Permission to Rest: Tarot Spreads for Self-Care and Burnout Recovery

Don’t we all just need a break sometimes?  Personally, when I keep going too hard for too long, I usually end up getting sick.  It should never really get that far, should it?

But society today tells us that hustle is the thing, and if we aren’t working on something every hour of every day, we’re wasting our lives.  As a Capricorn, I buy into that idea way too much.

Tarot really likes motion as well.  You see a lot of cards like The Chariot, The 8 of Wands, even the 6 of Swords or 8 of Cups that show us moving, moving, moving.  And the 5, 7, and 9 of Wands show us struggling, struggling, struggling, constantly fighting for what’s ours.  If we don’t find a way to rest, we may end up in the scenario of the 10 of Swords, completely done, cooked, burnt out.  So how do we find our rest, and how can tarot support that?

Look at cards like the 4 of Swords.  This is a great card for self care and calm.  This is the card that we see when we need to take a step back, take care of ourselves, and rest.  The cold rest of death is a metaphor for cutting off the outside world and taking the time you need to get your energy back.

The 3 of Cups and 4 of Wands cards also show us relaxing and having a good time with friends, celebrating the joy of living.  And the 9 of Pentacles shows us happy, fulfilled, with all of our needs being taken care of.  Use these cards as focal points on your altar to invoke the type of rest that you need most.  

Remember, there’s a flip side to every hustle, and that’s rest and rejuvenation.  Don’t give up one for the other, and find the balance that Temperance promises.  One foot in and one foot out is the way to go.  

How do you relax with tarot?  Do you use reading tarot as a self-care activity, a way to step back and get an overview of your life?  Or do you find it a part of the hustle, keeping you informed so you can be more productive?  I’d love to hear what you have to say about motion and rest in the 78 cards.