These are the cards associated with the New Moon in Gemini.
So, right away my eye is pulled towards the Eight of Swords. This is a card of self-imposed limitations. “Stuck in our heads” so to speak. Illusionary thoughts that hold us back. The New Moon in Gemini is reminding us to go within and evaluate where these limiting beliefs and thoughts about ourselves are coming from.
The zodiac sign of Gemini is represented by The Lovers in the tarot. This is a card regarding decisions, balance and choices. The energy of Gemini (the twins) is all about the mind and balance. Gemini is “air” mental energy, it is associated with the swords suit. When I think of Gemini energy, an image comes to mind of the Gemini twins as attorneys in a courtroom. Each presenting their side in an intellectual, analytical format. This is how Gemini operates. There are always two sides to every situation to consider.
Gemini is a “get down to the facts”energy. It is not interested in all the minor details. Too many details just muddle things up. They are a distraction from the situation/decision at hand.
As we examine some of the beliefs about ourselves, the Gemini Moon encourages us to ask some questions and look at the facts. Is this true? What are the facts supporting these statements that I am telling myself? Is this information relevant at this present time? Could these limitations I place on myself be an illusion based on fear instead of facts?
Sometimes it is a good idea for us to step outside of ourselves and examine things impartially. Be your own attorney. Argue both sides from an outside perspective. This is where a lot of people find making a “pros and cons” list is helpful. Because it breaks things down in a written format. Pen to paper. It gets the emotions out of the way. To quote Joe Friday “Just the facts ma’am”.
As we move on, we see the Knight of Swords rushing in towards the Eight of Swords. This is a reminder, to slow down and think. If the Knight of Swords does not pull his horse back, both the knight and his horse will be sliced up by the eight swords that are surrounding the woman. In his haste to “rescue” the woman, The Knight of Swords can potentially severely harm himself, his horse, and the woman that he is rushing in to “save”. Are you making decisions based on facts, or are your emotions causing you to act erratically? You could end up making a situation worse, instead of better. The horse looks a little worried here, don’t you think?
Look at these three cards again, and ask the question. Am I self-sabotaging myself with my own mental limitations? And look at the Eight of Swords as it is positioned over The Magician. Perhaps these thoughts are not real. Are my emotions (see the water at her feet), keeping me stuck in this “trap” that in reality is simply a mental “illusion” of my own making?
The Magician on the bottom of the deck holds a few key messages in this reading as well. The Magician represents Mercury, which is the ruling planet of Gemini. Mercury is a dual natured energy as it represents both Gemini and Virgo. It corresponds to communication, thoughts, information, logic, reasoning, intellect, awareness. It can represent the communication of truth and lies. Mercury is the messenger of the gods. Interesting don’t you think? Media, television, the internet, radio, would all fall under Mercury’s jurisdiction. This is something to keep in mind.
A small detail that I noticed as I glanced at the Eight of Swords and The Magician is the blindfold. Notice in the Eight of Swords the blindfold covers her eyes. The Magician is wearing a headband. In this reading, I interpret it as his blindfold pulled up over the eyes. The Magician sees clearly.
The Magician stands alone. This is a reminder for us not to rely on others to “save us”, nor to take information at face value. Remember, Mercury communicates both truth and lies. This goes for the lies we tell ourselves, as well as the lies that we are told by others. Gemini as I mentioned above, looks at both sides. Checks out the facts from multiple sources and/or viewpoints then makes an informed decision based on what Gemini knows for itself to be true. This is what we see in The Lovers card. One must look at the facts, and then make our own choices based on what is true for ourselves.
New Moon in Gemini encourages us to take off the blindfold! All is not what it appears to be. Taking action before understanding the truth of an issue is self-sabotage. This goes for us individually as well as collectively.
Slowing down, utilizing critical thinking (is this true? does this make sense?) and using your inner truth as a compass are the keys that will allow the woman in the Eight of Swords, to walk out of her prison to meet the Knight of Swords. Both unscathed, they will then ride on the white horse (truth) and thus transform into the balanced energy of The Lovers.
“A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.” ― Saul Bellow,
This meme is a wonderful representation of the symbolism of the Page of Wands in the tarot
The symbolism of the tarot is everywhere, just as I stated in the title of this post. It’s funny, because once one becomes proficient with the tarot, you will will see what I am talking about. You will see the tarot in people, places, situations, movies, etc. I have found that working with the tarot gives me a unique perspective on the world. The conscious and subconscious both work together to use the images of the tarot as a “quick reference” guide to assess the encounters in our every day lives. Sometimes my dreams include tarot cards, or symbols from them! LOL!
I posted a video on my facebook page, wherein I used tarot cards to tell the story of the lyrics to the song “Closer to Fine” by the Indigo Girls. The finished product, looks simple. But this took quite while to put together. There are many subtleties in the tarot. In addition, I challenged myself to use only one deck to “build” the story as it pertained to the song. I embedded the video below:
Using tarot cards to tell the story of the song Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls
I plan on doing more of these in the future. It was not only a great mental exercise, but it was a lot of fun!
Tarot does require an open mind. Let’s face it, many people fear these cards. There are many misunderstandings about this art form. And yes, working with the tarot IS an art! A lot of old programming and baggage comes to the surface when people encounter the tarot. But I think it’s more than that. On a deeper level, I don’t think they even realize what it is that makes them uncomfortable.
The tarot is full of archetypal symbolism. These are the symbols that we understand on a “soul” level. This is the core of how the subconscious communicates. Symbols, imagery, feelings, intuition, memories (including dna & soul memories). Most people are “asleep” and don’t go poking around “inside” themselves very much. But our subconscious is running in the background all the time. It is calling the shots, and most people are not even aware of it.
Take out the tarot cards in a room full of people, and you will see a mixture of reactions. Some are curious and start asking questions, some immediately want a “reading” or for you to tell them their future, some scoff at them as if they are some dirty joke, others react in fear. This is where it gets interesting. Some people leave (flee), and others go on the attack. Flight or Fight. Both reactions are from fear! I have to wonder, what was triggered on a subconscious level in those people to make them react in such a way to some cards?
I find this strange. Look at the movies, tv shows, etc. that we watch every day for entertainment. Killings, abuse, assaults of all kinds, pornography, you know what I am talking about. And I am not even going to go into video games. Really? People watch this junk and let their children watch it too. It has a terrible effect on the psyche. Yet this is just fine. But then those same people will react with fear and/or aggression to some cards? I don’t get it. Well, actually I believe I do, but that is a subject for a future post
More and more though, people are becoming open minded about the tarot which is great! The tarot is a powerful tool to help one navigate the inner self. Used in this way, it’s similar to having your own personal therapist/counselor at your disposal at any time! The tarot encourages us to “go deep”. It’s amazing what the cards show us.
Tarot has become especially popular recently, with the younger, modern generations. Many of them are artists that are producing their own tarot decks. There are so many different ones out now. When people ask my advice, I tell them to start with the classic Rider Waite Smith deck. This is the “basic” deck that most other decks base their symbolism on. After one has the basic knowledge, have some fun shopping around. Everyone will be able to find decks that they resonate with. I’ve got quite a growing collection myself!
I repeat again, working with the tarot is an art form! When working with the cards, I go into an altered state just like any other person does when they are in the process of “creating”. When the conscious mind moves aside and the subconscious takes over. Writers, artists, chefs, dancers, painters, etc. know exactly what I am talking about. When you are so “tuned in” to what you are doing, that you truly are outside of time and the material world for a while.
Just like any other skill, the tarot takes practice and study. There is always something new to learn or a new insight. One never truly “masters” the tarot. To me, that is one of the joys of it. It’s an ongoing rabbit hole that allows one to go deeper and deeper into the realm of the subconscious. Once one begins working with the tarot, there is no turning back!
The “magic” of the cards is the integration of the symbolism of the tarot and the intuition. With each shuffle, a broader view of understanding awaits.
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.” ~Lewis Carroll
The Empress from the “After Tarot” deck and “Gaia” from Love Your Inner Goddess Oracle
Today, is a celebration of the beauty of the Empress. The Mother in all her forms. Without the role of the Mother, there is no physical manifestation. She literally “gives birth” to creation. The Mother is the bridge/link between the realm of spirit (divine) and the physical world.
And when the creation is birthed into the world, it is the Mother that cares for it until it is strong enough to care for itself.
Is there any energy more pure than a mother’s love for her child?
The mother is vastly underappreciated in our society. To me, every day is Mother’s Day! A mother is always a mother. She doesn’t take “time off” from her role, ever. There is also no time limit either on the mother’s love for her children. Even when they are grown adults, they are still “her babies”.
Every mother is an “Empress”. Not a Queen, an Empress.
May all the mothers out there be celebrated like royalty today and every day!
On May 7, 2020 the full moon will be in the sign of Scorpio. Scorpio is known as a very “intense” sign. Dark and mysterious, this zodiac sign corresponds to the Death card in the major arcana of the Tarot. This card’s image can be quite startling when one first sees it. It certainly has had it’s fair share of bad press in the movies, such as the James Bond movie, Live and Let Die.
The Death card represents Scorpio in the tarot’s major arcana
But when one takes the time to analyze the symbolism of this card, we find that it is not a “bad” or “good” card. For Death is neither bad nor good. It just is. Death is inevitable, as it is part of the cycle of life. Death is the catalyst, that opens the door to transformation. Death clears the way for the new.
The Scorpio sign has “levels” of transformation symbols associated with it. Not represented by just one aspect as most of the other signs are, my research uncovered as few as three (Scorpion, Snake, Phoenix) and as many as seven (Spider, Scorpion, Lizard, Snake, Wolf, Eagle, and Phoenix). Scorpio is in a constant state of transformation. It is a very complex sign.
Scorpio with it’s ruling outlying planet Pluto, as you would expect, is a sign known for being intuitive, dark and mysterious. Scorpios, as a fixed water sign, are not afraid to dive into the dark depths of the murky waters in search of the truth, and the deeper meaning of life. Naturally suspicious, Scorpios do not blindly accept what they are told. They will research, and rely on their intuition to discover what they feel is the truth. It’s very difficult to lie to a Scorpio! It’s not a good idea either.
I will discuss this subject in more detail in the future. But for now, I feel you have a pretty good idea about the energy of this sign. We have more ground to cover, so let’s move on.
The full moon in Scorpio this month falls on May 7, 2020. Not only does it fall on the 7th day of the month, but the numerology of the month, day and year, 5+7+4 = 16, which when broken down to a single digit, equals 7. That’s significant to me.
Number 7 in numerology is known as the seeker, the thinker, spiritual mysteries and the occult. This energy is one that does not take information at face value. Number 7 always digs deeper, as it wants to understand the hidden truths behind the “illusion”. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz embodied the aspect of number 7 when she revealed the little man behind the curtain that was responsible for the illusion of “The Great Wizard”.
Number seven sounds a lot like Scorpio doesn’t it? Put these energies together with the full super moon (the final super moon of 2020), and let’s not forget the Eta Aquarid meteor shower that just occurred, and wow! Need I say more? How many signs from the universe do you need? (laugh)
The Moon card in the tarot is one of intuition, things hidden, mystery, intrigue. Not being able to see the entire picture. Deceit by illusion. Smoke, mirrors and shadows. The moon sheds light on our subconscious. It reveals what we are afraid of and what we choose not to acknowledge. During the day, it’s easy to ignore these things. We are busy working, living our lives.
Think about it. The things that live in the dark, are there during the day. Not acknowledged, but there. But in the stillness of the night, this is where these things come out from underneath our bed. As a society, what are the things we have chosen not to see? Well, quite a lot, actually.
So with all that being said, here are the cards for the full moon in Scorpio:
Tarot Spread for the Full Moon in Scorpio May 7, 2020
We have The Hierophant, which represents Taurus, fixed earth. This is the zodiac sign of the sun at this time. Death, which represents the sign of the Scorpio, fixed water, the sign of the moon. The Six of Cups, which represents the decan also associated with this moon. And of course The Moon, which is the underlying energy of the reading. Well this should be fun!
I’m sure if you are reading this blog, you are aware of the huge shift in consciousness that is going on right now. This is reflected in the cards. The Hierophant is a card of structure, organized religion, traditions, teachings, the “socially accepted” spiritual authority. But the Hierophant can also represent social structure in other forms as well, schools, government, etc. Any type of structure from which there is a hierarchy. It is also a card of the masculine, conscious aspect of our connection to the divine. As opposed to The High Priestess, which is the feminine, subconscious aspect. The Hierophant “conveys” the teachings, The High Priestess encourages us to do our own research and find the answers within. In their highest properties, they both have their place. Yin and Yang.
I know I have mentioned this before, but I do feel we are seeing many things being revealed to us. We are finally realizing (on a mass scale) that not everything we are told by those in authority is the truth. Sure, there are still many who are blind to this truth, but this is changing. Those people who were called “conspiracy theorists” a few years ago, are turning out to be some our best allies at this time. They open our minds and eyes to encourage us to engage in critical thinking. Ask questions. Do your research. Learn our true history. The information that was once kept hidden is now accessible to us. There is simply no excuse anymore for ignorance.
Hopefully, you have been doing the work. Look at the Death card again. Does Death look like it’s playing? If you are too ignorant and stuck in your old ways to move along with the current of change, Death is going run you over just like he ran over that old King!
This full moon in Scorpio, is the Death card riding in to transform our consciousness. The half truths wrapped in lies that we have believed for so long, has caused a lot of suffering in this world. We are moving quickly into the new age of Aquarius. The old stodgy ways just aren’t going to cut it anymore.
The Moon in Scorpio is one that is not afraid to illuminate the ugly parts of our society. For one cannot change what one will not acknowledge. This is why we are seeing all this exposure and chaos right now. This is the decay that is the process of death. It’s ugly and it stinks.
And of course, the old systems want to hang on because it works for them. The Death card, even in the reversed position, is still death. The systems hanging on is that fixed earth energy being represented. It is quite an undertaking to move a big bull when he plants his feet in the ground. It can be done however. The bull can be mean though, let’s not forget. And right now, he is angry and injured. He will not go down without a fight. We must be ready so that we are not gored by the bull’s horns.
With Death comes the rebirth. Here we move on to the Six of Cups. A sweet card, one of youth, nostalgia, innocence. In this reading, I also get the message of sincere apologies. I think this is the acknowledgement of the societal ugliness that I mentioned before. Making things right. This is what the Universe is wanting for us. That big immovable earth energy that we were looking at before, has been transformed by Death into a beautiful garden. The earth element is now the soil inside the chalices from which new life (the flowers) spring forth from.
Universal Laws teach us that there is always a balance to be maintained. So let’s not forget that there will always be light and dark. For one cannot exist without the other. However, the balance has been lopsided for a very long time. We are in the midst of a course correction.
Death is riding in, with his flag flying high to clear the path to let the new, fresh, youthful energies come in. Death is not emotional, like I mentioned before. Death just is. When something reaches the end of it’s lifespan, it dies. That’s it. Death is not complex. We make it that way. The planetary alignments have been preparing us for this catalyst for a while. Those who have been paying attention see it very clearly. Those who have not, are in for a rude awakening!
So, as I mentioned the number 7 was prevalent for this full moon as well. The #7 card in the major arcana, is The Chariot. And since this turned out to be such a “big energy” reading, I pulled another Moon card from The After Tarot deck, and the seventh card from the Destiny’s Portal oracle deck. It’s a “darker themed” deck, which I thought was appropriate for this moon.
Check this out!
The Charioteer encounters The Moon in Scorpio! “And just where do you think you’re going”
And here we have The Charioteer coming face to face with the Dark Queen, the perfect representation of The Moon in Scorpio. And the plot thickens.
Just like The High Priestess, The Goddess (The Moon), is a Dark Goddess here. She is literally standing in the middle of the path. It’s as if she is saying to the Charioteer. “And just where do you think you’re going?”
The Dark Goddess has been waiting for this moment for a while, it seems. She is the gatekeeper. Just like The High Priestess.
And The Chariot comes screeching to a halt.
It’s time to admit, the feminine on this planet has been oppressed and abused for a very long time. And now, The Charioteer must face her. She is the dark subconscious, she is what you fear, what you loathe, the parts of yourself that you will not face, or even admit that is part of you. She is what the ego keeps stuffed down deep inside. She is the mother that has allowed herself to be abused because she loved you. The love that your ego thought that it could do without. The feminine that is inside of all of us, will not be ignored any longer. For humanity cannot advance until she is acknowledged and shown the proper respect.
She looks a little pissed. And she has a right to be. Quite frankly, I feel she is long overdue for an apology.
And now here she is. Standing in front us. Blocking our path. She is beautiful, and she is frightening. She has some questions for us. And only if we answer them correctly will we be allowed to continue forward. And if we have not done the homework, we will not know the correct answers.
That would be a tragedy. There on the precipus of the great awakening, The Chariot would remain stuck. The sphinxes will not move because they are not working together as Yin and Yang. Not looking ahead, but looking in different directions as they will not face the Dark Goddess. Their egos, will tell them to try to go around her. Like they have always done. Ahhh, but there is no going forward “around” the Goddess. The path “around” the Goddess is just one big circle. You’ll be back again and again until you have learned the lessons and can answer her questions correctly.
Are you ready to face the Dark Goddess? Are WE ready to face her? I guess we will find out.
The Queen of Spades (Swords) card from the Illuminated Tarot deck and The Queen of Swords from the Rider Waite Smith deck
For a unique visual comparison, here are the Queen of Spades (Swords) from the Illuminated Tarot deck and the Queen of Swords from the Rider Waite Smith deck.
The Queen of Swords is the most masculine, feminine archetype in the tarot. The Queen of Swords embodies feminine intellect, compassion and connection combined with objectivity, strategy, intelligence and ambition.
When I see this card, I think of successful mature women in positions of authority in the corporate business world, judges, surgeons and successful entrepreneurs. That sort of energy and drive that leads to success. She is respected as an expert in her field. Her success did not come easy though. It was earned through hard work, education, focus, and courage. Her tenacity and intellect was how she succeeded, in spite of insurmountable odds against her.
She does what she needs to do to accomplish her goals or to make it through a situation. She keeps her eye on the prize with laser sharp focus. She has been through a lot, we see this by looking at the traces of rope that still remain on her wrists. But she does not wallow in self-pity. She used those experiences as lessons that made her the strong, successful woman that we see in this card. We don’t know who she WAS, but she is a Queen NOW.
As I look at the Queen of Spades card on the left, I am reminded of Joan of Arc. She embodied some powerful Queen of Swords energy! She did what she had to do to accomplish her goals. And if that meant, cutting her hair and posing as a man to get it done, well so be it! The Queen of Swords energy does not back down in the face of adversity.
I wonder, who is it that we cannot see, that is standing in front of this powerful woman in this image? You can bet, if one goes in front of the Queen of Swords you better “come correct”. She can see your BS coming from a mile away! She’s brutally honest with you, and she expects the same honesty in return. She knows the game, and you can bet she plays it better than you. Save your sweet talking for someone else. She has no time for that.
This is not the character you go to if you need a nurturing hug! But if you need some good advice from someone who has seen it and been through it, this is your lady. Be ready though, because she tells it like it is!
Look at the image closely. The small detail of the cut ropes on her wrists tells her story. She was not always a Queen. At one time, she was bound, just like many of us were or are. She shows us that not letting our emotions get the better of us, is the key to our freedom and success. Sometimes, we must rely on our head, not our hearts. Suck it up, make that tough decision and do what must be done. Use that sword!
No, the Queen of Swords did not wait for a hero to save her. She saved herself.
And when she realized just how powerful she is, she became a Queen.
