Kitchen Table Tarot

Hello friend, and welcome/welcome back to my kitchen table. It’s been a little while! I’ve been feeling somewhat energetically dormant, not pulled as much to read for the collective as I was when I started, but I’m still here. I’ve been keeping up a daily personal practice of reading to strengthen my knowledge of the cards and how they work together, which I hope in turn means that I can provide better clarity when I am called to post here. Today I opted for a more structured spread, the Guiding Light, which I learned from Mantis’ book Truly Easy Tarot. (My library of resources is small but growing, and I don’t discount the entry-level books; a simplified view has as much to offer as the deeply esoteric. I intend to add a page to this site that reviews the books and decks that I have, so check back if that interests you.)

A gentle disclaimer as always: this is a general reading that may apply to different people in different ways. If it resonates with you, I hope that it may bring you some clarity and guidance while considering your individual circumstances. If it does not resonate with you, don’t try to make it fit—but you are welcome to take from it what might help you down the road. What comes from reading energy is not an exact science, nor is it fortune telling. I think of it as a “serving suggestion” that has the potential to add insight from an outside perspective. Think of the picture on a box of crackers. What comes in the box is the plain product, but the photo on the packaging might show a dip or topping that you could enjoy with it. You don’t have to add hummus to make those crackers worthwhile, but it could open up a different way to eat them. What you know in your heart is already there, and if I may offer a different way to look at it, I hope it may help you on your journey. With that all said, let’s look at these cards, shall we?

The current energy around you, and which you embody, is that of the King of Pentacles. This could indicate several things—that you may be a Taurus, Capricorn, or Virgo (or have these signs placed prominently in your chart); that you are hardworking and wise, easily rising to the apex of any venture to which you set your ambitions; that you have material abundance or an abundant mindset; and that people look up to you because you know what you’re doing, or at least give that air of authority even when you aren’t at the top of your game. You are seen as perceptive, responsible, and accountable. If you are in a mentor space, people flock to you, wanting to learn your ways and know what it is you know. This is especially true if people come to this space to learn more, improve themselves, get on track, or find their way out of personal chaos. Your vibe is that of a master, a helper, a teacher; people want what you have, not fully understanding that most of it is your natural disposition and inherent power, not the teachings of your space (whether an educational institution, a spiritual discipline, or a career field). Try as you might to help them, you know deep down that what you have can’t be taught. But being here feels great. It’s good to be king, as they say—when everyone looks up to you, or recognizes your internal light, it feels more than comfortable. You give of your knowledge and skill, and in return, it feels like people love you. Yet the sense here is that something is off.

In the Blessing position—think of it as a gate to pass through, or the opportunities being placed in your path between current energy and potential outcome—is the 8 of Cups. This is a card of transition, walking away from something that, to others, looks like it is still full or abundant. On this particular card it is a fire not yet extinguished. In this current energy, it represents cutting loose from this environment where you are possibly revered, riding high on stores of goodwill and plenitude. At the suggestion of walking away from such a thing, one might think: why work so hard to be a king only to leave it all behind and start over? What kind of fool turns away from this kind of harvest? However, it would be more foolish to sense that things aren’t right and refuse to leave because you are “comfortable.” That comfort and the position you hold is transitory, and the longer you stay, the less control you have over the conditions of your exit. It’s the difference between leaving a party when you’re genuinely tired and “peopled-out,” carrying with you pleasant memories of a good time had by all, and staying beyond your true desire to be there because you are afraid you’ll miss out on something good (or you’re waiting for Ms./Mr./Mx. Right), only for everything to go to hell when the cops are called. So the good news is that if you have felt an inkling to make an exit from a situation/environment that looks good on paper (but is secretly collapsing inside), the energy is right for your departure.

The bad news is the 6 of Wands, which here is in the Challenge position. Ordinarily this is a positive card, one that affirms the work you’ve been doing by indicating an incoming victory or recognition of your diligence. Here, though, it is the thing that might keep you in a place your intuition is telling you to leave. Consider the example of being really good at a mediocre job. You know you’re good at it, that you are a reliable and dependable employee; your boss loves you and your coworkers really appreciate your industriousness. If it’s a front-facing customer service environment, like a gas station or sandwich shop, your patrons might really like you, too. While there is no shame in such work—and many choose it knowingly for its relative lack of complication—in this example, perhaps you are recognizing the skills you bring to the table and in doing so see that you’re not being paid enough, your boss overschedules you, your coworkers take advantage of your or claim credit for your work, and your customers aren’t really your friends. But once everyone gets word that you’re considering another job or looking to move on to something more challenging with better pay, you might get a bonus or a little raise. Your coworkers talk up your skills and compliment you, accompanying their requests with self-effacing comments about how you do this or that task so much better than they do. Your customers might sweet talk you because you’re the one who gives them a free fountain soda sometimes or knows how they like their condiments. In a supportive environment, these people would accept that you want to move on and not manipulate you with small gestures of recognition—or even larger, more dramatic ones, like “this place would be a mess if you left!” If at first these tactics don’t succeed, they might move on to the cold shoulder, or accusations like “you think you’re too good for this place?”, intimating that you might fail in the wider world beyond this space. Praise can be a form of sabotage, appealing to vulnerability and ego, making you second-guess yourself and your worth. You might begin to do more of what brings superficial kudos—people-pleasing—and less of what speaks to your heart. It is important to consider the feelings and circumstances of others, but you must also be true to yourself. Be careful when accepting praise or validation; ask yourself if it is genuine, whether there is real support beneath it—or whether the givers are really looking out for their own interest. They may be envious of your ability to see beyond this scope and subconsciously want to pull you down to their level.

The outcome of accepting the blessing and negotiating the challenge is a level-up indicated by the Ace of Swords. This represents a breakthrough and the assumption of a new path seen with fresh eyes and a mind eager for different perspectives and more knowledge. Being the master of your domain is comfortable, and if you’re in the right place, you’ll know it. But if you yearn for something more, you can still be limited and lulled by a sense of grandeur that strips you of your humility, keeping you from the things you want to discover. What the Ace of Swords tells us is that mental stimulation and intellectual excitement await you if you can get past the drone of validating voices—or undermining whispers—that hold you back. Those that rely on you for your wisdom and insight may keep you from evolving and learning more for your own betterment, even if their praise is genuine. It can also be a case of philosophical disagreement; in a spiritual space, for example, wanting to look beyond the dogma of your belief system may be met with resistance and hostility from others who think this is the one true way. Faith is a personal journey, and it is soul-limiting to compromise your own beliefs or curiosity to placate others in your discipline. As with all situations, you must listen to your own intuition. Actually being comfortable where you are isn’t necessarily a marker of stagnation! But if something in you yearns for freedom, exploration, and a new lease on life, then you’ll feel that comfort turn from the reassurance of a weighted blanket to the crushing strangulation of a pile of bricks. We all need to be careful to recognize whether others’ validation and praise (or their mean cousins, negging and blatant insult) are keeping us from seeking the lives we really want.

I appreciate you spending a portion of your time with me here today—there are lots of things you could do in ten or fifteen minutes, and I am humbled that you chose this. If this resonated with you, I do hope that you find a measure of reassurance or assistance. If it wasn’t for you, I’m glad you’re here as well. May peace be with you, and remember that in all things you do, you are a child of the universe and held in its love—and that you are always, always welcome at my kitchen table. –KTT 🌻💛