We are going into periods in which our main challenges will be being able to emotionally handle our realities and that of the world, while remaining present and open, without recoiling back to a completely contracted version of ourselves.

For that reason, we are now being asked to practice first opening up what’s here; and second, growing within the limitations of where we are. The empress invites us into expansion and growth, but this isn’t a rapid evolution. This is slow growth. Think of a cactus in a container. This is caring for our existing gardens, within the borders of whatever receptacle we already find ourselves in. Wherever we are, as limited as we feel, we can stretch out our leaves towards the light of the sun.

When we think of growth, we can think of rapid fire action, but this is more of the plant kind: slow, steady, using the minerals present in the dirt, lush, blossoming.

The Blessing is the 3 of Pentacles, which shares very similar energy to the Empress. Being of the Pentacles suit, it is of earth, like our Venusian Empress is connected to the earth as well, and to the greenery around them. Both cards contain Number 3, a number of birthing, of rising up, of being and existing expansively on the world. Our Blessing card confirms that the advantages of this time include the potential for now growing crops that will return their bounty at a later time. But importantly, growth also means we strengthen our roots.

The Challenge card is the Nine of Wands. This card can speak of confinement, and the fight against giving up that can take over our hearts as we face seemingly insurmountable challenges. However, it is also a card of perseverance, keeping the faith, and staying true to our intentions amidst the obstacles. So, although feeling confined, we are called to consider the space we are in as fertile ground, as tilled land, upon which to practice our slow, gentle growth.

The Queen of Cups as the Outcome card gently informs us that up ahead in our voyage, the waters are deep, and our peace of mind will be largely influenced by our ability to withstand the weight of our emotional reactions to the world, to the raging realities of our heart, and to the ups and downs of our relationships. This gentle growth we are practicing is a strengthening. We set down good roots now, so that the coming waters do not erode our being.