This Month’s Energy: September’s collective tarot reading

This page may contain affiliate links which may allow us to collect a commission when you click and make a purchase through the links on our site. There is no additional cost to you for doing so.

Happy September. If you’re anything like me, the moment September 1st hits, you’re pretending it's cool enough to wear a sweater and throwing spice scented candles everywhere you can. I find even those people who love summer tend to be over it by the end of August. Fortunately, fall is just weeks away and we can all breathe a sigh of relief. 

As charming as autumn is, it's equally challenging from a spiritual perspective. Like spring, it urges you to make significant changes that will set the tone for the darker parts of the year. September being the gateway to fall illustrates this concept rather well and these cards have fallen right inline with this energy. If you read my last email, you will know that I have gone through an intensely healing journey this summer. I believe you go through what you’re meant to teach so it's no surprise my work is reflecting my commitment to wellness. 

So the questions are a bit different now, focusing more on holistic well-being of the mind, body and soul. And all of the cards this month have been about making changes, primarily having to do with mindset and knowing that you have a lot more power than you realize. Autumn is the perfect time to focus on your overall wellness and I highly encourage you to do so. This reading is a bit of a strong hand but that’s because I know you have what it takes to feel good in mind, body and spirit. 

I hope you’ll join me on this journey through autumnal wellness. 

From Seasons of the Witch: Mabon Oracle

Overall Energy: Reaper

The Reaper seems scary but is really misjudged. It means something in your life is coming to an end and it's something that has slowly been dying over a long period of time. Now, it's gotten to the point where you can no longer ignore the need for a change. This card can mean change in a lot of different ways but I feel for this month, it’s something mental. Your attitude towards life is what needs the shift. Perhaps it's the way you talk to people or to yourself, you’ve played the victim for too long or it's really time to shift your mindset general. 

There’s already a part of you that knows what needs to be done. It knows where you need to grow and how you need to evolve so that you can become the person who can achieve your goals. Think about all of those things you daydream about in your head. We all have them whether it's a trip or making your own furniture or having a house full of kids. Whatever dream you’re holding onto, know that you’re also holding it back. 

Nothing can change unless you change. If going on that once in a lifetime trip means no more trips to Starbucks then, I guess it's coffee at home from here on out. If making furniture means conquering your fears of power saws, then time to face it (this is a personal example and I’m happy to saw, I conquered the miter saw and jigsaw this summer). If having a house full of kids means putting yourself out there then do what you have to do. Change doesn’t have to be scary if you focus on the wonderful things that can come out of it. A few moments of facing a fear can turn into a lifetime of living a purpose or a dream.

What will enhance my physical well-being?

→ King of Wands

The king of wands as he relates to health means you are in control of your physical well-being. If you decide you wish to be healthy, then you will do what it takes to get it done. The king of wands is not the type to sit around and wait for a white knight to save him. He doesn’t make excuses and he knows he is responsible for whatever he has in life. It doesn’t matter if he’s handed something he didn’t want: he figures out how to make the best of it. When he has an idea of what he wants, he makes it happen, end of. 

If being physically well is something that is important to you, you will make the necessary changes regardless of how challenging it may be. Obstacles are not a reason to give up on your goals. Ease is not a sign of purpose or that you’re on the right track. Every dream will have its fair share of challenges. Your commitment to your desired outcome is what counts. Be honest with yourself about what you actually want and what you are willing to do to get it. 

The king of wands can also indicate enlisting help from others. This king is much more likely to find help than to do everything himself. He knows there are things that he either isn’t knowledgeable about or just doesn’t want to have to figure out. He has no problem delegating tasks, paying the man the money: as my dad would say or bringing someone in to help further his goals. You may need to consider hiring a trainer if you’re struggling to lose weight, seeking out a medical professional if you aren’t feeling well, or working with a program if you aren’t seeing the kind of results you’re looking for.

How can I cultivate mental health and strength?

→ The Sun

I think cultivating mental strength is extremely underrated. Recently, someone told me that I shouldn’t weigh myself weekly because if the scale doesn’t move, I’ll get discouraged. And that it's better to not weigh myself at all and go by how I feel only. I found this to be a ‘weak’ approach to weight loss for lack of a better word. Life rarely works out the way you want it to. Avoiding disappointment is a fool's errand. It's better to learn how to bounce back from setbacks, rather than avoiding them altogether. Those who learn how to keep going with a positive attitude, despite how many times they’ve been knocked down are the ones who seem lucky and always on top. It's not that they don’t struggle, it's that they don’t dwell in the hardship. They move on and they do it with a smile on their face, eager for whatever comes next. 

The sun is about happiness for sure, but also about having a positive attitude. And just to be clear, being positive is not the same thing as being in denial or spiritual bypassing. Denial is ignoring the bad shit that’s going on in your life and hoping some miracle will fix things. Being positive is facing the hard stuff, doing what you need to do, but also being optimistic that you’ll come out of a tough situation and everything will be ok. It means knowing this too shall pass and that there’s no reason to stay stuck in feelings of hurt, anger, sadness and disappointment. 

Make your mindset a priority this month. Learn how to bounce back from those setbacks. Figure out what you need to do to dust yourself off and keep moving forward. For me, I say NO whenever I want to spin into negative self-talk. Or I remind myself that I can deal with whatever comes my way. For you, it might be exercise, or having a friend who reminds you of how strong you are, or you play an encouraging song to get you out of the spiral. Find what works for you and grab onto it for dear life. And with time and practice, you’ll bounce back quicker and quicker until finally, it will take no time at all.

What aspects of my spiritual practice should I focus on?

→ Wheel of Fortune

The wheel means change and could mean your spiritual practice is about to go through a makeover. Perhaps your spiritual beliefs are being tested. Maybe you aren’t getting as much out of it as you used to. Maybe you feel disconnected from it and need to start looking for something different. Or you might finally see all of your hard work paying off. Perhaps an intention finally manifests itself. The wheel always means a change in your circumstances. What comes up must go down. 

When this card appears, it encourages you to keep an open mind. Unexpected events can challenge what you know to be true about your spirituality and by extension: yourself. You may find yourself engaged in something you would usually avoid and are finding out it's incredibly beneficial for you. 

Most importantly, this card means a lot of things are out of your control right now. Do your best to go with the flow of things rather than trying to force anything to happen. Whatever is going on now is something that was set into motion a long time ago and there isn’t much you can do to change it. But remember, what goes up must come down and nothing lasts forever. If you find yourself with favorable circumstances then celebrate your wins as long as you can. If the tides turn and you’re facing a challenge, remember that this is only temporary.

In what ways can I support my emotional well-being?

→ King of Pentacles

The king of pentacles means your emotions can do with a dose of practicality. The king of pentacles isn’t very emotional. He is methodical and realistic, choosing to see things for what they are rather than what they could be. He takes you at your word and expects your actions to match your speech. And when you don’t walk your talk, he responds in kind. He doesn’t hold onto the potential of what he thinks you can be. He lets you show him who you are and that’s how he treats you. 

You are being encouraged to follow his lead. If people are not being honest with you or if they say one thing and do another, then take their actions as gospel. Don’t respond emotionally or get upset. And remember this is for your benefit, no one else's. Getting mad or upset only affects you. You’re the one who has to deal with that anger, not the person it’s directed towards. So take a deep breath when your emotions try to run away from you and take your situation at face value. 

Don’t expect an unreliable person to suddenly be there for you. Don’t expect an emotionally distant person to suddenly confess their undying love for you. Don’t expect a fearful person to suddenly have all of the courage in the world. You get the point. Meet people where they are instead of where you want them to be. And if that isn’t good enough to fulfill your needs, then you may need to consider finding other people who can actually support you. At the end of the day, you have to take responsibility for your emotional well-being and decide what's more important, your happiness or being miserable while you wait for someone else to transform into what you need.

How can I be the most authentic version of myself and stay aligned with my values?

→ Knight of Cups

The knight of cups is my favorite knight. He is the poet, the artist, the dreamer and the romantic. He lives in the moment. He loves what he loves and he never makes excuses for it. Sometimes he’s over the top and dramatic but that’s because he isn’t a halfway sort of deal. He either really loves something or he can’t be bothered. You may call it drama but he calls it passion. And sometimes he gets burned. Sometimes people don’t reciprocate his love or understand why he’s so intense but he never lets that stop him from diving into the deep in when something resonates with him. 

That’s because he is the most authentic version of himself at all times. He doesn’t sacrifice his values to make other people happy. He listens to his heart and acts accordingly. He invites you to do the same. To be true to yourself, even when it's an uphill battle. That means choosing the path that is the best choice for you. Listen to your heart and be practical. If you love something and it's within your means to go after it, then do it. 

The knight of cups does offer a warning. He reminds you that following your heart isn’t always the easiest path. There will be challenges and many times when others won’t understand your actions. There will be times when you get it wrong and times when you get hurt. But there will be many, many more times when you land exactly where you’re meant to be. Where you discover the beauty that is life and you open yourself to the most enriching experiences. Don’t let a few bad apples spoil the whole harvest. 

Decks used in this reading:

Seasons of the Witch: Mabon Oracle
The Solar Kingdom Tarot