Line Two: Hobbies and Talents

Line Two Hobbies and Talents
Heart of the Situation - The Sun
What to Leave in the Past - Seven of Cups
Others - Judgement
Advice - Four of Cups

The Hobbies and Talents card in the Deck of 1000 Spreads says, 'Addresses the current state of your creative energies. When not used as the topic of the spread, it can advise on creative endeavors.' So this is the 'Creative Energies' card.

So according to this draw, where do my creative energies lie? The Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot book gives an interesting perspective on the Sun card, which in fortune-telling/divination is often taken to be the 'everything is just peachy' card. The Sun is the first path of the Astral Triangle (the Personality Triad), a path which leads from Yesod, the Astral foundation of material forms, to Hod, the seat of intellect. 'Thus on this path, the initiate begins to perceive the Higher factors which have formed his/her own personality.' This makes me think of the sort of work I do with tarot and oracles in order to help people. I try to help them see the bigger picture of their lives so that they can gain clarity. I suppose that is a version of 'perceiving the Higher factors which have formed personality.'  This is not an interpretation of The Sun card I've ever known of or considered before. My talents lie in making intuitive connections. Or, if you will, shedding light on situations. Wow, that's cool. I wonder what other talents this Sun card might point to.

Now the next card is really interesting. Often in RWS, the Seven of Cups is considered the 'distracted by daydreams' card. The 'pipe dreams' card. I never really considered that I have daydreams or pipe dreams about my creative energies. The Golden Dawn meanings again shed a new light and are very suggestive to me: 'Possibly victory, but neutralized by the supineness of the person. Deception in the moment of victory. Selfish dissipation. Often success gained, but not followed up...slight success at outset, but want of energy to retain it.' The book goes on to say, 'The effect of this card is weakness and imbalance. Venus in Scorpio is not well-dignified here, and can lead to self-deception, egocentricity and extreme emotional floundering.' This is really interesting because I do tend to turn back from things when success is imminent -- self-sabotaging behaviour which this card is telling me to leave in the past.

And what can 'Others' offer in the area of Creative Energies? The Judgement card is 'the path where one first becomes aware of the Divine Forces watching over and infusing needed spiritual energy into the Personality...the Judgement here shown is is undertaken by the Personality of the initiate has he or she becomes more aware of a Greater Reality, which equilibrates his/her own imbalances.' (Golden Dawn Ritual Tarot). So it would seem that Others will help me break through the barriers of the Seven of Cups. Surely this points to doing more readings for people, seek out a wider audience, find ways to interact with others about this hobby/talent of mine. Also, interacting with Others could help me uncover other aspects of the Sun card that I have not yet seen.

The advice, though, is not go streaking off into the world in an Eight of Wands fashion, but instead the card is  Four of Cups. Now, this card is often associated with boredom or a sort of self-absorbed, willful ignoring of the positive. That's probably not the meaning on offer as advice! I had a look at the Cosmic Tarot companion book and saw this: 'It can warn of the danger of overplanning -- spending too much time thinking while the opportunity to act passes...alternatively, it can indicate the discovery of new approaches to old problems or the patience to wait until a situation is ripe.' So...it would seem the card definitely is advising a calm measured approach, but not so calm or measured that I miss out on anything.

A word about consulting books. When I read for myself, I consider these instances to be learning opportunities, and consult books freely. Two benefits: it gives me the chance to consider new ways of looking at a card, and it helps to lend some impartiality to the reading, as I myself am so close to the issues. Sometimes I read for myself entirely unaided by books. When I read for other people, I do not use any books at all but work solely on prior knowledge and intuition. I would encourage anyone using tarot to read for themselves to try a bit of both. There are benefits (and drawbacks) to each, so doing both helps balance it out.

Right, off now to chant the Gayatri Mantra!

ETA Just had a thought. If the Sun is shedding light...well, it could be pointing to teaching. I was a teacher for 15 years. Could the cards refer to teaching? Leaving behind the illusory thoughts about it, experiencing a rebirth through it, taking a relaxed approach to it... Possible...But this is Hobbies and Talents, not Career. So maybe it's teaching in another guise. Teaching...teaching...hmm.