Saturday Tarot ~ Interference, Integration, and Transformation

Cups, Wands, and Swords along with two Court cards and three cards from the Major Arcana comprise today’s tarot reading. Instead of a three-card spread, I decided to get a little more information by adding two cards representing what challenges and supports us and one card that acts as the pivot point, or the card that we need to keep in our immediate awareness. Of course, that last one is from the suit of Swords and promises some interference. Overall, triple aspects are in play with an overall numerology of three which suggests integration or an indication of the lack thereof. Although Water, Fire, and Air are present with specific cards, all elements are present in the reading with the appearance of The Magus.

But we begin with the initial row of general influences with The Sun, the 19th card from the Major Arcana. An interesting perspective on the Major Arcana can be found in the fourth book of the Law of One. From that channeling, we know that the Ra group brought the concept of tarot archetypes to the Egyptians. There were no Court or Minor Arcana cards at that time, only the Majors and reportedly their study involved separating them into groups of seven and arranging them into three rows. From there, the adept would look at the relationships between cards 1, 8, 15 etc and relate them in mind/body/Spirit fashion or some other triplicity of understanding. The Fool, numbered as zero in current tarot decks, was considered as card twenty-two and called The Choice relating to the choice we make for a service to self or service to others focus in life.

Back to The Sun where we see twelve rays emanating from the center of a brilliant sun. Within each ray, astrological glyphs appear representing the influence of the zodiac in our lives. Two winged beings dance below the sun, arms raised in joyful supplication representing male and female polarity. Overall, the scene appears to depict an egg, with the sun as its nucleus and the yellow surrounding it the yolk of creation suggesting rebirth and renewal. The numerology supports this with 19 reducing to 1 or new beginnings. When The Sun appears in a reading it indicates either the birth of something new or that rebirth or awakening is at hand. The light returns bringing clarity and success. The Great Work nearly complete, perhaps one chapter in our lives is giving way to something new which we eagerly embrace with enthusiasm and wonder.

The Queens are so elegant in any tarot deck, but particularly in Crowley’s Thoth Tarot, although the cards were designed and painted by Lady Frieda Harris. It’s really her deck, but that’s anathema, except that I don’t really care and I said it, so there. ‘

The fiery Queen of Wands sits sedately on her throne, a pinecone-tipped staff over her left arm, her right hand resting on the head of a jaguar at her side. Energy pours from the Queen in jagged orange and yellow streaks met with the same from the earth below her feet in as above so below fashion. Twelve jagged points extend from her golden crown like lightning bolts, radiant and glorious. This Queen is affectionate and generous, a talented witch who is honorable and successful. Like the other Queens in the Thoth Tarot, she holds power in a way that no man can reach or control. It is she who is the power behind the throne, the heart of the family and tribe. When she appears in a reading we’re to pay attention to her qualities or it may indicate a powerful woman in our lives, or that we should be the powerful woman in our lives.

The Prince of Cups appears next in the general influences section with Water’s grays and blues dominating the card. If we look at a family interpretation, this could be a reading surrounding a mother and her son. But in this card, we see a Prince, nude, wearing only a helmet adorned with an eagle, holding a large flower in his right hand, a large chalice in his left as a coiled serpent arises from its depths. As he sits in his chariot at the water’s edge, a large eagle drinks in its nourishment while the Prince holds its reins. Clouds expand out behind him while rain falls. His focus clearly on the coiled serpent. Is he drinking in renewal? Is he observing his own process of change? Traditional interpretations depict the Prince as romantic and chivalrous, a visionary who views life as a quest. He pursues his dreams with passion and when ill-dignified can be ruthless and manipulative.

If this Prince is also the Queen’s son, then there may be an interaction to consider. The Sun suggests completion along with rebirth, so perhaps the Queen and her son are ready for their relationship to change. The son wishes to move on with his life while the mother wishes nothing but the best for him. The Queen guided him along his path during his youth and now it’s time for the Prince to pursue his own dreams, to create new experiences along with his own success. Sometimes it’s difficult for parents and children to find their way together as the children grow up and become adults. The adult children fear their parents’ interference and judgment when all the parents want is for their children to be happy and live a positive and productive life. And they all they want is grandchildren if possible. Meddling parents aside, which I’m sure there are plenty, most parents want their children to do their thing and then come and see them once in a while. Or pick up the phone and actually call them occasionally. Texts are fine, but they don’t replace a voice so necessary to hear that they have no clue what it’s like when a parent doesn’t hear it. Mothers and sons. As difficult as mothers and daughters. And some take forever to realize that we actually want them to grow up and create their own lives. We just want to be in a small part of it.

 

The Magician in other decks, The Magus is the first card of the Major Arcana and begins the archetypal influences present on the Fool’s journey. A card of Mercury, the androgynous individual in the center of the card represents elemental energy in its base form, our life force, willpower, and inspiration. This is manifestation directed by the conscious mind. When The Magus appears, we’re to visualize and focus our intention on creating our experiences, allowing for all possibilities to manifest. In the position of what challenges, The Magus may be reminding us of our inherent power to create and to not allow that focus to be placed on reactionary experiences.

In the position of support is The Aeon, the twentieth card in the Major Arcana, known as Judgment in other decks, where we see the Goddess Nuit and her overarching protection of creation. Horus sits on his throne while his twin appears in a transparent form holding one finger to his lips signifying silence. That Crowley along with other tarot creators changed the title of the card from Judgment to The Aeon in his case is significant. DruidCraft Tarot renames the card, Rebirth, portraying a small child emerging from the opening of a stone building while Haindl titles his version simply Aeon. But I think they change the focus of the card from the judgment of our actions to embracing our rebirth with exuberance and joy. With every choice we make, we affirm the Fool’s choice to serve self or to serve others. With free will, any choice is possible. All choices teach us something and inform us on our path irrespective of what that may be. As the card before the final card signifying our journey’s end, The Aeon reminds us that all life is lived in the present moment and that awareness brings a transformation like no other. It allows us to see the bigger picture of who we are which then allows us to know that no judgment is necessary. While our experiences while in form may be deemed good or bad, in truth, they’re just choices we’ve made to experience one thing or another. Perhaps Crowley and others believed that we’ve moved past the notion of judgment, that when seeing all as the other side of Self, it serves no purpose in our greater unified presence with others. The Aeon represents a change in consciousness and a transformation of Spirit gained over a lifetime lived.

And then we come to the 8 of Swords the pivot point or card that everything hinges upon. It’s the underlying influence that we may not be aware of and may have a greater influence than the cards that provide challenge or support. While this card can indicate interference by others, I typically think of it as what we do to interfere with our own successful process. I actually think this is a really beautiful card. I love the various swords depicted in the background and the strength shown by the two identical swords in front. Three swords point to the right while three swords point to the left suggesting that our thoughts are going in opposing directions. A balance of sorts exists, but the two swords in front suggest an unwillingness to let other ideas in. So whether it’s interference by others or by our own self, allowing our thoughts to naturally settle will help achieve some clarity that otherwise might escape us.

So what does all of this have to do with the Queen and her son, the Prince? Perhaps the two are at loggerheads, each unwilling to hear the other. Or it may simply be that each one has their own viewpoint. The integration promised by the overall numerology of three may give us an idea of where this situation may be headed. Accepting individual differences while still respecting each other may indicate a transformation is possible in their relationship. Given the Prince’s tendency toward secretive behavior, he may not trust his relationship with the Queen enough to be himself. He may believe that she might disapprove of his choices, but her closed eyes and her sedate appearance tells another story. She’s fulfilled her responsibility as his mother and feels no need to help guide his path. It’s his journey now and instead of an adversary who stands in judgment of him, he should now view the Queen as more of an ally with whom he can share his experiences. Like The Magus, the Prince is a creative force all of his own and instead of looking to the past where perception can negatively affect the truth, he should turn his attention to creating his own experiences while still retaining a connection to family and friends.

As humans, we tend to lose our creative focus and react to everything we experience. When that happens we become stuck in the past or in some convenient interpretation of the past and we become so caught up that the drama becomes our reality, often creating problems where none exist. Choosing to see all as the Creator or as the other side of Self frees us from judgment and brings a more loving focus to our life. And whether this reading resonates with mothers and sons or it doesn’t, the reading begins with The Sun and ends with The Aeon two cards which appear in succession at the end of the Major Arcana so it’s telling us that an opportunity for transformation exists and we shouldn’t get in the way of that.

Blessed Be