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Something a little different this week. Today I wanted to pull a couple of cards with regard to the period from Samhain/All Hallows Eve through to the Winter Solstice. So I did, and…

… well. Highs and lows, then? How very 2020. Take the joy where you can, folks, and allow yourself to acknowledge and feel the painful stuff. We’re all just doing our best.

Now to the business of the next few days:

Phew. Good job I was sitting down! There’s a great deal of power in those cards, isn’t there? The Magus and the Priestess. Master of external will and manifestation; ruler of the intuitive, psychic realm and keeper of secrets. What a formidable pair they make.

In the centre, the Prince (AKA Knight) of Cups. A lover, a creator, here to speak to our desires and passions. (Anyone else need a cold shower yet?)

At a time when another national lockdown is about to begin in my home country it might seem counterintuitive – just as many things are once again about to grind to a halt – to be talking about dynamic themes like personal power, passion and our inner voice. Or maybe not. As we begin to get to grips with the long-term impact that Covid-19 is going to have on our lives, perhaps these are the things we really need to pay attention to: the things we can actually control.

So – think about what moves you, this week. What you want and how you plan to get it in the longer term – since there are two serious Major Arcana cards here telling you that these themes aren’t going away anytime soon!

Have a good week and stay safe x

Mmm OK! This has given me something to think about.

Faith is firmly at the centre of things this week. Plenty of symbolism in this reading to that effect, some obvious, some a little less so. (Confession – I spent a good couple of minutes thinking about ‘faith’ before properly registering that it was the title of the Six right in front of me. That’s a message alright!)

I don’t actually think it’s necessary to interpret faith in a religious context here: I feel this is as much about faith in ourselves, in the inner voice that guides us – we are largely in Wind/Swords territory, after all. How many of us are feeling confident in that inner knowing, though, with the world as it is right now? The message seems to be that we should – that we must – this week.

The Six of Water (aka Cups) connects us to an energy less encumbered by the mental boxes we fold ourselves into (the Eight of Wind). Not exactly childlike, but open and willing. The ability to feel, to engage receptively, to play even, without fear. There’s often a sharp intake of breath associated with the Ten of Wind, but I like the way it is described it in this deck: “… you feel as if your spirit is rising on the winds of change.” Let’s try to keep an open heart to change over the next few days.

Have a good week and stay safe x

Oh hello… it’s a three majors kind of week then. The interesting times keep coming, don’t they?

The appearance of the World is a hint that we are dealing with endings and beginnings. Phases of life approaching completion as others begin anew: thresholds to be crossed. It can be an exciting time or an anxious one, depending on where you stand of course!

The remaining two cards suggest that the theme we’re dealing with is our sense of ourselves and what we contribute to the world. Both the Empress and the Hierophant are outward-facing figures, concerned with the external rather than the inner life.

The Empress is deeply concerned with the physical and the sensual self, but she is not all softness: she rules implacably. She is a figure who knows she wants and will act to get it.

The Hierophant deals with the spiritual, it’s true, but in the realm of our connections to others. What common beliefs or characteristics do we share? What can we learn from one another (something we touched on a few weeks ago, when he last popped up… spotting a pattern)?

So – how do we want to be seen, this week? Who do we want to be to other people, from here on? How do we go about getting the things that we desire? What can others teach us about ourselves? Plenty to think on.

Have a good week and stay safe x

OK, so… everyone is either naked or in armour this week?

I was going to say ‘just kidding’ but actually I think there’s something in that. We’re well over 6 months into These Unprecedented Times™ and people are really feeling it. Some are battling on, some are feeling more vulnerable and exposed: many of us are doing both, depending on what day it is. We should remember that when we deal with others this week.

In terms of the cards themselves, this chimes with the Knight of Swords taking centre stage. He’s someone who is sharp, quick, intelligent – but he can be apt to conceal it behind all that armour. Consider what lies underneath the defences of those you come into contact with over the coming days.

If you seek to connect with others in spite of their defence mechanisms, then the highly positive cards either side of the Knight suggest that this is a good week to achieve that. I don’t really need to explain the Sun to you, do I? Just remember how good that warmth feels on your skin, notice how those two are looking at each other, and – you’ve got it.

As for the Magician, perhaps his is a slightly less vulnerable kind of nakedness. He is Hermes, the winged messenger, sometimes the trickster. He too is sharp and cunning: his nudity, I think, is a challenge to us. Here I am, unafraid. Now what? He is a sure-footed master of his will, and bids us to do the same – to step up and be bold.

Boldness and tender warmth are quite a combination. Perhaps we can try for a little of both this week and see where it takes us.

Have a good week and stay safe x

Well. There’s an interesting trio.

I think this is the strongest Cups/water energy we’ve seen since I started these weekly readings. The top and the tail of the pips in one spread, perfectly balanced by the scales of Adjustment in the centre. Full circle, we hit the high of the Ten and start again with the bursting, inrushing energy of the Ace. Round and round we go. Feelings, sensory input, intuition: all these are heightened.

When I look at Adjustment I always remember the sword that she’s holding reflects that on the Ace of Swords card in this deck, so it seems that new ideas and insights are in the mixture too. It’s quite a heady combination, don’t you think? Hold on tight these next few days!

Have a good week and stay safe x

Hmm. Interesting times when a couple of majors show up, especially when one of them visited not all that long ago.

Sometimes to anchor my thoughts for a reading I like to revisit the words of the creator(s) of the deck I’m using; it’s an interesting exercise to see what stands out from those. The accompanying booklet with the Tarot of the Spirit talks, with respect to the Five of Fire (aka Wands), about “relinquishing that which is obsolete.” Sometimes we need to let go of ideas, preconceptions, or limits in order to progress towards the things we want.

The Wheel of Fortune appeared a couple of weeks ago: the fact that it’s back tells me that everything is moving in mysterious ways at the moment. Fate, if you want to call it that, is making things happen. We should remain alert to synchronicities and try to keep our balance if things feel like they’re spinning a little too fast.

It struck me today that Eakins says of the Hierophant we should “become both student and teacher; seek both student and teacher.” We forget sometimes that although we may feel inexperienced or nervous as we navigate unfamiliar territory (and which of us hasn’t done that this year?), we may in fact be guiding or teaching others in ways we haven’t recognised. For me this ties the threads of this reading into one message: trust the process. Surrender to it. There is so much yet to be learned.

Have a good week and stay safe x

A change of deck this week, because this one nudged me as I went to reach for one of the others. I love the striking colour of this deck.

It’s a pretty spicy week we’ve got coming, by the looks of it. The Seven and Six of Wands: standing firm with the success you’ve achieved. That power pose in the seven! Wands are fire, inspiration, creativity, passion. Keep those things that light you up at the forefront of your mind this week. Hold your ground.

Why? Because the Ace of Pentacles is here to begin to earth that lightning, to shape and solidify it into reality. It’s a start, of course, but what a start: an inrush of new energy, shiver of anticipation, the thrill of potential. We like that, don’t we?

Have a good week and stay safe x

Sometimes it takes a while of just sitting with a reading to get a clear feeling for what it’s trying to say. Not so this week, which feels pretty direct and to the point. Two out of three from the Major Arcana points to some definite universal themes going on – broad currents for us to navigate.

This appearance of the Wheel suggests to me that we should be on the lookout for the unexpected in the next seven days. Prepare yourself for whatever surprises or freak weather might pop up as it turns, and be sure to have your best coping mechanisms at the ready if the wheel spins fast enough to make you dizzy.

How? Connect with your inner Knight of Coins. Protect your health and wealth however is best for you. Dare I say, even – be a little sensible? Keep an eye on the finances, eat well, get enough sleep. Slow and steady. If things still feel rough – Strength is what will get you through. You’ve survived all the challenges life has thrown at you up to this point. You’re riding a green lion, for goodness’ sake. You are an absolute badass. Hold your head high this week because you deserve to.

Have a good week and stay safe x

Oh! I wasn’t expecting that, for some reason. I’m not sure if it reflects well on me that positive, happy cards immediately seem surprising or suspicious, but then this is the Thoth tarot and one never quite knows with uncle Aleister… Still, here we are.

It’s a week for the emotional, intuitive realm, then. The 9 of Cups is sometimes known as the ‘wish card’ – it signifies our cup running over. There is a sense of contentment and emotional balance. We can and should, for the moment, count our blessings.

The Knight (aka King) of Cups is a wise, compassionate man, though he may tend towards the dreamy side. He’s a lover, not a fighter, and sometimes shows up when we’re in a phase of spiritual development. As far as this reading goes, I’ll be honest and say he’s being a little coy; I’m not sure if he’s here to point us towards a Knight of Cups in our own lives this week, or to ask us to work on our own Knight of Cups energy. Sometimes we don’t have all the answers (mutters something about the Water suit, fluidity and tides)… we just need to watch and wait with our intuitive senses to the fore.

Meanwhile, the Six of Disks (aka Pentacles or Coins) is another harmonious, balanced card reinforcing the message that we may count our blessings this week, in the material sphere as well as the emotional. The things we are working on are progressing well; we can hope for prosperity, maybe even share our good fortune with others if we’re in a position to do so. It might seem unusual to see such friendly cards crop up in a year like this one, but it feels nice, doesn’t it?

Have a good week and stay safe x

Three major arcana in one weekly reading, and a full moon tonight. That’s an eyebrow-raiser; a sign of larger currents working strongly over the next seven days.

It seems to me that the theme here is to do with choices and decision making regarding how we face each other in the world. Consider The Lovers, numbered 6 and aligned astrologically with Gemini. Two people, whether twins or lovers, who are closely connected but remain separate, autonomous beings. Where do you & I end and ‘we’ begin? How do we navigate our relationships with those we are close to in order to preserve both our communal ties and our individual sense of who we are?

The Emperor’s role is relevant because he of all people treads a fine line between the individual and the collective. The crown rests on his head alone because it is his role to lead, to take decisions, to be in charge: but his continuing rulership absolutely depends on his doing so with the support of his people. If he neglects their needs in favour of his own desires, is immovable or rules rashly, it will come back to bite him.

That’s not to say that we can’t, or shouldn’t, consider our own needs first. We need to know ourselves extremely well in order to navigate our relationships with others successfully. There are a lot of stresses on those at the best of times, but especially this year! And at the moment, where I am at least, we are being pushed by external circumstances to make some significant choices about how we interact with the world. Back to school! Back to work! Or… not?

The Hanged Man says: you don’t have to decide everything all at once. You don’t have to be immovable, or make rash choices. You can choose to take yourself away from that, and from others, if you want to (in so far as any of our lives allow!). You can watch and wait for new perspectives to reveal themselves. The voices of your people – whoever those might be – are important and you should hear them, but the decisions rest on your shoulders. If you need to contemplate them for longer, do so.

Have a good week and stay safe x