Today I meditated and then, while shuffling the cards, asked for guidance. New moons are the ideal time to bring in new energy and start new projects. What should be guiding these beginnings?
A card fell from the deck before I was done. This is known as a “jumper,” which means the energy of the card should be considered while interpreting the upcoming spread or pull.
The Jumper was the 4 of Water, a card illustrated with a pod of humpback whales swimming in luminous waters and assigned the meaning of “Beauty” by the author of the Tarot deck. Good start!
But then the clouds began to gather as I pulled the next three cards, which—from left to right—indicate the past, present, and future energies/influences for the reading.
Past: 5 of Water “Consequences” pictures a mama Polar bear and cubs on a slab of ice in a frozen, but melting, body of water. The “reflected” image below shows only the mother, no cubs, on a smaller piece of ice. This surely is the energy of climate change we’re bringing into the present. But it’s also an indication of the consequence of human apathy and disregard/disconnection from Nature, our true source of life.
Present: 3 of Air “Rise Up” shows three herons soaring into the clouds above a small patch of green land surrounded by turbulent waters. Are they abandoning the troubled Earth? Or flying high to see things from a new perspective—one where the warmth of the sun can still be felt?
Future: 5 of Fire “Choice” requires a closer look. Is the forest on fire and being destroyed? Or, are we looking at a beautiful autumn sunset illuminating the trees? As always, we have choice to determine the future. Which will it be?
Outcome: 3 of Fire “Lights in the Darkness” reveals a murky swamp with three small candles providing a dim trail of lights.
Interpretation
I’m a glass-half-full gal, but even if I weren’t, the Jumper card instructs us to view the reading with beauty in mind.
There’s no denying these are troubled times, even for those who continue to look for silver linings. It’s not just the Mama bear and cubs on that melting slab of ice—it’s all of us, our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. It’s the future of Earth on the line and we cannot, we cannot, look the other way or leave it for others to fix one day longer.
So, I believe the herons are simply rising up for a clearer vision, as we must. The dismal projections will not be be solved or resolved by yet another Climate Crisis Summit. So far, we’ve seen and heard many promises but minimal change. Not nearly enough, not nearly of the magnitude that’s necessary to turn the progression of species extinction around.
To save and protect Earth, we need to look to nature. The herons are showing us how. Rise up! It’s not abandoning ship. It’s climbing to whatever heights are necessary for the better view and clarity about what the best next steps are.
And so in the future position, today’s card spread asks us to make a choice. Will we leave it to someone else to (not) put out the fire in the forest and absolve ourselves of responsibility through blaming others for not acting? Or do we see instead a colorful change of seasons (thought) illuminating the leaves of the forest in a glorious tribute to birth and regeneration via natural means?
The outcome card reveals the better choice. We can begin as the little lights in the swamp. Maybe there’s just a few of us out there now, but light attracts light. And as the lights increase and grow stronger together, changes will follow.
The candles of the heart chakra and Archangel Gabriel and the selenite wand clear and illuminate our paths. Blue aura Lemurian crystal gives strength to our voices and amethyst raises the vibration and heals the mind, body, and soul.
Photo and text by Shelley Lieber.
Witches’ Wisdom Tarot by Phyllis Curott. Artwork by Danielle Barlow.
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