Escape Spread—For Escaping Temptation
Immediately after escaping the labyrinth, we appear to reach our destination. Yet this is another alluring trap set on our way. The Garden of Delights can bring about a devilish downfall, as we can now see from the cards of the Devil and the Blasted Tower. You must make your escape from temptation!
Soundtrack for the Journey
“Dark Therapy” (Echobelly)
Take your significator (a page) and place it face-up on the table. Take the two cards you worked with (from either side of the Star) last week and place them either side of your significator. Consider the actions you took in the last week with response to these two cards.
Take out the Devil card and place it over your significator sideways.
Take out the Temperance (Angel) card and lay it above the Devil.
Take all the other cards you have covered so far as a mini-deck; the pages, tens, nines, eights, and the majors (World, Last Judgement, Moon, Sun, Star, Hanged Man, Blasted Tower).
Ask the question, what is my temptation? Pull a card, place it below the Devil and interpret it.
Ask the question, what can I call upon to transcend this trap? Pull a card, place it above Temperance and interpret it.
Write down your thoughts and any resolutions you may take to respond to this gate in your journal. Over the next week, you may encounter this challenge and you should draw upon your knowledge of this reading in order to make a good response. It is this action or decision that will carry you through the Garden of Temptation and up towards the Mountain of the Sun.
Finding Yourself Waiting • A Place of Cultivation
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Resonances Numerology: 75/3 Astrology: Kabbalah: Sabian Symbol: Taurus III—Wind, Clouds, and Haste (The Transitory) |
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Quick Connections Affirmation: Wherever I find decrease there is the space for increase. Meditation: “Be wary of thinking and not doing, for in a moment doubt can sow its seeds.” |
The Lesson of the Seven of Pentacles
One Card Narrative (Day 1)
During the next few days we will begin to build up our narrative skills to interpret the cards as we draw them out in a reading. We will then start to look at weaving cards
together and then place them in fixed position spreads to assist our reading.
If you’d like another way of looking through a card, take the “shifting perspective” method and answer the same question, “What do I need to know to be successful in my upcoming trip to Paris?” by first imagining you are in the card, looking out through the person’s eyes. He is very close to that bush isn’t he, when you are in his shoes! What advice would he offer?
This multiple-frames-of-reference approach can be very powerful for gaining “out of the box” insight into a question and is a useful skill to practice for all oracles!
We’ll see you tomorrow after this one-card break, where we’ll take a look at a few more spreads and bringing our learning together.
The Card in Your Life/Reading
Careerwise & Financially this card indicates that a plateau has been reached and a time of reevaluation is called for. It may be that whilst things have grown, other aspects of your life have not been taken into account. It is time to pause and assess where your work has been most rewarded. From there you can make further decisions.
Healthwise this card indicates that nurturing is required even if this also requires your patience. It is time to evaluate where you are most healthy and tend to where your work is most beneficial.
In Relationships this card indicates the need to cultivate only those things which give you benefit in the relationship. You may have to reassess your position that this can be done from a position of strength when you consider all that you have contributed to build the relationship.
In Travel & Lifestyle this card indicates the need for attention to detail. It is important to take a moment to assess what is most rewarding about travel or your lifestyle before taking advantage of the offers at hand.
In Education this card indicates assessment and evaluation—it is a time of testing of what you have built in your knowledge to date. This card is a card of revision and attention to detail after your previous hard work. You are beginning to build up your knowledge such that it must be tested to ensure future growth.
In Spiritual Awareness & Self-Development this card tells to consider all that is positive and beneficial in our life and concentrate on nurturing those aspects alone. Whilst we may consider that life does not always provide what we appear to need, it may be that we have exactly what we need.
You are blocking this card today by:
1. Taking a day off work
2. Just getting on with the task at hand
3. Not doubting your abilities and having self-belief by the spade full
4. Cancelling the appointment with your bank manager
Connect to Your Card
Review your finances. Live within your means. Service your car. Check your house.
The Seven of Pentacles Says
“Look at your business plan and assess what is working and what is not; you may have worked hard and have achieved your objectives so far, but you must not take it for granted that you are now secure. Think about nurturing aspects of your life that are giving you a good return. Make a decision about whether to uproot and discard those aspects which are becoming a drain on your well-earned resources.”
Keywords
Expectations, deliberation, accounting, need to re-invest, bank money, risk of wasting money, cultivation, re-evaluation, pause, growth, patience, plateau, attention, nurturing, assessment, dissatisfied, honorary work, indecision, greed, inertia, worry, melancholy, impatience, apprehension, evaluation.
Expecting Exchange • An Examination of Support
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Resonances Numerology: 61/7 Astrology: Kabbalah: Sabian Symbol: |
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Quick Connections Affirmation: I can collect my thoughts before speech, and speak before action. Meditation: “Be wary of taking the unguarded words of others and using them against them.” |
The Lesson of the Seven of Swords
One Card Narrative (Day 2)
You can also involve your querent in the reading itself should you choose to adopt this particular approach. Some readers favour involving the querent, whilst others do not factor this in at all. When looking at a particular card such as today’s seven of wands you would ask the querent what this would illustrate in their life at the moment.
You can then use your reading skills and interpretive ability to apply that card to their situation with its meanings and its reflection of any other cards in the spread.
If we ask the querent about the seven of swords and they said it looked like somebody was stealing something, we could then suggest that the card showed the stealing of ideas behind somebody’s back. If we looked and saw the King of Cups, for example, in the reading it is entirely likely that a character answering to the personality of that card is the one doing the stealing!
Involving the querent in the reading can be an exciting step for any tarot reader to take and opens up new possibilities for your own learning.
The Card in Your Life/Reading
Careerwise & Financially this card indicates the need to cover your bases and ensure that no one is about to betray you. Before heading into any meeting or discussion, you should ensure that everybody is on your side. In the case of interviews, this card requires attention to ensure that no trick questions catch you. It also advises a lot of careful preparation.
Healthwise this card indicates the need to understand exactly all aspects of your present condition. It may be that whilst your attention is drawn one way, other aspects are slowly taking away your resources. Take a moment to check with everybody involved that all is well.
In Relationships this card indicates potential dishonour and the need to uncover any uncertainty in what is thought about the relationship. This is a card of trespass and betrayal so it is important to be discreet in how you handle conversations and discussions.
In Travel & Lifestyle this card indicates the need to escape. However, you must only take the ideas that serve you well and leave behind anything that has proven troublesome or quarrelsome in the past.
In Education this card indicates uncertainty and the need to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation. It is a card of partial learning, and whilst you may avoid this being found out, it warns that you cannot carry on in this state for much longer.
In Spiritual Awareness & Self-Development this card tells us of the limits of our logic. Whilst we may think we understand things clearly in our mind, we can never know something fully. This card speaks of the paradox of life when considered in the mind. If there are things that currently confuse you, leave them behind.
You are blocking this card today by:
1. Being open and honest with all your transactions
2. Not reacting badly to a person who is annoying you
3. Letting go of old grievances
4. Facing a problem person head-on instead of contriving and plotting behind people’s backs
Connect to Your Card
Destroy and delete old information and papers. Read up on conspiracy theories.
The Seven of Swords Says
“Be wary of sharing delicate information with others. Are you sure your communications will not be divulged to a third party? Be particularly wary of being too trusting when embarking on a new business venture. It could also come into play in your workplace environment—be wary of sharing your ideas with others, as they may take these innovative ideas and pass them off as their own. You have been warned.”
Keywords
Trespass, unreliability, betrayal, insolence, spying, dishonour, guile, escape, discretion, evasion, uncertainty, appeasement, courage, cunning, cowardice, vacillation, schemes, attempt, tricks, quarrelling, slander, babbling, dishonesty, stealth, deception, subterfuge.
Imagining the World in your Image • The Creation of Vision
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Resonances Numerology: 47/11 Astrology: Kabbalah: Sabian Symbol: |
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Quick Connections Affirmation: I am able to look beyond the obvious and see hidden delight in the world. Meditation: “It is within your rights to create pie-in-the-sky ideas, just do not expect anyone else to feast on them.” |
The Lesson of the Seven of Cups
One Card Narrative (Day 3)
Let’s kick back a little today, shall we? Let’s have some fun and let our intuition ride out to play! We’re also going to expand a card rather than contract it (i.e., with a single keyword).
We have before us today the Seven of Cups. What we’d like you to do is simple. Get in front of your computer or journal, find somewhere where you can type or write freely, and do this …
1. Look at the card, the Seven of Cups.
2. Play some stirring music in your head that suits the card.
3. Now let the card change in brief snapshots of movement, as if you were
watching a movie trailer.
4. Practice your movie trailer voice and narrate what you see.
5. Type out what you hear for this card, about ten sentences at most!
Have fun, don’t pause, and just see what happens—no editing!
The Card in Your Life/Reading
Careerwise & Financially this card indicates that although your ideas may appear to you most worthy, they are in fact unrealistic. You have allowed yourself to believe your own hype and have not considered the input of others. This card tells you to get a reality check before you are drowned in your own illusion. It can also indicate unrealistic expectations of your job, in which case it is perhaps time to move on.
Healthwise this card indicates self-indulgence and altered states that may not be to your benefit. Whilst the attractions which have captured your attention may appear exciting, they are not doing you any good at all. If you feel like merely a shadow of yourself, the solution to reclaiming your persona lies in the dangers of what is most consuming your time at present.
In Relationships this card indicates a form of escapism and a lack of clear decision making that leaves the relationship empty. It is most important to pull away from repeating arguments and concerns and simply move on. There is no need to dwell on the “what-ifs” or “maybes.”
In Travel & Lifestyle this card indicates the impracticality of your current plans. You should most certainly take time to be realistic about what is available to you. This card is a warning that what appears to be an opportunity may in fact be a trap or pipe dream.
In Education this card indicates a need for clear thinking instead of overindulging your imagination and creativity. You must seek ways to apply your knowledge rather than dream of future success.
In Spiritual Awareness & Self-Development this card signals that our vision may sometimes overwhelm us and it is our vision which must serve us rather than ourselves serving our vision. It is a good time to seek external advice and counselling to get a second opinion of what is going on inside us.
You are blocking this card today by:
1. Being practical and working towards completing deadlines.
2. Stopping talking about fulfilling your dreams and start living your life for real.
3. Looking at your financial in-goings and out-goings.
4. Having your eyes tested and cleaning your mirror—metaphorically and for real!
Connect to Your Card
Go to the cinema, theatre, or other exhibition. Lose yourself in something. Dress fancily.
The Seven of Cups Says
“In the realms of your imagination anything is possible; however, the imagination needs to be kept in check, as it does not always convert well to material reality. There is fanciful and there is downright deluded—you need to use your imagination in a practical way or it will use you, be more Albert Einstein than Walter Mitty.”
Keywords
Delusion, obsession, opportunities, spoilt for choice, emotional overload, release, dreaminess, dissipation, illusory success, fantasy, illusion, window-shopping, escapism, altered states, vision, yearning, impracticality, wishful thinking, self-indulgence, dissipation, options, abundance, ideas, designs, resolutions, lying, deceit, error, disappointment, sentiment, decision, thoughts, imagination, reflection, impressions.
Working Towards the Higher Ground • The Expression of Confidence
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Resonances Numerology: 33/6 Astrology: Kabbalah: Netzach Sabian Symbol: Leo III—Zuni Sun Worshippers (Creating Favour) |
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Quick Connections Affirmation: There is strength in my stance and I am able to stand up against all obstacles. Meditation: “Through persistence comes mastery of the soul.” |
The Lesson of the Seven of Wands
Two Card Narrative
As we work through our sevens, we’ll give a simple method to start reading tarot cards together by combining today’s card with a previous card, the Eight of Cups.
Take a sentence for each card based on what you can generate with the keyword kaleidoscope and add the sentences together—just like learning a language! The symbols on each card are our “letters,” the cards are “words,” and the reading is our “sentence.” This is a narrative way of reading cards, which we’ll look at today—because we are going to create one big story from all seventy-eight cards as we go along.
So if we have the Seven of Wands and the Eight of Cups, we might suggest …
“During a time of great conflict”+“One man’s quest begins”
That sounds like yesterday’s movie trailer voiceover script already!
What might you create for these two cards?
For those wanting to delve deeper, here is an example for a three-card narrative reading: Ten of Cups + Eight of Cups + Four of Cups.
Let’s keep it as a narrative first … ours might be “From happy beginnings he travels on a quest, but when resting he misses an important invitation.”
Now let’s also add in a “gestalt” reading of cards, taking them all together so we have to merge, swish, and overlay the three cards until one meaning arises. You can practice with two cards by placing them apart from each other, and switching your eyes from one to another, and then allowing a “third card” to appear in the middle with a single feeling or word on it in your mind’s eye. So if we took: Ten of Cups + Eight of Cups and flipped looking from one to another, we might get a feeling of “insecurity” and all that arises from it—a fear of loss, exile, dissatisfaction, and so on.
Next, try it with three cards (you can pair the three together in three different versions of two cards and then merge all three arising words if you want): Ten of Cups + Eight of Cups + Four of Cups.
If you imagine these were three pictures illustrating a book, what would the title be? What would be the book’s main theme? For the three cards in our example here, we get: Selfishness or Independence. Perhaps those are flip-sides of the same idea, shown when these three cards come together. Obviously, you can’t learn every combination of two or three cards, but a little practice with how to read multiple cards means you will soon be able to read any combination.
A few more thoughts about the Seven of Wands, which is perhaps the “tipping point” in so many situations. Do we stand and fight or succumb to the inevitable, overwhelmed by opposing forces? Whilst we may feel that we have the high ground, perhaps we need to be knocked off our hobby horse.
The sevens of each suit are the first stage in the “last leg” of manifestation. They have the energy, direction, and weight of the history of the aces, twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes behind them … but they’re not quite there yet! A good book to read on this subject is The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.
In the world of wands—values, lifestyle, spirit—when this seven turns up, it calls for a rapid appraisal of the situation. Trying to hold steady in a “seven” state is very energy-intensive! It is trying to hold momentum but not letting it completely carry you away … or perhaps learning you can afford to give up on some battles (even given massive investment) and still win the war.
We like the fact that this is one of the cards in the WST which shows the “giant” perspective so clearly. Pamela liked drawing giants (and dwarves), as seen in the illustrations for The Book of Friendly Giants by Eunice Fuller. This for us adds the meaning that sometimes we need a sense of perspective in such times. That perspective is possible from the vantage point of the seven and of course, we at least by this stage can see all the challenges.
Now, for today, in terms of our exercise, perhaps we can take a look at the “7” as a number. We have the seven ages of man, the seven days of the week, etc. Choose one of the things in this world that has a seven structure and play with it in tarot terms, in any way you like.
We take this quote from Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Act II, Scene VII:
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
The Card in Your Life/Reading
Careerwise & Financially this card indicates the need to defend your position against the opinions and plans of others. You must take a firm stand and keep your ground—there is strength in adversity and you have a good chance of success by holding to the strength of your convictions. In meetings and interviews, this card bodes well if you stick up for yourself.
Healthwise this card indicates the need to be defiant and set clear contracts and boundaries in your own capabilities. Despite the advances of others, you know what it is that you must do and this is likely the healthiest option.
In Relationships this card indicates a conflict because what is important to you is not seen as important to others. You must clearly state your argument and hold your ground in order to resolve the issue.
In Travel & Lifestyle this card indicates the need to be forceful and take an advantageous position against the opinions of others. It is not a time to be shy or retiring, but rather you should hold your ground, which will result in success.
In Education this card indicates the need to form your own opinion from the different opinions of others no matter what their experience or knowledge. You can debate and discuss matters all you wish; however, it is your understanding of the matter that counts in the end.
In Spiritual Awareness & Self-Development this card shows the inner strength that comes from the practice of holding to our own values. Although the world and its unfolding events can challenge and change our values, there are times when we make advancement through holding true to our own course. When this card appears, this is one of those times.
You are blocking this card today by:
1. Getting off your soapbox and letting someone else have a go
2. Running away when the going gets tough
3. Throwing caution to the wind and being carefree
4. Not being too defensive and paranoid; no one is out to get you
Connect to Your Card
Sign up for self-defence lessons or watch a martial arts film. Don’t back down. Be obstinate all day. Don’t change your mind.
The Seven of Wands Says
“There are situations in life where you just have to stand firmly for what you believe in! So stand up and be counted; show your competition that you know you are in a strong position. Let them see the might of your force; you will not be manipulated and controlled by an inferior attack on your principles.”
Keywords
Independence, brazen, planning, preparation, exposure, stiff competition, energy, courage, keeping your ground, strength in adversity, advantageous position (holding the fort), forcefulness, aggression, conviction, defiance, competition, valour, violence, conflict, discussion, contract, measure, negotiations, perplexity, anxiety, caution.
Transformation • Not Recognising the Old You
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Resonances Numerology: 13/4 Astrology: Scorpio Kabbalah: |
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Quick Connections Affirmation: The coal becomes the diamond, the seed the plant, and I am constantly renewed in every moment. Meditation: “The whole purpose of beginning a journey is to reach the end.” |
The Lesson of Death
Change and Learning Cards
The Death card is one of the majors which we see as a “set,” that is, different types of a common theme. It is one of the Change set. These are:
- High Priestess—Intuitive or transcendental change (the sort you don’t really recognise is going on)
- Wheel—Cyclic change
- Death—Transformative change (change that uses what you have, turning it into something else)
- Blasted Tower—Sudden change
So when the Death card turns up in a reading, we know there is a transformation implied, and we have to use the other cards to divine where this transformation will come from and what form it will take.
Here’s a question for you—and it just might be a trick question—which cards in the majors are types of Learning/Teaching cards (or Education cards) and what sort of learning/teaching does each of those cards represent?
A clue … the Hierophant is “traditional teaching.”
The Card in Your Life/Reading
Careerwise & Financially this card indicates a gradual transformation of your job and role. It can also signifies a revolution of a project or complete turnaround in your fortunes. However, the card provides nothing new or unexpected so it is likely the answer lies in your current position.
Healthwise this card indicates a regeneration and transition in your life. Whilst the Death card may appear to be quite literal, it often signifies a gradual transformation and change in life rather than a sudden ending.
In Relationships this card indicates the need to regenerate the present situation so that out of it can be reborn a new beginning. The Death card indicates the end of one phase of a relationship and the commencement of another. Really, it doesn’t indicate anything new or shocking but rather the need for change in what is already present.
In Travel & Lifestyle this card indicates a revitalisation that has long been worked towards. When the Death card appears in lifestyle questions, it is an entirely beneficial current which will take the person to new horizons and avenues. In terms of travel, it signifies a need to embrace entirely new environments and explore the unknown.
In Education this card indicates a slow learning process in which you are changed more than you realise. It can indicate a gradual dissolution of old ideas in favour of new ones which are not yet known to you. It is inevitable that this learning process takes place even if it may appear uncomfortable at the time.
In Spiritual Awareness & Self-Development this card is an initiatory change that signals the death of one state of life and the entry into another. It is a rebirth card that allows others to embrace what is currently unknown so that we can do so more in future.
You are blocking this card today by:
1. Making long-term plans
2. Hanging on to old habits
3. Cancelling your gym membership
4. Not going out or doing anything creative and productive
Connect to Your Card
Clear away something old. Turn junk into cash. Remember the departed. Check out your family history or photos.
Death Says
“There are some things in life that are inevitable and I am one of them, so embrace the positive aspects of the nature of inevitability and what I represent as death. I am the catalyst for you to eliminate the aspects of your life that are outworn and no longer required, which can include bad habits or simply routines that have become restricting in your life. Face up to the inevitable and stop avoiding living life to the full because of your self-imposed limitations.”
Keywords
New horizons, shadow work, life, change, rebirth, renewal, revolution, death of political figure, transformation, revitalisation, regeneration, reincarnation, dissolution, transition, ending, elimination, inevitability, change, destruction, mortality, corruption, mutation, cycle, season, decay, acceptance.
Cause and Effect • The Hub of Synchronicity
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Resonances Numerology: 10/1 Astrology: Jupiter Kabbalah: |
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Quick Connections Affirmation: I am in the centre of the wheel of change, the hub of whatever spins about me. Meditation: “The hands of time sweep our well worn past away.” |
The Lesson of the Wheel
Narrative in Time (Day 1)
To develop our narrative skills, let’s stick to this one card but look at it in terms of past and future—and present! What does it mean in those three phases? Try different sentences using the following words highlighted in bold, with anything else you want to say with the card. You can also try this for any of the other cards.
For example:
- “I see with this card you have been going around in circles”
- “I see with this card you are in the middle of a revolution”
- “I see with this card you will experience ups and downs for some time”
Have a go at using the three tenses for the same card, and see how that little shift changes your perspective of the cards. They themselves are a-temporal, outside of time, particularly the archetypal cards, the majors.
The Card in Your Life/Reading
Careerwise & Financially this card indicates that of the situation in your favour. You will be lucky and make progress if you take risks on the wheel. The appearance of this card may show that life is not in your hands at the present time so you can afford to wait for the wheel to turn your way.
Healthwise this card indicates the cycles of life and the changes that time brings. In health questions this card signifies that you must wait for inevitable change to occur. The situation is presently out of your hands and you must let time pass.
In Relationships this card indicates good luck and fortune if you allow things to move at their own pace. It signifies forward movement in relationships; however, it also shows the complexity that comes when many aspects are involved. You must let the wheel do its own thing and not interfere at this time.
In Travel & Lifestyle this card indicates exciting and comprehensive changes. The timing is right to take risks and trust your luck to fate. Your gambles will pay off and good fortune will smile upon you. However, one is reminded that the wheel can take life down as well as up, and you may wish to also use your good fortune to prepare for a later rainy day.
In Education this card indicates being in the right place at the right time to secure your success. It is time to take steps forward and trust to the revolutions of the wheel in order to put you on the right course to success. The only thing you can do at the present time is to take risks and live life as fully as possible. At the moment, life is out of your hands; however, good things are coming.
In Spiritual Awareness & Self-Development this card illustrates the nature of synchronicity. Its appearance tells is to be aware of those moments in life that transcend time and space and all known connections. It is a powerful card for the oracle to receive, for it tells that we are at the centre of the wheel and can be aware of the invisible knots that connect the world together. The wheel symbolises time and its mysteries. It is the card that lies underneath the world.
You are blocking this card today by:
1. Avoiding taking any chances or risks
2. Not wearing a watch
3. Not buying a lottery ticket
4. Over-planning
Connect to Your Card
Look out for synchronicities. Check things more than once. Play a game of chance or challenge.
The Wheel Says
“‘Being in the right place at the right time’ and ‘it is all in the timing,’ these things have been said. It all comes down to good old destiny and fulfilling it! You are heading one direction and it is inevitable that the wheel that is your life will turn and turn until it stops. So while you are riding this wheel of destiny, make it a good one, seize the opportunities as you pass them by, learn and grow, take risks if need be, and embrace good luck and bad luck the same.”
Keywords
Plan, rota, movement, fate, good fortune, favour, luck, progress, tao, karma, synchronicity, cycles, inevitability, timing, destiny, fortune, elevation, luck, felicity, risk, success, fate, chance, change/transition, gambling, movement, pinning, rotation, cycles.