Weekly Forecast: August 22-28

Heartache is back on the menu this week, but it’s not an unfamiliar dish. We’re still dealing with the tenderness that came to the surface two weeks ago when the Three of Swords was our central card. Now, however, it’s leading us into the week. We’ve been striding side by side with our tender hearts, getting to know each other. What challenging feelings have been accompanying you lately, and how much more friendly can you be to yourself now that you’ve had some time to better understand what you’re going through?

This is a week to give your heart what it needs. It’s not for nothing that the pain in our first cards comes from three swords stuck in a robust red heart. In tarot, swords deal with the mind; let’s not use our thoughts to twist the swords lodged in our hearts. Self-criticism, beating up on yourself because there’s nothing else you can do to escape challenging situations - all of this will only prolong our suffering. It brings to mind picking at a scab, whether out of anxiety, discomfort, or boredom. Ultimately, we re-open the wound, and let the painful cycle repeat itself.

It’s worth considering if there’s some ritualized act going on. Are you using your swords-like capacities - reasoning, logic, argument - to re-open your wounds? Do you feel more comfortable arguing with your feelings than actually experiencing them? (And)/or are you hiding a fear of what would happen if you let these wounds heal? What would happen then?

Well, this reading has a lovely alternate path for us to take. The Six of Cups shows a place of sanctuary and the healing that can happen when we step away from the piercing questions of the swords and into the replenishing waters of the cups. This is a deeply intimate and personal card that calls on themes of innocence, nostaligia, and childhood. Spend as much time as you can reconnecting with what brings you pure, unadulterated joy or deep relaxation. You may find inspiration in your childhood interests - look for gestures, rituals, and activities that remove you from the sharp thoughts circulating in your mind, gently placing you in a softer, calmer state. In true cups fashion, these will involve themes of beauty, poetry, love, and emotion.

So while this isn’t a resounding “yes!” of a reading, it is, in my opinion, quite meaningful and encouraging. We’ve been doing the hard work of staying with our hearts, even when they’re aching. Even if it hasn’t felt like we’ve made the progress we imagined, it may be because we’re seeking a solution to a problem that isn’t even a problem to begin with. Having a beating heart means it will be hurt eventually, and how else would we remember the preciousness of being alive?

It will be important to make room for rest in the beginning of the week, as things shift notably from internal witnessing and healing to the very busy, externally-oriented Seven of Wands. This card could go two ways, and it definitely shows us that we’ll have some finessing to do if we want to avoid angsty burnout or needless conflict.

Taken mindfully, this card shows an increase in energy and willpower - healing in service of growth through action - that will have us wrestling with our lives in real-time. Challenging? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

If we rush through the Three of Swords and Six of Cups, however, or try to avoid their messages, we may find ourselves wanting to vent our frustrations on those around us, creating unnecessary drama and conflict as a means of distraction. Be on the lookout for irritation, judgmental thoughts, and the urge to push through your own agenda. The next stage will require some force and initiative, but it should be the kind that gives you a rush of enthusiasm and focus, not angst or resentment.

This week, embrace:

• Taking time to rest

• Self-compassion, being with your suffering

• Getting in touch with your senses

• Pastimes, places, and people that make you feel safe and connected to your true self

• Re-entering a challenge with focus and humility

This week, avoid:

• Rumination, self-criticism, spinning stories to fill the void

• Illusions of control

• Fast-forwarding subtle or difficult growth

• Venting your frustrations on others

• Workaholism

Get creative:

• Three of Swords: This week we’re focused more on the swords in our hearts. What are they, specifically? Take some time to identify the top three ways you’ve been using your mind to (re)injure yourself in moments of vulnerability, sadness, or suffering. Just practice awareness of these when they pop up, nothing more.

• Six of Cups: One facet of this card we didn’t touch on is space. Here, we have an interior courtyard, a place that’s both open and protected. Choose a space in your life this week, real or imagined/mental, to which you can retreat when you feel overwhelmed by the stormy emotions of the three of swords. Don’t skimp on creature comforts - this is a week where every little bit of coziness counts, and it’s actually combatting the harmful jabs and barbs of the Three of Swords. You may want to invite a trusted friend or family member to join you there and share in both the burden and bounty of your emotional experience.

• Seven of Wands: Well isn’t this an angsty character? There’s something about this card that reminds me of a training montage. That moment in a movie when our hero has to undergo a grueling regimen of exercises and challenges to build endurance, preferably set to a blaring pump-up jam. It may help to imagine yourself in a similar heroic situation when important constructive challenges arise. Channel your bristling energy, embrace that it’ll be difficult, and revel in the strength you’ll be building.

Weekly Forecast: August 8-14

Where do we hold our grief? At the surface, a tender heart beating in plain sight, or hidden away behind layers of our choosing: busyness, identity, stories we tell ourselves and others? This week represents a parting of the curtains, one that reveals a surprising path forwards, but also the heart of our suffering. Whether you’ve been grappling with a known grief or have one that’s bubbling up from your past, this is a time to gain new insight while allowing yourself to be transported to a new and refreshing vantage point.

What’s most interesting about this reading is that it features two of the most visually simple cards in the deck. Both the Eight of Wands and Three of Swords have no human figures in them. Instead, like the Marseilles tarot and playing cards, they feature the symbols of their suit. Eight wands fly in unison towards the ground. Three swords pierce a big red heart. As much as these images are clear (and, in the case of the Three of Swords, upsetting) they also embody a helpful simplicity. This is what we’re dealing with right now. How should we approach it?

I’ve been thinking a lot about healing lately and the assumption in our culture that it’s a linear process, a job of sorts that we have to complete before taking on anything else. Our cards for the week completely scramble this idea. Instead, we have action and growth leading us through healing. Action, in other words, is part of the process. This week, t’s not in our best interest to wait around, languishing, until we’re suddenly “better” or cured of difficult emotions. They may come up, but they may also be surprisingly de-fanged in a context where we welcome them with space and acceptance.

So while grief and pain do factor into this week, growth and motion are happening every way we look. Just look at The Eight of Wands! This card tells us we’re in a time of plans and work coming together with glorious effectiveness. Launch into action, release your arrows, and let the immediacy of getting things done carry you forward. Embrace clarity and decisiveness - this card will touch many areas of our lives and is one worth enjoying. We can trust that any ease, bravery, or conviction comes from lots of planning and practice, so don’t hold yourself back and follow through with both old plans and new. Pivoting, adjusting, and making intuitive decisions (often in the heat of the moment) are all supported by this card.

What if this season of change, coming-together, and refreshing action leads us smack into a puddle of grief? These cards invite us to welcome the experience not as a diversion or mistake, but as a sign that true healing is happening. Growth and healing are holding hands and running side by side, not standing in line next to each other and waiting. Are we pushing up against sharp edges from our past? Bumping into new hardship? This big, obvious heart tells us that we need to go through, not around, our hard feelings. Sure, the skies are blue in the eight of wands, and then grey in the three of swords, but they quickly turn blue again in our final card, the Page of Swords. This character gives us a way and an inspiration for better understanding the root of our suffering. Stepping into this page’s shoes of curiosity, analytic power, and open-mindedness will help part the storm clouds of emotion and give us a sharpened perspective.

Ways that The Eight of Wands could manifest this week:

• Things finally coming together leading to fear of success, overwhelm, feeling unprepared

• Seeing yourself moving on from old grief unexpectedly, wanting to remain tied to it out of a sense of loyalty

• Decisiveness and clarity you struggle to reconcile with your idea of yourself and what your life could be like

An important part of the Three of Swords is that it is the only illustration of rain in the tarot. We see lots of sprouting fields, resplendent gardens, and lush landscapes, but where is the rain to feed all of this growth? It’s here in the Three of Swords, perhaps one of the most unlikely cards to find sustenance and abundance hiding. How can you see your grief, suffering, and other challenging emotions as sources of growth? The water that feeds and fuels what’s growing in your life? The mental acuity of the Page of Swords suggests that we’re more than ready to see with clear eyes and not get swept away by our emotions. It’s possible, we’re ready, and we can walk through the Three of Swords, feeling our feelings, and letting them be transformed into nourishing rain.

this week, embrace:

• Motion & movement

• Following through on plans

• Productivity and checking off to-do list items

• Experiencing your feelings freely and without judgment

• Taking a new perspective when looking at old problems or struggles

This week, avoid:

• Running from difficult emotions

• Self-defeating stories when experiencing said emotions

• Turning back or giving up

• Having to be right/sticking to old stories just to avoid being “wrong”

Get creative:

• Eight of Wands: This is such a kinetic card that I want us to avoid overanalyzing it. So, either just keep it in mind as a token on inspiration that reminds you to trust your energy, stay in the moment, and learn by doing, or make some time to experiment with a practice that brings you to the state of flow embodied in this card. I’m thinking automatic writing, dancing, and improvisation of any kind.

• Three of Swords: I should have been more explicit up top: I love this card. Maybe it’s because one of my number one hobbies as a teen was listening to Elliott Smith and crying, but I think it’s also because there’s something beautiful about being in a place where you have to express your emotions and can truly experience both the bitter and the sweet simultaneously. So, for this week, I highly encourage you to dig up some old tried and true crying jams and let the tears flow. Or, if that’s too raw (which I completely understand), go back and remember what was happening when those songs cut right through to the center of you. There’s a facet of this card that deals with old/ancestral/primary wounds - do some exploring here and see what wisdom they might have to share with your present self.

• Page of Swords: Is this card the nerdiest in all of tarot? I think so… Gift yourself some time this week to get curious and research something interesting. It may be tied to the topics brought up in the Three of Swords and Eight of Wands, too. Is there some new source of information or knowledge that can help you cut through issues that once felt intractable? Remember, though, you’re the one wielding the sword and choosing which ones to pick up in the first place. If anything doesn’t feel right, leave it where it is and move on. Ideas that are meant to shape our story should give us new life and inspiring clarity.

Weekly Forecast: September 9-15

We have a mixed forecast for this week, dear friends. There's the heartbreak of the Three of Swords and the emotional indecision of the Seven of Cups. If this were the weather, I'd say we have clouds mixed with thunderstorms on the horizon. Fortunately, however, we have the determined energy of the King of Wands leading us through.

So what does this card instruct us to focus on? In a way, the Three of Swords and Seven of Cups show us the complex combinations of thoughts and emotions that make life both challenging and interesting.

What do we do when the going gets tough? The King of Wands couldn't be a more empowering archetype. We are prepared to handle this and then some. We've outgrown our tendency to get swamped by turmoil and challenge; that doesn't mean, however, that it'll be easy.

I feel like the King of Wands is starting our reading for a reason. As we launch into the week it's important to have a nice heart-to-heart with ourselves, particularly our ambitious and willful side. The King of Wands is a character who knows what they want and relishes the opportunity to flex their muscles and fight for it. Not in an exhausting way, but in a way that reflects their worldview - think of the thrill of the hunt or the satisfaction of completing a tough workout.

Some helpful King of Wands questions to consider: What am I working for right now? What strengths and accomplishments tell me that I can surmount these challenges easily? Think of yourself as an intrepid adventurer (perhaps one who was so dashing and daring they became a King) - why would you expect challenge to derail you when you've done so much to work with, through and around it?

Sometimes this is a wonderul opportunity to retell your story. Be as big and bold as the King of Wands. Spin a yarn, one where you're the protagonist. A little ego here is a good thing - same goes for faith in your abilities and vision.

Why am I doubling down so hard on the heroic, jazzy King of Wands? Because the other energies this week are murky and difficult. Some old wounds are getting kicked up with the Three of Swords and it's making us question our path, decisions, and abilities.

There are, however, lots of options. Ending on the Seven of Cups shows us mulling them over, wondering what to do next, which is why I'm endorsing the King of Wands so thoroughly. Has the challenge of the Three of Swords really shook things up so much that our plans have been pushed to the side? I sure hope not.

Use this energy this week to rally around yourself and prioritize your goals. The King of Wands is more than strong enough to commit to this vision no matter the stickiness that arises. Let's make the delibration of the Seven of Cups a temporary pause, not a halt to the bold path we're charting for ourselves.

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Weekly Forecast: July 15-21

What does it mean to give ourselves the space we need to heal?

We often think of isolation or solitude when it comes to nursing our emotional wounds. Indeed, this approach can be helpful. In seeking to retreat from the confusion of the outside world we can better see what needs care and attention.

But isolation and stagnation can quickly spring from this approach when it's taken too far, which is why we have Temperance in the center of our reading. This week, it seems, we're processing some painful experiences through the Three of Swords. Instead of retreating, however, we're being invited to usher in the freeing energy of the Four of Wands.

Sometimes the Three of Swords can bring up feelings of fear: What if we're walking towards needless pain and suffering? I've found, however, that this card usually refers to past wounds being awakened through present experiences. A hand brushing against a bruised area.

With Temperance at the center we have a particularly empowering stance. How can we use our adult wisdom to channel the initial discomfort of the Three of Swords into something else?

There's a fascinating interplay here - difficulty inspiring motion. It's not the tired idea of having to suffer for art, or struggle equaling value. Rather, we're being asked to take our challenges and old wounds and move with them, seeing if they have anything else to say.

Which brings us to the Four of Wands. In tarot, these cards speak to structure, but the Four of Wands has a very iconoclastic take on the concept. It is, you might say, minimal: What is the minimal amount of guidance and stability we need to flourish?

In the Four of Wands we see creativity, joyful expression, experimentation, and community. How can we balance and blend this with the energies of the Three of Swords?

Some things that come to mind: Breaking out of our exclusively solitary mode of healing, bringing insouciant energy to old limiting ideas, making art from past traumas, going to the gym after a good crying session.. I think you get the point.

With Temperance in the center we're in an excellent position to play with all of these techniques and then some. Choosing to peer into the intersection of creativity and struggle will be quite rewarding. And it might uncover a far more uplifting facet to our already familiar struggles.

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Weekly Forecast: May 27-June 2

We have a clear and beautiful reading for our week ahead, though I'm sure many of us are feeling apprehensive with the Three of Swords as our final card. 

A wise tarot reader practice is to always start with the most difficult card. Our attention is there already, and skirting around it only builds tension. Not to mention we're unlikely to pay attention to what comes before when we wait for the dreaded shoe to drop.

So I'll start with the Three of Swords first, though in this case the sadness it represents isn't dropping in a harsh or dramatic fashion. We have some cushioning here, most notably in all the hard work we've done to show up for ourselves. It's our job this week to muster all our care, curiosity, and protective force on our own behalf when difficult emotions arise. 

It's an ideal situation: giving ourselves the respite we need when things get hard. And what wisdom can we gain when we let our upsetting Three of Swords moments get solace from our brilliance and nurturing?

Now, onto this bold card. Many can guess what it means, but this enigmatic and punchy illustration has a lot of nuance. So, for those of you reading who aren't in the grips of an emotional crisis, fear not. Like the clouds pouring rain in the background, the feelings represented in the Three of Swords have all the varying intensity of weather. It rains, it pours, and sometimes it just sprinkles. 

There's also an interesting facet of this card in that sometimes the smallest slight or misfortune can awaken huge recesses of doubt, grief, or confusion. One sword can feel like three piercing your heart and the storm seems endless. Seeing these moments for what they are can curtail a sense of panic and fear. Sometimes we need to let it all out, and a small moment gives us that opportunity. 

Whether we're dealing with a minor emotional storm, a moment of upset, or a deeper struggle, we have incredibly good company  this week. The Queen of Pentacles is holding down the center of this reading and, like her, we're being encouraged to hold space for ourselves and all our emotions with the dedication and dignity of a true ruler.

As a Queen in tarot, she's not interested in ruling over. I think of these characters as stewards - noble caretakers familiar with and respectful of all aspects of their terrain. So what happens when things get stormy? What does it mean to be the protector, expert, and loving steward of our emotional self? We draw in our resources, care for ourselves with all our patience and love, and know that it will pass.

It's a wonderful match for the restless, analytical energy of the Swords. This Queen instructs us to ground ourselves in daily life, making room for our "negative" or challenging emotions within these stable structures. We must stick by our routines, continue our meditation practices, make ourselves healthy and nourishing meals, even if we don't feel good or up to the task. We can also give ourselves space, gathering our resources around us to gain strength. We do these things for a reason and, like this Queen, part of us knows that the saving grace is in the little things.

Speaking of which, this reading isn't all about sticking steadfastly to routine in the face of spiky emotions. What's a Queen without a crown or a flowing set of robes? Similarly, we might want to try to interject some splendor and majesty into these daily rituals. Feather our nest, care for our bodies in a decadent way. Doing these things can show us how much we value ourselves, a self-coronation of sorts, and doing this when we feel down is especially moving and powerful. 

Because we're not flailing in the wind here. The Four of Wands that started this reading off shows us getting back to the basics. No the basic ideas of the swords or the basic physical needs of the pentacles, but the basic actions of the wands. Sometimes uncovering what's essential to us - what we must do to fulfill ourselves - kicks up some existential panic. Cue the Three of Swords. Yet in this case we're prepared, loving, and ready to step in and give ourselves what we need. 

This week is a time to do as the Queen of Pentacles would do: Be a steward to your tough emotions, create as cozy and supportive a home for your feelings as you can, and get back to the basics of what you truly need to feel alive and your true self. 

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Weekly Forecast: November 5-11

Why is it that we often choose to highlight our struggles instead of our happiness? This week's reading challenges our assumption that the most difficult things deserve the most attention. What can happen when we take abundance seriously?

As a young teenager filled with angst, I spent a lot of time listening to Elliott Smith and crying with theatrical intensity. Of course, I was having a hard time navigating the formidable wilderness of high school, but I was also finding comforting stasis in my sadness (just ask my livejournal!) 

I built up a wonderful and well-tended myth around the difficulties in my life and used them as a shield. Of course my life was meaningful and important - just look at how hard I was struggling! But I was also relatively cozy and had a lot of wonderful things occurring at the same time. Rather than give those attention I tended to my angst with the diligence of a master gardener. And, as one would expect, it flourished while the rest of my life stayed the same.

This week we're being asked to lift our heads from the difficult or frustrating and do the more challenging work of nurturing and highlighting our abundant joy and success. Having these cards back to back - the intense Three of Swords with the celebratory Three of Cups - suggests that we've been trained to see one instead of the other. Perhaps we're even choosing to highlight our struggles as a way of protecting ourselves. Is the open happiness of the Three of Cups boastful or ego-driven? Is it leaving us vulnerable to criticism and judgment?

I think of how easy it is to wax poetic about the latest struggle in your life only to come up with a few measly sentences to describe a major accomplishment or beautiful moment. Focusing on the fear - the Three of Swords - limits our expression and growth. So much can happen when we're unabashedly broadcasting our strengths and dreams, one of the most important being that is attracts friends and allies who want to join in on the party. 

And, yes, it can be difficult. There will always be Three of Swords experiences in our lives. Turning our back on the concurrent Three of Cups moments, however, keeps us in a limited place. We can struggle forward with joy, too. It's more complex, sure, but far more meaningful.

Speaking of meaning, The High Priestess is holding down the other end of our reading with patient wisdom. Her presence elevates the magic of the Three of Cups, telling us to direct our attention to what's growing, giving back to us, and bringing us closer to other people. Doing so is awakening an important sense of purpose and uncovering some pretty profound insights. 

The High Priestess chooses to see the world as a place full of mystery and meaning. What's more, she positions herself as an important keeper of knowledge. Her presence here inspires us to turn her curious gaze towards the Three of Cups moments in our lives. They are, in her eyes, full of important and magical connections worthy of study. The Three of Swords has had more than its share of time in the spotlight. Now it's time to discover that the Three of Cups has to tell us about ourselves and the world around us. 

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Weekly Forecast: May 21-27

Oh my! We have some intense energy afoot this week. A crow-pleasing card of victory, the Six of Wands, is making way for two of the tarot cards most likely to win "Worst First Impression" - Death and the Three of Swords. I think this tells us a very interesting story, but it also is giving us some complicated experiences to work through.

So what does it mean when success brings on the energies of Death and the Three of Swords? Death is a harbinger of profound transitions. It's almost comical how the gung-ho enthusiasm of the Six of Wands (you can think of this card as the go-getter of tarot, someone used to seeing results from their actions) crashes into Death. This week we're getting more than we bargained for and our inner development is coming to the forefront through seemingly innocuous actions.

In other words, we might find ourselves thinking, "Things are going so wonderfully! ... Why do I feel so bad?" 

I like to think of Death as a card representing moments where we ascend to another level. When Death arrives on the scene we're often unprepared and this is driven home by the ix of Wands. Wands are action-packed, self-motivated, and ever-moving. We think we're on a normal jaunt. It's pleasant, energizing, and going just where we want it to go. Before we know it, however, we come face-to-face with a big moment and some big feelings.

We've been changing all along and now is a time to recognize the weight and importance of that change.

Something we've been undertaking in our professional and creative lives is ushering in a new understanding of who we are. We've reached a sense of harmony and balance. There have been struggles, yes, but they've all taught us to trust our skills and abilities. We can do things! We can make things happen!

I'm feeling this energy as an unexpected and initially unwanted promotion. We know we've been doing a good job, but we weren't anticipating it to be noticed and "rewarded" with a weighty promotion. We have to step up, mid-celebration. Can't we just hang out in this period of plenty? Why do we have to move forward, adding on layers?

It's because we're ready, that's why. Death has a profound inevitability attached to it. Fighting these transitions is unwise. It'd be like trying to prevent Winter from happening or protesting the night. Most of the fear surrounding this card is a fear of the unknown. Death strips us of our usual blueprints and roles and tells us to walk forward with trust, knowing we're evolving into something different. The new blueprint is just around the corner. We need to have faith. 

Sound heavy enough for you? It doesn't have to be that way and a key part of this involves scale. Taking baby steps instead of leaping ahead (or throwing a temper tantrum and sitting on the ground) honors the magic behind Death. We can see the character of Death holding a chrysalis dangling from a twig. Like the creature trapped inside, we have to wiggle here and there, testing our new wings and slowly weakening what was once our cozy home. 

Eventually, we'll have to burst out, but not quite yet. Taking time to commemorate the big change we're finding ourselves in will help acclimate us to both our new selves and the new world we'll be finding ourselves in.

And this brings us to the Three of Swords. This process is uncomfortable and it's important to acknowledge it. The Death transition at work this week is bringing up old and painful wounds. These need to be tended and seen before we complete our transformation. Again, tenderness is key. I see this card as part of the chrysalis we need to shed. What old stories do we need to let go? What has brought us pain in the past that we can choose to remove from our lives? 

This highlights an empowering side to Death. When we embrace its changes we can embrace a more authentic, supportive, and enlightening role for ourselves. Where we once could only crawl we can now fly freely. All we need is a little time and care to free ourselves and stretch our wings.

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Weekly Forecast: February 12-18

This week is bringing up a lot of feelings of guilt  around what it means to have enough. Finding ourselves a step beyond the basics - being able to provide for ourselves and bring in a little (or a lot) extra - is activating a protective part of ourselves. There's an urge to fight the gifts we've earned and been given in the hopes of protecting ourselves against loss or criticism.

The Three of Swords is letting us know that this part of ourselves is deeply rooted to the point of being instinctual, a knee-jerk response to abundance that's far from accepting. Finding ourselves in the plenty of the Six of Coins has us feeling exposed and unworthy. Yet all we need to do is look at the illustration of the Six to see how alluring and healthy we are right now. 

Why, then, is the Three of Swords churning in the background?

Being stable after a period of struggle gives our more complicated emotions and beliefs space to unfold. When we're not running around frantically - maybe trying to manage unnecessary drama or burying ourselves with mountains of stress - we are able to see ourselves more clearly, sometimes whether we want it or not. This can be confusing - why are all these unruly emotions surfacing when things are going well? Doesn't that mean that something's wrong?

This current period of stability, however, is the perfect time to gently engage with the turmoil of the Three of Swords. Just look at the imagery in the card: a clear heart pierced by three swords, hovering over an imposing mountain or, depending how you see it, a wave. There's pain, vulnerability, and immediacy here. This card reminds us that, when left unexpressed or unprocessed, painful feelings live on with the same intensity as when they first happened. Sometimes, with more that has been building up as they remain buried within us. 

And yet in the curve of the heart on the right we see a wash of rainbow light, as if the glow of the Six of Coins is illuminating a facet of this experience we haven't seen before. What in our current moment of security is allowing us to see into our painful past differently? This is a wonderful time to slowly allow our new environments and our new lives to warm the calcified suffering we've experienced, allowing some of its sharpness to soften and dissolve. 

The Knight of Coins sheds some more light on the situation. As we can guess, Coins (or Pentacles in the RWS system) signify the material world and our practices in it, including money. The Knight shows us that we're taking a new initiative in this area, perhaps seeking a new source of income or pursuing an opportunity in our current field. This action is the natural growth from our current situation and a path worth taking. However, it's shaking up our conept ourselves.

The Six of Coins deals with issues of exchange and power dynamics around money, sometimes through healthy generosity and sometimes through entrenched and unequal structures. This card is asking us to reconsider our roles. Are we more comfortable giving our wealth or recieving it? How might this role be shifting and how can we embrace a healthier attitude towards money that's empowering and dynamic instead of limiting and stagnant?

The Knight of Coins suggests that we're starting to ask for more and emerging into a more proactive space where instead of waiting for good fortune, we reach out and work to achieve it. This comes with increased responsibility, and perhaps a new way of relating with others. 

All of a sudden we may find that people are looking up to us, asking for advice and support. This is pushing us to recognize that we've come farther than we thought. Where we once believed we were the beggars we find ourselves stable, capable, and in a position to help others.

This is all beautiful, slow, and natural growth. Our role here is to let it unfold gently, honoring both the exciting changes we're making for ourselves and the transfomation of our past hurts. Both can coexist together and we can find  tender solace in the fact that we've come far enough to hold space for our more complicated emotions to emerge, be seen, and then released as we change.

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Dealing with Difficult Tarot Cards: 7 Tips for Reading for Others

At our last Tarot Club meeting we had a nice chat about how to handle the tougher cards when reading for others. Is putting a positive spin on them simply sugar-coating the message? What about when someone is already nervous about tarot? How do you explain The Devil in a "something to look forward to" position in a spread?

These are all rich and meaty questions that each deserve their own post. For today, I'll be diving into the issue of using positive interpretations for these darker cards.

Before we jump on in, a moment to clarify. When I say "darker cards" I'm referring to the heavy hitters in tarot, the cards most likely to pop up on a massively stereotypical fortuneteller's table in a horror movie: Death, The Devil, The Tower, and the Three of Swords. I mean, just take a gander at these beauties!

Right off the bat we can see similarities. A predilection for ominous black or flat grey, intense imagery you could easily imagine on the cover of a death metal album, and visual themes of suffering. No wonder those new to tarot get squeamish around these cards!

And yet would you be surprised if I told you that these are some of my favorite cards in the deck? Without the darker tarot cards the system itself would lack nuance and depth. Tarot is a beautiful illustration of all the facets of life, good and bad. And I say "good and bad" as a jumping off point - tarot is much more subtle than a simple binary; though it uses them to illustrate certain points it also invites us to shade in all the tones of grey that make up most of our human experiences. Sugarcoating them strips away their beautiful complexity and power to reflect our lives in their entirety. 

And yet it's a fine line to walk: how do we breach the complex messages of these cards when reading for friends, acquantances, or people new to tarot? 

Tips for Interpreting "Negative" Tarot Cards

1. Acknowledge Change

No one card shows a static situation. Life is constantly changing, and we are constantly changing, so no one is going to get stuck experiencing the stabby heartbreak of the Three of Swords forever (that would take some serious willpower!) I think a lot of the fear around tarot is that the cards will show you something bad that you're powerless to change. On the contrary, tarot shows us what energy and happenings are circulating in our lives. It's a map we can look at, interpret, and then choose how to navigate. 

2. Cut to the Chase

So you're at a party and have decided to read cards for a few friends. You flip them all over and the second to last card is Death. Instead of going in order while your friend is nervously fixated on a tarot card that literally says "death" on it, wondering if it means she's going to die, jump stright to it with a quick explanation. "You've probably noticed this scary looking skeleton on horseback that says "Death" underneath. Don't worry, tarot is a rich symbolic system and this card doesn't mean you're going to die tomorrow! It can actually be quite beautiful - we'll get to it soon, but in the meantime do you have any questions about it?" (Note: you can use much more elegant language that I do here!)This method takes some of the anxiety out of the situation and diffuses tension so that the querent can be present during their reading. 

3. Explain the Context

All tarot cards have their positive and negative sides and their strengths and weaknesses. The large part of a tarot reading lies in each card's relationships to the others in the spread. Context is key. So Death with the Three of Swords could represent a painful but necessary breakup, or The Tower followed by the Six of Wands could show an unexpected, drastic change clearing way for a creative breakthrough. Tying the more challenging cards to others in the spread is a wonderful way to acquaint your querent with the situation and allow them to see their more detailed meanings unfold.

4. Let the Querent Lead

I see tarot as a collaborative process, so the experience and interpretation of whomever you're reading for is an essential. Give your querent an opportunity to share their response and connections with the difficult card after you've given a brief explanation of meaning and context. Does it resonate for them? Let them lead the interpretation here and listen actively. This is a key step for those kind souls who might be tempted to sugarcoat too much in an effort to shield their querent from difficult emotions or situations. Many people actually find it relieving and healing to see tougher situations in their readings. They feel seen and empowered to survey the land and decide how they want to proceed. Giving them the space to decide whether they want to dive deeper into a card or not will both give them the reading they need in the moment and allow you to respond accordingly.

5. Focus on Choice

As I mentioned above, a tarot reading isn't an indictment on your future. It shows the energy active in the current situation and the likely outcome if we proceed as we are right now. If anything, tarot readings give us insight into the many paths we can take. Each card has guidance to offer (yes, even The Tower) and it all rests on how we choose to work with its energy. This is exciting news! Sharing the power of choice and the different avenues available with your querent is a beautiful way to bring the reading home. Returning to the issue of sugar-coating, this is an excellent way to balance the painful aspects of a card with ways to heal. For example, say The Tower appears in a past position, representing an unexpected layoff. It's important here to acknowledge the trauma of this experience. The Tower isn't a walk in the park, that's for sure. Again, let the querent guide you. Additionally, The Tower depicts a situation where structure has crumbled due to an outside force. The querent had no control over the sitution; the only thing they can control is how they emerge from the aftermath. Do they want to rebuild the tower? Build something else? Or pursue another path that's less structured? Leaving the querent with these options is both validating and empowering.

6. Relinquish Control

When we read tarot for others we're equal parts interpreter and conduit. Worrying about how others will interpret things is an expression of our egos. Are we worried we'll offend someone? Look stupid? Refocusing on the cards and their message helps alleviate these anxieties. What is the message of The Devil if we strip away our own nervousness? Let the cards guide the reading and reenvision yourself as a true tarot reader. 

7. Focus on Respect

 It's essential to center our readings around the mission of offering insight and empowerment. Furthermore, tarot readings should be done with respect for the autonomy and competence of the querent. There's nothing in a tarot reading that could completely undo the querent unless we're reading unethically or phrasing our reading like a proclamation. Trust that the message in the cards will resonate as it needs to with whomever you're reading for. And trust that they are competent people able to care for themselves. We've all weathered heartbreak and misfortune. It may hurt, but it makes us stronger and more experienced. What better way to engage with these sticky subjects than with a trusted friend or tarot reader, looking over an array of insightful cards?

How about you? How have you worked with these darker cards in readings for others? Share your comments below...

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