TL;DR: This is shaping up to be a fiery week full of action; but it is based upon some shaky foundations of inner/outer conflict and flight-or-fight motives. There is a tendency to remain in our comfort zones without addressing the causes of dissonance. And there is a great tendency for things to spin out of control. Clear mind, focused action, and steadfast holding on to our aligned path will be imperative.
We see ourselves arising out of, and keeping in our mind, situations of conflict within ourselves and with others, competition, persistence and challenge. We see that with both the 5 and the 7 of Wands that appear in our Past and in our Below position, respectively. So the 5oW shows our passion and desires running into walls and conflict and seeking to have that conflict resolved so that we may regain alignment with our purpose. The 7 of Wands in the Below position shows a mindset of perseverance in the face of challenge. This is not necessarily a gruesome challenge, but more about becoming aware of the sheer size of the work ahead of us, as we try to keep motivated in order to delve deeper into our work for 2019.
Interestingly, besides the 5oW and 7ofW, we get another card that is part of that sequence, the 6 of Wands, in the Above position. I see this as our yearning to emerge from this sense of inner or outer conflict, and of having to stand our ground, onto a place of victory and accomplishment. But this victory will be through the conflict, through us getting engaged in our work. In this sense, our fighting spirit that we’re seeing with the 7 of Wands will indeed serve as fuel for this endeavor.
In the Present we get yet another wand card. the Knight of Wands, which is here to say that for many of us this will be a week of accomplishment, of doing and of engaged action. In January we have set certain things in motion, and they are about to pick up some speed if we are able to remain focused and clear and aligned with our path.
What is crossing the Present is the King of Pentacles. This King is very comfortable where he is, having attainted prestige and wealth deservedly. However, he is okay with where he is right now, so we may be feeling this pull to seek comfort and to seek protection in our own castles, when in fact our higher self may need us to get into action for the week ahead so we may get some rest later.
It is important that we stay focused in our actions, seeking to resolve conflicts and draw from our fighting spirit in order to remain on track, for the Wheel of Fortune Reversed in the Future position shows a predisposition for things to go out of control, and for some forces to stray us off our path and away from our blessed destiny. So, although there is great opportunity for progress this week, the energies may be volatile and conducive to disorder if we don’t keep watch.
In the “Us” position we have the 2 of Swords. There is a certain preparedness in the air. We are sitting here knowing full well that a battle period is ahead, but we can’t yet see what the challenges are. So we sit and wait preparing ourselves. But there is peace, too, and clarity of mind not in having complete knowledge of the future, but in knowing that what’s about to come is a natural consequence of the seeds we have sowed thus far on our path. We asked for blessings and now they are coming but they require our work. We are ready for the work, with serenity in our hearts, even not knowing exactly what it is.
In the Influences position we have the 8 of Cups Reversed, which repeats the energy of the King of Pentacles in the Blockage position. Although we will be called to act, again there are some contrarian energies that may try to keep things in place and in comfort. The 8 of Cups can denote an emotional journey away from things, but here it is reversed showing that journey blocked, and things staying the same. We are not being allowed to emotionally leave the present moment because we need to be fully present. So you may want to redirect any resistance to what’s ahead to the present and its demands.
We fear that everything that we have carefully arranged for our future will come crashing down, and the Tower here in the Hopes/Fears position shows that. We do well in keeping an eye out for this, because again some of this Wand/Fire energy that we are using is still ripe with conflict and shaky foundations in some aspects. As we use the Knight of Wands’ momentum to regain alignment with our soul path for this week, if we shake things up too much, some structures may fall apart. So be careful with your power this week. You will need to use it in significant amounts, but keep it focused and calm-headed.
Finally, in the Outcome we have The Lovers, which shows that this week is an opportunity for us to arrive at a beautiful sense of harmony with our desires, dreams, and with the work we have set out for ourselves in collaboration with the Universe. So far this year we have worked to set out some foundations so that our bigger plans and projects for the future may pan out. However, these foundations must be purified and strengthened. To be purified, they will go through the fire of action, so that anything that is not in alignment with integrity, with our joy and peace, with the goodness in our hearts, and in our highest interest, may fall away to the wayside. We will look behind us and see the remains of ulterior motives, of conflicting reasons, of lack of love, and of dissonant structures. But ahead of us will be beautifully aligned progress, accomplishment and victory. This is a week of growth and progress, should we choose to ride its energy.