Hello, hello! It’s Ines, returning for what’s becoming a tradition in and of itself: The Alt Shift pre-festival tarot reading. Last year, the Alt Shift organizers asked me how we could sustain a degrowth movement without our depleting energies. The message I got was that the time for theoretical debates is over, and that it’s now “practicing what we preach” o’clock. That’s exactly what 2024 Alt Shift felt like: an invitation to embody the hope we want to see in the world.
This year, Alt Shift is traveling to Frei Feldlage in Saxony - a region currently known for its... eh... interesting... politics.... (narrator: she means fascism). The questions I was asked reflect this big change: what new energies will Frei Feldlage bring to Alt Shift? How can we develop a meaningful connection to this place?
What new energies will Frei Feldlage bring to Alt Shift?
The first card I drew was the 4 of pentacles, signaling some heaviness. There could be concerns about material resources and spending, but at a deeper level this could be pointing to an excessive sense of attachment to an aspect of the project. It could also be that the community around Frei is feeling protective over their turf. Certainly some issues around change, control, and power could bubble up in the lead up to the festival. It’ll be easy to get caught up in petty things that don’t really matter. Don’t cave to the tension, the scarcity mindset. Let your collective why guide you.
The good thing is... the festival itself will show the way forward. The 3 of Cups shows this tension can be alchemized in celebration - together. Frei Feldlage will inspire a joyful week of co-creation, and gather a group of people that are truly on the same wavelength with each other. This year’s attendance will feel very creative so make sure to honour that in your program. There’ll be a lot of potential for long-lasting partnerships emerging from this festival’s edition - all you have to do is pour love into it.
If the community around you was suspicious at first, I think you’ve a really good chance of winning them over ;) The 6 of Torches (Wands) speaks to an “all’s well that ends well” kind of feeling. Whatever hardships and tensions might come your way in the lead up to the festival, rest assured that by the end of it you’ll be blessed with a sense of a job well done, and heightened self-confidence in yourselves. By grounding yourselves in your why, and focusing your energies towards what truly matters, you’ll create one of the most memorable editions of Alt Shift so far - trust me. I wouldn’t be surprised if this turns out to be the edition that gets you recognized beyond your usual crowd.
A message from the bottom of the deck: some things are crumbling so that you can build back on stronger foundations. If you find you’re resisting structural change, ask yourselves what it is you need to let go in order to make this Alt Shift the medicine you, your attendance, and the community you’ll be landing on, need it to be. What would that feel like?
How can we create a meaningful connection to this place?
For this one, I used only Major Arcana cards. Materially, you need to be prepared for what you’ll find. The Magus Reversed tells me this new place will require more communication than you’re used to, perhaps even with the community around it. Be extra attentive to all things logistics, ask as many questions as you need, and keep communication channels flowing. I get the feeling you might not currently be entirely prepared for what you’ll find, so do your due diligence. If there’s alliances you need to build to feel safe and connected, now’s the time to nurture them. A guiding question could be: What blocks might there be to manifest the festival we dream of for this summer?
Emotionally, the Moon Reversed tells me Frei Feldlage will make some things very clear for you. If you’ve been feeling confused, or under some form of illusion, this new setting will clarify those sticky feelings. Whether you listen or not is up to you.
More broadly, Frei Feldlage will bring lessons about power - how do you perceive, claim, and distribute it? In connecting with this place, for whatever reason, I think you need to be really intentional about your relationship to power, and have razor sharp eyes to any circumstance where the refusal of authority is actually a refusal of responsibility.
One last thought
As I wrote this, I felt the need to ask one more question: what energy are we being called to embody?
Planning a whole ass festival is no joke, especially when the topic is so serious. But the festival as a medium is inherently playful. It’s in the word itself: fest-ival, fest-ivity, in my mother tongue festa - a word for both a party, and a caress. This edition will have us all slack-lining on the web tying us to each other, and giggling kicking our feet at how much fun it can be to share the burden of community.
I’ll leave you with that. There’s some big changes brewing. The festival will be a resounding success, full of creative souls coming together in partnership. You’ll need to make some structural decisions either before or, more likely, in the aftermath of the festival. Whatever’s coming, I can tell it’s gonna make you feel worth your name ;)
In wild solidarity,
Ines / Hysteric Wombs Social Club @hystericwombssocialclub