Tarot for Trying Times and Finding Hope

The world is not an easy place to be right now.

Emotions are running high. Relationships have fractured. In many ways, we don't seem to be communicating as well as we used to.

We're all trying to juggle work, schedules, socializing, families, finances, and any other number of day-to-day things — during one of the most trying periods in global human history.

Everybody deals with fear and stress in different ways. Some fight, preparing to attack or defend until the end. Some flee, seeking to remove or hide themselves from difficult situations. And of course, some freeze, finding themselves unable to take action either way, trapped in fear.

One thing is for certain — our nervous systems are overloaded. Many of us have been living in a highly activated state that leaves little room for peace, harmony, and real connection. The good news is — Tarot is the perfect way to find our way back to ourselves during these difficult times.

Managing Life's Many Stresses

It’s important for us to be as present, intentional, and grounded in our Highest Selves as possible — even when things feel hard. That said, it’s not always so easy. Having a tough week at work is one thing — acclimating to perpetual, global fear and trauma is another.

The first step to reducing and eliminating stress is to investigate the source. Reflect on which area of your life seems to cause the most stress, and start there.

It’s good to stay informed — but if watching two hours of news is doing you more harm than good, try skimming the headlines that day instead.

It’s a wonderful gift to have close relationships with family — but if your mother dropping by unannounced multiple times a week makes you feel overwhelmed, it might be time to set some guidelines for those visits.

If engaging in difficult conversations or trying to “keep the peace” with friends makes you feel as though you’re constantly on eggshells — it's okay to remove yourself from those conversations and re-center your energy.

Another way to reduce stress and remain more present in your life is to practice mindfulness — and one of my favorite ways to do this is with Tarot. Luckily, there’s a really simple exercise you can try to reconnect to the present moment using Tarot as your guide.

Tarot for Stress Relief

The next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, grab your Tarot deck (one with detailed illustrations will work best) and give it a shuffle. Take a few deep breaths and draw a card. Look closely at the card, and begin to describe it to yourself out loud, in detail.

For example, if you draw The Sun from the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot deck, rather than stopping at, “I see a child sitting on a horse,” I encourage you to speak to any of the aspects that are calling your focus, including color, specific elements or symbols, how many of a certain object are represented…

“The Sun’s face is ringed with orange, and I see a glint of orange in its eyes, too. I count 1, 2, 3… 22 sunbeams radiating out from the Sun’s face. Some of the beams are straight, and some of them are squiggly. The Sun is sitting in a clear, blue sky. I see four sunflowers growing up over a stone wall. I count ten leaves. The leaves are different shades of green…”

This technique works because the mind can’t ever truly focus on two things at once. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s likely because your brain is flitting from one problem to the next, to the next, and back again. So when you sit down and focus intentionally on the details in one Tarot card — your mind is able to put down the issues causing you to stress for a moment. (Yay!)

Giving your mind just one thing to focus on is a powerful way to bring yourself into the present moment. Then, when you feel more calm, you can go back to your day with a clear head and the ability to focus on one problem at a time.

And, bonus — you’ll probably notice some things in your Tarot cards that you’ve never spotted before! All those notes can go straight into your Tarot journal and might just come in handy the next time you draw that card in a reading.

Ask your Tarot cards: In which area of my life am I experiencing the most stress? How could I reduce or eliminate the things that trigger my stress response?

Affirmation: “I have the right to create room for peace in my life.”

Try this: Use the Managing Stress Tarot Spread to better understand where your stress is coming from and what action you can take today to bring more brace into your life.

Tarot for Hope

One of the beautiful things about darkness is that without it, we would not appreciate the light. Struggle gives life meaning and creates space in the world for us to be more compassionate and loving.

Wherever there is struggle, there is also hope to be found — and Tarot is the perfect tool to help that hope shine even brighter. Tarot can help us celebrate the love and joy in our lives through simple, daily practices, and reconnect us with our higher wisdom.

The fastest way I know how to do this is through the Daily Card Draw. Focus your intention on hope, rather than fear or stress (you might like to try the mindfulness exercise above, or simply take a few moments to breathe through any resistance).

As you shuffle your cards each morning, ask yourself — “What unexpected place might I find or feel hope today?” and see what comes up. Remember to look at the imagery in the card for prompts in addition to leaning into your intuitive understanding.

It’s important to note that as empaths, healers, and energetically sensitive people, we are often dealing not just with our own personal emotions and responses to change. We’re also carrying the weight of other people’s feelings — whether it’s our family, friends, colleagues, clients, or all of the global community.

Just like fear — hope is contagious. Hope is what helps us get through some of the darker days and instills a renewed sense of excitement and purpose about the future. When you’re feeling hopeful, joyful, or grateful for the wonderful things in your life — don't hesitate to share that with others, and encourage them to do so too.

As you begin to experience a shift in your mindset and your energy, note down your thoughts in a journal or in the voice notes app on your phone. Start creating a “Bank of Hope” that you can return to any time you need a pick-me-up. The more you intentionally bring your focus back to the healing power of hope, the easier it will return to you.

Practice looking for the light, and you’ll start realizing that it really is all around.

Ask your Tarot cards: What is the light I’m not seeing in this darkness? How can I help others to feel more hopeful during this difficult time?

Try this: Do a Daily Card Draw and look for clues as to where and how you might experience more hope and joy in your day.

Affirmation: “I have the right to view the world through a hopeful, joyful lens.”

There are many reasons we might be feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed right now— personally, within our families and communities, or on a much larger scale. But don’t forget, friend, you also deserve to feel safe, calm, and peaceful. There are some things that we cannot change, no matter how much we might wish and pray that we could. But there are some things you can change. And Tarot can be a guiding light for you as you begin to make those changes and reclaim your personal power.

There are simple actions you can start taking today with your Tarot cards to manage difficult situations, and create space for more hope and joy in your life. I hope you’ll try one of the techniques above and let me know how it goes! Don’t forget to share your insights on Instagram, and remember to tag #biddytarot so I can see.