Iris X Reading of the Week/Week beginning on 12/15/25:

Hello to the friends of Iris X Readings! I hope you are all holding up in this busy season. December can be hard. Inwardly, we are pulled to quiet. It's dark and cold, and it makes most of us want to stay home and warm by the wood stove. It is a quiet and reflective time of the year. But- December doesn't know that. It is a busy month. We are pulled out into parties and social activities of all kinds. At the time of the year when our instincts would tell us to be quiet and reflect on the year passing in the darkest month- we are pulled into the light. For some- maybe that's a good thing. But I suspect that a lot of people feel tired and over done. And I can see it in this reading. I shuffled the cards and asked for a reading for someone who will read this post. Read on and see if it's for you! This reading was done on The Avian Tarot- a brilliant deck of birds by Brittany Lyn Batchelder. 

The reading begins with The Moon/Bowerbird. Bowerbirds are known for creative expression. They create elaborate and colorful environments to attract their mates. The Moon is a card of the things that pull our energy; sometimes without our even knowing it. It is a card of unseen forces and powers that attract, repel and guide us. If this is your reading, you are feeling drawn by something. You are reflecting on the cycles and patterns of your life and how to make sense of a world that feels unpredictable and confusing. You are feeling something pulling on your intuition and energy. You feel like something is up. It may be showing up in your dreams or conscious thoughts- but something feels different. 

Justice/Eagle is next showing a need to stand up and use your voice. This is a card of power and accountability and asks you to address the balance in your life. If things are feeling off, there may be a need to reset your scales. If something is wrong, this is a card of finding a way to fix it to bring it all back into balance. Justice asks the difficult question of - what will make everything right again? There are unseen laws connected to this card that set the scales in balance even when we don't do anything at all. Just like the predator/prey cycle of the Eagle- there are things that are meant to be. It may seem harsh at times, but there are old laws of nature which maintain a balance in our world. 

The Knight of Cups/Mandarin Duck comes up next showing a change of pace. It is about moving like the river and being very flexible to what comes up next. The river doesn't know if there is a sharp rock up ahead- it just deals with it when it gets there and flows around it. This is a card of responding to the energy around you and 'going with the flow. A Leonard Cohen quote comes to mind. "If you don't become the ocean, you will be seasick every day." The Knight of Cups is a card of following your heart, and not planning so much. For now, let it be. Some things can't be planned. 

The key to this reading is The Hermit/Wren. Wrens embody great powers found in small things. It is important right now to focus on what is in front of you. If you look at the big picture, it is easy for things to become overwhelming. But The Hermit lights up one step at a time. Similar to the Knight of Cups who doesn't plan, The Hermit wanders and gathers wisdom along the way. If your instincts are to be quiet, then follow that. Take a walk in the winter woods. Listen to the world around you. Not the one that the news is telling you about- but the happenings around your home. Follow some tracks in the woods and see what lives around you. Look at things up close and listen more than you talk. 

Here's what I see. It feels like there are some big things happening in this reading. You are sensing something right now- your intuition is speaking loudly to you. You feel like you have been unsure of what is going to happen next for a long time. You know that there is a pattern and cycle to everything, but you have been feeling like you don't know what to expect on a day to day basis. You are seeking a sense of harmony and balance in your life, and are feeling a need to stand up and speak out. There is a lot happening all at once, and it is hard to keep yourself balanced. It would be wise to take a deep breath and let things be. Just for a moment. Fact is- you don't really know what is going to happen next. You can't plan for things right now, because you don't really know what the future looks like. You are going with the flow and responding to what is happening around you, but feeling like you don't have a plan. The key is to light up one step at a time. Follow your instincts to climb into a cave and be alone if you wish. Or, if your instincts are telling you to do something different- do that. It seems that there is a lot to do on a larger scale, but first you have to take care of yourself and not get overwhelmed by trying to do too much at once. Let your heart lead the way for a moment. 

If you need a reading this week ('tis the season for new year's readings!), send a message to irisxtarot@gmail.com. Have a great week! Get some quiet if you can!