Tarot To Cut Ties

With Scorpio season fast approaching, we are reminded of the importance of honouring the natural cycles of life. Associated with Death in tarot, Scorpio alludes to transience; the need to allow for things to end, transform and move from one state to the next. We give the seasons this grace each year, and without question, and yet for many of us, it’s all too common to cling to things that have long outworn their stay.

Change can be scary, which is why we often see the Death card depicted so bleakly. But, it’s also natural. In fact, when we try to evade its inevitability, we often find out how futile that is. In other words, we can't escape the pain of goodbyes, because holding on past expiry comes with its own host of challenges.

In tarot, there are many cards that explicitly speak to endings (Death, The Tower, the 8 of Cups etc.). When these cards come up in a reading, they can be indicators that something has grown stale and needs to shift. But, we can also use tarot as a way to invite these deaths when we know something has overstayed its welcome, especially if we’re having trouble navigating that process. Whether it's a harmful influence, relationship, mentality, cycle or situation - there are things in our lives that sometimes need to come to a close, and tarot can help us make that cut.

Let’s get into it!

Step 1: Set The Intent

It all comes down to the powerful first step of just setting the intention (and really feeling it too, of course). In this way, we can acknowledge to the universe and ourselves that we know what we want, even if we don't know all the steps to achieving it. At this threshold, we are welcoming in opportunities to move us along in the most helpful and productive way possible for everyone involved.

Here are some sample intentions one might set for this sort of ritual.

• I want to create an energetic boundary between myself and someone or some situation.

• I want to protect my energetic integrity and wellbeing.

• I want to invite healing and space.

Step 2: Select A Card

Next, select a card that embodies the thing you want to move away from or cut ties with. If it’s a particular person, find a card that you feel embodies them. If it’s an environment, find a card that matches the setting. If you can’t quite summarize it with a card, you could always select the 8 of Swords as a symbol of general stuckness.

Step 3: Lay Out The cards

With your card selected, lay it down in front of you and then find the Ace of Swords and the 6 of Swords and lay those down to the right of your first card. It should look something like what I have below.

The Ace of Swords is in the centre to symbolize the tool making the cut. We like the ace because it represents precision, clarity and wisdom. This isn’t about crudely axing something we don’t like. This is about moving on from something in a way that serves the best interest of all.

The 6 of Swords is used to symbolize a gentle detour toward the future, and away from the thing you’re severing ties with. You could instead select something more specific for this third card, but we like the 6 because it implies that the future is hopeful and full of possibility. It also carries the tone of having an aid/support along the way, and this can often he very helpful when we’re cutting ties.

Step 4: Meditate & Reflect

Once you have your layout, arranged as you like, spend a few moments in meditation, reflecting on your intention and the cards you’ve selected. You could always bring in calming music, a soothing scent or even some crystals to amp up the energy. Anything to help you really feel what you’re asking for. Remember, it’s not so much what you do, it’s why you do it and how it makes you feel. This is important in ritual and why correspondences can only get us so far.

p.s. we have Tarot Meditations available on YouTube. We might recommend The Lovers, The Chariot or Death for this purpose.

And that’s it, really! Your wish has been sent off and all you need to do is continue to hold your intent and look for evidence of its effect in motion. You could, if you like, leave the set up out for a few days, take a picture to return to as needed, or simply put them away and forget it. That part is up to you, depending on what you feel is best and what is practically feasible.

We hope this ritual serves you well!