In the spirit of creativity and change, I’ll try something new in this post. Not something so new as making a video! No thank you. But let’s keep this writing fresh.

The day after the Eclipse (which happens at 29° Virgo) is the Fall Equinox. As we have this change of seasons (and as the Sun moves into Libra), we’ll also have Mars moving out of Libra and into Scorpio. Also, Venus has just moved into Virgo. So in light of all these shifts and this busy time, I decided to do a tarot spread with one question per shift. (Sorry Mercury, I know you just moved recently too, but we’re keeping it simple, with 3 questions today.)

These questions are intended to apply to this upcoming season and also to these mini planetary seasons. If you plan to do any rituals around this time or any goal-setting, perhaps these can inspire you in that also.

First question (for Sun in Libra): How can we find balance at this time?

Two cards popped out:

The Hermit always reminds me of Saturn. It’s a card of maturity and solitude, just like Saturn. The old books describe Saturn visually as old and lame, and our Hermit here has a walking stick. His lantern reminds me of my previous post about the Light at the End of the Tunnel.

But feeling into the Hermit in this reading, along with the Ace of Pentacles (a really nice card, speaking to new opportunities), I felt that we can find balance at this time by learning to find the opportunity in pain and suffering, whether we feel that now or whether it’s something we’ve been carrying since childhood. 

You know, often we can carry pain and shame like a badge. Our whole identity can be that of The Outsider, the Troubled One, the Outcast, the Rebel, the Downtrodden. It’s our music, our clothes, our speech, our friend group, our everything. And there’s nothing wrong with that. We have been the outsider, we have been troubled, we have been downtrodden or cast out. All of these resonate and speak to our experience. And yet… they can, in some cases, hold us back from experiencing joy.

When we’re having to be negative to fit in, when we feel like we’ll be judged for being joyful or sharing what we care about, then we are not in the right group, not with the right people. And we are not confidently being ourselves.

Just know that in your pain and suffering there is opportunity. Often it goes away when you’ve outgrown it.

Second question (Mars in Scorpio): How can we be more active at this time or find more inspired movement?

We got the Fool:

How about trying something new—a new activity, sport, hobby, practice? Anything that gets your body moving. Don’t be afraid to be a beginner or to look a little silly. You’ll be thankful.

Third/final question (Venus in Virgo): How can we find healthy enjoyment at this time?

Three cards this time!

I asked about healthy enjoyment, but it seems that these cards are talking about relationships. (I’m getting romantic or committed relationships especially, but could be any relationships.)

First of all, with the Ten of Wands, I’m getting: don’t forget that relationships take work. And frankly, if you are not feeling motivated to put in the work, then either you are not ready for a relationship (or this relationship), or it is not the right relationship. Both could be true, but as always I’d encourage you to look inward.

Are you able to be yourself in this relationship? One thing I learned from Ernst Wilhelm’s course on relationships is that there is no way to be in a sustainable, committed Venusian relationship unless you are healthily in your Sun—healthily able to be yourself.

With the Death card, it could be a time of endings for some people. Perhaps not forever-endings, but endings nonetheless. It might be time to focus on yourself, bringing more joy and abundance to yourself, and then future relationships can be better. (The Death card is also about new beginnings and new possibilities.)

If this be you, or if you’re a bit stuck right now, wanting but maybe fearful of getting out of a relationship. Or if you’re still caught up in a past relationship, then I encourage you to think of all the bad things in that relationship. It’s so easy to remember all the good times when we’re feeling lonely, but if we’re honest maybe those good times weren’t so good. Or at least, maybe we’re on to different/better things now.

I don’t say this to encourage anyone to leave a relationship that is true, that is workable and good. But some honesty is always helpful! Anything that is true will withstand the test.

Closing Words

Apologies if this reading was a little intense or a little heavier than your normal Tarot reading. Perhaps that is my style. But in any case, it feels very aligned, with plenty of opportunity. As we improve or become more ourselves, we’ll only attract better into our lives.

Happy Equinox. Happy Eclipse. Make someone smile today. ☺️