Welcome back to Part 2 of this week’s Lenormand and Tarot tag-team, and we’re picking things up right where we left off in Part 1.
After having the Lenormand give us its message, we’re now turning to the Tarot to see what its stand is on things.
And just like last week, the deck being used for this part of the reading is the Infinite Visions Tarot by Gloria Jean.
The video below reveals the cards in the reading:
If you prefer to read the post, here it is:
If you read that last post, then you’ll recall our Lenormand cards this week are Ship, Dog, and Mice. The playing cards associated with these cards are: 10 of Spades (Ship), 10 of Hearts (Dog), and 7 of Clubs (Mice).
Ship, Dog, and Mice, from the Unforgettable Lenormand by Teri Smith of Divine Walks.
The Tarot cards that I see as correspondences to these playing cards are: 10 of Swords (10 of Spades), 10 of Cups (10 of Hearts), and 7 of Wands (7 of Clubs).
10 of Swords, 10 of Cups, and 7 of Wands, from the Infinite Visions Tarot by Gloria Jean.
We’re going to be starting things off with the center card, 10 of Cups, just as we did with the Lenormand part of the reading.
Just like Dog, 10 of Cups takes center stage after having been the final card in the line of last week’s reading.
And just as I said then, when the 10 of Cups blesses you with its presence, your happy ending may be on the horizon.
The 10 of Cups centers on life’s emotional rewards. This is known as “the marriage and family card,” and, as such, is more about the people in our lives, those that we have chosen to form bonds and create relationships with. Some we are born into—but most we choose.
This card is also about community. Being a card that indicates spiritual growth, this could be a nod to your spiritual community, the people who have played either an active or passive role in your spiritual development.
If you are the esoteric or metaphysical type, this card is known as the “soul family” card. From this perspective, you understand that there is a bond—a sort of contract–you have agreed upon with your birth family to learn certain lessons designed for your own soul’s growth.
Looking at things in this way, what lessons have you learned from the members of your family of origin? My own growth came from looking at the challenging relationship with my mother from this perspective, and played a major part in my spiritual growth and direction.
So, again, this week, the 10 of Cups ask you to look beyond the material things you have—or think you need to have to make your life better. The 10 of Cups, instead, asks you to look at the ways life makes you feel satisfaction and a sense of peace.
Now, the 10 of Swords, to the left of the 10 of Cups, could be the proverbial speed bump on the road leading to that place of emotional happiness and satisfaction.
The 10 of Swords is one of the more troubling cards in the Tarot, and causes many people to shudder when it comes their way.
For me, every card has an aspect of shadow and light, so this will be my approach with our card for this week.
The Shadow:
When the 10 of Swords appears, things are coming to an end. For some, this will mean the worst has happened. This can suggest ruin, failure, doubt, suspicions, and betrayal (the sense of being “stabbed in the back”). It can mean hitting bottom. It can mean overkill (one sword would’ve done the trick—but ten is mighty excessive, yes?).
The “point” is really being driven home here, which leads me to…
The Light:
Swords being the suit of thoughts, from a higher level of awareness and perspective, this card is asking you to examine the thoughts that keep you stuck. Fear paralyzes us, causes us to choose inaction. The same can be said for over-thinking a situation, which causes “paralysis by analysis.” The same holds true for (self-) doubt.
When it comes to betrayal, this is what Spirit once revealed to me: When we experience a betrayal by another, it is somehow reflecting how we have betrayed ourselves. In this sense, the 10 of Swords is asking us to consider in what ways are we not being true to who we are (for that is what betrayal is).
Now, I’m not so much a Pollyanna that I don’t realize that Life can throw some extreme challenges our way at times. But, at the core of those challenges, there is the message (Swords are about communication) that something needs to change—some way of living (Swords are also about lifestyle) needs to (finally!) come to an end.
And some of us need to get the message in a melodramatic way so it will get our attention and wake us up.
When this is the case, the 10 of Swords is asking us to stop having that “Young & Restless” moment—and turn off the TV. You don’t need the drama anymore (I always hear Mary J. Blige singing “No More Drama,” which has strains of “The Young and the Restless” in the song).
If you are prone to “drama,” what do you get out of having Life present situations and events to you in such a way (How do you contribute to it and engage in it?)?
And I’m Pollyanna enough to end on this note: When we do hit bottom, there is only one way to go—and that’s up.
On the right side of 10 of Cups, we have 7 of Wands.
The 7 of Wands is definitely a card of challenge. This card typically has an image of an individual standing on a hilltop in a defensive position, keeping his or her opposition at bay.
This card can suggest facing adversities that seem like an uphill battle—but it is also a card of overcoming those adversities. The 7 of Wands says you’re a cut above the rest, that you’re playing on a higher level than those around you, and that you have what it takes to come out on top.
The 7 of Wands is also a card of self-employment. He or she is at the top of his or her game, and overseeing lots of projects (irons in the fire). Also a card of being both the teacher and the student, this card is asking those of us with entrepreneurial flair what we still need to learn, because we might be facing a steep learning curve—but remember—we’re up for the challenge!
When it comes to making lifestyle choices, some cases may involve calling it quits and throwing in the towel. But hold on a minute! The 7 of Wands asks us to reconsider that option. There’s a saying that many people quit just before “striking gold.” You may be just at the point of discovering that very thing you need to succeed!
With regard to the relational aspect of 10 of Cups, when the 7 of Wands arrives on the scene, we are being encouraged to stand up for ourselves, to positively assert ourselves. Keep in mind that if this is a new way of being for you (Wands being about your image and how people identify with you), you might be met with some resistance. People may be intimidated by this new you, but don’t back down!
Choosing you—and saying “yes” to you—also allows you to learn the fine art of saying “no” to others—all with love.
To round out this reading, I’ll add together the numbers from the Tarot cards, and take their sum as the means of deriving the card that will serve as the major lesson of the reading.
Here we have 10 (10 of Swords), 10 (10 of Hearts), and 7 (7 of Wands). So, taking 10 + 10 + 7, we arrive at a sum of 27.
There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, so a sum over 22 is reduced by adding the digits together; in this case, 27 becomes 2 + 7, which equals 9.
The 9th card in the Major Arcana is The Hermit.
When The Hermit appears on your path, the message is to take some time out for yourself. This is a card of withdrawal, being alone, finding some quiet time or engaging in solitary activities.
If you are a person who meditates, this week would be ideal for that. If you are an active dreamer (meaning that you recall and record your sleep dreams), consider pulling out one of your most recent dreams and work with it.
The Hermit is about being self-aware, and gaining wisdom from your life experiences. If you are finding yourself in the middle of a challenging situation (The Hermit calls this “a dark night of the soul,” which could be highlighted by 10 of Swords), take a step back and ask yourself, “What is the possible lesson in this situation for me? What is it teaching me–about me?”
If you are sometimes prone to “preaching” to people in an effort to get them to change (maybe that being part of the “drama” of 10 of Swords), The Hermit is asking you to consider a different approach. This card is about leading by example (also hinted at by 7 of Wands), showing others the way–without words.
Gandhi was quoted to say “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” (The Hermit, in this case, can reflect Wisdom Teachers and Ascended Masters.) When people see the positive changes you have made in your own life, which I call “demonstration,” it will attract people who will want to know what you have been doing. That will be your “hook” to then tell them, because they are interested.
The Hermit tells people what he has done, and offers that they can do the same–if they want (he would then add, “No pressure,” because he knows there is a lesson involved whether they choose to follow his example or not).
And with that, Tarot finishes its turn, wrapping up another weekly reading!
Hoping you have a Tarot-tastic week…
life of HIMM 