Gina Wisotzky 7/25/22 Gina Wisotzky 7/25/22

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?

three card tarot reading ten of cups, seven of swords, eight of cups

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?

Gina Wisotzky 7/4/22 Gina Wisotzky 7/4/22

Weekly Forecast: July 4-10

Well, my friends, it looks like this is a week for breakthroughs. In good old fashioned tarot-style, we have to wade through some interesting and potentially frustrating waters first. Yet despite the presence of two sevens - cards characterized by their slippery, teasing nature - this is a comparatively low-pressure week. If we introduce a sense of lighthearted play into the tasks at hand we may be surprised at how quickly things move.

Have you been worrying about how much work you’re going to have to do to make a change? Fretting (dare I say, stressing) about how long of a way you have to go? Although you may not feel graceful or poised, this week holds some important and impish lessons around dreaming, planning, and manifesting.

Let’s start with the two sevens we have this week. Two! I think this pair is asking us to embrace the theme of a spiritual challenge. However you choose to define spirituality, this is a week where imbalance, restlessness, an unrelenting desire to seek out answers is bringing us to an important crossroads. The answers we’re seeking are new, personal, and only we can wade through the swirling mists of our subconscious to tease out their meaning. If we do, however, the meaning will be sustaining and powerful.

I’m interested in the dynamic between these two sevens. The Seven of Swords is a naughty character who shows up in moments where we want to avoid responsibility, take the easy way out, or break some rules. It’s also a swords card and this is what’s really coming through here - that perhaps the self-deception is in arguing ourselves out of what we really want. What if the shortcut we’re trying to take is the one that circumvents dreaming, yearning, and reaching beyond what we know? The figure in the card is running in one direction while looking over their shoulder: Where in your life do you feel split? Where do you notice your automatic response moving you away from your greatest wishes and desires?

Since the arc of our reading takes us towards the delightful Ace of Wands, it seems as if the impulse of the Seven of Swords needs some correcting. We shouldn’t be running away from an opportunity so invigorating and lovely, right? Self-deception, particularly in the vein of the swords cards - arguing yourself out of your desires, collecting information about how what you want isn’t feasible, realistic, etc. - may be appearing with strength and vigor as we start the week.

And yet the Seven of Cups is right here. This card is asking us to trust that we won’t be overwhelmed by our visions for the future, or that exploring options won’t shoot us into the farthest reaches of space, untethered from everyday life. In fact, this is a wonderful time to take stock of your fears around wishing and dreaming. What stories and arguments (the swords being carried in our first card) do you use to convince yourself that imagining a better future is bad, dangerous, or foolish?

This would be a wonderful week to dive into your interests, daydream, and turn over ideas in your mind without worrying about logistics. Doing so may massage a greater vision into clarity, but it’s important to step away from expectations and look at the world (and yourself) through the eyes of wonder. You’ll notice that the figure here is a black silhouette; it may be helpful to take a break from who you think you are and just spend some time playing and experimenting with new identities, ideas, and roles. The Seven of Swords easily gets stuck in their own head. In the Seven of Cups we see the pleasure and freedom of stepping outside oneself.

What’s happening while we tease out the tricky world of the sevens? A new option is working its way towards us. I’ve been thinking about the aces a lot lately. Not only are they alluring and exciting (some people refer to them as “the wish cards” in tarot) but they represent moments when we must step back from trying to make things happen and practice waiting, being receptive, and working on ourselves. That’s what we’re seeing here in our two sevens: how can we work on our fear of what we want, drop our swords - the ideas of how we should be, what we should do, and how we should go about getting it, and wait for the next step to reveal itself.

The Ace of Wands is definitively a next step. If aces are gifts from the outside world revealing themselves to us, and wands are action… you see where I’m going. So if you’re feeling antsy with all this dreaming and self-reflection, fear not. A promising and potent idea for what should happen next is on the horizon. Try not to rush or get lost in the seductive grips of control and open up to what has yet to appear.

And how will we know the Ace of Wands when it appears? It’ll resonate on an instinctive level (do check with your body to see if your creature-self is on board), feel exciting, promising, and new, and be just the first step. The trick of the aces, beyond noticing them when they arrive, is to simply accept their invitation and see where it leads, one thing at a time.

This week, embrace:

Gently questioning self-limiting beliefs and actions
Feeling uncomfortable with change
Daydreaming, envisioning exciting futures
Experimenting with new/unexplored facets of your identity
Activities that take you out of your (ego) self
A promising new path or next step

This week, Avoid:

Giving up because of a lack of clarity
Using fear as an excuse to avoid change
Getting caught up in details
Retreating from your social life

Get Creative:

The Seven of Swords: This card, aside from having a very engaging “main character,” is also soaked in tarot’s color of creativity: yellow. There’s two ways to engage with this energy. 1) See if you can channel your angst around change, growth, and restlessness into art. Circumvent the swords’ penchant for analysis and do something quick, impressionistic, and from the heart. 2) Devote a day, preferably early in the week, to wear yellow. See how it feels to embody the positive aspect of this card instead of the burdensome swords (aka thinking). If you have yellow shoes, I especially recommend wearing them. The red shoes and hat represent being driven by impulse and passion - what happens when you’re driven by life-sustaining creativity instead?
The Seven of Cups: Make a date with yourself to do some daydreaming. To expand on the ruling element of cups (water) I suggest doing this in the bath. Sink into the water and allow yourself to dream about the lives you could live, starting now. In situations where we’re taking big leaps, I think that rituals are especially important to nudge us out of the everyday and into something more soft and supportive. Mindfully select scents or oils for your bath, listen to some relaxing music, maybe even meditate before stepping in. The key is to be open, receptive, and ready to dream freely. Don’t focus on logistics or our pesky friend “reality.” See what happens and what dreams stick in your mind long after the tub has drained.
Ace of Wands: This is more practical than reflective. I think that this card has an aura of social possibility this week. Go out during the weekend with the intention of being open and receptive to any messages, connections, or opportunities that may come your way.

Gina Wisotzky 5/14/22 Gina Wisotzky 5/14/22

Weekly Forecast: May 16-22

The deep pull of change characterizes this week, as the beginnings of a shift start to pull at our lives. Whatever we’ve become accustomed to is reaching its end - how will we face this new reality? Most importantly, how will we continue despite invitations to revert to old ways, stale plans, or unhealthy situations?

This is one of those readings that has both conflict and harmony. We start things out with the wily Seven of Swords, a card of trickery and deceit that can manifest on a wide spectrum, from helpful insouciance and rebelliousness to betrayal and mendacity. Spending some time here will be helpful: where in your life do you feel like corners are being cut, excuses made, or facts bent? Pay attention to whether it’s internal - a mental contortion (usually defense mechanism) that you’re engaging in - or external - something being acted upon you by another. These are serious themes, yet there’s energy here that’s in service of the bigger change taking shape at the end of the week. It’s up to use to recognize and transform it.

You’ll notice that the figure in the Seven of Swords in walking in one direction while looking back over their shoulder. I’m seeing this card being irresistibly pulled towards the vortex of The Wheel of Fortune, a symbol of cosmic change. Regardless of the situation you’re in, there’s something present in it that can either be redirected in support of change or simply reframed. Is there some lesson you need to integrate, a fear you need to face so that you can turn around and walk towards the future? Or is there some chaos being brought into your life that may give you clarity about what you really want (aka not anymore of that particular flavor of wild b.s.?).

Paying attention to restlessness, half-truths, or full-on lies that take you back to old, stale territory. There’s also a strong whiff of avoidance in The Seven of Swords - are you pulling away from inevitable change? Is someone else trying to keep you from expanding and flourishing? Despite the tension, this is a moment of power; the background here is a bright yellow, the color of creativity and energy. Seven is a number of spiritual importance. See where you can integrate difficulty into your narrative of growth and beware of seductive justifications to keep things the way they are or return to stifling situations.

Fortunately, we have an epic card of self-regard and personal power in the center of our reading: The King of Wands. This card is all about wise action - reining in our energy and directing it outwards to blaze a path for our selves. Excuses, unhealthy relationships, self-limiting thoughts, and self-sabotage are quickly burned away by the flames of The King of Wands. Let yourself act assertively, trust your plans, and assume responsibility for your direction and behavior this week. I’m also seeing a possibly surprising uprising of strength at play here. You may be surprised by how quickly and authoritatively you rise to the occasion when faced with pushback, challenges, and competition.

So here we see the more pernicious side of thinking and communication (swords) forced to travel through the clarifying and formidable boundaries and requirements of the ruler of the wands suit. A trial by fire? A clarifying conflagration? There may be some drama or tension here, but it’s giving us a running jump into a new cycle, as The Wheel of Fortune starts to spin at the end of the week.

Now this is a tricky card. But where The Seven of Swords deals with personal, mental trickiness, The Wheel of Fortune rules the ever-present force of cosmic change. Whatever we’re experiencing now is sure to cycle into something different. The highs turn back down, the lows begin to swing upward. And, like a cyclone, The Wheel of Fortune opens up new paths, suggesting that we’re going to be given the opportunity to make new headways, travel new ground, and effect the change we’re capable of making in a new landscape.

I feel like this has a lot to do with personal power and authority, as The King of Wands is almost standing guard. First he must deal with the trickiness of The Seven of Wands, after which he can turn around, strong and capable, and being doing what he can to work with the energy of The Wheel of Fortune. Beware the desire to shrink, equivocate, or make excuses. This is a time of powerful growth, and it appears as if we’ve been ready for quite some time. and the time is now.

This week, embrace:

A long, hard look at the reality in front of you
Personal integrity
BOUNDARIES
Trust in your capabilities
Leadership

this week, avoid:

Excuses
Toxic relationships (no matter how familiar)
Self-deception

get creative:

Seven of Swords: Notice where you’re walking away from what you really want, just like the figure in this card. What do you have your eyes on? What feels too big, bright, and exciting? Imagine a face-off between this card and The King of Wands (just look at the photo above - they’re really staring each other down!) How can you elevate your internal boss/leader/ruler to rein in the avoidant behavior of the Seven of Swords?
King of Wands: Write down a list of what you’re good at, the decisions you’ve made that have paid off, and, most importantly, instances when acting with trust in your instincts and experience have led to swift and authentic change. This is your King of Wands resume: bask in its glory.
Wheel of Fortune: I like seeing this card as a storm sweeping through our lives. Not the catastrophic kind, but rather one that expels stifling humidity with fresh, cool air. Channel this into real life by conducting some spiritual cleansing in your space. Open the windows, burn incense or spritz some essential oils into the air. Imagine letting in the winds of change, visualizing how you’d like them to work their magic in your life.

Gina Wisotzky 11/26/18 Gina Wisotzky 11/26/18

Weekly Forecast: November 26 - December 2

This hefty Knight of Cups is staring out at us as if challenging us to a duel. Hardly the sensitive dreamer from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, artist Jonasa Jaus' version of the card seems confrontational and blunt. We're being asked to see our feelings for what they are this week, even if they're challenging or something other than what we've been hoping for.

And yet the center of this reading is The World, a hopeful card, yes, but also a deeply personal and expressive one. It tells us that confronting these feelings is freeing us up to be ourselves. Denial can make us feel stagnant and inauthentic, out of sync with our true selves. This week, the other side is just within reach; all we need to do is harness our bravery and face things head-on like the Knight of Cups.

There's a rebellious immediacy to the knights that can bring refreshing verve into tender situations. The Knight of Cups, in particular, is not one to discount their feelings. Sometimes this can lead to impulsive drama when we allow our emotions to get the best of us. Yet in other situations the Knight of Cups gives us a direct line to our true feelings, the ones that have been begging to get out.

In this reading, our formidable Knight is leading us towards The World, so we can trust that identifying and expressing these feelings supports our personal growth and the world around us. If we march towards them deliberately - we're ready to go and protected with all that armor - and display them with the genuine self-expression and vulnerability of The World we might be surprised at how much our lives open up.

There's another option in these cards, too. The Seven of Swords introduces an element of self-deception. Some of these feelings have been buried and repressed, hidden from ourselves and those around us, and therefore cloaked in confusion. Part of us would like to bypass all this intensity - acknowledging our true feelings and seeing things as they are. Oh, yes, and the most important part: doing something about them.

The Seven of Swords wants to skip past all the hard stuff and move to the next level without doing the work. As you may have guessed, this doesn't work for long. Eventually these feelings catch up to us. We can either examine them now and tease apart their importance or do so later, but after things have become more confusing and even hurtful.

The beauty here is that The World is waiting for us, right here in the center. Paired with the Knight of Cups, we can see that clarity is closer than it's ever been and it's bringing a sense of wholeness. Though The World is an inherently joyous card it also makes room for the tenderness of being our true self in a constantly changing and unpredictable world. Our only constant is ourselves and how we choose to show up. Weaving together all the stands of life - difficult feelings included - gives us a sense of precious beauty and gratitude.

Running away from difficult emotions, choosing to shove them away because they seem purely negative, cheats us of a sense of fulfillment and the self-trust that we'll be there for ourselves through the good and the bad. Embracing them and respecting them like the Knight of Cups not only restores our sense of agency, but may surprise us with the rapid healing and complex fulfillment that comes from self-love. The World is in our reach and there's room for every emotion and experience.

Gina Wisotzky 10/8/18 Gina Wisotzky 10/8/18

Weekly Forecast: October 8-14

The Seven of Swords has a lot to tell us these days. Last week it appeared as a creative solution to our personal issues. Being lighthearted and a little impish, it suggested, could help propel us to a sense of satisfaction. This week, however, the card is back to show us its more traditional meanings: conflict, trickery, and confusion.

We're dealing with a stolen victory, one that took advantage of large ideological conflicts, heedless of the consequences. These accomplishments are not honorable (literal thievery rarely is), but they do count. Our cards for the week show us grappling with these events instead of giving us any clear outcome. The Hermit, also known as Father Time, shows us that this is a long and plodding path, but one that could, at the very least, prove clarifying.

When we look at The Hermit we can imagine him turning away from the conflict of the seven with sadness. This is, after all, a card of deep processing. Sometimes that processing is profound and natural - a simple representation of us musing about our deeper calling or existence. And sometimes it's precipitated by something external. In this case, we're turning to our own experiences and higher values to process the shadiness of the Seven of Swords.

But before we jump to judge The Hermit as promoting inaction or selfishness, it's important to acknowledge that coming face-to-face with our true values involves introspection and questioning. The Hermit appears in moments when we must look at ourselves as big and important figures. What we do matters. And in walking through our feelings we can begin to identify the larger themes that guide us forward. Those are what brings our lives meaning and inspire us to act with clarity and determination.

This brings us to the King of Cups, the other side to this difficult situation. What's interesting here is that we're jumping to powerful cards - a major arcana, The Hermit, and a powerful King - instead of dithering in muddy and mundane suffering. In other words, we're ready to think and act big.

The King of Cups is an important illustration of the power that comes from accepting, seeing, and honoring emotions. Not as inconvenient byproducts of life or immature grabs for attention, but as a natural and illuminating part of human life. The King of Cups believes in reciprocal and respectful relationships, personal accountability, and the wealth and power that springs from seeing one another as unique beings whose experiences and feelings matter.

This is a card that shows utter commitment to a better world and the strength to navigate it while holding boundaries, values, and justice above the sometimes-murky waters of conflict and reactivity. The King of Cups is playing a long game, yes, but his status is comforting in this reading. We're more than capable of fighting for the world we'd like to see. Standing firm in this conviction and showing up in the public stage while consulting the wisdom of our own north stars will move us forward, perhaps with surprising effectiveness.

After all, the Seven of Swords is gazing intently at The Hermit, unaware of the fortitude and accomplishment it will face in the future.

Gina Wisotzky 9/30/18 Gina Wisotzky 9/30/18

Weekly Forecast: October 1-7

Sometimes we look at situations far too seriously. It's an easy thing to do. Challenges deserve attention and scrutiny, don't they? Isn't it our job to bravely face them, head on and ready to go?

One of the things I love most about the suit of swords is their wise depiction of the challenging world of our thoughts. Like a sword, we can wield them with power and conviction, cutting paths for action and giving ourselves the clarity of direction. Or, you know, we could wave them around, cutting other people, and, more commonly, ourselves.

Tricky business, indeed. Only one of the swords cards addresses trickery itself, and that's our first card for the week: the Seven of Swords. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck it's illustrated with a young fellow sneaking away from a colorful array of tents with five swords in his arms. Two stand upright by his feet. There's a formation of shadows in the distance behind him with what appears to be the silhouette of a raised spear. Clearly, this character has pulled off some naughtiness and deception.

Usually this card brings with it standard meanings of deceit, theft, and subterfuge. Yet here we see another side to this card. The soft blues are matched to our remaining two cards, the harmonious Ten and Ace of Cups. How could this tricky card be aligned with the warmth and receptivity shown here?

While it's no good stealing swords from your neighbor's tents, we're also clearly not living in Medieval times anymore. The Seven of Swords illustrates a mental approach and the tent the home of our guarded and cherished ideas. Sometimes we need a jaunty thief to sneak in and extract the true treasures. Like The Fool and his knapsack, this is a moment where we can only carry so much with us. What's more, it's also a moment where thinking and acting playfully is actually allowing us to think bigger and bolder and, most wonderfully, quickly discard some stale ways of thinking.

In this case, seriousness isn't cutting the mustard. We've become a bit stagnant and stuck, placing too many constraints around us. The Ten of Cups shows us that what we need is to embrace the trickster nature of the Seven of Swords. Direct conflict, explaining, and arguing aren't even necessary. We can simply sneak into our own set of guarded beliefs and extract what makes us feel light, whole, and full of possibility. Anything less will only hold us back on our journey.

So the questions to ask now are: Does this idea invigorate me? What ideas are holding me captive? And, crucially, How can I have more fun?

In order to embrace the flowing, emotive, and joyful energy of the cups we need to lighten up a bit. Doing so is proving to be the last piece of the puzzle on a much longer emotional journey. The Ten of Cups depicts a beautiful arrival. We're coming to a place of transcendent intimacy were we're being seen clearly for who we are by like-minded souls. We may have built up some resistance to this way of being (those extra swords in the tent); instead of wrestling with them directly, we can do a graceful side-step.

We might be surprised to see how quickly we arrive at this feeling of oneness and, even more delightfully, it's bringing us to the Ace of Cups - a new wellspring of inspiration, connection, and good fortune.

Gina Wisotzky 5/4/18 Gina Wisotzky 5/4/18

Tarot Reflections: The Seven of Swords

The Seven of Swords gets a bad rap. Just look at its traditional meanings: deceit, deception, betrayal. You know, all the light stuff. Sounds like fun, right? Yet despite its negative reputation, I've always had a soft spot for this card, and I've found that it also has a softer meaning, too.

I remember reading for myself years ago. I was fresh out of a committed relationship and just dipping my toes into the dating pool. Tinder was new on the scene and I was swiping with wild abandon, finding myself across tables and bars from lovely people who were looking for something serious. And I just... wasn't. It was a heady time.

When the Seven of Swords appeared, I couldn't help but chuckle. Here was this upstanding looking, wholesome person, easily wooing people on their first dates when all they wanted to do was have a good, decadent, and spicy time. In this case, the Seven of Swords represented a delightfully naughty departure from the conventional structures of relationships. I was running away from the encampment, swords in arms, because I didn't want to settle down.

In this case, the deception at work was self-deception. I was unintentionally advertising myself as more stable and desiring of committed romance when internally, I just wanted to kick back and have a good time, no strings attached. I was ignoring the naughtier impulses at work below the surface.

Explore Tarot Card Meanings and More

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When we look at the Seven of Swords in this way, the intensity of words like deception, deceit, and betrayal lessens. I find that the more "negative" cards could use a little de-escalation, especially during our initial tarot interpretations. Otherwise The Tower is instant catastrophe or, in this case, the Seven of Swords is a heart-wrenching betrayal.

In this time of my life I was simply feeling much more zesty than I was able to admit to myself. Freeing this impulse from the shadows allowed me to appear as I was: newly single and ready to mingle.

That's why I love this card. It shows us the moments when our thoughts are going one way and our actions another. Just look at the body language: Our protagonist is running in one direction (or maybe even skipping? gallivanting? frolicking?) while looking over their shoulder in the opposite direction. Mind is separated from body, actions from intentions.

And what about those fabulous red boots? Red is the color of passion and its place on the Seven of Swords' shows us that it's the motivating force behind the actions at work. We can look at this card as describing moments where our passion is directing our actions without our complete awareness. This can be energizing, disruptive, and, ultimately unsustainable.

It also shows us how we like to shake things up. We get mischievous and crafty when something's not feeling right. Acting out and seeking newness can feel good, especially when we're able to recognize these behaviors as signs that we need to change something in our lives. And then make those changes, proceeding in-sync and full of vigor.

Exploring the Minor Arcana: The Sevens

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.

The growth and harmony of the sixes quickly gets complicated with the topsy-turvy sevens. This group of cards illustrates the necessary shakeups that takes us out of our comfort zone and towards the next level. We may struggle in this moment of adjustment, but this gives us the opportunity to test ourselves and emerge all the wiser and affirmed with valuable knowledge.

As a number, seven pops up frequently in mythology and superstition - think snow white and the seven dwarfs and "lucky number seven." Because of this, the sevens hold a great deal of mystery and a spiritual undertone, whether literally or through a more general "deeper meaning."

Explore In-Depth Minor Arcana Meanings

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The Seven of Wands sees the fiery energy of the suit back at it again. The six, with its happy victory parade, is calm and content with success. This feeling, however, is feeling and the seven shows the exhilaration and motivation that comes from action.

For the Seven of Swords is delightfully tricky. Like the Seven of Wands, this cards energy is somewhat challenging. Wielded irresponsibly, say by sneaking off with seven literal swords, it can be harmful and deceptive. With understanding of the necessity of lightheartedness and play, it can add a refreshing zest to life. As a swords card, it also refers to the rejuvenating force of mental experimentation and games when it comes to shaking up old ideas or plans.

The Seven of Cups shows both the bounty and overwhelming power of our imaginations. We're able to conjure up the most fantastic situations, ideas, and even feelings. Without direction, however, we can get frozen in the face of all those possibilities. This card shows us the wonder of daydreaming, spiritual seeking, and uninhibited emotions as well as their shadow sides: it's easy to lose sight of ourselves in the face of all these visions.

Finally, the Seven of Pentacles unsurprisingly seems to channel the destabilizing energy of the sevens best. Being all about, well stability, the pentacles expression of this group of cards is one of reflection and achievement, though not in the boastful sense. Rather we see a contemplative farmer gazing at a vine blossoming with golden pentacles. Their hard work has paid off, giving them a moment to reflect, learn, and plan for the future. Perhaps there is even a hidden message as well...

Tarot and the Erotic: Sexuality in the Cards

Tarot can sometimes seem like a chaste affair, especially in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck where the nude figures are either presented as archetypes (The Lovers) or in solitary introspection (The Star).

A quick look at other decks like the deliciously cheeky and bawdy Eros Tarot by Uusi or the wonderfully sex-positive and diverse Slutist Tarot shows us that sex does have a presence in the cards after all. Yes, things can get spicy when you're reading tarot!

Tarot can sometimes seem like a chaste affair, especially in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck where the nude figures are either presented as archetypes (The Lovers) or in solitary introspection (The Star).

As it should! Sexuality is intrinsic to our humanity, whether we choose to express that energy physically or not.

It's also important to acknowledge that tarot, especially the Rider-Waite-Smith system that I'll be working with in this post, has a visually white and heteronormative focus. Looking at the cards as archetypal energies and not literal or limiting representations of human expression is helpful in navigating these shortcomings.

For example, the phallic symbolism on the Ace of Wands doesn't exclusively apply to phallus-havers or lovers. Rather, we can look at it as a representation of a certain type of sexual energy, one we can all feel and express. The cards are simply markers on a larger spectrum we use to illustrate more complicated truths.

For beautiful and vibrant decks that show the wide range of shapes, orientations, and forms of humanity and not Medieval figures, check out the decks above the Dust II Onyx Tarot and Slow Holler Tarot ... hmm... I think I might just have to turn this into another deck recomendation post - stay tuned!

Below are some of my favorite cards that speak to spicy times of all stripes: