Tarot time: Collective reading
After a short break, I am back with a new reading! Given everything that is going on, it only feels right to do a collective reading focusing on the steps ahead of us rather than the usual pick-a-card style. With that said, if there is a particular card mentioned here that resonates with you on a personal level, that information is still very useful to keep track of and meditate on. The focus and question for this reading is: ‘How do we keep marching on?’
The cards that came forward for this reading are the Page of Swords and Three of Pentacles in the reversed position, followed by the Queen of Cups.
Our Page energy is that of youthful inexperience and all that comes with it. In its positive form, it would be ambition, drive, optimism, and a fresh perspective. When I see it in the reversed position, it often reads as being intimidated by a lack of direction and knowledge, acting impulsively out of fear, and having scattered energy with no planning. This is very indicative of our current state; many of us have plenty of fear and a deep need to do something but are lacking a sense of direction.
The Page of Swords is from the suit of analysis, knowledge, decisions, challenges, and boundaries. To get this energy in the right alignment, it is recommended to study how organizing has been done in the past, look to experts who have done this work before (and are doing it now), and heed strategy over panic. Education and communication will be extremely valuable.
The Three of Pentacles adds a bit more detail for us as to how we keep marching ahead. When it is upright, it represents a positive teamwork flow and a sense of community when it comes to getting real tangible work done. In the reversed position as it is now, it represents a lack of those exact things. Many of us are too focused on healing alone, planning alone, and staying in our comfort zones. I would not be surprised if this also represents groups falling apart or having an increase in conflict, which is not unusual, given the influence of the Page of Swords energy. People are messy when they are scared and angry.
Use this as a challenge to step outside your comfort zone with others. Lean into collaboration and teamwork, be more patient than you usually would be, and recognize when someone else may be better equipped than you are to contribute. This state of workflow is about embodying both the teacher and the student at the same time. Nobody is above anyone else, and we can all work together at what we do best. Some are best at making the right noise and gathering the right attention, some are best at healing and supplying comforts to those who are tired and in need of care, and others are meant to quietly assist as needed. Everyone has a role.
Our final card, the Queen of Cups, is a beautiful message. She is healing, compassion, understanding, and peace, in even the roughest seas. This card asks us to sharpen our intuition and defend the most emotionally soft aspects of ourselves. Hard times often force people to harden their hearts, and this card asks us to resist that urge. Protect your heart, but do not sacrifice your humanity. It is healing, love, understanding, and care that will help us move forward. When combined with the other cards, the Queen of Cups speaks even more to a message that has shown up in many of my readings over the last couple of years: Community!
Humanity is, and will always be, a group project; and unfortunately, we often fail each other. The chaos and struggle we are going through is the direct result of society failing and ignoring marginalized voices for generations. We do not need to continue that cycle. Humanity has come through for each other many times. We are capable of this; do not lose hope.
If you have been appalled and shocked by a sudden uptick in what used to be — and should still be — socially unacceptable and dangerous behaviors, from Nazi salutes to the emboldening of hate groups, I hope you can find comfort in the term ‘extinction burst’. An extinction burst is an initial increase in the frequency, intensity, or duration of a behavior when it no longer produces the desired outcome. These behaviors reek of desperation. Do not make the mistake of forgetting that your freedom is feared for a reason.
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.
Illustrations by Liam Bray