ARIES: Black Tortoise Seven
There may be times this month where you find yourself up against what seems like an insurmountable obstacle that you’re going to have to use discipline, strategy and cunning to see yourself through.
This is the Feng Shui Tarot’s version of the Seven of Wands. It focuses more on the barriers that stand in your way than on the conflict and combativeness that’s usually associated with this card.
The Black Tortoise in this card gazes through the rungs of a locked gate at a mountain range in the distance. He may be longing to escape, or he may be pausing to consider more creative solutions to crossing over to the other side.
But it’s all a matter of perspective. Is he really locked out? Or is he safe in the confines of his own kingdom, protected from the turbulent storm clouds that are brewing in the distance.
The Seven of Wands requires you to look at your situation from all sides and figuring out the best course of action.
There is a “hold your ground” element to this card which is in keeping with the traditional Seven of Wands. But rather than fighting off someone trying to unseat you, you may be fighting off your own urges to see the grass as greener on the other side.
Think about what’s been obstructing you in your own quest to reach your goals. As there’s an expanse of water (emotions) between the gated ledge and the mountains across the way, there’s more than likely an emotional component at work here.
You may have to explore uncomfortable feelings or conquer hidden fears. Whatever it is, know that you do have the tools at your disposal. The Black Tortoise Seven requires you to consider solutions that might not be readily available as you plan your next move.
TAURUS: Five of Coins
This month’s card — the Five of Coins— indicates a need to rethink what you value, especially when it comes to your own sense of worth or self-esteem.
In this version of the card — from the beautiful Tarot of Dürer — we see an old man standing in the snow outside a closed wooden door. His clothes are shabby and worn, inadequate against the cold. His wife shivers on their mule behind him.
There are five gold coins scattered on the ground beside them. They don’t even seem to notice the coins. The woman seems dejected and uncertain, and her husband seems hesitant to knock. Perhaps they’ve been turned away before and have come to expect the same this time.
This card is tied to Saturn in Taurus or the second house. This relates astrologically to hardship and turmoil, business failings, loss of revenue, and financial decline. But it also says a lot about personal values and self-esteem. We don’t always realize how connected these are to one another.
In this respect the Five of Coins can also refer to feelings or loneliness or rejection. But like the couple in this card, you don’t want to make that assumption before you discover it to be true. They could just as easily find comfort, community and warmth on the other side of that door.
Ask yourself whether your own sense of worth has become fragile to the extent that it’s caused you to miss out on opportunities. Perhaps there are underlying feelings of of inadequacy, or maybe it’s pride that keeps you from reaching out.
The Five of Pentacles reminds us that sometimes we all need a little help and that help is always nearby. Don’t let your worries turn into self-fulfilling prophecies; turn them instead into the motivation that gets you moving forward again, and gets you back on the right path.
GEMINI: Cat
This month it’s going to be all about exploring the intricate workings of your psyche and tapping into your own inner wisdom and knowledge.
The Cat — called the Knower of Secrets in the Animal Wisdom Tarot — is traditional tarot’s High Priestess card. As such, there’s going to be emphasis on intuition and sacred knowledge that you may not have even been aware you possessed.
The High Priestess is all about seeking guidance from within and heeding your inner voice. As such you may need to find your place of quiet and solitude in order to best access her messages.
This is a time for delving into your inner mysteries — the area of your subconscious that’s associated with dreams, visions, perceptions, and psychic abilities. Your ruler moving into Aquarius this month will open you up to flashes of insight and perception that seem to come out of nowhere.
The Cat in this card sits on a stump at the base of a pool of water, holding a sacred manuscript in one of her elegant paws. A glow is cast upon her by the crescent moon above her with is reflected below in the shimmering pool.
This ties in beautifully with the New Moon this month, which is placed in your 9th house — the area associated with spiritual and philosophical pursuits as well as higher mind ideals. As the High Priestess is also tied to the cycles of the Moon, you’ll also want to pay attention to the Full Moon (on the 22nd) which is placed in the area of your chart associated with the past, childhood memories and the unconscious mind.
You may be getting more in touch with your own intuition or experiencing profound instances or deja vu or synchronicity. It’s important to embrace these visions and try to understand them, rather than shying away from them. They can bring insights into not only your own personal choices, but the direction you need to be heading in the coming weeks.
CANCER: The Lovers
Love takes center stage for you this month, with the traditional love planets (Venus and Mars) moving through your 5th and 7th houses. These are the areas associated with romance (5th house) and relationship (7th house) in a natal chart.
The Lovers card reinforces that energy with the added emphasis on decisions that need to be made about where you stand and where you hope to go. In addition to feelings of love and romance that go hand in hand with the Lovers card, there’s also the added complication of being torn or pulled in two different directions, courtesy of Gemini’s natural rulership of this card.
This aspect of the card refers to the need to make decisions, between two lovers potentially, or between love and something else — such as friendship, work, family commitments or even a desire for personal freedom.
By the same token, you could find yourself developing romantic feelings for someone you’d previously thought of as only a friend. But be careful that you’re seeing things clearly and not just projecting romantic ideals onto someone who’s not what they seem.
Notice all the added “weight” the woman in this card carries on her shoulders. There is the potential for it to all come crashing down, just as there is a potential for the balloon tethered the man’s hand to burst.
You want to focus on what is real and present in your life right now rather than outside distractions and temptations. While you may have important decisions to make, it will be in your best interests to make them with a clear head.
LEO: Eight of Pentacles
This month should see you being more productive and focusing on making more money. With Jupiter moving through your financial sector and Venus, Pluto and Mercury all in your work sector this month, you should be more dedicated toward honing your skills and turning them into something you can be proud of.
The Eight of Pentacles is a card of craftsmanship — however that might apply to you. It can be as simple as being 100 % focused on your work and wanting to show the powers that be your level of dedication and service. And it can be as innovative as taking something you are uniquely capable of and turning it into a career.
In this version of the card — from the Tarot of the Magical Forest — a little fox busies himself at his workbench, examining the pentacles he’s crafted and making sure they’re up to snuff. Six pentacles are displayed on the wall behind him and as he prepares to put the finishing touches on one and tinker with another.
The Eight of Pentacles is also known as the apprentice card. It refers to taking on an interest — a brand new one or a lifelong dream — and devoting yourself fully to it. It doesn’t have to be career related, but because it’s a labor of love wouldn’t it be great if it were? Doing what you love and seeing the money follow is something we all aspire to achieve.
The Eight of Pentacles can refer to an all-work / no-play mentality. But this is all relative, as the hours that you’re putting in will likely not feel like “work” at all. Not if you truly love what you do. This is about being fully engrossed in what you’re learning, creating or developing.
Take some time this month — even if you’re still somewhere punching that clock — and think about what you really want to be doing. Chances are good that once you start seriously thinking about your options, taking steps toward making them happen will come to you naturally.
VIRGO: Two of Cups
With Jupiter moving through your first house this month and Venus, Mercury and Pluto moving through your 5th, the emphasis for you is going to be on the romantic, creative and expressive aspects of falling in Love.
This version of the Two of Cups — from the stunning Ceccoli Tarot — illustrates this concept beautifully, with the two figures (identical twins) as exact mirror images of one another.
Whether you’re in a relationship or just looking, the Two of Cups 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 Cups is known as the “Love” card as it refers to that love at first sight sense of finding your other half. It’s the mutual attraction card, the “soul mate” card, and so 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 loved one’s eyes.
If you meet someone new this month, 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 renew your faith in love.
Libra: The Hermit
This month may see you 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 is an entire spectrum of information — from the depths of the psyche to the heights of conscious awareness that can be accessed through this process.
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.
Be careful that you don’t spend so much time in your head that you miss out on opportunities that present themselves. They may seem random in the moment but reveal themselves later to be much more important than you’d realized.
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.
SCORPIO: Transformation
This month you may be thinking about closing the door on one chapter in your life and opening another.
The Transformation card is the Vision Quest Tarot’s version of the traditional tarot’s Death card.
It speaks of putting certain things to rest — whether that be a relationship that you’ve been holding onto for far too long, a belief system that no longer serves you, or material possessions that you’ve accumulated but no longer have any use for.
The Death card is scary for some. Because it represents having something we’ve grown accustomed to taken away. But this card focuses on the transformative effects of “Death” in that all that you release will not only be replenished, but will get you one step closer to your own evolutionary potential.
It reminds us that energy never dies and that nothing we’ve lost is ever really gone. It’s simply transformed and renewed, like the spirit of the owl overseeing the remnants of a tribal monument on this card. The animal’s carcass may be old and weathered, but the Moon in the sky is new, reminding us that endings always lead to new beginnings.
Sometimes the Universe shows us just what we don’t need by removing it from us forcefully from our grip. In this sense the “death” can be a painful undertaking. But if you choose instead to cooperate, it can be an incredibly liberating experience.
You may have to accept that the very thing you so desperately cling to is the one that’s holding you back. In this respect, it’s more about leaving behind something that probably wasn’t working for you anyway and moving toward something that you’re naturally more aligned with in the end.
SAGITTARIUS: 
Seven of Swords
You may be second-guessing yourself this month or looking at recent events with a tinge of regret. The Seven of Swords — like all Sevens — requires you to evaluate all the different sides of a complicated situation, and arrive at a solution that causes the least amount of distress.
It can refer to a moral dilemma or one with no easy solution, such as a decision that favors head over heart.
The Swords in this card are double-sided. On one end they’re sharp and curved up toward the heavens. And on the other end they’re dull and crooked as they emanate from the woman’s head like a crown.
The question is whether they’re pointing up — indicating ideas, decisions and strategies — or pointing down — indicating worry, anxiety and stress. The reds and golds can indicate passion, but they can also represent fear and shame. It’s probably the latter, given the mournful look on the woman’s face.
But there’s a saving grace here too. Notice the elaborate designs on the overlay around her face. It tells us there are solutions, but that they require a level of intricacy and creativity to unravel. Also notice the mandala glowing around the region of her third eye. We can see that she does have access to a vast reservoir of inner knowledge if she’d only open her eyes.
The Seven of Swords can refer to trickery and duplicity. Sabotage. Deception. Thievery. And if there’s been any of that, then the sorrow depicted here is certainly relevant. She may be regretting her own actions. And she may — like many of us today — be reminded of the actions of others that have created far-reaching and sorrowful consequences.
The Seven of Swords encourages you to think before you act, and take ownership for your actions — especially if they end up hurting someone else. It’s a card of options, decisions and solutions — any of which can ultimately make or break you.
CAPRICORN: Nine of Cups
If anyone appreciates the finer things in life, it’s you! When you’re in your element, this version of the Nine of Cups — from the Prairie Tarot — could have your name written all over it.
No one’s calling you a lush. But all of the qualities that you may be longing for — luxury, comfort, sensuality, composure, self-indulgence, and tranquility — are so well portrayed here.
Overall this card speaks of getting to where you feel comfortable enough to kick your heels up and start enjoying the fruits of your labors. And while you may not be exactly there just yet, this card indicates a sense of accomplishment and pride in how far you’ve come.
A man leans back contentedly, draping his arms across the what looks like a well-stocked bar. He doesn’t appear to have a care in the world. A large painting of a tastefully concealed nude woman hangs on the wall in the background. Everything about him is relaxed, right down to the trust he places in his rickety chair.
Think about all that you’ve accomplished and all that you’ve acquired. No matter how far you are from realizing your ultimate goals, you’ve earned some time off — or at least a moment of leisure as you appreciate how far you’ve come.
This card is called “Happiness” in some decks and the “Wish card” in others. But those aren’t always the same thing. So be careful what you wish for as it may or may not bring you happiness.
Take some time to think about what you really want this month— and don’t forget to be grateful for what you already have. There’s an intricate balance between gratitude and personal fulfillment, so make sure you’re putting enough energy and effort into both.
AQUARIUS: Nine of Wands
You may have to dig deep to push past some of the obstacles and frustrations you’re dealing with in your life right now. You might have to step back, take a breath and remind yourself that it’s not as bad as it seems.
The Nine of Wands can refer to a period of uncertainty or hesitation that comes after you’ve given what feels like your ALL and still haven’t seen the results for your efforts. You may have been frustrated with the lack of progress — or worse — come *this close* to completing your journey, only to find another road-block directly ahead of you.
But if you look at it from an evolutionary perspective, you may be better able to understand why you’ve been forced to step back and to re-evaluate your needs. Perhaps the setbacks you’ve encountered haven’t been setbacks at all. Perhaps they’ve been lessons in disguise.
The figure in this card — from the Joie de Vivre Tarot — is surrounded by minor obstacles. A half formed “wall” encircles her with 8 flimsy rods stuck into the ground around it. The rods all have smiling cartoonish faces on them — including the one she’s retrieved and holds in her hand.
The Nine of Wands is not about the uncertainty or hesitation so much as it is about the one big burst of energy that gets you moving again. It’s a card of perseverance and determination, reminding that you’re almost there, with one final hurdle or battle to overcome.
If you can stay on course you’ll be rewarded in the end, and will see that what is gained is far greater than anything you could have achieved had you chosen an easier path. You may not be where you expected to be at this point, but you’ve still got a lot of fight left in you and you’re closer to the finish line than you know.
PISCES: Ten of Cups
This month you want to be counting your blessings, knowing that you’ve come by to a place in your life where you’re aware of what (and whom) truly matters most.
The Ten of Cups — this version from the beautiful Dream Raven Tarot — tells you that you’ve achieved something worth acknowledging and celebrating, as seen here in the imagery of this card.
The Ten of Cups is all about fulfillment and security; a solid foundation of abundance and prosperity, and the sense that you have built something you can take pride in.
This extends well beyond financial or material security. It’s more about family, lasting friendships and a comfort — in your home and your community — surrounded by people you love.
The Ten of Cups is all about embracing all you’ve established through your connections and interactions with others. It’s about happiness and security in the areas that matter most — with family, friends and loved ones. This card tells you that everything is exactly as it should be. It’s a time of honoring differences and finding ways to see one another as “family” as well as friends.
Like the colorful raven in this card, you don’t want to let anything ruffle your feathers this month. You want to focus on what makes you happy and what you can do to spread that happiness around.
It’s not the time to think about what is lacking in your life but rather what makes it complete. And while you don’t want to be resting on your laurels, it’s important to acknowledge those who are most important to you and who keep your cup continuously full.
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This month’s tarotscopes feature some of Ask the Astrologers all time favorite cards. We hope you like them too!
Don’t forget to check out this month’s Horoscopes too!
February 2016 Tarot Scopes
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