Author: Cerridwen

Monday, July 13, 2026
Dark Moon
Pluto, Mercury, Neptune Retrograde

Welcome to a new week! I mentioned that I hope to use some ingredients from each week’s reading this month. Last week, I used a lot of garlic, and it definitely mitigated the heaviness of some of the days. I also used lemon water. I had hoped to drink some pomegranate juice, but didn’t. Does it count if the cherries I ate were in a cherry Danish?

Today is the dark moon, which means tomorrow is the new moon. Since it’s in a Mercury Retrograde, I will focus more on the planning/planting portion of new moon energy than launching myself out of the gate. If I try to start too hard during a Mercury Retrograde, I will trip over my own feet and go splat.

Counting today, we only have 11 more days in Mercury Retrograde. Hang in there.

This month, we use The Magic Pantry Tarot by Cedar McCloud. The deck is based around food and cooking. Since we are in peak CSA season, I thought it would be a good choice for July. I plan to use some of the ingredients in the week’s reading over the course of the month, and see how those ingredients affect the decisions made from the time of the reading. Cedar McCloud has several books and decks out, and you can learn more about them and buy this deck on Cedar’s website, Numinous Spirit Press.

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: Temperance
Temperance is a wonderful card to have as the central driving energy for the week. It’s about balance and flow, and the ingredient here is water. Where I live expects high temperatures and humidity this week, so I will use water to hydrate, keep cool, and stay in balance. I may try to spend some time up at the lake near my house this week, to enjoy some tranquility. There’s a lot of chaos in the world, so by maintaining our own tranquility, we can meet chaos with equanimity, rather than disassociation.

North – Earth/Tangibles: Five of Swords
The 5 of Swords often warns of argument, and it’s in the position of tangibles, so watch your words with others today, and let others’ sharp words roll off you. The ingredient is tomato, one of my favorites. I’m enjoying tomato-basil-mozzarella lunches in the hot weather, and I’ve been using tomatoes with pasta quite a bit. Remember that basil is an herb of harmony. If you’re arguing with someone this week, maybe prepare a pasta with tomato sauce, use a lot of basil, and talk it through without either of you getting hostile or defensive? Or agree to share a pleasant meal and have the discussion after Mercury turns direct.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Fool
The Magic Pantry deck has two Fool cards. One uses eggs as the ingredient, and the other tofu. I am not a fan of tofu, so I will not be using that ingredient this week! However, the Fool in the realm of thought suggests taking a chance on a new idea. Since this week has a new moon in it, I figure I’ll get an idea for a new piece and can start planning. I won’t take the steps yet, until Mercury goes direct, but I can use the playful aspect of the Fool to play with the idea.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Page of Cups
The Page of Cups is a card I often respond to as one of creative curiosity, and willing to learn new things in the realm of creativity. The apple is one of my favorite foods. It’s out of season right nowhere I live, but the art on the card of the apple and the books reminds me to keep learning and growing as part of who I am. Tied with the Fool, of new ideas, it suggests that I start playing with the new idea, but I probably won’t take much action on it until apples come back in season.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Two of Swords
Asparagus is another food of which I am not fond. Two of Swords is often a stalemate card, and, in this case likely ties into the 5 of Swords up in the position of tangibles. Since we’re in the midst of all these retrogrades, especially Mercury, don’t make any big decisions. It might be a case of misunderstanding and temporary stalemate (since it’s a two). If it was an eight, it’s more likely to suggest the end of a creative project or relationship, but this is a two. Tap into the Temperance energy of the week, so you don’t say something you will regret when Mercury goes direct. Think before you speak. Then pause, and think again.

We have two Major Arcana cards this week (big energy), and three Minor Arcana cards (the daily details), including one court card. There are only swords and cups this week, no wands or pentacles.

Keeping your mouth shut and staying hydrated looks like a good bet this week! Play with ideas, but don’t share them yet.

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

• 

Monday, July 6, 2026
Waning Moon
Pluto & Mercury Retrograde
Neptune goes retrograde on July 7

Happy new week and happy new month!

Last week was full of all kinds of squares and trines, and I believe this week is, too.

Pluto is still retrograde, joined by Mercury. Tomorrow, Neptune joins them. I would suggest not making any new commitments until Mercury goes direct on July 23. Neptune and Pluto will still be retrograde, but it will be easier to parse through their fogs without Mercury mucking things up.

A new month means a new deck. This month, we use The Magic Pantry Tarot by Cedar McCloud. I received it as a gift from a friend either for the Solstice or my birthday, earlier this year. The deck is based around food and cooking. Since we are in peak CSA season, I thought it would be a good choice for July. I plan to use some of the ingredients in the week’s reading over the course of the month, and see how those ingredients affect the decisions made from the time of the reading. Cedar McCloud has several books and decks out, and you can learn more about them and buy this deck on Cedar’s website, Numinous Spirit Press. 

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: 10 of Wands
The 10 of Wands is often a card of overburden and stress. It also is a 10, meaning the cycle is coming to a close soon. Just hang on a little longer. In this deck, garlic is the food associated with the 10 Wands. Some people find garlic difficult to digest. I think of it as an aromatic protector. If I’m feeling stressed out or burned out (which this card indicates), fixing some pasta with tomato, basil, and a whole lotta garlic soothes me. I use it in a great deal of my cooking, and find it a mood enhancer. So when I feel stressed this week, I will turn to garlic for relief.

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Empress
The Empress is in the position of tangibles this week, and vanilla is the culinary representation. The Empress is a card of abundance, fertility, and care. Treat yourself to something this week, even if it’s a vanilla sundae or a cone. Do something tangible just for yourself once each day, and share good fortune where you can. You might be putting extra stress on yourself (10 of Wands) as a punishment for something left undone last week, and this card is telling you to stop that and celebrate what you accomplished instead.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Five of Cups
The 5 of Cups in in the position of thought this week. An idea may not have worked out and need to be released. That release might make you sad. The pitcher in the artwork is cracked, and the lemon water is running out. Lemon is acidic, and a cleanser. The release of this lemon water will cleanse something in your life that needs the freshening. You can make a new pitcher and stay hydrated (it is summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, and we’ve been suffering from the heat in my neck of the woods). Some lemon water might be a refresh instead of a loss.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Eight of Cups
The 8 of Cups is about leaving something behind. The pomegranate is connected to Hades, Persephone, and the Underworld. In the position of the south, it suggests releasing a part of yourself that’s no longer useful, or putting to rest part of your previous identity that no longer fits because you’ve outgrown it. This could be especially poignant with Mercury retrograde in Cancer, a water sign that pulls on our sense of nostalgia. You don’t have to regret the growth. Honor what was, and let it go with gentleness. Drink some pomegranate juice (healthy for you anyway) to help with the release.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Knight of Cups
The Knight of Cups is at home in the west, the position of creativity and emotion. Again, this relates to Mercury retrograde in Cancer. Emotions are all over the place. Creativity is vital and beautiful. The deep hues of the cherry (and the stains they leave behind) encourage the enjoyment of this fruit. Tie it into the Empress, and put some cherries on top of your sundae when you treat yourself this week!

These cards suggest a lot of emotion this week. We have a single wand card, a single Major Arcana card, and three cup cards (one of which is a court card). There’s a tendency this week to become overwhelmed with emotion, nostalgia, and regret. Instead of drowning in it, acknowledge the feelings, and then move through them to celebration and honor of a past that no longer fits. Take a lot of time for yourself this week. Push less about being out and about with others, and do more internal work.

Does this resonate, or do you have a different interpretation? I always love to hear about it. Look at the ingredients in each card of the reading, and consider ways they can support you this week.

Monday, June 29, 2026
Full Moon
Pluto & Mercury Retrograde

Happy new week, and soon to be a new month!

Today is the full moon AND Mercury turns retrograde along with the continuing Pluto retrograde AND tomorrow Jupiter moves into Leo. Plus there are all kinds of squares happening this week. Lots of planetary kerflamma.

Take a deep breath, ground, and ask yourself, “what if it all works out?”

Then ignore the hype and the urgency that so many are pushing, trying to sell you a way through. You have the way through. It’s you. It’s your connection to universal energy, and the way you communicate directly, be it through tarot or an oracle or just chatting in a quiet place. You don’t need an interpreter. You are enough. Shut out the noise and just be.

Last week, I bounced back and forth between the 9 of Pentacles and the 9 of Swords.

This is our last week with the Mystic Mondays Tarot by Grace Duong. It’s a lively, bright, modern deck. I love working with it, and I’ve enjoyed sharing readings using it this month with you. You can learn more about Grace’s work, her classes, 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: Ace of Cups
This is such a lovely card of creative energy and emotion. The cup itself is clear. You can see the fingers of the hand through it. Not only is something new on the creative front happening, it’s happening with clarity. Creative juices are flowing, and this card encourages sharing.

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Fool
The Fool has certainly made the rounds this month! In the June 22 & June 8th readings, it was in the South. In the June 1st reading, it was in the West. Today, it shows up in the North. It’s asking you to take a leap of faith in a very tangible way this week. The “it” might have started at the beginning of the month as a creative idea, burned passionately for two weeks in the position of identity, and now you’re being asked to take a leap to turn it into reality. It could be that the other leaps were with different objectives or roots, but prepared you for this one. It will be individual to your unique situation. Pay attention, and make the leap when it’s time.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Six of Pentacles
This was in the north last week, the position of tangibles. This week, it’s in the east, thought. What new ideas do you have for sharing the wealth? Not just monetary, but energetic and communal wealth? How can you expand the table and pull up more chairs to include others?

 

 

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The Moon
This is a gorgeous card to take with you into a meditative session. The woman sits on the crystal and gazes over the water to the moon. In this position, it encourages you to dream your passions into reality. Make sure you keep a notebook and pen next to the bed to jot down any dreams, so you can explore them in depth later on. Dream the possibilities, so that you can make solid choices after Mercury goes direct. Jupiter will be in Leo for about a year, so you will have time to expand those dreams into desired reality. Use this period for the dreaming.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Justice
This is an interesting card to have in this particular position, and encourages us to keep our emotions in check this week. Everything you say and do this week has consequences, so make choices for the best possible outcomes. Let those around you spiral, but you remain balanced. Once again, this card in this position has a throughline through the Ace to the 6 of Pentacles, another card of balance.

Again, we have three Major Arcana cards in the week’s reading and two Minor Arcana cards. The latter are a cup and a pentacle – creativity/emotion and tangibles. No swords. No wands. There’s big energy, and it’s about the flow of the creation process so it can grow into something that will become tangible later in the season.

Did this resonate with you, or are you getting different information? I’m always interested in hearing about it.

Monday, June 22, 2026
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Hello, and I hope you had a delightful solstice, whichever one you celebrate. I’m in the Northern Hemisphere, so yesterday was the Summer Solstice. Starting today, we lose a few seconds of daylight until the Winter Solstice. By Lammas, it will be noticeable.

But this is a nice, enjoyable stretch!

This is our last week with only one retrograde. Mercury goes retrograde next week, to be followed in July by Neptune (early in the month) and Saturn (later in the month).

This month, we use the Mystic Mondays Tarot by Grace Duong. It’s a lively, bright, modern deck. I love working with it, and I’m excited to share readings using it this month with you. You can learn more about Grace’s work, her classes, 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: Nine of Pentacles
What a wonderful card to have as our central energy this week! Along with being a beautiful card. The 9 of Pentacles is about abundance. Treat yourself, enjoy the abundance in which you are living. It’s well-earned! I love that the peacock in the card encourages us to strut our stuff!

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: Six of Pentacles
Another positive card, the 6 of Pentacles in this position encourages generosity in tangible ways. Do something tangible for someone this week. It’s not just about money, but also about time and talent. Keep the flow going. Give, but also allow yourself to receive, to keep all those spheres in the air!

 

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: King of Cups
The King of Cups encourages us to temper our intellect with our humanity. Do not make any decision without considering how the consequences of it affect not only you, but beyond you. Too many of our oppressions are rooted in the selfish acts of others. There’s a difference between having healthy boundaries and taking care of ourselves and actively harming others. This is a week to make sure your ideas do not cause harm.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The Fool
This is the third time this month the card has come up, and the second time it has come up in this position. It was here, in this position, in the June 8th reading, and came up the previous week (June 1)  in the West. What does this mean, coming up here again? It ties in the direct line to the 9 of Pentacles and the 6 of Pentacles – trust in the abundant flow and take a risk in something closely tied to your passions and identity. As long as you do not cause harm (King Cups), it’s worth the risk. Also, look back over the past month and see where you hesitated to take a risk. The card wouldn’t keep coming up if it didn’t have more information to share.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Nine of Swords
Are you brooding about the creative conflict that was in this position last week (5 of Swords)?Are you worried that the abundance in the 9 of Pentacles, beside you, will be torn away? Look to the 6 of Pentacles, the King of Cups, and the Fool to help you balance your emotions this week. When the 9 of Swords comes up for me, it’s usually because I’m creating a bigger issue out of a situation than actually exists, and I’m looping the negative thoughts and blaming myself without getting a clear perspective of the entire situation. If you find yourself in that spiral this week, take a deep breath, step out, and try to get a better perspective separate from your emotions.

We have three Minor Arcana, two of which are nines, one Court Card, and a Major Arcana that’s showing up for the third time this month. There are no wands in this reading, although the Fool speaks to the passions and the sense of self.

Did anything resonate with you? If you got something different, I’d love to hear about it.

Monday, June 15, 2026
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Welcome to a new week and a new moon. The new moon is in Gemini. However, it went void of course almost immediately, so I would wait until today to do any of your usual new moon honorings.

We are still in a single retrograde, Pluto. We have the Summer Solstice this upcoming Sunday, the 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. For my location, that means the light starts shrinking as of next Monday, when we meet again. Just a few seconds per day, but we will notice by Lammas.

I do not consider the Solstice the beginning of summer. I consider it midsummer. Play with what works best for you, knowing it may change over time as you do.

I enjoyed the Venus/Jupiter conjunct very much, and now I have to sustain the actions that will bring what was offered into reality. The few days following were rough going, with squares, but what opened on the 9th will be something beautiful, provided I take the actions needed to make it so. Sitting around waiting doesn’t cut it.

This month, we use the Mystic Mondays Tarot by Grace Duong. It’s a lively, bright, modern deck. I love working with it, and I’m excited to share readings using it this month with you. You can learn more about Grace’s work, her classes, 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: Seven of Pentacles
The tree bears fruit. The patience starts to pay off. The 7 of Pentacles is a card of continued nurturance with patience for sustained success. Yes, keep watering, but also recognize and celebrate what is growing. That’s a terrific card to have as the driving central energy of the week.

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: Queen of Cups
The Queen of Cups encourages us to be creatively and emotionally generous this week, in both giving and receiving, in very tangible ways. Creativity will have tangible results this week.

 

 

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Ace of Pentacles
The Act of Pentacles in the position of thought suggests that a new, tangible idea is not just bright and shiny, but has tangible possibilities. Pay attention to ideas, and see which one you think has the best chance of taking root for long-term sustainability (back to the 7 Pentacles).

 

 

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Four of Pentacles
While the 4 of Pentacles if often considered the hoarder card, in this position, with this artwork of the four spheres contained in a box, it tells me to manage my energy this week. Be careful to hold boundaries, especially connected to your sense of identity and self, and be careful where you choose to place your energy to it doesn’t dissipate in ways that drain you rather than sustain you. Conserve your energy. Conserve your resources this week.

 

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Five of Swords
The 5 of Swords is a card of intellectual argument. Sitting in the position of creativity and emotion, you may need to thrash out creative disagreements in order to sustain the 7 of Pentacles and take advantage of the Ace of Pentacles, in previous positions. Don’t let it drain your reserves (4 of Pentacles). Use the Queen energy for supportive, humorous ways to have these discussions, rather than striking out or getting offended by someone else’s ideas.

We have no Major Arcana cards in this week’s reading, and no wand cards. We have one Court Card, three Pentacle cards, and one Sword card. It’s mostly about tangibles and creativity, with a splash of argument. The argument can be turned into a lively, creative discussion with a positive outcome, should you be able to manage your resources and your emotions.

Did anything resonate for you, or are you getting something different? I’m always interested!

Monday, June 1, 2026
Last Day of Full Moon/Blue Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Good morning! Happy new week and happy new month! I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s blue moon!

Last week’s reading hit home. There was plenty of grieving to do on multiple fronts. This next waning moon, for me, will have a lot to do with clearing out detritus from various parts of my life.

This month, we use the Mystic Mondays Tarot by Grace Duong. It’s a lively, bright, modern deck. I love working with it, and I’m excited to share readings using it this month with you. You can learn more about Grace’s work, her classes, and buy the deck here.

We still have just the Pluto Retrograde to deal with until nearly the end of the month. Mercury goes retrograde then, and other planets start piling on. So do your deep Pluto work early in the month.

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: Two of Cups
What a wonderful card to be the driving energy of the week! This card can be about a creative or romantic partnership, or our own inner duality. Time to make friends with it. This is a beautiful card of creative, loving energies bonding to create something beyond what either one could do on their own. It’s loving and celebratory.

 

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Empress
The Empress is about fertile energies and abundance. She is at home in the position of tangibles, offering you tangible abundance this week, paired with the 2 of Cups in the previous position. The Empress is associated with Venus, and Venus is still in Cancer until June 13, so this is the time to enjoy it. Accept what the Empress offers you this week, and revel in it.

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: The Magician
Isn’t this a gorgeous card? This is one of my favorite Magician cards in any deck. The Magician is about having everything you need to create what you want. Create the life you want, because you have all the tools to transform ideas into being. The Magician is in the position of thought and intellect this week, so take the time to think through the creative and abundant opportunities, decide which suits you best, and then act on it.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Ace of Cups
Another card of new possibilities and emotions, rooted in the fire position of identity. You have the chance to bring a new creative identity forward into the world this week. Seize it and make the most of it, pulling on the energies of the 2 of Cups, the Empress, and the Magician.

 

 

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: The Fool
You will have the opportunity this week to take a creative leap of faith, and the cards say go for it! You have the support of the other cards, with new creative, abundant, positive doors opening. Pick the one you like best and take the chance, knowing you are fully supported.

We have three Major Arcana cards here, all early in the deck, and two early cup cards, about creativity and emotion. The overall outlook is for a very positive, creative week. Look for the opportunities that present themselves and make the most out of them.

Did anything resonate with you, or did you get something different? I always like to hear about it!

Have a great week.

Monday, May 25, 2026
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Here we are, in the final week of May. We have a second full moon this month at the end of the week, on May 31, a blue moon. It’s a nice bookend for the month. I like to enjoy blue moons, and celebrate them, rather than rushing around feeling like I “have” to get this or that done.

Sometimes, you need to take the time to simply enjoy.

I’m seeing a lot of fear-based content along the lines of “this will never happen again in our lifetime” and “this hasn’t happened for 200 years” and whatnot and so forth. Usually, it’s trying to scare you into giving them money because they claim if you don’t buy their expertise, your life will get worse, rather than you sitting quietly and learning from your own intuition.

Remember: Every day is unique and fresh. No day will ever be exactly like any other. YOU get to choose the small tweaks that differentiate it. A missed chance can open the way to a better one. You don’t want to be passive and refrain from any actions at all. But you want to do your best in your individual situation from a place of hope and wonder, rather than fear. With the fear mongers and systemic oppressors trying to make sure we can’t make decisions out of a good place, it’s even more of a challenge. You don’t need “influencers” who claim they have a hotline to spirit piling onto it, especially when it’s all about giving them money. Especially if they use AI, which, as far as I’m concerned, means they have zero connection to ethical spirituality.

There are a lot of carny barkers out there who will push you farther away from your direct connection to divinity than get you closer to it, taking your money along the way and laughing all the way to their bank.

We still have just the Pluto Retrograde to deal with, allowing us to explore it without distraction. There is plenty of dark, icky stuff being revealed in the world at large, and we need to decide how we, as individuals and collectively, are going to respond.

This is our last week with this tarot deck. Next Monday, we greet the new month with a different deck.

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: Knight of Pentacles
The Knight of Pentacles is about consistency. It’s about sticking to routines that work, showing up, and being patient in order to make progress. The progress is slower than with the other knights, but it lasts. This energy is central to the week. Use reliable routines to stabilize you this week, and work incrementally.

 

North – Earth/Tangibles: Five of Cups
This card was in the East last week, and is in the north, the position of tangibles, this week. The 5 of Cups is generally about grief, and focusing on what was broken rather than what remains. The art in this card reminds us that the full, overflowing cups have the ability to heal the grief. It’s not about ignoring or cutting off what is no longer there. It’s about integrating the loss with remaining positives. Things break. Sometimes they can’t be fixed, so you hold the lovely memories and let the object itself go. Since this card is in the north, there is something very tangible this week that needs to be released with love, rather than anger.

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Two of Cups
This card came up in the May 11th spread in the North/Earth/Tangibles position, and now it’s here, in the East/Air/Intellect position. This is about union, partnership, and balance. Two cups pour together, creating a unified stream. This week, there are ideas that grow when nurtured with someone else. This will also help balance or heal the loss in the previous card.

 

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: Ancestor
The Forager’s Daughter Tarot has several additional Major Arcana cards that other decks do not. One of them is this card, Ancestor. It makes sense that it shows up in the South, the position of fire, passion, and, importantly, identity. When you feel lost this week, tap into your ancestral wisdom. How did others in your lineage handle similar struggles? Ancestral lineage isn’t just of blood. It can also be spiritual, artistic, inspirational. There is a wealth of generational knowledge that can be accessed, applied, and adjusted to meet this week’s challenges. We don’t have to be trapped by “the way things were done.” We can learn from it and used it as a foundation to create something that works for us now. I love the image of the skull looking at the viewer from inside the crystal sphere. That portal to the past, mirror of the generations resonates with me.

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Six of Swords
The 6 of Swords suggests that, creatively or emotionally, you are about to transform and leave something behind. Often, the art shows travel over water. This art shows a cicada shedding its outgrown casing. This ties into the 5 of Cups up top, and (to me) actually puts a more positive perspective on it, along with support from the other cards – the 2 cups and the Ancestor, and the Knight of Pentacles reminding us to keep plugging along. The collective view of the 6 of Swords has gotten more negative in general over the years, but I usually view it as positives. The 6 is a level of stability reached after the chaos of the 5. Last week, we had the 6 of Pentacles in this slot, suggesting creative generosity and stability. This week, it’s creative transformation.

This week’s reading contains a court card, a Major Arcana, and three Minor Arcana cards. Two of those are cups, and one is a sword. The court card is a pentacle. There are no wands in here, but the Ancestor card in that position of fire and identity sends a strong message.

This week, keep going, slowly and carefully. Allow yourself partnership that helps you through a transformation, leaving something broken behind, but holding its pleasant memories. Tap into ancestral knowledge to guide you. Don’t let anyone rush you this week, and then, next Sunday, enjoy the blue moon’s blessings in quiet enjoyment. This is a good week to step back from the outer chaos as much as possible and nurture what you need on an internal level.

Does anything in this reading resonate with you? Or do you have a different interpretation? I’m always interested in hearing your thoughts.

Monday, May 18, 2026
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Whee! We have quite the reading of contrasts this week.

We had a new moon in Taurus on the 16th, so this is the time to plant seeds for things that are long-term and sustainable. Pluto is still retrograde, so what’s hidden is coming up. It’s still the only retrograde, thank goodness, so we can really look at what’s coming up without a lot of noise from other planets. We are working our way toward a second full moon of the same month, a Blue Moon, on the 31st.

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: Five of Wands
Okay, I much preferred having the Magician in this spot last week. But here we are. The 5 of Wands suggests that the driving energy of the week is conflict around passion and identity. Being stubborn will make it worse. It doesn’t have to be nasty; it can be a lively debate that gets you somewhere. Listen more than you argue this week. You don’t have to capitulate to someone else’s agenda, but you may find places where it makes sense to compromise.

North – Earth/Tangibles: The Empress
The Empress is very much at home in the northern position of tangibles. She reminds us of the beauty and abundance available to us. Look up in the midst of your arguments this week, and find the beauty of what is actually around you physically, not the theoretics in arguments.

 

 

East – Air/Thought/Intellect: Five of Cups
Another 5, this time of cups, meaning creative or emotional conflict and grief, and it’s in the position of thought and intellect. You may have to let go of something you believed in (the broken cups). Go ahead and grieve it. Don’t regret it, because it served a purpose. But look at the cups that are still full, in fact, overflowing, and tap into that Empress energy. There’s a good chance your feelings are going to be hurt in an argument this week. Remember that all is not lost. Arguments, debates, discussions, can serve a purpose to widen our views and get us past a point of stuck. Try to separate your emotions from the intellect of the discussion.

South – Fire/Passion/Identity: The High Priestess
The High Priestess reminds us to tap into our identity of old magic this week, and intuition. The line from the Empress through the 5 of Wands to the High Priestess and back up is a strong energy line. This is a week to remember who you are, even when there are conflicts. Listen, adjust, trust your inner knowing, and don’t forget your core integrity.

 

West – Water/Creativity/Emotion: Six of Pentacles
The 6 of Pentacles is a card of nostalgia and generosity. The line from it through the two fives soothes the tumult of those fives, and shows that, emotionally, we can move past them. There is enough for us all to thrive, and, in this time where we’re being looted (literally and metaphorically, here in the US) and betrayed by those who are supposed to guard our interests, it’s important to stand in the Empress, the High Priestess, and the 6 of Pentacles and refuse to give into the scarcity. Call out those hoarding resources to the detriment of the rest of the community. There is enough for all of us when we take care of each other.

We have two Major Arcana cards who build on each other, two fives indicating a lot of conflict, and a six in our house of creativity and emotion to anchor us.

Remember who you are this week, and push back against those who want to take without reciprocity.

Did anything resonate for you, or did you get something different? I’d love to hear from you in the comments?

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.