Winter Solstice 2023 Tarot Reading

A reading for the Winter Solstice 2023 and the new year, the return of the light. There are wars going on, there’s climate change a refugee crisis and politicians that don’t know what they are doing. How to find happiness and inner peace?

For a focused reading using the full Thoth Tarot deck, I’ll conduct a 5-card spread. This spread will give us insight into the same theme of finding happiness and inner peace amidst global challenges.

The Reading is intended for the period of the Winter Solstice 2023 from 21 to 31 December 2023. But the effects and integration in your life might take longer.

Quick Overview of the Winter Solstice 2023 Tarot Reading

1. Card 1 – Princess of Swords (Present Situation) Embrace Intellectual Curiosity: This card suggests a current state of active intellectual engagement. You or your community may be dealing with complex ideas or communication challenges, embodying a sharp, analytical approach to understanding the world’s issues. Stay open to learning and exploring new ideas. Engage critically with the world around you, but also be mindful of becoming overly critical or confrontational. Use your intellect to seek understanding and clarity.
2. Card 2 – 3 of Cups, Abundance (Challenge/Obstacle) Balance Joy with Depth: The challenge lies in balancing the emotional and social joys of life with the need for deeper introspection. There’s a potential distraction in focusing too much on external pleasures and not enough on inner growth.
3. Card 3 – 5 of Wands, Strife (Subconscious Influences) Navigate Conflicts Wisely: Subconsciously, there may be internal conflicts or external pressures not fully recognized. These could be manifesting as challenges in how you engage with the world and seek peace.
4. Card 4 – The Hanged Man (Recent Past Events)Value New Perspectives: Recently, there’s likely been a significant shift in perspective or a period of sacrifice. This has influenced the current approach to global issues and personal growth, offering new insights and understandings.
5. Card 5 – The Universe (Potential Outcome) Wholeness and Fulfilment: The potential outcome is a state of completion, fulfilment, and understanding. The Universe card suggests a successful integration of experiences and a sense of holistic accomplishment. It indicates an expanded awareness, both personally and in relation to the wider world.

In summary, this Winter Solstice 2023 reading with the Thoth Tarot points to a journey from intellectual curiosity and engagement, through emotional and internal conflicts, influenced by a significant shift in perspective, leading to a profound sense of universal understanding and harmony. The presence of The Universe as the outcome card highlights a promising path towards achieving a deep and interconnected sense of peace and fulfilment.

Video of Jan performing the Winter Solstice 2023 Tarot Reading Live

Detailed Reading for 21 – 31 December The Winter Solstice 2023 into the New Year

Card 1 – Princess of Swords (Present Situation) Embrace Intellectual Curiosity

In the Thoth Tarot, the Princess of Swords represents a complex figure, embodying various aspects of intellectual energy, communication, and the power of thought. Here’s a more extensive exploration of this card:

1. Personification of the Mind: The Princess of Swords is often seen as the personification of the active, alert mind. She is intellectual, curious, and keenly observant. This card can represent a state of mental acuity and readiness to engage with complex ideas or situations.
2. Clarity and Direct Communication: She wields her sword with precision, symbolizing clear, direct, and possibly cutting communication. This aspect of the card suggests a need for honest and straightforward expression, but it also warns against being overly sharp or critical in your words.
3. Analysis and Discrimination: The Princess of Swords is analytical, able to discern truth from falsehood. This quality is essential in navigating the information-rich but sometimes misleading environment we live in. She encourages critical thinking and not taking things at face value.
4. Youthful Energy and Potential: As a Princess, this card also embodies youthfulness, suggesting potential that is yet to be fully realized. It may indicate the early stages of an intellectual pursuit or the beginning of understanding a complex situation.
5. Conflict and Challenge: The card often appears when there is a need to confront ideas or situations that may be challenging or uncomfortable. She does not shy away from conflict but approaches it with clarity and intelligence.
6. Defensive Stance: In the Thoth Tarot, the imagery of the Princess of Swords often shows a defensive or prepared stance, suggesting readiness to face whatever challenges come with a clear mind and sharp wit.
7. Inquiry and Exploration: This card encourages exploration and inquiry. It’s about asking questions, seeking out information, and not being satisfied with superficial answers. It represents a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand the deeper truths.

In the context of our question about finding happiness and inner peace amidst global challenges, the Princess of Swords suggests an active engagement with these issues. It speaks to the importance of staying informed, thinking critically, and communicating effectively. She advises a thoughtful approach to understanding the complexities of the world, which is a crucial step in navigating towards a state of inner peace and fulfilment.

Card 2 – 3 of Cups, Abundance (Challenge/Obstacle) Balance Joy with Depth

The 3 of Cups, known as “Abundance” in the Thoth Tarot, is a richly symbolic card with several layers of meaning. Here’s an extensive explanation:

1. Celebration and Joy: The primary theme of the 3 of Cups is one of celebration, emotional abundance, and joy. It often represents happy gatherings, socializing, and the sharing of pleasures and emotional experiences with others.
2. Emotional Fulfillment: This card suggests a time of emotional fulfillment and satisfaction. It’s about feeling emotionally nurtured and supported, whether through close friendships, family, or a community.
3. Creativity and Expression: The 3 of Cups can also be associated with creative expression and the arts. It’s a card that encourages you to explore your creative talents and share them with others. This can be a source of joy and fulfillment.
4. Harmony and Unity: There’s an element of harmony and cooperation in the 3 of Cups. It speaks to the ability of people to come together in a spirit of mutual support and understanding, celebrating their connections and shared experiences.
5. Gratitude and Appreciation: This card often encourages a sense of gratitude for the blessings of friendships and the joy they bring into your life. It’s a reminder to appreciate the love and happiness that is currently present in your life.
6. Balance in Emotional Life: In the context of an obstacle or challenge, the 3 of Cups might suggest the need to balance emotional and social aspects of life with other responsibilities. It can indicate that focusing too much on seeking pleasure or socializing might be distracting from deeper personal goals or challenges.
7. Healing through Connection: The card also suggests healing that comes through emotional connections with others. Sharing experiences, joys, and even sorrows with a trusted group can be therapeutic and nurturing.

In our reading about finding happiness and inner peace amidst global challenges, the 3 of Cups as an obstacle might suggest a need to balance the joy and celebration in your family and friends community with the deeper, more introspective work that’s also needed. It’s a reminder to cherish and engage in social connections and emotional fulfilment but to also remain focused on personal and communal growth. Celebrate and cherish the joys of community and connection. However, also make space for deeper, introspective work. Don’t let surface-level pleasures distract from the important inner journey.

Card 3 – 5 of Wands, Strife (Subconscious Influences) Navigate Conflicts Wisely

The 5 of Wands, known as “Strife” in the Thoth Tarot, represents conflict, competition, and struggle. Overcoming the challenges presented by this card involves navigating these conflicts with wisdom and strategy.

1. Acknowledge the Conflict: Recognize and accept that there is a struggle or conflict, whether it’s internal (like conflicting desires or beliefs) or external (such as competing interests or disagreements with others).
2. Seek Understanding: Try to understand the nature of the conflict. Is it a clash of ideas, values, or goals? Understanding the root cause can help in finding a resolution.
3. Effective Communication: If the conflict involves others, communicate clearly and listen actively. Often, conflicts escalate due to misunderstandings or poor communication.
4. Compromise and Flexibility: Be open to compromise and show flexibility. Not every battle needs to be won; sometimes, peace is achieved by finding middle ground.
5. Focus on Common Goals: If the conflict is with others, try to redirect the focus towards common goals or interests. Collaborative efforts can turn competitive energy into productive outcomes.
6. Personal Reflection: If the conflict is internal, engage in introspection or meditation. Understanding your own motivations and fears can help in resolving internal strife.
7. Seek Guidance: Sometimes, getting a fresh perspective or advice from someone you trust can offer new solutions or ways to handle the conflict.

Remember, the 5 of Wands also represents a learning opportunity. Conflicts, while challenging, can lead to personal growth and better understanding of oneself and others. Recognize and address conflicts, whether within the community or within individuals. Approach disagreements with the intent to understand and find common ground. Use these challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.

Card 4 – The Hanged Man (Recent Past Events)Value New Perspectives

The Hanged Man in the Thoth Tarot, as the card representing the recent past in your reading, is a complex card and not easily categorized as strictly positive or negative. Its symbolism revolves around themes of suspension, sacrifice, and a change in perspective.

Here’s why it’s a nuanced card:

1. Sacrifice and Pause: The Hanged Man often suggests a period of voluntary sacrifice or putting something on hold. This could be seen as negative if it involves a difficult or stagnant phase. However, it’s also an opportunity for reflection and reassessment, which can be very positive.
2. Change in Perspective: This card is associated with seeing things from a new angle, often turning your world upside down (metaphorically). While this can be disorienting, it’s also a powerful way to gain new insights and understandings, which is generally positive.
3. Spiritual Growth: The Hanged Man is often linked to spiritual growth, achieved through self-surrender and release of ego. This growth is typically viewed as a positive outcome, though the process might be challenging.
4. Waiting and Delay: The card can indicate a period of waiting or delay, which might be frustrating but can also provide a necessary pause for contemplation and reassessment.

In the context of your reading, The Hanged Man in the recent past suggests that you’ve recently gone through, or are coming out of, a phase that required stepping back, reassessing, and perhaps sacrificing something for greater understanding. The impact of this card on your journey towards happiness and inner peace is likely to be profound, providing deeper insights and a renewed perspective. Reflect on recent shifts in perspective or changes in approach. Embrace the wisdom gained from these experiences. Sometimes, seeing things from a different angle can provide valuable insights.

Card 5 – The Universe (Potential Outcome) Wholeness and Fulfilment

The Universe card in the Thoth Tarot, equivalent to The World in other decks, symbolizes completion, wholeness, and the successful conclusion of a cycle. It represents the culmination of a journey, having achieved a deep understanding and integration of experiences.

1. Fulfillment and Wholeness: The Universe card suggests a coming to fullness in your journey towards happiness and inner peace. This speaks to a state where all aspects of your life are in harmony, and you feel a sense of completeness and accomplishment.
2. Integration of Lessons: This card indicates that the lessons learned, the perspectives gained, and the conflicts faced are now integrated into your collective wisdom. There’s a sense of having grown and evolved through the challenges.
3. Global Consciousness: Given the global concerns you mentioned, The Universe card suggests an awareness that extends beyond the personal or local, embracing a more universal perspective. It highlights the interconnectedness of all things and a recognition of your place within the wider world.
4. New Beginnings: The completion indicated by The Universe also hints at the start of a new cycle. With the wisdom gained from past experiences, you are well-equipped to embark on the next phase of your journey.

The Universe shifts the focus from material and tangible success to a profound sense of universal understanding and harmony, suggesting a successful integration of experiences and a readiness for new beginnings. Work towards a sense of completeness that encompasses both material and spiritual well-being. Recognize the interconnectedness of all aspects of life and strive for harmony and balance.

Finally, it’s important to engage with challenges thoughtfully, balancing intellectual inquiry with emotional depth, and addressing conflicts constructively. Embrace the lessons learned from recent changes in perspective, and work towards a holistic sense of fulfilment and peace. Remember, the journey towards inner peace is as important as the destination.

Wishing you a blessed Winter Solstice 2023 and a Happy New Year 2024!

Jan Tetteroo