The Fool - Vagabond (Orthotopic)
Card Description
As Card 0, the Fool lies at the beginning of the major arcana, but also somewhat apart from the other cards. In medieval courts, the court jester was someone who was not expected to follow the same rules as others. He could observe and then poke fun. This makes the Fool unpredictable and full of surprises. He reminds us of the unlimited potential and spontaneity inherent in every moment. There is a sense with this card that anything goes - nothing is certain or regular. The Fool adds the new and unfamiliar to a situation.
The Fool also represents the complete faith that life is good and worthy of trust. Some might call the Fool too innocent, but his innocence sustains him and brings him joy.
Fortune - Love
Being single, you will have a carefree yet romantic relationship. Your lover is even-tempered and tractable. S/he has nothing to worry about. Because of that, being simple-minded and naive, h/she is also audacious and dauntless, Only rely on his/her intuition, irrational and never plans ahead. Strangers see him/ her as feverish child. However, in fact, s/he is very thoughtful, opinionated and optimistic. Others’ opinions would not make him/her unhappy. For lovers, this card represents the progression of their relationship to be sustained at ease. But of course, it also depends on individuals’ effort and how they manage their relationship (for a better and perfect result).
The Fool - Vagabond (Inversus):Your lover is a vagrant who wanders from place to place. His/her disorderly behavior, carelessness and eccentric temper will hurt your relationship. If you are married, then your life will be temporarily be bounded by marriage.
The Magician - Creation (Orthotopic)
Card Description
The Magician is the archetype of the active, masculine principle - the ultimate achiever. He symbolizes the power to tap universal forces and use them for creative purposes. Note his stance in the picture. He acts as a lightening rod - one arm extended up into the Divine for inspiration, the other pointing toward Earth to ground this potent energy.
What makes the Magician so powerful? First, he is not afraid to act. He believes in himself and is willing to put that belief on the line. He also knows what he intends to do and why. He doesn't hesitate because he understands his situation exactly. The Magician can focus with single-minded determination. As long as he remembers the divine source of his power, the Magician remains the perfect conduit for miracles.
Fortune - Love
You will be widely welcomed by the opposite sex because of your initiative. You are a person with confidence and you have a firm grasp of the present. In a new romance, the process will be very happy, and the fresh love brings you good mood.
The Magician - Creation (Inversus):There might be some personal reasons that prevent you from expressing your ideas, thereby missing on an opportunity. Regarding your love life, you have a high possibility or risk of getting deceived. There are no more passion and enthusiasm between you and your lover, which may be entering a bottleneck period.
The High Priestess - Wisdom (Orthotopic)
Card Description
The High Priestess is the guardian of the unconscious. She sits in front of the thin veil of unawareness which is all that separates us from our inner landscape. She contains within herself the secrets of these realms and offers us the silent invitation, 'Be still and know that I am God.'
The High Priestess is the feminine principle that balances the masculine force of the Magician. The feminine archetype in the tarot is split between the High Priestess and the Empress. The High Priestess is the mysterious unknown that women often represent, especially in cultures that focus on the tangible and known. The Empress represents woman's role as the crucible of life.
Fortune - Love
For singles, you yearn for Platonic love, paying special attention to spiritual love. You and your lover mainly communicate spiritually as you do not see each other regularly. If you already have a lover, the existing affection is too light and dull. Your lover might not be able to accept this method of love, which causes the relationship to become blurry.
The High Priestess - Wisdom (Inversus):No results of unrequited love. Your lover is a perfectionist, or s/he insists to be single and believes in celibacy. If you are a male, you will encounter a female who is very conservative, non-romantic and unorganized. If you are a female, you will encounter a male who is arrogant and chauvinistic.
The Empress - Harvest (Orthotopic)
Card Description
The Empress and the High Priestess are the two halves of the female archetype in the major arcana. The Empress represents the fertile, life-giving Mother who reigns over the bounty of nature and the rhythms of the Earth. From her comes all the pleasures and joys of the senses and the abundance of new life in all its forms. The Empress encourages you to strengthen your connections with the natural world which is the ground of our being. Too often false sophistications and pleasures take us far from our roots. Let the Empress remind you to keep your feet firmly planted in the Earth.
Fortune - Love
Your affection will end up with happiness and flawless. It is the right time for you and your lover to get marry. For female, you will become the focal point of many. You will receive appreciation and pursuit of the opposite sex. You are full of femininity and motherhood when you are in front of others. For male, you are charming and elegant; you will receive a lot of compliments from the opposite sex.
The Empress - Harvest (Inversus):You are in the state of emotional confusion and uncertainty. You may encounter an abnormal relationship. If you are already in love, the honeymoon period is gradually disappearing. For males, you may encounter a lover who lacks of femininity.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Saturday 21 May 2011
Is the Tarot Still Relevant in the 21st Century?
Is the Tarot Still Relevant in the 21st Century?
With its ancient symbols of Emperors and Queens, Swords and Knights, the tarot deck may seem like an outdated relic from the past. This is quite far from the truth. The illustrations and titles of each card may often come from a different era in human history, but they quite easily apply to contemporary life. While the cards were designed with the situations of the time when the world was young, they resonate today with timeless symbols that can be applied to our busy modern world. From discovering intimate details about the future of your love life to painting the big picture of where your career is going in a high-tech universe, a tarot reading illustrates the cityscape of your life.
One must look at each image in the tarot deck as an archetype. A castle painted in antiquity meant the same thing to the king and queen that your house or apartment mean to you. Children appear in the tarot deck and contemporary psychology spends much of its resources discussing the inner child we all privilege or punish. Centuries of tarot readings prepared the world for Freud's theories and together these define our contemporary consciousness.
Some of the deck's most ancient illustrations can, using their illustrated subjects, be seen as archetypes for some of the most contemporary situations. Read the analysis below to see if your modern life was painted correctly by the ancient world.
The Hermit
While The Hermit card depicts a man dressed in robes alone on a mountaintop and sees with the aid of an ancient lantern light, imagine surfing the internet for knowledge, the lone glowing screen of information lighting up your darkened room. He might even be wearing a bathrobe.
Pentacles
It is easy to read the coins in tarot as metaphors for money, but look a little deeper. The star engraved on each coin is what makes it a pentacle and is actually indicative of money passing through our hands as energy to assist personal growth. The five pointed star illustrated on pentacle cards is actually a continuous line with no breaks, no beginning and no end, like a dollar circulating from consumer to retailer to producer and back to consumer.
Swords
In an era when the police carry guns, swords are a quaint notion of defending a medieval fortress. But the archetype of the sword goes far beyond its military use. Words that turn a critique into an argument are called cutting. A partner saying something that hurts is said to have a sharp tongue. There might be more instances in contemporary life for a metaphorical sword to hurt us than there was when the tarot deck was first illustrated.
The Empress
On a throne surrounded by ancient symbols, The Empress hardly seems like a girlfriend you would add to your Facebook or MySpace friends list. And yet there she is, on a throne in the middle of a field, a forest far behind, holding a bejweled staff, wearing a diamond-encrusted tiara and draped in some outlandish fashion. Her purse has the symbol for Venus, reminding everyone that this shopaholic princess enjoys being a girl. Isn't every mall in America overrun with aspiring Empresses each weekend?
The Emperor
The Emperor on a throne might serve a fairy tale well, but how does the modern world of elected leaders in business suits reflect the tarot's indicator of certain and forceful masculine energy? Anyone who has ever had an imperious boss who barked ultimatums from his office chair might swear they saw a heavy crown and long grey beard in between the shouts for more coffee coming from behind that desk.
The Devil
In a world where extreme horror movies outpace any ancient notion of a terrifying demonic force, The Devil card in tarot reveals some subtleties that reflect contemporary horrors. In the card, a man and a woman are both chained to the feet of the Devil's throne. This is a metaphor for addiction. The Devil card appears in contemporary readings that reveal someone in your life chained to a drug or alcohol problem and possibly chaining you to their disease through codependency.
The Knight Of Wands
A man in armor riding on horseback carrying a tree branch is not exactly someone you see on your way to class or the office every weekday. The ancient symbol of creative inspiration is something, though, that will come in handy for current times should it appear in your reading. Wands are seen as metaphors for resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirit. The ancients crafted useful tools out of fallen tree branches, walking staffs to assist arduous journeys. The metaphor for using a creative idea to become a success is as modern an idea as a fast internet connection. Knights were the medieval message bearers, defenders of territory and seekers of glory on behalf of their kingdom. If your boss believes in tarot, let him or her know when you have drawn the Knight of Wands card — your inspirations about where to go could lead the company to great successes.
The Hanged Man
Far from a card depicting a lynching, The Hanged Man card shows a man hanging upside down, tied to a tree by his ankles. On closer examination, the tree seems to have been constructed from timber, not grown from the ground. And with his hands behind him, we cannot tell if the man is bound or simply hiding his hands. A halo surrounds him, making further contemplation at least consider that he is in a self-induced predicament. The Hanged Man card represents those life situations about which we complain that we put ourselves in from the beginning, often almost willingly. If any card of the deck describes modern life the best, this one might take the prize.
No card in the tarot is devoid of meaning for contemporary life. It is up to your tarot reader to apply the ancient archetypes and symbols to your current world and specific situation.
With its ancient symbols of Emperors and Queens, Swords and Knights, the tarot deck may seem like an outdated relic from the past. This is quite far from the truth. The illustrations and titles of each card may often come from a different era in human history, but they quite easily apply to contemporary life. While the cards were designed with the situations of the time when the world was young, they resonate today with timeless symbols that can be applied to our busy modern world. From discovering intimate details about the future of your love life to painting the big picture of where your career is going in a high-tech universe, a tarot reading illustrates the cityscape of your life.
One must look at each image in the tarot deck as an archetype. A castle painted in antiquity meant the same thing to the king and queen that your house or apartment mean to you. Children appear in the tarot deck and contemporary psychology spends much of its resources discussing the inner child we all privilege or punish. Centuries of tarot readings prepared the world for Freud's theories and together these define our contemporary consciousness.
Some of the deck's most ancient illustrations can, using their illustrated subjects, be seen as archetypes for some of the most contemporary situations. Read the analysis below to see if your modern life was painted correctly by the ancient world.
The Hermit
While The Hermit card depicts a man dressed in robes alone on a mountaintop and sees with the aid of an ancient lantern light, imagine surfing the internet for knowledge, the lone glowing screen of information lighting up your darkened room. He might even be wearing a bathrobe.
Pentacles
It is easy to read the coins in tarot as metaphors for money, but look a little deeper. The star engraved on each coin is what makes it a pentacle and is actually indicative of money passing through our hands as energy to assist personal growth. The five pointed star illustrated on pentacle cards is actually a continuous line with no breaks, no beginning and no end, like a dollar circulating from consumer to retailer to producer and back to consumer.
Swords
In an era when the police carry guns, swords are a quaint notion of defending a medieval fortress. But the archetype of the sword goes far beyond its military use. Words that turn a critique into an argument are called cutting. A partner saying something that hurts is said to have a sharp tongue. There might be more instances in contemporary life for a metaphorical sword to hurt us than there was when the tarot deck was first illustrated.
The Empress
On a throne surrounded by ancient symbols, The Empress hardly seems like a girlfriend you would add to your Facebook or MySpace friends list. And yet there she is, on a throne in the middle of a field, a forest far behind, holding a bejweled staff, wearing a diamond-encrusted tiara and draped in some outlandish fashion. Her purse has the symbol for Venus, reminding everyone that this shopaholic princess enjoys being a girl. Isn't every mall in America overrun with aspiring Empresses each weekend?
The Emperor
The Emperor on a throne might serve a fairy tale well, but how does the modern world of elected leaders in business suits reflect the tarot's indicator of certain and forceful masculine energy? Anyone who has ever had an imperious boss who barked ultimatums from his office chair might swear they saw a heavy crown and long grey beard in between the shouts for more coffee coming from behind that desk.
The Devil
In a world where extreme horror movies outpace any ancient notion of a terrifying demonic force, The Devil card in tarot reveals some subtleties that reflect contemporary horrors. In the card, a man and a woman are both chained to the feet of the Devil's throne. This is a metaphor for addiction. The Devil card appears in contemporary readings that reveal someone in your life chained to a drug or alcohol problem and possibly chaining you to their disease through codependency.
The Knight Of Wands
A man in armor riding on horseback carrying a tree branch is not exactly someone you see on your way to class or the office every weekday. The ancient symbol of creative inspiration is something, though, that will come in handy for current times should it appear in your reading. Wands are seen as metaphors for resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirit. The ancients crafted useful tools out of fallen tree branches, walking staffs to assist arduous journeys. The metaphor for using a creative idea to become a success is as modern an idea as a fast internet connection. Knights were the medieval message bearers, defenders of territory and seekers of glory on behalf of their kingdom. If your boss believes in tarot, let him or her know when you have drawn the Knight of Wands card — your inspirations about where to go could lead the company to great successes.
The Hanged Man
Far from a card depicting a lynching, The Hanged Man card shows a man hanging upside down, tied to a tree by his ankles. On closer examination, the tree seems to have been constructed from timber, not grown from the ground. And with his hands behind him, we cannot tell if the man is bound or simply hiding his hands. A halo surrounds him, making further contemplation at least consider that he is in a self-induced predicament. The Hanged Man card represents those life situations about which we complain that we put ourselves in from the beginning, often almost willingly. If any card of the deck describes modern life the best, this one might take the prize.
No card in the tarot is devoid of meaning for contemporary life. It is up to your tarot reader to apply the ancient archetypes and symbols to your current world and specific situation.
Manifesting with a Tarot Reader
Manifesting with a Tarot Reader
By Advisor "Chanel the Psychic Radio Host"
As a tarot reader, I often get questions that relate to the future. For example:
Is my boyfriend coming back?
When will a job call me?
When am I getting married and to whom?
When will I get money?
When do you see me being happy?
The list could go on and on. However, the problem with these types of questions is that they are detached from our situation. It's as if we want life to happen to us and make everything right without our own participation in making life happen for ourselves. We forget that we have been given the gift of free will and the ability to direct ourselves towards the life we choose. Sometimes, it's not that we have forgotten, but that we don't want the responsibility of governing our own lives. If we fail, then what does that say about us?
First off, to get over defeatist thinking, we need to look at life as an obstacle course, rather than a series of failures. Some strong advice that one often hears is, "If you can't change it, don't." However, one can also embrace the advice, "If you want to change it, then do it!"
That's where manifestation comes in to play. To manifest, means to bring about change or to produce something from thin air. But there are some misconceptions about manifestation. Clients who consult tarot readers about questions like those above sometimes get upset if their advisor cannot manifest the outcome they are seeking. Some clients may honestly feel that advisors have the ability to produce the results they want. Others would probably prefer being lied to as long as the outcome is positive and some just refuse to take responsibility for their own lives.
Tarot readers cannot manifest changes in your life. What they can do is:
Help you find out what is holding you back from attaining or achieving your desired outcome.
Find the obstacles in your way.
Tell you if you are on the right track or not.
Look at the energy of the manifesting and get an understanding of the forces you are working with.
Let's look at a couple of the above questions:
1.Is my boyfriend coming back?
No tarot reader can make your boyfriend come back. He will reenter your life only by his own free will. And carefully consider whether or not you really want him back. It's no fun having a boyfriend around who in his heart of hearts doesn't truly want to be with you.
But let's say, for the sake of argument, that you would like him to return.
Look at the energy of the situation, as it exists now.
Is he open to coming back?
Why do you want him to come back?
Look at the breakdown of the relationship.
Where did things go wrong?
What lesson could you learn from the relationship?
Look at whether or not you want the relationship to exist as it was and why. Really search through the whys.
What do you want and need in a relationship?
Now you are at a point that you can manifest your future. Are you still asking, "Is my boyfriend coming back?" Or would you rather ask, "How can I bring about the relationship that I would like to have in the future?" When you ask this latter question, it puts you in control of your situation. You are not dependent on your ex to give you what you feel you desperately need in your life. Embracing the power to manifest the type of relationship you want and need makes a huge impact on your life. You and your tarot reader can still root for your ex to live up to your expectations, but in case he isn't capable or isn't interested, there is still room for you to bring the perfect guy into your life, through manifestation.
2.When will the job call me?
First off, what have you done to get in touch with the job that you desire? Tarot cards would be better used in this situation for showing:
What you need to work on to qualify for the job.
What is holding you back from getting a desired position.
What is the potential of you getting a particular job.
What is the employer looking for in a person.
Manifestation is about knowing your boundaries, your odds, and what you are up against. Get all your facts together first, then you can manifest the desired outcome.
Now let's apply the rules of Manifesting:
1.Know what you want to manifest and why
Understand your motivations. When you manifest your desires, you need to be aware if they are coming from a place of purity, or neediness, or anger, etc. You want to be in a grounded place. The desires should not reinforce crutches like an excessive need for money, fear, addiction, temptations, insecurities, etc. Be careful what you ask for, as the saying goes - you just might get it! Sometimes you work hard alongside the Universe in order to manifest things into your life that you don't really want. The repercussions can be unsettling.
2.Understand the obstacles that hold you back
Obstacles are things that hold you back and keep you from manifesting your potential. For example, an obstacle could be a mindset that insists you cannot do something. It could be a fear of changing your lifestyle or making a commitment. A fantasy could be an obstacle; perhaps you are missing or ignoring great opportunities because you are off chasing dreams that have no chance of being fulfilled. The sooner you identify the obstacles you are creating, the sooner you can remove them.
Don't blame others for not getting what you want. Another person is not an obstacle! All people have free will and move around as they wish. They are not an obstacle and don't hold you back unless you choose to allow that to happen.
3.Get any additional information that you need to know
Seek out guidance, hidden energies or a lesson you need to learn and make sure that what you want to manifest is the right path for you. Perhaps you are not getting what you want because you need to be on another path.
4.Put a plan into place
Jot down your intentions and how you are going to achieve them. Brainstorm to come up with various avenues for success. For example, if you want to get your dream job, think of as many ways as you can to achieve this intent. You could volunteer or do an internship. You could plan an elevator meeting or put your resume in the newspaper. You could network and see if anyone you know has a contact in your desired field. Search want ads and visit the company with a presentation in tow.
Jot down exactly what it is you want to accomplish and then brainstorm your way to the top!
5.Start Manifesting
Manifesting is pushing energy into a direction that will produce your desired intent. Pushing energy involves thought, intent and action.
Put the thought of what you really want out into the universe; define, see and believe it.
State your intent.
Take action – take all the ideas you came up with for achieving your intent and act on them.
Sit back and forget about your intent for a while; give your manifestation time to work out.
If you need to do a follow up with a reader to see how the energy went out and where it's going, that's fine. Keep good and positive vibes going by believing and knowing that it will happen, just as you had intended. And if you run into another stumbling block, contact your tarot reader to explore what is holding you back and put the control back into your life.
By Advisor "Chanel the Psychic Radio Host"
As a tarot reader, I often get questions that relate to the future. For example:
Is my boyfriend coming back?
When will a job call me?
When am I getting married and to whom?
When will I get money?
When do you see me being happy?
The list could go on and on. However, the problem with these types of questions is that they are detached from our situation. It's as if we want life to happen to us and make everything right without our own participation in making life happen for ourselves. We forget that we have been given the gift of free will and the ability to direct ourselves towards the life we choose. Sometimes, it's not that we have forgotten, but that we don't want the responsibility of governing our own lives. If we fail, then what does that say about us?
First off, to get over defeatist thinking, we need to look at life as an obstacle course, rather than a series of failures. Some strong advice that one often hears is, "If you can't change it, don't." However, one can also embrace the advice, "If you want to change it, then do it!"
That's where manifestation comes in to play. To manifest, means to bring about change or to produce something from thin air. But there are some misconceptions about manifestation. Clients who consult tarot readers about questions like those above sometimes get upset if their advisor cannot manifest the outcome they are seeking. Some clients may honestly feel that advisors have the ability to produce the results they want. Others would probably prefer being lied to as long as the outcome is positive and some just refuse to take responsibility for their own lives.
Tarot readers cannot manifest changes in your life. What they can do is:
Help you find out what is holding you back from attaining or achieving your desired outcome.
Find the obstacles in your way.
Tell you if you are on the right track or not.
Look at the energy of the manifesting and get an understanding of the forces you are working with.
Let's look at a couple of the above questions:
1.Is my boyfriend coming back?
No tarot reader can make your boyfriend come back. He will reenter your life only by his own free will. And carefully consider whether or not you really want him back. It's no fun having a boyfriend around who in his heart of hearts doesn't truly want to be with you.
But let's say, for the sake of argument, that you would like him to return.
Look at the energy of the situation, as it exists now.
Is he open to coming back?
Why do you want him to come back?
Look at the breakdown of the relationship.
Where did things go wrong?
What lesson could you learn from the relationship?
Look at whether or not you want the relationship to exist as it was and why. Really search through the whys.
What do you want and need in a relationship?
Now you are at a point that you can manifest your future. Are you still asking, "Is my boyfriend coming back?" Or would you rather ask, "How can I bring about the relationship that I would like to have in the future?" When you ask this latter question, it puts you in control of your situation. You are not dependent on your ex to give you what you feel you desperately need in your life. Embracing the power to manifest the type of relationship you want and need makes a huge impact on your life. You and your tarot reader can still root for your ex to live up to your expectations, but in case he isn't capable or isn't interested, there is still room for you to bring the perfect guy into your life, through manifestation.
2.When will the job call me?
First off, what have you done to get in touch with the job that you desire? Tarot cards would be better used in this situation for showing:
What you need to work on to qualify for the job.
What is holding you back from getting a desired position.
What is the potential of you getting a particular job.
What is the employer looking for in a person.
Manifestation is about knowing your boundaries, your odds, and what you are up against. Get all your facts together first, then you can manifest the desired outcome.
Now let's apply the rules of Manifesting:
1.Know what you want to manifest and why
Understand your motivations. When you manifest your desires, you need to be aware if they are coming from a place of purity, or neediness, or anger, etc. You want to be in a grounded place. The desires should not reinforce crutches like an excessive need for money, fear, addiction, temptations, insecurities, etc. Be careful what you ask for, as the saying goes - you just might get it! Sometimes you work hard alongside the Universe in order to manifest things into your life that you don't really want. The repercussions can be unsettling.
2.Understand the obstacles that hold you back
Obstacles are things that hold you back and keep you from manifesting your potential. For example, an obstacle could be a mindset that insists you cannot do something. It could be a fear of changing your lifestyle or making a commitment. A fantasy could be an obstacle; perhaps you are missing or ignoring great opportunities because you are off chasing dreams that have no chance of being fulfilled. The sooner you identify the obstacles you are creating, the sooner you can remove them.
Don't blame others for not getting what you want. Another person is not an obstacle! All people have free will and move around as they wish. They are not an obstacle and don't hold you back unless you choose to allow that to happen.
3.Get any additional information that you need to know
Seek out guidance, hidden energies or a lesson you need to learn and make sure that what you want to manifest is the right path for you. Perhaps you are not getting what you want because you need to be on another path.
4.Put a plan into place
Jot down your intentions and how you are going to achieve them. Brainstorm to come up with various avenues for success. For example, if you want to get your dream job, think of as many ways as you can to achieve this intent. You could volunteer or do an internship. You could plan an elevator meeting or put your resume in the newspaper. You could network and see if anyone you know has a contact in your desired field. Search want ads and visit the company with a presentation in tow.
Jot down exactly what it is you want to accomplish and then brainstorm your way to the top!
5.Start Manifesting
Manifesting is pushing energy into a direction that will produce your desired intent. Pushing energy involves thought, intent and action.
Put the thought of what you really want out into the universe; define, see and believe it.
State your intent.
Take action – take all the ideas you came up with for achieving your intent and act on them.
Sit back and forget about your intent for a while; give your manifestation time to work out.
If you need to do a follow up with a reader to see how the energy went out and where it's going, that's fine. Keep good and positive vibes going by believing and knowing that it will happen, just as you had intended. And if you run into another stumbling block, contact your tarot reader to explore what is holding you back and put the control back into your life.
The Number Five Cards of the Tarot
Has a source of power and control become apparent as it increases its dominance? Is there a release of energy in a controlled environment for a stated purpose occurring in your life right now? Will you be able to name the thing that holds sway over your efforts? A Tarot card with a five on it will be released into your reading when these issues are at the forefront.
Sexual prowess is released in this number that simultaneously controls and enslaves our lust. Addictions and commitments become two sides of the same coin. When a card with the number five on it appears in your Tarot reading, you are either in control or completely submissive.
Power is prevalent in all relationships, be they between two people, or between individuals and institutions, other groups or the culture at large. Some of our major emotional responses in life are to having power or to being under the control of another. When we are locked in the throes of addiction or the arms of love, we are submitting body and soul to something or someone.
Fives are ruled by the Hierophant. This is the Tarot card of the ultimate authority on earth as the medieval seers who composed the original Tarot could express: God's will. This is the only card with the number five that indicates you are maintaining control over your domain. The Hierophant is numbered five.
The Devil is numbered fifteen and carries the opposite of the Hierophant. The power you have is not a divine self-control but rather an unleashed energy that is difficult to harness. The Devil has a potency to bring much gain, but is a card of unintended consequences that could leave you powerless or in the service of a brutal, unforgiving master, be it drugs or a manipulative lover.
The Five of Cups is the card that reminds us that even in the powerlessness of grief, we still have a chance to control our emotions. The Five of Wands indicates that the petty fights we are engaging in are of no consequence beyond diverting us from seizing our creative inspiration.
The Five of Swords is the card of cheap victory, of winning control but ending up with nothing worth having power over. The Five of Pentacles is the Tarot's way of describing your alienation from a large group or institution, be it a school, church, employer or other large enterprise.
If your Tarot reading has more than one of these cards with a five, you are most definitely in a power struggle of some sorts. Do you need anger management classes? Are you going back again and again to a lover who mistreats you? Are you withholding love in a relationship in order to maximize your dominance in the partnership?
Each Tarot reading places cards in positions to indicate your past, present or future. When a card with a number five lands in the past position, the foundation of your current situation is one involving a lack of control, an outburst or a repression of feelings. When a Five card lands in the present position, you are empowered like never before; take charge of your own destiny. In the future position, Fives are a great warning for us to look at the structure of things now in order to maintain control in the coming weeks or avoid being sent into servitude in the coming years.
The Heirophant
This priest is the highest spiritual authority within a set establishment. This is a card of controlling a specific part of your life. It could mean mastering the culture and requirements at school. Being handed some authority at a job might be in the cards when you get the Hierophant in your Tarot reading.
The regal man sitting on the throne is the priestly representative of heaven's will on earth. The acolyte priests willingly kneel in a gesture of self-control, respect and humility.
The Devil
Eerily similar to the Hierophant, this winged beast squats on a post instead of a throne and holds no heavenly status. His two servants are shamelessly nude in their pleasure seeking yet remain chained. They are enslaved to the things that are supposed to bring them joy but have become escapes from reality.
The power in this card is harnessing all of your self-centeredness and moving forward - being chained to a commitment to better your status. Too many people, though, get a little success and indulge too deeply in the dark side.
Five of Swords
Like the Hierophant and the Devil cards, this picture features one central character and two subservient ones. As the haggard man smirks at his enemies dropping their swords, it is painfully apparent that they have not been defeated but are rather walking away in disgust.
Perhaps the man did not fight fair; perhaps the fight was not worth the energy. Regardless, the battle is over and the man is overjoyed in collecting the bounty of surrendered swords. But the sad scene indicates that his is a hollow, lonely victory.
Five of Wands
Five boys are playing; each with a wooden walking stick, or wand, flailing at each other, yet nobody is hurt. Are you spending the time you have playing creatively? Is this frivolity a waste of time, or is it a valuable recharging of your batteries?
You do not always have the power to choose when and where you vacation or enjoy a spot of recreation. The Five of Wands reminds you to take valuable time off having fun. But in resting and relaxing, let your creativity be put to the challenge of games and speculations. Wands rule creativity.
Five of Pentacles
If you are feeling on the outside of a group, consider what the lack of power means in crippling your ambition. The chance to make amends and be redeemed might seem impossible. And yet the light from your association with this group still glows within.
Sometimes we just do not fit in and other times we abandon organizations that might otherwise work with us to find a role. If you have been on the outside looking in, the two cripples in this card will underscore the point of your lowest feelings. Again, a Five card features two people on the outs.
Five of Cups
Two cups are left despite the misery and grief on display in a figure hiding his face in shame. Or perhaps that is guilt. Cups represent emotion and he does not seem aware of the two chances at redemption that are still available.
The three cups are definitely spilled and gone. But the water from the river rages on. At the point where we feel most powerless, the universe may be conspiring to remind us that love, the ultimate power, is all around.
In Conclusion
The Tarot cards with the number five are your best bet to explain a relationship that is unbalanced, or a sense that only one narrow path of behavior will be acceptable. This is a group of Tarot cards that reminds us to enjoy the few times we experience true equity in relationships because the nature of things is balanced toward someone or something having more control and power than others.
Sexual prowess is released in this number that simultaneously controls and enslaves our lust. Addictions and commitments become two sides of the same coin. When a card with the number five on it appears in your Tarot reading, you are either in control or completely submissive.
Power is prevalent in all relationships, be they between two people, or between individuals and institutions, other groups or the culture at large. Some of our major emotional responses in life are to having power or to being under the control of another. When we are locked in the throes of addiction or the arms of love, we are submitting body and soul to something or someone.
Fives are ruled by the Hierophant. This is the Tarot card of the ultimate authority on earth as the medieval seers who composed the original Tarot could express: God's will. This is the only card with the number five that indicates you are maintaining control over your domain. The Hierophant is numbered five.
The Devil is numbered fifteen and carries the opposite of the Hierophant. The power you have is not a divine self-control but rather an unleashed energy that is difficult to harness. The Devil has a potency to bring much gain, but is a card of unintended consequences that could leave you powerless or in the service of a brutal, unforgiving master, be it drugs or a manipulative lover.
The Five of Cups is the card that reminds us that even in the powerlessness of grief, we still have a chance to control our emotions. The Five of Wands indicates that the petty fights we are engaging in are of no consequence beyond diverting us from seizing our creative inspiration.
The Five of Swords is the card of cheap victory, of winning control but ending up with nothing worth having power over. The Five of Pentacles is the Tarot's way of describing your alienation from a large group or institution, be it a school, church, employer or other large enterprise.
If your Tarot reading has more than one of these cards with a five, you are most definitely in a power struggle of some sorts. Do you need anger management classes? Are you going back again and again to a lover who mistreats you? Are you withholding love in a relationship in order to maximize your dominance in the partnership?
Each Tarot reading places cards in positions to indicate your past, present or future. When a card with a number five lands in the past position, the foundation of your current situation is one involving a lack of control, an outburst or a repression of feelings. When a Five card lands in the present position, you are empowered like never before; take charge of your own destiny. In the future position, Fives are a great warning for us to look at the structure of things now in order to maintain control in the coming weeks or avoid being sent into servitude in the coming years.
The Heirophant
This priest is the highest spiritual authority within a set establishment. This is a card of controlling a specific part of your life. It could mean mastering the culture and requirements at school. Being handed some authority at a job might be in the cards when you get the Hierophant in your Tarot reading.
The regal man sitting on the throne is the priestly representative of heaven's will on earth. The acolyte priests willingly kneel in a gesture of self-control, respect and humility.
The Devil
Eerily similar to the Hierophant, this winged beast squats on a post instead of a throne and holds no heavenly status. His two servants are shamelessly nude in their pleasure seeking yet remain chained. They are enslaved to the things that are supposed to bring them joy but have become escapes from reality.
The power in this card is harnessing all of your self-centeredness and moving forward - being chained to a commitment to better your status. Too many people, though, get a little success and indulge too deeply in the dark side.
Five of Swords
Like the Hierophant and the Devil cards, this picture features one central character and two subservient ones. As the haggard man smirks at his enemies dropping their swords, it is painfully apparent that they have not been defeated but are rather walking away in disgust.
Perhaps the man did not fight fair; perhaps the fight was not worth the energy. Regardless, the battle is over and the man is overjoyed in collecting the bounty of surrendered swords. But the sad scene indicates that his is a hollow, lonely victory.
Five of Wands
Five boys are playing; each with a wooden walking stick, or wand, flailing at each other, yet nobody is hurt. Are you spending the time you have playing creatively? Is this frivolity a waste of time, or is it a valuable recharging of your batteries?
You do not always have the power to choose when and where you vacation or enjoy a spot of recreation. The Five of Wands reminds you to take valuable time off having fun. But in resting and relaxing, let your creativity be put to the challenge of games and speculations. Wands rule creativity.
Five of Pentacles
If you are feeling on the outside of a group, consider what the lack of power means in crippling your ambition. The chance to make amends and be redeemed might seem impossible. And yet the light from your association with this group still glows within.
Sometimes we just do not fit in and other times we abandon organizations that might otherwise work with us to find a role. If you have been on the outside looking in, the two cripples in this card will underscore the point of your lowest feelings. Again, a Five card features two people on the outs.
Five of Cups
Two cups are left despite the misery and grief on display in a figure hiding his face in shame. Or perhaps that is guilt. Cups represent emotion and he does not seem aware of the two chances at redemption that are still available.
The three cups are definitely spilled and gone. But the water from the river rages on. At the point where we feel most powerless, the universe may be conspiring to remind us that love, the ultimate power, is all around.
In Conclusion
The Tarot cards with the number five are your best bet to explain a relationship that is unbalanced, or a sense that only one narrow path of behavior will be acceptable. This is a group of Tarot cards that reminds us to enjoy the few times we experience true equity in relationships because the nature of things is balanced toward someone or something having more control and power than others.
The Number Four Cards of the Tarot
When things are stable in your life, expect to see some cards with the number four on them in your Tarot reading. This is the number of stability and consistency. There are four suits in the Tarot deck and four seasons on earth. This natural order of things is often disrupted for short bursts, but it is more likely to trend toward constancy than maintain any of the disruptive energy.
Revolutions do not occur under the four, but they may be inspired by the long uninterrupted stasis that underscores it. The timeframe starts as a comforting security and consistency, but it can manifest as boredom, stagnation and resistance to change out of a fear of the unknown. For every side of the four that is peaceful and grounded, there is a shadow side of avoidance and outgrown attachments.
Fours are ruled by The Emperor. This card is number four in the Tarot's Major Arcana. Number fourteen is Temperance, the card that translates The Emperor's rule over territory and over others into a rulership over one's self. You are given full responsibility for your behavior when this card appears.
The Four of Swords is a card of waiting for the moment to strike, secure in your knowledge, confident of your point of view. The Four of Wands illustrates the solid bonds of a relationship that will last throughout the years. Stable finances, albeit at the cost of enjoying what you have, is the subject of the Four of Pentacles. The Four of Cups details a moment of not accepting love or the advances of someone promising emotional bonding.
All of these cards have, at their very root, staying the course. There is no rocking the boat with a Tarot card numbered four. There is, in fact, neither boat nor sea. This is a number indicating solid ground.
A Tarot reading that has more than one four card definitely brings up issues of stability, consistency and perhaps even a warning of stagnation. When the cards are dealt at the beginning of your reading, each one is placed into a past, present or future position. When a card numbered four is placed into the past position of your reading, this is a signal of a childhood that was peaceful and secure. If this refers to the recent past, perhaps it indicates an untroubled relationship or a balanced life of late. A four card in the present indicates that you have reached a plateau.
Sometimes after years of struggle, stress develops when longtime goals are met and things have become easier. Without the daily tension, you might be left wondering where the trouble in paradise is going to come from. The future position is a great place to see a Tarot card with the number four on it. When one lands in this position, you can look for a calm and constant outcome to your overall situation.
The Major Arcana
The Emperor
The certainty of The Emperor trickles down to all the cards that carry his number. This card sets the tone for what the number four represents within the deck. As he sits on the throne, understand that The Emperor is not alone. He is staring at you. You are included in this card as a viewer. What is The Emperor in your life? What provides you with the most security? The ultimate achievement in life is to look at this card as a mirror. When you are the stabilizing force in your own world, you are The Emperor of all you see.
Temperance
The oath of consistency that Temperance represents echoes throughout the cards of the Tarot deck that share its number. This is the card of maintaining as even a state of mind as possible. Relaxed and in control, Temperance is a card of enormous self-control. In the Tarot deck, this card sits numerically between Death (number 13) and The Devil (number 15). Temperance is the state of doing without and being blessed because of this non-activity. Giving things up for now or for good is the best plainspoken description of what this card represents. The energy surrounding the card makes indulgence seem to be the waste of time; and all this while following in The Emperor's footsteps when it comes to ruling over yourself.
The Minor Arcana
Four of Swords
The peaceful scene in the cathedral depicted in the Four of Swords is not to be misunderstood for being asleep. The four swords here are divided into three hanging above the sarcophagus and one at its side. Swords represent ideas and communication. Here they are the ideas of the way the world works; they act as a continuum bridging generations.
Four of Cups
Resisting temptation is as much the theme in the Four of Cups as the stubbornness of the boy on the hill. This is an echo of Temperance, but consider that The Emperor, sitting on his throne, must lead with certainty and cannot veer into wild, new territory. Self-denial is the first step in empowering that which you already most certainly have.
Four of Wands
The Four of Wands represents celebrating a union between two people as the backbone of polite society. When we build the canopy in the yard, we acknowledge that these ceremonies will be touchstone memories in our lives and the lives of everyone in the community to the point that a stable population and culture will emerge and remain established.
Four of Pentacles
While others spend wildly and frivolously, holding on to your assets will ensure that you do keep what is yours. But do you even know how much you have or what you might be blocking in standing still? The Four of Pentacles illustrates a love of the material world so much that what this plane of existence has to offer is blocked. Without the energy flowing, this man knows that chaos will be avoided. But without using money as a tool to be invested, this man is holding on to an illusion of stability.
In conclusion, any card with a four in it makes your Tarot reading a little less dramatic and pulls the ultimatums back from challenging you into immediate action. Think of where things are firmly established in your world and you will see the four cards of your Tarot reading reflected back at you.
Revolutions do not occur under the four, but they may be inspired by the long uninterrupted stasis that underscores it. The timeframe starts as a comforting security and consistency, but it can manifest as boredom, stagnation and resistance to change out of a fear of the unknown. For every side of the four that is peaceful and grounded, there is a shadow side of avoidance and outgrown attachments.
Fours are ruled by The Emperor. This card is number four in the Tarot's Major Arcana. Number fourteen is Temperance, the card that translates The Emperor's rule over territory and over others into a rulership over one's self. You are given full responsibility for your behavior when this card appears.
The Four of Swords is a card of waiting for the moment to strike, secure in your knowledge, confident of your point of view. The Four of Wands illustrates the solid bonds of a relationship that will last throughout the years. Stable finances, albeit at the cost of enjoying what you have, is the subject of the Four of Pentacles. The Four of Cups details a moment of not accepting love or the advances of someone promising emotional bonding.
All of these cards have, at their very root, staying the course. There is no rocking the boat with a Tarot card numbered four. There is, in fact, neither boat nor sea. This is a number indicating solid ground.
A Tarot reading that has more than one four card definitely brings up issues of stability, consistency and perhaps even a warning of stagnation. When the cards are dealt at the beginning of your reading, each one is placed into a past, present or future position. When a card numbered four is placed into the past position of your reading, this is a signal of a childhood that was peaceful and secure. If this refers to the recent past, perhaps it indicates an untroubled relationship or a balanced life of late. A four card in the present indicates that you have reached a plateau.
Sometimes after years of struggle, stress develops when longtime goals are met and things have become easier. Without the daily tension, you might be left wondering where the trouble in paradise is going to come from. The future position is a great place to see a Tarot card with the number four on it. When one lands in this position, you can look for a calm and constant outcome to your overall situation.
The Major Arcana
The Emperor
The certainty of The Emperor trickles down to all the cards that carry his number. This card sets the tone for what the number four represents within the deck. As he sits on the throne, understand that The Emperor is not alone. He is staring at you. You are included in this card as a viewer. What is The Emperor in your life? What provides you with the most security? The ultimate achievement in life is to look at this card as a mirror. When you are the stabilizing force in your own world, you are The Emperor of all you see.
Temperance
The oath of consistency that Temperance represents echoes throughout the cards of the Tarot deck that share its number. This is the card of maintaining as even a state of mind as possible. Relaxed and in control, Temperance is a card of enormous self-control. In the Tarot deck, this card sits numerically between Death (number 13) and The Devil (number 15). Temperance is the state of doing without and being blessed because of this non-activity. Giving things up for now or for good is the best plainspoken description of what this card represents. The energy surrounding the card makes indulgence seem to be the waste of time; and all this while following in The Emperor's footsteps when it comes to ruling over yourself.
The Minor Arcana
Four of Swords
The peaceful scene in the cathedral depicted in the Four of Swords is not to be misunderstood for being asleep. The four swords here are divided into three hanging above the sarcophagus and one at its side. Swords represent ideas and communication. Here they are the ideas of the way the world works; they act as a continuum bridging generations.
Four of Cups
Resisting temptation is as much the theme in the Four of Cups as the stubbornness of the boy on the hill. This is an echo of Temperance, but consider that The Emperor, sitting on his throne, must lead with certainty and cannot veer into wild, new territory. Self-denial is the first step in empowering that which you already most certainly have.
Four of Wands
The Four of Wands represents celebrating a union between two people as the backbone of polite society. When we build the canopy in the yard, we acknowledge that these ceremonies will be touchstone memories in our lives and the lives of everyone in the community to the point that a stable population and culture will emerge and remain established.
Four of Pentacles
While others spend wildly and frivolously, holding on to your assets will ensure that you do keep what is yours. But do you even know how much you have or what you might be blocking in standing still? The Four of Pentacles illustrates a love of the material world so much that what this plane of existence has to offer is blocked. Without the energy flowing, this man knows that chaos will be avoided. But without using money as a tool to be invested, this man is holding on to an illusion of stability.
In conclusion, any card with a four in it makes your Tarot reading a little less dramatic and pulls the ultimatums back from challenging you into immediate action. Think of where things are firmly established in your world and you will see the four cards of your Tarot reading reflected back at you.
The Number Three Cards of the Tarot
When a Tarot card with the number three in it appears, one of the layers of meaning involved in it applies to this number itself. Threes in Tarot signify a unifying force. The number three is entwined with the couple it takes to birth new life. There are six cards in the Tarot deck featuring this number: the four suited cards (Three of Swords, Wands, Pentacles and Cups) and two cards from the Tarot's Major Arcana: The Empress (card number three) and Death (card number thirteen). Themes that these cards reinforce include loyalty, bonding, indulging and crossing the point of no return.
Loyalty: The theme of being beholden to an oath, a relationship, a tradition or a way of doing things underscores both consistency and commitment. You may be feeling particularly comfortable because of the solid beliefs and actions you hold. You might, though, be feeling a little stuck in the mud if you have grown beyond a certain outlook on life.
Bonding: The love we have for a group, a belief system, a team, a type of artistic or creative expression, or some other set of ideals can bring us together with others like little else. Bonding with others from diverse backgrounds over a common locus allows us to broaden our perspective while maintaining a stable point of focus and comfort.
Indulging: We can swoon into deep sentimental pools of self-pity as easily as we can pursue a journey of the path of excess. Getting all we can, feeling as deeply as possible, consuming all there is to be had … indulging is an act that starts off as a casual visit and turns into an extended stay. There is no commitment made at the outset of an indulgence; we stay, though, because of the seductive power of the thing we try, be it food, lust, narcissism or worse, as well as because of our own human weaknesses.
Crossing the Point of No Return: All of the traits of the cards numbered three have a certain inevitability built into them. Like puberty, marriage and divorce, a Tarot card with a three on it is more than just an affirmation to move on. Cards numbered three are not just a line in the sand; they are the crossing of that line and the steps to move far beyond it. At its most intense, any card with the number three carries the power of complete and total transformation. If you receive one or more of these cards in a reading, understand that change will do you good, but that the process of changing might be more intense than you ever anticipated.
These themes are imbued into each of the cards numbered with a three in the Tarot. When one of these cards appears in your reading, some of this energy is apparent. When there is more than one of these cards in your reading, these themes will be a major current in your life quite soon.
The Major Arcana
The Empress
This is the highest ranked card of any numbered with a three in all the Tarot deck. The Empress sits on her throne, with everything and nothing to command. She is beholden to The Emperor and is not aware of the luck or power her position holds. She is at heart a pleasure-seeker. When The Empress card appears, the themes of loyalty, bonding, indulging and crossing the point of no return are emphasized not like a crashing tidal wave, but more like a fattening, irresistible, delicious box of chocolates that suddenly get consumed two and three at a time with little attention to what makes each delightful treat special unto itself.
Death
This is the scariest card in the Tarot deck. Death was once much more common in everyday life as antibiotics and common surgeries of today were not around when the Tarot was codified. The card might signal the end of a life but that life could be as a single person, or relate to the end of a job or some other all-consuming endeavor. Where The Empress prefers to seductively deliver bonding experiences, indulgences or the crossing of a line, the Death card has no such finesse and indicates that these transformative experiences are arriving in a severe manner. This is a card that serves up transformation in a way that will take with it every inessential thing in your life and sweep it away.
The Minor Arcana
Three of Wands
The Three of Wands is the card of extreme confidence in crossing the line. Your belief in your own creative process allows you to form the bonds that take you to the next level. You envision what you can become when your loyalty is recognized. You indulge your vision and dare to dream. This card indicates that you are about to envision crossing that line. When the Three of Wands is in your reading, the walking sticks that represent your creative and entrepreneurial impulses are set in a manner to take you places you are only beginning to dream possible.
Three of Cups
The chance to bond with others is one of life's great pleasures. There are many hours of loneliness in life, and more still of being involved in a partnership. None of us choose the family from which we come and with whom we are often forced to interact. But we can choose our friends and select our acquaintances, and the time we invest into these relationships. The Three of Cups underscores a bonding process that is thoroughly enjoyable.
Three of Swords
A gloomy card indeed, the Three of Swords illustrates the three swords piercing a heart against the cloudy grey of a sleet storm. The deep indulgence of feeling sorry for yourself after loss can transform your life into a pity party. Narcissism is the state of mind that puts your suffering as the paramount tragedy. This card can represent your own self-destructive urges as much or more than the changes in your life foisted upon you by fate.
Three of Pentacles
Begin at the beginning. The Three of Pentacles is a card that acknowledges the coming big changes but underscores the discipline in waiting for big things to be built on a solid foundation. To build a cathedral is an undertaking of immense complexity and cooperation. We bond and stay loyal to the task when we seek to make our own heaven on earth, be it in a relationship, a social group, a condo association or any other long-term interpersonal interaction. Pentacles represent the material world. The transformation of this card is a slow process, but it is the most complete of any of the four suited Tarot cards numbered three.
Loyalty: The theme of being beholden to an oath, a relationship, a tradition or a way of doing things underscores both consistency and commitment. You may be feeling particularly comfortable because of the solid beliefs and actions you hold. You might, though, be feeling a little stuck in the mud if you have grown beyond a certain outlook on life.
Bonding: The love we have for a group, a belief system, a team, a type of artistic or creative expression, or some other set of ideals can bring us together with others like little else. Bonding with others from diverse backgrounds over a common locus allows us to broaden our perspective while maintaining a stable point of focus and comfort.
Indulging: We can swoon into deep sentimental pools of self-pity as easily as we can pursue a journey of the path of excess. Getting all we can, feeling as deeply as possible, consuming all there is to be had … indulging is an act that starts off as a casual visit and turns into an extended stay. There is no commitment made at the outset of an indulgence; we stay, though, because of the seductive power of the thing we try, be it food, lust, narcissism or worse, as well as because of our own human weaknesses.
Crossing the Point of No Return: All of the traits of the cards numbered three have a certain inevitability built into them. Like puberty, marriage and divorce, a Tarot card with a three on it is more than just an affirmation to move on. Cards numbered three are not just a line in the sand; they are the crossing of that line and the steps to move far beyond it. At its most intense, any card with the number three carries the power of complete and total transformation. If you receive one or more of these cards in a reading, understand that change will do you good, but that the process of changing might be more intense than you ever anticipated.
These themes are imbued into each of the cards numbered with a three in the Tarot. When one of these cards appears in your reading, some of this energy is apparent. When there is more than one of these cards in your reading, these themes will be a major current in your life quite soon.
The Major Arcana
The Empress
This is the highest ranked card of any numbered with a three in all the Tarot deck. The Empress sits on her throne, with everything and nothing to command. She is beholden to The Emperor and is not aware of the luck or power her position holds. She is at heart a pleasure-seeker. When The Empress card appears, the themes of loyalty, bonding, indulging and crossing the point of no return are emphasized not like a crashing tidal wave, but more like a fattening, irresistible, delicious box of chocolates that suddenly get consumed two and three at a time with little attention to what makes each delightful treat special unto itself.
Death
This is the scariest card in the Tarot deck. Death was once much more common in everyday life as antibiotics and common surgeries of today were not around when the Tarot was codified. The card might signal the end of a life but that life could be as a single person, or relate to the end of a job or some other all-consuming endeavor. Where The Empress prefers to seductively deliver bonding experiences, indulgences or the crossing of a line, the Death card has no such finesse and indicates that these transformative experiences are arriving in a severe manner. This is a card that serves up transformation in a way that will take with it every inessential thing in your life and sweep it away.
The Minor Arcana
Three of Wands
The Three of Wands is the card of extreme confidence in crossing the line. Your belief in your own creative process allows you to form the bonds that take you to the next level. You envision what you can become when your loyalty is recognized. You indulge your vision and dare to dream. This card indicates that you are about to envision crossing that line. When the Three of Wands is in your reading, the walking sticks that represent your creative and entrepreneurial impulses are set in a manner to take you places you are only beginning to dream possible.
Three of Cups
The chance to bond with others is one of life's great pleasures. There are many hours of loneliness in life, and more still of being involved in a partnership. None of us choose the family from which we come and with whom we are often forced to interact. But we can choose our friends and select our acquaintances, and the time we invest into these relationships. The Three of Cups underscores a bonding process that is thoroughly enjoyable.
Three of Swords
A gloomy card indeed, the Three of Swords illustrates the three swords piercing a heart against the cloudy grey of a sleet storm. The deep indulgence of feeling sorry for yourself after loss can transform your life into a pity party. Narcissism is the state of mind that puts your suffering as the paramount tragedy. This card can represent your own self-destructive urges as much or more than the changes in your life foisted upon you by fate.
Three of Pentacles
Begin at the beginning. The Three of Pentacles is a card that acknowledges the coming big changes but underscores the discipline in waiting for big things to be built on a solid foundation. To build a cathedral is an undertaking of immense complexity and cooperation. We bond and stay loyal to the task when we seek to make our own heaven on earth, be it in a relationship, a social group, a condo association or any other long-term interpersonal interaction. Pentacles represent the material world. The transformation of this card is a slow process, but it is the most complete of any of the four suited Tarot cards numbered three.
The Number Two Cards of the Tarot
There are six cards in the Tarot deck with the number two on them. They are each distinct and might seem to have little in common, but they are united in their reflection of certain themes. The Tarot's pair of Major Arcana cards with the number two are The High Priestess card, numbered 2, and The Hanged Man card, numbered 12. Each of the four suits of the Tarot's Minor Arcana (Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles) also has a card numbered two. The themes of each two card can be summarized as patience, balance, extremes and the struggles inherent in these processes.
Patience can be the path to a great reward or a higher consciousness, but it can also produce a boredom that inspires apathy if not self-destruction.
Balance can bring you a life of rich diversity and dynamic possibilities, but it is also requires loads of work and time to take care of the many details that build a life.
Extreme positions are often necessary in order for you to establish your identity and stake out who you are and what you value, but there is a lot of isolation when you are out on your own in an extreme state.
When a card with the number two appears in your Tarot reading, these themes are about to come up in your life if they have not already. If more than one of these cards comes up in the same reading, this energy is palpably near the surface and very influential in your life.
The Major Arcana
The High Priestess
The High Priestess is the highest-ranking two card in the Tarot. As glamorous as her title may appear, understand that she is not royalty. She has earned her position by balancing knowledge with wisdom. The process has of course required great patience on her part. This manifests as a cool nature that is not inherently giving. She provides her expertise and the objectivity that she has accrued when she is called into action, but she is not a helper. The years of experience that this card represents underscores a patience that makes one think of one's self first. This extreme behavior sets her apart in exclusivity, perhaps even fame, but it also sequesters her from immersion in a pleasurable life.
When The High Priestess appears in your reading, your need to seek out a solution to imbalances may isolate you as others feel you are behaving selfishly.
The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man, numbered 12 in the Tarot, is the Major Arcana's other card with the number two in it. The pathetic nature of this card is apparent first and foremost. How could a card with such a dismal figure in it be considered a Tarot relative of the mysterious and elegant High Priestess? They have so much in common if you look just beneath the surface. The Hanged Man chooses to be in this position. This is the card of holding yourself back. The Hanged Man's self-restraint is akin to the jaded apathy of The High Priestess. She must be beckoned before she will help just as The Hanged Man will wait for something to care about to come along before he extracts himself from his situation.
If The Hanged Man appears in your reading, you are biding your time, possibly out of patience and understanding, but perhaps out of spite or a defeatist attitude.
The Minor Arcana
The number two graces four of the Tarot's suited cards; these are also known as the Minor Arcana. These cards all carry the themes of their Major Arcana, but when only one of these appears in a reading, this energy is peripheral to the big picture. If two of these cards pair up or accompany The High Priestess or The Hanged Man, the concerns of the Tarot's number two are heightened to the point that they are central to your reading.
Two of Wands
The theme of patience is shown in the Two of Wands as a man rewarded for his work and creativity. He holds a globe and knows that he has made his own way in the world. The balance of a good life with an obviously secure, yet comfortable patio setting, does not exclude him from being a man of the world, revealed here by the oceanfront setting. There are extremes that need balancing in this calm setting: His physical presence dominates the card, but staring at the globe, his mental concentration is in the realm of imagination.
Two of Cups
The Two of Cups is the only card of the Tarot's number two cards that has more than one person. Here two friends exchange cups and illustrate that interpersonal exchanges are what balance one's emotional life. The stability and pleasant nature of this card is not without the extremes of an illusionary winged lion's head floating above this pair. That they are oblivious to this echoes the distance of The High Priestess and the apathy of The Hanged Man. Their moment of union and friendship is privileged no matter how extreme the visions are out there in the world.
Two of Swords
Although the woman pictured in the Two of Swords is blindfolded, note the precise balance with which she points her swords. The equilibrium she has achieved is the victory, as her swords, representing ideas and words, are perfectly balanced. Her blindfold echoes the distance created between her and other people. The extremes of being blindfolded are almost an illusion as the crescent moon sheds little light in the night – like The Hanged Man, she could remove the blindfold any time she wants, but like The High Priestess, she prefers to keep it on and embrace the extremes of mystery.
Two of Pentacles
The Two of Pentacles illustrates the theme of balancing extremes. A man in a funny hat is on solid ground while the ocean rocks back and forth, and yet he is not content to simply hold on to what he owns. He juggles his pentacles in an infinite dance, enjoying the extremes and perhaps even being risky with his otherwise secure state in the world. This energetic behavior is a reaction to boredom; what manifests as patience in other cards with the number two is no longer here. In its place is a contentment of living in the moment where everything hangs in the balance because nothing is secure. The Two of Pentacles reveals that in the extremes, the peace and enlightenment we seek in patient progress is quickly delivered, although it may not be as long lasting.
Patience can be the path to a great reward or a higher consciousness, but it can also produce a boredom that inspires apathy if not self-destruction.
Balance can bring you a life of rich diversity and dynamic possibilities, but it is also requires loads of work and time to take care of the many details that build a life.
Extreme positions are often necessary in order for you to establish your identity and stake out who you are and what you value, but there is a lot of isolation when you are out on your own in an extreme state.
When a card with the number two appears in your Tarot reading, these themes are about to come up in your life if they have not already. If more than one of these cards comes up in the same reading, this energy is palpably near the surface and very influential in your life.
The Major Arcana
The High Priestess
The High Priestess is the highest-ranking two card in the Tarot. As glamorous as her title may appear, understand that she is not royalty. She has earned her position by balancing knowledge with wisdom. The process has of course required great patience on her part. This manifests as a cool nature that is not inherently giving. She provides her expertise and the objectivity that she has accrued when she is called into action, but she is not a helper. The years of experience that this card represents underscores a patience that makes one think of one's self first. This extreme behavior sets her apart in exclusivity, perhaps even fame, but it also sequesters her from immersion in a pleasurable life.
When The High Priestess appears in your reading, your need to seek out a solution to imbalances may isolate you as others feel you are behaving selfishly.
The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man, numbered 12 in the Tarot, is the Major Arcana's other card with the number two in it. The pathetic nature of this card is apparent first and foremost. How could a card with such a dismal figure in it be considered a Tarot relative of the mysterious and elegant High Priestess? They have so much in common if you look just beneath the surface. The Hanged Man chooses to be in this position. This is the card of holding yourself back. The Hanged Man's self-restraint is akin to the jaded apathy of The High Priestess. She must be beckoned before she will help just as The Hanged Man will wait for something to care about to come along before he extracts himself from his situation.
If The Hanged Man appears in your reading, you are biding your time, possibly out of patience and understanding, but perhaps out of spite or a defeatist attitude.
The Minor Arcana
The number two graces four of the Tarot's suited cards; these are also known as the Minor Arcana. These cards all carry the themes of their Major Arcana, but when only one of these appears in a reading, this energy is peripheral to the big picture. If two of these cards pair up or accompany The High Priestess or The Hanged Man, the concerns of the Tarot's number two are heightened to the point that they are central to your reading.
Two of Wands
The theme of patience is shown in the Two of Wands as a man rewarded for his work and creativity. He holds a globe and knows that he has made his own way in the world. The balance of a good life with an obviously secure, yet comfortable patio setting, does not exclude him from being a man of the world, revealed here by the oceanfront setting. There are extremes that need balancing in this calm setting: His physical presence dominates the card, but staring at the globe, his mental concentration is in the realm of imagination.
Two of Cups
The Two of Cups is the only card of the Tarot's number two cards that has more than one person. Here two friends exchange cups and illustrate that interpersonal exchanges are what balance one's emotional life. The stability and pleasant nature of this card is not without the extremes of an illusionary winged lion's head floating above this pair. That they are oblivious to this echoes the distance of The High Priestess and the apathy of The Hanged Man. Their moment of union and friendship is privileged no matter how extreme the visions are out there in the world.
Two of Swords
Although the woman pictured in the Two of Swords is blindfolded, note the precise balance with which she points her swords. The equilibrium she has achieved is the victory, as her swords, representing ideas and words, are perfectly balanced. Her blindfold echoes the distance created between her and other people. The extremes of being blindfolded are almost an illusion as the crescent moon sheds little light in the night – like The Hanged Man, she could remove the blindfold any time she wants, but like The High Priestess, she prefers to keep it on and embrace the extremes of mystery.
Two of Pentacles
The Two of Pentacles illustrates the theme of balancing extremes. A man in a funny hat is on solid ground while the ocean rocks back and forth, and yet he is not content to simply hold on to what he owns. He juggles his pentacles in an infinite dance, enjoying the extremes and perhaps even being risky with his otherwise secure state in the world. This energetic behavior is a reaction to boredom; what manifests as patience in other cards with the number two is no longer here. In its place is a contentment of living in the moment where everything hangs in the balance because nothing is secure. The Two of Pentacles reveals that in the extremes, the peace and enlightenment we seek in patient progress is quickly delivered, although it may not be as long lasting.
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