And The Lion Mothers Roared
Tarot is the kind of heroic, self-directed therapy we need in this mad world.
Through tarot readings, I get to (force myself to) stop complaining, buck the fuck up, and go do the hard things that are necessary, and neglected.
The Lion’s Gate Portal was in its annual peal on August 8, and I had woken up with a great sense of joy and gratitude, a sense that I could smell the changes coming for me and my business in the wind.
Now, I read my horoscope every single day. On August 8, when I sat down with a fresh cup of coffee and looked at my horoscope from Astrology Zone, it read:
Your entire value system is up for analysis. Pluto insists on a deeper look at your principles and how you do or don’t live by them.
If you’ve been here for a bit, it’s no secret that running a business is not easy. There are so many things to do and consider, and it’s easy to get lost in the hustle, fail to make progress, and then wonder what the fuck happened way too late to do anything about it. Thankfully, I know this, and I’m already working with a business coach. But August 7 was a tough day full of doubts and fears. I’d disconnected from my laptop early because I just couldn’t hustle any more.
The negativity I carried August 7 seemed to have evaporated by the time I awoke on the 8, but I still had questions, still needed to work through what was really going on inside the ole noodler. So, in celebration of Leo’s energy, and in consideration of the day’s horoscope, I found (and modified) a tarot spread suited for the Lion’s Gate reading.
I started with five questions and ended up with 7* cards.
1. What principle is being called into question?
Queen of Stones
What was being called into question was me, the Queen of Stones, a proud, earthbound inhabitant. Immediately, I knew this was a personal reading, and from a therapeutic standpoint, I had some inner demons.
The Queen of Stones is an earth card and speaks to the physical realm. I am proud of what my body can do. Everything from bagel-making to snuggling my kiddo to writing, my body has helped me accomplish amazing things. However, I’ve been struggling too. Business start-up woes and needing to learn all the things — fast — had me frustrated and disappointed. Marketing is very different from book development, and my stubborn independence was being poked. hard.
2. In what way is the Queen of Stones being questioned?
10 of Cups and The Hermit
Going all-in on myself is something I’ll never regret regardless of outcomes, but that doesn’t mean its not hard. I need to rethink how I approach self-sufficiency. As I’ve told others, but forget to implement for myself, going solo doesn’t mean going it alone. The 10 of Cups jumped first and asked me to reflect on my definition of success and whether being a Hermit, which fell from the deck just behind the 10 of Cups, is the right path. Spoiler alert: It ain’t.
Thing is, I thought I’d built a network, a support system. But I also have a tendency to sink into myself when the goings get tough, to recede from social activities and put my nose to the grindstone instead. Something was missing, and I needed to align with my principles to find that dastardly missing piece.
3. What will help me align with my principles?
3 of Stones
I asked my deck what would help me with such alignment, and the 3 of Stones presented itself; work. Work will help me align. While I already make sure I’m using recycled paper and other earth-friendly office stuff, I was missing alignment in my actual day-to-day work. The 3 of Stones was urging me to do work differently.
4. In what way will the 3 of Stones help me align with my principles?
5 of Wands and 6 of Swords
When I asked in what way work would help me align, the 5 of Wands jumped out, conflict. Conflict in one’s actions, specifically. The card threw me for a loop at first, so I asked for a clarification card and received the 6 of Swords.
Initially when starting out on my own, I was determined to find all my own clients through organic marketing efforts, primarily using LinkedIn as the social media vehicle of choice. The 5 of Wands and 6 of Swords combined asked me to rethink this model and take different actions.
Interestingly, that day when I awoke with the scent of change, I’d sent hopeful connection messages to roughly two dozen hand-selected independent and hybrid publishers. And I’d put not one but two flash-fiction stories out on submission. Intuitively, I knew a big change was needed well before the reading, and I’d already started making those changes.
5. What is the best path forward to achieve alignment?
Queen of Cups
The best path forward is the one on which I tap into my inner Queen of Cups, my emotional center. I need to teach what I’ve learned and build emotional connections with folks I can help and who can help me. I believe we all get better when we help each other, and the Queen of Cups spotlighted this for me.
So I started thinking about what that could mean. Sure I’d already take different actions as far as calling work to me, but I was still out of alignment in other principles areas of my life. And I’m a firm believer that we’re not really supporting ourselves unless we’re supporting our whole selves.
I use tarot readings as a divinatory therapy tool when paired with goals and habits, and using tarot in this way is something I can teach others to do. My new Substack section, In the Cards, which you’re reading now (thanks!), was born from the Lion’s Gate reading.
But Cups are also tied to water, one half of the divine feminine (the other half is earth), so I’m also thinking more about how I can help others feel comfortable and safe starting their own backyard gardens and re-wilding their yard spaces for planetary health. So I’ve also pulled together “Imperfect Terrain,” another section I will be developing over time with gardening and re-wilding tips and other health-focused lifestyle practices.
The Lion’s Gate Portal reading urged me to shift from the Queen of Stones to the Queen of Cups while remaining true to myself and steadfast in my purpose.
Do you use tarot to sort out your shit? And do you have a favorite deck?
<3 Fal
Want To Know What Tarot Can Do For You?
If you’re interested in a tarot reading to work through your mindset, I’d love to chat with you. I’m going to ask you to dig deep and share bravely to get to the root of the issue, and an open mind is required. But if this sounds like you, let’s get you sorted.
We’ll meet for about 45 minutes so I can get to know you a bit first. Then we’ll figure out the right questions to ask and talk through what the cards have to say.
Schedule your tarot reading for mindset here:
https://calendly.com/fallonclark/tarot-reading-for-mindset-maintenance
Footnote
*Some people like the act of flipping over the cards, pulling them, for a reading. I find waiting for a jumper, a card that falls from the deck on its own, to be more meaningful, as the cards are choosing themselves for me. Sometimes, two cards will jump at once, and there’s usually a reason for this.