Community Tarot Reading for the Week – Page 5

March 3, 2025: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, March 3, 2025
Waxing Moon
Venus Retrograde

We are in March! Here in the Northern Hemisphere, there’s a hope that spring will soon arrive.

Last week was definitely a challenge. For me, there was a lot of 5 of Wands Energy. The Hanged Man helped, and I even achieved a little of the 9 of Pentacles. But, overall, it was an emotionally challenging week, and I felt wrung out by the end of it. The political landscape contributes a great deal to the stress. I do not have the privilege of pretending it doesn’t directly affect me on a daily basis.

For the month of March, we are using the Midnight City Tarot Pocket Deck, written and illustrated by Jackie Franco, and her full-sized City of Dreams Oracle deck. They work really well together. Both decks are New York-centric. As someone who spent many years living and working in theatre in New York, this deck speaks strongly to me. The quality of these decks is wonderful. They feel good as one handles them. You can learn more about the decks and buy them here.

If you’re new to the weekly readings, this is a spread of mine. It’s read from left to right, 5 cards. Any card that needs more interpretation can be built into further, above and below, with either more tarot cards, another tarot deck, or an oracle deck.

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.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

Let’s dive in!

The Collective Energy of the Week – Queen of Wands
The Queen of Wands is someone who is comfortable in her own skin and her own power. She knows who she is, and doesn’t try to hide it. She’s vibrant, fun, and confident. In this card, she’s on a rooftop patio, watching fireworks over the city. This card is about inspiring others by being yourself. Since it’s the energy for the week, it advises us to inspire each other with our very presence.

The Week’s Challenge – 9 of Coins
9 of Coins (or pentacles, in some decks) This is about allowing yourself the luxury you’ve earned for yourself. Luxuries are anything that makes you feel special and abundant. It can be something complex, or it can be something as simple as taking yourself out for a manicure, as shown in the card. With Venus in retrograde, there’s a need to reassess finances and our relationship to money. That warns us not to overspend. But, at the same time, having this card in this position encourages us to do something nice for ourselves this week to make us feel like we’re living in abundance, and to recognize how much abundance we really have in our lives (even though everything on a larger level is determined to make us feel hopeless and poverty-stricken). Allow yourself a small indulgence to remind yourself that we do live in abundance, even when factions are trying to gaslight us otherwise, so they can remove that abundance and keep it for themselves.

The Week’s Opportunity – 1 of Coins
This is equivalent to the ace. It shows an acorn (set in Prospect Park). An acorn holds the possibility of growing into a sturdy oak, if nurtured and cared for. This week, we have a new opportunity to build something beautiful, strong, and tangible on the physical plane. By allowing ourselves moments of abundance (the 9 in the previous position) and going forth in the world comfortable in our own skins (the Queen of Wands), we put ourselves in a position to recognize this new opportunity and nurture it.

The Week’s Stretch – Death
Again, don’t be afraid of this card. It’s about transformation. It’s okay to mourn what you’ve left behind. In fact, it’s healthy and necessary. In order to make room for the 1 of Coins in the previous position, we have to let go and close out something else. We have to clear space – does that sound familiar? Because the same card showed up in the same position last week. In the Cozy Witch Tarot, we had the Broom, which is the card representing Death in that deck, encouraging us to sweep out what we don’t need. And last week, we were in the waning moon. Having the card in the same position this week, with the turn into the waxing moon, indicates that we didn’t clear out everything we needed last week, and it’s ongoing. Block in some time this week to think about what needs to be cleared away, honor it, and remove it, so that you have room for the wands and coins earlier in this reading. Look at the art on the card. The tree is losing its leaves. But next spring, it will have new buds and grow again, revived.

The Week’s Comfort – 5 of Wands
The 5 of Wands is a card of conflict. The dogs are barking at each other. Their leashes are tangled up. There’s a stack of trash bags in the background. How can that be a comfort this week? Chances are we’ll feel conflicted about letting go of something, about the new opportunity, about our self-worth (Venus retrograde again), and about allowing ourselves a treat. The comfort is that this is temporary. The 5 is a card of motion, and the middle of the suit. Things accelerate from here.

Exploring this card further, the Foundation of this conflict and discomfort is Letting Go. This ties into the stretch card for the week of Death. Let go, make room. The art on it is even a leaf which could have come off the tree in the Death card. Right now, in all the chaos, it’s very hard to trust anything, especially our own intuition. There’s a lot of toxic positivity going around, blaming us for feeling scared. Now is the time, more than ever, to dig into our personal Queen of Wands and be who we are. Trust our own intuition. Clear away what’s not working to make room for what is. With the Venus retrograde and an incoming Mercury retrograde in a couple of weeks, it may not show up quickly. And the gap between the clearing out and the new possibilities can be scary. But we’ll be ready when it does. The 1 of Coins in the opportunity position this week indicates that it is already a seed, but we must make room for it to grow.

Does anything in this reading resonate for you? Or is your interpretation different? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

February 17, 2025: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, February 17, 2025
Waning Moon
Mars Retrograde

Hello, and welcome to another week. How did you find last week’s guidance helped you (or didn’t)? I found the 3 of Swords from last week as much about disappointment as it was about feeling the feelings. There were disappointments along several fronts, and I kept thinking, “Yup, here’s the 3 of Swords showing up.” But, as depicted by the card itself last week, there was a sense of more of a separation than being directly stabbed in the heart. And I leaned heavily into the 8 of Pentacles, the Magician, and the Sun. The day of the Full Moon, on the 12th, was particularly challenging on an emotional level. I pulled on the Page of Cups energy for that, along with the “Now” energy of the Oracle.

This week, as you can see from the spread’s photo, we have a lot going on. We have quite a few oracle cards expanding on the tarot cards.

For the weekly readings in February, we are using the Cozy Witch Tarot by Amanda Lovelace, with art by Janaina Medeiros. You can learn more about it and buy it here. Several people recommended this deck to me, including my friend, author and tarot reader Jameison Wolf. I love the way it reads, although my interpretations are sometimes different than what is written on the card. I do sometimes worry that it doesn’t delve deeply enough into uncomfortable emotions, but it states clearly that it is meant to be cozy and comforting. February is a difficult month for me, anyway, often; it seems like winter will never end. And with all the stresses around us, I’m opting for cozy for us in these weekly readings.

To dig deeper, when necessary, I’m using the Shadows of Light Oracle by Haley Clare. I’m not sure if I received this deck from Goddess Provisions or Tamed Wild, during the time I had subscription boxes from them. The deck and I are becoming reacquainted, and it works well with this tarot deck. You can learn more about it and buy it here.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

The Collective Energy of the Week – 8 of Wands
There’s a lot of energy going on this week, and things will happen fast. Things have been stalled, but now, with Mars preparing to turn direct on the 23rd, things will go back into motion, even though the change happens at the end of our reading week. The energy is already gathering, earlier in the week, and you need to be ready to respond. As you can see from the artwork on the card, it may well be energy in community where things are happening quickly, and you need to work together as a group.

Digging deeper into this position, using the Oracle, we see the Foundation of this shift is Worth: The Queen. Worth is a type of wealth, connected to self-esteem, self-respect, and boundaries. It allows us to launch into the energetic 8 of Wands energy that presents itself collectively to us during the week.

Reaching above, the Growth from the 8 of Wands is the Turmoil: The Storm card. Last week, this card was the foundation of our challenge. This week, it’s moved into the growth of the collective energy of the week. What does that mean? That there will be more thrown at us (in the U.S., very likely on the political spectrum affecting our personal lives), but this week collectively, we are ready and willing to take action together, rooted in the knowledge of our own worth. How that manifests will be different for each of us, but, as part of a collective, each of us is an important piece in the puzzle, with a meaningful role. Time to go and do it. We ARE the storm.

The Week’s Challenge – The High Priestess
This is the next card in the Major Arcana from the Magician, which was in the same slot last week. We are making progress. Our challenge this week is to trust our intuition. It will tell us when it’s time to move with the collective energy of the last card. This week, the challenge will be trusting our own intuition, not other people’s agendas.

The Week’s Opportunity – Queen of Cups
As we maneuver through the quick-moving tumult this week, using our intuition, the Queen of Cups reminds us to honor our emotions. In the midst of the fast movement of the 8 of Wands, take a minute here and there to just be. Connect to the water and your emotions to recharge. She’s wearing a tee-shirt reading “Sea Witch” and the Storm card in the Growth position above the first position is about storms. These cards connect. Use the Queen energy (also connected to the Worth card as the foundation of the first position) within the storm.

The Queen of Cups connects to both the Turmoil and the Worth Card, AND to the High Priestess. All of these facets will feed positively into the 8 of Wands energy.

Exploring further, the Growth of this energy has to do with Trust. This week, we need to trust our intuition, our forward movement, our worth, our emotions. Too often, we think of trust as something passive, but it is active. Trust clears away the fear and encourages us to move forward (with the 8 of Wands energy). Choose trust over fear this week.

The Week’s Stretch – Knight of Cups
This slot is another forward motion, from the Page who occupied this slot last week to the Knight who occupies it this week. Last week was about curiosity and emotion; this week is about falling in love with what you’ve learned and bringing it out into the world. Every day this week, do something, no matter how small, to make you or someone around you smile, and fall in love with your life a little more. When things are in turmoil and moving quickly, this is difficult, which is why it’s important to stretch in this direction this week.

The Foundation for this is Acceptance: Surrender. Loosen your grip a little. Experience the moment, even if it’s uncomfortable. Use what you learn when you pick up and move forward. Like trust, acceptance is active, not passive. Accepting the reality of the moment clears the way to take positive action. Holding onto what you wished as the moment’s reality prevents you from looking at things clearly. We have a lot of cups in this week’s reading, so there are a lot of emotions built around the momentum. Accept them, acknowledge them, and then act.

The Week’s Comfort – 2 of Cups
The 2 of Cups is about partnership, whether it’s romantic, friendship, creative, business, or community. Remember, this week, with all that’s going on, that you are not alone. You do not have to navigate this on your own. Block out some time to have coffee with a friend, or reach out to a colleague you’d like to get to know better. That will help you sort through the emotions and trust your intuition as you make the necessary decisions to move forward.

The Growth from the card is Communication: Complexity, which makes perfect sense as an outgrowth of partnership. Really listen to each other this week as you catch up, as you sort through your emotions, as things begin moving more quickly. Are you speaking your intent and your integrity? Are you doing so in a way that the other party can hear it and comprehend it? As we near the end of the Mars retrograde, we are feeling more of the impatience to get going, even though it won’t fully be time to break out until next week. So make sure you communicate information, emotion, plans, and timelines clearly and take time to explain if the receiving party is having trouble navigating complexity. Take a look at the card. Look at the colors, and the sacred geometry aspects. If those interest you, go even deeper. This card is beautiful, and I plan to use it in meditation this week.

This reading is tied closely to last week’s reading, more so than usual. Flip back and forth between them as you need to see where last week set the foundation for this week. If something is headed in the wrong direction, course correct through both intuition and communication.

What are you getting from these cards? Similar interpretations, or something quite different? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

February 3, 2025: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, February 3, 2025
Waxing Moon
Jupiter and Mars Retrograde
Note: Jupiter goes DIRECT tomorrow

Hello, there! How are you? Deep breath, there’s a lot going on. Hopefully, you’re feeling a little more like yourself with Uranus going direct late last week. Jupiter, the planet of expansion, goes direct tomorrow, so that will also help us on the tangible plane. Mars is still retrograde for most of the month, so it will be difficult not to feel impatient. Hang in there.

Yesterday, I posted a reading for Imbolc, using my Brigid’s Cauldron spread. It’s meant to help us navigate these next six weeks until the Spring Equinox. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can do so here.

For the weekly readings in February, we are using the Cozy Witch Tarot by Amanda Lovelace, with art by Janaina Medeiros. You can learn more about it and buy it here. Several people recommended this deck to me, including my friend, author and tarot reader Jamieson Wolf. I love the way it reads, although my interpretations are sometimes different than what is written on the card. I do sometimes worry that it doesn’t delve deeply enough into uncomfortable emotions, but it states clearly that it is meant to be cozy and comforting. February is a difficult month for me, anyway, often; it seems like winter will never end. And with all the stresses around us, I’m opting for cozy for us in these weekly readings.

If you’re new to the weekly readings, this is a spread of mine, that I’ve developed over months. It’s read from left to right, 5 cards. Any card that needs more interpretation can be built into further, above and below, with either more tarot cards, another tarot deck, or an oracle deck.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

1. The Collective Energy of the Week – King of Pentacles
The King of Pentacles is about pragmatic and sensible leadership, who provides for those around them and teaches them how to care for themselves. The first thing that struck me about this card this particular week is mutual aid, given what we’re going through right now, and, especially the position of the card within the spread, as the collective energy of the week. With factions trying to fracture us, it’s important that we use our own leadership skills to help each other. Pentacles are about tangibles. It doesn’t mean you have to give money if you’re struggling. You can help someone by holding a door, or carrying a bag, or offering a link to a resource, or just listening. We need to take care of each other now, and how we do so has many different possibilities, far beyond just being about the cash. We each do what we can.

2. The Week’s Challenge – 4 of Pentacles
In most decks, the 4 of Pentacles depicts a figure clutching pentacles to them, or sitting on top of a chest carved with a pentacle. It can often suggest either that you need to hoard your resources somewhat, or a warning that you’re hoarding too much. The card in this deck suggests the latter, suggesting that you treat yourself to something shiny. What does that mean to you? My favorite treats tend to be books or a piece of chocolate. A treat for you might be something completely different. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, as long as you feel like you’ve indulged yourself. The challenge this week is to remember that we deserve good things, even when abusive systems try to convince us we don’t.

3. The Week’s Opportunity – 10 of Pentacles
I love the art for this card in this deck. 10 cats? Yes, I feel rich! (I’m ignoring the feed bills and the vet bills, and just enjoying the sensation of 10 cats). The opportunity this week is to look around and enjoy what we have and what we’ve built. This ties into the 4 of Pentacles, about treats and knowing when to hoard and when to release, and the King of Pentacles about managing resources. There’s a magical practice where when you give, you make room to get. Are there things you don’t need that you can donate? Can you bless some pennies and leave them in unique places around your town to brighten someone’s day? Can you rearrange something in your house that makes you feel satisfied in both the organization of it and because it exists in your space? With what’s going on the US around the Treasury Department right now, we are all worried about finances, access to our money, and how that will be manipulated. These pentacle cards are a good reminder about what’s not within “their” control.

4. The Week’s Stretch – Strength
There will be times this week when exterior factions will work our last nerve, trying to demoralize us and make us forget our own tangible power, and our own pleasure in mere existence. We can meet it with a gentle strength that undermines more than aggressive force would. There may be times where we need to be aggressive and assertive, but this week tells us that gentle firmness is a stronger choice. Again, Jupiter goes direct this week, and Jupiter is about enjoying the tangible, the textures, the senses. It’s a case where living in defiant joy is the best tool. But there will be times this week when it’s difficult. Looking at the 4 of Pentacles, it’s time for the old adage, “know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em.” Doing so with gentle strength and maybe even a touch of humor are tools that will help.

5. The Week’s Comfort – King of Cups
This card was also in the final position of yesterday’s Imbolc spread, albeit with a very different image. The King of Cups has well-regulated emotions. They run deep, but these kings are creative and loving, without being provoked into reactive responses. This king believes in happiness in the home, love, and the arts. This feeds into the energy of Jupiter gong direct this week. Go to an art exhibit, watch a favorite TV show, read a book. Enjoy your life, in spite, TO SPITE, the chaos around us.

In this week’s reading, we have 3 pentacle cards, one Major Arcana, and one court card. It ties into the Imbolc reading with the King of Swords and boundaries, the King of Cups card in that reading, and the foundational energy of that reading in the Sun card. It touches on the energy of Jupiter turning direct, and reminding us of our own riches, both material and tangible. These are riches that others may try to define, but they can’t. They are ours. This week we enjoy, and we remind ourselves what we are protecting.

What do you get from the reading? Do you agree with my interpretations, or are you getting something else? I’d love to hear your response in the comments.

January 27, 2025: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, January 27, 2025
Day Before Dark Moon
Uranus, Jupiter, Mars Retrograde

Hello! There’s lots going on, energetically this week into next week. Today is the day before the dark moon, with the dark moon tomorrow, and a new moon/Chinese Lunar New Year on Wednesday.

For me, the day before the dark moon is the lowest energy day for the month, and then I get re-energized for the dark moon to do a final push of what needs purging for the month.

This new moon also begins the Year of the Wood Snake in Chinese astrology. I’m a Water Tiger, so that presents some challenges.

On the 30th, Uranus finally goes direct. Our unique energy will start shining again, and we can make decisions in ways that suit us as individuals. We’re also preparing for Jupiter to go direct next week, on February 4th. I’ll talk about that in next week’s post.

In relation to last week’s reading, I definitely had new inspirations on several fronts (Ace of Wands). I actively took steps on the plan for a few of them (3 Wands), and am also making decisions on some that may not be in alignment with what I want and need. I trusted my intuition, put in the work, and a couple of things I put into motion in previous weeks paid off, while others did not (The Moon, 8 Pentacles, and 3 of Wands again). I was not always successful in stepping back from the chaotic emotions of which we are in the midst, but I started working on some personal guardrails (King of Cups). I hope to build on last week’s work with this week’s information.

This month, we are using the Rackham Tarot, with art by the illustrator Arthur Rackham, and text by Lunea Weatherstone. The deck is available from Lo Scarabeo. If you would like to learn more about Arthur Rackham’s life and work, you can do so here.

This deck was a gift from a friend a little over a year ago. I use it primarily for dreamwork, so it will be interesting to see how it works in community readings for the month. The suit in this deck is marked with a symbol in the center bottom, and the number on top. The Major Arcana cards have their number on the top and the bottom. It can take a bit of concentration to get used to it.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

The Collective Energy of the Week – The World
Completion of a cycle. A fresh start. For me, the World card also often means “anything is possible if you take action.” The figure rises out of the earth and the trees. It is an adult figure, not a childlike one, indicating how the end of a cycle opens the way for something new. So let’s create something new and wonderful, shall we? Uranus moving direct helps.

The Week’s Challenge – The Lovers
In many decks, this card often holds a third figure, creating conflict and the need to make a decision. This card does not have that third figure (unless you count the tree). These two figures are completely caught up in each other. How could such love be a challenge? When you’re so caught up in it that you ignore the rest of the world. With all the exterior chaos and cruelty happening, it’s instinctive to put on blinders and only focus on what we love. The challenge is to remember that in order to keep what we love, we must be ready to defend it (think about the energy of the 7 of Wands and the 9 of Wands). Taking restorative breaks is vital, some stepping forward as others step back to rest is vital, but there are times when we all have to show up and do the work in community so that we have a community.

The Week’s Opportunity – Knight of Cups
Knights are about taking the energy of the suit out into the world. The Knight of Cups is about taking loving and creative energy out into the world, be it in real life or through social media (social media is vital to those who can’t go out physically into the world for whatever reason). Share the love you feel in the previous card and use it to build the positive new cycle offered by the World card.

The Week’s Stretch – The Tower
The Tower is my “oh, fuck” card in the deck. When the Tower comes up in a personal reading, it means I’ve procrastinated on something until it’s been taken out of my control. Because I did not act on it in time, action is being taken out of my hands, and I have to live with the consequences. Many people find that freeing; I do not. In many decks, it shows a structure being destroyed (by lightning, fire, etc.), with figures falling out of the structure. This card uses a different illustration, and since we are using this deck this month, we look at what’s going on in the art to discover the meaning at this particular moment, so we can make informed decisions. In this illustration, the man is teased by fairies. The fae can be mischievous and they can be vicious. They can also be playful. By the look on the man’s face, he’s not sure how to interpret their antics. Or are they pricking his conscience? This card is in the “stretch” position in the reading, which means it’s warning you to take action on something you’ve been putting off, and reminding you to act in ways that keep your conscience clear. With everything going on, each of us will be challenged more violently daily as to where we “go along to get along” for the moment (which will have consequences down the line) and where we hold boundaries.

The Week’s Comfort – The High Priestess
What’s behind the veil? Is the woman in the illustration the one hiding, or is she about to discover/reveal something? The High Priestess card is about balanced intuition. In many decks, the figure is between two pillars. This card does not have that However, look at the floor in the illustration. She stands on a wooden floor. There is some sort of runner under the curtain, then more floor. There’s a separation, and we have to decide if we’re ready and able to handle whatever might be behind the curtain. Since the card is in the “comfort” position of the reading, it indicates it is in our best interest to take the risk (again, tying back to The World card).

What resonates in this week’s reading with you? Do you get something completely different from the cards? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

When we reconvene next week, we will be in a waxing moon, have begun living in the Year of the Wood Snake, have celebrated Imbolc, and be in February. Whew!

January 6, 2025: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, January 6, 2025
Waxing Moon
Uranus, Jupiter, Mars Retrograde

Last week was definitely a challenge, and I’m ready for a new week!

This month, we are using the Rackham Tarot, with art by the illustrator Arthur Rackham, and text by Lunea Weatherstone. The deck is available from Lo Scarabeo here. If you would like to learn more about Arthur Rackham’s life and work, you can do so here.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

The Collective Energy of the Week – 10 Pentacles
After a rather rocky few weeks, having a 10 of Pentacles as our collective energy is an excellent start to the year. It’s about enjoying the tangibles with family and community, as the figures in the illustration do. It’s about welcoming others in and expanding your circle.

The Week’s Challenge – 6 of Wands
This is a card of success and moving in the right direction. Why would that be a challenge? We can sabotage ourselves if we doubt ourselves. We also sometimes have trouble accepting praise from others. In some other decks, it depicts a victory ride with the rider wearing a laurel wreath, and urges one to accept success. This illustration shows two older figures encouraging the young rider to keep going. (If the card had a different number on it, the illustration itself could be interpreted as them asking her for a ride, but the choice of placement must be taken into account along with the art itself. This is one of the cards that, in this deck, can be a little trickier to interpret than in some other decks).

The Week’s Opportunity – Strength
The woman in the illustration walks companionably with the lion. They are confident in their goals. This week, we will have the opportunity to move truthfully and confidently toward what we want. Don’t get caught up in false modesty, or feel you need to run yourself down or you’ll sound arrogant. Trust in your own worth.

The Week’s Stretch – 5 of Wands
Our figure is up a tree with wolves on the ground below, snapping at her. This is about survival skills. Lunea Weatherstone’s interpretation for this card reads, “if you can’t outrun them, outsmart them” which is sound advice. This ties into the need for strength. Somewhere this week, you will come across someone or, likely, several someones, who do not have your best interests at heart. In fact, they may be actively trying to cause you harm. Rely on your strength and your survival skills, and, reaching back farther, to the knowledge you are moving in the right direction and to the first card, of expanding community, to outsmart them. You are not who they define you; you are who you define yourself.

The Week’s Comfort – 2 of Pentacles
Stay centered. Keep your balance between emotions and tangibles, the physical and the spiritual. The figure in the illustration plays pan pipes. Listen to some music! Stick to your meditation practice, your journal writing, whatever keeps you centered. This will help you when the 5 of Wands challenges you.

Overall, the week is about moving in the right direction, and being around others, even though some of them do not wish you well. Take it in stride, and be smart, not reactive. You’re moving in the right direction.

Do you get a different interpretation from these cards? Have you worked with this deck? What’s your experience? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

November 11, 2024: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, November 11, 2024
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde

Before we get into today’s reading for the week, let’s talk about last week’s reading. As I mentioned last week, there was intense energy going on, and the two major arcana cards, The Lovers and the Moon gave us some warning. Our hopes were dashed, our fears realized. Choices were made (the Lovers) that shattered our illusions (The Moon). Imagine if the results had fallen the other way, and those choices had fulfilled our dreams! Responding to triggers was a challenge (King of Cups) and we plodded through (Knight of Pentacles). How could the 10 of Pentacles be our comfort? How could the ending of this cycle of abundance not trigger huge fears and anxieties, especially when we have a good idea of how our safety nets will be shredded in the coming months?

I found comfort in the community I’ve worked to build since I moved here three years ago. We planned together, we cried together, we talked about how to share resources and create a sustainable plan moving forward. The moon shined a light on our illusions, and they are shattered. We know what we are facing, and who we can no longer trust. But we have a firm foundation under our feet to start this new cycle.

This week’s reading gives us an idea of some of the challenges, but we have a firm foundation from which to start, and while we will be threatened and challenged, at least we are starting at the 10 and not the 5. This cycle is over (especially as Pluto moves into Aquarius). Saturn, the planet of life lessons, goes direct at the end of the 15th. We’ve definitely been slapped with a life lesson. We have to use this lesson as a tool to move forward, not allow it to destroy us. We will feel despair and anger and betrayal for a long time to come. But we have our feet on the ground, and those rose-colored glasses we wore? Ground into dust.

But the particles will still be beautiful in the sunlight, and we can work to plant something new and strong in this earth under our feet. It will not be easy. There will be a lot of pain and damage and death. But the Moon showed us our illusionary belief in the goodness of the general population was misplaced, and we work from there with that knowledge and reality.

Looking at the astrological transits for 2025, it seems we will be in retrogrades almost all year. In 2024, we had the first few months retrograde-free. If I’m reading the chart correctly, next year we will only have a few weeks in mid-April to early May without retrogrades. Anyone reading this who specializes in astrology, please feel free to chime in down in the comments.

Some of the most difficult retrogrades are coming in the next few months. Jupiter, the planet of expansion, is retrograde until early February (though good for planning a sustainable future during this time). Mercury goes retrograde Thanksgiving week until mid-December, which is not a good time for this, between travel plans and the need to communicate with family. Mars, the war god planet, goes retrograde in December (overlapping Mercury for about a week, which is not fun) until late February. Be as quiet and careful with your words and energy as possible. Let the screamers scream and take a step back. Stand for your integrity, especially in one-on-one situations, but let the loudest performers scream themselves hoarse on the broader stage.

Let’s take a look at this week.

November’s deck is the Crow Tarot, created by MJ Cullinane. You can get it from US Games Systems here. I’m lucky enough to have a murder of crows hanging out near my home, and interacting with them regularly. This deck is always terrific to work with.

This is a spread of mine, that I’ve developed over the past few months. It’s read from left to right, 5 cards. Any card that needs more interpretation can be built into further, above and below, with either more tarot cards, another tarot deck, or an oracle deck.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

This week’s cards:

The Collective Energy for the Week – 3 of Pentacles
Teamwork. We feel disheartened, but we know that by working together, we have a chance.

The Week’s Challenge – 3 of Swords
Despair, betrayal, separation, sadness. We feel all that, and denying those feelings will only cause more pain. We are separated from many we thought we can trust. Only by integrating that life lesson (Saturn retrograde, turning direct this week) can we heal and continue.

The Week’s Opportunity – Page of Swords
This is a really interesting card to have in this position. In other decks, the page can be a warning about gossip and false information. In this particular deck, it is about strength in a storm, energy, communication, and determination. The crow carries the sword (ideas) through the storm. Pages are impulsive, so while action is important, temper it with the intellect of the suit of swords. I find the image on this card hopeful.

The Week’s Stretch – 9 of Swords
For me, this card turns up as a card of self-imposed anxiety. In the context of the week, this is true. I am terrified at the horrors of this administrative future. At the same time, if the adage “thoughts are things” is true – we do not want our anxieties to manifest. We want to recognize them so that we can come up with a plan to deal with them and manifest something better. This week, it will definitely be a stretch. It will be difficult not to remain mired in the anxiety and terror. It’s difficult not to feel as trapped as the crow in the image.So let’s stretch and remind ourselves of the future we WANT to build. The future we COULD have built, had things shaken out the other way, is gone. We have to look at the realities, acknowledge our real and valid fears, and find a way to bend them into something better. Which is exhausting, and there will be days and hours when it’s too much. But let’s stretch and try.

The Week’s Comfort – 10 of Swords
Again, a very odd card to come up as a “comfort.” We have been stabbed in the back multiple times. It hurts. For me, the 10 of Swords is often about other people dumping their anxieties on me, and there’s definitely that happening this week, along with the whole intentional cruelty bit. I don’t mean that I feel dumped on by those who are anxious and fearful from the way the election fell; we are sharing our grief and fear. I mean we were stabbed in the back by those who voted for cruelty instead of community. It is also a 10, which is the end of a cycle. That doesn’t mean there will suddenly be a mass enlightenment, and things will be lovely again. But it gives us hope that our relationship to this suffering and betrayal will soon change, and a new cycle of thought and action will begin. It doesn’t mean giving in; it does mean letting go of what could have been, had things shaken out differently.

Along with all the astrological challenges this week, there are indications for a rough road. The best we can do is rest, try not to overthink, find ways to be with and/or work with the people who’ve shown we can trust them, and start turning the anxieties and the valid knowledge of coming struggles into something stronger and better. Start thinking about your boundaries, where and with whom you need to set new ones. Be aware of the rising dangers around us, but also build yourself little forts of beauty, hope, and joy. Open those forts to those you can trust, and build stronger communities, both online and in person.

Look at the reading as a whole: the collective energy is a card of community and tangible things, while the rest of the cards are about thinking, especially overthinking, anxiety, and betrayal. Temper all these difficult sword cards with the 3 of Pentacles and community. That can be difficult if you feel isolated and don’t have community physically around you; that’s where online community can be helpful and supportive. If I was in my previous location, I would be stuck in the 3, 9, and 10 of swords for the foreseeable future. I am deeply grateful to be where I am now. As frightened and exhausted as you are now, there are others who share your feelings, and we can comfort each other.

I wish last week had a different outcome, and that this week was full of the Sun and the Star and the Ace of Pentacles. Sadly, we were handed the 3 and 9 and 10 of Swords instead.

This is a good opportunity to read Theresa Reed’s wonderful book THE CARDS YOU’RE DEALT. You can read about it on her website here. She is also known at “The Tarot Lady” and has wonderful books, podcasts, and videos about tarot.

Please note that I do not get any financial rewards or free copies of things by posting creator links. I do this so you can find and enjoy materials I’ve found helpful.

What do you feel about the context of last week’s and this week’s reading? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

November 4, 2024: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, November 4, 2024
Waxing Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde

We are in November! Second to last month of the calendar year, first month of the New Year if you look at Samhain as the turning point.

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

This week’s cards:

The Collective Energy of the Week – The Lovers
This is a card about choices and relationships. Are those crows preening the heart or are they eating it? The artist interprets it as “drinking from the same heart” which has layers of meanings. There’s also a snake in the picture, indicating transformation. With the 5th being election day in the US, it makes a lot of sense. Are we going to make the best choice for us? Or will the collective make the choice that harms us, and then we, as individuals, have to make decisions and form smaller collectives in order to survive? The two trees offer a hope of stability and balance, and the sun offers hope, balanced by the moon in the other corner, which offers intuition and, hopefully, illumination rather than illusion.

The Week’s Challenge – King of Cups
This crow’s got his throne and his crown, an oasis in a stormy sea. The King reminds us to learn what our emotional triggers are, and to create healthier responses to them. There’s also a crescent moon in above him, indicating the need to listen to intuition. Again, that’s relevant to the election. There will be many triggers, no matter which way the result falls, and we will have to choose how to best respond in a way that is both true to ourselves and does not cause harm.

The Week’s Opportunity – The Knight of Pentacles
Knights take action. Pentacles indicate the action is on the material plane, and that it is slower than in some other cases (which sometimes feels plodding when in reality it is conscientious). Hard work, a methodical approach, and keeping one’s word are all a part of this. There’s an opportunity to make progress on something important this week, using all of these qualities. Pay attention and be ready to step up when it presents itself.

The Week’s Stretch—The Moon
The Moon offers opportunities through illumination by trusting one’s intuition, or illusion through not seeing clearly enough and not digging deeply enough (or trusting that intuition). It’s also a card of concealment. Is someone hiding something from you, or are you hiding a part of yourself? Is it necessary? Is it a safety mechanism or fear of shame or ridicule? The stretch this week will be to parse out what’s real and what is not (again, looking at the election, there’s bound to be all kinds of misinformation flying around). Dig beneath the surface. Don’t take anything at face value. Listen to both your dreams and nightmares. Your nightmares could contain important information.

The Week’s Comfort—10 Pentacles
The comfort of the week is that we will have just that –physical comforts. This week, our material needs will be met. It indicates there’s also a foundation on which to build a stronger and more sustainable future – provided we avoid the deception from the Moon. Seeing that card in the final spot of the week, considering what’s at stake this week, is somewhat comforting (living up to the spot’s name). No matter what happens politically this week, we will have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have a strong foundation in material terms. It’s a card of hard work paying off. Even though it’s a ten, ending the cycle, it’s also setting a solid foundation for the next Ace that is soon to come up.

There are two major arcana cards in the spread, two court cards, and a minor arcana card. The energies are going to be intense, especially with the retrogrades we have going on, and Pluto getting ready to leave Capricorn and move into Aquarius. There will be a lot of information, disinformation, rumor, and emotion flying around this week. It’s imperative to take things one step at a time, and be able to separate the deception from the reality.

How did you interpret this spread? Are you getting different information? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

October 21, 2024: Community Tarot Reading for the Week

Monday, October 21, 2024
Waning Moon
Saturn, Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Mild during the day; cold at night

Here we are, halfway through October already!

Once again, we’re using the Halloween Tarot, created by Karin Lee, with art by Kipling West. You can get the deck from U.S. Games Systems here.

In this deck:
Pumpkins = Pentacles
Ghosts = Cups
Bats = Swords
Imps = Wands

Left to right, the positions are as follows:
1. The Collective Energy of the Week
2. The Week’s Challenge
3. The Week’s Opportunity
4. The Week’s Stretch
5. The Week’s Comfort

This week’s cards:

The Collective Energy of the Week – 7 of Pumpkins
This is 7 of Pentacles in other decks. The energy of the week is the satisfaction of knowing you’ve put in the work, and watching your garden grow! It may not be happening as quickly as you would like, but it’s steady, tangible growth. Take a breath and enjoy. Soon it will be time to get back to work.

The Week’s Challenge — 2 of Bats
This is the equivalent of the Two of Swords. The blindfolded angel is in a similar position to the figure in many Rider-Waite-Smith decks, seated with arms crossed. Instead of a sword in each hand, there’s a bat at each shoulder. There’s a duality here, an indecision, a tension or a stalemate. It would be easy to escalate this into conflict; instead, look for ways to compromise in a way that serves both of you. If it’s an indecision within yourself, use your intellect (swords/bats) to figure it out. See the black cat in the bottom corner, rolling the tiny pumpkin? Don’t forget to be playful. Looking at it with the joy of a child may lead you to the best solution.

The Week’s Opportunity – The Fool
If you take a breath from all the work you’ve put in, and look for a joyful, playful way to resolve conflict, you will have the opportunity to jump into a new adventure. You get to take a chance and trust that the Universe has your back! Even the moon is smiling down on you.

The Week’s Stretch – The Wheel of Fortune
I generally don’t read cards as reversed – except for this one, because it indicates in which direction the wheel is turning. And it always keeps turning; everything is cyclical. Neither the bad nor the good lasts forever, even though it may sometimes seem that way. This card appeared upright for us this week, so that means the wheel is turning toward better times at the moment (depending on the choices we make over the course of the week). In spite of the challenge of the 2 of Bats, or maybe because that challenge is asking us to make choices in our own best interest, better days are on the way. Savor the journey, then savor those good moments.

The Week’s Comfort – The Magician
This card was in the same spot last week. It’s a reminder that everything you need to get through the day, and use that day to build a better life, is within you. You can access all of the elements and transmute them into your intentions. You don’t need to wait around for someone else to make your dreams become reality – YOU have the ability to manifest. With this reminder being in the same slot two weeks in a row, the universe wants you to listen!

Do you find this interpretation helpful, or are the cards telling you something different? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.