As we enter into a new month some things change and some remain the same. Even as the cycle of seasons continues one of my personal goals is to balance the needs of self with the needs of my family and my work.
With this goal in mind, I approached my tarot Spread for the month of March with the purpose to seek guidance on how to honor myself while also balancing all the different components of my life. To achieve this guidance, I flipped through my collection of tarot spreads and couldn’t find anything. I then went to Pinterest to see what tarot spreads they had for balance and I couldn’t find what I was looking for.
As a result, I decided to make my own, in this way I could achieve the guidance I was looking for. Each tarot spread that I utilized was created by someone and sometimes when I’m unable to find one that fits my needs, I create my own. In this way we are able to receive specific and relevant guidance, and you can do the same.
Creating Your Own Tarot Spread:
In order to create my tarot spread I sat down and considered what my end goal was. My focus was to gain guidance on how to honor myself (self-love) and how to balance that with family and work.
Upon contemplation I visualized within my mind the image of a tree. One of my Six Safety Tools is grounding. Just as the name suggests this tool helps us to remain grounded throughout our life.
Within my mind I saw the key components to myself as the root of a tree. By honoring who I am and the different elements of myself I display self-love. The trick then is to take those different elements of myself and bring them into my daily life, while still balancing an honoring my family and my work.
So, as I travel from the roots up into the tree, I placed two cards within the trunk. The first advice and the second the obstacle. If we knew how to naturally
honor each element within ourselves in life, it wouldn’t pose such a challenge.
I then completed my spread by placing three cards within the branches of the tree. A card for myself, a card for my friends and family, and a card for my work in the community that I am a part of.
Once I had visualized my desired spread, I sat down and wrote it down. When creating a spread, it is important that we take the time to write it down, not only so we can reuse the spread, but so that each card and its placement is the same as when we created it in our head. If we merely create the spread in our head but failed to retain the positions and the meaning we then can get confused as to what the cards are saying.
Preparation:
Once I had my spread created, I gathered all my supplies, sat down, and prepared for my reading. I had my notes, my new spread, my deck, and my notebook. Sitting I grounded and called in my spirit guides to help guide me in this reading.
My Question: Seeking guidance for our month of March, so we may honor ourselves while remaining balanced within our life.
Shadow: The Hermit
At times the Hermit can represent the internal journey that we each take. We see this in the manner in which the Hermit’s head is tilted down, as if his eyes are gazing inwards at who we are. Not only in an act of self-discovery but also as an act of self-care.
At other times the Hermit can represent the way shower. He spends his time helping the community by guiding others and we see this with the lantern that he shines. While he possesses this desire for his own self it is also paired with a desire to help others.
Since the Hermit is setting the tone for this reading, it demonstrates that not only are we seeking our own journey inwards, but we are also seeking to help those around us. This card also teaches us that that duality as well as balance is possible.
#1 Self (Internal)- The Page of Wands
Since pages represent children, this teaches us that we are not only the age we currently are, but we hold within us all we have ever been. That inner child plays a huge role in the condition of our life and well-being.
For this reason, the Page of Wands in this position teaches us that honoring every element of ourselves, the serious adult side, the curious adolescent, and the joyful child help us to weave a well-rounded life.
The Page of Wands is also a messenger, teaching us in this position, that we can not only prosper within ourselves in our internal world, but that we can carry that with us into our life and into the external world.
#2 Divine Feminine: Ace of Cups
We hold within ourselves both feminine Energy as well as masculine energy. Within the metaphysical community this is often called the divine masculine and feminine.
This energy is non-gender specific and is more a representation of different qualities and personality traits that fall into a feminine or masculine category. But since we hold both of these energies within ourselves, we can utilize the skills of both the feminine and the masculine.
Here the Ace of Cups indicates potential, as with all aces they represent this ball of energy that we have the opportunity to utilize. With the Ace of Cups it shows us that we have the potential this month to revel in our feminine side.
Since the feminine energy is often soft and creative, we find it well represented with the Empress in the Major Arcana. The Ace of Cups tells us that we have the opportunity to tap into that gentler side emotionally or creatively this month.
#3 Divine Masculine: The Three of Wands
This energy is organization, leadership, self-control and care-taking. To get a better sense of the divine masculine, just take a look at the Emperor within the Major Arcana.
With a society that supports this masculine energy, we see that it’s already woven within our life, as seen with the 3 of Wands. But the 3 of Wands also is teaching us that we could do more to access this energy.
An interesting thing about masculine energy, especially as it’s represented within the Emperor, is that as he sits on his throne within his right hand he holds the active male energy and within the left hand he holds the passive female energy.
This depiction of masculine and feminine energy teaches us that you can honor both elements within yourselves and that you have time to honor both. It is when you weave the two together, that you can build and maintain an empire whether that is work related, home, big or small.
#4 Advice: The Five of Wands
Our next card has us traveling up the trunk of the tree and addresses the advice that the universe can supply us. This way we receive guidance on how to bring these different elements of ourselves with us into our life.
The 5 of Wands depicts the different elements we have within ourselves and how we have many layers within ourselves.
Some days we are the child, other days we are the adult and protector. We are creative and analytical, maybe not at the same level but these qualities still exist within us. The truth is that there is plethora to who we are as people.
The 5 of Wands teaches us that as we go about the month of March, it is important that we honor those different elements within yourselves and let them manifest in the world.
Honor the days where you want to take on the role of leader and honor the days when you feel the need to be held and supported. These are all elements of who you are and by honoring each element you honor yourself and you also have more to offer those around you.
#5 Obstacle: The Ten of Swords
potential fear and discomfort that we might experience or wish to avoid. For this reason, we might not honor all of who we are.
There is the false message out there, that if we reject certain parts of ourselves we become lovable. That if we get rid of this one bad habit or if we push away the awkward or socially unacceptable parts of ourselves, that we can attain a wonderful life. Yet, Carl Jung discovered that those elements we reject become a part of our shadow self and can be harmful to the quality of our life.
So even while there is this message out there to reject and say no (the 10 of Swords is the “no” card of the deck), we still have the opportunity to express all of who we are in life.
This obstacle represented by the 10 of Swords shares not only our concerns about expressing ourselves, but also the false message about pain. As a result, we can sometimes think that we don’t have a right to enjoy our lives.
With our world turned onto its head, it can seem bad form to enjoy ourselves while others are in pain. But the truth is, there isn’t a limit on pain. You don’t remove some of the pain from others by being in pain yourself. You just create and allow more pain into this world.
The 10 of Swords is teaching us, that it is ok to celebrate yourself, honor yourself, and be merry despite what’s happening in the world and to others around you. (The number 10 is a completion number. So, end the cycle of despair).
Not only do you reap massive benefit by honoring yourself, but you also embody the elements of the Hermit. Now if you’ll remember, the Hermit (our shadow card) teaches us the duality and balance that is possible between honoring self and helping others as the way shower.
By living a healthy and happy life, you prove to others that it is possible. That another way of life is possible. Not only that, but you can become the guide for them. Sharing the tools and wisdom you have, and as they follow in your footsteps, their pain lessens, and so does the amount of pain in this world.
#6 Self (External): The Five of Cups
When we release these elements of despair (self-made & societal), we open our lives up to a new reality. You stop spending your time worrying and start living.
Another element to this card is the black cloak that our Fool wears. In the Ryder-Waite-Smith deck, black is used to symbolize the unknown. We see this black with are 10 of Swords as well as in our 5 of Cups.
This black or unknown that shrouds are Fool also is a reminder that as you go about living a happier life, you might appear strange or foreign to others who aren’t there yet.
Just as the pessimist is confused by the optimist and vice versa, when you choose to release ingrained habits of fear and pain by releasing the false wisdom that creates it, you will appear strange to those who still live their lives based on this vast wisdom.
Should you encounter people who just don’t get it, remember that it is where they are on their personal journey and no you didn’t grow a second head.
