Tarot of Paralysis
Multiple optimistic beginnings are thwarted in this final week of November, and we remain stuck in a liminal space. For now.
Monday, November 25th
Kissing crows, a flower fountain, and white roses above an oil painting sky trumpet collaboration and romance that has been turned upside down. The Four of Wands reversed feels like a passionate falling out, the open roses hanging precariously from their wand `stems’ - a symbol of potential squandered, lost, or sequestered away from us. The corvid French kiss is out of reach in this reversed position; we are outsiders looking in. Coils of gold symbolizing productivity surround the stamens at each floral center, and it’s a goddamn shame to watch them leak into the sky like the dissipating life force from a wound.
Amazonite echoes the turquoise highlights in the sky and underscores the need for open communication in this moment of feeling shunned, ostracized, or unheard. Just because we have broken away from one unsupportive community does not mean that we’ll never find grace with another. Unlocking our throats, as amazonite often will do, can assuage some of the hard feelings that accompany the loss of community by helping us express our disappointment.
Tuesday, November 26th
Something generative is happening in this Three of Coins card. The biggest middle coin is surrounded by pansies, which usually symbolize attraction and love, and adorned by a snake circling a grinning skull. It feels transformative and Scorpionic, which is fitting for a Mars-ruled minor arcana; these coins want to be spent on something emotionally important. Three of Coins is associated with the third decan of Capricorn, that workhorse, materialist sign in which Mars is exalted. We see evidence of the Sea Goat’s time frame in the smaller, bookend coins and their surrounding daffodils, a flower of new beginnings that blooms as early as, you guessed it, late winter. The daffodil wreathed currency bears the disembodied hands of whichever poor soul lost his head on the middle coin, and they each point outward from the center as if to say, “Onward! The time for collaboration and momentum is now!”
Bloodstone has one of the oldest histories among crystals; it’s been used in jewelry, ritual, and healing since ancient Rome. Known for its grounding, protective qualities, it was also thought to be a purifier for the circulatory system. Bloodstone shows up when something practical needs to be dealt with, and the Three of Coins is certainly trying to make exciting things happen as a result of diligent labor and material collaboration, a most Capricorn-like goal. We are amassing resources and feeling good about our prospects with these coins in our pocket, pointing the way to progress, if not prosperity.
Wednesday, November 27th
The silversmith in this Five of Swords toils in reverse, banging away at the forge to quickly gain more working weapons and some kind of advantage. We can see the swords on his back wall, chipped and waiting for repair, as though this is the aftermath of a vicious battle. Like the sign of Aquarius with which the card aligns, the silversmith is engaged in combat, labor, and intellectual exasperation due to his circumstances; his labor feels fruitless. He may need to return to the Four of Swords in order to rest and reset, asking himself if this battle is really, truly worth the toll it will take.
The combination of this card with moss agate implies a need to ground back into the natural, practical world in order to gain perspective on our intellectual battles. Are they really that deep or necessary? Aquarius has a tendency to think they are above boring, day-to-day issues, honing their aloof, galaxy-brained worldview at the expense of a more relaxed, realistic approach. Instead of hanging on to cerebral dogma, this is a moment to release it and embrace radical acceptance.
Thursday, November 28th
We are engaged in a particular kind of labor in this Eight of Pentacles - one that benefits from paying attention to detail and embracing fussiness. Like Thoth, the Egyptian god of letters, a crow in scholarly robes ponders the effects of his focus and work. His thrown shadow is larger and more imposing than his physical body, symbolizing the power and impact of our intellectual rigor when it comes to our endeavors. This card aligns with the first decan of Virgo, a sign blessed with the kind of perfectionist attitude that wins awards and hones practical skills to a deadly knife point. A polychrome jasper grounds us to our current environment and helps us to work within our lived reality, as opposed to the reality we wished we lived in, another deeply Virgoan trait. This stone combines with the Eight of Pentacles to help us deepen our skill set, put our heads down, and do the detailed work.
Friday, November 29th
A lone turtle exposes his belly to us, the ultimate act of emotional distress by amphibious, hard shelled creatures. It takes an acute event for us to find ourselves on our backs in this fashion - an unfortunate accident, a misstep, or harmful action from an external force. Aligned with the water elements of the zodiac, The Ace of Cups reversed indicates thwarted emotions, delayed beginnings in love or commitment, and frustration braided with heart hurt. Moss agate reminds us to take refuge in the natural world, and to let our hearts heal at their own pace. From the fine print:
“He cultivates the way of gods in nature, and increases in righteousness. He respects life around him. He dedicates his skills to the services of those in need.”
Moss agate asks us to imagine that we could plunge our hands into the lichen covered dirt to reconnect with the earth, infusing ourselves with the affection found in the natural world. The pain of romantic disappointment and the loss of friendship could be soothed by our connection to the universe, which tells us we will always be cradled by our home planet.
Saturday, November 30th
A sprouting club in a clenched fist denotes agency, possibility, and desire, but only if we can turn it right side up. The Ace of Wands reversed is delaying or disappointing our need for action, the side of us that wants what we want when we want it. A castle in the background shows us the exciting places we could go, if only the stars would align. For now, however, we remain stagnant and restless, states of being that the fire signs with which this card aligns absolutely loathe.
Sunstone brings much needed illumination to the proceedings, offering us insight into the reasons for this immobility. Perhaps it is not the right time, or we do not have the correct amount of resources. Given sunstone’s association with the sign of Leo, this reversed ace might be trying to reign in our ego or false feeling of exceptionalism; perhaps we assumed this new opportunity would fall into our laps without having done the work to get there.
Sunday, December 1st
Seven of Wands reversed depicts a battle that we are not guaranteed to win, and we must decide if we are willing to put all of our guts into a fight that is just as likely to end in ignominy as it is in glory. The samurai in the foreground is just barely staying above the fray, and the multiple figures clamoring for battle in the background do not look ready to cease fighting any time soon. This card, as well as the crystal pyrite, aligns with the charismatic, fire sign of Leo, who can be as loyal to a cause as he is to his own ego. Known colloquially as fool’s gold, pyrite can bring luck and wealth to well-positioned combatants, but can also indicate a false sense of righteousness or victory. (It is not true gold, after all - it simply imitates.)
When contemplating this reversal, we must ask ourselves some hard questions about current conflicts and focuses. Confident Leo hates admitting defeat, but this battle is looking more dire with each passing moment, and it behooves the fighter in this card to take a realistic look at their odds. Sometimes the best thing to do with a lost cause is to abandon it.