Category Archives: Exercises
The Queens of The Court Cards on TV
Match The Court Card Queens to their Personas on TV
Below are six TV Leading Ladies. I have picked them for their very definite personalities. I have also supplied a list of corresponding Queens from the Court Cards for you to match with these highly talented women as they portray their on screen characters. My answers are at the very end, but are not conclusive. They are purely my interpretation and you may find different combinations. However, try not be tempted to look at the answers too soon. Have a good shot at it first. I have worked with their most dominant personas but do give mention to their weakest or absent ones too. Enjoy!
1. Keri Russell as Elizabeth Jennings in The Americans
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2. Julianne Marguilies as Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife
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Mini Tarot Horoscopes for The Week Ahead
Hello to all my Tarot Friends,
Below you will find some Mini Tarot Horoscopes for the week ahead. As Tarot Students you will wonder how and why I chose certain interpretations out of the myriad of versions available for each Card. It would be impossible to detail absolutely every associated meaning, so as I drew the Cards I simply went with the first thoughts that came to my mind. Each Mini Horoscope below could be rewritten several times over to provide alternative interpretations, but we would be here all week. The Mini Horoscopes are a great way to test your skills and ability with Snap Shot Readings. This comes in particularly useful when doing Readings for Groups of people when there is no time to go into great depth. When a Card is drawn, look for the first thread that presents itself to your eye and mind. Then run with it and work a story around it.
Why not try this exercise yourself and compile Weekly or Monthly Mini Tarot Horoscopes for your friends and family.
Enjoy,
Vivien (your Tarot Teacher)
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Pisces(Feb 20-Mar 20) – The Five of Wands
It’s just going to be one of those weeks. Nothing will seem to go to plan and the world may seem against you. Expect the unexpected and keep calm. Everyone seems to be tetchy right now so try not to take it personally. Emotionally you will feel all over the place and it will be difficult to settle or find peace anywhere.
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The Six of Cups Reversed and The Tower
The Six of Cups Reversed
and The Tower
Greetings to all my Tarot Friends around The World,
I had a Request today from a site visitor who asked the following:-
Does anyone have any clue what the meaning is with the 6 of cups reversed with the tower card upright?
Well why don’t we all have a go at this one? I will post the cards and share my thoughts on them. We don’t have a question with the cards or know if there were any more cards available. I am going to go for straightforward intuitive interpretations based on my understanding of these two cards and what they might mean when drawn together.
Please add to my interpretation and see what we can come up with for this person.
Please Note– The Interpretations below should not be taken as an accurate prediction of what is going on. The person who posted the question did not specify who the Cards were for or whether the two Cards were randomly chosen to determine how to make connections when Reading. Tarot Cards should never be solely relied on to give answers to all life matters. The Two Cards could mean a lot, but then again, they may mean nothing at all and are just two Tarot Cards.
My Thoughts
The following interpretations are a sample of what The Six of Cups Reversed and The Tower might mean in a Reading. They are examples only, and not meant as a definitive interpretation for the Querant. It would be better if we had a focus question to zoom in on for more accuracy. Maybe we will be given more information. I am basing my examples on the type of Reader I am. Yours may be very different. I could provide several more interpretations than those below but I am interested to see what others might have to say about these two Cards.
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To me, these two Cards are potentially loaded when placed together and can take on several meanings. They can be both positive or negative. I get the feeling that the person who posted this comment possibly knows what their connection is, unless it is so far in the past they are not associating it with their current issues
The Six of Cups Reversed and The Tower Upright
To kick start I will offer quite a simplistic interpretation. The Six of Cups Reversed and The Tower may be referring to explosive rows and arguments which are probably family related. The battles could be intense and prolonged with much screaming and shouting. Words are meant to hurt and sting. There is no holding back. A lot of pent up aggression is being released.
The Six of Cups Reversed may suggests an issue which is connected to the family, the family home, childhood, the past or memories. The Upright Six is all about stability, harmony and the emotional attachments of home, especially the childhood home. In the Upright, everyone is cared for, loved and protected. There is a feeling of safety and security in the Upright, and for those who were blessed with happy childhoods, the sentiment that is attached to the family homestead and family members. It is where we want to run to when we are ill, unhappy or hurt. It is here we are understood, will recover and nothing is expected of us. We are loved and cherished for who we are and no on puts demands on us. However, as we get older, we normally can only handle this in small doses for it tends to be a closeted and cosseted world. Nice for a while but can become boring or tedious.
With the Six appearing Reversed, I get the feeling that something has happened. There is a lack of security and stability. This may be what is desired, as in someone wants to shake up their world, or it is possibly an external force. The Tower standing beside The Reversed Six marks this as quite a serious issue. It certainly has been building for some time whether those involved are aware of this or not. The Tower brings a shocking revelation or event, that has, or will turn everything one has known up till now on its head. There may be a feeling of not being able to trust the past anymore or memories, or even being forced out of the past one desperately clings on to. Something from the past may have come back to haunt you and there is no keeping it locked away anymore. There could be a family secret, something that was covered up long, long ago, but is now being forced out into the open. The effect The Tower has on the poor Six of Cups could be quite profound. There is bound to be intense upset and emotional trauma. One may not know where to turn as one’s internal compass begins to go haywire. One’s very foundations could be shook to the core. You could lose a sense of who you are, where you came from or where you fit in anymore.
Life is certainly going to change and may never be the same again. This may be a good or bad thing depending on the circumstances and those involved. There is a good chance that you are going to learn something about your past that will make you question everything. Indeed you may know already. It may be you who is going to reveal all. Whatever it is can no longer be contained and news could travel rapidly. You may have to prepare for an emotional storm and will likely feel that it is more than you can bear.
Another way of looking at these two Cards is that the Six of Cups Reversed represents someone who is going to do something that is going to fly in the face of tradition and family expectations or loyalties. There is a sense of bringing trouble down upon the family and causing drama and chaos as a result of actions, decisions or behaviour. Could this person be throwing caution to the wind, choosing a path or course of action that could very well get them thrown out of home or ostracised. They may be carrying a secret that will cause an explosion when it is revealed.
The Tower is destructive but it is also releasing. The Six of Cups Reversed can suggest a sense of claustrophobia and restriction. In the Reversed Six, these feelings begin to get overwhelming. Any methods of controlling or ignoring them, methods that may have worked in the past, can no longer conceal them. An internal head of steam could be building. There may be a feeling of not being able to breathe, that you are bursting at the seams. There could be a growing craving for freedom or escape from what has turned into a cell like existence. This could be related to any area of life. It could be a relationship that has become restricting or controlling, a job that you feel trapped in, duties and obligations that severely restrict you. There is a sense of growing boredom and that you will explode if you do not escape. Any actions that you take as a result of this will have repercussions that are bound to scare you. You must decide whether you are prepared to suffer such consequences. Is this bid for freedom worth it? Do you really want it? Is it your idea or is someone putting pressure on you?
There is likely to be no going back should you decide to act on your feelings or plans, but this may not be a bad thing as The Six of Cups Reversed tells me that this is not a situation that has come about overnight. You have been putting up and making do for a long time, but now it has become unbearable and you feel that it is time to think of what is good for you and not what is good for all around you. People may feel angry with you and manifest a sense of disbelief that you could be so cruel as to hurt them in such a way, especially after all they did for you. Emotional Blackmail may be used as a weapon against you, but as much as you might feel terribly responsible for bringing upset to everyone’s door step, you must do what is right for you. If you want to clear the slate, tear everything down around you so that you can discover who you are and what it is you want to do, then everyone will have to accept it. They will probably make your life miserable and attempt to turn others against you so that you are not welcome anywhere, but in time it will settle down. Big sweeping changes are certainly coming, be they of your own making or of others. Many people hate radical change and will fight hard against it. The Tower can be hard and cruel but is often essential if we don’t take the necessary actions ourselves.
Another aspect that crossed my mind is the scenario of ‘The empty nest syndrome’. The Six of Cups loves keeping everything as it is, harmonious, happy, predictable and safe. Any changes to the setup are viewed as threats and either deliberately ignored or manipulated so that they conform. Mothers or fathers who use emotional blackmail to keep their children at home are quite common. They actively work to stop them from growing up, continuing to treat them like babies and throw little wobblies when their offspring mention going out or going away. There eventually comes a time when they can no longer hold on, and one by one their children decide to fly the nest in search of a life of their own. The happy, harmonious Six of Cups then Reverses. They feel they have been dumped and are unappreciated. They make caustic and underhand remarks and become critical of any partners their children may bring home when visiting. Home becomes a place their adult children begin to actively avoid as it is filled with stress and uncomfortable scenes. The cossetting mother or father does not realise that they are the cause of driving their children away, even though they will blame everyone else. The root of the problem lies at home and nowhere else.
Staying on this theme, these two Cards, can highlight the terrible trauma that accompanies the death of a close family member. Mother, father, sister, brother, someone you have grown up with, a huge part of your life and shared memories. This type of loss is covered in The Tower as it depicts that horrendous experience of loss and suffering. The wrenching apart of all that you know. It can be hard to accept that life has changed and that a loved one is gone. It can be shattering. Maybe a house has to be cleared and the emotional upheaval could be distressing as your are surrounded by memories which once brought joy but now only sorrow. The very ground you now stand on is strange and alien. You may feel that this loss will destroy you. That you can’t live without them but The Tower can be endured and survived if you face up to it. These two Cards could also tell of receiving bad news about a health issue relating to family or a genetic condition that has been exposed through tests and screening.
Deep disturbing issues you are facing at present could have their roots in the past, possibly from childhood. It would be wise to do some soul-searching to see if you can make any connections. You may also be finally emerging from the pains of the past, coming out of a period of intense therapy where you had to peel the layers back to the painful bones so that you could put yourself back together again. The whole experience may have exhausted you. You might need some TLC but feel that you have no one to lean on. You may not have much family around you, are estranged from those you have or feel they would not understand. You may also not want to burden them with your troubles. You might be mourning the loss of someone close who you used to turn to during times of trouble. You possibly feel very alone and vulnerable.
These two Cards also depict a family being split up through separation or divorce. It also highlights children being taken into social care or having to seek refuge or sanctuary away from a dysfunctional home. Being homeless could also be a possibility.
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So there you are. Now it is your turn. My interpretations are rather dramatic but The Tower in my experience is very powerful on either a negative or positive level depending on how you perceive the situation it accompanies.
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Copyright © Vivien Ni Dhuinn
Explanations for Card Reading Exercises
Greetings All,
Below you will find the Explanations to the Card Reading Exercises from last week. I have attempted to explain how I came up with the interpretations for the various Card Readings. However, Please Note that the Interpretations provided are not the only ones that could apply to the Cards. It is just one Interpretation out of several possibilities, and of course it would all come down to the Question that is being asked. I chose a fictional storyline based on the Cards drawn in each case. I could have written many other interpretations, as in normal Readings these Cards could suggest something entirely different for the Querant. I also wanted to demonstrate to all those who are studying Tarot Reading how to pull a story together while reading.
This Card Reading Exercise was designed with a view to help those who are studying The Tarot to better understand the process of Linking and Connecting Cards when Interpreting a Reading.
The Readings
1
E
There may be some concern around your drinking habits. In fact your habit may have got out of hand and you are overindulging. You may be in denial about this but deep down you have niggling doubts and worries about how much alcohol you are consuming. Your subconscious is calling to you and is attempting to bring this issue to the surface. Time to actively take steps now before your habit turns into an addiction. If it has already done that then you need to get help to overcome it for you have lost control.
I
You are hanging around with a crowd who you think are friends. This group of people are particularly toxic and are leading you astray. For some reason you feel compelled to stay with them and even though you are beginning to see them in their true light and are right to be concerned about your association with them, you will find it hard to break away from them. Why are you letting these people exert so much control over you? They are an unsavoury crowd and quite underhand and devious. You are unaware of half the things they get up to. Get out now.
Explanation
When I first saw these three cards The Devil obviously jumped out at me, and as he is a Major Arcana Card and quite negative in his associations, I immediately saw an issue regarding some form of control, enslavement or entrapment of one sort or another. The Devil deals with bad habits, negativity, addictions, excessive materialism, toxic relationships and unhealthy living and attitudes. The Devil acts in no one’s best interests but will lead you to believe that he does. So to find out where The Devil was active in this Reading my eyes were instantly drawn to The Reversed Three of Cups and here we have the partying to excess, too much alcohol and the out of control lifestyle that surrounds that type of environment. There may also be an unhealthy relationship or friendship. The friends the individual hangs out with may not be friends at all but rather a bad influence. The people in The Three of Cups Reversed look as if they are enjoying themselves, but with The Devil beside them, this enjoyment must be questioned. They may have started out enjoying this lifestyle, relationship or friendship, and were able to keep up with it all and could opt in or out as they chose, but that may have changed. They may find that they have become addicted to this type of living and could very easily be waking up most mornings loathing themselves for how they feel and how they are behaving. They may make firm resolutions each morning or at the beginning of each week that they are going to clean up their act, cut out the drinking or partying, end the relationship or break away from a negative circle of friends. They may feel determined and their resolve strengthened as they are desperate to change things. However, The Devil has a very powerful influence over them and by the end of the day or possibly a couple of days, the temptation becomes too strong and the lure is there for them to give in as they are seduced back to what has become an addiction, or at the very least a very bad habit. If they fight The Devil and attempt to stand up to him, he will give the impression that he understands. As he claps them on the back, he reassures them that they can start their healthy living or end their toxic relationship or friendship next week. Until then they can resume business as normal and should not feel guilty at all for they will be making a fresh start next week. And so the cycle continues and the individual becomes more and more powerless.
However, we now must look across to The Moon and we see the concern and stress on the face of The Moon. She appears to be worried about something and this to me indicates that all is not lost with the individual represented by The Reversed Three of Cups. This person knows deep down that they are in trouble and this concern has begun to surface more and more to the extent that it is deeply troubling them. They know they are in trouble as their subconscious calls to them. They may be beginning to understand that the deep issues or emotions they are trying to suppress with alcohol, drugs, food, sex etc are still managing to rise up and make themselves known. The Moon indicates that any negative relationship or friendship they are involved in is more than likely due to issues from the past, especially what they were exposed to in childhood and growing up. These deep issues may have been what started the whole situation, but the individual knows that the way they have been trying to control the situation has not worked and has in fact begun to control them. Their issues have probably become worse, and it is for certain their self-esteem has been ground down into the ground. The Moon is their wake up call for they are beginning to acknowledge their worries and concerns regarding the way they are living and are gaining an understanding of where it all has come from.
For me, these cards would suggest that the individual is close to reaching the point where depression and self-loathing will make them begin to turn away from The Devil as they realise he is not their friend after all but rather their worst enemy. They can see how toxic and destructive he is. They can also see through the smiling, friendly mask he carefully outwardly presents and down to the manipulative, controlling, cold and calculating personality he truly is. The Devil’s Ugliness is becoming apparent to the individual and they know that something has to be done to free them self from his negative influence. They can no longer ignore this situation. They need to move fast now before The Devil declares total ownership of them. The Devil is very strong and these cards would indicate that external help may be needed in the battle for personal freedom and salvation.
2
G
You are getting involved in something that you are going to deeply regret. You are taking action or acting on an ill thought out plan and it is going to back fire on you. You are actually playing with fire now. You think you are being very clever but you are only bringing a lot of trouble down upon yourself. You may be acting in anger or revenge, but this is a knee jerk reaction and you are not looking where you are going. Your actions are going to make someone very angry with you and you have not thought of the possible outcome or consequences. You are starting a chain of events now that you will have no control over. You think that you are going to get one up on someone but you have no idea of the backlash that will come your way. Your plan is doomed and you will fail miserably. You may even take others down with you and you will live to regret it. Walk away and let this one go.
Explanation
Here we have two nasty Sword Cards and an upsetting Cups Card. The Swords Cards precede The Five of Cups so this suggests to me that they are responsible for this unhappy outcome. Things do not look good and certainly do not augur well if the behaviour and energy associated with both The Seven of Swords Reversed and The Five of Swords is allowed to be activated. Therefore, an effort must be made to avoid whatever action the individual represented by this Reading is planning on taking for at the very least it will backfire on them and end in tears. At worst there may be deep regret, trauma, potential loss and serious trouble.
In the centre we have The Five of Swords and here we see a nasty figure wielding his power and aggression over all around. He appears to have confiscated Swords from those who have attempted to oppose or overthrow him. He looks smug and gloating for he is feeling very pleased with himself. Those whose Swords he now holds thought they could get the better of him and that they could outsmart and out fight him. They especially thought they could out think him too with their ridiculous plans. They launched an attack on him but they didn’t realise who they were taking on. They may not normally indulge in the aggressive behaviour that is second nature to him. They may lack the killer instinct that is part of his natural make up. They may not be used to using their Sword for destructive purposes but something has made the individual or individuals want to take down the figure represented in The Five of Swords. Unfortunately, they are no match for him and are like lambs to the slaughter. The two figures in the background have dropped their weapons and walked away. This was doomed from the start. They didn’t stand a chance of victory and we must ask ourselves why this is?
To get our answer we must now look to The Reversed Seven of Swords for it is all there. The poorly thought out plan, the impulsive act of stupidity that may have been brought on by heightened emotions such as anger, revenge or intense upset. The individual in The Seven of Swords Reversed is not thinking clearly and certainly is not looking where he is going. He is just acting on the spur of the moment and thinks he is seizing a golden opportunity to take his enemy by surprise. He believes he is going to get the better of someone by being sneaky and cunning. He doesn’t realise the nature of the personality he is dealing with. If he did, he would ensure he totally disarmed him. Instead he takes only some of his opponents weapons as he ran in here without a proper plan of action. He couldn’t carry anymore but thinks he has got away with enough to leave his opponent defenceless. He believes he has scored a major victory here and is quite pleased with his actions.
However, we must look back to The Five of Swords and see the consequences of his actions. It looks like he may have dragged others into his ill thought out plan of attack. He may have convinced them to support him or back him against his opponent. Look at what has happened. His actions have totally enraged the figure in The Five of Swords who wastes no time in launching a counterattack. The individual in The Reversed Seven of Swords should have known that such an experienced fighter would only need the use of the couple of weapons that were left behind to take down the pitiful group that came after him. In fact he would make them suffer for even thinking they could outsmart him. The pain he inflicts, and it may not be a physical pain, will be severe when he punishes them. The individual and his backup were defeated from the outset and never stood a chance against this type of personality. They may have ignored all warnings and advice, choosing to run with their plan A without a plan B to fall back on. The result of all this behaviour can be seen in The Five of Cups with the hunched figure and the overturned cups. The contents of the cups have been spilled and it is too late to turn back the clock. The damage has been done and the individual from The Reversed Seven of Swords is left with deep regret. They may have brought more trouble down upon their shoulders and on those who supported them.
Tarot Card Reading Exercises
Greetings All,
Well I am still busy sorting out my new site on WordPress.org. Many technical issues have delayed the changeover and I have been painstakingly trying to sort them all out. This of course takes me away from my writing, but for today I have decided to take a break and do something different.
Below you will find Card Reading Exercises for you to work out. There are Eight Readings below and Nine Individual Interpretations for them. The Readings are Numbered 1 to 8 and the Interpretations from A to I (9 interpretations). This means that one of the Readings has Two Interpretations. The Letters do not correspond to the Numbers so your Task is to Match the Cards to their Correct Interpretation in The Table Provided Below, and also determine which of The Readings I have supplied Two Interpretations for.
Please Note that the Interpretations provided are not the only ones that could apply to the Cards. It is just one Interpretation out of several possibilities, and of course it would all come down to the Question that is being asked. However, you should be able to identify which Interpretation Matches a Particular Set of Cards.
This Card Reading Exercise is designed with a view to help those who are studying The Tarot to better understand the process of Linking and Connecting Cards when Interpreting a Reading.
I will Post the Correct Running Order Next Week so that you can compare yours with mine.
The Readings
1
2
Happy Holidays from Tarot World – Part II
Continuation from 27th of December – Part II
Following on from yesterdays look into how the various Court Families of The Tarot might be celebrating, or not celebrating The Holidays, today we will take a look at The Swords and Pentacles Families along with the remaining Major Arcana Cards.
The Swords Family Celebrating The Holiday Season
The Swords Family are a little bit nervous and uptight about the Holidays ahead. Memories of this time last year still haunt them. To be honest, The King of Swords has made it clear that he wants nothing to do with it and has told everyone not to expect him to join in any of the celebrations. He thinks it is a lot of nonsense and a waste of time. The Queen of Swords has laid down strict rules and guidelines about how this year will be different. She will stand for none of the upset and stress she had to endure last year. She has made up her mind that she will have a different attitude this Holiday Season and will be very well organised so that she does not become overly stressed. She has ordered her offspring to come home and she expects them to obey. Just for once she would like a calm, happy and sociable Holiday but can she rely on the rest of her family to follow suit?
The Queen of Swords wants everything to be different this year and so insists that instead of giving the Knight and Page the usual book vouchers, new school satchel for The Page and a smart fountain pen for The Knight, she wants their gifts to be more imaginative. The King of Swords reluctantly agrees to her demands. He saw the state she got into last year and certainly does not want a repeat of it. However he hates going gift shopping and thinks it all a waste of good money. Instead he sends his secretary out to do his gift buying for him. The only thing is he doesn’t give her any guidelines except that they have to be sensible or educational. He expects her to know what he means and offers no more suggestions. His nervous secretary will have to use her wits to get suitable presents. She has also been told to be back at her desk in two hours. Stressed and nearly killing herself running across roads without looking, she is heading for the nearest boring store when she gets a phone call from The Queen of Swords. The Queen of Swords is a smart lady and knew exactly what her partner, The King would do. She instructs the nervous secretary to go to the Mall instead of the old reliable book store and gives her a list of shops she might try along with numerous suggestions for gifts. The poor secretary expresses her concern as to what The King will say when she comes back to the office with the very things he told her not to buy. The Queen reassures her and tells her that she will deal with him, but to make sure that all the gifts are wrapped so that he does not know what has been bought. She tells the secretary to charge any excess to her account as The King has given his secretary a strict and tight budget to work from.
The Queen has her own shopping to do, so heads off leaving her secretary in charge of her team. She makes her way to the nearest Sport’s shop and purchases a complete Hill-Walking Kit for The King; hiking boots, poles, weather proof clothes and a special compass which she has personally engraved for him. She then purchases a similar kit for herself. She plans to start the New Year with a new attitude and to spend more time with her partner. She realises they do not enjoy themselves enough and as she knows The King does like to walk and is always pointing out one mountain or another to her and its altitude, she thinks that Hill-Walking would be a past-time both of them would enjoy. Delighted with her purchases she heads back to the office.
The Knight and Page have little problem buying their gifts; a new desk set for their father and engraved fountain pen. For their mother, a Tablet. Their mother complains that they do not ring her often enough. With The Page in Boarding School and The Knight in College she sees little of them. When she opens it, they will set the Tablet up for her so that she can Skype them. She will also get great use out of it. It comes with a smart sophisticated bag so that it is easy for her to carry around and suitable for bringing to the office. They want to make her happy this Holiday, especially after the disaster of the last one.
The Queen of Swords leaves the purchasing of her gift from The King up to him. As they all open their gifts, she is not surprised to discover the same bottle of perfume she gets every year from him. She has long outgrown this scent and each year brings it back unopened to the department store to exchange it for something else. Her partner, The King has a set mind when it comes to things and finds it hard to step outside the box and act spontaneously. She would dearly love to open her gift and find some expensive lingerie or even a voucher for spa treatments but he is not very imaginative and far too serious for such frivolous things. Everyone else seems to be especially pleased with their gifts, if not a tad surprised. The King is slightly confused when he sees the Hill-Walking clothes but when The Queen explains their use he thinks her very sensible. The Queen is thrilled with her tablet and gives both her sons a stiff and uncomfortable hug. None of them are used to being emotional with each other but The Queen seems intent on making changes this year so everyone is awkwardly going along with it. Just for this moment in time The Queen of Swords is happy and believes she has managed to pull it off, that this Holiday will be a good one with no repeat performances of last year. She is looking forward to a lot of amiable chat around the dinner table.
The Swords Family sit down to their formally laid table to eat. The Queen is known to be a perfectionist so the table is immaculate and she has used a special ruler to ensure that each setting is the same distance apart. Starters go well and everyone seems to be relaxing a bit. Just as the main course is being served, The King asks The Knight how College is going? The Queen freezes. She was hoping they could get past the Holidays before she would have to tell him. Only a week ago, she had received a disturbing phone call from his College. They had tried to reach The King first but he had been in a meeting. The Queen was very grateful for such fortunate timing. She told The College that she would be dealing with the matter and not to disturb The King as he was involved in some serious business. The Knight then emailed his mother, The Queen to tell her that he had been expelled for disorderly behaviour and for driving a car across the college lawns while under the influence of alcohol. He had caused damage that would need to be paid for. The Knight had been staying at a friend’s house until he would come home for The Holidays. The Queen was horrified and said she was ashamed of him. The Queen paid for the damages but warned The Knight that he was not to open his mouth to his father until she gave her permission. The King asked The unusually quiet Knight once more how College was going? The Knight eventually replied ‘fine, just fine’. ‘Well that is strange’ said The King ‘because I was speaking to one of your college friend’s father just yesterday and he told me a rather different story’. With that The Knight pushed his seat away from the table and stormed off out the door. The King roared after him, ordering him back but The Knight just kept going. The King then turned on The Queen of Swords ‘did you know about this?’. The Queen could not lie, so nodded her head. The King announced that he suddenly had no appetite and left the table. The Page asked to go to his room. That left The Queen of Swords alone at the table she had spent so much time planning. Silent tears poured down her face as she stood up to begin removing the uneaten food from the table.
The Holidays she had held out so much hope for were turning out just as they did every year. Stress, conflict, arguments and tension. She had come from a background not to un-similar, so she chided herself for being silly enough to think that she could change things so easily. She didn’t hold out much hope for the New Year if this was anything to go by.
Question – You are the King of Sword’s Secretary and it has been left up to you to buy him a gift from all the Staff. What do you do, just give him a voucher or actually pick out something that you think he would like? Where would you go to shop for him and what might you buy? Someone makes an announcement at The Special Family Dinner. Which one is it, what is the Announcement and how is it Received?
Below are some Holiday Season associations depicted through The Swords Tarot. Please feel free to add your own.
The Joys of The Holiday Season
*The Swords are quite difficult to work with when it comes to The Joys of The Holiday Season
The Ace of Swords – New Attitude, A New Approach, Determination to Change things, Determination to get things right and off to a good start.
The Three of Swords Reversed – Determination that there will be no arguments, hostilities and tension. Wanting a stress free Holiday.
The Four of Swords Reversed – A break or reprieve from tensions, anxiety and hostility for The Holidays, being allowed home from hospital for The Holiday Season, Recharging the batteries over The Holiday Season.
Six of Swords – Getting away from the stresses of The Holiday Season. Taking a vacation to rest.
Seven of Swords – Sneaking around trying to hide gifts from children and partner. Hiding gifts where they can’t be found, having to keep secrets or tell lies in order to purchase gifts or arrange surprises. Having to really think hard to find a gift for someone hard to please.
Eight of Swords Reversed – Release from the stresses and pressures of work for The Holidays, Having a positive outlook and looking forward to the Festive Season, temporary release from care for the Holidays, Release from Prison in time for The Holidays.
Nine of Swords Reversed – Unnecessary worry about The Holiday Season, Worries Unfounded.
Ten of Swords Reversed – Recovering from ill-health in time for The Holidays. Things working out just in time.
The Stresses of The Holiday Season with The Swords
Ace of Swords Reversed – Not getting off to a good start, Negative Attitude to The Holidays, Wanting to cause trouble (digging the knife in) at family gatherings.
Two of Swords – Stressing about what gifts to buy, being forced to decide which side of the family you will be spending The Holidays with, refusing to put grievances aside so that family gatherings can run smoothly. Deliberately excluding certain family or friends from invites to social occasions. Not wanting to be a part of the Festivities. Wishing it was all over and everything back to normal.
Three of Swords – Family arguments, grievances, hostility and rows causing disruption to everyone enjoying The Holidays. Family members dredging up ancient issues and quarrels. Returning unwanted or unsuitable gifts to stores without receipts and arguing with shop assistant.
Four of Swords – Mental exhaustion due to excess worry and stress over preparing for the Holidays. As soon as you get the time off work, you come down with a cold or flu, too worn out and tired to enjoy the festivities. In hospital for the Holidays.
Five of Swords – Rise in domestic violence during the Holiday Season. Excess alcohol and close proximity causing tempers to flare with possible physical aggression and violence involved. One family member ruining the Holidays for everyone else.
Six of Swords Reversed – Returning home for the Holidays but to hostility and quarrels rather than rest and relaxation, being duty bound to return home even if it makes you unhappy. Family rows and arguments. Never again attitude.
Seven of Swords – Shop Lifting on the increase during the Holiday Season, Burglaries with theft of gifts, bag snatching due to thieves knowing people carrying extra cash, family and friends stealing you gift ideas, your children discovering where you have hidden their gifts and opening, surprises ruined as secret not kept.
Eight of Swords – Not knowing how you will cope over the Holidays, maybe not having enough money to buy family gifts, feeling trapped with debt after all the spending, Finding it all too stressful, feeling duty-bound to turn up at Family Gatherings you would rather avoid, feeling there is no escape from having the in-laws over. Being in Prison during the Holidays.
Nine of Swords – No knowing how you will afford gifts for your children and family, worrying about health issues, feeling the intensity of bereavement or loss during the Holiday Period, Feeling terribly stressed and unable to cope, feeling alone. Waking in the middle of night in a panic as you realise you have forgotten to buy something very important and now it is too late.
Ten of Swords – Having a Melt-Down with all the stress of the season, unable to cope with all the pressure the season brings, being ill during the Holidays.
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The Pentacles Family Celebrating The Holiday Season
The Pentacles Family approach The Holiday Season in good cheer and goodwill, safe and secure in the knowledge that they have plenty to go around. They will not have to worry about where the money will come from to buy gifts and all the extra luxuries that make the Festive Season so special. The Queen of Pentacles will delight in making her home festively spectacular. In fact the ‘House Beautiful’ upmarket home and interior décor magazine have selected her house this year for its Holiday Festive Shoot. The Queen of Pentacle’s house is certainly looking magnificent and she has gone to great lengths to make it so. She has had the builders in to do some work and repairs to their grand old house. She has used greenery from her own garden to do most of the decorating, and she just has a way to make it look so naturally and effortlessly put together. This is one of her favourite times of the year when she can really showcase her talents. She has also covered her beautiful evergreen tree in the front garden with hundreds of little fairy lights that twinkle brightly in the dark sky. The Wreath on her front door is of course handmade by herself with produce from her garden, and also items she has been collecting from the local woods in recent weeks. She manages to combine all this as well as being a busy and successful business woman. Oh did I mention, she has her special recipe puddings and cakes already baked.
The King of Pentacles, although a very busy man will set aside the time to go gift shopping with The Queen. This is a traditional outing each year. Both dress well for the occasion and arrange for a taxi or their driver to bring them to the most fashionable shopping area. Here they will spend much time browsing before making their final selections. Their aim is to buy their Knight and Page gifts that have been well thought out, are of top quality, practical and quite luxurious. The Pentacles do not like to waste money, but this is one time of the year where they will be prepared to push the boat out. They will spend lavishly on gifts for family and friends, and of course the ever important ‘Status Gifts’ for business colleagues and customers. They will take a break from shopping for lunch in one of their favourite restaurants where a table has been reserved for them, before heading back out to complete their gift selection. They will arrive home that evening maybe tired but definitely not stressed. It goes without saying that The Pentacles are very charitable, and especially at this time of the year. They will make the time to ensure they donate to the most vulnerable in society. A conscientious family, The Page and Knight will probably have been encouraged to do some voluntary work, and no doubt have been involved in Fundraising Events in recent weeks.
The Queen of Pentacles will already have arranged The King’s gift. Possibly, a work of art or a rare edition book he has been searching for his collection. The King, will more than likely buy her expensive jewellery and her favourite scent. The Page cannot wait to come home from Boarding School for The Holidays. He has been buying gifts each week out of his pocket-money and is looking forward to everyone opening them. His friend The Page of Swords wishes he could come with him as The Pentacles Holiday sounds so much better than his. The Knight too will be looking forward to seeing the family and will be bringing his fiancée home to spend The Holidays with them. Just like his mother and father, The Knight of Pentacles and his fiancée have spent much time shopping for the perfect gifts. The Pentacle Family will spend a very traditional Holiday together in good cheer. They will enjoy all the family being together and will eat well and often. There will entertain a lot over the Holidays with guests coming and going and some staying over. The Pentacle Family will be seen out walking together with their dogs across parks and through the woods as they will want to ensure they get the correct balance between eating and exercising. They will have a very happy time indeed and everyone will be thrilled with their gifts.
Question – You have been invited to dine with the The Pentacles Family over The Holiday Period. You will need to bring a Gift. What do you think would please them most? Someone makes an announcement at The Special Family Dinner. Which one is it, what is the Announcement and how is it Received?
Below are some Holiday Season associations depicted through The Pentacles Tarot. Please feel free to add your own.
The Joys of The Holiday Season with The Pentacles
Ace of Pentacles – Plenty of money to buy gifts and nice luxuries. No financial worries. Will have budgeted well for this time of year so there will be no credit card debts in the new year. The beginning of a spending spree! Let’s go shopping!
Two of Pentacles – Decisions, Decisions, which gift shall I buy? Giving gifts and receiving gifts, money circulating to the sound of shop tills pinging. A lot of money changing hands.
Three of Pentacles – Doing up The House for The Holiday Period, making sure everything is perfect, getting windows and gutters cleaned and stone work power-washed. Wanting to make a good impression on visitors.
Four of Pentacles – Spending, Spending the money you have saved to buy gifts, being more carefree with money, being open and generous, putting your spare change into the collection boxes at check-outs.
Five of Pentacles Reversed – Spending some time working with the homeless, donating to refuge centres, helping out family members and friends who are in need. Giving without expecting anything in return.
Six of Pentacles – Being Charitable, Donating, Helping the less fortunate, distributing gifts to employees, giving Holiday Bonuses to Employees, Splashing out on The Staff Party.
Seven of Pentacles – Taking a well-earned break from work for The Holidays.
Eight of Pentacles – Working hard to get business matters sorted, orders out and deliveries made before The Holidays. Shop staff working extra opening hours in the rush up to The Holiday Period. Effort being put into making The Holidays a success; decorating, wrapping gifts, writing greeting cards.
Nine of Pentacles – Getting dressed up in all your finery for the Festive Season. Wearing your best clothes and getting your hair done. Looking well and putting effort into your appearance. Showing off your nicely decorated home to visitors and guests.
Ten of Pentacles – It’s all about bringing the family together under one roof, family get-togethers and remembering the elder members of the family at this time of year. Gathering of the clan. Family Holiday Traditions.
The Stresses of The Holiday Season with The Pentacles
Ace of Pentacles Reversed – Lack of money, not enough money to buy gifts, spending too much, spending more than is coming in, being reckless with money at this time of year and not thinking of the debts that need to be paid in the new year. Losing money, Losing your wallet or purse. Not checking your change or receipt, being overcharged and not paying attention.
Two of Pentacles Reversed – Struggling to manage finances for The Holiday Period, Not enough money to go around, having to make decisions about who to buy and not buy gifts for. Trying to do too much, working extra jobs to bring the money in.
Three of Pentacles Reversed – Making no effort to decorate or have your home looking nice for The Holidays. No interest in the whole thing, would rather be working.
Four of Pentacles – Meanness, not wanting to spend on gifts or nice things for the house, think it is all too commercial, waiting for the sales to start, totally ignoring The Holiday Period, working through the Holidays, no pay bonuses or staff parties. Consider everything a waste of money.
Five of Pentacles – Out of work, Laid off at The Holidays, No money to buy gifts or nice things, Homeless, Poor, Having to watch your family go without at this time of year. Feeling Helpless, down and out.
Six of Pentacles Reversed – Mean Spirited, Having but not giving, ignoring those in need around you, thinking it is not your problem, letting staff go at The Holidays, no pay bonuses for staff, no staff party, extremes, staff giving boss a gift
Seven of Pentacles Reversed – Afraid to take time off work in case something happens, A slave to work, having to work over the Holiday Period such as farmers and those involved with horses and other livestock. No rest. No time off. Those who need to work to ensure The Holidays are enjoyed safely by all such as firemen, police, nurses, doctors, search and rescue. Not getting paid Holiday rates.
Eight of Pentacles – Working too hard, not taking time off, workaholic, too tired from work to enjoy The Holidays, Time is money, after all the effort you put in to make The Holidays a success no one notices and could care less. Waste of your time and energy
Nine of Pentacles Reversed – Working through The Holidays, not spending any money on yourself, making little or no effort for The Holidays, think it is all a waste of money,Spending more than you have just to keep up appearances, mounting debts.
Ten of Pentacles Reversed – Family breakdown, No family home, Family not coming home for the Holidays, Dread coming home for the Holidays, Breaking a family Holiday Tradition, Being untraditional, Being a family outcast, not welcome home for The Holidays, Family arguments and disagreements, Massively overspending, massive debts
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*Now let us look at the remaining Major Arcana and see how they can reflect the Holiday Season
The Hanged Man – Children impatiently counting down the days until the can get their gifts, sacrifices made by parents to get their children their dream gift, turning your back on the material side of The Holidays to focus on the Spiritual, Volunteering over The Holidays.
Death – Breaking with Tradition, Breaking Bad Habits, Making some profound changes, Making firm resolutions for change in The New Year, The End of The Old and the beginning of the New. Light a candle for those who are no longer with us.
Temperance – Ah, the Angel of balance and moderation. Being mindful of over-indulging during The Holiday Period. This includes making sure not to overspend, over-drink or over-eat, Being mindful of the Religious and Spiritual aspects of The Holidays.
The Devil – At the bottom of every bottle of whiskey and gin lurks the Devil. Not giving in to temptation, don’t be fooled into thinking you can spend like the Devil and get away with it, eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die are the devil’s words and should be strongly ignored. Remember that it is a Religious and Spiritual time of year and do onto others as you would have them do onto you. Do not get involved in purchasing illegally sourced or stolen goods as gifts. Do a good deed for someone and turn your back on the Devil.
The Tower – Personal Disasters, Natural Disasters and unnecessary tragedies on the roads that seem to increase at this time of year. Take care and put your safety and the safety of others first. Stop the rushing and slow down. Shocking and scandalous revelations made over the family dinner table causing terrible upset and serious fallout for all involved.
The Star – A time of peace and hope for all. A time to think of our brothers and sisters around the world and the desire for peace for all mankind. Volunteering over the Holidays, being selfless. Taking a break, doing exactly what you want, having a well-earned rest.
The Moon – The Holiday Season can trigger depression and lowness for those who are not part of the whole festivities and celebrations. Old memories can surface leaving one feel sad and nostalgic for Holidays past, worrying about what the new year has in store for you. Feeling troubled and isolated. Mother related issues surfacing at this time of year or missing a deceased mother.
The Sun – Bright Lights, Twinkling Lights, Bling, Fun, Freedom, Party-time, A time for children to truly enjoy, It’s all about the children, Joy to the world, Celebrations.
Judgement – Being Mindful of our Religious and Spiritual duties at this time of the year. Wanting a complete change for the new year, plans to transform yourself, time to look back on the past year and reflect.
The World – Family flying in from all over the world just to be together for the Holidays. Happiness, joy, parties, dancing, decorating the house, hanging the wreath on the front door, retreating into your family for the Holidays, inviting friends and neighbours in for social occasions. A wonderful end to a totally successful year. Raise a toast to all mankind.
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Copyright © 2006-2013 Vivien Ní Dhuinn
Happy Holidays From Tarot World
Happy Holidays From The Land of Tarot,
We have had terrible storms in Ireland over the Holiday Period and many homes have been without electricity, telephone and internet connection. Hence, the delay in this Post going Out. However, better late than never. I do hope you have all been enjoying yourself wherever you are in the world.
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Yes, that time of year has come around once more. Regardless of our different Religious or Spiritual beliefs, it is quite hard to completely avoid the seasonal festivities and celebrations for they seem to be everywhere. There is little escape, and for most of us there are things we both love and hate about this time of year.
Our Tarot Families are no different. They all have their own way of celebrating, and their own particular idea of fun and gaiety. When it comes to purchasing those all important gifts for family and friends they certainly have their own way of choosing them, be they considered sensible and practical, or totally extravagant and outrageous.
Let us now take a look at the Holiday Season with The Tarot and see how well they reflect our own situations and family gatherings. As the Holidays approach each of The Tarot Family prepare to gather and celebrate. However, before they can all come together, certain things must be done and arranged. Likewise, no sooner are the Holidays over, The Tarot Families are launched into further scenarios associated with this time of the year. As we go through the Cards that I have selected, and by the way, I haven’t used all of them, to demonstrate the multitude of situations surrounding the Holiday Season, it will be clear to see why it can be one of the most tiring and stressful times of the year for so many families and individuals.
So going on the basis that all the Court Cards Clans are gathering to celebrate in their own unique way, we will use the remaining Cards both in The Minor and Major to tell the rest of the story for us. This by the way is our story too.
The Wands Family Celebrating The Holiday Season
The Wands Family are all returning to the fold to celebrate the Holidays together. You may have noticed that I put The Queen in first place as she is most likely in charge of overseeing the whole occasion while managing to keep her busy career going at the same time. She will have gone shopping for a few things, but I reckon that most of her gift and food buying was done on-line. She certainly won’t beat around the bush either when it comes to letting her partner, The King of Wands know exactly what she expects to receive as her gift. The King will trust her judgement when it comes to buying his as he respects her taste. She seems to intuitively know each year just the right gift for him. Both the Knight and Page are easy to shop for as they will want the latest gadgets and game consoles, regardless of age. As a family they may decide to take off to an exotic climate and have their celebrations abroad instead of at home. The King of Wands will only take the briefest of time off work, and even then may be checking emails on an hourly basis. The Knight believes the Holiday Season is for kicking up one’s heels and is bound to party hard, even dragging the Page with him if he or she is old enough. They certainly will have a fun-filled time with lots of socialising, entertaining (if they do not decide to go away) and some action-packed family outings to burn off any excess eating and drinking. Their home is bound to be very loud with much comings and goings. They will spend a lot at this time of the year.
Question – If you had to buy each of The Wands Family a Gift, what do you think would please them most? Someone makes an announcement at The Special Family Dinner. Which one is it, what is the Announcement and how is it Received?
Below are some Holiday Season associations depicted through The Wands Tarot. Please feel free to add your own.
The Joys of The Holiday Season
Ace of Wands – Thumbs Up, Party Time has Arrived, Booking your Flight home for the Holidays, Boarding Your Plane, Train or Bus to Head Home for The Holidays. The Beginning of The Holiday Season.
Two of Wands – The Unexpected Arrival of Family or Friends from Far Away. Surprise Visitors.
Three of Wands – The Return Home of Family and Friends from Overseas for The Holiday Season, Standing at the Arrivals Gate waiting for your family or friends to come through the doors.
Four of Wands – Celebrations, Party Time, Family Re-Unions and Get Togethers, Celebrating The Holidays with Good Friends and Family, Happiness and Joy. Decorating for The Holiday Season, Making the House look very Festive.
Five of Wands – Bedlam in The Shops, Hunting for the Right Gift, Having to Queue at cash tills and to get into car-parks, Loud music and noise everywhere. Buzz
Six of Wands – Dressing up in your New Clothes and feeling good. All the preparation and shopping done. Feeling Proud.
Eight of Wands- Standing at the Arrivals Gate waiting for your loved ones to come through the doors. Your plane touching down and knowing that your family and loved ones are just minutes away. Getting away from all the madness of the Holiday Season by going on Vacation instead. Building Excitement, All the buzz and madness of the Holiday Season, Not a minute to spare, invitations to parties flooding in the door.
Nine of Wands Reversed – Being allowed Off Duty for The Holidays, Not having to work, Soldier returning home from Duty for The Holidays.
Ten of Wands Reversed – Relief, Dropping everything for the time being, no work for a while, being able to offload and kick-back. Hard work done, You got their in the end and all gifts bought and food are organised. Time for a bit of relaxation now and a well-earned glass of wine.
The Stresses of The Holiday Season
Ace of Wands Reversed – Delayed Flights, Travel Plans Disrupted or Cancelled, Party being a bit of a Flop,
Three of Wands – Being Far Away From Home, Not Being Able to Come Home for The Holidays, Having to Return After The Holidays (leaving Family), Being Separated from the One you Love during the Holidays (work related overseas)
Four of Wands Reversed – No Family Get Togethers, A Family that are not Close, Family and Friends Departing to go their separate ways after the celebrations and Holidays, Having to say goodbye. The aftermath of too much celebrating; hangovers, mess, Cancellation of Celebrations or Family Gatherings, A Disastrous Party (no one showed and all the money you spent)
Five of Wands Reversed – Family issues and differences surfacing during the Holidays Season, Rows and arguments getting out of hand/deciding to put differences aside for the Holidays. Battling for the bargains during the post Holiday Sales. Bedlam in the shops. Noisy Kids with Noisy Toys driving you mad!
Six of Wands Reversed – Burning the Festive Dinner, Everything going Wrong, Party a Flop or Failure, Party clashing with another event and no one turns up at yours.
Seven of Wands – Prolonged close proximity causing arguments and clashes with Family during the Holidays. Being the instigator of rows or constantly on the defence.
Eight of Wands Reversed – Disruption to flights or travel plans, Cancellation of flights, Family and Friends Departing/Flying out after the Holidays. Tearful Farewells. Arguments and dreadful rows when Family forced together or when too much partying has been going on.
Nine of Wands – Having to work over the Holiday Season. Soldiers on duty far away from home and family. All the hard work and preparations left up to you.
Ten of Wands – Taking on too much during the Holidays. The Stress of it all; shopping, working, decorating, cooking, entertaining. It all seems like too much work and not enough fun. Exhausted from too much partying, cooking and drinking.
The Cups Family Celebrating The Holidays
Oh the joy of it all! The Queen and King of Cups are in their element at this time of the year. Having all their loved ones so close and all together under the one roof is all that matters. That is the greatest gift they could get. The Queen of Cups of course will go into overdrive; happily decorating, baking and spending days and weeks personally shopping for just the right gift for each member of her family. The King of Cups will shop with her and probably agree with all her choices. They will not look at the shopping as a chore but make it a day out instead. Perhaps they will book into a hotel for the night so that they can relax and get into the festive season in the right manner. They will happily roam from shop to shop and never seem to tire until all purchases have been made. Then of course there will be the agreement to separate for a couple of hours so that they can shop for each other’s gift. They both enjoy the element of surprise when opening gifts so will not drop any hints to each other before hand. They both believe that it is the thought that counts and know that their gifts were bought with love and will be treasured forever.
The Queen of Cups will lovingly prepare the bedrooms for the returning Knight and Page of Cup and will welcome any partners they may bring with them. Actually, it is to The Cups Home for the Holidays that many of the Knight’s and Pages’s friends will flock, for the atmosphere will be so special and the wine constantly flowing. The Cups will operate an Open House during the Holidays with friends and family constantly coming and going. They will have a large gathering for dinner and several other social occasions. The Knight and Page of Cups will probably have shopped together to buy their parents their gifts. If grandchildren are involved, The King and Queen of Cups will totally spoil and indulge them at this time of the year.
Question – If you had to buy each of The Cups Family a Gift, what do you think would please them the most? Someone makes an announcement at The Special Family Dinner. Which one is it, what is the Announcement and how is it Received?
The Joys of The Holiday Season with The Cups
Ace of Cups – Joy to The World, The Holidays are here, Time to Party, Let the Wine and Champagne flow, Season of Goodwill and Good Cheer, Toasts, Parties, Feeling friendly and generous, Great Joy, Good News, Party Invitations,
Two of Cups – Couples getting engaged at this time of Year, Feeling extra Romantic, Buying Special Gifts for your Loved One, Meeting someone Special at a party.
Three of Cups – Party, Party, Party!, Friends coming together, Family Get Togethers, Good Cheer, Toasts, Office Parties.
Six of Cups – Going Home for The Holidays, Spending time with Family, Sleeping in your childhood Bed and reminiscing about Holidays past, taking the time to visit elderly relatives.
Seven of Cups – Spoiled for choice in the shops, too many gift options, window shopping, wondering what to buy, looking for a special outfit.
Nine of Cups – Getting the Gift of your Dreams, A big and very welcome surprise, Party Time, Arranging a banquet/Party, Hosting an event, feeling very happy and full of good cheer, Invitations and social occasions.
Ten of Cups – Family all together, joy, happiness, special time for all, a time to spend with your family. Several generations coming together. A close family. The best gift of all.
The Stresses of The Holiday Season with The Cups
Ace of Cups Reversed – Too much drink spoiling enjoyment, hangovers, feeling Unhappy and lonely during the Holiday Season, Possibly few invitations to parties or social occasions
Two of Cups Reversed – Rows between Couples, Break-ups, Not having that Special Someone to spend The Holidays with.
Three of Cups Reversed – Too much Partying with Friends, Not being able to spend the Holidays with your Friends and Families, Being Excluded from Parties or Gatherings, Having no Friends, Feeling like an outsider during the Holidays, Feeling you have little to celebrate.
Four of Cups – Drinking too much, Feeling Hung-over and tired, Disappointed with the Gifts you received, feeling let down by someone, Disillusioned with the whole thing, wishing the Holidays were over.
Five of Cups – Feeling too sad and unhappy to celebrate The Holidays, a time of loss and grief instead of joy and good cheer, Wanting to be alone, Missing someone terribly, bereavement, Sad time of year for you, being an outcast in your family, not being welcome or wanted, wrapped up in your own troubles instead of wrapping up gifts, the Holiday Season is totally lost on you. Too much drinking may have resulted in terrible rows or angry outbursts, there may be terrible regrets.
Six of Cups Reversed – Not having any family home to go to, not wanting to go home for The Holidays, Unhappy memories of previous Holidays, Homesick but unable to get home for The Holidays, Loss, Possibly Parent or Parents deceased and the Home no longer has the same feeling during the Holidays.
Seven of Cups Reversed – Not getting yourself organised for the Holidays, no gifts sorted, Head in the clouds, Leaving it too late to go shopping, nothing decent left in the shops, not getting what you wanted.
Eight of Cups – Leaving, going away, not being at home for Christmas but with unhappy and unpleasant associations. Not wanting to be part of the whole thing. Getting away from it all. Going away to avoid the Holiday Season.
Nine of Cups Reversed – Terrible Disappointment, Feeling Unhappy and let down, Having to cancel party, party unsuccessful, not getting the gift you wanted, The Holiday Season turning out to be a Nightmare rather than a joy, No invitations coming your way after you inviting everyone to your party, drinking too much, over-indulgence, things not working out as planned.
Ten of Cups Reversed – Family unable to be together, family not close to each other, too much geographical distance between family members, idealistic version of the Family Getting together for the Holidays, Disappointment, Dysfunctional Family, Broken Family, No Family.
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*Tomorrow we will be looking at The Swords and Pentacles Family to see how they have been enjoying The Holiday Season, but before we do that let us have a look at some of The Major Arcana and see how their meanings can be associated with this time of year too.
The Fool – Acting Spontaneously, Impromptu buys, Living for the moment, Spending too much, Feeling Carefree and enjoying the party season
The Magician – The Commercial Machine, Sell Sell Sell, The Convincing Salesperson, The Shop Displays, Marketing for The Season, Displaying the ‘Must Haves’. Making us want it all.
The High Priestess – The Annoying Person who always knows the best gift to buy everyone. Yours to her never comes up to scratch because you never really know what she would like. She seems to breeze through the Holidays without breaking a sweat, getting stressed or fussed. Her house is always beautifully decorated and you love visiting because it is so peaceful in comparison to everyone else’s. How does she do it? Very annoying. When you go shopping with her, she embarrasses you into reaching into your pocket to put yet another few coins into all those rattling fundraising collection boxes that are on every street corner. She seems to give to all!
The Empress – Treating yourself, Pampering, Spoiling yourself, Dressing Up, Getting your Hair Styled, Buying luxurious Items just because you are worth it, going overboard buying gifts for the kids and everyone else. Absolutely loving this time of the year. Parties and good cheer.
The Emperor – Scrooge attitude, Bah humbug, thinks it is all a big waste of money, tries to curtail spending, refuses to give in to the whole commercial side of it, almost collapses when the Empress tells him how much she spent on the tree alone while pushing a nice glass of burgundy into his hand. Begrudgingly telling The Empress that her new very expensive dress looks lovely on her. Chastising her for spending too much money. Tries to hide his emotions from his offspring when they bring him his gifts. Wants to know how much everything cost. Thinks the world has gone mad and lost all reason.
The Hierophant – Ah, at last, the Spiritual Side of The Holiday Season from all Religious Aspects and Beliefs. The Commonalities and Solidarity between all Religions that it is a time of Peace, Goodwill, Generosity and being Charitable. People gathering to express their Faith and Beliefs.
The Lovers – Engagements at this Special Time of Year, buying that Special Gift for your loved one. Feeling extra romantic and in love. Office Party Flings!
The Chariot – Travelling Home for The Holidays, long journeys, tired but with the destination and welcome will be worth it. Car packed with gifts and good clothes.
Strength – Strength and courage for the bereaved and ill to get through this time of year. Being the Peacemaker when family wars break out. Finding the Strength to survive the Holiday Season intact.
The Hermit – Spending or Choosing The Holidays alone. Being elderly and having no family left to spend The Holidays with, Volunteering to help out at soup kitchens and with the homeless for the Holidays, thinking of others at this time of the year. Feeling lonely.
The Wheel of Fortune – Holiday Pay Bonuses, getting Expensive Gifts, Feeling on top of the world, Let the good times roll. Spending like there is no tomorrow, Having a ball, Party Party, Meeting the partner of your dreams, Luck.
Justice – What you have purchased on credit cards will have to be paid for, if you drink too much you will end up with a hangover, dragging up the same old family issues at the dinner table will get the same reaction it does every time you have done it in the past. Be very careful what you do when you have been drinking. You don’t want to get into trouble with the law! Also it is not a good idea to snog your boss at the office party. The consequences will land firmly on your shoulders only. The repercussions may not be desirable in the cold light of day.
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Well, I think that is more than enough for today, so back tomorrow with the Swords, Pentacles and The Remaining Major Arcana.
Happy Holidays,
Vivien (your tarot teacher)
Copyright © 2006-2013 Vivien Ní Dhuinn
Past life Tarot Reading Part II-The Story Continues
Welcome Back,
I have just finished completing my Past Life Tarot Reading Part II and is now ready for viewing. The story is quite interesting and very dramatic, but you will probably notice, as I did, that the story line has a similar theme or feel to the Fictional Drama I am writing about The Knight of Wands at present. Part Two of that will be ready to rock and roll in the next few days. Now there could be many reasons for this but I have also explained in Part II of The Reading that I did set the intention for The Past Life Reading to be especially useful from a Teaching Point of view. Therefore, the Reading was more about my students rather than a very personal one. As I have mentioned in Part II, it would be lovely to think that I had been some kind of warrior or leader in a Past Life but that I would not put too much importance on This Reading being factual or even from a Past Life. If you have read any of my articles on Past Life Therapy you will know that the Past Life being recalled may be coming from several sources, especially the subconscious.
The Story may not be actually true, I may not have had a Past Life as such but what the subconscious often does is confabulate a story, a bit like it does when one is dreaming, complete with characters, events, dramas and real emotion. It does this not to fool you or deceive you, but purely to get a message of some sort across to you. That is why throughout the Readings I have asked you to dwell on the Cards drawn and make notes as to what relevance they have in your life.
Whether you believe in Past Lives or not, this is very good exercise and much can be gleaned about your personality and how your life is proceeding, both on a positive and negative level. There will be a message in the story-line which you will certainly resonate with and give much to think about. This type of Reading is excellent for improving and developing your story-telling skills and helps you look at the Card Meanings from a whole new prospective. Your Reading abilities will certainly benefit, and your understanding of each Card deepen. You will also find you are beginning to make connections and links between Cards more rapidly with barely having to think about it.
Remember –
*Do not take the information in these Past Life Readings too seriously, or dramatically alter your current life based on the information given unless it is truly for your highest good. This advice applies to all Card Readings and not just Past Life ones. Instead, dwell or meditate on the information and see if there are any common threads, themes or personalities in your Current Life and make some comparisons. Tarot is a wonderful self-guidance and self-development tool. It is like having your own on-site psychologist who is ready and waiting to tell you why things are happening in your life, and the role you play in them. You might be surprised what you learn about yourself in the process.
*Remember, Past Life Tarot Readings should be treated as an interesting line of investigation only, and not taken for true facts or actual events. Often the Subconscious throws us a fictional story-line. It may not be factual, but will very likely mirror some actual issues and challenges that one is facing, or has faced in the past. It should be used on a constructive basis for moving forward in life and not for dwelling or living in the past.
If you are ready to proceed to The Past Life Tarot Reading Part II just click the Link Here or further down the Page.
Past Life Tarot Reading Part II
In Part II of The Past Life Reading We will have a look at the reasons behind any Personality Change at the End of the Particular Past Life you have been exploring in Part I along with the following:
- What Blocked Me From Achieving My Soul Purpose?
- What Where The Events that Blocked me From Achieving My Soul Purpose or/and any Personality Changes at the End of My life? Who or Which Personality Aspect was involved in each Event? What Was The Driving Force Behind Each Event?
- What Did I Learn from that Particular Life Time that is beneficial to my Current?
- What Aspects/Lessons of that Past Life am I working on in This Lifetime?
- If I had That Life Time to Live again what would I do differently? Do I have any Regrets?
- What is my Soul Purpose in This Life Time? How well am I advancing with my Soul Purpose in This Life Time?
- What are my Blocks to Achieving my Soul Purpose? What are my Biggest Challenges?
- Who is here to challenge me?
- Who in This Life Time is here to Help Me Succeed?
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Coming Soon – Part Two of The Knight of Wands Drama. I have decided to incorporate all The Knights into this story, so each one will be introduced into the Drama as the remaining Knight of Cups, Knight of Swords and Knight of Pentacles have been updated and re-worked.
In the next week, I shall be turning my attention to The Knight of Cups and hopefully bring him to life. He must now take his turn under the spotlight so that we may all get to know this gentle, gallant and charming (too charming at times!) young man. He is a very different chappie to The Dynamic Knight of Wands but never forget that no matter how loving and caring he may come across, he is under the influence of Fire as well as his own Element Water. Sometime the Fire in him can overshadow his Watery side so he does have his own ‘wild, bad boy’ aspect to him, even if it is in a Cups kind of way. I will explain more when we get to him.
In the meantime, I do hope you enjoy reading the Past Life Tarot Reading Part II
Blessings,
Vivien (your tarot teacher)
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Tarot and Past Life Exploration
Past Life Tarot Reading Part II
Past Life Tarot Reading Part I
Copyright © 2006-2013 Vivien Ní Dhuinn
Getting Relationship Reading Practice with The Knight of Wands
Using The Knight of Wands in Relationship Readings
When learning to Read The Tarot, students can find The Court Cards the hardest to interpret when Reading as they can imply so much as well as representing various personalities or the Querant them self. Below I have drawn up some Fictional Readings for Relationships where The Knight of Wands makes an appearance. These Readings are just guidelines on how to work a Court Card into a Reading. In time you will find your own way and that way may be very different to mine. It is whatever works for you that counts.
Below is the First Practice Reading. There are another Three Knight of Wands Relationship Readings available by Clicking Here
Relationship Reading 1 – The Knight of Wands in Surrounding Energies Position
Horse Shoe Spread
1 – Past/Recent & Distant 7 – The Probable Outcome
2 – The Present 6 – Hopes and Fears
3 – The Near Future 5 – Surrounding Energies/Atmosphere
4 – Answer/Solution/Hard Facts/Advice/Querant
This Reading was drawn with me setting the intention that I wanted a Relationship Reading for Practice Purpose using The Knight of Wands Upright in The Surrounding Energies Position. This is all for practice and not based on an actual Reading.
Well I was pretty happy with the Cards that came out as they are quite appropriated for a Relationship Reading and therefore make my job much easier when interpreting, but nothing is ever as it seems at first glance. Always remember that when doing a , look, look again and then look again. Also remember that any one Card, or even all of them, may be giving you more than one message. You must learn to become a sleuth when Reading The Tarot.
Well my first impression is that here we have the Happy Couple in Position 1 Representing the Past. This I take as a couple who have been dating for some time as it is in the Past Position. Immediately I take in Four of Wands in The Present Position 2, The Sun in Near Future Position 3 and The Hierophant in Outcome Position 7. These Cards are shouting WEDDING at me. I also think it is quite imminent as the Four of Wands in the Present Position 2 is letting me know that everyone is ready and waiting for the celebrations to begin. The Sun in the Near Future Position 3 tells me a few things. It tells me of the mood surrounding this big event and how much everyone is looking forward to this great day. I think also it might be a Summer Wedding and the future indeed looks very promising. I also believe that the desire to have children, or a child already on the way may also be part of the occasion. However, it may also be the driving force behind the wedding if there is a baby on the way. Everything seems in order, and if we look up diagonally, there is the Hierophant waiting to officiate at the Ceremony. So the Wedding Venue is ready, the guests lined up, everyone in high jinks and the Spiritual or Religious side of it taken care of too. Across from the Four of Wands in the Hopes and Fear Position 6 we have The Six of Cups. This gives me a lovely warm feeling of friends and family all returning home to be a part of the Happy Couple’s Big Day. I do also think that the Wedding is taking place where they grew up, or at least one of them did. There is a sense of nostalgia here, but also this couple may be childhood sweethearts.
With The Hierophant so close to The Six of Cups, I can’t help but feel that this couple are falling into line with what has gone before them. There is a sense of tradition and being very conventional with these two cards. I would say that this will be a big Wedding in the Town, and everyone who is anyone will be present. The couple is well-known, and whether she is pregnant or not, are tying the knot just like all their friends are doing or have already done. There is a strong sense of expected security and stability with this union, but there is also a feeling of small-mindedness, especially with The Hierophant so close to The Six of Cups. I feel almost claustrophobic about the whole thing. However, it all looks like it is going according to plan and I can even visualise the bride putting on her wedding dress, and everyone beginning to make their way to the Ceremony while the Wedding Venue Staff are putting the last finishing touches to the Banquet Room. All is set for a good day.
Now we bring in The Knight of Wands in the Surrounding Energy Position 5, and we have several options when it comes to interpreting Him. We can use one, or all of these as he may be speaking to us on several levels. However, we must also be acutely aware of the shadow of The Four of Swords sitting beside him in Position 4 – Answer/Advice/Solutions/Hard Facts when interpreting this Reading. Why has The Four of Swords, a potential stressful Card appeared in this otherwise bright, sunny, happy and dazzling Reading. I think The Knight of Wands will give us insight. This is why, you must always look to the Surrounding Cards to give support and clarity to your theories, and to help identify the reasons behind the presence of not just Court Cards, but every other Card in the Reading too.
The Knight of Wands is speaking to me on many levels in this Reading. He is firstly telling me that this has been a hectic time. Like all Weddings, their preparation and lead up can be frenetic. So much to do; all the running around, organising, choosing of outfits, dresses, venues, colours, flowers, rings etc can leave one with very little time to think or gather one’s thoughts.
The Knight of Wands is telling me that this is all happening in a whirlwind. Is it all happening too fast. Is there too much action with not enough thought. Has this Wedding gathered a momentum that is now hard to slow down or rein in? Why am I thinking that Fire is driving everyone at the moment? Well we have the heat and positivity of The Sun shining down on us from the opposite side, and the building fiery excitement of guests in The Four of Wands. So many have travelled home, or from far away for this day that Fire has got hotter and hotter. Even The Hierophant is in on the action too, ready to make it all official in front of everyone from the town; family, friends, work colleagues etc. The Knight of Wands has really helped set everyone on Fire and looks like he is just going to gallop right down the centre of The Reading for he can’t stop now.
However, The Four of Swords in Position 4 is telling me that The Pressure is beginning to tell where someone is concerned. There is a stress here that is not Wedding Happy Stress related. No this is someone who feels under tremendous pressure. I feel there may be some underlying fears, concerns, worries about the whole thing but with The Knight of Wands in The Surrounding Energy it may all have happened too fast, moved too swiftly, decisions made and actions taken without thinking things through. Whichever one has second thoughts or doubts, need to realise that it is not too late. The Knight of Wands has a tendency to shy away from commitment so it may not be the woman depicted in the Happy Couple who feels the stress. The Knight of Wands often gets carried away on the spur of the moment and takes on, or agrees to things he can easily regret within a short space of time. He may be feeling under pressure to follow through and feels his life closing down into the secure, but claustrophobic little existence of The Six of Cups. He may feel the four walls closing in around him and the loss of his freedom. He may feel like running away, getting away or just disappearing.
The Four of Swords in The Answer Position 4 is giving Advice. Advice that should be taken before it is too late. The situation may feel like it has taken on a life of its own at this stage, and like The Knight of Wand’s Horse, is at full gallop and cannot be reined it, but The Four of Swords is saying ‘Not So’. It is imperative at this stage that whichever one it is takes some time out on their own to think things through. They need to step back from the situation and give much thought as to the nature of their concerns. After all, it may just be pre-wedding nerves, but then it again there may be much more involved. Before The Knight of Wands is allowed to take one more stride either way, in or out, whoever is being depicted in The Four of Swords must allow their thoughts to clear and settle so that they can make a decision one way or the other. The Three Swords hanging over the Figure suggest to me the concern this person has for what others will say or think should they do something that will break with tradition, and ruin everyone else’s expectations of their life, while the Sword that lies beneath is the person’s ‘what about me, what about my happiness?‘ attitude.
On first glance this Reading looks done and dusted. A happy union and great celebrations, but now I believe on further analysis that everything has moved too fast, someone is uncertain, someone feels either duty bound or under immense pressure. Obviously, if this was a Face to Face Reading you would be able to ask questions and get a better idea but we must use our own wits for this one.
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For More Relationship Readings With The Knight of Wands Please Click on This Link
The Knight of Wands – Relationship Reading Practice
Copyright © 2006-2013 Vivien Ní Dhuinn
