Future Tarot

A few weeks ago, Plaid returned to Future-Tarot and joined us in our Wednesday Chat. She asked: What can I do to improve my current situation? An INCREDIBLE Chat session followed that saw four talented women come together with synergistic ideas and insights that inspired and excited Plaid, moved her into action and began the upward swing to improve her situation.

Experiences like this are rare and special but I’ve noticed our Wednesday Tarot Chat often evolves into creative, empowering sessions that offer incredible value for all those who participate. If you want a reading with the energy and dynamic back-and-fourth then Tarot Chat is the best place to start. I hope you’ll join us this week!

Plaid: Or, more exactly I should ask: Will Plaid’s finances and luck improve very very soon? We’ve had a run of bad luck lately, the TV quit, one of my cats died, I can’t get paid, we replaced brakes on the van, and I posted the whole laptop rant on Absolute Write, etc…

Miss Michele: Wow, you wanted empowering… We have… I drew 4 cards… The Emperor, The High Priestess, Death and the Nine of Swords… (because Serenity likes to see the cards first). *Disclaimer: Ashley bent the Death card today… so it’s interesting to see how it plays out in this reading. I may have drawn it because it WAS sticking out. That’s why I drew the fourth card.*

Miss Michele: My overall impressions, Plaid, was that for some reason, you NEEDED this shakeup. The Emperor in the past is very by the book, things are going smoothly.

Serenity Bly: *nods* I like to avoid ‘timing’ questions when it comes to “will my situation improve” because the cards like to provide a ‘when’ for me anyway. That Death and then 9 of Swords indicates having to make a sacrifice to avoid continued challenges. The when is empowered by your action, if you take no action, difficulty will continue.

Miss Michele: I agree… It indicates that you need to let go of what isn’t working. Essentially, Plaid, things were going smoothly but it was lulling you into complacency. You wanted to “control” a bit too much of your life.

Serenity Bly: I feel like you are The High Priestess, Plaid. Are you trying to control everything? lol I must be in Miss Michele’s head.

Miss Michele: (and is more diplomatic about it.) lol

Plaid: I’m a flipside card… I’m in control of some things, but nothing I plan ever goes accordingly.

Miss Michele: Yes! It doesn’t for The Emperor either–not all the time BUT the High Priestess tells us you CAN control that which you are good at controlling–ie, yourself, your skills, your business. And you can NURTURE others.

Serenity Bly: Needing to have a sense of order could lead you to micro-managing which will increase your stress. You may find that this need for control is holding you back. Releasing control, going with the flow, and allowing others to fill the void gives you the freedom to approach life differently.

Miss Michele: I’d say what Serenity talks about is what got you into this fix–on some level.

Serenity Bly: True control comes from developing trust and responsibility in those around you.

Miss Michele: And THAT is shown in the High Priestess, in the near future. Death indicates the need to get rid of that desire to micromanage–along with anything else in your life that isn’t serving you. I mean, obviously, mourn the cat. (I’m sorry for your loss!) But the TV and the rest of it-including the whole “I’ve had bad luck lately” meme – discard it.

Plaid: I’ve spent a lot of time lately doing things for other people, but I haven’t had enough time and resources for my own work. I do have a serious problem with trust. I always feel like I’m left holding the bag, and have to come through for everyone.

Serenity Bly: The Emperor can use a heavy hand, and that is shown in the past but I also feel like this is outside of you. Someone else in your life has had you under thumb which is perhaps why you feel a need to maintain control over those things you can. Having felt like someone’s puppet makes you cling to your sense of self-identity, your sense of managing your own future. I feel this is a knee-jerk reaction from fear; having come out of that situation into this one you’re instinct is to wrap your hands around your freedom which in truth creates a whole new kind of prison.

Plaid: Very true.

Miss Michele: Well said, Serenity.

Mysti: Plaid – just my thought process here, but is Demand Studios holding you back?

Miss Michele: DS, that whole type of work, can BE the Emperor, too. Rigid, not a lot of room to expand or room for growth. Very by-the-book.

Plaid: Not really, Mysti. But it’s a double-edged sword. It takes a lot of time, but it’s been the only thing buying groceries, since hubby’s check is swallowed instantly by other bills. I am beginning to resent the feeling that I have to work every. single. day. just to earn a living. The stress of it is wearing me down.

Serenity Bly: I’m not familiar enough with how Demand Studios work, but that sense of over-responsibility and feeling trapped into this job because you don’t have choices could be what the Nine of Swords in this reading is all about. Especially since “it’s the only thing buying groceries”.

Plaid: I had planned to take tomorrow ‘off’ and work on my book proposal and Sat. Evening Post submission.

Miss Michele: Ok, I went off on a whim here and drew a fifth card… I don’t know if I’m ‘cheating’ but I wasn’t satisfied. And the fifth card is the Nine of Pentacles… You are tending your garden, Plaid, and from it, things will grow.

Plaid: Geez, I never learn things the easy way, do I? lol

Mysti: If DS is what is buying the groceries, it’s quite the proverbial thumb.

Miss Michele: There’s a powerful feminine energy here fighting with the rigidity of that schedule, the burden of earning money, and the whole lack of creativity involved with work like DS. (No offense to it, at all! I find content work enjoyable, too!)

Serenity Bly: Ah, and the fifth card makes all the difference, Plaid. If you can release and give up the things in your life that create stress you WILL come out in a better financial and material position.

Miss Michele: Becca, I literally felt my hand guided to draw that final card. It was quite strange actually. lol

Serenity Bly: If Demand Studios IS the Emperor, if you are hating the gig and finding it oppressing you but are worried because it is all that’s paying the bills the Nine of Pentacles shows you that there are other financial opportunities and you may have to let go of the false sense of security DS offers to take on these other opportunities.

Miss Michele: From a practical (non-tarot) standpoint, I’d see if there are areas in your life you can cut back a bit financially in order to take less DS work to pursue other things.

Plaid: That’s possible. I enjoy writing for them at my own pace, and I’ve learned a lot, but the pressure is making me a little crazy. Not much I can cut back on at this point, though.

Miss Michele: If the bills are credit cards, can you call for lower interest rates? Consolidate? Downgrade anything?

Plaid: LOL, I wish. I’m even washing clothes by hand.

Serenity Bly: *chuckles* I love coupling Dawn’s ‘practicality’ with my ‘trusting fate’. *grins*

Mysti: Here’s what I’m getting. If you can spend 45 minutes a day applying for gigs that will produce a better (time/income ratio) living, you will open the doors while continuing to push forward with DS.

Miss Michele: Wow, okay you’ve cut back as much as you can. So yes… now’s when you have to simply trust fate. Even if you make one day a week, or 30 minutes a day too look for other things.

Serenity Bly: *ponders* Washing clothes by hand may be counter-productive. Does it take you more time to wash by hand? Could you have used that time to make more money? Would what you have made in the time it took to wash clothes have more than covered the expense of running the washing machine?

Miss Michele: Now I’m in Mysti’s in my head. lol

Plaid: I feel that a cork will pop open when Stamats finally pays me for the work I’ve done. I’m wondering if it’s time to end my nine-year relationship with them.

Serenity Bly: That’s where leverage and outsourcing really finds its head. In learning the value of your time. Sometimes it really does make more sense to spend a little so that someone or something else can do jobs you can’t do as effectively as you can do others.

Mysti: And Beth – it feels to me that there’s something out there – feels to be blogging related, by the way, that you are missing or need to really look for. It’ll bring in a steady income, won’t take too much of your time and will allow for more balance between writing and living

Miss Michele: Are you continuing to work for Stamats without pay? I mean, with them not paying you yet?

Plaid: Nope, they just owe me for 2 stories. My assignments through them have dropped to a trickle this year, I know my professional landscape is changing

Serenity Bly: You could get very persistent about the money they owe you.

Miss Michele: Ouch… Yeah, that will help a lot I’m sure. As far as whether you continue for them — YES! Spend at LEAST 15 minutes each day harassing them in one way or another.

Serenity Bly: Well, I’d spend 5 every other day. Because don’t forget, your time is valuable. If you spend 15 minutes every day over four days that’s an hour you could have spent earning money elsewhere. But an email, two days later, a reminder, two days later, reconfirm any specific aspects mentioned in your contract, two days later, specify your intention to take legal action, etc. And keep stepping up the pressure depending on their response or lack of. The trouble is, yes, money is tight (that’s universally true at the moment btw) but their integrity and good relations is on the line. By not paying you money owed they are devaluing you. YOU are worthy of being a priority on their books.

Miss Michele: I wouldn’t say tell them you quit… but certainly drift away from them… as seems to be happening anyway.
-> Serenity is right. There is no need to burn a bridge or even step back. If they’ve always paid in the past, be honest with them; tell them WHY you need the money. It totally depends the relationship you had w/ the editor beforehand, but do whatever it takes.

Plaid: I’ve emailed my editor… again. Hopefully, something will break soon! Their downturn is due to the economy, our relationship remains good.

Miss Michele: I’d love to pursue a little of what Mysti said about blogging… Plaid, are you considering any prospects like that?

Plaid: Good ideas, all. I’ll keep hammering. Maybe if I sent them a pic of the kitties staring into a food dish, LOL. Who am I kidding? They’ll always get fed, one way or the other. I haven’t looked into any blog openings. But I can see now that I MUST rework my writing schedule so I can have full days to myself again.

Mysti: It’s vital for your well being, Beth

Miss Michele: And the potential is out there. That Nine of Pentacles on the horizon, combined with the High Priestess, shows you always DO take care of it all, and will continue to.

Plaid: This is true. I’ve tried to adopt the thought, Life flows as it goes, and just ride it out. Then I get stressed. But at this point, my Panic Button is broken. I’m right at that point, where I’m ready to jump off the cliff into the next adventure. That calm before the bungee. lol

Mysti: By blog related, looks like a site that’s constantly building, growing, increasing information – can see new pieces added often, check b5media. I see linking on the right side of the site, seeing greens, blacks, touch of purples, text and images on the left side. It is constantly being added to. It feels very much like b5 — there’s strong structure and a stable calendar that goes with what is required. There is some pressure with it, but far less than you’ve felt with other positions of the writing type. It seems to be a close group, working together.

Miss Michele: Wow you’re actually SEEING it? That’s so cool.

Mysti: Okay, apparently I’m not allowed to search out the particular blog for you. Four times I’ve tried – four times it’s crashed.

Plaid: Ah well, the universe has always wanted me to find my own path, but thanks for trying, Mysti! It would be awesome if I could make this happen. So many people in power have dangled opportunities in front of me and they’ve never materialized. It is time to take hold of my own camel knees and make them work for me!

Serenity Bly: YES! BETH! Definitely!

Plaid: Thanks, guys, for the encouragement. I was beaten as low as I could go today, I really needed this.

During a recent Wednesday morning tarot chat, Lisa had a general inquiry about her future. She noted that money is tight and her husband has been cranky. Miss Michele drew three cards (as Serenity Bly also added her intuitive insights) to show Lisa that yes, things have been bad, but they will be getting better. Lisa has also been contemplating a business trip to a networking event and wants to know if it will be a financial and practical possibility. The cards seem to tell us that, yes, the trip WILL occur!

The Past: Tower
Near Future: Death
Possible Outcome: Six of Wands

[Miss Michele] Money tight and hubby being cranky–seems like you experienced some *major* upheaval leading to that. But… as always, the bad stuff paves the way for good. You need to let go of 1). Your doubts 2). aspects of your life that aren’t working.

[Serenity Bly] You’ve had some foundation shaking going on. Unexpected changes have rocked your sense of security (and I feel that your partner feels this more than you do – personality based, not that he’s had more ground shaking but that your personality is more “go with the flow” than his is.

[Lisa] He is headstrong & I’m easy going.

[miss michele] YES, Serenity. You read my mind. It was much more of a “tower moment” for your hubby, Lisa. But it’s up to you to help him mourn and then let it pass.
As it will… I don’t usually read reversals, but death is upside down and I feel that’s significant.

[Lisa] Yeah, loss of income in our business set us way behind, negotiating new mortgage…

[Miss Michele] The Death card is almost as if I can read it as the Hanged Man… viewing things from a different perspective, waiting a bit, patiently, while you plan ahead.

[Serenity Bly] The Death is a sacrifice, not a literal Death. To make this happen you are both giving up something that has meant a great deal to you. You are forced let go of something ELSE you had been hoping for.

[Lisa] Uncanny info. I love tarot!

[Miss Michele] YES, it seems you’re clinging to something that’s not serving you or hubby. You really DO need to let it go.

[Serenity Bly] I was about to say I feel like it’s a house and you said new mortgage. I actually get an emotional resistance but I think it’s based on my personal history and not specifically the reading.

[Lisa] We’re dealing with foreclosure.

[Miss Michele] I’d like to share an interpretation from one of my favorite sites… I often trust different resources to give me the meanings I need when I need it. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/learn/reversals/death.shtml

[Serenity Bly] Perhaps he is still clinging, or you are, but to make this trip happen you BOTH have to let go of that house.

[Lisa] So much stuff is on the brink of resolution, either way, but yeah, moving on is hard.

[Miss Michele] Six of Wands always means brighter days ahead… And unless you go to the convention, you won’t be opening yourself up to the opportunities there.
[timelesslisa] hmmm, ok… true

[Miss Michele] Find a way. Put it out to the Universe that it’s your intention.

[Lisa] great insight

[Serenity Bly] The good news is that Six of Wands is bringing you some fantastic energy and momentum. After the initial pain and grief that comes from letting go you’ll be fired up and I feel like this relates mostly to your business. You’re pulling what you need toward you (or in the case of the trip going out to get it with both hands)… I just want to add something that comes following on my thoughts about these cards. I’m compelled to add, “Take care of yourself.”

[Lisa] I’m doing my best not to stress out, thanks so much!!! Amazing!

Join us Wednesday morning, 10 AM EST, for more FREE TAROT READINGS and chat!

A year later it is wonderful to welcome back, Maisy, with another 12-Month Spread. Maisy’s husband and his strength figures *very* prominently for her this year. Her over-riding theme for the year is the King of Cups, and this is definitely Maisy’s husband; her protector, watching over her with love and kindness, but also strict when he needs to be about certain situations.

I feel like deception is a major force in Maisy’s life… I pointed this out last year, and I’m wondering, now, if it’s not self-deception in some way. The Five of Swords, Eight of Cups and The Moon all show up in this reading at different times, and they all *can* indicate deception, subterfuge or holding back the truth. (Maybe not intentional deceit, but concealing the truth.) I wonder if there’s someone in Maisy’s life who keeps returning – or even a “type” of client she keeps encountering – who is less than trustworthy? If not, it’s quite possible that Maisy has been concealing the truth from herself in a certain matter.

The Four of Pentacles, which was last year’s theme, shows himself in December, too. That’s the time of year when we should be most giving and generous, but Maisy may feel as if she does not have enough and so clings tightly to what she does have.

There’s no over-riding emphasis on any of the suites. We have two swords, three cups, two rods, one pentacle and five major arcana—another big year with lots of ups and downs, but a lot less emphasis on business and finance. Is Maisy undergoing fertility treatments? Certain cards in this spread, including the wands and swords, lead me to believe that may be the case. She has many cards showing transitions through a cycle – fours, fives, sixes and sevens. But The Magician in July shows the start of something big.

Okay, month-by-month:

June: Knight of Swords

Springtime brings the Knight of Swords, a card heralding rapid change. Maisy is jumping head-first into a project and I think that project may be what sparked her to get this tarot reading. As the flowers bloom and the Earth undergoes re-birth, Maisy is enacting change. She is not contemplating it, she is charging forward headfirst.

July: The Magician

This card, represented by the Number 1 and showing the start of a cycle, shows that Maisy’s “go for it” attitude in June has paid off. Now she is learning to use her talents to get what she wants and manipulate forces to her advantage. If this Magician indicates the decision to undergo fertility treatments, it could be successful.

August: Seven of Cups

This card, coupled with a fertility card (the Moon) in September *could* indicate a pregnancy. I’m not getting a strong feeling of that, though, and the cards nine months down the line don’t correspond. I suggest Maisy keep it in the back of her mind as a possibility. The Seven of Cups is the daydream card … the sky’s the limit for Maisy’s imagination. This card also sometimes indicates a spacey feeling, where she is in a surreal state (sometimes common in pregnancy). It could also indicate a period of planning for a business or any other aspect of life, and that’s what I am getting here. Maisy is having fun imagining all the possibilities ahead of her. Some people may call her a dreamer, but that’s okay. Let them laugh. Maisy knows what she is doing.

September: The Moon

This card indicates many things – self-deception, fertility, feminine intuition. I’ll take “door number 3” in this case. Maisy’s feminine intuition is just so strong, nothing can hold her back. It’s a good thing that Maisy’s husband, the King of Cups keeps her somewhat grounded in reality. The Moon and king together make a great partnership!

October: Six of Rods

As Autumn approaches, the Six of Rods indicates reaping your harvest. Known as the Victory card, the Six of Rods in the Hanson-Roberts deck shows a man on a horse and his younger sidekick riding off into the blazing sun, victorious, his bags full with the spoils of war. You’ve done it! Something tells me Maisy is on a spiritual voyage and this card marks a huge milestone for her in personal growth and development.

November: Wheel of Fortune

With victory comes good fortune, shown by the Major Arcana Wheel of Fortune in November. After the mid-year struggles, everything has fallen into place. Maisy, be generous with your wins.

December: Four of Pentacles

This greedy little gentleman in December, holding tight to his pentacles so no one steals them, knows plenitude but not true abundance. Abundance means having so much that you’re not afraid to let it go – you know the Universe has more to deliver your way. The Four of Pentacles often serves as a reminder, “give and you will receive; stop keeping score.” For Maisy, this could apply to money, gifts or even her time and energy. The holidays always seem stressful. Take a deep breath, act as if you have all the time in the world – and you will, Maisy!

January: Eight of Cups

This card indicates that Maisy is nearing the end of her spiritual journey, but is afraid to let it go. She has learned all she needs to in this cycle and winter 2010 is the time to reinvent herself completely. With the Eight of Cups, Maisy has learned to stop lying to herself—or purged the people from her life who have been lying to her, now it is time to move on because better things await.

February: Death

This card strongly reinforces the Eight of Cups. In fact, as the Number 8 Major Arcana, it is simply the Eight of Cups in its strongest incarnation. The Death card demands you to let go of a situation that isn’t working… step forward. Maisy must do this, to pave way for much better things. (Didn’t I say that already?) Seriously, this winter, get ready to let go – perhaps kicking and screaming – to old beliefs, people, tasks, places… whatever isn’t working for you, Maisy, get rid of it.

March: Four of Rods

The Four of Rods provides great incentive to listen to the tarot’s advice to let go. This card indicates a happy celebration. A birth. The purchase of a home. A wedding, anniversary, party.

April: Five of Swords

Miss Michele had trouble reconciling this card with the rest of the reading… earlier in the year, it would have made sense, as it represents Maisy still clinging tightly to things – material or beliefs. The only thing I can say is that she has taken a few steps forward, and now she is taking one back. This is the storm AFTER the calm, if you will. The Five of Swords may also indicate empty victory – Maisy thought she had achieved all she wanted, and now discovers there are other paths to conquer.

May: The Chariot

You’ll do it… when Maisy sets her mind to it, things will move rapidly and she will regain the spiritual and emotional ground she lost – and then some. The Chariot also indicates a much-needed journey, a change of scenery. It might indicate an actual trip, or another change of mind that puts Maisy in a different “place,” so to speak.

Again, the King of Cups as the over-riding theme is Maisy’s anchor, her sanity, in a year characterized by many emotional ups and downs and personal growth. Maisy, you will not be the same person in May 2010 as you are today, but you will like – ACCEPT – the new “you” much better.

Melissa, a regular listener to the RadioXShow, where Miss Michele and Serenity Bly appear to offer free readings on the fourth Wednesday of every month, wrote in requesting an L-for-Love Spread.

Overview: We have an L-for-Love spread with only one cup in the reading, which indicates that you are approaching romance with an analytical mind. Two Major Arcanas in this reading, however, tell Miss Michele that your current relationship might be “the big one.” There is significance here beyond just a fling!

Your past experience in love: Five of Swords: When we look at your past experience, revealed by the Five of Swords, it makes sense why you’re approaching romance in such a philosophical manner. You have been tricked in the past—hurt—when things were not what you expected and your lover turned out to be much more selfish and cunning than you imagined. Now, you are always counting the cards in the game of love, afraid to trust.

Your current experience in love: Seven of Cups: You are currently in the beginning stages of a very happy romance, one that seems almost too good to be true. Or, you may be involved in a romantic fantasy, perhaps with an Internet acquaintance, with dreams of something more. Either way, right now you are floating on clouds, heady with the possibilities in your future. However, because of your past experience, you are waiting for it all to come crashing down. Remember the Law of Attraction; you attract what you fear. In the sentence, “I don’t want him to leave me,” the Universe hears only the word “leave.”

What you want from a love relationship: Two of Swords: At first, this card seemed an odd draw for this position. Why would someone want to close their eyes, to not see things as they are? But the Two of Swords has dual meanings and both apply. You want to continue living in your fantasy land of the Seven of Cups… you want everything to remain perfect, even if it means keeping your eyes closed to your lover’s flaws. (While at the same time, you worry that he will be like your past lover and deceive you.) On the other end of the spectrum, what you seek in this relationship is balance, plain and simple. Someone who compliments your best traits and adds to your life without allowing you to lose yourself in the relationship.

What you need from a love relationship: The High Priestess: The High Priestess represents, once again, the number two, a need for balance. You need someone who will match you intellectually. Since the High Priestess represents a platonic relationship, friendship, trust and a strong partnership are much more important to you right now than carnal pleasures.

What you have to give your lover: Death: This is another card that seems unusual at first glance, but as we put the pieces of the puzzle together, it makes sense. You have it in yourself to give your lover a new beginning in life; the Death card, more so than a sad goodbye, welcomes a new beginning—a position, frame of mind, or life event. For this relationship to work, you must let go of your past, your fears, your relationship baggage. You have this potential. What you have to give your lover, quite literally, is a “new you!”

Possible future experience in love: Page of Wands: The outlook is good as Wands reveal action and pages are messengers, so we see a future relationship with a man who will make you feel “young at heart.” As indicated by the Seven of Cups you have jumped into the relationship head-on and it just feels right. Enjoy this time. The tarot does not want to reveal anything further than the start of your relationship, which could mean that you will have the feeling of “young love” for a long time before it transforms into a more mature relationship.

Remember, Melissa, let go of the past to manifest this great future!

In the last of our “free readings” series (at least for now), Miss Michele reads for Joan Kremer, who says:

Beautiful site! Full of great information! If your 3-card reading offer still stands, I’d love to have one. I feel like I’m at a crossroads in my career and would love guidance on the best area for me to invest my energies.

The cards do certainly indicate that you are at a crossroads in your career!

The Major Arcana Judgment, in the past, shows a choice must be made. In the past, you may have felt as if you were judged wrongly, not rewarded for your work, and scarcely recognized. You may have even been penalized or punished for things that were not your fault or your doing.

Temperance, in the near future, shows, still, the duality of the choice you must make. You’ll be struggling with your decision for a time; this will not be a rapid change. However, you are learning to rely more on your intuition, and the forces of the Universe that are at play, which want to see you succeed. That’s right… the Universe is on your side! Like the water at the feet of the angel on the Temperance card in my Tarot of a Moon Garden deck, let the energy flow around you and the answers will come. Meditate, step away from it all and take some time to yourself before moving forward.

When you do make a move, cut the apron strings entirely. Focus your energies on the project that calls to you, do not waste time on other endeavors that move you away from your life’s goal. This is exemplified in the Death card in the future, which indicates a need to let go. The passing may hurt, and there will be a mourning period for the loss of your old self, but it’s important to move forward. Three Major Arcanas show the Universe’s influence is strong in your question and in your future. Listen to your intuition and you’ll find the answers. You know the right path. Don’t let the past haunt you. Make a clean break and go for it.

Thanks for visiting!