Eight of Wands

 “Act now” is the call of the day.  Whatever you've had on the back burner, or been waiting to finish, now is the time to pull it out and do it.

Swiftness is a common title for this card and it is associated with Mercury in Sagittarius bringing to mind the swiftness of quicksilver combined with the expansive, optimistic fiery sign Sagittarius.

Act now with a sense of confidence in yourself and a clear picture of what you want, and it will be yours.

This card represents synchronicities, quick communications, ease in travel and everything coming together at once.

Reversed this card can signify a feeling that everything is happening too fast and spinning out of control.  Or it can counsel that now is not the time to act.  Slow down and wait awhile. It can indicate delays in communications or travel plans or just a general lull in activity.

Micki

Image: Hanson-Roberts Tarot 8 of Wands

Mercury in Capricorn

Mercury moves out of the lofty and idealistic Sagittarius and into Capricorn, where it will take on a more serious get down to business attitude.  (Possibly why I'm finally posting something on this blog.)  Characterized by methodical thinking, concentration and perseverance, this is a time to get realistic about both goals and everyday affairs. 

Mercury will be in Capricorn until February 3, 2011.  Thinking processes will be more detailed and precise during this time but can also take on a somewhat narrow-minded approach, so be careful not to get too inflexible.  Use this energy to focus on what is important in everyday affairs, but without becoming too unimaginative and humorless.

Micki

Tarot Books Cover2Cover Opening Day!

We have a date!

Tarot Books Cover2Cover will be starting our study of 21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card on Wednesday January 5, 2011. 

We're all very excited about this new book study! 

 

We have also opened a social group for our members called The Tarot Books Cover2Cover Lounge so that we have a place to interact, socialize, ask questions, make announcements and talk about anything that would be considered off-topic in our Book Study Group.

The Book Study Group is an open group.  All are welcome.  Come join in the fun!

Micki

 

 

Hippy Holidays

    May the joy and blessings

          Of the Season

                         Be with you now

And throughout the whole New Year

 

Full Moon In Gemini

 

Since the Moon is full in Gemini today which means the Sun is in Sagittarius, and since I am a Sagittarian, I thought I would dedicate a post to our Lady Diana.  I've just received my new Llewellyn Tarot deck and The Moon in this deck really depicts what I have always felt about the card. 

I've always resisted the traditional image of The Moon, with the angry and somewhat fearful looking face and an interpretation of fear, illusion, anxiety, deception, and bewilderment, etc,  Though I might read it this way if it is reversed, to me the upright Moon invokes a feeling of mystery, intrigue, enchantment and power. 

I’ve also ordered the Legend: The Arthurian Tarot and I love the image of The Moon in this deck also.  Here pictured is Morgan le Fay:

“The famed and complex Morgan le Fay was the chief priestess of the sisterhood of Avalon, and feminine counterpart to Merlin. Morgan was thought to be of divine origin and was granted great respect, though over time her character was debased.”  Orphalese Tarot

Here is an interpretation which I really love which came with the import of the Connolly Tarot in the Orphalese Tarot program:

“Open yourself to mystery. Explore your dreams and visions for truth that will help you live to the fullest and find answers you seek. Welcome enchantment and imagination into your life to break up dreariness and monotony. Embrace the shadows for in them you will find great treasure.”

Though the moon only shows herself clearly when it is dark and more difficult to see clearly, producing shadows which may seem threatening and seem to move of their own accord, my feeling has always been that she produces a feeling of sacred insight, the thrill of the hunt and a sense of awe and beauty.  So I salute our Lady on this day when she shows herself in her full and greatest glory.

Micki

Images:  The Llewellyn Tarot and Legend The Arthurian Tarot. 

Quoted interpretations:  Orphalese Tarot Program.

New Tarot Group On Yahoo

Tarot Books Cover2Cover
...........A Tarot Book Study Group

How many Tarot books do you have on your bookshelf that you've never read completely? If you're anything like me, I'm guessing quite a lot! Come and join us at Cover2Cover, and we'll read them together.

Here at Cover2Cover we feel that one of the surest ways to tap into the wisdom contained in the Tarot, is to study what has been shared by those who have gone before us and attained that wisdom.

This group will be a lively interactive online workshop, sharing the insights we glean from the exercises and activities outlined in the books we study. We hope to enhance our own intuition, creativity, and individual gifts and to empower ourselves by connecting with Tarot in a truly personal way.

 Coming in January 2011!

We are starting 21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer!

All are welcome. Come join in the fun!

 

Click here to join TarotBooksCover2Cover

Micki

5 of Wands / 8 of Cups Card Combo

Elemental Interaction:  Enemy elements, Conflict

Five of Wands: Strife, Conflict, Debate, Competition, Contest, Hassles, Annoyance, Irritations, Trivialities

Eight of Cups: Moving on, Disentanglement, Starting a journey, Search for meaning, Discovery, Spirituality, Finding hope, Weariness

5 of Wands / 8 of Cups

• Walking away from petty arguments and disagreements, rather than wasting energy on the silly stuff.

• Tiring of constant conflict and moving on to find deeper meaning and emotional fulfillment.

8 of Cups / 5 of Wands

• Becoming aware of what one truly values through conflict and strife.

• Leaving on a journey which will stretch one beyond their comfort zone.

In a relationship issue this combination invokes an image of people constantly arguing, struggling and annoying each other. The 8 of Cups is a card of search for real value and meaningful relationship, both within ourselves and with others. Because these two cards are enemy elements, the disputes, annoyances and arguments in the 5 of Wands will probably never cease, so it's best to move on to something that will be more compatible with ones true nature.

This could also signify an internal conflict which can only be resolved by learning what is truly valuable and fulfilling in life and choosing to live according to ones own true values. 

“To thine own self be true.”

Micki

Simply Drenched

Sometimes the cards are so literal that we miss their message. 

This came home to me over an issue with my pickup one winter.  I don't have a garage or carport, so whenever it rains or snows the truck gets a bath.  In mid-winter it started a series of episodes where it wouldn't start.  Sometimes it would and others it wouldn't.  I couldn't figure out why. 

One day, when I needed it badly, it refused to start.  Frustrated, I pulled a card asking why the truck wouldn't start and got the Ace Cups reversed.  Now, even more frustrated I snapped at the deck,  "What does that mean? That I don't love it enough?  Well, I don't love it right now - that's for sure!!" 

Without thinking about it further, I put the deck away in disgust.

The winter had heavy snows for about a month, and I finally resorted to arranging for someone to take me where I needed to go when the truck wouldn't start.  I finally noticed that it usually took about two days to begin starting again after a rain, or after the snow on the truck had melted when it snowed.  After two days of no rain or snow it would start again and continue to start until the next rain or snow, when the pattern started all over again.

When spring arrived a friend offered to take a look at it to find out what might be wrong.  I thought it could be in need of a new air filter, gas filter or a tune up - something like that.  But when he looked at the distributor cap he discovered that the little metal pin in the top of the cap was missing and the cap had been wired in some inexplicable way to work anyway.  (The work, I assumed, of the last amateur mechanic who had replaced the old distributor cap with what was supposed to be the new one I bought.)  This left an open hole in the top of the cap and when it rained or snowed, moisture was getting into the distributor rendering it incapable of producing a spark!  After my friend put a new distributor cap in, the problem was solved and the truck started every time despite rain, sleet or snow.

So that reversed Ace of Cups had shown me exactly what the problem was! The truck was literally drenched.
 
I’ll never cease to be amazed at the way Tarot communicates with us.
Micki
Image from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot.

4 of Cups / 6 Pentacles Card Combo

Elemental Interaction:  Supportive

4 of Cups
Apathy; disenchantment; boredom; ignoring opportunity; feeling empty or let-down; disappointment; depression; self-pity; social isolation; withdrawal; tired or fatigued.

6 of Pentacles
Charity; generosity; sharing the wealth; kindness; gifts; balanced accounts; material gain; having plenty.

4 of Cups / 6 of Pentacles
Stop moping around and ask someone for help.
Don't miss an opportunity to share something of value with others.

6 of Pentacles / 4 of Cups
Ignoring an offer of help and assistance.
An opportunity is overlooked or lost because of feelings of apathy and isolation.

With most of us the first thing that comes to mind with Pentacles is money.  Pentacles however, represent much more than just cash.  They represent all tangible resources in the material world as well as the health of our bodies.  They represent skills and abilities with which we can earn income, but also share freely and/or exchange with others.

Often when we are feeling isolated, detached, or let-down our first instinct is to emotionally withdraw into our own private little world. When we feel like this, the last thing we want to do is reach out for help or get out and interact with others. But, if left untended for too long, this can spiral down into depression.  We may not feel like painting the town, but another good solution is to go out and get involved in helping others.  Charity organizations, for instance, are a wonderful place to volunteer our services because when we reach out and offer what we have to others, such as our time, energy and skills, it brings us out of our shell and we begin to realize that, no matter what has happened to us, we still have something of value to give and share.  Sharing with others gives us the opportunity to focus on something besides our own problems and the rewards are often greater than we would expect.

So, anytime we get too wrapped up in our own troubles one of the best solutions is to get out and give of ourselves to others.  It brings us out of our shell and it makes the world a better place for someone else.  That looks like a win-win situation to me!

Micki

Images are from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot

7 of Swords / 10 of Wands Card Combo

Elemental Interaction: Supportive

7 of Swords
Futility, Dishonor, Deceit, Sneakiness, Avoidance, Lying, Stealing, Fleeing, Shirking responsibility, Independence, Aloofness, Not helping

10 of Wands
Oppression, Over-extending, Burdens, Responsibility, Struggle, Resistance, Strenuous labor, Difficulty, Doing more than your share

7 of Swords / 10 of Wands

• Running away from heavy responsibilities
• Going it alone rather than allowing others to burden you with their responsibilities
• Refusing to pitch in and help someone carry a heavy load
• Realizing the futility of taking on too much responsibility
• Over-burdened by oppressive responsibilities a person resorts to stealing away secretly

There are a number of ways to combine these two cards. Fire and Air support and feed each other, so this can indicate an oppressive situation where the solution makes things worse, such as avoiding responsibilities (7 Swords) only increases the feeling of oppression and adds to the weight of the burden (10 Wands) that one must carry.

This could be a situation where one is expected to do more than their share, or where other's expectations become oppressive.  In response they plan to secretly escape without being willing to confront the situation directly.  It could merely mean shirking responsibilities that have been agreed to.  Another way of looking at it is someone doesn't want to confront the consequences of of taking on more than they can handle. 

I see the futility and possible deception in the 7 of Swords, but I also think it may signal a situation that must be kept secret until the time is right right to reveal it.  Combined with the 10 of Wands it could indicate a very oppressive situation where secret activities are called for because of the opposition that will be encountered if they are revealed too early. 

The key here is to keep intentions honorable and try to avoid a lack of integrity.  If one is doing something secretly because they cannot openly reveal it, then that is what must be done.  However, there is a thin line between doing something secretly for a good reason, and falling into betrayal and deceit.  But, combined with the 10 of Wands, the situation is far from ideal to say the least.

Micki

Images are from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot