Blessings in Disguise

I get this a lot: "Jeez, some of these cards look pretty scary...". Let me first say that even all so-called "good" cards have a "shadow" side--either too much of a good thing (love is great, for example, but too much is smothering), or a good thing too narrowly construed, or something else along those lines. Every "good" card has the potential to bathe the message in a less flattering, even undesirable, light. The same goes for so-called "bad" or "scary" cards; they virtually scream that "This, too, shall pass," and things can only get better. For purposes of this discussion, by the way, I'm talking about upright cards and their meanings--reversals, or the card falling in an upside-down position, definitely change the meaning. More on that in a future blog post! 

The cards run the full gamut of human emotion, and aspects of fear, grief, loss, and pain are an undeniable part of that. We must recognize and accept these concepts, embrace them, learn from them, and turn them around. Think of the Wheel of Fortune card: whether you're on the top going down or the bottom going up, what goes around comes around, and we must be prepared to deal with it all. There is actually comfort in being able to prepare for a possible unpleasant influence when a spread indicates that such an influence is in your path; on the flip side, one of these cards might turn up in a category like "Fading Influences" or "Distant Past," which basically means that the unpleasantness has run its course and the clouds are parting, so prepare for smooth sailing ahead.

Here are three cards that some might consider "scary" followed by brief examples of their positive, perhaps less obvious, aspects (again, I'm dealing with upright meanings only for this exercise):

Death: This card isn't telling you that you or someone you love is going to die, period. The skeleton imagery is a little off-putting for some, but ultimately this is a card of transformation, of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly. It is one chapter closing and another starting. There are MANY positive aspects to this card.

The Devil: This is a card of human bondage--think addiction. Take a close look at the two human figures, though; they have chains around their necks, yes, but the chains are loosely draped and can easily be lifted off. This card tells you that while you may be trapped in a poisonous cycle, you have the power to lift yourself up.

10 of Swords: Stick a fork in me, I'm done. We have a guy laying on a beach with 10 big ol' swords jabbed into his back. What's so great about this? A few things. First of all, things can't get any worse, and that's always good to know. Second, look at the sky: it's symbolic of a very positive change on the horizon, fading from black to a serene yellow. Things are turning around, and the worst is behind you.

These are just some scenes in brief. Don't be scared of the cards; they are there to guide you, to show you how to use your strengths and weaknesses, and, most of all, to prepare you mentally and emotionally for possibilities. We aren't doing ourselves any favors by ignoring some less-than-glowing scenarios. Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?