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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Weekly Forecast: February 4-10

I like to think of the Aces as seeds. They appear in your life with natural excitement. You can feel their potential as they move closer, starting first as a glimmering idea in the distance - maybe like one of those charming seed catalogs with vintage illustrations - and transforming into a very real thing, young and curled up tightly in the palm of your hand. 

You know that if you plant the seed it will, with patient tending and care, grow into the beautiful plant on the package, and this week has the same feeling of delight. Something important has arrived and now has a tangible presence in our life. It's as if we planned out a dream garden, circling each plant in the catalog, and our order has finally arrived on the doorstep as the Ace of Pentacles.

Think of the feeling of anticipation - what is making you feel lit up, excited, and maybe even a little bit nervous? This Ace is one that's rooted in the everyday. This change we're hoping to cultivate requires a shift in our life and, what's more, it's something we deeply and truly want. 

And that's where The Devil comes in.

This figure, while initially frightening, has an impish quality about him. This version of The Devil, from the Pagan Other worlds Tarot, strikes me as particularly earthy - the same element as the pentacles. It's as if we're traipsing around with our new seed in hand, ready to make the commitment and plant it in our garden, and this irritating little goblin pops out from behind a rock to scare us. 

And here's another thing about seeds. We have to care for them, especially if we want them to grow into a majestic vine as shown in the Nine of Pentacles, the potential future that The Devil is blocking. 

Something about this new opportunity is triggering some deep-seated fears and doubts.  Because why on earth would something as intense as The Devil show up in response to a puny seed? 

When we look at the pentacles they reflect not only the idea of material and physical comfort, but the glowing reality of having a life that supports us and ushers in fulfillment and abundance. This takes investment in our self-worth and the bravery of asking for more. It shows us not settling for the bare minimum and daring to live bright lives that can grow into gardens beyond our imagination.

So that's why The Devil is so intent on squashing this seemingly-simple Ace. He knows that if we take the time to nurture this seed it will change our lives, make it better, and therefore challenge our long-held assumptions about ourselves: what we're capable of, what we can have, and who we can be. 

What's unique about this reading is that the Nine of Pentacles is in sight. We're aware of what lies on the other side and this shows us just how much work we've been doing to push ourselves to expand and test the limits of what we think is possible. Think back to past changes in your life that you've embraced and compare them to what you're facing now. What more do you know about your strength and power? How has The Devil of your self doubt faded and grown smaller?

This week, The Devil is a shade of his former self - more of a little goblin to flick aside and maybe even pat on the head lovingly, if we can muster the compassion, than a muscular and formidable being. And, indeed, as we travel through life our goal isn't to squash out The Devil we carry with us. This card arises from a distorted urge to protect ourselves, but it's no true help when we're protecting ourselves from success.

And so the Nine of Pentacles urges us to see how good a job we've done at channeling our Devil instincts for maintaining the status quo by breaking ourselves down with negative self-talk & blame into patience and calm. The hooded falcon perched atop the vine of pentacles shows us how  our devils can be transformed into helpful allies. 

Our instincts for self-preservation are slowly learning how to rest. Like the falcon, The Devil needs time to be trained into welcome submission. It must be exhausting running around squishing newly planted seeds and sabotaging our gardening efforts! Though the process is slow, we've come a long way getting to understand our aversion to success and instinct for self-sabotage.

This week is a time to mindfully calm our Devil-nature, knowing they are soon to be channeled into a well-behaved companion. And, most importantly, to continue with the work of valuing and working towards our goals because, as the Nine of Pentacles shows us, they're leading to some serious and wonderful abundance. The seeds we're planting are too beautiful to neglect, so let's get to the rewarding work of valuing and tending to our growth.

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Weekly Forecast: January 28-February 3

We don't need to have money to give.

This week shows us the importance of showing up in small ways for the ones we love. It's easy to think that grand gestures or big gifts means the most. After all, they're certainly the most noticeable. But what is happiness truly made of? And, yes, that is a big question to start off our Monday!

But this week is one of gentleness, slowness, and the power of showing up. 

We begin with the Ten of Cups, a card that's so straightforward with its message it's almost frustrating. We can look at it and think "emotional abundance, hooray!" and then move on to more dramatic pastures. 

Unlike the Ten of Wands or the Ten of Swords, suits that get overbearing when taken to excess,  the Ten of Cups is, quite plainly, delightful. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck this card depicts a family of four cavorting under a rainbow lined with ten cups. Not only are their cups running over, they're levitating in a rainbow!

But this card begs the question - how did we get here? It's not through the power of conquest or accumulation, but rather the quieter, long-term journey of building relationships. This week we're being asked to think about all the little things that have added up to create this rainbow array. How have we built joy, support, and healing in our ties with others? And, most importantly, how can we celebrate it more?

The Page and Six of Pentacles shows us that we're in a giving mood. We want to make a difference, to reach out and be there for people, but we're trying to approach it in the realm of pentacles: material gestures that we can see and touch. 

There may be a tinge of wistfulness here - why can't we be the King of Pentacles, providing everyone with everything (and having plenty left over, to boot)?

The Pages, while also being exciting harbingers of new directions, also tell us to take baby steps, and I'm fascinated by how this page is turning his back on the Six of Pentacles - a card about material giving - and focusing on the Ten of Cups instead.

So let's follow suit and redirect our attention to the rainbow here. Truly, something miraculous is happening, and this card is inviting us to look closer at what may be so interwoven into our daily lives we hardly notice it. 

What specific joys do we contribute to our relationships? What connections have we worked hard to build? And which are so natural they seem spontaneous? 

This week is all about detaching from the desire to show our support materially and financially and recognizing the way we add "value" simply be being there for the ones we love. Presence is so much more than presents, in other words! And it's a completely renewable resource.

So as you might guess, this reading is gently nudging us to spend quality time under our respective rainbows and to re-frame our current situation as one of an abundance of affection. Reach out to an old friend, host a cozy dinner party, and listen to the ones you love. It means so much more than any gift you can buy.

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Weekly Forecast: January 21-27

Can letting go help us move towards what we truly want? 

This certainly isn't part of our cultural narrative of success. Normally we're told to make our own way, to be proactive and shape the world so that it meets our expectations.

This involves a lot of action and doing. As we sweat and strive things begin to change. Not doing anything, at least in this line of thought, is lazy and unproductive.

But we all know what life is a lot shiftier than that and, perhaps as a consequence, a lot more magical.

This week we're being asked to step outside the prescribed rat race and do some important and enlightening observation. This means stepping back from our usual patterns, paring down our list of tasks and goals, and seeing things for as they are.

Despite how it may feel, this is a week we begin with a swirling sea of wonderful possibilities at our fingertips. Without reflection and rest we can't take this in for what it is. What's worse, we may explain over it, mistaking it for something boring and mundane. Without the right framework, even the wild and open expanse of The World can seem stifling.

And this is where The Hanged Man comes in - the enigmatic and sometimes-frustrating figure in tarot whose advice is to step back, relinquish power,  and see what happens in our absence. 

Think of it as taking the passenger seat or becoming the audience to the movie you've been directing. What goes on without you? What forces are really at work? And are you in the right role for the story that's unfolding? 

This card also instructs us to open up to the magic of change and chance. Nothing is static and pretending otherwise can leave us feeling frustrated and blocked. We have some control yes, but so much of our experience is in dialog with the unpredictable nature of life. Stepping back with The Hanged Man is giving us an opportunity to see this magic where before we could only see confusion. 

Having three Major Arcana cards in the forecast is quite an event, and these cards in particular show us at an important moment of change and growth. How may our narratives about ourselves and our life paths need updating? The Hanged Man loves asking these big questions. Embracing this archetype frees up space for new facets of ourselves to emerge. 

Have we been growing into new roles in our personal or professional lives? Exploring new interests and ideas that have surprised us by how deeply resonant they are? 

Both The World and The Hanged Man ask us to take these things seriously (especially if they feel wonderful and exciting) and dare us to expand our ideas about ourselves and the lives we can live. It doesn't do anyone justice if we act as if we're relegated to singing pop songs into our hairbrush when in fact we belong on a big stage, performing for an adoring audience. 

And that's where The Lovers comes in: We're at an important crossroads and it's one that's requiring us to identify our true desires and interests. If we embrace the wise inquisitiveness of The Hanged Man and give ourselves space to observe our lives with curiosity, we can discover a new through-line that's enticing us forwards. It might be so lovely and resonant that it feels outlandish. Who are we to ask for so much?

Helpfully enough, The World also instructs us that, whether we're aware of it or not, this important piece of our experience is very much active in our lives. It simply deserves more attention and support. What's more, we should be looking for something that makes us feel a bit nervous and exposed - The World is a big card, after all, and stepping into it can make us feel vulnerable, even when it's in the service of our progress. We can and should build upon what lights us up. After all, it radiates outwards and makes a much bigger impact than we can ever know.

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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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Weekly Forecast: January 7-13

I love the combination of flexibility and diligence animating this week's forecast. We're going to be thrown back into the fray of life, that's for sure. Yet where the wands can sometimes be led to quick burnout, the pentacles featured here serve to ground and stabilize us. Looking at our work and daily lives with creativity and determination can be invigorating, no matter how much we find on our to-do lists.

We can see these cards as a nice set of instructions. Embracing the levity and innovation of the Two of Pentacles - working with what we've got in new and unexpected ways - will better acquaint us with what we're really working with. And, most satisfyingly, what really requires our attention.

In the Eight of Pentacles we roll up our sleeves and get lost in the task of doing. It's satisfying work and if we allow this focus to be a place of rejuvenation, we can hop out of it and into the forward-looking confidence of the Queen of Wands.

Thinking about this week in elemental terms can help shake up the drudgery so often associated with work and obligation. If we've been feeling burnt out (thrown from the wildness of holiday season back into the other wildness of everyday life, perhaps?) these cards, especially the Two of Pentacles, tell us that there's a reason why we're doing what we're doing. In other words, finding the fire (wands) that set us off on this journey (earth/pentacles) in the first place can help bring focus back into our life. 

Reacquainting ourselves with that initial spark and shaking things up in small doses can help lighten the mood, too. How can we put a little skip in our step, enlivening the routines and projects that have to get done? It doesn't have to be so heavy when we're calling the shots and doing the work.

The Two of Pentacles is such a jaunty card. Just look at this zesty red outfit! (And that hat!) Bringing joy into our tasks is an easy choice we can make. Not only does it make us feel far better, but it also radiates an irresistible energy outwards. Who says that seriousness equals good work? And what small choices can we make to reignite the personal meaning and fun in what we do?

Having the Eight of Pentacles directly after wards tells us that adopting a playful attitude is actually helping us to focus and hone in on what's most important. And once we do it's time to get lost in the art of doing. This is shaping up to be a massively productive week, particularly if we accept and make room for the need to play, joke, and take ourselves a little less seriously. 

If this all seems a little too prosaic, don't worry. Towards the end of the week we're feeling enlivened and empowered - ready for new adventures. With the Queen of Wands we can welcome a sense of earning our power and standing. The work we do is likely to be well-received and personally satisfying. Once it's complete, we'll want to get out and be seen: bright and shiny and unencumbered by the pressing deadlines we've met so swimmingly.

This Week Encourages

Focus, levity in work, creative problem solving, thinking outside of the box, work, self-confidence, socialization

This Week Isn't a Time for...

Dilly-dallying, resisting change, inflexibility, starting new projects, self-seriousness, distraction

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Weekly Forecast: December 10-16

Finding harmony with others can be wildly enriching. We've all experienced the joys of working with a good team, whether it's on a passion project or in a more formal work situation. Tasks flow smoothly, each person's talents can shine, and, perhaps most importantly, it's enlivening and fun.

 Conversely, we've also all known the depths of despair that come along with poorly functioning collaborative relationships. (Are grade school group projects coming to mind for anyone?) Egos clash, feelings get hurt, and projects flounder. 

Luckily, we're being gifted with the harmonious and fun type of collaboration this week, though the memories of past challenges will need some confronting if we're going to enjoy this wholeheartedly. At some level we believe that we can't be ourselves completely when in a group - that the Three of Cups' celebration and uplift doesn't belong with the diligence and progress of the Eight of Coins. Especially if we're to honor our true selves.

In this way, The Hermit might seem like a card of avoidance. Are we retreating into ourselves to turn away from these potential pitfalls? This is a Major Arcana card, however, and its message is more complex. Here, we have a choice: take the easy road and separate ourselves to maintain our individuality (and risk disappointment or rejection) or build in a deeper understanding of ourselves that can  flourish in contact with others. Maybe there's nothing to be afraid of when joy and ease are present. It can be this good, after all.

The Eight of Coins and the Three of Cups are so positive that they push us towards a new way of being whether we're mentally ready for it or not. In this case, ease and joy and happiness are the signs of something important at work. Resisting the urge to see these feelings as contrary to productivity or serious work is important. We can have both at the same time and, in fact, the harmony of the Three of Cups might be the missing piece we've been seeking that will take us to the next level.

This is a time to ease into the richness of support and collaboration at our fingertips. We can trust the intentions of those we work with if they make us feel supported, excited, and galvanized. In this way, the Three of Cups has more wisdom than it may seem. After all, mutual encouragement and enthusiasm don't come out of nowhere. Finding this with other people is an important sign of compatibility we can lean into.

The cards for this week urge us to follow this bliss - to step away from the intense self-motivation of the Eight of Coins that, although it has brought us quite far, is now fading into the past. We need the zest of other people's input and the power of delegation and inspiration. We don't have to go it alone or do everything ourselves. That strategy is now limiting us in the face of some exciting change.

As we step into a more social model the old fears of being reliant on others - or our inability to truly be ourselves in a group - sneak into the picture. We can, however, look to The Hermit for guidance. How can we maintain a connection to ourselves while partaking in joyous community? I like to think of this card as one we can work with in bite sized pieces. There's no need to go "full hermit" and journey off into the mountains for a month-long silent retreat. Instead, we can find ways to seek moments of silence, introspection, and self-care with the goal of checking in with ourselves. 

The Hermit can be a deep breath to center ourselves, a walk around the block to clear our heads, or a simple check-in with what we want, feel, or think in the moment. We can be fully present and contribute to something bigger than ourselves while being utterly and completely ourselves. And that's how the joy of the Three of Cups becomes possible, opening up so many wider opportunities for growth and connection.

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Weekly Forecast: December 3-9

One of the most magical and frustrating things about life is that it can be many things at once: amazing and overwhelming, joyful and bittersweet, challenging and gratifying, enlivening and tiring. And so many more combinations...

This sensation will be especially strong in the coming days. It seems like there are many moving parts to take care of, as if we've been learning to juggle with two balls and our nefarious teacher keeps on throwing new ones in until we're barely able to keep things straight. 

In other words, we're operating a above and beyond our comfort zone. Surprisingly, we're pulling it off, though we might be feeling frazzled in the process.

This is all possible because on the other end of the spectrum we're experiencing a huge wealth of satisfaction, support, and security. The Ten of Pentacles gives us an earthly anchor so that we can rush around in the heady world of the Ten of Wands. This is a tension to take advantage of and these cards invite us to dance between these two realities, taking refuge in the comforts we've been cultivating and then returning to the fray.

Because while the wands cards can lead to burnout, this reading tells us that we're supposed to be playing in this charged environment. The Mother of Wands (aka the Queen in a standard deck) encourages us to see the end goal of this process. We're being asked to look at our actions and experiences so that we can make an informed decision about what's truly important.

So we can look at all the hustle and bustle of the Ten of Wands like an experiment. We have to gather all the data to truly understand what's important. How do all these tasks make us feel? The wands need this experience to make decisions. Without it there can be a sense of wistful incompleteness. What if we miss out on something? What if that was actually the best way forward? It's important for us right now to be immersed in the realities of the Ten of Wands so we can make some important, informed decisions in the future.

Thinking on these terms can add some dignity and agency to the tangle of wands we're grappling with in the coming days. And, fortunately, the end goal is not to live like this forever. Rather, we're searching hard-won clarity and now is the time to really get to know the actions that populate our lives. Because once we have all the information - once we know how all these tasks feel - we can focus in on what's most important. 

The Mother of Wands sees us identifying and centering on a unifying goal. We go from ten wands to one, and this single wand is allowed into the innermost part of our lives. The guiding questions here are "what is my overaching goal?" and "how can I align my actions to it?"

Returning to the Ten of Pentacles can help us gain some insight here. We have a rich life already. Our tasks, actions, and goals can support that magic and amplify it, instead of detracting us from what grounds us and gives us meaning. 

Ultimately, we're reaching an important realization that will simplify our lives. But for the moment we're still in the fray, gathering information. Let it be exhilarating and maybe a little entertaining. The pieces will be falling into place soon, so we might as well enjoy the wildness while it lasts. 

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Weekly Forecast: November 26 - December 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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