Weekly Forecast: November 14-20

We have an interesting confluence of cards this week, all of them dealing with one theme: focus. What are we bringing our full attention to? And have we felt at odds, pulled in different directions, or frustrated by the many demands on our time and energy?

This week, surprisingly, may bring a resolution, but it’s one that’s about healing and acceptance, not change and breakthrough. I want to be straightforward here, since this reading is uniquely pointed: this week we’re being directed to look at how our Eight of Pentacles experience of work and livelihood is interacting with our Hermit nature, that part of ourselves that wants to find a meaningful path through life.

A popular cultural script at the moment is that these two things are hopelessly in conflict. There’s the assumption that work is either utterly meaningful or a total slog, and, I think, a romanticized idea of careers as “true calling.” They’re out there, and if we’re not feeling completely fulfilled by our work, it’s just because we haven’t found the right one yet.

This reading is asking us to shove that stale idea to the side and look at our situation with new eyes. Specifically, the soft and inquisitive gaze of the Page of Cups.

We talk a lot about how the pages are associated with youth in the tarot, and today I’m thinking about how children have the amazing ability to see things as they are, as they’re happening. They may not have the background of history, social cues, tradition, or practice to flesh out the bigger context, but this is sometimes a huge gift. Similarly, this week we’re being asked to look at what we do to support ourselves with fewer preconceived notions of how things “should be.” What, in other words, is actually happening right now?

Let’s return to the Eight of Pentacles to explore that question further. A hugely adult card, this is the most focused depiction of work in the deck. What I love about this image is its twin stories - the figure hard at work, immersed in their labor, and the tree of pentacles growing to the right. Being focused in what we do can accumulate success we’re not even aware of. Until we look up from our work, that is.

This week is a time to assess how much progress you’ve made in an area of your life that has required attention, follow-through, and strenuous labor. It may be directly tied to the pentacles theme of work, career, and the physical body. Just look to the figure in this card and think, “Where have I felt this focus and determination lately?”

This week, however, is time to stop our efforts; the Eight of Pentacles also indicated a period of natural flow in work and practical matters, so this would be a good time to harness your energy, press on in any projects that need your attention, and, when possible, enjoy the satisfaction that comes from exercising your skill and power. The overarching energy of this reading is “whatever you focus on can flourish.”

As things let up mid-week, we’ll have the chance to see our efforts and their results more clearly. I see The Page of Cups as a helpful opportunity to reframe our path and progress. What if our trying, striving, and working is enough just as it is. What if it’s even quite magical? There’s something to be rediscovered in the longer journey we’ve been on to take care of ourselves. Have you learned something important about what really matters to you? Something that could take you someplace interesting?

The Hermit suggests that we’re edging closer to a meeting of our larger life purpose and our daily work. It may be that our true calling is something we enact everyday, in every aspect of our lives rather than a career path. However, if you’ve been searching for some clarity, this is a very supportive time to bring your work closer towards the values and questions you’ve discovered.

This week, embrace:

• Focus!

• Follow-through

• Grounding in physical tasks

• Positive, even magical, thinking

• Taking your work, both the mundane and “great work of your life,” seriously

• Solitude to consider you recent accomplishments

This week, avoid:

• Adopting, assuming, and acting from others’ ideas of success

• Quitting something that matters to you

• Paralysis from goals that are too lofty

Get creative:

• Eight of Pentacles: I’m mad at myself for going here immediately, but I can’t help but see this card tied to helpful productivity techniques. Yes, I’m thinking of things like the pomodoro method. It works for me! But do take a moment to think of a small ritual, framework, or gesture that helps you transition into a state of focus and concentration. Is it a special beverage you sip at your desk? A brief meditation before you launch into your workday? I don’t, however, suggest reinventing the wheel; the Eight of Pentacles is an established card. Go with what’s worked for you, whether it’s reintroducing this ritual or bringing more mindfulness to a practice you’ve been committed to.

• Page of Cups: Because this reading is so… focused (I wonder how many times this word shows up in this reading!) I think it’s important to do something completely unrelated to the work-focused Eight of Pentacles and visionary Hermit. Cue the Page of Cups. Their invitation? Do something new, creative, romantic, goofy, or intensely earnest this week. Some ideas: send someone a love note, take a walk and see how many blue things you can see, serenade your pet or the pigeons on the street, play dress up by yourself at night.

• The Hermit: I don’t want to get too specific with this card since our reading is more about a generalized sense of curiosity and wonder; more the glow of the star in The Hermit’s lantern than the star itself. So, simply gift yourself a Hermit-style retreat. This can be five minutes, a whole evening. Just be sure to go someplace you can be alone and take in the beauty of the world and your place in it.

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.

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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.

Exploring the Minor Arcana: The Pages

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.

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Ah, the Pages, what a delightful and enthusiastic group of cards! The Pages represent themes of youth, vitality, fascination, learning, and focus. We can think of these cards as the youngsters of tarot. They see the world with fresh eyes and find inspiration naturally and freely. 

The Pages remind me of the unbridled obsessions we have as children. For me it was dinosaurs. I loved them. I loved everything about them. I wanted dinosaur toys, dinosaur books, and dinosaur pajamas. We can see this organic excitement and focus in the cards. Each page holds the symbol of his suit. They're drawn to the meaning of each symbol. They want to learn the ins-and-outs. They want to experience it all.

In readings, Pages refer to our instinctual interests, our childlike ability to see magic in the world around us, new areas of study and learning, as well as emerging news and information. Let's look at each Page below to get some more insight into this lovely group of cards. Click on each link for the official meaning entry and more details.

Explore In-Depth Minor Arcana Meanings

The  Page of Wands unites the energy of the Pages with the intoxicating power of creativity. This card represents burgeoning creative interests, the development of creative skills, and the desire to learn by doing. 

For the Page of Swords shows growing interests in intellectual pursuits, whether it's becoming a student (or an actual student in your life) or being drawn to research and collect new information. This Page wheels and deals in facts, information, and communication, though they're learning the ropes of each they have a natural aptitude and burning sense of motivation.

The Page of Cups is a sensitve and seeking card. It can denote moments when we feel called to get connected with our intuition, spirituality, and other forms of guidance. This Page is romantic, tender, curious, and gentle. It also ties into new connections, relationships, and emerging feelings.

Finally, the Page of Pentacles ties the eagerness of the Pages to the practical world. This can show up as the beginning of entrupreneurial interests, plans for businesses, professional training, and interest in making changes in our lives. The Page of Pentacles is interested in making a direct impact on their life and working towards stability.

How do the Pages speak to you in your tarot practice? Which do you relate to most? I'd love to hear your takes, so share away in the comment section below! And stay tuned for our next section on the Knights. 

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Weekly Forecast: June 18-24

Well, well. This week holds quite the welcome energy shift. Things have been wandsy for a while now as we've been grappling with the myriad items on our "to do" lists. We've been deep in a period of work that requires us to simply keep at it. You know the phase when the initial inspiration seems far in the past, replaced by many tasks that seem to pull us every which way. Except towards rejuvenating creativity.

We can see this overwhelm in the Nine of Wands. Here, the vitality of the wands has built up into a formidable wall. We can see the trepidation and exhaustion in the main figure's eyes. More work? Really? When did this stop feeling fun?

This is a question worth asking, and one that has a surprising answer. Despite the discomfort that comes from running into obstacles, the setbacks and frustration we've been experiencing is actually a welcome symptom. We're already where we need to be. We're done! It's just time to let our awareness catch up.

We've been struggling to break past this wall of wands because we think the answer is on the other side. We're operating under the assumption that we need to overcome this itchiness. That the answer involves more of the same - more action, more problem-solving, and more control. Look at the other two cards for this week and we can see that, in fact, we're heading in a much different direction.

The angstiness of fire (wands) is being extinguished by some much-needed, soothing water energy, represented here by the Page and Ten of Cups. All our hard work has brought us to new territory. It's understandable that it's going to take some time for all that momentum to die down. Think of the Nine of Wands as the extra distance you run past the finish line because you can't come to an immediate stop. This week our challenge is to see this phase for what it is and not keep running as if our lives depended on it.

To put it another way, we've already finished the work we needed to do. Now we're shifting away from action and into a period of processing and intuition. This week's reading is really honing in on the role of the Nines as the culmination of their group of cards. The Tens, in fact, are overkill. We're feeling exhausted at the Nine of Wands because we've done enough. It's time to put down our active, controlling minds and make room for something new.

The Page of Cups is asking us to treat this new perspective with curiosity. Now is a time for integration and uncovering. What has all our growth and action brought up for us? We can look at it with calm openness like the Page does with the delightful fish peeking out of their cup. Similarly, we're being given an opportunity to find a new and exciting facet of ourselves in the days to come. It's proving to be the missing piece we were trying to make happen in the Nine of Wands.

This is a time to replace our sky-high expectations with a sense of satisfaction. What if we've done enough? What if we are enough? Embracing this mindset and inviting in a sense of possibility to our lives is opening the future up to the splendid panorama of the Ten of Cups. So much is possible if we relax our grip on the future. Like creates like, and now is the time to let enjoyment, self-expression, and love into the picture. When we plan with these values in mind, so much is possible, including a version of life that's much more expansive and wonderful than the claustrophobia shown in the Nine of Wands.

Use this time to tend to the idealistic, caring, and insightful part of yourself. The Page of Cups shows us asking important new questions and deepening our connection with our intuition. This is an excellent moment to plan big - allowing the most utopian, magical visions for the future to emerge. They might not, in fact, be so far out of reach.

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Weekly Forecast: November 13-19

It's tempting to get suspicious when things are going smoothly. After all, we're conditioned to equate struggle with hard work. If we're not toiling intensively (something that usually entails exhaustedly telling everyone how busy we are) we're not doing enough.

There's also an animal side to us that's always alert for any dangerous rustling in the bushes. Something bad could happen any moment! And what if we're relaxing? Why, we'd be caught off guard and then...?

But what about when things just feel right? You know, when something's both comforting and exhilarating, like being in love. It can appear in the joy that comes from trying something new, the peace of laying back and relaxing into our cozy lives, or the heady thrill of a new relationship that captivates us. 

The feeling draws us into our bodies so we can experience the world through our senses. We instinctively draw a deep breath and catch the crisp scents of fall, or we curl our toes in acknowledgment of the butterflies in our stomach. We're at one with the world and at one with ourselves.

The Page of Cups shows us the beauty of this kind of receptivity. We're poised to be chanelling our experiences and feelings with grace and care. It feels good when our emotions flow through us without any obstacles in the way.  

Relaxing into and trusting the world around us is giving us a gift of pleasureable centeredness, not to mention a rare sense of focus. Now is the time to follow our passions wherever they may lead us. What are you finding irresistibly captivating right now? What makes your eyes close and cheeks blush when you think about it? It can be a new dream, a romance, a budding friendship. No matter what form it takes, you'll know by how comfortable and joyful you feel when engaging with it. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to refocus around what feels good and what is naturally exciting. Doing so is the practice we need to override our instinct to look at the world with fear and trepidation. And what, might you ask, can come from wide-eyed enthusiasm and semi-hedonistic relaxation?

Like it or not, we don't have as much control over our world as we'd like to think. Fortunately, this means we don't have to actively pursue everything. We don't need to be pushing boulders around to effect change. The world actually spins on its own, and it's about to change quite soon. The Wheel of Fortune indicates an upcoming shift from the dreamy, pleasurable Page of Cups to the grounded possibility of the Ace of Pentacles. Yes, that means without "doing" anything your budding ideas and connections are becoming more solid.

When I say "doing" I mean trying to overtly control and manipulate a situation. Letting go of direct control and action and focusing on passion and enjoyment is actually quite the feat. Being receptive doesn't mean being passive.

This week asks us to remember that experiencing is just as fruitful and important as acting. Remain present and really let yourself feel the excitement of your new relationship, dream, practice, or hobby. Enjoy! What you're doing is actually essential - establishing a background of experience - and will naturally evolve into something tangible, stable, and trustworthy. 

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Weekly Forecast: April 24-May 1

I don’t know about you, but I’m especially curious about what the cards have in store for us. Maybe it’s because we’re in the last week of Mercury retrograde; things have been feeling extra mystical, mysterious, and even a bit topsy-turvy.

Interestingly enough, we have a visit from The Hanged Man as our central card this week. It doesn’t get more topsy-turvy than this. It looks like we’ve experienced a major change in perception from last week.

What in our life has been flipped on its head recently? Are we contending with a big change, something we didn’t see coming? The only thing that’s certain is that things don’t look the same and we have little control over the forces behind it.

This doesn’t jive well with the card in the past position, The Chariot. In The Chariot’s world it’s best to know all the aspects of a situation. In harnessing both positive and negative aspects with mastery and control, The Chariot can navigate the tricky seas of life towards victory.

This requires a great deal of energy, focus, and determination. The Chariot is not messing around here. In the realm of business you know there’s going to be reams of spreadsheets and research. In relationships, intense self-awareness and self-work. The Chariot does not half-ass anything and because of this it’s a card that’s used to getting results.

Contrast this with the perplexingly chill Hanged Man and we have a very interesting situation. The Hanged Man is a card that speaks to moments when the world changes us and we change with the world.

So what happens when The Chariot’s self-made world crashes into the unpredictable nature of the universe? In these moments what appeared one way right side up is radically different upside down. Are we able to receive the wisdom from this change in perspectives? Are we able to lean into it instead of fighting a force beyond our control?

The Chariot shows us that we may be carrying in an entirely different set of expectations. We’ve been holding our lives by the reigns, feeling masterful and accomplished. Peachy stuff, that’s for sure, but it’s hardly guaranteed. We don’t always get to feel in control, and when we’re used to this feeling a change can bring quite the blow to our egos.

So moving from the self-assuredness of The Chariot to the beatific surrender of The Hanged Man is no easy transition. This is a case when what’s between the cards is just as important as the cards themselves.

This is a week to see our change in perspectives as a gift. Carrying the reigns of The Chariot can be exhausting. We might even trick ourselves into thinking the whole world in our chariot. We can direct our future, make things happen, it’s all… up to us. Well, push pause on that thought and we can see how much pressure operating under a Chariot mindset can bring.

The Hanged Man has a distinctly spiritual ring to him this week. What we might initially think of as a setback has the unique potential to blossom into a life-altering moment. This is a week for unexpected and beautiful realizations. Maybe a big change will send us spinning off into a better place, a delayed plan will give us time for an unforeseen opportunity, or a humbling moment will allow for those close to us to reach out a helping hand.

This is a time to practice letting go and remaining open to the gifts the universe can give us. If you’re struggling with the woo (or picking at the word “spirituality”) don’t despair. The Chariot has a hard time letting go, and that’s just what The Hanged Man is asking of us right now. There’s room for struggle and feistiness, so long as we’re not so wrapped up in it that we ignore the special moments unfolding around us.

We end with The Page of Cups, a beautiful card that shows us letting go will bring us to a fresh place of exploration. We’re opening up to our feelings, to our relationships, and to the mysterious wonders of the world. A little youthful lightheartedness will temper the heaviness of the two Major Arcana cards at work here. And what’s more, this Page could also be pointing us towards some exciting news, a new epiphany, or even a magical sign pointing us in a new direction.

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