of that before declaring something finished or solid.
Year Five: The Year of Deb-YOU
General Themes
Coming out of extended periods of reflection, stillness or restriction, hibernation, hiding, wherever you were cultivating or healing yourself; getting in touch with your body and the senses, burning through whatever gets in the way of same; networking, creation, and rebellion of all kinds. A reformation of that which is no longer appropriate or functional for the current or imminent stage of your life; the impetus to create, connect, and compete.
Challenges
Not knowing when to chill out or go home, heated conflicts, aggression, being a poor sport and other competition issues. Jealousy and insecurity come out to play during this year. Also, depending on the context, exposure and blow-ups leading to defeat or losses. Ego and power games, whether you start ‘em or finish ‘em. Player-like behavior and hot girl summers that leave you kind of burned out...or burned. Take that last bit how you will.
Consider: Slowing your roll, having a very clear understanding of what helps you cool down, conscious avoidance of drama; for some, cultivating a willingness to identify drama-seeking behavior in themselves, which the 5 year will spin out and put on display if left unchecked in previous years.
Year 6: The Homecoming Year
General Themes
Returning to or building up “home” or a homestead; revelation or healing of long-standing family issues; addressing ancestral trauma and intergenerational burdens, curses, and strife; a slowed-down pace makes room for looking back over all that had transpired prior to this numerological year. Marriage and other long-term commitments are extremely likely to unfold, or are otherwise highly favorable in terms of timing. Finding, seeking, or giving nourishment, healing, and sustenance.
Challenges
Family and relationship drama, especially if it had been left to fester over long periods of time; stubbornness around addressing issues, home insecurity or instability, especially if the root cause is coming from a family matter. Obstacles with regard to conception or child-rearing, where applicable, whether metaphorical or literal. Can be a year where illness is likely to require extended recovery, or is highly transmissible.
Consider: Identifying and activating your wellness team very early on, talking to the elders of your family, cultivating a deeper relationship with one’s ancestors; charting family patterns, history, and traditions; exploring and redefining who “your people” are.
Year 7: Year of the Seeker
General Themes
Next-level intuition, soul-searching, and dreaming; retreat for the purpose of genuflection, often leading to profound insight; chain-breaking (if work was done in the prior year to identify old sources of bondage); a re-alignment with Spirit for the purpose of achieving fulfillment or elevated self-expression. Creative endeavors undertaken during this year are likely to have significant, mystic and profound meaning. Can be a magnum opus year where applicable, especially for philosophers and artists.
Challenges
Isolation to the point of detriment, inflated sense of self-importance, not waiting for answers to gradually reveal themselves; fairly notable risk of self-delusion, especially if the inclination to automatically reject the opinions of others is acted on. There may be an overstated sense of self-importance if soul-searching goes in the direction of confirming old biases, not seeking genuine truth. Cynicism.
Consider: Drawing upon 3 energy to release self-seriousness, cultivating a solid patience exercise while deep-diving into or posing pressing questions, and leaning into healthy processing habits. As previously said, this is an art year; no matter how crappy you think your creative muscle may be, test it out, and see how it helps you.
Year 8: The Year of Returns
Themes
Resolution of energetic debts, renegotiation of contracts, relocations and reallocations of all kinds. Achievement and wealth-attainment odds are likely, especially when at the end of a cycle of trial. Difficulties can recede during this year. An excellent time for business endeavors and professional networking.
Challenges
A strictly results-based approach to working with others or goals, which can lead to unexpected restriction; depending on past behavior and choices, the consequences of your actions may come home to roost, which will require maturity to deal with fully. An excess demand for security or control. Others testing your authority, whether external or internal.
Consider: Quite seriously, initiating new types of spiritual work, expanding one’s spiritual tech toolset; regularly using a battery of mindfulness checks, prayers or routines to cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude, inner trust, and self-confidence (good always, but needed during an 8 Year). Sharing one’s wealth or abundance during an 8 Year ensures thricefold that the flow of those things remains open. Use the skill of direct perception to identify when to fight and when to walk away when others test you under the 8’s influence.
Year 9: The Year of Transformation
General Themes
Death, endings, and conclusions of all kinds (yes, there may be literal death). A much more concentrated, deep-reaching falling away of stagnant or obsolete ways of being that lead to a radical transformation or, consequences for not going with the flow. A shedding of old skins and identifying what one could become are highly likely. Ancestral memories are likely to resurface, and there’s usually strong ancestral support that stirs or makes itself apparent during this year. Spiritual breakthroughs.
Challenges
Excessive negativity and fear of commitment or change can rear their ugliest heads during a 9 year. To the point that few things pale in comparison. Total detachment from worldly affairs can lead to getting lost. Resistance to “going with the flow” during a 9 year can also lead to repeated failures, unconsumated good fortune, and delays.
Consider: Identifying what’s stopping you from allowing things, situations, and people to part gracefully from your life - because the 9 energy often makes that clear very early. Remaining tight on spiritual hygiene will keep you from carrying the energy of the stagnant and outdated with you, which can linger even when the actual source does not. Looking into family history and honoring one’s ancestors can unveil powerful answers to long-standing questions, especially those that cropped up as a result of your journey through the previous 8 years in the cycle. A lesson log - in which you take inventory of all you’ve learned in the last 9 years - will help you identify where your thoughts have become a broken record, so that you can prepare a whole new tune for the whole new you.
