Year Ahead: 2021

Full reading on YouTube! https://youtu.be/V3LEn6Otgcw

Cut cards/initial energy: 21. Waning Gibbous 5 | Resistance + Cantaloupe Dragon | Realign + 68. Mauve | Emotional Flexibility + 5 of Swords

We made it!! While 2020 was definitely a heavy load, it was necessary in order to reprioritize and develop the specific muscles needed to shoulder more than ever before, in very different ways than you’ve ever been asked to adapt. You’ve experienced the beginnings of total personal realignment, finding yourself reoriented towards your *true* passion, and finding yourself calmed by the emotional resilience and flexibility that has developed alongside learning to navigate and pull through the totally unexpected. You are now in a unique position where peace is on the horizon, and the process of sorting through who you’re not anymore and who you’re becoming is your main focus as you enter 2021 with all eyes open wide.

Shadow cards/underlying theme: 26. Waning Crescent 3 | Surrender + Celery Dragon | Renewal + 86. New Age | Evolution + XIX – The Sun

Yes, you’re ready to let go of everything that you know no longer supports the evolution of who you want to be. You can feel the energy of Renewal building, ready to provide the fibre your personal process needs to thrive and flow! Spiritual Balance is key but you’re already there, ready to lean in to the practices you’ve been exploring and allow that energy to come to the forefront of your constant consciousness. The New Age is here and things really are evolving — more and more will be illuminated to keep you on track and holding on to the excitement of what’s becoming possible for you Now.

Oracle Cards: 4. Waxing Crescent 2 | Acceptance + 6. Waxing Crescent 4 | Self-Love + Corn Dragon | Friends + 77. Shea | Beauty or Beast

The most important themes of 2021 will be Accepting that Self-Love is key — nothing can be given if you have nothing to give, and your heart is ready to be filled with the simple things that actually fulfill you in order to prepare you to receive beyond your wildest dreams. The theme of “getting by with a little help from your friends” continues this year, asking you to remember where your supports lie and to make the most of the beautiful relationships that lift you up and inspire you to be your very best. Persevere with what you know is Right — this year promises to help you flow towards Beauty and away from Beastliness. Ground yourself in softness and gentleness, and know that slowly but surely the hardness of the past several years is melting away.

Lesson of 2020: 5 of Cups

2020 forced you to look at Loss in a whole new way. Not only were people lost, but so was time, so was normalcy, so much that was previously taken for granted was stripped away, forcibly making you turn towards what *was* going right and what truly matters — again, the relationships where love flows freely, and where there is always a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, and laughter that exceeds any type of medicine.

Energy of 2021: 8 of Swords reversed

I’ll take it! 2021 represents being freed from a rather insidious trap — the trap of the mind. This year finds you putting in the work to *really* break out of patterns of inauthenticity — it carries an energy of pure honesty, of setting aside what you know you cannot control and getting a firmer grip on what you absolutely can do to further your own healing process.

Best Advice: IX – The Hermit reversed

It’s time to come out of the shadows! 2021 wants you to share the work you did during all that time in your Inner World — share what you’ve been creating, even if that’s just a version of yourself that’s committed to staying strong and pushing through, now that you know you can survive insurmountable odds. Vibe so hard on the fact that *you made it,* and come down into the valley with all the perspective you’ve gained from everything you’ve learned.

January 2021: Ace of Swords

This year feels more “New Year-y” than usual, and the Ace of Swords is such a perfect representation of the energy kicking off the year. January is all about fresh mental starts, finding you committed to your core to the new patterns you are so ready to establish and allow to take the lead in your life. This month will provide an incredible increase in clarity, helping you to slice through any remaining bullsh*t for smooth navigating of this welcome New Age wilderness.

February 2021: XIV – Temperance reversed

February’s energy reveals where more needs to be released. There will be a hit to your sense of spiritual balance, one inviting you to advance to a whole new level of transformation — the catch will be needing to leave your old comfort-zone cocoon for real, for good this time. This is your year — you have been prepping for *years* to free yourself from this challenge, and this month provides the opportunity to receive your Wings as a reward for applying everything you know to be true for you to blast out everything that no longer defines that Truth.

March 2021: Ace of Cups

And here come the rewards! March represents a sense of total renewal, with your relationships back on track and your sense of self feeling full and happy as well. This is a month of peace and blessings, watering your soul and helping you fully feel the spiritual depths you have developed to keep you safe and sound always. This is the result of learning to Trust your Gut and be guided by your intuition — you are harbouring no illusions about what makes you feel good and like all is right in your world. You’ve flushed out what once blocked that and are blossoming so beautifully as the sun continues to rise on this new horizon that’s been so long awaited.

April 2021: 0 – The Fool reversed

Having found an important degree of emotional stability, April finds you prepared to retrace your steps in a significant way. A part of the previous cycle rears its head to highlight yet another piece of the closure puzzle that’s ready to lock into place. This may send you spinning a bit, but is a challenge worth facing and overcoming — your forward trajectory will be that much more direct for finally figuring out what was wedging that old door open. A whole new portal is being built and you don’t need what you’ve already put behind you at all anymore.

May 2021: 7 of Swords reversed

You did it!! May finds you *fully* released from an old pattern of denial, where you continued to lie to yourself and carry misaligned intentions. Come May you’ve seen what you needed to see and you Choose Healing. Turbulence is no longer your jam — you’ve experienced what Smooth Sailing feels like and are ready to persevere with what keeps that energy afloat for you consistently. You’re continuing to let go of what’s Not Yours and making choices that actually serve you and your loved ones.

June 2021: Page of Cups reversed + 7 of Cups reversed

In June you are recalibrating to even greater heights of loving emotional balance. You’ve done some important “growing up” that is helping you maintain your inner waters’ stillness even as the tides rise around you, battering you with waves that test your spiritual mettle. June finds you quite unshakeable because you are so aligned with what your heart truly wants at this point — you feel totally on top of your options and free from the overwhelm that once found you turning away from your larger dreams for yourself. In June your Inner Child is standing strong as your guide towards more of what fulfills you and helps your life feel like it’s actually yours to live.

July 2021: Queen of Cups reversed

July finds a major spark ignited, with an invitation to deepen the way you’re exploring a significant project or relationship. You’re falling head over heels in love with something, once again recalibrating a new approach to how you want to nurture this beautiful seed of inspiration. Further layers will need to be shed to make space for this opportunity, but you’re here for it as this is something you’ve been focused on manifesting for ages.

August 2021: 3 of Wands

Indeed, July’s dream developed so quickly, and August finds you sending out an important feeler prepping you for long-term success. You’re able to harbour new depths of patience as you wait for the return on your energetic investment as a result of your deep trust in this amazing possibility that your passion has produced. In August the end result is out of your hands and you are ready to relax into the energy of Wait and See — let hope be your pillow as you rest up for your dream’s even greater unfolding.

September 2021: 10 of Cups

Woohoo!! September is a time of happiness and joyful completion. You feel supported in your relationships and can find pure happiness in the simple things that compose your life — the people who matter to you, your home, the practices that keep you centered and grateful for the strange wonderfulness of real life. The hope you’ve been holding is answered and an immense weight is lifted as you’re able to see an important manifestation come full circle.

October 2021: 7 of Pentacles reversed

October finds you “changing routine” in some way, creating space to receive the blessing that’s been lining up over the previous months. An important windfall arrives that allows the “wait” to be over — you are launched into a time of deepened community connection, uniting you with the people who share your vision and will be able to help you further ground it into concrete reality. Memories of feeling poorly or like a failure melt away with the support you’re receiving, and you can actually see where balance is growing in your life and can continue to be nurtured for the future.

November 2021: 8 of Pentacles reversed

You hit a whole new groove in November, establishing new routines that help you fully embody what it means to “work smarter, not harder!” A key revelation has been downloaded, showing you where something can be done differently to truly maximize your creative output and persevere with this amazing thing you’ve established. There is such an emphasis on all the work you’ve put in *finally* starting to work *for* you this year — the New Age wants to reward entrepreneurial energy and show that there’s room for *everyone* to succeed.

December 2021: King of Wands

Yes! The end of 2021 finds you having mastered your energy in a whole new way. You are in touch with what makes you magical and are taking your passion to the next level — you are ready to teach what you know, whether literally or simply through leading by example. One way or another a heavy door has been shut for good, sealing away what once extinguished you and made you feel Less Than. The door that’s opened smiles on what’s been your goal destination, your guiding light, through all the trials and tribulations that forced you to develop the strength that is now ready to guide you even further down the path towards where you know you want to be.

FIRE/Passion/Energy/Spirituality/Inspiration: III – The Empress

2021 *really* wants you nurturing and loving on your personal passion as a spiritual pursuit. When you are engaging with what you love, you are engaging with the Universe and what it wants for you! The interests you’ve been gifted with this lifetime are no accident, and are the roadmap towards loving yourself alongside sending out a beacon that draws people who share that love and will love your contribution to it so much! Collectively Love is ready to take the lead — the increased societal passion for kindness, compassion, and making sure everyone is taken care of shines this year.

EARTH/Work/Finances/Health/Home: VII – The Chariot

The theme of success in entrepreneurship is heartily reiterated! This year wants you to ground yourself in your True Will, to persevere with the path you’ve chosen, and to trust your intuition to guide you towards where you’re now ready to be. 2020 showed how very true it is that Home is Where the Heart Is — you’ve filled your love-tank and are ready for the road ahead, trusting that your loved ones are protected and that your own softness and willingness to keep the ball rolling on your soul’s purpose is all you need.

AIR/Thought/Patterns/Action/Mental Health: 3 of Swords reversed

2020 taught you so much through the pains and heartbreaks you were forced to endure on top of what you were already carrying. Trust that that has birthed in you a whole new level of *decisiveness* where it comes to choosing for balance and wholeness, as opposed to choosing for continued strife and discomfort. 2020 ripped off a long-avoided, very dingy and dirty old band-aid, and in 2021 the real healing process begins.

WATER/Love/Emotions/Relationships/Intuition: 3 of Cups + 6 of Swords + XI – Justice

So much emphasis on emotional healing in 2021! The theme of Friends is powerfully repeated — 2020 taught you who your people are and 2021 allows that energy to take the lead, finding everyone feeling that much more loved, that much more creative, and that much more connected to the Cinderella-style transformation that this year holds for putting in the spiritual work to free yourself and finally feel on-track towards healing. All of your heart’s intentions must remain focused on balance — this year holds such beautiful potential for shifts in the realm of Social Justice as more and more hearts are opened to what needs to happen, and to the fact that we as a collective have much more power than it feels — Doing the Right Thing, doing the best you can when you can, and allowing kindness to take the lead on all fronts are the magical drivers of the Tides of Change.

Higher Self cards/message of Hope moving forward: 23. Last Quarter Moon | Gratitude + Asparagus Dragon | Consistent + 22. Buttercup | Sweet Surrender + 2 of Pentacles

If you do only one thing this year, let it be establishing a consistent Gratitude practice. Take moments through the day to say “thank you” for all the little things that make up the whole — thank you for the bed you wake up in, thank you for the faces that greet you over the course of your day, the foods that sustain you, the activities both mundane and magical that keep your world turning. Surrender to the beautiful life you’re choosing to build, and revel in the ways you’ve learned to keep juggling even when you were unsure if it was all for nothing. The fact that You Are Here and that You’re Still Standing can be all the evidence you need that you *do* have a purpose, and your unique and perfect thread is such an important part of the world’s tapestry as a whole.

PERSEVERANCE is key this year. Keep going with what you’ve started, alongside a willingness to be patient with the process. Slow and steady will lead to unexpected and quite miraculous acceleration! Feel safe in “coming out of your shell” and allowing your gifts to take the lead — while this could refer to actual creative talent, it can be as simple as deciding you’re going to beam your beautiful smile at everyone you meet in your motions this year.

Much personal development is possible this year, as you consciously integrate last year’s disappointments and give yourself permission to let your purest dreams stabilize you and launch the ships that bring you that much closer to a while new way of living heart-centeredly.

Because you were forced to learn to live and function in total overwhelm, your true priorities have trickled down to the forefront of your attention, allowing you to reorient yourself to why this is the particular mountain you’ve chosen to climb. The battles you were forced to fight have allowed you to fully connect with your own authenticity, healing deeper wounds than you even realized you were carrying. You are exactly where you need to be in the process of rebalancing your energy, and what you’ve already established is the perfect bed in which to fertilize your larger vision. You’ve seen that you *can* do it on your own, and now the tides are turning in such a way that the crew members you need can find you. Keep at it, trusting that your dedication will allow your circle to expand infinitely — hold so much hope for the door the work you’ve already put in is opening for you in 2021.

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There’s been some interest in the way I set up my altar at the bookstore! I change my altar with each new astrological season, and today the Sun moved into Gemini.

So, what is an altar? It’s a sacred space, set up based on a specific intention and decorated with items of significance that align with that intention. It’s a space that can be used for meditation, reflection, and manifestation, and is a powerful way to gather energy, stabilize your ambitions, and demonstrate to yourself that you are magical and deserve the time and space to tend to and maximize your own potential.

The intention for my altar is to reflect the energy of Gemini Season. Gemini is the sign of the Twins, and thus thus season is all about communication, connection, joy, and coming to understand new faces of whatever is the main theme in your life at present. Gemini’s power colours are Yellow and Rainbow, so I chose a bright yellow scarf as the base of my altar setting:

My natal Moon is in Gemini, so I put the cool Moon Phase card holder my sister gave me for Christmas. Gemini rules the 8th House of Death and Transformation, so I chose Kali as the main deity on this month’s altar, placing my Kali pillar candle and little Kali statue with my giant fluorite chunk and selenite tower as the main focal point. Fluorite unites the heart and intuition and selenite connects with the Moon to help in nurturing and more deeply accessing my intuition. The main crystal arrangement is dyed hot pink agate, representing my ability to take control of my own patterns and healing through the development of my connection to the Divine Feminine. I placed a chevron amethyst for Higher Self connection and red wine quartz for the type of deep grounding that allows renewed energy and forward motion, as well as spiky shells to represent the Scorpio energy of the 8th House and my Rising sign. Sodalite protects my sense of self and bloodstone deepens my family ties and ancestral connections.

My favourite method for altar setting is determining the direction of each corner of my altar and decorating it with appropriate elemental objects. I did this with the flashlight app on my phone, which also features a compass.

The North corner is associated with Earth energy, the energy of grounding, of material security, and of home and family. This season I placed two metal dragons, one a bearded dragon that my Grandpa gave me and a little cutie with an aventurine ball that my parents brought back from Japan. Lots of ancestral/family support here! I also learned from a Feng Shui practitioner that I lack Metal energy, so using lots of metal on my altar helps me energetically. This corner also features my “Pentacles” (Earth energy is associated with Pentacles in Tarot), a fairy stone for fertile creativity where it comes to continuing to manifest abundance, and orchid quartz for even more creative energy and vibes of hope for the future in the financial department.

The Air corner features the Athena box filled with rocks that my Grandpa found in Greece. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and strategy, and Air energy is associated with the mind and intellect, as well as patterns of thought and action — the domain covered by the suit of Swords in Tarot, hence my bone athame. The dried dragonfly is associated with ancestral support (yes I am heavily relying on ancestor energy at the moment lol), and the dragon reminds me to think bravely. The shamanic quartz and quartz geode offer grounding energy to my thought process, in favour of healing deeply-ingrained thought patterns and habits and opening me up to new possibilities.

The Water corner features my skull bottles, one big and one small, as the representation of the suit of Cups in Tarot — they reflect the emotional world, and my main focus there is guiding my babies, hence the metal Mary picture. Two large amethyst clusters open my Crown chakra for further downloads that help me maintain and open heart <3<3

Finally, the Fire corner! Associsted with the suit of Wands, this area I’d all about energy, creativity, and passion, and so it features my kundalini lady with a piece of charoite for spiritual grounding, surrounded by moldavite to enhance my meditations and i9en me up to some out-of-this-world energetic breakthroughs.

I’m loving how this month’s altar turned out! If you found this post helpful, remember to like, comment, and share <3<3 Thanks so much for reading!

I designed this tarot spread to help get to the bottom of what’s got me feeling totally zonked — besides the fact that it’s the middle of Winter 😂😂 I drew from the Mother Mary Oracle, Flowers of the Night Oracle, and the Cook’s Tarot — I love how the art across these decks is so complementary!

I had some idea of what the result of thus spread would be, but was actually surprised at the way the answer presented!

The Shadow cards (cards at the bottom of the decks after shuffling), indicating the energy bringing me to the reading, are 21. Our Lady of Quiet Blossoming + Celebration | Casablanca Lily + I – The Magician. This combination tells me that part of what’s draining my energy involves simply *having to wait* for what I’ve been working on to come full-circle — this in-between meantime weighs heavily! Celebration recommends not counting my chickens before they hatch, and cooling it a bit in the indulgence department — The Magician promises that what I’m doing will come through for me in the long run, but I do need to stay on task and slack off way less 😅😂

In the main reading, 10. Our Lady of Creative Choice and Freedom | Chilean Jasmine tell me that what’s draining me, again, are my “work habits” — I’m self-employed so I don’t have a “boss” breathing down my neck, making me stay on task, which is sort of a blessing, but means I need to crack the whip on myself and find more structured ways to get it all done. I can do whatever I want, but I need to stop hiding from what needs to get done — avoidance and sweeping things under the rug puts my subconscious in a tizzy!

The 4 of Pentacles for Card 1: What is Draining My Energy nails it; money is extremely tight for us right now and jkkdjhdhd it’s taking all I’ve got to hold it together, haha! It’s interesting that the person on the card is putting cans in a cupboard as my main, most basic concern is literally putting food on the table, a blessing because at this point we at least have enough to keep the bills paid, evening there’s zero wiggle room after that.

Card 2: What started it? is the 9 of Cups, another eye-opener, super aligned with the Creative Choice and Freedom cards! Over the holidays I kind of went “f*ck it” and spent/overindulged a lot — that’s fun and all, but it opened a kettle that’s been hard to close. Making lemonade out of lemons is great, but now I need a lemon tree so there’s more to make more lemonade 😂😂 Wishful thinking is good but there needs to be proper action to support it!

I had to think on the 2 of Cups reversed for 3. What can I do to stop this? I often read the 2 of Cups as a “self-care/self-love” card, and I tend to go pretty heavy on the “oh well, self-care!!” excuse where it comes to buying myself stuff (like decks and unhealthy treats) when I’m feeling down, which causes a pinch later on. This tells me I need to find different, more sustainable ways to “fill my cup,” including drinking more water and choosing healthier ways to feel self-aligned.

Card 4. How can I protect my energy moving forward? is the Ace of Wands, elaborating on the previous card’s message — I always feel great when I’m creating, and working on my creative projects in turn helps get closer to the point where what I’m working on will actually help provide financially. Keeping my Inner Fire stoked and my motivation high will allow me to heal and maintain my energy — this makes me want to go draw right now! 😂😂 I also have to realize that I’m just at the beginning of regaining my energy after having Clover, tying this message back in with the Quiet Blossoming card.

The Higher Self cards (cards at the top of the decks after shuffling) represent a message of hope moving forward. 17. Our Lady of Truth asks me to maintain hope, trust that everything is unfolding as it should, and to admit to myself where more work can be done alongside realizing when just enough is plenty 💕 Balance | Chocolate Flower tells me to ground myself in life’s little sweetnesses, and again to trust that balance is being found, slowly but surely. 0 – The Fool affirms that a new start is coming, one filled with infinite potential — the draining nature of the past cycle will soon be just a memory, so continue to release my negative expectations and keep dancing with life until that time comes 💕

In conclusion, I’m in a powerful gateway moment, where baby steps are key to what will become longer, more confident strides in the future. It’s on me to gain control of myself through recognizing my own patterns and correcting my overindulgent tendencies and providing myself with a structure that works to support my long-term goals. Overall I just need to keep at it and be excited that I’ve found my path in life — I’m still just establishing the foundation of my legacy 💕

If you’re interested in a personalized reading with me, click on the Book a Reading tab or head over to my Etsy shop!

Decks used:

The Cook’s Tarot. Judith MacKay Stirt. Schiffer Pub Ltd., 2015.

Flowers of the Night Oracle. Cheralyn Darcey. Rockpool Publishing, 2018.

Mother Mary Oracle. Alana Fairchild. Artwork by Shiloh Sophia McCloud. Blue Angel Publishing, 2014.

How incredibly cool to be leaving an entire decade behind! This year I drew my Year Ahead spread from Angels and Ancestors Oracle Cards, Super Atttactor Affirmation Cards, and the Modern Witch Tarot ♡♡

First it’s interesting to look back at 2019’s Year Ahead spread — the 4 of Pentacles reversed at the very centre very much represents the way that this past year was one of needing to let go of control and finding my team ♡♡ The Ace of Wands as the Future card in the centre of the reading truly represents how the year ended, with ne regaining my energy after giving birth to Clover, and also making awesome headway with my creative projects ♡♡

My Card(s) of the Year came out together — the 9 of Pentacles and the 8 of Pentacles ♡♡ I love how the woman in the 9 of Pentacles is looking back at the woman in the 8 of Pentacles, showing how much maintaining that successful businesswoman energy so very much relies on keeping at it always, continuing to enjoy doing the work you love and maintaining creative productivity ♡♡

I chose the Queen of Wands as my personality card for the year, to represent nurturing my creative projects with warmth and high feminine energy ♡♡ I pulled out the cards on either side of it within the deck, and drew 0 – The Fool and IV – The Emperor reversed; this year I need to just have fun and enjoy my projects, releasing my expectations and taking a hig leap of faith on myself ♡♡ The Emperor reversed suggests I not try to control the creative unfolding, i.e. not try to make some sort of rigid progress-schedule, lol! I’m deep in Mama mode, so time just needs to be used when it’s available ♡♡

My oracle cards for the year are High Priest | Intend and Create and two from Super Attractor came out together:

I am patient, knowing that whatever is of the highest good is coming to me.

And

I can decide today to recalibrate my energy and commit to love and joy.

I just need to keep working with what I’ve started, and feel free to love every minute of it ♡♡

January: Everything is Fine reversed

This is one of the extra cards in the Modern Witch Tarot ♡♡ January will be about continuing to work through the patterns that are no longer serving me, like the “final cut” that allows me to rise above the habits I’ve been trying to break, including disappearing into my phone, haha!

February: 7 of Wands reversed

The “struggle” lessons surrounding some sort of recognition where it comes to my creative choices. Expanding my community and things feeling easier, more celebratory, victorious ♡♡

March: XV – The Devil

I had the Devil reversed for February of last year, the month I realized I’d need to tap the brakes on my career’s trajectory after confirming that I was pregnant with Clover ♡♡ Now I feel my full Capricorn-stellium energy coming back, and March will see me making awesome use of it ♡♡

April: Queen of Swords

I develop a clear strategy, one which allows everything to advance organically. My patterns if thought and action are at a healthy and sustainable point ♡♡

May: 7 of Cups

I’ll need to lean into my spiritual principles, as there will be a lot going on that will be emotionally overwhelming — remember to go easy on myself and take permission to just chill and sleep on it to regain my energy ♡♡

June: XIII – Death

A major ending that allows me to ultimately gain more solid life-structure. Stepping firmly into my Scorpio Rising personality and firmly letting go of whatever parts of the past are still hanging on ♡♡

July: 4 of Cups reversed

Seizing an opportunity that fully releases my disappointments and steers me towards feeling jovial, friendly, and connected ♡♡ A meditative occurence shifts my mindset in a happy direction ♡♡

August: 3 of Swords reversed

Some deep past wounds find healing as the result of taking time to recognize what’s needed for mental balance to be found and a decision to be made ♡♡ The inky blood makes me thing that maybe this is when I’ll finish my deck, or at least the inking part!

September: XVII – The Star (!)

I was so excited to turn this over! My hard work and energy if pushing through the darkness leads to “finding the Light” in some way ♡♡ I’ll feel vulnerable but also empowered to co tinue on my Path, filled with hope as a result of the new connections I’m making ♡♡

October: King of Pentacles reversed

I have a clear vision of what success looks like, and am working hard nurturing that into reality ♡♡ I’m in full Queen of Pentacles mode — October holds both Iris and Ori’s birthdays! I make an investment that will grow in worth over time ♡♡

November: Knight of Wands

Things move forward quickly! Rein in my emotions as the energy surrounding my passion-work picks up speed — this feels like it represents my decks beginning to be shipped out ♡♡

December: 9 of Swords reversed + Knight of Cups

A huge amount of anxiety is released as I find a way to make a Dream Come True — finding me falling head-over-heels in love with life as a result ♡♡ It feels like waking up from a nightmare as I face the future with optimism and a poetic outlook ♡♡

The card representing the Past/2019 is the 6 of Cups, a lovely indication that my goal last year of focusing more on my babies and lifting myself out of depression was fulfilled ♡♡ The Present card is the 5 of Pentacles, reflecting that we don’t have much financially at the moment but that we’re open to asking for help and taking the steps to open more fully to receive ♡♡ The Future card is the Queen of Cups, my significator as a Pisces woman, and my favourite representation of myself as a Tarot reader and a loving Mama with a fully open heart ♡♡ This year finds me starting at the bottom with beautiful perspective on what really matters in life, and finds me finding myself, forgiving myself, and coming into my own more than ever before ♡♡

The Shadow cards are Traveller | Move in a New Direction, “Feeling good will bring me far more than whatever I thought I needed,” and VI – The Lovers, finding me entering the year ready to explore all the opportunities and possibilities available to me, based on the choices I’ve made and the large projects I’ve started ♡♡ The Higher Self cards are Winter | Take Care of Your Needs, “When I’m in a state of appreciation, I’m in vibrational alignment with my true love nature,” and XVI – The Tower — it looks like *a lot* is poised to change, in further of further clearing my path towards Self-Realization ♡♡ The Tower is one of my Birth Cards, and I’m looking directly at the upcoming Saturn-Pluto conjunction on January 12 for the first clues as to what energy this card represents!

I am so excited to work with this year’s fresh energy ♡♡

If you’re interested in a personalized reading, check out my Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/tantramartarotscopes/

Happy Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio, lovelies!! From October 31-November 20, the planet Mercury appears to move “backwards” in the cosmos — this is a time to rethink and review, as challenges surrounding communication, technology, short-distance travel, and general dexterity abound. I’ve pulled a Find My Focus Reading for the collective to help you understand how to make the most of this period, using The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck, the Animal Spirit Oracle, and The Wild Unknown Tarot Deck. If you’re interested in a personalized reading, I’m offering a Mercury Retrograde special — choose the Mercury Retrograde Find My Focus option under the Book a Reading tab above!

To start, let’s look at the Shadow cards, indicating the underlying themes of this Mercury Retrograde:

Shadow Cards: XXXVII – The Desert + Hyena reversed + 4 of Swords

Yes, the next few weeks will be a time to really consider what makes you feel “parched” in life at this point — what continually drains your energy and separates you from being able to recognize all the important growth you’ve been doing? This is really a time to pull back, to focus on stillness and very much being non-combative. Keep laughing, but also recognize what seems to kill your sense of humour and general well-being. This is a time to recognize where you’ve only been allowing yourself scraps when actually you deserve the best! Allow yourself to consider what *does* bring you peace, and think towards how to draw that in so you can move forward rested and ready with the goals that you know will improve your life once Mercury goes direct and things feel kinder all-around. For now, be still, and allow yourself to “rest up” for what promises to be such a beautiful time once you’ve made it through this Mercury Retrograde desert!

Oracle Cards: XXX – The One + XXXII – The Cave + Owl reversed

Indeed, this is a time to focus on your own creativity, on embracing the “darkness” in favour of allowing that to recharge your own inner Light. This is truly a time to “cocoon,” to wrap yourself up in personal reconnection! Don’t feel like you need to have all the answers at this time — Mercury Retrograde is a great time for enhanced intuition, so keep listening within, and know that everything will be revealed as it needs to be. Dive deep into what you’ve already started, and trust yourself to know what to do when the time is right. Simply keep working at understanding Who You Are at this junction in life, and allow that to inform the quiet moves you’re making.

Card 1: What to Focus on this Mercury Retrograde? 6 of Swords

Oh so lovely! All you need to be focusing on now is *healing.* You’ve been digging deep this year to understand what needs to heal, and this period can be a time to dig in your heels where it comes to setting the boundaries that support your continued reconnection with your sense of hope and overall wellness — it’s again emphasised *not to fight what’s happening* now. Others may attempt to engage you in conflict and old mental battles will absolutely crop up for review, but don’t “go there” where it comes to fighting back. Observe, keep your voice low and loving, and trust that you are in the exact space you need to be in order to continue reaccessing what fills you with hope. You are flowing towards a time of much-increased wellbeing — hang in there when the current is rough, knowing it will smooth out soon enough.

Card 2: What is ready to be released? 9 of Pentacles reversed

Truly, this is a time to really listen and learn from what makes you “uncomfortable.” It feels like you have been working so, so hard to improve the way you “nest is feathered,” and this Retrograde will show you quite loudly what separates you from feeling accomplished, independent, and like you’re “doing a good job.” Do notice when you’re feeling like sh*t, and consider how you will continue to work towards finding true comfort in your life once the Retrograde has passed. Trust that you *have* been putting the work in, and know that your monkey-mind will settle down and help you get in gear to transform absolutely everything that no longer works, especially in the realm of finances, home, and physical health in the months to come.

Card 3: What energy can be increased? IX – The Hermit

It is so strongly indicated that this Retrograde is a time for *non-action.* Give yourself permission to pull back into yourSelf, to go within to fully understand the patterns that have both helped and hindered your sense of progress up until this point. The patterns that have worked for you are ready to be illuminated and inspire you as you move forward, while the patterns that have held you back are ready to be healed for major good. Take this time to continue the research and projects you’ve already started, and to achieve really cool breakthroughs via writing, whether you’re writing a book or simply journaling to get to the bottom of the matters that are at the forefront of your mind. One way or another, this is a time to pull back from external activity and focus on protecting your energy and healing, healing, healing.

Card 4: Best Advice. X – The Wheel of Fortune reversed

Amazing! Hermit energy is doubly emphasised — this is not a time to expect change to be readily apparent; all the old crud that’s bothered you for so long will absolutely be popping up over and over, so see this time as a “test” and allow yourself to take each knock as it comes. When you do get agitated, be forgiving of yourself and vow to take a calmer approach the next time that issue crops up for review. Change *is* underway, but the real results and rewards will not become apparent until later in the month. This is a time to learn from your mistakes and to commit to choosing differently the next time the opportunity arises. Stay focused on weaving your own best future, and choose for Who You Want to Be, not who you once were.

To finish, let’s look at the Higher Self Cards, indicating a message of hope moving forward:

Higher Self Cards: XXVII – The Unseen + Scorpion + XII – The Hanged Man

Yes, trust, trust that the Universe is orchestrating your Best Outcome behind the scenes — nothing will feel clear at this point, and that’s very much okay! This Retrograde does promise to “sting” as it’s happening in Scorpio, directly involving themes of death, but also of transition and transformation — trust yourself to find the “antidote” to what’s been so poisonous in your life through pulling back, through wrapping yourself up in your ongoing creative efforts, and through gaining important perspective on what makes you feel closes off. Choose to suspend yourself in this space of not-knowing, and know that what you’re seeing from others at this time is really showing you how you can ground yourself more deeply in your own life purpose.

This Retrograde is all about seeing where you can gain structure in your own life. It will shake your foundations to show you where you need to reinforce and restabilize; this is a time for breaking away from regressive past patterns and choosing new ways to think about and take action on what has challenged you for so long. Relationships can feel strained at this time, especially where at this point in the year many of us are feeling darn drained of energy — remember *do not engage* when tempers flare, instead pulling back and pouring the energy you do have into thinking about your plans for strengthening your health and resources when Mercury goes direct!

Thanks for reading <3<3

Decks Used:

The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Oracle. Kim Krans. HarperElixir, 2018.

The Wild Unknown Archetypes Oracle. Kim Krans. HarperOne, 2019.

The Wild Unknown Tarot. Kim Krans. HarperOne, 2016.

Can you believe it?! Tantramar Tarotscopes is 4 Years Old! It’s been quite journey, and I am so pleased to take this moment to reflect on how far my little business has come, and to share some of what I’ve learned over the past 4 years <3<3

The Journey Begins: I first picked up a tarot deck in 2005, when I was 17. The Art of Tarot caught my eye in the Self-Help section of Chapters — it was an ugly, pip-style deck, and I strived to make sense of it but found it difficult to connect. I brought the deck to a New Year’s party, and over small glasses of blueberry wine, laid year-ahead spreads for a few of my friends — the results ended up being uncanny, and instead of being further intrigued, I was intimidated by the Realness, putting the deck away and carrying on.

A few years later in 2011, I was recovering from an awful breakup, and dropped in to the local used bookstore (a significant thread in this story), picking up the original guidebook to The Mythic Tarot, sans deck. I devoured the book and loved the connection between tarot and Greek Mythology, another line of study that has always resonated deeply with me — I could feel the connection I’d been searching for with the Art of Tarot waking up, but I didn’t have a deck. I started looking into creating one of my own based on the understandings The Mythic Tarot inspired in me, but I was so deep in my post-breakup head and the last year of my undergrad career/thesis-writing that I didn’t follow through at the time.

Fast forward to early 2015 — I had an 18-month-old daughter and felt like I was losing my mind; I had graduated from university and moved to Toronto with my partner and was starting the process of applying to school for Fashion Design when we found out we were pregnant. We panicked and moved back to our hometown, in favour of being near our parents and Steve finishing his Bachelor’s Degree. One fateful day I was out walking with Iris, caught up in my head about the many twists of fate that had led me to that moment — again I stopped in to the local used bookstore, this time picking up The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need by Joanna Martine Woolfolk. I devoured the book and found my Inner Fire ignited! Casting my own chart unlocked a whole new world of self-understanding and reconciliation of my life experiences, and several points in my chart indicated very real psychic/intuitive ability and interest in the occult. I began casting charts for every birthdate I could think of, and held a deep knowing that I needed to get my hands on a tarot deck.

I wanted a deck that would resonate, of course, and on a whim typed “Mucha Tarot” into the Amazon search bar — my spaces had always been decorated with Alphonse Mucha’s beautiful Art Nouveau posters, and to my delight, Tarot Mucha came into my life <3<3 The cards took my breath away and the words in Lunaea Weatherstone’s guidebook sent tingles all up and down my left side with every reading. The first time I used a spread the 8 of Cups appeared, described by the guidebook as releasing the past in favour of following one’s vocational calling — turning that card over came with my first fully-formed vision, and I saw a tent with colourful scarves and a table — I knew I was on to something, and set the ball in motion towards becoming a professional reader. Reading astrology charts and cards felt like remembering a long-lost language, and I felt “at home” with myself in a way I never had before, especially in the midst of the chaos of being a young parent with no clue surrounding the direction the future might take!

After a Spring and Summer of nonstop tarot/astrology study, I took a leap of faith and set up my tarot table at the local Farmers’ Market! I had been offering free readings through Biddy Tarot and had received incredible feedback on the way my readings resonated. I had also been avidly creating astrological art, and my original business model offered tarot readings, astrological profiles, and illuminated natal charts. On my table I had a duotang filled with client feedback, another with a “menu” of spreads, and a binder filled with examples of my art. I offered free one-card readings to draw people in, but wowowow — that first Fall/Winter was slow goings! That being said, I was so proud of the few illuminated chart commissions and tarot readings that I did book, and I learned the importance of consistency and presence for getting my name out there. I was writing near-monthly tarotscopes for Siobhan’s Mirror, which would continue into 2019 and really helped me gain online clientele. I set up an Etsy shop, and had begun what would later become my own tarot deck.

By Summer 2016 I had a tent for when the Market moved outside. I was pregnant with my second child and my setup was much more impressive! I was offering free one-cards as well as $15 3-card readings, but I was still a relatively new offering at the Market — while there was interest in what I was doing, that summer was mostly spent answering questions and continuing to establish my presence as a reader in town. I did my first SappyFest music festival, my first quite exciting success as a reader! That Fall/Winter I took a break from the Market to focus on baby Ori, and I had also begun and subsequently dropped out of my Master’s programme. At that point things were feeling pretty uncertain again — I was so thankful to have tarot and astrology as a guide through that time, and an important part of my business at that point was sharing daily readings on Instagram/Facebook and just generally living/breathing the tarot/astrology lifestyle.

Spring/Summer 2017 found me with my best market setup yet, with two tables – one at the back, one at the front of my tent – much more conducive to providing readings with some semblance of privacy. I was still offering free one-cards as well as 3, 5, and 10-card spreads, and had also attempted to create a Patreon. I was getting booked more regularly, meeting clients either at coffee shops or in my own dining room at home! I also did my first wedding, reading at a reception for roughly 200 people, and my second SappyFest, even more successful than the first. That summer I also did several readings in my tent in my driveway, which felt very exciting and “full circle” at that point — later in the summer under a powerful Solar Eclipse in Leo, Steve and I learned that the very used bookstore where I’d purchased The Mythic Tarot guidebook and The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need came up for sale, and we jumped on it! Steve had graduated and we were trying to figure out “what’s next” — we knew the bookstore would be a perfect fit for our family, not to mention my tarot business.

Blind Forest Books officially opened October 10, 2017, just days before Tantramar Tarotscopes’ 2nd Anniversary <3<3 Having a physical location (and such a complementary one!) was so integral in the tarot side of things really “taking off” — people could find me consistently through the week, and I’ve continued to grow and expand ever since. In 2018 I developed a beginner tarot course (Tarot 1-10), an intermeditate tarot course (The Tarot Reading), and a beginner astrology course (Astrology Crash Course), and I also started holding Moon groups for the New and Full Moons, all offered out of the bookstore. I also started working concertedly on my tarot deck, the Blood of Life Tarot. More dreams come true! I had planned for 2019 to be the year I really “took off” professionally, but the Universe had other plans — I got pregnant with my third child and scaled back a bit on teaching to focus on the deck. Interestingly, in 2019 I stopped offering free one-cards at the Market, which actually boosted the number of readings I do significantly. Charge what you’re worth! Now that Clover is born I am looking forward to 2020 — I’m already back at work because the demand for my tarot readings is fantastically high, and the future is looking truly bright. I have begun to turn my course syllabuses into books and am excited to complete and publish my tarot deck!

And so, in conclusion — If I could offer any “tips” for readers starting out, the first would be to know that it will take a long time for people to realize you’re “there” — do what you can to make your presence known, through being a regular face at the market or though some other form of visible advertising.

Don’t expect things to take off quickly — it was only in the third and fourth year of my business that things really started to happen, and to be honest, it was very much contingent on having a consistent physical location. Since opening a store is not the most feasible option, I recommend asking local hairdressers/cafes/bookshops etc if they’re interested in having a reader and seeing what happens!

I’ve had an Etsy since I started my business, and at this point I’m not sure I’d recommend it where the fees are so high and the traffic so low. Having your own website or some sort of PayPal setup and plugging yourself on every platform you can think of is probably a better option — I’m considering closing my Etsy shop and switching my online “shop” to this page.

Finally, don’t be shy and don’t give up! I’ve been blessed not to encounter many “skeptics,” but have become great at laughing off concerns of evil etc. in a way that is friendly and often entices people to try it out. I had many moments where it felt like I was doing so much for absolutely no return on my energetic investment, but having persevered I’m so proud to look back over the years and see how well things have come together. Have faith in yourself and when in doubt, tarot is always there as a comforting guide <3<3

To everyone who has followed my trajectory over the years, you have been such an important part of my journey and I am so grateful for your love and support! Here’s to many more years of living the tarot/astrology life <3<3 If you have any questions, leave a comment and I’ll be thrilled to answer!

Yesterday I felt inspired to do a universal tea leaf reading, intended to help everyone who sees this make the most of the much-more-positive energy 2019 brings. I chose my Anne of Green Gables teacup (one of my personal goals is to do a lot of writing and Inner Child dreaming this year), and I used organic Mint tea for its strength in money/finance readings (the green Mint plant grows rapidly once it starts). The Ascended Masters Oracle brings a loving, prosperous energy to the reading <3<3<3

As the tea steeped, I drew two cards from the Ascended Masters Oracle. The first card represents what your main focus should be moving into 2019, and the second represents your best advice for integrating the messages in this reading <3<3<3

Main Focus for 2019: Osiris | Father, Husband, Brother, Son

Indeed, myself and many other readers have been speaking about the need to reintegrate Divine Masculine energy into the way we think about things — 2018 was a year of finding balance, which is not possible without understanding both the masculine as well as the feminine sides of ourselves and our situations. This doesn’t have to literally mean men — rather masculine energy, although re-evalutaing the way we perceive and interact with very real masculine presences needs to shift as well. Hate and counter-attack achieve nothing and are hyper-regressive, but I digress. What I mean by Masculine Energy is the energy of structure, of stability, of maintaining control, of logical, real-world thinking and planning. It’s true that we all took a very necessary trip into feminine energy this Year of Retrogrades, needing to fall back on our Inner Worlds, our spirituality, our emotional comforts, our creativity and urge to nurture and tend. Awesome job in listening to that need and fulfilling those desires — now it’s time to take what you learned and put it into action, taking the tack of not letting anything stop you from bringing forth your goals, giving them life, making them real <3<3<3

Best Advice for Integration: Oshun | Drink More Water

I love that Osiris’s masculine power is balanced with an equally strong Divine Feminine energy — reminding you not to lose sight of the spiritual and self-care practices that sustained you this past year, that kept you feeling nourished and flowing as much as possible. I feel like I’ve been giving this specific advice all year too — drink more water! Always good advice, but especially in these times of massive societal change — it is draining not only emotionally to process all that we’re working to right in this severely challenged world, but physically as well. Picture the way you tense up, sweat, cry when you feel affected by the weight of all you seek to change — you empty yourself, and your causes need you filled!! I’ve been dancing around the idea of setting several water-timers on my phone to remind myself to drink up. You need fluidity to shoulder all the responsibilities this year will present you, in favour of giving structure to your dreams! <3<3<3

Powerful cards!! And it’s amazing to see the way they are reflected in the tea leaves:

Immediately upon flipping the teacup, I noticed this little Capricorn mer-goat! An amazing reiteration of the combination of masculine and feminine energy in the oracle cards, and ultra-relevant as Capricorn season is coming up, and is the season that brings us into the New Year. Capricorn, in spite of its career/public standing-oriented energy, is a Feminine sign, and its symbol is the persevering Mountain Goat, combined with the depth allowed by its mermaid tail. Should the Goat somehow be knocked off the mountain, it will swim back to the base to restart the climb! A large part of your success in 2019 will be perseverance, committing to the task at hand and knowing that your dedication to what you’ve started makes you forever unstoppable.

The next thing I saw was a woman with a headdress on (Oshun?!), with a clearly defined face and adorable old-timey shoe (<3<3<3!!!), carrying — no, floating!! — a large bundle in front of her. The way she’s walking with her foot flicked back makes her task look both speedy and effortless, indicating that this year your burdens are lessened greatly, all as a matter of perspective, alongside concrete implementation of your new ideas for personal efficiency. This lady is dressed for success, feeling light as a result of the appearance-related decisions she’s made to support her through what needs to be done! The same goes for you — treat every day like an important occasion, and so it will be <3<3 Another piece of advice I’m feeling from this is that naturally, after a difficult year, most of our spaces are probably in some degree of “disarray.” One of your first jobs, and one that can be taken on with zest knowing it will open up the portal to everything you want for yourself, is to get your space clear and feeling like somewhere you can breathe, where you can relax, where you can move around freely <3<3<3 Start chipping away at the piles, one bit at a time, and love the way each small, humble effort lightens your overall load <3<3<3

This was such an interesting feature in the cup — on the left it looks like a wolf, with an orange Rudolph-nose! I get a very masculine energy from him, that he was part of your intuitive instinct, “sniffing out” your creative direction in 2019 so you could make full use of your talents in 2019. I get the sense that a certain “Big Bad Wolf” in your life is either on the way out, or has revealed themselves to be not so bad after all — this person’s retreat or their recommitment to the future ensures protection against repeating of past awfulness. This whole image looks like a mountain, “King of the Castle” style, with several other figures — a head in profile with two feathers, a little monk guy holding his tiny hand up to a floating nirvana-esque cross-legged figure, indicating new heights to come re: spiritual progress. Next is what looks like someone on top of a sled getting ready to slide headfirst down the 2019-side of the mountain! Whee! You are absolutely protected this year, guided by all the support that was drawn in out of intense necessity this past year — but now you know exactly who and what is on your side, and can move forward with utter confidence in the team you have chosen <3<3

I couldn’t stop noticing this little feature — the line of dots reminds me of the new way I’ve been setting out my crystals, sometimes just in a straight line! The bright green one on the bottom reminds me of my favourite serpentine, the stone of opening up new energetic channels, connecting with your magic, as well as past life integration <3<3<3 I love that the column of crystals is pointing directly at a clearly-defined leaf — this is the year you break away from the original “tree,” seeing where the wind takes you! <3<3

As a last tidbit, the Shadow and Higher Self cards <3<3 Like the Wolf in the teacup, 2018 taught you to listen, to wait, to watch, to learn from the darkness and come to trust your natural instincts more deeply and truly than ever before. 2019 finds you letting go, giving yourself over calmly to your destiny — at this point it feels like there’s no other choice, and you are so happy about it <3<3 Quan Yin adds extra depth to the overall message of this reading, the combining and integrating of masculine and feminine energy: a deeply spiritual person, they lived their human lifetime as a man, and when given the option to ascend to heaven, they chose instead to return to Earth as a woman, thus finally being able to understand the entirety of human experience <3<3 2019 asks us to feel so grounded and secure in our own person that we do not feel threatened by the choices and differences we see in others — 2019 is the year we start to come together, to fill in the gaps, to release the past and welcome in a fiercely loving future ❤

Deck Used:

Ascended Masters Oracle Cards. Doreen Virtue. Various artists. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc., 2007. (Out of Print).

Tonight is our New Moon in Sagittarius Circle for Release, so what better time to recap the amazing time we had at our New Moon in Scorpio Circle for Release!

We began the evening with a poem, “Prophesy” by Naima Penniman, followed by pulling tarot cards from the Mary-el Tarot, a very dark but very appropriate-to-Scorpio-vibes tarot deck! We also took turns doing bone-castings using the set of Witchdoctor Bones my parents brought back from South Africa. It was amazing to see how different each person’s bones fell, and how relevant the readings felt to their current circumstances!

One participant had two cards come out together, and we were all thrilled by the juxtaposition of two numerological “4s” alongside how similar the card imagery was to the jewelry she wore!! <3<3<3

Following the readings, we read another poem, “The Cusp of Wane and Wax” by Susa Silvermarie, following which we performed the meditation included with the New Moon Release Crystal Kits we used together. 

Next, we did a 20-minute journaling meditation, based on the proprioceptive writing technique I learned in the Intermediate level of the Writing to Heal the Soul course I took during my Master’s. We free-wrote about what we were ready to release for Good after lighting a candle and while listening to Bach cello music <3<3<3

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After the writing exercise it was time to send our intentions off to the Universe! We burned our papers in the special Moon Group Circle of Sloths <3<3<3 It’s always incredible to see the different characters of each person’s paper-burning! We always watch for smoke patterns, colours and shapes in the fire, and what the ash looks like as it crisps and curls <3<3<3

And there you have it! Tonight id our New Moon in Sagittarius Circle for Release, and our next event at Blind Forest Books will be the Full Moon in Cancer Manifestation Circle on December 17th at 7:30 pm <3<3<3<3

I’ve recently had a very humbling experience as a professional tarot reader, one that challenged my beliefs but also reunited me with my core integrity and refreshed my understanding of how exactly tarot works — what it does, what it does not do, with a very clear picture of “where” the information provided in a tarot reading comes from.

This experience has inspired me to lay out for you my original/newfound understanding, presented in the form of a three-card tarot reading. Whenever I feel unsure of myself, tarot is always there to get me back on track; this is partly of tarot DOES do.

I can hear you asking “so, what happened?!?” This will be a drawn-out story, which I’ll begin by sharing the only other time someone has told me a reading was outright “wrong:” it was a $5 One-Card Etsy reading, with a long, detailed question and the astrological information for the person being read for and their partner. I truly care about all of my clients, and so against my better judgment, I actually did a big synastry report out of curiosity, drew the one card, and gave her the advice. I knew sending it it wouldn’t be what she wanted to hear, but I felt it was for her highest good; she sent me a scathing review saying I don’t know anything, I’m the worst, I didn’t answer her question, etc etc. I handled it well knowing I answered her question to the best of my ability, and took it as confirmation to listen to my intuition when I know I’m going out of my way/above and beyond.

That brings me to my current situation, which has one similarity to the previous “wrong” advice. Like the other time, this client wanted to know what another person was thinking. They wanted to know what another person had done, what their motivations were, and it began to spiral into wanting to know additonal, further removed individual’s parts in the situation. From the very beginning I tried to assert that Third Party readings are a big no-no; my original pamphlet actually said this:

Truly, tarot is NOT for reading minds. It may seem like it reads yours because it presents to you exactly what is going on with you, but that it is because it IS a reading of the energy presently surrounding *you,* and is a perfect tool for accessing and understanding your own Higher Self.

The “Higher Self” is a fancy word for your intuition, and you can picture it as the ultimate version of you, hanging out above your head, relaxed, with full knowledge of everything that has ever happened to you across lifetimes, a complete and total understanding of your present situation, and a real eye on the future and the direction things are headed. When you come for a reading, our Higher Selves intermingle and the best way to communicate what your cards read is filtered through to me, resulting in the advice I provide. In the same way, when you read for yourself, the images you see in the cards triggers something in your Higher Self and the connection is made between the imagery and your own reality as your minds bends around what you’re seeing and what you already know to be true.

Here is where I will split the tarot deck, asking for the “surface” answer to “what is tarot for?”

The card on the bottom of the deck initially was the 9 of Pentacles, which is so aligned with what I understand tarot to be FOR — for grounding yourself in your achievements, for finding ways to feel proud of all you have earned, and to illuminate where your loyalties are, from a place of healthy self-centeredness. The cut card, which I always take meaning from, is the Ace of Swords — indeed, tarot is meant to show you a fresh way of thinking, to help you look at things in a different way, that allows you to “stab forth” and continue to make your way through life’s wilderness <3<3<3

Ironically, the 9 of Pents was a real “stalker” in that Third Party reading situation — a constant beacon that the client needed to come back “home” to herself, to take back her power, to consider her own needs instead of so completely giving away any shred of agency she otherwise had.

So, what is tarot NOT? 4 of Cups: it’s not going to “give you the answers,” per se — it lays out your options, it shows you what’s true for *you*, and asks you to do the work to lift your head up and see your own reality with new eyes. It asks you to get up from your slump, to see what’s disappointed you, and to choose to take action towards what will fulfill you instead <3<3<3<3

What IS tarot? Page of Wands. A way to re-inspire yourself, to reignite your spark, to remind you that you are your own magic wand! Aligned with that Ace of Swords cut card, it’s a way to find your fire and blast you out of the desert, getting your creativity flowing again and showing you much more there is to learn about yourself and your passions — tarot reminds you that you are a student of Life, and the lessons never cease — the zest you bring to your studies determines how the road goes <3<3<3<3

My best advice for relaying what tarot is and what it is not? III – The Empress. How lovely <3<3<3 Tarot is a beautiful way to find comfort in your reality, to “mother yourself” with some super-deep advice, to connect with your own inner nature and learn more about how to ground yourself within your personal flow. Tarot is a way to identify what and how you love, and is an incredible way to observe and track personal growth.

The Shadow and Higher Self cards are rather tongue-in-cheek; obviously the situation that launched this post was about a relationship reading, and truly, Love is the main topic that people want readings on <3<3<3 How can you read on love if Third Party readings are a no-no? Well, you can read on how to be a better partner yourself, you can read on what would be the ideal relationship for you, you can read on what you can know about how a relationship is affecting you personally… and so on and so forth, as long as you keep the questions centred on you, keep the ball in your own court, and keep your highest intention for the reading being to find out what your dreams for yourself are and how you can make them come true <3<3<3

Above all, that is absolutely what tarot is for: to show you what is working in your life, what is not, and how to make adjustments in order to stay on-track. All summer those readings advised maintaining life outside of that Third Party situation, of maintaining personal integrity, that forgiveness was key to moving forward one way or another… it can be so hard to hear that sort of thing when you truly believe that knowing “the Truth” is all that will set you free… but another’s Truth is not yours to know unless they tell you. You can only know yours, and that is exactly what tarot CAN do <3<3

I had to swallow my pride and admit that I was wrong in this situation — not that I had read the cards wrong, no indeed, as I maintain my trust that what the cards say is 100% representative of hat can be known about the overall situation in the moment. The reason they didn’t reveal “the truth” was because that was not information we were privy to, where that Third Person was not aware of the reading or of the attempt on their psychic privacy. I was wrong to lead my client to believe that was possible; I’m a Pisces who wishes I could just make everyone feel better, and this situation taught me that even the best intentions can do more harm than good. Now I know to firmly maintain my stance on keeping the spotlight on my client alone, remembering that my job is to help them find, regain, and maintain their personal power, all while treating tarot and that precious Higher Self connection with utmost respect.

Deck used:

The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. Illustrated by Pamela Coleman Smith. Stamford, CT: U.S. Games Systems, Inc. 1999 edition.

On October 22, we had our very first Full Moon Manifestation Circle at Blind Forest Books <3<3 It was an amazing and powerful experience for everyone who attended!! I’m getting so excited for the Full Moon in Gemini Manifestation Circle this coming Monday, November 19, that I wanted to relive the last one and share it with you all <3<3<3

Our Full Moon Manifestation Circles are gatherings of like-minded individuals who come together to share hopes, wishes, dreams, and goals, looking forward at the month ahead and touching on the astrological currents to come. The Full Moon in Taurus occurred at 0 degrees, opening infinite potential in the area of personal comfort, abundance, luxury, and major self-care <3<3<3 Together we used Blind Forest’s popular Full Moon Manifestation Kits, and I am thrilled to be noticing what I manifested really coming together! One of my main goals was taking better care of myself through eating in the morning/eating more healthily and consciously, and I feel so much more energized having taken the initiative to fulfill that goal.

The idea for these groups was a totally random blessing, delivered as an idea from an individual who thought putting something like this together would suit me — wowee!! Ever since life has felt that much more magical, as though the full commitment to understanding and moving with the Moon has allowed even more cool things to shift <3<3 An example of the lovely synchronicities that are happening all the time: the morning of the Moon group, the deck I’d gifted myself for my tarot business’ 3-year anniversary this month arrived the day of the Manifestation Circle, and inside was a picture of the Full Moon against a mauvey sky — almost identical to a picture I took of the Moon earlier that evening!

It was such an incredible feeling coming in to the store the day after this event, fondly coming upon the aftermath of all the excitement — the Manifestation ritual involves writing wishes on bay leaves and burning them <3<3<3 Positively exhilarating! We had a particularly powerful moment where one of the tissue paper placemats caught fire (learn as you go hahaha), much to everyone’s delight! It burned up quickly and spectacularly with no need for the fire extinguisher <3<3<3

Even better, each participant got a Taurus-themed swag bag!! I had so much fun putting them together. The swag bags included Taurus Crystal Kits, Green Aventurine necklaces, caramels, and tea n’ cakes-themed stickers <3<3

If you’re interested in attending our next Full Moon Manifestation Circle,  it’s this coming Monday, November 19, from 7:30 to 9:30 pm <3<3 Drop in, call, or message to reserve your spot!