Tarot Cards
Today’s Tarot Card Reading come from The English Magic Tarot by Rex Van Ryn, Steve Dooley and Andy Letcher Copyright 2015 (The unfamiliar terms used with this deck is in England’s English)
General
King of Swords – A Court Card
The price of success; the cruel logic of revolution; despotism
Page 95
Description: A solider has won his battles. He stands by the crown and executioner’s block.
Interpretation: Here’s Oliver Cromwell, who ended up toppling the king and ruling England as monarch in all but name. Behind his the block on which he had Charles 1 executed. Between his feet is the crown. He’s won! So why’s he looking so rueful?
In the distance we see a bucking horse, the same horse that threw the Knight of Swords from his saddle. Ah, so the Knight was Cromwell! Well now the battle’s over. He’s got what he wanted and now he must live by the consequences. In Cromwell’s case, he ended up becoming a killer and the very kind of despot that he fought against in the first place. He should have read Shakespeare: “{Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”
The card is a warning then to be careful what you wish for. You may have good, reasonable cause—yet there’ll be consequences that could strip you of the happiness you hoped for. The chopping block indicates that they’ll be bloody. Cromwell could have stayed home on his farm. We probably wouldn’t remember him, but he might have had a longer, easier, and happier life. He might have died with his conscience clear.
Reading: Be careful what you wish for. It’s much harder being a king than it looks.
Love
The High Priestess – 2 Major Arcana
Dreams; psychic powers; mythos
Page 24
Description: An older woman plunges her hands into a river. The light of the nearly full moon is reflected in the water. A Younger woman rises up from the depths.
Interpretation: Have you ever been stopped in your tracks by the moon? The feeling is one of enchantment, as if the veils that separate the worlds have been lifted momentarily. One may feel a strong urge to curtsy or bow. The High Priestess embodies that feeling. If the Magician is all about craft, then the High Priestess speaks of intuition, of dream, and the possibility of psychic powers. If the Magician represents logos, the power of the word, then the High Priestess represents mythos, the stuff beyond words. When we stumble across the High Priestess, the hair on our neck stands up and we are stopped in our tracks.
The writer Robert Graves was a lover of mythos. He always bowed nine times to the new moon, while turning a silver coin. He gave us the idea that ancient cultures had worshipped a triple moon goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. We see all three here. The Crone plunges her hands into a reflection of the nearly full moon (the Mother), and is met by the Maiden, who raises up from the water, as if to kiss her. The river is the Thames, chosen not just because it is the most characteristic of English rivers, but because in Oxford the Thames is called the Isis. Isis, the Graeco-Egyptian lunar goddess, is the deity most associated with the High Priestess.
Reading: The High Priestess invites us to pay attention to mythos. Perhaps the answer to your question will come in dreams or the ink-black surface of a scrying bowl.
Health
The Devil – 15 Major Arcana
The shadow; your nemesis
Pages 50 and 51
Description: The Devil stands on the edge of a cliff, under the light of the full moon. A naked couple are walking helplessly towards him.
Interpretation: People dread the Devil, and not without good reason. Two thousand years of Christianity have enshrined him as the epitome of evil. Just look at the couple coming over the hill. Their night of illicit pleasure has turned into a 1970s folk horror movie. The Devil is drawing them inexorably towards their terrible end.
However, it’s silly to suppose evil comes from anywhere but from inside us. The devil represents all our uncomfortable feelings, the ones the evoke guilt and anger, secret and narcissistic fantasies. He’s our shadow side. No wonder we externalize him. It’s so much easier to blame someone else for our discomfort, to drive the scapegoat from the village. Trouble is, when we do, we find we’re still dangling from the devil’s puppet strings.
In narrative times, the devil is there to test us. Every thesis needs its antithesis. Every hero needs a villain. Where would James Bond be without Ernst Stavro Blofeld? Batman without the Joker? Luke without Darth Vader? The devil is the adversary we have to best, the obstacle we have to overcome. Is he dangerous? Damn right! Adventure means nothing if it isn’t risky. But we overcome him by trying not to banish him, but by bring him into the clear light of day.
Reading: The Devil indicates a challenge, an obstacle to be overcome. That might be an external obstacle, a person standing in your way for example, or it might mean some part of yourself that you’re refusing to acknowledge.
Wealth
Temperance – 14 Major Arcana
Stillness; balance
Pages 48 and 49
Description: A woman dips her head into a pool. She’s framed by two willow trees. She holds two cups behind her back and pours liquid from one to the other. A big cat stands on a tumulus behind her.
Interpretation: Here, everything is in balance. The willow trees show summer and winter in perfect equipoise. The woman is lightly balanced between earth and water, all the while performing some extraordinary feat of juggling behind her back. Is that cloth pouring from her cups, or water? Blood, even? She doesn’t spill a single drop. You can imagine the contents running back and forth from one to the other eternally.
One of the four, medieval cardinal virtues, Temperance has had something of bad press late. Oscar Wilde famously quipped, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” When I think of temperance, I imagine self-righteous Sunday morning moralizers wagging a finger at our Saturday night misdemeanors, or of a sweaty Sergeant Howie in The Wicker Man, slapping the wall, as he desperately attempts to reign in his cardinal desires. If only he hadn’t. Yet the moderation depicted here is effortless, requiring neither self-flagellation nor self-congratulation. It speaks of a much easier kind of balance, the balance on which the universe rests.
All extremes flow into each other. Star are born and die. Summer becomes winter becomes summer again. Full becomes empty. The wheel turns. Accept this simple truth and nothing can knock you from your feet.
Reading: Temperance encourages us to find balance in our lives, the still waters of this place. If reversed, things have become out of balanced, perhaps dangerously so. Let the governing tides of the universe draw things back to equilibrium again.
Rune
Wunjo
Witches’ Rune
The Moon
Relying on old ways of doing things could impede your success if you do not handle the moon’s intuitive energy properly.
Drawing the Moon Stone suggests wisdom gained through experience of memory, but does not mean you should stay in a rut or stick to the kinds of habits that only forfeit your success.
The idea of family, home and ancestors is important now. Such memories may well be the key you need to unlock a certain puzzle that is troubling you.
Drawing the Moon Stone says that there will be a
sudden shift in the circumstances surrounding the immediate question. Bide your time before initiating any kind of action.
Now is the time to pay attention to your dreams.
Ogham
Amhancholl
Ae (sometimes represented as X or Xi), is Amhancholl or Eamhancholl, associated with Witch Hazel. This natural astringent is purifying and cleansing. The word Eamhancholl literally translates to “twin of Hazel”, so there is a strong connection to C–Coll in the Ogham. When Amhancholl appears, it’s usually an indicator that cleansing and purification is necessary or has taken place.
From a purely medicinal standpoint, Witch Hazel has long been used as a cleanser and astringent. Native American tribes turned it into a poultice which was used to treat swelling and tumors. Amongst the early settlers, midwives arriving in the New World found that it could be used to prevent sepsis following childbirth or an abortion. Today, it’s still in use as a treatment for skin inflammations, such as insect bites, mild burns, and even hemorrhoids.
Amhancholl Correspondences
Mundane Aspects: When this symbol appears, it means it’s time for a cleansing. Sometimes this is a physical cleansing of our Self, but often it applies to emotional clutter and baggage. Smudge your home, get rid of all the negative energies around you, and allow yourself to purify both your body and your mind.
Magical Aspects: This is a good indicator that you need to do a re-evaluation of your spiritual life. Are you studying things that no longer interest you? Are you hanging on to books or other magical items that you know you’ll never need–or worse, that you really dislike? If you’re feeling stagnant, or that you’re drifting a bit on a spiritual level, when this symbol appears it probably means you need to rethink your priorities. What are your spiritual goals? Do a cleansing ritual, and help yourself begin anew.
Numerology Number
Among the nine single-digit numbers, the 1 holds a special place in numerology.
The Numerology Meaning of the Number 1: THE PRIMAL FORCE
From a spiritual perspective, the 1 is the number of creation – the primal force from which all other numbers spring forth. Some say once you truly understand the place and function of this elemental number, enlightenment will be yours.
This statement doesn’t apply to a Numerologist’s perspective alone, but perhaps it’s a good place to start since the personality of the number 1 aligns nicely with its elevated spiritual symbolism.
The 1 is a doer, a powerful force that produces results.
The 1 is aggressive – a necessary trait for creating, and not allowing anything to limit its potential. The 1 is the spearhead, always in the forefront directing and leading others.
The shape of this number reflects its meaning; the 1 walks upright with pride and purpose – strong, determined, and unwavering with a specific goal in mind. The 1 is capable of turning ideas into reality – pushing obstacles aside or simply drilling right through them.
The 1 tends to have a simple, straightforward view of life, heedless of its many complexities.
An individual with the dynamic 1 trusts their ability to separate right from wrong, doesn’t waste time on abstract ideas, and rarely follows a path that isn’t in line with their result-oriented goal. The 1 is no preacher, no philosopher, spiritual explorer, nor dreamer – and certainly not an idealist. They are pragmatic, ruthless conquerors, and warriors extraordinaire. The 1 is individualistic and independent to a fault. They will attempt to force their viewpoint on you but have no desire to hear yours.
The 1 can be confrontational, jealous, and exceedingly stubborn, but also courageous and willing to try anything new (with promise) even at great risk. They have a sense of honor and responsibility that demands respect and are the first to defend injustice and hypocrisy.
Befriend a 1 and you have a friend for life.
Fortunately, the 1 has a great capacity for humor, often self-depreciating, so you can poke fun at your friend and not worry about hurt feelings. But don’t cater to them to win love or friendship or you will lose their respect. Stand up to a 1 and you may lose the fight, but you’ll gain admiration. Working for a 1 you will be pushed to the limit, abused at all hours, and incapable of living up to unreasonable expectations. But you will also become the best you can be.
When in trouble, you want a friend with a strong 1 on your side, and you won’t find a braver partner or a more dedicated protector. But, if the 1 is your enemy, you could be crushed without mercy. And be forewarned, the number 1 is the most difficult of all lovers, demanding, jealous, confrontational, and impatient.
If you have a 1 in your core numbers, your happiness and sense of satisfaction will come from your work more than any other source.
Animal Spirit Guide or Helper
Today’s Animal Spirt Guide card comes from Messages from Your Animal Spirit Guides Oracle Cards by Steven D. Farmer Copyright 2008
Roadrunner
“Keep your sense of humor, and don’t take things so seriously”
Pages 102 to 104
It’s so tempting to view life in all of its many manifestations, permutations, and variations as something to be taken quite seriously, yet this is exactly the opposite of what you need to do right now. No matter what the situation, look for the humor in it. It may take time to find something, but if you look for it with this attitude in mind, you begin to see the absurdities and ironies inherent in whatever shows up in life, even in the darkest circumstances. Maintaining a healthy sense of humor about most experiences causes you to be lighter in spirit, to smile unabashedly, and to appreciate life that much more. Turn that scowl upside down by doing what makes you openly laugh.
Of course there are certainly times that require a more serious demeanor. Tragedies or traumatic experiences don’t call for cheerfulness and humor. When events occur, appropriate social restrictions apply that demand the expression of emotions congruent with the circumstances. However, these instances are temporary and all like things, will soon pass. Other than these kinds of situations, life’s ironies and absurdities abound. Rather than feeling personally victimized by these vagaries take a deep breath, see the humor in the situation, and have a laugh!
Associations: Speed; Agility; Multitasking; Intelligence; Adaptability; Laughter; Humor; Ingenuity; Flexibility; Toning; Communication; Courage; Self-care; Balance
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