AUTHOR’S NOTE: This reading reflects both an update to my lunar-month predictive model and a return to “first principles.” In the past I decided to remove the Major Arcana and court cards from the draw because the short-term outlook changes on roughly a 3-1/2 day frequency during the month and the Minor Arcana should therefore provide a more reliable picture of the routine day-to-day situation. But more recently I’ve begun seeing the Major Arcana as furnishing a “thematic backdrop” for the activities shown by the rest of the cards, and not normally as representing important events in their own right; instead, they establish the “archetypal environment” in which circumstances will play out. Regarding the court cards, when reading for myself I typically view them as describing attitudes and behaviors of my own that I could experience during the period rather than as signifying other people I might encounter.

So I decided to put them both back in, with one new twist: whenever I receive a trump card in one of the eight positions, I will accord it a “background” role and immediately draw another card to place on top of it as the “active agency” or mundane outlet for its influence during the time-frame indicated. If I get a second trump on top of the first, that’s the trigger for anticipation of “big things afoot,” kind of a “double-barreled” scenario – backdrop and major development.

Note that this practice will shift the rest of the cards in the pull “up the chain” one position and give the overall reading a slightly different complexion. For example, in the present forecast I would much rather have received the 3 of Cups at the end of the month instead of the 10 of Swords, but that’s “the luck of the draw.” (On the other hand, without the overlay I might have found it hard to constructively “think my way past Death,” an opportunity supplied by the King of Pentacles even when reversed.)

The periodic phase-changes in the “lunation cycle” for the period December 23, 2022 to January 21, 2023 are as follows:

December 23, 2022: New Moon – 0% Visible
December 27, 2022: Waxing Crescent – 25% Visible
December 30, 2022: First Quarter – 50% Visible
January 2, 2023: Gibbous (Waxing) – 75% Visible
January 6, 2023: Full Moon – 100% Visible
January 11, 2023: Disseminating (Waning Gibbous) – 75% Visible
January 14, 2023: Last Quarter – 50% Visible
January 18, 2023: Balsamic (Waning Crescent) – 25% Visible

Preliminary Remarks:

As mentioned in a previous post, I have begun calculating a “Monthly Summary” card based on numerological reduction of the digits for the date of the New Moon (think of it as a “quintessence” card for the month ahead). For the monthly forecast beginning 12/23/2022 I came up with “14,” representing Temperance. This looks like a month for coping, adapting and adjusting while “tap-dancing like mad” to stay on my feet (which, as we shall see, is a perfectly apt metaphor). I am facing an interval of significant transformation in my daily life that will probably last for more than the next month. This is not a surprise, it is a known factor predicated on upcoming events that will culminate on December 23. (It’s not a personal well-being matter, more a care-giving scenario.)

Analysis:

New Moon, December 23-27, 2022: 2 of Swords – the message is one of waiting and not knowing what the short-term outcome will be. An apprehensive state of immobility with no insight; a choice has been made and awaits the consequences.

Waxing Crescent, December 27 -23, 2022: 8 of Wands reversed – this configuration makes me think of the military phrase “hurry up and wait.” It suggests being off-balance and still not having all the facts in hand while nonetheless facing rapid developments in the near future. Momentary suspension of action (attenuated, delayed or redirected); a brief pause in an accelerating flow of events

First Quarter, December 30, 2022 – January 2, 2023: Death (“background theme”) and King of Pentacles reversed (“active agency”). The environment of the situation reflects the major transformation I mentioned above settling in for the duration of the month (and most likely beyond). The King of Pentacles reversed indicates having to shoulder the burden alone when physical demands become pressing. It is a card of mundane cares and, with the reversal, possible compromises

Gibbous (Waxing), January 2-6, 2023: 6 of Pentacles – here is a promise of receiving practical help with my responsibilities when I most need it. The esoteric title of this card is “Success.”

Full Moon, January 6-11, 2023: Page of Wands reversed – I can’t escape the expression “You’re no fun, you fell right over.” There is a potential for feeling put-upon while bravely limping along at a slow pace. It suggests being “crowded into a corner” by circumstances and having to fall back on self-reliance. Could signify a low point in the middle of the month, during which I will have to “step up to the plate” with a renewed sense of purpose; there can be no malingering, however tempting.

Disseminating (Waning Gibbous), January 11-14, 2023: 3 of Pentacles reversed – this is the “Work” card, and its reversal implies going back to the drawing board for a new plan of attack. It could also mean being reduced to essentials without much flexibility or freedom of choice .

Last Quarter, January 14-18, 2023: 3 of Cups – finally, some relief! This looks like a hopeful turnaround of the foregoing trials and tribulations. I’m anticipating a lessening of the load and “light at the end of the tunnel.” Esoterically, this card symbolizes “Abundance,” which in this case could mean relaxation and an easing of the need for constant vigilance.

Balsamic (Waning Crescent), January 18-21, 2023: 10 of Swords – closing out the month on a note of mental exhaustion, there is only a faint glimmer on the horizon of an improving trend in the month ahead but at least the darkness is lifting. (Is that the “light at the end of the tunnel” creeping over the mountains?) Coming after the 3 of Cups, I don’t think it portends “bad news” or an eviscerating blow, just a weariness and a slow erosion of the resolve to keep on pushing. But if it is thought of as a prelude to the Ace of the next suit, it could be interpreted as “preparing the ground to plant anew,” with the swords tilling the soil for personal regeneration (or perhaps just “leeching” me of my pent-up frustration). In my post on the 10 of Swords as “opportunity,” I noted: “The main solace in this card is that it is a Ten, representing the end of one phase and the opportunity to begin a new one.” In that sense this card is an incentive and not a deal-breaker. As the saying goes, “There’s nowhere to go but up.”

In summary, I probably could have predicted all of this without resorting to the cards, but it’s nice to see validation of my assumptions. At least having Temperance in the middle of the constant flux conveys the versatility and adaptability to ride over any minor inconveniences.