Weekly Forecast: February 28 - March 6
The Magician / Page of Cups / Ten of Swords
This forecast was written before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; for an interpretation of these cards through that lens, visit the Incandescent Tarot Substack.
A new start, inspiration, and fiery ambition. All of these traits are coming to the forefront this week as we engage with a powerful card, number 1 in the Major Arcana sequence, The Magician. This is a card that sees us aware of our own power and enlivened by the act of creating: What can we make with the gifts given to us as well as the skills we’ve honed along life’s journey so far?
Take some time to really explore this card personally. I have a feeling that The Magician has quite a lot to teach us this week, and my hunch is bolstered by the Page of Cups, an irresistibly curious character. See how they peer at the fish popping out of their cup - even though they’re different species, there’s a dialogue happening. In this case, it’s between the conscious, human self and the spiritual or unconscious self. What insights about our creative power can we uncover when engaging with intuitive, spiritual, and ineffable sources of wisdom?
This is a week to step outside of any previously held ideas of identity, skill, or aptitude. While the Page of Cups tells us that we’re trying out something new, The Magician suggests that we’ve been demonstrating skills we've never felt comfortable identifying with for quite some time. The Magician is framed by a profusion of blooms - red roses and white lilies - symbolizing passion and purity. These are also the colors of magic itself. What spells have we been working? What is coming into bloom?
Major Arcana cards point to deep and long-lasting themes. Last week we were visited by The Hierophant, a card about finding a place in traditional structures, lineage, and tradition. The Magician, in contrast, makes magic for themselves, by themselves. Ask yourself where you could use some innovation in your life. This week is a time to chart your own path, let your skills shine, and follow the exhilarating path of creativity. Where is your energy flowing naturally? That’s where you should go.
The Magician and The Page of Cups are forming a helpful alliance in a challenging time. While it may look like you’re engaging with some satisfying external growth (I’m feeling a lot of career-related energy here), the work you’re doing with these two cards is also inching you towards the final page of a separate, very challenging chapter. Yes, this is where the Ten of Swords comes into play - the card with a person stabbed with ten whole swords, looking like an upsetting approximation of a hedgehog.
I’m particularly interested in this card not only because it’s a ten and quite outside the themes of creativity and intuition seen in the rest of our reading, but because it also features the gesture of benediction found in The Hierophant. Look to last week to see what events or realizations may be bringing you to a natural conclusion. I say natural, but I don’t mean that to discount the severity of the Ten of Swords: this is a challenging, emotionally fraught moment; however, it’s worth noting that we’ve being guided towards it by the trustworthy forces of energetic and personally resonant growth (The Magician) and exciting spiritual discovery (The Page of Cups). This is a week to make time for your healing - how can you plan to care for yourself when you’re overwhelmed by emotion or laid low by grief? Any time spent giving yourself a soft place to land will be well spent.
Creativity is also a huge balm for any challenges that arise. Notice how the bright yellow background of The Magician reappears in The Ten of Swords. A new dawn is rising over the sad scene; growth is on the horizon, warmth is returning after a dark night. See where the glow of your creative pursuits are warming you and invest attention, time, and resources there. Swords are all about the mind, and this card shows a painful overabundance of mental activity while The Magician and The Page of Cups offer an alternative: rest, respite, and future growth in spirituality and creation.
This week, embrace:
Self-directed action
Transforming ideas, inspiration, and the intangible into action and reality
Participation in life around you
Cultivating curiosity in the face of suffering
This week, avoid:
Being paralyzed with fear, perfectionism, self-doubt
Neglecting or disavowing your sensitivity
Connecting suffering with personal shortcomings
Get creative:
The Magician & The Page of Cups: I’m combining these two cards this week to touch on a theme I only mention briefly in the reading. While we talked a lot about using The Magician to inspire real-world actions, this card works in tandem with the Page of Cups to highlight more playful creativity. So, with this in mind, spend some time channeling your experience of these cards into art of some form. The length, complexity, and form doesn’t matter here - just do something, preferably as playfully as you can. The key is to make “something” out of “nothing” - notice how it feels to look at whatever you’ve created, whether it’s a poem, photograph, painting, or doodle.
The Ten of Swords: I feel like this card is requesting some planning and preparation. How can we make ourselves as comfortable and supported when the mental and emotional overwhelm of The Ten of Swords strikes? Personally, I’m taking some time today to write out things I can do to calm myself when I get overtaken by worries. This is all about comfort and being with yourself, not solving problems. For me it’s a cup of tea, deep breathing, and a quick browse through a flower catalog to reset. What’s your Ten of Swords plan? Bring it out when you find yourself feeling like someone face-down on the ground, pincushioned with swords. Like the symbol of benediction, it’s a potent gesture of care and blessing that we can give ourselves in dark times.