A new book

My new tarot book has arrived!

It's "Tarot. The Open Reading" by Yoav Ben-Dov. In this book he explains his way of reading tarot - what interests me the most is his way of reading the pips (although I'm sure the other chapters will be very interesting as well). He seems to use a visual way to assign meanings to the pips, e.g.:

"4 of Swords - Restriction. The static number 4 brings out the blocking and limiting aspect of the Swords. Two pairs of curved swords create a solid border around the center. In the middle, a branch in side view completely fills the enclosure. It looks constrained, with a narrow top flower and the tip of the right-hand leaf touching the swords. Emerging on the left of the branch is what seems like a tiny white berry on a stalk". Then he gives interpretation for the card in the upright and reversed position.

Looks interesting! More on the topic when I've read the book!

Both the CBD Tarot (Tarot de Marseille restored by Dr. Yoav Ben-Dov) and the Jodo-Camoin deck I own are restored from the Conver deck, so they are similar enough for me to use my deck to work with this book :)

Who am I right now?

1. Who am I right now? IX The Hermit, Queen of Cups, 2 of Cups

2. What phase in life am I in right now? 8 of Coins, Page of Cups, 10 of Cups

There are many Cups in this spread (4 out of 6 pulled!). I'm in a very emotional stage right now. I'm learning how to manage them, I analyze my emotions - but I'm not very social.

Simultaneously, I'm in the phase of building and working on my relations with my family - with my husband (10/Coins) and my son (Page/Coins).

How to improve my tarot skills

1. What is my strong side in tarot? King of Coins, Page of Cups, 2 of Wands

2. What is my weak side? XIX The Sun, 2 of Coins, 6 of Swords

3. How to improve? 4 of Cups, VII Chariot, 9 of Swords

I'm methodical and I try to use various techniques (Kings/Coins), I put my heart into it (Page/Cups) and I'm always searching for new ideas.

What I lack is self-confidence (XIX), I'm afraid of making mistakes (2/Coins) and I'm barricading myself on a boat on the sea of intuition (6/Swords).

I should relax more (4/Cups), become more daring (VII) and stop worrying too much! (9/Swords) ;)

As your heart dictates

It is known that sometimes tarot can be very literal.

I asked the cards what I should do in one situation and I loved the answers so much! Well, it's my interpretation, but here goes. 

What should I do? The answer was very literal to me.
7 of Wands, Ace of Cups, 4 of Wands

Do (7=The Chariot, action + Wands) as your heart (Ace of Cups) dictates (4=The Emperor, command + Wands).
And so I did :)

TdM reflections - XIIII TEMPERANCE and XXI LE MONDE

Temperance is one of virtues, but that's very abstract, so let's see what is visible on the card. There's an angel - a symbol of goodness. He (or she) has two jugs - just like XVII The Star. These jugs look very similar indeed. Maybe the angel is preparing some liquid for the Star to pour over? I will have to think about it when I stop by card XVII...

The angel teaches us about patience (you have to be patient to pour the liquid so that you don't spill a drop!), focusing on our tasks.

How is this angel connected to IIII The Emperor? The angel, like the Emperor, is controlling the situation, but in a more understanding way. He/she is leading us by setting an example, not pressing us to follow the lead. The angel has wings, so the card might be a hope for us - that even if now we feel trapped or oppressed, there will be a chance to break free.

There's an angel also on XXI The World card. We have all the "beast" symbols traditionally connected to the four Evangelists: a lion (Mark), an eagle (John), a bull (Mark) and an angel (Matthew). They all have an older and complex meaning, but let's stop at that. What is interesting, one of the creatures - the bull - has no halo, although all the other have. It's just like Coins court differs from other three (no numerals on pips) and Jodorowsky suggests the creatures symbolize the courts: the lion - Wands, the eagle - Swords, the angel - Cups and the bull - Coins. And the lady in the middle? She's probably the spirit of Major Arcana...

Oh, and an important thing: she's often described as "androgynous", but what I see here is definitely a lady! I know there were such representations of Christ, but here I see a woman.

The World, number XXI, is connected to I Magician and XI Strength. Even visually: the naked woman holds similar objects in her hands that Le Bateleur has and there's a beast and a lady, like on the Strength card. The Wolrd is the completion of the journey, but it means also new beginnings (as connected to number 1). It means we have all the resources we need and now it's time to act. The world will be on our side.

Court card meditation - Pages

It's the last part! As before, there's an English and Polish version of the text.

Page of Wands and Page of Cups

Page of Wands has loads of energy, but doesn't exactly know how to use it properly. He has hundreds of ideas, but his executing part is flawed. Page of Cups is a great dreamer, who more than accomplishing a goal, enjoys imagining it. He is easily distracted.

Page of Wands and Page of Coins

Page of Wands is interested in world's glory, but more so in the process of rivalry over it. Page of Coins wants to build his little stable world and he has no use of being praised.

Page of Wands and Page of Swords

They would quarrel easily, for they both are impulsive. Page of Swords's arguments would be more accurate, but Page of Wands's would be louder. Page of Wands is more light-hearted, Page of Swords - more ambitious.

Page of Swords and Page of Coins

Page of Swords is easily taken by ideals, but he is naive and too credulous. Page of Coins doesn't chase after ideals, he's interested in here and now. Although he's still learning, he's the most stable of the four Pages.

Page of Swords and Page of Cups

Two idealists, but the first one is focused on his quest for truth, the latter awed by the world's beauty. Page of Wands denounces emotional reactions, whilst they are the bread and butter for the Page of Cups.

Page of Cups and Page of Coins

Page of Cups doesn't care about the material world, which flows somewhere behind him. Material world is Page of Coins's world. He likes being financially secure, because that is the way to have a quiet life - his ideal. He lacks the imaginativeness of Page of Cups. Page of Cups, although somehow separated from the real world, draws people to himself with warm light. During parties people gather around him. Page of Coins speaks mainly about work and money, whilst Page of Cups takes the listeners for a wonderful journey.

PAZIOWIE

Paź Buław i Paź Kielichów

Paź Buław ma mnóstwo energii, lecz nie do końca umie ją spożytkować. Ma sto pomysłów na minutę, ale gorzej z ich realizacją. Paź Kielichów to wielki marzyciel, który więcej przyjemności czerpie z wyobrażania sobie swoich celów, niż z wcielania ich w życie. Łatwo się rozprasza.

Paź Buław i Paź Denarów

Paź Buław jest zainteresowany ziemskimi splendorami, lecz bardziej lubi samą rywalizację, niż jej namacalne efekty. Paź Denarów chce budować swoją małą stabilność i nie potrzebuje do tego pochwał.

Paź Buław i Paź Mieczy

Łatwo by się posprzeczali, bo obaj mają gorące głowy. Argumenty Pazia Mieczy byłyby celniejsze, ale racje Pazia Buław głośniej wypowiadane. Paź Buław ma w sobie więcej beztroski, Paź Mieczy – ambicji.

Paź Mieczy i Paź Denarów

Paź Mieczy daje się porywać ideom, lecz przyjmuje je zbyt bezkrytycznie, naiwnie. Paź Denarów nie goni za ideami, dla niego ważne jest tu i teraz. Choć dopiero się uczy, jest najstabilniejszym z paziów.

Paź Mieczy i Paź Kielichów

Dwóch idealistów, ale pierwszy skupiony na swoich poszukiwaniach, drugi zaś zachwycający się światem jako takim. Paź Mieczy potępia emocjonalne reakcje, dla Pazia Kielichów są one chlebem powszednim.

Paź Kielichów i Paź Denarów

Paź Kielichów nie dba o świat materialny, on jakby przepływa mimo niego. Paź Denarów żyje głównie w świecie materialnym. Lubi być zabezpieczony finansowo i uważa, że taka stabilność jest kluczem do spokojnego, czyli pożądanego przez niego, życia. Brakuje mu polotu Pazia Kielichów. Paź Kielichów, choć taki oderwany od rzeczywistości, przyciąga do siebie ludzi ciepłym światłem; na imprezach ludzie gromadzą się wokół niego. Paź Denarów rozmawia głównie o pracy czy pieniądzach – Paź Kielichów zabiera słuchaczy w niezwykłą podróż.

TdM Majors reflections - VI LAMOVREVX and XX LE IUGEMENT

Some people say, that VI The Lover is about making a choice, so it's not a happy card. He has to - they say - choose between two women. I wouldn't say so. OK, I fancy the idea with two goddesses that appeared before Hercules and also Achilles and gave the hero a choice of a long and quiet life or a short but glorious one. The hero always choses the latter, otherwise he wouldn't be a hero. That's all nice - but what does it have to do with LOVE?
The woman on our right has flowers in her head - the sign of youth. The one on the left - laurel leaves, that also the Queen of Wands bears, the sign of wisdom and knowledge (like the laurels on philosopher's head). I personally like to see this scene as a young man joining with the one he loves (the flower lady), being blessed by his mother (wise laurel lady). She's pushing him towards the bride. The Lover leaves his mother to be with his new wife - an event very important in our lives. His love gives him strength and shines over his path (the cupid and the sun above).
The need to choose I see more in Ace of Swords. So VI The Lover is about things we love or like, about pleasure and fancy -  and therefore the sixes in Minor Arcana as well.

I have sometimes problems with interpreting XX Judgment. It appears in most unexpected situations in my readings. Let's see what this card shows.
The scene depicts biblical resurrection - the angel with the trumpet, people going out of their graves. The angel sends divine power from Heaven to Earth and people come back to life. So the card can be about restarting something, coming back to things long lost or forgotten. It can also mean "the call" or some "news" to us. It also gives hope - that we shouldn't give up.

Both cards have an angel above (if we call the cupid an angel), sending divine energy down to us. They remind us we're not alone in this world, that there's someone or something leading us - if we only want to listen to that divine voice.