Weekly Forecast: December 12-18

After a tumultuous week that has us focusing on what was ending, we’re now directing our gaze to where sustenance, beauty, and inspiration is flowing with natural abundance.

Last week was ruled by The Tower - that quintessential card of upsetting endings - yet it was also bolstered by the magic of the Seven of Cups. No one moment is entirely “good” or “bad",” and just as The Tower has room for beauty, beauty holds plenty of room for suffering. Yet it’s often this contrast that makes important ideas and sources of information visible. So, this week, we’re gifted with the awareness of an important wellspring, one that’s setting the stage for our next phase in life.

And, as the dust settles more and more, we’re starting to see how this source is ever-present and constantly flowing. What happens when we center our lives here instead of the hard walls of, say, a Tower?

The Ace of Cups is an undeniably gorgeous card, one we haven’t seen in quite some time. If last week had us scrambling to dream ourselves forward despite the chaos of something ending spectacularly, this week the chaos has subsided to reveal a more unified understanding of what really matters to us.

It’s crucial to note here that the cups are a group of cards that speak to feelings, not thoughts, concepts, or practices. We can direct these feelings into actions, of course, and translate some of their messages into ideas, but at their core, cups are about the watery and mysterious world of our emotions, spirit, and intuition. Experiencing and understanding this part of our lives comes easier to some than others, so be gentle if you struggle with validating and trusting their messages. Aces, however, are all about awareness and acceptance, nothing more, so just try to stay with what feels good. It’s likely that in dreaming big last week you gained a new understanding of what truly gives you sustenance - real spiritual and emotional sustenance. Let that be enough and see what your burgeoning awareness might reveal.

The rest of this reading plants us at an intriguing juncture. It’s time for a change, but not one we’re being forced into. This week we’re taking back the reins and mustering our energy to forge our own path forward. If you’ve been considering an impactful change in your daily life (Seven of Pentacles), this is the time to start making some decisions about it (King of Wands).

And let’s take a moment to appreciate our “elemental array” we’re working with - water (cups), earth (pentacles) and fire (wands). No airy swords in sight which tells us that this is not a time to analyze or deal in concepts or abstractions. Our inspiration is flowing, we have a solid foundation/resume, and now is the time to step into our role as the authority over our life and energy and do something.

If that feels pressure-filled, simply return to the Ace of Cups because there is no better card to represent authentic, heart-centered motivation. It’s been watering our efforts for some time, as shown in the lushness of the Seven of Pentacles, but we’re also ready to take things to the next level. Again, this is not about reinventing the wheel, but it is about finding new pathways that can give you increased satisfaction and avenues through which you can express your skills, talents, and charisma.

The King of Wands is an immensely charming card, and it tells us to live big and celebrate who we truly are. This is, after all, the King of Fire. What has you lit up right now? What is the source of your personal energy, creativity, and sense of mission? As a publicly-facing card, this King asks us to take responsibility for our gifts - they’re meant to be shared so that their fire can give warmth and light to others.

Notice how the King is also turning to the left, beholding the cards that come before them. Sometimes taking a “fiery stance” feels intimidating or confrontational, even. But this reading is wonderfully balanced; we’re aware of where we stand and that awareness, in fact, is what’s giving us confidence and informing our actions. There’s plenty of water to control a fire if it burns too wildly. There’s plenty of earth to soak up and be nourished by the effusive and plentiful water. In these conditions, taking a chance is not a risk, it’s a joyful requirement.

This week, embrace:

• Identifying sources of pleasure, beauty, and inspiration

• Naturally-occurring healing

• Letting things in, not forcing them

• Calm and grounded assessments of your daily life and career

• Your personal authority, energy, and vision

• Making changes with all these in mind/guiding/supporting you

This week, Avoid:

• Fear-based decision-making

• Rushing plans

• Discounting what comes easily or feels good to you

Get creative:

• Ace of Cups: Identify one thing that makes you feel amazing and do it more often. Bonus action: Obligatory Ace of Cups ritual bath (because how could I not?) - A heaping cup of Epsom salts, fresh mint, rose petals, and a few drops of sweet orange essential oil.

• Seven of Pentacles: Find or consecrate a houseplant you already have to represent your eighth pentacle - what do you want to grow and tend to in your life right now? As you care for it, envision this project or venture flourishing.

• King of Wands: The Albano-Waite-Smith deck we’re using this week is really making this king seem extra-fiery, so I think we should do the same. Find a power outfit, preferably red, and wear it all week or on a day when you need to be seen, get your point across, or muster your energy.

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.

Weekly Forecast: February 25 - March 3

This week's energy combines the dreaminess of imagination with the refreshing clarity of decisiveness. Rarely are such crowd-pleasing cards seen in the same spread: the gorgeous cups with the charismatic Queen of Wands. So what does it all mean?

Well, for starters there's a distinct order to these cards, and it's one that might feel a bit indulgent at first glance. This week the Ace of Cups is leading the way and it's our job to follow its effusive and nurturing example. 

When we see aces in any reading it's a welcome sign that a gift is entering our lives. This gift can be literal, but more often than not it's more of a shift in focus and mood. The Ace of Cups centers around the joy and inspiration that arises from authentic and loving connections. What more beautiful way to illustrate this than a cup overflowing into a fountain of water with a chipper bluebird and stunning lotus floating above?

There's certainly an element of good luck to the aces, and that requires us being brave enough to reach out and claim the good fortune that's coming our way. Since this bit of bliss is tied to the cups, we need to be especially alert for any negative self-talk around emotions. The only enemy to the bounty of the aces is our inability to welcome them into our lives.,

If we feel undeserving or blocked, we risk blocking this welcome and important change. A shadow side to this ace is that when we let go and accept goodness - allowing ourselves to feel excited or joyful - we can sometimes open the door to other feelings as well. As a wise man once told me, tears are just drops of water moving freely. Feeling our feelings without judgment is one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves. And leaning into them is opening up a huge range of possibilities.

So let things be sweet and tender this week. Notice how it makes you feel to look at life as if it's supporting you, not fighting against you. And adopt a healthy dose of romantic whimsy. The Ace of Cups is leading to the Seven of Cups, one of my favorite trickster cards. Here, we see a massive creative outburst. Where we once felt stuck we now see a glimmering array of choices, paths, and options.

This can be as delightful as it is destabilizing. How on earth do we choose? But before we rush into decision-making we can learn a lot from observing and exploring. What is tickling our fancy, after all? And how did we get to a place where the world seems to bloom with options? It's worth remembering what brought us here so we can call upon the same forces when we feel stuck in the future. Digging a little deeper can give us insight into the conditions we need to thrive.

Most importantly, however, this week is teaching us about the pivotal role of inspiration in our lives. Opening up and following what makes our heart sing through the Ace of Cups is opening up a whole new vista. And while the cups often get pigeonholed into themes of romance, they also have a beautiful lesson about connectivity and personal fulfillment. Following what's emotionally satisfying and invigorating can be shockingly effective. After all, our reason often catches up after the fact.

Which, for the impatient among us, is where the Queen of Wands comes in. This card brings some gravitas to the first two. Seeing her shows us that this moment, though we might think of it as a bit too far-fetched or veering away from the practical/responsible, is a key part of our process right now. We have to follow our hearts to know what to do next.

The Queen of Wands is a card of passionate decisiveness. She acts with energy and is unapologetic about following her path. Like her, we conclude the week feeling secure in our next moves, not because they make complete logical sense or sound impressive to others, but because we took the time to identify what we truly love. What's more certain or inspiring than that?

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Weekend Send-Off: Cozy Times

Well, it’s cold here at last! Unfortunately, it’s been raining constantly, too. After three cloudy and damp days spent hunched over my computer putting the finishing touches on the updated Year Ahead Readings I felt like the tech version of Gollum. Seeing the sun today has been deeply enlivening and I’m hoping to spend some time taking in the fresh air and putting my garden to bed.

Though I have to admit I did have a blast adding some more magic to these readings. I have a special place in my heart for making artsy PDF booklets and readings (just ask my tarot students! I think my Tarot Basics class book is 30+ pages) Amidst all that magic, I did have some time for tarot-related explorations, such as…

Benebell Wen’s Experience of Creating and Publishing a Tarot Deck - “Behind the Scenes of the Glamorous Deck Collector”

I love Benebell Wen’s unvarnished explorations of being a metaphysical practitioner. Her site is full of amazingly frank and helpful resources - spreasheets on how to make a tarot business work, legal insights, and now the realities of creating your own deck.

I’m sure many of us have casually mentioned creating our own deck and even more of us have produced indie or self-published tarot or oracle cards. Well, now we have a much better picture of what it looks like behind the scenes. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot of work!

Asali Earthwork’s Thoughts on Court Cards

We had so many courts pop up in our collective reading at Tarot Club last night that it was such a pleasure to stumble upon this nice overview today. Courts can be the trickiest to learn since they open us up to questions rather than answering them, but this refreshingly straightforward investigation should be helpful to anyone trying to navigate these sixteen cards.

Repeat Tarot Card - Three of Cups

More than just this week, this card has been all over my readings for over two months now. Not that I’m complaining; its jovial and community oriented tone is always welcome (and has some complex facets to boot.)

Most fascinatingly, it appeared in a reading at a party a few weeks ago. Instead of the usual questions about love or career, the querent wanted to know about the political situation in the U.S. You know, light party fare! This appeared to show what we can do to be more involved: work together and show up in-person in our communities to lift each other up. Now that I can get behind.

Listening, Reading, Watching

After following Sarah Gottesdiener on instagram for ages, I was delighted to see her launch a podcast on magic with Amanda Yates Garcia. Strange Magic approaches tarot and other practices from an intersectional feminist lens and has been featuring interesting episodes on each of the Major Arcana cards. Definitely worth checking out if you need another tarot podcast in your life.

Outside of the woo-sphere, I’ve been really enjoying the show Homecoming with Julia Roberts. I was NOT expecting such a tense and artful show full of oldschool cinematography techniques! It’s a visiaul treat and easily digestible with 30-minute episdoes.

And, yes, I have picked up another depressing book, but it is truly and deeply amazing - The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II by Svetlana Alexeivich.

And now, finally, our card for the weekend:

Ace of Cups

Message: Stay alert and excited for a beautiful emotional gift: a new connection, important realization, deeply felt feeling, or moment of transcendent beauty.

Embrace: Connections, socialization, emotional honesty, curiosity, open-mindedness.

Let Go Of: Hyper-rationality, emotional repression, fear of being seen, predictable routines.

Guidance: Something magical could happen at any moment and no other card encapsulates the sustaining joys of the unknown than the Ace of Cups. Look forward to profound experiences and allow yourself to look for them in unexpected places.

Weekly Forecast: October 22-28

My oh, my. This week has us in a day-dreamy and romantic state! What begins as a simple idea - the loosely held sort that just pops into our mind - sends us off on a path of reverie and intrigue. These cards remind me of the power and shock that comes from effortless inspiration. Sometimes we play around with what seems like an outlandish idea only to see it jumping into reality with no issue at all.

In the next few days we'll be finding ourselves immersed in the intoxicating world of creativity. Initially, however, we're putting on a much more pragmatic mask. The Two of Wands is looking to the past and while this card is one to dream big, it prefers to lead with fiery ambition and action. In other words, we may initially think we're looking for something tangible and normal. The Two of Wands seeks to feather its nest further, collecting accomplishments and goals with the daring and focus of an explorer. In reality, however, we're using this stance to get at something a bit deeper that's connected to slippery and shimmery desires rather than outward trappings of success.

This is all wonderfully fine and dandy. The Two of Wands has their back turned away from the irresistible pull of the Ace of Cups and The Moon. We might not be afraid to admit out loud that we want something indelible, delicious, and magical. Irregardless of our intentions, however, we're slowly moving towards it. And maybe not facing it head-on is part of the tension, suspense, and fun.

So what does this all mean on the ground? We may find ourselves starting projects or playing with ideas that quickly become enrapturing and imbued with special, even surprising, meaning. Have we been wanting to start a painting, carve pumpkins, work on a personal project, sing at karaoke? Or have we been drawn into a new sense of romance, either with an existing partner or new one? The Ace of Cups brings with it all the exhilaration of beginnings. Following what feels good, right, and exciting is exactly what we need to do, no matter how outlandish or silly it might seem. And it’s stirring up deeper parts of ourself as shown in The Moon.

Both Cups and The Moon deal with the realms of feeling. We move away from the world of action and thought seen in the wands and swords and into something much more dream-like, symbolic, and shifting. All this makes me think of the magic of costumes. We try them on for tradition, a bit of fun, and the joys of dressing up. But no matter how silly the garb, when we put on something that represents another creature, role, or figure we become transformed. This week is a wonderful time to play with direct ways of shifting our self-perception. Taking these Ace of Cups opportunities is bringing us to a new understanding of ourselves that blurs the lines we've set for ourselves (or that have been put upon us by others.) How can we see ourselves differently when we follow our sense of imagination and creativity wholeheartedly?

This is a lovely time to set aside expectations and, especially, the pressures of time. We're not dealing with straightforward cause and effect here. The Moon plays a long, sometimes winding game. Staying open to the surprising depth of our creative and romantic pursuits is setting a personal sea change in motion. We don't have to see the whole path ahead and that would strip the situation of most of its fun. Rather, we simply need to lean into the creative spring of the Ace of Cups and see how it transforms us. 

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Weekly Forecast: October 1-7

Sometimes we look at situations far too seriously. It's an easy thing to do. Challenges deserve attention and scrutiny, don't they? Isn't it our job to bravely face them, head on and ready to go?

One of the things I love most about the suit of swords is their wise depiction of the challenging world of our thoughts. Like a sword, we can wield them with power and conviction, cutting paths for action and giving ourselves the clarity of direction. Or, you know, we could wave them around, cutting other people, and, more commonly, ourselves. 

Tricky business, indeed. Only one of the swords cards addresses trickery itself, and that's our first card for the week: the Seven of Swords. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck it's illustrated with a young fellow sneaking away from a colorful array of tents with five swords in his arms. Two stand upright by his feet. There's a formation of shadows in the distance behind him with what appears to be the silhouette of a raised spear. Clearly, this character has pulled off some naughtiness and deception.

Usually this card brings with it standard meanings of deceit, theft, and subterfuge. Yet here we see another side to this card. The soft blues are matched to our remaining two cards, the harmonious Ten and Ace of Cups. How could this tricky card be aligned with the warmth and receptivity shown here?

While it's no good stealing swords from your neighbor's tents, we're also clearly not living in Medieval times anymore. The Seven of Swords illustrates a mental approach and the tent the home of our guarded and cherished ideas. Sometimes we need a jaunty thief to sneak in and extract the true treasures. Like The Fool and his knapsack, this is a moment where we can only carry so much with us. What's more, it's also a moment where thinking and acting playfully is actually allowing us to think bigger and bolder and, most wonderfully, quickly discard some stale ways of thinking.

In this case, seriousness isn't cutting the mustard. We've become a bit stagnant and stuck, placing too many constraints around us. The Ten of Cups shows us that what we need is to embrace the trickster nature of the Seven of Swords. Direct conflict, explaining, and arguing aren't even necessary. We can simply sneak into our own set of guarded beliefs and extract what makes us feel light, whole, and full of possibility. Anything less will only hold us back on our journey.

So the questions to ask now are: Does this idea invigorate me? What ideas are holding me captive? And, crucially, How can I have more fun?

In order to embrace the flowing, emotive, and joyful energy of the cups we need to lighten up a bit. Doing so is proving to be the last piece of the puzzle on a much longer emotional journey. The Ten of Cups depicts a beautiful arrival. We're coming to a place of transcendent intimacy were we're being seen clearly for who we are by like-minded souls. We may have built up some resistance to this way of being (those extra swords in the tent); instead of wrestling with them directly, we can do a graceful side-step. 

We might be surprised to see how quickly we arrive at this feeling of oneness and, even more delightfully, it's bringing us to the Ace of Cups - a new wellspring of inspiration, connection, and good fortune. 

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Tarot Cards for Summer

Ah, Summer. What a langorous and wonderful season. School's out, work slows down, and people take their vacations. It's a time for enjoying life: delicious food, the joys of swimming, and happy time spent with friends and family.

So where does Summer show up in the tarot? According to most tarotists, the suit most assocaited with Summer is the cups. What's more summery than water and the loving, sensual feelings it carries with it? 

Summer also brings to mind relaxation, growth, connection, and unfurling. Below are some cards that I associate with this season. Look to these to gain a sense of time or to indicate these themes in your readings.

Ace of Cups

This card shows the effusion of good feelings that come with Summer. Think of the excitement of the last day of school and the openness of free time. Aces are beginnings and influxes of energy, so here we can see the refreshing feeling of Summer arriving on the scene. It's that beginning of the vacation feeling, a new romance, and the warmth that comes with spending quality time with others. When aces appear we can also be sure that a new adventure is about to begin. Here, it's through connection, love, and romance. Summer has a way of stripping us of inhibitions and this card sees us showing up fresh, available, and ready to connect.

The Hanged Man

This context taps into the "just chillin'" side of The Hanged Man. Here we can see relaxation, detaching from worry, and leaning into a state of ease. Much like we're able to unwind when the days get longer, we're less busy at work, and - of course - away from everyday life and on a vacation. This card also shows us that relaxation is an important ingredient to self-discovery. When we let our minds wander and give up on controlling things we also give other pieces of information and insight time to percolate and develop. And we leave space for people to seek us out and enjoy our undistracted presence.

Nine of Pentacles

This card screams "garden party" to me, and indeed the Nine of Pentacles is the embodiment of hospitality. The garden she's cultivated is beautiful and open to whomever would like to stop by. This card shows us how generosity and sharing joy with others is an essential ingredient to success. Taking time to enjoy what's beautiful, pleasurable, and satisfying is an important part of life we can often overlook, foolishly thinking it's not important. Better yet, doing this with others builds community on good times and good will and has lasting effects we may not be aware of in the moment.

The Empress

The Empress is a card for late summer when the time has come to harvest what's ripe on the vine before the chill of fall arrives. She emulates the strength of preparation, respect and love for nature, and the abundance of knowing oneself. Of course, there are themes of fertility here as well. Think of this card when communing with nature, caring for your family, and pursuing pleasure for pleasure's sake. This card refers to the time when we celebrate the bounty of summer and start transitioning into fall and winter. 

What about you? What tarot cards do you find full of Spring energy? Share in the comments below.

Weekly Forecast: June 26 - July 3

When I flipped over the first card for this week I had myself a little chuckle. I love this verision of the nine of swords. Not only are the swords one of my favorite suites in the deck (I had to learn to love them when they were I all I seemed to pull as a new reader!) but they have a direct, almost dramatic way of looking at the world.

And this nine? Well, it's probably the most "metal" tarot card I've seen! It reminds me of the t-shirts an ex of mine used to wear with wild, grotesque illustrations and band names I could never read they were so ornate.

Similarly, this card throws a lot at us visually, so much that we almost want to move on without delving into what it could mean. It's off-putting and so we assume it's message is clear aka something unpleasant is happening.

If we look at the next two cards, however, we'll see that this busy, nasty nine sets the stage for some colorful simplicity. How can this be?

The nine of swords shows us how we can really get in the weeds when it comes to our thoughts. Those disembodied eyeballs? They remind us how when we're feeling extra vigilant and anxious we detach from the rest of ourselves. We're just alert, all eyes, looking for the next sign of trouble. We're not whole.

When we're feeling like this everything can look like a threat, even what once seemed comforting and benign. In a nine of swords state of mind we can't trust our first reactions. It's like when you're home alone and the sun goes down. The bright sunny house felt so cozy moments ago, but now that it's plunged into darkness any creak or motion has you thinking the only plausible cause is a serial killer on the loose.

Yet while it's not pleasant to experience, these moments remind us in no delicate terms that being all nervous eyeballs is no way to live. We've swung away from balance, lost touch with the rest of our senses, and it doesn't feel good. This week we'll be getting a reminder to step back, breathe deeply, and think of ways to look at the world differently.

We move out of the thinking suite of swords and into the protective and creative suits of wands. Not just any wands card, but the queen of wands! She is telling us to reign in our wild, fearful thinking and center again on ourselves and what is precious to us. 

Far from being passive, this queen is telling us we can be alert and protective but of something truly valuable. Where the nine of swords shows protective instincts motivated by fear, the queen of wands shows protectiveness inspired by creativity and action.

We're being asked to focus on what we're fighting for rather than fighting against. And not so much fighting, but protectively nurturing. What is this snake coiled around? Three beautiful eggs and an elegant branch. What precious ideas are we keeping warm right now? What can we do to give them the perfect environment to hatch in?

We're going to be presented with many opportunities to correct our knee jerk reactions this week and reframe our thinking. In the process, we'll be forced to simplify. Three eggs and a branch instead of a terrifying melange of eyeballs, swords, and worms. Ultimately, we'll be opening up to one, unifying new possibility: the ace of cups.

I see the nine of swords as the necessary struggle we must confront in order to make the conscious edits to our cluttered lives. We can't know the value of our actions in the world without struggle to give them contrast. After wading through this with bravery, we'll have stripped away enough extras to leave us open, vulnerable, and ready to accept a new, life-expanding gift.

The ace of cups signifies an incoming energy of giving, tenderness, and relationships. We can't accept these gifts if we're wrapped up in fear and they're coming our way, so the challenge has been given to us. Rise to it and we'll be able to usher in a new phase with ease and gladness. 

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Weekly Forecast: Oct 31 - Nov 6

Cards from the Mountain Dream Tarot

We’re entering that lovely yet fraught time of the year: The Holidays. The days grow shorter, the clocks get set back, and we gear up for the impending festivities, visits with families, and gifting. It can be a whirlwind of activity, bringing up conflicts and losses as well as the warm and fuzzy associations we know so well.

The reading for this week highlights the underlying force of this time of the year. It’s the big one we’re all familiar with - love and the celebration of our connections.

We see this in the ace of cups, a single vessel held proudly aloft. It represents love in all its splendor. The star of the event. The water we drink. The element that ties us all together.

Love, in this case, is not specific. It is the unconditional, underlying affection that allows us to appreciate, say, our brash uncle who always manages to say something offensive at Thanksgiving dinner. The love that allows us to see beyond the qualities and beliefs we don’t align with and into their humanity and our shared bonds.

I see this ace as a reminder to foster connection despite our differences during these polarized times. Isolation and rejection of those who disagree with us tend to encourage the spread of fearful ideas that are, in fact, quite isolating. What do you know? That seems like a toxic cycle we should be doing our best to avoid.

That’s not to say that this unconditional loving comes easily. In the difficulty we must remember the divine nature of aces. As a reflection of the traits of the suites in the purest form, aces represent a beautiful gift from an unknown source. (After all, their symbols are popping out of clouds and held by mysterious, disembodied hands.)

We don’t know why we’re here or why loving can be so wonderful and so challenging. For some this may be comforting and for others frustrating. But we do know that it brings a stunning beauty and grace into our lives, sometimes in glorious bursts and sometimes in bits and pieces.

Fortunately, the ten of pentacles suggests a harmonious season, at least for the week ahead. We see a lovely depiction of a family. There’s a mother, father, child, and even two majestic hounds. It’s a card chock full of connections and relationships that seem to be flourishing together.

The ten on pentacles is one of my favorite cards. It depicts a cozy scene of the everyday that holds a beautiful secret. While pentacles refer to earth, practical matters, and the physical plane, they also signify the sacred in the everyday. The intersection of our lives as we live them and the spiritual plane.

As such it is also a card that connects us to forces beyond us, both personal and divine. It reminds us that this time of the year is one to commemorate our ancestors and traditions, reach out to them by coming together, and remain open to the support coming from the other side.  

But what is life without a little tension? The two of wands reveals a little itch we might have. A restlessness around travel, plans, or ideas we’ve yet to hatch. The other two cards suggest a strong foundation in our relationships, perhaps one that is feeling just a bit stifling.

We hold the world in our hand and gaze into its possibilities. It is up to us whether doing so is invigorating and inspiring or distracting and dissatisfying. Know, however, that this little spark is very young and that there is plenty of good at work in your life at this very moment.