Conversations With Your Future Self Tarot Spread

A friend had come over for birthday brunch (which is always the best) and we got to talking.

As is the tradition for many of my friends on their birthday, I'll pull out my deck of cards and cast a reading for them. It's a great annual check-in, I usually get to wax on about my admiration for them as it shows up in the cards (which it always does), and hopefully they leave feeling like they have just a bit more insight into the year ahead. 

During our conversation over the cards, my friend and I talked about the struggle that many folks go through (myself included!) when we try not only to imagine ourselves as successful, but not being afraid of that success. The reasons for such fear of success is manyfold and unique for every person, but I know that the following reasons are what often come up for me:

• Making a living doing what you love is unrealistic.

• You don't deserve success because:

  • If you're really an activist and fighting the good fight you shouldn't desire to actually be able to pay your bills, live in a vibrant and safe neighborhood or not accept the boulder of stress upon your heart as a badge of honor.

  • You're not good or smart enough.

  • Somebody is already doing what you love for a living. And they're better at it. And prettier. And have a well-trained dog.

• No one likes you, go away.

Your own self-doubts are going to be a variety of things that you share with many and some that feel like it’s only you thinking them (it’s not, we’re far more alike than our doubts let us think). I think there is a real power in naming and speaking out loud our doubts. Writing or speaking aloud our doubts diminishes their power, at least for a little bit, letting a new (kinder, truer) perspective find a foothold.

But what does this have to do with our future selves and why should we be talking to them?

In the course of the spread, one card in particular stood out as not only the possibility of what my friend could become, but that this was her future self reaching out to her. I've experienced the practice of connecting with my younger self, my ancestors, and my descendants (as a future ancestor myself), but I hadn't thought of connecting with my future self for current insight through a tarot spread. Especially around issues of success...

Now some of you might be thinking - but what if I'm not successful in the future?! Fret not because the future is a malleable and multi-possible thing. In the following reading you are connecting with that future self which is successful because such a reality exists. You don't have to believe it, but I think just the act of casting cards for advice from the part of you that has already made it through will probably bring about some amazing insights. Give it a try!

Design by Alexis J. Cunningfolk + background image by Dominik Schröder

Conversations With Your Future Self
Tarot Spread

1.  MY PRESENT SELF. A card that represents you and who you are right now. You can choose this card at random or select a specific one from your deck.

2. MY FUTURE SELF. A card that represents your future self. You can either choose this card at random or select a specific card that represents who you are as the most successful version of yourself.

3.  YOUR CURRENT SITUATION / QUESTION / STRUGGLE. Represents what you are seeking advice about from your future self. Again, you can choose this card at random or select a specific card from your deck.

4. SPEND LESS TIME... Advice from your future self on what to spend less time on.

5. SPEND MORE TIME... Advice from your future self on what to spend more time on.

6. REMEMBER TO... It can be all to easy to forget some of the most important and sacred things in our lives and our future self is here to remind us of what remains true and important to us in the years ahead.

7. LET GO OF... Your future self has a good idea on what you won't need in the years ahead even if, right now, you think that it is essential and something you must bring along. Alternatively, you may already know what you need to let go of and this card will serve as an affirmation of that awareness.

8. GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT FOR / RECOGNIZE YOUR SKILL... Your future self knows what you have accomplished and what you are skilled at. This card acts like a mirror, reflecting back your inherent gifts and current successes. It can be hard to look at, but look, clever one, look. 

9. WHAT YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME... Your future self shows you one way that you can be successful in the world in a way that matches up to your values and heart-centered compass. Make sure to look at the differences and similarities between card 9 and card 3 (especially if you purposefully selected card 3).

I hope that the Conversations With Your Future Self Tarot Spread is insightful and useful on your path. Share your stories about working with the spread below! Looking for more tarot spreads - right this way!