Weekly Forecast: February 25 - March 3

This week's energy combines the dreaminess of imagination with the refreshing clarity of decisiveness. Rarely are such crowd-pleasing cards seen in the same spread: the gorgeous cups with the charismatic Queen of Wands. So what does it all mean?

Well, for starters there's a distinct order to these cards, and it's one that might feel a bit indulgent at first glance. This week the Ace of Cups is leading the way and it's our job to follow its effusive and nurturing example. 

When we see aces in any reading it's a welcome sign that a gift is entering our lives. This gift can be literal, but more often than not it's more of a shift in focus and mood. The Ace of Cups centers around the joy and inspiration that arises from authentic and loving connections. What more beautiful way to illustrate this than a cup overflowing into a fountain of water with a chipper bluebird and stunning lotus floating above?

There's certainly an element of good luck to the aces, and that requires us being brave enough to reach out and claim the good fortune that's coming our way. Since this bit of bliss is tied to the cups, we need to be especially alert for any negative self-talk around emotions. The only enemy to the bounty of the aces is our inability to welcome them into our lives.,

If we feel undeserving or blocked, we risk blocking this welcome and important change. A shadow side to this ace is that when we let go and accept goodness - allowing ourselves to feel excited or joyful - we can sometimes open the door to other feelings as well. As a wise man once told me, tears are just drops of water moving freely. Feeling our feelings without judgment is one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves. And leaning into them is opening up a huge range of possibilities.

So let things be sweet and tender this week. Notice how it makes you feel to look at life as if it's supporting you, not fighting against you. And adopt a healthy dose of romantic whimsy. The Ace of Cups is leading to the Seven of Cups, one of my favorite trickster cards. Here, we see a massive creative outburst. Where we once felt stuck we now see a glimmering array of choices, paths, and options.

This can be as delightful as it is destabilizing. How on earth do we choose? But before we rush into decision-making we can learn a lot from observing and exploring. What is tickling our fancy, after all? And how did we get to a place where the world seems to bloom with options? It's worth remembering what brought us here so we can call upon the same forces when we feel stuck in the future. Digging a little deeper can give us insight into the conditions we need to thrive.

Most importantly, however, this week is teaching us about the pivotal role of inspiration in our lives. Opening up and following what makes our heart sing through the Ace of Cups is opening up a whole new vista. And while the cups often get pigeonholed into themes of romance, they also have a beautiful lesson about connectivity and personal fulfillment. Following what's emotionally satisfying and invigorating can be shockingly effective. After all, our reason often catches up after the fact.

Which, for the impatient among us, is where the Queen of Wands comes in. This card brings some gravitas to the first two. Seeing her shows us that this moment, though we might think of it as a bit too far-fetched or veering away from the practical/responsible, is a key part of our process right now. We have to follow our hearts to know what to do next.

The Queen of Wands is a card of passionate decisiveness. She acts with energy and is unapologetic about following her path. Like her, we conclude the week feeling secure in our next moves, not because they make complete logical sense or sound impressive to others, but because we took the time to identify what we truly love. What's more certain or inspiring than that?

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Weekly Forecast: February 11-17

Well, well this is an absolutely fascinating combination of cards! What is it about the focused diligence of the Eight of Coins that's bringing on the creative insight of The Magician and The High Priestess?

How can toiling at our workbench usher in and activate profound inner growth and change?

Oftentimes we pair work with drudgery. We clock in, work, and clock out. Our efforts become the means to an ends. And that end is money. Hardly the stuff of transcendence or inspiration.

Unless you have a job that's creatively activating and inspiring, in which case, congratulations! Yet even there we can become hemmed in by the restrictive definitions of work that abound in our culture. Even being a professional tarot reader, while so personally and spiritually gratifying, involves tax preparation and bookkeeping - tasks that do not ignite my creative spirit, to say the least.

But that's not what we're dealing with here, and for those of us who aren't so lit up by our jobs, this reading is talking about work in a broader sense. What have you been consistently striving towards and devoting your time and effort to? The coins/pentacles refer to the material world, after all. What have you been growing, caring for, and honoring with daily attention and commitment? 

Here, we see that being engaged with something we care about and showing up to make sure it succeeds can propel us into a delightful state of focus. Work doesn't just have to be our jobs, it can be a special sense of honor and obligation towards something we know we need to do. A calling, perhaps, if you're into that language, or simply an action that centers you and makes you feel purposeful and connected to your world. 

Whatever that is for you, this week is a time to lavish that project, role, or act with all the attention and dedication you can muster. It's not going to be a chore in the least bit and you'll know it because it feels good. What's more, this natural motivation is jump-starting a new period of self-discovery. We're stumbling into a rebirth of sorts - something we're already doing is connecting to a deep part of our personality that's ready and raring to go.

The Magician reflects this energy and inspiration. The first stop on the Fool's Journey through the Major Arcana, The Magician is all about seeing yourself as the protagonist of your own adventure. Willfulness, innovation, experimentation, and creativity swirl around this card with so much charisma. Paired with the Eight of Pentacles, it's as if we've been practicing for a new role subconsciously only to realize that the curtain has risen and here we are, already doing it in the great big world.

This is a wonderful type of transition - we already have the skills, we don't need to prepare, and we're already here - that has set off a long-awaited transformation. Going from card number 1 (The Magician) to card number 2 (The High Priestess) only accentuates the power and momentum that's being unleashed. Which is good news, because we don't need to do much here aside from recognizing that we're onto something personally meaningful.

The High Priestess encourages us to take some time after the lightening jolt of The Magician, the period when we look up from our workbenches to see that we've created something glorious that's asking more of us - to do some internal processing. We need to digest the information that's come from recent events so that we can integrate it into our understanding of ourselves. 

Otherwise we'll rush ahead and become burnt out and overwhelmed. And this change is far too important to fizzle out so unceremoniously.

Speaking of ceremonies, this card also asks us to do some work to value and consecrate our knowledge and instincts. Look back on whatever you've been dedicating your time to, that Eight of Pentacles experience, and see how your intuition led you there. Maybe you couldn't see it at the time, but now its the opportunity to identify and celebrate how you followed your inner voice to something important and kept on going even though it was challenging and difficult.

Spending time reflecting and understanding will help elevate our intuition and inner-knowledge to a place of honor. That way we can value, trust, and respect it as we continue to grow into this period of change and self-confidence.

Whatever you're doing to put yourself in the Eight of Pentacles mindset, keep at it and see how it challenges your ideas of who you are and what you're capable of. After all, vision and intuition paired with doing the actual work? It might just be the true recipe for success, and personally meaningful success at that. 

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Setting Intentions with Tarot

The Eight of Cups from the Spolia Tarot occupying its place of honor on my altar for February’s intention: Liberation

It’s the new moon in Aquarius and I’ve just launched the first episode of my new podcast , Open Magic, with the amazing Bri Sikorski of Tadpole Magic. Our first topic? Intention setting, particularly the ways we can harness intentions to invite in the change and growth we need.

And, as you may have already guessed, one of my favorite ways of doing this is with tarot. Shocking, I know!

In the episode we touch on how intentions can sometimes become hijacked by more intense goals, inviting in stodgy and limiting pressure and self-judgment. Which is really and truly no fun at all. I’ve found, however, that tarot’s symbols and imagery gives us a direct line of communication with our intuition and subconscious, skipping the irksome worry and chatter of our conscious thoughts. In this way, intention setting can become energizing and personally motivating, no guilt required.

Using tarot for intention setting invites in the two major facets of the practice at its best:

• Inspiration/Intuition: The tarot images we work with speak directly to our creative side, sidestepping the tricky and judgmental conscious mind. Tarot activates our intention with that bubbling & irresistible energy, inspiring us instead of crushing us under “shoulds” or expectations.

• Room for the Unexpected: The secret ingredient to any intention is plenty of room for growth. That is, we can focus on a theme or ask for something, but we don’t always have the ability to conceptualize the full potential available to us. The intention can then expand into something outlandishly amazing or more complex than we’re able to envision. Working with tarot involves working with multifaceted archetypes that aren’t easily pigeonholed, giving us the room we need for our intentions to flourish.

So how do we go about this?

Since setting intentions is about choice - what do we want to focus on or invite into our lives? - I love actively selecting a card from the deck. I first heard of this practice from the amazing Siobhan Renee of Radical Tarot and have been using it in my readings ever since. (See her posts on the topic on her website and the now retired Little Red Tarot blog.)

When it comes to intention setting, I’ve found that selecting a card after you’ve decided on your focus is the most helpful. It allows you to be actively engaged and opens up the power of the tarot. I’ve outlined my personal practice for selecting tarot cards for intention setting here. I do hope they’re helpful and inspiring as you work with this new moon’s energy and beyond!

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how to use tarot cards to focus your intentions

create your space

Set aside a nice bit of time to devote to your intention. Has rushing ever felt magical? I don’t think so! Get as elaborate or minimalist as you like, paying attention to what puts you in a calm and focused headspace. It could be incense, crystals, peaceful music… even a ceremonial robe if you’re feeling fancy. Or it could simply be a quiet corner in your house with no distractions. Intentions are all about you, so don’t hold yourself to others’ standards!

focus your thoughts

Once you’ve gotten cozy, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Take several breaths to sink deeper into your body, allowing all the chatter about your schedule, what to cook for dinner, and all the details of your mundane life to fall away. Once you feel centered, ask yourself what to set your intention around. Notice and feelings, words, phrases, or images that arise. Tip: Don’t overthink things - you can always shape your intention more later.

process & hone

Conclude your brief period of reflection and go over what came up for you. You may want to journal about it or simply mull things over with an open and flexible mind. Select a single word to form your intention, being sure that it feels authentic and resonant for you.

bring out the cards!

It’s finally tarot time. Take your deck and flip through it while holding your intention in your mind. Divide the deck into two piles: one for the cards that resonate with your intention and another for the ones that don’t. Go with your instincts here and try not to overthink things.

Once you’ve gone through the whole deck, return to the pile of resonant cards. Lay them all out and select the one that best encompasses your intention. Don’t worry if you’re not entirely sure why, that’s part of the magic of leaving space for mystery and your subconscious. Congratulations, you’ve chosen your intention card!

edit & explore

Gaze at your card with curiosity, noticing how it makes you feel. Does it bring up any memories or associations? Note if the card challenges your intention slightly. If so, see how you might edit your word or phrasing to better fit what’s coming up for you.

bring it into real life

Now that your card & intention have been selected you can conclude your session and focus on letting things unfold. Place the card in a visible location - on your altar, bedside table, etc. - or bring it with you in your wallet or purse.

Return to your card as often as you’d like, exploring its illustrations and paying special attention to the symbols. Look out for them as you go about business as usual. The whole idea is to let the card encompass the energy of your intention so that you can use it as a reference point.

One of my favorite ways of doing this is using its energy to inspire my actions. Though it sounds a bit cheesy, the “what would the _____ do?” approach is wonderfully helpful. So, for example, say I chose Strength as my card to reflect an intention of self-care. I can use it to orient my thinking and decision making so that when someone asks me to make plans I don’t really have time for I can think “what would Strength do?” and feel empowered to lovingly decline so that I can give myself the downtime I need.

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I hope this approach is helpful and inspiring as you develop an intention setting practice that works for you. How about you? How do you focus your intentions? Have you ever used tarot in this way? I’d love to hear your thoughts and practices so please share below and happy intention setting!

Weekly Forecast: January 14-20

This week's reading asks us to hone in on how we're approaching our life. From the first glance, it's clear that we're driven by a great deal of energy and meaning. How else could we have two knights - the daring, dashing, and impulsive cards of the tarot - at either end of our cards? 

Before we go into the details, these knights tell us that we have no shortage of enthusiasm. We're ready to get hands on, to dive into the adventure of it all. Without the knights we'd remain mired in old patterns, complacent, and afraid to test and expand our personal power. But all Knights have to step down from their horses at some point, or risk burnout and one-sided conviction.

In fact, we've been harnessing knightly energy for quite some time now, but specifically from the standpoint of the Knight of Swords.

What does this mean specifically? Well, for one, we're all fired up and wanting to act on our principles. The intellectual knight in the tarot, the Knight of Swords loves to analyze, identify values, and make them a driving force behind his endeavors. It's a wonderful impulse, but it's also one that's brought us to a place of burnout, as the Nine of Wands illustrates.

What happens when we become so principled that we lose sight of what's important? Too much intellectual analysis can lead to an impersonal view of life. And, as you might guess, makes any difficulty or failure personal. 

We might be feeling a little harsh towards ourselves in the beginning of the week. Why haven't we done more? Why haven't we achieved all the lofty goals we set for ourselves?

There's a precious and endearing side to this knight that's important to recognize here. We want to do well and we have so much passion and ambition. Yet we're also human, with living, breathing bodies that need care and attention. We can't just keep on going on principles and convictions alone; we need food, sleep, and care.

The Nine of Wands illustrates the literal burnout from investing too heavily in the Knight of Swords' approach. In our enthusiasm we forgot our physical limits and the importance of being a part of our own lives. Being plain old tuckered out, however, is giving us a natural pause to reassess and adjust our approach.

Treating any tiredness or overwhelm with curiosity can help us see our current situation and make lasting choices towards our goals. Indeed, the Nine of Wands is telling us that we've gone as far as we can with the Knight of Swords' orientation. Any further and we'd be in the territory of ultimate exhaustion with the Ten of Wands. You may remember the illustration for this card: a figure pushing a fan of ten wands that obscure his view. Hardly something to work towards!

Fortunately, we're not there yet. We might be a little battered and tired, but we can still see the next steps available to us. And this next step? It's the diligent focus of the Knight of Coins.

This card is immensely encouraging. It's telling us that our general ideas - the information we've collected in our Knight of Swords phase - is helpful and valuable. We just need to bring it down to earth and integrate it into our actions. And that includes how we care for ourselves. 

We can have a life animated by what's important, those big and lofty ideas that the Knight of Swords loves to much, but it has to be channeled through everyday action and done in the service of a healthy and fulfilled life. 

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