New Moon Gateway: Ancient Traditions Birth the New
New moon guidance + reading inspired by the Shining Tribe Tarot's Tradition (Hierophant), 7 of Stones + Knower of Birds. Plus, Walking the Ways of the Summer Light starts next week
Greetings, my fellow seekers!
What a time we are having.
So full of chaos and change. We don’t know if we are shifting into the desired new or descending deeper into dangerous decay.
But as we traveled last moonth’s path of power, the thought came to me–I think it was one morning in the shower–that uncertainty offers us a different kind of power. When we are uncertain, we are seeking and questioning. We don’t pontificate but explore in dialogue. We aren’t as disappointed due to changes because we didn’t know what was coming.
At first blush certainty might seem more powerful. People who are certain move forward, reaching to grab what they know is right or best or theirs. But in a world of change, certainty is easily dissolved. And in such dissolution the certain ones hit a hard stop. They can’t go forward as they’ve planned and they haven’t cultivated the practices and skills to help recalibrate.
But we, uncertain ones have been practicing how to move forward without a promised destination, how to ask directions and gather traveling companions on the way, how to tend the tension of not knowing. We might be stressed or scared at times, but we are–or at least I am–curious about what comes next. The full story isn’t written yet and we still have the chance to shape its ending.
Walking the Ways of the Summer Light, the Solstice-hinged retreat-in-everyday life starting on May 25th, is a practice for uncertain times. We spend the four weeks leading up to the Solstice guided by the Tarot and Nature’s elements collecting questions rather than answers as we wisdom wander our way.
Cultivating the ability to wander is a support for uncertain times and is such a portable practice. I have wisdom wandered in the woods, on city streets, at protests.
On the Solstice we do select one of our soul tending questions to find our way toward an answer by taking a pilgrimage.
This year I will be offering Walking the Ways through Substack. Everyone will be able to see the weekly posts inviting connection to an elemental wisdom wander during the week. Paid subscribers will have access to the 48-page overview guide that breaks the practice down into daily/weekly prompts for practice. Virtual orientation and sharing circle sessions will be held at the beginning, middle, and end of the season for paid subscribers on Sundays
May 31,
June 21 (the Solstice!),
July 12th
at 12:30 pm (time zone converter).
If you would like an example of what can happen on a Wisdom Wander, I invite you to check out my report from one of my very first wisdom wanders where a numinous encounter with a dragonfly opened my eyes to what the simple practice of wandering could bring.
Always happy to hear your questions.
New moon blessings to you,
Carolyn
Events
May 24 to July 12: Walking the Ways of the Summer Light right here on Substack with elemental weekly posts, monthly sessions, and prompts for connecting with the natural world and deepening your Tarot knowing. More details.
Saturday, June 6: I will be a featured poet for the Anti-Fascist Poetry Ball on June 6 at Resilient Community Arts in Eastworks at 7 pm after Easthampton’s monthly art walk. Organized by Rachel of Teferet Tarot and Astro Substack, there will also be an open mike and donations welcomed for mutual aid projects.
July 20 to 24, 2026: Wisdom of the Tarot at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. I am excited to be joining Mary Greer and Ellen Lorenzi-Prince again for this year’s Tarot Week. REGISTRATION IS OPEN (finally)!
November 2026 - Kingston Tarot Lenormand Conference November 13 to 15, 2026 in Ontario, Canada. Registration is open to allow for a very economical payment plan.
New Moon Gateway: Ancient Traditions Birth the New
The arrival of the new moon stamps the moonth with an initiating energy that shifts and develops through a cycle of growth, fullness, and descent. Each moonth I look to the Tarot’s astrological correspondences for the new moon to find 3 Tarot cards (a Major showing us the path, a numbered Minor showing us our passage and practice, and a court/people card showing us the posture to take on the path) to guide musings on soul tending, selection of prompts for personal/spiritual practice, and creation of a moonthly reading. The reading can be done any time, but ideally between the new and full moons. Revisit the cards you pull periodically up until the next lunation to gain new insight as the light changes.
This moonth we are invited to walk the path and receive the wisdom of what is most commonly named as The Hierophant, the Major Arcana’s 5th card associated with the new moon arriving on Saturday, the 16th (exact at 4 pm ET, time zone converter). Hierophants are teachers of, and conduits for, the Greater Than.
In the earliest Tarots and the iconic Rider Waite Smith, the Hierophant’s central figure is a Pope of the Catholic Church who, since St. Peter in the first century CE, has led the institution upholding its doctrines and teachings.
The Shining Tribe Tarot, however, invites us into a more ancient understanding of this archetype. The 5th Major Arcana card is renamed Tradition and gives us an image without human figures but rather a circle of rocks. Rachel Pollack, the deck creator, names the rocks as embodied Spirits who meet to uphold the world. She based the image on real rocks she saw at the edge of the Dead Sea but thought her seeing of Spirits within them as a fantasy.
Contemplating the card, I am called to think back millions of years ago to the time before institutions and writing existed, to the time when our furthest back ancestors had only the Earth as their teacher of the Greater Than. The seasons, the plants, the animals, and, yes, the rocks all must have been their Hierophants. Without written ways to pass on knowledge between people and generations I imagine them continually discovering anew the power of the Earth and the Greater Than. Over and over again they approached life with new eyes and fresh awe.
They perceived differently than we moderns. Perhaps with their awe attuned eyes they always saw the Spirit in the Earth, knew Earth as full of Spirit. Then Rachel’s vision of Tradition’s council of rocks gathered to protect the Earth is true, not a fantasy.
With Tradition as our Hierophant, the Earth is our teacher and conduit for the Greater Than. Adhering to this understanding may take us outside of established religious traditions—or not. We might stay within a tradition and bring the Earth perspective into it. In this way we would be returning a tradition to its origins as so many—all if you go back far enough, I would guess—grew from the earthly. And the mystical strains of traditions can offer us back earth-honoring practices preserved through the ages. When we tend these connections, we invoke the circle at the center of the Tradition card.
If you can’t stay within established religious traditions—I myself have tried and failed—then the Earth can be your Hierophant. The Earth is a loving guide giving us the abundance of life, but Earth is also a teacher of limits. In these times, we are being offered intense lessons about limits to our modern lifestyles through the chaos of a changing climate. Flood and fire, tornado and drought are prophets to which we are called to answer.
How can we answer these prophets? How can we respond to the Earth?
The Knower of Birds is our guide to emulate on Tradition’s path. Their way on the path is one where feet are firmly planted on the literal earth even while opening to the spiritual and the formless Greater Than.
The Knower’s feet pass over ground that is marked with mostly tracks of mammals and birds but also a few symbols. About this image, Rachel writes of how the tracks of creatures observed and noted as having patterns evolved into divination. The markings and the patterns that appeared over and over again became symbols. Writing itself, she posits, may have evolved to pass on meanings for divination.
The few symbols on the earth are mirrored in the sky and new ones float there, too. The Spirit world it seems is filled with symbols, and if we would open up to receive them, they could help us live our lives, to move with the help of the greater patterns. Two rays—one from the left and one from the right—enter into the head of the Knower showing their ability to perceive and welcome this form of communication from the Greater Than
The Knower of Birds stands between worlds drawing guidance and power from both. This brings us back to how to respond to our prophets of climate change.
Because climate chaos is human made, we need to take action within our human systems. To make the impacts that are necessary to address the scale of the problem, we need to join with others to shift systems and institutions. Just as the ground on the Knower of Birds is filled with different kinds of tracks, different approaches and strategies are needed to create an ecology of change making. If you are a fiery type, join a direct-action group. If you are patient and meticulous, follow a policy-oriented group. Creative? Create art that moves people to understand the urgency of now. Not afraid to talk about the money needed to do the work? Be a fundraiser. Everyone is needed.
Along with the tangible action, we who seek to emulate the Knower of Birds on the path of Tradition can call upon the Spirits who uphold the World to guide and aid us. We can ask them to look with compassion upon their “troubled children” and put their energy and power behind our actions to turn back climate chaos. We might do this work through prayer or ritual. May seek guidance from divination. We can wisdom wander or make a pilgrimage and listen to the voices of the Spirit in the Earth. We can report back to our groups and gatherings the messages we receive. Rachel says that when the Knower of Birds appears we may have psychic visions and also the ability to communicate them clearly.
Will we make it?
Our passage card this moonth, the 7 of Stones, does not forecast victory or defeat, but lets us know that the only way out is through and into the new.
The toad in the foreground resembles a woman squatting in the birth position. The rainbow-colored ribbons are inspired by a medallion that Indian women place over their birthing beds. These real natural phenomena have taken on symbolic meaning. Archeologist Marja Gumbutas identified the toad as an epiphany of the Goddess from Old European culture. The colors of the rainbow ribbons are the same as the colors of the seven chakras of Hindu and Buddhist tradition.
Earth and Spirit are integrated in this image invoking the birthing process. Our passage this moonth—and in this time of dramatic change—is one of birthing. We are in hard labor and being called upon to push. While we are pushing it may seem like this will never end, but we have no choice but to push.
And we may well be further along than we think. The number 7—and so all the cards associated with it—are odd pauses. In the 7, we can feel like nothing is happening because we are at a moment of tension. But if we work with the tension, we will move through. At 7, we have already done so much work. The new is not as far away as it may seem. Gather energy from the Earth, call upon the Spirits for their support, and keep pushing toward the birth. This is how we will make it.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS / READING FOR THE MOONTH
These questions are offered for reflection and to spark practice throughout the moonth. Pulling Tarot and oracle cards in connection to these questions is appropriate, but not absolutely necessary. You might carry a question with you on a walk, for example, and observe what is happening in the natural world as a way to find insight into the answer to the question.
EARTH: What teaching is the Earth offering me this moonth?
SPIRIT: What message is coming from Spirit to me this moonth?
BIRTH: What will integrating the teaching of Earth and the message of Spirit birth within me?
I do offer this as an e-reading in my collaborative intuitive format for $32. Sign up with Pay Pal or email me about sending a check. When I receive notification, I’ll be in touch to let you know about when to expect to receive your reading by email.
Soul Path Sanctuary Library
These essays offer inspiration and practice prompts to support the loving flow between the living and the dead. They are available at no cost in the Soul Path Sanctuary library. Feel free to share with anyone who could use support on their grief journey.
Broken Open Heart in the Imaginal Realm
Speak Soul-to-Soul
49 Days and the Green Door of Death
Eternity Box: Anniversary of a Death
Soul Path Sanctuary Offerings
Question-Focused Tarot Sessions
I am offering these 60-90 minute interactive sessions to explore a focus question by phone or Zoom. Cost: $100. If interested, contact me about timing and to receive your focus question prep sheet.
Soul Path Mentoring
Offered through on-going hour-long sessions usually at monthly or seasonal intervals. My studies and life experience make me a mentoring match for:
Developing a spiritual practice
Integrating Tarot into your spiritual practice
Grief accompaniment
Embracing your creative process, especially for writers
Moving through a life transition
Sessions are conversations guided by questions and can include Tarot (or not).
I’m happy to have a conversation with you about if you are interested in exploring this kind of soul support practice.
I like your perspective on the merits of uncertainty. However, I need certainty about one thing: You wrote: "June 9: I will be a featured poet for the Anti-Fascist Poetry Ball on June 6." Which is the correct date?
Thanks you for sharing your reading, Keith. I am thinking of the Hekate "koan" that Ellen offers to align with your understanding: You don’t need a path to find your way. And the 2 Cups cards being upside make think of going to greater depths of these Goddess' wisdom. A powerful time.