Future Tarot

Ed requested a general five-card spread.

Without having a question or specific area to read, Miss Michele focused on Ed’s energy and drew cards. Not surprisingly, there is overlap between this reading and his 6-card L-for-Love spread that help us provide further guidance for Ed in multiple areas of his life.

Past – The High Priestess – In Miss Michele’s Hanson-Roberts Deck, the High Priestess is a stern, no-nonsense type of woman. It seems that a past relationship – likely with his mother but possibly a romantic relationship – has created conflicting emotions in Ed about the opposite sex. While he finds himself attracted to strong women, at the same time, he feels a need to diminish their strength by dominating them. The High Priestess in the past wanted nothing to do with this, cutting herself off emotionally and leaving Ed to struggle with a lack of feminine affection in his life.

Near Future / Present –Strength – This continues to be an ongoing theme in Ed’s life as he seeks to find his own inner strength.

Tarot’s Advice / Unseen Factors – Seven of Cups – Ed may have a “pie-in-the-sky,” somewhat unrealistic view of what is possible in his future given his current personality traits, desires, habits and typical courses of action. However, it never hurts to dream. What the tarot asks now is: How can you best turn these fantasies into reality? What needs to take place inside to manifest the future you want?

Best Course of Action – The Magician – The answer comes clearly in our next card; Ed’s best course of action is to study. The Magician is a master manipulator (in the most positive sense!) to use his knowledge, powers, and intuition to get what he wants. Learning self-control, and then control of the tools he has at his disposal can put the world at Ed’s fingertips. The Number One Major Arcana in the deck, The Magician, like Ed, is just beginning this journey.

Possible Outcome – Three of Pentacles – In this spread, the final card is not so much a final outcome as evidence of a continuing journey. If Ed first follows the path of the Magician, abandoning old habits that don’t serve him to find new and better ways of living and relating to others, he will continue on a road to self-improvement. The Magician reminds us to use all resources available in our self-growth. Ed may consider help in the form of coaching or counseling as he progresses on his journey. Whether he chooses to go it alone or seek guidance, it will be work, but anything worth having is worth working for and Ed will soon begin to see the fruits of his labor in positive changes in his romantic life, career and finances.

It was lovely reading for Susie, who has the energy of a vibrant young lady in a learning and transition stage of her life. The next 12 months bring adversity but Susie stands up to it all with a powerful inner strength to come out achieving her dreams. Miss Michele relied on her go-to deck, Hanson-Roberts, for this reading.

August: Temperance: Susie is in a learning period, where she is learning balance, caring, sharing and equality. She’s undergoing a major life change – which may have actually prompted her desire for a tarot reading. She is on the right path with the steps she is taking, and will reap the rewards in September.

September: Four of Rods: Miss Michele is getting a strong vibe of a powerful romantic relationship, and possibly even an engagement in September, represented by the Four of Rods. The Knight of Pentacles as a clarification card, supports this notion. Knights bring a change in status, and this one shows that, moving into the future, Essie will be well-protected, financially-stable and in a much more mature partnership than any she’s experienced in the past.

October: Seven of Swords: Someone may not be straightforward with Susie. Her best bet is to walk away from those she can’t trust. It could be Susie, in fact, who is simply not acting like herself. Has the stress of wedding planning permitted Bridezilla to emerge, or are there other stressors in Susie’s life causing her to act out of character?

November:The Magician: The Magician indicates learning to manipulate your surroundings to your advantage. Susie is growing, and again, learning how to best influence people. When the Bridezilla act fails (and I’m using Bridezilla as a metaphor – it could be any situation in which Susie simply wants her way and doesn’t want to hear the other side), she uses diplomacy to her advantage. Susie may also be learning a new skill to advance her career.

December:Eight of Rods: The Eight of Rods frequently heralds a new job, purchase of a home, or other significant event. Actions move swiftly, leaving Susie with little time to think before she gets exactly what she hoped for. This card also signifies the whirlwind nature of the holidays; Susie will be able to accomplish everything she takes on, with none of that dreaded holiday burn-out.

January: The Tower: The new year brings a Tower moment for Susie, when everything she knows seemingly comes crashing down around her. It’s important to remember, in times like this, that the old guard *must* fall away to make room for new, better opportunities. When one door closes, a window opens — and all those other clichés! Miss Michele also hopes that, with warning that this situation is coming, Susie will have a better chance of handling it. After all, bad things are no fun, but it’s even worse when you’re blindsided. This card could also indicate a complete change in Susie’s thought processes, the next level of her growth. There’s no reason to dread the new year.

February: Five of Cups: January’s “Tower moment” leaves Susie feeling emotionally empty, depressed and distraught. She feels lonely and unsure where to turn. But she’ll get through it.

March: Strength: In March, Susie finds the strength to face everything the Universe has tossed at her in the past few months. She pushes through and comes out a stronger woman for the experience. Miss Michele loves this card, the pure love of the woman petting the lion. The woman in the card gets her strength through unconditional love, a true spiritual and metaphysical acceptance of everything in the world. Hang in there, Susie, you are the woman in the card and you can do it all!

April: Six of Pentacles: April finds Susie feeling stronger and more sure-footed. She’s receiving the rewards she has deserved for her hard work and persistence. Now, she finds it extremely important to be just and fair in her dealings with others. Her fortune will be doled out to those who deserve it.

May: Nine of Pentacles: After such a rough new year, May brings Essie greater fortune and more confidence. Susie is beginning to get in touch even more with her feminine side. Pregnancy may be on her mind, which is supported by the Empress, the overview card for this 12-month time period. Logically placed following the Six of Pentacles, the Nine of Pentacles is a card of “reaping what you sow,” and the Universe owes Susie some very good things.

June: The Lovers: This card often indicates a choice. In this case, however, it indicates a true (and very deep) love relationship. It’s the honeymoon before the wedding. It’s romance and roses. It supports the “fertility” cards in this spread indicating a move toward procreation.

July: Three of Cups: The Three of Cups, like the earlier Four of Cups, can indicate a celebration or a wedding. Miss Michele is reading this card very literally and exactly in that way. If Susie isn’t a June bride, July may be the month.

Overview: The Empress: One of several “fertility cards” in the deck and in this spread, the emphasis this year is not only on Susie actually bearing a child, but also on her building and growing her own world and her family. It’s so inspiring and fun to read about a young woman in this stage of her life.

That Tower card seems extremely out of place in the beginning of 2010 but, not surprisingly, Susie uses her strength, intelligence and all she has learned in the six months prior to overcome the surprising news of change.

Cards: Two cups, three pentacles, two rods, 6 major arcane – The preponderance of Major Arcana show an extremely significant transition year for Susie

Miss Michele and Serenity Bly wish her all the best and hopes she will check back and let us know how the next 12 months are going.

A freelance writer, Diedre, wants to know:

“Will my latest eBook venture be successful?”

There aren’t many surprises in Diedre’s Five-Card Spread. Diedre, an established freelancer, is also a smart businesswoman. She knows what she has to do, and what it takes for her to achieve success. The client on the eBook project has worked with Diedre in the past; the two make a good team, as shown by several cards in this spread.

Past: The Five of Swords: The Five of Swords represents influences passing out of Diedre’s life. Freelance writing has been a rocky business of late. She’s encountered a few clients who were less than straightforward. And though she’s emerged victorious, she’s been selling herself short in many instances. She’s received the “spoils of war,” and towered over her competition, but she’s yet to reach the next rung of her career.

Present: The Magician: In other spreads (Diedre is a frequent Wednesday morning customer of Future-Tarot’s Tarot Chat at The Echo of One) the Magician has represented Diedre’s client, another entrepreneur Diedre has worked with several times. The Magician in this position reinforces that Diedre is making the right choice in working with this bright young woman, who has the skills, knowledge and wherewithal to promote and market the eBook for maximum success.

Tarot’s Advice: The Six of Cups: The Tarot’s advice often shows us areas that we may not be aware of. In this case, the card is reminding Diedre to go back to her roots – basic writing skills – to make the eBook the best it can be. While Web writing tends to suffer from time constraints and low pay rates, Diedre needs to approach this project from a standpoint of it being her passion, and provide quality work worthy of any top-name print publication. With every keystroke, she needs to remember she is living her dream, being paid to write.

Best Course of Action: The Three of Pentacles: The Three of Pentacles, the “Work card” in this slot offers no surprises. Writing and publishing the eBook will require hard work on the part of all participants, and especially for Deidre. But she has the skills and knows her craft — it will be hard work, but she will often find herself in the “flow” or the “zone,” that time where words spring effortless from her fingertips as she is completely focused on the task. The “three” also indicates that working with the client will be a good business venture, balanced – an effective partnership.

Final Outcome: The Four of Rods: The final outcome looks propitious, but this will not be a life-changing business venture. The only Major Arcana in this spread, the Magician, represents the client, showing what a powerful force she will be in the creation of the product. Rather than just a client, she will be a true partner in this venture; sharing ideas, feedback, and sparking Diedre’s creativity. The Four of Rods tells of a celebration—the eBook will achieve moderate success, perhaps ultimately paying for something Diedre would like but hasn’t had the means to afford. Overall, it’s a wise endeavor and a stepping stone to bigger things.

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.

Overview: This year marks a period of change for you. It is a year of big ideas tempered with careful contemplation. In numerology, 2009 is a “number 11″ year, and your thematic card for the year is also an 11—the Major Arcana, Justice. You are extremely spiritual and will continue that path in 2009, but I also see a lack of justice in your life.

You will feel that others are getting what you want and deserve and won’t understand why. You believe strongly in people “paying their dues” and this will manifest in 2009. You asked about an old flame coming back into your life… he will, but you will be over-thinking the relationship. Does some part of you want him back only to reject him? You’re more focused on wealth, learning, spiritual development and even manipulation than love in the first half of the year.

January: You seem to be over-thinking everything, as shown by the presence of The Hermit. This careful introspection may be what you need, but be aware of overanalysis.

February: The month of The Magician; you are learning to manipulate your skills and powers (and other people) to your advantage. This is not a bad thing, necessarily. The world is in front of you, and yours for the taking. You don’t quite capitalize on your talents, however…

Come March, the Ten of Swords shows that you are extremely tired, physically and emotionally exhausted. You’re weary of the games you’ve been playing with your lover, and it’s becoming hard to trust.

April: The spring, however, brings good news and change in the form of the Knight of Pentacles in April. New developments in your career put romance on the back burner. You may be contemplating an academic course… I feel a strong pull toward learning in 2009 for you.

May: The Ten of Pentacles brings enhanced wealth, career success and even joyous family times. All the tens in this reading (three out of four in the minors!) shows you are very near the end of a spiritual cycle, bringing with it career success, material gain, and increased social status. The only thing missing—pointedly—is the Ten of Cups, which would mark an ongoing relationship.

In June, something you hadn’t seen will be brought to light with the Eight of Swords. You will come to the conclusion that you were closing your eyes to some significant piece of information.

July brings the Seven of Cups, the Daydream card. You begin to realize that if you can dream it, you can do it. You begin putting the plans in place for a trip, journey or perhaps even a move. It could be that getting away from it all, for a fresh start, could be exactly what you need!

August: The Chariot, the card of travel and yet another seven. Like 11, the number 7 is steeped in mysticism. It is a number of introspection and thought. If you plan things out properly, your move or trip will go well, without incident, and even pave the path to new opportunities in your life.

September brings a new love with the Two of Cups. With your past lover gone from your life once again, the door is open for new romantic possibilities, as well as friendships and joyous social occasions and celebrations.

October is characterized by lots of work in the Ten of Rods. You are carrying a huge burden, and believe it is yours to carry in order to get what you want. This is, again, the theme of Justice manifesting. “You reap what you sow” may be the theme of the year, and you can certainly turn your hard work into positive rewards.

The Major Arcana, The Emperor, carries his message for you in November. The Emperor, like the Magician, shows your control over your environment. On your 2009 tarot journey, you are learning not only to control yourself but others… in a good way. However, toward the end of the year the burden is getting too heavy to bear… the Ten of Rods, Four of Pentacles (December’s card) and the Emperor combine to show this. Can you relinquish some of your hard work and the resulting rewards for peace of mind and fun?

The year ends in December with the Four of Pentacles. While it’s been a prosperous year for you, it may be a good time to think about the less fortunate. What you give away will be returned, multiplied by 10. Give love to the Universe, and that’s what you will receive back. In 2009, you are sending out hard work, intelligence, teaching and learning… and in return, you grow along your spiritual path as well as reap material gains.