Weekly Forecast: July 22-28

What do we do with our misfortune?

I'm sure you all have noticed the tarot card ominously occupying the center of our reading this week: The Tower. A tricky one, to be sure, this card hits us over the head with the upsetting inevitability of suffering. Painful things happen in life and no matter how much maneuvering or planning we do, we can't steer around it.

What's intriguing about this reading, however, is the presence of two fiery wands cards on either side. At first, we might think that the rush of the Eight of Wands is leading us straight into a Tower moment, but on the other side we see an empowered and stable Knight of Wands. It's as if the Tower has hardly harmed us. What's going on here?

A facet of the Tower is that its misfortune and pain comes from the outside. We may have a hand at ignoring some signs to alter our course, making for an even harder fall, but often times these moments come completely from the external world.

If we can't escape the Tower, what we do with its presence makes the biggest difference, and this week we have all the daring chutzpah of the wands suit to guide us.

In the coming days we'll be using our verve, ambition, and actions to transform the Tower most active in our lives. Because the Wands are so proactive, I have a feeling that this Tower facet is already known to us. What areas in our live are causing us the most pain? Is there a chapter in our self-narrative that needs an empowering edit? Most importantly, what can we do about it now?

The wands suit reminds us that motion, creativity, and agency work in harmony. We can think, process, and debate all we want, but our enduring legacy is in our actions.

What's more, acting keeps us in the present moment and allows our energy to move freely, preventing stagnancy and frustration. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Tower this week is actually an old phenomenon being called to the surface. Is there something we're growing right now that challenges how we used to think of ourselves? Sometimes the Tower is more than ready to come crashing down, and the energy it releases is a welcome and invigorating surprise.

Look to the wands suit to explore this area further: What bold moves have you been making lately? How might they challenge old structures and roles you've found yourself in?

It appears as if we've been working towards something and now it's just starting to take flight. We can see this in the headlong rush of the Eight of Wands. Far from being manic, this card often appears when things are flowing smoothly because of a great deal of past effort and planning.

The Tower, then, is a bit of a hologram. We're calling up the specter of past limitations just as we near a breakthrough. Pushing through, however, is giving us all the confidence of the Knight of Wands. Healing, it seems, is on the agenda this week, and we can be sure that continuing to make decisions that further our growth will only transform our experience of the Tower and ourselves more quickly.

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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: August 27-September 2

The Knight of Wands is a charming character. Like all knights, they carry with them a sense of adventure, but this one in particular has the passionate zest of the wands behind them: their ideas are energizing, their enthusiasm is irresistibly contagious, and they promise change and distraction from the ordinary. 

Is there a catch to all this flashy brilliance? Why yes, there is, and this week we're seeing this card enacting both sides of its nature. First comes the alluring invitation to adventure. Knights represent youthful energy, and it's not the guileless innocence of early childhood. Instead, these cards are willful, idealistic, and impulsive. 

We might experience this card as a sense of restlessness, spiritual itchiness, or dissatisfaction in our lives. Wands are the suit of fire, so we can be sure that we're looking for quick fixes and immediate solutions that have an air of romance about them. We're finding ourselves entranced by ideas of escape from the ordinary like quitting our day jobs to travel the world or abandoning a project that's gotten difficult to take up a new opportunity. This could also show up in our love lives as we start to look at our partners, new or established, with a critical eye. The overarching message? We feel edgy so we should do something about it now!

Not so fast. While the Knight of Wands' message might be galvanizing, it runs the risk of fizzling out when put into action. In other words, we're using a new venture to run away from something that's already working for us. Maybe the reality of the situation feels boring, or we feel hemmed in by the commitment. Starting something new is the perfect way to distance ourselves, but we might be side-stepping what we really want and need.

The Two of Wands illustrates the escape fantasies that can come with boredom or over-familiarity. Looking at the card we can see that the main figure is living a life filled with riches. They're caressing lush feathers while standing on a castle parapet wearing luxurious finery, for goodness sake! Then why are they staring wistfully off into the horizon?

This card is a cheeky reminder that our fantasies are just fantasies. Instead of propelling us out of a tricky situation they're cheating us out of enjoying what we have. Are we growing bored with our fancy clothes, the beautiful castle we've built for ourselves, and the relationships that take place within its walls? 

And the bigger question beneath all this is, what feelings, desires, or wishes are we avoiding with all these plans and daydreams? 

The Queen of Cups is a reassuring and insightful card to end with and it shows us how we're actually sitting on top of a huge well of intuitive knowledge. We know, in our heart of hearts, that the situation isn't calling for wandsy action. Instead, this is a time to step back into our personal inner sanctum, that quiet space where we consult ourselves and then listen quietly for our own response.

Because we're not at a Knight's phase in this moment. And we don't want to initiate distracting change and get lost in new ventures. We're actually well on the way of a slower journey. We know ourselves better, and can identify, accept, and lovingly re-direct our anxious, eager reactions. The Queen of Cups shows us that underneath it all, we know where we're going, and our sense of direction is based on an indescribable knowing. We're feeling our way forward, not rationalizing or justifying it to anyone. 

Clarity is coming our way towards the end of the week, so all we need to do is recognize our eager, impatient Knight of Wands selves while making space for the insight of the Queen of Cups. And while we're at it, we can enjoy the wonders of our actual lives, returning the romance and value to what we've worked so hard to cultivate. There' so much to enjoy and treasure. 
 

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Weekly Forecast: July 9-15

We walk into this week on the tail of a big conclusion whose consequences haven't left us quite yet. Endings are big and take up a lot of space, both mentally and emotionally. The Ten of Swords is a powerful card that shows both the pain and relief that comes when something has run its. It may not have become what we originally dreamed it would, but leaving it behind is still bittersweet. When things end we say goodbye both to the reality that came to be and the dream we held for the future that was never realized.

And, as we've all experienced, this process is never linear. We rarely are able to waltz away from big endings and changes refreshed and rejuvenated, never to suffer their pains and doubts again. Instead, these feelings cycle through us. Like ripples through water, we experience reverberations long after the original disturbance.

Life, however, likes to pile things on top of each other. This week the pain of leaving something behind (rightly, I might add) is being replaced pretty quickly by the intoxication of a new connection. The Two of Cups shows us delighting in a new companion. This connection can be either romantic or platonic; however, whichever we experience will share the same tingling sensations of joy and anticipation. We've met someone wonderful! And this experience is infusing our world with a great deal of happiness and excitement.

Going from the dark, tidal experience of the Ten of Swords to this effervescent delight is a big transition, to say the least. And so it's no surprise that The Devil is showing up as our final card. The beautiful newness of our relationships this week are providing a tempting an irresistible distraction.

Here, we can take The Devil two ways. Firstly, as we can see from this illustration of the archetype, The Devil is fun. It's hard to resist a figure leaning forward seductively holding jewels and flowers! In small doses, a little decadence and distraction are helpful in moving past the initial shock of the Ten of Swords. But The Devil is also terrible at moderation and this week we're walking a fine line between healthy recreation and harmful, mind-erasing overindulgence.

In this second scenario, The Devil's energy is tempting us to use our new joyful connection to soothe and stifle the pain still reverberating from the Ten of Swords. Since the Two of Cups is such a fresh, young energy this can be quite detrimental to the health of the relationships we're forming right now. In other words, we're smothering an alluring glimmer with the pressure to relieve ourselves of a nagging pain.

The Devil would rather we bypass the sticky and uncomfortable parts and have fun now, at any cost. This is an important time to carefully examine our usual coping mechanisms. Where are we rushing things and how are we covering up the difficult emotions we need to process?

This brings us back to the Ten of Swords. It will benefit us greatly to look at the source of our suffering. Sure, it might not be all flowers and jewels, but it has a lot to teach us right now. Doing so will help take some of the pressure off of the delightful connections we're forming at the moment and allow us to heal and better understand what's come before. 

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