Tarot spread with runes
Five witches, five paths and one night by the fire under the full moon.
The letter appeared towards evening, just as you were about to finish the day. It lay on the table, folded in two, with a small spot of wax on the edge. When you unfolded it, you caught the smell of firewood and autumn leaves, and inside you read: “At the full moon, follow the fires. Bring the question you keep leaving for another time.”
Your first thought was to find out who had left it. Then your eyes went back to the last sentence and you remembered your question. The one that comes in the evening, when everything goes quiet, or finds you in the morning even before your coffee. Perhaps it is about a person whose behaviour you find hard to understand, a change you keep putting off, or the wish to know whether your efforts will finally pay off. Whatever it is, the letter seemed to have arrived because of it.
Outside it was already getting dark when you noticed the first fire. It was burning in a small iron bowl by the path, and further on, between the trees, the next one was flickering. You followed their light and soon the last windows of the houses were behind you. The air smelled of damp earth, the full moon was rising above the branches, and somewhere ahead you could hear laughter and the steady beat of a drum. You were just wondering whether the invitation came with an explanation of how you would get home when the path opened onto a wide clearing.
In the middle of it a great fire was burning. The sparks rose high and for a moment looked like signs you could almost read. Around it five witches were dancing, each to her own rhythm, each with a different face and a gaze that caught your attention in a particular way. Along the edge of the clearing carved pumpkins were glowing, cards and runes lay on a low table, and next to them a cup was waiting, with fragrant steam curling up from it. Your visit had clearly been expected.
One of the witches noticed you, and the others gradually stopped dancing. The drum fell silent, but the fire went on crackling between you. The woman pointed at the letter in your hand and smiled: “Good that you came. The questions people keep putting off have a habit of making themselves comfortable and staying for years.”
You went up to the table and looked at the cards. On one of them you thought you recognised a place from a memory of yours, but before you could look closer, another witch turned it face down. “First you will choose which of us to sit with,” she said. “Then we will open the story.”
Perhaps that is exactly why you, too, have come to this circle today. If you are waiting for an outcome, feel the tension before a change or want to glimpse how an important relationship may develop, here you will find your spread. The Tarot and the runes will outline what may start to move around you, which intentions will become clearer and where a chance for the next step will appear. We will look at relationships, work, money and that personal experience which sometimes changes more than all the outer events put together.
The five witches are already waiting for you, but you will hear the story of the one you choose. For now you only know how they look by the fire and what feeling each of them leaves in you. Look at the images and notice which one you keep coming back to, which one makes you curious and which one you would sit beside if this clearing were in front of you tonight. Let the first pull guide you before you start searching for hidden clues in their hats and skirts — the witches have foreseen that trick too.
Remember the number of your choice and open the variant. Inside, six parts, a rune of the circle and a personal message are waiting for you, and the first card is already lying on the table. Your witch places her hand on it, looks at you and asks: “What did you think of the moment you read the letter?”
Witch 1
The Path of Flame and Rebirth
TarotAce of Wands – The Tower – Queen of Wands – Five of Pentacles – Wheel of Fortune
RunesSowilo – Uruz – Kenaz
The Fire Witch swirls her skirt by the flames and smiles at you as if she already knows what will make you forget your favourite “we’ll see”. These cards point to movement after a period in which your wishes seem to have been waiting for someone else to decide when they may come true. The Ace of Wands next to The Tower speaks of a sudden reason to change your intentions — an offer, a strong attraction or news that will show how hard it has become for you to fit into the situation as it is. Your first reaction may be surprise, and right after it will come that pleasant excitement you have been missing for so long.
The Queen of Wands brings more visibility and attention your way. You may find yourself in company where your presence is noticed, receive an invitation, or someone may show open interest in an idea of yours, a skill, or in you yourself. If your love life lately has consisted mostly of watching, an event is taking shape here that will bring you back into the action. In an established relationship a long-unspoken wish may come out into the open and lead to a conversation after which the relationship will need new rules.
The Five of Pentacles hints at a brief worry about security, expenses or the support of someone close. Just when you feel the urge to move forward, someone may remind you of every reason to stay where you are. The Wheel of Fortune, however, closes this sequence with a change of circumstances and the opening of a possibility that has so far seemed far away. Sowilo, Uruz and Kenaz strengthen the theme of returning courage and vitality, so the coming period may surprise you most of all with your own reaction. Someone will expect your usual hesitation, and you will already be asking when you set off.
TarotThe High Priestess – The Moon – Eight of Cups – The Star – Two of Pentacles
RunesLaguz – Isa – Perthro
The Moon Witch looks at you and then at a person whose behaviour you have probably been trying to figure out for a long time. The High Priestess and The Moon point to an untold story in which you sense more than you are given by way of explanation. In the coming period you may notice a detail, hear a confession or have a conversation that confirms some of your suspicions. The revelation is more likely to come together from several small incidents, until suddenly you understand why something has always seemed strange to you.
The Eight of Cups shows a moving away from an expectation that has long occupied your feelings. Someone from the past may reappear, but this time their words may draw a different response from you. What used to be enough to raise your hopes you will now want to see backed up by actions. For some, this moment will bring the end of a long wait; for others, a decision to give less to a relationship that moves only when they push it themselves.
The Star after the Eight of Cups is a good sign of emotional revival after this withdrawal. Contact is taking shape that will give you back the joy of conversation and the feeling that you can look forward to something good. The Two of Pentacles allows for some overlap between the old story and a new interest, so your phone may get busier just when you decide to leave it in peace. Laguz, Isa and Perthro speak of feelings that develop gradually and of a surprise whose meaning you will understand with time. The nicest change here is that your attention begins to turn back towards the future.
TarotThe Empress – Six of Pentacles – Ten of Pentacles – Ace of Pentacles – Knight of Pentacles
RunesFehu – Othala – Eihwaz
The Earth Witch comes with good news about something very tangible. The combination of The Empress and the pentacles points to a favourable development around work, income, home or a venture you are already putting effort into. An offer of real value may appear here, you may receive a payment you have been waiting for, or someone may help you with a recommendation and a useful contact. The Six of Pentacles suggests that support will come from a place where your contribution has been noticed, even if that has so far gone unspoken.
The Ten of Pentacles next to the Ace of Pentacles points to an opportunity with a longer future. A first task may grow into regular collaboration, a conversation about a purchase or a change of home may become more concrete, and a family arrangement may free up resources for a plan of yours. If a decision about your home lies ahead, the cards favour an improvement that will bring comfort and calm. A gift or an acquisition is also possible, one you will grow more attached to than you expect.
The Knight of Pentacles shows gradual progress and a reliable person who prefers clear terms to big promises. At first they may even seem too cautious to you, but with time you will appreciate that what is agreed actually happens. Fehu, Othala and Eihwaz add to this line the gathering of resources and the strengthening of security. After a period of scattering, a chance is taking shape to keep more of what you earn and to see the results of your work. The Earth Witch has clearly decided that this time the good news must also have a practical use.
TarotJustice – Page of Swords – The Lovers – Six of Swords – Queen of Swords
RunesAnsuz – Gebo – Raidho
The Air Witch brings a conversation that will change how you see a person or an offer. Justice and the Page of Swords point to a message, a clarification or a document through which you will learn something important about the terms of a situation. Someone may ask you for an answer after leaving everything undefined for a long time, or the conversation itself may show that until now each side has understood the arrangement in their own way. A detail that looks small will turn out to be decisive for your choice.
The Lovers set two directions before you: one may be linked to attraction and emotion, the other to what you really want to build. In relationships, intentions are becoming clearer; at work, a decision about a partnership, a contract or a change of environment is taking shape. The Six of Swords shows that after the conversation you will begin to move away from a tension that has taken up far too much room in your thoughts. For some this may involve a journey or a meeting somewhere else that will help them see the situation more calmly.
The Queen of Swords at the end suggests a clear position and an answer you will manage to give without the usual long hesitation. You may be supported by someone with sharp judgement who will name what everyone else is tactfully circling around. Ansuz, Gebo and Raidho underline the importance of communication and agreements, so pay attention to invitations and suggestions to meet. One conversation can do more than weeks of deciphering the punctuation in other people’s messages.
TarotDeath – Nine of Swords – The Moon (second appearance) – Ten of Wands – The Sun
RunesHagalaz – Nauthiz – Berkana
The Shadow Witch comes closer with a story that is reaching its end. Death and the Ten of Wands point to the close of an exhausting commitment, a complicated dependence or a long effort to keep something going almost single-handedly. An obligation may be cancelled, responsibilities may be shared out differently, or you may decide that the situation as it is has run its course. At first this may unsettle you more than you expected, especially if you have long tied your sense of security to this situation.
The Nine of Swords and the repeated Moon show a period of questions and doubts just before clarity. Someone’s silence, a change of plans or a missing explanation may lead you to imagine the hardest possible outcome. The events that follow, however, will help you understand what is really happening and which part of the load you can put down. It may become clear that the person you are worried about has made other decisions, or that a task you have taken to be your responsibility can just as well be taken on by someone else.
The Sun closes this part with relief, openness and a reason for joy. After a tense conversation or the end of an old commitment, a meeting, a celebration or good news may follow and show you how much you have missed lightness. Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Berkana describe upheaval, necessary change and gradual recovery. In the end, what may surprise you most is your own feeling — something whose end you feared frees up time and energy for a life you are starting to like more.
RuneRaidho
Raidho sets the seal of movement on this variant. The coming period looks livelier, with conversations, meetings and a change to a plan that has so far been at a standstill. A short trip is possible, an invitation outside your usual surroundings, or the settling of a matter for which you will have to step out of your familiar rhythm. The first occasion may seem completely ordinary and later turn out to be linked to an important acquaintance or decision.
The overall direction of the cards runs from built-up dissatisfaction towards more active participation in your own life. First something will set you in motion, then you will receive information, support or a concrete opportunity to carry on with. The Fire Witch is already looking towards the road and smiling, because she suspects you will soon have other plans for the evenings you now call “nothing special”.
“Soon something will awaken your curiosity so strongly that it will be hard to go back to your usual putting-off. It may be a person with a daring look, an offer you will immediately want details about, or news that will change your preliminary plans. You will feel the urge to take part even before you have prepared all the sensible explanations, and I will be delighted to watch them, for once, try to catch up with you.
Along with this stirring, you will also notice what has grown too tight for you. Someone’s demand may sound different, an old promise may lose its persuasiveness, and a habit you have so far accepted calmly may suddenly start to irritate you. Give yourself time to understand what is changing in your desires, because some of the decisions ahead will come precisely from this new feeling for your own life.
Expect also a moment when you will need to answer more boldly than usual. Someone will want to know whether you accept, whether you are coming, whether you want to give it a try. Then you will remember how often you imagined such an opportunity while it seemed far away. When it appears, look at the terms, feel your desire and allow yourself your own answer.
By the end of this transition you will have a clearer idea of who is walking with you and what is already being left behind. Room will open up for pleasure, for closeness and for an activity you will reach for gladly. And when someone notices the change and asks what has got into you lately, you will probably smile, because at last you will have a good answer.”
If you are already facing two possibilities, enter “The Crossroads” with the question that surfaced during the reading. If the ending of an old story touched you most, continue in “Letting Go” and pay attention to what you still keep returning to. For a personal look at the change ahead, you can order a written Tarot reading.
Witch 2
The Path of the Depths and Inner Sight
TarotEight of Wands – The Hanged Man – Knight of Wands – Nine of Pentacles – Temperance
RunesSowilo – Eihwaz – Kenaz
The Moon Witch reaches her hand towards the fire and smiles: “Let’s see who is in such a hurry to catch your attention and then will ask you to wait.” The Eight of Wands and the Knight of Wands point to lively correspondence with someone who will take the initiative and suggest a meeting. The conversation will pick up speed, flirting will appear, and you will probably start looking forward to the next message with more curiosity than you intend to admit. If there is already attraction between you, a more open show of interest lies ahead.
The Hanged Man, however, steps in between intention and action. A postponement or a change of plans is taking shape that will cool your enthusiasm for a moment. The reason may be entirely real, but the way this person acts afterwards will tell you something important about them. In this sequence the interest has a chance to continue, with the first rush gradually giving way to a more comfortable rhythm. The calendar, it seems, will take part in the courtship and insist on being respected.
The Nine of Pentacles and Temperance give a favourable outlook for a pleasant getting-to-know-each-other in which you keep your freedom and your usual life. The best moment may turn out to be the meeting itself, when the tension of waiting drops and you discover how you feel together. Sowilo, Eihwaz and Kenaz add to the cards an attraction that develops better after a short wait. The Moon Witch suggests you remember what follows the first changed arrangement — that is where it will show whether the other person wants to find another way to see you.
TarotThe High Priestess – Seven of Cups – The Moon – Five of Swords – The Chariot
RunesLaguz – Perthro – Isa
The High Priestess and The Moon place one unspoken detail at the centre of this variant. A conversation is taking shape around you in which someone’s explanation will clash with earlier words and catch your attention. It may concern the reason for an absence, a promise or a circumstance about which you have so far received evasive answers. You will remember something said earlier, and the link between the two will start to make the picture clearer.
The Seven of Cups and the Five of Swords suggest an attempt to keep the conversation in the comfortable territory of generalities. When you ask for clarification, the other side may start talking about your trust or try to turn the question into an argument. This will stand out to you, especially if your question is quite simple. You may realise that someone has been leaving you with certain expectations while avoiding any clear commitment.
The Chariot shows a way out of this uncertainty through a decision of yours. Instead of waiting for the next explanation, you will be able to decide on what terms you continue the contact. Laguz, Perthro and Isa point to a revelation after a period of observation, so the outcome will probably come when you already have enough details. The most significant turn here is that a question which has occupied you for a long time will begin to lose its hold over your attention.
TarotThe Empress – Four of Pentacles – King of Pentacles – Nine of Cups – Ten of Pentacles
RunesFehu – Othala – Berkana
The Earth Witch brings a favourable development around your home and an acquisition you have been considering for some time. The Empress next to the Four of Pentacles shows a wish for more comfort, put off because of the cost or a worry about whether the chosen option is worth it. The following cards outline a chance to find better terms and to move from looking around to a concrete agreement. Something that so far seems expensive or hard to organise may become within reach through the right offer.
The King of Pentacles shows a practical intervention — a person who will help with judgement, negotiation or carrying things out. Talking with them will probably bring clarity about the price, the quality and what you actually get. If the matter also concerns your loved ones, agreement looks easier to reach once everyone sees the concrete option. It is precisely the details that will help the decision ripen.
The Nine of Cups and the Ten of Pentacles give a lovely outlook of satisfaction with the result and shared joy at home. Around the acquisition or the improvement you may gather with people close to you and feel how pleasant it is when a long-discussed matter finally takes its finished form. Fehu, Othala and Berkana support care for the home and the sensible use of resources. Here the good development will be recognised by a very ordinary feeling — coming home will feel nicer.
TarotPage of Swords – Queen of Swords – Justice – Six of Swords – The Magician
RunesAnsuz – Raidho – Gebo
The Air Witch draws your eye to a line that is easy to miss. The Page of Swords and the Queen of Swords point to a clarification in a document or a work arrangement concerning a deadline, payment or responsibility. You are about to notice something that needs correcting, and this time you will have good grounds to ask for it. At first the other side may treat the condition as self-evident, until your question shows how differently it has been understood.
Justice makes it possible for the matter to be settled officially, and the Six of Swords points to moving away from a long drawn-out delay. A corrected agreement or a written confirmation is taking shape, after which you will be able to carry on more calmly. If you are waiting for an answer, the right question and the necessary information can move the procedure forward. It will also matter whom you approach, because the person with the authority to decide may turn out to be someone other than the one you have been talking to.
The Magician closes this part with a chance to put forward your own proposal and influence the final outcome. Ansuz, Raidho and Gebo support a conversation that reaches a workable agreement. A small but important victory of precision is taking shape here — after one well-worded clarification you will have better terms and a clear idea of what comes next.
TarotDeath – Ten of Swords – The Moon (repeated) – Six of Wands – The Sun
RunesHagalaz – Nauthiz – Dagaz
The Shadow shows the end of an attempt to win recognition in an environment that has long made you doubt your abilities. Death and the Ten of Swords point to a moment when it becomes clear that a certain involvement, competition or quest for someone’s approval has run its course. This may come as a refusal or a final decision, after which you will know where you stand. At first the outcome will probably hurt your self-esteem, especially if a lot of hope was invested in it.
The repeated Moon suggests that questions will remain about the way the decision was made. Some of the circumstances may be clarified later, when you have already turned your efforts elsewhere. The Six of Wands and The Sun, however, are a strong sign of later success that others will see too. A chance is taking shape to show the same skill or idea to a different audience and receive a much better response.
In this sequence recognition may come through a successful presentation, approved work or a result for which you will be openly congratulated. Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Dagaz complete the transition from an unpleasant interruption to clarity and restored confidence. The most interesting thing is that after the good response you will probably see the earlier refusal differently too — as an event after which you reached the more suitable place.
RuneMannaz
Mannaz points to the environment in which you are about to feel at home. A conversation or a shared activity with people whose interests are close to yours is taking shape, and it may give you a sense of belonging you have been missing lately. The acquaintance will probably begin naturally, through a common topic, and then you will discover how easily you can exchange ideas and experience.
The final seal of this variant is linked to a more accurate judgement of people and to finding the right company for your next step. After a period of reading hints and hesitant promises, contact is taking shape in which agreements will be easier to understand. You will probably be struck by how pleasant it is when, after a meeting, simply a good feeling remains, without calling an inner committee to analyse it.
“A moment will come in a conversation when you fall silent for a second, because you will hear something familiar in a completely different way. Remember what catches your attention — that is probably where the detail you have been missing will be. It may be an explanation of a missed meeting, of someone else’s presence or of a promise that keeps being left for later.
The answer to your next question will show how openly you can talk. The person may admit a circumstance they have kept quiet about, or start getting tangled in their explanations. Either way you will have more clarity about your place in this story, and with it will come a calmer judgement of what you want from here on.
The strongest feeling after this moment will probably be relief that at last you understand. You will remember the small inconsistencies you have passed over until now and see how they connect. Then you will be able to ask a simple question about the relationship itself: what really comes next between you? It is exactly this answer that will matter for the future you choose.”
If the reading brought you back to a relationship with unspoken questions, continue in “Love”. If you are already considering what decision to make after what has come to light, choose “The Crossroads”. For a personal look at your story, you can order a written Tarot reading.
Witch 3
The Path of Creation and Stability
TarotKing of Wands – Eight of Pentacles – Ten of Wands – Ace of Cups – Justice
RunesSowilo – Uruz – Dagaz
The Earth Witch stirs the embers and looks at you with a smile: “Remember that thing you are tired of saying you are still working on? According to the cards, its end is near.” The King of Wands and the Eight of Pentacles show the completion of work with a lot of personal involvement, accumulated experience and attention to detail. You are about to see the result of an effort that has so far demanded more persistence than it has given satisfaction. A project may be finished, an order completed or an important task done on which your next move depends.
The Ten of Wands suggests one last burden before the finish. Just when everything seems ready, there will probably be something more to finish off, but the Ace of Cups brings a lovely emotional turn around the completion itself. Sincere gratitude or a gesture is taking shape from someone who will show how much what you have done means to them. If tension has built up between you through the work, this moment may bring the warmth back into your contact.
Justice points to the settling of payment and a clear completion of what was undertaken. An amount may be confirmed, obligations may be balanced, or you may reach a shared understanding of who did what. Sowilo, Uruz and Dagaz strengthen the prospect of coming out of the busy stage with a visible result and well-earned relief. The nicest thing here will be the feeling that you can draw a line and free up time for something you are looking forward to.
TarotThe Moon – Nine of Cups – The Hermit – Queen of Pentacles – Two of Wands
RunesLaguz – Perthro – Isa
The Moon Witch leads you a little away from the fire, to where you can see the road beyond the trees. These cards point to a period in which you will step back from other people’s opinions and return to a personal wish that has long been left in the background. The Moon and the Nine of Cups link this wish with a picture of a more pleasant life — another place, more personal space or the chance to spend your days in a way that suits you. Someone’s story or a specific piece of information will probably rekindle your interest.
The Hermit shows a pause in which you will manage to hear your own preference. You may spend a few days away from the usual bustle or simply keep your intentions to yourself while you think them over. The Queen of Pentacles and the Two of Wands outline a choice between your present comfort and an opportunity linked to another place. One direction will give you familiar security, the other will draw you with the prospect of growth.
Here the outcome is more about shaping a decision and a first concrete preparation than about an immediate departure. You may check the conditions for a longer stay, discuss working remotely or set a time when the change could happen. Laguz, Perthro and Isa suggest that after some waiting a detail will appear that tips your choice. Then an old “One day…” will start getting a date.
TarotThe Empress – Ten of Pentacles – Four of Wands – Ace of Pentacles – King of Pentacles
RunesFehu – Othala – Berkana
The Earth Witch spreads the cards before you, and this time her gaze rests on home. The Empress, the Ten of Pentacles and the Four of Wands point to a favourable development around settling down, family security and a place you will feel is your own. If you are already looking at a home or discussing a change of home, a chance lies ahead to move on to more concrete arrangements. An option is taking shape that will catch your attention with its comfort and the feeling that you can picture your life there.
The Ace of Pentacles next to the King of Pentacles shows a serious offer backed by the necessary resources. This may be a suitable offer or the involvement of a person who will help make the intention possible. In a relationship where a shared home is already being discussed, the combination points to talking through costs, timelines and a real division of responsibilities. Each person’s willingness to take part will matter, because that is what will show how close the next step is.
The Four of Wands brings joy around the settling itself — a gathering with loved ones, a visit or the first happy occasion in the new place. If the question of housing is absent from your life, the cards may show up as a family celebration or the strengthening of a joint venture for which you all have reason to congratulate each other. Fehu, Othala and Berkana add property, belonging and growth to this line. This is the most lasting prospect in the variant: a chance to create a foundation you will be able to rely on long after the first excitement.
TarotPage of Swords – Seven of Pentacles – The Magician – Two of Swords – The Sun
RunesAnsuz – Raidho – Gebo
The Air Witch brings an enquiry that will give you a reason to show an idea of yours. The Page of Swords and the Seven of Pentacles point to interest from someone who has been watching your work or has heard about a skill of yours through someone else. The first conversation will probably be exploratory, with questions about your possibilities and the way you work. It may lead to an invitation to send a proposal, show an example or explain in more detail what you can do.
The Magician shows a convincing presentation in which you will manage to spark interest in your idea. After that the Two of Swords outlines a wait between two possible ways to continue. The other side may be comparing options or need to agree the decision with someone else. A pause after a good conversation will probably make you wonder what is going on, but the Seven of Pentacles suggests a process that takes time to evaluate.
The Sun at the end gives a favourable outlook for a clear positive answer and a concrete next step. Approval of the idea or the choice of an option is taking shape in which you will be able to take part with your strongest qualities. Ansuz, Raidho and Gebo support the move from conversation to collaboration. For you this may turn out to be the beginning of a different use of your experience, through which you will reach new people as well.
TarotDeath – Five of Pentacles – Three of Cups – Strength – The World
RunesHagalaz – Nauthiz – Eihwaz
The Shadow Witch shows a parting with a period in which your personal life has been squeezed between worries and a sense of lack. Death and the Five of Pentacles point to the end of a commitment or a change in an environment where it has become harder and harder to find your place. At first you may feel an emptiness, especially if your days and contacts have revolved around this situation. It will take a little time before the wish to step outside the familiar circle appears.
The Three of Cups brings a concrete invitation to get together after this withdrawal. Friends may insist on seeing you, or an occasion may arise where people you have known for a long time will welcome you with joy. According to Strength and The World, this very meeting may become a personal sign that the old stage is over. You will join the conversation more lightly, you will laugh, and at some point you will notice that for hours your thoughts have been elsewhere.
Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Eihwaz complete the transition with a way out of a difficult situation and a gradual return of stability. The outcome here is lively and human — an evening in pleasant company, after which you will come home feeling that you once again have a place among people and want to meet again. Something that has so far seemed a big part of your life will start to take up less room in it.
RuneJera
Jera sets the sign of the ripened result on this variant. The developments ahead are linked to efforts already made, connections already created and plans that are gradually reaching fulfilment. First a piece of work may be completed, then resources may be freed for a personal change, and along with it new opportunities for contact may appear. Each of these events will make the next one easier.
The rune points to a result you will be able to recognise and use in your everyday life. More order, a firmer foundation and the chance to benefit from what you have mostly been preparing until now are taking shape. The most important turn is that your persistence begins to free up room for a life that gives you pleasure.
“A very ordinary-looking moment lies ahead of you, one you will remember with a special feeling. You will settle into a comfortable spot, look around you and feel that everything necessary for today is done. Out of habit you will probably reach for the next task first, but this time you will be able to stay there a little longer.
You will notice something pleasant you have always hurried past until now — the light in the room, the taste of dinner or the ease of having your time to yourself. That is when you will realise how much you have missed enjoying your own life. You may even be surprised that pleasure comes so naturally once you leave it a free chair.
I know your urge to move straight on. Even before joy has sat down, you are already handing it a to-do list. This time an evening is taking shape in which you will be able to leave the list for tomorrow and hold on to the good feeling long enough. Remember it, because it will show you what all the effort has really been for.”
If the developments around work and reward touched you most, continue in “Money”. If you are facing a choice of place or way of life, explore “The Crossroads”. For a personal look at your specific plan, you can order a written Tarot reading.
Witch 4
The Path of Insight and Release
TarotKnight of Wands – The Devil – Eight of Swords – Six of Wands – The Fool
RunesKenaz – Sowilo – Thurisaz
The Air Witch smiles over the fire as if she has already heard the answer with which you will soon surprise someone. These cards point to the repetition of a familiar situation: someone will ask you to accept their terms, change your plans or once again fit in with the moment that suits them. The Devil and the Eight of Swords show why such an arrangement has lasted until now — there may be a strong attraction between you, dependence on their approval or a worry about what will happen if you refuse.
The Knight of Wands, however, brings a bolder reaction. This time you will probably say what you want and propose terms under which your involvement truly makes sense. The other side may try to bring you back to your usual answer, but the Six of Wands shows a chance to defend your position and receive support. Someone you expect to object may even admit that the change is necessary.
The Fool opens a new opportunity after this decision. Freed-up time or a cancelled arrangement will let you accept something that has always remained outside your plans. Kenaz, Sowilo and Thurisaz strengthen the moment when you recognise the limitation and take action. The witch winks: someone is obviously still counting on your old schedule, while you are already considering a completely different programme.
TarotThe Moon – Two of Cups – Nine of Swords – The Star – Justice
RunesLaguz – Mannaz – Perthro
The Moon Witch pauses at a relationship in which feelings are strong and clear answers keep arriving late. The Moon and the Two of Cups show attraction and a wish for closeness, combined with uncertainty about what you can expect from each other. A reason is coming to discuss a question that has so far remained among hints — how often you see each other, what your relationship means or what involvement is possible under the present circumstances.
The Nine of Swords suggests tension before the conversation, especially if the silence already gives you plenty of material for anxious guesses. The Star brings a chance to hear a more honest explanation, and Justice points to a concrete agreement after it. The cards show the clarifying of a meeting, a commitment or a boundary through which you will be able to judge how the relationship continues in reality.
Laguz, Mannaz and Perthro underline the importance of human openness in this meeting. You may learn about a worry or a personal difficulty that explains part of the other person’s behaviour. Getting closer will depend on both of you being willing to take part, and the actions that follow will show how much the understanding you reach is worth. For you, the good development here is having a clear point of reference instead of interpreting every change in tone.
TarotThe Empress – Eight of Pentacles – Ten of Pentacles – Three of Pentacles – Knight of Pentacles
RunesFehu – Othala – Jera
The Earth Witch looks at your work with attention to what you create best. The Empress and the Eight of Pentacles point to growth through a skill that carries your personal touch and accumulated practice. A task is about to appear for which your experience will be exactly what is needed, and the interest will probably come through a recommendation or an existing professional contact. The quality you can show will matter.
The Three of Pentacles and the Ten of Pentacles point to working with others in a more stable structure. A collaboration is taking shape in which everyone will have a defined role and the result will depend on combining different abilities. At first you may take on a separate part, after which longer involvement may be discussed. It will make an impression on you if, already in the first conversations, it is made clear who does what and whom you turn to with a question.
The Knight of Pentacles gives a prospect of gradually strengthening your income through regular work. Fehu, Othala and Jera support a development that builds on what has already been gained and bears fruit with time. A chance is taking shape here to find a place where your persistence is valued and the tasks have a predictable continuation. The Earth Witch particularly approves of the last part — it is nice, for once, when everyone on the team remembers their own duties.
TarotThe Magician – Queen of Swords – Six of Swords – Seven of Cups – The Sun
RunesAnsuz – Raidho – Gebo
The Air Witch spreads out before you several possibilities that will at first seem equally attractive. The Magician and the Queen of Swords show that a clearly stated intention of yours will attract offers and different opinions about how you can achieve it. If you are already looking for a new environment or a next direction, you are about to receive more information than you expect. Someone will tell you about a wonderful option, someone else will suggest a completely different path, and you will have to judge what really suits you.
The Six of Swords and the Seven of Cups outline a transition in which the beautiful picture meets the details. Some of the possibilities will lose their appeal once you learn more about the costs, the conditions or the real involvement they require. One, however, will begin to stand out with clear organisation and achievable steps. It may look more modest at first, yet gradually gather the most reasons for you to trust it.
The Sun closes this sequence with clarity and satisfaction with your choice. A moment is taking shape when you will be able to say calmly why you prefer a certain direction and what you expect from it. Ansuz, Raidho and Gebo support receiving useful information through a meeting or a conversation, and, with a plan involving another place, a visit too, which will help you judge the opportunity in person. After it, your picture of the next step will become much more concrete.
TarotDeath – Five of Cups – Nine of Pentacles – Strength – The World
RunesHagalaz – Nauthiz – Dagaz
The Shadow Witch sees an old disappointment around which your personal life will gradually stop revolving. Death and the Five of Cups point to the end of a stage in which you often compare the present with what was missed or lost. The change will probably be felt most clearly around a plan of your own — a trip or an experience you will organise according to your own preferences.
The Nine of Pentacles shows the pleasure of being free to choose the pace, the place and the way you spend your time. A day is taking shape in which you will do something you have wanted and discover how naturally you can enjoy it. There will be pleasant details that draw your attention to what is happening, and thoughts of the past will gradually step aside.
Strength and The World give the prospect that this experience will become a personal sign of completion. Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Dagaz complete the transition with a way out of painful waiting and a return of vitality. The most memorable moment may come when you get home and realise you have had a lovely time without missing a particular person all the while. More important than the reckoning itself will be the wish to plan something for yourself again.
RuneEhwaz
Ehwaz places at the end of this variant a shared plan that begins to be carried out with both sides taking part. An arrangement for a trip or a joint task is taking shape in which the other person will take on their part of the organisation of their own accord. You will receive a confirmation, a booking already made or finished work you usually have to keep reminding people about. This small fact will show you how much lighter moving forward together can be.
The rune supports trust that grows through consistent actions. After the decisions and clarifications in this variant, you will begin to tell apart the people with whom you can truly work together. The overall direction is towards more freedom of choice and better harmony with those who remain beside you.
“Soon you may need to say out loud a decision you have been thinking over for a long time. Beforehand you will probably prepare enough explanations for a whole evening, and when you start talking you will find that the heart of it is much shorter. You will say what you want, what you can take on and on what terms you wish to continue.
Let the other person answer and pay attention to their willingness to discuss what was said. Then you will get a clearer idea of your place in this relationship or arrangement. The conversation may lead to a change between you or confirm the need for a separate decision of your own.
After it, a feeling of relief is taking shape, because what was unspoken will finally have words. You will be able to turn your attention to the days ahead and include more of your own wishes in them. And when the time comes for a new arrangement, it will probably be easier for you to say from the very start what suits you.”
If several possibilities are already in front of you, continue in “The Crossroads”. If the end of an old expectation touched you most, make time for “Letting Go”. For a personal look at your specific situation, you can order a written Tarot reading.
Witch 5
The Path of Destruction, Healing and Inner Alchemy
TarotThe Tower – Five of Wands – Ten of Swords – Queen of Wands – The Sun
RunesKenaz – Thurisaz – Sowilo
The Shadow Witch stirs the embers and smiles: “It seems you will soon find out who can get the work done and who prefers to direct from the sidelines.” The Tower and the Five of Wands show an upheaval in a shared plan around which differences have so far been swallowed. A moment lies ahead when someone will change the terms, pull out or insist that everything be done their way. This may cause an argument and show why the organisation has been going so badly for some time.
The Ten of Swords points to the end of the approach used so far. The attempt to satisfy everyone will probably run out, and the task will have to be finished in another way. This is exactly where the Queen of Wands opens a chance for your initiative: you will be able to take on a certain part, apply your own idea and show what happens when you have more freedom. The outcome has a chance to bring to the fore a quality that has so far stayed hidden behind the common effort.
The Sun gives a favourable prospect that the result will be noticed and openly appreciated. Someone who has watched the tension from the sidelines may take an interest precisely in your contribution and want to work with you again. Kenaz, Thurisaz and Sowilo link the exposure of the problem with the clarity that follows. In this way an unpleasant beginning may lead to a more independent position in which you will have more influence over what you are responsible for.
TarotThe Moon – Nine of Swords – Six of Cups – The Hermit – Two of Cups
RunesLaguz – Isa – Perthro
The Moon Witch turns over the Six of Cups and the conversation goes back to the past. These cards point to an unfinished subject surfacing between you and a person of emotional importance in your life. The occasion may be a shared memory or a completely ordinary remark, after which it becomes clear that an old incident is still present between you. If contact has been broken, a reason to talk again may appear, but what matters most here is what will be said out loud.
The Moon and the Nine of Swords show how many different assumptions have piled up around this story. Each of you has probably experienced the other’s silence in your own way, and the Hermit suggests that the confession will come after some hesitation. A personal conversation is taking shape in which someone will tell how they felt back then and why they chose to withdraw. Part of the explanation may surprise you, because it will differ from the reason you have so far taken to be the most likely.
The Two of Cups gives you a chance to hear each other and acknowledge the meaning of what you went through. This may help you grow closer or bring a calmer ending to a painful question, depending on your present intentions. Laguz, Isa and Perthro support the slow revealing of feelings. The most precious moment will probably be when you realise you can finally talk about what happened without immediately going back to the old argument.
TarotFive of Pentacles – Seven of Pentacles – The Empress – Ten of Pentacles – Knight of Pentacles
RunesFehu – Othala – Berkana
The Earth Witch sees work you have invested in whose return is slow in coming. The Five of Pentacles and the Seven of Pentacles show a period in which expenses weigh more heavily than income and you start to wonder whether the effort is worth it. It is about to become clearer which of the things already started have the potential to continue. The first good sign may be renewed interest in work that has so far been developing slowly.
The Empress brings growth and the chance for what you create to reach more people. After the first stirring, the Ten of Pentacles and the Knight of Pentacles point to more regular income, built up gradually. The prospect here is of recurring income from efforts already made, which will begin to make your planning easier. You will be able to judge more accurately what you have and what is worth developing.
Fehu, Othala and Berkana complete the line of recovery and strengthening of resources. The good change will probably be noticed when one and the same source of income starts to prove itself and the worry about next month eases. After a long wait, it is exactly this predictability that may bring you the greatest relief.
TarotPage of Swords – Nine of Cups – Justice – Six of Swords – The Magician
RunesAnsuz – Raidho – Eihwaz
The Air Witch brings an answer after a conversation in which you stated a condition important to you. The Page of Swords and the Nine of Cups point to news that will satisfy you, and Justice points to the recognition that your request is justified. Someone may accept a change you proposed or come back with a fairer offer after first insisting on their own.
The Six of Swords shows a way out of the tension around the negotiations. Instead of discussing once again who meant what, a chance will appear to agree how you carry on. The Magician puts the initiative in your hands and suggests that you will be able to propose a concrete course of action. This may prove decisive — a clear idea that makes the agreement reached workable.
Ansuz, Raidho and Eihwaz support the steady defence of your position and the movement towards a solution. A good result is taking shape from a conversation you may have been wondering would ever lead anywhere. The witch smiles, because sometimes the nicest news is someone else’s “All right, let’s try it that way”, especially after a long speech about why it was impossible.
TarotDeath – Ten of Wands – The Moon (repeated) – Strength – The World
RunesHagalaz – Nauthiz – Dagaz
The Shadow Witch reaches a role that has long become part of how you see life itself: the person who endures, rescues, waits and finds a little more strength. Death and the Ten of Wands point to its exhaustion. A moment lies ahead when it will become clear that a certain relationship or responsibility now demands far too much of you and your way of taking part so far is coming to an end.
The repeated Moon shows the hesitation after this realisation. You may wonder what will remain between you if you stop being the constant support, or what your daily life will look like when something you have long planned everything around falls away. Strength suggests that you will be able to stay with your decision and get through this uncertainty. There will be feelings to live through, but gradually more trust in your own ability to carry on will appear too.
The World closes the sequence with the feeling of a stage completed as a whole. Hagalaz, Nauthiz and Dagaz complete the change with a hard necessity after which the picture clears. The strongest sign will be personal: you will start making plans in which your own future has a place, without every possibility first having to pass through the old relationship or role. Then you will feel how much of your life lies ahead of you.
RuneEihwaz
Eihwaz sets on this variant the endurance of a transition that will take more than one conversation. Some outer matters will be settled more quickly, while getting used to the new situation will take time. This rune shows a chance to gradually strengthen your decisions and create firmer support in your daily life.
The overall direction is towards recovery after a significant turning point. Work will begin to give clearer results, an old emotional question may find words, and the way you take part in important relationships will change. You will be able to recognise progress by how rarely you need to go back to a decision already made.
“An encounter lies ahead with something familiar that once was enough to ruin your whole day. You may hear a certain name or come across a place linked to the old story. For a moment you will probably expect the usual reaction, because you have lived through it the same way so many times. This time, however, you will notice that your thoughts move on.
There may be sadness or a brief tightening, but after it there will be room for what is happening around you too. You will hear the conversation, notice the person beside you and return to your plans for the day. This very natural change will show you how far you have already come.
Later, when you remember that moment, you will probably realise that for the first time in a long while the past stayed in its place. You will be able to remember it while your life goes on with new meetings, wishes and reasons to look forward to tomorrow. This will be your most personal sign that the turning point has already happened inside you as well.”
If the reading brought you back to a story that is gradually coming to an end, continue in “Letting Go”. If the recovery of your income touched you most, explore “Money”. For a personal look at your situation, you can order a written Tarot reading.
✦ An exchange of energy ✦
Everything you do from the heart — a word, an action, a donation — comes back. Not tomorrow, not next week, but at the moment when enough has gathered. If these words have reached you, if something in them has recognised something in you — it is no coincidence. And if you feel like returning a little of this energy, any amount is received with gratitude and turns into new content, new spreads, new words that will reach someone who needs them exactly in time. That is how the cycle continues.
Autumn Alchemy: When the Old Makes Room for YouAutumn lets its leaves go without negotiation. What you keep out of habit, what drains you, and how Perthro, Hagalaz and Isa make room for you.
Test: The Autumn House — What Is It Time to Let Go Of?Seven rooms in an autumn house. Choose the one you enter and the one you walk past, and see what it is time to let go of: a worry, a wait or other eyes.
Tarot spread “The Mists of Scotland” — a past lifeFour images and seven positions with Tarot cards and runes. Choose one and follow a past life in ancient Scotland — an oath, a love and a gift.
A Message Beyond the MistWhat would the person you miss tell you? Three words from the grid and three Tarot cards — a personal letter for Halloween week.