#reminds me of the hermit in a rider waite deck

[nuttysaladtree]

Additional image details: the animal, possibly a weasel or a stoat, is looking toward the right, as if into the distance now illuminated by the lantern in their hand. Their suit jacket is almost as long as they are tall, so they are dressed warmly for the fall weather, indicated by the colorful leaves at their feet.

Hey you.

[musicalhell]

Persephone's Gambit Extras: More Fun With Tarot

I've said before that I personally don't consider Tarot to be divinatory (believe me, if I knew of a reliable way of predicting the future my life would be a lot easier), but something more of a combination of improvisational storytelling and meditative exercise. The cards don't mean anything until we give them context though our own perceptions and experiences.

That said, the Tarot in Persephone's Gambit does tend to be a means of foreshadowing (or backshadowing, or side-shadowing, as it were). Because I'm the god, and if I want to make the cards tell the characters things they may or may not pay attention to then dammit I'm gonna do it!

So. In the latest chapter (obligatory shameless plug link) we once again see two spreads, a five-card and a three-card. The first is done for Christine and Raoul by a fairground fortune-teller, and though she's typically vague about the meaning it does apply to their situation:

The Wheel of Fortune is at the center of the cross. (The first drafts had the Lovers, which was also appropriate--and fun, because the Universal Monsters deck features Christine and Raoul themselves for that card--but I went with this for The Drama). It's a reminder that the only thing constant is change, and there's always something that's beyond our control. Right now, Christine and Raoul are together, happy, and content....but fall is coming on, and Persephone will need to descend to the underworld. What will happen to them when she does?

The Ten of Swords represents despair, betrayal, and ruin--a perfect summary for where things stood in Phantom's dramatic climax. It's a difficult card to confront, but no Tarot card is wholly good or bad. The Ten cards show the suit in a self-perpetuating cycle--in this case, the cycle of violence that leads to destruction. It confronts us with the harm done to us and by us and says: will you continue in this death spiral, or will you break free?

The Emperor is the Major Arcana that embodies those traits traditionally defined as "masculine:" strength, order, guidance, authority. Upright, the Emperor is a just and benevolent leader, but when he's reversed (as he is here) he becomes a tyrant, abusing his power over others and demanding obedience to rigid, confining systems. It's likely the challenges Christine and Raoul will face in the future will come in this form...

The Eight of Swords represents entrapment and imprisonment (and has my favorite art in the Rider-Waite cards). Christine is afraid of being caged, whether by an Opera career overseen by a domineering, possessive impresario or as an aristocrat's wife that will place rigid limits on her life and activities. Likewise, both Raoul and Erik consider the life the other would offer her as something that would limit her. But the Eight of Swords is also a reminder that the power to free ourselves is always at hand...even if we can't see it just yet.

If the Ten of Swords is the doom of the tragic hero, the Ten of Cups is the fairytale ending. It represents the apotheosis of emotional and spiritual fulfillment: joy, abundance, loving relationships. Faced with the traumas of the past and the uncertainty of the future, it confronts Christine with an enticing yet seemingly impossible resolution. Can she really have it all?

Then at the end of the chapter, Erik does a reading using only the Major Arcana, the most deeply symbolic cards in the deck. It's a good technique when you want a reading with clear, direct answers--and he gets them:

The Tower, like the Ten of Swords, indicates calamity and ruin, often one brought about by the subject's own hubris. Erik has brought grief upon himself and others, and must face the consequences. And like the Ten of Swords, it is a call to action in one's darkest hour. Erik has a choice: sit and decay amid the wreckage of what he has done or, like a good architect, rise up and rebuild on stronger ground.

Erik himself is The Hermit in the UM deck, fitting as this is the card of solitude and social withdrawal. Traditionally, hermits removed themselves from the world for the sake of contemplation and spiritual enlightenment, but a reversed Hermit indicates the subject has become isolated and disconnected from reality. Having spent several days in a state of indolent self-pity, Erik needs a reminder that this situation is not doing him any good.

The Star is the card of hope. It follows the Tower in the Major Arcana and is the first light in the dark, the promise of renewal that follows a bitter and hard end. It reminds Erik that he can find guidance out of his own inner darkness...if he has the courage to seek it.

[idontevenknowmynamesworld]

so i did a deity identification reading and im not so good at interpretation... so could you guys pls help?

The spread:

The Deity

Positive traits/qualities

Negative traits/qualities

What this deity rules over

Symbols or things associated with this deity

What i got:

The Chariot

9 of Pentacles reversed

The Hermit reversed

King of Cups

The Hanged Man Reversed

Im also using the Rider Waite Original Tarot Deck, if that helps at all :)

Also, im wondering if it could be Apollo?

i actually got a candle from a thrift store today because it reminded me of him, so um idk if that means anything but yea :)

[blacksunscorpio]

Hi Scorp! Great blog! I've sucked in all the information here like it's my job lol. I had a tarot question? Is is common to see your deck forming a personality? I feel like mine has one but I wanted to make sure it wasn't just my imagination. Thank you so so much!

On Tarot Decks and Their Personalities

Yes, I completely believe Tarot decks can form or already have personalities.

Some people argue that the deck’s energy has a lot to do with the artwork or the creator of the deck. Other’s say that your deck forms a personality based on aspects of yourself or your mood. However at the end of the day, what I’ve concluded based on my experience is that they come alive and are indeed sentient in some way once you’ve interviewed it and the deck has agreed for you to claim it as your own.

For Example:

1. I have 3 decks in total. The Rider Waite was the very first deck I’ve ever owned. I let my other deck’s know it is their Alpha. It’s traditional. Has stood the test of time. It is very practical with the messages it gives me. It behaves very much like the Queen of Pentacles. Motherly. Stable. Grounded. Nurturing. Down-to-earth, etc. When I interviewed and claimed it, it spat out the 3 of pentacles and 2 of cups. Telling me it was happy to collaborate with me so we could form a true partnership. It tells me what is best for me even when I don’t care for the message. It will tell me to try to make peace with my enemies [even when I don’t want to]. It will tell me to avoid a guy I know in my gut is bad for me, even if I feel he’s handsome or has done all the right things. The 7 of Swords, the Magician reversed, The Knight of Cups, I pull. This is my deck saying: “he’s sweet and says all the right things, but he’s a liar and he’s not afraid to manipulate or cheat on you”. If I ask for clarification, it will find a practical way to re-state the message.

2. My 2nd deck is the Spirit Song deck by Paulina Cassidy. It is an animal-themed deck and behaves accordingly. Probably the friendliest deck I have. Like an animal that has gained a human’s trust, it is sweet, loving, loyal but unafraid to bark at you if it feels you’re not hearing it. It is protective and gets jealous when you’re not around. This deck makes me make amends if I’ve been away for it for too long. Some reassurance always does the trick. When it agreed to be claimed by me, it spat out ‘the Lovers’ card which in this deck are two wolves running together. Dogs are simply the more domesticated versions of Wolves. Loyal. Dependable. Loving. The Lovers is a card about choices but also about true partnerships and soulmates. My deck was telling me it would love to have a relationship.

3. My last deck is the Marigold Tarot by Amrit Brar. This deck is by far my most savage. The deck is rooted in life, death, and gold. It reminds me very much of myself, a Scorpio. It behaves very much like the Queen of Swords to me: witty, Sassy. Blunt. Cold, but not cruel. Straight-forward. Honest. Fair. Doesn’t care if you don’t like what the message is, its only job is that it tells you. No sugar-coating at all. Like the rich un-married aunt with only sons no daughters, she loves you and agrees to pay your tuition for you, as long as you bring home straight A’s. When I interviewed and claimed it, it spat out “Justice”. Meaning that it agreed to be claimed by me and told me that it would be judicious, balanced, fair—but honest. That the partnership would be a pragmatic one. That it would cut through a situation for me, but would not be swayed by emotional and immature pleas. This is the only deck that literally spits the exact same cards out if I ever ask for clarity on something. Almost as if it’s saying “you heard me the first time, look harder, cut the crap.” Lol. I got to this deck when I need the truth, straight no chaser.

Honorable Mention

I have a friend who has a Steam Punk deck and apparently it has no-hold-barred. It acts very much like an Aries to her. Blunt, Forceful, wants her to think. Always wants her to do something about her problems. She’ll never get the Hermit or the 4 of cups with this deck in regard to advice, she tells me. It is very action-oriented, especially when she needs advice. It never tells her to sit and wait but find solutions through action to solve her issues.

In a Nutshell

Whether you find your deck forming a personality or not, you’ll find you feel different with each of them in regard to how they interact with you. The most important thing though is to make sure you are respecting it. That you care for it. It is a tool to navigate sacred messages between you and your higher power [be it your higher consciousness, ancestors, or deities] and should be treated as such. You wouldn’t abuse your car on purpose, would you? Ignore the check engine light or ignore the smoke coming from the hood screaming it needs an oil change. That would run the risk of it breaking down and refusing to work. That is what happens when you do not respect your cards, they won’t respect you either.

[girlofthemoon75]

Led Zeppelin Cover Artwork Part 4

Led Zeppelin IV

So here were are. The legendary Led Zeppelin IV or “Untitled Album”, “Four Symbols” or “The Fourth Album” was released on 8 November 1971.

I’m not going to tell the story about the symbols, because most of you know it anyway, it’s one of the most well known legends of Led Zeppelin and I guess I could do a post just about the symbols itself. Maybe I’ll do that.

Let’s start with the whole cover outside. You see a photograph of a painting of a man, carrying a bundle of wood. The oil painting is hanging on a wall with a wallpaper of a suburban house which is partly demolished. In the background you see Salisbury Tower in Ladywood, Birmingham. The painting is from the 19th century and was purchased by Robert Plant from an antique shop in Reading, Berkshire. The painter remains a mystery.

What does Led Zeppelin want to say with this cover? Jimmy explained that the cover should be a reminder that people should look after the Earth but later also explained, that the cover was supposed to be for “other people to savour* rather than a direct statement. If you read the old man on the painting as the farmer/countryman as a symbol for nature and the tower and the flats as the city or the civilization which is threatening nature with concrete, exhaust and destruction - well yes, it’s a clear message.

Graphreaks (later the London agency of Hipgnosis) are credited as visual designer. 

Let’s go to the inside. Now it’s getting exciting!

We see an illustration, “The Hermit”. It is painted by Barrington Colby, who is also a very mysterious man, and was inspired by the Hermit tarot card of the Rider-Waite deck. In the album it’s credited to Barrington Colby MoM, MoM stands for Man of Mystery because you hardly find any other illustration of Colby elsewhere. People speculate that Colby might be Jimmy Page himself, the former art student...

The hermit ist standing on the mountain, below you can see a long-haired figure gazing upwards, who appears to be making his way up to the mountain. In the background you see a landscape of castles and towns.

Jimmy has often expressed his fascination of the tarot card “The Hermit*, he also appears as the Hermit in TSRTS. The Hermit refers to guidance, reflection and the search for inner or hidden knowledge. Perfect for Jimmy who was (and I suppose still is) very interested in the occult and Aleister Crowley.

The painting is also referred to as View in Half or Varying Light (means you can reflect the picture and see a new picture or find the hidden knowledge).

You can see a dog’s head, probably the head of Anubis, the egyptian god of death rites (Jimmy is also very fascinated in egyptian mythology).

Here you can find some more information on the symbols: https://mysterioustimes.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/the-occult-symbolism-of-led-zeppelin/

There is a ton to find in the web! What do you think about all these stories? 

One more thing: The lyrics of Stairway to Heaven were printed in the inside sleeve of the album. The typeface is inspired from a magazin called The Studio from the 19th century. Jimmy liked the lettering and arranged someone to create a whole alphabet.

If you have any questions, write me! If you think there’s something wrong or missing - write me!

Hope you enjoyed it!

As always: write your favourite song in the comments! Mine are When the Levee breaks and Stairway to Heaven.

[fangirlstarot]

THE EIGHT OF CUPS "You may not always end up where you thought you were going, but you will always end up where you are meant to be." My deeper look at the Eight of Cups came this past week when I was making this card. I THOUGHT I had finished it with pop culture images showing abandonment earlier, only to get to the Six of Swords and realize THAT card also stood for abandonment. Suddenly I thought, "wait, these mean the same thing... that can't be right.. what's going on here?".

I then started researching like a Fool into the finer points of each card, comparing the two. The conclusion I reached was that the Eight of Cups is a much more emotionally driven need to withdraw and escape (cups being the emotional suit in the tarot deck vs the swords which is a suit based around conflicts). Where the Six of Swords says, "I'm in danger here, I have to leave." and escapes because of a need for healing, the Eight of Cups says "I'm not emotionally fulfilled here, I have to leave." and leaves to find their passion, taking a journey to find oneself.

There's this beautiful acceptance in the Eight of Cups, an acceptance of change, of cycles completing (whereas the number 6 stands more for seeking solutions to the crap thrown at us in the 5's, the number 8 in tarot stands for mastery, action, accomplishment). There's a wrapping up of things in the 8s and a start down the path to finding the fulfillment and completion that can be attained in the 9s and 10s. Remember, all suits tell a story. The Major Arcana is a story, the suits of cups, swords, wands, pentacles-- all stories. Sixes are far too much near the middle to find the success in the change that the 8s can. This card, to me, is a lot like the change found in the Death card, only with a little more self-agency. Death is the change that comes from the natural world around us, but the 8 of Cups is the change that comes from evaluating where we are and where we truly want to go. The moon on the Rider Waite version of this card stands for intuition, the mountains for the journey ahead, even if we don't know where we're going when we leave and withdraw here, we start to become much more attuined with our intuition and start following that down the next road rather than stay. We choose a different path when we realize the one we're one is not working for us anymore.

The Eight of Cups is not an abandonment of something still alive, but the sweet surrender of something that is finishing up so that something new can begin in it's place. There's that sense of hope that there is something more to more on to once you realize the cycle is over and the old sweater you've been wearing like a security blanket is no longer needed. We can reinvent ourselves, we don't have to stay in a place that doesn't work, we can choose to move on and find a better dream than the one that is slowly turning into a bad one.

As someone with wanderlust in their veins and a somewhat disgruntled look at the mundane world, this is the card I would let rule my soul and life if I could figure out a way to accomplish that. Technically, this card already made me the person I am today. Let me tell you a story about my great grandfather who was one of the first people to come to America. When he was a sailor and on a trip to drop some cargo off in New York, he found his dream of moving up in the ranks to become a captain some day was dashed. They told him he was colorblind and as a captain he would need to be able to see the color of nautical flags that were flown from other ships. So when they stopped in port in NY, he decided to get off the ship with what little he had and never look back, abandoning the ship and his old life to forge ahead to something new. He didn't know where he was going, such as many when they encounter the Eight of Cups energy, but he knew the same old dream that he had before wasn't going to work out. And I'm living testament that his journey was not over, even though that old dream had to pass away to find a better goal.

What worked in the past, won't work forever, and that's okay. The Eight of Cups is here to remind us that new dreams can be sought out at any point when we are willing to give in to that sweet surrender. We can successfully move on from the past when it's no longer working for us if we are only willing to look for a new way. Even if you don't know what will fulfill you right now, that walking away is self-affirming and courageous in and of itself. As Bob Dylan once said, "Don't think twice, it's alright."

What worked in the past won't work forever, but the Nine of Cups (wishes coming true) and Ten of Cups (domestic bliss), promise that leaving can bring rainbows.

::Who's Who On This Card::

1. Shane from the movie 'Shane' - In the movie, he's an old gunfighter, last of his breed, trying to settle down in a town but finding he doesn't quite fit there. In the end, he decides to ride off into the sunset, looking for someplace better.

2. Jack Kerouac - the writer of the original road trip novel, 'On The Road'. Kerouac's writing is like a long love letter to the open road, after finding the way the country was in the 1950s didn't suit him or his beat lifestyle. In On The Road, he says, "There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars." Sometimes even though you don't know where you're going, the journey is still worth the travel.

3. North - In the movie 'North', North is a talented and bright kid, but his mom and dad are utterly preoccupied with other things in their lives, leaving him largely ignored. Advised by a mysterious man who pops up on occasion, North decides to legally separate himself from his parents and goes on a search across the globe for the ideal mother and father. Unfortunately for the young boy, most of the people that he meets have very little potential. In the end of the movie, he realizes that there's no place like home after doing all that introspective soul searching. The soul searching is a big part of the Eight of Cups. I guess this card could be the perfect combination of Death and The Hermit. Incidentally, this movie was based off a book titled "North: The Tale of a 9-Year-Old Boy Who Becomes a Free Agent and Travels the World in Search of the Perfect Parents" by Alan Zweibel. I just love that title because it sums up that Eight of Cups energy so well. Becoming free, searching for perfection, travel... that's the Eight of Cups in a nutshell.

4. Liz Gilbert in Eat Pray love. The main character here thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. After a divorce, she faced a turning point, finding she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, she embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India and Bali. Self-discovery while traveling is the very essence of the Eight of Cups. As someone who has traveled a lot, I can say there is SO MUCH you learn about yourself out there on the road.

5. Tom Turcich from The World Walk blog (https://www.facebook.com/TheWorldWalk/). He decided in his twenties that the 9-to-5 work lifestyle was not for him, so he hit the road instead and ended up writing several bestselling book, writing a major blog, meeting a cute pupper out there on the road who became his family. In his words, the reason he withdrew from his old life and forged a new path ahead was, "To not be boring. To dive into myself and into the world. What a horrible thing it would be to be bullied into a nine-to-five, to trade my time for paychecks instead of experience. I want something greater. I want the marrow Thoreau wrote about. I want adventure and fear and revelation, I want to stand on the edge of Earth, toe-to-toe with the universe."

6. Moses, leaving Egypt where he was a prince to journey out to the desert to find himself.

Also, honorable mention goes to this scene from Doctor Who ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Qixy6-BdA ), where the doctor says he's not running FROM something (which would be more the Six of Swords), but he's running TO the universe before it fades from him completely. "This is one corner in one country in one continent in one planet that's a corner of a galaxy that is a corner of a universe that is forever growing and shrinking and creating and destroying and never remaining the same for a single millisecond. And this is so much, SO MUCH, to see, Amy. Because it goes so fast. I'm not running away from things. I'm running to them before they flare and fade forever."

There is SO much to see out there, so much the Eight of Cups beckons us to explore as we start to listen to our intuition, just one road and one dream (a fading dream at that) would be so boring, so many roads are worth exploring.

[library-mermaid-blog]

Hi! So, i saw you having tarot. Would you mind sharing how you started readings (if you do your own) and how I could approach myself to this matter? It's all very very new to me! Thanks a lot :)

@mayihaveyourdesert Hi! Tarot is actually a huge part of my life tbh, it’s my main writing inspiration and definitely my main focusing tool. I’m not sure that I’m the right person to ask about starting out because I have a very personal approach to tarot that may or may not be what you’re looking for! Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that I’m not a spiritual person, so if you’re looking for tips for starting out from a spiritual standpoint, I unfortunately won’t be much help in that category. (Maybe someone can comment who does approach it from that angle and who would be willing to help, though!!) I’ll break down my own approach within two categories.1. Based on Symbolism2. Non Fate-Oriented1. BASED ON SYMBOLISM— Choose your deck(s) for you! My favorite thing about tarot is the beautiful imagery and symbolism, and I think it’s really important to consider this when acquiring your first deck. There are a metric sh*t-ton of options when it comes to tarot, and each deck can be a bit like learning a new language (sometimes literally, one of my favorite decks is in Italian). Tarot is personal, and you’re going to get a lot more meaning out of it if you enjoy and connect with your cards. Do some research, compare decks! My personal favorites are the classic Rider Waite deck, the gorgeous & lush Ancient Italian deck, and the minimalist-yet-somehow-still-primordial Golden Thread deck (which comes with an amazing app that is actually free even without the deck.)— Get to know your cards. Having a working knowledge of the meanings of each card is a great jumping-off point, whether you use the booklet that often comes with the cards or do individual research. This may be an unpopular opinion, but don’t even be afraid to modify them if you feel the urge (more on this in the next paragraph, but for one example, I hand-gilded the edge of one of my decks to make it feel more personal.)— Don’t let gained knowledge of the cards obscure gained meaning. Now that I’ve told you to learn the cards, I’m going to tell you to un-learn them, at least sometimes. A lot of books and websites will tell you very specific things about cards, everything from “The Emperor represents an earthly fatherly influence” to “The Queen of Cups is a blonde woman whom you have yet to meet who loves reading Calvin & Hobbes comics but only during the month of April.” This is all well and good, especially when you’re starting out! I even have Whitcomb’s 600 page Magician’s Companion textbook because I love fun correspondences so much. BUT as you go on, cards may take on new meanings. Let them!! If you start feeling like a certain card represents you, or a particular part of your life, allow that to happen. And tracking that progress is a great way of looking at personal growth and your life, actually. Making a non-linear journal (or grimoire) is helpful: One page per card, add thoughts or conceptual meanings to them as you think of them, quotes, book characters they remind you of…I’ve gotten so far as to know that one particular card is the main character of my book series, and I carefully replaced the word Temperance with Alchemy on one of my decks. And, just as you allow the traditional cards to take on personal meanings, allow your given meanings to rearrange. Finding new connections is so fun, like the moment when you realize that you admire the same qualities in your best friend and your favorite quote. Try to recognize when you are holding on to old influences and work on letting go.2. NON-FATE ORIENTED— Your fate is yours. You see what you want to see. My personal view is that tarot is about the past but mostly about now. You are the one who has to use that knowledge of yourself to look to the future. Ue the symbolism to ask: what influences are in my life? What am I seeing in these cards, and what is that saying about my subconscious focus and desires? For instance, if you’re trying to meditate on whether to move to Boulder or San Diego and you keep picking out mountain/forest imagery even though the sea is right there as well, that tells you something. Listen to yourself, first and always.— On that note, I don’t use reversals. Reversals are different readings of the cards should they appear upside down when you draw them, often bestowed with the inverse or undesirable traits of the original card. Personally, reversals don’t really fit into my imagery-based fate-less approach, so I ignore them. I feel like they cast an unnecessary negative pall on my readings.— Don’t be afraid to draw clarifiers, and don’t take it too seriously! Clarifiers are extra cards that are useful if one (or multiple) card in your reading is making you say “wot in the ever-loving tarnation…..” or even “damn that’s scary, what can I do to prevent that?” But I most commonly draw clarifiers when I see something I really love and I’m thinking “okay, how do I get from where I am now to that?” Pick a goal card for yourself, once you learn the meanings. Are you aiming for The Moon, mysterious artistry and wildest dreams? The Sun, light and truth and warmth? The Hermit, old guy alone with a lantern and maybe a cat or twenty at home who really knows but he’s got a sweet cloak? (Jk but rlly….I got him recently for myself and I was like yeah honestly I’m ready, bring to me the Lantern of Solitude). In this vein, I like to remember that there are no bad cards, because to me, none of the cards represent a definite future. TO WRAP UP! Hopefully that was at all helpful haha. I’m sure many people heartily disagree with one or all of my views on this, but there they are. Tarot is a lot like writing: You have to know the rules to break them effectively. The rules in this case are the time-honored meanings of the cards and the process of reading them for yourself and others. Try things out, read what you can and read more when it interests you, don’t be afraid to change your mind, take notes, try to put out as much positive force into the world as you can! Have fun! Oh, also, last advice: rope your best friend into learning, too. Being the only one who reads tarot at parties makes you surprisingly popular but sometimes u just want fresh insights on yourself as well tbh.

[thefoolofdelphi]

what happens when the hanged man falls?

so i tried out that quick little april fool spread i reblogged a few days ago, where you find the fool, and interpret the cards on either side of it as (1) something to be optimistic about and (2) something to be weary of.

[the fool in the center of two cards: the eight of cups in reverse on the left, and the ace of arrows (wands) on the right.]

as you may have guessed from, y’know, the name of my damn blog, the fool is a card i have always had an affinity for. even if we tend to think of the fool as the first card in the major arcana, i like that he’s actually numbered zero, that he is always everywhere and nowhere at once. i like to be reminded of the necessity of remaining a fool if you ever want to learn anything at all, if you ever want to grow.

lately i have been in desperate need of that reminder. when i found the fool in my deck, it was in reverse, and perhaps i should have left it so. lately i've been feeling like the embodiment of the fool in reverse. i finally got my driver’s license two weeks ago, and quite contrary to my expectations, i have been finding myself in an entirely new position of stuckness ever since. i feel like the animal who runs right back in its cage the moment it’s released.

i feel like an idiot for being so totally blindsided by this. i honestly thought the license was the one thing standing between me and Freedom; i really believed that once i had it, i’d be gone in a minute.

i didn’t expect to be presented with this new problem---now that i have a license, where the hell do i go? i’m still in the same town where everything is triggering; there’s nowhere to go. i feel frozen, stalled, scared at the thought of pursuing what i’ve been after for so long. i’ve gotten so damn used to being stuck here, i’ve gotten so good at navigating this space, even if it’s hell, that i’m struck dumb with fear at the thought of having to start all over again. there are too many uncertainties, too many opportunities for me to fail. i’m safe here, where i know i’m never safe. this is the devil i know.

getting out felt so completely impossible that i’ve been pouring all my energy into just figuring out how to survive each day, that now that i finally have the means to not just survive each day, but to escape it, i have no idea what to do. i am the fool all over again, but without any of the fool’s joy, all anxiety and confusion and frustration instead.

the eight of cups, then, feels like a gentle reminder to trust the leaving. i turn again to what i wrote here when i first drew the eight of cups (also in reverse, apparently) last summer:

this card is about leaving behind something significant, something you’ve worked hard at, something you wanted—leaving behind all eight cups you’ve stacked (in the rider-waite deck anyway. my eight of cups carries one with her). it is disappointment, but also the grim resignation to do what you must when you can’t see any other options.

i have spent an incalculable amount of time, arguably literally my whole life, trying to build a relationship with my mother. i have worked hard, spent infinite hours empathizing with her, reading her slightest change of mood, trying to please her. i only recently realized that all my efforts were, are, and always will be futile: that i have no choice but to walk away.

living with my abusive mother is exhausting. i feel worn to the bone, but strangely not (yet?) defeated. like the figure in the eight of cups, i am carrying all my despair and my weariness with me, but i am moving, i am walking away—and necessarily, eventually towards something else.

i feel so utterly alone, so utterly tired. the road ahead is long and hard and unknowable. but still i am walking on, slow and shaky, but moving still. resolute.

one foot in front of the other. even if i don’t know where i’m going. even if it hurts.

i am. glad i recorded that, because i really needed reminding just now. i think the longer i spent here, even as i got closer and closer to getting my license, the less real ever getting away started to feel. i started to give up hope, started to try to convince myself that here isn’t really all that bad, that i was just being melodramatic, and i’m utterly unfit for the outside world anyway.

but no. i need to remember that the entire reason i feel unfit for life is because of my mother, because of living here. it is so much easier to give into despair and self-destruction, and i am so fucking tired of fighting them for so long. i’m even tireder now than i was when i wrote that, probably, but it doesn’t matter---i have to keep going.

and then there’s the ace of arrows as something to be weary of. these two cards could easily have been flipped, and my reading would arguably make much more sense. but i kind of prefer it when my cards decide not to behave and my expectations get reversed. it opens up new avenues of thought that i probably wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.

the ace of arrows would have been the perfect card to receive as the thing to be optimistic about---a brilliant new beginning, a rush of creative energy, a powerful spark. but it isn’t very true to my life. i don’t feel at all like wands energy right now; i feel uncertain and weary. i must be wary of holding out for that mythical epiphany, the moment where i am jolted into action, seemingly by some divine force.

because there is no epiphany, that’s not how this works. (or if there is, it may never come.) i have to keep fumbling on in the dark, only able to see my immediate surroundings by the light of my hermit’s lantern, step by step by step. it’s slow, plodding work, but it needs to be done.

[fatecaster]

The Hermit – Revealing the secrets you always wanted to know - Reblog

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One of the more esoteric cards of the tarot deck is the Hermit. He is one of the cards that illuminates the inner world of the Querent.

He has ascended the heights of spiritual knowledge and fulfillment, and he stands ready to impart this knowledge if you’re willing to listen. While the high priestess represents the raw power of intuition, he is a beacon of this knowledge. You attain his strengths through careful inner work and introspection. You achieve the spirit of this card through diligent study, and by making a point to turn within to find deeper answers to universal questions. He is not your gut. He is your mind clear and transparent to you.

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Story and evolution of the card

The Hermit is part of the major arcana of tarot cards and is associated with the zodiac sign of Virgo. It's the ninth card of the deck but is associated with the number ten because the Fool is assigned the number zero. The card is often represented by a single man facing away. He holds a lamp that stands for the light of inner truth. He is alone, but content. Though he seeks his truth within he doesn’t shy away from others. In the earliest tarot decks, the card was not a hermit, but a beggar, and then a beggar with angelic wings. Over the centuries his image has evolved from this into what we recognize today.

Interesting decks in which The Hermit plays a special role

The image most recognize is from Rider-Waite deck. This deck rejects any early kabbalistic or Egyptian influences of the imagery, choosing instead to focus on early Christian mysticism and gnostic symbols.

Meaning of the card (standing)

Seeing the Hermit in a spread suggests that the Querent is in a phase of soul searching or introspection about a question or situation. It’s time to look for answers within because the truth is already there. Maybe the Querent is seeking a new direction in life but is unsure of his or her ability to proceed. The Querent knows the answer somewhere in the subconscious and must draw on hidden truths. This need for a change has something to do with the deeper meaning of life and what we are here to learn. This is not a time to seek the status quo or to continue doing what’s already been done. This card signifies a connection to the deeper truths of the universe and our relationship to the source. He is also above base judgments and can love but with detachment. He doesn’t need to change others or feel whipped about by what others do and say. Instead, he can love in a clear-headed way, and understand how different factors and influences might cause suffering and pain in others even when they don’t see it.

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Reversed meaning of the card

The reversed meaning of the Hermit can mean one of two things. If you’ve spent too much time seeking outward recognition and looking to others for your source of truth, it’s time for you to spend some time in reflection to find your inner truth again. It’s also possible that you’ve spent too much time in introspection. It’s easy to stay inward as this is a place of safety, but it’s time for you to take what you’ve learned and connect with others again. Also, it’s important to be alone for the sake of self-healing and coming to an understanding of ourselves, but spending too much time alone causes us to feel isolated and disconnected from the strength of our community. It asks you to balance these two concepts for personal development and mental and spiritual health. We shouldn’t be a slave to the opinions of others, but neither should we shut out their wisdom.

Surprising facts about the card

One its most famous depictions isn’t in a set of tarot cards. There’s a stylized version of the card illustration on the inner sleeve of Led Zeppelin’s 1971 untitled album. Fans commonly refer to this album as Led Zeppelin IV, and the artist credited with the illustration is Barrington Colby. Because little is known about this artist, many have speculated that it was Jimmy Page, the guitar player and suspected occult devotee. The card also appears as a character in several video games, including “House of the Dead” and “The Binding of Isaac.” In the movie “Now You See Me,” the card is given to one of the recruits.

What the card could mean

In a question about love, if you’re single, the card can indicate that you are tired of the single life and are looking for someone who fulfills your desire for partnership. People in relationships may find that this card indicates discord in how close the two partners are. Usually, one partner is pulling away or needing space while the other desires to draw closer.

As far as health is concerned, the Hermit can indicate that it’s time to start enjoying simple things in life. Maybe life is too busy with all the tasks that have to be done, but now is the time to reflect on areas in which self-care is lacking. There is a need to find balance and relieve stress and pressure of trying to do too many things. In career meanings, the querent is often looking for deeper meaning in wealth and career issues. Maybe the focus has been on financial wealth and outward accomplishment without regard to how the querent feels fulfilled by these things. The card suggests that it’s time to look deeper into the meaning of the querent’s life and what purpose they see themselves fulfilling.

Conclusion

My favorite depiction of the Hermit is in the Herbal Tarot. Here, we follow behind the hermit along the path to our inner enlightenment as he leads the way. The road to the mountains is a long one, but he holds the light ahead of us to make our journey easier. This card is a reminder to all to look within for strength and truth and to make that practice a divine part of every day. It is one of my favorites. How do you work with the Hermit? Let us know in the comments.

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