Aries: Wheel of Fortune

This month, you may be looking at the ups and downs in your life and thinking about how they’ve led you to where you are today. The Wheel of Fortune card is associated with fate, destiny, “karma,” life cycles and both good and bad luck.

Sometimes we blame ourselves for the down times (assuming we’ve “brought it all on ourselves”) while viewing the up times as outside of our control.

We all experience these up and down cycles — and we all try to maximize the former while minimizing the latter. But the Wheel of Fortune — this version from the Alchemical Tarot — tells us that both are necessary and that the good times wouldn’t be good without the frame of reference of the not-so-good times.

Like the mythical Ouroboros or world serpent, the Wheel of Fortune tells us that there is no beginning or end, much like the rhythms in our own lives.

Here we see the two dragons — one white with wings and a crown and the other one red and scaly  — circling the wheel together. As one goes up the other comes down, repeating that cycle over and over again in an ongoing (and never ending) process.

This month you’ll have 6 planets and the South Node moving through your 10th house — the area associated with reputation and public standing. As a result, this is the area you’re likely to see the biggest impact. You can take advantage of these transits by aligning yourself with their respective energies. And rather that seeing yourself tied to that karmic wheel this month, consider participating in your destiny and working to overcome the conditioning that’s held you there in the past

Remember that as one one door closes, another one opens — just as the wheel turns and the seasons change. Today’s transits speak of finding ways to voice your intentions while at the same time putting disappointments and heartaches behind you.

TAURUS: Chaos

With Uranus still retrograde in your sign, there may be times when you struggle with getting your footing this month.

This card the Vision Quest Tarot’s version of the Tower Card. It’s traditionally associated with sudden and unexpected change. And that is certainly not lacking here, with a bolt of lightning igniting a wildfire that’s caused a horse to rear back in terror.

He may have been trotting along with his head in the clouds when lightning struck. But now he seems to have been pushed to the edge of a cliff with nowhere to go but down.

The Tower card can shake your world and turn it upside down. It breaks apart everything that’s already unstable or uncertain, even if you’re not aware of it. It’s that lack of awareness that is first reconciled, as in the brief moment in time when a bolt of lightning lights the whole sky.

There are also loss and endings associated with this card (note the remnants of a burial ground burning in the trees). The smoke only partially obliterates the damage that’s been done: you can see that much has been lost here.

So the question is what do you do? Do you hold on for dear life and hope that the fire burns out on its own? (and if that’s what you’re already doing, how’s it working for you?) Or do you do what is strongly recommended here and let it all go, trusting that the Universe has better things in store for you?

Things like freedom, adventure, expansion and luck (Jupiter). Or things like love, money and self esteem (Venus). While letting go of some things may require you to re-evaluate and rework others, that’s still the more favorable response. As frightful as it may seem to you now, going ahead and jumping off that cliff could be the best thing that’s happened to you in a long while.

GEMINI: Three of Wands

This month you’ll be thinking about progress you’ve made on goals that are underway as you plan your next moves. You may feel the need to take a breather, or “rise above” it all in order to get an overview of how much you’ve already accomplished.

The Three of Wands — this version from the Ceccoli Tarot — refers to steps that have been taken and seeds that have been planted that are now starting to produce results. You can look at how far you’ve come and use that as a springboard for advancing your goals.

You can see the work in progress aspect in this card with the chain of flowers the angel figure strings together from the top of her perch. While it’s clear this has been an ongoing project, it looks like she’s hitting her stride now with the altitude she’s attained.

That’s an important feature of the Three of Wands — setting things in motion so that the work you’ve already done keeps building on itself while you expand your horizons.

The Three of Wands refers to creativity and adaptability as much as it does to acumen. It’s about seizing the opportunities that come your way and then incorporating them into your plans.

Notice the fox sniffing at the flowers in the background. This could spell trouble and there’s a chance our little angel will have to rethink some of her goals. But if she’s put enough of forethought into laying her foundations, she won’t have any trouble turning incidents like these to her advantage.

The Three of Wands encourages you to push past your limitations and expand your horizons. It will mean stepping outside of your comfort zone and exploring uncharted territories. And while you run into pitfalls or have to take detours along the way, know that these are often blessing in disguise that can open up a whole new world of possibilities.

Cancer: Queen of Cups

This month may see you needing to step away from all  the demands on your time and energy, and treating yourself to something special.

The Queen of Cups is known to be sensitive, compassionate and caring. She’s also incredibly loving and giving — in fact she’s so giving that she may sometimes forfeit her own needs as she focuses her attention on others.

But this Queen of Cups — from the gorgeous Chinese Tarot by Jui Guoliang — seems to know a thing or two about tending to her own needs. She’s not only surrounded herself with luxury, she’s indulging all five of her senses.

There’s the aromatic incense wafting through the room, the colorful Ibises painted on the wall, the tinkling bells that adorn her elegant headdress, the delicate tea she sips from her dainty cup, and the opulent silken fibers that make up her royal garb.

This Queen has created a sacred space for her to retreat to and indulge her appreciation for the finer things in life. She’s graceful and elegant and probably also quite wealthy. You can tell that she’s very much at home in the space she’s created and is certainly in no hurry to leave it behind.

Remember that you’re going to have to learn to take care of yourself first before you’re going to be able to take care of others.

Take some time this month to create your own sacred space and nurture your own spirit. Like the Queen of Cups in this card, you want to find a way to create a calm, soothing environment for yourself, especially if you’ve neglected your own needs while caring for others. Make today a day of treating yourself, pampering yourself and restoring your own inner peace.

LEO: Four of Disks

Your card this month — the Four of Disks from the Tarot of the Holy Light — is all about holding onto what you have in order to preserve and protect it.

This may be tied to money and possessions (as Pentacles are linked with material and mundane concerns), but it also extends to attitudes and belief systems.

In the traditional Rider-Waite style cards a figure is usually seen holding on tightly to four gold coins, symbolizing both the desire to protect what he has and the inability to attain more. In this respect there are elements of hoarding and controlling as well as a bit of a miserly approach.

But here we see an Eagle (the animal totem for Venus) nesting in a bed of flames (Mars). Below her are four orbs (the four elements) insulated in a protective shell. She has to be able to adapt to her environment in order to protect her fragile eggs.

This scene takes place in its own protective shell, watched over carefully by a crescent moon. The Sun shines in the background and four different birds (representing four states of consciousness) grace the four corners.

This version of the Four of Pentacles is about way more than money and material possessions. It’s about preservation, protection and control. It indicates a need to watch over the things (and people and attitudes) you’re in charge of without stifling or suffocating them.

Take some time this month to loosen up the reins and allow the light to come in. You’ll be better served in the long run by trusting that the Universe will support you if you allow yourself to give up some of that control.

VIRGO: Two of Mirrors

This month — with six planets (including the New Moon / Solar Eclipse in late December) moving through your romance sector, you may be presented with opportunities to fall in love.

Whether you’re in a relationship or just looking, this card is all about falling in love — either opening yourself up to new experiences or reigniting a connection with someone you’re already involved with.

It’s this process of falling in love that reveals to us — in perfect clarity — ourselves at our very best. It’s where we put our best version of ourselves forward and the Universe responds by opening up unanticipated doors.

The Two of Mirrors — this version from the Chrysalis Tarot — often refers to that love at first sight sense of finding your other half. It’s the mutual attraction card, the “soulmate” card, and much more. It’s the process of falling in love or renewing a love connection that replenishes itself over time.

There’s a synergy that pulls two people together and echoes their feelings back to one another. In this respect the Two of Cups is more about falling in love with yourself, as seen through your partner’s eyes.

The Two of Cups often refers to a brand new relationship — one that hasn’t fully gotten off the ground. It’s more about falling in love than it is being in love. It’s more that heady state of limerence than the settled state of long-term relationships. Whether it can stand the test of time is still up in the air. But established relationships can also use a reminder of what it was like to fall in love.

If you meet someone new today consider it an opportunity for growth. It could be the yin to your yang — or it could just be a friend who shows you the true meaning of the word. You may also be working on revamping your current connection or reuniting with a loved one. Whichever it is, be grateful for the opportunity to see yourself through someone else’s eyes.

Libra: Seven of Swords

This month you may find yourself engaged in situations where you’re forced to hold your tongue. You may need hold back on expressing your ideas, at the very least developing a filter.

The Seven of Swords —  this version from the Deviant Moon Tarot — speaks of consequences that come from compromising your own principles. In this case it has to do with words, opinions and ideas (Swords) which may be in serious need of a 5-second delay.

It’s one thing to express yourself openly but another thing entirely to insult, offend or attack others.

There’s a danger of being too cocky or of being so sure of yourself that you don’t think about how your words can affect those you care about. Others may take what you say out of context too,

Here this energy is depicted by a harlequin figure with her legs in the air and a sword balanced precariously on her feet above her. Another sword dangles from its hilt mere inches from her open mouth.

Is she too confident in her abilities? Too pompous to even consider the repercussions? Or too reckless to care? She may be all three. But if any of them cause her to slip up, the damage will be irreversible.

The Seven of Swords is sometimes associated with duplicity. There’s often a devious / shifty vibe to this card. But this version seems to emphasize the sort of recklessness abandon that can cut just as deeply. The lesson here is the same as it is with all versions of the card: be careful what you say as words are powerful and can end up doing more damage than good.

Scorpio:  Seven of Pentacles

You may find yourself at a professional crossroads this month, torn between following your dreams and doing what’s already proven itself to be safe and secure.

The Seven of Pentacles — like all Sevens — represents choices and dilemmas. With respect to your work or business, it can translate to feeling like you’re missing out on something by doing what you do really well but that your heart just isn’t into.

Sometimes we have to make sacrifices (also a hallmark of the tarot’s Seven cards). We can give up our job security in order to pursue our dreams; or we can give up our dreams in order to maintain our job security. It’s a catch-22.

The woman in this card — from the Star Tarot — is faced just such a dilemma. She can’t decide whether she wants to throw herself fully into her work — which she’s already invested energy in and which is already producing results — or whether she wants to move in a completely different direction.

The colorful horses galloping across the sky seem to be calling out to her to follow. These are her dreams and aspirations, none yet fully formed. There are Seven of them — just as there are Seven Pentacles and Seven butterflies, all representing different choices and opportunities.

You’ll have to think about what is most important to you, as the Seven of Pentacles is a card of priorities as well as choices. Ideally you’ll find a way to turn what you dream of doing and what you are doing into one and the same. This is all any of us can hope for in the end.

Sagittarius: King of Pentacles

It’s a good time to be “King!” Especially the King of Pentacles which is all about abundance, affluence, benevolence and an appreciation for the finer things in life.

This card refers to an enterprising, success-oriented individual. He (or she) has a bit of the Midas touch, knows how to attract wealth and knows how to make good use of it — neither squandering it or spending it frivolously.

The King in this deck — from the Gypsy Palace Tarot — is a robust and colorful King. He’s clothed in the finest royal attire. He’s vibrant, spirited and energetic: you can see that he’s got places to go. Yet he’s also very open and generous.There’s not an ounce of stinginess or pettiness about this King.

The phrase “if you want something done you may as well do it yourself” speaks directly to you, but may not always be in your best interests.

If you struggle with trusting that things will get done without your input, keep in mind that giving up control and allowing others to show you what they’re made of can benefit you more in the end.

This may be someone coming into your life and if so, know that he or she is there to teach you those qualities. But if, on the other hand, you’ve been focusing too much on what you lack or what’s been missing in your life, it’s time to rethink the messages that you’re sending out to the Universe.

Remember the universal laws attraction: they’re as present as ever in this card. You ‘ll need to shift your energies to those of prosperity-consciousness and gratitude in order to fully appreciate the blessings of this King.

CAPRICORN: The Moon

There are six planets moving through this sign this month, including the New Moon solar eclipse that takes place at the end of December.

This is the Animism Tarot’s version of the Moon card. It often refers to a need to turn inward and access our subjective, intuitive and emotional responses.

The lunar cycle,is beautifully depicted in this card. We can see the Full (“Cold”) Moon seated high in the sky, while its New Moon counterpart is reflected in the frozen stream below.

If you look closely you’ll see that everything reflected in the stream is slightly different than its literal version. The Full and New Moons are obvious. But the rabbit’s reflection is inverted and the constellations around the moon become ripples in the stream. Even the stars in the night sky look like swirling snowflakes in the stream’s reflection.

This ties in to one of the main differences between the astrological Sun and Moon. In keeping with the Hermetic principles of “As above, so below; as within so without,” we understand that the Moon reflects the Sun’s light and thus represents the internal aspects of our psyches.

Traditional interpretations of the Moon card include things like confusion, doubt and uncertainty. And while some of that may be reflected here — with the paradoxical inverted reflections — there’s also a lot of clarity here. The night is crisp, the stars are bright and the rabbit is fully engaged in getting a closer look at that New Moon.

As the Full Moon provides and overview of seeds that were planted (during the New Moon) earlier in the month, this will be a good time to review whatever progress you’ve made. It’s also a time for getting in touch with your intuition and for exploring and embracing your rich inner world.

AQUARIUS: The Hermit

This month, with six planets moving through your 12th house, you may find yourself seeking answers to life’s most pressing questions by meditating and reflecting on your goals.

The Hermit card represents a retreat from all the noise and distractions that surround you in order to access your inner reserves of knowledge and wisdom.

In this version of the card — from Vanessa Decort’s gorgeous Sun and Moon Tarot — the Hermit stands before a faded parchment marked with esoteric teachings. She holds an hourglass in one hand and the trident of Shiva (Trishula) in the other.

The symbols on the parchment are in ancient Sanskrit with the Om symbol at the top and the Hebrew letter Yod (representing the omnipresence of God) at the bottom.

As the Hermit card also refers to turning inward, there’s an entire spectrum of information — from the depths of the psyche to the heights of conscious awareness — that can be accessed through this process. Keep this in mind as you process the messages you receive and then use it to \focus your intentions.

The Hermit card is not about avoidance, it’s about finding your inner light and choosing to follow it. Or like the woman in this card, choosing to understand it and share it with others.

This month you get to choose whether you’re lighting your own way or acting as a guidepost for those who have wandered away from theirs. Both are valid endeavors ,and only you will know which is the right path for you.

Pisces: Three of Cups

This month is likely to be festive for you, not just because of the holidays but because you’ve got six planets moving through your social sector.

As a result, you may feel more like letting your hair down and spending your time socializing and interacting with others.

The Three of Cups — this version for Nathalie Hertz’s beautiful Faerie Tarot — is a playful and festive card that emphasizes partying and celebrating over work and responsibilities. it also emphasizes friends and casual relationships over serious romantic entanglements.

It refers to being surrounded by like-minded people and putting your differences aside. It’s about coming together and joining forces with those who have your best interests at heart.

The focus here is on merriment and gaiety rather than monotony and drudgery. It’s on interacting and networking with others, allowing you to push aside some of your more serious concerns — at least for now.

It represents people gathering together to connect, interact and celebrate. It’s a happy, joyful energy that can manifest as a party or celebration, or it could be as simple as a girls night out. There’s a strong sisterhood vibe to this card — as well as most other versions of the Three of Cups — too.

No matter where the people in your life have come from — no matter what your connection or history or relationship with them is — the Three of Cups is a card of companionship and camaraderie. It serves as a reminder that there’s always something to be grateful for, and always someone to share your gratitude with.

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This month’s tarotscopes feature some of Ask the Astrologers all time favorite cards.

We hope you like them too! 

December 2019 Tarot Scopes

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