from the moon to the emperor

hello, friends. a quick note that i'm preparing to host another round of devils & digits, my tarot numerology course, and have also relaunched my 28-day email course, everyday fools! you can learn more about both classes right here.

my pisces season has been rather bittersweet. alongside releasing my first book several weeks ago, which i'm so incredibly proud of, i've also been in the midst of an essential but intensely painful personal reckoning. acknowledging mistakes and the ways that we have harmed people we love is agonizing, overwhelming, devastating. yet sitting in those truths, working to make amends, and holding space for several possible futures are all necessary parts of the process, parts that simply cannot be rushed.

i hope your pisces season has given you necessary space for dreaming, for authentic reflection, for diving deep into your subconscious and finding the kind of magic that keeps your heart racing, your imagination expanding, your empathy flowing. i hope you have found healing, and hope.

today, we begin a new cycle. today, the sun moves from the reflective, wise, mutable waters of pisces to the ambitious, goal-oriented, initiatory cardinal fire of aries. in tarot terms, with this shift we move from the moon, an archetype of fear and fantasy that lives near the end of the fool's journey, to the early organization of the emperor, leaving the end of a cycle behind and stepping into a new one.

and this shift can feel like a lot.

no matter how you're feeling or what you're moving through, remember that aries season is the start of a new astrological year, and can be an opportunity to revisit any intentions, ambitions, goals, dreams, or concerns you have around 2023. this may also be a great time to remember your personal year number or card pulls from january, and to review any numerology that you resonated with at the beginning of this year. not everyone sets big goals at the top of the year, and if you didn't, that's perfectly fine. (truly!) this is still a great chance for reflection, for awareness, for checking in with yourself.

how has 2023 been for you so far? where have you experienced victories, revelations, discoveries, transformations? what are you working towards, striving for, invigorated by? and where might things feel stagnant, uncertain, frustrating? where might you be ready to make a change, leave something behind, build something different?

as an archetype, the moon can bring up a lot of shadows and unknowns, and can also shine a dreamy, eerie spotlight on things that we crave, desire, long for. the moon can reveal and distort, offering clarity as well as more questions. in working with the moon we can make necessary discoveries as we stumble through our own internal landscape, tripping over unexpected obstacles or wandering into fantasies that we didn't even realize we had. the moon is a strange archetype, one that has deeply personal meanings for each individual, one that can bring up so many different sensations. the moon is essential, but that doesn't mean it's always clear.

but in moving into this new astrological year, we confront a different kind of energy, one that wants to define and focus. the emperor isn't afraid to make desires and dreams manifest — they want to make a plan, to put any resources and intentions to the test, to protect what has already been established and create systems that allow growth to continue unimpeded.

what are we ready to work for? what are we certain of? which dreams are we eager to manifest? what systems, limits, boundaries, routines can we put into place to help protect and safeguard those dreams?

the emperor is connected to the number four, our digit of foundations, discipline, tradition, focus, and control. and while concepts like this may feel uncomfortable when we make them all about capitalism, success, religion, career, or the patriarchy, the number four also teaches us about what we value, about what we deem worth our protection, about what we are willing to work for.

every four in the tarot challenges us to think about our limits, to pay attention to the walls that we are fortifying or tearing down, to honor the natural order of things and to consider how that order is helping or hurting us. where are we engaged, focused, and where are we feeling bored or defensive? are we joyfully protecting our long-term processes, ensuring that we can safely explore something beautiful? or are we holding back, doubling down, stubbornly refusing to try anything new or let anyone in?

and with aries, we consider where our cardinal fire is eager to crackle brilliantly, and how we can make sure that those sparks and flames are facilitating the creation (or destruction) that we truly need.

as we move into aries season, take time for necessary reflection, and consider where you are in the various cycles of your life: cycles of growth and decay, of giving and receiving, of movement and stillness. what are you initiating, and what is coming to a close? what have you learned about yourself through this season of dreams, and what is ready to be dragged into the light, to be integrated into your long-term ambitions?

how do you want your fire to burn?

for more on the emperor, the number four, and what this new season may bring, don't miss my latest round of tarotscopes over at autostraddle.

a reminder too that if you've already gotten a copy of finding the fool, reviews and ratings on goodreads, amazon, storygraph, and social media can have a huge impact AND can make sure that other people who need it can find this book. thank you in advance!

i'll be back in your inboxes tomorrow with a spread for the new moon in aries, so if you've been thinking about upping your subscription, this is a great time to do so!