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?

Eight of Cups

The Eight of Cups has come up in two readings I've done over the last week.  A good friend of mine also mentioned to me, just a couple of days ago, that an image of the card made an appearance in her head as she was meditating.  As with all Tarot cards, this one deals with a universal theme—in this case, it’s abandonment, and it's certainly worth talking about!

Now, abandonment isn’t intrinsically a bad thing.  In fact, it’s generally a good idea to consider cutting ties with a project/person/organization/etc. if you have a sinking feeling or strong sense of disappointment about it, even if you’re pretty far along in the game.  This is the “cut your losses” message in the card.  As you can see in the image above, the cups are in perfectly fine condition, but the figure in the image knows that it’s time to move on…and that’s it’s in his best interest.

This card is a good example of the importance of card positioning in a spread.  If this falls in the “Distant Past” category, for example, the abandonment has come and gone, but an aspect of it is still impacting your current feelings and/or behavior (for example, you can't get over an ex, or you regret quitting your job).  If it falls in the “Possible Outcome” position, you may well have to consider leaving something (often something that seems—SEEMS—valuable) behind for the sake of your health or your sanity.  It takes a little finesse sometimes to figure out exactly who is abandoning what: are you leaving, or being left? Are you ignoring an important or potentially helpful aspect of what you’re leaving behind? Where are you going from here?

If this card ever comes up for you, consider it a message to prioritize.  Separate the wheat from the chaff, as it were, and move on to a better opportunity.  Change your perspective.  Consider what you can do to gain deeper satisfaction from life beyond the material.  Loss can sting, sure, and sometimes it comes with that price tag of grief, but the Eight of Cups implies that the trade off often makes for greater stability and happiness in the long term.

Job Spread

It seems a general consensus that this economy and job market are...well, let's say "less than desirable." Given that and the record number of career questions I've received lately, I thought I would share this Job Spread.  This is a little larger and more complicated than the average spread, but while it might look like a bit overwhelming, the positions are very insightful and focused and worth a lot of contemplation once the spread is thrown.  This spread is based on one that I found somewhere a while back, and I'll come back and edit this post once I retrace my steps and pinpoint the source. I hope this is helpful!  Here you go:

Job Spread

                 

11                  1

                      2

7                    3                   10

6         5         4         8         9

1)   What you want for yourself

2)   Who or what will help

3)   What you should focus on

4)   The turning point:  the event that changes things

5)   A possible new direction in employment/work

6)   Synchronistic signal:  an important event on this new path that you’ll recognize when it happens

7)   Ultimate attainment on this path

8)   A second possible direction

9)   Synchronistic signal:  an important event on this path that you will recognize when it happens

10)    Ultimate achievement on this path

11)    What you need to know to choose the direction that suits you

A tip: if you look at this as broken up into sections as follows, it might be easier to read:

1-2-3

4

5-6-7

8-9-10

11

Asking Your Question

A good Tarot reading starts off with a good question. Obvious, maybe, but more involved than you would think. So, a few words on that!

Pointed yes-or-no questions (and questions of a similar nature requiring data or exact predictions) will by and large end up offering insight only and will likely not give the direct yes-or-no response you might want. It's best to phrase questions in one of the following ways:

What is the best way to go about…?

What do I need to know about…?
What influences are surrounding…?
Am I on the best path? What will get me on the best/right path?
What do I need to reflect on in order to…?
What strengths and weaknesses do I need to consider in order to…?
What do I need to know, in general, in order to be my best self?
What can I do about...?
What will boost my intellectual curiosity?
How can I motivate myself to...?
How can I best…? 

What do I need to know about this point in my life?

How can I improve my [home; career; finances; relationship]? 

What is holding me back/blocking my progress?  

 These are just a very few examples, but you probably get the idea. Using a question format along the lines of one of those above is the best way to get the most accurate and thorough insight. Some of the above questions/question starters are great for specific queries, and some are great for "open" readings, which are more along the lines of discovering hidden influences, opportunities for assistance, warnings of obstacles, etc. that the cards "pick up" on with a more general question (like: "What do I need to know at this juncture of my life?"). These are very popular with clients and usually end up pinpointing something crucial to an overall understanding of the client's circumstances. Before any reading, I always confer in detail with the querent (old-school word common in Tarot for the seeker, or client) on phrasing the question to avoid those that the Tarot cannot reflect upon appropriately. There is much to say on this subject, but the gist is above. When you ask your Tarot reader a question, remember: clarity begets clarity!

By the way, I chose the Page of Pentacles (though any of the four Pages would have been as apt) as an image representative of this post as the Pages are all about inquiry. Each page considers the essence of his or her suit (a Page might be a young boy OR girl), holds it, uses it with fresh senses, and examines it, seeking to learn and understand its qualities.