A Tarot Spread for Releasing Anxiety: Finding Calm Through Cards

In our fast-paced, constantly changing world, anxiety can often feel like a shadow that quietly follows us through our days and nights. As someone who has walked the path of tarot for many years, I’ve found that the cards can offer gentle guidance, comforting perspectives, and sometimes even a little light to help us move through that fog of worry. Today, I want to share a tarot spread designed specifically for releasing anxiety—a spread that blends practical insight with spiritual reflection, helping you to turn inward and find a sense of calm.

Before I dive into the details of the spread, it’s important to acknowledge that anxiety is a complex experience. Sometimes it’s a persistent hum, other times a sudden rush, and for some, it might feel overwhelming or paralyzing. Tarot is not a substitute for professional therapeutic support, but it can be a wonderfully supportive tool—one that invites you to slow down, to listen, and to meet your feelings with compassion.

So, if you’re feeling anxious, you might want to carve out a quiet moment, brew a cup of tea, and create a calm space. Maybe light a candle or include a comforting object or crystal that helps ground you. Then, shuffle your deck while focusing on the intention to release anxiety and discover the heart of what’s unsettling you.

Introducing the Spread: “Roots and Wings”

I call this spread “Roots and Wings” because it speaks to the dual need to ground ourselves in the present moment (roots) and to find the inner freedom to let go and soar beyond our anxious thoughts (wings). We’ll draw five cards, each representing an aspect of this journey:

• Card 1: The Root of Anxiety – What is the source or cause of your current anxiety? This card helps bring to light what might be hidden beneath the surface.
• Card 2: The Weight You’re Carrying – What burdens or thoughts are adding to the heaviness? This could be fears, expectations, or unresolved emotions.
• Card 3: What Needs Releasing – What is ready to be let go? This card points towards what no longer serves your well-being in this moment.
• Card 4: The Anchor – What can you hold onto? This card reveals your strengths, resources, or grounding practices that can stabilize you.
• Card 5: The Path Forward – What action, mindset, or spiritual approach can help you move beyond anxiety? This final card offers guidance for embracing peace and possibility.

I invite you to lay these cards out in a gentle arc or line, taking a few deep breaths between each draw. As you look at each card, try to tune into what it’s saying—not just intellectually but through your intuition and feelings. Sometimes the message might be direct, and other times it might whisper in symbols or imagery.

Reflecting on the Cards: A Personal Approach

When I work with this spread myself or with clients, I encourage a soft, exploratory attitude. Anxiety can bring up resistance or discomfort, so it’s okay if the cards show something challenging. The goal isn’t to fix or erase your feelings but to hold them with kindness and clarity.

For example, if Card 1 reveals something like the Five of Pentacles, it might suggest feelings of lack or insecurity as a root cause. Recognizing this can help you understand that your anxiety is tied to fear of loss or not having enough, which is a real, human experience. Then when Card 3 encourages releasing the “need for control” or “perfectionism,” you can start to gently question those habits that may be tightening the grip of anxiety.

Card 4, the Anchor, often feels like a warm hand in the storm. It might show a card like The Hermit, reminding you to turn inward for wisdom and quiet, or The Empress, encouraging care and nurturing. Holding onto this energy can be incredibly healing, especially when the anxious mind is swirling.

And Card 5, the Path Forward, is a kind invitation to step toward hope. Whether it’s the Temperance card suggesting balance and moderation, or The Fool encouraging a leap of faith, it points you toward small but meaningful steps. Sometimes that means a shift in perspective, sometimes a practical change, and sometimes just permission to breathe.

Practical Tips for Working With Anxiety and Tarot

When anxiety feels overwhelming, tarot can sometimes be a quiet companion that helps you feel less alone. Here are some thoughts that might help you get the most from this spread:

Be patient with yourself. Anxiety doesn’t disappear overnight, and neither does insight always come in a flash. Give yourself time to sit with the messages.

Journal your reflections. Writing down the cards, your feelings, and any thoughts that arise can be a powerful way to integrate the wisdom.

Combine tarot with grounding practices. Deep breathing, meditation, gentle movement, or nature walks can help balance the nervous system and deepen your connection to the cards.

Return to the spread regularly. Anxiety ebbs and flows. Checking in with this spread over weeks or months can reveal shifting patterns and growth.

Finally, remember that tarot is a tool to connect you to your own inner knowing—the quiet voice that often gets drowned out by worry. By meeting anxiety with curiosity instead of resistance, you’re already taking a brave step toward healing.

If you decide to try this spread, I’d love to hear how it felt for you. Did any cards surprise you? Did you notice a shift in your awareness? Sometimes the simplest moments of insight can be the most profound.

Thank you for sharing this space with me today. May your journey with the cards bring you gentle clarity and peace.