Fall is the perfect time to prepare for the coming winter. Taking stock of what we have in our stores and planning how we will use it to prepare for leaner times is a long-standing tradition of survival. Whether you have a physical harvest or an emotional one, it is time to consider what you will be sitting with, refining, and crafting for your life as the seasons turn.
For this pick-a-card reading, I asked the cards: What will help us prepare for the reflective nature of the winter months when they arrive? We are assessing how we should prepare our space to unload what we will be working with.
With that said, take a moment to center your breath before you allow yourself to be drawn to the section below that is meant for you. You can randomly choose section one, two, or three; or use a different method to select your message. Whatever feels right for you. As always, this is meant to be only a starting point, so don't forget to journal and reflect. It is through your efforts that this message is made into your own.
Card One: The Seven of Pentacles
This is one of the most literal answers the cards could have given to a question about the harvest and preparations for a later day! The Seven of Pentacles speaks to putting in the work now for long term benefits. It is planting seeds in the early winter, knowing you won't see the result for many months to come. It is investing in your future, and taking the sustainable route. You don't get quick results with this card, but you do get good ones.
Now is the time to prepare yourself for the long road ahead. Get your head right — prepare to motivate yourself on a path that does not reward quickly. Dig deep; find your reasons for walking that road, and stick with it. Do the boring work — figure out your routine, sort the small details, and redo past work that was ‘good enough’ then, but may be a problem later. Treat your ambitions and your life like a neglected garden — it needs some fences repaired and weeds dug up, then it’s just about consistent slow, steady effort. It will likely pay off in unexpected ways.
Card Two: The Page of Wands
This card speaks to a passionate energy at the beginning stages of great change. The Page of Wands may represent messengers, and the positive side of the inexperience of youth; it can be a fresh perspective and the willingness to try new things. This card often represents a new beginning of some kind, typically involving your creative side. It offers exploration and the opportunity to see and learn new things.
It is likely that you need to keep your mind open for unexpected new beginnings. The best preparation you can do is to finish clearing out the old so you are ready to run with the new when the time comes. When it feels like you are called to go a certain direction, prepare to move quickly but strategically. After you have cleared things away, start working on a plan even if you don't have all the details just yet. Be ready to learn and to gather new experiences! This preparation begins with nurturing the spirit of the inner student and explorer.
Card Three: The Two of Cups (reversed)
This card is about tending to your inner world and your relationships. It often appears reversed when there is a significant need for self-love, and a need to address underlying insecurities that could be making things more challenging for you. The Two of Cups often shows up in the form of disharmony in our close relationships (romantic, family, or friends), low feelings of self-worth, and chronic people pleasing to the point of dishonesty.
Get ready to put a lot of work towards nurturing and refining your sense of self worth, and prioritize learning a deep sense of security. You may notice some relationships shifting or ending, but if you prepare to focus on what you can gain through your relationship with yourself, new and stronger connections will follow, and existing connections often improve with time. Now is the moment to build security and confidence, fueled from within. Watch for when your mood is becoming easily influenced by the moods of others; that will be your biggest sign that your attention is needed on building yourself up.
Jae Melland is a tarot, rune, and palm reader. You can visit seidrwhispers.com to schedule a reading or see her at her shop, Luna Apothecary in Kennewick.
