Hyperallergic’s tarotscope series is a combination of tarot with astrology, a reading for the collective readership combined with cards for the major astrological signs, grouped by their elemental associations. These are developed by AX Mina, a Hyperallergic contributor and producer for Five and Nine, a podcast about magic, work, and economic justice. These tarotscopes have a special focus on the arts and creative practice, for each solstice and equinox, to mark the turning of the seasons.
I spent my Juneteenth and Summer Solstice weekend at the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, watching thousands of people gather for the simple purpose of dressing up as mermaids, mermen, merpeople, and other aquatic creatures, both real and imagined. My favorite moment was watching the “Keith Herrings” saunter by, dressed up like fish in the style of the seminal street artist.
This season’s tarotscope is read using the Mixed Signals Tarot, designed by artist M Eilo, on the tarot platform Moonlight. The cards were drawn on the longest day of the year, the peak of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, in this sixth month of the Wheel of Fortune Year (in the tarot system) and the fifth of the Horse Year (in East and Southeast Asian lunar systems).
For this solstice, we read with the “Getting Unstuck” spread, one I chose from Moonlight’s selection because I’ve seen a number of creative friends hitting periods of stagnancy. The first card represents a Blocker that we, as a collective Hyperallergic readership, have been struggling with and that presents a communal challenge. As with any collective reading, this should be understood metaphorically. Take what works and leave the rest behind.
The second card is the Spark, something akin to the moment of joy when I saw the Keith Herrings and remembered all the many ways artists have held us through dark and challenging times, such as the AIDS crisis, which Haring himself so powerfully addressed.
And we start with an inquiry: What will help us return to a flow state as we enter a season of unseasonable heat and ongoing global turmoil?
Collective Tarot Reading
Blocker: The Star
Spark: Seven of Swords
I always loved the way M Eilo illustrated The Star — not as a single point in the sky or even a single constellation, but the entire Milky Way emerging from rock. It reminded me of countless nights I’ve spent in the desert, looking up at the zodiac constellations in a rare moment in my life when I’m able to see them clearly. The Milky Way was once perhaps the most prominent nighttime object, now all but invisible in urban areas.
Whenever I see The Star in tarot, I think of mystery and the unknown. We still know so little about the Milky Way’s origins and its enigmatic center, and even less about the galactic megalopolis to which it belongs, comprising some 2 trillion galaxies in the observable universe.
The Spark is the Seven of Swords, often illustrated as a figure tiptoeing away from something. But in Eilo’s illustration, it’s imagined as a release of the metaphorical pens and pencils that make up our creative practice. It’s a little like tossing things out, not forever, but to reconfigure and reimagine. Believe it or not, I’ve been working through my creative block by tossing out the written word and focusing on visual storytelling. It’s helped me see in new ways.
And so, Hyperallergic readers, the image I leave you with is one of making space for mystery and the unknown, letting go of the promise of certainty, and instead throwing out your usual practice for a little bit this summer. Let it settle and land in a new place that may or may not guide you forward — that’s for you to decide — but will at least open you up to a new way of being.
Below, you’ll find further guidance in the form of a single card for each group of zodiac signs. This third card represents a Flow card, an indicator of when you’ll know you’ve entered your new flow state. If you recognize this energy, remember that it’s not necessarily asking you to stay there; it may, after all, be an artistic summer fling. But even a fling is a reminder of the richness of being human.
If they resonate with you, consider whispering an intention to the first star that catches your eye, whether it’s a solitary speck visible between city lights or one of many in the desert sky.
Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)
Flow: Nine of Swords (reversed)
Opposite the Seven of Swords, this hand clutches the pens and pencils tightly, almost in pain. Anxiety is rarely a welcome presence, but every great artist I know has masterfully figured out how to transform their anxiety into stunning works. There was a meditation I once learned from the Buddhist teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo: Instead of resisting anxiety, tell it gently that it’s welcome, and that you’re glad that it’s here. It’s almost always a doorway to a major insight that will guide your practice.
Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)
Flow: Seven of Stones (reversed), aka the Seven of Pentacles
Use this Summer Solstice period to step back and appreciate what you’ve built and cultivated this year. This is often a card that stands less for tending the garden and more for allowing it to rest and bear fruit. Earth signs in particular have an industrious demeanor, and it can be difficult for you to rest. But that rest is going to be essential this summer, lest the heat of the year burn you out. You’ll recognize the flow state when you find yourself in deep rest, thinking less about the next project and more about the stars above.
Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)
Flow: Temperance
Your signs live most comfortably in the mind, and the Temperance card illustrated here is an invitation to jump right in. But take good care as you do that — smart equanimity requires tools like journaling, reading, and structured conversations to help you make sense of the debates you may be fostering in your mind. Can you name your preferred mental health toolkit? If you can, write it down so you remember to regularly utilize it this summer. If you can’t, make efforts to spend time with friends, family, and loved ones and notice when lightness comes into your chest. That’s a sign of a tool that’s going to help you find balance.
Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
Flow: Learner of Cups (reversed), aka Page of Cups
These hands gather and play with water, almost like the strings of a harp. In tarot, water often represents the heart and emotions, deep with intention and meaning. The Learner card is like the beginner’s mind. Your card reminds me of the fire signs’ cards: Allow yourself to step into the feelings and feeling tones of your emotions this summer. This is, in fact, your natural element, but the Learner is asking you to do something new, which is to pretend as if you’re feeling them for the first time.
