As the sun begins its slow descent and the days and nights come into perfect balance, we arrive at Mabon — the Autumn Equinox. This sabbat marks the second harvest, a time when the fields offer their final abundance before the dark half of the year settles in. Spiritually, it’s a moment of gratitude and release: giving thanks for what has grown, and gently letting go of what cannot be carried forward.
Mabon is a threshold between light and shadow, and like all thresholds, it invites us to pause, reflect, and prepare. For me, this year’s turning of the wheel feels especially powerful. With the birth of my son on the horizon, I find myself standing in both harvest and seed time — gathering the wisdom of who I’ve been, while preparing to step into an entirely new role.
In honor of Mabon’s themes of balance, gratitude, release, and transformation, I used a seven card Tarot spread to guide not only myself, but anyone who feels they’re standing at a crossroads, entering the darker months with both hope and uncertainty. Each question in the spread weaves together the essence of the season — asking what we’ve gathered, what must be released, what shadows may arise, and what blessings the turning of the wheel offers.
This spread came alive on my altar this morning, candles lit and cards in hand, and the messages it revealed were as layered and surprising as the season itself. Below are the prompts. Feel free to use them, tailor them to your specific desires, questions, or circumstances, and try it out for yourself! If you’re new to Tarot, I recommend using the “Labyrinthos” App or website to interpret possible meanings for your life. It was my main tool while learning Tarot and offers a ton of insight.
1. The Harvest – What have I gathered from this past season that will nourish me in motherhood? A look at the lessons, strengths, and gifts you’re carrying into this new chapter.
2. The Balance – What needs harmony between me and my fiancé as we step into parenthood? This card highlights where balance, compromise, or understanding will be most needed between the two of you.
3. The Letting Go – What must I release before the birth of my son? A pattern, fear, or attachment that no longer serves you as you transition into this next phase.
4. The Descent – What shadow or challenge may arise during the darker months? Illuminates what might feel heavy, scary, or difficult as you move into postpartum and winter.
5. The Light Within – What inner resource will guide me when the nights feel longest? A reminder of your resilience and the light you carry, even when it feels hidden.
6. The Seed – What is beginning to grow in me (and in us) that will shape the next cycle? A card for the new identity, inspiration, or direction that parenthood awakens.
7. The Blessing – What gift does the turning of the wheel offer my little family now? The overarching blessing of this season—what Spirit wants you to carry forward with gratitude.
The Question 1.) What have I gathered from this past season that will nourish me in motherhood?
The Card(s): “The Empress” & “The Page of Pentacles Reversed”
This one is straightforward, powerful, and oh so fitting for this entire theme of my life (and this blog.) The Empress represents creativity, fertility, nurturing, and embodied abundance. She’s literally the archetype of motherhood. To me, her presence is a reminder that I’ve already cultivated deep maternal instincts, creative life force, and the capacity to nurture growth. That’s my harvest: the part of me that can generate love, beauty, and life itself.
The Page of Pentacles Rev. is trickier—but works beautifully next to the Empress. Reversed, it can signal impatience or self-doubt (feeling like I’m not “ready” or “studied enough” for the big leap ahead,) a need to release perfectionism (accepting that I don’t have to have every detail figured out—motherhood isn’t an exam you pass, it’s an experience you live,) shifting priorities (the material or career-driven focus – often tied to pentacles – may need to step aside while I redirect my energy into nurturing life and home,) and letting go of old measures of “success.” It says “I’m stepping out of apprentice energy and into Empress energy” like a signal that I’ve already outgrown some of the roles, identities, or projects that once defined me.
Together, these cards say that my harvest isn’t just about what I’ve gained—it’s also about what I’ve outgrown. I already carry the abundance and creative force needed for this transition. I need to release the insecurity of being “the student,” the fear of inexperience, or the pressure to have everything planned. I’m graduating into a new role where lived wisdom and love matter more than checklists or credentials. It’s almost like the cards are telling me my greatest harvest is my readiness to embody the Empress, even if part of me still doubts or clings to the old mindsets.
The Question: 2.) What needs harmony between me and my fiancé as we step into parenthood?”
The Card: “The Ace of Swords” sideways.
When a card lands in a neutral position versus clearly upright or reversed, I usually take it as either needing to tread between the two, or follow what resonates more. This is a potent card to land in the “balance” position because swords are about communication, clarity, and truth with the Ace being the seed or beginning of those energies.
Upright, the Ace of Swords can represent shared vision, clarity & honesty; that flash of truth, that clear plan or breakthrough idea. In a relationship, it suggests we’ll need to cultivate radical clarity with each other about expectations, boundaries, parenting styles, and emotional needs. It’s a need for direct communication, a call for cutting through assumptions and fears, and really naming what each of us needs. By pursuing our mental alignment, we’ll create balance by bringing both of our voices into decision-making with openness and honesty.
The Reversed Ace of Swords is more about confusion & miscommunication. It’s mixed Signals, indicating misunderstandings, withheld truths, or words used carelessly. Balance may be needed around how we both use language in conflict or stress. Mental overload could suggest that too much analyzing, overthinking, or talking in circles will drain us both, but balance will come from simplicity and grounding. One or both of us may be struggling to speak what’s really on our heart showing a need for courage to share vulnerable truths.
Sideways/Neutral Ace of Swords feels like a “razor’s edge” moment where our words and thoughts can either bring us together or divide us, depending on how we wield them. Balance comes from being mindful about when to lean into clarity (upright energy) versus when to soften and not weaponize words (reversed energy). I feel like this is less about choosing one meaning, and more about walking the line: practicing truth-telling without harshness, naming needs without cutting, finding mental clarity without overcomplicating things.
As far as how this could show up for us in parenting, we will absolutely need balance around how we talk about stress, fears, and responsibilities. While one of us may crave clear plans (upright energy,) the other may feel overwhelmed by too many words/ideas (reversed energy). Our relationship will thrive if we treat communication like a sacred tool: sharpened when needed and put down when it risks harm.
A mantra that could be really helpful for us or anyone out there navigating communication differences could be something like this:
“We speak with honesty, we listen with patience, and we choose words that build, not break. Our truth is strongest when shared with love.”
Before a hard conversation, you could also light a single candle together, place a pen (a modern “sword”) between you on the table as a symbol of clarity and mindful speech, or say the mantra aloud together before you begin. That physical act will remind both of you that communication is sacred, and it keeps that Ace’s energy working with you rather than cutting between you.
The Question 3.) “What must I release before the birth of my son?”
The Card: Five of Cups Reversed
The reversed Five of Cups is one of the gentlest, most hopeful “release” cards. Its core meaning is moving through grief, beginning to accept, turning toward the cups that are still upright, and release of sorrow. I’ve been struggling with grief for my old self for eight months now. Pregnancy has shifted my body, my career, my identity, and my freedom in ways that are real losses. It’s natural to mourn those. This card also signals a readiness to move forward. I’ve felt the grief, and now my spirit knows it’s time to stop staring at what spilled. The remaining cups — love, motherhood, my creative future, my partnership — need my gaze. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. It means honoring that what I’ve lost mattered, but also choosing not to keep defining myself by its absence.
This is a hard truth that I need to release: the fixation on what’s gone from my life since becoming pregnant. Letting go doesn’t erase those feelings, but it does shift my energy from sorrow to gratitude, from “what was” to “what is growing.” I feel like this card is asking me to step into postpartum with fewer chains to my “before” self. If I can let go of comparing my present body, freedom, or path to what I had before, I’ll finally open space to embrace the new cups being filled: our son, our family, my redefined creativity, and my strength. A grounding phrase for all of us facing that 5 of Cups card could be:
“I bless what has spilled, and I release it. My eyes turn toward what remains, and I trust it will be enough.”
The Question: 4.) “What shadow or challenge may arise during the darker months?”
The Card: The Three of Cups Reversed
The shadow side. When inverted, the supportive circle of the Three of Cups can get fractured. Some ways this might show up for us is in isolation: Feeling cut off from friends/community during postpartum or the darker winter months. I’m sure motherhood can be deeply rewarding, but also lonely — especially if your world shrinks to baby care and home life. Friendships strain and not everyone in your current circle will fully understand your new role. Some relationships may fade or feel distant. I struggle with accepting help and this card reversed sometimes reflects withdrawing inward, being reluctant to lean on others, or feeling like we should handle it all ourself. This can lead to a disconnection from joy. What once felt celebratory may feel bittersweet, or we may struggle to find lightheartedness while adjusting to the heavy responsibility of parenthood.
The shadow or “Challenge” here is that this descent isn’t about “losing” your community, but about the temptation to retreat too far inward — either because we’re too exhausted, or because we don’t feel seen/understood in this new season of life. The challenge lies in balancing solitude with connection. Too much withdrawal may create unnecessary heaviness. The shadow of this card says “Don’t carry it all alone.”
This tells me that I may need to intentionally cultivate new circles (like other mothers, support groups, or spiritual communities like this blog!) who understand what I’m going through. I need to watch out for the instinct to “self-isolate” when I feel overwhelmed because it might feel safer in the moment, but it can deepen the descent into shadow (this resonates as my fear of postpartum depression.) I feel like this is also an urge from Spirit to allow my fiancé to be my “three of cups energy.” I need to let him celebrate small joys with me and lean on him when I’d normally lean on myself. A reminder phrase for this card could be:
“I honor my need for solitude, but I will not deny myself the medicine of community and joy.”
The Question: 5.) “What inner resource will guide me when the nights feel longest?”
The Card(s): Nine of Pentacles upright & The Tower sideways (neutral)
This pull came with a CRAZY occurrence. My altar is set up to be centered around a theme of balance; I have masculine and feminine traits, items, and elements on the table – the left side being more masculine focused and the right being feminine.
I always begin my meditations by lighting a candle on each side of the altar; one for God and one for Goddess. With the candles lit, I shuffled the deck and asked the question out loud. The Tower landed flat on the table in its’ neutral position, but the 9 of Pentacles flew straight to the candle on the masculine side of my altar, snuffed it out, and leaned against the candle like it took the place of the light the flame provided.
The Nine of Pentacles Upright represents self-sufficiency & inner abundance. This card is about standing in your cultivated strength, independence, and wisdom. It’s like the “I did this, I built this” card — a reminder that you already have what it takes within you.
It’s my reminder that I’ve created resilience, resources, and stability. Even if I feel shaky, this card affirms that I can root into my “inner garden” like the one pictured on the card itself. As a HIGHLY Feminine card, the Nine of Pentacles embodies dignified, sovereign feminine energy. It pairs beautifully with Empress from my first question and says my inner light is found in my ability to nurture myself and find calm even amidst chaos.
Onto The Tower Sideways/Neutral. In approaching this as a need for balance, this positioning points to the potential for upheaval. Upright, it’s sudden collapse and revelation. Reversed, it’s resistance to necessary change. Sideways, it suggests walking the threshold between those energies.
I already sense a massive identity shift coming (birth, motherhood, rebalancing partnership). The Tower says “yes, change will rock your world — but it doesn’t have to destroy you. Your resource is your ability to find strength in instability.” The beauty of the neutrality here is that it’s a choice. I decide whether Tower moments feel like destruction or liberation.
Now, the candle extinguishing on the masculine/God side of my altar feels like Spirit emphasizing balance. I have STRUGGLED with letting go of my need for control, structure, and my desire to provide for myself. The death of these ideas is symbolized in the candle going out on the masculine side (the archetype of structure, logic, provider energy) and is echoed in the Tower – some of the old “masculine frameworks” in my life are shifting. I’ve had to let go of control while letting my fiancé step into those roles I’ve always felt control in (not to mention his shift into fatherhood,) and it’s forced my relationship to stability and masculine energy to be redefined.
The message from Spirit here is that my feminine light (Nine of Pentacles) is steady even when external flames (Tower/masculine structures) flicker out or change. This says that the integration of balance will come from letting the feminine hold the light in the dark when the masculine wavers. When both energies are honored and allowed to shift – THAT’S where true balance comes from.
My inner resource is my cultivated resilience, independence, and dignity (Nine of Pentacles). My challenge will be navigating shifts in stability, structures, and masculine energy (Tower + candle.) The cards and synchronicity are reminding me that I’ve already built an inner garden that can weather collapse. Even if external roles, identities, or dynamics shift dramatically, my inner light is untouchable. A grounding affirmation from this reading could be:
“My roots are strong, my light is steady. I welcome change without fear, knowing my inner garden cannot be destroyed.”
It’s super interesting to see how The Nine of Pentacles and The Tower connect back to the Ace of Swords sideways (Balance with my fiancé) — since both pulls are hinting at shifts in my relationship’s masculine/feminine balance.
With the Ace of Swords Sideways, our communication and shared vision can either be a tool for unity or division, depending on how we wield it. The sideways positioning alludes to it not being fixed yet. My fiancé and I are at a tipping point, learning how to hold truth without cutting each other with it. Lastly, the masculine energy here = mind, clarity, structure, truth.
In The Nine of Pentacles and The Tower Sideways PLUS the extinguished masculine candle, I’m reminded that my inner feminine strength is cultivated, sovereign, and already enough. the instability or transformation around the masculine role/energy is highlighted — especially as my fiancé steps into fatherhood – and it all culminates in the fact that this upheaval doesn’t have to be destructive, but liberating if embraced.
Connection Between the Two
1. Communication & Stability Are Linked
• The sideways Ace = words can either sharpen or soothe.
• The sideways Tower = change can either collapse or liberate.
• Together: How we communicate will directly shape how we weather the upheavals of parenthood.
2. Feminine Holding Steady While Masculine Shifts
• The cards emphasize that my feminine resources (Nine of Pentacles, Empress) are steady and abundant.
• The masculine energy (Ace of Swords, Tower, candle going out) is shifting, unstable, or in the process of redefining itself.
The message is not “I hold all the light” — it’s “my light is secure enough to allow the masculine to crumble and rebuild without fear of losing myself.” The Ace and Tower both being sideways says that the balance isn’t decided yet. Our choices — how we speak to each other, how we allow change without resistance — will determine whether these energies clash or unite. A guiding Sentence that ties both pulls together could be:
“My feminine strength steadies me while the masculine reshapes itself. Our truth, spoken with love, is the key that turns upheaval into rebirth.”
The Question: 6.) “What is beginning to grow in me (and in us) that will shape the next cycle?”
The Card(s): “The Page of Swords” upright and “The Star” upright
The Page of Swords Upright represents curiosity and learning as the eager student who asks questions, seeks knowledge, and is open to discovery. It’s a reminder that we’re entering a cycle of learning, observing, and absorbing. We’ll be “students of parenthood,” yes, but also stepping into new ways of communicating and perceiving. This Page is the messenger, curious and alert. It suggests that open dialogue, research, and a willingness to experiment will be key.
The Star Upright is one of the most uplifting cards in the deck. It promises renewal after a period of upheaval (crazy how it follows the Tower in the Major Arcana — perfectly echoing my Tower pull from the last question). It’s about trusting that the universe has a bigger plan and that we’re always connected to divine guidance. Like the naked figure on the card, The Star is about being bare and true — allowing ourselves to shine in our most vulnerable, authentic form.
Together, this is such a hopeful pair combining the seed of curiosity with the seed of Faith. What’s beginning to grow in us is the blend of childlike openness (Page) and divine hope (Star). We’re moving into a cycle where we’ll be guided both by our willingness to learn and by our ability to trust that we don’t need to know it all — Spirit is with us. We’ll be piecing things together, asking questions, sometimes stumbling, but always learning. This process will be infused with healing, grace, and cosmic support. This pair feels like we’re about to learn to “speak” a new way of being — a blend of practical skills (Page of Swords) and soulful, intuitive wisdom (The Star) that will become the language of parenting. The seed planted in us and our relationship is not perfection — it’s openness and hope. We’re beginning a cycle of becoming students again, willing to be awkward and imperfect, while also anchoring in trust that the future holds light. A phrase we could use as affirmation:
“The seed I carry is curiosity nourished by hope. I welcome growth, guided by both learning and Spirit.”
The Question: 7.) “What gift does the turning of the wheel offer my little family now?”
The Card: “The Two of Wands” Reversed
When reversed, this card invites us to stay present right where we are. The blessing here is that we don’t need to have the whole future figured out right now. Parenthood may re-route old goals or dreams, but this isn’t punishment — it’s a blessing of alignment, showing us where our true priorities lie. The gift is learning to thrive without having to see the whole map. It blesses us with presence, reminding us that life doesn’t need to be lived 10 steps ahead (something I am famous for doing and panicking over.)
The turning of the wheel is gifting my Fiancé and I a pause from the pressure of “big visioning.” Instead, we’re being asked to embrace the gift of living in the now. Focus and intimacy let us learn that we don’t have to chase a thousand futures at once. The narrowed path isn’t limiting; it’s clarifying. We’re blessed with the opportunity to create a solid foundation as a family before running toward expansion.
I’ve had cards showing upheaval (Tower sideways), letting go (5 of Cups reversed), and balance being tested (Ace of Swords sideways) and The Two of Wands Reversed at the end is like Spirit saying “You don’t need to map the whole next season. The gift is presence. The gift is not in the ‘out there,’ but in the ‘right here.’” An affirmation for this blessing could sounds something like:
“The gift of this season is presence. By tending to the life before me, I create the future without needing to control it.”
Let’s take a look at The Mabon Motherhood Spread – The Full Story.
1. The Harvest (Page of Pentacles reversed + The Empress)
I’m carrying into this new season the fertile, creative, nurturing power of the Empress — the essence of motherhood itself. Yet the Page of Pentacles reversed reminds me: my harvest isn’t about being the “perfect student” who has it all figured out. It’s about letting go of insecurity and self-doubt. I’ve already outgrown the need for external validation. My harvest is readiness, even if part of me still feels unprepared.
2. The Balance (Ace of Swords sideways)
Between me and my fiancé, balance will hinge on how we communicate. The Ace lies sideways: our words can either be a bridge or a blade. Harmony will come through radical clarity, but tempered with compassion. Balance is learning when to sharpen the sword of truth and when to sheath it, so our words build instead of break.
3. The Letting Go (Five of Cups reversed)
I’m being asked to release the sorrow of what I’ve lost since becoming pregnant — my old body, freedoms, rhythms, even aspects of my identity. This card gently affirms that mourning those things was valid, but now my gaze must turn to what remains. What’s spilled has been honored. Letting go of fixation frees me to embrace the fullness of what is being born in my life.
4. The Descent (Three of Cups reversed)
The shadow ahead is the temptation to withdraw too far inward. Postpartum and the winter months may feel isolating, and some friendships may shift as my life changes. The challenge is not to shut myself off from joy or community. Solitude has its place, but I can’t let it turn into loneliness. The medicine is intentional connection — allowing myself to be supported, and celebrating small joys with those who remain close.
5. The Light Within (Nine of Pentacles upright and The Tower sideways plus the extinguished masculine candle)
My steady inner garden — cultivated strength, independence, and dignity — is my light in the dark. Even if external structures (masculine energy, fatherhood roles, life’s “stability”) are shaken or redefined, my roots are strong. The Tower sideways says upheaval is inevitable, but it doesn’t need to be destruction — it can be liberation. The candle going out on the masculine side of my altar confirms that balance is shifting, but I carry the light of grace and self-sufficiency to steady both myself and my family.
6. The Seed (Page of Swords upright and The Star upright)
What’s beginning to grow in me and in our partnership is a blend of curiosity and hope. The Page of Swords is our willingness to learn, ask, and explore, even in the face of imperfection. The Star offers faith, healing, and divine guidance. Together, they plant a seed of growth through openness and trust. Parenthood will be our greatest classroom, and Spirit is already guiding us toward light and authenticity.
7. The Blessing (Two of Wands reversed)
The gift this season offers our family is presence. The reversed Two of Wands narrows our vision from the vast horizon of “what ifs” to the intimacy of “what is.” We are blessed with the chance to set aside pressure to plan every future path and instead root into the gift of now. This presence will be our anchor — it’s what allows the future to unfold naturally, without forcing it
We’re crossing the threshold from student to sovereign (Page reversed → Empress, Nine of Pentacles). The harvest we bring is enough. Balance with my fiancé will come from wielding truth with compassion. What I must release is the fixation on what’s been lost so I can embrace what’s still here and growing. My descent shadow is isolation, but my inner light is strong and cultivated, able to steady me when old structures fall away. The seed within me is a willingness to learn and faith that Spirit has my back. And the blessing gifted to our family at this turning of the wheel is the chance to live fully in the present — to love what is here, now, without being consumed by what’s ahead.
Meditation/Altar Phrase for this Spread:
“I release what has spilled and root into what remains.”
“I balance truth with compassion, solitude with connection.”
“My light is steady through upheaval.”
“I grow through curiosity and hope.”
“The blessing is presence — here, now, as the wheel turns.”
As the wheel turns and the nights lengthen, I invite you to try this spread for yourself. Let the cards be a mirror for your own harvests, shadows, and seeds of hope. Notice what themes echo within your own life, and how Spirit speaks to you through the cards. Tarot is my favorite way of communicating with Spirit and can be such a beautiful tool when we allow Spirit to guide us with open minds and hearts. Blessed Mabon and happy Autumn Equinox!
