AUTHOR’S NOTE: For my New Moon forecast this month I’m doing both my normal monthly reading with the tarot and a Lenormand Grand Tableau overview to get a different perspective on the next four weeks. (I need more practice with the GT.)

The eight lunar sub-phases for the period are as follows; each span is roughly 3.5 days. (Note that I’m using astrologer Dane Rudhyar’s terminology from his book, The Lunation Cycle, rather than astronomical descriptors.)

New Moon (0% visible): November 13
Crescent Moon (25% Visible): November 17
First Quarter (50% Visible): November 20
Gibbous Moon (75% Visible): November 23
Full Moon (100% Visible): November 27
Disseminating Moon (75% Visible): December 2
Last Quarter (50% Visible): December 5
Balsamic Moon (25% Visible): December 8

This month is unique in that I received three Major Arcana cards among the eight positions. My current practice is to treat trump cards as establishing the “background theme” for their period of influence, and then pull another card to describe its more pragmatic dimensions; this month I was fortunate to draw a mundane Minor Arcana card in each case, making the interpretation more straightforward. In addition, I derived a monthly focus card from the digits for the day of the New Moon using numerological reduction (11/13/2023, reducing to 13, Death). I quite often get Death in these instances, and it is the card representing my astrological Ascendant so it feels like an old friend. I’m not anticipating any radical changes this month, so it’s just another “environmental theme” card implying an atmosphere that is suitable for significant transformation (without actually setting it in motion).

The New Moon period received the Sun reversed as the theme and the 8 of Wands reversed (Swiftness) as the functional card. The implication is of a period that is mildly favorable for enterprise as long as situational awareness is maintained and care is taken not to proceed recklessly. The pair when reversed reminds me of a “banked fire” that is kept under control at a low temperature and slow burn rate.

The 2 of Cups (Love) in the Crescent Moon position could mean that a strong emotional rapport and bond of some kind will develop.

The Knight of Disks in the First Quarter position conveys the idea of stability and inertia. It looks like a time for observing and reflecting, planning and preparing, rather than acting.

The 3 of Disks (Work) in the Gibbous Moon position jump-starts the utilitarian potential of the Knight of Disks, building momentum for constructive effort

The 6 of Disks (Success) in the Full Moon position rewards all of the diligent prepping and striving that proceeded it.

The 3 of Swords (Sorrow) in the Disseminating Moon position is the first “false note” in the forecast and implies a minor setback. Despite the title, this is a cerebral, not emotional, card so anxiety and disappointment are implied rather than morbid distress.

The Last Quarter period acquired the Magus reversed as the theme and the 4 of Disks (Power) as the functional card. The reversal of the Magus (corresponding to Mercury) feeds on the distraught mental state of the 3 of Swords to create a restless vibe, but the unemotional 4 of Disks lands on that with both feet and tamps down any nervous moments.

The Balsamic Moon (Waning Crescent) sees the month out with Lust reversed as the theme card and the 4 of Wands (Completion) as the functional card. Lust reversed has its style cramped a bit, so I won’t be inclined to feats of derring-do or even any idle posturing. The 4 of Wands is the second stabilizing card in a row, this time in the suit of Fire, suggesting that the month will end on a calm but bright note.

In summary, except for a short period around the beginning of December, this looks like a relatively productive month (all those Disks and Fours) in which I should be able to get some useful things accomplished, just as long as I don’t let unsettled background energies coerce me into wasting time. The period up to the Full Moon appears to be best for achievement; after that point the outlook becomes more conflicted.

The Grand Tableau for this month offers more profound insights than the tarot reading. (I’m not going to “mine” this layout for detail to the same extent I would a semi-annual or annual spread, and will just hit the high points.) The Significator (Man) is in the topmost row, which indicates that everything implied by the cards below should be more-or-less within my control. (I’m thinking that the cards within the triangle formed by the diagonal mirroring of Man to Anchor and Lilies might represent a narrower “cone of opportunity.”) There is also a sufficient number of cards to its right to allow enough “breathing room” for circumstances to advance over the period.

The Rider mirrored by the Bouquet suggests that I may receive a message about some kind of offer. The Scythe and the Fish following the Rider caution that it might involve a risky “get rich quick” scam that is intended to to rip me off, but Key + Lady makes me think I will be set straight by someone with whom I’m closely acquainted; the Lady also sits mid-way between the Rider and the Bouquet, implying that it has a pivotal role. If the Bouquet is legitimate, I could encounter some anxiety (Mice) and obstruction (Mountain) before being able to accept it.

The other cards that are “very near” to the Man are the Garden, the Tower and the Clover; this can be read as receiving the enduring (Tower) favor (Clover) of the public (Garden), particularly since Man also knights to Moon preceding the Garden. However, Mice knights to the Garden, indicating some erosion of confidence; on the other hand, the Man also knights to the Heart and the Child, restoring any good will that was lost. Only the Man knighting to the Cross suggests what maintaining this image will cost in the way of burdensome effort, all for fairly minor gain (Clover).

Man mirroring Ring endorses any kind of “arrangement” that might come out of the opportunity represented by the Bouquet, and Ring also knights to Garden, Clover, Sun (major good fortune) and Ship (enterprise). Bouquet knights to Clover and Ship as well, so whomever is inclined to make that offer (perhaps the Lady who also knights to the Clover) should find encouragement. Ring mirrors both Bouquet and Fish “on the diagonal,” bringing in the idea of a remunerative agreement.

The Man mirrors the Anchor and the Lilies “on the diagonal,” and all of the cards passing between them are generally favorable, indicating solidarity and commitment. In addition, the Man intersects with the Lilies at the Ring and the Bouquet, so a strong family connection is possible within the purview of the offer. The four corners of the spread (Rider+Bouquet+Lilies+Stars) seem to be bringing good news in this regard.

Except for Scythe, Mice, Mountain and Cross already discussed, the rest of the troubling cards (Whips, Birds, Snake, Fox, Tree, Clouds and Coffin) are at least “Far” from the Man and present little threat over the course of the month. The Bouquet, the Clover, the Ring and the Ship all play a crucial part in this reading, giving me hope that the entrepreneurial connection I’ve been hoping to make for the last five years will finally materialize. Writing and publishing e-books (I have five on Lulu) didn’t get me far, nor did online reading since I refuse to compete with the $5 and $10 Etsy crowd who use apps for their content (by-and-large they are not an impressive bunch of diviners) and I aim to offer personal attention in return for my fee. I’m convinced that “live” reading in a face-to-face setting is my true calling, but opportunities can be hard to come by where I live since I don’t have an established shop or other outlet. The lunar month is young, so we shall see.