A full spread.
YOU DREW TEN CARDS:
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Environment
Nine of Pentacles
Coins: Obtaining. Providing for yourself. Establishing a comfort zone. Taking risks with resources. Think of the thoughts and feelings you experience when you buy a lottery ticket.
Nine: You deserve it. You receive rewards due to your own efforts.
A woman, with a bird upon her wrist, stands amidst a great abundance of grape vines in the garden of a great house. Divinatory Meanings: Prudence, safety, success, accomplishment, certitude, discernment. Reversed: Roguery, deception, voided project, bad faith.
You’ve earned great success and have much to enjoy. Skills honed in business world can help you manage your life overall. Your abilities can take you wherever you want to go; you’re not dependent on others for success. Reversed: Gains have been (or could be) lost. Bad decisions may be at fault. Didn’t pay attention to what others were telling you. Expected yields aren’t forthcoming.
A mature, well-dressed woman stands in her vineyard. There is a manor house in the background. The falcon on her wrist indicates her thoughts are as well controlled as the bird. Divinatory Meaning: Material well-being, accomplishment, prudence, safety. There may be an inheritance from this woman or, if she seems to be the seeker, she will receive more wealth. Wisdom. A life well-organized. Reversed: Roguery, dissipation, voided project, bad faith. Possible loss of home or friendship.
Hard work will bring success.
A material stage has been completed, giving birth to a new one.
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Obstacles
Ace of Pentacles
Coins: Obtaining. Providing for yourself. Establishing a comfort zone. Taking risks with resources. Think of the thoughts and feelings you experience when you buy a lottery ticket.
Ace: There’s a first time for everything. Beginnings. A seed that will grow.
A hand – issuing, as usual, from a cloud – holds up a pentacle. Divinatory Meanings: Perfect contentment, felicity, ecstasy; also speedy intelligence; gold. Reversed: The evil side of wealth, bad intelligence; also great riches.
Good foundation for increasing money, perhaps through new venture or enterprise. Fertile soil in which to plant your ideas and come back later to harvest what grows. A chance to better your financial situation through promotion, career change. Reversed: Move with caution before making major investments. Plan carefully, weigh the risks. Don’t succumb to greed. Possible loss on the horizon. Material gain may not provide the answers you are seeking.
The familiar symbol of a hand issuing forth from a cloud here holds the pentacle, while lilies grow in the garden below. Divinatory Meaning: Perfect attainment. Ecstasy, felicity, bliss. Gold, prosperity, wealth. Reversed: Corruption of character by surplus wealth; the evil side of riches.
Financial success.
The Last Shall Be First
This card signifies material energy in all its potential forms: body, resources, the position we hold in the world, territory. The fact that pentacles are always referred to in the plural shows that this energy is essentially collective. The Ace of Pentacles orients us on our relationship with incarnation, family life, the home, money, and health. It directs our questions to the concrete aspects of life. Its negative meanings can refer us to a financial problem or denial of matter; or, to the contrary, an excess of material preoccupations, illness, physical neglect, malnutrition, or poverty.
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Above
Five of Pentacles
Coins: Obtaining. Providing for yourself. Establishing a comfort zone. Taking risks with resources. Think of the thoughts and feelings you experience when you buy a lottery ticket.
Five: Challenging yourself. A monkey wrench. Things don’t go as expected and you’re challenged to grow. Or you may be deliberately challenging yourself.
Two mendicants in a snowstorm pass a lighted casement. Divinatory Meanings: It foretells material trouble above all, whether in the form illustrated – that is, destitution – or otherwise. For some cartomancists, it is a card of love and lovers – wife, husband, friend, mistress; also concordance, affinities. These alternatives cannot be harmonised. Reversed: Disorder, chaos, ruin, discord, profligacy.
A destitute couple pass under a lighted window. The unfortunates in outer darkness have not yet realized the inner light. Note that the Fives of each suit are negative cards. Divinatory Meaning: Material trouble, loneliness, destitution, spiritual impoverishment. Could mean unemployment, loss of home. Dark night of the soul. Reversed: Money regained, new employment, good companionship, new interest in business or spiritual matters.
The Pentacles deal with money, finance, business, prosperity and security.
Five of Pentacles: Ruin, financial collapse.
In the heart of stability a new interest is opening connected to a spiritual, planetary, or cosmic dimension. The negative dimension can be a reversal of fortune, a bad doctor, a descent into drugs or alcohol, a venal financial advisor, a swindler, an unscrupulous industrialist, a stock exchange crash, or nervous depression.
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Below
Knight of Swords
Swords: Defending. Self-defense and setting boundaries. Think of drawing a line in the sand with a sword point.
Knight: Focusing. Single-mindedness. Determination.
In full course, as if scattering his enemies. Divinatory Meanings: Skill, bravery, capacity, defence, address, enmity, wrath, war, destruction, opposition, resistance, ruin. Reversed: Imprudence, incapacity, extravagance.
Good time to apply your mental energies to solving problems, seeking solutions, developing plans. Time to evaluate results will come later. Reversed: Thoughts are too scattered, coming too quickly. Need to focus, slow down. Be wary of anyone who suddenly presents you with unsolicited ideas for consideration.
A knight rides recklessly, at full speed, scattering his enemies. He symbolizes Galahad, the typical hero of romantic chivalry. Divinatory Meaning: A dark-haired, brown-eyed young man strong and domineering, typifying skill and bravery. Someone about to rush headlong into the life of the seeker. The card may stand for skill, bravery, defense or war, conflict, and destruction. The cards on either side of this one in the layout should give an indication of the good or destructive influence to come. Reversed: Incapacity, extravagance, braggadocio.
A soldier or a brave, dark and strong youth may help you.
Henceforth he will travel on only those paths that have heart.
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Behind
Two of Pentacles
Coins: Obtaining. Providing for yourself. Establishing a comfort zone. Taking risks with resources. Think of the thoughts and feelings you experience when you buy a lottery ticket.
Two: It takes two. A dialogue. Weighing and comparing different possibilities.
A young man in the act of dancing has a pentacle in either hand, and they are joined by that endless cord which is like the number 8 reversed. Divinatory Meanings: On the one hand it is represented as a card of gaiety, recreation and its connexions, which is the subject of the design; but it is read also as news and messages in writing, as obstacles, agitation, trouble, embroilment. Reversed: Enforced gaiety, simulated enjoyment, literal sense, handwriting, composition, letters of exchange.
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Ahead
Two of Swords
Swords: Defending. Self-defense and setting boundaries. Think of drawing a line in the sand with a sword point.
Two: It takes two. A dialogue. Weighing and comparing different possibilities.
A hoodwinked figure balances two swords upon her shoulders. Divinatory Meanings: Conformity and the equipoise which it suggests, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms, affection, intimacy. Reversed: Imposture, falsehood, duplicity, disloyalty.
You can’t decide. Instead, you close your eyes to what faces you. You step back from the situation, taking time to get your emotions in check, to ponder things in silence. You can’t remain aloof forever; soon you will have to decide. Reversed: Although a decision has been made, and action has been taken, it is too early to tell if it was the right thing to do. Only time will tell. Either way, things are beginning to move.
A blindfolded woman balances two swords upon her shoulders. She sits on a bench with her back to the sea. The crescent moon looks down upon her. Divinatory Meaning: Balanced forces, stalemate, indecision, impotence, a temporary truce in family quarrels. Reversed: Release, movement of affairs, sometimes in the wrong direction. Caution against dealings with rogues.
Gold circumstances rising out of adversity.
The intellect remains passive, waiting for an action.
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You
The Fool
Foolishness. Nonconformity. Devout. Humor which illuminates a situation. Unexpected good advice.
Folly, mania, extravagance, intoxication, delirium, frenzy, bewrayment. Reversed: Negligence, absence, distribution, carelessness, apathy, nullity, vanity.
Who but a fool would leap headlong into the void, seemingly uncaring about the potential dangers, trials, and challenges that lie ahead? The Fool’s innocence is also his charm and what makes him so attractive. The Fool is untouched by life, but ready for the experience. He represents purity of action. There is no time for analysis or strategy. He doesn’t look behind him. He only looks forward. The Fool needs no encouragement to begin the journey. He does not need to test the water. He’ll find out when he steps in it whether it is warm or cold.
His motives are pure. He seeks to discover. His quest is for life — and he is willing to give it a chance, come what may. The Fool lives to live.
The Fool is a believer in all things, especially the potential that life holds. But ask him to be elaborate, and he’ll smile and say, “Find out for yourself.” His source of knowledge comes from inside. He trusts his instincts — he instinctively “knows”.
The card tells us to take the plunge, follow our heart, listen to the inner call. We are being told to face the risks, even tempt fate. The card also reminds us of the power of our imagination and our dreams. The message is simple: all things are possible. Reversed: A thin line divides the act of The Fool from foolishness. The need to exercise caution, not to charge ahead foolishly. It also could mean that you are holding yourself back, not paying attention to your instincts. You say to yourself, “if in doubt, don’t do it.”
The Fool is depicted as a youth lightly stepping to the edge of a precipice surrounded by lofty mountains. He looks out into the distance; the abyss at his feet holds no terrors for him. A dog barks at his heels. The wand over his shoulder is a symbol of the will, and the wallet contains the stored-up knowledge of universal memory. The rose he carries is white, to indicate freedom from lower forms of desire.
The Fool is about to enter the supreme adventure — that of passing through the gates of experience to reach Divine Wisdom. He is the cosmic Life-Breath, about to descend into the abyss of manifestation. Every man must journey forward and choose between good and evil. If he has no philosophy, he is The Fool. He must pass through the experiences suggested in the remaining 21 cards, to reach in card 21 the climax of cosmic consciousness or Divine Wisdom.
Divinatory Meaning: The subject of the reading faces a choice in life — a choice of vital importance to him. Therefore he must be careful to use all his powers to make the right choice. Reversed: The choice made is likely to be faulty.
Unencumbered and unnumbered. Although the Fool may seem like an innocent, it is one of the most complex and human of all cards, containing as it does the holy innocence of a wise man. But the fool is also a trickster and a charlatan, with all of the human contradictions and problems that we all face every day. The fool is neither male nor female, good nor evil, angel nor devil. It is the symbol of human potential and new beginnings, rising up to meet all new challenges that come to it on its long road. The Fool prefers to look forward to the future rather than dwell in the past. Reversed: Beware of foolish lack of forethought.
Freedom, Great Supply of Energy
The fool has a name, but he does not have a number. He represents the original boundless energy, total freedom, madness, disorder, chaos, or even the fundamental creative urge. The key phrase of The Fool could be “All paths are my path.”
The Fool evokes an enormous burst of energy. Wherever he goes, he brings this vital impulse with him.
This card, an inseminator of energy, will exacerbate, nourish, or despoil the surrounding cards. The Fool is a mirror of The Nameless Arcanum, which could well be his skeleton. The Fool shows us that the capacity to act is also acquired through the initiatory crossing through madness and death.
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Others
Three of Swords
Swords: Defending. Self-defense and setting boundaries. Think of drawing a line in the sand with a sword point.
Three: Having a plan. Formulating a strategy to accomplish a goal.
Three swords piercing a heart; cloud and rain behind. Divinatory Meanings: Removal, absence, delay, division, rupture, dispersion, and all that the design signifies naturally. Reversed: Mental alienation, error, loss, distraction, disorder, confusion.
It was necessary to remove what was causing you pain, trouble, or difficulty. And now you experience new pain. But it will soon pass. The new pain will cause you to sharpen your focus, to see new directions, to put the problems of the past behind you. Reversed: Your pain will remain with you until you acknowledge the reason for the separation or change you had to make. You must put it behind you so you can get on with your life. Also, discord crated by different points of view; can’t seem to find a consensus with others.
A heart pierced by three swords. Rain and clouds in the background. A depiction of stormy weather. Divinatory Meaning: Sorrow, tears, separation, delay. For a woman, the possible flight of her lover. Reversed: A meeting with one whom the subject has compromised. Disorder, confusion. Care should be taken against possible loss.
Benefits from obstacles removed.
The fantastic bursting forth of primary ideas and first opinions. Intellectual enthusiasm and passion for studying and reading. The Three can also point to a lack of follow-through on ideas.
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Illusions
Page of Cups
Cups: Interacting. Emotions and relationships of all kinds. Dealing with people. Think of two people toasting each other with wine glasses.
Knave: Learning. Curiosity. Becoming interested.
A fair, pleasing, somewhat effeminate page, of studious and intent aspect, contemplates a fish rising from a cup to look at him. Divinatory Meanings: Fair young man, one impelled to render service and with whom the Querent will be connected; a studious youth; news, message; application, reflection, meditation; also these things directed to business. Reversed: Taste, inclination, attachment, seduction, deception, artifice.
A new idea will break through the surface. It may be delivered by a friend. It’s a good time to apply your creativity, to try new methods, initiate new projects. Could also signal development of psychic ability. Reversed: Acting on impulse could lead to trouble. Need to mature, become more thoughtful. Must learn to accept responsibility for self and actions. Ignoring ideas that may be beneficial.
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To Come
The Moon
A perception of larger truth, more than the glimpse we saw in the Star but still obscured. Mystery. Unease. Hidden motivations. A wild, untamed, Dianic energy.
Hidden enemies, danger, calumny, darkness, terror, deception, error. Reversed: Instability, inconstancy, silence, lesser degrees of deception and error.
The Moon glows, but it does not illuminate the earth below. It is not a guide like The Star and it does not warm or brighten. The light The Moon casts isn’t even its own — it’s a reflection of The Sun. The reality we know by day is now cloaked in an illusion. When The Moon is high in the night, we enter the dreamworld. And in this netherworld, things are not as they always seem. The familiar shapes of the daytime hours take on different meanings. We must be on guard. Even the Moon doesn’t reveal all of itself to us. It grows from a little sliver to a full moon — another reminder that not everything has been revealed to us.
The Moon card warns us of the unknown, yet at the same time beckons us. It’s that fear of the unknown that attracts. We don’t know where the journey will lead and yet we’re willing to take the risks, to venture out into the darkness. The Moon tugs on us, just as it pulls the tides. Reversed: Not a time to venture out. Stay with the path you know best. Lacking in faith and in nerve. Going through a phase. In the dark about things.
A dog and a wolf are seen baying at the moon. The pool in the foreground is the same as that shown in Keys #14 and #17. It is the great deep of mind stuff out of which emerges physical manifestation. The shellfish symbolizes the early stages of conscious unfoldment. The wolf is nature’s untamed creation, while the dog is a product of adaptation to life with man. The path ascends ever upward between the towers. The upward progress of man is here symbolized; the moon signifies the reflected light of subconsciousness; the falling drops of dew (Yods) represent the descent of the life-force from above into material existence. Divinatory Meaning: Imagination, intuition, dreams. May mean bad luck to one you love. Unforeseen perils, deception, secret foes. Reversed: Storms will be weathered, peace gained at a cost. Imagination will be harnessed by practical considerations.
For a prudent person, this can be an unfortunate card. The moon is an irrational supernatural force in the universe. Sometimes intuition can be your best friend. Believe in yours and listen to it closely. Your irrational side can overcome many obstacles, yet it must be used carefully since it can lead to a dangerous fantasy world. Reversed: Forewarns against letting your life become too stagnant and cold. Don’t become old before your time.
Receptive Female Power
The moon is one of humanity’s oldest symbols; it represents the maternal feminine archetype par excellence, the Cosmic Mother. Its essential quality is receptivity: the satellite body of the moon reflects the light of the sun. The moon is also the world of dreams, the imaginal realm, and the subconscious, traditionally associated with night. The Moon symbolizes the mysteries of the soul, the secret process of gestation, everything that is hidden. The moon is connected with biorhythms, water, tides, menstrual cycles, and the transition from life to death. Its infinite receptive potential is its greatest treasure.