Weekly Forecast: November 19-25

How do we engage with community, both chosen and inherited? It's fascinating that this week - the week of Thanksgiving for those of us in the states - features the Three of Cups, a card all about coming together and sharing joy with others. 

This card has been a frequent addition to so many readings lately that I've been holding it close in my mind, mulling over all the happiness, richness, and, yes, even challenges that come with community. 

What do we do when our groups and gatherings require more than just lighthearted abandon? How do we navigate our different needs, opinions, and personalities? This week shows us congregating in a moment of celebration - The Three of Cups - and bringing some interesting and non-traditional tools to the table. We are, it seems, poised to navigate our differences and remain true to ourselves, whether it's over large ideological issues like politics or small tensions like what kind of cranberry sauce is the best (canned, homemade, smooth, or chunky??)

With the Three of Cups front row center, we can see that the overall context is warm and delightful. Just our ability to connect with others is something worth celebrating and, interestingly, this is not a card that focuses on or represents family exclusively. All connections, biological or chosen, are beautiful and worthy.

This is the basic foundation of our week; but, as we know, groups can get complicated quickly, and the other two cards see us doing some wise preparation for the hubbub. 

One could see the King of Swords and think, "Aha! We're arriving armed for battle!" While this is a pretty crude interpretation, it's somewhat applicable here, though a lot less militant! Rather than showing up to our gatherings with swords brandished, we're actually doing the wise mental preparation to navigate the different kind of intensities around our celebrations. This can be stress-based, aka "let me plan out how to cook all this food without losing my mind," or ideological - "what is really important for me during this gathering and what do I want to communicate about my ideas?"

There are no one-size-fits-all answers to that final question. The King of Swords does show us all that we have the ability to stand behind what we value and use our sharp mental powers to think through how we'd like to present them. What's more, this card has the formidable mix of diplomacy and strength. Using this approach we can find ways to be our truest self and take part in the celebration.

I love this combination of self-awareness and fun because we usually assume one excludes the other. The King of Swords asks us to cut through that myth and embrace our power to participate mindfully, clearing a path for ourselves to be a part of a group while being ourselves. 

Fascinatingly, we end things with The Chariot. Clearly, something more epic is coming from these efforts than bloated stomachs and some time off to nap. Engaging with the ins-and-outs of connection head-on, embracing the stress with the joy and the love with the disagreement, is creating a complex and beautiful alliance. 

When we look at The Chariot we see two horses leading the way. Proceeding as a unified front requires training and patience and lots of work. It's up-close and personal. Someone's going to neigh and bite, rear up in the air and come down huffing. That's what it means to harness all that wild and alive power. But if our larger goal is the same we can drive towards it together, still kicking occasionally, but united in our connection and strong in the power of our individual selves brought together.

The Three of Cups, rather than being frivolous and small, sees us practicing and strengthening our ability to move forward together as The Chariot. No matter how inconsequential it seems, our ability to show up for each other and navigate the complexities of our relationships strengthens and solidifies the important, beautiful, and diverse bonds between us. 

But first, the celebration!

---