Soul purpose spread - helping you to find your path
StartFragmentI wanted to share this spread I've put together to help you if you're looking for clarity on your purpose and path. It brings together different elements of spreads I've used before, and I think this is a really simple yet effective spread. EndFragment
I recommend taking some time when you shuffle/fan out the cards to really think or meditate on what it is you are hoping to discover by digging deeper into this area - the clearer you are on what exactly you are hoping to hone in on, the better and more useful answers you will find when you draw your cards (that has certainly been my experience, anyway!).
To help you if you're new to reading Tarot for yourself, I've included my own interpretation of a recent reading I did using this spread for myself. If you try it out too, please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you.
My interpretation
1. What aspect of my soul am I already embodying?
I drew the 9 of Pentacles reversed.
2. What part of my soul can I work on expressing more fully?
I drew the 6 of Swords reversed.
3. How can I create more alignment between me and my soul?
I drew the Devil.
4. What is my soul purpose?
I drew the 5 of Wands.
5. What can I do to help me bring my soul purpose into everyday life?
I drew the 10 cups reversed.
9 of Pentacles is still a fairly positive card relating to abundance and all aspects of wealth, even when it’s reversed. Its reversal here likely indicates that I need to be careful not to put so much of my focus on work and attaining my goals that other areas of my life suffer as a result. The 9 of Pentacles reversed can also indicate a desire for greater luxury and abundance which is being impeded by some kind of blockage – perhaps feelings of doubt around and worries about not being ‘worthy’ of so much success and luxury? This theme ties in very well with the work I have been doing on my Tarot card reading and coaching for sensitive people – and the 9 of pentacles reversed is a welcome reminder not to overdo it (striving for that elusive work-life balance) and also not to block my own success by not believing I truly deserve it.
The reversed 6 of Swords came up as the aspect my soul wants me to express now. I would often associate the reversed 6 of Swords as difficulty or hesitancy about moving on from the past and letting go, and there may be an element of this here, but I think actually this is relating more to communication. I’ve always kept the number of people in my day-to-day life who know about my Tarot card reading and the fact that I’m an empath small (mainly due to fears about how I would be judged if I was more open - I even wrote a blog post about this, called Coming out of the Tarot closet). Anyway, the associations of communication and the suit of swords, and the number 6 often being related to harmony, co-operation, and even sacrificing for others, seem to ring quite true to my current situation.
What I mean by that is, I have probably over the past year been feeling more and more that I can’t hide who I am anymore, even if I do want to get along with everyone and I don’t want to hurt people or push them away – I simply can’t deny who I truly am and I can’t keep hiding it away. I need to express who I am fully, and I think this is exactly what the 6 of Swords reversed is highlighting here. Not being afraid to speak my truth and communicate my thoughts and feelings honestly – even if others may not like what I have to say (although I can still be compassionate in the way I speak my truth, of course! No need to hurt people unnecessarily).
Looking at the position for how can I create more alignment with my soul, I drew the Devil, which is not only one of the cards which freaks everyone out, but also it’s a Major Arcana – considering it’s the only Major that came up for me in this spread, this suggests that this is a really important area for me at the moment. I think this card can hold a dual meaning in this position – on the one hand, to be a bit selfish, focus on myself and my own self-improvement and not worry about others too much, as this will help me come into fuller alignment with my own purpose – there’s no point looking to others or worrying about how others may feel – it’s my journey, and that means I need to take responsibility. If I want to create more alignment with my soul, it's up to me.
Sometimes, the Devil can appear to encourage us to explore the darker aspects of ourselves, our ‘shadow side’, to take out all the bits of ourselves we usually hide away or feel ashamed of, and work on integrating these into our own perception of self so we can be more balanced and whole. This is something I have been working on and I can definitely see how there is more room for me to grow and develop in this area. On the lighter side, the Devil can also act as a reminder to loosen up and have a bit of fun once in a while! I think all of these interpretations apply to my current situation, and I think this is some really strong advice from the Tarot on a few different areas I can keep working on to help me achieve greater alignment with my soul.
Moving on to the position indicating my soul purpose, and here I have the 5 of Wands. This made me laugh when I drew it initially, as I was thinking the Tarot wants to tell me my soul’s purpose is to stir things up, bring in new creative energy and potentially even to create conflict and competition, as a way of engendering change. It's funny how the cards can be really direct sometimes, as this is certainly an energy I recognise in myself and can relate to (and indeed, it did cause me a lot of conflict, particularly before I had much understanding of how my energy affected others). There’s an almost catalytic quality to this card which I have to say I do find myself resonating with quite strongly. Combined with the suit of Wands, which are all about our creativity, our passion, our fire and drive, the 5 indicates change, and sometimes also opposing energies struggling against one another.
To me this indicates that change will be a really key part of my soul purpose - I see this card as affirmation that I can be a catalyst for change, but only if I am able to integrate all sides of myself and balance the opposing energies within me to create harmony where once there was conflict and competition. This is a fiery, masculine, passionate energy, and I need to make sure I am incorporating this with my natural, feminine 'watery' qualities (I am a Pisces, after all!).
More broadly, this card can speak to feelings of repression (not being able to express myself fully, things I care about not being appreciated or seen as 'stupid' or 'naive' by society) and inner conflict – I see this as encouragement to follow my passions, even if makes others uncomfortable. There's an element of standing up for your beliefs and not backing down with this card – it all echoes the messages from the 6 of Swords – that I’m needing to step out and be honest about who I am, even though I know some people are not going to like it. But if it’s what I really believe in, I shouldn’t be afraid to stand my ground and stand up for my beliefs.
Then there is the theme of power that comes with this card, and finding the right balance between not giving too much of our own power away, whilst also not dominating over everyone else. This is something I have been learning probably my entire life, so it makes total sense that it would be represented by the 5 of Wands here – part of my purpose in this life is to learn how to balance both staying in my own power and not giving it away to others, but also not dominating over them either. This is emphasised by the 5 of Wands and the Devil (numbered 15) showing up in the same reading, indicating that this is another area I need to be very aware of - the 5's representing change and power as key energies that will help me to align with my purpose and the learn lessons that I am here to learn.
Finally, on how can I bring more of my soul purpose into my everyday life, I drew the 10 of Cups reversed. Ouch, did this one hurt a bit when I first drew it! Funny how the cards can be brutal sometimes. The 10 of Cups is all about happy, harmonious relationships and family life. Reversed, and in an advice position no less, I think this card is telling me not to expect too much support from my family here, which I feel is accurate to my actual situation. Not because my family don't care about me or want to be supportive - but when you're bringing in powerful, catalytic change (5 of Wands) that pushes you to speak your truth from a place of authenticity (6 of Swords) and not to allow others' opinions or your own fears to hold you back (the Devil), you can see how this might upset the calm, happy and harmonious home life that my family has worked hard to build - turning that 10 of Cups upside down. So I will need to maintain my self-confidence and belief in myself, if I am going to succeed - I can't expect my loved ones to do it for me.
I also think as the answer to what I can do to bring my purpose more into my everyday life, this card is a final reminder that, although it's a wonderful thing to want to work on improving yourself and aligning with your soul's purpose, that I shouldn't become so wrapped up in my spiritual development that I miss out on appreciating all the wonderful blessings that I already have. Again, this hits really close to home - I love to constantly be learning new things and growing, which is great! But sometimes I can forget to just stop, smell the roses, and be grateful for all the abundance I am fortunate to have in my life already. I believe the Tarot is reminding me with the reversed 10 of Cups, that one of the most important purposes any of our souls have, is to be here in the moment and to really experience and make the most of every second we are here. I see this as the Tarot's way of saying: it's fantastic that you care so much about aligning with your soul's purpose so you can share your gifts with the world - but don't forget to actually go out and LIVE your life too! In fact by making sure I take time to appreciate everything I have each day, I will in fact be helping myself to align more with my soul's purpose just through the act of practising conscious gratitude in my everyday life. As always, solid advice from the Tarot I believe!
So I am really pleased with how this spread came out for me personally, I could go on and on (but this blog is already long, so I won't!). But as a tried and tested spread, I can definitely recommend this one if you're looking for greater clarity and insight into your path. If you do decide to try it out for yourself, please let me know how it goes!
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