A MERRY MOTIVE

Key concepts: knowing your own motives, understanding what drives you to meet your goals, the momentum your attention creates, the wisdom behind your intentions

You’ve chosen a path, you’ve set an intention, and you’ve begun to move toward a goal. You feel compelled to keep going, but do you know the “why” behind this drive? Do you truly want what you’re pursuing, or are you
chasing a destination with the anticipation of how it will make others feel about you (or you feel about yourself)?

You must choose to be in the flow of the experience, relishing the moment. Surrender your expectations to a Higher Power rather than being guided by your limited self. The most important aspect to consider now is where you place your focus, because that’s where energy will flow. If you are resentful, the outer world will show you more opportunities to be resentful. If you are envious of others, competitive, and overly ambitious, you will always feel as if you are not enough. If you focus on gratitude and compassion for others, you will see even more reasons to be grateful and loving. When you look for abundance, it has an uncanny way of multiplying in your life.

So if you’re unsure about your motives, the results will be just as unclear. Dig deep to understand your “why.” If your true desire is to experience X, let go of your attachment to the form that X is supposed to come in. Make sure your motive is merry and joyful, clear and honest, and aim true.

Trust that the universe will provide the outcome that is a perfect match for your intention. . . It always does.

AWAKENING GENIUS

Key concepts: the spirit of creative expression, bringing forth new information, birthing, knowing that your ideas matter

The ancient Greeks believed that each person had a specific genius that acted like a spirit guide, inspiring you with new ideas to further your evolution as an individual as well as the evolution of all humanity. You could say that genius is the spirit of creative expression, and when you tune in to it, amazing things happen. When your genius awakens, you realize you do not have to do everything yourself. You have an inspired, dedicated wise helper on your side.

Today, can you imagine cultivating a playful relationship with this extraordinary spirit? If you can, you’ll recognize that you don’t have to solve every problem with only the knowledge, memories, and experiences you already have accrued. Your intellect in this case serves as a channel for this spirit of genius, and it can filter in new information. How you forge this connection is to get out of your own way and simply allow it to work through you.

The word genius comes from the Latin gignere, meaning “to bring forth or birth,” and shares the same root as the word generate. You are at this moment about to give birth to a new mode of expression—and a powerful one, at that. Commit to partnering with your genius, and only deep satisfaction and success will result. Today is a day when your inspired ideas matter.

THE STORYTELLER

Key concepts: identity, positive self-definition, teaching others how to treat you through the stories you tell about who you are

Do you know the story you tell others about who you are? You are a unique being with unique talents, and a story unique to you and your experience—in fact, your destiny—can be found in the way you weave together these threads of yourself in the world. If there’s anything in your life you want to change, then it’s time to adjust the story you tell about yourself. Perhaps you are too self-deprecating or apologetic about how you shine, minimizing your power so others will accept you. Perhaps the way you voice your expectations
diminishes your ability to succeed, or you are too willing to tolerate a less-than-supportive environment.

It’s easy to be in denial when it comes to others and their behavior toward you. Understand, however, that you teach people how to treat you through how you talk about yourself. Once you recognize what story you’re telling others about how to treat you, you can tell a different one.

What if you could connect to your true power as a co-creator of your reality? The story originates in your mind: how you think, your conditioning and past experiences, how you view the world, and what you expect to see in it. The truth is, you have everything you need to tell a new tale and weave more blessings into the world as your unique contribution. In fact, practice speaking of your amazing success, your overflowing abundance, and all the love that surrounds you. Soon, the outer world will tell the same story back to you!

ROOTS OF ABUNDANCE

Key concepts: being stabilized by deep roots, anchoring yourself and feeling secure in your life, trust and belief in abundance

This card signals you to pay attention to how you are anchored in the story of your life. Trust that you will be taken care of. The world is full of limitless potential and will nourish you according to your beliefs, regardless of temporary outer conditions. You are not a victim of life! Life happens for you—not to you, even if you
sometimes slip into that way of thinking. If you are grounded and internally steadfast, nothing can uproot you, and you have the ability to manifest your intentions with ease.

The message here is simple: Your life is safe and secure, and your intentions are coming to fruition. All your hopes and dreams are firmly grounded and taking root so that you can reach for the stars in your life and expand your dreams further than you can imagine. Everything in the material world is a reflection of your interior world. You are unstoppable and unshakable because you believe that you are abundant. Know that you can easily move from merely surviving to thriving when you pay attention to staying grounded.

If you find yourself in ungrounded thinking, now is the time for radical trust. Growth never follows a straight line; you will manifest what you need when you need it. A tall, healthy tree doesn’t need to hold on to the ground for dear life. It knows it will not fly away with the wind, because its roots are planted deep in the earth.

BODY AND SOUL

Key concepts: taking care of yourself; seeing yourself as a complete package—body not separate from soul, centered in your sense of self, comfortable in your body; your authentic identity; physical health

Extreme self-care is called for when you receive this card. Answer truthfully: are you taking care of your self? Your first choice may be to care for others before meeting your own needs. Check in with yourself: are you experiencing HALT (hunger, anger, loneliness, tiredness)? Th is card is a signal that it’s time to take a break from your current focus and get busy taking care of you because you are worthy of this care! What simple things require your attention so you can function optimally in your world and live your best life, a day at
a time?

Another message that this card holds is about how you live with authenticity. Can you be at ease within yourself, “you doing you” with pride and self worth? Remember: you are a soul that manifests through a body—a spiritual being having a human experience—and that means you are here on purpose even if there are days when you wonder about that. There is an intentionality to your being here now, just the way you are, in this time in our collective story. You being here is important, for you are a precious being with a purpose even if it seems elusive some days.

Just know that life loves you—with that in mind, your job is to do your part to make your experience a healthy one. How you nourish your body, mind, and soul is directly related to how you experience your life. It’s time to put yourself first; then everything will fall beautifully into place.

BEARING FRUIT

Key concepts: birthing, the results of hard work, an idea or consistent thought manifesting into form, the relationship between the external world and the internal world of feelings and beliefs

If your life were a tree, what fruit would it bear? Envision the results of the efforts you put into achieving your dreams and desires in partnership with the Divine. Can you see the way you think, feel, and believe reflected in the material world? Th ere is always a correlation between what you see, what you expect to see, what you intend consciously, and what you project unconsciously.

Everything is intrinsically connected. Magic flows through you from the unseen world into the world you perceive. Moving from the realm of nonordinary reality to ordinary reality, you birth ideas and thoughts into form and bring your most cherished desires to fruition. Not all ideas will bear sweet fruit; sometimes you will reap a sour and bitter harvest based on your sense of your personal narrative and your assumptions about others.

You are in a powerful and fertile season of your life, when you’re particularly good at making things happen with very little effort. Pay close attention to what you’re manifesting now. From your career to your personal relationships, your influence is strong at this time. If you don’t like what your life is yielding, prune the proverbial tree and get into alignment with what genuinely lights you up.

Remember you birth into the world that which you pay most attention to and consistently hold within as your truth. Be clear about what you intend. Can you make this commitment?

EARS WIDE OPEN

Key concepts: deep listening as a gift we give to others, understanding someone else’s needs, showing focused attention, tuning in to another and letting go of the ego’s need to be heard

The world is constantly speaking to us and offering clues about what is really Whenever we are in a state of chaos and distraction, paying attention to only some of what is being said, we lose the ability to pick up on everything—including that which is not being said. Deep listening is the way in which we immerse ourselves in the truth of the world. In this way, with ears wide open, we also open our hearts and minds to understand more than what is conveyed through words alone. Opportunities arise from the subtle cues we miss when we are not 100 percent present.

Purposeful, open listening is an act of true respect and intimacy. When you are in this space of receptivity, letting go of the need to be heard or to be right, you become expansive and alert to meaningful potential. Right now, keep your ears wide open, and you will find more than you were searching for. going on beneath the surface of things. We all have the capacity to hear beyond the noise that reaches our ears. The challenge is when we feel misunderstood and unheard. When we feel insignificant, it’s easy to over-explain ourselves in an attempt to get acknowledged.

Now is the time to let all that go. Offer your attention as the great gift it is. It’s time to stop multitasking, checking your phone, thinking of what you’re going to say next, and doing all the other things that keep you from connecting fully.

EARTH MAGIC

Key concepts: being grounded in nature; the quiet, dark place where all things begin, where essence is first ignited before manifestation; knowing you are part of the earth, and she is part of you

Earth Magic speaks to the intrinsic relationship that you and all living things have with the consciousness of the Earth, also known as Gaia. Imagine the oak tree that begins its journey as an acorn gathering the life-force energy it needs from the earth so it can sprout up from the ground. Because you are part of nature, you follow the same cycle of manifestation. Everything you are, your evolution, and the successful manifestation of your dreams begin below the surface of consciousness until an idea comes, conviction takes hold, and something meaningful can be planted.

Be still for a moment. Quiet your thoughts and imagine anchoring your energy to the sacred quality of being part of this living earth. Do this mindfully to connect to this Divine intelligence with the power to create the perfect form from the essence of a tiny spark of life. Indeed, this is miraculous.

The message now is to trust that the seeds you’ve planted in your field of dreams are in good hands. The earth is a conscious, Divine Source of love that is doing its part on your behalf. Slow down, take in the beauty of your life now, and trust that what you are intending is being nourished and is growing. There will be plenty of time later to tend to your garden, to water it and weed it. Great magic is germinating underground, working its way to the surface to deliver more blessings than you could imagine. Let it.

TENDER EMBRACE

Key concepts: compassion, warmhearted care for self and others, sensitivity and empathy, benevolence, kindness

Put your hand on your heart and breathe deeply, inhaling a sense of gratitude. . . . Now how do you feel? Keep doing this, tuning in to the world around you—others you know and even those you don’t know. Can you feel compassion for them?

Compassion is an emotion of tenderness and sensitivity. It’s a feeling of benevolence and reverence as you stand witness to the suffering of the world. Now is the time to reduce that pain and focus on compassion in all areas of your life. Today do something deliberately kind for another. Even looking a stranger in the eye and smiling can make a world of difference.

The questions to ask now are: Where do I need to be kinder and gentler? How can I serve, and in what capacity can I be in alignment with the solution to the suffering of the world? Could it be that you need to be more compassionate toward yourself? If you spend all your time in service to others, it’s easy to forget about your own needs. When you accept yourself, you can bring more loving energy to others.

Today make a commitment to practice self-compassion. Release yourself from the burdens of perfectionism, allow yourself the grace to be human—and then do the same for others. It’s not your job to tell others how to
express themselves, even if you don’t like the way the world behaves. Today be kind for no reason at all, and watch miracles arise.

LET IT GO

Key concepts: forgiveness, healing resentments, shedding the role of the eternal martyr, letting go of victimhood, cutting the ties that bind you to a destructive story, releasing pain so you can move into the lesson it offers, relinquishing the need to be right

There are times in life when you must forgive, lest you become a hostage to your anger, frustration, disappointments, and resentments. This is not about condoning bad behavior or minimizing a hurt done to you. Forgiveness is simply a commitment to stop telling an old story so you don’t carry its burden anymore.

If you don’t forgive, old hurts fester and become distorted, causing you pain over and over again. You become trapped in a prison of your own making, tied to the story that you were a victim. It’s time to cut the invisible
cords attaching you to the situation and preventing you from moving forward! The truth is, you are victimizing yourself every time you re-create the unresolved hurt in your mind or speak of it with friends. Rather than allow this folly to repeat, surrender the situation to your Higher Power.

Now is the time for radical forgiveness. Say no to drama in all forms, and forgive yourself and others for engaging in it. Consider the ancient Hawaiian practice known as hoʻoponopono. This simple prayer is a beautiful way to begin the process of forgiveness: “I’m sorry. Forgive me. Thank you. I love you.” It’s based on the idea that we are all responsible for the reality we see in the world. If something is awry—whether it’s your perception, your emotional reactions, your judgment, and so forth—it’s up to you to clean it up.

Forgiveness is the key to a liberated and meaningful life. No matter what method you choose, just do it!

A TALL TALE

Key concepts: denial, concealing the truth so you can manipulate and control a situation, fear-based communication, creating a narrative to hide behind, not allowing the fear of what others will think to influence your words, learning to communicate from a place of authenticity

You or someone else is telling a tall tale right now. You always know if a falsehood is spoken because it doesn’t feel grounded. When you lie, you get high on an illusory sense of power that is doomed to fail at some point. You feel driven by the fear of exposure, but something makes you stick to your story even though you know it has no substance.

Whatever lie we are caught up in isn’t as important as the motive for it. Why does anyone lie? Perhaps we don’t believe the truth is good enough, or we want to keep doing what we know we shouldn’t be doing. Then there is the lie put forth while in denial, such as hiding an active addiction. In this scenario, we may believe our own lies. The tall tale, the white lie, the stretching of the truth, and the blatant fabrication are all about control: the desire for it, the lack of it, the need to maintain it so we can manipulate the outer world and hide our inner one.

Today ask for the truth. Be willing to pay the price and be okay with the vulnerability your lie is exposing in yourself and others. Transparency is required to get to where you need to go, to be truly empowered, to reveal the strength of what is true and authentic. Any other path leads to a dead end.

Remember the saying “The truth will set you free”—and get ready to fly unfettered.

EXPOSED AND REVEALED

Key concepts: healing shame, the impostor syndrome, letting go of self-condemnation, freedom from past unresolved wounds, focusing on self-worth, the underlying beauty in rejection

When you experience shame, you don’t just feel you’ve done something wrong; you feel like you are wrong—fundamentally flawed. Know that life loves you, and the universe doesn’t make junk, only magic! However, many social interactions (especially online) are steeped in distorted, unhealthy ways of expressing pain by
shaming.

Here is the way out of this: See shame as the heart-wrenching cry for help that it is. Consider whether you could have been triggered in the outer world by unresolved issues that matched all your inner pain points. If
someone is shaming you, perhaps you have triggered them. How miserable they must be to expend their energy on such toxicity! They are drinking poison, hoping you will get sick. You cannot love someone out of their shame; you can only show compassion for both them and yourself, set a healthy boundary, and refuse to
fan the flames.

Look upon shame as an opportunity for growth, evolution, healing, and freedom. With this in mind, can you let go of your attachment to control? Admit that this emotion isn’t something you have power over, and surrender to a Higher Power. There is a sacred quality to the vulnerability inherent in admitting you can’t do this alone. When you allow yourself to be laid open in this way, you gain a beautiful new perspective. Then the healed shame has the infinite power of the Divine to set you free.

A POWERFUL MOVE

Key concepts: action, movement with purpose, effort, putt ing into motion your intention, making choices from an empowered and thoughtful place, positive change

The time for rest is over—change is in the air. Th is is a powerful time when deliberate action is needed to move your intentions out of the realm of thought and into the material, from ideas into action. How do you approach your relationship to the invisible world, as it influences the visible? Do you see the relationship?
Do you recognize yourself as a unique, whole, and worthy being who has a special place in the world, whose offerings are valuable, and whose life has meaning? You are a mighty co-creator, so step into that power and
see your intentions manifest in the world. Real positive change is possible when you make choices from an authentic sense of self and take a conscious step toward your dreams.

To take steps toward your intended experience, start first with the way you think. Let curiosity be the focus now, and display a willingness to discover new things instead of confirming your past expectations. Be open,
be clear about your motives and desires, and set your intention. Then step into the magic just waiting for you to claim it! Traveling, moving, flowing, flying: whatever describes the changes in your life, know that these are
called for now. Act with thoughtfulness and awareness, and remember to be true to yourself. What is called for now is “doing the thing that needs to be done.” All will be better than well. What an exciting time indeed!

INTO ME I SEE

Key concepts: intimacy, trust in another, dropping shields and rigid boundaries to allow
connection, the willingness to be vulnerable

At certain precious moments, you’re called into a deep and meaningful connection with the world or another person. A magical affinity arises, with the kind of intimacy that in turn encourages a greater understanding of yourself. The relationship acts as a mirror, helping you see your own patterns. What it reflects about you can further your own personal evolution.

Now is the time to take a risk by connecting with another. Can you see how far you’ve come? Can you see what is still active within you that needs to change or heal? You will discover more about who you are as you discover more about another. Even if you cannot possibly know what it’s truly like to be in someone else’s shoes, you can listen and learn. This is a magical gift being offered to you right now.

This concept applies beyond romantic connection. What do the dynamics in your closest friendships, work relationships, and family say about you? Relationships are extraordinary opportunities for healing. When predicated on honesty and caring, they have a great impact on how you contribute to the world.

Intimate relationships hold up a mirror of truth and reveal more treasures than you might ever expect. If you can look into it, take a risk and see everything as beautiful, even in its imperfections, imagine how deep you could go.

A DEEP BREATH

Key concepts: a genuine expectation of danger, projection of a threat without substance, fight-or-flight mode, inability to focus, trusting in the universe as a way to release fear

Fear is asking for your attention—and healing—right now. You (or another) are operating from the position of fear. If you also see red flags, you might be headed toward genuine danger, perhaps repeating a lesson you don’t need to learn again. You can honor this kind of fear by saying “thank you” and protect yourself by choosing another path. In this moment, you have all it takes to make this shift.

If, on the other hand, the fear surrounds the idea of taking a risk, be mindful. Radical trust and accepting the discomfort of the new is called for as you move out of your comfort zone. Ask for courage to take a leap into the unknown, and know that all will be well. (But know that “all will be well” doesn’t mean all you have come to expect.)

Stories from the past may be molding your expectations right now and causing fear based on anticipated hurt. Don’t isolate yourself or fall for the false idea that life is too painful and engaging with it should be avoided.

How about loving that side of you that is afraid, acting out, and causing all this unnecessary commotion? You will never be happy if this small part of you controls your life, as it will if you allow it. However, remember to be gentle with yourself and others. Once you let go and relax into your life, everything looks brighter and friendlier.

Today, choose love over fear. You’ll be amazed when you do.

THE LAND BETWEEN

Key concepts: being between worlds, learning to be okay while at the threshold of what was and what will be, a time of waiting and evolving gray areas, something essential yet still in development, metamorphosis

You’re in a process of change. You know that you were called to it and can no longer be who you were, but you aren’t sure what the next experience of your life will be. You are in between what was and what could be, in a “pupal” stage, like during the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into the butterfly. However, you can’t just skip the messy parts; you have to endure the unknown and uncomfortable as you reinvent yourself.

The thing is, you’re not quite there yet. You have one foot in the past, even if you’re ready to shed that version of yourself and become something new. You must start redefining who you are in the context of your question. What do you believe is possible when you get to the next place? Can you explore this stage of your evolution to get to know yourself better?

The process in between worlds is where things get really interesting. You learn how to manage your fear, how to stay present in the now, how to see in the dark. You absorb the lessons offered to you with grace, because you can’t go any faster. This is a real test of emotional fortitude, patience, trust, and humility. Once you have made this no-man’s-land your home, it will be part of you. Then whatever was set in motion comes to life. This is what you’ve been waiting for. When you look back, you will grow to love the place “in between,” for that is where you were reborn.

CALL OF THE MUSE

Key concepts: creative expression, being in the flow of creativity, tuning in to inspiration, allowing creativity without being self-conscious, writing and journaling as a means of connection

When you feel the call of the muse, you are being invited to create, to be the artist choreographing your life, serving on behalf of the Great Artist, Divine Source. While the process feels intensely personal, your ego and self-identification are, ironically, the most unnecessary parts of the equation.

While you might think you own the magic of your creativity, can you truly say you’re the source of the inspiration? Similar to the spirit of genius from card 29, imagine your creativity stemming from another spirit guide: the muse.

Just as the genius needs to partner with your intellect, so too does the muse need you to open your heart and let magic flow through your intuition and emotions. Stop seeing yourself as the center of the process, and instead see your- self as a partner in a creative dance. Sometimes, you might be “inside” the music and the feelings, the story, and its expression. Other times, you observe from the sidelines, watching it all flow from an unknown yet deeply intimate source.

Today your muse is calling you to be a channel and allow the creative energy to flow through you. The energy of emotion is waiting to be given a voice, a name, a shape, or a color. Journal, finish that writing project, start something new, paint, sing, dance . . . and don’t worry where any of it lands. It has its own plans for you. Your muse knows where this is all meant to go. For you, the big magic is in the experience of answering the call.

BEYOND THE ORDINARY

Key concepts: the mystical, ineffable part of life; trusting in the invisible world without understanding it; recognizing that some things cannot be known in advance and are not meant to be grasped intellectually; the awareness that everything is as it should be even if it doesn’t make sense

Beyond our ordinary worlds defined by our memory, our intellect, and our five senses is a mystical realm of beauty, magic, and extraordinary potential. This is the spiritual realm, the quantum reality, called by some the “Great Mystery.” This place doesn’t operate under the same laws we’re used to but rather has its own way of working that is perfect, though hard for us to understand.

When you want to know what is to come, the nature of something, or where you’re heading, it’s natural to turn to a trusted oracle and expect some kind of answer that will inform your view of how things are, might be, or should be. Sometimes this is not possible, because the elements cannot be named or are not yet in place. Things may be still in flux, so you cannot know and may never be meant to know.

No matter how hard you try to understand why something happened or how or when it will happen, now is the time to surrender to not knowing. The Mystery is a mystery because it is at present unknowable and as yet unmade. Even its potential is impossible to understand. What is waiting for you lies beyond the ordinary, but it has not yet chosen its shape, its path, and the manner by which it will be delivered. Your job is to stay the course, allowing whatever comes to be exactly as it will, without trying to ascertain anything in advance.

OPENING TO DISCOVERY

Key concepts: the small bits of data you collect from the world to form ideas, the transfer of vital information via the universe always speaking to you, the need to integrate information and be discerning about what you expose yourself to

We tune in to information from our outer environment, then assign meaning to it within our psyches. Every day, however, the amount of data we sort through exceeds what we’re capable of processing. Especially since the advent of the Internet, we have been bombarded with more than we could ever hope to absorb. Therefore it’s important to be mindful of what we expose ourselves to.

Consistent exposure to unhealthy messaging invites us into a cynical, fear-based worldview. On the other hand, conscious exposure to information supporting our well-being shifts us toward growth and expansion. The choice, though, is not always obviously ours, which is why we must be discerning on a daily basis.
The universe is always engaging us—we are part of it, after all—through synchronicity, omens, and other signs that point toward our best path. Our intuition helps us tune in and see our environment like an oracle. How- ever, this new information doesn’t always make sense right away, so being curious and nonresistant is key to learning.

Today be open to receiving important information that may come from an unusual source. The universe wants to help you, but recognizing the way this aid will arrive depends on your willingness to shut out superfluous noise. Maybe you need to take a break from social media, gossip, or the news. Don’t let yourself get distracted. Listen without attachment, and see what arises in your life. Expect a message from the universe and you shall have it.