In many respects, the 1 Personal Year and 7 Essence duality is one of the most harmonious and balanced cycle combinations. If you noticed their many differences while reading your Essence and Personal Year chapters, this might seem surprising. Fortunately, the main benefit of this combination stems from their differences and the way they complement one another.

Your 1 Personal Year delivers an ambitious, highly charged cycle that affects your surroundings and the events and circumstances you will encounter. Your Essence affects your state of mind, your attitude, and the way you deal with the events that come your way. A 7 in this position lends a sharper mind, increased awareness, and the ability to see beyond the obvious. It also has an intuitive intelligence that will be crucial during this period when being decisive is even more important than usual.

Your 1 Year will deliver new beginnings and opportunities (some that will have a long-term impact, as you are at the beginning of a new nine-year cycle). The 7, with its sharp and uncluttered state of mind, should help dissipate any persistent doubts you may harbor, allowing your self-confidence to grow.

Although you may still be reeling from last year's changes, you should notice your courage and confidence increasing in the early months of this cycle. A 1 Year tends to be inspiring and energizing. Although the personal transformation in process last year may continue, the biggest struggles should be behind you.

Challenges follow this combination as well. The concern lies in its potential for laziness and self-denial. The 1 and 7 can have a negative effect on people who lack the stamina necessary to live up to its demands. This laziness is mental or spiritual rather than physical. Both cycles require their own type of effort and courage - one on the practical, material level, and the other in the intangible realm of self-examination and personal growth.

Take time for self-reflection; make room for daydreaming. Be sure you have quiet time, but don't waste all of it on entertainment -- go inside, find out what makes you tick. Examination, contemplation, and insight are key for determining the direction you will take at the beginning of this nine-year cycle.