Halloween Tarot - Tumblr Posts

I really need to do more daily tarot readings. Oh well.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Seasonal Divination: Halloween/Samhain

I do divination throughout the year. Occasional single-card draws to see how a day will go, three-card spreads to answer questions, spirit communication with all sorts of methods, readings for others... Divination of all sorts (particularly tarot) is a pillar of my practice.

For some holidays, though, I like to do extra divinations that are specific to that holiday. New Year's Eve and Day, the Equinoxes, Midsummer, and the day of the first snowfall are examples of days I mark with special divinations.

The biggest one for me, and for many witches, is Halloween. Like a lot of others, my practice was born (and reborn!) around this time of year. Something about the atmosphere and the changing season encourages introspection and connection to the realm of magic. Whether you believe in the thinning veil or not (personally, I'm dubious about it), there is an energy to the days surrounding Halloween that can't be denied.

In my practice, I don't do Samhain or consider this to be my new year. Rather, this is the turning point where the weather tips into cold. It's a time of anticipation. Preparations for the dark half of the year start at the Autumn Equinox, but they become more urgent and real around Halloween as we take in the last fruit and vegetable harvests of the year.

Halloween is a big day for spirit work for me. This is the day when I call on my spirits to give me guidance and advice -- whatever they want to say. I don't ask any questions. I just draw and interpret using a standard spread.

The Spread

You can technically use this at any time of year, but I recently redesigned this spread specifically for Halloween and spirit work purposes.

This is an eight-card spread intended to receive general advice and guidance from spirits. In particular, I'm looking for advice I either missed, ignored, or didn't understand previously.

The cards, in order, are:

Me (or the querent), one card (1)

Opportunities, two cards (2 & 3)

Areas of growth, two cards (4 & 5)

Obstacles or warnings, two cards, one to modify opportunities, one to modify growth (6 & 7)

Wild card, the certified "yell at me" card, intended to let my saucier spirits say whatever they want within the spread (8)

So, the spread ends up looking something like this:

Using the Spread

Often, even divination is pretty casual for me. But this, like other special holiday spreads, requires a bit more involvement. Note that it doesn't really matter what time of day this reading is done, but I typically do it after nightfall.

First, I light at least one candle. Several is ideal, but one will do in a pinch. I prefer to do this at an altar or in a space that's been set up specifically for spirits to visit and use. I'll set out an offering such as whisky, coffee, bread, or cookies for the spirits in return for their wisdom. Remember: Even if your relationship isn't purely transactional, it's respectful to give something in return for a spirit's efforts.

Next, select a deck. Any deck will do, but I prefer ones that my spirits are particularly attached to. For me, this is usually my Deviant Moon Tarot, which you can see pictured above.

Now, we shuffle. I like to shuffle for jumpers, but you can do it however you like best. If no jumpers pop out, that's usually a sign that there's no message for me right now, and I ought to try again later. But sometimes, I'll feel called to stop and draw or pick a card from somewhere random in the middle of the deck. It all depends on which spirit sets their influence in the moment. Set the cards down in order as they jump or are drawn.

Once all the cards are down, interpret as usual.

The self card represents me (or you, as the case may be). It's where I am right now in the moment, how I'm feeling, and my current status.

The two opportunity cards are just that -- opportunities. These are things coming up that I should take advantage of. They could pertain to relationships, money, or life in general.

The growth cards are more personal. These are areas of focus to improve myself and grow as a person. Whether it's in relationships, spirituality, self-love, or something else, these cards represent the path of development.

The obstacle cards correspond to the opportunities or growth areas they sit between, representing the things that stand in their way. They show possible conflicts, problems, and things that will prevent growth or opportunities from reaching me, or things that will prevent me from taking those opportunities.

The wild card is a bit different. This card is intended to be a sort of "free space" for the spirits to use to say whatever they want. It could have to do with literally anything. Often, this card ends up being a message I missed or misinterpreted at the time I originally saw it, redelivered with a bit of attitude.

Take notes on your observations. I write down everything, whether I think it's relevant or not. I'll also take a picture of the spread to paste into my digital grimoire. Everything speaks. This reading looks at the next several months. Every so often, I'll come back to these notes to see how accurate it was and draw on the wisdom offered.

Once your reading is complete, thank your spirits. Sit with them for a while before blowing out the candles (or snuffing them, whichever you prefer) and cleaning up the space.

I hope this spread is useful to you! If you enjoyed this post or use this spread, please consider dropping a tip in my tip jar. Every contribution helps me keep making posts like this!

Also, if you have time, please check out my Divination Theory Survey! I'm studying sentiments surrounding digital divination and the efficacy of digital divination tools (like shufflemancy, tarot apps, and the like). Every response helps the research!

Happy Halloween!