Weekly Forecast: March 20-26
We’re using a different deck than normal this week, for no other reason that that it was the closest to my morning writing spot - nestled in bed under a crisp, white duvet. Our cards have a similar energy, a focus on finding comfort and rest in difficult situations. Because, as you’ve likely noticed, The Tower is starting things off this week. What’s crumbling or has crumbled recently? What is making you tired?
We’re using a different deck than normal this week, for no other reason that that it was the closest to my morning writing spot - nestled in bed under a crisp, white duvet. Our cards have a similar energy, a focus on finding comfort and rest in difficult situations. Because, as you’ve likely noticed, The Tower is starting things off this week. What’s crumbling or has crumbled recently? What is making you tired?
The Tower is also present in our reading for the month of March which makes me think this isn’t necessarily a case of an obvious, immediate, or new “Tower moment:” catastrophe, misfortune, an abrupt ending. It’s more likely that we’ve been aware of and holding our experience of this card for some time, watching something dissolve slowly. This week the bigger story of that dissolution is coming into clear focus.
Now this is where our reading gets interesting. Instead of doing something with this new knowledge and perspective, we’re being invited to rest. The Four of Swords appears next, and I can’t help but imagine the two figures in the original Rider-Waite-Smith illustration falling from the burning tower… and into a cozy, inviting bed.
See where acknowledging and seeing things for what they are, even and especially if they’re upsetting, brings you a sense of release and even peace. I love how artist Mary Elizabeth Evans illustrates this version of the Four of Swords: the top half of the card almost seething with winding black, white, and red rectangles while the main character of the card rests peacefully in atop teal clouds in a green sky. No matter how intense and compelling ideas and messages around what things in your external life could or should mean, see if you can simply let it be as it is while prioritizing rest and healing.
The Four of Swords shows us a healthy way of dealing with our minds. We often place logical thinking as the primary function of our minds, yet we also use them to dream (and what could be less rational than the loopy, symbolic world of our subconscious?). This is a time to let go of controlling the narrative, “figuring things out,” or striving to understand, label, or identify. Simply letting go, trusting that things will filter through as needed, and stepping away from The Tower facets of your life, will be incredibly refreshing and, eventually, transformative.
Sometimes the frenzy of The Tower can be exhilarating; when something’s on fire, we know that the only task that matters is putting out the flames. But maybe The Four of Swords is also signaling that part of us is bored with this old dance. Be especially aware of things you’re tuning out, no longer seduced by, or even annoyed with. What is putting you to sleep? Respect this instinct as a message that you’re outgrowing stale dances of drama.
We have bigger things to tend to, and these are not about putting out fires or preserving structures just because they’re crumbling. At the end of the week, Strength bursts onto the scene, so if you were worried that all this napping was sheer laziness, you’re in for a surprise! I feel like this card appears when we realize we’re wrestling with the right problem; it’s deeply satisfying and such a contrast to the panic that comes with The Tower. Notice how focused and aligned you feel when you’re building something that matters to you - how the problems and challenges bring you closer to yourself, have you learning something valuable. Now isn’t that quite different from the panicked rush to survive that arises in The Tower?
Let yourself slowly wake up into your powers and goals as the week wraps up. Enjoy creating something for yourself, working with reality, and daring to sculpt something fun, meaningful, and completely different than what’s fading into the past.
Potential surprise/reframe:
There’s actually two I’m seeing here:
While we tend to talk about the cards, especially the Major Arcana, in terms of our personal journey, it may be that this week we’re contending with other people’s experience of The Tower. Is someone in crisis (most likely of their own making), sucking up oxygen with their panicked demands, or consistently framing their setbacks as catastrophes? Is it making you tired?? This would be a good time to step away and focus on the reality you find gratifying and constructive (Strength).
The Four of Swords is feeling like a mysterious invitation to me this week. This card is quite subtle, so we’d do well to create moments of stillness and silence for ourselves so that we can hear the nuanced messages bubbling up from our subconscious. Listen to your body, rest when you need to, and notice what feels easy, enjoyable, and restorative instead of what you think “should.”
This week, embrace:
Stepping away from the drama
Rest
Meditation, mindfulness exercises of all kinds
Engaging with the reality you want to reinforce
This week, avoid:
Burnout
Overcommunicating, half-baked ideas
Leaving your center, abandoning your own perspective
There’s actually two I’m seeing here:
While we tend to talk about the cards, especially the Major Arcana, in terms of our personal journey, it may be that this week we’re contending with other people’s experience of The Tower. Is someone in crisis (most likely of their own making), sucking up oxygen with their panicked demands, or consistently framing their setbacks as catastrophes? Is it making you tired?? This would be a good time to step away and focus on the reality you find gratifying and constructive (Strength).
The Four of Swords is feeling like a mysterious invitation to me this week. This card is quite subtle, so we’d do well to create moments of stillness and silence for ourselves so that we can hear the nuanced messages bubbling up from our subconscious. Listen to your body, rest when you need to, and notice what feels easy, enjoyable, and restorative instead of what you think “should.”
Weekly Forecast: February 6-12
Well, dear readers, in a rare moment of straightforwardness, our reading is telling us that the main themes of the month are making themselves known to us at the beginning of the week. After all, Strength is our tarot card of the month. Let’s enjoy this! Take note of what you’re grappling with - it will be an ongoing project for you in February - as well as the areas you’ve been growing. The latter is actually the crux of our reading: What formerly wild, rejected, or misunderstood side of yourself has been coming into lovely focus as of late? How can you push through the last stages of integration and welcome it into your heart?
Well, dear readers, in a rare moment of straightforwardness, our reading is telling us that the main themes of the month are making themselves known to us at the beginning of the week. After all, Strength is our tarot card of the month. Let’s enjoy this! Take note of what you’re grappling with - it will be an ongoing project for you in February - as well as the areas you’ve been growing. The latter is actually the crux of our reading: What formerly wild, rejected, or misunderstood side of yourself has been coming into lovely focus as of late? How can you push through the last stages of integration and welcome it into your heart?
I love the progression shown in the cards here - the mythical encounter shown in Strength softening into the everyday, human interaction in the Six of Cups. Strong, seamless transitions between cards often belie a much bigger story, and this week is a pivotal time in our personal journey towards self-compassion. Take a moment to elevate this facet of your life, paying special attention to how the often grinding nature of Strength has been slowing down; what feels natural, gentle, and authentic that once felt like a struggle? I’m thinking here of personality traits or parts of our stories that have felt hard to integrate with our sense or self or larger narrative. How can we thank ourselves for the hard work it takes to welcome in imperfection, difficulty, and misfortune and make something beautiful?
Sharing what you’ve learned and where you’ve been is an important next step in digesting our recent (and ongoing) experience of Strength. Spending time with trusted friends, giving back, and lavishing tenderness on those who’ve been at our side through tough times will be both gratifying and centering. There’s a lot of work to be done (as we’ll see in our next card), but tending to our relationships, hearts, and softer side will be crucial in the beginning and middle of the week.
I’d also like to point out the change in setting as Strength gives way to the Six of Cups. What was once in the wilderness is now safely enclosed in a human space. Look around you and see how you’ve built up emotional safe spaces for yourself, both in your relationship with yourself and with others. Do you need to shore up or maintain any of these “spaces” (think self-care practices, affirmations, boundaries)? This card can also suggest doing a brief audit of your emotional inner-sanctum, being on the lookout for any intruders or relationships/situations that aren’t in your best interest.
While the first half of the week may feel slow, tender, and even sticky at some points, the Knight of Wands arrives on the scene bringing a massive change of pace. It’ll be important to use this energy mindfully; while this card is immensely powerful and energizing, there is a chance that we’ll accidentally walk back on some of our recent progress. Think before you act, make sure your values align with your decisions, and be mindful of stepping on other people’s toes in a fit of passion.
Potential surprise/reframe:
The part of Strength that’s coming through most powerfully to me in this reading is the moment of contact between the main figure’s hand and the lion’s head. It’s as if it’s fading into the exchange happening in the Six of Cups next to it: an older child giving a cup holding a white flower to a younger child. Perhaps there’s a similar moment happening within us this week, as we discover that the fierce lion we’ve been trying to tame is really just a small child looking for a gesture of acceptance.
In this sense, this week isn’t about doing more work (The Knight of Wands), but recognizing and appreciating the work we’ve already done to accept and make peace with ourselves.
This week, embrace:
Loyalty to yourself: your values, experience, worldview
Focus on active themes or struggles
Self-compassion, curiosity
Intimate relationships
This week, avoid:
Pretending you’re struggling with yourself more than you actually are (i.e. over-identifying with Strength when you could be transitioning to the Six of Cups)
Acting rashly and undoing your hard work
Attacking your own progress
Rushing in general
Weekly Forecast: January 16-22
Strength is a card that operates on quite an impressive spectrum. Sometimes we’re wanting to figure something out - a big question about our life, ourselves, or our situation - and we approach it head-on, struggling valiantly for understanding. And sometimes we do a stranger dance, one of fits and starts, as we approach our question from different angles, retreating to process, and returning again to re-engage. It’s this odd shuffle that’s animating our lives this week as we try to suss out something important in a complicated situation. Yet no matter how confusing it may seem, this card’s appearance in our reading is a big encouragement. Now is the time to work towards a breakthrough; let’s roll up our sleeves.
Strength is a card that operates on quite an impressive spectrum. Sometimes we’re wanting to figure something out - a big question about our life, ourselves, or our situation - and we approach it head-on, struggling valiantly for understanding. And sometimes we do a stranger dance, one of fits and starts, as we approach our question from different angles, retreating to process, and returning again to re-engage. It’s this odd shuffle that’s animating our lives this week as we try to suss out something important in a complicated situation. Yet no matter how confusing it may seem, this card’s appearance in our reading is a big encouragement. Now is the time to work towards a breakthrough; let’s roll up our sleeves.
This week we’re well-aware of an issue, or at the very least, that something is bothering us. Before we move on, take a moment to commend yourself for this awareness! Sure, it’s not as satisfying as a cut-and-dry solution, but this reading is inviting us to revel in the creative potential of struggle. Consider what area of your life is feeling murky or in need of editing. Strength is not a card that shows up in times of clarity; it shows us in the muck, trying to tame the lion, and being intimate with an issue on a more feelings-based level. Don’t fight the reality of the situation - this is a time to accept what is and redirect focus to how you’re operating in this specific context. What are you learning about yourself? How would you like to be?
Speaking of which, this image illustrates the classic struggle between the ideal self (sometimes called the “higher self”) and the instinctual self. Conflict between the two can help steer us towards actions that are more aligned with our values. Ask yourself:
Where do my actions feel in opposition to or without connection to my values and goals? and
What actions or behavior go against my instincts, intuition, and desires?
Because even though we may think it’s essential to aspire to the angelic self in this card, it’s equally important to work with and integrate our "animal” self. Look at your life and see which is running the show at the moment, and then try to work towards a more sustainable balance. Pretending to be a saint can be just as harmful as living a life of unbridled hedonism.
Our next two cards give us specific instructions for how to engage with the issues being brought up by Strength. The Seven of Cups shows us gifted with an unusually powerful imagination this week; allow yourself to throw any and every idea you have onto the table. Don’t limit your visions - there’s treasure to be found amidst the trippiest, most outlandish scenarios for your future. Be aware, however, that this headspace can feel a little heady. You may find yourself feeling scattered, lacking focus, and lost in the clouds. Go with the current while it lasts, giving yourself room in your schedule to meander and daydream.
At the end of the week, we come back down to earth via the calm rationality of The Four of Swords. Give yourself time to sit with everything that’s come up, organize your thoughts, and wait for a realization that feels right. Silence, solitude, and self-reflection are helpful tools during this time, and point us to the next steps we’ve been seeking. They’re not of the flashy variety, however, and our experience of Strength this week is more of a slow-burn than majestic breakthrough. It’s our task, however, to see this subtle awakening into awareness as equally, if not more, important.
Potential surprise/reframe:
There may be a false battle going on between our imagination and intellect this week. In other words, is the struggle shown in Strength actually between the Seven of Cups and Four of Swords? Do we feel like our dreams can’t match up with or inform our rational decisions? The thing about Strength is that all the conflicts it encompasses are generative. While it may take some time for the two characters to understand each other and move in harmony, they get there eventually with dedication and commitment to learning. See what gentleness and patience you can muster so that these sides of yourself can meet on supportive terms.
This week, embrace:
Staying with complex situations
Remaining open-minded
Wildly imaginative brainstorming
Time to gather your thoughts
Rest, gentleness, patience
This week. Avoid:
Rushing to conclusions from a place of discomfort
Giving up
Chasing perfection or lofty ideals
Operating solely to fulfill immediate desires
Weekly Forecast: February 6-12
Well, the Tarot is being delightfully cheeky in these cards this week. Looks like love is in the air in the days leading up to Valentine's. Yes, you’ve got it right, this week has us feeling zesty and romantic.
Rather than coming from a place of neediness, these cards outline the culmination to a crash-course in empowerment. There's something in it for all of us, from the hopelesss romantics to those more excited about the deeply discounted candy on the 15th.
We’ve been practicing self-care for a while now, and as we all know, it doesn’t always come easily. But look what’s coming out of it all! The sensuality that is emerging in the next few days is springing from the most natural of sources: ourselves.
While it may be easy to dismiss pleasure and enjoyment as unnecessary or silly (particularly when it’s centered around ourselves) it’s certainly not conducive to a vibrant life. Who wants to be constantly questioning their joy? Being humble is all well and good, but not when we use it to hide our accomplishments from the world.
The Mother of Wands (aka Queen of Wands) who tells us that we’re not coasting into this week on a cloud of puffed up ego. This sense of security and confidence? It’s genuine and well-earned.
A Queen sits on a throne that gives her a solid foundation and represents her power. Spend some time considering what your throne is made of this week. Get to know its contours and feel how stable it is. Appreciate all the hard work you’ve done to build it. This is where you are right now – where would you like to go next?
The Mother of Wands is a card that’s all about feeling yourself, with a real focus on the feeling. Now is not a time to get caught up in our heads or bogged down by practicalities. Embrace the general air of romance and you’ll find a wealth of enjoyment all around you. This can be overtly romantic or not. Just think effusive, blossoming, and pleasurable.
Yes, I’m telling you to get sensual. There’s an abundance of sexual energy in the air, so revel in it. Enjoy yourself, your partner, a delicious pastry, a decadent bath… this could go so many ways. And don’t feel the need to limit yourself! I certainly won’t.
All this confidence is building on itself to create a prime environment for coming together. Our central card is the Two of Cups, an overtly romantic card if there ever was one. Once again, however, don’t let this message leave you feeling excluded if you’re couple or simply not feeling a romantic attachment for whatever reason. In tarot and in life, romance can mean many things. At its most general, look forward to a delightful feeling of coming together and satisfaction between yourself and something (or someone) else.
We’re going to have no shortage of charisma this week. Now is a good time to appreciate and celebrate the hard work we’ve done on our own behalf. And it is definitely a time to engage with the world and be seen. This week has a great potential to forge new alliances and partnerships so get out there and show yourself off.
We end with Strength, a card that really reinforces a theme of coming into our own. Taking up the sense of stability we get from the Mother of Wands, Strength shows us that we’re actively embodying our true selves. When we put this kind of energy into the world we can attract what we need most back to us. This type of victory – our ability to enjoy our lives and ourselves – is hard won and something to be proud of.
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Weekly Forecast: Nov 28-Dec 4
Big things are at work this week.
We’ve drawn three major arcana cards – The Wheel of Fortune, Death, and Strength.
When major arcana cards appea, they ask us to zoom out and look at our lives in the big picture. We’re not talking about everyday scrabbles and happenings. Instead, the themes are the big ones: who we are, what we value, and where we’re going.
In this case, it’s the whole darn spread, so we know there’s larger themes at play this week.
I’m sure you’ve noticed the central card already. Yes, Death, that old classic you usually see in movies. The scene goes something like this.
Interior: A dimly lit, dusty room. A skill sits on a pile of leather-bound books. Cobwebs hang from candelabras covered in melted wax. An old fortune-teller sits at a table. She is wearing lots and lots of scarves.
Fortune-Teller: Let’s see what the cards have in store for you.
Hero look around uncomfortably as the Crone shuffles. She lays out the cards and flips the first over: Death. Camera zooms into the hero’s horrified face.
Fortune-Teller: You have one day left to live…
Part of me loves the hammy pop-culture connotations of the Death card. Of course, we’re in legit Tarot world here, and Death is not meant literally. (Don’t worry, this reading is not forecasting our imminent demise, though the world does feels bleak and uncertain right now.)
It’s certainly an arresting image: a skeleton in armor atop a white horse riding towards three figures, with one already fallen underneath him. Very to the point.
And yet all is not what it seems. Tarot is a nuanced system. It offers us a holistic approach to life, one that does not skirt around the unpleasant bits. Rather, it embraces them as steps necessary in our journey towards personal development and spiritual growth.
There’s no denying the sadness, finality, and presence of death in our lives. And yet we experience death constantly as the ending of relationships, projects, phases of our lives, the changes of the seasons…the list goes on.
Look a little closer at the Death card and we see two interesting things. One, there’s a rising sun to the right, framed between two white towers. And two, one of the figures, who appears to be a Pope or member of the clergy, faces Death with his arms outstretched.
It’s in choosing how to face death that we determine its impact on our lives. And I’m not saying that it’s easy-peasy. We don’t go about wishing for death – we are living creatures, after all. It’s not in our nature. When it comes, the process isn’t easy, but if we run away from the inevitability, we often prolong our suffering.
Not to mention the richness, meaning, and depth the changes represented in the Death card bring us.
The reading for this week asks us to contend with our approach to the changes in our lives. How are we meeting the inevitable losses that come our way? What do we need to let go of and how can we honor its passing instead of fighting it?
The Wheel of Fortune tells us that the changes emerging this week are going to surprise us or already have. There’s an element of chance in play and we can’t do anything to stop it. It may be frustrating and painful, but it’s true.
I can’t help but think about the recent election when I see these cards, especially the feeling that the world has gone topsy-turvy. The Wheel of Fortune also reminds us that whatever is on top of the world must fall eventually, and then rise again. Perhaps this is the shift we are watching unfold right now, in which case Death is a somewhat reassuring card. To move forward, we must acknowledge this ending and make way for the second part of the cycle: rebirth.
We can look to the figure standing in Death’s path as a clue for what approach to take. He stands tall with his arms ahead of him. If we welcome the change that’s approaching, we can perhaps move through it with grace towards something brighter. After all, the man’s robes are the same color as the rising sun behind him.
The same theme shows up in our final card, Strength. It’s a beautiful depiction of what some call “soft control,” or the act of exerting one’s influence with gentle kindness instead of inflexible, blunt power. It tells us that if we approach the changes ahead of us with understanding, grace, and gentleness we will become more grounded, flexible, and strong. In a world full of bombastic fear-mongering we could certainly use more of this approach moving forward. All we have to do is face the changes represented in Death head-on, ready to grow into the next stage.