Your May Tarot 2023 Reading

Let’s begin May with a five-card tarot spread asking, “What do we need to know this month?” In this tarot reading for May 2023, the message is to focus on self-compassion, and watch how it improves your relationship with yourself and others.

What Is Tarot?

Tarot cards originated in Italy as playing cards during the 15th century. The Romani people were the first to use these decks as a divinatory tool. Roma also brought other divination practices with them, like palmistry and tea leaf-reading, when they left India in the 10th and 11th centuries and arrived in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries.

How I Read Tarot Cards

I read tarot, palms, and tea leaves in my Romani family’s tradition, taught to me by my grandmother. I created a five-card spread for this column. The cards below represent embodiment (your energy right now); situation (what’s around you at the moment); obstacle (a struggle you’re facing); action (what to do about it); and a lesson (what you will learn from this month.)

Your May 2023 Tarot Reading

Embodiment: The Two of Cups

The Two of Cups is a beautiful card of love, healing, and balance. First and foremost, this card is an invitation to make self-love a daily practice, or even consider love as a spiritual path. What does it mean for you to embody love? How would that change your behavior toward yourself and others? Act in alignment with these ideas to the best of your ability. This will bring harmony into all of your relationships — romantic, platonic, and professional.

Situation: Justice

This card assures you that if you have been wronged, justice will eventually come. Consider how past inequalities might make it difficult for you to connect with others now due to fear or mistrust. Resolve to act with as much fairness as you can muster, and rise up to act in your own defense. That might look like ending a relationship that no longer serves you, or approaching an important conversation with honesty and compassion. Reflect on how you can free yourself from the past, and trust that justice is in your favor. It’s time to be open to healthy, balanced love.

Obstacle: The Chariot

This card often is associated with forward motion, but seen here as an obstacle, it suggests that you might not know how to move forward in relationships with others or yourself. Maybe aspects of your healing journey feel stalled, like you’re spinning your wheels or struggling to find nourishing connections with loved ones. The first step to getting your Chariot moving is to pick a destination, so start visualizing what you’re working toward.

Action: The Three of Wands

The Three of Wands is the solution to The Chariot’s obstacle. This card calls in the magic of collaboration with supportive friends, loved ones, or colleagues. A great way to practice self-love is to accept kindness from others. If you’re not sure how, call in help of all kinds. Problem-solve with people you trust, check in with a therapist, join a support group, or call a hotline. You don’t have to heal alone.

Lesson: Judgment

The Judgment card can truly feel like a resurrection. It’s rising up after grief or loss, and seeing the world with new eyes. You have the opportunity to learn from your past without letting it dictate your future. It’s time to open yourself up to a deeper level of love, whether it’s spiritual, romantic, platonic, creative, or the love of the self. Don’t be afraid of what other people think of you in your new era, and don’t fall back into old patterns of harsh self-criticism. You can be self-aware and self-accepting. Share love at every turn.

How To Use May 2023's Tarot Lessons

A sweet love story to ruminate on is the story of Káló, which is an animated Romani folk story in which a young man falls in love with the queen of the water fairies, and eventually finds his true path through adventure and magic. It’s one of my favorite tales because it’s a reminder to align ourselves with people who treat us with honesty and kindness. The music, animation, and story are so enchanting.

This month, if you’re feeling lost or alone, challenge yourself to reach out to folks you can trust. If that feels daunting, start small. You don’t have to bare your whole soul, but take a few concrete steps toward the kind of emotional intimacy you crave. Maybe set up a friend date, text an acquaintance you’d like to know better, attend a community event that would draw like-minded people (in person or online), and talk about something that feels real. Everyone’s healing tools are different, so whether its hatchet-throwing or yoga, find your self-care practice and your people.