Tarot is best used as guidance rather than fortune-telling. The cards draw attention to elements in your life that require focus.

The major arcana, cards 0 to 21, represent the major lessons of life in sequence. The minor arcana split into four suits – cups, pentacles, rods (wands), and swords. Each suit represents, respectively, emotions/relationships, physicality and practical matters, action, and intellect.

The reversal of a card flips its meaning, but no card is inherently negative.  The position of each card in a spread represents what it is directing you in.

This week, we’re focusing in specifically on romantic relationships, just in time for cuffing season.

Past/Present/Future

The seven of rods indicates your relationship past, a readiness to face challenges, perhaps after past complacency. You were very determined. Perhaps you were hot on Tinder at the beginning of term, full of energy and hope (weren’t we all).

The present is marked in the reversed king of rods. There is nothing really problematic standing in your way, but nobody else is going to help you. You are really getting in your own way. Maybe you’ve had a long break from active dating, and the reversal of the card suggests further delays.

Luckily, the future in the reversed ten of swords indicates the beginning of the end of a bad time. The reversal again indicates a delay or a setback, but again the problem lies with yourself. You’re unwilling to take the necessary steps to move on, but you need to take the plunge and make a choice. It doesn’t matter if it goes wrong – ask them out, dump them, attempt that pull on your next night out. You just need to start moving.

Overcoming Obstacles

Your current situation is represented by the reversed king of swords. You’re on the verge of a breakthrough, but it requires a deal of mental work – maybe you need to deal with some past relationship troubles, or become more comfortable with being vulnerable with others (not projecting, I promise).

The seven of swords indicates the problem you’re having – nothing is quite what it seems. You’re having to play a game, which you might not like, but will work – sound familiar? Exercise a level of caution as others may be behaving in this underhand manner.

The eight of cups shows you the recommended action – let go. Whatever is holding you back, which seems like worries about things past and what they’ve done to you, is something you have to turn your back on rather than fix (dump him!!). There will be other things that are fulfilling.

The outcome is promising in the two of pentacles, a positive card that indicates good fortune. Difficulties you’re experiencing now won’t last, but you’re currently still picking between two options – you need to make a choice and stick with it. The cards are unequivocally telling you to stop dithering.  

Two Card Choice

So, your choices for action are the reversed page of pentacles or the reversed empress.

The reversed page of pentacles indicates a need for you to put in some more effort – everyone loves feeling sought after, so do some grafting!

The reversed empress indicates a need to take care of yourself. The cards have revealed some potential problems with your relationships past – you can give yourself the time to heal.