Sweetest Don, you are so good with the cards - I learn so much from your posts - could you please please look at my cards and tell me what the next year will look like for me....... ? ? Or if anyone else also wants to give it a try.
Deck: RW (Rider-Waite)
...... Card .............. Element
1.) 6 of Cups ........ [Water]
2.) The World ....... [Earth]
3.) The Hermit ....... [Earth]
4.) Justice .............. [Air]
5.) King of Wands . [Fire]
Note: The new Position 6 about Health concerns did not exist at the time of the following reading.
6.) 6 of Wands ..... [Fire]
7.) Strength .......... [Fire]
~OVERVIEWS~
Elemental Overview
1 - Water
2 - Earth
1 - Air
3 - Fire
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7 Cards Total
A tad to much Fire - and Water and Air are a bit weak. BUT .. Water picks up a lot of
power/influence since it IS the main elemental influence for the coming year.
Because of all the Fire effects in the coming year we are probably talking about lots, and lots, of motivation, energy, and creativity. Care must be taken to think things through [few Air elements] and that you don't put your emotions on the back burner [few Water elements but with a main Water elemental background
influence that should take up a lot of the slack] to where they become repressed and then burst forth in aggressive or explosive ways [lots of Fire which is adverse to the main background element of
Water and most the Fire elements gain strength from each other, or from other
cards].
PCM Overview [P-pips, C-courts, M-majors]
2 - Pips
1 - Court
4 - Majors
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7 Cards Total
Lots and lots of Majors could mean a very spiritually enlightening year - or - that you will have
problems of a spiritual nature in the coming year - since the PCM distribution is way out of balance. At most with a 7 card spread there should only be 2 Majors.
The ideal breakdown should/would be;
4 or 5 Pips
2 - Majors
1 or 2 - Courts
As I said; this could mean spiritual enlightenment or spiritual stress. But since all the Majors that came up are
positive for the most part go into the the year assuming that they indicate spiritual enlightenment and attainment.
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Note: As the only Court - which seems to be standing alone - the 'King of Wands' may be a 'focal point' in the spread. The problem is it sits on a Passive Earth background positional elemental influence (Pos #5-Earth) against the main Water [Passive] elemental influence (Card 1: 6 of Cups/Water).
The King of Wands primary element of Fire is adverse to the main background
element of Water - while it's secondary element of Air (in my opinion the King of Wands
is the 'Air of Fire King') - the the secondary element of Air is adverse to the Earthy positional elemental influence of Pos #5.
But the King of Wands does gain strength from Justice (Air) at position #4. We'll have to see how all this works out in the very interesting elemental byplay of the cards laid out against the
different background elements. I would have drawn a Clarifying card for the King to help flesh him out a bit - but that's just me.
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After doing the spread overviews this is the 1st Layer of the elements
we need to take into consideration.
With the 6 of Cups we have the element of ~Water~ as our main elemental background influence which will effect ALL the other cards. It's the only 'Water' card in the layout so relationships, emotions, and feelings are going to permeate everything in your coming year and effect all the other cards in this way.
Card/Pos #2: Fire/Motivational Positional Background Element - The World [Earth]
The next - 2nd Layer of elements we have to consider are the individual Positional Elements. Position #2 has the individual Background Elemental Influence of FIRE.
This gives us the Positional Element of Fire (pos #2) against the Main Background Element of Water (6 of Cups). The card that turned up here was The World which is associated with the element of Earth.
So we have The World/Earth (Card) sitting atop Fire (Position), sitting atop
Water (Main Background Element).
The World/Earth is friendly toward the main background element of
Water and Neutral toward the Fire positional element. So it's pumped up by the main background
element of Water and not really effected one way or the other by the positional
element of Fire. This card also gains strength/power from the next card - card #3 - The Hermit which is also associated with the element of
Earth (see image below).
This brings us to the 3rd Layer in using the elements and that's comparing the individual card elements with each other as diagramed in the following image.
Card #2 effects Card #3
Card #3 effects Card #2 and Card #4
Card #4 effects Card #3 and Card #5
Card #5 effects Card #4 (and vise-versa)
Cards #6 and #7 effect each other but do NOT effect Cards #2 through #5.
Cards #6 and #7 are also effected by the 'main background element'.
In the case of The World and The Hermit we have the following with cards #2 and #3 - which are friendly towards one another since they share the same 'Earth' element.
In the coming year your motivation, energy, drive, and creativity (positional
Fire aspects) will be directed towards completing and fulfilling things in your
life (The World card). The driving force in your life will be in integrating things - both externally and internally - that may have been eluding you in the past. But .. Pos #2 is the Fire elemental position and is thus adverse to the background elemental influence of Water. The card/element - The World/Earth - is sitting atop a stressful elemental combination (Fire and Water). So there needs to be a balance between emotions (water) and actions (fire) - which can often times be tough to do. But forewarned is forearmed so take these two adverse elements (Fire and Water) and make them work for you in new and creative ways. But there will be times when one element or the other will have sway over the other so don't let your fiery emotions get the best of you. Stay grounded to the Earthiness of The World card and you should be fine. Use the strength of the Earth card (The World) to gain mastery and will-power over these fiery emotions and thus come closer to
the fulfillment and joy you desire.
Be aware that both The World and The Hermit are 'passive' earth cards.
The World is associated with the planet Saturn which can bring about
restrictions and limitations in your life. The Hermit then turns these restrictions and limitations into 'self-imposed limitations'. So you have to take care not to place these self-imposed limitations on yourself and to move forward with all things in your life but to make sure you step back from time to time to reflect and think about
the direction your life is taking. The cards themselves will want to 'slow
you down' because of their affinity with Earth so you need the driving force of
the Fire positional influence to kick them in the ass and get yourself
moving.
Card/Pos #3: Air/Mental Positional Background Elemental Influence
- The Hermit [Earth]
In this position - with this card we have Earth (Card Element) .. sitting on Air (Positional Element) .. sitting on Water (Main Background Element). The card element Earth is friendly with the main background element of Water and with the Earth of Card #2 - The World.
At the same time -The Hermit's card element of Earth is 'adverse' to the positional element of Air - and adverse to Card #4 - Justice - which is also associated with the element of Air.
So this card - The Hermit - is being subjected to a lot of stress and pressures elementally. It's being pulled and tugged every which way. Your intellect, thoughts, and ideas will be pushed to the max in the coming year. With The Hermit you will want - and need time for self-reflection and even mediation. But it may be hard to find the time for these types of things. Your thoughts and ideas (air) may be in conflict with your stability and practicality (earth) over the coming year. You have to make the time to think things through or your decision making ability may be for crap (The Hermit adverse to Justice). At the same time The Hermit is often a card of wallowing in your own thoughts so you have to make sure you act when necessary and not crawl into a hole and hide.
At the same time the Air positional background element (thoughts and ideas) can elevate the self-reflections of The Hermit to spiritual high points ~if~ you can overcome their adverse effects and make them work for you.
Card/Pos #4: Water/Emotional Positional Background Elemental Influence - Justice [Air]
Justice is neutral toward the positional element Water, neutral toward the Main Background element of Water, adverse to the Earth of card #3 (The Hermit) and friendly toward card #5 (the King of Wands). So the card in this position is merely 'floating', in 'flux', 'going with the flow'. Only Air is the lower emotional harmonic to Water. Air can indicate conflict, stress, and even volatility. Justice sits on the Water position. This may not bode well for your emotional well being in the coming year - on the other hand it could indicate a sort of blah emotional year. Hopefully it doesn't mean 'legal problems' that will bring about emotional stress and problems - but this is more than possible with this card - in this position. The thing to watch out for is not to make any type of big (snap) decisions based on your feelings and emotions. Think things out before plunging into the deep end of the pool over the next year. Remember - Balance Must Be Maintained, as with the scales the character in the card is holding in her hand. 'You make your own future by your actions!' - so make them good ones and don't be ruled by your emotions. At the same time don't ignore your feelings and emotions.
Card/Pos #5: Earth/Materialism - Positional Background Elemental Influence - King of Wands
The King of Wands (Fire of Air) is more or less neutral toward the positional element of Earth, adverse to the main background element of Water, and friendly toward the Air of card #4 (Justice). Drive for, go for, and turn your energies toward what you want in the coming year and materially you will probably get it - with lots and lots of work. Use your dynamic forcefulness (King of Wands) to your best advantage. You may need to assume a leadership capacity in the coming year. On the other hand you might meet someone with these qualities that might become an important part of your life.
Being adverse to the main background element of Water this card may indicate emotional strain of some type dealing with job, work, money, family, security, etc. (the King plus the positional background of Earth). This strain could lead to relationship problems.
With passive positional (Earth) and main (Water) elements take care that you don't just sit and watch the world go by.
You read these last two cards and the elements. Both cards are adverse to the main background element of Water - but friendly toward one another (both are associated with Fire) - which evens things out (a bit). Both positional elemental influences are 'neutral'.
Card/Pos #6: Overall Influence for the Coming Year - 6 of Wands
Card/Pos #7: Overall Spiritual Influence for the Coming Year - Strength
Don S.
Feedback
Dearest Don ! I don't know what to say, exept from a big THANK YOU !!!!! Igraine said it all so well in her post - you should really write a book !!!! I will need time to get to the bottom of your reading, but I already reconnize a lot of myself in it and know this reading will be a great help. The battle between water and fire in my life is not a new one..., even though I'm a very earthly Virgo - emotional chaos is also a well known song...:-) The King of Wands nearly always represent the big love of my life - a married man I can't help being in love with (please don't kill me for that) Most things I do, feel etc is centered around him, so I was not surprised he was the only court-card to pop up. I did draw a card to explain him, but got the Queen of Wands (his wife), drew another and got Death.. then I got scared and stopped :-) All the Major Cards also make some sort of sense. I am a very spiritual person - healer - sometimes clearvoyant etc. but lately I feel I've lost parts of these aspects. Hopefully the crowd of Majors will give some of it back. I'm also fighting a lot of healthproblems - some cronic things so I know I have to live with them forever, but they are at their nastiest right now and need a lot of clear thinking from me. Get the feeling the cards tell me that it might be hard and will need more time than this year........ , but with the Strength in the 7th position I guess I will be strong enough to cope with most things - even my secret love who also got water in the 1st position and the Devil in the 7th :-) ........just rambling now.... You are an angel, Don !!! BIG HUG and blessings from Oslo in beautiful white snow ! Ellen
> The battle between water and fire in my life is not a new one..., even though I'm a very earthly Virgo - emotional chaos is also a well known song...:-) The King of Wands nearly always represent the big love of my life - a married man I can't help being in love with (please don't kill me for that) Most things I do, feel etc is centered around him, so I was not surprised he was the only court- card to pop up. Now I understand The Hermit better and why it's being so battered by the different elements. The Hermit is associated with ... Virgo. Curious since the King of Wands is often associated with the sign Leo, and the Strength card is associated with Leo, and the 6 of Wands is associated Jupiter in Leo - if the man you speak of isn't a Leo - or if you have Leo dominate in your astrological chart. > I did draw a card to explain him, but got the Queen of Wands (his wife), drew another and got Death.. then I got scared and stopped :- The Queen of Wands is related to Fire (mostly) and Death is related to Water (Scorpio). This would normally make the Death card ill- dignified. But Death gains strength from the main background element of Water - and since all these cards are sitting on the Earth positional element it will gain strength from it (Earth). The Queen and King of Wands both being Fire are friendly and strenghten each other - but both the King and Queen are adverse to the main background element of Water. But because all the queens relate to the Water element better since they have the secondary element of water (in this case the 'Water of Fire Queen') - then the Queen would be stronger than the King towards the main background element (Water). With the Queen stronger and Death not knowing what the hell to do and waivering between ending or not ending, to change or not to change - it's going to take something drastic for the situation not to stay just as it is. All the different elemental influences - given the cards drawn made this a very hard reading to do. Most everything seems to be at odds with something elementally. I said it best with the Justice card when I said, 'everything is in a state of flux' (or limbo). It seems odd that I didn't pick up on any health related stuff - which I usually do. But then with the King the only card sitting on card/pos #5 it made it tough. And with The Hermit and The World (both earthy cards) the thought of health goodies didn't enter my poor feeble brain for some reason. I wonder if I should add another position in the spread for health goodies in the coming year. That would make sense to me. Possibly stick it at card #6 and leave it all by itself and then move 6 to 7, and 7 to 8. Card/Pos #6 - Possible Health Concerns in the Coming Year [Neutral Positional Element Influence] Card/Pos #7 - Overall Influence for the Coming Year Card/Pos #8 - Overall Spiritual Influence for the Coming Year Don S.
Hi Don..... > Now I understand The Hermit better and why it's being so battered by > the different elements. The Hermit is associated with ... Virgo. Yes, I know he's associated with Virgo - I usually feel safe and comfortable with the Hermit, but found it difficult to understand him in this spread - thanks for explaining so well... > Curious since the King of Wands is often associated with the sign > Leo, and the Strength card is associated with Leo, and the 6 of > Wands is associated Jupiter in Leo - if the man you speak of isn't a > Leo - or if you have Leo dominate in your astrological chart. I have March and Pluto in conjunction in Leo, Cancer rising and the full moon in Pisces at my MC. He is a Saggitarius with Scorpio rising and only Uranis in Leo.. But he has the Sun close to his Ascendant which makes him a bit Leo-like sometimes. > >> I did draw a card to explain him, but got the Queen of Wands (his > wife), drew another and got Death.. then I got scared and stopped :- > > The Queen of Wands is related to Fire (mostly) and Death is related > to Water (Scorpio). This would normally make the Death card ill- > dignified. But Death gains strength from the main background element > of Water - and since all these cards are sitting on the Earth > positional element it will gain strength from it (Earth). > > The Queen and King of Wands both being Fire are friendly and > strenghten each other - but both the King and Queen are adverse to > the main background element of Water. But because all the queens > relate to the Water element better since they have the secondary > element of water (in this case the 'Water of Fire Queen') - then the > Queen would be stronger than the King towards the main background > element (Water). > > With the Queen stronger and Death not knowing what the hell to do > and waivering between ending or not ending, to change or not to > change - it's going to take something drastic for the situation not > to stay just as it is. Glad you read it like this. I do not want the situation to change. We have a serious dream of maybe making something out of it in the future - not now - thats why I got scared of the death card - it was too sudden. She is also a fire/water person - Aries with Cancer rising. > All the different elemental influences - given the cards drawn made > this a very hard reading to do. Believe it or not but more than one reader has given up on me. I always get complicated combinatons of cards. Most everything seems to be at odds > with something elementally. Sounds like the story of my life :-) > I said it best with the Justice card when I said, 'everything is in > a state of flux' (or limbo). :-) > It seems odd that I didn't pick up on any health related stuff - > which I usually do. When you pointed out that Air was weak, my intuition told me that my health would give me more trouble for a long time. I read a lot of medical stuff and use a lot of energy to "educate" my doctor. For me this is Air-element, but I grabbed your idea to put a neutral healthcard in the 6th position. I drew the 3 of cups and got more optimistic. I guess this card is telling me that if I stay at the happy water side of the water/fire battle my health will get better. ? Anyway, my virgo-overanalyzing mind will continue working on this spread to learn to use it for others and also for other occactions and situations. Thanks again ! Ellen