21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card -- Step TEN & A NEW CARD

SistaSpirit

21 Ways...Step 10: RWS The Emperor

Step 10

I will remain with The Emperor; I think I have lots more to learn from his energy.

1. Meanings:
LWB Robin Wood – A father figure, secure and successful. A stable, authoritative, powerful leader. A person with qualities of reason and conviction.

Inner Child – The Emperor stands for the limitations of time and the realms of order and mechanical law. He can symbolize blindness, foolish behavior, and self-destructive tendencies, or the sudden awakening to the unity, grace, and spiritual treasures buried within the material world.

Tarot Reversals – you could be establishing stability and protection for dependents

Learning the Tarot – The Emperor represents structure, order, and regulation-forces to balance the free-flowing, lavish abundance of the Empress.

LWB Golden Dawn – war, conquest, victory, strife, ambition

Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom – in readings the Emperor indicates the power of society, its laws and especially its authority to enforce those laws. “…personally the Emperor can signify a time of stability and order in a person’s life, hopefully opening up creative energy.”

2. My question- what do I need to look at?

3. What jumped out at me.
“…personally the Emperor can signify a time of stability and order in a person’s life, hopefully opening up creative energy.”

A person with qualities of reason and conviction.

I feel that the Emperor’s message to me now is to embrace his positive energy to use the space created by the stability in my life to reach out into the community to help others.

That I am a caring person even though at times when the Emperor’s energy is moving in my life I may appear controlling and authoritarian.

I am a reasonable person who stands by my convictions but need to listen to others with an open, non-judgmental heart.

I NEED TO BELIEVE IN MYSELF MORE.
There are many things in my life that I have done well; as a manager, I got awards for my skills, my staff responded positively to me. I did all the right things for the right reasons. I was known as a kind, caring manager, ((benevolent ruler) Why in my heart do I believe that I’m not a good person?

My children say I was a good mother, why can’t I just accept that and stop thinking about things I could have done better.


4. I don’t see a lot of differences between my earlier meanings and the book meanings. It could be because I was drawn to certain meanings based on qualities that the Emperor and I share.

10-2

Qs and As

LWB RH How am I like a secure and successful father figure? As a hard working and engaged parent who provided for my children and, hopefully, set a good example in my behavior and life style.

Inner Child: When do I exhibit blindness, foolish, behavior and self-destructive tendencies?
When I don’t appreciate my accomplishments, accept accolades gracefully, withdraw into myself, and hide.

When have I awakened to the unity, grace, and spiritual treasures buried within the material world?

When I meditate, or commune with friends, or receive an unexpected gentle and loving gesture, when I have a prophetic dream and pass it on and the recipient says thank you that is just what I needed to validate my feelings, I know there is a power greater then myself.

Seventy-Eight Degrees - What role have I played in enforcing the power of society, its laws and it’s authority to enforce those laws?

By voting and participating in the political process.

What will I do with the stability and order in my life that, hopefully, opens up creative energy?

I will appreciate the fact that I am position right now where I can look outside of myself and help others. I will fight to quiet my inner critic and build strength in the areas I feel I’m weak so I can over come my lack of confidence.
 

Probie

Greer (2006) 21 Ways - Step 10

Rider-Waite-Smith
7/The Chariot

10.1.1

LWB (but not the traditional RWS one) that came with the deck:
*Triumph, victory, independence, success, creative achievement and development;
*Overcoming space, mastery over mater;
*A journey will go well, also if it is connected with financial tasks;
*Under the protection of providence, projects can be carried through successfully;

Drury (2004), The Tarot Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Discovering the Wisdom of the Cards on page 58:
*Success or victory achieved through hard work and application.
*The charioteer embodies self-discipline and clear thinking. He can assess the situation, make key decisions, and then move in a positive direction.

Bunning (1998), Learning the Tarot: A Tarot Book for Beginners on pages 126-127:
*Keywords: “victory” and “will” and “self-assertion” and “hard control.”
*The Chariot represents the positive aspects of the ego. A healthy ego is one that is strong and self-assured. It knows what it wants and how to get it.
*In readings, the Chariot often appears when hard control is or could be in evidence. At its best, hard control is not brutal, but firm and direct.

10.1.2

“What do I need to know for my immediate future?” was the question.

10.1.3

* The charioteer embodies self-discipline and clear thinking. He can assess the situation, make key decisions, and then move in a positive direction.
* In readings, the Chariot often appears when hard control is or could be in evidence. At its best, hard control (from keyword list: “mastering emotions” and “curbing impulses” and “maintaining discipline”) is not brutal, but firm and direct.

The feeling I got was one of self-discipline and inner work through what Bunning (1998) described as “hard control” in contrast to “soft control” found in 8 or 11/Strength which is much more gentle in its approach. By getting my act really together, I will have a great asset in the form of a well-disciplined & powerful soul (i.e., the contents of the box in the charioteer’s amulet). This has been the general thrust of my work so far with our text.

10.2.1

Q: How does this need for self-discipline and clear thinking show up in your life?

A: I am beginning to enter the workplace as a young professional in human services. I need to prove myself as a capable social services worker. This is done through having a great work ethic and being level-headed in the tough situations I have to deal with.

Q: Where does the need for mastering your emotions and curbing your impulses come from?

A: I am a very sensitive person, so it is easy for my emotional life to run amok. Sometimes I “catch” an emotional vibe in a venue and end up feeling it even though it’s not mine in the first place. This happened this last Friday where I was actually quite happy, but the tension was thick due to all the work we were doing. Before I knew it, I had allowed the feeling in the office to become my feelings and I ripped a co-worker’s head off for no good reason. As I can feel what others are feeling – and this happens a lot – I have to learn how to discharge/cleanse these feelings out of me by maintaining strong boundaries. I have to run my emotions and not the other way around!

Q: How does it feel to be firm and direct?

A: This is tough actually, I’d rather do hand-holding and emoting. I can confront people, but being firm takes a lot of thought and planning for me. I’d also like to just be flexible, but then nothing gets done. Sometimes the voice of self-discipline, firmness, and directness isn’t one of love but condemnation. A critic that I loathe and, in fact, need to confront.
 

dadsnook2000

Your Chariot

It seems to me that being a male in your line of work does offer both conflict and advantages. In our area it seems that most case managers in social services are female, often having to deal with family situations. Being a male might tend to make it easier to be level-headed and pragmatic, but, as you say, such an approach can be all wrong when empathy is the better approach.

Yes, I think that the Chariot is definitely the card to focus your thoughts at this point in your life. On this step, I changed cards as a focus for me. That can be appropriate whenever life changes. But, a focus card seems to work for extended periods of time for me. Dave
 

Probie

Dave: "I changed cards..."

Me: I read that! What happened? Did the book come to pass or too painful to write about?
 

dadsnook2000

Change of cards

Probie, at that time a whole series of activities and projects were coming to a close and a new direction (or directions) was/were being embarked on. It just seemed right to have a new card for a new phase of life.

We now have a new summer home in Maine, which we will keep for a few more years. The house had been redone at that time --- we didn't like how it turned out so we've have had new floors installed in the kitchen, sitting room and dining room, and had repainted everything except for the wall mural in the sitting room, and we installed granite table and counter tops in the kitchen. Now, we are taking out a paneled wall in the living room, refacing the fireplace, repainting the house for a new color scheme, and re-carpeting.

The book is done, I'm just doing some grammar editing and marketing hype on it before sending it to the publisher. I've got a small team reviewing it for me; one in the UK, one in Taiwan, three in the U.S. Hopefully it will all be ready for print later this spring.

Soon, the two oldest boys (adopted grandchildren) will be graduating and leaving, we'll have only a 16 year old girl remaining with us. In a couple of years we will sell this house, relocate to something more suitable and buy a winter place in Florida. So, if I were to pick a new card it might be the 9 of Pentacles. Dave
 

Spooky

step 10 new card

King of Wands- Golden Tarot
I drew 3 cards and the king of wands jumped out at me. This card is my father of whom I've had a very emtional journey. We did not get along most of the time when he was alive and as a result I have issues now that carry back to our relationship.
The king in the golden tarot is sitting on a simple throne. He is very stern looking and is peering upwards at a tapestry hanging above a roaring fire. Hishand is above his chest as if he were trying to cool himself. The other hand holds a wand. There is a salamander on the arm of his throne. He is dressed in red robes. A shield hangs above him featuring a lion.

What do I need to know/learn about the relationship between my father and myself?

Golden tarot meanings: a charming man,witty,fiery in nature,tendency to be a little hasty,stern,being in charge, a commanding presence,strong-willed

Tarot Plain and Simple-Anthoney Louis:charm,inspiration,fatherliness,charisma,hypocrisy,egotism,arrogance,bigotry,inability to understand others viewpoints,intolerant of weakness,impatient with those who act or think too slowly,who cannot keep up with him or face his tendency to take charge.

78 Degrees of Wisdom-Rachel Pollack:intolerant of other peoples weaknesses.

Meanings that jumped out to me:intolerance,stern,a charming man,inability to understand others viewpoints. As a side note my father was a preacher this was listed under "people" in Tarot Plain and Simple.

My father was a stern but charming man to his congregation. He was unable to understand his rebellious daughter and her viewpoints.
 

Spooky

21 Steps 10:2

King of Wands-Golden Tarot

questions
In what way is he a charming and witty man? My fathers sermons were inspiring to his congregation. Most people liked him very much for his one on one approach on lifes lessons.
In what way was my father stern and strongwilled? He didn't listen to what I had to say very often. My opinions where dismissed as not being important.
Why did he feel he had to be in charge and have a commanding presence?
He was the leader of his church.
How has his tendency to be a little hasty affected you?
I often felt left out and let down. He always had his congregation come first before his family.
How Has his fatherliness inspired you in your life?
It has caused me to remain aloof in relationships and uninspired.
How has his charisma led to hypocrisy?
People thought the world of him but in real life his family suffered by his not being there when we needed him. He talked the talk but didn't walk the walk.
Why did his egotism lead to arrogance and bigotry?
My dad always thought he was doing the right things in life but judgeing from my moms unhappiness and his uncommunication with us he was living a lie.
How did his inability to understand others viewpoints affect you?
When I had homework to do he would get impatient with me especially with math even when I tried to understand concepts he just didn't get it that I was trying my best. I remember sitting for hours by myself with math problems and his not helping me to understand. My self esteem in life is very low. These lessons for the tarot are helping me to deal with feeling left out. I hope I'm asking the questions correctly.
How does his impatientence and tendency to take charge affect you today?
I am often feeling sorry for myself and out of control. Depression is a constant shadow in my life and has been for as long as I can remember. I tend to dwell on the past and as a result miss out on alot of good things happening around me.
 

Ivy Rhiannon

Step 10

Druidcraft ~ The Fferyllt (sticking with her as she is such an inspiration!)

10.1 Resource Meanings: Blend, Harmonize, Balance, Transform, Alchemy, Wholeness, Perfection, Healing, Creation, Equilibrium, Transcendence, Unification, Synthesis.

I feel these meanings are closely related to all the ones I had come up with before. This card didn't really have any conflicting keywords, even though it is symbolized differently in many different decks. The idea seems to shine through as if this card is very important to the tarot and the fool's journey.

The question I have right now in my mind is, "What do I need to do to complete this transformation and live in harmony with my goals and desires?"

10.2: Questions:
What do I need to blend together in order to achieve my goal? My will, persistence, and intention.
What in my life is in need of harmony? The light and the shadow aspects of myself.
Where do I stand currently on the scale of balance? I am more in the light, afraid often to face the shadow I have created.
What is it exactly that needs to be transformed to obtain my idea of "perfection"? I will need to be a more honest, open, loving, understanding, and motivated person.
What alchemical process will help me at the current moment? Separation: So that I might better evaluate my body, mind and spirit.
What part of me feels incomplete? My heart. I give myself away too easily.
What is my idea of perfection? A woman who is strong, wise, beautiful, and compassionate. My idea of The Goddess.
How do I begin the process of healing? By accepting myself, evaluating the things I dislike and offering them up to be changed fearlessly.
Who is this person I wish to create? My idea of the Goddess.
How do I find the equilibrium that will balance my emotions? I must learn not to judge myself to harshly, instead to be an observer, and willing to try again if my experiment doesn't create my goal.
What is it I fear about transcendence? That I will lose myself and become a different (worse) person.
What ideas and beliefs need to be blended and unified in order to create synthesis? That in order to change I will need to sacrifice the old and useless parts of myself. This process is not to be feared, but rather enjoyed. This is the creation of something new! The purification of the spirit.
 

pacificwaters

Step 10: Queen of Pentacles (RWS)

10.1.1 I have gone through and consulted two books (Rachel Pollack’s 78 degrees of wisdom and Mary Greer’s Tarot Reversals) to summarize some of the meanings associated with the Queen of Pentacles. Following is a list of them:

- aware of strength that the pentacle provides and the inherent magic in nature
- love for and unity with the world
- rabbit in the lower corner of the card is indicative of sexual fertility and spiritual fruitfulness of life that has found its own rhythm in the world around it.
- lack of self-awareness but a presence of self-belief and self-trust in absolute abundance
- aligning self with forces of nature and merging it with the routine


- hospitality, gracious living, material well-being
- concern for conservation of resources with an interest in nature, animals
- prosperity
- an aspect of self that is concerned with economic security and promotion of physical growth and well-being
- practical and capable in business affairs and corporate management
- presence of a mothering element
- flourishing by employing down to earth common sense
- calmly supervising things so that they may run smoothly and look magnificent

10.1.2 When I had started on this book (21 ways…) and study, I had asked my deck to allot me a card for my study – sort of like “What is the card I should use for the study?”

As time passed and I started associating with the card I realized in the course of about two months since I am at this card, that all along the card has been telling about ME, my current state of mind and some of my inherent attitudes

10.1.3 Coming to the meanings which I found immediately associating with myself, I am listing these below. I have tried to also explain why I think they are associated with ME.

- aware of strength that the pentacle provides and the inherent magic in nature: Simplified I think this means how a basic grounding with Mother Earth can work wonders for you in the long run. Trusting Mother Earth and her resources to take care of me, I don’t know if I am being a bit far fetched, but I think this also speaks about karma and hence the accompanying “inherent magic in nature”. There is plenty Earth has to offer you, you just have to recognize it. I for one am a very firm believer in karma..! What goes around, comes around.
- love for and unity with the world: Somehow I associate this with religious unity and brotherhood. My country has been in the past been plagued with a lot of religious animosity and hence resulting riots, which I have been indirectly affected by. Terrorism, I just wish, it didn’t ever exist. If only brotherhood could be so easily achievable and if only wishes were horses..!
- rabbit in the lower corner of the card is indicative of sexual fertility and spiritual fruitfulness of life that has found its own rhythm in the world around it: at the age of 33 today I think I have to be sexually fertile and active ;) Though I would just like to modify it a bit here. The rabbit is a bit away from the Queen of Pentacles (my chose card). Could this be pointing towards how sexual activity is currently eluding me (Queen of Pentacles) due to my troubled marriage? Talking about spiritual fruitfulness of life which too is mentioned, well I have whole heartedly turned to Tarot in this period, and I think this association has helped me immensely.
- lack of self-awareness but a presence of self-belief and self-trust in absolute abundance: Don’t know how to associate the self-awareness aspect here, but a belief in God and karma, along with a strong family support in these tough times have resulted self belief and self trust in abundance. I know my time will come. (well I do get disheartened every once in a while, but then I am a human ;) )
- hospitality, gracious living, material well-being: Everyone loves to think he has these qualities, and I am one of them :)
- Concern for conservation of resources with an interest in nature, animals: This just sort of hit the nail on the head. I have done my post-graduation in Environmental Sciences, and I am one of those who try at my personal level to conserve resources. I absolutely abhor those who disregard the environment. In the virtual world, I even have a blog where I write about current environmental issues especially those that relate to my city. And yes I love animals :)
- prosperity: I think God has blessed me with enough for my needs, though I do have bouts of wanting a “macho bike” once in a while :)
- an aspect of self that is concerned with economic security and promotion of physical growth and well-being: Like I said, I think I have enough, and I usually try not to splurge, unless necessary. I am of the kinds – spread your legs only as long as your carpet is (rough translation of a vernacular phrase)
- calmly supervising things so that they may run smoothly and look magnificent: I think I have it in me :)

There have been quite some meanings where my interps for the card sort of matched with the book meanings. At some they were bang on and at some they were just mentioned in a bit different way. Since the next sub step requires a brief mention of them I have mentioned it below.

10.1.4 I have tried in this sub-step to associate why I felt some meanings applied to me. Overall until now one of the chief meanings of the card I associated was of contemplation over what has happened. I think the fact of self belief and self trust sort of just manages to border on this, though it is vague. The next meaning of prosperity (book meaning) sort of absolutely matched what I had deciphered just as the fact of material abundance (economic security) did. Another meaning that I had envisioned was the mothering effect of a Queen. Hospitality, graciousness and material well-being can as well be considered synonyms for this. Material well being (text book meaning) and my interpretation as “enough for a man’s needs” also sort of resonate.

About where my meanings did match, well there are quite some as well. In the two books I used for combing meanings, there is no mention of being lost in deep thought and contemplating something – an aspect which is exactly what the image is portraying. Prime of life, an uneasiness when you have everything, hardships of life, and thinking before committing are some of my meanings for the card where I differed with the book meanings.

10.1.5 Economic well-being, hospitality, graciousness and prosperity where my interps and the bookish meaning matched was definitely fantastic with relation to depth of insight. However the one that stood out was also this meaning which I hadn’t originally envisioned - Concern for conservation of resources with an interest in nature, animals. This just blew me..!

10.2
1. What is the inherent magic of nature
I believe that what you give is what comes back to you. Karma is another word for it. And nature makes sure that what goes around comes around. This to me is the inherent magic of nature.

2. What do mean by love for and unity with the world?
Unity and love for the world, to me is about brotherhood, something that is lost today by religious fanatics and terrorists. Taking lives just for satisfying personal ideologies is not the way out. Love one and all, and nature has sufficient inherent magic to see that they love you give comes back to you as well.

3. Are you sexually fertile?
Yes :) I don’t think we need to go much into detail her :grin:

4. What do you mean by spiritual fruitfulness?
Spirituality to me is about having faith in the higher self. Associating with Tarot for about a year, and as I read the 78 degrees of freedom, especially the part on the Major Arcana cards, I realized quite a lot about spirituality. The path through these cards have given me a satisfaction of a different kind, which well I may call “showing the path to spirituality”

5. Why is it that you have self-belief and self-trust but no self awareness?
Call it cockiness or what, but I have immense faith in self. Talking about self-awareness, I think this relates to spirituality. While I do believe in God and the higher power, I think there are quite some qualities for self that I need to develop, to have a consciousness about self.

6. Can you align yourself with the forces of nature?
Humanity and benevolence are what I consider the basic qualities necessary for reaping the benefits of being aligned with nature. Have them and you are aligned.

7. Are you hospitable and gracious?
Yes I am, atleast that’s what I think

8. Why do you have a concern for nature?
Always loved nature since I was a child. Further on as I studied with a specialization in environmental sciences my love still increased and it was accompanied with a logic behind it as well

9. What is prosperity all about?
Being satisfied with whatever you have

10. Are you happy with yourself?
Yes

11. Do you think you are good at corporate management?
Not quite sure. I guess when I reach the top of the ladder I will know that :)

12. Do you have a mothering tendency?
To some extent yes.

13. How common is your common sense?
I believe it is fairly common :)

14. Are you good at supervising others?
I would like to believe that yes, but there have been times when my leniency has been taken advantage of
 

fractalgranny

step 10 - 21 ways - crow's magick

step 10

PAGE OF CUPS

• go beyond formalities
• brighten someone's day
• Side trips and detours, the unexpected moments of travel,
• the edge of the universal river, the point before you learn whether you'll sink or swim, the point where you're just deciding how deep in you're going to go
• To remind you to not take yourself too seriously, to be playful and to frolic
• Embrace all the beauty that life has to offer,

Q: where or with whom am i being too stiff/formal?
A: i only have a vague sense of that … but at some level i know i could much more frequently “let ‘er rip” … one think i have learned in the last few years is that when i take risks that involve authenticity and playfulness, 9 times out of 10 everybody wins

Q: whose day can i brighten right now?
A: i just sent a friend an email 

Q: what would it be like to abandon myself fully to “unexpected moments of travel”, rather than planning and scheming?
A: interestingly enough, i’m going on a little trip tomorrow where i am very much “on the outside” – joining a group of gay men as the only and first woman who has ever participated in this yuletide ritual. i’ll have to leave the planning to someone else and just let myself be carried by the tide. consequently, i’m a little nervous. what if it’s too uncomfortable for my creaky old body? what if there’s food that i can’t eat? what if, what if? these will definitely be “unexpected moments of travel” …

Q: when was the last time i had this moment at “the edge of the universal river, the point before you learn whether you'll sink or swim, the point where you're just deciding how deep in you're going to go”?
A: i had this moment a few times in the last years in relationship to my career. but i love how poetically this is described. i’m a tiny bit up in the air right now, too, especially since i just accepted a part time job offer with an organization where i will do outreach to and work with organizations that i find both attractive and scary.

Q: what can i do today to embrace all the beauty that life has to offer?
A: “all the beauty”, wow that’s a tall order. but SOME beauty? yes, i can do that. and then i’m thinking back to that happy-go-lucky lizard puppy in crow’s magick page of cups – he doesn’t care about “all”. he’s just enjoying the hell out of it! :)

[oh, and i won't be choosing a new card. happy to keep interacting with this one.]