Weekly Forecast: October 29 - November 4

Why is it that success and growth brings up feelings of inadequacy, self-sabotage, and disbelief? It's easier to hide behind conflict and trouble. Struggle gives us an easy sense of meaning. It's there, it's obvious, and it's not threatening to others. 

This week, The Devil is popping up just as we turn an unexpected corner. Rather than bemoan his presence, however, we can see it as a positive sign that we're onto something good.

"Now how does that work, Gina?" you might be wondering with a very healthy dose of skepticism. Ignoring The Devil can be tricky at best and inadvisable at worst. Yet here I am confidently telling you that this card, rather than being a sign on bad habits and troubles, is something to embrace, say hello to on your way forward, and then leave by the wayside to go about his Devil-y life.

The Devil thrives in darkness and confusion. And this week we're bringing the illumination of the Eight of Cups and the ambition of the Three of Wands into his cave. Suddenly the power and mystery of the shadows have become banished by our own light and vitality. It's just not so scary when we face it head on. And The Devil we're dealing with may be quite small in comparison to our new, formidable self. 

The Eight of Cups and the Three of Wands are telling us that we're making huge strides and doing some very brave editing in our lives. I love how artist Ricardo Cavolo depicts the Eight of Cups as vines tearing down a pillar to reveal a single flame. Though we may not have always understood our actions leading up to this moment, our search for something more has torn down some huge obstacles. This process is intuitive and instinctual. The Eight of Cups represents the priceless kind of hard-won clarity that comes from trusting ourselves even when we don't understand the path our growth is taking.

A deep and emotional pull has brought us into the fiery realm of wands. We've made some space for ourselves and have discovered a new and budding sense of direction. This might feel a bit like going back to the drawing board or taking a bold risk in changing our focus, but our fears aren't springing from a lack of energy. In fact, what we're onto is doing quite well. The Three of Wand shows us at a pivotal moment where the path ahead isn't at all what we thought it would be. In fact, it's much better, and that's where the siren-song of The Devil comes in.

Our task this week is to hold the torch of our passion high and to avoid the temptation to become small again. As we can see in the Eight of Cups, we've long overgrown our containers. In fact, returning to that formative experience of trusting our emotions (and remembering how ready we were for something more) will help us embrace the new path we're facing and embrace all the signs that it's one worth taking.

Doubting the affirmation and opportunities that spring up right now serves to keep us in a limited place we've long outgrown. Just because it doesn't look like what we imagined doesn't mean it's false or dangerous. Going back to the limitations we've worked so hard to overcome is no longer an option and grappling with those small spaces has made us strong and innovative. Now's the time to embrace the adventuresome spirit of the Three of Wands and see where allowing ourselves to be big and seeking can take us. 

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Weekend Send-Off: Getting Spooky

I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge Halloween fanatic. In recent years, however, I’ve fallen off the wagon of making epic costumes. Some highlights from my glory days: going as a shrimp tempura roll, a toaster (very impractical for dancing), and Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle.

But this year is a return to form! After months of ebay searching I finally found the perfect dress for my Beetlejuice-themed costume. I’m going as Lydia Deetz in the wedding scene, heinous 80s red dress and all. It feels wonderful playing with costumes again. There’s something so magical about the outer and inner transformations that happen when we change our appearance.

I hope you all are having a magical lead-up to Halloween (please share you costumes in the comments below!) and are enjoying the effects of the full moon a few days ago. And now, without further ado, some highlights from the week.

Tarot Discoveries - The Spolia Tarot

A dear friend of mine was generous enough to bring his epic tarot deck collection to this month’s Tarot Club meetup. I find that seeing the decks in person and handling them is the quickest way to see if they resonate with you. One of the standouts was the gorgeous Spolia Tarot, whose gilded edges and lush collage artwork is proving to be irresistible to me. I may have just ordered a copy...

Woo Humor - Mercury Retrograde

Got a good laugh out of this piece from The New Yorker - “This is Not a Drill: Mercury is in Retrograde.” Who can resist a little healthy joking around everyone’s favorite-to-bemoan astrological event?

Repeat Tarot Card - The Lovers

The Lovers has appeared in a few profound readings this week, pointing to a lot of challenging and rewarding choices along with some good old fashioned romance.

Listening, Reading, Watching

It’s that time of the year where I re-watch my favorite animated series, Over the Garden Wall. It’s a magical story of two brothers who get lost in the woods and references all sorts of famous illustrators. Plus, I have a feeling you could view it as a bit of a Fool’s journey…

I’ve been reading a fascinating book on hallucinations called…wait for it… Hallucinations by the wonderful and inimitable Oliver Sacks. It’s been fascinating getting a neurological perspective on a subject that’s so fraught and, interestingly, tied to the spiritual community whether it’s through ecstatic visions or the use of hallucinogens. I’m especially looking forward to the next chapter on “Phantoms, shadows, and sensory ghosts”!

And now, finally, our card for the weekend:

Four of Cups

Message: Take time to process an already full plate of emotions!

Embrace: Reflection, solitary practices, reminiscing about the past.

Let Go Of: Criticizing what you have, pressure to be more active.

Guidance: There’s a lot of experiences and feelings that have been accumulating. Now is the time to set aside time and space for things to settle. Treat yourself tenderly and see if you can see your past experiences from a new vantage point.

We're All Creative Creatures

“I’m just not a very creative person…”

How many times have I heard this phrase, both inside and outside of my tarot studio? It seems that most of us have a strictly “paintbrushes and poems” vision of the creative process. If we’re not engaged in the arts of music, painting, photography, etc. well, we’re just not creative.

I have a major bone to pick with this idea. Most of the people I meet have already made several creative decisions before they make it to my office. Maybe they took a new route on their way over or found an innovative solution to an argument with their partner from that morning. Maybe they tried a never-before-seen combinations of toppings at the salad bar! What I’m saying here is that creativity can be so interwoven with the mundane that we’re not even aware of it.

Take a look at tarot, for example. The Minor Arcana consists of four suits: wands, cups, swords, and pentacles. We embody all four of the suits as we move through life and the wands are most commonly associated with creativity. In the broadest sense they mean motion and putting ideas into action. In other words, simply moving through the world requires it. Many of the things we do have never been done before. They started as ideas and we bring them into being through our actions. It’s all part of being human.

Reclaiming our creative identity is massively healing. Behind all the statements of “I’m just not creative” is a secret longing. Simply be reframing our experience to include creativity in our everyday existence we open up further avenues for expression. That could lead to picking up watercolors as a hobby or just gaining the confidence of seeing ourselves as an integrated person, one whose creativity isn’t limited to the arts or our output.

Tarot Card for Creativity

• The Suit of Wands

• The Magician

• The Fool

• The Sun

• The Empress

• The World

• Three of Pentacles

• Seven of Cups

Creativity can look like…

• Problem-solving

• New projects

• Taking initiative at work, home, etc.

• Communicating ideas

• Organizing

• Decorating

• Artistic pursuits

• Planning

Weekly Forecast: October 22-28

My oh, my. This week has us in a day-dreamy and romantic state! What begins as a simple idea - the loosely held sort that just pops into our mind - sends us off on a path of reverie and intrigue. These cards remind me of the power and shock that comes from effortless inspiration. Sometimes we play around with what seems like an outlandish idea only to see it jumping into reality with no issue at all.

In the next few days we'll be finding ourselves immersed in the intoxicating world of creativity. Initially, however, we're putting on a much more pragmatic mask. The Two of Wands is looking to the past and while this card is one to dream big, it prefers to lead with fiery ambition and action. In other words, we may initially think we're looking for something tangible and normal. The Two of Wands seeks to feather its nest further, collecting accomplishments and goals with the daring and focus of an explorer. In reality, however, we're using this stance to get at something a bit deeper that's connected to slippery and shimmery desires rather than outward trappings of success.

This is all wonderfully fine and dandy. The Two of Wands has their back turned away from the irresistible pull of the Ace of Cups and The Moon. We might not be afraid to admit out loud that we want something indelible, delicious, and magical. Irregardless of our intentions, however, we're slowly moving towards it. And maybe not facing it head-on is part of the tension, suspense, and fun.

So what does this all mean on the ground? We may find ourselves starting projects or playing with ideas that quickly become enrapturing and imbued with special, even surprising, meaning. Have we been wanting to start a painting, carve pumpkins, work on a personal project, sing at karaoke? Or have we been drawn into a new sense of romance, either with an existing partner or new one? The Ace of Cups brings with it all the exhilaration of beginnings. Following what feels good, right, and exciting is exactly what we need to do, no matter how outlandish or silly it might seem. And it’s stirring up deeper parts of ourself as shown in The Moon.

Both Cups and The Moon deal with the realms of feeling. We move away from the world of action and thought seen in the wands and swords and into something much more dream-like, symbolic, and shifting. All this makes me think of the magic of costumes. We try them on for tradition, a bit of fun, and the joys of dressing up. But no matter how silly the garb, when we put on something that represents another creature, role, or figure we become transformed. This week is a wonderful time to play with direct ways of shifting our self-perception. Taking these Ace of Cups opportunities is bringing us to a new understanding of ourselves that blurs the lines we've set for ourselves (or that have been put upon us by others.) How can we see ourselves differently when we follow our sense of imagination and creativity wholeheartedly?

This is a lovely time to set aside expectations and, especially, the pressures of time. We're not dealing with straightforward cause and effect here. The Moon plays a long, sometimes winding game. Staying open to the surprising depth of our creative and romantic pursuits is setting a personal sea change in motion. We don't have to see the whole path ahead and that would strip the situation of most of its fun. Rather, we simply need to lean into the creative spring of the Ace of Cups and see how it transforms us. 

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Weekend Send-Off: Where Have I Been?

Well, my peaches, I’m sorry for the unexplained Weekned Send-Off hiatus. Things have been wild around here. Lots of fall transitions and life changes, the biggest being that I got married several weeks ago to my wonderful partner of three years. We had our ceremony at the house (I still have the paper lanterns hanging in my studio) and have been basking in the glow of being newlyweds and the best season of all: fall.

I hope you all have been enjoying this time of the year as much as I have. It’s truly the season of the witch and my weeks have been filled with tarot readings and events and “too many” pumpkins and gourds.

Tarot Discoveries - All The Books

My tarot reading list has been growing exponentially as of late. I just finished the wonderful Tarot Beyond the Basics by Anthony Louis (excellent for anyone looking to dive deeper into numerology, astrology, and elemental correspondences) and am dying to get my paws on a copy of T. Susan Chang’s new book Tarot Correspondences. I seem to go through periods of deep practice followed by an insatiable desire to read, so it’s back to the books for me! If only my library stocked more tarot books…

Blog Magic - Real Witches

After doing a lovely interview about my life as a witch and “origin story” the other day I found myself pondering the many ways people engage with witchcraft and its archetypes. Of course, the wonderful Brianna Saussy has something wise to contribute. Her recent post “Will the Real Witches Please Stand Up” is thought-provoking and nuanced take on witchcraft’s recent surge in internet popularity.

Repeat Tarot Card - Six of Pentacles

I think this card popped up at least six times (!) yesterday. First, in all my client readings and then in many of the reading swaps at Tarot Club last night. It was fascinating to see this card illustrated in everyone’s decks. From the classic “wealthy man bequeathing coins to beggars” version in the RWS to a joyous sense of collaboration and craft in another indie deck, the Six of Pentacles clearly has a lot to tell us about how we position ourselves when giving and receiving.

Listening, Reading, Watching

I’m a huge horror fan and have been taking serious advantage of this Halloween season. Some favorite movies I’ve been enjoying are Suspiria (the original with the amazing score by Goblin), Carnival of Souls, and the wonderful collection of ghost stories by M.R. James.

In the tarotsphere, I’ve been enjoying the new podcast Strange Magic by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener and Amanda Yates Garcia. It’s hosts are lovely, super-accomplished readers who bring a refreshing modern take to the subject. And I just got my hands on a copy of Creative Tarot by Jessa Crispin. I’ll be reporting back later when I finish it!

And now onto our card for the weekend...

Three of Cups

Message: Get social and celebrate what’s uplifting you in life.

Embrace: Spending time with friends or like-minded people, expressing joy and support, excitement.

Let Go Of: Withdrawal, hiding your success, focusing on the negative.

Guidance: Get giddy and energized! This card shows up when we have a wealth of connection in our life and plenty to share with others. Celebrate in a way that’s authentic to you, whether it’s an actual party, small gathering, or simple gesture of appreciation.

A Tarot Spread for Focus

A lovely student and friend reminded me of this spread from my Tarot for Yourself class the other day. This is one to turn to when you want to push the clutter aside and dive into the heart of any matter. It’s very versatile and helpful for many types of situations: love, career, and the everyday.

Click on the image above for more details and happy reading!

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Weekly Forecast: October 15-21

This week's reading is an affirming reminder of the power of community. The Three of Cups, sometimes referred to as the "party card," shows us that this time is full of celebration and collaboration. This is one of those happy cards whose advice is easy to follow: Let joy and festivity permeate your life. Not a hard pill to swallow at all!

The key of the Three of Cups, however, is a bit more complex than that. It asks us to consider where in our lives we experience ease - where (and with whom?) do we naturally and joyfully flourish? Sometimes we devalue these experiences thinking that they need to be more difficult in order to be legitimate. For example, ignoring a talent or passion because it's too easy. Like the myth of the starving artist or the business person who pulls themselves up by their bootstraps, we sometimes equate struggle with authenticity. This can lead to some dreary plodding and, perhaps fortunately, to unnecessary suffering.

Luckily, we have those closest to us to tell us where we truly shine. The Three of Cups is a deep card of relationship. When we see it in readings we're being asked to identify those close friends, family members, and allies who lift us up and amplify our confidence and happiness. They're the people who've seen us through tough times and know us well enough to let us know when we're striving against our nature or dimming our natural light. Seeing this card today is a reminder to value and uphold those connections with plenty of appreciation and shared joy. 

In consulting and celebrating with our trusted, like-minded souls we can gain a better understanding of just how far we've come and the position of power we're in right now. The Nine of Pentacles is another card that's deceptively simple at first glance. A true representation of abundance, it's easy to gloss this one over or complicate it unnecessarily. Interpretations run from "things are looking peachy financially!" to "decadence and complacency." What's more interesting about this card, however, is its exploration into the story behind our success.

This week we're in a cozy position of power. Not power over others or greedy hoarding or resources. We're actively caring for and cultivating a beautiful life that's glimmering for all to see. We're being supported by our community and in a position to make lasting changes in our careers and personal lives. In fact, this is a moment when the two are deeply intertwined, suggesting a close meeting of our values and actions. What we're doing is resonating with us on a deeper level, and that's something to truly celebrate. 

The hooded hawk perched on the top of the Nine of Pentacles shows the hard work and training that's brought us to this point. We've managed to harness our animal nature and make it work for us. These golden coins aren't ostentatious displays of success meant to make others jealous. They're a glowing invitation for others to come and join in our happiness. While we might struggle with this new-found sense of visibility (and vulnerability), the Three of Cups is here to ease our transition. Connecting with those we really trust will help shed light on our situation. Now is a wonderful time to share both our successes, plans, and even nervousness with our friends. They can remind us of the long path we've been following to get to this point and the lessons we've integrated along the way.

The Queen of Cups further illustrates how important all this happiness is. While we may be fighting against a protective instinct to remain small and invulnerable to criticism, this card shows us another way. We can be both powerful and available, emotionally present and prioritize our needs, kind and firm, and fully ourselves. This archetype is telling us that we can be gentle with ourselves and make time to joyfully honor our dreams and success. Using what feels good, right, and flows naturally as a compass we can navigate the stormiest waters. For now, however, it's sunny and smooth sailing. 

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Weekly Forecast: October 8-14

The Seven of Swords has a lot to tell us these days. Last week it appeared as a creative solution to our personal issues. Being lighthearted and a little impish, it suggested, could help propel us to a sense of satisfaction. This week, however, the card is back to show us its more traditional meanings: conflict, trickery, and confusion.

We're dealing with a stolen victory, one that took advantage of large ideological conflicts, heedless of the consequences. These accomplishments are not honorable (literal thievery rarely is), but they do count. Our cards for the week show us grappling with these events instead of giving us any clear outcome. The Hermit, also known as Father Time, shows us that this is a long and plodding path, but one that could, at the very least, prove clarifying.

When we look at The Hermit we can imagine him turning away from the conflict of the seven with sadness. This is, after all, a card of deep processing. Sometimes that processing is profound and natural  - a simple representation of us musing about our deeper calling or existence. And sometimes it's precipitated by something external. In this case, we're turning to our own experiences and higher values to process the shadiness of the Seven of Swords.

But before we jump to judge The Hermit as promoting inaction or selfishness, it's important to acknowledge that coming face-to-face with our true values involves introspection and questioning. The Hermit appears in moments when we must look at ourselves as big and important figures. What we do matters. And in walking through our feelings we can begin to identify the larger themes that guide us forward. Those are what brings our lives meaning and inspire us to act with clarity and determination.

This brings us to the King of Cups, the other side to this difficult situation. What's interesting here is that we're jumping to powerful cards - a major arcana, The Hermit, and a powerful King - instead of dithering in muddy and mundane suffering. In other words, we're ready to think and act big. 

The King of Cups is an important illustration of the power that comes from accepting, seeing, and honoring emotions. Not as inconvenient byproducts of life or immature grabs for attention, but as a natural and illuminating part of human life. The King of Cups believes in reciprocal and respectful relationships, personal accountability, and the wealth and power that springs from seeing one another as unique beings whose experiences and feelings matter. 

This is a card that shows utter commitment to a better world and the strength to navigate it while holding boundaries, values, and justice above the sometimes-murky waters of conflict and reactivity. The King of Cups is playing a long game, yes, but his status is comforting in this reading. We're more than capable of fighting for the world we'd like to see. Standing firm in this conviction and showing up in the public stage while consulting the wisdom of our own north stars will move us forward, perhaps with surprising effectiveness.

After all, the Seven of Swords is gazing intently at The Hermit, unaware of the fortitude and accomplishment it will face in the future. 

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Weekly Forecast: October 1-7

Sometimes we look at situations far too seriously. It's an easy thing to do. Challenges deserve attention and scrutiny, don't they? Isn't it our job to bravely face them, head on and ready to go?

One of the things I love most about the suit of swords is their wise depiction of the challenging world of our thoughts. Like a sword, we can wield them with power and conviction, cutting paths for action and giving ourselves the clarity of direction. Or, you know, we could wave them around, cutting other people, and, more commonly, ourselves. 

Tricky business, indeed. Only one of the swords cards addresses trickery itself, and that's our first card for the week: the Seven of Swords. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck it's illustrated with a young fellow sneaking away from a colorful array of tents with five swords in his arms. Two stand upright by his feet. There's a formation of shadows in the distance behind him with what appears to be the silhouette of a raised spear. Clearly, this character has pulled off some naughtiness and deception.

Usually this card brings with it standard meanings of deceit, theft, and subterfuge. Yet here we see another side to this card. The soft blues are matched to our remaining two cards, the harmonious Ten and Ace of Cups. How could this tricky card be aligned with the warmth and receptivity shown here?

While it's no good stealing swords from your neighbor's tents, we're also clearly not living in Medieval times anymore. The Seven of Swords illustrates a mental approach and the tent the home of our guarded and cherished ideas. Sometimes we need a jaunty thief to sneak in and extract the true treasures. Like The Fool and his knapsack, this is a moment where we can only carry so much with us. What's more, it's also a moment where thinking and acting playfully is actually allowing us to think bigger and bolder and, most wonderfully, quickly discard some stale ways of thinking.

In this case, seriousness isn't cutting the mustard. We've become a bit stagnant and stuck, placing too many constraints around us. The Ten of Cups shows us that what we need is to embrace the trickster nature of the Seven of Swords. Direct conflict, explaining, and arguing aren't even necessary. We can simply sneak into our own set of guarded beliefs and extract what makes us feel light, whole, and full of possibility. Anything less will only hold us back on our journey.

So the questions to ask now are: Does this idea invigorate me? What ideas are holding me captive? And, crucially, How can I have more fun?

In order to embrace the flowing, emotive, and joyful energy of the cups we need to lighten up a bit. Doing so is proving to be the last piece of the puzzle on a much longer emotional journey. The Ten of Cups depicts a beautiful arrival. We're coming to a place of transcendent intimacy were we're being seen clearly for who we are by like-minded souls. We may have built up some resistance to this way of being (those extra swords in the tent); instead of wrestling with them directly, we can do a graceful side-step. 

We might be surprised to see how quickly we arrive at this feeling of oneness and, even more delightfully, it's bringing us to the Ace of Cups - a new wellspring of inspiration, connection, and good fortune. 

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