Keren-Happuch: Tarot and Traditional Astrology

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Example Tarot reading: Elemental spread

I designed this spread myself. I feel it provides more scope for the Tarot to provide guidance, and the inclusion of three cards in each section means that the theory of Elemental Dignities can be applied, which adds further depth of analysis. See Elemental Dignities and the Tarot for more information.

Position 1: Past

Position 2: Where you are

Position 3: What you can do for the better

Position 4: What you should not do

Position 5: Future

This was a reading done for a young woman unsure of her direction in life.

Past: Prince of Swords, 6 of Disks, 8 of Cups

The client had recently left her job, as shown by these cards. The central card is called "Success", meaning material or financial success. However, the Prince of Swords shows a difficult social situation, where she felt stressed and burned out. This indicates that despite the financial reward this was not a happy time for the client. The 8 of Cups shows that she has now moved on, although it was not an easy thing for her to do, as she was emotionally attached to her job.

Present: Ace of Swords, The Fool, The Aeon

These cards are air, air and fire, indicating that she is full of ideas (air) but doesn't know where to start (lack of earth). The central card is the Fool, showing she feels optimistic and that she has many opportunities, although she lacks direction. The Ace of Swords is a "growing up" card and shows the painful lessons she has recently learnt which she is now putting into practise. The Aeon shows her on the threshold of an important change in her life.

Should: Knight of Disks, 9 of Wands, The Emperor

These cards are earth, fire and fire, showing she needs to ground (earth) some of her ideas in reality with action (fire). The 9 of Wands indicates activity, but also changeability and flexibility, showing she needs to stay active and keep an open mind. The Knight of Disks is the fiery part of earth, a man who is slow and steady, focused on material achievement. The Emperor is a man who has control and power, over himself and others. These cards show the qualities she should try to exhibit - a level of calmness and control combined with action and movement (9 of Wands). She needs to stay focused and concentrate on achieving her goals.

Shouldn't: The Chariot, The Hierophant, 7 of Cups

These cards are water, earth and water, showing a passive, inert situation, a very different picture to the previous cards. The Chariot represents similar qualities to the Emperor, but the important difference is that the Chariot is water while the Emperor is fire, meaning that the Chariot is passive while the Emperor is active. The central card is the Hierophant, representing society and all its expectations. The client feels under pressure to do what is expected of her by society, and feels very torn between following her own dreams and "fitting in". The presence of the Hierophant in the "Shouldn't" position is a very clear indicator that she should avoid "fitting in", and not to give in to the pressure. The third card is the 7 of Cups, which shows fantasising, illusion and escapism. Again, this contrasts with the previous cards, which show active pursuit of one's dreams (9 of Wands), not self-indulgent fantasising.

Future: 10 of Wands, 3 of Disks, Knight of Cups

These cards are fire, earth and water, showing a more balanced situation than in the present. The 3 of Disks is especially promising as it shows manifestation of an idea into reality. However, the 10 of Wands shows that she will come under a lot of pressure at the same time. The Knight of Cups is promising as it supports the 3 of Disks (water is friendly to earth), showing that the imagination of the Knight will be utilised profitably, producing the concrete result shown by the 3 of Disks.

To sum up: We can see that the client has left a stressful yet financially rewarding job in search of something more meaningful. Currently she is thrashing around in a stream of ideas, but despairs of making anything productive out of them. The advice given in the cards is to focus strongly, maintaining flexibility and not losing sight of her dreams. However, there is the warning to stay active, and not to slide into passive fantasy. She is also warned against doing what she feels is expected of her for the sake of it. The future looks promising for her, as although she will also be under a lot of stress, she will soon begin to productively manifest some of her ideas.

The Star

Book of Thoth

Painted by Lady Frieda Harris

Published by US Games