The Sad, the Bad, the Grievous

-

Sometimes when my life is particularly boring and I do a Tarot reading for myself, other people's lives will show up in the cards. I usually won't know who the cards are telling me about but it is usually evident when the event that happens, happens. Recently I drew this spread:

Devil Death Sun

I really had to stop and realize that this wasn't a happy reading. The Sun at the end may, at least initially, give you the idea that there is a happy ending but in this case I assumed that it was implying a sudden and unexpected death. Literal, physical death isn't something that I would usually see but it definitely happened. In this case, it was the wife of a close friend of the family who was under a lot of stress (The Devil) and had a sudden, unexpected heart attack (The Sun) and passed away (Death).

I have heard a lot of Tarot readers say things like physical death must be supported by cards like the 10 of Swords or the 5 of Cups (the traditional card of a funeral) but the reality is that Tarot readers are each unique people who interpret the cards based on their personal experience. There isn't a set-in-stone way of interpreting the cards. Sometimes, what feels right is right whether traditional meanings are supported by the interpretation or not.

While I would never assume that physical death was the first, or best, interpretation for a set of cards, in this case I did keep my family home all weekend and generally acted a little paranoid. When the sad, the bad or the grievous cards show up, taking a few steps on the side of caution isn't too odd, is it?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Readings with Court Cards

-
The court cards can be a challenge to read, even for the most experienced readers. I have read more than my fair share of books on Tarot, including books based solely on court cards and how they can be understood. Here is a simple breakdown of how I see courts in a Thoth-based deck: Queens are the mothers, the married women and the masters of their suit. When I see a Queen in a reading, I automatically relate it to a woman that I know, or myself since I fit the status of an older woman (ok, I am in my mid-thirties). The Queen of Pents, for example, would be a woman living comfortably who is interested more in the physical comforts of life (including sex!) than spiritual or emotional comforts. The Queen of Swords, on the other hand, is traditionally seen as a divorced woman. The Knights are the Queen's husband or their partners. They usually signify men that are nearby that are older, while the Princes are younger men or men without the same temperance and experience of their ...
Read more

Working With St Expedite

-
St. Expedite is the saint to call on when you have an urgent need. Working with St Expedite is pretty easy. First, you need a red candle, some oil, like Fast Luck Oil or something similar (I make my own with cinnamon, vanilla and mint in a base of olive oil), and a photo or image of St Expedite. Anoint your candle like usual and then set up your space with the image of St Expedite and say a prayer that he will intercede on your behalf. Most people call on St Expedite for money matters, but he is also a saint that can be called on for any type of quick help. You can check out prayers to St Expedite on StExpedite.org. St Expedite demands quick repayment for his assistance. Most people recommend an offering of red flowers, a glass of water, poundcake and a public announcement of what St Expedite has done for you. Some people recommend offering thanks each time you work with St Expedite even if you don't get everything you ask for to show your thanks. I always try to post a public ...
Read more

Real Tarot, Real Tarot Readers

-
Sometimes while navigating the world of Tarot by reading other websites I feel like I am in a giant infomercial. People sell everything, including their wisdom and experience. I am honestly not sure how I feel about that. Do we really need to pay someone for tips about how to listen to our gut feelings or how to use a candle in a ritual? Um, probably not. There is a ton of information on Google about all of these things. You can also just experience life yourself and learn without paying someone, right? So, why pay a Tarot reader? Reading Tarot cards is actually a very delicate thing. The meanings do play off the other cards in the spread and influence the meanings of the cards in general. It is time consuming to learn Tarot meanings, and just when you think you know all the cards pretty well, you are thrown for a loop because a new meaning for different cards or different card combinations comes into play. Some people say that as soon as you understand one meaning for the cards, y...
Read more