# Magical Retirement - Tarot readings When we hear the word “retirement”, we usually think of leaving a job or stepping back from work. But in magical and spiritual terms, retirement takes on a much deeper significance. A _magical retirement_ is undertaken with the full intention of continuing the Great Work – the ongoing pursuit of spiritual growth and self-realisation. Stepping into retirement, in this context, offers a reset. It clears the slate of old ideas, outdated attitudes, and stale practices, allowing space for new insights, inspirations, and methods to emerge. Spiritually speaking, a retirement is a return inward. It's a shift away from the noise and distractions of the external world, back to the Self – and _this_ is where true magic begins to unfold. For me, every tarot reading is, in essence, a magical retirement. Let me explain what I mean by that.  When I sit with a client, I become acutely aware of my own inner energies while also attuning to theirs. There’s a resonance that occurs – a subtle but powerful alignment. My energies begin to shift in response to theirs. In a sense, I am in two places at once – grounded within myself, yet also connected to the client’s experience. But the entire encounter is taking place inside me. Throughout the session, my energetic state shifts as the client’s emotional, mental, and spiritual states evolve. It’s not something I consciously control – it simply happens. And at the same time, the client is also undergoing a kind of magical retirement. They’re given space to reflect, reassess their position in life, and re-evaluate what truly matters. It often becomes a moment of clarity – even a turning point. Let me give you a recent example. A regular client of mine – we’ll call him “John” – came in for a session. He sat down and launched straight into a tirade about the world: fears of war spreading across Europe, the chaos in the USA, the dysfunction of the UK government – you get the idea. It was a full-on rant, though not aggressive, and I let him vent. He needed to get it out of his system. Eventually, I was able to steer the conversation back to his own life. I know John well. He’s recently retired and knows he needs to sell his large house in London and move down to the South Coast, near Brighton. But he’s been putting it off. As we talked, he gradually started focusing on the practical steps – the logistics of selling, the emotional ties, and especially the resistance from his family who benefit from him staying put. And then something shifted. His posture changed. He sat up straight, looked me in the eye. We had a plan. He needed to speak to his solicitor and begin the process. _That_ was the moment we turned to the cards. This small act – this magical retirement – had a powerful effect, not just on John, but on me as well. Will that one session be enough to spark change? Possibly not – I suspect a few more readings will be needed. But that’s the beauty of these brief retreats from the world. They take less than an hour, yet their impact is unmistakable. Every day, every reading I do is a series of magical retirements, broken up by short returns to the so-called “real world.” But each cycle – retreat, reflection, then re-engagement – strengthens both magical and spiritual power. I see the difference in myself: in the way I speak, the way I hold space for others, and in the insights and strategies that emerge during and after the readings. These moments may seem small, but they’re deeply transformative – for both reader and querent alike. #Thoth-Tarot #Tarot-Magic #tarot-reading --- ### Contact me The circle is open — if the work calls to you, or if you simply wish to say hello, you're most welcome. Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: [Message me here](https://wa.me/447918637940) ### Links to Paul on the web - [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/paulhughesbarlow) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHughesBarlow1) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/paul.hughesbarlow) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/paulhughesbarlow.bsky.social)