Aries: King of Pentacles

This month, with five planets (and the New Moon) in your 10th house, you’ll be focusing on career and your plans for the future. You might be thinking about starting a business, feathering your nest, or looking for ways to establish security for you and your loved ones.

This is the King of Pentacles from the Gypsy Palace Tarot. He’s 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.

TAURUS: Two of Pentacles

This month you may be focusing on bringing your goals and responsibilities into alignment with your personal relationships.

The Two of Pentacles sees this as a balancing act, where you have to be careful not to let one set of priorities outweigh the other, even if you find yourself pulled in different directions.

With your ruling planet (Venus) now retrograde this is especially true. But it changes directions late in the month, giving you some time to accomplish that objective.

This is  the Two of Pentacles from the Guardian of the Night Tarot. It’s often seen as juggling interests or responsibilities, and there may be some of that here. But this version emphasizes the need to bring the disparate areas of your life into harmony, by maintaining your spiritual center.

This card reminds us of the need to remain centered, despite all the changes taking place all around us. It encourages us to attend to one set of responsibilities or interests without neglecting another. And it reminds us to balance out our priorities by devoting as much time and attention to the important areas in our lives (friends, family, health, spiritual fulfilment, etc.) as we do to those that require our attention.

You may find yourself needing to weigh your options this month, and finding ways to bring all the disparate areas of your life into harmony. Whether that means responsibilities vs. pleasure and play, or relationships vs. autonomy or up time (productivity) vs. down time (rest), it will be up to you to find ways to answer the call of each. Giving into one desire without neglecting another should be foremost on your list.

GEMINI: Five of Swords

This month, with your ruling planet (Mercury) moving into Aquarius and then back into Capricorn (due to its retrograde cycle) later in the month, you may need to prepare yourself for misunderstandings, miscommunications, and unexpected changes in plans.

The potential for this is greatest around the 10th,  when Mercury — in hard aspect to both Saturn and Uranus — goes retrograde.

This is the Five of Swords, from the Celestial Tarot. The glyphs for both Mercury and Aquarius are present on the card, as are the Pegasus associated with constellation of the same name.

This card is traditionally associated with conflict and turmoil, not seeing eye to eye, and fighting for the sake of fighting. There are elements of ego, pride and “reputation” in the mix — not wanting to give in or to admit to being wrong — these are what keep the conflict alive.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of this type of conflict, you’ll need to decide your best move. Do you surrender? Finish off your opponent? Turn and walk away? Or do you go back in and clean up the spoils in the hopes that there’s something left to be salvaged?

If you think about the disagreements in your own life, you’ll see that Ego is almost always to blame. And while you may feel that the odds are stacked against you or that everyone and everything is conspiring against you, you would do well to see the Five of Swords as a test of character. You may not be able to control what happens to you, but how you respond is entirely in your hands.

Cancer: Three of Cups

This month you may feel more like hanging out with friends and loved ones than focusing on work and responsibilities.

The Three of Cups 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.

Either way it’s a time of merriment and gaiety. Hanging out with like-minded people and expressing feelings of affection and good-will. There’s no room for fretting about work, and none of this sitting around ironing out political or ideological differences.

This is the Three of Cups from the Animal Totem Tarot. It’s a happy, playful card that emphasizes companionship and camaraderie. It’s a time for hanging out with friends, like the Puffins in this card.

In terms of romance the Three of Cups can refer to reconnecting with an old flame or reuniting with an ex. It can also manifest as a natural progression from the Ace of Cups (an attraction) and the Two of Cups (a mutual attraction) to the Three of Cups (taking that attraction to the next level).

Pay attention to new people coming into your life too. You could find yourself developing friendships with people that seem random at first but can turn into important connections over time. Whether you’re celebrating your own good fortune or raising your glass to toast another’s, the Three of Cups serves as a reminder that there’s always something to be grateful for, and always someone to share your gratitude with.

LEO: Three of Pentacles

This month, with 5 planets (including the New Moon) placed in your 6th house of work, it’s going to be a good time to put your head together with others and work on bringing a project to fruition.

The Three of Pentacles — this version from Patrick Valenza’s Deviant Moon Tarot — is a “teamwork” card, among other things.

This card is all about hitting your stride and seeing initial results of something you’ve been working hard on. Sometimes you need help to take it to the next level, even if that comes in the form of a critical eye.

The Three of Pentacles — like all threes — refers to the initial stages of progress where you’ve taken an idea (the Ace) put it into production (the Two) and made progress toward creating something real (the Three).

The imagery in this card describes this process beautifully. We see three half-formed figures all actively creating one another and all benefiting from the help they receive from their peers.

Notice though how each of these figures is different. The first one — a human — is working on the second figure (an angel) in pencil; the angel is chiseling away at the third figure, who appears to be a robot; the robot is actively working on the human’s face with bright red paint.

It’s a good time to reach out to others and ask for help if you need it. It can’t hurt to offer it to those who could benefit from your assistance either. You may just need a little push to get past a hump, or you may need the discerning eye of someone you trust. The Three of Pentacles says that you’re making progress and should be feeling good about what you’ve accomplished so far. But there’s still work to be done, and you won’t be able to do it alone.

VIRGO: Temperance

Your card this month card — Temperance from the Nigel Jackson Tarot –– indicates a need to go with the flow and to find ways to bring the conflicting desires of your being back toward the center.

The Temperance card speaks of searching within yourself for that wellspring of inner grace and finding a way to bring the good and bad, light and dark, happy and sad back in to balance.

This card is called “Art” in some decks. It speaks of the unique creative forces that each of us possess. It speaks of seeking out symmetry and harmony. And it speaks of integrating the opposing areas of your life into one big calm, peaceful and harmonious medium.

In what areas of your life are you too inflexible, too rigid and too unwilling to hear another’s point of view? Your challenge will be to overcome those impediments and to integrate the opposing forces in your life.

The Temperance card refers to bringing the opposing facets of your personality (or your relationships, or your desires) into alignment by finding the middle ground. It represents peace and harmony, synthesis and equilibrium, moderation and restraint.

As you can see from the imagery in this card, nothing needs be sacrificed in attaining that balance. Just remember to rise above whatever situations in your life that are pulling you down, without rising so high that you neglect them or fail to take advantage of opportunities to learn from or grow from them.

Libra: Six of Cups

With your ruling planet (Venus) retrograde for almost the entire month of January, you may feel like you’re being pulled back into time.

You may be reminiscing about the past, or longing for the comforts and companionships that have gone by the wayside over time.

This is the Six of Cups from Paulina Cassidy’s gorgeous Joie de Vivre Tarot. It refers to nostalgia, reminiscing and revisiting happier memories from days gone by.

You could hear from an old friend unexpectedly. Someone who’s been on your mind and who takes you on a trip down memory lane, reminding you of long-forgotten times.

This card is also about finding pleasure in the simpler things in life. It says it’s time to kick your shoes off and have fun rather than getting bogged down with responsibilities. All those will be exactly where you left them later on, so for now put them all aside and try to recapture the spirit of those carefree days gone by.

Take some time to find your own sacred space; and reflect on the things that have brought you to where you are now. If you can’t get away you can still recapture some of the magic of those simpler times, and use it to restore your sense of peace.

You may be missing someone this month, or looking forward to a reunion with someone from your past. Old memories may come flooding in. And while it may not be useful for you to dwell too long on them, the overall feelings are those of genuine contentment and goodwill.

Scorpio: Nine of Cups

This month, with jupiter now in your 5th house — the area associated with love, romance, creativity and self-expression, you should be presented with opportunities to give and receive a multitude of blessings.

The Nine of Cups is a called ‘Happiness” in this deck (the beautiful Röhrig Tarot). It’s a card of contentment and fulfillment. It speaks of being more than just satisfied with your lot in life, but also feeling truly blessed and grateful for where you are.

The Nine of Cups is known as the Wish card; in this sense it’s about manifesting your heart’s desires. Nothing is taken for granted and nothing is left to chance. It’s about aligning yourself with the universal laws of attraction and getting what you deserve.

Along with being the “Wish” card, it’s also a card of Miracles. As there’s so much more focus on what one has than what one lacks, it’s easier to notice small miracles and in even the smallest things.

Be careful though that you don’t become too complacent: one of the potential pitfalls with this card is getting exactly what you wished for, only to discover later on that it wasn’t what you wanted in the first place. Because of this, you want to be very mindful of what you ask for — and what you “put out there” — this month.

Think about what makes you happy and chances are good it’s the simple things in life. Home, family, friends, health, material comforts and peace of mind. This is what the Nine of Cups is all about and if you’re not where you want to be just yet, think of ways to change your reality.

Sagittarius: Eight of Wands

This month, with your ruler (Jupiter) in Pisces and Mars spending the first couple weeks in your sign, you’re likely to be feeling optimistic, enthusiastic and driven to fully experience all that life has to offer you.

Opportunities are going to be coming your way and they’re going to be coming fast. As a result you’ll need to be ready to act, and to strike while the iron is hot.

This is the Eight of Wands from the original Mythic Tarot. It relates to mobility and change, usually for the better. It speaks of action, progress and momentum, as well as getting things done and making things happen.

It may be as simple as ticking off all the little things on your to-do list, and it may be as significant as making great headway on an important project.

While it might feel to you like there just aren’t enough hours in the day, you could be surprised when the month is over to see how much you really accomplished.

The Eight of Wands is a high energy card and also sometimes refers to travel. In that respect it relates to being literally and physically on the go. Are you planning a weekend getaway? Use this extra energy to make preparations for your trip.

There’s a sense of progress and swiftness in this card, as if to say “things are happening, and they’re happening NOW.” Everything (the ship. the waves, the dolphins) moves seamlessly forward in this card with all of it gathering momentum. That is the essence of the Eight of Wands. It’s about staying focused and present and aligning yourself with what’s happening around you so that you become a part of it rather than fighting against it.

CAPRICORN: Ace of Pentacles

This month, with 5 planets (including the New Moon) in your career sector, you’re going to be in a great position for making wise and practical business decisions.

This is the Ace of Pentacles from the Light Seer’s Tarot. It tells you that money is coming in, and even if it’s only small amounts of money (at first) those can be pooled together, invested or put to good use and grow over time.

The Ace of Pentacles represents the start of something new, in this case new financial opportunities. It’ speaks of manifesting your goals through hard work, dedication and perseverance.

You may be in line for a raise or promotion, or you could learn of job opportunity that involves a bigger salary. You could also be the benefactor of someone else’s generosity. Either way, you should have more opportunities and more financial resources at your disposal than you’ve had in recent days.

You may also feel that your luck is changing. As the Ace of Pentacles is associated with a positive change in fortune. It’s telling you to keep up the good work, to go after your dreams, and to be open to all that the Universe has to offer you.

The Ace of Pentacles says money is coming your way, so be ready to make the most of it. You may not see a windfall, but it’s still a positive affirmation that you’re putting your energy into the right areas. It also serves to remind you of the importance of staying grounded and focused while you put your plans in motion.

AQUARIUS: Nine of Swords

This month, with 5 planets (and the New Moon) all in your 12th house, you may have to face your fears head on, even if you feel like climbing back into bed and pulling the covers over your head.

This is the Nine of Swords  from the Druid Craft Tarot. It’s sometimes referred to as the “nightmare” card, due to its association with overblown panic and fear.

So often our fears are self-imposed. We may have gotten ourselves into a sticky situation and are now dreading the repercussions. Or we might be kicking ourselves for having engaged in risky behavior and find ourselves wondering if it was worth it in the end.

You may be feeling unsure of yourself and incapable of making rational decisions. Either the fear is real and you brought it upon yourself or the fear is unfounded and you have to own up to whatever it is inside of you that caused it.

You may have created a situation — or contributed to one — that now has you terrified of the consequences. You may feel like running away from your problems or pretending that none of it is real. But you’ll find that not confronting your demons and tackling the situation head on only makes them more harrowing.

This is the essence of the Nine of Swords. Not only do our fears have the capacity to paralyze us, but finding the courage to face them has the capacity to extinguish them. If we want to move forward, we’ll have to be brave enough to “take back our power” and face our fears head on.

Pisces: The Star

This month, with Jupiter fully back in your sign, it should be easier for you to start acknowledging your dreams and aspirations.

The Star is a card of Hope and faith in the Universe. It tells you that in spite of all your trials and tribulations, everything is as it should be, and in the end everything is going to be alright.

In this version, from the Mary-el Tarot — the Star takes on an angelic form, spreading her love out over a sea of humanity. She glides through, above and among an infinite crowd of nameless / faceless beings. She’s above them and at one with them at the same time. A unicursal hexagram is imprinted on her gown and the stigmata markings of Christ are imprinted on her skin.

The human figures in this card spread out as far as the eyes can see, becoming one with the landscape and the angel herself. You can see their forms becoming less and less distinct as they blend into the hills and valleys that stretch back toward the horizon.

The unicursal star is a symbol of continuity. It’s also said to reference man reaching up to God and God reaching down to man. This is the message behind the Star card : that we’re not only all “one” but are also all a part of God, however we may experience him (or her).

The Star card reminds us of the need to rise above our petty grievances and to hold onto one another, especially when the going gets tough. As Jupiter moves through Pisces — joining your other ruler (Neptune) in your sign — the messages contained in this card can only serve us well.

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

We hope you like them too! 

January 2022 Tarot Scopes

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