Being the person I am, not only did I pull a card every day during 2016, but I also recorded my draws and made a set of graphs to compare all my cards (I know, I’m a geek 🤓). It was interesting to note, and also quite affirming, that my year was incredibly heavy in Pentacles. Now thinking logically, if we were to completely remove any magic from the Tarot then over the year there should be a rather even amount of each Minor suit drawn and a higher majority of Majors drawn simply because the suits are equal in number and there are more Major’s in the deck! Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe this, as I believe that each card comes to you for a reason and hence the draws are not going to be evenly spread between the suits, but I just wanted to put it out there for those of you who still feel a bit skeptical about the Tarot’s power. Now as I said before, my year was heavy on Pentacles, between 25-38 more Pentacles than the other three Minor suits, and only 15 less Pentacles than Majors!
Crazy right!! No, not really, because looking back at 2016, most of my time and energy was spent at work, and thinking about my life with regards to my job and my future. Now don’t get me wrong, my year wasn’t only the drudgery of day to day working life! I met my partner Phillip ❤️, which changed my world completely, we went on lots of adventures together 😊, and he brought love back into my life 😊. I also got back into acting and performed in a full time play while also working full time! So 2016 was a blessed year as well, but with regards to my daily draws, the fact that my working life had changed, and was now impacting my work/life balance was clearly evident! And what card, more than any other card in the deck, came up most often you ask? Was it The Empress you say? Oh you cheeky bugger, no my Tarot Stalker from way back when only came up 4 times out of a possible 365!!! So who was it then? Why it was the Knight of Pentacles of all cards. The Tarot’s famous workhorse.
So first and foremost, on Monday I recieved the news that my store will in fact continue to trade with the new ownership. The Fool’s message of trust and faith in the universe came through for me. As soon as I received the news I was of course elated and felt a great weight fall from my shoulders, but with further thought I’ve begun to question whether I actually do feel happy and rewarded or whether I feel like I am simply plodding along, like the lovely SJ brought up in my Seven of Pentacles post. I feel like this may require a reading in the future but at this moment in time I’ve decided to create a free flow reading from the 6 daily draw cards I have drawn so far this week. I’ve never done anything like this, so bare with me, as it is a learning process more than anything else :).
Self Constructed Daily Draw Reading – Shadowscapes TarotPage of Swords
Starting with Monday’s card, the Page of Swords, we see a young girl allowing herself to be lifted and carried away so as to have some time to think clearly. The Page of Swords can represent a messenger bringing us challenges, and often it is these challenges that stimulate personal growth. To me this is representative of receiving the news that we would continue to trade. In the Shadowscapes representation the Page cradles a Cygnet in her lap which I see as representative of how this dilemma or quandary may affect the smaller things in our life. Another aspect of this representation I like is the use of black and white, symbolic of her ability to look at the balance of black and white around her without condemnation. I need this right now, for truly neither side is positive or negative, but rather holding both posibilities within themselves.
The Hermit
Linking this to both Tuesday’s card The Hermit, and Thursday’s card The Hanged Man, I am feeling a strong pull towards the need to spend some real time thinking about what I want out of this life! My job is not overly stimulating, and a lot of the time I feel mentally weakened purely from a lack of said stimulation! The Hermitis all about being alone and discovering truths about yourself. And coming after the Page it suggests a need to remove myself even further from distractions, for as we see on the card he has climbed even higher than the Page, above the flight of the birds themselves.
Queen of Cups
The fact however that these two cards fall either side of the Queen of Cups makes me feel that this personal development will both lead to and out of a connection to my true well of emotion and what it is I really want. I have always been drawn to the Queen of Cups, seeing her as the person I wish to become. I am deeply emotional, but can often allow these emotions to overpower me unlike the Queen of Cups who has full control over the waves of emotion!
The Hanged Man
So maybe this is saying that as a result of this introspection I will find a deeper connection to my wellspring which will in turn lead to The Hanged Man’sacceptance and willing surrender. For what does The Hanged Man represent but an end to the constant struggles we impose upon ourselves. He urges us to let go of our control, and what we think we need, to in turn reverse our view of our situation and hopefully come out with the realisation of where we then have to go.
Page of Wands
Following on from this personal reversal we find Friday’s draw, the Page of Wands. I see the Page of Wands as someone who has just discovered/rediscovered their sense of Self, what fuels their Passion, or something Inspiring. The place in the spread to me suggests the re-discovering aspect of this Page, but it could also mean that out of The Hanged Man I may discover something new. She urges us to be Creative, Enthusiastic, Confident and Courageous, all things which I wish to be more prominent and know I am, but are just currently lying dormant.
Six of Pentacles
Then finally we have today’s card, the Six of Pentacles, the card of flowing material energy. This was the hardest card for me to interpret in this constructed spread. I don’t know who I feel more connected to, the Plant receiving the energy or the Piper releasing it. I feel like I put so much of my energy into this job and all I receive back is a monetary reward. My soul receives very little nourishment! But if we look at the card more closely we see that the balance between the two is more delicate than otherwise assumed. For while the Piper releases his energy in the form of the flow of Pentacles feeding the Plant, the Plant is in turn adding buttress to the wall on which he sits. I see this as symbolic of the cycle of dependency between those who have and those who don’t and that by helping out someone less fortunate we may in fact allow them the opportunity to do so for someone else in the future. An interconnected cycle of energy :). But how does this link to my situation? If I look at it as flowing on from the previous 5 cards then maybe it is telling me that through this journey I will receive knowledge of where I wish to be and then with that self knowledge I will in turn be able to feed back into the universe and help others who wish to grow and expand as well.
I think it is clear from this that I need some time alone to think over where I am and where I want to be, and that hopefully by doing so I will get back in touch with my true inner self and discover what it is that makes me happy and feeds my soul! I really enjoyed trying to find a thread through these daily draws, and might even do them more often. I hope you also enjoyed this experiment 🙂
Today I drew the final King to complete my collection. First came the King of Swords, with his analytical and objective mindset, shortly followed by the calm self-assurance of the King of Cups, then they were joined by the hardworking and conscientious King of Pentacles and last but not least, the King of Wandsmade his grand entrance. In a monarchy, the King is the supreme ruler of his society who is responsible for maintaining the welfare and happiness of the inhabitants of his kingdom. Because of this, Kings represent success, expressed by their position, power and social responsibility. And in the Tarot they represent an outward mastery of their suit.
The King of Wands, being of the suit linked to fire, represents a strong minded individual, who is both creative in his approach to life, and inspiring in his relation to others. He belives in himself above all else, knowing that his methods are best, and it is this firm belief in himself that grants him such power. He is an incredibly charismatic person, inspiring others to follow his lead, and like a magnet, attracting people to him with no effort on his part. He has a deep respect for others and knows how to bring the best out of them, empowering them to succeed in whatever they pursue. He is forceful when pursuing his own goals, never balking at a challenge or risky endeavour, with such a commanding presence, naturally taking centre stage wherever he goes, and carries his authority with a natural grace and a bold and daring strength.
What’s this Ms Shadowscapes, you think I need to learn more about the Court Cards? I haven’t spent enough time on them lately and you feel I need a little more? Ah, ok, if you think so!!! Today, once again, I drew a Court Card in my daily draw :P. The Knight of Cups to be precise. When I turned him over I was a little frustrated, but then I thought that it was quite appropriate after my night last night. I went out for drinks with a few mates from work and towards the end of the night we were talking about me and my romanticised view of the world. I have to admit, I am a romantic, and often fall into looking at the world through a romantic lens. They were trying to say that perhaps I would be better off if I tried to look at my situation more logically and realise that my idolised wants may be making it harder to find exactly what will make me happy. I didn’t really know what to say to this, for I can’t really do anything about my heart or its power over my thoughts, it’s just so natural for me. I’m a lover. I love love, I live for it! Just like the Knight of Cups. It’s funny because when I first started out studying Tarot I did a few little questionnaires to find which court card best represented me at this stage in my life, and every single one of them came up with around 70% Knight of Cups (with a touch of the Knight of Wands and Queen of Cups). And to be completely truthful I understand why.
The Knight of Cups is the classical ‘Knight in Shining Armour’ off on a quest of love and light, seated upon his white horse of purity and hope. He is absolutely compelled to follow his heart above all else, for good or for ill, looking to his emotions to provide a map for his direction in life. He is someone who follows his heart rather than his head and draws upon his intuition and inner direction rather than thought to make his decisions. He is a romantic and sensitive soul who idealises love and responds so very deeply to life, appreciating beauty in all its forms and understanding both the pain and happiness of others. This can have its downfalls though, as he can be temperamental and over emotional, prone to mood swings, jealousy and melodrama when his feelings and dreams aren’t centred. Also if his emotions aren’t set in action and real life they can often get the better of him and turn into melancholy or depression.
He is also seen as an imaginative dreamer and a visionary in realms of love, emotion and art. What is important to note here however is the difference between imagination and fancy. In Rachel Pollack’s “Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom” she says that imagination may lead us to “an awareness of underlying spiritual truth” whereas fancy produces only “fantasies that may excite, but ultimately lack real meaning”. This is definitely a trap that the Knight of Cups can fall into. He could sit for hours upon hours daydreaming about when his prince will come and sweep him off his feet. Or when he will finally get that chance to storm that castle and save his princess from the evil queen.
The images of the wands suit appeal to me quite a lot, admittedly this is mostly because of the use of foxes, but overall they have such a glow and warmth that makes me just want to be a part of the picture. And today’s card is no different, the Page of Wands is immersed in a beautiful world, and to top it off she has four fox companions, one of which has sidled his way as close as he can rubbing his back affectionately against her leg :). I have to admit I am quite jealous!! I want fox companions :(. Anyway, moving on from that quick distraction, as you can tell I have once again drawn a Court Card in my daily draw. I feel like they just won’t leave me alone! But I believe this is the first time that I have drawn this Page in any draw let alone a daily draw, so it is a good opportunity to learn more about her.
Now as I said in my post about the Queen of Cups, I find the Queens to be highly intriguing characters, matured to such an extent that they don’t need to present their wisdom and knowledge outwardly, but instead use it to help and develop others, and like an iceberg, most of their power lies beneath the surface. Today I drew the Queen of Swords, which is one of if not my favourite card that Stephanie has reinterpreted in the Shadowscapes Tarot. It is a gorgeous piece of art that I can stare at for hours. And for those of you who have never seen it, I shall now lay it before your eyes for your viewing pleasure 😛
Queen of Swords – Shadowscapes Tarot
The Queen of Swords is someone who has seen it all. She has been through so much in her life, both good and bad, and hence has the well rounded wisdom that comes from experience. She has a strength gained from being knocked down and getting back up again, from looking at both the good and the bad in her life and learning to accept the wisdom gained from each. Above everything else in life she respects honesty! She is upfront with everyone even if it may come across as harsh because she always strives to live a truthful life. She has no interest whatsoever in lies and deceit, but don’t take this lightly, for she is not one to be fooled. This is because she has one of the most astute minds going, quick to take in a situation and can see straight to the heart of any matter. Because of this she is quite a forthright character, direct and open in all her dealings, and has quite the witty sense of humour.
For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile you may be wondering what’s been happening with me and The Alternative Tarot Course! It’s been three or so weeks since I posted my last weekly reading, which means that I have been on week two of the course for way too long!! It’s not that I have been struggling with it per say, it’s more that the procrastination bug has taken hold. That and life has just seemed to run away from me recently. So, having a few hours spare today I decided that it was high time for me to do the Weekly Reading for Chapter Two: Four Suits, Four Elements. This chapter was all about the four suits/elements of Tarot and how they interact with each other. It’s been an interesting chapter for me, as I struggle a bit with open ended exercises, probably the perfectionist in me wanting to get to the right answer :P. But at the same time it’s been great to think further about how the elements interact and what it means when they aren’t present.
So here we go, “The Four Elements Spread” by Beth Maiden. The idea behind this spread is to look at how the four elements influence a situation in your life. There are five positions in this spread, which are as follows:
1: Your situation at this moment (centre)
2: The Earth of your situation (bottom)
3: The Water of your situation (left)
4: The Air of your situation (top)
5: The Fire of your situation (right)
When I sat down to begin this reading I was unsure exactly what I wanted to ask the deck about, do I ask about my emotional state, about where I am in my life right now, or a way to move to a place where I am more stimulated and satisfied, I had so many things to ask that I decided I would let Shadow and my subconscious tell me what I should focus on. So here we go 🙂
So this week is turning out to be one of firsts! Yesterday I drew my first Knight in my daily draws and today was my first Queen! And not only that but my favourite Queen of all, the Queen of Cups. To me the Queens are the most mature and developed of all the Court Cards despite the fact that they are the penultimate of the Courts and this honour is usually given to the Kings! The Queens’ inward focus and relaxed and natural way of being to me demonstrates pure mastery. They embody the aspects of their suits without the need to shout them out to the world, more concerned with enjoying their environment than manipulating the world for their benefit, I like that about them :). And the reason why the Queen of Cups is my favourite, well I guess I feel a connection to her, I always have. I admire her qualities and feel like we have a lot in common, and I wish to become more like her as I progress through this journey.
Queen of Cups – Shadowscapes Tarot
So who is this Queen? She is a loving and tender hearted soul who is uncoditionally accepting and easily moved by other creatures’ pain or sorrow. She is caring and demonstrates patience and a kind and gentle sensitivity to the feelings of others. She is highly intuitive, very sensitive to emotional undercurrents and is open to the unconscious. She is a really soothing soul, I feel as if every pain or hurt we feel would wash away with her in our presence. If she was to tell us only one thing in this lifetime it would be to follow our hearts!!
Today I drew the Knight of Wands. This was actually the first card I ever drew so whenever it comes up I always remember back to the first time I ever shuffled my cards, late on a warm autumn evening, and asked my deck its first question. It’s a nice feeling, thinking back to that time where I was very much like the Knight of Wands, rushing headfirst into this project without really knowing where it was going to take me. And while the reason why I stopped delving into the tarot for that short period of time was more emotional than anything, I think the burnout from this Knight’s energy also had some part to play.
Today is my birthday 🎉, and instead of doing a daily card I decided that I would give myself a bigger challenge and in turn learn a little more about myself and the year to come. So I popped over to Little Red Tarot, my go to for all things tarot related and decided that I would do Beth’s New Years Spread, for your birthday is truly the beginning of a personal New Year 😃. And as you can see Cosmo decided he would like to help out 😊
While there are 10 cards in the picture above this is actually a 5 position spread. Beth constructed it with the interactions between cards in mind, how their energies support each other or if they show any tension/conflict.
the fox and the otter 