Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2013

Metropolis‘ resident tarot expert offers an overview analysis of a current news item or celebrity profile.

With Olympic figure skater Mao Asada announcing her retirement next year in order to find a partner and settle down, this week we ask the tarot—for her sake and ours:

How’s a person to find love in Tokyo?

The cards we received were the 7 of wands upright, the knight of wands reversed and the 2 of cups reversed.

With a 3-card reading like this, we take the central card as the signifier, the main card of the spread, and the two flanking cards as the supporting cards. The central card in this spread is the knight of wands reversed: Guard against throwing yourself body and soul into projects, or in this case, romances, without taking some deep, cooling breaths first. Don’t let your passion get the better of you or you might come over to a prospective partner like a love-struck rhino. Keep cool-headedness, both in your search, and in the crucial early days, and you’ll be in it for the long run. Also, any bumps you hit along the road won’t be felt so strongly.

The 7 of wands shows us a person struggling against the odds, despite being in an advantageous position. The tarot advises us that finding romance—and keeping it—is tricky. Don’t give up the fight in your search for a perfect partner. As with the knight of wands, this is a fire card, thus characterized by passion, the will and impulses. But in this case—let them guide you to success.

The card on the left is the 2 of cups reversed, a water card. Upright, this is the card of new romances. Reversed, it warns against guardedness and coldness in a relationship. The course of love is upset, or prevented from flowing smoothly; so keep yourself open to possibilities. Remember love is elusive, and appearing aloof is as dangerous to a burgeoning, tender romance as coming on too strong.

Lastly, looking at the elemental dignities of this spread, we see two fire and one water card. The already reversed two of cups is looking like it might evaporate in the presence of these two fire cards. So if you’re looking for love in Tokyo this spring, keep your whole approach slow, steady and flexible.

If you enjoyed reading this Tokyo tarot round-up, and feel you could benefit from a blind spot tarot analysis, for your relationship, career or social life, contact Elise Mori for an in-person tarot consultation.