Moonbeam Cafe: for the night owls. We are not afraid of the dark. Pour a drink and stay a while.
tarot thursday #2 is closed! thank you for participating!

question guidelines:
- avoid yes/no questions-- i'm not set up with spreads for them, and that's more suited to, say, someone who practices with a pendulum.
- i make no claims about being able to divine the feelings of strangers, your loved ones, or the dead/undead. you can still ask if you want to, though. just take the results with an extra grain of salt. like a zesty margarita.
- if you're kinda uncomfortable with your question and you wanna be vague, but you're curious about what i'd come up with anyway, feel free. i've done this with friends before, including other readers.
- be safe, have fun, use common sense, etc.
- feel free to ask clarifying questions beforehand, if you want to!
(PS: i don't expect tips, but i definitely accept them!)



Lots of writers here tonight.
My partner has a chance to get relocated for work to the city he has always wanted to return to.
How should he focus his energy related to his career over the next few months?
sorry for the delay in response-- my internet connection is a little bumpy today.
first, i drew she-is-legend and rock bottom. rock bottom suggests surrender. is he going to have to wait to find out for sure whether or not he's relocating? if so, then now's the time to focus on what he particularly enjoys in his work and what he brings to it.
both these cards also carry an implication that he's seeing his life compartmentalized, but that the way his work bleeds into other areas of his life is important, and that there's something in that overlap that needs attention. she-is-legend represents all of those little things in life and love that don't fit into neat boxes or binaries.
i pulled four of pentacles and dry desert for the next few months-- they suggest not investing in your current area if you really, truly plan to move. what's the point of making yourself at home somewhere other than home? they also say that money might be tight for a while and to be careful.
finally, for advice on what not to do, i pulled follow the leader and the star-- he may have a fantasy in his head about the level of independence or leadership he'll have post-move, or of what life will be like in the city. it might be the right choice for him, but if he's unrealistic about what it'll bring to his life, then it'll sour it once he gets there.
i hope that's relevant and helpful!
I'm out and about but at a glance it looks about right. We definitely won't know re: move until June (which conviniently is when our lease here is up anyways) and this area has been planned as a temporary thing the whole time.
What should I focus on in the next three months?
for the subject of focus, i drew judgement and deep freeze.
have you been resting enough? because judgement suggests that you're dealing with a familiar cycle. now's your chance to establish good habits when it comes to putting the brakes on, holding to your barriers, and making sure that you're looking after yourself.
for advice on how to approach that focus, i drew the chevalier of wands and dry desert. this suggests a certain amount of independence-- and maybe loneliness, too. sometimes looking after yourself requires that you endure things that will pay off later. but judgement is a do-or-die card-- it says that you have to use the things you learned the hard way, if you want to close out one chapter of your life and open another.
finally, i drew chevalier of pentacles and wide open for things to avoid while pursuing your focus. the next three months may not be a time to be spending freely, taking risks, or living loud. it backs up the message that you might have a problem with overextending yourself.
if so, i recommend that you figure out what in your life is a drain rather than something that brings anything of value, whether that's physical, fiscal, or emotional. the cards suggest that you take a break to bust down to the minimum and let yourself get some rest, at least for now.
i hope that's relevant and helpful!
Definitely not resting enough, although I'm not sure how much that's under my control. Puppy wakes me up in the middle of the night to go out, so I get interrupted sleep at best. That should taper over the next month or two.
Not spending freely sounds like some excellent advice. It's actually been a big cash flow crunch recently, and that's the only way I'm going to recover.
I have really enjoyed these, so glad it's a regular thing. So often helps to get a new perspective or outlook on the moment.
My question, "Is my near future showing success, location wise, near or far?"
does "near or far" refer to the location, or to the future? (i skipped my coffee so i'm a little slower than usual.)
Location
for "near", i drew eight of cups and sad embrace. regret and grief aren't especially auspicious omens, success-wise; if you feel iffy about your circumstances and chances where you are, pay attention to those feelings.
for "far", i drew five of wands and follow the leader. this shows an extent of independence, productivity, and success-- but also additional responsibilities and anxieties, including things out of your control that might loom in your mind. the stresses represented by the five of wands aren't nearby or urgent, and it recommends keeping on-task with the problems in front of you.
and then, because i'm predictable and i like threes, i drew "wherever you are" for a kind of success that you might have that isn't location-dependent. i drew 99 of pentacles and commitment. if something provides you with joy, power, resources, or opportunities, stay committed to it-- and remember that you don't do anything in life truly alone. alternately, you've made a personal commitment to something that enriches your life.
i hope this is relevant and helpful!
Yes. Thank you.
Where do i go now that the first task has been completed?
Sorry for the vagueness, and thank you for your time and energy.
Blessed be
for your question, i drew two of cups and balancing act first. this suggests a liminal space-- somewhere "in between".
then i drew spirit of place and two of wands. this also reinforces that-- spirit of place can refer to mundane places where you belong, but it can also refer to genii loci. this particular two of wands depicts someone wandering through a new and intriguing space and allowing themselves to be shaped and changed by it.
sorry for the vagueness of the answer! i hope that this helps. thank you for asking.
may your roads be clear and take you where you need to be.
There's something I've wanted to do for a very long time but I'm at this point where I'm starting to feel like it's more a pipe-dream than anything else. Can you tell me anything about whether I should pursue it or give it up?
for the first draw re: your question, i pulled queen of wands and details, details.
it says overall that there might be things in your life that you've neglected in favor of your dream. if you're not in a position to chase that dream right now, and you're unhappy or discontented with your life or feel unfulfilled, then the dream isn't going to fix things. taking a look at your life, the patterns you keep falling back into, and your honest strengths and weaknesses will.
there also may be fine print of sorts that comes attached with your dream. remember to be realistic about what living even a best case scenario will be like.
for the dream itself in the short-term, for advice, i pulled seven of swords and rock bottom. both of these cards come with the alternate title of "surrender". don't be too disheartened by this-- it's a "right now" and not a "forever". if the dream is truly right for you, then you'll still want it once you're in a better position to chase it.
finally, for what not to do, i pulled cleaning house and chevalier of swords. you don't need to do anything drastic. you don't need to let go of having a long-term aspiration. but you probably wouldn't be asking in the first place if it wasn't a bad time to be taking risks or to be adventuresome.
i hope that's relevant and that it helps!
Very relevant, thank you!
What keeps getting in the way of my weight loss?
i drew two pairs of cards-- chev of wands and dry desert, and then magical map shifter and queen of swords.
the first suggests that you're trying too hard to do too much on your own, and that it's making it into an ordeal. do you have a buddy you can check in with? have you been consulting with people who have your body type and tastes in food to find out what works for them?
dry desert also suggests that maybe you're going too long between meals and snacks-- if you're still hungry or craving something, then your body might need nourishment it's not getting, regardless of your weight, and that can perpetuate bad cycles.
the second set of cards suggests that you've met someone who's drastically changed the shape of your life-- the queen of swords is a storyteller, but not every story she tells is true or useful. if you doubt dietary or medical advice you've gotten, get a second opinion.
especially if the queen of swords represents a doctor who told you to lose weight to solve something else in your life; if your body keeps trying to cling to being heavier, then either you're the size that you're meant to be, or there might be an underlying medical issue preventing the weight loss.
(alternately, you might be in the habit of eating while distracted or eating out with a specific friend, and losing track of the amount you've been eating. obsessive calorie-counting is a road that i can't recommend, but keeping approximate track of what you eat when-- and why-- can be handy to show you patterns over time.)
i hope this is relevant and helpful!
This is exciting! I'm currently trying to learn how to read tarot.
I'm curious to see what the next few months/year (whichever, I'm not picky lol) holds in my romantic life. I'm single and on the market, but not having much luck. I fear that I'm going to be forever alone. I feel like this is such a cliche, but it's worth asking anyway lol.
Thank you so much for your time! <3
that's awesome! what deck are you learning on? (we have a /tarot community-- i forget the markup for formatting, but the comm leader's working on potentially hosting practice posts where people can ask questions and take a crack at answering each other.)
anyway, the cards:
for where you'll likely have the most luck looking, i found the chariot and metamorphosis. if there's some specific social space that you feel equips you for your life or transforms you for the better, it might be good to build connections there.
for what you can do that'll increase your likelihood of attracting someone, i drew king of pentacles and rock bottom. these suggest that putting yourself out hunting might not be what you need to do-- that you're an interesting enough person on your own, and maybe even that you've attracted people without recognizing it in the past. independence and confidence, as well as owning the traits you're proud of, are what will attract someone who's interested in you.
finally, for someone you might meet and have a chance with, i pulled six of swords and solitude. this creates a mental image of someone who closes themselves off to tinker with projects, and who's very, very good at it.
i hope this is relevant and helpful! good luck.
I started with my Gilded Tarot deck, but my younger brother is very against tarot. I could only practice while he wasn't home, but he's been home more often so I took a tip from someone from the group to try an app. I'm currently working with the Tarot of the Trees app because I also have the Tarot of the Trees deck. My problem is that I second guess myself a lot and question what I'm reading lol. I'm likely not as bad at is as I think since I'm a perfectionist :P
Thank you so much! It's all very relevant <3
I'm having money troubles. What should I do to find enough to catch up on bills?
disclaimer: all financial decisions to be made by person receiving the cards. i drew for potential avenues of money.
first, i drew the hanged man ("untitled" in this deck) and spark. this suggests that there's potentially good ideas that need to suffer through the refinement process, or that there's something you've been holding back for a while that's ready for you to do your best with.
alternately, this suggests being patient with trickles of income from something relatively recent.
for a second potential avenue of income, i drew king of pentacles and bone collector. the kind of pentacles is an experienced adventurer and storyteller, who makes connections, and the bone collector is about reclaiming a part of yourself. if there's something you've let go of that you're very, very good at, it might be a good time to bring it back into your life. for profit.
finally, i drew fortune and magical map shifter-- you may well meet someone who opens up new opportunities for you, but make sure before you take any gambles that it's not already a rigged game, so to speak.
i hope this is relevant and useful!
Thank you very much!
I am working on becoming a published fiction author. It'll be a long path but I feel like I've got the steps sorted out. (Other than that I should be writing more each day) is the path I've mapped good?
for a likely outcome for your path, i pulled king of pentacles and movement-- i'm a little nervous to have pulled them, because that's ridiculously auspicious for your goals.
the king of pentacles is a friendly, weathered storyteller and adventurer who's steadily grounded. he implies traveling. so does movement. it sounds like your plan's going to set things into motion pretty fast.
for advice on what to bring to your plan, i pulled the queen of swords-- another writer card-- and spirit of place. know your stories. tell your stories. definitely write more each day. do you have a specific place and time that you do your writing? if so, that'll help your brain get into work mode for the actual labor of writing.
queen of swords can also suggest that you make sure you keep in touch with your editor, whether you have an editor proper, a partner who checks things over, or you rely on your internal editor.
spirit of place also suggests that you connect with others in the publishing industry and feel things out, to figure out where your stories will belong and how you can meet the submission/publishing standards of where they belong.
finally, i pulled chevalier of wands and slow and steady for what not to do. remember that no man is an island and don't let yourself dally-- if you commit to the time and labor for this, you will succeed, as long as you're realistic about it.
i hope this is relevant and helpful!
It's certainly encouraging! My time commitment to writing has been and will be huge. Whether the investment is good or if I've wasted a lot of my life will depend on how things turn out. (An investment I was going to make in any case, but it's good to have auspicious signs.)
I don't have an editor and rarely have access to any beta-ing. But, when it comes time to get serious I will get feedback first one way or another.
The only contacts I have to publishers are ones I'd rather not rely on. But, I'll work on being productive first and worry about that later.
Thanks :)
[clears throat] [works in publishing] [makes no promises]
What type (i.e. genre) of publishing, if one might ask?
Heeeeeey new best friend <3
Just kidding, but any advice is always loved. The advice I've taken to heart is to not shop anything until you have a really, really solid submission.
My actual work is in academic, but my company does trade, too. I can't personally get something accepted, but I can find the right contacts. And I freelance on YA novels.
I really love urban paranormal / fantasy stuff and have been working on a series concept for a while. In the meantime, I am cutting my teeth by working on some longer and more ambitious fanfiction projects. I figure it's better to write than to sit here for hours wrestling with the problem of what the story's POV should be.
Cool :) It'll be at least a year until I have anything to a first draft stage. Right now I am working on more ambitious fanfic projects as practice instead of sitting here and wrestling with the question of which character's POV to use.
It is definitely better to write and work on long form structure .
What is the age-range considered to be for YA? I have a draft of a near-future spec fic novel, but the main characters are college students, so I assumed I was aiming for the new (to me) category of "New Adult" instead...
Generally, high school age. Sometimes it's hard to tell if they're not in an Earth-equivalent setting, so they might be older in those. Part of fitting into YA is what you don't show, in terms of violence and sex.
In the plans I'm making to re-start my writing career, what roadblocks do I need to watch out for?
i pulled three potential roadblocks.
the first is represented by ace of wands and dry desert-- you'll have to be resilient and resourceful. no one writing idea is brilliant enough to write itself, or to sell itself. a writing career is a lean one money-wise and a tough one labor-wise, so be ready you're ready to endure the long hours of actually seeing an idea through.
for another, i drew 99 of pentacles and magic prayer. there's no cheat codes or shortcuts-- if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. be careful who you make business deals with, continue reading the fine print, and know that you won't have time to be complacent with your writing itself OR the business aspects.
finally, i drew follow the leader and eight of cups. if you try to rely on yourself alone to keep yourself on-task, you could easily end up regretting it! know when it's time for you to be in charge of yourself and march to your own beat, but also know when it's time to reach out.
i hope that's relevant and helpful!
Absolutely relevant, and very helpful thank you! The first and third were definitely already on my radar to some extent (the third in particular is excellent advice that I need to remember to take more often), and the second is something I'll be sure to watch out for.
Can I ask what are the names of the (two?) decks you are using? They are very interesting cards that I haven't encountered before (there are so many decks...)
these are the silicon dawn tarot by margaret trauth and the enchanted map oracle by colette baron-reid!
margaret trauth is a professional cartoonist who specializes in anthro characters. the silicon dawn was very much a labor of love, and while it isn't for everyone-- "sci-fantasy furry comic tarot" isn't a universal taste-- i love how full of life it is.
the enchanted map oracle is a little bit better-known; it's a little bit fluffy and Non-Denominational New Age Spirit, but the cards are incredibly expressive, and i appreciate them a lot.
(there are SO many decks. in the past few years i've impulse bought more than one that ended up passed along to friends. the silicon dawn is my personal favorite, though.)
I am expecting an important life changing decision in three months, what should I expect?
i drew cards for two potential decisions, and then drew again for a deciding factor re: those decisions.
the first potential is represented by four of pentacles and come together-- a fairly happy, peaceful, stable situation, but one that isn't sustainable forever.
the second is represented by fortune and bone collector. it involves being subject to the whims of chance and circumstance, but claiming or reclaiming something dear to you.
the deciding factor-- or advice-- is rock bottom and king of cups. is somebody making this decision for you, about you, or on your behalf? or do you have someone in your personal life who you'll consult with closer to the end of those three months? if someone's proven that they know what they're doing when it comes to navigating that kind of decision, know that they'll pick wisely-- or at least, will pick wisely for themselves.
i hope this is relevant and helpful!
Wow this was eerily accurate in some parts. The decision is being made by others and I have no way in it. (Also totally blown away by the kissing giraffes since giraffes are one of my absolute favorite animals.)
Also thank you so much!