Monday, August 24, 2026
Waxing Moon
Pluto, Neptune, Saturn, Chiron Retrograde
Hopefully, this post shows up on time. I’m having internet issues on my end.
We are coming up on the full moon/lunar eclipse in Pisces on August 28th, so we’ve been in between spaces and realities for nearly two weeks. Even if we try to flow with it, it can take a toll. Be extra nice to yourself this week. Because I am a Pisces, this eclipse is smacking me around a bit.
Because Monday is the 31st of August, we will have one more week with this deck.
This week’s reading is interesting, because almost all the cards in the reading have come up in prior readings this month. That makes sense, with the reading being between eclipse energies. And yes, I shuffled the deck A LOT before I drew the cards! 😉
This month, we are using The Tarot of the Great Outdoors by JQ Gordon, with art by Sharisse Steber. It’s published by Skipstone Press. 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.
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: Four of Vessels
This is the equivalent of the 4 of Cups in other decks, which is often interpreted as boredom or restlessness. But in this deck, it’s closer to the way the 4 of Swords is usually interpreted – the need for rest and respite. The figure in this card is sitting peacefully in their tent in the woods. It’s a positive, calm setting, suggesting going inward for regeneration while being out in nature. The driving energy this week is the need for quiet and contemplation. Don’t let anyone rush you into decisions. Wait until after the eclipse. Take stock of things, and figure out what you need to make an informed decision (or several) next week.
North – Earth/Tangibles: Nine of Vessels
This equivalent to the 9 of Cups came up last week in the East. Last week was for dreaming; this week is for doing. Take pleasure in daily activity, and start the steps that make what you dreamed about in relation to this card last week a tangible reality this week. It doesn’t have to be complete. Just take the first step, and take pleasure in it.
East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Five of Blades
This card came up as the driving central energy last week, and has shifted into the position of thought and intellect this week. There is the potential for arguments. Instead of arguing, how about tweaking the discussions to be something positive where you all work toward the collective good? These figures are working together. They might have different ideas about how to get it done, but if everyone listens and gives and takes, the result will be positive.
South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The Sun
The Sun was in the West last week, with emotions and creativity, and has moved into the South this week – identity. This is a week to be confident in yourself and shine. Let yourself receive praise for the work you do, for your ideas, for the way you show up in community. This is a time to truly be yourself, and enjoy it. The energy line goes directly up through the 4 of Vessels, where you gather the energy to shine, and up to the 9 of Vessels, where you make your dreams tangible. You do so this week by being unapologetically yourself.
West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Queen of Vessels She’s back! This Queen showed up in the Aug. 3 reading in the South, the position of identity. This week, she is in the West, the position of creativity and emotion, teaching us how to navigate choppy waters with confidence. Again, the energy line moves through the 4 of Vessels (another vessel) to the 5 of Blades, the potential for argument. Stay grounded and you can navigate arguments, turning them into positive movement.
This reading has a single Major Arcana card, three Vessel cards (including a court card) and one Blade. Emotion and intellect take the stage this week, which makes sense moving toward the lunar eclipse. It also ties up what we’ve been working through all month, with previous cards showing up again in new positions. There are no stones/pentacles or sticks/wands in this week’s reading. It’s about our minds and hearts.
Did anything resonate for you in this reading, or do you have a different interpretation? I’m always happy to hear about it.