Don’t you just love the soft rustle of leaves underfoot as autumn blankets the world in shades of gold and crimson? There’s something undeniably magical about this season—a time when the air turns crisp, the days grow shorter, and everything feels steeped in mystery. As the earth quiets and the trees shed their vibrant foliage, autumn invites us to slow down, reflect, and connect with our inner selves. It’s the perfect moment to turn to the ancient wisdom of tarot, where the cards hold secrets of transformation and introspection, much like the autumn season itself. This year the equinox will be on September 22nd—a milestone when the sun appears directly above Earth’s equator and is crossing from north to south.
Just as the trees let go of their leaves, this Autumn’s Embrace Seasonal Reflection spread encourages us to release what no longer serves us, making space for personal growth and clarity. With each card drawn, we’re invited to explore the deeper currents of our soul, uncovering truths that guide us through the beauty and challenges of this time of change.
Autumn’s Embrace Tarot Spread
As autumn arrives, it brings a time of reflection, gratitude, and transformation. This tarot spread invites us to connect with the energy of the season, helping us explore our inner landscape and the shifts occurring in our lives. Each card position corresponds to the themes of autumn, offering insight into our personal journeys.
1st card: The Seed
This card represents the potential or opportunity that is ready to be nurtured. It encourages us to identify what new beginnings are sprouting in our lives. What dreams or ideas are calling for our attention?
2nd Card: The Harvest
Reflect on our recent experiences and acknowledge the lessons and gains we’ve harvested. This card encourages us to celebrate our achievements, no matter how small. What progress have we made that deserves recognition?
3rd Card: The Falling Leaves
Autumn is a time for letting go. This card asks us to examine what we need to release—be it habits, relationships, or old beliefs. What can we shed to make space for new growth?
4th Card: The Gathering
Community and support are vital, especially during times of change. This card highlights the relationships and connections in our lives. How can we lean on our support system, and how can we contribute to the collective?
5th Card: The Reflection
As the days grow shorter, it’s a perfect time for introspection. This card invites us to reflect on past experiences and the wisdom they offer. What insights from our journey can guide our future decisions?
6th Card: The Bonfire
Embrace the warmth of our passions and creativity. This card encourages us to reignite what brings us joy and fulfillment. As the chill of autumn sets in, what activities or projects can bring light and excitement into our lives?
We will use this spread to explore into the depths of our experiences and align with the transformative energies of autumn. I tried to connect each position in this spread to autumn so the spread can offer a unique perspective, guiding us toward clarity and empowerment as we navigate this beautiful season.
Autumn’s Embrace: A Seasonal Reflection Collective Spread
Let’s take a look at what Tarot has to say about this autumn’s equinox.
1st Card: The Seed – 5 of Pentacles
The 5 of Pentacles typically represents hardship, scarcity, or feeling left out in the cold. In the context of “The Seed” position, this card suggests that the opportunity for growth lies in adversity. We may be facing financial, emotional, or physical challenges, but within these struggles lies the potential for new beginnings. This card asks us to nurture resilience and resourcefulness. The hardship we’re experiencing could be the fertile ground for a dream or idea that will lead us out of this tough situation—possibly one that fosters a deeper connection to our own strength and ability to thrive despite difficult circumstances.
Key Insight: Out of struggle, something new can bloom.
Question to ask yourself: What can you learn or create from your current challenges?
2nd Card: The Harvest – Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords is a card of mental clarity, breakthroughs, and cutting through fog, the card of the truth. In “The Harvest” position, it indicates that we’ve recently gained valuable insight or experienced a mental breakthrough. We may have cut through confusion, allowing us to see a situation clearly and make decisive choices. This clarity is our harvest; it’s the intellectual or truth-driven progress we’ve made. Now is the time to celebrate our newfound understanding and the fresh start it brings. This card could also signal an ability to communicate more effectively or to speak our truth with greater confidence.
Key Insight: Celebrate your mental clarity and breakthroughs.
Question to ask yourself: What new truths have empowered you?
3rd Card: The Falling Leaves – Death
The Death card is the ultimate symbol of transformation and letting go. In the position of “The Falling Leaves,” it signals that a major ending is at hand. It’s time for us to release something significant in our lives—a belief, relationship, or chapter that no longer serves us. Though this process can be challenging, Death encourages us to embrace it, knowing that transformation is inevitable and ultimately positive. By shedding the old, we create space for new beginnings and personal growth, much like the trees losing their leaves to make way for new life in spring.
Key Insight: A profound transformation is taking place.
Question to ask yourself: What are you ready to release to welcome new growth?
4th Card: The Gathering – The World
The World card speaks of completion, fulfillment, and unity. In “The Gathering” position, it suggests that our support network or community is rich and expansive. We may be coming to a point of completion in a particular project or life stage, and this card encourages us to lean into the connections that have helped us reach this point. The World also implies that we have the potential to contribute meaningfully to our community. There’s a sense of wholeness here—whether through personal achievement or our role within a group. Let’s reach out and share in that collective sense of accomplishment and harmony.
Key Insight: Celebrate your connection to the wider world and your community.
Question to ask yourself: How can you contribute to and receive from the collective?
5th Card: The Reflection – 9 of Wands Reversed
The 9 of Wands reversed often indicates weariness, defensiveness, or the feeling of being on the verge of burnout. In “The Reflection” position, this card asks us to look back at times when we’ve had to persevere and how those experiences have impacted us. Are we guarding ourselves too much now as a result of past struggles? Or perhaps we’re feeling mentally or emotionally exhausted, unsure if we have the energy to continue. Reflect on how our past experiences of pushing through obstacles may be affecting our current state. This card invites us to reconsider whether our defenses are necessary or if we need to rest and recharge.
Key Insight: Reflect on your past struggles.
Question to ask yourself: Are you holding onto unnecessary defenses, or is it time to give yourself a break?
6th Card: The Bonfire – The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is a card of cycles, destiny, and change. In “The Bonfire” position, it suggests that our passions and creativity are tied to the natural ebb and flow of life. This card encourages us to embrace the changes that come our way, as they are part of a larger cosmic cycle. We may be entering a period of good fortune or a significant turning point, and this is the time to reignite our passions and creative pursuits. Let the unpredictable energy of the Wheel inspire us to take risks and follow our intuition, knowing that life’s ups and downs are all part of the journey.
Key Insight: Embrace the changing cycles in your life and reignite your passions.
Question to ask yourself: What new opportunities or creative projects are calling you to action?
Interesting Observations in the Spread
Missing Suit: Cups
The spread is missing a card from the Cups suit, which traditionally represents emotions, relationships, intuition, and matters of the heart. The absence of Cups in this reading suggests that emotions or emotional matters may not be the primary focus or driving force in our current situation. It could indicate that right now, we’re more focused on practical, intellectual, or spiritual matters rather than feelings or personal relationships. However, this absence might be a gentle reminder to not overlook our emotional wellbeing, even though other aspects (like thoughts, challenges, or transformations) seem to take precedence.
Half the Cards Are Major Arcana
Having three out of six cards in the spread from the Major Arcana is significant. Major Arcana cards represent larger, more profound life lessons, karmic influences, or pivotal turning points in our lives. These cards often indicate that we’re dealing with important, long-term themes or changes rather than everyday issues.
Balance of Themes
Challenges and Transformation
With the 5 of Pentacles and Death both present, there’s a strong theme of hardship leading to transformation. The 5 of Pentacles represents a difficult situation, but Death signifies the end of a cycle and rebirth. Together, they point toward an opportunity to turn adversity into growth by letting go of what no longer serves us.
Completion and New Beginnings
The World and the Ace of Swords together represent the balance between completing one chapter and beginning a new one. The World signifies the successful completion of a journey, while the Ace of Swords brings clarity and a fresh start. This suggests that we are in a pivotal moment, both ending one significant phase of life and stepping into the next with a clear mind.
The Wheel of Fortune’s Influence
The Wheel of Fortune in the final position, The Bonfire, suggests that the energy of the entire spread is highly dynamic. This card implies that much of what is happening may be beyond our control, as fate and the cycles of life are at play. The Wheel emphasizes adaptability and encourages us to take advantage of positive changes as they arise, trusting that everything is part of a larger cosmic cycle. Being the final card, it encourages us to embrace uncertainty and see it as a source of creative power and excitement. This card, along with the others, suggests that we are being asked to flow with the changes, trusting in the process.
The Contrast Between Active and Passive Energy
The Ace of Swords and 9 of Wands (even reversed) bring a sense of active mental energy and the need to push forward. These cards suggest that mental clarity and reflection are necessary as we navigate these transitions, and while we may feel weary, we must still engage with our journey.
Death and The Wheel of Fortune, on the other hand, imply that some things are out of our control and are through this perspective presented as passive energy. The changes that are happening are part of a larger life cycle, and we are being asked to allow these transformations to happen rather than resist.
Numerological Perspective of the Spread
5 of Pentacles — Number 5
Ace of Swords — Number 1 (Ace = 1)
Death — Number 13 (1 + 3 = 4)
The World — Number 21 (2 + 1 = 3)
9 of Wands (Reversed) — Number 9
The Wheel of Fortune — Major Arcana, Number 10 (1 + 0 = 1)
1 (Ace of Swords & The Wheel of Fortune)
The number 1 signifies new beginnings, independence, and self-determination. This is reinforced by both the Ace of Swords (mental clarity, new ideas) and the Wheel of Fortune (the cycles of change). The fact that this number appears twice in the spread suggests that there is a powerful energy of fresh starts and cycles beginning, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities and embracing new paths.
3 (The World, reduced from 21)
The number 3 symbolizes creativity, expansion, and growth. The World card, representing completion and fulfillment, resonates with this number, indicating that the changes in the spread will lead to a sense of wholeness and completion. It also highlights the importance of community, creativity, and growth through collaboration and collective achievements.
4 (Death, reduced from 13)
The number 4 is associated with stability, foundations, and structure, which may seem surprising given the transformative nature of the Death card. However, in numerology, the number 4 can also symbolize the process of building new foundations after something has ended. Death’s transformation paves the way for new growth, suggesting that a period of restructuring is ahead.
5 (5 of Pentacles)
The number 5 relates to change, instability, and freedom. The 5 of Pentacles reflects the chaos and challenge often associated with this number, indicating that the hardship or adversity present in the spread is part of a necessary change. The presence of the number 5 signals a time of transition and suggests that while things may feel unstable, they are shifting toward something new.
9 (9 of Wands Reversed)
The number 9 represents completion, reflection, and wisdom. The 9 of Wands, especially reversed, asks us to reflect on the trials and obstacles we’ve faced and whether we have reached the point of needing to rest or reassess. It indicates that we may be nearing the end of a challenging journey, but the lessons learned along the way are important for moving forward. This number often signals the culmination of a cycle.
Cumulative Numerology
To get a sense of the overall energy of the spread, we can add all the card numbers together and reduce them:
5 (5 of Pentacles)
1 (Ace of Swords)
13 (Death = 4 when reduced)
21 (The World = 3 when reduced)
9 (9 of Wands Reversed)
10 (The Wheel of Fortune = 1 when reduced)
Total: 5 + 1 + 4 + 3 + 9 + 1 = 23
Reduce further: 2 + 3 = 5
The overall numerological number for this spread is 5, which reinforces the dominant theme of change, transformation, and instability. The number 5 is often associated with the need for flexibility, freedom, and adaptability during times of transition. In the context of this spread, it highlights the importance of embracing the shifts happening in our lives and trusting that the challenges we face are part of a larger, transformative process.
This autumn spread reveals that while we may be facing adversity (5 of Pentacles), a powerful opportunity for growth and transformation is at hand. We’ve gained clarity and mental breakthroughs (Ace of Swords), and the time has come to let go of what no longer serves us (Death). Let’s lean into our community and celebrate our achievements (The World), but also reflect on any lingering exhaustion or defensive walls we’ve built (9 of Wands Reversed). Finally, we can embrace the dynamic changes coming our way (The Wheel of Fortune) and allow our creative energy to flow with the natural cycles of life.