Author: Emily Guenther

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Metaphysical Connection: The Empress in Tarot

The Empress in the Ancestral Path Tarot (left) and Light Seer’s Tarot (right) (Photo: Emily Guenther)

Technically summer doesn’t begin until June 21st, but May often makes us feel like summer — and all of its festivities — has arrived. May can be a wonderful time of year, with great weather, outdoor events, and riotous flowers in bloom. It can also be a season of work, especially when spring was as stormy as ours was.

In my mind, May can be compared to the art and meaning of The Empress tarot card. The Empress represents the Earth Mother in tarot — the goddess and divine feminine personified. She is nature, around us but also within us, the ever-unfolding source of life-giving power. The card typically shows a woman surrounded by abundant nature; sometimes she is shown as the Earth itself. The green earth, the flowing water, and the flowers that may be on her card remind us that she rules over material wealth. The fact that the card is associated with the planet Venus tells us that The Empress also rules over love and families. The Emperor card in tarot, The Empress’ counterpart, deals with law and order, discipline, and the goals of the empire. You might say The Empress rules over the emotional aspect of the empire, focusing on relationships, families, and security.

Memphis is the city of grit and grind. We work hard, we play hard, and The Empress is here to support us in our work and play. She can appreciate those of us who are motivated, who work smart and hard to make a good life for our loved ones.

The Empress acknowledges our work. She is a mother and understands what it takes to raise a child or the energy it takes to work, the time it takes to build something. The card represents that period in our lives when we must nurture something so it can grow enough to survive on its own.

But why do we work so hard? Why do we suffer the grind if there is no payoff? Remember all the abundant nature and beautiful scenery of The Empress card? That is why we grit and grind. The Empress doesn’t only stand for hard work, but also the abundance and success of a job well done and a life well lived. She also represents luxurious abundance of all kinds. She offers a cornucopia of delights, especially those of the senses — food, pleasure, and beauty. She can suggest material reward, but only with the understanding that riches go with a generous and open spirit. The Empress is the loving mother of tarot after all.

If you are getting a tarot reading and The Empress appears in regard to your love life, she has good news for you there, too. In a love question, it can herald a serious, committed relationship. The prospective partner represented by the card will likely be loving, nurturing, and caring; have financial security; and/or be a lover of fine material things. If The Empress shows up in a reading about your career, expect work to be more pleasurable for a while. Typically, The Empress means that you are being supported at work, and perhaps your career is getting a boost. Harness your creative talents at work when she appears and let her grow your future.

This can also be a good time to put on your creative hat and begin planning for the future you want. Schools will be letting out for summer, seniors will be graduating, and family vacations need planning. Everyone has been working hard, and the energies of May invite us to play and enjoy ourselves.

As a representative of the lighthearted vibes of the month, let The Empress into your life. Let her show you how to harness your energies so you play as hard as you work, and so you enjoy the fruits of your labors. There is no point in running the rat race if we do not get off the wheel and enjoy the things we’ve worked for.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Beltane

The author with friends at a Beltane celebration, featuring a Maypole (Photo: Emily Guenther)

Beltane is a holiday celebrated by many Earth-based spiritual traditions. It falls on May 1st and is sometimes referred to as May Eve, Walpurgis Night, or May Day. Beltane was originally celebrated by ancient Celtic and Irish people as a solemn fire festival. The Irish-Celtic would burn bonfires for protection and drive their farm animals around the fires to cleanse, purify, and protect their herds. Beltane and its fires symbolized the beginning of summer for those in the British Isles.

While its origin can be traced back to Irish-Celtic culture, the Beltane celebrated today looks much different than the holiday our ancestors may have honored. Many of the traditions we hold dear now come from May Day celebrations of the English and wider European traditions.

Beltane represents the heights of spring and the promise of summer. It is a seasonal expression of the abundance and fertility the Earth offers us, as well as a time to celebrate and be a part of nature, to play games, to be frivolous, and to enjoy ourselves.

Many modern celebrations include a Maypole with a Maypole dance, fires, feasting, and flowers. A Maypole is a large pole (originally a wooden post but modern celebrants get creative with their supplies) decorated with colored ribbons and usually topped with flowers. Participants are typically divided into two groups, where each take a ribbon and dance around the Maypole in opposing directions, wrapping the ribbon to it as the dance proceeds. Historically, the Maypole was simply an obvious landmark that was easy to find at a festival and made a good place to gather. As time went on, people began to hang out at the Maypole, dancing around it and eventually bringing flowers and ribbons to decorate it.

In our current Beltane celebrations, the Maypole represents the axis mundi, or world tree that connects and supports all planes of existence, as well as the fertility of the Earth. Dancing around the Maypole is a fun, and often silly, activity, but it is also done with the intention of aiding our manifestation work and bringing abundance into our lives. Symbolically, the Maypole and its ribbon dance can also be considered a binding, since we wrap the pole with ribbons or streamers. This act represents tying up the past and looking into the future. You can even write on your Maypole, or attach a note to it, with something you would like to bind into the past and move on from.

By the end of April and the beginning of May, many flowers and trees are blooming, and the Earth is much more green than it was just a couple of months ago. Beltane makes uses of the natural bounty, and flowers play a big role in most traditions. People often wear flower crowns during their celebrations or decorate their home with flowers and greenery to bring nature indoors.

Beltane and spring are considered by some to be the season of the Fae. With nature in bloom again, some think fairies are more active and will leave offerings to appease them or sometimes to try to bargain with them. You may have heard the idea that the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest around Halloween, and some believe this is also true at Beltane. During Halloween, we use the opportunity to honor our ancestors and loved ones who have passed away from this world. At Beltane, the thinning of the veil means that communicating with fairies and other nature spirits may be easier.

Many see spring as a celebratory time of year, and because of that, Beltane has become a holiday focused on things that are joyous, such as being outdoors after the winter, the green Earth, fertility, games, and fun. If you feel called to do so, I encourage you to embrace the changing of the seasons as we move into May, get outside, and soak up the sun and the energy of life returning. Have a blessed Beltane season!

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: Mercury in Retrograde

Mercury is about to be in retrograde. (Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center from Greenbelt, MD, USA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

After the potent energies of March, April usually brings us a bit of steadiness. It is the fourth month of the year, offering the energetic stability of the number four. However, this month, the usual solid foundation April brings is going to be rocked by the second Mercury retrograde of 2023.

Mercury retrograde happens three to four times every year, and usually lasts for four weeks. It is an astronomical phenomenon that makes the planet look like it is moving backwards in its orbit around the sun. It’s an optical illusion that occurs because it takes Mercury only 88 days to orbit the sun, compared to the 365 days it takes the Earth to orbit the sun. This is an observable scientific occurrence, but that does not mean it doesn’t energetically affect us.

The planet Mercury is named for the Roman god Mercury, the messenger of the gods, delivering news and goods but also acting as a translator or interpreter. Mercury rules over wealth, communication, commerce, and good fortune. When the planet of Mercury appears to move backwards in its orbit, these qualities may struggle to move forward or have more glitches than usual.

Generally, retrograde is a period of frustration, with delays, miscommunication, and technological mishaps. It is commonly advised that people should not travel, sign contracts, or make any major life decisions during a Mercury retrograde. During this time, try to be flexible as plans may end up changing often, be patient and understanding, back up your work and important documents ahead of time, and leave yourself some wiggle room for any major projects.

Mercury retrograde gets blamed for many things, and it can be a frustrating period, but it can bring us some much-needed perspective. It’s advised to not start any endeavors during the retrograde, but it makes a great time to finish things up. If you have any lingering chores or projects, use the energy to get them finished and off your plate. You can also use the time to reflect and slow down, to review where you are putting your time and energy and assess if it is going to the right things.

The next Mercury retrograde will begin on April 21st and end on May 14th. This year, every Mercury retrograde will happen in an earth sign, with April’s happening in the sign of Taurus. The astrological sign of Taurus is represented by the bull and is ruled by the planet Venus. Taurus represents our creature comforts, money and finances, and industry. Taurus is known as a stubborn sign, slow to move, logical, sensual but with an all-or-nothing attitude. This fixed earth sign does not enjoy change or uncertainty, which means the upcoming retrograde may cause some chaos in our lives.

With Mercury retrograde in an earth sign, we may end up focusing more on the physical world this month. It may have us reconsidering our values and financials. Taurus is the sign of all things material and natural, which could mean this retrograde may surface some previously buried issues related to our home, families, or money. Taurus is also the sign of finances, values, and power, so we could find ourselves rethinking our relationship within those areas. Now may be a good time to reevaluate your budget or make one, or put a plan together for any major purchases or trips.

Although Mercury retrograde can interrupt our best laid plans, it is not meant to frustrate. It helps us see what no longer serves us and needs to be filtered out of our lives. Oftentimes there are blessings. During this month’s retrograde, there are other astrological happenings that may help balance it out. Saturn moved into the sign of Pisces at the beginning of March, and this blending of energies supports our mental faculties and helps with focus and determination.

Just remember to plan ahead and leave yourself time and space.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Metaphysical Connection: The King of Wands

King of Wands in the Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris Anne Donnelly (Photo: Emily Guenther)

Astrology is prevalent throughout tarot, as many tarot practitioners know. On the spring equinox, Aries season begins and takes us through mid-April. Many people may be familiar with The Emperor card in tarot being the big Aries card, and it’s easy to understand why. But did you know there are more cards in tarot associated with each zodiac sign aside from their major Arcana card? For Aries, the suit of wands contains many cards that capture the drive and passion of the sign, especially the King of Wands.

The kings of the four suits are all aspects of The Emperor card, as all queens are aspects of The Empress card. The King of Wands is unique because it so closely resembles The Emperor. Both contain a fierce energy that helps keep us motivated and goal-oriented. The fiery aspect of both lends itself to driving our passions to fruition. Which is what we need if we are going to embrace the energy of spring and begin working on our spring projects.

Like all kings in tarot, the King of Wands has a fatherly feel. As a king, he has lived through all the experiences of the smaller cards in his suit and has gained wisdom from his encounters. There is a maturity in the king that you do not see in the other court cards (page, knight, or queen). This experience and maturity allows the King of Wands to use his passion and his temper to achieve his aims, rather than allowing them to control him or derail him. The King of Wands is a master at directing his energy, at motivating people and making sure things get done. The King of Wands is a great leader because he inspires you, he has a vision, and his passion doesn’t leave anyone behind. The King of Wands’ goal is overcoming a challenge and opening up new horizons. As much of an adrenaline junkie as The Emperor can be, the King of Wands is perhaps more since the he oversees a smaller kingdom.

I am not the first nor the last person to say this, but the world can be overwhelming. Technology has made it a smaller place, connecting us with those on the other side of the planet, making communication instantaneous, sending out news and information constantly. Technology has also made seeing and knowing about disasters, bad news, and crime that much easier. Many people feel the pains of the greater world looming over them, on top of the complications of daily life. This is why we need the energy of the King of Wands.

Whether we are coming out of our winter shell or trying to navigate the politics at work, the King of Wands is here to help show you the way. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember how to eat the elephant — one bite at a time. Instead of trying to channel the energy of The Emperor card and do everything, try being the King of Wands instead. Focus on one thing at a time. The Emperor has to rule and manage all the kingdoms in tarot (wands, swords, cups, and pentacles), but the kings only have to rule over their one kingdom. Start smaller, do a good and thorough job, and then move on to the next task.

If you feel like you are stuck on a project, try tackling it from another direction. The King of Wands is fond of creative and bold plans. Think outside the box, push the envelope, be bold and daring, do something everyone else thinks will fail. You may not succeed every time, but you tried and made an effort, and hopefully learned something so that when you try it again, you will make more progress. The one thing you cannot do is give up. Embrace your inner King of Wands and change the world, one bite at a time.

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March into Spring

Photo: Daiga Ellaby | Unsplash

March is here, and that means spring is officially around the corner. Between the vernal equinox and daylight saving time, March truly feels like the beginning of spring. The weather is turning warmer, making it a good time to get outdoors and shake off the dust of winter. The month of March is named after the Roman god Mars — a preeminent god of war and agriculture. In the ancient Roman calendar, March was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter. This is a time many of us feel the urge to move and be active, to really tackle those new year’s resolutions or promises we made to ourselves this winter.

The energy of March is one of growth and of physical action. We have the opportunity to make every day a fresh start. But tuning into the natural rhythms of the Earth and working with the natural flow of energy can make things in our lives easier, while also bringing us into balance with nature.

Early in the month, the March full moon will put on a show, especially while it hangs low in the sky. The March full moon is known as the Worm Moon. It has often been assumed that this name referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms. This invites robins and other birds to feed, which is a true sign of spring. However, further research has revealed another explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes and wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of “worm” — beetle larvae — which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.

There are many names for the full moons each month, and one of the other names for the March full moon is the Crow or Crow Comes Back Moon (Northern Ojibwe). With the insects emerging from their winter habitats and smaller animals moving about again, the crows have definitely come back for the action happening in March, if they ever left.

You may have heard the weather proverb, “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb,” which means that if the month starts off stormy, it will end with mild weather. There is, however, a different interpretation: The constellation Leo, the lion, rises in the east at the beginning of March and thus the month “comes in like a lion,” while Aries, the ram, sets in the west at the end of the month, and hence, the month “will go out like a lamb,” or perhaps ram.

March is split between the zodiac signs of Pisces and Aries. Pisces is the last zodiac sign in Western astrology and Aries is the first. This reflects the energies of March, with the beginning of the month being the last weeks of winter, while the last part of the month is officially spring. Pisceans are known to be sensitive, creative, and compassionate. All traits that correspond to the energies of winter. Winter is the season that traditionally sends us indoors, where we may think of or plan for the future, catch up on things that we’ve been putting off, and pursue our creative outlets. Aries takes control of March on the spring equinox and changes the energies from isolating and self-focused to being motivated to make changes and working hard. Aries is all about movement, being confident, and taking charge of our lives.

No matter what your zodiac sign, March is a time to really put our boots on the ground and make the changes we’ve been wanting to see. Use the watery energies of Pisces season to rebuild connections that we may have dropped during the winter. Channel the fiery direction of Aries to help you get those household projects you put off all winter done. 2023 can be a great year for us all, if we are willing to form connections, work together, and stay motivated.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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Cut the Cord

Release energetic attachments. (Photo: Emily Guenther)

Cord-cutting is a popular topic among spiritual practitioners. It can be a useful tool in helping you move on from a relationship or situation, and may be considered a form of self-care. It is a spiritual exercise that a person does when they need help releasing unhealthy energetic ties from a relationship or situation that has ended or no longer serves them.

Cord-cutting allows us to assert a measure of control over a situation that may be out of our hands. It can help facilitate a natural process and speed up the results. We will eventually get over our ex or stop thinking about them every time we go to a certain place. But why wait? Humans are pack animals, in need of connections, but we also want to feel in control of our own lives and we are not patient people.

This exercise does not have to be done just for romantic relationships gone bad. If you struggle with toxic relationships with family or friends, you can use a cord-cutting ceremony to help release those attachments and signal the moving away from that relationship.

Releasing energetic attachments does not have to be done only when things have ended badly. If your last relationship concluded amicably, you can do a cord-cutting to bring closure and signal that you are moving on with your life.

I have studied under a person who told me she practiced cord-cutting every day. As part of her daily spiritual practice, she would release all the attachments between herself and her loved ones that were not of unconditional love. She said this helped her and her loved ones from dwelling over disagreements or hurt feelings, and gave the family a sense of personal freedom to be themselves.

When we spend time with a person, whether romantic or platonic, we form energetic bonds with those people. You can also form energetic bonds to places such as your home, favorite coffee shop, or park. If you are a sentimental person, it can be easy to form attachments to objects. When it is time to move on from that person, place, or thing, we may find it difficult due to those bonds.

When we have strong energetic bonds with someone, performing a cord-cutting ceremony once may not be enough. Depending on the length or strength of your bond, you may want to do it multiple times or make it part of regular spiritual practice. Healing and cleansing your energetic body is a process. Even if we do a cord-cutting to speed up the results, this can still take time. Only you will know when it has worked, so don’t be afraid to repeat it or don’t feel like a failure if you still feel a connection after doing it.

A popular method of cord-cutting is done using two candles and a piece of thread. I suggest using black candles for this, but use whatever color feels the most appropriate to you. Set the two candles on a fire-safe surface, some distance apart. Tie the thread around one candle, leave a taut length of string between the two candles, and then tie the loose end of the thread to the opposite candle. Light both candles. As the candles burn down, the string will catch fire and will burn. This is a physical representation of those energetic bonds burning and dying. Once your candles have burned down, dispose of any leftover wax and string.

Cord-cutting can bring back emotions and trauma; it is part of the healing process. Once you have completed the ceremony, spend some time performing self-care. Meditate or journal as you process your experience and feelings. Because it can bring up old feelings, remind yourself not to reach out to the person you just cut energetic ties with. They may be on your mind now, but it will pass. And you had to cut your ties with them for a reason, so remember that if the feeling to slide into someone’s DMs hits you.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

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February is for Lovers

February might be the shortest month of the year, but it is packed with meaning. February is the month of love, hosting Valentine’s Day on the 14th. What better tarot card to discuss this week than The Lovers card?

In tarot, The Lovers is card number six of the Major Arcana. The Major Arcana section of tarot represents the big picture in our lives, marking milestone events or major turning points. The Lovers card is about love, but there is so much more to it than romance.

To get a fuller understanding of The Lovers, let’s look at its number, six. Sixes in tarot reflect our journey to harmony and unity, not just with ourselves but with others. The number six calls us to engage with society. As we learn and grow through our interactions, we change. The number six of The Lovers card tells us that, going forward, things will be different, and our experiences with The Lovers card will leave us transformed.

With a name like The Lovers, it’s natural that love is the first thing we think of when we see this card. If you are looking for romance in your life and you see The Lovers in a reading, it is a good indication that what you are looking for is in your future. As an attraction card, The Lovers represents those feelings of excitement, hopefulness, and joy of new love. It represents the allure and passion of love that can be hard to define. The Lovers represents a romantic partnership between people that is complementary and uplifting to both parties. If you are considering taking your relationship to the next level, The Lovers card is a welcome indication that it’s time to get more serious and that your relationship is well-matched.

The Lovers card is also about choices. With each person we meet, we have the ability to choose to be in a relationship with them — whether it’s a friendship, business, or romantic relationship. With The Lovers card, you are choosing love — and choosing the person you want to express that love with. The Lovers also represents those choices we make when we truly desire something. The attraction and allure of the card doesn’t end with people but can symbolize decisions we make in our lives.

Imagine that you are content with your life. You go about your days not seeking any changes. Then, out of the blue, you see a job posting for a job you’ve always wanted. Now that you know your dream job is available, do you apply and pursue it, even though it means changing your career? Or do you ignore it? The excitement and the almost spiritual pull of that dream job is an example of the choices we have to make with The Lovers.

All choices come with a consequence — good, bad, or indifferent. If we make the choice to pursue our dream job, then we may find ourselves changing careers when we didn’t plan on it. We might find ourselves with pressure to relocate. We now have to accept and deal with the consequences of the choice we made. The Lovers is about moving toward a more harmonious lifestyle, which means things in our life will change, and those changes can be lasting. There may be a sacrifice you must make in order to have this dream. In some ways, all commitment is a sacrifice, but one made for the right reason or person can help you grow as an individual.

The next time you receive a reading and The Lovers card appears, get ready! The person, thing, or situation you’ve been manifesting is on its way. Now you have to make sure you are ready for the love and the choices it will bring into your life. Until your ideal partner or situation arrives, live your life in harmony and unity with yourself and others so that you are in a space of love and ready to receive your blessing that The Lovers card brings.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.