As you may know, the numerology of dates, such as one’s date of birth or the numbers of a particular year, can be used to correspond to the Tarot. In particular, the Major Arcana (the trumps) of the Tarot reveal certain traits and patterns of life.

Using the generally accepted Western calendar, we know that the year 2003 was the second in a two-year cycle that focused on creating and wielding power. It was the year of The Hierophant -- an archetype whose identity is about tradition, institutions, orthodoxy, and formal educational systems.

Get ready, because the focus on autocracy and power now gives way to relating to others, as well as making big changes and choices. Welcome to 2004: Card VI - The Lovers.

In individual readings, the Lovers card is often exactly what you would assume - relationships, sexual attraction, and creating union with someone. But there are deeper energies when the Lover comes up, energies about how we make the choices that empower relationships in the first place. And, typically, those choices hinge on how we perceive ourselves and our place in the bigger scheme of things.

The Lovers card says that the people we associate with, to whom we give our love, attention, and devotion are a direct reflection of our own self-image. When we are needy, immature, or selfish, we draw people into our lives that feed those attitudes. When we are in balance with our highest, most courageous and loving path, we attract and appreciate others whose lights also shine brightly.

In other words, the healthier and happier we are, the healthier and happier those with whom we choose to be intimate.

So on a global level, the Lovers year will be about making choices that directly reflect our common values, and how we, as a people, see ourselves.

The most obvious choice before us, as a nation, is the election this fall. Who will we choose to represent us? Who reflects most truly what we believe about the identity and soul of the American people?

Naturally, every election year is about making choices. But the Lovers year does not come every 2 or 4 years. In fact, the last time that we had a presidential election in a Lovers year was when Richard Nixon was elected for his first term.

I am old enough to remember how explosive that 1968 election was, and how it deeply divided the American people for many years to come. The results of that choice created enormous political, cultural, and even spiritual upheaval in our national identity.

Similarly, this coming Lovers year points to changes that are going to be deeply tied to our ultimate destiny. The Lovers indicates a moral or ethical crossroads - a decision point where you must choose between the high road or the low road.

The fact that this is a Lovers year, during such a pivotal election in the United States, seems to be a powerful act of synchronicity and an opportunity for enormous good or sorrow. Let Love, not fear, be your guide for choosing wisely.