A full spread.
YOU DREW TEN CARDS:
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Environment
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.
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Obstacles
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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Above
The Empress
An idealized feminine spirit. One’s home, nation, or land. Nurturing. Protection.
Fruitfulness, action, initiative, length of days; the unknown, clandestine; also difficulty, doubt, ignorance. Reversed: Light, truth, the unravelling of involved matters, public rejoicings; according to another reading, vacillation.
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Below
Nine of Wands
Staves: Creating. Creative energy. Think of building a house with wooden planks.
Nine: You deserve it. You receive rewards due to your own efforts.
The figure leans upon his staff and has an expectant look, as if awaiting an enemy. Behind are eight other staves erect, in orderly disposition, like a palisade. Divinatory Meanings: The card signifies strength in opposition. If attacked, he will meet the onslaught boldly. With this main significance there are all its possible adjuncts — delay, suspension, adjournment. Reversed: Obstacles, adversity, calamity.
One last test will require you to draw on all your abilities; a final defense, for which you are prepared. The fight is on familiar turf and you will win out in the end, arriving at your destination with your achievement intact.
Reversed: You are being made to deal with something that you aren’t yet ready to face. Your path is blocked. Adversity lies ahead.
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Behind
The Lovers
Love and attraction as forces which overpower rationality and social mores. Romantic triangles and complications. Sensual motives underlying seemingly virtous actions. Choice. Choosing goodness over sensual satisfaction. A marriage or committed relationship. Creating a formal mechanism by which two energies can be combined.
Attraction, love, beauty, trials overcome. Reversed: Failure, foolish designs.
On its simplest level, The Lovers represents the act of union between the male and female spirits. Man and woman together are a potent creative force.
On another level, the card speaks to the next stage of a development — the point at which we move forward to begin building for the future with another.
A third meaning relates the male and female sides to a personality that exists within each of us — men and women alike. The male side represents the intellect, which is linked to the outer world, through conscious thought and reason, whereas the female is our connection to our unconscious self.
The card also acknowledges the emergence of sexuality within each of us — a change in our physical bodies and emotional and intellectual framework that both separates man from woman and at the same time creates the dynamic tension that draws us together. Similar tensions exist within ourselves as we try to live in both the external and unconscious worlds simultaneously.
Divinatory meaning: Choice between diverse allurements; the struggle between sacred and profane love. Attraction, beauty, harmony of the inner and outer life. The power of choice means responsibility. Reversed: Parental interference, danger of marriage breaking up, quarrels over children. The possibility of wrong choice.
This is the card of your emotional life with its ups and downs; it suggests conflicts of the flesh as opposed to those of the spirit. It also points to a good relationship or marriage and flows over into the making of positive decisions in your life. Reversed: A wrong choice will be made. Sexual infidelity may rear its ugly head, and you may be in for sexual difficulties as well.
Union, Emotional Life
“I am the sun of the Arcanum, the white sun: almost invisible but casting my light upon all the figures. I am this star: the joy of existing and the joy that the Other exists. I live in ecstasy. Everything fills me with happiness: nature, the entire universe, the existence of the Other in all its forms — the Other who is none other than me.”
“I am the awareness that shines like a bright living star in the center of your heart. I renew myself at every moment; at each instant I am being born. At your every heartbeat I am uniting you with the entire universe. It is from me that come the infinite connections joining you to all creation. Ah, the pleasure of living! Ah, the pleasure of becoming one! Ah, the pleasure of doing what I love! Messenger of the permanent impermanence, I am reborn every second. I am like a newborn archer launching arrows at everything his senses can capture.”
“I am not kindness; I am not ambition for well-being or triumph. I am unconditional love. I will teach you how to live in wonder, recognition, and joy.”
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Ahead
Two of Wands
Staves: Creating. Creative energy. Think of building a house with wooden planks.
Two: It takes two. A dialogue. Weighing and comparing different possibilities.
A tall man looks from a battlemented roof over sea and shore; he holds a globe in his right hand and a staff in his left rests on the battlement; another is fixed in a ring. The Rose and Cross and Lily should be noticed on the left side. Divinatory Meanings: Between the alternative readings there is no marriage possible; on the one hand, riches, fortune, magnificence; on the other, physical suffering, disease, chagrin, sadness, mortification. The design gives one suggestion; here is a lord overlooking his dominion and alternately contemplating a globe; it looks like the malady, the mortification, the sadness of Alexander amidst the grandeur of this world’s wealth. Reversed: Surprise, wonder, enchantment, emotion, trouble, fear.
You have a grasp of what you are capable of accomplishing and know what needs to be done. You know your investments will pay off if you follow the plan you’ve laid out. You sense success, feel proud, and are looking forward to the outcome. You are moving in the right direction. Reversed: Going in the wrong direction. Not paying proper attention to details. Receiving mixed signals. Tasks seem overwhelming, can’t get a grip on what you must do. Not in touch with your energies.
A man of properties looks out from his battlements over the sea; he holds a globe in his right hand and a staff in his left. Another staff is fixed in a ring. Roses and lilies are crossed on the left side of the card. Divinatory Meaning: Lord of the manor. Riches, fortune, magnificence, dominion. Interest in scientific methods. Reversed: Physical suffering, sadness, domination by others.
Rewards are well-earned.
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You
King of Swords
Swords: Defending. Self-defense and setting boundaries. Think of drawing a line in the sand with a sword point.
King: Controlling. Using force and authority to impose one’s will.
He sits in judgment, holding the unsheathed sign of his suit. Divinatory Meanings: Whatsoever arises out of the idea of judgment and all its connexions — power, command, authority, militant intelligence, law, offices of the crown, and so forth. Reversed: Cruelty, perversity, barbarity, perfidy, evil intention.
Use your experiences of the past to guide your thinking. Be fair in making decisions that affect other people. Reversed: Lack of compassion can cause hurt to other people. Don’t be so strict that it borders on cruelty in your dealings with others. Don’t allow prejudice to cloud your vision.
A stern king, his sword unsheathed, sits in judgment. Behind him on a banner are the butterflies of soul. They are also found on the queen’s throne. The cypress trees of Venus stand out against a stormy sky. Divinatory Meaning: A man with dark brown hair and brown eyes, he has the power of life and death. It may betoken a wise man, a counselor full of helpful ideas; whatever rises from authority, military, and government concerns, law, judgment. Reversed: A man who can be cruel, barbarous, unjust. Caution in matters that may result in a ruinous lawsuit.
A thin-faced, sharp-featured, clever man will help with professional advice.
He supervises his thought and puts it into action in the world.
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Others
The Sun
Well-being. Warmth. Security. Peace. Innocence. Optimism. Clear perception of that which was glimpsed in the Star and obscured in the Moon.
Material happiness, fortunate marriage, contentment. Reversed: The same in a lesser sense.
In The Sun we are free. Free of our burdens, our material concerns. We have traveled far since beginning the journey as a Fool, and yet we come to this stop along the way even younger than when we began. That’s because we are young in mind and spirit. Enriched by the past experiences of our lives, we begin a new stage in life on a higher plane, wiser and more confident. We have been reborn many times on this journey. And we will be reborn many times more.
A naked child mounted on a white horse holds a banner aloft. The child rides without saddle or bridle because he represents perfect balance and control between the self-conscious and the unconscious. He seems to have emerged from the walled garden behind him into the glorious sunlight. Four sunflowers, corresponding to the four kingdoms of nature — mineral, vegetable, animal and human — are turned toward the child, signifying that all creation turns to man for its final development.
Creativeness, life forever renewed. Nature, the mother of all growth and life.
Attainment and material happiness. Good marriage and happy reunions. Achievements in art, science and agriculture. Studies completed, liberation; pleasure in the simple life. Reversed: Future plans clouded; possible broken engagement; loss of a valued object unless vigilance is exerted; voided contract.
At the end of the long and dark night will always be the light. Let the sunlight warm you and give you strength to overcome any difficulties that may rise up before you. Wholeness and harmony can be achieved if you can keep the sun in your heart. This is a card of triumph and rewards greater than gold. Reversed: Complete failure, loss of hope. At best only minor success can be attained.
The beginning of a new life in which past difficulties are left behind.
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Illusions
Five of Wands
Staves: Creating. Creative energy. Think of building a house with wooden planks.
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.
A posse of youths are brandishing staves, as if in sport or strife. It is mimic warfare, and hereto correspond the divinatory meanings. Divinatory Meanings: Imitation, as, for example, sham fight, the strenuous competition and struggle for the search after riches and fortune. Hence some attributions say that it is a card of gold, gain, opulence. Reversed: Litigation, disputes, trickery, contradiction.
The calm is shattered. You face competition from others for the same thing. The outcome could be in your favor if you are careful, act forcefully, and don’t give in. Be firm and stand your ground. Don’t let anyone get the advantage over you. Reversed: The conflict and disharmony are passing. New opportunities will be forthcoming. Positive change is in the air. Be ready for it. Also can indicate healthy competition.
A group of young men are shown brandishing wands as if in combat. It may be mimic warfare. Divinatory Meaning: Strenuous competition, strife. Struggle in trying to attain riches and success. The battle of life. There may be quarreling and a lawsuit. Reversed: New business opportunities. A compromise is reached.
Don’t let obstacles get in your way.
The Five of Wands carries a temptation, a new desire, and an energy to go beyond what has been known to this point. This can be initiation into hitherto unknown sexual practices or, in the creative domain, evolution toward unsuspected depths and a larger dimension. This is also the strength of the teacher or saint who is not afraid to use the energy of the Wand to heal and bless. In its negative meanings, the Five of Wands concerns perverse sexual practices, a conflict between sexuality and spirituality, creativity that requires drugs or alcohol to express itself, or a desire for evolution that has not been acted upon.
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To Come
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.