Welcome to Cast Iron! A weekly newsletter about fitness, tarot and current events that hits inboxes every Monday. 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.
Strength represents courage, inner fortitude and discernment.
This card shows a human standing directly in front of a roaring lion. Perhaps the human is gazing directly into the lion’s mouth, an action that reminds me of how a veterinarian would approach the lion if its mouth was hurting or it was in pain. Or perhaps the lion is pissed and the human is trying to meet its gaze instead of shirking off the lion’s need to be heard and acknowledged.
I honestly can’t tell if the lion is in physical or emotional pain or is angry or betrayed. The lion represents our animal instincts — the way a parent will fall to their knees wailing after learning their child has died, the way some people immediately leap up to defend themselves or others, the way some people shout or cry when scared. It’s the interaction between the human and the lion that combine to create Strength.
In moments of raw emotion, can you stand to look at those emotions and name them? Can you honor them? Can you rationally and objectively decide if they need to be calmed, comforted or let loose on the town?
Strength is the pause before action.
You want to skip the gym. You’re looking at the snooze button on your phone. Do you press it?
You want to scream or cry. Do you do so?
You want to throw and break things. Will that help your situation?
This attitude of being able to analyze your feelings, honor their validity and act rationally based on them is a bit different from the RWS portrayal.
We now see a lion in what appears to be a submissive posture as it’s caressed by a woman whose face is serene and shows no signs of exertion or struggle. The lion’s tongue lolls out of its mouth, giving it the look of an obedient dog who couldn’t be happier to follow orders. She appears to be closing the creature’s mouth or, perhaps, she is calming the creature and preventing it from acting solely on instinct.
This card is meant to signal fortitude, which actually used to be the name of th card. It represents courage in the face of adversity, of hearing your fears and acting anyway. I do get the sense of the mind dominating the heart here; I don’t get that vibe from the other Strength card, which seems more collaborative and emotionally healthy.
With that spirit of collaboration and wildness in mind, I crafted a workout that focuses on building strength with bodyweight and weighted movements.
As always, please keep any injuries or health issues in mind when attempting this workout. Sharp pain means stop, dizziness means stop, feeling lightheaded means stop. And, when in doubt, check with your doctor before starting any new workout program.
Fit tip: Less often is more when it comes to training. Consistently weight training three days per week is going to have a better impact on your strength and fitness level than working out intensely six to seven days per week.
Reading (the) Room
This week we’re talking about how thousands of Donald Trump loyalists, conspiracy theorists, white supremacists, white nationalists and others marched in D.C. on Saturday to decry the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
I think the big question is why are people acting as if supporting Trump is a religion?
The cards are sometimes too on the nose. We just talked about the Lovers, and now we’ve spotted them in the wild.
The Lovers reversed, in this case, is the worst of each Lover taken to the extreme and represents a destructive and possibly abusive relationship. It appears Trump’s loyalists have idolized him as representative of something close to their hearts, religion and faith rather than seeing him and his red flags for what they are. This deck shows the Lovers sharing an arm, which I believe represents the co-dependent and parasitic relationship between Trump and his followers.
Obviously, this relationship has led to increased violence, extremism and racism.
So, how can we stem the growing wave of white supremacy and nationalism?
Through willful and purposeful action meant to raise others up. The Ace of Wands, which we saw held by last week’s Chariot, represents pure and unlimited potential if the goal is pursued with passion and drive. As Siolo Thompson says in The Linestrider’s Journey, the Ace of Wands is about taking action and “turning enthusiasm into movement.” Please note that all this drive and force demands responsibility. Melissa Cynova writes in Kitchen Table Tarot that the Ace of Wands is a “pretty big stick … Are you going to guide people with it or clobber them in the head with it? … You could take your eye out if you’re not careful.”
And how can we wield this Ace of Wands?
Temperance reversed is not normally a good sign. In fact, I’d say it’s usually a sign that you need to sit down, shut up and reflect on your actions and beliefs. However, I think this is a cheeky nod to the idea that there are not good people on “both sides” of racism, sexism or similar insidious ideologies. “Everything in moderation” is a great approach to junk food, not human rights. Remember: There is no such thing as a benevolent demagogue.
What I’m loving this week:
I’m back. Well, sometimes. Animal Crossing has been a great way to “get outside” or just relax in a COVID-free world without the anxiety that comes with getting my mask, finding a relatively empty public space, avoiding unnecessary contact with people, fighting to maintain a social distance of at least six feet, etc.
The Power of Hex by Shawn Engel
I originally got the Kindle version of this book when it came out bc I live in a small space and it’s cheaper. Simple. I 100% do not rec that version. I recently was out and about buying CPT and yoga books (btw I’m getting certified as a yoga teacher!) and saw the physical copy of The Power of Hex, which is so, so, so much better. The visuals make the book, which only really contains enough text for a few hours of reading at most.
If you’ve been here for a bit, then you’ve seen this deck before! This deck is a breeze to read with and the cardstock is perfection. I have the first version of the deck, which recently was re-released with some new illustrations. Check it out if you’re into primary colors and allowing the art of a deck to influence your interpretations!
Lightly by Francine Jay
Honestly, this isn’t that different from every other book that tells you to not clutter up your house or life. BUT I find that I like reading about decluttering or just daily order when things seem out of control, like right now *gestures broadly*.
The Great British Bake Off (or Baking Show, if you have Netflix)
This is such a refreshing example of healthy competition, whether the bakers focus on competiting against others bakers or their past selves. I highly recommend this show if you need to decompress.
Trying out new workflows
Sometimes I get stuck in a habit of working at specific times or shoving my projects into very rigid schedules that don’t actually work for me or the project. You’ll notice today’s newsletter came out a wee bit later in the morning, and that’s because I decided to change up how I wrote, researched, edited and designed it! To be honest, I think I like this way better. I’d love to hear your thoughts about Cast Iron, so drop a comment below!
And, before you go, here’s an exciting read about strength and women
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?
Hire me for freelance writing gigs. You can find some of my clips here.
Schedule remote tarot readings and/or personal training sessions with me.
Buy a copy of COVENTRY, a secular witchcraft zine run by me and my friend, Megan Castro, an Atlanta-based artist. Our newest issue covers spellcrafting and casting. It’s available now as part of a collab with Folk Care, an Atlanta-based herbal company.
Note: Some of the links I’ve included are affiliate links, which means I may get a cent or two if you decide to purchase whatever was linked.