After a somewhat lengthy hiatus from my tarot deck, I decided to slow down and pull a card today. After retrieving the deck from underneath all the bits of everyday life that crowd my bedroom dresser, I blew the dust off of the last card that I had pulled and I slipped it back into the deck.
The deck felt light in my hands today... like it would fly from my grip, if I didn't hold onto it deliberately. With the thought of a wayward deck forefront in my mind,I began to shuffle the cards, handling them with care. I caressed the edges with the pads of my fingertips, as I disorganized the current order of the deck. I tried to focus my thoughts on a particular subject for which I was seeking guidance, but a wave of everything suddenly flooded my consciousness, preventing me from any particular focus. In that exact moment, as I was beginning to fan the cards to make my choice, three cards decided to pick me... all cascading from the deck, onto the floor, at the exact same time. They all fell together, face down. When I picked them up, I turned them over in this order...
Two of Swords
The Chariot
Seven of Pentacles
There are a number of different ways to do a
3-card tarot reading, but the first inclination I had, as I laid the cards on the table in front of me was - past / present / future - so that is how I chose to read my cards today.
My Past... Two of Swords
The Two of Swords represents blocking emotions, avoiding the truth and being afraid to act. When I study the face of the card, I see a young woman who has put a barrier of
swords across her heart. Her unyielding posture tells of her struggle to
keep her intense feelings under control. She is fending off any approach from
the outside world. She has built a wall of protection around her heart, cutting herself off.
When I think of how I've cut myself off emotionally, I'm reminded of the many situations where I've allowed resentments to sever the connections that would have otherwise allowed my love to flow outward. These resentments held me prisoner in my own heart, for many years... afraid to make a move in any direction, whether to seek reconciliation or to abandon ship. Because of my fears, I felt very stuck, unable to move or to do anything other than hide behind my swords.
My Present... The Chariot
The Chariot represents using one's will, achieving victory, asserting one's self and mastering discipline. When I study the face of this card, I see what appears to be a powerful man, possibly a king, or Julius Caesar. He stands victorious above his obstacles, achieving all that is possible through willpower and self-mastery.
The last 18 months of my life have truly been victorious for me, in terms of the battles I've fought and the obstacles I've overcome, within myself and my situation. When I think of how stuck I used to be, unable to move in any direction, crippled by fear and control and then I compare it to what life is like for me today... I can't help but feel victorious. I feel such a sense of pride in my own little successes. I'm truly able to see my own progress, every single day. Some days my progress is small and almost invisible, even to me, but when I look back at the road that I've traveled, I truly see how far my determination and self confidence has brought me.
My Future... Seven of Pentacles
The Seven of Pentacles represents evaluation of what's been done, reaping a reward and opening to a new strategy. When I study the face of this card, I see a man who has worked long and hard tending his garden.
The garden is abundant. The foliage is full and it seems that his hard work has
paid off. He appears to be taking a break to admire his work. He's
satisfied to see the beautiful results and desires to reap the rewards of his own efforts.
When I'm busy, I don't always have time to reflect on what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. The Seven of Pentacles calls me to pause and reflect on my life and take inventory. Are there possible alternatives to the way I'm doing things, that might better serve me in the future? Do I need to change the path I'm on, or is it simply time for me to bask in the fruits of my labor? I'm reminded to consider what my goals are for the future and how I can continue to reach for those goals, without being derailed.
What began as a simple drawing of a single card, for a sort of daily message, turned into something a bit more. I believe these three cards picked me today, for a reason. I have many lessons to learn in this life and seeking guidance through the help of the tarot, gives me some creative focus and direction for my spiritual energy. From this reading I have gained a clear sense of just how far I've come to date and how far I have yet to go. But I think the most important message for me today is to stay in the present moment. I need to use my past as a map for where I've been and use the present to help me navigate my way into the future... one day at a time, one moment at a time.
"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." - Dr. Seuss
An echoing record spins the tune
and all I see is the skeleton key
