Ten of Cups (Reversed) & Queen of Cups…

Why are you letting someone else sit in judgement and hold court over your idea of happiness? Whoever this bossy and controlling individual is, they do not and will not understand your life choices, so let go of the impulse to constantly appease them. Your life can look to you any way you wish, so long as it brings you joy and fulfillment. You get to define what emotional abundance truly means to you. You are in charge of your own destiny, but you will never feel satisfied if you are letting the thoughts and feelings of another decide this for you. Swim around in the idea of this tonight. See if you can identify who this person is. If it’s another person - cut the ties that bind you to their opinions and feelings. If you discover that this harsh criticism is coming from yourself and you are the one muddying the waters of your own contentment, well then you have a lot of work to do!

“Don’t put your key to happiness in another person’s pocket.” - Unknown

The Ten of Cups (Reversed) from The Divine Diversity Tarot by Joe Phillips and The Queen of Cups from The Modern Spell Caster’s Tarot Deck by Melanie Marquis and Scott Murphy

The King of Swords…

Monday running amok? Take control of the situation with decisiveness and strategy. Sharpen your focus and get specific about what needs to be done. Use your keen intellect to delegate each step and when someone slacks, step in and show them how it should be done. And, if things don’t go as planned, be ready to shift your tactics. You are more in charge than you realize and if you aren’t leading this show, you should be. So prepare for your take over by enhancing your intellect.

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” - Stephen Hawking

The King of Swords from The Fenestra Tarot by Chatriya

The Wheel of Fortune…

The unseen hand of the universe is spinning the wheel of life behind the scenes to set something spectacular in motion for you! You may have felt a kind of indescribable excitement bubbling up inside of you over the past few days or weeks - this is because you know already that something big is coming. This week you may be hit with the surprise of just what the universe has planned for you and it is bound to be good. In fact, it will lead you in a direction that you hadn’t imagined, but will soon come to realize was always where you were meant to go. Change of this impact can feel a bit frightening. In the moments you feel doubt, just remember that you are protected and you are being swirled onto the path that you were destined for. Open your heart with love and infuse your mind with curiosity, then just say yes and let the universe guide your way.

“Could it be? Yes, it could
Somethin's comin', somethin' good, if I can wait
Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is
But it is gonna be great” - Stephen Sondheim - West Side Story

Wheel of Fortune from The Stephen Cousin Tarot by Stephanie Cousin

Death - Reversed…

Saturday is a great day to be reborn. Reclaim your own sense of purity. It’s time to banish all the darkness that has been bogging you down. Say goodbye to all the negative thoughts that are restricting you from making the change you wish you could in your life. Let your soul close its eyes and drift inward on a magical journey to reconnect with your purest self. Innocence, openness and light still exist way down inside of you - allow them to break out - give yourself the freedom of heart you deserve. Release yourself - create and welcome a new version of you. Happy Saturday!

“Burn if you must, but rise from the dust.” - Paul Nigram

The Death Card (Reversed) - Artist’s Rendering by R. Black Art

The Two of Wands…

Looking to widen your circle? I know it feels like you have to be precise when you are mapping out the future. But, creative decisions are never very explicit. I suppose it’s good that you are thinking in a circular way and not trying to adhere to a linear approach, but don’t forget to color outside of those lines that materialize in your mind. Strategy is good, but there is so much more to explore than what is within view. Maybe, subconsciously, you are establishing those lines, so you can break through them? Let the fire in your spirit consume the mind with even greater possibility.

“Map out your future, but do it in pencil. The road ahead is as long as you make it. So, make it worth the trip.” - Jon Bon Jovi

The Two of Wands from The Slow Tarot by Lacey Bryant

Knight of Pentacles - Reversed…

Here we are, my friends, stuck in a creative rut, finding ourselves suddenly paralyzed. Ugh. The world seems to us to be incredibly dull and uninteresting and no matter how we try to move forward, we simply cannot. Our magic is at a stand-still. The only true remedy is give in to the malaise just enough so we can mentally ready ourselves for some serious introspection. Internal understanding will help us to bring some color back into our lives. So, don’t push or force yourself to move in this lethargic moment. If you must do something, take a break, close your eyes, relax your mind and just see what thoughts rise to the surface. Ugh - Wednesday…

“Artax - Please don’t let the sadness of the swamps get to you!” - Atreyu from NeverEnding Story

The Knight of Pentacles (Reversed) from the Prism Visions Tarot by James R. Eads

Three of Wands - Reversed…

Simple message on a Monday… Don’t turn your back on the moment. Stay focused on what is in front of you. Whatever answer you seek can be revealed with the information on the page and the task at hand. If your day were a book, stay on the page and take it one word at a time. Happy Monday!

“Focus on the step in front of you -not the whole staircase.” - Anonymous

The 3 of Wands (Reversed) - Deck Unknown

Justice…

This week will be impactful as the wise roots of Justice climb up from the ground to balance all grievances. It will be really good for some, but may come as a surprise to others. The imbalance you have faced might have felt infuriating to you, or you could have been enjoying a sense of ease within that disparity. Things are about to shift. As she blindly evens the scales, you may find yourself reveling in that freedom of equity, or you should ready yourself to face the harsh reality of her sword as she cuts you back down to size. Whichever it is, my friends, keep in mind that fairness is healthy and we all deserve the chance to grow and blossom without restriction. Don’t take it personally - Justice is blind. Accept either outcome with grace and dignity and welcome the chance for personal growth.

“Injustice is a threat to Justice everywhere.” - Martin Luther King Jr

The Justice Card - Artist’s Rendering - Unknown

The Four of Rods (Wands)…

A simple question for the deck on this Thursday - “Why?”. Whatever you have going on in your world that has you wondering, here’s the answer. It’s time to stake your claim for stability and future growth. You deserve the existence you can see on the horizon and you long for harmony and foundation. Whatever is happening for you right now that you find confusing is leading you to the moment where you can take a stand that will make the difference which ensures you will blossom in the right direction. Even if it feels negative, chaotic, strange or challenging, accept that what is being presented to you and explore what is truly there and you will soon be able to solidify a more creative and harmonious life. Trust.

“My life is a life of accepting what the universe has offered me. I don’t fight the universe.” - Ziggy Marley

The Four of Rods (Wands) from the Aquarian Deck by David Palladini

Temperance…

Today you are trying to make sense of so many conflicting ideas and you are calling for a more enlightened path to be revealed. This may be overwhelming you. Stop for a second, make some space and breathe. Think of your life as a patchwork tile display - various patterns of who you are coming together to exhibit all the beautiful colors that exist within. Harmonious - sometimes. Dynamic - definitely. However, the pieces don’t always align in a way that makes sense - but, do they have to? Cleanse your spirit of trying to control the various elements - go with the flow and embrace all of your bits and pieces. They don’t have to fit perfectly for you to invoke a sense of flow and beauty. Your path is waiting for you - relax and close your eyes - you will see it.

“Pursue some path, however crooked and narrow, in which you can walk with love and reverence.” - Henry David Thoreau

Temperance - Art by Sonia Lazo

The Tower (Reversed) into The Six Of Cups…

It’s a triumphant Tuesday when you can look back on life’s tumultuous moments and officially say goodbye. Some kind of trauma and tragedy of your past has been trailing you, but today, when you think on it, you will realize just how insignificant it is now. No more shall you cling to trauma of the past with reverence - it was overcome long ago and cannot define you anymore Look down upon your past self with pity and love and then let them just drift away. And when they go, they will take the others you hold responsible for all of it with them. Out of chaos comes inevitable growth and you have officially outgrown your reliance on hurt, pain and negativity. Sayonara, sadness! Feels good to be so much bigger than you could ever imagine - doesn’t it?

“Healing doesn’t mean the pain never existed. It means the damage no longer controls us.” - Karen Salmansohn

The Tower (Reversed) & The Six of Cups from The Tarot of Mystical Moments by Catrin Welz-Stein

Swords, Swords and more Swords…

I needed clarity on a Monday, so that was the question I posed to the deck for us. Pulling the Seven of Swords (Reversed) first was like being plunged into further confusion and chaos. So, I politely asked again….and again…and then I knew I needed to stop. When you are reading for yourself, you sometimes just don’t get the information you need or want and then there are those moments where you feel like your deck just wants to submerge you in disinformation and laugh at you. (Thank you, Deck.) But, perhaps the true message for us all is that, in this moment, clarity is overrated. To have choices may seem exciting, but will you ever really know where they will lead you anyway? I know, a frightening thought on a Monday, but life’s unknowns are what keeps things exciting and if we had all the answers in advance, where’s the fun of it? Embrace the hidden mysteries of your current existence. Choose to laugh along.

“When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.” - Mark Twain

The Seven of Swords (Reversed) into the Two of Swords into the Page of Swords (Reversed) from The Rider/Waite/Smith Tarot

The Six of Wands…

Splash around in new ideas about personal impact, if you want to feel victorious this week. Expand your circle and find unexpected ways to connect what you do to new environments. Remain confidently inquisitive about the possibility of reaching an even wider audience with your freshly creative approach. Doing what you love is enough, but let your fire and ambition swim in far reaching pools, so you can truly have the influence that will make a difference. Outreach is a key component of your success, so gracefully broaden your circles. If you dedicate yourself to this level of development and diversification, you may find yourself being celebrated more deeply than you had thought possible.

“You were born to convert the evaporating life into some impact on humanity.” ― Sunday Adelaja

The Six of Wands from The Ostara Tarot
by Eden Cooke, Krista Gibbard, Julia Iredale & Molly Applejohn

The Emperor into the Ace of Wands (Reversed)…

Everything feels like a power play to you this weekend and, yes, you do have a strong strategy. However, your traditional approach in a certain situation may result in a missed opportunity. Adhering to societal norms regarding relationships by playing games to get what you want has worked in the past, but this time you are at a severe disadvantage when you set that tone with another. This chance for a taste of love is far too delicate and fleeting - it or they won’t respond to your cool brand of control and analytical frame of mind. I know it sounds dangerous for someone who feels they always have the next move, but maybe splash around in the uncertainty of unknown potential this weekend. You don’t want to miss out on a really exciting chance to light up your heart or light the heart of another…

“Don’t play games if you can’t afford to lose.” - Germony Kent

The Emperor into The Ace of Cups Reversed from The Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris-Anne

Six of Cups - Reversed…

Summertime nostalgia can strike in mysterious ways. Why are you resisting the sweetness of your inner child? Reminiscing can be a wonderful map to take you on a journey closer to what will fill your spirit with joy. In fact, don’t look outside of yourself for ideas - consult with that tiny tot - that former version of self that still dwells inside of you and you might be surprised to find that the simplest of things will deliver pure happiness…running through a sprinkler, fresh squeezed lemonade, a cherry bomb ice pop melting down your hand! Oh - what about chasing fireflies through the forest or building a fort in the living room? Perhaps you need a little sand art or to pull out that coloring book? Get on a swing - what are you waiting for? For me, nothing cheers me more immediately than cherry cola chapstick (which I always have readily available) or spotting a ladybug. Get creative today - you deserve a little pick-me-up and your inner child may hold the key - the skate key, that is…

“Some of the best memories are made in flip flops.” - Katie Ellmore

The Six of Cups from The Housewives Tarot by Judy Buffum and P. Kepple

The Five of Cups - Reversed…

I was feeling a little wicked on this Wednesday, so I decided to pull from my darkest deck - The Dark Wood Tarot. But, to my surprise, it delivered a surprisingly bright message. Recently, we have been feeling a grey dullness that is stemming from an unnamed sense of guilt and shame. Likely this is our way of internally working through some past trauma and getting stuck in a cycle of re-experiencing only the worst of it. Today we can expect to make a breakthrough in identifying the source of these wounds that have reopened without our consent. It’s a good day to start treating and dressing these hidden injuries, so we can focus on what is salvageable and destabilize our emotions. If we are to do this in a wicked way, how should we go about this? Perhaps if we write down all that has afflicted us in this way and find a place to bury it in its own unmarked tomb? And, if there was anyone associated with this maliciousness, maybe you should bury a picture of them with it and symbolically shut them away in darkness. Yep - let’s put it all to rest without much pomp or circumstance. It and/or they have taken up enough of our time already. As you shovel the dirt on top, pay attention to how the light starts to flow in all around you.

“The more guilt and shame that we have buried within ourselves, the more compelled we feel to seek relief through sin.” - Brennan Manning

The Five of Cups (Reversed) from The Dark Wood Tarot by Sasha Graham and Abigail Larson

Knight of Wands (Reversed) - Ten of Pentacles (Reversed)…

Holidays like the 4th of July which bring friends and family together, also highlight a wider perspective on what you wish to leave behind. Today whether you are surrounded by loved ones or just relaxing on your own, you will find your mind and heart wandering into the future as you sift through memories of the past. It becomes clear that what you hope for yourself and all future generations is not yet fully realized in your spirit. You can dream today - let the fire within solidify a strong vision for the direction you hope your own legacy will inspire. But, also recognize that dreaming will only take you so far. You soon must take action on initiating the footprint of your destiny. What path can you launch for the benefit of yourself and all those you cherish? All you need is one step forward this week. Hold onto your past and bring the present with you as you step into the future with a plan for something greater. Connect more deeply to what is possible for you and those you love. Allow the fireworks to ignite your motivation and let sparks fly as you set out on a journey toward fulfillment for all. In doing so, you will realize that the richness of life can be found most of all not in the items, but in the memories left behind .

“Carve your name on hearts, not Tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” - Shannon L Adler

The Knight of Wands (Reversed) into The Ten of Pentacles (Reversed) from The Slow Tarot by Lacey Bryant

Knight of Cups into Justice (Reversed)…

I went to pull a card for our week ahead and as I grabbed my deck, these two cards flew out and fell at my feet. Seems like we are going to charge into this week with emotional drive and noble determination. We will be moving through a varied landscape, but we are ready to conquer, leading with charm and refinement and an undeniable sense of rebellion. We may think we know where we are headed and have a very specific expectations for our end result, but expect a big shock by the end of the week. One that will change your entire moral code. Values and notions of right vs. wrong will be turned on their head. Suddenly, you will see things in a whole new way. Unfair? Maybe. Fair? Maybe. You will have to decide exactly what you stand for, but what you ultimately discover will surprise your very core and you will carry the weight of that for weeks to come. But, it’s clear you must wear this new and different kind of armor in order to advance.

“When your mind is full of assumptions, conclusions and beliefs, it has no penetration, it just repeats past impressions.” - Sadhguru

The Knight of Cups into Justice (Reversed) from The Rider/Waite/Smith Tarot Deck.

The Ten of Wands…

Feeling a little monstrous today? Are you overwhelmed, burdened, put-upon, over-exerted and generally cranky? Welp, stop taking on more than you are capable of handling and definitely do not over-burden yourself to fulfill the imaginary needs of all the other monsters around you. Maybe you are overcompensating for the inner monster you hide away? Don’t be the hero - let the monster in you have a break. You have earned it. Now, stop what you are doing - go out and make silly mischief, you crazy monster. Let yourself be free. Happy Saturday!

“Today me will live in the moment, unless it’s unpleasant, in which case me will eat a cookie.” - Cookie Monster

The 10 of Wands from The Monstarot by Joanna Nelson

The Eight of Cups…

Magic is on your horizon this weekend, but to find it you may have to journey off of your current path and away from the familiar. In fact, you may find yourself saying goodbye to something or someone that is not fulfilling your current expectations. Walking away is also walking toward, my friends. Don’t forget it. I was struck by the ladybug on this version of the card. I found this little piece of lore online regarding ladybugs, “If a ladybug is held in the hand while making a wish, some believe the direction that it flies away shows from where your luck will come.” This weekend, be the ladybug. Don’t wait for your wish, when you find yourself yearning for something different or something more. Walk in the direction of your luck. Follow the unknown path toward a greater existence, venturing away from the idea of fulfillment and toward the realization of your dreams. Take it one step at a time until you are ready to spread your wings and fly.

"Ladybugs all dressed in red, strolling through the flower bed. If I were tiny just like you, I'd creep among the flowers too!”- Maria Fleming

The Eight of Cups from The Tarot of Mystical Moments by Catrin Welz-Stein