I know it’s late, but it’s still the Card of the Week: the Eight of Cups. This card depicts a figure walking uphill away from a stack of cups. Overhead, the Man in the Moon watches on, but he doesn’t wear a happy face. It’s night time, and water runs all around. In the distance, more rugged mountains can be seen.
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I’ve got a guest post up on Ethony today! Check out Learning the Portland Tarot. My thanks go out to Ethony for the opportunity.
The post is all about my first reading with the Portland Tarot and how I interpret cards I haven’t worked with before. Go read it!
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Recently, I was reading for a client who had a lot of questions about the Wheel of Fortune. This is one of the more intimidating and complicated cards in the Major Arcana. We talked at great length about this card and its symbolism. When I drew this card for the Card of the Week, ideas quickly popped into my head. There’s a lot going on in this card, from the symbolism of the wheel to the strange figures on the clouds. Hang on, reader. This post is going to be a long one.
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Ethony recently began posting guest articles from other Tarot bloggers, and just today posted A Three-Part Approach to Tarot Journaling by Sean from Cups & Coins. Sean’s process is very detailed and nothing like what I’ve used in the past. It’s worth checking out.
Peter asks:
When were some of the first known tarot cards created and do they originate from a specific cultural tradition?
I have many great events coming up over the next few months. I am continuing my Sunday brunch readings at Crush Bar, and I’m returning to Pairings Portland for more Wine and Tarot Pairing!
Stay tuned for even more! I’m working on plans with Weird Shift and will be helping out with a new record label, too. Expect me in unexpected places.
If you are interested in booking me for an event, let’s talk!
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Wands are the suit of passions and inspirations. They are the cards of elemental fire. Queens often signify the power to make choices, but can also represent a choice itself. A couple of symbols in this card leap out at me. Some are more subtle.
Act With Inspiration
The Queen looks out over the countryside with a look of benevolent wisdom. She holds a sprouting staff and a sunflower. The sunflower motif repeats on her throne. Solar symbolism indicates inspired wisdom, and the ability to make a decision from a solid place.
In addition, the lion tails behind her make the shape reminiscent of a violin’s f-holes, which makes me think of the harmonious music of the spheres.
Playing With Fire
The Wands are great cards, but they’re not always safe cards. This card is rife with danger signs: The lions adorning the throne, the blasted landscape, and the black cat. Even solar symbolism, though primarily positive, is something to be wary of. Do not forget the lesson of Icarus!
Some decisions, even wise and necessary ones, involve playing with fire. It’s not a time to let your guard down. Watch out for those claws.
I got a huge kick out of this article by Kyle B. Stiff: The Occult Framework of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. While it may seem goofy to link the rich symbolism of Tarot to a classic piece of absurdist American humor, there is a good message to learn. The concept of the transformative journey is pervasive in our culture, which is why the Tarot spells it out over and over again, both in the Major Arcana and in the numbered cards of the Minor Arcana.1
Correspondences can be found between Tarot cards and many stories, myths, and symbol sets. This is why there is such a broad variety of Tarot decks available, and why so many religious and esoteric systems have been tied to Tarot cards.
Remember to come and see me tomorrow at Crush Bar for brunch from Noon to 4pm!
I’ll write more about this in the future, I promise. ↩
The Arnemancy Podcast
