Mary Greer's workbook shows you how to determine your lifelong Major Arcana personality and soul card. The lessons of these cards will be a life long with you.

And it's determined via numerology... all you have to do is add your day of birth + month of birth + year of birth. As long as the number is higher than 22 you need to add the resulting numbers again until you have a number lower than 22.

For example, I was born 4th of March 1974.

4 + 3 + 1974 = 1981 -> 1 + 9 + 8 + 1 = 19

This would make the Sun my personality card.

To determine my soul card I add 1 + 9 = 10

This would make the Wheel of Fortune my soul card

However, I could still add 1 + 0 = 1

So, I also have the Magician as my soul card.

Actually, I'm one of those exceptions who has 3 cards (only those having a number 19 will have 3 cards) and they are all at once personality and soul cards for me. People like me with these 3 cards have as a lesson to learn to communicate their individual creative expressions. Their identity, sense of self is inextricably combined with their life and soul purpose.

Some people will have a soul card that is the same as the personality card:

For example someone born on 31st of July in 1983 ...

31 +7 + 1983 = 2021 -> 2 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 5

That person can't add the 5 to anything anymore so their personality and soul card is the Hierophant.

Next you have your specific year card. My year card since my last birthday in 2009 is

4 + 3 + 2009 = 2016 -> 2 + 0 + 1 + 6 = 9

So, from 4th of March 2009 till New Year I'm under the full influence of the Hermit lessons. From New Year the Wheel of Fortune (my soul and personality card) will probably start to confront me with my past years' evolution (have I done what I'm supposed to do for my soul and life) and turn everything upside down, while I'm still tieing up the loose ends of the Hermit year, until my next birthday. You could make a whole graph from your birthyear to say 81 years old. The most special years are those where your year card coincides with either your personality or soul card, because that's when you get the check-up on how you did and rewards.

I once made such a graph once... I only have had 2 Sun years, when I was born and when I was 9 years old. I had the Magician and Wheel of Fortune when I graduated at 18 and started my master studies in Industrial Design. And ever since then I'm going through a 9 year cycle where the Wheel of Fortune challenges me to get on my soul's path.

So, now to look deeper into it...

The Sun is indeed one of my favourite cards. When I see it I instantly feel happy. I'm a jubilant personality, enthusiastic, need to feel life intensely. I'm active and often overflow with energy. And I want to share my happiness with everyone who welcomes it. Enthusiasm is one of my biggest strengths, especially when it comes to first impressions. I even look sunny: dark freckles, a nose curling into the air with glee, and a goofy smile where it seems I don't have my eyes open.

The Wheel of Fortune... I get the consequences of my actions immediately represented, in often the weirdest ways. I'm certainly not someone who fits the house-garden-dog-baby type of life. After my last Wheel of Fortune year I set up my life so that everyday allows for surprise. It is structured, and yet it allows for a lot of chance events. As a teacher my weekday schedule differs from day to day: other school, other kids, other hourse. And then I have long summers to go backpacking somewhere in the world where I meet the most marvelous and unusual people as well as experience the craziest adentures (it's become a saying in my tourleading company that with each trip I end up in the news somehow... hurricane, robbery, tourist interview... I think that for many people my general life looks to them like their Wheel of Fortune year... except it's like that all the time for me. Good thing I have all that Sun energy.

The Magician...To create is one of the first things people picked up as one of my drives: painting, writing, brainstorming, developing products, travels, ideas... I function optimally when working on projects. I have to set up my teaching classes in that way too... I "manipulate" circumstances and people and myself to get a desired outcome. I usually try to get my way and often manage to get my way... Not because of forcing people, but through my Sun's enthusiasm, inspiring others, and if I tune into it knowing how it's supposed to be (Wheel of Fortune)... hence using the energy that was given to me to steer situations in how they ought to be. I did need to learn the past decade to fine tune. If I willpower something that is wrong I immediately get the cheque presented in front of my nose for that.

2009 was a Hermit year, and looking back on it, it sure was. While I usually am someone who likes to get out of the house, go on weekends or nightlife and socialise, I've been staying at home a real lot. I hardly even met my friends. I didn't even celebrated my birthday initially (which usually is an excuse to throw a party for 100 friends and acquaintances). At first I was just fussing around the house, just retreating without even wondering why. After a while though I realized I felt social life was just not my thing this year, I wasn't up to it, didn't have the energy, and quite frankly was bordering on the blues. It wasn't that social life was bad, but I had a change of heart about it, and felt dissatisfied with it.
I've not only been severely invisible to my friends, but also to my tourleading company: not on the weekends or just for bare necessities, haven't done a tourleading trip at all, not been on production meetings at all, no coaching new tourleaders... often because I didn't have the time, and when I did, I wanted to rest at home.
In a way, I think I was going across check list of life contentment and happiness to prepare myself to the roller coaster 2010 Wheel of Fortune, figuring out what I want to change in my life.
Incidentally, and not so incidentally, I started reading Tarot 9 years ago in my previous Hermit year. My interest and exploration in it has taken new leaps into it this year. I started to use it as a guide 9 years ago, and I'm very busy with it (in comparison to the past years) this year too. I've had strong guiding dreams this years as well. I also feel a need to contact my personal guide, whereas I was shood out on my own for a couple of years before this one. 

Oh dear, knowing a Wheel of Fortune year is coming up, I think I'm gonna be a good girl, ever feeling life's vibrations, and going with the flow, and do whatever that's demanded of me... Some things will disappear out of my life, some things will enter my life and have deep impact on me...

Wow! I really liked this post. It reminded me of the 9 year cycles of 9 Star Ki -posters on the Feng Shui forum surely know a lot more about it, but it's sort of similar-, it never occurred to me one can do this with Tarot, too.

Let's get to it, then, I want to know my cards straight away:

25+11+1968= 2004 = 6

Oh, well, only one card for personality and soul, then -maybe I am either soulless, or without a personality   -. But, hey, at least it's the Lovers! Nothing to complain about, then.



Now for this year's Major: 25+11+2009= 2045= 11

Mmm... does that mean I have two cards for this year, then, both the High Priestess and Justice? My reading skills must be specially honed, then. I'll have to try and make the most of what's left. 2010 I'll have The Hanged Man -mmm... willing sacrifice?- and the Empress -jeez, let's hope I don't get pregnant-.

Please, tell me if I'm doing it right. I feel a little lost among so many Majors and, by the way, I guess the suits count for nothing in this?

Thanks for this revealing bit of news  

glad you like this

In your case your personality and soul card are one and the same... they are in tune with each other  

For the year card you pick the highest number that is lower than 23 (22 = fool for year cards). So it's your Justice year, and next year is your Hanged Man year. The prior Justice year I had was the year when I realized what my professional purpose in life was, and started applicating and training for these changes in career. It was a year of self-discovery and relief of finding what I really needed to do and be.

The only years where you have double influence is for example ...

In 2012 my year card will be the hanged man (n°12), but 2013 will be the Emperor (n°4) as the numbers of the date don't add up to n°13. So, there's a jump from Major 12 to 4. This could only work if 2012 is aside from Hanged Man year also an Empress (n° 3) year.

You could make a graph out of the year cards, from age 0 to 81, and calculate for each year. For sure you'll remember some important life events with a certain year. You could write them next to the Major card number.

That's how I know I started to learn Tarot in a Hermit year (2000).
Last Wheel of Fortune year (2001) had extreme highs and lows... meeting the prior man of my life, onset and ending of existential crisis (because of the break up and burnout during my previous career), presuicidal depression, first kundalini, meeting my guide, start of path on enlightenment after kundalini, starting to translate dreams. All that happened in that year had its impact until this Hermit year. I shaped my life after it. And only in this Hermit year did I start to consider what things I want to see changed, what I might drop what I used to think was so important... But the Wheel of Fortune year before that (1992) was the year I graduated from HS and started my studies, which I never regretted. So, maybe 2010 may be less extreme and painful than 2001, for the simple reason that I started 2001 feeling like everything was wrong in my life, except one thing, but he broke up with me. I feel quite the opposite for years. I've lived on the right track for the past 8 years, it's just that I recognize it's the appropriate time for some change... Some of the 2001 impact has been waning, so change and new impact is welcome.

The Court cards don't come into play in this, but they do if you combine Astrology with Tarot.

We can deduct the Minor Arcana cards though... These are called opportunity cards, and they have the same number as your Soul Card.

In my case the aces and 10s of the minor arcana are my opportunity cards. For you that would be the 6s.

Mmm... this is getting more and more interesting. I will certainly make a graphic and see what cards have been my year cards so I know what to expect when they next come around. I am not aware anything special has happened during my Justice year: it was more or less more of the same.

Funnily enough, the Lovers is one of those cards with several different meanings and one never knows which really applies until you see it in a spread among others: will it mean a relationship or a difficult decision or both? -hey, you must have got this card several times with your present boyfriend -. So, how should I interpret the card in the light of my Soul or Personality? Am I given to compulsive relationships? I certainly never lack one for longer than a year and they are quite long, so they must be a central part of my life. As for decision making, I would never think that was a problem for me. In fact, I can decide for myself and even for those around me, if they let me, and all in a flash, once I have all the information I feel I need.

So, should I be watchful if this card comes up in my readings? specially if it turns upside down on me? And I guess I should pay special attention to any 6 that comes up in a reading for myself. I associate sixes in general -in the suits- with harmony, finding your own rhythm in the life cycle, calm after the storm -my Tower's   -. Then of course each 6 has its own meaning and they are quite special, like the nostalgic 6 of Cups, the triumphant 6 of Wands, the calm voyage of the 6 of Swords, and the uneasy balance in the 6 of Pentacles.

Mmm... I begin to see in my mind how I could make a beautiful yearly graphic including the best looking Majors from my different decks, or maybe from my favorite deck. Then it would be so graphic it should be easy to remember special incidents related to the card of that year. Yes, yes, I will even post it if I can find the way.

Thank you once more: I'll keep an eye out for future lessons  

Oh yes, turned up thrice in 4 readings

I think the Lovers makes you someone who's about "relating", and about "bringing and joining things together" And I expect someone with a Lovers' soul would have the least trouble at decision making  (it's one of those things that takes time with me... always need to check all the alternate views or possibilities in my mind and heart)

A year card that is the same as a personality or soul card means a year where you are brought closer to who you are. Wouldn't be a lesson for you as much as a year where you get more in tune with yourself than usual. More like an are-you-on-course year.

If I see my cards appear in a reading it always peeks my extra interest. To be honest they hardly ever appear in a position that says I need to learn that... they usually appear as something that I'm bringing in the situation myself, or can use as a resource.