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Okay, friends. We have a very interesting selection of cards this week that’s managing to be both mysterious and simple at the same time. First, the mystery: we have two sevens in a row. These cards are all about the frustrating and exciting point in a journey when we don’t know what to do next and where logic just won’t cut it; some magic, some leap of faith is required of us. And on the side of simplicity we have a reading that’s both linear - descending from our two sevens and back into the Six of Pentacles - and grounded in the everyday. We only have Minor Arcana cards here, no powerful and overwhelming Majors.
So what to make of all this? Looking at these cards from afar, I’m struck with a feeling of relief. If we’ve been wading through some murky waters, now is a time when things come into focus. It’s a time for doing, and that’s what our first card, the dynamic and occasionally angsty Seven of Wands, is urging us to start with this week. Let yourself tackle each task as it emerges, revel in taking care of business, and commend yourself for translating your energy into action, no matter how small or inconsequential it may seem.
Embracing how life can feel like a game of whack-a-mole can built up our confidence considerably. It may be a busy time, but we can handle it. After several weeks (and, arguably, a whole month) dominated by the ephemeral and emotional energy of the watery cups suit, the fiery wands feel quite refreshing. The wands also have a healthy amount of ego, and you may feel galvanized to set some boundaries, prioritize actions that build up your life, and step away from being diplomatic in a way that dilutes your message and needs. Ruffling a few feathers, stirring things up, and expressing the wiry, wilder emotions within you will help usher in clarity and dignity.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Seven of Wands, perhaps because it shows how magic - personal transformation, creativity, surprising growth - can be messy and undignified. Let yourself experiment this week, be fully human, and make plenty of mistakes. Letting off steam in this way (and after such an emotional time) is bringing back a card that’s been following us around all month. The Seven of Cups is back! This card is our opportunity for growth for April, and the fact that it’s showing up in the last week of the month is noteworthy. Take some time to reassess how far you’ve come in identifying and exoploring what lights you up. What have you filled your cups with in April? Take stock and take in all the splendor.
We end our reading with the Six of Pentacles. All this wandering through the wildnerness of our desires, imagination, and potential is settling into something more concrete and practical. It’s almost as if we needed a rebalancing in our lives and had to go on a journey to discover the magic we were missing. Thakfully, the realizations we’re coming to are both gentle and invigorating. Look to your relationships, community, and sense of moral responsibility to direct your next steps. Have you learned anything this month that can inspire you to give back the same liberating energy to others? The key here is that the whole thing is rooted in joy and authenticity; we’re not talking about a sense of external pressure or guilt-induced atonement. You may be in a position to help lead someone through a wildnerness similar to the one you just traversed. It’s a truly beautiful thing.
Potential surprise/reframe:
Since these are collective readings, I tend to focus on broader strokes and more existential themes. (And, let’s be real, that’s more my reading/thinking/being style as well.) However, there’s often times when I think, “there’s also a bunch of super practical or quotidian things coming through in the cards, where do I fit that in?” The answer I’ve arrived at is: right here!
So, beyond all this big-picture mystery, here are some things that would be especially supported by this week’s reading:
Movement, travel, physical challenges - look at the flexing happening in the Seven of Wands! Let yourself move and off-gas some of the emotions stirred up in our cups-heavy readings/month.
Symbolic art, poetry, doing weird shit - yes, I’m talking about the Seven of Cups. Paired with the Six of Pentacles, I get the feeling that we might find a very receptive audience for our stranger experiments. And also collabortors. Pitch artistic collaborations to the people around you, experiment with expressing a feeling rather than a thought, and just be weird in general.
This week, embrace:
Taking care of business
Asserting boundaries, then moving on
Simple and resonant clarity: what feels right to you
Identifying, celebrating, and continuing the sources of inspiration you’ve unearthed this month
Your weird self
Mentoring, giving back to your community, offering a helping hand to someone struggling with something you’ve recently overcome
This week, avoid:
Getting wrapped up in overly-complicated, existential questioning
Distracting influences
Mindlessly capitulating to others’ desires, ideas, or visions for your life
The desire to keep collecting more information when you already have enough