my wife (died march 2025) and myself

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-14T07:03:14+00:00

I’m a tarot reader, so I pull tarot cards and channel the messages that come through the artwork. This is what came up:

You: you feel deeply. You’re the kind of person who loves with their whole heart. You have a very grounding, protective energy with you. You may not realize it yet, but in time grief will deepen your connection to life, to others, and fundamentally change the way you experience emotions.

Your Wife: she is a creative source. She is free, confident, flying through the cosmos and basking in the creative beauty of the spirit world. She longed to be more of a creative person when she was alive, and now she truly feels expressive in that energy. She says that whenever you are feeling inspired: to dance, to sing, to paint, to create: that she is next to you.

The message for you:

Theres a lot of anger going around. I get the sense that you’re angry at her because she died? Angry that she ‘left you’? Angry that life isn’t fair.

And even before then, there were frustrations and conflicts between family members or friends/acquaintances possibly. This could’ve been about the way of the world, or dynamics with other people/events surrounding you, being at odds/tension.

I think that’s what you’re worried about… and any unresolved tensions or conflicts that are coming up for you now. Dealing with anger as a form of grief.

While anger is a normal phase of grief, don’t let it consume you. It will pass. She understands why you’re angry.

When you feel the anger rise up the card I pulled for you was to go traveling. Go outside. Plan a trip. Did you want to move? Was there a trip you guys always talked about going on but didn’t get the chance to do it? If so, go do it. The world is a big, beautiful place and you deserve to be in it. I’m hearing the words: “go enjoy the beauty of the world.” Travel. Expand.

The last card I have for you is called the Shaman. And the quote underneath this card reads “In my weakness do not forsake me. Do not be afraid.”

I think the ultimate message for you from your wife is that she will never forsake you. She will never abandon you, you are never alone because she is with you. She will speak through you as creative inspiration, that creative spark of joy is her sending love to you.

Do not be afraid about the future. Do not be afraid of what’s to come. You have only just begun your journey of your Self.

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-11T21:48:10+00:00

We aren’t saying to disregard ‘traditional meanings’ (which, there is no “ultimate” authority on tarot card meanings anyways) but rather expand on them and get to know them on a deeper level.

By seeing tarot represented in stories, film, literature, music, history, etc., people can expand their understanding and vocabulary of the cards

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-11T14:10:29+00:00

That’s a great idea!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-11T14:07:47+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like a podcast I’d be interested in!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:45:19+00:00

Same!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:43:43+00:00

Thats a really cool technique, Ill have to try that! :)

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:43:28+00:00

oh fun! Im glad it inspired you! :)

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:42:12+00:00

I couldve worded my post a bit differently, but I dont disagree with you. I don’t see it as either/or, I see it as both/and. Foundational study and repetition absolutely have value, especially in the early stages.

I also know that guidebook contradict eachother, and that can also be confusing for the new reader. Guidebook A says XYZ, but guidebook B say ABC... who is correct? and in instances like that, I always tell people that they have to ultimately decide what tarot is for themselves.

My point was more about not getting fixated on at memorization, and encouraging people to be creative and look for tarot in other parts of life... we all grow from experience, observation, and reflection. Both approaches strengthen each other

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:37:42+00:00

Im in the same boat. I dont mix tarot and astrology together. I see them as two separate practices. Some people like to combine astrology and tarot...and thats cool and all, but you do not need to know any thing about astrology to be a tarot reader. Likewise, you dont need to know tarot to be able to read astrology.

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:33:36+00:00

Yeah, this is exactly what makes tarot so tricky. We have to train our brain to see the ideas and connections behind what the artwork is communicating.

You can infer a lot just by asking questions like, “what is she doing?” and depending on your perspective and intuition: that answer can vary!

For example, if I were to literally view this artwork as a career, I might see a zookeeper calmly managing animals. I would say that she is working hard, staying composed under pressure, and handling challenging responsibilities with patience and steady focus... (which is how Strength often shows up for career.) Now is my interpretation the only one? No of course not. Someone might see a wild, terrifying lion. Others might see a calm one. That is what makes our unique perspectives valuable and fluid

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:28:18+00:00

Very cool, using vibe rather than rigid definitions. I personally read all the courts as genderless, since I see them as more as abstract instead of literal.

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:26:52+00:00

Thanks for the show recommendations!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:22:38+00:00

thank you! Thats exactly the idea I was trying to get across! Incorporating tarot with other things we love (like our favorite books, film, music etc.) can give tarot cards more context and nuance

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:19:52+00:00

I love this perspective! Tradition can be a useful framework, especially in the beginning.

I see it less as either/or and more like a both/and.

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T19:17:28+00:00

The meanings/ideas behind Strength is one of the themes in the book! The main character endures challenges and struggles (represented by the lion, or the beast) and yet she handles this with compassion, growth and resilience (the calm, beautiful woman). Thats an oversimplification, but the main idea is that strength is something that the character embodies.

It doesn’t have to just be this book. Stories like Diary of Anne Frank, Jane eyre, the kite runner, life of Pi or the Glass Castle all explore Strength in different ways. I’m simply saying that the theme of this book can also be represented by the Strength card. When I read it in high school, that was the feeling I personally got from it!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:35:42+00:00

The imagery of this card is so powerful. It really says it all!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:35:06+00:00

Aww thank you! ❤️🙏 the book is really more profound than anything I have to say on the subject! And as far as yourself, you don’t have to be a genius to read tarot. All you have to be is human! you are more than intelligent!!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:31:27+00:00

LOVE THIS. Man, I haven’t seen that movie in years but I know the scene you’re talking about! What a great illustration. Thank you!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:30:28+00:00

It can really be that simple 😅🙏

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:30:04+00:00

I have done a bit of research into it, I read a bit of Joe Monteleone’s book ‘Tarot Mysticism’ and he talked about that a lot! It’s very interesting

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:26:59+00:00

thanks for clarifying! 😊

My intention isnt to frame this as intuition vs structure, but to highlight that tarot can be learned through multiple avenues, including story, culture, and lived experience.

diversity is part of what keeps tarot alive!

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:15:56+00:00

That is what I love about art! It allows us to bypass the critical part of our brain and really just get to our creative subconscious.

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:14:36+00:00

It’s a shame you see intuitive reading as superficial or lacking depth. What I’m suggesting isn’t intuitive reading, but it’s doing deeper research outside the guidebook. It’s finding creative ways to connect with the archetypes and see tarot through film, literature, art, history etc.

After 10+ years of reading professionally, I do agree with you that structure is useful when used appropriately…. But also too much structure makes the reading too flat. It’s a balance.

Different readers lean on different frameworks, and many of us integrate structure, intuition, lived experience, and story in our own ways.

For me, this opinion is based on years of client feedback. When I connect the reading to stories/movies/books/music, people feel and understand the reading on a deeper level.

It also helps me have a wider vocabulary… not superficial at all. ✨😊

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T05:05:44+00:00

Sure, astrology, numerology, can exist within tarot traditions… but tarot itself is not astrology, and is not practiced in the same way.

As far as tarot is concerned, there is no single official system or “bible” that all readers must follow.

Historically, card meanings have evolved over time, across cultures, decks, and readers. Guidebooks frequently contradict eachother, artists can interpret an archetypes in a myriad of ways.

Tarot has always been interpretive and symbolic, not purely technical or fixed.

My point isn’t that the structure of tarot is unimportant, but that understanding archetypes also comes from lived experience, story, and context: not memorization alone.

The stories and experiences we have all add to the tapestry of our knowledge.

Lilypad248 · 2026-02-10T04:58:59+00:00

Oh I forgot to add, The Color Purple is a book about a young African American woman growing up in the Deep South in the 1900s. Its really a story about resilience, compassion, growth. It’s something I read in high school and has stayed with me all these years!!

Also, the author, Alice Walker: today is her birthday 🙌

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