Of Water and Earth
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Tarot Tuesday
Wait—it’s Friday.
Some might say I’m behind the times. Some might say I’m ahead of my time. Not too long ago I wrote that I was In the Middle.
The truth is that I’m exactly where I need to be, doing the best I can with what I’ve got. And I think the world would be a better place if everyone accepted that as a mantra—and granted everyone else the same latitude.
This is a tough time of year for me. Next week marks the second anniversary of Joe’s transition, but truly my season of grief begins in August (when he was diagnosed), peaks in November, and blends back into life at the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, yet marking the turn toward days with more light.
For those of my readers who are new to this publication, you’ve probably surmised from context that I lost my husband two years ago. His illness came suddenly and he left in the same manner, almost three months to the day between cancer diagnosis and death. You’ll probably remember that November 2020 was still the height of the pandemic lockdown, and isolation and grief were rampant in this country and worldwide.
This newsletter was born of my journey to make sense of the seemingly senseless. And aren’t we all on that journey in one way or another?
We can always view ourselves as victims and blame the events and people that “happen to us” as reasons for being in an unwanted circumstance. Victimhood never sat well with me, though.
And the opposite attitude, “Things happen for a reason,” aside from being an overused platitude, is just another bow to blaming outside forces for an unhappy situation.
I think a better version of that statement is, “We came here for a reason. Things happen.” The things that happen may or may not hold a lesson for us, but the only way to find out is to keep going.
And that’s gist of this Spread for the Collective. From left to right, the cards indicate past, present, and future influences.
Five of Water. Five is a middle-of-the-road number. Things can go either way. Water represents emotions, family, relationships. This card suggests something has happened that’s not to your liking or didn’t go the way you wanted. Fortunately, it’s in the past position so it’s behind you. You may still be grieving the loss, and there’s no time limit for working through it. The next card, however, suggests that you might want to keep moving toward healing at the same time.
Knight of Earth. The Knight represents quick action or energy. Earth is the suit of the material world: careers, finances, home, security, and environment. In the middle (present) position, this card brings a fresh viewpoint and opportunity for change. The knight could be a guardian angel, hovering over you and holding your heart while you examine new options or path forward. The message here is that it’s safe to move on now.
Three of Water. Three’s company! This is a card of celebration: weddings, reunions, pregnancies, births, graduations. This card in the future position indicates that if you follow the guidance of the previous card, good fortune is ahead.
Truly, you could be at any one of these positions right now. Life is a cycle of concurrent rings. That doesn’t mean you have to keep repeating the same circumstances. Those rings can roll forward as you experience and learn on the path of life.
I’m reminded of a scene in The Godfather when young Michael Corleone is in hiding in Italy and meets his true love. He’s teaching the beautiful Apollonia to speak English and asks her the days of the week. “Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, Saturday,” she sings out with a heavy accent and a shrug, indicating that it doesn’t matter.
It’s true. The day of the week is unimportant. It’s what you do on that day that matters. And so Tarot Tuesday is today’s TGIF. Am I behind or ahead of time? Picture me shrugging like Apollonia. I’m where I am.
Would you like a more personalized reading? Perhaps you’d benefit from a clearing of old energy before the new year. I’ll be available, along with many readers, healers, and vendors at the Spiritual Fusions Psychic & Holistic Expo, tomorrow and Sunday, November 5–6. The WNC Agricultural Center is near the Asheville airport and easily accessible by car from anywhere in the Asheville area, Charlotte, Boone, Greenville, SC or Johnson City, TN.
