Tarot Project: Ill-Dignified Six of Cups

The Six of Cups is a card of nostalgia. It is shows that the past lingers and still effects the present. Last time we saw this card, I wasn’t sure how to interpret it. I feel like we are all constantly effected by our pasts and shaped by them in ways we can’t understand, even when we try, being too close to be able to see clearly. As the Six of Cups is inverted today, the card holds the connotation that there are issues of the past that hinder the present. Nostalgia at the price of enjoying life. Lessons experienced but not learned.

Without going into too much detail, my partner and I are in the middle of an argument. The argument started yesterday, and we have so far failed to resolve it. An interpretation of the card could be that it signifies this argument, that the disagreement of yesterday is hindering us still today. Of course, it could also stretch beyond that. Our disagreement stems from a difference in how we communicate; an issue which pops up every now and again. Perhaps the card signifies how we have not resolved this issue in how we communicate. Going beyond that, my partner has some unresolved issues with his father. Again, not going into detail, sometimes things I do unknowingly triggers memories from his childhood, memories which cause a lot of stress and anxiety in him. So, the card could refer to any of these things. It’s reminder is the same, however. The past is the past; use your history as a guide, but live in the present.

Tarot Project: King of Wands

I ended up contributing to a Kickstarter yesterday for Mutant Year Zero: Genlab Alpha, a stand-alone expansion for an RPG some friends and I enjoy. After drawing the Six of Coins, I took it as a caution not to overextend myself, and so did not pledge as much money as I was tempted to. The restraint was probably for the best.

Today is the King of Wands. The King of Wands is less the creative aspect of fire, and more the passion and leadership side of the element. The person symbolized by the King of Wands has a vision for how to change the world. They pursue their goal with ambition and determination, and they inspire others to help them reach their goal. There may be challenges, but the King of Wands enjoys challenges and has confidence they will overcome.

As a Leo, I certainly work toward this positive aspect of fire signs, and try to embrace the confidence and determination of the element. While I’ve had some knocks in the self-confidence department over the past year, I feel like my confidence is coming back, and I hope this card represents my ability to push through to achieve my dreams.

Tarot Project: Ill-Dignified Six of Coins

About a week and a half ago, I posted about how I was finally feeling normal again. While that was true for that day, since then I have continued to feel sick, the tail end of my cold lingering and lingering. I have also been more busy than usual. Often by the end of the night I have time to do a reading, but that doesn’t work when the card is supposed to foretell what the day will be about. And then there are those who have told me not to waste my time on this. Still, while I haven’t been able to maintain my goal of writing blog posts every day, I don’t want to give up early.

In that mindset, today’s card is the Six of Coins, which represents charity. The querant may be either the giver or the receiver in this card. If it is dignified, it means there is a balanced flow of money. The giver is able to afford the charity, while the receiver will use the charity to get back on its feet and eventually repay the giver. Ill dignified, it means that the flow is somehow unbalanced. Possibly the giver cannot afford their own generosity, perhaps the taker has no plans to repay the gift and merely lives like a leech.

While I used to be very charitable, I was unable to afford the loss of income, and so have curtailed almost all of my giving, trying instead to not live in debt. Conversely, when I was being very charitable, I also couldn’t sustain myself, and so had to oftentimes live off the charity of others. Now, more or less I’m independent. So, the immediate meaning of this card is not clear to me, but it is a good caution to keep in mind, never-the-less.

Tarot Project: Ten of Pentacles

The Ten of Pentacles is a card of security. It is the culmination of work, either your labor or the labor of someone close to you, and you are now benefiting from that labor. In the Medieval Scapini, the Ten of Pentacles shows a fortified tower. A tree grows out front, with the family founder forming the roots, giving the tree a strong base for the branches of the family descendants to grow up tall. It is a card of home security as much as it is about work security and financial abundance.

Approaching my third anniversary with my partner, my home life does feel very secure. I have an abundance of work with marketing and serving to keep me busy, even though this is the “slow” season of the hospitality industry. My finances are actually not abundant at the moment; I will take this as a sign that I will receive an influx of cash soon, which will help feed my hungry bank account. The flow of earned money this January has been unusual; usually, the bulk of my money comes from tips, but this month a lot of my money is going to come from checks or payments, which haven’t been made yet. I also have to get back in the habit of conservative spending; I was making enough during December that I didn’t have to worry about impulse spending, but I am back to my normal income, which means budgeting and restraint.

Tarot Project: Nine of Cups

Wednesday of last week saw me a little sick with a sore throat. My partner had been sick for over a week, so it was bound to happen. At the end of the week, I jammed my toe hard enough to make it swell up big and purple. Sunday, I had a spa day at Loyly, and by the end of saunaing and steaming I felt much better. Today I finally feel mostly myself, and just went to get lots of yummy groceries.

Fittingly, the card I drew today is the Nine of Cups. The Nine of Cups represents, well, happiness. It speaks of emotional fulfillment and satisfaction. It also reminds to count the blessings of the day, because tomorrow you might draw a different card.

Tarot Project: Ill-Dignified Force

I did end up getting unexpected news from a family member yesterday. My mother spontaneously offered me some financial assistance (thank you mother). By all rights, I would think that such a windfall might be better expressed by the Nine of Pentacles, but maybe since I haven’t actually received the money yet, the Page of Cups was a better omen.

Today’s card, Force, also known as Strength, is one of the Major Arcana. Unlike the Chariot, which expresses an external productivity, Force represents an internal harmony. Force is about inner strength, control, and balance.

Reversed Force means weakness. Disharmony. Inability to balance what needs to be done. The needs of life are out of control. Perhaps there are just too many things that need to get done. Or some things are taking up too much time. As with all Major Arcana, there is a connotation of the environment to this card.

Too much to get done is definitely the feeling I had when I drew this card. I have had several days off recently, but only accomplished half of what I wanted to do. Today especially I feel like I’m not going to get done everything that I wanted, because some of the other things I have to do have higher priority and take up more time.

Just because there external factors making it difficult for my having internal cohesion does not mean that inner strength is impossible for me, though. I think this card is more a reminder to use excellent time-management skills and to not give in to self-doubt, rather than an excuse for letting my workload remain out of my control.

Tarot Project: Page of Cups

The last time we saw the Page of Cups, it was a reflection of the day I was having and the person I was being in that day. In all honesty, I’m not feeling especially spiritual, intuitive, or creative right now. I’m feeling much more muted earth. Pages indicate new beginnings, and I am launching a Facebook community for audiobook listeners tomorrow, but, while the project involves creative thought, by all rights it should be indicated by a wands card. Maybe an unexpected message will come my way? I think I’ll take a “wait and see” approach with this card.

Tarot Project: Ill-Dignified Ten of Wands

The Ten of Wands is the Lord of Oppression, which seems an odd name for this card. It represents the sometimes costs of unexpected success. Unmanageable demands on time and production. Stress.

Ill dignified, it means there are burdens the querent is holding on to that they don’t need to, or has unnecessarily assumed a burden. The situation is not demanding very much of them, but they are stressing about it anyway.

On the Scapini Ten of Wands, a man leads a donkey burdened with the fruits of his labor down a road to market, but brigands lie in wait. Reversed, the brigands are at the top of the card, insinuating that one reading of the ill-dignified Ten of Wands is that the querent has assumed the role of the brigands, and is out to ruin the success of others out of envy.

As I am not currently trying to destroy anyone, I will assume that it means I am unnecessarily stressing about things, which is probably true. I never get done as much as I want to, even when I’ve had a very productive weekend (which I had). Time doesn’t wait, however, so I gotta hustle, no matter what the tarot says!

Tarot Project: King of Cups

The King of Cups sits on a throne with monuments and masterpieces of art around him, an angel at his back shading his head. He is the epitome of culture, emotion, creativity, and the unconscious. He is a mediator between god and man, the subconscious and the conscious. He is balanced between awareness of his feelings and control of his actions.

I wrote yesterday about my new position with AudaVoxx, and I feel that this is an indication that I am on a positive journey in my life. I am still transitioning, but the steps I have taken have done a lot toward balancing my mind and emotions. I feel more productive and purposeful.

Additionally, as winter nears its end my seasonal affectedness will dissipate, though the worst will come around the equinox. But I already feel less monkey mind chatter, and returning to a workout routine is helping to sync my body’s processes again.

Tarot Project: Eight of Cups

Working in a hotel restaurant, the holiday season is our busiest time of year. This should be no surprise to anyone, but, at the same time, it most likely doesn’t register completely for those who don’t work in the service industry. During the slow season, for example, I might be scheduled to work four days and only work three. During the holiday season, on the other hand, I jump up to working six days a week. Even with scheduling every available employee as much as possible, there are still some days where we are simply short-staffed to deal with the sheer volume of people. Knowing this, I should have decided to take a break on writing for the Tarot Project for the month, but I wanted to tough through it. Obviously, that didn’t happen.

Moving on, today’s card is the Eight of Cups, the Lord of Abandoned Success. We’ve seen this card pop up before, part of a theme of transition and my feeling a need for deeper meaning in life. Since the last time I drew this card, I have accepted a new position as Marketing Director for AudaVoxx, an audiobook newsletter that offers curated suggestions to its subscribers. It is work that will allow me to use my love of books to enrich the publishing industry by growing a much needed service. Seeing the Eight of Cups again, I hope that it is acknowledging I have proceeded toward transition, even if there is personal growth yet to be made.