Entering a Depth Year

The first I heard of the concept of a depth year was from Kelly-Ann Maddox, a witch and peer from the UK. I resonated deeply with the little she said about it, and went on to do more research about its origin and intent. My research deepened that resonance. (I'll link to a couple articles at the bottom of the post.)

What's a depth year?

A depth year is basically about going deep rather than wide; deepening a relationship with what is rather than casting out and adding more.

It could be approached this way: Instead of buying even more books for the to-read pile, you require yourself to read - and perhaps re-read - what you have. No new books until that's been accomplished. (For some, it may mean there are no new book purchases for the entire year, even if they meet that objective.)

It could also be approached this way: Deepening current spiritual practices - whatever they may be - rather than trying, and possibly adding, more. That might mean getting into the nitty-gritty of cartomancy (card reading) and/or astrology instead of trying tasseography (tea reading) and/or numerology. In this instance, it's delving deeper into the practices, and discovering more about them - and ourselves in relationship with them - in the process.

Both of these examples are challenging for me.

I love books. When I see a new book that really appeals (especially if it's heavily discounted), I want to add it to my Kindle so it'll be there when I'm ready to read it. Thing is, I've done this so much that I probably have about two dozen unread books at this point, and another dozen on my wish list.

I both love and am intrigued by spiritual practices. When someone talks about their spiritual practice and what it entails, and they mention something I haven't done or tried, I may feel the urge to cast wide my net and give it a go. At least, that might be my intention. I might gather whatever I need to make that happen, and yet other things take precedence and it ends up as a half-hearted attempt, if at all.

And I can see this sort of behavior throughout my life. Until recent years, I've been one to cast a wide net with relationships (the more the merrier!), with hobbies, with practices... In some ways, it's worked in my favor.

• I know a lot of people (even if I'm not in recent touch with most of them).
• I've tried my hand at a bunch of different crafts and hobbies and interests (some with more success than others).
• I have an understanding (even if only in passing) of a large number of spiritual practices.

To what end, though? How does that serve?

My depth year intents

This isn't a finite list, because I'm still working on additional measures I'll be taking as 2019 grows ever closer. These are the biggest chunks, though, in my estimation.

Here goes. My intents for this depth year include:

Working with the divination cards I've already purchased.

I termed it that way, because there's one deck I purchased about a month ago that won't be here until around February. When it arrives, it will be put into service alongside the other four decks remaining in my collection. (I sold off most of my collection over the course of 2018 because I was only using a handful of them consistently and/or they lost their resonance with me.)

My five working decks, including the one coming in February, are:

1. Light Seer's Tarot by Chris-Anne Donnelly (coming in February)
2. Manifest Being Seen oracle by Chris-Anne Donnelly and Becca Berggren
3. Smith-Waite Tarot, centennial edition
4. Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid and Jena DellaGrottaglia
5. Work Your Light Oracle by Rebecca Campbell and Danielle Noel

During 2019, I will only work with those decks. I won't buy any others, unless I need to replace one of them - like for like - due to damage or loss. This will provide me the opportunity to enter a far deeper and more complex relationship with them, which I anticipate.

Reading books I've already purchased.

Yup. I won't be buying any new books in 2019, even if they're freebies offered up via Prime. Instead, I'll read what I have. And if it happens that I get through all that are waiting to be read before year's end, I can re-read books that either challenged me or I delighted in.

Sticking with current software.

*sigh* That means no new "themes" for my website and sticking with my current email management provider. *sigh* lol

For this tech nerd/geek, this one pinches a little bit. I love trying new software - themes and email management providers included. The thing is...

There's really no true need to change my website theme. It does what I need it to do. And the fact is, I'm not using it to its full potential. So rather than changing themes, I'll get to know the one I'm using a whole lot better.

Unless the company I use for email management goes out of business, they provide me with everything I need to send subscriber emails. I don't need to jump on a new - or new to me - provider just because it's something different (shiny!) to entertain my brain.

Sticking with and deepening existing creative pursuits.

Those creative pursuits include writing, candlemaking, clay-crafting, and painting (oil, acrylic). I may fold in knitting and/or crocheting, which I also enjoy. They're pursuits that are as much pleasurable as purposeful.

For me, 2019 feels as though it will be a very creative year, and I intend to work with that energy structure. I may even revel in it.

There are books to be finished, candles to be made, clay ornaments to be crafted, both canvases and wooden objects to be painted, and mittens to be created. My hands will have plenty to do.

Deepening spiritual practices.

I'm looking at you, meditation, spellcraft and rituals, and seasons and cycles. These five will receive my exclusive focus. I'm curious to see where they will lead me in 2019, and how they will expose themselves in my work and in my personal life.

That's my depth year commitment, in a nutshell.

While there are other aspects, those listed here feel like the most important ones to talk about at this point. It may be that I'll share periodic updates throughout 2019, and bring up other aspects at that time. We'll see.

What are your impressions about this?

Do you need to honor 2019 as a depth year?

These articles may support you to commit to a depth year, or not:

• Go Deeper, Not Wider
• My Depth Year 2018: The Constraints of Deep Focus

Blessings be.