There are hobbies that pass the time, and then there are hobbies that pour something back into you. Hobbies that refill what the world drains out. Hobbies that feel like coming home to yourself. For me, the two practices that fill my love bucket, emotionally, spiritually, and intuitively, are reading tarot and honoring the moon.

These two rituals sit at the center of my soft bruja practice. They are grounding, clarifying, and deeply connected to the way my body and spirit move through the world. They remind me that I am not alone in my intuition, my cycles, or my emotions. They help me understand myself in a way nothing else does.

Tarot: My Mirror, My Guide, My Clarifier

Tarot is not about telling the future for me.
It is about revealing the present.

It’s about listening to the parts of myself I spend all day ignoring: the whispers, the gut feelings, the quiet truths underneath the noise. Tarot is a conversation between my spirit and my awareness. Every card is a reflection. A nudge. A reminder. A question. A key.

What I love most about tarot is how honest it is.
It doesn’t sugarcoat.
It doesn’t lie to make you comfortable.
It doesn’t flatter.
It doesn’t rush you.
It simply shows you what is there, whether you’re ready to see it or not.

That honesty has been a lifeline during times when my emotions felt tangled, when anxiety made it hard to think clearly, or when a decision felt too heavy to make alone. Tarot helps me interpret my own intuition, especially on days where fear tries to drown it out.

Tarot gives me:

• clarity, when my mind is noisy
• validation, when I feel unsure
• comfort, when I feel overwhelmed
• direction, when I feel lost
• a spiritual check-in, when I need grounding

Some spreads hit me so deeply that I sit with them for days. Others give me tiny answers that shift my whole mood. Tarot reminds me of my power by returning me to myself.

It is a devotion to hearing the truth, softly.

Honoring the Moon: Working With Her, Not Against Her

Just like me, and like my menstrual cycle, the moon has phases.

And each phase has its own energy.
It’s own emotional rhythm.
Its own sacred pull.

I feel these shifts clearly in my body. Some moons make me reflective. Some make me creative. Some make me restless. Some make me deeply calm. Over the years, I’ve learned that my spirit is not random. It is responsive. My energy often mirrors the moon’s cycle more than anything else.

So I honor her phases, not because I am trying to perform witchcraft perfectly, but because my body moves with her.

• During the new moon, I feel inward and quiet. I rest and reevaluate.
• During the waxing moon, I feel openings, creativity, momentum.
• During the full moon, emotions intensify and clarity rises to the surface.
• During the waning moon, I release what is heavy and prepare to start again.

My rituals change depending on what season of life I’m in. Sometimes honoring the moon means pulling a lunar-themed tarot spread. Sometimes it means praying. Sometimes it means journaling. Sometimes it means simply acknowledging her presence when I step outside at night.

There is no pressure. No performance.
Just awareness, attunement, and respect.

The Body-Spirit Connection

One thing I became aware of as I grew deeper into myself is how much the moon’s phases influence my physical and emotional sense of stability. I can feel when a full moon is near because something in my energy heightens, not in a chaotic way, but in an alert, observant way.

I can feel when the moon wanes because my spirit starts letting go of things I didn’t realize I was gripping tightly. I can feel when a new moon approaches because my intuition gets quieter, wanting rest and reflection.

Listening to my body has become a form of spiritual practice.

I ask:

• What do I need today?
• What emotion is rising?
• What is the moon doing, and how is that mirroring my own state?
• How can I work with this instead of against it?

The more I listen, the more aligned I feel.

How Tarot & the Moon Work Together

Both tarot and the moon help me understand my inner world.

Tarot shows me what is happening inside me.
The moon shows me when to act on it.

When a tarot reading reveals a message about release, and the moon is waning, it clicks. When a reading calls for intention and the new moon is approaching, it syncs. When a reading encourages expansion and the moon is waxing, I follow that flow.

These two practices make me feel spiritually supported. They remind me that cycles are natural. That change is natural. That clarity comes in waves. And that healing is not linear. It is lunar.

Why These Hobbies Fill My Love Bucket

Because they bring me:

• comfort
• clarity
• connection
• peace
• self-trust
• spiritual grounding

They refill me when the world drains me. They give me guidance when life feels confusing. They remind me that my intuition is valid. They help me honor my inner rhythms instead of fighting them.

Tarot and the moon do not demand perfection.
They ask for presence.

And that is why they will always be part of my soft bruja journey.