Weekly Forecast: March 19-25
The Eight of Cups has been following me for the past few weeks. It's been coming up in readings, conversations, and my thoughts as well. Though I'm pretty sure I've called each of the 78 cards a favorite at this point, I've been especially drawn to this eight lately.
Why? It's a beautiful and brave card. Seeing the German artist Kitty Kahane's interpretation of it is especially moving. This card shows us important moments when we dare to ask for more. Not more in a greedy sense. Or more in a arrogant sense, either. The Eight of Cups shows us daring to expand our emotional worlds, opening up to the vulnerability of who we are, and seeking fulfillment despite "having enough."
It can be a lonely journey - we are following our own instincts, after all - but, as this card shows us so beautifully, we bring our connections, relationships, and joys with us. The "enough" that we may be tempted to stick with ends up being the supportive foundation that allows us to journey into the unknown. We can see this in the water flowing between the two cups - one in the hand of the journeyer, the other standing solidly on the ground.
Breaking from the status quo and choosing to look for more adventure, connection, or fulfillment can be nerve-wracking. Doing so involves exposure; we're taking a risk and stepping away from the pack. And indeed, this sentiment shows up in our next card, the Nine of Swords. Taking the first steps towards something new is bringing up a lot of anxiety this week. We'll be grappling with our monkey minds as we feel pulled to turn over every stone, analyze every move we've been making. Did we look weird when talking about this new passion project? Did we bumble through a presentation? Look foolish and unprepared?
Making new headway is never easy. Otherwise it wouldn't be new. There's a certain learning curve that, while being inherently stressful, is also very necessary. In fact, it's what drove us out of the comfort and stability of the Eight of Cups in the first place. That was too simple and familiar. Now we're grappling with the feeling of being a stranger in a new land. Remembering where we came from can be a helpful antidote to our Nine of Swords feelings, both in the sense that it can give us contrast - we needed something new for a reason - and support - we have a beautiful life and rich connections to draw from in this tender new phase.
The Nine of Swords does carry with it a deep sense of grief. It's personal. We're leaving behind an old idea of ourselves. Digging under the top layers of whirring thoughts and fears to uncover this will be helpful as we process our experiences this week. What part of ourself do we have to say goodbye to as we begin to learn new things and engage with the world more fully? Though it may seem odd, it's easy to get attached to the idea of a past self, especially when we're just emerging into something new. Think of it as a butterfly yearning for the safety of its cocoon. We can't return to being caterpillars, cozily ensconced in darkness. We've turned into something with wings and it's time to learn how to fly.
While the churning emotions of the Nine of Swords can fell all-encompassing, they're just another stage in the process. Soon, surprisingly, they'll fall away into an action-packed and comfortably (who saw that coming?) public phase. The Four of Wands is a lovely affirmation of the risks we've been taking. Yes, growth can be hard, but when we face it head on we emerge into the freedom and possibility we've been seeking.
The Four of Wands deals with the dynamism of structure. Our new situation is allowing us to be both free and focused. The emotions and thoughts of the cups and wands are invigorated with creativity and action. We're finding the environment we need to move full steam ahead with our passion projects. This is quite the roller coaster of cards, so it will be important to treat ourselves with care in the days to come, leaving lots of room for quiet processing in between all the happenings. And, most importantly, reaching out to our support network to gain perspective on our growth.