Weekly Forecast: February 6-12

Well, dear readers, in a rare moment of straightforwardness, our reading is telling us that the main themes of the month are making themselves known to us at the beginning of the week. After all, Strength is our tarot card of the month. Let’s enjoy this! Take note of what you’re grappling with - it will be an ongoing project for you in February - as well as the areas you’ve been growing. The latter is actually the crux of our reading: What formerly wild, rejected, or misunderstood side of yourself has been coming into lovely focus as of late? How can you push through the last stages of integration and welcome it into your heart?

I love the progression shown in the cards here - the mythical encounter shown in Strength softening into the everyday, human interaction in the Six of Cups. Strong, seamless transitions between cards often belie a much bigger story, and this week is a pivotal time in our personal journey towards self-compassion. Take a moment to elevate this facet of your life, paying special attention to how the often grinding nature of Strength has been slowing down; what feels natural, gentle, and authentic that once felt like a struggle? I’m thinking here of personality traits or parts of our stories that have felt hard to integrate with our sense or self or larger narrative. How can we thank ourselves for the hard work it takes to welcome in imperfection, difficulty, and misfortune and make something beautiful?

Sharing what you’ve learned and where you’ve been is an important next step in digesting our recent (and ongoing) experience of Strength. Spending time with trusted friends, giving back, and lavishing tenderness on those who’ve been at our side through tough times will be both gratifying and centering. There’s a lot of work to be done (as we’ll see in our next card), but tending to our relationships, hearts, and softer side will be crucial in the beginning and middle of the week.

I’d also like to point out the change in setting as Strength gives way to the Six of Cups. What was once in the wilderness is now safely enclosed in a human space. Look around you and see how you’ve built up emotional safe spaces for yourself, both in your relationship with yourself and with others. Do you need to shore up or maintain any of these “spaces” (think self-care practices, affirmations, boundaries)? This card can also suggest doing a brief audit of your emotional inner-sanctum, being on the lookout for any intruders or relationships/situations that aren’t in your best interest.

While the first half of the week may feel slow, tender, and even sticky at some points, the Knight of Wands arrives on the scene bringing a massive change of pace. It’ll be important to use this energy mindfully; while this card is immensely powerful and energizing, there is a chance that we’ll accidentally walk back on some of our recent progress. Think before you act, make sure your values align with your decisions, and be mindful of stepping on other people’s toes in a fit of passion.

Potential surprise/reframe:

The part of Strength that’s coming through most powerfully to me in this reading is the moment of contact between the main figure’s hand and the lion’s head. It’s as if it’s fading into the exchange happening in the Six of Cups next to it: an older child giving a cup holding a white flower to a younger child. Perhaps there’s a similar moment happening within us this week, as we discover that the fierce lion we’ve been trying to tame is really just a small child looking for a gesture of acceptance.

In this sense, this week isn’t about doing more work (The Knight of Wands), but recognizing and appreciating the work we’ve already done to accept and make peace with ourselves.

This week, embrace:

• Loyalty to yourself: your values, experience, worldview

• Focus on active themes or struggles

• Self-compassion, curiosity

• Intimate relationships

This week, avoid:

• Pretending you’re struggling with yourself more than you actually are (i.e. over-identifying with Strength when you could be transitioning to the Six of Cups)

• Acting rashly and undoing your hard work

• Attacking your own progress

• Rushing in general

Weekly Forecast: June 6-12

We have something very interesting here, friends: the first card from the first monthly forecast is also our first card for the weekly forecast. It’s Page of Swords time! And I think this is telling us that a lot of the main themes we’ll be mulling over this month are present right now at the beginning of the week.

I’m glad to have this page pop up. After recording the monthly reading I spent the next few days collecting insights and ideas about this intrepid card. I was worried I’d neglected to go into some of its more actionable, down-to-earth facets, but here we are with plenty of time and space to explore. Not to mention the reading definitely thinks we have more to learn from this page as well.

When I look at this card I think of questions and the dust they can kick up. What happens when we look at the world around us with the wide eyes of inexperience? When we ask from a genuine place of not knowing and a desire for understanding?

This Page seems to be looking in the direction the wind is blowing. Have they breathed a whole weather system into being just by asking? Questions start with clarity of intention and invite knowledge. The process of thinking for ourselves, however, means that we have to sift through the information that comes our way. When this page finally turns to the right, they’ll face into the clouds. We’ll be experiencing a similar situation this week. We want knowledge, but we must be prepared to navigate some fog, squint and seek and trust as we move towards greater understanding. It’s not simple or clear-cut. We’re going someplace different, we’re learning something new.

The central focus, and the focus of our questions perhaps, is reciprocity and justice. We’re not in the lofty “justice-as-an-archetype” territory of the Justice card itself, however. We’re in the embodied, complicated everyday world of the pentacles. The Six of Pentacles is a card about balance. How do the scales come back into balance after a disruption? What do we do with our time and resources to give and receive help? How do we structure our time to make sure that we are stewards of healthy relationships, both between human beings and nature itself, even the spiritual and material world. Typing this all out makes me glad we have the chutzpah of the Page of Swords in our corner this week. We want to know a lot. We’re asking hard questions. And, I think, these questions are coming (and going to) a really good place.

The pentacles are about there here and now. This is an opportune time to reassess our efforts to foster relational balance and align our actions with justice. Ask yourself what really matters to you - what change can you make? Who is helping you, and who can you help? I’m thinking of this idea of balance held in all the sixes in tarot: a 3 on each side with us in the center. How can we leverage our resources and communities, the ties that keep us held up in life, and extend them to the other side of the scale - those who can benefit from our help.

There’s an opportunity this week to effect some real change. Mind you, it’s in the pentacles - this is about doing something. Anything. Grand statements, epic commitments, complex plans? Not hanging out in this card. If you can think of a small action, do it. Or ask your nearest and dearest what they think you could contribute (or even, what you could all contribute as a collective). Since the Page of Swords is our overarching card for June, these questions won’t be answered right now, nor will the actions we take be reaching a big conclusion. I like this. We may be having a “breadcrumb situation” where each small step leads to another.

And what better card to have leading us along our exploration of the Six of Pentacles than the Knight of Wands? We’re in a position to find a great deal of energy, motivation, and enthusiasm in our search for right relationship, justice, and responsibility. Can this, dare I say, be fun? At the very least, the Knight of Wands shows us all fired up, and like fire, the light we cast through our actions this week will spread their light to all corners of our lives. Be open to new connections, surprising developments and gains. Don’t stray too far, however, as this card can lead to burnout and overzealous behavior. We are, after all, working on balance and reciprocity. Small steps with great enthusiasm will do just as much, if not more than, grandiose gestures and quick-moving plans that stretch us too thin.

This week, embrace:

• Questions, questions, questions

• New perspectives

• Flexibility

• Giving and receiving support

• Following the energy - going with what moves naturally and with ease

This week, avoid:

• Overanalysis

• Dogmatic thinking

• Dissociative behaviors

• Seeking control

Get creative:

• Page of Swords: Bring this card’s energy into everyday conversation. Ask more questions! Be sure these are rooted in your natural curiosity; no snore-inducing small-talk, or blandly safe topics. Treat each person you speak with as someone who holds an important secret to your personal growth and larger understanding of the world. How does this change your experience?

• Six of Pentacles: I’m seeing this card as a link in the human tapestry. Who and what are you connected to right now? Take a piece of paper and divide it into two columns. In the first column write out the people, resources, and experiences that have allowed you to flourish in life. In the second column, expand on how each item on the left could be extended towards others. You may be already doing some of these things - great! How does this list inspire you?

• Knight of Wands: I think this card is best experienced in the body. Find some way you can feel the wind in your face and enjoy the exhilaration of movement. Take a card ride with the windows down, preferably blasting a favorite song. Swing as high as you can, seven-year-old style. Spin in a field of grass until you topple over. That’s it. Just feel the energy of this brave and joyful card.

Weekly Forecast: July 22-28

What do we do with our misfortune?

I'm sure you all have noticed the tarot card ominously occupying the center of our reading this week: The Tower. A tricky one, to be sure, this card hits us over the head with the upsetting inevitability of suffering. Painful things happen in life and no matter how much maneuvering or planning we do, we can't steer around it.

What's intriguing about this reading, however, is the presence of two fiery wands cards on either side. At first, we might think that the rush of the Eight of Wands is leading us straight into a Tower moment, but on the other side we see an empowered and stable Knight of Wands. It's as if the Tower has hardly harmed us. What's going on here?

A facet of the Tower is that its misfortune and pain comes from the outside. We may have a hand at ignoring some signs to alter our course, making for an even harder fall, but often times these moments come completely from the external world.

If we can't escape the Tower, what we do with its presence makes the biggest difference, and this week we have all the daring chutzpah of the wands suit to guide us.

In the coming days we'll be using our verve, ambition, and actions to transform the Tower most active in our lives. Because the Wands are so proactive, I have a feeling that this Tower facet is already known to us. What areas in our live are causing us the most pain? Is there a chapter in our self-narrative that needs an empowering edit? Most importantly, what can we do about it now?

The wands suit reminds us that motion, creativity, and agency work in harmony. We can think, process, and debate all we want, but our enduring legacy is in our actions.

What's more, acting keeps us in the present moment and allows our energy to move freely, preventing stagnancy and frustration. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Tower this week is actually an old phenomenon being called to the surface. Is there something we're growing right now that challenges how we used to think of ourselves? Sometimes the Tower is more than ready to come crashing down, and the energy it releases is a welcome and invigorating surprise.

Look to the wands suit to explore this area further: What bold moves have you been making lately? How might they challenge old structures and roles you've found yourself in?

It appears as if we've been working towards something and now it's just starting to take flight. We can see this in the headlong rush of the Eight of Wands. Far from being manic, this card often appears when things are flowing smoothly because of a great deal of past effort and planning.

The Tower, then, is a bit of a hologram. We're calling up the specter of past limitations just as we near a breakthrough. Pushing through, however, is giving us all the confidence of the Knight of Wands. Healing, it seems, is on the agenda this week, and we can be sure that continuing to make decisions that further our growth will only transform our experience of the Tower and ourselves more quickly.

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Weekly Forecast: April 8-14

Gentleness leading to inspiration.

What a treat to have a slow and healing tarot spread for the week. It seems as if we've been grappling with some especially big issues as of late and The Star is always a welcome figure in times of overwhelm and stress.

That's not to say that this reading is 100% calm and inner-peace. It builds to an energizing crescendo with the Knight of Wands, a card that inspires us to charge into our future with creative zest. A nice mix if there ever was one.

So what do these cards have to tell us? Rest, re-calibration, and re-connecting to the source are of the utmost importance for us in the coming days. The Star is one of those cards that invites us to refocus on ourselves. 

We may have some baggage around the idea. How often are we told that putting ourselves first is selfish? This accusation gets thrown about so frequently that it actually points towards the radical nature of valuing and centering around our own experiences.

What happens when we choose to pursue a balanced life? When our inner experience dictates our outwards actions? When we value our own rhythms, desires, and needs? 

Doing these things, it turns out, allows us to know ourselves better. And when we know ourselves better, we come face to face with our own power, desires, and motivation. It makes us powerful, and that can threaten the status quo.

If we've been feeling creatively stymied lately and stretched too thin, The Star is pointing us inwards to regain our strength and re-orient ourselves to our inner compass. Don't worry if this isn't resoundingly clear. What if we don't know what our inner compass looks like, let alone where it points?

It turns out that none of us do 100% of the time. Never mind the wildness of modern life and other people, our own inner landscape is constantly shifting and changing. The good news? It's ours to explore and value.

This week we're being encouraged to take space for ourselves, lavish our own feelings, thoughts, and desires with attention, curiosity, and care. A key component of this card is detaching from outcome: plans, productivity, goals, ideas of what is and what isn't. Immersing ourselves in self-care in however that manifests for each of us is inviting in a special kind of knowledge.

See that cute, odd bird perched on the tree behind the central figure in The Star? This delightful creature represents knowledge. While we're focused on connecting to our source, dipping our toes into the healing pool of our intuition while being sure to feed back into it, the breakthrough and information we've been seeking with so much effort is naturally fluttering into focus. 

Let yourself step back from the pressure of seeking and create space in your life. You can give yourself the gift of time and attention, even if it's in small bites, and doing so is actually far more effective in gaining clarity than muscling your way though it all with forceful diligence. 

Paying attention to the little things is reigniting our creative sparks. It starts out as a slow burn with the Two of Wands as we begin to dream about changes, adventures, and new possibilities. Doing our Star work, however, is allowing us to rejuvenate and feel empowered, zesty, and capable. 

Soon enough, what seemed impossible, out of reach, or ill-defined, comes into blaring focus. It's the swashbuckling Knight of Wands entering into the picture! With him comes ambition, energy, and focus, though we'd be wise to make sure that it's all in service of The Star. Otherwise we'll burn out and run straight into the same patterns we were experiencing before.

This week is a time to take a deep breath, center around yourself, and feel encouraged to block out all the rest. Know that doing so is valuing your energy and experience, not being selfish or cruel. When we act from our true sense of self we're able to bring our best into every situation, relationship, and venture. Now that's truly and genuinely inspiring. 

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Exploring the Minor Arcana: The Knights

In this series we'll be diving into the world of the Minor Arcana. Each segment will group the cards by number where we can engage in their themes and differences. For all the posts in the installment, click here.

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I have such a soft spot for the Knights in tarot. They have so much verve and energy! These are not a group of cards interested in concepts or abstractions. They want to get down and dirty, engaging with life in the hands-on, adventuresome style of someone on a mission. While the Pages are eager students, the Knights might be someone who lists "School of Life and Hard Knocks" on their facebook education section. They want to learn by doing and they're already diving into the task at hand.

I often refer to the Knights as the teenagers in tarot. They have the same headstrong conviction and, like any rebellious youth, this attitude is also masking an endearing tenderness. Not fully formed as people, the Knights still have a lot to figure out, which is why these cards can also represent foolhardiness, irrational decision making, and risk-taking.

While the Knights can get themselves in a pickle by jumping the gun - saying something in anger or frustration, committing to a task they can't finish, or living in an idealized fantasy world - they also bring an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm to any situation. Look to the Knights for the galvanizing force behind a big leap or the passion needed to get things going and inspire others. 

Each of the Knights comes with their own unique flavor. Let's explore their wild, engaging, and impetuous world below:

The  Knight of Wands is quite the handful. Just think about the combination of teenage energy + fiery wands! This card might possibly be the most charismatic of the deck. It brings with it passion, energy, and the desire to leap in and get things done.

For the Knight of Swords is much more cerebral. This is a card where the conceptual and the real come together for the Knight of Swords is all about testing out ideas. What might this theory look like in real life? How can we act on our principles or communicate our thoughts? This can sometimes get tricky since sharp swords are in the situation, but the intention is usually well-meaning.

The Knight of Cups is the romantic of the bunch. Think of the emo guy writing poetry in the back of class. This Knight has a way with words and imagery, loves art and poetry, and will sweep anyone off their feet with romantic promises. When it comes to real life, however, this card balks at anything less than glamorous and perfect and can become sullen and withdrawn.

Last but not least, The Knight of Pentacles brings the energy of the Knights back down to earth. The most practical of the bunch, this card is all about slow, deliberate, action. Concerned with cultivation and making plans into reality, this card can get stuck in their ways and become resistant to change. Is the path they're going on what they really want?

What about you? How do the Knights show up in your tarot practice? How do you relate to them personally? Share in the comments below, and be sure to do something bold and adventurous today in celebration of these zesty cards.

Explore In-Depth Minor Arcana Meanings

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Weekly Forecast: August 27-September 2

The Knight of Wands is a charming character. Like all knights, they carry with them a sense of adventure, but this one in particular has the passionate zest of the wands behind them: their ideas are energizing, their enthusiasm is irresistibly contagious, and they promise change and distraction from the ordinary. 

Is there a catch to all this flashy brilliance? Why yes, there is, and this week we're seeing this card enacting both sides of its nature. First comes the alluring invitation to adventure. Knights represent youthful energy, and it's not the guileless innocence of early childhood. Instead, these cards are willful, idealistic, and impulsive. 

We might experience this card as a sense of restlessness, spiritual itchiness, or dissatisfaction in our lives. Wands are the suit of fire, so we can be sure that we're looking for quick fixes and immediate solutions that have an air of romance about them. We're finding ourselves entranced by ideas of escape from the ordinary like quitting our day jobs to travel the world or abandoning a project that's gotten difficult to take up a new opportunity. This could also show up in our love lives as we start to look at our partners, new or established, with a critical eye. The overarching message? We feel edgy so we should do something about it now!

Not so fast. While the Knight of Wands' message might be galvanizing, it runs the risk of fizzling out when put into action. In other words, we're using a new venture to run away from something that's already working for us. Maybe the reality of the situation feels boring, or we feel hemmed in by the commitment. Starting something new is the perfect way to distance ourselves, but we might be side-stepping what we really want and need.

The Two of Wands illustrates the escape fantasies that can come with boredom or over-familiarity. Looking at the card we can see that the main figure is living a life filled with riches. They're caressing lush feathers while standing on a castle parapet wearing luxurious finery, for goodness sake! Then why are they staring wistfully off into the horizon?

This card is a cheeky reminder that our fantasies are just fantasies. Instead of propelling us out of a tricky situation they're cheating us out of enjoying what we have. Are we growing bored with our fancy clothes, the beautiful castle we've built for ourselves, and the relationships that take place within its walls? 

And the bigger question beneath all this is, what feelings, desires, or wishes are we avoiding with all these plans and daydreams? 

The Queen of Cups is a reassuring and insightful card to end with and it shows us how we're actually sitting on top of a huge well of intuitive knowledge. We know, in our heart of hearts, that the situation isn't calling for wandsy action. Instead, this is a time to step back into our personal inner sanctum, that quiet space where we consult ourselves and then listen quietly for our own response.

Because we're not at a Knight's phase in this moment. And we don't want to initiate distracting change and get lost in new ventures. We're actually well on the way of a slower journey. We know ourselves better, and can identify, accept, and lovingly re-direct our anxious, eager reactions. The Queen of Cups shows us that underneath it all, we know where we're going, and our sense of direction is based on an indescribable knowing. We're feeling our way forward, not rationalizing or justifying it to anyone. 

Clarity is coming our way towards the end of the week, so all we need to do is recognize our eager, impatient Knight of Wands selves while making space for the insight of the Queen of Cups. And while we're at it, we can enjoy the wonders of our actual lives, returning the romance and value to what we've worked so hard to cultivate. There' so much to enjoy and treasure. 
 

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Weekly Forecast: August 13-19

How nice is it to hear that taking a bit of a reckless chance will pay off richly? This certainly isn't a message that comes out frequently, but leave it to the action-packed suit of wands to lead the way this week. We're certainly feeling all fired-up and ready to make moves. Fortunately, our sense of readiness is justified. The time to act is now.

Because we're dealing with wands, this is likely in an area of our lives that requires creativity. So often we disqualify ourselves from the term, thinking that creativity only refers to artistic pursuits. I can't tell you how many people come in for readings and balk at this side of the wands."I'm not a creative person," they say.  And yet how can we be human and not be creative? 

Just look at the Knight of Wands. What better card to represent our need to think on the fly? Each day we have to navigate a sea of choices and options and this requires us to, yes, think creatively. We must pivot on the spot, cobble together solutions, and follow our instincts. I don't say this to take away the glamor of creativity, but to add a sense of excitement and respect for all the things we're required to do. Even the mundane can be given that shininess with a simple shift in thinking.

That being said, we're past the point of thinking this week. Whether we're being creative in an artistic or more general sense, it's not a time to deliberate or agonize. That will only make us feel restless and hemmed in. Knights bring with them an influx of energy and purpose. Of course, this can be hot-headed and foolhardy, so it's a good idea to look before we leap to make sure we're not going to step on any toes. In this reading, however, that threat is small because we have the Three of Wands as our central card. 

This card is telling us that we've laid the groundwork for our plan, giving the ambitious Knight in us a well-thought-out path to ride. If anything, we may have to make sure we're starting out on that path in the first place. The Knight of Wands is facing to the left, away from the Three of Wands. Are we being led astray by another enticing project instead of moving towards a more long-held goal? In that case all we have to do is reign in our horse and get back on track. Once we do this we'll find our passion and motivation unchanged. When we work with the enthusiasm of the Knights, giving them structure and direction, we can get so much done.

The Nine of Cups is a welcome addition to this array. Too much fire can burn things to a crisp. Our creative plan, however, isn't just action for action's sake. We're also seeking connection and community through our work. What we do is creating links with others and providing us with the means to give back to our communities. Taking moments to reach out, share our joy and plans, and provide ideas and advice to others is leading to a deep sense of satisfaction. 

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Weekly Forecast: Dec 19-25

Cards from The Circo Tarot

This week has us considering new plans and straddling the line between precise thinking and enthusiastic go-getting.

We start our reading with The Fool, a delightfully optimistic character who represents new journeys and experiences. We’re about to to embrace change and set off in a direction that is full of unknown possibilities. All we need to do is stay balanced and remain in the moment. As we can see, if The Fool becomes distracted he runs the risk of falling off his tightrope. Fortunately, over-seriousness is not the answer here.

The key here is to remember that balance is a process and not an end goal you can achieve. Furthermore, it's something that requires constant motion, adjustment, and concentration. See how the Fool is about to place his second foot onto the tightrope? He’s about to embark on a journey with lots of wiggling, shaking, and correcting if he intends to remain on the rope. It doesn't always look dignified, but it can be a lot of fun if you stay focused and keep moving forward.

In fact, The Fool seems pretty enthused about it all. He's grinning and holding a sprouting staff over his head. Optimistic? Yes. Foolhardy? Quite possibly. Yet looking closer we see the ground is not so far away. The chances we’re about to take will yield maximum joy with minimal danger. There’s just enough of the unknown to make it exhilarating and worthwhile. If we’re not a bit scared moving forward, we may not be moving anywhere worth going, and certainly not somewhere all that new.

Here, tension is a good thing. Without it, the rope would fall to the ground in a jumbled mess. Sometimes our paths need the pull between two poles (or several) to become something we can walk on. And who said a little suspense was a bad thing? Certainly not this gleeful Fool. He knows and trusts the rope beneath him, despite (or because of) the fact that he doesn’t know so much about it.

Our other two cards are placed at either ends of the rope when we look at the spread as a whole. To our left is the Page of Knives, a young green man who is staring at us, the viewer, blankly. He’s dry, focused, and intellectual. As a page, he represents a new fixation or preoccupation. We’re becoming familiar with a new skill, honing our vision, and using a laser-like focus to come to a conclusion. We’re not there yet. We’ve yet to throw the knife at the target, and we may even miss it several times. We need practice, but we’re getting somewhere and we have plenty of motivation to move us along the way.

On the left is a delightful salamander with a red-plumed helmet: The Knight of Wands. He’s all about slithering full-speed ahead towards his goal with a focus on action, accomplishment, and movement. A salamander go-getter if you will. He is passionate, rowdy, and confident… maybe even a little bit conceited, though you could never say he doesn’t get things done.

We’re clearly at a moment where our urge to act is coming into conflict with our newer desire to plan, practice, and think things out. Our old M.O. was to jump right in and figure out the details later. Instead, a newer part of ourselves in showing up, urging for some thought consideration. Confusing! Especially considering how underdeveloped this new way of thinking is.

Rather than pit these urges against each other, this reading suggests that we’re proceeding as we should. It is quite advisable to look before you leap, just as it is important to actually do something with the ideas in your head. It’s all about finding a balance between the two. So welcome the uncertainty and make room for a push and pull. Respect both the urge to plan and the urge to act. Consult both, and you’ll find yourself moving along in an exciting new direction.

And though there’s not much certainty with regards to outcome, there is an overwhelming focus in these cards to embrace and take joy in a sense of fun and exploration. Being too measured and “adult” in this situation will stifle your creativity and take up the valuable room needed for growth.

Having The Fool, a quintessential card representing new journeys and a childlike sense of wonder, sandwiched by a Page and a Knight, the youngest of court cards, is as close to a green-light for excitement and enthusiasm as I can imagine. So don’t tamp down your passions here. Focus on putting one foot in front of the other, make room for all the wiggling and adjustment it takes to maintain balance, and don’t forget to look up at the sun and enjoy. 

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Have a question you'd like to explore?

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Tarot for Self-Care: Knight of Wands

When I drew the Knight of Wands for this series, the first thing that came to mind was my immune system.

Maybe it’s the cold, the shortening days, or the specter of a nasty cold threatening me during a busy time of the year, but health is on my mind.

I don’t want to get sick (who does) and this virile knight charging full steam ahead is exactly how I want my body to attack any illness.

The Knight of Wands is a card that doesn’t wait. Of course, the Knights have somewhat of a reputation for being the hotheaded teenagers of the tarot deck. Subtlety and deliberation are not their strong suits. And when you pair this with the fiery nature of wands? You’d best watch out and get out of the way.

But there are situations when jumping in headfirst is a good course of action. The Knight of Wands is a good card to emulate when your fiery passion is channeled in the right direction and when you need to be proactive.

So how do we encourage our bodies to embrace this energy during cold season? I would like to introduce you to my new obsession, Fire Cider.

Fire cider is a folk remedy that warms and stimulates the immune system. Packed with herbs and spices to get your circulation and digestion moving, it also happens to taste delicious. And I’m quite pleased that the name reflects the element of the wands suit.

Below you’ll find my personal recipe. I just finished steeping my batch and have been sipping on it religiously. I like a few teaspoons mixed into a mug of hot water. Don’t hesitate to add a little more if you like it spicy!

I certainly feel more vigorous and fiery after drinking some. And I haven’t gotten sick yet… knock on wood.

Knight of Wands' Fire Cider

Note: This recipe is meant to be very flexible, so customize away. Feel free to add or substitute herbs and spices (make sure they’re safe for consumption first, of course.) I suggest thyme, rosemary, fresh grated horseradish, lemon zest and juice, and rosehips. Get zany and go wild.

Materials

               1 16 oz. Mason Jar

Ingredients

The spice must flow

               Apple Cider Vinegar

               1 inch piece Ginger, grated

               3 cloves Garlic, minced

               ½ Onion, minced

               4 points Star Anise

               4 Cloves

               5 Cardamom Pods

               4 Dried Chiles

The beautiful mess before steeping

               1 tsp Peppercorns

               1 tsp ground Turmeric

               ½ tsp Cinnamon (or use a stick if you have one)

               ½ tsp Cayenne

               Raw Honey

Instructions

Add onion, ginger, garlic, and spices in your mason jar. Fill with apple cider vinegar. Close and let steep on a sunny windowsill for at least 2 weeks. (I recommend sticking a piece of wax or parchment paper in between the jar and lid to prevent corrosion.)

Shake daily and watch everything float around inside just because it’s mesmerizing. Once it's steeped enough, strain out solids and add honey to taste. You’ll need quite a bit – it’s spicy and sour on its own. And remember you won’t be chugging it straight (unless you want to feel like a badass and like heartburn.)

To serve, spoon a few teaspoons into a cup and add hot water for a warming tonic. Or sip a few teaspoons straight. You can also use the solids in stir-fries if you’re feeling resourceful. It’s delicious.