The morning before I started writing this column I did a tarot reading, as I’ve been prone to do before heading off to school. Usually, I’ll do a small, one-card reading with my Oracle deck rather than my actual Tarot deck. I do this for a couple of reasons: to reset my mind after waking up, awaken my best self, and ready myself for what the day will bring.
These decks are divination tools that can help open intuitive awareness and build connections with yourself. This is a fancy way of saying they help tell the future in a way that allows you to get to know yourself a little bit further.
There are a couple of cards within my deck that I’m really drawn to: The Moon, The Magician, Temperance, The High Priestess, and most of all, Death, Wheel of Fortune, and The Hermit.
Hearing the word “death” sounds scary but I promise you it only represents major changes in your life.
Death is the most misunderstood card in the deck and just mentioning its name can have people freaking out. Death is actually a very positive card and symbolizes the end of a major phase or aspect of your life that you realize is no longer serving you. This opens up the possibility of something far more valuable and essential to you.
Death happens to everyone, no matter who you are, how much money you have, where you live, or what color your skin is; it is the same with a significant change. So, the Death card can be a sign you may feel as though you are caught in the path of sweeping change and cannot escape its effects. Although the upheaval may seem unwanted and painful, this massive change could bring with it a series of unexpected surprises that create new opportunities and advantages for you.
The other side of this card offers you the opportunity to embrace change rather than resist it. You can see what wonderful possibilities become available as you say “yes” to change. As you learn to release the past and surrender to the present, the future becomes even brighter. You are releasing what no longer serves you so that you can make space for the new to emerge.
The Wheel of Fortune is similar to Death to remind you that life is in a constant state of change. Except the Wheel of Fortune is also seen as the Wheel of Karma and “what goes around comes around.”
Things outside of your control often influence your life. This shouldn’t be a shock to you as it’s how life can be. We cannot become who we want by staying the same person our entire lives. These two cards relay this message perfectly.
Life is a constant change, and upheaval creates the space for us to become anew. No one can do this while remaining stagnant. We, you, need the change and the space it creates. Without it, we become a husk of ourselves and who we wish to be. It’s necessary for our survival as humans.
Part of the opportunity change brings is to be okay with it; to not let the strangling chains of control dictate who we are. It is impossible to try to change whichever way the wheel turns. You need to accept what happens and adapt. Go with the flow, if you will, and this could help aid you on your journey.
I had to. Too much was happening at a point in my life when I let my anxiety take control over me. I put myself in a cave of depression, an empty stomach, an aching body, alone, and I felt comfortable there. Safe in my little cocoon where I could let things take their toll on me. This darkness I surrounded myself with had a secret gift wrapped in the shadows where I couldn’t find it until I fed the glow within myself.
Which brings me to the final card I want to tell you about, The Hermit.
Typically depicted on the card, The Hermit stands alone on the top of a mountain. The snow capped range symbolizes his spiritual mastery, growth, and accomplishment. He chose the path of self-discovery and, as a result, has reached a heightened state of awareness. In his right hand, he holds a lantern with a six-pointed star inside; a symbol of wisdom.
As the Hermit walks his path, the lamp lights his way, but only illuminates his next few steps rather than the full journey. He must keep walking to see where to go next knowing that not everything will be revealed at once. In his left hand, the side of the subconscious mind, he holds a long staff which he uses to guide and balance himself along with a sign of his power and authority.
He shows you that you are taking a break from everyday life to draw your energy and attention inward to find the answers you seek, deep within your soul. You realize that your most profound sense of truth and knowledge is within yourself and not in the distractions of the outside world. He invites you to retreat into your private world and experience a deep sense of seclusion and introspection. When you allow yourself to tune into your inner, guiding light, you will hear the answers you need and grow wise beyond your years.
The Hermit is about finding your inner light, to shine it on your soul and create your own path. The reversal of The Hermit could indicate that you’re isolating yourself too much or not taking enough time for personal reflection. It’s time to go deeper into your inner being and rediscover who you are.
Death, Wheel of Fortune, and The Hermit represent three huge messages that helped me crawl out of the cave deep within myself and find my light. They’ve also taught me that the little cave I found myself in is a part of who I am, and I shouldn’t ever be afraid to face that darkness.
It was in that darkness I found more of myself. I can say I am the person who knows me best and taking the time to find the journey inward is a huge step closer to who you are, who you want to become, and who you find yourself being.
I wouldn’t be who I am today without everything I’ve experienced. I wouldn’t be someone I am proud to be. I wouldn’t be the person who has written this article to help you realize the magick that is you. It’s in your bones and it’s who you are. I wish you peace and love along the rest of your journey and to whatever the next chapter may bring to the both of us.
Blessed be. <3