A Tarot Profile
VIII - Strength.
My guiding light. My personality and soul card. My greatest blessing and the source of my greatest pain. I am fascinated by the many aspects of strength. Tonight, I choose to study the 8 cards from my deck (The Fey Tarot), as a profile and insight into my own personality. It is amazing how well matched I find these cards to the events of my life and my own foibles.
I begin with the 8 of Chalices. A lone fey (or fairy), dressed in warm leather clothing, has turned her back on a journey up a winding staircase. At the top of the staircase, a goblet sits, glistening and beautiful. A waning crescent moon casts its light over the scene. The fey is resolved, heading away from the chalice, yet her eyes give away the desire to turn back, the doubt for her chosen path.
We are passing friends, this fey and I. We understand each other. Part of what keeps her from pursuing the path to the chalice relates to fear - and the other half to her own sense of self-worth and honor. The easy path is not necessarily the right path. The fey in the 8 of Chalices has come to realize that the goblet at the end of her journey is not be meant for her. It is out of consideration for others, out of a sense of duty and courtesy, that the fey turns her back on the treasure. We who respect others are also unfailingly polite. We highly value courtesy. This strict adherence to internal codes comes with a price . . . the fey's eyes have betrayed her desire to touch the goblet - yet the discipline of her body ensures she continues to descend the stairs - though her heart may be breaking. We do not cry in front of others. We walk, our heads held high, until we find a hidden sanctuary . . . . The fey in the 8 of Chalices is on a solitary journey. No family or friends are near to offer their support. Her decisions are hard. They are hers alone. What this fey decides, she must abide by.
The 8 of Pentacles is an artist, caught in mid-creation of her work. The fey sits before a giant golden coin, her face and clothing smudged with paint. The object she is creating holds her full attention. The blank slate awaits her touch. Her work area is not tidy, discarded colors and palettes cover the floor. Paintbrushes are piled in jars. This fey is the fey of creativity. Pentacles are generally a connection to the reality - the material world. They can also be an expression of wealth. The fey in the 8 of Pentacles is cuaght in a most awkward position - a creative dreamer in direct contact with the physical/material realm. It is hard to follow our dreams when we are tied up paying bills, checking the mail, and feeding the dog. The wealth of the artist fey lies not in her home or belongings, but in the bright flame within, that which inspires her to create. Ironically, the material world can either nurture such a spirit - or stamp out its existence entirely (think of all the artists who "sell out" for money - or end up doing jobs that never use their skills or make them happy). This card encompasses all of the creative process, with its ups and its downs. The fey's eyes are focused on her art, the distractions of the real world forgotten for a few precious hours. She is content, making her mark upon the world.
The 8 of Wands is a fey running through the tops of the tree branches, bells jangling from her costume. Even frozen in motion, her manner exudes energy and movement. She is like a picture of an athlete jumping hurdles. Though the picture is of a form in flight, the mind grasps both the launch and the landing. This fey does not look pleased, but rather frightened. Power, motion, and energy can be difficult loads to bear. With ability comes responsibility. I cannot tell you how many times self-proclaimed "psychics" have told me that I am a source of great power - that I shine like a beacon in the spiritual world. True or not, I know that I attract psychotic people - which has been an endless source of frustration - and this has led to two theories: 1) I am a victim - and psychopaths can sense it; or 2) I burn like a beacon, and the psychotic are drawn to my strength because they think I can heal them. Personally, I like to go with choice number 2 - but it does not decrease the need to be wary and alert. It takes talent (and energy) to walk in such precarious places. The fey in the 8 of Wands is racing through the thinnest branches at the top of the tree. The view must be spectacular - but, as with all things, if she missteps, there will be a terrible price.
The 8 of Swords is a few in bondage, her arms and legs tied, her face serene in the face of adversity. A sword fills the lower-right hand corner, its edges sharp. There is a hint that the fey's bondage is of her own choosing, as she could easily wriggle over to the sword and cut her bonds. Once again, we see the themes of responsibility and choice. There is the concept of consequence and price. I cannot tell you how often I have felt that I am my own prisoner. The question that remains unanswered in this card is one of control. Is the fey a prisoner of her own volition? Is there a reason she has deemed it more important to remain in bondage than to cut her bonds? Or is she merely apathetic - and it is an imposed captivity? Either way, serene in the face of fear, this fey is knowledgable of control and of choices. When they have stripped her of all else, her captors will find her face serene, for they cannot strip her of choice. The mind is a truly amazing place, and rationalization a grand friend and deadly enemy, all at once. Whatever her reasons, the fey has decided. Like the fey in the 8 of Chalices, strict discipline allows her access to her deepest sense of honor and duty. Whatever choice was made, she will not turn back. As a prisoner, she is strong, and finds strength in her suffering.
An interesting portrait. And, in my opinion, very accurate. But enough sunshine and light for now (and if you can't hear the sarcasm in that comment, you've got issues). It is once again time for me to sleep - perchance to dream of the road I am walking, to see my path laid amongst the fragile branches, and to see the glory of creation I leave behind. With any luck, I will find confidence in my choices. Serenity in the bonds of my own choosing.
My guiding light. My personality and soul card. My greatest blessing and the source of my greatest pain. I am fascinated by the many aspects of strength. Tonight, I choose to study the 8 cards from my deck (The Fey Tarot), as a profile and insight into my own personality. It is amazing how well matched I find these cards to the events of my life and my own foibles.
I begin with the 8 of Chalices. A lone fey (or fairy), dressed in warm leather clothing, has turned her back on a journey up a winding staircase. At the top of the staircase, a goblet sits, glistening and beautiful. A waning crescent moon casts its light over the scene. The fey is resolved, heading away from the chalice, yet her eyes give away the desire to turn back, the doubt for her chosen path.
We are passing friends, this fey and I. We understand each other. Part of what keeps her from pursuing the path to the chalice relates to fear - and the other half to her own sense of self-worth and honor. The easy path is not necessarily the right path. The fey in the 8 of Chalices has come to realize that the goblet at the end of her journey is not be meant for her. It is out of consideration for others, out of a sense of duty and courtesy, that the fey turns her back on the treasure. We who respect others are also unfailingly polite. We highly value courtesy. This strict adherence to internal codes comes with a price . . . the fey's eyes have betrayed her desire to touch the goblet - yet the discipline of her body ensures she continues to descend the stairs - though her heart may be breaking. We do not cry in front of others. We walk, our heads held high, until we find a hidden sanctuary . . . . The fey in the 8 of Chalices is on a solitary journey. No family or friends are near to offer their support. Her decisions are hard. They are hers alone. What this fey decides, she must abide by.
The 8 of Pentacles is an artist, caught in mid-creation of her work. The fey sits before a giant golden coin, her face and clothing smudged with paint. The object she is creating holds her full attention. The blank slate awaits her touch. Her work area is not tidy, discarded colors and palettes cover the floor. Paintbrushes are piled in jars. This fey is the fey of creativity. Pentacles are generally a connection to the reality - the material world. They can also be an expression of wealth. The fey in the 8 of Pentacles is cuaght in a most awkward position - a creative dreamer in direct contact with the physical/material realm. It is hard to follow our dreams when we are tied up paying bills, checking the mail, and feeding the dog. The wealth of the artist fey lies not in her home or belongings, but in the bright flame within, that which inspires her to create. Ironically, the material world can either nurture such a spirit - or stamp out its existence entirely (think of all the artists who "sell out" for money - or end up doing jobs that never use their skills or make them happy). This card encompasses all of the creative process, with its ups and its downs. The fey's eyes are focused on her art, the distractions of the real world forgotten for a few precious hours. She is content, making her mark upon the world.
The 8 of Wands is a fey running through the tops of the tree branches, bells jangling from her costume. Even frozen in motion, her manner exudes energy and movement. She is like a picture of an athlete jumping hurdles. Though the picture is of a form in flight, the mind grasps both the launch and the landing. This fey does not look pleased, but rather frightened. Power, motion, and energy can be difficult loads to bear. With ability comes responsibility. I cannot tell you how many times self-proclaimed "psychics" have told me that I am a source of great power - that I shine like a beacon in the spiritual world. True or not, I know that I attract psychotic people - which has been an endless source of frustration - and this has led to two theories: 1) I am a victim - and psychopaths can sense it; or 2) I burn like a beacon, and the psychotic are drawn to my strength because they think I can heal them. Personally, I like to go with choice number 2 - but it does not decrease the need to be wary and alert. It takes talent (and energy) to walk in such precarious places. The fey in the 8 of Wands is racing through the thinnest branches at the top of the tree. The view must be spectacular - but, as with all things, if she missteps, there will be a terrible price.
The 8 of Swords is a few in bondage, her arms and legs tied, her face serene in the face of adversity. A sword fills the lower-right hand corner, its edges sharp. There is a hint that the fey's bondage is of her own choosing, as she could easily wriggle over to the sword and cut her bonds. Once again, we see the themes of responsibility and choice. There is the concept of consequence and price. I cannot tell you how often I have felt that I am my own prisoner. The question that remains unanswered in this card is one of control. Is the fey a prisoner of her own volition? Is there a reason she has deemed it more important to remain in bondage than to cut her bonds? Or is she merely apathetic - and it is an imposed captivity? Either way, serene in the face of fear, this fey is knowledgable of control and of choices. When they have stripped her of all else, her captors will find her face serene, for they cannot strip her of choice. The mind is a truly amazing place, and rationalization a grand friend and deadly enemy, all at once. Whatever her reasons, the fey has decided. Like the fey in the 8 of Chalices, strict discipline allows her access to her deepest sense of honor and duty. Whatever choice was made, she will not turn back. As a prisoner, she is strong, and finds strength in her suffering.
An interesting portrait. And, in my opinion, very accurate. But enough sunshine and light for now (and if you can't hear the sarcasm in that comment, you've got issues). It is once again time for me to sleep - perchance to dream of the road I am walking, to see my path laid amongst the fragile branches, and to see the glory of creation I leave behind. With any luck, I will find confidence in my choices. Serenity in the bonds of my own choosing.
posted by Andrea Peach | 9:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home