There’s some of my lovely crocuses last week. This week we got a late winter storm, so they are now buried in snow. But in a few days it’s supposed to warm up again, and crocuses are known for surviving freezing temperatures.
There’s plenty of symbolism here. The blossoms appear early, ahead of their time. The flowers are subtle and low to the ground yet bold. They are hardy, and close their petals at night to preserve themselves. And so on! I’ve created a crocus themed tarot spread to share today, and maybe you’ll want to try it for yourself as well.
I’ll be using the Spacious Tarot to try this spread for myself (by the by: we only have around 40 copies of our Spacious Tarot bundle left before it goes out of print 😭).
What a way to start off. The Death card speaks to how I am ahead of my time. It sounds a little cliche and cringe, but this card affirms I’ve always been somewhat of an ‘old soul.’
Even though I had a privileged childhood in many ways, I was inherently aware of the cycles of life and death. Charlotte’s Web was one of my favorite books and films as a kid. The 1973 animated version, specifically. The song Mother Earth and Father Time touched me in a deep way even from a very young age.
“How very special are we
For just a moment to be
Part of life’s eternal rhyme
How very special are we
To have on our family tree
Mother Earth and Father Time.”
Because I’ve always intuitively sensed the transitory nature of life, I think I’ve also had a heightened sense of gratitude. I know nothing lasts forever which leads me to appreciate things more. I guess this does make me ahead of my time, because some folks don’t realize how fleeting life is until they get old or sick or go through traumatic events.
I’m also aware that I inherited this from my mom. She was keenly in tune with life’s preciousness. I miss her every day. But I know that part of her still lives in me.
The Five of Wands hints at unassuming strengths I have. This is quite an interesting card to see here because I generally consider myself to be conflict averse, and this can be a card of conflict. So perhaps this card tells me I’m actually more capable at handling conflict than I give myself credit for. Which seems important right now, as the world is full of many intense conflicts.
I think the key thing with the Five of Wands is knowing which conflicts are and are not worth investing my energy in. Like, getting into an argument with a stranger on social media? Probably not worth it. Definitely not worth it, actually! But reaching out to my political representatives, having difficult conversations with friends and family… those kinds of conflicts may actually be worth the discomfort.
I have the reversed Nine of Swords to show what sadness is with me right now. Jesus Christ. It’s like the cards know I’ve been navigating somewhat debilitating anxiety for months and now that I’ve gotten some therapy and treatment going I’m finally starting to rewire my brain. Starting to rewire my brain, haven’t fully figured out how to do this yet. That’s what I’m feeling with the reversal of the card – the anxiety has lessened but is still very much present.
I’m no therapist or neuroscientist but I’m told rewiring your neural pathways is possible, but difficult. The Nine of Swords does seem like an apt representation of the way my brain has gotten used to going into paths of fear, despair, and assuming the worst is about to happen. I’m able to identify these neural pathways now, which is the first step in rewiring them.
The Two of Pentacles suggests how I can protect myself at this time. This feels incredibly literal for how I’ve been coping with life lately. I’ve been doing two things at the same time for hours and hours on end: cross stitching and listening to podcasts. This card feels affirmative in that as far as coping mechanisms go, these are fairly healthy ones. I’m doing something with my hands, creating something tangible, and taking in information on a variety of topics.
Here’s my cross stitching project which I have put countless hours into and I’m finally almost done!!!!!!
Finally, the Elder (King) of Swords suggests how I can be a bright spot in the world. I particularly needed to see this card today. I’ve been struggling to believe I have any strength in communication. I sit down to write a post like this, and my brain is immediately like: nope. You can’t do this. You have nothing insightful or valuable to say.
But the Elder of Swords does have something to say. The Elder of Swords has gained knowledge and has a clear perspective. I need to let this part of myself come forward. I need to trust and believe that the insights I have are useful. This doesn’t mean proclaiming to be an ‘expert’ or that everything I say is the end all be all. My perspective is just that: mine. Influenced by my culture and life experiences and brain chemistry.
But perhaps I can be a bright spot by becoming less inhibited with sharing my point of view. Staying calm and centered and saying what I need to say. Will do.
That’s that. If you try the spread for yourself, I hope it brings you something nourishing and bright.