As a tarot learner, I find the greatest challenge is intuiting the story and relationship between the cards. As part of a learning exercise to improve this skill, I pulled the following two-card spread. The assignment was to ask a choice-centered, active question. Summer is gone and I've been feeling a bit of dread about the months ahead, so today's question was, "What can I do to keep going through the pandemic, social unrest, and election chaos?"
The first step of reading was to just look at each picture and try to decipher the symbolism of each, and then how they relate to each other. At first I thought, shit, I better switch decks because my pictures have nothing to do with the Rider-Waite imagery. But then I remembered I bought this deck because the art made me feel something, and surely has its own symbolic value. So I stuck with it and I jotted down the following impressions:
King of Cups:
The cup is at the top of the page, so emotion rules. The swan is gliding on the water with seeming ease, but is surely paddling like mad underwater.
King of Swords:
The sword represents conflict, but the owl is perched on the sword, and the pointy end is safely away from his face. He looks alert.
Together they seem to say I should de-prioritize emotional reaction. Relax, but hang onto stability. Avoid conflict, be aware and assertive about my needs, and respond instead of react.
The exercise didn't say anything about checking my impressions against tarot definition sources, but I wanted to see if I was on the right track.
First of all, I had two Kings, which usually means something. They can represent direct competition or conflict, so maybe I'm experiencing a conflict between my emotions (Cup) and my mind (Sword)? No, I don't feel that. When I laid the cards I felt a relief, like two dads coming to my rescue. I had a distinctly protective impression from these two. I hung onto my intuition and used that as a lens through which to view the "official" tarot meanings.
King of Cups Pros: Emotionally competent, compassionate, diplomatic, creative, spiritual, handles stress, good people skills, intuitive.
King of Cups Cons: Moody, can feel lonely among others, worried.
King of Swords Pros: Intelligent, articulate, analytical, perceptive of truth, objective, keeps emotions in check, healthy detachment.
King of Swords Cons: Rigid, judgmental, bossy, expects too much of others, argumentative, prone to stirring controversy.
As final answer to my question, it feels like the solution is to draw on the best qualities of both, let go of each of their down sides. I should maintain my boundaries, but avoid controlling behaviors. Be conscientious in my communication with others so that I'm not being bitchy or hurtful. Don't give in to loneliness or the need to be right. Stay compassionate, and leverage my creativity to stay busy.
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