How Emotions are Displayed Within the Suits

That's a great idea, grouping emotional pairs.

I personally don't do that because it creates more limitations reading Tarot.

I think each suit has the ability to advise on all 8 root emotions. I see the Wands as being enterprise and actions. The Cups are love and relationships. The Swords are mental clarity and strategy. And the Pentacles are material matters and home.

I'm still fascinated by your idea! It's wonderful! It has the potential to have cross suit advising as well. Wanda can counterbalance the Cups (Joy and Grief). Fantastic! Which blends the suits together more. That's something not a lot of people have talked about.

*****

That's a great idea, grouping emotional pairs.

I personally don't do that because it creates more limitations reading Tarot.

I think each suit has the ability to advise on all 8 root emotions. I see the Wands as being enterprise and actions. The Cups are love and relationships. The Swords are mental clarity and strategy. And the Pentacles are material matters and home.

I'm still fascinated by your idea! It's wonderful! It has the potential to have cross suit advising as well. Which blends the suits together more. That's something not a lot of people have talked about.

*****

Thirteen said:

Good question. 4/Cups would be first on my thought (that fellow often strikes me as frustrated as he ignores the three cups that don't seem to be satisfying him as compared to the one cup he might/might not be dreaming about); many "lazy" people are really depressed people, unmotivated, and angry. 5/Cups if the person is angry with themselves, and 8/Cups if they're angry with time and emotion wasted on something that didn't deliver as advertised. Which isn't to say that these cards are always inner anger, but that I think they could be indicate that, again, either with someone else or with oneself.

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I'd agree with you, that was my first thought too. I've been thinking though... how do the numbers play in to this? Perhaps, we can also look at their elements, based on the Majors that rule them (and my strong RWS influence). So we'd have 3 potential water cards that might depict 'anger turned inward':

4 of Cups = Anger turned inward; perhaps the cause is a perceived inability to establish oneself, to establish a sense of structure or importance (Emperor/Fire).

8 of Cups = Anger turned inward; perhaps the cause is a perceived inability to get one's heart's desire (of anything, whatever it is) and not appreciating or working with what one has (Strength/Fire).

10 of Cups = Anger turned inward; perhaps the cause is a perceived inability to reach everything one desires... everything 'good' is always 'out of reach' (Wheel/Fire).

Yes? No? What do you think...?

There is, I think, more to surprise than fear

Amanda said:

a situation that instigates the feeling of surprise -- a sword. ...Even in a happy celebration, a 4 of Wands-situation for instance, if people jump out at you and shout, "Happy Birthday!" your body goes into a state of surprise/shock which is not something that originates comfortably... when people jump out at you in such a way, your body's natural reaction is to put your hand up in front of you in defense, put your hand over your heart, or put your hand near your face/neck. These are defensive body languages to protect oneself. Even if just milliseconds later you are smiling and laughing (with joy), your body may still be in a defensive posture because it was a shock to the system.

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My example was a bad one. Let me try again. "Surprise" isn't always something jumping out at you and making you go into fight/flight mode (aka, Swords). We use the word "surprise" to indicate any unexpected thing. That includes opening a birthday gift and finding something wonderfully unexpected. "OMG! I can't believe it!" we shriek in delight. We *are* as surprised and delighted as if we'd opened up a plain box and found within a golden treasure (Pents).

Person across from us at dinner suddenly goes down on one knee and pulls out a ring. Deep, deep surprise, and tears of joy well up in our eyes; the emotion has been "surprised" out of us like an unexpected spring welling up from below (Cups).

And surprise can also mean feeling a "thrill" or excitement or unexpected pleasure. What will you feel when, say, you do something or other for the first time? Surprise! It's a firework going off, an explosion of delight and pleasure. (Wands).

"Surprise" doesn't mean "fear." It means the unexpected. And, yes, that can make you jump and start and throw up your hands. But it can also make you laugh and smile. Like turning around and seeing your toddler on his feet for the first time, taking his first step. There are very pleasant surprises out there.

Amanda said:

4 of Cups = Anger turned inward; perhaps the cause is a perceived inability to establish oneself, to establish a sense of structure or importance (Emperor/Fire).

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I think you're right that structure and importance are involved. But I suspect the anger is over perceived inability to alter the structure/importance, rather than not having it. The Emperor is in control, but he is also stuck on that throne. I know a lot of fathers who feel this way. They're the head of the household, in command, but this means they never get a day off. The Emperor cannot be replaced; he always has to be on the job.

I remember Nisaba once pointing out, rightly I thought, that the nature of Cups (water/emotions) is to flow. And so when they get to that uber-stable 4, it's like water stuck in pond likely to go stagnant. It wants to flow, but it can't. So, there is structure and importance, but, ironically, it locks the person into place. And that I think is what creates a kind of simmering, petulant, depressed anger.

8 of Cups = Anger turned inward; perhaps the cause is a perceived inability to get one's heart's desire (of anything, whatever it is) and not appreciating or working with what one has (Strength/Fire).

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I like this one! I think it's spot on.

10 of Cups = Anger turned inward; perhaps the cause is a perceived inability to reach everything one desires... everything 'good' is always 'out of reach' (Wheel/Fire).

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Do you think the 10/Cups is depression (anger turned inward?)? The usual image wouldn't suggest it. I think this is because the Wheel (10) gives water motion as in a mill, and helps it to flow onward further and wider. This keeps the water from being "heated" by the fire to the boiling point. And so the water is merely warmed and spread out rather than held in place and brought to a simmer.

Thirteen said:

"Surprise" doesn't mean "fear." It means the unexpected. And, yes, that can make you jump and start and throw up your hands. But it can also make you laugh and smile. Like turning around and seeing your toddler on his feet for the first time, taking his first step. There are very pleasant surprises out there.

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No, I think we're absolutely in agreement. I'm sorry if I confused you with what I said about the Lovers, 5 and 10 of Swords. I think 'surprise' is exactly the opposite end of the spectrum to 'fear'. Something has certainly happened and there was no time to think or fear anything, just respond (we default back to Trust in our body- pentacles). Fear is anticipating something bad happening, maybe even planning for it... 'surprise' is not anticipating anything. Surprise and Anxiety are opposites (and why Anxiety is so closely related to Fear) because Anxiety is the opposite of surprise/certainty... it's uncertainty. So, a 'surprise' happens, and it's a 'jolt' to your system, but Body says very quickly: Oh wait, that's not a knife coming at you, it's a birthday cake; Be Happy. LOL

Maybe if I put this in a slow-mo metaphor... Let's say you get a shot; you'd still be getting jabbed with a needle, even if you were being injected with Joy... yes? The feeling of that 'insta-jab' is what I'm getting at for the entire suit. Swords pretty much guarantee a feeling of being jabbed/shocked/surprised but cards from other suits may subdue it's negative influence. Ever been hit with a paint ball? I haven't, but I imagine that pressure of air hurts/shocks, even though the game is exhilarating.

Like, the Queen and King of Swords with their words. They can be entirely clear and straightforward with something shocking, but say it in such a way that it doesn't feel that way -- they've learned to control the 'jab'. Reminds me of the British and the quote by Winston Churchill: "Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip." What they are really saying is, "Go to hell!" which is something that would be shocking/disruptive/surprising and immediately put someone on defense if it were said exactly like that. The Queen and King have mastered the element of surprise though in such a way that they can manipulate another person's bodily reactions (that is, subdue the surprise). That's some scary stuff, eh? If they aren't using their masterful powers for good... certainly they'd people that could become feared. The card numbers, court ranks, pictures/images would all help show how whether it's surprise or fear, or how intense the 'jab' is. Other cards in the spread would go even further to help describe the feeling, I think.

I'm just trying to simplify the endless probabilities that we already know can come from the cards/mixture of cards. If we can identify the 'roots' of emotion, I think by the suits, then we can better understand the emotions that are coming out in the cards and how they are working together and influencing each other to pinpoint the accuracy of the feelings.

Thirteen said:

I think you're right that structure and importance are involved. But I suspect the anger is over perceived inability to alter the structure/importance, rather than not having it. The Emperor is in control, but he is also stuck on that throne. I know a lot of fathers who feel this way. They're the head of the household, in command, but this means they never get a day off. The Emperor cannot be replaced; he always has to be on the job.

I remember Nisaba once pointing out, rightly I thought, that the nature of Cups (water/emotions) is to flow. And so when they get to that uber-stable 4, it's like water stuck in pond likely to go stagnant. It wants to flow, but it can't. So, there is structure and importance, but, ironically, it locks the person into place. And that I think is what creates a kind of simmering, petulant, depressed anger.

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Yep, I can definitely agree with that assessment!

Do you think the 10/Cups is depression (anger turned inward?)? The usual image wouldn't suggest it. I think this is because the Wheel (10) gives water motion as in a mill, and helps it to flow onward further and wider. This keeps the water from being "heated" by the fire to the boiling point. And so the water is merely warmed and spread out rather than held in place and brought to a simmer.

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I have definitely thought before that this card would be a good one for bipolar disorder. That was something that just came about from thinking about the 10s and the Wheel of Fortune's effect on each of them. Like, 10 of Pentacles would be the slowest to change, and probably the most comfortable. A nice slow, comfortable burn. Things would change over years or lifetimes with this card. The 10 of Swords feels like a, "Nope! Definitely not! You are pinned down in every which way, there is no wiggle room here! This is a dead-end and you MUST find another way forward... another Wheel to ride on; this one's broken and out-of-order." The 10 of Wands... well that's just too much fire! It's definitely not stable, but making progress. It doesn't take that long to burn out when you feel like something is never going to end... time becomes intense... you feel every little change just increasing the burn. The 10 of Cups is the most unstable of them all; someone is looking at this like: Yes! I'm going to reach the top of that wheel, I'm getting closer, come scoop me up! -But they don't know how to maintain it because they've only succeeded at catching the ride and are looking for all that happiness outside of themselves, outside of the wheel and coming from 'up above' somewhere. So then, they're tossed back down into the large and overwhelming pool of water from which they came at the bottom... perhaps they try to scramble back up the wrong way the wheel is turning to try to stay up there... but the real point is to become centered... you can't ride along the edges of life- the edges of the Wheel will take you to extremes, and yes, the cups suit is water and therefore more malleable and therefore more susceptible to this kind of thing.

If you imagine the Wheel as a compass, the 10 of Cups would be at the top... that is everyone fantasizing about how great life could be by thinking that they must overcome life as if it and everything in it were an obstacle. You can't 'overcome' life... that would be considered death, I think. LOL You have to learn to go with the flow, everything can't always be this great. Cups would go at the top because according to Anthony Louis, Cups represent the direction of North. 10 of Wands would go to the right and represent the future; that's the people that are trying to pull life and everyone/thing else along with them and making strong strides and potentially burning out (Wands are East). Swords are West and the things you leave behind and can't change; what's done is done. People back there might be the ones that simply give up or refuse to change and move forward. Pentacles are south; not particularly interested in doing anything except for what is right here and right now in their own little portion of the wheel. Possibly just weighing the 10 of Wands people down even more from getting things moving, but they're comfortable and safe (that is, possibly sheltered). The Cups suit would definitely be the most likely to travel around into all these areas though and that can be extremely disorienting. What really needs to happen though, is they all come together in the middle to drive the thing. You need all the elements in all these aspects -centered- because at the edge of the wheel, they're just working against each other... and I kind of see those energies in a bipolar person (just the one person; I haven't studied bipolar disorder)... but essentially, all these elements are shattered from the center and splayed out, so that the bipolar person doesn't know if they're coming or going, really. Like trying to live large in all directions, when really they need to reign only the best of each in to the center to stay at a constant. This intensity definitely travels through the cups (feelings) more than any other suit.

Genevieve said:

That's a great idea, grouping emotional pairs.

I personally don't do that because it creates more limitations reading Tarot.

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Really? I thought I was back-tracking to clear up the "mess".

I think each suit has the ability to advise on all 8 root emotions. I see the Wands as being enterprise and actions. The Cups are love and relationships. The Swords are mental clarity and strategy. And the Pentacles are material matters and home.

I'm still fascinated by your idea! It's wonderful! It has the potential to have cross suit advising as well. Wanda can counterbalance the Cups (Joy and Grief). Fantastic! Which blends the suits together more. That's something not a lot of people have talked about.

Click to expand...

Thank you! Obviously, a work-in-progress. Thinking out loud tends to be somewhat dangerous for me..