Oracle of Ybor: If I restart my incredible roadtrip, I'll also have to start pooping in Love gas stations again

Dear Oracle, for most of last year, I did the #Vanlife thing (without a van.) I can work from anywhere and did while traveling the continent. It was incredible in a lot of ways but also hard and expensive (bad weather meant last-minute motels, gas prices went up, ate out a lot more than I thought I would, etc). I came back home for the winter, and the plan was to start the second part of the trip up again in March. Except…I don’t know if I should. After being home for six weeks, it’s nice to have a toilet, shower, and kitchen. I can’t afford an outfitted van, so it would be back to camping and pooping in Love gas stations. Should I stick to the plan or settle back home?—Ramblin’ Man

Cards to hit the road: Full Moon, Nine of Pentacles (reversed), High Priestess (reversed)
Cards to stay home: Nine of Swords (reversed) Queen of Pentacles, Eight of Pentacles (reversed)

Dear Rambler, I don’t know the details of your financial situation and, personally, I think camping is terrifying (if the wildlife doesn’t get you, some serial killer will), so take all of this with a grain of salt: I don’t think you’re finished with this road trip yet—at least emotionally speaking.

We start with the Full Moon, a bright, energetic beacon that feels like the universe is shouting, “GO! GO! GO!” It’s also a time of clarity. You probably learned a hell of a lot about yourself when camping by your lonesome or driving on some desert highway at dusk. You probably had time to do some soul searching—and with the High Priestess reversed, I think you’re still in the middle of that process. To be Jungian about it, I think you’re becoming “conscious” and really learning who you are.

The Nine of Pentacles can be a card of growth. The image is usually some sort of vine or bush, and it can represent the carefully tended fruit of the soul. Paired with The High Priestess, I’d say you’re in the throws of deep emotional growth, and finishing up this trip will help ripen these lessons.

Now, I don’t know what your bank account looks like, but I would guess that staying home is a more financially sound move. The Queen of Pentacles is nothing if not practical. But I don’t think you’d be happy there. Sure, you’ll save money—the Eight of Pentacles usually means throwing yourself into work—but I think you might feel disappointed. Nine of Swords can feel haunting, an anxious loop of “did I make the right choice?” on repeat, and to quote the Butthole Surfers: “It's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done.”

So if possible, continue on the trip. Maybe you have to shorten it or do more couchsurfing, but I think you’re in the middle of something here, and you’d like to finish it. If it’s not feasible to keep traveling, how can you keep growing back at home? Don’t just return to rise and grind—it ain’t edifying, and you’d hate it.

Best of luck and safe travels, my dear.

Dear Oracle, life is getting interesting for me as I move into a different phase of my career. Am I making the right move at this time? It would potentially be a big change in income, but I’m hoping for more peace and opportunities that I’m not able to enjoy right now. What do the cards say for me?—Time for Transition?

Cards: The Lovers, The Fool, Two of Pentacles (all reversed)

Dear TFT, not only are you making the right move, but I think this is something that you have been looking forward to for a very long time.

While it’s the only minor arcana, I want to start with the Two of Pentacles. It’s a card about balance, particularly work/life balance. With a “big change of income” (I’m assuming it’s lessening), budgets will need to be balanced more. That can be stressful—believe me, I know—but it will open up time that you can spend doing other things you love—including spending more time with the people you love.

The Lovers represents not only romantic love but ALL love and relationships. I do think you dearly loved your career at one point, but now your priorities are shifting. Do “peace and opportunities'' include having more time for your relationships? Would you get to spend more time with your family, your friends, and yourself? If so, you should take it! Harvard recently published results from its 85-year, multi-generational happiness study, and you know what the good life consisted of? Good relationships. While this career move might be a financial loss, you’ll gain time spent deepening your older relationships and possibly starting new ones.

This is a completely new phase of your career and your life. The Fool is the card of beginnings, of taking a leap of faith, all blind hope and big dreams. But starting off into the unknown can also feel frightening. The familiar is deeply comforting—it’s a big reason why people stick in shitty jobs or relationships or apartments—but the potential for something greater is on the horizon.

I do think you’ll have to reconfigure some things in your life. Budget is one. But how you spend your time is another. What does “peace” look like to you? What are some of the opportunities you’d like to try? Transitions can be tricky (even when we want them), so a few plans or ideas might help you ease into your new life—and keep you from doubting if you made a mistake.

But with The Fool, we can also expect the unexpected. Keep an open mind and curious spirit as you start down your new path. You never know what exciting things may come along.

Best of luck, my dear!