Today with my Mystical Cats Tarot deck, I decided to do a three card spread. The one the guidebook suggests is called the Shield of Sekhmet. The first card on the left corresponds to what weakens you, the second card on the right corresponds to what strengthens you, and the third card offers insight into how you can best use your power. 

I consider tarot part of my belief in intentional bibliomancy. Do I believe there are cat deities watching over me? Not exactly. Do I believe in the wisdom of the felines? Maybe somewhat. All joking aside, it’s still an important spiritual exercise for me in a time where my health is failing me and I’m feeling very lost emotionally.

The first card is the Two of Fire. This would correspond with the Two of Wands in the traditional Waite deck. This deck uses elemental Cat Clans, so Fire is similar to Wands, Sea is to Cups, Sky is to Swords, and Earth is to Pentacles. The book suggests that this card relates to the “potential for advantageous opportunities ahead, but the time may not be right to make your move. Consider carefully. A discreet time of observation and meditation may serve you better than charging ahead.”

Considering the position of this card in the spread, it tells me personally that I’m overwhelmed by the possibilities I currently have open to me. I have been taking a lot of time to consider my options both creatively and socially. I’ve been feeling too ill to actually participate in anything locally just yet. But now that most of my new house tasks are settled (not all as there are still some things that need dealt with that will come in time), I do find myself at a crossroads with far too many avenues to take. So, what’s weakening me is the plethora of choices. That sounds about right.

The second card is the Eight of Fire (or Eight of Wands) but reversed. This would suggest that “Unfocused action is using up your energy to no good purpose. It’s good to follow your instincts, but it’s time to stop dashing from impulse to impulse. Sit still and settle on a goal, even a short-term one. Don’t do anything rash.”

OK, in this position we can flip this around a bit. I was acting very rashly and unfocused for months before moving to Buffalo. That has stopped and I’m becoming a lot more purposeful and intentional with my actions. My poor health and seasonal fatigue have necessitated this, but what this card is suggesting, and I’ve been sort of feeling this way already, is that sitting still and setting very specific short-term goals is the way to go. So, this means just getting these little content pieces made and published is the right move at the moment.

Lastly, we have the Two of Sky (Swords). Not sure why it’s reversed in the photo because it definitely isn’t now. I may have goofed that up a bit. Then let’s consider both options from the guidebook in this case in figuring out how to tap into my power.

In the upright position, the Cat’s Advice reads: “Stay still and get your bearings before you take any action. This may require patience, but it will be worth it. Dashing off to pursue vague inclinations will not lead to anything. Gather more information, pay attention to details, and trust your instincts to tell you the safe and successful course of action.”

This is just generally good advice. But it’s interesting how the book mentions “vague inclinations” which is something I’ve acted on quite impulsively in the past. I’m sometimes right, but more often than not I just end up confused and not accomplishing anything but wasting time and energy on a project or gut feeling that goes nowhere.

But if the card was meant to be reversed and I accidentally flipped it? The Cat’s Advice then reads: “You can now see which way the wind blows, but you may still be doubting your perceptions. Your energy may be low because of a period of stress and tension. It’s all right to wait a little longer before taking any action. Wait until you are sure.”

Well, then, it IS supposed to be reversed. Apparently, the way to best harness my power, as little of it as I may have at the moment, is to be patient. I am definitely doubting my perceptions, which are clouded by fatigue and frustration. But I’m glad I looked over both options, because these are the messages I needed to receive today.

There is of course a lot more to tarot than just reading the guidebook, but as an introduction to this series in which I’ll usually do just a single card, I decided to be a bit more on the side of the guide and not read too much else into it. It’s good advice and it reassures me to just stay calm and just keep making progress on daily tasks rather than go all out in a certain direction. As I get past this illness, which is very slowly subsiding, and my energy returns, I think I’ll have a good sense of where I should go and what I should do with the rest of this year. 

What are your experiences with tarot, either traditional or more niche decks like this one? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.