Weekly Forecast: September 2-8
What does mastery look like?
In tarot we often assume that it's embodied, at least in the everyday realm, by a King or Queen. After all, these archetypes are rulers. They're in charge, at the to of their game.
What does mastery look like?
In tarot we often assume that it's embodied, at least in the everyday realm, by a King or Queen. After all, these archetypes are rulers. They're in charge, at the to of their game.
Being in that place, however, can be complex - fraught with pressure, perfectionism, and responsibility. This week, we're being asked to step away from these assumptions of power and play around in the middle ground.
The operative question is: What if what we're doing is perfect simply because it's what we're doing right now?
And, to dive a bit deeper, what if we're showing our mastery by rising to each challenge with a fresh mind, a sense of humor, and the humble ego of a beginner? Like, for example, the Page of Pentacles.
If we've been feeling the pressure of performance and perfectionism, it's time to step aside and see how that stance has been hobbling our work, creativity, and unique perspective. What I love most about these cards is how the youthful and new Two of Wands and Page of Pentacles are preceded by the next-level mature Temperance. Maturity and mastery may not be as stodgy and pressure-filled as we imagine. What we're doing right now is actually advanced, brave, and refreshingly open-minded.
So, it's a time to give ourselves all the patience and credit for proceeding imperfectly, without the utter certainty we might think we need. It's also, to be blunt, a time to chill out. Temperance shows us how balance in the different areas in our life is essential to our success and well-being.
What opportunities can we find in learning, planning, navigating new opportunities, and simply continuing along our current path? There's room for relaxation, play, innovation, and whatever else we may be craving to bring balance and freedom into our lives
Weekly Forecast: January 28-February 3
We don't have to have money to give.
This week shows us the importance of showing up in small ways for the ones we love. It's easy to think that grand gestures or big gifts means the most. After all, they're certainly the most noticeable.
We don't need to have money to give.
This week shows us the importance of showing up in small ways for the ones we love. It's easy to think that grand gestures or big gifts means the most. After all, they're certainly the most noticeable. But what is happiness truly made of? And, yes, that is a big question to start off our Monday!
But this week is one of gentleness, slowness, and the power of showing up.
We begin with the Ten of Cups, a card that's so straightforward with its message it's almost frustrating. We can look at it and think "emotional abundance, hooray!" and then move on to more dramatic pastures.
Unlike the Ten of Wands or the Ten of Swords, suits that get overbearing when taken to excess, the Ten of Cups is, quite plainly, delightful. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck this card depicts a family of four cavorting under a rainbow lined with ten cups. Not only are their cups running over, they're levitating in a rainbow!
But this card begs the question - how did we get here? It's not through the power of conquest or accumulation, but rather the quieter, long-term journey of building relationships. This week we're being asked to think about all the little things that have added up to create this rainbow array. How have we built joy, support, and healing in our ties with others? And, most importantly, how can we celebrate it more?
The Page and Six of Pentacles shows us that we're in a giving mood. We want to make a difference, to reach out and be there for people, but we're trying to approach it in the realm of pentacles: material gestures that we can see and touch.
There may be a tinge of wistfulness here - why can't we be the King of Pentacles, providing everyone with everything (and having plenty left over, to boot)?
The Pages, while also being exciting harbingers of new directions, also tell us to take baby steps, and I'm fascinated by how this page is turning his back on the Six of Pentacles - a card about material giving - and focusing on the Ten of Cups instead.
So let's follow suit and redirect our attention to the rainbow here. Truly, something miraculous is happening, and this card is inviting us to look closer at what may be so interwoven into our daily lives we hardly notice it.
What specific joys do we contribute to our relationships? What connections have we worked hard to build? And which are so natural they seem spontaneous?
This week is all about detaching from the desire to show our support materially and financially and recognizing the way we add "value" simply be being there for the ones we love. Presence is so much more than presents, in other words! And it's a completely renewable resource.
So as you might guess, this reading is gently nudging us to spend quality time under our respective rainbows and to re-frame our current situation as one of an abundance of affection. Reach out to an old friend, host a cozy dinner party, and listen to the ones you love. It means so much more than any gift you can buy.
Exploring the Minor Arcana: The Pages
Ah, the Pages, what a delightful and enthusiastic group of cards! The Pages represent themes of youth, vitality, fascination, learning, and focus. We can think of these cards as the youngsters of tarot. They see the world with fresh eyes and find inspiration naturally and freely.
The Pages remind me of the unbridled obsessions we have as children. For me it was dinosaurs. I loved them. I loved everything about them. I wanted dinosaur toys, dinosaur books, and dinosaur pajamas. We can see this organic excitement and focus in the cards. Each page holds the symbol of his suit. They're drawn to the meaning of each symbol. They want to learn the ins-and-outs. They want to experience it all.
In this series we'll be diving into the world of the Minor Arcana. Each segment will group the cards by number where we can engage in their themes and differences. For all the posts in the installment, click here.
Ah, the Pages, what a delightful and enthusiastic group of cards! The Pages represent themes of youth, vitality, fascination, learning, and focus. We can think of these cards as the youngsters of tarot. They see the world with fresh eyes and find inspiration naturally and freely.
The Pages remind me of the unbridled obsessions we have as children. For me it was dinosaurs. I loved them. I loved everything about them. I wanted dinosaur toys, dinosaur books, and dinosaur pajamas. We can see this organic excitement and focus in the cards. Each page holds the symbol of his suit. They're drawn to the meaning of each symbol. They want to learn the ins-and-outs. They want to experience it all.
In readings, Pages refer to our instinctual interests, our childlike ability to see magic in the world around us, new areas of study and learning, as well as emerging news and information. Let's look at each Page below to get some more insight into this lovely group of cards. Click on each link for the official meaning entry and more details.
Explore In-Depth Minor Arcana Meanings
The Page of Wands unites the energy of the Pages with the intoxicating power of creativity. This card represents burgeoning creative interests, the development of creative skills, and the desire to learn by doing.
For the Page of Swords shows growing interests in intellectual pursuits, whether it's becoming a student (or an actual student in your life) or being drawn to research and collect new information. This Page wheels and deals in facts, information, and communication, though they're learning the ropes of each they have a natural aptitude and burning sense of motivation.
The Page of Cups is a sensitve and seeking card. It can denote moments when we feel called to get connected with our intuition, spirituality, and other forms of guidance. This Page is romantic, tender, curious, and gentle. It also ties into new connections, relationships, and emerging feelings.
Finally, the Page of Pentacles ties the eagerness of the Pages to the practical world. This can show up as the beginning of entrupreneurial interests, plans for businesses, professional training, and interest in making changes in our lives. The Page of Pentacles is interested in making a direct impact on their life and working towards stability.
How do the Pages speak to you in your tarot practice? Which do you relate to most? I'd love to hear your takes, so share away in the comment section below! And stay tuned for our next section on the Knights.
Weekly Forecast: February 5-11
When a vibrant sense of fun leads to an important breakthrough.
We're often taught that working involves intense effort. It's the image of someone sweating heavily while toiling at a job site or the romanticized notion of pulling all-nighters in a frenzied push towards a goal. Grit and genius can only come from sweat and struggle.
Sometimes we lean so heavily on this idea that anything less feels like a shortcoming. If we're not suffering we're not working hard enough. Right?
The three cards for this week have a convincing counterargument.
We're ushered into the scene by the verdant excitement of the Page of Pentacles. When I turned this card over I immediately started singing "The Hills Are Alive" from The Sound of Music ( in my head, thankfully). And it's true - this card shares the same bright-eyed enthusiasm as Maria in the beginning of her journey.
Similarly, we're entering a new beginning regarding our work, one that is taking us away from the gritty "capitalist truck commercial" idea of effort and towards something brighter and more exploratory. Think of your early passions from childhood. For me it was dinosaurs and ancient Egypt. I didn't need to harness any motivation to learn about them. Instead I was hungrily grabbing at information, memorizing long dinosaur names, and happily sharing my new knowledge with anyone who would listen.
This week we're being presented with this gift of natural passion. We want to explore a new area wholeheartedly, or an area that now seems as shiny as the golden coin balanced in the Page's hand. This card shows us the unbridled joy that comes with learning when we allow ourselves to be led by our natural interests. Focus comes easily and our new pursuit illuminates our world with excitement and possibility.
The idea of knowledge as an illuminating force brings us to our next card, The Sun, taking our freedom, adventure, and self-expression to the next level. Something we're pursuing this week is tapping into a gorgeous facet of ourselves, one that's been longing for a little light.
This might be somewhat unnerving - are things feeling too fun? Too joyful? We might find ourselves framing this burst of energy as a distraction, something that's pulling us way from the responsibility and toil of our daily lives.
But sometimes we need this rush of energy - a reminder that work can be fulfilling, breezy, and fun - to bring us to the next level. Our final card, The Eight of Coins, shows us that this bright path has provided a missing piece to a more tangible, effort-based undertaking. Something we've been working on for a long time needed the rush of exploratory energy from the Page of Coins and The Sun. It's as if the next step needed time to coalesce, either in the form of a step back from the intensity of deliberate work or in a spontaneous innovation inspired through a more lighthearted approach.
This is where trust in our process, self-expression, and the joy of exploration inject a much needed sense of levity and ease into our process. Embrace the itch to learn something new, take off a bit of pressure and think differently, or even take a break before returning to a state of intense concentration.
Playfulness and freedom are giving us both pleasure and inspiration this week. Soon enough we'll be returning to the masterful and directed focus of The Eight of Coins. This time, however, we'll be invigorated and rested - ready for the next phase of our project.
Weekly Forecast: Jan 23-29
Cards from the Pagan Otherworlds Tarot
Well, would you look at all these people in this reading!
This is a time where we’re feeling a shift in our roles, a change from one way of being that we’re very comfortable in to a wobbly yet exciting new approach. We’ve been feeling very in control and powerful – and for good reason – yet this week sees a need for innovation that may have us feeling like we’re learning to ride a bike for the first time. There will be unsteadiness and uncertainty, but we’re expanding our reach and learning important new tools.
We're moving from a realm of decisive thinking to the much messier (and sensual) realm of doing. When it comes to thinking we have the upper hand. In our minds, we can control all the factors, experiment with ideas, and mull it all over to find the best possible solution. This is important. Were we to rush ahead blindly things could fall apart quickly. It helps to draw a map before you set out on a journey.
The King of Swords reflects this feeling of competency. We’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. The sharp, piercing kind that cuts holes in bad ideas and stale ways of thinking, making a path to move into something new. Something that works far better than what we have now.
We’ve become quite masterful at this, and yes, it is good to acknowledge talents and successes. Like a sharp-eyed falcon hovering over the world, we’ve seen a lot and have a much better perspective of the bigger picture than those scurrying around on the ground. For things to change, however, we have to get down there, too. Now is a time to turn our thoughts into action and jump into the fray, taking our keen observations with us. It’s time to step through into another way of doing things. That is, by actually doing them.
But things look much different on the ground. It may be a little chaotic, and the steely remove we can have in our minds quickly gives way to a rush of sensations and stimuli. In the Page of Pentacles we find ourselves grappling with this new reality. At the same time, this is a splendid opportunity, and one I have a feeling most of us are more than ready for. We get to do things now – feeling, experimenting, and experiencing all that is around us.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and deflated in this new role, remember it’s supposed to be a little awkward. We’re living in the real world and in real time. We’re learning. Perfection is not the goal here, simply dedication, diligence, and a nice pinch of joy and fascination.
Become engrossed in the tasks at hand and know that at a certain level, we’ll always be a beginner like the Page of Pentacles. This can be many things: beautiful, enriching, frustrating, and confusing. Above all, it’s hopeful. We can always change, adapt, and learn new things. Quite useful in a world that’s constantly changing, don’t you think?
The Empress drives home the underlying theme of earthiness and involvement present in this week. I see her as the most grounded card in Tarot: sitting on her throne she is the ruler of the physical world – of nature, sensuality, and all the experiences that make us alive – because she is inextricably a part of it. The Empress reminds us that the experiments (and sometimes fumblings) of the Page of Pentacles are bringing us to a world where we embody the change we want to see.
So this week consider what you want and then go out and do something to create it. This can be small, like craving a certain something delicious and cooking it for yourself. It can be large, like committing to a cause that you want to support. Better yet, bring this energy to many parts of your life. The way of the Empress is to treat all these manifestations with respect. We’re not able to embody this attitude in everything we do, but we’re thankfully in the scrappy place of the Page of Pentacles – ready and willing to get our hands dirty and try new things.
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Weekly Forecast: Dec 12-18
Plans, plans, plans.
We’re full of them this week, with our eyes focused on the horizon and our minds busy considering different opportunities. It’s the calm before the storm, the place of reflection before action, the “look” before the “leap.”
It’s the kind of energy that seems appropriate during the last weeks of the year. Now is the time of “Best of” 2016 lists and New Year’s resolutions. These cards tell us to spend some time taking stock while also gearing up for change and new frontiers.
The Three of Wands is a card that’s seeking expansiveness. We’ve set a part of the plan into action and are deciding what to do next. What will take us further along our chosen path? What’s the next step?
The man is grasping three wands showing that he has already made some progress. He’s collected three wands (accomplishments, goals, or skills) and is looking to get more. Now is a time to take stock of your accomplishments and recognize the skills and abilities you have at your disposal. How can you use them right now? What are you missing?
This is an exhilarating place to be. The world is your oyster! The sea is stretching out before you, unknown and exciting. And right now you’re standing on firm ground, aware of your strengths and how they can help you.
The next move? Taking the leap.
The two pages highlight the youthful and enthusiastic energy at work this week. What we’re working on now will open us up in untold ways, allowing us to develop new parts of ourselves and test out new skills.
Pages are like a child with a new obsession. Whether it’s dinosaurs, Pokemon, or ancient Egypt, they immediately set out to know all there is to know about the subject (and then tell everyone about it.) They’re enraptured with whatever struck their fancy and have a singular focus that borders on fanaticism.
Of course, this can have its drawbacks, but channel this energy correctly and you could get a lot done while learning a lot about yourself. Ever envy how much energy small children seem to have? Well, if you embrace the enthusiasm of the pages, you could find yourself with energy to spare. This is a week where we have the potential to get a lot done, fast.
Moving from the Three of Wands and into the Pages signifies a change in perspective. The man looking across the body of water in the three is gazing into the distance. He’s looking at a big picture, perhaps too big if he wants to actually start moving ahead.
In contrast, the Pages are in it. They are engrossed in their object and focused on using it. Pentacles signify the material world and our life as we live it, while swords represent the world of the mind: our thoughts, ideas, and how we communicate them. It seems that we’re entering a time ripe for reevaluating how our lives and ideas can further us along our path.
The pages also are front and center. We see their faces, their actions, and intent, while the man in the Three of Wands is facing away from us. Moving from the three to the pages signifies a shift in our self-perception. It’s time to narrow our focus and think of ourselves as the heroes of our stories, to move from the third person to the first person. We can’t take the next step while holding ourselves at a distance.
We are the main characters of our lives.