#and he was also the only major arcana card left that I’m drawing a person for

[formulanni]

Daniel Ricciardo as Judgement:

The Judgement tarot card symbolizes the arrival of absolution and the culmination of a significant undertaking, often related to past and life lessons.

Judgement indicates the cusp of rebirth.

In order to achieve that, you must look back upon your deeds and come to an honest evaluation of yourself. This leads to the awakening that signals a new way of life.

Tag list: @st-leclerc @rubywingsracing @saviour-of-lord @three-days-time @the-wall-is-my-goal @albonoooo @ch3rubd0lls

[theotherhufflepuff]

Simon Snow Trilogy Tarot Cards...

Ok so, a little while ago I saw this frankly stunning artwork by @vkelleyart and I started thinking about the Major Arcana archetypes and how characters from my favourite book series could fit into them.

So I made this list. It took a lot of thought and I’m still not 100% sure on some of them but I have explained my thought process for each card.

I don’t know how much crossover there is in the Venn diagram of “Simon Snow fans” and “tarot readers” but I’d love to hear your opinions and/or alternative suggestions (be respectful though, obviously). I’ve left “visual prompts” for most of the cards explaining what they looked like in my imagination and if anyone wants to draw any of these (or their own alternative version!) please tag me; it would make my day! I can’t draw for toffee so I am 1000% never gonna try to illustrate any of them myself.

List under the cut because it is loooong.

Spoilers ahead for the whole series!

0 The Fool - Shepard - Shepard just follows magickal creatures around and says “yes” to everything... he is the pure embodiment of the Fool archetype to me; care-free, innocent... prepared for everything and yet totally clueless. Visual prompt: Shepard about to (attempt to) step into the fog as he follows a fairy into the forest.

1 The Magician - Penelope - “Penelope Bunce is a fierce magician, I don’t mind saying” Baz, at least once in each book. Penny never worries about not having the power or words available to do whatever she wants; she is comfortable in her power and it is always there, ready to be wielded however she sees fit. Visual prompt: Penny wearing her Stevie Nicks cape, standing by a chalkboard in the classic “Magician” pose, ring clearly held aloft.

2 The High Priestess - Dr Mitali Bunce - Dr Bunce is possibly a more formidable magician than her daughter. Highly intelligent, straightforward and, let’s be honest, judgemental. But she does have all the answers. Visual prompt: Dr Bunce carrying around her laptop, phone sandwiched between her ear and her shoulder.

3 The Empress - Lucy Salisbury - Lucy exudes the nurturing, Earth Mother vibes that are central to the Empress archetype. She saw the best in everyone and all she wanted was to love Davy and live with him in their cottage with her chickens and their child. Visual prompt: Lucy, barefoot and pregnant, feeding the chickens outside of their cottage.

4 The Emperor - Lamb - This is one of the ones I’m not totally sure about. I went through a few different ideas but ultimately settled on Lamb as the “Vampire King of Las Vegas”. He is an imposing figure, ruling his city with an iron fist; if you are in his favour, Vegas is your playground, but cross him and you will suffer the consequences. Visual prompt: Lamb sits on an antique chair in his opulent suite at the Katherine, the lights of night time Vegas visible through the window behind him.

5 The Hierophant - The Mage - Again, this one took some thought and I’m sure some people will disagree with this interpretation... I’m not completely sold on it myself. The Mage was all about reforming the old traditions of the World of Mages and he amassed a following by doing so. But he turned out to be somewhat of a false prophet; abusing his power to oppress those he deemed “the enemy”. Visual prompt: The Mage in his Robin Hood costume, sitting at his desk at the top of the Weeping Tower, surrounded by his piles of banned books.

6 The Lovers - Simon and Baz - Obviously. As stated at the top of this post, I love @vkelleyart’s version of this card, but there are a lot of scenes across the series that could be used to illustrate this archetype. I personally always love to see the original “and then he kisses me” scene.

7 The Chariot - Fiona Pitch - I struggled with this one a bit and I don’t really think that this is the ideal version. But the image of Fiona, rolling up to Blackfriars bridge in her vintage sports car to rescue Baz from the Numpties really stuck with me so that’s what I went with, for lack of a better idea.

8 Strength - Ebb - Ebb is often dismissed and underestimated by other magicians but she is wicked powerful. But more than that, the Strength card is about inner strength, self control and the wisdom to know when to fight, and when to rest. Ebb is highly intuitive about the people - and goats - around her and is always careful not to talk about her twin brother, only conceding that she knows of his presence once a year and never giving in to the temptation to talk directly to him. Ebb saw the war coming and knew that she could probably end it all by herself with the power she had; but she also knew that she didn’t want that and she had the strength to say no, to eschew the expectations the rest of the World of Mages placed upon her and live quietly, instead. Visual prompt: Ebb in the hills behind the school with the goats, she wears a flower crown that the Dryad made her.

9 The Hermit - Agatha - the Hermit eschews the outside world in order to take an inner journey of self discovery, knowing that this is the only way to find real answers and achieve real growth. Agatha, jaded by the World of Mages, took herself off to California, leaving her wand at home. She didn’t know what she wanted but she knew it wasn’t magic. Visual prompt: Agatha sits on the beach at twilight by a small campfire, Lucy the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel by her side.

10 The Wheel of Fortune - The Crucible - The Crucible’s decisions, like the Wheel’s, are unpredictable and inevitable. Once it’s happened, you’re stuck with the consequences - sometimes bad (being stuck with a toff vampire who hates you) and sometimes good (getting the best room in Mummers house).

11 Justice - Natasha Grimm-Pitch - Natasha needed justice to find peace; her whole story is about justice. She was swift to act when the vampires attacked Watford, dispatching them without hesitation. When she came through the veil to find Baz and ask him to bring her murderer to justice, she knew that would also provide some closure for him, too, both for her death, and for his. Visual prompt: Natasha Grimm-Pitch appearing from beyond the veil, looking for Baz and finding Simon.

12 The Hanged One - Nicodemus - The Hanged One is about feeling stuck, but also about finding peace where you are when there’s nothing you can do about it. Nicodemus chose to cross over for eternal life, but he was stricken from the book; his (considerable) magic effectively taken from him and his fangs removed. He was stuck in between - not a full vampire, not a magician; he exists on the fringes of both communities. He got himself there and then he had to figure out how to get by, carve out a place for himself in order to survive. Visual prompt: Nicodemus sits in the tree in the garden of his mother’s house in South London, waiting for Ebb to come and sit on the empty bench beneath him.

13 Death - [scene on the Great Lawn] - Ok, so.. this might need some explaining. My immediate thought for this card was that it should be the Humdrum but Death is all about clearing out the old junk in your life that doesn’t serve you in order to make space for the new. And the Humdrum isn’t making space for anything. So I was thinking about times that has happened in the story and I thought about how the death of the Mage made room for real progress and an end to the war with the old families. Visual prompt: Penny and Baz (literally) run into a fleeing Agatha on the Great Lawn; the Weeping Tower looms in the background, the Mage and Simon visible through the blown-out stained glass windows.

14 Temperance - Simon and the Humdrum - Temperance is, as you might expect, about balance and harmony. Simon used so much magic at once that he couldn’t control it and it tore holes in the magickal atmosphere. Simon had to fill the Simon-shaped hole to restore equalibrium and stop the magickal firmament from collapsing altogether. Visual prompt: Simon kneeling in the Weeping Tower, pouring his magic into the Humdrum as he fades away.

15 The Devil - Smith Smith-Richards - The Devil is about feeling trapped by temptations in your life, often because we’re afraid of what we would do with the freedom we’d have if we let them go. Which got me thinking about Smith-Richards (that name never gets any less ridiculous) and all the magicians who were taken in by the temptation of “fixing” their magic. But it was a false promise and those magicians who narrowly escaped taking Smith-Richards’ spell were all freed from the idea of their magic being “broken” in the first place. Visual prompt: Smith-Richards (looking like the guy who would be cast to play Simon in the Netflix series) standing on a stage in the packed-out White Chapel, rapt audience hanging on his every word.

16 The Tower - The Humdrum - Originally I wanted to use the Weeping Tower for this card because the imagery is on point but the meaning doesn’t match. The Tower is about absolute destruction, the crumbling of something you thought core to your being. The Humdrum steals magic and renders magicians homeless because of it. The Tower is about having to start again from the ground up - just as the Grimms did when all the magic was drained from Hampshire. Visual prompt: The Humdrum, wearing Simon’s face, stands in the grounds of Pitch Manor, laughing. (I have always thought of the holes looking like a burn in a piece of paper - sort of glowing and smouldering at the edges as it eats away the atmosphere. I know the holes can’t actually be seen - the Normals would freak out - but that is imagery I would use here)

17 The Star - Lady Ruth’s candles - The Star is about hope and healing after the devastation of the Tower. Lady Ruth’s candles were a symbol of hope that kept her going when she thought she had lost her children. They provided comfort and, at the end when it became clear the Lucy was gone, the healing of knowing that her child had finally found his way home to his family. Visual prompt: Lady Ruth’s candles in front of a window, a bright star can be seen through the window.

18 The Moon - Agatha and Simon - So, the Moon is all about examining blurred lines between illusion and reality - nothing looks totally clear in the moonlight. It reminded me of how Simon never really seemed to have a clear view of his feelings for Agatha and what their relationship was. When he properly examined his feelings, he found that he didn’t love Agatha and was going through the motions because he thought it was what other people expected of him. Agatha was doing the same. It also brought to mind Simon, going out of his mind worrying about Baz when he was missing - as well as basically every other thought Simon ever has about Baz before Christmas Eve 2015 - and somehow mistaking it for hating him?? Simon is not stupid but sometimes he’s real dumb. Visual prompt: Agatha and Simon meet on the ramparts, both looking for Baz, and break up.

19 The Sun - Simon - This card is all about innocence, optimism and joy. Nothing about this series personifies this more than Simon flying above Shepard’s truck in America, feeling free and hopeful about the future for the first time in over a year. Visual prompt: Shepard’s truck drives through the vast empty desert, the sun beating down. Simon flies above the truck, joy on his face.

20 Judgement - Niamh and Agatha - Ok, this one was hard to figure out and this is maybe not the right solution, but I was very stuck. Judgement is about self improvement through self reflection. As a small twist on that theme; Niamh and Agatha challenge each other’s view of themselves and their interactions with the world around them. Visual prompt: Agatha and Niamh, sweating to death in Niamh’s “shitty Ford Fiesta” (I’m very salty about that line; my Ford Fiesta is lovely and it has aircon). Niamh is frowning, obviously.

21 The World - Simon, Baz, Penny and Shepard - The World is about completeness, the ending of a story, fulfilment and belonging. At the end of AWTWB, Simon has finally found his biological family, he is starting to accept that his boyfriend and his found family love him for who he is, magic or no, and he can finally start to imagine a future for himself. Baz has learned new information about his vampirism, Penny has found new confidence and Shepard is finally fully accepted into the group. Visual prompt: Baz, Penny and Shepard sit on Simon’s sofa (possibly still pink from Baz’s spell, possibly he spelled it navy blue again) Simon sits on the floor. They’re all eating leftover sandwiches and cake from Lady Ruth’s.

[zorya-wellness]

Should You Read Reversed Tarot Cards and Learn Their Meanings? Beginner Tarot Guide.

Often when people start to learn Tarot cards, they limit themselves to some boundaries or rules.

Some people put aside Minor Arcana cards to learn Major Arcana on a deeper level; others ignore elements “for now”, to avoid getting confused.

But the majority first tend to ask the question: “Should I read Tarot reversals?” and try to sort of choose the side from the beginning.

I learned Tarot reversals and how to read them as a part of my Tarot education program. At the beginning of my Tarot path, I even considered them in a reading.

I also read various perspectives of different Tarot professionals on the internet, just like you are reading this Blog post right now.

But at one moment I decided to ditch the reversals completely and put all my cards in the deck upright once and for all.

No, not because it is difficult to work with reversals but because based one my knowledge and experience this was the most logical thing to do.

I will explain to you my logic and approach but always feel free to choose a path that works for you. There are many wonderful Tarot readers that work with reversals but also plenty amazing ones that never did. The choice is yours.

Reason #1: Confusion with Card Meanings and Interpretation

Yes, this is something that is worth to consider. The interpretation of reversed Tarot cards can get really vague and personal.

For example, you can “reverse” the meaning of the card, saying that the reversed Tarot card meaning is just the opposite of the upright.

In that case, if we take, for example, the reversed Devil Tarot card, we can say that its meaning is quite positive and signifies the release from the boundaries and addictions.

But we may also say that the reversed Devil card meaning is even worse than that of the upright and the person described by this card is at the point where they can’t get out.

Same applies to the rest of the cards in the deck. You can either see their meaning as the opposite of what they mean upright, or make them worse than their meaning is, in case it is negative to begin with.

Reason #2: Repetition of Cards’ Messages

This is not something you will see often if you are reading cards only in their upright positions.

Yes, you may get 5 of Pentacles and the Tower together in a business reading and both would point on financial loss but the cards’ nuances would still provide with additional information that will create one full story.

When you read both reversed and upright cards, the card meanings can once again become blurred.

It becomes much more complicated to see those nuances and differences and many cards start to simply replace one another instead of complementing. It also becomes difficult to tell if the reversed card means the same thing that the upright next to it or something else?

Reason #3: The Upright Tarot Cards Already Have SO MUCH to Tell

There are 78 Tarot cards, friends! For a reason, don’t you think?

And consider the fact that, practically in any spread, Tarot cards influence each other’s interpretation – so that the meaning of one card depends on the surrounding cards.

There really are plenty of Tarot cards in the deck and based on all the combinations, situations and nuances, we can really draw a conclusion that there is more than enough information as it is in the deck to give a quality reading. There really is no need to multiply all of this by 2.

Let’s look at a quick example here. Take the reversed 2 of Cups card that speaks about conflicts, misunderstandings and relationship struggles. Let’s say that this card came up as a Significator for a relationship reading.

Would something change drastically if there was an upright 3 of Swords or 7 of Wands card instead?

In my opinion, no. Both cards can describe the situation perfectly well, in their own ways.

For example, 3 of Swords card can say that the conflict that took place was really heartbreaking to the partners, while 7 of Wands can point on continuous arguments, clashes of opinions and misunderstandings.

And, in my opinion, these upright cards would give much more information than the reversed card, the meaning of which is quite questionable.

Reason #4: Some New Tarot Decks Do Not Have Meanings for Reversed Cards

And here you can say: “Well, a Tarot reader should be able to work with any deck.”

And this is generally the truth, but you need to take into an account that there are WAY MORE Tarot decks being created now than needed. And some people that release those decks have nothing to do with Tarot and are just hiring the artists to draw the cards choosing a popular theme, the prettier the better. Whatever sells well.

As a result, sometimes we pick up a deck that has really nothing to do with Tarot. And the meaning of the card completely deviates from the original or traditional interpretation.

RELATED POSTS: TAROT FOR BEGINNERS: STARTING WITH BASICS. HOW TO CHOOSE A TAROT DECK that is right for YOU.

For example, look at this “The Lovers” Tarot card that appears to be a Game of Thrones inspired Tarot deck.

And don’t get me wrong, I’m a huuuuuuuuuge fan of Game of Thrones (House Bolton, anyone? No?)

But this card has absolutely NOTHING to do with the meaning of the Lovers, as the Loves card has nothing to do with love!

It is a card of CHOICE more so than anything else.

This is why when you look at the traditional version, you see that he is looking at her and she is looking at the Archangel and behind them is a snake. What is the path you chose?

When we look at this Game of Thrones version of the Lovers card, we can see a couple deeply in love. They are together, they don’t need anything else or anyone else. In fact, there is nothing here pointing on a choice.

And you may say here: “Oh, well, John Snow made a choice. He left Ingrid and went back on the wall.” You know this, I know this. Does a person who has never watched Game of Thrones and just picked up this deck know this?

So, it may seem that I deviated from our original conversation on Tarot reversals here but not really.

The point here is that if the upright position of this card does not really mean what it should, what does the reversed card even mean? Does it point on a break up? Are they falling out of love? What if you pull this card for career? Well, I suppose, you can say that is signifies breaking of a partnership.

In reality, this is my PERSONAL interpretation and you can see this differently.

In this case, we will all just interpret the cards how we “feel” not how they should be interpreted.

Here I really like the approach of Aleister Crowley. Unlike Waite, who does talk about reversed Tarot cards, in fact, most of the literature on Rider-Waite deck talks about reversals, Crowley does not mention reversals at all.

All he mentions is “the shadow side of the Card.”

And it is absolutely an amazing way to put it.

Each card has its Shadow side but you don’t need to see it reversed to understand when it shows it.

Reason #5:  The Process of Tarot Reading

This would depend on how you personally deal with shuffling and picking cards during your reading.

When I get a question, I start shuffling the cards while concentrating my mind on the question and the spread. After that I pull individual cards either from the deck itself or I spread the cards from right to left and pick the cards I am drawn to.

The most mystical process happens while you are shuffling the cards and thinking about a question. It is sort of similar to a mini manifestation meditation when you let go of the unnecessary thoughts to allow your mind to concentrate on one specific matter.

RELATED POSTS: What to Do with a New Tarot Deck? How to Cleanse, Charge & Store Your Tarot Deck? Beginner’s Guide.

What was happening to the deck before the shuffling process or how I pull the cards after shuffling is done is not important. After you are done shuffling your Tarot deck, the cards that are meant to be pulled are already waiting for you.

For this reason, I don’t favour card reading method when the reader pulls cards for additional questions to clarify something. For the most accurate reading it is one question – one spread.

So, the thing is, while you are shuffling the cards you don’t flip them. When you shuffle a brand-new Tarot deck, all cards are in the upright position. How do you then get the reversals?

You get them when you are not collecting your cards gracefully after the reading and are just being sloppy.

Doesn’t it then seem like you are the one creating reversed Tarot cards yourself?

Of course, you can continue to flip the cards while you are shuffling, but it is already way too much hustle, if you ask me.

Reason #6: Look at The Spread as A Whole, It Has A Story to Tell

During many years of my work with Tarot, I have learned to analyze the spread as a whole and not read each card individually. This means that I don’t interpret each card one by one, I look at the surrounding cards, their elements and how they influence each other.

RELATED POSTS: TAROT FOR BEGINNERS: HOW TO BECOME A GOOD TAROT READER: My 3 Tips for Beginner Tarot Readers

For example, when I’m doing a relationship spread, I like to understand the nature of the partners. Not based on what THEY tell me, but based on what THE CARDS tell me.

So, I usually throw three cards per partner with the positions: what he/she thinks, what he/she feels and what he/she does.

When I analyze those cards, I look at the connection between them and also at any inconsistencies that may arise. For example, a partner may think one thing but do something completely the opposite, hide something, or may feel completely different inside.

This allows you to have a full portrait of a person as a whole.

And this applies really to any spread. You always try to read a story not just interpret one card after another.

Should You Then Ditch Tarot Reversals Practice for Good?

The thing is, there are many methods and techniques used by the readers. There are even those who chaotically throw cards on the table and pick the needed ones using their intuition.

There are many approaches to Tarot and divination as a whole.

My blog post does not call upon ditching reversed Tarot cards but rather asks to think about the process for a minute.

Perhaps, if you are a Tarot beginner, it would be a better idea to leave the reversals out and focus on other important aspects, such as elements, numerology and cards combinations.

But I notice more and more that even advanced and experienced Tarot readers leave the reversals out more often.

The ultimate choice is yours and depends solely on your preference. There is no right or wrong way.

[sneakydraws]

Well, here it is - a lengthy explanation of each card in my mdzs major arcana deck and what I meant to convey/what i would have changed in retrospect/what alternatives i considered! It’s a bit messy and my typing style is lazy but hopefully it will be an interesting read to some of you :)

And so you don’t say I didn’t warn you - jiang cheng’s section (11 justice) is absurdly long lmao

0 the fool  I elaborated on this in the post itself but yeah basically jin ling is kind of representative of all the damage and trauma caused by the past, and there’s a kind of danger there of him falling victim to the same vices as the older characters and repeating the same mistakes and perpetuating the cycle of war and misery (the cycle that we already see with how the jin sect became the new wen sect, and later with how jgy became the new wwx) and he has a lot of room to grow! He grows so much over the course of the novel, comes to realise the complexities of the past and gets a harsh life lesson in how nothing is as black and white as it seems. But ill save talking about his progress for the end, for now whats important is that he has room to grow and also a dog. I don’t really have a justification for the sun, i mostly just thought it looked sick? It made its way to the next card as well, where it makes a bit more sense, but then i realised it was a dumb motif to include 1 the magician I still very much like wwx for the role, and that illustration would have probably had him raising a corpse on his left and pointing threateningly to the sun on his right. I considered including the table as well, with some mdzs relevant items replacing the card suits. Anyway, like i said wwx got a few cards to himself already so i went with the alternative wq design, since i think she fits the card as well. Both she and wwx are highly skilled people, extremely driven once they set their mind to something. The card to me symbolises the creative mind as well as a general drive for action, which fits them both - wwx was famously a prolific inventor, and wq came up with a previously unheard of surgery, after all. This card strays pretty far from the rider-waite deck design, largely because i was still figuring out how i wanted to approach this series, but you can still see the influence. 2 the high priestess I was actually going to skip this card at first because I couldn’t think of a fitting character, but once i considered a qings character post death, it all fit pretty well. She was already a highly intuitive person in life, and in sharing her memories with wwx she is, in a way, relaying a kind of secret knowledge. Anyway she’s one of my fav characters so im glad i got a chance to include her. The coffins could be interpreted to be xxc and sl or xxc and xy 3 the empress Theres other mother figures in mdzs who got to be mothers for a longer time, but jyl definitely embodies the positive aspects of this card the best. She’s nurturing, kind, emotionally supportive, she already mothered wwx and jc quite a bit when she was young. Plus i liked that the rw card had both water and flowers, making an easy lotus connection. In retrospect the stars look kind of out of place and i should have replaced them with something more relevant... Also, i should have had her hold a lotus seed pod instead of a flower, haha 4 the emperor Like i said I considered jc for the role but hoching bullied me into admitting that nmj was better… they’re both more of an inverted emperor than an upright one but then again theres hardly any character in mdzs who would fit upright emperor so. Jgs was also considered but he’s even uglier than nmj so i couldn’t bear to draw him 5 the hierophant It was pointed out to me that lqr would have fit this card better and the truth if that statement haunts me to this day. Unfortunately I have no space in my brain for lqr so lxc got the role instead. My main reason was his role during the wen destruction of gusu lan, when he ran away with the contents of the library - this is why there’s bookshelves behind him. The keys, take, from the rider-waite deck, are meant to represent the gusu pendants that allow you to enter 6 the lovers Im sure many people would have chosen wangxian here but I uhh don’t really care abt wangxian personally? And also their love story is so convoluted that jyl and jzx seem idyllic by comparison lol. Also i didnt really have an idea for who to put in the angel’s place for wangxian… mme jin certainly did not get these two together in the end but undeniably she and mme yu did initially give them a chance to fall for each other so. Thats something i guess. Anyway the trees became their sects’ flowers and the mountain became the burial grounds - an omen of their tragic fate, basically 7 the chariot There might have been other characters who fit this card better but i couldn’t really think of another card for lwj and i thought it would be weird to not include him… anyway i don’t really care for current timeline lwj BUT i do like that he was clearly influenced by wwx to walk his own path in life based on his moral convictions rather than follow his sect’s rules blindly. The chariot is to me a card of self control, self determination and focused action, so it seemed fitting. The composition felt kind of empty without the actual chariot so i padded it out with the guqin, the cloud recess in the bg (it doesn’t look great but i tried to replicate the drama design….) and the bunnies which conveniently fit the colour scheme of the sphinxes in the rider-waite design 8 strength Like i said before, my interpretation of this card is more… morally ambiguous than the quote unquote official meaning, so i thought about manipulative or duplicitous characters more than kind characters whose strength is expressed through gentleness (though i did consider jyl briefly for the latter interpretation). As such, i considered both jgy and nhs, but ended up going with jgy largely because i couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put the nie sect’s beast as the lion. 9 the hermit My thoughts immediately went to bssr lol. It may be an overly literal interpretation but whatever, i like it just fine. And i like that i managed to echo the rider-waite silhouette in the mountain and the tree (and even in bssr herself) 10 wheel of fortune God i love the parallels between these 2… this card to me is about how you cant trust your current situation, good or bad, to last forever, and these 2 embody that perfectly imo. Wwx went from son of a well off servant and a powerful cultivator, to street rat orphan, to adopted son of sect leader jiang, to double orphan, to MIA, to terrifying but admired warrior, to terrifying and despised traitor, to dead, to, at the very end, suddenly respected and trusted again. The dishonesty and cheapness of whatever the public’s current opinion of him is is portrayed beautifully as far as im concerned. And jgy of course claws his way up to power only to instantaneously become public enemy number one, to the point that he’s probably blamed for stuff there’s no reason to believe he had a hand in. Wei wuxian’s silent astonishment at how quickly the cultivation world turns against jgy and towards him again is a delicious moment of thematic resonance.  11 justice I settled on this card for jc after he got booted from the emperor seat but i do think it fits, in a somewhat convoluted way. I turned both the sword and the scales into visual representations of the golden core transfer (can you tell im obsessed with it). According to biddy tarot, the justice card is partly about searching for the truth, and the scene where jc finds out about the transfer is of course a big deal. I was also very influenced by the reversed meaning again - which is about being reluctant or unwilling to face or accept the consequences of your actions. I feel on an intuitive level that this fits jc but I’m not sure how well i can explain it - it’s something about how he’s a little too comfortable scapegoating wwx for things that were also, if much less so, influenced by his actions, and also something about the way he keeps wwx at an arm’s length emotionally but still leans on him and accepts his support when he really needs it, and somewhat hypocritically expects wwx to put the needs of him and the jiang sect before the needs of others. And also something about the core exchange is the consequence and proof of wwx’s deep - terrifyingly deep, even - love and care for him, which is something jc doesn’t seem to let himself acknowledge. Maybe even something about how you could argue that the way all of the jiangs acted around wwx - jfm’s favouritism that left him with the feeling of a debt he needs to repay, mme yus insistence that he be a servant more than a brother to jc, prepared to give his life for jc, and jc’s own unwillingness - or inability, he was a child after all - to clearly acknowledge wwx as an equal to himself, enabling wwx’s self sacrificial and protective tendencies - that all of this was what caused wwx’s complete and unquestioning willingness to do whatever it took to protect jc, and therefore paved the way to the golden core transfer. And i don’t mean this to be scapegoating jc - especially considering how young he was when this all went down, it wouldn’t be fair to expect this level of emotional perceptiveness, awareness and maturity of him - but i think adult jc has to grapple with the fact that the chain of cause and effect was not as simple as wwx fucking everyone’s lives up to be a martyr, and that both jc and his parents had a role in that story as well. I don’t even necessarily think this is something that jc only realised in the current timeline - i think it’s something he felt on some level this whole time, and it probably led to a lot of feelings of guilt - but the suibian reveal definitely puts it in sharp focus, and i think he’s now better equipped to handle this introspection than he was as a recently orphaned, traumatised teenager, lol. ANYWAY the window with the fabric is both a nod to the rider-waite design and a reference to the destruction of lanling - i actually did some basic ass research for this, and it seems that in ancient china fabric would indeed be hanged in a window if the normally used paper was damaged. The design of the window, as well as the very idea to use it to imply the reconstruction of lanling, was taken from this great piece of jc angst by my pal moroll1! Oh yeah also the covered window kind of works as a denial of forgiveness for jc because it’s like a halo but covered up... Also I completely forgot to put a blindfold over his eyes which would be perfectttt because blind justice and the core exchange......... ok moving on 12 the hanged man I always have issues with this card because i cant find a satisfactory summary of what it’s really about. Best i can tell it symbolises a need to hit pause, surrender or let go of something… ive also seen it tied to sacrifice? So mo xuanyu doesn’t fit perfectly, but sacrifice is definitely there in a surface level reading kind of way, and the idea that you have to surrender or let go in order to achieve your goal does fit the whole deal of getting revenge but giving up your life in exchange and not being there to see it 13 death This is probably one of my favourite cards, definitely not because I have huge issues with change or anything…. I see this card as signalling the necessity of change or putting an end to something / leaving something in the past in order to start anew? At first i considered putting past wwx, mxy and current wwx here as a kind of transformation and one cycle flowing into the next... But firstly, I’d already used mxy in the very previous card, so putting him in again would feel like overkill, and secondly, the longer I thought about it the less convinced I was that this would even fit with the card’s meaning? Because coming back from the dead doesn’t like... trigger an internal transformation within wwx or anything? Anyway, fun fact: the design I ended up going with was actually originally intended for judgement! I thought I was being very clever with the whole “figure plays an instrument and the dead rise” parallel, but apparently I’d just completely forgotten that the judgement card had a completely different composition... Truly I was boo boo the fool... But yeah anyway at the end of the day I figured the design would kind of work for death as well, with Wen Ning and the theme of transformation, (since in his case coming back as a fierce corpse does actually mark a certain transformation in behaviour) and Wei Wuxian’s protection of the Wen people essentially signifying an attempt to break the cycle of oppression if that makes any sense? Like, wwx is trying to revolutionise the way the world works a bit, if you catch my drift 14 temperance  The centrist card! Again this is probably going off track from the “official” interpretation, but to me this card has a certain “don’t commit fully; do everything in moderation; don’t take either side” flavour to it that i personally find infuriating irl and that i very much assign to lxc. It’s entirely possible that I’m misinterpreting his character because i didn’t really pay him (and the 3zun in general) much mind while reading, but hell, I’m allowed to pick favourites and choose who i want to interpret deeply vs shallowly. Again, i wish id chosen lqr for hierophant because its so annoying for a character i don’t care about to get two cards…. But oh well 15 the devil My alternative idea for this was jgy as the devil and lxc plus nmj as the figures, but since all three had been featured already (multiple times, even!) i figured I’d go with xy instead, especially since he’s among my faves lol. I think the devil signifies something along the lines of unhealthy attachment, obsession or addiction, which isn’t 100% accurate in the case of xxc and a-qing, but if i stretch it a bit to cover toxic relationships in general, and especially manipulation or negative influence, i don’t think it’s half bad. My main struggle here was to choose who amongst the xxc/sl/aq trio to choose for the human figures. 16 the tower Arguably jin zixuans death and the following massacre of nightless city were the final and most direct reason for the siege of burial mounds, and the tiger seal is good shorthand for wwx’s loss of control over his powers, which led to the deaths of jzx and jyl. When reimagining major arcana i like to feature some kind of building in this card (spoilers for a possible future project but in my rose of versailles major arcana set the tower is bastille) and even if it’s not a tower, the image of wwx looming over the gathered crowd from atop a rooftop is so good i couldn’t resist 17 the star Struggled with this one - considered both jin ling and lsz for it, as symbolising a hope for the future, but that was kind of covered by the world so it wouldn’t make sense to include here as well... As usual when I struggle with interpreting a card (as opposed to understanding it but struggling with matching a character to it, like with death or moon) I went to biddy tarot and read all the details about its meaning. What i got was that this card signifies an incoming period of introspection and inner peace following a time of turmoil, as well as a general moving on into a new, better phase of one’s life or finding new meaning and purpose. The figure also suggests someone vulnerable, but possessing a keen sense of intuition as well as a good degree of practicality and common sense. Given all those, I settled for mianmian because IM LOVE HER..... I also kind of see her as a prelude to the “just one person is enough” theme present in tgcf!! And i think her decision to abandon her sect because she saw the toxicity and corruption in it is a very inspiring action - even if it didn’t make a large visible impact, i think the appearance of her and her idyllic family at the very end of the novel - paralleling and mirroring wangxian - implies that at the end of the day, it was a meaningful one 18 the moon Another card i ALWAYS fuxking struggle with - this time less because i can’t grasp its meaning and more because I can never find a character that fits it well. I usually get fixated on the “dreams and subconscious” part, but if i lean more on the “disguise, deceit, anxiety and fear” part, i eventually figured the whole yi city arc wouldn’t be a bad fit. I say the entire arc because it really does encompass all those themes if you include both the past and the present - xue yang’s disguise, his tricks with the villagers, a-qing’s lies and even xxc’s reluctance to talk about his past as well as xue yang pretending to be xxc all fit the disguise and deceit angle, and the general mystery and creepiness of the current timeline yi city work well with the anxiety and fear - the mist, the slow uncovering of the past, even a-qing being revealed to be an ally after scaring the shit out of the protags. I definitely struggled with including all the elements and characters, and even moreso with making them vaguely fit the rider-waite composition, but i think it ended up okay ish. OH and i completely forgot to draw mist swirling around them :( 19 the sun I was considering mianmian’s family for this one, but since I used her for star, I ended up with wwx and his parents instead. Once again I’m reinterpreting the card a bit - normally I think it symbolises incoming times of pure happiness and abundance, as well as a connection with the inner child, but I gave it more of a nostalgic or sentimental twist - wwx looking back at the brief glimpse of his happy childhood. 20 judgement another card that i struggle to interpret a bit... Here i actually used the tgcf tarot zine as a reference! In it judgement is summarised as “rebirth, following duty, absolution” SO i figured that nhs, mxy and wwx all together would fit pretty neatly... wwx achieving (public) absolution through clearing his own name after being reborn, and nhs sort of calling on wwx to expose jgy’s crimes... It’s a bit messy but not bad I think! 21 the world This ties very closely to my read on mdzs as a story - which is that it’s, at the end of the day, largely about cycles, and about how hard it is to break them, but how we gotta keep trying and have hope anyway. Or maybe more precisely, that the people directly involved with and influenced by the trauma of the past might not be able to get over said trauma and that the hope for healing from it will be shouldered by the new generation. Or something like that… Basically what i mean is that jc and wwx and lwj and lxc and nhs and jgy and all these people who were in the thick of the sunshot campaign and the siege are so profoundly affected by it that it genuinely feels by the end of the story like there is little hope for them to ever truly overcome that trauma and build a better future without repeating the same old mistakes - but there is a glimmer of hope in the new generation, specifically in jl and lsz. And it’s a bit paradoxical, because they have also been directly impacted by the past tragedies - lsz having his entire clan wiped out after wwx failed to protect them, jl losing both his parents to wwx’s mistakes - but despite that loss, and despite coming from arguably the two opposing sides of the past conflicts, they are both, in the end, capable of moving past that tragedy, of recognising the complicated nature of those conflicts (jl’s moment of clarity at the end is both heartbreaking and hopeful) and forging friendships between clans in the process. I honestly think that the extra where jl is struggling to assert his authority as sect leader, to treat his subjects well and to cooperate with other sects in a truly amicable way is the single hopeful ending note for the larger themes of the novel - it allows us to imagine that maybe these kids can learn from the mistakes of their elders rather than getting sucked in by resentment at those mistakes, and actually build a brighter future for the cultivation world. And sidenote, this is also why i have a soft spot for jin ling and lan sizhui as a ship... speaking of which their poses were directly referenced from the lovers card ehehe

Looking back, I’d like to add some symbol of jin ling’s trauma so that it mirrors baby wen yuan in the tree stump... maybe his father’s sword? 

[twilightknight17]

We’re at the end of the road, folks.

And god damn, I feel so validated by my Sojiro characterization. Wow. Thanks for basically making me canon for ten more seconds, Atlus. XDDD

So when last we left our intrepid heroes, they were laying at the bottom of the Jail of the Abyss, because Ichinose is an asshole. So we had to fight our way back up, carrying Sophia’s unconscious body. Which wasn’t that bad; the Jail isn’t very big. We left Sophia at the door to keep her safe, and then charged back into the hall of the Ark to hack Ichinose’s exploding crystal box thing.

Ichinose doesn’t understand why we came back.

So, yeah. I guess like... bizarro-world Maruki? Maruki wanted to alleviate suffering by granting everyone’s wishes. EMMA’s going to make it so that people can’t wish for anything.

After a kick-ass hacking battle set to the new version of Rivers in the Desert, Ichinose yells at us about our right to judge. Why should humanity keep this painful world, just because WE’RE strong? Just because we’ve never screwed up or suffered?

Which, clearly she has no idea who the fuck she’s talking to.

We’ve worked too hard to listen to that kind of bullshit.

Ichinose proclaims that “humans don’t need hearts” and charges up the laser crystal to blast us again, and Sophia steps in to block the attack. She’s still fighting Ichinose’s control even though Ichinose insists that she’s just a faulty prototype.

Apparently Ichinose created Sophia in the first place because she spent a lifetime being called a heartless doll, so she made an AI to help her learn about the heart.

I think you’re the problem, but not for the reasons everyone else is saying.

But she got angry when Sophia started asking questions of her own and basically tossed her aside, until EMMA found her and dropped her into the Shibuya Jail.

And Sophia, unlike her creator, has learned and grown, and is tired of being given orders. She’s ready to make her own choices.

That is certainly a persona.

I gotta admit, they got me. I was wondering why Sophia didn’t have her arcana yet, but for some reason, I also wasn’t expecting her to get a proper persona. I’m now wondering about the implications of someone being able to code an AI capable of developing a soul that can summon a persona. There’s a zero percent chance that Ichinose had any access to plumes of dusk, which are the reason that Aigis and Labrys gained enough consciousness to have personas. So Sophia is legitimately a miracle piece of technology.

Pandora is an interesting choice, but I dunno if I can articulate that beyond a surface-level, “Oh, because she’s Hope, and Hope was still in the box.”

I swear to god, every major villain in this game is trying to be Goro Akechi. For the last goddamn time, we don’t kill people. Get up, Ichinose. We’re leaving.

Ryuji literally grabs her by the arm and drags her out, because she’s trying to stay behind. Which just confirms for me that if Goro hadn’t put up that bulkhead door, we’d have dragged his stupid ass out of the Ship, too. XD

Back to the real world, and Tokyo is blacking out, and the Tower is losing its shit.

The metaverse is fusing with reality, the Tower is becoming the Tree of Knowledge, and hell yes we are climbing this tower after all!

Morgana points out that this is the same thing that happened last year, and Zenkichi freaks out a little bit.

You’re lucky you moved to Kyoto, sir. You missed quite a bit.

I love these kids, though. They’ve got so much black humor about this whole god thing.

The metaverse encroaching on reality means that everyone has to cram into the bus in their thief gear. Zenkichi, please. Your hat. Sir.

I love climbing this tower. I’ve been here, too! Also they have butter. XD

I was expecting the Mementos version of the lower observation deck, and instead I got some weird amalgam between Mementos and Azathoth’s boss chamber.

We had to fight Metatron as the guardian of the last elevator, which is another parallel to Yaldabaoth’s archangels. And then it’s up to what I guess used to be the high observation deck to fight the big box.

EMMA insists that all humanity wants is to let it give them all the answers, and it throws them into some sort of alternate fog world full of the voices of the public.

The Thieves are all separated, trapped in the fog. Each of them has to find their way out, and they realize that the fog of the Desires is protecting EMMA. EMMA knows exactly how calling cards work, so they won’t work on her. Instead, the Thieves decide that they need to send the calling card to the public, so that they’ll become aware of their desires again and the desires will crystalize.

...oh come on, Atlus. We’re right in the endgame.

One last hacker battle to break into EMMA’s server room in the tower, and Futaba and Ichinose manage to hack EMMA itself to deliver a calling card to everyone at once.

Love you, Zenkichi. We’ve taken out two gods already. We’re good.

Confronting the Ark again reveals a bunch of freaky tentacle arms grabbing the desires, and then the box turns into some sort of massive figure that looks sort of like Yaldabaoth, except less robot and more seraphim. It literally names itself the Demiurge, so I feel like EMMA may be drawing something from the lingering dregs of Yald’s influence? It’s cool.

Clearly no one told you what happened to the last false god that thought it knew what was best for humanity. ;) “Hope binds humanity to misery” is bullshit.

After a... not very difficult first phase, the Demiurge reveals its true form, and we split into three teams to take out its support orbs (modeled after the sephirot) and the main body.

I really liked the setup for the last boss. The teams were the first instance where it was really apparent that the whole team was fighting together. Each of the three battles was happening concurrently, and destroying the orbs has a concrete effect on the main fight. I wish we’d gotten to do things like this more often, especially during the Shadow Thieves fight.

That said, the main body was actually the easiest part of the fight? All the attacks were really telegraphed, and not particularly hard to avoid. Except for the spear jab.

But it finished off with a full-team all-out attack, and that was awesome.

The desires began to return to their owners, and we get to bask in a job well done once again.

Upon returning to the real world, it’s the next morning. Sophia’s happy that she got to be a hero, Zenkichi’s heading off to properly arrest Owada, and the rest of us need to head home, because we were supposed to be home last night. Zenkichi can’t figure out why we consider him a phantom thief, since he “only joined [us] to use [us]”. Which is silly. The Phantom Thieves are built on the bonds of friendship and stalking! It’s too late, Zenkichi. You and Akane have been adopted.

I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get to tell Akane the truth. That would have been great.

Atlus personally reaches out and pats me on the head, because Sojiro has the absolute perfect reaction to his kids coming home after a nationwide manhunt for them.

I feel so valid making him serve Lavenza coffee and be completely nonplussed about a guy marrying Death. I love him. We’re so lucky to have Sojiro. XDDDD

The next day, the kids have a celebration party for their victory, and learn that Akira is going home the next day. This kid needs to catch a break. He can’t even have a few days to relax with his friends. X’‘‘D

Everyone goes to see off Akira, though we detour to Shibuya to meet Ichinose. A news report shows that Owada was successfully arrested, and apparently Ichinose tried to turn herself in to the police, and they didn’t believe a word of it.

This is just highlighting my issues with Maruki. Even if he doesn’t think he did anything wrong to society as a whole, he never apologizes to them for what he put them through. Especially Akira. Ichinose turns around and helps them stop the final boss, and her last scene is her apologizing to the Thieves and trying to make amends for her actions. Maruki’s last scene is... “If things get bad, you can start over like me! Now we’re even!” We are not.

Sophia leaves to help Ichinose learn about the heart, Akira promises to come back for winter break, the Phantom Thieves go their separate ways once again, and the credits roll.

I’m gonna leave my final impressions in a different post, because this one is long enough already. So... look forward to that?

[fremedon]

Brickclub I.5.11, “Christus Nos Liberavit”

“At the point we have now reached in this painful tragedy, there is nothing left of the Fantine she once was. Sinking into the mire, she has hardened into stone.”

The governing image for our martyr characters, marble, meets the governing image of the whole novel, with a tense change just to make sure we notice--as @meta-squash points out, it’s the first time in this book Hugo has used the present tense for a passage of narrative within the story’s timeframe, not just for an apostrophe to the reader.

And what a passage. It goes on:

“Anyone who touches her feels cold. She passes by, enduring you, ignoring you. She is the stern figure of disgrace. Life and the social order have said all they have to say to her. Everything that will happen to her has happened. She has been through everything, borne everything, sustained everything, suffered everything, lost everything, mourned everything. She is resigned with a resignation that resembles indifference as death resembles sleep. There is nothing more she shrinks from, nothing more she fears. Let the whole rain-cloud come down on her and the entire ocean sweep over her! What does she care? She is a saturated sponge.

This at least is what she believes, but it is a mistake to imagine that fate has no more in store and that there is a limit to everything.”

She has made herself marble, and it’s not enough to keep her from being hurt. She is the man overboard, but she’s not finished drowning.

The previous chapters were Fantine’s barricade; this one is what follows the barricade: her sewer, where she throws herself into degradation and horror, in order to keep it from engulfing her child.

The association of prostitution with the sewers was a pretty common metaphor in canon era: they were both seen as a sort of public infrastructure, a necessary, if disgusting, convenience for keeping the public’s...effluvia, shall we say...from backing up into public view. Parent-Duchâtelet, who conducted the landmark public health study of Paris’s prostitutes, applied for the job on the basis of having already conducted the landmark public health study of the sewers of Paris, and he drew that connection explicitly.

And since this is such a short chapter, I’m going to go off on a little bit of a tangent. Fantine is still associated with Enjolras here through the marble imagery, but now she’s prefiguring Valjean’s descent into the mire.

On Discord, we’ve been talking about the images and concepts that recur and develop enough to almost be characters in their own right--the sewers, the barricade, Waterloo, Providence, etc., and that discussion has turned a couple of times to Tarot. I think it’s a productive way at looking at and distinguishing the types of mirroring and doubling Hugo uses. Not--let me be very clear--that I think he was deliberately building on Tarot imagery in any systematic way. He clearly knew of it, and of some medieval card imagery that didn’t make the standard decks, but he doesn’t draw on it as a system.

As a shorthand for Hugo’s homegrown system of references, though, I keep coming back to it. There’s a difference between the sort of mirroring where he puts characters through the same scenario or into the same tableau--or back into the same tableau in a new role--and the sort where he associates them with the same archetype, or with a reversed/mirrored form of the same archetype. I’m starting to think of the first kind as Hugo’s minor arcana and the second as the major arcana.

So Fantine's descent enacts the same minor arcana scenario with Cosette that Valjean will later enact with Marius. Fantine and Enjolras, who are associated with each other through repeated imagery and description, are two aspects of the same major arcana figure--let’s call it the Martyr. They each sacrifice everything for Future, another figure of the major arcana and possibly the most powerful, after Providence--in the abstract, that’s the republic or Progress; as a person, Cosette; as something in between, Patria or France.  

You could also call this one Hope: the thing that, when you have lost it, you die of despair.

Cosette’s zero-sum game with Éponine, who can only be strong when she is weak and vice versa, represents a reversal of that figure, the inverse of Hope. And I think in this book that’s not actually despair; despair is the absence of hope, not its dark mirror. The reversal is Fatalité. I’m going to come back to that over the next few chapters as we meet Javert again, because I think, as much as Javert represents the abstraction of the Law, the Law in this book represents one facet of fatalité, and Javert and Éponine’s doubling is meant to underline that. 

[adapembroke]

Reading Tarot Like the Fool

I grew up in a small, conservative Christian community in New England. I went to church school until I was in junior high. Until I was eleven or so, I could count on one hand the people I knew who weren’t members of my family or members of my church. It was a small world, smaller because women weren’t allowed to speak in church or on religious subjects with men or hold jobs outside the home.

It didn’t take very long for me to know that life wasn’t for me, but I had to pretend that it was until I was free to go to college. I lived for freedom, counting down the years and then the months until I could get away and live my own life.

Then I left. And I was utterly lost. If life was a number line starting at 1, I would have been at 0. I had no idea who I was, what I was doing, or where I was going. I was in Fool time. I was off the map.

So, I did the only thing you can do when you don’t know where you are and no one is looking for you: I started exploring. I studied philosophy, psychology, art history, and literature. I eventually got a degree in English only because my advisor absolutely forbid me to stop changing my major. When I ran out of undergrad, I went to a graduate school that didn’t require you to know what you were studying—or even what academic program you were in—until you had to write a thesis. Everyone around me thought I was crazy, but I had an instinct that the way forward for me was to travel light and cover as much ground as possible. When you don’t know what you’re looking for, how do you know where to look to find it? The only solution is to look everywhere.

The Holy, Bellowing Fool

Look up the word “fool,” and you’ll see that the origin of the word is the Latin word for “bellows” or “empty bag.” To be a fool is to be empty. The dictionary says “empty headed.” It’s tempting to go from empty headed to ignorant or stupid, but an empty bag has room to be filled. The poet Keats called this “negative capability.” Being in a place of negative capability means that there is room in your head for new ideas. You don’t approach everything you see with a firm set of assumptions. You know you don’t know everything. You’re teachable. The Buddhists call this ”beginners mind.”

The Fool is a beginner. He doesn’t know anything but what he sees. He is like the child in “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” The child might not be the only one in the crowd who sees that the emperor is naked, but he is the only one whose head isn’t so full of manners that he can’t tell the truth.

Being a fool isn’t always about speaking your mind and hoping for the best. In Medieval Europe, the king’s fool had an essential role in court. His job was ostensibly to make the king laugh, but his real job was to say the things no one else in court could say. In an age when the king could lop off your head for no reason at all, being a fool was a careful dance of wisdom and cunning. A fool needed the wisdom to see the truth under the facade of court and the cunning to speak the truth in a way the king could hear. This is a more mature face of the fool, closer to the idea of the holy fool, the saint in ancient times who went around town doing crazy things to snap people out of their super-serious assumptions about what it means to be holy.

Another face of the holy fool is the trickster. The trickster wears many faces all around the world. In ancient Greece, he was Hermes and Prometheus. In Norse mythology, he’s Loki and Odin. For some Native Americans, he’s Raven or Coyote. In Hinduism, his name is Krishna. Like his name suggests—and the trickster is, for some reason, always male, according to Lewis Hyde—his role in society is to play tricks. “Pushing, goading, jabbing the kings and heroes whenever they turn away from the inner world of truth,” Rachel Pollack says.

She points out that he is carrying a wand. In the major arcana, the Magician, Chariot driver, and the World dancer are the only other archetypes who carry wands. While the Magician and Chariot driver carry theirs “self-consciously, with a powerful grip,” the fool and World dancer “hold their wands so casually we hardly notice them.” The fool is even using his wand to carry his bag. While the other wands in the major arcana are white, the fool’s wand is black. Black is the color of “all things being possible, infinite energy of life before consciousness has constructed any boundaries.” The Fool does not know his own power. This means he can’t use it consciously, but it also means his power cannot destroy him.

Ultimately, though, the Fool is a light-hearted card. If you are working with the Fool, Michelle Tea says that “the Fool wants you to be spontaneous…If it is bathed in optimism and takes you into unknown territory, the Fool wants you doing it.”

The Polyglot Fool

Tarot is a language of the soul. There are many other languages of the soul. Just like spoken languages, there are ideas that overlap, and there are ideas that are found in one language and not in others. If you want to know about longing and nostalgia, ask someone who speaks Portuguese about saudade. English is one of the world’s most preeminent languages for swearing, and there are branches of philosophy that are nearly impossible to understand without a basic working knowledge of how to construct a German verb.

When you know lots of things and you bring what you know into your practice of reading Tarot, it increases your literacy. The cards are literally able to say more things to you.

For example, Tarot has a sun card, and astrology also works with the sun. The sun is an important part of Wicca and the Norse, Egyptian, and Greek religions. This morning, I was reading a theory from an anthropologist’s doctoral thesis from a hundred years ago that Arthur is a memory of a Celtic sun god and the tales of the round table are all that are left of his lore. The Anasazi and the Romans planned their cities around the path of the sun, and Japan was once known as the Empire of the Sun. Florida and California are obsessed with the fact that it’s sunny there, and there are places in the north called the Land of the Midnight Sun. The place I live right now is defined by sun season and no-sun season. There is a song by They Might Be Giants about the sun and a Beatles song and a children’s song about “Mr. Sun” that is currently stuck in my head and driving me crazy. Those of you who are more scientifically minded than me can probably find a lot of meaning in the finer details of the sun’s nuclear reactions or whatever it is that makes the sun burn.

I’m sure that if we put our heads together, we could come up with dozens of other references. Any of those references could inform your readings as long as you—and the person you’re reading for—find meaning in it. You could draw the sun card and have it mean that the person is going to move to a place with a strong association with the sun. It could mean that they need to work on developing their ego. It could refer to one of the solar holidays. If your client venerates a sun god, that card could point to a message from them.

You might be feeling a bit dizzy right now wondering how you know which reference to choose, but that’s a good thing. It means that you have possibilities. Knowing which one to choose is a matter of trusting your intuition, which we’ll deal with later.

Begin Each Reading Foolishly

When you begin a reading, be the Fool. Explore everything. Make as many connections as you can. If a card reminds you of someone from your favorite TV show, write it down in your journal. Find yourself assigning cards to all the characters in Harry Potter? Fantastic! (And I want to see!) Collect as many connections with each card as you can.

Resources:

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack

Trickster Makes this World, Lewis Hyde

Modern Tarot, Michelle Tea

This post was originally published on Aquarius Moon Journal on 21 December 2019.

[5sosbitchfest]

We had an Anon write in with some interpretations of a tarot card reading she did.  I thought I’d share it with y’all as she took a lot of time to write this down.  I know NOTHING about tarot cards.  I cannot vouch for the validity of any of this nor am I saying it’s all a pile of hogwash.  I did enjoy reading this and wondering “what if?”  As I always say, read if you wish but take it “with a grain of salt.”  Thanks so much to the anon for sharing.  

******************************************************

So, this is going to take forever, as a reading can carry a lot of information, and you might want more ‘practical’ details too, about how are done. But I’ll try my best to be both synthetic and precise.

First things first, you can only get a proper reading if you believe and trust the cards to bring you the answers. If you don’t take it seriously it won’t work. What I usually do is to take a moment to empty my head, breathe and then focus on the question I’m asking. While I do so, I shuffle the cards until I sense it’s the good moment to draw the cards.

For both reading the question was “What is going to be the love future of Mystal/Lierra?”. I try to be as neutral and unbiased as possible (which is the hardest part), not wanting or expecting anything in the answer. I draw four cards, that I put in a line (not in a cross like some do), which gives a general answer.

My tarot deck is a very common and cheap one, but I like it, it’s been with me for a long time and I trust it. It has a few particularities. The minor arcana doesn’t have sense, there’s no difference between a card upward and downward. This means the interpretation are wider and sometime more difficult. The major arcana has a sense though.

·   I’ll start with Mystal reading. It was a quite precise and detailed, the reading went rather good no blockage or anything. The four cards (from left to right, and in order of picking) were: Queen of Coins, King of Cups, Queen of Sword and the Fool.

Very interesting from the beginning! All the cards are precise character: female, male, female, male. Two couples. The first couple is on left of the reading and both looking at the left (the eyes of the characters drawn on the picture) – left is associated with what is known, the past. The second couple is on the right of the reading and both looking at the right too –the unknown, the future. I see it the first couple presenting Mystal as is was /is, the past, the history, the built up to where they are now. The second couple is their future.

The past and the future are in opposition. The future won’t be in the same line as the past, there will be changes. In both case we have the two characters, not really matching, which could mean Crystal and Michael didn’t see their relationship in the same light or put the same value in it. And that will still be true, they don’t want to evolve in the same way.

Now for the details, card by card. Queen of Coins. This figure is kind of the “business women”. She is the symbol of material richness. She like abundance and luxury. Her noble status is due to long efforts that she can now enjoy and share. She builds or wants to build something long-lasting, a legacy. She cares deeply for the appearance and her social status. To me it is the perfect representation of Crystal’s path to where she is now.

King of Cups. The loving king, he is compassionate and tolerant, tender and benevolent. He is looking for stable relationship, based on love and respect. He protects the one he cares about. Could totally fit Michael’s description and what he was looking for when he met Crystal.

Queen of Sword. (This kind of made me crackled. This was a specifically love-targeted reading, and there’s barely any card in my deck that has less to do with love than the Queen of Sword.) This lady is methodical and rational, cold and analytical. She makes decisions and doesn’t ask for others’ opinions. She doesn’t play well in teams. She places her job, before any form of sentiment. In complex situations, she’s the one to take distance, she comes independent. She knows well how to speak and to manipulate.

The Fool. The fool is a symbol of liberty. Full of youth and energy, he goes along his own path, kind of merry-go-lucky. In my deck, the fool is also playing a cord instrument (There’s no accident in the cards). In this specific reading, I see it as the realization that something needs to change. He wants something new, life has become boring or heavy, he needs to seek new horizons, new things in general. It could potentially be a splitting, but not necessarily. With the other card, I would say it’s a break, a pause. A moment to create, to do music, maybe to party too?

There is tension. They don’t want the same thing. Crystal sees it, but she has worked hard to get what she has now. She wants to keep it, to secure it, even at the expense of being manipulative, cold, and/or authoritative. Michael wants to try new things, to have fun, to shake things up, but he might not be ready to give up on his hope to have a long and stable relationship with her. So they may have a temporary break. Spend some time on their own. But I have to stress that for now, I don’t see any official, definitive break-up.

·   Lierra’s reading was much blurrier. (Also I was getting a little tired and unfocused… so, yeah.) The cards took a loooong shuffle before they were ready for the reading. This could mean the situation is complex, not very clear. The cards (from left to right, and in order of picking) were: 4 of Cups, 3 of Coins, Page of Coins and 3 of Cups. Very few iconography, not much material, a lot of ‘vague’ / ‘concept’ cards. It was definitely harder for me to get the meaning of it. And no general meaning that flashed at me right away.

So let’s go card by card. 4 of cups. Very related to romance (cool, that the topic), means something very stable, in the sense that it is not changing at all. It could have a positive meaning, but it’s also commonly associated with routine and boredom. And with the other cards, I think it’s this last meaning at work here.

3 of Coins. This card is very much relating to work. I guess, here, it could mean mixing love and work. From the energy of the card, I didn’t see it as relating to the past, but more as taking action to mix and maybe balance these two aspects more. Seeing it right after the previous card, it could potentially be an indication that their relationship started as work (PR), but I’m honestly not convinced it was the sense of this reading (which doesn’t mean that they are not PR).

Page of Coins. It symbolizes youth and a bit of immaturity, Coins are also associated with medium to dark hair and complexion. Someone that may not be able to see the result of their work but is focused. Or doesn’t see the result of their work because they’re not working hard enough, or lack in skill or inspiration. It’s another card that doesn’t really relate to love. It’s more about work, and places material success before love.

It’s not a very popular interpretation, but sometimes, Page can be the “third wheel” and in the case of a couple reading, a third person interfering. Maybe a lover? Maybe someone is cheating. At first I thought it was fetched but it would make sense with the first card (boredom) that one of them is seeking for something different outside of the couple. And it makes sense with the other two cards which literally spells it: “3”. From what I know about Lierra, and the 5sos songs, it wouldn’t seem crazy to think that one of them might be cheating. (It would also make sense if they were PR and would not actually share a romantic bond).

3 of Cups. It’s another card that can potentially mean ‘ménage à trois’, frivolity, partying. But, more usually, it is associated with an agreement and the resolution of a conflict.

As I said, it wasn’t a very clear reading and I had to spend quite a lot of time dwelling on the cards before something came out of it. My general impression is that Lierra may or may not be PR, but at least puts work first, and has fallen in a pit of boredom. One of them (potentially both, but I had more the feeling that it was only one of them) is cheating to escape this heavy routine. Which might have been openly discussed, or will be forgiven. No sign of break up. 

[swingmexico80]

60+ Tarot Analysis Concepts

On this occasion, they offer 3 minutes completely free, regardless of the selected solution. In other words, you can pick a tarot card analysis for love, a psychic chat, and even a fortune-telling session if thats what you desire. Although they request your credit card info, they just charge you after your session ends. The most important tarot pattern used in these 2 nations was the Tarot card of Marseilles of Milanese beginning. The earliest surviving tarot cards are the 15 approximately Visconti-Sforza tarot decks repainted in the mid-15th century for the leaders of the Duchy of Milan. He explained a 60-card deck with 16 cards having photos of the Roman gods as well as suits portraying 4 type of birds. Other very early decks that additionally showcased classical motifs consist of the Sola-Busca and also Boiardo-Viti decks of the 1490s. Alongside the usage of tarot card cards to divine for others by professional cartomancers, tarot card is additionally utilized commonly as a device for looking for individual suggestions and also spiritual growth. You can think about a tarot card reading as a way to inform your life story, consisting of the parts that haven't occurred yet. The reading will not be quite as certain as your preferred book, yet it will certainly be all about you. You're the tale's main personality, though the tarot tale possibly includes details regarding the people and situations around you. This firm has actually been in business because 1989, giving extremely precise psychic readings by chat, phone, and also live video. They enable you to make a decision based upon recognizing the context. To additionally understand just how tarot cards job and how they can assist clarify your lovemaking, you shouldnt ask closed-ended inquiries. Even a simple free love tarot reading can provide you really valuable info. You can get to a greater understanding when it concerns aspects that influence your past, existing, and also future relationships. Read on to find out how psychic advice can work in your favor. Every deck has its own subtleties, and also every reader has their very own interpretations. I was therefore figured out asked him to pick a card for me after my meeting-- something I might concentrate on or pick up from. He 'd apparently been doing free tarot card readings at a French café for several years; as recently as 2017, a Facebook individual posted that he still showed up on Wednesdays, as did a TripAdvisor reviewer. At its many standard, tarot tells tales about the cycles of our lives. Shuffling the deck, picking out cards as well as laying them out in order reveals what various tests as well as adversities we might face during any given trip. However, the cards in the major arcana don't always represent us in a given reading; they might stand for another person in our lives, or represent more basic issues. Tarot is a intricate language, and every analysis is different; likewise, every viewers as well as the approach they utilize to interpret the method the cards communicate is various. This is one of the more different websites free of charge tarot readings online. You do not have to utilize them for every analysis, but it's a great way to get going while you learn more about the cards. One of the most basic analyses you can make use of to acquaint on your own with the cards is the past, existing, future spread. Take the top card from your mixed deck, and expose them one at a time, left to right. While you shuffle, assume thoroughly about the area of your life in which you 'd like extra clearness for. Professionals commonly believe tarot cards can aid the specific discover one's spiritual path. Professional tarot readers have at times been implicated of charlatanism. Esoteric use the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot was likewise advertised in the works of Eden Gray, whose 3 books on the tarot made substantial use the deck. With totally free psychic analyses by means of an e-mail address, you won't obtain the benefit of hearing the person's voice or seeing their face, but you do reach take your time with the conversation in a manner that's unrushed. With email, you don't need to await the psychic to be online as well as offered to talk with you. Rather, send an e-mail concern whenever the state of mind strikes, and your consultant will create back to your e-mail address as quickly as they can. With free analyses, you'll usually need to part with your charge card info as well as an email address to access the services. We'll also offer you a couple of suggestions on what to anticipate throughout your first tarot analysis, and discuss how tarot card analyses function. A three-card spread has the visitor draw 3 cards from the deck after it's been mixed as well as halved by the querent. Normally, the initial called drew stands for the past, the second represents today, and also the third stands for the future. Just how those timelines are interpreted relies on the analysis and the concern being asked-- "future" may mean tomorrow or it may mean ten years from currently. One of the most popular and also widely known deck is the Rider-Waite, attracted by illustrator Pamela Colman Smith as well as released in 1910. These cards are recognized for their simple images, their basic color design, and also their significance. Additionally, the Minor Arcana also contains 40 numbered cards which are arranged right into 4 Suits of 10 cards each. These stand for the various situations that we run into in our day-to-days live. Oranum is your go-to option if you prefer on the internet tarot card analysis services by means of video clip chat as opposed to messages or call. Although there are a multitude of love psychics readily available online, it is essential to select a solution that is authentic, credible, as well as customer-friendly in nature. With many choices readily available at the click of a mouse, selecting a real tarot reading place is always tough. Evasion and managing the cards is a terrific way to literally connect with the deck that you're using. As intuition is an crucial facet of a analysis, you'll require to bring on your own into the cards. Try to shuffle at the very least when, but nonetheless sometimes you feel is necessary to get the cards "cleared". I'm sure if you're below, you're already loaded with inquiries. Lots of people come to be interested regarding tarot card when they are confronted with great unpredictability in their lives. As well as when the cards are utilized properly, they verify to be a powerful device to aid you consider other viewpoints and also move forward in the most effective method possible. I have actually been using Psychic Resource for many years and also they've constantly been extremely pleasant, caring, and precise. Since the earliest tarot cards were hand-painted, the number of the decks created is thought to have been small. It was only after the innovation of the printing press that mass production of cards became possible. The expansion of tarot card beyond Italy, initially to France and Switzerland, took place throughout the Italian Wars.

Right Here at Golden String Tarot card, we recognize that tarot is not about disclosing a fixed future, but instead regarding exploring your subconscious self. He drew a deck from his breast pocket-- obviously, he lugs the significant arcana from the Marseille deck with him anywhere-- and also chose The Lovers card. Everyone typically gets thrilled when The Lovers shows up in a analysis, because most of us presume that it indicates good ideas for our lovemaking; however it does not always show enchanting love in any way. While they are an on-line reading service and also can talk, they mainly do tarot analyses by phone. While that's impressive in itself, what truly attracts attention about this network is the experience of the tarot card masters you locate there. They give insightful readings that utilize the tarot as a device to magnificent info about a individual's circumstances. They have refined tarot card reviewing to the point of it being an art form and also I have actually constantly found out more concerning myself and also exactly how to navigate my current life situation from hanging out on the site. https://tarot-masters.com has actually been providing tarot readings on-line for two decades currently. There are several tarot card decks offered, and each deck and visitor are distinct. The visitor will certainly establish the cards out in different patterns making use of varying varieties of cards. Therefore, if you do choose a professional love psychic analysis, youll have the ability to approach the next occasions in your life with more guts. You can figure out every detail you require to learn about your current and future love life. Also, youll discover to make the right options and also count on the right people. What you truly require in order to utilize the power of a tarot reading to the maximum, is a very user-friendly and well-informed overview. The interpretation supplied by a genuine psychic is the outcome of experiences passed down from generation to generation. According to a lot of psychic resources on extracurricular relations tarot details, you need to ask flexible inquiries. This is due to the fact that tarot card cards can help you make clear the topic, not tell you what to do. Lots of people suggest the Rider-Waite deck for beginners, as the cards' definitions are so often intuitive-- as well as when they're not, lots of analysis guides exist in publications as well as online. Many decks, including the Rider-Waite, come with a little sheet of paper defining each of the card's most typical analyses. Though tarot cards have tackled a mystical definition in the social creativity, they were initially meant as even more of a party game. The cards have been utilized considering that a minimum of the mid-15th century; the earliest tape-recorded decks originated in various parts of Italy. I think I can help you comprehend the surprise meaning of points. Our complimentary tarot readings should enable you to comprehend your future far better and recognize what awaits you. Tarot card analyses are a effective type of divination that utilize an old deck of cards to aid you discover response to your most important concerns regarding love, connections, your job, funds and even more. Psychics and foreteller have actually made use of Tarot card cards for centuries, as well as Relied on Tarot card will give you an accurate reading that's individualized based the cards you pick and also the order you pick them. Every card has a different definition depending upon its placement, so you will get a special as well as thorough point of view on your present scenario. To get ready for your analysis, I advise that you pay attention to this grounding excercise - then scroll down and also select your cards. The tarot card deck contains 78 cards, each of which is associated with its own certain imagery, importance, and also tale. Out of the 78 cards, there are 22 major Arcana cards that represent the karmic as well as spiritual lessons of a individual's life. The 56 Minor Arcana cards signify the adversities as well as trials that we, as humans, face in our daily lives. Amongst the Minor Arcana cards, there are 16 Tarot Court Cards which stand for 16 different characteristic that we express at various times.

[eos-teric]

Relationship Reading 101

I often find requests in my mailbox for readings related to love life, couples, romantic interests. By personal choice I don't do that: it’s already extremely difficult to be precise with readings made via web, not having the chance of interacting live with the querent; it’s even more complicated if I’m asked to include a third person. Moreover, this kind of reading is most effective if the person concerned chooses the cards and interacts with the deck themselves.

Nonetheless, during these months, I’ve done some research and have even been lucky enough to meet a diviner specialized in love reading. In this post I’ll gradually collect the methods I learn. I’ll choose the ones within everyone's reach, to allow you to easily interrogate your own cards!

[last update: Oct 10th, 2020]

SETUP

All you need is a common deck of poker cards. If it’s included, I personally prefer to remove the Joker to keep the deck balanced; if you’re a beginner, I also recommend this setup! You can still choose to keep the Joker, knowing that if it does come up in a reading it’d be a harbinger of immaturity, uncertainty or even infidelity. Alternatively you can also use a tarot deck if you have one. As for the Joker, you can choose whether or not to remove the Major Arcana. I advise you not to keep them all, but to prefer The Lovers, The Hanged Man, The Devil, The Fool. If you feel that a card resonates well with your relationship, include it as well.

You’ll end up with – at least – the 52 (or 56) cards of the four suits: Hearts/Cups, Diamonds/Pentacles, Clubs/Wands, Spades/Swords.

Each method may have its own correspondences with the suits. In general, however, Hearts stand for good news, stability and love; Spades for obstacles, conflicts and sadness.

Remember to cleanse your deck. If you’ve chosen to use playing cards, make sure they’re no longer used to play: they’d absorb bad energies and lose concentration, i.e. divinatory effectiveness. The best practice is to purify and charge the deck before each reading.

METHOD #1 • Daily compatibility

Do you ever think about a special someone, wondering if today is the right day for that idea you've been putting off so far? Or are you interested in that someone, not sure if they like you as much? Then grab and shuffle your deck!

Draw the cards from the top: you discard two and keep the third until the deck runs out. Eventually you count how many Hearts and Spades you have – exactly the number of symbols on each card, not the number of cards of that suit; royal figures count as 15, Major Arcana have no value, and the Joker is worth 30 Spades!

Result: if Hearts are more than Spades your compatibility is good, otherwise it’s better to give ‘em some space and focus on something else.

If the Joker or any Major Arcana are present among the cards drawn, you can interpret them for further insight. Which cards and suits are they close to? The red suits (or Cups and Pentacles) are positive, while the black ones (or Swords and Wands) are negative.

e.g. — Suppose that the Joker is next to the Queen of Spades: one could suspect a betrayal or the malicious intervention of another person.

METHOD #2 • Two bodies, two souls

I was expressly advised to do this reading only during the night before the new moon – it’s believed that when the moon is new, one should never divine –, to check the status and changes in your relationship over the last lunar month as the Moon is the celestial body linked to the soul. It’s also possible to repeat this reading in the same night only by changing at least one of the two subjects in question; this means that you should never ask twice about the status of the same couple, ‘cause it would offend the cards! You’ll then have to wait for the following lunar cycle.

It works like this: first of all you have to choose a card that represents you (or the querent) and one that represents the partner. Specifically, the choice falls between the royal figures of Diamonds for one, and those of Clubs for the other. There isn't exactly a rule but, if it helps, Kings are for men, Queens for women, and Jacks are gender neutral and younger than the two regents. Hearts and Spades remain independent, as they represent love and suffering respectively, as mentioned in the setup.

e.g. — I identify myself with the Jack of Diamonds and my partner, pretending he’s a man older than me, should therefore be the King of Clubs. (I could have chosen the Jack of Clubs instead, so he would have been the King of Diamonds. Easy, right?)

You’re now both associated with one of the four suits. As the name of this method suggests, you finally have two bodies. Your two souls will be the Aces of each suit respectively. We’ll call these four cards Stakes.

e.g. — My soul will be represented by the Ace of Diamonds and his by the Ace of Clubs.

As always, shuffle the cards and draw them one at a time from the top of the deck; distribute them in four stacks, until there are none left, then scroll through each one: your bodies and souls now function as brackets, which include some cards and exclude others. Five intuitive cases can arise, but make sure you've checked well. If it helps, arrange the cards in a row, following their order, and look at them carefully.

1. You found only one Stake: keep it and the following cards, if any; discard the rest. 2. You found two Stakes: keep them and the eventual cards between; discard the rest. 3. You found three Stakes: keep the first two Stakes with what they eventually include, discarding the previous cards, if any; also keep the third Stake and eventually the subsequent cards, thus discarding those included between the second and third Stake, if any. 4. You found four Stakes: as for two Stakes, but twice. 5. The stack contains no Stake: discard it all.

Now stack up all the remaining cards in one deck (don’t shuffle it!) and repeat the operation, this time dividing it into three stacks; next time will be only two stacks; finally, reverse the order of the remaining cards, as if you were forming a single last stack.

It’s time to check: deal out the cards, drawing them from the top and placing them from left to right. You’ll know everything went well if in the end you still have at least the four Stakes and no more than 6 other cards, for a maximum amount of 10 and a minimum of 4. If there are more than ten cards left, it means that the deck has nothing to tell you: maybe the couple isn't close enough, or there hasn't been any progress since last reading. If one of the Stakes is missing, you have clearly messed up and wasted the opportunity for this lunar cycle – that sucks, so be thorough!

But if the numbers add up, you can proceed with the interpretation! Again, follow your intuition by first observing the distance and position of the respective souls from the bodies (remember: it’s the same suit!); then observe the distance between the respective bodies and souls of the couple; finally, consider everything as a whole, paying attention to additional cards and their position. In particular, the further cards of Diamonds and Clubs are related to the partner associated with the same suit; the royal figures are people outside the couple, and the aces can be memories or hopes.

e.g. — I ended up with: Q♦, A♦, A♣, 7♥, J♦, K♣. I immediately notice that our bodies are equidistant from our souls, and that both souls and bodies are side by side; the two planes are separated by a card of Hearts. The interpretation is almost spontaneous: there’s a perfect balance between emotional and physical levels, and in that Seven I see a growth in our relationship. Evidently, in the last lunar month, everything between us has tried to put itself in the right place, and over the next cycle it may be possible to exploit this state as a fertile ground. The key to succeeding in this intent could depend on that Queen of Diamonds, a woman I know that’s also close to my soul. I instinctively thought of a dear friend of mine, who might be able to give me the right advice. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

METHOD #3 • PRIORITY

We often forget that love isn’t everything, and by virtue of it we sacrifice a lot. This method is a fairly simple and mechanical solitaire game, but when played with your divination cards it can give general feedback on which aspects of your life you should pay attention to.

Shuffle the deck and take out four cards, face down: set them aside. We will call ‘em Revelations. Deal out the remaining cards, placing them face down evenly in four rows. If you’re using a poker deck, when you’re done with the setup you’ll have a 12x4 grid in front of you, i.e. 48 cells.

Your aim is to gradually arrange the cards of the same suit in each row, in ascending order from 2 to King – thus excluding the Ace. The "game" is divided into four rounds, one for each Revelation. Draw the first one and find its position on the first row, which will then be associated with that suit. Be careful: don't forget that the first card of a row is actually meant for a 2, not the Ace, and so on! To place the card you currently have in your hand, you’ll need to swap it with the faced-down one that occupies its correct cell. When you draw a new suit, its row will be the next unused one.

e.g. — My first Revelation is a 7♥, which I place on the sixth cell of the first row, swapping it with what I discover to be the J♣, that will go to the tenth cell of the second row because the first one is already for Hearts.

Continue until you draw an Ace: place it to the left of the row corresponding to its suit: the round is over and you must draw the next Revelation. The game ends when all the Aces have been found, and therefore when you have no more Revelations. Flip all the cards that are still faced-down, leaving them where they are. This solitaire is successful when all the cards are correctly ordered on the grid.

e.g. — To complete the solitaire I have three faced-down cards left, but I draw the last Ace so I can’t help but check if those other two cards were already in the right position. Indeed yes, so I won!

Whether the game was succeeded or not, it’s time to divine: first of all, if it has failed, it might mean that you’ll soon have some setbacks or that there’s not enough clarity in your life. Analyze the order of appearance of the suits, from top to bottom: this will help you understand which aspect of your life you should focus on (first rows), suggesting you temporarily leave out something else (last rows). Spades represent the causes of your pain; Hearts are your relationships; Clubs stand for study or career, Diamonds for what makes you materially satisfied and safe. For a good divination you must as well pay attention to each Revelation, to the order of appearance of the Aces, and especially to the order of completion of the four suits: be glad when Spades are the last to be completed, 'cause it means that sadness is far away!

[aria-i-adagio]

Looks in Need of Sleep that Doesn’t Come

Fandom: The Arcana

Chapter Rating: Teen

Chapter playlist/suggested listening.  :)

Masterpost

In the street, I cast another minor glamour on Julian.  Anyone glancing at him will see someone barely taller than I am.  That should do well enough as a disguise, even if I do say so myself.  Julian speaks rapidly, gesticulating in  the air as he does, about how it’s been ages since he was on a stage, and it’s so exhilarating.  

“I don’t think anyone recognized me, not with the mask.  Oh that was - something else!  I’m still a foot in the meta realm, I swear!”

“Had fun?”

“Well, um.”  He runs a hand through his hair, momentarily displacing his eye patch.  He has it back in place before I can get a glance at any scars it might be hiding.  “I don’t know if fun is quite the right word.  It’s not, that is, I don’t remember killing Lucio.  What I said in there, on stage.  Ugh.”  He stops and takes my hands in his.  “Dema, are you hungry?  Let me buy you dinner.  At the Raven.  And then, darling mine, we do need to talk.”

When we enter the Raven, the barkeep looks up from drying glasses and smiles when he sees Julian.  “I thought you might be here tonight.  Set aside a back table for you, view of the door and a straight shot out through the kitchen.”

“Good of you, Barth.  I don’t suppose you’ve heard -”

He holds up a finger to warn off the question Julian is about to ask.  “I take a long view in business.  You're worth far more to me alive and drinking.  I'll make three times that reward off your tab before all is said and done."  A caw from the rafters indicates that there’s an additional lookout present again.  Barth chuckles.  “Besides, I hear a certain pirate queen has made it clear that anyone who collects that reward won't live long enough to enjoy it.”

Julian runs a hand through his hair.  “A certain pirate queen is supposed to be in retirement.”

Barth snorts dismissively.  “Go sit yourself down.  Wife’s made a pot roast for the dinner rush.  Usual drinks for the two of you?”

I set aside my own questions about how I have a usual drink in a tavern I've visited all of three times now, and follow Julian to the table Barth indicated.  The raven spirals down to his shoulder and preens his hair.  Julian lifts a hand and strokes the bird’s head.  “Thanks, Malak.”

“He has a name?”

“I couldn’t just keep calling him pest.  Would have been a bit rude.  He’s been following me around for years after all.  Comes and goes as he pleases but puts up with me.”  The bird grumbles and puffs up his feathers.  He launches himself off Julian’s shoulder as Barth approaches with two drinks.  Another nasty looking cocktail for Julian and a stein of the dark beer that appears to be my historically favored drink.  Julian nods his thanks as the man retreats behind his counter.  

Julian swallows most of his cocktail in a single gulp, and I take a sip of my beer.  “I wish I knew why Nadia suddenly decided to offer a bounty.”

“I want to know why I’m only valuable alive.  I mean, uh, if she’s just going to hang me.”

“That’s her plan to start the masquerade.”

Julian chokes and not, I suspect, solely from disgusting combination of liquors in his beverage.  “What?  That doesn’t sound like her.  Not at all.  She hated public executions.  Specifically Lucio’s taste for gladiatorial combat, but she didn't care from carrying out any punishment publicly.  Barbaric.  Or so she called it back then."  

"Did you know her?  Before."

"The Countess?"  He pauses and frowns, drawing out his response.  "Yes.  Better than most, I suppose."

"What's your opinion of her?”

"Nadia?"  His lips curve into a fond smile, devoid of any irony.  "Oh, if she really believes I murdered Lucio, she'll hang me alright.  Nothing personal.  Just getting things done.  She likes getting things done.  And she's clever - very, very clever.  She almost had a way figured out the rework the aqueduct system and bring in water from higher in the mountains.  We, um, thought it might have been pure, free from the plague's taint.  I was helping some.  Checking her calculations mostly, not that she needed me too.  But it's hard to do much of anything with Lucio in the way."

"Would she have removed him herself?”

Julian guess silent and gnaws on his bottom lip.  He looks distressed at the idea.  "I, well, I'll admit I could see her taking matters into her own hands.  But I can't see her pinning it on someone else.  Not unless she knew for a fact that they had done something they should swing for.  Maybe not even then."

We’re interrupted by the appearance of Barth’s wife who slides a plate in front of each of us and ruffles Julian’s hair warmly before disappearing again.  Reward or no, I get the feeling that Julian is perfectly safe within this establishment.  Probably most of the city.  

"I don’t know,” Julian continues with a sigh.  “Maybe Valerius got frustrated and posted the reward."  He holds his drink with his pinky extended and fixes his features into a perfect mimicry of the Consul's unimpressed and pretentious expression, matching it with Valerius's overly measured intonation.  "Countess, card tricks and crystal balls are not acceptable methods of investigation."

I laugh at his impression then fold my hands beneath my chin and smirk across the table.  "Ah, but, Valerius doesn't think you're the culprit."

Julian rubs at the back of his left hand and raises his eyebrows in surprise.  "Bit late for that, don't you think."  He shrugs, a surprisingly good natured grin spreading across his face, as he picks up fork and pokes at his food.  "Eh, I'll cut him some slack.  The circumstantial evidence was not and is not in my favor.  And he was, um, a bit distraught at the time.  Understandable, really.  Given that Lucio was burning alive in front of him."

"He and Lucio . . .?"

"Yes.  Very much, yes.  As much as Valerius hated to admit it.  But he, uh, he really doesn't think that I'm the culprit now?"

"I think his words were something along the line of not able to willingly hurt a person."

"Hmm, that's kinder than what I would have expected from him.  Valerius is the only person involved that I'm pretty sure didn't do it."

"He told me something interesting about you."

Julian’s eyebrows lift.  "Oh did he now?”

"He said that you knew Lucio longer and better than most.  Better than the Countess.”

"Well, I've known Lucio longer than he's been Lucio.  How well I know him . . . I suppose he wasn't that hard of a man to know, if you're only willing to pay attention."

"Attention?"

"Yeah.  People thought he wanted all eyes on him.  He thought he wanted all eyes on him.  He didn't.  All that flash and bang?  Just something to hide behind.  And very, very few people looked behind it.  He never wanted to look behind it.  But perhaps that isn’t so odd.  It’s a terrifying thing.  Looking at your actual self."  He pushes his food around the plate.  “But enough of that.  Lucio is dead.  That much, at least, seems to be a fact.  Whatever else anyone did or didn’t do.”

“What about Valdemar?”

Julian’s entire body stiffens at that name.  The muscles in his jaw twitch and his drops his fork.  "Yes.  How do you -?”

"I've met them."

"You've met them?"  His eyes widen and he leans across the table, bringing his face closer to mine.  "Are you alright?  They're - they're the kind of person I want to keep you away from."

I ignore his protests.  "Valerius told me they were the head of research during the plague."

"If you can call that research."  He’s somehow managed to go even paler.

"Julian, what happened?”

"Don't want to think too much about it."  He taps his forehead.  "If I think about it, I might remember it."

“Julian!  I need you to remember something.”

“No.”  He covers his face with his hands.  “You need to be far away from this.  From me.  You’re only going to get hurt.”

“I’m involved already!”

He groans and looks at me through his fingers.  “This is a nightmare.”

I wrap my fingers around his wrists.  “It doesn’t have to be.”

“Dema.”  His eyebrows are knitted together in pain.  “We have to - I can’t - that is, I want.  Ugh.”  He pulls his hands free of mine and stands before fishing a couple of coins from his sash and dropping them on the table.  His appetite having clearly fled at the mention of Valdemar.  “Walk with me.”

Outside the light is dim enough that I don’t bother to cast any glamour on Julian.  Besides, this neighborhood doesn’t seem to be in any rush to turn him over to the palace guard.  He loops a long arm around my waist, matching his much longer paces carefully to mine and leads me through a maze of ever narrower streets.  He silent as we walk, and I say nothing.  It’s clear enough where his thoughts are heading, and I haven’t figured out how to stop them yet. For a moment, I think that we’re headed for the docks, but he turns sharply onto a tiny path that leads up a rocky outcropping.  He pauses at the top and carefully checks between two rock formations before extending his hand to me again.  “Path’s still here.  My memories of the plague are confused, but it was bad.”  He starts rambling as we pick our way down the narrow path.  “Really bad.  They’d closed down the port, so the plague couldn’t get out, but that also meant there wasn’t anything getting in.  Medicine.  Food.  You might hear people grousing about the palace being drunk while the city was starving, but to be honest, that’s because the wine cellar there ran deeper than the larder.  But Maz could always get things in.  Only real supply line I had.  Used to meet her at this cove when the moon was dark.  At lot like tonight.  Came here to think too, sometimes.  When I needed real quiet.”

The stars in the sky seem more brilliant with the majority of the city lights blocked.  With no sound other than the crashing waves, it would be a good place to think.  I sit down in the sand, knees pulled up against my chest.  Julian settles behind me, legs on either side of mine.  He wraps his arms around me and tucks his chin over the top of my head.  To the north, I can just barely see the torches lighting the city docks, but here the only illumination is faint glow from the waxing moon. 

"We can't keep this up.  The longer you're around me the more danger you're in."

"I don't feel like I'm in danger."  Sitting here with Julian's back warm against my chest and his arms caging me, I feel like the pieces of my world are falling back into place, despite everything outside seeming to fall apart.     

Julian sighs heavily and pulls me even tighter to him.  “I don’t actually want to, I really don’t want to end this.”

“Then don’t.”

“I’m a disaster about to happen, Dema, and I don’t want that disaster to happen to you too.  I’ve done the calculations. Run through every possible scenario, over and over.  There’s only one way I see this whole thing playing out, and it’s not a happy ending, trust me.  Isn’t it best to cut things off at the pass - to spare you the trouble of a tragic ending.”  His body tenses up more than it already, curling around me in defiance of his words.

His words remind me of Asra.  Asra leaving me behind again and again, forever protesting that wherever he's going is too dangerous for me or protesting that if he answers my questions, I'll only be hurt.  That he can't stand to take that chance.  My temper flares.  I twist out of Julian's embrace, turning to glare at him.  “Shouldn’t I have some say in how much trouble and tragedy I can manage?”

His gaze is forlorn.  “I just, I just can’t let you subject yourself to the damage that I can do.  That I will do.”

“You’re insufferable.”  I scramble to my feet with a hiss and start back for the narrow path up the cliff.

Julian waits until we're reached the top before speaking again.  "I'd, um, rather you be angry at me and alive than dead."

"I'm not going to stop trying to prove to the Countess that you're innocent."

"Don't.  Please.  Just keep your head down.  Tell Nadia you've decided not to help her."   Julian is a dark silhouette against the night sky.  His shoulders are hunched, suggesting that he wants nothing more than to disappear into the ocean beneath us.  “I’ll, um, walk you back to your shop.  If you want, that is, but I’d feel better about it if you let me.”

I start for the shop without waiting for him.  He walks behind me, then beside me, like he can’t figure out where he actually should be, where he is allowed to be now.  At a torch lit corner he grabs my hand, pulling me to a stop.  “I, I, this, this will drive me mad, knowing you’re there, no, you’re here.  But it’s for the best, I’ll only end up hurting you.”  He looks away from me. “Worse, that is.”

“I’m not afraid of pain.”

“I’m only trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need to be protected.”

“It’s all I can offer you!”  He tugs at his hair in frustration.  “I’m not a good man, Dema.  The things I’ve done... I must have done something unforgivable.  Where else does this ache pit in my stomach come from?”

“Probably from not eating enough and drinking too much.”  I intend for the comment to be snarky, but it comes out sounding concerned instead.  I reach up and touch his face.  He leans into my palm before snapping upright and away from my hand.

“I won’t, that is, don’t, you shouldn’t come down this path with me.  You deserve better than that.”  His expression is entirely forlorn.  The urge to pull him into an embrace is as strong as my desire to shove him into the wall.  We’ve been at this impasse before, in some past that we’ve both forgotten.

“Do you want me, Julian?”

“That’s a strange question, isn’t it?”

“I’m a fortune teller, Julian.  I can sense when there is meaning beneath the words actually spoken.”

“I . . . ”  He pulls back from my touch as if it burns him, and for a moment, I am afraid that he will run away.  “I want you to be safe.  I want you to stay out of this whole mess.  I want . . .  It doesn’t matter what I want.  I stole a night or two from time, with you.  And I’m scared to press my luck any further.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Tenacious, aren’t you?  It’s one of the things I like about you.  You’re like this great bright light, drawing me towards you.  I just can’t help myself.”  A moth to the flame, ever headed toward destruction.  What happened to make him think that life would always end in tragedy?  I’m working through the implications of his comparison, when he admits, softly,  “I want you.  I know it's only been a short time, but I feel like I’ve known you for years.  Is it because you put me at ease?  That’s hard to do.”  

I feel a strange reassurance from his words.  If we both feel that this has been longer than it actually has, more than two nights of frivolous debauchery, perhaps there was some connection in the past, perhaps something to be had in the future. 

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” he continues.  “That’s the problem.  I’m torn in two, Dema.  My brain tells me to leave, but my heart wants to stay.”  He looks up, staring at the torch then at the moon beyond it.  “If I think about it . . . I can see the path our story would take.  So why?”  He slumps against the wall, then grabs my hand and pulls me toward him, wrapping me into his ridiculous overcoat.  “Are you cold? You must be cold?”  It’s a warm night, and I’m not cold at all, but I humor his aside.  Besides, I want the closeness, his hand around my shoulders and the comfort it entails.  “If I walk away from you now, will I stay away?  If I drop my guard, will I find myself walking right back to you?  That’s what makes me selfish.  Because whatever we could have, whatever possibilities they’ll only lead to ruin.  That’s the kind of man I am.  Even if you prove I'm innocent.  There’s no future for us that doesn’t end in pain for you.”

“What future do you want?”

“I’ve told you, it doesn’t matter what I want.”

“Can’t you see anything but tragedy?”

“It’s what will happen.  In this world, we don’t get what we want.  Why waste time imagining something you can’t have?  I don’t dare hope.  It just makes it hurt more when you don’t get it.”

“. . . Try.  Please.  For me.”  I hate how pitiful my voice sounds.

He laughs darkly.  “What do you want to hear from me?  That I want a future? That I want to live?  That I want something with you?”  He pulls away from and begins to pace in the torchlight.  “Right now - right now, I do.  And with you, perhaps always something with you.  But you don’t understand, I try to run from it.  This darkness that has always surrounded me.  Always convincing myself that if I'm just quick enough, if I can just do something - anything - to merit an escape, it won't catch me again.  But always, always the darkness returns and, and the despair that comes with it, and maybe you won’t be enough then for me to still want this life.  We could run, like you said, but it'll hound me to the other end of the world, even if it doesn't catch me here.”  His voice trails off as he steps outside of the circle of light.  I follow him, hand outstretched, but not touching him, not yet.  He draws his hands up, shielding his face from my gaze.  “I can see a future with you when I close my eyes, but I know that it’s an illusion, that fate will overpower anything bright.  And maybe you as well.  So, if I end it now, you’ll survive, Dema.  You were fine before I got here.  You’ll be fine after I’ve left.”  He shakes his head and pauses, breathing deliberately for a moment.  The pathos in his voice, when he talks about ending it, ending it now scares me.  I want to believe he's only speaking ending whatever there is between us, but . . .

"Julian -”

He catches my hand in his, cutting off anything I might say.  “Please, Dema, let me walk you home now.”

I clutch his hand tight in mine for the few remaining blocks back to the shop.  He leaves me at the door with a hesitant, melancholy kiss to each of my cheeks.  “Believe me, Dema.  If I had what I wanted . . . You’re the first person to make me want a future in a long time, but I know . . .”  His voice trails off miserably.  “Be well, my dear.”

He disappears before I collect myself enough to lodge another protest.  I lean against the door, trying to collect myself, matter the tears that I want to cry - that I also do not want to cry.  When I finally push open the door, the shop is filled with light and smells like cinnamon and green tea.  Asra has returned.  He climbs down the stairwell a moment later, fluffy hair glowing in the candlelight like a halo, and embraces me.

“Back from your jaunt at the palace?  Welcome home.”  He looks at my face then steps back, eyebrows knitting in concern.  “I recognize that look.  What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”  I am decidedly not fine, and I want a bath.  I step past him and head up the stairs.  In the kitchen, I drag out our shallow tub and fill it with water from the pump.  Hands hovering over the surface heating the water through.  Clothes tossed to the side, I climb in, dunk my head under to rinse out my hair, and sink as far down as I can.

I lose track of time, and how many times I’ve used my magic to reheat the water.  Asra eventually coaxes me out, wraps me in a fluffy robe, and forces me to drink a glass of water before letting me collapse into bed.  I may complain about Asra’s lack of personal boundaries.  It’s a lie.  I love that I can count on him to know what’s on my mind, and what I need to ease it.  At least, that is, when he’s here.  But he’s here right now.  Finally, without rolling over to face him, I talk.

I tell him the whole story in starts and stops, voice cracking as I try to keep myself from bursting into tears.  The mattress sinks with Asra’s slight weight as he lays down beside me and hesitantly puts a hand on my shoulder.

“That sounds like Ilya.” He’s quiet for a moment.  “The only things he loves more than drama is his own suffering.  And he’s determined to chase both.”  His voice is uncharacteristically bitter when he speaks.  A witch afraid of commitment and a man more comfortable with suffering than without it.  And me caught between whispers of the forgotten and murmurs of the yet unknown.  How crooked and confused!  All the moreso because everytime I think I’ve unraveled part of it, the thread is taken from me again, lost in a maze of migraines and confused thoughts.  

I roll over.  I want to be able to see Asra before I ask the next question on my mind.  He’s lying on his side, Faust coiled up on his hip, watching me with those gentle eyes.  But Asra could make it less crooked, less confused.  If he chose to.  “I feel like I’ve known him a lot longer than a few days.  Just like I feel - know - I’ve known you longer than I can remember.”  After all, Julian and Asra were even involved at some point in the past, it stands to reason that I knew him at the time.  “Did I know him?  Before?”  Even as I ask the question I can feel a headache starting to stab behind my eyes.  I do my best to hide it from Asra concerned that he won’t answer my question if he knows one of my headaches is already beginning.

Asra reaches out and strokes my hair.  He frowns, looks away, then meets my eyes again.  “Yes. You knew each other.”

“Why doesn’t he remember me?”  I sit up in bed and pull my knees to my chest.  “Asra, Julian doesn’t remember the night the count died either.  And Nadia is missing years.”  The headache stabs through my temples; I gasp, unable to disguise the pain any longer.  Asra sits beside and begins to massage my scalp.  The headache starts to dissipate, pushed away by his fingers, cool like water.   For a moment I can hear a gentle splashing, like the fountain in the garden.  The fountain that I had tried to reach Asra from the other night, only to wake with one of his scarves folded under my head.  This has happened before.  I’ll get a hint of my past, some memory trying to push its way back into my consciousness.  And then a headache, excruciating, too much to stand, or so I’ve thought in the past.  But Asra is always there, with his cool hands, and his magic, and the pain fades, but with it goes the whispers of things forgotten.

I jerk away from his touch and grab his hand.  “Asra?”  His eyes flick away from mine.  Faust slides from him to me, coiling around my shoulders with a reassuring squeeze.     

"The fountain!  The other night.  I did contact you and - what the hell did you do, Asra?"

"Dema, I'm so sorry.  I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"Losing you again.  You getting lost - trapped - in a memory that is trying to fight back."

"What do you mean?”

"Sometimes, it's as if you retreat so far into yourself when you follow a memory that you're lost.  You don't speak.  You don't seem to hear.  I tried to tell you everything once and it was -”  His voice cracks.  “It was too much.  You stayed like that for days once,  not talking, looking at nothing, until -"

"Until what?"

"I, um, I figured out how to, how to make you forget again.  Dema, I'm so sorry.  It's awful.  Everything is wrong, and nothing is right, and it's all my fault.  I never -"

“Don’t take anything else away from me, Asra.  Not again."  

"I . . . I won’t.”  He sighs heavily.  “But I can’t tell you everything you want to know. What if it’s too much for you? I can’t take the chance that this time you don’t come back from it.”

Trying to hold back frustrated tears, I slump back into the pillows. “I want to remember.  To know, at least!  Why are you the only one to remember anything from that time?”

He lies back down beside me.  “I’m so sorry, my love.  I wish I could tell you everything.”

It takes a moment for his endearment to sink in.  My love.  He’s never called me that before and the implications aren’t ones I want to dwell on.  What else, who else have I forgotten?  Why should Asra be the keeper of my past?  It’s infuriating, even if the stabbing pain in my head reminds me that there are reasons behind his refusal.

“What should I do?”  I ask, because how can I possibly decide when I don’t have all the information.

“What do you want to do?”  Asra asks.  I contemplate socking Asra with a pillow, but he continues before I work up enough energy to do so.  “You want to go after him, right?  I can’t stop you.  I just . . . I want you to be careful.”

“Why did you call me 'my love’ just now?”  When the question leaves my mouth, Asra's breath catches.  I push myself up, weight resting on one arm so that I can see his face.  He averts his eyes and brings one hand to his chest, resting it over his heart. I almost feel bad for doing so, but I press him anyway.  “What was I to you? Before.”

“We . . . We were lovers.”

As he says the words, icy talons stab through my temples, creep to the base of my skull, and trace a line of white, hot fire down my back.  I cry out from the sudden pain and collapse against Asra’s chest.  Half formed images of Asra - almost but not quite memories - rush through my mind and are gone again.  A house is a desert.  Asra laughing.  Tangled in bedsheets with sweat beading along his back.  

“Dema!”  Asra’s voice is frantic as he calls my name.  I'm dimly aware of his hands on my arms, but he sounds far away.  Always so far away.  “Dema, please, stay with me, please.” The ringing in my ears grows into the roar of a fire before darkness overtakes me.

When I come back to myself, there's a damp towel pressed over my eyes.  But the memory is still there.  Asra kept his promise.  The headache is in retreat for the time being, a weight curled at the base of my skull to remind me that it can return at any time.  Asra is asleep in an armchair beside the bed with Faust in his lap.  Even asleep, his eyebrows knit together in worry.

We - Asra and I - were lovers?  It makes sense in a way.  His face, lined with concern, is the first thing I remember when I woke three years ago.  His voice talked me through the fiery, all-day consuming pain that I was in until it subsided into migraines and nightmares.  I'd never questioned why we shared the rooms above the shop and slept in this single bed; it had been natural.

But why had he never told me? In all the nights we'd snuggled together he's never done more than kiss my forehead.  He'd never said a word about any of the bad or worse relationships I'd gotten into and out of over the past year or so, since I'd begun trying to prove to myself that I wasn't just a fragile porcelain doll.  What a tangled mess, and Asra was intent on carrying the weight of it on his own.

Oh, Asra.  I reached out and pushed his curls back from his face.  He sighed in his sleep and leaned his hand into my hand.  So, we loved each other once.  He and Julian were involved once. Julian and I knew each other once.  And Asra alone knows what Julian and I may have been to each other.  When I don't even know if I'm the same person Asra loved and Julian knew?  What now? 

Faust sleepily coils herself around my arm, moving from Asra’s lap to the pillow beside my head.  Her tongue brushes softly over my cheek.  “Friend okay?”

“We can pretend.”  She bops her nose against mine before settling back to sleep.  With a sigh, I follow her lead.  

Next Chapter

Masterpost

A/N: Chapter title from Depeche Mode, ‘Barrel of a Gun.’

[geekmystic]

The Fool’s Journey in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy - Part 5

Part 1 // Part 2 // Part 3 // Part 4 // Part 5

Summary: Death // Temperance // The Devil // Speculation // Sources

Death

In this card, we have an armored skeleton riding a white horse.  The skeleton is holding up a black flag with a white rose.  Below the horse are men, women, and children from all walks of life.  This is to symbolize that death comes for all.  No one escapes it.

In the beginning of the film, Rose (like the flag) loses her sister, Paige.  She is then given authority to keep people from escaping the Raddus.  No one escapes death.  She stuns three people before stunning Finn (1+3).  She then takes him under her wing to teach him what she knows about life and death in the galaxy.  Together they learn about the cycles of life.  The card number, 13, is related to the sacred feminine.  Israel had 13 children, 12 sons and 1 daughter.

On Canto Bight (the universe’s curveball), they seek the Master Codebreaker by looking for another flower.  I think this was doomed to fail from the start.  The Master Codebreaker was sympathetic to the Resistance.  And death is not sympathetic.  So Rose and Finn have to make a trip to the underworld (jail) to find the true personification of Death and that is DJ (Don’t Join).

DJ’s message to Rose and Finn is “It’s all a machine, partner.  Live free.  Don’t join.”  And we see that there is a war machine at work.  DJ and Rose are sort of “big picture” people albeit in different ways.  DJ’s big picture is more temporal.  You win today.  They win tomorrow.  It’s all pointless.  Rose thinks more laterally.  One person isn’t enough to live for.  You need a cause, a purpose, or else you’re just bumbling through life.  I personally think both are right AND wrong.  You CAN live for one person and also recognize when you or the other person has moved on.  You CAN recognize the futility of lost causes but also fight for the most important ones.  Finn can live for Rose (and Rey) and also serve the Resistance.  And while you do lose some battles, giving up is not always the solution.

That is the lesson of Death.  Sometimes, you need to let go.  And once you let go, you need to move forward.

Temperance

Now, we come to Temperance.  We see an angel standing with one foot in the water and one foot on dry ground.  There is water being passed between two cups.  Personally, I think the direction is ambiguous as is the gender of the angel.  We haven’t seen an angel since The Lovers which represented the conflict between Ben and Rey.  Now, instead of the angel keeping them apart, the angel is bringing them together.

During Rey’s Hanged Man experience, she realized that Luke didn’t have all, or really any, of the answers she sought.  Her answer is simply that she was called by the will of the Force and she answered.  She could run away and the Force would simply call someone else.  She has no connection, or place, in this story except that which she chooses.  She is alone.  Now, she realizes exactly how Ben feels.  She has transcended ego and identified with her Emperor, her shadow, her animus.  This is the only force-bond moment they have where there is no hostility on either end.  They are open and willing to talk about their hopes, desires, failures, and conflicts.

Before, the Force intervened before they could touch and/or harm each other, now the connection allows them to feel each other’s physical touch.  Two halves becoming whole.  The water flowing both ways to and from the cups.  In Death, the sun is just beginning to rise.  In Temperance, the sun is well above the horizon.  In the scene, we see the fire light up Ben’s face.  He is being pulled in.  We know from the novelization that Ben sees Rey’s past and Rey sees Ben’s future.  Again, water flowing back and forth.  Ben is pulled to the Light.  Rey is pulled to the Dark.  She is no longer afraid of the shadow.  This is also a meeting of physical with spiritual.

The scene ends with their hut exploding around them.  The bond is broken.  Our Hermit has still not quite let go of his religious training.  There is only one thing left to do and that is to join her Emperor.

The Devil

So now we come to the end of The Last Jedi.  Both Ben and Rey have traveled down a long road of exploring cycles, dualities, and secret knowledge.  The Force kept them apart but now they are together.  Rey has pulled Ben Solo to the Light but he has a final step to make.  Together, they must face the temptation of the Devil.  Whatever you believe the Devil to be (or not), I think we can all agree that everyone faces temptation.  Temptations can usually be divided into three areas.  Temptation to satisfy desires in an unhealthy way.  Temptation to draw vain attention to yourself.  Temptation to control.

It is this third temptation that Ben Solo fails to resist.  In the throne room, we meet Snoke again.  He reveals that he was the one to bridge their minds.  In the card, we have our Lovers chained to each other, the throne, and around the neck.  I still think the question of whether Snoke was truthful is up in the air.  Their bond certainly extends to more than just the mind.  They feel what the other feels and see visions of the past and future.  This is no simple mind trick.  And, well, the Devil is a liar.  Snoke has manipulated Ben since the womb.  He stoked Ben’s feelings of abandonment and betrayal until it consumed Ben and caused him to leave the light.  I’m reminded of Lois Lane’s closing dialogue from Justice League: “Darkness is not the absence of Light. It is the conviction that the Light will never return.”  For Ben, the Light never existed.

The fight in the throne room is brilliantly choreographed. Ben and Rey, Emperor and Empress, work seamlessly together to defeat all eight guards.  But when the dust settles, Ben spies that throne.  It is a temptation he cannot resist.  The Emperor desires a throne.  However, the Devil’s throne is an imperfect one.  Compare the Devil’s throne to the Emperor’s throne in card #4.  The Emperor’s throne is square while the Devil’s throne is small and rectangular.  Ben, who has been without freedom and control for so long, will take what he can get.  An Emperor also desires and Empress so Ben asks Rey to join him.  Rey, who is usually half a step ahead of Ben on this journey, resists this temptation.  She knows something better is coming and she knows she’ll have to wait for Ben to come around.

Soon after, Ben faces Luke Skywalker on Crait.  Luke shows up just as Ben remembered him.  Temptations are usually just shadows of higher realities.  Ben wants to kill Luke for igniting a lightsaber in his hut while he was asleep.  But Luke is a shadow.  Ben talks about killing the past but he doesn’t realize that it is all a shadow.  The past is already dead but Ben insists on living there punching shadows.  One of the biggest sins that plagues humanity is unforgiveness.  No, Ben doesn’t have become buddies with Luke, join the resistance, or move in with his mother, but he does need to let go and move forward.

Speculation:

The remaining cards in the major arcana are The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun, Judgement, The World.

Now that Ben has seated himself on his imperfect throne, I fully expect him to be ousted in due course.  That is The Tower.  I believe all of Ben’s projecting and illusions will be exposed.  Where Ben believed this or that about other people, he will realize those things apply to him as well.  I keep thinking about Snoke’s line to Ben about Hux being a “rabid cur”.  From The Last Jedi novel, we know that Snoke was just using Ben.  I have a feeling that it will be revealed that Ben was Snoke’s “rabid cur” or “attack dog”.  With no master, Ben will essentially be a stray.

On the other hand, Rey will have to navigate the Resistance.  Rey, who has been isolated since she was a child, who has spent years listening to no one but herself, will bristle with those in command.  She will also have to answer for what she learned on her trip.  And I can’t think of any good that will come of revealing her bond with Ben.  The Tower will have them thrown from their respective organizations and will leave them directionless once again.

Then comes The Star.  This card echoes the Temperance card in some ways.  Except, instead of an angel pouring water, a woman is doing the pouring.  Instead of just mixing two cups, the water is being poured out.  The planet over this card is Venus (the bright morning star) which is also a symbol on the Empress card.  Under Temperance, Ben and Rey touched hands (gasp).  I’d like to think that after their Tower experience, Ben and Rey will come together in a more concrete fashion.  The stars on this cards also echo the Chariot card as well.  So my prediction is that Ben and Rey will travel the galaxy in the Millennium Falcon.

After that, comes the Moon.  There are echoes of the Death card here.  I believe this may be part of Finn and Rose’s adventure and it will possibly involve Hux.  Finn and Rose may find a way to take down the Stormtrooper program.  Hux may be the Moon in our story.  Bright on the outside but dead inside.

Then comes The Sun.  It is a return to innocence.  Other meta writers have speculated that children may be involved in Episode IX and I speculate this as well.  Ben and Rey may conceive or take in children to train.  They will start to teach others what they have learned.

With an army of enlightened individuals, they will march on the First Order and Hux.  This is Judgement.  This is the final battle.  We may see Force ghosts appear in line with the appearance of the card.  We may find that there was a dark side presence involved in a long con.

Then, at long last, we have The World.  This is the homecoming, the epilogue.  I’m hopeful that we’ll see Ben and Rey happy, all sins forgiven from all parties.  We are at peace with ourselves and the world around us.

Major Sources:

I tried to pull screencaps from official sources such as starwars.com.

Card Images were pulled from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Arcana

http://www.yhwh.com/tarot/tarottoc.htm

http://meanings-tarot.com/tarot-meanings.aspx

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/

Previous

[witchand2cats-blog]

Tarot Card A Day

Like most witches, I’ve experimented with tarot cards before, but I’ve never put in the time to really learn them. I’ve decided to change that. I’m going to focus on one randomly drawn card each day, starting with the Major Arcana. Feel free to study along with me!

Day 10: The Hermit

introspection

meditation

solitary endeavors

withdrawing from society

hunting for knowledge

wisdom found

study and learning

teacher

HERMIT TAROT CARD MEANINGS AND DESCRIPTION

The Hermit stands alone on the top of a mountain with a lantern in his hand. Mountains typically symbolise achievement, growth, and accomplishment. The Hermit has attained his spiritual pinnacle and is ready to share his knowledge with others. He is also continuing the path he has chosen, committed to his goal of ultimate awareness. The star in the lantern is a six-pointed star (the Seal of Solomon, a symbol of wisdom). The staff carried by the Hermit is the patriarch’s staff, a symbol of the narrow path of initiation and an emblem of power and authority. It represents the Hermit’s ability to use his isolation and the knowledge he has gained as a tool upon his path to reach even higher levels of awareness. The staff is in the Hermit’s left hand, the hand associated with the subconscious mind. The snow at his feet represents the heights of spiritual attainment. He wears the grey cloak of invisibility. His secrets are not for everyone, only for those earnestly seeking them and those willing to climb the heights to wisdom. The astrological correspondence for this card is Virgo and the number 9 signifies accomplishment, wisdom, the attainment of goals, as well as the search for truth.

UPRIGHT HERMIT TAROT CARD MEANINGS

The Hermit Tarot card suggests that you are in a phase of introspection where you are drawing your attention and focus inward and looking for answers within. You have a strong need to understand, not just at the surface level but to really know why life is the way it is. The Hermit reflects that your consciousness has moved inward and you now realise that the truth and understanding you seek is within yourself and not in the distractions of the outside world. This is a perfect time to take a step back from your day-to-day life and deeply contemplate your motivations, personal principles and values.

The Hermit reflects that you are engaging in a period of soul searching. You want to seek the truth at all costs. You desire a new direction in life and, as a result, have recently begun a journey of self-discovery and contemplation. There comes a point in life when we begin to question the status quo, knowing that there is a deeper meaning to life, and thus, we begin to search for it. This search is mainly a solitary quest because the answers do not lie in the external world but within us. Thus, the Hermit Tarot card indicates a time when you seek solitude and isolation from others. You need to be alone and you want to withdraw from the world around you. This is so that you can retreat further into your own private world and experience a deep sense of seclusion.

Through meditation, contemplation and self-examination, you may begin to re-evaluate your personal goals and change your overall direction. You will look at your life with a deeper, more spiritual understanding and will begin to change some of your priorities as a result. There is a certain level of spiritual attainment that is associated with the Hermit. The appearance of the Hermit in a Tarot card reading suggests that you need to develop the true power of a spiritual master through deep introspection. Be content with being alone or associate only with those on your level. Do not waste time and energy on those not ready or not worthy.

The Hermit represents the desire to turn away from a consumerist or materialistic society to focus on the inner world. Have you ever seen the movie or read the book, “Into the Wild”? After graduating from university, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness on his own. Whilst his story has a sad and tragic ending, his journey into the wild reminds me a lot of the Hermit, who seeks answers within and knows that they will come only with quiet and solitude.

The Hermit has learned to help others with love and compassionate detachment. This Tarot card indicates that you have gone beyond the point of being critical and you can now understand and appreciate that the varied paths people choose for themselves all lead to the same higher purpose. You have reached a high enough level of spiritual attainment yourself that you no longer need to convince others of what they should do. You can honour silence and allow your inner light to shine out towards others as a means of communication.

Meditating on the Hermit Tarot card teaches you to honour the wisdom within yourself. You must find your own light, shine it on your soul and create your own special path. Through meditation and visualisation, the Hermit allows you to get in touch with the wise person inherent within you.

(biddytarot.com)

[lakewitchjournal]

Talking Tarot - 005

Okay, so I’m probably most excited to talk about this. The imagery, the endless interpretations, this tool is absolute magic and has definitely been a ‘gateway drug’ for me. I’m going to speak a little to my past experience with tarot first.

In the past I’ve been extremely wary of tarot, having grown up in a Christian household, I was led to believe that this tool was satanic, and obviously, something you shouldn’t mess with. In high school on a music field trip to Boston, an upper year (definitely a creep man) offered my friend and I a reading. We declined, mainly because the guy was a creep. But my curiosity was piqued. I never looked into it then for fear my parents would find out, and also for fear of evil spirits, haha. 6 (maybe 7?) years later, I’m in my second year of University moving into an apartment with my best friend Z. While we were unpacking, she revealed that she got a tarot deck that summer and was attempting to learn how to read tarot. I got my back up. A lot of time had passed since I was first offered a reading, and my fear towards it had grown. That year, I asked that Z only do tarot when I wasn’t home, and that she was careful ‘not to invite anything’. Two years later, Z and I were living in a new place, and Z asked if she could try a practice reading on me. By this point I had left a lot of my childhood Christian beliefs by the wayside, and I wasn’t as afraid. Certainly still wary. I accepted, and was surprised to discover that the cards intrigued me. From then on, Z would ask if she could practice on me every so often, and was always pleasantly surprised by her readings (her readings are very fun and accurate). One night, I had an important decision to make regarding my career and asked Z if she could consult the cards for me. She did a simple three card spread (a yes/no scenario), and some of the cards made sense, but others didn’t make sense until months later. That was it for me. (Also I asked her to doing readings at a kick off event, which went very well, she got lots of practice!) A year later, I had moved in with my partner, and Z came to visit often. At this point I was just starting to dip my toe in to witchcraft and the occult. One day she was visiting, ask if she could bring her deck and if she could help me consult the cards. I had downloaded the Labyrinthos app and was using it to familiarize myself with the cards, and wanted to test out my developing skills. After trying my own hand at it, I decided that I wanted my own deck.

I got a deck from Book Depository, and a few weeks later it arrived. I know there’s this superstition around buying your own deck and someone else should really buy it for you, but I think that’s poppycock. I was so excited. For a while I did daily card draws, but fell out of practice after going to Australia as I didn’t take the deck with me. Before going to Australia, I went to a free reading event at a local New Age shop (they can be a bit kooky and overpriced, but hey it was free!), and had a great general reading from a guy there. He was pretty spot on with describing my personality, and he encouraged me to embrace ‘my weird side’. A great piece of advice. As I mentioned earlier in this post, I’ve been reading lots of books relating to tarot to help develop my reading ability. I’ve found that trusting my gut instincts has been the hardest part, and certainly relearning to trust those gut instincts in general. I usually always have my deck on me, I carry it in my backpack in an index card carrying case (which are great for holding and protecting tarot decks by the way, you can get them from the dollar store). Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to use it all that much yet.

I know there’s a couple different ways to cleanse a tarot deck, and this is something I’m still feeling out. How often my deck needs cleansing, whether or not someone else should touch my cards, all that. When I first got the deck I passed it through incense smoke a few times and placed it on a stick of selenite. I think this is something I’ll continue feeling out.

So far, my understanding of tarot is that it’s a useful tool that can allow you to delve into your psyche and view questions/decisions/issues/conflicts/relationships/etc. from a new perspective. Tarot isn’t for ‘fortune-telling’. Tarot is a tool to help you better understand what you already know. It’s a tool that can connect the dots. Sometimes what it tells you won’t make much sense until later on, and yes it can give you hints as to what’s ahead in the road, but it certainly can’t be used as a crutch. I’ve already set some boundaries for myself in how I can consult the tarot. Such as, I can’t ask any distant future questions, any romantic relationship related questions, or any questions related to my or my family’s health. There’s somethings that shouldn’t be looked into, and knowing myself, it wouldn’t help if I looked into them.

To begin with I got the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck, but I’m saving up to get a Marseilles deck, as well as The Modern Witch deck (by Lisa Sterle, it’s BEAUTIFUL), which comes out next month! Ultimately, I’d love to design my own deck one day, but would like to accomplish being able to read and get to know the major/minor arcana really well before creating my own interpretations. 

I’m still building up a relationship with my first deck, and can’t help but feel it’s got a bit of a stingy personality. Maybe I’m just reading it wrong? I’m not sure. But I’d definitely like to keep track of this. 

In the meantime I’m using tools like the Labyrinthos app and a huge array of books to help me learn how to read tarot. Another resource I’m going to check out is the Tarot for the Wild Soul podcast by Lindsay Mack. She was featured on The Witch Wave and was really interested in what she had to say about tarot! I’m also hoping to continue my daily card reading, I found that was helpful and interesting when I was keeping up with that. Certainly helped give me a focus for my day. I’ve also started a notebook keeping track of the different interpretations I’ve encountered.

That’s about it for now, I’ll certainly be posting more regarding tarot in the future!

October 7, 2019

[gnomadictarot]

4.1-4.4.19

Recap

Well I missed a few days posting there, so here it is all at once! I’m going to start including some direct references to relevant writing from biddytarot.com as I am frequently using this to help deepen my understanding of the cards. Quotes from biddytarot are in italic.

4.1.19 Three of Cups

The three of cups came as a nicely timed reminder to celebrate what has been achieved and to remember how important supporting and being supported by friends and family is. I have been staying with my Aunt, Uncle, Mum, and Dad for about a week and a half and have deeply benefitted from remembering where my roots are and how far I have come. The Three of Cups encourages me to keep working towards supporting my family in their journey towards health and elevated consciousness. 

If the path of my highest potential to serve the highest good for all is leading me to support the mental, physical, and spiritual well being of my community, what better place to start than with my family? How can I help my Uncle come to grips with his shifting perspective on his faith? How can I support my mother to keep moving towards improving her physical health and to bring balance to her relationship with her career and feelings of loyalty and obligation to the point of complete negligence for her own self care? How can I help support my Aunt to connect her deep experiential faith and devotion to her spiritual path to her day to day life to temper her tendency to focus on the worst case scenario and fear of the what-if? How can I help my father to rejoice and embrace his role as caregiver for my mother and his mother? I am so proud of his humble devotion to the women in his life. He is the exact kind of man that the world needs more of in order to heal our societies relationship to the divine feminine. I hope to be blessed with powerful women in my life who I can support and care for like my father does. I hope to become actively empowered to do more to care for my mother myself through leading her towards making healthier lifestyle choices in relation to her career, mental, and physical wellness.

“The ground is layered with flowers, fruit and a pumpkin, symbolising the celebration of an abundant harvest and the goodness in life... Your friends and family are here to support you and lift you up to even higher levels of success. Celebrate with them and enjoy their camaraderie... This card also invites you to collaborate with others on a creative project and inspire one another to reach new heights. Collectively, you are working towards a common goal for the greater good of others, and by reaching out to others and banding together, you can achieve a great deal by sharing your positive energy and passion with the wider community.”

4.2.19 The Fool (one day late, just like a fool should be)

Wow. I love this card. It feels deeply confirmational that the tarot is truly speaking to me on an inuitive level that I chose The Fool as my profile picture for this blog before ever reading about or spending any time with The Fool. I simply knew, “that’s me” when looking through the cards trying to find one to use to represent myself. Much like Campbell’s Hero archetype, The Fool is very much the protagonist of the story of the tarot, my story. Your story. The story of how all of us transit back to perfect union with the all that is. Plus, it feels much more playful and realistic to think of myself as a fool than as a hero.

“The Fool is numbered 0 – the number of unlimited potential – and so does not have a specific place in the sequence of the Tarot cards. The Fool can be placed either at the beginning of the Major Arcana or at the end. The Major Arcana is often considered the Fool’s journey through life and as such, he is ever present and therefore needs no number.

On the Fool Tarot card, a young man stands on the edge of a cliff, without a care in the world, as he sets out on a new adventure. He is gazing upwards toward the sky (and the Universe) and is seemingly unaware that he is about to skip off a precipice into the unknown. Over his shoulder rests a modest knapsack containing everything he needs – which isn’t much (let’s say he’s a minimalist). The white rose in his left hand represents his purity and innocence. And at his feet is a small white dog, representing loyalty and protection, that encourages him to charge forward and learn the lessons he came to learn. The mountains behind the Fool symbolise the challenges yet to come. They are forever present, but the Fool doesn’t care about them right now; he’s more focused on starting his expedition.

Just like the young man, you are at the outset of your journey, standing at the cliff‘s edge, and about to take your first step into the unknown. Even though you don’t know exactly where you are going, you are being called to commit yourself and follow your heart, no matter how crazy this leap of faith might seem to you. Now is a time when you need to trust where the Universe is taking you.

As you undertake this new journey, the Fool encourages you to have an open, curious mind and a sense of excitement. Throw caution to the wind and be ready to embrace the unknown, leaving behind any fear, worry or anxiety about what may or may not happen. This is about new experiences, personal growth, development, and adventure.

The time is NOW! Take that leap of faith, even if you do not feel 100% ready or equipped for what is coming (who knows what it could be?!). Seriously, what are you waiting for? Do you think you need to have everything mapped out before you can begin? No way! Not with the Fool. He ventures out on his journey with just his essential belongings – and now he invites you to do the same. You don’t need to wait for someone to give you the green light or hold off until you have all the skills, tools and resources you think you might need. You are ready! If you’ve been watching for a sign, this is it!

This is a time of great potential and opportunity for you right now. The world is your oyster, and anything can happen. Use your creative mind with a dash of spontaneity to make the most of this magical time and bring forth your new ideas in powerful ways.

The Fool is your invitation to relax, play, and have fun. Treat life like one big experiment and feel yourself in the flow of whatever comes your way. This card asks you to embrace your beautiful, carefree spirit, allowing yourself to connect to the energy that surrounds you and flows through you. Tap into your fullest potential by stepping into a place of wonderment, curiosity and intrigue. Live life as though you were a child once again. Laugh more, dance, and let your heart go free.

This is an excellent card to meditate on if you are struggling with dread, worry or self-doubt in your life. The Fool is your guide, as someone who is daring and carefree. He is the embodiment of who you really are – your free spirit, your inner child, and your playful soul. Any time you experience fear, remember the essence of the Fool as he encourages you to acknowledge that fear and do it anyway! You never know what the future holds, but like the Fool, you must step into the unknown, trusting that the Universe will catch you and escort you along the way. Take a chance and see what happens.”

4.3.19 Eight of Pentacles Reversed

This is the first card I have ever drawn in response to a specific question. I asked the cards “Do I need to delay my journey North by a day so that I can go to the dentist to have my teeth looked at?” (I had some fillings done 2 weeks ago and it’s still a bit painful to chew with that side of my mouth). The tarot gave me a pretty clear answer with the Eight of Pentacles Reversed not only to the question I asked but also to how I’d been spending my time over the last couple of days — shopping and working on projects with the car in an effort to perfectly prepare myself with all the things I thought I needed for my summer on the festival circuit. This cards screams, “stop spending your time focused on material things and trying to perfect the unperfectable.” So, I took this as a pretty clear sign to start the journey North, stop planning and preparing and start doing!

“The Eight of Pentacles reversed may indicate that you are focused on creating perfection, but to your detriment. When you focus on every tiny detail, you lose sight of the bigger picture and why you're doing the task in the first place. Similarly, your need for perfection may be getting in the way of your ability to adapt and change. You may like to have things done in a certain way, but what if the circumstances change?... Know that perfection is a myth and surrender to the art of imperfection... The reversed Eight of Pentacles suggests that you are working very hard on a project, but it is not leading to the desired outcome... you might be keeping yourself busy with small tasks, but struggling to make progress towards your bigger goals. It is time to take a step back and assess whether you are indeed focused on the right things, or if you need to shift your focus to bring your activities back in alignment with your broader goals.”

4.3.19 Nine of Cups

I drew this card as more of “card of the day” since the Eight of Pentacles Reversed was drawn in response to a question. I did ask the deck a question on this draw as well, but it was more general, “is there anything I need to be aware of as I begin my journey North?” To me this says, “nope! You have everything you need. You’re as prepared as you can possibly be (perhaps even a bit too prepared) Quit fiddling around with trying to perfect the unperfectable and go do the thing that you really need to be doing! Get on with it!

“When this card appears in a Tarot reading, you are content in all aspects of your life – relationships, work, lifestyle, well-being and more... the Nine of Cups is often called the wish card. It comes as a sign that the planets aligned and you have everything you wished for. You could not be happier! If you made your wish and are patiently waiting for it to come to fruition, then this card is an excellent omen that it will soon be granted... When you see the Nine of Cups in a reading, remember to count your blessings and express gratitude for what you have... One thing to keep in mind with the Nine of Cups is that he is sitting on a wooden bench that is comfortable for only a limited period. Realise that contentment and fulfilment, too, are only temporary as everything is always in a state of change. That’s why it is so important to appreciate what you have now and cherish it because it may disappear later or you may need to adjust and adapt.”

4.4.19 The Sun

Today is the first morning I woke up away from friends and family since arriving at Keiths place after leaving the desert. I’m back out on the road again. It feels free, but it also feels very uncertain. The Sun came as a welcome reminder that everything is in perfect alignment with the path that my higher self has laid out for me. I am doing my job, walking off the cliff into the unknown, and the rest will be taken care of. The Sun shows a cherubic young child crowned with flowers and a single red feather, arms spread wide to embrace the world, riding a white horse forth from his castle walls, and supporting a flowing red standard under the approving gaze of the beneficent sun. To me this says to rejoice in my inner child’s connection to my golden path and to embrace all that lies ahead. All things coming my way are in perfect alignment with the aims of the source of all energy on the planet. Keep moving forward mounted atop your pure intentions to serve the highest good for all.

“The Sun Tarot card radiates with optimism and positivity. A large, bright sun shines in the sky, representing the source of all life on Earth. Underneath, four sunflowers grow tall above a brick wall, representing the four suits of the Minor Arcana and the four elements.

In the foreground, a young, naked child is sitting on top of a calm white horse. The child represents the joy of being connected with your inner spirit, and his nakedness is a sign he has nothing to hide and has all the innocence and purity of childhood. The white horse is also a sign of purity and strength.

The Sun represents success, radiance and abundance. The Sun gives you strength and tells you that no matter where you go or what you do, your positive and radiant energy will follow you and bring you happiness and joy. People are drawn to you because you can always see the bright side and bring such warmth into other people’s lives. This beautiful, warm energy is what will get you through the tough times and help you succeed. You are also in a position where you can share your highest qualities and achievements with others. Radiate who you are and what you stand for; shine your love on those you care about.

The Sun connects you to your power base... You’ll sense it in your Solar Plexus chakra, calling you to express yourself authentically and be fully present in the world around you. You have what others want and are being asked to radiate your energy and your gifts out into the world in a big way. Tap into your power and use your Divine will to express that power in positive ways.”

[knight-of-chalices-blog]

2017 New Year’s Tarot Spread

Now that I'm finally back in the US after a month in the Philippines, I have the time and space to properly draw a spread regarding my new year. Just like every body else, 2016 was rough - but it did teach me so much. It was a year of learning many necessary lessons that, ultimately, made me grow to be stronger through practice of self-respect and love. But the new year is here! It's time to leave behind things that no longer serve me and open myself up to new experiences and new lessons to be learned. If the higher powers are listening, I do hope that it is more harmonious than the last, but just as exciting and purposeful to my greater story. So without further ado, here is a breakdown of my New Year's Spread:

Overview (3 Card): 

Right off the bat, as I was shuffling regarding my new year, the Sun card popped out and I was immediately ecstatic. Probably one of the most optimistic cards to receive! But even better, as I wanted more clarity, two more cards popped out - Strength and 7 of Cups. The story was intuitively clear: the new year holds positivity and prosperity (Sun), guided by my inner Strength to help me clarify all the different options that life will give me. Now, the 7 of Cups is a card I get, but always feel hesitant about: THE OPTIONS! Typically, this card is associated with being "in the clouds" about these options and being indecisive. However, with the Sun shining its light for clarity and the Strength card giving me the support I need, I know that this year is about that momentum to propel to making BIG life choices.

January: Oh the Lovers card. 2016 really gave me a one-two knock out punch in terms of love. It exhausted me. So I'm not surprised that this card followed me into the new year. However, the Lovers card is also about choices. Will I choose to leave behind the baggage and move forward? And the answer is yes! January started off with an unbelievable vacation in the Philippines that gave me the mental rest I needed (4 of Swords). I came back home with a clear head open for new opportunities.

February: The Hermit and 3 of Pentacles reversed tells me that I'll be spending some time going within and really thinking about the fulfillment my career gives me. This has been in the back burner for quite  a while now, but I have a feeling something will present itself to really give me the push I need to be actively introspective about this. We shall see!

March: The Star and 7 of Swords reversed - two very interesting cards to be paired together. I've always seen the 7 of Swords reversed as the a very mild for of the Tower - a revelation that breaks you out from the mental deceptions you hold. The man in the 7 of Swords (rx) is looking at the Star - almost as if the brightness of the future makes him drop the swords he's stealing. The Star is saying, "Caught you red-handed - time to let it go!". And I think this will be the key to the hopeful nature of the Star card. I'm hoping that I get the push I need to break free from these mental blockages and move forward to the potential the Star is promising.

April: Woof - 6 of Wands reversed and Knight of Swords reversed. Not great cards for April. Deep breath and listen to intuition objectively. What this told me was that success and victory in terms of my passions (read: job/career) is blocked. Why? The energy of the of the Knight of Swords reversed includes mental aggression - I've gotta watch my mouth in April as it could lead me to failure or a bitter-sweet victory. Alternatively, this could indicate a hard-earned victory as negative and aggressive thoughts are working against me, blocking me from reaching success.

May: Justice + 9 of Wands + 10 of Cups. Now I only meant to clarify with one card, but two popped out for this one. There will be karmic balance in May - potentially from the left over energies of April. The man in the 9 of wands is looking at that Knight of Swords reversed in April and is not ready to give up. The fight continues, but perhaps only internally like a the subtle charcoal flames after a roaring fire. There will be balance in feeling this exhausted defense, and that is a fruitful emotional life. Community, friendship, family, and love will aid me at this time.

June: The Fool and 7 of Pentacles. Ah - what an interesting turn! April brings conflict. May brings resolution. June brings a new beginning. The fruits of my labor is finally coming in little by little. I may also be reviewing and assessing some needed change in direction. Will need to do more clarifiers once June comes around.

July: 10 of Pentacles reversed and Ace of Wands. Wow, I have a feeling that June might bring a new job with a delay in the prosperity and stability the 10 of Pentacles provides. But in tradeoff, I am feeling the spark of new creativity and passion. There may be a temporary trade-off. Things may feel unstable for the month, but things are getting exciting!

August: Oh how I dread August - for some reason I always have some kind of emotional challenge this time of year. 10 of Cups reversed and Ace of Swords reversed. I'm taking this as a warning. If I'm not open to a new way of thinking and approaching love, I will not reap the benefits. Resisting new ways of thinking will cause the water from my cups to fall out - don't lose a good thing by rerunning the same thoughts that serve no purpose! 

September: Queen of Pentacles and 3 of Wands Reversed. The Queen of Pentacles is all about nurturing through financial stability - she is the maker of her home and will never leave her children wanting. This may be in opposition to the 3 of Wands reversed which warns of blockage in reaping the rewards of taking chances. What this indicate is that there is comfort in my personal life - I have what I need but may need to wait or work on getting the additional physical wealth I look forward to. This hearkens back to July - we're slowly getting to financial abundance, but it's moving.

October: The Chariot and The Hermit. Ah, same purpose, different methods. The Hermit searches and succeeds through introspective wisdom and commitment. The Chariot succeeds through aggressive direction and force of will. This month tells me to balance both when the time comes. Both are on the road to some form of success. Be victorious through wisdom, warmth, and virtue.

November: 5 of Wands reversed and King of Cups. What a great pair. 5 of wands reversed speaks of harmony - competitors putting down their wands and working together to be in the same step. The King of Cups rules with harmony and love. This is a great ramp up to the holiday season. I can already feel the Thanksgiving/Christmas warmth seeing everyone working together and loving and supporting each other. How lovely!

December: Rounding out the year is 7 of Swords reversed and the Sun reversed. Another warning pair - don't dampen the good times believing in deceptive thoughts. We've done this last year, you should've learned your lesson by now. The boy in the Sun card is facing the fox (man holding swords in normal Rider-Waite) saying, "stop and enjoy!" Get out of your head and stop believing things that hold no fact. The rest of the world is in harmony. Enjoy yourself!

Interesting Things to Point Out: - All the suits are here, meaning that it's going to be a well-rounded year in terms of learning lessons and enjoying blessings.

- Lots of positive Major Arcana and pretty lacking in negative ones. Blessings and good times are the foundations of 2017.

- Something tells me that March - May may not simply be about me. Perhaps regarding the Presidency? How lies (7 of Swords reversed) turn into chaotic communication (Knight of Swords reversed) but ultimately resolves in favor of the people (Justice/10 of Cups)?

- Three cards come up twice: The Sun, The Hermit, and 7 of Swords. Perhaps there will be recurring themes of lighthearted fun, introspective wisdom, and mental self-sabotage.

- 7 is a recurring number all around which could indicate holiness, luck, and magic. It's the number of the hero - fate, destiny, and transformation.

Last Thoughts: I think it's set up to be a pretty awesome year. I'm ready for the cool opportunities that look to be arising and also ready to take warnings in heed. If anything stands in my way, it's only myself and my way of thinking. But there are many signs of hope, not giving up, and ultimately, enjoying the radiance of the sun. 

Happy 2017, everyone!