By Claire Bowman

It’s February, and the year feels like it’s really beginning to unfurl. We’re a month in, and all our hopes, plans, and moon-eyed visions for the new year might be hitting a groove, but — and this is where I find myself right now — they might not be. And that’s okay.

Perhaps your goals still feel far away, or maybe your body, mind, and soul aren’t quite aligned into progress mode just yet. Perhaps there are a few goals you haven’t looked at since jotting them down, or maybe, like me, you’ve been focusing your attention on only the most necessary, immediate tasks, and doing so with as much slow gentleness as possible (a beautiful goal unto itself!).

Wherever you find yourself, I congratulate you on making it this far, for sticking with this life thing, whatever your speed, whatever your mode of transportation.

Maybe February is the month you bust out those roller blades? Maybe this is the time to start writing those Gossip Girl poems you’ve always dreamed of? Maybe you’re good right where you are, snuggled beneath that weighted blanket.

Just know that whatever your capacity is right now: it’s enough.

Let’s make a pact to meet ourselves where we are today, with compassion and an open mind. However we choose to cruise through the month, let’s make it playful, intentional, and courageous, even when we’re standing still.

To feel into February a bit more, I’ve drawn three cards for the collective from the Rainbow Tarot Deck by artist So Lazo. The message I received from the cards was:

Devote yourself to labors of love, even as you revel in the mysteries of life.

Here are our cards for February…

Eight of Pentacles, Four of Cups, and Seven of Cups from the Rainbow Tarot by So Lazo.

Eight of Pentacles invites us to develop our skill set, refining our craftsmanship through consistency and practice. But this month, it’s not about the quantity of things you can get done (more about that in our next two cards!); it’s about the quality of the time you spend devoting yourself to the task or project at hand.

Don’t worry about feeling stuck in a rut — no matter how many times you paint the same mountain, it will look different every time. Georgia O’Keefe said, “God told me if I painted that mountain enough, he’d give it to me.” She painted the same mountain over and over with something like obsession, but I prefer to call it devotion.

What work is calling for your devotion right now?

Walking into February, there may still be plenty of uncertainty about this year. Eight of Pentacles is here to guide us toward finding value and meaning in the work at hand. Grasp the tool in front of you and devote yourself to learning how to better use it.

This is an 8 year, baby! (2 + 0 + 2 + 4 = 8, an idea developed by Tarot author Mary K. Greer). Here’s an eight showing up to impart some wisdom, asking: What skill are you most yearning to develop? What artform do you want to draw closer to? How can you maintain a practice day after day this month? How can you make the same task new each time? Can you learn something new about yourself by making your labor one of love?

Four of Cups reminds us that we are allowed to sit with our options for a time, not making a decision, just contemplating. Enter the Universe, giving you permission to say no to the bullshit. No to the pressure to figure out your whole life at the start of the new year! No to the toxic notion that doing more is better! No to the cup being offered, if we already have enough to work with, think about, and process at the moment.

Perhaps we feel emotionally restless, anxious to find the right path to follow this year. Perhaps when met with Eight of Pentacles, we feel resistance to the monotony of such devotion, preferring something newer and more glamorous to shake up our lives. But if we take a pause, we open up to possibility. Who knows what else might be waiting for us!

Seven of Cups helps us befriend the mysteries of uncertainty and tend to ourselves through the process.

The curios in the clouds have no hierarchy; there is no one cup that rises above the rest in beauty or value. So how do you know which one to choose? Again, you are not bidden to choose, but to simply be with the mysteries of the unknown, and hopefully find beauty in the endless possibilities there.

The sweet mysteries call to you. “Negative capability,” Keats wrote, is when we are able to exist with “uncertainties, mysteries, doubts without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” This card is our gentle invitation to call upon our “negative capability.”

This month, we learn by grabbing our pen, our paintbrush, our guitar pick, our potter’s wheel, our hammer — and moving through mystery by committing ourselves to the work we cherish most.

Though we are being called into devotion, being faithful to our daily practice, we’re also being told that there is no rush. Our goal this month is to work at a pace that feels supportive to our internal landscape, to pause often, and find our way through the liminal space of this month one step at a time.

Want to know more about your personal brand of magic? For a more personalized reading, check out your February Tarot-Scope below!

February Tarot-Scopes

For each zodiac sign, I’ve pulled a card from the Rainbow Tarot by So Lazo to give you a message of support, inspiration, and intention for the month of February. Feel free to read the Tarot-Scope for your sun, moon, and rising signs, or go with the one that resonates most for you. Each Tarot-Scope provides an additional Tarot pull or creative prompt to help you further connect with your monthly message.

Nine of Cups, Two of Pentacles, and La Lune (The Moon) from the Rainbow Tarot by So Lazo.

Aquarius — Nine of Cups: You have found success in many ways; you are well-connected to the satisfaction of getting a job done, and the pride that follows. But here, there are many feelings mixed together, and it can be difficult to know what to latch onto when your life feels so full. Is this life everything you hoped for? Survey the vessels before you, those you have crafted, collected, earned, and come to know as your own. When our imposter syndrome kicks in, it can be difficult to hope for more. That feeling of satisfaction might be eluding you, but the Nine of Cups is here to tell you that yes! you can be grateful for all you have while still striving to find the vessel that feels best in your hands. This month, you can muster the courage to hope, to wish, to dream. For an additional creative prompt: Try this Nine of Cups meditation: set a timer for at least nine minutes. Close your eyes, and settle into a comfortable seat. Begin by bringing to mind things that you’re proud of, acknowledging them one by one. Next, do the same exercise with things you’re grateful for, blessing each one with a deep exhale of thanks as it passes through your mind. Last, let your heart explore any areas of deep longing that might be lingering, and call to mind your dreams for the future. Give them space, let them come into the light to be seen. To close, take a deep breath into these hopes, letting them know they are welcome and will be honored.

Pisces — Two of Pentacles: Pisces, you are a natural when it comes to states of flux. But as we approach the watery moonscape of your season, Two of Pentacles invites you to tap into your powers of balance and devotion. True balance isn’t about controlling every circumstance (a fool’s errand!). Lucky for you, it’s a dance. As you move in tandem with the rhythms of life this month, you might feel connected to the eternal life force through the smallest, physical acts — lighting a candle, finishing the laundry, planting bulbs, opening the windows to listen to the rain. You only have so much energy to spend each day, only so much room in your life, so how can you prioritize what makes you feel rooted, stable, and inspired? Since you can’t hold it all, what feels like it most belongs in your hands right now? Let your senses guide you through this month as you balance your own natural flowstate with the minutiae of life’s tasks, learning the art of balance. For an additional creative prompt: Think of two areas in your life that are asking for a lot of your attention right now. For example, your mental health journey and a writing project, both vying for your time. Imagine each of them as a person, sitting across a diner table, sipping coffee, discussing their relationship. In your journal, write a conversation between these two beings. You might begin by having one of them ask the other a question, like, “Why are you so needy lately?” or “Why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Let the conversation unfold, working toward a mutual understanding. How can these two become closer friends?

Aries — La Lune (The Moon): Aries, you’re a trailblazer, but it’s difficult to trailblaze through the fog! This month, your desire for exploration is leading you through a mist-filled forest where the known becomes strange. The Moon is here to direct your probing mind inward, inviting you to spend time with your inner voice, to sink into the quieter moments of your days, to allow your subconscious thoughts to be your realm of exploration and expression. Are there any discomforts, anxieties, or fears that pop up when you spend time alone with your thoughts? Grab a journal and let those feelings have their say, too. The voices of all your emotions are welcome in the space of The Moon, which plumbs the depths of your subconscious. This month, give them space to breathe. For an additional creative prompt: Grab your journal and set a timer for eight minutes of freewriting. Try not to let your pen leave the page, writing any words that come to mind in order to keep language flowing through you, even if you feel like you’ve run out of things to say. When you’re drawing a blank, keep the words coming, even if only to say, “I don’t know what to write and I wish this exercise was over!” This is often the moment when The Moon peeks out, the thought beneath the thought surfacing. Read through what you’ve written afterward, and see if there’s anything there that surprises you.

Ten of Cups, Two of Cups, and Le Chariot from the Rainbow Tarot by So Lazo.

Taurus — Ten of Cups: Your heart might feel especially full this month, Taurus! And you are invited to take in the full spectrum of feelings, letting all the hues wash over you. Maybe it’s time for a nice cry? More likely, you’ll be accessing that sought-after feeling of true joy and contentment this month, especially through acts of giving and receiving. If you start to feel overwhelmed, try exploring what happens if you let your emotions wash through you for a moment. Can you find new ways to share your big feelings with a trusted partner or friend? How else can you stop and savor the little moments of everyday bliss? How can you commemorate them, treasure them, and absorb them into your being? For an additional creative prompt: Try bringing a little journal with you everywhere you go this month, perhaps one especially dedicated to jotting down moments of beauty. Every day, take a moment (maybe set a recurring daily alarm to remind you) to jot down something you found captivating, enjoyable, or surprising. Notice what small things can bring moments of joy, and how they weave in and out of your days amidst all the other feelings. At the end of the month, you’ll have a record of the beauty you experienced, something to reflect on and perhaps keep noticing as the year turns.

Gemini — Two of Cups: You are in your element this month, Gemini! With a focus on relationships, you’re being invited to strengthen the ties that bind you with another, or perhaps the disparate parts of yourself that are coming together in new and meaningful ways. We may be different from one another, but even The Fool and The High Priestess share some elemental kinship in the depths of their souls. “The same river that flows in you also flows in me,” wrote the Indian mystic poet Kabir. Share a pot of tea with yourself, let those loose thoughts pour out in conversation with the friend whose company you most want to share right now. This is not a month to isolate, so reach out! You’ll probably find that the person or part of Self you make a connection with has been longing for it, too. For an additional creative prompt: Write messages of encouragement and friendship to yourself on sticky notes, and place them around the house, or in a place you’ll see them every day. If this feels too cheesy, make them strange, creating an inside joke with yourself that makes you laugh every time. To go further, handwrite a note to a friend this month, near or far, and let them know what you like about them, how they make you feel seen, and what they mean to you.

Cancer — Le Chariot: The cards and the stars are trying to get your attention, Cancer! The Chariot is the Tarot card that rules your sign, so this month, you’re going on a miniature journey of self-exploration. But, with The Chariot’s jetsetter energy, this work might not be internal! You’re out in the world! And that is where you find your essential self matures, becomes wiser, and at the same time, more willing to change. For that is the essence of Chariot work — when the outer shell of the Self starts to flake away, and we start to don something brand new. Maybe, in small ways, you’ll step into a different Chariot this month, a different way of moving about in the world. (Roller skates! Helicopter ride! Sensory deprivation tank!) For an additional creative prompt: This month, try an activity that you’ve never done but have wanted to try! It can be as simple as a trip to the new restaurant in your neighborhood, watching an old film you’ve never seen, or taking a class at the local dance studio. What does the new version of yourself who’s beginning to emerge desire to experience? How can a new experience, however small, help you kick off a new Chariot phase in your life?

Seven of Swords, Ace of Swords, and Nine of Wands from the Rainbow Tarot by So Lazo.

Leo — Seven of Swords: You might be the master of listening to your heart, but your mind is powerful this month, Leo — lit up from within by plans, strategies, and ideas for the future. There’s no harm in subverting the expectations that have been set for you — it’s not always possible to be carefree and improvisational. Right now, you might feel motivated to hoard, to obsess over every detail of your plans, to safeguard your security for the future. But if you find yourself feeling trapped in your psyche, or entertaining too many worries that there will never be enough, just remember: you possess all the tools you need to create a vibrant life. There’s nothing wrong with getting caught up in the rush of thoughts that are coming through right now, but if they ever feel too burdensome, ask yourself: what worry am I carrying that doesn’t belong to me? And then, set it down. For an additional creative prompt: Make friends with the thoughts that are channeling through you this month. Create a vision board — old-school cut and paste collage, or digital, like a Pinterest board — and gather up the images that feel most resonant with your thoughts right now. (Even the dark thoughts get space here!) Each scrap of colored paper, each cut and paste that represents where you are right now, gets a space on the vision board today. But just remember that these are temporary. Treat each one with compassion, knowing that next month, the vision board of your psyche might look completely different.

Virgo — Ace of Swords: This month, you move at the pace of your own intuition, Virgo. The Ace is a gift, a seed, an open door, and it’s difficult to predict just how and when it might present itself to you, so stay open-minded and curious about potential opportunities to think radically, in brand new ways. There may be an epiphany on its way, a sudden moment of clarity. Or perhaps an old, familiar thought pattern has undergone a massive deconstruction, and you’re starting over with an open mind. What’s most important is that you stay aligned with your ability to see the truth, and in that truth, you recognize your own power. For an additional creative prompt and Tarot pull: In order to stay attuned to your intuition, perhaps this is the month to start a daily practice with your Tarot deck. At the start of each day, take a moment to close your eyes and tune into your interior space, listening for what might be speaking there below the surface. As you shuffle your deck, ask the cards: What do I most need to see, know, or pay attention to right now? The card that arrives is your intuitive card for the day, so keep an eye out for how its messages and imagery show up for you. You can place each day’s card on your altar for 24 hours, or take a picture of it and set it as the background on your phone, so that each time you see it, you’re reinforcing your connection to your intuition.

Libra — Nine of Wands: Nine of Wands is here to bear witness and guide you through a period of persistence, even when you might be feeling a little battle-worn, Libra. This card meets you where you are, making space for each wand you carry — your to-do lists, your daily efforts, your deepest passions, your creative ideas, your scars, your desires. With all this fire, it’s no wonder you feel burnt out sometimes. Do you feel like you’re pushing just to get through the day? Sit for a moment and take stock. There is quiet, candlelit wisdom in this card: don’t lose faith. For all your effort, there will be a huge reward, and many smaller rewards along the way, including this moment of reflection, of tending to the places that feel tired, overworked, burnt out. Take a moment to breathe, and congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come before getting back in the ring. For an additional creative prompt: Write a list of challenges you’ve been facing recently, or perhaps over a longer period of time. No wrong answers — these can be related to the difficulties of your daily grind, or deeper issues you’ve faced. Once you have nine items on your list, take a moment to meditate on each one, and how your relationship to that difficulty has changed over time. Next to each challenge, write down one way in which you’ve risen to meet that challenge, or shown resilience in the face of it, even if it’s just the persistence of still being here, in the middle of it. Meditate on these answers, and take a moment to recognize how far you’ve come.

La Maison Diev (The Tower), Eight of Wands, and Nine of Swords from the Rainbow Tarot by So Lazo.

Scorpio — La Maison Diev (The Tower): This month, you may start to smell smoke, Scorpio. The Tower radiates huge energy, but it can show up for us in small ways. Always, it’s about seeing clearly the “towers” in our lives that are no longer supporting us, recognizing what has to be destroyed so something more aligned and sustainable can be rebuilt. Maybe something has caught fire, or maybe it’s just a candle that’s been blown out. It’s not always something big like a relationship or a job — sometimes the tower lives inside: a belief, a fear, a limitation that’s been lit on fire by the Universe — the ultimate sign that it’s time to let it go. Burn, baby, burn! We don’t come out of a Tower season the same way we went in, so how can you embrace radical change this month, even in the smallest of ways? For an additional creative prompt: Settle into a quiet space to meditate on The Tower, perhaps lighting a candle or some incense to invoke the card’s cleansing fire / smoke energy. Close your eyes, and imagine an open field where people are working to construct a large tower. See it rise up brick by brick. Then, imagine its life cycle, the turning of the sun and the moon, days passing as people walk in and out of the front doors. See the weather wear the paint thin, chip away at the brick. Jump ahead in time, and now it’s crumbling, abandoned — the tower has served its purpose. The time has come to bring it down. Imagine you are tasked with bringing it down the same way it went up, piece by piece. Take a moment to say thank you to each brick, stone, shard of window as you remove them, revealing once again the open field.

Sagittarius — Eight of Wands: Your best laid plans have been set into motion this month, Sagittarius. Movement! Action! Progress! Change! Let’s go! You might feel accelerated this month, the new year finally gaining momentum as your body and mind come together to light the fuse. But even if things don’t move at the speed you’re ready for, can you stay in tune with the direction, the goal you’re striving for? Each step is important, so don’t rush it. Let the ebb and flow of work and rest find an aligned harmony as you harness the fiery energy you’re known for. The pieces will fall into place in a satisfying way if you tend to each one with care and attention, without rushing toward the finish line. Take pleasure in the work, and you’ll hit your stride. For an additional creative prompt: Write a scene in which a character is working to complete a task. Witness them carry out each step. If they’re baking a pie, follow them from the pantry to the fridge, documenting each step as they go, the way the butter feels between their fingers, the cold ice water splashing into the dough. As your character completes each step in their task, let them take their sweet time, writing the scene from a place of embodied perception.

Capricorn — Nine of Swords: When Nine of Swords comes up, it’s easy to feel anxious about what it might portend. But this month, you’re being invited to hold yourself close as you learn to caretake your psyche, especially when it becomes activated by what-ifs and worst-case scenarios. You might want to move away from these thoughts and keep trudging up the mountain, but Nine of Swords asks you to resist, for each sharp thought is also a tool with which you can carve out space for more of yourself to be here without judgment. Do you feel haunted at times? Make space for the ghost. There’s something to be learned this month that you can take with you through the rest of your life, if you let it come through: hold the sharper parts of yourself unconditionally. Every weapon becomes a tool if you wield it differently. Let your heart wander through dark places, make friends with the creatures and visions you find there. For an additional creative prompt and Tarot pull: In your journal, start a conversation with the worry ghost that’s visiting your psyche. Ask it questions: “Why are you visiting me tonight?” “What wisdom do you have to share with me?” “How can I better hold myself in this moment?” Perhaps pull a card for each answer, or perhaps just let the answers flow directly from you to the page. Shine a light on the ghost, and it might feel a little less scary.

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ABOUT CLAIRE BOWMAN

Claire Bowman is a writer, editor, and Tarot reader living in Austin, Texas. A Sagittarius with a deep love for poetry, she is always up for long conversations about jellyfish, poems that shake you to your core, or the shape-shifting nature of consciousness.

Typewriter Tarot-Scopes: February 2024