Confronting the stalker cards

'Stalker' cards are those that keep turning up over and over, no matter what deck you're using, what question you're asking, or sometimes even what person you're reading for! The lovely and wise Pearl Annie shared a technique for looking at stalker cards (she calls them 'cards that haunt me') in a group on Facebook called The Tarot Readers Development and Study Group. She shuffles her deck thoroughly and then divides it into five piles to determine what plane of existence the stalker card is attempting to deal with: Fire, Water, Earth, Air or Spirit.

I thought I'd just try that with my two recent stalkers, Knight of Wands and Chariot.

Three cards into the Fire pack, I found the Knight of Wands. I placed the two cards before him face down above the Fire pack, and placed him on top of them facing up. Then after two more cards, I found the Chariot! So I placed it and its previous cards below the Fire pack. 

(It doesn't matter what order you put them, that's just the order I said out loud as I laid them out so I stuck with that, even though normally I would have done Fire - Water -Air - Earth - Spirit. It's early, and I am a witch of dismal memory.) 

Both cards have fallen in the Fire pack, which comes as no surprise at all, but you never know until you ask. Knight of Wands is a Fire card of course, being Wands, and its elemental affinity is Air, so he is Air of Fire. The Chariot is a Water card, associated with the moon and Cancer. It's action that they're calling for, both in thoughts and feelings. I should act on thoughts and feelings, and not just think or feel them. 

I thought it would interesting to take this technique a bit further. What would happen if I looked to see what cards fell in the same spot in the other packs? Would that give me insight into how to support the Knight of Wands and Chariot across all planes? How can my other aspects aid this one that wants so much to come out?

I counted down into each pack and repeated the laying out of the cards as I did for the Fire pack:

Aiding the Knight of Wands

Fire - Knight of Wands, Water - 9 of Wands, Earth - Queen of Wands, Air - 2 of Cups, Spirit - 8 of Wands (confession, the 9 of Wands and Queen of Wands came out reversed, but I turned them over for the photo, so I'm going to read them reversed). 

I can aid the Knight of Wands' manifestation by watching out for feelings of being judged by others, being more sympathetic and forgiving of my physical body and habits, sharing ideas with others, and engaging in a daily spiritual practice. 

Aiding the Chariot

Fire - Chariot, Water - 7 of Wands, Earth - World, Air - 9 of Cups, Spirit - 2 of Pents Rx (confession, 7 of Wands was reversed so I will read it that way.) 

I can aid the Chariot's manifestation, again by avoiding defensive reactions, glorying in my physical self (note the glorified naked form in the card), thinking about where I am satisfied and successful, and accepting that being alive means not always (or even usually) feeling anything like being on an 'even keel'.

In summary 

My stalker cards want very much for me to make progress. The other cards show the blockages to these cards -- possibly they are the real reasons the stalkers keep stalking. They're not waving but drowning, as the poem says. They're stymied by attitudes in the other planes. The cards are telling me to stop seeking balance and get on with things. Lighten up. Stop looking for perfection in myself or my methods. Just DO something. Knight of Wands and Chariot will be satisfied if they see me do something, anything. So stop telling myself it won't be good enough.

Good insights. 

Tarot de St Croix Diamond Spread

A reading for this week at work

De St Croix Diamond 5-Card Spread

(from Tarot de St Croix LWB)

1. Signifier: What or who am I in this situation? - 6 of Swords
2. Unconscious: What is underneath or hidden? - 8 of Cups
3. Release: What do I need to let go of? - 8 of Wands
4. Conscious: What is on my mind, what do I already know? - Judgement
5. Receive: What do I expect or need to open to? - Hermit

The signifier tells me at least one and possibly all of the following: I am in a position to be a catalyst for change, I am in a position to receive guidance through this change, and this change will happen and will soon be a memory, all behind me. It would seem that it's up to me to determine how smooth the sailing is. The idea of moving on or turning into a new direction is seen in both 6 of Swords and 8 of Cups. Both cards imply that the turning away is caused by some pain (or is causing some pain) but that the transition is both welcome and inevitable. In other words, the situation has reached a turning point and there is no way a corner won't be turned this week.

Tarot de St Croix says this about 8 of Cups: 'Emotional strength is not about overcoming our feelings but instead immersing ourselves in them until we can release them.' There are many ways to read this statement - none of which seem to have much to do with traditional interpretations of this card. It's saying to feel what I feel and not deny it. It could also be saying that there is a time and a place to release emotions and to be aware of that (ie, be on guard against emotive outbursts).  Finally, I also see it as a reminder that I am not the only one with feelings and it might be useful to try immersing myself in someone else's feelings in order to understand them better and be of help to them.

I need to let go of urgency. The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, as good old King Solomon obligingly reminds us. It is probably time to listen more than I talk and by that I don't mean sitting in silence, but actually understand and accept the ideas and opinions of others in a way that may change the way I behave in the future. Listening may not always be expedient, but it is certainly more helpful.

I already know that a sea change is needed in my work place in order for us to survive. My grave concern is that certain others will not take seriously the precarious situation we are in. It is so important, for our very survival, that we make big changes in the way we do things, and this is where my sense of urgency comes from. I lose patience watching others going through the stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) that go along with big changes. Some of us hear the trumpet call and ready to rise up renewed (RWS imagery), others still slumber in the tomb, as it were. The Tarot de St Croix depicts life changing moments in a cathedral: 'Look at your beliefs and decide if they work for you,' the companion book advises. I already know that I have been doing that, and I know that all members of staff need to do it, too.

I need to expect and be open to the fact that this will take time. The Hermit is Father Time and it is that aspect that I see applying here. I don't see how 'solitude' has much to do with anything, though the implication is there that I may not have many allies during this transitional time. I also must be prepared to receive that it's all going to take much longer than I would have hoped. I just hope it doesn't take so long that it becomes too late.

In summary, this spread is telling me that change happens slowly, it is complicated, it involves a lot of emotions, and being impatient is only going to complicate matters. It tells me to LISTEN and to empathise.

Long week ahead. LOL

How about a draw from The Wicca Deck (Sally Morningstar 2001) for a final word on the issue:

Okay, the companion book says and I quote:

High Note - Change is coming. Are you ready?
Low Note - Release; let go. Prepare.

So, that pretty much confirms all of what I said in the tarot reading. The book goes on to say that it is a time to draw toward you what you need to advance your position in life, and that you need to release something in order for this to happen. What I need is for staff to bring their practices in line with the rest of the service, and what I need to let go of is the desire for them to do it how I want it when I want it. As long as they do it, that's what counts.

Do, or do not. There is no spell more powerful than that.

Today's card comes from The Wicca Deck by Sally Morningstar (Connections Publishing 2014), an oracle made up of cards depicting tools and concepts of Wicca. Illustrations are by Danuta Mayer. I'll be drawing all week from this pack, along with supporting tarot cards from Old English Tarot by Maggie Kneen (US Games 1997).

The card shows a Wand, the instrument used by Wiccans and many traditions to focus and direct power. Thus the Wand is given the key word 'Intention.' The wand in the image has clear crystal quartz points on either end, embellished with copper. There is a band of bronze or copper decorated with  a pentacle clamped around it. And carved into the wood we see the sigil 'sowilo', which stands for the sun, wholeness, success. Little chains attached to the wand lead to a small goddess charm and  three beads with a raven or crow feather, no doubt the three beads stand for maid, mother and crone.

This card certainly portends good things, but also brings the message -- good things come to those with clear intent and strong will. Not a vague wish, but a definite, focused intention.

So far so good. We all have intentions, but what comes next?  To see how the tarot would support this card, I shuffled and drew from Old English Tarot and received 8 of Batons (also known as 8 of Wands). And this is just the perfect support for our oracle card of the day! This card shows us the backbone of intent -- action. You can send all the intentions into the universe you want, but if you do not then take action, you are very unlikely to see any manifestation of your will.

'What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.' ~ James 2:14-17

Every witch or spellcaster will tell you the same. Cast your spell, then do the work. The Buddhist and Hindu will tell you, do your meditation, then do the work.

'Those who believe and do good works, their Lord guides them by their faith. Rivers will flow beneath them in the Gardens of Delight.' ~ Quran 10:9

This is a universal principle that cannot be escaped. It's common sense. If you want something, wanting is not enough. Yes, you may create a ripple of energy in the fabric of the universe. But if you want it to materialise, you are going to have to take action.

The little figures in the 8 of Batons are working very hard in the field, bending their backs again and again in the hot sun, doing repetitive labour. But what great rewards this work reaps! Bread for the winter. Fodder for the cattle. A roof for their homes. Fuel for the fire. Every stalk of that harvest must be collected and it will be put to good use. Their intention of surviving the winter will materialise.

The card gives a good idea of the kind of tasks we will likely have to do to manifest our intentions -- work that we may not want to do, that is not particularly fun to do, but that step-by-step will lead to the results we want. You don't have to go fast, but you do have to be organised and expeditious. Also tolerant and patient.

So here's your work for today. Ask yourself:

• What do I want? What do I really want? Write it down and be very specific. 
• What do I need to do to get where I want? List the actions.

Not sure how to get there? No problem:

• If you don't know exactly how to get to where you want, make a list of tasks that lead in the right direction. 
• If you don't know any tasks that lead in that direction, make a list of questions because it's time to gather information.
• Now choose one task (or one question) and do it (or ask it) today.  It doesn't matter how small that action may seem in the face of your big goal. Trust in your intention and do it.

Now you've done that task, sit back and -- wow! You did it. You're making magic happen. Well done! Congratulate yourself for taking that step.

Wait -- did I just hear you say, 'But I have so far to go and I'm not really clear yet how to get to my dream?' Well, stop that! Look at the next task on your list. Keep focused, keep acting, keep gathering in that wheat, just like in the card. You can do it. You can! 

What do the 8s mean to you?

Cachet Tarot 2003, 2013

The 8 of Wands, even in 'illustrated' pip decks, is usually the one with the least adornment. This is because in the usual Golden Dawn tradition, it has narrow range of interpretations -- speed, being busy, communication of some type, messages, news, moving quickly. The little companion book that came with the Cachet Tarot in my set (which does not even give a name to the deck) has somewhat unusual interpretations for some of the cards. For 8 of Wands it says, 'This card will often represent the type of cathartic discussion which ends confusion. Eight of Wands always brings a new surge of energy and freshness when it appears. It often signals entry into a new phase or project -- one which stands a good chance of success.' I can sort of go along with that, though I would never see 8 of Wands as the start of a new project, rather I would see it as moving swiftly along the process toward completion. The 8 would be when you hit a phase of rapid progress, like in the game 'Sorry' where you land on that square that lets you slide along across several more in one move.

I see the card as saying I will be quite busy today. No time to get bored! Too busy busy busy. And that's okay. But -- Mercury is still in retrograde, so I won't be surprised if some of that 'busyness' is trying to deal with breaks in technology or overcoming misunderstandings of some kind.

Messages

Thoth Tarot

The 8 of Wands is a card about speed and communication, and both are already playing a big part in my day today. My computer is messing with my mind today. The Shock Wave Flash Plug-in whatever-the-heck-it-is keeps crashing. The thing keeps freezing. It keeps logging me out. I may actually have to do something besides piddle around on the Internet all day today, which is a bit frightening! But even though it's been playing silly-whats-it, I've still managed to receive an email from Book Depository offering me a full refund on that poorly printed Golden Tarot Visconti-Sforza, and I've submitted my application for the secondment I mentioned in a previous post. Yay! So now the wait begins for two more communications - the email telling me that my money has been refunded to my account, and the email telling me that I have been successfully shortlisted and invited to interview for the secondment.

This is a funny-looking card from the Thoth Tarot that looks to me like an overhead view of a transparent multi-coloured jelly moulded in the shape of pyramid, receiving electric shock treatments. It's wiggling around from being zapped by the red bolts of electricity. Wiggle wiggle buzz buzz.

The card is Mercury in Sagittarius, which means nothing to me. DuQuette tells me it means 'the element of fire has become stabilized and is eminently comfortable.' So that's no help. He goes on to say, 'This card is like two people who have had too much coffee who stay up all night, talking simultaneously.' In other words, it's just like the RWS 8 of Wands.

Okay, off to run around wiggling and buzzing today. And make some more coffee, actually. No joke.

Right back to it again

Back to work today after a luxurious three days in a row off. Looks like it will be a busy day of catch-up, lots of emails. The 8 of Wands from Touchstone Tarot (Kat Black, Kunati 2009) shows a layd on her balcony, opening a scroll, with eight wands descending at an angle, as in the traditional RWS image. The 8 of Wands signifies messages, a sense of urgency, and rushing. In more recent times, it has come to mean faster means of communication, so text messaging and emails are often associated with this card.

I hope it will be a busy day, to make the time go by faster. Tuesdays are my longest work day of the week, 8.30-6.15. Here's to a work day that goes by fast and during which I feel productive but not stressed out.

Musings on the Celtic Tarot: Wands

Celtic Tarot, Aquarian 1990

I received my second copy of the Celtic Tarot (Courtney Davis) the other day, and have been admiring it since. I believe this is the most beautiful pips-only deck that I have seen yet. In the photo above, I have arranged them so that the bottom row is Wands, next up Cups, then Swords, and the top row is Coins, with courts in a pile at the end of each row. You can see that the suits are linked by colour, inner border style, and in the case of the Coins, by shape of the design. The Wands all feature the Sun, Cups are contained in circles on a blue background, the Swords are red and feature diamond patterns, and the Coins have a green background with Celtic knot discs in gold. Unlike some pip decks, there are many cues to meaning in the design and coloring of each pip card, so it seems like a good idea to have a closer look at them.