In this chapter I explain how the Major Arcana cards appear in readings to convey the idea of health issues and how some of these cards can relate to others.
The Cards When They Stand Alone
When you see several of certain Major cards together on the table, including the Devil, Temperance reversed, the Magician (upright or reversed), and Strength reversed, you should think you might be looking at some kind of illness. More than one of these can be pointing to health as the subject matter of a spread. It’s the very presence of more than one of these cards that tells me I’m probably dealing with health and not some other subject.
So, just like a doctor who wants to know if there’s a fever, how long you’ve had it, and if there’s a rash—the various medical “markers” of something specific—the reader has to be on the lookout for the presence of two or more health-related cards.
See, a fever all by itself is not necessarily a terrible thing, and so something like Temperance reversed is not necessarily a terrible thing. But a fever with a bunch of other stuff you’ve had for two weeks—suddenly that doesn’t look so good, right? In the same way, if you see Temperance reversed with other health cards, you can be pretty sure you’re looking at a larger health problem. Trust me.
And in all of this, when you see a behavior issue, always look for why.
The Devil
This card is a huge indicator (marker). Upright, it means chronic, malignant, critical, very bad.
So the presence of the Devil in a reading automatically makes something not so minor anymore. Almost every time the Devil shows up, the reader needs to look carefully at what else is around or added to it. For example, the Devil and the Ten of Rods/Wands (exhaustion) can mean chronic fatigue. The Devil and the Two of Rods/Wands reversed (confusion) can mean Alzheimer’s disease.
Basically, you don’t want to see the Devil ever, unless it’s about great sex (when it can make a rare appearance).
But you do want to see the Devil reversed, because this means something bad being cured or healed or overcome or absent.
This is especially true when you also see the Magician with the Devil: upright, this is a person who heals. So the presence of the Magician upright means that the client is in good hands, the doctor is competent, the problem is curable. Combined with the Devil reversed, it’s even better news. (Of course, you may not see all of that bad stuff between the diagnosis and the cure, and your client may get mad at you, but still …)
This curing includes alcoholism, by the way. The Devil plus Temperance reversed plus the Magician equals recovery. In the case of addiction, it is the person in recovery who is symbolized by all three cards. You know, sometimes this one little piece of information can be enough to encourage an addict to try to overcome an addiction, simply because you see that he or she can.
By the way, I include alcoholism in the addiction category, along with obesity, degenerate gambling, compulsive spending, and workaholism. All of these things anesthetize us so we can’t feel pain—but then we can’t feel joy or love either. What does this mean for those of us who love the addict? Nothing good.
The Magician
The Magician upright describes a successful healer, a curable problem. But if this card shows up reversed, it means the doctor is not successful or the doctor may not be competent. In this case, if illness is involved, I suggest the client consider getting a second opinion. (This was the case when Molly had both a doctor and an undiagnosed tumor.)
The Magician reversed can also be an incurable condition.
Temperance
Temperance is a sign of health, usually holistic health. It can be a sign of a good diet, of the right amount of food and drink in the diet. If it’s reversed, though, my mind goes to a hormone imbalance, an insulin problem, not enough water in the diet, too much salt, or too much sugar.
And I can tell the difference between a dietary problem and an illness, because when it’s a diet problem, I also tend to see the Four of Cups (temptation) and/or the Seven of Swords (guilt) and maybe the Lovers (a lifestyle choice).
If the Devil doesn’t show up at all, the situation is probably not at the critical stage. So at this point you might think that your client is eating all wrong as a way of dealing with problems and that he or she just has to find another way to handle them. If your client needs to find another way to deal with loneliness besides eating a whole cake, well, there’s running. There’s swimming (no impact). There’s jogging, spinning, and yoga. There’s even eating something else, like salad or air-popped corn. There’s also sweating to the oldies and being proud of yourself, instead of feeling guilty every time you turn around.
I usually mention all of these options when my client confirms there’s an eating problem. (And by the way, this stuff can be detected over the phone, sight unseen.)
Temperance upright or reversed can also indicate medications, the pulmonary system (lungs), fluid-related issues (excluding blood), and hormone issues.
In the case of both Temperance reversed and the Devil, there can be an addiction to prescription drugs, and not just illegal ones. In this case, along with the drug cards I usually see the “crutch” cards: the Four of Pentacles and/or the Knight of Pentacles reversed.
Now, if drugs (Temperance) show up with the Seven of Swords (guilt) and Justice (the law), I know the substance in question might be controlled or illegal. Which means we’re probably not talking about alcohol, which is legal everywhere at a certain age.
And Temperance reversed can also indicate a virus, even just a cold. (Again, if the Devil also shows up, that virus could be a killer.)
So if you were to see, for example, Temperance reversed, the Four of Cups, the Seven of Swords, and the Devil, it may mean your client has graduated from overeating to a serious food disorder. (Anorexia and bulimia can also be symbolized in part by Temperance reversed.)
And serious food disorders are self-destructive: they require both medical and psychological intervention. Somebody is hurting himself or herself in a cycle of pain and self-punishment. This is a very vicious and painful cycle.
Strength
Strength is a nice card to see when you’re dealing with a health question. Basically, it tells you the client is strong enough to handle the issue. Essentially strong, essentially healthy. It means your client can fight off a disease more easily than frail old Aunt Edna, whose resistance may have been compromised by age.
Strength reversed, though, can mean infection. It can mean no resistance, no immune-system strength. Strength reversed can mean that someone is basically not strong. When I see this card, I suggest a checkup and a better diet, just in case.
And when it comes to mind over matter, Strength can mean a sick person will be well because that’s where their head is at: determined. Lance Armstrong comes to mind here. He was given six weeks to live because a cancer that had pervaded his body had invaded his brain. I can hear him now: no way! And that was years ago.
Justice
Justice in a health spread, and it’s not about illegal drugs? Sure! As I said earlier, a major symbol in this card is the scales, and I’ve discovered that this card can show up reversed to tell me somebody’s weight is not what it should be. (It’s a scale issue.) Or maybe the client is having problems with balance. Add the Devil and you can have chronic imbalance, vertigo (loss of the sense of balance), or chronic weight issues. Add Temperance reversed and you can have a chronic hormonal imbalance, maybe a middle ear infection.
The Tower
Upright, the Tower is shaking up your life. It can also be a sudden neurological problem, a stroke. With the Two of Wands reversed (confusion), it can be a sudden incident involving the brain that causes confusion or an inability to think.
With the Knight of Swords reversed, the Tower can indicate an injury to the ankle, knee, or foot, usually by tripping and/or falling. (The Hanged Man here can also mean traction: favoring an injured leg!) I always warn clients to take it easy when I see the chance of tripping and falling. And then they usually tell me they do walk too fast!
The Tower reversed can be a stroke, an embolism, inflammation, a rupture, or a sprain. Look at the Minor Arcana cards around it to figure out which part of the body might be affected and if a health issue is being indicated.
Death
When it comes to health, this card can mean a slowly developing problem. Reversed, it can mean something is not growing (anymore).
Hierophant
This card symbolizes traditional Western medicine. No faith healing here. Have the operation and be done with it! Take the prescription. Consult the guy who went to school for eight years.
The Hierophant reversed means nontraditional medicine: acupuncture, acupressure, herbology, iridology, reiki, and the like. If you see the Hierophant reversed and the Magician, this means the nontraditional method can be the way to go. But always encourage a client to go to a mainstream doctor, too.
A couple of years ago, one of my clients almost died of liver failure because he didn’t want to have surgery and be on “those drugs” for the rest of his life. So he spent a year going to somebody who does Chinese medicine with herbs. And he nearly died. It was a miracle liver transplant (the Hierophant) that saved his life. (And I think the same thing happened to Steve Jobs, in reverse.)
The High Priestess
Since this card means the ideal to me, when I see it along with the Ace, King, or Queen of Swords, I think the client might be contemplating cosmetic surgery: the attempt to realize the physical ideal through surgery.
A lot of times I also get the message that this surgery is being considered by my female client so she can attract a man. I see the Queen of Cups reversed (no self-esteem or self-love) or the King of Cups reversed (the man who doesn’t love). So I always point out that the surgery won’t work to heal the psychological problems that make a woman think she needs to have an operation to be loved. Basically, breast augmentation and reduction, nose alteration, all the various lifts, liposuction … these are great if the people who have them just want to feel better when they look in the mirror. But that’s it.
The Star
The Star reversed is depression. If the Devil is present, it is chronic depression, a serious thing, and it needs professional help.
Sometimes Temperance reversed appears with the Star reversed, and I think the client may be eating too much sugar (a depressant), drinking too much alcohol (a depressant), and/or taking antidepressant drugs—sometimes all at once.
I had a client once who decided she could eat as much candy as she wanted as long as she took her antidepressant. (What kind of doctor prescribes this?) So I looked for the tip-off cards: the Seven of Swords (guilt), no Kings in the spread (no men in her life), and the Three of Cups reversed (no friends or social life). The guilt told me she felt bad about all the sugar. I suggested she see a psychotherapist to deal with everything, most especially the absence of others and any kind of intimacy in her life.
The Moon
Upright or reversed, the Moon is the tarot equivalent of the womb, so its appearance can refer to conception. If this card appears along with the Sun (new life) and Temperance (healthy) and maybe the Ace of Pentacles reversed (planted seed), maybe conception is being predicted (and thus prevented, if that’s what’s desired).
The Moon next to the Five of Swords reversed, though, is abortion for me: anger/violence to the womb. When I see this, I always warn my clients about unwanted pregnancy, and I ask them to warn their sexually active friends.
If I see the Moon along with the Magician and maybe the Ace or King of Swords reversed, I tend to think it’s a facilitated pregnancy (in vitro fertilization, for example). The Magician upright can also mean success.
The Moon along with the Devil can mean a serious problem in the reproductive system. With the Tower reversed (inflammation), it can be a fibroid. With Strength reversed, it can be an infection. And, of course, with the Magician upright, it’s all curable.
The Moon with the Hierophant is a mental health professional.
The Moon with the Hermit is psychotherapy.
Judgment
Judgment reversed, in a health situation, can mean the client is not aware that something is wrong. If it’s an illness, this can be dangerous. And if the Magician reversed appears as well, it can mean the client isn’t aware that his or her doctor is not helping, or that he or she can’t self-heal.
The Hanged Man
Upright, this card can indicate rest for the leg or foot.
The Hanged Man reversed can mean self-indulgence (not always a bad thing!).
Again, whether the implications are good or bad depends on the cards around it.
Now, please don’t think that every time you see any of these cards it means sickness.
First you need to get a sense of the totality of somebody’s life and where the details fit. You also have to have an inner impulse and aptitude to work in a therapeutic way. And you need a solid history of life experience.
But if you’re dealing with a physical issue, you can’t go wrong with what I’m telling you here.