Many moons ago (probably like 2015?) I hosted a community event on Instagram based on a concept I came up with called Gratitarot. The idea is very simple. Gratitude + tarot = gratitarot. In its purest form, to practice gratitarot you simply draw one card and use it as a prompt to consider something you’re grateful for. I’ve been revisiting that practice this week, maybe partly because we just passed Thanksgiving in the US (say what you will about that holiday, but I’m never gonna shit on an opportunity to be grateful).
Gratitarot got a boost in popularity a few years ago when the wonderful Katey Flowers shared it in a video, but I’m sure there are many of you who haven’t yet come across this idea so I wanted to share it a little more in depth with you now. Most notably, I’ve created a new tarot spread I’m going to share and test drive today.
Why practice gratitarot now? Well, this fits the vibe of what I’ve been sharing in general lately, really. I’ve been writing from the heart with tarot and asking tarot to take me home and generally gravitating towards gentle and nurturing ways to connect with my cards. That’s where I’m at these days, and based on the sweet messages I’ve received from some of you, I know I’m not the only one.
I’m sitting here trying to describe how I define gratitude and I still agree with the way I wrote about it in 2020:
Here’s the type of gratitude I’m not about: the type of gratitude that is forced, that is non-specific, that is about bypassing real issues and “just being positive.”
Here’s the type of gratitude I AM ABOUT: the type that is deep, specific, and viscerally felt. Gratitude like this isn’t about forced positivity, but it is about challenging your ego’s tendency to fixate on dumb shit instead of really noticing the magic and beauty everywhere. Gratitude can coexist with a desire for change. Gratitude can coexist with acknowledging what is wrong or painful.
Instead of bypassing the tough stuff, gratitude gives you an anchor into something deeper, something primal and mystical, a force that keeps you afloat amidst the tough stuff. Gratitude is about noticing all of the tiny miracles that surround you in each moment and amplifying them.
As I already said, if you are craving exquisite simplicity, shuffle your cards and pull just one. Use that to describe in as much detail as you can muster something you’re grateful for. When you’re ready to expand this practice, here is the new spread I’ve crafted:
Let’s give it a whirl. As usual, I’m pulling cards for myself but offering messages that may resonate for you as well. I’m using the Pastel Waite-Smith Tarot.
As I was about to lay out the first card my chonky ginger cat, The Squash, came sashaying over, flitting his tail in my face and asking for attention. I reached around him to look at the card and it was the Knight of Wands. Now I’ve never considered giving my cat a tarot significator but this is too much of a synchronicity to be ignored. I mean, look at his tail and the plume on the knight’s cap. They’re practically twins.
I was expecting something more profound, but is this card reminding me to be grateful for my cat? Hmm. On second thought, what is more profound than that? The bond we share with our animal companions is unparalleled. This reminds me that I have a social worker friend who works with suicidal patients. She says that by far the most common reason people give for deciding to continue living is their pets. Imagine that.
I’m lucky enough to have four furry companions and while they do bring an element of chaos into my life (which is also on brand for the Knight of Wands) they also infuse my days with so much enthusiasm and adventure. I am sincerely grateful for them and I appreciate the Knight of Wands and the Squash providing this reminder.
The next position brings some balance in. Even though we are focusing on gratitude, that doesn’t mean we can’t name what sucks. So I have the Magician in the vent position. I recently watched the first episode of White Lotus and there’s a scene where a husband is having a cancer scare and the wife says something like “you’re going to be fine, good things happen to good people.” I’m sure the writers intended this to be a cringey line and it is indeed, and it reminds me of a shadow aspect of the Magician.
Personal power is a theme commonly ascribed to this card. We have the power to create our own reality, or so some people believe. Like attracts like. As above so below. If you put out good energy you manifest good things. And so on. Look, there is some truth to this. But there’s also a whole lotta BS. Sometimes good things do happen to good people. But sometimes bad things happen to good people. And good things happen to bad people. And the things that happen to people don’t always have something to do with them manifesting them. You can’t control everything.
I actually went on a related rant on threads not too long ago where I said “more ‘spiritual’ teachers need to talk about the fact that there are forces in the universe that have nothing to do with you. Not everything is a lesson or message. Not everything is a result of your ‘manifestation.’ You are a component of the universe, not the center of it.”
Next we have the King of Pentacles suggesting something new to invite in. What stands out to me here is how thoroughly devoted the King of Pentacles is to their own realm. There’s a wall behind them, suggesting boundaries. The city in the distance is visible, so it’s not that this King isn’t aware of things beyond their realm. But they are grounded quite contently on their own throne, tending to their little corner of the world.
When I was younger I believed that I could ~*change the world*~. As I get older and more mature, perhaps the King of Pentacles invites in a more realistic view of my sphere of influence. This doesn’t mean I should ignore situations outside of my domain. Not at all! It’s more about deepening into what is actually and truly mine to hold. It’s about cultivating practicality. Not a cold and distant practicality, but a grounded and embodied practicality.
This ties in perfectly with one of my joy guidelines, a set of principles I created for myself to live by. One of them is “take the next small step.” That’s what the King of Pentacles does. She lays the groundwork. She listens. She weighs her energy and abilities. And THEN she moves. So I’m inviting in some gratitude for and awareness of the fact that when a small step is taken with intention, it can be more impactful than an urgent sprint.
Next I have the Knight of Cups in the foundations position. So many court cards! The message that immediately came to me with this one is “your heart is in the right place.” That actually… almost made me cry? My heart is in the right place. Sometimes I doubt this. I think this card is here as a wash of comfort and affirmation. It’s as simple as that.
The Two of Swords rounds things out, bringing any other advice that may be beneficial at this time. This is somewhat outside the traditional interpretations for this card, but I believe it is asking me to pay more attention to my dreams. Maybe even analyze them. Because to be honest, I have been having nightmares lately. Once I wake up, I’m kind of like the figure on this card, putting on a blindfold and trying not to think about them.
What if I went beyond that fear? What if I used the powers of my mind (swords) to explore the watery depths (kept at a distance from the person on this card)? What if I trusted myself to find interpretations of my dreams that are useful and liberating? What if instead of being something fearful, I could find gratitude for these dreams? This is possible, the cards remind me.
There we have it. A gratitarot spread. I hope the spread offers you something meaningful should you try it for yourself. You are welcome to comment or email me to let me know (I can’t always reply to every message, but I receive them and they mean a lot to me).
I am grateful to YOU for being here.
See you next time,
Carrie