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By Naomi Westwater for BCN #135
May 3, 2021
The Tarot Forecast is a look at the month ahead in a tarot spread. For this series of The Tarot Forecast, instead of pulling cards for the moon’s cycles, I’ll be asking questions for us to contemplate and using the cards for guidance. Remember, tarot doesn’t predict the future, rather each card invites us to inhabit a certain energy, and reflect on our lives.
X of Swords is the card I pulled for the month of May. Fears and anxiety will be running high, and if we give in to these feelings we will find ourselves in a doom spiral, cycling down into the depth of our own despair. The X of Swords is a jagged pill to swallow, this card can signal melodrama and the feeling of being dragged down. Yes, times are hard. Yes, there may be betrayals. Yes, we may feel defeated by the world. And yet, things are not as bad as they seem, things are not as bad as they could be. The X of Swords tells us that an inevitable end is coming. We must embrace change, even if it leaves us tired and in need of healing. If you find yourself distressed and in ruin this month, the X of Swords reminds you to revive yourself and to rejuvenate your mind. This ending could allow room for new thoughts to enter your consciousness. Stay open.
What gifts is May bringing us? XII The Hanged Man showed up to answer this question preaching surrender, sacrifice, and the art of letting go. You cannot carry all that weight around; it’s time to release. The message of change echoes here too. Letting go of things that hold us back, makes space for transformation. The Hanged Man also asks us to try to see things from a new perspective. How can you pause, and use non-attachment as a tool to see what is necessary in your life and what can be given up? There may be an unnecessary fear following you around. Let go of that too. You will feel lighter and enlightened.
What challenges does May bring us? For this question, the card of sorrow showed up: V of Cups. Buddhists believe that expectations lead to suffering; this is the message of the V of Cups. You may be disappointed in others, or disappointed in yourself. But why are you disappointed? Is it because you set unrealistic expectations? What would it look like to have no expectations? Practice the non-attachment lesson from the Hanged Man and find out.
XVII The Star brings us guidance this May, and its guidance is bright and hopeful. This card is a blessing, and a request to let light guide you. Say yes to anything that brings you a sense of calm, a sense of purpose, and helps you feel closer to the universe, inspiration, and the divine. Be open to receiving messages, you are now ready to hear them. Trust that wishes can come true. Trust in your own strength.