Hello lovely readers!
I’m writing this on Halloween/Samhain itself. My favorite holiday of the year, it’s both an outlandish occasion for costumes and candy-centered revelry and a deeply spiritual moment - the witches’ new year - marking a time when the world of the living and the world of the spirits are at their closest.
The light here is amber-gold. I’m typing on my porch enjoying an unseasonably warm day. Pine needles are raining down onto the deck and blue jays hop from branch to branch, screeching at each other. My life this month has cleaved eerily to the central dynamic of our reading for October: the Queen of Swords vs. King of Wands. I’ve wanted to be bold, packing my days with seasonal activities (and all the other kinds of activities) like the King of Wands, but after listening to my own wise counsel a la the Queen of Swords, I’ve realized that what I need this year has been very different. I canceled my annual Halloween party, pared down my social calendar, took it as easy as I could.
When I recorded the monthly forecast, I wasn’t quite sure how the dynamic between these two court cards would play out. (And I’m sure it’s played out differently for all of us; I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below, so please share!) For me, it ended up starting out as a tense exchange - I want this! But I want that! - and eventually mellowed into a begrudging mutual appreciation of sorts: I appreciated my zest for action and the power of my will and my inner knowing and discernment that helped me spend my energy wisely and make room for surprise, insight, and growth.
What I landed on was that, instead of going full-steam ahead like I tend to do when solely acting from the place of the King of Wands, I could let this King work their spontaneous magic in very specific moments of time, and that these moments were only available when I made room for them. That meant not packing my calendar, saying no, and then seeing how I felt in the moment.
This resulted in some truly beautiful moments: carving pumpkins with my son in a weird patch of time on Saturday morning; taking a spontaneous roadtrip with my friend; walking into a cloud of ladybugs on a surprise visit to another friend’s porch (truly magical!).
Throughout it all, the healing presence of The Star acted as a guiding light. What would bring me ease, a sense of peace, un-rushed freedom? It wasn’t always easy, of course, but I do feel like I have a deepened understanding of this card and a court card dream team now ready to fight for beauty and rest moving forward.
Lest we forget the Eight of Cups was our challenge card and oof was this one obvious. I know I say this constantly, but I love when tarot gives us a marker for self-sabotaging or disruptive behavior. With the Eight of Cups in my mind, it was easy to see where I tended to self-isolate or seek emotional balms in not-so-healthy places in the face of stress. Just being able to pull up that image - oops! I’m doing the Eight of Cups again! - was so incredibly helpful, and I’m happy to have a more “negative” interpretation of that card to fill out my mental rolodex of possible meanings.
Well, it’s look like it’s time for me to wrap up this review and start on my Halloween/Samhain festivities. For those of you interested, I’m sharing some suggestions below. It’s such a beautiful day to mark transitions, honor those who have come before, and open up to their magic.
Don’t forget to scroll all the way down for the reflection prompts for October’s reading as well as a sneak peek at the cards for *gasp* November!
ways I’ll be celebrating Halloween/Samhain today…
Creating an altar. This is one of my favorite things to do! I clear the backpacks and junk mail off the kitchen peninsula and fill it with photographs of ancestors and beloved dead. This is a sacred affair, but it doesn’t have to be intimidatingly complex or fancy! I’ll be foraging in the yard for beautiful fall leaves to scatter around the photos, throwing in some mini pumpkins from the porch, and lighting candles.
Spending time remembering. Hang out with your altar, have a conversation, journal! Do whatever feels good, maybe even a combination of the above.
Making offerings. I’ll put these by my altar, but I’ve also been known to place them on a windowsill or set an extra place at the table. I’ll be making white rice with butter and soy sauce for my grandfather, a dainty glass of scotch and some chocolate for other ancestors.
Asking questions of your dreams. If you have any pressing questions or need advice, pose them to your trusted ancestors before going to bed, then pay special attention to whatever emerges in your dreams, no matter how banal. Some of my most profound dream experiences came from dreams that, at first glance, seemed incredibly boring and blah.
a tarot spread for connecting with your ancestors
I made this one years ago and will be doing it tonight! Let me know if you try it out and how it went, if you feel so inspired :)
a lovely song/music video about ancestral connection
Reflection Prompts for October’s Reading
Queen of Swords
What areas, questions, or conflicts in your life were you able to see with more clarity this month?
Where did you feel a sense of peace when it comes to your past?
What new ways of thinking, sources of knowledge, and ways of communication felt enlivening and effective?
King of Wands
Where did you notice restlessness, ambition, and social hunger showing up this month?
How did your desire for adventure interact (conflict, inspire, collaborate) with your intellectual, calm Queen of Swords self?
In what ways did you slow down? Speed up? How did each feel?
Eight of Cups
When did you notice yourself trying to move away from the support available to you? What motivated this? What did it feel like?
What escapes were you drawn to?
How did you redirect towards your life?
The Star
What did you learn about your healing practices, self-care, and personal growth?
What practices rejuvenated you?
How did you maintain connection with the outside world while prioritizing your healing? How can you commit to doing the same moving forward?
and last but not least…
November’s Cards:
