On the day of the solar eclipse, I woke up feeling a strange energy—not good, not bad, but full of possibility. The connection between eclipses and new beginnings is clear, and the streets in my corner of the universe are on edge in anticipation of what the long-awaited moon's crosscutting of the sun will bring. This eclipse is said to bring the unexpected, and since this eclipse in Leo occurs during Mercury retrograde, people who follow astrology are being prepared for anything.
I thought, what a great time to adopt a completely different approach to divination and have my cards professionally interpreted for the first time.
But are tarot cards related to astrology? Neither can be used to tell the future, but rather to interpret events happening around you and set intentions related to how you will handle those events as an adult lady. Tarotology has a long (and fascinating) history, with its origins dating back to the Renaissance. The complex deck consists of the Major Arcana, a set of 22 trump cards, and the Minor Arcana, four sets of 14 cards, one associated with each element (fire, water, air and earth). Each card has a unique meaning, and you can draw just one to get a clear understanding of a problem in your life, or you can draw a complete card to gain a better understanding of how to deal with the problem.
If you're wondering what a seemingly random set of cards has to do with the position of the moon, the answer is a lot. Ruby Warrington, founder of The Numinous , says in her book, Material Girl, Mysterious World, "Astrology and tarot can complement each other." Each card is imbued with the energy of a specific astrological symbol, so if you choose one Draw the Major Arcana cards to guide your spread, and you may be inclined to choose the one card that corresponds to your sun sign (for my fellow Capricorns, that would be the World Card). According to the tarot app Mystic Monday, when I pulled my daily cards about an hour before the moon began to eclipse the sun, I got the Fool card — a card that represents “pure energy” and “beginnings.” (Insert dark eyes emoji here.) So, tarot (like astrology) may not be pure science, but you've got to hand it to them—it can provide some pretty incredible results.
Although I have been an amateur tarot card reader for some time, I have never had my cards read professionally. But since this eclipse is a harbinger of new beginnings, I thought now might be as good a time as any to see if the pros could offer any deeper insights into what the end of this eclipse cycle might bring. So I donned Beyoncé’s most authentic occult costume and set out for the nearest psychic as the moon reached the peak of its solar coverage.
My spiritual director gave me three tarot readings to choose from: one that interpreted my past, present, and future; . Someone who could map out my future in love and success; a complete overview of my life's experiences. I did the most basic past-present-future reading and she asked me if there was a reason for me coming in today. I explained that since this was a solar eclipse, I wanted to see if I would get a reading that was particularly meaningful or if it was given any special instructions on how I should best take advantage of this new beginning.
Readers, I can tell you that the readings I received were very enlightening and not just a stark contrast to the darkness outside. I don’t know if I was particularly receptive to the guidance given to me because of the special aura of the eclipse, or if it was just the placebo effect, but I walked out of that room with greater confidence in the way the eclipse worked. Events in my life may unfold.
The woman warned me not to record or publish any details of my reading under any circumstances, so as not to give negative energy to the interpretation. But anyway, there's no reason to reveal them. (Though I will say that some aspects of this reading are completely consistent with my astrological predictions for this month.) Even if my readings could be recreated, what's important in tarot is the overall experience you get from the interpretation. Tarot cards can help you interpret events in your life, but they cannot predict the future; you alone are in charge of your own destiny.
So, yes, it was well worth it to get my tarot readings done during the solar eclipse. I feel a deep—dare I say cosmic—connection to the readings others give me, and probably take it more seriously than I would if my cards were read on non-astrologically important days. If you'd like to give the Solar Eclipse Enhanced Tarot a try, don't worry you'll miss out; you'll just have to wait until 2024 for your next copy.
