Ancestral Advice Tarot Spread

I created a three card spread to communicate with my ancestors:

1. The Message - What message do my ancestors have for me today?
2. The Reason - Why is it important for me to understand this message right now? 
3. The Action - How can I take action keeping this advice in mind? 

As an example of how this spread works, I will share a tarot reading I did recently. 

 

Cards from the American Renaissance Tarot deck by Thea Wirsching & illustrated Celeste Pille and the Ancestral Magick Oracle deck by Nancy Hendrickson & illustrated by Stacey Williams-Ng 

    For the message, I pulled the 3 of Wands and Storyteller. The 3 of Wands is a card of ambition, planning, and vision. Storyteller is about family narratives, values passed down through the generations, and architects of inspiration. I recently started a Genealogy Principles online class for the genealogy research program at Boston University. This card pull made me think about how I am learning to do more thorough genealogical research to better be able to understand my ancestors and tell their stories. I am also considering a career in the genealogy field. The message from my ancestors is about gathering resources, planning for the future, and advice that I can accomplish my goals through focused will and hard work. 

    For the reason, I pulled the 9 of Swords and Art. The 9 of Swords is a card of nightmares, terrible realities, and worry. Art is about creativity, expression, and healing. Not only do I love stories whether from books, movies, folklore, or history. I love art and creative expression too. I can worry and often overthink things. I also sometimes doubt my abilities and skills. Journals and art help me release my stress and alleviate my anxious thoughts. Part of being a good storyteller is creative expression and imagination. So while I fear that I am not good enough to be a great family historian and genealogist, my ancestors are reminding me that I am creative and artistic. The reason that this message about accomplishing my goals is important is because I can find a sense of connection and support from my ancestor's stories.   

    For the action, I pulled the 6 of Cups and Survivor. The 6 of Cups is a card of nostalgia, generosity of heart, and the wonder of stories. Survivor is about perseverance, resilience, and the capacity to thrive. Our ancestors have faced many hardships from natural disasters to wars, from the loss of a child to the loss of a spouse, from famines to epidemics. Our ancestors have survived countless terrible circumstances or we wouldn't be here today. We can take inspiration and hope from their stories. We can admire their inner strength and courage. They made mistakes and had to overcome difficult circumstances just like any of us. To me, this seems to be a reminder to be kind because everyone struggles with inner and outer conflicts. So the action going forward is take my family stories and ancestor's experiences to heart, to learn from my family history, to embrace my creativity, and to not let fear hold me back from pursuing my dreams and accomplishing my goals.  

With love, 

Autumn Rose Surratt 

The Ancestor Witch