Hello, Creatives!
We’re already passed the halfway mark of September and are currently in the recuperation and self-care phase of the Moon’s cycle. The Waning Crescent phase is a time to recharge, so gift yourself a little down time this week and boost your spiritual battery by doing something you love.
Today’s spread is by request. One of our lovely tribe reached out to ask for a 3-card spread centred on the theme of Progress. This is one I use from time to time during my creative processes, and always find it helpful, especially if I’m feeling a bit scattered or my to-do list is overwhelming. It could even be applied to the energy of the current moon phase, with a mind to how we’re recharging and recuperating. It asks: What is working, What is not working, The next step.
The 5 of Swords kicks off our reading this week, and although the overriding message behind this card is ‘Hollow Victory’, it also speaks of conquest. If you’ve been working hard, meeting challenges head on, and staying focused, then conquest will be yours. However, with the theme of this card centred around tension and conflict, there’s a clear warning to be wary of that ‘win at all costs’ mindset. With this kind of tunnel-vision thinking, there can be the tendency to trample on others in the scramble to succeed. Be mindful of how you communicate as you work. Those around you may be more happy to go with the flow right now, so be respectful if they don’t hold the same urgency as you.
Drive is an important emotion within the creative process, without it we’d remain in the dreaming stages and never actually achieve anything, but the 5 of Swords asks you to keep the reins tight as you work with its determined energy. Your drive to succeed is working right now, as long as you remain fair, respectful and honest.
"Nothing destroys self-worth, self-acceptance and self-love faster than denying what you feel. Without feelings, you would not know where you are in life. Nor would you know what areas you need to work on. Honor your feelings. Allow yourself to feel them." - Iyanla Vanzant
What’s not Working? With themes of hurt, heartache, and betrayal, the 3 of Swords tells us to reflect on what emotion we’re clinging to at this time. Paired with the 5 of Swords, it suggests the determination to succeed could be powered by the hurt indicated with this card. What’s truly behind the force driving you to to gain a conquest? Are you hoping to prove someone wrong, or that you’re better than them? Is heart hurt firing your engines? If this is the case, your creative energy is being driven by a less than positive force, one that isn’t working for you.
Be honest about what’s motivating you. If it comes from pain, burying yourself in a desire to ‘win’ can be a destructive form of self-soothing. The 3 of Swords teaches us to acknowledge our hurt. Even though it’s uncomfortable to feel our feels sometimes, it’s the best way to deal with them. Instead of masking sorrow, gather your courage and face it. Swords love the written word, so why not write about your pain? Unload your thoughts onto paper, and when you’re done, burn it safely and release it to the Universe. From there, your heart will heal and allow you to create from a place that will serve you far better. It will help you to create for you, and not to against another.
The self-sufficient 9 of Pentacles is a lovely card to see here. It indicates reaching a point where our hard work and talent has brought us success, and the time has come to enjoy the fruits of our labour.
As creatives, we often finish one project and immediately launch into the next, barely giving ourselves a moment to appreciate our most recent achievement. I know many of you can agree that as one project comes to a conclusion, you’re already focusing on the next, likely considering how you can improve certain processes, or further develop your skills. When the 9 of Pentacles appears, it asks us to hit pause. Take a look at all you’ve achieved. What have you earned from it; financially, emotionally, spiritually? Have you ever acknowledged that before now? Think back to when you first began. How have you developed since then, and have you ever recognised and honoured these triumphs?
Regardless of whether your earnings are modest or grand, the 9 of Pentacles calls on us to spoil ourselves. It can be something as simple as a coffee and a stroll around a favourite park or gallery, or something more elaborate. The point is to celebrate yourself. If you’ve faced the emotion indicated by the 3 of Swords, and are succeeding with the driven energy of the 5 of Swords, the next step is to give gratitude, enjoy a little luxury, and celebrate the wonderfulness that is you.
A week of acknowledgement lies ahead. The cards ask us to recognise what’s in our hearts, find the courage to truly feel those feels, and then take a time-out to appreciate our awesomeness by gifting ourselves with celebration. I’m 100% guilty of ending one project and diving straight into the next, so who’ll join me in celebrating this week?
Deck: Pride Tarot
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