Monday, December 16, 2024
Last Day of the Full Moon (full moon was yesterday)
Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter, Mars Retrograde
Mercury DIRECT as of yesterday
Thank goodness Mercury is direct. It managed to gum up the works as it left for me on a couple of different points. Our next Mercury retrograde starts in March of 2025 – fortunately, after my birthday!
We still have four retrogrades slowing us down, especially Mars. Take extra time and think more than twice when you feel argumentative.
How was last week? I definitely had to remind myself at several points of the warning, “don’t be a jerk.” I did, however, enjoy both the Ace of Candles and the Ace of Good Cheer.
This month, we are using the Yuletide Tarot, from Kristoffer Hughes with art by Erin O’Leary Brown. You can get it from Llewellyn Worldwide here. (Note: even though I’ve written for Llewellyn almanacs for decades, I do not get free decks from them, nor do I get a cut of anything you buy using this link. I bought the deck myself). This is the first year I’m using this deck. It was recommended to me by my friend, tarot reader and author Jamieson Wolf. I spent the last month getting to know the deck, in preparation for this month’s work with it.
In this deck:
Canes = Swords
Candles = Wands
Good Cheer = Cups
Gifts = Pentacles
If you’re new to the weekly readings, this is a spread of mine, that I’ve developed over months. It’s read from left to right, 5 cards. Any card that needs more interpretation can be built into further, above and below, with either more tarot cards, another tarot deck, or an oracle deck.
These interpretations are mine, based on my experience, intuition and responses to the artwork. You may have a different experience. This is an overview of the week as it stands now; every decision we make from the moment of the reading can change the outcome. If there’s something in the reading that worries you, you have the information ahead of time so that you can plan, make better choices, or handle it differently than predicted for a better outcome. Tarot sets out possibilities, which you change through your choices and actions.
Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort
The Collective Energy of the Week – 9 of Gifts
This is the 9 of Pentacles in other decks. She’s sitting happily in a chair, enjoying her decorated tree and the fire. It’s a card of material security and a sense of comfort. This may be difficult to remember, as we hurtle toward trying to get everything done before the holidays, but take some time to bask in all you’ve gotten done; it matters. Every day this week, take a few minutes to enjoy and reflect on contentment.
The Week’s Challenge – The List
This is Judgement in other decks, which is about awakening. This card shows a book with names marked “naughty” and “nice.” At first, the card put me off a bit, because the whole idea of some unknown force deciding my fate isn’t something aligned with me. But Hughes suggests going deeper into your own awareness and the impact your decisions have on others. That makes more sense to me. Also, as we careen ever closer to the holidays this week, we see often impossible standards to meet this holiday thrust at us from multiple directions. Discernment is needed. While I love to see photos on Instagram about the way people decorate (and often get ideas), I don’t feel the need to be as styled as many accounts. (Anyone who’s seen the photos of the somewhat eclectic decorations I share will laugh and know this is true). I decorate in ways that give me joy. I write cards to people because I want them to know they matter. I bake for others as a way to show gratitude that they are part of my life. And there’s plenty that’s never shared on social media; I don’t care what others think of it; I do it because it is a joyful part of the season. So this week, we may be challenged to hold to our own joy of the season, and not perform in ways that live up to what others tell us we should want. Some people just want peace and quiet, and that’s fine! Others want to run down the street singing – that’s fine, too. Let’s all give each other room and kindness to find our own joy.
The Week’s Opportunity – 10 of Good Cheer
This is the 10 of Cups in other decks. This card was in our spread for the week of December 2, as a challenge. This week, it’s moved into the “opportunity” slot, which seems like good advice. As we take time to enjoy and revel in pleasure, and are challenged to meet other’s expectations, we have the opportunity to be cheerful, loving, and kind. Let’s do so, whenever the opportunity presents itself, and spread some of that seasonal cheer!
The Week’s Stretch – 6 of Canes
This is 6 of Swords in other decks. The figures pictured in this card are leaving. Is it a happy leave taking, after a good visit? Or are they leaving because the environment is no longer healthy for them? In either case, it has to happen. What do you need to leave this week? Is a job ending? Should a job end? Are you leaving a physical location, or (since this suit is about thoughts and intellect) are you leaving an unhealthy perspective? The stretch is to actually make the choice, get moving, and make this change. Even if it’s difficult, it will open the way for better in the long term.
The Week’s Comfort – Death
Okay, this can be a little disconcerting. But, of course, in tarot the Death card rarely means physical death. It does, however, mean change, and is likely tied most closely to both Judgement/The List and the 6 of Canes/Swords, reassuring us that the leave-taking in the 6 is necessary and transformative, and that our actions have impact (The List/Judgement), so let’s be kind (10 of Good Cheer/Cups) and also remember the overreaching energy of the week, contentment (9 of Gifts/Pentacles). This transformation is an opportunity to start fresh, and build something more positive and in alignment with who you are and what you want. The figure itself is Dickens’ character The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Change is inevitable. Some of it is out of our control; some we can shape by our responses, decisions, and actions. What do you need to let go of, so that you are no longer stuck? As disturbing as seeing this card often is, especially at this time of year, there’s also a sense of relief that things are in motion, and that’s why it showed up as a comfort.
What do you get from these cards this week? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.