Narrated by Lushika Preethrajh
This month, when I asked the cards what the theme of our pick-a-card reading should be, the message I received was burnout. With a lot of uncertainty going on in the world and many of us focused on how we can grow through challenges and find a path ahead, it is only natural that burnout has a heavy presence. Whether you’re a busy organizer or locked in survival mode, things are coming to a point where we have to pull ourselves out of a rut.
With this in mind, close your eyes and take a few centering breaths. Allow yourself to be guided to the message that is meant for you. You can be drawn to a specific section, image, or number. As always, be sure to journal and take notes on your journey this month to see all the ways you can take this message and make it yours.
Card One
The Page of Swords is the messenger for this first section. This Page is youthful, idealistic, and hungry for knowledge. As a member of the Sword Court, this card leans toward working with our minds and dealing with challenges. This card is analytical, witty, and loves to dive into new interests (even for those of us who aren’t always the best at following through with them).
If you were drawn to this card, you are being asked to keep charging ahead with your plans for the future. Study, learn, plan, and organize for what you want. While you may have learned to temper your impulsive ideas, lean into the more accessible ones. Shake things up! Try not to place expectations on sticking with everything you start; right now the point is to move in a way that fuels you. When you do need rest, find rest in things you enjoy instead of completely checking out. Keep it interesting and innovative. Falling in love with a new idea might be just what you need.
Card Two
The Nine of Cups is a card of satisfaction and accomplishment. However, it is in the reversed position for this reading, indicating that its contentment turns sour. The reversed Nine of Cups represents feelings of resentment for what you have, and even dissatisfaction with your achievements. It is associated with people who never feel they have done enough, and those who are too focused on material possessions. This is not to say that someone who gets this card is materialistic, but they may be overly invested in seeing their efforts manifest in a particular way, rather than working to achieve inner happiness.
If you were drawn to this section, you are being warned against measuring yourself based on your possessions or accomplishments. You can always find some way that you didn’t do enough. To heal yourself, you need to sit with yourself and work on discovering other ways to mark your achievements. Detach from the material side of our world and lean into the experiences you can have. Reflect on who you are trying to prove yourself to. Who is the big critic? And why isn’t your work good enough for them? Maybe the critic is you. Let go of the need to have your efforts validated, and trust that you are enough.
Card Three
Those who were drawn to this third section have the Six of Cups reversed as their messenger this month. This card usually represents nostalgia, history, old connections, and memories. But when it is reversed, it means the past has too tight a hold on the present. You are at risk of being so focused on the past that you miss the lessons and moments happening right in front of you. This is a card of learning; stop looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses, and remind yourself that the moments you wish you could ‘just go back’ to are not what they seem.
As a tool to heal yourself through burnout, this card challenges you to be honest with yourself about the past. You have learned many lessons in your past, but you haven’t moved on from some of them. Now is a good time to reflect on the lessons you’ve had to learn, and process the grief that you’ve been avoiding. The only way out of burnout is to face its cause, not to yearn for a time when it wasn’t there. Take care of your present and learn from your past. Start small and rest as needed (without letting yourself become stagnant). If you like meditations or rituals, you may want to put some focus on releasing the past through those methods. Do what feels cleansing, and journal as you go through this phase of letting go.
Jae Melland is a tarot, palm, and rune reader serving the Tri-Cities. You can schedule a reading with Jae by visiting seidrwhispers.com or by going to her walk-in readings at Luna Apothecary in Pasco. Instagram: @seidr_whispers
