For the past year, my focus has been on studying sorcery and successfully eliminating negativity from my life. However, recent events have left me feeling confused and overwhelmed. In the last days, I've resorted to excessive eating and extended periods of sleep to cope with these emotions. Despite my involvement in volunteer work, I find myself mourning the suffering and loss within my community, confused about what actions we should take as a community to save those in peril and to protect ourselves. My energy is depleted, leaving me questioning how I can effectively serve my community and discover activities that will help us all and keep me grounded.
In this reading, I address these five questions:
1. What ideas or energies from the past year should I release or let go of during Samhain so I can figure out what I need to do now?
2. How can I harness the energies of Samhain to renew my energy find a more active role in my community?
3. What role can I play in supporting my community during the coming year?
4. What strengths or resources do I possess that I can channel for the greater good?
5. What message or guidance does Samhain have for me regarding my community's future and my own?
The Star card, a symbol of justified hope, depicts a naked woman, one foot in water and the other knee on land, ritually pouring two bowls of water—one onto the earth and one into a body of water. She's looking into the water instead of walking the earth. This image resonates with the magic I've been studying through much of the past year. Rather than focusing just on my situation, I must look around me take practical action to support my community.
2. Renewing energy: the Knight of Pentacles
This is the good guy card, the salt of the earth, who considers consequences and who is dependable and hardworking, not lazy as I have been the last few days. The card shows a elaborately armored knight astride a work horse. Before him is plowed but unplanted soil. He treats each ordinary task as a holy quest. A symbol of hard work and honor, this card suggests focusing on important issues and approaching related tasks as sacred.
3. Supporting the community: Seven of Cups
This card warns against getting lost in daydreams without taking concrete actions. The card shows a young woman day dreaming, her curly hair floating above her head like clouds of ideas where seven cups overflow with fantasy images. One of the cups is decorated with phases of the moon and a snake is periscoping out of it-- this represents the magic I've been learning during the past year. While I may have immersed myself in magical studies and have changed my life, I must bridge the gap between between self and community. This card encourages me to use creative visualization to identify and seize opportunities to support my community.
4. Channeling strength: King of Wands
This card shows a fiery man in a desert, dressed in orange and yellow, lifting his staff with one hand and beckoning with his other hand. He is standing and ready to take action, encouraging people to join him. A reptile is alert near his right foot, but the king's staff is above it and he could kill it in one blow if he chose to. A lion decorates the king's armor, suggesting he can fight and win. This card represents a powerful leader ready for action. Just as he stands prepared to motivate and empower others, this card prompts me to direct my energy and take tangible steps to help and empower my community.
5. Samhain guidance: Ace of Cups
All you need is love and then your cup will overflow with blessings. The card shows the sun rising behind a chalice overflowing with clear water. Purple mountains rise beyond a lake in which water lilies, symbols of enlightenment, grow. Water pours from the cup into the lake, reminiscent of the water flowing from one of the bowls in The Star card. Mermaids decorate the cup, suggesting a connection to the primal waters of creation. This card reminds me that love and compassion are the keys to abundant blessings. The Ace of Cups encourages me to open my heart and nurture relationships within my community.
In summary, this tarot reading offers a positive outlook for my community and tells me what I can do as our leaders make the significant decisions. It tells me to recognize my emotions, kindle my energy, and take practical actions to support those I can. The presence of mountains in the top three cards signifies attainable goals, while the absence of swords suggests a focus on caring for the emotional well-being of my friends and helping all of us take concrete steps forward. Samhain serves as an opportunity for growth even as we heal our wounds.
