January 1, 2020 not only kicks of a new month, a new year, but also a new decade. Whoa! This might feel like a huge start or restart and in some ways, it is. As we move into 2020 with clear intentions and open hearts, it is important to have an understanding of some of the greater universal energies at play for the year and how we can utilize everything the universe has to offer us.
NUMEROLOGY
2020 is a ‘4’ year. Why ‘4’? We simply add the digits of the year: 2+0+2+0=4.
I associate the number 4 with 4 S’s: Safety, Security, Solidity, and Stability
- Safety refers to the way we interact with the world around us and the methods we utilize to protect ourselves, our environment, and those we love. With so much focus on the tangible in 2020, safety may be one of the more literal aspects we can incorporate into our year. There’s no need to wrap your life in bubble wrap or baby-proof your home for a teenager but we should take a little extra time to ensure we are crossing our T’s and dotting out I’s in terms of everyday safety. Get the pressure in your car’s tires checked, refresh those smoke detector batteries, put on a higher SPF sunscreen, read the instructions, ask for help, and in general, look before you leap. There is never any harm in taking a few extra seconds to double check, if nothing else, you’ll feel more calm and confident everyday knowing you did.
- Security focuses on our personal and internal feelings and emotions in contrast to how Safety focused on the tangible. For many of us, security is something we feel very deeply and a lack of security can be not only disruptive, but downright scary. Establishing personal boundaries and learning your limits are wonderful ways of establishing what is okay in your life and what is not. 2020 is an ideal year to practice saying ‘no’ and declining invitations without feeling like you have to explain or justify your answer. I spent many years bending backwards and doing things I didn’t really want to do just so I didn’t have to feel awkward. This comes to a close in 2020. Yes, there is always room to be tactful, polite, and considerate, but this is a year to allow yourself to be a priority and do what is best for you.
- Solidity connects with our spiritual side and our desire and ability to find calm and, calmness, and home. While it can be easy to have emotional responses and fly off the handle, 2020 is encouraging us to process, think, and act intentionally. The more often we can be mindful in our words and actions, the less we will feel out of sorts, put on the spot, or a general sense of urgency. The need to be deliberate is paramount and the way to best practice that is slowly. Give yourself time and space whenever and wherever you may need it. For those of us in platonic, familial, or romantic relationships, establishing a personal center will be paramount in the quality of our relationships and how we treat ourselves. Just as you deserve to feel grounded, you are also responsible for knowing what that is, how to achieve it, and it’s ongoing practice.
- Stability speaks directly to foundation building. We’ve all heard the old adage that you can’t build a house on a broken foundation and perhaps this should be our mantra for 2020. Each of us has at least 1 area of our lives where we have wiped the slate clean and are ready to start over or anew. This fresh start is wonderful but should never be taken lightly. 2020 is absolutely the year to dig deep and set foundations. Whether you’re building something tangible or intangible, the foundation should be your absolute focus before you ever think about moving forward. Taking the time to put in the work before any real or metaphorical construction is the only way to ensure progress and success. Shortcuts, hasty decisions, or any lack of foresight will undoubtedly result in having to go back, clear the rubble and start over again. Plan, measure, measure again, cross reference, research, double check, and do it all again so that 2020 can be the year you made things happen, not the year you had to hit restart.
ENERGETICS
A little bit of preparation and planning can go a long way and 2020 pushes us to do research, evaluate outcomes, and make realistic plans for what we desire most. This is not a year to fly by the seat of your pants or wing-it. Take a class, sign up for a workshop, read up on a topic of interest, seek out a mentor, do whatever you can to ensure you have all the information needed to make choices that will result in you being safe, happy, and healthy. Yes, this might take some time but know that no hasty decision will go unpunished in 2020
Sacred spaces will become paramount in the way we care for ourselves in 2020. Just as I always say there’s no wrong way to ritual, there’s also no wrong way to create your personal sacred space. Whether its an entire room devoted in your home or simply your bedside table, what matters most is the energy you bring to the space and how you connect with the world around you. There’s no need to purchase expensive tools or items; use your intuition and adorn your space with items most meaningful to you. This is your space to take deep breaths, meditate, practice divination, center yourself, engage in energy work, and all other acts and moments that care for and feed your being. Care for this space and it will care for you.
As we become more anchored throughout 2020, we are asked to put in the work to ensure this anchor is where it needs to be. There will be periods when we need to put our head down, focus, and push through negative self talk and just get it done. Know that you have what it takes to accomplish your goals but you also have the responsibility of putting your skills and talents into action.
GUIDING WORD
My guiding word for 2020 is FOUNDATION
Foundations as a tangible object literally serve to build upon. There is no building or structure that doesn’t have some form of foundation or groundwork to secure it. We hear about the structural integrity of buildings and the foundation is an integral part of that stability. Poor foundations crack, sink, separate, crumble, and the final result is a structure that must be torn down or razed. Yes, things like natural disasters can alter a physical foundation but there is no reason why shoddy craftsmanship or inferior materials should result in demise.
The intangible foundations in our hearts and minds are much more tricky to construct and need constant tending to ensure their structural integrity. 2020 asks us to prioritize our well-being and the way we care for ourselves. Find a tool, practice, or methodology that speaks to you and utilize it with an open heart and mind to care for yourself. Be intentional and make time for yourself everyday to check in and inspect your foundation. Even 15 seconds of deep breaths in your car before you walk into work can be transformative in your emotional and mental space. You deserve to be safe, secure, solid, and stable but you must take action to ensure these things.
Over the next 12 months it is my intention to focus myself around the questions ‘how am I building my foundation?‘. Bringing myself back to this place of a basic beginning will help me in staying clear on what is important, how it contributes to my long-term goals, and how I can set myself up for future successes. Reflecting on how my daily actions contribute to my long-term well-being, goals, and desires will gradually recalibrate me to naturally keep my foundation in focus.
CHAKRA
Our 4th chakra is our Heart chakra (Sanskrit name Anahata, translating to unstuck), represented with the color green. In our Heart chakra lives our center of love, compassion, empathy, acceptance, and trust.
When our Heart chakra is open and flowing we may feel accepting , aware, secure, compassionate, and trusting.
If your Heart chakra is blocked or stagnant, we may feel lonely, insecure, judgemental, intolerant, or isolated.
Because of the deep emotions and vulnerabilities associated with the Heart chakra, having clear and appropriate personal boundaries can be a positive way to embrace emotions without having them overwhelm us. It may take some time or trial and error to figure out and establish your boundaries but putting in the work will be worth it. You may also find yourself practicing and refining your boundaries before they feel comfortable and safe; that’s okay! Every way we care for ourselves takes time and patience, the key is to keep moving forward and know you are worth the time and effort.
Embrace the Heart chakra mantra YAM and seek out ways to incorporate it into your day. A gentle chant when you wake, or stretch; a vocalization during the day, or meditative moment before bed can all be wonderful ways to incorporate YAM. I also recommend replacing any words or sounds you may make when frustrated or angry with YAM. The sounds and vibration will directly resonate within your Heart chakra and you may find you are more able to be in touch and control with your emotions.
Our Heart chakra asks only that we love ourselves and forgive ourselves. Embrace the energies of your Heart chakra throughout 2020 to establish or reestablish your self-love, self-worth, and confidence as you release any personal judgement, disappointments, or shame.
TAROT
The 4th card in the tarot deck is The Emperor. Most depictions of The Emperor show him sitting on a throne looking directly at the viewer almost expectingly in conversation. The Emperor wants to engage with us and asks us to participate in his message. He is a dominant person who is very skilled and proficient; having authority but using his power fairly.
The Emperor guides us to take time now to recognize, recalibrate, and reframe what you want and need over the coming year. 2020 is not a year to fly by the seat of our pants and we must refocus away from any chaos or uncertainty and embrace a system of rule and order to guide our decision making. That doesn’t mean we’re not also checking in with our emotions. An overly structured environment can squander creativity, compassion, and personal connections, especially when they are most needed. It is helpful to look back at the rules when things have gotten a bit out of control, but you should give yourself freedom in your day-to-day life. Use norms to establish an environment, not inflict an environment.
As be we begin to tackle our 2020 projects and goals, it will be important to remember that at times when we are in the throes of a project, it can be hard to look past the details to the larger picture; pick your head up and see where there are opportunities to add structure or reorganize your process. Take ownership of your project and process even if you’ve made mistakes along the way. Resist becoming overbearing and micromanaging if you are working with a partner or team; there is so much power in collaboration but it must be nurtured and nourished along the way. Be clear with your intentions, rationale, and motivations as a way to ensure transparency and avoid bias. You’ll be able to hold your head high and others will respect you when you act with integrity and purpose. The Emperor asks us to embrace leadership roles as a guide who listens to, appreciates, and utilizes the input of others.
If 2019 threw you for a loop, The Emperor ushers in 2020 with structure and expectations, asking us to put our feet back on the ground. There is no progress in acting from a place of fear or anxiety and 2020 requires us to be in the place between our head and our heart when making decisions. When things are feeling out of control, rules may feel oppressive and contributing to the disorder; however, The Emperor reminds us that there can be order even in the thickest chaos. 2020 is your opportunity to recalibrate a bit after falling off track, taking time to seek out connections that will lead to support, encouragement, and the return of stability.
GEOMETRY
Squares are identified by their 4 equal sides and 4 equal 90 degree angles. As a sign of stability and structure, squares also correspond with equality, cooperation, and peace. While it may seem like squares conform to a rigid structure, it is this structure that grants them stability and strength to support structures and stress.
Squares are often the shape of physical foundations. Squares provide a firm structure for permanent building and growth. This association with building also brings squares to be linked to human activity. We find more curved, circular, and irregular shapes in nature providing contrast to the finish and finesse of squares.
Over the course of 2020, embrace squares as a physical and visual reminder to find your footing and move with clarity.
MORE 4’s
- Seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
- Elements: Air, Fire, Earth, Water
- Directions: North, South, East West | Up, Down, Left, Right
- Suits: Clubs, Spades, Hearts, Diamonds (Wands, Pentacles, Swords, Cups in tarot)
HERE WE GO!
I hope over the course of 2020 you come back to this information when you’re feeling off center or things seem to be slipping sideways. Even when you feel like you’re drifting off tack, track a breath and know you have the ability to get where you want to go. 2020 is full of possibilities!
Don’t forget – download the FREE 2020 Moon & Sabbat Calendar in the shop now to stay in tune with the Moon cycles all year long.
Wishing you all a bright and beautiful 2020, Kristen
