Weekly Forecast: May 27-June 2

We have a clear and beautiful reading for our week ahead, though I'm sure many of us are feeling apprehensive with the Three of Swords as our final card. 

A wise tarot reader practice is to always start with the most difficult card. Our attention is there already, and skirting around it only builds tension. Not to mention we're unlikely to pay attention to what comes before when we wait for the dreaded shoe to drop.

So I'll start with the Three of Swords first, though in this case the sadness it represents isn't dropping in a harsh or dramatic fashion. We have some cushioning here, most notably in all the hard work we've done to show up for ourselves. It's our job this week to muster all our care, curiosity, and protective force on our own behalf when difficult emotions arise. 

It's an ideal situation: giving ourselves the respite we need when things get hard. And what wisdom can we gain when we let our upsetting Three of Swords moments get solace from our brilliance and nurturing?

Now, onto this bold card. Many can guess what it means, but this enigmatic and punchy illustration has a lot of nuance. So, for those of you reading who aren't in the grips of an emotional crisis, fear not. Like the clouds pouring rain in the background, the feelings represented in the Three of Swords have all the varying intensity of weather. It rains, it pours, and sometimes it just sprinkles. 

There's also an interesting facet of this card in that sometimes the smallest slight or misfortune can awaken huge recesses of doubt, grief, or confusion. One sword can feel like three piercing your heart and the storm seems endless. Seeing these moments for what they are can curtail a sense of panic and fear. Sometimes we need to let it all out, and a small moment gives us that opportunity. 

Whether we're dealing with a minor emotional storm, a moment of upset, or a deeper struggle, we have incredibly good company  this week. The Queen of Pentacles is holding down the center of this reading and, like her, we're being encouraged to hold space for ourselves and all our emotions with the dedication and dignity of a true ruler.

As a Queen in tarot, she's not interested in ruling over. I think of these characters as stewards - noble caretakers familiar with and respectful of all aspects of their terrain. So what happens when things get stormy? What does it mean to be the protector, expert, and loving steward of our emotional self? We draw in our resources, care for ourselves with all our patience and love, and know that it will pass.

It's a wonderful match for the restless, analytical energy of the Swords. This Queen instructs us to ground ourselves in daily life, making room for our "negative" or challenging emotions within these stable structures. We must stick by our routines, continue our meditation practices, make ourselves healthy and nourishing meals, even if we don't feel good or up to the task. We can also give ourselves space, gathering our resources around us to gain strength. We do these things for a reason and, like this Queen, part of us knows that the saving grace is in the little things.

Speaking of which, this reading isn't all about sticking steadfastly to routine in the face of spiky emotions. What's a Queen without a crown or a flowing set of robes? Similarly, we might want to try to interject some splendor and majesty into these daily rituals. Feather our nest, care for our bodies in a decadent way. Doing these things can show us how much we value ourselves, a self-coronation of sorts, and doing this when we feel down is especially moving and powerful. 

Because we're not flailing in the wind here. The Four of Wands that started this reading off shows us getting back to the basics. No the basic ideas of the swords or the basic physical needs of the pentacles, but the basic actions of the wands. Sometimes uncovering what's essential to us - what we must do to fulfill ourselves - kicks up some existential panic. Cue the Three of Swords. Yet in this case we're prepared, loving, and ready to step in and give ourselves what we need. 

This week is a time to do as the Queen of Pentacles would do: Be a steward to your tough emotions, create as cozy and supportive a home for your feelings as you can, and get back to the basics of what you truly need to feel alive and your true self. 

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Weekly Forecast: May 20-26

Can ambition and peace coexist? We certainly don't get many stories that reflect this situation. Usually, ambition appears as a single-minded crusade of sorts, a headlong and determined walk towards greatness. Sure, there may be some pitfalls along the way, but only ones that bolster the larger arc of growth. No matter how much slogging the hero endures, they end up on top, all the richer. 

It's also a pretty exhausting narrative. Struggle equals success. We'll sleep when we're dead. Sure sounds healthy, doesn't it?

This week's reading might, at first glance, seem like the same old story. The peace of The Star is giving away to the ambition of The Chariot. In other words, the time for rest is over, and no we have to grab the reins and get going. 

But who's this in the center? A minor arcana card, and a mysterious one at that: The Seven of Pentacles.

This is where the plot thickens. This card can often represent re-evaluation and dissatisfaction; that phase in a journey when we're not sure what we've done or if anything is working or worth it. A classic mini crisis of faith. 

I see this card as an endearing human interjection. This week we'll be wrestling with our old stories of success. What can we have? How can it look?

In this card, we see ourselves hemming and hawing after making quite a bit of headway. Suddenly, the old ideas come back: we can't enjoy rest and success at the same time, right? It can't feel good and be good, that would just be too easy or, worse yet, a sign we're not working hard enough.

I love how the doubt and stalling of the Seven of Pentacles is sandwiched by two magnetic Major Arcana cards, as if these concerns are  happening on a much less important plane. If we're to rise to their level, we have to accept that we can write our own stories and decide what our own definition of success looks like.

This is where The Chariot has more to say. After all, what card combines opposites in a more powerful way? You'll notice the two sphinxes in the foreground, illustrated in alternating patterns of black and white. Bringing seeming opposites together is what drives the chariot itself forward. In this way, we're being presented an opportunity to mesh together the care and consideration of The Star with the vision and adventure of The Chariot.

To bring this all back down to earth, these cards are encouraging us to remain dedicated to all the practices, big and small, that give us a sense of peace, healing, and greater meaning. The Star's approach is not one for us to abandon right now, rather it's something to bring with us on whatever journey towards success we're embarking on. It's just up to us to remember how much we can shape and choose its path. 

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Weekly Forecast: May 13-19

We have a nice and uplifting forecast for the week ahead. It's not a time for intensity, hand-wringing, or choice fatigue, though if those are present in our lives (as they often are) we have these cards encouraging us to skip in another direction. And what direction might that be? One that points towards a passionate engagement with ourselves.

The Lovers is a card few people would turn down. The name, the imagery - it's all delightful and carries a romantic overtone that's often missing in everyday life. But who says that has to be the case? As a major arcana card, The Lovers also asks us to elevate our understanding our our situation. Is something boring, quotidian, or frustrating really all it seems?

Even more excitingly, this powerhouse card is followed by the Ace of Swords and the Queen of Cups. I've often written how The Lovers, in addition to romance, deals with the theme of choice. Here, we have two cards that often get stuck at opposite ends of a spectrum: The intellectual breakthrough of the Ace of Pentacles and the intuitive expertise of the Queen of Cups. This week, however, our real choice is between engaging in old routines that uphold this false dichotomy and reaching for something wilder, bigger, and yet-unexplored.

In other words, it's time to go for it. Now, whatever that 'it' is will vary for each of us, but common themes will be that it seems somehow too radical, too much, and too romantic. We might find ourselves thinking that the seed of a new idea - The Ace of Pentacles - can't coexist with a peaceful and emotionally integrated self. Or that being practical necessitates sacrificing our more soft, spiritual side. 

The Lovers says, with loving candor, that that's all utter ridiculousness. If we don't choose our higher path, one that says all parts of us belong together and that we can fashion something authentic out of our unique selves, how can we say with any certainty what's possible? 

This card also tends to appear during pivotal moments of expansion - times when we break from the pack to do our own thing. At first this can seem foolish and risky, but, as major arcana cards emphasize, we only need to answer to ourselves. In other words, when making big moves like this it's key to prioritize our own opinions, desires, and instincts. 

In this case, we have both the exhilarating newness of an idea and the mature self-possession of the Queen of Cups. What magic can we create with this combination? Something truly singular and toe-curling, that's to be sure. So take the next step, trust yourself, and dare to move ever so slowly (or quickly) into the wild future you'd like to build. 

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Vulnerability + Tarot Readings

One of the surprising parts of attending the Readers’ Studio tarot conference this past week was that it involved lots of hands-on tarot practice. During each master class we’d all swap readings with each other, testing out our new techniques.

As a professional tarot reader, I don’t often find myself on the other side of the table. If I need a reading, I’ll often give one to myself (hey, it’s quite convenient!), so it was humbling and eye-opening to be on the receiving end.

And here’s what really struck me:

Getting your cards read by another person is a very vulnerable experience.

Your questions, dreams, issues and more are all out on the table. And how often do we find ourselves the sole object of attention in our lives? You certainly do in a tarot reading! The space is all for you to unravel and explore whatever’s on your mind.

It’s healing, powerful, and much different that our usual mode of communicating “in real life.”

As the conference progressed I touched on many of the central questions in my life right now with multiple people. It was fascinating to see how this contact - getting ideas that are normally trapped in my head - transformed my thinking. Stuck areas started feeling ligter. My brain was moving in interesting new directions, and my emotions and body, too.

So if you find yourself receiving a tarot reading or are curious to try one, know that while it might feel intense at first to be on the spot, doing so with a trusted friend or expert is a beautifully transformative experience. It certainly was for me.

Reclaiming Sensuality with The Pentacles

The Pentacles often get a bad rap. Pigeonholed into matters of finance and career (they are also called coins, after all) these cards quickly become stagnant and stale. Where’s the romance? The passion? The adventure?

Yet the Pentacles have a hidden side, on that’s not always brought to light in tarot books. You might be surprised to hear that, of all the suits, I see the Pentacles as the most erotic of the bunch.

“What?” you might say. “Not the phallic wands or juicy cups?!” (Note: I strongly doubt anyone would peg the analytical swords as lush romantics! Sorry, swords.)

To get into my mindset, it’s important to remember that Pentacles are associated with the element of earth. It governs the everyday, the material… the physical. And how do we engage with the physical world around us? Through our senses, our bodies, and our presence.

This means that the Pentacles govern the feeling of the wind on our faces, a lover running their fingers along our skin, the taste of a delectable fresh peach, and the smell of an intoxicating perfume. Just look at the imagery in these cards. There’s depictions of work and labor, yes, but also characters fully feeling themselves.

Take the King of Pentacles and the Nine, for example:

These cards show figures unabashedly sure of themselves, luxuriating in life. Taken to the extreme, these traits can become wasteful, but at just the right level they acquaint us with our true power, presence, and capacity for pleasure.

Becoming aligned with our physical self aligns us with our connection to the world around us. What does this feel like? What does my body have to say? What feels good to me and what makes the people around us feel good?

How can we be aware and take joy in the riches around us if we’re not aware of the riches in ourselves and our bodies?

I see this group of cards as an invitation to take our pleasure seriously as well as to look for pleasure all around us. It doesn’t have to be through sexual eroticism alone. There’s plenty of sensuality in all aspects of life and, as these cards demonstrate, tapping into it makes life so much more lush, joyful, and satisfying.

Weekly Forecast: May 6-12

Well, my friends, it looks like this reading is quite gory, visually speaking! 

Artist Ricardo Cavolo's illustration of the Nine of Pentacles is, to be frank, pretty gross. Why choose an open wound to illustrate a card traditionally associated with abundance and plenty? 

It's a lot to meditate on, particularly when the grisly theme continues with a blindfolded King of Swords committing seppuku. You know, just some light Monday messages to contemplate...

Yet this reading, despite its visceral nature, came across loud and clear: While oftentimes our old wounds are the wellspring of our unique gifts, there's a huge difference between honoring this connection and obsessing over it to the point of self-limitation and injury.

This is a time to let the reality of our lives ground us and lead us forward and to put aside the destructive urges of our minds. We've been hurt in the past, yes, but our future is unfolding now and not all of our actions spring from the hardship we've endured.

The King of Swords, the utmost monarch of the suit, is adept at using thought to create clarity. But sometimes we can only get so much clarity out of life. If we stay in the realm of the swords too long, we prioritize analytic remove over actual day-to-day involvement. What comes of this? Isolation, stagnation, and self-doubt. 

Over thinking distances us from the movement and rhythm of life, a dance that leads us towards the answers we're seeking. It's not a view we can achieve from the top-down, safe in the hypothetical or the tempting certainty of the past. We have to get our hands dirty and accept that seeking fulfillment leaves no room for invulnerability. We're all living and breathing creatures and we can't go through life completely unscathed. 

In this sense, this nasty Nine of Pentacles in reassuring. If we're feeling tender and bruised, it's not because we're failing. Rather, we're showing up and seeing ourselves - all the contours of our experience, even the painful ones. And that is a high achievement, indeed.

What to do from here? The Star tells us we have to love ourselves even more, and make room for a life of plenty that also feels exposed, tenuous, or too much at times. Nothing needs to change for us to be here with ourselves.

The King of Swords represents our urge to over-analyze ourselves at any moment of conflict, struggle, or indecision. Instead of seeing these times as a natural facet of life, the King reacts to them as threats to stability. Thus, the wide-open plenty of the Nine of Pentacles becomes an invitation to turn our swords on ourselves. 

Are we feeling raw, excited, eager, a bit nervous about what we're moving towards? The King of Swords wants the answers now, and to him this is a scary threat to stability. Cue the self-doubt and criticism. Instead of accepting tenderness, this King is using it as an opening to harm the self: If we can't do it perfectly and with perfect knowledge, we shouldn't even try at all.

The Star is here to tell us that this is completely unnecessary and over the top and this reading gives us a wonderful alternate course. It's not a time to take our thoughts of worry and doubt with absolute seriousness. What if we could tell ourselves that we're doing our best and it's working out well?

Having a lot of feelings means that we're opening up to feeling life itself. We're already doing a wonderful job and now is a time to stay grounded in the beauty of our everyday lives, letting its rhythms and routines move us forward, instead of abandoning our path because it's not what we envisioned. 

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My Experience at the Readers' Studio Tarot Conference

Certificate & Treasures from the Readers’ Studio

Hello, tarot friends! It’s been a whirlwind past few weeks and, as you may have noticed, I’ve been a bit silent here on the blog.

One of those reasons? Lots of travel, and the most exciting journey was to the Readers’ Studio tarot conference this past week.

My “chill professional tarot reader” face

If you haven’t heard of this gathering, it’s the foremost in the tarot community. Hosted by the amazing RuthAnn and Wald Amberstone, founders of The Tarot School, it’s been meeting for 13 years and features the luminaries of the tarot world. People like Rachel Pollack, Mary K. Greer, Barbara Moore, Robert M. Place, and so many more have attended in the past. My 12 year old tarot self was over the moon to finally be going! Let’s just say nearly all of my tarot heroes - the people who wrote the books I learned with - were going to be there.

I also love to travel, something I hadn’t done much of since buying a house here in Durham two years ago. Hopping on a plane by myself to hang out with likeminded tarot lovers in New York? Sign me up!

And so I set off in the wee hours of Friday to take the quick flight up North. The conference was in the LaGuardia Marriott, so it was easy-peasy getting there. I can be pretty stubborn about traveling (having done a lot in my late teens and early twenties, I’m a bit obnoxious about packing light and timing things perfectly) and for some reason thought it would be the best idea to arrive the morning of the first day, waltzing into the conference on 4 hours of sleep and “fresh” off the plane.

In retrospect, I wouldn’t do this again, since my half-asleep self sat down at the first available seat only to realize that, as the crowd filtered in, I was sitting at the “big girl’s table.” It took all my limited energy not to fangirl too hard as modern greats like Benebell Wen, Ethony, and Theresa Reed sat down around me! I like to think that, with a little extra sleep, I’d have been the paragon of dignity and professionalism… but, probably not.

Ethony’s master class

A little note about how the conference is structured: Each day features several master classes from notable tarot professionals. During these presentations everyone pairs up to swap readings using the new techniques. So, on day one, I ended up reading with Benebell Wen AND Theresa Reed, aka The Tarot Lady. Wow.

Some of the typical tarot-reading wildness at the conference

What a way to start things off! I’d like to say it calmed down from there, but a general state of euphoria, delight, and overwhelm permeated the entire three days. Not wanting to miss anything, I attended several deck showcases (the incredible Herbcrafter’s Tarot and Chakra Wisdom Oracle), a very mysterious late-night class on mediumship, and a lengthy browse of the merchant’s fair, and so much more.

It was also quite emotionally overwhelming to be in a group of people who all practiced the same intuitive art and understood so many of the issues, challenges, and joys of the craft. I didn’t realize how much awareness I bring around with me regarding what’s “too much” to share regarding tarot and the sometimes stressful act of navigating less tarot-friendly circles. The professional camaraderie was deeply healing.

A major highlight was dressing up as The Empress for the Costume Ball

The only thing that didn’t seem to get healed was my bank account as silly “pre-Readers’ Studio Gina” had boldly decided not to purchase a single thing. Decks? I’ve got plenty! Books? They’re too heavy! Foolishly thinking that if I only brought a small tote bag carry-on I’d stick to my resolve, I found myself lugging home about 20 lbs of loot. And I have absolutely no regrets! Plus, how was I to know that my favorite eBay source for historical reproduction decks would be there??

After three days of presentations, readings, and mingling I was near-bursting with inspiration and exhaustion. The crowd itself was delightful, a fascinating mix of tarot greats (Rachel Pollack! Be still my heart!), newcomers, deck creators, witches, teachers, and more. I left with so many new friends and acquaintances (and even got to be in a video for a South Korean tarot school!).

And, most surprisingly, I got to receive so many tarot readings about my life during the workshops. As a tarot reader I’m so used to being on the other side of the table and getting these readings was so healing and tender and reminded me of the recipient’s perspective, so stay tuned for some more posts about that facet of tarot soon. These readings really cemented my goals and values as a reader, making me all the more grateful to be on this path and excited to see it grow.

So for those of you considering attending, please do! It’s a magical gathering celebrating tarot in all its forms. Just be sure to take a day off afterwards to catch up on sleep…

Weekly Forecast: April 22-28

This week, my friends, is all about rethinking our relationship to change. It's a topic that's long overdue for editing and fresh energy, as these cards show so clearly. Just look at the polarized options springing forth from The Wheel of Fortune! The next few days give us the calming opportunity to bring some space and shading into a formerly black-and-white corner of our world.

As anyone who's dabbled with tarot knows, the cards have a cheeky sense of mischief. Not wanting to address a topic? All of a sudden pointed clarity is staring you in the face. Looking for a specific answer? The cards act coy. 

In my opinion, there's no card that embodies this vague, teasing energy more than The Wheel of Fortune. It's initial impression is usually confusing. Just what on earth is going on with these mythical creatures congregating around a circle heavy with odd symbols? They're just hanging out in the clouds? 

This is a card focused on the energy and inevitability of change. And, perhaps not so surprisingly, it's overwhelming and unknown qualities. Hence, the indecipherable wildness of imagery. 

When we see the Wheel of Fortune we know that change is on the horizon. However, that's all  we can decipher. There's no specificity, clear-cut answers, or details. The Wheel is spinning, but we don't know where it'll land just yet or what our new world will look like.

 This week we're confronting and working through our initial reactions to a personal Wheel of Fortune situation: The newness and lack of clarity is overwhelming and, in our attempt to grasp some comforting certainty, we're reverting to old patterns.

Which brings us to the Five of Pentacles and the Ten of Cups. I can't help but chuckle a little when I look at these cards. Talk about polarized thinking! It seems as if we're approaching the upcoming change with a very black-and-white mindset. Either our Wheel of Fortune will spin and deposit us in the bucolic emotional utopia of the Ten of Cups or we'll end up in rags, struggling to survive.

In this sense, these cards urge us to take a breath and center ourselves before getting spun out into either manic idealism or fatalistic negativity. One of the wonderful things about change is that nobody knows how it'll unfold. Not us and certainly not some judgmental stranger ready to blame us for the outcome.

And so these cards are, with a healthy dose of classic tarot humor, pointing us back to ourselves and the present moment. What can we do to focus on our experience right now? To make room for change to unfold? And, most importantly, to care for ourselves? 

The trick to the Wheel of Fortune is that is reminds us how change is a constant part of life. We're always navigating it, in one way or the other. We have practice. We have ourselves.
It always keeps spinning, but if we stay anchored in what we do know - aware of our desires, skills, talents, and sticky spots - we can always land on our feet and, better yet, work with the motion to grow. 

Until then, all we can do is enjoy the ride, and know that the stakes are low so long as we continue to value and care for ourselves. 

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Weekly Forecast: April 15-21

As I write this a remarkably beautiful day is beginning in Durham. The rain and storms have cleared out the fog of humidity, making the air crisp and breezy, full of life. A similar change in weather is happening in this reading, unfolding in our emotional lives instead of the physical world around us. 

I look at The Fool as the manifestation of all of Spring's hopeful, energetic, and thriving energy. This character has the same daring and tenacity of a plant bursting forth after the winter. Fresh and tender, yes, but also putting so much towards its own growth and doing so without apology. 

We're undergoing similar changes this week, awakening from a period of seeking, confusion, and doubt with an almost shocking sense of clarity. The air has cleared and we've been transformed into something new, though we may not be so sure of the how, why, or what next. 

And, indeed, The Fool is the symbol of newness. The first card in the tarot deck, they show us the power of beginning, and not just for the first time. Our lives have seasons, too, and this card appears to point us to an important fresh start unfolding in this very moment. 

While The Fool is a charming and welcome card in almost any spread, it's also a challenging one to digest, because this card represents risk-taking, vulnerability, and a road ahead full of mistakes.

Here, however, the cards have a beautiful interpretation of the fears that arise when we sense ourselves embarking on a "Fool path." 

I'm struck by the mirroring happening here, as the archetypal power of The Fool, flanked or held back by his adorably awkward animal companion, transitions into the Page of Wands. Both face forward, to the future, yet they have some enlightening differences.

This week, these cards tell us, is a pivotal time to refocus on our own individual journeys. We all walk through life as ourselves and, no matter how hard we try, we must face the inevitability and uniqueness of our own path. Though we might want to hide behind distractions or other people's experiences, doing so ultimately leads to frustration, dissatisfaction, and anxiety. 

Why, in other words, would we want to side-step the transformative new start of The Fool and downgrade into the sometimes charming, but in this case trifling, stance of the Page of Wands?

This Page deals in the fiery realm of action and, as all pages do, represents youthful enthusiasm and inexperience. It seems like we may be tempted to re-frame our current moment, either to ourselves or others, as something inconsequential, silly, and bumbling. Just another experiment on our path, nothing to see here! 

Deep down, however, we know that this is big. That we have something at stake - a closely-held dream, important calling, or inexplicable pull to try something new. Downplaying this importance allows us to feel safer. If we fall on our faces who would laugh? It was only a joke, after all.

This is where the power of The Fool becomes evident for this is a card that sees the sacredness in taking risks, the power of living passionately and seeking to transform. Vulnerability is power, we don't need to have any certainty to begin, and we don't need to explain our journeys. The Fool owns and celebrates their mistakes, risks, and choices. He takes them seriously and dares to stand by his path of growth.

So the pull we feel this week to downplay the changes unfolding within us isn't one to heed. This is a time to practice constantly refocusing on our own experience, focusing on our Fool's journey. That means being mindful of the urges to engage in self-deprecating talk, undervaluing our talents and dreams, and hiding behind new projects we don't feel completely aligned with. 

Because there's an interesting thread here in that following our initial instinct to downgrade to the Page of Wands is leading us to the Eight of Swords, a familiar and well-trodden route of anxiety, collapse, and stalemate. In not taking ourselves seriously we take a detour into a dead end instead of continuing along a wide-open yet-unexplored road. 

Let's choose instead to stay present in our newness and invest in pursuing what makes our hearts beat faster. We're up for the challenge and ready to unfurl. 

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