AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is another essay in my informal series of "stretch" definitions (as in "Wow, that's a stretch!") that brings a fresh set of eyes to cards I've already examined. This time, as an outgrowth of my ongoing interaction with the online tarot community, I'm presenting the 9 of Pentacles (Thoth Disks), which is … Continue reading The 9 of Pentacles As “Self-Indulgence”
Tarot Card Meanings
The 3 of Swords: Another Person’s Pain
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As an esoteric tarot-reader, my aim is to get "under the skin" of the imagery on any card to see if there is more substance hiding beneath the surface of popular opinion. This is nowhere more appropriate than with the Waite-Smith 3 of Swords and its interpretation (I would say misapprehension) as emotional … Continue reading The 3 of Swords: Another Person’s Pain
The Six of Cups: “Pleasure Promised” (b/w “Pleasure Denied”)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For those unfamiliar with archaic music-industry jargon, "b/w" ("backed with") referred to the frequently inferior song on the reverse side of a 45-rpm record that stood in stark contrast to the "hit" on the front side. In this instance it is being applied to the reversed orientation of the card in question. Thoth … Continue reading The Six of Cups: “Pleasure Promised” (b/w “Pleasure Denied”)
A Reversed-Trump Triptych: the Devil, the Tower and Judgement
SUMMARY: I now have over twenty draft essays in my pre-publication queue, and my writing has been so prolific lately that I can't seem to whittle the population down, so I'm going to lump a few of them together when they share a theme. In this composite post the common topic is trump-card reversal shown … Continue reading A Reversed-Trump Triptych: the Devil, the Tower and Judgement
Cards of “Accelerated Circumstances”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a previous post I explored the cards of the Waite-Smith deck that generally indicate "movement" in the matter at hand. I cast a fairly wide net in assembling that population, but here I'm sharpening the focus to identify only those cards that create a propulsive "push" to get on with business. In … Continue reading Cards of “Accelerated Circumstances”
The Pages: Impatience Rising
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In my recent readings I've been interpreting the Page of Swords as being "impatient for an answer." Today, while reading about the Page of Wands in Benebell Wens Holistic Tarot, I realized that this mild form of agitation can be applied to the Pages of all four suits. Because of their immaturity, aversion … Continue reading The Pages: Impatience Rising
The Reversed Seven of Wands: “Kneecapping the Enemy”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: When upright, the 7 of Wands represents "Valour" or extraordinary courage in the face of daunting odds. This is clearly reflected in the Waite-Smith version, which shows a harried warrior being set upon by six adversaries who have crowded him into a corner. At that moment in time he has yet to give … Continue reading The Reversed Seven of Wands: “Kneecapping the Enemy”
Unresolved Tension in the Waite-Smith Two of Wands
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My daily tarot reading (literature, not cards) recently presented the idea that the reversed 2 of Wands in the Waite-Smith deck conveys "tension." I've never thought of the reversal of this card as elevating the stress that is already there, only making it more insidious. In my "Tarot 101" lesson material on the … Continue reading Unresolved Tension in the Waite-Smith Two of Wands
The Aces: A State of Anticipation
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It is generally accepted in esoteric tarot circles that the Aces don't represent "the first step in a new direction," but rather the anticipatory urge to take that step, and they must be set in motion before they will do us any good. As George Carlin once said in a different context, "Ya … Continue reading The Aces: A State of Anticipation
Mischief Afoot: External Meddling in the Lovers’ Affairs
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Although morality has lost much of its grip on modern romance, I still prefer the older definition of the Lovers card as being presented with a decision that has ethical implications. The Tarot de Marseille "Lover" makes this abundantly clear. I almost always read the Lovers as a "crossroads" from which the seeker … Continue reading Mischief Afoot: External Meddling in the Lovers’ Affairs
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 