My husband and I have decided we’re ready to try for a baby! It’s an exciting time, but also terrifying. Do the cards have any advice on how to navigate this journey?—You and me and baby makes three
Cards: The Lovers, Death, The Magician, The Empress (rev.)
Dear Baby,
Congratulations on your journey! This is an incredibly exciting time for you and your husband—and judging by the Major Arcana-only spread, I’d say this is a very big deal!
I am going to go out of order and address the terrifying elephant in the room, the Death card. The Death card is almost always symbolic and, judging by the surrounding cards, I would say this card is about your life/relationship and not actually, you know…
In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a belief that after death, the soul moves through the bardo before being reborn. The Death card is very much like the bardo: it’s about endings and beginnings and the transitions between the two. Pregnancy is also like the bardo. Your body physically changes so much (it grows a human being AND another organ) and, once the baby is born, your life changes completely. It’s a cliché but it’s true.
This, supposedly, can feel very natural to some parents. All the ones I know (including yours truly) can find it a bit of a rough adjustment because you don’t really know how it’s going to be until it happens. Parenthood, especially the first few months, is a trial by fire. Your life will look very differently than it does now in ways you can’t even comprehend. There’s only so much you can do to prepare for that transition, so be prepared to give yourself grace.
This might be a little difficult for you if you’re someone who loves a plan. The Magician is someone who’s in control and use to causing great change. As a parent, The Magician can be a powerful card of someone who arranges the world for the benefit of their child. As a downside, it can also be someone who is trying to fight fate. One of The Magician’s greatest gifts is his fluidity, so allowing yourself to go with the flow while still being grounded will be beneficial. (Because once that baby is born, they’re the ones running the show.)
But, all of this said, I think you and your husband are in a great emotional position to start a
family. With The Lovers leading the spread, there is a lot of love in your relationship, and that unity is something you both value. By starting from a place of love, you already have a steady foundation for when the unknown comes knocking. Having open communication also helps, as does seeing a couple’s therapist who specializes in growing families.
With The Empress reversed, I think you may have wanted to be a loving mother for quite some time. If that’s been you’re heart’s desire, then I hope it happens swiftly, my dear.
Dear Oracle,
I’ve been having a lot of nightmares lately that have been super realistic and terrifying ones that cause me to wake. It’s unlike anything I’ve had before, and I want to know if it’s a demon or something. What do the cards say?—Possessed?
Cards: Queen of Swords, The Star (reversed), Five of Cups (reversed), Eight of Pentacles (reversed)
Dear Possessed, while I can’t say with 100% certainty, the cards don’t point to you being possessed, which is great news.
However, they do suggest that these nightmares are coming from a psychological wound, or “personal demon” if you will.
The Queen of Swords is the ruler of the mind, and while she can be sharp, she can also be repressed emotionally speaking. She is not an open book and can even be quite cold and critical in her most negative forms.
The Star, however, is our deep emotional and spiritual center. It is who we are when all the trappings of the world are taken away, our truest self. With these two next to each other—and The Star reversed—I do wonder if there is some past hurt that you’ve pressed down that’s bubbling to the surface now.
During incredibly stressful times, our mind can narrow the focus in order to survive. This is where fight, flight, or freeze comes in. It’s how we can bury our loved ones, tolerate unbearable amounts of pain, walk four miles after a terrible car crash. Your body and brain do what they can to get you through the moment.
But, when the event is over, when the danger or overwhelming experience has passed, there is now space for the brain to relax and process what happened, which can be a fucked-up time.
This can certainly happen in dreams (and often does when you start an antidepressant). Something might have triggered a deeper feeling that’s coming to the surface and your brain has the space to process it now.
With the Five of Cups reversed, I wonder if it’s a feeling of loss, despair, or grief that you never got to feel fully. Has anything happened lately that’s reminded you of a loss? Has there been a lot of stress and fear about losing something/someone? Are you overwhelmed with despair?
Unfortunately, I think the only way out is through. With the Eight of Pentacles, I think you have to just “work” through it, whether that is with a support group, a therapist, journaling, or another way of processing. (Do NOT use an AI therapist. You’re better off with a CBT workbook than a system that can cause a whole host of psychological problems in itself.)
If you do want to include some witchy help in addition to the psychology, burning Frankincense and lavender can help cleanse your bedroom. Chamomile, rosemary, and thyme are all good purifying herbs you can throw into a bath or drink as a tea.
However you go about it, I hope you’re able to work through this and restful sleep returns to you.
Best of luck, my dear.
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This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2025.