The Moon…

This week we should dive into the depths of who we really are. Sound scary? Maybe…but the Moon is calling for us to illuminate and better understand all of the elements of self that we keep hidden away. Pay attention to your subconscious - if you find yourself suddenly drawn to something or someone - explore it. Take note of your dreams. Often hidden internal messages find their way into our nighttime visions. So if something vivid and engaging happens in your dream, dissect it and see if you can figure out how that might reflect what you might need to know in your waking life. If you find yourself wanting to say something that you might normally censor or re-frame, perhaps it’s best to let that thought slip off your tongue and swim into the conversation to stir up a little mud. Don’t shy away from your deepest desires. Sink into the the most cavernous parts of your heart and splash around. Allow the darkest parts of your psyche crawl out to the surface. There is a bottomless profound understanding to be discovered within. Let yourself play their, unapologetically.

“Only in darkness can we glimpse the fullest light our soul carries for us.” - Angie Weiland-Crosby

The Moon - Tarot Art by Ramona Szczerba aka Winona Cookie

The Wheel of Fortune…

I feel like this card just keeps coming to the surface for us since 2023 began. Perhaps this will be a fast and furious ride for us this year. In many ways, maybe we already feel a little dizzy. We cannot always control this wheel of life, can we? But, if we were to color our experience and control the dynamics of what happens all around us, what colors might we use? Take a minute today to think about the color you invite into your life this year. Do you hit this wild ride with flamboyant and celebratory neons or do you paint in calming pastel watercolors? Are you planning to stay within the lines, so that your world is pristinely depicted, or will you defy everyone by scribbling outside of those lines and changing the shapes within? You cannot stop the spinning, but you can decide how you choose to present it. Oh! This makes me want to break out the coloring book and stick my tongue out at anyone who insists I stay within the lines…Happy Saturday!

“We live in a rainbow of chaos.” -Paul Cézanne

The Wheel of Fortune from Color Your Tarot by Fay Martin and Mary Packard

Temperance…

Sometimes the true message you receive from the card lies within the landscape. Today, this message emerges for us, sunlit and ready for attention. This weekend spend some time answering a few questions: Are you on your true path? Where is this path leading you and what gifts will you find and share along the way? I know, very big questions. But, you’ve made it through so many rocky challenges and now that your path is coming into focus - it’s time to get specific and make sure you are going the way that best aligns with your authentic self. Intention is everything as you move forward. What should you do more or less of as you move along? What beauty is there to be discovered within this journey? If you feel totally out of alignment, how can you change the path you are on to better foster the existence you would like? You are more in control than you believe you are, so take a moment and pay attention to the path…

“Getting lost on your path is a part of finding the path you are meant to be on.” - Robin S. Sharma

Temperance from The Rider/Waite/Smith Deck

*In Advanced Reading Class for Uncommon Goods, we cover noticing and utilizing the deeper symbolism embedded in the cards, such as this path on the Temperance Card. If you are interested in learning more, jump into the class tomorrow, Saturday 1/21 at 6pm EST - 1 hour long and only $25, but full of incredible information on how to dive deeper into your tarot practice. Advanced Arcana - uncommongoods.com

The Two of Pentacles -Reversed with a Hidden Six of Swords…

If you are a card puller for profession or just fun - have you ever gotten a hidden card message? This morning a hidden card emerged after I pulled the card of the day and it was kind of exciting. What do I mean by a “hidden” card?!? When I went to put the cards away in their scarf after the pull - there it was that single card that snuck outside of the reading by remaining in the scarf. Sometimes a hidden card happens if you don’t notice a fly-away when you are shuffling and later find one lying lone and stray under the couch or bed. To me this is a secret message waiting to be read - directly informing your initial reading! So, are you feeling worrisome about the balance and flow of money in you life? Perhaps there are real debts that linger or maybe you just have an easy feeling about the level of uncertainty within your cash flow? Ugh - I feel it - income instability is a very terrifying haunt. However, hidden underneath it all is this idea of escaping - a journey into a safer space. Your solution will involve a physical transition - a movement from where you currently are into a better place. So, start thinking about how a change in location might benefit you. A move - a change in your job - traveling to make stronger financial connections - looking further away to bring in new and exciting business - travel for travel’s sake. The possibilities for increased income and security are endless, if you take a moment to think outside of where you currently reside. Oh! can’t wait to hear about where you go…

“What you want also wants you - it’s just waiting for you to make the first move.” - Anonymous internet wisdom

The Two of Pentacles (Reversed) with a “hidden” Six of Swords emerging from the Sacred Rose Tarot by Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman

The Four of Swords - Reversed…

I know it’s bedtime, but the message is clear - it’s time to WAKE UP! Whatever recuperative trance to which you have succumb has fulfilled its purpose. You are ready to emerge from this metaphoric slumber refreshed and rehabilitated. Use tonight’s sleep as a gratitude filled rest - a kind of last “internally driven” snooze. The colorful adventures of the outside world are calling and you can hear their song. So when you awake in the morning let the invigoration of life incite you with renewed spirit. Motivation and action will be your two closest friends. Leap into action with restored gusto and face tomorrow like the warrior you are! Sweet dreams - enjoy it while you can - it’s time to get busy!

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” - Benjamin Disraeli

The Four of Sword (Reversed) from Llewellyn’s Classic Tarot by Barbara Moore & Eugene Smith

The Page of Cups - Reversed into The Ace of Wands - Reversed…

Keep your eyes open today - there is someone in your circle that has intentions of stealing opportunity from you. This person is incredibly emotionally manipulative, but also quite immature. They may seem playful and fun, but underneath their curiosity about you likes a deeper motive. You see, you have something they want - potential. It’s likely they have already begun to plot how to steal your thunder, whether it be in work, love or some other way. The jealousy they feel has overtaken them and they are going to do whatever they can to take your possibility for success and snatch it away from you. What can you do? Be aware - trust your instincts and be ready for a fight, if it’s necessary. Don’t let them gleefully run away with an opportunity that is meant for you. And definitely do not let them take credit for any work you have done. In fact, I’d even say keep them far, far away from your friends and loved ones. It’s a tricky two-card Tuesday, but better to be aware than let a thief steal what is rightfully yours.

“You can try to steal the thunder all you want - it just reminds the people I am the lightening. You rumble in the distance. I light up the sky.” - Dane Cook

The Page Of Cups (Reversed) into The Ace of Wands (Reversed) from The Sacred Rose Tarot by Johanna Giargiulo-Sherman

The Five of Cups…

Having a little bit of a Blue Day? Mondays can make us feel a little tender and whatever grief you are experiencing on this day may be catching you off-guard. Life has all kinds of let downs and emotional overwhelm can hit us at any moment. Be kind to yourself today - allow for the time you need to process these sudden feelings. But, be careful not to let these feelings consume your whole day and follow you throughout the week. There is so much in your life that holds promise - so much to see and experience beyond this sadness. When you cover your eyes and hide from the world, you miss the incredible colors, textures and nuances of what is actually there. It’s not an accident that they call it “drowning in your sorrows”. Come up for air and you may find a whole new perspective awaits!

“The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” - Pierre August Renoir

The Five of Cups from The Lo Scarabeo Tarot by Mark McElroy and Anna Lazzarini

The Ten of Swords…

Happy Friday! As we venture into the weekend, having made it through this wild week, it’s important that we don’t let our burdens follow us. And, they will try my friends - they will try. Heavy thoughts and stabbing stress will do their best to haunt our psyche, so do what you can to release yourself from their vicious hold. I mean, let’s get real - you are at the start of what could be a fantastic weekend. You’ve earned the chance to free yourself from the grip of this insanely charged week. Take control of your days - don’t be manipulate by your mind. If you want to be symbolically pro-active about it, take a moment to write down all of your worries and be monstrous in your description. Make your missive as ugly as you can when you describe those demons. Then, just before you hit happy hour or any other joyful activity you might have planned, tear that list to bits and drop it in the toilet. Flush, smile and wave as it disappears into the sewage system to rot and disintegrate. Then go out and have the best damn weekend possible!!!

“I’m going to make a voodoo doll of myself and give it a back-rub.” - Anonymous but brilliant idea from the Internet

The 10 of Swords from Alainn Tarot Deck

The World - Reversed…

We truly are having a whirlwind of a week - all of these majors are emerging for us because, whether or not we recognize it, the actions we take this week will have an incredible impact on the direction we are headed. This morning I pulled this beauty, but tonight after a long day spent connecting with it, I deliver it to you. Completion is complicated because you must first define what signifies completion for you, especially when you are moving toward a specific goal. Where does the road to your destiny actually end? And how do you know when you have arrived where you are meant to be? Often we hit a tunnel and we may think that the light we see coming from the other side might signify that moment of fulfillment, but then we feel that light and we long for more. When I teach or speak to creatives, I often mention how art is always unfinished, but always impactful. If you were to ask Van Gogh his thoughts on “Starry Night” he would tell you that it was a failure - incomplete in his mind. Yet, the painting has been admired for centuries - moving almost every being that delighted to look upon it. Tonight re-define for yourself your own sense of completion. Instead of constantly moving through those tunnels toward the light, become the light and inhabit an incredible unfinished complexity. Meditate tonight on how you might be impactful - what your great work of art will be! Sweet dreams.

“I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” - Vincent Van Gogh

The World (Reversed) - Don’t know the deck and I’m leaving this one incomplete…

The Empress - Reversed…

Our Empress is back today, but she’s officially dissatisfied. If you have been trying to start new projects today or give birth to fresh ideas, it may be feeling impossible. A sense that the world around you is a raging forrest fire and you cannot work fast enough to put out the flames? Or maybe that much of what you have been working on or toward is going up in flames? Sorry - sometimes things just don’t grow the way we had hoped. In the spirit of taking action based on this card? Don’t try to control the situation - focus on the practical side of what needs attention in the moment, rather than planning for the future or building something new. If a brilliant idea comes to you, put it on the back burner and come back to it when you are in a better position to truly foster it and make it grow. Also, perhaps you might consider doing one small act today that honors the natural world? Water your plants, pick up litter when you see it or maybe even make a donation to a climate conscious organization (which is what I am going to do right now). Use your logical resources to restore the natural world and, perhaps the natural world will return the favor….

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” - Shakespeare

The Empress (Reversed) from the Spiral Tarot by Kay Stevenson

Two Card Tuesday…

This is our second day of using our cards in an active way to combat everyday struggles with personal magic! But, the cards are definitely NOT cutting us any slack. Already so many majors squished into one week! Often when I read for others, they come to the cards because a sudden chaos has struck their life in some way. This turmoil can present externally and sometimes even internally as we can all experience a discord coming from our minds. I love seeing these cards side by side - Mother Nature has a way of embracing us with warm love and then violently jolting us to break our spirits. Her generosity is boundless, but her vengeance is unrivaled. If you are experiencing mayhem in your brain as you try to resolve the unruliness of life, it is important to remember, that you are a living, breathing creature on this planet and, therefore an element of nature yourself. If you can redirect your thoughts toward the idea that Mother Nature may simply be pushing you to grow and evolve, your disordered mindset may become less terrifying to you. If you have dark and shameful thoughts about self today, flag them and remind yourself that this may simply be your response to being thrust into change and growth by The Empress. Reframe. Give yourself a little grace by remembering that you are only human.

“In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.” - Carl Jung

The Tower and The Empress from The Tarot of Mystical Moments by Catrin Welz-Stein

Judgement…

Often when I teach my Uncommon Goods Tarot Class, I speak about how the cards you pull can have an impact on how your live your day to day life. I’m not sure I always detail how that might work. Yes - we receive messages, but it’s up to us what we DO with those little bits of wisdom that come through. This week, since we are in the tailspin of that Wheel of Fate I pulled yesterday, I’m going to focus the readings on action to take in order to combat the dizziness of our week! Here’s goes… A big start to the week - two Major Arcana cards in a row and they are not for the faint of heart. We mostly live our lives searching to answer the call of Judgement - hearing the music of our true purpose in the distance, but unable to feel as though we have truly reached it. Perhaps today we are feeling a little bit of the struggle and disappointment that comes along with not being in alignment with our true calling. But, how might your day change if you accepted where you are in this moment and approached it as if you knew it was leading you to your destiny? It’s time to dial up the magic of your day-to-day obligations by treating what feels like the mundane as opportunity and potential. Listen to the music all around you and dance - you may cha-cha yourself right into your biggest dream come true. Dial up the magic on this Monday….

“Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Judgement Card from The Gilded Tarot by Ciro Marchetti

Wheel of Fate - Reversed…

I bet you thought last week was a whirlwind, but get ready for round two. This week is going to spin us in a whole new direction and it might become difficult for us to really hang on. So, prepare tonight by making sure your proverbial safety belt is secured and then, I think it’s best to breathe and just give in. You will feel dizzy and tired. You will complain about the unfairness of Life. But, if you let go just enough, you may enjoy a few thrilling moments. Don’t try to control this ride - you are not the one that is operating it. When it stops, you may not find yourself where you hoped to be (sorry). But, you will find yourself where you are meant to be with the universal reasons for that shift to be revealed to you at a later date. I promise, when you look back it will all come into focus, but this week - just let it spin. Hold on for dear life, my friends!

“Life has its ups and downs. It’s your choice to scream or enjoy the ride.” - Anonymous

The Wheel of Fate (Reversed) from Sawyer’s Path Tarot

The Ten of Wands - Reversed…

Do you know what the best part of completion is?!? The opportunity to grow something new. So, if you have come to the end of a project or a journey, don’t feel down - plant the seeds of what you will do next. So many options for you to enhance your world. Today, take some time to reflect on the hard work that brought you to where you are in this moment. See if you can gain inspiration and insight through past successes and allow new ideas to spring forth from there. Then, decide what your first step will be in growing this new passion. The end of something is only the beginning, my friends and you have sunny days ahead, if you follow your creativity.

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” - Seneca

The 10 of Wands (Reversed) from the Star Spinner Deck by Trungles

Queen of Wands…

It’s been a wild week coming out of the holiday season, hasn’t it? A New Year is always filled with heightened expectations. The increased mayhem of a re-start coupled with the mercury retrograde has made everyone majorly frazzled, so you are not alone. But, this weekend take that internal craziness you feel and focus it with fierce purpose . Use the stress you feel to fill you with intentional fire. Embody the silent power of a hunter or huntress. When people act out around you, treat them like your prey. If you have wild impulses, follow them with silent dedication. You will be in charge everywhere you go. They may not understand it yet, but you rule this kingdom. It’s time to cull the chaos, cut through the bullshit and take control. You know what you want and need, so get it. This weekend is yours - set it on FIRE.

“The huntress never stabbed anything she didn’t want to.” - Ann Aguirre

The Queen of Wands from Legacy of The Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti

The Eight of Pentacles - Reversed…

You might be feeling a let down right now based on the actions of a significant people in your life. Perhaps what was promised has changed or maybe what they are presenting to you is just not enough. Listlessness and murkiness surround you in confusion and this circumstance feels heavy. It’s like a strange fog has ensnared you, but you are not trapped here like they want you to be. Let them believe you are disinterested and disenchanted with what they offer you. Detach yourself from the situation, but don’t let your spirit disconnect from your true potential . Go through the motions of what must be done, all the while focusing your heart on the golden promise of a fascinating new horizon that glitters in the distance. The time may not be right to move in that direction, but soon it will so you must prepare.

“Only he who keeps his eye fixed on the horizon will find his right road.” - Dag Hammarskjold

The Eight of Cups from The Soul’s Journey Tarot

The Ten of Pentacles - Reversed…

Seems like you may have spent a whole lot of money this holiday season! Perhaps you are beginning to feel tinges of regret or the haunting of financial woes?!? But, it’s the start of the year, so there’s so much that you can plan for to refill your accounts, if you need to. Take some time tonight to meditate on wealth and abundance. But think about the way that you believe that having more money could bring happiness. I suppose it could, but are you sure? True wealth doesn’t always come from the Benjamins, but actually from what you do with them. So, pinpoint why you feel like you need more of it - for security, for pleasure, for luxurious experiences or just to get by? Knowing how the dollars might better connect you to your hopes and dreams will help you to set that golden number. Then, see if you can plan a course to refresh your piggy bank without limiting yourself in the here and now. Key tip for manifesting abundance: Focus on reviving your soul - the treasure lives in the core of your desire and the number is sometimes secondary. Concentrate on the treasure - the $$$ will come….

“Abundance is not something we acquire. It’s something we tune into.” - Wayne Dyer

The 10 of Pentacles (Reversed) from The Alainn Tarot

The Nine of Wands…

If you started 2023 like I did and in the way that our card of the day so accurately displays, you may be having a moment of panic right now. Motivation and inspiration on day one compelled you to commit to starting the year right! However, sudden road-blocks and unforeseen hurdles on day two that made you feel a little monstrous and very much caught off-guard. If this year already feels like a battle you are losing, buck up. You are stronger than you think and you can weather this moment and many other tiny storms. If this does feel like a tiny hurricane, build a fort around you and defend yourself. Take a minute to ground yourself and align yourself with protection for the days to come and recognize that, even though you feel a little weary, you are capable of great things, despite the early setback. For me, this petit tornado comes in the form of full on laryngitis on a week when I am set to teach literally 8 tarot classes!!! For you, I don’t know what maleficence you are facing, but soldier on, Little Monsters. We can do this! We will do this and we will be stronger when we get to the other side of it!

“The storms come and go, the waves crash overhead, the big fish eat the little fish and I just keep on paddling.” - George R. R. Martin

“It’s just you, Little Monster. Own it or it will own you.” - Penelope Douglas

The Nine of Wands from the Monstarot by Joanna Nelson and Trish Sullivan

Your 2023 Theme…

I always love to pull themes for the year ahead (instead of listing goals) because I feel like change is more prevalent if you are simply living by the themes of the year and sometimes goals are unattainable. So, I decided on this first day of the New Year to pull a theme for you! If it resonates with you, feel free to utilize in in the way you think might best aid your growth in 2023. It may help inspire you to think of this theme as a lens through which you make life choices. Here goes….2022 may have been laden with worries, dark thoughts and unrealistic expectations. But, this year, you are taking control of your emotional realm, by letting go of any past trauma that haunts you or holds you back. Instead of dreaming about what might be and remaining hopeful, release the “should have, could have, would have” and level up by using your emotional power to manifest what your heart desires. Do it all in a way that invites a beautiful sense of calm and healing matched with maturity of an unparalleled level. In short your theme is: “Emotional Ownership to Manifest Personal Strength”. Have to make a tough decision, feel caught off guard, need to ask for a promotion, have a confession to make? How might you do it differently with your theme in mind? See how this works - have fun! Happy 2023!!!

“There is an old-fashioned word for the body of skills that emotional intelligence represents - character.” - Daniel Goleman

The Queen of Cups hovering above the Page of Cups (Reversed) and the 9 of Swords from The Light Seer’s Deck by Chris-Anne

Three Cards for 2023…

As we are on the precipice of 2023, why not pull a few cards for a little guidance on how we might best approach this New Year?!?

What we should let go of this year: The Hanged Man - taking time away to explore a new perspective is sometimes needed, but can also hold us back. Waiting in anticipation for the right moment to launch can be necessary, but this year it will stifle you. Let go of the idea that everything must be perfect and you have to be absolutely ready to dive into new adventures and take chances. This year, if you wait for the right moment, you may be waiting forever. Let yourself try, do and have without the pressure of doing it perfectly. Find the purpose as you go.

What we should invite this year: The Two of Pentacles (Reversed) A similar theme emerges! Invite the idea of imbalance. What?!? Aren’t you growing tired of working so hard to keep those balls in the air?! Drop them. Shake it up. Let the waves of life overtake you. Sound risky - it might be, but I think we’ll find that what we had been juggling for 2022 was not worth it after all and that there is so much more available to us if we just let go of those minor securities and invite what is more exciting to us. Equilibrium is overrated in 2023.

What surprise can we expect this year: Ace of Cups (Reversed) We are always longing for opportunity to come to us and the Aces are very thrilling when they appear…upright. But let’s turn this one on it’s head! The surprise is, you will create opportunities for love, togetherness and sharing of emotions for the people in your life. Let your cup spill out and surprise you this year - let your love splash around by being the one that brings the opportunities for others. Sounds fun!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice and to make an end is to make a beginning.” - T.S. Elliot

All cards from The Rider/Waite/Smith Deck