EDSG #1 - 4 Swords, Death and 2 Pentacles

Welcome to the first round of the Elemental Dignities Study Group (EDSG)!

I've chosen a copy of the Original Rider Waite deck from which to pull the cards. The deck was in order, so I dealt them into random piles and then shuffled them well (10+ times) to mix them up.

The cards for this first round are 4 Swords (4S), Death and 2 Pentacles (2P). Per Golden Dawn EDs, Swords are Air, Death is Water and Pentacles are Earth, so the triad is represented as AWE.

Air and Water are neutral, which becomes a friendly interaction according to the GD. For me, neutral interactions may stay neutral or become friendly or unfriendly depending on the situation. Water and Earth are friendly. Per standard GD interpretations, A and E cancel each other out, leaving just the W. I don't ascribe to that though.

For these exercises, we'll also look at the other triads formed by shifting the same three cards over by one. So we will also look at WEA and EAW (but not AEW, EWA or WAE). In WEA, Water and Earth are friendly, while Earth and Air are unfriendly. In EAW, Earth and Air are unfriendly while Air and Water are neutral. Triads are usually interpreted from the center out.

Looking at the interactions under the main topics of Work/Career, Relationships, Finances and Home, we have:

Work/Career
AWE - In order to complete a project/task (Death), one will need to juggle resources (2P) so that one will be able to take a break/go on vacation (4S).
WEA - One's ability to find the right balance between two competing priorities (2P) with looming deadlines (Death) is affected by being worn out from working too hard (4S).
EAW - One is burned out (4S) from working too hard (2P) and considers looking for a new job (Death).

Relationships
AWE - One is ready to end the relationship (Death) after putting in a lot of effort to make it work (2P), needing some "me time" for awhile (4S).
WEA - Being worn out from past efforts (4S) affects how much more effort (2P) one is willing/able to put into keeping the relationship from ending (Death).
EAW - One is conflicted between being single again (4S) and trying to make the relationship work (2P), leaving the future of the relationship in question (Death).

Finances
AWE - Finances have hit rock bottom (Death), so one will have to be creative in how one manages them (2P) before one can breathe easily again (4S).
WEA - Continued struggling (2P) to avoid financial ruin (Death) leaves one just wanting to give up (4S).
EAW - One needs a break (4S) from juggling finances (2P) to avoid financial difficulties (Death).

Home
AWE - Foreclosure (Death) despite working hard to try to make the mortgage payments (2P) will allow one to finally rest (4S).
WEA - Struggles at home (2P) have worn one down (4S), leaving one ready to call it quits (Death).
EAW - One's desire for peace and quiet/rest and relaxation at home (4S) is at odds with all the work that needs to be done on the house (2P), leading one to wonder whether it's better to just sell the place (Death).

Just a thought on the AWE combination for Work/Career....(I will try to find some time to look at the others later)...

With AIR and EARTH in conflict on either side of WATER here, Death becomes the strongest card (perhaps doubly strong as it is a MAJOR).

I get from this: It is time to call it a day and look for a new job (Death) as the work/life balance (conflict between the 4 of Swords = rest and recuperation and 2 of Pentacles = juggling issues) just isn't happening. The current situation at work is simply no longer viable.

E.

ETA: I see it a bit like the attempts to channel the WATER and keep it within bounds by EARTH are defeated by the AIR which whips the WATER into a frenzy and prevents any attempt to maintain calm.

Interesting read! Not to mention, that i learned alot by considering how the triad could be read in relation to: four different areas ..(ie. career; relationships; finances; home).

& Altho i wasn't sure what type of format the EDstudygroup would use, i like the way you've outlined this exercise. However, having said that I think it might be easier to just look at one triad.

Or rather should I say, although i get that you've chosen to move the cards around by shifting them one over, so that each of the three cards drawn can be viewed as the central card in the resulting re-arranged triads, and that having a couple more triads to consider does a good job of illustrating how the meaning of the cards drawn can change depending on their placement .. this is alot to digest.

Whatever, i guess time will tell re: the type of feedback members of this study group will post, tho i can't help but feel that a 3 card draw that results in 12 different interpretations might overwhelm the average reader re: feedback. Whereas a 3 card draw that results in 4 possible interpretations depending on: the area being inquired into, would be easier to address.

In any event, kudo's to you for taking the time to work thru 12 different interpretn's.

I also enjoyed elendil's take re: the first triad in the area of: work/career.

jenessa said:

However, having said that I think it might be easier to just look at one triad.

Or rather should I say, although i get that you've chosen to move the cards around by shifting them one over, so that each of the three cards drawn can be viewed as the central card in the resulting re-arranged triads, and that having a couple more triads to consider does a good job of illustrating how the meaning of the cards drawn can change depending on their placement .. this is alot to digest.

Whatever, i guess time will tell re: the type of feedback members of this study group will post, tho i can't help but feel that a 3 card draw that results in 12 different interpretations might overwhelm the average reader re: feedback. Whereas a 3 card draw that results in 4 possible interpretations depending on: the area being inquired into, would be easier to address.

Click to expand...

Folks can respond to as many or as few of the triad/area combinations as they want. (As Elendil did.)

As you said, I think it's illustrative to see how the interpretations change depending on which of the three cards is the central card. That would be lost by only looking at one triad. But if the general consensus is that folks are overwhelmed by looking at three triads, we can just look at the original triad. I'm facilitating, not dictating.

The AWE combination applied to relationships:

The elemental dynamic holds (from my previous post): With AIR and EARTH in conflict on either side of WATER here, Death becomes the strongest card (perhaps doubly strong as it is a MAJOR).

This might then suggest that the relationship is essentially over. It is time to call it a day (Death). There has been little excitement, boredom and routine have set in, the relationship has lost its importance as a central unifying factor and has been 'exiled' from ongoing concerns (4 of Swords). This state of affairs conflicts with the need for a little excitement, that feeling of something new and unexpected that needs to be factored into things, that sense of juggling/balancing experience...or just wanting a CHANGE (which is the keyword for the 2 of Pentacles in some decks).

The AWE combination applied to finances:

It is time to face up to the fact that the current situation is no longer tenable (Death). The avoidance tactics that have been used to ignore the situation (4 of Swords) cannot endure in the face of constant conflicting demands upon resources (2 of Pentacles) which are constantly being juggled. The balancing act won't work anymore... It's time to face the music and put an end to the lifestyle that is simply draining the finances away.

AWE for the home:

It is time to admit that things have run their course here and the current home needs to be given up (Death). There was a time when perhaps you thought this was the place where you would end your days in retirement (4 Swords) but circumstances have changed (2 of Pentacles) and there is little point continuing to find excuses to hang on to things which should be dropped.

I don't know if I have done the first excercise correctly or not as I tend to use Ed's in a very simplified manner when reading cards and go on intuition with all cards taken into consideration.

As not to burn out my little brain to much I have just done the triads on Work/Career for now.


In Work/Career AWE

I see The (Death) as how their emotions is affecting their career and suggests the need for transformation of their career, and with the (4S) weaken the (2P) it's time for them to wake up and put some effort into their career as they have been to busy paying attention to other things. now work has to take center stage.

(A) is their though process and how their thoughts are working with their emotions, things are at a stalemate with(A) being next to (W) next to (4S) is passive and suggests a need for action.

In Work/Career WEA

For them to find a healthy balance between their personal life and professional life(2P) they must accept the need to rethink how they are combining both priorities just now and move forward into a new way of doing things(Death) so that they can have better career, time for them to stop taking things easy (4S).

(W) next to (E) is passive so their emotional state is affecting their need for action with (E) being next to (A)


In Work/Career EAW

They are in need of a rest (4S) they have been trying to juggle to many things at once (2P) which is having an effect on their wellbeing leaving them tired, they need to leave behind the stress and find a new path(Death) in their career as the old way is not working for them.

With reading from the centre card first (A) being next to (E) it shows to me that their thoughts are unbalanced and that the (W) is needed for them to get back into a balanced state.

WEA for Work/Career:

WATER and AIR which flank the central card are neutrally aligned at best. EARTH is in direct conflict with AIR although it gets support from WATER so the AIR card would be weakest in this spread and its energies would be compromised

This might translate as major changes and transformation in the workplace (Death and 2 Pentacles) which are making things difficult. Coping strategies are strained to the extent that there is a perceived need to take some time off (4 of Swords) but this would only prove to be a temporary respite (the healing energy of rest associated with this card being compromised) . I see this particular reading quite pessimistically....

EAW for Work/Career:


The flanking cards support each other (EARTH + WATER). The central card is in direct conflict with EARTH and neutrally aligned with WATER. Compromised again in this particular combination there is little that is positive here.

This spread might conceivably be read as follows: There has been absence form work (4 Swords) perhaps due to illness. This period away from the work place has not been helpful since in the meantime changes have occurred there (2 of Pentacles). This absence may also have required juggling the finances/resources. Unfortunately I do not see that a return to work is going to be possible (Death) and that it perhaps time to accept this fact instead of trying to resume/struggle on.