Weekly Forecast: Nov 28-Dec 4
Big things are at work this week.
We’ve drawn three major arcana cards – The Wheel of Fortune, Death, and Strength.
When major arcana cards appea, they ask us to zoom out and look at our lives in the big picture. We’re not talking about everyday scrabbles and happenings. Instead, the themes are the big ones: who we are, what we value, and where we’re going.
In this case, it’s the whole darn spread, so we know there’s larger themes at play this week.
I’m sure you’ve noticed the central card already. Yes, Death, that old classic you usually see in movies. The scene goes something like this.
Interior: A dimly lit, dusty room. A skill sits on a pile of leather-bound books. Cobwebs hang from candelabras covered in melted wax. An old fortune-teller sits at a table. She is wearing lots and lots of scarves.
Fortune-Teller: Let’s see what the cards have in store for you.
Hero look around uncomfortably as the Crone shuffles. She lays out the cards and flips the first over: Death. Camera zooms into the hero’s horrified face.
Fortune-Teller: You have one day left to live…
Part of me loves the hammy pop-culture connotations of the Death card. Of course, we’re in legit Tarot world here, and Death is not meant literally. (Don’t worry, this reading is not forecasting our imminent demise, though the world does feels bleak and uncertain right now.)
It’s certainly an arresting image: a skeleton in armor atop a white horse riding towards three figures, with one already fallen underneath him. Very to the point.
And yet all is not what it seems. Tarot is a nuanced system. It offers us a holistic approach to life, one that does not skirt around the unpleasant bits. Rather, it embraces them as steps necessary in our journey towards personal development and spiritual growth.
There’s no denying the sadness, finality, and presence of death in our lives. And yet we experience death constantly as the ending of relationships, projects, phases of our lives, the changes of the seasons…the list goes on.
Look a little closer at the Death card and we see two interesting things. One, there’s a rising sun to the right, framed between two white towers. And two, one of the figures, who appears to be a Pope or member of the clergy, faces Death with his arms outstretched.
It’s in choosing how to face death that we determine its impact on our lives. And I’m not saying that it’s easy-peasy. We don’t go about wishing for death – we are living creatures, after all. It’s not in our nature. When it comes, the process isn’t easy, but if we run away from the inevitability, we often prolong our suffering.
Not to mention the richness, meaning, and depth the changes represented in the Death card bring us.
The reading for this week asks us to contend with our approach to the changes in our lives. How are we meeting the inevitable losses that come our way? What do we need to let go of and how can we honor its passing instead of fighting it?
The Wheel of Fortune tells us that the changes emerging this week are going to surprise us or already have. There’s an element of chance in play and we can’t do anything to stop it. It may be frustrating and painful, but it’s true.
I can’t help but think about the recent election when I see these cards, especially the feeling that the world has gone topsy-turvy. The Wheel of Fortune also reminds us that whatever is on top of the world must fall eventually, and then rise again. Perhaps this is the shift we are watching unfold right now, in which case Death is a somewhat reassuring card. To move forward, we must acknowledge this ending and make way for the second part of the cycle: rebirth.
We can look to the figure standing in Death’s path as a clue for what approach to take. He stands tall with his arms ahead of him. If we welcome the change that’s approaching, we can perhaps move through it with grace towards something brighter. After all, the man’s robes are the same color as the rising sun behind him.
The same theme shows up in our final card, Strength. It’s a beautiful depiction of what some call “soft control,” or the act of exerting one’s influence with gentle kindness instead of inflexible, blunt power. It tells us that if we approach the changes ahead of us with understanding, grace, and gentleness we will become more grounded, flexible, and strong. In a world full of bombastic fear-mongering we could certainly use more of this approach moving forward. All we have to do is face the changes represented in Death head-on, ready to grow into the next stage.
Have a question you'd like to explore?
Weekly Forecast: Nov 21-27
This looks bright and beautiful, doesn't it? The cards for this week show an unabashed blooming of emotion. It’s a lovely array to see as we go into this time of celebration and coming together.
Far from being trivial, this week is a moment where we are asked to see the greater imporrance of our relationships to each other. Who says that the warm and fuzzy parts of life come without depth? How can we respect our joy, nurture it, and take it seriously?
I went to the grocery store yesterday and it was full of families shopping. Each cart was overflowing. Some people had piles of onions, others bags of sweetened coconut. What were they going to make with these ingredients? There were mothers and daughters, young families with toddlers, elderly couples. Everyone from the neighborhood seemed to be there.
It was a beautiful scene, and I’m still smiling thinking about all us different, tender people cooking special dinners at the same time later this week.
These three cards here show a similar situation. All the ingredients we’ve collected are coming together. It’s going to be a big, delicious feast - a glimmering thread of connection at a time when many bonds feel stretched tight.
We begin with the Two of Cups, a card of community, warmth, and emotion. It represents a lived-in feeling that boils down to the comforting truth we sometimes forget in our day-to-day lives: Loving each other is no small miracle.
Great beauty comes from something as common as dirt. The relationships we cultivate can blossom into something beautiful. All the things we do for each other, all the little moments, are how we nourish relationships like watering the seed we’ve planted. This takes time and consideration.
Now, however, is the time of blooming. It’s not subtle. It’s gaudy and bright and unabashed. It’s time to celebrate what we have - each other.
The eight of wands, the ultimate card of action and happenings, tells us to embrace our joy this week. To show our care for each other through emphatic actions. In short, now is not a time to be stingy with our love and happiness.
Sometimes it’s easy to tamp down our enthusiasm in the name of moderation. We don’t’ want to be too loud or maybe we’re somehow afraid of inviting disaster. This feeling shows up in the somewhat apocalyptic storm raging outside of the castle in the eight of wands.
Yet when we look to the center of the castle where there are no flames or marauding bolts of lightning, we see that a heart lies buried underneath. This tells us that a solid foundation is one built on love. We cannot go wrong if we focus our energies here, instead of overextending ourselves in rickety towers.
And where does this bring us? The final card, Temperance, shows us a gorgeous vision of unity. It's not the collected, organized vision of unity we might expect. This card is not about control and certainty. It’s about being calm, centered, and an undeniable part of an unpredictable, diverse world full of beauty.
Let’s keep Temperance in mind in the days to come. I believe that we end this reading on a major arcana card for a reason. The bustle of our lives, our routines, our relationships all have the potential to take us to a deeper place. Temperance shows us how being one with the world awakens us to our inner divinity.
As we come together this week – visiting family, cooking, drinking, doing dishes – we elevate the everyday routines into rituals that celebrate the specialness of our love for each other. That's a world I want to be part of.
Have a question you'd like to explore?
Behind the Scenes: How I Do Email Readings
I’ve written about email readings before. They’re the service I get the most questions about and they’re also one of my favorite ways to do tarot.
Many people don’t realize that an insightful tarot reading is just a click away. And some are skeptical that the magic of tarot can translate over distance. While I’ve addressed these points and waxed poetic about my love of a good written reading here, I haven’t shared with you what an email reading looks like on my end.
Am I sitting in my pajamas? Am I copying and pasting from card meanings?
What a terrifying image! (Though my pajamas are cute, for the record.)
Here’s the truth: I spend the same amount of energy preparing for and conducting an email reading as I do for an in-person appointment.
So, without further ado, here’s a peek at my process.
Getting Ready
After I receive your order, I take a look at your question to see if it falls within my scope as a reader. (For more on this, see my Code of Ethics.) If everything looks peachy, I add it to the cue and start working – I’ll always send reading out within 3 business days of confirming your question.
Setting the Stage
I love waking up, making a cup of tea, and heading to my study to write email readings. I have a clear head and feel calm and focused in the mornings, and this is the energy I like to put towards tarot. I’m a sucker for ambiance and have lots of rituals to get in the best mindset: putting some zesty essential oils in my diffuser, lighting candles, and meditating to ensure I’m feeling calm and grounded. There might even be some crystals involved.
Diving In
Once I’m settled, I pull up your question and write it out on a small piece of paper. I like doing this to deepen my connection to you and what you’re seeking. l place the paper at the center of my desk and take a moment to meditate on your question until I feel ready to begin. Then I shuffle my deck (or decks) and start drawing cards.
After turning everything over, I spend a few moments taking everything in. This is the magical time when the reading starts to coalesce and speak to me. Once I’ve spent some time looking at the big picture, I start writing.
The Process
Writing out the reading is rather mysterious. I let the meanings of the cards and their relationships to each other flow as I keep your question at the forefront of my mind. I find that the process of writing allows for deep insights to come to the surface.
I like to keep this portion of the reading as uninhibited and inspired as possible - no spellcheck, no going back to make corrections. Once I’ve written everything out I’ll go over it for edits and see if anything needs elaborating or clarification.
Finishing Touches
Now the “reading” part is finished. I blow out my candles, say thanks to the cards, and start getting ready to send it off to you. I transfer the text to a beautiful template, add some extra frills, and voila! The reading is complete. I send it off and arrives as a pdf in your inbox. Now you have an insightful tarot reading you can revisit time and time again.
Questions, comments, curiosity? Comment below or reach out here.
Ready to experience an email reading for yourself?
Weekly Forecast: Nov 14-20
Cards from the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot
Sometimes it’s difficult to lift our head and see the larger picture. The forest from the trees. Our planet suspended in deep, velvety space.
Sometimes that's too much to ask. When world events swirl around us, upending our assumptions about the future, it’s all we can do to teeter from side to side trying to regain balance.
Now is one of those times when the world’s unruliness comes into rapid, sometimes terrifying focus.
It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence that tonight the moon is closer to us than it has been in many of our lifetimes. Though it has always been orbiting our planet, it usually looks like a benign pearl gleaming in the distance. Now the moon is peering into our world, its huge eye pressed against our window. Beautiful, big, and a reminder of our smallness and the inescapable unknowns around us always.
Tarot can offer wisdom and guidance we would not choose for ourselves. Were I to actively pick cards for a reading right now, my choices would be much different than what appeared this week. Probably a nice handful of the spikiest swords, a stern Emperor, and the upending chaos of The Tower.
The cards from this week, however, show us the forces beyond and a way to move forward. This is much needed perspective and advice.
We being with The World and Death, two major arcana cards that affirm the great changes occurring around us. We have moved from a sense of dynamic oneness to an abrupt ending. The World is one of two cards that depicts movement, in this case, dancing. Traveling from this card to Death is like someone walking into the party and smashing the record that was playing. Sudden, shocking, and with no going back.
No matter what your perspective, this change was a surprise. To go from the wholeness to The World to the finality of Death is quite the leap. Some may have been embracing the change, dancing towards it, while others were shimmying with obliviousness, not thinking the change was even a possibility.
Yet here we are. The cycle continues. Death is constantly occurring in our lives, literally and figuratively. It is a necessary part of the world, but that does not mean we can simply traipse through it and get to the rebirthing.
To sugarcoat the reality of Death with immediate optimism and action is to squander a great opportunity. When someone dies, we have a funeral. We grieve and remember what it is we have lost. Only once we face the reality of death, feel its contours, and mourn can we know where we need to go next.
To see Death in the center of the reading is to see the momentousness of this moment. This is not small stuff. We see a group of figures either collapsed or standing before death's white horse: a king, a child, a maiden, a Pope. They all must succumb and they all have their time. Death does not discriminate. It is beyond our control.
What is not beyond our control, however, is the path after death. How we move on, rebuild, and continue is up to us. In the distance, a bright sun rises between two white towers. It is far in the distance, but promising if we choose to walk towards it.
So how do we do this? Where do we go? How can we move forward? These questions have been swirling in my mind lately and I have yet to come up with a good answer.
Here, we end with a beautiful card and an answer of sorts, the Queen of Cups. She sits on a throne, gazing at an ornate cup. Her robes flow into the water, melding with the pattern of the waves lapping against the shore. She appears calm, solid, and connected to the world around her.
Cups govern the realm of emotions and relationships and this Queen embodies their embrace and mastery. She does not get swept away by outbursts, or anger and confusion. Her throne is firmly planted on the ground, and while the sea in front of her may be calm and placid one day, rough and choppy the next, she remains focused on her single cup.
I see this as a moving reminder to remain grounded and look for the deeper humanity and connection in us all. I do not believe that this is a simple task. The Queen of Cups asks us to truly consider what it is that unites us. She has an ocean swirling around her. So much water. What does she choose to lift and hold in her cup, to cherish and appreciate, to protect and nurture? How can we do this for others? How can we make them feel safe, held, and truly seen?
The Queen of Cups sees the turmoil and change, these large forces illustrated in The World and Death, and asks us to focus on the relationships we have with others on all levels. It is our task to start inching forward while holding tenderness and respect at the center of all our actions. This is what will take us towards the rising sun and a brighter future.
Have a question you'd like to explore?
Weekly Forecast: November 7-13
The cards for this week show an interesting shift, one where we’re having to reevaluate our stances on two controversial areas – our minds and our money.
Are there any more fraught topics? It’s time to get down and dirty with our assumptions about our beliefs and how we communicate in our work environments. Luckily, in doing so we have the potential to usher in a breath of fresh air and maybe even a lucrative opportunity.
It appears we have been at an impasse about a certain area of our careers or creative work. We've been mulling over options and coming up with countless ideas, unable to choose one. It's been overwhelming and difficult to see where to go next, maybe even painful.
Lord knows there are plenty of opinions on that matter. As someone who can get sucked into internet wormholes filled with conflicting business advice, I often have trouble seeing through a sea of “should” to my own path.
It might feel safe and considerate to remain on the sidelines, really thinking through each option before making a move. Some might call it agonizing. We want to be thorough and we want to be sure, but doing this squanders the power of our minds. We are bogging ourselves down with options and using our thoughts to protect ourselves instead of cutting through what is holding us back.
Sometimes conflict and turmoil are there for a reason, created by our circumstances and true feelings. Sometimes we need a bit of clarifying conflict to power us through to the next level.
The first two cards this week are the nine and five of swords. An interesting progression, moving from stagnation, confusion, and grief to very visible conflict. Well, you might think, it is better to remain silent and mull over options than grapple with them, exposed for all to see.
And, true, it certainly looks more professional to come up with a pile of plans than get into a heated argument with a coworker. But that's not our only option.
The five of swords gives us a choice. How do we communicate our thoughts? With aggressive anger or calm confidence? To what ends are we sharing our ideas? To achieve growth or stir conflict?
We’ve been given something sharp, why not use it to break through confusion and achieve a breakthrough? This is what our minds can do.
Our minds can also cause great injury to ourselves and others. This is the dual nature of swords. The five, front and center this week, holds a warning. There is a definite possibility for testiness and drama this week, so remain aware.
Swords govern communication and we must be mindful about how we’re communicating. Who are we speaking to and to what end? We must strike a balance between the sad inaction of the nine and the hotheadedness of the five.
This card also asks us to remember that it is completely impossible to draw a boundary, make a stand, or state a preference and offend no one. That’s the beauty of making a point. There it is, a point, our there and visible. Some people may not like where it is or have an issue with it existing. We can’t help that, and if the thought behind it is pure and aligned with our goals, we shouldn’t apologize for it either.
The five is warning us that this conflict is unavoidable. Make room for it and know that (if you are proceeding with good intentions) it is a sign that you are making a stand and a commitment to your ideas, goals, and plans.
And now we arrive at the ace of pentacles, the card casting this rosy glow on the swords before it.
Golden, glimmering, and whole it represents a new beginning or completeness to your endeavors, specifically in the realm of the day-to-day and money.
All this grappling with the swords is guiding you towards a new opportunity. Be mindful of which thoughts you’re sharing with the world, take the time to discern what it is you truly want, and be open to the clarifying process of hashing it out. It’s all heading in a positive direction should you approach it with positive intentions.
Lovely Links & Happenings
I don't know about you but I'm having major Halloween withdrawal over here. My partner and I dressed up as Cesar the Somnambulist and Jane from one of my favorite silent films, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. (You can watch the whole thing on youtube here. It's spooky and the handpainted sets are beautifully surreal.) It was a ball, though I have to say I do not have a natural talent for face painting.
It's been a few weeks since I had a link roundup, so there's lots of diverting tidbits to be had. Enjoy and share what you discovered in the comments below.
Tarot
Those moon phase cards! Irresistible.
Over here I had fun with 10 questions every tarot reader must answer and shared why I choose not to read with reversals in my tarot practice.
For all you tarot professionals out there, I really enjoyed this post from Benebell Wen about how to deal with refund disputes. Check out her blog if you haven't already for the best source around on the ins and outs of running a spiritual business.
I've been salivating over the gorgeous Pagan Otherworlds deck by Uusi. It's hard to belive I was a one deck girl for almost ten years! This one just might be my holiday gift to myself...
I absolutely loved this piece on "Coming out of the Woo Closet" by Andi Grace at Little Red Tarot.
Eclectic Others
Haruki Murakami on the danger of excluding others and the importance of embracing our shadow.
13 Rules for Female Friendships by Roxane Gay.
Why being consistent and small is the best way to win at business.
And, to end on a goofy note:
Finalists for the 2016 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
10 Questions Every Tarot Reader Must Answer
It's about time I sat down and added my take on these excellent questions from James Bulls at Left-Hand Tarot. Get ready for a long one - this is an in-depth look at my tarot background and style. I hope it's illuminating, entertaining, and helpful for those considering me as a reader. For all you tarot readers out there, I would love to hear your responses! Link in the comments below so I can take a gander.
Here we go...
1. Were you mentored, or were you self-taught?
I'm a self-taught reader through and through. When I first started exploring tarot at age 13, my studies consisted of staying up late in my bedroom with a deck and a copy of Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning. Many decks, books, and readings later I'm still constantly expanding my knowledge base and reading style.
Maybe other readers have had a similar experience, but when I started tarot I knew I was drawn to the vivid imagery and symbolism. And the magical and occult aura certainly attracted me like a moth to a flame. (Let's be real: I was an avid fantasy reader and semi-feral outdoor explorer. Tarot was inevitable.) But I was also very influenced by the academic, highly rational background I was raised in. So of course I had to approach tarot like a true scholar: by reading and studying intensely.
Luckily, over the years, my self-study has become much more flexible and intuitive. It certainly helps to get your nose out of the books and into real, dynamic readings. I suppose in that way I feel mentored by all the lovely people I've had the joy of reading for.
2. Are you a psychic or a Tarot reader?
I identify as a Tarot reader simply because my focus is exclusively on the cards. I don't offer any other services, spiritual or otherwise. In my personal life, I practice and learn other forms of divination (how could I resist) but don't include them in my business. My first love and the way that I can be of service to the world is tarot. Just typing that makes me very, very happy.
Now all this isn't to say that I don't believe in a psychic component in some readings. This energy can certainly pop up, but it's more like a butterfly landing on your head. A beautiful gift, but something unpredictable, which is why I do not advertise my services as psychic since I can't guarantee it will show up in any given reading. I can, however, guarantee that I will read the cards with true joy and a wealth of knowledge.
3. Are your predictions accurate, and is accuracy important to you?
Aah, two of the tricksiest ideas about tarot in one question. Let's start with predictions. If you've browsed my site you'll notice that I make it very clear that I do not tell the future with my readings. It might be a little redundant, but hey, I'm enthusiastic on this point! Simply put: I do not believe that the future is set in stone. That's a rather creepy and static take on the world. What about free will? And we all know that life is a captivating and confusing tangle of events, feelings, people... I could really get philosophical here. I'm not going to tell anyone "x,y,z will happen." At most, my readings show currents and factors present in the seeker's life at the present moment. More like, "If you continue down this path, it is highly likely x,y,z could happen." Where they go from there is up to them.
As for accuracy, I don't approach my readings with the goal of being spot-on. I find that doing this limits my intuition and focuses my attention away from the cards and into a more iffy, speculative zone. It's like going to school and obsessing so much about being "right" that you clam-up and stutter your answer to the class. I like to center myself around the cards and, better yet, draw my clients in to provide their interpretations and insights. That being said, I have gotten a lot of feedback about the accuracy of the readings. I'm perfectly happy that this is a byproduct of my approach and am touched that it helps my clients and makes them feel seen. It's a very magical part of tarot - the fact that in reading someone's cards you can learn so much about them without even asking a question.
4. Is there anything you can't predict in a reading?
Why, yes, I'm glad you asked! (Though as I've mentioned I don't consider my readings truly predictive.)
I prefer not to work with yes and no questions because I feel like they are very limiting and oversimplify situations.
Tarot is a flexible tool, so while I could technically work with many topics some don't match with my code of ethics.
5. Do you use only Tarot, or are you multi-disciplinary?
I exclusively use tarot in my readings. It's my passion and area of expertise. I have yet to discover the limitations of tarot - there are so many places to go in any given reading! As for the future, who knows? If I feel like I've mastered one of the systems I practice, like pendulum work and tea leaf readings, I would feel comfotable offering it as a professional service.
6. Is the message in the cards, or in your head?
I like this one.
For me, it's a little of both. I began my studies using the Rider-Waite-Smith system and it continues to be my old faithful and my north star. So when I use that deck and others based on it you could say that the message is in the cards. For example, say I pull the five of cups. Since I've studied and used the card, I have a wealth of meanings from learning the history of the deck and from personal practice. I always like to start my reading here.
But that doesn't mean that I just tell you the meaning of the five of cups. While the structure of that deck underpins a lot of my interpretations, I also use my intuition to expand from these meanings. This is where the reading really coalesces and relates to the individual client. Using the other cards and my intuition, I'll interpret the card as it relates to your question specifically. In this way, the meaning is also in my mind.
7. Are you a priest or a fortune-teller?
Oowee! I can't say I could ever imagine introducing myself as a priest! Too many religious and hierarchical connotations there. In terms of meaning, however, I suppose I am more priest-like. I focus on the here and now, the connection between the spiritual/subconcious, and supportive guidance instead of commands. I'm not going to spread the cards out for a client and tell them about a definite future, nor am I going to hide behind a veil of esoteric mystery.
My approach is much more grounded, and I don't believe this makes it any less magical. Rather, the magic is in the experience shared between the reader and client. A good old mingling of the sacred and the mundane. And for the record, I prefer the term cartomancer 1) because it sounds amazing 2) because it describes exactly what I do - read tarot cards as a form of divination.
8. Are you a fixer or a looker?
I'm definitely more of a looker. I don't believe it is my place to tell you how to live your life. I like to respect the autonomy and wisdom of my clients. It's my job to work with their questions and share with them how it's reflected in the cards. This also helps me maintain healthy boundaries as a reader and empower my clients to make the best choices for themselves, by themselves.
That's not to say that my sessions ignore possible solutions. I believe that introspection without action leads to stagnation. I like to lay out possibilities and co-create options with clients. It's up to them which path they choose.
9. Do you read for free, or for fee?
I read for fee, for sure, with a free reading as a giveaway once in a blue moon. Reading tarot is my pride and joy. I like to honor that by charging for the work and expertise that goes into each reading.
10. Is there anything you won't predict in a reading?
Yes! The type of questions I won't read for:
Lotto numbers, questions about other people's beeswax (not my style!), medical & legal questions, locating missing items, and similar topics (i.e. when will I die? Am I pregnant? is he/she cheating on me?)
I love delving into situations and topics, so if you're looking to explore lots of layers and nuance to uncover a point of clarity, I'm the woman for you. Straight-up predictions, yes or nos, and questions for other professionals, not so much.
Weekly Forecast: Oct 31 - Nov 6
We’re entering that lovely yet fraught time of the year: The Holidays. The days grow shorter, the clocks get set back, and we gear up for the impending festivities, visits with families, and gifting. It can be a whirlwind of activity, bringing up conflicts and losses as well as the warm and fuzzy associations we know so well.
The reading for this week highlights the underlying force of this time of the year. It’s the big one we’re all familiar with - love and the celebration of our connections.
We see this in the ace of cups, a single vessel held proudly aloft. It represents love in all its splendor. The star of the event. The water we drink. The element that ties us all together.
Love, in this case, is not specific. It is the unconditional, underlying affection that allows us to appreciate, say, our brash uncle who always manages to say something offensive at Thanksgiving dinner. The love that allows us to see beyond the qualities and beliefs we don’t align with and into their humanity and our shared bonds.
I see this ace as a reminder to foster connection despite our differences during these polarized times. Isolation and rejection of those who disagree with us tend to encourage the spread of fearful ideas that are, in fact, quite isolating. What do you know? That seems like a toxic cycle we should be doing our best to avoid.
That’s not to say that this unconditional loving comes easily. In the difficulty we must remember the divine nature of aces. As a reflection of the traits of the suites in the purest form, aces represent a beautiful gift from an unknown source. (After all, their symbols are popping out of clouds and held by mysterious, disembodied hands.)
We don’t know why we’re here or why loving can be so wonderful and so challenging. For some this may be comforting and for others frustrating. But we do know that it brings a stunning beauty and grace into our lives, sometimes in glorious bursts and sometimes in bits and pieces.
Fortunately, the ten of pentacles suggests a harmonious season, at least for the week ahead. We see a lovely depiction of a family. There’s a mother, father, child, and even two majestic hounds. It’s a card chock full of connections and relationships that seem to be flourishing together.
The ten on pentacles is one of my favorite cards. It depicts a cozy scene of the everyday that holds a beautiful secret. While pentacles refer to earth, practical matters, and the physical plane, they also signify the sacred in the everyday. The intersection of our lives as we live them and the spiritual plane.
As such it is also a card that connects us to forces beyond us, both personal and divine. It reminds us that this time of the year is one to commemorate our ancestors and traditions, reach out to them by coming together, and remain open to the support coming from the other side.
But what is life without a little tension? The two of wands reveals a little itch we might have. A restlessness around travel, plans, or ideas we’ve yet to hatch. The other two cards suggest a strong foundation in our relationships, perhaps one that is feeling just a bit stifling.
We hold the world in our hand and gaze into its possibilities. It is up to us whether doing so is invigorating and inspiring or distracting and dissatisfying. Know, however, that this little spark is very young and that there is plenty of good at work in your life at this very moment.
Notes from a Tarot Reader: Reversals
I wrote about ways to interpret card reversals earlier, but I left a little something out.
I’ll let you in on the secret: I don’t read with reversals.
You might think that seems shifty. Why write my suggestions for a reading style I don’t even practice? Well, the thing is, I first learned to read tarot using reversed cards. I’ve been around the block, so to speak.
But as my practice evolved and as I spent more time learning the deeper symbolism and history behind the cards I realized that reversals just aren’t for me.
One thing I love about tarot is how flexible it is. Once you learn the traditions behind the cards you can go in many different directions: Numerology, astrology, Kabbalah, divination, Hermeticism. I could go on.
For me, once I started down just a few of these paths I realized that I had a wealth of information to use in my readings. Plus, I found that I like the intuitive challenge of interpreting the direction or connotation of a card (negative or positive? Emerging or receding? Etc.) without reversals.
Many readers use reversals and I enjoy learning about their methods. They just aren’t for me. The beauty of tarot is each reader develops their own unique style. The form is constantly evolving.
And I’m far from a purist. I believe that variety and creativity only add to the magic of tarot. So I encourage you to explore the world of reversals. Take a peek, get to know the meanings, and, most importantly, see how it feels for you.
Love the clarity and excitement? Integrate it into your practice! Not feeling it? Take what you’ve learned and leave the rest.