your imagination is a gift.

hello, friends. i've been thinking so much about uncertainty lately: specifically the pervasive lack of control and power that so many of us feel in the face of rising fascism, COVID denial, deep injustices, climate change, and the challenges of surviving in an increasingly expensive and difficult world. uncertainty feels like a topic that so many of us have been holding space for, exploring in various ways, and struggling to live with.

what can we do to create the world we want to live in? how can we show up for the causes we care about, when we're also struggling ourselves? how do we reimagine our resources, our communities, our actions in a way that lets us feel more abundant, more connected? and how do we offer ourselves compassion without giving up completely?

these are big questions, so here's one that's perhaps a little easier: how have you been dealing with uncertainty, with powerlessness, with feeling stuck or stagnant? there's an old line from RENT that i come back to when my brain is spinning out: "the opposite of war isn't peace — it's creation." and while getting lost in a big creative flow might feel impossible for you right now, remember that creation can look many ways, take many forms, and offer many kinds of medicine.

when we let creativity and innovation become essential aspects of our daily life, when we learn to start looking for opportunities for creation or expansion or discovery in the everyday, it can change everything. we start to see possibility, potential, even in the mundane or stagnant. we begin to look beyond the edges of assumption and dream of more, to explore the magical, unexpected places that already live within us.

creativity isn't a luxury: it's a necessity. and in the face of powerlessness, what better medicine is there than imagination?

change is needed. revolution is needed. transformation is needed. but those things don't just suddenly manifest out of nothingness: they are fed, built, encouraged, through the use of imagination, curiosity, discovery. they begin within us, when we learn how to think beyond the structures and rules that we have always known, when we find the courage to demand more. what better moment than now to prioritize dreaming and vision, to tap into our personal resources and collective power, to allow our magic to take up space? what better time than now to practice seeing beyond the confines of what is, to learn to see all that could be?

fortunately for all of us, the tarot has an archetype that is devoted to this kind of visioning and manifestation, this tapping into resources, this awareness of potential. the magician is capable of seeing beyond the limits that so many others get trapped within, smashing expectations and throwing open the doors of possibility. the magician is bold and innovative, confident and optimistic, isn't afraid to take risks and dream big. the magician inspires, motivates, and energizes. the magician is never uncertain, because they are consistently curious.

if you're ready to step into and fully embrace your inner magician, if you're eager to have your perspective transformed by this mercurial archetype's capacity for courage, i've got just the thing.

that's right: my popular experiential course, magician's lens, is back for round two! starting on october 26th, you'll get six weeks of robust and customizable lessons, all designed to help you activate the magician within yourself. what would you do with limitless resources, endless courage, the ability to see the potential in everything? magician's lens includes written lessons, exercises, mood boards, playlists, journaling prompts, tarot spreads, and more — bringing each of your senses into the process of innovation, imagination, and transformation. you have the power to make this "choose-your-own-adventure" style course your own, to combine your unique magic with the magician's gifts, to transform in whatever way you're craving.

by the end of this course you'll see the world, yourself, and the roads before you through a more optimistic, courageous, and alchemical gaze: the joyful, bold, adventurous perspective of the magician.

wondering what you already have in common with the magician archetype? grab your tarot deck, pull out the magician card, and take a moment to look for yourself in the image. what parts of you are curious, imaginative, ready to explore? shuffle the rest of the deck and pull one card for each position in this spread:

and don't forget that if you'd rather move at your own pace without the pressure of weekly emails; if you'd prefer to alternate between this course and other original, supportive tarot resources, magician's lens is also available in a lower-priced, self-paced, online-access-only format as part of the 3am.tarot conservatory. (all of the course materials are the same, but you'll need internet access to explore the course lessons, and will only be able to enjoy the materials for as long as you're a conservatory member.)

whichever way you choose to participate, with magician's lens you'll change your perspective, tap into deeper wells of courage, and activate the magic and resources that are already at your fingertips. and with the conservatory you'll transform your entire tarot practice, learn new ways to engage with your cards, and make your relationship with these 78 cards more personal.

questions? shoot me an email at 3am.tarot@gmail.com — i'm happy to chat. (and don't forget that annual gold subscriptions to this newsletter are still on sale through the end of the month! click here to upgrade now.)