21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card -- step FOUR

SistaSpirit

Step four: RWS The Emperor

1. One upon time there was a an Emperor who ruled over and protected our villiage. He was mean old man who sat on his concrete throne in the desert. It was said that he was so mean that even the plants would not grow in the part of the desert where he sat. There was a very narrow stream that ran past the back of his throne but the water didn't wasn't cool and sweet. In all of his sterness he was a just and fair man who applied the law as it was written.

He always looked stern but I thought he was unhappy because no one would visit him or give him hugs. When he summoned the villiagers to him they trembled because they were afraid of him. Even when they asked permission to speak with him to inform on a neighbor they were frighthened because they never new whether they would be allowed to come back to their homes. It has been said that sometimes people were summoned and never returned home.

2. I am an old Emperor living in the desert, sometimes I feel so alone. No one wants to visit me unless they are complaining about their neighbors goats eating their gardens, nor do they do not invite me to their homes. When the come into my presence they tremble with fear. If mauraders come from other villiages to raid their herds they run to me for protection. Sometimes I fine that the informers are the troublemakers and I have to ban them from the villiage. I am fair and just when I rule. I apply the law equal to all the villiagers.

3. Being a manager of a large office a few years back I was kind of like the Emperor. The junior employees were somewhat intimidated by me but if they had a problem or complaint about their supervisor they wanted me to intervene. I felt left out at times when I would a desk where a couple or three employes would be cheerful and sharing jokes but would lower their voices when I passed. I also had hiring/firing authority I believe I was fair and honest in my dealings with the staff.
 

rhombchick

Step Four - Nine of Pentacles - Gilded Tarot

4 - 1)
Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess, a close relative of rapunzel's in fact, who lived in a land far far away. She liked to wear expensive clothes and expensive rings, in fact she liked anything expensive.
Her favourite place in the entire kingdom was her garden. It was a magical garden where pentacles grew on bushes and butterflies fluttered constantly. She had a white pergola in this garden that she also loved to sit in and ponder life's mysteries....like where was prince charming and what was he doing at this very moment?
Her best friend was her hawk, bob. Bob liked to wear a little cap on his head, when he was sleeping....which was interesting because she also liked to sleep with an eye mask on.... such beauty didn't come without constant maintenance you know.
Today, was just a typical day like any other. She picked bob up and took off his cap. He said thank you and went for a quick flight while the princess remained behind wishing she could fly....
A nearby lady bird said "Don't worry pretty lady, I have a feeling you too will one day know what it is like to fly"
She just hummed and haaad while watching bob do his favourite manoeuvres in the air.
Suddenly a massive shadow blocked her view. The pentacles stopped glittering and the butterflies stopped fluttering. She looked behind her to see what was blocking her sun and realised it was a beautiful Pegasus. On the Pegasus back sat none other than prince charming!
"Care to go for a ride?" he asked in his suave manner
"Do I ever?!" She replied in a manner quite unbefitting a princess, and the three of them flew towards the mountains....

4 - 2)
So here I am again...in a land far far away from anyone...can't remember the last time my cousin Rapunzel even bothered to write me a letter. I once again donned my beautiful blue dress and my beautiful jewelery....and wonder why I have hundreds of dresses, but all in the same colour and style.
I head towards my favourite place in the entire kingdom, my garden. It is a magical garden! It has beautiful pentacles and lots of fluttering fluttery butterflies. It also has a beautiful white pergola where I like to sit and ponder life's mysteries....like where is prince charming and what is he doing right at this very moment?
I look for Bob, my best friend. Bob is a hawk. I find him still sleeping on a branch. Bob likes to wear a little cap on his head, when he is sleeping....which is interesting because I also like to sleep with an eye mask on.... such beauty doesn't come without constant maintenance you know.
Today, is a typical day like any other. I pick up bob and take off his little cap. He says thank you and goes for a quick flight while I watch on.... wishing I could fly too....
Suddenly a voice interrupts my pondering.... "Don't worry pretty lady, I have a feeling you too will one day know what it is like to fly" It is a lady beetle crawling in amongst the pentacle bush's leaves.... I consider squishing him, but think that one little bug can't possibly do too much damage to my beautiful pentacle bush.... maybe I'll just spray it later on with some organic bug deter-er
Suddenly a massive shadow comes over me, blocking my sunshine. The pentacles stop glittering and the butterflies stop fluttering. I look behind me to see what is blocking my sun and realise it is a beautiful Pegasus. On the Pegasus back sits none other than prince charming himself!
"Care to go for a ride?" he asks in his suave manner
"Do I ever?!" I reply in a manner quite unbefitting a princess, and the three of us fly away towards the mountains....

4 - 3) Hmm.... I do sometimes feel like retreating into my own little private garden, just me and nature, closed off from everyone and everything.... I do often talk to animals, knowing that they can't understand or answer me back. I like to wear expensive clothes and expensive jewelery but I don't own much of either. I often wish I had a money tree.... and would spend many hours deterring any bugs that dared to nibble on my hundred dollar notes. I can't say that prince charming has ever shown up at my door and swept me off my feet though..... but I can't think of one specific event that would tie into the above story
 

Ambrosia

21 Ways ~ Step Four ~ Vanessa Tarot ~ Ten of Wands

1~ Once upon a time there was a Spelling Bee.
This was the biggest , grandest spelling bee in all the land.
Children came from near and far to test their wits against eachother, and the prize was eternal renown, (and a lifetime supply of dictionarys).
"Oh my!" Said young Gertrude to her mother as they were on their way to the shops, and she eyed the poster for the competition in the library window.
"If only I could enter that competition and become the most famous speller in all the land! I would do anything to have a lifetime supply of dictionarys!"
"Well why on earth can't you enter it dear?" asked her mother, "You and I both know you are the best speller out of your father and I, AND your Nan and Pop put together!"
Gertrude thought about this for a moment, and then said to her mother "Yes, you are right, it is true that I am a better speller than yourself, father, and Nan and Pop put together."
"Sooo? What do you reckon then? Wanna give it a go?"
"Well the only thing is, is that you and father and Nan and Pop put together, have only ever learnt three letter words. And I only know Four letter words because when we had the Vet visit us at school, she taught me that more than one cat are called cats, and more than one dog is called dogs."
"Well that's wonderful darling! You see? you are obviously much better at spelling than myself, you father, and your Nan and Pop put together. You absolutely MUST enter the spelling bee."
"But Mother, I know for a fact that the words in the spelling bee are going to have at LEAST five, maybe even SIX letters in the words we have to spell! Its much too hard for me! I am very disappointed I will miss out on a lifetime supply of dictionarys, its just what i've always wanted!"
Gertrude's mother thought for a moment.
"I've got it! we will go into the library, and borrow every dictionary they have, and you will take them home and study them as if a lifetimes supply of dictionarys depended on it! I just KNOW you would win then!"
"Oh Mother! You ARE clever! I will do JUST that, right now!" And off she trotted to borrow all the dictionarys in the library.
Well, when she got home, Gertrude studied and swatted and sweated her poor little brains out. It was very hard work, and was overwhelming at times, especially when she was trying to learn words such as "doors" and "sacks". But she kept going until she knew every word in the world off by heart!
Of course we already know the end of the story don't we?
Young Gertrude entered that Spelling Bee, and she won because she worked very hard even though she felt overwhelmed sometimes, and she lived happily ever after with her mother and father, Nan and Pop put together, and a lifetime supply of dictionarys!

The End (please excuse the typos)

2~ I was off to the shops with my mother one day when, as we were passing the library, I noticed a sign for a "Spelling Bee" competition. Oh how I loved to spell (even though I only knew up to four letter words), and first prize was eternal renown and a lifetime supply of Dictionarys!
Gee whiz! A lifetime supply! Just think what fun I could have if I won that prize! :)
But alas, even though I loved to spell, I knew I would never win with my four letter words. :(
Kids came from all over to enter this "Bee", I knew the competition would be stiff. I really didn't think I could do it at all.
"Why don't you enter?" Asked my mother. "Oh I couldn't" said I, "I only know four letter words".
Well, it transpired that I should borrow ALL the Dictionarys from the library, and learn every single word in the world, off by heart.
And I did just that. I studied and swatted and sweated as if a lifetime supply of dictionarys depended on it, and I won that spelling bee, and I couldn't be happier with my mother and father and Nan and Pop put together and my lifetime supply of Dictionarys.

3~ I had fun writing that. I guess I don't have anything that compares with it as such, but the moral, about going out there, and doing your best, and working hard, is something I see in it. I think humour is a good lens through which to view some of lifes up and downs.
 

Joon

Step 4, Whispering Tarot, The Emperor

The Tale of the Emperor and the Goat

Once upon a time, there was an Emperor. He lived in a smallish territory where 4 kingdoms met, and it was his job to broker agreements, settle disputes, and keep the peace between them. To do this, he met regularly with each of the 4 kings for a day. He gave each an opportunity to speak with him privately, and he required that they all meet together, so that the kings could learn to help one another and settle their own disputes.

In between these formal meeting days, the Emperor preferred to be by himself, and he would go into the verdant hills at the center of his territory, which was also the very center of the Empire. He would take with him a few items: a magic globe, with which he could observe the kings and the people and the day to day affairs of each of his kingdoms; a magical diary – in this he recorded the agendas and outcomes of his meetings with the kings and his observations gleaned through use of the magic globe, and when he awoke each day he could read the thoughts and wisdom regarding these things that had come to him in his dreams; finally, a scepter with a ram’s head at its top. The scepter was not magical, and since the Emperor made these trips alone he did not need it to grant anyone permission to speak to him, but he liked it, and so he took it with him when he travelled.

One warm afternoon, the Emperor was sitting on his wooden throne, looking out over the kingdom to the east, when a goat came and sat in front of him. The Emperor was surprised, but after a moment he returned his attention to gazing across the eastern kingdom once again.

He was just about to pick up his globe to have a closer look, when the goat cleared its throat. The Emperor looked at the goat, which bowed its head as any of the Emperor’s subjects would. But then it looked up again at the Emperor and winked. This surprised the Emperor and he laughed. The goat cleared its throat again, and the Emperor pointed the ram’s head scepter toward it.

“Speak, Goat,” he said.

The goat did not speak, however. It stood and capered and danced on its hind legs, and then ran to stand at the Emperor’s right elbow.

“You are right,” the Emperor said. “I must teach those kings to balance their worries and attention to serious affairs with a more light hearted approach to daily life. When they are relaxed and cheerful they will more readily stand beside one another. Who knows? In a few years, I may be able to retire.”
 

Joon

Step 4, Whispering Tarot, The Emperor

Exercise 2

I am the Emperor of the 4 Kingdoms. My home is a small territory carved from the lands where these 4 kingdoms meet. It is my job to oversee the interactions between these kings and their people, and to hear their grievances and settle disputes. I would like to change this – I want them to learn to make agreements that are mutually pleasing, and to renegotiate with one another as situations change, rather than coming to me, as children might ask a father to settle their arguments.

I cannot complain, really. Between these meetings with the 4 kings, I am able to spend time peacefully at the center of my territory in the beautiful green, rolling hills amongst the oak trees. I do not neglect my kings; I sit on a comfortable wooden throne and look out over each of the kingdoms, and I always take my globe – for closer scrutiny when needed – and diary with me.
Through use of the diary my mind is clear and I feel prepared for the next meeting with the kings when that time arises.

It is warm this afternoon, and I am relaxed, surveying the kingdom to the east. As usual, I am alone here, and I hold my favorite scepter idly – unfortunately it is too informal to use when attending to affairs of state, but I like the feel of it in my hand, so I bring it with me here.

Somebody clears their throat; the sound takes me by surprise. No one has ever interrupted me here before. I look up and see a goat. The goat sits on its haunches and bows its head. Is it mocking or teasing me? This is very strange.

As if in response to my thoughts, the goat looks up – and it winks! At me! In my surprise I laugh, and suddenly it occurs to me that I should be teased, sitting here on a hillside on a throne, holding a scepter, my foot on my globe as if I had conquered the world. I point my scepter at it.

“Speak, Goat.”

It does not speak. It stands and capers then rises up on its hind legs and dances for a moment. I think it looks slyly at me just before it runs behind my throne and then comes to stand, very quietly, at my right elbow.

Ah! I think. The goat is right. I take up my diary and write:

Note to self: Lighten up! Teach those 4 kings to dance and play and laugh together. Then they may learn to cooperate and settle their differences rather than allowing them to become problems. Who knows? I may be able to retire.
 

Joon

Step 4, Whispering Tarot, The Emperor

Exercise 3

I am comfortable with routines. I enjoy – and, frankly, need – a fair amount of time alone to recharge my batteries.

But routines can become ruts; too much time alone can become isolation.

A balance in my activities (and quiet times) is important. Sometimes a surprise, a good laugh, and/or a new perspective is what I need.

Like the 4 kings who need to negotiate new agreements rather than allowing problems to develop and be settled the same old way, I can seek out the surprises, laughs, and perspectives that will keep my life fresh so I can live comfortably in my routines without letting them become ruts.

Like the Emperor, I might get what I want if I go after it with a sense of fun sometimes, instead of taking it all so seriously.
 

The Guided Hermit

The VIA Tarot—The Wheel

4:1
Once upon a time, a large wheel rolled across the sky, picking up all the things that it wanted to. Many things fell off and those became stars. Other things remained on the wheel and those things became the shooting stars that grace our sky.

I know the secret of whom and what is on that wheel.

There is a beautiful woman who dances on the bottom of it. No matter how far or fast or slow the wheel moves, she always moves with the wheel. She is the Lady of Perpetual Energy. She keeps things moving, she is the one that brings us happy thoughts and happy days. She dances back and forth and she makes the sun come up—it loves her and it follows her as she rolls across the sky.

Ah, but she is not alone. As the wheel turns and as it moves away from the sun, a part of the wheel falls into shadow while another falls into light. This is the nature of all things—light and shadow, shadow and light. One of the Lady of Perpetual Energy’s companions is the Woman of Shadow. She is like an Olympic diver as she rolls around and around. She too never tires and she is always in search for her sister, The Lady of Light who is always opposite of the Lady of Shadow. It is all about balance you see.

Above them, always going around and around, is the King of Stability. He stands opposite of the Lady of Perpetual Motion. And as she is always moving, he is always stationary. He is always looking down at the woman below him who is not above and no to his left, his right…well you know how wheels are! Anyway, this man, he admires the Lady of Perpetual Motion. He thinks she is ever so beautiful. The problem though is that this man, The Kind of Stability, he can never get a full glimpse of her because she is always moving! But this is his fate, this is the way things are and therefore he accepts this.

Now above the King of Stability, there are two large open hands. These come from the King’s thoughts. I know from his thoughts! It is amazing what you can create when you use your mind! Well, his great thoughtful hands are open because his heart and mind are open. As the Wheel turns, he takes things with his hands. Don’t worry children—he doesn’t steal things. No, instead he treats everything that enters his hands as if it were a gift. You see, he is a respectful man and in turn, his kindness gives the universe an eagle. As the wheel turns, The Eagle looks down at all the children of the world and it is you who make him joyful. It is the eagle who steers the Wheel. But you know what he follows? He follows a white light made from the smiles and faces of children on earth. This light gathers and forms and it looks like an egg that wraps above him. That’s right—he is the reader of the guiding light.

All these wonderful people work together on this Wheel and form something beautiful—the star that dances across the sky that you made with your smiles and you gave fuel to when you looked up and made your wish on tonight.

Good night my dears.

4:2
From the third eye, I see it coming—a huge Wheel that rolls towards me. I’m minding my own business, sitting on my little meteor, working on my star tan while I sit in contemplation when this Wheel just does what a wheel does and rolls right at me. I watch as this poor woman dances around the wheel. She is giving it power. I wave to her, but she fails to see me. She is far too busy dancing and keeping the wheel moving that she can’t take time out of her busy life to say high to a fellow astro traveler.

I watch as those poor folks on the outside of the wheel go around and around. I can’t tell if they are clinging on for dear life or if they are having the time of their life. I hear music come out as the Wheel comes closer and it goes in and out of tune and I can’t help but smile and tap my toes. I rise from my meditation and cover my brow as there is a bright light that pours from the center of the wheel. It shines into my eyes, growing bigger and bigger. Is this enlightenment? Do I find it on the brink of death? Just in case, I wave my arms frantically as the wheel rushes towards me. I see an eagle sitting on top of the Wheel and we look at each other. The eagle lifts its wings and the wheel turns away from me and now I see the Wheel from the side. I am no longer afraid. My piece of the rock is no longer in danger. I return into zazen and close my eyes but the light of the Wheel remains and I feel happy within.

But a thought occurs to me—what if I had allowed the wheel to roll over me?

Shit! Another koan.

4:3
As I mentioned in my morning blog today (1.6.10 PDS—Options for a Fool) I am a firm believer in options and change. The Wheel is a remarkable structure that moves along, picks things up, keeping some while discarding others. From the refuse, beautiful things are formed and while the kept serve their function and keep the Wheel in motion. They bring life to the Wheel.

The first story is a reflection on the type of story I would ad-lib for my son when he was a young one (he’s almost 12 now). It is part parable, part tall tale, part self revealing mediation.

The second story came out of nowhere. I hate going back and rebuilding “The Wheel” especially if it is something I wrote. Like the Wheel, written words may be solid but the essence of their origin is transient. I prefer moving on akin to the Wheel and therefore, I went into autopilot and wrote a different POV story.

Immediately, I saw myself sitting in space on a lovely, star and moon bleached meteor. The koan part rings so very true—what would have happened if I opted to accept the Wheel rolling over me? Did I interfere with fate by waving it off? Why did I wave it off? Was it out of self perseverance or was it fear of learning what the ride on the Wheel would have brought me or where it would have cast me off to? Would I have replaced the dancer, the outer rim characters? The man in the center? Would I have become the hands, the eagle or perhaps even the light? Did I miss the opportunity of a lifetime or is this where I am supposed to be? These are questions that are now part of that meteor.
 

Probie

The Guided Hermit said:
I’m minding my own business, sitting on my little meteor, working on my star tan while I sit in contemplation when...

Did you hear any peels of laughter up there on your asteroid from a golden haired boy? Or see a sheep wandering about with sounds of tears because it had eaten his flower?

These are the things I think of when I look up into the stars or come across 17/The Star! :)
 

Probie

Greer (2006) 21 Ways - Step 4

Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot
7/The Chariot


Side Note: I find the more I work with this card, the more this deck grows on me. I know "familiarity [can] breed contempt," but this seems to be working differently!

4.1.1
Once upon a time there was a youth who lived in a proud city who had an abiding sense of right and wrong. The city he lived in had existed for over 300 years as a center of trade and industry, but this success had come at a price. For over 200 years a powerful duke had made the city a vassal to his rule so he could tax the inhabitants mercilously. He also had agents that would enforce his policies and laws upon the people, whether they agreed with them or not. So the youth, looking to help his people and find his place in the world, bent his mind to learning things that could life the oppression from the city.

Legend had it there were two powerful sphinxes that were rumored to be able to kill two armies a day without even being scratched that lived in the hills near the city. No one had been able to tame the two sphinxes, though many had tried to capture them and do just that. Soon, folks had stopped trying to do that and had left them alone. The youth knew that if he could get one of them that would be enough to throw off the duke's yoke on the city, but how? He studied all he could and was disillusioned of ever taming the sphinxes. People began to ridicule him, "Got any new pets lately?" Just after someone had said that, it hit him on what he must do.

Soon the youth was seen practicing intense acts of devotion, selfless acts of charity, compassion, and kindness to anyone he would come across. The people doubted he would be much of a sphinx tamer, but was an incredible inspiration to their faltering spirits. When the youth announced he would tame the sphinxes, people began to fear he would be killed and they would be bereft of his encouragement and example to the other youths. But no one could dissaude him from going. Before he left he asked the guildmasters for the following: "Make me an ornate chariot for a parade with strong harness for both of the sphinxes. Some ceremonial armor, like parade dress kind, complete with a crown with the city's seal (a sun) and a scepter. Then when I come back, I will tell the duke if he faces us in battle I will wear all this once the sphinxes have ripped him & his army limb from limb." With much sorrow, they consented to do just that.

A month passed before the city folk were greeted by a strange sight one morning. The youth had come back from the hills with the two sphinxes on some strong ropes. He walked in the middle of them and seemed to be walking along, but when he got closer they saw the two cats were harnessed together and pulling so hard in opposite directions they saw that single one on a harness would have ripped a person in two. But since they both pulled with equal strength in different directions, nothing came of it as they cancelled one another out. The youth's chest glowed with a special gem that hung over his heart and the people swore the sphinxes looked to that every few moments.

Soon he was suited up, the sphinxes pulling the chariot, and he rode out the city gate. "How did you do it, boy?" one of the guildmasters asked. "Sometimes to tame that which is outside you must first tame that which is within. Then there is nothing which you cannot tame."


4.2.1
I am a youth living in a city that is under the thumb of a vicious duke. I want to liberate my city from this tyrant, but I don't know how. I'm not strong enough to crush him and his army nor smart enough to come up with some intrigue to launch a coup. I do have what I have, dedication and principles, and I know of a power that can accomplish this - two powerful sphinxes. Many have tried to tame them, but failed. I am ridiculed for my ideas, but then it hits me - how can I tame something as powerful as a sphinx if I haven't tamed the beasts within myself? But if I can conqueror such ravenous beasts as the ones inside my soul, the sphinxes can certainly be tamed. So I begin a discipline of taming myself by living out the honesty, purity, & loyality within me to such a degree that my heart shines.

I then go out to the lair of the sphinxes and they realize if I can tame such wild beasts as are in the human heart, they haven't got a chance and they agree to serve me. We then return to the city to show our power so no one will be killed as the duke will realize he hasn't got a prayer against the sphinxes - they could kill a force four times his army's numbers. I come home and I am a hero, but because I've tamed the bad part of pride out of my heart it is irrelevant. I do what I do and wear what I wear out of humble service for my fellow citizens.


4.3.1
I don't feel that I'm as smart or strong as other persons. Maybe it is because I have met really smart people a number of times (e.g., the department chair of the philosophy department at a major university, well-published academic authors all with PhDs, etc.) and very strong people on occassion (e.g., shook hands with Colin Powell when he was meeting a boss of mine for a private lunch - the boss could literally start a land war). So instead of looking at what I am not, I look at what I do have and it seems I can serve. So I am undergoing an intense personal program of spiritual discipleship that finds practical expression in service to persons up to 180% of the poverty level (i.e., really poor to poor). The only way I can be effective is through strength of character, not by being the smartest or the strongest in the land.
 

hottierockstar

21 ways - step 4

Tarot of Vampyres - Seven of Skulls

1. once upon a time there was a young wolfgirl that fell in love with a vampire. This was forbidden as vamps and wolves are supposed to be mortal enemies.
Like an underworld romeo and juliet. Well as fate would have it the vampire was killed by an older vampire that had a problem with the vamp/wolf relationship.
He was buried in the back corner of a cemetery near a beautiful apple tree as a human in an act of "exile".
Because he was from the underworld...the tree stopped bearing fruit and shriveled up.
The young wolfgirl missing her vampire love comes to sit and watch over his resting place, each time bringing a fresh heart as an offering in hopes that it will resurrect him and their love.
2. I am a young wolfgirl and i fell in love with a charming young vampire. We weren't supposed to talk let alone be together but we were drawn to each other and fell in love.
An older more powerful vampire killed my love and he was buried near an apple tree in a human cemetery, within days of my love being buried all of the fruit fell off the tree and the tree shriveled up. I come daily with heart in hand to watch over my love and hope that sharing the heart will bring him back.
3. no matter what changes you make, gifts you bring, etc. some things will never be what you want them to be.