(Early) Tarot Tuesday!

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We can go ahead and start calibrating the card-o-scope and check what the Astral Light is up to today, this week or the coming months. So if you have a question, bring it on.

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I've been studying and practicing the Tarot for about 2 years now and having cast a few spreads for friends who found it helpful I thought I might make a deal with anyone that happens to read this.

Here is the deal, I will repost this on the last Tuesday of every month and will try to answer your query before the end of the month. Post a comment below requesting for a reading within the week of posting, depending on the number of comments and the situation I can either offer a lengthy reading or a three card reading. What I request back from you is some feedback about your situation and in case of some outcome what I got right and what I got wrong.

So, if you have a situation where you want to know what the Astral Light is up to, be it personal, general or on a broader scale like political events, or want to know what the week or month ahead has in store for you, why then, you know what to do. I would encourage you to post it publicly below, as for others to get an idea of what I have to offer, to encourage discussion and show what divination is about in general but if your situation is delicate post a comment marked NOT FOR POSTING explaining your situation and I'll consider it on a case by case basis.

That said, divination is like weather forecasting not a tablet of truth handed down from above, so take the advice I give you through the cards as such. The conditions that divination taps into are also in constant flux, the same as atmospheric pressure and the Moon. Any unfortunate situation you get yourself into is entirely the responsibility of the querent!

If you wish to make a donation for the readings, though it is not required, you can do so through Paypal by clicking the pentacle.

Comments

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Sorry for the delay!

Here is a picture of your reading:



The positions are: Center, situation; left, internal influences you are not aware; right external influences you are aware of; bottom, what is needed from you for the situation and top the resolution or the outcome. On the right side there is one card per week starting today Monday until the last week of September, from top to bottom.

Before we proceed though, since this is a general reading a few question to calibrate. Is there something on which you are waiting on at work? Perhaps some project that is delayed, a decision, past work that is still to be fulfilled somehow? Perhaps something related to it that is not the same as it was? How do you view your work at the university? If not work, something else perhaps that would fit that sentiment?

[jprussell]

Hmm, well, we had to teach the first two weeks remotely but will be going back to in-person classes this week. I need to start grading the first assignment that was turned in last week, but hopefully, that should only take a few days. There was a new class I was going to teach this semester, but not enough students signed up and it didn't post, so I suspect I'll be teaching it in the spring.

As for how I view the work, I very much enjoy teaching and interacting with students, but grading is the less pleasant side of it. I've had some disagreements with my department head in the past, but we seem to be doing better more recently.

The only other thing that comes to mind with regard to waiting or delay is that I was a groomsman in a wedding this past weekend, and so I'm spending a few days away from my family to make sure I didn't get COVID and give it to my daughter. Ideally, it should only be for the next three days, but if I were to test positive, I would be isolating longer.

I'm eager to hear your thoughts, though at first glance, I'm not very happy to see all those reversed Major Arcana.

[open_space]

I replied to you on the original thread as to save some space.

[open_space]

I'll reply here because the space gets tighter the further in the thread we go.

Thank you for all of those points. Let's see in more detail what the cards are trying to say. Keep in mind that these kind of questions are very tricky, because we have no anchor to filter the meaning of the cards since the events have not happened yet. So as the month and weeks in it go by, keep the interpretation in mind and a keen eye. Please read and re-read the interpretation a few times and then look at the cards so that you can see where does the interpretation is coming from.

Even though you are coming to me to read them I always like to give the querent the task of crystallizing the interpretation (that is why I divide it per card) for it is your life and only you can find the full meaning since you will be the one encountering the events. Once the events start to concretize, and once you've digested the reading, it would be like looking down a bluff into the trail and then walking down the trail with the information you gathered from a perspective above and hopefully help you navigate it better.

With that said...

Center the situation or themeThe Seven of Pentacles:
The Seven of Pentacles is a tricky card, that is why I asked you about the current trends in your life. This can either be a deserved rest, contemplation of one's work or waiting for the harvest. In this situation however, given the other cards and your comment, I am going to suggest that it could mean looking unenthusiastically at the pile of work that is ahead for you this month. Many things could do this, either getting back to in-person, the start of the semester or just coming back to work in a way that is different given all the situations that have changed.

Left, internal influences you are not aware of The Lovers, Reversed:
Given that the theme is related to work this could possibly be that there will be a disconnect between your ideals and your feelings perhaps with the classes that you give or in general to how you approach them. Take a good look at this card, this being the position of influences you are not aware, this is the trickiest to spot. Keep an eye on your mood to see if you can pinpoint the cause.

Right, external influences you are awareThe Eight of Pentacles:
I think this one is very clear, you are aware of the work that needs to be done, perhaps this is given to the start of the semester and the assignments that need to be graded hanging on the wall and in general, the hard work that it entails to craft, in this case, to give classes and the work that goes whenever you are not in front of the class itself.

Bottom, what is needed from youThe Nine of Wands:
Courage and perseverance basically. See the guy in the card? He seems to have gone through a rough patch but he is still standing strong and with all the wands behind him symbolizing all the action that has taken. So if there is hard work to do, I would suggest to pile into it with the caution as to not overwork yourself.

The outcome or the understandingThe Fool, Reversed:
As a result of all the work that you have ahead it is possible that you will find yourself loosing some of the sense of adventure or of enjoyment from it. I wouldn't consider this something of concerns but definitely keep an eye on your motivation levels as to balance work with your inner life, distractions or enjoyment from the basic things. This could be as easy as taking a moment to appreciate the wonder of being alive (not a small thing!) from spending quality time with your family or your daughter, even magic as I understand you are also a student.

Now to the breakdown per week. This could potentially give you hints as how the general reading above starts to manifest.

First week, The Queen of Wands:
This could be you, approaching the month with confidence a the enthusiasm that comes with the begging of a course.

Second week,Two of Wands:
It's possible that by this week, you'll start to feel contained from the work you have to do. The work will be successful, you know that, but perhaps this is were disconnect will start to manifest.

Third Week,The Magician, Reversed:
Reinforcing the same theme, in this week you might find a need for realigning yourself to what is important to you and what is true for you in giving class. You might feel that some of the essence of being a teacher is starting to move apart from the labor needed to maintain it. Possibly this would mean that you will start to get into a routine with your class, which is of course normal with most courses.

Fourth WeekJudgement, Reversed:
This to me, if we follow the same theme of the reading will be the opposite of a new beginning. So perhaps by this point your classes will have become routinely normal once the original movement settles and the semester starts to go more towards the core of the work.

This is my interpretation of the cards. All in all, it looks to me as an ordinary month for a university teacher. You are correct in pointing out that the reversed cards are the Trumps. It's good you noticed that, and to me it just means that the theme of "ordinary" is reinforced. The dimensions of life that are manifesting are the common set of experiences of everyday life, so it is nothing to be worried about. But do keep in mind, that you might want to add something that let's you enjoy the process, distract yourself from the hard work and to connect to the essence of the things that you value most. But all in all, it looks to me like a month were you will have to do some hard work, most likely it seems, related to your teaching.

Hope this helps! And please do come back thought the month or at the end should you want or need any clarifications of adjustments and I'll be happy to oblige.

[jprussell]

Thank you very much, and far less dire than I feared! It also seems to mesh reasonably well with what I've been getting from my daily Ogham readings.

I will certainly keep you posted on how things turn out, but this seems rather reasonable. I do find the grading and other not-in-front-of-the-class work much less enjoyable and more of a slog, but I recognize it's important to the students and that I need to crank it out.

As for the rest, one thing that jumps out at me is your comment about the Lovers reversed representing a disconnect between ideals and reality. Reading more JMG and pursuing more spiritual practices has definitely left me realizing that I have about as Platonic example of a "Managerial Elite" job as it's possible to have: I train young men and women who want to join the managerial elite how to talk in a way that the managerial elite responds well to. I emphasize honesty, empathy, and doing worthwhile things, but I feel somewhat conflicted about teaching a lot of future consultants and investment bankers how to more effectively sell things. So, that might be reflected there.

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Aha! That's the missing piece, thank you Russel, this actually helps me calibrate my skills for I didn't pay enough attention at the things you were pointing me to (You did call all the cards relating to Spirit to be reversed) and it gives the reading a different spin.

It is definitely reflected there and actually, clarifies things a bit for me as some of the pieces I got was not sure what to make of them and now I do. That is one of the problems of a reading at a distance and through writing. Sorry about that! Let me elaborate.

Magic was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the card in the center and it was a little bit of a nostalgic sentiment, but since your focus to me seemed to be on work I veered the reading that way. This was my fault actually, since I asked you about your work specifically.

See how he is looking at all those ripening pentacles? Pentacles are a symbol of Magic (and also of work). If you are feeling enthusiastic about Magic and spirituality and the whole new world that opens up, that could be why. This card is the one that I would change the meaning of, the rest are only modified.

So the Seven of Pentacles, being the issue, is your stance regarding this newly found thing in your life. Magic and spirituality --not things that are waiting to happen at work or that are delayed-- and you want more of it. But there are a few things that don't allow you to pursue it as committed as you would like, or give it enough time, or seem to clash with it or perhaps even getting in the way. See how one Pentacle has been harvested but the rest are still hanging? One reason, is that you are just starting with it and the second are the things that are keeping you busy (The Eight of Pentacles). However, and this is important for the change in spin of the reading. The rest of the pentacles are still there but they are just ripening, they are not out of reach by your job or social position --they are not even away from you-- they are just ripening.

Now, regarding the rest of the cards. I think that the sentiment towards monotony is not regarding your class and you being a teacher and it loosing the sense of a new begging with the semester. It's regarding your spiritual practice that somewhat just begun, if I understand correctly. That is why all the Trumps are reversed --the Trumps correspond to the element of Spirit. So let's revise the rest of them.

It seems that the month ahead will take a considerable chunk of your focus from your spirituality into the things that you have to get done, again the Eight of Pentacles, but as you can see in the Eight, it doesn't seem to be a hurdle for you at all, you even enjoy the hard work as you can see in the craftsman face. However this will make it hard for your new beginning in Magic (The Fool, Reversed) and the needed persistence that your work demands (The Nine of Wands) and perhaps even you feeling that you can't dedicate enough time to it by next week (Two of Wands) and by the third week you will have the need reconnect with it if you have set it aside or even consider if your work is compatible with Magic (The Magician, Reversed). So it is not so much about being a teacher and loosing the essence of teaching due to all the off-hours work, but rather that your work to you it seems, is pulling you away from what you want to pursue in spirituality.

Before we get into the last card, Judgement Reversed, I drew two more cards for you because this needed clarification and they were The Seven of Wands, Reversed which is in the position of the sentiment of Magic in your life right now and I also asked what is it a piece of advice that you'd need for your spiritual progress. Bare with me, this will sound a little bit counter intuitive but the advice the cards are giving you ,given that the bottom card is of hard work and persistence at your university job is clear.

The Seven of Wands means that your feeling of Magic and your work are clashing and it feels like pulling you in two different ways but they aren't. It feels that way but, the next card, which is the advice, is The Nine of Cups and this is relating to your material success and well-being. it seems that your work is not really the problem that you think it is. Why?

Because of Judgment, reversed. The card of Judgement is very clearly a heavenly calling, but when it is reversed it means that you are confusing the path and not seeing the opportunity. The Trumpets are still singing but the sound is not very audible to you. By the last week of this month, it's possible you will feel these two things in your life are not compatible but it seems to be that this is process that you need to go though. Why I don't know exactly, the cards are not saying that, only that is seems to be that way but perhaps your job and your spirituality, at least right now, seem to be part of the same thing, though it will be hard work. Perhaps you just need the security and financial stability for you and your family and that will help you, not be against, your spiritual progress by giving you some stable ground.

So wrapping things up, I know this has been a very long comment. Contrary to what it might feel your job is not something that is against your spirituality. It might feel this way because it doesn't let you focus as much as you would like or it even clashes with the ideological and political stances of your teacher but it seems to me that the cards are telling you that is what you need right now.

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Now this is my advice, not that cards'. Magic is a long, long, long process. It is also a disruptive one, specially when the teacher that you have has considerably different stances in the social spheres. That doesn't make him wrong, or you for that matter. It is very normal --certainly it has happened to me-- to have the need of aligning with the things that our teacher thinks and says but sometimes, being different people, not everything has to or even should align. My advice would be to untangle the opposition between Magic and your physical well-being. They are certainly not very compatible but they are not against each other and the work of aligning our lives to our magical calling is slow. You don't want to take a radical decision when you are just staring with it! Meanwhile, we might as well try to make them work until the magical chops to do something about it start to grow.

[jprussell]

Hmm! This is very intriguing and seems very insightful.

I think your reading of the situation (7 of Pentacles) is spot on. I am indeed enjoying what magic/spirituality has done for me over the past few months, and I'm eager for more. This is an area where I've identified a personal issue: for most of my life, the things I've pursued and been rewarded for being good at have been analytical/intellectual. Such pursuits can often be accelerated through cleverness or by grasping the principles invovled. I only recently recognized that I have struggled my whole life with things that you can't accelerate through better understanding/cleverness - physical fitness, dealing with significant emotions, learning a craft, and so forth. I have been struggling to remind myself that magic is one of those things where I just have to put in the work, and that it will take time - there won't be an "aha!" moment that lets me skip any of the work. So the reassurance that the fruits are there, but that they need time to ripen is very helpful.

As for the others, and the advice, that is interesting. I had not intended anything drastic, but the idea "is this what I should be doing in the long run?" has occurred to me. Perhaps I need to focus more on what I can impart to my students and how my spiritual practice might inform that (without pushing any of my own beliefs or the like, of course).

One other factor that might be relevant given the greater spiritual focus of your updated reading: my wife has expressed some unease with my spiritual path of the last few months and years. She fears that I may be growing in different directions than she is, and what that might mean for us. I have reassured her that I don't intend that or see it going that way, but I wonder if the advice to pay attention to the linkages between day-to-day matters and my spiritual path might have some relevance there as well.

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I am exactly the same regarding the intellect but there is a huge throwback as you've mentioned. Sometimes it is not enough to be clever and see how the problem or situation works or could be solved, sometimes you just have to do the thing. That is excellent training by the way. 1) because you'll realize that your ability to experience things changes and new doors open so the problem can't be understood from step 1 at all, because once you open up even just a little bit your perspective is different. In that sense, spirituality bring dynamism. You can stand above a bluff and look at the valley and see the best path to take, but it is only when you get down into the bush that you really know. Think it this way the intellect is only recycling what you already know based on what you can perceive at that moment, you can push the boundaries a little bit with reasoning and logic but it is always standing (static) on previous knowledge. So it is an excellent tool but it can only take you so far. In order to get new knowledge you have to move. 2) You'll realize that there are different modes of thinking within the mind for which intuition is one of them. I divide them in "talking" like mathemtical logical thinking --creating thoughs yourself-- and "listening" like intuition and meditation which is about taking the broader patterns from the cosmos and gestating them into new things.

Regarding the reading. It is very difficult to convey the actual message of the cards because I always have to crystallize it somehow, like taking a snapshot of something that is dynamic, that is where the art of the diviner comes from, by not moving it too much in one direction or another but still saying something useful. It's like the uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics, if you try to observe it your act of observing has altered the system, so you can never know of a particles its position and its speed at the same time. With a reading it's the same, you can never convey the patterns and what it could be in the life of the querent at the same time! I can see the patterns in the reading but I can only approximate when I have to interpret, however, differently than in quantum mechanics there is a way to by pass this, that is why I post a picture of the spread. With my interpretation in hand, you can look at it and start seeing the patterns yourself through journaling and meditation.

Whether or not your current job is conducive in the long run for your spiritual path, I don't know, but at least for now, the cards seem to suggest that you try to not make them opposite things and figure out ways for the process to be as smooth as possible. In 6 months, a year or five, things could be different but for now it seems the best course of action, taking everything in consideration (economic stability, providing to your family, the current global mess) it seems that you just need to plow through it. What I do know is that by the time you finish the DMH you'll be a different person, you will be in a different place in your mind and be more prepared to do something about it.

Regarding your wife, that happens, and I am happy to zoom in into that as well in a few weeks once you've taken in this reading and the events that it talks about, that way you will integrate them into yourself and be easier to move into another aspect. That said though, have you considered including her in some aspects of it? Joint prayer is a very sweet thing to do, you don't have to tell her all the vastness behind it but just sit and pray. To my friends and family I just tell them all the ritual is a fancy way of meditation and include them when appropriate.

[jprussell]

Also replying to a less-nested response to give a bit of the promised update, even if it is very late.

I think that the core being about my magical/spiritual practice and trying to reconcile that with the day-to-day of my job, along with the advice that it looks like a conflict, but it's not, was very helpful. It has, in fact, been a recurring source of thoughts in meditation, insights in journaling, and flashes in prayer that there is a link between my spiritual pursuits and what I'm doing at work that I'm missing/not fully embracing. I have tried to let some of my insights color how I look at the topics I teach, without pushing any particular spiritual or political views.

I'd say it's been a mixed success, but one that I am feeling better about than I did around the last week of the original reading. Then, I was definitely feeling like the work was opposed, now it feels more like there is a puzzle: how do I make doing my day job part of my spiritual development without compromising it either?

So thanks very much for this, and again, my apologies for taking so long to get back with how it went from my end.

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It warms my divining heart to hear that you've had some fruitful insights from the divination I gave you.

You are welcome to come any time to deepen on the situation, that can be done with Tarot and no worries about the time, I'm still going through the readings myself! I clearly overestimated my capacity to allot mental space to divine.

With my best as always,
Augusto