Tarot for the Seasons: February - Awakening & Inspiration
- Julie Embleton
- 9 hours ago
- 8 min read
Welcome, tarot lover, and thank you for being here!
If you joined the challenge last month, I'm so grateful you showed up for your cards, your intuition, and your own unfolding. If you're new, you're warmly welcome. You don't need to be an expert reader to take part. You only need a deck (or even an oracle deck if that's your preference), a few quiet moments, and a willingness to listen.
February carries a very particular kind of magic. It's not the full-throttle energy of spring yet. It's the gentle reawakening. The first stretch after a long rest. The first active steps towards the goals you've been holding close through winter.
This month’s theme is Awakening and Inspiration, and it arrives hand in hand with the seasonal energy of Imbolc. Imbolc invites new ideas, creative sparks, and a soft emergence from winter’s cocoon. It reminds us that growth begins long before we can see it. Roots move in the dark. The inner flame returns quietly. Then, one day, you realise you are ready to begin.
There's another energetic marker to work with this month too. 2025 was the Year of the Snake, a year that often speaks to shedding skins, releasing what has become too tight, and learning to trust the wisdom of change. On 17 February, the Fire Horse arrives in the Chinese zodiac, bringing a bolder, more action-oriented current for the next 12 months. This is a beautiful moment to reflect on what you released in the Year of the Snake, and to ask what you are ready to move towards now. Fire Horse energy supports courage, momentum, and taking the next right step, even if you cannot see the whole path yet.
So, as we move through February together, think of this challenge as a bridge. A bridge between the quiet of winter and the first true stirrings of spring. A bridge between what you have outgrown and what is calling you forward.
Tarot for the Seasons: Why This Practice Matters Right Now
Tarot is a mindful companion in seasonal transitions because it meets you where you are. It does not demand that you rush. It doesn't shame you for being tired, uncertain, or tender. Instead, it offers a mirror, a lantern, and a gentle nudge.
In February, many of us feel a mix of energies. Part of us wants to stay wrapped up in comfort. Another part is itching to create, to plan, to begin again. Tarot helps you hold both truths at once. It can show you what is ready to awaken, what still needs rest, and what small actions will create real movement.
Journalling deepens this even further. When you write with your cards, you give your intuition somewhere to land. You begin to notice patterns. You track what repeats. You see how your inner world shifts week by week. Over time, your tarot journal becomes proof of your growth. It becomes a record of the moment you chose to listen.
This is why I love a monthly challenge. It is not about perfection. It is about relationship. A relationship with your deck, with your inner voice, and with the season you are living through.
Weekly Challenge Overview
Each week of the February Tarot Challenge has a focus designed to match the energy of gentle reawakening and inspired action. You'll work with a simple three-card spread each week, so the practice stays accessible and supportive.
You can pull your cards once at the start of the week and sit with them over several days, or you can pull them on the day that feels right. Trust your rhythm.
To align with the energetic shift on 17 February, Week 3 is designed to begin on that date, so you can consciously step into Fire Horse momentum.
Week 1 (1–7 February): The Spark Returns
Prompt: Where is life quietly returning, and how can I nurture it without rushing?
Expanded Guidance: This first week is about noticing what's waking up inside you. After winter’s heaviness, inspiration can arrive like a whisper. This spread helps you recognise the spark, protect it, and give it space to grow. Approach this week with softness. If your cards point to a creative idea, a new habit, or a shift in how you want to feel, treat it like a candle flame. Protect it from harsh self-criticism. Give it time. If you feel pressure to do everything at once, come back to Card 3. The gentle step is enough.
The Imbolc Spark
Card 1: The Spark - What is beginning to awaken in me now?
Card 2: The Kindling - What will help this spark grow steadily?
Card 3: The Gentle Step - What is one small, aligned action I can take this week?
Week 2 (8–16 February): Clearing Space for Inspiration
Prompt: What needs to be cleared so that my creativity and intuition can flow again?
Expanded Guidance: Inspiration needs room to breathe. This week focuses on what is cluttering your energy, attention, or emotional landscape, and what you are ready to release. This is the final stretch of Snake energy too, so it is a powerful time to honour what you have already shed and what still wants to fall away. This is not about forcing yourself to let go before you are ready. It is about truth. If your cards reveal a habit, belief, or commitment that is draining you, be honest about it. Then choose one gentle clearing action. That might be a boundary, a declutter, a conversation, or simply a decision to stop feeding an old story.
The Shedding and Space
Card 1: The Old Skin - What am I ready to release or outgrow?
Card 2: The Block - What is currently dulling my inspiration or confidence?
Card 3: The Clearing - What will create space for new ideas and fresh energy?
Week 3 (17–23 February): Fire Horse Momentum
Prompt: As the Fire Horse arrives, what am I ready to commit to, and how do I begin?
The Fire Horse arrives on 17 February, and with it comes a brighter, bolder current. This week is about aligned action. Not frantic action. Not proving yourself. Just the kind of movement that says, I am ready. Let this be a week of brave honesty. If your cards point to a path that feels exciting and a little scary, you are probably close to something real. Fire Horse energy supports boldness, but it also asks for integrity. Choose actions that align with your values and your nervous system. Momentum built gently lasts.
If it feels right, you can pull this spread on 17 February itself, as a threshold moment. Light a candle, take three slow breaths, and let your cards mark the beginning of your next chapter.
The Fire Horse Forward
Card 1: The Direction - Where is my energy most ready to move forwards now?
Card 2: The Courage - What inner strength can I call on as I step into this new cycle?
Card 3: The Next Right Step - What action will create clean, sustainable momentum over the next 12 months?
Week 4 (24–28 February): Integrating the Awakening
Prompt: How do I honour what has awakened in me, and keep walking with it?
The final week is about integration. You have listened, cleared, moved, and begun. Now you get to weave the month’s insights into something you can carry forward. This spread helps you gather your learning and anchor it into daily life.
This week is less about doing and more about recognising. Look back at your notes from the month. Notice what repeated. Notice what surprised you. Let your final spread be a lantern, not a verdict. You are not behind. You are becoming.
The Integration Lantern
Card 1: The LessonWhat has February taught me about myself?
Card 2: The AnchorWhat practice or mindset will help me stay connected to this growth?
Card 3: The Light AheadWhat is beginning to unfold as I move towards spring?
Downloadable Tracker
Below you'll find the free printable/downloadable tracker sheet. Its purpose is to make the challenge feel easy to follow, and give you a satisfying way to mark your progress as you go. If you miss a day or a week, simply return when you can. The tracker is a companion, not a rulebook!
Further Journalling: 8 Prompts for Deeper Insight
Tarot shows you the message. Journalling helps you understand what it means for your real life. When you write, you slow the moment down. You give your intuition time to speak in full sentences. You also create a record you can return to when you need clarity later.
Here are eight journal prompts, two for each week, aligned with the themes of the challenge.
Week 1 Journal Prompts: The Spark Returns
Where in my life do I feel a quiet yes, even if I cannot explain it yet?
Write about what is calling you, and what it might look like to nurture it gently.
What would it feel like to begin again without pressure?
Describe the version of you who takes small, steady steps. What do they believe? How do they move through their days?
Week 2 Journal Prompts: Clearing Space for Inspiration
What have I already outgrown, and why is it safe to let it go now?
Name what you are shedding, and honour what it taught you.
Where am I leaking energy, and what boundary would protect my inspiration?
Be specific. Consider time, relationships, habits, and self-talk.
Week 3 Journal Prompts: Fire Horse Momentum
What am I ready to commit to for the next 12 months, and why does
it matter to me?
Let your answer be both soulful and practical. Name the deeper desire underneath the goal.
What does courageous, aligned action look like for me this week?
Write about your pace, your capacity, and the kind of momentum that feels steady rather than stressful.
Week 4 Journal Prompts: Integrating the Awakening
What patterns did I notice in my readings this month, and what are they trying to teach me?
Look for repeating suits, numbers, archetypes, or themes.
What do I want to carry into March, and what am I leaving behind?
Write a simple intention, then name one practical way you will honour it.
February is a month of quiet magic and meaningful movement. Through Imbolc’s gentle reawakening, the final shedding of Snake energy, and the arrival of the Fire Horse, you are being invited to listen closely, clear what no longer fits, and take the next right step towards what inspires you. Let this challenge be a soft structure that supports your intuition, your creativity, and your courage.
If you are joining in this month's challenge, I'd love to see your pulls and hear what's unfolding for you. Share your cards, your reflections, or even a single sentence about what you're learning on Instagram at @CelticSoulSanctuary. Tag me so I can cheer you on!
PS: If Instagram's not your space, you're welcome to email me your reflections at julie@creativesoultarot.com. I read and respond to every message, and it's always an honour to witness your journey.
If you'd like extra support alongside the challenge, you might love these offerings:
Creative Soul Tarot Journal for recording your pulls, patterns, and personal meanings.
7 Days to Inner Clarity a FREE downloand if you want a short, supportive reset to reconnect with your intuition.
The Lunar Wisdom Course to deepen your relationship with the moon’s cycles and your own inner rhythm.
And if you're craving a big-picture reading for the year ahead, my Your Date With Destiny session is a deep, in-depth 12-card spread designed to explore the incoming year with clarity, compassion, and practical guidance. It's a beautiful way to step into the Fire Horse year feeling grounded, resourced, and ready.
Growth & New Beginnings is the theme for the March Tarot Challenge. I look forward to welcoming you back. Until then, take care, and I wish you gentle awakening and fiery inspiration for February!
