Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success
The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
It's been a while since I dedicated regular time to the tarot and it's wonderful to have my focus turned once more in this direction in my second year of YAAD. It has reminded me how much I used to enjoy the weekly tarot class at the cottage so I am looking to return to doing some regular self-readings.
One of the fabulous spreads taught by the lovely Lisa is The Karmic Spread, which I have done tonight. This spread is done only with the major arcana cards so they need to be separated from the rest of the deck and shuffled thoroughly. It's helpful to have a tally sheet to record the cards you draw out as you will need to pick three cards from the deck of major arcana cards, record which cards you drew, return them to the pile of the major arcanas, shuffle them and repeat the same process another nine times.
The concept of this spread derives from using the major arcana cards, as they generally refer to major life events or areas of greatest energy, and combining this with recurring elements of chance by drawing three lots of cards ten times, thus how your personal karma interacts with the broader universal energy.
As you go through this process, you will find certain cards come out more than others. Once you have finished, you will have thirty tally marks spread over the 22 major arcanas recording the frequency that each of the cards were drawn.
Having chosen a particular card one or two times is usually insignificant, three times is often something to take note of but four or more is usually pretty important. If you draw four or more of any given card, this will give you the greatest insight into where you are karmically at that time.
It is generally most common to have two to four cards that appear in the total tally three times with a random spattering of zero, singular or double occurrences of the rest of the majors. Where there is less than this, it may indicate that there are not major changes or energies around you at the time. Where there is more than this, it can indicate that there are areas of significant focus or events or situations that play an important role in your fate/destiny/karma happening or about to happen in your life. When you perform this spread at regular intervals (e.g. weekly, monthly etc), it can help you build up a moving picture as well as a greater understanding of how to interpret these cards with your particular life and energy.
My Karmic Spread for tonight has given me five of the Hermit, which is actually the first time that I can ever remember getting five of any one card. Incidentally, the first three cards I drew in this spread tonight were X Wheel, XI Justice and IX Hermit, which I see as greater confirmation with the Hermit as well as a focus on a middle part of a cycle given the sequential numbers of these card at the mid-point in the major arcana "story". I also got three of the Empress and Judgement in the overall spread, but clearly the Hermit is the guy I've got to keep my eye on.
So, I've covered the Hermit in a previous post but I can see a clear connection with this card and my life at the moment. I have been in a period of great inner reflection, but it has been fairly tumultuous and not particularly productive. This Friday I will be going away for the weekend with friends from the cottage and I feel this will be the time when I will be able to really assess the things I have been trying to sort through. As I write this I realise that it was actually when I went to the same weekend away last October that this phase really commenced, although I didn't know it at the time. I have a lot of work to do in my mind and removing myself from my daily life - as well as from phones, TV, radio and general communication with the outside world - will help a lot, me thinks.
I'm looking forward to really relaxing and giving myself and my mind a break. I believe I will derive great rewards from such reflections and introspection and that the Hermit's light will start to really glow for me. I am avoiding specific expectations of the outcome but just being open to going into this hermit phase and having such a wonderful opportunity in terms of timing with the weekend retreat gives me much hope - and gratitude, of course, gratitude on so many levels.
Anyway, here are the cards, again from the beautiful Tarot of Dreams deck, that were the major players in my Karmic Spread tonight:
For those who calculate their major arcana card by their birthday as 9 The Hermit:
The Hermit represents inner reflection. He sits alone, deep in silent meditation, focused purely on his thoughts. He has separated himself from the physical world but still sits above the darkest depths of his thoughts (rather than being encompassed by the shadows of his mind) while his is illuminated by the gentle glow of the orb on top of his wand. In some decks, this wand is replaced by a lantern that illuminates a path, which is symbolic of the Hermit always working towards a positive outcome as a result of his seclusion and meditations - these are not tools of escape for the Hermit but are a healthy exploration.
Introspection allows the Hermit to take a step back from situations, which often allows for greater perspective. It can also provide a much needed moment of respite where one is feeling overloaded. One could liken this to a period of hibernation (that sounds like you, Rob-bear) and he will resurface feeling rejuvenated and restored.
The Hermit is gentle and thoughtful. He is prepared to make the effort required to work through situations, even if it does not seem immediately apparent to those around him that he is moving forward as outwardly he appears so still. He is comfortable spending time in his own mind, but is not necessarily introverted when around others.
The Hermit is capable of great focus in all aspects of his life. He prefers to analyse a situation before taking action, even if this ends up being his first instinct he is more comfortable when not rushed or pressured into decisions.
The lovely and talented Asaya-Ran also has a most excellent post on her blog about the Hermit so for a more thorough insight, pop on over to have a read and why not say 'Hi' while you're there - despite all the dragons around her, she herself does not bite *grin*
Last week we looked at working out which major arcana card you are based on your birth date.
To calculate this, add each of the individual digits from your birth date. For example, if you were born on the 21st of January 1937 (which I wasn't, just in case you were wondering), you would add 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 9 + 3 + 7, which would give you 24. You then keep adding the individual digits of the results until you get a number between 1 and 21 (to represent one of the 22 major arcana cards, excluding the Fool, which is zero). In the previous example, you would add 2 + 4, which would give you 6 and therefore would mean that your major arcana card is the Lovers.
As it happens, when I performed the same calculation with my real birth date, I also came up with a 6 and therefore the Lovers card.
I usually work with the beautiful Tarot of Dreams deck by Ciro Marchetti. For more information on this deck click here. This is an image of the Lovers card from this deck:
The key word for the Lovers card is relationships. While the card depicts an intimate relationship, this card can represent relationships on any level, with friends, family - even the relationship with yourself. One explanation for the symbolism of the lovers to represent all relationships is that in love all emotions are present.
In some decks, the Lovers card can represent choices. Sometimes these choices are between that which superficial or materialistic and that which is spiritual or intellectual.
In the Tarot of Dreams deck, the lovers appear behind a thin veil. This may represent the secrets we keep or the parts of us that we sometimes hide. It can also refer to a relationship with someone with whom we are completely honest and who is in our inner circle of trust - or conversely may be with someone who is the opposite of this.
The eyes of these lovers are closed and they are not facing one other, which may indicate that their minds are somewhere other than where their physical bodies are. Perhaps they are worried about what is going on in the parts of their lives that are separate from this time, that what is happening at that moment will fade with the dawn and they will have to face up to the cold realities of their day to day lives.
Even though there is an allusion to secrets, these lovers are naked and thus have bared their whole selves to one another. They have opened themselves and have revealed their vulnerabilities and while they are comfortable with their choices, they do realise there are repercussions of all of their actions.
As a card that represents me, I felt this was fairly accurate. I think that it is true that most of us can see aspects of ourselves in each of the tarot cards (hence the relevance of the tarot to people of many cultures throughout the ages and the crux of the beauty and mystery of how they work), I was quite comfortable with this card being a major player in my personality.
While I have a great need for solitude and internal reflection as does the central figure in the Hermit card (hey, if you don't like your own company then who will, right?), I have a greater need for people in my life. I tend to think that human beings are hard wired this way, although there are some exceptions to every rule and it is also true that too much of a good thing can be detrimental, such as is the case where human beings exist too closely together, although I feel that I am starting to digress here a little.
I am also hugely loving and maternal; however, my love is best expressed and nurtured in a two way interaction, as opposed to the dominant matriarchal qualities of the Empress.
I'll leave you with a poem I wrote in July 2007 about this card:
