Jewel

Six of Cups ✧ Eight of Pentacles ✧ The Wheel of Fortune ✧ Eight of Cups

Note: We are a little late again in between some fun health-related occurrences and life stuff, but I think moving forward I might be a bit more flexible with when I publish these readings anyway, at least the full moon ones for sure. There's always so much happening around this time of the month naturally, and that way if something comes up, it's more likely to just be business as usual rather than throwing me completely off. I'll still be rolling with the date of the actual moon to avoid unnecessary confusion, but yeah! Still thinking on it but deeply considering it and just wanted you all to know. Hope you enjoy the reading in the meantime!

We don't start out bitter, or afraid, or hopeless, nor do we start out with so little faith in ourselves or our future. As children, the possibilities often felt endless—and every day full of potential. At the same time we maintained hope looking forward, we also lived plenty in the moment. We explored, we played. We felt the grass underneath our feet and the warmth of the sun wrapping its arms around us. We dreamed and we created, as naturally as one might also breathe.

So what changed?

The potential list is a long one. In some ways the shift away from self-belief and creativity is a gradual process, chipped away at by unsolicited commentary and criticism, steady streams of negativity, painful life experiences. In other cases, we may be able to point to a handful or even just one single life event where everything felt like it changed overnight. There's been a theme throughout these readings to question your life's narrative, to face limiting beliefs and poor self-esteem and ask yourself honestly where it came from. Even when we have improvements to make, things are rarely so black and white. As we reach the end of the year and a period of reflection, some of the answers you seek and the change you wish to make will be found in asking yourself when, exactly, your innocence felt lost; and more importantly, what can you do about it?

How can you reconnect to the spontaneity, the creativity, the hopefulness you had when you were a child? Is there a specific project you have in mind that excites you, a specific person that brings out your more youthful side? Has anything captured your curiosity, made you hungry for something more? Have you set time aside to play, and to live, tapped into all of your senses? Could you try to dream again?

With the Six of Cups, It's a "fill your own cup" period, but what's needed most is a lighthearted approach to counteract the weight of the world. In times of struggle it's often the small things that remind us we're not just here, but alive. Taking care of your more immediate needs is, of course, important, especially right now; back to basics will still suit us all well. But the desire for comfort and for play aren't to be ignored or deemed less important.

We have the return of the Eight of Pentacles once again. This is a continuation of the process, a further tending to the seeds you've planted. We all start somewhere, and it's a steady process to grow what we desire to see. As you reclaim your youthful spirit, your sense of joy and sense of wonder, as you reclaim your ability and calling to create despite all odds, you will reclaim your personal power—another resurfacing theme with the two eights in this draw.

The Wheel of Fortune is always turning whatever direction it will. The world will continue to spin and life will continue to happen no matter what. Change is inevitable, and not always is it good, much less desired; but it still simply is. Cherish what you have. Accept change as it comes as a reality, and face it head on, the bad and the good. Know that whatever way the wheel is turning, it is impermanent; the hard times are not forever, and this is not all there is. On a more personal note, it may be time to evaluate whether you're still resistant to change in your life, and why. If you've been holding onto a belief, a mindset, a past event, or a relationship that needs to be let go, or you find yourself grasping desperately for a sense of control to your detriment, you could be the one guiding the direction of The Wheel.

The warning at this point in time comes from the Eight of Cups. It is important to not lean too far into escapism, as tempting as it might be. We're asked to hope and to dream, but we should keep our feet planted firmly on the ground simultaneously. We can't appreciate the beauty this life has to offer, or create what we hope to see out of it, if we let ourselves drift away and become numb to our surroundings. Make sure your current existence is grounded in reality, and in the here and now. It is also vital to ensure that the things you do and how you spend your time are actually benefitting you. Don't ignore the part of you that knows what you're doing to be harmful. Every part of the future is crafted in the present. To quote Marcus Aurelius, "What we do now echoes in eternity." Make it count.

We can't control other people, or the world at large. We can't enact wide-scale change overnight, and even shifts in our own personal lives we maintain more direct control over take time. But we can choose how we handle whatever challenges may come, and how we will live in spite of it all. We can choose what our next steps will be and what we believe in. We can choose love—whether it's love for the people that keep us moving forward, love for the beauty we do see in the world, love for the things we value and admire, love for who we are and what we feel put here to do—we can choose love and we can let it serve as a spark for revolution.

Related Songs: The Faustian Spirit by Eidola, To Know What's Real by Eidola, Loti by Eidola, The Purpose We Find In Our Voices by Eidola, Unequivocal Nature by Eidola

Credits: Sun & Moon divider by Saradika over on tumblr, deck is the Sacred Rose Tarot by Johanna Gargiulo-Sherman.

If this reading resonated with you, please share my work with others if you feel called to do so. :] I don't have my kofi set up yet for tips, but if you want to show appreciation please consider a donation to Translifeline, an organization that provides a hotline service and grants for things like name changes for the trans community.