Weekly Forecast: September 12-18
There are times in life when the clouds begin to part and the murkiness of a transition, conflict, or challenge subsides. This week is one of those times, as The Lovers brings its energizing zest to a new chapter of our lives. The clouds, however, will be dissipating at different rates for each of us. Be sure to reach for any moments of beauty and inspiration while accepting your current place on the journey; Major Arcana cards represent impactful moments and entire chapters of our lives. There is so much time for this card to reach its full expression, and this is just the beginning.
There are times in life when the clouds begin to part and the murkiness of a transition, conflict, or challenge subsides. This week is one of those times, as The Lovers brings its energizing zest to a new chapter of our lives. The clouds, however, will be dissipating at different rates for each of us. Be sure to reach for any moments of beauty and inspiration while accepting your current place on the journey; Major Arcana cards represent impactful moments and entire chapters of our lives. There is so much time for this card to reach its full expression, and this is just the beginning.
The Lovers is about choice and agency, but unlike The Chariot it deals with divine forces instead of personal willpower. Look to the world around you for inspiration and beauty, small invitations for next steps that feel authentic to you and your soul. Lofty language, grand concepts, big stories - all of these will help encourage the energy of this card, so if you’re not feeling it naturally, be sure to take matters into your own hands in ways that feel delightful to you alone.
Actively engaging with The Lovers will be important as difficult and very earthly matters come into focus mid-week. The Five of Pentacles is a challenging card. There may be issues with money, health, or, more broadly, the basic functioning of our everyday lives. Things feel like a struggle, and we’ll need all our energy to stay our path or simply get through the day.
Having The Lovers at our back, however, is just the energy we need to weather moments of difficulty. We may be tempted to use whatever challenge is active as a litmus test for the big plans, dreams, and choices we’re holding close to our hearts. To which I say: just don’t! Momentary hardship doesn’t have to be a referendum on our identity, life decisions, or desires. In fact, The Lovers is asking us to use our lofty ideals and grand imaginings for support during stressful times. Wanting something and not having it yet, or wanting to do something and having some difficulties, is par for the course. And, as this reading suggests, the discomfort is temporary.
The Page of Wands concludes our reading, telling us that while we may feel hunched over and struggling through a headwind in the middle of the week, by the end we’ll be upright and in possession of a new idea to guide us forward. How can temporary setbacks and material limitations actually inspire us to innovate? This card is nudging us to lean into difficulty and treat it as a wise teacher. It’s also an affirming emissary for The Lovers’; we’ll need the practical passion of this page to bring our loft Lovers’ ideals into fruition this week and beyond.
This week, embrace:
Embracing a choice, change, or new chapter
Enacting your values, honoring shifts in identity
Romance, myth, utopian visions
Muscling through daily difficulty
New ideas and sparks of inspiration
This week, avoid:
Shrinking from your personal agency or vision
Treating temporary setbacks as defeats
Large expenditures, retail therapy, financial irresponsibility
Backing away from your dreams
Get creative:
The Lovers: I think this card is asking for a grand gesture this week. And while it appears to be outwardly about romance, it’s more about a devotion to a higher calling. So, take some time to feel out (NOT think/analyze) a grand vision that makes you feel alive, energized, and inspired. Search for a piece of art - a poem, image, or song - that brings you closest to how you feel when you think about this calling/future/vision and revisit it throughout the week.
The Five of Pentacles: I’m feeling drawn to the rags in this image and think it would be a powerful act to spend some time mending, washing, or restoring an item of clothing you wear frequently. Perhaps even break out the shoe cleaning supplies that lurk in the dark corners of your laundry room (am I the only one?). As you clean, stitch, or shine, focus on how you can always bring your care to what you have when you feel lacking, and in doing so, restore and revivify yourself.
Page of Wands: The pages are such rascals; they don’t care how goofy or awkward they look when trying something new. In fact, they may not even be aware of their lack of mastery. Like the truly young, they think their passion equals expertise. I think a healthy dose of this cockiness may actually be helpful for us this week, especially when it comes to shaking off the weight of the Five of Pentacles. So, when you find yourself transfixed with a new idea or plan (I’m thinking on the low-end of the “difficulty/responsibility” spectrum) just do it. Have fun, take a small risk, and leave your self-judgment at the door.
Weekly Forecast: May 30-June 5
Look at the forward-facing theme of this reading! Each character (and we have three - one for each card) is facing towards the right, the direction of the future, open and aware of what’s to come. Well, as aware as we can be of the mysteries of life before they reveal themselves.
Look at the forward-facing theme of this reading! Each character (and we have three - one for each card) is facing towards the right, the direction of the future, open and aware of what’s to come. Well, as aware as we can be of the mysteries of life before they reveal themselves.
This is a time to be open to and respectful of the synchronization that happens between our self and the deeper currents of life. Death is a card of natural transitions, a slow fade through artful gradations of shadow. What transformation do you feel you’ve been undergoing recently? Lean into the weirdness, for while Death is natural it’s still a journey into the unknown, and I mean that on many levels. When we truly don’t know, everything feels strange - ourselves and the world around us. Because we have two court cards on either side of Death we know this reading is about the self. What parts of you feel authentic and foreign? What are you turning towards, shifting into? We don’t have any answers yet - the picture has yet to come into focus - but we do have the curiosity and motivation to ride into the fog willingly.
Let’s rewind, shall we? The Page of Wands leads the charge into the week. It’s a time to follow our instincts, welcoming the sparks of interest popping in the fires of our lives. What I love about pages is their lack of linear thinking. This is a card that shows us how following a circuitous route, letting our eyes rove and our legs move with joyful freedom, can bring us to interesting places. What is making your spine tingle, the hair on your arms prick up? We’ll be getting clues about the larger direction in our life throughout the week; be careful, however, not to let your focus be on making change happen. Trust in the powerful current winding its way through your waters will be helpful. Struggling will only exhaust you.
Time to talk about Death. Those deep currents I’m talking about? Death territory. The name of this card is a conversation-stopper, but turn back and look at the Page of Wands. Would we skip towards Death if it was so annihilating and terrible? A part of ourselves, and a joyful and authentic one, to boot, is yearning for change and aware that an important season has arrived. In tarot, Death is not a fall into oblivion. It’s only number 13 out of 22. A step on the journey of life itself, but a big one that’s to be sure. What do you know must change, and how willing are you to embrace the change you’re not aware of just yet?
Part of Death involves taking responsibility: responsibility for your life path, for making the changes that serve your highest self, and for modeling the care and values you hold dear. This requires letting things go. What have you grown out of? Like a snake about to shed its skin you may need to rub against some challenges to loosen and release your old self. Doing the work is worth it and, helpfully, the larger process is happening of its own accord. With the Page of Wands leading the charge, we’re in a powerful position to accelerate our transformation and even enjoy the ride. So let whatever’s falling away, fall away, and be sure to fill your days with activities and pursuits that you quite simply enjoy. The little things are bolstering and supporting a great big thing this week.
If all the mystery and metaphor is frustrating for you, I do have some good news, as the deep transformation underway ushers in some helpful clarity. The Queen of Swords represents a parting of clouds, the grey skies becoming blue after a storm. Whatever conclusions or certainties enter into your life at the end of the week will be deeply important to you. It may take some bravery to stand by (and act) by them, but taking up your sword to advocate for yourself will be satisfying and empowering. This is a time to trust that your words will flow with ease when they’re connected to your truth. Communicating, networking, and advocating are all pursuits that fall under this card.
I will add that Death is a big card; the changes that happen this week aren’t isolated to this week alone, and have likely been the works for a month at least. And, importantly, they’ll continue to unfold over the next month or so. Know that any Queen of Swords ideas and epiphanies are only part of this bigger story, not conclusive answers to pressing life questions. Tread gently, deliberately, and with the Page of Wands’ sense of adventure and fun.
This week, embrace:
Joy
Exploration
Self-expression
The unknown
Transformation
Clarity
This week, avoid:
Rushed decision-making
Getting swept up in others’ opinions and choices
Minimizing your desires
Get creative:
Page of Wands: Make time each day for something purely enjoyable. A delicious cookie with your afternoon tea, dancing to your favorite song before heading out the door, driving a different route to work or any regular destination.
Death: There’s a mystical side to this card (have you guessed?) Pay attention to your dreams this week, picking up on powerful symbols and events. Just carry them with you, noting their impact and resisting the urge to analyze.
Queen of Swords: This is a two-part one. First, take some time now to write out some issues, questions, or pressing matters you’d like to articulate. Do it quickly, before your inner-critic adds their two cents. Save this writing and revisit it at the end of the week. What new information and insights can you bring to these questions? Write you answers and see how much more you have to say.
Weekly Forecast: April 15-21
As I write this a remarkably beautiful day is beginning in Durham. The rain and storms have cleared out the fog of humidity, making the air crisp and breezy, full of life. A similar change in weather is happening in this reading, unfolding in our emotional lives instead of the physical world around us.
As I write this a remarkably beautiful day is beginning in Durham. The rain and storms have cleared out the fog of humidity, making the air crisp and breezy, full of life. A similar change in weather is happening in this reading, unfolding in our emotional lives instead of the physical world around us.
I look at The Fool as the manifestation of all of Spring's hopeful, energetic, and thriving energy. This character has the same daring and tenacity of a plant bursting forth after the winter. Fresh and tender, yes, but also putting so much towards its own growth and doing so without apology.
We're undergoing similar changes this week, awakening from a period of seeking, confusion, and doubt with an almost shocking sense of clarity. The air has cleared and we've been transformed into something new, though we may not be so sure of the how, why, or what next.
And, indeed, The Fool is the symbol of newness. The first card in the tarot deck, they show us the power of beginning, and not just for the first time. Our lives have seasons, too, and this card appears to point us to an important fresh start unfolding in this very moment.
While The Fool is a charming and welcome card in almost any spread, it's also a challenging one to digest, because this card represents risk-taking, vulnerability, and a road ahead full of mistakes.
Here, however, the cards have a beautiful interpretation of the fears that arise when we sense ourselves embarking on a "Fool path."
I'm struck by the mirroring happening here, as the archetypal power of The Fool, flanked or held back by his adorably awkward animal companion, transitions into the Page of Wands. Both face forward, to the future, yet they have some enlightening differences.
This week, these cards tell us, is a pivotal time to refocus on our own individual journeys. We all walk through life as ourselves and, no matter how hard we try, we must face the inevitability and uniqueness of our own path. Though we might want to hide behind distractions or other people's experiences, doing so ultimately leads to frustration, dissatisfaction, and anxiety.
Why, in other words, would we want to side-step the transformative new start of The Fool and downgrade into the sometimes charming, but in this case trifling, stance of the Page of Wands?
This Page deals in the fiery realm of action and, as all pages do, represents youthful enthusiasm and inexperience. It seems like we may be tempted to re-frame our current moment, either to ourselves or others, as something inconsequential, silly, and bumbling. Just another experiment on our path, nothing to see here!
Deep down, however, we know that this is big. That we have something at stake - a closely-held dream, important calling, or inexplicable pull to try something new. Downplaying this importance allows us to feel safer. If we fall on our faces who would laugh? It was only a joke, after all.
This is where the power of The Fool becomes evident for this is a card that sees the sacredness in taking risks, the power of living passionately and seeking to transform. Vulnerability is power, we don't need to have any certainty to begin, and we don't need to explain our journeys. The Fool owns and celebrates their mistakes, risks, and choices. He takes them seriously and dares to stand by his path of growth.
So the pull we feel this week to downplay the changes unfolding within us isn't one to heed. This is a time to practice constantly refocusing on our own experience, focusing on our Fool's journey. That means being mindful of the urges to engage in self-deprecating talk, undervaluing our talents and dreams, and hiding behind new projects we don't feel completely aligned with.
Because there's an interesting thread here in that following our initial instinct to downgrade to the Page of Wands is leading us to the Eight of Swords, a familiar and well-trodden route of anxiety, collapse, and stalemate. In not taking ourselves seriously we take a detour into a dead end instead of continuing along a wide-open yet-unexplored road.
Let's choose instead to stay present in our newness and invest in pursuing what makes our hearts beat faster. We're up for the challenge and ready to unfurl.
Exploring the Minor Arcana: The Pages
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 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.
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.
Weekly Forecast: April 30 - May 6
In tarot, the Pages embody the eager seekers within us. When we're younger we inhabit the Pages' energies almost constantly. The world is new along with everything in it. Because of this association, it's easy to look at the positivity and fascination of this group of cards with a hint of benevolent condescension. "Look, how cute! We're being energized by something new!"
In tarot, the Pages embody the eager seekers within us. When we're younger we inhabit the Pages' energies almost constantly. The world is new along with everything in it. Because of this association, it's easy to look at the positivity and fascination of this group of cards with a hint of benevolent condescension. "Look, how cute! We're being energized by something new!"
And yet we all know that the wonder of childhood came with a lot of mystery and intense feelings. This week, the Page of Wands isn't just showing us an influx of curiosity and a new direction. It's also showing us that following those sparks of interest can lead us much farther than we imagined, into powerful and meaningful territory.
If the Page of Wands is arriving on the scene to show us enamored with a new action, path, or practice, the Six of Swords is showing us that following that pull is leading us towards an important new phase. In other words, we've been doing some challenging and worthwhile work around our childhood. It's what's allowing us to embrace the Page of Wands and to feel unafraid about showing our enthusiasm and heeding our inner voice. This is leading to a powerful combination of feelings: joyful focus and deep processing. This week a quieter inward journey is finally able to break through into our everyday expression.
We can see this so beautifully and boldly in The Sun. This card is a radiant beacon of the self that shows just how triumphant the process of healing and integration can be. The journey to The Sun through the preceding cards of the Major Arcana is a long one. This tells us that the open-armed happiness shown here is far from silly or naive. The Sun has done the hard work of getting to know itself - the good, the bad, and the ugly (or the easy, the challenging, and the impossible) - and is choosing to find strength in vulnerability and to let its full self ride into the spotlight.
So it's not just all sunshine and daisies (or, in this case, sunflowers). It's all that and the rain that makes the flowers grow, the clouds that make the sun seem brighter, and the stormy weather that tests our abilities and motivates us to find our strength.
The cards for this week are asking us to acknowledge the hard work that we've done to step into the lessons of The Sun, and the big changes that we're undergoing as we choose to shine brighter. The Six of Swords highlights this bittersweet journey because, when we choose a brighter path that's true to ourselves, we also leave behind old ideas of who we are, relationships that no longer serve our best interests, and old dreams we once held. Even though these things aren't what we want, we're familiar with them and they hold a certain level of comfort.
The Six of Swords shows us the difficulty of this transition. We're on a journey towards a better, brighter shore. And we're carrying with us all the experiences and lessons that have made us who we are. As we look back at what we're leaving behind we can't help but feel a twinge of sadness as that familiar place grows smaller and smaller. There's something beautiful about this moment and it's giving us a crucial opportunity to acknowledge what we're leaving behind us, to recognize and feel our sense of loss, and process before we emerge into the brightness of The Sun. Reminiscing like this is only giving us a deeper understanding of how far we've come and where we're going. As well as clarity around what's really important.
So the energy of The Page of Wands is far from frivolous. It's a beautiful offshoot of the growth we've been doing. We can replace shame with action and excitement, knowing that we're giving ourselves an important and hard-won gift. We might be surprised to see how far these seemingly small steps will take us in the days to come.
Weekly Forecast: March 5-11
The cards for this week are bursting at the seams with energy, movement, and tenderness. We're entering into a time of growth that we're directing both inwards towards our self and outwards to those around us. With this balance of seeking, accountability, and support we're able to venture towards a new project that's both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. The beautiful connections of the cups are inspiring us to take an important step forward.
Our first card, the Eight of Cups, shows the immense power that's unleashed when we take advantage of our skills and assets. What sources of inspiration and support feed our imagination? What allows us to flourish? When considering these questions we may be surprised to find some unexpected answers.
The watery nature of cups encompasses all sorts of emotions and relationships. It takes time to process the events of our past; once we've done so, however, we can find strength and experience in even the most difficult and painful moments. Grappling with them is a long-term and difficult process and the Eight of Cups is showing us that we've reached an important stage in that journey.
This week we may find lightness and unexpected insight into heavier parts of our past. Like the vines growing out of the cups, we're finding nourishment in our emotional experiences, the "good" and the "bad." Both are serving as the watery source from which we can branch out, change, adapt, and grow.
The Eight of Cups is a perfect card for this season as the days grow longer and all the plants and creatures begin to stir. We're eager to shake our worlds up a bit, too. To clean, take inventory, plan, and disrupt, making room for our new, growing selves. This is also occurring on an emotional level, as we can see by the vines tearing down a column and revealing a bright flame. The old is giving way to the new and stodgy structure is caving way to wild and winding growth. Underneath it all is a new, undiscovered source of passion and clarity.
It's time to make changes that clear space. We're craving change over structure and in seeking it out we're also discovering a hidden store of energy. What more is out there? How can we best create a life that nourishes our creativity? It may be helpful to engage with these questions as you do your spring cleaning, go through old clothes, or even mop the floor. Channeling feelings through actions can be energizing and immensely satisfying.
The Six of Cups suggests that this is a larger phenomenon. Think of us all as little chicks hatching from our eggs. The process involves some squirming and struggling, as we can see in the Eight of Cups, and it calls on us to figure out our true strength. Once we emerge, however, we can see that there's a larger community of newly hatched chicks. Exploring our deeper selves and growing into a new, more free space is opening doors to many new and inspiring connections. Finding support and guidance from like-minded people is immensely gratifying. Bringing these connections close, celebrating them freely and happily, is a beautiful reward to the inner seeking of the Eight of Cups.
With our growing community behind us with supportive words and encouragement, we're ready to venture towards something exciting. This could be a new project at work, a new direction for your business, or the start of a new creative exploration. The Page of Wands shows us venturing towards an alluring unknown. We're not experts in this area - just look at that dark eye-filled cave! - but we're armed with burning curiosity and endearing chutzpah. With a new understanding of who we are and where we've come from, plus the gratifying encouragement from our friends and supporters, we're ready to take a little risk. It's time to shake things up and see where our inspiration leads us.
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...
Weekly Forecast, Eclipse Edition: August 21-27
I have to admit I was more than a little excited to find out what the tarot has to say to us during the eclipse. I had a fun fizzle of anticipation running through me as I was shuffling the cards and turning each one over (slowly, to savor the moment, of course.)
It's a fascinating time. As the sun gets blocked by the shadow of the moon we're able to peer into the night sky in the middle of the day. I can't think of a better metaphor for a rare moment of insight - those times when an extraordinary occurence lets us step outside our normal boundaries and into something cosmic and grand.
These cards show us how those moments give us a rare opportunity to reframe our lives. There's nothing like the immense scale of nature - the universe! - to awaken us to the immense blessing of being alive and all the opportunities that come with it. I can't think of a better tarot card to sum these feelings up than The Fool.
Here he is, at the center of our reading. And such a solar card, too! What we're seeing in the brief moments of the eclipse (either in person or remotely through photos, etc.) is refreshing. We're perking up and feeling the urge to shift out of old roles and stale plans. The Fool makes us feel young again, unencumbered by limitations and eager to set off on a new journey. When The Sun shines fully after the eclipse we'll be full of The Fool's bright-eyed and bushy-tailed energy.
I'll be curious to see how this effects each of us individually. It could pop up in any sector of our life as a new plan, adventure, or change. The wands cards on either side, however, tell us that it will involve creativity and action. We'll recognize it through how it feels - like being reborn and able to start anew with innocent and uncynical enthusiasm. That kind of energy is nothing to scoff at, though it might be tempting. Sometimes we want to protect ourselves by appearing jaded, as if we've seen it all before. Brush off that stale thinking! It's limiting and hides our true power.
The two other cards show us we've been tapping into our creative potential lately. It's big and simmering under the surface. We haven't named it yet and really expored its true potential. Like the Page of Wands, we're just getting the hang of things, experimenting and poking around. We're moving out of this phase of learning how to wield our creative power. Now, The Fool is telling us to take the risk and bring our new idea out into the sun.
This all tells us that it's a transformational time, a big opportuntiy we should treat as an adventure instead of a pressure-filled moment to prove ourselves. Furthermore, The Fool asks us to have a sense of humor and think in the "big picture," you might even say the "universal."
Look up at the sky with wonder, see how small we all are. In The Fool's mind this is wonderful, even funny. It means that we are both the heroes in our own stories, off to prove ourselves in this huge world, and also wonderfully inconsequential in the long run. The Fool can feel this way because they are detached from their own ego and we'd do well to follow their lead.
Coming down from this energetic standpoint later in the week will be slightly jarring. The nine of wands sees us looking around, dazed and confused by all the options. Maybe we've bit off a bit more than we can chew (which is very much like The Fool.) It'll be important for us to remember that we don't have to do it all, especially not right now. We can drop some of our projects and push through to the finish line on the ones that really matter (we're close.)
Most importantly, we can look back up at the sky and remember how it felt to see something incredible that's always there - the corona of the sun, the stars in the sky. Then we can refresh ourselves with The Fool's sense of openness and adventure and move forward on our heroe's journey through life.