Category: Mental Health; Tarot Tips | Reading Time: 4 Minutes
The water has turned a murky, uninspiring shade of gray. That twelve-dollar bath bomb has left nothing behind but a glittery ring you’ll have to scrub off later.
You’re sitting there in the lukewarm silence, waiting for the magic to happen.
But the hollow ache in your chest hasn’t moved an inch. You still dread the Monday morning ping of your inbox. You still feel like you’re vibrating at a frequency of “not enough.”
This is happening because you are trying to treat a soul-level wound with a surface-level product.
You cannot moisturize your way out of misery.
The Grooming Trap: Soothing vs. Healing
We need to get clear on the difference between Self-Soothing and Self-Love. Confusion between the two is exactly why you feel empty despite your “luxury” routine.
- Self-Soothing is what I do when I lick my fur after a stressful vet visit. It feels good and can calm the nervous system at the moment. It is a coping mechanism.
- Self-Love is making sure I never go back to that vet again if they treated me poorly.
If a neighborhood stray has bitten my leg, no amount of grooming will fix the infection. I need medicine. And more importantly, I need to stop letting that stray into my yard.
If you are drinking organic green juice while letting a toxic relative shred your self-esteem on the phone, you aren’t practicing self-love.
You are just being a well-moisturized doormat.
Real healing isn’t about the mask you put on your face; it’s about the boundaries you put around your heart.
Decorating a House with No Locks (The Empress)
In the Tarot, The Empress is the undisputed queen of abundance. Most people look at her lush garden and think she’s just lucky or “soft.”
Look closer.
She is sitting on a throne. She is holding a scepter. And leaning against her chair is a heart-shaped shield (often bearing the symbol of Venus).
She isn’t sitting in that garden by accident; she is sitting there because she protects the perimeter.
The Empress teaches us that Abundance is a result of Protection.
You cannot truly relax in the bath if your front door is standing wide open. A cat only naps in a sunbeam when we know the room is secure.
Luxury is a byproduct of safety. If you don’t feel safe in your own life, no amount of scented wax will make you feel loved.
The Power of the Hiss
Have you ever tried to move a cat that doesn’t want to be moved?
We don’t send a polite text explaining our “current capacity.” We don’t feel guilty. We make ourselves heavy. We become dead weight. We hiss.
You need to start hissing more.
Real self-love is often quite ugly.
- It’s the uncomfortable silence after you say “No” without an explanation.
- It’s the act of blocking a “friend” who only uses you as a free therapist.
- It’s the decision to walk away from a “stable” paycheck that is suffocating your spirit.
Stop trying to be “nice.” Dogs are nice, and they get patted on the head while being told where to sit. Be fierce.
Build the Throne
The next time you feel the urge to “treat yourself,” leave your wallet in your bag. You don’t need a new candle; you need a new schedule.
True Empress energy is found in the things you remove, not the things you buy.
Cancel the brunch you’re dreading. Mute the group chat that feels like a chore. Fire the people in your life who demand “Empress” levels of support but offer only “stray cat” loyalty.
That is how you build a throne. Everything else is just expensive water.
🔮 What You need to do
Your garden is being choked by weeds, and glittery bathwater isn’t the cure. It’s time to pull them out by the root.
Disclaimer: TarotPaw content is for entertainment and spiritual support only. We are cats, not doctors, lawyer, or financial advisor. This content is not intended to replace professional (medical, legal, or financial) advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are in crisis, please contact a professional or call your local emergency services.
