Weekly Forecast: September 9-15
We have a mixed forecast for this week, dear friends. There's the heartbreak of the Three of Swords and the emotional indecision of the Seven of Cups. If this were the weather, I'd say we have clouds mixed with thunderstorms on the horizon. Fortunately, however, we have the determined energy of the King of Wands leading us through.
We have a mixed forecast for this week, dear friends. There's the heartbreak of the Three of Swords and the emotional indecision of the Seven of Cups. If this were the weather, I'd say we have clouds mixed with thunderstorms on the horizon. Fortunately, however, we have the determined energy of the King of Wands leading us through.
So what does this card instruct us to focus on? In a way, the Three of Swords and Seven of Cups show us the complex combinations of thoughts and emotions that make life both challenging and interesting.
What do we do when the going gets tough? The King of Wands couldn't be a more empowering archetype. We are prepared to handle this and then some. We've outgrown our tendency to get swamped by turmoil and challenge; that doesn't mean, however, that it'll be easy.
I feel like the King of Wands is starting our reading for a reason. As we launch into the week it's important to have a nice heart-to-heart with ourselves, particularly our ambitious and willful side. The King of Wands is a character who knows what they want and relishes the opportunity to flex their muscles and fight for it. Not in an exhausting way, but in a way that reflects their worldview - think of the thrill of the hunt or the satisfaction of completing a tough workout.
Some helpful King of Wands questions to consider: What am I working for right now? What strengths and accomplishments tell me that I can surmount these challenges easily? Think of yourself as an intrepid adventurer (perhaps one who was so dashing and daring they became a King) - why would you expect challenge to derail you when you've done so much to work with, through and around it?
Sometimes this is a wonderul opportunity to retell your story. Be as big and bold as the King of Wands. Spin a yarn, one where you're the protagonist. A little ego here is a good thing - same goes for faith in your abilities and vision.
Why am I doubling down so hard on the heroic, jazzy King of Wands? Because the other energies this week are murky and difficult. Some old wounds are getting kicked up with the Three of Swords and it's making us question our path, decisions, and abilities.
There are, however, lots of options. Ending on the Seven of Cups shows us mulling them over, wondering what to do next, which is why I'm endorsing the King of Wands so thoroughly. Has the challenge of the Three of Swords really shook things up so much that our plans have been pushed to the side? I sure hope not.
Use this energy this week to rally around yourself and prioritize your goals. The King of Wands is more than strong enough to commit to this vision no matter the stickiness that arises. Let's make the delibration of the Seven of Cups a temporary pause, not a halt to the bold path we're charting for ourselves.
Weekly Forecast: September 2-8
What does mastery look like?
In tarot we often assume that it's embodied, at least in the everyday realm, by a King or Queen. After all, these archetypes are rulers. They're in charge, at the to of their game.
What does mastery look like?
In tarot we often assume that it's embodied, at least in the everyday realm, by a King or Queen. After all, these archetypes are rulers. They're in charge, at the to of their game.
Being in that place, however, can be complex - fraught with pressure, perfectionism, and responsibility. This week, we're being asked to step away from these assumptions of power and play around in the middle ground.
The operative question is: What if what we're doing is perfect simply because it's what we're doing right now?
And, to dive a bit deeper, what if we're showing our mastery by rising to each challenge with a fresh mind, a sense of humor, and the humble ego of a beginner? Like, for example, the Page of Pentacles.
If we've been feeling the pressure of performance and perfectionism, it's time to step aside and see how that stance has been hobbling our work, creativity, and unique perspective. What I love most about these cards is how the youthful and new Two of Wands and Page of Pentacles are preceded by the next-level mature Temperance. Maturity and mastery may not be as stodgy and pressure-filled as we imagine. What we're doing right now is actually advanced, brave, and refreshingly open-minded.
So, it's a time to give ourselves all the patience and credit for proceeding imperfectly, without the utter certainty we might think we need. It's also, to be blunt, a time to chill out. Temperance shows us how balance in the different areas in our life is essential to our success and well-being.
What opportunities can we find in learning, planning, navigating new opportunities, and simply continuing along our current path? There's room for relaxation, play, innovation, and whatever else we may be craving to bring balance and freedom into our lives
Weekly Forecast: August 18-25
Well, my friends, it looks like the Five of Swords isn't done with us yet! This card also began the forecast for last week, warning us of conflict luring us away from our very important personal paths.
Well, my friends, it looks like the Five of Swords isn't done with us yet! This card also began the forecast for last week, warning us of conflict luring us away from our very important personal paths.
In that reading there was a more cosmic theme: How have interpersonal struggles held us back overall? In those cards there was a need to identify the larger forces at play and to look at our lives now as a new beginning, highlighted by the The Fool.
Well, now things are coming waaay back down to earth. We're being asked to really practice these concepts in real life, showing the Five of Swords that we're committed to growing our own ambitions instead of mediating others' conflicts.
When we have a continuing theme like this it's actually quite powerful. The Five of Swords isn't showing up twice to say that we haven't succeeded in dealing with its thorny energy. Rather, it's saying that we need to deepen our skill and make circumventing or, blissfully, ignoring drama a normal behavior.
I love the visual of the Eight of Pentacles here, busy on their phone and totally unperturbed by the angry figure in the Five of Swords, yelling on top of a pile of heads. What an inspiring image to use when focusing on your work. That mess in the Five of Swords? It's not ours to clean up. Plus, we have important work to do.
The Eight of Pentacles is an invigoratingly practical card. It reminds us to value the work we find absorbing and to let our focus bring us clarity. Taking each task as it comes, especially on work that's meant to sustain our own lives, can bring us forward in an immensely satisfying way. It also tells us that we have something important going on here. We've been doing good work and it's accumulating. Now its not the time to get distracted or abandon it.
And what's this figure riding in from the right? The Page of Swords is a welcome addition to our cards, telling us that a mental break from whatever form the Five of Swords is taking in our lives will bring us renewed clarity and energy. Sometimes not knowing what to do about a certain situation simply means that the right answer (or time) hasn't arrived yet. With the Page of Swords we can be sure that it's on the horizon and that space, deliberation, and focus on our work is what will usher it in.
Weekly Forecast: August 12-18
Invest in yourself by walking away from drama.
Good morning, forecasters. This week's group of cards is giving us a refreshing message that can be hard to follow in real life: What if the most thorny-seeming conflict isn't ours to engage with? And what if we can walk away, unscathed, towards our bigger future as planned?
Invest in yourself by walking away from drama.
Good morning, forecasters. This week's group of cards is giving us a refreshing message that can be hard to follow in real life: What if the most thorny-seeming conflict isn't ours to engage with? And what if we can walk away, unscathed, towards our bigger future as planned?
The Five of Swords shows the challenge that springs from its realm of communication, thoughts, and the mind. When words are used to hurt or manipulate things can get painful, fast. I think it's fascinating that tarot chooses the most damaging symbol for the least tangible meanings. As anyone who's ever heard the rhyme "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me," and thought, "Hmm.. I'm not so sure of that!" this card has a lot to say.
The rest of the swords cards can be similarly dark. Without action, change, feeling, or grounding, too many thoughts can often leave us stuck or injured. Here, the issue takes on a more social dimension where things compound quickly. This card may show up in a tricky group dynamic, manipulative person, or overall drama. Wherever it is, you're likely already aware of its power.
Speaking of power, the swords can also be huge attention hogs. Visually, they're the most dramatic so we assume that their meaning is as well. What I love most about this reading is that the other cards challenge this idea thoroughly.
Is there a part of your life that seems to be taking up a lot of mental space? Is it eclipsing other tasks, pleasures, and connections with its messiness? And, most importantly, are you tempted to lavish it with extra attention? As if you just dug deeper you could figure out the root of all the chaos?
Well, this is a week to step away from all that, and I just love how The Fool is the card that's inspiring us.
Here, we get a taste of The Fool's cheekiness, because even though this archetype is a signifier of innocence and new beginnings, he's also been around the block enough to know when to cut his losses and leave. There's obviously been some preparation with his knapsack: he's chosen to take only what he needs (and none of the baggage from other people's drama.)
What this card also says is that we can let the light of our own journey lead us away from tangles of other people's inner (and outer) conflict. Doing this is an act of love, both for ourselves and the other. The Fool allows himself to follow what's good, trusting both in his ability to lead and his ability to navigate whatever comes his way. The trick is to pack light, be light on your feet, and prioritize your instincts.
Since the Five of Swords is in the past, it seems to be somewhat of a known quantity. Perhaps something very familiar and alluring. An old puzzle to solve, an old story of conflict, doubt, or limitation. Yet there's a new story that's eclipsing it this week, so expect some blow-back while remaining true to your new and solid path. On the other side of The Fool's journey? It's the Queen of Pentacles, indicating that we're prioritizing an open and stable life for ourselves, one where we can care and honor our needs and, perhaps, extend a loving (and conditional) invitation to any past drama-creators on the other side.
I find it interesting that I chose to use a Marseille deck this morning, because this Fool is different from the Rider-Waite-Smith version. Most notably, the desperate-looking cat glomming itself onto the Fool's leg. While you're on your way out, choosing not to give this conflict more air time by pulling on each broken thread to try and get a picture of the whole, there will be plenty of invitations to do so from the people involved.
Keep walking and the cat will calm down. Maybe it will go back to the tangled confusion of the Five of Swords or maybe it'll start to travel with you, calm and glad for the perspective of distance. Either way, we're all graced with the presence of mind and spirit to chart a new and far better path for ourselves.
Weekly Forecast: August 5-11
The coming days have us struggling to reconcile the uncertainty of our future with the conviction of our inner calling. We're moving towards some unstable territory - the good old fashioned unknown.
The coming days have us struggling to reconcile the uncertainty of our future with the conviction of our inner calling. We're moving towards some unstable territory - the good old fashioned unknown.
What tools are we bringing with us? It's the restless intellect of the Knight of Swords and the headstrong charisma of the Queen of Wands. Not too shabby. So why is the Five of Coins appearing next?
Ruin and misfortune are serious topics. Yet they're also scene-stealers. We can bring them up (and, unfortunately, other can as well) to derail any future movement away from what's familiar. This most commonly comes up around money: what if we become destitute, ruined, and make a fatal error?
The fact that this line of thought often goes to the catastrophic so quickly is a big hint: Anxiety might be leading this inquiry instead of prudence or wisdom.
Let's return to our court cards because they're showing us something fairly new and radical. The Knight of Swords, an intrepid seeker, is moving away from the Five of Coins. We can see he's struggling uphill against some force, yet his path is a gorgeous rainbow array of colors.
This week it appears that we're moving away from old, apocalyptic ideas about money and pioneering new, more authentic territory. It's not easy, that's for sure, but there's a huge well of energy and inspiration keeping us moving and motivated.
What fearful ideas around money and material security are coming up for us now? Where might they originate from? How are they helping or hindering our growth? Taking time to explore these questions will help ease our path forward and shed some light into an area that's often tangled with expectations from society, our cultures, and our families.
It can be frightening to step away from the traditional ways of doing things or to find that you value a security that's outside of the norm. Fortunately, the norm is so restrictive that there is so much outside. The energy this week could manifest itself in the desire to take some time off, relax instead of pushing through a new project, or, on the more extreme end of the spectrum, start taking a new career path more seriously.
Whatever form it takes for you, the radiant Queen of Wands is right in the center, mediating between the passionate questioning of the Knight of Swords and the doom and gloom of the Five of Coins. This powerful archetype is directing us to center our decisions around ourselves and to make them with the goal of amplifying our joy, reach, and energy.
Perhaps the Five of Coins, after a small crisis of confidence, is simply a reminder that you'd feel more confident and free after paying down your credit card debt and then investing in a new course. Rather than swinging to the worst case scenario - being evicted out on the street because you spent money on something you're interested in! - this card brings us to our center. What makes us feel best. It's usually a combination of things, and we're the only ones who can figure out the right mixture.
Additionally, this card highlights a more tender aspect to our reading. You'll notice that the Five of Coins in the only card with two figures. There can be closeness in suffering, and it's worth asking whether adhering to some limiting or anxiety-producing ideas about what you can have or do is keeping you close to someone
The Queen of Wands asks us to consider what we really want and to expand into the reality that going for it in a balanced way will open us up further to both ourselves and the people around us.
And, finally, let's take one last look at the Knight of Swords. With his back turned towards the Five of Coins, he's asking new questions and bravely pushing towards his own truth. It seems like we're ready to chart our own path and discover answers that are more complex, radiant, and truthful for ourselves. .
Weekly Forecast: July 29 - August 4
Ah, dear friends, this week's forecast is very specific and clear: It's an important time to think about how we try to mask our feelings through decadence. Whether it's spending, sex, affection, food, or any other sensual activity, we're running the risk of overindulging in these areas to cover up some bittersweet endings active in our life.
Ah, dear friends, this week's forecast is very specific and clear: It's an important time to think about how we try to mask our feelings through decadence. Whether it's spending, sex, affection, food, or any other sensual activity, we're running the risk of overindulging in these areas to cover up some bittersweet endings active in our life.
If you could've seen my face as I turned over each card, you would've gotten quite a hearty laugh. First, the King of Pentacles, made me give a hearty chuckle. "So we're going to be having quite a good time this week!" I thought. Then, the Queen of Pentacles, which seemed to speak to a unique power-couple of enjoyment, as if we're working towards owning our lives in a bright and bold way. Then, the tune changed drastically with the Ten of Swords. There's a lot more under the surface here that deserves our attention instead of pleasure-seeking and fun.
Power couple aside, the two pentacles cards here are giving us options. Are we using our personality and time to mask our suffering, focusing on how others perceive us? Or are we being more focused and mindful, striking a balance between our comfort, strength, and emotional tenderness?
While the King of Pentacles focuses on his role socially - how he's seen by others and his skills for making them feel good, happy, and taken care of - the Queen directs some of these traits inwards. It's an important time to ask ourselves how we're taking care of ourselves. Are we making room for some struggle along with all the joy? Do we see these things as compatible or in conflict?
I see a level of distraction here. Not only is the Ten of Swords a card of discomfort and sadness, it's one of endings. We may be in the last stages of letting something go that's been on its way out for a long time. The King of Pentacles suggests that we've been hiding some of the stickier aspects of this change for others, perhaps because we're afraid it makes us look foolish or vulnerable.
Thankfully, the Queen of Pentacles is holding down the middle of the reading and offering us a middle path. Now is a time for gentleness, understanding, and for using our comforting practices healthily and for our own long-term benefit. That means no overspending, eating, or socializing to mask uncomfortable truths or feelings, and being aware of this pull is the first step. The second? Using it as a sign to turn inwards and ask ourselves what's really going on with all the tenderness of a dear friend.
Even better? Reaching out to one to commiserate and share. We don't always have to be the hosts or givers, and sometimes leaving space to receive is even more powerful in our relationships, allowing them to move to the next level.
Weekly Forecast: July 22-28
What do we do with our misfortune?
I'm sure you all have noticed the tarot card ominously occupying the center of our reading this week: The Tower. A tricky one, to be sure, this card hits us over the head with the upsetting inevitability of suffering. Painful things happen in life and no matter how much maneuvering or planning we do, we can't steer around it.
What do we do with our misfortune?
I'm sure you all have noticed the tarot card ominously occupying the center of our reading this week: The Tower. A tricky one, to be sure, this card hits us over the head with the upsetting inevitability of suffering. Painful things happen in life and no matter how much maneuvering or planning we do, we can't steer around it.
What's intriguing about this reading, however, is the presence of two fiery wands cards on either side. At first, we might think that the rush of the Eight of Wands is leading us straight into a Tower moment, but on the other side we see an empowered and stable Knight of Wands. It's as if the Tower has hardly harmed us. What's going on here?
A facet of the Tower is that its misfortune and pain comes from the outside. We may have a hand at ignoring some signs to alter our course, making for an even harder fall, but often times these moments come completely from the external world.
If we can't escape the Tower, what we do with its presence makes the biggest difference, and this week we have all the daring chutzpah of the wands suit to guide us.
In the coming days we'll be using our verve, ambition, and actions to transform the Tower most active in our lives. Because the Wands are so proactive, I have a feeling that this Tower facet is already known to us. What areas in our live are causing us the most pain? Is there a chapter in our self-narrative that needs an empowering edit? Most importantly, what can we do about it now?
The wands suit reminds us that motion, creativity, and agency work in harmony. We can think, process, and debate all we want, but our enduring legacy is in our actions.
What's more, acting keeps us in the present moment and allows our energy to move freely, preventing stagnancy and frustration. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Tower this week is actually an old phenomenon being called to the surface. Is there something we're growing right now that challenges how we used to think of ourselves? Sometimes the Tower is more than ready to come crashing down, and the energy it releases is a welcome and invigorating surprise.
Look to the wands suit to explore this area further: What bold moves have you been making lately? How might they challenge old structures and roles you've found yourself in?
It appears as if we've been working towards something and now it's just starting to take flight. We can see this in the headlong rush of the Eight of Wands. Far from being manic, this card often appears when things are flowing smoothly because of a great deal of past effort and planning.
The Tower, then, is a bit of a hologram. We're calling up the specter of past limitations just as we near a breakthrough. Pushing through, however, is giving us all the confidence of the Knight of Wands. Healing, it seems, is on the agenda this week, and we can be sure that continuing to make decisions that further our growth will only transform our experience of the Tower and ourselves more quickly.
Weekly Forecast: July 15-21
What does it mean to give ourselves the space we need to heal?
We often think of isolation or solitude when it comes to nursing our emotional wounds. Indeed, this approach can be helpful. In seeking to retreat from the confusion of the outside world we can better see what needs care and attention.
What does it mean to give ourselves the space we need to heal?
We often think of isolation or solitude when it comes to nursing our emotional wounds. Indeed, this approach can be helpful. In seeking to retreat from the confusion of the outside world we can better see what needs care and attention.
But isolation and stagnation can quickly spring from this approach when it's taken too far, which is why we have Temperance in the center of our reading. This week, it seems, we're processing some painful experiences through the Three of Swords. Instead of retreating, however, we're being invited to usher in the freeing energy of the Four of Wands.
Sometimes the Three of Swords can bring up feelings of fear: What if we're walking towards needless pain and suffering? I've found, however, that this card usually refers to past wounds being awakened through present experiences. A hand brushing against a bruised area.
With Temperance at the center we have a particularly empowering stance. How can we use our adult wisdom to channel the initial discomfort of the Three of Swords into something else?
There's a fascinating interplay here - difficulty inspiring motion. It's not the tired idea of having to suffer for art, or struggle equaling value. Rather, we're being asked to take our challenges and old wounds and move with them, seeing if they have anything else to say.
Which brings us to the Four of Wands. In tarot, these cards speak to structure, but the Four of Wands has a very iconoclastic take on the concept. It is, you might say, minimal: What is the minimal amount of guidance and stability we need to flourish?
In the Four of Wands we see creativity, joyful expression, experimentation, and community. How can we balance and blend this with the energies of the Three of Swords?
Some things that come to mind: Breaking out of our exclusively solitary mode of healing, bringing insouciant energy to old limiting ideas, making art from past traumas, going to the gym after a good crying session.. I think you get the point.
With Temperance in the center we're in an excellent position to play with all of these techniques and then some. Choosing to peer into the intersection of creativity and struggle will be quite rewarding. And it might uncover a far more uplifting facet to our already familiar struggles.
Weekly Forecast: July 8-14
This week's forecast it a departure from the usual: While shuffling four cards jumped out of the deck. Not one to pass by a fun happening, I decided to keep all of the cards. Paired off, they change the dynamic of the forecast quite a bit and I'm loving it!
This week's forecast it a departure from the usual: While shuffling four cards jumped out of the deck. Not one to pass by a fun happening, I decided to keep all of the cards. Paired off, they change the dynamic of the forecast quite a bit and I'm loving it!
Our top two cards are from the Major Arcana and, fascinatingly, they're mostly black and white in an otherwise zesty and colorful deck (the Apparition Tarot Deck by Spirit Speak.) This adds to the archetypal power of the cards. This week we'll be dealing with issues of fairness and values.
Below them we have two Minor Arcana cards, both in the suit of swords. So, in very un-subtle tarot speak, we're going to be spending a lot of time thinking about what is right in our lives and the world around us. Where is justice being done and where is it lacking? And how can we have a hand in righting the imbalance?
These cards highlight the importance of taking space to ponder these serious questions, preferably in solitude and far away from the wildness of our modern society. Giving ourselves the permission to block out outside noise is awakening us to what really matters. Any time we spend this week detaching healthily to heal and mull things over will be well spent.
Because we're also seeing outside injustices mirrored in our own experiences. It's a tender and personal path. Justice, our starting card, can often be intimidatingly abstract. "What do these ideas mean in my actual life?" we might ask. Here we have something outside of us awakening inner wisdom and insight into our past experiences. This is a time to walk towards any discomfort or defensiveness. What might be hiding beneath the surface?
With The Hermit we see that an inner truth is coming to light. It's a good time to ponder and interrogate our own moral code. How are we using it to better our lives and the lives of others? Is there a part of it that's not being acted on, causing stagnation and tension?
I can't help but think of the horrors of the news cycle presently and perhaps there's a thread to pull there. We may find ourselves triggered and tempted to turn away. These cards show us that we have a fine line to walk if we want to do justice to our emotional lives and our need to enact and support justice for all.
But I'm also heartened by the Four and Two of Swords, some of the most positive manifestations of their often-maligned group. They encourage us to trust our perceptions, gain clarity by stripping away confusing chaos, and to focus on what we can do in the here and now. Channeling our swords insights into action is the best way to do justice to these powerful cards.
And, indeed, it seems like we need some action. Not only is it important collectively, but individually as well. Spend this week examining what areas of the large concept of Justice ignite you the most. Like The Hermit suggests, this can take some time. Lean into the process: By the end of the week two paths will become clear. Choose the one that resonates the most, and don't hesitate to act. The most powerful and healthy communities are built by people who know themselves and know how to leverage their talents, skills, and resources for the greater good.