Weekly Forecast: October 24-31

We have quite the shakeup on the horizon this week, and I’m happy to report it isn’t one of the earth-shattering variety. There are no Towers in sight, no cataclysms or pratfalls. Instead, the Wheel of Fortune appears, spinning us out of one mode and into another. If things have been feeling stale, confusing, or overwhelming know that it’s temporary. In fact, know that whatever you’re feeling, it’s about to change, because if it’s about anything, the Wheel of Fortune is about impermanence, transience, and movement.

And who thrives in these conditions? It’s the vivacious and capable Queen of Wands. Note what’s been changing in your life lately; sometimes the Wheel of Fortune shows a subtle gradation - a storm that gathers slowly and then unleashes its rain, leaving the land transformed afterwards.

What quiet messages have you been hearing lately? Whether they’re intriguing ideas flickering at the edge of your consciousness or alluring points of curiosity you’re just starting to explore, this week they’ll be coming into satisfying focus. What’s more, we’ll be feeling poised and ready to act on them.

In fact, as I look over at our cards, I’m struck by how direct they are, as if the Wheel of Fortune, once it stops spinning, spits us out onto a clear and fast track. This is definitely not a week to second guess ourselves or our good fortune. The Queen of Wands is a capable and energizing card and it tells us that we’re ready to make things happen in a way that’s both enjoyable and sustainable. In true wands fashion, the only thing that can slow us down is getting stuck in our heads.

So, if it feels good, exciting, and expansive - do it. Let yourself be at the center of attention, making decisions, and expressing yourself in any and all directions you feel called to. Remember, the court cards in tarot are the most responsible and experienced of their group. If you feel surprised in a change in your confidence or the support and admiration you’re receiving, don’t waste time second-guessing it. The wands have excellent instincts and thrive in doing, no card more so than this queen.

It’s worth exploring the changes that brought us here. What fog have you been stumbling through lately? And how might emerging on the other side give you the perspective needed to understand your confusion and any misgivings about the future? The Three of Wands shows us ending the week with a much better idea of our next step. Consider revisiting old projects or plans that have atrophied or stalled out. You may find a new jolt of inspiration that puts you back on track again.

The Three of Wands also invites us to rest for a moment, basking in the glow of our achievements. There’s plenty of time to work, hone our plans, and push forward. Be sure to pace yourself and let the power of the Wheel of Fortune and Queen of Wands sink in.

This week, embrace:

• Change

• Launching new projects

• Public speaking & engagements

• Organizing/inspiring/galvanizing groups

• Refining plans

This week, avoid:

• Second-guessing good luck, compliments, accolades

• Ceding authority to others

• Shrinking yourself to compensate for others’ insecurities

• Rushing new ideas, projects, or relationships

Get creative:

• Wheel of Fortune: This week, the Wheel of Fortune is more of a receding influence, which is helpful since this card can be extremely confusing! So, given that we have some extra perspective, take some time to revisit the big shifts in your life recently and how you were able to navigate them well. Coming out of the Wheel of Fortune and immediately into the Queen of Wands is no small feat. How has all the spinning smoothed and polished you like a rough stone in a rock tumbler? If you want to riff on this further, find a gloriously smooth stone and carry it with you as a reminder of your transformation.

• Queen of Wands: Ah, this card! We can have so much fun with the Queen of Wands that I almost don’t want to limit us with a suggestion. So, here are some suggestionS! Go out dancing, pitch a wild and exciting idea, launch a passion project, make people swoon with your charisma. And while you’re at it, buy yourself a bunch of sunflowers.

• Three of Wands: Put on your sturdiest shoes, go on a walk, and ask yourself gently: what’s the next step I need to take on a project I’m excited about?

Weekly Forecast: May 2-8

This is a week of great possibilities - a time of green lights, fresh starts, and smooth sailing. Like many moments of change and reinvention, however, it’s the challenges that have come before that give us the most guidance.

Yes, we have the Nine of Wands in our array once more, pointing us to our struggles. The sore muscles we’re nursing are also a sign of our increased strength, as much as it may seem otherwise. This is a time to appreciate how present we’ve been in our lives, moving forward even when we’ve felt lost and tired. When things fall together, what seemed all-consuming will fall away quickly; let’s just not forget how hard we’ve worked for the ease that’s coming.

Where does your life feel like a dense thicket of branches? Is there a place that’s been wild and tangled, resistant to navigation or change? See where this energy is active and, after taking a deep breath, imagine all of it changing.

This week we have a powerful moment of transformation. What has felt sticky becomes unstuck. We’re able to move again, make headway, and plunge back into the situation refreshed and motivated.

I love the image these cards give us: a divine figure floating above a forest of wands. The World is back, showing a version of ourselves that’s able to transcend the busy, energetic, and energetically taxing world of wands we’ve been traveling through. Like a dolphin leaping above the waves, glistening in the warm sun before diving back below, we’re given a moment to rise above challenging or complex situations, gaining perspective and insight, before returning to busy life.

We’ve been in a particularly wands-y past few months, so I’m wondering why I switched from wood metaphors to water just there. Perhaps, like The World card shows, we’re in need of some harmony. Whatever we’ve been overdosing on in life lately, it’s worth seeking out what’s missing. Too much hustle and bustle? Add some languorous moments of calm. Too much straightforward wheeling-and-dealing? Make space for poetry and romance. Whether it’s water, air, or earth, know we definitely have enough fire to go around.

Major Arcana cards have a powerful impact, and show us the active themes of a moment. Like a planet, they exert their own gravitational pull. While we can certainly work with them, we don’t need to do anything to bring their energies into our lives. Luckily for us, we’re dealing with The World this week. It’s presence always invites us to take a larger perspective, to situate our present moment in the bigger story.

The Nine of Wands has been a frequent visitor in our readings. We’re tired! We get it! And this week starts off feeling like a continuation of the last. Yet this is a different type of exhaustion - instead of being at a point of burnout, we’re at a point of simply needing to edit. After the visit of The World mid-week, where we gain some important rest and insight, we reach the uncluttered shores of the Three of Wands. Here, the clutter is lessened, begging the question: What doesn’t fit? We’ll need a break to determine this, which is where The World comes in. Be alert for opportunities to get out of your usual routine, experiment, and simply feel free. I think this will be completely removed from whatever the wands are representing for you, too. If possible, make time now to do something refreshing that puts you in the center.

So, beyond the refresher represented by The World, we’re due to consider what we can pare down in our lives at the moment. Creative projects, complex situations, routines and workflows may be where this feeling of overload manifests. In the Nine of Wands we can see exhaustion, but the wands are upright; we’ve worked hard and accomplished much. But we’re also itching for some mobility, a chance to move beyond. To get from the Nine to the Three of Wands we must identify what is truly working or worthwhile and jettison the rest. It’s not as if these extra wands were a waste of time, however. They’ve given us useful experience and knowledge. But now is a time to travel light, bring what matters most.

While this reading is tightly woven in that it’s themes are clear and in direct conversation with each other, it’s also quite mysterious and expansive. I can’t help but feel a tingle of anticipation whenever The World comes up, and as I alluded to earlier, this card can signify moments of reinvention and growth. I think here, however, it’s more of an uncovering. If we’re doing all this editing in our mundane, wands-centric lives, what does having some new space reveal about ourselves? Have we been hiding behind busyness, or is part of our true nature unfurling majestically after slowly growing behind the scenes? There’s a huge potential this week for glorious self-expression, blissful freedom, and coming into our own. If it feels easy and also big and even a little threatening to our ideas of what’s possible - good.

The Three of Wands shows a similar feeling of rising excitement, a time when we must step into the unknown and commit to a new endeavor. I’m reminded that we had another three - The Three of Pentacles - concluding our reading last week. That card dealt with themes of planning and collaboration while this week’s three is about movement, creativity, and fiery ambition. Has something you’ve been working on reached a turning point? If you’re feeling at the cusp, the change may arrive at the end of the week. Be sure to open your arms and embrace simplicity, clarity, and the feeling of wind on your face as you finally start moving towards new shores.

This week, embrace:

• Simplicity

• Self-compassion

• Fun for the sake of fun

• Bravery

This week, avoid:

• Loyalty to the status quo

• Pushing through exhaustion

• Complicated > Effective

• Waffling, hemming-and-hawing, shrinking from greatness

Get creative:

• Nine of Wands: Give what no longer works some love. It can be hard to say goodbye to old faithful techniques, ideas, projects, and approaches - I have a feeling this bittersweetness will be present for us this week. So, let’s dive into it. I’m thinking a “in memoriam” slideshow at an awards ceremony: How can we respect and highlight where we’ve been and what we’ve done, while acknowledging we’re going somewhere new? This would be good journaling fodder. Putting things down in writing would be especially powerful. But simple contemplation will do just fine. (And if you make a slideshow, do share ;)

• The World: I’m feeling like this card needs a grand gesture this week. The World is nude, loving life, front and center. And maybe it’s just because it’s hot here, but water keeps coming up for me when I look at this card. Go swimming, take a ritual bath or shower, or spend some time loving your body fully, decadently, and with focus.

• Three of Wands; This is so, so cheesy, but I’m doing it anyways. This is a cinematic card, y’all. What song would be playing in the moment of the biopic of your life where you make a pivotal change? Imagine yourself standing on the cliffside like the figure in the card, about to embark on one of the boats below. The wind is blowing in your hair. You squint your eyes as the setting sun hits them at just the right angle, giving you a determined and formidable glow. I may have said song, but now I’m feeling a whole playlist. Get into it, and play this whenever you need to recenter/rev-up/get going.

Weekly Forecast: October 29 - November 4

Why is it that success and growth brings up feelings of inadequacy, self-sabotage, and disbelief? It's easier to hide behind conflict and trouble. Struggle gives us an easy sense of meaning. It's there, it's obvious, and it's not threatening to others. 

This week, The Devil is popping up just as we turn an unexpected corner. Rather than bemoan his presence, however, we can see it as a positive sign that we're onto something good.

"Now how does that work, Gina?" you might be wondering with a very healthy dose of skepticism. Ignoring The Devil can be tricky at best and inadvisable at worst. Yet here I am confidently telling you that this card, rather than being a sign on bad habits and troubles, is something to embrace, say hello to on your way forward, and then leave by the wayside to go about his Devil-y life.

The Devil thrives in darkness and confusion. And this week we're bringing the illumination of the Eight of Cups and the ambition of the Three of Wands into his cave. Suddenly the power and mystery of the shadows have become banished by our own light and vitality. It's just not so scary when we face it head on. And The Devil we're dealing with may be quite small in comparison to our new, formidable self. 

The Eight of Cups and the Three of Wands are telling us that we're making huge strides and doing some very brave editing in our lives. I love how artist Ricardo Cavolo depicts the Eight of Cups as vines tearing down a pillar to reveal a single flame. Though we may not have always understood our actions leading up to this moment, our search for something more has torn down some huge obstacles. This process is intuitive and instinctual. The Eight of Cups represents the priceless kind of hard-won clarity that comes from trusting ourselves even when we don't understand the path our growth is taking.

A deep and emotional pull has brought us into the fiery realm of wands. We've made some space for ourselves and have discovered a new and budding sense of direction. This might feel a bit like going back to the drawing board or taking a bold risk in changing our focus, but our fears aren't springing from a lack of energy. In fact, what we're onto is doing quite well. The Three of Wand shows us at a pivotal moment where the path ahead isn't at all what we thought it would be. In fact, it's much better, and that's where the siren-song of The Devil comes in.

Our task this week is to hold the torch of our passion high and to avoid the temptation to become small again. As we can see in the Eight of Cups, we've long overgrown our containers. In fact, returning to that formative experience of trusting our emotions (and remembering how ready we were for something more) will help us embrace the new path we're facing and embrace all the signs that it's one worth taking.

Doubting the affirmation and opportunities that spring up right now serves to keep us in a limited place we've long outgrown. Just because it doesn't look like what we imagined doesn't mean it's false or dangerous. Going back to the limitations we've worked so hard to overcome is no longer an option and grappling with those small spaces has made us strong and innovative. Now's the time to embrace the adventuresome spirit of the Three of Wands and see where allowing ourselves to be big and seeking can take us. 

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Weekly Forecast: August 13-19

How nice is it to hear that taking a bit of a reckless chance will pay off richly? This certainly isn't a message that comes out frequently, but leave it to the action-packed suit of wands to lead the way this week. We're certainly feeling all fired-up and ready to make moves. Fortunately, our sense of readiness is justified. The time to act is now.

Because we're dealing with wands, this is likely in an area of our lives that requires creativity. So often we disqualify ourselves from the term, thinking that creativity only refers to artistic pursuits. I can't tell you how many people come in for readings and balk at this side of the wands."I'm not a creative person," they say.  And yet how can we be human and not be creative? 

Just look at the Knight of Wands. What better card to represent our need to think on the fly? Each day we have to navigate a sea of choices and options and this requires us to, yes, think creatively. We must pivot on the spot, cobble together solutions, and follow our instincts. I don't say this to take away the glamor of creativity, but to add a sense of excitement and respect for all the things we're required to do. Even the mundane can be given that shininess with a simple shift in thinking.

That being said, we're past the point of thinking this week. Whether we're being creative in an artistic or more general sense, it's not a time to deliberate or agonize. That will only make us feel restless and hemmed in. Knights bring with them an influx of energy and purpose. Of course, this can be hot-headed and foolhardy, so it's a good idea to look before we leap to make sure we're not going to step on any toes. In this reading, however, that threat is small because we have the Three of Wands as our central card. 

This card is telling us that we've laid the groundwork for our plan, giving the ambitious Knight in us a well-thought-out path to ride. If anything, we may have to make sure we're starting out on that path in the first place. The Knight of Wands is facing to the left, away from the Three of Wands. Are we being led astray by another enticing project instead of moving towards a more long-held goal? In that case all we have to do is reign in our horse and get back on track. Once we do this we'll find our passion and motivation unchanged. When we work with the enthusiasm of the Knights, giving them structure and direction, we can get so much done.

The Nine of Cups is a welcome addition to this array. Too much fire can burn things to a crisp. Our creative plan, however, isn't just action for action's sake. We're also seeking connection and community through our work. What we do is creating links with others and providing us with the means to give back to our communities. Taking moments to reach out, share our joy and plans, and provide ideas and advice to others is leading to a deep sense of satisfaction. 

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Weekly Forecast: May 7-13

It feels so good to put a plan into action. After spending lots of time in our heads creating strategies, imagining outcomes, and weighing options, this week we're putting our feet on the ground and committing to making things real. 

The Three of Wands is a card full of excitement, expectation, and anticipation. Our ideas are still tender and new, untested by the world, and yet we've tapped into something special within ourselves. It's the intoxicating feeling of choice. We can choose to do things. We can make things happen. 

This card is big and visionary, and I love its bravery. It's one thing to imagine possibilities, getting lost in the world of lists and brainstorming. Making moves to bring these ideas into reality is a whole other ballgame, and this week we're walking onto the field, a little jittery, but mostly raring and ready to go.

And what do we run into? Why it's The Tower! Everybody's favorite card!

Of course I'm being sarcastic here. The Tower, with its themes of destruction and chaos, is usually met with groans or outright fear. Yet in this reading it has a very important message that gives us a helpful choice to navigate all the potential shown in the Three of Wands.

The Tower shows us the downside of structure, particularly what happens when the structures we have at work in our lives can't contain us, our energy, or our hopes and dreams. Left unheeded, this pressure can lead to destruction. Yet we always have the choice to look at The Tower and make changes, using it as a catalyst to take the change into our own hands and not let the pressure build to an inevitable, surprising explosion.

Action-movie level talk of explosions aside, The Tower this week is showing us how the buzz and action coming into our lives in the Three of Wands is tempting us to fall into old patterns. I love how the artist and creator of this deck, Jonasa Jaus, uses an insect as the protagonist of the Three. Is there a better metaphor for the early, exciting stages of creativity than pollination? And what a fascinating contrast between the vibrant, happy wildflowers in the Three and the epic titan arum in The Tower!

If we're the buzzing insect here, busy traveling from flower to flower, the gigantic titan arum represents a nearly-irresistible temptation. We're feeling a pull to go to The Tower despite the fact that it's not the flower we need to be pursuing at all. In fact, it's quite toxic.

What I love most about the Three of Wands is that is captures both the tenderness and bravery of setting off on any path. When we do this we have to be mindful of our energy. When something's new and budding it needs care, attention, and gentleness. Not to mention focus. In the early stages of a new project, creation, or endeavor we have to remain focused, humble, and in the moment. 

In this reading, The Tower shows us a temptation to force our newly budding plans into repressive and overbearing structure. This can show up in a desire to overwhelm ourselves with expectations, judging each and every action and burying ourselves in a pile of "shoulds." Our plans should unfold this way. We should be feeling like that. It should look like this. 

Clearly, some form of self-sabotage is at work. Why are we moving from the new growth of the Three of Wands to the cataclysm of The Tower? The Six of Cups appears as our final card to add some insight. This card speaks to nostalgia and early patterns of relating to the world. Taking a risk and committing to a plan in the Three of Wands is bringing up a lot of fear and pressure stemming from how we were taught to look at the world as children. 

Interestingly, this card is also showing us a way through The Tower, one that has us bypassing its destructive intensity. Embracing The Tower wholeheartedly (or doing nothing to process the issues it brings up) is leading us towards emotional overwhelm and a desire to control and force our newly burgeoning plans into stale old frameworks. Hardly a goal any of us is consciously working towards! Instead, we can ask ourselves some loving and probing questions. Just what about our new plans and creative ideas is making us feel fearful? Why are we feeling the urge to snuff our our enthusiasm with heavy expectations and judgment?

If we can meet ourselves in this place, lovingly addressing our fears and traveling back to the conditions that they came from, we can enter into the healing space of the Six of Cups. Here, we have the ability to look back at the source of these pressures with all the wisdom we've accrued as adults. It doesn't have to be a big, frightening Tower moment. It can be a gentle moment of reconnection and an act of recommitting to taking our creativity and energy seriously. That means giving it all the space, lightheartedness, action, and bravery it needs to grow. 

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Weekly Forecast: Dec 12-18

Cards from the Mountain Dream Tarot

Plans, plans, plans.

We’re full of them this week, with our eyes focused on the horizon and our minds busy considering different opportunities. It’s the calm before the storm, the place of reflection before action, the “look” before the “leap.”

 It’s the kind of energy that seems appropriate during the last weeks of the year. Now is the time of “Best of” 2016 lists and New Year’s resolutions. These cards tell us to spend some time taking stock while also gearing up for change and new frontiers.

The Three of Wands is a card that’s seeking expansiveness. We’ve set a part of the plan into action and are deciding what to do next. What will take us further along our chosen path? What’s the next step?

The man is grasping three wands showing that he has already made some progress. He’s collected three wands (accomplishments, goals, or skills) and is looking to get more. Now is a time to take stock of your accomplishments and recognize the skills and abilities you have at your disposal. How can you use them right now? What are you missing?

This is an exhilarating place to be. The world is your oyster! The sea is stretching out before you, unknown and exciting. And right now you’re standing on firm ground, aware of your strengths and how they can help you.

The next move? Taking the leap.

The two pages highlight the youthful and enthusiastic energy at work this week. What we’re working on now will open us up in untold ways, allowing us to develop new parts of ourselves and test out new skills.

Pages are like a child with a new obsession. Whether it’s dinosaurs, Pokemon, or ancient Egypt, they immediately set out to know all there is to know about the subject (and then tell everyone about it.) They’re enraptured with whatever struck their fancy and have a singular focus that borders on fanaticism.

Of course, this can have its drawbacks, but channel this energy correctly and you could get a lot done while learning a lot about yourself. Ever envy how much energy small children seem to have? Well, if you embrace the enthusiasm of the pages, you could find yourself with energy to spare. This is a week where we have the potential to get a lot done, fast.

Moving from the Three of Wands and into the Pages signifies a change in perspective. The man looking across the body of water in the three is gazing into the distance. He’s looking at a big picture, perhaps too big if he wants to actually start moving ahead.

In contrast, the Pages are in it. They are engrossed in their object and focused on using it. Pentacles signify the material world and our life as we live it, while swords represent the world of the mind: our thoughts, ideas, and how we communicate them. It seems that we’re entering a time ripe for reevaluating how our lives and ideas can further us along our path.

The pages also are front and center. We see their faces, their actions, and intent, while the man in the Three of Wands is facing away from us. Moving from the three to the pages signifies a shift in our self-perception. It’s time to narrow our focus and think of ourselves as the heroes of our stories, to move from the third person to the first person. We can’t take the next step while holding ourselves at a distance.

We are the main characters of our lives. 

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Have a question you'd like to explore?

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Weekly Forecast: Sept 26-October 2

Cards from the Mountain Dream Tarot

Fall is here. The signs? Leaves starting to turn, shorter days, and pumpkins and gourds piled high outside of grocery stores. It’s a glorious time of the year. Last week we celebrated the fall equinox, officially marking the start of the season. And it looks like the season has ushered in a new change.

The cards for this week show the arrival of calm. Not just on a surface level, either. The Star, in all its major arcana glory, signifies a deeper sense of connection to ourselves and our values. The sort of peaceful certainty that makes decisions easy. You just know what to do because it feels right. Your intuition is lining up with your actions, a truly beautiful place to make decisions from.

So picture the crispness of a fall day. Maybe you’re going to pick apples. It’s just cold enough to wear your favorite sweater and feel your cheeks getting rosy from the breeze. The sun is shining and everything feels bright and full of possibility. This is the energy coming into focus this week.

Transitions come with a lot of activity and in the previous week you may have found yourself a bit exhausted. The seven of wands shows a young man fending off an army of sticks, defending his high ground. Similarly, you may have felt a bit besieged by work, obligations, and setting boundaries. All good things to accomplish, and yet once you realize what your time is worth, the unending exertion can get tedious.

This is a good sign, however, because who wants to be constantly grappling with life? There has to be some balance, right?

The Star gives us the answer and it is a clear, undeniable yes. You have integrated the lessons from the seven of wands. You know what you stand for, what is worth your time, and what you want. To stay in a defensive place past this point is a poor use of your energy. The Star tells us that you have made this move and are about to enjoy the peace and solidity of really knowing yourself.

Stars illuminate the night sky and when we look up at them we are simultaneously humbled and inspired. There is a playfulness and wonder to stars that will be helpful to keep in mind moving forward. Progress does not have to be a weighty thing.

When you’re following your inspiration and true self life is full of magic and excitement. This does not make it any less important than busyness and stress. In fact, it is the sign that we are headed in the right direction, under the guidance of our north star, so to speak.

Which brings us to the three of wands. In connecting with your true motivations and beliefs you are much better prepared to move forward. In this card a man stands on the shore of a body of water holding three wands. He has learned many things and knows what he needs to bring with him. Now he considers his next move, secure in his abilities and full of optimism.

You are arriving at a time where we have learned and integrated deep lessons. The next question is: where will you go next?