21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card – Step ELEVEN

Tarot Orat

21 Ways - Step Eleven

Step ELEVEN - Dark Carnival Tarot, The Hierophant

11-1. Benefits and liabilities for each of the following cards

Nine of Pentacles
Security vs. insularity
Domestication vs. captivity
Self-assurance vs. self-importance
Tranquility vs. catatonia

Page of Swords
Inquiring vs. demanding
Naive vs. sophomoric
Childlike vs. childish
Precocious vs. "growing up too fast"

The Chariot
Direction vs. coercion
Commanding vs. commandeering
Leading by example vs. leading by intimidation
Balanced vs. blase

11-2-1. Move my arm along the arc between best- and worst-case scenarios for my card.
First I'm going to list some benefits and liabilities of the Hierophant here so I have something to move my arm about.

The Hierophant/Ringmaster himself
Faith vs. fanaticism
Spiritual vs. holier-than-thou
Education vs. indoctrination
Respecting tradition vs. fearing innovation
Setting an example vs. setting an impossible standard

The acolytes/clowns
Humility vs. humiliation
Obedient vs. brainwashed
Admiration vs. hero-worship

My absolute best vs. absolute worst (for the arm-moving thing):
A bridge between earth and heaven that brings age-old wisdom to those seeking a spiritual path vs. outdated traditions crushing the spirits of a vulnerable captive audience.

11-2-2. Where am I on the arc?
I'm exactly halfway between the extremes, a position I'd describe as:
Attempting to connect with the divine but held back by embedded "I'm not worthy" personal philosophy.

11-2-3. Where would I like to be on the arc?
Maintaining a spiritual connection with a Higher Power without being reduced to asocial navel-gazing.

What could move me from where I am to where I'd like to be?
If I knew that I wouldn't be stuck, would I? (Bad answer.) Okay...well, stop thinking negatively about myself; when I catch a negative thought, turn it into a positive one. Notice when I do something well and internalize that, rather than dwelling on my mistakes all the time. If I feel better as a person, I'll be better able to accept the Higher Power. It's hard to think of myself as a spiritual vessel when I feel like a broken pot that can't hold water!

What aspect(s) of the card do I need to align myself with?

The "as above, so below" indication of the Ringmaster's upward and downward-pointing hands could certainly be useful to remember. That all things on earth partake in the divine, in the realm of the spirit, and have inherent worth. I'm not unworthy, and if I feel like I am, I'm dismissing the spiritual element that I've been gifted with. I can't look down on myself if I'm looking up at my inspiration.

Is there an image on the card that could help me? How could I use that?

The one that immediately struck me was that the Ringmaster is throwing those cards over his shoulder...he's still got two in his hatband, but I think he's telling me "lay off reading and re-reading the cards for a while, don't abandon them but get out there and DO something to make the changes you need." (And I did - I maintained my daily draws from two decks, which I think is what the two cards in the hatband represent, but otherwise I didn't do any self-readings and only a few exchanges. Now I'm back feeling refreshed and ready to forge ahead with this study!)
 

Onion Budgie

21 Ways: Step Eleven

Step ELEVEN: Radiant Rider-Waite, Six of Cups

11-1 Name some benefits and liabilities for the following cards:

(a) Nine of Pentacles

Benefits: Refinement, worth, discipline, self-reliance
Liabilities: Snobbery, greed, egotism, aloofness

(b) Page of Swords

Benefits: Eagerness, intelligence, honesty, clear-thinking
Liabilities: Impetuousity, hard-mindedness, abruptness, inflexibility

(c) The Chariot

Benefits: Success, focus, self-control, motivation
Liabilities: Ruthlessness, narrow-mindedness, controlling, obsessiveness

11-2 (a) Benefits and liabilities of my chosen card, the Six of Cups

Benefits: Generosity, caring, affection, innocence
Liabilities: Gullibility, sanctimonious, smothering, naivety

11-2 (b) Where am I right now on the Benefit-Liability meter, from best to worst?

Somewhere on the Benefit side of the meter. The needle's flickering around there, covering all bases.
 

fractalgranny

that is such a great exercise. i just did it again. thanks for reminding me of this great way to look at a tarot card!
 

Deanne

21 Ways - Steampunk

Step ELEVEN - Steampunk (Moore) - 5 of Wands

11.1

Nine of Pentacles
Benefits: success, security, hard work pays off, dedication, independence, full control of the situation
Liabilities: greed, egotistical, isolation

Page of Swords
Benefits: Clarity, fulfilling curiosity, learning new things, speed, confidence, analysis
Liabilities: lack of experience, impatience, carelessness, lack of tact

Chariot
Benefits: Moving forward, steady progress, confidence, balance, cooperation, taking control of a situation
Liabilities: moving too fast, arrogance, opposing forces, indecision


11.2

5 of Wands:
At the bottom of the scale (far left) could be: succumbing to adversity, being struck down by conflict, an overwhelming obstacle
At the top (far right) could be: learning from challenges, gaining new perspectives, overcoming adversity

I feel I'm around a 3 on this scale, close to the left. I define this as: stuck in a difficult situation, feeling defensive, slowly wading through conflict

I'd like to get to at least a 6, which I'd define as: passing the toughest obstacle, seeing a break in the storm, feeling shielded from conflict

In order to move from the 3 to the 6 I need to determine what the most difficult part of the issue is for me. I need to focus on that step, putting the rest to the side for now. I can use my 'shield' (green stick) to help me deflect the other parts of the issue. Once I reach the 6 I can focus on the smaller pieces and move higher up the range.
 

crystalrose

21 Ways - Step Eleven

Silicon Dawn - Hermit

9 of Pentacles
affluence/materialism
independence/isolation
security/stagnation

Page of Swords
curiosity/nosiness
witty/rude
innocence/immaturity
well-informed/gossipy

the Chariot
ambition/winning at all costs
strength of will/domination
forward progress/blind ambition
strength/aggression

The Hermit
The negative extreme would be withdrawing from society to the point of social isolation and losing touch with humanity.... to the point where the isolation makes you less wise, not more b/c you end up with ideas that don't work in reality.

Positive extreme would be spiritual enlightenment, having knowledge about deep spiritual truth. The type of thing only achieved by people who dedicate their lives to knowledge.

For me, it feels like I'm on the positive end of the spectrum, still a ways to go to get to ultimate wisdom. I know a bit about life, but maybe less than I think I do. And I have attained certain wisdom that I live by and am able to use and share with others.

To move further along the scale, I would need to keep seeking and not get too comfortable with what I think I know. The Hermit is humble, and I could align myself more with that. Also, don't be afraid of knowledge or see it as a burden... Knowledge helps you live life on a deeper, richer level, even if that wisdom or truth is not the most happy or optimistic. Some truths about life are somber or sad, but that doesn't mean I need to be afraid of seeking it out.
 

Beira

21 ways - Step 11 - THOTH UNIVERSE CARD

11.1
Here I am with my best and worst case scenarios:

Thoth 9 of Disks, Gain, Venus in Virgo
Be at ease in a situation / underestimate the situation
Honest earning / "creative" finance, speculation
Live in abundance and reasonably using up resources / follow unsustainable ways of life
Efficiency / coldness
Have all we need / hoarding
Going after "gains" that harmonize with our higher purpose / following the whims of overinflated Ego

I am going to work. Hope to finish the step by the weekend.

Thoth Princess of Swords

Being surrounded by clouds / see with clarity
Get caught in bad moods / sweep away bad moods
Destroy old altars / get buried by the debris
Destroy old altars / throw the baby with the water
Cleverness / Maliciousness
Play the game through the end / throw up the board

Thoth Atu VII The Chariot

Feel protected by an enclosure / Being closed to everything
Need to define one's belief / Get entangled in definitions
Words convey the will of the Higher Self / Words get muddled through Ego
My True Will flows through me / My personality opposes my True Will
 

Beira

21 ways - Step 11 - THOTH UNIVERSE CARD Part2

Well I guess I got a bit of an overdose of the Universe by now..
But I don't want to change card, so I just took a break. The question is that I am at the end of a cycle, but waiting green light to fully enter the new one.
I have to say that while up till June the transition phase was welcome, since I maybe needed a bit of rest and soul search between phases, from July on the waiting has become more tough, since I feel fully ready and I need to start this new cycle before being able to take fundamental decisions, mainly:
1)move to a bigger house in view of getting Kiara with me up here, or not
2)get a more motivating/less boring job, or not
3)give a go to a possibly romantic relationship that is on the hang since like 1 year.. or not
Having all of that blocked, going through the summer (that is the worst season for me, I am not comfortable anywhere waarmer than 18 19 C degrees..) has been really slow and weighed down.
Now I am going to visit the rest of the family anyway, even though visits to Kiara are still not allowed.
I wish I can make my mind up at least a little bit, but I intend to go on with my life here regardless from october on.
This said, let's come to the Universe card itself benefits and liabilities.
Ends/beginnings : as for myself I feel stucked at the end of this phase, struggling to make the leap to the next.
Potential/ manifest: in a scale 1 to 10 I feel I am manifesting no more then 3 out of 10. I intend to get to at least 5 by Christmas.
I also feel the Universe may mean
Pregnancy/giving birth.. I feel I am in labour over this new, real me that is emerging from the mists of the past.
Also
True Will/Ego Illusions: uhm.. I am no even clear of what my True Will is yet. So 7 out of 10 towards Illusions.
Light/darkness: I am quite solar and positive, so I would say 2 out of 10, close to Light.