Editor’s Note: If you want to experiment with tarot cards and don’t have any, we provide a free tarot spread generator using the Celtic Wings spread, which is based on the traditional Celtic Cross spread. This article tells you how to use the spread. You can visit Sarah’s website here. –efc
By Sarah Taylor
After victory, there is a call to order and a reminder of where you stand in the greater scheme of things. It might help to keep this in mind when the potential for conflict — with yourself as much as others — arises.
The cards are set on pointing something out to us right now. Three weeks ago, we had the Six of Wands in the central position; two weeks ago, we had the Seven of Wands and The Empress in positions two and three respectively; and last week, the Six of Wands was drawn in the third position.
First, let’s focus briefly on the idea of Wands generally. Something is in the process of being shaped here — forged in the creative fires. It wants to be brought forward. Wands are manifestation, visually expressed. This energy is mercurial at times. Unlike Pentacles, which, as representatives of the physical world, are solid in nature and slower to move and evolve, Wands — prefiguring even thought — are light and agile. Like the element fire that they represent, they are dynamic and constantly moving, but not so easily containable. They are mutable. To work effectively and efficiently with Wands energy requires care, attention and discipline.
If we work on the theory (and it is only a theory, one of many) that the readings over the weeks are interlinked to the point where they are telling a story to us about ourselves, then it feels like we are revisiting and refining — perhaps redefining — a process of working with our own creative natures.
We pick up this week with the third card in last week’s reading — the Six of Wands — which feels to me like an indication that there has been some kind of achievement that should be celebrated… but that the work hasn’t yet stopped. The re-emergence of The Empress serves as a reminder that there are cycles over which we have little or no control. Just as every dog must have its day, every day demands its dog. In other words, creativity works both ways: beginnings are endings, endings are beginnings.
When we partner with that creative fire known as the will, then we also, wittingly or unwittingly, partner with the experience that it can take us places that are not always easy to sit with. The Seven of Wands shows us that which is thrown up from beneath that we must then contend with. There is no other figure in the card: perhaps this is a battle that we fight alone. Perhaps it is a fight that we have with ourselves. Perhaps that ‘beneath’ is what rises from what had not been conscious until now.
We have our cycles — the times that we feel that we are on top of the world, and the times when we feel that our world is bearing down upon us. But the indication is that the second experience is not independent of the first: they are interdependent. The Wands held aloft in the Six now rise to meet us in the Seven. The Empress knows this, sitting, as she does, as the intermediary and overseer. She sees that one follows the other as harvest does planting. There is a pattern here that is worth paying attention to, and maybe she is inviting us to do that, and to hold the tension as best we can. Keep it up. You’re doing a great job.
LOL, Jere.
Needed that. Strange how we can laugh and mean it right after reading Enceno Macy’s article today, and weep and mean it. Thanks. I need both.
Jere, did you ever live in Chicago? You sound like someone I knew when I lived there.
He was strange and cool. Sort of like you. And you doin’t have to answer if that is too persona;. Sorry.
I will buy 100 of the bumper stickers if you ever go for it. But I really like the recycling idea. That was awesome. :
BPRN, R, cool you should mention stickers, I’ve been putting it off for decades because I didn’t want to contribute to the ‘trash factor’ on this planet. In fact, about 15 years ago I took an idea to a ‘help you get it patented’ company, for a ‘bumper sticker’ type message board that had a frame made out of recycled aluminum, a faceplate of recycled clear plastic, gaskets of old shoe rubber and the capacity to alter the message with your mood for the day.. (I seriously had marketing strategies, genres, and this thing all mentally worked out pretty well). ..Anyway, they wanted a bunch of cash and offered no guarantee so I dropped it all. (By the way, if anybody wants to pick it back up, feel free).
..But the sticker idea, (I’ve loosened up a bit with my stance on matter, over the years..), and I’ve been having flashes run though my brain lately about working with that medium.. So, hmmm. I’ll give it a bit more attention.
Thank you for the direction,
Jere
I resonate with your pain and your passion, Indra: I am honored to be here at your birth.
Jere–how about a bumper sticker with : “Fuck Off Fuck Wits”?
Indra–feel the hug
Indranibe:
The song Child of the Wild Blue Yonder by John Hiatt came to me after reading your words, especially these lyrics, and I had to listen to the song several times before making a leap here to write in (as I tend to read rather than contribute, but such a strong feeling pushed me out of my chair, so gotta follow that intuition for sure!)
She’s a child of the wild blue yonder
flying out of here.
She’s a child of the wild blue yonder
born in an angel’s tear.
This part of the song I see you now and the next set of lyrics I see the part of you that’s “gestating” with the optimum set of parents…
Medicine woman raised her
spirit father praised her
through their love she was set free.
From a baby kicking and screaming
to a full blooded woman dreaming
with the power just to be.
Thanks for sharing your heart as I also can relate to your words.
Darra
Rob44 – I will also add that the book “They F*** You Up” by Oliver James, is a very interesting, non-tarot-related book about understanding where you come from so that you can better see where you’re headed.
indranibe, some thoughts from the poet Philip Larkin:
This Be The Verse
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.
indranibe – thank you for feeling safe enough here to share that. I resonate with a lot of what you write. It is painful; and sometimes I wish it only took nine months!
..I bow in your presence..
..Goddess of Yourself..
..Shine..
..we’re gonna blow a whole right through the roof of the night.. Reality unfolds Now.
After many moons of thinking about it, I’ve finally found the words I want to have tattooed to my arse: a loud, proud and unapologetic, “FUCK YOU!”
Well I think that baby’s finally been born folks…thank you for being present at the birth…
;o)
Thanks Sarah, I’m going to keep referring to your article, especially the bit about “Something is in the process of being shaped here — forged in the creative fires. It wants to be brought forward.” I know what it is too – I’m shaping myself – I want to be “brought forward”, and I am being forged in the “creative fires” if the rage within is anything to go by!
The angry child wants to be seen and heard, to kill off the parents, neither of whom nurtured me enough. And then to turn around and say that there was something wrong with me! I tell you what was “wrong” with me – I had arseholes for parents, that’s what was wrong with me! That’s what I’m trying to do – get out of their shadows and into my own light. FUCK OFF! is what I want to tell them – FUCK OFF! is what I tell them…
The Doors’ song ‘Wild Child’ describes it best:
“Natural child, terrible child, not your mother’s or your father’s child. You’re our child, screamin’ wild! With hunger at her heels, freedom in here eyes, she dances on her knees, Pirate Prince at her side, starin’ into the hollow idol’s eye…Wild child full of grace, saviour of the human race…”
And what are children, if not the “saviours” of our species? But right now, this “child” is the one that needs “saving”. But I’m the grown-up now, and fuck you all (figuratively speaking), I’m gonna save myself. I’ve been “killing off” the old me, and recreating and gestating the new one, and it’s been one big tantrum after another…
I feel like I’m so close, so close – I’m getting impatient for this nascent adult to be born. The “tension” is high, the stakes are high, and something had better happen soon…
But that’s gestation for ya…the message of the Empress…breathe, breathe, it’s like labour pains, all over again… I could really use a mid-wife right about now…
..I’m takin’ this one personal.. I’ve come through a massive shift of energy in better form than I was. I’ve succeded to align my energy to the cosmic flow. Now I must absorb the instructions that will grant me passage to the organization of a socio-structured benefaction to All. This, will take ‘More’ action.. my trip aint done yet.. my Will is still being tested.
..That’s what I read off the cuff.. for myself.. I’ll think a bit more on it for generalized characteristics.
Really enjoying these sessions,
Jere
And thanks Sarah for everything under your ‘Blog Writing’ tab on your website – fantastic reference tool for study!!
Thank you Sarah – I’m avidly reading and taking notes and learning loads regarding interpretations – the last few readings are indeed wonderful and connected and I really needed this reading today too
Blessings x
Beautiful reading. Feels spot on. And also so close to Len’s recent posting about the return of the Goddess.
Doubt about your shuffle never crossed my mind. Still BPRF,R ;>)
Sarah,
Thank you. Very excited about your linking the results of recent weeks, especially as regards to the preponderance of wands. While i do not have anywhere near the proficiency to evaluate your interpretation, it seems to be very advanced. and (fittingly) represent an advanced stage.
Charles, thank you for the shuffle tip.
I lie unintentionally – I used what’s known as the overhand shuffle. Seven of those. It’s what I always do, sometimes preceded by swirling the cards on the surface in front of me.
… But I’m pretty sure this is not to do with poor shuffling, anyway. 🙂
And what do you know, Charles, I gave the deck seven good riffle shuffles!
I’m not sure what to think about this layout, but I’ll think about it. In the meantime, I might mention.. Sarah, I just read a paper by an eccentric mathematician who researches card tricks. He says 7 good riffle shuffles is sufficient to randomize a deck to the point where further shuffles have little effect. Sure each shuffle beyond 7 gives a different random deck order. But it is only infinitesimally more random than the last.
And I shuffled really well – I promise! 🙂
Needed that reading today. “And every day demands its dog” (love it, Sarah). And, in its own time, again, the dog will have its day. It’s (only) change.
Almost unbelievable the way the cards are falling this past month. And, there is no “chance.”
The Empress between those two cards is so comforting to me. Conscious holding of the tension is so apt. Thanks, Sarah. Beautiful reading of these cards.
BPRF, R ;>)