Hi everyone and happy new year!

What is a Universal year, from a Numerology perspective?

A Universal year represents the opportunities and the challenges facing all of us, as a group.

A Personal year represents what is coming to you from the outside.

In other words, your personal year is like your little world, which is affected by the Universal year, the big World out there.

2+0+1+6= 9
In a Tarot deck the 9th Major Arcana is The Hermit.

I shall try to identify the theme of 2016 through what I know of numbers and of Tarot.

In Numerology life is experienced in 9 years cycles that repeat themselves.

9 is the end of the cycle.
Therefore, it is a time of completion and of letting go. Generally a year 9 is not the best time to start new enterprises. It would be better to use the year to finish what was started, or to make the necessary changes to bring it to the next level.

In a year 9 it is better to proceed with caution and avoid making impulsive decisions.

Listening and reflecting will be more productive than speaking out.

In a year 9 less is more. Quality over quantity. Silence is better than back ground noise.

A year 9 is a time to wonder the big questions of life and to bond with Nature.

The image of the Hermit reminds us of the archetype of the wise old man. The one who has the answers, but he is hard to find and reach. In other words, the only way to gain the wisdom we seek is by setting up on a long and treacherous path we must walk on our own.

The Hermit suggests times when we feel alone, not understood or supported.

A time when we feel the need to escape the noise and the pressure surrounding us.

Many stories tell us of someone discontent with his life or his environment, someone who decides to leave his old life behind. The character proceeds to leave  his family, his belongings, his little world, in search for something better. Through the shedding of his belongings, securities and achievements he is exposed to new people, places and experiences. There is not much support available to him and so he has to become resourceful, adaptable, creative, independent, strong and eventually evolve.

The Hermit learns a lot about himself and the big world out there through his experiences. He learns what he is made of, what is truly important. His priorities shift and he becomes a new person.

The hardest part of all is when the new hermit decides to engage again with others. Will he be able to share what he has learned? Will he feel disconnected from society? The successful Hermit is the one that let’s his actions speak for himself. The balanced Hermit is confident enough  that does not need to preach. He simply lives in harmony with his beliefs.

I wonder if 2016 is going to be about how our world will transform and adapt to the changes created by this huge flow of people attempting to find a better place for themselves, one where they fit in.