Notes on: 4 of Pentacles

In general, the 4s represent stability, while pentacles indicate the material abundance. So you might expect the 4 of Pentacles to simply indicate financial security. While prosperity is suggested by the card, there are clues that show us something a little less enjoyable is going on.

4 of Pentacles, Rider-Waite Tarot

In fact, the figure here looks decidedly insecure. The way he clutches the coin on his lap looks quite uncomfortable and he seems to be hunched over it.

Also, notice that the city lies in the distance--that's because this person has distanced himself from other people, the better to protect his wealth. Importantly, he has turned his back on the city. Couple this with the figure's posture and you get a sense of someone curled around his money as if trying to protect his own vital organs.

By extension, this card suggests clinging. Clinging--to cash, a relationship, or whatever--is really clinging to thoughts and beliefs which are unreal. Thoughts and beliefs are not the real world, nor real experience, but representations thereof. They are insubstantial and fleeting, and as such, cannot provide any real security. However much we may wish to preserve the status quo, each moment is in fact a whole new world, and we are living in denial when we cannot open our eyes to this fact.

If you search the internet for interpretations of the 4 of Pentacles reversed, you'll find two schools of thought: The first would have it that the 4 of Pents indicates miserliness, while the second asserts that it indicates profligacy. Since these two options are opposite and mutually exclusive, how is one to know which is right?

Interpreting a reversal always depends on one's understanding of the upright card. Some readers prefer to focus on the wealth indicated by the card, and for them the reversal is about excessive clinging to that wealth. Others--and I am one--note the elements of disharmony in the image, such as I've described above, and conclude that if the upright card already indicates stinginess, then the reversal must indicate that this possessiveness is blocked. An "opposite" interpretation would read this as profligacy--unwise spending, gambling, risky behavior, taking on too much debt. But a "blocked" interpretation indicates conservatism, caution, even anxiety about sources of security, without, however, being so extreme that the person can't loosen up a little.

Notes on: The Sun and The Moon

I thought of writing of these two cards together because they are a natural pair, and it is perhaps easier to understand either one in light (pun intended) of the other. These two luminary bodies show us different faces of enlightenment or illumination.

The Sun, Druidcraft Tarot

The Sun (Card XIX) shows us the world by the clear light of day. Everything is easily seen, easily understood. Things are what they seem, and emotionally the atmosphere is one of warmth and trust. It's a very straightforward card. The traditional image usually shows a child, which symbolizes the freedom, innocence, and openness of this card. The child also harks back to ancient sun gods, as he is often shown riding a horse, which has long been associated with solar deities in Europe.

The Moon, Golden Tarot

The Moon (Card XVIII) is rather more complicated. The moon--speaking of the celestial body now--does not have its own light, but reflects that of the sun, and as a result the light is dimmer and more diffuse. Similarly, The Moon card depicts a world that is only softly illuminated. Things aren't so clear; familiar objects cast distorted shadows and take on the shape of monsters. Wild animals are on the prowl. The Moon also represents knowledge that comes to us through invisible, intangible channels--such as dreams and intuition. Frequently with this kind of knowledge, there is confusion about whether it is "true" or "just imagination." The Moon reminds us that there are many shades of grey in between! Yet this kind of enlightenment can still be very powerful: the moon pulls the tides, as well as the tides within our own bodies, and calls the wolves and dogs to serenade her.

Indeed, the moon is perhaps all the more powerful because her effect is not obvious. When receiving this card, it may simply indicate that a situation is unclear; but its own meaning can be unclear too. Sometimes the task is to figure out whether the card is telling you you're seeing monsters where there are none, or that you should find insight in your intuition.

Notes on: The Star

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have this wish I wish tonight.

Do you remember that little childhood rhyme?  Perhaps you still say it?

Sirius

I was moved to write this post now because at this time of year, from where I stand, Sirius is visible in the eastern sky late at night.  Nestled below the constellation Orion, Sirius is truly dazzling--it doesn't just twinkle, it sparks and flashes, in many colors from bright green to red to orange to blue to white.

In this day and age, cities produce so much light than unless you live in a very isolated area, you rarely get to see many stars.  What a loss that is!  Imagine what nighttime was like for our ancestors long ago:  there were no streetlights, no electricity.  The only light came from fire or the moon.  In the darkness, bad guys could do all kinds of nefarious deeds with none the wiser.  We still talk about how we wouldn't like to run into this or that person in a dark alley--well, in the old days that alley would have literally been pitch black.  But on clear nights, the stars would be visible, sparkling away, making the darkness beautiful and offering a little light.

The medieval Welsh poet Dafydd ap Gwilym (ca. 1315/1320-1350/1370) described the stars as "candles of Him Who owns the world":

A light from high heaven,

A candle of clear wit is it.

The candle's form does not vanish.

And it can't be stolen through deceit.

They are something humans can rely on, seemingly unchanged through countless generations.

The Star, Star Tarot

In the tarot, The Star appears to us as a beacon of hope.  After the collapse of The Tower, we need some encouragement if we are to carry on.  And so the next card is The Star, a card that is both simple and glorious.  In the traditional Rider-Waite imagery, a nude woman kneels and pours water into a pool and onto the ground.  The water is refreshing and we are shown that its flow is abundant and unstinting.  The energy here is gentle and soothing.  When we receive this card, we are reminded not to lose hope or faith; things are going to be ok.

November's lunar eclipse--finding our place in the world

Lunar eclipse

The moon has been giving us a lot of activity here in the waning of 2012.  I wrote about the transformative full moon in October last month; now I'm going to talk about the lunar eclipse happening right now.  Why am I writing so much about the moon?  Because one thing spellcrafters and scientists can both agree on is that the moon exerts a profound influence over us earthlings.  Plus, it's one of the Major Arcana, so it's good to know our moon better.

November's full moon, happening today, 28 November, is called the Beaver Moon or Frost Moon.  In the old days, this is the time of year when beavers were hunted for their pelts, which are at their thickest and most luxurious in preparation for the winter.  The beavers are also especially busy fixing up their lodges and dams before the snows set in.  Most of us know what this feels like as we are busy with our fall/winter feasts and holidays.

Today is also a penumbral lunar eclipse.  A lunar eclipse can only happen when the moon is full, and is caused by the sun casting the earth's shadow across the moon.  So, magically speaking, it represents a union of earth and moon, or sun, earth, and moon.  It also represents a microcosm of the entire monthly cycle from full moon to new moon and back to full again.  Understandably, its effects on us can be especially intense.

Today's full moon is in the sign of Gemini, the sign that governs learning, language, and communication (matters represented in Tarot by the suit of swords).  It's actually the opposite sign to Sagittarius, where the sun is currently located.  Where Gemini represents the kind of learning we experience during childhood--where the world is full of wonders and everything is new--Sagittarius represents the "higher" learning we do as adults.  In this adult learning we ponder philosophical and spiritual questions, our place in the world, and we start to want to teach what we have learned (matters associated with wands).  We look more deeply and reflexively into ourselves to see what unites us with people around the globe.  So Gemini and Sagittarius form a kind of axis focused around transforming knowledge into wisdom, and sharing it with others.  It's a bit like a polarity between The Fool and The Hierophant.  The opposition of the sun and moon and the power of the eclipse will not allow superficiality (something Gemini can be prone to) in either your emotions or your beliefs--it demands truth.  Admittedly, that can be a bit stressful, but it does accelerate our personal development.

The Fool, Llewellyn Tarot

The Teacher (a.k.a.
Hierophant), Gaian Tarot

I couldn't describe it better than this lovely post by astrologer Len Wallick:

"The Gemini lunar eclipse will close a two-week cycle that opened with the Scorpio New Moon and solar eclipse of November 13....The end of an eclipse cycle often finds you figuratively, and sometimes literally, farther traveled through events or space than would normally happen in two weeks. That’s because eclipses take place when two-week cycles intersect with cycles of six months and 19 years.... 

Working with tomorrow’s lunar eclipse begins with looking at your life and asking yourself what has gone through more than two weeks of change since the November 13 solar eclipse....If looking back two weeks does not do the trick, try recalling late May and early June of this year when an eclipse cycle segued into a Venus transit across the face of the Sun the very next day, neatly meshing with a Venus cycle that will not resolve until the next century. If, somehow, nothing has changed for you since June 5, think about where you were and what you were doing at this time of year in 1993 [i.e., 19 years ago]. Whatever connects those dates in the past to events of the last two weeks is where you connect with the Cosmos..." [emphasis is my own]

So, to tie this all together:  Late November is a liminal time, between the fall harvest and the hunkering-down time of winter.  Just like busy beavers, at this time we start to make our winter preparations, but before the quiet time often comes a burst of activity.  We have one foot in the outer world of social gatherings and one foot in the private, inner world of home.  The eclipsed/full moon in Gemini and the sun in Sagittarius suggests that an especially appropriate focus for some of this activity is to examine our life path, and how it unites us to larger forces, be they social, natural, spiritual, or cosmic.  Over the winter we will have time to meditate on what we discover now.

The 2s

The 2s are about pairing, partnership, harmony.  "Two heads are better than one" goes the old saying, and accordingly, the 2s allow us to take the spark from the Aces and nurture it through collaboration.  This collaboration may be with a person, but even more often it is a union of thought-systems, ways of life, or action.

2 of Swords, Rider-Waite Tarot

The figure on the 2 of Swords protects her heart with crossed swords, and yet this card isn't really about being on the defensive.  If it were, she wouldn't be blindfolded.  She would want to see any potential threats. And she certainly wouldn't be sitting calmly, barefoot and seemingly in her nightgown, outside at night.  With her formal upright posture and blindfold, she resembles traditional representations of Nemesis or Justice (but with an extra sword and no scales).  The sea, night, and the moon are all symbols which have traditionally been associated with the depths of the subconscious and with intuition--forces which are rather antithetical to the clear, cool logic of the suit of Swords.  Can these opposing forces be reconciled?  The 2 of Swords represents a truce, a moment of calm when both sides cease firing and cool down a bit.  At these times, we close our physical eyes and turn inward, deeply examining our own motives and methods.  This moment is a breathing space, fitting the stillness and peace of the scene on the card.  It cannot last forever, of course, but ideally it will spawn constructive solutions to conflict, be it internal or external.

2 of Cups, The Llewellyn Tarot

The 2 of Cups is very similar to the Lovers of the Major Arcana.  Both represent a harmonious and emotionally fulfilling partnership.  This may or may not be a romantic pairing, but the card does urge you to follow your heart where it leads you.  There is a mutual natural affinity between you and the object of your desire, and together you can achieve more than either could separately.  The 2 of Cups represents a union that is sincere, nuturing, meaningful, and mutually beneficial.  

2 of Pentacles, Shadowscapes Tarot

The scene on the 2 of Pentacles is a dynamic one, with the coins being apparently juggled by a person balancing on one foot.  In the background of the Rider-Waite image, ships roll on huge waves.  At first glance, it's easy to draw a parallel between it and our too-often-hectic lives.  We struggle to balance the demands of family, relationships, kids, work, finances, health, etc. etc.  But as I discussed in a previous post, there is a deeper meaning to this card:  harmony.  Note that I did not say "balance."  There is a reason we have to struggle to find balance--it's not natural.  There are moments of balance in nature, but they don't last.  Everything and everyone in the universe is interconnected like an incomprehensibly complex Rube Goldberg machine, and the tiniest movement in one place triggers movements everywhere else.  I believe a more realistic goal is harmony with the constant ebb and flow of conditions in our lives.  Another way to look at this is to consider what we mean by balance--this is not the balance of a set of scales, one thing weighed against another; it is the kind of balance that allows you to keep your footing no matter how you are buffeted or how the ground tips.  The man on the 2 of Pentacles is experiencing this latter kind of balance, constantly moving with the eternal flow like the ships on the waves behind him--we are just seeing a snapshot of that motion.  All the struggle, the sturm-und-drang of our crazy lives is a sign of being out of harmony with them; and so, I argue, this card doesn't tell you to fight vainly for impossible balance, it tells you to center yourself and try to find a way back into harmony with your life.

2 of Wands, Golden Tarot

In the 2 of Wands, the initiatory spark of the Ace of Wands has found a purpose.  With the Ace, you feel an urge; with the 2, you are directing that urge.  Consequently, you have the world in your hands.  All things are possible for you now, as you stand at the brink of manifesting your desires.  You will find new opportunities are abundant at this time.  Take action now.  Claim your personal authority.  Start where you are.  You will discover new worlds as you go.

Hunter's Moon--A Time for Transformation

Picture credit: Hunter's Moon Studio.

On Monday, 29 October 2012, at 12:50 p.m. Pacific time, the moon will become full.  Did you know that in the old days, each full moon of the year had its own name?  October's full moon is called Hunter's Moon, Blood Moon, Dying Grass Moon, or Travel Moon (see a list of full moon names here).  The Farmer's Almanac says:

"Native Americans named this bright moon for obvious reasons.  The leaves are falling from trees, the deer are fattened, and it's time to begin storing up meat for the long winter ahead.  Because the fields were traditionally reaped in late September or early October, hunters could easily see fox and other animals that come out to glean from the fallen grains.  Probably because of the threat of winter looming close, the Hunter's Moon is generally accorded with special honor, historically serving as an important feast day in both Western Europe and among many Native American tribes."

The Hunter's Moon gave bright nocturnal light for the hunters to stalk their prey.  At the same time, the fields and trees were bare and the grass dying, so there were few places for animals to hide.  Fall was, and still is, prime hunting season since during the winter, the land will not support large numbers of animals, while people will have fewer plants to gather and must depend on meat to nourish them until spring.  It is a time for a last big feast before we must carefully husband our resources through the winter.  In this way, humans, animals, and plants are intertwined as we move deeper into the autumn season.

So Hunter's Moon is a time for us to reflect on what we need as our most fundamental nourishment to support to through the dark, quiet months.  If we pay attention, our senses will be super-acute, and we will not fail to spot what we seek.

Now, this year's Hunter's Moon happens to fall in the sign of Taurus in the 2nd House, trine Pluto in Capricorn, while Chiron trines the Sun in Scorpio (read more about it here).  A full moon in Taurus (the sign of security) in the 2nd House (the house ruling issues of security and values) means that we will be offered the opportunity to powerfully manifest transformation in this area.  Scorpio is a sign of deep transformation, and Chiron (actually a comet) is believed astrologically to point to our deepest wounds, as well as where we can find--and offer--healing.

What all that boils down to is that this full moon is a tremendous opportunity for healing, especially in the area of our values and what gives us security.  Our sense of security is often tied to early childhood experiences, and consequently we don't usually approach it rationally, but in instinctive, even knee-jerk, ways.  These are things we take for granted, accept as natural, even though they may be entirely arbitrary or due to historical accident.  Therefore we have to put real conscious intent into uncovering and healing our instinctive fears and wounds--just as the hunter keeps her eyes open for her quarry on a moonlit night.  Tarot can be a wonderful tool to help you, because the cards never lie and are never afraid to tell us what we need to hear.

My grandmother grew up during the Great Depression, and then struggled to raise three daughters as a single mother.  A deep sense of material insecurity goes back generations in my family.  So this Hunter's Moon I am going to work on manifesting greater prosperity consciousness.

What will you manifest?

Receiving "bad" cards as advice

So Lisa didn't technically receive The Happy Squirrel as advice.
But hasn't Tarot put that look on all our faces at some point?
Image from Touchstone Tarot.

Sometimes in a reading, we will find one of the "bad" cards turn up in a position of advice.  First let me say I don't actually think any of the cards are really bad; but there are some that incorporate unpleasant experiences and feelings among their meanings.  Often, these experiences, while negative in the short run, turn out to be for our own good.  (Not that we get much comfort from that in the moment!)

Actually, every card has its shadow aspect, and hopefully it's clear from context whether that is the appropriate interpretation  in a given reading.  However, here are some of the cards that can be most unwelcome:

• Death
• The Devil
• The Tower
• 3 of Swords
• 9 of Swords
• 10 of Swords
• The Happy Squirrel (kidding!)

Less potentially nasty, but still not fun, are:

• 5 of Swords
• 4 of Pentacles
• 5 of Wands

How do we interpret these cards when they turn up in a position to advise us?  Is Death telling us to die?  Is the 4 of Pentacles telling us to be jealous and clingy?  Is the Tower telling us to collapse?

I believe the key is to ask ourselves (1) what positive aspects can be found even in these seemingly "negative" situations, and (2) how can we turn situations like these to our advantage?

Death

You've probably heard before that Death doesn't really mean death, but a major transformation, even a rebirth.   So when you receive this as advice, consider the possibility that you should open yourself up to transformation.  Can you embrace it willingly, even though there may be the pain of separation?  Can you let something die?

The Devil

Here we need to look at to whom or what we have given our power.  The Devil makes us feel like trapped, like there's no way out and our situation is hopeless--all the while we have the keys to our own liberation.  We let ourselves become enslaved by any number of deceptions; so when the Devil comes up as advice, it's time to take the key, unlock the door, and walk out into the light.

The Tower

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen."  If you put yourself on a pedestal, you too are destined to take a tumble.  How might we build a more stable, lasting tower?  We first need a sturdy foundation--and this means one that is not based on complacency, deception, or arrogance.  Be the lightning bolt, destroy any deceit that you see, including any lies you've been telling yourself.  Then rebuild from a place of truth and humility.

3 of Swords

I believe the 3 of Swords as advice asks us to open up to vulnerability.  Yes, this usually means feeling pain and sorrow.  But pain can be handled in a healthy or unhealthy way:  repressing it, denying it, trying to "suck it up" without acknowledging it--these are unhealthy because we don't learn anything from the experience.  I'm not arguing that we should wallow in suffering.  Rather, I'm suggesting that we face up to it honestly, accept that it is present in our lives--and then let it go.

9 of Swords

Worry accomplishes nothing, especially when it's keeping you up at night, since usually there's little or nothing we can do to help ourselves after business hours!  Anxiety keeps us from seeing our situation clearly enough to come up with a real solution.  This doesn't mean that there isn't cause for concern--there may be.  And if you've been trying to put a happy face on things, maybe it's time you got real.  The situation calls for an honest, calm appraisal.  Maybe it's time to make a list of pros and cons.

10 of Swords

When you've hit rock bottom, you have nowhere to go but up.  It's time to dust yourself off and move on.

5 of Swords

Here is the card of conflict.  Sometimes conflict can't be avoided, and in that case we need to consider what kind of warrior we want to be.  Are we going to stand up for ourselves, and then be forgiving once we've won our battle?  Or are we going to loot the village, rape the women, and salt the earth?  You know which you should do, right?

4 of Pentacles

It's a time to be conservative, to look after the things we cherish.  You don't have to be greedy about it, but good husbandry is necessary for growth--whether you're trying to grow a crop, a fortune, or a relationship.  Just remember that your identity and your possessions are--and should remain--two different things.  And beware of letting sober financial management turn into a poverty mindset--because they will have opposite outcomes.

5 of Wands

Everyone wants to have their say, but when they're all talking at once, no one gets heard.  This is just so annoying.  There's only one way out of it, which is to either shout louder than anyone else, or establish some order, so everyone can have a turn.  Sometimes this card indicates one of those days when nothing quite goes right, and with every setback the day seems to get worse and worse.  Take it one task at a time.