Weekly Forecast: February 21-27

Feeling towards deeper meaning and understanding

How do you feel when big questions show up in your life? The kind that demand walking towards the unknown, that have you questioning what really matters? This week we have the magnetic pull of The Hierophant telling us that such a time has come. We’re going to need to change, to switch up our way of orienting ourselves. We’re looking for deeper meaning. 

Our past few readings have featured the Page of Swords and the Ace of Swords, both illustrating how we’ve been questioning our approaches and the world around us. In swordsy times we tend to prioritize mental work: thinking, analyzing, and reasoning. We’ve been  using the swords to bushwhack through the tangles of our lives - the society, systems, and structures we’ve been born into. What needs to change? What is stale and no longer true for us? 

These were baby steps and some of them felt awkward. The pages are all coltish with long limbs that don’t quite know how to walk yet, and aces are pure ideals, untarnished by exposure to reality. If your actions have seemed somewhat graceless and your ideas too abstract or idealistic in the past few weeks, you may be relieved to hear that it’s time to put down our swords and take up a refreshing cup of passion, romance, and poetry. 

The Knight of Cups not only shows a shift in outlook, but an important leveling-up. We’ve graduated to knighthood! In what ways can you see your maturity growing, particularly in your relationships? The Knight of Cups is a dashing and passionate card, one that respects the messages of the heart. Overall, this is also a wonderful week to take this card as an inspiration and lavish love freely in your circles. How can you inject some touches of effusive praise, tender support, and whimsical adventure? 

The zest of this knight, however, is not all frivolous flourishes and decadent touches. See how The Page of Swords turns to the left, into the past, while the King of Cups is facing towards the right, the future, and The Hierophant card? Our time spent inhabiting this view of life - as a place of wonder, opportunities for connection, and pleasures that are meant to be sought out and savored - is leading us from a rugged wilderness and into the hallowed halls of The Hierophant.

A knight loves a challenge, and this week we’re up for negotiating sticky questions, particularly those that involve power and who gets to decide the ultimate meaning of a situation. If you’ve been ceding this role to others, now is the time to step into your power as the arbiter of what truly matters to you. Some beliefs, ideas, and plans may need re-sanctifying as well. Have you been lost in the weeds, taking on outside opinions, or underplaying the preciousness of a culture plan? Take a moment to shake all that off and see how just outlining it has given you meaning and direction. 

The Hierophant is a serious card, and this week we may be surprised to see that things we don’t normally see as serious - the Knight of Cups’ love of beauty, creative expression, and unfettered enthusiasm - have led us to seriously resonant realizations. Perhaps this is a time when pleasure is connecting us to the divine; listen to the messages of the body, trust who you relax around, and which sources of wisdom feed your soul as well as your mind. 

As you may have guessed, The Hierophant points to teachers as important sources of guidance. See which teachers, paths of study, and institutions fuel your inner Knight of Cups. What fills you with a sense of purpose, a quest, a path towards connection? I’m definitely not feeling moderation, here - dream big and ask deep questions. This is not a time for half-hearted or overly utilitarian solutions.

Consider as well where you act as a teacher and mentor to others. While this week shows us in a good position to find or attract the teachers we’re craving, it also invites us to consider the space we take up and how it may be inspiring other, regardless of whether we have an official position or not. Casting a light behind us so that others may follow our path can also illuminate our future in unexpected ways. 

This week, embrace:

• Reflecting on the ideas, decisions, and ways of communicating that have been successful for you recently

• Taking time for simple, sensual pleasures

• Sharing your love with others openly and enthusiastically

• Being passionate about your interests

• Treating yourself, your life path, and goals with respect

• Mentoring, teaching, and helping others

• Asking big, cosmic, and spiritual questions

This week, avoid:

• Getting lost in mundane details

• Scoffing at your ideas preemptively

• Hiding behind intellectual rationalizations

• Power dynamics that feel uncomfortable, unbalanced, or potentially unethical

Get creative:

• The Page of Swords: I’m focusing on the transition from page to knight in this week’s reading. With this in mind, look to the past to see which efforts have yielded results. Perhaps there is a quest you have completed, making you an expert in some way. How can you “knight yourself” and hold up your accomplishments as something worthy of pride? (If anyone gets super-literal with this and conducts an actual knighting ceremony, please let me know ;)

• The Knight of Cups: Go on a pleasure quest! Yes, I realize this sounds like a creepy cruise, but I think you know what I’m getting at. Spend an afternoon (or entire day, if you can spare it) letting yourself roam with the intention of finding beauty, pleasure, and enjoyment. I like to start at a coffee shop or restaurant where I can get a pastry, sit down with my journal, and write poetry or loves notes until I feel a genuine desire to venture somewhere else fun. Listen to beautiful music, browse a shop, go on a nature walk - whatever you do, do so with the intention of soaking up the sensory and spiritual delights of whatever you encounter. And don’t be surprised if something magical and unexpected happens.

• The Hierophant: This card is all about blessing and sanctifying. Where do you feel connected to a higher purpose or power? This week, choose between an actual space - your alar, reading nook, a special spot in nature - or something more metaphysical like a sacred/inspiring text or your meditation practice. Go to that space and simply spend time there, feeling the support you gain in doing so and making some gesture to reciprocate: clean your altar, meditate or pray on the topic of gratitude, or whatever feels right to you. Bring this sense of calm and connectedness into your everyday life.

Weekly Forecast: February 14-20

Discovering and planting the right seeds for spring

Let’s skip to the end for a change: It’s the middle of May and the world has been transformed from restful shades of grey to exuberant green. You’re in your garden, the illustrations on your seed packets come to life in a profusion of blooms around you. The weather is balmy and you’re wearing the festive outfit you bought on winter clearance with the hope of kinder days in mind. It’s peaceful and golden, and you’re waiting for your friends to arrive after having set out a charming, casual array of homemade snacks and drinks. You close your eyes and inhale slowly, savoring a moment of ease and satisfaction.

Now, rewind to the present, and ask yourself: What can I do right now to support this future moment?

Now this vision may not be so literal, and if you’re struggling to resonate with a chill afternoon in the yard (and even if you do), I encourage you to think about how to capture this overall feeling of relaxed power, contentment, and hospitality extending into different areas of your life. The Queen of Pentacles is acting as a role model of sorts in this reading; this is a card that holds the warmth and poise of someone with formidable skills and resources who values stability, community, and reciprocity. How might you begin to step into this character in the days to come?

Court cards often stymie readers because of their cardboard cutout qualities. They all feature similar layouts - a figure holding the symbol of their suit - and I think that leaning into their static, archetypal side is actually helpful. Action figures and trading cards inspire us to play, to use the traits they represent in self-directed action. There may be a facet of “faking it ‘til you make it” to the ways you begin to embody Queen of Pentacles, and rather than viewing this initial awkwardness as disingenuous, welcome it as part of the process. New movements feel stilted until we practice them enough to add them to our muscle memory.

With that being said, let’s return to the beginning of our reading: The Ten of Wands. Our muscles, it seems, are quite tired at the beginning of the week as we struggle to finish important projects and tasks. This phase, however, is very close to its end, and we can gather strength in moments of exhaustion knowing that we’re incredibly close to the finish line, especially when it comes to our external lives in areas like work and creativity. If an action is in service to something you value, do it. If not, lighten your load and let that wand fall by the wayside.

In tarot the tens of the deck illustrate a final conclusion that carries the seed of a new beginning. Sometimes, this particular brand of finality comes with exhaustion. If you feel a particular bone-tiredness coming into this week, don’t despair. Is the fatigue you’re feeling a sign that you’ve reached the end of a long road? How can you give yourself the respect and congratulations you deserve for making it this far? And what changes might give you joy and relief?

Speaking of which, not only do we have a ten showing us the end of a path, we also have an ace right afterwards pointing us in a new and exciting direction. Exhaustion and overwhelm will quickly shift to fascination as a new opportunity comes into focus. We’re shifting from the fast-moving, action oriented world of the wands suit to the grounded and lush pentacles. And, wow, does it seem like we’re ready. We vault from the Ace of Pentacles into the Queen of Pentacles, moving from a fresh beginning into self-assured mastery. What are we taking to with grace and ease? What changes suit us perfectly? This is a time to pay attention to what works, feels good, and develops quickly. If you’ve been waiting for a moment to start something new, commit to a promising path, or invest in yourself, this is the time.

The pentacles are the suit of earth, and sometimes I think we stick to close to the surface of this connection, equating earth with life-giving dirt. But why stay at the top? Dirt is simply the earth’s crust, a fraction of the planet itself. This reading invites us to consider the flashier, deeper parts of the element: the diversity of splendid crystals and minerals, the raw power of molten magma. The Queen of Pentacles is in touch with these inner treasures and can channel their allure and power in service of a meaningful life. This is a time to consider our relationship to our power and respect the heft and impact it can have in the everyday. Are there parts of your life that you can change, gifting yourself with beauty and ease? This is not a time to be self-abnegating or miserly. Some small investments can change the quality of your life, and the Queen of Pentacles reminds us that enjoyment of life brings us closer to ourselves and others, awakening us to the world through sensual experience.

A final word on the Ace here: this is a time when something that seems small has the longterm potential to take us somewhere impactful. The key to identifying it, however, is in how it makes you feel - self assured and grounded like the Queen of Pentacles? Or burdened with obligation like the Ten of Wands? This is a time when we’re close to touching a solution or new path that simply feels good and can skirt around our usual pitfalls. If you feel like you need to suffer to succeed, or that all forward motion needs to be plotted out and planned within an inch of its life, try to let go of these assumptions and follow what unfolds naturally and with ease. It may be uncomfortable at first, but I think that remaining closed off to these changes would be an absolute shame. And, after all, we’re practicing stepping into the Queen of Pentacles’ shoes; if practice makes perfect, why expect ourselves to be perfect just yet?

This week, embrace:

• Putting the finishing touches on projects

• New opportunities that fuel your sense of wonder

• Daydreaming about an ideal life, particularly with regards to your career

• Investing in yourself

This week, avoid:

• Preemptively shooting down ideas because of “practical” reasons

• Airing your tender dreams to unsupportive others

• Getting swept up in big picture worries

• Fighting natural changes

Get creative:

• Ten of Wands: A practical suggestion here: Sometimes the best antidote to overwhelm is a good old-fashioned list. Take some time to sort out your wands by writing out all the little tasks you’re facing - swat those pesky mosquito worries onto the page so you can work with them! Once you’ve written everything out, mercilessly scratch out anything that’s inessential for the week. Either it can wait or it wasn’t important to begin with. Now you have a list of what matters and a clearer head. Farewell, Ten of Wands overwhelm!

• Ace of Pentacles: There’s something dreamy about the aces (maybe it’s all those swirly clouds) and I feel like a good way to see what’s pointing to a new beginning is if it carries the giddy charge of a budding crush. In this card the setting is a lush garden - life is looking pretty good. With that as a framework (your life is good as it is), think of ways you can make it even better. No scarcity mentality here! See if freeing yourself to dream from a place of satisfaction points you towards ideas, paths, or potentials that feel both expansive and actionable.

• Queen of Pentacles: Do you feel like a Queen? I hope so, but I know that I certainly don’t all the time. Let’s take this card as actual inspiration this week. If you feel up to it, choose a day to get decked out in your version of Queen of Pentacles finery. What makes you feel comfortable and fabulous? Whether it’s a pair of “fancy” sweats or a beaded robe (sadly, I do not own one of these… yet) put it on for a day and see how it shifts your view of yourself. How might you capture this feeling in other corners of your life?

Weekly Forecast: February 7-13

Seven of Wands / Six of Cups / Page of Cups

Tense emotions and inner wishes leading to change

This week is animated by the tension between self-protection and vulnerability. In many ways, we’ve been moving fast, energized and sometimes lost in a spin of action. There’s something addictive and hypnotic about being constantly on the move: it feels satisfying, looks impressive to others, and certainly fills our time. But we’re also at a crossroads of sort, the stickier part of a journey where we have to push through a point of stagnation.

Can we be stagnant while moving so fast? This reading certainly thinks so. The Seven of Wands is a powerful card that shows us how resistance helps us move forward. It’s feels satisfying to notice our muscles hard at work as we keep meeting what’s coming with vigor and determination. Just look at this figure, wielding their stick with confidence. They may be slightly stressed (there are a lot of wands rising up to meet them) but the sky behind them is blue and clear; they have the energy they need and may even enjoy breaking a sweat and showing the world what they can achieve. Getting stuck in any card, however, is no way to live, and this week we’ll be tempted to keep up with the intense output seen in many wands cards. The key question is: am I doing this just to do something or am I doing it because it’ll take me somewhere?

If we embrace the energy of the Seven of Wands healthily, we’re in a position to get things done with speed and success early in the week. What is rising up that needs your attention? How can you respond in the moment and keep moving towards the next target? Embrace the focus and flow that comes from remaining attentive to the tasks at hand. The trick here, however, is to notice when the wands have stopped rising to meet us, otherwise we run the risk of whacking wildly at nothing and getting burnt out or goading on other wands to come join the fray. We may have some edgy emotions at play, too. Be alert for angst or sadness masquerading in righteous hustle and bustle. Momentum also takes some time to peter out - how can we gift ourselves a moment of respite after a big task ends?

While our external lives - work, family responsibilities, community projects - take center stage at the beginning of the week, we soon segue into the realm of the personal and interpersonal. The fiery wands give way to the tender cups as we consider the needs of the heart. This is a time to lavish attention on ourselves, to honor and care for our soft underbellies. I’m sensing a contrast between our public and private selves here: Is there a stark contrast or conflict between who we are in the outside world versus who we are internally? Sometimes this can be a necessary and helpful distinction - healthy boundaries that delineate our lives. Pay attention to where you feel the difference is too pronounced, however, and notice what parts of you are needing expression and attention. I’m also sensing a link between the angst, exhaustion, or tension that comes along with the Seven of Wands and the events earlier in the week. The places that feel uncomfortable or conflict-ridden may be telling us something important.

The Six of Cups invites us to enter into our inner sanctum and consider how our emotional needs are being met. What makes us feel safe and loved? If there’s any prickliness coming through in work or relationships, this would be a time to deeply consider how you’re meeting your own needs. The Six of Cups shows a walled courtyard with a guard walking away from the central child-like figures. How have you been protecting your inner child, tending to your imagination, need for love, and connection to nature or spirit? Are you asking others to fulfill this need and getting resentful when they don’t, won’t, or can’t? Take some time to see what your internal courtyard or inner sanctum looks like these days. Is it well tended for, sprouting with life like the flowering cups in the card? Or is it dusty and neglected? Perhaps it is time to plant and water some seeds for yourself.

So how to do this? The Page of Cups gazes at the six with loving curiosity, suggesting that this is a question about us, for us, and to be answered by only us. Pages are the adepts of the tarot court - is there something you’d like to learn more about? An area of the self that’s begging to be explored? This may take the form of a new skill or practice as well as simply inner work. Taking time to delve into your dreams, journal, or express yourself in art will be wildly enjoyable and satisfying. Only we know what new horizons are the most appealing. Take the time to ask yourself these important questions: What do I want? What lights me up? What can I do just for myself? Sitting with prickliness, turning away from mindless productivity, and choosing our passion will result in rich satisfaction and the glimmer of something new.

This week, embrace:

• Tension as a source of wisdom and structure

• Editing, workshopping, or adjusting projects

• Appreciating your hard work

• Time to reconnect with self and/or your inner-child

• Following your curiosity

This week, avoid:

• Unnecessary busy-work

• Resentment towards those who can’t keep up

• Harsh communication

Get creative:

• The Seven of Wands: Reframe a difficult project or situation as a workout of sorts. What skills are you practicing that are making you sweat? How are you growing your strength through your actions? See if you can also identify the muscles you’ve built up - what feels easy now that was previously a huge challenge?

• The Six of Cups: Identify one practice you loved as a child. It could be drawing, spending time in nature, making model airplanes, even watching cartoons. Set aside as much time as you can spare (ideally in the middle of the week, if possible) and devote yourself to this activity with the intention of creating a sacred space free of expectations or outcome. Just have fun and let it fill your cup.

• The Page of Cups: This page is inquisitive and introspective. Pose a question to your subconscious (that charming fish in the cup!) with some dreamwork. Come up with a question and pose it to yourself before falling asleep. I suggest: What do I need to know about my true self? What new path is calling to me? What gift can I start growing? As soon as you wake up, start writing down your dreams. Write even if you don’t remember your dream yet - usually something interesting comes out. Choose a symbol, place, or character for your dream that resonates with you and see if you can incorporate it in your waking life and notice how this inspires you.

Weekly Forecast: January 31 - February 6

Replacing old, destructive ties with a full life: The Devil / Ten of Pentacles / Ace of Swords

weeding out self-sabotage to make room for new growth

We have a juicy reading here, my friends, introduced by none other than The Devil card itself. The only Major Arcana card in our spread, The Devil is giving us a hefty theme to wrestle with: self-sabotage, self-doubt, and the siren song of self-destructive pleasures. Noticing all those “selfs”? As all majors do, this card is directing our gaze towards our inner experience. This week, we have the chance to gaze unsparingly at the choices we make to stay limited, restricted, and wrapped in the chains of The Devil.

Now The Devil is a card I actually love. It sometimes reminds me of a client I once had at an event called “Goth Prom.” He was a slight young man, lurking in the periphery, and when he finally scuttled over for a reading I saw he was wearing lizard-eye contact lenses. Judging by the way he stared at me unblinkingly, he thought these contacts were giving him a confrontational and off-putting aura of mystery. But I didn’t just see his spooky lenses; I also saw his slouching posture and how he was unsure of where to put his hands when he sat down at my table. And then I listened as his stumbling voice tried to project his question over the cacophony of the Goth Prom dance floor. This is all to say that, beneath the provocative eyewear choices, he was quite tender and looking to connect. Similarly, The Devil comes on strong yet is ultimately pointing us towards healing and connection. If we react simply by recoiling - taking his imposing image at face value - we miss out on an opportunity to grow.

Today, I’m looking at the direct gaze of the devil in the center of the card; he’s peering out at us, the readers, wide-eyed and unblinking. I can almost imagine him as a friend trying to catch our glance to telegraph a plea for help - “please get these whining people away from me, they won’t leave me alone!” One part of this card that tarot scholars point out is the loose chains around the necks of the two nude figures - they’re suspiciously loose. Theoretically, they could shrug them off and walk away, but they choose not to. What is keeping us chained to the devil in our life? What habits remove us from a sense of perspective, accountability, and empowerment? And, what powerful message might The Devil be trying to teach us from behind this unhealthy relationship?

Our spread for this week starts with the self - The Devil - and radiates outwards into our everyday lives. Here, we see the Ten of Pentacles, a card that embodies the glorious chaos of a full life. Is there some form of abundance that’s kicking up old wounds, tempting us to retreat to the familiar patterns of The Devil? Or are we simply overwhelmed by the many moving parts our day-to-day entails? As the ultimate expression of the pentacles’ earthy practicality, this ten shows us how beautiful and complex life can be when we’re busy just living it. As I type this, I realize that the experience of the Ten is diametrically opposed to The Devil; in that card we see a retreat from a direct experience of life through dulling our senses in excess, escape, and distraction. The Ten of Pentacles, however, shows us in the midst of the melee - just look at how busy this illustration is! We have multiple generations, dogs, plants, and intricate architecture. What are the structures that give our life shape, both physical and relational? What happens when we busy ourselves tending to these bonds instead of avoiding them?

This is a week to jump into the fray of our lives with the goal of loving and appreciating what we have. And, most importantly, accepting and even celebrating imperfections. The Devil often tempts us with promises of the future, a world where discomfort and disappointment are erased. That’s just an illusion, but it’s easy to get stuck in the darkness, searching for that seductive mirage. Instead, try to ignore the siren song and look to real life for inspiration.

Looking at the imagery in Ten of Pentacles you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that I’m sensing an active and bustling week ahead of us. There’s a tricky, alluring message in this week’s reading, however. The Ace of Swords promises a pivotal breakthrough if we can lose ourselves in the day-to-day. Seeking out this information directly will only frustrate us, so if you’re looking for some insight, play hard to get, turn away from the question, and wait for it to find you instead. Are we coyly flirting with a breakthrough? Maybe. We can have some fun savoring our lives as they are while holding the knowledge that they’ll be changing soon, and in ways that are refreshing and self-directed.

This week, embrace

• Seeing your unhealthy temptations as invitations to heal

• Caring for your body, home, relationships

• Staying true to your everyday rituals

• Checking-in on family, friends, and loved ones

• Activities that feed your health and wellbeing

• A sense of humor with your faults and those of others

This week, avoid

• Aggressively pushing for new information

• Reinventing the wheel

• Self-destructive habits

• Ignoring or putting off responsibilities and uncomfortable truths

Get creative

• The Devil: Shine some light at this card - often the full light of day makes the allure of The Devil’s temptations a whole lot less sexy. Think about (or notice) how you feel after partaking in any of the behaviors, relationships, or thought patterns you identify with this card. When the temptation arises, fast-forward to these insights rather than elevating the spicy idea itself.

• The Ten of Pentacles: Practice reframing the repetition of your everyday life as something to celebrate and a sign that you’re really living. Choose one activity that you have to do every day: brushing your teeth, washing dishes, feeding your dog, cooking breakfast. Each time you do this task this week do so with intention, infusing every gesture with love and care, and making it a devotional act rather than a simple chore.

• The Ace of Swords: Do nothing! Yes, this can be a fun task. Try to enjoy the process of not knowing. Aces are gifts that come of their own accord; we can make room for them, but we can’t force their arrival. Think “amazing epiphany out of nowhere in the shower” energy. So do your best to enjoy life as it is and savor the moments before a new insight changes things.

Journaling with Tarot

Photo @evieshaffer via Unsplash

Journaling is a wonderful practice to explore your inner world, and it’s no wonder then that it dovetails wonderfully with tarot. I’ve used the cards to enhance and guide my journaling practice for years, and I thought it would be helpful to outline some ways that you can do the same. As with all things tarot, take what resonates and leave the rest, and don’t forget to innovate! So, without further ado:

Three ways to use tarot in your journaling practice

1. As a prompt - Use tarot to jumpstart your writing. Draw a card at random and write. You don’t need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the deck, either. Write about how the card makes you feel, the memories and associations its illustration brings up, or go ahead and look up its traditional meaning in a trusted book, app, or website. (For my dictionary of meanings, click here).

2. As a part of your daily draw or reading - If you already have a daily tarot practice, simply add journaling to your process. When you’ve completed the reading itself, take some time to write down your thoughts, predictions, and impressions. If you draw multiple cards, I recommend picking just one to focus on, either the most resonant or the most mysterious/confusing. At the end of the day you may want to journal more or revisit your writing to see how the card evolved over time.

3. As a way to learn the deck - Draw a card from the deck each day (either in order or at random) and write your thoughts on it. I like to spend some time free writing before consulting any outside resources so that I can capture my intuitive impression without getting muddled.

4. For self-reflection - Tarot is wonderful at posing questions (sometimes to the frustration of clients and practitioners!). Use the deck to ask yourself questions in your journal, for example: Where does this energy show up in my life? What would this card do? How might I embody this card? Stay tuned for a series of posts with questions for each card in the deck.

Weekly Forecast: January 24-30

Spinning into something wonderful: The Wheel of Fortune / Temperance / Nine of Pentacles

Riding a cosmic reshuffle to abundance

The past two weeks have been a period of hard work during which we’ve contended with a lot: internal struggles, the sometimes-prickly emergence of new ideas, external difficulties, and unfortunate timing. It’s no wonder we’re feeling ragged around the edges or just plain burnt out. And, let’s be real, I was gritting my teeth ever so slightly when turning over the cards for this week - would we really still be plodding through some rough terrain?

Fortunately, we have a complete shift in the energetic weather pattern that’s been dominating the past few weeks. Oh, am I happy to type that sentence! Not one, but two Major Arcana cards arrive to show us a new focus in the collective energy, and one of them is the actual patron card of change itself: The Wheel of Fortune.

Looking at this card often throws people off their game. A cloudy sky chock full of esoteric symbols? It’s often met with a great big “huh?” and for good reason. Sometimes tarot cards evoke the very feeling that reflects their meaning. With The Wheel of Fortune we see a new wind blowing, and it’s blowing in a bunch of exciting and confusing stuff. We’re meant to be thrown off our game, at a loss for words, and maybe a little bit lost. Right now that may be just what we need.

Have you been feeling like your nose has been so close to the grindstone it’s just about ground off? So tired of working it feels like you’re sleepwalking through work, just doing the motions? Going from this energy to wide-open possibility, shockingly new ideas and situations (with a little bit of cheeky chaos thrown in for good measure) can be extremely overwhelming and destabilizing. It’ll be important to remember that we’ve been craving destabilization. Once we finally have it, we may want to crawl back into our familiar routines, yet our next two cards show us just how much we can do with the surprises popping up this week.

A classic interpretation of The Wheel of Fortune has to do with positioning. When life gives you change where do you place yourself? At the edge, far from your stable core, so that you’re flung to and fro? Or in the center where you can remain still and observe? Keep this in mind as life comes at you in the beginning of this week. We don’t have to make sense of all the wildness immediately, and I have a sense that there’s a lot of enjoyment we can find in the shake-up. Find your position and enjoy the ride.

The Wheel of Fortune spins us out, dazed and dizzy, at the feet of Temperance, a deeply wise card and the second Major Arcana in our reading. Did we need a playful shake to restart? This is a week to embrace newness, strange coincidences, and odd opportunities, for Temperance shows us coming into our own. This card presents us with a strong and nourishing image of self-knowledge. How have we embraced or endured change recently? What has it taught us about ourselves? And how have we chosen to stay true to ourselves no matter how fast the world is spinning by?

I like how these cards compliment each other; there’s a beautiful sense of effortlessness, but not the kind that comes from laziness. Playing our cards right when the world is constantly changing requires an immense amount of focus and poise. We have the opportunity to excel this week, both because the conditions are (finally, in some cases) right and because we’ve been working hard to shore up our skills and strength. Stay alert for where your purpose is aligning with your actions and opportunities. There may be surprising paths and connections appearing out of the blue.

So, if the winds of change are blowing and we’re becoming more in touch with our deeper purpose, where does that lead us? The Nine of Pentacles concludes our reading with a heartening message: we can be both wise and abundant. Who would’ve thought? And perhaps our trip through the dizzying chaos of The Wheel of Fortune has given us newfound appreciation for our special selves, all the talents and reservoirs of insight and grit we bring to life. This card invites us to celebrate in the real world - look around with gratitude at what you’ve built, feather your nest with sustainability (and a healthy pinch of decadence) in mind, and share what you have with trusted friends, family, and community members. Coming home is key when the wild world keeps spinning on. We have more stories to tell, achievements to cherish, and practice at being wise, resilient, and caring no matter what happens.

This week, embrace

• Spontaneity and innovation

• Accepting new offers, invitations, or projects

• Change

• Going with what flows

• Connecting with your highest, wise self while navigating change, busyness, upheaval

• Enjoying your creature comforts

• Sharing with trusted others

This week, avoid

• Being a stickler for details, perfectionism

• Overloading on outside information, the opinions of others

Get creative

• The Wheel of Fortune: Jump on the wheel yourself and channel some of this wild energy! Spend some time writing or envisioning what change you crave, especially if it doesn’t seem realistic. Dream big, get loopy, and enjoy yourself. And, if you’d like, see if there are any seeds that could grow into these changes apparent in your life right now.

• Temperance: Use this card as a talisman when things start to feel overwhelming. What wisdom has brought you to this moment? Like The Wheel of Fortune, Temerpance shows us the magic of forces we don’t entirely understand. What in you is magical, ineffable, and always guiding you towards something nourishing and important? A question to ponder: What voice has emerged in the most important decisions of my life, the biggest challenges, and pivotal crossroads? How can I listen to it more?

• Nine of Pentacles: Ground this energy in the real world with the down-to-earth pentacles. Find an object - either something you own or a special something you can gift yourself - and take a moment to consecrate it (you can go big if you’re into rituals, otherwise a quiet moment of reflection and intention work wonderfully). Place this object in a prominent spot in your home (or wear/transport it with you it, if possible) and think of how you give yourself stability and abundance.

Making Your Own Tarot Spreads

Hopefully your spread will be less chaotic! | Image by @rm_photography

Ah, tarot spreads. You’ve seen them in tarot books, the little handouts accompanying your decks, and all over the internet. Maybe you even spend hours searching for just the right one, a tarot version of spending two hours at a blockbuster trying to find a movie to rent (yes, I just dated myself!) But why search far and wide when you can make your own? In my personal practice I mainly create my own spreads (you can find some of them here). Why? Because oftentimes I want a pointed look at a specific question, I enjoy tailoring a spread to whatever’s on my mind/what I need, and I hate pointless googling.

Making your own spread isn’t as hard as it seems, so I wanted to share some guidelines to help you on your journey. Like anything in tarot, remember that you set the stage and have the power to add, subtract, and innovate as you see fit. Depending on your style, you may want to write these objectives down so you can follow along when it comes time for your actual reading, and so that you can revisit and replicate your spread later.

Basic guidelines for creating custom tarot spreads:

1. Set the topic or question: What do you want to know?

2. Divide into pieces of information: Once you've set the theme to the reading, think about what pieces of information would be helpful. Timing? Make a card for that. Guidance? Another card. Something to watch out for? You have card #3!

3. Make room for mystery & steps forward: I always like to add a card for something I need to know but may not be aware of as well as a card that gives me insight into something simple I can do to start bringing my reading into reality.

4. Write a map of your spread: Now that you have your card placement meanings, arrange them in a map. I like to draw silhouettes of each card and assign it a number; below, I write out a key with each position meaning next to the number. Choose a shape that reflects your objective (i.e. a linear spread for a simple, future-oriented question, a ladder-shape for a path of progress, etc.) Get creative if it feels helpful and inspiring, otherwise choose a basic shape (a line or stacked rows of cards) that feels organized and readable to you.

5. Edit: You’ll usually find some overlapping or extraneous cards in your map. Cut those out without hesitation - simple is better in most tarot readings and the last thing you need in your life is more confusion.

6. Test drive: You now have a complete spread written out - it’s time to read! Draw your cards, arrange them according to your map, and do an inaugural reading.

7. Let it sit: Leave your reading out for a few days to see how its message sinks in.

8. Revisit and edit: Now that you’re armed with some perspective, see if you need to make any tweaks to your spread, and then enter it into your collection for future use.

Weekly Forecast: January 17-23

Eight of Wands / Five of Pentacles / Page of Swords

Satisfying progress, wintry struggles, and renewed determination

After a week of hard work brought to us by the Ten of Wands, we enter into a brief period of ease and progress. The Eight of Wands is one of the most direct and unadorned in the deck- there’s not a person in sight, just an impressive array of wands in mid-flight. With each arranged just so, the scene looks effortless, and it’s easy to forget that this coordinated volley of arrows must have taken skill, planning, and practice to pull off. Has the toil that we dedicated ourselves to last week finally resulted in clarity, action, and maybe even success? Look to where you’re feeling satisfaction and traction if you’re unsure, and keep in mind that after a long slog, success can sometimes seem suspicious. The Eight of Wands, however, asks us to enjoy the ease we’re experiencing and see what we can do when we’re not burdened with planning, strategizing, and questioning. In other words, sometimes things work out, and we’d be foolish not to enjoy it.

I know you’re holding the more upsetting imagery of the Five of Pentacles in your head, ready for the part of the reading where I go “but then all your good fortune wanes…” However, I want to stay with this card for just a moment longer. It’s easy to over-prioritize the more “negative” cards in a reading, perhaps guided by the superstition that we’ll stave off misfortune through worry. Yet what we pay attention to and craft our stories around is what flourishes. And, personally, I think the story that the Eight of Wands tells is far more compelling and complicated than the Five of Pentacles.

The Eight of Wands may represent a brief moment in time (how long can these sticks stay in the air, after all?) but it also shows an important achievement. Each of the eights features some aspect of work, whether it’s practical, emotional, intellectual, or in this case, creative. These are cards where our focus and experience are met with energy and magic. What has been working for us lately? Where do we feel the exhilaration of progress? Where have we surprised ourselves with our daring, resourcefulness, and innovation? By seeing what’s working we can begin to integrate important tools, strategies, and approaches. With the fiery wands in play, we can be sure that there’s some surprising energy and heat behind it all; be careful not to overlook or underestimate the power of what sets you ablaze. Just because something comes easily doesn’t mean that it was easy to get there, nor that it’s easy for everyone else. This week we’re poised to get important insight into our unique abilities and what we have to offer to the world.

So, does that feel lofty enough? Because, yes, we’re coming back to the ground and into the slog and difficulty of the Five of Pentacles. While this is not the gentle landing we hoped for, it is, I think, a necessary reality check. In the middle of the week we’ll be contending with some constraints that snap us out of the reverie of the Eight of Wands and its fast-moving progress. Money, time, and the conditions of our life aren’t cooperating, and this may have us yearning to return to the drawing board. But the fire of the wands needs to meet the solidity of the earth to actually grow - think planting the budding wands in soil so that they become vigorous and resilient saplings. Sure, the Five of Pentacles isn’t the spot we’d choose, but like all fives it represents a challenge that could end up being formative if we persevere.

This card shows us wrestling with our ideas around money, means, and what’s enough. Fun stuff, but an important proving ground nonetheless. See if you can face restraint and suffering as a place for learning and editing. We may not have all the resources we’d like to run full speed ahead, but all is not lost. I’m especially drawn to the weather in this card; trees need sun and warmth to grow, but here we have the only winter scene in the tarot. Could our difficult situation simply be a sign that now is not the time? Trees also need water to grow, and it’s here but simply frozen into snow, suggesting that the hardship is temporary. How can we outlast obstacles, use time to our advantage, and recommit ourselves to our path even when it’s difficult?

The Page of Swords appears at the end of the week, urging us to start looking at things from a new perspective. Last week our reading concluded with the Ace of Swords and I’m loving the image of us taking up that shiny sword - a new idea, guiding principle, or worldview - and starting to wield it in our lives. It may be awkward at first, but we’re motivated, and it’s sparkling allure is moving us towards clarity. What might we have to learn about our relationship to money, stability, and “having enough” this week? Are there any beliefs we’re now equipped to cut away, making our own meaning in their place? I see a full circle moment here - after experiencing both success and challenge this week, which do we choose as the story that defines us? This page inspires us to take up our own cause even if we’re unsure how things may work out and trust that we can discern the right path to take, one step at a time. It may not be what we expect, and this week it may be a slog, but it’s also ours to take, and spring is coming. What will start to flourish when the snow melts if we can just hang on a little longer?

this week, embrace

• The exhilaration of getting things done

• Enjoying being in a state of “flow”

• Complex projects that utilize your skills

• Movement, creativity, and whatever is feeling energizing

• Practicing discernment during moments of stress or despair

• Seeing inherited ideas about resources, finances, and success with clear and critical eyes

This week, avoid

• Unnecessary spending and other financial risk-taking

• Rash decision-making, especially when out of fear

• Letting setbacks or external shortcomings define you

get creative

• The Eight of Wands: Think of something you’re really, really good at. How do you feel when you’re engaged in this activity? Look for these feelings in other areas of your life - how can you cultivate this state more mindfully? If this exercise brings up anxiety or shame, welcome it with gentle acceptance and explore these feelings whenever you feel comfortable.

• The Five of Pentacles: This is a card that’s best faced head-on, so I’m going to give an extremely unsexy suggestion here: look at your budget! While it may be stressful, there’s something ultimately relieving about it. After all, the numbers don’t lie. So whatever form your budgeting takes, from nonexistent to bespoke excel spreadsheet, take the pulse of your financial situation and work on cutting back unnecessary expenditures and adding to your savings. Think of it as plodding through the snow in the card - the going might be slow, but you’re still going somewhere. And before long, you may have the resources to actualize the vision shown in the Eight of Wands.

• Page of Swords: The Pages are the cheeky youths of the tarot. When you sense yourself sliding into stress or despair, use your wit to reframe the situation. Can you retell this tale of woe as a satire? A comedy of errors? A rollicking misadventure? Humor can cut through malaise and return you to a place of empowerment and authenticity.

Weekly Forecast: January 10-16

Kind of Cups/ Ten of Wands / Ace of Swords

Deep wisdom providing the courage to make a final push towards clarity and inspiration

I’ll be honest, I’m excited to see the King of Cups leading us into the week. An understated and sometimes overlooked member of the tarot court, the King of Cups embodies values that often get pushed to the side in a world that moves fast, talks faster, and is quick to jump to conclusions. This King is not rash, easily swayed, or willing to sacrifice integrity, even in the face of immense pressures. It’s this energy that urges us to step into the week with focus and determination.

When I see the King of Cups, I’m always inspired to stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Once I’ve left the wild spin of my mind for that briefest of moments, I usually find myself checking into my body - feeling my feet against the softness of my house slippers (yes, I am working from home, why do you ask?), smelling the steam coming off my cup of tea, or noticing soreness in my clenched jaw. I might even be inspired to explore my emotional state as well. Is there something I’m not saying that has my jaw so tight? Do I need to get a glass of water, maybe think about how to articulate something important? The King of Cups leads us down similar paths of awareness, inviting us to follow the breadcrumb trail of our physical and emotional reality. We must, however, stop to accept the invitation, and follow it without judgment.

I’m seeing a similar “take the next step” energy at work in the coming days. We have a lot on our plates and we’ll need to muster all the wisdom and equanimity that the King of Cups has to offer. We have a lot of work to do in our external life which is why it’s equally important, even essential, to do so from a place of self-awareness, compassion, and self-esteem. The King of Cups embraces his role as a leader of himself and others. We may be given opportunities to use the wisdom we’ve fought to earn through our personal healing practices in the larger world, extending compassion in difficult situations and leading by example. Looking at this card, we can see that, despite being in the middle of a boisterous and action-packed ocean (check out that bizarro whale and bright red ship!) the King is, in fact, seated on a sturdy throne. Its stone base may float through some magic, but since the Minor Arcana are centered around the physical world, I like to imagine his throne extending as a pillar through miles and miles of deep ocean. What hard work have we done to construct emotional and spiritual stability for ourselves? What gives us quiet strength no matter what wildness happens in life around us? Now is a time to tap into these sources as we grapple with important work and big challenges.

The Ten of Wands shows us the nature of our undertaking. We’ve been toiling for quite some time, taking an idea or opportunity from its exhilarating beginning to near conclusion. Though we’re weary, we’re also almost done; the Ten of Wands illustrates the last few steps before the end of a journey animated by the fire and inspiration of the wands. What important endeavors have we been working on? How can we honor our commitment and see things through to the end?

This card can also come up when we’re simply so exhausted that we may not remember or be aware of the huge load we’re carrying, our perspective narrowed as we simply fight to keep moving forward. While we can trust in the process and continue nonetheless, don’t hesitate to recenter by returning to what inspires you - looking at the wall of wands and rediscovering the single idea, value, or event that started it all (in other words, seeing the Ace of Wands within the Ten). What was the spark of energy that started this powerful and, at times, overwhelming fire? How can you use that energy to finish the tasks at hand?

The King of Cups stands behind this card with reassuring calm. It would be wise to stay our course, he advises, and to avoid any mishaps or mistakes that spring from emotional reactions instead of wise, emotionally resonant decisions. The Ten of Wands is as many wands as you can get in tarot, and sometimes a collection of sticks is a bonfire waiting to happen. This is a time to practice patience with others and to simply observe our emotions before taking them as gospel truth or a call to arms. We certainly don’t need any more fire in this reading; allow yourself to relax in the deep waters of the King of Cups when difficulty and stress arise.

So, yes, a challenging week and one where we’re grappling with exhaustion and burnout, but what’s at the other side? The Ace of Swords gleams just beyond our burden of sticks - a breakthrough is on its way, and a shift in energy, from action and striving to awareness and ideas. Perhaps we’ve encountered some glimmers of new information, either as a result of our current projects and struggles or… they’ve simply appeared out of thin air. Aces are enlivening gifts and we never know when they’ll appear.

Towards the end of the week be sure to welcome and explore any new ideas, opportunities, or connections, particularly if they’re connected to swords-y topics: learning, communication, information, and mental clarity. Aces have an impish, alluring quality to them: what’s calling you forward, enticing you towards newness, or sparking your interest? It’s essential, however, not to push things (look at all those wands we’ve been carrying! We clearly need a break). We must rest and recuperate in order to be ready for what’s new. And what’s could be more in line with the wisdom of the King of Cups than that?

This week, Embrace

• Self-care routines that keep you grounded

• Bringing nonjudgmental awareness to your emotions

• Taking time to recenter around your experience and values before acting

• Perseverance and follow-through

• Curiosity and lighthearted learning or intellectual exploration

this week, avoid

• Abrupt changes, radical edits, or wholesale abandonment of longterm projects

• Getting caught in the emotions, drama, or the conflicts of others

• Downplaying your work and contributions or side-stepping acknowledgment

• Burdening new ideas or points of curiosity with over-planning or expectations

get creative

• King of Cups: Set aside some time for solitude, close your eyes, and journey inward with the intention of finding your peaceful center. Notice the sensations that arise when you feel connected to yourself, along with any images, memories, or impressions. Find whatever feels most powerful, whether it’s a single thing or a combination you weave into a powerful whole (I like to image my “inner sanctum” as a specific place, for example). When stress arises, call this image to mind and draw on its power and quiet any hubbub, drama, or confusion in the world around you.

• Ten of Wands: Look at all the tasks in front of you and ask yourself the question: Does this connect back to an important spark? While the Ten of Wands represents a final push, we can also accumulate the weight of needless worries, unnecessary tasks and busy work, as well as the expectations and demands of others. Use the memory of your initial inspiration to burn away any of this energy-sucking additional labor.

• Ace of Swords: Let your wandering mind roam free and pick up a book, article, or podcast about something completely out of your wheelhouse. I’m feeling strong “twenty tabs open in your browser” energy here - do share any interesting discoveries and let yourself get weird.