NINE OF CUPS

This card is about gratification, indulgence, abundance, fulfillment, happiness, enjoyment, contentment, and getting what you want. Maybe it's you winning an award! Time to relax and soak it all in. It's a card about harmony, when things seem to all come together for you. If you know about the majority of cards leading up to this one you will know this is one to welcome when receiving it. It's the "wish" card. Have all your dreams come true? Crowley called this card happiness and his deck shows nine cups running over.

I guess the association I have with this card is being at my Grandma and Grandad's house after a family outing like Christmas. Good food, presents, and being with family, it really didn't get much better.

In one of my decks this card comes up more than any other. So much that it is worn out more than the other cards and you can tell which one it is on the backside from the wear.

Reversed, this card is a bummer. It's a bad day, things going less than expected, not getting what you wanted, or even someone else getting what you had expected to get. Could be a delay of getting what you wanted or maybe it's rejection. It could also be getting what you wanted, but at what cost? Did you over do it and ruin the experience in the long run? Always be careful in what you asked for! It's an empty space when reversed and leaves you wanting, longing for more. You may find abstaining is the correct course in this matter.

The song I picked for this card is the Happy-Happy, Joy-Joy song from The Ren and Stimpy Show.

0 THE FOOL

The Fool card is the very first card of the Major Arcana. This card is card #0 in the deck, so it's the beginning of a story, the proverbial "big bang" of the deck.This is a card that represents a fresh start, innocence, new beginnings, naivety. This is one in their youth just as they leave the nest. He is happy-go-lucky without a care in the world. The Fool is on his journey, what will he learn?  There are so many choices to be made, so many possibilities.

The Fool is usually seen on a path looking up, gazing at the sun daydreaming. He holds a white rose in one hand. Also, he has a dog companion. Is the dog there to distract him, or is the dog warning him about dangers ahead? And the flower? To me this symbolizes a new beginning, new life. If you look at the Death card, you will see Death holding a black flag with a white rose on it. The white rose on both cards mean the same thing to me.

I had a dream about this card about a year or two ago. I was The Fool. I was talking to The High Priestess and she told me to go talk to The Magician. She told me that only he could tell me what the contents in my travelers bag could be. So, I went and found him. His message to me was about the contents of my bag. I had all four elements in my bag, and he told me to use all four to the best of my ability. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.  Earth, the coins, is our wealth, those things we posses. Air, the swords are one's intellect. Fire, the wands are our creativity and the things that we do. Water, the cups represent our emotions. So I took out my chalice, my wand, my coins, and my sword and looked them over. He then told me about another element. Above all was a fifth element, Spirit or ones Will. By using one's will you can bend any and all of the other elements in your favor. The key to success was one's own will.

The fool is the Major Arcana version of all four of the Page cards. He is all four aspects of the Minor Arcana cards combined, and more. Is he closer related to the Page of Cups because they both have flowers sown on their garments?

Right-side-up this card shows genuine innocence, lack of knowledge due to inexperience. It's not that you are foolish, you just have a lot to learn. It is a fresh start on a new journey so choose your path wisely and watch your footing along the way.

Upside down you show you are foolish, ignorant, totally careless, or just not paying attention. Maybe you have just lost your way. You need to watch yourself before you stray too far from your path and fall. Your dog companion may be warning you to wake up and "smell the roses" or just be careful of where you are headed.


So when I think of this card, and I think about archetypes I think of people like Edith from All In The Family, Stimpy from the cartoon Ren and Stimpy, Jeff Bridges from the movie Starman, and even Tom Cullen from Stephen King's novel, THE STAND. Like the fool, Tom too had quite a journey.

Song chosen for this card is The Fool On The Hill by The Beatles

FIVE OF SWORDS

This isn't a pleasant card by any means. All the five cards seem to have a nasty feel about them. Crowley calls this card DEFEAT.  To me this card represents several things. It can mean cheating, loss, or even you winning a battle or argument, but at what cost? Did you really gain anything in the long run? Did you come off as being smug? Did you burn your bridges?  You may feel as if you gained something, or won. The truth of the matter is that you lost. You may have lost friends, or honor, or credibility. You might want to reflect on the way you went about a certain issue. Did you have to be right? The feeling of being self centered or self important comes out strong. Ask yourself if you were practicing self preservation or were you just being narcissistic.

Reversed this card represents making amends, or resolving an issue. You were the better person and said, "I'm sorry!" Reconnecting with someone you have lost favor with, reaching out.

Song chosen to represent this card is Beat It by Michael Jackson.

SIX OF SWORDS

So I had a dream about this card. I was the figure pictured, and somehow I seemed to be the ferryman on the river Styx. The main thing I was concerned about in this dream was the swords stuck in the boat floor, and that someone might start pulling them out.

So in a way, was this my subconscious telling me that even thought one is moving on or over this situation there is still a chance of one or more of those swords being uprooted and the water (emotions) could start bubbling up? Maybe reverting back to the feeling in THE FIVE OF SWORDS? I think it's important to take caution as you move over this situation. Things are getting better, calming down, but caution is still needed. But what awaits you on the other side? A fresh start, a new frame of mind?

For me, THE SIX OF SWORDS is a card about moving on, being past a certain point, or just beyond the center of an issue. A transition card, or gateway card. So like Jonah fresh out of the belly of the whale, or the Fellowship of the Ring escaping out of the mines of Moria. You have moved on, but at what cost? What lesson was learned in this transition?

The reversed card. Like on the river Styx, make sure you have taken precautions in your proceedings. If the ferryman doesn't get paid, you may find yourself wandering up and down the banks of this river and not moving on from this situation. Stagnating and not being able to get over whatever it is that you are trying to escape from. You don't want those swords to come loose, taking you backward instead of forward.

Song I have chosen to represent this card is Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel

WHAT IS THIS BLOG ABOUT?

This is a blog about Tarot cards and their meaning. A diary of what I'm feeling about a card or what I may have learned. Also, I will post dreams about the Tarot as I have them. I seem to dream about being inside the story of the Tarot. Also, check back on cards often as I will probably edit posts about each card if anything new comes to mind.