Monday, December 15, 2025
Waning Moon
Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Hello, and happy new week!
There’s a lot going on this week – we have the dark moon on Thursday the 18th, and the new moon on Friday the 19th. We have the Winter Solstice on Sunday, the 21st, the longest night and the shortest day.
Neptune went direct last week, so we have a little of ease with that.
With everything going on for the holidays, it’s often difficult to remember that, naturally, we want to rest now. Societal pressures want us to do a lot, while our natural instinct is to rest. Keep a balance, and trust yourself before anything else.
Last week’s reading was lovely and positive, and, while it was a busy week for me, there was also a lot of joy in it.
For December, we use the Yuletide Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes, with art by Erin O’Leary Brown. You can read more about them by clinking the link on their names, and you can buy the deck from Llewellyn here.
The Minor Arcana correspondences are as follows:
Candles = Wands
Good Cheer = Cups
Canes = Swords
Gifts = Pentacles/Coins
This is one of my spreads, that I call The Elemental Spread. It is very similar to many of the Medicine Wheel spreads I’ve seen, but I made a few tweaks to the way I use it over the years.
We start in the center, with Spirit/Self. This is the overall energy of the week, and how we relate to it.
We move to the position above, with is North/Tangibles, connected to the element of Earth, advice on how to deal with the week on a tangible, materialistic level.
We move clockwise to the third position, East/Thought, connected to the element of Air, advice on how to intellectually deal with the week.
Then we move down to the bottom of the spread, the 4th position, South/Passion, connected to the element of Fire, advice on how to deal with the week from a place of passion and identity.
Then we move up to the left side of the spread, the 5th position, West/Emotion, connected to the element of Water, advice on how to deal with the week from a place of creativity and emotion.
We wind up where we started, at the spirit center, integrating all the information for the week.
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.
Center – Spirit/Self: Four of Candles
This is the equivalent to the 4 of Wands in other decks, and also the same card we had in this position in last week’s reading. We are still building something substantial and beautiful. It’s the stability of being loved for who you are, not who you think you should be, and is as much about found family as blood. Keep building!
North – Earth/Tangibles: Queen of Candles
This is the equivalent of the Queen of Wands. She is someone confident in who she is, passionate about who she is and what she stands for, generous and loving. Move through the world this week with confidence. Be the you-est you that you can be – that’s what the world needs right now.
East – Air/Thought/Intellect: 6 of Canes
This is the equivalent of the 6 of Swords in other decks, and about travel/leaving. It’s about motion. There’s a lot going on, and a lot that requires your intellectual capacity. Know when it’s time to leave a given situation, be it a holiday party or an uncomfortable visit. You can be kind about the departure, but know when to go. Use your head, not your ego. Everyone is exhausted at this time of year. You have to know how to be a good guest as much as being a good host. Don’t overstay.
South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The Matrona
This is the Empress in other decks. This is about birthing, be it literal or figurative. This is about care and letting things take their time, so that they can come into the world properly, without being rushed. When you feel pressured this week, remember to stop for a moment and take a deep breath. The Matrona ties very directly to the Queen of Candles in the top position, with the line through the 4 of Candles. Be generous and loving whenever possible this week.
West – Water/Creativity/Emotion – 5 of Candles
This is the equivalent to the 5 of Wands in other decks. Fives are about conflict. The big warning this week is: watch your temper. Don’t get drawn into conflicts that aren’t yours. Stick to your identity (wands), know when it’s time to leave (6 Canes), tap into the loving energy of the 4 of Candles, the Queen of Candles, and the Matrona. There will be drama queens running around. You can be an audience without being a participant.
Did anything in particular resonate, or did you get a different interpretation? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
I wish you a blessed Solstice!