I know you think you don’t need these three cards. But trust me, you need these three cards. They orient the whole spread to make sure you’re on the same page as to what’s really gone up in flames in your life.
4: Is it really that bad?
What’s the reality? What’s the lesson here? All the time, “bad” things happen (or spontaneously combust) and it’s actually for our own good. Here’s a peek at your silver-lining, though you may not be ready to embrace it yet. Also, if you’re making a mountain out of a molehill - this is where you’ll get a reality check.
5: Who/what piled up the garbage?
Maybe it was you? Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was someone else, or a life circumstance, or a particular desire. Find out.
6: Who/what set it ablaze?
Piled up garbage is one thing. A burning pile of garbage is another. Garbage can be salvaged. It’s best to let flaming garbage burn itself out. So who/what decided that there was nothing redeemable here? What circumstances looked at this pile of garbage and gave a resounding: “Fuck it!”
7: How can I forgive them?
You can also frame this card as: How can I move on?
Whether you set the blaze yourself, or it was someone else, or a circumstance or life event that did it for you, forgiveness will give you the strength to leave the ashes where they lie.
Note: Look, if you try this spread thinking that nothing is really that messed up in your life (like I just did), you’re going to probably get called out on something. Take it with a grain of salt. The severity of a garbage fire is truly relative to how you feel about it.
And, above all, remember that you can’t get a phoenix unless you start with a pile of ashes.
Notes