We think of death as the opposite of living, which is true to some extent. The Grim Reaper, cloaked in black and carrying his scythe, he rarely speaks as he takes the souls of those he then guides into the afterlife. It is the natural cycle of things in this life, and can also be the highest form of renewal. “We live, we die, we live again” (Mad Max: Fury Road). Sometimes the destruction leads us to some type of transformation, for the caterpillar must be killed so that the butterfly can live. The change could quite frankly be a rebirth, a renewal of sorts.
Even though it may feel as though you are caught in a whirlwind of change in which you cannot escape its effects, you will survive this transition. It takes an amazing amount of strength to bring about such a radical shift, one that should (although I hesitate to use that word) be welcomed as a positive, cleansing force in your life. Let things go when they need to be let go; lay it all on the fire. “Life and death are but illusions,” states Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. “We are in a constant state of transformation.” Snakes shed their skins, birds molt, and we humans go through a similar metamorphosis.
We can deny these types of death experiences. We can be angry that they are happening at all, but the wheel of life will continue to turn all the same. We have to remember that we are simply along for the ride. The Reaper’s task is not merely the onslaught of death; he is also the one who brings in the harvest, hence the name. There comes a time in all of our lives when we realize that the thing that needs to be added to the compost pile is our ego, for it is quite possible to be dead long before our actual death. I call this the harvest of the self, something that I have gone through time and time again.
And as long as you do not have this: Die and be reborn! You are but a dreary guest. On this dark earth.
Goethe
Parts of me have died, some of my own doing and some due to the pressures of others. The latter I do not recommend. Relationships have gone by the wayside, as they tend to do when they are no longer a match. We surrender to these endings because what other choice is there? We could choose to latch on, to cling to these old stories, but all that does is leave us stuck in the same misery. There is a beauty to be had in death, and it is an apparent part of being alive. This doesn’t mean we don’t grieve for our lost loved ones, our old fears, or our past lives. It is all a part of the process of release, for the death and clearing away of limiting beliefs can lead us to have a more satisfying experience of life.
The Card of Disappointment
There will be setbacks, obstacles in your path. You will probably make a few mistakes along the way, as I know I have. The Five of Cups is our guide from October 23 to November 1, reminding us that “influences do not show actual decay, only the beginning of destruction, hence, the anticipated pleasure is frustrated” (Book of Thoth). They say that wisdom in the present comes from the mistakes of the past, but that doesn’t make them any less painful. Hindsight is much clearer than foresight, yet there can still be that lost feeling of not quite being sure where you are going or what to do next, of wishing for what might have been.
There is a difference between clinging to past emotions and going through the feelings in order to move on. Don’t run away from these feelings. “There is no rushing the process. You want to hang out with those spilled three cups for as long as possible, for as long as feels right to you” (Wild Soul Tarot, Lindsay Mack). Feel all the feels, but don’t wallow in the regret and loss of it all. Set a time limit for your self-pity party. Staying in negative emotions for too long can hold you back from reaching your fullest potential. Release them so you can move forward, so you can create positive change in your life. Forgive yourself and others, not to say that you approve such an offense, just to stop feeling angry or resentful about it.
Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.
Steve Maraboli
A metamorphosis is defined as a period of transformation, the start of a new phase in life. There is a process to upgrading your life, an honoring of the integration of the new with the old. This can bring up feelings of uncertainty and instability, of pessimism and despair. There is an impatience as well, a call to build a bridge and get over it. You have been waiting for this new beginning for a long time, and it’s finally here. This is the time to shift your mindset from the idea that the glass is half empty to the glass being half full. Focus on what could go right. Live and let die.
The Card of Pleasure
As adults we often get caught up with the complexities and responsibilities of life. I remember someone tried to point out a beautiful sunset to me, but I was so glued to my work at the time that I exclaimed, “who has time for that?” My mind had become narrow, empty of the true point of this thing we call life. I got so lost in hustle culture, in trying to be successful, that I lost myself. The Six of Cups, which is our guide from November 2 to November 12, “implies well-being, a harmony of natural forces without effort or strain, ease, satisfaction” (Book of Thoth). The invitation is to bring more childlike energy to everyday life, which first requires us to visit the past, to resolve those bad childhood experiences.
The Buddha invited Mara to tea. He sat down with those yucky emotions with a vulnerable heart and an open mind, much like the perspective of a child. There is a narrowness that folds over us through time, one we must learn to push back against. It can feel almost radical to let the heart open, to allow yourself to experience the simple joys and pleasures that this life has to offer. That’s exactly why it’s needed. The little woman in the card is depicted as having a double face, what is called Vanitas, literally translating to emptiness or vanity. You can turn away, as I once did, or you can walk into the initiation that is heart healing. You can continue on the miserly path or you reclaim your magic. The choice is yours.
There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colours are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.
Elizabeth Lawrence
Intimacy is often spoken of in regards to two individual persons. Intimacy, into me see, can be just the thing that is needed in order to let your inner child emerge. Revisiting the past isn’t all about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES); it can also be about nostalgia, about returning to the innocence that comes with being young again. What does the heart ultimately want? Today you have more at your disposal than you did as a child. Cast off those fears, fulfil those wishes, and experience that fun and freedom that are all around us.
The Card of Debauch
In this life there are unlimited possibilities, which can often feel overwhelming. We can also become rather excited about all the options that are laid out in front of us, ‘shiny object syndrome’ as it’s sometimes called. At the same time, not all options are for you, nor do you want them all. The Seven of Cups is our guide from November 13 to November 23, and is the friendly reminder of the “external splendor and internal corruption” (Book of Thoth) that arises when we try to do it all. The truth is that we can’t do it all, not alone at least. And if we try to do it all, the road will only lead to one place: burnout.
There is an invitation here to daydream about all those possibilities, to live in the liminality of it all. What do I need to know about each option? It’s up to you to select the option that is in alignment with your values, your goals, your purpose in life. Your ego may pull you in one direction, while your Higher Self calls you to go in another. This is the time to check in with your intuition, to feel out what feels right to you in this moment. This card is akin to the moon card, just without the Piscean swirl of emotions behind it. Dream big, opening yourself up to the unseen possibilities, and take up space for yourself.
Choose your character.
Super Smash Bros.
It’s all well and good to indulge in your fantasies, but to make all of your dreams come true does take work. Focus on the one thing that will move you toward your goal. Move from the space of wishful thinking into action-mode. ‘You can do anything you want in life, you just have to do it.’ Leave the cups behind that are no longer working for you. Get comfortable in not knowing where you are going, and let the lazy river take you where it will. Que vivra verra. He who shall live, shall see. Eventually you will get to where you need to be; you may just not know that this is what you need.
Mad love, Jenna
deck credit: Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, drawn in 1909 by Pamela Colman Smith under direction of Arthur Edward Waite,
