Weekly Forecast: November 21-27
This is a week of both homecoming and breakthrough, dear readers. As we’ve meandered through November we’ve been picking up some severe cards: the grieving, worrying Nine of Swords, the determined and exhausted Nine of Wands, the jarring call of Judgment. This week, however, brings a fresh start and a new beginning. We’ve done our processing; now is the time to look up from our work and deliberation to see the rich life unfolding around us.
This is a week of both homecoming and breakthrough, dear readers. As we’ve meandered through November we’ve been picking up some severe cards: the grieving, worrying Nine of Swords, the determined and exhausted Nine of Wands, the jarring call of Judgment. This week, however, brings a fresh start and a new beginning. We’ve done our processing; now is the time to look up from our work and deliberation to see the rich life unfolding around us.
We’ll start in the center this week, as The Queen of Pentacles is holding court over this reading with warmth and care. What are the sources from which love, kindness, and respectful attentiveness are radiating in our lives? This is an important time to express gratitude for the support we’ve been given, reach out to loved ones both near and far, and pay attention to the small gestures other people make to smooth our path and show support.
As a court card, this queen tells us that we, too, are important sources of support and inspiration to those around us. Consider your responsibility towards the ones you love and the collective as a whole - what are the ways that you honor the themes of reciprocity, care, and connection?
You may see where I’m going with this - the central question of our reading and week: how does your expression of love reflect the principle of Justice? Not only is this important this week, but I suspect this question has a lot to say with regards to our big transformation for November. So, if you’ve been feeling adrift or out of sorts, take this week as a time to reground yourself in the practical ways you honor Justice in your actions.
The Queen of Pentacles presides over the everyday - the home, the rhythms of our routines, the wisdom of our bodies, the act and practice of loving - and reminds us that each day gives us the opportunity to enact what matters most to us. The deepest magic is interwoven in the small repetitions; days, weeks, and years add up to a lifetime rich with the power of commitment.
This week also serves as a reset, a moment of calm and restoration after lots of processing. Let yourself relax into the comforts available to you, knowing that they’ll fuel you to come. And, at the same time, use the lull to relinquish any pains, built up tension, or resentments. They’re ready to be released and metabolized into something nourishing instead of corrosive.
It’ll also be useful to take in the warmth and center around our sense of Justice as we move into a much stranger phase. The Moon indicates the arrival of a mysterious change. Things are going to get murky, strange, and unpredictable. Expect to feel spacey, unfocused, or even overwhelmingly inspired to the point of inaction. This is fertile ground, but not the most easy to walk through. Being aligned with our daily lives, loving connections, and greater values will be even more important as we move forward.
This week, embrace:
Acting with Justice in mind
Living by your values
Tending to & celebrating your resources and home life
Hospitality, generosity, and rest
Trusting and enjoying moments of “low productivity” and dreaminess
This week, Avoid:
Being swept away from your values
Looking to outside sources for validation
Distractions that lead you away from what really matters
Filling your time with frenetic tasks, overcommitting to events
Get creative:
Justice: This strikes me as a “leveling up” on the larger swords-journey we’ve been on this month. You’ll notice we’ve had lots of Minor Arcana cards in the swords suit, but this is the first Major featuring a formidable blade! Take a moment to distill what you’ve been learning into a singular value or principle - what does Justice mean to you right now? (And how can this help cut through any confusion or indecision?)
Queen of Pentacles: We’ve talked a lot about how this card operates socially in the forecast above, but it’s also important to direct the caring, practical qualities of the Queen of Pentacles inward. Commit to one gesture this week that feels rejuvenating to you: go for a walk in the morning, make yourself a favorite cup of tea before bed, do yoga. Whatever you do, do it with the intention of giving your full attention and love to yourself in that moment, and detach from any grander aspirations. It’s just for a week, see how it feels!
The Moon: If this card was a timeline, The Moon would fall on the weekend, the perfect time to engage in some lunar explorations! Get planning now: find a bit of time to let yourself dream and get lost in the symbolic. Do a tarot reading for yourself, watch a surreal film, read a chapter in a fantasy novel. This card requires a dose of magic.
Weekly Forecast: July 8-14
This week's forecast it a departure from the usual: While shuffling four cards jumped out of the deck. Not one to pass by a fun happening, I decided to keep all of the cards. Paired off, they change the dynamic of the forecast quite a bit and I'm loving it!
This week's forecast it a departure from the usual: While shuffling four cards jumped out of the deck. Not one to pass by a fun happening, I decided to keep all of the cards. Paired off, they change the dynamic of the forecast quite a bit and I'm loving it!
Our top two cards are from the Major Arcana and, fascinatingly, they're mostly black and white in an otherwise zesty and colorful deck (the Apparition Tarot Deck by Spirit Speak.) This adds to the archetypal power of the cards. This week we'll be dealing with issues of fairness and values.
Below them we have two Minor Arcana cards, both in the suit of swords. So, in very un-subtle tarot speak, we're going to be spending a lot of time thinking about what is right in our lives and the world around us. Where is justice being done and where is it lacking? And how can we have a hand in righting the imbalance?
These cards highlight the importance of taking space to ponder these serious questions, preferably in solitude and far away from the wildness of our modern society. Giving ourselves the permission to block out outside noise is awakening us to what really matters. Any time we spend this week detaching healthily to heal and mull things over will be well spent.
Because we're also seeing outside injustices mirrored in our own experiences. It's a tender and personal path. Justice, our starting card, can often be intimidatingly abstract. "What do these ideas mean in my actual life?" we might ask. Here we have something outside of us awakening inner wisdom and insight into our past experiences. This is a time to walk towards any discomfort or defensiveness. What might be hiding beneath the surface?
With The Hermit we see that an inner truth is coming to light. It's a good time to ponder and interrogate our own moral code. How are we using it to better our lives and the lives of others? Is there a part of it that's not being acted on, causing stagnation and tension?
I can't help but think of the horrors of the news cycle presently and perhaps there's a thread to pull there. We may find ourselves triggered and tempted to turn away. These cards show us that we have a fine line to walk if we want to do justice to our emotional lives and our need to enact and support justice for all.
But I'm also heartened by the Four and Two of Swords, some of the most positive manifestations of their often-maligned group. They encourage us to trust our perceptions, gain clarity by stripping away confusing chaos, and to focus on what we can do in the here and now. Channeling our swords insights into action is the best way to do justice to these powerful cards.
And, indeed, it seems like we need some action. Not only is it important collectively, but individually as well. Spend this week examining what areas of the large concept of Justice ignite you the most. Like The Hermit suggests, this can take some time. Lean into the process: By the end of the week two paths will become clear. Choose the one that resonates the most, and don't hesitate to act. The most powerful and healthy communities are built by people who know themselves and know how to leverage their talents, skills, and resources for the greater good.
Weekly Forecast: February 18-24
We have the unique opportunity this week to mull over some important decisions. Now is not a time for speed, trust falls into the universe, or rash actions. Rather, any powerful feelings around change are merited and useful. So long as we don't let them become paralyzing, that is. And the good news is that we have plenty of time.
We have the unique opportunity this week to mull over some important decisions. Now is not a time for speed, trust falls into the universe, or rash actions. Rather, any powerful feelings around change are merited and useful. So long as we don't let them become paralyzing, that is. And the good news is that we have plenty of time.
With Justice and Judgment bookending the seemingly passive Seven of Pentacles, one could look at this week's spread and see us being hemmed in by epic experiences and realizations:
Is the principled action bringing us to a pivotal and momentous change? Do we need a kick in the pants to move us from the introspection and critique of the Seven of Pentacles and into the sometimes-jarring "a-ha" moment of Judgment?
It's not quite as simple, and the key card here is not one of the Major Arcana. Instead, it's the placid Seven of Pentacles: we are holding the reins (or, in this case, hoe) and we have time to examine our past choices so that we can listen to our inner voice moving forward.
It's not a glamorous moment, but it's one where we can do some important work that will make things so much easier down the road. Because taking stock and peering closer at the everyday brings us closer to our own experience. That way, when we have to make changes or figure out what we really want, we have actual evidence to call upon. Not the alluring bombast of these Major Arcana cards, but real insight into our human experience. What we need right now is a loving gaze into who we are and what we've done so far.
In the story of these cards we can see that our current situation is the result of a period of hard work. What's more, it's hard work driven by important ideals and values. We were planed and principled, fully inhabiting the role of Justice, and now the data is in. Whatever we've been cultivating has sprouted, grown, and borne fruit.
Our task now is to take a look at what we've cultivated - what's worked, what hasn't, and how we've felt about the whole process. We're not after a big epiphany and we can do ourselves a favor by striping away any judgment and pressure. Our challenge here is to see things for what they are as well as our role in creating our current situation.
As we peer into what's actually happening we can see what it's done for us and, perhaps, who we've become throughout the process. Some of what we find may be surprising and it's our job to value each discovery equally. Maybe something that's going smashingly doesn't resonate with us at all. Maybe a certain task we though would be dull is actually enrapturing and fun.
Underneath all this examination and circling back to our personal experience lies a valuable intuitive message. It's as if we're archaeologists, carefully brushing away dust and debris on a normal looking patch of earth to slowly reveal something unknown and important. This would be our Judgment moment, that time when our intuitive voice becomes loud an unmistakable.
So this week we can patiently take stock and see what feels authentic and what doesn't, trusting that we're working towards the clarity of Judgement and that we don't need to rush. Intuition and guidance can be hiding in plain sight and sometimes our task is to gently tease it out and give it room to speak more loudly.
Weekly Forecast: December 11-17
Perfectionism has its perks, but it can also be the enemy of action, especially when we're starting out on something new. Sure, our visions are grand, but they're just visions until we put in the actual work and get our hands dirty. This week sees us grappling with our idea of how we want something to be and the reality of making it happen.
I'm not the first to admit that I love planning and lists. Thinking through and writing out my vision (preferably in an aesthetically pleasing, organized way) gives me a sense of preparedness and satisfaction. It's wonderful to have a roadmap when starting out on a journey. Our roadmaps, however, can quickly turn into stifling instructions.
If I'm not careful, my to-do list or plan, once to pretty and helpful in my notebook, can turn into a source of stress and furstration. As the list of things to do grows longer I become more tempted to tweak and adjust, falling deeper into my thought process and lost in the details. I haven't done anything concrete just yet, but I'm already feeling pressured. How can I live up to my plans? Instead of guidance I've created a situation where anything less than what I've envisioned is "wrong."
The Page of Swords reflects this mental enthusiasm gone awry. We're jumping into our endeavor with the passion and fixation of a page, but it's one-sided. We need other energies to propel us forward. The Two of Pentacles shows up next, guiding us towards balance.
And what does this card tell us? It's time to balance our thoughts with action. When we're in a swordsy mindset this can be challenging. Everything is nice, neat, and controllable in our minds or on paper. Enacting our plans in real time invites in the change and complications that make our controlling sides squirm. But they're just what we need.
The Two of Pentacles illustrates the joy of motion. We have to be on our toes when we make things happen. It may be awkward at first, but once we find our rhythm we can take pleasure in the feeling of moving through the world and enacting our plans. It's the energy of experimentation, flexibility, and interaction.
It's also far from any idea of perfect, so it's a good time to make room for any resistance from our Page of Swords sides. A little kickback is natural, and that voice telling us to play it safe (or not play at all), that we need to do more brainstorming and planning, is trying to help. Now is just not the time to get lost in thought, however, and breaking through towards action will be more than worth it.
Is there anything else behind our squrimy desire to stay in the very beginning stages, far away from action? Perhaps the thing we're approaching is a little frightening, maybe even something we see as risky?
We have Justice as our final card and its message can indeed be powerful and intimidating. We're being asked to engage with our sense of right and wrong in the world, particularly through our boundaries. This kind of work can be intense.
In advocating for ourselves - deciding what we will and will not tolerate and where the lines are drawn - we must step out fully. That means we see ourselves as people worthy of respect and willing to advocate for our needs clearly. We can't hide behind excuses or self-deprecation. This is a time to practice taking up space and embodying the true extent of our power.
So the Page of Swords makes sense here. We want to plan, plan, plan. Perhaps we're nervous about asking for something or about voicing a complaint. Maybe it's time to speak out against a behavior that's no longer (or never was) beneficial to us. However each of us are grappling with Justice this week, small actions will be much more helpful than big plans. Like the Two of Pentacles, we're not looking for perfection, just practice. In doing small things to value ourselves we can cultivate a sense of comfort in being seen and in taking ourselves seriously. And we get to decide; our imperfect actions and admirable and more than enough. They're also bringing us towards a deeper sense of alignment and power - a journey that's well worth the effort.
Weekly Forecast: October 2-8
What does it take to adjust an imbalance?
Is it serene wisdom? A drastic event that reminds us we need to move onto something different?
Now is a time where we'll be walking somewhere in the middle. It's tricky going - we're being asked to navigate forward without clear-cut certainty - yet at the same time we're being given a beautiful opportunity to step up and own our own adventure.
In the first week of October we're being coaxed out of a false sense of security and into a journey towards something more meaningful. Sure, we don't have the elusive widsom that our decision is completely safe and completely right, but how often does that come along in life? And is that a feeling we should even be looking for?
The Four of Coins speaks to our talent for adaptation. We're resourceful creatures, able to make do in all manners of situations. We strive to create a safe corner of the world for ourselves with what we've been given and when we succeed it feels wonderful. We're safe and stable and, like the coins in this card, able to look out from our cozy tent at the beautiful yet inhospitable landscape around us.
This worldview, however, can be quite limiting. Looking at the world as a dangerous and limiting place and directing our energy towards protecting what we have focuses us on maintaining - a scarcity mentality tactic - instead of reaching out and allowing our life to unfurl in myriad, unpredictable directions.
Justice has shown up in our reading to tell us that we've been lingering in the safe tent of the Four of Coins for too long. There's an imbalance that we need to correct and we're being coaxed out slowly, asked to stretch our legs and prepare to strike out in a new direction.
Sometimes we might perversely long for the terrible certainty of The Tower. In that card we have no choice, our world has been turned upside down and the only thing we can do is rebuild. This is a much more beautiful and compelx situation and far less drastic. It's a time for thoughtfulness, mindful delibration, and, above all, replacing a cold view of the world and ourselves with one of warmth and tenderness.
But let's return to the tent for a little while longer. It's a good opportunity to look around and see what it is we've been clinging to for safety and reassurance. Oftentimes this card refers to old ideas and habits we've inherited through our family, that first unit that shapes our worldview so profoundly. We didn't choose to pick up these building blocks, they were just there, either presented to us by our parents knowingly or absorbed as we grew up.
As I'm sure many of us can attest to, it can be a mixed bag. Something about our old assumptions has led us to huddle in a tent that's far too small for us. They may have worked for us in the past, helped us or hindered us. What's clear now, however, is that we've grown. Like a plant that's too big for its pot, we're chafing at the edges and ready to be transplanted into the ground.
This is a beautiful moment and I'm tickled that it's showing up in our reading for the first week of October. Justice and the Eight of Cups encapsulate our brave expansion. We're striking out, looking to elarge our lives, daring to ask for more, and doing so with the bravery and self-respect that mark a moment when we're ready to discover more about the principles, ideas, and motivations we'd like to frame our lives with.
And my favorite part? Though this all sounds like pretty heady stuff, it's simply another step along our life path, and extreme thinking is part of the Four of Coins' "crowded tent mentality." Instead, we're stepping out to grow more excited, open, and expansive with each step. What I'm saying is, we'll be welcomed with open arms as we dare to ask for more and seek more rewarding experiences and relationships. We're walking towards more ease, reciprocity, and lightness. It just might be a little scary and intimidating at first, all the more reason to embrace gentleness and creativity as we take those first steps.
Weekly Forecast: May 1-7
There’s a lot of intense energy in flux this week. We may find ourselves feeling impatient, prickly, or dissatisfied. We have plenty of energy and no desire to take things slowly or engage in self-reflection.
Why is this?
The King of Wands shows us that we’ve recently pulled off some very impressive feats. We’ve reached a kingly place: confident, stable, and accomplished. In the suit of wands this refers to creativity. Where in our lives have we took a creative leap that has paid off? Instead of commemorating ourselves and what we’ve done, however, we’re rushing onto the next thing.
We see the King facing to the left, looking back at where he came from, while our card for the present, The Knight of Pentacles, is facing the opposite way, charging into the future and looking both deflated and intensely fixated at something in the distance.
There’s tension between these cards. Instead of reflecting on the past like the King, we’re skipping to the teenage overzealousness of the Knight of Pentacles. Rushing forward towards something new, our tunnel vision is leaving us removed from the moment and feeling anxious and enervated.
I love this depiction of the Knight of Pentacles. The figure on the horse looks anything but enthused. And yet he’s riding a massively powerful horse that’s ready to rear ahead. This is a card that speaks to moments when our ambition overshadows our limitations and even our true desires.
If you’re going to be charging ahead you’d better be into it, not dragging a heavy pentacle like the knight we see here. Perhaps there’s something heavy and stifling about wanting to turn the fiery creativity of Wands into the solid, predictableness of a Pentacle. Maybe we’re not quite there yet this week. Maybe we don’t even need to go there at all.
There’s a distinct undercurrent of tension here: passion vs. obligation. What’s fueling this Knight charging forward? What is making him droop on the saddle? It seems like there might be a hint of old pressures and thought patterns: the pressure of “should” sending us off on journeys we’d rather not take.
In Pentacles-language, we could be feeling a need to be practical, conservative, and safe. Pentacles value stability. Are we afraid of our creative accomplishments leading us away from safety?
Change and creativity can be frightening because they destabilize us, no matter how positive it may seem. But before we rush off to counterbalance by being overly practical, we could also take a moment to get to know how it feels to master a part of our creative lives.
Contrast the two creatures in both cards. The King of Wands holds onto a fearsome lion, confident enough to turn his back to it and gaze to the side, looking purposeful and grounded. The Knight of Pentacles, on the other hand, is slumped on the back of a powerful horse. He doesn’t appear to be in control of the situation.
The King knows how to keep his wild nature by his side. The lion is a protector and a sign of power, working with his master. The Knight is disconnected from his wildness, allowing it to react to change with barely-controlled energy.
This a reminder that it is best to not move forward when we are acting out of fear and anxiety. Being connected to ourselves is most important when seeking out change. If we’re not feeling it at the moment, we can simply wait until we are clearer and more collected.
Over time, this struggle will be fruitful. Our reading ends with Justice, a powerful Major Arcana card with the ability to cut through bullshit and achieve clarity in moments of confusion.
This card suggests that our struggles between creative confidence and practical ambition will balance themselves out by the end of the week. Our flailing will give way to peacefulness as if our internal push and pull is simply the movement of a scale balancing itself. Take comfort in knowing that the ups and downs are relatively small in the scheme of things, and are leading us to a healthy medium. In the meantime, take stock of your ideas around success, safety, and creative expression. There’s a lot of be learned in the coming days.
Weekly Forecast: January 30-February 5
Sometimes Tarot has a beautifully helpful way of reframing situations that leave us feeling drained and depressed. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that the events of the past week have left me feeling a huge mix of emotions: hope, joy in community, deep sadness, and a powerful rage against injustice. It's exhausting. Where to go with all of this when things show no sign of slowing down? How can we remain engaged while caring for ourselves and feeling out our many emotions?
We draw three cards this week that urge us to zoom out of our individual reactions and focus on something different. This is one of those readings where instead of reflecting our current state, the cards show us another option, a way of being, we may be overlooking. Here, they’re giving us much needed perspective, like a close friend telling us to snap out of it and look at the world around us. We need this and the message is supportive and encouraging.
The two Major Arcana cards bookending the reading show us that since larger forces are at work in the world right now, it is best to focus on our own larger goals and motivations instead of getting lost in the details. We’re being asked to do big things, but we can gather a great deal of energy and inspiration from our values. We must focus on why we’re here in the first place. What really matters to us? How do we want to be in the world? How do we want to feel? This is not a time to be putting one foot in front of the other in a monotonous march forward. We need inspiration, and we have a lot of inspiration around us if we take the time to look up and see it.
So where should we be directing our focus? The Empress and Justice give us a clear answer. How can we be grounded in our world and work towards justice that honors the interconnectedness and diversity of the world? This springs from The Empress whose solid ties to nature, relationships, and generosity gives her the kind of flexible strength and power we could all use right now.
She reminds us to feel the ground under our feet, breathe in deep, and remember that this is our world and those around us are of this world too. We cannot forget this as we move forward otherwise we risk spinning off from our center and losing sight of each other and our goals. This is what leads to burnout and confusion. This is what allows for injustice to flourish.
The Empress is part of nature. She changes with the seasons, she feels her body, she is flexible. She knows there is a fall, winter, summer, and spring and she excels in all of these seasons despite their limitations. Seen here, she is a prime reminder that focusing on self-care – caring for our bodies and minds – is extremely important, just as thriving through these difficult times in whatever ways we are able is not a detraction. We can’t allow ourselves to be cut off from our source of power and rejuvenation. It only makes us weaker. To feel joy in times of darkness is not callous or frivolous. It’s essential for our survival. And all the better if we share it with those around us.
If you recall, we ended last week’s forecast with The Empress. I find it quite special that she’s appearing as the first card here. Last week’s theme was the embrace of tenderness and openheartedness as a new way of being the world. However we applied that in our lives, The Empress showing up again this week tells us that this was important and validating. We made changes and they have brought us to a new place. What we’re doing is working and now is not time to abandon ship.
This brings us to Justice. This week we must spend some time considering how we can apply our embodiment of The Empress to our ideas of Justice. I think this is particularly on the nose given the political climate, and the cards seem to suggest we must work to embody the values of The Empress – community, holistic living, respect for all forms of life, and love. I think this is the justice we want to see; focused on equality, community, and honoring each other’s place in the world.
We’re grappling with big issues and coming from a very good place. This isn’t easy, and we’ll be needing to draw on all of our resources, personal and communal. The Knight of Swords indicates that we can’t take a break just yet. In fact, we’ll be rushing forward to confront things head on. If we keep the messages of The Empress and Justice in mind, we’ll be able to move in the right direction and maintain our focus. This Knight tells us to keep on keeping on, our heads held high. We must stay focused and confident in our ability to rise up and bring light to truth. We must keep our eyes on the prize and be ready to cut through any distracting bullshit in our way to a better world.
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Weekly Forecast: Oct 17-23
Oh my. What a dose of energy these cards have! The reading for the week has us looking forward with burning passion in our eyes. What motivates us and aligns with our values? Find out and follow it, these cards say.
Internally, you’re finding a sweet spot: the place where your vision and vigor join hands. It feels right. It looks doable. It’s not just a mundane task. It might be… dare I say it… a calling.
Sometimes the frisson of intellect and emotion is too much. And sometimes it creates a delightful sense of excitement. Now is one of those times. All that soul-searching you’ve been doing has brought you into a place of action. Think of it like this: you were meticulously building the podium you’re about to give a speech from. It was hard work. Detail oriented and precise. But you’ve laid the ground for something magnificent.
So take that energy outward. Now is the time to step into the sunlight and get back into the scrappy act of “doing shit.” It’s nice out here, isn’t it? With the wind in your face and a sense of purpose, who wouldn’t feel invigorated. So feel it! Revel in the start of this new journey and don’t squander the “go get ‘em” gusto you’re brimming with right now.
There’s a sense of getting lost in the joy of work. Focus on the task at hand and certainly not the “over there.” After all, each accomplishment is made of thousands of small actions. Take things one step of the time.
Something to keep in mind: It doesn’t have to be perfect. I’m not talking about “using tweezers to place the herb garnish on your culinary masterpiece” work, here. More of the kind of work that reflects your vitality and humanity. And we all know being human is messy and delightful business. This week’s energy makes this kind of work invigorating and fulfilling, so get to it and enjoy all the things you’re capable of.
It looks like proceeding down this path will bring you all sorts of payoffs. If you remain true to your original motivation – the why instead of the what – you’ll soon reap the satisfaction of completing a project that truly expresses who you are and what you stand for.
You know the saying, “it’s not the journey, but the destination?” Of course you do. It’s been in yearbooks and on inspirational cat posters for millennia. There’s another part to this ancient wisdom besides the “stop to smell the flowers” message. That is, if you were magically teleported to your destination, nobody would get to see the steps it took you to get there.
Know that in remaining focused and creating your vision you have an audience of people who appreciate what you do. Your work does not go unnoticed. In fact, it is probably inspiring to others (people appreciate the integrity of those who are true to themselves. Authenticity resonates!) And is also why you’ll have a group of supporting folks to cheer for you when you succeed.
Peachy stuff, indeed.