King of Cups

Element: Water

Imagery: A calm king seated on a throne surrounded by water.

General Themes: Emotional mastery, compassion, balance, wisdom.

The King of Cups Upright

Like the Queen of Cups, this card asks you to keep a cool head even as emotions run high. Notice the figure calmly sitting on a throne of stone. His seat reflects enduring stability, even when the emotional tide rushes in. The Queen of Cups wants you to embody your feelings and let them guide you on your journey. The King of Cups, however, wants you to regulate your emotions. Yes, still listen to them, but emotional regulation is key to this card.

This king wants you to likewise be firm with boundaries, especially with the situations or people causing any emotional overload. The first step to healthy emotional regulation is looking at the things that can trigger overwhelming sensations. This isn’t about being harsh in establishing boundaries, but about compassionately establishing energetic balance so that you can handle the ups and downs of life with minimal emotional upheaval.

The King of Cups Reversed

Ouch. This reversal comes when you’ve been keeping a tight lid on your emotions. Maybe you feel like you can’t express what you need to, you’re afraid to feel what you need to, or you’re numb and don’t know how to unfreeze your emotions. Maybe you feel like you need to be strong and not share what you’re feeling when others are down. That doesn’t help anyone.

Don’t be afraid to feel what you need to feel. Express what you need to. It isn’t healthy to keep things inside. At the same time, this doesn’t need to be a dramatic confrontation or emotional outburst. Express yourself, but don’t drown in your emotions. Notice how much smaller they feel once you’ve let them out.

Use these feelings to inform, guide, and heal yourself. They will tell you where you need to go if you listen to them in a healthy and balanced way.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

King of Wands

Element: Fire

Imagery: A confident king holding a wand, often with fire imagery.

General Themes: Vision, leadership, inspiration, bold action.

The King of Wands Upright

This is a lively card! It wants you to embrace your inner entrepreneur. Where do you see opportunity? Growth? Tremendous potential? Follow that passion. You have the vision and the fire to make things happen.

Like the Queen of Wands, the King of Wands is a charismatic figure, but his focus is more on the external world. He wants you to use your fire to create and innovate. While the queen embodies fiery wand energy, the king here directs it. Don’t waste time overthinking things—just go for it. The energy for your success is there if only you apply yourself.

His message is clear: Dream. Plan. Create. Repeat.

The King of Wands Reversed

The King of Wands reversed is more focused on your internal life. This card serves as a reminder that success happens when inner and outer worlds align. If you’re blocked, focus on your emotional well-being and tending your psychic landscape until you’ve worked through what you’ve needed to (which, truly, is always an ongoing process). As you heal, notice how your external reality reflects that.

Trust your own vision for things. It might not be the conventional road to success, but your innovative spirit will lead you to great achievements and prosperity. Most people don’t have the vision or the bandwidth to see the world the way you do—make sure you don’t try to diminish yourself to fit into their worldview. Your experience and imagination will take you far.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

King of Swords

Element: Air

Imagery: A stern king holding a sword upright.

General Themes: Clarity, truth, authority, intellect.

The King of Swords Upright

The King of Swords, like the Queen of Swords, represents a clear-minded figure who can cut through the riffraff. He wants you to approach situations in a methodical and thoughtful way. Think things through and don’t rush ahead or get carried away by your emotions. Your power is in your mental clarity here.

Seriously—don’t get swept away by flights of fancy or high emotions. Trust your intellect here and stick to concrete facts. If you’re feeling stuck, use your sharp mind to imagine a better solution or a new path. Remember, you are the authority here and have the power to determine the outcome of any given situation.

These more cerebral cards can often seem like they are unfeeling. In truth, the King of Swords, like the Queen, is always empathetic, making ethical choices using sound reasoning for the greater good.

The King of Swords Reversed

Reversed, this card points to self-doubt and a fear that you aren’t smart enough to tackle whatever it is you are facing. Take a breath, clear your head, and trust what your intellect is telling you.

Know your own mind and don’t let others undermine your clarity. The best way to do this is to remove distractions and focus on the tangible—specific details, relevant information—to get your bearings.

Sometimes this card, like its queenly counterpart, appears when you are being overly critical, bending facts to suit your purposes, or otherwise distorting your reading of a situation. This often happens when a complex is triggered or self-doubt sets in hard, which then makes it difficult to think clearly or see the world as it is. Find the source of the mental angst and the solution will follow.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

King of Pentacles

Element: Earth

Imagery: A wealthy king surrounded by symbols of abundance.

General Themes: Stability, success, leadership, grounded power.

The King of Pentacles Upright

This card signifies that you are at the height of your power. You are abundance embodied and have enough life experience under your belt that you know what will produce nourishment and prosperity—and what you want to walk away from. At this point, cultivating an abundance mindset is as much tending your proverbial assets as it is knowing what not to give your energy to. This king exercises healthy discernment without apology.

When the King of Pentacles appears, it often signals that you no longer have to struggle to get by. That might feel strange, given how long it has taken you to get here. But the presence of the king, here, suggests that this sense of stability is lasting. You are thriving!

The King of Pentacles Reversed

The reversal of the King of Pentacles asks you to redefine what success means to you. We all want the traditional markers of success: a stable income, personal growth, healthy relationships, and all that comes with an abundant life. Still, sometimes we need to step back and consider what is truly fulfilling to us, especially if we are feeling swept up in comparing ourselves to others. We all have different ways of embodying prosperity—find yours and be true to it. This card sometimes appears when we have to celebrate the quieter successful moments—the healing insight, the consistent self-care practice, the choice to keep growing—even when they are not something we can easily explain to others. Those are important parts of living an abundant life too.

Like its upright form, the reversal wants you to enjoy your hard-earned abundance. Specifically, it wants you to squash any feelings of guilt or impostor syndrome here. You have nothing to apologize for—you earned every proverbial penny!

The King of Pentacles reversed can also show up when it is time to work less and invest in your personal life more. You might have been more career-focused or giving a lot of time and energy to a specific project. Take this reversal as permission to redirect your energy to other parts of your life that need tending. You don’t have to work so hard to prove yourself anymore.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Queen of Cups

Element: Water

Imagery: A serene figure gazes into a decorated cup by the sea.

General Themes: Emotional depth, intuition, compassion, sensitivity, inner wisdom.

The Queen of Cups Upright

The Queen of Cups, like the King of Cups, teaches us how to be one with our emotions, not ruled by them. Notice the sea pooling around her and her throne firmly planted in the sand. This symbolizes the fact that emotions, like the waves lapping at her feet, come and go. She allows them to come, never suppressing the tide, but also never getting swallowed up in it. Her throne reflects the stability of her emotional maturity here.

This queen invites you to trust your intuitive gifts and your empathy for yourself and others. It’s easy to dismiss the power of emotions or relegate them to the sidelines when making decisions. In reality, however, our gut reactions can tell us a lot about a situation, which is why it is always important to honor that inner wisdom.

At the same time, you want to make sure you aren’t getting carried away by your emotions by cultivating healthy emotional boundaries. Remember, she feels everything and lets it wash over her, but she doesn’t drown in emotion. This includes not taking on other people’s heavy emotions. When you are more sensitive, it’s easy to absorb other people’s feelings, so this card welcomes empathy with a strong sense of compassionate limits.

The Queen of Cups Reversed

When this card appears reversed, it invites you to go inward and tend your inner life. You might have been giving too much of yourself, helping others process their emotions, or you might be struggling to process your own after something has shaken you up.

This card appears to remind you that you will find that sense of balance again—just give it time. Taking time out for self-care likewise can be a gentle way to reinforce healthy boundaries. It lets others know you don’t have unlimited energy and need your own time to recharge.

At the same time, the Queen of Cups reversed can come to you when you are avoiding feeling altogether. That’s not healthy, and she offers gentle support to let go, open up, and feel what you need to. If you don’t, your feelings will consume you. If you take her support and allow the wave of emotion to wash over you, it can heal you.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Queen of Wands

Element: Fire

Imagery: A confident figure sits with a wand and a sunflower, often with a black cat nearby.

General Themes: Confidence, charisma, creativity, courage, vibrant leadership.

The Queen of Wands Upright

Ahhhh…I love this card. If there were one card in the tarot deck that consistently speaks to me, it would be the Queen of Wands. She first came to me at the start of the pandemic, giving me hope and whimsy in an otherwise dark time. This queen wants you to fearlessly walk your own path. She certainly does, with her wand, host of sunflowers**,** and a canonical black cat at her side (I have two). 

She is all sunshine—the sunflowers—who isn’t afraid of the dark—that black cat, which is just another way of looking at befriending your shadow and what the rest of the world might call bad luck. Enjoy the things that make life magical. She is a figure who delights in whimsy and enchantments, often finding them in the ordinary.

The Queen of Wands invites you to cultivate optimism. It’s easy to go dark and see only the bad in people and situations…but there is always room for hope, growth, and understanding. This isn’t about sugar-coating legitimately toxic spaces or relationships, but rather, it’s a way of looking at the world that invites connection and a generosity of spirit that generates meaningful collaborations and relationships. She might walk her own path, but this queen is always admired and has many collaborators. She is a reminder that you can be your delightfully weird self and still feel part of things.

The Queen of Wands Reversed

This card often appears reversed when you need to reclaim your sense of self. Self-doubt has probably kicked in or you’ve gotten lost in conformity and groupthink. It’s okay to be your own unique self. Stop dimming your light to fit in.

This card calls you back to yourself. You don’t have to over-do it in order to relate to others or otherwise compare yourself to others. You can be whimsical and delightfully strange, like this queen, and still feel a part of things. Likewise, you don’t have to follow other people’s timelines, expectations, paths, or values. The Queen of Wands always goes her own way and never feels guilty about it.

To get back to yourself, step back from groups and enjoy some quiet time—you’ll be surprised at all the inspiration that will come flooding back when you do. Likewise, remember how hard you once had to work to find your sense of self. Why throw it away now? You should be celebrating your hard-won confidence.

And remember, whenever the Queen of Wands appears, she welcomes innovation, whimsy, and a unique way of going about life. So shake off self-doubt and apply your energies to imagining a more exciting way of going about life.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Queen of Swords

Element: Air

Imagery: A regal figure sits on a throne with a sword raised, clouds and wind around her.

General Themes: Clarity, truth, discernment, independence, intellectual strength.

The Queen of Swords Upright

This card is fiery, especially since the feminine is often considered more emotional or—dare I say it?—hysterical. The Queen of Swords is a figure of sharp wit and insight. She is known for her intellectual strength and discernment. She is a queen who knows her own mind, so when she appears, she wants you to trust your mental clarity. Sometimes, this card even appears when your intellectual instincts are being undermined to remind you to stay strong.

Act with clarity and compassion. This queen often has a reputation for being cold, cruel, or remote, but she is actually focused on the greater good. She evaluates things fairly and is often a type of warrior, seeking balance and justice in all things. She is also highly independent, not afraid to think differently than others, so she may appear to remind you not to get lost in the mindless collective.

At her best, this queen wants you to maintain healthy boundaries with gentle awareness. This isn’t a card that asks you to charge ahead into battle, as the Knight of Swords might, but to hold the boundary in your mind and let your inner awareness be the protection you need.

The Queen of Swords Reversed

Reversed, this card is a clear caution not to let self-doubt cloud your judgment. It can be like a slow-working poison and slowly distort your vision. Often, the best way forward when old wounds open is to look for the cause. Deal with that, and the self-doubt fades.

Trust your vision. Some readers see this reversal as the Queen being cruel or overly cold and cerebral. But, in my experience, she appears when you’re being rigid and judgmental with yourself—which tends to color the world around you. Don’t use your sharp mind to torture yourself. Instead, come up with bright ideas and big thoughts to help you through your current angst. Only then will your mental clarity return.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Queen of Pentacles

Element: Earth

Imagery: A nurturing figure seated on a throne in a lush garden, holding a pentacle.

General Themes: Grounded abundance, nurturing, practicality, stability, care for self and others.

The Queen of Pentacles Upright

This card has a lot of joy to it. It’s about female empowerment, regardless of your gender. Your inner feminine is prosperous and nourished. Sometimes referred to as the working mom card of the deck, the Queen of Pentacles is about knowing your worth and honoring the life experience and skills that brought you to this abundant paradise.

Enjoy tending your proverbial garden every day. As I always say when pentacles appear in a reading, abundance comes from hard work—manifestation is just another word for putting in the hours and focusing your energy on creating the life you want. It’s that simple, and that hard, which is why prosperity feels all the sweeter once you earn it.

This card is also about staying down to earth. Notice the queen in the card. She is regal, yes, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground, and her throne is made of stone. There is no rush here, only stability and fertility (notice the bunny in the corner of the card). Good things come from a steady hand and a sense of earned empowerment. Nothing has been handed to this queen, so she knows the value of honest labor. What’s more, she cares for herself and others, never feeling the need to hoard her wealth. When this card shows up in a reading, it’s a sign that you are capable of grounded abundance and might even be celebrating what your practical accomplishments have generated for you and yours.

The Queen of Pentacles Reversed

This queen gives out a lot—she cares for a whole kingdom! So when The Queen of Pentacles appears reversed, it is asking you to make sure you are investing in self-care as much as you are caring for others.

Likewise, focus on nourishing what you love. You are past the days of having to prove yourself or invest in things from the ground up. You can pick and choose where you put your energy, so apply yourself to where it matters most. This goes for people, too. Give your time and energy to the loved ones who make your world brighter. Everyone else is secondary.

Reversed, this card invites you to rein in your energy a bit and focus on nurturing your proverbial garden. No need to seek other pastures.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Knight of Pentacles

Element: Earth

Imagery: A knight sits steadily on a still horse, holding a pentacle while surveying fertile fields.

General Themes: Persistence, responsibility, steady progress, patience, dedication to long-term goals.

The Knight of Pentacles Upright

The Knight of Pentacles is the grounded presence of a responsible soul. This figure wants you to steadily work toward your goals with dedication and patience—not haste. Get used to slow but consistent progress. Embrace routine and savor the ordinary magic that comes from investing in your calling.

Real conjuring happens when you show up every day and do the work. It might not seem glamorous or exciting, but it’s where the real enchantment happens. Too often we look to big revelations or dramatic shifts to move forward in our lives, including professionally or financially. But the truth is, that only happens when we stay consistent. It’s like the Universe needs to know we’re willing to put in the work and not looking for quick fixes.

So, in short, invest in the process. That’s where magic happens.

The Knight of Pentacles Reversed

On the other hand, when this card appears reversed, it’s a reminder that perfection is overrated. Invest in the process, sure, but don’t go overboard trying to make everything perfect. Part of showing up, day in, day out, is knowing that things are never simple or flawless. This card often shows up when you are getting rigid in your thinking or practice. Loosen up! You don’t always have to be working in order to make progress.

Work steadily on your goals, but find new inspiration. You might be feeling stuck right now and could use an infusion of passion. Let go of your need to control everything and get back to a sense of play and exploration. What inspired you about this calling or project in the first place?

At the end of the day, inspiration and discipline are a winning pair.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Ten of Cups

Element: Water

Imagery: A family stands beneath a rainbow of ten cups.

General Themes: Emotional fulfillment, harmony, shared joy.

Ten of Cups Upright

Ahhh…what a lovely card. Harmony has been restored. Your relational life is abundant and joyful. What more could a person ask for?

The figures in the card look up at a rainbow that covers them, their home, and the land before them. This card calls you home. Family, however you define it, is where your focus should be. You’ve spent a tremendous amount of energy and time in the outer world (all that pentacle energy!), and now it’s time to ground that abundance in hearth and home.

This might be a time when you are more focused on your personal life rather than your professional one. For now, follow your bliss and contentment will blossom.

Lastly, although this card represents the close of a cycle, as all Tens do, we are always unfolding into a new chapter. Similarly, one part of our life might feel like it’s in the Tens while another is at the Aces or perhaps the Fives. That doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the shared joy of this moment. In fact, the more you lean into it, the more your relational cup will fill.

Ten of Cups Reversed

The reversal of this card is less romantic than its upright form. It asks you to enjoy certain relationships for what they are without unrealistic expectations. Knowing people’s limits or the limits of a specific situation can help you appreciate what there is to appreciate without expecting something people or the situation can’t give. This isn’t about normalizing toxic energies, to be clear, but recognizing that not all people need to be pulled close like family.

This card does, however, ask you to seek common ground to forge healthier connections. This is not a time to emphasize differences or instigate conflict. Nourish what is meaningful and generative and leave the rest. Healthy boundaries lead to a flourishing relational life. 

This is also a great card for exploring what love and healthy relationships mean to you.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Ten of Wands

Element: Fire

Imagery: A figure carries a heavy bundle of ten wands toward a town.

General Themes: Burden, responsibility, overload, hard-earned progress.

Ten of Wands Upright

The Ten of Wands upright invites you to release unnecessary burdens. Often, we take on responsibilities and labor that aren’t ours to carry. This is especially true for those of us who are in caretaker roles or empathetic professions. We get used to carrying more than we should and normalize the oppressive weight of it. That’s terrible!

This card asks you to really look at what you’re carrying and what you need to let go of. You don’t have to work as hard as you have in the past to bring something to fruition. You also aren’t responsible for other people’s baggage. Just because you have a lot of fire energy doesn’t mean you need to be giving it away.

Be strategic about where you spend your energy and allow yourself to refuel. It is not your responsibility to carry the weight of the world, or even ten wands, on your shoulders.

Ten of Wands Reversed

The reversal of this card reads much the same as its upright form, but with a lighter feeling. You still need to release unnecessary burdens here, but it’s not as hard for you to let them go. In fact, you feel downright energized!

The Ten of Wands reversed gives you permission to let go or ask for help. You don’t have to shoulder things on your own. Playing the martyr is never a good idea, so loosen your grip on things and get support if you need it.

See how light you feel? Move forward with that energy.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Ten of Swords

Element: Air

Imagery: A figure lies face down with ten swords in their back beneath a dark sky.

General Themes: Painful endings, betrayal, collapse, finality.

Ten of Swords Upright

Ouch. There’s no two ways about it. This is a brutal card. But as with all heavy cards in the tarot, the Ten of Swords paves a path toward healing if we’re willing to sit with the pain and listen to what it’s saying. Like the Nine of Swords, this card wants you to face your fears.

It might sound like hollow encouragement, but there’s no place to go but up when you get this card. You feel like you’ve hit rock bottom. You feel betrayed (literally stabbed in the back) by someone or by a situation. There’s no going back from this point. Your only way forward is to let things end, however painfully. Once you do that, there is hope—notice the sun rising in the distance.

You can’t fix what brought you to this terrible collapse, but you can understand it and take that wisdom into your next chapter. Look for new potential rather than fixating on the pain of the past.

Ten of Swords Reversed

Conversely, this card feels much more uplifting when it is reversed. Like its upright form, it asks you to leave pain in the past. Pick yourself up and move on—with the knowledge you’ve gained from this terrible situation.

This card, in many ways, is about having the courage to work toward a brighter future despite major setbacks and disappointments. What’s more, the reversal indicates that you are ready to move on, both mentally and emotionally.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Ten of Pentacles

Element: Earth

Imagery: A multigenerational family gathers in an archway filled with pentacles.

General Themes: Legacy, stability, wealth, long-term security.

Ten of Pentacles Upright

Wow! This is a joyful card, though we often don’t think of it in this light, given how grounded it is in sturdy structure. But it is full of abundance—pentacles everywhere—canine companions, family, and a Two of Cups–like union.

Here, abundance is the new normal. Get used to the joys of a full life, including material wealth and meaningful relationships. You’ve come full circle. Now is the time to lean into this next chapter of your life. The Ten of Pentacles reflects the maturation and stability that come with life experience and a desire to always be growing.

Your focus on building a solid foundation has paid off. Your journey from the Aces to the Tens represents the closing of a cycle. So your story isn’t just Ten here, it’s Ten, Nine, Eight…and so forth. Every second of your journey was integral to who you are today. You’ve achieved long-term security—enjoy it!

Ten of Pentacles Reversed

The reversal of the Ten of Pentacles invites you to rethink who you share your abundance with. Energy is everything—be mindful of who you let into your life. This isn’t about isolationist or misanthropic tendencies, but understanding that being open to life and healthy relationships doesn’t mean you have to be open to everything. Instead, cultivate meaningful connections and projects that resonate with your energy. This, in turn, affects everything, from finances to overall stability.

Sometimes this card appears reversed when we’re reluctant to let go of old connections or perspectives that no longer nourish us. They might have been meaningful to us at one point but now feel hollow or draining. This often happens when we’ve outgrown a space or situation and haven’t caught up to that fact yet. Don’t be afraid to embrace new connections—and the good fortune that follows. We often can’t grow professionally or personally unless, like trees, we’re willing to shed what no longer brings us life.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Nine of Cups

Element: Water

Imagery: A seated figure displays nine cups arranged behind them.

General Themes: Satisfaction, emotional fulfillment, gratitude.

Nine of Cups Upright

Unlike the Seven of Cups, which represents illusion and glamour, the Nine of Cups is about wishes coming true—if you put in the work. Here, a figure is seated and surrounded by nine upright cups. He is overflowing with abundance!

What’s more, the figure feels a deep gratitude for all of the proverbial wealth he’s accumulated. He doesn’t take anything for granted and likewise doesn’t hold back when it comes to celebrating his hard-earned prosperity.

Express gratitude for what you have. You’ve earned it.

Nine of Cups Reversed

Reversed, this card reminds us that happiness comes from within. All the wealth in the world won’t satisfy us if we’re drawing from an empty inner well. This is often considered the wish card, so ask yourself…are you wishing for the right thing? Will it ultimately bring you happiness?

When the Nine of Cups reversed appears, it invites you to redefine what success means to you. Sometimes, we get lost chasing external validation or accomplishments at the expense of our personal or internal lives. Remember, you can have abundance in all things, including your relational life.

The reversal can also caution against empty hedonism. Moderation in all things begets more abundance. Enjoy yourself, yes, but don’t get lost in self-medicating or the frivolous accumulation of goods. True abundance is in knowing when you have enough.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Nine of Wands

Element: Fire

Imagery: A wounded figure stands guarded, holding a wand with eight behind them.

General Themes: Resilience, persistence, boundaries, endurance.

Nine of Wands Upright

The figure in the Nine of Wands upright looks battered and bruised, but he’s still upright. This card wants you to hold your ground. You might not feel like you have the energy for it, but it’s important that you stay true to your mission.

Reinforce boundaries. Notice the ring of wands surrounding the figure. You are protected even if you feel low energy at the moment. Avoid giving out more than you have. Remember, protecting your energy is a form of magic. Resilience is key, as is learning from this hard lesson.

Nine of Wands Reversed

If the upright form of this card is about staying on guard, this reversal asks you to lower your defenses. You don’t always have to be looking for the next fight.

This is a great time to explore who you are outside of your warrior identity. What would it feel like to put down your wand and stand upright without fear? What would you do if you weren’t always scanning for threats? Let go of the need to fight for everything. Sometimes, the boundary is redirecting your energy to other, more life-affirming things.

Now is the time for rest, healing, and enjoyment. Resilience is important, yes, but so too is knowing when to stop fighting.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Nine of Swords

Element: Air

Imagery: A figure sits upright in bed, distressed, with nine swords hanging above.

General Themes: Anxiety, worry, mental anguish, overthinking.

Nine of Swords Upright

The Nine of Swords is one of those cards people dread getting. But this card isn’t the doom and gloom people think it is. It’s about facing your fears. The figure in the card sits upright in bed, as if awakening from a nightmare with a start. This is not a time to ignore the monster under the bed or the thing keeping you up at night.

In our effort to silence our fears, we only make them louder. Self-doubt works the same way. The more you feed it, even by suppressing it, the more you risk creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, wrap that rose-patterned blanket around you, take a breath, and face the scary thing you’ve been trying to ignore.

Here’s the thing…that nightmare? It’s a message, not a prophecy. If you shift your perspective from defending yourself against it and instead asking it what it wants you to hear, then the medicine will follow. So go on then. Make friends with the monster under the bed.

Nine of Swords Reversed

The Nine of Swords reversed ushers in good news. You’re coming out of a nightmare situation. Often, you’re leaving behind a toxic spiral that keeps you stuck in your head, manifesting your worst fears. This is the moment you choose not to feed those thoughts.

It’s not that you suppress them anymore, either. No, you brought them into the light, looked at them for what they were, and made the conscious choice to move on from the self-doubt and negativity that kept you stuck in the past. That’s no small thing.

Now, you are integrating this shadow medicine. Let sacred, simple pleasures heal your soul and show you the way forward.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Nine of Pentacles

Element: Earth

Imagery: A well-dressed figure stands in a lush garden with pentacles and a falcon.

General Themes: Self-sufficiency, refinement, independence, material comfort.

Nine of Pentacles Upright

This card is the embodiment of grounded joy and fulfillment. You are abundance incarnate! Enjoy the fruits of your labor—you’ve earned it. The Nine of Pentacles often appears when you have resolved the heavier issues of the Eights and have learned to celebrate the life you’ve built for yourself. Don’t shy away from fully embodying this stable and abundant phase of your life.

The figure in the card represents refinement, self-sufficiency, and empowerment. Notice the beautiful robe they wear. It is the epitome of luxury and refinement. The upright version of this card invites you to celebrate your hard-earned, luxurious lifestyle. Sometimes this card can come up when we’re feeling guilty for the abundance in our life and wondering if we deserve it. If you’re not quite at the stage of your life where material comfort seems achievable, this card appears to remind you that you have more than you think—and exuberant stability is within reach.

This card isn’t just about literal wealth. It’s about taking pride in your craft and knowing your worth. Gone are the days of having to prove yourself. You’ve arrived.

Nine of Pentacles Reversed

The reversal here enters your life when self-doubt and impostor syndrome sneak in. Ugly questions crop up like, “Do I really deserve all this? Did I earn this? Am I capable of conjuring all this?” These mental weeds have a nasty tendency to spread, so it’s important to address the underlying anxiety that caused these weeds to sprout in the first place.

Often, this card appears reversed when we are feeling isolated or wondering if we are all accomplishments and not much else. Other times, it speaks to your insecurity. From the outside looking in, it looks like you have it all together. On the inside, though? You’re wondering if this abundant life is something you can hold on to. You might be struggling to feel grounded or wondering if your life will flourish in other ways beyond finances.

Take a breath and look around. You’ve cultivated a beautiful paradise and have clothed yourself in luxury. If you can do that, you can make your next dream a reality. Reclaim your balance by saturating yourself in embodied joy.

In the end, the remedy here is the same as the upright card’s wisdom: enjoy the fruits of your labor. Know your worth and don’t get lost in things that make you feel small. Stay open and let the energy flow. You’ve got this.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Eight of Cups

Element: Water

Imagery: A cloaked figure walks away from stacked cups beneath a moon.

General Themes: Emotional departure, seeking deeper fulfillment, release.

Eight of Cups Upright

This is a heavier card because it demands a time of introspection. Where the Seven of Cups was about cutting through illusions in the outer world, especially in terms of the seemingly limitless options for your path, the Eight of Cups is about acknowledging what’s missing in your life.

In this card, a figure walks away from eight stacked cups. The second row of the cups shows a blank space. Clearly, something is missing. Here, it’s okay to mourn what you don’t have. The ache is a necessary part of growth. If you suppress it, you only feel the longing more deeply.

So it’s time to do a little soul-searching. This isn’t a card of dissatisfaction, like the Four of Cups. Rather, it’s about appreciating what you have, even as you long for more. You can feel whole where you are and still want that next part of your life to blossom. But you have to feel the longing deeply in order for that energy to move.

Explore new horizons, either literally in the life you create or metaphorically by sitting with the emotions you haven’t always let yourself feel. What do they tell you about your capacity for experiencing a full and vital life? Even these hard emotions are proof of our profound capacity for connection and expansiveness. The figure here moves on from the cups before him in search of what he’s missing. You should too.

Eight of Cups Reversed

This reversal hits hard. It’s time to give up lost causes and empty nourishment. Things that may have once nourished you no longer do, and that’s okay—to everything there is a season and all that. This card can also appear when you’ve been giving a lot of time and energy to a person or situation, only to realize that it will never be what you want it to be. The only solution is to stop giving it energy and see where the road takes you next.

This is an important time to explore what fulfillment means to you. It can mean various things to us at different times in our lives. We tend to fixate on external markers of fulfillment, like a job promotion or a new house, but internal ones are just as important. Think of waking up ready to greet the day or feeling connected to yourself and others throughout the day. Those are types of fulfillment too.

This isn’t a time for lots of social activity. Answers can be found in solitude, when you let yourself feel the hard stuff and then find a way forward. Remember, feelings are gifts: they tell us when we’re moving in the right direction and when we need to make adjustments to realign with a more vital path.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Eight of Wands

Element: Fire

Imagery: Eight wands fly swiftly through open sky.

General Themes: Rapid movement, communication, momentum.

Eight of Wands Upright

Wow! This card has a lot of juice to it. As the only card in the tarot without a human figure or part of a human figure, the Eight of Wands is pure energy. There’s no mistaking its meaning when it appears: seize the day!

Enjoy this influx of energy and don’t be afraid to make things happen. The universe is on your side right now. Don’t hold back and don’t be shy. Just go for it and trust that the momentum of these fiery wands will take you where you need to go.

Seriously, just get moving! The rest will follow.

Eight of Wands Reversed

Reversed, the message of this card is equally clear: slow down! You’re moving too fast. It’s important to get grounded before moving forward. In fact, rooting yourself in the present moment is the best way to move forward.

Like many of the Pentacles cards, the Eight of Wands reversed advises you to work steadily toward your goals. A strong foundation will lead to lasting results. There is still quite a bit of fire energy in this reversal. Only here, think of it as a hearth you tend rather than the wild energy of its upright form. Don’t burn too hot, or your energy will fade. Don’t burn too cold, or you’ll never achieve your goals. Just tend your proverbial hearth daily and appreciate how a steady presence can transform a situation.

This one reads great — energetic but grounded. The hearth metaphor is especially strong and ties nicely into your elemental framing. If you’d like, we can now polish Eight of Cups to complete the set.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!

Eight of Swords

Eight of Swords

Element: Air

Imagery: A blindfolded figure bound and surrounded by swords.

General Themes: Mental restriction, limiting beliefs, self-imposed barriers.

Eight of Swords Upright

This card reminds me of a saying a psychologist friend once told me when it comes to dealing with certain things: the good news is that it’s all in your head. The bad news is that it’s all in your head. The figure in the card is surrounded by swords…and yet she can easily escape her prison if she just takes off the blindfold and sees the opening before her and a sanctuary in the distance. The Eight of Swords begs you not to let fear trap you.

You have more agency than you think. Take a breath and locate the origin of your fear. You might be feeling trapped in your head or cycling through old trauma loops. Figure out what triggered the sensation and then proceed from there. Once you know what is causing the panic, it’s easier to map a way forward.

Don’t let what’s going on in your head keep you trapped in negative cycles. Give yourself permission to let go of old scripts and move past the mental block you’ve created. As with many cards in the tarot, this one reminds you that a fresh perspective is key to moving forward.

Eight of Swords Reversed

This reversal echoes the Seven of Swords reversed, in that you want to look for unexpected solutions to your problems. You’re feeling trapped, which is why your vision feels narrow and your options limited.

Part of the problem when this card appears is that your inner critic is louder than the expansive, playful voice that can get you out of this mess. Get out of your head—and your own way! Remember that the critic only appears when self-doubt flares up, and it only strengthens when you feed that voice. So turn your gaze toward a meaningful solution, even something as simple as allowing yourself to move out of the ring of swords.

We can hold on to outmoded beliefs because they are familiar and feel safe. Dare to liberate yourself through a change in perspective.

The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.

If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!