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.

The Tarot court quick reference

In this post I'll be discussing the interpretation of the Tarot court as abstract concepts, intangible things, or influences.  I think this may well be the stickiest point when it comes to interpreting these cards.  It's relatively easy to imagine them as individuals, and to associate them with real individuals in your life, and it's even fairly easy to imagine how these individuals would act and turn that into advice about your own actions.

But what about when these cards come up in answer to questions about intangible things?

For example, take the familiar Celtic Cross spread--in a recent reading I gave, the King of Wands came up in Position 2.  Card 2 is usually read as "crossing" Card 1, which represents the subject/querent in the situation.  In my experience, I find that the way in which Card 2 "crosses" the subject isn't always negative per se.  It can be an obstacle, or something weighing upon the subject, but it can also be an element of the situation that is strongly influencing or even constraining the querent's position or actions in the situation.  Of course, this can be a person.  But in my experience, more often than not it's an intangible thing.

So I list here a number of keywords for each of the court cards that may help to show what kinds of things or influences each can represent.  In some cases I have mentioned some people whose public/fictive personae are in close accordance with a particular card.  Bear in mind that there is some overlap among the keywords, but that should help you get a better sense for the relationship of the cards to one another.

Pages

Page of Swords 

inquisitive, studious, analytical, smart, moody, talkative/argumentative, a bit of a tattletale, a dark-haired child or youth

Page of Cups 

heartfelt, open, affectionate, flirtatious, tender, sensitive, dreamy, a bit ditsy, a fair-haired child or youth

Page of Pentacles 

shy, philosophical, down to earth, sensitive, responsible, acquisitive, a bit lazy, a fair-haired child or youth

Page of Wands 

enthusiastic, inspired, artistic, expressive, fun-loving, hyperactive, a bit of a spazz, a dark-haired child or youth

Knights

Knight of Swords

warrior, logic, scientist, measurement, analysis, sarcasm, brusque, intelligent, aggressive, communication, dark, mind over matter, mysterious, Sherlock Holmes-type, a dark-haired man

Knight of Cups

romance, courtship, suitor, Romeo-type, moody, sensitive guy, poet, troubadour, public display of affection (PDA), love letter, Lancelot-type, a fair-haired man

Knight of Pentacles

suit-and-tie, hard work, workaholic, strong silent type, stubborn, proud, good provider, reliable, predictable, man of his word, Horatio Alger-type, down to earth, stingy, a fair-haired man

Knight of Wands

Don Juan or Casanova-type, seducteur, charm, panache, charisma, courage, passion, ambition, male sex appeal, gambler, jock, honesty, a dark-haired man

Queens

Queen of Swords

intelligence, insight, sharp tongue, strict mother, sarcasm, tough love, teacher, tutor, education, wisdom, experience, subtle, science, wit, librarian, a dark-haired woman

Queen of Cups

psychic, fine arts, poetry and song, compassion, care, loving kindness, heart, sensitivity, gentleness, drama queen, creative, deep, beauty, oracle, healing, Guinevere-type, a fair-haired woman

Queen of Pentacles

motherly, domestic goddess, Martha Stewart-type, garden, cooking, childbirth, practicality, frugality, earthy, earth mother, a fair-haired woman

Queen of Wands

belle of the ball, Lady Luck, party girl, female sex appeal, charisma, diva, bold, dramatic, Marilyn Monroe-type, center of attention, a dark-haired woman

Kings

King of Swords

judge, dry sense of humor, wisdom, intelligence, mysterious, alluring, King Arthur-type, a dark-haired man (likely older)

King of Cups

counselor, comforting, gentle, mature love, fatherly affection, healer, supportive, a fair-haired man (likely older)

King of Pentacles

luxury, millionaire, gentleman farmer, businessman, tycoon, black tie affair, dapper, debonair, Cary Grant-type, father figure, the good life, CEO, executive, sugar daddy, swanky, a fair-haired man (likely older)

King of Wands

big spender, high roller, male sex appeal, generosity, charisma, creative, bold, open, dynamic, majestic, young Henry VIII-type, athletic, honesty, nobility, a dark-haired man (likely older)

Notes on: Judgement

The concept of a judgement awaiting us after death, where our good deeds will be weighed against our evil to determine our soul's fate, goes back at least as far as ancient Egypt.

Judgement of Hu-Nefer, Thebes, 1290-1280 BC

The Egyptians believed that after death, the gods would weigh their heart against the feather of Ma'at, the goddess of truth, justice, and (but of course) judgement.  If their heart was lighter than the feather, they began their journey into the afterlife; if it was heavier, their soul would be devoured by the ravenous demon Ammut.

On the Judaeo-Christian Judgement Day, all souls--or, depending on the particular version of Christianity--all physical (human) bodies as well, will be resurrected, with the good ascending to Heaven and the evil and nonbelievers descending to Hell.  This is the imagery on the Rider-Waite card.

Judgement, Fenestra Tarot

Since many, perhaps most, Christians do not interpret the Judgement literally, the Judgement card (XX in the Major Arcana) is usually read in a metaphorical sense, as a rebirth or re-awakening.  This derives from the notion of resurrection, as depicted in the Rider-Waite deck and those inspired by it.  The dead are brought back to life and receive forgiveness of their sins, moving on to heaven. 

When we draw Judgement, it is telling us to evaluate a situation, especially our actions and their effects, then forgive and release it, in order to learn and then move on.  In a way then, Judgement can indicate an ending, but it is not catastrophic like The Tower, nor is it coming from the external world like Death.  This is not a sorrowful parting but should be more of a relief. 

In a reading, the precise shading of Judgement's meaning may be made clearer by adjacent cards.  For example, moving on would be emphasized if Judgement  is received along with the 8 of Cups (leaving behind the known and familiar to set out on a quest for deeper meaning and fulfillment) or The Hermit (withdrawing to facilitate introspection and the search for truth). 

I would expect a new beginning from Judgement accompanied by The Fool (new beginnings, new experiences), The Star (new hope), or any of the Aces. 

Rebirth (a.k.a. Judgement), Druidcraft Tarot

If I got Judgement plus the 5 of Cups (grief, self-pity, regrets, or disappointment which hold one back) or 9 of Swords (regrets, worries, anxiety), I would focus on the need for more objective evaluation and release of outmoded beliefs and self-punishment.  Although Judgement is rarely about an external judge, it may be necessary to atone for past deeds if, after evaluation, you feel that is necessary and it enables you to move forward. 

If you receive this card before taking action, you would do well to consider the possible ramifications of what you are planning to do, and to understand the root causes that led you to this point.  This would be bolstered by the 7 of Pentacles (evaluating the state and outcome of one's labors before making a decision).

Notes on: The Empress

The Empress (Card III in the Major Arcana) is an opportunity to meditate on femininity.  What does femininity mean to you? 

The Tarot creators of the Victorian age had very specific ideas of what it meant, and to some extent we've outgrown the ideas that no longer work for our reality, but many still lurk unacknowledged in our subconscious.  For example, in modern Western European and Euro-American cultures, gender is usually viewed as binary.  There are males and there are females, and symbolically, they are opposite one another--war vs. peace, hard vs. soft, light vs. dark, yadda yadda yadda.  This fits nicely within a dualistic worldview which holds that the whole universe is made up of opposites.

That's a lot of gametes.

Before we go any further let's get our terms straight.  I don't want to seem lecture-y, (though I do love holding forth), but it's important to prevent confusion later on.  Scientifically speaking--and this is the way I'll be using these terms--male and female refer to biological sex, whereas man and woman, boy and girl, masculine and feminine refer to gender, which is a category of social meaning and determined by the culture you live in.  Biologically, the male sex is defined as the one that produces many small gametes (sex cells), called sperm.  Because they are small, they are relatively "cheap" to produce, in that they do not require much of the male's built-up stores of nutrition.  This is why the male can make so many, and having so many, they can be dispersed freely--most won't make contact with anything and so will be wasted, but there's plenty more where they came from.  Pollen is a plant's sperm.  And yes, when you suck in a big, itchy breath of pollen, some plant is having sex with your nose.

The female is defined as the one that makes large, nutritionally-costly sex cells (eggs or ova).  These cells are large because they contain a packet of nutrients that will be used by the developing embryo (like the yolk of an egg).  Being so large and requiring so much of the female's nutrition to produce, she can't make many at one time, and she must protect them so as not to waste them.  Seeds and nuts are a plant's eggs.  In sexually-reproducing organisms, there are only two sexes, but there are intersexed individuals, and many plants of course have both male and female parts. 

The Empress, Legacy of the Divine Tarot

But gender is an entirely different thing, and believe it or not, anthropology shows us that its relation to biological sex is totally arbitrary.  Are you just a producer of large or small sex cells?  Of course not.  Gender is a packet of personality traits and associated actions.  It's a role-playing game that has been invested with huge significance so that opting out of the game can be punished severely, but it's still a role.  Consequently there can be more than two genders, although in Western cultures today only two are recognized and these two are believed to be physiological/biological, even spiritual/divine, in origin and thus inextricably tied to biological sex and the physical body.  Only recently have trans- or other-gendered individuals begun to be recognized, and they still endure a great deal of prejudice.  But it's important to remember that in many cultures, they would be not only accepted but honored for their unique qualities.  Such is the case with "two-spirit" people in some Native American cultures.

The point is that with all this in mind, you can see that you are far more than your gender.  You are a glorious, multidimensional being who could never be encapsulated by one of two dinky little categories.  The Empress represents the feminine end of a polarity with the masculine Emperor at the other end; Victorian Englishmen were great believers in this polarity, but you need not be, and whatever your opinion on this, the Empress has plenty to say to men as well as women. 

The Empress, Llewellyn Tarot

The Empress is representative of abundance, nurturing, and creativity--luscious, bountiful, sexy, voluptuous, hedonistic, celebratory, vulnerable, juicy creativity.  (I love the lush greenness in the Llewellyn Tarot Empress.)  To this we can add care, the care that is necessary to nourish your embryonic creation and bring it screaming into the world.  This protectiveness, like the hard nutshell around a seed, is usually symbolized by a shield.  Historically it has been women's privilege to enjoy and to represent these beautiful qualities, but when you receive the Empress, whatever your gender, she is calling your attention to what you nurture, what you love, what you create, your sense of having plenty--or not.  Remember that you can also bring to life all sorts of nasty little "babies" through a belief in lack, of being less-than or not-enough.  If you see yourself nurturing a horrible little parasite--and bear in mind that what you believe manifests in very, very real forms--nip it in the bud and direct your passionate creativity consciously toward what you love.  At the same time, take the opportunity she offers to spot the ways in which your ideas of gender empower or limit you.  These too are beliefs that manifest in reality, so make sure you are manifesting what you love and admire most.

Notes on: Temperance

I used to dislike receiving Temperance (Card XIV in the Major Arcana) in a reading.  In fact, in some ways you could say that it was one of my least favorite cards in the deck, even though I knew it was supposed to represent something positive.  The truth is, it was all because I didn't really get it.  The supposed meaning just didn't seem to fit the picture or the name, and no amount of reading other people's interpretations of the card seemed to illuminate it.

I was uncomfortable with the imagery in the Rider-Waite version (at left), and most decks follow this prototype.  It smacks of European "high magic" to me--that peculiar blending of Christian, Kabbalistic, Egyptian, and Classical symbolism (also seen on the High Priestess) popularized by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, among others.  Such "high" magic never appealed to me, and since I never studied it, when I look at this card I am aware of a huge body of symbolism behind it, about which I know little.  I find myself looking at an image from a different culture and I feel like if only I had the right background knowledge, it would be easy to decode.  But instead what I see is like visual gibberish.

Temperance, Shadowscapes Tarot

What exactly is "temperance"?  In the Classical-meets-Judaeo-Christian tradition which has historically been so influential in Europe, temperance--or moderation, self-restraint--is extolled as one of the greatest virtues.  (I admit I'm rather lacking in this particular virtue, especially when it comes to the length of this post!)

Meanwhile, among Tarot interpreters, one of the most frequent schools of thought is that Temperance is about "balance," "harmony," and the merging of opposites (many cards depict the mixing of fire and water).  But the world is not really made of opposites.  It is a vast, intertwining network from which we arbitrarily single out certain traits, name them "good" or "bad," "man" or "woman," and so on--and call them opposites.  We use fire and water as a metaphor for opposition all the time, but in reality these are not opposite, they are just different.  Opposition is more about perception--a perception that I don't share--than it is about the true nature of the world.

In the Rider-Waite image, we see an angel standing with one foot in the water and one on land, while the wings suggest the angel is a creature of the air.  That suggests a bridging of different elements, different worlds even.  The angel occupies a liminal space which is all and yet none of those elements.  The angel is also androgynous, both male and female (or neither).  From two cups, water is poured (at an angle which defies the laws of physics, it may be added).  From this we get the sense of mixing, and perhaps equalizing the volume of water between the two vessels.  So I can see how some interpreters see the angel as balancing and harmonizing--but to me, the liminality, the both-and-yet-neitherness, of the image is what jumps out.  It certainly doesn't evoke moderation for me.

So I've always felt more at home with a yin-yang kind of interpretation, because the yin-yang symbol, or taijitu ("diagram of ultimate power"), illustrates that what appear to us as opposites are in fact commingled and complimentary aspects of a single indivisible whole.  The liminal quality of the Rider-Waite angel seemed to fit with that, although it certainly wasn't the representation I would have chosen (since, as I said, I'm not a Hermetic magician).  But a Daoist, yin-yangy interpretation seemed to be very far from what most authors said about Temperance--they were always talking about those pesky opposites.  (In fact, even though the yin-yang symbol is actually meant to remind us of the wholeness of the universe, many people incorrectly use it to support a claim that the world is made of opposites.  In fact, the expression "like yin and yang" means that things are opposite, even though this doesn't reflect the actual meaning of the symbol in Eastern philosophy.)  The Shadowscapes Tarot Temperance is my favorite because it uses the taijitu.

The Fferyllt (Temperance), Druidcraft Tarot

Some writers mention alchemy in connection with the Temperance card.  This is well-represented by the Druidcraft and the Housewives decks, both of which, in their respective ways, illustrate the idea of producing a perfect harmonious mixture. (The name of the Druidcraft card "Fferyllt," means alchemy.)  But of course in life we rarely know what the correct mixture is.  If we are asking the Tarot about it, chances are we don't have a recipe.  We are constantly fumbling along with barely a clue what we are doing, while simultaneously trying to clean up the messes we've left in our wake from previous mixtures that didn't go quite according to the recipe.  So if this is the meaning of Temperance, why don't we call it what it is and rename it Trial & Error? 

And then one day I had an epiphany, and I realized what I think is the most important message of Temperance:  synergy.  Synergy is the coming together of multiple elements to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.  This is much more than disparate things simply mixing to form a synthesis. And it's nothing to do with opposites, though it can encompass the merger of apparent opposites.  However, synergy transcends the differences of its consituents.

Temperance, Houswives' Tarot

Examples of synergistic transcendence can be found in even the most seemingly humble settings.  In The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan describes a beautiful case in point:  At Polyface Farm in Virginia, where Joel Salatin practices sustainable agriculture and stock rearing, cattle graze a patch of pasture for a day.  The pasture is composed of many different plants:  clovers, sweetgrass, bluegrass, timothy, etc.  Obviously what the cattle get out of this is healthy, nourishing food free from pesticides and artificial fertilizers, but the soil also benefits.  The plants need to keep the length of their roots about equal to the length of their leaves, so when their leaves are cropped by grazing, they jettison some of their roots.  These roots rot, fertilizing the soil, and their now empty channels become pathways for worms and other insects.  Also, of course, the soil is fertilized by the cowpats.  All this rot combines to form humus, which nourishes the plants and helps hold onto moisture.  As the cows clip the tall grasses, shorter plants like clovers are able to receive more sunlight, which the cows love, clover being one of their favorite foods.  Clovers are legumes, and like all legumes have the ability to "fix" atmospheric nitrogen (actually there are bacteria that live on their roots and they are the ones that fix the nitrogen, making it available to the plants, in return for which the legume's roots release a drop of sucrose which nourishes the bacteria).  Nitrogen is a fertilizer for all the plants in the pasture. Returning to the cattle, they help the plants to distribute their seeds, by eating them, carrying them away in their stomachs, and then depositing them in a pile of ready-made fertilizer.  Their hoofprints even collect shallow puddles of water that help the seeds germinate.

At the end of the day, the cattle are moved on--to let them graze for two days would harm the pasture and thus the soil.  But in three days, chickens take over.  Chickens need short grass since taller grass would hamper their walking, so they benefit from the cows' grazing.  They also benefit from the cowpats, which they scratch through in order to find insect larvae, which are an important source of protein for the chickens, and help produce especially delicious eggs.  In this way, the chickens stop the spread of parasites.  They leave behind their own fertilizer, which is even higher in nitrogen than cowpats are.  When they move on, the pasture gets a chance to rest and grow again before the next cycle begins.

The beauty of this system is that all parts--the soil, plants, bacteria, insects, cattle, chickens, and humans--are necessary for it to flourish, and with proper watchfulness the system is self-perpetuating.  The fact that it involves bugs and poop doesn't make it any less amazing, and that, to me, is the meaning of this card.  (Incidentally it would be marvelous to receive this card along with the 3 of Pentacles at the beginning of a joint project or venture.)

But one problem does remain, and that is the name of the card.  Nothing about its imagery seems to suggest moderation or restraint.  I think that perhaps what we are seeing here is evolution:  the Rider-Waite deck was first published in 1909, during the Victorian resurgence of magical secret societies like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the Freemasons, the popularity of which has since declined.  Its imagery drew from the much older Tarot de Marseilles, but with added symbolism.  We need to understand Tarot in the English-speaking world as very much a product of the early 20th century, and as such, we should expect changes in representation and interpretation today, just as the early Tarotologists made their own changes in the Victorian age.  If there is one thing I have learned about the Tarot, it's that the cards are remarkably able to communicate with the individual reader in whatever way is necessary to get the point across; to marry ourselves to a single dogmatic meaning for each card would diminish our own and the Tarot's power and stunt our ability to develop intuitive understanding of a situation.  In short, I believe all the meanings I have discussed here are at home in the Temperance card, and which one emerges will depend on the situation and the reader.

The 10s

As the last number in the Minor Arcana sequence (not counting the royals), the 10s represent extreme manifestations of each suit--the apogee or nadir of expression of each suit's qualities.  The extreme can be positive or negative, depending on circumstances, but as is always the case with extremes, there is a certain risk of collapse inherent in even the rosiest picture, simply because it is so hard to maintain an extreme for long.  The 10s remind me of the scene in This Is Spinal Tap when Nigel Tufnel explains how amplifiers that go to 11 are better because 11 "is one more."  Similarly, the 9s complete the story arc for each suit in the Minor Arcana, and the 10 is one more--for better or worse.

The 10 of Swords is, obviously, not a happy card.  You only need one sword to kill a person, so the poor chap on this card, with all 10 swords in his back, is clearly a victim of overkill.  And that's what this card is all about.  On a superficial level we could say that if we were worried with the 9 of Swords, the 10 says the worry was more than justified.  But on a deeper level, we see that if we let our minds run away with us, if we wallow in inner conflict without a reality check (as shown in the 9), we will finally collapse under the stress (in the 10).  In short, swords qualities, unchecked, can be very damaging.  Once we have reached such a low point, of course, there's nowhere to go but up.  When you receive this card, all you can do is batten down the hatches, hunker down, and weather the storm, knowing that it can only get better.  This is a not a time to struggle--just give up and keep your head down.  And when the skies clear, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on with your life.

10 of Wands, Robin Wood Tarot

The 10 of Cups is very straightforward.  It is all about contentment.  Your physical and emotional needs are met and you are wise enough to know it and enjoy it.  In my experience I have found that this is not a particularly romantic card--it isn't about falling in love, it's about the comfort of long-established relationships and even about a spiritual bliss that arises from pure love.  There is security and stability here, and definitely joy, although no adventure or mystery.

10 of Pentacles, Gilded Tarot

The 10 of Pentacles is the peak of affluence.  It differs from the 9 in that for the wealthy woman of the 9, luxury is not yet totally divorced from the labor necessary to attain it, whereas in the 10 of Pentacles there's a certain complacency.  You might say that the 9 represents the self-made man or woman, while the 10 is the rich kid born with a silver spoon in his or her mouth.  For the 10, the wealth is inherited, not earned, and indeed, this card can appear to remind us of what we have inherited from our forebears--spiritually and psychologically as well as materially--and the legacy we are leaving to our descendants.  This stuff is often taken for granted instead of being thoroughly considered, understood, and appreciated. 

10 of Wands, Druidcraft Tarot

The person on the 10 of Wands card is weighed down by responsibility.  In the 9 we were encouraged to hold out, remain strong, just a bit longer; but in the 10, maybe we've been strong too long.  When you receive this card, it's likely that you are plodding forward, one foot in front of the other.  You have too much on your plate to be looking forward into the future, or behind you into the past.  And that is usually the best way to handle a big task--by staying in the present moment, handling each new task as it arises, and not projecting hopes or fears into the future.  But it can also send us crashing into anything in our path if our eyes are on our feet, not on the horizon.  It is easy to overextend ourselves.  This card reminds us that it's OK to ask for help, in fact, we would be wise to delegate some tasks here if possible.  The world will not end if we take a break.  On a positive note, the Wands story arc has been about personal achievement, and that should always culminate in taking responsibility for your creations.

Sample reading: legal case

In Bronze Age China, diviners would use fire to crack turtle shells or bones, interpreting the shape of the cracks to foretell the future.  Fortunately for those of us interested in history and archaeology, they began to record the questions, predictions, and outcomes of the divinations, which has allowed us to learn a lot about what issues were most important to their society, as well as how the divination system worked. 

In that same spirit, this is the first of what I hope will be many sample readings, done by me and reproduced with permission of the querent.  I find that sample readings are one of the best ways to see the possible interpretations of cards in different contexts.

This reading concerned a lawsuit.  The querent--I'll call her "Judy"--had already received an unfavorable verdict and as a consequence was going to be required to pay a lot of money, although she was innocent of the claim against her.  Judy had been assured that she would win her case, and was confused by the outcome; she also wondered whether it was worth appealing the verdict, or whether it would be better to just give in and stop fighting it.  So she asked for an overview of the situation with an eye to how it would develop in future.

I chose a 7-card "horseshoe" spread for the question, as it gives a thorough but nicely concise picture of the situation.

The layout looks like this:

(One thing to note here is that if you're reading for yourself, you already know what your hopes and fears are, so you can let that card stand for something else.  That goes for any spread.  In this case I let Card 6 be a more open-ended advice card.)

1. The World reversed
2. Ace of Swords reversed
3. The Star reversed
4. Ace of Cups reversed
5. 6 of Cups reversed
6. 8 of Pentacles reversed
7. The Moon reversed

The first thing that jumps out of this layout is the fact that every single card is reversed, which is to say that none of them is free to express its particular energy in this situation, and that suggests that Judy feels similarly constrained.

The reversed World (card XXI of the Major Arcana) in Position 1 suggests that Judy had had high hopes for the outcome of this situation, but was well aware of many obstacles to be faced.  Now, with the verdict already established, she found herself very confused.  She had done everything she was supposed to do, she believed she was in the right and had a strong case, yet the outcome was worse even than what she had feared.  The task seemed too big.  There was a sense of bafflement, of not having enough information, and being afraid to act because of it (reversed Ace of Swords).  What went wrong?  What could/should she do next?  The fear here was that all her hard work would be for nought (8 of Pentacles reversed). 

The Star (card XVII) in its upright position is all about rekindled hope and the promise of a better day, but, being reversed here, the querent couldn't see any cause for hope.  That doesn't mean it's not there, but she did not feel optimistic.  In this case I would not encourage her to get her hopes up about a possible appeal.

Aces generally presage new beginnings, but a reversed Ace of Cups is again suggesting that Judy not get her hopes up.

The reversed 6 of Cups often indicates nostalgic clinging to the past, especially childhood or some other time of perceived innocence and simplicity.  For instance, we could be comparing the present to some idealized vision of the past to which reality could never live up.  That didn't seem to pertain to this querent's question too well.  Instead, I think the crux of this card, in this situation, was innocence.  And since it was reversed, that means that basically, Judy's innocence in this matter was irrelevant--I would say this was one of those cases where the verdict was about adhering to the letter of the law rather than real justice.  After all, that is the way the law generally works.

The reversed 8 of Pentacles suggests, to me, that no amount of hard work is going to salvage this situation.  It's not about knowing more or doing more, because there is nothing to be done.

Finally, the outcome suggests a lessening of the confusion and some improvement in the clarity of the situation, and hopefully there will be a lessening of what the querent perceives as danger (the Moon, card XVIII, reversed).  And that is really all that can be hoped for here.  After many months of legal wrangling, sometimes it is a relief just to have it done, and not be left twisting in the wind.

And on that note, in order to hopefully shine a little more light on the situation, I did a 3-card, past-present-future spread.

1. 9 of Swords reversed
2. 7 of Pentacles
3. The Tower reversed

Sure enough, Judy had been experiencing great anxiety--worries which were, as it turns out, well-grounded--and had reached a point where she must decide how best to move forward (7 of Pentacles)--hence the tarot reading.  Now, considering the Tower (card XVI) reversed in relation to the reversed Star and reversed Moon from the previous spread (the cards in the "future" and "outcome" positions), we see a very poor outcome, but the shocking catastrophe represented by the upright Tower is mitigated by reversal.  It's almost like the cards are saying, "Well, it could be worse."

So, not a positive reading but hopefully one which shows some potential ways of reading reversed cards.

Minor Arcana quick reference

This is a list of keywords associated with each of the numbers in the Minor Arcana, with links to posts with more detail.

• Aces - new beginnings, opportunities
• 2s - harmony, partnership
• 3s - creativity
• 4s - stasis, stability, stagnation
• 5s - conflict, obstacles
• 6s - harmony, peace
• 7s - decision, evaluation
• 8s - advancement, progress
• 9s - completion, perfection
• 10s - extremes, excesses
• Pages - investigation
• Knights - championship
• Queens - nurturing
• Kings - mastery

The 9s

Back when I wrote about the 3s, I mentioned that the number 3 has a long history of magical associations.  When you multiply 3 by itself, you get 9.  If 3 is powerful, 3 3s is exponentially more so.  So 9, as you might expect, represents the full completion and culmination of each suit's properties.  The 9s integrate the earlier experiences of each suit's story arc.

There's something interesting about the swords, especially 7-9.  They're not quite what you would predict them to be.  Take the 9:  If you think of swords as representing reason, analysis, and the mind, and 9 as the culmination of that, you'd expect the 9 of Swords to represent something like a genius or a university, right?  Something very intellectual, at any rate.  And instead what we get is a person so upset that s/he can't sleep.  This person is literally sitting up nights agonizing over something.  S/he is filled with anxiety...why do these darn swords always have to be so miserable?  The swords are--literally and metaphorically--double-edged.  On the one hand, they may show us when their characteristics are badly needed, while on the other, they may show us we are over-thinking.  They can even do both at the same time.  To return to the 9 of Swords specifically, (1) the person shown on the card is stuck in a cycle of rumination over something, thinking and re-thinking it in an entirely unproductive manner (who hasn't lost sleep because they couldn't turn their inner chatter off?), and yet (2) a little more objectivity and a little less instinctive fear would do him/her a world of good.  Opinion on this card seems to be divided, with some readers viewing the upright card as advising you to worry less while the reversal means that you have good cause to be worried, and others (including myself) see it exactly opposite.  I think with this card you have to be careful to reference the question; for example, if it is simply describing a situation, the upright form of the card is simply saying that worry and anxiety are present (in which case, I would read the reversal as indicating that maybe there needs to be a little more fear of something).  But if the card is drawn as advice, I would be more inclined to read the upright version as saying that the worry was excessive (and then the reversal would suggest that the subject has reason to be worried).  Whichever way you look at it, be consistent.  When I'm in doubt, I pull another card to elaborate on the matter.

9 of Cups, Thoth Tarot

The 9 of Cups, by contrast, is relatively simple.  It is replete with satisfaction and fulfillment, and is sometimes called "the wish card."  I like the imagery of the Thoth Tarot, where nine cups are beaming golden light, overflowing with its blessings.  I wouldn't go so far as to call this card a guarantee that your wishes will come true, but you should be feeling pretty content with your situation when you draw it.

The 9 of Pentacles is one of my favorite cards.  The Rider-Waite image shows a woman in a garden with a falcon on her wrist.  This is a woman of means, enjoying her demesne.  Many interpreters see the falcon as a sign of control, of the woman's power over her material circumstances, even over nature.  However, I view it somewhat differently.  In T.H. White's wonderful memoir The Goshawk, he describes his fraught relationship with a bird of prey.  Falcons and other birds of prey are never truly tame, so they are really only ever a little bit under our control.  If they slip their jesses, they are gone for good.  Instead we must think of mastery here, and as White's experience illustrates, in particular self-mastery.  Mastering falconry means overcoming one's own impatience and frustration, as well as becoming intimately familiar with the bird's instincts and how to make them work for you.  Also, historically, falconry was very much an activity for the wealthy classes, and I think its presence in the 9 of Pentacles shows us that the woman is unquestionably well off.  I believe this card shows us a person who has earned the right to enjoy the fruits of hard labor, all those luxurious and beautiful pentacles things.

9 of Wands, Housewives' Tarot

The Rider-Waite Tarot's 9 of Wands shows us a man with a bandaged head, looking a bit beaten down.  But I like the picture on the Housewives' Tarot:  the lady is climbing a ladder with her bucket and sponge, but by God, she's dressed for breakfast at Tiffany's.  She knows that the drudgery is nearly done, and she is ready to rise above it.  The story arc of the wands is kind of a rollercoaster ride, and by the time we reach 9, we're nearly worn out.  I feel this card is very wise in the way that it shows how so often, just as we are about to achieve our goals, we succumb to weariness, despair, or frustration, in spite of all our past successes.  But this is no time to give up!  Don't give in to exhaustion and don't let your attention waver.  Put on your kitten-heel slingbacks and remember the inspiration, the desire or ambition (wands qualities) that fueled you at the beginning of your quest--if you can just hold out a little bit longer, your reward is assured.  See how the lady is almost at the top of the ladder?  Just a few more rungs to go!

The 5s

Starting from where we left off in our story arcs, with the static 4s, the 5s add a new element and that produces conflict of a nature determined by the suit involved.  In the 5s, something usually seems to come between us and what we want or need.  Although this can sometimes be quite unpleasant, it can present opportunities for new growth, and it certainly produces movement that breaks us out of our rut.

5 of Swords, Universal Waite Tarot

In the 5 of Swords we see the idea of conflict represented most clearly.  The sweeping clouds and the garments of the largest figure indicate a strong wind or passing storm.  Two of the people walk away looking dejected, while one is smiling and collecting swords.  To me the subject of this card appears to be the victor in a battle--perhaps a verbal dispute, given the nature of the suit of swords--but at what cost?  He's made his point (no pun intended) but driven away his friends.  We've all been browbeaten by this kind of person, and at times, we've been this person ourselves.  Sometimes we care more about being right than being good.  And yet there are times when we do need to stick up for ourselves and defend our point of view.  Just be careful how you do it if you want to keep your friends--is a tongue-lashing really necessary?  You can stand your ground without cruelty, and you should be able to do so after that nice little clarity break you took in the 4 of Swords. 

5 of Cups, Rider-Waite Tarot

5 of Cups, Shadowscapes Tarot

They say there's no use crying over spilt milk, but that's exactly what's going on in the 5 of Cups.  Three of the cups have tipped over and spilled out their contents (satisfaction, fulfillment, love) and the subject of the card feel grief, disappointment, and guilt.  It's okay to be sad, but beware of this becoming a full-on pity party.  If the subject of the 4 of Cups gave in to his/her sense of dissatisfaction, this is very likely where they might end up.  There are two cups left, though, so not all is lost.  I like the imagery on the Shadowscapes Tarot 5 of Cups--the figure gazes into her fishbowl when she's surrounded by an entire ocean!  So this card often points to a necessary change of focus, from the narrow to the big picture, or from the past to the future.

In the 5 of Pentacles, we see the tired, hungry, and sick.  No matter how tightly you cling to what gives you security (the 4 of Pentacles), misfortune can happen.  This card can signify poverty or illness, but there is more to it.  Note the church window in the background.  Shelter and charity are at hand, so why don't these two avail themselves of it?  Probably because they have been--or feel themselves to be--rejected and cast out by whatever they perceive to be in authority.  This authority stands between them and the physical necessities represented by the suit of pentacles.  Of course, as is so often the case, this can be more a matter of perception than reality, but what you perceive is real for you.  In terms of advice, this card tells you that it's not weakness to ask for help when you need it--but people won't know you need it if you don't speak up. 

Remember the party represented by the 4 of Wands?  Well, in the 5 of Wands it has gotten a little out of hand and the neighbors have called the cops. It looks like some of the guests had a few too many and are now in the midst of a drunken brawl.  It's not a serious fight (you can see how none of the figures on the card appears to have suffered crippling blows), and will likely be forgotten by morning, but it is chaotic and kind of stupid.  Everyone has his/her own opinions and is prepared to passionately defend them.  While this card usually represents annoying setbacks or squabbles, the good news is that there's no shortage of ideas or passion.  Another thing that comes to mind with this card are those couples that bicker and fight constantly yet always manage to somehow make up and stay together.  Keep your head down and ride out the storm.  If you are the boss of these people, they'll need a firm hand.

The 4s

The 4s of the Minor Arcana all depict various kinds of stasis.  This can be good--stability--or bad--stagnation.  It can even be both at the same time.  Geometrically, the number 4 can be represented as a square--it's a very sturdy shape which isn't particularly prone to movement (there's a reason vehicles don't have square wheels).  Everything is perfectly balanced--maybe even a little too perfectly balanced. 

4 of Swords

The 4 of Swords shows a figure at rest, in fact the Rider-Waite version appears to be a tomb effigy.  This is a time for the mind to take a break from its incessant rumination.  Remember the 3 of Swords and its vulnerability?  When you've been wounded, you need to take time for healing, and sometimes that means withdrawing to take some alone time.  When this card shows up, you are or have been overthinking things.  So stop thinking and just let it be.  It's safe to just sit with it, whatever the current experience is.  While you do so, trust that the seeds you have planted are incubating.  This card is a rare one among the swords in that it doesn't confront you with any major challenge...although some people find sitting still to be a great challenge indeed.  Remember that calculated inaction is action.

4 of Cups

The figure on the 4 of Cups looks a little pouty, doesn't he?  The hand emerging from the cloud and offering a cup represents a gift from heaven, but this person doesn't see it.  He's focused on the other three cups, and frankly, looks rather dissatisfied with them.  Two things could be happening here:  first, he's so focused on what he doesn't have, or so bored with what he does have, that he fails to see the wonderful gift being presented to him.  Or, secondly, he's refusing to settle for the cups of this earth and holding out for that perfect cup of his dreams.  In both of these scenarios, we are stuck waiting and yearning.  The advice in this card may be to open your eyes to the many blessings in your life, or to be patient and expect the reward you are eventually promised.  Actually, it's both those things--recognize and celebrate your good fortune in the present moment and expect even more good fortune in the future.  It's important that you not sit around moping.  Mopery accomplishes nothing.

4 of Pentacles

The person on the 4 of Pentacles card has amassed a certain amount of wealth (think financial/material security) but is afraid to part with any of it.  S/he is, in short, a miser.  Notice how the figure in the Rider-Waite image hunkers down over his wealth.  The city is far in the background, which shows how he has distanced himself from other people in order to have more quality time with his money.  In emotional or relationship terms, the 4 of Pentacles represents jealousy and possessiveness.  The subject of this card is afraid of change.  Of course, as we know, you have to spend money to make money--so this character is stuck where s/he is.

4 of Wands

The 4 of Wands shows us four staffs in the form of a trellis, with figures dancing in the background.  This card stands for celebration, and will often appear to signify weddings or parties.  How does celebration fit with the theme of stasis?  Because a party is just a moment in time, or really, a moment out of time.  For most people, a party is a special break in our normal everyday existence.  Normal relationships may be exaggerated, suspended, or reversed.  People are free to go a little crazy and let their hair down.  Normal life can wait until tomorrow.  Receiving this card signals fun and pleasure, but in the context of the creativity and drive governed by the suit of wands, it is a fun and pleasurable pause.

Interpreting reversals, with an example

There are a number of ways of interpreting reversed cards, and many readers use more than one, depending on context.  And of course some readers don't bother with them at all.

First, they can be interpreted as opposite their upright meaning.  For example, if the 10 of Swords represents calamity, the 10 of Swords reversed represents good fortune.

Second, some readers actually look at the picture upside down and interpret that.  In the 10 of Swords example, the swords would be falling out of the body rather than piercing it.  So they might interpret that as a removal of obstacles or pitfalls.  This method is highly individual, and I admit it doesn't work well for me, because when I flip the picture upside down I just see an upside-down picture.  But that's just me.

Third, they can be interpreted as difficulty fully manifesting the upright meaning, as if it were weakened or blocked.  In our reversed 10 of Swords example, this could be interpreted as only somewhat bad fortune.  Or it could be addressing your reaction to it.  I find this method to be more flexible than the others, but therefore also somewhat more perplexing, because you may have to weigh several options.

I favor the third method, but I'm not married to it.  Whatever method I use, it usually just comes to me intuitively that that is the right way to read the card, and that of course depends on the question.  But sometimes I admit I'm stumped.  These cases require a lot more thought, and that brings me to a fourth point:  Reversed cards offer the frustration challenge opportunity of delving much more deeply into the card's meaning.  In order to interpret the reversal, one has to come to an understanding of the upright meaning, then think about how that would manifest itself in an opposite or weakened form.  By the time I have thought enough about the upright meaning, I usually can see its shadow side.  When I first started reading, I didn't read reversals, but over time I've found that for me, they add a little more dimension, plus they are a way for the cards to encourage me not to settle for a superficial reading.

Not settling for the superficial is important when reading reversals.  I recommend not simply adhering to any one style of interpretation dogmatically, but considering the different possible alternatives.

All that said, I am going to give an example of one card that I recently received reversed--the 3 of Wands--and how I interpreted it. As I described here, the 3 of Wands urges confidence and faith in oneself and one's dreams.  (An aside--the question I asked as about a recurring dream, and when I wrote about the 3 of Wands before I talked about following your dreams.  Of course I was talking about the big kind of dreams, our wishes and goals, not the ones we have at night.  But it's just like the tarot to make a pun like that, and it's a perfect example of how they work with your pre-existing knowledge, too.)  Therefore, the reversed 3 of Wands was telling me that I was doubting and not having confidence in my own creations. 

Now, this interpretation might seem like I just took the opposite of the upright meaning, but it's not quite.  An opposite reading, I think, would tell you that there would be no return on your investments.  Your attempts at manifesting your dreams would come to nought.  It would be very discouraging.  Instead, the 3 of Wands reversed was telling me to consider exactly what I was manifesting--warning me that I was wasting too much energy on worrying when I could have been directing it in more productive ways.  It was not telling me to despair, but to wake up! 

Only you will know, in the moment, which sort of interpretation will work for you.  But I urge you, above all, not to interpret reversed cards mechanistically or superficially, but to give them the time and attention they deserve.  At the same time, practice following your intuition.  It is natural to question whether your intuitions are correct, and that is a losing battle, because ultimately there is no evidence that will truly, conclusively prove it to your satisfaction.  There's always more doubt lurking around the corner.  Now you may be thinking, "But wait a minute, didn't you just tell us not to settle for a superficial answer?"  Following your intuition is not the same as accepting a superficial interpretation.  A superficial interpretation is one that is mechanical, an x = 1, y = 2 formula that you are not allowed to violate even when that interpretation makes no sense for a given situation.  Intuition is that voice in your head that "just knows," the one that answers your questions in ways you would never have imagined.  It usually comes to you in a flash, out of the blue.  Everyone has intuition to some degree, and practice is the only way to strengthen it.  Practice allowing yourself to accept your intuitive interpretations without second-guessing them, to get the hang of what it feels like to have faith in yourself (a 3 of Wands theme again!).  With practice, your reading of reversals will become much faster, easier, and more reliable.