Tough Love Tarot: Your pick-a-card & horoscope love reading for June 2024

Welcome back to Tough Love Tarot, the monthly column where we use Tarot readings to whip our sub-conscious into shape. This week, it’s all about love and relationships. We all want fulfilling and authentic relationships (of all kinds), but that starts with the relationship we have with the self.

Disclaimer: The use of Tarot here is strictly for entertainment and as a prompt for self-reflection, NOT for religious purposes.

This month’s theme is illumination: discovering what our wants, needs and boundaries are in relationships –– then learning to integrate them into our lives using effective communication and action.

We don’t attract what we want, we attract what we are.

This is just a pretty way of saying that our self-worth decides the quality of relationships we keep. If we want to raise the quality of our relationships, we have to raise our level of self-worth. How do we do that? Well, that’s your homework.

If what you seek is an honest relationship, can you first be honest with yourself? If what you seek is security within a relationship, can you first heal your own insecurities? If what you seek is love, can you first cultivate self-love? In a nutshell, self-worth is about how much you value yourself. The effort you invest into you sets the precedence for every other relationship in your life. Like a magnet, our vibe attracts our soul tribe. 

Remember to check your Sun, Moon & Rising signs. An alternative way to read is to ignore the astrological signs altogether and intuitively pick a card that speaks to you!

Rules of the column: 

• Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t –– a healthy dose of discernment and common sense pair well with any advice offered. 
• Don’t complain ah. There are no inherently “bad” cards in Tarot; each card has a light and shadow aspect. All cards are shuffled and pulled at random, I let fate decide your fate.
• Have fun or else. The hack to a happy life is to take being unserious very seriously. 

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) - Knight of Swords

If you have something to say, spit it out already! Or perhaps, it is you who desires clearer communication from someone else. The Knight of Swords represents when air energy of the intellect is fueled by fire energy of the spirit. He’s known to speak his mind (and heart!) –– no holds barred. While this Knight advises you to be truthful and courageous, remember that communication without comprehension is still miscommunication. You might as well be speaking a foreign language. Consider slowing down to make sure both parties feel heard and understood, not just talked at. If there is something unspoken that needs to be addressed, take the initiative to start that conversation. (Or demand that the elephant in the room start paying its fair share of rent!) Unless, of course, you secretly expect to read each other’s minds… In which case, please teach me your telepathic ways, Sensei.

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20) - The Lovers

They love you, they love you not… but the real question is: How much do you love you, Taurus? The Lovers in Tarot symbolises harmony, attraction, love and… choices. Perhaps you’re facing a decision of whether to merge with someone else more intimately. This could be a lover, business partner, friend or even a broader community. However, the advice of this card is to consider your motivations for entering into any potential partnership. Rushing into attachment as a form of validation is indicative of a gaping hole inside you that you first need to fill –– with more of yourself. While codependency enables stagnancy, interdependency promotes growth. Like these lovers who are brought into union by the angel in the sky, the most successful partnerships are bound by a common vision, purpose or values. Any union should feel like extra nourishment to your life, not your entire meal plan.

Gemini (May 21 - Jun 20)  - Five of Pentacles

Aww, has someone left you feeling freezed out? Or perhaps it is you who’s giving someone else the cold shoulder. Either way, the Five of Pentacles represents a feeling of loss or abandonment. The two people trudging through the snow might feel helpless… but they need only look up to see the five shining coins in the window above. This card advises you to take accountability for your own experience by focusing on what is within your control. (Hint: it’s your perspective.) If you’re constantly waiting for an apology or for someone else to “make the move”, you’re putting the power in their hands to decide how you feel. What if whatever was withheld from you (validation, attention, reassurance etc.) was to teach you how to give it to yourself? There is always a silver lining –– or at the very least, a lesson. Unless it is you who has the tendency to leave others hanging without explanation… In which case, the only thing you’re ghosting is your own accountability.

Cancer (Jun 21 - Jul 22) - Five of Swords

Do you want to be right? Or do you want to be at peace? The Five of Swords represents mental conflict, either within yourself or with another. Perhaps you’re experiencing a disagreement or tension in the realm of your relationships at the moment. The man in the card is considering which swords he wants to carry with him and which swords to leave behind. Pick your battles wisely, Cancer! This represents sorting through which beliefs, ideas, logic or ways of thinking are beneficial and which are only complicating your life. Winning an argument might feel good in the moment, but does it help improve your relationship with others in the long run? Maybe it’s time to wield the weapons of love instead; compassion and understanding can win battles that strategy never will. The battlefield of love sits in the heart, not the brain. When it comes to conflict in relationships, real winning is knowing how to repair.

Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22) - Two of Pentacles

Are you really that flexible, Leo? Or do you just like being stretched too thin? Perhaps you’re dealing with someone who makes you feel like you’re not a priority, or vice versa, you’re unable to make someone else feel prioritised in the way they desire. The Two of Pentacles symbolises the juggling of one’s precious time and resources –– a delicate balancing act, or a hot mess sideshow attraction? Player’s choice. When it comes to relationships, no one person can fulfil every need. You can do anything, but not everything. You can want to perform many roles, but there are only so many hours in a day. You can have many pentacles, but you only have two hands. The advice of this card is to rearrange your priorities, so you can focus on what’s most fulfilling to you. Get too ambitious, and you might just drop the ball that matters most. But perhaps, that’s just what you need to admit when your hands are full.

Virgo (Aug 24 - Sep 23)  - The Fool

Are you caught in a time loop, Virgo? Perhaps you or someone you’re dealing with is recreating the past by constantly living in it? As card 0 in the Tarot deck, The Fool symbolises a clean slate and a new beginning. While it’s useful to learn from past regrets, hurts or mistakes, The Fool is wise enough to know that grudges hold no one prisoner except for the self. The fear of an unknown future can lead us to replaying past events over and over again. But that is simply a defense mechanism of the brain, trying to “predict” pain before it happens. The advice of this card is to embrace the unknown with optimism, forgiveness and hope instead. Don’t rob the future of your belief, for it is the key that opens doors to new possibilities. Every new journey can only begin with a leap of faith, and sometimes, it takes a fool to leap off a cliff. The alternative? Ride this broken record until you inevitably get sick of its familiar tune.

Libra (Sep 24 - Oct 23) - Death

Not to panic, Libra! Not all murder is malicious. Sometimes, it’s a mercy kill. Despite how intimidating this card may appear, Death is a fairly positive card in Tarot representing a time of transformation. The caterpillar turns into goo inside the chrysalis in order to become a butterfly. While change can be unnerving, it is almost always necessary for growth. This doesn’t have to mean a relationship of yours is literally dying (although it could, only you know) –– it’s just asking: what aspects within a relationship need to die to allow for the birth of something new? Like the King in the background that pleads with Death to spare him, this card is a reminder that nothing in life can escape change, not even the most well-established routines, dynamics or roles. The longevity of a relationship is defined by its ability to evolve and adapt to change. But also, the success of a relationship is not defined by its longevity but by the significance it has in your life. So, are you in a coffin or a cocoon? The good news is that you get to decide.

Scorpio (Oct 24 - Nov 22) - Seven of Cups

Are you having a hard time discerning your delulu from your trelulu? Perhaps you are unsure if you can trust your own feelings pertaining to a relationship in your life. While it is our belief in something we love that can nurture it to reach its highest potential, it can also be the sedative that keeps us lulled in the realm of fantasy. The Seven of Cups symbolises illusion, confusion or daydreaming –– a mystery cup unboxing, if you will. This could mean hope, fear, joy, frustration, excitement and a cocktail of many other conflicting emotions. The question this card poses is: Are you truly digesting what’s happening in the present? For it is the constant urge to dwell in the past or escape into a hypothetical future that is an indication: maybe you’re in denial about what’s right in front of you. While true love always believes in potential, it also grants full acceptance for what is, right now. Time to unpack those cups, Scorpio! Only you know which ones are worth pouring into.

Sagittarius (Nov 23 - Dec 21) - Three of Swords

Oof, who hurt you, Saggi? And who’s paying the price? Emotions are typically represented by the suit of cups in Tarot –– however, it is the Three of Swords that symbolises heartbreak, rejection and pain. Here’s the science behind it: the lifespan of any emotion in the body is only 90 seconds long. What perpetuates pain in the long-term is actually the thoughts we assign to this feeling, which chemicals are recreated by the brain, represented by mental energy in the suit of swords. This is why healing is an act of consciousness; rewriting the narratives we tell ourselves and thus, creating new chemical pathways in the brain. Perhaps it’s time to stop skewering your own heart with your thoughts and beliefs. The advice of this card is to wield your swords with compassion instead, both for yourself and others. (Unless you’re secretly a sadomasochist, then I suppose you’re doing it right.) All of us perceive life through our own lens of personal experience, and every flag tends to look red if you’re looking through pain-tinted glasses.

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 20) - Four of Wands

Aww, is someone seeking the elusive happily ever after? Hold the barf –– for clichés are cliché because they tap into some form of universal truth. The Four of Wands depicts a wedding and symbolises celebration, home, stability and family. This doesn’t have to mean you’re seeking literal marriage. But perhaps, what you’re seeking is the feeling of home? A person, place or relationship in which you can be your nakedest. If so, this card is asking: How do you create that feeling with another if you can’t first bare it all with yourself? Like the tortoise that wears its home on its back, we have to get comfy with our own nakedness, and cultivate that feeling of safety, security and full acceptance for our truest selves –– dangly bits and all. Only then, can we recreate that feeling with someone else. Go where it’s safe to be all of you, Cappy. That is to say, the first place that should be is inside you.

Aquarius (Jan 21 - Feb 18) - The Star

Do you want something so much that you’ve convinced yourself it doesn’t exist? The Star in Tarot represents a strong desire, a wish upon a star, the ultimate fulfilment… but a galaxy away. Perhaps something or someone feels unattainable to you at the moment. Perhaps you think something is “too good to be true” –– and with that mindset, it definitely is. This could be the ideal partnership, ideal partner or even the ideal version of you that you wish you could be. The advice of this card is to be the proof that what you want not only exists, but is well within your reach. Treat yourself and other loved ones the way you wish an ideal partner would treat you. Embody the traits you wish to find in another. The only ceiling in love and life is the one we’ve built over ourselves. And you’re way too bright to be dulling your own shine, Aqua. Why wish upon a star when you can be one instead? Who knows? Maybe someone else will be looking at you like you’re the one who’s too good to be true.

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20) - The Emperor

Going with the flow is cool and all, but not when you’re coasting on someone else’s currents. How about figuring out what you actually want and going for that instead? Perhaps you’ve been influenced by other people’s plans or expectations of you in the past, especially when it comes to relationships. But the advice of this card is to take charge of your own needs and desires, even if it might stir up some waves. The Emperor in Tarot symbolises all 4 Kings combined –– he directs all his resources to pursuing his goals. With his heart, mind, spirit and material resources aligned in the same direction, “the flow” goes wherever he says so. No wishy-washy. You can allow room for collaboration with and consideration for others, while still steering yourself toward what is best for you. The question is: Do you know what that is? You are the authority of your own life, Pisces. You can only take the wheel once you’re done being a passenger seat princess.

April Lexi Lee is like if your local Dominatrix was a Tarot reader. Beyond this column, she is a writer & artist specialising in all things unconventional & taboo. With her motto “Autopilot Disengaged”, she empowers others to embrace their authentic self-expression and to follow their inner compass –– even if it takes them off the map of societal norms. You can contact her for personalised and detailed readings at Tough Love Tarot or on her Instagram @psychottie.