05. Facing your inner oppressor

Sunflowers & Stars: Intuitive Tarot for the Collective

Transcripts available at https://www.sunflowersandstars.com/ Get your free journaling meditation Exclusive extra content on the Sunflowers and Stars Patreon Follow on Instagram I use the Queer Tarot Deck by Ash & Chess

You may look organized and calm from the outside, but internally, you're wrestling with some serious emotional and spiritual shifts. It's like you're in freeze mode, moving through life while feeling stuck in a spiritual fog.

We the cyclical nature of healing—how you can feel euphoric when you're breaking through old beliefs, only to later hit a wall where you feel stuck or overwhelmed. Right now, it seems like you're in the latter phase, trying to process emotions and energies that feel unfamiliar and destabilizing. You've let go of something that once felt like part of your identity, and now you're facing the discomfort of the unknown.

This episode explores the idea of liberation, both on an individual and collective level. We all have an inner oppressor that echoes the systems of oppression we live in. I use my own experience as a lesbian who repressed her sexuality for years due to compulsory heterosexuality, to illustrate how these systems shape our self-perception. Whether it's internalized homophobia, racism, or other biases, we all have work to do in liberating ourselves from these ingrained patterns.

I pull the Chariot card to remind you that this work—this liberation—is a lifelong journey. Mistakes will be made, but the important thing is to remain humble, open to learning, and aware that the fight for freedom, both personal and collective, is not a sprint. How can you make it sustainable for yourself? How can you balance progress with self-care, especially when it comes to activist burnout?

We end with a reflection on freedom itself, guided by the King of Swords. Freedom isn't always easy, but it’s about knowing and living your truth. Even when it’s uncomfortable or goes against societal expectations, living your truth is what brings real liberation. So, take a breath, be kind to yourself, and remember that the work you're doing for yourself and others is worth it.

key topics - Emotional overwhelm and spiritual stagnation - Letting go of parts of your identity - Facing your inner oppressor and unlearning internalized biases - The lifelong commitment to collective liberation - Balancing activism and self-care - Defining freedom as living your truth, even when it’s hard