Tarot for a Troubled Time

River is back after an unexpected hiatus. She shares how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected her personally this winter, and she reviews the major events of the past three months. And then she asks the Tarot: what's important right now? When death is swirling around us and we may not have the energy to deal with all of our life's challenges, it's important to understand our priorities and to address them. Using a three-card, body/mind/spirit spread, River draws the Queen of Cups, the Nine of Cups, and the Four of Swords. These cards are asking us to pause, to open our minds, to truly reflect on our most basic needs, to prioritize meeting those needs in whatever way makes sense for us, and to be grateful for what we do have. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's December. The moon is waning, we’re approaching the end of the year, and winter is also coming here in the northern hemisphere. The ongoing strain of living through a pandemic, combined with all of these natural and temporal milestones, should perhaps motivate us to go inward, to truly think about the things that are no longer serving us, and to identify what we can release, let go, or move on from. With everything we have on our minds, River asks the Tarot: What should I release? And looks for what we should separate ourselves from that's weighing us down. In response, she draws the High Priestess reversed, and the Five of Pentacles. Focusing on the interplay between inner wisdom and social interaction, between abundance and scarcity, these cards suggest that what is weighing us down is inside of us, and what can cause us to rise up is outside of us. For some added inspiration this week, River looks to Dorothy Hunt's poem, Peace is This Moment Without Judgment. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, River confesses that she's not her best self right now, but she leans into the spirit of Thanksgiving in the hopes that a good dose of gratitude will cause a cosmic shift. She asks the Tarot, how can I give thanks? and in response, she gets the Ten of Swords, the Ten of Cups, and the Seven of Wands reversed. As we continue to deal with COVID-19, if an attitude of gratitude can trigger an upward spiral, finding the right way to express gratitude seems like a worthy endeavor. Special thanks this week go out to fellow podcaster, Marco Timpano, without whom this podcast would likely not exist. Check out Marco's podcasts in your favorite podcast app: The Insomnia Project, Eat and Drink,

This week, River is contemplating the nature of truth, something that we think of as empirical, quantifiable, and verifiable, and yet that often we can't agree on. Since we can't always know exactly WHAT the truth is, River asks the Tarot, where's the truth? The cards that reveal themselves in response are the Two of Wands, the Hierophant, and the Nine of Wands reversed. While the Hierophant suggests that our current systems are asking us to defer to dogma and to block our ability to think critically, the Two of Wands reminds us that learning and thinking and contemplation can help us know the truth, but that we must get out into the wilderness of the Nine of Wands to truly find it and defend it if we must. In this episode, River relies on some words from the Buddha and Theodore Roosevelt. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Since the last episode, the US presidential election has happened, and it looks as though Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been elected. With this apparent seismic shift in the political landscape, River wonders what will happen next. She asks the Tarot, "What now?", wondering how we should deal with this historic moment. In response, she draws the Knight of Wands reversed and the Four of Pentacles. These cards are indicating that there is tension between change and stability that needs to be navigated very carefully in this troubled time. As we continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, the Tarot is asking us to pace ourselves and to work from our true intentions. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This episode comes at a very important moment in time. We've just marked Halloween, Samhain, and the Day of the Dead. In the northern hemisphere, we're headed towards winter. And, in the United States, we're about to find out the results of the 2020 Presidential election. With all of this in mind, River asks the Tarot: where does it hurt? with the intention of discovering what most needs healing right now. In response, the Tarot deals the Hermit, the Tower, and the Seven of Swords -- all reversed. The cards remind us that in a moment of upheaval, we must re-examine our relationship with solitude, and remember that there are no shortcuts to creating a safer and more peaceful world. This week, River recommends the Tara Brach podcast and references two poems: "What They Did Yesterday Afternoon" by Warsan Shire, and "No Man Is An Island" by John Donne. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

River is back from her fall break and is trying to generate some motivation by looking ahead to Halloween and to the Presidential election. However, the daily grind is getting to her, and she's wondering how to move on from that feeling of being trapped in the COVID-19 edition of the movie Groundhog Day, in which every day is the same, and moving forward feels impossible. To gain some insights, she does some role playing, stepping into the shoes (or perhaps onto the rock) of the Greek titan, Prometheus, who was damned by Zeus to be chained down and to have his liver pecked out by an eagle each day, for all eternity. She asks the Tarot, what would Prometheus do if he were living through 2020? In response, she gets the Knight of Cups, the Three of Wands reversed, and the Ace of Swords reversed. In a spread with uncanny references to Prometheus -- adventure, eagles, a rock, and fire -- we get the suggestion that we can't live from our deepest, most creative intentions unless we slow down, quiet our mind, and wait until the moment when our plans can be fulfilled. Since the Day of the Dead is also coming up, River also recommends trying out a death meditation using the Insight Timer. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

During a particularly ugly week in which the Hating, Superspreader President of the United States has doubled down on his enthusiasm for White Supremacy and has come down with COVID-19, spreading it among his staff and supporters, host River Rose is doing some counter-programming by asking the Tarot: Where is the Love? In return, she draws the Queen of Wands reversed, the Page of Swords, and the Nine of Pentacles reversed. In this cautious but mind-opening spread, we are reminded that our best source of love is each other, and that we must keep an open mind and pursue truth to find it. Among River's sources of inspiration this week are David Attenborough's Twitter account, Twinsthenewtrend's YouTube channel, and the co-opting of the #proudboys hashtag. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com.

Life can be a lot to deal with at any given time, and in the midst of a global pandemic, while you're also dealing with social and political upheaval, it can feel impossible to keep going. To address the state of overwhelm that so many of us are dealing with, host River Rose asks the Tarot: what can I do to get unstuck? In response, we get the Six of Cups, the Eight of Pentacles, and the Seven of Cups reversed. What wisom do these cards of water and earth have to share in a moment of overwhelm? Join River to find out. This week, River recommends The Daily podcast from The New York Times, which recently did a two-part episode about Breonna Taylor; you can check it out here. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In the tenth episode of Tarot for a Troubled Time, River Rose reflects on the transitions we're going through right now, from the new lunar cycle to the changing of the season and to the loss of Associate Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In honor of Justice Ginsburg, who made incalculable contributions to women's rights, human rights, and justice, River asks the Tarot a very important question: how can I be an ally? In response, the Tarot deals the Four of Cups and The Moon, both reversed. What do these cards have to tell us about supporting others so that we may advance equality for all of us? To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Host River Rose is reflecting on the fact that it's been a hard week on planet earth, between COVID-19 and everything else that's happened. In the wake of all of our collective challenges, she asked the Tarot: What the actual f**k?! This may not be the most constructive question, but it's meant to get a deeper wondering: How can we possibly deal with all of the devastation that is happening around us right now? This question applies to any situation that you’re finding too difficult to deal with, anything that is happening that is overwhelming, infuriating, anything that you would like to change but you can’t change, or you don’t know how to change. In response, the Tarot gave us an overwhelmingly encouraging response, with The Lovers, the King of Swords, and The Chariot. How do we make sense of this super-positive spread when we're feeling exasperated? If you're feeling stressed, check out the podcasts River mentions in this episode, by Dharmapunx NYC and Tara Brach. To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Host River Rose is spending another week away from home and pondering not just how she can get back home but even where home is, and when it is. Turning to the Tarot for answers, she draws the Wheel of Fortune and Strength reversed, What do these cards tell us about the ability we might have to get back home? And what does The Wizard of Oz have to do with this question? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, River Rose is thinking about the heated conflicts in our lives, and she asks the Tarot the question: How can I cool things down? In response, we get the Knight of Pentacles, the Two of Swords, and the King of Cups. With a spread that suggests we bring our whole selves, body, mind, and spirit to cooling the tensions in our lives, we are literally being told to lay down our weapons now so that we can think clearly, behave in a reliable fashion, and draw on our emotional intelligence. This is all easier said than done, but if we don't dig deep to cool the conflicts around us and within us, what is the alternative? To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week, River Rose thinks about our dearly departed and wonders what advice they might have for us right now. Whether you believe that our departed loved ones still exist somewhere out there in the universe, or whether you believe they only live on in our memories and in our collective psyche, it's interesting to wonder what guidance they might have if they could communicate with us right now. On asking the Tarot: "What would our spirit guides say?", the cards that appear are the Two of Cups reversed and Justice reversed. It seems that the spirits are confirming that our bonds being tested or downright broken, and that our balance and sense of justice have been completely thrown off. Given this difficult reality, what guidance do they have to offer? To connect with River, follow her on Instagram (@callmeriverrose) or Twitter (@callmeriverrose) or send her an email at iamriverrose@gmail.com. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In this episode, host River Rose considers what good news may be available to us this week. She also aggressively asks the Tarot to tell us something good. Like a the close friend who tells us like it is but who may not tell us what we want to hear, the cards reveal the Three of Pentacles reversed, the Devil, and the King of Wands reversed. With the cards showing a community divided, and an underground resistance to amoral power and to destructive energy, they are telling us to dig deep within ourselves and to do some work to create something good out of a less than ideal situation. Lots of cultural references to inspire you are mentioned in the episode: Alexander Hamilton, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Dolly Parton, William Shakespeare, Dante Alighieri, Luigi Pirandello, Amanda Yates-Garcia, Chaka Kahn, and more! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

It's a noisy night in Brooklyn, but River transcends the roar of the traffic to ponder the question: how do we rise up? The Tarot tells us to consider the Two of Pentacles reversed, the Ten of Wands, and the Three of Swords -- three cards that warn us about the weight of our continued burdens and ask us to focus on the compassion we feel towards each other. Check out the podcast that River mentions during this episode, The Insomnia Project. River was a guest on a recent episode of this show (season 4, episode 27). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

With another wild month behind us, we are now in August, and reflecting on the moon. Looking ahead to the week that stretches before us, River Rose asks the cards a question that is on many of our minds: how can I get some rest? The cards respond with the Six of Swords, the Five of Swords, and the Emperor -- all reversed. How can these cards guide us to a place where we can recharge? River Rose shares some of her insights.

The week that just passed was intense and difficult, so River wants to keep this week's reading simple. She also wonders whether we might feel better if we stop focusing on ourselves for a moment (if we can), and so she asks the cards the question: How can I help? In response, the Tarot gives back the Five of Cups reversed and the King of Pentacles. What do these cards mean, and what if you're thinking you really can't help anyone right now? River has some thoughts.

This week, we embark on our journey through the Tarot with a three-card reading, and we ask the cards the question: Where the F Are We Right Now? In response, the Tarot gives us three cards: the Queen of Wands, the Nine of Wands, and the Five of Wands. What do these cards mean? Host River Rose gives her insights.

Introducing Tarot for a Troubled Time: Host River Rose reflects on the troubled time that we are collectively living through, using the cards of the Tarot deck. Looking for a way to deal with COVID-19, political corruption, racism, and other diseases of the era? This podcast is for you. Episode Transcript Hi, I’m River Rose. I live in New York City. Like many people, I’ve been struggling to deal with the impact of the coronavirus, the dysfunction of our political system, and now the escalation of tensions caused by repeated, unjustified hostility and violence towards African Americans and other groups on the part of law enforcement, political leaders, and regular citizens. For some time, I’ve been reading Tarot cards to help me clarify my thoughts and make decisions, and I’ve been thinking I might take my practice public. So, I’m about to embark on an experiment that will take me on a journey through the Tarot. And I’ve decided to share my journey through this podcast, Tarot for a Troubled Time. In each episode, I’m going to do a quick reading, pulling one or more cards, depending on what’s happening in the moment. When I’m finished with the cards I pulled for the episode, I’m not going to put them back into the deck. I’m going to set them aside and, in the next episode, I’m going to choose from the remaining cards, until we have only one card left. This will essentially give us a 78-card reading over time, one that will force us to reflect on every archetype, every situation, every element of the Tarot, so that in addition to gaining insights about this troubled time that we’re in, we can also learn a little bit about the cards, together. Now, the podcast may sound serious, and indeed, I am serious, but I’d like to add that this podcast is, as they say, “For entertainment purposes only.” And, in addition to entertainment, I’m hoping that we can gain some insights, make connections with each other, and have some fun. Some warnings: I’m actually sheltering in place in an apartment building Brooklyn, NY, beside one of the busiest stretches of highway in the world, and so in addition to my voice, you will hear the roar of traffic, siren sounds, honking, truck bouncing, the occasional noisy neighbor ... stuff like that.You will also hear me curse, because, let’s face it, given where we are in time, I’m gonna be dealing with racism, death, political corruption, and the need for systemic change, and all of those things fucking piss me off. Having said all that: join me this summer on my journey; listen to Tarot for a Troubled Time. Until then, find me on Instagram. My handle is