Tag Archives: tarot card meanings

Reading with the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards Part 3

In Part 1 of this series, I described the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards as quirky and strange. In Part 2, I told you that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards do not follow the rules.

Despite this, the cards seem to possess a curious ability to get under one’s skin, so to speak, possibly because of their ability to convince you (don’t ask me how!) that they are capable of imparting a depth of information not readily available from other divination decks.

If you let yourself work with the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards, you may be surprised at their uncanny ability to bring forth information in provocative ways, like they did in a recent spread I performed with them — using Tarot clarification cards per their “instruction”!!

Here’s what happened:

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards http://livingwithcards.com
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards

I had been thinking and thinking about a certain heart’s desire that on one hand, is growing stronger by the day and on the other hand, appears to be impossible to manifest in 3D reality. Your not knowing exactly what it is won’t affect the integrity of this post and as you read on, if you want, you can go ahead and substitute any strongly held heart’s desire of your own that appears to be “impossible” for you to achieve in your own 3D reality.

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So there I was, thinking away about my heart’s desire, when the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards‘ garish orange box came to mind, calling my name from the storage container in which I had last stuffed them. On the spur of the moment, I decided to give them a whirl, using the 5 Pointed Star with Significator spread, which seemed as good as any.

My exact question was:

Q: If I Continue Focusing on My Heart’s Desire, How Likely Am I to Manifest It?
Five Pointed Star Spread using the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 9 of Clubs, Queen of Spades, 8 of Clubs, 7 of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, 8 of Spades
Five Pointed Star Spread using the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 9 of Clubs, Queen of Spades, 8 of Clubs, 7 of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, 8 of Spades

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards

A quick assessment of the card suits suggested a considerable amount of work or action needed (three clubs) and some problems or delays (two spades). Seeing the Snake (8 of Clubs) in Position #2 (Expectations, Mindset, Beliefs) and the Mountain (8 of Spades) in Position #5 (Probable Outcome) did not give me a warm, fuzzy feeling, but I decided to press forward, regardless.

Later in this post I’ll show you how rearranging the cards into an Answer Spread gave additional clarity and insight, but first I’ll start by reading the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards as Lenormand cards.

Significator or Theme Card: The Park (9 of Clubs)

 

Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards 9 of Clubs - The Park
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – The Park – 9 of Clubs

As the Significator or Theme card, The Park (a.k.a. The Garden) symbolized my heart’s desire. It brought to mind the sense of an actual garden, or growth. Suppose, for example, your heart’s desire was to plant a beautiful rose bush in your garden so that you could ultimately enjoy its luxurious blooms and scents. First, you would have to decide you wanted to plant it. Then, you’d have to select a good spot to put it, where it would get the correct amount of sun. You’d have to make sure it got watered on schedule, and maybe you’d need to sprinkle it with plant food every now and again. If nasty little weeds cropped up around it, you’d have to pull them out, ideally, as soon as you saw them sprouting. If you did all this, in time, your rose bush would bloom.

The Park as Significator or Theme card accurately paralleled the process involved in manifesting a heart’s desire, and I thought it was an interesting and appropriate card selection, confirming that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck was attuned to my question.

Position 1 – Basis, Reason, Cause : Amor (Queen of Spades)
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards Queen of Spades Amor
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – Amor – Queen of Spades

 

Amor does not exist as a Lenormand card. Based on the “fortune” inscribed on the card, ‘Amor is a sign that someone is looking at you with great love and longing,’ it seemed it might be alluding to the love and longing one might feel when focusing on a heart’s desire. It suggested that my desire (which I thought was purely positive, by the way) might be tinged with longing, which actually is a feeling of lack. So the card made me question myself. Was I focusing on what I wanted (which is what I thought I was doing) or upon not having what I wanted?

Position 2 – Expectations, Mindset, Beliefs: The Snake (8 of Clubs)
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards - The Snake - 8 of Clubs
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – The Snake – 8 of Clubs

 

Ouch, ouch, and further ouch! The Snake is deceit, problems, complications, a long and winding road, snarl-ups and manipulations. It certainly indicated my expectations and beliefs were way out of whack with my heart’s desire, and gave further emphasis to the probability that whether I knew it or not, I was focusing more on the lack of what I wanted. As painful as it was to “hear” this, I appreciated that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards had pointed it out.

Position 3 – Additional Information or Factors to Be Considered: The Lilies (7 of Clubs)
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards - The Lilies - 7 of Clubs
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – The Lilies – 7 of Clubs

As additional information or factors to be considered, The Lilies gave the connotation of maturation. Just as a newly planted rose bush does not transform into its blooming glory overnight, the fulfillment of my heart’s desire would require time to develop and mature from a seedling idea into a full-blown manifestation. The “fortune” on the card, ‘the Lilies forecast a happy life,’ hinted at success, but later rather than sooner. Still, I sensed encouragement and eventual success was possible.

Position 4 – Answer, Solution, Advice: The Ring (Queen of Hearts)
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards - The Ring - Queen of Hearts
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – The Ring – Queen of Hearts

In general, the Lenormand Ring indicates contracts, commitments or chronic conditions that tend to repeat themselves. Surrounded by negative cards, it can suggest “going round and round,” or finding oneself stuck in a rut. If I consider the cards in the order in which I drew them, The Ring is flanked by The Lilies on its left and The Mountain on its right. While maturation (Lilies) and delays (Mountain) seem to be indicated, The Ring itself as the Answer, Solution or Advice suggested commitment and steadfastness would be required if I were to have any chance at manifesting my goal. The “fortune” on the card reads in part, ‘The Ring…is an unerring indication of a rich and happy marriage;’ which suggested to me that a “marriage” of my thoughts, expectations and beliefs regarding my desire was an essential component of fulfillment. Because The Ring fell in the Answer, Solution or Advice position, I felt it was possible I could “catch the brass ring” so to speak, and prevail.

Position 5 – Probable Outcome: The Mountain (8 of Spades)
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards - The Mountains - 8 of Spades
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – The Mountain – 8 of Spades

Recall my question: If I Continue Focusing on My Heart’s Desire, How Likely Am I to Manifest It? With The Mountain as the Probable Outcome, I could only conclude that at this time, there are obstacles to overcome and delays should be expected. Perhaps my commitment (The Ring) will waiver due to the length of time it will seemingly take to get from seed idea to fulfillment (The Lilies).

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Additional Notes:

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If I lay the six cards out in a straight line in the order in which I pulled them, I see Clubs – Spades – Clubs – Clubs – Hearts – Spades which gives the sense of fruitless work. Five BLACK cards and one RED card (with a BLACK card in the final position) suggests ‘probably not.’

If I re-position the six cards in the order in which I pulled them into an Answer Spread*, I get additional valuable information:

9 of Clubs - Queen of Spades - 8 of Clubs - 7 of Clubs - Queen of Hearts - 8 of Spades
Answer Spread: 9 of Clubs – Queen of Spades – 8 of Clubs – 7 of Clubs – Queen of Hearts – 8 of Spades

Column 1 is the Recent Past or Current Influences. In essence, the cards confirmed I was working (7 of Clubs) on success (9 of Clubs). They could also signify working (7 of Clubs) on something that will take a long time to accomplish, especially because a Spade sits to the right of the 9 of Clubs. (This certainly seemed accurate.)

Column 2 is The Answer. I could only conclude that the two Queens must be aspects of myself, since the fulfillment of my heart’s desire is in no one’s hands but my own. Perhaps clarity (Spades) will be instrumental in getting what I desire (Hearts). And while I noted a RED Queen topping a BLACK Queen was positive, the 8 of Spades to the right of the Queen of Hearts suggested a disappointment.

Column 3 Clarifies the Answer. The bottom card in this column is called the Pivot Card because the Answer seen in Column 2 can “pivot” on whatever this card signifies. 8 of Spades is a card of disappointment and restriction and further suggests that something is out of balance. With 8 of Clubs above it, I got the sense that I needed to re-evaluate my mindset, expectations and beliefs (8 of Clubs in Position 2 of the Five Pointed Star Spread). Apparently they are not in alignment with my heart’s desire and that is what is likely causing the problems (Snake) and delays (Mountain) I am seeing in the cards.

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*I learned The Answer Spread from Kapherus, The Art of Cartomancy. Please see my blogroll for a link to his website.

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As I mentioned above, the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards “instructed” me to pull Tarot clarification cards. Per my usual method, I counted up the numerical values and reduced them to a number equaling 22 or below:

9 + 12 + 8 + 7 + 12 + 8 = 56 = 5 + 6 = 11 = XI-JUSTICE.

I then shuffled my Tarot cards, found XI-JUSTICE in the deck and selected it along with the card before and the card after, giving me a three-card clarification:

Tarot Clarification Cards: Ace of Pentacles - XI-Justice - 4 of Swords
Tarot Clarification Cards: Ace of Pentacles – XI-Justice – 4 of Swords

Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

The information seemed clear to me: I could focus on bringing my heart’s desire into manifestation (Ace of Pentacles) or “cancel my order” (4 of Swords) through non-alignment of thoughts, expectations and beliefs. The Major Arcana XI-Justice reminded me that harmony and balance are a requirement and  that for all intents and purposes, we get what we expect to get, whether we want it or not.

Even though I combined two entirely different card divination systems, I was impressed at how seamlessly they interacted with each other. And while the reading along with its clarification showed a negative outcome for now, it also clearly illuminated the probable reasons for the negative outcome and suggested an action plan that, if followed, could lead to another, more desirable, probable outcome in the future.

All in all, I was favorably impressed with the quality of information elicited from this unusual card combination and felt pleased that I had allowed myself to follow the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards’ quirky instruction to mix it up with Tarot cards.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

 

Tarot Card Meanings: High Priestess – Trusting the Voice Within

II-High Priestess is the second of 22 cards comprising the Major Arcana of the tarot. Also known as La Papesse or The Female Pope, II-High Priestess is associated with the zodiacal sign of Cancer, ruled by the Moon. Cancer, a water sign, and the Moon are associated with emotions, the subconscious and intuition, and II-High Priestess as an archetypal force symbolizes the hidden, spiritual, unconscious, and intuitive aspects of the universe in which we live.

 

Tarot de Marseille II-The High Priestess
Tarot de Marseille II-The High Priestess

 

As La Papesse, II-High Priestess reminds us we are spiritual beings walking around in human bodies. As such, we have access to spiritual knowledge, the subconscious mind, and our own inner guidance system which is connected to the Divine.

Keywords for II-High Priestess: intuition, secrecy, feminine mysteries, virginal, platonic, psychic, something going on beneath the surface, hidden issues, innermost feelings, inner voice, divination, celibacy, low sex drive, hidden potential, self-trust, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, self- acceptance, self-resourcefulness, independence, spiritual depth, extra sensory perception, occult knowledge, intuitive capabilities, harmony, balance, equilibrium, healing powers.

In a tarot reading, a person represented by II-High Priestess may be reserved, secretive, and/or self-reliant. She may be psychic or possess healing powers. Usually she is inner-oriented or directed, responsible and self-sufficient. II-High Priestess as a person is typically a mature, serious, cautious and/or discerning individual who uses discretion in her dealings with others. Unless surrounding cards say otherwise, she is trustworthy and wise.

If II-High Priestess is drawn as a theme card or the card representing the situation/ issue/ circumstance, it is an indication that the situation/ issue/ circumstance is of a serious nature and not everything about it has been revealed to you yet.

Negative manifestations of II-High Priestess: inability to communicate, passivity, promiscuity, not enough reflection given to the situation/ issue/ circumstance, being out of touch with yourself, going against your gut feelings, not paying attention to your true needs and/or feelings.

Work: Something is going on beneath the surface. What is your gut telling you? A female co-worker, supervisor or employee may be hiding something from you or you may sense some psychic or underhanded manipulation going on.

Romance: A hidden agenda. Something is not right or someone isn’t telling you everything. Secrets. Trust issues. Something may be out of balance in the relationship. (This is almost never an indication that the person in question is your soul-mate.) Trust your intuition.

Finances: Unknown factors are at play. Do your homework and research the situation. Something may be off balance. Uncover discrepancies, probe beneath the surface. Ask your inner self for guidance, clarification and direction. You may need to consult a financial adviser to help you clarify and resolve your issue. Trust your gut feelings and your psychic impressions concerning money issues.

Health: You don’t have enough information to make a decision concerning your condition or its treatment. More research is needed. Be proactive and don’t take anything at face value. If you get a bad gut feeling about a certain course of action or medical procedure, don’t do it. Question the diagnosis, the treatment, the doctor. Get a second opinion.

Spirituality: Cultivate and/or focus upon the qualities of self-trust, self-resourcefulness and self-acceptance in order to achieve spiritual balance and deepen your connection to the Divine. Developing receptivity to “the quiet voice within” releases healing powers and strengthens your intuitive capabilities.

Empowerment: Pay attention to your intuitions, hunches, gut feelings and dreams. Don’t be afraid to look beneath the surface, keep your own counsel, and trust your own inner guidance system.

 

Tarot de Marseille II-The High Priestess
Tarot de Marseille II-The High Priestess

Note from Mary: Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the “secretive,” “psychic,” “intuitive” nature of II-High Priestess while forgetting that the number 2 first and primarily points to balance and the ability to successfully manage yin (receptivity) and yang (action). The way you can do this is to develop a regular routine for going within and accessing your spiritual core — your own inner guidance system — for insight, commentary and advice on how to proceed in any given situation/ circumstance and then learn to trust yourself enough to act on the guidance received.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

Tarot Card Meanings: Magician – Using Magician Energy

Note from Mary: I am posting an updated version of an article I wrote which originally appeared in the Tarot Teacher section of my former website, Soulscape Tarot & Astrology. I hope you will find it useful…

 

Tarot de Marseille I-The Magician
Tarot de Marseille I-The Magician

 

Recently, I pulled I-MAGICIAN while doing a 3 card daily draw. I thought I would share some insights on this card with you.

I-MAGICIAN is the first of the Major Arcana cards in the Tarot, also known in some decks as I-MAGUS. In a tarot spread, Major Arcana cards typically symbolize archetypal energies in play at the time of the reading. I-MAGICIAN is associated with Mercury (the Messenger), communication, flexibility, duality and brilliance. Astrologically, Mercury is the natural ruler of Virgo (Earth) and Gemini (Air).

I-MAGICIAN symbolizes the process of consciously creating reality through your will, words and imagination. Think of I-MAGICIAN as the Alchemist and Transformer. This card symbolizes your ability to turn ideas and spoken affirmations into action and suggests you can (or should) rely on self confidence, power and determination to see you through.

When you pull I-MAGICIAN in a reading it suggests that powerful and synchronistic influences are coming into your life, enabling you to intuit or invent solutions to your most pressing problems. Since this is accomplished by “tuning in” to “messages” you receive intuitively, it’s important to allow yourself to maintain a receptive frame of mind, especially if you are finding that I-MAGICIAN comes up for you often in spreads.

Here are some possible interpretations of how the energy of I-MAGICIAN may manifest, depending on the subject of your reading or what you’ve asked about:

Work: Positive, augers success. Creative, innovative thought is in order. The ability to turn ideas into reality. You may begin a new job or receive a promotion. Creative endeavors take off, dreams and desires materialize.

Romance: You may meet someone new under unusual or synchronistic circumstances. Telepathic communication with a loved one. Possible indication that you have/will meet a soul-mate. May indicate a creative, intuitive person with excellent communication skills. Negative: could indicate a manipulator or trickster, someone who will try to pull something over on you, particularly if surrounded by negative cards.

Finances: If you’re asking about money, I-MAGICIAN suggests your finances will improve, possibly through a new job or project that provides good income while meeting creative needs. Bills paid, money left over. If this card shows up in a position indicating a problem, challenge, or obstacle, it can be pointing out that you’re engaging in negative thinking and emotions that are resulting in negative or unwanted manifestations.

Health: Problems clear up spontaneously. As shaman and healer, MAGICIAN points to alternative medicine. You are guided to the correct practitioner/ herbal treatment, etc. Remember that illness is often a “wake up call” — listen to your body. A particular dietary change may benefit you. [Note from Mary: if you’re worried about a health issue, please see your doctor or health practitioner!!]

Spirituality: Esoteric, metaphysical and/or occult knowledge provides answers to questions. A Teacher/ Guide offers aid and enlightenment.

Empowerment: Conscious magic provides power and energy to change your life. What you focus on expands!!!

 

Tarot de Marseille I-The Magician
Tarot de Marseille I-The Magician

How has I-MAGICIAN energy manifested in your life? Please leave a comment and let us know!

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins