Typewriter Tarot-Scopes: May 2024
By Claire Bowman
This month, I am so ready to feel the balm of Taurus season wash over me, in both its indulgent, Venusian pleasures, as well as its workhorse spirit of productive abundance. To that end, I want to advocate that anyone who feels resistance to the card I’ve pulled for your sign this month — please employ what I call a “mercy pull,” where you seek an additional card to help you work with the “difficult” card. I offer this idea because I love you, and I want you to feel so much sweet and sturdy support from your Tarot-Scope this month.
This is not to say that any of these cards are “bad” (that’s not a thing!) or that your initial pull holds any less truth or magic. But, in my own Tarot practice, drawing another card simply helps me honor and understand the energy of the first. We all need a little mercy from time to time. May your Taurus season feel sweet, supported, and abundant.
To feel into May a bit more, I’ve drawn three cards for the collective from The Shining Tribe Tarot, the iconic deck by Tarot scholar and teacher, Rachel Pollack. This is my first time using this deck, and already I feel its deep wisdom in the convergence of imagery from ancient mythologies, religions, and spiritual paths.
Here are our cards for May: 2 of Trees (Wands), 10 of Trees (Wands), and 4 of Birds (Swords).
When I pulled these cards, something instantly clicked. In them, I see a simple but profound message:
Envision, Trust, Restore.
2 of Trees, 10 of Trees, and 4 of Birds from The Shining Tribe Tarot.
In 2 of Trees (Wands), we find ourselves at a minor threshold. Peering out toward the future as if across a vast landscape, we might feel ourselves at the beginning of something, with nothing but time and wanderlust-driven exploration ahead. But, at this moment, no matter how restless we might feel to get going, it’s important to remain at the threshold, looking with a deep gaze that sees more than just the two wands right in front of us. In this card, we see the potential this moment holds in planting the seed for what might come next, feeling extra potent in our ability to envision the future. We do not dream idly, but, as we closely examine our visions, we mine them for evidence of our deepest needs, dreams, and desires. Grasping the wand at hand, we use it like a pole vault to launch us up toward our next small goal, in the direction of our dreams.
If this sounds tiring (or maybe it’s just me?) and you, too, are crash-landing into the month of May with just enough energy to get the laundry done and send that last email of the day, trust that you don’t have to do it all! This is the beauty of 10 of Trees (Wands). Its dispatch clues us in to the notion that perhaps there is a wand or two we’re lugging around that isn’t our responsibility to hold this month, giving us permission to delegate those extra tasks, or lay them down. In this particular iteration of the card, we see a sacred tree that seems to be made up of a community of ecstatic, green beings growing in harmony from strong roots. Perhaps this is our collective call to lean on each other more than usual this month, to acknowledge our shared experience as strange beings inhabiting bodies in this solar system, to feel just how connected we really are. Our responsibilities are shared, as are our lives, so how can we acknowledge, honor, and celebrate that this month? How can we trust in each other, trust in our ability to hold each other up, despite life’s challenges?
And finally, we are being offered a moment of mental restoration in 4 of Birds (Swords). The image in The Shining Tribe Tarot comes from a healing meditation performed by a woman recovering from a long illness. Supported by each element — the earth, which holds her body up, the fire of the sun beaming down on her, the pool of cooling water at her side, and the wind’s air, which the birds ride above — the figure on the card is experiencing a moment of rest during her journey up the mountain. Here, hard work and determination have already served their purpose, and the moment calls for us to take a pause, to be supported by and connected to the natural world around us as we relieve our mind of its daily burdens. So, be on the lookout for moments where you have the opportunity to restore your mind, even if it’s just five minutes in the middle of a busy schedule. Prioritizing this kind of rest will allow us access to deeper levels of healing and teach us how to turn down our mental static, which takes practice and patience.
May Tarot-Scopes
For each zodiac sign, I’ve pulled a card from The Shining Tribe Tarot to lend you a message of support, inspiration, and intention for the month of May. 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 includes an additional Tarot pull or creative prompt to help you further connect with your monthly message.
Place of Stones, Ace of Trees, and Justice from The Shining Tribe Tarot.
Taurus — Place of Stones (Page of Pentacles): Taurus — it’s your season, baby! And here to be your muse for all things earthy, tactile, and sensory is the sweet Page of Pentacles. Like the highest expression of Taurean energy, this page is about pleasure and hard work in equal measure, and this month you are tapping into your curious nature to enjoy the riches of both. In this pursuit, listening is key, so lean into practices that involve moments of quiet reflection, such as meditation, nature walks, or any other ritual that helps you feel into your body and take in its subtle (or maybe not so subtle!) messages. Once you receive a signal, however faint, it’s time to put in a little loving work, exploring the desires that arise. These desires will act as stepping stones on your journey of discovery, bringing you closer with each passing day to understanding what you’ve been put on this earth to do, create, love, and savor. The Page of Pentacles is here to be your companion and walk with you through the landscape where magic is practical, and where practical and creative matters are one and the same. For an additional creative prompt and Tarot pull: Imagine a place of devotion, made specifically with you in mind. It might be outdoors, like a garden, a cave, or a riverbank; or perhaps it’s a structure, like a great palace with a labyrinth of ornate rooms, or a small stone alcove perfectly outfitted for meditation. Take a moment to consider what shape this space might take for you. Now, imagine yourself entering this space, and finding there a wooden box. Tucked inside this box is a message. Draw a card from your Tarot deck to divine this message. What does it say?
Gemini — Ace of Trees (Wands): In most decks, we see the aces as an object being offered by a hand in the clouds, or manifesting out of thin air, like, “Here is this wand. Will you reach out and take it?” In this deck, we see that this ace is also a seed, and from it, great things can grow. This month, something has already been initiated for you, Gemini. Some new ember has been planted in you and begun to light your fire. Now, it’s time for you to fan the flames, and watch them grow. You’re being given the opportunity to embark on a new passion, course of action, creative pursuit, or even a pivot in the direction of your professional career — wherever you’re feeling the tendrils of flame beginning to rise up. The fertile roots of this growth are you — in the same way that our physical forms are made of stardust, your essential self will be woven through every action, every step you take toward this vision. Every creation grows from your innermost essence. This month, how do you feel called to express yourself in the world? For an additional creative prompt: On a clean sheet of paper, draw the outline of a large flame. Within the flame, write a list of actions you feel drawn to right now, whether they’re realistic or not. This list can fill the flame in any shape, with words and phrases spiraling, sparking, and exploding within, like a bonfire of language signifying what you desire in this moment and what your heart yearns to do. Make sure at least one “impossible” item makes it onto your list, something that feels implausible or out of reach, maybe even something that could never be achieved! (Leap to the moon, baby!) Allow each action verb to spark the next, growing from an ember into a great roaring bonfire of inspiration for your next adventure!
Cancer — Justice: An unbiased perspective is difficult for anyone to master. But this month, Cancer, you’ve got the powerful energy of the Justice card within your gaze, lending extra sharpness to your ability to see the adjustments, rectifications, and re-balancing acts required by each situation, no matter how small. Be on the lookout for ways you might be asked to step forward, speak up, or take action. How are you feeling called to give back this month? Where in your own life is there a rebalancing taking place, an adjustment to the scales of equity? Through the process, don’t forget to fill your own cup, Cancer. From a place of nourished centeredness, you can best see the imbalances — however minor — that are calling for your attention. And through the process, you might discover an essential nugget of truth about what you’re making of your life and its future possibilities, like a perfect stone placed to balance the scales. For an additional creative prompt and Tarot pull: Draw a card from your deck, asking “In what area of my life am I being asked to examine the scales of equity?” Take a few moments to sit with the card you draw, taking in its visual representations. Then, using a clean sheet of paper, jot down your impressions of what comes to mind when you look at this card, such as the possible ways it might be encouraging you to take action and give energy to the important adjustments that need to be made. Write for five minutes. When you’re done, read through and circle one item on this list that feels most accessible to you now, and make a goal to take the necessary steps to put your action in motion.
8 of Birds, 5 of Stones, and 8 of Stones from The Shining Tribe Tarot.
Leo — 8 of Birds (Swords): This month, Leo, you are aching to break out of the cage. Perhaps you’ve been feeling trapped in thought patterns that make you feel small, incapable of moving forward, or unable to see your way out of the maze. Birds fly above, symbolizing liberation, but you can’t see them with your eyes closed. The 8 of Birds appears to ask you some important questions, like: What limiting beliefs are holding you here? How is your perception of yourself or your situation making you feel stuck? The desire to recover a part of yourself that has been stripped away is coming forward, like a bird emerging from a dark cave. What would happen if you unlocked the door to this cave and set that bird free? How can you set your mind free? If you looked a bit beyond what's bothering you in this moment, what might you be able to glimpse in the distance? For an additional creative prompt: Write a list of eight things you feel are holding you back from where you want to be — emotionally, creatively, career-wise, in relationships, or any other area(s) of life where you might feel stuck. On another sheet of paper, draw eight doors (artistic ability is not important here, a simple rectangle shape will do!). Beneath each door, rephrase your setbacks as opportunities for growth, or as ways you already take great care of yourself, or are currently strong, empowered, and intuitive. For example, I might take the setback “I’m often immobilized by anxiety” and rephrase it as “I often take a step back from things to recenter myself.” Each phrase becomes a door that you need only to walk through.
Virgo — 5 of Stones (Pentacles): Virgo, you are no stranger to the quiet process of soul-searching. This month, as you work with the 5 of Pentacles, your inner quest for finding your own true, unorthodox path through life might feel isolating. This might fuel some cognitive dissonance among all the external flourishing indicators of Spring — birds migrating, fields of flowers, golden afternoons. But 5 of Pentacles doesn’t always foretell a feeling of winter scarcity; rather, it appears when we are recovering something vital within ourselves, like a fortitude that can bring us through anything and lead to healing. This May, 5 of Pentacles brings forth the question: What inner resource is being recovered and nourished, ready for you to lean on right now? For an additional Tarot pull: Consider employing a “mercy pull.” Pull an additional card(s) (removing 5 of Pentacles from your deck beforehand) and consider how the additional card(s) might address one or all of the following questions: How can I best receive the guidance of 5 of Pentacles this month? How is my trust in myself, or faith in my ability to take care of myself being tested? How am I being encouraged to maintain hope in the abundance of the future?
Libra — 8 of Stones (Pentacles): There is comfort to be found in 8 of Pentacles for you this month, Libra — the comfort of settling into a routine of concentration, focus, diligence, and craft. You are a potter, centering your clay on the wheel, again and again, as you form the vessel. You’re sitting in the orderly mess of creation. Embrace the paradoxes of creativity — the imagination brought into reality, the impossible and the possible, the inspiration and hard work. What are you creating this month? Whether it’s an art project or a new nightly routine to improve your sleep, notice if there’s anything else that’s created in the process, something unexpected that wasn’t part of the original plan. For, in each mundane task, there can be magic, transformation, and surprise, if we only devote ourselves to paying attention, without rushing the process. For an additional creative prompt: In the spirit of the celebrated Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, write a short ode to an everyday item in your life that holds meaning for you beyond its function (see “Ode to My Socks” in the link). If you feel more comfortable in a visual medium, perhaps make a simple doodle of the object. Tuck it away where you can’t see it, and write the ode (or draw the doodle) again the following day, from memory. Repeat at least three times (maybe even every day this month!), and when you’ve collected a handful of odes/doodles, bring them out to compare them. Are there any differences that surprise you? Do they, together, form a new concept or image of the object for you?
Speaker of Rivers, 9 of Birds, and Strength from The Shining Tribe Tarot.
Scorpio — Speaker of Rivers (King of Cups): This month, the moment is right for you to be courageously vulnerable, Scorpio. To speak freely your emotional truths, to lead by example in showing compassion and openness as a viable way of moving through life. Your protective instincts might feel triggered, for fear of showing your soft inner self to the sometimes harsh and critical world. But fear not — trust in your own ability to accept every part of yourself, a special skill you can now share with others. There is no limit to the good you can do with an open heart. But how can we really convey the swirling, inner world of water that flows through us, which often feels beyond language? The only way is through the imagination. So, this month, explore the ways that color, story, or song can bring you into community with others. Let your feelings speak through these mediums and bring vivid color to the canvas of everyday life. For an additional creative prompt: To accept your role as a leader in the realm of water (a “Speaker of Rivers”), write a short tale that offers healing when shared with others. Start by creating a simple hero, someone we can see ourselves in. What are their dreams as the tale begins? What difficulties are they met with? What gets them through? In the end, include a magical token that the hero now carries, one that has magical healing powers. Imagine that when the reader reaches this part of the story, they are touched by those powers, too.
Sagittarius — 9 of Birds (Swords): Perhaps you see this card and think, no thank you! Perhaps it makes perfect sense because it’s where you’ve been lately. Perhaps you dread the prospect of feeling this way, being overtaken by sharp thoughts that keep you awake at night. Regardless of what comes up, it’s important for you to reframe your idea about this card this month, Sagittarius. At the prompting of The Shining Tribe Tarot, instead of swords, imagine nine birds of mourning, taking flight. They can’t be buried or denied. They must be set free in order for you to be reborn through the dark night. This month, you must ritually release the birds to be witnessed in their flight, to be heard in their cries of grief. Experience their voyage from takeoff until they fade into specks on the horizon. Finally, you will feel that you are the one who has been set free. For an additional Tarot pull: Consider employing a “mercy pull” — pull an additional card (removing 9 of Swords from your deck beforehand) and reflect on how this second card might offer a response to the following questions: How can I best receive the guidance of 9 of Swords this month? In what way is 9 of Swords showing up for me as a card of liberation? How can I make room for my anxieties or fears, so that they have room to test their wings, and eventually fly?
Capricorn — Strength: Capricorn, this month you are working with all of the beloved parts of your animal self, allowing them to take up space in your life without trying to tame, shame, or change them. Courageously, you welcome the parts of you that feel most tender, the parts you’d least like to acknowledge — fear, shame, guilt, perfectionism, perhaps — discovering new ways to relate to them and make them feel loved. We bow to and honor the Capricorn instinct to hone the self into a sleek machine, as close to perfect as humanly possible. But you’re not perfect! And that’s okay, baby! The journey to self love is one that has no end, only beginnings. So, strive each day to begin anew, to learn something about who you are and how to care for yourself this month. What important discoveries can you make along the way if, at each turn, you greet yourself with radical compassion and love? Let that be your tree of life this month: compassion, love, and self-acceptance. For an additional creative prompt and Tarot pull: Draw a card from your shuffled deck, asking, “What part is showing up for me this month to welcome, listen to, and show compassion toward?” Sit with the card for a few moments, taking it in. Then, close your eyes for a short meditation. Imagine you are in a living room, one that feels familiar and comforting to you. There is a knock at the door, and in comes a figure who represents the card you drew as well as the part of yourself you’ll be working with this month. What do they look like? How do they act or seem to feel about being here? Invite them to sit down. Then ask, “How can I make you feel more comfortable?” Make a note of how this part wants to be treated. Keep the conversation going, and see how well you can get to know one another.
Place of Birds, The Tower, and Temperance from The Shining Tribe Tarot.
Aquarius — Place of Birds (Page of Swords): This month, you are stepping through a portal into a landscape of intellectual curiosity and philosophical ideas, learning how to communicate better by expressing and conversing in brand new ways. The Shining Tribe Tarot calls this card the Place of Birds, where you encounter the essence of the element of air, where you smell the mountain laurels and pines and feel the bright wind against your skin. This month, Aquarius, you might find more space opening up for you to lean into the extra analytical, visionary, and truth-seeking parts of your insatiably curious psyche. As your intellectual pursuits wander this space, your perception might shift, and you may gain some unexpected insight into your current situation, seeing it from the top down like a bird flying over the mountain range. Take in the view, and let your appetite for knowledge guide you this month. For an additional creative prompt and Tarot pull: From your shuffled deck, draw an additional card, asking: Where does my journey in the Place of Birds begin this month? Journal about the card you receive, noting where it seems to be directing you as a jumping off place and what area of life it might be suggesting as the cornerstone of your intellectual pursuits this month. In what way is this card asking you to forget about what you already know and approach your journey with a clean slate? What does this card say about the way you’ll be learning to communicate in your daily life? How might this card free you from grooved thought patterns that might be holding you back from getting curious?
Pisces — The Tower: Pisces, you might normally feel comfortable with fluidity, but this month The Tower is showing up as a guide to help you identify where you have pillars in place to hold you up, and where those pillars might need reconstruction. All reconstruction requires demolition, and, at this time, you’re being asked by the Universe to just go with it. Let the walls come down, because, really, what are walls anyway? Free-floating in the ether might not sound so bad, but know that the cycle of birth and death continues in all things for all time. Soon, you will feel this “demolition” grow into desire for a new kind of support as you move into a rebuilding phase. Take stock of what you say goodbye to this month, and prepare yourself for a massive dose of healing in the process. It can feel so good to let go. For an additional Tarot pull: Try a “mercy pull,” and select an additional card (removing The Tower from your deck beforehand). Consider how this second card might address the following questions: How can I best receive the guidance of The Tower this month? In what way is The Tower showing up for me as a card of transformation? How can I embrace change in my life right now?
Aries — Temperance: Aries, it comes as no surprise that you’ve got something BIG happening energetically this month. When Temperance appears, there tends to be something new and profound that enters our consciousness, something that shows us just how intrinsically connected to Spirit we are. So, what kind of magic is swirling around right now in this big, bright soul of yours, Aries? Tune into your inner landscape as often as you can, considering the ways you might be feeling radiant, powerful, or tuned into the current of divine energy flowing through you. As a natural innovator, how can you bring your spirit’s radiance into every balancing act of life this month? How can you avoid extremes and find the middle path, the one that helps you feel the most serenity and power in tandem? For an additional creative prompt: Use a little altar magic to connect with the energy of Temperance this month. Clear a small surface in your home in a space you’ll pass by every day. Here are a few suggestions for what to place on your Temperance altar: a cloth (purple, blue, or any color you associate with your spirit), the Temperance card, a candle, incense, stones (like amethyst, topaz, or emerald), large flowers, or any plant that makes you think of abundance. If you work with deities or spiritual traditions, add statues, images, or icons that feel supportive. Activating herbs and spices, like cloves, basil, mint, ginger. Any talisman that makes you feel connected to abundance, spirituality, or serenity. To work with the altar, light your candle and incense, and meditate. Journal about the insights that come to you during your meditation.
SUPPORT OUR BOOKSHOP
If you’d like to purchase The Shining Tribe Tarot featured in this post, we invite you to do so via this link, or other links in the post, which are hosted through our Bookshop.org affiliate page. This is our online bookshop, featuring decks and books to support your growth, inspiration, creativity, and magic — hosted through Bookshop.org, a company that directs revenue and other support to independent bookstores across the United States. When you purchase from our Bookshop.org affiliate shop, a portion of your purchase supports Typewriter Tarot as well, helping us continue and expand our work. In our bookshop, you’ll find curated collections on Tarot, creativity, psychology, social justice, ecology, and more — hundreds of books (and decks!) to bring more magic to your life and your library. If you choose to purchase from our shop, we thank you!
CREATIVE SUPPORT IN YOUR INBOX
If you’re a Creative Spirit — as we suspect you might be since you’re here! — we have a lovely gift for you when you sign up for our newsletter (an almost weekly love letter featuring creative rituals, inspiration, and personal essays on magic, Tarot, and creativity). This free gift is a fun, magical, reflective workbook that will guide you into new facets of your relationship with creativity. To receive yours, simply sign up for our newsletter down at the bottom of this page.
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.