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When I wrote this spell for the almanac, two years ago, I did not realize how relevant it would be today. You can read the full spell on the Llewellyn website here.

Monday, August 25, 2025
Waxing Moon
Pluto, Neptune, Saturn, Chiron Retrograde

Hello, and welcome to the last week of August. We are finally getting a break in the heat and humidity here, which is very welcome.

This month, we are using the Tarot de Marseilles. This particular tarot is one of the earlier decks, with these designs becoming popular in the 18th century, with the Marseilles name coming into use around the middle of the 19th century. There are various versions of the history of this deck, and I encourage you to read as much about the history as you can.

The minor arcana decks focus on the suit and the number, rather than creating illustrated scenarios, the way many other decks, especially modern ones, do. Some people prefer this more ascetic version of the Minor Arcana. Others find it easier to interpret and find meaning in more detailed scenes. Play with different decks, and see what works best for you. I find I am drawn to different decks depending on what I need in a reading, so sometimes one type of deck works better than another for a specific question.

The deck I’m using was a gift, and is published by Fournier, in Spain. You can learn more about their decks here. This deck does not have specific artists credited.

Next week, with the new month, we start working with a different deck. I will be hunting around the apartment for weeks I am sure, because Bea ran off with the Star card from the Marseilles deck that was in last week’s reading.

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

At first glance, this spread looks a little chaotic, so let’s break it down and figure it out.

The Collective Energy of the Week – King of Cups
The King of Cups is kind and honorable. He’s also in control of his emotions, and chooses when and where to share them. The energy of the week is about doing the right thing, but doing it with kindness.

 

 

 

The Week’s Challenge – Ace of Pentacles
The Ace of Pentacles is a positive card, promising new paths on the material plane. So how can this be a challenge? I will use something that happened to be a few days back as an example: I was offered work that I feel is unethical and would compromise my integrity. Do I need the money? Yes. Do I feel the trade-off is worth it? No. Am I going to accept the work? No. I gracefully declined. What I will do, instead, is trust the Ace of Pentacles bringing me new opportunities on the material plane. I will trust that by saying “no” to something I know is not right for me, it opens the path to something better. Tying this card in with the previous King of Cups, do the right thing, but be kind about it. My sense is that there will be an opportunity offered that is not right for you this week. By refusing it, you will make room for another opportunity just out of sight that is better.

The Week’s Opportunity – 10 of Cups
It’s always great to see the 10 of Cups in a spread, because it offers joy and long-term emotional stability. Don’t get so caught up in the Ace of the previous position that you miss the 10 being offered in this position. Again, tying it back to the King, doing the right thing with kindness will open new paths on the material plane that will give you long-term joy and success.

 

The Week’s Stretch – 5 of Wands
This is an odd card for the “stretch” position, suggesting that you will have to put in a lot of work in order to have an argument, but you also may be in a position where it’s wise to compromise. Again, lean into the King of Cups energy here, of controlled emotion, so this doesn’t block the 10 of Cups. Don’t worry so much about the opportunity you know is wrong for you and miss all the fun and something better that’s waiting in the wings. Of, if you must take this new opportunity, negotiate that it’s for the short term, rather than the long (although, looking at the full spread, my gut instinct is you’re better off walking away, which is why this is in the “stretch” position). Read the fine print of any and everything this week.

The Week’s Comfort – 4 of Cups
Again, a strange card to come up as a “comfort.” In decks that depict the minor arcana cards with illustrations, the 4 of Cups often shows an individual looking bored or unhappy. This card just has four balanced cups in the picture. Fours can be about stability or stagnation. You get to choose here. If you walk away from something that is not right for you, you have the joy of the 10 and the possible new Ace that was hidden by the first Ace/opportunity that seemed good at first, but proved not right for you at this time. If you take the first thing offered, that your gut tells you is not right, you will have to make compromises that do not serve you, give up the joy offered in the 10, and get stagnant. Use the King’s emotional and creative discernment to weigh your choices this week.

Do the right thing and be kind. That will open the way to new opportunities that are right for you and also bring joy, without making harmful compromises, and give you stability.

Did anything in particular resonate for you in this reading? Or did you get something different? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Monday, June 30, 2025
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Hello, my friends! We are definitely in summer!

Pluto is still retrograde. Neptune joins the retrogrades on Friday, July 4th, and will be retrograde until December 10th of this year. It starts its retrograde in Aries, moves back into Pisces in October, and then will return to Aries in January of next year. The last time Neptune was in Aries was in 1875. Once it stations direct in Aries, it will be there until 2039. Neptune retrograde obscures creativity and it’s vital to remain strongly connected to our intuition. Once Saturn joins the retrograde parade on July 13, we are likely to feel overwhelmed at times. Especially when the two are retrograding together, it’s important for us to take a breath and take a break when we need to. There will be times when we feel trapped – think 8 of Swords energy. It’s about completion of a cycle, making room for something new. Tie up loose ends during this retrograde

Use it to assess new ventures, work more deeply with your own intuition, explore hidden facets of yourself and those around you, make right any wrongs you’ve done anyone, and rest. Rest, rest, rest. Behaving ethically and responsibly is vital during this time, in order to move on to the next cycle in positive ways.

This week’s reading has two Major Arcana cards, a court card, a new beginnings card, and a card that carried over from last week’s reading, albeit in a new position.

We are still in June, even though we’re moving into July, so there’s one more week of the wonderful Everyday Witch Tarot by Deborah Blake with art by Elisabeth Alba. You can visit Deborah’s website here and Elisabeth’s website here. The deck is available from Llewellyn Worldwide here.

I am a huge fan of both of these creators. No, I don’t get a kickback from them or from Llewellyn, and yes, I bought both these decks!

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

The Collective Energy of the Week – The Devil
With everything going on right now, and the looming retrogrades, this card makes a lot of sense. So often, we try to place blame for the unsatisfactory parts of our lives on others, rather than taking stock of where we need to make changes ourselves. That is not about excusing systemic oppression — it’s important that we fight to change that as needed. But, on a personal level, sometimes it’s easier to hold onto something negative because it’s familiar. This card tells us that, collectively and individually, we have to take a hard look at where we contribute to what’s holding us back, make decisions, and then take actions for positive change.

The Week’s Challenge – Knight of Wands
This ties into the previous card – make decisions and move forward. The time for making excuses and being static is over. Yes, there’s a dragon on that mountain in the distance, but why does that creature have to be a foe? Why not befriend it? Go on the adventure. Take the risk. Trade the devil you know for something new.

 

 

The Week’s Opportunity – Justice
This is a card of fairness, truth, and balance in the daily details of your life. The figure in the card may be blindfolded, but she has moved that blindfold and can see. What are you bringing out into the world? It ties into the upcoming retrogrades about the need for personal ethics, even though we are living in a world right now that often has none. The way to destroy the Devil’s power over you in the first card is to stay true to your personal sense of integrity. Each of us doing that leads to a collective defeat, without capitulation or appeasement.

The Week’s Stretch – Ace of Wands
Another wand, and this promises something may go boom! In the best possible way. Be alert for a wonderful opportunity, and then harness the Knight of Wands energy in the challenge position to move on it. One wand is a challenge, and the other is a stretch, so it’s about being aware of opportunities and then taking the risk for something wonderful.

 

The Week’s Comfort – Nine of Cups
This card was in the stretch position last week, and has moved into the comfort position this week. You enjoyed the work last week; now you’re a step closer to the wish coming true! While it’s not a good idea to become smug or complacent, it is a good idea to take a deep breath and enjoy the good stuff. You’re sitting by the sea (creativity, emotion), having built a lovely sandcastle, decorated with gold cups. Your cat is playing with the crab, a symbol of flexibility and emotional depth. Take comfort in knowing that your wish is close and will soon come true.

Did anything in particular resonate with you in this reading? Or did you get a different interpretation? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Have a great week!

Monday, June 16, 2025
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Hello, friends! Pluto is still retrograde, and we have the Summer Solstice on the 20th. I hope you have something wonderful planned.

Last week definitely emphasized the 9 of Swords and the 8 of Wands for me. I’m hoping this week is a little better.

This month’s tarot deck is the wonderful Everyday Witch Tarot with support from the Everyday Witch’s Familiars Oracle. Both are by the wonderful Deborah Blake with art by the terrific Elisabeth Alba. You can visit Deborah’s website here and visit Elisabeth’s website here. Both decks are available from Llewellyn Worldwide, with the tarot deck here and the oracle deck here.

I am a huge fan of both of these creators. No, I don’t get a kickback from them or from Llewellyn, and yes, I bought both these decks!

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

The Collective Energy of the Week – Page of Cups
Curiosity and the willingness to try new things are wonderful, unless there’s no follow-through. This week, the Page of Cups reminds us that it’s great to shake ourselves out of ruts, remain curious, and learn new things, but don’t just follow something because it’s new and shiny. Take the time to really learn about it and grow your skills.

 

The Week’s Challenge – Queen of Pentacles
This is an odd card to have as a challenge. Usually, it’s a relief to see this Queen. This card is a reminder that there is so much about which to be grateful in our daily lives. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember that, because we ignore what we have, looking toward what we want. This is a good reminder in this position for me this week, since a payment has been delayed in my work. My challenge is to remind myself that everything is fine, and I have what I need, and the payment will arrive when it’s needed. Just look at the abundance of black kittens and grapes in this painting. Plenty for which to be grateful!

The Week’s Opportunity – Three of Pentacles
Creating together, when the work is truly shared and communication is clear, is a chance to make something larger and more sustainable than done alone. This week is an opportunity for collaborative work on something very tangible. That can be on a creative project. It could also be on making the world, in general, a better place, by working with the others across time and distance. Look for those opportunities, and enter in a spirit of genuine collaboration, rather than pushing your own agenda.

The Week’s Stretch – King of Wands
Another Court card! The King of Wands follows the plan, and he’s explaining it to his cat, who is paying attention – or deciding how to play with the wand he holds. The stretch this week will be to make sure you are making the decisions to move forward, not just going along to get along with someone else’s decisions. Take a stand for your own well-being.

 

The Week’s Comfort – 7 of Swords
This is an odd card to have in this position, as comfort, which is why I added oracle cards to explore it further. The 7 of Swords is about guile and deceit. Is someone lying to you? In order to save yourself, do you have to play some of your cards close to your own chest, and not reveal something? If something feels off about a person or situation, pay attention. Be careful where you place your trust.

 

Exploring this further, the Foundation of this situation is the Snake. There’s a transformation happening. You may need to conceal part of what’s happening from someone who does not wish you well and would use it against you if they knew. Know when to keep your own counsel and don’t reveal information before its time. Someone may try to derail something connected to the Page, the 3, or the King, if they know about it before everything is finalized. Know when to keep your mouth shut this week.

The Growth from so doing is Dog, also an Earth card in this oracle. Connect with yourself, nurture yourself, play, rest. That will give you clarity to know where your loyalties should lie. Keeping your own counsel will show you who does not wish you well, and you can detach from them by the end of the week.

The needs for the week look like flexibility, caution, and discretion. Walk lightly, stay quiet, and follow your path, not the one that’s more convenient for others.

Did anything in the reading particular resonate with you? Or did you get something completely different? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Monday, May 12, 2025
Full Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Happy Full Moon in Scorpio! Feel all the things. Figure out what needs to leave your life permanently. We are also in Pluto Retrograde, where what was hidden is revealed.

I had hoped this would be a more overall joyful reading, but it warns us of possible conflicts and struggles this week. Still, having the information ahead of time helps us prepare and mitigate.

This month’s deck is the gorgeous Forager’s Daughter Tarot by Jessica Lei Howard. It’s a stunningly beautiful deck that reads well, and every bit of the artwork has layers of meaning. You can learn more about the creator and buy the deck 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

The Collective Energy of the Week – Bond
This deck has several additional Major Arcana cards beyond the traditional World card that is both the ending and a fresh beginning in other decks. This is number 25, and called “Bond.” It depicts a pack of wolves, an aventurine crystal, and a cleaver vine. Wolves are smart and loyal, and have a strong sense of family and community. Green aventurine is about connection, protection (a pack protects each other), integrity, and I’ve also used it successfully for healing and prosperity. The cleaver vine grows quickly and attaches with strength. It is tenacious, but if it is not kept under control, it can suffocate that to which it clings. So this card indicates the energy for the week is about building community with a sense of responsibility and integrity to each other, without suffocating each other.

The Week’s Challenge – The Tower
This card is my least favorite card in the deck. It usually shows up when I’ve been procrastinating, and now things are out of my control, and yes, it is my fault. For me, personally, this card puzzles me, since I’ve been trying to keep on top of things. I’m a little behind on two projects, and I’m about to commit to a long-term relationship with a client, but I’ve still met all my deadlines. The Tower coming up concerns me personally, because the last thing I need right now is more trauma. On a larger, collective level, which is what this reading is about, it could indicate something shattering on a larger, political level. Let’s hope whatever happens pushes us, with Pluto retrograde in Aquarius, in a stronger collective direction instead of the way we’ve been headed. Frankly, this card in this position makes me uneasy this week. I feel like I need to batten down hatches, but am not sure where to start.

The Week’s Opportunity – The Eight of Swords
Because of the way the 8 of Swords is often viewed negatively, it’s interesting for it to turn up in this position. The 8 of Swords indicates feeling trapped and oppressed, fearful of the cage. On a personal level, I was feeling rather optimistic about this week until The Tower card came up, and then I definitely froze like the rabbit. The snakes in this card are shadows and illusions, pinned in place by the points of the swords. So where is the opportunity here in feeling so scared, especially with The Tower looming over us in the previous position? Maybe, in this moment of freeze, we need to take a breath and look through the swords at the situation more clearly. Swords are about thought. Aces usually point upwards, while these 8 swords are pointing down. Is there something beneath the surface that keeps us feeling trapped? How much of this is our own overthinking? Taking a moment to recalibrate when faced with the drastic change of the Tower is necessary and helpful, but we also have to remember that we can slip through the swords rather than remaining trapped by them. It’s a reminder to take an opportunity in the chaos to pause and breathe before taking necessary action. Instead of seeing it as a trap, see it as a point of recalibration in a rapidly changing situation.

The Week’s Stretch – 4 of Cups
The artwork in this 4 is very interesting, and different from many other decks. Many decks will have a figure looking bored, staring at a particular cup and ignoring other cups. This artwork has a pair of cups (harkening back to the 2) reflected and slightly distorted in water, with a pair of mussels nestled deeper in the water, filtering their water. This indicates that, within the change of the Tower and the anxiety of the 8 of Swords, we need to take some time to meditate and process emotion (cups are emotion and creativity). When we feel trapped, overwhelmed by change, and are overthinking, it’s often difficult to breathe and sit with those feelings, but this card reminds us that we make better decisions when we do so.

The Week’s Comfort – 3 of Cups
This is a joyful card that relates directly back to the Bond card in the first position. How we get through the more difficult aspects of the week, and how we find comfort is through our community and remembering that we are not alone. The card is colorful and joyful, and reminds us to find moments of joy, especially with others, and especially in times of stress.

Did anything in particular resonate with you? Or did you get a completely different interpretation? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Monday, May 5, 2025
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde

Happy May! I hope you had a blessed Beltane (Northern Hemisphere) or Samhain (Southern Hemisphere).

Pluto has gone retrograde, and will be so until mid-October. What’s hidden is revealed, and it’s a good time to face down fears and learn new tools to deal with hidden agendas.

We will not be retrograde-free until at least March of 2026. Retrogrades will layer in and out over the rest of this year. In 2024, we had a big stretch at the top of the year which was retrograde-free. Here, we only had a few weeks here and there, early on.

This month’s deck is the gorgeous Forager’s Daughter Tarot by Jessica Lei Howard. It’s a stunningly beautiful deck that reads well, and every bit of the artwork has layers of meaning. You can learn more about the creator and buy the deck 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

The Collective Energy of the Week – King of Cups
We have a blue heron with yellow iris and a full moon. How lovely! It’s about emotional balance and compassion. This week’s collective energy is about taking care of each other without throwing our own emotions out of whack. We can give each other room and support each other’s feelings without getting sucked into someone else’s angst. By holding compassionate space, we give them room to find the tools they need to feel more in balance themselves.

The Week’s Challenge – 6 of Wands
The card has a beautiful daffodil in bloom. The trumpet mushrooms near its base made it glow even brighter. The 6 of Wands is about achievement, recognition and victory. So why would it be a challenge? Looking back to the King of Cups in the previous position, our achievements might spark some jealousy in others. Let’s give each other room to feel what we feel. Because of someone else’s negative reaction, we might also feel we don’t deserve this victory and recognition. We do. Embrace it and enjoy it.

The Week’s Opportunity – 5 of Swords
The artwork here is hornets attacking apples which have 5 swords jabbed into them. Ouch. 5 of Swords often warns of arguments and intellectual disagreements. So why is this often painful card an opportunity? What if, instead of an argument, it was a debate that expanded one’s perceptions? What if it wasn’t done in bitterness and anger, but in the spirit of understanding other points of view, even if you choose to hold onto your own? Hornets are annoying, but they also serve a purpose. Hornets symbolize purpose, protection, and vitality. They munch on the apples to invigorate themselves for the fight ahead. Look at discussions this week as a way to invigorate, not a contest with a winner and a loser.

The Week’s Stretch – The Hierophant
The toad sits, watches, waits, and weighs opportunities. In a more traditional deck, the Hierophant often symbolizes teachings (often religious) and traditional structures. In this deck, and in this particular position, it’s about taking the time to consider the best approach. This ties into all three of the previous cards. Hold space for each other, enjoy your achievements, have a lively debate without viciousness, and don’t hop on an opportunity before dissecting it. Have a little bit of patience this week, which could be challenging, and let things unfold instead of trying to control every moment.

The Week’s Comfort – The Magician
The Magician is about transformation through will. All the tools are there; it just takes the magician to utilize the tools and transmute the transformation through their own power and will. No matter how rocky the week may get, remember that you have the tools to create the reality you want – even when there are things around you that are out of your personal control. Look at the reality. Use the tools you have. Create something better out of what’s at hand.

Did anything in particular resonate with you in this reading? Or did you get a completely different interpretation? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Monday, April 14, 2025
Venus Direct as of April 12
NO RETROGRADES

We have about 4 weeks of no retrogrades. So it’s time to get ducks in order and quiet down feral brain squirrels.

Last week, Venus had a good sharp ass kick on her way out the door. A necessary one, but that didn’t make it pleasant.

This week’s reading is almost all wands, which means it focuses on identity, passion, and one’s inner fire.

This month’s deck is the wonderful Mystic Mondays deck by Grace Duong. It’s modern, bright, and colorful, a great way to jump into spring. A fellow writer recommended this deck to me, and I fell in love with it. It reads very well, and the artwork itself communicates with strength and grace. If you want to read more about Grace’s work (she has several decks and gives workshops), and buy the deck, you can do so 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

The Collective Energy of the Week – 4 of Wands
The 4 of Wands is about building structures that are strong and will support you through life’s chaos. Artwork sometimes depicts a marriage. This card shows a stable structure with colors from all the elements. After months of chaos, back when Mars went retrograde (we’ve navigated Mars, Mercury, and Venus retrogrades these past few months), we have an opportunity to build some stability that will allow us sanctuary for the future. Let’s build, and let’s build it together.

The Week’s Challenge – Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords is about new ideas and fresh intellectual opportunities. That makes sense, after the fog of the past retrogrades. And, since there’s such a small window of time without retrogrades, we want to jump on this, because it feels so GOOD to have a fresh idea after all the muck. The reason it’s in the challenge position for the week is because we have to hold more than one thing this week – working on the stability while exploring the new idea. Neither should oust the other. If we do this well, the new idea will support the stability, which, in turn, will support the new idea. Don’t let the new idea distract you, and don’t let the urge for stability push aside the new idea. They are both important.

The Week’s Opportunity – Princess of Wands
I love the joy in this card. This figure is having fun! This is about dancing a creative spark into being, and ties directly into the two previous cards. Dance your Ace into existence in a way that is strong and purposeful, so that the 4 can provide the stability.

 

 

The Week’s Stretch – 7 of Wands
You will be challenged this week, on multiple fronts. Stand your ground. You’re not an imposter. You deserve stability AND creativity. We live in a society that demeans creativity and tells us that we can either have stability or be creative. That is a lie to keep us under control. Stand up for what you want and persevere.

 

 

The Week’s Comfort – 9 of Wands
You have what you need to protect yourself and persevere. This card relates directly to the 4 at the beginning of the reading. That structure you started building in the week will hold. Look at the contrast between the 7 in the previous position and the 9 here. In the 7, the figure faces front, out in the open, with multiple challenges coming at her. In the 9, the figure has her back to us, protecting it with the wand, looking out at the wands providing a protective fence. Perhaps she built them with the wands she acquired in the 7. It’s not over yet; don’t give up.

This is very much a reading of the self this week. It makes sense, after all these retrogrades, that we feel like we’ve been let out of the starting gate and have to win the race before the next retrograde in early May. There may be some collisions. Stay strong. Stay the course.

Did anything in this reading resonate? Or did you get something completely different? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Monday, April 7, 2025
Waxing Moon
Venus Retrograde
Mercury goes direct today

Happy new week! I hope you are ready for some of this energy to clear up a bit, with Mercury going direct today, although today could still be challenging.

Mercury poked at me several times last week, between crossed communications, a power outage, spilling dish soap all over the place, and finding a great deal at a thrift shop. There was definitely a lot of Major Arcana energy in my week last week, and it left me feeling a bit drained.

As Venus prepares to go direct on the 12th, I’m being challenged to re-evaluate some relationships, and realize that some of them were just companions for part of the journey, not for the long haul.

It’s a new month, which means we switch decks for the month. This month’s deck is the wonderful Mystic Mondays deck by Grace Duong. It’s modern, bright, and colorful, a great way to jump into spring. A fellow writer recommended this deck to me, and I fell in love with it. It reads very well, and the artwork itself communicates with strength and beauty. If you want to read more about Grace’s work (she has several decks and gives workshops), and buy the deck, you can do so 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

We have one Major Arcana card, two Minor Arcana cards, and two Court cards this week. Let’s dig in!

The Collective Energy of the Week – 2 of Cups
This card is about partnership. Whether romantic, creative, or business, this card suggests a level of trust and connection on multiple levels. You bring out the best in each other, and can help each other heal through the worst. And it’s a reminder to treat yourself with the same love and devotion that you would treat a partner. Drink from the cup of love this week, my friends!

 

The Week’s Challenge – Strength
Not everyone likes it when you blossom, or when you create healthy boundaries. Some will try to subvert you. This is when your strength comes into play, both inner and outer. Can you meet challenges with grace, strength, and compassion? In many decks, this card has a human figure and a lion. This card has a tiger alone, stalking forward. Trust in yourself. You are the source of strength, and others will follow your leadership.

The Week’s Opportunity – 9 of Pentacles
The 9 of Pentacles is about sovereign security. You have accomplished more than you realize, and it’s time to stand in your own power, beauty, and stability. It’s time to celebrate your hard work. Look at the card’s depiction – a peacock. Peacocks don’t hide. They show their beauty. In your partnership and through your inner and outer strength, you have the opportunity to show the world who you really are. Revel in it!

The Week’s Stretch – Knight of Wands
The Knight of Wands brings their passion out into the world with ambition and enthusiasm. This card, in this position, with the previous cards, encourages you to take that new partnership, with the strength and boundaries, and your sovereignty, out into the world. Look at the gorgeous, passionate colors in this card’s background. Don’t be shy! Enjoy! It might be unusual for you to step forward into the limelight, but this is the week in which to do it.

The Week’s Comfort – Knight of Pentacles
The Knight of Pentacles is the counterbalance to the Knight of Wands. Thorough and thoughtful, they can seem like a bit of a plodder at times, but they make steady progress. This knight reassures you that you can take a little time for celebration this week, because the steady work you’ve put in up to this point, and the steady work you will continue to put in, is moving you in the right direction. A time-out to celebrate your achievements to date is earned, and not a distraction.

Mercury going direct definitely will take off some of the pressure this week. Venus reminds us to keep our boundaries (through the Strength card), but also encourages us to celebrate and strut our stuff (9 Pentacles). The Knights promise we can be both passionate and thoughtful.

What did you get from the reading? Did it resonate, or did you discover something else? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

 

Monday, March 24, 2025
Waning Moon
Venus & Mercury Retrograde

Whew! Last week definitely had its challenges, but there were also a few high notes.

This week, we’re in the final phase of the waning moon, which, for me, is a great time for release, purging what needs to be purged, and protection. There’s a new moon on Saturday the 29th, with a solar eclipse in Aries.

While new moons are often great for fresh starts, with the eclipse and the two retrogrades, I’m going to be cautious. For me, it will be more about setting track so that I’m ready to move forward when first Mercury, then Venus go direct in April.

I look at Mercury Retrograde as a vacation from magic and ritual. I keep up with daily gratitude and blessings, with meditation and yoga. I still bless when I clean. But I don’t start anything new.

I also do not do 1 on 1 tarot readings for anyone else during this time, because of communication confusion so likely during Mercury retrograde. While I will continue to post the community readings during the retrograde, your own interpretation and discernment will be even more important than usual during this time. Take what resonates; leave the rest behind. That is always true, but especially during Mercury retrograde. Take the time to really think about what does and does not resonate and why.

For the month of March, we are using the Midnight City Tarot Mini 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

We have a lot of Court Cards in the reading this week, and I’ve expanded on those with oracle cards. Having four Court Cards in a five-card spread means this week’s focus is on relationships.

The Collective Energy of the Week – King of Swords
This card was in the “Opportunity” position in the March 10 reading a few weeks ago, and it has moved from an opportunity to the week’s collective energy. It’s about leading with intellect, and cutting away what is no longer necessary. It’s a strong card to have during the last bit of the waning moon. Lead with intellect this week, and analyze everything in great detail. Remember, we are still in Mercury retrograde, so the devil really will be hiding in the details. Be careful of those trying to gaslight you.

The Foundation of this energy, in addition to the shift from opportunity to driving energy of the week, is What You Seek is Seeking You. It’s about inspiration and alignment. Since it is the foundation of this week’s energy, analyze your inspirations and see where and how you can align with them.

 

 

The Week’s Challenge – Page of Wands
This same card was in the same position last week. There’s still curiosity about new opportunities. Tied back into the King of Swords, you’ll need to analyze this opportunity and explore it, rather than jump into it. Get more information from those offering the opportunity before you commit.

 

 

The Growth from this work is Crossroads. The art depicts the intersection at 34th St. and Broadway in NYC, showing the Empire State Building in the background. There’s a choice to be made. But the Page and the King in the previous positions are indicating it’s not yet time to move on that choice, just analyze it and decide where your instincts lead. The “What You Seek” card indicates that the choice you make, when you are ready, will be the right one for the moment, although you may have further choices to make down the road. This ties back into the reading from March 10, with the 7 of Cups in the Comfort position. Don’t be pushed into making a decision to suit someone else’s agenda. Take the time to daydream through your options. You’ll also remember the Emperor card in last week’s Collective Energy position, had us immediately in front of the Empire State Building, while the Crossroads card has us a little further away, with a different perspective. Again, this ties into the King of Swords analytic energy.

The Week’s Opportunity – Page of Cups
The Page of Cups is curious and creative, filled with imagination. It also indicates healing. This week’s opportunity suggests that you seek healing through creativity and imagination. You might seek out a healer, or you might be the healer for yourself or someone else. In any case, it will happen through curiosity, creativity, and imagination.

The Foundation for this is the Salt Bath, healing body, mind, and spirit with a salt bath, and letting the stress drain away with the water. It indicates that self-healing is part of the week, even if you then reach out to help someone else heal.

 

 

 

The Week’s Stretch – Knight of Coins
All of this takes slow, steady progress. The Knight of Coins is the most particular and conscientious of the knights, taking things one step at a time, instead of rushing ahead. That ties in with all the previous cards, about paying attention to the details, and not letting anyone manipulate you for their own agenda.

 

 

The Growth from this, which can sometimes feel more like plodding than progress, is the realization that Everything is Temporary. Imprint the joyful moments to your memory. Sit with the painful ones and know the feelings will heal. It’s all cyclical and in motion. The retrogrades slow things down, so you may feel like you’re in a rut, but it’s a necessary rut. Don’t be pushed forward too early.

 

The Week’s Comfort – 6 of Cups
This is retrograde season, a time to look to the past. So often, it’s with an eye to releasing the past in order to move forward. But also look back on the happy memories. Keep an album of them in your soul. Remember the bouquets of happiness. You can honor and enjoy the past without wanting to return to it or getting stuck in it.

 

This reading has close ties to the readings of the past two weeks, and shows a progression over those weeks. Take the time to think about how those ties showed up in your own life.

Did anything in the reading resonate? Or did you get something completely different? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Monday, February 24, 2025
Waning Moon
Mars DIRECT as of yesterday
No retrogrades

We have a brief 5-day period without retrogrades until Saturday, March 1, when Venus goes retrograde until April 12. If you want to make a radical change to your look (as I do), wait until Venus goes direct again in April to make sure it’s the right choice and you pick people with the right skills to help. We also have a new moon in Pisces on Thursday, February 27 in the evening. Time to cut away what doesn’t serve us early in the week to make room for fresh creativity.

Last week’s reading gave some me valuable guidance. I had to rely on communicating, even when there were hard conversations needed. Otherwise, I would have been in limbo. I didn’t always get the answers for which I hoped, but at least I have information necessary to make the decisions for the next steps.

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.

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

Apologies that the photos aren’t as sharp as I would like.

The Collective Energy of the Week – 5 of Wands
This is a card about a group struggling to come to consensus, with each person holding onto their position as part of their identity. With all the chaos going on, it makes a lot of sense. Let each person have a say, and then talk through the issues. See where there is room for compromise, and where you need to draw boundaries. But do so from a place of kindness and compassion whenever possible, rather than from anger, or it will just escalate.

Digging deeper into this energy with the oracle, the Foundation of this is Challenge: Opposition. Again, that makes sense to the tarot card above it. We are being challenged inwardly and outwardly. We know we need to work as a group to solve the issues, but we each have different approaches, and finding a way to integrate the best of these so we can move forward as a collective is difficult.

 

However, the Growth from here is Creativity: The Alchemist. If we put in the (often exhausting) work. Like the Magician card in tarot, this card is about taking action to turn creative potential into reality.

By working together, listening to each other, and weaving together different facets of people’s ideas, it’s possible to create a strong solution.

The Week’s Challenge – The Patient Witch
This is called The Hanged Man in many other decks. It’s about patience, sitting with uncomfortable emotions, and looking at things from different perspectives. This challenge ties into the previous card, the 5 of Wands, and the cards below and above it. It won’t be easy to come to consensus. Also, with Mars turning direct, even though he’s not at full speed yet, and only 5 days before hitting another retrograde, there’s an anxious energy to want to pile as much into this week as possible. This card warns us to slow down. Rushing now will have a high price later.

The Week’s Opportunity – 9 of Pentacles
I love this card. It’s about living the life you want, the life you’ve created yourself. If we don’t rush, if we listen and work together, we can take moments this week to savor what we’ve done, and that will build toward having this good life in the long run. Spend time every day with your gratitude practice of choice. Use that gratitude as part of your patience and your listening.

 

The Week’s Stretch – The Broom
This is the Death card in other decks. Those new to tarot often find the Death card uncomfortable. The card in this deck is somewhat gentler, showing both physical and emotional cleansing related to the home rather than a skeleton and those symbols that often cause distress. Don’t forget that your body is your home. This week is a good time to start your spring cleaning, especially before Thursday’s new moon. Make space for new possibilities, both physically and mentally.

The Foundation for this card is Cycles: Ouroboros, which makes sense to set the foundation for the Broom/Death card. We all live in cycles, by the month, by the season, by the year, by the time in our lives. Do we simply repeat the same cycle over and over again, or do we use each cycle to build something better? It’s our choice. Those choices are, however, often influenced by systemic oppression, which makes it important to relate back to the 5 of Wands in the first position, listening to each other and working together so we CAN make the next cycle better.

The Week’s Comfort – Justice
Being honest with yourself is the foundation of being honest with the world. What is your truth? Where is that in conflict with societal truth? Where is there common ground? Where is there not? Where are you being a hypocrite? Take some time, in all the listening, patience, cleaning, and gratitude practice to really define yourself and your values. The cleansing in the Broom/Death card will help with that.

The growth from doing so is Unity: The Sacred Paradox. If we are honest with ourselves and know our own truths, we can take it out into the world in a positive, compassionate way to work for collective justice through unity. Every choice we make has a ripple effect, because of the connection between us.

Although the week suggests the possibilities of challenges (again), there are also bright spots of connection, gratitude, healing, and cleansing, if we take advantage of them.

Did anything resonate for you in this reading? Are you sensing different meaning in any of the cards? The oracle deck, in particular, often works with sacred geometry.  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Next week’s reading is in a new month, which means we’re using different decks! Stay tuned.