The Hanged Man

Keywords & Phrases:
Transition. Readjustment. Limbo. Paradox. Sacrifice may be necessary. Bored with life. Anticipation of progress. Stasis. Seeing life from a different angle. Changing priorities. Relinquishing control. Taking a step back to move forward. Suspension. A new perspective. Reversal. Slowed action. Taking your time. A testing period. A lesson to be learned. Cosmic consciousness. Enlightenment. A unique viewpoint. A new angle. Dancing to a different drummer. Spiritual attunement. Selflessness. Sacrifice. Commitment. Dedication. Flexibility. Adaptability. Daring to be different. Breaking with the past. Readjustment. An apparent standstill. Reflection. Higher wisdom. Higher wisdom. Listening to your inner self. Unconventional behavior. Contradictions. Suspending disbelief. A rite of passage.

Summary:
One of the most mysterious cards in the tarot; the Hanged Man is paradoxical, mysterious, and imbued with the frustration of trying to solve a cryptic crossword. The simplest of interpretations are given first, followed by the more compelling but enriching paradox of this enigmatic card.

This card means you are at a crossroads and may have to stand back and look carefully at all the issues involved; or it may mean that you simply get out of a rut. You are in limbo about what you want to do next, or are going through a cease-fire.

The complexity of the Hanged Man invites you to do exactly the opposite of what you think is right to do, and thereby gain results. The more you want something, the more you have to give up on the wanting and then it will happen. The paradox is that as soon as you make these contradictory moves, you find what you are actually seeking.

Finally, the Hanged Man says that it is time to get go of emotional baggage, and that you will soon be released from any pain or emotional hurt because you are opening your mind to living for the moment, not for the past.

Think transition, postponed plans, a life in suspension, stagnation, and frustration. You need to do a 180 in how you perceive something. After all, a person hanging upside down doesn't see the world in the same way as someone standing on the ground.

This marks the point in the Fool's journey when he begins to question the deeper meaning and purpose of his life. The old beliefs and ideas have lost their meaning and no longer satisfy him, but he is confused about his new direction. The Hanged Man is the nonconformist of the Major Arcana. Unresponsive to anyone else's opinion, he goes his own way and does what he thinks is best.

Adjust your point of view, reverse your established order of doing things. The decision you're waiting for is delayed. Make an effort to avoid victim consciousness; this standstill isn't permanent. You're stuck in a rut because of rigid ideas and fixed concepts. If no one seems to agree with you, it may be because others have moved on and you have not. Release ideas and associations that are obsolete. Turn your life around by letting go of negative beliefs.

When two worlds are turned upside down, one within the other, when what appears strange becomes normal and what was normal becomes strange. This is the fey of the Hanged Man, the fey of the upside down.

It is not easy to immerse oneself in the depths, holding one's breath for the sufficient time. Yet it is the only way to enter intro contact with another realty, to understand different languages and forms. The hanged man, without renouncing his own world and identity, has dived into another world, with the intention of understanding and discovering. Just like that, with his head down, he is a bridge, a link between the two worlds.

And what he discovers is not so strange. The fish are not enemies or indifferent, and they look at him, also curious and friendly. Although it is difficult to hold his breath, he has discovered, in the eyes of a much feared enemy, the same look of understanding and friendship.

Now is a time to pause and suspend activity. You need to reevaluate your attitudes, goals, and priorities while remaining true to your spiritual values. Time appears to be moving slowly and you may feel like you are in a state of suspended animation. This is a testing period and there is a lesson to be learned. You are in the middle of a major transition and feel caught between the old and the new. You are capable of unselfish dedication to a significant project or ambition. Yours is a unique perspective that others may not appreciate or understand.

Hanging by his foot (versus his neck), and having a serene countenance and a glowing halo, the Hanged Man is a symbol of willing self-sacrifice in order to attain something of greater value. The Hanged Man seeks to attain understanding, spiritual enlightenment, or the good of others. While the Hermit searches for spiritual growth by retreating from society, the Hanged Man does so by withdrawing from activity, and so this card can suggest meditation. It also may indicate redemption or atonement through sacrifice and suffering, or transcending the self-centered dictates of the ego.

Your hectic pace has kept you from examining deeper aspects of your life. Stop what you are doing long enough to quietly ponder your course of action and consider it from a new perspective.

The wait of nine days and nine nights are the keys that open the doors of knowledge and wisdom. I am Frigg, Scandinavian goddess, wise of Odin.

The Hanged Man tries to possess beauty and truth. Only after he is himself transformed does he know that you cannot possess truth and beauty; you must become them.

Questions:
What do you expect from the sacrifices you are making? What are you devoted to? How are you hung up? What do you need to get straight? What do you need to give up? What are you trying to escape? How are you seeking higher knowledge?

The Moon

Keywords & Phrases:
Intuition. Fear. Self-deceit. Illusion. Blind to the truth. Unrealistic dreams. Feeling confused. Feeling worried and apprehensive. Trusting your intuition. Losing touch with reality. Dreams. The worlds of the invisible. Magic. The hidden side. The receptive side. The soft side. The silent side. A quest. Transformation. Inconstancy. Capriciousness. Deep instinctual forces. Self-deception. A time to be passive and receptive. Strong emotions. Psychic awareness. Secret truths. The female archetype. The creative potential of the unconscious. Fiction. Moonlit fantasy. Escapism. Trickery. Negative moods. Depression. Indecision. Doubt.

Summary:
A complex card because its very nature is deceptive, the Moon is very concerned with our sense of belonging or safety and security. When you are in familiar surroundings or with people you know, you feel safe. But there are times when we experience the darker side of our own natures, the unknown shadowy bits trying to see the light of day. This can make us feel disoriented, afraid, vulnerable, or anxious.

The Moon needs expression and when it occurs in a layout the positive aspect of the Moon is to trust in those deeper realms, and to remember that mystery permeates life at all times, although we usually refuse to acknowledge it. The illusion of the Moon is simply that, and the advice is not to let self-deception or distortion of the truth lead you astray or away from your purpose. You have a goal, so stick with it.

You're carried into the labyrinth of the unconscious to the shadowy world of sleep and dreams. Under its spell, you enter the netherworld of illusion and mystery. The question here is: Will you surrender to fear and the dark light of the soul? If you embark on your journey with eagerness and courage, you may become a dream art scientist who gleans from dreams what is needed to improve waking life.

The Moon connects you to the mysteries and nurturing qualities of the female spirit, to emotions and intuitions, to the seductions and fear of the unknown. It sometimes indicates paranoia, but can also suggest actual deception, sabotage, even psychic attack. Whatever you're going through is only a phrase. Look to your dreams, daydreams, and intuitions for answers and solutions. Right now, logic and reason aren't as important as intuition and insight.

The Moon is the Arcana parallel to that of the Sun. In remote times, the moon was always connected with magic and female power. When the sun stopped shining and normal men went indoors, priests and sorcerers officiated in secret under the eye of the sky: the moon. Even today the moon contains infinite mysteries, like a civilization buried under the sand. The Moon Fey is a sorceress, powerful and sure, who moves alone, following only her Mistress the moon and her instinct.

The essence of the moon is so magical that at times it does not seem to be connected to reality, almost like a mantle of illusion and inconstancy that wraps around its being. In this space - dangerous if one does not have sufficient strength to resist the allure of the night - the most beautiful things can be found, the craziest things never seen before, the shame never spoken of, the sweetest and most unreal desires. The real difficulty, as sorcerers know, is not to enter this place but to leave without losing oneself and abandoning oneself to being insubstantial.

According to tradition, the Moon warns of deceit, lies, dishonesty, confusion, self-deception, and moonlit fantasy (what we think we perceive by moonlight often looks quite different in the light of day). The Moon suggests you are entering a period of fluctuating moods and uncertainty during which you must confront unconscious forces in order to proceed. That which has been invisible or secret is coming to the surface. You can make good use of your creative talents in writing, art, drama, acting, psychology, or psychotherapy. You notice how ingrained patterns from the past are affecting your current behavior. Expect the uncanny.

You should attend to your dreams, feelings, hunches, and intuitions now. It is important to become aware of what lies beneath the surface or buried in the past. Your gut feelings may be more reliable than logical analysis. Awareness of the psychological dimensions of human existence now plays an important role in your life.

In the light of the moon, common landmarks take on a strange and mysterious aspect, and the world is cloaked in a magical enchantment - or a shroud of fear - that it lacks in daylight. Soft moonlight is sufficient to show us shapes and outlines, but details are lost in shadow,m and our imagination is left free to fill them in. Likewise, this card indicates imagination and illusions, leading us to wonder if we are seeing beyond the forms of the world to its spirit or if we are deluding ourselves. This ability to see the world anew can lead to genius or to madness, and often there is a fine line between the two.

The Moon is also a symbol of the night, and as such, it represents our dreams and our connection to our intuitive powers. But this card also warns against getting lost in our dreams. A dream can inspire us, but we must remember that it is only a guide, not reality itself. When we lose that distinction, we risk suffering from lunacy.

I am Selene, the ancient Greek goddess of the full moon, ruler of the tides, emotions, feelings, and dreams. My light reveals, my darkness conceals.

The Moon, benign really, minds its own business in the night sky. It cannot help that it must merely reflect. The Moon can give you nothing more or less than yourself, with a few shadows thrown in just to keep things interesting.

Emotional balance is achieved when we can distinguish illusion from reality and accept both.

Questions:
What have you forgotten? What do you instinctively want to do? What kind of cycle or pattern are you repeating? Are you actions appropriate to this particular situation or are you responding to some past situation? What is bewildering or confusing you? What is real and what is fantasy?

The Chariot

Keywords & Phrases:
Diligence. Willpower. Honesty. Perseverance. Control over feelings and thoughts. Being pulled in two directions. Learning to stick to the right path. Being successful. Determination to win at all costs. Wanting victory. High adventure and taking risks. Being in the driver's seat. Mental and physical journeys. Travel. Victory. Triumph. Conquest. Displaying oneself. Progress. Clear purpose. Single-mindedness. Ambition. Mastery. Energy to fight for a goal. Great effort. Achievement. The drive for success. Sense of purpose. Victory resulting from personal effort. Victory over the instincts. Successfully controlling some situation through the force of your personality. Confidence, optimism, and faith in your own abilities. Reaching your goal.

Summary:
The Chariot reveals that strong motivation and self-will are the key to progress. This card is all about confidence, healthy ego, and self-belief. Either you will have the self-assurance and spirit to get what you want, or you will meet someone who represents this archetypal phase in your life. You have now reached a point where you can stand up for your own beliefs and make decisions based on what you want rather than what other people assume is right for you.

This card exemplifies the hero's journey and represents ambition, determination, and youthful energy. Its charioteer harnesses his power and talents and forges ahead, driven by a burning desire to succeed. The charioteer succeeds through a combination of self-discipline, bravado, and sheer willpower. This is the "go for it" card and its purpose is to inspire you to test what you have learned and to prove your abilities. Unlike the Fool, the individual who drives the Chariot knows the reason for his journey. Through purposeful action, you achieve your goals.

To control his chariot and the opposing forces of the black and white sphinxes that pull it, the charioteer needs to have self-assurance, self-control, and self-discipline. But although he may take responsibility for his chosen path and have the tenacity to stay that course, he also has a tendency to run roughshod over whoever or whatever gets in his way.

The Chariot suggests a need to stay centered and take control of competing forces to carry on. You are capable of a calm sense of command, provided you steer a middle course between conflicting thoughts. feelings, and wishes. At the same time you may feel unable to speed up the outcome, so the best course of action is to go with the flow of the forces you have set in motion. You may find yourself struggling to assert yourself because you need to resolve a set of conflicting interests. You will be able to stay on course after making a firm resolution. Your strategy should be to move forward with determination and a clear sense of purpose. You will conquer your difficulties and emerge victorious.

The Chariot is a complex dance of control. What makes it go? And who, really, is in charge?

Even after achieving success, our mind must not be distracted from the goal for which we fought.

I am Eos, the Greek goddess of the dawn. Climb into my chariot. I take you away from darkness and I illuminate the path. A dark night ends, a bright day begins.

Questions:
What inner struggle needs resolution? Are there past issues that I need to consider and resolve before charging ahead? What mask are you presenting to the world? What emotional reactions are you hiding? What contradictions and tensions are you struggling to maintain control over? Where have you experienced a recent victory or success in your life? What progress are you making in testing your abilities in the world?

The Star(s)

Keywords & Phrases:
Meditation. Inexhaustible inspiration. Spiritual regeneration. Using active imagination and visualization. Formulating your ideas and goals. Examining your hopes for the future. Living by your own truth and values rather than those in the outside world. Nonconformity. Doing the unexpected. The calm after the storm. Freedom. Peace and serenity. Refreshment, renewal, or cleansing. Purification. A desire to know the truth. Enlightenment. Hope. Foresight. Guidance. Intuitive security. A delicious awakening. Immense personal joy. Beauty. Comprehension of the indescribable. Truth revealed. Ideal love. Realization of a dream. Insight. Self-belief. The light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing you are going to be successful. Freely giving of yourself. Idealization of a person or goal. Visionary progress. New trust in a relationship. Tranquility. Optimism. Enjoyment. Confidence. Renewal. Illumination. Harmony. Enthusiasm.

Summary:
The stars have always been guides for navigators; points of reference and direction. They influence man from far away, shining like points of light on a serene night. For this reason, they are symbols of hope. The ability to look towards infinity and towards the sky, and to to gather - even if only for a moment - all of the infinite possibilities that are opened before us. Even if stars do not seem of great use as such, they nevertheless provide direction. They do not help us move towards our objective but they help us understand what we are wondering and why. They are also the card of beauty, of innocence and of purity, because there are the characteristics of the soul that contemplates infinity and knows how to replenish, to have hope, joy, and security. Watching the stars is like falling in love.

The ancients used the stars to navigate unknown waters and the archetype of the Star provides you with your own personal shining light that will allow you to navigate successfully through life. When you draw this card, your powers of self-expression are at their highest. You feel in touch with universal energy and there is hope and belief in the future.

In the wake of the Tower's violent eruption, you're inspired to reach for your highest potential. You experience order and peace. The Star guides you to your destination with the gentleness of her soft light. This card is one of calm, renewal, and healing. A new cycle begins. Your persistence and hard work pay off big time. You experience a profound peace that springs from the unconscious. You're doing what you were born to do.

Throughout history, the stars have awed and inspired humans. Being constant, eternal, ethereal, and unattainable, they embody a primal concept of the divinity of the Universe and inspire a quiet and subtle reverence. The idea of a guiding star is common in human folklore, and it lends various meanings to this card, such as inspiration, divine guidance, faith, optimism, and - especially - hope. These meanings, however, carry an implicit warning not to get lost in hopes and dreams, for at some point we have to come back down to earth and take action if we want to be able to manifest those dreams.

This card is also about the wisdom of hope. Hope should have some basis in reality or it will degenerate into delusion, which is the providence of the next card, the Moon. Reasonable hopes are wise for they lift us up and strengthen us, but even when our hopes are reasonable we must be careful with them. If we use them as an excuse to avoid taking action to help ourselves, then even those hopes may be no more than an opiate.

The Star is a very positive card. Now is a time to rely on your intuition, inner wisdom, and guidance. The Star is a card of hope, protection, promise, joy, inspiration, good fortune, and spiritual happiness. A desired response or result is on the way. This is a good time to exert yourself because you can achieve your ideals.

The Star shines over the land, a sign of hope. The Star generously shares her power, sprinkling it into the ocean so that it may permeate all of life.

We are the Pleiades, the seven daughters of the firmament. We are the trust, hope, inspiration and harmony that you look for in every star that shines brightly in the sky.

Questions:
What aspect of your life is being purified or cleansed? What is being renewed? What are you inspired to do? For what are you receiving recognition? What are your ideals in the matter? What do I do for myself that renews my spirit? What do I hope for?

Strength

Keywords & Phrases:
Strength. Courage. Self-awareness. Compassion. Facing reality. Taking control of your life. Learning to take responsibility for your actions. Ability to forgive imperfection. Being tolerant of others' faults. Inner strength. Awareness of your instinctive responses. Moral force. Self-confidence. The power of conviction. Patience. Wisdom. Gentle force. Ability to overcome problems through willpower. Self-discipline. Faith in your abilities. Heroism. Protection. Energy. Vitality. Good health. Empowerment. Self-reliance. Gentleness. Endurance. Tact. Diplomacy. Love as a source of strength. Strength to endure despite all obstacles. The drive or will to survive. Love for what you do. Lust for life. An abundance of vital energy. Fortitude. Know thyself. The triumph of good over bad, justice over falsehood, reason against brutality, laughter against silence.

Summary:
If other people are driving you mad, don't forget that it's your compassion, your ability to see both sides of the argument, which will get you results. Most of all, understanding your own underlying motives and emotional responses will get you through any current difficulties.

The rulership implied in this card is one of self-dominion and implicit trust in your own abilities. A strong person doesn't need to exercise control over others. This strength comes from within and is based on wisdom, knowledge, and the belief you have in yourself. Strength implies a balance between the spiritual and material, and a harmony between opposing forces. Instead of fighting the beast, you tame it within yourself.

You have the innate ability to deal with whatever life brings. Draw on your enormous energy to break through and overcome obstacles. You seize control of your own destiny and move forward with your plans. By cultivating inner fortitude, you attract the contacts and opportunities you need. Willpower and determination conquer obstacles.

You will need to rely on inner strength, patience, and gentleness to solve your problems. Now is a time to have faith in yourself. Your position is strong and you are able to confront someone who has been pushing you around. You can channel your animal passions constructively to achieve good health and success. A tactful, diplomatic approach leads to success.

The strength indicated by this card is an inner one, such as fortitude, courage,  patience, integrity, compassion, resolve, generosity, understanding, and composure. This card indicates compassionate self-examination in order to achieve self-awareness. It says that when we are confronted with aspects of ourselves that we fear, we would do well to accept them and tame them. However, the intent should not be to control them, but to guide them and channel them into productive avenues. As long as we fail to acknowledge their presence, though, we risk being mauled by them.

Strength exists in a tender caress given in open vulnerability. Strength looks with love into the eyes of what she fears, knowing that it is the way to find her true self.

There are no enemies, only lovers yet unknown. We can react to fear by opening our heart. The force of the spirit can win out over arrogance and tyranny.

Intelligence, self-confidence, discipline and self-control can be more powerful than the venom of a snake. I am Ishtar, Assyrian goddess.

The Fey who makes a display of strength will be neither great nor powerful, because true strength is not shown off. Strength hides from eyes and laughs, while standing up to enemies and subduing them. There are no secrets behind strength, as it is clear like a mountain stream and raging like a rocky waterfall. And yet, even though there is much strength in those hands, they would count for nothing if the arms and fingers did not also know how to be gentle. There are many things to deal with, some insidious, but many great, terrifying and powerful. There is always a need for strength.

Strength also means an outlet for joy and energy from apathy and from the silence of weariness. It means finding lost things and never giving up. It means trusting in good and in oneself. Above all, it means courage and trust.

Questions:
How strong is your love? How are you being called upon to show courage and perseverance? What do you desire to create? What inner passions need to be expressed and reconciled? What is the "natural" or instinctive thing to do? Where can I be more compassionate? In what ways can I make my animal nature a peaceful companion?

The Emperor

Keywords & Phrases:

Structure. Authority. Regulation. Creating order out of chaos. Providing shape and form. Being organized. Applying reason. Coordinating. Sticking to a plan. Taking a leadership role. Commanding. Exerting control. Representing the establishment. Being in a position of strength. Setting direction. Establishing law and order. Power. Leadership. The power of reason. Orderly chaos. Establishing laws or family values. Taking control of a situation. Structured thought. Sticking to the rules. The animus. Ambition to reach the pinnacle of success. Confidence. Beginning and initiating new things. Action to the road to fulfillment. Life, passion, vision. Ordering, planning, building. Ordering your thoughts and energies. Seeking stability. Creating a stable situation in which to function. Relying on reason, power, and stabilization. The world of grownups. Masculine power and control. Self-assertion. Status. Dealing with authority. The outer world. The structures of society. The order we impose upon the world. The drive for achievement, success, respect, and stability. The impulse to create something of lasting value. Logic. Becoming your own person. Rational understanding. Facing the music.

Summary:

The Emperor represents structure, order, and regulation. He advocates a four-square world where trains are on time and games are played by rules. In chaotic situations, the Emperor can indicate the need for organization. Loose ends should be tied up, and wayward elements should be harnessed.

This card represents the masculine principle, the archetype of authority, fatherhood and leadership. When your inner Emperor is activated, you are ambitious and can manage your affairs efficiently. The Emperor reminds you that structure, organization, and the rulebook will get you the best results.

The Emperor suggests that you have the ability to use rational thought and direct action to achieve worldly success. This is a card of respect, stability, solidity, governance, and rationality. It shows you becoming your own person as you establish yourself in the world. Now is the time to act responsibly and organize a structured, stable environment.

He represents the order in our lives, the authority figures: bosses, fathers, government, police, courts, and society in general. He's about logic, reasoning, left-brain thinking, solidity, foundations. Part of the Emperor's work is to organize clusters of our root beliefs into conscious framework. Something you desire is starting to appear in your life, even if you can't see it yet. Your greatest strength is the desire of your will. You view every obstacle as a challenge. Through focused intent, you create the conditions conducive to finding and realizing your heart's desire, whatever it may be.

On a personal level, the Emperor can indicate structure, stability, and order in our lives. He tells us that in order to have a measure of control over the world around us, we first must be able to control ourselves; we must learn and practice self-discipline and self-control. He makes logical decisions based on reason. The Emperor is an authority figure whose domain encompasses secular issues (versus religious matters, about which the Hierophant is concerned). As such he is controlling, defining, and decision-making, generally exerting strong leadership. He can represent society as a whole, or he may be the embodiment of the social structure - either the abstract concept of it or a person who maintains that structure. Thus, the Emperor deals with the laws of society and the enforcement of them.

Consider something in your life that seems disordered or unmanageable, and then consider how this reflects a problematic aspect of yourself. It may be that you need more self-discipline, better time management, or a more orderly thought process. Commit to making an effort toward such self-improvement.

The Emperor is lord of the material world. He completes the Empress and is completed by her. He exercises his dominion guided by necessity and need, not by ambition. In the heart of the Emperor is the masculine principle of dominion. Pride is one of his defenses, as the burden of command weighs on his shoulders, and he is always ready for war and conflict.

I protect my country, I govern with justice and fight with valor. I am Athena, the supreme Greek goddess of battles, power, ingenuity and skill.

The Emperor is perfectly balanced with everything in proper little boxes. He can move smoothly through any environment, always keep chaos at bay.

To be authoritative we must be recognized as such and committed to building what we have promised.

Questions:

Where do your ambitions lie? What are you organizing, building, doing? What kind of Emperor are you - energetic and imaginative, or rigid and unreceptive? Who is establishing guidelines, parameters, and structures in your life? Who has the power and authority, and how is it being used?

The Tower

Keywords & Phrases:
Collapse of a structure. A bolt from the blue. End of an old way of life. Necessary change. Modification. Disruption. A jolting insight. Eureka moment. A striking revelation. Major transformation. A crisis point. A surprise. Unavoidable change. Release from bondage. Structural flaws. The death of an illusion. Liberation. Breaking free. Shocking spiritual enlightenment. Purging. Rapid change. Darkness dispelled. An illuminating flash that sets you free. Shattering false beliefs. Enlightenment. Separating the chaff from the wheat. A moment of truth. The walls come tumbling down. False security. Shattered pride. Crisis. Downfall. Collapse of certainty, of habits, of confidence. Defenses that fail, walls that shatter, doors that are flung open. Freedom from ignorance. Breakthrough. Revelation. Breakdown of the old to herald the new. Learn to adapt and adjust quickly. Unexpected challenges. Suddenly seeing the truth of the matter. Dramatic upheaval. Sudden change.

Summary:
The appearance of the Tower in a spread often heralds swift, shocking, and dramatic change. The usual structures of your life begin to crumble, and you must deal with the collapse of an old way of life. The upheaval associated with this card involves a moment of truth that forces you to rid yourself of false life structures and identify what you truly value. The structures imprisoning you must be shattered before you achieve enlightenment. The old order must dissolve to make way for the new. Unsound structures will come tumbling down.

Sudden and unexpected life changes form the core of the Tower's meaning. These changes seem to crash into your life out of nowhere. But if you're entirely honest with yourself about what you believe and the patterns you have set into motion in your life, you realize this card has appeared because of an inner urge to break free. The overthrow of existing conditions brings new opportunity and a fresh start.

Abrupt and unexpected though it may be, the change in one's life indicated by this card is often cleansing, cathartic, and liberating. It can be the proverbial kick in the butt we need to get us out of a bad or stagnant situation. Learn what we can from this change,  and see what order you can bring out of the resultant chaos. Hold on, persevere, and ride it out. Such experiences require faith and courage, but they can be very rewarding if we let them be.

When an important change is taking place, the only way to deal with the inevitable problems is to focus on the benefits that it will bring.

Things that were made one day are no longer. In as much as things can be trusted to time, it will devour them slowly and make them disappear. This is not a cause for anxiety, but of understanding the ephemeral, because everything vanishes; that does not mean it was in vein. The Fey closed in the tower watches the foundation of her house collapse and accepts that the world - today - is greater than her, and laughs.

Whatever happens can seem as if it is fated, that you are not responsible. But the Tower represents the structure you have built securely around yourself, your defense system, a crumbling old lighthouse warning danger. Sometimes locked within the many rooms of your lighthouse or tower are things that need throwing out, a de-clutter of emotions and feelings that no longer serve your current purpose.

The Tower's lightning strike is there to remind us that something needs to change. The inner world is just as unsafe as the outer and now is the time to be catapulted into awareness and be liberated from the old and worn out. This card asks you to welcome new challenges rather than avoid them. Rebuild from renewed strength and reach a new level of understanding about your self and your situation.

Sudden crises are life's way of telling you to wake up. How you respond to the Tower's change makes all the difference in how uncomfortable the experience will be. Recognize that the disruption occurred because it was needed. Perhaps embracing the change is too much to ask, but try to find the positive in it. You may have a burst of insight about your situation and reach a new level of understanding about it.

Self-importance, tyranny, and ignorance sparked the battle and caused many deaths. I am here to feed on their pain. I am Morrigan, Celtic goddess of war and destruction.

Questions:
How are you improving and restructuring yourself and your environment? What are you angry about? What structures in your life are breaking up? What has shattered your complacency? What sudden realization have you had? Are you holding onto beliefs that complicate my situation?

Wheel of Fortune

Originally posted 3/22.

Keywords & Phrases:

Change. Cycles. The wheel turns. Movement. Fate. Destiny. Progress. New doors open. The ups-and-downs of fortune. The end of one phase & the beginning of another. New chapters. Lady luck. Karma. Improving circumstances. The wheel of life. Turning point. Something unexpected. Serendipity. Go with the flow. The circle of life. This too shall pass. Transformation. Moving onward. Evolution. Opportunity. Metamorphosis. Moving on. Cause and effect. Inevitability. Timing. Turning point. Personal vision. Uncovering patterns and cycles.

Summary:

You are now entering a new cycle involving a fortunate set of circumstances that promise beneficial change and continuing progress. Forces in motion stimulate change and growth. Rapid changes offer new opportunities to improve your life. A chance circumstance may bring an end to past difficulties and herald a period of good fortune and success.

Our trials and tribulations, as well as our boons and good fortune, are all part of the greater cycle of life, and it also counsels us to deal with change through understanding, acceptance, and adaptation.

The Wheel of Fortune will turn and go and stop however it wishes. Although your actions power it, you can have no idea what really will come. So you may as well have fun while you're at it.

That which has will be again. The eternal cycles of life dominate our destiny.

Everything turns, time turns the reasons and the alternating fortunes of man. The wind turns and destiny turns, and everything is created and falls apart. Nothing in the material world is forever. But once the loss of things is accepted, then new things are born and change and evolution is accepted.

The Wheel of Fortune is all about luck and chance, but we can have good fortune and bad fortune - it is up to you to make choices that will lead to improving your sense of well-being or lifestyle. When you draw this card, the Wheel signifies that, even though you are part of the greater cycle or universal or collective energies, destiny is about taking responsibility for your actions rather than blaming those actions on "fate".

In readings, the Wheel of Fortune can indicate a vision or realization that strikes with great force. If you've been struggling with a problem or tough situation, this card can signal that you will find the answer if you stand back and view everything from a larger perspective. This card also represents unexpected encounters and twists of fate.

I am Arianrhod, Welsh goddess and lady of karma. Your destiny is my silver wheel that turns continuously, one moment in your favor, the next against you.

Questions:

What life changes are you experiencing? How are you adapting to these changes? What effects are you feeling from circumstances you put in motion previously? Is there something you need to resolve? How are your horizons expanding? Are you prepared to go with the flow? Am I alerted to unexpected opportunities when they knock?