“Be no part of this world, just as I am no part of this world.”
Growing up in a doomsday cult, these words rang in my ears countless times, subtly shaping my worldview. While obedience was mandated, the mindset it cultivated could have been optional—I just didn’t realize that until years later.
Attending public schools offered me a secret glimpse into another world, a bigger one where people weren’t functioning under the constant shadow of impending doom. I used this opportunity to quietly develop forbidden friendships and consider alternative perspectives. It led me to an unavoidable realization that not everyone outside was directly controlled by Satan. (And no, I’m not being hyperbolic. In that worldview, you were either on the inside or Satan’s hand puppet—there is no gray in a black-and-white world.)
These experiences instilled a lifelong sense of being an outsider—a feeling that persists just as strongly as ever but no longer bothers me. My unique perspective comes from emerging from the fringe of society. I consciously chose my values, beliefs, and core principles after rejecting the ones I’d been handed. It wasn’t a smooth process, but what emerged completely belonged to me.
Such a life trajectory fosters a strong sense of individualism, but also a perpetual sense of “otherness.” I will never see the world quite the same as others do because my world hasn’t been quite the same as the one others experienced.
This week, the Tarot cards suggest that many of us might be grappling with similar feelings of alienation and the challenges of authenticity.
Next Week in the Cards: Clearing the Air
Legacy of the Divine Tarot pictured.
Outlook: Ten of Pentacles, reversed — A general feeling of being almost one of the gang. The reversed Ten of Pentacles often symbolizes a disconnect from community or family traditions. You might find yourself on the outskirts of groups or situations where you feel you should belong, but don’t quite. Maybe a hint of Imposter Syndrome—a psychological pattern where one doubts their accomplishments and fears being exposed as a “fraud”—is at play. Although this sense may be vague and not overtly oppressive, you could still feel a bit alien.
Advice: The Tower, reversed — Let the chips fall where they may, and expect the process to be potentially unsettling. Because when has there ever been a Tower event that wasn’t? The reversed Tower suggests internal upheaval rather than external chaos. It’s more about personal transformation and the difficult process of breaking down old beliefs.
But we’re not just being told to expect some shakeups; this is advice. So, the idea is to allow whatever fallout could be triggered by honesty or authenticity, without giving undue regard to how that honesty may be perceived. This isn’t about trying to offend or upset anyone. It’s not about disregarding others. It’s about being true to yourself. It’s not getting in someone else’s lane; it’s not being run out of your own lane!
Have you ever felt like an outsider in your own life? What would happen if you let go of the drive to fit in and simply allowed yourself to be?