Sample Readings

Before Bed Reading

-This spread is my most commonly used one for general insight! I typically do this spread several time in a week so that I can take a moment to sit and reflect on my day. I find this spread to be very useful in helping me sort through the events of the day, with a specific focus on things to be grateful for and areas that I can resolve to continue working on myself. This specific spread was done after I had an amazing day doing what I love while on vacation!

• Energy I'm carrying from today (10 Wands reverse) - A huge burden has been dropped. I have been released from an energetic burden and am now AWARE that it is no longer mine to carry. So many limitations have been seen through, and these burdens will not plague me moving forward.

• How to release that energy before bed (8 Wands) - Know that I carry this awakening within me moving forward. Communicate this energy to those I love and facilitate passing it on whenever possible. There's no time to slow down as I near the finish line. I am being asked for a final burst of energy to claim victory. Show hustle and don't hesitate.

• Something to reflect on from today (9 Pentacles) - I DID THE DAMN THING! My dedication and devotion to a purpose has paid off. Contrary to how I normally read this card, it wasn't a sheer whirlwind of my own motivation and success (though that was certainly a factor). I was helped nearly every step along the way by kind and generous folk. How does the independent individual symbolized in this card actually draw strength and support from the hawk? There is glory in self-sufficiency, but losing sight of those who bridge successes and allow for magic makes self-sufficiency hollow. 

• How could I be mindful (8 Cups) - Don't ever think to walk away from the lessons I've integrated today. These are not something to be left behind nor are they physically tied to this vacation. Be sure to pack in as much as I'm packing out and take the good stuff with me. I must be mindful that without guiding these thoughts and ideas into the rest of my life, this trip runs the risk of merely being escapism. 

• How to make tomorrow great (5 Pentacles) - Give into and be nourished by the situation I find myself in, even if it isn't traditionally appealing. Growth can happen in any situation and sometimes growth achieved during adversity is not only somehow sweeter, but also what is needed. Be an active participant in this process! Being under pressure is a great way to get to the rock bottom of any burdens being held. As I learn the (sometimes) bitter lessons of humility, my true needs become apparent. Utter vanquishment is in reach! 

• Hidden Influence (4 Pentacles reverse) - A letting go and paying forward of that which used to be hoarded. Relaxed emphasis on tangible, worldly pleasures shifts focus to intangible spiritual growth. 

• Bottom of deck (Ace Sword reverse) - Not the time to engage mentally with slicing through or deciding on anything. This ongoing exchange is happening not because of my mind's brute will, but mostly due to factors outside of my intellectual and rational processes. 

• Oracle (Giant Tooth) - Here is an opportunity to examine all the ways in which I give away power due to exaggerated fears and overwhelming thoughts. 

Relationship Reading

-This spread was provided for a querent who was concerned about a stagnating relationship and wanted insight into their piece, the other party, and the bridge connecting the two sides. 

• Querent (9 Swords, 7 Wands reverse, 2 Cups) - 9 of Swords seems to depict the mental nightmare you are struggling with regarding this relationship. Combined with the 7 of Wands, it suggests that the nightmare is at the forefront of your mind because you’ve lowered your guard to let someone in, with the purpose of looking for the true partnership/intimate connection represented in the 2 of Cups. Summed up, I would read these three cards as anxiety about surrendering to fate of a partnership.

• Other Party (Death, 8 Cups, Knight Cups) - They seem to be showing up in a transitional period of their life with Death – the only Major Arcana in the spread. This suggests they're in a period of allowing things that no longer serve to fall away as they are reborn into the next phase of their life. The 8 of Cups indicates that they are walking away from the things in their life that are not ultimately meant for them. The Knight of Cups suggests that they are actively engaged in conquering their emotional desires, possibly utilizing their charisma - maybe even to the point of emotional manipulation. Summed up, I would read these three cards as change brought on by idealistic disillusionment.

• Relationship (4 Pentacles, Ace Cups, 9 Cups) - The relationship is showing opportunity for an emotional connection in the Ace of Cups and the potential for wishes to come true in the 9 of Cups. However, the 9 of Cups is just that – the wish card, not the actual fulfillment present in the 10 of Cups. As the only pentacle in the spread, the 4 of Pentacles suggests that the current behaviors and ideas that are being held onto so tightly must be released. We cannot reach out to realize the opportunity present in the Ace if we are still holding onto and bringing our old baggage with us. Summed up, I would read these three cards as conservation by expressing yourself to obtain fulfillment.

Vitruvian Reading

-This spread was a general reading that I did for myself. I enjoy this spread because it gives me a lot of insight into where I currently stand, allowing me to span out and take a bigger look at what may be distracting me from walking a path of growth. These readings are typically very powerful!  

• What I'm Doing (Hanged Man topping Emperor) - Stuck in limbo trying to decide how to best rule and organize my kingdom. Needed pause in order to figure out how to best do so. Stuck doing the same old thing which is preventing me from stepping into the Emperor energy?

• Where I Stand (Knight Pentacles topping Devil reverse) - Carefully and cautiously exploring and releasing demons that I carry. Hesitancy to work through trying aspects causing them to linger? I am currently "hung up" and blocked from my Emperor as I am rooting out causes of self that no longer serve. I must take the time and due diligence to address these causes. 

• Where My Mind Is At (5 Pentacles topping 2 Swords reverse) - Unable to see the opportunities and choices that lay before me due to (ill-conceived?) notions of lack and want from my current environment. Why do I think I'm left out in the cold? Victim mentality obscuring the truth of what really lies before me. Unable to gain clarity of mind while focused on this lack.

• What I Should Be Doing (9 Pentacles topping World reverse) - Stop focusing on the end game or long-term future and continue to develop and grow a sustainable and healthy self-reliance. Survey the situation and sturdiness of my current accommodations in life. Worry about the (external?) wholeness and completeness after I get things right with myself. Is this needed work what's blocking me from World energy?

• Where I'm Going (Death reverse topping 6 Swords reverse) - Hanging onto aspects that need to compost. Inability to move on until this natural process of shedding is allowed to run its course. More lessons to learn and things to tackle in this cycle before I can venture forth?

• What Source Wants Me To Do (7 Swords topping 8 Swords reverse) - Release the thoughts and fears that are real only in my mind. Gather that which still serves and leave the rest behind. Be wary of any self-sabotage that tells me now is not the time or that these fears, shields, lies and mechanisms I entertain are a vital part of my path forward.

5 Majors out of 12 cards tells me that this situation is of key importance in my journey. 4 swords and 3 pentacles indicates a relation to my mind, thoughts and behaviors that directly impact my physical world.

New Business Venture Reading

-This spread was provided for a querent who was starting a new business venture and they wanted to gain some insights into the opportunities and challenges present with the venture. 

• What should be my greatest goal right now? (4 Pentacles reverse) - This is a calling to truly focus on re-evaluating and potentially letting go of some of the behaviors or ideas that you hold to be most important when starting on this venture. Often times we try to force our ideas/desires onto the opportunity at hand, but sometimes this limits the potential of the situation or even causes pain when the venture flourishes into something that is ultimately more helpful to us in the long run. We cannot reach out to receive what’s meant for us if we’re too busy holding tightly to our own baggage we’ve brought along for the ride. This could also represent a calling to be generous at this time, spending to give lifeblood to your new venture, or perhaps even giving away (samples?) that may pay dividends in the long run. If you are recovering from a recent setback you may feel cautious or scared, but you are safe to fully explore and enjoy this!

• What is the most significant challenge I face? (4 Cups reverse) - This suggests that there may be something you are being offered in this moment that you are not aware of or maybe even turning a blind eye to. This card is calling you to blow your perception wide open to see and hear these messages and perhaps even intuition coming in regarding this business venture. Don’t be so quick to discount an offering because you think you have everything you need already. It may be time to retreat for a bit and take time listening to yourself to figure out where to go next. Take care not to trap yourself in a feedback loop. After introspection and realignment, you can gain the traction you need to put in the work and reap your rewards!

• What is most likely to pull me back from truly flourishing? (Page Swords reverse) - There are countless distractions, illusions and molehills that are just begging to be made into mountains. This is a calling to utilize your deductive reasoning judiciously in order to separate the false from the real, the true problems from distractions just masquerading as such. We’ve all been gifted with a brain to do the heavy lifting of solving problems in our lives, but too often we fall prey to trying to out/overthink all of our problems. This could represent one of the bigger pitfalls to be aware of as you begin this journey. Be wary of acting in haste or failing to truly think things through before communicating as there is the risk of deafening others to your cause, no matter how sounds your logic or compelling your take.

• What is most likely to push me toward phenomenal success? (Heirophant) - The journey that you are embarking on is one that many before you have traveled as well. Look to these examples and discover their methods/techniques/processes that have been well-established to lead to success. There’s no sense in re-inventing the wheel or trying to go out of your way to do things differently just for differents-sake. As a Major Arcana, this card stands out in the spread calling you to focus and pay attention to the lessons present in it. Stability is found in the pillars of your business community. You need structure in order to grow so seek help from those that came before you. If you are used to being independent, this may go against your initial instinct and feel strange, but following the well-worn path of others is a small price to pay for safety, support and the potential for success.

• What are the gifts and opportunities available to me? (Lovers) - This endeavor will offer the opportunity to truly deepen the connection you have with yourself in addition to revealing more options and choices that you have moving forward. A Major showing up in this position for you suggests that the gifts and opportunities present in this venture are something that are critical (potentially even currently lacking) to your life path. The connection between vendor and customer can be just as fulfilling as it can be taxing. As the sequential card right after the Heirophant for the previous question, perhaps this relates to the connections and choices that will become available when following the path of those who came before. This being a gift/opportunity suggests that this may be an opportunity to define the boundaries of give/take in your life as a whole. Perhaps this is an area that has previously been out of sync for you, but there’s an amazing opportunity to show up with your needs clearly defined and safeguards against your energy/resources being depleted without proper compensation.

• What is the root cause of the struggles I’m experiencing? (Strength) - There may be some integral part or desire relating to this venture within you that you are denying or blind to. Strength in this position along with the two 4’s reversed for questions 1&2 really suggests that there may be something you are missing, or holding onto so tightly that you can’t see the truth that’s begging to be brought to the surface. The third Major in your spread is again strongly calling for your attention before you get too far down your path. As the root cause of struggles you may be experiencing, this suggests that there is a requirement/desire/piece of you that has a great need in this venture that is not being acknowledged- if it is even known. I would spend time to really examine the fears/hopes that you may have locked away deep down inside and invite them to the surface for candid conversation and a cup of tea. Without integration of all pieces of you, you may continue to face undue hardship on your path. The less desirable/embarrassing/hidden aspects of ourselves deserve to be acknowledged and honored just the same as our noble and higher processes. Just because we’re inviting them to sit in the car with us doesn’t mean they get the driver’s seat. Sometimes just being honest and open with all of your reasons and needs for this business venture is the best shot you can give yourself to truly meet all of your own needs. Remember that as you walk this path you may experience duress that brings fear/anger/etc. to the surface. Impulsively acting on these feelings can breed further conflict, but there are benefits in recognizing and honoring them while consciously steering ourselves towards stability. 

Other insights present in this spread – 10 Pentacles reverse at the bottom of the deck suggests that this venture may not be your end all be all, not the ultimate legacy that you leave behind in this world, but that’s not to say this isn’t an important stepping stone to the next even bigger and closer to purpose project. It is significant that half of your cards in this spread are Majors. This suggests that the task you are undertaking is critical to your mission in this life and there are valuable lessons and experiences to be gained in this process. I also find it interesting that there are no Wands (energy) in this spread – is this because there are no issues relating to that realm, or because of a lack of energy being given to this project?

Week Ahead Reading

-This spread is one I utilize often on a Sunday evening to gain insight, messages and beneficial questions to keep in mind for my upcoming work week. I find this spread helpful as it allows me to start each work day by reflecting on the messages present in the spread. This little bit of mindfulness and reflection goes a long way to ensure I make the most out of each day! In this specific reading, I was returning to work after being on vacation the previous week.  

• Monday (4 Wands clarified by 6 Wands, King Wands, 10 Wands) - My return to work/home will be celebrated. Utilize the energy that I've gained during my time off to pick back up my responsibilities/duties and resume my skillful support of those I work with. It is not a time to seek public recognition or to be looking for acknowledgement/acclaim - instead focus my energy into the burdens that are worth carrying and show up for those who kept the show rolling while I was off.

• Tuesday (Justice clarified by 8 Pentacles, 10 Pentacles, Strength) - It's a good reminder of the cause and effect that doing a job well done has on me. I gain a lot of value from my work, and today is a great opportunity to develop skills and put in the effort both in my paid job and the side projects I'm getting started. It's important to remember that I get out what I put in, and that my inner strength and legacy are driven by the work I do. 

• Wednesday (Queen Cups reverse clarified by Hermit, Queen Pentacles reverse, Knight Cups) - Where can I turn when I do not feel emotionally or physically nurtured? In times where I feel these qualities are lacking, I must remember that I can alway turn inwards to gain what I desire from myself, self-love, healing and honestly will get me far. I can also take charge and pursue the connections I seek! 

• Thursday (Empress clarified by 4 Wands reverse, Page Pentacles, 5 Cups) - How can I best acknowledge my needs and nurture myself in this world? Is my focus on gifts I've received or the opportunities I've lost? New perspectives can manifest new goals. Be mindful of wasting time and efforts on self-pity, pessimism, or sadness. 

• Friday (10 Cups reverse clarified by 8 Wands, 3 Wands reverse, Ace Cups) - Opportunity to restructure values when it seems that one happily ever after doesn't pan out. Be aware of my responsibilities as I propel forward towards awakening. There is a new emotion and budding love for myself. Explore the feelings busting forth and don't be afraid to express myself. 

• Bottom of deck (Knight Swords) - Use intellect and abilities to the greatest extent by setting aside feelings and penetrating through the confusion of a situation.