* “We are each an unfinished work of art, both waiting and striving to be completed.” (Shams Tabrizi)
The planet that rules this year: Mars
Keywords & planetary energy: endings, closure, completion, achievement, victory, defeat, loss, destruction, self-victimization, ego dissolution, death, release, conflicts, resolution, reconciliation, forgiveness, acceptance, transformation, detoxification, past experiences, memories, self-reflection, unforeseen events, willpower, control, temper, self-expression, motivation, passion, action, excitement, ambitions, goals, competition, selfless service, activism
What can you expect in a Personal Year 9?
You have reached the end of your nine-year cycle! After a year of hard work, obstacles, restrictions, and perhaps some delays, it is time for closure. A Personal Year 9, ruled by Mars, is a busy, transformative, yet exciting time in which some aspects of your life will come to an end, so you can make way for an entirely new cycle. The year will highlight common themes and matters in relation to the behavioral qualities, planetary energies, and signification of Mars, like the ones mentioned above. But the energies that may dominate the year more prominently will be in the area of endings, completion, achievement, loss, release, past experiences, unexpected events, reconciliation, and forgiveness, with transformation, change, renewal, and new aspirations as a result.
With the powerful Mars ruling this year’s energies, you may experience this period as either a victorious ending or a devastating defeat. But how things will eventually pan out for you will – for the most part – depend on your mindset, level of maturity, emotional intelligence, and mental stability. Additionally, your willingness to accept your current situation, your readiness to accept your past, and your ability to deal with tough situations and people while keeping your emotions in check will also add to the equation. So, are you ready and willing to accept whatever your Personal Year 9 has in store for you? Do you think you can handle the challenges of your final year? Whatever your answer may be, keep in mind that the way you will start your next nine-year cycle will strongly depend on how you leave this one behind. In this closing chapter, you will see how certain things will come to a culmination, whether you like it or not. You will release and let go of what no longer suits or serves you. This can all happen abruptly or gradually, either voluntarily or involuntarily. The sooner you accept that things have run their course, the easier the year will be, and the quicker you can move on and clear the path for something new to come in.
Considering the theme of closure, completion, loss, and destruction, a Personal Year 9 can feel quite similar to a Personal Year 7 (ruled by Ketu) as the energies are much alike. However, this time around, these changes and transformational events may not always come as a sudden shock or surprise, nor is there any illusion or confusion at play. The endings and completions that occur now are often expected. When you pay close attention to all the things that took place in both your Personal Year 7 and Personal Year 8 (ruled by Saturn), you may see how it all led to this point in time. And so, endings, losses, or the finalization of something can happen in various ways and in different areas of your life. For example; you might end a career, resign from an unfulfilling job, lose your longtime employment by being made redundant, or you could decide to end a business partnership. Alternatively, you might complete your internship, training course, or college education program, finalize a personal passion project, or reach the final stages of your dream competition and come out as a winner! And if you’ve been dealing with a stressful court case, then things may finally come to a close. In a different scenario, you may find that your current place of residence and the people in it no longer fit in your long-term plans so you could take the steps to move to a more emotionally fulfilling location. As such, you could put your house for sale and buy a new one, or if buying property is not on the cards for you, then you might just rent a new apartment somewhere else. Moving to a different city or country often means that you have to say farewell to those you’ve outgrown; from life partners and colleagues to neighbors and relatives. Even long-time friendships could fall apart as you may realize that you no longer resonate with some of your friends, and thus you have to let them go. Hence, divorce, severing ties, and breakups of any kind could all happen during the year.
Similar to a Personal Year 7, there is a possibility of losing something of monetary value, such as jewelry, a bike, a camera, or a computer, or your car could suddenly break down. Alternatively, you could lose an (extra) income or money through, for example, wasteful spending, the stock market, or a business shutdown. It is worth mentioning that, sometimes, endings and losses do not always occur in your personal life alone, but you may witness some of these things in the lives of those close to you as well, such as your friends, colleagues, associates, neighbors, and family members. So, it is not always about you losing something or moving on to better things. Instead, those people in your direct environment could decide to sail off to new adventures of their own, and this could lead to them leaving your life for good.
Considering the theme of transformation, you could experience death this year, literally or figuratively. Either someone close to you could suddenly pass away or you may release certain parts of yourself (e.g., your ego, identity, or an old mindset of yours might ‘die’), which may trigger you to transform yourself from the inside out. Whoever dies or whatever gets removed from your life, know that it is not the end of the world, however disturbing or upsetting the situation may be. Some unforeseen events could even be a welcome surprise, although you may not see that initially, so always keep an open mind. But if you have to deal with an unexpected event that may trigger feelings of anger, frustration, sadness, or injustice, try not to let these emotions take control over you. Refrain from letting any negative thoughts go towards a place inside yourself where you could become less motivated and less passionate about life. Keep in mind that these energies you feel are only temporary, so do not let them spiral into unnecessary arguments, fights, confrontations, and combative, aggressive behavior that you might regret later. Instead, consider your loss or this unpleasant moment as an opportunity for improvement and forward movement. Turn those negative feelings around and channel them towards positivity. When you use the ‘Martian’ energy and your fighting spirit positively, it will enable you to create new dreams, motivations, passions, and goals that will set your soul on fire throughout your next nine-year cycle. So if, for example, you get laid off from a job unexpectedly, avoid victimizing yourself at all costs, and do not waste your time complaining and contemplating how you could sue the company for doing you wrong. Instead, take a hiatus and go on a vacation, if you can. Once your head is clear, update your CV/resume and apply for a new job elsewhere, or go back to school and change your career. You could also venture out on your own and start a creative business. On a different note, if you experience a sudden romantic breakup, do not waste your time stalking your ex online or begging desperately for a second chance because you’re only going to make yourself miserable. Instead of trying to get the past (and your ex) back, work on yourself, explore new hobbies and interests, and enjoy your newfound freedom. Alternatively, if you are fed up with where you live, and you’ve always dreamt of having a house overseas, then stop dreaming and start putting things in motion. Begin your research, and prepare the finances and paperwork so you can start building the house of your dreams! Thus, instead of wasting all your given time and energy on fearing what’s ahead, or worrying about your past and being frustrated with your current circumstances, use your inner ‘Martian’ warrior to plan for your future. This is an excellent time to take control of your life (again), (re) organize yourself, and prepare for your new chapter.
But before you can march ahead and plan for your new beginning, you have to accept that it is time to let go. Understand that for new things to come forth, all the old have got to go. They need to die. After all, nothing lasts forever. It is all part of the cycle of death and rebirth. Once you take on this spiritual approach toward life itself, it will be easier for you to cope with anything that comes to a sudden end. Thus, when something or someone suddenly leaves you, understand that their karma with you (and your karma with them) is over. Though the sudden void and disappearance may be difficult to accept, try to see it as a deduction of your karmic baggage. At the end of the day, we all came here with a bag full of karmic debt and lessons. Some have more than others, but the aim is to pay off and deduct as much as possible while you’re here. The less stuff you carry in your bag, the easier your journey, and the lighter you will feel, not only in your next cycle but also in your next life (if you believe in reincarnation).
These vibrant, and perhaps life-changing twelve months are also perfect to do a complete personal review and re-evaluation of the past nine years. So, look back, reflect, and evaluate whether you have accomplished the goals you had set for yourself and completed the things you started in your Personal Year 1 (ruled by the Sun) or Personal Year 3 (ruled by Jupiter). Here are some questions that may come up now:
Have I reaped what I’ve sown? Did I launch that blog, vlog, or website I said I would start? Did I eventually make that dream trip I had saved and planned for? Did I complete my education on time and receive my well-earned degree? Did I manage to publish the book I said I would write? Am I finally free from the addiction I struggled with for so many years? Did I move away from my old neighborhood and city I grew up in? Did I find the courage to leave that dead-end job and unfulfilling career? And have I finally found the strength to leave that toxic relationship? Has my mental health improved? Have I paid off all my debts? Are my finances under control? Have I achieved everything I wanted over the past nine years? Can I look back and proudly say that the past nine years were a success? If so, what has been my biggest accomplishment so far?
You might also want to reassess and re-evaluate some of your life choices and ask yourself whether or not you can forgive yourself for the decisions you have made, and perhaps the goals you could not achieve. Here are some further questions to consider:
Have I done things I am not proud of or failed at? If so, what can I do better next time? Do I have any regrets? And if so, what can I do about it? Can I look at myself in the mirror and accept and own my past mistakes? Have I found peace with myself and closure within? Are there any internal struggles I still haven’t dealt with? What lessons or skills have I learned about myself that I can take into the future? Can I proudly say that I have matured? If so, then how? Am I happy, content, and satisfied with everything in my life? If not, then what can I do to change that feeling?
Since this is a time of reconciliation, resolution, and forgiveness; you might want to ask yourself whether any feuds need to be laid to rest and conflicts need to be resolved. Are there any bridges that need to be mended instead of burned? Can you find it in your heart to let go of any long-held grudges? Is it time to end that longstanding battle you have with someone from your past? If the latter is the case, then you might get the chance to reunite with those you are in conflict with, so you can put an end to it all and move on. As such, you may reconnect with, for example, a family member, an old friend, or an ex-colleague and mend that broken relationship.
Once you have done a thorough evaluation of your life’s journey, including your wins and losses, you can identify more easily what is working for you and what is not. A self-analysis and personal assessment of your past, present, and future may also help you decide what or who you want to leave behind and bring with you into your new cycle. So use this precious time wisely to rediscover new things about yourself, reconsider your future goals, tie up loose ends, resolve outstanding matters, and rebuild any burned bridges you’ve had with anyone before forging ahead.
Another way to clear the air and make peace with yourself is by decluttering, cleansing, and detoxing yourself and your environment completely. So, whatever is weighing you down or whoever is limiting your growth can get removed, cleansed, restructured, and detoxified now. This can be in a literal or spiritual sense; from reorganizing your home and office spaces, cleaning out closets, and getting rid of things you no longer need, to committing to a new exercise routine and nutritious diet to help you increase your vitality and restore your energy. It is also a good time to do energetic cleansing rituals or join a spiritual retreat to help cleanse your mind, body, and spirit from toxins and negativity. In case you deal with a long-term condition or chronic disease that has seriously impacted your life and disturbed your peace, you may either find a specialized treatment to help manage your condition or the ultimate cure to help you recover and solve your health problem completely. On a different note, you could change your appearance and have a complete makeover by going under the knife, for either medical or cosmetic reasons. Alternatively, if there is an addictive behavior (e.g. smoking, drugs, unhealthy eating) that has been affecting your overall well-being and controlling your day-to-day (due to your self-undoing), then the Universe may provide you with the opportunity to seek professional help i.e., therapy and deal with it properly. Whatever health-conscious initiatives and detoxification steps you decide to take, may, ultimately, help you change, transform, and renew yourself for the better. Once renewed, you can then move forward with a fresh mind, clear thoughts, new ambitions, and even a healthier physique.
Even though this year may represent a time of mostly completions, achievements, and accomplishments (while trying to establish new aspirations), it is a wonderful period to engage in voluntary work and be of service to your community or the world at large. So, try to give a helping hand to people or animals in need, support a non-profit organization (or start your own), launch a campaign, or run a marathon for a cause you strongly believe in. You could also be more of service to your near and dear ones, whichever way they would need your help. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you choose to support your fellow human being or the environment, as long as your motivations and reasons are selfless and not selfish or self-fulfilling. In other words, offer your help without expecting anything in return. If circumstances allow, then traveling overseas could also be of interest now. You could, for example, make the trip of your dreams to a country you have never been to before, or your employer might suddenly provide you with the opportunity to relocate to an exotic, faraway location. Whatever travel opportunity you may receive, you may find that when you immerse yourself in an entirely new culture and engage with people who are different from you, it can help you broaden your horizons and gain a fresh perspective on things as you move toward a brand new beginning.
A Personal Year 9 is ultimately a time in which you may come full circle while you wrap up an old chapter and prepare for the next. But before you can proceed and start afresh, you will have to face some circumstances and challenging events that may test your ego, your readiness, and your willingness to let go of certain thoughts, emotions, things, situations, ambitions, people, and places your soul has outgrown. And how you will perform in this ultimate test of self-reflection and self-evaluation will, at some level, determine the course of your future life cycles. So whatever you have gone through, whether these were happy or hurtful experiences, know that it was all for your highest good and spiritual evolution; from the people you have met and the places you have seen to the lessons you have learned and the personal growth you have accumulated over the past nine years. Understand that your experiences here on earth are simply part of your path and, at the same time, they have shaped you into the person you have become today. In addition, know that every experience you have had and every new experience you will continue to have in the future also serves as a motivation to help you reach your full potential and become the best version of yourself tomorrow (or whenever your soul is ready for that complete transformation). Or in the words of Shams Tabrizi: *“We are each an unfinished work of art, both waiting and striving to be completed.”
Side Note: The examples mentioned for each Personal Year are merely examples based on my personal experience and observational research, and might not apply to your personal situation entirely. However, if you relate to some events, then they could have happened in a previous cycle already, or you might go through some of them right now. And if you do not relate to any of the events pertaining to your present cycle, then they may have yet to be manifested in the future. It is all possible. But keep in mind that in order to understand your Personal Year, you should know the meaning of the planets in Astrology. Simply because each year is influenced by a certain planet. Once you have a basic understanding of the astrological significations of the planets and their association with the numbers in numerology, it will be easier for you to see how the energies may play out in your own life. In addition, having some self-awareness about your own behavioral pattern can also help you work better with the energies instead of fighting against them.