Thought Catalog Agency

Why You Can’t Let Them Go (And How You Can Try), Based On Your Zodiac + Tarot

ARIES

Your Card: Ace of Swords, reversed

Aries, you can’t move on because you keep dwelling on the destruction of the relationship. Over and over again you ruminate on what went wrong, what could have been, and what you would have done differently. You can’t seem to let go of the painful words that were spoken. Stop trying to analyze the demise of your love. It doesn’t matter why it came to an end, only that it did. If you stopped romanticizing what was for long enough, you’d see that you two were never on the same page to begin with. Admitting this is your first step in moving on. 

TAURUS

Your Card: Ten of Wands, reversed

The Ten of Wands reversed shows that it’s well past time for you to let them go—they’ve already let you go. The card is saying that your relationship was never going to go anywhere and that to keep working at it was a waste of your time and efforts. You haven’t been able to move on only because you’ve been craving emotional support, but the sooner you realize they never provided it for you, the easier it will be for you. You don’t miss what was, but what you always wanted it to be. 

GEMINI

Your Card: The Devil

The reason you can’t let them go isn’t because what you feel for them is true love, but because it’s an obsession. You were hooked on them, and like most vices, it wasn’t the healthiest of addictions. It all starts with admitting that you were less free with them—that you were so engrossed in your relationship that life outside of it did not exist for you. What you shared was codependency. You were less of yourself when you were with them. So desperately you wanted to be loved and accepted by them that you molded yourself to fit their ideal. They made you feel powerless. To release them you have to find your power again. Who were you before them? Who are you when they’re not around?

CANCER

Your Card: Four of Wands

The reason you can’t let them go is because they were supposed to play a big role in your life. Perhaps you were engaged or had talked about taking that next big step. In the very least, this is the person you planned on spending your life with—one who spoke about wanting to do the same. You carefully constructed your life around this person, only to have the rug pulled from beneath your feet. Some things just aren’t meant to be, Cancer, even the things we always believed were to be ours. You’ll build that family you’ve always dreamed of with someone else—with someone truly made for you. You need to take all the lessons that relationship taught you and get back out there. 

LEO

Your Card: The High Priestess

Leo, the reason you can move on from what you had was because it was the most open and honest relationship. What you shared was a profound spiritual connection—one that is only experienced once in a lifetime, or twice, if you’re lucky. You keep thinking that nothing will ever amount to the love you shared. They may have been a soulmate in your life, but they weren’t the soulmate of your life. Even the most deepest loves were fated to end, Leo. It doesn’t mean you won’t experience one like it again. In order to let them go, you must hang on to hope that there is something more. 

VIRGO

Your Card: The Magician, reversed

You’re still thinking about them because you miss the version of them that they portrayed to be, not the one who broke your heart and ultimately turned out to be their truest self. You were in love with an illusion—someone who never truly existed. They won you over with deception. You need to remind yourself of this if you want to move on, Virgo. They manipulated you for their own selfish reasons. You need to see them for who they really are in order to let them go. Do yourself a favor and lift the veil. 

LIBRA

Your Card: The Empress

Libra, you’re having trouble moving on because you love being a part of a relationship. Nothing makes you happier than being part of a committed “we”. You find balance and harmony in love. This person brought you this and more, like comfort and affection. They were warm and caring, so it’s proven difficult to let that go. In order to release them, you must start embracing the unknown. This means finding a new rhythm without them, adopting new habits, and spending time getting in touch with yourself.  

SCORPIO

Your Card: Three of Pentacles

You can’t let them go because you worked well as a team together. Both of you felt supported as partners in the relationship. Efforts were matched, ideas were shared, and emotional work was split. You could really rely on each other and depend on the future you were building together. Just because it looked good on paper, doesn’t mean it’s what was right, Scorpio. Moving on starts with admitting that the chemistry just wasn’t there. 

SAGITTARIUS

Your Card: King of Pentacles, reversed

You’re struggling in healing and moving on because they always made you feel like you needed them, like you couldn’t make it without them, like you had to rely on them to be successful and happy. They’d be unfaithful and find a way to blame you. They would manipulate you and gaslight you. They were uncaring. In order to let them go, you need to rewire your brain and heal yourself from the immense damage they caused. This means unlearning all the negative self-talk and realizing that you are so much more without them. 

CAPRICORN

Your Card: Two of Wands

You made adjustments in your life in order to make space for them, so it’s proving tough to move on. The both of you had big plans for a future together. You were devoted and committed to making it all come true—your dreams and theirs. You only miss what almost was—the idea you had in your head of what your relationship could be. Letting go starts with admitting there was a lack of contentment in your partnership. If you’re truly honest, then you can admit that you thought about leaving for a long time before they walked out. 

AQUARIUS

Your Card: Six of Pentacles

It’s truly a difficult process to move on from a generous lover, Aquarius. You’re having a tough time shutting the door because you can’t quit thinking about how it wasn’t it was with them with anyone else. No one ever made you feel the things that they did, but you need to leave those things in the past. Someone will come that will awaken in you the same, if not more intense, feelings of passion. That person will fulfill all your wants and needs—emotionally and physically. 

PISCES

Your Card: Five of Swords

You’re having trouble letting them go now, but you’ll find it easier once you remember that there was nothing but tension and conflict between you two. Hostility constantly permeated the air in the room. You always felt forced to choose their emotions over your own mental well-being and happiness. Right now you only miss them because the wound is still tender. Moving on is going to be so easy once you get a taste of how serene and joyful life is without them.