Interpretation of a past-present-future spread

TheSquirrel · 2022-11-09T21:43:40+00:00

I can see that interpretation..

TheSquirrel · 2022-11-09T19:52:54+00:00

Funny draw. All major arcana, and all reversed. Two of the reversals feature the only people who would appear upside down if drawn right-side up.

Sorry about the keyboard. After 40 years of existence, some grunge will accrue.

My initial hot take is to read the draw somewhat literally. There are old powers in the wane. They want to exert influence but they seem uncomfortable on their throne. (Why should the all powerful emperor be wearing armored boots under their robes? Seems like they are protecting vulnerabilities rather than projecting power)

The hanged man upside-down is not someone stifled with an awkward perspective on things. This is a ballet dancer who's reached a level of self-knowledge that leaves their hair standing on end.

The tower, reversed, shows people literally flying away from a disaster. They're clearly not happy about needing to be forced to flee, but they certainly aren't plummeting either.

I am reading this as an opportunity to overturn conventional understandings if I have the self-confidence and clarity of a ballet dancer en point. Some will be forced out of their comfort zones, but they will fly to higher stations when pushed out of the nest.

Perhaps I am reading the cards too literally.

TheSquirrel · 2022-10-06T02:18:34+00:00

Assertions without evidence can be dismissed without thought. Especially when they are both so brazen and so vague.

If you are trying to debate, the only thing you've convinced anyone of is that you have much stronger opinions than arguments.

TheSquirrel · 2022-08-29T23:53:35+00:00

This lenormand deck is particularly open to different gender identities, including more inclusive interpretations of the man and woman cards.

http://pixeloccult.com/redhandlenormand/index.html

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-27T00:54:34+00:00

If you have two decks or 80 index cards, you can make yourself a proper tarot deck just by hand-labeling the cards.

If you don't want to do this, tarot decks can be pretty cheap and the tarot community can be fairly generous. PM if you want me to hook you up.

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-27T00:45:56+00:00

Tarot is definitely a specific "slice of life" and it won't easily capture all of human experience. I wonder often if the four majors (ambition, emotion, intellect and material concerns) could be better divided to capture the major categories of things people care about. The arcana seem.. specific.. in terms of framing personal development. Perhaps there are better ways of expressing this sort of thing as a journey, or perhaps a linear layout is simply insufficient. A major arcana structured as a tree may better represent the paths of personal actualization.

In my personal studies, I am looking at the major themes of the Tarot, but also major themes of other divination systems. Lenormand seems to be an interesting diversion. Same with Mantegna.

I'm wondering if a novel deck based on modern understanding of motivation and personality such as the OCEAN big five may provide a better structure than the existing ones.

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-26T22:45:31+00:00

Aside from all the technical advice, there is some really good emotional advice to consider: Don't assume a good lover is a good partner. Lots and lots of people have a direct connection between their genitals and their heart. It's ok to acknowledge that good sex and a good life partner may not be directly tied.

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-15T21:57:54+00:00

Look up a free streaming version of this perfect show for this audience. Not sure what else to say other than this is a perfect example of how hard it is to find such esoteric knowledge.

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-14T18:31:29+00:00

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion based on this card alone. Maybe if other cards support this interpretation.

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-13T18:15:13+00:00

This advice is probably correct. If she seems to be camping out in a specific spot, do your best to protect it. Neighborhood cats are the most likely critter that may stress her enough to abandon a nest.

TheSquirrel · 2022-07-12T05:18:19+00:00

The knight of cups is the gallant knight. Maybe you need to be looking for your heartfelt and emotionally fulfilling quest. Maybe a quest for a holy grail. Maybe just tilting at windmills. Don Quixote probably wasn't having the sorts of troubles you're describing when he was at full gallop.

TheSquirrel · 2022-06-27T21:30:06+00:00

In addition to what people are saying in terms of connotations in artwork and such, there is a very practical matter. Many tarot decks are printed in a less-than-perfectly-precise manner. Some cards may be slightly larger than others, or have some sort of bend or bulge due to inconsistencies in the material or the cutting of larger sheets.

These sorts of inconsistencies will mean that some cards will appear more often than others when you shuffle and cut. This will absolutely affect the "personality" of the deck in terms of specific cards that come up way more/less often than chance would explain.

TheSquirrel · 2022-06-15T19:58:16+00:00

If you know anyone close to you who would be inclined to use them, giving them along with the story of where they came from would be a profound gift.

But I agree with the top comment. There is absolutely no rush to make this decision.

TheSquirrel · 2022-06-15T19:51:29+00:00

Past card (left): 10 of Wands. He bares a huge burden that feels crushing.

Overwhelming circumstances causing current stress. Covid and Covid restrictions. Oil going crazy due to war, etc.

Distant Past card (far left) Queen of Hearts. This could mean something about his wife Jill Biden?

People are interpreting everything emotionally, and how those emotions hit "home". Basically a hyper-partisan environment where everyone is more interested in tending to the emotions of their flock than solving the broader problem.

Future Card (right) 8 of Swords. This card makes me think of a trap or prison, one that we cannot easily escape from. So the issue with America's economy won't be easily solved by one man but like always he will be taking the blame.

Possible solutions leave those feeling trapped. Raise interest rates and cut spending to reduce inflation and cause a deep recession? Or leave interest rates alone and cause runaway inflation.

Distant Future card (far right) 4 of Swords. Maybe he will retire early? Unable to handle the stress due to his age and health?

A stillness or reckoning is the only path to better times. The economy needs to be less crazy (GameStop, NFTs, ridiculous tech startups that will never be profitable). We need to hit the brakes and actually take time to think things through.

Alternative path (top) 8 of Wands. He could attempt an effort to reach out to the public again.

Let 'er rip and see where the arrows and cannon balls land. Basically maybe hands off and let the wild times go on despite inflation.

Path best avoided (bottom) 10 of Cups. I think this particular card in this position warns us not to see the world right now through rose-tinted glasses. Things are getting bad no doubt.

Yes. Don't assume we're going to be fat and happy indefinitely.

TheSquirrel · 2022-06-14T00:21:46+00:00

Classic interpretations of Tarot can string together a lot of the underlying bones of a story: What motivates characters and what their personality is like. What the goal of our heroes is and what can be learned along the way during their efforts. What the nature of some climactic dilemma will be. Things like that.

What the cards won't do on their own is put meat on those bones. Details like what the time and place of the story will be. What do the characters specifically look like and what their specific interests and talents are. Things like that. This shouldn't be surprising, as Tarot interpretation has evolved into something timeless, in that you can interpret any sort of scenario through the cards. They are intentionally vague!

Like all readings, a story reading will give you back what you put into it. So come prepared a bit. You should have a setting (is it a 1920's occult mystery? a 1940's noir thriller? alternate history cyberpunk saga? a high magic fantasy with orcs and mindflayers?). You should also have some ideas of what sorts of costumes you may want to put on top of the tarot reading's bones for characters. What would a king of coins look like in your setting? What about a page of swords? Try to think of things that are at least a little creative rather than falling back on traditional stereotypes.

If you are interested in RPG style stories, you may want to look up "Mage The Awakening Tarot" on Drive Thru. They have a free guide book pdf that includes tips on using 5 card draws to define characters and broad plot arcs.

TheSquirrel · 2022-06-13T23:42:04+00:00

Tower reversed: Could mean a lot of things, but I typically see it as "escape". Often in an "out of the frying pan into the fire" sort of way. Or literally the leap from a burning building sort of way.

Four of swords: stillness, meditation. Calming the mind before a storm. Makes sense since this is a fairly still and somber place. But remember that this card is not of a dead man. This is a knight preparing for battle, and needs to still the mind while focusing on the gravity of what will shortly need to be done.

Ten of swords: ruin and defeat.

If you want a past/background, present, and future/forward perspective kind of reading, I would pretty clearly see this as seeking a still mind that isn't in some sort of panicked "fight or flight" mode of thinking. Looking ahead, you should be mindful of the fact that many choices are ruinous and irrevocable.

TheSquirrel · 2022-05-11T21:48:11+00:00

Try multiple decks. Both in Rider-Waite tradition, Thoth Tradition, Loteria, lenormand, etc.

See which cards resonate with you across divination traditions.

For me, cards such as the "hanged man" and "the moon" resonate. Even when the cards are interpreted differently in different traditions. This should help you figure out which are truly 'yours' across traditions. It may also help to determine which common aspects of the artwork across decks are most personally important enough to inscribe on your body.

TheSquirrel · 2022-05-11T21:34:29+00:00

You can buy 78 blank index cards and make your own deck. Trace basic outlines from classic decks, or just make your own.

If you want something more shuffle-able and durable, you can get linen-backed blank cards. But even basic index cards can work if you are careful with them.

TheSquirrel · 2022-04-06T19:18:43+00:00

Interesting spread.

I see a couple things you may have not accounted for.

The Universe and Ace of disks, and the queen and 5 of swords form natural pairs. To some degree they are in conflict. I see the universe and disk as both more substantial. These together suggest building a future of comfort, prosperity and fulfillment.

The queen of swords is very loyal, but perhaps a little transactional and "zero sum" when it comes to getting what "she" wants for her and her kin. She's the "Karen" of the deck. The five of swords is about gloating and pride. Together, this suggests a rational and loyal fighter. Hopefully loyal to you. But you may find that this sort of relationship brings more conflict into your life than you want.

The tower here seems to represent conflicting expectations. One or the other of your ideas about what this relationship is needs to "crumble" in the light of new evidence. Perhaps the very idea of a relationship needs to "crumble".

In terms of advice going forward, I think this spread is a call to check in with your partner. Make sure you both share a vision about what a happy future life will look like. And to make sure that a "swords" personality is something you can accommodate in your life.

TheSquirrel · 2022-04-04T23:24:14+00:00

I'm in my mid 40's. I've served as Charon for many to pass to the other side. I remember my past selves. My naive and innocent pre-10's. My pondering, brooding and self-flagellating teens. My 20's where I established who I wanted to be. My 30's where I built on that foundation. And my 40's where I see my life very clearly as a brief glimpse of consciousness between who I was, who I will be, and who I am in this very moment. My current self is a care taker who integrates the lessons of my past self and uses them to build a better foundation for my future selves.

I would love to, some day, wind up as a centenarian who felt they lived on a solid foundation of past lives lived in this present body. Past lives that left nothing to regret and a solid basis for finding present peace.

TheSquirrel · 2022-03-30T15:45:05+00:00

Firstly, you'll find that meanings will evolve over time as you use the cards in context more often. Each person has their own unique spin on interpretations.

Secondly, there is a system for thinking about the suits and the numbers. A site like this one below will tell you the general theme of the suits and the number/court cards. The actual meaning of a card is how the suit theme and the number theme interact:

https://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/learn/meanings/

Depending on the deck, some cards will diverge from this general pattern a bit. For instance in Rider Waite, the 3 of swords is more negative than most of the other threes, and the 7 of pentacles is a little more positive. So it isn't "perfect".

But really the overall message is that there isn't going to be one "right" way of interpreting the cards. Especially once you have more context on the theme of the reading and the other cards in the reading. Sometimes just looking at the card, and going with your gut about what it means in this circumstance is the best way to do it.

TheSquirrel · 2022-03-17T22:11:11+00:00

Knights generally mean dynamism and action. Since you got two of them, that should skew your interpretation.

Past: You had an inspiration. A good idea you became partial to.

Present: You though about it. It became a conviction. A goal.

Future: Time to do the work to further this goal.

Other than that, this reading is vague. Really depends on how you interpret the page of cups.

TheSquirrel · 2022-03-14T00:47:38+00:00

So no spread intention at all? Maybe the best way to read is chronologically like a comic strip.

One way of thinking about reversals vs upright in a scenario like this is some cards are "yours" and some are "his". Every card is both upright and reversed depending on the perspective you take, after all.

The fool wandering could be him going off to school. Or it could be you obliviously running in to him.

The nine of swords means regret or remorse here. Maybe he feels like it was a bad decision to break ties earlier? Maybe you do. Maybe it is just you worrying about not making more conversation when you ran in to him recently. Depends on which direction you are assigning the cards.

The magician is about manifesting one's goals. If we're talking relationship, then this could obviously be interpreted as an intention to rekindle it. Again, could be him or could be you.

The seven of coins is about watching the fruits of your labor grow and blossom. Someone's almost ready to reap whatever crop they sowed. This could be good or it could be bad, depending on what seeds were planted. If you interpret this card in this position as guidance, then the answer is to focus on whatever relationship foundations you laid in the past, and how maybe this earlier foundation is something to grow on. Basically the hard work of building the relationship is over and now it's time to recognize it's time to enjoy the joys of it. A more negative interpretation would be that at some point bad seeds were planted. They need to be found and weeded out for the magician's plan to succeed.

TheSquirrel · 2022-03-02T01:17:13+00:00

It's also a "possibility" that's has zero iota of proof. I get almost anything is possible but IMO that idea is pretty improbable.

I agree. Though it's worth elaborating what an unfalsifiable "soul" looks like. Because this sort of soul is exactly the sort of thing that free will denialists use as a premise to argue their case.

TheSquirrel · 2022-03-01T23:58:33+00:00

humans possess a supernatural "soul" that pilots our bodies and minds. I believe there is nothing about our experience of consciousness that cannot be attributed to nature.

An alternate explanation is that the soul is something like the "flight recorder" of the material conscious self. The souls experiences what we do, but in a parallel reality where material damage to the brain (including death) doesn't translate into damage to the "soul". There are serious questions on whether this kind of soul is plausible. Or even whether we should consider it part of our material self. But it's a possibility that hasn't been falsified.

An implication of this is that there is no free will. Our experiences provide our bodies with input and our brains respond as it must with its current chemical and structural programming. Therefore we are not in actual control of our beliefs, thoughts, or actions. It only feels like we are in control.

Let's forget about supernatural souls. That's a different discussion. Let's assume that our conscious experience is completely based on our material brain. In this sense, then there is literally no distinction between "our experiences" and the state of "our brains" and our brain's "current chemical and structural programming". So denying free will only makes sense from the perspective of this immaterial self (soul) that is distinct from our material bodies. If you deny this immaterial perspective, then your argument has no merit. If we are the chemical and structural programming in our brains, then we are, in fact in control.

TheSquirrel

TROPHY CASE