All you need is Tarot and Wine!
Every now and then, a word crosses your path and touches something deep inside. For me, that word was Ubuntu. It’s an African concept that is so much more than a philosophy — it’s a way of living. It’s gentle, powerful, and profoundly human. A quiet force that whispers:
“I am because we are.”
Or, in Zulu:
“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” — A person is a person through other people.
“Because the sun, according to its nature, is a foot of a man in width, it will not exceed its limits: if it exceeds its limits, the Erinyes, the messengers of Dike, will catch up with it.”
– Heraclitus ca. 540 – 480 B.C.
Tarot Card The Sun is literally a sunny card that evokes cheerful images. The Sun is associated with optimism, awareness, inner growth, self-knowledge, enlightenment, and self-improvement. The depiction by Waite and Smith, with the choice of the child on the back of the horse, also aims to express a kind of freedom (of the soul). However, the beautiful sunflowers and the large red banner cannot obscure the large gray wall; the wall is prominently present on the card. What is the symbolism of the wall? And how can the Greek philosopher Heraclitus shed light on this while he himself was called ‘the Dark Philosopher’?
Continue reading “Tarot Card The Sun and the Dark Philosopher”“Unumquodque habet in se semen suae Regenerationis“
(“Each thing carries within itself the seed of its own regeneration.”)
This mystical statement, attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, is quoted in the book “A Suggestive Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery” (1850) by Mary Anne Atwood (1817 – 1910). Mary Anne Atwood was a 19th-century writer, philosopher, and alchemist whose work influenced Arthur Edward Waite.
According to Atwood, the words from the quote (whether or not from Hermes Trismegistus) seemed to articulate a profound alchemical and spiritual truth: everything in the universe has the potential to renew, transform and evolve itself.
Continue reading “The seed on Tarot card ‘Death’”Many Tarot cards depict animals. Animals have always had a special symbolism for humans and it is fun to explore how it is that a certain animal is associated with certain traits and in which other stories these animals play a role (e.g. mythology).
In this blog post I want to tell you something about the Goat; Where her male counterpart has a Taurus (and a ram) on his throne, the Queen of Pentacles has a Goat depicted on her throne. Why does the Goat fits the Queen of Pentacles? What are the characteristics of Goats?
I really enjoyed reading everything about goats and it really helps to be able to interpret the card in a more creative manner. Do we recognize traits in the Queen of Pentacles that are the same as the Goat’s? Let’s make a list and see where we end up
All Queens nurture and care for their element. For thousands of years, the Goat has been seen as the symbol of Caring, Fertility and Abundance. In Greek Mythology, the goat plays an important role; For example, the supreme god Zeus – who as a baby escaped the voracity of his father Cronos – was secretly left by his mother with a Goat who took care of Zeus and fed him with her milk. Later, this Goat was depicted as Nymph Amalthea.
The Queen of Pentacles is known for being good with money. She doesn’t throw money down the drain, she is aware of the value of what is available and what is given to us by the earth. She likes good quality and beautiful things, but she prefers to buy them on sale. The Queen of Pentacles is therefore not a minimalist but more of an essentialist: something of good quality that always stays beautiful and lasts a long time is more important than chasing bargains. But she will still be able to keep the balance and want to make the best deal possible.
The Goat is also associated with ‘frugality’; Goats are less likely to overeat and ‘save’ food for later (they ruminate).
Goats are curious, resourceful, and self-reliant. That is why they are seen as ‘spiritual guides’ in many cultures. Goats love to climb and do not shy away from challenges in this area. They trust their own balance and intuition. She ‘shows’ the way, but she doesn’t expect you to follow her path exactly. On the contrary, she encourages you to look deep within yourself for your own ‘treasures’ and hidden talents. Just as the Queen encourages you to look at what you have to offer. An inward (Yin) way of ‘opening up’ yourself, you could say. Use your own talent and be empowered!
No matter how precarious the goat’s position, they always remain calm and “hold themselves together.” They are rarely aggressive (although they can bleat loudly when they get frustrated). Goats are very flexible and adapt very quickly. Many a Goat has managed to escape death – at first glance ‘easily’ – by a bizarre jump or move that they seem to perform calmly and ‘coolly’.
The Queen of Pentacles always knows a way or cleverness to arrange something. Because she is close to the earth, it not only makes use of everything that is available, but it is also very practical. It’s not just a creative idea, it also ‘works’. Whenever you’re in trouble in any way, the Queen of Pentacles always knows a way out!
It is true that the goat has caring as a quality. The goat has a lot to give (milk, wool). But the goat also symbolizes taking good care of yourself. She withdraws, alone and somewhat hidden and just does what she feels she has to do. And what you need to do to recharge and regain energy is different for everyone. That’s why the Queen of Pentacles is also THE self-care card!
When you search Google for the meaning of Two of Swords, you will see that there are generally limited interpretations that predominate; The most commonly mentioned meanings are ‘Blocking out emotions’ and ‘conflicts or doubt’. The ‘most peculiar’ I found: “Someone who adapts to the precepts of those in power”…
I do not agree with these simple interpretations; In addition to being particularly colored, they are also one-sided and detract from the value of this card; That’s why I’d like to show another side here, where the Marseille Tarot will come to the rescue later.
Continue reading “The Boundaries of Tarotcard Two of Swords”“Sometimes we need to be our own village by utilizing all of our skills and learning more”
(from Daily OM website)
I read this quote on a spiritual blog (OM) and immediately thought of Tarot card ‘Pentacles 9’! The card is often explained as obtaining success and wealth, with the ‘warning’that you should be careful not to isolate yourself too much in your own (lush) castle garden…
When you look at it differently – not necessarily in the sense of wealth and success, but more in the sense of autonomy and independence – then the comparison with ‘being your own village’ is very apt!
Everyone is ‘born’ with numerous skills and talents. If you just want to ‘survive’, you can fall back on these skills. However, chasing dreams requires much more than this; Most people rely on the support of a village or city to manage their affairs; This can mean anything from asking for help from friends and acquaintances, leaning on loved ones in times of grief, to hiring a
professional craftsman/woman to do jobs. But every person can also be his
or her own village!
We fulfill many roles throughout our lives, all of which are representative of our capacity for autonomy and independence. At various times in our lives, we are our own counselor, custodian, caretaker, cook, healer, teacher, and student. Our enthusiasm and energy to fulfill these roles gives us the power to maintain control over the direction of our own lives.
In the past, people learned all the skills needed to survive. Today, most people specialize in a single discipline, which they sharpen throughout their lives. That’s why we sometimes feel uncomfortable being at the helm of our own existence. We question our ability to make decisions about our own health, happiness, and well-being, and we often feel dependent on others who we believe to be “capable.”
This is most evident with so-called ‘thinking’ professions. For example, you can be a judge or a lawyer, but what if anarchy breaks out and all laws fall away (or change), what can you do to earn a living? When someone asks me what I’m good at, and I say: ‘booking TV commercials’, I always immediately think that I can’t really do anything that is of use to anyone 🙂 That’s pretty scary and it sometimes makes you insecure.
But basically, it’s just a matter of believing that we have the necessary skills and intelligence to deal with any circumstance that the universe throws at us.
By proving that we can each be our own village (by taking action and taking the bull by the horns), we can accept that we are strong enough to live an autonomous existence. And an autonomous existence does not necessarily have to mean that you live ‘off the grid’; It’s all in the little things: Being conscious of your money, cooking for yourself, making small repairs to the house, living a healthier life, following a specific study or training. This kind of thing means that you can take care of your own affairs and are happy and satisfied with it.
Being your own village doesn’t mean embracing isolation – On the contrary, being your own village is more about celebrating your own miraculous inner strength and ingenuity and your (innate) ability to make your own life ‘a success’.
I really enjoyed reading the article and being able to connect it to this tarotcard. The 9 of pentacles became alive in front of me! You can read more of these inspiring articles on the website of Daily OM.
On a number of Tarot cards, the figures are depicted between two pillars. The most obvious is Tarot Card II The High Priestess; According to Waite, she sits between the pillars ‘Boaz’ and ‘Jachin’ that belong to ‘the Mystical Temple’. But what exactly is this Mystical Temple? And where does the symbolism come from? Did the temple really exist? The key, according to many myths and mysteries, is the legend of King Solomon who had a temple built on a mountain in Jerusalem sometime in the year 1000 B.C. This temple has been the motivation and inspiration for many people ever since – to do both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ things. To unravel the mystery, we have to delve a bit into (biblical) history…
Continue reading “The Tarot and the Temple(s) of Solomon”Half a year ago I wrote a blog post about pentacles 5 and the choice to sometimes place yourself ‘outside the group’ and go your own way, even if it means that it is often difficult and lonely. Just recently, I’ve read an article on a New Age website that was about experiencing gratitude and the ability to accept help from others. Immediately, Tarot card Pentacles 5 popped into my mind and I thought about how I could add this to the interpretation of this card. And when I was figuring this out, the tarot cards Justice and the Hermit also came along 😉
Continue reading “5 of Pentacles and the Lesson of Dependence”Tarotcard Four of Cups is a card that I always thought was a bit “out of place”. I never really thought about why I had that feeling. The meaning of the card was clear to me. However, something was always gnawing at me somewhere inside, but I never had the time or patience to investigate this. Cups aren’t really my suit anyway ;-). But the other day something happened that reminded me of this card. So I dived in and tried to look at the four of cups with a pair of ‘fresh eyes’.
The keywords and meanings that are generally assigned to this card are (among others):
Waite also mentions “Aversion” and “disgust.” Literally, he writes in ‘Pictorial Key’:
“A Young man is seated under a tree and contemplates three cups set on the grass before him; An arm issuing from a loud offers him another up. His expression notwithstanding is one discontent with his envronment. Divinatory meanings: Weariness, disgust, aversion, imaginary vexations, as if the wine of this world had caused satiety only; another wine, as if a fairy gift, is now offered the wastrel, but he sees no consolation therein. This is also a card of blended pleasure. Reversed: Novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations”
A.E. Waite – The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911)
What does Waite mean by “blended” pleasure? Does he mean that you have too much of something that makes you ‘fed up’? The inverted meaning – which I never see as ‘reversed’ but more as the other end of the spectrum – doesn’t seem to make any sense to me.
Continue reading “Tarotcard 4 of cups: Spoiled or Neglected?”“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the Stars”
Oscar Wilde
The Star is the Tarot card that has number 17 in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. It is preceded by The Tower and followed by The Moon. The ‘mainstream’ meanings assigned to this card are generally:
The phrase “taking off your mask” and being “naked” almost always recurs in the descriptions. In this blog article I want to eloborate on these meanings; Apparently, we don’t think it’s good to wear a mask. We also like it when other people show themselves without a mask. But is that really a good thing? Of course, there is much more to it.
When you look at this tarotcard in a Jungian way and draw a comparison with the concept of Jung’s ‘Persona’, you will see that there are some nuances to be made. These nuances can make a big difference when The Star shows up in your readings.
Continue reading “Tarotcard The Star and Jung’s Personae”
