Between Stars and Skepticism: How Tarot Helped Me Find My True Self

Do you know the meaning of the Lion’s Gate Portal? Neither did I. Every August, the Lion’s Gate Portal opens—a cosmic alignment between the Sun in Leo and the star Sirius, said to amplify intuition, heart-centered growth, and spiritual downloads. This year the Lion’s Gate portal peaked on August 8th. 

I used to scroll past posts about it. This blog is for spiritual awakening for skeptics. But this year, something shifted. I was more open to things outside of my traditional beliefs especially since my beliefs are deeply rooted in science. 

I didn’t plan to honor the Lion’s Gate. But something in me stirred—an invitation to pause, to listen, to ask deeper questions. And when I did, I found myself reaching for my tarot deck. Tarot was something I wanted to dabble in and try because how can it hurt right? 

🪐 Astrology as Archetype, Not Absolute

I’ve always approached astrology with a healthy dose of skepticism. I don’t believe the stars control me. I do believe that I am a thorough Aries. I don’t think Mercury retrograde is responsible for every miscommunication or tech glitch. But I do believe astrology offers a poetic language—one that helps me name what I already feel. 

As a Vietnamese American woman raised between cultures, I’ve often felt the tension between spiritual openness and ancestral pragmatism. Astrology wasn’t something my elders talked about. But archetypes? Stories? Symbols that help us understand our emotional terrain? That’s something I can work with.

🃏 Tarot for Self-Discovery: From Skeptic to Seeker

Tarot was even harder to trust. I believed it to be too performative, too vague, too “woo.” But over time, I realized tarot wasn’t asking me to believe in magic—it was asking me to believe in myself. 

The first time I did a reading that truly resonated, I wasn’t looking for answers. I was looking for clarity. The cards didn’t predict my future, even though I wanted it to. That would have been convenient. Instead, it reflected my past and present. They mirrored the questions I hadn’t yet asked aloud. And in that mirror, I saw my truth.

Tarot doesn’t tell me what to do. It helps me hear myself more clearly. The more readings I did, the more I saw my reality reflected back. The cards validated my journey and reminded me: I am exactly where I’m meant to be on this journey I am traveling on.

🔮 My Lion’s Gate Reading: A Portal to Truth

This year, during the Lion’s Gate, I pulled three cards:

• Past: Death (Reversed)– Resistance to transformation, lingering attachments
• Present: Three of Wands (Reversed)– Delayed progress, uncertainty about future direction
• Future: Justice (Upright)– Truth, accountability, karmic balance

I sat with these cards for a few minutes and meditated on them. They have been pretty consistent with my other self readings. Keep in mind there are 78 cards in the deck. If you’re a numbers and statistics’ kind of person, you’ll understand that drawing 3 cards at random to have it tell me these things about my life and be accurate, makes it hard not to believe.  

✨ Integration: Where Skepticism Meets Soul

I still question everything, as we all should. I still roll my eyes at vague horoscopes and overly dramatic spiritual instagram reels. But I also honor the ways tarot and astrology have helped me reconnect—with my intuition, my ancestors, and my own voice.

I was raised catholic so believing in a higher power that is the universe, is new terrain for me. I am at the point in my life where I do not want to limit my beliefs. Growing means expanding into new truths. 

It is said that during this portal, manifestation is important. The belief is that the “veil” between reality and the universe is thin therefore it is an optimal time to manifest. You don’t have to believe in magic to believe in yourself. But sometimes, magic helps. Sometimes, believing in something means more than believing in nothing.

So if you’re curious, skeptical, or somewhere in between, I invite you to explore. Pull a card. Read your birth chart or astrology sign. Or simply sit in silence and ask, “What truth am I afraid to hear?” or “What truth am I ready to hear?”

Open your mind, your heart and your soul. The answers might surprise you.

Want a personalized tarot reading? Reach out- I’d love to hold space for your journey.