The Hit List - Sick days - The Tarot Lady

This past week, I got hit hard by a nasty bug. (Nope, it wasn’t Covid.) I canceled classes, meetings, and lunch dates and spent two days in bed. I needed the rest.

Back in the day, I would have sucked it up and worked. I learned this from my father, who went to work, rain or shine, no matter how terrible he felt. Sick days weren’t a thing in our household, not when there was work to do.

That stubborn work ethic is ingrained in me. I love to work, so it’s hard to tear me away. Even when I’m under the weather, you can usually find me at the desk. Like Dad, I have responsibilities that need attention.

There is a deeper issue behind this hard-working vibe: anxiety about money. I grew up poor. While Dad loved his work, he also knew sick days meant no money. With four kids and a sick wife, he couldn’t risk taking time off. There were no vacations, few sick days, and a lot of worry about security. He always reminded us that “we didn’t have money,” which created a tremendous amount of fear in me. In my adult years, I also had times where I was dirt-poor. I’m talking digging pennies out of sofas and counting every single one poor. If you’ve never experienced that, you have no idea how much desperation it creates.

For me, that meant going to work even when I was ill. This manifested as: finishing my shift as a bartender after I fractured my foot by dropping a barrel of beer on it, tending bar sick as a dog with cryptosporidium, working with a sinus infection that blew my face up on one side (even makeup couldn’t cover it), throwing up in between tarot appointments when I had food poisoning, and working a tarot party after a gall bladder attack that turned me yellow and left me crawling up the stairs on my hands and knees. I had no choice – I had to work because I needed the money.

Sick days were a luxury.

I realize how ridiculous that sounds now. Putting money over health is a terrible choice, yet so many people are forced to do just that. We’re the ones with the “great work ethic” who get the pat on the back when we show up, even as we’re hacking up a lung (and probably infecting everyone else).

I’m in a different place at this time in my life now. I’ve worked hard and am secure. There are emergency funds available. I can take a day off to care for myself. Everyone should be able to do this. The idea of being so poor that you still work, even when you’re barely functional, makes me sad. I’m sad my Dad endured that, I’m sad that I did, and I’m sad for everyone who feels they have to do it.

Theresa

Other stuff:

How To Read Tarot Cards for Beginners—and the Curious!

Narayana Montufar has Your Saint Patrick’s Day Tarot Reading to Boost Your Luck!

I loved chatting with the Sacred Magic podcast folks!

I want her to thrive: Lindsay Lohan Slams Pressure That Moms Face To Snap Back After Giving Birth.

The Devil’s Comet will be visible this month.

Lisa Stardust analyzes Kate Middleton’s chart.

From Marie Claire: The 700-Mile Journey to Get an Abortion.

Voter beware: A Second Trump Term: What Are Trump’s Plans if He Wins Reelection?

The Cut asks the question: Why Are Parents On TikTok So Angry?

I wonder if this will stop the problem: A Handgun for Christmas.

From Well+Good: The Astrological New Year on March 19 Is Bringing the Cosmic Reset You’ve Been Craving.

Tips for party goers: How to Prevent a Hangover Before You Have to Deal With the Damn Thing.

The Woman Who Tried to Make Porn Safe for Feminism.

Lauren Ash gives the lowdown: What Is My Venus Sign? A Guide to All 12 Venus Sign Personalities.

Things are spiraling out of control in Haiti.

Promises, promises: U.N. Rights Experts Make False Promises About Prostitution.

From the Washington Post: The Hero.

For those who want to learn about auras: What’s My Aura?: Learn Your Color, What It Means, and How You Can Embrace Your Unique Energy Signature.

This is a beautiful and useful book: The Modern Witchcraft Book of Moon Magick: Your Complete Guide to Enhancing Your Magick with the Power of the Moon.

YUM: Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People.

benny blanco wrote a cookbook: Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends.

Fun: Weather Magic: Witchery, Science, Lore.

Ooooh interesting: The Time Traveler’s Oracle.

This too: Forest Magic: Rituals and Spells for Green Witchcraft.

The best tool for learning tarot is a journal. Here’s the ideal one: The Weiser Tarot Journal: Guidance and Practice.

When doing Tarot for someone who is dealing with an illness, or has limited energy/bandwidth for any reason, here’s a great question to ask: “What is the most meaningful thing I can do today?” Learn more: The Cards You’re Dealt: How to Deal when Life Gets Real (A Tarot Guidebook).

Even if you were born with a “rough” astrological chart (like me) this doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a life of hardship. Your fate is not solely dictated by the stars. It’s in your hands, too: Twist Your Fate: Manifest Success with Astrology and Tarot.

Finally…a Tarot deck for kids! Created especially for littles ones, ages 8 and up. Give this deck to your child. Watch their eyes light up and imagination ignite: Tarot For Kids.

Want to become a confident Tarot reader? You’re longing to impress your friends, family, and colleagues with your Tarot skills? This book is a great place to start: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading.

Prefer to listen to your tarot lessons? Check this out: Tarot: No Questions Asked: Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading is available as an audiobook.

Want to be the most popular person at every dinner party? Pro tip: learn how to do astrology. Folks will be lining up to chat with you and get an astro reading, and buying you plenty of free drinks, too: Astrology for Real Life: A Workbook for Beginners (A No B.S. Guide for the Astro-Curious).

There is an audio version if you prefer: Astrology For Real Life.

Looking for a new tarot deck? May I suggest: The Uncommon Tarot: A Contemporary Reimagining of an Ancient Oracle?

The first book I ever created—and still one of my all-time favorites. The Tarot Coloring Book: The Tarot Coloring Book.

Sometimes, life is really f*cking hard. It’s nobody’s fault. It just is. Doing a Tarot reading (with a pro, friend, or alone) is a great way to shift from feeling exhausted…to empowered. This book might help: Tarot For Troubled Times. It’s filled with helpful rituals, tarot spreads, and more – to help you stay grounded and ready to fight the good fight.

Have you ever thought about creating your own Tarot deck? You need this kit! Includes blank cards, painting instructions, and tarot explanations from yours truly. Everything you need. Let your imagination run wild: Create Your Own Tarot Cards: A step-by-step guide to designing a unique and personalized tarot deck!

As an entrepreneur, there are 1,000 items on your to-do list. But what should you prioritize and do…in the next week? Find out with The Astro-Biz Digest. It’s an astrology newsletter, especially for self-employed peeps. Comes out every Sunday. Sign up here: The AstroBiz Digest.

Find out what’s happening in the stars – as it happens. Real-time astrological transits plus daily tarot guidance – it’s all here with my text message service: Sign up here.

Learn how to write better, get published, and market your magical book with my newest thang: The Metaphysical Author’s Confidential – a newsletter for mystical writers: The Metaphysical Author’s Confidential. Essays and lessons on writing, publishing, and marketing your magical book.

If you want to learn astrology hands-on, you need this new kit from Carrie Paris and yours truly: My Living Astrology Chart. This experiential astrological kit also doubles as a charm casting board—perfect for detailed divination!

Classes and Events

Join my Patreon Community! I am serving up extended card-of-the-day interpretations, astrological tidbits, community tarot practice, political astrology, early sneak peeks at horoscopes….and more. Higher tiers get access to live classes, replays of previous classes, mentoring, and more.

Advanced Tarot Techniques. Join me for this four-part online class, starting April 5th, 2024, to learn about timing, decans, creating your own tarot spreads, and more.

Tarot & Astrology Accelerator Series. Los Angeles, California. Hybrid – live and online. I’ll be live in Los Angeles at 22 Teachings for this two-part series. There are limited tickets available in person; once they sell out, you will only have the option of choosing online. April 6th and 7th, 2024. Purchase both classes for $75.00.

Tarot Accelerator: You know more than you think you know. Los Angeles, California. Hybrid – live and online. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to be a faster, more intuitive tarot reader. Simple exercises will help you develop intuitive confidence and speed. No more stumbling for an answer! (Psst…you already know how to do this – you just need a friendly nudge.) April 6th at 3 PM PST. Purchase class here for $40.00.

Astrology Accelerator: Starting points in chart interpretation. Los Angeles, California. Hybrid – live and online. Okay, so you know all the astrology basics. But what happens when a client sits in the chair and wants you to read their chart? Where do you start? There are a variety of ways to begin your reading. In this workshop, we’ll talk about the best starting points and how the planetary ages can guide you for meaningful readings. April 7th at 2 PM PST. Purchase class here for $40.00.

My Living Astrology Chart. The new kit from Carrie Paris and Theresa Reed. Grab yours and get access to 12 classes with us and special guest instructors Briana Saussy and Celeste Brooks!

Pens and Cards. October 18-19th, 2024. Picton, Canada. Learn how to use tarot to inspire your writing with yours truly and Sarah Selecky. Details coming soon.