Prompt: “Pull at least three cards and use them as the foundation to tell us about the life of a very delicate or fragile object or person.”
The dandelion tuft stands tall in the grass,
(The Fool)
proud of its lions mane of white
(Six of Wands)
A soft breeze tussling it’s delicate fibers
(Temperance)
until a stronger one makes them take flight
(Three of Wands)
And the now bereft head watches with a sigh
(Death)
as its seedlings float away out of sight
(Ace of Pentacles)
Prompt: Pull the same three cards from your deck(s) and tell us how you might interpret these decks differently, and why. Same question, same cards, different decks. And if you’d read them similarly? Tell us that, and explain why! Today’s cards are The Star, Four of Tomes (Pentacles), Creator of Bells (Queen of Swords). And the question from our imaginary querent is “What do I need to keep in mind for the upcoming trip?”
“What do I need to keep in mind for the upcoming trip?”
Interpretation from the Numinous Tarot
In your preparation for this trip, make sure that you seek out advice from others (Creator of Bells) you know have already been on this trip in the past and are well versed in travel. They have nuggets of grounded wisdom to share with you (Four of Tomes), and advice that can help you through what would otherwise feel like obstacles and struggle (Creator of Bells again). You can approach this trip without consulting with them, placing all of your trust on a wing and a prayer (The Star card’s figure on a cloud among the stars), but you’ll find garnering a little advice from someone “in the know” will serve you well in the end and help everything go more smoothly.
“What do I need to keep in mind for the upcoming trip?”
Interpretation from The Titanic Tarot
Be practical in your planning when it comes to the finances involved in this trip (Four of Coins). There is a good chance there are going to be added expenses you aren’t anticipating. Don’t plan your finances so stringently that you can’t have a little wiggle room in that area when you need it (The imagery of the safe in the Four of Coins), and don’t spend so freely, trusting in the universe to take care of you (The Star and the figure pouring out her pitchers into the sea), or you may find the funds you need not accessible to you when you need them (Loose coins falling to the bottom of the sea and the closed safe in the Four of Coins). Judicious, well grounded preparations are needed to make sure you are prepared with a contingency fund when you need it (Queen of Swords).
Prompt : Shuffle your deck of choice, then pull out every ninth card.
Of the eight cards now sitting in front of you, which card do you relate to most strongly and why?
At this time, I feel like I relate most strongly to the Nine of Swords. There’s a lot of changes going on in my business right now and I’m finding it difficult to stay open to the feelings of uncertainty I’m experiencing instead of falling into catastrophizing. Although insomnia is not a part of the experience right now, constant worry and anxiety issues thrum beneath the surface.
Of the seven cards now left sitting in front of you, which card do you relate to the least and why?
I feel that I currently relate least strongly to The Emperor. I definitely do not feel like I have all my ducks in a row, nor that my influence is having much of an impact on what’s going on with my business at this time. Instead, I feel like I’m struggling unnecessarily hard due to others choices and influences that I have no control over and no agency to change.
There are now six cards left. Assign a real person in your life, a fictional character, a movie, a book, or a song to each of these six cards and then tell us why you made the choice you did for each. (I chose to use a handful of the books I’ve read so far this summer.)
Wheel of Fortune – The Storyline of How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates
Every time you think you know what’s going on in this storyline, something happens that takes things off on another left turn. No one has solid footing, not in the book, and not you as the reader. There’s a lot left up to chance, and this story tells you just how wrong (and sometimes right) things can go when there’s no solid footing with which to make a plan.
Ace of Swords – Fionn Kane in Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
While Fionn is away overseas, he does the absolutely most surprising thing and writes numerous letters to Rose even though he couldn’t tell her where he was or when he’d be back. Through these letters, Rose (and you as the reader) get to see a side of him that he’d never shown her in person and it creates a connection over distance in a way that wouldn’t have been possible through any other means.
Seven of Cups – The donor recipients in A Killer Harvest by Paul Cleave
I spent a good part of this book, especially toward the end, wondering how it is that one donor’s personality and desires were able to out-weigh or overwhelm the other’s in young Joshua. It doesn’t feel like the fact that one of the donors was his foster father should be enough to make a difference. This might have been further explained in the book with the introduction of other characters and their own experiences, but although presented as uncontrolled, it felt more like there was definite choices involved every step of the way.
Knight of Pentacles – Louisa Halder in Wolf Worm by T Kingfisher
She took her time showing up (finally) at the end of the book, eventually appearing to step in like a knight on a white horse to provide some stability (especially in the monetary/resource/hearth and home areas) that was needed when everything fell apart.
Ten of Wands – Ash Harrington in His Cocky Valet by Cole McCade
This guy is so overwhelmed and out of his league when he’s left in charge of his father’s business, and even when help arrives, he doesn’t know how to ask for it or what to do with it. He’s drowning in his responsibilities. Part of the storyline for Ash is learning how to ask for help and how to lean on others instead of taking everything on his own shoulders until he’s ready to break.
Nine of Wands – Finlay Ashowen in The House Witch 3 by Delemhach
In the initial battles of the war, Finlay Ashowen uses his magic again and again to protect his home and those he loves and cares for, and again and again we see him beaten down and exhausted. He continues to rise up and fight again, though, finding ways to use what is not a “battle” magic in ways to protect those around him and what he values most.
Prompt: Pull the same three cards from your deck(s) and tell us how you might interpret these decks differently, and why. Same question, same cards, different decks. And if you’d read them similarly? Tell us that, and explain why! Today’s cards are Seven of Dandelions (Swords), Ten of Mushrooms (Coins), and Ten of Branches (Wands). And the question from our imaginary querent is “What is something I’ve been neglecting lately and how could I pay it some more attention?”
“What is something I’ve been neglecting lately and how could I pay it some more attention?”
Interpretation from the Enchanted Forest Felines Tarot:
All that hard work you’ve been doing has the potential to slip through your fingers if you’re not careful.
Pay attention to what you choose to pursue, and what you’ve chosen to leave behind. You can’t turn back for those discarded bits later, because you’ll already be carrying far too much on your shoulders, so make sure that you choose wisely.
Keep in mind when making these choices that what you take on benefits not just you and your goals, but also those that join you on your journey or wait for you at the end of it.
“What is something I’ve been neglecting lately and how could I pay it some more attention?”
Interpretation from the Hoi Polloi Tarot
You think that you’re supporting everyone and that they’re all appreciative of what you provide, but all that back breaking work is being taken for granted by someone far more interested with taking off with what’s yours than enjoying it along side you.
Pay attention to those that take what you offer for granted, and ensure that they aren’t taking more than their share without respecting the work you’ve put into it.
Prompt: “Draw (at least) three cards, and use them to create a new ending to a movie you wish had ended differently. Share your cards, as well as the name of your movie, and the new ending that you have devised from the cards.”
Movie: City of Angels (1998)
After having seen the ending of this movie for the first time, I’ve always chosen to turn the movie off at the cabin scene instead of watching it all the way through.
The ending is just too heart-wrenching and painful. I think it makes the movie even more striking, but I just can’t deal with the emotional upheaval that it causes.
The New Ending
Left Card – God looks down at Seth and Maggie from on high, and is pleased with what he sees, the happiness and love that the couple has found, and forgives Seth for having fallen in order to love Maggie as a man.
Center Card – God blesses them with stability in their relationship and lives together. The type of stability that provides a rock of strength under their feet, even in rough or difficult times.
Right Card – With that stability, Seth and Maggie plant the seeds of love and family. They have five happy and healthy children; all with a touch of angel magic within them.
Prompt: Below is a 3-card spread from Sasuraibito Tarot and a question/prompt to go with it. Your task is to pull the same three cards from your deck(s) and tell us how you might interpret these two (or more) decks differently, and why. Same question, same cards, different decks. And if you’d read them similarly? Tell us that, and explain why!
Today’s cards are Six of Wands, Two of Swords, and Two of Cups. And the question from our imaginary querent is “How can I best nurture whatever is sprouting right now?”
You are at an impasse (Two of Swords positioned in the center) between people pleasing for your community (Six of Wands), or connecting more closely with someone specifically that matters (Two of Cups).
Although you connect strongly with your community (strong, sturdy staffs) and they provide you with a great deal of growth (leaves and flowers growing from the staffs) and comfort through the diversity you find there (rainbow), you can’t pursue this connection -and- connect more deeply with this single person (linked pinky fingers in the Two of Cups) at the same time (separated by Swords).
To best nurture what is sprouting right now in your life, you need to decide which side of the coin you want to pursue; the community connection, or that closer one-on-one relationship. Both offer you growth, but it’s too much to try and do both at the same time.
You can work hard to achieve the recognition you crave from others (Six of Wands/Spatulas), or (Two of Hooks/Swords) you can allow yourself to build something meaningful between yourself and someone else (Two of Patties/Cups).
Either of these pursuits is going to snare (hooks instead of Swords) all of your attention, tangling you up in it so that you’re unable to do both. Specifically, on the side of things where you develop a meaningful connection with someone else, there’s a good chance that even if you met them at work, they’re going to be a distraction -from- your work in the end (there’s a spatula hanging in the air between them in the background).
You have a choice. These cards indicate that you can’t have both, after all. You can try to balance both, but in doing so both situations are going to get dicey and you’re giving up your ability to choose which one will be your end result. By directing your attention to the choice you prefer, you give that side of things a better chance of growing into fruition.
Twisting the Leaf 