Five: Dealing With Setbacks

So far on this Minor Arcana journey, we have conceived of and set out on a new journey, a new project, maybe a new relationship. So far we have had success, but then the inevitable setback occurs. It’s okay to be disappointed when this happens.

The Fives are difficult. It’s common to feel a bit disillusioned in your reading when you pull one of these cards. But conflict is a part of life, it’s another step in the journey, and you can work through it. In numerology, the number 5 represents humans. What is more human than messing up?

Card 5 in the Major Arcana is the Hierophant, and it’s certainly not the most popular card. It can seem a bit stuffy and controlling. It is natural to want to go against that and find your own way. There are many pros to that, but it also means you’re more likely to learn from your own mistakes.

Five of Wands: In this card, we see people battling each other with sticks. It doesn’t look like a serious fight, no one is hitting anyone else’s body with their stick. It might be a play fight, or maybe it’s a silly argument. This card asks you to pick your battles. It’s easy to get stressed out by bickering with your loved ones, and sometimes it’s best to walk away from a fight that no one will win.

I try to avoid spending a lot of time on social media because there’s always someone trying to pick a fight and if you get sucked in, you just feel bad for no reason. Of course if it’s about something important, sticking up for yourself is great, but the Five of Wands represents those tussles that are pointless and will only do you harm to engage in.

Five of Cups: In this card, we see someone whose cups have fallen over and they have lost what is inside. They don’t seem to notice that there are still two upright cups behind them. Remembering that cups represent emotions, we can see that this card is showing us that when something bad happens, it takes a while to remember the good. Feel the loss of the three cups, let that go through you, and then take a breath and appreciate what is left.

This card reminds me of the stages of grief. The person is in denial of the cups behind them, they might be angry and depressed about the loss in front of them. Eventually they will notice the ones behind them and think ‘well maybe I can salvage this…’ and then acceptance.

Five of Swords: This card is similar to the Five of Wands but where wands represents passions, swords represent intellect and thoughts. What is the hill you want to die on? Sometimes when we have an argument where we both think we are right, we pick tiny holes in the other person’s logic, and one of us ends up humiliated. No one really wins. The Five of Swords reminds us to avoid being defensive and lashing out. In the image, the person in front won the swords from the other people. But did they really need three swords in the first place? What really did they gain, and those other people lost everything they had.

If you pull this card, think of a time where you might have been petty to someone else, and consider apologising or reconciling with them. If you are the one who was wronged, try to let it go, as other people’s actions only affect you as much as you let them, after the fact that is.

Five of Pentacles: This is known as the card of poverty. The kind of hardship that is devastating to go through. The loss of everything, stability, abundance, a sense of identity. We see people out in the cold, walking past what could be a church. Do they see the potential for shelter, or would they feel unaccepted there? There is a sense of being an ‘other’ here. If you are struggling just now, don’t be too proud to accept help. Everyone needs their basic needs met, and you deserve kindness.

If you are in a position of privilege and you pull this card, consider reaching out to others with compassion and warmth. It makes all the difference in this world where the gap between the haves and the have nots is so vast.

If you are going through a hard time like these four cards depict, I wish you all the best. Next time we will begin to come out the other side with the cards numbered six.

Four: Breathing Space

In the Major Arcana, the card numbered 4 is The Emperor. The Emperor represents structure, stability and leadership. It also represents having good boundaries and being able to stick up for yourself. When we look at the Four of Cups and the Four of Pentacles we can see that kind of imagery quite strongly.

Think about the last time you had too much on your plate and had to say no to somebody or to something. Even if you really wanted to help, or were excited by the project or idea, you just couldn’t manage it.

You’ll see a lot of people in the business of ‘positivity’ telling you that you should say yes more, that only good things will happen. This is an aspect of something called Toxic Positivity. You might have heard of this term, or you might be thinking ‘wait, what, how can positivity be toxic?’

If you strive to avoid suffering, you will feel worse when inevitable suffering comes your way. You feel like a failure, that you’re not trying hard enough. There are of course ways to reduce pain in the various parts of our lives, but sometimes, you have to just sit with it and let it pass on its own.

Anyone who has struggling with mental ill health will know that when people tell you to just cheer up, it doesn’t magically cure you. It is a form of erasure and ableism to deny someone their lived experience. That’s why shaming someone for not being able to adhere to ‘positive vibes only’ is counterproductive and harmful.

Similarly when you take on everything and never say no, you are bound to get burned out. Sometimes it is time to take a break and just do nothing.

Some people really struggle to do nothing, because that’s when the painful thoughts and feelings start coming in. You get restless and want to do something just to take your mind off of everything you’re repressing. It’s hard, but try to sit with those feelings, even if only for a few minutes at a time. Don’t dwell on them and don’t push them away. If it helps, write down what you’re thinking.

Understand that as you learn to see yourself through these difficult thoughts, they will loom less, and you will be better prepared for dealing with hard times further down the line.

Let’s have a look at what we can learn from these four cards.

Four of Wands: This card is about appreciating what you have right now. Have you ever heard of a depth year? It’s this idea that you should take a year where you don’t buy anything new for your hobbies, you don’t learn new things, only improve on what you already know. Started to learn guitar a few years ago and lost steam? Pick that up again rather than get the ukulele you’ve been eyeing up in the local music store. Read the pile of books you bought ages ago that you never got around to.

The people in this image are celebrating. This represents reflecting on everything you’ve achieved so far and feeling great about that, rather than thinking ‘what’s next?’

Four of Cups: The person in this card looks very apathetic. They don’t notice, or don’t feel up to accepting this fourth cup they are being offered. There’s something called Autistic inertia which can be really difficult to deal with. Even doing things you enjoy like your hobbies, or basic everyday things like eating, become a slog and you can’t make yourself get up to do them.

Alternatively, maybe you just don’t want that fourth cup, you don’t need it. Being able to stop before you get in over your head is a really good skill to have. Be aware of your limits, don’t run out of spoons.

Four of Swords: I’ve heard that some people see this character as someone who has died. They almost look like they’re made of stone. To me, that’s how it can feel sometimes when you’re so burned out, you can’t even get out of bed. You’re stiff and can hardly open your eyes. Sometimes you’ve had so much going on lately, you haven’t even processed it all yet. If you pull this card, it might be time to take a mental health day off work, or take some time to just take care of basic things like eating and sleeping until you feel a little more energetic again.

Four of Pentacles: Traditionally, this card represents a miser. He is protecting his pentacles, his wealth. Maybe he’s being too materialistic, or maybe he just has boundaries and has been giving too much lately. This card can represent self-care.

Think about the word ‘selfish’. It’s too often misused. According to Oxford Languages, selfish means:

(of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for other people; concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure.

An action is selfish if by doing it, you profit, and don’t care about anyone else. But colloquially, we often call someone selfish for doing something for their own good even when it doesn’t negatively impact anyone else. I don’t think that’s selfish. It’s okay to prioritise yourself sometimes. So long as no one is hurt, you’re allowed to protect yourself. It’s up to you whether you think your motivations are good or not, so if you pull this card, take a moment to think about the difference between being miserly and selfish, and looking after yourself in a healthy way.

Three: Community and Growth

Top left: This Might Hurt, Top right: Sasuraibito, Bottom left: Star Spinner, Bottom right: Modern Witch

When you pull a Three in your tarot reading, it’s really asking you to open up and invite other people into your life. It’s all about community, groups, and about learning to grow and develop your creativity. As John Donne wrote:

No man is an island

Later in that same poem he writes:

any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind

How can you involve yourself in your community, and the wider world, in a way that is positive for yourself and others? How can you experience personal growth when you’re a bit burned out trying to do it all alone? The stories represented in these four cards show us how these ideas can play out.

Three of Wands: In the Three of Wands we see someone who has been working hard on something at their desk. They take a moment to look out of their window and see boats sailing by. This moment represents a turning point. You’ve done some hard work and now you’re ready to put it into the world. Will it resonate with anyone? Where will this project take you next? You feel accomplishment for what you have done so far, but you are not close to the finishing line yet. It might be time to ask for creative input from other people, or to get inspiration from other sources. Take a break from planning, and do something practical.

Three of Cups: This card really speaks to the joy of having people in your life with whom you can share affection. The Three of Cups represents celebrating with others, supporting each other, and helping others in your life to achieve what they want. Perhaps you have a friend who has been working on something and you could signal-boost them on social media. if you pull this card, reach out to your friends and loved ones to see how they are doing. Alternatively, if you are having a hard time, now is the time to seek help and support from others. You don’t have to go it alone.

Three of Swords: This is a painful card to look at. Three swords stick like skewers in a heart. In many decks, this can be quite a gory image. The Three of Swords represents heartbreak and grief. It can be a very cathartic card. rather than push those feelings of loss and sorrow away, accept that pain. If you have lost a loved one, focus on the happy times you had with that person, and eventually that sadness will be transformed into a bittersweet love. Again, this card speaks of community. Don’t suffer alone, allow other people to share in your grief.

Three of Pentacles: I am reminded of card 3 of the Major Arcana, The Empress. There’s this nurturing energy of self-expression, a proud vulnerability. This card represents teamwork, so put yourself out there, advertise all your strengths and talents, and put them to work where they are needed. This card asks you to consider if there are groups you could join to further your career or business opportunities. If you are struggling alone with something, admit that you can’t do everything, and bring in someone else to help. If you can share and delegate work, it will be completed much more efficiently.

What do you think when you see a Three card?

Two: Yin and Yang

A taijitu, commonly known as the yin and yang symbol portrays two opposing forces held in balance. You can see in the dark half, there is a little light, and in the light part, there is a little dark. It shows how everything is connected, and that differences are only surface deep. This symbol is not only found in China, but was also depicted in Roman and Celtic art. What else does the number two evoke?

The number two implies duality, balance, exchange. It could represent a relationship between two people, or having to make a choice. Looking back at the Major Arcana, the card with the number two is The High Priestess. We talked about how she can represent seeing the difference between how you perceive a situation versus how someone else might see it. On a surface level, the number two does not allow for very much nuance. As you can see from the symbol above, there are no shades of grey with the number two. When we look at the Two of Swords, we see how that can be an issue.

From left to right: Modern Witch, Sasuraibito, This Might Hurt, Star Spinner

Two of Wands: The two wands surround the woman in this card like a doorway or a gate. She looks out as if she is contemplating what to do next. She looks almost bored, fed up of what her life is like just now. The Two of Wands tells us to combine that fiery wands energy with a plan and some solid decision making. In the Rider-Waite-Smith version of the card, the character is holding a globe in his hand. He can do anything, go anywhere, but must ensure he can follow through and not impulsively follow whatever comes along first.

Two of Cups: This is a sweet and vulnerable card. It can represent beginning a new relationship, or having some kind of deep and emotional exchange with someone else. That could be in the form of therapy, or maybe a close friendship. As the number two represents balance, and cups represents emotion, this card could be reminding you to keep an eye on your feelings. In a new relationship, you don’t always notice red flags, for example. If you struggle with your mental health, take a moment to recall if you’ve been feeling particularly down or especially up recently. Be mindful of how you can create balance in your emotional life.

Two of Swords: In this card, a woman is blindfolded, but this doesn’t seem to be forced upon her. It is like she herself does not want to see what her options are. She doesn’t want to make a decision. Maybe she is only seeing two options, when there could be many more. She may be struggling with black-and-white thinking. The way she holds those swords is like she is defending herself. If someone were to approach her to help, she might lash out. Swords represent thoughts and intellect, so if you draw this card, consider if you might be overthinking a situation. Try to get another perspective before dooming yourself to either picking the bad choice or the less bad choice.

Two of Pentacles: Pentacles represent mundane and practical matters. This card can represent work-life balance. It reminds us to manage our time appropriately so that we don’t become overwhelmed. How can you balance your priorities so that nothing is neglected? Is that even possible? If not, this card may be asking you to make a choice. What can you give up so that your life is more balanced? You might be able to keep all the plates spinning right now, but how sustainable is that?

What do you think when you see the cards above? Are there aspects of your life that need more balance? It is always worth taking time to re-evaluate your priorities so that you are living life, not just existing.

Ace: It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this

Have you ever felt a spark of excitement when you begin something new? Maybe you felt that way when you began learning tarot, or starting a new relationship or career path. The Ace cards represent a new start, planting a seed, potential. They’re similar to the energy of The Fool, there’s a journey ahead.

There is so much possibility in the Aces. You can see a hand reaching out, offering the element to you like a gift. It’s exciting but also in a way, it leaves you with a lot of responsibility. What do you want to do with this wand, cup, sword, or pentacle that you are being handed? Each element rules a different part of life.

Ace of Wands

The wands suit is all about that fire burning inside you. What gets you going, motivates you. The Ace of Wands asks you to say yes to whatever that passion is. Wands represent the element of fire, so be careful to control that flame and don’t let it consume you. Light that wand and let it guide you. If you pull this card, think about what inspires you. Journal or meditate ways in which you can use passion and power to begin a new project, or maybe come back to something you’ve neglected.

Ace of Cups

The Cups suit rules water. It’s all about emotion and intuition. Again, this card represents new starts, but those related to relationships, love, and feelings. Think of it as an opportunity for emotional growth. Maybe you’re starting therapy, or confronting a trauma for the first time. Don’t be afraid to dive deep, but remember not to wallow. The cup in the imagery is overflowing, and of course those feelings can be positive, but it’s equally possible to be drowned in negative emotion. If you pull this card, be receptive to change and open your heart.

Ace of Swords

The suit of Swords rules air and deals with some difficult parts of life. But the Ace is all about piercing through illusion and being perceptive. It’s about using your intellect to find new perspectives. Studying, teaching, writing, planning, these are all great ways to use the Ace of Swords. Think of the potential of a sword. You can use one to be a hero and save the world, or you can use it to hurt and oppress others. The element of air is often associated with communication, so think about the ways you use your words. Are they sharp and cruel, or truthful and fair. You have the choice of how you use this power.

Ace of Pentacles

Pentacles is earthy and grounded. It’s about nature, work, abundance, and stability. It’s much more practical than some of the other elements. Rather than jumping in without thinking, this Ace asks you to think about how you can build your best life. It can seem mundane, but it can represent things like getting a new home or job, being able to provide for yourself. It can be a long and arduous journey, so if you pull this card, be patient and focus on hard work. Think of gardening, where you plant a seed and watch it grow for many months before it bears fruit.

The Four Suits of the Minor Arcana

If you would like to see clearer images of each card, please take a look at this Wikipedia article.

The Minor Arcana make up the majority of a typical tarot deck. There are 56 cards, divided into four suits: wands, cups, swords, and pentacles. Each suit goes from ace to 10, and then has four court cards. These are Page, Knight, Queen, and King. If you take out one court card from each suit, you can use the Minor Arcana as a deck of playing cards.

It may seem overwhelming to learn the meanings of each of these cards, but I’m going to try to categorise them to make it easier. Each suit has a meaning, and each number, ace to 10, page, knight, queen and king has a meaning. You can combine these to greatly reduce the memorisation needed. This will make more sense later, so please don’t worry if you’re confused just now. Also remember that the Minor Arcana tend to represent more mundane matters than the Major Arcana.

Here’s what we’ll do. Today we will talk about what each suit represents. In the next lesson, we will go over the meanings of each ace. Then the next lesson, each two and so on. Then once we have learned from ace to 10, we will explore the court cards of each suit starting with the page, knight, queen and king of wands. That means that including this lesson, there will be 15 posts about the Minor Arcana. I think that will be less overwhelming than you having to read 56 separate blog posts.

So, wands, cups, swords, pentacles, what’s that all about? Well, each one represents one of the four classical elements, fire, water, air, and earth.

Wands: The Suit of Wands represents the element of fire. It’s the essence of life, that fiery energy that motivates you. It’s a creative spark, confident and determined. Think of willpower and movement when you see a wands card. It can be impulsive and hard to control.

Cups: The Suit of Cups represents the element of water. Think emotions, love, and relationships. Think of harmony and healing. It’s adaptable, but it can be a bit fantastical and vague. Overflowing emotions can be disruptive and prevent you from seeing things clearly. Sometimes called ‘chalices’.

Swords: The Suit of Swords represents the element of air. Air is all about intelligence and rationality. It’s skeptical and powerful, cutting through illusion. This suit has some of the most painful cards in the whole tarot deck. This suit represents pain, anger, and conflict.

Pentacles: The Suit of Pentacles represents the element of earth. It’s often associated with work and money. Earth is all about the physical world: think of a tree with its roots deep in the ground, stable and nurtured. This suit is often associated with prosperity and working with your hands. It can be a bit materialistic. Sometimes called ‘coins’.

The tarot is all about balance, and this is clear when you put the qualities of all four elements together. Too much or too little of any of these concepts is unhealthy, and by exploring how those ideas play out in each card can help you to make decisions in your own life.

As a fun addition, I’m reminded of ikigai. It’s this idea that what you should do in life is an intersection of four things, what you love, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and what you’re good at:

I see what you love as being similar to the ideas in the wands suit, what the world needs as similar to the cups suit, what you can be paid for as the pentacles suit, and what you are good at as the swords suit. Using this framework, it is clear how important it is to balance all these ideas to live a happy and fulfilling life. Do you think you’ve found your ikigai?

I hope you’ll join me next time when I talk about the ace cards in each suit.

21. The World: Rebirth

The Tarot teaches us a lot about cycles. From The Wheel of Fortune, forever going around and around, to Death, showing us the transitions of life and the world around us. We have come to the final card of the Major Arcana, The World. What comes next? There’s a hint inside the symbolism of the card itself:

Middle: Rider-Waite-Smith, Top left: Sasuraibito, Top right: Star Spinner, Bottom left: This Might Hurt, Bottom right: Modern Witch

We see again those depictions of the human/angel, eagle, bull, and lion that represent the four fixed zodiac signs. We saw them in The Wheel of Fortune. We see in some depictions an Ouroboros, the snake eating its own tail. The woman in the centre has crossed legs, reminiscent of The Hanged Man. She holds wands like The Magician.

I am reminded of the concept of Flow, being ‘in the zone’. The woman in the World card is in a state of flow with the whole world. She recognises that she is connected with everyone and everything else. The wreath resembles a seed or an egg, or the 0 that represents The Fool.

Within the completion of the Fool’s Journey is the seed for it to begin again. Remember beginner’s mind? Look back at your journey in life as if you are The Fool again. Recognise how far you have come, and how far you have yet to go. Rebirth happens throughout life, again and again. Notice the infinity signs in the wreath around the woman.

Graduations, birthdays, celebratory events such as these represent an ending, but also a new beginning. You accomplish things not so that you can stop, but so that you can do something new. Take a moment to pause and reflect. This is a card of harmony and fulfillment.

If you have been reading these posts in order from card 0 to card 21, I would like to say thank you and congratulations. You have completed a long and difficult journey as The Fool. If you have not read them all, I would encourage you to study each card step-by-step so that you can understand how The Fool got here.

I will be back soon to begin writing about the Minor Arcana, which are the remaining 56 cards in a standard Tarot deck. I am also planning to write about the following topics:

Reversals
Picking your first tarot deck, misconceptions, and shop recommendations
Deck reviews
Tarot spreads and how to ask questions
Pamela Colman-Smith (the artist of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck)
Book reviews and other resources

I hope you will continue learning about tarot with me. Please let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover. You can find me on Twitter or Instagram, and there is a contact page linked at the top of this website. If you click ‘About Me’, you can find ways to support my work if you are able to. And of course you can subscribe to get email notifications every time I post in the sidebar.

Mac the cat looking at the Aces of the Minor Arcana

20: Judgement: Call to Action

It’s time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions: who are you, and what do you want?

Iroh’s words are a huge call-out. This is the part of the journey at which The Fool must take all the lessons they have learned up to this point, and put them into action. It’s a big step. Let’s recap what The Fool been through.

The Fool began full of potential, but unaware of that. As The Magician, they learned that they can use their skills and qualities to manifest what they want from life. As The High Priestess, they learned that they must also look inward, and learn to see things from different perspectives. Next, as The Empress they learned to nurture and love themself. As The Emperor, The Fool learned about boundaries and structuring their life. They learned the difference between good and corrupt leadership. The Hierophant’s lesson was to lean on the experiences of those who have come before them, to seek wisdom from others. The Lovers gave them the power of choice, and then The Chariot taught them to use those decisions to move forward independently and rein in their thoughts. Next they learned Strength, where The Fool learned to channel their beliefs and desires into a productive and compassionate direction.

The Hermit taught The Fool to take time to trust their authentic self, and The Wheel of Fortune taught The Fool that sometimes life is out of your control, and you have to be open to change. Justice was about being accountable, and holding others accountable too. The Hanged Man taught them that when you feel trapped and unable to make a move, sometimes you have to sit with that and let it pass. You may find a new perspective. Death was about the cycles and transitions inherent to life, and Temperance taught them balance and nuance. The Devil taught The Fool to look at their own shame and what holds them back. This was followed by The Tower, which was a huge upheaval that came about from suppressing problems. Rise and try again.

The Fool then learned from The Star that there is a calm after the storm, the strength of vulnerability. The Moon taught them to see through illusion, in particular destructive feelings and thought patterns that could hold them back. Then The Sun taught them to heal their younger self and feel true childlike joy. After this card, Judgement, there is only one more card in the Major Arcana. The journey is nearly over. What can we do with what we have learned?

Like Justice, Judgement asks you to be accountable. Let’s look at the card:

We see an angel, possibly depicting Gabriel or Metatron, sounding a horn. That’s the call. The people below, clearly dead, are eager to face their final judgement. The Sasuraibito and This Might Hurt decks don’t rely on biblical imagery. The woman in the Sasuraibito Judgement card is cocooned, awaiting transformation. This Might Hurt depicts Anubis, the Egyptian God of the dead. He weighs their heart against the feather of truth. Again, it’s about accountability, and uncovering who you really are.

If you have been following this journey as The Fool has, holding a mirror to yourself and allowing yourself to face each challenge step-by-step, then you may have made changes to the way you think. Coming to terms with your past and fearlessly facing your future is no small thing. Trust yourself. You are at a crossroads. Like Iroh asks Zuko:

Who are you?

What do you want?

Forget expectations, forget what anyone else has told you. You go on this journey independently, and you make the decisions. Are you on the right path, for you? Own your past, your mistakes. Take charge of now and the future. If you accept yourself as you really are, as the heart that Anubis weighs, you can find freedom and move on.

If you pull Judgement, look at the bolded words above in the recap. Have you truly taken on the teachings of each of those cards? What do you still need to spend a little time working on? Remember that you have your whole life to be working on these qualities and skills. Compassionately look back on your life and identify what you are doing well, and what you could improve.

Are you ready for The World?

19. The Sun: Healing Your Inner Child

The Sun is such a happy card. In the traditional imagery, a child joyfully sits atop a horse, as the sun shines down and sunflowers grow tall in the background. This card represents release, liberation, and feeling totally alive. The baby represents innocence, the banner victory, and the sunflowers represent happiness and positivity.

But if you look at this card and have mixed feelings because you are reminded of your own less-than-joyous upbringing, you are not alone. I want to talk about healing your inner child so that no matter your previous experiences, you can begin to enjoy the positive vibes of this card.

8-Allenby-InnerChildInnerAdult — Click here for more scenarios

Have you ever had a really strong reaction to something that shouldn’t have been a big deal? You may not know why you felt that way- the root cause. It might be that you hit a trigger of something that affected you when you were a child. Your body remembers, even if your conscious mind doesn’t.

Buddhist monk and peace activist Thích Nhất Hạnh said:

The cry we hear from deep in our hearts comes from the wounded child within. Healing the inner child’s pain will transform negative emotions.

He says that in order to heal our inner child, we must listen compassionately and practice mindfulness. He describes mindfulness as a way to improve your mind’s ‘circulation’, assisting your mind to do what your liver and kidneys do to get rid of toxins. How do you remove these metaphorical toxins from your mind?

When you were a child, you were largely unable to understand the nuances of adult communication. If a parent was angry about something, you may have thought it your fault, not understanding things like a stressful work situation, or mounting bills. If an adult said something cruel to you, you may have believed it must be true. An adult said it after all.

If your childhood experiences were particularly difficult or abusive, you will likely need the help of a therapist to untangle all the threads of your life and heal from those experiences. But there are some things you can do yourself to help the process along. Not everyone has access to a therapist, but that doesn’t mean you are a lost cause.

Think about the parts of you that are most childlike. Playful, vulnerable, impulsive, needing security. Try to visualise those qualities as being your younger self. If you have any photos from your childhood, looking at those can help. You may want to look into Internal Family Systems Therapy, which uses the idea of ‘parts’ within your own mind as a way of healing from trauma. It relies on the idea that the mind is multiplicitous, that is, made up of multiple, sometimes contradictory parts.

In a way, you have to re-parent yourself. Think back to things that happened to you that weren’t okay. Talk to yourself, visualise picking your child self up and giving them the love and support that you needed at that time. If this is too hard right now, try recalling happy memories and visualise being a positive and supportive influence on your child self. If you have issues with visualisation, such as aphantasia, consider writing a letter to your child self instead.

It can be harder to be compassionate to yourself than to others. This is why visualising child you is important. Treat that child like you would any other. Tell them you are proud of them, that they deserve the best in life. Tell them the good things about them, how smart, or kind, or creative they are. Remind them that you are there for them and they do not have to be afraid. Imagine (if you can) playing with the child and spending time with them.

If you pull The Sun, imagine that child in the image is you. You are innocent and joyful, you can be silly and playful, and you are protected.

Sacred_lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera — The lotus grows only in muddy water.

18. The Moon: Cognitive Distortions

The Moon is such an important celestial body for all of us here on Earth. The word moon comes from the word for ‘month’, which shows how important it is for us when it comes to measuring time. The Moon’s gravity causes tides, of which there are two high, and two low in 24 hours.

The Moon has been, and in many cultures continues to be used as a way of marking time. According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, today (12th August) is in fact the 22nd of June.

We only see one side of the Moon, because it is in synchronous rotation with Earth. Occasionally we can see about 18% of the far side, but we didn’t see the rest until 1959. This can make the Moon seem very mysterious. Before the far side of the Moon was photographed, I wonder what humans used to think it was like.

The Moon is also associated with many deities such as Artemis, Selene, and Hecate. In China, they have Chang’e, who flew to the Moon after drinking an immortality elixir. In Japan, Tsukuyomi angered the sun Goddess Amaterasu so much that she created day and night so that she would not have to be near him.

Let’s look at The Moon as a tarot card:

I love how strange it looks. The Star Spinner version depicts Chang’e who I mentioned above. There’s a quote in the Sasuraibito Little White Book for The Moon that I love:

You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather. – Pema Chodron

This card represents illusions and fears. It gives you a feeling that you’re not sure if what you’re seeing or experiencing is real. Think of the word ‘lunacy’ meaning madness, which comes from another name for the Moon: Luna.

According to A. E. Waite, who co-created the RWS deck, the wolf and the dog represent fears of the mind when there is only reflected light to guide you. Your animal self, fight, flight, or freeze. The crawfish represents universal fears.

This card has a lot to teach us if we are struggling with mental health, or if we are neurodivergent and struggle with masking a lot. I am reminded of the concept of Cognitive Distortions, which are thought patterns in which you interpret reality in a negative and damaging way. If you have ever done Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you will have heard of these:

All-or-nothing thinking– Also known as ‘splitting’ or ‘black-and-white thinking’. This is when you see a situation as all good, or all bad. There is no grey area or in-between. Often perfectionists struggle with this one. Recognise that everyone makes mistakes, no one is perfect, and that you can overcome difficulties without getting everything right. Accept what you cannot change, and know that you’ll get it right next time.

Overgeneralising– This is when one bad thing happens and you think ‘this always happens to me!’ This is a distortion which I think can be improved by gratitude journaling. If you log the good things that happen to you, you can read them back when you’re feeling like nothing good ever happens.

Filtering– This happens when you only remember the bad things out of something that happened. Dwelling on the negative will hurt you. It’s important to recognise when something bad has happened, as rejecting bad feelings will hurt you just as badly. But don’t let the bad outweigh the good.

Disqualifying the positive– This is when something good happens and you dismiss it as a one-off. Alternatively it can mean that someone said something nice to you and you think they don’t mean it. Remember that people say nice things because they care about you.

Jumping to conclusions– It can be frustrating when someone says what they think you mean before you even get to say anything right? So when you’re communicating with others, let them tell you what they mean, and don’t assume. This can also be associated with self-fulfilling prophecies. If you think you can’t achieve something, you probably won’t try as hard and you’ll end up being right. Try to keep an open mind.

Catastrophising– This is where you think the absolute worst case scenario will happen. I recommend letting your mind go down that path and make a quick plan for if the worst does happen. That way, you’ll see that no matter what happens, you can cope. And it probably won’t be that bad anyway.

Please remember that this is just one view, and that CBT does not work for everyone. If you find learning about Cognitive Distortions useful, then great. If not, then feel free to throw that idea out and find something else that resonates with you. My other recommendation when thinking about The Moon is the book The Gift of Fear. This is a book about using your intuition or gut instinct to empower yourself.

When you pull The Moon, take a moment to meditate or journal about fears and illusions, and ways that you can use your own intuition to see through them. The Moon doesn’t ask us to solve anything just yet, only to begin letting your mind work through things.

If you are struggling with your mental or neurological health, please contact your GP. I find tarot to be useful as a self-help tool, but it cannot replace therapy.