A tarot spread to gain insights into what’s holding you back and how to move forward
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I don’t know if the pandemic had anything to do with it (yeah, let’s blame it on the pandemic), but my writing output decreased significantly over the last couple of years.
And as the pandemic eased and I still wasn’t writing, I finally had to admit to myself that some writer’s block may have come into play. Truth be told, I wasn’t writing that much before the pandemic. So I can’t put the blame there.
It’s not so much that I didn’t know I had writer’s block. I mean, that’s what they call it when you’re not writing, right? But I haven’t been ready until now to bare my soul in order to discover WHY I hadn’t been writing. It makes sense to figure out the cause so that, if it occurs again, I’ll be able to recognize it and know what to do about it?
So I pulled out my favorite tarot deck and devised a simple spread that would concisely answer two main questions: (1) What is the nature of the block? and (2)What can I do to release it and start writing more consistently?
The What’s Blocking Me? Tarot Spread
I’m not one for big spreads when it comes to getting insight into a personal problem or challenge.
Don’t get me wrong, I will do a Celtic Cross from time to time to get a feel for what’s currently going on in my life or to delve a little more deeply into a matter. But if I just want the bare facts, a smaller spread will do the job.
I simply have to make sure my question is clearly and concisely stated in order to get a clear and concise answer. This means creating just enough spread positions to get at the heart of the matter – that is, what’s going on and what to do about it.
To answer my two writer’s block questions, I came up with the followoing five spread positions.
(1) Where I am now – This gives me an idea of how I’m currently dealing with the writer’s block.
(2) What has blocked me in the past – This will tell me what kept me from writing in the past (question 1).
(3) The most effective action I can take to release the block – I could probably expand this to two or three actions, but I want to focus on the most effective one that is guaranteed to get me to my goal (question 2).
(4) A resource that’s available to support me – Again, I could ask for more resources, but for now, one will do. I just have to make sure to use it.
(5) The final outcome – What new reality awaits me if I follow the guidance provided?
I could also have added a position to get input on what will keep me from releasing the block. But I figure that’s going to reveal itself as I interpret the cards. Plus, reversals are often a good indication of this.
The Reading
The Light Seer’s Tarot is my go-to deck for doing these kinds of personal readings. There’s just something uplifting and transcendent about the answers I get when I use it.
Chris-Anne, the deck’s creator, has given a modern interpretation to the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) images that are very easy to relate to.
Initial Insights
Honestly, I was surprised by these mostly positive cards. Surely something as difficult as writer’s block should have more reversals or perhaps a 5 or 10 of Swords in the spread.
Also notable is that three of the five cards are Swords. This isn’t surprising since my question focuses on writing, and Swords, representing the Air element, are all about the mind and its mental processes. I’ll look at these three cards as a unit at some point in my analysis (see the 6 of Swords reversed below) .
Card-By-Card Analysis
(1) Knight of Wands – I clearly have the energy and enthusiasm required to take up the task of writing more consistently. I’m ready to passionately express who I am through my writing.
(2) 4 of Swords – Usually this card lets me know when I need to rest and rejuvenate, so I was initially stumped that it would represent the block. But when viewed in light of what has kept me from writing in the past, I thought that perhaps I had become a little too comfortable in my nest and that I needed to take some steps outside of my comfort zone with respect to writing.
In the past, it was often hard for me to share my writing, especially on topics like divination, for fear of being criticized or ridiculed. But I’m clearly ready to “face the fear and do it anyway” if the Knight of Wands is any indication.
(3) King of Swords – What action do I need to take to move forward? In this instance, I need to see myself as what I’m going to call the Master Writer, supremely yet humbly confident in my ability to communicate via the written word. This is essentially a change in mindset that I need to undertake.
(4) 6 of Swords reversed – How, you might ask, can a reversed card serve as a resource? In this instance, I believe the reversal represents something that I need to do in order to flip the card upright so that it CAN serve as a resource.
Notice that when the card is reversed, the woman in the boat is facing the 4 of Swords, my comfort zone. When flipped, she’s moving in the direction of the King of Swords. This tells me that I still have some work to do to let go of perfectionism and fear of criticism in order to fully assume the mantle of Master Writer.
Also noteworthy is that In both the RWS image and Light Seer’s versions of this card, the figure in the boat is being steered or pulled by someone else. Reframing how I view myself as a writer doesn’t require any physical effort on my part. In fact, stillness is necessary in order to move from reacting to criticism to responding with equanimity in the face of it.
(5) Temperance – Finally, stepping out of my comfort zone and seeing myself as the Master Writer that I am will result in a new level of emotional mastery, giving me the ability to calmly handle constructive criticism and let the destructive variety roll off my back.
That’s a pretty concise answer to my questions. I’m clear about the cause of the block and what to do to start writing more consistently. Now I just gotta do it!
Is something keeping you from achieving a desired goal? Try the spread to gain some insight and clarity on how to move forward. Let me know in the comments if you found it helpful.
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