4/5 July 20: Ace of Swords reversed & Knight of Wands & Eight of Coins

‘Until I Make The Same Mistake Again‘ was a title I had for an eventual torchy, jazzy, smoky nightclub 1940’s sort of a ‘number’, but ended up writing one about Billie Holiday that was much better so never bothered. On to the next thing. There may be something funda-mentally wrong with the way we’re going about our selection and decision making process(es). Impetuous much? Impulsive? Buying computers during a Mercury Retrograde?

The Knight of Wands (Aries/Sagittarius/Leo) is a tempting energy today, and a welcome one. The thing to admire about the Knight of Wands is the fact that he or she does move on quickly. This Knight of Fire doesn’t look back or dwell on past successes or ‘failures’, they’re already on to their next challenge or assignment. Their ‘failures’ are few. In the upright and in the center, this is either our own excitable energy or that of someone else possibly from the past as the current Astrological Weather would suggest, as well as that 8 of Earth (Virgo/Taurus/Capricorn) in the upcoming position, the figure 8 eternally and infinitely of course coming and going around and around again and again. The 8 of Coins is about repetition today. The image of the traditional blue-collar worker at the workbench reliably meeting his daily deadline and quota on the Wild Unknown card is replaced with a delicate line drawing of a black spider posing in the center of a grand, beautifully crafted web. Time and patience is what this takes, she says. Keep your head down and keep at it.

The all powerful Ace of Swords in the upright is, like every other Ace, a new beginning. The suit of Air is all about clarity, logic, and rational thinking. This is the ‘smart’ suit, the suit of the mind. In the past position and in the reverse, we may have been lacking in new ideas or inspiration. This can mean writer’s or creative blocks. (Gemini/Libra/Aquarius.)

But this could also be a past decision you regret. A Mistake. Something may not have ‘launched’ because of your own negative attitude or lack of clear direction. Swords are words, and in the reverse, sharp and nasty. Someone may need to ‘work on their delivery’ as suggested by the ever-refining 8 of Coins. Practice makes perfect.

Something you thought was going to be easy wasn’t, or is not going to be, but it’s not going to be hard either.

After a period of blockage, or of no work, writers may get a (regular) job with massive growth potential. This looks very much like one door closing, or, rather never opening at all to all of a sudden something that is well worth your commitment, whether a job, course of study, or a relationship, although I don’t see any cups o’ love in the cards today. Possible steady work with potential to advance and improve will have to do.

Everything looks good on paper, but we often find ourselves going ‘back to the drawing board’.

There is a revitalized feeling about these cards.The inspiration and dedication of the Knight of Wands & the refining and grounding energy of the 8 of Coins makes me wonder what the final outcome will be – or at least could be.

I once asked a former dancer well into her 80’s if there was anything she wished she’d known, or done, regretted, or regretted not having done.

“Patience.” she said. “I wish I’d been more patient.”

So do I. I’ll be working on that.

17 January 19: Ace of Coins & Nine of Swords & Knight of Swords

I dream, I act. There are of course a couple ways to look at these cards, all of the Minor Arcana. That in and of itself may be of some comfort to you. Nothing going on here but the worst possible scenario in your head, and it keeps you up at night. You’re broke, you worry. You have money, you worry. Who’s going to stab you in the back next? Who’s going to charge in and steal everything away from you? We’re not talking to you today. Believe me,I understand, but – relax.

This is tossing and turning from ideas, messages and inspiration through dreams, and/or   there’s just so much going on in your head you can’t sleep.

I almost always wake up at 3:00 a.m., and am lucky enough to be able to make the most of an hour or 2 then, always my best time. I remember something I read about the rare window when your sun and rising sign are crossed or together or something, much like when the sun and the moon are up at the same time in the morning. I love that. In any case, if you are a writer or artist or musician or anybody, for that matter, you know damn well if you don’t get up and write it down NOW it will be gone in the morning, no matter how convinced you are that you’ll remember it.  I often have to look up words I heard in my dreams, and have often had to figure out chords by ear I’ve heard. So, you can get up and be productive at 3:00 a.m. or not, but there is of course, much lore and mythology about that hour, so there’s gotta be something to it. The Chinese believe in the organs resetting themselves during the sleep cycle, and 3:00 is the liver reboot.

The Ace of Coins (Virgo/Taurus/Capricorn) we are familiar with. In the past position, you’ve been given a gift. When we talk of a ‘gifted’ person, the Skyhand chose you to receive this most valuable Ace, which is, as we’ve talked about before – talent. You are a proverbial goldmine. There is in particular at least one story or idea that is pure gold, as they say, but all you’re doing is mentally chopping and parsing and driving yourself nuts as to how to go about it.

In the present position is the painful, angst-ridden, insomniac of the Tarot, the 9 of Swords (Libra/Gemini/Aquarius). Usually we see a human upright in bed, head in hand, something having woken him or her from his sleep. Dream or nightmare? On the Morgan-Greer card, we see an inflamed red sky and a pair of hands tied at the wrists, as in, my hands are tied but my mind is eating itself. Itchy swelling brain was a punk song I think. This is that. Because there’s not a damn thing you can do about anything in the middle of the night anyway, your hands are tied.

It looks like an upcoming cycle of rather tortured and sleepless but extremely creative Knights.

In the future position, the Knight of Swords doesn’t, in spite if the fresh blood on his sword, mince words, and neither should you. Perhaps you’re afraid that your truth or message will hurt or offend or cause damage to someone somehow. We’ve all heard of shedding ‘blood, sweat and tears’ for our work as writers or artists, but This Knight is not one to thrash around holding his head nitpicking details and anticipating problems, this is the ‘just do it’ guy. We see a tower burns in the distance: this is ‘set the world on fire’ stuff…if you ever get up, get it out of your head and write it. Whatever it is, even a letter. Damn the collateral damage, at least you’ll sleep nights, and It’ll pay off big time.

Or: You were given a gift, take it on the road, you’ll slay ’em. In which case, do stay on the lookout for the highwayman..he does hold a 10th sword.

You may be up at night thinking of ways to spend a recent windfall – what came in may go out just as fast.

Bottom line is: worrying gets you nothing, action does.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 January 19: The Emperor & Knight of Swords & Three of Wands

Bring it. Ah, but can you, really? There is an old Mexican saying, “the napkin wants to be a tablecloth”. This is that, sort of. Maybe.

The Emperor, an Aries who showed up in 2018 probably more than any other card, today is in the past position. Whoever it is, you’re done with him. Boss, authority, rules and methods – which worked very well for him, by the way, and truth be told, you learned a lot if not everything you know from this person, probably much older. But, declares the brash and  bloody Knight of Swords, I’m ready to start up on my own. Be my own boss. I don’t need anybody to tell me what to do, bla bla bla.

At present, the Knight of Swords or Air (Libra/Gemini/Aquarius) shoulders his bloody sword as a tower burns in the distance, huge, orange and red flames shooting from the top of the gray, stone structure, a window glowing red. No, I didn’t see him do it, but the blood on his sword looks pretty fresh and the fire is raging as the tower burns down. The evidence is circumstantial –  he’s not even looking back at the carnage he may not even realized he’s caused, only ahead to the 3 of Wands in the future position, also influenced by Aries, and charges on to the next thing.

The 3 of Wands or Clubs is pondering the future. It’s tense, uncertain, and often called the ‘Writer’s Card’. A human stands waiting for something, or considering something or someone or somewhere off in the distance, holding his sprouting, straight branch and wondering where to plant it. Theres a lot of energy here between these 2, the Knight of Air and the Fire of the Wands.

Hot air. A lot. Of Hot. Air.

The thing I’m hoping is that this ambitious Knight doesn’t damn the torpedoes and charge ahead without a plan. The Emperor was a solid, stable 4, and the 3, is, well, a 3. This may mean a rather destabilizing confrontation you’d rather not have, or someone you’re moving away from. I don’t think I would depend on this Knight, I think he’s gone rogue, although he’s having a good day today. In spite of his boasting and wild tales of his many conquests and victories, he’s more of a guy that charges in and slices everyone’s head off, figuring one of them will have been the one he came for – especially without the wise guidance of the Emperor.  Rules of engagement? What are those?

Isn’t it better to consider and think through the potential obstacles to this plan? How do we get to the stable, happy #4?

If this Knight wants to be Emperor one day, he’d best start to think like the 3 of Wands – the human on the 3 we only see from the back as they ponder distant horizons, and it looks like he or she could have even been the Emperor in younger days. The Emperor also still holds a Sword, and still knows how to use it if he has to.  This Knight is out to conquer foreign shores, but hopefully with his creative work. Perhaps he or she are ‘just too much’ for where they are and are destined to create  – hopefully, please God – something entirely new, somewhere entirely new. This Knight is a good energy to have and will annihilate any obstacles in the way of achieving your future goals,  but there may be some perceived collateral damage. He’s no diplomat, he’s a Knight. I slay dragons for a living, after all, he says, sometimes a bunny gets hurt in the process.

Things may start to happen pretty fast now.

 

 

 

13 December 18: Three of Wands & The Magician

It’s what you’ve waited for. Prepared for, worked towards and dreamed of. Here it is, basically. Or it’s on its way in the form of someone who has the power to take your precious idea, vision or creation and make sure the whole world knows about it.

The 3 of Wands or Clubs (that ever-burning suit of Fire, Leo/Sagittarius/Aries) is a very creative card, and 3 is a very ‘fertile’ number. This is often called ‘The Writer’s Card’ because creation can be an intense process. Of course no matter what you invent, write or create, it’s your ‘baby’, born of your own imagination, inspiration, blood, sweat and tears.

This human has done as well as he or she can on their own and dreams of expansion, of taking it to another level, and of a wider audience for their work or products.  Traditionally described as a Merchant who stands on tall ground looking out over the ocean, ‘waiting for his ship to come in’, he or she is also very future-minded in that creators live for nothing but that next ‘spark’ of inspiration or new idea. The pondering human, already having planted one of 3 straight, strong, sprouting branches – it looks like a promising start – wonders when and where he should plant another. Should he invest more energy where he is or should he explore and expand? When his ship does come in, of course, he has all kinds of plans. Doesn’t everybody? Well, you know what? And you won’t believe this:

The f****** ship is coming in!

To the right and coming up from behind is the mighty Magician – the human doesn’t even even know he’s there.  Someone special is working behind the scenes to your benefit, and may very well offer to go in and go big with whatever it is you’re doing. This is a marketing genius, and knows whatever it is you’re doing could be and should be massive. He smells money.

In any case, the brakes are off and communications are a go and could take on an almost magical quality, almost as if you are where you always wanted to be, and it’s way, way better than you even dreamed it would be. IRL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 October 18: Three of Wands

Follow me shouts the human from the edge of a tall cliff from where he can see further than the rest of us (Rider-Waite). The is an Aries card but Leo and Sagittarius can be and are also represented by this inspired, passionate suit of Fire.

This is about leadership. You ‘fire people up’ with your vision, enthusiasm and drive. I’m all in with this human, whoever they are.

One of the many interesting concepts of the ICHING (Chinese Book of Changes) is that of leadership. Generally, rather than the idea of a ‘leader’ as a drum major leading a parade of followers,  ‘the center’ is to whom everyone looks to for guidance, wisdom, and counsel: a woman’s role in the home. When the ‘center’ is off, everything’s off.

On the Morgan-Greer card, the caped human with their back to us is looking way off out into the distance. Although we don’t see him standing on a cliff, he is eye-level with the mountains he sees out there, so we know his vantage point is one from some altitude. He or she is a visionary. In fact  there are no mountains higher than his own feverish human head. He sees no obstacles, only his destination.

One tall staff is held in the left hand, another in his right, and standing behind his back is the third. They form a triangle around him, and he or she is at the center. 

This is the card of the visionary with the ‘long view’. The breakthrough artist, writer, inventor, or even actual explorer. This sometimes means travel or trade by water. We don’t see any water on this desert landscape, but he’s the team leader and says the ocean is just over those mountains.

That third branch – starting to sprout, as they all do, with new energy – seems to be planted in the ground. This human could have established a business or name for himself where he is and is thinking of expanding, possibly overseas. New territory, new readers, new fans or followers, new investors.

If they don’t ‘get you’ where you’re at, take it somewhere they do.

 

 

2 October 18: Page of Coins

Do your research. I like this introspective,  serious, well grounded  young Page (or Prince, depending on the deck) of the solid suit of Earth (Virgo/Taurus/Capricorn).

Pages are messengers  bringing news, proclamations and invitations from the neighboring castles, kings and other movers and shakers of the court. He or she hopes to prove himself worthy of Knighthood someday and is diligent in his studies, research and demeanor. His or her attention to detail is extraordinary. .

A new job opportunity: will train the right person. 

Coins are money, obviously. Of course, nothing about the Tarot – or life, for that matter – is one-dimensional and this card can talk particularly about money from writing: a letter, working to become a paid writer, study notes,  job applications, grants.

Willing to learn. 

This is starting something new, even a whole new career, or going for a degree or certification that will bring you more money in your current line of work and take you to a whole new – and very lucrative – level.

The image on the card shows us a young human holding up and marveling at a large gold coin or pentacle, the gift of the Ace, the single ‘seed’ from which, if carefully tended, will grow and provide many more shiny gold coins for the rest of his life. He will work, study, polish and refine. This card I call the ‘boy scout’ card, he knows the manual inside and out and has all the merit badges. He sleeps in the damn uniform. He’s hunkered down to study for the winter, perhaps for a degree, exam or license. No matter how old he is, he is at it with the enthusiasm of a newbie.

An eager apprentice.

Whatever this determined, dependable Page is putting his mind and body to is going to be massively successful someday and you can bet on that because cause HE is.

This can mean a child or a young person (probably a little earth sign) holding up something he or she made or reading you something they wrote  that they are proud of –  possibly showing exceptional talent, which is always a good – if not the best – investment.

 

 

 

 

5 April 18: Eight of Swords, reversed

 

You’re free to go. You always were. I know there’s a long read on this card in the archives somewhere, but let’s re-visit under today’s Spring vibes on Jupiter Thursday.

I was really happy to see this card jump out of the shuffle this morning (and this isn’t a welcome card in any case) because I saw something on the interwebs that illustrated the Eight of Swords upright so perfectly  I couldn’t wait to use it to explain this card.

Link below. Warning: if you have dogs the audio will make them crazy.

So, this sometimes does mean physical imprisonment – in a spread, the surrounding cards would confirm if that were the case, i.e., Justice or Judgement.

This is a card of suffering, no way around it. The blindfolded figure who is loosely bound stands desolate and lonely, surrounded by 8 sharp swords stuck into the ground all around her. But they do not surround her, and behind her there are green fields and what looks like a castle (consistent on every deck I have, at least). Self-limitation and self-imprisonment is more often what this card means. There may have been some sort of restrictive situation that had you despondent and ‘trapped’, but you’re out of that state, and can move forward again. During your ‘imprisonment’, self-imposed or not, you really dug deep, thought long and hard, and you’re ready to move.

My brother has been gone from this particular human mammal configuration a year this month. Last month was very difficult – a real slide – but this month seems lighter. He’s not idle, though, and likes to flip cards. My brother served a lot of time. We talked a lot about the inmates’ stories. He never got the box of books and the cassette recorder I sent him, and I was pissed.

This card read as an occupation can represent a prison guard. Blindfolded, he sees no evil. He is surrounded by ‘bars’ and maybe hates his job and feels stuck, but he is free to walk away any and every day. Reversed, he’s not clean.

Reversed is freeing yourself. I have to dedicate this draw to the mind-blowing and sheer volume of writings in my inbox every day from the writers at Inmate Blogger, whose minds and hearts are so much bigger than any prison could ever contain. Don’t know when I’ll ever get through them all but madly inspiring. Respect.

I suggested to one of my more colorful friends who is very excited about the arrival of Spring that walking around announcing  “IT’S SPRING, AND I FEEL FERTILE!” is maybe not the best way to welcome the season.

As far as the pups, this card reversed means they figured their way out in the end.