Six of Pentacles

The six of pentacles shows a man with a scale in his hand as he gives money to poor beggars at his feet.  It represents harmony in your finances, the same amount of money that goes out comes in.  It could represent that you are giving to a charity (or a charitable person) or receiving from it.  You may let someone borrow money, but this could also be about giving your time and energy to others.  In the reverse this card shows a lack of reciprocation, or selfishly giving or receiving.  Are you being greedy or selfish? Are you being egotistical when giving to others?  There is a lack of balance that you need to work on.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-pentacles/six-of-pentacles/

Five of pentacles

The five of pentacles shows two people in squalor walking past a church.  It is a signifier of poverty and financial loss.  This card is not only about a loss in the material world, but a sense of lack in your emotional and spiritual life.  The loss of wealth forces you to take a look at your self esteem issues and self worth.  This card can also indicate a feeling of being left out in the cold and abandoned.  You may feel you are in need of help from your loved ones.  In the reverse this can suggest a sense of coming out of poverty and hard times.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-pentacles/five-of-pentacles/

Four of pentacles

 The four of Pentacles shows a man protecting his four coins, unable to let go or move forward in fear that he will lose them.  This card shows you have acquired many things that you are proud of, but also that you could be acting possessive and greedy. You may be financially secure, but you must remember not to value money above the other important aspects of life.  Learn to let go of some of your control so you do not confine yourself to stagnation.  In the reverse, this card can mean this conservatism and control in regards to finances is taken to the extreme.  It's definitely a time to take a risk so you can stop living in stagnation.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-pentacles/four-of-pentacles/

Three of pentacles

The three of pentacles shows a young man speaking to two more experienced people about the plans for building a cathedral.  This is a card of collaboration and the beginning of a goal becoming concrete.  It carries an encouraging message that through hard work you can almost definitely achieve your goals.  Planning and getting help from others will help you make your dreams a reality.  In the reverse it may suggest a lack of teamwork and a need to break away from your current group or collaborators.  You may feel you want to find a new job entirely.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-pentacles/three-of-pentacles/

Two of Pentacles

The two of pentacles shows a man juggling two coins as a wave crashes behind him.  This card is about balance and knowing how to prioritize in your life.  You must balance your financial and professional life with your social and romantic life.  Do what you need to do on a daily basis, but make sure you remember what is important to you and make the time for it.  Overall, its important to be flexible and balanced in your life without jumping to one extreme in life.  In the reverse, this shows a lack of time management and being too busy to make time for your loved ones.

Ace of Pentacles

The Ace of Pentacles shows a large hand coming through the sky with a large coin above a beautiful garden.  Like all aces it signifies a new start or beginning, but specifically in the earthy material realm (specifically work and finances). It shows you are coming into a time of stability and manifesting your dreams.  In the reverse, the ace of pentacles shows a lack of opportunity or financial abundance.  You need to plan more carefully if you want to be successfully.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-pentacles/ace-of-pentacles/

Ten of wands

The ten of wands shows a man struggling to carry the weigh of ten staphs to a nearby town.  He has already gathered the fruits of his labor and must fight to bring them to the outside world.  It suggests great achievement and the completion of a cycle, but also the burdens that come along with it.  This card reminds us of the impact of our work and our participation in the outside world has on us.  It is a reminder to slow down and examine what we really want in life.  In the reverse, this card suggests letting go of unnecessary burdens or dropping responsibility.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/ten-of-wands/

Nine of wands

The nine of wands is a card of persistence and determination to overcome struggle.  It shows a man holding strongly to his staph as he peers to the right in fear of being combatted.  He is near the completion of his journey and must only be strong for a short while longer.  This is the card of "the last battle", it suggests that you will have one more obstacle until you are victorious. Be vigilant, be strong, and keep fighting.  In the reverse this card is about feeling paranoid, boxing yourself in, and not feeling you have the fortitude to go on with a project that is in progress.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/nine-of-wands/

Eight of wands

The eight of wands shows eight wands flying through the air.  It indicates a fast paced up take in progress towards your goals.  It is a card of direction, and is a sign you should act now. It can also indicate travel, specifically in an aircraft.  Be careful of making quick decisions without a plan first.  In the reverse, this card can show a need to slow down or that there will be obstacles blocking what you want.  Figure out what your plan is and act accordingly to fight this.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/eight-of-wands/

Seven of wands

 The seven of wands shows a man with a large staph in his hand beating away the staphs of other men as he tries to protect his own position.  This is a card of holding your ground, and fighting for your goals against others impending obstacles.  It may indicate that others are trying to tear you down or compete with you, or simply that outside influences are interfering with your goals.  Hold strong and steadfast against the challenges upon you.  In the reverse, you may feel overwhelmed or that you cannot stand strong. 

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/seven-of-wands/

Six of wands

The six of wands is a card of victory.  It shows a man riding a white horse as he triumphantly holds a staph in his hand and the people around him celebrate him.  The six of wands shows that you have achieved something and you are receiving attention and acknowledgement for this.  It shows that you feel you can take pride in yourself and your efforts.  On the flip side, it may suggest arrogance and ego driven behaviors.  When the card is reversed it could show that people are seeing you in a negative light or you are experiencing a problem with your confidence levels due to you public image.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/six-of-wands/

Five of wands

The five of wands is a card of struggle, competition, and conflict (especially within a group).  It shows five men aimlessly waving wands without considering they may be hitting the people surrounding them.  This card shows you may be in a situation where people have no regard or respect for others wishes or needs, thereby creating tension or conflict.  It suggests that you need to consider others viewpoints and find a way to come to a fair decision collectively.  In the reverse this card can mean you are avoiding conflict or no longer making room for it in your life. 

Four of wands

The four of wands shows two people celebrating under a large decoration of flowers with a large castle behind them.  It's important to note the number in the card four because in numerology the number four in known as being a number of stability.  This card is about celebrating a key advancement in a project, or a new found stability in life.  It could easily be about real world celebrations such as birthdays, holidays, etc. but it could also be about a personal achievement.  Overall all this is a card of harmony, happiness, and success in the upright.  In the reverse, the four of wands represents instability and lack of harmony among relationships.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/four-of-wands/

Three of wands

The three of wands shows a man with three staphs panted firmly in the ground around him as he watches ships sailing towards and away from him.  It shows that your ambitions and plans are firmly in place and you are anticipating what is coming.  It is important to dream big and keep your mind wide open.  The card is sometimes interpreted as an indicator of travel, or traveling in your mind through learning and studying.  In reverse this card indicates a struggle to put plans into action, delays, and frustrations.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/three-of-wands/

Two of wands

The two of wands is a card of personal power and expansion.  He stands with two staphs and a globe in his hands looking out over a vast environment.  He is ambitious and ready to take on new horizons.  The two of wands is about taking your idea, goal, or dream and beginning to create a plan for it.  It is about choosing to try something new that will lead to greater options and opportunities, and above all it is about looking into the future. In the reverse, you need to plan more carefully for the future and open your mind to new opportunities.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/two-of-wands/

Ace of Wands

The Ace of wands is  card of a powerful inspiration.  Aces always represent a new beginning, and because it is in the suit of wands it is likely a new creative idea.  The Ace of wands encourages us to act on our impulse to begin something.  It is an offering for something new, but we must act on it or it will slip away.  It is about initiating something and setting a project or passionate idea into motion.  In the reverse it can show the opposite; a lack of drive and motivation and an uncertainty over what you want.  Be patient, and in time you may find what you really want.

Minor arcana cards

Now that we've covered the major arcana cards, lets begin looking at the minor arcana.  The minor arcana cards include cards of four suits; the wands, the pentacles, the swords, and the cups.  The wands correspond to fire sign energy and often are connected to creative projects.  The Pentacles correspond to earth sign energy and are connected to our business and financial matters. The swords represent air sign energy and our thoughts and beliefs.  The cups are connected to water sign energy and show us our emotional states as well as clueing us into the state of our relationships.  The minor arcana give us the more nitty gritty details of a situation.  For example the death card next to the two of cups could tell us that there is going to be a huge change in our relationship, but if it were next to the ace of pentacles it might represent a new financial venture or change in occupation. Court cards can even show us what people are involved in a situation.  If The Lovers showed up next to the page of pentacles it could be an indicator that an potential love interest would be an earth sign (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn).  The major arcana cards may tell you the most important messages or themes in a reading, but the minor arcana cards will tell you the real drama.

https://brooklynbrainery.com/courses/tarot-cards-minor-arcana

Simularities between archetypes and the major arcana

http://wiki.dominionstrategy.com/index.php/Hermit

After looking into many of  the common archetypes of literature, history, and general human behaviors, I saw many similarities in tarot (specifically the major arcana).  I didn't find an archetype for each of the 22 major arcana, but I found very similar cards for about half of them.  I used the Caroline Myss archetype card collection and read the descriptions to compare the light and shadow aspects of the archetypes and the tarot cards.  For example the fool card represents being free, open, and having faith, but could also represent naivety.  In understanding the comparison between tarot and archetypes we can easily see the light and shadow sides of the characters and experiences that are described in tarot and bring understanding to how they are experienced in our own life.

The Seeker and the hanged man: The Seeker archetype is described as someone who is driven by a search for truth and understanding, but can also be unwilling to commit to anything because they insist on seeking for more.  This is similar to the energy of the hanged man who is quite literally stuck as he goes within himself and searches for more.  The quest for truth, whether it be inside or outside of ourselves, is valiant, but too much reflection and thinking and no action will not lead you anywhere.

Athlete and strength: The Athlete is someone who does no accept limitation and continues to overcome it through inner strength and a drive to do keep developing physically and spiritually.  In his shadow, he is unable to admit to weakness and believes he is much stronger than he is. The strength card in tarot is about patience, persistence, drive, and balancing our animalistic side with our spirit.  In the reverse it is a sign of weakness and lack of confidence.  Both cards represent using inner strength to become bigger and better people, but can just as easily become symbols of weakness and indulging in a false image of strength.

Slave and the devil:  The Slave archetypes represents the act of surrender.  In one sense it represents having trust in something greater than ourselves, but it also is giving away our own power out of fear.  The devil card is the card of being trapped and powerless to our own negative habits and addictions.  In both cases, the powerlessness is self induced and therefore can be stopped by the decision to reclaim this power.

Hermit and hermit:  Both the hermit card and hermit archetype represent withdrawing from the outside world and looking within.  This is a powerful act which can lead to personal discovery and growth, but becomes negative when it fueled by fear of others and leads to complete selfishness

The destroyer and death: The destroyer archetype represents taking away what is harmful so something better can come in, but can also represent destroying things in a way that is not helpful.  The death card also represents the destruction and rebirth of some aspect in our lives; it is a huge transformation just as life and death are.  Destruction must be done carefully however, because you could ruin something that could have been beautiful.

Judge and justice:  The judge is a person who attempts to discern in fairness what is just and right. In the shadow aspect, the judge is overly critical and misuses power.  Justice is a card of karma and getting what one "deserves" in accordance to their actions.  Both seek fairness, but we should be very careful about what we decide is fair, and not act as a god.

goddess and the empress: The Goddess is the ultimate symbol of femininity.  She represents beauty, nature, sensuality, and receptivity.  On the other hand she could represent exploiting the feminine to manipulate others.  The empress represents strong feminine energy as well as abundance and fertility.  Both cards show the positive side of embracing the feminine, but the goddess reminds us not to abuse it for short lived personal gain.

Dream analysis #3: The Alchemist (Santiagos dream)

Now that I have attempted to analyze a few of my own dreams, I thought I would take a look at the dreams of the character Santiago in "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho.  The story centers around the journey of a young shepherd who goes on a journey to the pyramids in search of buried treasure there.  On his journey he learns about the power of alchemy, the interconnectedness of the world, and the power of following ones purpose. 

He describes one of his dreams as follows, "I dreamed that I was in a field with my sheep, when a child appeared and began to play with the animals.  I don't like people to do that, because the sheep are afraid of strangers. But children always seem to be able to play with them without frightening them. I don't know why.  I don't know how animals know the age of human beings...the child went on playing with my sheep for quite a while.  And suddenly, the child took me by both hands and transported me to the Egyptian pyramids. Then, at the Egyptian pyramids the child said to me 'If you come here, you will find a hidden treasure' and just as she was about to show me the exact location, I woke up. Both times."(Coelho 15-16)

The child is acting as a guide for Santiago.  The archetypal child represents innocence and hope; the childlike space within us.  The child in the dream is a part of Santiago, he is choosing to follow his heart and seek his treasure (treasure being his true happiness).  He doesn't want the child to play with his animals because he is afraid of losing the life he already has as a shepherd.  He does not find the exact location of the buried treasure because the treasure at the pyramids is not physical, it is a new and greater understanding.  The pyramids are a symbol of the long journey he is embarking on, but the real journey is happening inside of him so the location is irrelevant.

http://www.jewelpedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_The_Alchemist.jpg

Dream analysis #2: The desire to see

This is the first dream I can remember.  People often don't believe me when I tell them this dream, especially when I tell them I had it at five years old.  My family, my neighbors, and everyone I know are lined up.  There is a line of tables with cardboard boxes.  The people "in charge" (my five year old conception of the government or adults?) are standing at these tables.  I ask my parents, "What is happening?" but they don't respond.  As I get closer to the table I am horrified.  My mother takes out her own eyes and places them in the box.  She tells me she is sorry and not to be afraid.  In panic and rage I steal the box of eyeballs and I run.  Some people follow me.  I am in a golden field and I give the people their eyes back.  We run free.

There are several archetypes that can be pulled from this dream.  To begin with, the people in line are obviously powerless victims.  They have no boundaries and submit to those in power easily.  They have no will and act as slaves.  The people in power are vampires that feed on the people who are now blind.  They are the definition of dictators.  I am neither of these things.  I am the avenger, the guide, the hero, the knight, the liberator, the rebel, the rescuer, the warrior, and the child.  There are shadow sides to all these archetypes, but they are not portrayed in the dream.  The dream is about overcoming powerlessness and delusion and finding freedom and strength, perhaps from both self and others.  It is the realization that you always have a choice, even if people make you feel like you do not.  There is no need to control the people or receive anything from them, I just genuinely want us to have freedom of choice and be allowed to seek the truth as we see it.

Dream analysis #1: the three parter

1st part:  There is a bomb that is going to go off, and I am told to take my younger brother to a safe place.  I drag him and we run off as fast as we can.  We go to a small baby blue room and we are safe as we watch the explosion from outside except I'm not with my brother anymore I'm holding a baby

I have a hard time interpreting this dream.  It's obviously coming from a fear or general feeling of unsafety.  There is a feeling of impending doom as the bomb gets closer to exploding.  I thought that it was coming from a feeling of needing to protect my brother, but now I wonder if it is more about feeling I need to protect myself.  In the dream I act as the hero, the child, and the hermit.  I protect the child from harms way by taking it to a far away place.  The small baby blue room is higher than all the other buildings.  We are so high nothing can touch us, but also entirely secluded.  What is most interesting about the dream is that my brother goes from being his age (14) to an infant.  What does this mean?  Is it the revealing of vulnerability?  Infants cannot protect themselves like 14 year olds can.  My general sense is that I am protecting myself as the infant from the dangers of the outside world.  I feel weak, vulnerable, and unsafe.

2nd part: I'm at college, the junior college.  Except this college is nothing like the junior college near me, it has grand halls with high ceilings and beautiful windows.  I'm with some people who seem to be my friends.  Some of them I even know in real life.  One of my friends looks ill, so I carry her out of class and put her to bed on the couch like a baby.  Once she is put to bed I go back to class but for some reason I get frustrated in a group project with someone and I leave class.  Then we are all at thanksgiving together with my family but all I want to eat is bread, I took 8 slices. Later in the dream when my friends come to find me I am acting out screaming "you guys this is just a dream"!  Of course my friends act like I'm going crazy.  I say I'll prove it by putting my hand through the metal bar but when I reach out I feel cold hard metal and my hand refuses to go through.  Then I realize what I must do to prove it isn't real.  I jump from the platform and when my face is inches away from the cold hard concrete and I'm about to feel great pain or die the dream ends.

In this dream I play the role of the martyr.  First I carry my friend to bed like a baby.  This may suggest that she is playing the role of the victim.  Then later on I sacrifice my life to break the illusion of our reality so that my friends can know the truth.  What is interesting here is that the martyr in the dream (me) and the victim of the dream (my friend who also likely represents me) are both coming from the same place.  Both the martyr and the victim are coming from a place of self pity. The martyr in its shadow is performing acts of selflessness from a place of selfishness.  This isn't nescesarrily evil or ill intended, mostly it comes from a place of great need.  The martyr and the victim are inadvertently seeking love and adoration.  They believe they must come from a place of great lack to deserve this love.  When I eat the eight pieces of bread I am acting as a glutton.  But where does the need for gluttony or greed come from?  Hunger.  The glutton clings to the bread because it is not used to getting any.   The essence of the dream is a deep need that is not getting met, a hunger.  In some sense I feel I must be sacrificial in order to get this hunger fed leaving me to feel powerlessness and desperation.

3rd part:  me, my college friends, and a little girl are at an amusement park getting on a ride.  But the ride is dangerous.  It goes to great heights and falls into 4 feet rushing water.  Before I realize it the little girl is gone probably drowning in the water or already dead.  I escape from the ride and see a black women.  I realize the women is up to something.  I think she realizes that the ride was intended to kill people but she is trying to stay hidden as she attempts to take it down.  She finds me hidden and tells me irritably that I must be more careful 

Of all the dreams I've ever had, my dreams of horrendous amusement park accidents reign supreme.  Even without looking into archetypes I can understand this dream easily.  The child in the dream is me, it represents my child like self.  In archetypes I would call the child the magical or innocent child.  It is the part of me that believes in fantasy, hope, and possibility.  The child is drowning because I feel this part of me is at risk of slipping through my fingers as I am faced with difficult circumstances that are much larger than me.   So why the amusement park?  Two years ago my family went to Disneyland.  My brother has moderate to severe autism and cannot speak, so our yearly vacations had their challenges.  Sometimes he can act out violently if he is angry or confused, and as he has gotten older and stronger this has become harder to control.  My brother was acting out more than we'd ever seen him act out before.  It was scary, my parents didn't know what to do.  When my brother struck one of the people we were in Disneyland with, we knew he had to go home.  This was very sad on its own because my  brother adored Disneyland, but what was even worse was when he broke the window of my moms car.  She was alone in the middle of no where with a violent speechless child and a broken mirror.  My dad couldn't do anything because she was two hours away.  The police came and taped up her window, but my dad was a wreck the whole time they were driving hoping it would be alright.  This wasn't just scary, it was an acknowledgment of a sad truth.  It was finally recognizing how powerless we really are and the very real fear that we carry about where my brother is going to be as an adult.  It was also having to let go of our most binding family tradition, something that I had looked forward to every year.  The amusement park and the dying child are about my fear of losing childhood.  The black woman is acting as the hero.  She is my self preservation instinct trying to save me from any more pain.

Dream analysis: Carl Jung

This blog is devoted to helping others in learning the symbolism behind tarot cards, and I intend to continue this shortly.  In the meantime I would like to go on a tangent in explaining Carl Jung, archetypes, and our unconscious mind.  Carl Jung was the Swiss psychiatrist who developed the branch of analytical psychology.  He had a theory of the meaning of dreams which states that dreams are a reflection of not only our outer worlds, but our inner states.  He also created the theory of the collective unconscious.  The collective unconscious represents the part of our unconscious mind that is shared with others.  It represents the common symbols from religion and history that have become so prominent in our culture that we have all adopted them in our minds in an unconscious way. Dreams show us a window into unresolved issues and feelings in our psyche through symbolism.  When I read this I immediately thought of horror films.  The horror genre often portrays our common nightmares, but it isn't just about scaring people.  In my opinion horror is about reflecting our own unconscious fears unto the screen.  Basically the monster on the screen isn't just a physical monster but a representation of mistrust, feeling unsafe in a cruel world, or possibly just the feeling that we cannot protect ourselves. The monster could represent a multitude of things to different people but the point is it comes from a very real and tangible place inside ourselves that we may not want to face.  Nightmares are not only about the scary places outside of ourselves but possibly the even scarier places within ourselves.  People often avoid the unconscious mind out of fear of facing these nightmares.  I have decided that I will try to decipher my own dreams using the common archetypes and Jung's theory of the collective unconscious, while also looking at the striking similarity between archetypes and tarot cards.

The world

This is it.  The end of the fools journey. He has triumphed over pain and chaos as well as enjoying the beauty and hope that came to him after the storm that followed these triumphs.  He has overcome aspects of himself and learned the many lessons of life. The world card shows a women surrounded by the same four fixed zodiac signs (Leo, Aquarius, Taurus, Scorpio).  The women is rejoicing because she has finished one journey and is awaiting the next. You have finally reached the finish line and are ready to reap the rewards of your actions.  Celebrate how far you have come!  This card also represents a need to be a apart of the outside world and contribute something to it.  Get ready for a whole new world of possibilities.  In the reverse this card represents that you are trying to find completion or closure in something but cannot.  Do not give up!

Judgement

The judgement card shows the archangel Michael shining down upon men, women, and children rising from their graves.  It refers to the biblical texts of the judgement day in which it is decided what our individual eternal fate will be (Heaven or hell).  The mountains represent our struggles and the ocean represents the end of the river in the empress card.  The judgement card shows us the ultimate truths of ourselves and our lives are appearing. How are you living your life?  What pitfalls are we falling into?  The judgement card can show us that we have realized we can create a greater and more purposeful life.  Judgment is about cleaning away the past so you can finally move forward.  It isn't about making a choice, but coming to a place of acceptance in your lack of choice.  In the reverse it can show a sense of doubt and lack of necessary decision making.  Take some time to sort through your thoughts and find the root of your problems

The sun

The sun is a card of love, life, and luck.  The card shows a naked young child riding a white horse surrounded by sunflowers.  He is open and free in his innocent love of having fun.  The sun represents success, positivity, strength, and confidence.  The light that shines through you will lead the way to greatness.  After difficult times, you have finally found happiness and purpose again.  The sun card encourages us to enjoy this higher state of being and enjoy the feeling of freedom.  Everything is going well for you, have fun!  Reversed, the sun could mean that you are in a negative place and are finding it hard to see the light or it could mean you are being over idealistic.

The moon

The moon card is the eighteenth major arcana card.  It represents our intuition, subconscious mind, hidden fears, and dreams.  There are crayfish and wild dogs by a pond; they represent the darker animalistic sides of ourselves.  The water is a symbol for the subconscious mind and is often tied to emotions.  After all the moon card is represented by the astrological Pisces, which is a water sign.  Water signs are known as being the most intuitive and emotionally guided signs in the zodiac.  Pisces is commonly regarded as the most spiritually connected and intuitive of all twelve signs.  The moon represents our shadow side and our ability to project fears and insecurity.  If we pull the card we must go deep within and face our repressed self.  What are you hiding from?  Maybe the monster you are hiding from is you.  The moon is a card of personal delusions and uncertainty.  At this time life may appear foggy and only through clarity and honesty can you decipher the truth.  Look within and you will find the answers.  If the card comes in the reverse it could mean you are coming out of a period of self deception but you are still experiencing some confusion.  Believe in yourself and listen to your inner voice.

The Star

The Star card shows a naked women at the edge of a pool with two water jugs.  She pours it onto the grass beside her and into the pool.  One of her feet is on the ground and the other is in the pool of water showing she has a balance between practicality and intuition.  There are eight stars behind her with one being larger than the seven others.  These stars represent our seven chakras (energy centers in the body).  The card is correlated to the astrological sign of Aquarius which is connected to networking, humanitarianism, and our higher aspirations and dreams.  This card is a beacon of hope.  You have endured the hardships life has placed in front of you, and now if you have enough faith you can create a beautiful future.  Let go of the negativity, forgive others, and move forward.  It is time to rediscover yourself and your sense of meaning and purpose and pass a piece of this on with others.  In the reverse this card suggests a lack of inspiration, hope, and instead a sense of despair.  Focus on finding what is blocking you and work through it.

The Tower

I'm not even going to lie, I hate the tower card.  The tower card shows a tall tower perched upon a mountain.  It is being stuck by lightening as people fall (or jump) from it in fear and desperation.  It is a card representing destruction in the physical world or the disintegration of false foundations.  In order to truly build something strong, the existing tower must be burnt to ashes.  Something is going to shake you and force you to see the truth you have avoided.  If you have not unchained yourself from the energies of the devil card, the universe is going to force you to see the light and it may sting.  Maybe you think everything is just fine, but if you pull this card you will soon understand just how twisted things have become due to your own misunderstanding.  This is a card of chaos and fear, but there is a greater purpose behind this in the end.  There could be any number of problems involving death, illness, breakups or losing your job.  It's ok however, because when the tower falls you have the opportunity to build a castle.  Like the death card, this card tells us it is time to let the limiting things in our life go including the what is limiting within our own self.  Prepare to become a stronger person, because you will go through great pain in order to build a better life in the long run.  In the reverse, this card shows that you are avoiding this destruction, but you know it would benefit you and that you will eventually need to face it.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/tower///

The Devil

So here we are finally, the devil card.  Lets just be honest; nobody likes this card.  The card shows a creature that is half man and half goat. Because goats were seen as an "unclean" animal, this shows us that the figure is seen in a negative light.  Also the goat is where the term "scapegoat" came from which is the person or thing we like to blame our problems on.  The creature also has bat wings that represent the ability to suck us dry of our life force.  Looking at the card we could easily assume that the devil represents someone or something terrible in our lives, but truthfully it represents the darker sides of ourselves.  It is closely tied to addictions in all forms.  If you look at the two figures who are chained to him closely, you realize they could easily get away.  The devil represents our ability to trap ourselves in our own bad habits and give into our own animalistic tendencies.  If the devil card appears in your spread it is time to really examine how you are limiting yourself and causing yourself to be constrained.  It may be time to seek more balance and remember the lessons of temperance.  In the reverse, the devil shows you are understanding these constraints and beginning to break free. 

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/devil/

Temperance

Temperance is a breath of fresh air after the heavy and powerful energy of the death card.  The card shows an angel holding two cups.  The angel is known as being a hermaphrodite representing a balance between two genders.  The cups he holds represents balancing the conscious and unconscious mind.  The angel touches her toe in the stream before, not ready to completely dive in until she decides it is the right time.  The temperance card is represented by the astrological sign Sagittarius which rules over the ninth house of higher knowledge, truth, spiritual beliefs, and tolerance.  This cards meaning is clear, it tells us to strive for balance in our lives.  Resisting the urge to go to extremes and cultivating a place of inner peace is crucial now.  It also shows that we have a long term vision, and that we will patiently work day by day to cultivate it.  In the reverse this card shows for some reason you are being rash and unbalanced.  It could be because you cannot see your future or "the light at the end of the tunnel".  Find the reason behind this lack of stability in your life and solve it if you can

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/temperance/

Death

Death.  We all know it and we all fear it, so of course see this card is seen in a negative light.  This interpretation is misguided because the death card is not a card of pain, it is a card of powerful transformation in our lives.  The card shows death (the skeleton) wearing unbreakable armor and riding on a white horse waving a black and white flag.  The color of black signifies an absence of light and all that the light represents, while the white represents rebirth and purity.  At death feet there are children, women, and men; nobody is immune.  The sun in the background shows the cyclical nature of life in it's times of light and darkness.  This card is linked to the sign of Scorpio which is known to be connected with sex, death, deep intimate relationships, and emotional and spiritual transformations.  Scorpio is ruled by pluto the planet of transformation and renewal; the taking away of what does not work so that something better can be created.  That is what this card is, it shows that your life is going to change and you may be left with only a skeleton of the life you had before.  Remember however, when you take away something that is unbeneficial you make room for something better to come in.  If you find this card in the upright it is time to accept these changes and weed out what must be weeded out.  You may find that soon your life is unrecognizable, but for the better.  This could be the end to the drama, chaos, delay and negativity you have experienced.  Congratulations, you are now ready for a new chapter.  In the reverse this card shows you are resisting a necessary change and holding on tightly to the past.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/death/

The hanged man

 The hanged man is the twelfth major arcana card of the tarot deck.  Some may consider this card to be very reminiscent of the hermit card. He represents a time of deep inner reflection that leaves us temporarily suspended.  I usually associate this card with mercury retrograde; a time when we are forced to inwardly reflect so we can choose a better direction.  Also during mercury retrograde, we may experience communication breakdowns, issues in transportation and technology, and a general sense of stagnation and delay.  That is the nature of this card, it indicates a fork in the road that is inevitablely good.  The hanged man hangs upside down from a tree with a placid expression on his face and a halo around him.  He reminds us of the importance of meditation and stillness, and of spirituality in general.  Interestingly enough, he is representative of the planet Neptune which rules over pisces.  The hermit card is thought to be connected to the opposite sign of pisces which is virgo. No matter how many differences these two signs share, they are both the most spiritual signs of the zodiac. So in short, if you pull this card then you are called to reflect and find a more meaningful purpose even if it means putting your material life on the sidelines for a while.  However in the reverse this card shows that you wish to move forward but find yourself stuck.  There may be something you need to let go of or make a sacrifice for in order to do so.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/hanged-man/

Justice

Justice is the eleventh major arcana card and she is represented by the astrological sign of Libra.  She holds a double edged sword and a scale.  The scale represents balance, while the double edged sword represents being untouched by emotion or opinion.  This figure is concerned with a straight forward fairness that is based on logic.  Still the figure is nothing if not compassionate.  The justice card is about getting what you "deserve".  If you pull this card it means that good things will likely come your way if you have been good.  Think of him like a Santa Clause figure.  The universe knows when you've been bad or good so be good... for your own sake if nothing else.  In the reverse this card could mean you have been acting unfairly and you are going to get what you deserve or that you are avoiding admitting that maybe you haven't been "in the right".  This card could be wonderful! or terrifying.  Kind of like Libras.  I mean have you met an angry libra before?!  Justice is a dish best served cold as ice.  Watch yourself.


https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/strength/

Waite, Arthur Edward. The pictorial key to the tarot. England: Dodo Press, 2008. Print.

Wheel of fortune

The wheel of fortune is full of symbols, not unlike the lovers card.  It shows the four fixed astrological signs Aquarius (the angel), Scorpio (the falcon), Taurus (the bull), and Leo (the lion).  These four signs are very different, but all possess the ability to find stability and strength and in this car each holds the torch a symbol of wisdom.  The wheel itself has Hebrew letters written on it that represent god.  There are other symbols we could discuss, but for the sake of convenience we will stick with what I have explained because I feel it gives enough foresight into the lesson behind the card.  The message is simple but so powerful, life moves in cycles and we must face the changes of life with strength. If the wheel of fortune appears in your spread you must remember that things will not always be the same.  In the upright this card suggests that things my begin to move in your favor or at least change drastically.  In the reverse it suggests the opposite, that things my begin to take  turn for the worst and you must accept your lack of control.  In either case it is important to remember how much life changes a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.  Chin up, things wont always be this way. 


https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/strength/

Waite, Arthur Edward. The pictorial key to the tarot. England: Dodo Press, 2008. Print.

The hermit

The hermit is the ninth major arcana card.  It shows an old bearded man, cloaked, with a lantern and a walking stick atop a mountain.  The mountain he walks upon represents accomplishment, and the star in his lantern is the seal of Solomon which represents wisdom.  His cloak shields him from the outside world.  The hermit represents taking the solitary path and looking within or being introspective.  He is often linked to the sign of Virgo which is known for being introspective and seeking knowledge.  You may be asking the question, "why?" more than usual if you pull the hermit card in a tarot reading.  The hermit is about questioning the outside world but more importantly attempting to understand the self.  You are gaining a higher spiritual perspective.  If the card is reversed it can represent needing to spend more time alone or spending too much time alone and over indulging in the introspective energy of the hermit.
https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/strength/

Waite, Arthur Edward. The pictorial key to the tarot. England: Dodo Press, 2008. Print.

Strength

Strength is the eighth major arcana card.  It shows a woman in white petting a lions head and smiling down upon him.  She has the same infinity sign above her had as the magician and her white clothing shows her purity.  The lion is sticking its tongue out showing that it will not harm her.  The zodiac sign Leo is represented by this card because Leo is known to be represented by the lion.  The strength card is pretty self explanatory; it represents inner strength and determination. It calls upon us to be mature and persistent in our actions. This card also shows that you have patience for others and respect for their needs.  Mostly this card is about controlling the beast within and balancing your more animalistic side with your spiritual side.  If this card is reversed it indicates the opposite, that you are weak and have given into this more animalistic side of yourself. It can also show that there is a loss of confidence within in you.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/strength/

Waite, Arthur Edward. The pictorial key to the tarot. England: Dodo Press, 2008. Print.

The Chariot

The Chariot is the seventh major arcana card.  It shows a man inside a chariot being carried by two sphinxes (one black and one white) which shows the contrast between good and bad or positive and negative.  There's a canopy of stars above him and he holds the magicians wand.  He represents victory and overcoming obstacles with ease.  This card means you must apply strength, determination, and self control is order to get what you want.  It is about asserting oneself and using willpower to achieve a goal.  Reversed, the chariot can mean that you feel a lack of control over yourself and your life and you may need to find acceptance with this.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/chariot/

Waite, Arthur Edward. The pictorial key to the tarot. England: Dodo Press, 2008. Print.

The Lovers

The Lovers is the sixth major arcana card.  It shows a woman and a man underneath an angel.  There is a snake near them, which could show us that the man and woman are representative of Adam and Eve.  There is a tree with 12 flames on it which likely relates to the twelve zodiac signs.  The Lovers card is the card of an seemingly perfect partnership.  The angel is the angel Raphael who represents communication.  This card could mean you have found a soulmate connection with another person that is likely going to last.  On an individual level this card can mean that this is a time where being true to yourself is paramount and you should make decisions based off of your true values. The Lovers reversed can mean that you are acting on impulses and not seeking true long lasting happiness.  It can also mean that your relationships are imbalanced, or that you are experiencing inner conflicts.

https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/lovers/

Waite, Arthur Edward. The pictorial key to the tarot. England: Dodo Press, 2008. Print.