Saturday, December 19, 2015

YEAR-END READING, 2015: Part 3 of 4

 SHAPE OF THE YEAR

By Judy Jennings
© Copyright 2015

Now that we’ve established the basic theme of our reading with the first three cards, we move into a different realm with the fourth.  The next four cards offer an overview of the shape of the year.  This view offers a look at where we’ve come from, where we’re going most immediately, and the best direction to head in the current situation.

The 8 of Pentacles represents the long past, the state in which we began 2015.  There’s a strong work ethic in this card.  In the biggest view, it signifies the building of civilization, perpetually in process.  On a personal level, it reflects the satisfaction of an honest day’s work, and of creating something tangible in the world. 

The 8 of Pentacles is strongly grounded in the natural world.  Still, there’s a spiritual side to this card as well.  The pole on which the Pentacles are being attached is essentially a Wand, and Wands signify the desire for a connection with higher power.  This might be seen as a sort of totem pole.


In the recent past we have the 10 of Pentacles.  This card is an affirmation of the good works people have been doing that have brought us closer together as a world community.  This is no time to lose faith!  In the face of violence that seems intent on devouring the world, we are still coming together in healing and in peace, and our movement has grown stronger in recent months.  Connections have been made that will lead to positive changes in the coming year.

Still, there is no denying that this has been a devastating time in many ways.  The Five of Cups presents here as the action card, and it’s no easy thing the cards are asking of us with that.

The Five of Cups as the action card makes the point that there is simply no way around the grief we’re feeling about some of the events of this past year.  This is a time to acknowledge that, to cry for what’s been lost, and to let go of whatever has become empty to us on a personal level.  This is a state that will pass before long, and with that will come clarity and a fresh outlook for the new year.

That’s a promise that is implicit in the next card, which is in the position of the near future.  Death sits there, looking toward the future, leading to both loss and opportunity.  As we head into the new year, we’ll continue to witness the demise of old ways of thinking and doing business.  As those outdated ways pass, there will be the possibility for an explosion of creative growth.

The Death card doesn’t mean physical demise.  Rather, it discusses the idea of ebb and flow, rise and fall, decay and rebuilding.  So don’t let this card in the near future scare you.  Thus far, other influencing cards are the prosperous Pentacles, the rather introverted Cups, and the Wands that show blocked energy, which suggests that the Death card in this reading is specifically about social and personal processes.  Be assured that this card is not predicting any acts of violence.

This portion of our reading encourages us to focus on the community-building efforts of the past year, and at the same time, to conduct a personal vigil of sorts.  This is a time to remember those who have suffered and been lost to us.  In this moment, we have the ability to experience our grief without losing sight of the connections that have also been made.  Without losing sight of hope.

Going forward, expect to see some significant changes taking place, and soon.  This will be your chance to be a part of them!


The final part of this reading will be in my next post, where we’ll be looking at the attitudes we’re bringing into the coming year, and of course, we’ll see the outcome.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

YEAR-END READING, 2015: Part 2 Of 4


The Storyline

By Judy Jennings
© Copyright 2015



The first three cards in this reading establish what the reading is talking about.  It’s a short story of sorts, one that sums up the current situation and states the reason for the reading.  Strength, the significator, is a comment about how this year has tested us, and how we’ve often had to dig deep for the courage to continue.  (For more about the Strength card, see my last post.)
 
The next card to present is the Knight of Swords, representing the present moment.  This is a card of action and bravery, and following on the heels of Strength, it makes a bold statement that the challenges we’ve faced this year have not overwhelmed us.  Instead, we’re mobilizing and taking action.  This Knight is facing towards the past and reacting to events that have already taken place. 




The Five of Wands is the third card in the reading, flanking Strength on the right, as the Knight rides to the left.  The third card represents challenges, or areas where energy is blocked.  The Five of Wands is a constipated card, where energy is going nowhere.  Some people see conflict and others see play in this card, as if the characters are jousting, but either way, momentum has come to a standstill. 


This card speaks to the nature of a year during which many of us have felt powerless to make positive changes.  Energy was expended but efforts didn’t get the desired results, or perhaps the people in your group just couldn’t seem to see eye to eye anymore.    

Together these three cards make a statement about where this reading is going.  It shows that 2015 has tested many of us on a fundamental level, but also that the year has provided an opportunity to move forward with resolve and courage.  The petty disputes that stand in our way now will be short-lived; the Five of Wands is the weakest card in the reading so far, and the qualities put forth in Strength and the Knight of Swords are far more powerful.  In this layout the Knight is looking away from the Five of Wands, suggesting that it’s time to let go of any frivolous waste of energy, and focus instead on the battles that really matter.

Stay tuned for Part 3, which will look at Past, Recent Past, the Action Card, and the Near Future.






Monday, December 14, 2015

YEAR-END READING: STRENGTH, THE SIGNIFICATOR

By Judy Jennings
© Copyright 2015

The Chain Of Roses Represents The Creative Adaptation Of Desire



In the hands of some, Tarot can predict specific dates and times, but it’s never worked that way for me.  When people ask how long will this reading take to manifest, how many months until this happens, or how many weeks until that, I usually end up muttering something about how if you want a specific timeline, you should consult an astrologer.

Far easier to see is the connection between a particular year and a card, which is done through numerological reduction.  In that, you add all the numbers of the year together to come up with a single digit.  For example, 2015 reduces to 8.

But what if the number reduces to two digits, such as 2018, which adds up to 11? In that case, you continue the process, arriving at the number 2.

8 is the number of the Strength card, and because of its connection to 2015, that’s the card I chose as significator for my year-end reading.  The intention for this reading is to reflect on what’s happened in the world over the year, and to assess our global state of mind as we enter 2016.

Whenever the card of inner strength appears, it’s a sure bet that the seeker—in this case, the global community—is being tested on a fundamental level.  This card suggests the opportunity to rise above the basics of instinct and the needs of survival to a state where one shapes inner drives and desires to serve the personality, not dominate it.

True strength, as shown in Tarot Strength, is built on compassion and self-discipline.  This is the card of the triumph of love, not only over hate, but over indifference as well.  This signficator speaks to all of us who are standing in the light, and all who respond to anger with peace.  This is no time to let ourselves fall into despair.  The world needs us now more than ever.

This reading will continue in my next post.




Thursday, December 10, 2015

WHAT'S IN A LOOK?

 By Judy Jennings
© Copyright 2015


We all know the quiet power of a look.  Gazes, glances, and glares all have 
the ability to deliver messages far beyond what words could ever convey.  In Tarot, the court cards have the same ability, and the direction a royal is facing in a reading contains vital information.

If there are two or more court cards in a layout, are they looking at each other, or facing opposite directions?  That can tell you a great deal about the level of compatibility between personalities in a situation, and whether or not the parties involved are heading in the same direction.


The direction of the gaze can also offer information regarding the essence of the card.  In the Rider Waite deck, for example, the King of Swords is the only one of 16 royals that is facing directly forward.  Others, such as the King of Pentacles, may be facing mostly forward, but the head is turned at least slightly and the gaze is averted.  What does this tell us about the King of Swords?

For one thing, it makes plain that this is the card of an extremely direct personality.  Another suggestion made by this stance is that this person is highly unlikely to back down from their position.  And somewhat obviously, in times of conflict, this King can be expected to display aggression.  All of this, and more, can be known about this card just from studying the body language and direction of the gaze of the character, even if you don’t know anything else about Tarot.

Something to keep in mind, though, is that not everyone sees the same things in a card, and everybody is right.  Intuitive interpretation of Tarot symbolism is highly personal, much like dream interpretation.  One person might see the introspective Queen of Cups as representing a very spiritual state of mind, for instance, while another might interpret her mood as depression.

Certain combinations of court cards in a reading can add to or diminish the power of one another.  Knights are advocates for the Queens, especially the Knight of Swords, and a Knight strengthens a Queen in a reading.  On the other hand, Knights can conflict with Kings, and that combination often suggests volatility. 

Pages almost always show a light-hearted influence on the situation.  When a Queen or King presents along with a Page it suggests guidance, and a growth process that is marked with excitement, optimism and vision.

It will really take your readings to a new level if you can not only interpret individual court cards, but put them into the context of their relationships to others. And just like with people, you can tell a lot from the way they’re looking at each other.