This past week was an interesting one — very productive, in spite of minor bouts of illness and two big snowstorms! It’s interesting to see the 6 of Swords reversed (fighting for your cause in spite of being under the weather) and The Hermit (taking time away, and there’s snow in the card!) play out so clearly in retrospect. While ill, I opened some new decks to help myself feel better — they’re so interesting that I wish I’d done a reveal video! The Art Nouveau Lenormand and the Art Nouveau Tarot are decks I’ve wanted since I first started reading, added to my wishlist as soon as I fell in love with Tarot Mucha! I’m thrilled with them, the Lenormand for its breathtaking perfection in every way (lol) and the Tarot for its brain-bending, mood-oriented images. I used both for this week’s reading, in addition to the Minchiate Tarot — I’ve tried the Art Nouveaus with a few other decks and this is the one they resonate the most beautifully with <3<3

Astrologically, this week’s moon phases pass from Capricorn through Aquarius and Pisces, ending the week in Aries. This is a week about endings, about tying up loose ends, about listening to your personal truths in such a way that you become 100% clear on what you are “fighting for” at this time. On Tuesday Venus in Aries squares Saturn in Capricorn, a challenging aspect where it may feel like your personal desires are being blocked — push through, knowing that this obstacle has been presented in order to help you really hone your vision and make it the best it can be. Mars moves into Capricorn on Saturday where it is in exaltation — know that whatever challenges crop up this week, things are starting to come together and you will soon receive a burst of focused, planning-for-the-big-time energy to even everything out for the better <3<3

For this reading, I laid out a little grid of “heavy hitters:” a big magnesite to help you stay “on top” of your mind, using your mental power productively, two singing quartz to remind you of your calling and clear your personal energy, a large amethyst cluster to dispel any anxiety you may be feeling and to connect you with your Higher Self, larvikite to strengthen your intuition and use it as a “beacon through the fog,” and garnet to ground you and support you in pursuing your purpose with security and stamina.

To begin, we’ll look at this week’s Shadow cards:

Shadow Cards: 11. The Whip + Page of Swords + 8 of Swords

Oh wow, this is a week that will be full of opportunities to cut something out! You probably already know what this is referring to — there is a pattern in your life that you know is holding you back, that’s keeping you from being able to work effectively, and you probably already spend a lot of time obsessing about how much you need to stop this. Well, you have the right idea, and this week provides a gateway to run with it — not too fast, go easy on yourself, but absolutely start the process of letting this go when you feel inspired to make a start. This pattern crept up on you and before you knew it it seemed to have taken you over — overcoming it will be an equally slow climb, but all you can do is begin, holding on to the trust that the results will be worth it <3<3

Oracle Cards: 2. The Clover + 20. Fire

Indeed, this opportunity to stop doing what’s been holding you back is directly in line with the other opportunities being presented this week! “Luck” is coming to you on swift wings, ready to light a fire under what you’ve been working towards so it can rise and rise and rise, unfettered by those pesky life-things that tend to get in the way. No more, a huge doorway is opening onto the escalator that will lift you up, up, up to the heights that you’ve been holding in your heart all this time, as you plodded away and relied on sheer trust that this was all going to come together. It is, and it’s happening now, still very much contingent on you allowing what you know will work to do so, in tandem with allowing what needs to fall away to do so for good. The path before you is opening up, and while it will absolutely require some sacrifices, you have what it takes to see it through!

Card 1: Theme/Focus of the Week: 2 of Cups

This week will be about finding “background balance,” learning where your supports lie as you determine the trajectory of your future. When things go south (and not in the fun way), do you feel like the people you surround yourself with are there for you? If so, fantastic! This foundation will serve you very well as the week unfolds. Be sure to express your gratitude for the presence of these people and support them equally when their own challenges arise! But if not, one of the opportunities this week is full of will be to choose to slam the door on naysayers and and energy vampires. If you fall into the latter category, close that door with love, focusing on letting go of your energetic ties to these people, forgiving them for projecting their own pain on to you and hoping the best for them on their way. Then turn all your love inward and build yourself back up, congratulating yourself for finding the balance needed to really throw your heart into what you want to be doing with your life <3<3

Card 2: What to Release: Queen of Swords

Yes, as we roll around into Springtime and Aries season, things are warming up — know that it is safe now to wear your heart on your sleeve, to show your emotion and your passion for what you do. The time for cold calculation is over, and allowing yourself to feel vulnerable now will keep the “doors of opportunity” vibe flowing. It’s true that you’ve been hurt and some wounds may never heal, but carrying on with an openness to new experience and new connection in spite of it all is where life’s true magic happens. Lift yourself up, dust yourself up, trust in the strategies you’ve developed, and decide that you’re getting a move on — the world is waiting for you with open arms!

Card 3: Energy to Increase: 7 of Swords

Truly, this week you get to decide “how to act” — you know now what works for you and what doesn’t, and it is time to be honest with yourself and others about the best way to proceed now. You feel like you’ve been performing, performing, performing, and it’s true — practice makes perfect, and you have developed a very effective facade to conceal what does not work. Part of this week’s energy will surely find that facade being blown off with a need for explanation, so knowing this, start formulating your response: authenticity is always the best policy. Speak your truth, and let the response determine how the next scene unfolds — will you head back on stage, or will you exit stage left?

Card 4: Advice: XVIII – The Moon

This week you will be fully confronted with your “Shadow:” the side of yourself you do your best to avoid, but that’s always there in the background, whispering your shortcomings and promising things will not work out. Hear that voice for what it is: past-based fears creeping up to keep you from progressing through the darkness, to keep you from sticking it out and pushing through to Sunrise. Oh yes, the Sun is rising for you — most of this week will feel very much like that “dark before dawn,” so keep that in mind as you choose to analyze the roadblocks that come up, seeing them for what they are, and transcending them as the necessary parts that come before the better, more triumphant leg of the cycle.

Now for the Higher Self cards, a message of hope moving forward:

Higher Self Cards: 21. The Mountain + Four of Cups + Queen of Coins

So direct! Yes, this week will feel like a “mountain,” where all you can do is keep picking your way up. There will be a point where it gets easier, but this will be contingent on not letting yourself get down and disappointed when your “monkey mind” steps in to present all your shortcomings in an attempt to hold you back. Stay grounding, knowing that nothing can take your achievements from you, especially not with all the work you’ve been doing to continue to nurture your progress! Stay warm and be open, trusting that this week will find your “team” stronger, be it through testing your bonds and finding them strong enough to continue, or through identifying missing links and removing them to make room for better reinforcements. Either way, you’ll be feeling very proud of yourself by the time the weekend is through. Stay focused, you’ve got this!

This is an example of the $25 4-Card Reading in my Etsy shop! If you’re interested in a full month of personalized readings like this, feel free to use the coupon code 4WEEKS25 for 25% off the purchase of four 4-Card Readings — the 4th week is free! I look forward to working with you <3<3

Art Nouveau Lenormand. Lunaea Weatherstone. Illustrated by Antonella Castelli. Llewelyn Publications, 2016.

Tarot Art Nouveau Premium Edition. Lunaea Weatherstone. Illustrated by Antonella Castelli. Lo Scarabeo, 2015.

Minchiate Tarot. Brian Williams. Destiny Books, 1999.