Freudian Intepretation of Celtic Cross

Pargatho

I just thought I'd share this because I think I'm the only one that does it...

I always say the III and the V spots of the Celtic Cross represent Freud's Subconscious and Super Ego respectively. For the III I tell the querent it's the thing that's on their mind that they're trying to avoid, or it's something that's lurking beneath the thoughts and their surface. For V, I tell the querent its "SUPER-X" and substitute their name for X. I tell them that it is them on their best of days and what they think of themselves when they have a ton of confidence and ego.

I view the column of the course as the present mind of querent: whereas I is the querent's ego, and their mind state is also represented by Ego and Superego. Expanding further, I have wondered if it would b beneficial to make two additional columns to do Ego and Superego in past and future.

Also for VII I've been noticing a lot lately that it seems to correspond to the "inner child" of the querent. This aligns perfectly with Friend's and Family hat VIII because the Inner child is underneath and being protected by loved ones.

Just thought it was interesting and I'd share. I'd love to hear anyone's opinions on this!
 

TK_Finch

I've always used id/subconscious mind, ego/conscious mind, and superego/superconscious mind! It works great for my readings and querents really connect with it. As for the Inner Child... I have never used that, but it sounds great! It's something I'm going to have to play around with.
 

AnemoneRosie

It depends on how you read your celtic cross. Some people see card 3 as a foundational card or "the root of the problem" while others see it as relating to the near past, or the influences that brought up the crossing card. I don't know how you use your card 5, but I use it as "future forces" - or forces that are taking shape just ahead. To me, that's not super ego. I see card 7 as surrounding environment, which is the opposite of inner child. To me, that's more akin to card 9, which is about their inner narrative.

So you'd have to clarify how you read your positions beyond their numbers if you want me to understand what you're talking about.
 

Pargatho

It depends on how you read your celtic cross. Some people see card 3 as a foundational card or "the root of the problem" while others see it as relating to the near past, or the influences that brought up the crossing card. I don't know how you use your card 5, but I use it as "future forces" - or forces that are taking shape just ahead. To me, that's not super ego. I see card 7 as surrounding environment, which is the opposite of inner child. To me, that's more akin to card 9, which is about their inner narrative.

So you'd have to clarify how you read your positions beyond their numbers if you want me to understand what you're talking about.

I lay out my cards in this order: http://www.learntarot.com/ccross.jpg

The III is the lowest part of the column making the cross and shows the lower consciousness or the Subconscious.

The V is the highest part of the column making the cross and shows the higher consciousness or the Superego.

The VII is the lowest part of the staff and the Inner Child.
 

pollenpath

Really enjoyed reading this thread and your interpretation of the Celtic Cross, Pargatho. If I were to use it I would develop things a bit, particularly the first two cards. It seems to me, from a Freudian perspective, that card #1 would be the ego, caught between the id (card 3) and superego (card 5). The crossing card (#2) would then represent the blended forces of cards #3 & #5 (the energy created by the conflict between the id and supergo, since they are always pulling in opposite directions, theoretically). And so card #2 would depict the influence of that clash, and the condition that the ego is trying to bring into balance. If a predominantly 'negative' card in position #2, then the ego has its work cut out for it currently. If a predominantly 'positive' card in position #2 then the ego still has some balancing to do, as that is its psychological function, and too much of a good thing can also create tension somewhere in the psyche. In other words, an over-indulgence in the pleasure principle is ultimately destablising to the psychic system, creating a one-sided attitude. (A bit of Jung creeping in there ;) )

Maybe cards #4 and #6 could represent past and immediate future ego states respectively. This way we would see the combination of psychic forces that the current state has arisen from (#4), and where the conflict in the central cross looks to be headed (#6). Card #7 might be what the psyche is projecting outwards as transference, and card #8 what's coming back to the psyche from without as counter-transference. Card #9 might symbolise a significant defence mechanism, its protective and also its conversely destructive aspects. For example, the particular card occupying that position might show whether a defensive attitude or behaviour currently prominent for the querent is working well or has outgrown its usefulness and is completely inappropriate to the life situation now.

The final card ... well, I'm not sure. The suggestion for a symbolic therapeutic intervention of sorts, perhaps? (Back to Jung!) A likely outcome of the current psychological conflict? I would like to hear other people's suggestions :)

And taken altogether, the whole gestalt could be interpreted like a dream...
 

Pargatho

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