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.