Weekly Forecast: November 11-17

What if you're already doing wonderfully?

I'm writing this forecast in the early morning, still bleary-eyed in my mismatched pajamas. I'm feeling the pressure of Monday morning acutely: What do I need to do today, exactly? What bill is due today? How am I going to squeeze in all of this?

When I turned over our first card, I have to admit I was almost startled. The World? Really?

Yet when I look around I can see it. My beloved dog is napping on the couch, the sun is peeking through the windows behind me, and I've just made one of the strongest coffees in my life. It's beautiful, even though I can see errant crumbs in the sun's rays on my counter top. Even though I have a big old bill to pay and six wildly different tasks to tackle. I'm here and here is touchingly gorgeous.

I've talked about The World a lot in these forecasts. It's the last Major Arcana card, the final stop on The Fool's journey. While tarot has paths and patterns of meanings, our experience of it (much like life itself) doesn't follow a predictable pattern. That is, we can always access The World no matter where we are in life. And, as we've all experienced, sometimes our combination of experiences is wild and strange - The World and Death, for example.

This morning, however, we just have The World as our sole Major Arcana card. It's dancing benevolently, almost teasingly, asking us to look around and see the beauty and accomplishment in our imperfect lives. More specifically, it's asking us to look at our role in all this. There may be many moving parts, some confusion, and a lot of desire to do right, but here we are in the center showing up and truly living life. Let's give ourselves credit, especially if it doesn't line up with our expectations.

Our subsequent two cards make up the kindest tarot reality check. If we look at our life from a place of pride and security, we can take each challenge and task as it comes with no need to get mired in the oppressive details. In fact, my list of tasks and worries fits in perfectly with the Eight of Swords. Here we see a person constrained and bound, frozen still and surrounded by the very tools that could cut them loose.

So what do we do when the pressures hem us in? The Page of Swords burst into the scene with its refreshing simplicity. The answer: one thing at a time. Wielded correctly, our thoughts give us direction. Translating them into action frees us from being stuck. I love how movement is the healing element in this week's forecast. How can we keep a relaxed pace and accomplish small tasks with regularity?

Tarot experts often refer to The World as "the world dancer," and I'm smitten with this idea of dancing through life as the highest form of mastery. It's not rote, predictable, or joyless. Instead, it's vibrant and engaged - an art form instead of a correct answer. Each of us will dance through life differently, but this week we're all ready to keep going and enjoy the magic of our own movements, one thing at a time.

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Weekly Forecast: November 4-10

What do you want to do?

This week shows us really showing up in awareness of our wants and desires. They're not superficial or fleeting. We have a huge reservoir of willpower, determination, and discernment rising from within us. Our task is to translate this energy into action.

We come in with the stormy energy of the Knight of Swords. This is a card that's seeking certainty, that loves the feeling of being right. Yet underneath is a deep fear of being wrong, as if we must have 100% certainty to be valid. As if we could somehow reach a conclusion that would hold in a court of law - a flawless, beautiful argument.

The blend of smarts and insecurity can be volatile, but this week we're onto something. The hunches and restless questioning of the Knight of Swords are leading us to the stability of the King of Pentacles. Our roving minds are looking for the words to describe a facet of our lived truth. What is happening right now? What is the ground that I'm standing on? Why does it matter?

Once we find that solid ground, however, we have to stop our questioning.

This is all bringing us to the beautiful self-awareness of The Sun, and I like the reversed quality to these cards. The epiphany isn't coming first. We're not entering into the week under bright light. Instead, there's edginess, questions, and an instinct for motion, change, and new ways of understanding.

All the Knights in tarot are on horseback. Some sit placidly, surveying the land, while others, like the Knight of Swords, are in mid-charge, looking to prove themselves. At times this energy can be harmful for us: We don't want to charge headlong into a ditch or danger. Yet the Knight of Swords is bringing us towards the King of Pentacles. Our drive is an instinct to make ourselves more solid in our lives. It's something trustworthy, even if we can't articulate it completely.

When we come to rest in the King of Pentacles we can see things as they are. Look for interpretations of your situation that make you feel at home in your body, no matter how that feels. It could feel "bad" - a sadness that hasn't been honored or held up - but it's yours and part of your experience. The King of Pentacles gains his power from accepting and working with his life as it is on the ground. He's always the king because of his reality, not in spite of it.

On the other end of the spectrum, things could be better than we think. Sometimes the Knight of Swords, when left to his own devices, turns his analytic fury towards his sense of selves, leveling brutal criticism and dissatisfaction every which way. What if our actual reality is something to be proud of? What if it isn't the time to ask so many complicated questions; that the reality is in fact quite lush and sustaining?

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Weekly Forecast: October 28 - November 3

It's hard to feel satisfied this week. We have the antsy energy of the Seven of Pentacles starting us off: What is making us feel restless, as if we have unfinished business?

Looking for the bee in our bonnet is a worthy endeavor. The Seven of Pentacles shows a crucial point in our journey. Once we've created something noteworthy, it's important to sit with it and see what might need editing. The central point of reference here is our own experience. How do we really feel about what we've accomplished? Does it work for us or are we working for it?

The continuity in this reading is deeply encouraging. If we dive into our desire to perfect and shape our lives we can take the quick leap from good enough to wonderfully just right: the Ten of Pentacles.

We are, however, not quite used to feeling satisfied. The Four of Cups is one step away, continuing the overall picky vibes of the Seven of Pentacles. It's as if we can't stay in the diverse splendor of the Ten of Pentacles for too long. Is it too dangerous to enjoy our lives or be proud of our achievements? Are we poking holes in something beautiful, and why?

The Four of Cups is where our emotional experience comes in, and perhaps there's a shade of perfectionism here, like we can't allow ourselves to accept just how far we've come and how resplendent and delightful and messy our lives can look.

I see this card as an instinct to turn away from our lives, perhaps with a twinge of depression. Yet the bounty of the Ten of Pentacles isn't polished to the point of inauthenticity, and maybe it's that facet that makes it so threatening. You can look at this card as a rich and full life. And I mean all of life.

It's the dishes in the kitchen sink you can never get to because you're running around working, seeing friends, and tending to connections; the challenges of close friendships and tight-knit families; the chaos of life itself.

The tens are maximalist cards. Some of them, like the swords and wands, lead to overwhelm and heartache. Others, like the pentacles and cups, show how you can't have too much of a good thing. Love, connection, and a well-lived life flourish in abundance. Yet the intensity can be overwhelming at times, loud and bright and fast-moving. Remaining in the moment, being supported by all the work we're doing and all that we have to show it, is a magical thing to do. It opens doors to so much more.

This week we can resist the old pattern of retreating into critical thinking or narratives of failure and loneliness and stay in our majestic, messy, and fantastic now.

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Weekly Forecast: October 21-27

I love how this week's forecast is giving us a clear choice between mindful, embodied action and a frenzied action that leads to over-extending ourselves. Yes, you read the cards right: Temperance is urging us to find peace in the practice of the Two of Pentacles rather than the wild, unfocused careening of the Five of Wands.

Speaking to the elements at work, this is a week to ground ourselves in the wisdom of earth, staying close to our physical and material needs. Getting caught up in the world of fire and ambition is only leading to conflict and chaos.

Temperance can be a challenging card to work with; sometimes the angelic imagery seems unattainable and even haughty. Yet this week we're being asked to see how our higher self directs us towards healthy actions. What guiding instincts lead us to care for ourselves? How can thinking simply and focusing on actionable steps bring us closer to the divine?

Temperance also straddles these two worlds. You'll notice the angel has one foot dipped into the water and the other stabilized on the earth itself. Care and simple commitment to what we need to do in our everyday lives can be surprisingly transcendent. Let's see what this awareness brings to the surface this week.

The wands here are giving us a word of caution. While it's lovely to think we'll sashay into the embodied path of Temperance & the Two of Pentacles, the Five of Wands alerts us to an internal battle of sorts. Are we pretending or wishing we could just push forward and fill our time with action? Is there something threatening about keeping things simple and in the moment?

The wands are often emblematic of our society's obsession with productivity and accomplishment. Having the conflict-theme five in our reading is straightforward tarot-speak for "just chill out, please."

How might our desire to stay busy and keep striving be hindering us right now? What happens when we slow down and just focus on baby steps? And, most importantly, how does doing this distance us from our higher-self and Temperance nature?

I see this reading as an invitation to open up to the wonder and healing of being in the moment, particularly in our mundane lives. Looking to the jovial dance of the Two of Pentacles we can ask ourselves, "How am I doing something beautiful, transcendent, and joyful when I stay close to my own experience and actual, lived life?"

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Weekly Forecast: October 14-20

Resist the urge to self-isolate.

Sometimes when I sit down to write a forecast I type out the first phrase that comes to mind, just like the one above.

Usually these are a nice jumping-off point, but this week it's right on the money - a tarot reading thesis statement, if you will.

As we begin this week we're worn-down and wounded in some way, yet the solid gentleness of the Queen of Pentacles is urging us to reach out and find soothing care in our relationships via the Six of Cups.

Let's look deeper.

As you may have noticed, I'm a huge fan of artist Mary Evans' Apparition Tarot, featured here. Could I pass up a deck with pastel cherubs dancing on the backs? No! But I also love her interpretations of the cards - they often bring a piercing freshness to their symbolism, taking us on a more modern path to their meanings.

Here, instead of the usual face-down figure stabbed ten times in the back, we have an outstretched hand pierced with swords. It's a painful image to behold. The arm reaching forward makes me think of the pain in vulnerability; what happens when we seek connection and aren't seen, heard, or, worse, treated with respect.

Clearly, these feelings and experiences are at work this week, operating in our lives either consciously or subconsciously. Where have we felt rejected, hurt, or misrepresented? What bids for affection have been ignored or turned down by others, willfully or not?

I whispered a quiet "ooh, boy!" when I turned over this card. It's been a while since we've seen it here, and it's always an intense energy to work with; yet, the fact that it's the ten - the last in its sequence - suggests some finality. Our swords have built up and reached their maximum capacity. In seeing them for what they are we begin a new process of healing.

Which, as you may have guessed, is where the Queen of Pentacles comes in. I really think of this card here as powerful self-parenting energy. We're at a point where we can take the reins and choose to give ourselves all the support and soothing and kindness that may not have been gifted to us in the past. This Queen shows the empowering act of choosing to be our own ally. How can we care for ourselves and put our needs at the center as an act of deep love?

The Queen of Pentacles is also a solitary card; sometimes it can be lonely coming to terms with the responsibility of loving ourselves wholly. Moving with these two facets - the weight of assuming power and the joy and tenderness it cultivates - is absolutely an option. In fact, it's the bittersweet hallmark of the Kings and Queens of tarot. They've traveled far to reach this level of mastery. They know that power begins with oneself, the same as satisfaction, clarity, and so much more.

But what happens when the court cards of tarot band together? Does suffering rejection in the past doom us to the pressure of isolated self-care? Prioritizing our needs until we're alone in a corner? Not at all. This reading shows such a lovely path from the pain of hurt - that inhospitable land of swords - to the warmth of acceptance.

Take time this week to find your people, those trusted travelers who have wisdom, support, and insight to offer you. Look for those who deal with their struggles as a way to better know themselves - other kings and queens of the tarot journey.

The imagery here is stunning: The wounds of the Ten of Swords have disappeared in the Six of Cups where a rainbow of hands join together in supportive grace.

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Weekly Forecast: October 7-13

There's a lot of restless, destructive energy at work this week, dear friends. We have the upset of The Tower mixing with the ambition of The Chariot. Throw in the anxious worrying of the Nine of Swords and we have ourselves a fun mix, don't we?

Strangely, I'm into this group of cards. While The Tower is one of the least favored card in tarot, it has a positive spin. Cumbersome structures, whether they're societal of self-imposed, can be hard to escape. In this card, however, they come tumbling down. While this is often terrifying, it's also a massive release of energy. Some tower experiences take longer to recover from than others, however. What's falling down in your life right now?

While the bounce-back period from this card often takes place in the long-term (we are dealing with the Major Arcana, after all) this reading shows us busting out of the rubble with The Chariot. We can look to our life right now to see what's grasp on us is crumbling and, most importantly, releasing us from restrictive situations.

The Chariot has a lot to do with willpower and drive. Are we feeling a pull to go in a new direction, to make decisions that bring us glory, accomplishment, and satisfaction?

There's a tender story here: Our freedom is unlocking a huge store of motivation and capability. Sometimes it's sad to recognize that this has been held back in our past situation. And, what's more, it's scary to move forward, away from the rubble without looking back to fix or mend.

You may be anticipating my segueway into the Nine of Swords here. Indeed, moving away from our Tower experience is inviting in a bunch of anxious thoughts. These may feel stale and tired, however. The Nine of Swords represents a build-up of patterns and ideas. In other words, the crappy and overwhelming feeling is a known-quantity. Still not fun at all, but also not unfamiliar.

In the coming days it will be especially important to leave room for all the aspects of our experience, particularly our emotions. These cards signify big shifts; of course we're going to be kicking up old defense mechanisms and confronting our fear of the unknown.

The Chariot brings with it a huge dose of impatience. A part of us is raring and ready to go and prove ourselves. Yet The Tower releases a whole lot more along with energy and a new path ahead. There's dust that needs to clear, rubble that we need to see so that we can step over it. This is a long-term experience. What we can do in the meantime is make ourselves as comfortable, held, and supported while we process what's taking place. That means both caring for ourselves and reaching out to those who can understand and offer solace.

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Weekly Forecast: September 30 - October 6

I'm struggling with how to frame this reading, dear friends, since it has a unique energy. The virtuous Six of Pentacles is on one side, anchoring us in our desire to help and provide for others. On the other, however, we have the uneasy and dissatisfied Four of Cups. It's as if our outside life is masking our more turbulent feelings, and the decisive King of Swords is mediating between the two.

How to distill this into simpler terms? I think these cards are asking us to use our sense of discernment and judgment to dig deeper into our desire to please.

The Six of Pentacles is all about giving and receiving. Sometimes we give out of a true sense of altruism and generosity. And sometimes it's a way to mask our own inner turmoil.

This week we may find ourselves growing tired of the routines we use to avoid confronting our more difficult emotions. Are we directing our attention outwards, allowing our edgy energy to get channeled into pleasing, helping, or supporting others? It's important to be aware of how this may reflect a desire for control: If we can ease someone else's suffering (or think we have) then we can eliminate our own.

I'm drawn to the fact that this reading is using the Four of Cups to illustrate our true emotional state. This card is quite mysterious; there's a sense of stasis, pause, and the unknown.

When we feel unsettled and blah, it's tempting to fill that space with action and distraction. Yet we have the King of Swords bringing a powerful sense of discernment to our center, as if we're finally in a position to see our behavior clearly and adjust accordingly.

This week is a time to listen to our inner voice and to trust its messages and direction. If the giving stance of the Six of Pentacles seems hollow, off-putting, or uncomfortable, it's likely an invitation to step back, to move from the earthy realm of the pentacles and into our personal emotional experience.

The Four of Cups brings us into relation with ourselves as we are in the moment. What are we feeling? How can we sit with it? Time alone, practices of reflection, and plenty of rest can help coax out important epiphanies and breakthroughs. But we can't get there if we neglect our inner life.

I also think that the King of Swords represents a highly developed sense of self. We know, at a conscious level, that we need to turn inwards. And, perhaps, that our emotions have something deeply important to tell us.

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Weekly Forecast: September 23-29

My lovely friends, this is a reading to write home about! And, to be honest, a welcome break from all the soul-searching present in our recent forecasts. There's a bevy of cups available to us this week: satisfaction, fulfillment, joy, fun, creativity, spirit, and connection. So what's the first step?

Overwhelm, it seems, is an important sign for us, particularly the kind that arises from a wide sea of opportunities and options.

I'm getting this from the Seven of Cups, of course - that tricky and alluring exploration of our creativity. Like all sevens it represents the secret invitation of dissatisfaction. What happens when we peel aside the first layer of itchiness? Inspiration and a meaningful next step.

This card was also at the center of a collective reading we did at my local tarot meetup. In that reading, the Seven of Cups generated a lot of helpful and invigorating energy, and it does the same here.

We can try looking at the wide expanse of unknown in front of us as a grand stage to fill with actions, plans, and goals. The only requirement is that they're exciting and fascinating: No lackluster, half-assed dreams need apply!

If things have been feeling a bit heavy during the past few weeks we can expect that weight to lift. Our challenge will be to welcome that and all the silliness, experimentation, and dreaming that comes along with it. Embracing that will be healing, expansive, and fun (sign me up!) and bring us to the bounty of the Ten of Cups.

The King of Cups presides over the whole picture. We're learning our own creative language and taking our dreams seriously. And it's unlocking a much-needed and surprising source of inner leadership.

I can't think of a group of cards that would give us a more resounding invitation to think outside the box, lighten up, and walk towards what we really want, even if we're not sure why.

Underneath all this is a river of emotion; yet, like the King of Cups, we've looked into it and can now sail across its surface. What work have you been doing to integrate and process you emotional experiences? How have you been showing up for yourself throughout challenging times? What peace have you found within yourself?

I also think that the King of Cups has some words of gentle encouragement to share with us. Sometimes the Ten of Cups can be surprisingly triggering. All that sunshine and rainbows energy can seem ostentatious and flashy. Do we really think we're all that? What does it mean if we're a little afraid of our best possible scenario?

The King of Cups tells us that all of those conflicted feelings are welcome and necessary. We can have the rainbow and still be human, with all our fear, restlessness, and weirdness alongside the wonder and joy.

So let this week be one where you celebrate and explore your strangest dreams and ideas. Playing around will invite in the sense of feeling you're looking for as you start to move closer to your personal Ten of Cups.

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Weekly Forecast: September 16-22

What do we really want?

This week is bringing us a wonderful sense of focus and curiosity towards our inner life. Yes, I'm talking about The Hermit, the solitary hero of the tarot. Despite their wizened look and connotations of reclusiveness (and, perhaps, eccentricity), The Hermit is an immensely charismatic character. They embody the type of authenticity that's unafraid to chart new territory or look odd. If it fits and is personally important, it's a part of who you are.

At least that's what The Hermit teaches us.

Practicing this brave inner-alignment can be a challenge in the wider world. There are so many choices we need to make at any given time, from the relentless minutiae of everyday life to the bigger, crossroads-style choices that mark major life chapters. How can we keep grounded in ourselves amidst all this pressure?

Having The Lovers at our right points us in the direction of the "major life chapter" type of choice this week, which makes it all the more important to keep the small choices from adding up to serious fatigue. We need our energy, so it's essential that we say no to what doesn't matter, paving way for what's essential in the larger scheme of things. For The Hermit, this is not an issue; they're used to turning their back on anything that's a waste of time or energy with impressive ease.

Our reading is encouraging us to give ourselves plenty of time to think and regroup as we deliberate our next steps. Yet this isn't a slinking, cowardly retreat or procrastination. It's a wonderful, energizingly rebellious stand against our busy culture. We can stake out personal territory to think and feel things through, popular opinion be damned.

In the center of our reading we have the Six of Wands, a card that tells us we're doing this all in the service of our success. In other words, we're being smart here! So let's have fun with the time we can give ourselves; let's take our own counsel seriously.

With this in mind, The Hermit seems to be pointing to parts of ourselves that need integrating. Are there needs, preferences, or personality traits that we can celebrate instead of try to cure or fix? Are there some things we can just accept and love about ourselves instead of trying to change? Look to areas where you felt different, shunned, or shamed - how can you stand up for yourself and give yourself the uncompromising acceptance of The Hermit?

In fact, these parts may be the deciding factors in navigating this upcoming choice successfully. And I don't mean in an external, societally-approved way. Rather, embracing our weirdness may be the key to finding the right option that will lift us up in the long run.

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