Bagua Spread

There’s generally only two times in the year that I like to do really big spreads: my birthday; and at the end of the year, when I do a year-ahead spread.

It was my birthday a little over a week ago, and usually, I do Ethony’s “It’s My Birthday Tarot” Spread, which I also did on my actual birthday, but this year, I thought I would do an additional spread and also hold good on my word that I want to start using the Eastern Ink Tarot in a more extensive way.

I was watching this video by Foolonajourney on books they’ve been reading and decks they’ve been using, and they introduced this book called Tarot for Life by Prospero. While flipping through the book, I saw a reference to a “Bagua Spread,” which piqued my interest. I don’t know much about the Bagua, other than that “ba” means “eight” and also having very, very vague memories of my mom hanging an octagonal bagua mirror in our house and me asking her what it was.

A cursory Google search of the bagua explains that it is part of Taoist tradition and is made up of eight trigrams from the I Ching surrounding either the yin and yang symbol or a mirror. When I Googled “bagua tarot spread,” I came across this entry from eight years ago on Alanna’s Tarot blog. What a perfect spread to use with my Eastern Ink Tarot!

I found this helpful picture on Alanna’s blog that breaks down each part of the bagua:

The idea behind the spread is to pull a card for each of these areas.

I wasn’t sure if there was a specific order to do the spread in, so what I did was follow what Alanna did and started at the top with Fame/Reputation, worked my way clockwise around the bagua, and ended with the card in the middle for Health. I shuffled the deck before drawing each card, focusing my mind and intention on the category that I was about to draw.

Here’s my spread:

• Fame/Reputation – Nine of Cups – I think that people see me as someone who is happy, content, and personally fulfilled.
• Relationships/Love – Ace of Pentacles – I’ve been really lucky in love! I feel blessed everyday for my husband, who is the kindest and most supportive person I know.
• Children/Creativity – King of Pentacles – I’m feeling secure and abundant in this area. I’m ready to start a family!
• Helpful People/Travel – Eight of Cups – It looks like based on the current global situation with COVID that the idea of travel may be something that I just have to walk away from for now.
• Career/Life Path – Knight of Pentacles – I’ve always been incredibly hardworking and diligent in my work, and I think this card acknowledges that!
• Knowledge/Wisdom – Eight of Pentacles – A lot of people in my life see me as knowledgeable and wise, and I do believe that that is something that I actively work towards. I work to be knowledgeable!
• Ancestors/Family – The Tower – I think this is obviously referencing the passing of my mom, who was the rock of our family. Her death really shook us to the core and really forced each of us to reevaluate how we view life and how we value family.
• Wealth – Judgment – I think this card is telling me that there will soon be a major decision where I will have to decide on present wealth or future wealth.
• Health – Death – A major change and transformation is in the works when it comes to my personal health. Hopefully, it’s a positive change and transformation!

I really enjoyed this spread, as it really encouraged me to think and reflect on the different aspects of my life. It does remind me of the astrological spread with the 12 houses. It would be interesting to do the 12 houses spread and then compare it back to this Bagua Spread to see if there’s any overlap!

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Harry Potter Sorting Hat Tarot Spread

I’ve been binge-listening to Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, so Harry Potter has been very much on my mind as of late. In every quiz I have ever taken with respect to sorting myself into one of the four houses, I have always been sorted into Ravenclaw.

I thought I would try a Sorting Hat spread I made up, which is kind of an amalgamation of various sorting hat tarot spreads I’ve seen online.

Of course, I decided to use the Everyday Witch Tarot. I divided the deck into piles of Wands, Cups, Pentacles, and Swords, and I put aside the Major Arcana.

Most sources attribute Wands to Gryffindor, Cups to Slytherin, Pentacles to Hufflepuff, and Swords to Ravenclaw. I mostly agree with this, except for Slytherin, which I think is just hard to fit into any of these elements/suits.

For each suit, I asked, “How much am I like, and how am I like, the personality traits in [House]?” I drew one card from each suit pile. I then looked at each of them before putting them back together with all of the Minor Arcana cards (so they would have a chance of being drawn again), shuffled them up, and asked, “Sorting Hat, which house do I belong in?” I drew one single card and placed it in the center, and then went and found all the other four cards I drew and placed them in the spread like this:

How much am I like, and how am I like Gryffindor? — Three of Wands

I am not that much like a Gryffindor. My actions are typically a result of planning, hard work, thinking ahead, and carefully considering choices and options. Unlike Gryffindors, I am not as impulsive or driven by passion, bravery, or courage.

How much am I like, and how am I like Slytherin? — Four of Cups

I am not that much like Slytherin. I do tend to wait for the right thing to come along, rather than seek it out doggedly or out of ambition.

How much am I like, and how am I like Hufflepuff? — Seven of Pentacles

I have a lot of qualities like a Hufflepuff: hardworking and diligent. I know the results of my hard work take some time to appear, and I know how to wait patiently for the results to come to fruition.

How much am I like, and how am I like Ravenclaw? — Page of Swords

I am very much like a Ravenclaw. I’m curious, intellectually driven, and I love learning new things and exploring new ideas and knowledge!

Sorting Hat, which house do I belong in? — Five of Swords — RAVENCLAW

Ravenclaw again! At the end of the day, for better or worse, my mind prevails over all other aspects of me.

Virgo Supermoon Tarot Spread

This three-card Virgo Supermoon Tarot Spread focused on energy is brought to you by Tarotmum13:

I decided to use the Mermaid Tarot since that is my newest deck, acquired right before the Supermoon ❤

1 — High Tide: Which energy will be amplified during this Supermoon? — Seven of Pentacles

You will learn to be extra patient this Supermoon as you watch the fruits of your labor grow and wait to reap the benefits of your hard work.

2 — Low Tide: Which energy will be diminished? — The Devil

There will be less temptations to deviate you from your path and your focus, but that does not mean that you can be ignorant and oblivious. Always be mindful, but understand that the universe does wants your efforts to be rewarded. Unless you let yourself be trapped, you will be able to thwart the negative energy.

3 — Balance: How can I best ground and balance myself during this time? — Eight of Pentacles

Keep on keeping on! Know that your hard work is not for naught. Your work ethic and diligence precedes you, and know that it does not go unnoticed and you will be rewarded for your efforts!

Full Moon in Virgo Spread

As a Virgo, I am very critical, analytical, and detail-oriented in my life (and just all the time). With the Full Moon in Virgo, I thought it would be enlightening to learn what things to leave behind and what things to work on.

Here’s the Full Moon in Virgo spread by Ethony:

I decided to use the beautiful Shadow Light Tarot. It seems very good for delving deep into my inner self:

1 — What baggage am I being challenged to leave behind? — The Wheel

Sometimes things are due to fate and luck, and sometimes they’re not. Stop overthinking whether it is or isn’t, and just do and contribute whatever you can!

2 — How can I be less critical this Full Moon? — The Tower

Stop being fatalistic and assuming the worst. Not everything will crumble when things go awry. Trust in the good of people, and stay positive.

3 — What health and wellness area needs attention? — Six of Wands

Learn to celebrate the small wins in your life. Live in the present. Stop being so focused on the future that you forget what has been accomplished already.

4 — What area of my life needs reorganizing? — King of Swords

My mind! It’s been going a mile a minute since this year started, and it just needs a bit of rest. Stop overthinking and overanalyzing things to death.

5 — What needs to get done this Full Moon? — Two of Swords

I need to get over indecision due to overanalyzing all of the small details, and just actually make a decision already!

I also found this cute little Moon tarot card enamel pin yesterday at my local Cost Plus, pictured here set against my new clear quartz tower that I got on Friday:

Blood Moon Eclipse Spread

I’ve been meaning to do a Blood Moon Eclipse spread, and I thought this one from @lionharts would be a perfect one to try:

I decided to use the Santa Muerte Tarot because I haven’t used it in a while, and, to me, it’s a very powerful and mysterious deck — a lot like the Moon itself.  I also used the Moon card from the Anima Mundi Tarot as kind of a significator.

What is this Blood Moon Eclipse revealing? — Eight of Swords

How can I best embrace this Eclipse energy? — Ace of Swords

What thoughts or feelings can use grounding? — Queen of Pentacles

You are feeling a storm brewing internally within you — trapped in your thoughts and limited in your thinking. It’s time to clear your mind, and break through the clouds. You already know what brings you comfort, security, and stability. Channel your mental energies towards your end goal, and keep climbing ’til you get there.

#31DaysofTarot19: Day 20

Day 20 — Favorite tarot spread

My favorite tarot spread that I enjoy using for myself is the Johari Window Tarot Spread. (In terms of the tarot spread that is my favorite in the sense of using it the most frequently, that is the Deck Interview Spread.)

I love this spread because I love the intersection of tarot and psychology.  In this spread, you can examine the intersection of what is known and unknown to yourself and what is known and unknown to others about yourself to determine your Open Self, Blind Self, Hidden Self, and Unknown Self.  I don’t know where the actual spread originated from because if you Google “Johari Window,” you’ll find this diagram or something similar all over the Internet, but last year, there were several people on YouTube who did this spread using the hashtag #JohariWindowTarotSpread.

This spread is also short enough to do more regularly. Here is me doing the spread today using the Dreamkeepers Tarot since this deck seems great at discovering the hidden and unknown.  Interestingly, I got one court card and three Major Arcanas:

Open Self — Information known to both me and others — Page of Swords

I am a intellectually curious person. I love learning new things and exploring the ins-and-outs of how something works.  I am excited by new ideas and new information and love exploring new avenues of thought and going down rabbit holes that lead to more information.  And yes, this is definitely something I know about myself and that others who know me know about me!

Blind Self — Information I don’t know but others know — The High Priestess

This one is interesting. I feel like I have trusted my intuition a lot more since I got into tarot, although others don’t know that about me, but I do.  So I would think this would be my Hidden Self.

However, I think what this card is telling me is that others have always known that I am intuitive, whereas I have always seen myself as a logical and rational person. Everything I do is generally based on reason and logic, but others know that it is based on intuition.  I’m realizing that it must be intuition that I later justify with reason and logic.

Hidden Self — Information that I know but others don’t know — The Hierophant

I appreciate structure, norms, and guidance, and I use this to help me when I teach students. A lot of the times I feel like I am the Hierophant to them and that I am rigid and structured, and unchanging and unmoving. But I know it’s because I am using my knowledge to guide and advise others, whether it be students, friends, or colleagues.  I don’t think others necessarily know this about me.  They think I am too rigid and sometimes uncompromising in my views, but I am really just providing them with the guidance that I believe they need.

Unknown Self — Information that neither I nor others know — Strength

Initially, I always think of this card as inner strength, and I think I have this.  But I think this card is pushing me to think a bit deeper and read it as being about courage and compassion. I think I am strong-willed and independent, but I don’t realize that it comes from courage and compassion.  Others also see me as strong, but also do not know the root cause of that strength.

Past Year Reflection Spread

I came across this Past Year Reflection spread by @emeraldlotusdivination on Instagram and thought I would try it for myself.

I decided to use the Ceccoli Tarot for this spread:

1 — Card to represent me this past year — Ten of Discs

It was a whirlwind of a year, but I held on, and I succeeded in the end. I am happy and healthy, with a good job, in a good place, and in a great relationship.

2 — A soul lesson I was learning this past year — The Tower

I learned to expect the unexpected and to deal with instability. I hate not being in control, and I hate instability, and this year I learned that there are so many things that I cannot control, and the best that I can do is to roll with the punches and deal with it the best that I can. Tarot has definitely helped me through this. In fact, when I drew this exact Tower card earlier this week (along with a Five of Pentacles), I expected the worst to happen. Nothing “bad” ended up happening that day, but perhaps it was because I was extra cautious, extra aware, and extra mindful, and for that reason, I avoided calamity.

3 — How this soul lesson changed me — The Devil

This soul lesson has changed me because I have learned that while I cannot control external influences, I can control how I react or engage with those influences. I can release myself from negative situations that cause instability or cause me to feel out of control.

4 — Something that held me back this past year — Seven of Wands

Something that held me back this past year was being involved in unnecessary conflicts out of pride or stubbornness. There were times where I spent too long being stubborn and should have apologized, or should have apologized sooner.

5 — Something that I ignored this past year — Eight of Wands

There were lots of small opportunities that I likely missed because I ignored them at first or wasn’t swift enough in my responses.

6 — Something I should be proud of — Knave of Discs

I have developed a lot this year in all aspect of my life — in my career, in my relationships, and in my place in life.  I’m proud of my progress and development, and throughout it all, I have stayed grounded and true to my authentic self.

Year Ahead Spread

January — Four of Swords — Lots of rest and recovery for me, particularly for my mind!

February — The Magician — Time to make things happen!

March — Six of Pentacles — A time of support; I wonder: will I be the one offering support or the one receiving support?

April — The Lovers — A major decision in my relationship.

May — Eight of Wands — End of the school year will feel fast-paced and swift.

June — King of Cups — Utter happiness in my being for finishing the school year! Attaining emotional balance.

July — Eight of Pentacles — Work towards something I enjoy and something I’m passionate about.

August — Ace of Swords — Beginning the new school year with a clear mind.

September — Ten of Cups — True happiness and bliss.

October — Eight of Cups — Walking away and letting go of something that I know I need to walk away from.

November — Seven of Cups — Choices abound; contemplate, of course, but then make them a reality.

December — The Devil — You’ve had a great year; don’t let yourself think negatively and end the year on a sour note.

Overall energy — Nine of Swords — This one was interesting. I felt my year ahead spread turned out to be very positive, yet this energy seems to be one focused in the negative. I drew this card last, after drawing the 12 cards for the spread. I know that I was anxious doing this spread; perhaps that is why this card showed up? I think also though that this card is a reminder that any anxiety I feel is completely self-created and within my own mind and that any time I feel anxious I should know that it is entirely within my own power to release them.

 

Self-Care Spread

I follow the lovely Tarotmum13, who always comes up with some great spreads. Here is her Self-Care Spread:

For each of these checks, Tarotmum13 also has a list of suggested activities that I suggest you check out on her site!

For this spread, I used the Moon Void Tarot. It’s the deck I use when I want to consult about me personally because, again, it just feels so modern, relatable, and personal.

Here’s my spread:

1 — Physiological Needs: BODY CHECK — How can I improve my physical well-being?

Page of Pentacles — Continue with the magical practice of tarot. It has allowed me to be more mindful and reflective and has allowed me to clear my mind when it is cloudy, and as a result, I have been less stressed mentally, which makes me less stressed physiologically. I have not been keeping my tarot journal anymore; perhaps the journal in this card is an indication that I should pick it back up!

2 — Safety Needs: HOME CHECK — What can I do to improve the energy in my Home?

The Hermit — Love this. My home should be a place for rest, quiet time, and introspection. It should be peaceful, and I should preserve it as a place of rest and relaxation. It is my sanctuary, and I need to keep it that way.

3 — Social Needs (Love & Belonging): HEART CHECK — How can I improve the quality of my social interactions and relationships?

The High Priestess — Trust my intuition; trust my gut. I already know inside how I should be improving my relationships, and I need to listen to that voice inside.

4 — Esteem Needs: SOUL CHECK — Which quality or ability do I have that I can feel really good about?

Ten of Swords — Wow. I was startled to see this at first, but it actually makes a lot of sense. I am really good about ending things when I know they are bad news. I am not afraid of the pain I may suffer. I actually rather end things sooner rather than later; for me, there is no benefit to prolong negative things when they will eventually reach their demise anyway.

5 — Self-Actualization: SPIRIT CHECK — How can I take a step towards Spiritual Satisfaction?

Knight of Swords — Continue with my spiritual practices around tarot, and perhaps be more open about it with others in my life. Only a few people in my life actually know I practice tarot. I have maintained a small presence online, but I have largely been anonymous. This may be a message to tell me to be more free and open with my practice.

A very enlightening spread!

Thanksgiving and Gratitude Tarot Spread

I came across the Thanksgiving and Gratitude Tarot Spread from the 2019 Biddy Tarot Planner on several different posts on Instagram, and I remember I did the top portion of this spread last year. This spread can also be found at Biddy Tarot here.

I thought I would do the whole spread this year.  I decided to use Stella’s Tarot because it was my most used deck in 2018!

1 — What blessings have I harvested this season? — Princess of Wands

I’ve had a lot of creative energy, passion, and drive this past year.

2 — What blessings are available to me now? — Three of Cups

My amazing friends, my support system, and my loving and genuine relationships.  The people who are always there to support me in everything I do and who help me get to where I need to be.

3 — What new blessings are coming my way? — Fortune

Good luck!

4 — What am I grateful for in my career and work? — Seven of Disks

It’s been a harried year at work. It’s always been a little crazy, but I have “stuck” with it (as the lady is stuck on the web), and I do see the fruits of my labor and hard work.

5 — What am I grateful for in my finances? — The Star

There is hope and light! Perhaps my student loans will all be paid off soon, and I will be released from certain obligations.

6 — What am I grateful for in my relationships? — The Magician

I’ve had great people in my life this year that have helped me take action to manifest the best path for me forward.

7 — What am I grateful for in my personal development and well-being? — Ten of Cups

I have grown so much this year in self-care and taking care of myself and my well-being. I think tarot has helped me out a lot. It’s been a little over a year since I started, and I have become a much more mindful, thoughtful, and reflective person. I’m also much happier!

8 — How can I express my gratitude towards myself? — Knight of Wands

I need to be more proactive in giving myself what I need. I generally give myself what I need when I begin to reach a point of negativity because some need is not fulfilled, but I need to be a little more proactive and provide myself with what I need to begin with.

9 — How can I express my gratitude towards others? — Six of Disks

By helping them out with what they need, and by being their support system. By repaying them for their kindness by giving back.

10 — How can I continue to create abundance in my life? — Queen of Cups

By being compassionate and caring and sensitive to others. I am generally a very logical and rational being, but I feel I have become much more compassionate and intuitive since becoming more mindful through tarot, and I can continue to create abundance by being compassionate, loving, and sensitive.

This spread has been so on point!

What’s also super interesting is that while I was shuffling, a couple of cards had jumped out, like the Knight of Wands and Queen of Cups, but since this was a multi-card spread, I put the jumpers back in the deck and continued to shuffle. These cards still ended up showing up!