posted on Sep, 17 2003 @ 12:16 AM
Creepy here's your reading
First Card-PAST-The Moon
It has been said many times that things are not always as they seem, and in the influence of the Moon this axiom is particularly true. In the
moonlight, things that are benevolent during the day can suddenly seem dangerous and malicious. The very term "moonlight" is misleading because the
Moon does not emit light of its own, it simply reflects the light of the Sun. Some people even claim to see the face of a man on the Moon's cratered
surface, though of course such a thing is impossible and only an illusion. A lot of people who look for that face in the Moon know it could not be
there, but they look nonetheless.
This card is one of the few Major Arcana with important animal symbolism, and with no human figures in the majority of cases. The Rider-Waite card
shows a wolf and a dog; two members of the same genus, but the first is wild and the second has been domesticated. Both of them are shown howling at
the Moon, however, and if a human were present in this scene he would probably be affected somehow too. Regardless of your place in the hierarchy of
society or of evolution, you are still susceptible to illusions and deception. The Moon shines the same light down on everyone, though what you see
when that light reaches your eyes depends on who you are, not on what you see.
In ancient religions the Moon deity was often a Goddess with ties to female fertility, because there was a visible correlation between the cycle of
the Moon and the female menstrual cycle. While this association is still valid, the Moon of the Tarot tends to deal with fertility of imagination
rather than fertility of body. The crayfish shown regularly on Moon cards is a sign of the emerging subconscious and its influence over the conscious
mind, and for a mind closed to the messages of its subconscious, there can be a lot of illusion and deceptions to face. You can no longer tell what is
real and what is just a manifestation of your fears and desires.
The ordeal of the Moon is the last challenge posed by the Major Arcana, in which you must travel in the dark, not knowing for sure if your path is the
right one. There is no sunlight to guide you, no distant landmark in the hills to direct your steps, no one to travel alongside. This is a journey
that must be made alone, in darkness and without a map or a compass. You must learn to rely on your own inner light to lead you along the true path.
Any hesitation, any doubt, and that light will be extinguished forever. But if you believe, your light will shine forever, as brightly as the sun that
will inevitably rise once this night has passed.
The Moon's appearance in a reading almost always means that something is not as it appears to be, and that vigilance and perception will be necessary
to find that which is hidden before it is too late. In a generally good reading the Moon shows that not all is as wonderful as you would think. You
may be idealizing the sitatuion, and ignoring the fact that potential for failure exists among success. A negative reading that includes the Moon
often shows that you are letting your imagination run away with you, and that things are not nearly as bad as they seem. In both cases you must open
your eyes and see what it really going on.
This card can also show times when you are not sure of your destination, or even of the path you are travelling - but you travel nonetheless. It's
quite possible that you have lost your way, and are stumbling around in the dark. If you wait until the sun rises again the path may have changed and
the opportunity could have been lost. So what should you do? The Moon is a card of intuition and psychic forces, so let go of your conscious mental
blocks and let your intuition guide you. Not only will the way forward be revealed, but in a lot of cases you will learn lessons about yourself that
will be valuable in later journeys.
Second Card-PRESENT-Death(reversed)
The image of Death charging across a field on his spectral steed would strike fear into the heart of almost any man. The appearance of the Death card
has a similar effect on most people, though it really should not. Whether you like it or not, Death is one of the most powerful cards in the Tarot.
Humans naturally fear the unknown, and so Death is our greatest fear since it is the greatest unknown. The majority of us are unaware that our mind
and spirit die all the time, constantly shedding old beliefs and acquiring new ones. It has been said many times by many readers: the Death card is
not a card of death - it is a card of transformation.
In the Tarot, as in reality, Death is nothing more than a transition to the next level of life. Whether you believe that a soul goes to heaven or back
to Earth to be reincarnated, the fact remains that the soul lives on. The candle is extinguished, but only because the day has come. The river shown
on many versions of the Death card is a symbol, showing that life will go on, no matter what disastrous things happen. The river water will reach the
sea, rise into the clouds, then rain onto the land to flow into the river again. Nothing is destroyed, because nothing can be destroyed - there can be
only transformation.
The only real reason the transformation shown by Death is so catastrophic is because it is being held back, fought against by those too afraid to
realize that change is beneficial. Every change happens for a reason, and Death is a force like Justice in that it is absolutely fair. It does not
discriminate against one group and spare another - everyone is equal in the eyes of Death. So if big changes are happening in your life it is
certainly plausible that you are the reason for them. There's no point fighting death, it only makes things worse. Like the Hanged Man, accept that
change happens and let it do what it must.
Take a look at the Rider-Waite version of the Death card, and note the bishop on the right side of the image. He is actually welcoming Death, because
he knows of the great spiritual transformation it brings. Almost all versions of the Death card show a symbol of resurrection or re-birth. This could
be the rising sun, an egg, or a sapling sprouting from the body of a dead man. All these symbols show that to progress in life, our old form must die,
just as a snake sheds its old skin to reveal a shiny new one. This is the message of the card: Death must be conquered by the regeneration of the
soul, and he who knows this shall live forever.
When the Death card appears, big changes are heading your way. Usually this change refers to something in your lifestyle; an old attitude or
perspective is no longer useful and you have to let go of it. While the Hanged Man was a card of voluntary sacrifice, the Death card is a forced
sacrifice - but that does not mean that it is not for your own good. Sometimes you cannot see how your attitudes are hurting you, and when that is
true, the Death card is your wake-up call. Death is not simply destruction; it is destruction followed by renewal. Even though one door may have
closed, another is opening. Will you have the courage to step through?
If so, before you go forward, take a moment to look back. Is there anything that you are carrying with you that is no longer necessary? Let it go now,
before you proceed. Are your old attitudes holding you back, or are high expectations constantly disappointing you? Cast them off, or let Death's
watery energy wash them away from you. Open yourself and let it strip away all that you no longer need - fear, revenge, intolerance. Flowers cannot
bloom if the land is full of weeds which choke the ground, and likewise, your spiritual enlightenment will be held back by doubt and fear. Let them go
now or risk having them painfully ripped away when Death inevitably returns.
Third Card-FUTURE-5 of Swords
Upon emerging from the rest of the Four we find ourselves back in the thick of conflict on the Five of Swords. The image on the Rider-Waite and its
many variants is that of a victorious man and two defeated opponents, and in this symbolism we see more of the typical duality of the Swords suit.
When this card appears it usually means that you are defeated - cheated out of victory by a vily and cunning opponent. But sometimes you are that
victor, the one who has defeated your opponents through the use of your mind. Whether the victory was an ethical one remains to be seen.
But let us return to the theme of defeat, which is the primary meaning of the Five of Swords. This is perhaps why the card is so unwelcome in
readings; it shows that, despite your best efforts, you are likely to be beaten. But the Five of Swords is not only about being defeated and
disappointed because of that defeat. If you allow yourself to become disillusioned after such a loss then you are on the path to greater ruin. Take
defeat, learn from it, and then try again to succeed. It has been said that a good man will be beaten, and accept losing - but a great man will be
beaten, then go back and win.
When the Five of Swords appears and you feel that you are on the winning side this time, there is still a warning to heed. Arrogance and pride often
come hand in hand with a difficult victory such as this, and you must be careful not to think you are invincible. You have overcome a challenge, and
you have the right to feel proud, but know that there will be other foes to face and that some of them will eventually defeat you. Declaring your
invincibility is an invitation for someone to prove you wrong. If your victory was won through cheating or unethical conduct, beware of an attempt at
vengeance.
An interesting facet of this card is revealed by symbolism in the Rider-Waite scene. It shows a man with two swords lying at his feet - the spoils of
his victory. But he already had three swords, and his trophies really represent nothing more than a hollow victory. It is plausible that the two
"defeated" men were really not defeated at all; they simply laid down their arms and walked away. They either knew they would lose, or they knew
winning would be a pointless exercise. And by choosing not to fight, they are really the winners here, because he who knows when to fight, and when
not to fight, will be victorious.
Creepy the moon is in your past. The moon is about deception and illusion, things are not as they seem. Its about the emergence of the subconscious.
You need to listen to you intuition, let it guide you. This is a journey down a dark lonely road, listen to your inner voice, it will help you to
solve your problems. In your present is death. Death is one of the most powerful cards in tarot. It's not about death, it's about transformation.
No matter what happens to you in life, life goes on. There is a need to change, don't fear change. Big changes are headed your way, changes in
your lifestyle. Your attitude or perspective is no longer useful and is hurting you. This is a wakeup call. Let go of the fear, revenge and
intolerance NOW or it will be ripped away. In your future is the 5 of swords. When this card appears it usually means that you are defeated -
cheated out of victory by a vily and cunning opponent. But sometimes you are that victor. When the Five of Swords appears and you feel that you are
on the winning side this time, there is still a warning to heed. Arrogance and pride often come hand in hand with a difficult victory such as this,
and you must be careful not to think you are invincible. And if you are the victor, it was pointless, nothing was gained, except possibly someone
coming and looking for revenge.
TheHippieDude your next