Welcome to Cast Iron, a weekly newsletter about fitness, tarot and current events that hits inboxes every Monday (usually). Each issue features a workout based on a tarot card, a tarot pull related to current events and, sometimes, a blog post or journal prompt. You’ll also find a list of my current favs at the end of each email, so be sure to check those out if you’re low on inspiration or energy. If you like my work, connect with me on Instagram and Twitter @byAlissaSmith or visit my website.
On the 13th and final full moon of 2020, we are discussing the 13th card of the tarot:
Death.
Death represents change; whether that change is painful or welcome remains to be seen. In the above portrayal, we see Death as a skeletal figure seated above a crying woman and a blooming flower. Death is the same color as the patina that creeps along aged copper or bronze, while the rest of the image resembles the metals sans tarnish.
The change Death brings is filled with loss. Death’s message is further complicated by the seeker’s fear of the very thing that has come to set them free. Michelle Tea writes in Modern Tarot that “if the fear of death underlies all fear, and fear is what stops us from acceptance and letting go, then getting into a practice of accepting that you’re going to die will have the ripple effect of assisting you with all loss.”
Death doesn’t just represent loss; it also represents the new growth that’s fed by death and decay, just like a forest floor, which is a hodgepodge of decaying leaves, rotting plant and animal matter, newly hatched buds, newborn creatures and the like.
“You’ve got to release everything old — you have to be stripped down to the bone to start over entirely. It hurts … But it’s worth it,” Melissa Cynova writes in Kitchen Table Tarot.
You’ve probably spotted this Death card in dozens of shows that used it to represent a physical death or act as a calling card for some wild murderer who just didn’t web search the card beforehand.
Death rarely, if ever, represents a physical death. Though, as Michelle Tea writes in Modern Tarot, “You are going to die. So am I. So are all the people you spoke to today, everyone you passed on the street, everyone whose status you liked or hated or ignored.” This card shows Death stepping over a fallen king; A holy man, a young girl and a child still stand before Death and will ultimately also fall because no one can escape death, regardless of their status in life.
As Rachel Pollack notes in 78 Degrees of Wisdom, this Death is clothed in all black, a shade that absorbs all color, just as “death absorbs all individual lives.”
I didn’t plan out Cast Iron’s content calendar, and I didn’t realize that Death would be the last card of 2020. Sometimes tarot is achingly poetic and sometimes it’s on the nose; I think it’s both this time.
With Death’s all-consuming gaze in mind, here’s a full-body workout to help you better understand the card.
Fit tip: You shouldn’t feel absolutely depleted after every workout. Going as hard as possible day after day is a great way to burnout, overtrain and injure yourself.
Reading (the) Room
In honor of this week’s card and tonight’s full moon in Cancer, we’re doing a reading about loss.
How to release what is dead
The Four of Wands says what’s dead and dying deserves to be celebrated for what it brought to you while it was alive. This is less about ridding yourself of something tarnished and harmful and more about admitting that you have outgrown something or someone you dearly loved.
How to heal from that wound
The Ace of Cups asks you to lean into your emotions. Feel them, even if it causes your cup to overflow a bit. The Aces represent new beginnings, and the cups are all about your emotions, creativity and subconscious; This leads me to believe that you’re likely standing on the precipice of a new opportunity for joy and fulfillment. Similar to how monkeys can trap themselves by refusing to let go of whatever they snagged from a small-mouthed jar, you need to make sure that you’re not holding on to something that is trapping you in the past.
How to find homeostasis again
Justice is all about accountability and action. The Ace of Swords, a symbol of clarity and intellect, points toward a barn owl, a friend of Athena who represents wisdom and is sometimes seen as a psychopomp or harbinger of death. This blind justice holds the scales of Libra in her other hand. This card isn’t just about finding a better balance, it’s about being honest, logical and fair to those involved. Is it fair to punish yourself because a relationship or career path came to a natural end? Should you stay beyond your welcome out of a misplaced sense of duty? Of course not. Be logical.
Where to look for new growth
The Queen of Swords is the little sister of Justice. Once again holding aloft the Ace of Swords, the Queen of Swords has what appears to be a white crow on her left shoulder, an echo of the familiar that belongs to her older sister and the opposing half of the apparent black crow that sits on the right shoulder of the King of Swords. If we were interpreting this literally, I’d tell you to look to the east to find new growth. The sun and moon rise in the east, which is the cardinal direction associated with the mind and intellect. But I think the Queen’s downward glance and sword imply that you need to look inward to find any fertile soil. It seems that you require a period of reflection and contemplation before you begin to plant anything. When you emerge from that period of reflection, act honestly and ethically to make the most of your power.
Click this link to book a private reading with me if you need a bit more guidance or insight.
What I’m loving this week:
If you’re into superheroes, comedy and anime, this is probably up your alley. This is the story of a hero who struggles with being “too strong.” It’s a cute, lighthearted way to spend a half-hour or so per episode.
I don’t really go all out to decorate or watch Christmas movies during the winter season. But I do follow a lot of artists online and some of them worked on Klaus! They seemed so proud and excited about their project that I just had to watch it; It was worth every minute and is the best Christmas/Winter holiday movie I’ve seen.
Bujo ‘plan with me’ videos
I’m so excited to start a new planner that it’s not even funny. It’s probably because I have some deeply hidden belief that the last day of this cursed year will be as bad as things can get. Obviously, that’s not true at all and things can always get much worse. That said, I like the idea of hope and potential, so I’m going to lean into my planner ways and see what happens. Let me know if you have a favorite type of journal! I’m on the hunt!
This book is written by one of my former colleagues, and it is absolutely lovely. Yes, it does involve murder but it also is replete with full characters, interesting personalities, a quirky town and some true tea about the inner workings of the journalism industry.
I’m a sucker for witchy fiction, especially if it involves sisters, feminism and fighting “the man,” and this book has all three. It’s a wonderful tale that forces you to think about what power means to you, what you would do to get that power and what you would do to those who would take it from you. Highly recommend it if you’re looking for a witch-centric novel set in the late 1800s!
How can you support Cast Iron?
Share this newsletter and leave a comment below! Tell me what you liked, didn’t like, want to see, etc. I want to know how to make this newsletter the best thing about Mondays. If you have a story or topic idea, drop me a line at Hello@AlissaSmith.red.
How can you support me?
Schedule remote tarot readings and/or personal training sessions with me. If you’re interested in personal training, schedule a free consultation! And if you’re interested in my upcoming workout guides, make sure to sign up for this newsletter to stay up-to-date on my offerings.
Buy a copy of COVENTRY, a secular witchcraft zine run by me and my friend Megan Castro, an Atlanta-based artist and witch. Our newest issue covers truth, bias and conspiracy and how these concepts sometimes appear in witchcraft communities. Our spellcrafting zine currently is available as part of a collab with Folk Care, a company founded by an Atlanta-based herbalist.