Do Astrology and Tarot Cause Anxiety?
Do Astrology and Tarot Cause Anxiety?
Plus this week’s Full Moon, card pull, and more.
Astrology Forecast: 7.3.23 through 7.9.23
This week's TCR (The Curiosity Report, for short—you get it!) delves into the intriguing topic of anxiety and surrender, and how it influences our mystical practices. From an astrological standpoint, this week provides the perfect opportunity to explore this theme.
On Monday, July 3 at 7:39AM EST, a Full Moon in Capricorn ignites the sky. Full Moons occur when the Sun and Moon align in exact opposition. In this case, the Sun will radiate at 11º Cancer, while the Moon will reside at 11º Capricorn. These zodiac signs hold powerful astronomical significance, as they correspond to the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn—markers that delineate the northernmost and southernmost points of the Sun's declination, respectively. In other words, Cancer and Capricorn align with our planet's solstices, when the Sun reaches its maximum ascent and descent.
The symbolism of these signs speaks to extremes. Watery Cancer embodies nurturing, protective, and caring energy, while earthy Capricorn exudes practicality, ambition, and purpose. We often associate Cancer and Capricorn with the archetypes of "Mommy" and "Daddy,” the parental figures that shape our worldview—similar to how the Sun's interaction with the Tropics inform the seasonal patterns of the Earth.
But unlike the Sun, which dutifully appears at a precise time and place each day, the parental figures who raised us are fallible humans. They are not celestial bodies—they’re imperfect beings, which adds complexity to our relationship with the Cancer-Capricorn archetypes.
During the Full Moon in Capricorn, reflect on the ways your upbringing influenced your current wants and needs, hopes and fears. Do you have an excessively self-reliant attitude, constantly abiding by the, “whatever, I'll do it myself" approach to life? Do you struggle to reveal vulnerability? To let others in? To ask for help? If so, consider why you’ve adopted these defense mechanisms—there’s a method to the madness, but that doesn’t mean it’s in your best interest. Alternatively, if you tend to seek validation from others before making progress, consider what personal initiative means to you. You don’t need to wait for the green-light; you have what it takes to move forward.
This Full Moon provides a remarkable opportunity to confront our past and embrace the possibilities of our future. Yes, the Sun has designated moments of maximum ascent—but we’re not bound by such limitations. We have the freedom to bloom in any season and radiate our light whenever we choose. We possess the power to craft our own narratives, untethered to outdated archetypes. We can write our own stories.
If you’re interested in working with this Full Moon, please join us in The Constellation Club tonight (Monday, July 3) at 8PM EST for a powerful Coven Meeting. Replays are available.
Card of the Week
Mirrors (from There Are No Coincidences)
Well, we predicted our card pulls would be TANC (which stands for There Are No Coincidences—the inspiration behind this card deck). And they’re absolutely doing the most!
Full Moons are a time of reflection… literally. During this phase, the Moon shines brightly—so much so, our ancient ancestors believed the Moon emitted its own light. But the Moon’s illumination is a reflection of the Sun’s radiance, not a source of its own.
This brings to mind a quote by the late motivational speaker, Jim Rohn, that I often contemplate: “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This concept suggests that the closest individuals in our lives profoundly influence our thoughts, passions, ideas, tastes, and even our behaviors. No matter how original and unique we think we are, as humans, we’re biologically susceptible to external influences. We radiate what we receive.
Decoding the “Mirrors” card, take a moment to consider how your community—your relatives, friends, colleagues, classmates, and neighbors—shape your perception of the world. Which subjects dominate your conversations? What shared interests do you have? What are your collective ethics, ideologies, and philosophies?
And where do you see room for improvement? For example, when I first began confronting my eating disorders and body dysmorphia, I realized I was surrounded by friends who were in active addiction. The constant exposure to toxic rhetoric surrounding bodies and beauty was deeply impacting my psyche and hindering my healing. With my therapist, we agreed that I needed to set brave boundaries.
While we can’t change others, we can certainly take an active role in crafting our reality. We can create guidelines and establish expectations for our interactions. We can monitor what we absorb. This week, I encourage you to heighten your awareness of the reflections you radiate, ensuring that they’re aligned with your truth.
Curious Recommendations
I’m a picky witch. It’s hard for me to find ritual products that are both magickally functional and aesthetically excellent. Thankfully, Snakes for Hair exists. Snakes for Hair crafts beautifully designed—and incredibly powerful—altar candles inspired by folk magick, astrology, and tarot. Each candle is adorned with a hand-cut collage infused with careful attention-to-detail and strong energetic intention. These candles are meant to help you amplify your magick, strengthen your manifestation practice, and fortify your sense of personal agency. Candles are offered in myriad styles so you can choose one (or many!) to match your intention or spiritual need… and they smell so good! I truly couldn’t live without them. I know you’ll feel the same.
Do Astrology and Tarot Cause Anxiety?
Something disturbing started happening in January—something I hadn't encountered before.
It was right after my first OBGYN appointment, before I even saw the Reproductive Endocrinologist. Because of the severity of the PCOS symptoms I had been experiencing, I wanted to take the A1C test to check my blood sugar levels. I was really nervous and, even after the appointment ended, my anxiety continued to compound.
I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder almost ten years ago, which felt very… well, duh. Why wouldn't I have anxiety? Why wouldn't everyone have anxiety? What isn't there to be anxious about? In this economy?! Suffice it to say, throughout my 20s, I managed to successfully curb my anxiety through work and wine. The non-stop grind created the illusion of control, while the alcohol quieted my brain's constant chatter. And, in astrology, we could chalk this up to Capricorn Rising, Pisces Moon. Voilà!
But, alas, those old band-aids just weren't sticking anymore: After serious professional burnout in 2020, I adopted much more rigorous boundaries with work, and—with the PCOS running rampant, coupled with my desire to get pregnant—I drastically reduced my alcohol intake. So, without realizing I was raw-dogging my anxiety disorder, I did what any modern curious mind would do: I started pulling some tarot cards.
