A reading with Chrysalis Tarot

The Tetraktys Spread

This is one of my favourite 'whole person' spreads and I thought I'd give Chrysalis Tarot a go at it. The positions are:

Stone 

(Unus Mundus, the integrated psyche)

Moon, Sun 

(weakness/strength, to oversimplify the matter)

Salt, Quicksilver, Sulfer 

(ie, past, present, future)

Earth, Air, Fire, Water

(I put the elements in the wrong order but oh well)

This is an involved spread of 10 cards, and is quite in-depth, so I'm not doing a full reading here, just a quickie overview. Traditionally you start reading from the bottom, and I lay them out to be read left to right, though some readers to a mirror image of this and read right to left, which is the older tradition).

It's interesting out of the gate that my element cards match up except for the Fire position, where I have an Air card. So in place of action, I have thinking. Sounds true! I have drawn 3 of Scrolls, or 3 of Swords, and you know what that card usually means. You've probably also gathered that for the last several months I haven't been feeling terribly well within myself and this card does reflect that, and also reflects, I feel, how my mental/emotional sadness has dampened my fire for action. On the other hand, I don't see how much earthier you can get than Gaia, or waterier than Dreamer, or airier than High Priestess. So that is a good sign, and I do feel that I am finding my feet. :) 

The inward orientation of my psychic energy, with roots in my past, is 10 of Stones, the mutable present moment is 6 of Stones, and the volatile future is Merlin. This is plain to me. In the past I have been quite firmly rooted in feeling safe and secure, in avoiding risks where possible. In the present, I am receiving wonderful support from someone very close to me, and it means everything to me, and is helping me have the confidence to grow. I am also seeking support from outside agencies and finding wisdom there. And my future is the Merlin, the Fool. Wow. I like the way he is facing away from the past and even the present, his body turned toward the right side of the spread, which I always associate with the future. My future does look bright...it has magic in it, and faith, the faith that everything works out. 

I'm not surprised to see in my unconscious psyche the Devil, but who is this Bella Rosa? For this, I turned to the LWB, but I couldn't get into the text there, so I just looked at the card. What is my weakness, I asked it. Masks and mirrors in a perpetual cycle, it answered. Always trying to find who you are outside yourself, always judging yourself too harshly. But in the Sun position, the conscious mind, I got 10 of Mirrors (or 10 of Cups). I know without doubt that the most positive thing in my life is my marriage. This card is right on the money. 

Which leads to the ultimate card, the Stone, which is 10 of Scrolls, or 10 of Swords. It's so, so true that I have felt  very low indeed for a while. I have felt physically tired, emotionally drained, mentally stretched, and overall, wrung out. Here the LWB speaks: The 10 of Scrolls is about recognizing undesireable, repeating patterns in your life. The passionate energy of the tiger overcomes unlearned lessons. Tiger energy is strong, confident and resolved.' I've been doing some work recently that is helping me a lot, and so this card is quite accurate. I have been feeling down, but the future is looking brighter. Still a lot of work to do, but brighter. 

In all, this is a truthful and ultimately positive reading. I don't point the finger at any one factor that has caused my recent funk. I think the scroll cards are very apt in pointing out where trouble lies - and they are two of the 'worst' cards in the deck, by some reckoning! But the positive cards far outweigh the negative ones. And I notice I have four majors! Merlin, Sorceress, Gaia and Bella Rosa. A magical and earthy combination with great potential.