We’re getting a push this month (we should be thankful it’s not a shove… yet), with the universe pointing out some old, immature habits that are still trying to tag along from our past. Yep, we all have those versions of ourselves we've outgrown, right? This month, you might notice these outdated patterns resurfacing, testing your patience. But here's the beautiful part: it's a chance to say goodbye to those old selves once and for all. Embrace these challenges as opportunities to find that inner balance, the kind that shines outwardly too. Let go of what doesn't serve you, and trust me, you'll be stepping into a new, more balanced you.
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Let’s not run before we can walk. It can be frustrating to meet resistance, but instead of lashing out and feeding the frustration, we should consider taking baby steps toward our goal because at least we will be moving. Yes, it may feel like a concession, especially when we’ve already identified where we want to go and are ready to hit the ground running. In this case, building up to where you want to be is a safer bet than skipping some steps to build higher and faster, but ultimately, you’re on shaky ground.
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August is an exciting month with much to be gained, but the path is likely different from what you had in mind. We are tapping into our ability to manage and ground our ideas, taking steps toward our goals firmly and securely. We are in tune with our environment and the practical tasks that need to be completed to push us toward the completion of our projects, or at least to see a return on our efforts. The first half of the month will see us juggling different responsibilities and injecting changes into our routines to accomplish more in the long run. We are synced this month, all coins ahead. We can continue to build on our previous successes with a solution-oriented approach this month as long as the answer is practical.
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This is not entirely new terrain, and that’s a good thing. We have hard-earned experience under our belt and can draw on what we’ve learned to push the boundaries of what we believe to be possible. If we can align with the bigger picture from the beginning of the month, the necessary detours will become clear at the starting line and, thus, easier to manage as the details shift. This is a midpoint where we will be tested, and we need to think on our feet. The big clue is that the solutions we implement this month will likely be temporary. Sometimes we need to plug a few holes in the boat until we make it to shore and can trade up. This is one of those times. The exercise will pull at our anxieties, but recognize them, be aware of them, and keep moving. We can adjust the course later, and by aiming for a temporary fix, we open the doors to long-term solutions for the future.
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The beginning of July pulls back the curtain to reveal a near-full stop in an important aspect of our lives. At a conceptual level, something is so askew that it’s apparent, and we feel it. When things feel this off, we know in our gut that the right thing to do is revisit what we had in mind. It’s not to say the big picture is misaligned, but it’s safe to say that a foundational element is sitting wonky, and it would be unwise to push forward forcefully. I mean, we can, but we’ll do better to heed our instincts and address the friction from the get-go. When revisiting our options, we cannot limit ourselves or place restrictions on what we think is viable. We need to get wildly creative, and once we’ve identified our route, we can then ground it by practical means.
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​We begin the month faced with a big decision. We are at the metaphorical crossroads, and it’s time to choose. Where we decide to focus our attention in June will have a ripple effect beyond the next 30 days. The test boils down to discerning whether the options align with who you are at the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental levels or if they are simply novelties, pacifiers, or a lust to feel alive. Intuitively, we feel this is a big deal, but our initial reaction is to put it off or delay making a decision. This strategy will not benefit you and will only dull the connection to self that is helping you stay in line with your real goals. Inner balance that leads to outer balance is a repeating theme throughout the spreads this month. No one else but you can make the call. 
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Steadfast and courageous are the qualities that can push you to new heights now. When you feel like you’re on uneven ground and your perspective may be unpopular or even challenging, gather yourself from the core and go for it. No risk, no reward - and it’s not as big of a threat as it may initially seem. This is where respect and leadership are cultivated. You don’t need to have all the details sorted to spring into action. You’ll have opportunities to level up in the short term, further powering your ascent. Keep in mind that the results of your efforts may not be immediately visible, but just as April showers bring May flowers, the seeds will be planted and the soil is fertile.
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If we’re up to the test, we will be richly rewarded. We’ll be moving toward more responsibility, security, leadership roles, and a sense of being supremely grounded in ourselves. Unshakable. This can mark a turning point that opens a path to greater proposals, opportunities, invitations, and collaborations, all on your terms. We become more assertive in our actions, rely more on our skills, and carve out a space to stand tall and enjoy the views from great heights. Own it.
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A tarot reading for 2021 is probably what we could all use right now. But the real question is, are we ready to hear it? Of course, let's meet it head-on! With a 15-card tarot spread, we can see what to expect for the second half of the year, what we can do about it, and what is waiting for us on the other side. The good news? There's light at the end of the tunnel; however, there is work to be done yet. So let's dig in.
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The tarot cards indicate that we were hoping for a new start in 2021 after the massive shakeup we all experienced in 2020. We're not quite there yet as we still have rocky terrain to traverse. We have to be careful to keep our disappointment at bay. From the looks of it, there's a delicate dance at play between multiple cards in the suits of cups and swords. Swords have been heavily tied to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of healthcare, the economy, restrictions, politics, and governance. With this spread, we've swung heavily toward the cups as a solution, which would represent vaccination efforts. Initially, as a global community, we prove to be optimistic about the effects of mass vaccination campaigns to bring the virus to a halt. However, due to a myriad of factors, disappointment over the mixed results starts to chip away at our hopes of putting this completely behind as quickly as we had hoped. As we look to the coming months, it's up to us to greet this period with a different perspective so that we can find and cultivate as much peace in our environment as possible as we prepare for the exit from this nightmare. So what do we do?

First of all, keep your mind in check. The challenge lies in not falling into victim mode. It's normal to be a bit anxious about the unknown and eager to get out of an uncomfortable situation, but sometimes there is only so much within our control. Of course, this is more than a tad frustrating, but our true opportunity is how we show up to meet the challenge. When the wheels are spinning and we feel restricted, move into the details and get hands-on. Precisely because there is only so much we can control as individuals (although we individually have responsibilities to fulfill within the collective), the tarot cards highlight a more practical approach. Focus on your resources, organize them, manage them, maintain yourself grounded in day-to-day routines, slowly build a solid base that will serve you for the momentum that's building for 2022. I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but continue to focus on connecting with your skills, refining those skills, putting the cornerstones in place, and keeping things simple. We're almost through the tunnel and we're starting to see the light already. Slow and steady wins the race. Don't let the emotional waves of disappointment pull you under because we're nearing the surface now.
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Undoubtedly, there will still be things to sort out and some delays toward the beginning of the year, but this is the moment for us to get back in the saddle and get to riding. Those minor delays may get under our skin because we've been waiting so long for this moment but fight the urge to drum on too aggressively. A firm approach is all that's needed to unite what seem like opposing forces around you so you can leverage that power and drive on. If you've spent the last year preparing and doing the preliminary work, this is where you'll get to put it to the test and push the limits. This is the year where you can seize big successes, close major cycles in your life, and celebrate the resilience, creativity, patience, and empathy that helped get you through the obstacles we've faced as a global community.
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We got this! Be human, be kind. 
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SHARING IS CARING 

Tarot readings for love are, without a doubt, the request that I most often receive. I mean, we all want to love and be loved, right? How many songs, movies, and other forms of artistic expression do we need to come across to realize "Yep, love is all there is" and act accordingly? I see clients from every phase within the broad specturm of relationship status classifications, and at that heart of things (pun intended), it comes down to the same thing: balance. So let's take a look at what that means in the world of Tarot and how we can apply that to our current, future, and even past relationships.
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In traditional Tarot decks, we have four suits that are able to reflect four different aspects of ourselves. We must bring these into balance in order to find flow within, thus it can manifest in our external, physical world. The cards are layered with symbolism and today we're not going to get into all of the meanings represented by the suits, but for this case we can cull them for clarity. Let's take a look at those suits:

Wands: the spiritual plane, passion, adventure, family goals, and legacy
Swords: the mental plane, intellect, critical thinking, communication, ideas
Pentacles: the physical plane, pragmatism, material concerns, security, and stability
Cups: the emotional plane, feelings, happiness, intuition, subconscious, creativity

These are are also related to the four elements, which when we understand their properties and how they work, are a wonderful way to grasp the influence of each suit.

When talking about love and relationships, many people may expect to see Wands or Cups dominate the spread, and depending on the person that may be true, however, the key in forming a long-term, sustainable relationship lies in striking a balance between the four suits. The balance first comes within and then extends to your environment. Many times I see people all up in Swords using their intellect to try to solve then ins, outs and nuances in a partnership, when using their emotional intelligence, located in Cups, would serve everyone in an expansive, understanding way. Other people hold are so focused on the practical security of Coins that they get stuck and keep repeating the same cycles because the cards are beckoning them to revert to Wands to drum up their courage, get out of their comfort zone and pursue an environment that lights their fire and infuses the relationship with passion and adventure. If we are self-aware enough to identify which perspective we're using, we can usually suss out the appropriate course of action. And when we need a little push, the cards are here to help us listen more closely to what our expanded consciousness is trying to tell us.
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​A Tarot reading for Halloween and the Day of the Dead, or All Saints' Day, is one of the most mystical times of the year to get guidance from beyond. We're extra lucky in 2020, as this year we get to bring both sides together under the full moon, a blue moon nonetheless, being the second in October. So what better time to call on that subtle support system for some guidance? I mean, they must be rolling over in their graves looking at the state of affairs this year! Ok, maybe not, but by the look of the Tarot cards, they haven't been too far away because they've picked up on the struggle, the strife and the need to come together to overcome this global nightmare. You may be a believer, or not, either way is okay, but if you open your mind and listen with more than your ears, you'll find that we're constantly accompanied and nudged along the path of love and courage. Whether we take that path is altogether a different story, but the choice is ours. To get a clearer picture of the situation from a broader perspective, today we're asking for guidance in the following way:

What, above all else, would our ancestors want us to be mindful of at this time?
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The Tarot spread starts out with the current situation pointing to a place of authority, leadership, calculated decision-making and responsibility. The King of Swords tells us that now is the time to call on the most mature, stable archetype that resides within us and make decisions from a place of mental balance and intellectual dexterity. This is not the time to get emotional or let our guard down. This is one of the energies in the deck that when it appears, you know that you'll have to put on your big girl/boy britches and do what must be done in order to achieve the desired results. Residing in the suit of Swords, this is about structure, policy, rule-making, decisions that affect others and fully stepping into  a space that allows you to come up with solutions to the situation. You make have to be flexible and move like the wind, but that fluid motion will eventually lead you down the path toward your greater goal. The swords can relate to govenment, science, medicine and communications, so it's no surprise that this card showed up to represent our current situation. If it were reversed, we would see despotism and oppression, but as it's upright here, we should heed any advice given by professionals in these fields at this time. What we choose to do on a personal level will have repercussions beyond our own reduced circle, so it's important to take responsibility for our actions.
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Even online Tarot readings pick up what's coming through from the other side... this challenge is a big one. Our challenge with this Tarot card is not to become a martyr! There's a lot at stake and given the magnitude of what we're facing, it would be easy to sulk and ask why me? Now is definitely NOT the time to do that. If we allow ourselves to slip into victim mode, we risk inaction and being paralyzed when the situation is demanding that we do anything but that. Do not give in, do not give up. Yes, it's been one hell of a ride, and no, we're not out of the woods yet. Don't let that shake you. This is a test of our mental strength, perserverance and willpower. Keep pushing foward; the card is a 10, meaning that we're nearing the end of the most challenging part. Even if it looks like things are going south, and that may very well be the case, everything is temporary; you must ride it out!
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We've seen the challenge at this time is no joke and now we have an idea of what it entails. The thing is, the environment won't necessarily be conducive to drawing on that inner strength. There's a lot going on and the material matters in our lives will likely be a source of worry. There's a possibility of further material loss in the environment (job, money, social status) but again, this is a test. Now that our ancestors have been gracious enough to validate what many of us are probably feeling on some level anyway, we can be grateful for the awareness that it can bring us so that we may face it all head-on. Just when we thought this whirlwind of a year was hopefullly winding down, it seems that its effects live on like a zombie. Knowing that, recognizing that, will help us steel ourselves and gain perspective on this situation, understanding it for what it is: a cycle. Just like any cycle, there are ups and downs, highs and lows. We've got to ride them out just the same. It may manifest differently in people's lives, but no one is exempt. How we choose to swim during the changing tides is what makes the difference.
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Crystal clear, even without the crystals. Harness that valor and bravery to stand strong through the challenges. Sometimes it may feel that we're outnumbered and even within our own families we can feel the tension. Take a firm position and don't be afraid to show up, stick to your values and most importantly, keep your balance. Face the music. If you don't you surely won't be able to accomplish what you've set your mind to. This card also encourages us to do our homework and think a couple steps ahead so you'll be more prepared. The Wands are also about fire; draw on that inner spark and let it be the source that guides you.
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​The outcome is glorious! We are not alone. This Tarot card shows us holding one wand while two others surround us. These are our counsellors, are friends, our partners that are on this journey with us as we look at and prepare ourselves for the next chapter of our legacy. Three is a number of creation and with the fire of courage, passion and our squad, we can achieve great things. The Lord of Virtue heralds cooperation, creation and expansion. This card in a Tarot reading is especially indicative of new business ventures, entrepreneurship and collaborations. Foster friendships and nurture your relationships. Think about where you want to go, how to get there and put a plan into action.

Happy Halloween, Happy All Saints' Day and happy full moon!

Let me know in the comments if the reading resonated with you :)