This is my current working theory. Whether the cause is astrological, economic, societal, or some combination, every single one of us is feeling, at certain moments, that life is moving just a bit too quickly and demanding just a bit too much.

Perhaps we are overwhelmed by the luxury of options and fearful of choosing the wrong things. Perhaps our responsibilities feel daunting. Perhaps we are creating something wonderful and worried about our ability to pull it off. Perhaps life has dealt us some heavy blows, and we are struggling to adjust.

The feeling of overwhelm can happen for numerous reasons. We can be overwhelmed with possibilities as well as with limitations. Yet, no matter the cause, overwhelm rarely feels good.

When we recognize the feeling of overwhelm within ourselves, it is time to evaluate our situation and make adjustments. Those adjustments may be of schedule, expectations, attitude, or some combination thereof.

It is vital to recognize that if we are overwhelmed, we need grace from ourselves and others while we catch our breath. At the same time, we need to have empathy for others who are likely feeling equally overwhelmed. When we respond to others with the same patience, grace, and kindness that we ourselves need, we make the world run a little better for everyone.

Social strategists, politicians, and social media influencers have plenty of theories about why life feels so stressful right now. I suspect that life on planet Earth has always been stressful. That we have time to notice and discuss our stress is probably evidence that the basic tasks of daily living are getting easier overall. If we have time to think about things, we also have time to stress about things.

Our society glorifies being busy yet shames being stressed. We are praised when we make difficult things look easy. We are never supposed to let anyone see us sweat. It may be that some of our current overwhelm comes simply from the task of trying to appear unbothered.

Perhaps part of the grace we need to give ourselves and others is the freedom to be authentic, even when we feel overwhelmed.

I think that the most important tools we have to combat feelings of overwhelm are patience, grace, and perspective. We can use these tools for ourselves and share them with others.

While handling stress better doesn’t usually change stressful situations, it does make a huge difference. When we can handle the stress of life more deftly, we have more mental space to find better solutions to reduce our feelings of overwhelm.

The StaarCorner

StaarCon 2024 AfterGlow

Here are the events we have scheduled so far for September.

On Saturday, September 7, 5 pm ET, in Katrina's 2024 Strength and Centeredness lounge, join Katrina Wynne for a quarterly check-in. How is the Year of Strength going for you?

On Sunday, September 15, 5 pm ET, in the Tea with Your Tarot Fairy Godmother lounge,

Join Christiana for an informal rant session. Let’s share our frustrations, support, and solutions with humor and divination.

StaarCon 5

StaarCon 5 will be special and exciting whether you join us from home or in West Palm Beach.

If you can make the trip to see us in person, here are some activities to look forward to.

Red Carpet Cosplay Event 

Bring your favorite costume! Dress as a tarot card, fantasy creature, old-timey fortune teller, or anything else that brings you joy, and strut your stuff on the red carpet Saturday evening on the way to the Bardic Circle.  

Charmed Treasure Hunt 

Charms are magical, whether you divine with them, wear them, or use them for spell casting. StaarCon 5 presenter and sponsor Brenda Elizabeth, AKA Lady Lenormand, is helping us create a weekend-long treasure hunt. We will have charms hidden throughout the conference center all three days. Find a charm, divine its message to you, and keep it! 

Hospitality Lounge 

We will reserve one room in the conference center for your comfort. Various sponsors will host coffee breaks throughout the weekend in the hospitality lounge. You can retreat to the lounge for a quiet conversation, to eat a quick Uber Eats delivery, or to catch your breath from the hustle-bustle of the conference.  

Shiny Object Adoption Center 

This has been a StaarCon favorite since the beginning. Bring your unwanted or unloved tarot decks, oracle decks, books, jewelry, and other items to be rehomed. Peruse the table and find new treasures to adopt. This year, find the Shiny Object Adoption Center in the Hospitality Lounge. 

Friendship Bracelet Station 

Create friendship bracelets as a StaarCon souvenir, to trade with your StaarCon friends, or as part of a magical spell. Thanks to our sponsors, find all the supplies you need at the Friendship Bracelet Station in the Hospitality Lounge. 

Solving Overwhelm with Tarot

Which tarot cards can most clearly speak of overwhelm? For me, the Ten of Wands screams overwhelm, as do the Nine of Wands and the Nine of Swords.

What can we do when our cards tell us we are overwhelmed?
Sometimes, the remedy is in the card itself. For example, in the Waite image of the Ten of Wands, there are obvious solutions to the problem. We could put down some of what we are carrying. We could ask someone for help. Or, we could see the town ahead and decide we can carry the load until we reach the town.

When we imagine ourselves to be the characters in the cards, we can often find solutions to the very problems of which the cards speak.

Of course, we can also ask questions of the cards to help us find the practical, spiritual, and emotional solutions we need. Those questions can help us prioritize our task list, recruit others to help us, and find new perspectives.

The Week in Review

It’s a new month! Check out your TarotScopes on YouTube and TikTok.

Tonight, join us for Global Tarot Circle on YouTube Live at 7 pm ET.

This Sunday, join us for our monthly tarot meetup at Panera Bread in Palm City, FL, at 4 pm.

From Around the Web

Fashion and mysticism are never too distant from one another. This autumn, check out Chanel’s new Clairvoyance collection.

The Emerald Lotus website is full of great tarot spreads. Here is one to try when we are feeling overwhelmed.

So much of overwhelm is anxiety, and so much of anxiety is fear. Here are some simple ways to meditate to release fear.

Making Magic

There are simple magical things we can do to combat feelings of stress and overwhelm.

For me, all magic comes from the Four Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. An intentional momentary connection with any element, either symbolic or literal, can make a huge difference.

Connect with Earth by going outside and feeling your feet on the ground. Spend time in nature. Or, perform a grounding meditation with a focus on your root chakra.

Connect with Air by going outside and blowing bubbles or feeling the breeze on your skin. Or, simply take several deep, cleansing breaths and consciously breathe your stress out of your body.

Connect with Fire by burning a candle and focusing on the flame to calm and inspire your mind. Or, turn your attention to your solar plexus chakra and find inspiration from your internal flame.

Connect with Water by going to the beach, a river, or a lake. Or simply take a bath or shower or drink a glass of water. As you connect with water, let the energy of Water bring you healing.

Upcoming Events

Weekly YouTube Events

Monday 9:30 am: Your 3-Card Weekly Reading

Thursday Noon: Tarot Topics Newsletter Recap

Friday Noon: Your Friday Weekly Wrap-up

Saturday 12:30 pm: Saturday Psychic Sampler

Card and Craft Academy

Card and Craft Academy will close October 15th.

Christiana’s Candle Magick
Christiana’s Eleven-Card Celtic Cross
Finding Meaning in the Minor Arcana
The Major Arcana, Magical and Mundane
Practical Tarot Techniques
Psychic Tarot
Personal Tarot: Reading for Yourself
Sharing Wisdom: Reading for Others
The Meaning and Magic of Tarot Reversals
Journey Through the Major Arcana
Your Journey Through the Minor Arcana: Numbers, Elements and Truth
Tarot Beyond the Veil
Your Journey Through the Tarot Court
Tarot Stories, Trends, and Blends
Tarot Readings for Personalities and Relationships
Clarity in Every Tarot Card
Tarot Flow Workshop
Making Magick with Tarot
Fearless Wisdom Tarot Workshop
Tarot Keywords and Interpretations Workshop
Tarot Spreads Tools and Techniques Workshop
Tarot for Magic and Mediumship
Tarot Communication for Clarity and Depth
Weaving the Tarot Reading Story
The Elemental Major Arcana
Minor Arcana Numbers, Elements, and Truth
Personal Healing with Tarot
Create and Interpret Custom Tarot Spreads
What the Court Cards Want You to Know
How Spirit Speaks Through Tarot

Catch up on your missed Zoom webinars and more!

cardandcraftacademy.com

About Christiana Gaudet

Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.

Christiana Gaudet

3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152

Coming soon! Locations in Port Saint Lucie, West Palm Beach, and Stuart, Florida!

Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
On the web www.christianagaudet.com
Online classes www.cardandcraftacademy.com
StaarCon information www.staarcon.com

YouTube @YourTarotFairyGodmother
Instagram @christianatarot @staarcon
TikTok @christianagaudettarot

Private telephone, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, and in-person readings and instruction are available by appointment.

Tarot parties at your home or office are available throughout Florida.

Zoom parties and group instruction are available almost everywhere!

Call toll free 866-99TAROT (866-998-2768)
Palm City 772-301-0232 x102
or call or text 561-655-1160
for more information or to schedule your event.

Schedule Appointments Online

Schedule online at https://christiana-gaudet.as.me.

Agent inquiries are welcome.

Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 7 Issue 36
September 4, 2024