Reading for Sue

Sue wrote:

Name: Sue

Date of Birth: 4 April 19**

Star sign: Aries

About me: I’m emotionally driven by nature. Creative, introvert. Stubborn and selfish but also crazy generous at times. I can be excessive and extravagant. I avoid conflict and I’m passive-aggressive. I can be loving and warm but I can also be a cold bitch. Don’t cross me. I’m a perfectionist – I expect a lot from myself and others. Dry sense of humour and I can be very sarcastic. I’m a flirt and a tease. I love men – I get on far better with them than women. I tend to be self-centred and I love to have my ego boosted. I like my independence but sometimes I like being looked after. I prefer to be around strong people with positive energy as I’m easily affected by others’ moods and vibes. I’d say I’m a loyal person.

Question: none.

Layout: Thirteen’s Calendar Spread.

CARD ONE: January -

Four of Swords –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Recharging your batteries, the need for rest and relaxation.
  
• A truce, the need for renewal, a slow period, recuperation, recovery, repose.
• Relief from stress, inactivity, withdrawal.
• Meditation, introspection, peaceful surroundings.
• Getting away from it all.

Situation and Advice:

Feeling stressed out? A temporary truce is needed, now is the time to take a break and rest after a period of struggle. You need a period of rest to calm your mind and rejuvenate your body. Now is a time to relax, and regroup your forces. Obtaining distance from your daily routine will help put things back into perspective. Seclusion. You need seclusion to deal properly with your situation. Look inward for a real change. Meditate daily. You can!

This cardt is a card of solitude and the need to experience time apart from others to gather one’s thoughts and feelings. Following upon the painful image of the Three of Swords, the Four of Swords indicates our need to spend time alone to reevaluate our lives and situations. Solitude, although often difficult to bear, is necessary for us to be able to “recharge our batteries” and rejuvenate our spirits. Despite the fact that we often desire to get out into the world and interact with others to get our minds off our troubles, sometimes it is more beneficial to us to find a place apart and spend a little time by ourselves. This solitary experience always bears fruit in an experience of greater inner strength and confidence. If we are able to face ourselves directly and not run away from our difficulties we will ultimately become more alive and more aware of the good in our lives, and we will develop the inner strength necessary to cope more readily in the future.

The Swords cards all stand for trials of some kind, but the four suggests feelings of peace and stillness. Why is this card different? Because it represents the challenge to be quiet! Sometimes resting and doing nothing is the ultimate challenge. Activity can be a habit that is very difficult to break. There is always so much to do, and modern society beguiles us with its attractions and distractions. The result is we forget to stop and be still. In readings, the Four of Swords is often a sign that you need to slow down and get some rest. If you are recovering from an illness, allow yourself quiet time to heal. Even if you feel completely healthy, you are risking getting sick if you don’t take a break.

The Four of Swords also represents taking the time to think things over without hurry. It is important to step back and gain perspective. This is especially true when you are facing an ordeal or big event. You need quiet preparation time to gather your strength and center your energy. Sometimes the Four of Swords implies that you are or could be shifting focus from the external to the internal. When we are silent, we can more easily go within.  Stillness holds its own rewards, but they must be recognized and sought.

The Four of Swords indicates a time when you can relax. Some actions may be abandoned during your retreat from the situation. The retreat maybe necessary to regroup your resources and conserve your energy. Your work environment will be very unpleasant due to tension you can cut with a knife. You will want to help or make amends with your family, but are at the end of your rope. This could also indicate a death if other cards or categories support it.

This card represents the negotiating mind, the conflict/resolution mind, or the meditating mind. In any kind of negotiation, one must be open to staying in balance and non-positional. The truce-making process is a four fold process that’s experienced on all four levels of consciousness, mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical. Truce is an opportunity to move through conflictual issues. In order for conflict resolution to be successful, there are four peaceful principles that come from native tradition which is referred to as the four-fold way. In order for truce to be truly experienced, one must show up, pay attention, tell the truth, and not be attached to the outcome. The results of this is renewal and regeneration. This usually means that in the next four weeks, or next four months, there will be an opportunity for truce making or conflict resolution or negotiation of important issues or with important people in your life.

Questions to ask yourself, while considering this card:

• Am I stressed out more than usual?
• How can I relieve some of the stress?
• Who am I in conflict with?
• How can we call a truce?
• Can I take on the challenge of rest, relaxation and silence?

People:

• Someone in need of a rest.

CARD TWO: February -

Three of Pentacles -

Keywords and Phrases:

• A job well done, beneficial use of talents, early stages of accomplishment, first rewards.
• Work involving status, a chance to earn big, superior ability, increased status, sincere effort, high standards.
• Expertise, doing the job the right way, success through skill, job satisfaction.
• Attention to detail, improvement in work conditions, advancement, recognitio, approval.
• Confidence, work done for others, making improvements to home or property. Possible change of residence.

Situation and Advice:

This card shows developments on the physical plane, you will be rewarded for doing a competent job, and for making use of your skills, knowledge and talents. Persistence – clear priorities and commitments – your mind, heart and spirit moving in the same direction. You love your work, you are well informed and you can make great progress now. You have great skill, ability and talent – use them. Recognition is possible – your efforts will finally be rewarded. You are aware of the harmony that can result when you use your best skills in cooperation with other capable partners. You have the ability to create and work out practical plans for any project – advancing step by step because you recognize and value the role of each person in any endeavor. You ground your vision in the practical world through physical effort.

Clarify your priorities and commitments – stick with the endeavors that you want to make stable, solid and tangible in your life. Support your creations with patience and tender loving care. Combine love with wisdom and hard work with play and with a proper nurturing attitude your creativity will pay off and you will reap the harvest. Hard work and dedication to your goal will result in mastery. Your best work combines both your spiritual understanding and your technical skills with energy and desire – it can raise you to higher levels. It should be rooted in the reality of the world and the needs of the community. Practical work, done consciously and with commitment can serve as a vehicle for self-development.

Questions to ask yourself at this time -

• How do you work with others?
• What are you working on?
• What is your goal?
• What skills are you using?
• Are you willing to persevere?
• How are you taking or expressing criticism of the work being done?

You may apply your stalents to improving your home, which would involve painting and redecorating. This is a good time to focus on the home. In terms of relationships, be aware that you’re probably not giving enough emotional involvemnent, and are placing too much emphasis on materialism, social considerations and family pressures.

People:

• Hard workers. Talented individuals.
• Perfectionists.

CARD THREE: March -

Wheel of Fortune -

Keywords and Phrases:

• A change for the better, good luck, advancement, opportunity, important developments.
• Rapid change, the upside of a cycle, fate, destiny, progress.
• New doors open, a fortunate turn of events,  a lucky break.
• The end of one phase, and the start of a new one, improving circumstances.
• Gambling, taking chances, lady luck.
• A new vehicle, everything changes.
• “You cannot step into the same river twice

Situation and Advice:

You are entering a new cycle involving a fortunate set of circumstances that promise beneficial change and continuing progress. Forces in motino stimulate change and growth. Rapid changes offer new opportunities to improve your life. A chance circumstance may bring about the end of past difficulties and open a new chapter in your life.  The finger of fate works in your favour.

Emotionally – your strongest feelings are where you will find your talents. Spiritually – to seek your fortune is to grow. Mentally you must “risk” misfortune to grow and physically you are rewarded as your talents manifest themselves. Look for new opportunities – change is exactly what you need. Examine new ideas carefully before you discard them. Exercise your strength and prepare to adapt to new and different circumstances. Treat everything as an opportunity. Do it with an optimistic mind, fearless heart and sense of service to the planet and this good karma brings success and rewards to all levels of life. First you get an idea, then you get fired up about doing it – you choose a suitable means to achieve it, you are required to go through the “blood, sweat and tears” of the process and finally – you see the results. Maintain a steady pace – things are not always as they “seem” on the surface.

Keep planting the seeds you wish to reap – they will develop in time. As your inner, mental images exteriorize – new situations and experiences must fit your existing “belief” structure. New ideas cause change and you can change or alter your experiences by changing and altering your beliefs. To prevent a “limiting” belief from creating reality – you must first become aware of it, so that you can change it according to the reality you want. To change a physical effect – you must change your original belief and as your beliefs change so will your experiences.

The Wheel represents the laws of Karma – the simple explanation of “fate”. The actions you take in this life, build up a certain destiny for you in the next and if you create a great many “negative” situations in one lifetime, you will create the “psychic” need for punishment, so you will choose a lesser or diseased body in your next reincarnation. It is only your limited understanding that prevents you from directly experiencing the truth behind this “fate” or karma.

Enlightenment is remembering – gaining the full knowledge to perceive that your life is only a “form” created by your desires. Release your desires and you are released from the Wheel. The pattern of your life can not become visible until you step away from it. Withdraw to see the whole pattern of where your life has gone and where it is going. Though your body dies – your soul continues. If you wish to release your true self, you will need to free your soul from your “ego” habits, fears and defenses. Facing your “imagined” terrors of the darkness will lead you into the light of truth. The Wheel signifies change in the circumstances of your life and change requires reaction. Accept new situations – adapt quickly to them and seek their true meaning and value.

Discovery of true faith/trust  and in self – acceptance. The mind begins to know the spiritual as the mind and heart cooperate and you begin to “pay attention”. You begin to realize that you must give equal time to your internal environment and its sensory input as well as the external environment and input from the five senses. A new level of energy and inspiration – a voluntary change. You only reach this point after you have served yourself well and are as strong and capable as you are willing. The will to take a chance, to spin the Wheel – you now realize there is such a thing as chance. Faith is not “suspense of doubt”, it is the quest itself. The wheel represents the ups and downs even in faith. The healthy act of “letting go” is actually an assertion of our will. A balance of give and take.

Questions to Answer:

• What life-changes are you experiencing?
• How are you adapting to these changes?
• What effects are you feeling from circumstances you put in motion previously?
• Is there something you need to resolve?
• How are your horizons expanding?

People:

• Gamblers, chance-takers, lucky people.
• Those who make their own luck.

CARD FOUR: April -

Eight of Swords –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Feeling trapped, an oppressive environment, blockage, forced restraint.
• A vicious circle, lack of self-assertion, fear of the unknown, inability to move, feeling boxed-in.
• Intellectual imprisonment, feeling caught in a vice, holding yourself back.
• Lacking confidence to proceed, a barrier, problems with communication.
• Anxiety, worry, self-induced unhappiness, emotional pain, self-censoring.
• Misunderstanding, indecision, fear of exercising your own power, reluctance to exert yourself, lack of faith in yourself.
  
• Negative feelings that hinder productivity. Saying ‘no’ makes you feel guilty.
  
• “I keep running into a brick wall”.
• “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”

Situation and Advice:

This card represents fear, blockage, limitation and restriction that are often self-imposed. You may be acting as your own worst enemy because ofyour fear of the unknown and your reluctance to try something new or to assert yourself. You are stuck in a rut of your own making.

You ability to communicate may be temporarily impaired. You may be caught in a difficult situation from which there seems to be no escape. But there is. It is important to realise that the trappings and limitations are caused by your refusal to open your mind to the truth of the situation. You must face your fears before you can make an important decision. With courage you can overcome your anxieties and resolve the problems around you – if you can’t see things clearly, ask for advice, and heed wise counsel.

You feel you are being held back, but it is important to realise than you cannot be help back unless part of you wants that. The trick is to find a way to overcome that, and free yourself from the bonds of fear and doubt. When this card appears it is not to taunt you, or tell you something you already know, the reason for its manifestation is to show you that you can escape your situation, just as quickly as you put yourself into it. No matter how difficult your situation, the Eight of Swords shows there are always options and ways to escape. You may not think they are plausible, and you may not even know they are there, but they are. They are waiting to be put into practice.  Stop being angry, aggressive, hasty and excessive, this will only make your situation worse. Let go of these qualities and accept the mental clarity and peace that the Swords suit idealises.

With that new and perfect vision you should be able to see a way out of every problem you encounter.

Ask yourself:

• What am I afraid of right now? Why?
• Are these realistic fears?
• What would happen if I faced them?
• What is trapping me right now?
• How can move forward?
• What actions/behaviour is holding me back?

People:

• Someone who feels trapped, someone who feels confined by a relationship.
• Someone who is going in circles.

CARD FIVE: May –

Death -

Keywords and Phrases:

• Major transformation, necessary and profound change, liberation, the dawning of a new era.
• Leaving the past behind, the end of a cycle and the start of a new one, entering a new way of life.
• Death of the old self, empowerment, rebirth, renewal, sudden inevitable change.
• Transition, cleansing, purging, revitalisation, stripping away the worthless matter.
• Grieving the loss of a former lifestyle, inevitable endings.
• Spiritual regeneration, the shedding of outmoded attitudes.

Situation and Advice:

A major change is about to take place – transformation is imminent. A momentous alteration in your life structure is about to occur. A situtation is coming to an end, and a new era is born. Now is the time to rid yourself of attitudes toy have outgrown to pave the way for a new stage in your life. A loss is possible. All that is useless and outdated must be discarded. You must let go of old, unproductive ways. Only rarely does this card mean the death of someone you know (for instance, if you asked about someone’s health or asked about a sick friend/relative).

Humans naturally fear the unknown, and so Death is our greatest fear, since it is the greatest unknown. The majority of us are unaware that our mind and spirit die all the time, constantly shedding old beliefs and acquiring new ones. The Death card is not a card of death – it is a card of transformation. Nothing is destroyed, because nothing can be destroyed, there is only transformation.

The only reason the transformation shownn by Death is so catastrophic is because it is being held back, fought by those too afraid to realise that change is beneficial. Every change happens for a reason, and Death is a force, like the Justice card, in that it is absolutely fair – everyone is equal before the energy of this card.  So if there are big changes happenning in your life, it is only plausible that you are the reason for them. There’s no point in fighting death/transformation, it only makes things worse. Accept that change happens and let it do what it must.

When this card appears, big changes are heading your way, usually this change refers to something in your lifestyle; an old attitude or perspective that is no longer useful and you have to let go of it. This is a card of forced sacrifice- but this does not mean it is not for your own good. Sometimes you cannot see how your attitudes are hurting you, and when this is true the Death card is your wake-up call. Death is not simply destruction, it is destruction followed by renewal. Even though one doory may have closed, another is opening. Will you have the courage to step through?

If so, take a moment before you go forward, to look back. Is there anything you are carrying with you that is no longer necessary? Let it go, now, before you proceed.

Consider these questions:

• What attitudes/opinions/methods of yours are no longer productive?
• Are high expectations disappointing you?
• What transformation are you resisting?
• Why are you afraid of change?

People:

• Those undergoing life changes.
• Agents of change.

CARD SIX: June -

The Chariot –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Clear purpose, determination, being able to carry on, initiative, self-assertion, willpower, control, conquest.
• Success, dominion, centredness, inner peace, triumphant progress, single-mindedness, ambition.
• Mastery, courage, skill, energy to fight for a goal, great effort, achievement, the drive for success.
• A journey, news, winning, victory resulting from personal effort, recognition.
• Control over conflicting forces, inner struggle, conflict of interests, ability to stay on top.
• Steering a middle course, balancing conflicting emotions, charging ahead through struggle and conflict.
• Coming out on top, strength of will, going with the flow.
• Transportation, communications.
• “I am the master of my own fate”.

Situation and Advice:

The Chariot suggests a need to stay centred and take control of competing forces to carry on. You are capable of a calm sense of command, providing you steer a middle course between conflicting thoughts, feelings and wishes.  At the same time, you may feel unable to speed up the outcome, so the best course of action is to go with the flow of the forces you have set in motion.

You may be struggling to assert yourself, because you need to resolve a set of conflicting interests. You will be able to stay on course after making a firm resolution. Your strategy should be to move forward with a clear sense of determination and purpose. You will conquer your difficulties and emerge victorious. Your strength of will and purpose will enable you to come out on top.

This card also deals heavily with emotions – especially emotional control – the power of the mind to shape the desires of the heart and direct them to meaningful expression. This is not the card of control by suppression, but rather control by harnessing and directing emotions to be used to the greater good.

The triumph over both positive and negative emotions is shown by two horses of different colours pulling the Chariot. Though on their own they would run wild, going whichever direction they chose, here they move only forward. So they still have some power, but this power is directed by the man holding the reins. Balance is needed.Through controlling your emotions, you will eventually learn to contol yourself. Nothing is beyond you if you believe in your own power.

Ask yourself -

• What conflicting emotions am I experiencing?
• How are they pulling me in different directions?
• How can I focus them in one direction?
• What lessons do I need to learn here?

People:

• Victors.
• Those at peace with themselves.

CARD SEVEN: July -

Ace of Cups -

Keywords and Phrases:

• Stirrings of the heart, emotional renewal, an upsurge of new feelings, the power of imagination.
• Emotional and spiritual nourishment, love, happiness, friendship, kindness, peace, sensitivity, contemplation.
  
• The start of a creative enterprise, joy, ecstacy, abundance, the stirring of love.
  
• Tender feelings, falling in love all over again, compassion, social life.
• Partnership, a positive work relationship, health, romance, a loving union.
• Fertility, a gift.

Situation and Advice:

The Ace of Cups indicates a new beginning in your emotional life. If you’re already involved in a close relationship, this is the time for emotional renewal. You are about to be blessed with love and happiness. The beginning of things emotional and creative – the experience of joy, transcendent love and happiness. Your mind is filled with the spirit of love – you have the capacity to accurately express the internal feelings you experience. It is time for you to open your psychic, spiritual and unconscious channels. Be receptive to all the hopes and doubt that arise when you pursue any goal. Pay attention to the little details and you will be blessed with spiritual sensitivity and insight.

Your “emotional” acceptance is required before any project can develop and flourish. LOVE gives your life meaning – it represents your clear, open, trusting, spiritual heart. Sexual/emotional potential applying to relationships and to creative projects. May be a proposal of love or of marriage, or a new kind of commitment – the offering of oneself to another. The offering of oneself to the world through one’s talents and energies. Ecstasy is yours if you have the courage to completely live out the full range of all your emotions – do not censor or deny any feeling – they are all divine. Ecstasy is emotional intensity that comes from truly living and living is “feeling” – feel everything! Live life in all its passion and boredom, in all its pleasure and fear, in all its quiet satisfaction and raging anger, in all its ups and downs – be totally living and loving. Be emotionally honest – feel your deep spirituality and love completely. The ultimate and successful completion of emotional and/or creative matters to the highest standards.

Questions to Answer:

• What is making you feel good right now?
• What would you like to do to indulge yourself?
• What or who is offering you nurturing or love?
• What messages are you receiving from your dreams and visions? What does your heart feel most open to?
• How can you commit yourself to maintaining these feelings of love?

People:

• lovers, compassionate persons.

CARD EIGHT: August –

Ace of Swords -

Keywords and Phrases:

• A sense of power, strength in adversity, great force at your disposal.
• The power of intellect, freedom, determination, mental energy, courage, fresh ideas, the power of words.
• Something good emerging from the bad. Beginnings of success, right timing, inevitable change.
• Concentrated energy, overcoming obstacles, a focused mind, logic, order, discipline, balanced action.
• The power to think things through, hitting the mark, authority, will-power.
• Every cloud has a silver lining.
• Think before you act, mind over matter.

Situation and Advice:

This card appears at the start of an intellectual enterprise – probably a promising venture that has developed out of adversity – out of something bad, something good emerges.  Your capacity for logic, balance and order are needed.  In the right hands, the sword is a powerful weapon that can serve the needs of justice and authority. But the sword cuts both ways, and when in the posession of those who seek to use it for evil, its power becomes wholly negative.

Every Sword card in the Tarot bears the duality but the Ace is particularly susceptible to it. It is the beginning, the spark of potential that will influence all that lies ahead. The Sword by itself can never be positive or negative. The bearer of the sword determines whether he will wield it with clarity and truth of purpose, or with anger and agression.

The Ace of Swords shows the beginning of a situation whose potential is as double-edged as the blade of a sword. There is great power, even excessive power at times, in both love and hatred. The Ace implies the use of such power to further one’s ends, but what it does not imply is the manner in which those powers will be used, or the end that the means seek to achieve. No matter what the goal, there is always great power behind the attempts to reach it when these attempts are powered by the Ace of Swords. Very little can stand in the path of this energy without being destroyed.

Unlike the force of the Ace of Wands, a natural force, the force of this Ace can be invoked and wielded by anyone whose heart is strong. Note that, in many cases, strength and purity do not necessarily go hand in hand. Weapons are borne by the violent and unjust much more often than the righteous, and this is perhaps why the Swords suit as a whole is full of grief and crisis. But the Ace does not show either triumph or defeat; it has the potential for both lying within it. It is up to the bearer of the Sword to tap that great potential, and it is his actions that decide what will become of it.

As a primarily spiriutal card, the Ace of Swords often represents an insight or a breakthrough in the world of the spirit. Lucid understanding and mental reasoning reach their peak under the influence of this card, and achievement of goals suddenly becomes a lot easier. You can clear away the fog that has kept you from seeing the inner truth, and you can cut away all the bonds of the past that have held you back. The time to act is now, and if you set your mind to accomplishing your goals, you can achieve anything you desire. But be careful that you do not cut yourself with the sword’s two-edged blade.

Consider -

• Are your emotions a double-edged sword?
• Which side will you choose to use?
• What do you hope to accomplish?

People:

• Dominating persons, sharp-tongued individuals.

CARD NINE: September –

Queen of Swords –

Keywords and Phrases:

• A woman alone, head over heart, strong will, sharp wit.
• Ambition, analytical ability, aloofness, thought dominates feeling.
• Perceptiveness, keen insight, fair judgment, right decisions, communication, independence.
• Career-mindedness, diplomacy, standing up for yourself. Being alone.
• “I wasn’t born yesterday”.

Situation and Advice:

This is a card of ‘going it alone’ – now is the time to stand up for yourself and be clear about your wants and needs. Autonomy, aloofness and independence are key themes of this card. You have learned to be independent during a period of loneliness – now you are far more interested in career and ambitions than emotional matters. This card warns that your emphasis on cool, rational thought has strangled your emotional expression.

The Queen of Swords is another of those mysteriously ambiguous court cards in which the masculine and feminine are in conflict – she never shows her emotional side, but her judgment can sometimes be swayed by her heart, and because of these conflicts she is neither a good confidante nor  fair judge.

The Queen of Swords has been through many trials, many conflicts in her life. She has weathered them with strength and courage, standing steadfast in the face of misfortune and sorrow. She has lost loved ones and experienced pain; but instead of letting these experiences make her bitter, she has let them temper her and strengthen her resolve. She is realistic and pragmatic; she is a loyal friend and determined ally.

The Queen of Swords brings these attributes into your life either directly to you in your approach to life or in the shape of a relationship in your life with a person of Queen of Swords characteristics.

The Queen of Swords is portrayed amongst the swirling air that governs her suit. She has wings to lift her mind above her earthly problems. She bears a third eye of intuition, a sixth sense of wisdom. Butterflies symbolizing change after incubation fly around her. She has been through hard times and has become stronger, she is able to cut through illusions with clarity.

The Queen of Swords presents us with a feminine image who has discovered her strength and wisdom through the trials she has borne in her life. Experience and life learned through difficult, painful lessons have seasoned her expectations. This might have taught her to be pushy and extreme in getting people to see her point of view.

The Queen’s ability to perceive the truth despite the web of lies will prove useful here – tapping her power will help you see what us hidden. Her stoicism and her stiff upper lip are a sign that she considers painful experiences to be learning experiences, and perhaps you should too.   She learns a little from everything she does and everyone she meets, and everyone who talks with her goes away a little wiser, whether they realise it or not.

Ask youself:

• do you feel you’re being deceived by anyone/anything?
• Are you ignoring your intution when it’s trying to tell you something important?
• Are you letting your heart cloud your judgment?
• Who can you turn to for objective advice?

People:

• A distant, uninvolved parent.
• A woman who has known sorrow and now remains aloof.
• A female advisor.
• A strong-willed, ambitious yet cold woman.
• A career-minded woman who has little interest in developing her love-life.

CARD TEN: October -

Prince of Wands –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Change is in the air, creative energy.
• An important even related to an enterprise, new people, new ideas and experiences.
• Not wanting to settle down, an important visitor, perpetual motion.
• Quick decisions, swift action, haste, adventure, challenge.
• Love of fun, sense of humour, optimism, generosity, confidence, vision, perspective.
• Relocation, flight, movement, getting away.
• Sexual adventures.

Situation and Advice:

Change is in the air – a matter of considerable importance is emerging in your life. When this card enters your life it can be one of three things – a person around you, an event you will experience or a part of yourself you must bring to the surface.

Any vent that enters your life quickly and unexpectedly is ruled and predicted by the Prince of Wands. This energy moves with the speed of a raging fire pushed onward by the wind. The Prince often represents the coming or going of an important matter – and you can rest assured that these comings and goings will be swift. Sometimes he shows that an important person will be coming into your life, or leaving it. Such person, when shown by the Prince of Wands, shares his spontaneity and kinetic outlook on life. Though he may seem gruff and abrasive at first glance, underneath that armour he has a warm and generous heart. He will be highly supportive of those he considers close to him.

He typifies the ‘knight in shining armour’ stereotype – because he is always swooping into situations, saving the day and then moving on to the next adventure. This suddenness hides a deep sense of morality and honour – he is always ready to protect those who cannot defend themselves. But he cannot stay in one place too long, there is always more to do.

If the Prince of Wands shows an energy within yourself hat you have to bring to the surface, this shouldn’t be hard to do. In fact, keeping it in may be harder than letting it out, so don’t fight it. Your confidence levels will rise to the surface and you’ll feel ready to take on the world. Tackle any challenges that come your way, and be willing to help others who lack your determination and skills.

When the Knight of Wands shows up in your reading, it’s time to ask yourself these questions:

• How am I growing?
• How much energy am I putting into my own self-growth?
• Who is radiating creative or sexual energy in my life?
• How am I changing?
• What opportunities are entering my life right now that I feel passionate about?

People:

• Travelers, negotiators, movers, competitors.
• Those who enjoy being alive.
• A young man who acts quicky and decisively.
• A person who does not want to settle down.
• An exhilarating lover.
• Someone who is easily distracted.

CARD ELEVEN: November -

Four of Pentacles: (reversed) –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Unwarranted fear of poverty, problems with the budget, lack of financial security, carelessness.
• Trouble letting go, failure to delegate responsibility, inadequate payment for services rendered.
• Delays, obstacles, envy, suspicion, fear of failure.
• selfishness, money problems, an unbalanced budget.
• Lack of fulfillment.

Situation and Advice:

You may be having difficulty spending wisely, saving money or balancing your budget. Concerns about securit, financial and otherwise, preoccupy your mind. You may be holding tightly to something, when you should be letting go. An excessively defensive or timid attitude may be holding you back. Delays are possible.

Emotional excess – you have acted without giving yourself time to think. The energy has been released – allow yourself to experience the generosity and freedom as you begin to give your life some structure. Grasping material possessions to tightly only closes you off from personal development. Honor your inner and outer limits now. Once you have become completely centered and stable within yourself, having found the security “within” – you will no longer need to hold onto anything in the material world. You will recognize that when you are confronted with loss or obstacles, you need only establish new plans and have them ready. Opposition can delay future plans, so when a situation is unstable – put a halt to unnecessary spending.

New – Contentment of the moment may lead to an important oversight. Greed and other forms of physical insecurity not justified by circumstances – miserliness out of fear that you will not have enough for yourself. Refusal to use your money or resources – hanging on to them will eventually lead to ruin, just as a body not used – atrophies. Acquisitions in order to impress rather than for true personal appreciation. An undesirable turn on the physical path.

Questions to Answer:

• What is keeping you centered?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• How are you powerful?
• What gives you a sense of security?
• What do you want to hold on to or possess?
• Who or what do you need to protect?

People:

• Poor money managers, powerless individuals.
• Ultra-conservatives, those who worry too much about money.

CARD TWELVE: December -

Five of Swords: (reversed) -

Keywords and Phrases:

• (+) Being cleared of wrong-doing, treachery revealed.
• (-) Loss, manipulation, underhandedness, false pride, deception, unfairness.
• Suspicion, paranoia, an exclusive focus on winning.

Situation and Advice:

You are experiencing despair after things didn’t turn out quite the way you’d planned . See how your mind creates doubt and pessimism – look directly at your defeatist thinking. You defeat yourself with your own doubt and skepticism. It is time that you look at changing your own attitudes – let go of your pride and release this narrow view point – your own “ego” is inhibiting you. An old wound has been opened and you are experience fear associated with that memory – thoughts that history might repeat itself or that you could be hurt again. Your vision has been distorted by the past. Allow yourself to be sensitive to this deception in a personal situation – be receptive to the things that are causing you all these emotional problems. When you are involved in an unfair decision that is hard to correct – be patient with your emotions.

Too much or too little mental freedom leads to uncertainty. Too many or too few choices.Your mind looks at itself ineffectively and will tend to be too passive and lax or will be over enthusiastic and cause havoc. Criticism of self and others can be harsh and inaccurate. A sharp tongue. A sense of mental loss rather than gain. Anger, confusion, argument, covering things up, impulsive, impatient, hasty, nervous, stubborn, complacent. Inappropriate worry, sadness, depression, disappointment, guilt or shame.

As you focus on this card, ask yourself:

• Do you expect to get “stung” in this situation?
• What are you afraid of?
• Why don’t you feel good about what you are doing?
• What do you need in order to feel good?
• What would be the ethical thing to do?
• What is so important to you that you have to prove everyone else wrong?

People:

• Bullies, malicious enemies.

CARD THIRTEEN: your year in summary -

Two of Wands -

Keywords and Phrases:

• Off to a good start, a period of wating.
• The early stages of an enterprise, the need to wait and see how matters develop, not much actively happening.
  
• Completion of the first stage of a project, faith in the future, transition, sincere effort.
• Achievement, ambition, pride, ownership, partnership matters.
  
• Growth, preparation for success, foresight, headed in the right direction.
• Waiting for a reply.
• Where do I go from here?

Situation and Advice:

After the initial power of the Ace enters your life, that power must be shaped and directed towards the area in your life where it will be most useful. This is the energy of the Two of Wands, a card of applied power. A cohesive vision of the final destination starts to form, and though this first impression may be incorrect, that really does not matter at this time. There will be plenty of time to change your course later if you are not heading in the direction you want to be. What is important now is to get moving towards your goals, whatever those are.

This card deals a lot with the power of the Will to accomplish great things in the world. Without the initial vision there can be no final success, and without determination the goal can never be reached. The Two of Wands is a card that embodies that determination to go out into the world and succeed. It is much the same as the Magician’s power, so the color scheme of the Two of Wands often resembles the Magician’s. On the Rider-Waite version, the red and white flowers on the stone tile match the Magician’s robes. This is the energy of the Magician brought down to a more manageable level, a level at which you can direct its course.

When this card’s energy enters your life, you will find the ability to make your dreams into reality, to achieve your highest ambitions. Now is the time to understand how we create our own reality every second of our lives. It is also time to learn how we can use that to our advantage. Boldness and daring are unlimited when this energy is under your control, so go into the world and show your power to everyone. All of the Twos are associated with unions, and the Two of Wands can show that it is a good time for friendships, but beware of relationships where all the power lies in the hands of one person.

Personal power is another theme of this card. The Two of Wands is a reminder that we are always in control of our lives, and though we may be surprised by events from time to time, the reins remain in our hands waiting for us to use them. This is why it’s important to plan ahead, and know where you are headed before you set off on your journey. There is no place for uncertainty and hesitation, but fortunately, this card gives you the energy to rid yourself of those. You deserve to be the creator and the ruler of your life. Allow your inner power to show itself – you’ll be surprised by what you accomplish,

People:

• A partner, someone involved in negotiations.
• Someone waiting for an answer.

 

Reading for Po

Po wrote:

Name: Po

DOB: 11 August 19**

star sign: Leo

About me: I am an introvert, really shy at first, not that sociable, more of an observer. I read and write a lot, quite a nerd at school, intellectual, love sports and reading and writing, hate public speaking, hate fruits and spiders, hate being at a party where I don’t know people well. I hate people who try and judge you when they don’t know you well.

And the question: What I really want to know is, will I be in the UK forever or will we get to move? Otherwise if that is no good (plan B), I would love to know more about my work situation and if I will be in Science forever, or if I will get anywhere in my writing.

Layout/Spread: Pillars of Thought Spread. (The pillars are of contrasting energies, ideaologies, or for that matter, they can represent two topics.)

CARD 1 & 2: These are the base foundation, where things began, the structure upon which the current situation has been built.

1. The Emperor:

Keywords and Phrases:

• The world of grown-ups, masculine power and control, self-assertion, status.
• Dealing with autority, temporal force. A man of influence.
• The outer world, the structures of society, the order we impose on the world.
• The drive for achievement, success, respect and stability.
• The impulse to create something of lasting value.
• Regulation, dominion, rational thought, mind over matter.
• Security, ambition, strength, exuberance, fearlessness, firmness.
• Stability, leadership, wisdom, head over heart.
• Self-control, completion, achievement, recognition.
• Becoming your own person, material wealth, a job promotion.
• Establishing a project on a firm foundation, rational understanding, facing the music.

Situation and Advice:

This card suggests you have the ability to use rational thought and direct action to achieve success. You may receive a job promotion in recognition of your excellent organisational skills.  This card represents the power of the mind to shape the world. Such action does not take place at the command of will, but through the command of the written/spoken word. It indicates balance – male/female, mind/body.

The Emperor is the archetypal Father – wise in the ways of the world, knowledgeable of how to live as part of a structure, along with everyone else. He has a strong and powerful heart, as every father should, but he shows this side of him through the imposition of strict rules and guidelines, as most fathers do. He is protective and creates order from chaos and wishes nothing to disturb that order.

This card teaches many things – first of which being that every rule has an application and a reason for being. If we understand this, then his world may not seem so restrictive after all. This card also reminds us that power should not be corrupted. Rule your realm, with a firm hand, but remember to be just. Listen to the counsel of others, but remember that the final decision is always yours. Take what you have learned, and pass it on to the next generation. If you have power, take care that you use it wisely.

Examine and scrutinise everything around you – don’t be fooled by illusions and deceptions. Skepticism is not a bad thing, if it is used moderately. In areas of business, you are encouraged to consider all the facts, revisit your strategic plans, reconsider our partnerships & re-evaluate your allegiances. When you are unsure of circumstances, the Emperor reminds you that sometimes “doing” is the only substitute for “knowing.” Another tip – the Emperor is a master of his own making, and when he shows up in a reading, you would do well to realize our own inner strength and motivation is what makes you a leader.

When considering what this card means for you, ask yourself the following questions -

• Am I leading by example?
• Am I being inflexible? Too practical?
• Upon what resources am I calling in order to be the best master of my own destiny?
• What’s my strategy to accomplish these goals and are they realistic?

Above all else, the Emperor shows the benefits of structure and logic ruling over the emotions and lesser desires. Although domination of the mind over the heart is not always wanted, in some cases it is necessary, and sometimes welcomed. When hard choices must be made, it is important to maintain your concentration and focus, and this is something the energy of The Emperor allows you to do. When he manifests as a part of you, let that part of you shine through and take control – enjoy the assertiveness and confidence it brings. Forge ahead, and do what you know is right. If you can master yourself, you should have little problem mastering the world and all the things in it.

People:

• A father, a person of power or high position. An opponent, an important rival.
• Someone in power, an organiser, a mentor, a company you work for.
• Those who are direct and forceful.

2. Ten of Swords: (reversed) –

Keywords and Phrases:

• (+)The worst is over, a change for the better, improvement, the end of a cycle and a new beginning.
• Accepting help from others, light at the end of a tunnel. Every cloud has a silver lining.
• (-) Drastic change. Chronic drawn-out problems, recurrence of past difficulties. Disruption.

Situation and Advice:

Examine things from every angle and thoroughly pin down all the aspects of your situation. You are blocking reality, seeing only what you want to see. Fearing that everything is going to come tumbling down around you. Stretch yourself in your search for knowledge and with diligence you will develop wisdom.  A Karmic lesson has been completed and there will be steady improvement now. When you are suffering from the aftermath of deep personal hurt – you need spiritual guidance. Go deep within and seek “inner” counseling – allow yourself to experience the peace – let go and rest in the presence of your “inner” strength. You are never alone and you can trust in the assurance of their guidance and protection.

When considering what this card means for you, ask yourself the following guiding questions:

• In what way are you feeling paralyzed or unable to act?
• Where do you feel that you have no choice?
• What are you being forced to accept?
• What is being sacrificed?
• What problem can you now let go of?
• By totally accepting defeat, what are you now free to do?

Bear in mind that there is always such a thing as second chances, it is just up to you to decide whether or not you think it is something worth pursuing. Knowing when to cut your losses is a valuable lesson to have learnt.

People:

• Survivors, the long-suffering, those who have near-death experiences.

How these two cards relate to the layout:

The Emperor teaches that everything happens for a reason, that there is structure and logic to our World, and the events that occur in our lives. He reminds you that you are in control of your life, that the decisions are yours alone to make. He shows us that order can be created from chaos, and instructs that sometimes it is better to follow your head, than your heart. Build on the foundations of your past, examine the past, but don’t forget about the future.

The Ten of Swords, reversed brings drastic change. But the old saying that ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ rings true here. The worst is over. Keep in mind The Emperor’s teachings that ‘everything happens for a reason’ and know when to ask for help, and when to walk away. Learn from your mistakes.

CARD 3 & 4: what was and now cannot be undone, where things are flowing from, how the energy is being channeled.

3. Prince of Swords –

Keywords and Phrases:

• An unexpected situation, an important event related to a matter of intellect.
• New people. new experiences, swift or impulsive action.
• Quick solutions, mental stimulation, leadership, ambition.
• Confidence, fearlessness, assertiveness, aggressiveness.
• Decisive action, persuasiveness, new ideas, force of intellect.
• Mental challenges, professional advice, analytical problem-solving.
• Restlessness, diversity, versatility, mercurial energy.
• Communication, strength, use of force, single-mindedness.
• Resoluteness, protection during difficult times.

Situation and Advice:

You may enter into a situation of frenzied conflict with excitement, only to have it pass quickly and chaotically out of your life. Expect to be active, and on the go. Swords often indicate a period of struggle or competition, in which you need to take swift and firm action to come out on top. A strong, assertive and gallant young man may come to your rescue. If you put your mind to it, you are capable of strong, steadfast commitment to a goal.

Now is a time to follow your head, rather than your heart. Be strong, make decisive choices, and be practical and clear in your thinking. Sound professional advice can spell the difference between success and failure. Swords have difficulties with emotions and do not bode well for romantic endeavours, unless you learn to communicate your emotions more effectively. This card also warns against rash and impulsive behaviour.

This card can manifest in your life in one of three ways – as an event, a person or a part of yourself. It is rare that it symbolises an event, but if it doesm the event is the sudden coming or going of a problem. Or the unexpected arrival or departure of a person. A person represented by this card will seem almost totally emotionless, it’s not that they don’t have emotions, it;s just that they supress them, and don’t see the value in having them. The heart is the centre of compassion, and also the centre of fear, and this person holds their heart firmly in control so as to be almost fearless and they never anticipate defeat. Since he never anticipates defeat and never shies from a challenge, he is the perfect person to help implement new ideas and life plans.

Dangerous as it may seem to assume the personality of the Prince of Swords, it is sometimes necessary to do so. Whenever you feel afraid or indecisive, call on this energy to give you confidence and clarity. His impartiality is also desirable when making tough choices, but do be careful not to act too hastily, or rashly, else the effort will be wasted.  His refusal to back down makes him a pillar of strength.

People:

• A champion, a leader, a strong decisive person.
• One who gets what he or she wants.
• Someone who is more at home with thoughts, than with feelings.

4.  Seven of Wands –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Holding firm, taking a stand, success in a competitive undertaking.
• Matters coming to a head, keeping your ground, maintaining your position.
• Having an advantage, feeling undaunted.
• Courage, strength in adversity, self-confidence, assertion, devotion.
• Challenge, confrontation, disputes, opposition.
• A career change, coping successfully, learning, teaching, writing.
• A sense of purpose.
• Against all odds.

Situation and Advice:

A situation of conflict is coming to a head, and you are able to view the matter from a superior vantage point. You may feel pressured as you enter this time of confrontation, challege and opposition. You will need much inner strength and courage to overcome the odds and face the competition. You have the upper hand, even if you don’t realise it.

Perhaps a prior achievement has placed you in a competitive situation, to achieve success you will have to take a firm stand, and defend your position. You will be able to hold your own in an argument. Your devotion to the cause will win the day. You have the strength and tenacity to face the competition that is entering your life or business ventures.

Do not give up the struggle. If you make the effort, you will achieve victory. The best strategy is to tackle one problem at a time. Your hard work and thoughtfulness will pay off. This is a time to be particularly observant. If your question is about career, you will be able to make a successful career move. You will enter a period of new learning. You will be asked to teach or write about what you know.

This card teaches you not only about the value of courage, but the value of fear in your every day life. Feal your fear, and use it to fuel your efforts. By facing your fears and turning them to your advantage, you grow even stronger and ready to face the next obstacle in your path. Indeed, there can be no courage without fear to inspire it. That fear does not need to be your master any more, if an opportunity calls you, cast away your doubt and go for it with courage in your hands. If you feel that now is the time to take steps towards your dream, throw hesitation out the window and let nothing stand in your way.

This card appears to remind you to stand up for yourself and for what you believe in. It is also important to re-evaluate where you stand, or you might end up fighting yourself.  It is also a good time to consider what is worth fighting for – this prevents you from wasting energy.

Though the odds may seem insurmountable, remember to hold your ground, and victory will be yours, eventually. Inner courage is a force far greater than physical strength.  Commit yourself to your goal and let nothing deter you from it. What may feel like frustration is actually progress. The true victory here will be attained by making a stand, not the result of that stand. Refuse to accept less than what is right, and in the end you will triumph.

People:

• Those who have the advantage, those who hold their ground in a struggle.
• Those who make things happen.

How these cards relate to the layout:

These two cards represent what was and now cannot be undone, where things are flowing from, how the energy is being channeled. Now is the time to follow your head not your heart, but to avoid impulsive decisions. Think things through, from an impartial perspective. Ask advice if you need it. If you decide to follow your dreams, be persistent and you will succeed. Success is your choice, it comes to those who make it happen. Do not back down in a situation of conflict or confrontation, but you must know exactly what it is you’re fighting for.

CARD 5 & 6: what is now and is becoming the past, what may or may not be out of the sphere of influence, where the energy is now but not always where it is headed.

5. Justice -

Keywords and Phrases:

• Being judged, a fair outcome.
• Harmony, equilibrium, restoration of balance, fairness.
• Prudent money management, strategy, accountability, integrity, examination of conscience.
• Carefully considered choices, clear vision, a sense of proportion, the power of intellect.
• Rationality, a just outcome, the right decision, clear-cut perspective.
• Contracts, binding agreements, powers that enforce justice.

Situation and Advice:

Justice appears when you must weigh many factors to make a reasoned and thoughful decision. This card reminds you to deliberate carefully and wisely before reaching any conclusions. It is a card of calm and balance. You would do well to examine your conscience and consider the other person’s point of view before making a moral choice. Issues of fairness are prominent. An impartial third party may assist you in ensuring that a fair outcome is reached. If someone has wronged you, you may receive an apology soon.

The Justice card’s prime message is that of accountability. Justice appears to us when we know we should do something and we’re not doing it.  Justice serves as a loud message from our conscience. Remember Jiminy Cricket in the cartoon Pinocchio? The Justice card is to a reading as Jiminy Cricket is to Pinocchio – a little (sometimes nagging) voice that lets us know we should do the right thing. Justice in a reading is a call to examine what we’ve done in the past, contemplate future actions – balance the equation – take responsibility and be sure in all matters we remain as even-minded as possible in our endeavors.

Keep in mind the Justice card is staight-forward and to the point. There is no hiding, no making excuses, no procrastination. Lady Justice cuts down all illusions and exposes the heart of the matter for what it is. The Justice card can help you take a look at your responsibilities and obligations and see that you’ve been falling short of the mark.

Ask yourself the following questions when considering this card:

• Is my life out of balance?
• What can I do to be more balanced?
• Am I being honest with myself?
• Am I taking healthy responsibility for my actions?
• Where do I place blame for my actions and my life’s circumstances?
• Have I been neglecting some of my obligations and commitments?
• Do I need to take some time to re-examine my life because I’m out of balance?
• Can I keep a proper equalibrium – do I have an even temper & even mind?

People:

• Judges, witnesses,authorities. Someone who must make a decision.
• Someone who apologises.

6. The Lovers –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Choice, union, sharing, trust, duality.
• Short trips, health, healing.
• A romantic meeting, sexuality.
• A partnership, a major choice, an important decision.
• A fork in the road, an ordeal, temptation.
• Being put to the test, reviewing an important relationship.
• Thoughts of love and marriage, choosing one of two divergent paths.
• The road less travelled.

Situation and Advice:

This card often appears when you are faced with a crucial life decision, and must choose which path to follow. It can herald a romantic adventure, often with a trial or choice involved. You may be preoccupied with the progress of an important relationship. This card warns you to consider all potential ramifications before making an important decision, before making a final commitment. Somehow, you will be put to the test before you can enter the next stage of development.

You are at a fork in the road, and need to choose which direction to proceed in. This card also reminds you that before you can be sure of love with another person, you need to love yourself.

When considering this card, ask yourself some important questions:

• How do I feel about trusting others?
• How do I feel about my relationships?
• Am I being honest about my relationships?
• Do I need to pay closer attention to my health?
• What relationships in my life do I need to re-examine?
• Am I always on my guard or can I allow myself to be vulnerable?
• What will it take for me to have a passionate, loving, trusting relationship?

People:

• Lovers, couples, someone on the horns of a dilemma.
• Good friends, business partners.

How these two cards relate to the layout:

Justice is all about balance, and weighing the variables. The Lovers is all about harmony, unity and duality. Justice reminds you to read the fine print, and The Lovers cautions you to consider the potential consequences of all your actions. Whatever decision you make needs to achieve balance in your life, in terms of career, family, love, self and spirit. So choose wisely, even if it means taking a completely new direction.

CARD 7 & 8:  what is the projected outcome at this time, can also represent what can be altered or what can not be altered, how the flow appears to be engaging.

7. Eight of Cups –

Keywords and Phrases:

• A change of heart, leaving, walking away.
• Breaking loose, going off into uncertainty.
• A turning point, feeling disenchanted with a situation.
• Leaving the past behind, turning your back on a difficult situation.
• Looking inward, searching for meaning, rejecting an outmoded lifestyle.
• Directing energies to a new interest, abandoning previous concerns.
• A job change, a relocation. A month’s time.

Situation and Advice:

You are leaving an unsatisfactory situation and moving on to something new, you have gradually become aware that your needs are not being met, and have had a change of heart. Now you want to break loose and try something different. Perhaps you are seeking to fill a void in your life, it may be time to sever old emotional ties and become your own person. Often this card indicates that matters will take one lunar cycle (one month) to work themselves out. Travel and a change of residence are strong possibilities.

This is a time to let go,  because old involvements will simply not work out – reflect on what you have learned, because you are maturing emotionally and it is time to pursue something more satisfying. You seek more meaning in your life. As you walk away from the past, the future awaits you. The old books say the Eight of Cups means assistance from a blonde woman – who knows?

You have emotionally over-extended yourself. Go deep within yourself now and regenerate your energy – search for a deeper meaning in life.Take time out for yourself and search for meaning – a purpose that is worthy of your total commitment and dedication. . Rest and you will regenerate as new ideas begin to germinate.

Your basic fortitude and hope for the future are strengths that other people depend on – some people are too needy, making you feel manipulated and used without a return of energy. Avoid this psychic drain and take time out to care for your own needs.  Prepare to leave this stable situation and journey into the unknown.

Your heart is opening wider, getting larger as you love expands beyond the immediate circle of mate, family and close friends into a more universal love. A blending of the masculine and feminine energy. Emotional efficiency creates and abundance of reliable interactivity – emotional stockpiling. The emotional foundation, the package itself is on the move. Two’s, lessons learned in accommodating both, that set the stage for the highest emotional lesson – love of self and love of others must balance as they move toward becoming one and the same. Extroversion and inclusion,

As you consider this card ask yourself:

• What do you feel weary of or dissatisfied with?
• What relationships or values are no longer relevant in your life?
• What or who is drawing on your energy and leaving you feeling emotionally drained?
• How can you withdraw or take time to renew yourself?

People:

• Seekers, someone who is departing.
• One who is leaving an unsatisfactory situation behind.
• A helpful blonde.

8.  Five of Swords: (reversed)

Keywords and Phrases:

• (+) Being cleared of wrong-doing, treachery revealed.
• (-) Loss, manipulation, underhandedness, false pride, deception, unfairness.
• Suspicion, paranoia, an exclusive focus on winning.

Situation and Advice:

You are experiencing despair after things didn’t turn out quite the way you’d planned . See how your mind creates doubt and pessimism – look directly at your defeatist thinking. You defeat yourself with your own doubt and skepticism. It is time that you look at changing your own attitudes – let go of your pride and release this narrow view point – your own “ego” is inhibiting you. An old wound has been opened and you are experience fear associated with that memory – thoughts that history might repeat itself or that you could be hurt again. Your vision has been distorted by the past. Allow yourself to be sensitive to this deception in a personal situation – be receptive to the things that are causing you all these emotional problems. When you are involved in an unfair decision that is hard to correct – be patient with your emotions.

Too much or too little mental freedom leads to uncertainty. Too many or too few choices.Your mind looks at itself ineffectively and will tend to be too passive and lax or will be over enthusiastic and cause havoc. Criticism of self and others can be harsh and inaccurate. A sharp tongue. A sense of mental loss rather than gain. Anger, confusion, argument, covering things up, impulsive, impatient, hasty, nervous, stubborn, complacent. Inappropriate worry, sadness, depression, disappointment, guilt or shame.

As you focus on this card, ask yourself:

• Do you expect to get “stung” in this situation?
• What are you afraid of?
• Why don’t you feel good about what you are doing?
• What do you need in order to feel good?
• What would be the ethical thing to do?
• What is so important to you that you have to prove everyone else wrong?

People:

• Bullies, malicious enemies.

How these two cards relate to the layout:

You are letting go of an unsatisfactory situation, and looking to the future, making changes, and severing ties. Focusing on new goals and targets. Be careful that your focus isn’t entirely on winning, this will only sabotage your efforts. Be wary of being too suspicious or paranoid, this could also sabotage you. Don’t be your own worst enemy.

CARD 9 & 10: what energy is above all, what is the final destination, what can be predicted to come true at this time, how things are forming to conclusion.

9. Nine of Pentacles –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Relying on yourself, being self-sufficient.
• Attainment, gain, desire for financial security.
• Material comfort, leisure time, cultivation, self-worth.
• Refinement, well-deserved success.
• Mastery of one’s resources, material benefits.
• The ability to be alone, but feeling lonely.

Situation and Advice:

This card depicts a woman, in solitude, enjoying the finer things in life. She is reaping the benefits of having used her talents and resources wisely. She is alone, and at peace with her surroundings, she is in control of her thinking and of her destiny. She has a sense of self-worth and is completely capable of managing her own affairs. But a feeling of incompleteness surfaces at this time.

But the capacity to be alone is one of the most important milestones in emotional maturity. You will not feel secure in a relationship, until you have attained that milestone. It goes hand-in-hand with the ability to love yourself before you can expect others to. You will experience mental, emotional, spiritual, physical and financial profit if you choose to follow what has heart and meaning to you. Organize your life and the rewards will follow, which comes as a result of unifying your wisdom with your love in a creative way which facilitates tangible gain in all areas of your life.

Recognize that you feel incomplete only because you are still seeking goals, a purpose – “inner” satisfaction. Continue to seek what you have not found and you will succeed. Complete the “work” of your self-development – have confidence in your self-discipline and patience. You will succeed in “creating” yourself out of the material given you by the circumstances and conditions of your life – the ability to KNOW when others only guess.

Follow your goal to the end and do not allow impatience to get in the way. Materialize, manifest and realize your dreams. Harvest the fruits of your labors and prepare to plant again. Certainty is the mark of a truly evolved person and to achieve this you have been required to give up normal companionship in order to achieve self-reliance, producing a certain loneliness in the pursuit of your goals. You have had to give up spontaneity, recklessness and wandering. If the sacrifice “appears” too great – perhaps you do not value enough the rewards of your self- development. True discipline never cripples – it allows one to soar.

Questions to consider here:

• What are you earning by your endeavors – material wealth, security, status?
• How are you enjoying what you have earned?
• How are you spending your leisure time?
• How do you give thanks for all that you’ve gained?

People:

• A self-sufficient person, someone concerned about the environment,  a person of grace, beauty, talent and skill.

10. Queen of Cups –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Deep feeling, nurturing, queen of emotions, sensitivity.
• Otherworldliness, intuition, perception, a choice based on sincere feelings.
• Imagination, dreams, kindness, empathy, the sixth sense, sympathy, affection.
• Introspection, creativity, mystery, prophecy, counselling.
• Love of music and art, generous.
• The stirrings of the heart.

Situation and Advice:

This card suggests an opportunity to turn inward to examine your feelings about a matter – your hunches and intuition are reliable guides. Pay special attention to dreams and psychic perceptions. A loving friend may come to your assistance, or you may have the opportunity to show someone how much you care. Your mother, or mother substitute may play a significant rold in the near future.

No intuition is more powerful than that of the Queen of Cups, she is often like a mirror, reflecting the hidden depths of others back to them, so they can see their own mysteries for themselves. However, her cup is closed, and her own secrets remain invisible to all, even to herself sometimes. Such is the paradox and fluidity of the Water element. Hardly ever manifesting as an event, the Queen of Cups is almost always found either in people near you, or in yourself.

A Queen of Cups in the real world feels right at home in the realms of the subconscious. If she is not psychic, she will posess extraordinary insight into the behaviour and motivations of others. As such, she is often a gifted counsellor and healer, ready to provide a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold whenever they are needed. She is beautiful by almost all standards, because her beauty is the purity of her spirit, and such magnificence has a universally recognizable allure. Even when not physically attractive, she still attracts others to her.

It is from this that the Queen’s more negative qualities arise. She often loses herself in her fantasies and daydreams, and though completely confident in her instincts, more often than not she is totally unable to apply these instincts to anything in the real world. At music, poetry, mothering and artistry, no one can compete with her – in everything else she is mediocre, at best. Spending as long as she does in the spiritual world tends to make her quite uncomfortable when she has to leave it. She places much importance on relationships because she sees herself as unable to stand alone.

A Queen of Cups lies within each of us, and in some it is closer to the surface than in others. When she appears in reference to an aspect of your own personality, the Queen of Cups should be taken as a suggestion to think carefully about how you use the vast stores of spiritual wisdom you have access to all the time. She can be a sign that you should use you intuition to guide you – or she can be a warning that you are thinking too much with your heart and not with your head. This can cause your dreams to grow out of control… and out of reach. Like all of the Cups court cards, the Queen encourages a moderate approach to intuition and wisdom. The heart may see farther, but sometimes you will have to look at things with your eyes.

Ask yourself, when considering this card -

• Am I spending too much time dreaming about something, and not enough working to achieve it?
• Is my intuition telling me something important?
• Am I ignoring my intuition?
• What are my creative outlets?

People:

• One’s mother. One who feels deeply, one who understands her feelings.
• An artistic, emotional, imaginative woman.
• Someone who is too easily influenced.

How these two cards relate to the layout:

Once you have achieved what you sough to, you will still feel incomplete. Once you have completed your self-development, and have recognised the value of being alone, you can then be assured of moving on to the next stage. Of finding a suitable companion. Remember that sacrifices made now, will be rewarded later. The Queen of Pentacles reminds you (as do many of the other cards in this layout) not to think with your heart, but with your head. Temper this with reliance on intuition, and you will not be able to go far wrong.

 

Reading for Jenty

Jenty wrote:

Date of Birth: 26 June 19**
Starsign: Cancer
Born in Zimbabwe

Traits - Procrastinate a lot. Want to always prove I’m right. A softie, I cry a lot. Love taking photos. Hate being bored, have to learn new things all the time. Need to know that I’m adding value to company or people’s lives etc.

Question - should I leave stockbroking now, or stick around until we maybe leave the country? I have another option on the table, plus the photography thing on my plate.

Layout: 3 Card Spread for Clarity.

CARD ONE: What is the real issue? This is cutting through all the ‘well it could be this or that’, this card represents the real issue to look at.

The World -

Keywords and Phrases:

• Reaching a natural conclusion, the end, fulfillment, attainment, culmination.
• Harmony, well-being, the end of a phase and the start of something new.
• A journey’s end, reaching your goal, achieving a prize.
• Completeness, wholeness, unity, a job well done.
• Completion of a cycle, success, liberation, an ideal state of being.
• cosmic flow, the promised land. expanded horizons, the end of the rainbow.
• A pleasant surprise, the best possible outcome.
• Travel, a journey, change of job or residence.
• Readiness to start again. It’s time to call it a day.

Situation and Advice:

You have reached the final stage in your striving to reach a goal. All is well and success is at hand. Everything is progressing smoothly according to plan. You will receive what is rightfully yours. You feel whole and complete and you will reach the promised land. After this period of completion, you will begin a new life cycle and will need to cope with fresh experiences. Prepare to start something new. Travel over long distances is a possibility now.

This card shows you that you have achieved all that you can, in the situation you are in. It’s time to set new goals and desires. It is time, once again, to step into the unknown. The World is yours for the taking.

People:

• Winners, achievers, world travellers.
• Those who have reached their goals.

How this card relates to the layout:

The real issue is that you have completed a cycle in your life. The World is yours for the taking, but in order to do so, you have to step into the unknown, begin something new, learn something new. In order to hold the World in your hands, you need to give of yourself first.

CARD TWO: What do you need to do? This is the action/ direction of energy card, usually quite practical or at least giving a focus.

Nine of Cups: (reversed) –

Keywords and Phrases:

• Unrealistic desires, too much of a good thing, hedonism.
• Complacency, vanity, self-congratulation.
• Superficial values, deprivation, unable to be compassionate and empathise with others.

Situation and Advice:

The nine of cups is a card of satisfaction and wishes. Now, when it is reversed, it suggests that you may be disappointed that your wishes are not materialising. Perhaps there are a lot of desires that you have and hope for from this life, but there is some frustration because these aren’t being fulfilled. Your wishes may not be materialising due to some inactivity. You need to get up off that seat and get those dreams you really want.

In the reversed position, the Nine of Cups can point to disappointments due to imperfections and mistakes, smugness, overindulgence, greed, superficial or materialistic values, shallowness, gluttony, and excessive preoccupation with gratifying your own desires, often times at the expense of the needs of others.

It can also point to a wish that is not yet fulfilled, perhaps because it is desired too intensely or you are sabotaging your own efforts. Sometimes this card shows up reversed when you are going through a depression or lack of self-worth. Material success, assured future. Physical well being. A love of sensual pleasure. You will get wish, with some effort on your part. Satisfaction with life. Things will eventually go your way if you really try.

Greater awareness – the rejection of “surface” values. Never allow yourself to think that this is all there is! Remain loyal to your purpose, to yourself and to others. Having completed your work, prepare your mind to move on. You have the ability to integrate and balance your feelings in deep and expansive ways for your own emotional happiness and well- being and that of others and this will bring about victory and liberation.

You may be overdoing it emotionally. The emotions may have become ends in themselves, goaded on by the ego. Everything exaggerated for effect. Sensitivity to a fault; your feeling everything – pain is everywhere. You could be thriving on the pain itself, rather than recognizing pain as the initial part of the positive lesson to be learned. A person stuck here may never get beyond the pain – a nasty form of addiction.

Questions to Answer: How have your wishes been fulfilled? What pleasures are being experienced? What do you feel smug about? What do you want to manifest in your life? Can you visualize it in detail?

People:

• Smug people. Hedonists. Sensualists.

How this card relates to the layout:

Complacency will prevent you from reaching your goals. You must constantly challenge yourself, and constantly seek to improve yourself, and your skills. Allowing yourself to become stagnant, or over-indulgent of certain aspects of your life can become harmful.

You need to set goals that help you achieve both materialistic and spiritual fulfilment. Goals are about more than making money. Resist this temptation, reject these superficial values, in order to achieve balance.Don’t spend too much time focusing on what ‘might be’, focus on what is. Learn to love the reality of your life, not the potential.

CARD THREE: Where will all this lead you ? This is to give you a sense of purpose and reason, as well as to point you in the right direction further from your immediate feelings.

Three of Swords: (reversed) –

Keywords and Phrases:

• The pain is ending. The worst is over.
• It is always darkest before the dawn.
• Things can only get better, discard outmoded beliefs and attitudes.
• Revelations which part the clouds of ignorance and self-delusion. Thinking unemotionally. Clear judgments and sound advice. Being one’s own counsel.
• Attention to details. Order and organization. New approaches to old problems.
• Decisions made with firmness and conviction. Honesty. A certain mind.
• A period of testing and teaching.
• The objects of thoughts, choices and decisions.

Situation and Advice:

Learn to be receptive to circumstances which are not constructive learning situations and consciously make the choice to remove yourself from any situation which produces sorrow or negative vibrations. Become aware of your natural “inner” sources of creativity and release any dependency on others for your ideas. Concentrate your efforts on organization – see the past as a whole picture. Stop limiting your viewpoint by focusing only on the smaller aspects which created the sorrow and heartache – this only causes confusion.

Be the peacemaker – never be afraid to say you are sorry. Always think before you speak so that you will not feel sorry after it’s too late. When something “appears” so painful that you find yourself trying to push it away – trying not to think about it and avoiding any reminders of it – realize that this attitude only keeps the pain within you and actually increases its hold on you. Learn to accept your situation so that the healing process will not become blocked. Allow yourself to experience the pain – give yourself the right to grieve and release the heartache. Let it go – then, once the upset, pain and tears have gone – open the door to new experience. Your aching heart will need someone.

Some difficulty exists in integrating lower emotions into requirements of mind. Mind may not be integrating/using heart energy properly. Difficulty with self-expression or expressing too much.  On one extreme, anger/loss of control – on the other extreme, placid to a fault. Misunderstanding and misuse of mind in relation to heart.

Questions to Answer: In what ways are you suffering? Feeling jealous or hurt? Has anyone hurt your feelings? What are you feeling sorrowful about? Who would you like to hurt or “get back at”? Can you look at your relationships with truth and honesty? What do you fear most within your relationships?

How this card relates to the layout:

Before making changes in your job/residence you need to examine your relationships. Resolve any past misunderstandings or lingering ambivalent feelings. Sort out how you feel about each person in your life, and if there are people who only bring negativity, it is time to banish them from your life. If a situation makes you feel uncomfortable, avoid it. Learn to apologise. You can apologise, even if you’re right – learn to keep the peace.

Learn to look at your life as a whole – stop looking at it through the lens of a camera, it does not allow you to see it all. At this point in time, while you are making decisions, you need to step back, get some objectivity, look at everything in it’s entirety. Viewing things in isolation will lead you to making a slanted, biased decision. Right now, you need clarity and true perspective. Stop keeping things bottled up inside, learn to share your emotions.

 

Reading For SleepyJane

Sleepyjane wrote -

Here are the details you asked for:

Name: Sleepyjane

Date of Birth: 12/11/19**

Starsign: Scorpio

A little about me:

I’m a strong person, I can deal with a lot and I am also very supportive. People tend to turn to me when they need advise, and I am known as the ‘momma’ in our friend group.

I’m headstrong, and stubborn. I’m also very emotional and I empathise really very easily. I’m very passionate about the things that matter most to me. I have a short temper and am very much an introvert. I love very easily. I don’t forgive people as fast as I should and tend to hang onto grudges. I’m crafty and love art and music. I can be engaging when I’m comfortable with the people I’m around. I like to be alone.

Question I want answered:

Is there a possible job change in my future?

Card Layout: The ‘Yes, No Maybe’ Layout (“The cards indicate the conditions under which the answer would be Yes, No, or Maybe. Thus the “Maybe” card can indicate a deciding factor or a decision or action that the querent has to make in order to arrive at the outcome s/he wants.”)

CARD ONE: This card indicates that the answer to the question will be ‘yes, if…’

King of Pentacles-

Keywords and Phrases:

• security-minded, sound financial advice.
• steady progress, amibition, shrewdness, practicality, business ability.
• wealth, patience, power, stability, reliability, commitment, satisfaction.
• organisational skills, acclaim, status, discipline.
• control, thoroughness, contentment, calmness, leadership.
• mathematical acumen, common sense, perserverance.
• hard work, earned success, increased income, professional success.
• sound investments, ownership, climbing the corporate ladder.
• money in the bank, money talks.

Situation and Advice:

The King of Pentacles suggests involvement in business matters and in organising the financial aspects of your life. Present and future security is a priority now. You may be in line for a promotion or a salary increase. You will succeed at practical ventures.

Your patience, honsty and loyalty will be rewarded. Sound financial advice, coupled with a practical, realistic outlook towards materialistic and financial situations will help you achieve your goal. The King of Pentacles is like King Midas – everything he touches turns to gold. He is the pillar of financial stability, with wealth and experience to share with everybody. This is the logical conclusion of the Pentacles suit – through diligence, hard work, responsibility and attention to detail, we can and will become like the King of Pentacles.

How this card relates to the layout:

In order for the answer to the question to be ‘yes’ you need to consider the following. You need to bring out aspects of the King of Pentacles in yourself – stand true to your word, if you’ve made a commitment, honour it. What you say, you must do. Take on responsibility, but see in it the true value for you. Remember that the a career is not only about money. It is about personal satisfaction, security and peace of mind. Chasing money doesn’t always bring happiness.

Give generously of your time and resources, because it is often in giving, that we receive even more. Be open to learning new skills and methods, they will only serve you well in the future. Take up all the vast challenges of the material world – you can conquer them all if you work hard.

People:

• Conscientious workers, leaderrs, business-people.
• A devoted father who understands his children.
• a methodical, reliable, taciturn person.
• Someone who is good with mathematics.
• Ambitious person who will work long and hard to reach his goals.
• A provider and protector.

These are the skills you need to ensure you have in order to succeed:

• honesty, reliablity, ability to commit to and follow through on a project.
• ability to learn new skills, and adapt to any given situation or challenge.
• good organisation skills, attention to detail and thoroughness.
• leadership qualities, ability  to take the initiative when it is called for.
• common sense, practicality and perserverance.

CARD TWO: The answer to the question will be ‘no, if….’

Temperance: (reversed) –

Keyworks and Phrases:

• extremism, immoderation, lack of balance, pressures, refusal to compromise.
• Overreaction, over-doing it, discord, wasted efforts.
• lack of control, excessive ambition, impatience, moodiness.
• Unbridled passions, lack of restraint, fickleness.
• Scattered energies, impulsiveness, conflict of interests.
• Indecision, imbalance of mind and emotions, haste makes waste.
• Making mountains out of molehills, stress, poor judgment, the clash of opposites.
• Forcing a situation, throwing caution to the wind. Everything in excess

Situation and Advice:

Exhibiting a lack of moderation will mean you will eventually have to face the consequences. Failure to control your appetites will have harmful results. Don’t let your obsession with a goal take you to extreme measures. Refusal to compromise will cause problems.

Don’t try to mix two or more elements that are incompatible, this will worsen the situation. You need to create balance, in order to achieve what you desire – a balance of heart, body, soul and mind. A balance of all the elements in your life. A balance between all the people in your life. You need to know when to persist, and when to sit back and let things happen. Trying to force a situation will not work.

People:

• Extremists, compulsive people.
• People unable to compromise.
• People who cannot restrain themselves.

How this card relates to the layout:

Knowing when to put yourself forward, and when to stand back, will help in all work-related issues. Getting the balance between all the elements in your life, and work is essential to success. Know when to compromise. Be ambitious, but not at any cost. Know when to cut your losses. Focus your energies properly.

CARD THREE: The answer to the question will be ‘maybe, if…’

Nine of Swords: (reversed) –

Keywords and Phrases:

• (+) Hope, good news, unfounded worries, faith, trust, promises.
• Help in the near future, the worrying and stress is over.
• Feeling useful again, there is nothing to worry about.
• There is light at the end of the tunnel.
• (-) Anguish, isolation, persistent sorrow.
• Seclusion, depression, spitefulness.

Situation and Advice:

In its positive aspect, this card indicates the nightmare is ending. You will still be suffering the aftermath of a stressful situation,  but the pain will be mostly gone. Your imaginings are far worse than reality – you have upset yourself unnecessarily by worrying without sufficient reason. You have let your negative thoughts and broodings run away with you.

The Nine of Swords reversed is a hopeful card, advising faith in the future and the promise of better days ahead.

In its negative aspect, it denotes depression and despondency. Preoccupation with morbid worries. Things appear worse than they really are.

People:

• (+) Those who have renewed hope for the future. Those who have been delivered from a nightmarish situation.
• (-) Depressed people, insomniacs, morbid people.

How this card relates to the layout:

You need to get your fears and worries under control – worrying about something unnecessarily is problematic. Worry about things you can control, and let go of things you can’t. Have faith in the future. This card tells you to open your eyes – not to let things build up to boiling point. Deal with issues while they are small and insignificant, before they become the nightmare depicted in this card.