Momentum and Mastery on the Fool’s Journey

In this episode of This Ain’t Fortune Telling, Claudine (Clo) is joined by guest Meaghan for a grounded, embodied exploration of two powerful tarot archetypes: The Chariot and Strength.

Together, these cards explore what it really means to move forward/. Not through force or hustle, but through intention, self-awareness, and nervous system regulation. This conversation reframes momentum as something that must be sustainable, and strength as something rooted in presence rather than control.

Through teaching, real-life application, and a live tarot reading, this episode invites listeners to examine how they make decisions, how they relate to discomfort, and how curiosity can soften fear during times of transition.

As always, tarot here isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about understanding the energy you’re working with so you can choose how you meet it.

In This Episode, We Explore:

Tarot as a tool for clarity, not prediction

The Chariot as agency, direction, and conscious choice

Strength as inner authority and emotional regulation

Why movement without regulation leads to burnout

How hustle culture clashes with nervous system needs

What it means to choose a path and release other options

Why curiosity can ease fear of the unknown

The importance of acknowledging emotions rather than suppressing them

How self-awareness supports meaningful personal growth

Key Takeaways

Tarot clarifies energy, not fate

The Chariot represents agency and the responsibility of choice

Strength teaches presence, regulation, and inner steadiness

Sustainable growth requires intention, not force

Hustle culture often ignores the body’s limits

Choosing one path means letting others go

Curiosity is a powerful ally during transitions

Emotional experiences are meant to be felt, not bypassed

Regulation comes from staying present with discomfort

Self-awareness is essential when navigating change

Live Reading Highlight

This episode includes a live tarot reading focused on moving forward with confidence — offering insight into how to balance direction with emotional capacity during moments of uncertainty and transition.

Keywords

Tarot, The Chariot, Strength, Self-Discovery, Intimacy, Somatic Sexology, Emotional Regulation, Decision Making, Nervous System, Personal Growth

Sound Bites

“Tarot clarifies energy, not fate.”

“Choosing a path means letting other options go.”

“Curiosity is a powerful tool for growth.”

Connect & Learn More

Claudine (Clo) — Host

Website: https://thisaintfortunetelling.com

Blog, calendar, and offerings: available on the website

Readings & one-on-one work: book directly through the site

Support the work: Buy Me a Coffee (linked on the website)

Meaghan — Guest

Somatic Sexologist & Intimacy Coach

Meaghan’s contact info:

somaticaintimacycoaching.ca

venusianwomb.com

Choosing Your Truth Without Abandoning Your Values

In this episode of This Ain’t Fortune Telling, Clo is joined by guest host Tara for a grounded, honest conversation about two powerful archetypes in the Fool’s Journey: The Hierophant and The Lovers.

Together, these cards ask some of the biggest questions we face as we grow:

• Who taught you what’s “right”?
• Which beliefs did you inherit without choosing?
• And how do you choose alignment without betraying your values — or yourself?

This episode explores the tension between tradition and choice, external authority and inner truth, and what it really means to live with integrity.

• The Hierophant as tradition, belief systems, and inherited rules
• The Lovers as conscious choice, alignment, and values-based decisions
• How family, culture, religion, and “shoulds” shape our lives
• Why The Lovers is not about romance — but about integrity
• The difference between honoring tradition and staying stuck
• How to choose yourself without burning everything down

Clo and Tara bring these archetypes into real life through honest reflection, lived experience, and grounded conversation.

This episode includes a live tarot reading in response to the listener question:

“I feel torn between what I was taught is right and what I know I want.
How do I make this decision without betraying myself or others?”

The reading focuses on clarity, self-trust, and aligned decision-making — without prediction or pressure.

You can honor where you came from without living there forever.
This isn’t about rebellion — it’s about integrity.

• 🌐 Website: https://thisaintfortunetelling.com
• 🎧 Patreon & extended episodes: https://www.patreon.com/ThisAintFortuneTelling

• TaraT.inspire@gmail.com

If this episode resonated, consider:

• Following the podcast
• Sharing it with someone navigating a big decision
• Leaving a review to help others find the show

Until next time —
Trust what’s showing up.
Pull with intention. 🃏✨

Before we rush into a new year, this episode invites you to pause.

After revisiting the opening arc of This Ain’t Fortune Telling, from The Fool’s leap to the polarity of intuition and structure, Clo reflects on what 2025 truly asked of us and how those lessons shape the year ahead.

This is not a prediction episode.
It’s a grounding, reflective conversation about participation, choice, and meeting your life with intention.

You’ll be guided through a powerful New Year tarot spread designed to help you release what no longer belongs to you and orient yourself toward 2026 with clarity, not pressure.

• A reflective look back at Episodes 1–4 and the archetypal themes they introduced
• What 2025 revealed beneath the surface — energetically and emotionally
• Why the New Year isn’t a “clean slate” (and why that’s a relief)
• A 5-card New Year Orientation tarot spread
• How to work with tarot as a practice instead of a prediction tool
• A reframing of intention, participation, and choice for 2026

You can pull this spread anytime — now, later, or seasonally throughout the year.

1. What 2025 is leaving me with
2. What I’m ready to release from 2025
3. The core theme of 2026
4. How to work with this energy
5. What wants to grow in 2026

✨ Extended interpretations and journaling prompts are available on Patreon.

In the extended version, Clo:

• Pulls her own cards for 2026 using the same spread
• Explores the collective archetypal energy of the year ahead
• Shares guidance on how to revisit this spread throughout 2026
• Offers deeper teaching on using tarot as an ongoing reflective practice

This space is slower, more nuanced, and designed for those who want to go deeper with the cards.

“What am I being asked to participate in right now — and what am I no longer meant to carry?”

Return to this question whenever you pull cards this year.

If this episode resonated with you:

• Follow This Ain’t Fortune Telling on your podcast app
• Leave a review or rating
• Share this episode with someone who might need it

To access extended episodes, tarot spreads, journaling prompts, and behind-the-scenes teachings, join us on Patreon.

👉 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThisAintFortuneTelling
👉 Website: https://thisaintfortunetelling.com
👉 Email: claudinelascelle@hotmail.com

This isn’t about predicting your future.
It’s about choosing how you meet it.

Trust what’s showing up.
Pull with intention.

And let the cards support your clarity — not replace it.

Episode 4 — The Emperor & The Empress (with Victoria)

Come for the tarot, stay for the truth.

In this episode of This Ain’t Fortune Telling, Clo and co-host Victoria sit down with two of the most talked-about archetypes in the deck: The Emperor and The Empress. We look at how these cards show up as structure vs. softness, boundaries vs. nourishment, strategy vs. creativity—and why you actually need both energies to build a life that feels solid and alive.

We talk about patriarchy, parent wounds, over-giving, control freak tendencies, and what it really looks like to “be in your power” without steamrolling yourself or anyone else. If you’ve ever felt like you’re either doing too much or not enough… this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen & follow the podcast
Follow, rate, and review This Ain’t Fortune Telling wherever you listen. It helps more people find the show.

🌙 Join us on Patreon
Want the extended Emperor & Empress convo, extra prompts, and monthly collective readings?

• Tier 1 – The Curious Fool: Early access + monthly collective pull
• Tier 2 – The Tarot Coven: Extended episodes, extra teachings, spread library & monthly raffle for a free reading
• Tier 3 – The High Priestess’ Table: Deeper dives, seasonal rituals, quarterly live circles & more

👉 Join the coven on Patreon: patreon.com/thisaintfortunetelling

☕ Buy Clo a coffee
If the show has supported you and you want to say thank you in a simple way:
buymeacoffee.com/thisaintfortunetelling

🌐 Website
Show notes, updates, and more about Clo’s readings & coaching:
https://thisaintfortunetelling.com

📩 Get in touch / book a reading
Questions, feedback, story for the show, or want to book a reading?
Email Clo at claudine@thisaintfortunetelling.com

Looking for Victoria? You can reach her via text at Taurus Moon Tarot - 514-893-6906

If this episode hits home, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who’s learning to balance power and softness. And if you want to go deeper with The Emperor & The Empress in your own life, you’ll love this month’s Patreon extras.

Guest Host: Meaghan

In this episode, Clo explores the powerful tension — and partnership — between the Magician and the High Priestess. One is the tarot’s master of tools, action, and manifestation. The other is the keeper of intuition, inner knowing, and the space between. Together, they show us how to move through life with both clarity and trust.

Joining Clo is special guest Meaghan, a Somatic Sexologist and Intimacy Coach who helps women reconnect with the pleasure, power, and wisdom of their bodies. Her work blends psychology, the Somatica® Method, sensual embodiment, and womb alchemy. She’s the perfect guide to explore how we balance doing with listening, action with intuition, and effort with surrender.

• What the Magician teaches about tools, action, and creating momentum
• What the High Priestess reveals about intuitive wisdom, silence, and inner truth
• How these archetypes work as partners rather than opposites
• The tension between “doing” (study, technique) and “knowing” (intuition) in tarot
• How these energies show up in real life: relationships, career, creativity, and personal growth
• Meaghan’s grounded insight on recognizing when it’s time to act vs. when it’s time to listen

Note: The full, extended version of this episode — including deeper teaching, journaling prompts, and bonus discussion — is available exclusively to Patreon subscribers.

Three-Card Spread: Balancing Magician & High Priestess Energy
Card 1 — What action is needed (Magician)
Card 2 — What intuition is whispering (High Priestess)
Card 3 — How to balance the two

Where in your life do you need the Magician’s tools — and where do you need the High Priestess’s trust?

• Follow on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
• Join the This Ain’t Fortune Telling Facebook group
• Get deeper monthly support, spreads, and the extended episode on Patreon
• Tip the show via Buy Me a Coffee
• For questions, reading requests, or episode ideas: claudine@thisaintfortunetelling.com

Contact Meaghan at:

somaticaintimacycoaching.ca

venusianwomb.com

Every journey has a heartbeat between the leap and the landing — the moment after we say yes but before anything makes sense.

In this short episode, Clo explores the sacred space between The Fool and The Magician — the pause where instinct turns into intention.

If you’ve been in that strange limbo between starting and seeing results, this is your reminder that the silence isn’t failure — it’s integration.

You’ll learn how to:
🜂 Honor the pause after your leap
🜃 Take one small grounded action to activate momentum
🜁 Read a simple 3-card spread to find your next step

1️⃣ What energy am I still carrying from the leap?
2️⃣ What first action wants to happen next?
3️⃣ What supports me as I build momentum?

Pull these cards quickly — no overthinking.
Let the story tell itself.

🎧 Listen to Episode 2 — The Fool: Leaps, Risks & New Beginnings for context.
🎙 Stay tuned for Episode 3 — The Magician & The High Priestess coming November 28.

💫 Patreon: deeper teachings, spreads, and journaling prompts every week
👉 www.patreon.com/thisaintfortunetelling

☕ Buy Me a Coffee: help support production or tip for the episode
👉 www.buymeacoffee.com/thisaintfortunetelling

🌐 Website: readings, podcast info, and resources
👉 www.thisaintfortunetelling.com

📧 Email Clo: for questions, readings, or listener submissions
👉 claudine@thisaintfortunetelling.com

📱 Follow on Socials:
Instagram + Facebook → @tclaudinelascelle

This in-between place is where magic and doubt wrestle for the mic.
Your only job is to keep showing up for the version of you who said yes.
Trust your momentum — and pull with intention.

SHOW NOTES — Bonus Episode: The Fool’s Journey (Backstory)

Welcome to a special bonus drop of This Ain’t Fortune Telling. Today I’m giving you the backstory that every tarot learner needs to know before we begin card-by-card next week.

This is the Fool’s Journey — the true narrative the Major Arcana is telling.

This is how tarot mirrors a human life.

From innocence — to initiation — to power — to ego — to collapse — to death — to rebirth — and finally: integration.

We walk through the Fool’s key milestones, the teachers he meets, the tests he fails, the illusions he falls for, and the awakenings that reshape him.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have the actual map that makes the whole thing make sense.

So next week, when we begin with Card Zero — The Fool — you’ll already know the shape of the road he’s stepping onto.

Today: no predictions, no spreads — just context. And context is queen.

MENTIONS / RESOURCES
• Patreon — bonus content, extended study, spreads library:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThisAintFortuneTelling
• Buy Me a Coffee — tip jar for the show:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/ThisAintFortuneTelling

WANT TO BE ON THE SHOW?
If you’d like a reading on air:
• send a voice memo or email with your question, OR
• tell me if you’d like to come on live

→ claudine@thisaintfortunetelling.com

Or go to the website and “contact us”

www.thisaintfortunetelling.com

FOLLOW + SHARE
Subscribe on Apple & Spotify so you don’t miss Episode Two — The Fool— dropping next.

And share this episode with any tarot lover who wants deeper meaning, not fortune cookie bullshit.

Summary

In this episode of This Ain't Fortune Telling, Clo and Eileen explore the symbolism and lessons of the Fool card in tarot. They discuss the importance of taking leaps of faith, trusting the unknown, and embracing the journey of self-discovery. Through personal anecdotes and insights, they highlight how curiosity and intuition guide us in navigating uncertainty and making empowered choices. The conversation culminates in a tarot reading that illustrates the Fool's journey, emphasizing the potential for new beginnings and the importance of being present in the moment.

Takeaways

• The Fool card symbolizes new beginnings and potential.
• Trusting the leap is essential for personal growth.
• We often let fear and comfort hold us back from taking leaps.
• Curiosity allows us to explore our thoughts without judgment.
• The journey of self-discovery is about evolution, not fixing ourselves.
• Intuition guides us through uncertainty and decision-making.
• We have everything we need within us to move forward.
• The Fool's journey encourages us to embrace the unknown.
• Self-talk and subconscious patterns can hinder our progress.
• Taking action is crucial in realizing our goals and dreams.

Journaling prompts

• Where am I resisting a leap, even though I know it’s time
• What am I carrying in my bag — the resources I already have for this journey?

Useful links

• Clo's website

www.thisaintfortunetelling.com

• Buy Me a Coffee

buymeacoffee.com/thisaintfortunetelling

• Patreon

patreon.com/thisaintfortunetelling for bonus videos and extra readings

• Eileen MacDonell

https://www.eileenmacdonell.com/