How much do others’ perceptions shape your choices?
It’s easy to say, “They don’t!” And we’d like to believe that.
But how true is it, really? We often use other people’s perceptions as a mirror for who we think we are—or who we’ve been taught to be. Sometimes, we miss just how deeply we’ve been conditioned to behave, believe, or think in certain ways.
This week, the cards are talking about the gap between the image we’ve been locked into and the person we’re ready to become. And honestly? It’s hitting close to home. Maybe for you, too.
Next Week in the Cards
Deck: Osho Zen Tarot
Outlook: Conditioning (The Devil)
We may find ourselves tangled in expectations worn as identity—ours, theirs, society’s, even the ones we were sure were our own. This card reminds us how easy it is to mistake the roles we play—even the ones we were drafted into—for who we really are. We’re the lion who’s worn the sheep costume so long we forgot we had teeth.
The real issue isn’t the mask—it’s failing to question the mask. We slip into roles for safety or acceptance, and then forget we ever had a choice. Time to start poking holes in the disguise and see what’s underneath.
Advice: Fighting (Knight of Swords)
This Knight isn’t about “go along to get along.” He’s a swordsman—logic-driven, razor-sharp, and not inclined to stay quiet if something doesn’t line up. If that mask he’s been wearing doesn’t fit, he’s not going to keep it on for the sake of social peace.
The advice here is to push back. Argue if you must. But however you do it, stand up for the version of yourself that isn’t defined by someone else’s story. Now is not the time for passive compliance. Now is the time to break free of what no longer fits, quietly or otherwise.
That image on Conditioning was loud for me today. That’s my childhood, illustrated. I may not usually picture myself as a lion, but I sure as Hell wasn’t one of the sheep who thought obedience was the highest virtue. Even when I had to keep it secret, I always held on tight to my own perceptions.
These days, it’s a lot less secret (but surprisingly enough, I’m still working on it). Those shifts didn’t happen by accident—it took risk. It took practice. It took getting used to expressing myself even when I wasn’t totally sure where it would land. Even when people pushed back. Especially when people pushed back.
But I know this: honesty and authenticity will always get me closer to the life I want than any script written for someone else’s desires or comfort. It takes courage to shed that sheepskin and show up fully as yourself—but it also feels so much better. You can breathe easier when you’re not sweating through layers of pretending.
Now, for you:
Where in your life do you feel the itch to break free? Are you following expectations that don’t fit just to keep the peace? Are you tired of staying quiet just to avoid conflict? This week is about fighting for something that matters—your truth.