december 2024 spreads for all

hello, friends. if november flew by, december has been moving slowly and deliberately so far. a few projects including CALL YOUR COVEN have been put on hold (quick update here), as i try to practice what i preach and be gentle with myself. if you're also navigating painful grief or chronic illness this holiday season, making daily tasks that much heavier, i'm right there with you.

but a bright spot, as ever, is community. we've been having so many rich, vulnerable, and generous conversations already as part of the remember your strength container, so with that in mind, i wanted to offer some simple reflection-based tarot spreads to everyone for this final month of the year. this is part of my ongoing effort to focus my energy on personal channels rather than getting caught up in the exhausting algorithms of social media. i'm glad you're here.

before we get into the spreads, a reminder that if you love these kinds of reflective prompts and would like to begin 2025 with six weeks of intentional journaling on our archetype and themes for the year, make sure you check out find your lantern, which begins on january 4th.

when playing tabletop roleplaying games like dungeons & dragons or pathfinder, a lot of gamemasters like to use specific tools to facilitate reflective conversations after sessions: offering players opportunities to share what felt great, what they'd love to do in future games, and also perhaps what felt challenging or sticky.

i recently got to do a session zero with beloved local friends as we gear up for a new campaign, and i couldn't be more excited — but part of why gaming with this group is so fun is that our gamemaster is really thoughtful in how they build out this new world, and consistently checks in with us to be sure that we feel safe, heard, and protected. everyone is committed to communication, consent, and collaborative storytelling, in a way that brings me endless joy.

there are plenty of ways that gaming groups check in with each other, but some of the most well-known are asking players at the end of sessions to share their roses and thorns, or their stars and wishes. essentially, these are frameworks for asking: during the game, what felt like a sweet gift, and what prickled a little? where did someone shine, do something or say something that absolutely delighted you? and what are your wishes for the next game, something you'd like to explore or pursue or adjust?

but these kinds of questions can be super helpful for reflection and introspection on a more general, personal level, too, which is why they've inspired our spreads for this month. i've intentionally kept these spreads extremely open-ended so that they can be used for a variety of purposes, but i highly encourage you to try them with a particular timeframe in mind (today, this past week, this past month, this past year, etc).

how can these spreads support you in being honest with yourself? how can they offer accessible ways of reflecting and exploring your own joys and struggles?

stars & wishes: for honoring where you are, and where you wish to go next.

card one / a star: something you love. what is something you have, you enjoy, you delight in? what is something that makes you feel tender, protective, emotional?
card two / a wish: something you desire. what is something you crave, you long for, you keep thinking about? what is something that makes you feel hopeful, eager, ready to move?

roses: for acknowledging sweetness, loveliness, gentleness.

card one / something sweet. what feels delicious, yummy, enticing?
card two / something gentle. what feels compassionate, easeful, supportive?
card three / something soft. what feels generous, tender, comforting?

thorns: for acknowledging challenges, pain points, lingering frustrations.

card one / something painful. what feels raw, hurtful, bruised?
card two / something sticky. what feels complex, frustrating, lingering?
card three / something confusing. what feels strange, unclear, messy?

wishing you safety, comfort, and courage as we navigate this final month of 2024. remember that if you're craving digital community, all paid subscribers to my newsletter get access to the 3am.tarot sanctuary discord server, a gentle space filled with generous dreamers and tarot readings.

and if you're already dreaming about big creative visions for 2025, or if you want to use creativity to help you keep building in spite of the challenges of our world, consider joining jeanna and i in the grove: six months of collective creative devotion. we'd love to have you.