
Post 2: Insight to the Present
“You can use tarot cards to help you make decisions and find clarity” (Greer, 2002), and to help find peace of mind and focus. The very reason that I started this journey is to see if Tarot aids me in self reflection. Despite their occult connotations, many of the practitioners I’ve talked to including some friends and my mother said that they “-do not at all believe that the cards can predict the future. I just use them because no matter what cards I draw, they get me thinking. [...] They usually have pretty good advice.” (Personal communication, 13 April , 2021). The purpose of introspection readings is to gain insight into your current situation, encouraging you to think about your life in different ways. What might be bearing down on your mind more than you thought and even helping you prioritize what you want. “Tarot readings do not have to be a literal telling of your future, but rather a tool for introspection and self-reflection.” (How to Use Tarot as a Tool for Self-Reflection and Meditative Therapy, 2018).
One reason for this may be that the cards’ meanings in general are thought provoking, regardless of what you draw. Anderton attributes C.G. Jung’s synchronicity theories to the drawing of seemingly random cards having significant meaning. “Synchronicity describes a coincidence that is imbued with meaning by the person, or persons, who experience it.” (Anderton, 1996) Each card has many meanings that vary from context to context, and while some are very specific, most are broad enough that they could be applied to most human scenarios, especially because they reflect many inherently human reactions and feelings. “The tarot represents the spectrum of the human condition, the good, the evil, the light, and the dark. Do not fear the darker aspects of the human condition. Understand them. The tarot is a storybook about life, about the greatness of human accomplishment, and also the ugliness we are each capable of.” (Wen, 2015). When a reader looks at a card, they are encouraged to search through their emotions and feelings to find something that might apply, and in doing so might drudge up some before unconsidered information, or order their before chaotic thoughts. “The tarot cards are often seen as a mirror of what you are experiencing in your life. When a card comes up in a reading, it encourages you to look inside yourself to look for areas where this may resonate.” (Esther, 2020)
The Celtic Cross Reading:
The Celtic cross is a ten card reading that gives detailed answers about a problem or your current situation. It comprises a six-card ‘cross’ and a four-card ‘influences’ section. I asked the cards about problems I’m currently having with my job that is negatively impacting my mental and (severely, as of late) physical health. I don’t know how to move forwards from my current situation. I’m going to keep this really brief because this is a really complicated reading. “The layout known as the Celtic Cross is one of the most detailed and complex spreads found in the Tarot community.” (Wigington, 2019).
The positions in the cross mean the following:
(Note: Because the picture is hard to see, I also noted what I drew for each position and their meanings.)




Card 1: The Queirant (Center) - Seven of Swords
This card represents the person asking the question, or sometimes someone in their lives that is very close to them personally such as a lover, a business partner, or their child.
The Seven of Swords means that it’s time for change, and that a time of adversity is upon you, but through mental persistence, a close examination of potential and previously unseen options, and adaptability, there is still time to change it. It can also imply dishonesty and hidden motives.
Card 2: The Situation (Crossing the Center) - Ace of Swords
This card represents the situation at hand and whether or not there’s a solution. The obstacles that may be in the way or challenges to be faced. Sometimes this card can also suggest that the reader isn’t looking at the situation in the way they should maybe be focusing on.
The Ace of Swords represents a beginning, or a new journey, specifically the thought or idea of one.
Card 3: The Foundation (Below the center) - The Empress (Inverted)
This represents things that have happened in the queen's distant past, the things that are far behind them.
The Empress means femininity, beauty, and abundance. She is a kind card, even reversed "Reversed, the Empress encourages you to make self-love and self-care a priority." (Empress Tarot Card Meanings, n.d.) Inverted, the Empress implies a creative block and that it's time to take care of yourself.
Card 4: The Recent Past (The right of the center) - Wheel of Fortune
This represents things that have happened quite recently and may relate to card 3. Not necessarily though.
The Wheel of fortune represents a change. This change may appear good or bad at first, but it is simply a change. It emphasises the importance of reacting and adapting to change. Upright, these changes are generally positive.
Card 5: Short-Term Outlook (Above the Center) - Page of Wands (Inverted)
This shows events that are likely to occur in the near future, or the quierant might be aiming for or expecting. “:It shows how the situation is going to develop and unfold, if things progress on their present course, over the short-term.” (Wigington, 2019).
The Page of Wands represents a time to start something new, but inverted it can represent overthinking crippling action, and indecisiveness. Hesitation in action. Someone stifled by their surroundings and thus lacking fire and zeal.
Card 6: Present State of the Problem (The Left of the Center) - Three of Swords
This card represents whether or not a solution is near. It may warn that the situation has stagnated, or that there’s a long way to go. It could also suggest that a solution is close, or the situation will change soon.
The Three of Swords represents learning through grief. Allowing yourself to be sad, but also learning from it and embracing the new lessons that come with the pain of grief.
Card 7: Outside Influences (Bottom Left) - Queen of Pentacles (Inverted)
How do the people around you feel about or influence your situation. This card may refer to imp[ortant figures in your situation, or loved ones with opinions. Anyone who may have to be considered in regards to the ultimate decision.
When inverted, the generous queen of pentacles becomes greedy and selfish. Materialistic and doubtful of her capability. “Upright, her home is usually a sanctuary for her guests, but reversed it may instead be slovenly” (Queen of Pentacles Meaning - Tarot Card Meanings, n.d.).
Card 8: Internal Influences (Lower Middle Left) - Four of Cups
This card reflects the queirant’s true feelings on the matter. What do they want out of the solution? It is advised to compare this card with card one. The quierant’s place in the predicament vs what they feel.
“When the Four of Cups turns up in a Tarot reading, new invitations and opportunities are flowing to you, but for now, you’re saying “no” and turning them away. Perhaps the prospects do not interest you, or your cup is full, or you already have too much on your plate.” (Four of Cups Tarot Card Meanings, n.d.) Meditation and spiritual searching, prioritizing the internal over the external.
Card 9: Hopes and Fears (Upper Middle Left) - The Hierophant
Represents what the quierant hopes and fears about the situation. “While this isn't exactly the same as the previous card, Card 9 is very similar in aspect to Card 8. Our hopes and fears are often conflicted, and at times we hope for the very thing we are afraid of.” (Wigington, 2019).
The Hierophant means that one might be surrendering power over themselves to someone else, or a group. It can also mean there is pressure on you to conform or present and perform a certain way.
Card 10: Long Term Outcome (Upper Left) - Nine of Swords (Inverted)
This card represents the result of the conflict in the long run. It’s sometimes considered to be a culmination of the nine previous cards, should all stay on it’s current path.
The Nine of Swords is a card of grief, terror, anxiety, and mental pain. The sword suit represents thought and the nine of swords represents all the ways this can cause anguish. The nine is one of the few cards that generally means something positive if inverted. It can mean that you have worked your way through a dark period already and are about to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It can also mean the worsening of mental illness, night terrors, and hallucinations though. So don’t get too excited. It basically means things will get worse or better, but doesn’t specify which.







Reflections
My Interpretation:
I am in a situation that is mentally and physically taxing.Temptation to roll over and simply bear it to avoid trying to find a new job is present, but the Seven of Swords says I must not give up, as there is a solution on the horizon provided I am mentally resilient. Crossed with the Ace of Swords, the cards imply that I should try to see this as the beginning of a new journey forward rather than leaving a secure but toxic present. “Bear in mind that [position 2] may not relate to the question the Querent is asking, but rather the one they should have asked.” (Wigington, 2019). The Empress in position four says that I've suffered through the process of learning self love, through creative block and bad relationships in the past. Wheel of fortune in position four. The workplace has changed and I have changed in the recent past. The Page of Wands inverted shows indecisiveness and planning over action, which I am guilty of now, and it suggests I will continue to be if I don’t change something. The Three of Swords says that in my current situation I am unhappy, and perhaps grieving when this job was good for me and fun to attend. But I must learn from this sadness, recognise that it’s time to move on, and not give up on finding a job that treats me well like this one used to.
The queen of pentacles, I think, represents the upper management at work right now, happy to pile on abuse to low workers.The four of cups showed that I have been spending time introspecting, and perhaps warns me that I am spending more time thinking than acting, and refusing the opportunities given to me. “The Four of Cups can appear when you are bored or dissatisfied with your everyday life. You may feel disengaged, apathetic or unmotivated – maybe life has become dull. [...] You may have found yourself disconnected from your emotional self and inner truth, and need to re-establish this connection so you can get a greater sense of purpose and direction.” (Four of Cups Tarot Card Meanings, n.d.) The Hierophant in Hopes and Fears position represents that I fear putting myself in other people’s hands to be abused again, but I also hope to be able to trust enough to do that. To find a place that is safe enough. The nine of swords in the final position was complicated, because an inverted nine of swords have two meanings that actively defy each other. I actually took this polarity in the context of both the Wheel of Fortune and the Seven of Swords to mean that depending on how I approach this issue and whether or not I give up will depend on the side of the polarity I end up on.
Technical
These are more about the cards themselves, the meanings that they have, and my skill in memorizing and associating them.
While the individual cards are still fairly unfamiliar, I am getting better at untying the meanings of the cards through looking at their numerical value and suit, and applying that to the image to get an estimate of what the card might be trying to tell me. For example I have not encountered the Three of Swords before, but in knowing that the threes represent growth, and swords represent thought, I was able to guess that the card represented gaining learning through reasoning out pain and grief. There was also a lot of blue in this reading, something that Wiate has confirmed to represent clarity and thought, which helped me identify this was a reading that implied I needed to do a lot of thinking about my situation.
This is a great reading to practice reading cards in relation to other cards in the reading, which I feel I did very well here. I feel my number association was strong in this one, as well. I could see how the numbers and suits formed the card’s meaning and was even able to glean some (such as the sevens and threes without aid. The Seven of Swords being my quierier was really relevant, I felt. “The Sevens in the Tarot share the communal meaning of don’t give up. In the Seven of Swords, it refers to not giving up mentally. It is time to find another path, or a different solution to the problem.” (Fenton-Smith, 2008). It implies dishonesty from someone around you, and a situation that must change, even though it seems hard. Considering both myself and a friend have found ourselves trapped in a toxic workplace by being led-on, lied to, and unfairly treated, the message was clear. I saw the connection between the Empress in my past, who has an emphasis on “giving away your personal power by placing too much emphasis on another person’s emotional or material needs, thus neglecting your own.” (Empress Tarot Card Meanings, n.d.) when reversed, and my fear and hopes towards the Hierophant. The presence of the Seven of Swords also influenced my reading, as I took that to mean that the problem is still possible to change through perseverance of the mind, so I took cards within the reading to be advising me on how to examine my situation and help me try move forwards despite hardship. This especially influenced how I read the final card, which generally has a double meaning, to mean whether or not I give up will depend what end of the meaning spectrum I end up on.
Reflection through Reading
This is more about my performance, and how I interpreted the cards and linked them to my personal circumstances to find meaning and advice for self-reflection
The Celtic Cross, but it’s nature, gives a very in depth answer to questions, but I find I didn’t strain too hard to find meaning in the cards. I think this reading asks me to reflect on my past, present, and consider what I want for my future, and how I want to strive for it. The urges to not give up and strive for something more were many and frequent. Self reflecting with the cards didn’t solve my problem, but it did make me feel a bit better. I took this week off work due to a lower lumbar strain and it helped me see a few truths about just how badly it’s affected my body and mind.
References:
Anderton, B. (1996). Tarot : discover the mysteries of the future with tarot. Parragon Books.
Esther. How to Use Tarot for Self Discovery and Personal Growth. (2020). Through the Phases. Retrieved 4 May from: https://www.throughthephases.com/tarot-for-self-discovery/
Fenton-Smith, P. (2008). Tarot revealed. General Books.
Four of Cups Tarot Card Meanings. (n.d.). Biddy Tarot. Retrieved May 9, 2021, from https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-cups/four-of-cups/
Greer, M. K. (2002). Tarot for your self : a workbook for personal transformation. New Page Books.
Empress Tarot Card Meanings. (n.d.). Biddy Tarot. https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/empress/
How to Use Tarot as a Tool for Self-Reflection and Meditative Therapy. (2018, June 9). Backpackerverse.com. Retrieved 4 May from: https://backpackerverse.com/how-to-use-tarot-tool-self-reflection-meditative-therapy/
Nine of Swords Tarot Card Meaning. (n.d.). Thetarotguide. Retrieved May 9, 2021, from https://www.thetarotguide.com/nine-of-swords
Queen of Pentacles Meaning - Tarot Card Meanings. (n.d.). Labyrinthos. Retrieved May 9, 2021, from https://labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/queen-of-pentacles-meaning-tarot-card-meanings
Wen, B. (2015). Holistic Tarot. North Atlantic Books.
Wigington, P. (2019). How to Use the Celtic Cross Spread in Tarot. Learn Religions. Retrieved 6 May from: https://www.learnreligions.com/the-celtic-cross-spread-2562796