The arrival of the new moon stamps the moonth with an initiating energy that shifts and develops through a cycle of growth, fullness, and descent. Each moonth I look to the Tarot’s astrological correspondences for the new moon to find 3 Tarot cards (a Major showing us the path, a numbered Minor showing us our passage and practice, and a court/people card showing us the posture to take on the path) to guide musings on soul tending, selection of prompts for personal/spiritual practice, and creation of a moonthly reading. The reading can be done any time, but ideally between the new and full moons. Revisit the cards you pull periodically up until the next lunation to gain new insight as the light changes.

This iconic Rider Waite Smith Four of Cups is our passage card of this moonth that begins with the new moon on Tuesday, July 14 (exact at 5:43 am ET, time zone converter).

Traditional meanings for this card center around the figure not paying attention to the gift being offered through the cup held by the mysterious hand, a detail that reminds us of the Ace of Cups. Aces represent the full potential of their elemental associations. Cups through the element of water invite us to connect with emotions and intuition.

While Cups is a suit that receives an (over?) abundance of cards to which we ascribe happy meanings, the full potential of our emotions include the difficult flows as well as the desired ones.

Position the Four of Cups between its neighbors of the dancing women of the Three and the downcast figure of the Five and you find that the Four is really the pivot point between happiness and grief.

In the Four of Cups, the figure is focused on the 3 cups in the foreground. They want to return to the fun of the Three of Cups. Who wouldn’t?!

But when I turn my attention to the dancing women today, I also imagine what is out of view, a wider world of epochal changes. Our institutions and systems are dissolving as they are hit with tidal waves of change. This part of the change fills us with emotions and without knowing what comes next, they tend toward the most difficult kinds. The figure in the Four of Cups may be wanting to block out their feelings about these great changes with their crossed arms, but water of such force is not easily stopped.

Our friend in the Four of Cups can’t go back to the carefree days of the Three and neither can we.

We will have to mount our Chariots and travel the pathway forward, leaving behind the world as it was and moving into the world as it is.

In the iconic Rider Waite Smith image, we see that a city is being left behind. Perhaps the Charioteer participated in creating this city. Perhaps it was a place of joy. Perhaps it was a place of frustration. Most likely both. The wheels appear almost as if they are floating on the water in the background.

The Charioteers’ emotions are what is propelling them forward from this starting place. Instead of blocking these emotions with arms over heart, their arms are down to hold invisible reins that guide the vehicle. The emotions are the reins.

When we travel the path of the Chariot, we, like our Charioteer, must flow with the emotions and channel them for forward movement. We must continue our travels from the Three of Cups through the Four of Cups and on from there into the challenge of the Five.

Grief will be part of our journey. We’ll feel our losses individually and epochal losses like those of political upheaval and climate change will be felt collectively. We will be connected across the planet. This connection through emotions like grief has great power and the potential to unite all who take the risk to engage with this flow.

The Five of Cups shows us one face of grief: the sadness. But sadness is not the whole of grief.

Our guide for how to be as we travel the Chariot’s path through the passage of the Four of Cups is the King of Wands. Wands through its elemental association with fire connects us to our passions and calls us to action. Fire dries out the excess of water. Going through grief also includes actions and changes we make in our lives because of new awareness sprung from loss.

Our King of Fire invites us to step up and serve others and the planet. This, too, can be part of our moving through grief. Perhaps our grief will even become a source of our authority.

The moonth opens up for us an exploration of the great passions of fire and water mixing within ourselves and throughout our planet. This is the cup that is offered. If we want to take up the invitation of The Chariot of forward movement, we will have to drink from this cup.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS / READING FOR THE MOONTH

These questions are offered for reflection and to spark practice throughout the moonth. Pulling Tarot and oracle cards in connection to these questions is appropriate, but not absolutely necessary. You might carry a question with you on a walk, for example, and observe what is happening in the natural world as a way to find insight into the answer to the question.

CUP: What is the cup I am being called to drink from?

CHARIOT: When I accept this cup where will I be able to go?

PASSION: What action will I be able to undertake to move forward into the world?

I do offer this as an e-reading in my collaborative intuitive format for $32. But because I am off to Omega, I can’t do any until Wednesday, the 29th: the full moon! If you don’t mind waiting, you can sign up with Pay Pal.