Tag Archives: tarot

Tarot and Lenormand Cards Discuss Family Altercation: 30 Lilies, 6 Clouds, 12 Birds, 13 Child, 25 Ring, 28 Gentleman

Lenormand cards are difficult to misinterpret. They pretty much “tell it like it is” in a matter-of-fact, plain and simple way. I love this quality about them and when I want or need a “quick read” on a situation, I almost always pull out a Lenormand deck first.

When I want to dig deeper, I turn to Tarot. Talk about juicy… Tarot virtually drips with psychological insights, motivations, expectations, mindsets and more. It continually amazes me how much information a handful of Tarot cards can reveal.

Recently, a female Querent (person asking the question) sought assistance regarding an altercation between herself and another family member over parenting practices. In the heat of a vicious quarrel (which had quickly gotten out of hand), harsh words had been spoken, leaving both family members feeling misunderstood, hurt and angry.

I decided to cast a Lenormand Line of 5, specifically wanting to see what help might be available:

Q: Family Altercation: Is There a Solution? If So, What?

 

Lenormand Line of 5 with Base Card 30 Lilies - 6 Clouds - 12 Birds - 13 Child - 25 Ring - 28 Gentleman http://livingwithcards.com
Lenormand Line of 5 with Base Card: 30 Lilies – 6 Clouds – 12 Birds – 13 Child – 25 Ring – 28 Gentleman

Mlle Lenormand Cartomancy Jeu du destin Deck of 36 Cards

 

As usual, the Lenormand cards mirrored the situation quite accurately. The Line of 5 described the conflict. The base card (bottom card of the shuffled deck), in conjunction with the hinge card (central card in the Line of 5), suggested a practical approach to resolution:

“Ongoing/ cyclical (Ring) bickering (Birds) between siblings and/or about a child/ children (Birds + Child) is causing misunderstandings and is disrupting family harmony (Lilies + Clouds). An agreement (Ring) must be reached before harmony (Lilies) can be restored.”

“A man (Gentleman) can help resolve the issue, perhaps a mediator (Birds + Gentleman).”

 

I found the “advice” — “a man can help, perhaps a mediator” (Birds + Gentleman) particularly encouraging because there was actually a professional man both family members knew and respected who fit the bill. This man would likely not only be willing to intervene, but would also likely be listened to by both parties. I passed the information along.

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Still, wanting to learn more about the situation, I turned to Tarot. I was about to pick up one of my usual reading decks when a card image from the Thoth deck came to mind.

Thoth Tarot VIII-Adjustment (Justice) http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot VIII-Adjustment (Justice)

Crowley-Thoth Tarot Deck

 

Yikes.

According to noted anthropologist/ Tarot authority Angeles Arrien*, VIII-ADJUSTMENT (JUSTICE) in the Crowley-Thoth tarot deck reflects the principles of alignment, balance, negotiation and truth.  My desire to know the truth of the matter regarding this particular situation must have triggered the spontaneous visualization of this card image. Surely it was not coincidence… [*See Ms. Arrien’s classic exploration of the Thoth tarot deck: The Tarot Handbook: Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols ]

 

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Note: As I’m sure you know, the Crowley-Thoth tarot deck is not for the faint-hearted. If you’re going to use it, you need to put on your thick skin. A couple dozen years ago when I was first introduced to C-T,  a wise friend shared this secret:

“Thoth never lies.”

 

Over the years, I have consistently found this to be true.

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The extremely yang, in-your-face Crowley-Thoth tarot deck does not sugar-coat. When attuned to its “voice” (a challenge sometimes, especially if you’re emotionally involved in the reading’s subject matter), you may find it to be less vulnerable to misinterpretation than the majority of decks out there in the Tarotverse…

Since I was performing the reading as an outside observer and not personally in the thick of it, I decided to go ahead and see what Thoth had to say about the matter, using one of my go-to tarot spreads, The Five Pointed Star with Significator:

Q: Family Altercation: Psychological Dynamics and Probable Outcome

Five Pointed Star Tarot Spread with the Crowley-Thoth Tarot deck: Princess of Disks - 9 of Swords - Knight of Swords - 2 of Wands - 9 of Cups - Queen of Wands http://livingwithcards.com
Five Pointed Star Tarot Spread with the Crowley-Thoth Tarot deck: Princess of Disks – 9 of Swords – Knight of Swords – 2 of Wands – 9 of Cups – Queen of Wands

Crowley-Thoth Tarot Deck

 

Five Pointed Star with Significator Tarot Spread – The Positions

  • Significator – Theme or Subject Matter
  • Position 1 – Basis, Reason, Cause
  • Position 2 – Mindset, Beliefs, Expectations
  • Position 3 – Additional Information, Factors to be Considered
  • Position 4 – Answer/ Solution/ Advice
  • Position 5 – Probable Outcome

If you keep the positional meanings in mind, it is not hard to weave together the story.

The theme, or subject of the spread, involves child (Princess, Page) discipline (Disks, Pentacles).

Thoth Tarot Princess of Disks (Page of Pentacles) http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot Princess of Disks (Page of Pentacles)

Arguments/ cruel words between relatives have ensued because each party believes she is an authority on the matter (9 of Swords in Position 1 with MARS in Gemini; Knight of Swords in Position 2). Knights (the equivalent of Kings in Rider-Waite decks) have a “divine right” to rule. The Knight of Swords/ King of Swords mindset applies to both parties, leaving the other feeling disregarded, accused, exploited and/or intimidated. In conjunction with 9 of Swords, the caustic, sarcastic comments hurt. So we have an argument over child discipline (Princess of Disks/ Page of Pentacles) with each party wounding and being wounded/ emotionally hurt by the other’s sharp words (9 of Swords) because each believes she is an authority on the subject (Knight of Swords/ King of Swords).

Thoth Tarot 9 of Swords http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot 9 of Swords
Thoth Tarot Knight of Swords (King of Swords) http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot Knight of Swords (King of Swords)

 

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2 of Wands in Position 3 supplies additional information and/or factors to be considered. Here, 2 of Wands shows dominion. This is the will to dominate. The card suggests that both parties want to impose their will (MARS in Aries) upon the other. Based on the preceding three cards, it appears that differences of opinion will outweigh any sense of balance or centeredness.

Thoth Tarot 2 of Wands http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot 2 of Wands

 

Position 4 shows the Answer, Solution or Advice. Here, the 9 of Cups shines a light on the querent’s deep desire for keeping the peace/ harmony. Read in relation to Queen of Wands in Position 5, I sense this could occur at the querent’s expense: the Probable Outcome suggests that at the time of this reading, the more fiery (aggressive) family member will prevail.

 

Thoth Tarot 9 of Cups http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot 9 of Cups

 

Thoth Tarot Queen of Wands http://livingwithcards.com
Thoth Tarot Queen of Wands

 

Clarification Cards

Five Pointed Star Clarification Cards using Thoth Tarot deck: 9 of Disks (9 of Pentacles) - XII-The Hanged Man - 10 of Cups http://livingwithcards.com
Five Pointed Star Clarification Cards using Thoth Tarot deck: 9 of Disks (9 of Pentacles) – XII-The Hanged Man – 10 of Cups

Simply interpreted, XII-The Hanged Man suggests a limiting pattern that needs to be broken. A suspension of activity may be in order. Perhaps more solitary time/ time apart from each other (9 of Disks) would ultimately aid the peacemaking process and/or help restore family harmony (10 of Cups). The Hanged Man also indicates that some time will pass before any solution or resolution is reached.

 

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At this time, I have no feedback from the querent, so I don’t know the outcome.

  • Will the parties follow through with a mediator (Lenormand advice)?
  • Will the querent ultimately decide to back down, “sacrificing” her position for harmony’s sake, letting the other, more aggressive family member prevail (Thoth‘s prediction)?
  • Will the energies surrounding the situation change enough to facilitate another outcome?

It would be interesting to find out…

 

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

 

You Don’t Have to be Psychic to Read Cards

You don’t have to be psychic to learn how to read cards. All it takes is intention, some intuition, and a good dollop of common sense.

If you learned how to read English — which I assume you did if you’re reading this post — you can learn how to read cards. This is because cards, like English (or French or German or any other language), speak in languages that you can learn to read.

Each card system (tarot, Lenormand, playing cards, etc.) has its own language. Just like any language, there may be similarities — and there are sure to be differences.

For example, XVI-The Tower in the tarot does not have the same meaning as 19 Tower in the Lenormand. The former has the connotation of a shock or disruption of some sort, perhaps a crisis point. The latter has many meanings including legal matters, bureaucracy, isolation, ego, and official buildings among other things, and absolutely no connotations of shock, disruption or crisis.

 

What you need if you want to read cards:

1. Intention

I-The Magician - Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
I-The Magician – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

 

You have to want to read cards, otherwise, why would you bother? It is not a huge investment of money to pick up a tarot deck at a local bookstore or order one online. Lenormand cards are not particularly pricey and can also be ordered online. A pack of playing cards costs less than $5.00 at big box stores and drugstores. If you don’t already own a deck of tarot, Lenormand or playing cards, decide which card system you want to start with and purchase one deck. If you’re already familiar and comfortable with one or more card systems, consider trying your hand at another.

Here are some deck suggestions to get you started:

Tarot decks:

  • Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
  • Robin Wood Tarot Deck
  • Universal Waite Tarot Deck
  • Morgan-Greer Tarot Deck
  • Crowley Thoth Tarot Deck

Lenormand decks:

  • Piatnik Lenormand Jeu de destin No. 194115
  • Blaue Eule (Blue Owl) Lenormand
  • Mystical Lenormand

 

2. Intuition

II-The High Priestess - Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
II-The High Priestess – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

 

Everyone has intuitive capabilities. While some people may be more intuitive than others, every person has the ability to “intuit” to some degree — and the capacity to build their intuitive muscle. The more you learn about how your own particular intuitive abilities work, the better you will be able to work with them. Card reading is a great way to uncover and strengthen your intuitive abilities. When you look at a tarot card, you may find certain symbols in the picture capture your attention. You might ask yourself, “why has that symbol captured my attention?” One thought may lead to another and before you know it, you could be stringing together a meaning and/or a thought might occur to you that summarizes the message the cards seem to be giving you. This is intuition in play. You will develop and/or strengthen it by reading cards on a regular basis.

 

3. Common Sense

Queen of Pentacles - Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck
Queen of Pentacles – Hanson-Roberts Tarot Deck

It helps to have your head set squarely on your shoulders. It doesn’t make any sense to me to get upset, worried or scared outta your mind by a card reading. Come on, people, use your heads. They’re just cards. Cards are rectangular pieces of cardboard with pictures on them. The power is not in the cards. You own the power.

 

Queen of Swords - Hanson Roberts Tarot Deck
Queen of Swords – Hanson Roberts Tarot Deck

 

I’ll share more of my approach to card reading in subsequent posts. If there’s something you’d like me to  comment on or discuss in more depth, please let me know.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

 

Tarot Advice for Health Issue

The querent is a female in her mid-60s who has been experiencing some health issues. She is skeptical of allopathic medicine because she feels such practitioners tend to “treat the symptoms and not the cause,” and because she “doesn’t want to start taking a bunch of drugs.” Recently she heard about  a female chiropractor with an intuitive, energetic approach and she wants to know if this individual could help her resolve her issues.

I decided to throw a Five Pointed Star tarot spread with a significator* to get some insight into her question.

[Note: in addition to representing either the querent (the person asking the question) or the quesited (that which is inquired about), a significator card can give insight regarding the major theme of the question.]

 

Tarot Health Issue - 5 Pointed Star Spread with Significator
Tarot Health Issue – 5 Pointed Star Tarot Spread with Significator and Clarification Card

 

Significator card: the central card, 8 of Pentacles, describes the theme of the reading. For a health related question, this card suggests an imbalance (8) of some sort may be causing the physical (Pentacles) issues the querent is experiencing.

Position #1 – Queen of Pentacles:

The card in this position describes the basis of the question. It reveals the issue under consideration, but will not affect the outcome. I felt the Queen of Pentacles was describing the chiropractor the querent was considering consulting as an intuitive, practical, results-oriented professional with a hands-on manner. In fact, out of the 78 cards of the Tarot, I can think of no other card which would better describe a female chiropractor!

Position #2 – 6 of Pentacles:

The card in this position reveals the querent’s thoughts or mindset regarding the matter, whether she anticipates success or failure, what the querent may fear and/or what is causing concern. Typically, the card in this position shows how the querent is influencing the question by her thoughts. 6 of Pentacles in this position suggests an equitable exchange of money for services rendered and also indicates the querent expects to receive valuable assistance from this practitioner. In other words, the querent’s mindset regarding this practitioner is positive and she is anticipating positive results.

Position #3 – 10 of Swords:

The card in this position reveals additional information about the situation, of which the querent may or may not be aware, that needs to be considered. 10 of Swords in Position #3 speaks to the querent’s displeasure with allopathic practices and emphasizes a change of doctors or an alternative therapy may be warranted.

Position #4 – 10 of Pentacles:

The card in this position answers the question. This card may also provide advice and/or guidance on how to handle the situation. As “The Answer,” 10 of Pentacles suggests satisfaction with the treatment the querent will receive from the chiropractor, and that contracting her will be a good investment of the querent’s money.

Position #5 – 8 of Cups:

The card in this position shows the Probable Outcome, going beyond the answer found in Position #4, to a final conclusion. 8 of Cups in Position #5 points to the issue of balance vs. imbalance (8), likely in hormones (Cups). My sense was that the chiropractor would be successful in identifying hormonal imbalances in the querent’s body, which, once identified, could be corrected.

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I note that four of the six cards in this draw are Pentacles, which is a physical suit dealing with money and health. Interestingly, both issues were on the querent’s mind — her health issues and the money she might need to spend to address them. Additionally, IX-The Hermit as the clarification card is associated with the zodiacal sign of Virgo, a physical Earth sign associated with health.

Queen of Pentacles in Position #1 described the chiropractor as a practical and results-oriented, intuitive professional woman and 6 of Pentacles in Position #2 showed the querent’s expectations that she would receive good value for her money by consulting this practitioner. 10 of Swords in Position #3 suggested the querent felt she was “the end of her rope” concerning her issues and that it was time to try an alternative therapy. 10 of Pentacles in the 4th Position confirmed contracting the chiropractor would be an excellent investment that promised a satisfactory outcome in resolving her health issues. 8 of Cups in Position #5 suggested the treatments would uncover a hormonal (Cups) imbalance (8) which could then be addressed. Finally, IX-Hermit as the Clarification Card suggested that a health (Virgo) issue needed to be further analyzed and that she had been intuitively guided to this particular practitioner. I encouraged her to act on her intuitions.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

Tarot of Pagan Cats Reading

I received the Tarot of Pagan Cats deck I ordered yesterday.

This morning I did a reading, asking the Pagan Cats if they could give me some advice on how I could best work them.

I drew the following cards:

 

10 of Pentacles - XIX-The Sun - 5 of Swords - VII-The Chariot - VI-The Lovers
10 of Pentacles – XIX-The Sun – 5 of Swords – VII-The Chariot – VI-The Lovers

 

The message: “We are rich with meaning (10 of Pentacles). For you, we are a blend of high intuition (10) and logic (swords). Don’t let us make you dizzy with our silliness (5 of Swords), we are just being playful. Bask in our wisdom (XIX-The Sun), let us take you for a ride (VII-The Chariot) and we’ll make a great team (VI-The Lovers). Don’t be overly serious. Let your intuition kick in.”

These cats are sneaky! I originally read 10 of Pentacles as 10 of Cups, which gave me the impression they were telling me to use my intuition (cups) along with logic (5 of Swords). They tricked me in a sneaky, cat-like kind of way into interpreting how they were suggesting I work with them. How crafty of them!

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins

Tarot Guidance Using the 5 Pointed Star Spread

The querent is a female artist who’s hit a dry spell. Lately she’s been worrying, thinking maybe she’s lost her edge. She fears she’ll never be able to produce the quality of work she’s produced in the past.

“It feels like my creative well is dry,” she confided. “At first I thought I could shake this off, but it’s been a few weeks now and it’s starting to scare me.”

Her question was simple: How Can I Replenish the Well?

I decided to cast a 5 Pointed Star tarot spread to address her question. This is a positional spread where each point of the Star discusses a certain aspect of the problem/ situation/ circumstance of concern.

After thoroughly mixing the cards, I selected the following cards to address her question:

 

5 Pointed Star Tarot Spread - Replenish the Well
5 Pointed Star Tarot Spread – Replenish the Well

 

Position 1: The nature or basis of the situation/ issue/ circumstance, or the reason for the question:

Page of Cups as the nature or basis of the situation suggests a couple of things to me. First, it literally suggests creative (Cups) thoughts (Pages). Second, it gives a sense of perhaps being overly emotional about the situation and not trusting her own intuitions, which certainly could put a damper on generating new ideas.

Position 2: The querent’s thoughts or mindset, conscious or unconscious:

Quite literally, 0-The Fool is zero. Nothing. Coupled with Page of Cups as creative thoughts, we see the querent’s situation capsulized in the first two cards: as far as creative thoughts / new inspirations are concerned (Page of Cups), there are none (0-The Fool).

Position 3: Additional information or comment that may impact the situation (can be known or unknown):

2 of Pentacles in the third position suggests a sense of uneasiness/ imbalance, and perhaps a fear of disappointing self or others. There is also a sense of discouragement. These feelings could be causing her to bounce back and forth, between hope and despair, accomplishment and the lack thereof, which could be stifling her creative faculties and affecting her ability to make careful, balanced decisions.

Position 4: The Answer, Advice or Solution:

Knight of Cups suggests the real problem is a lack of faith in herself and her abilities. She needs to re-develop her self confidence. Knight of Cups suggests she should learn to recognize whether she’s acting on fear-based emotions or out of genuine enthusiasm for her passions and interests.

Position 5: The Probable Outcome based on the current energies surrounding the situation/ issue/ circumstance:

Queen of Pentacles furthers the advice of Knight of Cups. If the querent follows the advice of Knight of Cups and resurrects her faith in herself and her abilities, she’ll be better equipped to take on her challenges and figure out effective ways to deal with them.

Clarification Card: Ties the reading together and often gives a direction to consider for achieving a suitable outcome:

V-Hierophant is a card of tradition, encompassing specific, daily routines and rituals. Instead of worrying about a lack of inspiration or a dearth of ideas, perhaps the querent could set a daily schedule that would put her in front of the computer (she does digital design) whether she feels inspired or not. Sometimes the Hierophant can represent an older or more experienced person who passes his or her knowledge on to a student or apprentice. Perhaps the querent could consider offering online classes to beginners who would love to learn the basics of digital design, and in doing so, recover some of the spark and excitement she believes she’s lost.

Hopefully, one or more of the insights provided by this reading will help the querent in resolving this issue.

Blessings,

Mary Hawkins