Horoscope Reading May 1 - 7

Greetings readers, once again! Another week has passed and, finally, May is about to begin. I, for one, am very excited for summer; this one promises to be full of change and growth for all of us. The weather is warming up, ostensibly for good this time, and a soft green mist hangs over the treetops as the budding new leaves burgeon and grow. It takes preparation to head into a new month, and that's why I'm here; it's to try, in some way, to aid in that preparation that I write these posts, and I hope in my heart that, despite their vagueness - that's the way it is with tarot, unfortunetely, it can't be helped - that there is a kernel of helpful foresight that aids you in navigating the week.

A quick five minutes are taken to sit, lay out my altar cloth, light some incense - I chose the scent of cinnamon today, as, when burned, it raises high spiritual vibrations and stimulates psychic power. I usually shuffle my cards in two stages; clearing the cards, then setting the intention of the reading. Clearing cards is rather simple, but almost every witch or psychic I know has a different process for it, so I'll just describe mine. After shuffling the deck for a few minutes, while keeping my mind clear and focusing on nothing as much as I can, I knock my cards, blow through my cards, then spread them out and hold them in the incense smoke for a bit to purify them, after which I cut the deck, shuffle them together, and then move on the stage two. This stage is literally just shuffling the deck while focusing solely on the intention of my reading until my gut/intuition/higher self/whatever you want to call it tells me that the cards are ready to be laid out.

The layout of the cards is such:

The signs are ordered by the cardinal, fixed, and mutable sign of each element in turn, and the cards placed on the corresponding quadrant of my altar cloth. This week, the cards themselves fell thus:

So now let's get to the interpretations.

Cancer ♋ (June 21 - July 22): Page of Wands

Pages tend to bring messages, and that of the page of wands is one of inspiration, creativity, and optimism. This week, Cancer, you may find yourself in the possession of a fresh new idea, or a newfound inspiration that fills you with exuberance and joy! As daunting as the future can sometimes be, it can also be exciting, especially when you're full of ideas for it. This week, Cancer, don't hold back; express yourself, explore, and have fun!

Scorpio ♏ (October 23 - November 21): The Devil

I won't mince words here, Scorpio; you've got some bad habits, and this week might be especially hard for you to resist temptation. This is the week for you to work on your impulse control, as some of the vices you may (or may not) have been trying to break free of might rear their heads. Perhaps some friends might call you out for a drink, or someone that you really shouldn't be looking at might catch your eye. Before leaping in, think critically about whether the short-term satisfaction will be worth the longer-term consequences. Be strong, Scorpio, and try to remember that just because something is pleasurable, doesn't mean it's healthy.

Pisces ♓ (February 19 - March 20): The Tower (reversed)

There are some big things heading your way, Pisces; there are storm clouds gathering on the horizon, and the massive upheaval and change they'll bring is clear to see. Change can be scary, but you can't delay the inevitable; the longer you put off what's coming, the harder it'll hit you when it does, eventually, arrive. Pisces, this week, you've got to fight your tendency towards escapism and focus on reality. What can you do to prepare for this calamity? Use your great creativity and intuition to get your house in order and brace yourself for the storm, rather than hiding in fantasy and illusion.

Aries ♈ (March 21 - April 19): Five of Cups

Things haven't been going great for you, Aries, and, it saddens me to say, looks like it's not over yet. This week may see you handling a loss of some kind; the loss of a relationship, of an opportunity, or of something else. You might feel yourself start to spiral a bit as feelings of despair, bitterness, and isolation start to take hold, and it'll become increasingly difficult to see the bright side, the silver lining. It may be hard not to wallow in your sadness, but if you can manage to find a different perspective, then you might see that there are still good things in your life, and that perhaps there is something of this situation you can salvage.

Leo ♌ (July 23 - August 22): Five of Wands (reversed)

There are times in life when it's necessary to unsheathe your claws and fight for your life. This week, Leo, is not one of those times. This week is a time when it's best to stow your weapons, shelve conflict, and take the peaceful road instead. Try to focus on compromise and collaboration instead, Leo; you're very good at what you do, yes, and you're very strong, but you're not in this alone. Call a truce this week, both with those you've been butting heads with, and with yourself. As the old saying goes, divided we are weak; together, we are strong.

Sagittarius ♐ (November 22 - December 21): Eight of Pentacles

Workin' hard, or hardly workin', Sagittarius? This week is the time to buckle down and dedicate yourself to whatever project or path you've undertaken. You're learning, you're growing, and your skill is increasing with every minute you spend practicing your craft. Your success in this is one hundred percent achievable, but it is one hundred percent up to you to achieve it; it may grate you, but you've got to sit yourself down and commit. If you can summon up the willpower to secure them, diligence, focus, and hard work will see you through to enormous success.

Libra ♎ (September 23 - October 22): Six of Wands

You go, Libra! This week will be a good one for you; success, victory, truimph are on their way to you. Your hard work, your charming leadership, your fairness and good judgement are all paying off, and you're going to be showered with accolades from all sides. It's time for you to turn on that natural charm of yours; you've got the stage right now, and all eyes are on you. This is your time to shine, Libra!

Aquarius ♒ (January 20 - February 18): Two of Pentacles (reversed)

Whoa, there, Aquarius! You've been going a mile a minute recently, and this week, perhaps, it's time to rein it in a bit. Being quick of wit and light on your feet isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a fine line, and if you're not careful, you can end up tipping over into plain old recklessness. Sometimes the best course of action is to ease up on the gas and give yourself a bit of breathing room, find your footing, and get back the equilibrium that you may not have even noticed you'd lost.

Gemini ♊ (May 21 - June 20): The Hierophant

You know what they say; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Sometimes, the way that things have always been done are, in fact, better; the fact that they have stayed in convention for so long might mean that they're tried and true, reliable methods. Having structure in your life might help you grow stronger, even if you yourself are not usually one for conformity, Gemini. Consider a crawling plant, like ivy; it can't very well flourish without some kind of trellis, wall, or other structure upon which to grow, now can it?

Capricorn ♑ (December 22 - January 19): Nine of Swords

You can't control everything, Capricorn, and when you try to, you only hurt yourself. Worrying about things that are out of your hands will bring you nothing but stress and anxiety, because there are some things you just can't change. It isn't possible to plan for every single possibility; life throws you curveballs, and the more control you try to have over your life, the more you'll spiral when that control evades you. This week, just take a breath. Accept the things you cannot change, release yourself from the analysis paralysis you've locked yourself into, and have some faith in yourself and your ability to handle unforeseen circumstances.

Taurus ♉ (April 20 - May 20): Queen of Pentacles

This is your week, Taurus. All you gotta do this week is be you; you are exactly the person both that you need to be, and that the people around you need around. You're an anchor, you're the mom friend, you're grounded, rock-solid, and being around you feels like coming home. Be you! Your innate traits of steadfastness, reliability, and warmth will serve you perfectly if you relax and let your true nature lead the way.

Virgo ♍ (August 23 - September 22): Judgement (reversed)

Why are you being so hard on yourself, Virgo? Nobody's perfect. Everybody has flaws, and everyone makes mistakes. Having made a mistake or having done something wrong doesn't make you a failure, or a loser, or any of the other harsh words that you might be directing inwards at yourself. Yes, it is true that the purpose of life is to learn, grow, and evolve, but beating yourself up for every mistake or backslide is not going to accomplish that, it'll in fact do the opposite; it'll stunt your growth. This week, try to be nicer to yourself. Experiment with positive reinforcement, encouragement, and kind self-assessment.

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Though I make no promises or guarantees (as stated in the disclaimers of my introductory post), I do hope that this reading is helpful to you in the coming week, and if it does turn out to be accurate, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or reach out! I'd love to hear feedback. Also, if you'd like to share your plans for tonight's full moon, I would love to hear (read) about them, so don't hesitate on leaving a comment for that, too!

A couple quick reminders; I do personal readings on fiverr, only $5-$15 per depending on the complexity of the spread, and I also have a patreon, if you enjoyed this blog and want to support it! I will also be setting up a stand at the Aurora Famer's Market and Artisan Fair with a colleague of mine this summer, so if you're in the York Region of Ontario and have nothing better to do on a Saturday morning, come on by! He and I will be selling our handmade jewelry and doing tarot readings.

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Thank you so much for reading, and I will be back with another post next week!