The Tarot Diagnosis A Collective Tarot Reading for 2026: Nervous System Wisdom
In this last episode of 2025 for The Tarot Diagnosis, and I’m offering a collective reading using my annual New Year spread. This reading is for all of us - a shared reflection on what we’re carrying forward, what we’re releasing, and how we can meet the coming year with more awareness, regulation, and intention. At the center of the spread is our 2026 collective year card: The Wheel of Fortune, an archetype that speaks to change, movement, uncertainty, and the reality that life keeps turning whether we feel ready or not.
Throughout the episode, I walk through each card in the seven-card spread and explore it through a therapeutic, nervous-system–informed lens. We begin by looking back at 2025 and naming something to be proud of, which arrives in the form of the Four of Cups which I realize feels like emotional discernment and learning where our energy no longer belongs. From there, the Two of Wands invites us to continue exploring curiosity, vision, and expansion in 2026, especially by gently stepping into our stretch zone rather than pushing ourselves into panic.
As the reading unfolds, the Four of Swords emerges as a key lesson from the Wheel of Fortune itself: sometimes we need to tune out in order to truly tune in. This card becomes the Wheel’s nervous-system companion, reminding us that rest, reduced stimulation, and intentional pauses are what allow us to survive constant motion without burning out. The Five of Pentacles reversed encourages us to stop chasing closed doors and opt out of spaces (social, creative, spiritual, or relational) that no longer offer genuine care or belonging.
We then turn toward what to release as we enter the new year, with The Hanged Man reversed highlighting the trap of endless waiting, over-intellectualizing, or disguising avoidance as patience and spirituality. This card asks us to notice where reflection has turned into bypassing and where it’s time to act, even without perfect clarity. The reading closes with a collective affirmation drawn from The Strength card, which I explore through the lens of titration and nervous-system regulation. Rather than brute force or pushing through, Strength becomes a reminder to manage activation with care and intention.
The affirmation I offer for 2026 based on the Strength card is: “I will move at a pace my nervous system can handle.”
I also talk about turning this affirmation into a sigil-based ritual - a practice I use regularly to anchor insight into daily life. If you choose to pull this spread for yourself using your personal 2026 year card, or create your own sigil or affirmation, I’d love to see what emerges for you!
Thank you for being here, for listening, and for allowing me to hold space at the intersection of tarot, psychology, and mental health. I hope this collective reading supports you as you step into 2026 with more ease, clarity, and self-trust.
Deck used: Tarot Vintage
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Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of Deep Resonance Sound
Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com
Music by Timmoor from Pixabay