Can you tell I'm thrilled?

The Tarot Channel: Rare Peace Tarot

Have you seen this? The Tarot Channel is a really cool new collaborative blog by some of the most interesting tarot readers (and writers) around.

Lots of cool, relevant information about decks, spreads, and all kinds of things. Well worth spending some time there.

Here's the Eight of Pentacles again! Still relevant.

The High Priestess represents female energy, secret knowledge, mystery, particularly the mysteries that women hold in their hearts. Of the High Priestess, Aeclectic Tarot says:

If there is a card that symbolizes the tarot reader is it the High Priestess. A woman (or man!) of psychic powers, intuition and secret knowledge. Where the Magician is about revealing, the High Priestess is about keeping things hidden behind the curtain. Things you know, but don't tell.

If the reader feels the High Priestess stands for the Querent, then this is a time of solitary investagation and the passing on of secret knowledge. The Querent might find themselves spending time in old libraries, reading through dusty documents and letters, or studying old religious texts. Things kept secret will be revealed to them. Likewise, these secrets might come to them psychically by way of visions or powerful instincts. Insights may be found in crystal balls, tea leaves, dreams or conversations with spirits.

LearnTarot.com says that the High Priestess is a card of waiting, of stillness, and:

In readings, the High Priestess poses a challenge to you to go deeper - to look beyond the obvious, surface situation to what is hidden and obscure. She also asks you to recall the vastness of your potential and to remember the unlimited possibilities you hold within yourself. The High Priestess can represent a time of waiting and allowing. It is not always necessary to act to achieve your goals. Sometimes they can be realized through a stillness that gives desire a chance to flower within the fullness of time.

Diligence, attention to detail, hard work, learning a trade -- this is what the Eight of Pentacles symbolizes. A young man sits on his work bench, all his attention on his work. Traditionally, the Eights symbolize re-evaluation, making changes, and the Eight of Pentacles symbolizes the hard work necessary to make those changes. In descriptions, it is often called the apprenticeship card.

Joan Bunning says:

Sometimes blessings fall into our laps to be enjoyed. Other times we must put out great effort to obtain them. The Eight of Pentacles represents moments when you must give 110%. Just buckle down and do it. Fortunately, this kind of work is invigorating and leads to superb results. The labor of the Eight of Pentacles is deeply satisfying and productive.

Aeclectic Tarot says:

An apprentice works on eight pentacles. This is the apprentice card. It is a card of starting over, doing something new or perhaps just expanding. Apprenticeship can be scary or demoralizing, like in all those cliched movies where the Kung Fu youngster has to carry water and sweep floors before he can do the real stuff. Similarly, this card predicts, if not a tough time, a time of learning and mistakes, doubts and just hard work.

I don't know if I agree with that description, necessarily--the hard work, certainly, but maybe not the mistakes and doubts. This card tells me that a time of hard work is coming, and that it is necessary to buckle down and just do the work, which is perfectly apropos to this particular moment in time for me.

I'm reaching the end of a huge project at work. There are a lot of loose ends to tie up, a lot of details to be handled, and the only way to do them is just to keep my head down, develop tunnel vision and stick to it until it's done. And then I can go on vacation. :)

The Eight of Wands, showing the eight wands dropping from (or rather, being hurled from) the sky, is a card that symbolizes something about to happen -- good news, perhaps, specifically good news that makes it possible for you to move ahead with your plans. Rather than symbolizing the end result itself, it means that the time is right to do something, to take initiative and bring your plans to fruition.

Of the Eight of Wands, Paranormality says:

Understanding and harmony. The time and conditions are right to facilitate success. A process of speeding-up and an end to delays. A time for 'grasping the nettle', taking the initiative or taking charge. This card also indicates: important journeys, correspondence, and favourable news. A card of hope.

According to LearnTarot.com, the Eight of Wands is:

…a symbol of the onset of action and its effects. Before acting, we think, imagine, speculate, talk and dream. This is the realm of air - the sky. Then, finally, we decide to make our move. We bring our ideas down to earth and put them into action.

In the Trinity Doughnuts Tarot, the description of the Eight of Wands says:

Some call the Eight of Wands the “orgasm card”, and I suppose I see the point. It is the idea of a force other than ourselves, delivering something of excitement, that I believe marks the Eight of Wands.

Eric Ganther, in the “Cosmic Tribe Tarot” text, speaks of “peak experiences” in relation to the Eight of Wands. There are numerous references in other decks to movement and travel in connection with this card, as well as getting news or information that enables one to move ahead on their own with a project or relationship. The Waite-Smith illustration of the eight wands sailing through the air serves to heighten that impression. I’ve always thought of the Eight of Wands as a card that might herald something good coming along in the mail.

Although many do not use tarot for divination or predicting the future, this is one of the cards in the deck that clearly tells of something coming from somewhere else.

Just two days ago I drew the Ace of Pentacles, and here it is again. Something is trying very definitely to tell me that things are changing, things are moving, and moving in a very positive direction. I'm full of hope that this new year will be a positive one, particularly in its financial aspects, and the Ace of Pentacles would seem to indicate that, very emphatically.

Another Ace! Of the Ace of Wands, Joan Bunning says:

In readings, it shows that a seed of bold enthusiasm has been planted in your life although you may not yet recognize it. When the seed sprouts, it could take almost any form. It might be a creative idea, surge of optimism or need to act boldly. On the outside, it could be an offer, gift, opportunity, encounter or synchronistic event.

I can't remember now where I read it, but I read somewhere that the Ace of Wands is (rather obviously, I guess) a phallic symbol, and symbolizes, among other things, confidence and sexual power. Also, creativity, enthusiasm, daring; all in all, a very positive and exciting card.

How I love the Ace of Pentacles! A hand appearing out of the clouds holding a golden coin, like Manna from Heaven. Of course, it doesn't represent wealth just handed to you; with the background of a lovely garden, it indicates that if you plant and tend a "seed," you will be amply rewarded. The suit of Pentacles does represent tangible things, i.e., money, property, things that can be held in the hand, solid things.

Joan Bunning says:

The Ace of Pentacles can be a sign that you will be able to make your dreams real. Your ideas are ready to be turned into something tangible. Figure out what will work and make it a reality. You can now attract all the wealth you need to get your projects going. Tap into the material force of the Ace of Pentacles, and all your enterprises will flourish.

It's early in the year, but all of the cards I've drawn so far this year have been positive, and all point to the fact that there are many rewards to be had as long as I concentrate on business, set goals, and work hard. Sounds like a good plan.

I drew the Two of Wands just the other day. There's no need to repeat what I said then (at least not so soon!), but what a nice card to get again, as if the universe is making its point very definitely. With hard work, determination, and skill, we can accomplish anything that we set our minds to do.

The Star speaks of hope, of generosity, of faith in the future. The card shows a naked woman pouring water from two jugs--one into a pool, and the other onto land. Where does the water come from that she is pouring? The indication is that the water in the jugs will never run out, that they are constantly replenished. It foretells hope for tomorrow--not necessarily something that is going to happen immediately, but sometime in the future.

The Seven of Pentacles symbolizes the reward that comes at the end of hard work. In Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Pollack says:

Meaningful work gives more than material benefit; the person too grows. The Seven shows the moment of being able to look back with satisfction on something accomplished. The "something" may be as broad as a career or as simple as an immediate project. The card implies that whatever has been built up (including relationships between people) has reached a point where it can grow by itself, and the person can step back from it without it collapsing.

The card shows a man admiring the garden that he has worked long and hard to create. It represents a time of reflection, of contemplation, of looking back on our accomplishments and being proud of the work that we have done. But the man on the card is simply pausing in his work, the fact that he is leaning on his hoe as he stands in the garden indicates that he has only paused in his labors for a moment, perhaps to catch his breath, or to enjoy the morning sunshine; the garden is a work in progress. In Learntarot.com, Joan Bunning says:

The Seven of Pentacles is not a card of endings or final decisions. The game is not over, but only on hold for a moment. Once you've gotten your breath back and checked your strategy, be ready to jump back in and work even harder than before.

The Two of Wands shows a well-dressed, powerful, successful, obviously prosperous, man, standing on the roof of his castle, gazing out over his domain. He holds the world (represented by a globe) in his hands. He is powerful, but rather than the inherent power of The Magician, for instance, this card represents power gained by determination and skill.

Of the Two of Wands, James Rioux says:

Personal power is another theme of this card. The Two of Wands is a reminder that we are always in control of our lives, and though we may be surprised by events from time to time, the reins remain in our hands waiting for us to use them. This is why it's important to plan ahead, and know where you are headed before you set off on your journey. There is no place for uncertainty and hesitation, but fortunately, this card gives you the energy to rid yourself of those. You deserve to be the creator and the ruler of your life. Allow your inner power to show itself - you'll be surprised by what you accomplish.

Most interpretations refer to the power of the Two of Wands as "applied power" or power "brought down to earth," i.e., not nebulous, but concrete, brought about by setting goals, working hard, and reaping the results.

I did a reading for the New Year this morning. It's a "Year Ahead" reading that I found in the Tarot Bible. It says that the astrological year starts in April, so the first card is for April. But you start reading the cards with the current month. So:

10 - January - 5 of Swords
11 - February - 3 of Swords
12 - March - 10 of Pentacles
1 - April - 4 of Cups
2 - May - Queen of Swords
3 - June - 5 of Pentacles
4 - July - 2 of Cups
5 - August - 3 of Cups
6 - September - 2 of Wands
7 - October - Judgement
8 - November - The Sun
9 - December - The Empress

So, for January, the 5 of Swords. This is a difficult card. It shows a man in the foreground smirking over the swords that he has taken from his rivals, who slink away in disgrace.

Most interpretations tell you to expect conflict when you see this card; to give up the fight and accept defeat. They say it may mean humiliation, perhaps, if you identify with the losers, or, if you identify with the victor, dishonor or trickery.

However, in Learn Tarot, Joan Bunning gives the card a more positive meaning:

Sometimes this card implies a need to put your own interests first. If you are being abused or taken advantage of, you must get free. If you are worn out by demands, take care of yourself. If it is your turn, step forward and claim your due. Just be aware that if you hurt others in the process, your victory will not feel complete.

Tarot.com says:

This card admonishes the loser to study carefully what went wrong, so that a new strategy can be devised and more setbacks forestalled. There is a need to regroup and rethink the game plan, discover your blind spots and weak links, and take corrective measures before getting back into the field for another round.

I think in this case that this card means that maybe it's time to put ourselves first for a change, to concentrate on our own needs, being mindful, of course, that we shouldn't put ourselves first to the detriment of others. Perhaps it's just a reminder that while it is important to think of, and care for, other people, we mustn't forget that we also need to care for ourselves, and that unless we do care for ourselves, we won't be able to do anything for anyone else.