Weekly Forecast: January 24-30

Spinning into something wonderful: The Wheel of Fortune / Temperance / Nine of Pentacles

Riding a cosmic reshuffle to abundance

The past two weeks have been a period of hard work during which we’ve contended with a lot: internal struggles, the sometimes-prickly emergence of new ideas, external difficulties, and unfortunate timing. It’s no wonder we’re feeling ragged around the edges or just plain burnt out. And, let’s be real, I was gritting my teeth ever so slightly when turning over the cards for this week - would we really still be plodding through some rough terrain?

Fortunately, we have a complete shift in the energetic weather pattern that’s been dominating the past few weeks. Oh, am I happy to type that sentence! Not one, but two Major Arcana cards arrive to show us a new focus in the collective energy, and one of them is the actual patron card of change itself: The Wheel of Fortune.

Looking at this card often throws people off their game. A cloudy sky chock full of esoteric symbols? It’s often met with a great big “huh?” and for good reason. Sometimes tarot cards evoke the very feeling that reflects their meaning. With The Wheel of Fortune we see a new wind blowing, and it’s blowing in a bunch of exciting and confusing stuff. We’re meant to be thrown off our game, at a loss for words, and maybe a little bit lost. Right now that may be just what we need.

Have you been feeling like your nose has been so close to the grindstone it’s just about ground off? So tired of working it feels like you’re sleepwalking through work, just doing the motions? Going from this energy to wide-open possibility, shockingly new ideas and situations (with a little bit of cheeky chaos thrown in for good measure) can be extremely overwhelming and destabilizing. It’ll be important to remember that we’ve been craving destabilization. Once we finally have it, we may want to crawl back into our familiar routines, yet our next two cards show us just how much we can do with the surprises popping up this week.

A classic interpretation of The Wheel of Fortune has to do with positioning. When life gives you change where do you place yourself? At the edge, far from your stable core, so that you’re flung to and fro? Or in the center where you can remain still and observe? Keep this in mind as life comes at you in the beginning of this week. We don’t have to make sense of all the wildness immediately, and I have a sense that there’s a lot of enjoyment we can find in the shake-up. Find your position and enjoy the ride.

The Wheel of Fortune spins us out, dazed and dizzy, at the feet of Temperance, a deeply wise card and the second Major Arcana in our reading. Did we need a playful shake to restart? This is a week to embrace newness, strange coincidences, and odd opportunities, for Temperance shows us coming into our own. This card presents us with a strong and nourishing image of self-knowledge. How have we embraced or endured change recently? What has it taught us about ourselves? And how have we chosen to stay true to ourselves no matter how fast the world is spinning by?

I like how these cards compliment each other; there’s a beautiful sense of effortlessness, but not the kind that comes from laziness. Playing our cards right when the world is constantly changing requires an immense amount of focus and poise. We have the opportunity to excel this week, both because the conditions are (finally, in some cases) right and because we’ve been working hard to shore up our skills and strength. Stay alert for where your purpose is aligning with your actions and opportunities. There may be surprising paths and connections appearing out of the blue.

So, if the winds of change are blowing and we’re becoming more in touch with our deeper purpose, where does that lead us? The Nine of Pentacles concludes our reading with a heartening message: we can be both wise and abundant. Who would’ve thought? And perhaps our trip through the dizzying chaos of The Wheel of Fortune has given us newfound appreciation for our special selves, all the talents and reservoirs of insight and grit we bring to life. This card invites us to celebrate in the real world - look around with gratitude at what you’ve built, feather your nest with sustainability (and a healthy pinch of decadence) in mind, and share what you have with trusted friends, family, and community members. Coming home is key when the wild world keeps spinning on. We have more stories to tell, achievements to cherish, and practice at being wise, resilient, and caring no matter what happens.

This week, embrace

• Spontaneity and innovation

• Accepting new offers, invitations, or projects

• Change

• Going with what flows

• Connecting with your highest, wise self while navigating change, busyness, upheaval

• Enjoying your creature comforts

• Sharing with trusted others

This week, avoid

• Being a stickler for details, perfectionism

• Overloading on outside information, the opinions of others

Get creative

• The Wheel of Fortune: Jump on the wheel yourself and channel some of this wild energy! Spend some time writing or envisioning what change you crave, especially if it doesn’t seem realistic. Dream big, get loopy, and enjoy yourself. And, if you’d like, see if there are any seeds that could grow into these changes apparent in your life right now.

• Temperance: Use this card as a talisman when things start to feel overwhelming. What wisdom has brought you to this moment? Like The Wheel of Fortune, Temerpance shows us the magic of forces we don’t entirely understand. What in you is magical, ineffable, and always guiding you towards something nourishing and important? A question to ponder: What voice has emerged in the most important decisions of my life, the biggest challenges, and pivotal crossroads? How can I listen to it more?

• Nine of Pentacles: Ground this energy in the real world with the down-to-earth pentacles. Find an object - either something you own or a special something you can gift yourself - and take a moment to consecrate it (you can go big if you’re into rituals, otherwise a quiet moment of reflection and intention work wonderfully). Place this object in a prominent spot in your home (or wear/transport it with you it, if possible) and think of how you give yourself stability and abundance.