The Speaker of Wands card from the Mixed Signals tarot deck by M Eilo (all images courtesy M Eilo)
Hyperallergic’s tarotscope series is a combination of tarot with astrology, a reading for the collective readership combined with cards for the major astrological signs, grouped by their elemental associations. These are developed by AX Mina, a Hyperallergic contributor and producer for Five and Nine, a podcast about magic, work, and economic justice. These tarotscopes have a special focus on the arts and creative practice, for each solstice and equinox, to mark the turning of the seasons.
In premodern times, the winter solstice would be felt intensely for its extended darkness. Today, with the abundance of artificial light, it can come and go with little notice. In San Francisco, where this reading was conducted, power outages have affected more than 10,000 people, a reminder of how delicate our systems of light really are. Rain fell during the solstice, and I found myself stuck on the train for an unexpected amount of time, unable to cross the Bay. With the city lights dimmed, I paused to notice the night sky, which is particularly compelling in the winter. Orion’s club was shining brightly above, joined with Canis Major and Canis Minor to form the Winter Triangle.
This season’s tarotscope, as with most of ours, is read using the Mixed Signals Tarot, designed by artist M Eilo, on the tarot platform Moonlight. The cards were drawn in the midst of the Winter Solstice, in this 12th month of the Hermit Year (in the tarot system) and the final months of the Snake Year (in the East Asian lunar system).
For this winter solstice, we read with the Thaw, a special spread offered by Moonlight. The first reflects a collective exploration of why many of us have felt frozen. The second suggests the first small signs of thaw. And then we draw a guide, customized to your astrological element, that gives you guidance for navigating this time of winter.
We start with an inquiry: What must we keep in mind in the year’s twilight? As so much of the world slows down, the earth’s orbit around the sun continues unabated, reminding us that nothing is permanent — neither darkness nor light. Our planet simply turns and turns, giving us the seasons and their long days and long nights.
Collective Tarot Reading
Why We’ve Felt Frozen: Speaker of Wands (reversed)
The First Small Sign of Thaw: Maker of Cups
The Wands are the suit of fire and inspiration, and the Speaker is the suit of power. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, this is considered the King of Wands, while M Eilo’s deck depicts it as a group of people speaking powerfully. They are reversed, which in tarot can indicate a blockage or challenge. For many artists right now, the past noise and activity of the community voice might remain silenced for the moment. In many ways, it is the energy of the Snake Year, often a difficult time of shedding and rebirth.
The first small sign of thaw comes in the form of the Maker of Cups, known as the Queen of Cups in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Look carefully at this card: the Cups represent the suit of water, the depths of the heart. The hands cherish the cup, like an invitation into the heart. As we sit still in this final week of 2025, listen carefully to the heart. That little voice is whispering to you through this solstice and into the coming Year of the Horse.
Below, you’ll find further guidance in the form of a single card for each group of zodiac signs. Imagine them as guides into the long night, as we slither slowly into a new year.
Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)
Guide: Fighter of Cups (reversed)
Here, the Fighter of Cups points to the importance of taking a moment for pause. The Fighter (the Knight in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck) is a prompt to consider the substance of your emotions. The Cup, the suit of water, is an invitation to slow our pace, apparently contra your sign’s fiery nature. This is a simple interval with simple guidance — check in with your body and mind before you proceed into the new year, observe what’s arisen for you in 2025 and what your heart carries forward.
Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)
Guide: Death
The Death card is often feared for its literal meaning. I welcome you to consider its metaphorical one instead. As the year comes to a close, reflect on what elements of 2025 with which you should part ways. In a year of intensity, a metaphorical death allows for rebirth. If you have experienced literal death this year, this card may encourage you to honor your grief. Whether the loss you’ve experienced is metaphorical or literal, consider a sacred ritual to mark the passing and ground you.
Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)
Window: Temperance (reversed)
M Eilo portrays Temperance as a cozy place with books, pillows, and a blanket or two. Reversed, it is still a site of study for your busy mind, but perhaps the usual sources of comfort feel empty right now. The conditions of temperance depend on the individual, and only you can know your own. You can spend time with books, journaling and ruminating to find the balance you seek, but this card and its placement propose that temperance may best be found from lived experiences.
Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
Window: Strength (reversed)
The water signs, known for their strong emotions, are often mistaken for not having strength, but their strength comes through their ability to feel deeply. It’s possible you may be struggling with this superpower (aren’t all superpowers a double-edged sword?). I was reminded of Theodore Roethke’s poem “In a Dark Time,” which describes feeling deeply, almost as if it was written during the winter solstice:
In a dark time, the eye begins to see,I meet my shadow in the deepening shade;I hear my echo in the echoing wood—A lord of nature weeping to a tree.
