The Hit List - Be present with tarot

The past year has been a grinder. I’m still coming down from it. A few situations seem to be on their way to completion. Even so, the residue lingers. I sometimes want to crawl up into a little ball and hide away from the world. It’s like that sometimes.

One of the things I’ve learned is that it’s best to be present, no matter what. Checking out may seem like an option, but it rarely works for long. Eventually, whatever you’re trying to escape comes back around, nipping at your heels until you give it the attention it needs.

Tarot has always been my go-to tool when life throws me a million monkey wrenches (my least favorite tool is those wrenches). It has allowed me to see what may lie ahead and serves as a lantern for seeing what’s going on inside.

I’m guilty of ignoring my needs until my body gets my attention. That’s an old pattern I’ve attempted to break. Over the years, I have used the Body, Mind, Spirit spread to help me change that tendency. I’m not the creator of that layout, nor do I know who to credit. But I do know it’s the perfect way to check in and be present.

I featured this spread in my book, The Cards You’re Dealt – How To Deal When Life Gets Real: A Tarot Guidebook, because I’ve found it to be effective for reflection when you are faced with the hard stuff: loss, grief, illness, and so forth.

Last year brought many of these themes to my doorstep, and while I wanted to check out with a giant jug of wine, tarot pulled me back into the present. This is the spread I used again and again.

Here’s how you do it:

Shuffle your cards. When you’re ready, put the deck face down and cut it into three piles. Then, put the deck back together any way you like. You can choose three cards from the top of the deck or you can fan the cards out and pull three intuitively. The positions are simply body, mind, and spirit.

The cards can show you where you’re doing just fine – or need more support. Here’s a recent reading I did for myself.

Body: Knight of Wands reversed – Too many activities, not enough of the right physical activity. This is true. I was slacking on my exercise routines. Time to get back on the Peloton saddle!

Mind: Eight of Swords – This card can mean a self-imposed prison but also feeling powerless. I’ve had a lot of anxiety around a situation. It’s kept me up at night. In fact, it’s been hard to get my mind on different things. However, the Eight of Swords is a reminder that I’m not actually stuck. There is a way out once I stop struggling. The other side of this card is isolation. I prefer to “suffer in silence,” which is probably not helping.

Spirit: Four of Pentacles – I’m rock solid in this department. I’ve been doing grounding and shielding work, so this makes sense.

This reading helped me to see my body and mind needed attention. While I’d like to believe I’m good at self-care, the cards point to a different truth.

I invite you to check this spread out any time you want to get a read on how you’re really doing, especially when life is unpredictable and hard. You can learn about it and many other useful tarot layouts in The Cards You’re Dealt – How To Deal When Life Gets Real: A Tarot Guidebook.

Stay present, my friends.

xo
Theresa

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Aliza Kelly weighs in: Pluto in Aquarius Is Bringing More Unprecedented Times.

The perfect pair for Pluto work: Oracle of Pluto and Healing Pluto Problems.

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This deck is SO COOL: Starlight Frequencies Oracle.

The perfect tarot journal DOES exist: The Weiser Tarot Journal: Guidance and Practice.

Tarot can be a source of support when you’re going through hard things: The Cards You’re Dealt: How to Deal when Life Gets Real (A Tarot Guidebook).

Worried about the planetary changes? Assuming you have no agency? Wrong-o. Learn how to make the cosmos work for you with: Twist Your Fate: Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot.

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Prefer to listen to your tarot lessons? Check this out: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading is available as an audiobook.

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There is an audio version if you prefer: Astrology For Real Life.

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This book has the tips you need to make your own tarot deck: Create Your Own Tarot Cards: A step-by-step guide to designing a unique and personalized tarot deck. <-Cards are included!

Get yourself a 1-year subscription to: The Astro-Biz Digest. Every week, I send out an astrological forecast that’s especially for entrepreneurs and freelancers. If you’re self-employed, this is for you: The AstroBiz Digest.

Ever wish you had astrological and tarot guidance right at your fingertips? WISH GRANTED. Check out my new text message service: Sign up here.

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Classes and Events

Join my Patreon Community! I am serving up extended card-of-the-day interpretations, astrological tidbits, community tarot practice, political astrology, early sneak peeks at horoscopes….and more. Higher tiers get access to live classes, replays of previous classes, mentoring, and more.

Brushes and Stars – An Online Astrology and Intuitive Painting Class with Chris Zydel and Theresa Reed. Join us for a day-long creative play date filled with intuitive insights, deep healing, creative prompts, artistic play, and astrology. February 17th, 2024. 9 AM PST – 4 PM PST. Grab your virtual seat right here.

Advanced Tarot Techniques. Join me for this four-part online class and learn about timing, decans, how to create your own tarot spreads, and more. Starts April 5th, 2024.

Pens and Cards. October 18-19th, 2024. Picton, Canada. Learn how to use tarot to inspire your writing with yours truly and Sarah Selecky. Details coming soon.