Greetings to all my Tarot Friends around the World,

Thank you to those who contributed their interpretations for The Six of Cups Reversed and The Tower. I  have now posted these contributions. They  can be viewed in the Comments Section by scrolling down to the end of the Post found at this Link. Your Comments should have been posted sooner but I have been experiencing awful internet problems throughout the last week. Better late than never they say.

Just to let you all know that I am busy re-working The Knight of Pentacles and hope to have him ready for viewing in the next couple of weeks. There will also be a New Year Reading for you to try out.

My personal news is that I have gone back to college.  I am now in Dublin four days a week so have a tight schedule and heavy workload. However, my college course is in Digital Technology, and all going well, it will help me develop my new site in a much more efficient manner going forward into 2015. Exhausting, but all in a good cause!

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Now back to the Reading mentioned in my Post Title.  I found this in my Spam Folder, sent from a Site Visitor who asked for some insight into the Cards she had drawn; The Devil, The Tower, The High Priestess, The World, The Hierophant, The Wheel of Fortune and Strength....Wow!  I don’t think this is Spam so I have decided to take a look at it. I will refrain from passing on the identity of this visitor as she may have wanted to deal with this privately.

There is no Question to go on. Neither is there any further information e.g.  Was all the Deck used or just the Major Arcana? Had any of the Cards being Reversed before drawing these seven? Which Spread did she use, or did she just draw a specific number? Are the Cards for her, or another?

Because there are Seven Cards, I am going to take the liberty of laying them out in The Horse Shoe Spread. I am also going to assume she used only the Major Arcana as it would be unusual to get all Seven Cards as Majors. Judging by the Cards she drew, I will presume she has quite strong reasons for seeking insight from the Tarot. This was not a casual approach.

Like the last time, I will give my impressions and theories but would also appreciate some contributions from anyone who would like to offer theirs. Remember there are so many ways to interpret each Card, and therefore Spread, we may all get varying interpretations. However, when they are blended together this Reading could be quite dynamic. So whoever is willing, let us now have a go.

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1 – The Past                                     7 –  The Outcome  

2 – The Present                              6 – Hopes and Fears

3 – The Near Future                     5 – Surrounding Energies

4 -Answer/Solution/Advice

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As I gaze upon these Cards I sense a battle or fierce struggle to overcome some pretty strong issues or challenges. I believe that whoever these Cards represent is desperate to make a bid for freedom or seeks to extricate themselves from a situation or person that has been exerting considerable control in their life. Judging by The Devil and Tower Card, the influence of this control has had a negative impact.

The Devil sits in The Recent Past Position 1 and this in itself tells me that he has been exerting his influence for some time now, and very possible in an insidious manner. The Devil l believe has carefully worked on his subject, slowing drawing him or her under his influence in a manner that would not have initially been openly recognised. I sense that The Devil may have been perceived in the beginning as non-threatening, even a friendly force.  I believe that the person has been caught up with The Devil without even knowing it. He has slowly permeated their world, and by the time they have woken up to what is going on, it may not be that easy to get away or get rid of his influence.

The Devil does have a habit of blocking all exits and can often second guess plans of escape. The thing is, he is not as clever or powerful as he makes out to be. It is just we believe him to be so. He typically encourages and manipulates others into seeing him as all-powerful, but what this person needs to believe and hold onto is the fact that he is an illusionist and con man. The blocks or exits he puts in one’s way when trying to be free of him often crumble to bits, or vanish into thin air when put to the test. He just leads you to believe they are insurmountable for his own gain and reputation. However, it takes guts and much courage to stand up to The Devil, but sometimes you are at you strongest when weakest. It is then that you have nothing to lose so you might as well fight him with what you have left, or go down trying.

When I speak of The Devil, I do not refer to an actual demon from the abyss of hell. We all have our own Devils in life that we must resist or fight to overcome. The Devil can take on many forms as he manifests in our lives, but if we look very closely, we can see through his disguise and then do our best to avoid him. Unfortunately, many of us do not take the time for such careful inspection. We are so eager to get involved with whatever he represents, or pretends to represent, we run blindly in through his front door which closes instantly behind us. And there we find ourselves, all excited and delighted at first, finding no fault or wrongdoing in his manner or that of which he asks of us. He easily convinces us that his way is the best and become willing students of his art. We can often make it very easy for him.

All is well with The Devil once we continue to agree with him and follow his lead. It is only when we take a few steps back from his magnetic draw that he begins to bare his teeth and claws. We then begin to see the flaws in his makeup, an ugliness, a sense of unease or unpleasantness we never noticed before.  The Devil knows that the spell can easily break if one of his followers decides to question his behaviour or attitude, or decides to head off in another direction that takes them out from under his influence. When his cover has been blown, when one eventually comes to their senses, he can retaliate. We can see a very different side to him as he fights to regain control of the one he lost. I belief that the Querant, or someone they know, may be experiencing this dilemma right now.

The Strength Card directly opposite him in The Outcome Position 7 suggests that someone is calling on every ounce of their inner-strength to stand up to, battle or confront him. This will be a battle of wills and whoever The Strength Card represents will need to exert much self-discipline in the face of such a negative influence. Strength tells me that this person does have the inner reserves to overcome The Devil but it won’t be an easy ride.  I will come back to Strength later.

Because of The Devil’s influence, something has recently come to a head.  The Tower in The Present Position 2 demonstrates this. This issue has been brewing for a while, and if the person was listening attentively, they would have heard the distant rumbling of The Tower coming rapidly down the tracks. I believe that something quite major has happened. The Devil in the background may have blown his cover or has been exposed for who or what he truly is. The Devil has caused a lot of trouble and the person represented by these Cards may now only be discovering the extent of such damage. The person may find they are caught up in a serious issue or situation that has been allowed get out of control. When The Tower appears, it is usually too late to stop, or get out of the way of the most severe impact, for it has  a momentum that will be hard to slow down or bring to a halt.

The Tower depicts several people involved or affected by whatever drama is going on. When The Devil appears in such circumstances, he is generally followed by finger-pointing, naming, blaming and accusations. All will look to find the one responsible for bringing The Tower down or trouble to their door. One way or another, The Tower suggests massive change and upheaval, but probably long overdue. Perhaps, The Tower could have been avoided if the person had called on their inner-strength before now. When we fail to take responsibility for our life or situation, and let bad things take over and gain control, the Universe is left with no choice but to step in and take action. The Tower is sent to tear down the old, unhealthy, negative and false, so that only that which is true and worthwhile remains. The Tower means different things to many people and can be perceived as a life changing experience for the positive, or as something that has ruined everything. It all depends on the personalities involved and how they view their circumstances.

When The Tower appears dramatically in one’s life, it would be wise to take a deep breath midst all the chaos and internally ask ‘Why, why now, why me? What is out of balance in my life, what have I been ignoring? Running around like a headless chicken when The Tower appears will get you no where. It is important to stay calm and with Strength staring down from above, avoid giving in to knee-jerk reactions or seek to blame or vow revenge. Strength would advise to use your powers of reason and logic to work out what is going on and how best to handle it. Keep a cool head and an even temper. The Devil will expect a reaction from you but do not give in to him by playing it his way. Allow Strength to guide you through this time and also look to The High Priestess who sits in the Near Future Position below. In the imagery of Strength we see the woman calmly control the lion. The lion can represent our animalistic instincts, the beast within, urges that need to be contained or controlled. Like The Devil, the lion can highlight our shadow side, the part we deny exists, the side we cannot let the public see.

The person represented by these Cards may very well be trying to deny their shadow existence, their animal side, but to be fully integrated and balanced, which is nicely depicted in both The World Card and The High Priestess, they will have to acknowledge and take ownership of all aspects of their personality. The presence of The Hierophant could suggest forced suppression or repression of one’s true self in order to conform to, or fit in with what is expected of us by others. The person may have worked hard to hide sides of their personality that would be deemed unacceptable, unconventional or non-traditional, but The Tower is ready and will release whatever is being constrained. There may be some fallout to deal with from those around you but when The Tower appears it is best to let it do its work.

In The Near Future Position 3 sits The High Priestess and it is nice to see her appear as an antidote to The Devil. I believe the person this Card reading represents will turn away from the influence of The Devil and begin to rely more on their own counsel. There is a sense of calm and peace, but also of solitude and this may take the form of distancing oneself from the influence and distractions of others. The High Priestess turns to herself in times of trouble. She stills her mind, as advised by Strength, and listens carefully for inner guidance. She does not rush into action but rather sits and dwells on the issue at hand and waits for solutions to filter through from her subconscious to her conscious mind. The High Priestess would think it best that you spend time reflecting on your situation, how it came about and your share of the responsibility. She asks you to find understanding in your issue; what it means and what lesson you may need to learn.  She  retreats and rests and she would be advising the same for the Querant. She would ask that he or she take some time out for they are quite strained and exhausted. It would be wise to live as quietly as possible for a while with little social activity or rushing around. In this manner, the mind can begin to heal and find balance.

The High Priestess’ presence along with Strength, acknowledges that the Querant has all the tools he or she needs within to overcome their situation, whether they believe it or not. Both Strength and The High Priestess have hidden depths that rarely get explored because of the rush and fuss of life. The Querant must swim to these depths, and once there will find all they need. The High Priestess reminds us that the answers we continually seek externally are always to be found within. She also tells us to look at both sides of the situation and to do more thinking and less talking. Listen, observe, learn and know thyself. You must sense, or feel your way out of you current situation. The High Priestess tells you that it is time to lose your dependency on something or someone and become independent. Become self-sufficient and rely on your inner resources. It is the only way.

The High Priestess also suggest secrets and mystery. Someone may know something but is keeping very quiet about it. If The Devil and Tower have brought trouble or drama into your life, then it is quite possible that someone around you is withholding vital information that could provide answers or explanations. It could also be the Querant who is reluctant to speak out about something or somebody. Be careful of hidden agendas and secret motives. Put not your trust in too many at this stage. The High Priestess also suggests that you might be getting advice or counsel from a wise person in relation to your issues. If so, this advice may be rather different to that which The Hierophant is offering. The High Priestess’ advice may be unconventional and aimed at you the individual; what is best for you, your highest and greatest interests, and not what is best for all around you in way The Hierophant approaches things. The High Priestess is a calming influence in the midst of the storm and I sense you may turn to her quite often during the coming weeks.

With The Hierophant in The Surrounding Energies Position 5, it is clear that certain people are deciding on what is best for you. He does bring in the help of those around you and provides a strong supporting influence, but unfortunately, he may be just another form of The Devil, even if he is a more pious version. He could be telling you what you have to do, what is expected of you and how you must act and behave from here on. He and those he represents may want to take over and control things on the basis that it is for your own good and that they know best. This could be family, friends, institutions, organisations etc. Someone could be laying down the law to you, lecturing you or being sanctimonious and judgmental. The Hierophant stands over you now and wants to help but there are certain conditions and strings attached. The Devil lies diagonally across from The Hierophant.  Do not free yourself from one only to be enslaved by the other. The High Priestess who sits across from The Hierophant calls on you to think for yourself and not be so easily influenced by those who say they act in your interest. Question everything and everyone. Who are they really there for? Follow your own path. However, The Hierophant does suggest a move away from unhealthy influences but guard against using his influence as a crutch instead of short-term support.

The Hierophant also raises the question of the possible need for counselling. We would be looking at conventional counselling in this instance, such as having a chat with your doctor, religious or spiritual leader or a qualified counselor or psychologist. The High Priestess can offer you help on a holistic level. Maybe a combination of both would be more beneficial.

The Cards have certainly improved at this stage, and as we move on to The Hopes and Fears Position 6, it is nice to see the positive image of The Wheel of Fortune. This suggests more hope than fear and leans towards optimism about the future. This person actively hopes and believes that things will improve and circumstances will change for the better. There is a belief that surely a little luck and good fortune is due their way after all the trials they have been through. This powerfully positive Card lies opposite The Tower but appears thousands of miles away from it. The Tower is dark and full of doom and gloom, whereas The Wheel of Fortune is bright, colorful and cheerful. The Wheel also represents a lesson learned, and that what goes around comes around. I believe the Querant understands this after his or her experience and time spent with The High Priestess, who has helped him or her access their Strength.  The Wheel will begin to turn in a positive manner, moving the Querant away from the effects of The Tower once the Lessons of The Tower have been understood. The Querant hopes for a new start, a second chance and a better life to come. They have not let The Tower destroy them, and with The Wheel will expect personal freedom away from The Devil. This is a lovely Card and it certainly looks like the Querant is perfectly capable of sorting out their issues and walking far away from The Devil. Maybe they will come to realise that The Tower did them a massive favour.  The Devil could easily represent an old way of life that had become stuck, unhealthy and bound up with habits, duty and obligations. The Tower may have forced them out of their self-limiting world but it has also  scared The Devil out of them in the process. It may have taken much time and reflection to see that they now have the chance to live life on their own terms for the first time.

The Strength Card in The Outcome Position 7 certainly shows this person has been strengthened by their brush with The Devil and Tower. They will soon be in a very strong position and ready to start afresh with their priorities in order from the beginning. They will have survived the storm, and in The Answer Position 4 sits The World acknowledging that this is what the Universe had in mind all the time. The gulf of distance between The Devil and The World with regards to their associated meanings tells it all. The Devil is never where they were supposed to be.  This lovely World was always there waiting for them but they just had to be given a little push, and then sufficient time to develop a sense of self-belief, self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence before it would open up to them. When they do reach The World, the new world they will create for them self, they will look back at The Devil in the distance and wonder why it took them so long to extricate them self from his grasp. From a distance he looks pathetic and weak, but at one stage they gave their power away to him. However, The Wheel has turned and all that is now in the past. The Querant must guard against ever letting a similar situation happen again for Fate has blessed them with a second chance in The Wheel of Fortune and asked them to hop on board. Non-stop now onto a happy successful future and a World that is of their own making and choice.

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Of course all the above is just my interpretation and may be very far from what is actually going on. You may have interpreted these Cards in a completely different manner and that is perfectly acceptable. Tarot is not an exact science. There will be relevant information in all our Readings,  but there will also be inaccuracies for we can never get it all right.  I look forward to hearing from as many of you as possible.

Brightest Blessings,

Vivien (Your Tarot Teacher)