Happy New Year!  Let’s take a look at both the Universal and Personal Year Numbers for 2011.

2011 is a 4 Universal Year (2+0+1+1=4).  The Universal Year is what we are ALL affected by, and since we are all in the year 2011 we have the influence of the number 4.  You can get a vague idea what to expect from this year by looking back at 2002.  Luckily if that year was a particularly challenging one you may have the opportunity to resolve those past hurts this time around!   There is a lot of work to be done this year; work on ourselves, relationships, and business pursuits.  We have the opportunity, as a whole, to come together and accomplish great things, if we are willing to put in the hard work and dedication to make it possible.  Change is possible, but on a much deeper level than a 5 Year.  This is where we get down to the foundation and reassemble the plan and structure in order to create lasting change.   We can really move mountains in a 4 year.

For some, this year will feel very slow moving, to the point of almost being unbearable.  You may not see the fruits of your labor until fall this year, but the effort you put out will have you reaping what you’ve sown!  For others, this year will provide a series of obstacles to overcome, each challenging you in a new way or in a new arena of your life.  The benefit of this is being able to achieve a great deal of personal successes in body, mind, spirit AND the material plane.  Anything you put your focus into this year will bring you reward, if you are willing to follow through and really put your all into it.

Look back to 2008 to see what seeds you planted that you can begin to improve upon and cultivate.  Even the smallest inkling of what you were facing at the time can help you to decipher where your focus ought to lie this year.  For some, the focus will be very clear and set in one direction, while others have many projects to work on.  As long as you can put your time and energy into one thing at a time, you will come out on top.  The challenge is that with everyone being one-track-minded our relationships can suffer, or our business, or our health.  It is a difficult year to wear so many hats because we are all set in our ways, for the time being.

Overall we can achieve great things in a 4 Year.  Key points include: perseverance, goal oriented, stubborn, persistent, hard working, slow moving, dedication, strong will and building a foundation.

To calculate your Personal Year Number add your Birth Month plus your Birth Day to the year in question.   For the year 2011 someone born on April 5th would add 4+5+2+0+1+1= 13, and then 1+3= 4; or more simply add 4 to your birthday and then reduce: 4+5+4= 13, 1+3= 4.  This person is in a 4 Personal Year.

If your Personal Year is a 1: This is the time to clear up any loose ends from the previous years/projects and look to planting new seeds, these seeds will one day blossom into what you’ve dreamed!   Write down your ideas this year, either how to improve your business or current undertakings, or for new tasks (or a new job) you’d like to undertake.  Think of this as your 10 year plan, what would you like to see flourish in this coming years?  Think Big!   It’s like the saying, “Shoot for the Moon, if you fail you’ll still land among the Stars”.  Take charge, there are opportunities headed your way!  This is a New Beginning, and generally at this point you reach a new Pinnacle (Period of your life) and so things may take a turn in a very surprising direction!

January is a HUGE month for you!   You have some difficult decisions to make.  There are many opportunities this year to cut ties with your past, and this month is one of them.  For some of you this month will bring an emotional breakdown, the culmination of feelings you had previously stuffed down and denied, but it will bring a cleansing of your soul.  People will decide to break-up, divorce, or marry during the first couple of months of 2011, or at the very least, a refurbishing of your relationship is in order.  Time to make those difficult choices, to clean house and cut the fat.  If you are not planning any big changes, prepare for the Universe to set them in motion for you.  This month will prove to be challenging, surprising, and exciting.  Your life will not look the same when January is through with you!  Of course, this transition is more difficult if you are in denial, avoiding change, clinging to the past, or resisting the natural flow.  Remain flexible and this month will set the course for the potent make-over your life will surely be receiving this year.

February may prove to be more difficult emotionally as the shock finally settles, and March will see you through with the glass feeling half full again.  April may bring you new keys, and you may be feeling out of control with the quick pace of your life, but with a strong will and dedication you will come out on top.  Patience will be a necessity because there are likely to be delays and many changes to your plans as reality sets in.  In May you will possibly be receiving new credentials to help further yourself in your given field (or you may decide then to go back to school).

In July you must let go of the idea that you are in control and simply let the situation play out on its own.  By the end of the month you will be able to walk away from a painful experience.  In August you will regain your personal power and have a successful financial and personal month.

In September you may be struggling financially (either real or imagined) and will be pinching those pennies.  Ideas which seemed so hopeful before now feel unrealistic as you discover more information about the situation.  In October you will be feeling as though you cannot get a clear grasp on the situation and will likely feel as though you have reached a stalemate.  Meditate and seek your personal counsel to find out what might really be holding you back.  By the time you reach November you will feel that you have many opportunities before you but no one option seems better than the others, or some are simply too good to be true.  Take your time in making this decision, the more information you have the better equipped you will be to make the right choice for yourself.

Overall it appears as though 2011 holds a great deal of opportunity for you to truly move forward in your life and make some wonderful personal and financial decisions to align you with your goals for the next 9 years.  You are beginning a new cycle this year so expect the unexpected and allow the shift in your life to take on a new direction.  The seeds you plant this year will flourish in the coming years so pay attention to the opportunities you are being presented and see how they pop up again and again. Lots of dedicated hard work, perseverance and passion will be required of you this year.  You must persist despite setbacks, obstacles, and idleness if you want to make the best of this year!

If your Personal Year is a 2 (or an 11): This year you may find yourself being more sensitive than usual, in one regard you are taking things too personally and being too hard on yourself, and in the other you find yourself being more empathetic and understanding of other people.  You also may find yourself being a bit disappointed since a lot of the gusto you felt last year is suddenly nowhere to be found!  There will be set-backs, delays, and flaws in your foundation/plans will be pointed out and need attention.  This year may be difficult with these setbacks, but just know that only when you have laid the best/strongest foundation you can, will you achieve greatness.  Spend time with those who care about you most for an extra mood-booster, and this is a great time to join a new group or take classes.  This year’s lesson is about learning to cooperate, and the general give and take of working as a team instead of forcing your will.  This is also an important year for relationships as it focuses on communication, understanding, and working together.  Often times it is the make-or-break for relationships as all of your issues flood to the surface, and if you merely avoid them now they will come back with a vengeance in the next cycle!

* This year is also about Soul Mates, so be on the look-out for important new people coming into your life, and be wary of old friends or flames coming back into the picture as well.  Generally speaking those people who come around now tend to stick around for the remainder of the 9 year cycle.

It appears as though you overspent during the holiday season and will be feeling the side effects during the beginning of the year.  2011 is not likely to be financially successful until later in the year, it would be better for you to focus on internal work, emotional healing, and relationships this year to reap the most benefits.  The year, for the most part, is likely to feel slow-moving and will have many emotional ups and downs.  February will be one of the best for relationships, marriage/proposals are possible or meeting that special someone.  For those who are already attached there is a wonderful rekindling of romance, creating an ending of bad/difficult times.  There will be arguing or having the “big talks” which either concern a lack of honest communication or financial woe.  Overall the first few months are probably going to be uncomfortable as you begin to let down your guard to let wonderful things in, or to discuss the deep-seeded problems.   It will feel both positive AND negative, but overall your relationship (and you) will be better for it.

In March you or your partner could become pregnant, give birth, or have some sort of emotional transformation.  Take a chance and spin the wheel this month!  In April things are difficult to decipher as many opportunities are laid before you but you are feeling uncertain which one deserves your attention.  Don’t rush the decision, take some time to meditate on it; look past the bells and whistles to what see what is really possible.

In May you will likely walk away from a difficult emotional period and shift your focus to business/career/financial pursuits for a time.  This month is highly transformative, motivated and will set yourself up for a surprising change of direction.  Big, big, big changes!  It will likely be uncomfortable, but will be well worth it.

In July you may decide to take a class, a workshop, return to school or embark on a similarly transformational journey.  August, September and October will be potent and challenging, but if you hold onto hope and the reminder that this too shall pass, you can persevere.  In September you may encounter a loss, possibly from theft, which may shatter your personal resolve, but I feel that you will be able to pull through this if you keep things in perspective.  You may find it difficult to balance the material world and matters of the heart.

This year starts off with challenges, and sees you to financial gain in the middle of the year and finishes with a new-found zest and excitement for coming opportunities.  Things will be pretty slow and steady, although emotionally turbulent, until around October when life really begins to speed up again.  The lessons to reap this year are working together, open communication, letting yourself be vulnerable, and persisting despite fears and setbacks.  The work you do on yourself now will do wonders for your personal relationships, either making your current relationship more healthy or leaving yourself ready and willing for the truly wonderful to come into your life.  However healthy and strong in yourself you are, that is what you attract.  If you have been with someone for a long time you may have gone through the most immature and dysfunctional times and come out on top creating new stronger foundations for your relationship to build on (which is what this year is about) but if you are not growing together, it may be time to move on.

For those of you who are single, this year you may meet someone and begin one of the most open and communicative relationships of your life.  This may be the one, or a the very least, one that will help you to see your past and present more clearly.   This could also manifest as a life-long friendship.

You will be able to discover what it is your truly want and what it means to be in a loving and committed relationship, and how that looks and feels at this particular stage in your life.  There is a lot of meditation and introspection required during this time, along with open and honest communication.

If your Personal Year is a 3: This year be prepared to feel creative and excited again!  All of that inner turmoil you felt last year will seem almost silly this year as you begin to feel recharged and ready to conquer.  A renewed sense of hope will be present as you begin new creative endeavors and are energized to get your projects moving again.  This year is more social, lots of occasions to celebrate and lots of people coming and going!  When people come around, be sure to expect a bit of drama here or there.  It is a year of self-expression so pick up a new (or an old) hobby and put yourself out there!

In January you should take a chance, you have an opportunity to make real your financial dreams, but you can’t spend all of your time talking yourself out of it, nothing will happen if you never try.  Think about how blessed you are and put out to the Universe the good things you hope to bring in, rather than worrying about if and when the other shoe will drop.   In February you need to take care of yourself in rest and retreat.  Things will be speeding up and a transformation will take place.  Embrace the new changes in your life by rearranging furniture or beautifying your home/self.  It helps to redirect the energy flow in your home to assist you in a time of transition.

In March you are excited about something new you are trying, but someone feels it is a bad move and is holding you back.  You have to decide if what they are saying makes sense for you, or if they are regularly offer negative feedback and maybe that friendship/relationship needs to be reworked or ended.

April brings the chance for new (or borrowed) keys.  This month you have the chance to write your own story, if you could make anything you wanted to in your life, what would it be?  How would your life look?  What can do you to make it happen?

In May you need to be aware of a situation that is holding you back, or one that is tempting you to do something out of character for yourself.  It will be difficult to juggle your priorities this month, be ware of temptations of the flesh and indulgences.  June brings change.

In July, be patient and follow your intuition and sound judgment.  August brings a new beginning, but those temptations make themselves known again, it is possible that you are in an abusive/negative relationship or are holding on to a negative thought pattern.

September is difficult emotionally but the light shines again in November.  There is a big transformation in December.

Overall, there are many emotional ups and downs this year, which may be due to outside influences or may be your own tendency to see the glass as half empty or hopeless.  There will be a lot of one step forward and two steps back, chaos with loved ones, and potentials for infidelity (three is a crowd) or self-deprecating habits.  If you can remain positive and hopeful, while being playful but not overindulging the senses, you will have a wonderful and creative year.  Spend time with people who are positive and upbeat, get plenty of exercise, and use emotional turmoil to create something beautiful.

If your Personal Year is a 4 (or a 22): Be ready for hard work after all of that play last year, sure, you had fun creating new things and coming up with new ideas, but it’s time to return to the practical and persistent.  This year you may find yourself being a bit distracted but you must remain focused and keep your eye on the prize if you wish to achieve your goals.  There will be obstacles to overcome, but remain determined.  This year will test your will and your strength, so get organized, and focused and keep on keepin’ on.  This year you really have to tidy up after all of last year’s personal chaos.

January is a big month for you, hugely positive with anything you desire at your fingertips.  There is a change and you have the opportunity to create wonderful things and be a key player in your industry or home environment.  Be aware of a domineering tendency from you or your partner, but overall this month signifies a healthy union between masculine and feminine, and would likely be a very fertile time!

February is a highly creative time, I strongly suggest surrounding yourself with the arts, or trying some yourself.  You must be patient during this time, you are trying to unite two opposite things to make them work as one.  This could give you a strong upper hand in the workplace, or a wonderful relationship.

School/classes/research/learning will be key in March, you may have reached the end of a program or are just beginning one which will make a vast improvement to your capabilities.  April brings destruction of your well-laid plans or ideas, but in a positive way.  The blindfold is removed and you see the world in a new light.  Reap the benefits of your hard work, if you have been refusing to see your world for what it is, this will be a challenging month.  May brings sweeping changes as something comes to a painful end, you begin to see the light on the other side and create some of your best work.  June brings the excitement of a new undertaking, try not to jump on an opportunity without first giving it careful consideration; trust your intuition.

July you will retreat within for some much needed introspection and internal work.  I strongly suggest you practice meditation, yoga, dance/movement, breathing or some form of spiritual/creative outlet during this month.  Seek your answers within.

August rekindles your drive and ambition but it will be like trekking through mud.  Hold strong.  October brings change and you end the year with new ideas towards your goals and ambitions.  Keep your determination and strength, fill your own cup before aiding others, persist despite frustrations and ward off laziness–hard work is required of you at this time.  It is a favorable year to return to school, or to teach, and to learn lessons of balancing the material/work world with your personal relationships.

If your Personal Year is a 5: This year will be jam-packed with change and excitement!  You will have creative bursts coming out of every direction, and you will enjoy lots of travel and social gatherings.  You may travel to a new country, move house, switch careers, come up with a new business plan, or a new brilliant idea!  Be sure not to scatter your efforts too much, because if you lack focus and direction not much will come out of your work, but if you are able to multi-task efficiently, you may find in the coming months (and years) a wonderful bounty.  You will enjoy indulging your senses this year, but be careful not to get too caught up in all of the excitement in overspending or treating your body poorly.

January starts the year off feeling as if you are in a Catch-22, it may feel like you have no choice in the matter, no option, and no way out; feeling stuck either by a domineering person/force or by your own fears.  Worry not, you will have movement and a clear direction by the end of the month.  It is also likely that many things will be happening around you and there is nothing you can do about it, such as obligations you must fulfill that weren’t your own choice.  In February you will receive some kind of news.  Be careful with your finances, you or a partner may be spending frivolously and it can get you in over your head.

In March you may spend time on or near the water.  You will posses clarity of mind and the drive to make a move in the right direction.  In May you are feeling unsettled and restless.

This year is difficult to write about because there is so much fluctuation for each individual and nothing really feels settled until the year is over.  2011 begins with a driving force to make things happen, with or without you; in some cases you will be the one wielding the reigns and in other situations it feels as though you are on a runaway carriage.  It would do you well during the bulk of this year to spend some time in introspection because you don’t posses much of the control this year, all you can control is how you respond to things, and to do the best you can to keep your focus amidst all of this turmoil/excitement.  There were many sword cards throughout the year which suggests that there is a lot of internal work, ideas and changing perceptions, and mental clarity.  It also suggests that there is a lot of change/loss going on this year, which is to be expected with the 5 influence.  Remain flexible and you should come through with flying colors.  Learn to loosen up and enjoy yourself, don’t take life so seriously!   The end of the year brings a curve-ball, a leap of faith if you will, and it will feel a bit like you are juggling too many things at once while balancing on a giant ball with someone throwing things at you.  You are trying to focus, trying to keep things steady, but something keeps throwing you off.  Note that from September 2011 until March 2012 you will have two 5 influences overlapping as you move from a Personal Five year to a Universal Five year, which is where the ground simply falls from beneath you.

This is a difficult year to predict, just go with the flow and allow the changes to take place.  Spend time in meditation or thought to help balance yourself and let the changes sink in, and don’t get too attached to any one idea because many doors will open and close this year.

If your Personal Year is a 6: This year you will be found enjoying spending time at home.  You will see lots of family (or those you consider family) and even some who have thought to have disappeared into the woodwork.  Expect surprise visitors!  You may find yourself redecorating or revamping areas in your home, and letting go of the clutter!  Spend time with loved ones and friends, and you will find yourself enjoying company of lots of people.  Take time to indulge in an artistic outlet this year, either take up a new one or pick up and dust off an old one.  If you don’t fancy yourself creative, visit a gallery, go to concerts, or just spend time in beautiful nature settings.  This year focuses on home, family, and creative efforts.

A choice needs to be made in January, and there will be two clear-cut paths.  Be careful because someone may be misleading you, and when it comes to relationships someone may be making promises that they do not intend to keep.  You don’t need to be paranoid, just aware that something may not be quite as it seems.  In February you still may not know which direction to choose, or there may be a different choice to be made.  Balancing your ability to give and take is key to this year.

There is a celebration to be had in March, an ending in June will be fair but may leave you feeling short-changed.  In July you have mixed feelings about a potential financial endeavor, which could include going back to school or obtaining a new credential.

It is possible that a significant relationship will come to an end this year, leading to divorce, separation, or a beak up.  However, it is also possible that you two will work out issues that have been plaguing your relationship for the last number of years, and in that way your relationship as you know it will end in order to thrive in a new way.  Do not worry yourself about impending doom or endings, this year is what you make of it, and you do have a choice.  If you choose to work on your relationship and put forth the effort needed, you will reap those benefits.  If you both decide it isn’t worth working on, or it isn’t making you happy, then walk away.

It looks like this year has you feeling very conflicted and indecisive, you may not have enough information to make your decisions, but something has got to give.  You may be making connections with long long relatives or looking into your family tree this year, a family reunion (or class reunion) is likely in order.  By the end of the year you will have sorted things out and have new ideas about what you would like to do, possibly including a change of residence and/or career.  New keys may become available to you this year.    Pregnancy is also possible, or feelings of nurturing and maternal instincts.  It will be a difficult year in that many people will need something of you, but you must make sure to balance the need to care for yourself as well as others.  It is likely that you will appear to have many opportunities this year, but it is unlikely that much will pan out until the end of the year.

If your Personal Year is a 7: Take a class, go to the library and pick up books and videos on interesting topics, learn as much as you can about something you’ve always been interested in but never took the time to pursue; or, simply put aside some time to read those fantasy books (or cook books, etc.) you love.  This is a year to learn and soak up information.  This is also a time to self-reflect, so as you find yourself around social events with family, friends, or coworkers, be a bit social but also leave yourself room to just people-watch.  You may find yourself reflecting on childhood, an old friend/lover, your parents, or even simply job/business opportunities you have undertaken, or missed.  This is a time to make sense of it all and also to allow yourself to heal.  Just be sure to come out of your shell a bit and let your spouse/family know why you are so “in your head” right now, and assure them that you will come out of it.  Don’t expect a lot of extra income this year, but you will have enough to get by.

You may be throwing around too much money in January, try to reign it in.   In February you may receive some new keys, and it will be a time to celebrate.  Alternatively someone from your past may come around and you have a chance to catch up.  In April you have the opportunity to take a leap of faith and embark on a new journey.  In June and July you may be confused with too many options, take your time in making your decision; if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.  In August you will be that the top of your game and in October you may get to do some traveling, likely over or near a body of water.

In 2011 you may feel a bit stagnant, this is because you are being called to be introspective right now.  Reflect, observe and take in your surroundings.  The pace may feel slow, but take it in stride because the following year may prove to be chaotic.  Things will pick up again by the end of the year, and that is also when your finances will improve.  You have a lot of ideas this year, jot them down for a later day when more movement is possible.  This is a wonderful time to face your past and be able to heal and move on with your life.

If your Personal Year is an 8: This year long awaited checks or raises come into effect, you find yourself concerned about money more than usual (either enjoying how much you have, or worried about making next month’s rent) and this year you will reap what you have sown.  If you have been working very hard and focused over the last 8 years, you will reap those benefits, either material or emotionally.  You will be thinking a lot about work, and money, and achievement this year, and you may receive some sort of award or recognition which has been long-deserved.  Be careful with your money this year, for if you do receive some sort of extra income, you may find it slipping through your fingers as promptly as you received it.

In January you are urged to remain hopeful and spend time in meditation.  In February and March you may be asked to help someone out financially, but it could leave you feeling strained and wanting to hold on to what you can.  April brings a wonderful union, either business related or romantically.  May feels like your wishes will be granted, but you will feel a little bit short-changed in what you actually end up receiving, say, you win at trial but aren’t granted as much as you were looking for.  It is difficult to maintain balanced this year, especially for those who are spiritually inclined, we must learn to balance the needs of the material world with the ethereal.  This is no easy task, so spend some time in meditation and regroup yourself, consider the current direction your life is headed in and your priorities and see if they align with what you hope for yourself.

2011 begins with you playing the avoidance game, you are being called to work but now you are procrastinating.  By March you begin to regain your motivation and are excited about a new financial opportunity.  The end of the year is shaky emotionally when something doesn’t go quite as you planned.  You are gearing yourself up for your 9 Year at this point, and that is the end of this 9 Year Epicycle.  Your life is preparing to make a grand shift in a new direction.

If your Personal Year is a 9: This year is a culmination of the last 9 years, you are wrapping up a complete Epicycle.  This year is about letting go, often loss, and a high degree of change.  Sometimes there is a death, but it may not be literal.  Change is inevitable, don’t try to fight against the current because there is no use, if you simply flow with it and accept that only by emptying your cup will you then have room to refill it with spectacular new things. This is the ending of a Chapter of your Life, which allows for the next Chapter to begin.

You are being urged to utilize everything in your repertoire this year; hope, strength, personal resolve, patience, intuition and tradition.  This is a time of renewing your self and your life, of shedding the old and making way for a new opportunity.  July is HUGE for you this year, the peak of your transformation.  There will be trials to overcome, loss and painful memories to let go of, but in the end it is all towards a positive end.  Follow your intuition, be wary with your money, and take the opportunities for self-growth which you are being offered.  It is likely that old friends or lovers will come back into the picture, or into your mind, but chances are pretty good that it is time to turn the page on that chapter of your life.  Hopefully you will greet them with a new understanding and be able to let go of them.  One of the most difficult aspects of the 9 year involves the personal growth, the self-reflection and the new understanding of yourself, your life, purpose and your challenges.  By the end of this year you will have a whole new outlook on life and the chance to make a fresh start. Being that this year is coupled with a Universal Four, it appears as though you will have more financial success than most other 9 years allow, as this will be your culmination, you may be receiving news of a new job opening, a raise, promotion or a retirement.