Tarot for Self-Care: The Sun

     

         

Exude acceptance

Integration of light waves

Energy giver

The Sun is a card of movement, energy, and effort!  Rather than surrender to self-pity, laziness, negativity, or frustration, you must utilize your inner power for you are stronger than you think.  When the going gets tough the tough get going.  The sun is the ultimate symbol of self reliance.  Without the sun’s warmth, light, and energy our entire galaxy would be a bleak, cold, desolate place.  Act with tenacity and drive.  With effort and determination, you will overcome all challenges that confront you.

Tarot for Self-Care: Temperance

 

   Graceful gaiety

Swing simple with the balance

Preserve the pleasure

Temperance advises us to practice moderation.  Exercise restraint and self-control in every area of your life.  Avoid overeating, drinking too much alcohol, smoking, over-medicating, overspending, exercising excessively, consuming too much sugar or coffee, gambling, or otherwise overindulging or engaging in obsessive or aggressive behavior.  Focus on balancing your desire for freedom and adventure with your responsibilities.

Tarot for Self-Care: Death

          

 

Let go and transform

Releasing pain to the skies

Unraveling lives

Death encourages us to let go of the past and to let go of things in our lives that are no longer viable.  What doors will you close?  What burdens will you let go of?  Remember you only have one life, so make every day count.  Let go of the old to make room for the new.  This may relate to a particular mindset, behavior, friendship, job, residence, or relationship you have outgrown.  Move forward with confidence towards bigger and better things.  Stay in the present moment.

Tarot for Self-Care: The Wheel of Fortune

         

Cosmic rotation

Spins through infinite forces

The wheel reinvents

The Wheel of Fortune shows us that there is a time for all things.  We are always moving through cycles of luck and destiny.  The only constant we have is change.  Change is constant like the ebb and flow of the tides.  The advice of the wheel is to develop self-reliance through all of life's cycles.  Be prepared and open to the future and whatever it brings.  Whatever goes up must come down.  Adapt to the highs and lows of your life.  Say yes to life by continuing to take chances and spin the wheel with the hopes of a beautiful surprise awaiting you in the next cycle.

Tarot for Self-Care: The Hermit

   

   Walking with wisdom

Patiently, proudly, daring to

Elevate a dream

The Hermit reminds us to stop and enjoy the present moment.  Rather than taking action, evaluate your progress and clarify your dreams.  Take time to pace yourself and live life.  Focus your energy and attention on your inner knowledge.  Peace of mind means feeling secure. You feel serene, even in the midst of great turmoil. Be patient and still.  Break away from the crowd to connect with your true, authentic self.  Take the road less traveled and take pride in your individuality.  It is impossible to please everybody so focus on pleasing yourself.  

Tarot for Self-Care: The Hierophant

          

  

Share humanity

We are all part of the dance

Creating culture

The Hierophant represents social spirituality and your connection with humanity.  Make sure that your self-care plan includes spending time with your community, friends, and family.  Humans are social beings!  What do you believe in?  Share your family traditions, cultural beliefs, and individual spiritual practices proudly!  Observe and learn how other people express their spirituality.  Witness the vast diversity and beauty in humanity.  By understanding how other people connect with the divine, you become more tolerant, accepting, worldly, and connected to the universe.  It is important to keep a positive view of humanity.  This positive outlook is essential to loving your life and yourself.  "Power is not personal.  It can only come from a tradition, one with great meaning and deep roots." (Pollack, Tarot Wisdom, 76).

Consider the traditions that you practice including the holidays you observe, the mottos you recite, and the ways you greet others.  What beliefs and values do they honor?  Would you want to change or update any of these traditions?  With your community create new traditions and rituals to honor community values and beliefs.  You could organize an annual parade, create an organizational motto, or make a secret handshake.  Interactions based on shared beliefs and common interests reinforce our social fabric.  By acknowledging and honoring our connection to community and humanity we can confront conflict from a position of strength, consideration, and respect. 

Tarot for Self-Care: The Magician

       

   

Creating magic

Express yourself in the world

Senses opening

The Magician is the artist who exists inside every person.  You have the power of creativity and the gift of imagination.  Use both of these together to make magic happen!  Express yourself in any and every way you can!  Make some art, play some music, speak your truth.  Invent something new.  Make your mark in the world.  You have wonderful ideas and the ability to make things happen.  Don't wait.  The time is now.  Harness the energy of the universe to turn your ideas into reality.  It is said that magic is found in the mundane.  Open your senses to all of the magic potential constantly surrounding you.  Find creative ways to bring out the magic in everyday life.

Assume the stance of the magician by standing with both feet flat on the ground and both hands reaching up towards the sky.  Feel your feet rooted in the earth.  And feel the strong, stable, earthly energy entering your body.  Visualize the heat from the center of the earth traveling through the earth's core, through layers of rock and dirt, past fossils and roots into the base of your feet and rising.  Reach your hands up to the sky and feel the energy of the infinite space above you.  Imagine the depths of outer space, the stars, the planets, and the asteroids moving together in constellations and cycles.  Imagine this cosmic energy drawing down through the protective ozone layer, through the earth's atmosphere, past the clouds and the wind and entering through your fingertips.  Feel the vast universal energy that you gather and allow it to propel you into creating something wonderful.

Tarot for Self-Care: The Fool

         

 

Trust the universe

Begin spontaneously

Journey with laughter

The Fool signals that it is time to step outside your comfort zone.  Say yes.  Be spontaneous.  Take a leap of faith.  Trust that the universe will provide everything you need.  Dare to dream big and achieve your goals.  Every new beginning starts with the first step.  So don't wait, take that first step right now!  Be young, free, and open-minded.  Enjoy light-hearted fun, good humor, and laughter.  See the positive aspects of any situation.  Have a can-do attitude.  Try something fresh and new.  Learn all that you can learn.  It is okay to feel foolish and make mistakes so do not be afraid to try something different and expand your horizons.  Anything is possible.  There is no place for boredom now because the whole world is yours to explore.

The Fool's dog reminds you to look before you leap.  Take a look at where you are headed.  Be aware of your surroundings and the impact you make.  Be aware of your actions and how they affect others.  Stay loyal to the people and places who helped you start your journey.  Take care of animals and the environment.  Be aware of your intentions and your biases.  Remember that as a human, you are part of the animal kingdom.  On your journey you will gain much wisdom from the civilized world.  But your primal, animal instincts will always be a part of you and they too serve a source of wisdom throughout your life.

Tarot for Self-Care: Introduction

Tarot for Self-Care: An Interactive Guide

By Meags McGinty

www.moonlittarot.com

This guide introduces a comprehensive self-care system predicated on the symbolism and imagery of tarot.  This is a great resource for anyone interested in self care methods or in a new use for tarot cards.  When you pull a card and gaze upon the colors, symbols, and images, the conscious and unconscious minds work together to creatively interpret the card.  The same card may mean something entirely different to different readers in different situations.  This guide interprets all 78 tarot cards through a self-care lens.  While these interpretations may serve as a helpful guide to read the cards for self-care wisdom, I encourage readers to develop their own interpretations.  Trust your intuition and speak the truth you see, feel, and know from each card.

How to Use this Guide: 
I encourage all readers to start at the beginning to learn a bit about self-care.  You may want to continue by reading this guide straight through all 78 tarot cards and complete a journey self care.  If you have a tarot deck, you may want to pull cards from your deck and consult this guide as a reference for card interpretations.  Finally, there is an index in the back of this guide which may be useful for looking up various themes, challenges, or aspirations you will encounter in your self-care journey.

The Interactive Approach:
If you seek an interactive way to bring your self care journey to life, I encourage you to create a piece of art for each tarot card.  Taking one card at a time, read the interpretation and create a work of art about the self-care tenants of that card.  Work with any art form that you feel activates your spirit and the wisdom of the card.  Save your art to build a comprehensive self-care guide.  If you wish, work on index cards and you will create your very own self-care tarot deck!

What is Self Care?
Self-care is for everyone; it is a way of life.  Self-care is a strategy and a commitment to maintain holistic wellness of your total self: body, mind, and spirit.  Self-care is about you, so your personal self-care plan should be just as unique and vibrant as you are!  Self-care is particularly emphasized in humanitarian and social services fields.  A common phrase advises, "you cannot serve from an empty vessel."  People who commit themselves to serving others often run the risk of neglecting themselves or burning themselves out. Self-care is not selfish when you practice from a position of honesty, integrity, and intentionality.

Everyone has many responsibilities- to family, work, school, community, and the list goes on.  It is important to honor these responsibilities and fulfill them in a balanced manner.  Consider what are your responsibilities to yourself?  Consider your health, your happiness, your individuality and your spirit.  Are you living your present life as the person you want to be?  We don't need to answer this question now; revisit it from time to time for guidance.  As you begin your journey in self-care, take small steps and do what you love.  Honor your self by nurturing your passions.  Let your passions nourish you, guide you, and empower you.

What is Tarot?
Tarot is an historic system for divination.  Traditional tarot decks include 78 cards.  22 of these cards belong to the Major Arcana, which means greater mysteries in Latin.  These cards relate to the grand and spiritual experiences and challenges.  The remaining 56 cards are divided in four suits similarly to standard playing cards.  Traditionally the four suits are Pentacles, Swords, Wands, and Cups.  These Minor Arcana, or lesser mysteries cards relate to day to day experiences and challenges.

About the Author:
I love tarot because it is imbued with mystery, art, history, and magic.  I fell deeply into Tarot during a particularly difficult semester in college.  After spending long days at a demanding internship, attending classes, and conducting research, I needed a personal refuge.  I needed an outlet for my individuality, creativity, and my sense of wonder and whimsy.  I began to study the meanings of tarot cards and illustrating my own set of cards.  The endeavor helped me connect with myself and all of the themes and stories of the universe.  I write this self care guide as a student of Expressive Art Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding.