Background:

Sarah is a dedicated caregiver for her elderly mother, who has been living with a chronic illness for several years. Balancing her mother’s healthcare needs and providing emotional support, Sarah also manages a full-time career to cover medical expenses. With so many responsibilities, she finds herself with little time for self-care.

To complicate matters further, Sarah’s long-term boyfriend is feeling increasingly uncertain about their relationship. While he wants to be supportive, Sarah's tendency to emotionally retreat has made him feel disconnected. Overwhelmed by the pressure of her caregiving role, career, and relationship, Sarah feels stuck in a cycle of emotional and physical burnout.

The Situation:
Sarah’s deep sense of duty led her to believe she had to handle everything on her own. Over time, this caused emotional exhaustion, guilt about taking time for herself, and a growing sense of distance from her boyfriend (which also worries her, it felt like an additional burden). 

The Solution:
Looking for clarity, Sarah turned to tarot for guidance to 'subdue' her sense of loss. We drew a tarot spread that specifically help her understand how to better balance her caregiving, career, and relationship.

Image: Tarot Spread by Purac Soul

1) Current Situation: The Hermit: This card called for introspection and solitude, indicated that this is Sarah in her current state of mind - anti-social, wants to be alone and away from others, including her boyfriend who loves her. However, the card also indicated that while solitude can be helpful, too much isolation may not always serve her well, as revealed in the next card. 

2) Clarifying the Current Situation:
Sarah felt physically and emotionally drained, and it was clear that addressing the root of her exhaustion was key. Below are the cards combination:

The Ten of Wands: This card reflected the overwhelming burden Sarah was carrying and highlighted the need for support. It encouraged her to share her responsibilities with others rather than trying to shoulder everything alone.

Clarifying Card: Six of Pentacles: The Six of Pentacles emphasized the importance of finding balance in giving and receiving. It is also about the stress of budgeting, rationing and being a giver more than the receiver. It urged Sarah to be open to receiving help, reminding her that she doesn’t have to do everything by herself. She has been giving and giving - her vital energy is diminishing. 

Follow-up Card: The Lovers: This card specifically focused on Sarah’s relationship, pointing out that her boyfriend genuinely wanted to support her. By being more open and sharing her struggles, it will ease the strain on both her and the relationship. Her emotional withdrawal had left her boyfriend feeling uncertain about her needs and the closeness and love they have once shared. 

3) Advice:
The Strength Card: Symbolizing resilience and inner strength, this card encouraged Sarah to persevere through her challenges. But how could she maintain this strength?

Clarifying Card: Seven of Cups
The Seven of Cups is a murky card of confusion - depending on the context, it is a dark place to be in. It revealed Sarah's inner disarray and mental fog, stemming from caregiving fatigue. This exhaustion caused her to feel overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations, leaving her emotionally scattered and dissatisfied. She will need something to pull her back into reality and on stable ground. Also the reason why she chose to engage a Tarot session - she knew she needed some guidance for that. 

Follow-up Card: Eight of Pentacles: The Eight of Pentacles is a hardworking card - it's tangible, earth energy, it's practical, it needs you to do the work - it's either that you work on your inner self or get down into focus & details and complete tasks one at a time.

In Sarah's case, it recommended journaling as a practical tool for processing emotions one day at a time. By regularly reflecting on her thoughts through writing, Sarah could work through her emotional challenges and gain clarity to continually navigate her difficulties. She may have to consider taking supplements for continual vitality to keep her going until her mother heals.

Outcome from the Session and How Tarot Helped Sarah:

Sarah’s tarot reading brought her a sense of emotional relief, as though a weight had been lifted off her chest. It offered not just insight, but practical guidance that transformed her approach to caregiving, her career, and her relationship. Inspired by the reading, Sarah made several key changes that significantly improved her emotional well-being and life balance.

Strengthening Her Relationship With One Small Tweak:

One of the most significant changes Sarah made was opening up to her boyfriend about her struggles. She allowed him to support her emotionally, and by leaning on him, she not only lightened her burden but also restored trust and closeness in their relationship. This openness helped bridge the emotional distance she had created and brought them closer together.

Making Time for Herself:

Another key takeaway from Sarah’s tarot session was the importance of carving out time for self-care. Sarah began setting aside regular pockets of time for activities that nurtured her emotional health, such as journaling, and taking breaks throughout the day. Sounds simple but most people don't do it. She is not a meditative person, hence we suggested that she omits this practise. Learning something new can be stressful for a person who is in a caregiver role. 

Journaling for Emotional Clarity:

Journaling became an useful tool for Sarah. By writing, she was able to organize her thoughts, reflect on her emotions, and uncover solutions to the challenges she was facing. This practice provided her with emotional clarity and helped her navigate her responsibilities with more focus and insight. This will subdue the dark and murky Seven of Pentacles effect.

The Key Change: It's Okay To Ask for Help

The tarot reading revealed a crucial shift Sarah hadn’t previously realized: she needed to allow her boyfriend to help her. This small but powerful change—accepting support—helped Sarah feel more stable and at peace with herself. Over time, it not only strengthened her relationship but also boosted her mental well-being, giving her renewed resilience in managing her caregiving role and career responsibilities.

“The beauty of Tarot lies in its ability to guide you toward a better direction you may not realize, often revealing that a small shift in approach is all that’s needed.”
– Purac Soul

Conclusion:

Sarah’s experience highlights the clarity and actionable guidance tarot can provide in navigating life’s challenges. Her story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of open communication, self-care, and accepting support from others in overcoming personal obstacles. Tarot offers more than just answers—it offers a path to a more balanced and peaceful life.

What Sarah needs at the present moment is Renewed Resilience. 

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