Weekly Forecast: June 26-July 3
This is a reading of deep emotion. A struggle is ending, or perhaps it seems like it’ll never end - where do we seek refuge when the outside world appears hostile and unbearable? How can we mark an ending for ourselves and gain perspective?
The Ten of Wands is all about bearing burdens, yet as a Minor Arcana card it speaks to the realm of the everyday. And we all know how many burdens can be found there. Where then, can we go? The High Priestess has the answers.
Many “tarot people” love this card, and I’m one of them. It symbolizes arcane wisdom, great mysteries, liminal spaces, and the inscrutable rhythms of nature and magic… just the entire vibe of the occult corner of the bookstore or a moonlit view on a solitary walk at night.
The High Priestess, however, does not deal in easy answers. This is not a time for easy answers. Nor, in fact, is it a time for frenetic action. The Ten of Wands is telling us we’re done with running to and fro; we’ve actually been doing this for quite a while (how else did we get all these wands?). We’re tired. And there’s great wisdom to be found in our dreams.
This is a reading where one card is inviting us in - the sun in our reading’s solar system. Take some time this week to gaze into the eyes of The High Priestess. Consider what difficult opposites you find yourself standing between. What big questions confront you when you step away from the busy world of the wands and journey inwards? What really matters?
I’m not talking about strictly solitary journeys here, but I do think that this reading is nudging us to consult ourselves first before starting down new paths. The self I’m talking about is the higher self, too, and not the ego. The High Priestess, despite her allure and charisma, is a difficult card. Don’t be surprised if things feel challenging and if answers don’t come easily. This is simply a reflection of the complexity and importance of what’s coursing through our lives right now. Most importantly, this card is about holding difficulty gently so that we can understand it, then letting it flow through us. We don’t need to grasp and grip like the Ten of Wands - we’re all keepers of a great mystery and this is a week to remember it and tap into something greater.
Ask yourself what greater stories and larger trends, whether they’re in history or your own life, can give you strength and perspective. The High Priestess exists in the nuanced shadows of life; she sits with power between the two pillars of opposites. This is her place of wisdom and this is her home. How can we find ourselves at home amidst challenge, polarization, and the seductive pull of easy but incomplete answers?
So, yes, there’s some confrontation in this card, along with the need to turn inwards. Yet taking the time to do so will open up avenues for stunning moments of connection and expression. The High Priestess sits on the land but peek behind her and you’ll glimpse a calm sea gently lapping at the shore. In tarot, water symbolizes emotion, intuition, and spirit. So what do we have as our final card? The ultimate expression of water itself - The Ace of Cups.
It’s as if the curtain behind The High Priestess has fallen away to reveal a great gift. The time we spend with this card (and consulting with our higher selves) will usher in a scene of nourishing connection and expression. If you’re worrying that taking time to gather your wits, consult your dreams and intuition, and retreat from the grind of the Ten of Wands is selfish and indulgent, just look to this card for reassurance.
I’d also like to point out that The Ace of Cups is telling us something important: emotion and feeling are the key to this moment. Find how The High Priestess expresses herself through you and you’ll begin to feel something moving and important. Let this through; see where the feeling takes you.
This week, embrace:
Patience
Inner Power
Intuitive messages (have I mentioned dreams enough??)
Standing your ground
Inspiring and sustaining connection
Romance and friendship
New connections
This week, avoid:
Burnout
Avoidance through busywork, over communicating, or self-punishment
Mistaking ego (of yourself or others) for wisdom
Emotional repression
Get creative:
Ten of Wands: I’m really feeling the burdens shown in this card this week, and I think this card is asking us to put our sticks down and shake it out. Spend some time caring for your body, period. But to really energize this card, treat yourself to a frenetic, joyful dance party. One song. Fast and exciting. Move like a wild creature. Drop those stick to the ground and shake the life back into your limbs.
The High Priestess: I’m intrigued by the energy of The High Priestess in this reading. There’s usually a card that holds a teasing invitation: you don’t know all that I have to say just yet. This is the one for me this week. I invite you to meditate on the mystery you hold within yourself. Just five minutes will do, though more can be illuminating. Breathe deeply, sit with yourself, and maybe envision yourself walking towards The High Priestess, sitting between her pillars at the shore. Ask her/yourself: “What do I need to know right now? What latent power am I holding that needs to be brought into the world?”
Ace of Cups: This card is so beautiful I almost don’t want to give any suggestions for it. Part of the glory of the aces is that they appear of their own accord. So, this week, let’s practice accepting beauty, connection, and tenderness. When someone reaches out with an offer to help, build relationships, or anything cups-y, reach back. This extends to the beauty of everyday life as well; nothing is too small to transform us. And, with all this practice, we’ll be primed to accept our big ace moment however it arrives.