During my years working as an ICU nurse, I've watched the substances people use change—and I've also encountered patterns that deeply concern me.

In this final episode of Faces of Addiction, I discuss my personal clinical observations involving kratom, polysubstance use, prolonged critical illness, and patients who were extraordinarily difficult to wean from sedation and mechanical ventilation. I also discuss the danger of an increasingly unpredictable illicit drug supply, including fentanyl appearing where users may not expect it.

My purpose is not to claim that every person who uses kratom will experience what I have witnessed. In fact, I specifically acknowledge in this episode that they do not. I am sharing what I personally encountered in critical care because I believe those experiences are worth talking about.

If you're struggling with opioids or other substances, my message is simple: don't try to manage addiction alone. Seek qualified professional help.

The episode concludes with a five-card Tarot reading asking:

What do we need to understand about the new faces of addiction?

The cards lead us through opportunity, perseverance, the Tower experience of collapse and rebuilding, the long process of recovery, and finally Justice—the consequences of the paths we choose.

Recovery isn't necessarily easy. Sometimes the old foundation has to collapse before something better can be built.

But recovery is possible.

After Faces of Addiction, I'll be turning toward the other side of this story: Recovery — What Transformation Looks Like.

We'll explore early recovery, the challenges and discoveries of rebuilding a life, and what mature recovery can eventually become.

Thank you for joining me for this series.

Be careful. Be cool. Be kind.

visit https://www.johnstarot.net

contact [email protected]

Faces of Addiction — Episode 3: The Consequences of Addiction | Professional Experiences in the ICU

⚠️ Viewer Advisory: This episode contains frank and graphic discussions of the medical consequences of alcoholism and addiction, including critical illness and death. Some viewers may find these descriptions disturbing.

What is the real price of addiction?

When I was actively drinking, I understood some of the immediate consequences. My life wasn't going anywhere. Relationships suffered. Things weren't working. But I had no understanding of how far addiction could ultimately take a person.

Years later, as an ICU nurse, I saw that price firsthand.

In Episode 3 of Faces of Addiction, I share several experiences from my professional life caring for people whose addictions had progressed to catastrophic illness. These are difficult stories—young people with end-stage alcoholic liver disease, families confronted with consequences they never imagined, and patients facing the possibility that they might not survive.

Addiction doesn't affect only the person using. Its consequences ripple outward through families and everyone who loves them.

But witnessing these things raises another question:

What do we do with the grief and knowledge we've been given?

I finish the episode with a spontaneous Tarot and Rune reading exploring that question. The reading turns toward honesty, personal responsibility, boundaries, hope, and an important realization: we can help another person, but we cannot live their life or do the work of recovery for them.

Recovery takes work. I know because I've had to do that work myself. And after more than 37 years of sobriety, I can tell you: it has been worth it.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, I hope this episode provides perspective—and perhaps a little hope.

Real stories. Real consequences. Real hope.

JohnsTarot explores Tarot, Runes, Jungian psychology, spirituality, recovery, and the human journey—not simply to predict the future, but to better understand ourselves.

Have courage. Find faith. Be careful, be cool, and be kind.

visit https://www.johnstarot.net

contact [email protected]

How does addiction take hold of someone's life?

In this second episode of the Faces of Addiction series, I share my personal journey into alcoholism and addiction—not as a "drunkalog," but as a reflection on how addiction gradually narrowed my world, distorted my judgment, and consumed my life.

Growing up in an alcoholic family, I unknowingly became part of a multi-generational pattern. What began as experimentation in my early teens slowly progressed into homelessness, legal problems, failed ambitions, and a life focused solely on survival.

Now, after 37 years of sobriety, I look back with gratitude and ask an important question:

How do you help someone who cannot see?

Using the Tarot and Elder Futhark Runes, we explore this difficult question and discuss:

This episode is intended for anyone struggling with addiction, family members searching for answers, or those interested in recovery, psychology, spirituality, and personal transformation.

If you have questions about recovery, Tarot, Jungian psychology, the I Ching, Runes, or any of the topics discussed on this channel, I'd love to hear from you.

📧 https://johnstarot.net

Your questions and comments may become part of a future listener Q&A episode as our worldwide community continues to grow.

Remember:

Have courage. Find faith.

The Disease of Addiction – Episode 1: How It Affected Me Growing Up

What is it like to grow up in a home shaped by alcoholism?

In the first episode of this four-part series on addiction, I share my own experience of growing up in an alcoholic family and the lasting effects it had on my identity, emotions, and relationships.

We explore the common family roles that often emerge in homes affected by addiction—the Hero, Scapegoat, Lost Child, Mascot, and Caretaker—and how these survival strategies can continue into adult life long after childhood has ended.

This episode is not about blame. It is about understanding. By recognizing these patterns, we begin the work of breaking free from multi-generational cycles of dysfunction and moving toward healing and wholeness.

Using the wisdom of the Tarot, we ask an important question:

How do we break out?

The cards offer a symbolic path from emotional hardship, through patient inner work, toward a new beginning.

This is Episode 1 of a four-part series:

If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to leave a comment or email me at https://www.johnstarot.net 

If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about Tarot, Jungian psychology, recovery, spirituality, the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching, and the journey of individuation, please subscribe and join our growing community.

Remember:

In this concluding episode of my three-part series on the Elder Futhark Runes, we explore the meaning of all 24 Norse runes and discover how these ancient symbols continue to speak to modern life. Rather than viewing the runes as simple fortune-telling devices, we examine them as a symbolic language rooted in mythology, psychology, and personal transformation.

Each rune is explained in clear, practical language, including themes such as courage, wisdom, patience, transformation, relationships, prosperity, and spiritual growth. Whether you are completely new to the runes or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode provides a solid foundation.

To conclude, I perform a combined Tarot and Rune reading exploring the question:

"Given the complexity of our current economic and political systems, what is the best path for us to follow?"

The reading offers a symbolic perspective emphasizing:

• Maintaining inner balance during times of conflict

This series approaches Tarot and the Runes not as systems for predicting the future, but as symbolic tools for self-reflection, individuation, and living consciously.

If you enjoy thoughtful discussions on Jungian psychology, mythology, recovery, the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching, Tarot, and the symbolic journey of human awakening, please consider subscribing.

Visit my website:

Thank you for watching, and as always...

Be careful. Be cool. Be kind.

#Runes #Tarot #Jung #Symbolism #Spirituality #ElderFuthark #NorseMythology #CarlJung #SelfDiscovery #Individuation

In this episode, I share the story of how I first discovered the Elder Futhark Runes and why they became an essential part of my spiritual practice. Guided by the I Ching, I found that the Runes revealed another symbolic language that complemented Tarot in surprising and meaningful ways.

Today, I explain how I combine Tarot and Runes during a reading and why I believe the two systems together provide greater depth, clarity, and insight than either one alone.

Using a three-card Tarot spread with accompanying Runes, we explore:

This episode is not about fortune telling. It is about understanding life's patterns through symbolic language, Jungian psychology, mythology, and the ancient wisdom traditions that continue to guide us today.

If you've ever wondered why I use both Tarot and Runes in my personal practice, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the philosophy behind my readings.

If you enjoy these conversations, please like, subscribe, and share the channel.

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#Tarot #Runes #Jung #Symbolism #PersonalGrowth

In this first episode of the Nordic Runes Series, we explore the history, mythology, and symbolic meaning of the Elder Futhark.

Originally developed as an alphabet nearly 2,000 years ago, the runes gradually became a profound symbolic system describing the patterns of human experience. We examine their historical origins before exploring the legendary story of Odin's quest for wisdom at Mímir's Well and his sacrifice upon the World Tree, Yggdrasil.

Drawing upon the work of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, we consider why myths continue to speak to modern life—not as literal history, but as symbolic maps of psychological transformation.

Finally, I explain why I combine the runes with Tarot in my own readings. Tarot often reveals the symbolic landscape of a situation, while the runes help illuminate movement, direction, and the unfolding process of change.

This is not a lesson in fortune telling. It is an introduction to one of the world's oldest symbolic languages and how it can deepen self-awareness and conscious living.

In this episode you'll learn:

If you enjoy thoughtful discussions of Tarot, Jungian psychology, mythology, the Tao Te Ching, the I Ching, spirituality, and recovery, consider subscribing and joining us as we continue exploring the symbolic journey of human transformation.

Website: https://johnstarot.net

What can facing death teach us about how to live?

In this final episode of my three-part series on death, I reflect on what decades of experience—as an ICU nurse, as a family member witnessing loss, and as someone who has personally confronted mortality—have taught me about life.

Death has taught me that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid and doing what needs to be done anyway. It has taught me that our values and character become clearer when fear and purpose collide.

But some of the most important lessons are much simpler.

Life is relationships. It is shared time with the people we love. It is leaving the ICU after a difficult shift, looking up at the night sky and realizing how good it is simply to be alive. It is family dinners, ordinary evenings, laughter, and memories we may not recognize as precious until later.

As long as we're alive, we still have another chance—to change, to make amends, to help someone, to love someone, and to affect the world around us.

I finish the episode with a Tarot reading asking:

What would the Tarot like to tell us about living after making peace with death?

The cards offer a fitting conclusion: the Ace of Swords, the Lovers, and the Two of Wands—truth about ourselves, the importance of relationships and integration, and the choices we make about how we will live.

Be careful. Be cool. Be kind.

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contact [email protected]

There are moments in life when we are forced to face our own mortality. In this deeply personal episode, I share three experiences that forever changed how I understand courage, faith, and what it means to truly live.

I reflect on:

• The decision to get sober when I realized my life was heading toward certain destruction.

• Open-heart surgery and the symbolic dream that gave me a new understanding of a second chance at life.

• Working as an ICU nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, when I chose to remain at the bedside despite the uncertainty and fear.

These experiences taught me something unexpected: courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is acting in accordance with your deepest values while you are afraid. To conclude the episode, I ask the Tarot: What can we learn when we face our own death?

The cards reveal three timeless lessons: ⚔️ Ace of Swords — Face the truth about yourself. ⚔️ Ten of Swords — Do what you can, then let reality reveal itself. 🌿 Seven of Pentacles — Growth, healing, and understanding unfold one step at a time. Whether you are facing illness, uncertainty, recovery, loss, or simply asking deeper questions about life, I hope this conversation offers encouragement and perspective. Have faith. Find courage. Be careful, be cool, be kind.

🌐 Visit my website: https://johnstarot.net

#Tarot #Spirituality #Recovery #Courage #LifeLessons

Death is one experience that every family will eventually face, yet few of us are ever taught how to navigate it.

In this first episode of my new Death Series, I reflect on what I have learned after witnessing death from many different perspectives—as a son, a family member, and after more than two decades as an ICU nurse caring for patients and families during life's final moments.

This is not a discussion about fear.

It is a conversation about presence, grief, responsibility, compassion, and what death quietly teaches those willing to observe it.

Topics include:

Rather than predicting the future, today's Tarot reading explores the symbolic lessons we may discover when we become witnesses to death and the cycles of life.

This is Episode 1 of a three-part series.

Upcoming Episodes:

If this episode speaks to you, please Like, Subscribe, and share it with someone who may be walking through grief or caring for a loved one.

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