Future Tarot

Tom’s job position was made “redundant” in January and, since then, he’s been depressed and struggling. What do Tom’s career prospects look like in the near future?

Your Past Experience in your Career: The Knight of Swords supports our mundane knowledge that Tom was laid off. Swords indicate unexpected change and rapid action. We can tell that he had no idea it was coming. In fact, by the look of this Knight – which represents Tom’s boss — as he charges forward on his horse, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision and possibly not in anybody’s best interests.

Your Current Job Experience: The Major Arcana, Judgment in this slot tells us that Tom has been looking for work. His professional life, lately, involves a lot of assessment by others. They are gauging his resume, comparing him to other candidates. Tom feels this on a very subconscious level, too, and doesn’t particularly care for others examining his work under a microscope.

What You Want From a Job: A court card – the Queen of Rods – in this slot actually reveals characteristics of Tom’s ideal boss. He would do better under a woman, who would nurture his talents and abilities. Since this Queen often finds herself doing charitable work, something in the non-profit sector may suit Tom well – a situation where he knows what he is doing is for the greater good; a paycheck is secondary.

What You NEED From a Job: Three of Pentacles. Right now, in Tom’s depressed frame of mind, he shouldn’t try to stretch himself beyond his capabilities. Now is not the time to become the high-rolling corporate workaholic. Look for “wood-cutting” jobs that will put food on the table while you learn and grow and decide what you really want. It’s impossible, of course, to think clearly when money is a concern. Take whatever you can find for that steady pay and benefits, and invest whatever you have left in courses or professional training to help you find your passion.

What you have to offer – Your Greatest Strengths: Eight of Cups / Two of Cups. Tom’s strengths include keen intuition, but a lack of faith in himself is holding him back. Miss Michele drew a clarification card to help assess the meaning of this odd Cup card in this position and drew the Two of Cups. This only reinforces that Tom’s ideal job involves helping people and finding emotional fulfillment over a hefty paycheck. His ability to relate to people means he’ll do well in any job working with the public, whether it’s service industry or psychology.

Your Career Future – Your Action Plan: The Page of Swords and Eight of Cups both stand as cards indicating deception. Miss Michele wonders if Tom was actually a spy, as unlikely as this scenario might be. More likely, Tom needs to watch out for those in his career who are trying to pull one over on him. This may have been what happened in his last jobs – things were not as he expected them to be. Moreover, he’s encountering more than his fair share of people who are less than honest in his job search.

Again, however, people skills figure prominently in the Page of Swords, who is a skilled diplomat. Perhaps a career in customer service for Tom? Pages are messengers and swords indicate change so, whatever field it may be in, a job offer will come soon.

Otherwise known as the classic three card spread “Body, Mind, Spirit,” this tarot spread provides a quick glance at a person’s overall health and wellness. This is good for when you need to easily see which areas are going well, and which areas need improvement. I’ve been feeling a little drained lately, and decided to do this spread for myself with the Gilded Tarot Deck.

Body – Mind – Spirit

Today’s Draw: Eight of Cups – Temperance – The Devil

Eight of Cups: This is the card of letting go of past influences, and you could say that I have let my body go! I haven’t been keeping up a good exercise routine, and have indulged in a few more sweet treats than I should have. In this card, a young man with two feathers in his cap is turned away in pursuit of a new adventure. He has his walking stick in hand, and is looking out towards the moonrise above the mountains. In the foreground is eight cups, some overturned. There is also a small brown creature, which I am really not sure what it is. At first glance, I thought it could be a platypus, but it could also be a mole. Either way, it is lying there, asleep and not traveling with the adventurer.

This card advises that I should let go of old habits that aren’t serving me well, and pursue new adventures in diet and exercise. Try a new sport that I’ve never explored before, along with new healthy foods. I cannot let my fears and confusion prevent me from doing what it takes to have good health.

Temperance: This is the card of alchemy and synergy, of blending two opposites to create a new force. This fire-haired lady hold two cups, one filled with fire, the other with water. The two blend together seamlessly as a river of energy flows between the cups. She is dressed in a sheer orange dress, and floats in the sky in front of a planet, perhaps Mercury.

In the mind position, this card suggests that I reconcile opposite opinions in my mind. The confident and bold side of my personality and the shy, cautious side need to work in harmony. Opposing thoughts can either create conflict in the mind, or can be integrated and used when appropriate. As I reach for the stars, I need to ensure that I am not at war with myself, and am thinking correctly to reach my goals.

The Devil: Unlike the Rider Waite Smith Deck where the Devil is a demon-like creature, this devil is a man who is dealing with his inner demons. He wears a mask with ram horns, and a star on the forehead. Surrounding him is a lake of fire, which illustrates how succumbing to our inner indulgences can burn out our strength, energy, and spirit.

This card shows that I have been a tad too indulgent lately. While we all need to relax and have fun once in a while, letting ourselves follow every whim can lead down a path of trouble. Spiritual discipline is important, as it allows us to explore our emotions and desires in a controlled manner. We can determine what the best course of action is logically, and not be slaves to our inner desires. To be able to remove the mask, and see ourselves for who we truly are, is a great gift that brings self-awareness and healing.

Overall, it seems like I have a lot of work to do, to bring myself into a healthy state. That is the beauty of the tarot cards, as they allow you to see where you have room to grow and blossom. Allow the tarot to point you in the right direction, and your life will reach unexpected new heights of success and healing.

Today’s card was the Eight of Cups, drawn late last night. After seeing all these Major Arcana, recently, I was glad.

The Eight of Cups seems to say I’m still in that same phase of walking away from things that aren’t working for me to embrace those that are. In this case, after a revelation I had last night… I know that I am walking away from my doubts and fears.

Tomorrow’s card is, once again and not surprisingly, the Hierophant. I’m going to take this at face value. I need to be disciplined.

A fellow reader over at Aeclectic Tarot interpreted all these 10 of Pents lately as saying that I need to “stop playing with the cards and get back to work.”

I suspect that’s what the Hierophant is telling me right now, and his message will be the same in the morning.

Also, I could take it quite literally– I am completing an article about a church installation tomorrow!

Miss Michele has been feeling called to her old Rider Waite deck lately, so she is pulling it out for a three-card reading for Siddow. The business-like plaid pattern on the back of the cards, coupled with the straightforward imagery, seems to fit for a question regarding law.

Can I get another three-card freebie? I’m in a situation with my stepmother over my father’s estate, and I don’t know whether I should sit tight or lawyer up.

Overall, the spread shows that you have tried your best to approach the situation with caring and understanding. Cups, not Pentacles, show up. This shows that the dispute is less about the material aspects, but the principle of it. How your stepmother is making you feel. As if she is someone trying to sully your image and memories of your father. I’m very sorry that she’s putting you through this. Miss Michele can’t even imagine how hard it must be, especially with you being such a good person through it.

The Chariot came up to show the past. You have tried to take the reigns of the situation and, until now, have maintained control. The Eight of Cupssnuck in behind the Chariot, adding further clarity. Someone is trying to pull something over on you–but you probably already knew this!

I meditated on the card in the near future, the Sun card. In three card spreads, Miss Michele often likes to think of the near future card as advice the tarot is offering. That is the situation here. Coupled with the Chariot, the Tarot is saying, Step away from the situation for the moment. Take a chance to cool down and relax. It could be a literal vacation, or just a day of R&R at home.

The King of Cups in the outcome *could* indicate a lawyer. But the lawyer would be compassionate, more of a mediator than anything else. However, the King of Cups also represents diplomacy, generosity and maintaining your calm. You will emerge the better individual in this, and get what you want. By drawing on the memories and strength of your father, you will find a diplomatic solution to the situation. It may require compromise, but you will come out ahead in the end.

Mysti, a freelance writer, blogger and mother wants to see what the New Year has in store and, thus, becomes Miss Michele’s first customer of 2008.

Mysti’s blog, My Journey is one of Miss Michele’s favorites. Providing an eclectic blend of life, writing and parenting, Mysti posts from the heart. You never know what you may find.

Let’s see what Mysti’s journey looks like for 2008 with a 13-card month-by-month spread. Remember, a 13-card spread is available for only $10 (through Paypal) now through January 31, 2008.

The tarot gives us a lot of high cards (8s, 9s and 10s) toward the end of the calendar year, telling us that this year will represent the end of a phase and the start of something new for Mysti. With two Pages in the spread, she will receive significant news. Pages, too, support the start of something new. Several cards point to a marriage or proposal on the horizon. Multiple swords and cups in the reading indicate changes in the realm of love, romance and relationships. Overall, the year will focus on family and love developments over money and career, although the Wheel of Fortune, Nine of Cups and Ace of Pentacles tell us Mysti won’t be lacking in those areas, either!

January: The year will get better as it goes along, but it won’t exactly start on a high note. The Two of Swords indicates a decision Mysti must make, to release the old and make way for a new path to be paved as the year progresses. She feels as if her hands are tied, but is, in fact, closing her eyes to the facts. What is Mysti not seeing about her current situation, which is slowing her progress? Mysti feels like her life is in a holding pattern, a stalemate. Mysti, the tarot says you would be wise to get your feelings out in the open–only then, can progress be made.

February: A new business proposition or opportunity appears for Mysti in February, indicated by the propitious Ace of Pentacles. Based on the cards surrounding the Ace of Pentacles and the overall theme of the year, February could be a time of enhanced fertility for Mysti and her partner, a good time to conceive if they wish to do so or to simply begin laying the emotional and financial foundation for their family to grow.

March: With the appearance of The Hermit, March becomes a time for introspection for Mysti. She will step back from preparations made and work done in February to carefully consider her next step. While Mysti may feel frustrated that everything is taking too much time–she wants to move forward–this is what is necessary right now.

April: April brings more good things, the final stages of effort before culmination. Work on wrapping things up, not new projects. The Nine of Cups, the “wish card” shows up here, indicating good news. This is one of the many cards pointing to a marriage for Mysti.

May: Thematically similar to the Nine of Cups, The Wheel of Fortune points again to a completion of a cycle. After a quiet period in March, the spring will blur together in a flurry of activity as projects are completed. However, the tarot warns Mysti she cannot control everything… let go and let fortune carry your life where it may, at this point. It will be good!

June: With the Eight of Cups, the change Mysti has been waiting for finally manifests itself. Mysti will begin to let go of things, people, or situations that are not working in her life.

July: Another Major Arcana, The Moon, shows big discoveries in July. Mysti may embark on a new project, more creative than her past work–perhaps fiction of some sort, a novel or a screenplay. Be aware… the Eight of Cups and the Moon, together, indicate deception is possible. Keep your eyes open. Trust the other guy, but always count the cards. Most importantly, do not deceive yourself.

August: The entire summer could be a period of mistrust and deception. The Page of Swords, in August, again warns that someone may be lying, or Mysti could be lying to herself. Someone’s behavior, perhaps her own, will disappoint. Mysti may overextend herself, or sign a contract she’s not sure about. Things may not turn out as Mysti had expected or hoped, but this setback is only paving the way for another new beginning in the fall. This could involve her son and a selected school or educational program.

September: September brings another card of new beginnings, the Ace of Cups. After a rough summer, Mysti will experience emotional renewal in an important relationship. This is another card that supports marriage and/or pregnancy for Mysti in 2008. It could also indicate sending her son off to school and, with that, finding a newfound freedom once again.

October: After this emotional renewal, things are going almost too well, but Mysti feels trapped in her situation. The Eight of Swords shows she is overworked and confused if she has taken the right path. Everyone is pulling on her, and she’s anxious and longing for quiet time alone, but feeling guilty about taking it. Hang tight. The feeling will pass.

November: As the year draws to an end, the Major Arcana, The World, shows itself. You have reached your goal. All you have hoped for in the past year has manifested itself. Take a break, relax, and enjoy your accomplishments!

December: The feeling of success and attainment continues through the holiday season with the Six of Wands. You will be recognized for your efforts. After a year of hard work and struggles you even *feel* like a winner. Travel and a vacation is possible.

The overall theme for the year, as Miss Michele alluded to earlier, is shown in the Page of Wands. Surrounded as he is by powerful Major Arcana such as the Wheel of Fortune and the World, he tells of a landmark year for Mysti, built on dozens of *small* accomplishments and bits and pieces of good news. Romance will be passionate, intense and sexual, with the tangible results of both starting a family and strengthening her relationship with her significant other. Mysti will have a successful, healthy year, and her energy will be high.

Mysti, if you have any specific questions about what the tarot has seen for you in 2008, please post here and Miss Michele will do her best to clarify.