In the cards this week: possessions and balance

Always a challenge in this material world

This week's Minoan Tarot cards:

Four of Horns: Respect and value the material foundations of your life, but hold your material possessions loosely, keeping them in perspective. Don't be seduced or distracted by physical things when other aspects of life may be more important.

Balance: Avoid extremes. Find balance in your life, a sense of moderation, balance between work and play, exercise and rest. This is an ongoing process, not a one-time thing.

I created this deck; this is my art. Details and many more card pix here.

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The cards are being very level-headed today, which is a good thing considering how tumultuous the Big World is right now. And the two cards reflect the same idea from different angles.

The first card, the one from the top of the deck that can help us navigate these Interesting Times, is all about possessions and possessiveness.

That makes sense: When times get a little crazy, it can feel grounding to hold tight to physical possessions and the material aspects of life. Those things are solid. You can touch them, hold them. They’re comforting. They’re real.

But they can also be an unnecessary weight, the proverbial albatross around the neck, when you need to be letting go (or not spending so much money).

It’s easy to distract ourselves from the discomfort of all the stuff that’s going on right now by shopping, dining out, eating and drinking more than usual. These activities are an escape and can become an addiction. And while they’re enjoyable, plunging too deeply into them can also turn our attention away from issues of mental health, emotional support, and spiritual needs.

So what the Four of Horns is really suggesting is… balance.

Balance, which is the title of the second card, the one from the bottom of the deck that tells us how to key into joy despite everything that’s going on right now.

You might be more familiar with the Balance card as the Temperance card in other decks. The image on this card comes from the famous Bull Leaper fresco from Knossos:

That leaper in the middle of the fresco is balancing on the back of a charging bull, at the mid-point of a somersault over the animal’s back.

Life these days can feel about that tricky, if we’re being honest.

But as the fresco shows, it is possible to perform this incredible balancing act. It takes focus and patience (and practice).

So consider ways in which your life might be out of balance and how you can bring it back into alignment. Do you need more real rest as opposed to mindless scrolling on social media? Do you need to make more time for your spiritual practice, whatever that might look like? Do you need to tweak your diet for better nutrition to support your physical health? Do you need to get out, move around, and stretch your legs more often?

In one sense, the Balance card is about moderation: not going overboard in any given direction.

But that old saying, “Moderation in all things,” suggests that we also need to blow off steam every now and then (moderation itself being one of the things to be moderate about!).

And I think the image of the leaper balancing on the back of the bull points to that idea: not just physical balance, but the balance between the “civilized” leaper and the “wild” bull (it’s likely that the bulls were actually trained animals, but you get the idea).

Which means that sometimes, the way to achieve balance is to go a little wild — maybe literally, off into the woods for time in nature — or figuratively, letting yourself go as you dance like crazy to loud music until you’re worn out, or some other method of blowing off steam.

Then you can take a breath, find your center, and feel in balance again.

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About Laura Perry

I'm the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne's Tribe, a worldwide inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. I'm also an author, artist, and creator who works magic with words, paint, ink, music, textiles, and herbs. My spiritual practice includes spirit work and herbalism through the lens of lifelong animism. I write pagan / polytheist / magical non-fiction and fiction across several different subjects and genres. My Minoan title in the Moon Books Pantheons series is now available for pre-order and will be released on 26 August 2025. While that process percolates along, I’m finishing up the illustrations for a book of modern Minoan myths which will be released on 21 June 2025. I’m also an avid herb and vegetable gardener and living history demonstrator.