Monday, August 3, 2026
Waning Moon
Pluto, Neptune, Saturn, Chiron Retrograde
Welcome to a new month! I hope you had a good holiday (Lammas/Lughnasa in the Northern Hemisphere, Imbolc in the Southern Hemisphere). Saturn turned retrograde on July 26, and will be retrograde until December 10. Chiron goes retrograde today until January 6, 2027. Chiron is the Wounded Healer, relevant to the astrological activity going on around the shifting nodes and all the squares. We are also in the Lion’s Gate Portal, which is a good time to wrap up the old things, or cut ties, so that you can walk through the portal unheeded. Because of all the retrogrades, things might be slower than we’d like, but it’s more about putting in the work than seeing results right now. If you’re doing interior work or spellwork with the cards outside of regular readings, it’s a good time to work with pentacles for solid foundations and steady movement and cups to wash away the detritus.
I used four out of the five ingredients in last week’s reading with the Magic Pantry Tarot by Cedar McCloud. The only ingredient I did not use last week was oats. But I used nuts, cake, rosemary, and corn in various recipes all week, especially when I made cornbread on the 1st for Lammas. I enjoyed working with the deck in the past month, and using the ingredients that came up. I will go back to this deck especially when I feel the need to nurture myself and others through cooking and food. You can get more information on all of McCloud’s work on the website here.
On a life level, last week was an interesting week of tried patience and frustrations in certain areas of my life, and beauty, creativity, and community in other areas.
Now, it’s a new month and therefore, a new deck. This month, we are using by JQ Gordon, with art by Sharisse Steber. It’s published by Skipstone Books. I won it in a contest through Mountaineers Books a few years back, and I really like it. The Major Arcana cards each depict a different National Park. The Minor Arcana cards depict relevant outdoor activities to each card. You can find out more about each artist or company by clicking their name. When Major Arcana cards come up in the spreads this month, I will also include links to that card’s National Park website. I’ve also found this deck works very well in ancestral work that’s tied to place, and in doing work with genius Loci (spirit of place).
The suits are designated as follows:
Sticks = Wands
Blades = Swords
Vessels = Cups
Stones = Pentacles
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: Ace of Blades
The central driving force this week is new ideas and fresh approaches to things that haven’t been working. The art in this card is a multi-tool, which encourages using the right tool for the job, rather than being stuck in “the way it’s always been done.” Listen carefully this week, and be alert to new opportunities.
North – Earth/Tangibles: Two of Blades
In other decks, the two of blades (swords) often shows someone blindfolded holding a pair of swords, or two people involved in a stalemate (often with swords). In this card, our two figures are on ice skates (blades, I love this symbolism). They are carving figures in the ice. The older figure steadies the younger figure. He teaches her how to use mind and body together, to work with the ice, instead of against it. This harkens back to the previous card: this week is for listening and learning about the new idea/opportunity, and finding holistic ways to move forward, instead of just diving in.
East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Seven of Stones
This is the equivalent to the 7 of Pentacles, that was the central driving force in last week’s reading. It’s moved to the realm of intellect this week. Keep climbing, like the figure in the card. Know that the one who is your anchor (the figure in yellow at the bottom of the wall/top of the card) is holding steady. You can do this, don’t give up, it’s taking longer and needs more strength. Just keep dealing with what’s directly in front of you until you reach the top.
South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Queen of Vessels
This is the equivalent of the Queen of Cups. The windsurfer navigates rough waters with skill and expertise. Use that this week, if someone or something tries to disrupt your sense of personal identity, or underestimate you. You’ve earned your place where you are. Don’t let someone else’s pettiness knock you off your board.
West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Ace of Stones
The equivalent of the Ace of Pentacles in other decks, this suggests a fresh, tangible start in your emotional or creative realm. It ties in closely to the Ace of Blades and the Two of Blades, as far as listening, learning, and being aware of new opportunities. It ties into the 7 of Stones through the Ace of Blades in the line of the spread, to keep going. The Queen of Vessels is relevant here, warning you not to let anyone knock you off your game. There will be someone this week whose words/advice/pettiness needs to be ignored.
We don’t have any Major Arcana cards this week, nor do we have any Sticks/Wands. This week is about the daily details of getting things done. There are two Aces here, which offer fresh opportunities if we remain alert and don’t let anyone talk us out of them.
Did anything in this reading resonate with you? Or did you get something different? I’m always happy to hear about your experience.