I’m trying out something new this week, after doing some soul-searching surrounding how to breathe new life into my posts while staying true to what I set out to do with “all this!” Well, I’m feeling inspired to get back to the actual “tarotscope” element of things, and so I’m going to break down the week’s astrology in tarot-terms using the Major Arcana cards associated with the signs/planets and minor arcana cards to illustrate aspect patterns. Woohoo! Here we go!

This week the Moon makes its way from the final degrees of Leo through to Scorpio, entering Virgo almost right away at 5:40 am ADT Monday, then moving through Libra on Wednesday and Thursday and settling into that Scorpio intensity on Friday afternoon. I’m loving the progression of these images, with the Moon represented by The High Priestess/Black Widow, spinning her web. This week we’re “spinning” indeed, starting out with a “full cart” in Leo/Strength’s image, but almost immediately realizing a brighter way to lighten the load with Virgo/The Hermit’s praying mantis holding only the sun <3<3 This way of thinking makes you feel free and fantastic with the lovely dancing Libra/Justice crane — hold on to that feeling as the realness of Scorpio/Death’s vulture comes to make use of what’s left after all this purging in favour of personal balance.

On Monday evening around 8:26 pm ADT, Neptune goes retrograde! Neptune is the planet of creativity, of spirituality, and also of illusions, represented by the Hanged Man in tarot. I love how well reversals represent retrograde planets — these ants were crawling around on the ceiling, but now they’ve hit the ground and are really ready to get to work with the ideas they’ve been driven to pursue! Neptune is going retrograde right in the middle of the sign of Pisces, represented by the Moon in tarot, the card of the subconscious mind, inner depths, and finding your way through the darkness <3<3

Tuesday starts off with some weirdness, as Venus forms a quincunx with Saturn around 7:54 am ADT. A quincunx is a situation requiring a work-around, where you’re thrown for a loop that can be righted through remembering your purpose in the situation it applies to. Between Venus, the planet of love and beauty, and Saturn, the planet of challenge and perseverance (which is currently retrograde), this indicates Tuesday being about assessing what feels like it’s been overturned/dumped out and figuring out a better way to breathe new life into it. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater — this is a time for refilling with warm and adding fresh bubbles! Call on your nurturing Venus/Empress side by using your unrelenting passion to make your “World”(Saturn, see what I did there!) feel a bit less reversed 😉

Tuesday afternoon finds Mercury trine Jupiter retrograde around 4:42 pm. Yay! This will be the strike of inspiration that makes the morning’s events feel a bit easier, reminding you of the Mercury/Magician skills and resources you have to work with specifically as they apply to the way you’re processing change and interpreting your own personal “fortune.” Have fun with this, play with new ideas, keeping in mind that “the Wheel”/Jupiter is always turning. Moments of enjoyment are fleeting, but so are moments of distress — take the good with the bad, and keep jumping at new possibilities!

On Wednesday we have the First Quarter Moon, exact at 7:51 am ADT, a “square” aspect between the Sun and Moon. A square is an energy of conflict requiring resolution, and I chose the 5 of Wands to represent this energy. How interesting to think of the First Quarter as a square, because it’s the time of month where you’re ready to make use of what you’ve started after the New Moon, figuring out how to “make it work” in order to have your vision fully realized at the Full Moon. This First Quarter involves the Sun in the last degrees of Gemini, represented by the Lovers, and the Moon in Virgo (The Hermit). The challenge, according to these cards, will be finding ways to balance your choices — and your personal relationships! — with your need for space to tend and nurture both your health and your life-philosophy. Oops, I put the actual Moon here instead of the High Priestess! But really, this First Quarter will be about finding ways to remain open and receptive to what you’ve “chosen to catch.”

On Thursday, Mercury/The Magician is back in trine-mode, this time with Neptune retrograde! Here you find yourself really inspired to start working on a creative project, having received the friendly confirmation that you’ll be supported in this pursuit. You’re ready to make a change for yourself, and this aspect comes with the precise creative vision needs to get things off the ground <3<3 Interestingly, this one occurs at 12:58 am ADT, so if you’re a night-owl you may even consciously be struck with this one as you go about your nightly puttering. Otherwise, you may wake up Thursday morning having had an incredible dream that throws you into action!

Also on Thursday (7:07 am ADT), the Sun moves into Cancer, the sign of home, of nurturing, of deep emotion — I actually chose this deck this week because I love its Chariot, the card associated with Cancer. A lovely orca, reminding me of a happy Free Willy on his way home! Indeed, the Sun in Cancer represents reconnecting with your personal definition of “home,” of following your intuition and your emotional patterns towards finding what truly makes you feel comfortable, loved, and safe. If you’ve found it, bask in it! If you’re still searching, let your heart and your recurring thoughts be your unquestioned guide <3<3

Um, good thing we’ll be all heart-connected at this point, because Thursday afternoon throws us a little balancing act! Around 1:54 pm, Venus forms an opposition with Mars, represented by the Empress and the Tower, respectively. Here we find the need to “meet in the middle” in the realm of love and the realm of passion, of drive, perhaps of anger. This will be an instance where your sense of what is “good” or “nice” will be countered with something shocking, requiring quick thinking to find a way to understand both sides. This will allow a rocking, see-saw effect, allowing a gentle re-centering instead of the butt-hurting clang that would come if one side just jumped ship! Stay in it and you’ll win it <3<3 Look for the hidden gifts here, a clever eye and an open heart will always help.

On Friday you’re “rewarded” for how you’ve been handling things all week, as the Sun forms a sextile with Uranus, the planet of the Unexpected, of Shocking Change, of Rebellion from the ways of the past. Hoo-ee! Sextiles represent opportunities, a coming together of positive circumstances, and so I’ve chosen the 4 of Wands to represent that energy. With the Sun’s energy of happiness and vitality, this aspect should represent a massively positive breakthrough! Because Uranus is a bit of a roundabouter, if whatever happens on Friday doesn’t feel great right away, know that it was surely a space-clearer to make room for something truly, truly beneficial to rush in.

Saturday begins with another opposition (6:26 am ADT), this time between Mercury and Pluto retrograde, the planet represented by the Judgment card. I’m really seeing this as bringing in the theme of the “cart” from the beginning of the week: at the end of the week you’ve accepted what’s tipped, what has been dumped out for quite an obvious reason, and you’re really ready to start thinking towards a workable solution. You’re ready to start juggling with what’s left, and to truly make some magic!

This week’s “last act” is another square, this time a point of challenge between the Sun (your personal happiness) and Chiron, the asteroid of the “unhealable wound,” of past traumas that over time make us stronger and connect us with our own spirituality and healing ability (6:39 pm). I’ve represented Chiron here as a blend of The Hierophant and Temperance, looking particularly lovely as a polar bear with Northern lights and a flamingo with a rainbow! This challenge will feel like things were going great and then someone comes along and pokes you right in the eye — what the heck?! Argh!! — only to find that they were just trying to get an eyelash for you (weird, I can do that myself, but okay thanks). When something rubs you the wrong way today, ask yourself if there’s a way to get to the bottom of the sentiments involved — you and everyone involved will come through stronger, healthier, and with much better perspective <3<3

Deck used:

Animal Totem Tarot. Leeza Robertson and Eugene Smith. Llewellyn, 2016.