Star Power

Tarotscopes that SLAY: Get your astrology read for filth (Aug 11-Sept 9 cycle)

You’re wondering WTF is a Tarotscope. I got you. It’s like a horoscope, but instead of tuning into just your Astrology (ie. the planets’ influence is on your life), I pull a Tarot card for each sign and through that lens we see what your moonth has in store. I say moonth, where do you think the word MONTH originated? Yeah, from the moon herself. Did I just blow your mind?

Think about it, our Gregorian calendar is totally arbitrary and an outdated holdover courtesy of the patriarchy, okur? Which is why I’ll be releasing these Tarotscopes in concert with the New Moon– so that we can start to become aware of what a natural cycle feels like.

Maybe you’re also wondering what the hell a New Moon is but you don’t want to seem basic; again, I got you. A New Moon, which happens thirteen times throughout the course of a year, is when the moon is wholly invisible to us. This happens because the Moon situates itself between the Sun and the Earth, her illuminated side facing away from us.

New Moons ask us to start over so that we can start better. Think of it as a mini New Year’s Eve that happens every moonth. It’s a great time to make resolutions, start up projects or simply forgive yourself and start anew.

NEW MOON IN LEO + THE END OF ECLIPSE SEASON:

If you have been feeling anxious, angry, depressed and/or generally lethargic over the last few you weeks, just know you are not alone. The energy in the sky is heavy AF right now with Mercury and Mars (and like five other planets) retrograde. But, good news! Relief is right around the bend. Mercury will go direct on the 20th of this moonth and Mars goes direct soon after on the 27th. Because Mercury rules communication and Mars rules our vitality this means we will start to feel some momentum again. Come Labor Day, we will all begin to feel like there is sufficient energy and clarity to finally get some shit done. But we are not quite there yet. We have one last Eclipse portal to get through.

Eclipses bring spellbinding clarity. They show us our deeply rooted patterns so that we can release them. But seeing that shit can hurt. Eclipses are emotional because we are forced to face our own inner demons. And we have to feel them in order to release them. This final Eclipse occurring early Saturday morning at 2:57 AM, California Time, (which corresponds with the New Moon in Leo), is our opportunity to integrate the lessons we’ve learned over the past six weeks. This is a graduation of sorts, so make sure you receive your diploma, okay kitty cats?

Now that you know who you are, you can finally share it with the world. Leo’s can’t help but to stand center stage and soak up the spotlight. With a New Moon/Eclipse in Leo we are all encouraged to channel our inner Leo and say: HERE I AM! I’m here, I’m queer, I’m witchy, wounded, wonderous and wild and I’m not going anywhere. There is a collective belief that we have to achieve some level of healing or perfection before we can claim our stage, but that is bullshit. You are ready now, as you are, to claim yourself in larger and larger realms. The world needs you. Yes, you! So stop hiding from yourself and stop hiding yourself from us.

This final eclipse is calling the new you forwards. And it may be a version of yourself that you hid in the closet in a long time ago. So have courage to let go of the things that keep this real you hidden. Letting go doesn’t have to be dramatic or difficult; it can be a clean strong wind signifying you are ready for the change. If you want to be able to transform into your potential, you have to surrender your old tricks and sometimes your old dreams, too. So shake yourself free and shine on.

This Summer is packed with potent astrology and I just can’t get into all of it here. Which is why my husband and I have launched our podcast, THE SPIRITUAL GAYZ. He’s a brilliant astrologer, we’re both gay AF (clearly) and it’s our twice monthly offering dedicated to exploring the wide reaches of spirituality, without pretending it all makes sense. If you want more practical tips on how to integrate astrology, tarot, crystals and many more spiritual skills into your life, you don’t want to miss this! Tune in and subscribe and please rate us 5 stars! How do you find it? Easy! Click HERE!

COLLECTIVE CARD FOR THE MOONTH:
Four of Wands (reversed)

This is the same card I pulled for us last cycle, except now it’s reversed. Which to me indicates that we are still struggling to receive this medicine. When a card shows up twice in a row it indicates a gateway into a deeper absorption of the meaning. So there’s no hiding from this energy now!

The essence of Four of Wands is a deep surrendering to our individual and collective growth process. It’s about trusting your unique path and acknowledging how far you’ve traveled already. Yes, the road is long. But you’ve walked a lot of it. Take a moment and pat yourself on the back. You’re doing the work. You’re waking up. You’re stepping up. Condragulating yourself wont stop the momentum of your transformation, I promise.

If we don’t stop and take stock of our progress we will forever be daunted by how much further there is to go. So, before you burn out, take a moment and really look behind you. There were so many crises, so many challenges, so many traumas and your survived them all. Not only have you survived, you’ve thrived! You’ve grown up, you’ve leveled up and now the next chapter begins.

Below are personalized Tarotscopes for each sign.

In the service of Mercury retrograde, you’ll find them considerably more condensed than usual.

There’s less to read so that hopefully you’ll absorb more.

Read your sun sign, and if you know your rising sign you can read that, too.

LEO
The Devil

Don’t be scared of the devil, Birthday Gurl. As William Blake said, “the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom,” and the Devil is the king of excess. This card usually indicates a really good time will be had. It invites us into the realm physical pleasure, usually with an overdoing aspect. So go ahead and order the extra round of drinks but know the festival ends eventually.

The real question the devil asks us is: can you be in this world but not of it? Can you start to see how this world of sight and taste and sound is but the tip of an invisible glacier? Can you begin to move through the gateway of the physical into the infinite energetic world that weaves all things together?

You are waking up to spirit in a new way and sometimes that pushes us in the opposite direction. All roads lead to enlightenment, just make sure you are paying attention to how you’re getting where you’re going. You choose the paths, they don’t choose you without your consent.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

VIRGO
The World

More than any other sign, gentle Virgo, you’ve been on a deep journey these last few months. I know it’s been intense, emotional and painfully transformative. The appearance of The World means things are about to turn a corner. There are no more surprises, no more shoes to drop. Just a gentle letting go of what has come before.

This is the last card of the Major Arcana. It is a sacred card and it doesn’t show up that often. It signals the ending of one story and the beginning of another. Tender endings and fated beginnings. You don’t have to do anything to receive this medicine. You can just attend to you day and notice how things are changing, things are starting over, you are starting over.

There is a lightness and a buoyancy chasing you. You can lay down the wet pillowcases, the dark nights of the soul. Imagine yourself in the desert at sunrise. The dark plains turn from purple to blinding orange and a new day begins. You are that new day, Virgo. Embrace it.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

LIBRA
The Sun (reversed)

I always say there are no good cards or bad cards in the Tarot. All cards are medicine and while some are easier than others, all cards have their gifts. But, that having been said, the Sun is the most positive and optimistic card in the deck. It represents the light that grows all crops, that warms all hearts, that illuminates all things. You are being invited to step fully into the light.

But there’s a piece of you that still doesn’t think you deserve it. This card came in reversed which generally means you are resistant to receiving this energy. And I would venture, perhaps you are resistant to receiving in general. It’s as if the sun is shining, full blast, but you can’t feel it. So this cycle is about opening yourself up to receive love and light.

Life is built on balance. If you are always giving and not receiving, you are acting out of alignment. Slow your roll, generous Libra. Spend this next moonth paying attention to who and what is giving to you, not the other way around. It can be scary to open ourselves up in this way. But if you never get vulnerable you can never accept the truly good stuff trying to come your way.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

SCORPIO
Ace of Wands (reversed)

Boom! Fireworks! Explosions! The Big Fucking Bang! That’s the energy of this card. You have tapped into a deep and powerful well of creativity and passion. You’ve struck oil, spiritually, sexually, creatively. And before you contend with the challenge of how to manifest it, just let it wash over you.

You have stumbled into the deep end of the pool. These ideas awakening in you are enormous. They excite you and they scare you. I can feel your resistance. It feels like too big of an idea. Leave that for another time. Yours isn’t to understand it, but rather to feel into it.

For now, let yourself be lit up by your own interests and imagination. This is an extremely fortunate time for you. The spark you’ve been waiting for has arrived. Let it catch you on fire. And notice what inside yourself the fire brings to life.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

SAGITTARIUS
The Hermit

TIme to turn inwards. Even though it’s High Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s ok to hibernate. And this card is practically demanding you take some time to be alone. The Hermit is the ultimate loner, solitary in her cave or deep in the woods, this archetype connects to nature in order to relearn her own inner nature.

I know that solitude is not your favorite pastime, social Sagittarius. But this moonth would be well spent in your own sanctuary. It’s important to disconnect from the world at large so that we can receive our own inner knowing. And while that might agitate your FOMO, some of the most magical journeys can only accommodate one traveler. Right now, that traveler is you.

The depiction of the Hermit in this deck is a turtle, who we know takes his home with him wherever he goes. And this turtle carries a flame, the flame of his inner heart. We retreat from society in order to remember what lights up our own unique desires. If you can take this cycle to make sure you are really tending to your own inner flame, next moonth you can set the dance floors around town on fire.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

CAPRICORN
The Moon (reversed)

Mercury is retrograde so I’m not going to mince words here: you’ve entered into a dark night of the soul… and you’re resisting it. Let the darkness come. Let the shadows dance before you. I know it’s scary but you are safe. And the time has come to see all the things you’ve been hiding from.

The Moon is our subconscious, the feelings we sublimate, the parts of ourselves we hide. When the Moon arrives it portends to an awakening of our own deeper yearnings. Tend to this awakening, Capricorn. Trust that even your most ugly bits have beautiful purpose in the great design.

When we are able to rescue ourselves from the shame society has foisted upon us, we become stronger than the capitalist machine. No part of you is unlovable. No behavior without value. Now is not a time to categorize or judge. Now is the time to observe, accept and see. The pale light of the moon blesses everything it touches, even your shadow— especially your shadow.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

AQUARIUS
Daughter of Cups

Successful healing leads to new ways of living. It’s important to integrate the lessons trauma triggers in us or else we will forever be chasing the latest fad of self-care. This past month offered us the portal into deep healing. Now we must kick ourselves out of this nest and put our healing to the test.

Daughter of Cups is finding her way in the world and using her emotions playfully. Even though emotions are not our favorite realm, fellow Aquarians, it’s time to face them head on and simultaneously not take them so seriously. Emotions are like colors, all of them are beautiful and necessary. When we have access to all the feelings in our heart, we can paint a gorgeous canvas with our life.

Let your heart come back to life this moonth. Allow yourself to be moved by the simple things, the silly things, the divine moments that take place in your own backyard. Miracles happen every day. Just reading this message is a miracle if you can open yourself up to it. The healing is still happening, but until you take it out into the world, you’ll never know just how effective your deeper healing has been.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

PISCES
Daughter of Swords (reversed)

Daughter of Swords is the poster child of authenticity. She perches on the one sword of her true self, unflinching, unapologetic. She is finding her way in the world, integrating her identity into the daily actions of life. You know who you are, Pisces. You really do. Now you march ahead, bringing your true self along.

What is identity? It’s the story we tell ourselves about who we are and what we are doing in the world. And I have a feeling yours has done some shapeshifting recently. You are changed and that is gorgeous. But not everyone is going to like the new you. Fuck ‘em. Not everyone is going to understand the sensual, imaginative, sensitive being that you are. Fuck them too. Your job this moonth is to keep expanding into your edges. Give no fucks and take no shit.

Continue to sharpen your life on the sword of your identity. Use it to slice through the bullshit. Let this sword cut the cords that tie you to old relationships, that bind you to your old ways. You are free Pisces. You have the tools. Use them!

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

ARIES
Ten of Wands

The Ten of Wands shows up as a warning. It’s message is burn out, but if we heed its call we can avoid the complete meltdown. So you are probably feeling overwhelmed at this time. There are too many things vying for your attention and you are just one person. As an Aries, you can handle more pressure than most but that doesn’t mean you have to do it all by yourself. This card encourages us to ask for help in reaching necessary completions. Can you delegate? Can you hire a few more part-time people to help you carry those wands? You need to.

If you aren’t willing to ask for help then you must prioritize which projects are most time sensitive. Not all ten wands need to be burning right now. Put a few down and focus all your energy on the most important ones.

All of the tens in the Tarot are bridges to mastery. And the suit of wands govern over fire, the things that spark in our lives (ie. spirituality, sexuality and creativity). You are being challenged to master your ENERGY this moonth. Think of your vitality like a bank account and make sure you don’t overdraft your savings. Even though you do your best work under crisis doesn’t mean you have to break down before you break through. There’s another way to get shit done— use this month to discover it.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

TAURUS
Father of Cups (reversed)

The suit of cups rule over the things in our lives that flow. This means relationships, creativity, intuition and above all, our emotions. You have achieved some serious maturity in this part of your life. So take a second to pat yourself on the back for being such a spiritual adult lately. The way in which you’ve been handling these last few challenging weeks is impressive— go ahead, be impressed with yourself.

But don’t stay in self-congratulatory mode too long, because the Father of Cups isn’t just about us. It’s about being able to hold space for others, to help them grow and transform through our own experience. Are there people in your life who need some help? Could you step outside of your comfort zone and give them some counseling, some healing, some insight? When we share what has helped to heal us we contribute to the healing of the world. That is your most pressing task right now.

Of course we have to maintain our boundaries or it’s easy to get sucked into other people’s endless drama. But that is no excuse to withdraw completely from public service or generosity of the heart. Now that you have reached a level of clarity and control around your own experience, it’s time to share it with the world. Be honest, listen through your heart and notice how helping others process their emotions only expands your own already magnificent capabilities.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

GEMINI
Nine of Wands

We have forgotten that there are no shortcuts in nature. A natural cycle cannot be rushed. The moon needs twenty eight days to complete. Heirloom tomatoes will only come in the summer. You are learning what your cycles are and how to honor them.

The Nine of Wands speaks to us about long unavoidable roads. And some of your dreams will require these long roads if they are to come to fruition. You are learning how to build your empire one brick at a time. One foot in front of the other. Don’t try to do too much in a day, but make sure every day contains some hard work. This is the medicine most available to you right now.

It’s easy to lose heart when you realize how hard it is to midwife a dream from the initial explosion of creativity to the tedious minutiae of manifestation. But you will succeed! Just not all at once. So begin to bring your big dream down from the sky. It will take time. It will not be hurried along. But a year from now, you’ll be so glad you started today and kept on going.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

CANCER
Justice (reversed)

Justice comes to us after we have had our minds blown open. It wraps itself around us like a veil and shows us how to interpret what we have just seen. What Justice reveals to us will forever change how we see our world and ourselves. That is some pretty powerful shit, right? Well that’s where you are.

This month is going to help you make sense of your recent revelations. You glimpsed some cosmic patterns, you peered into the matrix, maybe you even took a heroic dose of mushrooms and saw some trippy shit. Now that you’re back to Earth you’re realizing things feel a little different and that’s because you are more than a little different.

Justice asks us to look at the world through the eyes of spirit. Your human innocence has been replaced with a sense of divine knowing. See if you can act from it. You are a vessel, sent here to bring balance to the world in your unique way. Never forget this. What you do is not just for your ego, it’s for the whole universe. And you know what I’m talking about. So stay tuned in and dialed all the way up. Because there is a whole lot more coming your way.

***Brandon offers one-on-one Tarot readings, Energy Healing or Shamanic Journeying. Schedule your private session here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and on Twitter @thebrandonalter***

BRANDON ALTER is an intuitive healer, Tarot reader, teacher and writer living in Los Angeles. He is passionate about sharing spiritual tools that have helped him on his own healing journey.

Brandon’s mom took him to his very first psychic when he was seven and gave him his first Tarot deck when hew as eleven. Since then he has devoted himself tot he study and practice of Tarot, Yoga, Pilates, Reiki, Astrology and Shamanic Skills. Above all, he believe that a spiritual life should be FUN. If wounding hurts like hell, healing should be a pleasure to experience and behold.

Visit www.brandonalterwellness.com to learn more. And to sign up for his twice-monthly newsletter, click here.

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