For 2022, the Vernal (Spring) Equinox will take place on Sunday March 20th at 10:33am CST. To read more about the Equinox and visit our blog post here!
A Tarot Spread for Balance
Have you ever tried to stand on one foot for a long period of time? Have you ever tried to hold Tree Pose nice and steady while everything else around you is chaotic? Have you ever walked a balance beam successfully? We often hear ideas of work/life balance, balancing a bank account, balancing the chakras, balancing a schedule….etc.
The truth is, balance is an ongoing, daily, moment to moment activity. It is not something that is “achieved” one day and then you’re done. Anyone who has tried the activities stated above knows that “Balance” take a certain amount of self-control, self-awareness, and clear mental focus.
What is the purpose of Balance anyway? Peace.
Simple as that, right? If only…
When we experience the power of balance, we know peace within our body, mind, and spirit. Regardless of what the circumstances around us, we are able to move through the world in a way that is responsive, rather than reactive. This is easier said than done.
Please understand that the reading below is not for the purpose of foretelling your future. Rather, these are guidelines and tools that are meant to assist in your journey of balance. Each part of the message will describe the contents of the card and the advice it gives. I have also included stones that will assist you in working with these cards.
I have chosen the Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris-Anne for the reading. There is a bold liveliness to this deck, in the movement of the drawings and especially the colors. Everything is vivid and alive (even the Death/Rebirth card), just like Spring. The author does a wonderful job with the use of symbolism and the cards speak clearly.
The Guardians of the Spread
A few weeks ago I pulled a few cards that I was drawn to. Using my pendulum, I chose three cards:
They are the Guardians of the message that I bring to you today. That means they are the energies that inspire the reading and the overall theme of it. Below is a brief description of the Energy that each card is bringing:
Death
This is a metaphorical death. It is cutting the cord, releasing, and letting go of what no longer serves so that new life and energy may have its place. Think of the season of Winter, which we are now leaving. The plants go dormant, animals hibernate, and the weather turns colder and the nights are longer. It is a period of rest.
The Empress
Life, Pleasure, Receiving. She is Persephone returned to earth. The Empress is all the enjoyments and comfort that life has to offer. The act of savoring and embracing each moment. Bliss and full of love. This is Spring, trees sprout new green leaves, baby animals are everywhere and we enjoy the warmth of the Sun as the days get longer.
How opposite these Guardians seem to be... like two sides of a coin. But then, there in the middle is the 2 of Pentacles. Often the interpretation of this card involves words like “juggling” and “multitasking”, which is true enough. The young girl in this card seems to be dancing with her pentacles as she adapts to their movements in the wind.
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2 of PentaclesMy favorite depiction of the 2 of Pentacles is from the Everyday Witch Tarot by Deborah Blake and Elisabeth Alba. I love this image. The young witch standing in the center of a see-saw contraption, holding her balance, and making infinite magic with her two pentacles. Off to the side, her cute and mischievous familiar is in mid-jump on to the contraption, which is sure to throw her off balance. Do you think the Witch will be caught off guard? How will she respond? Will she be able to maintain her balance? Will she be able to maintain her focus and adapt? That is truly the question, isn’t it? |
These Guardians three bare a message that will assist on this first day of Spring and through the following year.
The Spread & Message
7 of Wands
A woman is sitting in a position of shielded self-power. Her hands are palm to palm at her heart, a bright light is shining from her solar plexus. Her head is turned to the side and her eyes are softly closed. On her right arm is the rune, “Algiz”, a symbol of protection. She is surrounded by a beautiful shield in the form of a bubble. Her bubble is not made of steel and it will not hold forever, but she will take the time that she has to protect her energy, ideas, and self. The world around her may be chaotic and challenging, but she finds peace, balance, and worth in this sacred realm that she has created. She has faith in her higher self and her guardians. She is not out to prove anything to anyone. She is out to live life in beautiful, creative, alignment that is entirely her own.
Advice:
Take a little time each day for meditation and introspection, so that you are equipped with self-awareness. Knowing yourself is half the battle. Practice taking long intentional breaths and dropping into your heart space to explore your emotions and your sacral space (gut) to touch base with your inner truth.
As you go out into the world, remember to create a protective shield around yourself. Inevitably, you will face challenging circumstances, toxic people, negative thought patterns etc. You may call on your higher self, ancestors, deities, spirit animals, elements, plants, or guardian angels to assist in forming your shield of protection. Your shielded space will assist with maintaining your own energy, responding rather than reacting, and tapping into your intuition.
Stones: Aquamarine, Hematite, Labradorite, Fluorite
Page of Cups
This card has so much imagination and magical energy! We see a young person with multicolored hair, who is in a seated position on a perch above the ocean. They are beaming, radiating with creative energy and possibility as they are looking upwards, watching their spirit fly high above them, one foot tilted in a flirty and twitterpated manner. A curious and day dreamy look on their face. This person is so quirky and fun. They are not afraid to be themself. As their spirited imagination ascends, a little piglet with wings and a bowl accompanies them. Anything is possible! Everything is Possible! On the side of this person, are two hands that form a heart. Dreams, Excitement, and Playfulness. There is no land in sight. These happy, magical moments seem to go on to infinity and beyond.
Advice:
Dream the impossible dreams! A healthy dose of believing “6 impossible things before breakfast” is important for the soul (“Six impossible things..” is in reference to Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll). Be silly, fall in love with life, talk to plants and animals, dance like everyone's watching, but you love it! Have fun! Find your happy thoughts. Find the joy in the small things and the big things. It is in those joyful things that you will take flight. Let go of the restraints of the adult mind and allow yourself to be a kid again. Don’t be so serious with yourself that you forget how to laugh.
Stones: Crazy Lace Agate, Ocean/Sea Jasper, Dalmatian Jasper
King of Wands
A beautiful, strong man is wearing a red t-shirt that is sporting a lizard. He wears a necklace with a triangle pendant, a symbol of divine masculinity. There is some gray hair on his head and chin which denotes experience and wisdom. He holds in his hand a green staff with magical carvings. On top of his wand, is a crown of flames magically balanced. Behind him, is a lion, an animal that is majestic, wild, calculating, and dominant. In front of this King, is a spiral which suggests evolution, expansion of the mind and universe, and even time itself. This is a king who knows his own mind. He has ideas and he sees them manifest into reality. He’s not afraid of taking chances or speaking his truth. He lives out loud, unapologetically. He is not one to do something because it’s the way it’s always been done. He likes weird, new, outside the box, anything that defies convention. When it comes to decision making, planning, and taking care of his kingdom, he draws on personal experience and outside counsel, but in the end makes up his own mind. He is the calculated risk taker.
Advice:
Taking care of your own kingdom takes a practiced finesse. Be willing to venture forth into new ideas. Be open to the possibility of both success and failure. If you fail, you get up and try again, differently, using your experience as a scaffold or foundation for the next step.
You do not have to hold fast to traditions if they no longer serve you. It’s okay to break the cycles that have been perpetuated over generations. As you move through life, make your own music, forge your own path, be authentic. There is no shame in seeking counsel, whether through psychology or prayer, friends or family etc., the more ideas there are, the broader the perspective. The important thing is that regardless of what everyone tells you, YOU make your own decisions that are aligned with your own knowing.
Stones: Red Tiger Eye, Carnelian, Orange Calcite, Super Seven
The Fool
This is a trust fall. We see the image of a young woman in a yellow dress. In one hand she holds the wand, a symbol of fire and creativity. In the other hand she holds a purple crystal, a sacred gift from deep inside the earth. She is in the motion of falling backwards. Beneath her, is a sacred pool of water and the magical Flower of Life symbol on its surface. As she falls, the wind plays with her hair, signifying her mental willingness to make this choice. The realm of the Spirit is present as it moves in yellow swirls from the Flower of Life and Sky, indicating that she is not alone, and the Universe has her back. Her eyes are closed in peaceful surrender. She doesn’t know what will happen after the fall, but she knows that she MUST do this. It is her calling that has been tugging at her heart for ages. The signs have all pointed to this moment. She doesn’t look behind her, she doesn’t second guess. There is no turning back. She is in the moment, alive, and willing.
Advice:
Look for the signs. The synchronicities in your daily life, colors, animals, numbers, lyrics, the words in a crowd that taste like adventure… the signs are everywhere. Still yourself and listen, feel and observe. When the time of surrender comes, Trust that the Universe has your back.
Trust yourself. This is faith in action. As you journey onward, take time to write your adventures down a little bit each day, so that you can look back and see how far you have come.
Stones: Moss Agate, Celestite, Sunstone, Moldavite
Final Thoughts
Life will throw many curve balls that may seem to upset your balance that you are trying to achieve (like in the 2 of Pentacles). The idea is to find the sweet spot where both can exist. That’s where you will experience peace. The way we respond to life’s challenges are infinite. The point of it is that there doesn’t have to be just one way to personal peace.
Notice that the 7 of Wands and Page of Cups are in the North and South Position. The King of Wands and The Fool are West and East. As above, so below. Each card’s counterpart is a highly different energy. Just like Death and The Empress.
Be creative in your methods, keep exploring. Find a few that work for you, and practice them in equal measure.
May your Spring season be filled with strength, joy, confidence, and trust. Many blessings to you and yours.
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Kali is a spiritual crafter, artist, and teacher. She has 12 years of experience of teaching students from elementary, middle school, high school, and adults. Her passions in life revolve around crafting with her hands (such as knitting, crochet, herb gardening, jewelry, and baking) and being of service to those on their own spiritual journey. >>> Join Kali for her Attuning the Pentacle Series on March 31st, near the new moon! |