About the Querent Emily Shi

Emily is content with her health, finances, and relationships, but is questioning her career trajectory. She’s competent and comfortable at her role at a large tech firm, but has been thinking about trying something new for quite some time. Emily’s floated a couple different ideas — marketing small businesses, going back to school, learning a trade, building an art community — and wants to know how and where to build momentum. Ideally, she’d be able to do something creative and high-impact, while still leveraging her social skills and business acumen.

Theme of 2022

2022

Theme of 2022

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Looking ahead to 2023

2023

Looking ahead to 2023

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9 of Pentacles

"Abundance"

Your 2021 is ruled by the 9 of Pentacles, a card of great abundance. You have the security, capital, and skillset to accomplish whatever you set your mind to, and now is the time to put those resources to use. The 9 encourages you to be generous with your energy. You’re on the cusp of figuring out your life’s work and legacy, so feel empowered to spend this year exploring anything and everything!

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The Hierophant (V)

"Tension with institutions"

You’ll scale your ambitions next year. The Hierophant (V) embodies authority, institutions, and systems. In 2023, I predict that you’ll have tension with the structures that exist around you: this could be the year that you outgrow Google. Or, you potentially find a way to leverage the tech industry to accomplish your own goals. 

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January

JAN

January

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7 of Pentacles

"Accumulation"

You enter 2021 focused on your job. January marks little change from the status quo: you derive wealth, experience, and stability from your role at Google. The 7 of Pentacles depicts a person tending to her garden and admiring the growth. She’s slightly pensive, begging the question: what is this all for?

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February

FEB

February

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10 of Wands

"Ambition"

Inspiration strikes. Wands represent fiery passion and big ideas; the 10 of Wands infuses your month with a flurry of energy. Your imagination conjures idea after idea, and you begin to sense the vague outline of a grander vision — but it may be a little too hot to handle all of it at once.

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March

MAR

March

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3 of Pentacles

"Collaboration"

You collaborate and thrive. With the help of trusted collaborators, you embark on new projects. The 3 of Pentacles — a team of stonemasons hard at work — complements the raw material of your January card (7 of Pentacles), and provides powerful avenues for growth.

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April

APR

April

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The Empress

"Unfettered growth"

The goddess provides. A maternal energy, The Empress (III) protects you from self-doubt and encourages you to throw caution to the wind. Trust that your momentum will eventually bear fruit, and wait until next month before you narrow down your options.

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Page of Wands

"An energetic youth"

A powerful creative partnership pushes you in a new direction. This month, you collaborate with the Page of Wands, an energetic person who supports your goals and shares your values. Maturity is best tempered with joy — as you settle into your job and social circles, seek a kindred spirit who helps maintain this delicate balance.

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Strength (VIII)

"Inner guidance"

Trust your inner guidance. Strength (VIII) acts as a reminder of your inherent capacity for growth. While you have a strong grasp on your professional skills, you’re more than just your resume — this card invites you to explore your untapped potential. Embrace creative solutions and be willing to fail.

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10 of Wands

"Impact"

Your projects gain traction. Poet T.S. Eliot associates your July card, the 3 of Wands, with the legendary Fisher King, an Arthurian hero whose choices dictate the health of his kingdom. As you enjoy newfound success, take the month to consider your potential impact on the world at large.

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August

AUG

August

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3 of Swords

"Growing pains"

August comes with growing pains. The 3 of Swords predicts you’ll be spread thin and face creative blockages. You may need to let go of certain responsibilities for now.

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September

SEP

September

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The Magician (I)

"Mastery"

Thankfully, you find solid ground. The Magician (I) embodies mastery over the self: no matter where your projects end up, you’ll exit the year with a greater sense of confidence in your abilities.

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October

OCT

October

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The Tower (XVI)

"Sudden disaster"

Expect a difficult, uncertain October. The Tower (XVI) summons a sudden change: a big move, an unexpected disaster, a stressful situation, the collapse of a project. Prepare for an unsteady month, but look forward to whatever emerges from the fallout.

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November

NOV

November

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The High Priestess (II)

"Insight"

Meditate on your progress thus far. While you’ve spent the better part of the year exploring your potential, The High Priestess (II) advises you to spend November in search of deeper insight. You’ve made a lot of progress, but seek the bigger picture: what is your true calling? Quiet contemplation reveals The Tower as a blessing in disguise.

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December

DEC

December

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Judgment (XX)

"Transformation"

Insight leads to transformation. You’ll know whether you should stay at your job by the end of 2021. Under Judgment (XX), old boundaries dissipate and intuition flows freely. While you might not see a career pivot until next year or even later, you’ll be ready to embrace your destiny.

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Tap a card

OVERVIEW

2023
April
June

Don’t be afraid of failure, and trust the process. Your projects won’t lead to immediate success, and you won’t be able to quit your day job anytime soon. However, your spread suggests that if you let yourself grow, and you’ll exit the year with a much better grasp of the bigger picture The Hierophant. In spring,The Empress and Strength encourage you to trust yourself and adopt a growth mindset, even as you face setbacks later in the year.

Oct
Nov
Dec

You’ll gain incredible insight in the fall. Even if your projects slow down or dissolve (The Tower), expect the experience to inform your values (The High Priestess) and help you assess your future impact on the world (Judgment).

May
No cups

Interpersonal relationships won’t be of particular concern this year. You didn’t draw any Cups (emotions). Your friendships will likely remain stable and predictable, and your collaboration with a new friend, the Page of Wands, will likely be project- or values-driven.

The number 3 is prominent in your spread, suggesting a highly productive year. You drew the first three cards in the Major Arcana (The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress (III)); the 3 of Pentacles, Wands, and Swords; and finally, the 9 (3^3) of Pentacles. 3’s inspire divine beauty, creativity, and understanding, though they feel considerably less stable than say, a 4 or a 10.

CONCLUSION

Trust your intuition and explore new projects, and insight will soon follow. You might not be able to change careers anytime soon, but the experiences you’ll have in 2021 will clarify your values and priorities. Be generous with your resources and think about your impact on the world.

Your efforts may falter in the summer or fall, but I expect that they’ll lead you in the right direction. In 2022, your ambitions become concrete and grand in scale, and you’ll figure out if your current career still has anything to offer.

Contact me if you have any questions: justincameronlai@gmail.com. I can email you a reply, or we can set up a free 30 minute call on Signal, Discord, or Facebook Messenger.

APPENDIX

The tarot consists of 78 cards: 22 major cards, 16 court cards, and 40 minor cards.

  • Major cards capture the central themes of the human experience.

    You drew 6 major cards — half of your spread. Look forward to a formative year!

  • Court cards represent you or other people in your life. Kings are masculine; Queens, feminine; Knights, willful; Pages, youthful.

    You drew zero court cards, so your year won’t be driven by your relationships. This outcome is statistically unlikely (4.7%), but makes sense considering the stability of your support system.

  • Minor cards, numbered from Ace to 10, signal everyday challenges, individual milieu, and smaller energies.

    • Cups concern emotions and relationships.
    • Wands, passions and creativity.
    • Pentacles, material concerns and security.
    • Swords, conflict and intellect.
  • You drew 6 minor cards, spanning three of the four suits (Pentacles, Wands, Swords). Since you didn’t draw any of the 14 Cups cards (7.6%), your projects will primarily be driven by your skillset (Pentacles), creativity (Wands), and values (swords), rather than your relationships.

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