Weekly Forecast: July 25-31
Sometimes the most straightforward readings are the hardest to write about. I drew these cards on Sunday and immediately felt a sense of excitement and recognition. Here is a reading about gratitude, abundance, and important next steps in search of something meaningful. Wonderful! So why was it so hard to sit down and translate these cards into words?
Sometimes the most straightforward readings are the hardest to write about. I drew these cards on Sunday and immediately felt a sense of excitement and recognition. Here is a reading about gratitude, abundance, and important next steps in search of something meaningful. Wonderful! So why was it so hard to sit down and translate these cards into words?
Rather than force it, I decided to do what usually calms me when I’m feeling edgy and creatively thwarted: cleaning. I thumped around my house, flinging closet doors open, excavating odd tchotchkes from forgotten corners, emptying drawers of shriveled tubes of ointment and scattered cosmetic samples. I had all sorts of narratives about what was “happening” chomping at the bit, ready to run free and take over - something was wrong, I’d lost my touch, if I didn’t write now, I’d never write at all! Antsy and irritated, I channeled these feelings into action, noticing the treasures that surround me: the row of photographs above the mantel, a bouquet of flowers from a friend, a bedspread that I unequivocally adore. Laying my hands on actual objects in my home was calming and kept the stories at bay.
After ceremoniously dumping an armful of items that have always irritated me into boxes for donation, I felt a wave of calm come over me. I’d made a change, removed small things that tied me to stale memories or unhelpful feelings (hello, the guilt of keeping weird gifts you don’t actually like!); I felt both cleansed by my stomping about and connected to my environment.
And then I had a hearty chuckle. Standing there actually panting from irritation and exertion, I realized that I’d completely enacted the story of our first two cards: the Nine of Cups and Seven of Swords. Here, we see a need to focus on our emotional connection to what gives us meaning in our lives (cups) while diverting the restlessness and meaning-making that can distract us from what really matters (swords). Underneath both of these cards is a massive upwelling of energy - creative, ambitious, irrepressible. Which begs the question: What is trying to come through you this week and, most importantly, how do you feel when creativity comes knocking? It may be wily and strange, even uncomfortable. Where do you go when you feel this urge to change, create, or grow? Do you mistake this burgeoning energy with something else entirely or try to repress it?
It’s going to be important this week to cultivate a sense of curiosity around this. Some of us may be well acquainted with how creative energy moves through us. Others, like myself, might not recognize it at first. Treat this topic as a new land to explore. Gather your notebook and get out into the field to observe.
It’s likely that there will be some challenge and conflict involved. The Seven of Swords is a sneaky character, and there will be a tendency this week to overanalyze the situation, perhaps as a way of escaping something good and generative. What stories do you tell yourself about your ability to change your life? Where do you go and what do you do to escape exciting and challenging growth?
The Nine of Cups leads the charge this week and, while being a resoundingly positive card, it is nonetheless quite confrontational for some people. Watch out for fears and limiting beliefs around displaying happiness, satisfaction, and affection. And, most of all, being content with what you have. It will be helpful to look around you and see what bounty you have to offer. Is your perception of your resources, both emotional and material, in line with how you present yourself to the world? You may want to ask trusted others about where you hide your talents, gifts, and the sparkling parts of your personality people want to see more of.
While we can expect some prickliness, this card tells us that these things are already here. It’s not a question of seeking, building, or cultivating. Look around you (clean your house?) and get friendly with the abundance in your life, especially emotional and spiritual abundance. Gather strength and confidence from your close relationships, call up old friends, reach out, and share what you have.
There’s a pull to escape into the intellectual realm in order to avoid and protect this week. The Seven of Swords has been popping up left and right these days. Have a sense of humor about your trickster self, but don’t take their messages seriously. This week is a time to sit with your feelings and your gifts, not spin elaborate stories about what they mean or explain away beauty and wonder.
A powerful pull to walk towards the unknown arrives at the end of the week. It turns out staying where we are and being curious about ourselves is leaving space for a new path to emerge. There is some melancholy and wistfulness here, however. The Eight of Cups is a profound and mature card. What path are you headed towards that is yours and yours alone? This is a card that asks us to consult our deepest self about what’s next and no one else. You may find it helpful to retreat from outside information and excitement so you can better tune into yourself. The new steps, however, are emotionally powerful and can lead to something immensely heart-centered and nourishing. Trust yourself and make room for fear and trepidation; the risk is worth if if you’re heart is with you.
This week, embrace:
Counting your blessings
Being proud of what you bring to relationships
Connecting with cherished friends and new acquaintances
Finding and engaging with creative outlets
Observing what wants to come through you
Tuning into your intuition for guidance
This week, avoid:
Naysayers!
False modesty
Overextending yourself
Seeking solace or safety in “more” (people, possessions, projects, etc.)
Get creative:
Nine of Cups: Cups are all about feelings, so resist the urge to overanalyze this prompt (hi there, Seven of Swords, we see you!). Think about the beautiful, nourishing, and consistent things you have going for you in these three areas of your life: relationships, spirituality (or, depending on your belief system/preferences, creativity/intuition/nature), and beauty. Write down three things for each. Get creative with the categories, too, or simply float over them and just think of nine things you’re grateful for right now that give you a sense of connection to your best or higher self. These are your nine cups. Spend the week caring for them and appreciating them (and practicing holding them aloft for all to see without shame).
Seven of Swords: This week, I’m feeling the call to balance this card with an element not present in our reading. Think of it as reading the negative space in our spread. Like my very quotidian personal example of cleaning the house, the intellectual intensity of the swords is best tamed by the grounding element of earth. So, think pentacles this week - what can you do to get our of your head and into your body? Some suggestions: exercise, massage, gardening, and…yes… good old fashioned house cleaning.
Eight of Cups: Ooh, I really feel like this card is going to lead us some places. There’s a lot of mystery here, and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the new moon on Thursday. Since we have a lot of supportive energy here (happy, high-level cups cards), it may be helpful to choose and create the darkness we’ll be charting our path through. Find some time in the dusk or evening to be with yourself. A stroll down the driveway or through the neighborhood would do. But make it magical and meaningful, guided by the question: What steps can I feel my inner self start to take and how can I help clear the path in my outer life?
Weekly Forecast: August 13-19
How nice is it to hear that taking a bit of a reckless chance will pay off richly? This certainly isn't a message that comes out frequently, but leave it to the action-packed suit of wands to lead the way this week. We're certainly feeling all fired-up and ready to make moves. Fortunately, our sense of readiness is justified. The time to act is now.
How nice is it to hear that taking a bit of a reckless chance will pay off richly? This certainly isn't a message that comes out frequently, but leave it to the action-packed suit of wands to lead the way this week. We're certainly feeling all fired-up and ready to make moves. Fortunately, our sense of readiness is justified. The time to act is now.
Because we're dealing with wands, this is likely in an area of our lives that requires creativity. So often we disqualify ourselves from the term, thinking that creativity only refers to artistic pursuits. I can't tell you how many people come in for readings and balk at this side of the wands."I'm not a creative person," they say. And yet how can we be human and not be creative?
Just look at the Knight of Wands. What better card to represent our need to think on the fly? Each day we have to navigate a sea of choices and options and this requires us to, yes, think creatively. We must pivot on the spot, cobble together solutions, and follow our instincts. I don't say this to take away the glamor of creativity, but to add a sense of excitement and respect for all the things we're required to do. Even the mundane can be given that shininess with a simple shift in thinking.
That being said, we're past the point of thinking this week. Whether we're being creative in an artistic or more general sense, it's not a time to deliberate or agonize. That will only make us feel restless and hemmed in. Knights bring with them an influx of energy and purpose. Of course, this can be hot-headed and foolhardy, so it's a good idea to look before we leap to make sure we're not going to step on any toes. In this reading, however, that threat is small because we have the Three of Wands as our central card.
This card is telling us that we've laid the groundwork for our plan, giving the ambitious Knight in us a well-thought-out path to ride. If anything, we may have to make sure we're starting out on that path in the first place. The Knight of Wands is facing to the left, away from the Three of Wands. Are we being led astray by another enticing project instead of moving towards a more long-held goal? In that case all we have to do is reign in our horse and get back on track. Once we do this we'll find our passion and motivation unchanged. When we work with the enthusiasm of the Knights, giving them structure and direction, we can get so much done.
The Nine of Cups is a welcome addition to this array. Too much fire can burn things to a crisp. Our creative plan, however, isn't just action for action's sake. We're also seeking connection and community through our work. What we do is creating links with others and providing us with the means to give back to our communities. Taking moments to reach out, share our joy and plans, and provide ideas and advice to others is leading to a deep sense of satisfaction.
Weekly Forecast: July 23-30
The way we live these days it's easy to feel like we don't have enough. How often are we taking in messages about consumption without even knowing it? I think back to my great grandmother. We still have a set of china that belonged to her in the family. It's a huge set, from back in the day when having a gravy boat that matched your soup tureen (who still uses those?!) was the pinnacle of class and sophistication.
The way we live these days it's easy to feel like we don't have enough. How often are we taking in messages about consumption without even knowing it? I think back to my great grandmother. We still have a set of china that belonged to her in the family. It's a huge set, from back in the day when having a gravy boat that matched your soup tureen (who still uses those?!) was the pinnacle of class and sophistication.
For her, buying this set of dishes was a huge deal. It was hers for life. And she obviously cherished it since it still survives with all its pieces intact. And yet now, in one outing wandering around Raleigh yesterday, I saw so many dishes. New cups and glasses, delightful platters and bowls. I caught myself lusting after them even though my cabinets are full.
We have a similar situation this week. Our lives are full of support and plenty, yet instead of enjoying it we're looking beyond it all to an imagined situation of poverty. But we're not dealing with dishware here. This is about feelings, connections, and relationships, as we can tell from the two cups cards that start our reading.
What happens when we take our wonderfully supportive and rich emotional lives for granted? Our answer is short and concise: the false sense of scarcity is driving us towards conflict.
The Five of Swords sees us rising to an imagined challenged with edgy, frustrated energy. Like swords, it's spiky and stabby and likely to injure someone, whether it's ourselves or others.
But this path is ill-advised and completely divorced from our present reality. Though we'll feel pulled to gloss over what's great, heeding the siren song of "more" to disregard what we already have, there's another path.
"What's this?" you might ask. It's simple. Enjoy what you have and care for it with love and respect.
The Nine of Cups is a beautifully radiant and jovial card. I love how it's illustrated in The Fountain Tarot. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck the satisfied look of the main character paired with his confident stance in front of a wall of cups can come across to some as smug or boastful. Yet this card is all about care and connection and joy. I've found that this version is much more resonant with modern audiences. Here, a person is holding one of his cups happily, smiling with the warmth of someone who is truly present.
This card is showing us what we're really working with this week - a beautiful life rich in relationships and meaningful experiences. It's our job to tend to these actively. The Nine of Cups can't be their magnificent self by checking out or distracting themselves. Contentment requires consciousness. Are we fully aware of the gifts in our lives? And, most importantly, are we willing to honor them by enjoying them?
The Four of Cups suggests that we're dealing with an aversion to happiness. This is a good time to explore and get to know how and why we cut ourselves off from fulfillment. Are we afraid of responsibility? Showing up and appreciating our lives and those in it requires acknowledging that people count on us and that we're responsible for how we act in the world. Do we think we don't deserve what we have? That celebrating it is somehow boastful, cruel, or even tacky? Or are we simply following the script that more is better and what we already have isn't enough?
Having such a stark contrast between the Nine of Cups and the Four of Cups is a blessing in disguise. That is, it'll be easy to notice the difference between these two mindsets if we look for it. We can either be with it and happy, like the Nine, or detached and despondent, like the Four. I'm not going to speak for anyone here, but I can confidently say that I'd much prefer to be the Nine of Cups!
And of course the Five of Swords has a lot to say about the repercussions of seeing four cups when there are actually nine. When we invest in a scarcity mentality we start behaving in desperate and sneaky ways. If we think that the world isn't bountiful - that we can't enjoy happiness as we are or with the life we have right now - we start grabbing for what we can and disregarding others. While the immediate feeling might be satisfying, it's ultimately short-lived, and we run the risk of leaving a wake of hurt-feelings and ill-will behind us.
So, yes, we may find ourselves in the dreamy, dissatisfied state of ennui represented by the Four of Cups, but we can choose which way to go. Do we pick ourselves up and re-emerge in our lives, accepting the loveliness we have and the wonderful people who care of us? Do we cherish the full set of dishes we've been given? Or do we treat them callously, seeking whatever's new and shiny? I'll leave the choice up to you, but I certainly know which version I'll be striving for.
Weekly Forecast: May 14-20
Can life be as magical as we'd like it to be? Oftentimes we're told that a feeling of enchantment doesn't fit into modern life, especially modern adult life. We hear about "adulting" encompassing taxes, doctor's appointments, and budgeting, but never vacationing, creativity, or letting loose. This false distinction leaves a lot of be desired. And sometimes it call us with its siren song: act busy and bedraggled and you'll seem more responsible. It's just how it is. We don't have a choice.
Can life be as magical as we'd like it to be? Oftentimes we're told that a feeling of enchantment doesn't fit into modern life, especially modern adult life. We hear about "adulting" encompassing taxes, doctor's appointments, and budgeting, but never vacationing, creativity, or letting loose. This false distinction leaves a lot of be desired. And sometimes it call us with its siren song: act busy and bedraggled and you'll seem more responsible. It's just how it is. We don't have a choice.
These cards tell a different story. It's one we're all experiencing, even though we may not see it that way. Because life is strange and surprising. No matter how set our schedules are or how many responsibilities we have, a little bit of magic finds it way in. In fact, as these cards suggest, it may be hiding in plain sight.
Because we're taught to underplay our successes and joys, these parts of our life often get glossed over. They're simple, they're fun, and they're also fleeting. Or are they? The Nine of Cups shows us at a special time in our life. All our relationships and creative inspirations stand behind us, happily tended to and ready to offer us support. The array is so simple we might even forget it's there. What's more, the work we've done to cultivate them may not have even felt like work. And yet it's paid off splendidly.
This card is telling us to be proud of the beauty we bring to our lives. Instead of skipping over it, looking for conflict and struggle, now is a time to look deeper. What can we learn from what comes to us with ease? What message can be found in joy? It may also be a time to re-consecrate these beautiful parts of our life. The magic, in other words, is right here, in our relationships, in the work we do channeling our creativity into something real, and in the good feelings we experience when we're working to create a beautiful life.
The Page of Swords represents invigorating intellectual curiosity. Cups are all about feeling, sensing, and intuition. While their energy flows through our lives constantly, it can easily go unexamined. Luckily, we have the mental acuity of the swords to bring some clarity. This Page is all about open-minded examination. Traipsing into the subject of our creative and emotional successes with a clear-head and light heart will bring us some fascinating insights.
Inspecting what's working and trying to uncover ways to encourage and foster our good instincts is leading us into uncharted territory. The Moon is a card that shows us how strange and mysterious we are at our core. No amount of conditioning, responsibility, and control can overcome the fact that, at our most basic, we are creatures too. In The Moon we see how powerful our instincts and intuition is.
Feeling at ease and enjoying life is allowing us the space to explore this side of ourself in The Moon and see how our lives are infused with magic. It just requires a shift in perspective. The Page of Swords is able to explore The Moon's influence on our life while remaining agile. It's easy to get lost in the loopy world of The Moon. Luckily we have this Page to help us navigate and keep us on our path.
In the days to come we'll be seeing more mystery at work in our lives. Excitement in the everyday, meaning in the mundane, and an extra shimmer in the things that bring us joy. Just looking a little closer will enhance this even more and allow us to see how we can be both stable and fulfilled while being visionary and open to the unknown.
Exploring the Minor Arcana: The Nines
In this series we'll be diving into the world of the Minor Arcana. Each segment will group the cards by number where we can engage in their themes and differences. For all the posts in the installment, click here.
We've almost reached the finish line with the pip cards and, similarly, the nines represent the penultimate step of a journey. For some suits like the cups and pentacles, it's smooth sailing to the end. Others, like the swords and the wands, are more of a challenge. A trial of sorts is necessary to make it to a conclusion.
Nines require deeper thinking and wider vistas. It's a stage where we're synthesizing information, contemplating how far we've come, and realizing the extent to which we've changed. As a number, nine is visionary, conscientious, and universal. It's a point where we look beyond ourselves to the larger meaning and reverberations of our actions.
Let's dive into the details for each suit. Click on each for the full card meaning page.
Explore In-Depth Minor Arcana Meanings
The Nine of Wands shows us how the path of action can leave us bruised and wary. The going has been rough, but not without wisdom and accomplishment. It just doesn't look so rosy quite yet, and this card denotes a resigned restlessness. We know tha we've committed to a journey and we'll see it out, but there's tiredness in our bones and a desire to let go and move on once we've succeeded.
For the Nine of Swords depicts a moment of intense anxiety, sadness, and doubt. We've been overwhelmed by our mind's tendency to think, plan, and fret. We'd like to retreat, but instead of using this space to heal and recover, we dissolve in despair.
The Nine of Cups is a beautiful illustration of the wealth that comes with emotional fulfillment. The figure in this card sits confidently in front of nine cups fanned out behind him. Contentment, generosity, and warmth spring forth naturally when we're able to take care of our emotional needs, feel our feelings, and maintain supportive and loving connections
Finally, the Nine of Pentacles is a very alluring card. Ensconced in a beautiful garden and lounding next to a grapevine with pentacles at its base, the figure in this card is majestic, content, and secure. This card denotes a period of financial and material stability, one that allows us to invite others into our space and share our wealth.
Weekly Forecast: November 6-12
Shortcuts can be oh so tempting. Why not do things the easy way? Phone it in just this one time? Take a little extra here and there - after all who will notice?
The issue with this approach is twofold. Firstly, being tricky is only satisfying in the moment. After an initial burst of pride at having gotten away with something a nagging doubt pops up - it's our good old friend, our conscience. And secondly, sometimes we're not the only ones who notice. A sustained campaign of trickiness is difficult to overlook. After a while, people start seeing it, whether it's our shady attitude or the deeds themselves.
Now before we get away with ourselves, let's remember that taking the easy way out is a very human instinct. Add in our obsession with efficiency and speed and we can easily seduce ourselves into thinking we're doing the right thing .Though not always pretty, this instinct is a part of the process. This week we get a chance to engage with our squirrely side and observe where we feel called to be tricky and why.
The Seven of Swords is an interesting card because it shows us a moment where we've achieved so much by taking the long and challenging route. Why are we tempted to sneak off at this moment? The Seven can represent self-sabotage and times when we use false logic to trick ourselves into something that's ultimately against our interests. What are the actual thoughts behind this impulse? Are we afraid of our own success? Feeling unworthy? Scared of responsibility?
Now is a good time to examine our motivations because our tricky behavior will quickly come to light. Justice is quite the card to follow the Seven of Swords! Nothing escapes the gaze of Justice, and before you run off an cower in a corner, this is a good thing. A natural check for the Seven, if you will. When brought to Justice's scales any self-sabotaging (or purely sabotaging) actions don't pass the test. And what is the test? Fairness, equality, kindness, and balance. We can always do better and Justice points us in the right direction.
Whether Justice manifests as our guilty consciences or an outside force, we'll be feeling called out this week and exposed.It's a vulnerable and scary feeling, one that will have us crumpling like the figure in the Ten of Swords. While this reaction feels dramatic - and in the moment we may feel overwhelmed by guilt or regret - it's temporary. Justice's presence tells us that facing our faults - in this case the desire to take the easy way out - is an important part of our self-growth. And strangely enough, the sun is rising in the background of the Ten of Swords. Soon we'll be able to get up and move forward, all the wiser and ready for our own tricks.
Weekly Forecast: October 30 - November 5
As the last days of October draw to a close we enter into a darker time of year, one where our natural rhythms slow and we seek out warmth and coziness from our surroundings and relationships. It's no mistake then that so many major holidays fall during this time. As we wind down we get time to see the fruits of our labor and to appreciate the joys of our existence.
This is a glowing assortment of cards, one that reflects simplicity, gratitude, and coming together. Naturally, my mind is on Halloween - the best holiday in my humble opinion - and I can't help but see a story of trick-or-treating in these cards. The energy and enthusiasm of the Page of Wands as you set out on your journey for delicious candy, the happiness of plenty seen in the Nine of Cups (aka when your bag is stuffed to the brim with the choicest candy bars) and the irrepressible feeling of surrender that comes with a candy coma, illustrated here by the Hanged Man.
Whether you're actually trick-or-treating this coming week or not, you'll be given the opportunity to embrace a similar energy. The Page of Wands is an irrepressible character, full to the brim with youthful energy and more than a pinch of naivete. Oftentimes we attempt to repress or at least edit the childish parts of ourselves, occasionally at the expense of fun and spontaneity. This week, we're given the go-ahead to fully embrace the whims of our inner child so long as they are positive and expansive. In fact, doing so is giving us a path to unlocking achievements that have eluded us. Most importantly, however, leaning into our youthful enthusiasm will give us an opportunity to celebrate the sources of joy already surrounding us.
I love the imagery that the illustrations of The Fountain Tarot are giving us this week. The radiant energy of the Page of Wands, seen in the soft, inviting hues of red, orange, and yellow, lead directly to the calm and undeniable joy of the Nine of Cups. A card of pure contentment, the nine shows us how being in the moment and caring for our blessings by acknowledging and even caring for them can multiply our good fortune and bring us a sense of clarity.
This week the cards are inviting us to step away from the drudgery of our obligations and refocus on the sources of happiness we already have. Showing our happiness and excitement like the Page of Wands has the potential to bring in even more sustaining relationships and sources of contentment. We can slow down, relax, and take the time to be where we are right now. It's a safe and beautiful place.
And there's more still. As we lean into appreciating what we have, including our page-like energy, we're finding that there's something else beneath all the fun and warm feelings. I love how the colors from the Page of Wands and the Nine of Cups combine in the sunrise shown in The Hanged Man. As we relax from all the festivities we'll find an exciting idea bubbling beneath the surface. It may be slow and subtle at first, but you'll recognize it by the feeling of excitement and a little trepidation. Don't worry and don't rush. The Hanged Man shows us how letting go opens new doors. This one is just starting to swing open between the unfiltered enthusiasm on the Page of Wands and the joyous contentment of the Nine of Cups. Give it some time to open and then see where it leads...
We’re using a different deck than normal this week, for no other reason that that it was the closest to my morning writing spot - nestled in bed under a crisp, white duvet. Our cards have a similar energy, a focus on finding comfort and rest in difficult situations. Because, as you’ve likely noticed, The Tower is starting things off this week. What’s crumbling or has crumbled recently? What is making you tired?