Thee Holistic Maven

09/17/2026

09/14/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE

🎴 LESSON THIRTEEN: SEASONS & TIMING

Can tarot tell you exactly when something will happen?

The cards may suggest a season, pace or period of time—but tarot timing isn’t an exact clock. Different tarot traditions use different timing systems, which is why books and readers may not always agree.

SEASONS AND THE SUITS

COMMON TAROT SEASONAL SYSTEM

One commonly taught system uses:

🌱 Wands = Spring
☀️ Cups = Summer
🍂 Swords = Fall
❄️ Pentacles = Winter

ELEMENTAL OR OCCULT SYSTEM

Another system connects the seasons with traditional elemental correspondences:

🌱 Swords • Air = Spring
☀️ Wands • Fire = Summer
🍂 Cups • Water = Fall
❄️ Pentacles • Earth = Winter

NATURE-BASED SEASONAL SYMBOLISM

This approach connects the suits with the natural appearance and energy of each season:

🌱 Swords • Air = Spring
Fresh air, new ideas, movement and changing perspectives.

☀️ Wands • Fire = Summer
Heat, activity, passion, energy and growth.

🍂 Pentacles • Earth = Fall
Harvest, abundance, physical results and returning to the earth.

❄️ Cups • Water = Winter
Snow, ice, stillness, reflection and deeper emotions.

Each system offers a different way to connect the suits with the seasons. One follows a commonly taught tarot system, one follows traditional elemental correspondences and one follows seasonal imagery.

THE PACE OF THE SUITS

The suits may also suggest how quickly or slowly something develops:

🔥 Wands: fast-moving action, momentum or growth
🌬️ Swords: sudden movement, quick decisions or rapid change
💧 Cups: gradual, emotional or naturally flowing movement
🌎 Pentacles: slow, steady or long-term development

Wands and Swords generally move faster, while Cups and Pentacles tend to move more gradually.

UNITS OF TIME

One common timing method uses:

🔥 Wands = days
🌬️ Swords = weeks
💧 Cups = months
🌎 Pentacles = years

However, this isn’t universal. Other readers switch these units or use the suits only to describe pace rather than a specific measurement of time.

NUMBERS AND TIME

A card’s number may suggest how many units of time are involved.

For example, a Three could suggest three days, weeks, months or another period of three. The suit, surrounding cards and situation provide the context.

ASTROLOGY AND TIME

Tarot’s astrological correspondences can also suggest timing.

A Major Arcana card connected with a zodiac sign may point toward that sign’s season. The numbered Minor Arcana cards from Two through Ten are associated with smaller periods within the zodiac year.

These correspondences can suggest a possible time window rather than a guaranteed date.

IMAGERY AND MOVEMENT

The artwork can provide additional clues. A card filled with movement may suggest something developing quickly, while stillness, waiting or blocked movement may suggest a pause or delay.

The easiest way to remember:

Season = when the energy may appear
Suit = how quickly it may develop
Number = a possible amount of time
Astrology = a possible time window
Imagery = movement, stillness or delay

Tarot timing offers possibilities—not guaranteed dates. These different clues can help describe when something may happen or how quickly it may unfold. 🔮☕

09/13/2026

The wreath class is this coming Saturday & there are still spots to sign up!!

09/13/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE

🎴 LESSON TWELVE: UPRIGHT & REVERSED MEANINGS

Every tarot card contains both light and shadow.

UPRIGHT • LIGHT

When a card appears upright, it represents the light expression of its energy—its balanced, constructive or helpful qualities.

The energy may be active, available, expressed openly or working as intended.

REVERSED • SHADOW

When a card appears reversed, it represents the shadow expression of its energy.

The energy may be:

• Blocked or delayed
• Internal or suppressed
• Weakened or excessive
• Misused or releasing

The shadow isn’t something negative that needs to be hidden or locked away. It shows what needs to be seen, understood, accepted or worked through.

For example, the upright Queen of Wands may represent confidence, passion, creativity and independence.

Reversed, her shadow may appear as self-doubt, impatience, burnout, insecurity or becoming overly forceful.

The shadow does not erase the light. It shows where the card’s energy has become blocked, unbalanced or difficult to express in a healthy way.

The easiest way to remember:

Upright = light expression
Reversed = shadow expression

Every card contains both—and understanding both sides gives us a fuller picture of its meaning. 🔮☕

09/13/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE

🎴 LESSON ELEVEN: RECOGNIZING PATTERNS

A single card gives you information—but when something repeats throughout a spread, it can make that part of the message more important.

REPEATED SUITS

Repeated suits show which area of life is involved:

🔥 Wands: action, passion and motivation
💧 Cups: emotions, relationships and intuition
🌬️ Swords: thoughts, communication and decisions
🌎 Pentacles: work, money, home and physical life

REPEATED NUMBERS

Repeated numbers show that the number’s meaning is especially strong.

For example, if someone received all four Fives, the energy of Five would be important throughout the reading.

Fives represent change, disruption, instability, challenges and adjustment. Because all four suits are present, those changes could involve actions, emotions, thoughts and practical life.

This doesn’t automatically mean everything is going wrong. It can show the uncomfortable middle of a transition—after the old stability has been disturbed but before something new has taken shape.

MANY MAJOR ARCANA CARDS

Several Major Arcana cards may point to larger lessons, turning points or important life chapters.

MANY COURT CARDS

Several Court Cards may point to people, personalities, roles or different ways of expressing energy.

REPEATED ELEMENTS

Repeated Fire, Water, Air or Earth shows which type of energy is especially present. An element that is noticeably absent may show an energy that is missing or needs attention.

REPEATED COLORS AND SYMBOLS

Repeated colors, animals, landscapes or objects can reinforce a shared mood, theme or message.

DIRECTION AND MOVEMENT

Notice where the figures look or move and how they relate to the cards around them.

A figure may face something being approached, confronted or supported—or turn away from something being avoided or left behind. The position the card holds in the spread helps explain what that direction means.

NUMBER PROGRESSION

When numbers form a sequence, look at their order and their positions in the spread.

They may show a situation building, changing, reaching completion or returning to an earlier stage. The meaning depends on what each position in the spread represents.

The easiest way to remember:

One card gives you a clue.
Repetition creates a pattern.
The pattern emphasizes the message.

You don’t need to force connections between every card. Simply notice what naturally repeats and consider why that part of the message may be especially important. 🔮☕

09/13/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE 🔮

🎴 LESSON TEN: THE SYSTEMS BEHIND TAROT

You may have heard tarot connected with Kabbalah, Hermeticism, astrology, numerology, alchemy and several other traditions—but what does any of that actually mean?

Let’s simplify it.

Tarot began in 15th-century Europe as a card game. The mystical, spiritual and divinatory systems associated with tarot developed later.

🎴 TAROT DE MARSEILLE

The Tarot de Marseille is an older European tarot tradition. Its Major Arcana contain recognizable archetypal figures, while many of its Minor Arcana cards display arrangements of suit symbols instead of the detailed scenes found in modern decks.

✨ HERMETICISM

Hermeticism is a Western spiritual and philosophical tradition based on the belief that different parts of existence are connected—including the spiritual and physical worlds, the universe and the individual.

This is where we get the familiar idea:

“As above, so below.”

🌅 THE HERMETIC ORDER OF THE GOLDEN DAWN

The Golden Dawn was a late-1800s occult organization that brought several systems together, including tarot, astrology, numerology, elements, alchemy, Hebrew letters and Hermetic Qabalah.

Many correspondences commonly taught with tarot today were organized or strongly influenced by the Golden Dawn.

🎴 RIDER–WAITE–SMITH TAROT

The Rider–Waite–Smith deck was published in 1909 and created by A. E. Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith, who were both members of the Golden Dawn.

Their deck carries many Hermetic, astrological, Qabalistic, alchemical, religious and mythological influences. It also gave the Minor Arcana detailed illustrated scenes, making their meanings easier to recognize visually.

🎴 THOTH TAROT

The Thoth Tarot was created by Aleister Crowley and artist Lady Frieda Harris. It uses many of the same underlying systems, but presents and sometimes organizes them differently.

This is one reason tarot books and decks do not always agree on every correspondence.

✡️ KABBALAH

Kabbalah is a Jewish mystical tradition exploring the Divine, creation and the relationship between the infinite and the human world.

🌳 HERMETIC QABALAH

Hermetic Qabalah is a Western esoteric adaptation that combines ideas drawn from Kabbalah with tarot, astrology, alchemy, elements and other spiritual or philosophical traditions.

Most connections described as “Kabbalah and tarot” actually come from Hermetic Qabalah, rather than traditional Jewish Kabbalah itself.

🌳 THE TREE OF LIFE

The Tree of Life is a symbolic map containing 10 spheres, called the Sephiroth, connected by 22 paths.

In simple terms, it represents different stages, qualities and relationships within creation, consciousness and spiritual development.

Its tarot connections include:

✨ The 22 Major Arcana connected with the Tree’s 22 paths and the 22 Hebrew letters.

🔢 The Aces through Tens associated with the 10 Sephiroth, allowing the energy of each number to move through all four suits.

🪄 The four suits connected with four elements and four symbolic worlds:

🔥 Wands = Fire
💧 Cups = Water
🌬️ Swords = Air
🌎 Pentacles = Earth

⚗️ ALCHEMY

Alchemy is often described as attempting to turn ordinary metals into gold, but its symbolism goes much deeper.

Within tarot, alchemy can represent transformation—breaking something down, combining opposing forces, removing what is no longer useful and creating something new.

♈ ASTROLOGY

Astrological correspondences connect tarot cards with planets and zodiac signs, adding another layer of personality, movement, timing and energy.

🔢 NUMEROLOGY

Numbers help show where energy may be within a cycle—from beginnings and development to challenges, completion and transition.

📜 RELIGION, MYTH AND OTHER TRADITIONS

Tarot artwork also draws from Christian and Jewish symbolism, Greek and Roman mythology, Egyptian imagery and other spiritual or cultural traditions.

Modern decks may add still more systems, depending on their theme and creator.

The easiest way to understand all of this:

✨ These systems are different lenses through which tarot can be explored.

You can understand tarot without becoming an expert in Kabbalah, Hermeticism, alchemy or astrology. These connections simply add more layers for anyone who wants to explore the cards more deeply.

You don’t have to memorize everything—we’re making tarot simple around here, remember? 🔮☕

09/13/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE

🎴 LESSON NINE: SYMBOLISM IN TAROT

Tarot cards are filled with symbols that add more information to their meanings. The landscapes, animals, plants, weather, clothing and objects within a card can all reveal details about its energy and overall message.

Symbols do not have only one fixed definition. Their meaning depends on how they appear, what is happening around them and the artwork of the particular deck.

You don’t have to memorize everything at once. Begin by noticing which symbol catches your attention and how it supports the card’s traditional meaning.

The easiest way to remember:

🔍 The card’s main meaning shows what is happening. Its symbols add details to the story.

Swipe through the slides and save them for reference.

Which tarot symbol stands out to you most? 🔮☕

09/13/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE 🔮

🎴 LESSON EIGHT: COLOR SYMBOLISM IN TAROT

Colors can add another layer of meaning to a tarot card by helping us understand its energy, emotion and overall atmosphere.

Like the cards themselves, colors can have both light and shadow meanings. A color isn’t automatically positive or negative—its meaning depends on the card, the surrounding imagery and how that particular deck uses it.

Meanings can also overlap. For example, both red and brown can represent grounding. Red connects grounding with physical energy, security and survival, while brown connects it with stability, practicality, home and the Earth.

You also don’t need to memorize every color meaning at once. Start by noticing which colors stand out and consider:

🎨 How does the color make the card feel?
🎨 Does it support the card’s traditional meaning?
🎨 Does it reveal a lighter or more challenging side of its energy?
🎨 What other images or symbols appear beside it?

The easiest way to remember:

🎨 Color is another clue—not the entire meaning of the card.

Swipe through both slides and save them as a reference while studying your cards.

Which color tends to catch your attention first? 🔮☕

09/13/2026

🔮 THEE HOLISTIC MAVEN: TAROT MADE SIMPLE

🎴 LESSON SEVEN: ASTROLOGY IN TAROT

You don’t need to memorize an entire birth chart to understand astrology in tarot. Astrological correspondences simply add another layer of personality, energy and symbolism to the cards.

Let’s start with the Minor Arcana.

Each suit belongs to one elemental zodiac family. Within that suit, the numbered cards from Two through Ten are divided among its three zodiac signs.

🔥 WANDS • FIRE
Aries • Leo • Sagittarius

💧 CUPS • WATER
Cancer • Scorpio • Pisces

🌬️ SWORDS • AIR
Gemini • Libra • Aquarius

🌎 PENTACLES • EARTH
Ta**us • Virgo • Capricorn

The 12 zodiac signs also correspond with 12 Major Arcana cards:

♈ Aries: The Emperor
♉ Ta**us: The Hierophant
♊ Gemini: The Lovers
♋ Cancer: The Chariot
♌ Leo: Strength
♍ Virgo: The Hermit
♎ Libra: Justice
♏ Scorpio: Death
♐ Sagittarius: Temperance
♑ Capricorn: The Devil
♒ Aquarius: The Star
♓ Pisces: The Moon

Seven Major Arcana cards are connected to the seven classical planets:

☿ Mercury: The Magician
☾ Moon: The High Priestess
♀ Venus: The Empress
♃ Jupiter: Wheel of Fortune
♂ Mars: The Tower
☉ Sun: The Sun
♄ Saturn: The World

That leaves three Major Arcana cards—and this is where you may encounter different systems.

In the traditional Golden Dawn system:

🌬️ The Fool: Air
💧 The Hanged Man: Water
🔥 Judgement: Fire

In many modern systems:

♅ The Fool: Uranus
♆ The Hanged Man: Neptune
♇ Judgement: Pluto

The outer planets—Uranus, Neptune and Pluto—were added later. That is why one tarot book may call The Fool an Air card while another connects it with Uranus. Neither source is necessarily mistaken; they may simply be using different correspondence systems.

For this series, we’ll use the traditional Golden Dawn correspondences, while mentioning common modern associations when they are helpful.

The easiest way to remember:

🎴 Suit = elemental zodiac family
♈ Sign or planet = added personality and energy

Astrology doesn’t decide your future, and tarot doesn’t remove your free will. These correspondences simply help us better understand the symbolism, energies and patterns within the cards.

Which tarot and astrology connection makes the most sense to you? 🔮☕