I recently had a conversation with a friend about her idea to start an astrology advice column. It occurred to me that I could do the same with tarot — open up this newsletter as a place for people to submit questions and get answers by the cards I pull.
Typically, readings are a private experience between two people. The difference with this medium, of course, is that it’s public. The questions are anonymous; my readings are not. This feels a bit like walking around in my underwear. Not on a beach, either — indoors! I am … exposed.
Still, I’m compelled to write this column for the following reasons:
To help people, querents and tarot readers alike
To shine a light on how tarot works, for me at least. De-mystify while keeping the mystery alive.
To submit an anonymous question, fill out this form.
And, without further ado, here is the first edition of my tarot advice column.
Tarot advice column: Day job damper
Question
I’m content and stable in my day job, but I’m birthing a creative baby. I don’t want to put pressure on this thing; I want it to grow into what it’s meant to be, but eventually I think it could be lucrative. I am having a really hard time focusing at work (as in the day job) and showing up as the leader I need to be, because the birthing almost feels visceral. The ideas and refinements just keep coming. Any tips on staying grounded and focused in both areas while I navigate bringing this thing into the world? Is it silly to think I can put focused energy into two things at once?!
Deck
I used Chris Anne’s Light Seer’s tarot for this since so much of the imagery is about work and creation.
Cards
While shuffling I felt the urge to stop and take the top card from the deck. It was The Sun. I don’t always follow these impulses but today I did.
I also pulled…
The Ace of Pentacles
The Eight of Pentacles
The Star (reversed)
Intuitive insights
While shuffling I imagined a tree’s root system growing toward the sky, rather than toward the ground. I took this as the querent becoming grounded but in an unfamiliar direction, finding her way toward the ethereal and creative dimensions and making a home there. Whereas before she might have been more comfortable in the soil she is learning to be more at ease with the free-fall of creativity, and finding inspiration where there is less steady footing.
Spread
I’m not going to use a traditional spread here. I’m going to take the energy of the three cards and paint a little ditty, in the same way Michelle Tea did on her tarot advice podcast, “Your Magic.”
Put it together, what does it all mean?
Wow! I was so happy to see these cards pop up for the querent because they act like a mirror, reflecting back many of the dynamics seen in the letter.
Ace of Pentacles: “I’m birthing a creative baby. I don’t want to put pressure on this thing; I want it to grow into what it’s meant to be, but eventually I think it could be lucrative.”
Interpretation: The Aces in tarot indicate the start of something (good). The Pentacles are the realm of the material, and so an element of money is often involved in an Ace of Pentacles moment. Typically the card indicates the start of a business venture. Something you think has legs and can pay off. Of course, it can be creative, too.
Imagery: The imagery of this card related back to the root system I saw in my head — one that is pulled out of the ground. The pentacle has roots growing out of it which aren’t planted in the ground. It is a seed to be planted.
To me, this indicates that the querent’s idea is exciting and a genuine possibility worth pursuing or planting.
Eight of Pentacles: “Is it silly to think I can put focused energy into two things at once?!”
Interpretation: Back to the Pentacles suit! The Eight of Pentacles is a card associated with hard work and apprenticeship. It’s about mastery. Mastery of course is achieved through time — and I imagine it’s difficult to feel like you’re making progress in either direction if you feel pulled in two.
Imagery: This is why it’s cool to pay attention to each individual drawing on each individual deck. The woman on this card looks torn between pursuits. She sits between two different tableaus. To the left are bowls of what seem to be incense or spices. To the right are piles of papers, a candle, a quill and a plant. She isn’t working on either. This card seems to say — based on the imagery — that she has energy but isn’t sure where to direct her focus. She is sitting down to work. But she hasn’t chosen what she’s working on yet.
The takeaway, here, is that I think the querent has the potential to do both. It’s a matter of finding the balance required to do them both well.
The Star (reversed)
Interpretation: The Star! What a fortuitous card to receive. This is the card of divine inspiration and making something out of what life hands to you. I believe this card only comes from struggle thanks to its placement in the Major Arcana: It comes right after the Tower. This indicates that whatever project you’re working on has been earned. You were in a position, when the idea came, thanks to hard work and preparation.
But! Plot twist! It’s reversed! Look, everyone has their own take on reversals. To me, they mean the energy of the card is being blocked or thwarted. In this case, I think the task is to get the card back upright again.
What will that take? Only you can say! The Star, to me, indicates commitment about a creative routine. I think it will involve consistently carving out a space for you to be with this … light source.
Imagery: In the Light Seer’s tarot, the star is connected to a praying woman. She seems to tap into the source. This also looks like the root system found in the Ace of Pentacles. When reversed they are both facing downward. How do we turn things around so that you are more tapped into the divine and the angelic and the creative realms above you? Perhaps what the image is calling for is … looking up more toward the source of inspiration.
Wrapping it all up: The imagery in the Star also relates to the Sun card that I pulled from the beginning. The Sun in this deck is a burst of light that is connected to a woman with her arms outstretched.
Querent, I believe this the Sun is your destination if stay the course and continue to balance what we see in the Eight of Pentacles. The Eight of Pentacles is all about putting your head down and doing the work. Mastery has not been achieved … yet.