You’re reading the free version of Incandescent Tarot. If you’d like to support this work and receive a plethora of extra posts, episodes, and videos about tarot, do subscribe below. A friendly reminder that, if you like to keep your inbox clean like me, you can control your email & notification settings on your substack profile. And finally, in response to reader requests, you can now leave individual donations to support this space here.
Hello tarot friends,
I’ve decided to do an abridged version of the forecast for this week. Life is crazy, the holidays are chaotic, and it also just happens to be my birthday today. So, in honor of simplicity, I drew a single card to guide us through this week. I have to admit, I let out a hearty chuckle when I turned it over; it’s none other than the quintessential “just chill out” card in tarot - the Four of Swords.
So what is this card urging us to do this week? Take a nap in a peaceful mausoleum? Meditate in the Medieval wing of your local museum? Gift yourself the fancy reproduction (or four) of Aragorn’s sword from Lord of the Rings? Well, you could do all of this, but the meaning of the card is far simpler. We’re being invited to lay down our concerns, worries, and even exciting ideas to make room for rest, restoration, and more subtle sources of information.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hauling quite a few swords around recently: anxieties about the holidays, a series of unrealistic plans, classic insecurities. The weird thing about swords is that they’re ephemeral. As the cards representing the element of air, they’re tricky and hard to pin down. So, as much as you may want to discard them, they’re tough to shake.
This week is a powerful time, however, to do just that, and any steps we take in this direction will be surprisingly effective. Take long walks, ditch the big discussions in favor of freewheeling explorations of random topics… or even small talk, sleep in late, daydream in the bath, gift yourself quick five-minute meditation sessions before bed.
It may feel challenging at first, letting go of these thoughts that seem so pressing. But the strength of this card lies in distance. We can't fully see or understand what we’re dealing with when we’re holding it so close to the chest.
This is also a moment about balance. Rest and retreat are providing us the opportunity to do just that. Remember that thinking isn’t the solution this week. Rather, giving space for ourselves to reconnect with our body and spirit is opening the door to something quite interesting, and it’s not the usual solution, epiphany, or fix we’re usually chasing. Pay attention to your dreams, intriguing feelings, and messages from others. Things will become more clear in time, but for now just lie down and place your swords on the wall. If they’re really important, they’ll be waiting for you next week.