I really got a kick making a draw for the year of the Rabbit in 2023, and I 100% have been waiting to do a Dragon 2024 draw for this lunar year! A Google told me that people born in the year of the dragon have “natural courage, tenacity, and intelligence, often displaying enthusiasm and confidence.” Seeing as I don’t personally know any scaly dragons to model actual animal behavior and wisdom after, I’ll have to take the G’s advice about the Chinese Zodiac system to help structure my questions. Let’s get to it!

Of course I had to bring out my beloved Smoke, Ash & Embers Tarot deck! I love that this deck is RWS, but it takes a very different, practical and holistic approach to modern tarot. In their version of the LWB they label the Wands as our spirit, the Pentacles as our material world, the Swords our thoughts, and the Cups our emotions. While this is pretty typical in RWS decks, I’ll especially be paying attention to this during this draw.

1. What great magical thing will start your year?
2. What frightening obstacle will block your path forward?
3. How best to show courage?
4. What will try your patience?
5. How to show tenacity and perseverance?
6. What riddle will puzzle you?
7. How best to outsmart it?
8. How do we show enthusiasm when we’ve lost our mojo?
9. Where should we cultivate confidence?
10. When should we be tender?
11. When do we need to be fierce?
12. Where will I find unexpected luck?

1.What great magical thing will start your year? Three of Pentacles. You will have help in building your nest egg! In a project or financial adventure, you will find a willing and eager partner. Perhaps they will help teach you, and you in turn can teach them. This is now the second recent draw that I’ve had a 3 of Pen show up, I gotta start paying attention.

2. What frightening obstacle will block your path forward? The Hanged Man. You will face uncertainty and a change of view—things are not as you thought, but if you take a moment, you will see there is something to be gained here that you’d not be able to get otherwise.

3. How best to show courage? Ace of Swords. Pay attention! Use your head. Use your sense of observation to understand and learn to go forth strongly! Success is at hand, but you need to take the sword and practice the skills it takes to get there. Listen to mentors (this also seems to be a reoccurring theme).

4. What will try your patience? Eight of Swords. The constant hard work, grind, and, well, patience! Accomplishing something is never a linear journey and sometimes it feels as if you are getting nowhere, fast. Keep at it! Don’t worry about needing to get your hands dirty every once in a while.

5. How to show tenacity and perseverance? Two of Swords. This is a very different take on the two of swords than I’m used to. Counter intuitively, sometimes you need to take a fricking nap! When things get overwhelming and seem to lack progress, take a break, try something new, enjoy the flowers of your successes you have made. Also, don’t stand up too fast!

6. What riddle will puzzle you? Page of Cups. A new person, feeling, idea, or opportunity will come out of nowhere and completely take you off guard!

7. How best to outsmart it? Six of Pentacles. Be kind. You will find reward for your kindness in unexpected ways. Be a force that brings others together. Realize what a person really wants when they give you something. Put offerings/gifts in context; if someone is giving you something, what, if anything do they expect in return?

8. How do we show enthusiasm when we’ve lost our mojo? Page of Pentacles. Keep things practical; look at what you have already accomplished, and look at where you want to be. What will it take to get there? Make a list, write it down. How can you allocate your resources right now to get to where you want to be? Start there. Go back to the fundamentals. Once you get moving, you’ll get your chutzpah back!

9. Where should we cultivate confidence? XIX The Sun! Be confident in what you know you do well and are successful at! Duh! Do that! When you are happy and joyful, you exude confidence, so first ensure you are having a good time.

10. When should we be tender? Page of Wands (holy mole, we got some Page energy today!). Treat the imagination and the joy of newness tenderly—this is where great things happen and negatively criticizing ideas prematurely will help no one. Help yourself and others grow to be their best by believing in your/their vision!

11. When do we need to be fierce? Ten of Cups. When it comes to your family-of-choice and those you love, you get involved! They are your people! It’s up to you to help make sure they are secure and they in turn watch out for you. It really does take teamwork to make the dream work.

12. Where will I find unexpected luck? Nine of Wands. When you are feeling like you are at the end of your game and you have no more strength to persevere, you will find unexpected luck.

And, just for fun, I drew from The Thistle Down oracle deck a card for “advice for this lunar year.”

Don’t forget to take moments to collect yourself, live in the moment, and smell the flowers, even if you’re a little bit of a grouch *wink*.

So, I see lots of pentacles and pages, so I have a lunar year of learning and practicing my arts and skills. Can’t ask for anything better in the year of the Dragon!

Did you do a Lunar Year draw?