Dear Oracle, my wife and I are trying to get me pregnant, and it’s not cheap for two women to do it! Does it seem likely that it’ll happen this year?—Mulling Motherhood
Cards: Nine of Swords, Queen of Wands, Queen of Cups, Two of Wands reversed
Dear Mulling, Mazel Tov on the incredible adventure you and your wife are setting out on! From what I can gather, when you begin the path of parenthood, it’s a marvelous mix of absolute wonder and terrible anxiety. With the Nine of Swords hanging about you, it’s a sign of many sleepless nights filled with questions: Will you be able to get pregnant? Did the sperm donor have any serial killers in the family? Will the baby be healthy?
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There are a ton of questions, and the cards offer little guidance on timelines. The Two of Wands is a hopeful card; it’s planting a seed and seeing if it grows. While it’s not a guarantee for anything, it’s a start. I know you were hoping for specifics, but I’m afraid the cards are mute on that matter.
However, what the cards do say is this: Y’all are going to be excellent mothers. First, we have the Queen of Wands, the creative, fierce mama bear. This mom will fight for their kid whenever necessary. Then we have the Queen of Cups, the ultra-nurturing, sensitive, profoundly loving mama. She’ll cuddle the baby while Queen of Wands goes out and wrecks whatever little shits made their kid cry. A baby would do well in a household that’s this supportive, creative, loving, and protective. It is a nest made out of the best Pure Mom energy, and I hope you and your wife get to welcome your child into it soon.
Dear Oracle, before the pandemic, I had a big falling out with a close friend. She did something unexpectedly cruel and has basically refused to speak to me since then. She moved shortly after lockdown, so there hasn’t been a chance to run into each other until now. One of our mutual friends is getting married, and there’s a high chance we’ll both be at the wedding. I really want to say something devastating to her, but that feels like the “low road.” How should I handle this upcoming reunion?—Still Bitter
Cards: The Fool, Page of Pentacle reversed, Judgment, The High Priestess
Dear Bitter, I think we all know that desire to give some asshole a well-worded blow that leaves them speechless and ashamed and makes us look like some witty and loved leading lady with chutzpah. Who doesn’t want to deliver that well-timed movie-quality zinger?
But with three Major Arcana and common sense, I got to say that your friend’s wedding isn’t the time or place for this revenge fantasy.
First, because it’s a celebration; to sour the mood with drama is a bad-friend-move. Your friend is inviting both of you because you both mean something to them, so try to respect their happiness on their big day.
Second, the optics are terrible. You’ll just look like the bad guy, and that sucks the fun out of it.
While it’s relatable to want to stick it to someone who hurt you, it’s not a mature want, as we see with both The Fool and Page of Pentacles reversed. Also, you know it’s a bad idea. The High Priestess shows us that.
With The Fool, Judgment, and The High Priestess coming up together, I would say the universe is pushing for you to move on from this conflict and start fresh with life. Both The Fool and Judgment are rebirth, and The High Priestess is a connection to a higher purpose. Uncoiling this anger will allow you to be present and enjoy your friend’s wedding and, possibly, the rest of your life.
(Also, your frenemy will probably feel guilty and judged at the wedding anyway, so don’t worry about her. She’ll ruin her own good time.)
Dear Oracle, should I give up on my side hustle? It brings me joy, but I feel like it’s distracting from my current job, which I do like.—Distracted Hustler
Cards: Page of Wands, The Chariot, Seven of Cups
Dear Hustler, the Page of Wands is a character who’s all about choices and potential. In my deck, the page is walking on two stilts, which seems appropriate. You have been straddling two jobs—a main and a side—and while it might seem like you need to commit to one choice, that might not be the case. The Chariot is a card of pure propulsion. It’s racing forward, knocking out everything in its path on the way to success. In business spreads, it can be a card of success because it’s a hyper-focused path. If I had pulled a different third card, I would probably say that you should give up on your side hustle and put all this energy behind your current job.
However, we have the Seven of Cups at the end, which can mean keeping your options open. Is it possible to step away from the side job without closing that door completely? Perhaps downscale on your duties if possible? If this second job does bring you joy, it might be worth figuring out a creative way to do both. You say you’re distracted from your current job but has anyone noticed? Has your boss talked to you? Or are you just worried you're not the best employee you could be?
If your boss has already caught on, perhaps it is worth stepping away, briefly, and waiting for things to settle down before trying to juggle both jobs again.
However, if it’s the latter, here’s some advice I was given by a professor when it came to juggling writing and day jobs: Never let your boss know how much you’re capable of. Don’t give 100%. Max out at 70% and save your energy for things that bring you joy.
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This article appears in Jul 15-21, 2021.