Author: Cerridwen

Monday, May 11, 2026
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Here we are in May, getting into retrograde season. Pluto went retrograde last week on the 6th, and will be retrograde until October 15. It is the only retrograde until nearly the end of June, so we can really explore what it brings up, about what’s hidden is revealed. We had six weeks of rushing forward, and now things we might not have noticed during that rush (or ignored) are coming up and need to be dealt with.

It’s a waning moon, so it’s a good time to banish things from our lives. And we have a new moon on Saturday the 16th, where we have room for something fresh and new thanks to the banishing we did this week.

I spent last week tiptoe-ing around, worried about The Tower. At the same time, looking to Tower energy, I took care of a few things so I wouldn’t fall into the procrastination abyss and make The Tower necessary. My hope is that by using the advice of the card, I made gentler choices and decisions that meant things going ka-boom was no longer necessary. On a larger scale, what happened in Virginia and Tennessee here in the US are Tower moments.

This month’s deck is The Forager’s Daughter, with book and art by Jessica Lei Howard. This is an absolutely gorgeous deck, and feels wonderful in my hands. I’m excited to share readings with you from this deck. You can learn more about Jessica’s work and buy the deck here.

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: The Magician
I love the Magician card, because it reminds me that I have everything I need within me to create what I want. It’s about transformation through skill and will. We have a butterfly in this card, and tadpoles, encouraging our transformation. What will you put into motion this week? Showing up where it is, the central driving energy during the waning moon, it suggests that the transformation will be fueled by what you banish.

North – Earth/Tangibles: Two of Cups
The 2 of Cups is a card of partnership, and it’s in the position of tangibles. The two cups are pouring into a unified stream, and a pair of mallards are below. A positive partnership is indicated on a very tangible level this week. A card of emotion and creative partnership is in the position of tangibles.

 

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Eight of Swords
This card is in its elemental home, swords being about thoughts. The 8 is about feeling trapped. The snakes that the rabbit in this artwork fears are illusions/shadows, and the swords spear them. Use the Pluto retrograde energy to look more closely at what you fear and feel trapped by this week, and see where you are worried about things that aren’t real, or where you’re spinning unnecessary anxious fantasies. Make a concerted effort to be the Magician and refocus your thoughts on making what you want to happen real.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The Star
The Star came up several times last month, in different positions, and here it is in the position of identity. This is about hope, healing, and the crocus promising spring after a long winter. I love that the cardinal is in this card. A cardinal greeted me the other day when I left the house on an errand. Cardinals are one of my favorite birds, after crows and ravens. They symbolize hope and creativity. Tie the Star energy from your inner fire this week with the Magician energy driving the week.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Nine of Wands
The Ace of Wands was in this position last week, and now we’ve jumped to the 9. Look at the determination of the mouse climbing up the branch to reach the fruit. There is a strong will here, a focus and determination. In other decks, it often shows a defensive position against others, but this artwork shows a more singular determination. Persist and adapt to get where you want to be. Be realistic about the difficulties, but don’t create new ones in your thought patterns (8 Wands). Tie the three cards in a line – 2 Cups, Magician, Star – energies together to build what you want.

We have two Major Arcana cards, one cup, one sword, one wand. No pentacles. It’s less about resources this week and more about will/determination.

Did anything resonate for you, or did you get a different interpretation? I always love to hear about it.

Monday, May 4, 2026
Waning Moon

Welcome to a new week, a new month, a new deck!

We had a full moon on Beltane on May 1 (last Friday). Pluto goes retrograde this Wednesday, May 6, meaning what was hidden comes to light. We will have another full moon/blue moon on the last day of the month.

Pluto is the only retrograde this month, and for most of next month, until Mercury goes retrograde at the end of June. This means we can really work on the Pluto retrograde revelations, without other retrogrades offering distractions. Pluto will turn direct on the 15 of October.

This month’s deck is The Forager’s Daughter, with book and art by Jessica Lei Howard. This is an absolutely gorgeous deck, and feels wonderful in my hands. I’m excited to share readings with you from this deck. You can learn more about Jessica’s work and buy the deck here.

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: Page of Swords
The Page of Swords is quick-witted and curious. The nettle and the sword warn not to speak without thinking, because it could cause hurt. In many decks, there are clouds in this card, which often warn me about gossip – either telling me to watch my mouth and make sure I don’t gossip, or warn me that someone is telling tales about me out there. I also use nettle for protection, or in spells to stop gossip. The central driving force this week is to watch and temper our words. What we say and to whom we say it will have consequences. Think before you speak, and maybe keep some of your thoughts close to yourself.

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Tower
Every time I see this card, I think, “uh oh.” Because for me, it shows up when I’ve procrastinated on something, and now there are consequences. It’s about sudden, drastic change, and since the card is in the northern position, it has to do with tangibles. This is not a card I wanted to see this week. I feel as though I’m on top of many things, and not procrastinating on much (I need to step up the spring cleaning), but as far as work and other things, I feel like I’m in a good place. So now I’m wary to see what rug will be pulled out from under me. And, caring for an elderly parent, this card turning up also becomes worrisome.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Emperor
The stag and the pine tree are both symbols of strength and protection. The Emperor, to me, often means being part of something larger than oneself. Tied to the previous cards, it makes me hope that the change indicated by the Tower card is more on a national, collective level than on a personal one. Still tangible, still affecting me, but with the community supporting each other, there’s a positive way through, and that it’s the positive aspects of the Tower making way for something better.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Knight of Wands
Apologies for cutting off the caption for this card in the photo. The Knight of Wands is about going out in the world being charismatically oneself. It is at home in the South, the position of passion and identity. A garter snake climbs up a wand in a clump of forsythia. I love forsythia, and it is in bloom where I live right now. This card encourages me to be myself this week.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Ace of Wands
This is about a new, passionate path of the self, and it is in the home of creativity and emotion. It’s building on the new projects and possibilities that have been offered in the past weeks, and encourages us to tap into our creativity and honor our emotions (especially with the Tower energy).

I was hoping for a calmer batch of cards this week, but looking at these, I can now make more measured decisions and be more aware of everything going around me.

We have two Major Arcana cards in the spread, two court cards (a page and a knight) and an Ace. There’s potential for disruptive energy and big chances, but the Emperor, the Knight, and the Ace suggest there’s also a lot of positive potential in this change.

Did anything resonate with you? Or did the cards speak something else? I always love to hear from you.

Monday, April 27, 2026
Waxing Moon

Hello, my friends! I hope the weather it is turning for the better where you are.

This is quite the week. Uranus moved into Gemini for the next 7-8 years on the 25th. I’ve been hearing a lot of gleeful doom predictions, and I stop and ask myself, “but what if it’s challenging but wonderful?” Because if these people who are trying to sell us quick fixes get us into doom spiraling/scrolling, it is easier to separate us from our money. Take it all with a grain of salt and decide how you want to program this transit for yourself. There will still be unexpected challenges along the way, because life works that way. Trust yourself and your individual connection to spirit above anyone trying to sell you something. Yes, I believe readers should be paid for their work. At the same time, there are those who are better at smoke, mirrors, and parting you from your money than actual communication with spirit. Take your time to vet and find someone whose work resonates with you.

Friday is the full moon AND Beltane, which is lots of fun. What have you worked on in this new moon cycle that you can release to manifest? (Remember, I release “what no longer serves” during the waning moon. You do what works best for YOU).

This is also our last retrograde-free week. On Wednesday, May 6th, Pluto goes retrograde until October 15, and then the retrogrades start piling up through summer and autumn again. Pluto retrograde reveals what’s been hidden. Since it’s retrograding in Aquarius, what’s being hidden in systems is revealed, so they can be rebuilt.

Pluto is the only retrograde until nearly the end of June, when Mercury retrograde pops up to make our lives hell, so we have some time to settle in and work with the Pluto retrograde.

This is our last week working with the Green Witch Tarot by Ann Moura, with art by Kiri Østergaard Leonard, along with the Green Witch’s Oracle Deck by Arin Murphy-Hiscock, illustrated by Sara Richard. You can read more about each of the creators by clicking the link on their name. You can buy the Green Witch Tarot here, and the Green Witch’s Oracle here. I’ve really enjoyed working with these two decks, and working with them together.

Next week, we switch to the deck we’ll use for May on this page. The Green Witch Tarot will move into slot of personal daily card pulls until Lammas.

The tarot deck was one of the first things I bought when I moved here to the mountains, five years ago. At that time, a store carrying tarot, crystals, herbs, etc., was only a few blocks away, and I was so delighted to find this deck. The shop has since, sadly, closed. This is also the deck from which I do my daily pulls from Beltane to Lammas. The oracle was a gift, this past Solstice, and I’ve really enjoyed working with it and getting to know it.

This month, we are doing a little something different, with the readings. The spread is the same. But the Oracle card will be in the Spirit position, the driving force for the week, with the tarot cards offering the elemental aspects. If an aspect needs a deeper dive, we will work with additional oracle cards.

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: Oak Tree
This week, we root our central energy for the week with the oak tree, which is a symbol of strength. It grows from acorn to tree, and endures. This is the week to have the hard conversations and to stand in your strength.

 

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Star
The Star showed up in this same position in the April 13 reading. It’s harmony, hope, and opportunity. If you didn’t grab the opportunity two weeks ago, you have another chance here. Or, it may be a new opportunity shining on you that you know, in your soul, feels right. Also, when it’s in the north, I find it means I have the opportunity to set a positive example for someone, and maybe even offer a hand up.

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Two of Athames
In this deck, the 2 of Athames is about conversation, truce, and compromise. There are other decks where the artwork clearly indicates a stalemate, but these two individuals are talking, trying to work something out. The body language of the figure on the left is somewhat wary, but he’s listening. This ties back to the oak and the need to have those hard conversations this week. Be as kind as you can, but work things through instead of shutting down, being aggressive, or walking away. It’s a time to be assertive while still listening and knowing where to compromise without capitulating.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Ace of Athames
The Ace of Athames is about fresh ideas and positive opportunities. Since it’s in the South, the position of identity and passion, it’s an idea that ignites you on a personal level. Perhaps those hard conversations indicated in the earlier cards are to clear away and make room for this. Or maybe, you will have to have difficult conversations in order to get this in motion. The way to do so is to meld your intellect with your passion, and not let either one overrule the other. I love the mouse clinging to the dandelion in this card. It makes my heart happy.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Sevan of Athames
This is a card of tactical skill and guile. The art in this card is very different from many other decks, who often show a somewhat sly figure stealing away with seven swords. The figure with the blades in this depiction has them strapped across their back, in a way that makes sense for their profession. The individual has the necessary tools for the job, and knows how to use them. When this card comes up for me, it generally means it’s time to keep my mouth shut and watch out for those around me who are lying. We are barraged with lies right now in the national sense in the US right now, but this card is usually about something more personal. Listen more than you talk this week, especially when it comes to a creative project (since this is in the west). If you are betrayed, it will hurt. Protect yourself as much as possible. It ties back into the Oak energy, and also the two and the ace. Know when to speak. Know when to play the cards close to your vest.

All of the Minor Arcana cards are athames, cards of the mind. There’s one Major Arcana card, the Star, that’s very positive, and our central Oak steadying us for the week.

Did anything in particular resonate with you? Or did you get something different from the cards? I’m always happy to hear about it.

Monday, April 20, 2026
Waxing Moon

Here we are, racing through April. With all this Aries energy, it makes sense.

I’ve also seen a lot of bullying going around online to the effect of “if you blow this opportunity, it’ll never come around again, and you’ll blow it if you don’t buy/download my guide.”

No.

We all have our own rhythms. Part of working with tarot and astrology is learning to work with energies, rather than in conflict with them. It’s trial, error, adjustment, trying again, and learning. It’s not about someone else making the decisions for you and telling you what you experience. You live in your own skin.

Yes, people should be paid for their work, skills, talents, time. But your life will not be destroyed if you don’t buy someone’s something this very second.

Planets are always in motion. People are always in motion (our very blood flow is part of that). There will always be some sort of energy we can work with, or choose not to work with, at a particular time. There are always consequences, but that doesn’t mean they are bad, or that there can’t be a course correction further down the line. Don’t get bullied into shelling out money because the planets are doing something unusual. Enjoy the planets and the energies, and each of us will integrate those energies differently. Celebrate these unique patterns instead of meeting them with the fear of “getting it wrong.” We have personal, societal, and global upheavals to deal with. Don’t let someone bully you into thinking if you don’t meet it their way, you will fail. You won’t. You will simply forge a different path to where you need to be.

Learn as much as you can and learn to find your own rhythm. We all adjust our rhythms to the needs of our daily lives, and often have to change those rhythms within the course of the day.

We had a new moon last week. We have a whole bunch of planets stacked in Aries, for the first time in centuries. Now, the sun has moved into Taurus, which is slower, steadier, and about stability. Even with all the Aries energy rolling around, the sun in Taurus tells us to slow down and enjoy what we’re building. Don’t just rush forward and miss all the beauty of the process.
Savor it.

This month, we are using two decks that work beautifully together. We are using the Green Witch Tarot by Ann Moura, with art by Kiri Østergaard Leonard, along with the Green Witch’s Oracle Deck by Arin Murphy-Hiscock, illustrated by Sara Richard. You can read more about each of the creators by clicking the link on their name. You can buy the Green Witch Tarot here, and the Green Witch’s Oracle here.

The tarot deck was one of the first things I bought when I moved here to the mountains, five years ago. At that time, a store carrying tarot, crystals, herbs, etc., was only a few blocks away, and I was so delighted to find this deck. The shop has since, sadly, closed. This is also the deck from which I do my daily pulls from Beltane to Lammas. The oracle was a gift, this past Solstice, and I’ve really enjoyed working with it and getting to know it.

This month, we are doing a little something different, with the readings. The spread is the same. But the Oracle card will be in the Spirit position, the driving force for the week, with the tarot cards offering the elemental aspects. If an aspect needs a deeper dive, we will work with additional oracle cards.

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: Soil
This is the perfect central energy for moving into Taurus season. Soil is about stability and simplicity. Go back to basics this week. Put in the work, but don’t overcomplicate. Check your foundations, in projects, in buildings, in your garden, in your life. See if something needs a little TLC, and tend to it.

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: King of Chalices
We have the king of emotions in the position of tangibles. Enjoy what you’ve been working on this past cycle. Celebrate it. Relish it. Create, commit, behave with compassionate professionalism. Have the meeting, make the connection, use what you’ve built to build something even more, especially if you have the chance to do so in/for community.

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Queen of Chalices
The Queen of Creativity is in the position of intellect. Be compassionate and nurturing this week on projects and endeavors of the mind. Be careful about what you share and with whom you share personal insights this week, so it’s not used against you. (Side note: on the day of this reading/writing, my card for the day was the 7 of Swords, so yes, I will be careful this week). Integrate your intellect with your creativity this week, but hold some boundaries.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Two of Wands
I would love to live in this cottage, it’s adorable. This is the card of a new project, career-wise, about which we’re passionate. It ties into the soil (firm foundation), and our King and Queen of creativity in their positions of tangibles and intellect. There’s a good chance this project will be a success, provided we maintain our firm foundation in our soil. The pots on either side of the door grow allspice, which is one of my favorite spices, and a red door is positive in feng shui.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Ace of Wands
Here, in the position of creativity, we have the launch of the project that we are building on in the two. This project is deeply connected to our identity. It’s fire and action, and in the realm of creativity, what a wonderful pairing.

Overall, this has the opportunity to be a creative week in ways that will be successful and fulfilling for a long time. Last week, the only two minor arcana cards were wands. This week, we have two wands and two chalices. It’s about passionate creativity, using the fire ignited with all the Aries energy and moving with it into Taurus to build something that lasts, rather than something that burns out.

Did anything in this resonate with you, or do you have a different interpretation? I’d love to hear from you.

Monday, April 13, 2026
Waning Moon

Welcome to a new week! We are still without retrogrades, and we have a massive amount of planets in Aries, so it’s that friction between go-go-go and not being discerning enough. Don’t let others push you into decisions this week. Wait and weigh the evidence before making a decision. Don’t go in all directions; pick one or two that set you on the path you most want.

We have a new moon on Friday, which means, early in the week, we can clear things out and banish them.

I was trained to do things a little differently than the way it’s promoted on social media and in many modern circles, and it works better for me. From the new moon to the full moon, I work on what I want to manifest. Then I release it SO IT CAN MANIFEST on the full moon. I do not use the full moon to “release what no longer serves” – that is waning moon work for me. On the full moon, I send the energy I’ve been working with out to do its thing. During the waning moon, I release what no longer serves or banish what is getting in my way.

The day before the dark moon is always my lowest energy day of the month. On the dark moon itself, I get a surge of energy I can use for banishing.

My two cents on moon cycles. Play with it, and see what works best for you. Sometimes it may change, depending on that month’s work.

This month, we are using two decks that work beautifully together. We are using the Green Witch Tarot by Ann Moura, with art by Kiri Østergaard Leonard, along with the Green Witch’s Oracle Deck by Arin Murphy-Hiscock, illustrated by Sara Richard. You can read more about each of the creators by clicking the link on their name. You can buy the Green Witch Tarot here, and the Green Witch’s Oracle here.

The tarot deck was one of the first things I bought when I moved here to the mountains, five years ago. At that time, a store carrying tarot, crystals, herbs, etc., was only a few blocks away, and I was so delighted to find this deck. The shop has since, sadly, closed. This is also the deck from which I do my daily pulls from Beltane to Lammas. The oracle was a gift, this past Solstice, and I’ve really enjoyed working with it and getting to know it.

This month, we are doing a little something different, with the readings. The spread is the same. But the Oracle card will be in the Spirit position, the driving force for the week, with the tarot cards offering the elemental aspects. If an aspect needs a deeper dive, we will work with additional oracle cards.

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: Pine Tree
This card jumped out of the deck as I shuffled, and was very insistent on being the driving, central energy of the week. I love pine trees and pinecones. This card is about vitality, longevity, and holding on. Pine is used for building, so consider what you’ve been building this week, and tap into the energy of pine to stay the course. If you can spend some time among pine trees, sitting in meditation or walking through them this week, I highly recommend it.

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Star
This is a card of hope and illumination. The Artemis II mission these past couple of weeks has refilled our cup of hope. This card in the north position encourages us to take that hope and turn it into positive change. It urges us to BE the north star, for ourselves and those around us. Turn your wishes into tangibles through flow and light. Look for the opportunities this week, and then turn them into realities.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Nature
In other decks, this card is often the Devil, carrying more negative connotations. In this deck, it is about a relationship with nature, actions and repercussions. In the US, considering the latest threat to the Forest Service, this is very relevant, and we need to take long-term action (the two previous cards) to maintain a positive relationship with nature. We get to choose how to shape our relationship with nature this week, and it will have long-lasting resonance. Will you choose for short-term or look at the bigger, longer picture? The herb comfrey is in this picture, so if you have a chance to work with that herb this week, do so. Or maybe plant some in a pot, to strengthen your relationship with nature.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Six of Wands
The 6 of Wands is a card of victory, and it’s in the position of passion and identity this week. Everything you act on and integrate in the previous cards will work out in your favor, and put you in a stronger position as you move forward. This is an earned victory, not a gift. The work you’ve done in the past weeks, months, maybe even years, is paying off in a tangible way that is also satisfying in your soul. The Knight of Wands was in the West, creativity/emotion position last week, riding toward the opportunity. This week, you see some of the positive results.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Five of Wands
The 5 of Wands is working together, and working it out together. In many decks, it’s shown as a card of conflict. If you look closely at this image, it’s less about conflict and more about brainstorming, trying different approaches in community to figure things out. They don’t necessarily agree on every point, but they are willing to work together to come to either compromise or consensus. There may be disagreements, but everyone needs to know they are valued, and everyone’s position needs to be listened to in order to find that consensus and prevent conflict. Someone still might walk away, and then the group has to reform to adjust. Remember the pine tree and the star in these discussions, and you’ll find a positive way through.

This reading has two Major Arcana and two Minor Arcana wands in it. This week is about one’s core integrity and flame, and how we bring it out into the world, and how we do so in a way that also values those around us. With so many planets in Aries right now, conflict is the default setting, so take a minute to steady on and open up to multiple perspectives instead of just insisting you are right and everyone else isn’t. You can be a leader without making those around you feel less than.

Did anything resonate with you? Or did you get something else from it? I’d love to hear from you!

Monday, April 6, 2026
Waning Moon

Welcome to April! Where I live, there’s still a chance of snow, on and off, all month.

We have no retrogrades this month. We’re being encouraged to move forward and move fast, especially with so many planets either already in Aries or moving into Aries. It’s a time to trust instinct rather than impulse. While forward motion is supported with everything direct, you also want to set track that is sustainable in the long run.

This month, we are using two decks that work beautifully together. We are using the Green Witch Tarot by Ann Moura, with art by Kiri Østergaard, along with the Green Witch’s Oracle Deck by Arin Murphy-Hiscock., illustrated by Sara Richard. You can read more about each of the creators by clicking the link on their name. You can buy the Green Witch Tarot here, and the Green Witch’s Oracle here.

The tarot deck was one of the first things I bought when I moved here to the mountains, five years ago. At that time, a store carrying tarot, crystals, herbs, etc., was only a few blocks away, and I was so delighted to find this deck. The shop has since, sadly, closed. This is also the deck from which I do my daily pulls from Beltane to Lammas. The oracle was a gift, this past Solstice, and I’ve really enjoyed working with it and getting to know it.

This month, we are doing a little something different, with the readings. The spread is the same. But the Oracle card will be in the Spirit position, the driving force for the week, with the tarot cards offering the elemental aspects. If an aspect needs a deeper dive, we will work with additional oracle cards.

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: Fruit
The oracle card at the center of this week’s reading says our spirit works toward achievement and success. The energy you’ve invested in something is about to pay off. You can also honor that energy investment by taking a bit of a break and enjoying what you’ve achieved. It’s a little early here for strawberries, grapes, and blackberries, but this week, I plan to celebrate with some kind of fruit every day, specifically dedicated to this reading.

North – Earth/Tangibles: Eight of Pentacles
This is a card of craft and enjoyment in craft. Show up and do the work, and revel in it. Remember, what we are setting up in this Aries time of the year will be the driving force for the cycle. So show up and do the work. The Pentacles are in their home area of earth, so it’s very tangible. We’ve had several weeks of thinking and planning. Now we do it. You can show up and do the work, and still take breaks to enjoy your achievements. Those are not mutually exclusive, although we’ve been conditioned to believe they are.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Lord of the Shadows
In other decks, this is the Death card. This is a card of change, and, in this deck, moving from shadow to light. There’s also a butterfly for transformation. Since this is in the position of air/thought, we have the opportunity to change our perceptions and our way of thinking about something, and it will help with this positive transformation. A way of perception is dying to make room for something better. Instead of being stuck in a particular way of thinking, our intellect opens up to show us other possibilities.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The High Priest
The High Priest is about established tradition. There is yarrow, both on the altar and growing around it, which is an herb of blessing and protection. While we don’t want to become mired in structure because “that is the way it’s always been” (especially this week, with the previous card, about new perceptions), there is something to be said for knowledge passed down within organized structure. As we are living in a time when a corrupt regime is trying to erase the structures and the knowledge to serve their own agenda, ritualized work that preserves such knowledge is important. Knowledge is a foundation on which to build, as new ideas, evidence, and possibilities are revealed.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Knight of Wands
The knight is riding toward a new opportunity, in alignment with her identity and her passion. This card, to me, links back to the Ace of Pentacles in last week’s reading, which was the driving force of spirit. This opportunity has not been taken on impulse, it is the result of the work put in over previous weeks and months. It’s also in the slot of creativity and emotion, so it’s about creative work. And it ties into the 8 of Pentacles in the north, telling us we have to show up and do the work, in order to embody the success of the Fruit card. What will support us is fresh perspectives, and using those perspectives, along with knowledge handed down (the Lord of the Shadows and the High Priest).

This week is about taking action on the opportunities offered the past few weeks, keeping an open mind and integrating that with knowledge from those with more experience than you have.

Did anything resonate with you, or did you get a different interpretation. I always love to hear about it.

Monday, March 30, 2026
Waxing Moon
No Retrogrades

Isn’t it wonderful to have a stretch of time with no retrogrades? Be careful, though; you don’t have to do EVERYTHING in the next handful of weeks. Don’t burn out. Set track, so when the retrogrades start up again and you have to slow down, you still have a path.

Wednesday, April 1, is the full moon. The full moon on April Fool’s Day, and a great day to work with both the Sun and the Fool cards.

I am not a fan of April Fool’s Day, since I find it’s too often used to excuse deliberate cruelty as humor. Instead, I choose to work with the Fool energy in a way that encourages taking new risks and trying new things.

I experienced elements of each of the cards in last week’s reading, but ended the week feeling much better than I did at the beginning.

This is our last week with the Mystic Storyteller Tarot. I’ve loved working with this deck over the month, and getting to know it better. I look forward to using it for my own readings often. The deck, The Mystic Storyteller, book and tarot is by Amanda Hughes, art by Roz Kazaz. You can read more about the artists by clicking their names, and buy the deck here.

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: The Ace of Pentacles
In the March 16 reading, this card was in the North, the position of tangibles. So something that was a tangible offer that week has become a driving force in our spirit this week. And it is an offer, the hand in the artwork is offering us this book with a pentacle on it. We are on a new tangible path.

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: Five of Cups
The 5 of Cups shows three spilled cups, and two cups still stable. Something is lost, something is retained. Often, the advice is not to focus on what is lost, but to remember what is still full. However, too often, the advice around this card doesn’t make room for grief. We live in a society that trivializes grief and rushes it. In order to walk the new path the Ace of Pentacles offers, we need to grieve something we’ve lost in this choice. Grieving is healthy, and makes room for what is new, as long as we look at is as a process rather than getting stuck in it. There’s a river depicted in this card, indicated flow. Let the emotions flow. Allow yourself room for healthy grief, so you have room to walk the path of the Ace of Pentacles.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Hanged Man
I love the artwork on this card. The figure is literally hanging out and thinking. Things are scribbled out on the notepad, there are crumpled papers. The figure is in deep in the process, and deeply enjoying the process. The card landing in the East, the home of thought, is wonderful. You’re on a new, tangible path. You’re grieving what’s lost. But you don’t have to have it all figured out this week. Don’t rush yourself. Play with ideas in a relaxed and thoughtful way, and give yourself thinking room as well as emotional room.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The Empress
The Empress showed up two weeks ago, in the March 16th reading, in the position of Air. Now, she has cycled into the position of identity. In this position, it is about nurturing your creation and growth. Be kind to yourself this week, possibly kinder to yourself than usual. Listen to your body and what your gut instincts tell you. You know what you need; don’t ignore it.

 

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: The Ace of Wands
The Ace of Wands is about starting a new, passionate path that is being true to yourself. In the position of creativity and emotion, it encourages you to create that path through imagination and emotion, taking your time (Hanged Man), and knowing that the Ace of Pentacles helps make it tangible.

There are two Major Arcana cards in the spread, the big energy. There are two Aces in the reading, meaning each of the suit’s energies bond closely with the other Ace’s energy. It also makes sense, since we are (finally) entering spring here in the Northern Hemisphere. The 5 of Cups looks like an outlier card, but it’s a necessary card of grief and release to help the path forward as one of steady growth, rather than regret. There are also two cards from the March 16th reading that show up again in this one, indicating a tie to what was going on in your life that week.

Did anything resonate with you, or did you get a different interpretation? I’m always happy to hear about it!

Next week, we start with a different deck and its companion oracle deck. I think you will enjoy them. Have a great week!

Monday, March 23, 2026
Waxing Moon
No Retrogrades

Hello, hello, and LOOK at this reading – All the cards in it are Major Arcana, so that means we’re dealing with huge life energy this week.

Spring Equinox arrived, the sun and various other planets have moved or are moving into Aries, and we have no retrogrades until early May.

We keep being told to go, go, go – but remember, we each have our own pace that’s good for us. Don’t be pushed by other people’s agendas. We’ve got a lot of big energy to deal with this week, and each of us will have to find our own way of doing so. We are not alone. But we also need to find the balance between what is best for us while supporting our communities. They are not mutually exclusive, although we are often gaslit into believing they are.

This month’s deck was a Winter Solstice gift, and, as a writer, I’m enjoying working with it. This month’s deck is the Mystic Storyteller, book and tarot by Amanda Hughes, art by Roz Kazaz. You can read more about the artists by clicking their names, and buy the deck here.

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: The Sun
The Sun card is about joyful success. I love that the figure in the card rides a horse brandishing a red crayon! Ride this week with joy and optimism, and there’s success involved. This card was in the East/Intellect in our March 9 reading, but this week, it’s the central energy of ourselves. Let’s enjoy it and use it. It’s been a tough winter physically in my neck of the woods, and a tough winter on every level all over the place, so let’s harness this energy and use it to make improvements this week.

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Lovers
The Lovers is a card of commitment and decision. There’s an opportunity, on a very tangible level, to decide to make a commitment for this next cycle, which started at the Equinox. The sunlight in the back of the card ties to the Sun card at the center of this reading. Last week, in this spot, we had the Ace of Pentacles, which was the offer. This week, we need to decide to commit. Also, look back to the March 9 reading, where the Devil came up, and we discussed how, in this deck, the figures from the Lovers are also featured in the Devil. Take some time to consider if you are cycling back to the Lovers/Devil relationship from a few weeks ago, or if you choose to accept the offer from the Ace of Pentacles last week and make a new commitment. The answer will be unique to everyone.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Hierophant
In many decks, the Hierophant is depicted as a religious figure. In this deck, the figure is a teacher, although there are symbols with various spiritual significance on the board behind her. She wears red, the blackboard is black, and the pillars frame her are white. White, black, and red together are important spiritual colors, especially in magical traditions. While there is no sunlight, there is yellow in several of the symbols, tying back to the Sun card. Her students look interested and a little intimidated. To me, in this card in this position in this week, it means a time to listen to those with more experience (or different experience) than you have. There is useful information that you might reflexively disregard, but if you listen and pay attention to the deeper layers, you will find something of value.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Temperance
This card is about both balance and flow. The figure stands with one foot in the water and one on land, pouring from his pitcher to his glass. There’s a clump of iris, symbolizing wisdom and hope. In the background is a sun between mountains, again tying back to the Sun card. Keep on keeping on, keep hope, keep balance. Because it is in the position of passion and identity, it also ties into what I said at the top of the reading about the need to balance your boundaries with the good of the community, and how they are not mutually exclusive. We have been conditioned to believe our lives are either/or – sacrifice yourself or be considered selfish. The truth is when we all work to care for both ourselves and others, everyone benefits and the society grows stronger. Systemic oppression hates this, and does everything it can to make us believe what they want and will profit from, not what is best for the greater good. This week, flow without complying.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: The Chariot
The Chariot is about taking charge of your own direction in life. In the position of the west/emotions, it’s about deciding where to put your emotions and your creative energy. Which direction flows best for you? You’re out with your pack (the dogs). Who leads this week? The card suggests you should leave and the dogs will travel with you, rather than pulling you in a specific direction. There are stars in the sky, and the yellow is low to the ground, suggesting a setting sun. The sunlight starts high in the center, and moves lower as we come around the wheel this week, which is kind of beautiful.

Again, the entire reading is Major Arcana cards, which is big energy. It doesn’t promise ease, but it suggest joy and optimism if you are active, listen, and flow.

Did anything in particular resonate with you, or did you get something different? I’m always happy to hear from you.

Monday, March 16, 2026
Day Before Dark Moon
Mercury Retrograde

Welcome to the final week of Mercury Retrograde! The Retrograde ends on the Spring Equinox, which is just lovely, although we may feel exhausted. Try to take a lot of down time next weekend to recover.

Once Mercury goes direct, no planets will be retrograde until Pluto goes direct on May 5.

This week will definitely have challenges, but the way will get clearer soon. I know, I know – when I see those words when I’m struggling, I get frustrated, because we’ve been promised relief for nearly a year now, and there hasn’t been any. There’s always another excuse. Because there always is another challenge, but when Mercury is out of the mix as retrograde, somehow, for me, anyway, it’s a lot better.

This month’s deck was a Winter Solstice gift, and, as a writer, I’m enjoying working with it. This month’s deck is the Mystic Storyteller, book and tarot by Amanda Hughes, art by Roz Kazaz. You can read more about the artists by clicking their names, and buy the deck here.

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: Strength
Strength is about fortitude with compassion, rather than brute force. The woman doesn’t have a whip to use on the lion. She has a pencil. I love the expressions on both faces, like, “really?” And they are facing the audience, not in combat with each other. This pair is a team, showing the rest of the world how compassionate strength works. Keep that in mind this week, as you are challenged to be less than compassionate.

North – Earth/Tangibles: Ace of Pentacles
I love the art on this card. We are being offered the opportunity to write a new story in a tangible way. It’s a story that will bring us tangible results, including money. It might be a new job opportunity or a chance doing something you love that pays in tangibles this time, rather than metaphoricals.

 

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Empress
The Empress is a card of abundance through feminine power. Compassionate strength paired with a new, tangible opportunity, allows you to think creatively (this is in the east) to grow it.

Think in terms of nurturance.

 

 

 

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Knight of Swords
This card came up in our reading on March 2, in the west, the position of creativity and emotion. This week, it comes up in the south, of passion and identity. The Knight is eager to bring ideas out into the world. However, because of the newness of the opportunity (ace pentacles), it needs room to grow (empress), especially with the card in the next position. To me, this card in this position this week, in relation to the other cards, suggests reining in the impulse to share too much too soon.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Ten of Swords
As a writer, getting stabbed in the back by ten pens is intimidating. Swords are about intellect, and in the position of water/creativity/emotion, it’s about an idea, possible the idea/opportunity offered by the ace. This is why I feel this week, we should rein in our knight of Swords, and not share too much too soon, because others will try to stab us in the back about it. Ten of swords, for me, comes up when other people want to force their agendas on me for their convenience. The hand gesture of the fallen figure here is a little disturbing. There are multiple possibilities, and I am hoping it is the Surya mudra rather than the Shocker gesture. (I leave it to you to research each on your own, and see how each meaning sits with you for the context of this reading). Given the context of the reading, the creators’ intent is more likely to be the Surya mudra, but warning bells are going off for me in this week’s context, and because of the general state of the world. To me, the warning means to protect anything new this week and don’t put it in a situation where it could be harmed or stolen. If the hand gesture is meant to be the Surya mudra, it also suggests that there is hope for the sun (success) in spite of the stabs in the back. With last week’s reading containing the Devil and the 9 of Wands, I will lean toward caution this week.

We have two Major Arcana cards in this week’s reading, a knight, and two minor arcana cards, one at each end of the minor arcana numbers. So there are endings, beginnings, a need for strength and protection, and typical last week of Mercury Retrograde chaos.

Step softly and stay as quiet as possible is my advice for the week.

Did anything resonate with you, or did you get something different?

Monday, March 9, 2026
Waning Moon
Jupiter and Mercury Retrograde

Welcome to the second week of March. Yesterday was International Women’s Day. Tomorrow, Jupiter, the planet of expansion and wisdom, turns direct, so we get a little relief, even though Mercury Retrograde still hangs around for eleven more days to muck things up until the Spring Equinox.

I’m not buying into the current online attempts to rehab Mercury Retrograde’s reputation. Sometimes, things just suck. For me, MR sucks. These periods of time each year sucked before I knew what a Mercury Retrograde was. Once I did, it helped me cope, but it doesn’t make it fun. I do the best I can to navigate it, but stop trying to gaslight me that it’s a “gift.” If it’s a gift, it better have the return tag still attached, that’s all I’m saying.

Different experiences are part of the fascination with this work. If someone has a wonderful Mercury Retrograde and finds it a gift, I celebrate that for them. I’m still honest about the difficulties I have with it. Both can exist at once. So honor your own experience, even as you experiment with different tools.

Don’t let someone tell you what you feel and experience isn’t real, because that’s not their experience. We’ve had enough of that through the decades, and it’s time to change it.

Per last week’s reading, it was definitely heavy on the 9 of Swords for me, but the other cards helped me work my way through it, and the Ace of Swords was particularly helpful. As  a Pisces, the eclipse also kicked my ass.

This month’s deck was a Winter Solstice gift, and, as a writer, I’m enjoying working with it. This month’s deck is the Mystic Storyteller, book and tarot by Amanda Hughes, art by Roz Kazaz. You can read more about the artists by clicking their names, and buy the deck here.

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: The Devil
The Devil Card at the center indicates that we need to deal with tangibles this week rather than theocraticals. It also warns us not to get so caught up in the tangibles that we forget the other aspects of our lives that need attention. Sometimes our desires overcome our practicalities. Sometimes we submit to more than we should because we feel trapped and chained. If you look at the Devil card beside the Lovers card, they are often similarly set up – two individuals with an entity above them. In this deck, the figures in the cards resemble each other so much they could be the same two individuals (which makes a lot of sense), with a different figure above them affecting the atmosphere, or, more to the point, the couple’s interpretation of the force above them. In this deck, the presence above the Lovers is an angel, and the Devil is a horned figure with wings. The couple’s positions to each other in the cards is similar, but their clothing is different, and now they’re chained rather than choosing.

Even though the Lovers did not come up in this week’s spread, only the Devil, I’m posting a photo of both, so you can see the similarities.

The last time The Lovers showed up in one of our community readings was on September 22, 2025, using the Tarot of the Owls, in the position of Challenge. You can refresh your memory about it here.

Think back to last September, and the challenge that was relevant to the Lovers card then. Has it turned into something that makes you feel trapped? Again, we’re still in Mercury Retrograde, so you might not be seeing the situation clearly and communication around it could be mucky. Sit with it until the Spring Equinox (it showed up on the Autumn Equinox). It could be that a cycle has run its course from last autumn. Or it could be something that needs new perspective in the coming cycle, and a gentler touch.

Either way, that energy is the central fuel for this week, so tread carefully and don’t make rash decisions.

North – Earth/Tangibles: Nine of Wands
The 9 of Wands is a card of readiness and defense. The immediate threat that shows up in the 7 of Wands is past, but the 9 indicates a readiness for the next attack. Be cautious, not paranoid. This is about something very tangible this week, as it’s in the position of north/tangibles. I do love the image and idea of defense by pencil. As a writer, this speaks to me.

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Sun
This is a terrific card, indicating joy and success. “Think happy thoughts” (it’s in the east) over-simplifies it, but as a card of joy and optimism in the position of intellect, it indicates that the way you think about things this week will affect how they turn out. Whatever comes your way, try an intellectual spin toward the positive, then take the actions necessary to move it in that direction.

 

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The High Priestess
The High Priestess in the position of identity reminds us to trust ourselves this week. She wears the phases of the moon on her circlet in her hair, there’s a crescent moon at her feet, water behind her, and the pillars of balance on each side of her. The chair she sits in looks like it gives her wings. Trust yourself before anyone else this week.

 

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Knight of Wands
In last week’s reading, we had the Knight of Swords in this position. This week, it’s the Knight of Wands, which is about bringing out best, most unapologetic selves out into the world, especially creatively.

The reading is very much about something tangible that seemed wonderful at the last Equinox, but now feels like a trap. You need to trust your intuition, twist it to the positive, and defend it in a very real way by showing up as your best self.

Did anything resonate, or did you get something different? I’d love to hear from you.