Bending Toward Summer

Cards that Evoke Summer in the Herbcrafter’s Tarot

Pachamama, the World from the Herbcrafter’s Tarot. Art and photo by JPC. Card accompanied by Calendula and Wooly Thyme.

Dear Ones,

In early June, we find ourselves drifting away from the liminal season of Spring-Turning-to-Summer, anchored by the holy-day of Beltane. We are bending toward the season of Summer, here in the northern hemisphere. The longest day of the year, Summer Solstice, arrives on June 21st this year. We’ve had a number of summery days in my neighborhood, interspersed with rainy ones that drench our thirsty gardens and keep the woodlands green. I’ve heard rumors of a hotter-than-normal summer headed our way in the Pacific Northwest, but it hasn’t arrived just yet. The calendula and poppies in my little garden are already bursting out into full bloom. I’m looking forward to the blossoming of my beloved lavender, an old friend, and the nasturtiums I planted last month. (So far, the deer have left them alone.)

As we cross the threshold into a new season, I always look at its underlying themes and soulful messages that we can take into our hearts. Summer is a time of adventure, of community, of long days and short nights, of being outer-directed in contrast to the more inner-directed, short days of winter. It’s about ripening, queenship, pride, activity and activism, nurturing self and others, productivity and play.

Calendulas in the garden and on the Three of Fire. Art and photo by JPC.

I realize that my positive outlook on summer is due in part to our (usually) mild Northwest summers that are such a delight and a contrast to long months of overcast skies and rain. So many of my friends live in areas where the heat is so intense it’s hard to spend any time at all outside, except in the early morning and late at night. I have a lot of empathy for people living in hot climates, and I fear that climate change means that it’s only going to get worse.

I’m curious to know how you approach summer, and if it’s a positive experience for you in general, or if you just can’t wait until it’s gone and the cool winds of Autumn arrive.

In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the cards that evoke the season of Summer in the Herbcrafter’s Tarot and glean the messages and wisdom those cards and plants may have for us.

And June, of course, is the month we celebrate Pride. This year especially, we need to remember that the rights and lives of LBGTQ people are on the line every day in the U.S. I’ll say more about this below, but if you’re able, I encourage you to join me in contributing to the Trevor Project, which does such vital work in supporting LBGTQ+ youth. Right now they’re running a fundraiser where our contributions are being matched five times!

Detail, the World in the Herbcrafter’s Tarot. Art by JPC.

A note on the Herbcrafter’s Tarot World card above: The center mandala is based on a photograph of an actual rainbow mandala that HCT author Latisha Guthrie made in June 2015 to celebrate the legalization of marriage equality in the U.S. The petals she used are: red poppy, California poppy, dandelion, motherwort, borage, alfalfa, red clover, and yarrow. “Weave a rainbow to make the world whole,” she wrote in the HCT guidebook.

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Cards that Evoke Summer in the Herbcrafter’s Tarot

I went through my deck face up, asking myself what cards evoke the season of Summer most for me.

When I had nine cards in front of me, I was not surprised to see that five of them were from the suits of Fire and Water. Fire and water are major themes in European Summer Solstice folklore and traditions (more on that next week). I also had two Majors, one Earth card and one Air card. I also noticed that I pulled two Three cards, two Four cards, and two Six cards. Threes are often about abundance and harmony. Fours are about structure and boundaries. Sixes are about community and celebrations. All very summery themes.

You might try this same exercise, with the Herbcrafter’s or with another nature-based deck, and see what cards say “Summer” to you.

I’ll share the nine cards below, along with a journal prompt and a blessing. You can turn up a tarot or oracle card for each of the questions, if you like, or just start writing. Some of the language I used in the prompts and blessings are based on the text of the Herbcrafter’s Tarot guidebook written by Latisha Guthrie.

The Sun / St. John’s Wort

The Sun / St. John’s Wort from the Herbcrafter’s Tarot. Art by JPC.

JOURNAL PROMPT:

What is your unique medicine that will help heal a suffering world?

BLESSING:

Remember: Radiate warmth and purpose during hard times, easing the way for others.