Tarot Reading Explained

Tarot Reading Explained is a unique contribution to the tarot field and one of the finest ways to learn to read the cards. It is also extremely well-written—a joy to read. If you use this book, you can’t help but become a better tarot reader. – Mary K. Greer, author of Who Are You in the Tarot?

*** James Ricklef's legendary KnightHawk readings are not just a delightful look at some of our favorite literary and historical characters through the prism of Tarot; they also show us how readings can really work. This is a Tarot book—a course in Tarot, actually—like no other. – Rachel Pollack, author of Rachel Pollack’s Tarot Wisdom

*** The commentary on each of the readings will help even the most seasoned Tarot reader break through blocks they did not even know existed in their own readings. There is something here for everyone! – Bonnie Cehovet, author of Tarot, Birth Cards, and You

*** Volumes have been written about Tarot cards and their meanings, but nobody ever talked about how to turn that into a Tarot reading ... until Tarot Reading Explained. James Ricklef shows how to take card meanings and turn them into a story to find their context in your life, and that’s what a Tarot reading is all about. – Dan Pelletier, The Tarot Garden, the premiere online source for Tarot decks

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Entertaining and educational, hilarious and serious! Startlingly accurate cards arise for fictional and historical figures, allowing you to experience real readings. For the curious who are just opening their first deck to highly advanced readers, this book entertains while teaching some seriously fun tarot for every level. – Donnaleigh de LaRose, Host of the popular Tarot Podcast, Tarot Tribe: Beyond Worlds

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TAROT READING EXPLAINED





About the Author

James Ricklef is a Tarot reader, lecturer, and writer. He has been a frequent workshop presenter at Tarot conferences and symposia from Los Angeles to New York. His writing has been praised for being clear, insightful and easy to read, and he is the author of several Tarot books, including Tarot Tells the Tale which was first runner up in the General Interest category for the 2004 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Awards. He is also the creator of the acclaimed Tarot of the Masters deck.



Tarot Reading Explained The art of Tarot explained with sample readings

James Ricklef 2011 CreateSpace.com A KnightHawk Books Production

Tarot Reading Explained: The art of Tarot explained with sample readings © 2011 by James Ricklef. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from James Ricklef except in the case of brief quotations used for reviews or critical articles. Book design, cover design, and all illustrations by James Ricklef, © 2011 Card illustrations from Tarot of the Masters, created by James Ricklef. This book is a revised edition of Tarot Tells the Tale, which was published in 2003 by Llewellyn Publications. Contact the author at: [email protected] Website: www.jamesricklef.com



Dedication:

To Wil, for his love and support

Also by James Ricklef KnightHawk's Tarot Readings (Writers Club Press) Tarot Tells the Tale (Llewellyn Publications) Tarot: Get the Whole Story (Llewellyn Publications) Tarot of the Masters deck (Self-published) Uncovering the Tarot of the Masters (CreateSpace) Tarot Affirmations (CreateSpace)

TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1: Introduction Section 2: Preludes Associations: Numbers and Elements Numerological Associations Elemental Associations Combining Associations Court Cards Finding Card Meanings Reversed Cards The Five D’s of Reversed Cards The Reversal Cube Alternatives Rephrasing the Question Fortunetelling Questions Timing Questions 'Should' Questions Third Party Questions 'Yes or No' Questions Professional Advice Questions Vague Questions Compound Questions Key Considerations Three-Card Spreads Temporal Spreads Levels of Being Background, Problem, Advice Progression Spreads Yes/No Spreads

Choice Spreads Sandwich Spreads Miscellaneous Spreads Conclusions Putting it All Together Listen to the Querent Choose the Spread and the Deck Shuffle and Deal the Cards Listen to the Cards Conclude and Summarize the Reading Journal the Reading See the Magic Ethical Considerations Section 3: Sample Three-Card Readings Beauty Hopes to Find Mercy in the Beast Looking for Mr. Right Woman Ponders Move to Paris The Ultimate Lost Love Wayward Son Longs for Forsaken Home Teacher Ponders New Position Man Searches for Angel, Discovers Demon Prime Minister Faces Difficult Decision The Girl Just Wants to Have Fun Scientist Fears Return Home Golden Touch: Blessing or Curse? Writer of Declaration Ponders its Fate Man Yearns for a Wonderful Life A Perilous Flight to Freedom Angels Tell Girl to Save France Man Falls in Love with Statue Prince Finds Revenge Beyond His Ability Duckling Ridiculed by Peers

Lady Wants to Help Husband Become King Will Health Problems Block Marriage Proposal? Woman Seeks Success in New Location, Career Man Suspicious of Brother Section 4: A Sample Celtic Cross Reading The Celtic Cross Spread A Celtic Cross Reading Comments on a Celtic Cross Reading General notes The individual cards Embedded mini-spreads Conclusions Postscript Section 5: Afterword Section 6: Appendices Comments on the Seventy-eight Tarot Cards The Major Arcana The Minor Arcana Bibliography Tarot Symbolism



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A series of Ask KnightHawk columns were the foundation upon which this book was originally built, and I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Tarot newsletter editors who published them originally: Deni Richter, Crystal Sage, and John Gilbert, who always encouraged me to do more than I thought I could. I also would like to say a general “Thank you” to all of the Tarot students it has been my privilege and pleasure to work with throughout my years of teaching. Surely I have learned as much from teaching them as they have learned from me. Those teaching experiences informed and enriched the material in Section 2: Preludes. Finally, I am eternally grateful to the innumerable Tarot friends and experts who have contributed so much to my love, appreciation, and understanding of the Tarot.

Section 1: Introduction

“Ask KnightHawk” is an ongoing column featuring advice to characters you probably recognize. These are actual readings. Only the questions themselves are made up. The above quote introduced my first “Ask KnightHawk” column in an issue of the online ATA (American Tarot Association) newsletter in October 1999. Previously, I had been kicking around the idea of writing an ongoing Tarot advice column, sort of like Dear Abby using Tarot readings, and I had just finished writing an article about using Tarot readings to create fictional characters and stories. These factors stewed in my mind for a while until they finally gelled, and I was struck with a flash of inspiration: Why not do three-card readings to give advice to well-established fictional characters? Wouldn’t a column based on that concept be both entertaining and educational? I realized there would be a whimsical aspect to the column—after all, would Dr. Jekyll really consult a Tarot reader for advice on how to deal with the despicable Mr. Hyde?—but I hoped it also would provide some insights into the meanings of the cards, the use of simple spreads, and the art of doing Tarot readings. And this aspect of putting it all together is generally neglected in the existing Tarot literature. When I first started studying Tarot, I enjoyed reading the transcripts of actual Tarot readings in books, even if they were for people whose lives and problems I knew nothing about. But I found them far too rarely, and they left many of my questions unanswered. When you are doing a reading, how do you choose the “right” meaning from the spectrum of meanings that you’ve learned for each card? How does the question for the reading affect how you interpret the individual card meanings? How does the card’s position in the spread affect how you read it? How do cards influence each other’s meanings in a reading? How does the reader build up a coherent “story” and message for the reading from the individual card meanings? These questions always begged for more sample readings, which my column would provide. The next consideration was how to handle the logistics of the column. I quickly decided that the format of a three-card reading seemed perfect. Three-

card spreads can illustrate positional interpretations and the way that cards influence each other in a reading, but they do not overwhelm the novice reader with too much detail. This concern was important because the venues for these columns were ill suited to long, involved discourses. In addition, this provided the supplemental benefit of illustrating the power of the oft-overlooked threecard spread, which works well for short readings. Next, I wondered for whom I should do these readings. I began by using famous characters from literature and quickly expanded my scope to include figures from mythology and folklore as well. Then a friend suggested I use historical figures too, and I was off and running. As soon as my column began appearing, suggestions poured in for readings, often for people currently in the news. (Numerous people suggested I do a reading for the Bill Clinton / Monica Lewinsky affair, which was in the public eye at that time.) However, I did not want to do readings for living people, both for the ethics of respecting their privacy and for the desire to avoid any possibility of libel litigation. Besides, I figured that between classic literature, mythology, and history, I had more than enough material with which to work. How to do these readings was almost a foregone conclusion as I started this endeavor. Although I suppose I could have faked the readings—deliberately selecting which cards would work best in the reading—I never seriously entertained that possibility. Instead, each of the readings was performed as though I was doing it for someone sitting across the table from me. I considered the question, shuffled and cut the deck, and dealt three cards in the layout I had chosen. Then I read the cards as they lay. Sometimes the message came through loud and clear. At other times it took some work to make sense of the reading, and I admit that once or twice I was tempted to scoop up the cards and re-deal them. I never did that though. I always trusted the Tarot to speak to me, even if it spoke softly and in seeming riddles, and I was never disappointed. I always was able to find meaning in these readings, to varying degrees of success. The format of the column was my last consideration, and I decided to head each installment with a mock newspaper headline, both to attract my audience’s attention, and to keep the tone light. I wanted to make it clear that I was not taking myself too seriously with these columns, although I do take Tarot itself seriously. My initial idea for a KnightHawk book was merely to collect edited versions of some of the best “Ask KnightHawk” readings into one book. Then I decided it would be valuable to provide explanations and discussions of them as well and

to include some information for beginning Tarot readers, such as supplemental chapters on a range of topics concerning the art of Tarot reading. I also felt that it was necessary to discuss the meanings of the seventy-eight cards in a book targeted mainly at beginning Tarot readers. Hence, the appendix includes my thoughts on each of the cards. And so I created my first book, KnightHawk’s Tarot Readings, which is now out of print. The next edition of this book, which greatly expanded upon KHTR, was published by Llewellyn in 2003 and it was titled Tarot Tells the Tale. Llewellyn let that book go out of print in 2010, and so in 2011 I regained the rights to it and decided to publish a new edition. So here now is the third iteration of this book. The heart of this book remains the “Ask KnightHawk” readings themselves —from the many three-card readings to the much more detailed Celtic Cross reading—and I hope they help you learn how to do Tarot readings. One suggestion about using the readings in this book is to first just read the question along with the cards dealt for it, and try to do your own interpretation of the reading prior to reading mine. Many readers of the prior iterations of this book have told me that they find this exercise to be very educational. In any case, I trust that you will be entertained in the process of using this book, for the most valuable learning experiences are the ones we enjoy.

Section 2: Preludes

Before presenting the various Tarot readings that are the heart of this book, this section will explain the art of reading Tarot cards. The chapters that follow discuss ways of discovering your own understanding of each of the cards, including suggested methods for dealing with the difficult topics of Court Cards and reversed cards. There is a chapter on how to phrase the question for a reading most effectively and one that presents an overview of three-card spreads, which are the basis of all but one of the readings in this book. One chapter shows how to pull all of this information together to create a meaningful Tarot reading, and the final chapter covers ethical considerations of doing Tarot readings. This material is aimed at preparing the novice Tarot reader for working with the cards, but hopefully everyone, from beginner to adept, will find some insights here. If, however, you already feel adept at doing Tarot readings, feel free to skip ahead to section 3, Sample Three-card Readings, and feel free to just use the material in this section as a resource to which you may refer whenever necessary.

Chapter 1

Associations: Numbers and Elements A basic feature of Tarot cards is that each one is defined by its number and suit. For example, the Ten of Cups is both a Ten and a Cups card. In addition, each suit can be associated with one of the classic elements: earth, air, water, and fire, while the Major Arcana cards are related to the quintessential fifth element, Spirit. Thus, an examination of a card’s numerological and elemental associations is a powerful way to explore its meaning more deeply. In support of such a quest for understanding, this chapter will discuss various meanings for numbers and elements, and it will show how to apply such interpretations to an understanding of the seventy-eight Tarot cards.

Numerological Associations The following reflects my understanding and interpretation of numerological meanings. There are many schools of thought about this, however, so take from it what you will. One is the number we start with when we count, and so it represents beginnings, the start of something new, and a seed taking root. It also indicates unity, as in the phrase, “all for one, and one for all.” But one is the proverbial loneliest number, so it also stands for the self and the ego. Two represents duality, such as hot and cold, in and out, above and below, pro and con. As a result of such dualities, we have a choice, so the number two is about decisions as well. Two teams or armies can come into conflict, which implies the meaning of conflict, but as we can see when we visualize a scale, two can represent balance as well. Thus, it may signify the resolution of conflict. When two things are joined together, their union creates something new, a third entity. For example, two people may come together to form a relationship or a partnership, or even a child in a sexual union. Similarly, when we mix two colors we get a new color. Consequently, three represents creation, integration, and reproduction. If we integrate our intention with action, we make progress, which implies that this number also can be about growth and expansion.

When we think about what we have four of, the following examples come to mind: directions on a map, seasons, walls of a typical room, and legs on a table or chair. This implies that four is the number of structure, stability, and boundaries. Since these qualities also allow us to rest and to secure the growth indicated by the number three, four can relate to rest, recuperation, and consolidation as well. An inherent risk in the structure and stability symbolized by the number four is getting hide-bound, stodgy, or stuck in a rut. Thus, five represents the change and conflict that can disrupt that complacency or that is necessary in order to grow beyond it. As a result, this number is about crisis, strife, and struggle, especially when we consider that it is also the number that represents humanity, in that we have five-fingered hands, five senses, and five extremities (one head, two arms, and two legs). Indeed, our lives are defined by the challenges we face and by how we overcome them or succumb to them, as the case may be. The number five therefore represents the learning opportunities inherent in difficult experiences. Also, since the fifth element is that of spirit, five is also the number associated with our soul. (Consider that the Major Arcana card with this number is the Hierophant, or High Priest.) Consequently, this number represents the soulful work that is possible through our physical manifestation. After the disruption represented by the number five, a new balance is needed. Thus, six indicates the choices we make as we search for such a readjustment. These choices are not of the simple “this or that” type indicated by the number two, however. Rather, they are the difficult ones necessary to resolve the strife of the number five. And the readjustments we thus make are often the result of establishing reciprocal relationships with our environment or with the people around us. We also gain a sense of appreciation, peace, and harmony when that new equilibrium has been struck. However, despite this new-found harmony, the number six is still far from the completion of the numerical sequence. The eternal ebb and flow of life shows up next in the tests that challenge us to prove what we have learned through the chaos represented by the number five and the effort to resolve and rebalance that chaos, as seen in the number six. While the challenges of the number five may be called the homework assignments of life, the number seven represents life’s final exams, the tests wherein we either prove our level of mastery—and thereby attain victory—or we are forced to reassess how far we have come, where we are, and how far we have yet to go. The number eight follows these tests and challenges, and so it is concerned with regeneration, progress, and moving on with our lives. Another path to

understanding this number comes from considering how the pace of a movie generally accelerates dramatically as the climax approaches. Eight, which is the second to last single-digit number, represents the acceleration that leads up to a finale as everything starts falling into place. Hence, this number is about movement, strength, and power—or the need for those things. Nine, the final single digit number, represents the end of a cycle and the completion of a task or project, for better or for worse. It is the climax, the finale. The frenzied activity of the number eight has led to the accomplishments and consequences symbolized by nine. So what comes after the completion of something? The number ten represents the result of that completion, i.e., an epilog to it. Ten also reduces to one when we add its digits (1 + 0 = 1), so it indicates the beginning of a new cycle, a rebirth. Also, being a transcendent version of the number one, which represents the individual self, ten represents community, the collective self. On the other hand, coming after the completion indicated by the number nine, ten can indicate going too far. In that case, it indicates overkill or the last straw. Any number higher than ten can be interpreted using the preceding numerological discussion in one of two ways: reduction or transcendence. Reduction is the process of adding the digits of a number to arrive at a new number of fewer digits. Thus, for example, 19 reduces to 10 (1 + 9 = 10), which can be reduced further to 1 (1 + 0 = 1). Transcendence, on the other hand, is the interpretation of a two-digit number by considering it to be a higher order—or transcendent value—of its final digit. As an example, 15 may be considered a higher order of the number 5, consequently representing harder problems than those indicated by the number 5, or signifying a crisis on a higher (i.e., less mundane) level. We now have covered every number with the exception of zero, which is assigned to only one card in the Tarot deck: the Fool. We never count with this number, and indeed most ancient cultures did not use it at all, lacking even the concept of zero. Similarly, centuries ago the Fool was considered to be in a class by itself, not really one of the Major Arcana cards at all. Zero signifies null, nothing, a void. It is emptiness, and thus a longing for manifestation. Just as most creation myths begin with a great cosmic void, zero represents a vast, unlimited potential for creativity. Similarly, the symbol for this number, 0, is the eternal circle, which is without beginning and without end. Consequently, some people consider the Fool card to represent our divine nature. The preceding discussion of numerological meanings can shed light on the numbered Tarot cards, but what about the Court Cards, which have no numbers

explicitly assigned to them? We can consider these cards to be numbered implicitly instead, and in one of several possible ways. If we consider them to be an extension of the sequence running from the Ace through the Ten, then the Page can be assigned the number 11, the Knight would be 12, the Queen 13, and the King 14. These two digit numbers then can be interpreted using either reduction or transcendence. We also can think of the Court Cards as being in a class of their own, in which case they may be numbered one through four, either beginning with the Page or with the King, depending upon what works best for you. Since these cards are not explicitly numbered, their numerical associations are left up to us, and I have seen each of the preceding methods used reasonably and to good effect.[1] Again, the numerological meanings presented here are suggestions, not edicts. Use them as you will, taking whatever makes sense to you and ignoring the rest—at least for the time being. If you care to explore these numerological meanings further in order to come to your own understanding of them, especially as to how they may work best with your particular deck, try the following exercise. Start by laying out all the Aces of your deck side by side in order to see what concepts relevant to the number one may be common to them. What keywords for this number are suggested by your contemplation of these cards? Repeat this process for the twos, and continue on up to the tens. If you want to add even more depth to this process, you can include the relevant Court Cards (however it is that you assign numbers to them) and Major Arcana cards as well. Thus, for example, you might include the Pages and the Magician along with the Aces in your consideration of the number one. Based on the preceding discussion of numerological meanings, the following is a summarized list of suggested keywords for the numbers Zero through Ten. ZERO. Void, emptiness, creative potential. ONE. Beginnings, seeds, unity, self, ego. TWO. Choices, decisions, relationships, balance. THREE. Creativity, integration, growth, expansion. FOUR. Structure, stability, boundaries, rest. FIVE. Conflict, strife, struggle, learning opportunities. SIX. Readjustment, reciprocal relationships, harmony, appreciation. SEVEN. Tests, mastery, success, reassessment.

EIGHT. Acceleration, strength, power, progress. NINE. Endings, completion, climax, accomplishment. TEN. Epilog, rebirth, a new cycle, community, overkill, the last straw.

Elemental Associations Centuries ago the world was considered to be composed of four elements: earth, air, water, and fire.[2] Today, we categorize the components of the physical world by atomic structure, classifying them into a multitude of elements such as oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. Nevertheless, the ancient concept is still useful in a philosophical and metaphysical sense, and characteristics that have been assigned to each of the four elements can, by extension, be associated with the four Tarot suits as well.[3] Although some Tarot decks use different methods, the most common way to associate these elements with the Tarot suits is as follows: Wands -- Fire Cups -- Water Swords -- Air Pentacles -- Earth This scheme is quite widespread, and it is the one used with the almost ubiquitous Rider Waite Smith (RWS) deck and with the many decks based on it. Thus, this system is the one that will be discussed in this chapter. Let us now explore the characteristics of each suit using its elemental association to aid us in our understanding of it. Some of the meanings attributed to the suits will be intuitively obvious based on the suit’s emblem and on its elemental association, while others that may seem less obvious arise from tradition and common convention. In either case, what follows are suggestions for your consideration. Wands are made of wood, and their suit is associated with fire. Thus, this suit is characterized by growth and energy. As an aspect of our being, this suit corresponds to the spark of life that burns within us, and consequently it also is associated with our will, passion, and libido. As an aspect of a project or endeavor, the suit of Wands relates to the desire and inspiration that initiated it and to the burning enthusiasm that drives it. Cups are receptacles, and their suit is associated with water, which flows,

nourishes, and refreshes. Also, water’s surface can be reflective like a mirror, and it can be profound and fathomless, like the depths of an ocean. This suit, then, is associated with the mysterious unconscious mind and with the everflowing feelings that both arise from and return to its depths. As an aspect of our being, it corresponds to our emotions and our relationships, as well as to our imagination. As an aspect of a project or endeavor, the suit of Cups relates to an emotional or subconscious response or reaction to the original idea or impetus for the venture. Note, however, that it is our imagination that begins to give form to a project, just as a cup gives form to the fluid poured into it. Swords, with their sharp edges, can be either a weapon or a useful tool, and the element of their suit is air. A mind can be sharp as well, and it too can be either a weapon or a tool, depending on how it is used. This suit typically is associated with mental activity such as logic, reason, and communication. Considering some of the ways in which a sword can be used, this suit also is associated with action, conflict, and cruelty. The airy aspect of the suit of Swords calls to mind volatility and stormy situations on the one hand and clarity of thought on the other. Thus, as an aspect of our being, this suit corresponds to our thoughts, prejudices, and concepts. As an aspect of a project or endeavor, it relates to the analysis, decision-making, planning, and call to action from which the undertaking is forged. Pentacles, as generally depicted in Tarot decks, are the coins of wealth and commerce, and this suit is associated with the element of earth. Thus, it is related to earthiness and being grounded, physical fitness and material resources, and money and prosperity. It also relates to security, value, and a sense of worth, as well as to generosity and charity. As an aspect of our being, it corresponds to the strength, health, and sensations of our physical body. As an aspect of a project or endeavor, the suit of Pentacles relates to the physical labor that executes the plan as well as to the tangible manifestation of it. There is, in addition, a deeply spiritual aspect to the suit of Pentacles. The act of simple labor can be intensely contemplative, even spiritually so, and it is through our acts of charity and generosity toward other people that we draw near to our divine nature. Thus, the wheel has turned full circle. Myths, such as that of Prometheus, tell us that fire was a gift from the gods. The flame of life and the spark of inspiration that are associated with the suit of Wands come from a divine source, and we return to that aspect of spirituality with the suit of Pentacles when it manifests in its noblest form. Finally, the Major Arcana cards, which can be thought of as a fifth suit in the deck, are associated with the quintessential element of the soul. This suit is

concerned with morality and spirituality, as well as the themes and philosophical undertones of our lives. It also deals with the major milestones and archetypes of our lives. As with the numerological discussion earlier in this chapter, keep in mind that the interpretations given here for the Tarot suits are suggestions, not mandates. If you would like to delve further into the meanings of the suits, and thus arrive at a more personalized understanding of them, you may want to try an exercise similar to the one suggested for numerological associations. First, lay out all of the cards in the suit of Wands: Ace through Ten, plus the Court Cards if you want to include them too. Think about any phrases that use this suit’s element, fire, and consider how they might comment on characteristics apparent in many of the cards in this suit. For example, what do the phrases “all fired up” or “carrying a torch” suggest about the cards in this suit? Consider also what implications this suit’s emblem, a wand, may have on its meaning. Then contemplate the cards you have laid out before you, paying attention to your gut reactions to them. What patterns do you see as being predominant in this suit, and what concepts or themes seem to run through it? Is there a general, underlying feeling that you get from most of the cards in this suit? What keywords for the suit of Wands do all of these thoughts and feelings recommend? Next, repeat this process for the other three suits: Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. You may, of course, want to do this exercise with the Major Arcana cards as well. The following is a summarized list of suggested keywords and phrases for the Tarot suits: WANDS. Growth, energy, willpower, passion, libido, desire, inspiration, enthusiasm. CUPS. Receptivity, reflection, subconscious, imagination, emotions, relationships. SWORDS. Thought, intellect, logic, reason, analysis, decision, communication, conflict. PENTACLES. Grounded, strength, resources, money, wealth, commerce, labor, prosperity, security, charity, generosity, body, materialism. MAJOR ARCANA. Spirituality, soul, morality, ethics, philosophy, karma, archetypes, milestones.

Combining Associations

How, then, can you use these numerological and elemental associations to help you understand Tarot cards? First, figure out what, from the preceding discussions, works for you. Remember, of course, that you can (and probably will) change your mind about numerological and elemental meanings as time goes on and as you accumulate more experience using them. For now, however, a good start is to decide on a few keywords or phrases for each suit and for the numbers one through ten. Once you have these meanings in mind, you can use them to question, validate, or expand upon your understanding of any Tarot card. First, consider a particular card, thinking about what it means to you. Its meaning may be the result of what you have learned from a book, from a teacher, from your prior experience in working with the cards, from the feelings and ideas that the images and symbols on the card evoke, or from any combination of these. Then think about the meanings you associate with the card’s number and suit. How do these numerological and elemental meanings relate to your understanding of this card? Are they in accord or do they clash? If there are conflicts, all the better, for it is in the resolution of such discord that we often gain the most profound insights.

As an example, let us work with the Three of Swords, which is often illustrated with a heart pierced by three swords. Typically, this card is seen as being indicative of sorrow and heartbreak, but such meanings have emotional connotations, which are more typically in the realm of the suit of Cups. We can use the fact that this card’s suit, Swords, is about thoughts and communication (among other things) in order to expand upon its meaning. Thus, the Three of Swords may express a need to better understand your sorrow, or it can indicate an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation of the emotional pain of others, perhaps as a result of your own experience with heartbreak. The association of communication with the suit of Swords can lead to some interesting reinterpretations of this card as well. In light of that, this card may indicate a need to express your sorrow, perhaps through the cathartic cleansing of a good cry. Alternatively, this card can indicate pain that is caused by caustic

and hurtful words. This card is also a Three, so there are elements of growth and integration in it as well. For example, an emotionally wrenching experience also may be a learning experience that can impel you to mature and grow, helping you to become a better person. There is an important point that needs to be made here. Just as there are no completely good or bad cards, numerological and elemental associations have a spectrum of meanings, ranging from positive, encouraging messages to the more negative aspect of warnings and admonishments. For example, besides indicating reason and logic, the suit of Swords also can suggest a cold-hearted separation from our emotions and spirituality. The love and compassion of the Cups can degenerate into sentimentality and moodiness. A dark side of the selfreliance of the Ones is self-centered egotism, and the supportive structure of the Fours can be stifling sometimes.

To illustrate some negative aspects of numbers and suits, let us consider the Ten of Cups. This card is generally seen in a positive light, often being interpreted as an indication of a happy family or the realization of your hopes and dreams. However, besides relating to love and relationships, the suit of Cups also can deal with our subconscious and our imagination, while the Tens can mean overkill. Thus, this card may be saying that what seems like a happy home is actually an illusion wrought from wishful thinking. Perhaps you require that your relationships be perfect, so you ignore fundamental problems and see everything as being all sweetness and light. Also, if we combine the Ten’s meaning of “too much” with the Cups’ “emotions,” then this card may be saying that you are too emotionally involved in a relationship to be able to evaluate it objectively. Consequently, perhaps you see only what you want to see. This discussion shows how negative numerological and elemental meanings can reveal some of the shadow aspects of a Tarot card. It is important to be able to find these darker aspects of the cards because sometimes a card that is usually thought of as a “good card” can turn up in a problematic position of a spread. (Many beginning Tarot readers find it hard to see how the Ten of Cups, for example, can be an obstacle.) On the other hand, the more positive aspects of a

card’s numerological and elemental associations can reveal the brighter side of a card that is typically seen as negative, and it is important to be able to see this as well. The point of all this is not that you should throw out your previous understanding of a card, but rather that sometimes you may want to alter or expand upon it based on the meanings of its associated number and suit. Of course, if you are having difficulties understanding a card in the first place, the use of numerological and elemental meanings can help you jumpstart your discovery process.

Chapter 2

Court Cards The Court Cards tend to be the most difficult ones for students to understand. The Major Arcana cards exhibit a striking archetypal energy that elicits a visceral reaction, and the numbered Minor Arcana cards exhibit a simple, everyday familiarity that is relatively easy to grasp. The Court Cards, on the other hand, depict psychological nuances that can be subtle and hard to comprehend. This chapter will suggest ways of finding meanings for Court Cards through consideration of their suit and rank. The explanations here rely a lot on the traditional hierarchical ordering of an actual royal court, which makes them easy to remember.[4] Of course, further discussion of these sixteen cards can be found in the Appendix of this book, where all of the Tarot cards are discussed. The two most common ways of interpreting Court Cards is to see them as people in the querent’s life or as attributes of the querent[5]. If we see them as other people, then the elemental attributes of a Court Card’s suit can shed light on the personality traits of whoever is indicated by the card. You will want to determine what associations work best for you, but here are some suggestions. First, Wands can indicate people with a fiery, passionate disposition, Cups may depict people who are emotional or temperamental, Swords can indicate those who are aloof, analytical, or emotionally unavailable, and Pentacles may refer to practical and down-to-earth people. Then the rank of the Court Card further defines the person, and there are various ways to assign meaning to each rank. The most common way is to say that Pages are children or teenagers, Knights are young adults, Queens are mature women, and Kings are mature men. Thus, for example, the Page of Wands might be a willful, unruly child that is prone to violent outbursts. A different way to use the rank of a Court Card is to say that a Page is someone younger than the querent, a Knight is one of the querent’s peers, and a King or a Queen is a man or a woman (respectively) who is older than the querent. Similarly, in a hierarchical environment, such as the querent’s workplace or an organization to which she belongs, a Page may be someone subordinate to her, a Knight may be a co-worker or peer, and a King or a Queen would then be a man or a woman above the querent in the hierarchy.

Yet another associative method is to say that a Page is someone who helps the querent learn things or who brings her a message, a Knight is someone who helps the querent explore something, a Queen is one who supports or nurtures the querent, and a King is an authority figure who directs the querent or controls her actions. In this case, the suit of the Court Card determines the area in which this person affects the querent’s life. For example, if we assign desire and enthusiasm to Wands, the King of Wands may be someone who controls the querent’s ability to satisfy some desire. If we associate Cups with relationships, then the Queen of Cups may be someone who supports a romantic affair. If Swords mean thoughts and ideas, then the Knight of Swords might be someone who is exploring new concepts with the querent. And if Pentacles indicate work, then the Page of Pentacles might be someone who helps the querent learn a skill she needs for a job. So far, this discussion has related Court Cards to someone other than the querent, but a Court Card also can refer to aspects, roles, or traits of the querent himself. The easiest way to understand such personality aspects of a Court Card is to see it as representing a stage of maturity or as a level of initiation relative to what its suit represents. With that in mind, a Page can indicate that the querent is learning or beginning something. Consequently, it can imply a questioning or searching attitude, a studious approach to something, beginner’s luck, or the sense of awe and wonder of a new initiate. A Knight, no longer a tentative Page but not yet having the maturity of a Queen or a King, can be the most volatile of the Court Cards. He has learned enough to exhibit confidence, although perhaps not enough to gain competence, and he tends to be cocky and self-assured. A Knight in a reading may indicate that the querent is not afraid to charge ahead and explore something, even if he may get his nose bloodied as a consequence. But if the querent can manifest a Knight’s better nature, he will pick himself up when he falls, learn from his mistakes, and continue to grow. At the level indicated by a Queen, the querent has matured and become competent in what she does. Now she is expanding upon her skills and becoming creative with them. As a Queen, she also tends to be supportive, nurturing, expressive, and relationship-oriented. A King may indicate that the querent is an expert or authority in the arena governed by the card’s suit. Kings also can be directive, controlling, and

commanding. Whereas a Queen tends to deal more in the realm of interpersonal relationships, the concerns of a King lean more toward civic duties and social responsibilities. When using a Court Card to describe the querent, its rank does not indicate the querent’s age. Sometimes a youth may act with the maturity of a Queen or King, and some senior citizens can act with the immaturity of a Page. An eighty-year-old man might take up a new hobby and manifest the exuberance and enthusiasm of a Page of Wands, and a girl can nurture a younger sibling like a Queen of Pentacles. Likewise, neither sex is limited to certain Court Card ranks. A man can assume a Queen-like nurturing role, and a woman can be in a King-like position of responsibility and leadership. This chapter has presented several ways to come to an understanding of the sixteen Court Cards. It is up to you to choose which of these methods make sense to you, although you can use different ones for different readings, depending on the circumstances. You also need to decide on what the four Court Card ranks and the four suits mean to you. Then you will be ready to use the meanings of both the suit and rank of a Court Card to arrive at a workable meaning for it. In fact, it is a valuable exercise to do this for each of the sixteen Court Cards. Record the various meanings that arise from this consideration in a sort of dictionary of Court Card meanings, then review and revise this dictionary from time to time. If you do this, you will find that when a Court Card comes up in a reading, it will make sense to you based on the meanings that you, yourself, have created for it. As a final note about using Court Cards, it is important to keep in mind that no one can be completely characterized by any one these cards. Each of us is a tapestry woven from all sixteen Court Card threads, although we may be made from more of one thread than another. During a reading, a Court Card may be indicative of a role that the querent (or someone in her life) is playing in the current circumstances, an aspect of her personality that she needs to examine, or a recommendation as to what characteristic or trait she would do well to cultivate in order to solve a problem she is having. For example, the Queen of Cups may indicate that the querent can heal a problematic relationship with loving support and understanding. Or the Knight of Wands may say that the querent is being too impulsive and taking too many risks right now.

In short, remember that a Court Card does not encompass the totality of a person’s psyche. Rather, it indicates something about that person that is important to understand in the context of the reading in which it appears.

Chapter 3

Finding Card Meanings Something that Tarot teachers often have their students do is determine a keyword or key phrase for each of the Tarot cards. This is an excellent starting point, for that first keyword can be like a grain of sand in an oyster, acting like a seed for the pearl of wisdom that your subsequent work and experience with that card will create. One step in the process of finding keywords is to read what other people say about the cards, but certainly that is only a small step along the path to understanding. The explanations given by other people may work for them, but they may not work for you. And to complicate matters, every Tarot author or teacher has a different take on each card. Indeed, it can be quite distressing when you find a new meaning for a card that is diametrically opposed to other definitions for it, definitions presumably written by people with good credentials in the field. Thus, what someone else says about a card should not be the final destination. Rather, finding out what others have to say about Tarot cards is merely a vehicle for taking you further down the path of understanding. This chapter presents some methods for finding your own way along that path, methods that can help you resolve conflicts between varying definitions for a card. The easiest case is when one of the explanations you have read seems to resonate with you, while the others fail to ring true. In that case you can choose to use the one that seems right for you. I have to say, however, that I have never felt comfortable doing that, mainly because I never seem to find that one author’s insights hit the bull’s-eye while all the others’ completely miss the mark. Thus I’ve generally used the following method. There is usually at least a grain of truth in what every author says about each of the cards. So after reading what various authors say about a given card, you can use those meanings that seem to make sense, and you can combine the various authors’ insights in order to synthesize new meanings that work for you. Those different meanings, then, will manifest in different contexts, depending upon the nature of the question being asked, the card's location in the spread, the other cards around it, etc. You also can resolve conflicting definitions by exploring your own meanings

for it. In that case, you may want to check out Mary K. Greer's Tarot for Your Self, which contains exercises to help you do just that. For a detailed explanation of Greer’s methods, I refer you to this book, which is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Tarot. However, when you come across a couple of definitions for a card that are so utterly opposed to each other that they are more confusing than illuminating, what can you do? Or what if even after synthesizing the various meanings you have come across, you still do not feel you have an adequate understanding of a particular card? What else might you do to deepen your relationship with that card? A solution once suggested to me by John Ballantrae via the Tarot-L online discussion list was to do a Tarot reading to find out what a particular card should mean to you. What a fascinating solution! For this sort of reading, the spread that has worked best for me is a basic three-card spread; any more cards than that gets more complicated than I find it needs to be. I do not assign specific meanings to the three locations, such as "Past", "Present", and "Future". Instead, I read the three cards as a narrative answer to the question, “Who am I?” as posed by the card I am interested in. You may find that you prefer a different spread, so use whatever works best for you. A classic example of conflicting definitions is the Fool card. In her book, Easy Tarot Guide, Marcia Masino describes The Fool as the “God card” of the Tarot and says that it symbolizes a universal and guiding “Creative Power.” She also asserts that if an author claims that The Fool is a foolish or stupid action, then that author doesn’t really understand The Fool, doesn’t believe in such divine powers, or is not at liberty to disclose the Fool’s true meaning due to an arcane oath of secrecy.[6] On the other hand, in Classic Tarot Spreads, Sandor Konraad attributes to The Fool the meanings of confusion, simple-mindedness, and an ill-fated undertaking when it appears at the beginning of a reading. When it appears at the end of a reading, he says it means a fool who has grown in wisdom and humanity.[7] Granted, Masino and Konraad were using different decks (the RWS deck vs. the Oswald Wirth Tarot), but even so, I was baffled by this discrepancy when I first encountered it. In addition, other books provide still different meanings for this card, generally lying somewhere between Masino's and Konraad's. Reconciling them all would have taken the wisdom of Solomon ... or of the Tarot. Since the Tarot was the more accessible of the two, I turned to it. For my reading to explore the meaning of the Fool, I used the RWS deck,

and the three cards I drew were the Tower, Temperance, and the Two of Wands. First, let me note briefly what these three cards meant to me at the time that I did this reading. The Tower can indicate a bolt of insight from our higher consciousness or from the divine nature of the Universe. It may take the form of an unexpected external catastrophe, or it may be a gut-wrenching emotional experience. When it happens, it may be a blow to our ego or a shattering of our pride. It also should be noted that lightning connects Heaven and Earth, and thus, in addition, the Tower can indicate a spiritual wakeup call inherent in this crisis. The Temperance card often indicates a state of being centered and balanced, and it is especially indicative of a balance between our spirituality and our physical existence. In addition, the flow of liquid between the two cups held by the angel in many versions of this card can indicate a blending or fusion of two things of disparate natures, and thus it implies a transformative power as well. The Two of Wands can mean boldness and audacity in planning or undertaking an adventure or enterprise of some sort. It also might indicate the beginning of a new enterprise or the ability to manifest an idea concretely. Note also that the figure in the RWS version of this card is both looking out at the real world before him and holding the world (a globe) in his hands, thus reminding us of the inherent duality between our conceptual models and the reality they represent. This discussion so far raises an interesting point. This procedure seems a bit like pulling yourself up by the bootstraps. If you are a relative novice, you may ask, “How do you learn to understand a Tarot card using a reading if you don’t fully understand Tarot cards yet?” The answer is that understanding the cards is an evolving process. Certainly, before you try this technique you need to have some concept of what the cards mean, or at least the patience to look them up or to determine their meanings as best you can as you proceed. But even so, when I did this reading for The Fool my understanding of the cards was still rather rudimentary, yet I was able to get a lot out of the process. What I saw in this reading was that the Fool starts off from a point of being cast down to nothing (or "zero"). In other words, he is a blank slate unencumbered by pride and attachments. Therefore he is pure potential, and he is ready for new beginnings. Being at that point, he has an innocent balance and centered-ness that can transform him, giving him the boldness and courage required to go forth and manifest his vision. This reading also helped me reconcile the two seemingly disparate explanations of the Fool that had originally confused me, those being that either

he is a buffoon who is foolish in the literal sense of the word, or he is a recipient or embodiment of the divine power that guides the universe. What I saw is that those of us who seem to be a "buffoon", i.e. people freed of the constraints of ego, are the ones who are able to receive and act upon divine inspiration. If you are struggling with the meaning of any of the cards, you may want to try this. Do your own reading to find out what that card means, and you will find a definition that works for you. I want to emphasize that I am not suggesting that you need to do seventy-eight different readings to find the meanings of all seventy-eight cards in a Tarot deck. You can pick and choose among the various techniques mentioned in this article for each card. But you will find that whenever you let a card be your querent, you will open up a dialogue with it that will inevitably reveal new meaning, both for it and for your own life.

Chapter 4

Reversed Cards

When a Tarot card is oriented so that the image is upside down, the card is said to be reversed. There are many ways to interpret reversed cards, and being able to do so is a skill that can take a considerable amount of practice to learn. In fact, some Tarot readers decide not to use reversed cards at all. They keep all the cards in their deck in an upright orientation, and if a card somehow does turn up reversed, they turn it back upright and ignore its initial reversed orientation. I, on the other hand, do use reversed cards in my readings, and since reversals are used in this book, a few words on this subject are in order. This chapter presents a couple of ways of accounting for the effect that a reversal has on a card’s meaning. First, it describes a simple mnemonic method that I call “The Five D’s of Reversed Cards.” Next it presents a more graphic depiction, which I call “The Reversal Cube,” of the various effects that a reversal can have on a card’s meaning. These are just two suggested ways of handling reversals, but there are many others that people commonly use. Regardless of what method you ultimately choose to employ, the crucial point is that for each reading you should communicate your specific intent to your unconscious mind, and then stick with that method.

The Five D’s of Reversed Cards In confronting the issue of dealing with reversed cards, I came up with an approach based on a synthesis of the various methods I had been taught and had read about, and I then refined this technique based upon my experiences using it. In this system, I determine a reversed card’s meaning by considering that it

may be affected by one of what I call the Five D’s of Reversed Cards, which are: Diminution of the “original” effect or energy of the card. Delay of the “original” effect. Denial that something is going on or that it is a problem in your life. Note that this denial may be active (i.e., lack of acceptance) or passive (i.e., lack of awareness). Dark Side of the “original” meaning. An example of considering the dark side of, say, the Knight of Pentacles might be to say that his prudence has become a case of “all work and no play.” Direction of the “original” meaning is reversed. For example, the Hermit is often thought to mean going into seclusion, so reversed it may mean coming out of your shell and increasing your interaction with other people. Or this may mean that there is inner work to be done on the issue indicated by the card, or that the energy of the card is affecting you internally instead of visibly manifesting in your life. Which of the “Five D’s” I might use in a specific situation depends upon its context within the reading, such as its position in the spread, the question being asked, and the tone of the other cards in the spread. For example, I am more apt to use “diminution” if the card is in a position that refers to the past, while I might be inclined to use “delay” when it is in the future. If it is in a position that deals with problems or obstacles, I may find either “denial” or “dark side” more appropriate. And if the card refers to the querent, “denial” may be suitable again, or perhaps “direction reversed” may seem best. I try to use the “Five D’s” as a general guideline kept in the back of my mind, instead of slavishly picking over them, as in, “Hmm. Which ‘D’ should I use for this reversed card? How about ... Diminution?” Rather than making this a conscious choice, I have planted these five D’s into my unconscious mind. Then when I look at a reversed card I let an interpretation intuitively bubble up from those D’s floating around in the back of my mind. For me, this mnemonic device seems to be a more flexible approach than creating seventy-eight new keywords for the cards in reversed positions, which is what some people do. You, of course, may want to explore various ways that a reversal can affect a card’s meaning, and then create your own mnemonic device to help you remember them.[8]

The Reversal Cube The technique that I call “the Reversal Cube” takes into account varying obstructions or levels of expression of a card’s energy, using concepts similar to those employed in the preceding Five D’s of Reversed Cards method. But instead of a mnemonic device, it uses a graphic illustration, which seems easier to use for people with spatially oriented minds. I began with the following chart, which has three axes that delineate a threedimensional space. Each axis defines a possible “spectrum of modification” for a card. The horizontal axis (left to right) moves from the past to the future. The vertical axis (bottom to top) is psychological and moves from internal to external. And finally, the third axis (perpendicular to the page) deals with patterns of resistance, moving from internal resistances to external blocks.

When a card is reversed, its meaning is more likely to lie somewhere on the outskirts of this three-dimensional continuum, and so it is being modified in one or more of the following ways. Diminution: The card may indicate something that was manifest in the past, but is now fading. This can mean a problem that is being resolved, or it can indicate a capacity that the querent has discarded or neglected. Delay: The card’s energy may be embryonic. It could be an unrealized potential that may take some time to manifest, or it might be a warning of an undesirable development waiting in the wings.

Internalization: The card may highlight some internal (i.e., psychological) work that the querent needs to do, thus indicating qualities, abilities, or traits that she needs to develop. Or it may indicate external problems for which the querent has erroneously taken blame or responsibility. Projection: The querent may be seeing the qualities of this card in other people instead of realizing that they exist within him. This can manifest as accusing other people of flaws he does not want to acknowledge within himself. Alternatively, it can take the form of “living by proxy,” i.e., attaching to a person who exhibits qualities he wishes he could realize in himself. (Court Cards are more likely to exhibit this type of reversal effect than Pip cards or Major Arcana cards.) Internal Resistance: This can indicate a conscious or unconscious blockage of the card’s energy, such as our resistance to learning the important lessons in life. External Blocks: In our journey through life, we often encounter rough roads and roadblocks. This aspect of reversals may be a warning that it will be difficult to attain the promise of this card, so the querent should prepare to make a concerted effort in order to attain it. Note that a reversal may manifest anywhere within the space defined by this diagram, and thus the factors modifying it may be blended. For example, we might have a case where there are external blocks that will cause a delay. Or the effects of the card may be diminishing, but there is still some internal resistance, so the querent has internal work to do in this area. If this representation seems overly complex, you may decide to use just one axis (or perhaps two of them) and only consider the modifications defined by that axis while doing a particular reading. Just be sure to remain true to your intention while you do that reading. Upright cards also can manifest any of these modifications to their meanings, but the probability of a card’s meaning being shifted very far from center on any of these axes is much higher if the card is reversed. It’s as if a reversed card is saying, “Hey, look here! My energy is being affected. I really must insist that you try to see how.” But how do you do that? How do you discern where a reversal lies on this graph of modification? With experience your intuition will guide you, but in addition, an excellent guide is careful questioning of the querent and attentive listening to her answers, which takes practice. Deep down, the querent usually does know how the card’s energy is being affected in her life; she just may not be consciously aware of it until you draw the answer out of her.

This method is merely another way of considering reversals. If you like it, you may find it useful in your practice. If not, hopefully it has at least given you some food for thought.

Alternatives One last note about reversed cards concerns the many possible options available for working with them. If you ask ten Tarot readers how to interpret reversed cards, you are liable to get at least eleven different answers. Some people always read with them; some never do. Some will tell you that you must read with them, while I know of one Tarot teacher and author who insists that using reversals is a bad habit that should be avoided at all costs. Some people may look at a reversed card and interpret it based upon the upside-down imagery. Still others use seventy-eight separate keywords for the reversed cards, while some just say that the energy of the card is not yet manifest, or is blocked, or is delayed, or ... The point is that there is no right or wrong way of using reversed cards. This chapter has presented some suggestions, and the sample readings in this book illustrate various ways of interpreting a reversed card. Ultimately, however, the decision of whether or not to use reversed cards is up to you, as is the decision of how to use them. Just be sure that you always make your intention clear to your unconscious mind before you start any reading.

Chapter 5

Rephrasing the Question Should a Tarot reader rephrase the querent’s question for a reading? This apparently simple question is actually quite complex, and it is guaranteed to stir up more than a bit of controversy when raised among a group of Tarot readers. Some people argue that the question that the querent brings to a reading is the question he wants answered, and so they always do a reading for exactly the question asked. Others feel that a vague or ill-formed question will lead to a less-than-helpful answer. They maintain that the more focused the question, the more relevant and precise the answer will be, and the more a question is based upon an assumption of empowerment, the more the answer will show the querent how to take control of his life. In short, many Tarot readers feel that the better a question is phrased, the more helpful the answer will be. Indeed, every question has certain assumptions imbedded within it. For example, some questions may assume that we are powerless to shape our destiny. Others tend to presume guilt in another person, such as ones like, “How can I find out what my girlfriend is doing behind my back?” We cannot eliminate all such assumptions from our questions, but at least we can try to be aware of what those assumptions are. Then we have a chance of rephrasing our questions in order to eliminate some of the assumptions or to incorporate others that are better. While there are no hard and fast rules, this chapter will suggest ways to handle some of the thornier types of questions that come up. Ultimately, of course, it is up to you to decide for yourself how to handle this issue.

Fortunetelling Questions Of the various types of questions that may need to be rephrased, perhaps the most common is the type wherein the querent wants to know what will happen in the future. On the surface, this sounds innocent enough. After all, fortunetelling is typically what the general public thinks of as the use of Tarot cards. However, a major problem with these questions is their inherent assumption that anyone can tell the future with absolute certainty and that the future is immutable. Whenever such questions come up, I begin by explaining my philosophy about predicting the future, which is that although a reading may indicate a probable outcome, I don’t believe that it can tell the exact future, because the future is not etched in stone. We make our own future—either by actively

working to shape it or by passively accepting whatever comes to pass. Because of this, the best purpose of a Tarot reading is to provide the querent with insights about himself and about the world around him in order to show him how to create the future he wants. This leads to another problem with such questions, which is the fact that they reflect a querent’s attitude that he is resigned to being a victim of fate, instead of being determined to become the master of his own fate. Often a querent wants to know the outcome of a course of action, or he may want to know if a specified event will come to pass, whether that may be something he desires or something he fears. In such cases, I try to work with the querent to rephrase the question to put it into a form that empowers him to create the future he wants. For example, “Will I get the promotion I want?” might be rephrased as: “What do I need to do to get the promotion I want?” A bit more difficult are questions like, “Will my boyfriend ask me to marry him?” For relationship questions like that, we can’t, in essence, ask what the querent can do to make her boyfriend propose to her. Instead, I try to refocus such questions on the querent. Perhaps, “What do I need to know about my relationship with my boyfriend?” Or, “What do I need to do to improve my relationship with my boyfriend?” At the very least, I would rephrase such a question to be, “Do things look favorable for my boyfriend to ask me to marry him?” and then do the reading in such a way that we look at why this may or may not be the case. A three-card spread that works well for this is the following: 1. Yes if... 2. No if... 3. Maybe if...[9] Of course, all of this reflects my personal attitude toward doing readings that can be called “fortunetelling.” To be quite fair, I grant that this is an attitude not shared by some Tarot readers, and I respect that. Some readers are very comfortable with doing readings for what will happen in the future, in which case they would not feel inclined to rephrase questions of the type we have been discussing. However, if this is your position, you may want to consider that doing such readings puts you in the realm of fortunetelling, which may be illegal in your city, county, or state. If, instead of saying, “This is what will happen,” you say, “This is the probable outcome,” then you can argue that you are no

more guilty of fortunetelling than is the weatherman.[10]

Timing Questions Closely related to questions of the form “Will this happen?” are ones like, “When will this happen?” Timing questions can be rephrased just like the more general fortunetelling questions. Thus, for example, “When will I get a promotion” can be restated as “What can I do to get a promotion?” However, an alternative to rephrasing this question is to do a reading in such a way that it provides more guidance than deterministic answers. The following is an effective way to read for a timing question: After you have shuffled the deck, begin laying out cards, one at a time, until you deal one that talks about the outcome about which the querent is asking. Deciding when you have come to the probable outcome card is, of course, an intuitive call for you to make. The cards you laid out before the outcome card depict the sequence of events that have to happen prior to the outcome. They can be considered to be advice (i.e., “This is what you have to do prior to attaining this outcome”), or they may be interpreted as signs (i.e., events that will precede the outcome). After you have read these cards, interpret the outcome card. If the probable outcome is addressed in the very first card you laid down, this implies that it is either already here or quite imminent. Note, however, that the probable outcome card may say that the desired outcome seems unlikely. If, for example, the question is one of love and romance, some encouraging probable outcome cards could be the Lovers, Ace of Cups, Two of Cups, Ten of Cups, or Four of Wands. Some rather discouraging ones could be the Hermit, Five of Cups, or Three of Swords. In that case, the prior event cards may indicate why the desired event is unlikely, or they may warn of actions that the querent should avoid in order to manifest the desired event. If you lay down quite a few cards and still do not get to a probable outcome card, this may indicate that the outcome is unlikely or that it is too far in the future for this reading to deal with. Of course, how many cards constitute “quite a few” is another intuitive call for you to make in the course of the reading.

'Should' Questions Next, let’s consider how to handle “Should” questions. “Should I take the job that I recently was offered?” “What should I do about my parents’ interference in my life?” “Should I buy this new home?” When the querent asks questions such as these, he may be asking the Tarot to make his decisions for him in an attempt to avoid taking responsibility for his life. I avoid using the tarot to make decisions for a querent, because that will diminish his sense of personal power, which can cripple him. Instead, when questions of this sort arise, I work with the querent to put the question into a form that will shed some light on the situation at hand and give him new perspectives to help him make his decision. So for the examples given above, I might seek to rephrase them as, “What do I need to know about this job offer?” “What do I need to do to improve my relationship with my parents?” and “What are the pros and cons about buying this house?” Rephrasing questions in this way will make them more empowering, but this is not the only way to deal with them. How you choose the spread for a reading and how you conduct that reading can return responsibility and power to the querent as well. For example, for a “Should I do A or B” type of question, I might use the following three-card spread: 1. Benefits of choice A 2. A factor that can help you make this decision 3. Benefits of choice B This spread will not make the querent’s decision for him. Rather, it is designed to give him information to help him make this decision for himself.

Third Party Questions Another common difficulty arises when a querent asks what someone else (usually a spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend) is doing, feeling, or thinking. For example, “Does John love me?” or “Is Jane cheating on me?” When that happens, I tell the querent that I cannot do a reading to see what other people are doing, mainly due to my ethics concerning privacy issues.[11] I then tell him that I can, however, do a reading to see what he needs to know about his relationship with that other person. For example, I may do a reading for a question like, “What do you need to know about your relationship with Jane?”



'Yes or No' Questions “Yes or No” questions are a common problem too, since they usually reflect the querent’s assumption that she has no control over her life. In addition, how valuable is a yes or no answer going to be anyway? For example, consider the question, “Will I ever find true love?” A “Yes” answer might provide some small measure of comfort to the querent, but how helpful is it? She may find love, but then will she recognize it, appreciate it, and hold on to it? Rephrasing such a question to be something like, “What do I need to know about how I handle my relationships?” can reveal the querent’s strengths and weaknesses regarding relationships so that she can work to improve her ability to find, nurture, and keep them.

Professional Advice Questions Other difficult questions are the ones that ask for professional (i.e., medical, legal, financial, etc.) advice. When I am asked these questions, I tell people that their question is not within my professional expertise, and that if they have specific questions about their health, legal issues, finances, and so on, they should consult a professional in that field. Of all the difficult questions, this type is the most problematic. If you do try to answer a medical question, for example, and you are not a doctor, you could find yourself in deep trouble for practicing medicine without a license. Depending on the circumstances, however, I may try to rephrase the question into a form that I can answer. Perhaps the reading can probe the querent’s attitudes or motivations regarding her question. For example, a question that I have encountered more than once is, “Will I get pregnant soon?” The circumstances behind this question could arise from a medical problem, in which case I would avoid it. But let’s say, for instance, that the querent has indicated that she just got married and she and her husband are looking forward to having a child. Perhaps she has concerns about being a mother or about the responsibilities and difficulties of raising children. In that case, I might rephrase her question to be something like, “What do I need to know about starting a family?” It is always difficult to decide whether or not to handle questions that lurk in this gray area between what is appropriate to a Tarot reading and what is not. You have to tread carefully over the thin ice of such questions, because

answering them can have dire legal ramifications, since you probably are not a doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc. When such questions land in this gray area, I usually try to avoid them. Of course, much more problematic is any question that directly asks for a professional diagnosis, such as “Do I have cancer?” These should be avoided completely.

Vague Questions Vague questions, on the other hand, require a different type of consideration. These are questions that sound something like this: “Oh ... I don’t know. Can you just tell me what’s going to happen in the near future?” You can do a general reading for such questions, and anything from a simple “Past, Present, Future” spread to the more complex Celtic Cross spread may suit the querent’s needs. However, when a question like this comes up, it can be helpful to ask the querent some clarifying questions. You also might want to pull a card to see if the Tarot has a suggestion about what the focus of the reading should be. Often a little discussion with the querent can reveal that there is a specific issue with which she is dealing, and for which a reading would be helpful. Maybe she was unaware of the importance of this issue until you talked to her about it. Or perhaps, for some reason, she was reluctant to bring up what was really on her mind. Whatever the reason for the querent’s reticence, a simple and honest discussion with her can be quite valuable. Chat with her. Ask her questions about herself and about her concerns, and sincerely listen to her answers. This will go a long way toward making her comfortable enough to tell you what is troubling her, and then to participate fully in the reading.

Compound Questions On the other end of the spectrum from vague questions are the more vexing complex and compound questions. These questions are loaded with specifics, and with multiple sub-questions. The following is a fictional example of this type, although it is strikingly typical of some questions that I have encountered. “My boyfriend and I are thinking of getting married, and I want to know if that’s a good idea because he doesn’t have a job, and my mother doesn’t think it’s right for a wife to support her husband, but will that really be a problem, because I think maybe my income can support us, can’t it?” There is so much to work with here that it is hard to know where to start. Is

this a romance reading, such as “Should I get married?” Is it a financial one, such as, “Can my boyfriend and I make a marriage work on the income we have available?” This even may be a request for a reading about this woman’s relationship with her interfering mother. The first step toward dealing with long-winded questions like this is to break them down into components to get a list of the various questions that are being asked here. Then one way to proceed is to do a separate reading for each component question. Alternatively, you can get the querent to prioritize these component questions, and then decide which to have a reading for now and which to put off until a future reading. Or maybe you can do a multi-card reading using one card for each of the component questions. You might even be able to rephrase this into one simple, overarching question, such as, “What do I need to know about marrying my boyfriend?” There are a variety of options for handling complex questions, but if you ask the Tarot a meandering and muddled question, it is most likely that you will get an equally meandering and muddled answer.

Key Considerations The types of questions discussed above are some of the most common ones that need to be rephrased. This process seems complicated, but just remember that the key considerations for a properly phrased question are: 1. Does it focus on the querent? In addition to the fact that there are ethical problems with doing readings for a third party, in the long run, a reading is most helpful when it focuses on the querent, because the only person he can change is himself. 2. Does it reflect the querent’s responsibility for her life? “Should I...” questions imply that the querent wants to avoid taking responsibility for her decisions or actions. To help her make her own decisions, a good reading will provide useful information rather than simple yes or no answers. 3. Does it empower the querent to positively affect his future? Focusing on what a querent can do to create a desired outcome rather than foretelling the future, which is mutable anyway, will empower him to take control of his destiny. 4. Is it something that you, a Tarot reader, are qualified to answer?

If you’re not a doctor, for example, you should not try to give medical advice in a reading or you could wind up in legal trouble. A brief, sincere discussion with the querent prior to doing a reading will help the two of you find the best way to phrase the question. And if you can formulate the question so that it does the things noted above, then you will have paved the way for a beneficial Tarot reading.

Chapter 6

Three-Card Spreads Many years ago when I volunteered to do online readings on a website that provides free readings, I discovered that we were required to use three-card spreads for our readings. That sounded simple enough, but at first, the only three-card spreads that came to mind were “Past, Present, Future” and “Body, Mind, Spirit.” If I had to use three-card spreads, I certainly wanted more options than that. With a little research, however, I eventually was able to find or create dozens of three-card spreads. The next thing I noticed was that there are similarities between many of the three-card spreads, and with a little consideration, I was able to come up with seven major categories for them. An examination of those categories helped me understand each specific three-card spread better, and ultimately it has helped me develop new three-card spreads as well. This chapter explains those seven groupings, as well as some other spreads that defy categorization. Since most of the readings in this book use three-card spreads, this discussion will clarify such spreads in advance. More importantly, it will help you better understand this type of spread for your own use.

Temporal Spreads The first type of three-card spread is the Temporal Spread. While the passage of time is an element of a great many three-card spreads, with this type it is the essential feature. The three cards in this type of spread usually refer to the past, present, and future, but sometimes the starting point is the present, or even the near future. An excellent expansion on this theme can be found in Mary Greer’s Thesis/Antithesis/Synthesis spread, which she mentions in her book, Tarot for Your Self. The first card is the Thesis, or an idea that the querent may have had (generally in the past). The next card is the Antithesis, or the reaction to that idea (generally going on right now). The last card is the Synthesis, or the action needed to implement the idea (in the future), keeping in mind the reaction to it, i.e., the Antithesis.[12] One of my favorite Temporal Spreads is one that has a slightly different time frame, examining instead the present, near future, and farther future. The first card describes the current situation, the next card provides a recommended

action (for the near future), and the last card considers a likely outcome.

Levels of Being Next there are the three-card spreads that discuss “Levels of Being.” The most common example is the Body, Mind, and Spirit spread, or the similar Body, Mind, and Emotion spread. Closely related is a spread that addresses three levels of consciousness: Unconscious, Conscious, and Super-Conscious (or Higher Self). In addition, there is the Home, Work, and Relationships spread that covers what are probably the three most important aspects of life for most people.

Background, Problem, Advice Surprisingly, the type of spread for which I found the most examples was neither of the ones that first sprang to mind (Temporal or Levels of Being). Instead it was the “Background, Problem, Advice” type. Spreads of this kind first give an overview of the current situation, then they talk about the specific challenge or problem the querent faces, and lastly they discuss how to address that challenge or problem. An example of this type of spread is one for getting or improving a relationship that was once described to me by Rev. Jennifer Elizabeth Moore[13]. The first card addresses the underlying dynamics of the querent’s relationships. The next card talks about the querent’s patterns of resistance to relationships. The last card presents the most effective way to find a new relationship or to improve the querent’s current relationship—whichever is the relevant area of concern.

Progression Spreads Another class of three-card spreads is the type that I call Progression Spreads. These start with a particular concept and either expand it or contract it. Probably the most obvious example begins with the querent’s self and expands upon that. This spread describes the Personal (self), Interpersonal (relationships), and Transpersonal (humanity/moral) aspects of the querent’s life. A variant of that is the Emotional, Social, Spiritual spread. Moving in the other direction (contracting) is the Life Purpose spread that I heard about from Sherryl Smith on an online Tarot discussion list. To use this

interesting spread you first divide the deck into three parts: Major Arcana cards, Court cards, and the numbered cards. The first card, drawn from the Major Arcana, describes the soulful work the Universe wants the querent to do at this time. The next card, drawn from the Court cards, depicts the personal qualities needed for this work. The last card, a Pip card, shows what action is required to actualize the message of the Major Arcana card. Thus, in this spread the progression is from the general to the specific.

Yes/No Spreads One might think that Yes/No questions would lend themselves best to one or two-card readings. However, I’ve found several excellent three-card Yes/No spreads, which all incorporate some sort of a “maybe” option. Many of these spreads require you to count cards, usually either “positive” vs. “negative” cards or reversed vs. upright cards. For example, three upright cards means Yes, while three reversed cards means No. Two upright: Maybe Yes, and Two reversed: Maybe No. My favorite of this sort, since it lends itself well to advice as well as to a Yes/No answer, is based on one that I learned from John Gilbert, former president of the American Tarot Association. For this one, the three cards say, respectively, “Yes if...” “No if...” and “Maybe if...” In other words, they indicate the conditions under which the answer would be Yes or No, while the “Maybe” card can indicate a decision to be made or an action to be taken in order for the querent to get what she wants.

Choice Spreads There are various Choice Spreads that are effective for addressing questions like, “Should I do this or that?” The most common of the three-card choice spreads relate the first card to “choice A,” assigning to it a meaning such as the benefits, disadvantages, or potential outcome of that choice. The same goes for the third card if “choice B” is picked. Then the middle card may present a deciding factor, a compromise solution, or a third alternative. Obviously, you can mix and match these assignments, thus creating several different spreads. For example, you might create a spread in which you assign “potential outcome” to cards one and three, and “deciding factor” to the middle card. Or you can assign “benefits” to cards one and three, and “compromise solution” to the middle card.



Sandwich Spreads The last type, which I call (with a sly grin) Sandwich Spreads, relates the right and left cards to similar concepts while the middle card joins them somehow. (Actually, you could consider the Choice Spreads mentioned above to be a subtype of the Sandwich Spreads, but that group seemed important enough to merit its own category.) For example, the outside cards (i.e., cards one and three) might indicate the querent on one hand and someone of importance in his life (like a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, parent, child, etc.) on the other hand. Then the center card could indicate their relationship. Another example is a spread that discusses where you are right now (card one) versus where you want to be (card three). In that case, the center card might indicate what you need to do to get where you want to go or the obstacles that stand in your way.

Miscellaneous Spreads There are, of course, many three-card spreads that do not fit conveniently into the categories described above. You will find some of these spreads as you read the existing Tarot literature, and others you will discover from other Tarot readers. But perhaps the most memorable ones will be those that you develop for a specific reading. Once you have created them, you will find that they are perfect for many occasions. For example, I created a spread once when asked to do a reading for a woman whose life seemed bleak as her husband lay dying. She wondered if there were any good things coming into her life, so I came up with the following three-card spread, which I thought would be helpful for her: 1. The blessings you bring into your own life 2. The blessings that others around you bring into your life 3. Blessings that the Universe is bringing to you I have found that this spread can work well in situations where a querent needs hope and encouragement in the midst of dire problems. A spread like this can help because although the querent’s problem itself may be beyond her control, she does have power over how she copes with those problems and how

she views herself and her circumstances. So this spread seeks to show how the querent’s glass is half full rather than focusing on how it is half empty. Another spread that I created, and which seems to defy categorization, is one that works well for general “What does the future hold?” type of questions. 1. Focusing card (What the reading is about) 2. Where your current path is leading you 3. An alternate course of action Finally, the Story Spread is a very different sort of three-card spread that I learned from Robert Place.[14] This spread uses the metaphor that each card represents a word or phrase in the sentence created by the three cards taken together. Thus the seventy-eight Tarot cards, when combined in groups of three, can create almost half a million different “sentences.”

In this spread, the middle card functions as the verb of the sentence, and as such, it establishes the direction in which to read the trio of cards. For example, if the middle card is the Knight of Pentacles, you would read from left to right because the Knight faces to the right in the card image. With other cards, such as the Wheel of Fortune, the flow seems to emanate from the center toward the flanking cards, and in other cases, the central card provides advice about the cards to either side of it. The Magician is an example of such an instructional card. (For more information about this complex and powerful spread, I refer you to Robert Place’s books noted above.) Note that this spread works well with decks that have pictorial images on all the cards, such as the various RWS decks and variants of it. However, decks such as the Tarot de Marseilles, which have only suit symbols on the pip cards, are ill suited for storytelling. And with decks that use complex images, such as the Voyager Deck, it would be hard to get a sense of flow from the cards.

Conclusions Finally, I realize that the categorizations presented in this chapter are somewhat arbitrary. For example, Mary Greer’s Thesis/Antithesis/Synthesis spread, described as a “Temporal Spread,” might also fit into the “Background, Problem, Advice” category. However, as is the case with most classification systems, this one attempts to provide insights and to facilitate understanding, not confine it. Also, I have discovered and developed more three-card spreads than I have discussed here, but these examples should give you a fairly comprehensive overview. You can use the spreads presented here in your Tarot readings, or you can use them as a springboard to create your own. After you have worked extensively with three-card spreads, what you have learned from using them will make larger spreads easier to deal with as well. Most of the concepts you learn through using three-card spreads are applicable to larger spreads as well. Whatever the size of the spread—three cards or seventy-eight—you must apply the cards’ meanings in the context of their positions. You also will find that the cards will interact, i.e., affect and influence each other’s meanings, in spreads both large and small. This aspect of reading the cards is illustrated often in the readings in this book. And significantly, the reading of larger spreads, such as the ten-card Celtic Cross, can be approached (at least to some extent) as the interpretation of several two or three card clusters or “sub-spreads.”

Chapter 7

Putting it All Together The preceding chapters discussed a variety of fundamental skills, tools, and techniques that can help a beginning Tarot student read Tarot cards. Various ways of discovering meanings for each of the seventy-eight Tarot cards, whether reversed or upright, were presented, along with suggestions as to how to phrase the question for a reading and a variety of three-card spreads. These are all valuable pieces of the Tarot puzzle, but pulling them all together in order to arrive at a meaningful Tarot reading still can be a daunting task. This chapter will explain how to use these various skills, tools, and techniques in order to do a Tarot reading. There is one important caveat about the philosophy that underlies this explanation, however. The method I use for doing Tarot readings depends upon there being interaction between the querent and me, the reader. Some Tarot readers have a style that minimizes or even avoids such interaction. This, too, is a valid way to read Tarot cards, but it relies upon a rare level of psychic ability that I cannot assume my audience possesses, and I leave it to other books and teachers to explain and present it.

Listen to the Querent The essential components of a Tarot reading are the cards, the reader, and the querent. The importance of the first two, the cards and the reader, is obvious. What many people fail to appreciate is the value of the input of the third component, the querent. The first step in doing a meaningful Tarot reading is to listen to the querent. Not only is she the reason for doing the reading, but also sometimes it can be her input that enables you, the reader, to make sense of the messages in the cards. This is because she can provide the background for the reading and the context in which the cards can be best interpreted. This input is often the crucial element that sheds light on the meaning of a baffling card or that ties together the meanings of several cards in order to bring understanding to a puzzling reading. There are some who say that talking to the querent and asking her questions is cheating; that in so doing you aren’t really reading the cards. In truth, however, there is a lot more to reading Tarot cards than just relaying the messages in them. The whole process is more complicated and involved than that, and establishing a rapport with the querent is an important step in the process of doing a reading.

The first cooperative effort that you and the querent undertake is determining what the question for the reading should be. This topic was explored in depth in chapter 5, Rephrasing the Question, but in brief summary, the most helpful type of questions are the ones that focus attention on the querent, assume that she is responsible for her own decisions and actions, and seek to empower her to create the destiny she wants.

Choose the Spread and the Deck Next, you need to determine what spread you want to use for the reading, and one of the most important factors in making that decision is the type of question being asked. Chapter 6, Three-Card Spreads, discusses what kinds of three-card spreads are best suited to various types of questions, and similar considerations apply to any larger spreads that you may want to use. (Unfortunately, an extensive examination of larger spreads is beyond the scope of this book.[15]) Through your study of the wide variety of spreads available and your subsequent experience with them, you will come to a good understanding of the types of questions for which they are best suited. How much time you have for the reading is another consideration in selecting a spread. Even an experienced Tarot reader could be hard pressed to do justice to a reading using the ten-card Celtic Cross spread if he had only ten minutes for the reading. On the other hand, if you have a lot of time (for example, an hour) and you are willing and able to go into a lot of depth in a reading, you would probably prefer a spread like the Celtic Cross over one of the simpler three-card spreads I described in Chapter 6. In addition to choosing a spread, you also must pick which deck you want to use. For those Tarot readers who have only one deck, this is an easy step, while for those who have quite a few decks it can be quite a dilemma. Typically, this is a very intuitive process, based upon what deck feels right for the reading. However, experience will show you which decks seem best suited to which types of questions and which kinds of querents.

Shuffle and Deal the Cards Now that you have a question in mind, a deck in your hands, and are ready to use a specific spread, the next step is to shuffle and deal the cards. There are a variety of ways to shuffle the cards and no hard-and-fast rules for doing so. Whatever works for you is okay. You can even dump them out on the table in a

heap and swirl them around if you want to. I usually caution students against shuffling their cards in any way that bends them unduly, however, since that wears them out quickly. Even so, if you want to riffle your deck like a Las Vegas card shark, that is entirely up to you. Should you cut the deck before dealing the cards? That is up to you as well. But if you do so, it is advisable to cut with your non-dominant hand. In other words, if you are right-handed, cut with your left hand.[16] There are a variety of ways of selecting cards for a reading, and it is a good idea to make this selection with your non-dominant hand as well. The most common way is to deal the cards, one after the other, off the top of the deck, but when working with a three-card spread, I often cut the deck into three piles and turn over the top card of each stack to arrive at the three cards for the reading. Another method is to fan the cards so that either you or the querent can pick each card from the fanned deck. You also can shuffle, cut, and deal the top card once for each card in the spread. This discussion of shuffling, cutting, and dealing begs a question that new students often ask: Should you ever let someone else touch your cards? It seems that every Tarot reader has her own definitive answer to this question. Some readers never let anyone else touch their cards, others insist that the querent should shuffle, cut, and deal the cards, and a great many fall somewhere in between. My preference is to shuffle the cards myself, and then have the querent cut the deck. If I decide to select the cards by picking them from a fanned deck, I usually let the querent pick the cards as well. The main reason I do not have the querent shuffle the deck is that doing this makes some people nervous, and so they concentrate on shuffling when I would rather they focus their attention on their question. Cutting the deck, on the other hand, is a task that is simple enough to require only a minimal amount of concentration, and I have never seen a querent fret about whether or not she was doing it right. Once you have cards dealt into the assigned positions for the spread you are using, the real work—and fun—begins. No matter how much a Tarot student has studied the cards and learned their meanings, the art of applying that knowledge to an actual reading can be quite a test of her abilities, since every querent is special, every question is distinct, and every reading is unique. This is the challenge, the beauty, and the excitement of reading Tarot cards. And this applies to novice and experienced reader alike. Even after doing a thousand readings, a Tarot reader can find new insights into the cards and into the process itself as long as she keeps her heart and mind open.

How, then, does a Tarot reader blend the mainly rational process of learning about the cards and how to use them with the more intuitive process of applying that knowledge in a specific reading? It is the primary intent of this book to use sample readings in order to illustrate various ways to meet this challenge. But before launching into those illustrations, this chapter will discuss this process and present various ways in which card meanings specific to an actual reading can be divined.

Listen to the Cards For each card in a spread, you must determine what it is saying to you in this particular reading. You may have a keyword for it, you may have learned a brief description of its meaning, or you may know a wide variety of possible meanings for it. But whatever you consciously know about a card is only a finger pointing toward its true meaning within a specific reading. Each card in a reading has a story to tell—one that it has never told before in exactly the same way—and it is a delicately intuitive process to hear that tale and to understand what it means. In order to hear a card with your intuitive ear, you can begin by observing and reacting to the illustration on the card. What does the image say to you in and of itself? What is your gut reaction to it? It also can help to recall its numerological and elemental meanings, but when you then combine those meanings into a message, do it within the context of the reading.

For example, consider a hypothetical reading wherein the querent has expressed uncertainty about where he thinks a troubled relationship is going. Let’s say that the Two of Cups has come up in a position called, “The problem you face.” How can we interpret this card in this position when reading for this question? After all, the Two of Cups is not usually considered to be a problematic card. Perhaps our first impression when we see this card is that the man in it seems to be accepting a cup from the woman in a very tentative manner. Next we

might think about some numerological meanings for the number two and elemental meanings for the suit of Cups, which is related to water.[17] Twos can indicate duality, choices, union, balance, or partnerships, and Cups can be associated with emotions, love, relationships, imagination, empathy, compassion, and intuition. From our calm, receptive state of mind, we may see which of those meanings seem appropriate in this situation. Perhaps it feels right in this case to use “choice” for the number Two and “feelings and relationships” for Cups. If we combine those meanings, while also keeping in mind our initial reaction to the card, we might say that the querent has ambivalent feelings for his partner and is therefore being very tentative about making the choice to enter more deeply into this relationship. On the other hand, maybe our initial reaction to the Two of Cups card is that the man is reaching out to the woman, but she is holding the cup tightly, unwilling to relinquish it. Considering that Twos can mean balance and Cups can indicate relationships, this card might be saying that the problem is that the querent feels that there needs to be a better balance in this relationship, that he seems to be putting more into it than is his partner, who seems to be holding back a bit. Although the same process was used in both cases, this card ended up saying two very different things, depending on what our initial reaction to it was and what numerological and elemental keywords or meanings came to mind. As may be surmised, this is an intuitive process. What was also important in finding the appropriate meaning for the Two of Cups was the fact that we were trying to see how this card could be a problem in the querent’s relationship. If this card had been in a position called, “What can help you overcome your problem,” or if this had been a reading about the querent’s career, our interpretation would have been very different. There are many other ways besides the one described above that can help a reader sift through the wide range of meanings for each card in order to arrive at an interpretation that suits the circumstances of the reading. If you have accumulated several keywords or meanings for your cards, you can mentally thumb through them until one strikes a chord within you. This method is quick, easy, and surprisingly effective. In fact, it is one that I commonly use when I am teaching new Tarot students. Often when I am helping a student do a reading and a card comes up that seems puzzling, I start listing possible meanings for it. Usually something I say clicks for the student, and her eyebrows shoot up in recognition as she gets a vivid “Oh, now I get it!” look on her face.

You also can consider what symbol on a card catches your eye when you first look at it. Think about what that symbol means to you, then focus on how the meaning of that symbol affects the message of the card, and vice versa.[18] For example, returning to the Two of Cups, we might focus initially on the winged heart rising above the two people. This symbol may suggest that love lifts us up out of our petty egoistic concerns. Another simple, but effective, method for hearing what a card has to say in the particular circumstances of a reading is to pay attention to whatever message pops into your head when you look at a card. For example, if the Three of Swords turns up, the words “cut to the heart of the matter” may come to mind. Perhaps you will understand what that means within the context of this reading, but maybe you will not. It may ring a bell for the querent, and it may not. It does not matter. If something jumps into your head, say it. Of course, you should express a card’s message as tactfully and with as much consideration as possible, but the point is that you should not second guess your intuition. The relevance of the message may become clear later on in the reading, or it may not mean anything to the querent until days later when its meaning may dawn on her suddenly and unexpectedly. Of course, it could be a false alarm, but if you let your conscious mind censor the instinctive messages you get, you will end up stifling your intuition. Thus, you will miss some of the more valuable pearls of wisdom that a Tarot reading has to offer. Something else to watch out for in a reading is a peculiar phenomenon that I call a “literalism.” This is an image on a card that bears a strikingly literal resemblance to something about the querent, his situation, or the question for the reading. (Examples of literalisms can be found in some of the readings in this book, such as the reading for Cinderella.) Although at first glance it may seem that a literalism is merely a curiosity, I often find such an occurrence to be particularly useful in a reading. It can make or illustrate an important point, and sometimes it may send a frisson of excitement up the querent’s spine, which can help instill confidence in her. Or it simply may make the reading more stimulating, thereby enlivening it while the other, less flashy, aspects of the reading do the lion’s share of the work. In any particular case let your intuition and experienced judgment show you how useful a literalism is, and thus, whether or not you want to point it out to the querent. Finally, never hesitate to interact with the querent as you do a reading, for a discussion about the meaning of a perplexing card can often lead to valuable insights about its message. After all, the querent is the one closest to the subject of a reading, and while he may not be consciously aware of the answers to his

questions, they usually are buried deep inside him, just waiting to be revealed. One way to allow such wisdom to reveal itself during a reading is to have the querent describe a card. You can ask him to describe its physical details or explain what the figures in the card are doing, thinking, or feeling. You may want him to recount a history of how the situation depicted in the card came to be, or predict what will happen next to the characters in the card. In any case, listen carefully to him relate what he sees happening in the card, and pay close attention to anything that is relevant to the subject of the reading. In the seemingly innocuous process of talking about a Tarot card, a querent will often reveal precious truths about himself, about his situation, and about the solution to his problems. Ironically, these usually are truths that he did not realize he knew.

Conclude and Summarize the Reading At the end of a reading it is important to summarize its meaning and significance based upon the messages of each of the cards, and to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. Were there predictions, warnings, or advice that stood out powerfully as you read the cards? These highlights may bear repeating. Was there a unified tale that the cards told when you considered them all together? When you string together the messages from each of the cards, you’ll often find such an overarching message for the entire reading. Sometimes a querent will nod politely all during a reading while you explain what you see in the cards, even though he has not understood all that you have said. He may not comprehend what some of the cards mean, or he may have trouble seeing how they relate to his question. Knowing that this can be the case, I conclude my Tarot readings by asking the querent if he has any questions about the meaning of any of the cards or about the reading in general. And I always ask if the reading has answered his question and if it has helped him.

Journal the Reading After you have completed a reading, you may want to record its highlights. Indeed, a good way to improve your ability to do Tarot readings is to keep a journal of the readings you do—or at least of the one you do for yourself. In a journal like this, you will want to keep the following information: 1. The date of the reading

2. The question for which the reading was done 3. The spread that was used 4. The cards that were dealt for each position in the spread 5. Interpretations for each of the cards 6. A summary of the message of the reading If you keep a journal like this, you can look back at these readings anywhere from a few months to a year or more later in order to see what you may have missed or misinterpreted the first time around. With the benefit of hindsight, you can discover a great deal about how you could have improved a reading, which can help you in future readings. If any guidance was provided in the reading, you may want to consider if it was appropriate and helpful. Similarly, were warnings in the reading accurate? Also, can you now see better interpretations for any of the cards?

See the Magic This chapter has outlined and explained the basic steps involved in doing a Tarot reading. There is, however, an even more fundamental aspect of working with Tarot cards that needs to be mentioned, something that goes beyond the mere procedural steps involved in doing a reading. This is something that I try to impress upon students in my Tarot classes when they ask me questions like, “I heard that I have to keep my cards wrapped in silk, is that true?” “Do I have to carry my cards around with me at all times?” “Do you ever let anyone else touch your cards?” Such questions are based on an assumption, whether the students are conscious of it or not, that the cards are magical in and of themselves, and that they must be treated and cared for in specific, arcane ways in order to access their magic. But how accurate is that assumption? True, you should treat your cards with respect, just as any artist or artisan treats the tools of her trade with respect. Treating them with care and consideration will protect them so that they can serve you well, and your respect for them is a reflection of how much you value what you do with them. However, there is no “right” way to store your cards, except with care. There is no requirement to keep your cards with you at all times, except, perhaps, within your heart. And while I know of people who never let anyone else touch their Tarot cards, I have no problem letting someone else handle my cards, as long as they too handle them carefully. And so the basic message that I try to convey to my students is that a deck of

Tarot cards is a tool that you should treat with respect. The real magic, however, lies within you.

Chapter 8

Ethical Considerations If you plan to read Tarot cards for profit, it is important that you consider writing up a code of ethics for your Tarot practice. But even if you do not intend to read for anyone other than friends and family, it is a good idea at least to consider this topic, since doing so will impel you to think about ethical issues related to doing Tarot readings. If you never think about this subject, someday you will find yourself making ethical decisions in the heat of the moment. Such snap decisions usually fall victim to the petty dictates of expedience and short-term self-interest. They rarely reflect the values of your higher self or of an enlightened sense of purpose. But isn’t reading Tarot cards enough of a soulful practice that you should give your decisions about it careful consideration? If you spend a little time and effort writing up your code of Tarot ethics, it will be written down for future reference, both on paper and in the back of your mind. The act of writing it will embed it into your consciousness and enable you to refer back to it should ever you forget it. It will also make it available to show anyone for whom you are doing a reading. Again, if you do not plan to read professionally, this may not be such an important issue, but a written code of ethics will help you set boundaries as to what you will and will not do in a Tarot reading. While we may not be able to lay down universal rules applicable to everyone and every situation, what follows are some ideas that you might want to consider in order to decide how you feel about the ethics of your Tarot practice. These issues include such things as privacy, accuracy, honesty, integrity, and responsibility. The issue of privacy deals with both the querent’s confidentiality and the privacy of anyone not present for the reading. The first issue is relatively straightforward. Would you ever reveal what you have learned about someone in the course of doing a reading for him? Under what circumstances would it be ethical to do so? Idle gossip is obviously unethical, but what if the safety or well being of the querent or someone else is at stake? Would you then reveal what you learned during a Tarot reading? The privacy of someone not present for a reading is a topic on which there are strongly divergent opinions. The question of doing a reading to peer into the life of someone else was touched upon in chapter 5, Rephrasing the Question,

but further discussion on this ethical issue is in order here. Some Tarot readers feel that if we want to be helpful to a querent, we sometimes have to read for questions like, “Is my husband cheating on me?” While that position has merit, we should also consider where to draw the line with questions that seek to examine the thoughts or actions of anyone not present for the reading. How far into the business of others dare we try to peek? Is it always okay to try to ferret out someone else’s secrets? Is it ever okay? And are we wise enough to know when it is okay and when it is not? Each of us has to look deeply into our conscience to decide how to deal with this issue. My decision has been to avoid doing readings with the intention of finding out the thoughts or actions of anyone who has not given their permission for such an examination, which typically is anyone not present for the reading. When I do a reading that involves other people (such as relationship readings) I keep my intention on finding higher truths about the relationship and on trying to have the reading be a benefit and a blessing for everyone involved. Thus, for example, if a querent asks what her boyfriend might be doing behind her back, I try to rephrase the question to focus it on what she needs to know about her relationship with him. I may include in the spread a position such as, “What do you need to know about your boyfriend?” but I am leaving it up to a higher source to bring us whatever answers may be fair for us to know. The issue of accuracy is a bit less thorny. Do you feel you are 100 percent accurate in your readings? If so, would you feel comfortable telling people that? If not, are you comfortable telling someone that you may be wrong? If you cannot tell what one of the cards in a spread is saying, are you able to say, “I don’t understand what this card means here.” We allow almost everyone space to make mistakes. If the weatherman says it will rain tomorrow, but it does not, do we call him a fraud and stop watching the weather report? If our doctor says we need surgery, do we just assume she must be right, or might we get a second opinion? And if that second opinion contradicts the first one, do we assume that one of the doctors is a quack? No one is perfect, but for some reason, there are quite a few people who feel that if a Tarot reader is not 100 percent accurate, then he must be a fraud. Even though the Universe, speaking through the cards, never lies, we, being mere mortals, are not perfect, and we can make mistakes interpreting the messages of the cards. If we won’t admit that, how can we expect anyone else to realize it? So giving ourselves permission to make mistakes or not to know something relieves us of the stress of having to be perfect, and without that stress we can relax and give a better reading.

Realizing and admitting to your limitations is a rather straightforward aspect of honesty in a Tarot reading. A more complicated one lies in balancing honesty versus compassion and understanding. In other words, does exercising tact compromise your honesty? For most of us, this is not a simple yes-or-no question. Rather, it tends to lie somewhere in a gray area in between. With a bit of soul searching we can find where that is, but we all have to make that determination for ourselves. Providing hope in a reading is another issue on which there is a divergence of opinions. Do you believe that in any situation there is always hope, even if only a glimmer? If so, you may determine to try to find that ray of hope in every reading, no matter how dire. Is that honest, or is it whitewashing the truth? Some say that compassion requires severe honesty, while others feel that it is quite ethical to find what hope there may be in a reading in order to provide it to those who need it the most. I do not, of course, advise lying to a querent or painting a rosy picture over a bleak outcome, but I do find it important to try to make a reading a blessing to whatever extent is possible. Again, this is a difficult issue to pin down, and it bears careful consideration. Another issue to think about is that of responsibility. We have already talked about the responsibility of the reader, but what about the querent? Should a Tarot reader make the assumption that ultimately the querent is responsible for her own decisions and her own life? If you assume this, it will affect the way you work with the querent to phrase the question for a reading, the way you conduct the reading, and how you feel after it is over. A related question is how dependent upon your services are you willing to let people become? Although it might improve my income to let people come for readings as often as they want, I am opposed to having a querent become so dependent upon Tarot readings that he has to have one every time he faces a problem or a decision. But how often is too often? Once a week? Once a month? Once a year? Different Tarot readers set different standards, but I usually tell a querent that unless there has been a major change in his life, I would rather he not come for a reading more than once every few months. Whether or not you should charge for your Tarot readings is another topic that can generate a lively debate. Some claim that being able to read Tarot cards is a gift, and as such should be given back to the universe, not sold. Others maintain that any talent, such as singing, painting, or dancing, is a gift, and that reading Tarot cards, like any other gift, requires training to develop and takes effort to do, and consequently, it deserves compensation. A detailed philosophical discourse on this subject is beyond the scope of this book, so I will

just suggest that if you do charge for your readings, be reasonable, honest, and scrupulous about what you can do and about how much you charge for your services. The final point I would urge you to consider is one that goes beyond ethics and into the realm of legalities. As noted in chapter 5, Rephrasing the Question, a Tarot reader has to be very careful to stick to her own area of expertise (reading Tarot cards) and to avoid giving advice outside that realm. This requires constant vigilance, because people often want a Tarot reading to answer questions that are, by nature, medical, legal, financial, etc. Not only is it unethical to presume to answer such questions, but if you are reading for the general public, it can be illegal as well. What follows is a statement of my Tarot Ethics. I share it here not only as a template that others must use, but also as an example of how one person has decided to deal with questions of ethical conduct in reading Tarot cards. Take from it what you will. It is not necessary that you agree with my code of ethics, but it is important that you give careful consideration to your own.

My Tarot Ethics 1. Confidentiality: I will not reveal what a client tells me without his or her explicit approval. I will hold all written and verbal communication with a client in confidence, except in the event of a life-threatening situation. 2. Honesty: I will interpret a reading to the best of my ability and will honestly admit when I can’t interpret something. I will always tell the truth, but will not impose information on a client that they have clearly indicated that they do not wish to discuss or explore in further detail. 3. Consideration: I will always provide readings with compassion and in a considerate and nonjudgmental manner. 4. Expertise: I will not give advice in areas for which I am not qualified. If the client needs a physician, psychologist, lawyer, financial advisor, accountant, or any other professional service for which I am not qualified, I will encourage him or her to seek such service from someone who is qualified in that area, and I will make appropriate referrals wherever possible. 5. Responsibility: My goal as a Tarot reader is to help my clients take responsibility for their own decisions and actions, and act according to their own conscience for the greater good of all concerned. 6. Empowerment: I will let my clients know that the future is never etched in stone and thus that they always have the power to change their future. I will strive to help my clients leave a reading feeling empowered to make practical, lifeaffirming decisions. 7. Healing: I will allow myself to be a conduit through which Divine Spirit heals my clients’ spirit, mind, body, and environment based upon insights gained from a reading.

8. Uplifting: I will strive to make each reading a blessing for everyone involved. I will be encouraging and try to leave my clients with a sense of renewed strength and hope, and to conclude each reading, no matter how bad it might initially appear, on a positive, uplifting note. 9. Independence: I will not let my clients become dependent upon my services, nor pressure them for return visits. 10. Payment: I will not accept payment unless my client is satisfied with the reading. I reserve the right to refuse to read for any client, but I will return any compensation for such a reading. 11. Professional conduct: Since the future is always mutable, I will never scare a client by predicting a physical death. I will not do a reading to see what someone other than my client is doing or feeling. I will at all times maintain an ethical and professional relationship with my clients. I will not abuse a client's trust and vulnerability for my own personal benefit. I will endeavor to study those subjects that will advance my own professional development and aid me in giving better readings. I will not refer clients to another professional reader in anticipation of acquiring kickbacks or other compensation. I will treat my professional colleagues with respect.

Section 3: Sample Three-Card Readings

As I tried to decide how many “Ask KnightHawk” readings to include in this book, several numbers came to mind. Seventy-eight—one for each card in a Tarot deck—was an obvious choice, but it would have made this book far too long for practical purposes. The next obvious choice was twentytwo, the number of Major Arcana cards, and that is the number upon which I settled. For the most part, I have ordered the three-card readings that appear in this book based upon a Major Arcana card that appears in them. Readings that had more than one Major Arcana card required that I choose one of them to serve as the “placement” card. However, I did not have a viable reading for every one of the twenty-two Major Arcana cards. For each of those un-represented cards, I used a reading for someone who characterized in some way the missing card or for which there was a thematic correspondence between the reading and the card. For the High Priestess, I used the reading I had done for Gertrude Stein, who I see as typifying the insight of that card. Since Aristotle is one of history’s bestknown teachers, I used his reading for the Hierophant. In the case of the Lovers card, I chose a reading for Dr. Jekyll. That card is commonly associated with the astrological sign of Gemini, the Twins, and the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde deals with the good and evil twins within us and with the archetypal choice we must make between them. Finally, Lady Macbeth is perhaps best known for her crazed “Out, damned spot!” soliloquy, so by virtue of her fabled lunacy, I chose to use her reading for the Moon. Thus, this section is composed of twenty-two readings numbered 0 through 21, just as the Major Arcana cards are typically numbered. The chapter titles are generally the headlines I used for the “Ask KnightHawk” columns from which the respective readings originally appeared. After each reading I have provided comments about the challenges it presented, noteworthy observations about it, and things I learned in the process of doing it. I would like to make one final point before launching into these three-card

readings, and that concerns their brevity. These readings are intended to demonstrate the art of doing Tarot readings, but they are not intended to convince the reader to use three-card spreads exclusively. I generally use them when I want to do a quick reading, such as when I do readings at a party. Otherwise I tend to use larger spreads, such as the Celtic Cross, which you will see in the next section of this book, or one of the many spreads to be found in my book Tarot: Get the Whole Story. That said, however, a three-card spread can result in a lengthy reading if it leads to a dialogue that delves deeply into the nuances of the cards. Obviously, however, such a conversation was not possible in the case of these readings with their imaginary querents.

Reading 0

Beauty Hopes to Find Mercy in the Beast Dear Sir KnightHawk, My beloved father chanced to offend a horrible beast that lives in an enchanted castle. The beast almost killed my father, but at the last minute it let him escape with his life, but only on condition that he either return to meet his fate or send one of his three daughters in his stead. Thus I have resolved myself to go in his place. My question is this: What is to become of me there? Will I be killed and devoured by this monster? Or will his heart belie his fierce appearance and guide him to be merciful to me? With great affection, Beauty *** Dear Beauty, I am honored that you have sought my counsel in this grim matter you face. But rather than just try to see what will happen to you—for you have within you the power to affect your fate and change your future—I have asked the cards to show us how you can best deal with your pending circumstances. Here is the three-card spread I have dealt for your question: 1. What you need to know about the situation you face: Seven of Swords 2. What you can do about it: The Fool 3. The probable outcome: Six of Wands reversed





The Seven of Swords is a card that can indicate deception, and so it seems that this beast is not what he appears to be. Also, for some reason, he is not willing to reveal the truth about himself either. Perhaps he thinks that he needs to trick you in order to get what he wants. Therefore, considering what you have said about this situation, I doubt that he plans to kill you, for he would hardly need guile to do that. The Fool card urges you to take a leap of faith here. You have decided to undertake a course of action, the consequences of which you cannot know, and this card advises you to go ahead with it. However, it urges you to do so with innocence and with purity of heart. The Six of Wands is a card of victory, but in the reversed position it indicates that your victory will not come quickly or easily. At this time, you may not have the self-confidence depicted in this card, and understandably so. But when you do find this quality within yourself, you will be able to find the victory that this card promises. Again, thank you for letting me read for you. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments In this reading, I have interpreted the Seven of Swords as meaning “deception,” both in form and action, but this card has other meanings besides that one, meanings like treachery, mischief, and stealth. Indeed, the variations and shades of meanings for all the Tarot cards could fill a book—in fact, I have a shelf filled with such books—and finding just the right meaning for any given situation is perhaps the greatest challenge we face when doing a reading. So how should we sift through them all to find the right one? Our intuition, of course, should be our guiding light, but often the adjoining cards can point the way along this intuitive path.

In this case, the Seven of Swords sits next to the Fool, which often deals with innocence and guilelessness. Consequently, I saw that trust was a big issue here, which led me to see deception in the Seven of Swords. Also, considering the word “fool” in the sense of “to fool someone” lent weight to this choice. For an interpretation of the Fool card itself, I began with a general meaning of “a leap of faith,” and also considered that this card implies innocence and “purity of heart” when seen as our essential soul being here on Earth to experience life. Then, drawing upon the symbolism of the horse in the Six of Wands, I deduced that the beast would most likely place himself in a subservient position to Beauty instead of killing her. I would like to add an interesting observation here about the Fool card and how I saw it relating to this story. There is a theory that the Greco-Roman myth of Cupid and Psyche (which inspired Reading 3, The Ultimate Lost Love) evolved through the centuries into the folk tale we now call Beauty and the Beast, and indeed there are definitely striking similarities between the two.[19] In that earlier myth, the way that Psyche was transported to Eros’s enchanted mansion was by leaping off a cliff and being carried away by Zephyrus, the West Wind. This was, in fact, a leap of faith similar to the one that the Fool himself is poised to make. Lastly, you may wonder about the inconsistencies between the popular Disney version of this tale and the story related here. For example, in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Beauty has no sisters. Also, in the version used for this reading there was an apparent lack of singing and dancing house wares in the beast’s castle. The explanation is that I have used as my source the eighteenth century version of this story as told by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont.

Reading 1

Looking for Mr. Right Dear Sir KnightHawk, How can I ever hope to find Mr. Right when I’m stuck here at home doing all the chores? My stepsisters get to go to balls where they can meet eligible bachelors, but I am not allowed to go to such events. What am I to do? Sincerely, Cinderella *** Dear Cinderella, Thank you for asking me to read the cards for you. To see how you can bring Mr. Right into your life, I dealt the following three-card spread: 1. The condition of your love life right now: Queen of Cups 2. What you need to know about it: The Magician 3. What you can do about it: Three of Cups reversed First of all, this is a very auspicious spread in that it contains cards of beauty, power, and joy.





As for the specific messages of the individual cards, let’s begin with the Queen of Cups. This card indicates that there is a very wistful, introspective quality in your life right now. However, this card also points out that you are a loving person with a generous heart. There is a secret greatness in this that may soon become apparent, for these qualities can ultimately help you find your heart’s desire. On a mundane level, the Magician card says that you have the skills and abilities that you will need to find your Mr. Right. (The previous card revealed what those qualities are.) On a higher level, however, this card literally indicates magic. Thus, it assures you that there will be magic coming into your life, and it will enable you to go to a ball yourself, as indicated by the next card. The Three of Cups shows you going out and enjoying a party. You may wonder how you will get a chance to do that, but as I just noted, I see the Magician card as providing the means. The Three of Cups is reversed, however, and so it cautions you to take care not to overindulge when you do party. If you can keep your head and your wits about you, though, you will do well. Finally, viewed together, these three cards seem to present an encouraging scenario for you. They indicate the possibility that a loving woman of grace and charm will help you find love by bringing magic into your life, which will allow you to enjoy an important social event. The only problem I see here is a warning to be careful about your conduct at that event. Again, thank you for letting me read for you, Cinderella. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments Having the Magician card turn up in the middle of a reading for Cinderella was quite remarkable. It is an example of the wonder and joy I have experienced many times while doing these KnightHawk readings, which also reflects the wonder and joy of my work with Tarot cards in general. On a purely visual level, this card is not quite a literalism[20], but considering the magical nature of Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, it does convey a very literal truth on a conceptual level. When I saw this card come up in this reading, it seemed as though the Tarot had tossed it into the spread with an impish wink, as if it were saying, “Ask a whimsical question, get a whimsical answer.”

In my interpretation of the Queen of Cups, I focused mainly on what that card had to say about the querent herself. This card turned up in the position indicative of the querent’s current situation, but a person’s situation includes her personality as well as her environment and that which is going on around her. So, since I generally see Court Cards as commenting on personality issues, I saw this card as an indication that the most important aspect of Cinderella’s situation was what resided within her, not the conditions in which she resided. Indeed, it was her loving and supportive nature (i.e., the Queen of Cups inside of her) that ultimately determined her fate. It was significant, therefore, that the card I dealt in this position was not one depicting Cinderella’s dire circumstances, such as the Five of Coins or the Eight of Swords, although either of those cards would have been an appropriate depiction of what was going on in her life at that time. Being a Court Card instead, the Queen of Cups diverted attention from Cinderella’s external problems and focused it on what was important for her to consider: her emotional and personality strengths. This illustrates how the type of card, in and of itself, can contribute a great deal toward both the card’s message and the meaning of the reading.



Reading 2

Woman Ponders Move to Paris Dear KnightHawk, I am thinking about moving to Paris. Will that be a good move? Sincerely, Gertrude Stein *** Dear Ms. Stein, I want to thank you for requesting this reading. It sounds as if you have not yet made up your mind whether or not to make this move. Consequently, I have done a reading to help you understand the forces at work in your life that may either help or hinder the success of a move to Paris. Hopefully, this reading will help you make this decision and then show you how to make the most of this move if it is what you choose to do. With such considerations in mind, I have dealt a three-card spread for your question as follows: 1. Yes if: The Emperor reversed 2. No if: Judgment 3. Maybe if: The Fool





The first thing I note about this reading is that all three cards are Major Arcana cards, which indicates that this is an extremely important decision for you. You have reached a pivotal point in your life that will have a profound effect on its course and meaning. The reversed Emperor says that this will be a good move for you if you need an environment freer from rigid constraints and with less structure than where you are now. However, this card also indicates that in order to make this move work to your benefit, you also should consider whether or not you can create a stable environment of your own there. It will take the inner power of selfdiscipline and self-control to do so. If you have these qualities, you will find that this move will be a good one. The Judgment card is about hearing a call to a new way of seeing things. It also can be about finding a whole new way of life—a rebirth, so to speak. If such results are why you want to move to Paris, you may be disappointed. You would do well to closely evaluate your expectations for this move to see if they may be too high. Life in Paris may be a big change from American life, but people are still people everywhere you go, so be sure you do not expect Parisians to be unusually different or more enlightened than Americans. The advice of the Fool card is to follow your instincts in making this decision, for they are good and should be trusted. Also, this card says that this move may be the beginning of a new phase of your life, but to make it so, you need to be able to approach it with a sense of innocence and wonder. You need to be able to trust that the purity of your spirit will be able to guide you and lead you as you seek success and satisfaction in this move. Finally, I see the three cards in this spread as being representative of various aspects of yourself that can help you thrive and flourish wherever you are—Paris or elsewhere. The Emperor represents your forceful personality, Judgment indicates your ability to help people find their path, and the Fool is your intrepid sense of adventure. It will be up to you, however, to determine if Paris is the

right place to make the best use of such talents. Again, thank you for letting me read for you, Ms. Stein. I hope this reading is of assistance to you. Best of luck, KnightHawk Postscript: In 1903 Gertrude Stein moved to Paris where she lived the rest of her life. Over the course of the next four decades, she wrote a variety of books and operas, but her influence on 20th-century culture was also the result of her dynamic personality and her influence on, and encouragement of, other writers and artists, such as Ernest Hemingway, Thornton Wilder, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso. Comments Stein’s question, “Will that be a good move?” seems to initiate this reading with a call for both a decision and a prediction. However, often such questions are posed casually, with little intent of making such a request. In this case, Stein’s question seems to be more of an appeal for help in making her decision, so I did not explicitly rephrase it. Instead, I noted that this reading would help her make her own decision, and that it would help her forge a beneficial future should she decide to make this move. Additionally, the spread that I chose is one that is well suited to such purposes. The first two positions in the spread for this reading are rather straightforward. The answer to the question for the reading may be either yes or no, depending on whether or not certain circumstances apply or if the querent does what the cards indicate. The meaning of the third card, “Maybe if,” can be a bit harder to understand. The card in this position is more about what the querent can do to manifest success than about the influences already at work either for or against her success. In addition, it illustrates what the querent has control over, versus the determining circumstances, pro or con, depicted by the first two cards. Thus, the third card in this type of spread generally presents the bulk of the advice and guidance of the reading. As for the other two positions, let us specifically consider what lessons the cards there have to offer. The Emperor illustrates a couple of ways of interpreting reversed cards. Its reversal indicates a need to diminish the energy of this card in the querent’s environment, and it also challenges her internal ability to manifest the Emperor’s attributes.

I generally see the Judgment card as exerting a positive influence in a reading, but finding it in the “No if” position presented a type of challenge that often baffles Tarot students: how to interpret a “good” card that turns up in a “bad” position. One way to deal with the apparent dichotomy of finding a “good” card in a problematic position (or vice versa) is to realize that no card is entirely good or bad; each has a spectrum of meaning. Another approach, which is the one used in this reading, is to be flexible as to how you apply the card’s meaning to the reading. In this case, I noted that some highly positive aspects of this card may indicate an overly optimistic view on the querent’s part: “If such results are why you want to move to Paris, you may be disappointed.” This is, of course, a highly intuitive skill, but one that practice will hone. A notable feature of this reading is the fact that it concluded with a marked reinterpretation of the spread. In stating, “I see the three cards in this spread as being representative of various aspects of yourself that can help you thrive and flourish wherever you are...” I have gone beyond the constraints of the original positional meanings. I took this liberty because another message seemed to leap forth from these three Major Arcana cards. Indeed, sometimes we have to trust our instincts when they ask us to step back and see the forest as well as the trees. [21] However, this does not mean that it is okay to ignore or capriciously redefine the positional meanings in a spread if they prove to be inconvenient. If it is hard to understand what a card means in the context of its position, let it simmer in your consciousness until it does make sense. Eventually it will; they always do. So, rather than being an excuse to ignore the initial parameters of the reading, this method of looking at the cards in a new light is a way of finding additional levels of meaning.

Reading 3

The Ultimate Lost Love Dear KnightHawk, How can I get my husband back? I listened to bad advice from my sisters, who, I now see, were jealous of my marriage and wanted to ruin it. Since my husband had only ever come to me in the dark of night, they urged me to light a lantern while he slept to see if he was a monster. Well, it turns out he is no monster at all. In fact, he is Eros, the God of Love himself! When he saw what I was doing, he rebuked me for my lack of trust and left me. So now I am griefstricken, and I need to know how I can get him back. Please help me. Love, Psyche *** Dear Psyche, Thank you for giving me this opportunity to do a reading for this interesting situation. In order to help you discover what you may do to solve your problem, I have dealt the following three-card spread: 1. What you need to know about the problem you face: Wheel of Fortune reversed 2. What you can do about it: Nine of Coins reversed 3. Who or what can help you: The Empress





My first impression for this reading is that although the cards say that your road to success will be difficult, they are very encouraging for your ultimate victory. So now let’s look at the individual cards and what they say. The reversed Wheel of Fortune echoes what you have said: your fortunes have indeed been reversed. However, remember that this wheel keeps turning. While your sisters have won for now, they may soon suffer losses at least as great as yours, while you may yet regain what you have lost—and more—so have courage and do not despair. The reversed Nine of Coins also acknowledges your loss of fortune, but it counsels you not to focus on that. This card sometimes says that we deserve to take some time to relax after a job well done, but being reversed as it is here, it says that there is a lot of hard work ahead of you before you “relax after a job well done.” Be prepared for that. However, this card also advises against becoming pessimistic or defeatist about your situation. It urges you to develop a "prosperity consciousness," which will help you manifest the solutions you need, so always remember that you are deserving of abundance and success. The Empress card is often associated with Venus, which I point out because of who your husband is.[22] This card suggests that perhaps you can go to her for help. On the other hand, this card also refers to your own beauty and sensuality, advising you to trust that in the long run those qualities also can help you win back your husband. Lastly, this card makes me wonder if you might be pregnant—and if that fact may help you as well. Again, thank you for your question, Psyche. I hope this reading helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Postscript: For a beautifully written version of the oft-told tale of “Psyche and Eros,” I refer the reader to The First Love Stories, by Diane Wolkstein.

Comments Through all her misfortunes, it was hope that sustained Psyche, and one might wonder where she found such a vast reservoir of hope. Perhaps it was from an oracular experience like this Tarot reading. Often people come for a Tarot reading thinking they want information, but really it is hope they are seeking, and sometimes hope is the best part of what a reading has to offer them. The reversed Wheel of Fortune clearly reiterated the reversal of Psyche’s fortune that she indicated in her question. But every time a card indicates hardship and misfortune, there is advice, encouragement, or hope available there too. This attitude may seem a bit Pollyannaish, but really it is a reflection of the balance of life, as well as a choice to find a meaningful lesson in any experience. In this case, the wheel really does keep turning, and today’s misfortune may be a necessary step on the way to tomorrow’s good fortune. Merely telling Psyche, “Yes, this card does show how badly your fortunes have fallen.” would have done her very little good. As evidenced by the perseverance with which she faced her subsequent trials, it was hope, not an awareness of how abysmal her situation was, that sustained her and bore her to her eventual triumph. Similarly, the reversed Nine of Coins also indicated a loss of fortune. But again, each card has volumes to tell, and this one had advice that was destined to hold Psyche in good stead. The calm attitude of the woman on this card indicates grace and charm, but this card was reversed, so how does that affect the message of this card? Instead of indicating that a card’s qualities are missing in the querent’s life, a reversed card often says that such qualities need to be cultivated. Thus, the emphasis for this card was shifted from Psyche’s problems to advice on how to overcome those problems. There is an interesting footnote that I would like to mention about this reading. While there are several cards that are popularly interpreted as implying a pregnancy—such as the Sun or the Queen of Coins—the ultimate pregnancy card is the Empress. In fact, in many decks the Empress is depicted as being in the family way. Of course, knowing this myth in advance, I was forearmed with the knowledge that Psyche was with child at the time that this reading would have taken place, which made this particular interpretation an obvious choice. Nevertheless, I was struck by how very appropriate this card was here—both in its close association with Venus (Psyche’s mother-in-law) and in its implication of pregnancy.

Reading 4

Wayward Son Longs for Forsaken Home Dear KnightHawk, A while back I asked my father for my share of my inheritance, and I struck out on my own. For a time I was able to live extravagantly, but misfortune has dissipated my wealth, and famine has impoverished the land where I now live. I am reduced to starvation and servitude, and I sorely miss my father’s land, where even his servants fare better than I do now. What am I to do? What shall become of me? I am, The Prodigal Son *** Dear Prodigal Son, Thank you for asking me to read for you. The future is not etched in stone, but the cards can provide insights into your life that may help you see how to create the future you desire. With that in mind, I have dealt the following cards to find out what you need to know to improve your lot in life. 1. Your current situation: The Emperor reversed 2. Advice for improving it: Four of Cups 3. A probable outcome: King of Cups reversed





The reversed Emperor card indicates that your misfortunes are the result of ignoring or rejecting your responsibility for your well being, and of failing to lay a solid foundation for your life or to plan well for your future. This card is also indicative of a father figure, and being reversed, it depicts your rejection of your father and your estrangement from him. This enumeration of your problems, however, also holds implicit advice for you. Your situation can be turned around by righting the energy of this reversed card. In other words, your condition may be made right again by assuming responsibility for both your fortune and your future, and by a rapprochement with your father. For more advice, let us look at the next card, the Four of Cups. This card conveys a feeling of ennui and melancholy, perhaps due to your having squandered or dissipated the fortune that is implicitly indicated by the three cups in front of the figure in this card. However, another cup seems to be offered in this card, and we may well wonder where it is coming from. Consider where, symbolically, the first three came from: your father. Consequently, this card suggests that you can turn to your father for his help. The King of Cups can indicate tolerance, and being reversed, it seems to say that you need to search inside yourself in order to find compassionate understanding and acceptance of your own problems and shortcomings. It also says that in due course you will receive such comfort from your father, although this eventuality may be delayed—perhaps until you can find this understanding within yourself. In other words, this card indicates that your loving father has the tolerance and compassion you need, but finding it requires you to make a long and potentially difficult inward search first. I hope this reading is of assistance to you. Best of luck, KnightHawk Comments

Generally, a fortunetelling request like the one in this reading (“What shall become of me?”) is a cry for help and a plea for comfort and reassurance. Sadly, this question is fairly representative of many that I get in my Tarot practice. Often the querent has gotten himself trapped in a difficult situation and is confused and desperate. Ostensibly, he is seeking guidance, but he also may be seeking assurances that everything will turn out okay, and these may be assurances that I cannot give. But while such comfort and reassurance may not be in the cards, it is helpful to let the querent know that he is empowered to shape his own future. We can do this by illuminating the path he is on and the options he faces, which in turn enables him to make better decisions and to find his own way toward a better future. The layout used in this reading is effective in doing this. A remarkable feature of the cards laid out in this reading is the fact that two of them can indicate a father. The Emperor represents the archetypal father image, and the King of Cups is more specific in its representation of a loving father. In addition, these two cards are reversed (which, remarkably, makes them both turn their gaze toward the world-weary figure in the Four of Cups), and so this spread bears witness to the fact that the crux of the Prodigal Son’s story lies in his problematic relationship with his father. As a result, my interpretations in this reading tended to concentrate on the querent’s relationship with his father, so let us focus our attention on these two paternal cards. Inasmuch as a reversal can indicate problems or obstacles in the actualization of a card’s more positive attributes, it also provides advice on how to overcome such difficulties. In the case of the Emperor, a couple of problem areas were considered. On the one hand, I used an abstract interpretation of this card that includes things like careful planning and the creation of a solid foundation for the future. On the other hand, I used the Emperor as a symbol of the archetypal father figure. In both cases, a reversal of this card led to an explanation of how this querent got into his predicament, which yielded a somewhat disheartening enumeration of his errors and shortcomings. I could not, however, leave it at that, so I went on to find helpful advice in the card as well. This I did by considering the fact that embracing the helpful characteristics of a card can go a long way toward solving whatever problems may have been caused by the lack or rejection of such positive aspects. In the case of the reversed King of Cups, which lies in the position of Probable Outcome, we are again presented with guidance. Had this card not been reversed, a reasonable interpretation of it might have been that taking the advice of the Four of Cups would easily lead the querent to his father’s

compassionate help. But results are not usually so easy when a card is reversed. In this case, I saw that the reversal of the King of Cups pointed out the necessity of an inward search for the superior qualities of the card, and it predicted a possible delay as well. These two ways of interpreting a reversal are, of course, related. Indeed, the difficulty of this querent’s internal search for forgiveness and understanding inevitably delayed the outcome he desired, which was to be embraced again by his father. Often I have gained insights about the stories that have been the foundation for the readings in this book, and this particular reading led me to see a new layer of meaning for this parable. It showed me that this story illustrates the fact that we must find compassion and forgiveness for ourselves before we can accept such understanding from others.

Reading 5

Teacher Ponders New Position Dear KnightHawk, To escape a Persian invasion, I have fled to Pella, the capital of Macedonia, where the Macedonian King has asked me to tutor his young son, Alexander. However, I am uncertain if this new job will serve me well. What do I need to know about this boy and about being his teacher? Yours truly, Aristotle *** Dear Aristotle, Thank you for requesting this reading. For ethical reasons involving people’s right to privacy, I avoid doing readings to find out about a third party. However, I can do a reading to find out what you may need to know about being Alexander’s teacher, and we shall see if there is anything about the lad himself that the cards themselves want to tell you in the process. With that in mind I have dealt the following three cards to shed light on your prospective position as tutor to the young prince of Macedonia. 1. What you need to know about this job: The Magician reversed 2. What you can do to maximize the value of this experience: Queen of Swords 3. The probable outcome of taking this job: Judgment reversed





First of all, I see a lot of energy in these cards, especially in the two outer ones, the Major Arcana cards. Thus, I see power and energy in this new employment opportunity. However, both of the Major Arcana cards are reversed, which implies that this employment will not be easy, and the benefits of this work will take time to manifest and become apparent. The first card, the reversed Magician, shows that you will be entering a situation of immense raw power, although it is still undeveloped. I see this as indicative of vast potential in your prospective student. This card also says that you will need to use a great deal of creativity in teaching Alexander. You do have the skills and ability to do so, but you will need to draw upon inner reserves of strength and will to use them effectively in working with this student. According to the Queen of Swords, the best thing you can do to make the most of this experience is to offer the guidance of your considerable knowledge and the wisdom of your experience. Note that I say, “offer.” Any forcing of learning on this boy will not have the desired effect that offering it will. This card also counsels you to keep your wits about you while teaching Alexander, and again, maintain your self-assurance. Besides this advice, the Queen of Swords also notes that knowledge inevitably changes a person, and the education that you give this boy will profoundly transform him. This message is reinforced by the next card. The reversed Judgment card predicts a major transformation of your pupil as a result of your work with him. However, these changes may well take unexpected turns as the two of you walk a lengthy journey of discovery together, and in time, your life too will be greatly changed as a result of this employment. Also, this job has the potential to bring new life to something from your past. Is there an important experience, situation, or aspect of your life that you think is gone for good? This card promises new life for it as a result of this job. Again, I thank you for asking me to read the cards for you, sir. I hope what I have said is of help to you.

Best of luck, KnightHawk Postscript: Aristotle taught Alexander, the Macedonian prince, for a decade until the boy became King following the assassination of his father. Aristotle then returned to Athens where, with Alexander’s financial backing, he opened a school, the Lyceum, where he taught students as he had done years earlier at Plato's academy. Alexander, of course, was destined for fame and prominence of his own, and today we know him as Alexander the Great. Comments The question for this reading has the aspect of someone asking for help in making a decision. At first glance, then, this might suggest the use of a Choice Spread or a Yes/No Spread[23]. However, I felt that this wasn’t really a decision question but was more like a combination of “How do I make this job successful?” and “What will come of it?” These two questions formed the basis of two of the positions in the spread that I created for this reading. This illustrates the value of listening to the subtext of a querent’s question in order to find the most appropriate spread for it. Often a general impression of the cards in a spread can provide important clues as to the tone and overall meaning of a reading. This impression may be based on things like a predominant color in the cards, symbols that repeat throughout the spread, or images on some of the cards that are common to an underlying theme. This can be a valuable process, but it is, of course, a highly intuitive one that requires practice and a receptive state of mind. In this spread, both of the Major Arcana cards are suffused with a warm glow, and they portray powerful, dynamic images. This visual impression led me to present the opening comments of this reading: “... I see a lot of energy in these cards, especially in ... the Major Arcana cards.” This observation set the tone for Aristotle’s reading and influenced how I interpreted the individual cards themselves. In fact, such visual impressions are a common influence in readings. It is important to note, however, that this does not mean we should let the visual elements of the cards contradict or supersede our basic understanding of the cards. In this reading, they focused my attention on specific aspects of their meanings, and they enhanced my understanding of the application of those

meanings to this particular reading. For example, in most versions of the Magician card, an infinity sign floats above the magician’s head. This implies an aspect of immense power that is potential in this card, although its reversed aspect in this reading indicated to me the undeveloped state of this power. For the Queen of Swords, it helps to note the difference between this queen and her king. The King of Swords can be authoritarian, even dictatorial, but the Tarot queens tend to be more supportive than their kings. Finally, as an interesting footnote to this reading, I offer the following quote from Aristotle: “In everything natural there is something marvelous.” I found it remarkable how well this quote resonates with my understanding of the Magician Card.

Reading 6

Man Searches for Angel, Discovers Demon My dear KnightHawk, What is a man to do when he seeks to find an angel, but discovers a demon instead? Through my experiments I sought to exorcise the shadows hiding in my soul, but instead I accidentally unleashed them, and they turned me into something vile. Then I deluded myself into believing that I could control this thing I had become, and indeed, at first I could. But now I find that without the potion I need to keep the beast in check, it controls me, and I run perilously low on the rare ingredients I need for this potion. What am I to do? Yours very truly, Dr. Henry Jekyll *** Dear Dr. Jekyll, I want to thank you for asking me to read for you at this very difficult time in your life. I have done the following reading to see what advice the cards can give you. 1. What helps you? Three of Cups 2. What hinders you? Seven of Coins reversed 3. Advice for the next step. The Empress





The Three of Cups shows that the support of your friends can be of great assistance to you. Have you a friend or friends in whom you can confide? Will you let them help you? Perhaps they can give you helpful suggestions or provide perspectives that will enable you to evaluate your situation more effectively. The reversed Seven of Coins indicates your resistance to reevaluating your situation. It seems that you have decided what course of action you need to take, and now your mind is made up. But that inflexibility can keep you from finding the best solution, and this reinforces the message of the previous card about seeking the counsel of your friends. Sometimes the Seven of Coins also indicates reaping what you sow, but being reversed it indicates that the fruits of your labor are bitter, since it seems that your mistakes, more than your good intentions, have determined your results. The Empress is a card of love and nurturing. In this case, I see it as urging you to love and nurture yourself more. You are being too hard on yourself, perhaps being overly self-critical for the mistakes that brought you to this state of affairs, and that could be why you avoid seeking the help of your friends. Maybe the beast within that seeks to control you is fed by your lack of self-love, or perhaps that beast is your own self-loathing. In any case, this card says that the solution you seek lies less in potions, and more in your heart and in your ability to love yourself. Again, thank you for letting me read for you, Sir. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments In addition to providing insights and advice to a fictional querent, and in addition to offering another illustration of how to do a Tarot reading, the above reading helped me find a deeper understanding of the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.

Hyde. Ever since I first read this tale, I have wondered how the good doctor’s experiment could have gone so terribly wrong, and now I think I understand. As a result of this reading, I came to realize that the doctor’s potion separated the good and evil halves of his psyche, which are inextricably intertwined in the rest of us. This was intended to give control of his life to his better half, i.e., the angel within him. The problem was that Dr. Jekyll’s demons, such as his fear, greed, and self-hate, were too strong for his better half, and so they ended up being what was manifested when he drank his potion. Thus, the shadowy character of Mr. Hyde came to life. And although this evil twin could not bring himself to kill Dr. Jekyll outright, his hate was strong enough that he was able to overpower and shatter his alter ego. The most important key to this understanding turned out to be the card that was initially the hardest to interpret (the Empress), which is often the case. The Three of Cups was somewhat of a literalism in this case, being a rather obvious reference to the fact that Dr. Jekyll had two very good friends who sought to help him. Unfortunately, he failed to accept their help. The reversed Seven of Coins clearly referred to the doctor’s resistance to reevaluating his situation, i.e., his insistence that his only salvation laid in creating the proper elixir. Those two cards were relatively easy to understand, but the advice of the Empress eluded me at first. It took some time and a bit of meditative consideration, but the message of this last card finally occurred to me. What I saw was that love (which is one of the more basic interpretations for the Empress card) held the key to understanding the advice that Dr. Jekyll needed. Moreover, the advice of this card—that he needed to look within his own heart and find love for himself— was the clue I needed in order to make sense of this tale. Once I realized that love was the answer, I also understood that fear and selfloathing were the problem, which led me to the answer to a pivotal question regarding this tale: “What would compel a man to create a potion to turn himself into an angel?” The answer I found was that it was a deep fear of his inner demons, and his hate of that part of himself, that drove Dr. Jekyll. Considering that this tale deals with issues of facing one’s inner demons, I also wondered why the Devil card had not come up in this reading. But that, perhaps, would have been too obvious, and the Tarot often works in more subtle ways. In fact, the Devil might not have led me to the much-needed advice that the Empress was able to provide. And so this reading was also a potent reminder of the Empress’s power, and the fact that her advice is always of value to any of us. But alas for poor Dr. Jekyll! If he did ever receive such advice, he obviously

ignored it.

Reading 7

Prime Minister Faces Difficult Decision Dear Sir, Recently I was elected Prime Minister of Great Britain, and already I face a grave choice as war has raged in Europe for months now. Hitler’s forces are marching on France, but France, it seems, will not be able to withstand the assault. The French have requested the aid of English fighter squadrons, but I fear that even they may not be enough to save her. In addition, such a use of our limited resources could then cripple the Royal Air Force enough to leave England vulnerable to a German air assault. Shall I send France the support she is asking for or not? What insights can you provide to help me make this difficult decision? Respectfully yours, Prime Minister Winston Churchill *** Dear Prime Minister, Thank you for entrusting me with this vitally important question. I have done a reading to provide you with insights into this situation to help you make your decision. The cards I dealt are as follows: 1. The potential outcome if you provide France with English fighter squadrons: Judgment 2. Deciding considerations: Three of Cups reversed 3. The potential outcome if you hold back your English fighter squadrons: The Chariot





The first thing I note about this spread is the fact that there are Major Arcana cards in the positions for both alternatives you face—obviously, this is a major decision, but the results will be pivotal in either case. The Judgment card acknowledges that this is a difficult judgment call for you. It says that aiding France now will lend new life and renewed vigor to their struggle, and it may be a turning point in the war. It also may serve as a call to arms for other countries not yet committed to this struggle. On a higher level, this card says that responding to France’s desperate need may signal a dawning awareness of the importance of your connection with her, which may lead to new opportunities through a revitalization of your relationship with her. One the other hand, the Chariot is a card of victory. Therefore, it says that reserving English fighter squadrons will lead you to victory. However, I also see that this triumph will require all of your will and determination. It will entail a great deal of effort to control opposing forces or factions within your country or within your alliance. I also see that it will take considerable self-assurance and self-control to make this decision. In deciding to reserve your English fighter squadrons, you are assuming an awesome responsibility, riding to the forefront of the resistance against Germany. Fortunately, this card also assures you that you can indeed stay the course and prevail. The reversed Three of Cups says that although there are times when friendship should be a consideration in making a decision, this may not be one of them. Thus, this card asks you to carefully evaluate how much weight you should give to that emotional aspect of your decision. In other words, to what extent should the nature and role of your friendship with France enter into your decision? In addition, this card indicates that there is a potential here for gaining other allies, but it may take a while for them to come on board. Again, thank you for requesting this reading. I hope it is of some help to you. Best of luck to you,

KnightHawk

Postscript: Churchill once noted that his decision to refuse France the English air support they requested was one of the hardest he was ever called upon to make. He did, however, offer a plan to create a united France and England, under one government and with one united military force. France rejected his plan and within days fell to German invading forces. Germany then began a daunting air assault against England, an attack which inflicted heavy losses on the Royal Air Force, but which the RAF ultimately resisted and blocked. Comments Decision questions such as ones that ask, “Should I do this or should I do that?” are served well by a spread like the one used in this reading. As illustrated here, the two flanking cards, Cards One and Three, provide a useful comparison of the querent’s two alternatives. How easy the querent’s decision becomes based on this comparison is, of course, dependent upon the cards dealt and the particular circumstances of the reading. Based on a comparison of the messages of these two cards, it sometimes is obvious which of the two choices is the more viable. At other times though, neither card seems significantly more favorable than the other, and such was the case in this reading for Winston Churchill. In readings like this, the middle card, which addresses deciding considerations, can prove to be a valuable tiebreaker. History tells us the actual outcome of the choice that Churchill ended up making, while we shall never know what might have happened had he chosen the other path. Might it have been the better choice? Perhaps, as the reversed Three of Cups noted, Churchill’s decision needed to be based upon cold, hard logic and not swayed by sentiments of friendship. But the fact that both decision cards, Judgment and the Chariot, have an auspicious feeling to them (to me, at least) may indicate that either alternative would have been viable. This reading provided a rather ambiguous message. It is always comforting to see a clear choice indicated by the cards, for that seems to be more helpful for the querent. However, major life choices can be difficult precisely because the relative merits of the competing options are either uncertain or nearly equivalent. Indeed, if the choice were obvious, the querent probably would not need a Tarot reading. So the best thing to do is interpret the cards and let the querent evaluate their message, draw his own conclusions, and make his own decisions.



Reading 8

The Girl Just Wants to Have Fun Dear Mr. Hawk, Are my little dog, Toto, and I ever going to get away from this God-forsaken farm? My aunt and uncle are two of the most boring people on the face of the earth. They never let me have any fun. Why am I stuck here? All I want is a little excitement. Is that too much to ask? Yours truly, Dorothy *** Dear Dorothy, Your questions here indicate that there is a lot of unhappiness in your life and uncertainty about how to proceed with it, so I think the underlying issue you are trying to address is how to find and actualize your life’s purpose. Consequently, I have decided to do a “Life Purpose” reading to see what the cards want to tell you. What follows is the three-card spread reading I have done for you: 1. What does the universe want you to do or learn at this time? Strength 2. What personal qualities do you need to accomplish this? Youth of Coins 3. What specific action is needed to actualize the message of the first card? Eight of Wands reversed





The Strength card says that at this time you need to learn fortitude. Face your desires (which I see as referring to your thirst for fun and excitement), try to understand them, and then master them instead of letting them control you. There is much more in store for you than mere frivolous enjoyment, although it does seem that you may be headed for more than a little excitement. In fact, great challenges await you, and through them you will have the opportunity to discover vast inner reserves of strength, courage, and power that you never realized you had. I also see in this card that there may be some frightening times ahead, as symbolized by the lion on this card, but your compassionate nature can help you prevail, to soothe the savage beast, so to speak. The Youth of Coins advises you to hold on to both your sense of wonder about new things and your open, trusting nature. You also will need to maintain a sense of innocent generosity toward those with whom you come in contact. You still have much to learn from the world around you, and if you give freely of yourself to others, they will give you much in return. The Eight of Wands, which depicts eight wands flying through the air, often indicates a journey, which may answer your original question about getting away from the farm. But since it is reversed here, it indicates that you may be going somewhere totally unexpected, your journey may be a difficult one, or perhaps it may even turn out to be an internal one, such as a dream. When this unexpected travel opportunity arises, it will take you where you need to go and show you what you need to learn. Thanks for letting me read for you, Dorothy. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments A student once asked me if one should always give the Major Arcana cards in a reading more weight than the Minor Arcana cards. I generally do, but this is

not a hard-and-fast rule. As another student pointed out in response, the Major Arcana cards address spiritual issues, but sometimes all that we really want to know right now is how to pay the bills and find a little happiness. The key to understanding how the Major Arcana cards weigh in during a reading is the realization that these cards typically deal with archetypal energies, major life milestones, and concerns of the soul. Therefore, you should ask yourself, “Is this person asking for such messages? Are these the issues that she wants or needs to deal with at this time?” If so, then certainly the Major Arcana cards should be explored in as much depth as possible. However, the querent simply may want help with the mundane trials and tribulations of her everyday life. If the reading is focused in that direction, the messages of the Minor Arcana cards may be what she most needs to hear. Of course, every Tarot card has many layers of meaning, and the Major Arcana cards can address material concerns as well as spiritual ones, for the separation between spiritual and earthly matters is a hazy one of perspective. There is a spiritual aspect to everything we do as we go about the business of our workaday lives. On the other hand, since we are physical beings, it is on the material plane that we must work out our spiritual issues. The spread that I used for this particular reading was a special case insofar as the selection and use of the cards is concerned. When using the Life Purpose spread, I pull a Major Arcana card for the first position (the spiritual lesson), a Court Card for the second position (the personal qualities required), and a Pip Card for the final position (actions needed).[24] Thus, it is assured that there will be one Major Arcana card in the reading, and since the intent of the reading is to discover the querent’s life purpose, an emphasis should be placed on delving into that card. As for the Major Arcana card in this particular reading, it had a couple of tangential meanings that went beyond the querent’s life lessons. Considering Dorothy’s subsequent encounter with the Cowardly Lion, the feline aspect of the Strength card represents an amusing literalism. I chose not to mention this in the course of the reading, though, since it would have made no sense to someone actually doing a reading in these circumstances. Another interesting literalism in this card is the fact that the illustration on the Strength card in my Tarot of the Masters deck is of the evil sorceress Circe, and Dorothy’s coming adventures in the Land of Oz were driven by a wicked witch. Another card in this reading that raises a notable point is the Eight of Wands. There are several Tarot cards that traditionally may be interpreted in terms of travel, such as the Fool, the Chariot, the Eight of Cups, the Six of

Swords, and this card. However, being both an Eight (which associates it with power and movement) and a Wands card (which associates it with energy), the Eight of Wands indicates a journey very different from, say, the lonely vision quest of the Eight of Cups or the slow, introspective boat ride of the Six of Swords. Instead, when the Eight of Wands signifies a journey, it generally is one of great power, speed, and energy. Surely Dorothy’s trip to Oz by way of tornado fits that description.



Reading 9

Scientist Fears Return Home Dear KnightHawk, I am in England at present, but in my homeland, Germany, the Nazi party has seized power. Consequently, I fear for my safety should I return there, since I am a Jew. But if I do not return, the new government surely will confiscate all my property, and I will be left without home or country. What insights can you provide regarding this dilemma? Respectfully yours, Albert Einstein *** Dear Dr. Einstein, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to do a reading about such an important issue for you. You certainly face a difficult choice between two very undesirable alternatives. I have dealt the following three-card spread to illuminate your situation. 1. Considerations regarding returning to Germany: Justice 2. Additional factors to consider regarding both options: King of Cups reversed 3. Considerations regarding not returning to Germany: The Hermit





While this is a decision that you must make with little foreknowledge of what the consequences may be, the Justice card notes an important consideration about the conditions in Germany to which you may be returning. Its message is that human justice must be impartial, and it must be tempered by compassion and understanding in order to avoid becoming dictatorial. Do you feel that this is the case, that the laws and system of justice in Germany are balanced like that now? If not, beware the sword of “Justice” that will hang over you there. Sometimes the Hermit card is seen in terms of solitude, but this interpretation can be overly simplistic. Therefore, it is important to realize that a hermit leaves his home and community voluntarily and in the pursuit of knowledge and an understanding of higher truths. Thus, this card says that leaving your homeland behind will allow you to continue along a path toward further wisdom. And so the message I see here is that by not returning to Germany, you will be afforded the opportunity to search for truth and wisdom, and to continue that quest on your own terms and without interference. An additional factor to consider, as indicated by the reversed King of Cups, is the weight you give your emotions in this situation. The King of Cups often can imply or advocate having control of your emotions, but here that King is reversed. This says to me that you may be too in control of your emotional responses, and perhaps you should pay closer attention to them, especially to your fears about the current situation. Again, thank you for asking me to read for you, Dr. Einstein. I hope this reading has helped. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments The interpretation of the two Major Arcana cards in this reading demonstrates the importance of looking beyond a card’s surface meaning so that we may delve into the depth and breadth of all that it has to say. A rather superficial consideration of the Justice and Hermit cards could have led to a reading that might go something like this: “If you go back to Germany, you will find justice there; if you don’t, you will find yourself all alone.” But the nuances of the Justice card are deeper and subtler than that, and the difference between loneliness and the reflective seclusion of the Hermit is profound. This is not to say that cursory meanings such as those noted in the above example should

never be used, but rather that we would do well to avoid settling for them without first making a deeper examination of what the cards are trying to tell us. In the reading for Albert Einstein, the structure of the spread being used ensured that the range of possible interpretations of these two cards was wider than is often the case. Typically, the definition of a position in a spread will focus attention on either the positive or the negative aspects of the card occupying it. For example, a position called “Problems and Challenges” inevitably will lead to a different interpretation of a card than will a position called “Advantages.” Part of the challenge, as well as the strength, of the spread used for this reading, lies in the fact that none of the three card positions explicitly calls for either a positive or a negative interpretation. “Considerations” is a much more open term than, say, “Advantages” would have been, and my examination of the Justice and Hermit cards was affected by that fact. Even if positions One and Three had been defined as being the probable outcome of Einstein’s two alternatives, this reading may have conveyed a very different meaning than what actually came up. But as the reading stood, I had to wonder what considerations the Justice card suggested regarding the option of returning to Germany. The most important factor that I saw along these lines was the necessity of questioning the likelihood that true justice would be found in Nazi Germany. As for the Hermit, its message about searching for truth and knowledge struck me as being much more relevant to this reading than was a simple message about being alone. Indeed, Albert Einstein once said that his “religion” was his quest for truth and his worship of pure knowledge. He has been quoted as saying, “He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead; his eyes are closed,” and this quote evokes an image reminiscent of the Hermit. A return to Germany surely would have stifled, or even snuffed out, Einstein’s ability to wonder at the mysteries of the universe. Fortunately, he chose the path that allowed him to continue to walk alone in his Hermit-like quest for knowledge.

Reading 10

Golden Touch: Blessing or Curse? Dear KnightHawk, This is just too, too embarrassing. I’ve gotten myself into a bit of a fix here, and I need your advice. You see, I did a favor for the wine god, Dionysus, and in return he granted me a wish. I figured, you never can be too rich, right? So I wished that everything I touched should turn to gold, which was quite a wonderful boon ... until I tried to eat. As you can imagine, a golden touch makes eating and drinking quite impossible. So now I’m positively starving to death! Whatever am I to do? King Midas *** My dear King Midas, This does sound like quite a dilemma, but let’s see what the cards can tell you to help you handle this problem. A Tarot reading can give you insights into your situation and suggestions about how to handle it, so with that in mind, I have done a reading to find out what you need to know in order to survive your gift of a golden touch, and I have dealt the following cards for you. 1. Your situation: Five of Coins 2. What you need to know about it: King of Wands reversed 3. What you can do about it: Wheel of Fortune





The Five of Coins indicates poverty (in its depiction of wretched people) that is suffered within sight of comfort and prosperity (depicted by the coins overhead). This represents your situation in that although you have an abundance of gold all around you, you lack the bare necessities of food and drink. In fact, food and drink are tantalizingly at hand, but you cannot avail yourself of their nourishment. However, this card also provides some advice. The top coin shown in this card has a godlike image engraved in it. You said that a god gave you this golden touch. Have you, in your misery, overlooked the option of asking that same god to help you now? The reversed King of Wands indicates that you find yourself in this situation because you ignored your royal duties. A king rules over his people, but he also has the responsibility to lead them well and wisely. It seems that the boon you chose was motivated by a desire for personal gain rather than by a sense of responsibility to your subjects. This card urges you to learn from that mistake and to develop a bit of humility as well. The Wheel of Fortune is an encouraging sign here, as it says that perhaps your luck has changed or soon will change. This card also indicates that your fate may be out of your hands now, and in the hands of a higher power. This recalls the advice of the first card in this reading, which was to seek out the help of the god that gave you this insidious blessing. Call upon Dionysus to see if he can help you now. Again, thank you for asking me read for you, Your Majesty. I hope this reading helps you. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk

Postscript: King Midas did ask Dionysus to revoke his boon, and so he was saved. However, he apparently failed to gain any appreciable amount of wisdom from this experience as evidenced by the fact that a later misadventure with

Apollo netted him ass’s ears.

Comments This was a rather light-hearted reading that I enjoyed doing. I have always found the story of the hapless King Midas to be both amusing and endearing, so I was eager to see what insights the cards might have for him. The first thing that struck me was the remarkable aptness of the Five of Coins. The picture of wretched souls living in ruins while in close proximity to symbols of wealth seemed to be a perfect analogy for Midas’s starvation amid fabulous hoards of gold. The next thing I noticed about this reading was how appropriate it was to have the Wheel of Fortune turn up here. One of the more obvious aspects of this card is the inevitable series of ups and downs that fate hands us. Some of those cycles can take a long time—a lifetime even—to play out, but others run their course quickly. In the worlds of myth, such cycles often move swiftly, and it is common for some poor fool to get caught up in a volatile cycle that swings him from giddy heights to despairing lows in a veritable blink of an eye. Midas is a prime example of this. To go from having unlimited wealth at your fingertips one moment to facing starvation the next, certainly would be a brutal lesson in the vagaries of the Wheel of Fortune. However, as I worked to interpret this card’s message in this reading, it at first seemed ironic that it should wind up in a position dedicated to advice, since this card typically depicts fate’s inevitable tides against which we are powerless to resist. Of course, this card also provides encouragement that things will change for the better as well, and I mentioned that in this reading (“... perhaps your luck has changed or soon will change.”), but I did not think that this would serve as particularly helpful advice. I knew I needed to dig deeper to find the guidance that King Midas desperately needed, so I decided to look for help in the other cards in this reading. Perhaps one of them could suggest something about the Wheel of Fortune that would lead me in the right direction. After a few minutes of contemplation, I saw a resonance between the Wheel of Fortune’s message that Midas’s fate may be in the hands of a higher power and the godlike face on the top coin in the first card. What I originally saw in the Five of Coins was only the first half of what now appears in this reading, stopping short of the advice you see there now. Once I saw the connection between it and the Wheel of Fortune, I realized that both cards were offering King Midas the same piece of advice, and the final version of this reading fell into place.

This example illustrates the benefit of comparing cards—their symbols, images, and messages—in order to discover a deeper understanding of them. While it is true that interpreting each card individually yields valuable insights, there is always more to be gained from a reading. Our comprehension of what the cards are trying to tell us can be enriched by considering them together, for each card can shed light on the meaning of another, as this reading demonstrates.

Reading 11

Writer of Declaration Ponders its Fate Dear KnightHawk, Armed conflict between colonial and British forces has begun, and the Continental Congress has proposed that the American colonies should be free and independent states. I was asked to draft a declaration to that effect, which I have done as well as I can. Congress will now debate my document, and I pray that after whatever amendments they make to it, it will still hold true to my ideals. As we draw near to adopting this Declaration of Independence, I would like to have some indication of what its fate may be. Will it inspire the people of these American colonies to fight against the British tyranny we face and to gain our freedom? Sincerely, Thomas Jefferson *** Dear Mr. Jefferson, Thank you for giving me this opportunity to read for you. Rather than try to foretell a future that is malleable, I have done the following reading to see what you can do to ensure the success of your declaration. 1. The foundation of your situation: Two of Cups 2. The challenges or problems that you face: Knight of Swords reversed 3. What you need to know or do about them: Justice reversed





The Two of Cups says that the impetus for the creation of the document you have written is a desire for a partnership or union of the colonies. For this union to succeed, your document will have to address the concerns of everyone involved, even though such concerns may seem to you to be emotional. This interpretation is reinforced by the reversed Knight of Swords. That card is a warning to you to control your insistence on the rightness of your own logic and reason. This does not mean you have to compromise your ideals, although some amount of compromise will be necessary in the process of completing and ratifying this declaration. It just means that you must realize you cannot always press your ideals on others. The reversed Justice card advises you to look inside yourself to find an understanding of things you do not comprehend about other people. Are you trying to impose judgments on others that you have avoided for yourself? Are you being fair in your condemnation of the flaws of others? Perhaps also, as previously implied by the Two of Cups, there is some compromise needed here, and your document must reflect that. You see, it is just as important that the figure in this card balances the scales she holds as it is that she takes correct action when wielding her sword. Thus, this card urges you to make careful evaluations of the concerns of all involved and to find a balance among them in order to find your best course of action. In summary, the basic message of this reading is that while there is a strong desire for union among the colonies, this unity is threatened by a tendency for the parties involved to try to dash off in all directions, convinced that their ideas, opinions, and solutions are the correct ones. What can help them surmount those problems is for them to search their hearts to find a just compromise among the needs of all involved. The advice to you, then, is to balance the feelings and concerns of all of the colonies in order to ensure a united effort. Also, try to reconsider and temper your idealism in order to arrive at a just course of action of your own. Again, thank you for asking me to read for you, Sir. I hope this reading is of

benefit to you. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Postscript: In the course of debating the declaration drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Continental Congress made several changes to it, including the deletion of a paragraph that denounced the institution of slavery. Jefferson especially lamented that particular modification to his work, but he relented in the interest of compromise. Had he not, it is likely that the southern colonies would not have joined the northern ones, and the struggle for American independence would have been lost. Of course, in light of the events that tore apart the United States little more than fourscore years later, the ultimate wisdom of that compromise may be questioned. As for the interpretation of the Justice card, I must point out that although Thomas Jefferson tried to include a condemnation of slavery in the Declaration of Independence, he himself did not free his own slaves. Comments As I did this reading, I was intrigued by the recurrent dualities in it. The first two cards, which depict the central conflict (foundation: Two of Cups, and challenge: Knight of Swords reversed), reflect a fundamental human contradiction: the yearning for union and the need to explore one’s independence and individuality. They also signify the common clash between feelings and emotions on the one hand, and ideas and reason on the other. Had this been a relationship reading, the problem identified by these two cards would have been quite obvious. Since it was a reading of a very different sort, however, a more flexible approach to interpreting these cards was required. The message of union expressed by the Two of Cups and the zealous idealism of the Knight of Swords both had to be applied in a general context rather than in terms of personal relationships. Interestingly, the Justice card reiterated and reinforced the points made by the other two cards. The scales that Justice holds echo the meaning of balance and compromise that was implied by the numerological implications of the first card, which was a Two. At the same time, her sword repeats the themes of clarity of thought and decisive action found in the Knight of Swords. But the Justice card also reconciles these two seemingly disparate qualities. It says that clarity of thought requires a balanced assessment of a situation, and

that decisive action can only be fair when it accounts for the needs of all concerned. Consequently, this card, in concert with the other two cards, led me to the advice in this reading’s final paragraph, advice that incorporated the messages of all three cards. Another noteworthy aspect of the Justice card is the way in which its meaning was affected by its reversed aspect. In this reading, I considered the reversal of this card to be an indication that much of its energy was being directed inward. The justice required in this situation was not the type imposed externally by a governing body. Instead, it was the kind we each must find in our hearts and souls when we look deeply into them to determine what actions are just. What was called for here was not a justice imposed, but one volunteered willingly. Finally, in considering these two possible aspects of this card—justice imposed versus volunteered—it occurred to me that they suggest a reason why this card may be placed where it is in the sequence of Major Arcana cards. Perhaps this card comes between the Wheel of Fortune (indicative of karma or cosmic justice, which is imposed upon us from outside) and the Hanged Man (symbolizing self-sacrifice) because it serves as a bridge between them, being able to reflect shades of both.[25]

Reading 12

Man Yearns for a Wonderful Life Dear KnightHawk, My father, who was the head of the Building and Loan here in Bedford Falls, died three months ago. Although I had planned to take a vacation in Europe, I stayed home instead in order to help set his business affairs in order. Now Mr. Potter, who is president of the local bank and a member of the Building and Loan’s board of directors, wants to dissolve the Building and Loan. The company’s board voted him down, but on one condition: that I become Executive Secretary and run the business. The problem is, I want to go to college. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, but I have had to put it off. I’ve stuck around this small town long enough; it’s time I got the chance to do things, to go places and see the world. On the other hand, if I don’t stay, what will happen to the people of this town with only Mr. Potter’s bank left? Cold-hearted Potter won’t give anyone a break, and he won’t be happy until he has this whole town under his thumb. Should I stay or should I set out to find the wonderful life I have always dreamed about? What advice can you give me to help me make this decision? Sincerely, George Bailey *** Dear Mr. Bailey, Thank you for this question. It is obvious that you have a genuine concern for your fellow citizens that rivals your deep desire to seek your fortune, so I can see how this situation must create quite a dilemma for you. I am happy to do a reading to help you make this very difficult decision, and the following are the cards I have dealt: 1. Probable outcome if you stay in Bedford Falls:

The Hanged Man reversed 2. A compromise alternative: Six of Wands reversed 3. Probable outcome if you leave: The Sun reversed





A quick look at the cards in this reading reveals a couple of things. First of all, the cards dealt for both alternatives are Major Arcana cards, which emphasizes what a major life decision it is that you now face. Secondly, all three cards here are reversed, which indicates that there is a rough road ahead for you, regardless of what choice you make. As for the individual cards here, let us begin with the Hanged Man. This card can indicate a sacrifice for the benefit of others or for a spiritual attainment that is more important than what you are giving up materially. Since it is reversed, I see its message from a somewhat different perspective though. First of all, I see that the benefits accruing from your sacrifice will be delayed, or at least it will take time for you to realize them. I also see that other people will make sacrifices for you too, but again, it will take time before you see that message come to completion. Next, let’s look at the Sun card. This card depicts you setting forth on your own, filled with joy and optimism for the future. But this card too is reversed, and as a consequence, my attention is drawn to the fact that the gray clouds thus become uppermost in this image, giving it a somewhat ominous character. These clouds symbolize all that you will have turned your back on and all that you will have left behind. Thus, if you leave Bedford Falls, concerns about what you have left there will weigh heavily upon you, and you will feel guilty for not having made the sacrifice that has been asked of you. As a result, your joy will be tainted by regret, and it will diminish in time. The compromise card, the Six of Wands, shows you finding adventure and

victory. But reversed, it says that you would do well to seek those things some way other than outwardly or in ways that defy your expectations. This suggests that you might consider success in terms of who you are instead of in terms of the outward trappings of where you go and what adventures you may have. And so it’s likely that the reversed Six of Wands means that there are great adventures and triumphs to be found close to home. Consequently, I see in this card encouragement to change your attitude toward staying in Bedford Falls. Rather than seeing it as a sacrifice, try to see it as a challenge and an adventure. Finally, let us consider these three cards together, working as a whole to give us an overall message for this reading, while also keeping in mind the messages they already provided individually. What I see, then, is that a seeming sacrifice will lead to unexpected victory and joy. Again, thank you for requesting this reading. I hope that it is helpful for you. Best of luck, KnightHawk Comments The fact that every Tarot card has a broad spectrum of meanings is one of the great strengths of this esoteric tool. However, it also is one of the greatest challenges for new Tarot readers as they find themselves struggling to choose the correct interpretation for a card from amongst the variety of meanings possible. Fortunately, there are several ways to meet that challenge, one of which was used repeatedly in the process of doing this reading. “Card interactions” is a term for the art of interpreting a card in light of the sense and meaning of the other cards in the spread. This technique was especially valuable in doing this reading for George Bailey, and in fact, it helped me interpret all three of the cards here. First, my interpretation of the reversed Hanged Man was influenced by the adjacent Six of Wands, a card in which a crowd of people is seen supporting the hero. Thus, I saw that the reversal of the Hanged Man could mean that other people would make sacrifices for George as well as he for them. The way in which my interpretation of the reversed Sun card was influenced by the Hanged Man was a bit more complicated. As I initially contemplated the reversed Sun card, my attention was focused on the gray clouds, which gained an unusual prominence with the card being upside down. This told me that George’s joy at setting off into the world would be overshadowed by a sense of gloom. Since I generally see these dark clouds as hiding the sun, I began to

wonder what it was about George’s life in Bedford Falls that would dampen the joy that he expected worldly adventures to bring him. That was when I looked to the other cards for help, especially the one that related to staying in Bedford Falls. That card, the Hanged Man, suggested that the problem would be his sense of guilt about not making the sacrifice he should have made. The Six of Wands was influenced in this reading by both of the cards flanking it. At first I just saw the reversal of this card as turning its meaning inward (“... consider success in terms of who you are instead of in terms of the outward trappings... ”). Then I saw another meaning for this card within the context of George’s dilemma. Keeping in mind the interpretation of the clouds in the Sun card as meaning hidden or unrealized joys, I saw in the reversed Six of Wands the message that “there are great adventures and triumphs to be found close to home.” And the Hanged Man also suggested that George would do well to change his opinion that staying in Bedford Falls was a sacrifice. Considering that I saw such a high level of interaction between these three cards, it was no surprise when I also saw them working in concert to convey a summary statement for this reading. I found the image of these cards taken together to be rather striking, and as a result, I concluded this reading by interpreting this spread in a way that transcended the use of its positional meanings. Even so, however, I did not disregard the original message of the reading. Rather, I used this fresh view of the cards to get a message that worked well with the overall reading and that would supplement and augment it. Finally, there was one other notable feature of this reading that bears mentioning. While Tarot cards shed light on the situation for which a reading is being done, sometimes the reverse can be true as well. In the course of doing a reading we can find a new layer of meaning for a card, and in this reading it was the Six of Wands that I learned a bit more about. There is a well-known quote from the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” that I found to be curiously relevant to this card. At one point in the movie, the angel, Clarence, said, “Dear George, remember, no man is a failure who has friends.” Thus I saw that sometimes the victory of the Six of Wands might lie less in our achievements than in the merits and integrity of our relationships with the people around us.

Reading 13

A Perilous Flight to Freedom Dear KnightHawk, My son, Icarus, and I have been falsely imprisoned by the King of Crete. In hopes of escaping, I have fashioned wings of wax and feathers for both of us. Will we be successful in our flight to freedom? Warmest regards, Daedalus *** Dear Daedalus, I want to thank you for entrusting me with this reading for you. While a reading can indicate a probable outcome, I don’t believe that it can tell the exact future, for our current actions are constantly reshaping our fate. However, I can do a reading to provide you with insights as to what you need to know to help you and your son make a successful escape. Thus, I have dealt the following cards for your question: 1. The problems you face: Five of Swords reversed 2. What you need to know about these problems: Justice reversed 3. What you can do about them: Death





The Five of Swords sometimes refers to betrayal or humiliation, and so, being reversed, it may indicate vindication or victory over that treachery. This is encouraging for your escape. However, it also is a warning that your success may be costly, so be prepared for a perilous journey. The Justice card often refers to the inescapable law of cause and effect. Being reversed, I see it indicating that your difficulties in escaping may stem from you or your son ignoring that natural law. This card therefore advises you both to take great care to keep in mind all of the factors and constraints involved in your escape plan. Lastly, the Death card advises you to let go of your bitterness about the injustice you have suffered. It also says that in order to make good your escape, you will have to release something important in your life. This may be painful for you to do, but it also may be unavoidable. Again, thank you for asking me to read for you, Daedalus. I hope this reading is helpful. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments The fact that the Death card came up in this reading was quite remarkable. As most people know, this tale’s ending was not a happy one. Daedalus did indeed escape, but Icarus, ignoring his father’s advice (as youth so often does), flew too close to the sun and plunged to his death when his wings melted from the solar heat. This raises some important ethical questions about predicting death in a Tarot reading. Does the Death card ever indicate an actual, physical death? Is it ethical to predict physical death in a Tarot reading? Or is it ethical to avoid making such a prediction? When the Death card comes up in a reading I am quick to inform the querent that it does not mean that someone is going to die. (This is to forestall the common panic that some people feel the minute they see this card turn up.) I tell them it usually means things like transitions, transformations, and letting go of something. In this particular reading it was true that Daedalus had to “release something important,” although as it turns out, there was an actual death impending too since what he had to release was his son. On the other hand, this card came up in the position defined as “What you can do about the problems you face,” and not in a “Probable Outcome” position, so I felt that it was

appropriate just to warn that extreme caution was required. Of course, I knew in advance what the outcome was going to be while in actual readings we never have the benefit of such 20/20 hindsight; we can only rely upon the much hazier vision of foresight. Although I have, on rare occasion, had the Death card signify a physical death, in my readings it has always indicated either a death that has already transpired (for example, in a reading for a recent widow) or one that is expected, such as for a querent with a terminally ill loved one. In such cases, it addresses questions about how this person is dealing with death, or perhaps about what he believes about the afterlife. But what if this card does seem to hint at an actual death? There is no definitive answer to this question, but a lot of people have very strong opinions about it, so a few years ago, I initiated an online discussion on this topic to get other viewpoints about it. I had rarely heard of a Tarot reader accurately predicting a death that was not already foreseen by the querent, so I was interested in the variety of responses I got. Many Tarot readers say that they would never predict a death during a reading. Since they don't presume to be 100% accurate, they are concerned about possibly causing undue stress, or even setting up a tragic self-fulfilling prophecy. Others say that if they get a strong sense of an actual death, they feel obliged to tell the querent about it in order to provide an opportunity to prepare for it. Some give a very conditional yes to the question of predicting death in a reading. Most who said that they were willing to predict an actual death said that there would have to be other dire cards in the reading to support that interpretation, such as the Three or Ten of Swords, the Tower card, or the Five of Cups. Many also advise trying to gauge in advance a querent's ability to cope with grim news and his level of awareness that something is wrong. But even then, almost all agree that we should try to couch such a prediction in qualified terms. For example, we might say something like, "You say your father is going in for surgery. I see some real danger here, so perhaps you should be prepared for the possibility that he may not make it." While I didn’t find total agreement on this topic, I did find a consensus that even if we sense death in the cards, we should tread very carefully, guided by our intuition and tempered by our empathic sense of how well the querent is equipped to deal with such information. So although I hesitate to say that one should never predict a death in a Tarot reading, I do feel that the less experienced you are at reading the cards, the more hesitant you should be about predicting an actual death. For novices, I suggest that instead you might warn that the Death

card indicates great danger rather than say it predicts death.

Reading 14

Angels Tell Girl to Save France Dear Sir, I hear angels’ voices telling me that I must take up arms and fight to save France, but I am just a young peasant girl, and I am sorely afraid. Are these voices truly those of angels from God? What am I to do? God bless you, Joan *** Dear Joan, Although I am not in a position to tell you if the voices you hear are angels sent to you from God, I can ask the cards to tell us what you need to know about them and about the course of action they have urged upon you. To address that issue, I have dealt a three-card spread as follows: 1. The situation you face: Temperance reversed 2. What you need to know or do about it: The Hierophant 3. Where the situation is heading: The Fool





First of all, the pivotal nature of your situation is emphasized by the fact that all three of these cards are from the Major Arcana. This, in itself, is a strong indication that you should pay attention to the message of these voices. Looking at the specific cards, let’s start with the Temperance card, which talks about gaining strength through trials and tribulations, but it is also a card of healing. Being reversed, however, may affect its message as follows. First, the angelic voices you hear may be internal, meaning that they represent the divinity within you. Second, the trials you face may be delayed and will not come for some time yet. Last, the healing that this card talks about, which may well refer to France itself, may be delayed as well. The Hierophant can be indicative of a teacher, or it may be referring you to a priest. However, considering its context in this reading, I am inclined to see it as advocating that you listen to your conscience, or to the guidance of your own Higher Self. In that case, perhaps your Higher Self is the source of the angelic voices you hear. On a mundane level, the Fool card refers to you going on a journey, even if you don’t know exactly where it will take you, and doing what you feel called to do, even if everyone else thinks you are being foolish. On a psychological level, this card advises you to maintain your innocence; it will carry you far. And finally, on a spiritual level, it reassures you that divinity is forever potential within you. Thank you, Joan. It was an honor to read for you. I hope this reading helps you. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments The story of Joan of Arc is one of my favorites,[26] and I approached this reading with a mixture of excitement and humble trepidation. The centuries since her death have steeped Joan’s life in so much myth and mystery that it is no longer possible to know how much of our knowledge of this remarkable girl’s life is fact and how much is fiction. So I wondered if this reading would reveal any hidden details about her life to me. The first thing I noted as I began work on this reading was that I had to take into consideration my own limitations. Would it be arrogant to think I could tell Joan of Arc whether or not she had been visited by angels? Next, I was struck by the fact that the sort of question posed in this reading

can sometimes cause us to seriously doubt where our querent is coming from. At such times we may be inclined to wonder if she is in need of professional help of a kind that we are not qualified to give. Or is she a crank? In this situation—having several centuries’ worth of 20/20 hindsight—I knew that Joan was very much in earnest about her question. But even when we do not know that sort of thing, it is generally wise to respect our querent enough to give her the benefit of the doubt, do the reading to the best of our ability, and let the cards tell us what we need to know. Sometimes, as I did these “Ask KnightHawk” readings, it was hard to see how the cards I dealt applied to the lives or stories for which I was reading. At other times, however, the cards’ meanings were strikingly clear, and their implications hit me immediately. (The same, of course, can be said for doing readings out there in the real world.) This reading was of the latter type, and everything fell quickly into place. As noted in the reading for Dorothy (Reading 8), I generally give Major Arcana cards more weight than the Minor Arcana cards, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule. Another important consideration regarding the Major Arcana cards is the fact that they often relate to issues that are deeply spiritual, going beyond the immediate, mundane problems in our lives. In this reading, all three cards were from the Major Arcana, which is not surprising considering that this young peasant girl went on to rally a tottering nation to fight back and eventually save itself from being conquered, thus changing the course of the Hundred Years War. European history could have been very different if not for her, and almost six centuries later she is still worldfamous, more famous in fact than any of the generals, popes, or kings of her day. Thus, the three cards in this reading are portentous indeed! Although all of the Major Arcana cards can have mundane meanings ascribed to them sometimes (such as the Fool indicating a journey), I try to discuss meanings for them that take place on “higher” levels also. For example, in this reading I noted a mundane interpretation for the Fool, then went on to discuss its psychological implications, and finally interpreted it on a spiritual level: “... divinity is forever potential within you.” This reading may have been helpful to young Joan as she struggled to find her way, but what about my hopes for finding details about her life hidden in it? No cold, hard facts about Joan’s life were revealed to me while doing this reading. Without an intimate acquaintance with life in early fifteenth century France I had a very limited context in which to decipher the whispered truths of the Tarot. No ethereal visions visited me in the course of the reading either.

(Alas, they almost never do; I do not read with that sort of gift.) However, there are universal truths about the human condition that grounded my understanding of this reading. I feel that it did reveal deeper truths about Joan of Arc, and ultimately those truths are more valuable than mere facts. The heart of this reading involved the concept of the divinity within all of us, and I believe that Joan’s divine spirit was something with which she was profoundly in touch, no matter how she conceptualized it. Were the angels she heard messengers from a divine source outside of her or from one within? At the risk of sounding facetious, I would venture to say that the answer is “Yes.” In the final analysis, the crucial insight I gained from this reading is that the voices Joan heard were indeed from a divine source, but whether they were from within her or from outside is a superficial distinction. What is important is the fact that this innocent young girl dared to live her life according to the dictates of a higher source, regardless of how hard that may have been and despite the price she had to pay for it. And so, for me the truest angel in the story of Joan of Arc was Joan herself.

Reading 15

Man Falls in Love with Statue Dear KnightHawk, Detesting the faults that nature has given to women, I had resolved never to marry, finding my art to be sufficiently fulfilling. But now I’ve fallen in love with a statue that I have sculpted—a most perfect and beautiful woman! What am I to do? Will I ever find a woman as wonderful as this one made of stone? Sincerely, Pygmalion *** Dear Pygmalion, Thank you for this interesting question. I have rephrased it slightly to focus it on providing insights that can empower you to create the future you want. The question I have used is this: “What do you need to understand concerning your love life?” With that question in mind, I dealt a three-card spread for you as follows: 1. What do you really want? The Devil reversed 2. What do you need to face or overcome? Seven of Wands 3. What will help you meet this challenge? Ten of Coins reversed







The Devil card often refers to the demons within us, such as our fears, addictions, or prejudices. Reversed, this card indicates that you may be projecting your own darker qualities onto others—in this case, women—which implies that you want to blame them for the problems in your love life. This also may mean that you have avoided making a commitment by attributing the undesirable qualities of some women to all women. So this card suggests that what you really want is to avoid the problems that come with having a relationship, perhaps due to your past experiences in dysfunctional relationships. The advice of this card, then, is to confront your prejudices and try to understand them so that you can ultimately release yourself from their control. It sounds like you may already be starting that process as you are discovering love. But you are still making a relationship unattainable—and thus, safe—by falling in love with a statue. The Seven of Wands says that you are resisting the process of self-discovery and healing recommended by the previous card. It also indicates that you feel overwhelmed by your own passions and desires, which may be represented by the hydra that Hercules is battling in the image on this card. Try to re-evaluate your feelings to find out why they seem to threaten you, and realize that sometimes what we block turns out to be the blessings of the world around us. So you need to face whatever it is that makes you resist falling in love with a real flesh-and-blood woman. The ten upside-down pentacles on the final card, which is reversed, imply that you have placed the material (the statue) above the spiritual (love). Perhaps you can find some way to reverse this situation, maybe by putting your faith and trust in a higher power in order that you may find spirit restored to its proper ascendance over material concerns. In addition, it sounds like you have isolated yourself from your community, partly due to your animosity toward women and also through your obsession with your sculpture. This card says that you can reinvigorate your love life by rediscovering your connection to the community around you. Perhaps there is some sort of festival where you can find enjoyment and a sense of connection. Finally, one piece of encouragement for you is that this last card depicts a happy couple, which lends hope for you to eventually have a happy marriage, despite what may seem to be insurmountable difficulties. I hope that this reading is helpful for you, Pygmalion. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk

Postscript: This tale turned out to have a happy ending for Pygmalion. He did indeed pray to a higher power, Venus, who answered his prayer by breathing life (spirit) into the stone (material) statue, thus creating a flesh-and-blood woman, Galatea, who Pygmalion then married. Comments Pygmalion appears to have misogynistic tendencies and serious commitment issues. How tempting it would be to harshly judge a querent like this, but our primary responsibility during a reading should be to interpret the cards with an open, non-judgmental mind. As mere mortals, however, we never are completely free from our observations, impressions, and conclusions about a querent. And should we be? Although maintaining a non-judgmental stance is imperative, reading the cards is not something we do in isolation from our connection with the querent. Ultimately, reading Tarot cards for someone is a conversation between our Higher Self, the querent’s Higher Self, and the Spirit of the Universe. The cards provide a very effective medium for tangibly revealing such an intercourse, but that does not mean we should ignore any other avenues of communication. Indeed, in order to hear the message of the cards clearly, it helps to listen to the querent as well. In this reading, the reversed Ten of Coins provided its first piece of advice via the prominence of the ten inverted pentacles in the foreground. This brought to mind the reversed pentacle on the Devil card, a symbol that indicates putting the material above the spiritual, thus leading me to the observation about placing “the material (the statue) above the spiritual (love).” The second piece of advice, however, came to me as a result of considering this card in light of what the querent had already revealed about himself. The Ten of Coins can indicate a substantial connection to one’s community, and it was apparent from Pygmalion’s comments that he either lacked or had severed such a relationship. Thus, I saw that this card was urging him to rediscover his connection to his community, and interestingly, it was at a festival that Pygmalion eventually offered his fateful prayer to Venus. Another interesting point about this reading concerns the meaning I saw for the Seven of Wands. One of the messages of this card seemed to be that Pygmalion was overwhelmed by his passions and desires, even though a more common way of interpreting this card is to see it as being indicative of standing

up for what you believe in. So how did I arrive at my interpretation? Consider the six wands that are attacking the seventh one at the bottom of this card. (This feature of my Tarot of the Masters version of this card echoes the image on the RWS version of a man being attacked by six wands that are not visibly held by anyone.) Sometimes it strikes me as curious that no one is holding those wands, and I have to wonder if the querent may be resisting something from within, such as his own desires. Alternatively, he may be fending off something from the universe, whether that’s challenges he needs to face, overcome, and learn from, or blessings that he has failed to recognize as such. A general piece of advice that this discussion of the Seven of Wands points out is that we can find new layers of meaning in a card when we consider its details and try to see what they say to us. We can do this as we study the cards, interpreting their details in light of our existing understanding of them, and we can do this during a reading, sensing the message of such details in the context of the reading itself.

Reading 16

Prince Finds Revenge Beyond His Ability Dear KnightHawk, My father’s ghost has revealed to me that he did not die of natural causes. Rather, my treacherous uncle killed him in order to gain his throne and take my mother for his wife. This most unfortunate ghost has urged me to avenge his death, yet I find that I cannot. Why can I not find the courage to kill my Uncle Claudius? Respectfully, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark *** My dear Prince Hamlet, Thank you for giving me this opportunity to read for you on this delicate subject. Let us see what insights the cards can give us regarding your current state of affairs. I have dealt a three-card spread for your question as follows: 1. Past: Six of Cups 2. Present: The Tower 3. Future: Seven of Swords





The Six of Cups says that you were, until recently, living a sheltered life of innocence. You were treated kindly, and you developed an open, generous heart. But then, as indicated by the Tower, a catastrophe (your father’s death) changed your life suddenly, surprisingly and irreversibly. This shocking crisis shattered your innocence and challenged your youthful concepts, and you are still reeling from it. The Seven of Swords warns that you will find deception and intrigue all around you. It will be a struggle to find the truth in the m`idst of all that duplicity, and this card advises caution, stealth, and careful discernment throughout the days to come. Now, to answer to your question explicitly, let us considered the three cards in this reading together as if they are telling a story. Together, they say that a severe crisis (your father’s assassination) has yanked you forcibly from your youthful innocence and is compelling you to take action that will require sinister cunning—treachery even—before you are ready and sooner than you would like. To state this in more detail, the first card says that your lingering youthful innocence inhibits you from taking the dire course of action your father’s ghost has set upon you. The second card adds the message that the shock of this situation has not yet worn off, and this has somewhat paralyzed you, again keeping you from action. The final card, however, assures you that you will find the psychological resources to do what you must. You just need time to adapt, learn, and grow, and then you will be able to act. Again, thank you for letting me read the cards for you, Prince Hamlet. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Postscript: The question of why Hamlet hesitates to kill his uncle, who

murdered Hamlet’s father, is a celebrated and controversial topic of discussion among Shakespearean scholars. I simply could not pass up the chance to do a Tarot reading on the subject, letting the cards throw their two cents worth into the debate. Comments The meaning of the first two cards, especially when considered together, was rather obvious to me as I set about doing this reading. The children in the Six of Cups are standing in an enclosed garden, and it may be inferred from this that the innocence depicted there is something that is or must be protected. In this reading, it indicated to me both Hamlet’s innocent nature and the sheltered life he had lived previously. But then that innocence and protection are shattered by the crisis of the Tower. The catastrophe of his father’s murder would be difficult enough in any case, but it seemed all the more sinister due to Hamlet’s gentle upbringing, which ill prepared him for such a crisis. In this reading, this card was also a clear corroboration of the allegation of murder set forth by the ghost of Hamlet’s father, and it would have served that valuable purpose in an actual reading. Sometimes querent’s need such corroboration of what they suspect as much as they need insights into things they don’t know. As for the Seven of Swords, the image of someone sneaking away has obvious connotations of theft, deceit, and subterfuge. The essential question in a reading, though, is who is this sly person, the querent or someone else? Here the answer was both. Hamlet would discover that there was deceit and treachery going on around him, and he would have to find it within himself to do the things he must, even if those actions ran counter to his established sense of morality. This reading ends with a wrap up summary, which is something I generally try to do in a reading for real people. I have not included such summaries for most of the readings in this book because on the written page they can easily seem redundant instead of being a recap, which is their role in the dialogue of a face-to-face reading. However, the three cards in this reading worked together as a single tableau so well that I wanted to use this particular example to illustrate this technique. As a final note, I must point out that if this had been a reading for a real person, I never would have helped him find the wherewithal to commit murder. Either I would have tried to redirect his question toward a more productive line

of inquiry, or I would have urged him to seek psychiatric counseling.

Reading 17

Duckling Ridiculed by Peers Dear KnightHawk, Why does everyone laugh at me and pick on me? I may not be as adorable as my brothers and sisters, but I can’t help what I look like, or who I am. What can I do? Humbly yours, The Ugly Duckling *** Dear Duckling, Thank you for giving me this opportunity to read for you. I am sorry to hear that you are having such difficulties. It doesn’t seem fair does it? I’ve done the following reading to help you understand your situation better and see how best to deal with it. 1. The foundation or background of your situation: The Star 2. What you need to know or do about your problem: King of Cups 3. What may help you: Seven of Wands reversed





The Star is a card of hope, and it is a beautiful card with which to start your reading. It shows one large, brightly shining star in the heavens surrounded by

seven smaller, lesser stars. I see you as that lovely star. You are different, but this card promises a brighter future when your differences will be seen as something splendid. The King of Cups advises you to learn to control your emotions. Although you may need to be wary of others around you, take care that you do not succumb to fear or anger. This card also urges tolerance of others, even when they are not tolerant of you, and reminds you not to sink to their level. Try to ride above the turmoil of derision in which you find yourself. The reversed Seven of Wands suggests that maybe you are being too defensive, and that it may help to try to be less so. Others may call you ugly names, but is it worth fighting about? This may not be an issue you need to take a stand on. Remember the promise of the Star card and let their taunts just roll off your back. But if they become too physically abusive, you may want to yield your ground and retreat for a while. Then later, when you are in a better position, you can come back and confront them if you like. Again, thanks for asking me to do this reading for you. I hope it helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments I have always had a special fondness for this charming folk tale. I believe that it is such a popular and endearing story because so many of us have grown up feeling different and alienated, just like this duckling who turned out to be a swan. Ironically, it is common to have been uncommon in our childhood. This is because while there are only a few ways to conform to the social norms, the eccentric paths of individualism are infinitely varied. Later in life we may find our way, especially when we go out into the world and discover other people with whom we share a common bond, but in our youth we are stuck in the environment into which fate has thrust us. Besides physical differences—the extended metaphor that illustrates the theme of this tale—children and adolescents may be ridiculed or ostracized by their peers for being intellectual, shy, awkward, gay, introspective, sensitive, or empathic, or for having unconventional beliefs, attitudes, or interests. But whatever our differences may be, we all hope to become swans once we leave the nest. I know I did, and so I was anxious to do a reading for this unfortunate duckling and thus, in a way, for myself. You can imagine my joy, then, when one of my favorite cards, the Star, was

the first card to turn up in this spread. This card of hope is a wonderful sign for any ugly duckling. That large, bright star high in the sky is different from the other stars, but rather than being out of place, despicable, or ridiculous, it is unique, beautiful, and exalted. What a perfect way for each of us to see ourselves. In fact, I have a friend who created a personal mantra of “I am a shining star.” She even framed this affirmation, written in silver letters set against a starry background, and hung it in a place of honor in her home. Indeed, this is an excellent affirmation to use with this card. Next there was the King of Cups. I see both the King and Queen of Cups as indicating emotional mastery, but the differences between the two, although subtle, are important. One way of considering kings is to think of them as dealing with issues of control and as coping with the world (including society) around us. The queens, on the other hand, tend to deal with issues of support, understanding, and personal relationships. So the King of Cups can signify being in control of our emotions (in this case, fear and anger), especially in the midst of emotional turmoil. This message can be seen in the image on this card, where this king sits confidently on his throne next to the turbulence of a waterfall. In fact, this image led me to the advice, “Try to ride above the turmoil of derision...” This card also can be about dealing with other people in a diplomatic way. Thus, in this reading, the King of Cups advises “tolerance of others, even when they are not tolerant of you.” This is a warning against falling into an all-too easy trap. In emotionally charged situations such as the one in which the Ugly Duckling found itself, it is tempting to reflect back the hate we get from other people—to exclaim, “They are the ones who are wrong!”—but doing so plunges us into a dark side of the King of Cups, that of anger and prejudice. Lastly, the Seven of Wands often indicates taking a stand and defending your position, but reversed, I saw it as both a reduction and a delay of this message. The reversal of this card indicated a diminishment of its typical meaning in that it advised not being so defensive and even suggested retreating from this conflict. It indicated delay in its message: “Then later, when you are in a better position, you can come back and confront them if you like.” At the very least, a reversal can be a questioning of the typical message of a card, and in this case, I asked, “Others may call you ugly names, but is it worth fighting about?” Asking questions like this can be effective in working with a reversed card. Note that the message of this last card (“you may want to yield your ground and retreat for a while”) works very well with what happened near the end of the story of the Ugly Duckling. The young bird, not yet a beautiful swan, flew off to

be alone until finally, full-grown, it chanced to see its own reflection in a pond and realized its own beauty for the first time. And so I see a message in this reading for all of us. Perhaps at some point we all need to make a journey of self-discovery with hope in our hearts (the Star) and with malice toward none (King of Cups), forgetting about our self-defensive struggles (reversed Seven of Wands) so that we can just look inside ourselves and find the beautiful swan that we all have within.

Reading 18

Lady Wants to Help Husband Become King Sir KnightHawk, I have just learned of a prophecy foretelling that my husband shall become King of Scotland. Although I am thus encouraged for his fortune, I do fear his nature may be too full of the milk of human kindness to do what he must. He has ambition, but has he the unscrupulous nature with which to attain his promise? Must the valor for this undertaking be mine? If so, how shall I proceed? Sincerely, Lady Macbeth *** My Dear Lady, Thank you for requesting my help. You have asked several questions here, but the one best suited to a Tarot reading is the one that seems to be the central issue with which you are concerned: what can you do to help your husband become king? To shed light on that subject, I have done the following reading, which considers several different aspects of your ambitions. The cards that I have laid out for you are as follows: 1. What ideas and plans will help you attain your goal? Three of Coins 2. What emotional aspects regarding your plans should you be aware of? Eight of Wands reversed 3. What are the important spiritual considerations regarding your ambitions? King of Cups





First of all, I’m getting a unified impression from these three cards. Overall, they convey a need for caution against taking precipitous action. Careful action, patience, and discretion are advised. Avoid rushing into things; take time to do this right. Now let’s look at the specific messages of the individual cards. The Three of Coins says that the prophecy to which you have referred can be manifested, but it will take diligence, hard work, and a cooperative effort. Don’t try to take shortcuts. Carefully plan the steps that you and your husband can take together to lay the proper foundation for him to become king. Then, remaining mindful of your goal, always pay attention to the details of the task at hand. More than that, however, remember that if your husband is fated to be king, then fate, not you, will deliver him to his destiny, a destiny that is bigger than the both of you. As an illustration of this, consider the image on this card of people working on a larger-than-life statue, and remember that just as a statue cannot be built quickly, your husband’s ascension to the throne may take a long time as well. The next card warns against getting swept away by your passions. The Eight of Wands often indicates rushing into something, which is not always a problem. But here, in its reversed aspect, I see this card as a warning about the dangerous aspects of acting too quickly. This card says that without the careful planning and honest work in quest of your goal that was indicated by the previous card, your efforts could come crashing down around you. In other words, haste can lead to an emotional breakdown, either for you or for your husband ... or both. The King of Cups indicates that the spiritual lesson you face at this time is concerned with how you deal with other people. This card says you need to learn how to remain calm and in control when you find yourself confronted with turbulent emotions. It also notes that a successful kingship requires tact and diplomacy, and thus, it advises you both to be cool-headed rather than hotblooded in your pursuit of the crown. Finally, this card urges you to find a calm centeredness in your heart.

In summary, this reading advises you to make a long-term plan and to work on it diligently, but without haste. Be patient, and you can safely attain your husband’s royal destiny, which will be best achieved through tact and diplomacy rather than precipitous action. And so this reading’s most important message is its advice to allow events to unfold in their own time. Again, thank you for asking me to do this reading for you, My Lady. I hope it is of some help to you. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments I have always found Lady Macbeth to be a much more interesting character than her husband, so when I decided to do a reading based upon Shakespeare’s famous play about ambition, I turned to the archetypal great woman behind the great man. Unfortunately, in this case, the great woman pushed her husband over the brink and into the abyss, as she, herself, plunged into her own private darkness. A question about this play that naturally comes to mind is, why did this happen? Is ambition inherently wrong or bad, or was there some compounding flaw that condemned Lady Macbeth to her fate? Early on in the play (in act I, scene v), when Lady Macbeth heard of the fateful prophecy regarding her husband, she immediately began to plot and scheme, determined to ensure the fulfillment of this prediction. Prior to doing this reading, I had found it strange that she had not allowed fate to take its promised course, which seemed more prudent than the hasty regicide she chose instead. Presumably, if something is fated, it will come to pass without our intervention, right? So I decided to do a reading for her at that point at which the spark of ambition, which ultimately consumed her soul, had ignited. For me, the key to this reading was the reversed Eight of Wands, for as I dealt these three cards, it was the one that first grabbed my attention. It set the tone for the whole reading, and its message influenced my interpretation of the other two cards as well. Indeed, its advice against rushing into things seems highly appropriate in light of the dire consequences of the haste with which Lady Macbeth pursued her ambitions. Thus, an important insight that I got from this reading was that it was not her ambition that doomed Lady Macbeth so much as it was her impatience. The Three of Coins provided valuable insights that complemented those of

the reversed Eight of Wands. My Tarot of the Masters version of this card depicts artisans carving a statue. This image called to mind something that Michelangelo purportedly said about sculpting. He claimed that a statue is already there in the stone, revealed to him by God, and that he merely chipped away everything that was not the statue. This led me to see that Lady Macbeth needed to work with fate, to help it unfold, rather than to force her own plan upon it. Once again, patience was called for. In addition, this card stressed the need to find a vision of what fate’s plan had in store for her husband. Lady Macbeth, however, took no time for such careful reflection as she dashed recklessly into action. It was as if upon being told that a beautiful statue lay hidden within a block of marble, she had smashed into it with hammer, chisel, and complete abandon. Considering this theme of patience, it was significant that the final card was the King of Cups, an excellent depiction of someone who is “cool-headed rather than hot-blooded.” In addition, this card added another layer of meaning to this reading through its advocacy of tact and diplomacy, qualities conspicuously missing from Lady Macbeth’s plans. The preceding discussion illustrates how valuable first impressions can be when doing a reading, since they usually come from a source more profound than logic and reason. In this case, I was struck initially by the warning against haste indicated by the reversed Eight of Wands, and this impression set the tone for the whole reading. It guided me to the meanings most appropriate for each card, and it shaped the conclusion of the reading. All of this arose from the general feeling I got as I initially laid out these cards. Paying attention to your first impressions is an intuitive process that requires a receptive mind and an open heart. It is a process that is understood, learned, and perfected through practice and experience.

Reading 19

Will Health Problems Block Marriage Proposal? Dear KnightHawk, Mr. Joe Pittman has asked me to marry him, but I am barren due to wounds suffered while I was a slave. I cannot marry him without telling him this, but I fear that if I do he will no longer want me to be his wife. This is a great dilemma for me, and I don’t know what to do. Please help me. Respectfully, Jane Brown *** Dear Miss Brown, Thank you for asking me to read the cards for this difficult question for you. Using the following three-card spread, I have done a reading to see what you need to know about this marriage proposal and how to handle the problems you face regarding it. 1. What is working against you: Three of Coins reversed 2. What is working in your favor: King of Coins 3. What you can do to cope with this situation: The Sun reversed





Considered in light of its numerological and elemental associations, the Three of Coins is about creativity on the physical plane. So on one level, the reversed Three of Coins indicates the obvious: that what is working against you is your impaired ability to create physical life, i.e., to have a baby. On a deeper level, however, this card says that you are allowing this problem to cloud your recognition of your creativity in general. You are losing sight of how much you and Joe Pittman can create even without bringing children into the world— including security and stability for each other. In addition, you can contribute much to the world around you due to your generosity to others. You have considerable skills and talents, but you are letting your inability to have children overshadow them, and that is what is truly working against you. The King of Coins says that what is working in your favor is Joe himself. He is solid, dependable, and down-to-earth. His great strength of character (as well as your own) will see you both through this. You need not worry about how he will react to this news, for he knows what is important in life, and he will prove to be of considerable support to you. The reversed Sun card urges you to look inside yourself to find the vitality, joy, and self-confidence that will see you through this. This card acknowledges that it is quite difficult for you to see that right now, but it guarantees that you do indeed have those qualities. Search inside for them, recognize them as your own, and keep them in mind as you consider Joe Pittman’s proposal. This will show you how to move beyond focusing on your physical problem, and it will help you handle this dilemma. Again, thank you for letting me read for you, Miss Brown. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Postscript: As an interesting footnote to this reading, I would like to point out that in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Jane seeks the advice of a

psychic at one point, although on a very different matter than the subject presented here. Comments The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman is a story about a bold woman with great strength of character who is inspiring in her ability to overcome adversity. This is reflected in the cards dealt for this reading. My first impression when I considered these three cards was how well they depicted Jane’s skill, strength, and general optimism. The fact that two of these cards were reversed indicated that such traits and abilities were being overlooked or unacknowledged at the time that she was seeking this reading. For someone lacking in formal education, Jane had considerable skill in adapting to the constantly changing conditions of her life, and she displayed a great deal of talent for creating abundance out of adversity. However, when faced with Joe Pittman’s marriage proposal, she balked due to the fact that she was barren. Ostensibly, then, her infertility was the problem she faced, and when interpreting the reversed Three of Coins, it would have been easy to just see it in light of Jane’s fertility problem, but that would have been too simplistic an answer. When I considered this card further, I saw that Jane’s real obstacle was the fact that she was focusing on that fertility problem instead of realizing how much more she had to offer. Consequently, it was with that additional depth of meaning that I concluded my explanation about this card. At first glance, the King of Coins seems a perfect depiction of Joe Pittman— someone who was “solid, dependable, and down-to-earth.” Certainly, his strength of character was of great value to Jane as she struggled to cope with this difficult problem. However, I generally find that a Court Card has something to say about the querent’s personality and character, even when it also points toward another person. Thus, it was Jane’s strength as well that saw her through her troubles. Finally, the Sun card has a lot of energy and vitality, and so did Jane. She just needed to be reminded of that in order to regain her self-confidence and sense of optimism. And in the final analysis, this was what carried her through the troubled times for which she may have sought a reading such as this one.

Reading 20

Woman Seeks Success in New Location, Career Dear KnightHawk, I am frustrated by the fact that since I am a woman, I cannot go to University here in Poland. Instead, I must work as a governess. My sister lives in Paris, and she was able to study there to become a doctor. She and her husband want me to join them there, for she says I can study at the Sorbonne, and although I hate to leave my parents, I have decided to go. Will I be successful in my studies and career in Paris? With warm regards, Marja Sklodowska *** Dear Miss Sklodowska, Thank you for giving me this opportunity to read for you. This sounds like a big move for you; I see why you are wondering what will become of it. With that in mind, I have done a reading to see what you can do to find success in your studies and in your subsequent career. The spread I have dealt for you is the following: 1. The path you are on: Judgment 2. What you may encounter along that path: Queen of Wands reversed 3. The probable outcome of your journey: The Emperor





The Judgment card says that yours is a great calling. You are clearly at a crossroads in your life, and this is an encouraging card for this new beginning of yours. Moving to Paris certainly will be the beginning of a new life for you. My first impression of the Queen of Wands is that it is a radiant card, but being reversed, it implies that radiance may be a challenge or problem for you. I’m not sure right now what that means, but it occurred to me, so just keep it in mind. I also see here that you will encounter some resistance from people who are not used to strong women, but you should be able to overcome that with your innate courage and determination. And so this card challenges your energetic nature and self-assurance as you journey along the path you have chosen. It assures you that you have those qualities, but it urges you to utilize them fully in order to achieve your full potential. The Emperor card shows you systematically finding order, which perhaps refers to you doing research at the University. This is also a card of recognized authority, which seems to be your destiny. All in all, this card bodes very well for your success in your studies and career. Again, thank you for asking me to do this reading for you, and I hope it helps you. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Postscript: Marja Sklodowska did indeed move to Paris, where she changed her first name to Marie, and in 1895 she married Pierre Curie. Marie Curie went on to win two Nobel Prizes: one in physics in 1903, and one in chemistry in 1911. Then by the late 1920s her health began to deteriorate as she developed leukemia due to the high-energy radiation to which her work had exposed her. Comments The first thing to note about this reading is the fact that I have implicitly

rephrased Curie’s question to make it empowering for her. Generally, I try to change “Will I be...” questions into a form like, “What can I do to be...” Such readings do, however, often end up addressing the “Will I be...” question too—at least tangentially. But when they are rephrased this way, their focus is shifted from fortunetelling to providing insights that can help the querent create a desired future outcome.[27] In this reading I interpreted a reversal (the reversed Queen of Wands) to mean that more of the quality of this card was needed (“...this card challenges your energetic nature and self-assurance...”). However, in such cases I also try to note when this quality is already present but just needs more attention or development. Often when a card comes up reversed, its qualities are present or potential but also delayed, diminishing, under-utilized, sublimated, or blocked. [28] There was something else interesting about the Queen of Wands in this reading. One of my keywords for this card is “radiant,” which often means someone who has a sunny disposition. But when I considered this card, reversed as it was, I said to myself, “problems with radiance,” and I felt a shiver run up my spine as I remembered what caused Marie Curie’s death—radiation exposure. Of course, I could not state this observation in those words and stay within the constraints of my “Ask KnightHawk” readings. This reading had to sound like an actual reading for a young Marja Sklodowska, and at the time that such a reading would have taken place (the late nineteenth century), a Tarot reader would not have known what high-energy radiation was. Hence the rather vague phrase, “radiance may be a challenge or problem for you.” I point this out because sometimes we get impressions that make no sense to us at the time because we may lack some required bit of background information. If that happens, it is important for us to trust our intuition and say what comes to mind anyway, as I did in this reading, because the querent may understand what our statement refers to, either during the reading or at some later date.

Reading 21

Man Suspicious of Brother Dear KnightHawk, My brother, Cain, and I have always been close, but lately he’s been acting strangely. He has been cold and withdrawn, and he won’t open up to me like he used to. I am afraid he may even be planning to do me harm. What’s wrong? Or am I just being paranoid? Sincerely, Abel *** Dear Abel, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to read the cards for you. Since I am not a psychologist, I cannot really address your question as you have stated it. A question better suited to a Tarot reading is: what do you need to know about your relationship with your brother? With that in mind I have done a reading using the following three-card spread to see what the Tarot may have to say about this relationship. 1. Your point of view: The World 2. The problem itself: The Devil reversed 3. Cain’s point of view: Ace of Cups reversed





The World card says that you want oneness and wholeness in your relationship with your brother. It also indicates that you have a strong connection to a higher source, and it may indicate the completion of an important phase of your life. The reversed Devil card indicates that the problem in your relationship stems from pride and materialism, both of which are hidden, i.e., they are unapparent or unacknowledged ... or both. Also, this card may be saying that there is a dark, underlying influence affecting your relationship that neither of you perceives. I hesitate to say that the Devil himself is that hidden influence, because this card need not be interpreted so literally, but in these unusual circumstances, that could be the case. The reversed Ace of Cups indicates that for some reason your brother feels that you have cut him off from love and grace—perhaps even from divine love. However, an underlying layer of meaning here is that his view of the situation is tainted by his own resistance to love. So the advice that I see in this reading is to try to help your brother find his own deep source of love before it is too late. Again, thank you for letting me read for you, Abel. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk Comments The question for this reading was suggested by one of the readers of my “Ask KnightHawk” column. At first I hesitated to do a reading for a biblical character, wondering if that would be opening a can of worms that I did not want opened. I decided to try it anyway and trust that whatever message was needed would come through. Well, wouldn’t you know, the Devil card came up in the middle of the spread. How was I to handle that? It seemed too obvious, or was the Tarot just expressing a sense of humor? As I thought about it though, I realized that this card did seem to be perfect in that position.

Have you ever wondered what the heck could have driven Cain to the extreme action of killing his own brother? And since there were only a handful of people around at the time, it was not like he going to be able to say, “What’re you looking at me for? It could have been anyone.” Well, okay. Actually he did say something like that (“Am I my brother’s keeper?”), but you did not have to be God to see through that transparent attempt at obfuscation. I suppose one could say that the Devil made him do it, and in the context of this story, that could be a reasonable interpretation. But typically the Devil card indicates the shadow aspects of our human nature—the demons, so to speak, that we all carry inside of us. Things like pride and greed. Things that make us act in quite irrational ways. They are the deep, dark obsessions whose whispered suggestions seduce us into actions that we find hard to resist, and that we later regret. When they remain unacknowledged or denied, they become all the more unmanageable and insidious, and so it must have been for Cain. The two flanking cards, which represent the two brothers’ opposing points of view of the situation, were also quite appropriate. The World card depicts things like accomplishment, prosperity, peace and joy, and recognition of the divinity of which we are a part. It indicates someone who is at one with himself, and who feels whole and complete. All of these qualities can be ascribed to the gentle, benign Abel. Interestingly, the meanings that I often ascribe to the Ace of Cups are quite similar to those for the World card. This Ace can indicate an understanding of and compassion for yourself and others, as well as a connection with other people—presumably a benign connection, however. This corresponds to the oneness and wholeness of the World card, and like that card, this Ace also implies love, peace, and serenity. Even the World card’s connection with our divine essence is reflected in my Tarot of the Masters version of this Ace, which was inspired by a painting titled, The Titan's Goblet. In other words, it is an immense chalice belonging to a god. In addition, this card can imply the healing of rifts in relationships, but it is reversed in this reading, indicating that for Cain these warm and benevolent feelings were blocked, denied, or repressed. The most obvious meaning for the Ace of Cups is “love,” but where love is blocked, fear exists. And fear, even more than money, is the root of all evil. As a footnote to this reading, an argument can be made that the story of Cain and Abel is a cautionary tale of how unacknowledged and uncontrolled demons from the dark recesses of our minds (the reversed Devil card) can take joy and a sense of oneness with the world (the World card) and corrupt it into fear and hate (the reversed Ace of Cups). And this is a message that remains relevant for all

of us, even to this day.

Section 4: A Sample Celtic Cross Reading

This section presents a much longer and more complex Tarot reading than the ones in the prior section through its use of the ten-card Celtic Cross spread. I have included a reading with this spread because it is referred to quite often in the Tarot literature and it is perhaps the spread most commonly used by Tarot readers. One way in which the techniques learned in the prior section, with its twenty-two three-card readings, can be applied to the use of larger spreads is to consider the smaller two to four card mini-spreads conceptually embedded within them. This technique is used in the Celtic Cross reading that follows, which demonstrates how learning to read with three-card spreads will help you go on to do Tarot readings with any sized spread.

Chapter 1

The Celtic Cross Spread

The Celtic Cross spread, while commonly used, has a complicated structure that is subject to a wide variety of interpretations, which are often poorly understood. This chapter discusses some of the more common permutations of its positional meanings, and presents suggestions about how to use it. This will prepare you to understand the reading in the following chapter. In this spread’s layout chart (see Figure 1), the card numbers indicate the order in which I lay out the cards, but this order is not sacrosanct by any means. In fact, you will find in the existing Tarot literature many different ways to lay out these cards, especially cards Three through Six.

Figure 1 Celtic Cross Spread

Positional Meanings There are various ways to interpret the ten positions of a Celtic Cross spread. The positional meanings presented here are ones that I prefer and that make the most sense to me, although some common alternatives are mentioned as well. You should, of course, evaluate these in light of whatever meanings you have learned for these positions, and find what works best for you. Position One: The central issue of the reading. This card lies at the heart of the question and discusses what the querent

needs to consider about it. It can clarify aspects of the querent’s question, and it also may reveal unexpected details about it. Position Two: Problems or obstacles. The second card discusses what the querent needs to know about what is blocking her path with regards to the central issue of the reading. It also may address other important considerations that are having an impact on this issue. But beyond its comments on the problems at hand, or perhaps because of them, this card may also hold the seeds of advice about overcoming those obstacles. Position Three: Unconscious factors. The next card deals with issues relevant to this reading that may lie buried in the unconscious mind of the querent. It can be about her deep and often unrecognized or unacknowledged feelings and attitudes about the issue at hand, and as a result it can initiate discussions that may be quite delicate, so we should tread softly while exploring its message. This card also may relate to factors about which the querent is unaware. A common alternative meaning for this position is “Foundation.” In that case, this card can illustrate factors that form the basis of the current situation. Position Four: Past. This card depicts influences that may be receding or that the querent needs to release. Usually this examination of what has led up to the current situation will help the querent understand the central issue. Position Five: Conscious factors. The fifth card illustrates what the querent thinks about his situation. It comments on the querent’s beliefs, preconceived notions, and attitudes regarding the issues of this reading, and thus it often points out the flaws in the querent’s thinking. Some people define this position as advice from your higher self, in which case it could be called “Higher consciousness.” Position Six: Near Future My personal philosophy is that we always have free will and the freedom to

make our own choices (whether we exercise these options or not). We can choose the direction in which we swim in the flow of time, even if the riptide of fate exerts a powerful pull in one direction. Thus, I see this card as a depiction of the probable future, i.e., where things are headed if the querent continues on the path he is on now. This card can also provide advice as to the next step that the querent needs to take to overcome the obstacles depicted in the second card. It can indicate traits that it would behoove the querent to foster, especially if it is a Court Card, and it can indicate influences that are now gaining ascendance that the querent should carefully consider. Position Seven: The querent. The next card brings to light things about the querent that affect his situation. These can be strengths he would do well to emphasize or weaknesses that he needs to overcome. Position Eight: The querent’s environment. The eighth card may be about people in the querent’s life, or more generally, it can be about what is going on in the world around her, such as her physical environment or the social climate. These may be obstacles, or they might be things that can help her. Position Nine: Hopes and Fears / Guidance. Hopes and fears are the expectations of the querent on either the "good" or the "bad" end of the spectrum. Ironically, our hopes and fears are often closely related even though they are opposing aspects of the same issue. This card also may imply advice as to how the querent can allay his fears or be more realistic about his hopes. Position Ten: Probable outcome. This card examines how the querent’s situation probably will end up, given the influences at work now and how the she is dealing with them. Of course, this card also contains guidance as well. Insofar as its message may be dire, it presents advice for avoiding or changing the probable outcome, since forewarned is forearmed. On the other hand, the extent to which the message of the card is favorable, it is encouragement for the querent to stay the course.



Reading a Celtic Cross spread The following are suggested steps to take in doing a reading using this rather complicated spread. In general, though, they are relevant to any complex spread. Step One: Patterns First look for patterns in the cards and explain them to the querent. By this I mean, is there an unusual number of Major Arcana cards, Court Cards, reversed cards, or cards of any particular suit? What might this mean overall for the reading? A high number Court Cards, for example, may indicate that personality issues are important right now. A preponderance of Cups cards when the question was about finances might mean that relationship issues are what the querent really is concerned with or that the querent has emotional issues about money. And an unusual number of reversed cards may indicate that there are a lot of obstacles relating to the question at hand. This is a rather subjective and intuitive step, however, so it takes practice and patience to learn. But as you become better at listening to the quiet voice of your intuitive mind, you will know when there is a trend worth noting showing up in a spread. Also, such patterns do not always arise, so do not worry overmuch about looking for them. If they are there, they usually will find you. Step Two: The individual cards After explaining any patterns I see in the spread, I generally explain the individual cards, one at a time, in the order in which they were dealt. Cards Three through Six in the Celtic Cross, however, are an exception in that I generally explain them in a different sequence. Since Cards Three and Five both deal with levels of consciousness, I discuss them together. Similarly, I discuss Cards Four and Six together since they are related chronologically. Step Three: Smaller spreads within the Celtic Cross It is valuable to break the Celtic Cross up into a series of smaller readings that can be discussed one by one with the querent. The following are a few suggestions of subordinate spreads that can be used. Taken together, cards four, one, and six form a three-card “Past, Present, Future” reading.

Cards three, one, and five can be seen as a spread that addresses different levels of consciousness about a situation. This spread can be defined as follows: 1. Things about your situation of which you are not aware. (Card three) 2. Your current situation. (Card one) 3. What you are conscious of and thinking about your situation. (Card five) The central mini cross, cards one and two, may be read as a two card “Background, Problem” spread. A spread that expands upon this mini cross spread consists of cards one, two, nine, and ten. This spread can be defined as “Background, Problem, Advice, and Probable Outcome.” In this case, your hopes and fears (card nine) hold the seeds of advice that can carry you to the probable outcome. To understand why that is so, consider the advice implied by the following questions: What are you afraid of, and thus how can you overcome those fears? What are your hopes and are they reasonable? If so, how can you capitalize on them? If not, how should you adjust them? Finally, considered together, cards seven and eight form a dualistic spread in that they cover you and your environment, i.e., your inner reality and your outer reality, and the interaction between these two cards can be quite illuminating. Some people interpret these two cards as “How you see yourself” and “How other people see you,” in that order. There are, of course, other such spreads embedded within the ten cards of the Celtic Cross. It can be interesting to compare cards whose positional meanings seem to resonate. For example, you might want to compare cards two and nine to see how your obstacles relate to your hopes and fears. Or you might want to compare card two to cards seven and eight to see to what extent your obstacles come from inside of you (card seven) versus from your environment (card eight). There are a great number of permutations of these ten cards, and if you let your intuition guide you, you can find clusters of cards that can help you find additional meaning in the Celtic Cross spread. These smaller spreads can expand upon the messages of the individual cards, and they can help you find an overarching message for the entire Celtic Cross spread. Step Four: Highlights and the Overall message

Finally, consider all that you have covered so far. Are there any highlights from the preceding process that stand out and should be reiterated or reemphasized? Sometimes some of the cards seem to jump out at you either as you look at the spread or in the course of discussing the cards. Similarly, during some of the explanations of the smaller spreads you might feel a shiver of understanding run up your spine as you speak. Or you may have found that what you were saying about one particular card seemed to resonate with the querent in a significant way. Then based on your overall impression from the reading, try to express what its basic message is and summarize the reading in terms of the question posed. For example, you can restate the most noteworthy warnings that came up, reiterate important advice you saw in the cards, and note the general direction in which the querent’s life seems to be moving.

Chapter 2

A Celtic Cross Reading For my KnightHawk readings, I have tried to use people and characters that are reasonably familiar to the majority of my audience. Since history remembers with great clarity the kings, queens, and conquerors of the past, it ensures that we are familiar with the likes of Winston Churchill, Joan of Arc, and Thomas Jefferson. As a result, historical figures such as these have been some of the more obvious choices for me to use. For this Celtic Cross reading, however, I was determined to find a querent who had not marched across the pages of history with such a heavy tread. I wanted someone whose influence had been subtler, because I thought a reading for such a person would be more interesting and more personally touching. After all, how many of us can identify with a question like, “Will I be successful in my attempt to lead my country to victory?” With this in mind, I remembered the movie The King and I. I had assumed that this tale was purely fictional, but then a nagging suspicion that this was not the case prompted me to research the matter. I discovered that Anna Leonowens was indeed a real person, and after I read her biography, written by Margaret Landon and titled Anna and the King of Siam, I knew I had found the querent for my Celtic Cross reading. While charming and entertaining, the film versions of Anna’s life trivialized her experiences in the court of King Mongkut in the 1860’s, and they minimized her impact on the subsequent development of Siam (now called Thailand). Here was a woman who changed a nation through her generosity of spirit and her insightful teaching of the king’s scores of children and many of the members of his large harem. Especially significant was her impact on the heir apparent, in whom Anna instilled a love of freedom and an appreciation for the rights of all. As an interesting footnote, I would like to mention that in the course of reading her biography, I discovered that Anna had gone to an astrologer in India prior to her husband’s death. I was happy to find that there was a precedent for her seeking divinatory assistance. And now, what follows is my reading for Anna Leonowens. Beyond its obvious intention of illustrating how to read a Celtic Cross spread, I hope that it conveys some of the greatness of this woman, and I pray that it does her justice.



Woman Ponders Proposal from King of Siam Dear KnightHawk, Since my husband’s death two years ago, I have tried to make a living with my school for British officers’ children here in Singapore. Unfortunately, my school has not fared well financially, and I am concerned for the well being of my two children and myself. It is under these adverse circumstances that I have been offered employment by the King of Siam through one of his local agents. The King has asked me to come to Siam to teach his children English, literature, and science. My friends here in Singapore disapprove of this engagement and warn me against it, but I do need to make a living. I also have a sense of mission and destiny about this opportunity. Siam is only now emerging from feudalism, and I feel that I can make a difference in the struggle for freedom there through the influence I would have on the youth of the royal family. Shall I stay here in Singapore, or should I go to work in Siam? I struggle with this decision. Please, sir, what can you tell me to help me make this difficult choice? With warmest regards, Mrs. Anna Leonowens *** Dear Mrs. Leonowens, It is an honor to do this reading for you at this difficult time in your life. I have dealt the following cards to see what the Tarot can tell us about your life and the currents running through it in order to help you make this important decision. The following are the cards I have dealt for you:

1. The central issue: Death reversed 2. Problems, obstacles, and considerations: Justice 3. Unconscious influences: Six of Coins reversed 4. The past: Youth of Cups reversed 5. Conscious influences: Knight of Swords 6. The next step: The Hermit 7. You: Ten of Cups 8. Your environment: King of Wands reversed 9. Hopes and fears: The Empress 10. Probable outcome: Six of Swords



Let me start with a couple of general impressions about these cards. First, I do not see anything here of dire portent. (I hasten to point out that the Death card does not foretell a physical death.) Also, while the number of Major Arcana cards in this reading does not seem very remarkable, the fact that both cards in the inner cross (cards one and two) are from the Major Arcana emphasizes that this is indeed a momentous decision for you. Now let’s consider the meanings of these cards individually. The Death card indicates a major transition for you, the death, so to speak, of one phase of your life in order to make way for the birth of a new one. Being reversed, however, it acknowledges that you have some fears about making a big change like this, and you face obstacles to doing so. Does it feel like you would be giving up or leaving behind something precious, something that you are loath to release? It is important to know that this card is a promise that the new life that awaits you will more than compensate for what you leave behind, just as the beauty of Spring compensates for the harsh difficulties of Winter. So, what are you reluctant to leave behind? Although I said that the Death card does not foretell an actual death, I see that it does, on one level, refer to the death of your husband. This sad event is still affecting your life and your decisions, even though its influence is waning. I see that since you two had been living in the Straits Settlements[29] before your husband passed away, you are reluctant to leave now since it holds so many memories of him. Releasing the pain of this loss may be something that you resist, but this card implies that it is time for you to do so.

The next card, Justice, comments on this issue in a variety of ways. First of all, there may be some legal issues that need to be resolved, and this may be what is holding you back. On a deeper level, however, this card says that right decisions and meaningful actions depend upon an understanding of ourselves and of our lives. Why might that be an obstacle? Because such understanding is never easy. It calls for a careful balancing of the factors involved and for an impartial analysis of the situation at hand. Also, it is hard to know how long to deliberate and when to make a decision as to your course of action. In addition, I see here a recommendation to carefully evaluate the warnings of your friends. The Justice card urges a cautious and impartial analysis of such advice, for you must be fair to yourself as well as to them. There is one last, but very important, consideration about this card. You say that you have a sense of destiny about this job opportunity, and one of the meanings of this card is just that: Destiny. Some of us are destined to do great things, and a sense of that should never be dismissed lightly.

The third card addresses your deep, unconscious feelings and attitudes about your situation and the decision you face. The Six of Coins depicts “give and take” relationships, especially those that entail or arise from qualities like generosity and charity. This card is reversed, however, which has a couple of important implications. The illustration on this card depicts the story of St. Martin and the Beggar in which Martin of Tours cut his cloak in half to share with the wretched beggar in order to save the life of the poor soul. This is, of course, an idealistic conception of such situations, and having taught British officers’ children for a while now, you may have a similarly idealistic view of teaching, which you feel could be thrown into disarray if you teach the children of the Siamese royal family. And indeed, that teaching relationship may not be nearly as orderly or as well appreciated as what you are used to. A less obvious aspect of this card is the reciprocity involved in relationships of a give and take nature. You may have an unconscious assumption that in Siam you will teach and your students will learn, but this only touches the

surface of what that relationship would be like. What you may find is that you will learn as much from them as they do from you. I also see in this card more than just its comments on your relationship with your potential students. Something that you probably are unaware of (or perhaps you are subconsciously aware of it?) is that in Siam all sorts of people may come to you for help and assistance. These people will be the poor, the destitute, and the downtrodden, and since this card is reversed, I see that helping them will be fraught with challenges for you.

Card five, the Knight of Swords, describes your conscious attitudes toward the decision you are now facing. This card comments on your idealism, which affects your attitude toward working with the Siamese royal family. You think that you can make a difference there, which is laudable, of course. However, I also see in this card a cautionary note against rushing into situations there, impelled by your idealism. You may dash heedlessly into a storm if you do, so take care to avoid being quixotic in your endeavors. On the other hand, if you can hold on to the better qualities of this knight, such as the ability to be articulate, incisive, and persuasive, you should do well, for these skills will be able to rescue you from troubled circumstances.

Let’s now turn to the reversed Youth of Cups, which explains what has led up to your present circumstances and what you are moving away from. First of all, this card is a depiction of young love that has been shattered unexpectedly. Perhaps, then, it is the suddenness with which your husband passed away that makes it so hard for you to let go and move on.

This card also says that you will have to leave behind your innocence of heart in order to make the transition in your life that you now need to make. This is not to say that you should harden your heart. Rather, this card urges you to move forward on a path of emotional maturity along which it says you are moving already. Indeed, establishing your school has helped you begin the process of healing and emotional growth, but this card asks if maybe more is still needed. In addition, this card indicates that an innocent love such as what you felt for your late husband is now a thing of the past; you may never fall in love like that again. But other kinds of love that are equally fulfilling certainly await you to whatever extent you are open to them.

The card on the opposite side of this cross, the Hermit, shows where you are headed. Whereas the Youth of Cups is indicative of the innocent, romantic love of youth, the Hermit reflects a mature love of truth and spiritual development. In fact, compare the pictures on these two cards. The Youth gazes adoringly at a cup as if contemplating a new love, while the Hermit gazes toward the heavens, as if contemplating enlightenment. The Hermit indicates that to move forward in your life you would do well to follow the guidance of your higher self. You face a decision that you need to make alone; your friends cannot make it for you. The Hermit also shows that you are moving beyond being just a teacher. You are ready now to become a mentor and a guide for both minds and souls, so you may want to ask yourself, which does that description fit best: your job teaching British officers’ children in Singapore or a position teaching the royal family of Siam? A final message of this card is that there may be some loneliness ahead for you, but you need not fear it, for it is not the type of loneliness that brings sadness. Rather, it is a necessary element of your journey toward truth and accomplishment.

The Ten of Cups depicts considerations about your life that are important and relevant to your situation. I see that this card is closely related to the central issue of this reading as noted in the first two cards (i.e., difficulties in making a major transition). It says that you are holding on to the life you used to have. You still see yourself in that phase of your life. This interpretation is reinforced by the fact that the couple in this card are sleeping peacefully, dreaming perhaps of the ideal life that once was. Also, I see the rainbow in this card as being a promise that new joy awaits you, although at this point you may not be able to see what form it will take. Like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the benefits of where you are headed are still hidden from view. So this card says that it is hard for you to leave Singapore with its memories and ties to your past, but perhaps you need to release it and move on so that you can find that pot of gold.

Your environment is depicted by the reversed King of Wands. This king is a bold leader, but when this card is reversed, he can be overly demanding or even rather despotic. This could relate to someone in your life in Singapore, or to the general political climate in the East, but I think it most likely that it describes the King of Siam, especially since this card is a king. (I assume that the King of Siam is the only monarch having a direct impact on your life at this time.) In that case, this card says that the King of Siam is self-confident to an extreme level. He is overly sure of his rightness, brooking no contradiction, and he pushes himself and everyone around him to their limit. However, if you can tolerate his insufferable ego, you will find him to be a dynamic and forceful leader as well. He can be a powerful friend and ally as long as you are careful to

remain in his good graces.

The Empress, which we find in the position of your hopes and fears, is a card that indicates nurturing and creativity, and it is a basic depiction of motherhood as well. This card expresses your hope that you can nurture the growth and development of the Siamese royal children, and that you can foster a new environment in Siam through that effort. Similarly, the title of this card may suggest what you hope for in your role there, since teaching the King’s children will make you almost a surrogate mother to them and thus lend you some aspects of an Empress of the country. On the other hand, this card suggests that you fear that this move may have an adverse impact on your children. Perhaps you are wondering if you can be a good mother in that strange environment. This is a natural concern. However, given all that I have seen so far in this reading, I see in this card a vivid depiction of you as a strong woman who is a caring, supportive, and nurturing mother as well, and this card should allay such fears.

The final card, the Six of Swords, is the probable outcome of your current situation. It depicts where the currents of your life are taking you at this time. However, you should be aware that you can either resist or enhance your movement in this direction through the exercise of your free will. On a mundane level, this card indicates travel over water and a journey to a new environment. There is, however, a very somber air to this card, which is indicative of your reluctance or lack of certainty about relocating to Siam. It is important, then, to note that this card implies that there will be new opportunities

at the end of this journey, and you can gain new perspectives from it. The serene passage implied by this card is relevant on both a psychological and a spiritual level. Psychologically, it shows you passing through difficult times with serenity and a stoic calm. Thus, this is both advice and reassurance for you if you do face troubled times in Siam. On a spiritual level, the Six of Swords depicts a passage for you as well. The days and years ahead have the potential to bring you experiences from which you may grow to find a deep and abiding sense of peace. Now let us consider several important clusters of cards within this spread. The interactions between the cards in these clusters will provide additional insights into this reading. We will begin with cards four (Youth of Cups reversed), one (Death reversed), and six (The Hermit). Taken together, these cards depict your Past, Present, and Future. Succinctly, these cards say that the loss of your young husband has brought you to a major life transition that is difficult for you, from innocence to maturity. Although this loss has left you alone, it also has led you to some valuable soul searching that ultimately will bring you consolation as you find wisdom and a soulful strength within yourself. Cards three, one, and five form a spread that deals with both the conscious and the unconscious aspects of your current situation. We can consider it like this: 1. Your unconscious motivations: Six of Coins reversed 2. Your current situation: Death reversed 3. Your conscious motivations: Knight of Swords The reversed Six of Coins indicates what is causing you to resist making the important change indicated by the Death card. It says that you feel needed at your current school, despite its lack of financial success, and you are reluctant to leave that. Running your school for British officers’ children gives you an easy sense of helping others that is hard to give up. On the other hand, the Knight of Swords reiterates what you said about being conscious of a sense of mission and destiny in the opportunity to teach the King

of Siam’s family, and so you may feel an urge to rush in there, like a crusader. Thus, you are experiencing a powerful internal conflict, and this tension between your conscious and unconscious motivations is making your decision difficult. However, perhaps becoming more aware of your unconscious motivations and seeing the Knight of Swords’ clear depiction of your conscious motivations will help you evaluate the major life transition you face. Also, can you see a similarity between this Knight and the Six of Coins? Both can be seen as depicting someone trying to help others. So relating your sense of mission to the Six of Coins indicates that your generosity can be valuable in Siam too, and you will feel needed there as well. Now let us consider cards seven (Ten of Cups) and eight (King of Wands reversed) as representing your inner reality versus your outer reality. Inside, you hold on to the dream of a blissful family life, while the world around you has been shaped by the loss of a strong, charismatic man—your late husband. Inside, you want the contentment of a happy home life, but the world around you demands boldness and assertiveness, qualities that you either are afraid to express or fear you lack. In these two cards we see a stark contrast between your idealized view of relationships and the harsh reality around you. The world around you in general —and some people in particular—can be willful and capricious, and these two cards together urge you to temper your innocent way of dealing with others with the best characteristics of the King of Wands. Stand up for what you need and for what you believe in, responsibly lead others with your strength of will, and remain positive and confident in the face of adversity. If you can manifest these positive qualities of the King of Wands, you will be able to withstand the negative side of this card when you encounter it in people around you. Finally, let us consider four cards—cards one, two, nine, and ten—that we can consider as making up the following spread: 1. The background of your situation: Death reversed 2. The problem you face: Justice 3. Advice regarding your problem: The Empress 4. The probable outcome: Six of Swords

Again, your recent loss has brought you to a difficult transition period, and you must leave something behind in order to find something new and better. This is very hard to do, and the Justice card says that in order to decide how to proceed, you should make a careful evaluation of the situation at hand. You are balancing the needs of others—such as your friends in Singapore and your children—against your own needs and your sense of what is right to do. Unfortunately, the scales have not yet tipped in either direction. Like Lady Justice pictured in this card, you are poised to act, but you remain seated, so to speak. Consider then that perhaps you are over-deliberating. To know how to make the right decision, you seek a rational, logical analysis that takes all factors into consideration. In reality, however, you are at a point where, according to the Empress, you need to follow your heart. Indeed, the advice of the Empress is to listen to your heart, for it will show you the way and guide you (metaphorically speaking) to the beautiful Spring that must follow the bleak Winter of the Death card. The probable outcome (Six of Swords) shows a voyage of new beginnings. There is an almost bittersweet feeling to making this trip, but there is also a promise of a brighter future as you now have a chance to move forward with your life. Also, when the image on the Six of Swords is considered in light of the Death card, it seems to be a haunting allusion to Charon ferrying souls across the mythical river Styx. Consequently, the implication is that going to Siam will bring you to completely unknown territory, in a psychological as well as spiritual sense. It will mark a transition to an entirely new phase of your life, and although there is a melancholy mood to this card, I see in it that you have a chance here to leave behind the sorrow of your past losses. In summary, let me reiterate some of the advice that came up in this reading. Should you decide to work with the King of Siam’s children, beware of having an idealistic view of teaching them, for this may prove to be a less orderly process than you expect. Beware also the challenges of being a benefactor to the needy of Siam. Whenever someone appeals to you for aid, remember that an incisive evaluation and a persuasive argument will help you far more than dashing in on an idealistic crusade. But most of all, you must be cautious of the King’s demanding and volatile nature and of his capricious whims. Your ability to be nurturing and to find creative solutions should go far in helping you deal with him, as will your strength of character and

assertiveness. Finally, I want to close with some words about your specific question. You asked for help in deciding if you should stay in Singapore or go to Siam. While this is, of course, a decision that you must make for yourself, there are a few important points raised in this reading that can help you make your decision. Your life is primed for a major transition right now, although it is a difficult one and therefore one that you may fear or resist. Although the decision you face requires careful evaluation, ultimately you must pay heed to the guidance of your heart and soul. And consider well your sense of destiny regarding the King of Siam’s offer of employment. Best of luck to you, KnightHawk

Chapter 3

Comments on a Celtic Cross Reading This chapter discusses the Celtic Cross reading for Anna Leonowens, offering a variety of insights into the art of Tarot that this reading demonstrates.

General notes As mentioned in section 2, chapter 4, Rephrasing the Question, I avoid telling people what to do in a reading, tempting though that may be when that is what has been requested. It was especially tempting to do so in this reading wherein obvious recommendations seemed to present themselves, but instead options were explored and suggestions, but not directives, were made. The reading for Anna Leonowens was replete with answers to the querent’s question about going to Siam, from the reversed Death card’s message about resisted transformation to the imagery of travel over water that was obvious in the Six of Swords, the probable outcome card. In addition, some cards, such as the Hermit and the King of Wands, seemed to discuss Anna’s employment in Siam as if going there was a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, I tried to convey these messages without hitting Anna over the head with the suggestion that she should go to Siam. This illustrates the fact that we have to allow a querent the freedom (and responsibility) to make her own decisions, and we have to trust her to hear the message of the reading and then act upon it appropriately. Sometimes as the cards are laid out, patterns or trends show up that can lend direction and insight to a reading from the start. Let’s say you notice that there is a preponderance of one particular suit. This can indicate that maybe the focus of the reading should be determined by the meaning of that suit. Similarly, it can be noteworthy if there are a significant number of Court Cards, or Major Arcana cards, or reversed cards. Of course, this begs the question, what is a “significant number” of these types of cards? The quick and easy answer is that it is significant if it catches your attention. While this intuitive approach is satisfying for some Tarot readers, others prefer a more scientific analysis. It is beyond the scope of this book to delve into an explanation of the statistics behind what constitutes a significant percentage of

each type of card, but as a general rule of thumb, we can compare the percentage of a specific type of card in the deck versus the percentage in a reading. As a specific example, approximately half of the cards in a Tarot deck are “pip cards” (Ace through Ten), yet in Anna’s reading only about thirty percent of the cards were pip cards. This might have implied that this reading was more about personality issues (Court Cards) and spiritual or archetypal forces (Major Arcana cards) than about the mundane events of life (pip cards). However, the significance of thirty percent versus fifty percent did not seem remarkable enough to mention, although I did bear it in mind. In fact, though, the details of this reading did end up reflecting the focus indicated by the paucity of pip cards. On the other hand, both of the cards in the inner cross (Cards One and Two) were Major Arcana cards, which did seem significant enough to mention.

The individual cards Death reversed While I am extremely wary of seeing the Death card as a prediction of an actual death, it’s not rare to have this card comment on a death already noted by the querent. In this case, I saw this card as saying that Anna’s husband’s death still was affecting her, but with this card reversed, I saw that it was a waning influence, although it remained troublesome. A couple other cards influenced my interpretation of the Death card. The reversed Youth of Cups reinforced the message of the loss of a loved one, while the Six of Swords, which can indicate a spiritual passage that takes us out of troubled waters, reinforced the Death card’s advice that it was time for Anna to move on and release the pain of her loss. Note that the Death card often can indicate the pain of a loss (which can be any kind of loss, including that of a relationship, a home, a job, etc.), the need for mourning it, and finally the need to move on and release that pain. At some point, such pain can and should be released, but how to do that can be quite a difficult and complicated process, one that may be outside the scope of a Tarot reading. (In such cases, I try to refer the querent to professional help if it seems appropriate.) Justice The Justice card was one of the more difficult cards in this spread to interpret, being in the position of “Problems or Obstacles.” Legal complications can be one of the more obvious interpretations of this card, and they could have been one of the obstacles standing in Anna’s way, although none were mentioned in her biography. That does not mean there were none, of course, but it did keep me from expanding upon that line of inquiry.[30] The second card in the Celtic Cross is rather unique in that it is laid on its side, and as a result many Tarot readers do not consider it to be either reversed or upright. Consequently, I usually see more of the problematic aspects of whatever card turns up in this position, just because of its positional meaning. In my initial card-by-card pass through this spread, I said as much as I could about what this card seemed to be saying. Then I trusted that if it had more to say, it would tell me later. This is often the best way to deal with cards that do

not say as much as we might want them to. Once we turn our conscious attention elsewhere, our intuitive mind will work on it for us. Sure enough, when I returned to this card while considering one of the imbedded mini-spreads (which are discussed below), I found further insights into its message for this reading. Six of Coins reversed The Six of Coins depicts a well-dressed figure benignly bestowing money upon a humble and appreciative supplicant. Since it was reversed, I saw that its energy was being distorted in a couple of ways. First of all, it depicted Anna’s unconscious assumption that being charitable would be well appreciated and that it would be an orderly process, which I saw could work to her detriment. As it turned out, while in Siam, Anna often found herself in a position to give alms to beggars. Once, however, when she generously gave alms to a man, she and her son were besieged by a mob of beggars and almost trampled. Luckily, she and her son were saved at the last minute from the avaricious crowd, but her unconscious assumption had almost led her to grievous harm. I also told Anna, “These people will be the poor, the destitute, and the downtrodden, and since this card is reversed, I see that helping them will be fraught with challenges for you,” and indeed, this was often the case. After Anna helped one poor woman receive justice—and did so against quite daunting odds—she was constantly inundated with supplicants begging her to champion their cause with the King, assuming her to have his ear, which sometimes she did. However, King Mongkut tended to be quite capricious in his dispensation of justice, and her applications to him were just as likely to incur his wrath as they were to be met with the results she desired. The give and take relationship indicated by the Six of Coins may include the dissemination of knowledge as well as of money, and in this reading the nearby Hermit (which sometimes indicates a teacher) reinforced this interpretation. Then, since the Six of Coins was reversed, I stated, “Having taught British officers’ children for a while now, you may have a similarly idealistic view of teaching...” In fact, the royal children of Siam were often a rowdy and unruly bunch, and again, as with her experience with the mob of beggars, Anna’s assumption of orderliness—this time with regards to her teaching—was turned upside down. Youth of Cups reversed

“This card is a depiction of young love that has been shattered unexpectedly.” I realized that this statement would not be news to Anna Leonowens, but it was an important point to bring up in the discussion since the unexpected death of her husband had been such a pivotal event in her life. More than that, this reading indicated that it was continuing to play a crucial role in her current decision process. By definition, the card in this position in the Celtic Cross, the Past, has a tendency to depict events of which the querent is already aware. So what is its importance in a reading? Whatever this card depicts is an important clue as to how the querent got to where she is now, and it sheds light on what is currently affecting her life and on the central issue of the reading. This particular card, the reversed Youth of Cups, sheds light on why Anna was reluctant to move from Singapore to Siam. Prior to this, she had moved often and to many an exotic locale, all apparently without the hesitation that now marked her decision. This card said that the difference was that this time her life and her decision were being affected profoundly by her husband’s untimely death. The Youth of Cups also can depict a new love or an innocence of heart, but its reversal affected these meanings in a couple of ways: loss and decrease. As noted above, this card signified the loss of a young love, but it also indicated that Anna’s innocence of heart was diminishing. Indeed, Anna’s emotional maturity grew and strengthened while she was in Siam as she learned to deal with the capricious and self-centered royalty on the one hand, and the downtrodden masses on the other. Her heart remained open and generous, but it became wise, strong, and assertive as well. With the Youth of Cups reversed, I also saw that Anna was already leaving this stage of her emotional development behind. She had begun to travel the long path from being a despairing widow toward becoming the strong, independent, and mature woman she was destined to be by the end of her tenure in Siam. Knight of Swords There is a fine line between acting upon your ideals and being quixotic, and the dashing and volatile Knight of Swords, who does not yet possess the discerning wisdom of a Queen or King, can end up on one side of that line as easily as on the other. Since he can be just as apt to display his negative aspects as his positive ones, I often see both warnings and advice in this card.

This variability was evident in Anna Leonowens as well. Even before going to Siam, she was conscious of, and dismayed by, the feudalism and slavery that existed there. While living there, she frequently worked to secure fairness and justice for the oppressed commoners who sought her aid, and often she was able to do so. From time to time, however, she did err on the side of being too idealistic, at which times her efforts tended to be thwarted. But like a knight at his best, she was able to learn from her mistakes and to become a wiser person for having done so. This, then, points out what may be the greatest strength of the four Knights of the Tarot deck: their courage to dare great deeds, their willingness to make mistakes in doing them, and their eagerness and ability to learn from those mistakes rather than dwelling on them and bemoaning them. The Hermit There is a marked difference between solitude and loneliness, but either may be indicated by the Hermit card, depending on the circumstances of the reading in which it shows up. It is more common that I see solitude than loneliness in this card, but in this reading, an interpretation of loneliness was reinforced by the melancholy mood of the Six of Swords, the probable outcome card. And in fact, Anna sometimes did feel lonely and despondent in Siam, although she never let that defeat her. Instead, such feelings were just the darkness through which she had to travel in order to achieve greatness. This discussion brings up an important point about cards Six and Ten of the Celtic Cross. These two card positions, the Probable Future and the Probable Outcome, are closely related, and it is often interesting to compare them. In this case, these two cards considered together implied that Anna was headed for a journey of soulful discovery that would be rewarding despite its loneliness. Ten of Cups In the course of explaining to Anna the significance of the Ten of Cups, I said, “... the couple in this card are sleeping peacefully, dreaming perhaps of the ideal life that once was.” But are they dreaming of what was or of what they hope will be? Of course, it is all a matter of perspective, and this is one of those wonderful ambiguities of the Tarot that allows our intuition to pick the interpretation that fits the best. Another notable feature of this card is its rainbow. Does a rainbow indicate illusion or promise ... or both? This is a very subjective question, and again we have to let our intuition decide.

King of Wands reversed I typically see the primary focus of the Court Cards as being on the personality and characteristics of the querent. A significant exception to that is when a Court Card comes up in the eighth position of the Celtic Cross, which relates to the querent’s environment and the people around her. In this particular reading, I could hardly have drawn a more appropriate card for the King of Siam. King Mongkut was a very dynamic and forceful leader, but he was impulsive, as absolute monarchs often are, and he was egotistical to the point that his inability to take criticism was legendary throughout the foreign community in Siam. (Fortunately, Anna was forewarned of this fact upon her arrival there.) He often drove those around him, including Anna, to exhaustion, although he expected no less of himself. The difference was that his energy seemed limitless. All of these qualities seem to fit this card to perfection if we consider that being reversed, the characteristics of the King of Wands may tend toward absurd or problematic extremes. The Empress When I first began using the Celtic Cross, I had the most trouble understanding position nine, Hopes and Fears. Was the card in this position to be interpreted as both hopes and fears? Or might it be either one or the other? This card may address both issues—hopes and fears—or it may address one but not the other. Let your intuition guide you. Usually, however, if I dig deep enough, I can find both aspects, since typically our hopes and fears about a given situation are inextricably bound together. In this reading, Anna had both hopes and fears regarding the nurturing and mothering aspects of her prospective job, as indicated by the Empress. As an alternative approach to interpreting this position, we can use the card’s orientation to determine which aspect, hopes or fears, to give more weight in a reading. Thus, if the card is reversed, we may emphasize what it says about the querent’s fears, otherwise, emphasize her hopes. This is, however, just a suggestion, but you might want to try it and see if it works for you. Six of Swords There are several cards that typically are seen as indicating travel, such as the Fool, the Chariot, the Eight of Cups, the Eight of Wands, and this card, the Six of Swords. Of course, I do not always see travel in such cards, but I am more likely

to do so if that is the issue at hand, which was the case in this reading. It’s particularly remarkable that of these “travel” cards, it was the Six of Swords that came up since it is the one best suited to an ocean voyage, and it was by ship that Anna traveled to Siam. On a deeper level, this card showed Anna “passing through difficult times with serenity and a stoic calm.” Frequently Anna encountered resistance to her efforts to help the people of Siam, but calm diplomacy in the face of adversity got her through many a difficult situation. She probably would not have lasted long in the royal Siamese court had she not cultivated that talent.

Embedded mini-spreads The Past, Present, Future spread made up of cards four, one, and six is probably the most obvious mini-spread embedded within the Celtic Cross, and in this particular reading, the basic message it provided could well summarize the entire reading. Another one illustrates how the consideration of such minispreads can bring to light an insightful card comparison. Consider cards one, two, nine, and ten as follows: 1. The background of your situation: Death reversed 2. The problem you face: Justice 3. Advice regarding your problem: The Empress 4. The probable outcome: Six of Swords As I read this spread, I was happily surprised to find an additional insight into how the Justice card could be problematic here. This understanding came to me when I saw the advice of the Empress, which was that Anna should follow the dictates of her heart (versus those of her mind). This reminded me that the Justice card is astrologically related to Libra, and since I am a Libra I know firsthand how a willingness to consider all sides of an argument can turn any decision into a difficult process if you are not careful.

Conclusions Much of what I see while doing my KnightHawk readings is relevant to what I already know about the querent and the question for the reading, but I usually learn something new and unexpected as well. Sometimes I gain new psychological or spiritual insights into life in general, while other times I find remarkable glimpses into the life of the querent. In the case of this reading for Anna Leonowens, I came to realize the strong influence that her husband’s death still had on her when she was offered a job in the court of the King of Siam. In fact, this seemed to be a big reason for her reluctance to leave Singapore and move on to this amazing opportunity. I also saw that her experiences in Siam were to bring her out of mourning and transform her life. Indeed, she was a very different person after working in Siam for a few short years, as if a journey of awakening (as seen in the final outcome card, the Six of Swords) had finally come to completion. While in Siam, Anna helped transform a nation through her influence on the King and his children, and in return, Siam changed her as well.

Postscript In July of 1867, after working for about five years in the court of King Mongkut, Anna Leonowens left Siam and returned to England. For health reasons, she needed to spend time in a more temperate climate than that of Siam. In addition, she wanted to enroll her son in an English school, and she deeply desired to see her daughter again. Although her leave of absence was originally intended to be temporary, Anna never returned to Siam. She went on to write about her exotic experiences there, and enjoyed a long career as a teacher as well as a writer and lecturer.

Section 5: Afterword

As I worked on the readings in this book, I often found that they addressed universal truths that transcended the specific question covered in the reading. Perhaps this was because these were hypothetical questions, but I doubt it, for this happens in “real life” readings too. More likely it is because when we dig deeply enough, we find that at some level we are all one, and there are universal truths in each of our individual journeys. We share the common heritage of our culture, the common nature of our species, and the common spirituality of life itself. And regardless of our disparate social backgrounds, our physical differences, or the unique journey of our individual souls, we are bonded by our humanity and spirituality. We all suffer pain and loss, we all enjoy love and laughter, we all have physical needs and desires, and we all need to understand the meaning of our lives. The threads running through the readings in this book are spun from specific situations in various stories and biographies, yet these same threads can be found woven into the tapestry of our own lives as well. We each may see a slightly different warp and weave in these readings, based upon our individual points of view, but we can recognize in them similarities to the patterns in our lives as well. And thus we may find these readings relevant to our own personal triumphs and tragedies. For example, the advice for dealing with one specific instance of loss has an element of universal appeal because at one time or another, we all have lost someone or something dear to us. Also, comments on the theme of love are as universal and timeless as they are ubiquitous in human history, art, and literature. My original intent in writing this book was merely to collect and comment on some of the best of my “Ask KnightHawk” readings in hopes of providing a book that was both entertaining and informative. But the gentle hand of fate often nudges us in directions of its own choosing, and this book has branched out in unexpected ways. I have learned much about myself and about my fellow human beings through the process of writing this book. I can but hope and pray that through reading it, you have too.

Section 6: Appendices



Appendix 1

Comments on the Seventyeight Tarot Cards Presented here are comments on the seventy-eight Tarot cards. Although I have included them in this book primarily for beginning Tarot students, hopefully they will provide a new insight or two for more experienced Tarot readers as well. Note that I am not claiming to have presented the meanings of the cards, for there are no definitive meanings. Any book you read, any class you take, or any mentor you learn from can only give you someone else’s view of what the cards mean. Indeed, as you continue your exploration of the Tarot, you inevitably will find disagreement as to the interpretations of these cards.[31] Ultimately, you will find that any authority you listen to and any book you read—this one included—is merely a guide to finding the truths that you will discover inside your own heart while using the cards themselves. For the Major Arcana cards, in addition to a general discussion of its meaning, I have suggested keywords for it, and I have provided a quote that sheds light on the card’s meaning. For all of the cards, I have included an example of an affirmation that you may use with it[32] and advice that it may offer in a reading. These affirmations and pieces of advice arose from an exercise that I like to do whenever I get a new deck. I draw one card per day, and then in light of what is going on in my life, I look for its message of the day. In support of your own efforts with this type of exercise, the sample affirmations and advice that I have included should give you a taste of the possibilities available, but these suggestions are only a starting point. Hopefully you will find them helpful, but discovering for yourself what guidance each card has to offer is a useful exercise in and of itself. Again, the comments that I have provided for the cards are meant to be signposts along the journey, not the destination itself. Use them to nourish your own exploration of the cards, helping it to grow and blossom in its own unique way. This process of discovery is part of the excitement and gift of the Tarot, and with any luck, it is a process that will continue for the rest of your life. Finally, a note on nomenclature and imagery. The names of the cards in the Major Arcana, the suits in the Minor Arcana, and the hierarchy of the Court

Cards vary from deck to deck. What I have used here is the most common system, but the meanings offered apply regardless of the naming convention. The imagery that I reference in these card discussions is generally that of either the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) deck, which is currently the most ubiquitous deck, or my own Tarot of the Masters.

The Major Arcana 0. The Fool “A ship is safe in harbor, but that is not what a ship is for.” — Thomas Aquinas KEYWORDS Leap of faith, taking risks, potential COMMENTS A leap of faith catapults the Fool into the unknown. This can be a bit frightening, to be sure, but it also leads him to joy and adventure, and eventually, if he sticks with it, to enlightenment and liberation. Such an undertaking also requires the Fool to trust his instincts, so this card can indicate a trusting nature and a sense of joyful wonder. People with a free spirit may seem like a fool to the rest of the world, yet their lack of inhibitions or their disregard for social norms are what empower them to see the world with a fresh perspective and to discover its wondrous beauty. When they take a chance, they may fall flat on their face as a result, but they may succeed brilliantly, and that makes it all worthwhile. After all, if babies were afraid to fall, none of us would know how to walk. On a more mundane level, this card can indicate a wanderer and a “rolling stone,” or an impending journey or adventure. However, considering the Fool as a wanderer can lead us back to a more spiritual interpretation, since journeys in myths often symbolize a search for something such as the purpose or meaning life. ADVICE Think about something that you would love to do with your life, but that you are afraid of trying. What are you really afraid of? Consider what it will take for you to trust your instincts and to believe in your dreams, and remember the saying, “When you leap, the net will appear.” AFFIRMATION I’m willing to take a leap of faith for I know that my life is a wonderful and

divine adventure. 1. The Magician “In everything natural there is something marvelous.” — Aristotle KEYWORDS Talent, skill, creativity, consciousness, will-power COMMENTS The Magician, as depicted in a great many decks, has the tools he needs in front of him, and the implication is that he has the skill to use them. The Magician can have a bit of a trickster quality too, however, being sly and cunning as well as skillful. So we may wonder sometimes if his magic is just sleight of hand. The position of the Magician’s hands, one held up toward the heavens and one pointing down toward the earth, implies the ancient hermetic principle, “As above, so below.” This can refer to being inspired by, and a conduit for, the divine energy of the universe (“as above…”) in order to actively manifest our dreams and aspirations on the physical plane (“… so below”). The Magician card graphically depicts this ability to be a conduit for a higher power and to channel such spiritual energy into the material world. In addition, it has an element of investing the material world with a spiritual essence, because it is not only what we do, but how we do it that counts. This card says that if we treat our work—everything we do, in fact—with respect and reverence, and if we consider it to be a spiritual undertaking, we will imbue the results with a touch of the Divine. Similarly, an esoteric interpretation of this card is the power of your attention. It says that whatever you pay attention to increases, so it urges us to focus our attention on the positive aspects of life. The Magician seeks to fulfill his purpose through active involvement with life, as opposed to the next figure we will meet, the High Priestess, who turns inward to find meaning. ADVICE Albert Einstein said, “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Look for

the miraculous in all that you experience, and invest everything you do with a sense of the miraculous. In so doing, you can become a conduit for the magical, creative energy of the Universe. AFFIRMATION The power of the Universe flows through me and into everything I do. 2. The High Priestess “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” — Albert Einstein KEYWORDS Mysteries of life, intuition, the unconscious COMMENTS The High Priestess sits between temple pillars that have a dark/light, yin/yang aspect. Thus, she indicates finding a middle path between opposites or seeing through the illusion of duality. Existing in a state of inner peace and harmony, she turns inward in order to tap into an intuitive understanding of the ineffable mysteries of the human soul. Also, the lunar aspect of this card indicates that she listens to her dreams and accepts the inevitability of natural cycles. This card is often compared to several other Major Arcana cards, and it is instructive to consider such comparisons. The Magician indicates activity, but passive receptivity is used by the High Priestess. And while the Magician depicts the conscious mind, the High Priestess refers to the subtle working of the unconscious mind through which she makes decisions of the heart and soul. The High Priestess is the embodiment of a personal discovery of the esoteric aspects of spirituality, as opposed to learning from an external source the exoteric aspects of orthodox religion, which is the domain of the Hierophant. The Hermit searches for meaning by a physical retreat from society, but the High Priestess’s retreat in search of understanding is psychological. Finally, the Empress symbolizes the warm, sensual aspects of the feminine principle, while the High Priestess indicates the cool, intuitive mysteries of femininity. And while the Empress is in touch with her sexuality, the High Priestess is more likely to

represent virginity, or even repressed sexuality. ADVICE The Universe is eternally oracular, and all around us there are omens and portents giving advice about our spiritual journey. So be open to seeing the deeper, soulful meaning of all that happens to you. This will bring you closer to understanding the hidden truths of the Universe and of your soul. AFFIRMATION I can hear the whispered voice of my intuition. 3. The Empress “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu KEYWORDS Fertility, fecundity, sensuality, motherhood, Nature COMMENTS The Empress, often depicted as being pregnant, embodies creative energy, productivity, and growth. She is the archetypal mother, and as such, she symbolizes love, devotion, and nurturing. In her association with Venus, she represents romantic love. Even more generally, she can represent Mother Nature herself, in which case she is indicative of nature and the natural world, the underlying principles of life, and the enjoyment of abundance and luxury. Whereas the High Priestess symbolizes the feminine mind and its intuitive powers, the Empress depicts the feminine body. She is seductress, wife, and mother, and hence she depicts sensuality, sexuality, and a passionate approach to life. She also tells us that we must nurture ourselves in order to be productive. On a more abstract level, the Empress represents the creative energy and potential of chaos, out of which the Emperor may bring order. But they must work together in a marriage of equals, balancing each other to bring harmony. A situation in which chaos is unchecked may degenerate into destructive anarchy, but too much of the Emperor’s control can sap its vitality and fossilize it. ADVICE

Take a moment to think of something that you can do to nourish and nurture your soul. It need not be anything big. For example, spending a few quiet minutes in your garden with a cup of your favorite herbal tea may do wonders to refresh your spirit. AFFIRMATION I nurture my endeavors and create abundance in my life. 4. The Emperor He who cannot reason is a fool; he who will not is a bigot; he who dare not is a slave. — William Drummond KEYWORDS Structure, authority, fatherhood, society, reason, leadership COMMENTS Just as the Empress symbolizes the archetypal mother, the Emperor represents the archetypal father. As such, he provides for the welfare of others and dictates the rules and regulations that govern their lives. In other words, he bears responsibility commensurate with his power. On a more abstract level, the Emperor can indicate structure, stability, and order in our lives. He tells us that in order to have a measure of control over the world around us, we first must be able to control ourselves; we must learn and practice self-discipline and self-control. His rational mind makes logical decisions based on reason, and so he indicates the planning, analysis, management, and administration of projects. The Emperor is an authority figure whose domain encompasses secular issues, versus the religious matters about which the next card, the Hierophant, is concerned. As such he is controlling, defining, and decision-making, generally exerting strong leadership. He can represent society in general, either the abstract concept of our social structure or a person who maintains that structure. Thus, the Emperor deals with the laws of society and the enforcement of them. Although the Emperor is concerned with the rules and regulations that dictate how things should be done, he can be pragmatic as well when he is functioning at his best. But a negative aspect of the Emperor can show up when he becomes rigid in his way of thinking. Worse yet, sometimes he can indicate

an abuse of power and authority, being anything from a bully to a tyrant. ADVICE Consider something in your life that seems disordered or unmanageable, and then consider how this reflects a problematic aspect of yourself. It may be that you need more self-discipline, better time management, or a more orderly thought process. Commit to making an effort toward such self-improvement. AFFIRMATION I create structure and stability in my life that is positive and productive. 5. The Hierophant One should not think, ‘My religion alone is the right path and other religions are false.’ God can be realized by means of all paths. — Sri Ramakrishna KEYWORDS Religion, tradition, education COMMENTS Whereas the Emperor represents secular power and authority, the Hierophant is responsible for leadership in the realm of the ecclesiastical. He represents orthodox religion and all its teachings and blessings, rites and rituals, and cultural traditions and taboos. Thus, this card can indicate following the established teachings of a religion, perhaps even in blind faith. The flip side of this may be the need to see a fallacy in conventional wisdom and take an unorthodox approach. In its benign aspect, this card represents the positive side of having religion as a guide and anchor for your life. But when expressed negatively, it can indicate religiosity and a sanctimonious self-righteousness, which can lead to oppression and fanaticism. The Hierophant can represent the customs of a culture, and thus he may indicate our conscience to the extent to which those mores have been internalized. Consequently he may say, "Let your conscience be your guide" and thereby signify listening to the wisdom and guidance of our higher self. Although the Hierophant is often seen in his role as a teacher of arcane

secrets, he also can represent teaching and education in general. Traditionally, however, besides being the teacher of arcane secrets (to a select few) a hierophant also guards and keeps those secrets from improper dissemination. Therefore, this card can deal with the judicious keeping of secrets or the jealous guarding of important information. In a secular context, this card can deal with hierarchies and pecking orders, such as climbing the corporate ladder, especially when done in a conventional manner. Also, as implied by the traditional imagery of the Hierophant sitting in front of two supplicants, this card can indicate mediation between two parties. Sometimes the Hierophant refers to an initiation into a group, or simply belonging to a group, such as a club, team, clique, or society. Consequently, he may indicate peer pressure. Also in the arena of relationships, the Hierophant may deal with the approval or disapproval of friends, family, or society regarding an unorthodox relationship. As in the case of the High Priestess, the Hierophant can indicate a repression of sexuality. But while the High Priestess also may imply chastity or virginity, the Hierophant tends more toward an indication of a platonic relationship. ADVICE Consider the traditional wisdom of your culture as you seek to learn from experience, but remember that such wisdom is only an offering. Carefully evaluate it and take from it what you will, for you are not bound by it, only guided. AFFIRMATION My life is blessed and transformed when I follow the guidance of my Higher Self. 6. The Lovers “None love, but they who wish to love.” — Jean Baptiste Racine KEYWORDS Union, decision, rite of passage, romance, love COMMENTS

An obvious implication of this card is that of the union of two people, ideally in a balanced relationship. This can relate specifically to love and sex, but it can have a more generalized implication as well. It can indicate an effort to attain a higher level of wholeness or consciousness through the internal union of opposites, such as your masculine and feminine attributes, your conscious and unconscious minds, or your mental and emotional aspects.[33] On another level, this card traditionally indicates important decisions such as when we find ourselves at a moral crossroads in life or facing an ethical dilemma. The RWS version does not depict this nuance quite as obviously as some other, especially older, Tarot decks do. In some decks, a man seems to be choosing between two women, often wherein one is a vamp (symbolically, the “wrong” choice, i.e., vice) and the other is a virgin (the “right” choice, i.e., virtue).[34] However, the Garden of Eden symbolism of the RWS card also points toward a significant choice, especially as it relates to how we respond to temptation. Generally the choices being weighed are seen to be between “good” and “bad” aspects of a situation. If we combine these two interpretations—love and decisions—we can see this card as saying that love is a choice we make every day of our lives. For example, when someone close to us makes a mistake or does something hurtful, we can choose love or we can choose anger and resentment. This card tells us that for our relationships to succeed, we must choose love over and over again, even though that’s not always easy to do. The placement of this card between the Hierophant (the established and orthodox ways of doing things) and the Chariot (forging ahead on your own path) is significant. It says that the Lovers card can represent choosing between tradition and new ways of doing things. It indicates questioning established thinking and deciding which traditional ideas you want to keep versus which you need to discard as you choose your own path in life. Lastly, considering the fact that the onset of sexuality and learning about romantic love are often the first acts of one’s adulthood, this card may be seen as indicating an adolescent rite of passage or initiation. And by extension, it can represent any important rite of passage. ADVICE Choose to love others. This is relatively easy when we are talking about people who are kind to you. It is much harder in the case of those who have wronged you, but it is also much more valuable then. Try to see your oneness

with those who have hurt you, and realize that they, like you, are wounded and in pain, struggling with life’s challenges. Your love can heal you, them, and your relationship with them. AFFIRMATION I choose love instead of fear and judgment. 7. The Chariot “Valor lies just halfway between rashness and cowardice.” — Cervantes KEYWORDS Control, force of will, progress, victory COMMENTS The most overt archetypal symbols on this card are the charioteer (our essential, unchanging “Self”), the chariot (our changing and transient body), and the animals pulling the chariot (either our life force or the conflicting aspects of our personality). These symbols, taken either individually or collectively, can inform our interpretation of this card. If the Lovers card indicates an adolescent rite of passage, then the next card, the Chariot, deals with the subsequent emergence into adulthood. To control his chariot, and the opposing forces of the black and white sphinxes (or horses, depending on the deck) that pull it, the charioteer needs to have self-assurance, self-control, and self-discipline. But although he may take responsibility for his chosen path and have the tenacity to stay that course, he also may run roughshod over whoever or whatever gets in his way. Draft animals—especially when they are undomesticated as, presumably, sphinxes are—can represent our passions or desires pulling us along, and so this card can be about striving to control those passions. The charioteer also may be working to cope with a difficult situation by controlling two opposing forces, but although he is able to willfully control those contradictory forces, perhaps they are not yet reconciled or integrated. A particularly problematic aspect of this card can arise when these two opposing forces are internal. The charioteer may be wearing two (or more) “masks” in his life—i.e., playing different roles—which he is struggling to reconcile. For

example, the dictates of his career may be in conflict with the requirements of being a husband and father. Or maybe he has a secret life that he is trying to hide from the world at large. Whatever the case, this card can indicate that for now he can control the contradictory forces of these two roles, but they are not easily reconciled, and they threaten to pull him in two different directions if he is not careful. In general, however, this card is traditionally considered a sign of victory. But it also says that when you find yourself making little or no progress toward your goals, perhaps the problem is that your ambitions lack focus and commitment, or perhaps they are misdirected. ADVICE Just do it! The time is past for imagining what you should do and for planning your course. Now is the time to set forth on your chosen path with will power, confidence, and determination. AFFIRMATION I am in control of my life, and I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. 8. Strength The only thing worthy of you is compassion. Hatred will never let you face the beast in man — Thich Nhat Hanh KEYWORDS Fortitude, inner strength, courage COMMENTS Typically, the image on the Strength card is of a woman gently calming or subduing a lion. It is inconceivable, however, that this gentle woman could subdue a lion through physical prowess, so the strength indicated by this card is an inner one, such as fortitude, courage, patience, integrity, compassion, resolve, generosity, understanding, and composure. The lemniscate (the infinity sign) above her head indicates that the source of this strength is her connection with the divine nature of the universe. It is important to note that we all have aspects of both the lady and the lion.

While the lady represents our connection to a Higher Power—our divine nature —the lion symbolizes our powerful weaknesses (such as anger, jealousy, and aggression) as well as our raw passions and desires, which we must face and then tame through love and understanding. As long as we fail to acknowledge their presence, though, we risk being mauled by them. Thus, this card indicates compassionate self-examination in order to achieve self-awareness. It says that when we are confronted with aspects of ourselves that we fear or loathe, we would do well to accept them and tame them. However, the intent should not be to control them, but to guide them and channel them into productive avenues. Alternatively, the lion may symbolize difficult people and challenging situations in the world around us. When someone angers us, the roar of their lion has called to our own inner one, which is roaring back. Of course, this works in the other direction as well, which is why our anger usually elicits an angry response in other people. And so this card urges us to learn to deal with difficult people with care and kindness, both for ourselves and for them. More generally, it can indicate an ability to face life’s problems with courage and compassion. Finally, this card reminds me of a Cherokee legend called Two Wolves in which an old man tells his grandson that there is a fight going on between two wolves inside every one of us. One wolf is evil (anger, greed, arrogance, false pride, ego, etc.) and the other one good (joy, peace, love, humility, generosity, compassion, etc.). When asked "Which wolf will win?" the wise old man replies, "The one you feed." ADVICE During the course of one day, be aware of situations where you react in anger, and then try to find a way to deal with these circumstances with understanding and compassion instead. See yourself as the woman in this card as you gently handle both the lion within you and the lions in the people you encounter. AFFIRMATION I guide my passions with love, courage, and soulful purpose. 9. The Hermit

“I'm not a teacher: only a fellow traveler of whom you asked the way. I pointed ahead—ahead of myself as well as you.” — George Bernard Shaw KEYWORDS Vision quest, solitude, guru COMMENTS The word “hermit” conjures up an image of a wise and learned old man who has retired from civilization in order to live in monastic seclusion in some distant and isolated locale. Despite his remote habitat, however, people seek him out for his sage advice and guidance. Such an image encapsulates many of the meanings of this card. The lantern that the Hermit holds in many versions of this card may indicate that he is searching for the profound truths in life, or it can be interpreted as a beacon to others who are searching for those things. Thus, the Hermit may signify searching for self-understanding, working on spiritual endeavors, or finding purpose of meaning in our lives. Alternatively, the Hermit may be a guide who has found his own way and who can help us find ours. He should not, however, be confused with the Hierophant, who is a conventional and orthodox teacher, while the Hermit is an iconoclastic guru who represents a spiritual quest through personal experience rather than through religious dogma. This card thus suggests the saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” This card also implies renunciation of, or withdrawal from, worldly concerns, or just a desire for the comfort of solitude. Sometimes we need to spend quiet time alone—at a retreat perhaps—in order to search within for meaning and understanding. However, in any quest for solitude, it is valuable to consider if we are trying to find something or if we are trying to escape from something. The former is a journey of discovery; the latter is avoidance of it. ADVICE Spend a few quiet minutes in contemplation of a question such as, “What is my soulful purpose at this time?” Of course, this is a very big question, and a few minutes probably will not answer it for you, but it will start you thinking about it, and it will help you along that path. At the very least, try to spend some quality time alone with yourself and this question.

AFFIRMATION The quiet time I choose to spend alone nourishes my soul. 10. The Wheel of Fortune “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3:1 KEYWORDS Cycles of life, change, fate COMMENTS The Wheel of Fortune represents the endless cycles that make up the universe. Every day, we wake up, take care of our daily business, go to sleep at night, and then wake up again the next day. Helpless babies are born and grow up to become adults, while vital men and women grow old, weaken, and die. Nations, empires, and civilizations rise, hold sway, and then fall, giving way to other nations, empires, and civilizations. There are cycles of life within greater cycles, and the only thing constant is change. This card indicates the vagaries of fortune and the changes in circumstances that are inevitable in life. It advises us to be aware that our trials and tribulations, as well as our boons and good fortune, are all part of a greater cycle of life, and it also counsels us to deal with change through understanding, equanimity, and adaptation. Viewed somewhat less fatalistically, this card may indicate things like the natural cycles of growth, alternating periods of activity and rest, or making a major change or a new start in life. Also, consider that the Wheel of Fortune is a turning wheel, and even when its rim seems to spin wildly, the hub turns at a relatively languid pace. Thus, when life seems to spin out of control, the advice of this card is to search for the calm center within that connects us to what is eternal, for it is there that we can find peace. Similarly, this card says that all things are transitory, and since everything must come to an end, we should appreciate things in the here and now, but not attach to them. Also, if we are experiencing difficulties, it is important to remember that “this too shall pass.” ADVICE

Think about several things in your life that you value. Note your appreciation for what they are, here and now, but remind yourself that it is your sense of appreciation that is truly important, for that is something that comes from within. AFFIRMATION I know that change is inevitable, and I view it with composure—calmly and objectively. 11. Justice Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice. — Martin Luther King, Jr. KEYWORDS Cause and effect, karma, responsibility COMMENTS While the Wheel of Fortune depicts the inevitable, and seemingly capricious, hand of fate, the Justice card indicates the blessings and misfortunes for which we, ourselves, are responsible. In other words, these two cards together say that our current condition is the result of two agencies: the things that fate has brought us through the inevitability of change and the things that we have brought upon ourselves through our past actions. On one level, then, the Justice card deals with karma, or cosmic justice. Although it may seem that some people get away with evil, while the good work of others goes unrecognized and unrewarded, the message of this card is that ultimately we all get what we deserve, whether that is good or bad. And so this card advises us to take responsibility for our actions and for our lives since our past actions have created the conditions in which we are now living. While this may sound like petty blaming, the message here is much richer than that, for an inevitable corollary is that our present actions create our future. Once we understand that, we can atone for our past mistakes, and then, through right action in the present, we can create a better future for ourselves. The scales held by the figure on this card can indicate balance and harmony, discernment and wisdom, while the sword in her other hand represents just or righteous action. Another way of looking at Justice’s scales and sword is to see

them as saying that proper action (the sword) depends on careful and wise evaluation (the scales) of our life. It’s also vital to realize that these two prominent symbols, which stress the importance of “right decision” and “right action,” are inextricably linked. A right decision without the corresponding right action suggests the proverbial good intentions that pave the road to hell. On the other hand, taking right action without a right decision is like walking correctly down the wrong path, and where does that lead us? On a more mundane level, this card sometimes depicts human justice, in which case it is indicative of legal proceedings, settlements, contracts, or partnerships. In such cases, this card urges us to be honorable in legal proceedings and to honor our contracts. It also can indicate the need to temper justice with mercy or to be fair—to ourselves as well as to others. Also on the topic of human justice, this card tells us that there is an important difference between justice and revenge. Justice entails deserved punishment that is evaluated and administered through an impartial agency in order to right a wrong. Revenge, on the other hand, involves retribution administered by someone who is neither impartial nor accountable, and who acts in a bitter and vindictive spirit. And so revenge perpetuates a vicious cycle and keeps the wounds of everyone involved open and festering. Also, in the pursuit of vengeance, we become mean, belligerent, and violent people. We become that which we think we are chastising, and we corrupt rather than heal our own souls. ADVICE Try to recognize how you have created your own karma. For example, if you have experienced a string of bad relationships, think about what you have done to contribute to the problems of those relationships. Based on that, consider what you can do to heal your current relationships and create healthy ones in the future. Similarly, you can address financial difficulties, legal issues, etc. AFFIRMATION I take responsibility for my life and I atone for my mistakes. 12. The Hanged Man “Self-sacrifice is the real miracle out of which all the reported miracles grew.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

KEYWORDS Sacrifice, surrender, letting go, reversal COMMENTS Hanging by his foot (versus his neck), and having a serene countenance and a glowing halo, the Hanged Man is a symbol of willing self-sacrifice in order to attain something of greater value. Like the god Odin of Norse lore who hung himself from the great world-tree, Yggdrasil, in search of wisdom, the Hanged Man seeks to attain things like understanding, spiritual enlightenment, and the good of others. While the Hermit searches for spiritual growth by retreating from society, the Hanged Man does so by withdrawing from activity, and so this card can suggest meditation. It also may indicate redemption or atonement through sacrifice and suffering, or by transcending the self-centered dictates of the ego. Considering this concept in a less positive aspect, the Hanged Man can indicate an involuntary sacrifice or someone who is being a martyr. There is an aspect of surrender in this card, which may suggest the need to release our past patterns of behavior in order to continue our spiritual growth. Another aspect of surrender is the paradox of surrendering in order to win, as stated by the Zen proverb: "Nothing on earth can overcome an absolutely nonresistant person." History shows us this in the examples of the passive resistance of civil disobedience as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. We also see this in the case of people overcoming substance abuse through a twelve-step program.[35] In a related sense, we sometimes have to suspend ourselves in a difficult situation (“hang in there”) until we have learned enough from it to be able to grow out of it and move on, and so this card can also advocate patience. There also seems to be a lack of control in the image of this card, which may imply an analogous lack of control in our lives. This can be problematic, especially when this card comes up in a reading about a relationship, or it can indicate the serenity of releasing our need to control things. One of the more spiritual implications of the Hanged Man card is that of a renunciation of materialism. This scares a lot of people because they think that means that they have to give away all their goodies. But renunciation is a matter of releasing our attachment to material things, rather than releasing our actual possession of them, which is something we may or may not feel called to do.

Finally, a message that stems from a literal interpretation of this card’s image is a call for a reversal in our point of view or an upending of our assumptions and beliefs. ADVICE Has your hectic pace kept you from examining deeper aspects of your life? Perhaps you need to stop what you are doing long enough to quietly ponder your course of action and to consider it from a new perspective. AFFIRMATION I surrender control of my life to a Higher Power. 13. Death "Life is a great sunrise. I do not see why death should not be an even greater one." — Vladimir Nabokov KEYWORDS Endings, loss, transformation COMMENTS We die and are reborn every time we leave behind old habits, gain a new perspective, take a new direction in life, buy a new home, move to a new city, quit a job, or end a relationship. There are a thousand different types of death, and this card can refer to any one of them, but rarely does it literally mean physical death. In fact, some Tarot readers make it a rule never to use this card as a prediction of an actual physical death. The Death card often heralds a major change or transformation in our life, or it suggests the need for one. Therefore, it may advise us that we need to make a change, or warn us that one is coming, like it or not. When we have suffered a loss, this card can indicate a requirement to mourn that loss before we will be able to experience new growth. Although it is commonly understood that we need to mourn the death of a loved one, it is also necessary to mourn (to some extent) the loss of, say, a job or a relationship in order to recover, heal, and experience new growth. Sometimes the Death card says that we need to leave the past behind, we

need to realize that something is definitely over, so we should let it go and move on. In fact, everything in the material world is transient, which is a basic message of this card. This may be why we needed to learn the lesson of nonattachment in the prior card, for that will help us avoid suffering when we experience the inevitable losses of this worldly existence. Finally, this card may simply refer to the need to prune out some of life’s dead wood and cut back those things (including relationships, attitudes, or ideas) that no longer serve us well—to clean out the closets and attics of our lives, so to speak. Just as predators thin a herd and gardeners prune their trees, we need to do this every now and then in order to foster new growth. ADVICE Consider an aspect of your life that has not fared well. What about it might you want to change or give up? AFFIRMATION I let go of things that no longer benefit me to allow better things to come into my life. 14. Temperance “Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you’ve conquered human nature.” — Charles Dickens KEYWORDS Harmony, moderation, adjustment, tempering COMMENTS In many versions of this card, we see an angel mixing liquids between two cups, with the obvious connotation of blending and balancing. It thus indicates moderation in either thought or deed, the fusion of opposites, and the balancing of our spiritual and physical selves. It can advise us to meet someone halfway, and it can indicate making adjustments in life based upon what we learn from experience. And a very fundamental aspect of this card is its lesson that balance and harmony bring restorative and curative powers into our lives, as suggested by the well-known Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. There is another important facet of this card which can be explored by considering the verb “to temper.” While this word means adjustment by counterbalancing—such as tempering justice with mercy—it also means making something stronger and more resilient through stress and hardship, such as soldiers tempered in the heat of battle. This may help explain why the Temperance card comes between Death and the Devil. The challenges suggested by the Death card can strengthen us and make us better able to endure the trials of facing our own demons, which are indicated by the Devil card. This is not an easy process, though. It is much akin to the way a sword’s steel is tempered, being repeatedly heated to a red-hot glow, pounded into shape, and then plunged into water to cool. Consequently, this card suggests that we appreciate adversity for what it teaches us and how it helps us learn and grow. ADVICE Search inside to see ways in which you have been emotionally wounded. Keeping this in mind as you go about the daily activities of your life, see how these wounds affect your life, how they both help and hinder your journey along the path of your soul. Also, consider what you can learn from your wounds. AFFIRMATION Everything that happens to me and everything I do, it’s all a part of my spiritual journey. 15. The Devil "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." — John Milton KEYWORDS Shadow self, ego, demons, materialism, obsessions COMMENTS The Devil (or demon) on this card can represent our demons or shadow issues that we try to deny or repress, usually with little success. These are the

hidden desires and obsessions that can drive us to ruin if we fail to face them and cope with them.[36] Often we deal with these shadow issues by projecting them onto others, thus demonizing other people, as illustrated in this quote from Herman Hesse: "What we despise in others is that which reminds us of ourselves." This is why people who easily aggravate us can be our greatest teachers, for they show us where we need to improve ourselves. Another symbol well worth considering is the inverted pentagram over the Devil’s forehead. An upright pentagram indicates the transcendence of the spiritual (the fifth point of the star) over the material (the other four points, which represent the four worldly elements). Thus, the inverted pentagram indicates materialism (placing the material above the spiritual) or setting our desires above what our higher self tells us is right to do. This card also typically depicts people bound to the Devil by chains that they could easily cast aside. Perhaps they fail to realize how loose the chains are, maybe they have grown accustomed to them, or possibly they no longer realize the chains are there. In any case, these figures represent being bound to desire, lust, obsessions, and addictions. Also, they may indicate blind acceptance of an unhealthy, unproductive, or repressive situation—such as a relationship that is co-dependent, obsessive, or abusive—which can bring us great suffering. The dire circumstance illustrated in the Demons card is also reminiscent of toxic relationships we sometimes have with negative people, "psychic vampires" who suck the joy out of everything. We may not be able to eliminate our contact with such people, but we should at least limit our association with them as much as possible. This card is also an obvious indication of succumbing to temptations. With that in mind, it sometimes reminds me of a wonderful quote: "Opportunity may only knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever." — Unknown A more positive view of this card is that it can represent a shedding of our inhibitions, for it is only when our desires and passions are uncontrolled and excessive that they are dangerous. A problem arises when we buy into the shame and embarrassment that our society imposes on our enjoyment of sensual pleasure. Whether it is from good food, a long hot bath, or loving sex, physical pleasure experienced deeply but without shame, harm, or addiction is a profound communion with life and a vital expression of our soul’s existence in the material plane. Of course, there is an important difference between enjoying sensual pleasures and being addicted to them, but we weren’t put here to eschew involvement with life; we’re here to live life fully and with enjoyment and

appreciation. Finally, this card can indicate an arrogant “pride before the fall,” which leads us to the next card, the Tower, which we may associate with the fall itself. ADVICE Think of someone who annoys or angers you, and consider what is it about them that really pushes your buttons. Objectively consider how their flaws may reflect your own shortcomings, and then acknowledge those problems in yourself, wherever appropriate. Strive to be aware of when they arise during the day, and when they do, forgive yourself unconditionally. AFFIRMATION I acknowledge my inner demons, and I confront them and defeat them. 16. The Tower “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” — Proverbs 16:18 KEYWORDS False security, shattered pride, crisis, downfall, flash of insight, liberation COMMENTS A tower is generally considered to be a secure, well-fortified structure. Due to its height, it also can indicate a structure built in pride. However, in the image of this card, the tower is being struck down, which serves as a warning against having a false sense of security as well as an admonishment against pride. (The “Tower of Babel” allusion should be apparent.) Here pride may be anything from smugness about a mundane possession to that greatest hubris of all which is to think we know the mind of God. So this card also may predict an ego-shattering experience in which that pride is laid low. Many people dwell on the catastrophe illustrated here when they see this card come up in a reading, and so it can cause a bit of anxiety and distress. However, opportunity usually accompanies danger and upheaval. Abrupt and unexpected though it may be, the change in one’s life indicated by this card is often cleansing, cathartic, and liberating. It can be the proverbial kick in the butt

we need to get us out of a bad or stagnant situation. It also can be the humbling impetus we need in order to shed the masks that hide our true selves and to break down the barriers that separate us from other people. Although they shape the journey of our souls in revolutionary ways, major life-challenging crises are rare. On the other hand, day after day we face little crises—annoying, exasperating, and maddening ones—and these shape our lives in gradual, evolutionary ways. As Anton Chekhov said, “Any idiot can face a crisis; it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out,” and sometimes this is the message of the Tower card. The lightning bolt, which connects heaven and earth, provides another possible interpretation for this card. An abrupt crisis can bring a flash of insight that leads us to a new understanding, and this new wisdom can help free us from the rigid confines of a Tower we have built around ourselves. For that reason, some people call this the “Aha!” card. Another way of interpreting the Tower card is to see it as literally “blowing your top.” There is so much energy in this card, but it is being expressed destructively, not constructively. As Florida Scott-Maxwell said, "Anger must be the energy that has not yet found its right channel." When someone acts in anger, the real, underlying cause is more often their own internal reservoir of anger rather than the object of their rage. Benjamin Franklin touched on this wisdom when he said, "Anger is never without reason, but seldom with a good one." Finally, consider how most of us hate to leave the familiar comfort of the towers we’ve built in our lives. We don’t grow while in them, though; we tend to stagnate instead. So a bit of advice in this card may be, as Neale Donald Walsch says, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” Consequently, it recommends doing new things or doing old things in a new way. ADVICE When any sort of Tower experience strikes, remember the old saying, “Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.” Learn what you can from it, and see what order you can bring out of the resultant chaos. Hold on, persevere, and ride it out. Such experiences require faith and courage, but they can be very rewarding if we let them be and if we learn something from them. AFFIRMATION I recognize unhealthy situations when they imprison me, and I voluntarily

leave them behind. 17. The Star "Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars." — Martin Luther King, Jr. KEYWORDS Inspiration, hope, peace, light at the end of the tunnel COMMENTS Throughout history, the stars have awed and inspired mankind. Constant, eternal, ethereal, and unattainable, they embody a primal concept of the divinity of the universe and inspire a quiet and subtle reverence. Thus this card can also refer to a search for an inner peace or calm, a renewal of the soul, and meditation which leads to a higher level of consciousness. Meditation takes time and practice, but this card suggests a way to facilitate your progress if a sense of serenity has been elusive. It’s quite simple, really: step outside in the dark of night and quietly look up at the star-filled sky. In doing this, you’ll get a taste of the peace and oneness that meditation can bring, and with that awareness, you can more easily recreate and recognize it during meditation. The idea of a guiding star is common in human folklore, and it lends various meanings to this card such as inspiration, divine guidance, faith, and optimism. Such interpretations for the Star card are validated and reiterated by the fact that we have sayings like “reach for the stars” and “wish upon a star.” This card is also about the profound wisdom of hope, which can carry us through many a dark night. Hope should have some basis in reality, though, or it can degenerate into delusion, which is the providence of the next card, the Moon. Reasonable hopes are wise for they lift us up and strengthen us, but even when our hopes are reasonable, we must be careful with them. If we use them as an excuse to avoid taking action to help ourselves, then even these hopes may be no more than an opiate. And so this card carries both the advice to hope and a warning not to get lost in dreams, for at some point we have to come back down to earth and take action if we want to be able to manifest those dreams. ADVICE

Think about a problem that you are having. It may be in a relationship, your job, or your home. Now consider a solution that you may reasonably hope for, and hold that hope dear to your heart. The Star card can be about divine guidance as well, so use some sort of prayer based upon this hope. AFFIRMATION I never lose hope for a better future. 18. The Moon "Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows anybody." — Mark Twain KEYWORDS Delusion, deception, dreams, mystical enchantment, lunacy COMMENTS In the light of the moon, common landmarks take on a strange and mysterious aspect, and the world is cloaked in a magical enchantment—or a shroud of fear—that it lacks in daylight. Soft moonlight is sufficient to show us shapes and outlines, but details are blurred in shadow, and our imagination is left free to fill them in. And so this card indicates imagination and illusions, leading us to wonder if we are seeing beyond the forms of the world to its spirit or if we are deluding ourselves. This ability to see the world anew can be the hallmark of genius or of madness, and often there is but a fine line between the two. Similarly, the Moon represents the terrible beauty of the mysteries of life. These ineffable mysteries are frightening and challenging, but without them, life would be dull and insipid, meaningless even. The Moon card also says that there really are monsters under our bed at night, just as we suspected when we were children. Not literally, of course, but figuratively speaking, there are monsters lurking in our unconscious. They are the fears and desires we have banished to the deep, dark recesses of our minds. These monsters haunt us and they cause us to act irrationally at times, and the only way to conquer them is to have the courage to turn on the light and look for them. This can be a frightening prospect because it means admitting that these monsters are a part of ourselves, but it is only when we find the courage to face them that we can banish them. As horrible as they may seem, however, they

cannot survive long in the light. As Carl Jung said, "One does not become enlightened by naively 'imagining' images of light, but by making the mind's darkness conscious." As a symbol of the night, the Moon also represents our intuition and our dreams. A dream can inspire us, but we must remember that it is only a guide, not reality itself. Similarly, this card represents our unconscious mind and thus can be an indication of unconscious behavior patterns. The moon's dark realm of mystical possibilities and hidden dangers calls to mind the phrase "the dark night of the soul." This term refers to a phase in a spiritual journey when one feels frightened, alone, and abandoned in the darkness. Thus, it can mean a test of faith, or it may indicate a time when we feel we have lost our way. Finally, a few basic astronomical observations about the moon can further illuminate the meaning of this card. First, whereas the Sun generates its own light, the moon shines by reflected light. Thus, this card includes aspects of being reflective, passive, and receptive. Next, the fact that the moon always keeps one face hidden from the earth can imply that this card indicates deceptions, hidden agendas, or misunderstandings. Finally, in ancient times, an eclipse of the sun by the moon caused panic. So fear, especially fear of the unknown, may be associated with this card too. ADVICE Although there is danger in the wild side of your psyche, there is great power and opportunity there as well. For just a little while, then, use your imagination instead of your reason to find a solution to your problems. Do you see new and wonderful possibilities that suggest surprising new ways of dealing with them? Remember, however, that this is your imagination. Use it, but do not get swallowed up in it. Its suggestions must be tested by reason, which is the providence of the next card, the Sun. AFFIRMATION I am able to challenge and conquer my fear of the unknown. 19. The Sun "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." — Maori saying

KEYWORDS Vitality, joy, cheerful disposition, optimism, enlightenment COMMENTS In a very literal sense, the life-giving light and warmth of the sun lend meanings to this card such as vitality, activity, and energy. So this card portends growth, renewal, and regeneration, although we should also keep in mind that too much sun is dangerous, for it can burn. The Sun card also can indicate the dawning of a new day and the revitalization of our hopes and dreams that a new day implies. The light of the sun also symbolizes enlightenment and the reasoning intellect, and so these are aspects of this card also. While the optimism that we previously saw in the Star card is a quiet inner assurance that things will turn out well, the optimism of the Sun has a more boisterous quality. Here our optimism is so enthusiastic and energetic that we feel compelled to ride forth and tell everyone else that things will turn out great. The naked child seen in the RWS Sun card depicts that joy and cheerfulness, as well as truth, trust, and openness. This child also can indicate getting in touch with our inner child. In a negative sense, however, it can depict someone who is obsessed with maintaining a youthful image, even when it becomes embarrassing compared to the reality of his or her years. Thus, it also can indicate actions that are child-like or childish. The sun is a common symbol of our spiritual center, the divine nature that lives within us, our "inner light." And so this card sometimes urges us to consider what our "soulful purpose" may be. It also advises us to rise above the dark clouds of negativity in order to see the Light and to realize that those clouds are our ego’s illusions about the world. Extending that concept further, this card is also about seeing other people in light of their essential divine nature instead of their ego which obscures it. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The measure of mental health is the disposition to find good everywhere.” Finally, since the sun is the center of our solar system, this card can portray an egocentric attitude. The following quote expresses this in a delightfully humorous way: “When science finally locates the center of the universe, some people will be surprised to learn they’re not it.” — Bernard Bailey

ADVICE In light of this card’s association with new beginnings, it suggests you make a concerted effort to approach your life with a sense of joy and vigor, seeing everything in a new light. AFFIRMATION Joy and fulfillment are my birthright, and I find satisfaction and delight in everything I do. 20. Judgment “The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” — Marianne Williamson KEYWORDS A calling, epiphany, rebirth, criticism, careful evaluation, forgiveness COMMENTS This card may be calling us to make a significant change in our life, one that will bring us to a higher purpose. Similarly, it can refer to redemption, atonement, and rebirth. The trumpeting angel often depicted on this card may announce a revelation or herald an awakening to a new perspective of the world around us or to our role within it. The people in this card, rising up as if from the dead, are reminiscent of butterflies emerging from their cocoons. Consequently, this card may indicate emerging from a stagnant situation, or it can mean coming out of a transitional period into a new and better phase of our life. Taking this card’s name literally, it can indicate having good sense and the ability to correctly evaluate a given situation, i.e., having good judgment. Additionally, it can mean that we are dispensing (or enduring) critical judgment, or it may advise us to stop being judgmental toward other people. Numerologically, this card’s number, 20, reduces to 2, which implies a second choice or a second chance. This symbolizes another, very important meaning for the Judgment card, that being forgiveness. I've heard it said that holding on to a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. In other words, the anger that we feel about someone else’s actions harms only ourselves, not the other person. So this card tells us that if we feel that

someone has wronged us, forgiveness is the surest way to move beyond that pain. ADVICE Listen closely to the music of the Universe; it calls upon you to rise up out of the darkness and into the light of your soul. See the brilliant soul in everyone else as well. Hear the music of love in the words and deeds of others, and feel the pulse of life in all that you touch and experience. AFFIRMATION I listen to the call from my Higher Self leading me to my soulful purpose. 21. The World "What good you do may be of little significance, but it is very important that you do it. Be the change you want to see in the world." — Mahatma Gandhi KEYWORDS Accomplishment, joie de vivre, prosperity, freedom, connection, completion, wholeness COMMENTS The World card illustrates our world, our reality, which is that of a divine Soul (the central figure) existing within the confines of a physical body (suggested by the four peripheral figures, which can represent the four elements of the material world). With the Fool card, we set out on a journey imbued with divine potential that we were innocently unaware of. Now, with the final card of the Major Arcana, we are aware of that divinity within us, and we dance to its rhythm and beat. And so this card is about knowing our true, authentic selves, and it is about finding our connection with our soul and with our life’s purpose. Similarly, then the World card is about universal love—the love of all humankind and even of all living beings. Reaching this state of universal love both comes from and results in a sense of our oneness with everything in the world. As Rabindranath Tagore said, “The same stream of life that runs through the world runs through my veins.” It also reflects the famous admonition to live in the world but not be of the world. In other words, it illustrates the discovery

that although we all have to live in the world, we don’t have to let worldliness attach itself to us. The dancer depicted in the World card suggests freedom, while the figures in the four corners of this card imply the four elements, the four seasons, or the four directions (among other things), and so they can signify structure or limitations as well as the totality of the world. Consequently, this card symbolizes finding or exploring freedom within constraining boundaries, which may be anything from the limitations of a given art form to those of the laws of physics. Every one of us is constrained by the physical limitations of our material existence, but few of us are able to actualize our potential freely within those restrictions. This card assures us that this is possible for all of us. This card also depicts the happy discovery of our place in the world or in our community, however we may define that. In other words, it represents the divine dance of life and finding our role in that dance. In addition, this card can be about achieving a sense of unity. This means things like merging our inner sense of awareness with our outer activities, uniting our conscious mind with our unconscious, or blending our spiritual aspirations with our material endeavors. At a transpersonal level, it means uniting our personal sense of identity with our awareness of all humanity, as beautifully illustrated by this quote from John Donne[37]: No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. ... Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. As the final card in the Major Arcana, the World often represents completion, such as the conclusion of a major life cycle and the beginning of a new one. Consequently, it can mean accomplishment, achievement, triumph, fulfillment of our potential, prosperity, and deserved recognition. And it can mean peace and lasting joy, as in the fairytale ending, “... and they lived happily ever after.” It also may represent working toward our purpose in life, the realization of our divine nature. ADVICE This card advocates searching for meaning in life through seeing your connection to everything else. So feel the energy of the universe flowing through you, energizing you, and becoming you as you also remember that everyone else is a part of that energy as well. Then spend a few minutes in quiet

meditation, peacefully looking inside. There you will find your connection to everything outside yourself. AFFIRMATION I am bringing my worldly activities into harmony with my true, authentic self.

The Minor Arcana

WANDS Ace of Wands The Ace of Wands can be seen as a torch burning in the night that heralds inspiration, excitement, and insight. It marks the beginning of an enthusiastic undertaking or enterprise, and it is a passionate effort that brings growth and transformation. It is creative energy used with confidence, a new enterprise launched with courage, and a journey begun with determination. The way to get rid of the darkness is to light a candle, and as the Buddha said, “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.” So this card reminds us that even our single small candle can dispel the darkness around us. Every Tarot card has both positive and negative meanings, however, and while the Aces usually are seen as indicating the ideals of their suit, there may be negative aspects to them as well. This Ace can indicate an overload of energy, such as hyperactivity or sexual compulsion, or it can reveal an extreme desire for power that results in megalomania. ADVICE Press forth in your work with drive and passion born of confidence that you are inspired by the creative energy of the Universe. AFFIRMATION I have an endless supply of creativity and energy available for everything I do. Two of Wands In the RWS Two of Wands, we see a man standing on a parapet, holding a globe in one hand as he surveys the landscape before him. Perhaps he is comparing his model (the globe) with the reality he sees, or maybe he’s planning

to mold reality to fit his model of it? This image evokes meanings such as planning a course of action with boldness and courage, experiencing personal power, and feeling like we have the world in our hands. Taken to extremes, however, this can indicate someone who is domineering. The Two of Wands can also portend conflict, especially a conflict of will. In my Tarot of the Masters deck, this card employs a dynamic image of two wrestlers in order to express the concept of dominion over others, which the more static RWS version illustrates implicitly with the position and attitude of the man on a parapet. There is an illusion, however, in our desire for power which is succinctly expressed by Eckhart Tolle: “Power over others is weakness disguised as strength.”[38] ADVICE Compare your goals with reality, and decide which, if either, you need to adjust. AFFIRMATION I avoid the trap of seeking control over others. Three of Wands The typical image on this card is that of a man looking out from a high vantage point. This indicates having foresight and patience, leading the way into new ventures, and exploring the unknown for new possibilities. It deals with expanding our horizons and foreseeing the results of our efforts and investments. It also may indicate waiting for our ship to come in. The fact that the Three of Wands sequentially follows the struggle for domination depicted in the Two of Wands leads to some advice about resolving our interpersonal conflicts. When we have a fight with someone, a healthy resolution depends upon rising above a “me versus you” attitude. When we do that, we begin to see the big picture; we begin to see that we are all connected. This card also urges us to look beyond our current circumstances. When we feel trapped in a bad situation, we should take time to pause, reflect, and see beyond it. Do we really have it so bad? Can we envision a way to get out of it? ADVICE Have patience and focus your attention and efforts on the long haul. You

have laid the groundwork, and now is the time to nurture your endeavor as you wait for results. AFFIRMATION I am focused on achieving my goals. Four of Wands On the Four of Wands, we typically see people engaging in a festival of some sort. Thus, this card implies a joyful celebration, perhaps of the completion of an important task or the attainment of an important milestone. It may be a homecoming, a reunion, a wedding, or a going away party. As such, this card may urge us to make a commitment, and it can indicate a rite of passage. A celebration can honor an achievement, but we also celebrate as a way of honoring who we are—as an individual and as a group. This card can convey that sense of honoring who we are, and it can indicate enjoying the support of our community, especially in a shared sense of unity and harmony. The Four of Wands also can indicate sacred space in our lives, which can foster our personal growth and creativity. This sacred space, of course, may encompass emotional and psychological dimensions as well as physical ones. ADVICE Plan a celebration—even if just a small one—of your life and the ways in which the Universe has supported you. Celebration is very important, for it expresses gratitude and appreciation, and it supports your sense of well being. AFFIRMATION I create sacred space in my life for my creativity and personal growth. Five of Wands This is a card of chaotic energy, which can entail anything from petty bickering to a barroom brawl. The figures in this card may be fighting or struggling against one another, they may be engaged in a competitive sport, or they may be working together to build something. These interpretations imply a goal-oriented struggle, with the important difference between them being that it may be a cooperative endeavor or a competitive one. Other important issues to

consider are whether that struggle is internal or external, friendly or antagonistic. This card urges us to consider that if there is negative strife going on in our lives, wouldn’t it be better to try to convert that energy into a positive effort that works for the common good? Another way to consider this card is to see it as an illustration of something called “Monkey Mind.” (This term comes from the way our minds jump from thought to thought like a monkey jumping from tree to tree.) It’s the constant chatter in our minds that obsesses about the past and worries about the future, all the while avoiding a meaningful engagement of the present. It keeps us in chaos and confusion, which keeps us from finding peace. ADVICE In any conflict, try to find creative energy and common ground with your foes or competitors. AFFIRMATION I can rise above the chaos around me and transform conflict into cooperation. Six of Wands This card depicts conquest or triumph through hard won battles. It implies the charisma of the victor, and it indicates praise and acclaim for his success. The true measure of our success, however, lies not in our material achievements themselves, but in our connectedness with others through which we all work together to succeed. And so this card is also a reminder to the victor to consider and appreciate those who have supported him and helped make this triumph possible, for no one does it alone. It also urges us to be happy for other people when they succeed. The Six of Wands also warns of an addictive desire for recognition and an arrogant pride that can arise from acclaim and glory. ADVICE Make a list of things that you have done recently for which you deserve praise. Take joy in those accomplishments. However, a victor should not rest on his laurels, so think of one thing you want to accomplish in the near future, and focus your will on attaining that new goal.

AFFIRMATION I appreciate the help and support that I get from others. Seven of Wands The Seven of Wands can signify resolve and perseverance as well as taking a stand for our beliefs assertively, courageously, or defiantly. In many decks, its image is reminiscent of the children’s game, “King of the Hill” wherein the person who has reached the top of the hill has to be constantly on guard against those who want to dethrone him. And so it illustrates the problematic side of the victory we saw in the previous card. A significant theme running through the sevens in the Minor Arcana is that of tests and trials, so this card also says that every time we feel criticized, insulted, or abused we are facing a test of how we respond. Circumstances often arise where we feel attacked, and our first instinct may be to fight back, but do we really need to fight? Perhaps we're overreacting; perhaps we need to set aside our ego reaction and take a measured response instead. Ironically, this card also indicates blocking the blessings in life due to a failure to see opportunities in our obstacles. Sometimes we would do well to consider this advice from Julia Cameron: “Bless not only the road, but the bumps on the road. They are all part of the higher journey.” This card also is about having (or needing) great strength of character when beleaguered or outnumbered. Or it can say that someone is being stubborn. ADVICE Stand up for your rights and defend your position assertively but not aggressively, for you do not want to sink to the level of your adversaries. AFFIRMATION I have the courage to stand my ground and fight for what I know is right. Eight of Wands The Eight of Wands says that the opposition seen in the previous card has been overcome. Eight wands now fly through the air, depicting a unity of

purpose and a “full steam ahead” attitude. We have the will to set things in motion and the freedom to move ahead. And so this card illustrates a surge of energy, sudden action, a rushing forth in consequence of our inspiration. Progress is accelerating. But there is also an implicit warning here to be careful not to let things fly out of control. Similarly, the Eight of Wands implies spontaneity, the ability to live in the moment with enthusiasm and vitality. We are not meant to trudge through life; we are here to live it fully, in joy and wonder, to engage in life with a sense of joie de vivre. So sometimes this card tells us “Carpe diem! Seize the day.” This card also represents the burst of passionate energy that comes from falling in love, including the feeling of being swept off your feet, of being helpless to resist love. ADVICE Consider whether or not there is something you can do to make your life extraordinary—wonderfully your own—even if in only some small way. Think about it, and then carpe diem! AFFIRMATION I am boldly pursuing my dreams. Nine of Wands The Nine of Wands suggests the old adage, "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger." The man we often see on this card illustrates this. He is battle-worn, battle-scarred, and battle-weary, but now he has experience on his side, and he is ready to continue defending that which is important to him. Consequently, he symbolizes someone whose strength has been forged like tempered steel. He has perseverance and persistence on his side, as well as the deep, hidden reserves he needs in order to prevail. But he is wiser now and so he chooses his battles wisely. It’s also interesting to note that the wands standing behind him look like a fence, which implies that there may be boundary issues involved as well, or maybe he just needs to define his space. We may also see this beleaguered figure as someone in the querent’s life. It’s easy to forget that we aren’t the only ones with challenges to deal with and wounds to heal. Other people have problems too. They need our understanding when they act badly because of their problems, and they need our compassion

when their soul is damaged. Over two thousand years ago Plato said, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle," and this is just as true today as it was then. ADVICE We all have been wounded somehow and, as a consequence, have erected boundaries and barriers. But boundaries restrict as well as protect. Consider what limitations you have put on yourself—things you think you are not able to do—and reconsider them. Pick one and commit to doing something that demonstrates that you are no longer confined by it. AFFIRMATION I always persist despite any setbacks that may come my way. Ten of Wands Although greatly burdened, the person depicted in the Ten of Wands card struggles on. This card may be asking if we are overextended or pushing ourselves too hard, in which case we may need to lighten the load for the sake of our health and well being. Have we taken on one too many obligations, the one that is the last straw? Did we bite off more than you can chew, so to speak? Perhaps we can let someone help, or is our pride keeping us from sharing the load? A similar insight is that it's important to remember that everyone is carrying their own burdens. They have their own set of problems and their own reasons for doing what they do and being who they are. This card also may indicate the burdens of success. Maybe we have developed an attachment to our past accomplishments that hinders our progress in new endeavors, or maybe people around us have developed unrealistic expectations of what we can do. In that case, this may be considered the “should upon” card. When we let ourselves become burdened by all the things other people feel we should do, we have let ourselves be “should upon” and it is time to find out what we want to do instead. ADVICE The accumulated responsibilities you have taken on can hold you down and keep you from doing what you want or need to do. Prioritize your life. Concentrate on what is truly important, and discard the rest—at least for now.

AFFIRMATION I release my attachment to my past successes so that I can move on to new horizons. Page of Wands This Page enters into new ventures or undertakings with daring and excitement. He has the eagerness, enthusiasm, and confidence of a new initiate, and perhaps the beginner’s luck of one as well. Similarly, he may be preparing for, or about to embark upon, a thrilling adventure, one in which he may be willing to take great risks or in which he’s unaware of the risks. In addition, he is learning to exercise his willpower. Considering the old saying, “You don’t stop playing because you get old; you get old because you stop playing,” we can interpret this card as being about having the playful enthusiasm of a child. It suggests that we should treat our life experiences with a sense of play and engage in that play completely and with a sense of joy. Pages sometimes refer to messages, and this page might indicate one that is inspiring or encouraging. ADVICE Find a renewed sense of initiative and vigor about your work or career. This is possible whenever you can view it with a sense of wonder. AFFIRMATION I am ready to set off on a new adventure with great passion and a sense of wonder. Knight of Wands The Tarot’s knights are commonly associated with elemental Air, and the suit of Wands with Fire, which makes this knight “Air of Fire” and truly, he can be a windblown wildfire that burns brightly, but that also burns out quickly. This knight’s great energy and quick, decisive action can make him triumphant when he is able to remain focused, but otherwise it may render him unpredictable and undependable, like the proverbial “loose cannon.” He is dynamic but restive,

enthusiastic but reckless. He is passionate about whatever he does, but he is not yet in control of those passions. He will impulsively commit to a project, but then something else may come along and sweep him away as he is caught up in the heat of the moment. This card also illustrates the way that some people ride forth on their passions, forever looking to get somewhere other than where they are. But to quote Neil Gaiman, "The price of getting what you want is getting what you once wanted." The problem, though, is not that we ride our passions, it’s that we don’t realize that it’s the ride itself that’s important. So a bit of advice inherent in this card is to ride passionately toward the future, but always enjoy the ride as it exists in this perfect moment of now. ADVICE Look for a creative approach to a problem you are having, and then charge forth with passion. AFFIRMATION I undertake new projects with boldness and courage. Queen of Wands This queen is strong, capable, and forceful, but she is also fun-loving, exuberant, and optimistic. The Tarot’s queens personify the feminine aspects of wisdom, which includes being supportive, and when we couple that with the creativity that is a characteristic of the suit of Wands, we see that she is an inspiration to others and she supports the creative spark in everyone's life. Thus, for example, this card may indicate someone who supports us in an adventure or enterprise. In a group setting, she is likely to be an inspirational cheerleader and morale booster. A side benefit of such characteristics is that they also bring more enthusiasm in our own life as well. As Mark Twain once said, “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.” The Queen of Wands looks on the bright side of things, but like the cat at her feet on the RWS version of this card, she tends to be independent in her relationships, wanting things on her own terms. ADVICE Concentrate on being friendly and gregarious. Try to make the world a more

cheerful place by smiling at the people you see on the street, at work, or in your neighborhood. AFFIRMATION I always use a positive approach to solve my problems. King of Wands This king follows the advice of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." And so we see that the King of Wands is a bold, charismatic leader, a take-charge kind of guy. This leadership role suggests that he has the qualities of courage, selfconfidence, strength of character, a sense of purpose and destiny, a desire to make a difference in the world, and dedication to a cause. Of course, these qualities would be for naught if he didn’t also take action based on them. One warning in this card, however, is that his indomitable spirit can degenerate into a prideful or domineering attitude if he is not careful. Unlike the Knight of Wands, whose energy and enthusiasm tends to be reckless, this king has learned to temper and control his passions, harnessing them to work in his favor. He thus takes responsibility for his own life, realizing that he is the master of his own fate. And his firm conviction that there is a purpose in his life—that it has meaning—helps him find fulfillment. ADVICE Act with courage and conviction in order to take control of your destiny. AFFIRMATION I am the master of my own destiny, and I am making a difference in the world.

CUPS Ace of Cups The Ace of Cups may signal the beginning of an emotional situation, such as a new relationship, a wedding, or a birth, or the healing of an emotional rift between two people. It can indicate love, empathy, and compassion for others, and the peaceful serenity of such feelings. Indeed, it says that the truest blessings are those born of our loving relationships. This card also teaches us that a pure heart sees beyond distinctions between people, and so it is of unity, not separation. In fact, in most religions, this feeling of universal love is a primary element of right living. Truly loving someone involves considering the other person to be an integral part of yourself, and in an even broader sense, love is the realization of our connection and oneness with all humankind, as indicated in this quote from Rumi: I always thought that I was me — but no, I was you and never knew it. This ace also may advise us to trust our intuition and to follow the dictates of our heart. Similarly, it echoes the sentiment of this quote from Saint Teresa of Avila: The important thing is not to think much, but to love much; and so, do that which best stirs you to love. On the other hand, the Ace of Cups can warn of drowning ourselves in a relationship, and consequently shutting out our friends or ignoring our responsibilities. Also, it may warn against having an overly emotional response to a situation, which can wash us away in a torrent of feelings. ADVICE Strive to see all your relationships anew through the eyes of love and compassion. When you do so, you will find contentment and fulfillment in them. AFFIRMATION I am filled with love for everyone in my life.

Two of Cups The image on the Two of Cups card indicates a personal union, the bonding of two people. It may signify making an emotional connection with someone, acknowledging such an attraction, or renewing an old relationship. The number two is about choices (among other things), and since this particular card is in the suit of Cups (emotions and relationships), its message is that love is a choice. While it’s true that we don't choose who we fall in love, we do make choices about love every day. For example, the question, “Do I treat others with love?” is relevant in all our interpersonal relationships. Also, this card may depict the healing power of love, and so it can be about making peace with someone or discovering that our relationships can heal our wounds. In fact, loving another person heals the soul, and when we truly love someone, we also love ourselves. ADVICE Think of a relationship that is having problems right now, and open your heart to it. Transform it by sending it love and by seeing it from the other person’s point of view. AFFIRMATION There is a sacred healing in my loving relationships. Three of Cups The Three of Cups is often called the “friendship card.” We do things with friends like going to movies and throwing parties, but perhaps the best times we spend with our friends are quiet moments together, times when our hearts and souls are joined in play even if outwardly we aren’t doing anything special. This card can be about community, camaraderie, and the emotional support and comfort of good friends. It is also about getting along with other people, the strength found in numbers, and a celebration of the old saying, “A joy shared is a joy multiplied.” It says that our friendships influence us and help shape who we are. And on a more mundane level, it can indicate partying, but perhaps with a warning against overindulgence. An important implication of this card is that we should help a friend when she needs assistance, but of course it goes deeper than that. It also gives us other friendship advice, as follows:

Listen with your complete attention when a friend needs to talk. Give advice when asked, but only then. Share a friend’s sorrows as well as joys. Believe in your friends and see the best in them when they’ve lost faith in themselves. Accept your friends when it would be easier to judge them; forgive them when it would be easier to hold a grudge. The Three of Cups can also indicate the celebration of a successful platonic relationship such as a business partnership. ADVICE Your friendships are important, so celebrate them. Call a friend to plan to get together or just to tell her that she is important to you. AFFIRMATION I am blessed with many supportive friends. Four of Cups A common image on the Four of Cups is that of a man who is ignoring a cup that the Divine is handing him. Thus it may depict self-absorption, emotional withdrawal, melancholy, apathy, ennui, or perhaps (in a more positive vein) a respite from emotional stress. It may indicate a weak foundation for our emotional well being, or it can say that we are stuck in an emotional rut and not ready for something that the universe is offering us. Consequently, we may need a bit of advice from this card, which is that although our emotions and circumstances are constantly shifting, we can achieve stability by finding and centering on our spiritual core. If the Three of Cups is the “party card” then we may see the Four of Cups as the “hangover card” — an indication of dissatisfaction which we might feel subsequent to indulging too much in the more trivial pursuits of life. However, this melancholy aspect to the Four of Cups is tempered by the promise of healing in the offing, as indicated by the proffered cup. On a deeper, more spiritual level, the Four of Cups can indicate a resistance to finding meaning in your life, as illustrated in the following quote from Gary Zukav.

Boredom is your ‘fuller life’ calling you, and your fear of hearing that call. [39] ADVICE Examine your relationships to see where they seem to be unfulfilling. Then rather than considering where they may be failing you, consider how they may be an offering of Universal Love that you just don’t realize yet. AFFIRMATION My heart is open to new possibilities and new opportunities. Five of Cups The Five of Cups can indicate mourning and bereavement, but it also may be a classic depiction of “crying over spilt milk” or “water under the bridge.” It indicates an emotional loss, such as an unhappy ending to a relationship, saying goodbye to someone or something we cherish, or not saying goodbye when we need to do so. Thus, this card can portray the suffering we put ourselves through when we cling to someone or something after it is gone. So this card also may be about empathy and consolation, advice to comfort someone, or a need to be comforted. And it’s important to realize that for most of the sorrows we hold on to, we don’t need someone to solve or fix anything. It’s usually just enough to have a silent witness. Then, when we allow this process to bring us to a place of closure, we can let go and move on. On the other hand, this card may indicate someone indulging in their own private “pity party.” When we’re on the outside looking in, it’s tempting to judge those people harshly, but when we’re the woe-begotten one, it’s easy to justify a morose celebration of all that has gone wrong. In either case, though, it’s important to remember that we are all doing the best we can with what we’ve got. Typically two of the cups depicted on this card are not overturned, which can indicate advice to turn our attention toward what we still have or to find something positive in our current circumstance so we can learn and grow from the experience. In other words, are you seeing the glass as half empty or as half full? ADVICE

Seek closure in a relationship that is over. It doesn’t matter if the other person was a friend who moved away, a lover who rejected you, or a family member who died. Whatever the case, bring that person into your mind and then consider the joy and meaning that had been in this relationship. Finally, give silent thanks to that person for being a part of your life, and then say goodbye. This doesn’t mean throwing them out of your heart; it means accepting that this phase of the relationship is over. AFFIRMATION My grief and sorrow are drifting away, leaving me in peace and serenity. Six of Cups The Six of Cups typically shows two children interacting, and with that, it symbolizes the innocent and unconditional love of a child, which we tend to lose when we grow up. To help us regain that, the Six of Cups advises trying to let our inner child share a loving connection with someone else’s inner child. This can be a heartfelt sharing with another person through simple things like playing games together, talking about our lives, or doing nothing more than just hanging out together. It may apply to any sort of relationship—romantic, familial, or friendly, or even just a casual acquaintance we may make while at work, at a party, or on vacation. It also includes little things like giving a warm smile to a beggar on the street, for we can express our love for other people with a smile or a sympathetic touch. As Mother Teresa said, "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." The innocent charm of this card also may indicate the enjoyment of domestic bliss or the simple pleasures of life. It can indicate innocence, kindness, or forgiveness, and sometimes it can imply nostalgia and happy thoughts of better times. However, the association that this card has with childhood issues also suggests the problems we experience in adulthood as a result of childhood traumas, or it may indicate a smothering relationship in which we feel as though we are being treated like a child. ADVICE Share your hopes and dreams with someone you love and trust. AFFIRMATION

I let my love circulate among the people in my life. Seven of Cups The Seven of Cups depicts a person with many options, but who may be confused and unable to make a choice. Since this card is in the suit of Cups, which deals with emotions, this indecision is generally on an emotional level. Consequently, the advice of this card may be to follow your bliss, i.e., to discover what it is that you really love and then focus on doing that. As Rumi said, "Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray." The Seven of Cups also has a very dream-like quality, which may indicate living in a dream world, believing in illusions, suffering delusions, or indulging in escapism. Perhaps, for example, we have unrealistic illusions of a relationship that we need to see clearly. Similarly, this card may warn of inaction due to daydreaming or wishful thinking. On the other hand, fantasy can be inspirational in the right context, such as a creative or artistic endeavor. ADVICE When you are confused, take a moment to clear your mind and ask, “What am I feeling in this circumstance?” Consider how valid your emotional responses are and how they may be affecting your judgment. Then, in a state of calm and centeredness, release these emotions and their control over you. AFFIRMATION I am opening my eyes to a higher truth about my relationships with other people. Eight of Cups The Eight of Cups indicates dissatisfaction with old achievements or relationships and a consequent withdrawal in search of new directions. Thus, it can mean letting go, leaving behind old attachments, and moving on with our life. There is an element of sadness and regret here, but a certain amount of hope as well. Although there may be something missing in our life, in moving on we have the chance to find more fulfillment and deeper meaning. Also, what we really need to leave behind may be our emotional distress and anxiety about a situation. Perhaps we don’t have to leave the situation itself, and sometimes it’s

not possible to do that, but we can always change our perspective about it and our emotional reactions to it. Similarly, this card can suggest those times when we begin to realize that our present circumstances are unacceptable. It can be hard to arrive at that realization, however, and we tend to stick with bad situations in the vain hope that they will improve. But this card can say that we need to realize that it's time to move on. ADVICE Take a journey into the realm of your heart. For just a while, leave behind the obvious and the mundane, and search for that which is mysterious in your life. AFFIRMATION I am leaving behind old attachments so that I can discover better things in my life. Nine of Cups Traditionally, the Nine of Cups is referred to as the Wish Card. It depicts contentment and satisfaction as we bask in the glow of achievement. Of course, it's easy to appreciate success and good fortune when it befalls us, but it's the much harder practice of appreciating the value of everything in our lives— including the intangibles like love, hope, and serenity, and even the challenges that help us grow—that brings us deep and lasting joy. So a valuable piece of advice in this card is to consider some of our smaller and less-obvious blessings and then acknowledge and give thanks for them too. While this card is about gratitude, its dark side is that sometimes we take satisfaction to a negative extreme when we become self-satisfied or selfrighteous. This doesn’t just mean “Don’t brag,” it also warns us against feeling superior to other people. Another problem expressed by this card is that it can indicate enjoyment and satisfaction that is without regard to the consequences, for the pleasures we experience today may require payment tomorrow. Also, our immersion in pleasure may be an attempt to hide a deeper sadness. Finally, this card sometimes reminds me of the ironic curse, “May all your wishes come true.” In that case, it can be an admonishment to be sure to know

what we really want and to be prepared for it, since we may well get it. ADVICE Spend some time counting your blessings (literally) and giving thanks for them. AFFIRMATION I constantly find reasons to be happy about my life and to find joy in it. Ten of Cups This card, with its typical image of a happy family under a rainbow, implies the joy and serenity of having found our place in our community and of being at one with the world. It depicts emotional well being, as well as peace and harmony, especially in our close relationships. Similarly, it suggests that our true family is our community or a group we discover in our adulthood, as expressed in the following quote. "The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof." — Richard Bach The tens in the Tarot deck are often concerned with the results or consequences of completing a cycle, which in the case of the Ten of Cups refers to an emotional one. Consequently, this card implies the attainment of purity, innocence, and compassion through the integration of our emotional experiences. However, it is not so much that we have learned to control our emotions as it is that we have learned to experience them, appreciate them, and then let them go of them when we need to move on. This indicates coming full circle from the innocence of naiveté (the Ace of Cups) to that of maturity. So, for example, the self-satisfaction of having what we want, as seen in the Nine of Cups, has matured with the Ten of Cups into the joy of being who we want to be, and of being with people that we love. Thus, this card also indicates happy, stable relationships, especially long term ones. The rainbow on this card, however, implies that we may have an idealized view of what a relationship should be, or perhaps our joy in a relationship is illusory, elusive, or ephemeral. ADVICE Strive to see your relationships realistically, knowing that they need not be

perfect. An ideal of what a relationship should be is an admirable goal but not an admirable expectation. AFFIRMATION I am complete and at peace in all my relationships. Page of Cups The Page of Cups can indicate the start of a journey of discovery into the mysteries of love, romance, and relationships, and in the RWS version, the fish popping up from a cup is a vivid depiction of a surprising message from our unconscious mind or intuition. This unexpected fish may also symbolize an emerging spiritual awareness, psychic ability, or a budding imagination. And so this card tells us that when we are open to our imagination and intuition, we receive surprising gifts that can help us comprehend the mysterious depths of our soul. It urges us to embrace the mysteries of life for they will enchant us, and our pursuit of them will lead us into amazing realms we never even dreamed of. This card often signals a new love affair, perhaps even a first date, or it may represent innocence or naiveté in a relationship. It also says that when we learn to explore our relationships—the platonic as well as romantic—with the unconditional love of a child, we will find them to be full of wonder and delight. And as we become more emotionally open like a child, we will draw other people to us, and they will respond to us with their hearts opened more than usual. ADVICE Give your imagination free reign once and a while. Its playfulness can help you explore your soulful depths and learn the lessons of your heart. AFFIRMATION I have a wonderful and powerful imagination, and I use it to envision a better life and a better world. Knight of Cups The Knight of Cups is a visionary, and he tells us that when we are lost in the forest of life’s problems, we can stop for a quiet moment of contemplation to

listen to our heart, and it will show us the way. Similarly, this card may symbolize acting upon our intuition and gut feelings. Since this is a Cups card, the volatility that is a hallmark of the knights is typically in the domain of our emotions. So although the Knight of Cups can be romantic and sensitive, he may be temperamental and moody as well. Another message of this card is, "You can't swim wearing armor." The meaning of this is that we can't have meaningful relationships with other people if we insist on being guarded. if we want to experience deep relationships we have to open up and allow ourselves to be vulnerable. The Knight of Cups can also indicate a spiritual quest, which is explicitly illustrated in my Tarot of the Masters version of the card. There we see the pureof-heart Sir Galahad who achieved the Holy Grail, symbol of the desire for spiritual perfection. ADVICE Pause to reflect upon the vision that you have for your life and meditate upon where it is taking you. Then act on the intuitive wisdom of your heart that arises from this contemplation. AFFIRMATION My heart is pure, and it shows me the way toward true happiness and fulfillment. Queen of Cups This queen is devoted to and emotionally supportive of her family and her community. She seeks peace and harmony in her life, and love and friendships are very important to her. Those around her are nurtured and transformed by her love and compassion. She understands her emotions and is in touch with them. It is a truism that our relationship problems come from within ourselves as much as from other people. Many of us are emotionally insecure and grasping for the love and approval of others. We need more of this queen's emotional selfconfidence, and she suggests that we work on loving ourselves more so that we can become emotionally secure. One way to do this is to stop judging ourselves so much. Something else we can do is to recall that our true Self is divine. The flaws and mistakes are not our real, essential Self. When we realize that, we love ourselves and as a consequence are able to love other people

unconditionally. This queen is also in touch with the mysterious unconscious and with her spirituality. She has a sensitive and empathic nature, and in extreme cases she may be a mystic who is able to see clearly the mysteries of her higher self. In addition, she has learned how to focus and direct her imagination and creativity to make her dreams come true. ADVICE Quietly look inside your heart to find the loving, compassionate part of yourself. Accept it and embrace it, then exercise it in your relationships. AFFIRMATION I am gentle and compassionate in all my relationships. King of Cups The King of Cups is artistic, philosophical, diplomatic, and ministerial. He has great dignity and sincerity, and can be kind, generous, and merciful. The painting that inspired my Tarot of the Masters version of this card is a Japanese hanging scroll that depicts the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Mercy. He was generally depicted in a meditative attitude, and his image has long been popular with Zen practitioners whose pursuit of enlightenment values meditation and stillness of mind. Likewise, this card encourages us to practice meditation to train ourselves to remain serene in the midst of emotional turmoil. Another message of this card is that being at peace is the way to lead others to peace. This ability to remain calm and composed amid stressful situations is valuable, but when emotional control is mere sublimation of our feelings, we risk becoming a prime candidate for an ulcer. Another warning of this card comes from the fact that this king may be controlling in his relationships too. ADVICE Be diplomatic and maintain control of your emotional responses in tumultuous situations. AFFIRMATION I handle my relationships with tact and diplomacy.



SWORDS Ace of Swords The sword of discernment that shines in this ace cuts through illusion and confusion, and it indicates clarity of thought and a search for truth. It cuts through old ways of thinking to reveal fresh insights and to usher in powerful new ideas. However, new ideas and attitudes are often born of struggle and strife, but hopefully we can learn from experience and emerge from adversity a bit wiser. The Ace of Swords also represents the gatekeeper of the mind. This card says that our consciousness and perceptions of reality are determined by the thoughts we dwell on because they are like seeds that sprout and grow into the circumstances of our lives. Thus, the people and experiences we attract are influenced by our predominant state of mind. In short, our thoughts create who we are. As Marcus Aurelius said, “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” This card also expresses the truisms that “Knowledge is power” and “The truth shall set you free” ... but it might hurt in the process. A negative aspect of this Ace is an exclusive reliance upon reason and intellect, which can lead to heartless behavior. ADVICE Perhaps the best path to wisdom is encapsulated in the Zen saying, “Don't seek the truth; just stop cherishing your opinions.” So question your assumptions. Choose a concept or belief that you hold close to your heart and re-examine it with a completely open mind. You may reaffirm it, refine it, or reject it. AFFIRMATION I am always open to new ideas and points of view. Two of Swords The Two of Swords recommends objectivity and equanimity, but it can also

mean that we are using rationalizations to block our emotions or to avoid acknowledging them. In the RWS version of the Two of Swords, we see a woman wearing a blindfold, which indicates impartiality, but it also may be interpreted as having a quiet, undistracted mind. This suggests an association with this quote from Ram Dass: “The quieter you become, the more you can hear,” which advocates a willingness to listen to other people and to consider other points of view. Similarly, this card often indicates that there are two sides to every story. It may indicate a stalemate or a truce that brings temporary peace. Sometimes it depicts postponing a decision while attempting to regain balance in our life, or it may recommend a compromise, perhaps arising from understanding both sides of a disagreement. But while compromise is often healthy, sometimes it can indicate the avoidance of a necessary choice. This card also warns against the common “us versus them” view of the world that we tend to have. With that mindset, we look for conflict instead of compromise, and so we end up creating results that are the polar opposite of what we intended. But when we withdraw from arguments instead and we try to find ways for everyone to win, we stop life’s pendulums from swinging from extreme to extreme. ADVICE Impartially consider both sides of every argument and seek compromise where it is reasonable. AFFIRMATION I always consider both sides of every argument. Three of Swords This card’s image of a heart pierced by three swords dates back to the Sola Busca Tarot deck from the fifteenth century, and it has been a common motif since the RWS deck of 1910. This vivid imagery is commonly interpreted as sorrow or heartbreak, but since this card is in the suit of Swords, which deals with thought and communication, it has deeper layers of meaning that should be examined as well. For example, it is concerned with the pursuit of truth, no matter how cruel it may be; a need to understand and work through painful learning experiences; and the healing of psychological wounds.

We often resist discussing the horrible wounds we have deep inside us, preferring instead to shut them up in a dark attic where we don’t have to look at them. But, as I once heard Alice Walker say in a Sacred Awakening podcast,[40] “There is no way to get the healing without knowing what the wound is.” Thus the Three of Swords can indicate striving to understand our pain and suffering and that of others, or expressing our anguish in order to be healed. This card also symbolizes words that hurt, such as those said in the heat of an argument. Indeed, tact is often the first casualty in an argument. In trying to prove a point or justify our opinions, we forget that there are other things more important than mere facts. So the Three of Swords may urge us to be careful of what we say or to apologize for hurtful things we have already said. As Henry David Thoreau said, “The only way to speak the truth is to speak lovingly.” Similarly, this card can indicate the insensitivity of an overly analytical mind. Finally, considering the heart in this card symbolically, it may advocate cutting to the heart of a matter. ADVICE Consider a situation in which your heart was pierced by someone’s words or deeds. Express your sorrow (whether privately, to a friend, or to the one who wounded you) so that you can release it and then find healing. AFFIRMATION I am letting go of painful experiences so that I can move on with my life. Four of Swords There is a lovely air of serenity to this card, and it suggests meanings like rest, recuperation, retreat, meditation, introspection, and contemplation, and it may suggest meditation or reflection upon the past in order to prepare for the future. It can also indicate the setting aside of conflicts or the mere avoidance of arguments. There are natural cycles of activity and rest in life, but in our fast paced modern world we tend to see activity as worthwhile and to discount the value of rest. The Four of Swords advises us to give ourselves permission to rest, to disengage from life for a while, but it also warns against getting stuck in a rut of inaction. The withdrawal it depicts also helps us gather up our resources before returning to a quest or conflict. For example, consider the focused concentration

of an athlete preparatory to entering into a competition. On a very esoteric level, the Four of Swords may indicate the fourth level of consciousness which transcends the three levels of waking, dreaming and deep sleep. This transcendental consciousness is our essential, divine Self, and this card may urge us to seek that. On a mundane level, it may just indicate the importance of getting the rest we need. ADVICE Let go of a difficult conflict, or at least reconsider your position on it, so that you may rest and find peace. Perhaps if you sleep on it you can deal with it later with a fresh perspective. AFFIRMATION I am at peace with the world. Five of Swords The Five of Swords can indicate discord, betrayal, humiliation, degradation, cruelty, or thoughtlessly selfish words or deed. We may even see it as someone taking a "scorched earth" approach to an argument. Like the Five of Wands, this is a card of strife and conflict, but in this case, it generally involves a conflict of ideas or words. It can mean winning an argument but losing friends in the process, or it can say that someone, with gross insensitivity, has gone too far in an argument. So if this card comes up in a relationship reading, it can say, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” When someone disagrees with us, we may consider them to be an enemy (at least to some extent) because we take disagreements personally. They’re either with us or against us. (Never mind that this is a false dichotomy.) But what if we consider them to be our teacher instead? If we can get our ego out of the way for a while and listen to such “enemies” with an open mind, we just might discover some valuable truths about ourselves for there usually is something important to be learned from them. Unfortunately, an insistence that we are right usually means that we aren’t listening to the other person. But how can we connect with them if we refuse to listen? Or we may view the other person as being foolish in order to give ourselves the ego-satisfying illusion that we’re better than they are.

In that case, instead of working on our own issues to pull ourselves up, we try to put them down to provide the illusion that we’ve risen up. More generally, the Five of Swords can depict a Pyrrhic victory or a no-win situation wherein we may want to cut our losses and get out before it’s too late. Sometimes we stick around in a bad situation because it's all we know, even fooling ourselves into thinking that things will improve. This card urges us to recognize hopeless situations when they arise so we can avoid or escape them. ADVICE Consider an argument that you recently had with someone. Were there truths involved (such as love or friendship) that were more important than the petty ones over which you fought? Think about how you could have handled this conflict better, and then replay it in your mind, but this time, see your actions and reactions transformed by a sense of grace. AFFIRMATION I am able to control my ego and my feelings of hostility. Six of Swords There is a very somber quality to the image on the Six of Swords that is reminiscent of the mythical ferry that carried souls across the river Styx to Hades. Consequently, it can symbolize a passage—spiritual or otherwise—from which there may be no turning back. In addition, since the boat in this card seems headed for calmer waters or friendlier shores, this card may imply going on a retreat or leaving our problems behind. In the RWS version of the Six of Swords, six swords are stuck point down in the boat, reminding us that wherever we go, we take our thoughts and attitudes with us. Thus, this card also advocates trying to leave negative thoughts or attitudes behind as we enter into a new situation or relationship since many of our recurring problems stem from taking them with us wherever we go. This card can advise us to put some distance between ourselves and a troublesome situation in order to gain objectivity, a healthier perspective, or a better frame of mind. As Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Similarly, this card urges us to remember that there is more to life than its problems. The shared boat ride depicted in this card can suggest a support group

helping us traverse troubled waters. However, this interpretation also says that it is important to know enough to get off the boat once it reaches friendlier shores. Another implication of this card can be summed up in the traditional quote, “We’re all in the same boat.” And on a mundane level, the Six of Swords can imply travel or a change of scenery. ADVICE When in a difficult situation, take a moment to put some distance (either physical or psychological) between it and yourself in order to gain a better perspective. AFFIRMATION My positive thoughts and optimistic attitude are leading me to a more peaceful life. Seven of Swords While this card traditionally has a wealth of pejorative keywords associated with it (such as sabotage, robbery, treachery, deceit, and dishonor) it is not typically one that people hate to see in a reading. This may be because they tend to identify more with the thief than with the injured party, and the thief seems to be getting away with his mischief. Or at least he thinks he can get away with it, which suggests an association with a quote by T. B. Macaulay: "The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out." Other meanings for this card include taking the easy way out or running away from our responsibilities, although it also may indicate that there is a justified need for slyness, stealth, or cunning. Thus, it can signify disarming an opponent, evening the odds in what may be an unfair situation, or using our ingenuity to make the best of a bad situation. It may depict the risky business of going it alone when the odds are stacked against us. Or it may mean recovering or reclaiming something that originally belonged to us. Another way of looking at the Seven of Swords is to see it as finding a new and original solution to a problem, which includes the aforementioned ingenuity as well as guile and wit. Finally, I have heard it said that if a writer steals the work on one person, it’s plagiarism, but if he steals the work of many people it’s called “research.” Thus

this card may suggest either one, depending on the context in the reading. ADVICE Is there a situation wherein you feel you are at an unfair disadvantage? Stealth may be called for, so be sly as a fox. Rather than working harder, perhaps you need to work smarter. AFFIRMATION I can always find an innovative alternative. Eight of Swords This card evokes an impression of being trapped, powerless, or victimized. It may indicate someone whose personal power is hampered or restricted, or it could indicate mental bondage, perhaps due to something like a psychologically abusive relationship or childhood. If we take the rigidity of the figure as commonly depicted in this card somewhat literally, there is an implication of “the paralysis of analysis.” This means not getting around to doing something due to a compulsive need to completely analyze everything before taking action. Sometimes this card tells us that there is more to a given situation than what we see of it and what we think about it. For example, when we are having relationship problems, we should keep in mind that we can’t really know what the other person’s life journey is all about, and we probably don’t know what s/he is going through right now, internally or externally. One obvious, but seldom used solution is simply to ask him or her. When this card comes up, it also may be reasonable to wonder if the problem at hand might have an aspect of self-imposed limitations. Very often it is our own thoughts and beliefs that blind us and bind us. As Thich Nhat Hanh says, “Freedom is, above all else, freedom from our own beliefs,” and Shoseki said, “Truth only reveals itself when one gives up all preconceived ideas.” Perhaps we should also consider if we have a victim mentality. ADVICE When faced with what seem to be obstacles, see opportunities to learn and grow instead. You are not a victim; you have the power to understand your situation and to find solutions to it.

AFFIRMATION I see through the self-limiting beliefs that used to hold me back. Nine of Swords The Nine of Swords can indicate worry, and if that’s what it is indicating in a reading, it’s helpful to remember this saying: “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” This card also means despair, the suffering we experience when we feel as though life is hopeless. However, it also may indicate the tortures we put ourselves through when we surrender to our unreasonable fears. This is the feeling we get when we wake up in the middle of the night obsessing about worst case scenarios, even though things inevitably do not turn out to be that bad in the morning. So when this card turns up, remember that “the darkest hour is just before dawn,” and fear and worry are usually the biggest part of our problems. This card also suggests the unacknowledged psychic wounds that linger in the dark recesses of our minds. We can tuck these wounds away in the attic of our unconscious minds, but they won’t stay locked up in there. They escape at night and peek out at us in our nightmares where they are disguised in symbolic costumes, which makes it hard for us to recognize them. They are often accompanied by shame (symbolically depicted in the RWS Nine of Swords by the face-covering posture of the woman on this card), especially when we erroneously take responsibility for them. This helps them hide from the healing light of our attention. On a practical level, this card might indicate being under a lot of stress, or it literally may indicate being beset by nightmares or having a sleeping disorder. ADVICE Instead of focusing on your problems, concentrate on finding solutions to them. AFFIRMATION I face my troubles head on, calmly and fearlessly. Ten of Swords

With its common depiction of a man stabbed with many swords, an apparent case of overkill, the Ten of Swords suggests that someone has taken draconian measures that may have been unwarranted. More generally, this image can be interpreted as failure and defeat, with connotations ranging from plans going awry to being stabbed in the back. But even when this card indicates hitting an all-time low, the good news is that things have gotten about as bad as they can get and are finally going to start getting better. This card also says that we make things dull and lifeless when we force them into tiny boxes of labels and explanations. Of course, in order to understand things, our minds find it useful to box them into a framework, a conceptual model. There is nothing inherently wrong with this but a problem arises when we think (as we typically do) that our concepts are the reality. As Shunryu Suzuki said, "As soon as you intellectualize something, it is no longer what you saw." The Ten of Swords may suggest analyzing something to death, sucking all the joy and excitement out of it. Exciting plans and ideas often seem to have a life of their own, but when we examine and nit-pick every little detail about them, we can destroy their vitality. Another way to consider this card is to see that a course of action based solely upon cold logic and analysis, and devoid of compassion or spiritual insight, can be ruinous. Consider the way that people often justify inhumane actions based on soulless concepts of the world. For example, when taken to task for not considering the suffering caused by cold-hearted business decisions, businessmen sometimes say that they are businessmen first and their first responsibility is to their shareholders. In truth, however, the extent to which we have lost sight of our essential spiritual nature is the extent to which we have lost a part of our own humanity. Finally the Ten of Swords suggests the expression “death by a thousand cuts.” This term comes from an ancient Chinese form of execution called Ling chi in which the victim is killed by a multitude of non-fatal cuts. Each cut is relatively small, but the cumulative effect is deadly. This term sounds rather dreadful, and in the context of its origin it is, but in general it says that a large number of small actions can have a great, cumulative effect. Something big can be whittled away slowly, a bit at a time. ADVICE If you are in a situation, such as a relationship, that has stagnated or that

seems to be dying, try to view it with your heart and soul for a while instead of with your mind. Experience it as it is rather than analyze and critique it. AFFIRMATION I am able to experience life without overanalyzing it. Page of Swords This Page has an alert and inquiring mind, and he is always ready to learn new things. His willingness to learn from his misfortunes contributes to his ability to learn. When exploring this card’s message, we should consider a concept in Zen Buddhism called "beginner's mind," which says that when we study a subject we should strive to avoid approaching it with preconceptions. Similarly, Byron Katie says in her book Who Would You Be Without Your Story?: There’s a lot of freedom in “I don’t know.” This mindset is a wonderful place to start a journey of discovery. Also, this message of “I don’t know” can indicate the humbling realization that we’ve assumed we know something that we actually only believe. This card also tells us that when we feel insecure or defensive, we should consider and decide what it is that we believe. Then, if we can hold fast to those beliefs, we will progress to become the Knight of Swords. The RWS portrayal of the Page of Swords as a youth holding a sword in readiness implies vigilance, and traditionally this card has also been identified with activities like eavesdropping and spying. Thus, this card advocates mental preparation and may caution us to be on our guard. The Page of Swords also indicates the vast power that can exist in ignorance when ignorance means not “knowing” that we can’t do something. In my Tarot of the Masters deck, this card was inspired by a painting by Dante Gabriel Rossetti called Joan of Arc Kisses the Sword of Liberation. One could say that Joan of Arc's success depended to a great extent upon her naiveté and innocence. Everyone else knew that this young girl could not possibly lead the dispirited French army to victory, but since Joan herself didn’t know that, she went ahead and did it anyway. This card also indicates the importance of visualizing the results we want to manifest whenever we enter into a new endeavor. Finally, tradition holds that this Page may represent a messenger of news that is challenging, thought-

provoking, or upsetting. ADVICE Think about an idea or belief that you are unsure of. Investigate it to see if you should discard it or if, instead, you should strengthen your conviction. AFFIRMATION I have an open mind about everything. Knight of Swords The activity and volatility of this Knight often lies in the domain of his intellect. He may have high-minded ideals upon which he feels compelled to act (sometimes to the point of being quixotic), or he may proceed out of a sense of self-righteousness. He may act decisively according to his convictions, or he may be dogmatic and ruthless. He can be clever, quick-witted, perceptive, persuasive, and incisive, or he can be sarcastic, overbearing, and opinionated. In addition to the preceding litany of traits that are characteristic of this knight, this card also encourages us to go about our daily tasks mindfully, fully engaged in them. It assures us that when we are wholly present in our lives, our work is a joy, not a burden. This knight also encourages us to seek new ways of considering our problems so that we may come up with new solutions to them. In other words, he adheres to Albert Einstein’s famous advice: No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it. We must learn to see the world anew. ADVICE Carefully examine your ideals before acting upon them. Ensure that they transcend mere dogma. AFFIRMATION I am always ready and willing to act on the side of justice. Queen of Swords

The Queen of Swords wields the sword of critical discernment. She is an astute observer of human nature and is able to see clear through to the core of any situation, cutting through the smokescreens that people often throw up to obscure their motives, feelings, or prejudices. She is also independent, having a great deal of self-reliance and self-control. Often, her wisdom is based upon experience, including sorrow or heartbreak, which can associate this card with such attributes as separation or widowhood. So when faced with suffering, this queen reflects the wisdom in the following quote. “To live is to suffer; to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” — Friedrich Nietzsche Consequently, she also exemplifies our innate ability to learn and grow from adversity. As Nietzsche also said, "That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger." But there is more hope and advice in that sentiment than universality or ubiquity. Hardship may encourage us to learn and to grow stronger, but it doesn’t ensure it. Growth is a choice, and the Queen of Swords urges us to make that choice. Another problem with the learning opportunities of grief and sorrow is that they often tempt us to protect ourselves from further vagaries of life by clinging to strict rules of what is "right and wrong" without tempering our judgment with compassion. This is a negative aspect of the Queen of Swords. Rigid dogma may seem to provide a safe haven from fate's slings and arrows, but it also deadens us emotionally. And so this card serves as a warning against becoming moralistic, sanctimonious, and self-righteous. But although compassion may not be this queen’s strong suit, at her best, she is honest, fair, and willing to listen to both sides of an argument. ADVICE Beware of being patronizing when you give advice to people, and remember that although guidance may be offered, it never should be imposed on others. AFFIRMATION I am able to tell it like it is, honestly but tactfully. King of Swords The King of Swords can be a wise, tough-minded thinker who plans

carefully and acts with deliberation. Wisdom and expertise are generally associated with this king, but unfortunately he may also believe that he could never be wrong. Being cool and logical, he generally makes fair decisions and renders wise judgments, but he risks being cold, harsh, and overly critical. This king sometimes represents someone with a lot of book learning but who lives in an “ivory tower” and is preoccupied with intellectual considerations rather than those of everyday life. Consequently, he may be harsh or unrealistic in his evaluation of people and situations. The advice here is that we have to live and experience what we learn. As Ram Dass says in Grist for the Mill: “... to have what you seek, you have to go beyond knowing and become it.”[41] In the discussion of the Page of Swords, the Zen concept of beginner's mind was noted, which is one end of a spectrum. The King of Swords lives at the other end of that spectrum, so the next quote exemplifies a warning inherent in this card: "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." — Shunryu Suzuki Thus, having an "expert's mind," this king may have closed his eyes to new possibilities and his mind to new ideas. The King of Swords typically wields authority, seeking to maintain law and order and to uphold societal values. Similarly, then, this card urges us to find the King of Swords within us, to realize our own inner source of authority. A problem to be aware of, though, is that sometimes we may lose sight of the spirit of the law in our zeal for upholding the letter of the law. Finally, when representing a boss or other authority figure, the King of Swords may be relied upon for wise counsel, but he also might be a micromanager who nitpicks every detail of his subordinates’ work. ADVICE Make careful plans and then adhere to a course of action based upon them. AFFIRMATION I consider my path rationally, and I make wise decisions about it.

PENTACLES Ace of Pentacles This Ace is about new growth and the promise of prosperity, perhaps signaling a career or financial opportunity. But the Aces are like seeds, full of potential but needing to be nourished and tended in order to grow. Thus, when this card comes up, it says that we must make the best of the opportunity that it presents in order to enjoy its promise. This may suggest the biblical Parable of the Sower, in which case this Ace asks, "Will the seeds you sow fall on fertile soil, or will they fall on rocky ground, a trampled path, or among weeds?" Similarly, this Ace says that we create our own life, and it’s up to us to create a beautiful and meaningful one. The Ace of Pentacles also represents gratitude, which is an attitude from which abundance arises. Consequently, it advises us to count our blessings, because without appreciation the well will run dry. There are many ways to cultivate this sense of appreciation and gratitude. It can be as simple as saying “Thank you” when something nice happens, or it can be as extensive as keeping a “Gratitude Journal” which is a daily record of the things you are thankful for. The flip side of gratitude is generosity, which is another important aspect of this card. In a negative context, this Ace can be a warning that wealth can spoil us or make us dependent on the source of that wealth. It also can indicate being “born with a silver spoon in your mouth” or being fixated on the material things in life. ADVICE Trust that you have worth, that what you do has worth, and that the Universe supports your efforts. Trusting that, let the wealth of the Universe flow through you and into all that you do. AFFIRMATION The Universe provides for me with its infinite grace and bounty. Two of Pentacles

The Two of Pentacles is an atypical card in that it generally exhibits an air of fun and whimsy. This suggests meanings that range from humor and laughter to fun and joy. This doesn’t mean we should fritter our life away, though. It means that we’re meant to enjoy life, and it also reminds us that laughter is the best medicine. Similarly, this card advises us to be flexible and adaptive, but it also says, “Have some fun while you’re at it.” Sometimes this card indicates juggling various projects or tasks, perhaps indicating that we have a lot going on but that we should be able to handle it all if we maintain our equilibrium. It also tells us that we need to make a decision as to what is truly important in our life. Without that decision and its consequent elevated level of awareness, we are easily thrown off balance. Finally, this card is about change. It says that all things in our material world are transitory, and as a consequence we must be ready to accept pain and failure sometimes along with pleasure and success. This is the inevitable result of living in this impermanent plane of existence with its continually shifting circumstances. ADVICE Balance your needs against those of other people. Whenever you are competing with someone else for resources, bring a sense of compromise into the situation. AFFIRMATION I am flexible and adaptable in all situations. Three of Pentacles The Three of Pentacles can signify creative endeavors, and it may urge us to express our creativity in every task we undertake in life. We need not build a castle, compose a symphony, or discover a cure for cancer in order to express our creative potential or for our lives to have value. It is not the grandeur of what we do that defines us. Rather, it is the sincerity of our efforts and the care we take in those efforts that demonstrates the worth of our work. This card also suggests a cooperative venture wherein several people are working as a team on a project too large for one person to do alone. My Tarot of the Masters version of this card shows three workmen carving a larger-than-life human head out of stone, which illustrates skillful craftsmanship. On a deeper

level, this also indicates that we are all a part of something greater than our individual selves. This card also points out the spiritual aspects of ordinary labor. It says that our unity with the Divine can be discovered in the process of our everyday work, and the spiritual universe manifests through our creative actions in the mundane world. ADVICE Strive to work with grace and creativity, and with a sense that everything you do is important. AFFIRMATION I am manifesting my highest potential in my work. Four of Pentacles This card can signify anything from security to stinginess. It can indicate financial security in the sense of having what we need to support and maintain ourselves, and it can indicate either protecting our resources or being protected by them. But the Four of Pentacles also can imply an inability to give, in which case it can mean being miserly or possessive. Also, a lack of generosity suggests an inability to receive, which seems paradoxical until we consider that there is an important difference between receiving as an act of acceptance versus taking or grasping. The former is gracious and leads to an abundant life; the latter merely provides an abundance of possessions. Note that the figure in the RWS version of this card sits alone, set apart from the city in the background. While the material success indicated here may be well earned and supportive of the figure in this card, there is a dark side to it as well. The Four of Pentacles warns of becoming dependent upon material things, hoarding them or clinging to them as though they, in and of themselves, are what’s important. The Four of Pentacles sometimes reminds me of Scrooge in A Christmas Carol., a man who was wealthy, safe, and secure, but sadly all alone. Thus this card can suggest the fact that materialism weighs us down and obscures our vision of what is truly important in life. Similarly, materialism isn't about whether or not we make money, but how we make it and how we use it. And so this card says that true wealth lies not in what we possess, but in our capacity to

give. As A Christmas Carol shows us, there is hope even for a miser like Scrooge once he learns generosity. Finally, this card may advise us to be prudent with our resources, warning against extravagance, carelessness, or wastefulness. ADVICE Don’t let your concerns about money and security obscure your concern for other people. Insofar as you have financial security, share it with others, or else it has no real meaning. AFFIRMATION I use the abundance in my life compassionately and wisely. Five of Pentacles The Five of Pentacles sometimes makes people cringe when it comes up in a reading since it can mean misfortune, poverty, poor health, loneliness, and abandonment, and it can indicate doubting our own self-worth. There are, however, other ways to consider this card that are not so dismal. In the RWS version, a brightly lit church window above two wretched souls indicates that comfort and support may be nearby, and perhaps these people just need to look up from their misery to find it. Also, if the previous card is associated with Scrooge, then this one could be called the “Tiny Tim” card, meaning that poverty of the body need not create poverty of the soul. This card also comments on the dual illusions of wealth and scarcity. When we buy into the illusion that acquiring wealth is what’s important in life, we may keep ourselves from being truly joyful and at peace. Sometimes we try so very hard to fill the void in our lives with material possessions and physical pleasures, which are neither fulfilling nor lasting. Having a life of love, joy, and fulfillment is what’s truly important. Actually, abundance means having everything we need, not all that we want, and so true wealth comes from the simplification of desires, not from the multiplication of needs. Thus, this card sometimes advocates the benefits of a simple life. Perhaps we should take a sober look at how we have encumbered ourselves with so many things and then strive to un-clutter our homes and our lives. On the other hand, having a scarcity consciousness—the idea that there isn't

enough to go around—is an illusion too. So this card may say that either doubting our own self-worth or lacking trust in the abundance of the Universe may be at the root of our problems. This card can also emphasize the importance of gratitude during hard times —those times when it is also most difficult to feel a sense of gratitude—since a grateful attitude leads to abundance. In addition, a sense of appreciation can lead to a realization of what is important in life, such as love and relationships. The cards in the Minor Arcana that are numbered “Five” can reflect the Hierophant (the Major Arcana card numbered V) in its aspect of a teacher. Thus these cards may be considered the homework assignments of life, and so the Five of Pentacles urges us to learn from our misfortunes. Sometimes it is helpful to remember that they are not here to cause us suffering; they are here to help us learn lessons of appreciation and non-attachment. This card also indicates the difficult abyss we may face when we oppose social conventions. For example, it may indicate ostracism. And finally, the paupers in this card might symbolize steadfast friends or lovers who have stuck together even through the worst of times. ADVICE Make a list of possible sources of help in an area of your life where you feel there is something lacking. Then consider how you might approach one of those sources for assistance. AFFIRMATION My heart and soul have wealth beyond that of silver and gold. Six of Pentacles The Six of Pentacles is a card of generosity and charity, and it says that our good fortune gains meaning and relevance when shared with others. However, this card also says that sometimes our generosity must be carefully measured since it is not only important that we give, but also how much and how wisely we give. On the other hand, this sense of cautious measurement may indicate philanthropy that is conditional or that has strings attached. A common misconception about charity is that it is something grand and separate from our daily lives. Actually, charity does not require large, philanthropic institutions or depend on grand gestures of munificence to affect

the lives of other people. And through even simple, everyday acts of generosity —the proverbial "random acts of kindness"—we can elevate our spirits and find a renewed sense of purpose or meaning in our lives. Another way of looking at this card is to consider it from the point of view of someone who is benefiting from the kindness of others. When we are in such a position, it can be difficult to express our gratitude for this kindness because it's hard to acknowledge that we needed it. Nevertheless, it’s important that we do so. The Six of Pentacles also indicates give-and-take relationships, such as employer and employee, teacher and student, or doctor and patient. While there is a seeming dichotomy between the two parties, they are inextricably linked and defined by their relationship. They share a common fate for how can one exist without the other? ADVICE Consider all you have gotten out of life, and then think of something you can give back to the world. For example, if you know someone who is down and out, plan to do something helpful, be it ever so small, for that person. AFFIRMATION I am a clear conduit through which the abundance of the universe circulates. Seven of Pentacles Is the figure we see in the Seven of Pentacles resting from his labors, watching and waiting for the fruits of them, contemplating his endeavors, or sadly reevaluating his efforts? The answer is that he may be doing any one of these things and more. The cards numbered “Seven” are about tests, and the Seven of Pentacles may indicate a test of our patience or a test of our sense of satisfaction with what we have. As any farmer can attest, to raise the crop you desire, you need to carefully plan for it, constantly evaluate its progress, adjusting your care for it accordingly, and wait for it to grow. So this card can mean that we must patiently wait for the seeds we have planted to come to fruition, or that more work is required before we will be able to reap our just rewards. Alternatively, the Seven of Pentacles may be about evaluating (or reevaluating) the results of our endeavors. One cause for reassessment arises

when we are not sure that the results of our efforts are what we really wanted, and so we may need to consider a change of direction. Also, it calls to mind the old saying that no one, at the end of his or her life, ever regrets not spending more time at the office. Every now and then we should pause for a moment to reassess the path we have chosen and consider if we are spending enough time on the things that are truly important in our lives. Finally, this card suggests the question, “Have I done all the work, but someone else owns the results?” And so it may be about work that is unrewarding, unsatisfying, or mere drudgery. ADVICE Reevaluate something you have been working on, and reassess how you have invested your efforts. AFFIRMATION I am making careful plans to create success in my life. Eight of Pentacles The Eight of Pentacles has connotations of competence, skill, hard work, dedication, diligence, productivity, and meticulousness. It is about paying attention to small details in order to get big things done, and its message echoes the truism that practice makes perfect. Similarly, it serves as a reminder of what Aristotle said many centuries ago: We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act but a habit. This card also says we should approach each task in our day-to-day life with focused concentration, as in the saying “When there is a task to do, be the task.” Similarly, this card tells us that in any activity, it is the journey that is important, not the destination. The Eight of Pentacles can indicate a need for industriousness, and so it may urge us to avoid procrastination and to press on with our work, putting our nose to the grindstone. However, as Henry David Thoreau said, “It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?” On the other hand, with its indication of repetition, this card might suggest the workers lament of “Same shit, different day.” Finally, this card may indicate working alone or being self-employed.

ADVICE The time has come for diligence. Separate yourself from distractions as you work to secure your fortune. AFFIRMATION Success is coming to me, one step at a time. Nine of Pentacles The Nine of Pentacles typically depicts an affluent woman who has earned and deserves the fruits of her labor, and she is now free to enjoy the finer things in life. Sometimes we need to remember not only that we have created the life we are living, but also that we have a right to enjoy that life. The affluence of this card implies meanings such as rewards, abundance, accomplishment, satisfaction, and fulfillment. Another implication is that this compensation is the result of hard work, discipline, prudence, self-reliance, and self-control, all of which are characteristics recommended by this card. In addition, the woman on this card appears to be an integral part of the environment she has created, and we may infer from this that we are empowered to create the life that we want. Similarly, this card advises us to develop a prosperity consciousness (as opposed to the poverty consciousness we may infer from the Five of Pentacles). This card also advises us to live in harmony with nature and our environment, and it reminds us that our actions affect the world around us, and vice versa. This observation overlaps with an interesting discovery that I have made about this card recently. I have seen that it can suggest the use of feng shui, an ancient Chinese system that tells us how altering our external conditions can support our life force and inner growth. Finally, the attitude and attire of the woman in this card implies the consequent refinement, culture, self-esteem, and self-confidence that come with achievements. ADVICE Consider your accomplishments and how you achieved them in order to learn from your past successes. AFFIRMATION

I enjoy the abundant life I have created for myself. Ten of Pentacles The Ten of Pentacles is sometimes called the Wealth Card, and it can refer to an inheritance or a windfall of some sort. It also reminds us to be thankful for our good fortune and to celebrate it and share it with family, friends, or our community. More generally, though, this card may refer to anything we inherit, which can range from artistic talent to a polluted environment. This card may indicate feeling secure in our domestic situation and might even say that we are headed for something better. On the other hand, it may indicate an excess of money. Thus, for example, it can refer to children who are spoiled or overprotected, and it can indicate situations where material gifts are lavished on someone to compensate for a lack of love and attention. The scene on many versions of the Ten of Coins depicts a marketplace, thus associating this card with business and commerce, and perhaps providing an auspicious sign with regards to a commercial venture. In addition, this card may refer to concentrations of wealth, such as that of large corporations and institutions, the church, or the government. Or it can refer to the wealth of a community in general. ADVICE Much of who and what we are comes from our parents. Consider their contributions to your life—both the good and the bad—in order to understand better where you are today, and how you got here. AFFIRMATION I thank the Universe for the abundance it provides, and I share it with others. Page of Pentacles The Page of Pentacles can herald an opportunity to make money or to excel in a career, but it may say that we may have to start at the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and work our way up. While the Universe may give us the breaks we need, we must learn the skills and do the work necessary to fulfill those opportunity. The qualities of this Page that will help us go far in such circumstances are studiousness, diligence, persistence, hard work, and patience...

and humility. Thus, this card may relate to situations connected with learning skills or a trade, and it advises us to approach them with an open mind. This card also indicates having a childlike sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. When we see things through the inquisitive eyes of a child, we rediscover the enjoyment of the wonders of the manifest world. As Walt Streightiff said, "There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million." In its guise as a messenger, this Page might convey a message relating to a boon or financial good fortune. ADVICE See your work with a fresh perspective by explaining it to a child, paying close attention to her questions and comments about it. If that is not possible, then step back and try to see your work through the eyes of a child. See it without preconceived notions, see it with a sense of wonder and awe, and see new possibilities in it. AFFIRMATION I am finding new, innovative approaches to my business. Knight of Pentacles The Knight of Pentacles is prudent and hardworking, he takes pride in his craft and his accomplishments, and he is down-to-earth, practical, responsible, and dependable. And so this card is a common indicator of making a living and providing for the welfare of yourself and your family. Although the Tarot’s knights are generally volatile, this one is in the suit of Pentacles, so his active nature is restrained by the stability and grounding of his suit. Indeed, in the RWS deck, this is the only knight who is motionless, and so this card can advocate staying grounded in all that we do. It recommends an attentive awareness of what we are doing, and it agrees with the advice stated in the following quote. "Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success." — Swami Sivananda The Knight of Pentacles is like the proverbial tortoise that won the race against a hare; he succeeds through slow, steady effort. So when we are working hard on something but cannot see results yet, this knight tells us to stick with it

and not get discouraged. He also reminds us that a journey of a thousand miles not only begins with one step but is also traveled one step at a time. This knight is dependable and loyal, but he also can be possessive and grimly determined to hold on to whatever he has acquired. He may be cautious about making a commitment, but when he does make one, he holds to it. Similarly, he advises us to fulfill our obligations. Finally, a negative aspect of this knight is that he may be a stick-in-the-mud, an all-work-and-no-play kind of guy. ADVICE Even when there is much yet to be done in your work, you can accomplish it all if you take things one step at a time, just as a journey of a thousand miles is traveled one step at a time. AFFIRMATION I am seeing tangible results from my efforts. Queen of Pentacles This queen is strongly reminiscent of the Empress. She is nurturing, practical, and responsible, and she is devoted to caring for those around her, such as her family and her community. She is also supportive of the work and physical well-being of other people. An important point to remember about nurturing is that a profound sense of trust is necessary in any sort of caring relationship in that we must trust that the other person is growing even when we can’t see it. As an illustration of this, consider a gardener who has planted seeds. For a time, she won’t see anything happening, but she can’t dig up the seeds to check on them. She just has to trust that they are growing. Due to her resourcefulness, the Queen of Pentacles typically has attained material security, which enables her to be giving and to help others, for she knows that generosity does not deplete her. Actually, it makes way for the endless abundance of Mother Nature to flow through her. In this, she assures us that we have a place in the cycle of abundance that supports us all. In addition, this queen is sensual and sensuous, in touch with her physicality and with the material world, and she is at one with nature. Thus, this card can signify a mature experience of sensuality in that it counsels enjoyment without

extravagance, and comfort without indolence. On a more abstract level, this card can represent fertility, abundance, and prosperity. ADVICE Take time to nurture your health and well being. AFFIRMATION The bounty of the Universe flows through me as I give of myself to others. King of Pentacles The King of Pentacles is the “salt of the earth.” He is robust, strong, solid, and dependable in his work. He is skillful and enterprising and a savvy businessman, and thus this card forecasts success in business ventures. However, it also notes that this success brings with it a responsibility to provide for others. In most depictions of this card, we see this king sitting comfortably amid abundance, but we might wonder where all this wealth came from. Did he create it all himself (scrupulously or otherwise) or did he have help? Sometimes what we can get done personally may not be as important as how much we can ensure gets done through the efforts of others. Besides being productive, this king also fosters a productive environment, being able to organize and delegate work effectively. As a father figure, this king is a good provider for his loved ones, being generous and reliable, but in return he expects their respect and devotion. His home is his castle. He likes to be in control of what goes on there, and he is ready, willing, and able to defend what is his. Like his queen, the King of Pentacles has an affinity with nature, although he prefers being in control of his environment over being in harmony with it as is the case with his queen. ADVICE Realize that your worth goes far beyond what you possess. Be secure within yourself in order to be generous. AFFIRMATION

I am financially and materially successful, and I provide for those who depend upon me.

Appendix 2

Bibliography

Tarot Bunning, Joan (1998). Learning the Tarot; Samuel Weiser, Inc., York Beach, Maine Greer, Mary K. (1984). Tarot for Your Self; Newcastle Publishing Co., North Hollywood, CA[42] _____ (2002). The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals; Llewellyn Publishing, St. Paul, MN _____ (2011). Who are You in the Tarot?; Red Wheel/Weiser, Newburyport, MA Konraad, Sandor (1985). Classic Tarot Spreads; Whitford Press, Atglen, PA Masino, Marcia (1987). Easy Tarot Guide; ACS Publications, San Diego, CA Place, Robert M. and Guiley, Rosemary Ellen (1995). The Alchemical Tarot; HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK Place, Robert M. (2001). A Gnostic Book of Saints, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN Pollack, Rachel (1997). Seventy-eight Degrees of Wisdom; HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London, UK _____ (2008). Rachel Pollack’s Tarot Wisdom; Llewellyn Publications, Woodbury, MN Ricklef, James (2004). Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads; Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN _____ (2009). Tarot Affirmations; CreateSpace, Charleston, SC Thomson, Sandra A., Mueller, Robert E., and Echols, Signe E. (2000). The Heart of the Tarot; HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco, CA

Symbolism Biedermann, Hans; Hulbert, James (Translator) (1994). Dictionary of

Symbolism : Cultural Icons and the Meanings Behind Them; Meridian Books, New York Chevalier, Jean and Gheerbrant, Alain; Buchanan-Brown, John (Translator) (1994). A dictionary of symbols; Blackwell, Cambridge, Mass Cirlot, J.E.; Sage, Jack (Translator) (1995). A Dictionary of Symbols; Barnes & Noble, Inc., New York [1] For more about the Court Cards, see the next chapter, which is devoted to a discussion of them. [2] There was also thought to be a fifth element, spirit, from which the others were created and with which they were imbued. [3] I need to mention here that the nomenclature for the suits varies from deck to deck. For example, the suit of Pentacles may be called Coins or Disks and the suit of Wands is sometimes renamed Staves, Batons, or Rods. [4] Beginning Tarot students should be aware that the names of the Court Cards vary from deck to deck. The most common naming convention is “Page, Knight, Queen, King” but this is far from universal. A couple of examples are “Princess, Prince, Queen, King” and “Daughter, Son, Mother, Father,” and in my Tarot of the Masters deck, which illustrates this book, I have renamed the Page “Youth.” [5] The querent is the person for whom the reading is being performed. If you are doing a reading for yourself, then you are both reader and querent. [6] Marcia Masino, Easy Tarot Guide, pp. 161-162

[7] Sandor Konraad, Classic Tarot Spreads, pp. 49, 71 [8] If you are interested in learning more about reversals, Mary Greer has written an entire book on this subject called (appropriately) The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals. [9] See chapter 6, Three-Card Spreads, for an explanation of this spread.

[10] As far as I know, laws prohibiting fortunetelling only apply when a monetary transaction is involved. You probably would not get in trouble for doing such a reading for a friend wherein no money changes hands. [11] For a more detailed discussion of Tarot ethics, see chapter 8, Ethical Considerations. [12] Mary K. Greer, Tarot For Your Self, pp. 35, 99 [13] Rev. Moore created the Healing Tarot. See her website: http://www.bluewitch.com [14] See The Alchemical Tarot, pages 157 – 158 and A Gnostic Book of Saints, pages 230 - 232. Robert Place can be contacted via his web site, http://thealchemicalegg.com [15] See Section 4, A Sample Celtic Cross Tarot Reading, for a detailed examination of the ten-card Celtic Cross spread. Also, see my book Tarot: Get the Whole Story: Use, Create & Interpret Tarot Spreads for more about larger spreads. [16] Your dominant hand is influenced more by your rational mind, while your non-dominant hand is more under the influence of your intuitive mind. Consequently, the use of your non-dominant hand allows

your intuition greater control in this process. This also sends a symbolic message that you are using your intuitive mind in this process. [17] For a more detailed discussion of numerological and elemental meanings, see chapter 1, Associations: Numbers and Elements. [18] If you are interested in learning more about symbols, refer to the symbolism references in appendix 3, Bibliography. [19] See, for example, the analysis provided in The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim. [20] For an explanation of how I define a literalism, see chapter 7, Pulling it all Together in section 2, Preludes. [21] This is similar to something that Mary Greer does in her book, Tarot For Your Self (pages 33 35). For example, in a process she calls “Reading for Depth,” she reinterprets a three-card “Body, Mind, Spirit” spread by redefining it as a “Past, Present, Future” spread. [22] Venus (or Aphrodite) was, or course, Eros’s mother.

[23] For a detailed description of these types of spreads, see chapter 6, Three-Card Spreads in section 2, Preludes. [24] For a more detailed explanation of the Life Purpose spread, see the discussion of Progression Spreads in Section 2: Preludes, Chapter 6: Three-Card Spreads. [25] A longstanding debate within the Tarot community is whether Justice should be the eleventh card in the Major Arcana and Strength the eighth, or vice versa. Most modern decks put Justice as number eleven, but I am flexible on this issue. My comment about the placement of the Justice card between the Wheel of Fortune and the Hanged Man, therefore, is intended to lend insights into the relationship between these three cards, not to present a decisive argument that the Justice card should be the eleventh Major Arcana card. [26] For an excellent recounting of the life of Joan of Arc, see Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain [27] For a detailed discussion about rephrasing a querent’s question, see chapter 5: Rephrasing the Question in section 2: Preludes. [28] For a detailed discussion about reversed cards, see chapter 4: Reversed Cards in section 2: Preludes. [29] At the time of this reading, the Straits Settlements (roughly equivalent to modern day Malaysia) included both Penang, where Anna’s husband died, and Singapore. [30] A frustrating aspect of doing these KnightHawk readings is that I can’t explore unexpected tangents with an “absentee” querent. [31] See section 2, chapter 3, Finding Card Meanings [32] For more about using affirmations with the cards, see my book Tarot Affirmations. [33] This interpretation is based on the esoteric assignment of conscious or mental aspects to the male principle and unconscious or emotional aspects to the female principle where the terms “male” and “female” are considered symbolically. [34] Unfortunately, it is difficult to escape the sexist implications of a bygone era when discussing this card. [35] Is it a coincidence that this is the twelfth Major Arcana card?

[36] When this is the case in a reading, we need to tread softly, for the querent may be in denial about having problems like physical abuse or addictions of some sort. [37] Ref: The Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Donne

[38] Ref: The Power of Now. [39] This quote is from The Heart of the Soul: Emotional Awareness by Gary Zukav and Linda Francis

[40] http://sacredawakeningseries.com/ [41] Grist for the Mill by Ram Dass, page 9 [42] The second edition of this book is published by New Page Books, Franklin Lakes, NJ