Weekly Forecast: January 9-15
It’s time to give ourselves the structure, security, and protection we need in order to finish a long process of grieving.
Light stuff, right?
It’s time to give ourselves the structure, security, and protection we need in order to finish a long process of grieving.
Light stuff, right?
Our first weekly reading for 2023 is presenting us with a call to arms, and in some ways I’m happy to see this assertive energy in a time that can sometimes feel diffuse or dreamy. If your’e not a fan of New Year’s resolutions or drawing gentle conclusions out of complicated circumstances, The Emperor is a card for you. How can you step into your role as the authority in your life? This image is confrontational and imposing for a reason; it’s likely that this will be a time for us to take public stands, assert boundaries, and take action to shape our lives in ways that can protect our energy, integrity, and accomplishments.
This isn’t, in other words, a time to be overly polite, compromise on issues that really matter, or equivocate. For some of us this can be a challenge, and it’s actually quite likely that a challenge is what’s bringing us to this place. Notice where you’ve been backed into a corner, confronted, or forced to take a stand. How might this experience be teaching you something valuable about yourself?
The Emperor is a card that asks us to take up space and acknowledge that, in doing so, we may have to protect ourselves in the process. You’'ll notice that this figure has a suit of armored boots poking out from under their robes; taking the time to make sure your (healthy) defenses are up will be immensely helpful in the days to come. Dress to negotiate, but make sure your suit of armor is polished and ready for battle, too.
So, have you noticed the card in the center yet? Yes, The Ten of Swords is making an appearance this week, but it’s not telling us that our strides under the influence of The Emperor are destructive or foolhardy. Instead, this card is alerting us to a painful but necessary ending, one that has to do with our perceptions and ideas of reality and ourselves. Is adopting a more proactive, authoritative role in your life ruffling feathers or pinpointing relationships that aren’t supportive? Does taking action to make changes in your life illuminate failures (real or perceived) in your past?
While it’s not a pleasant card to experience, The Ten of Swords is the important conclusion to a long story. When our load of swords - ideas, values, memories, communications - becomes too much to bear we collapse. What limit have you reached this week? It’s important to grant yourself all the grace and patience you require during this time. Feel it all and try not to analyze your experience too much - the last thing you need is more swords in your life. Instead, notice what hurts and gently start to remove it from your life by either walking away, saying goodbye, or making this important transition to a new phase.
And what would this new phase be? We have the jarringly celebratory Six of Wands on the other side of this scenario. This is a situation in tarot where it seems like things are happening on two levels: personally, we’re experiencing a necessary but painful contraction - looking inwards to release our “old swords” causing us injury - and publicly, we’re embracing our leadership and taking a stand to shape our lives (and likely, careers) in ways that are leading to immediate success.
It’ll be important this week to make room for our very tender internal journey through the Ten of Swords so that we can be present for the big strides happening via The Emperor and the Six of Wands. Can you feel like a puddle and be celebrated? This reading certainly thinks so, and it’ll be our challenge to let in support, celebration, and success while dealing with a painful and ultimately healing transition.
Potential surprise/reframe:
When I went to photograph this reading I was struck by the pair of The Ten of Swords and Six of Wands and thought of this question: How might falling on your face actually be a huge victory? The swords are a poised group of cards and they always want to find a neat and tidy narrative. Messiness, in other words, is what they try to avoid at all costs… until things become too much, hence this hot mess situation with ten swords in your back. In our reading, however, this is followed by the victory parade of the Six of Wands. Pay special attention this week to what is actually happening over what you’re thinking. It’s likely that people around you are lifting you up, maybe even impressed by your resilience, seeing achievements in your struggles where you may not have the perspective to recognize them as such.
THis week, embrace:
Taking a stand
Advocating for yourself & your best interests
Noticing what’s injuring you
Self-compassion and rest
Praise, opportunity, and support
This week. avoid:
Backing down or ceding progress
Overanalyzing suffering or discomfort instead of simply feeling through it
Over-scheduling (this is definitely a time to clear as much space as possible)
False modesty
Weekly Forecast: October 10-16
Hoo boy, friends! This is a week to buckle in and get focused. While the energies here may not seem compatible at first glance, there’s a path for us to engage with these cards that will result in a satisfying conclusion. It won’t be easy, however, and it will take some serious finessing and mindfulness. I think we’re up to it.
Hoo boy, friends! This is a week to buckle in and get focused. While the energies here may not seem compatible at first glance, there’s a path for us to engage with these cards that will result in a satisfying conclusion. It won’t be easy, however, and it will take some serious finessing and mindfulness. I think we’re up to it.
We begin things with The Hermit, a card that shows us feeling a strong pull to retreat inwards to ask ourselves big questions and wanting the space to do so. Take long walks by yourself, indulge in asking expansive and philosophical questions (my favorite? “But what is time?”), and feel for the strength of your inner wisdom, even if it takes some time to emerge.
… and yet the big card on the scene? It’s the forward-facing, assertive Emperor. We have some important business to attend to this week and we’re being direct to face it head-on, even if we’re feeling like slinking off into the shadows and chasing elusive insights 24/7 instead.
This may seem intensely cheesy, but what is tarot but a place to lay it all bare? I just got the image of The Hermit doing an epic reveal, throwing off their cloak to reveal The Emperor underneath. Do our inner, white-bearded grandpas contain such multitudes? I think so. And is an Emperor-like strength hiding under our humility, isolation, and even avoidance?
These first days of the week would be a good time to reexamine the soul-searching you’ve been doing lately. Have you found some answers after all this time? They may not be immediately evident, but I have a feeling that if we do some digging through all of our recent experiences (and experiments) that we’ll find some true gems. Resist the temptation to overcomplicate or shrink away from a “good enough” answer. The Hermit likes to get overly cerebral or mystical, preferring to keep things in the safety of the abstract rather than engage with the real world. Yet The Emperor taking center stage is telling us that we’ll be asked to do this and more. Why not use the insights we’ve been tracking with The Hermit to help us?
None of this is to say that The Emperor is bringing negative energy into our reading. Rather, this card is telling us that we’re really going to need to show up for our lives this week. Harness this card’s assertive, pioneering force. It’s likely that we’ll need to chart some new territory, communicate our needs and ideas firmly, and/or uphold our boundaries with vigor.
I’m also struck by how The Hermit is turning away from this scene, and sending that there may be some need for us to reconcile our “shrinking violet selves” with our outward-facing personas, the part of us that gets things done. Can you find a way to carry your Hermit-self within you, safe within the protection of The Emperor, and perhaps acting as a trusted advisor and confidant?
Take the time to get on the same page with yourself, in other words, and don’t feel like you have to abandon one facet of yourself in pursuit of another. At the same time, a word of caution: this would be a week to be wary of who you share things with. Are there some relationships that could use some recalibration? The Emperor can help with that! Trust your instincts and sculpt the containers that honor your needs for safety and respect.
So what’s all this intensity bringing us? Thankfully, the Nine of Wands shows us emerging on the other side. Sure, we’re a little battle-tested and tired, but all our wands have been planted upright. We can absolutely get a lot accomplished this week, but it’s going to take our all. Be sure to rest and survey your success when you reach the other side.
This week, embrace:
Asserting yourself
Completing projects
Strong boundaries
Reassessing relationships, noticing where your emotional energy is going
Consulting your inner wisdom
Looking to the recent past for insights to the present situation
Chilling out when the job is finally done
This week, avoid:
Shutting down or rejecting your philosophical, seeker self
Not taking your opinions, ideas, and desires seriously
Oversharing to those who can’t receive or respect you
Half-assing things
Get creative:
The Hermit: See if you can give yourself a retreat of sorts at the beginning of the week. Use the time to a) rest and b) explore how your recent questions have shed light on something important. The Hermit usually speaks to values, ethics, and guiding principles that illuminate our path forward (think the star glowing in the lamp). What is guiding you (and I mean the big You - your higher self, spirit, however you choose to conceptualize it) forward at this chapter in your life?
The Emperor: I don’t know about you, but this card is striking me as extra epic this week, and in need of some simple, actionable ways to channel its energy. So, rapid-fire Emperor ideas: 1) Find a power outfit, a uniform of sorts - armor-like. Wear it whenever you need to galvanize your energy/in the middle of the week. 2) Work out. I know, I know. It’s not elegant, but really - I feel like we need to pump ourselves up with this card. 3) Write down your two goals for the week. Hold yourself to them.
The Nine of Wands: Having this card at the end of the week makes me want to tell everyone to just relax and take a bath. So, I’m going to do that. It’s likely that we’ll be tired and needing some mental space to come down from all the action. Want a bath with a magic twist? Add nine sprigs of rosemary - your wands - to the water, breathe deeply, think about all the good work you’ve done. (Also, if you don’t have a robust rosemary bush, I’ve had good luck finding affordable rosemary at Chinese and Korean supermarkets. We’re talking whole handfuls, not the piddly packets for $5 you find at Whole Foods!)
Summer Solstice Tarot Reading on Open Magic Podcast
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling transformed after the Summer Solstice this past week.
And, in case you missed it, I did a special tarot reading looking at the energy and opportunities springing from this time of the year.
A delightful spread from Spirit Speak’s Apparition Tarot Deck
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling transformed after the Summer Solstice this past week.
And, in case you missed it, I did a special tarot reading looking at the energy and opportunities springing from this time of the year.
This far reaching reading looks at the next half of 2019 and dives in to the archetypes we’ll be leaving behind and the opportunities for growth and celebration emerging in the future.
Give it a listen below or find it wherever you get your podcasts. (And do leave us a review if you feel inspired, it helps more than you know!)
All the Best,
Gina
Weekly Forecast: September 24-30
What does it mean to be powerful?
This question comes with a lot of baggage and very few diverse blueprints. We tend to see power as absolute, unwavering, and rigid. You either have it or you don't, especially if it's being wielded in a social setting. It's fierce, commandeering, and fiery.
What does it mean to be powerful?
This question comes with a lot of baggage and very few diverse blueprints. We tend to see power as absolute, unwavering, and rigid. You either have it or you don't, especially if it's being wielded in a social setting. It's fierce, commandeering, and fiery.
Doesn't it sound like we're describing The Emperor?
And, indeed, we have this actual powerhouse of a card in our final position. A potent image, to be sure, The Emperor is so imposing and confident that his message comes through loud and clear to those unfamiliar with tarot. We see authority, expertise, confidence, competition, and fortitude. Interestingly, in our power-obsessed culture, this card brings forth a lot of resistance. We often want to rebel when we see The Emperor, to seek freedom and individuality instead of all that structure.
The language of tarot, however, is multilayered and illuminating. We build up meaning around the cards from personal associations and experiences, both personal and cultural, and the cards carry that with them. If we work to scrape some of his off, however, we can reach different levels and see ideas, orientations, and approaches. It's a healing journey that introduces nuance and meaning to the harder aspects of life. This week we'll be working with The Emperor, directing his force and determination in more personally authentic ways.
So back to the cards at hand. Both the King of Cups and The Emperor - representations of power and authority - surround our central card, the difficult and upsetting Five of Swords. This week has the potential for conflict and misunderstanding. There's mischief afoot, especially when it comes to communication. Lies, manipulations, and gossip are some ways that this card shows us how thoughts and words can disrupt a situation. Reacting mindlessly to the wrongdoing only increases the hurt and confusion.
This is clearly a time that calls for power, authority, and confidence.
Many people shirk from these ideas because they seem so harsh and commandeering, much like our first impression of The Emperor. Fascinatingly, we have a much different representation of power leading us into the week: The King of Cups. Instead of a parched desert, this character lives in a dynamic ocean. A fish jumps out of the undulating waves on his right while the red sails of a ship peek out from the left side of his throne.
The King of Cups is telling us that we're already operating from a position of power. It just doesn't look like what we've been trained to associate with authority and strength. The King of Cups thrives off of connection, community, and emotion. Instead of distancing himself from others and wielding power over them, he's in the middle of life's complexities. He feels and connects and emotes. He's there.
This week is calling on us to reassess our personal power. Maybe we've been striving to look like The Emperor, thinking we need rules and absolute respect and a certain harshness that doesn't quite line-up with our personalities. And, in true Emperor fashion, anything less is an absolute failure.
But look at us right now. We're engaged in life, connected to people, and doing the hard work of processing our emotions. This kind of presence speaks volumes, and though it doesn't have the imperious gravitas of power with a capital P, it's often far more effective.
Which brings us back to The Emperor. Underneath all that armor is a pioneering spirit. What did it take to build that throne in his harsh desert landscape, with just a tiny river struggling through the sand behind his throne? The Emperor had to make things work in a less-than hospitable place. And he succeeded wildly. His accomplishment lies beneath the King of Cups. It's just that our world right now is flowing with beautiful water - friendships, alliances, love, and emotion.
Thanks to the hard work of The Emperor we've claimed our power, built something strong, and allowed an ocean to grow. We've softened our edges, but we also remain connected to this difficult and rewarding past. We have that solidity beneath our feet that allows us to sidestep the needless drama of the Five of Swords.
Water flows and steel clashes. Thanks to our hard work and newer, lusher surroundings, we no longer have to flatten or opponents or rise to every challenge. We can simply see what's happening and move around it, seeking out meaningful connections and rewarding work.
Weekly Forecast: Dec 5-11
This week we see ourselves popping into an unexpected place. Something is going to shake things up and make our worlds seem richer and more complicated. It’s time to get ready for that teenage feeling.
A flight of fancy, an inspiration, a new relationship or any such gift has brought us into a new phase. Suddenly things feel different, like how falling in love makes the world bright, new, and full of wonder.
It’s impossible to go through life’s routines and not grow accustomed to “the usual;” however, this new development will have our heads spinning as we try to reorient ourselves. But when you shake a snow globe you can’t ensure the flakes land in the same place.
Now is a good time to check in and see how we can change for the better. Who says life can’t proceed with fun tweaks and adjustments. It’s good to make room for the romantic, whimsical, and impassioned.
The center of the reading is the Knight of Cups, a tender card to be sure. He’s a sensitive young fellow, depicted here sitting in a blue-grey landscape, a silver cup balanced on his head. He’s all about the feelings, writing passionate letters, and swooning over his latest love.
Of all the knights, this one is the most introspective. In the Fountain Tarot he’s the only Knight without an obviously apparent sense of purpose - wands is out striking a fabulous pose, coins is holding a giant coin for us to see, and swords is lunging forward.
Cups rule emotions, the watery realm of feelings, relationships, and romance. In other words, the things we feel instead of think. But at first glance this Knight seems a little distracted. What action is he embodying? True to the nature of cups, this Knight is not charging forward. His motion, instead, is to feel his way through things.
His message for us this week? To feel our feelings, revel in our passion, and daydream away.
For a bit, anyway. It would be a shame to waste the transformative power of this stage. To do that we need a little something extra.
Like all tarot cards, the Knight of Cups is not to be taken in his own. To stay in his space for too long would cause our lives to stagnate. We’d get lost in romantic thought or carried away by our unbridled emotions. So where to go once we’ve reveled in our new feelings?
The two flanking cards lay out potential steps forward. Don’t be put off by their intensity. You’re ready for it. The King of Coins and The Emperor deal with power and control, suggesting that the captivating new development coming forward this week is leading us towards a position with more responsibilities.
We’re prepared for this if we move forward deliberately and with a sense of fun. We don’t want to cut ourselves off from the teenage passion of the Knight of Cups and get stuck in the sternness of The Emperor or the decadence of the King of Coins. It’s going to take a bit of both.
Take the new giddiness of this week and start asking yourself how you would like to take control in your life. Our paths will vary, so I’ll leave the choice up to you.
Are you drawn to the relaxed and plentiful lushness of the King of Coins? This is a way of leading that involves embodying power and being hands on. He is connected to his domain and partakes of his riches. Relaxed, jovial, and a bit stubborn, he is very much a part of what he resides over.
Or are you drawn to the structure and boundaries of The Emperor? He thrives on defined roles and containers – everything must be in its right place. His way of leading involves creating structure and ruling above it all.
This is a good week to embrace the swoony introspection of the Knight of Cups and consider the new paths open to you. It’s a time for choosing who and how you want to be in the world, and the best choices are taken slowly while experiencing our true emotions. Look at these two cards, contemplate their meanings, and see how each feels to you.
And of course, enjoy how this week’s passionate surprise manifests itself for you.