21 Ways: Step Three
Step Three: Illuminated Tarot, Eight of Cups
3-1: disappointed, dejected, determined, dissatisfied, regretful, resolute, sad, scornful, sorrowful.
3-2: I am really unsure how to read this. I think there are two ways:
3-2-1: I am walking on green grass by the side of a lake. I am walking away from eight cups on the other side of the river. I've come a long way to find the cups, but I don't want to cross the river to reach them. I am disgusted and I've given up. The cups aren't what I thought they would be, so I'm turning back the way I came. I'm sad that I've wasted so much time for something so disappointing. I'm disappointed, but I'm done- I'm walking away without hesitation even though I know the road ahead will be difficult. There is no easy path forward. A lake is to my lift and a huge mountain towers in the distance before me. There is gap between the mountains ahead, and that is where I am to go. I am determined to get where I'm going. I don't know what lies to the right of me - it looks like that way might be an easier path, but it's not where I'm headed. A full moon hangs above in the dark sky. Even though I am disappointed, everything is not black. The moon is beautiful and peaceful and provides illumination so I won't stumble on the difficult path ahead. I'm determined to get where I am going.
3-2-1: I am leaving the eight cups in the foreground. They have been my lot for a long time, and some of them hold good things, but some of them are dark and poisonous, and I'm willing to give some of them up in order to be away from the bitter ones. The gap in the top row of cups means that I've taken the cup that holds the best things for me, but one cup is all I can take with me. I've crossed a river and I have a difficult path ahead of me. I aim for the gap in the mountains ahead of me - that's where I think I need to go. I will have to follow the lake then cross a strip of land to avoid the impassable mountain ahead and reach the more even ground on the other side of the river. There is light there, and it's where I'm headed. I'm disappointed, but I'm determined to reach my destination, even if I'm uncertain of what awaits me there. The moon overhead lights my way. Although the landscape is dark, the moon is bright, and I can see well enough to avoid any pitfalls. I take some satisfaction in knowing that I've taken the best cup with me.
3-3: The Eight of Cups has a lot to say about my current situation, and that's probably why I found it intriguing. I'm in the process of leaving a job that I've had for the past seven years. There are aspects of my job that I love, but I feel that the atmosphere of the office is so toxic because of a couple of coworkers that it is unbearable to be there. I'm leaving to take the same position in a different place, with better people. I am giving up familiarity and some really good things (clients that I love, great benefits, familiarity), but I'm taking the best thing with me (the missing cup) - knowledge. I will still be part of the same professional community, but in much better company. I'll have to drive much farther to get to work (difficulty of the path ahead), but I know that the atmosphere will be a lot better (light illuminating my destination). I'm disappointed and angry because after waiting for seven years in the same position, there was finally a hope of advancement, but it wasn't an opportunity that I could have (obviously partly because of me, but also because of the toxic work atmosphere). I take some selfish satisfaction in knowing that my current office will be losing someone with a lot of knowledge and that it will be difficult to fill the gap that I leave (the missing cup / the figure in the gap. So basically, I'm leaving a really rough situation for something better, and I know that the leaving is partially my fault and not really even necessary, but I feel that it's what I need to do right now.