What About April?

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Some people say that one should not use tarot as a predictive tool for oneself. I disagree. I need to know what is going to happen in April when teacher contracts come up for renewal. It has been on the news that each school in our county will lose three to six teachers. I have only been in county for two years (this is my third) and I am up for tenure at the end of this year, April. Needless to say, I am anxious whether or not I will be laid off due to budget cuts.

I drew the Ace of Wands and IX Hermit.

To be honest, this is not the first reading I did on this situation, of course. When I first heard about it, I immediately got my mini-Visconti tarot out of my desk drawer (when my students were at PE) and did a 4-Square. Long story short, I am seventh on the short-list of layoffs and the Principal will do what she can to keep me where I am. This was overall good news. The cards also told me not to worry. Since then, a seven has come up twice in different questions surrounding this issue.

What these cards tell me is that I will be alone in the group of teachers that started teaching at this school with me. A few will be moving on to other schools, as I know they are unhappy with us there. And, a couple signed their annual contracts after me and will be required to leave, by law, before I have to.

The Ace of Wands signifies the tenure contract itself, and the Hermit means that I will stand alone from those who will be forced out.

I feel a bit better, but there will be a sword hanging over all out heads until April. It will be a long wait.

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Tattoo Work Today?

My query was a simple one, and it wasn't really a question (nor even a complete sentence), "Tattoo work today?" I wanted overall feeling and/or advice about having my sleeve finished, once and for all. My friend who happens to be a tattoo artist has agreed to do it for $250. I want to have it done and over with!

I did my 4-Square Summary Spread:

1 - 3

2 - 4

1. What is known
2. What is unknown
3. What should be done
4. What should not be done

9 of Cups in the position of "What is known" indicates that this is the very end of an almost eight year long wait to have this tattoo finished. I started to think about getting this tattoo in the late 80's, got the work done in 2001. And now at the beginning of 2009 I am finally getting it completed. This card here is the very end of a long journey in body art to say the least. I like to have this positional meaning for the simple reason that it confirms that the reading is actually about what I asked, and not some other matter.

III Empress in the "What is unknown" position implies that the procedure will be more comfortable than I anticipate. I say "more comfortable" here because clearly it will be painful, as the artist will be digging needles and ink into my flesh! But look how laid back she looks. The person doing the work is a close personal friend and, I must admit, I do get pleasure out of the pain involved in tattooing, particularly when he is doing it.

8 of Pentacles in the "What should be done" shows the tattoo artist working diligently. It is suitable that the figure, a "fox," is doing the work. There is even a table there, much like the one one lays on to have work done. This is a positive affirmation that I should indeed have it done today, at least worked on. The implication is that it won't get done completely, at least not in one sitting, but it will be worked on throughout the day.

3 of Wands is "What should not be done." Ha! Just look at the character, standing forelornly on the shore as his ship sets sail. The intuitive flash I got when I saw this card was, "Don't wait! Strike when the iron is hot." I was told to phone at 12 noon today so that he could check his appointment book (we texted back-and-forth last night) because he couldn't think off the top of his head what his schedule was like. But since I have a tight schedule today and working late afternoon, everything is telling me to just show up at the tattoo parlor and have it on with.

If only all tarot card readings could be this direct.

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Why Should I Go See a Nutrionist?

A few people have suggested that I go see a nurtionist in order to maximize gains in health. I exercise regularly and keep pretty fit, but it is frustrating to continue to have a bit of a weight problem. I say "a bit" because it isn't as if I were obese or that I look bad at all, it's that I am concerned that my health will suffer the consquences later in ten years time. Health has always been a big part of my life and it will continue to be.

I looked on-line and my health insurance covers the cost of seeing a nutrionist. 

The card that came out in the most important one was XI Justice. This card feels like it is about time that I took this step. Not only this, but it would be beneficial for me to see a specialist about this. The aspect of time is present in this card, also. This card is in the center of the Major Arcane sequence (22 ÷ 2 = 11) in this deck. Justice here is also indicative of my chronological age as I approach middle age.

The second card, the one on the right or the "active principal" of the reading, is what I am doing now or how I feel about going to see a nutrionist. obviously if I am asking the question then I am undecided about doing it. 8 of Swords sums this up rather well. Just by looking at the card one can see that I don't want to see the obvious, to see that I will benefit from going to see this doctor. Now it is a matter of setting this particular goal myself. I am more than able to do it, but whether or not I want to make the time to do it is another story completely. The kitty's hands are more than free to remove the blindfold yet he doesn't do it. This is me refusing to see the the clear message my body is trying to send me, that I need to be more proactive about what I eat, not necessarily the amount of food, which seems to be neglible in how  I gain or lose weight, but the quality of food that I eat. There may even be some allergies that I am experiencing, and symptoms that I am ignoring, that the doctor can help me out with.

The "passive principal" on the left, II High Priestess, promises a new outlook in this new area. It could also be the doctor herself. The is a person who is wise beyond her years and may be the much needed executor of advice for me right now. As this card lay on the left, it is something I don't have to do anything about! It is there for the pickens. And I pay into my healthcare account I might as well use what I pay for, right? Get the most out of my investment.

Adding XI Justice and II High Priestess (the two Majors) gives us XIII Death. This is a card that returns again and again in my readings lately, and change is in the air. The absent element is "Fire" (no wands), as XI Justice is Air-Libra, II High Priestess is Earth-Moon and XIII Death is Water-Scorpio. The energy of exercise, whcih this reading is not about and couldn't be expected to be seen here, is carefully balanced (again we have an idea of balance) with the follow-up activity of simply seeing a nutrionist.

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A Curious Dream

I had a strange and evocative dreams last night. The characters in it were my partner John and my mother's new husband, whom she married after being widowed for five years. In the dream, John and I had to go to Washington because I had been nominated to sit on the Supreme Court. This was in the midst of my trying to find some Mozart music to play on the piano. Of course this whole thing is plain silly. My stepfather was there too, but only to be supportive. (I still don't know what his presence meant in the dream except for possible a feeling of general acceptance of my and John's relationship.) At the swearing in ceremony, the officiant (whom I either didn't recognize or don't remember exactly who was) held up a wooden spoon to the sky. We all laid hands on it, as if it were a holy idol, and swore allegiance to it. It was all very strange. Needless to say I wanted to do a reading on it!

I used the The Opening of the Key Spread and used a spread by Aecletic Member Amaretta called Dream decoding simple spread:

1.....2.....3

4

1. What was it all about? This card shows what did actually happen in the dream, what the whole story was about.
2. Why did you see it in a dream? This card indicates the situation in your real life which could produce that dream.
3. What was that dream for? This card contains some wisdom your unconsciousness try to tell you about the situation recognized by the card 2.
4. The practical advice. This card tells what you must practically do to resolve the problem.

“What was it all about?” VI Lovers confirms that this dream was about my relationship. This is no surprise, as I got these cards from the “Heh” stack. This letter represents the element water and concerns itself with, what else, interpersonal relationships. Don’t you love it when tarot is so direct?! If only all cards could be so simple.

“Why did you see it in a dream?” XIII Death would be a strange card to have in this position, but Amaretta clarifies this by saying, “This card indicates the situation in your real life which could produce that dream.” Since this card has been coming up to describe what is going on with me physically, the changes I am going through as I approach middle age (gracefully, I might add), it stands to reason that this card is referring back to this issue. (On a side note this card has come up in two different decks in two different readings recently.) As we both move through life together, it is inevitable that we change. This card indicates a physical change, again, as it has come up as such before. But it is typically a card indicating "Scorpio," suggesting that some emotional change will also be an issue. 

"What was that dream for?" 6 of Pentacles is an altruistic card. It reminds me that I need to be patient as we make this journey together. The wooden spoon in the dream is the stablility of our relationship, its core. In Feng Shui, the element Wood is the center element. It is the one element that all of us have in common. The other elements lie in different directions depending on the day, time, and season that one is born on. The spoon is a cooking utensil, too. And sharing food, and by extension sharing a home, is the most intimate activity that two people can share. Reading this card in comparison with the XIII Death card shows me that no matter what changes we find ourselves going through, that our intimacy will win through and is the most important aspect of spending our lives together.

"The practical advice" of the King of Pentacles suggests to me that I should concentrate on being in control of my own health (and sobriety) and not worry about my other half's. To be honest, I don't like the fact that he still smokes, even if it is just a little bit. He is fourteen years older than me, so this too is an issue. And he has the odd glass of wine which I don't like. So this card really is about my svardharma, my "finding my own way" on not at all about trying to force John to find his. Who knows, he may have already found it! Who am I to say. The advice of this reading, as the King of Pentacles says, is to make sure my own house is in order and perhaps others will want what I have got (i.e., my sobriety) and go through any lengths to get it.

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Visitation from Higher-Ups

Our school has been designated by the higher-ups to be visited by "people." This is not because we are on some kind of doo-doo list with the county, contrary, we seems to be doing things right. And "they," County people, want to see what exactly it is that we are doing in our classrooms.

I suppose we should be flattered, but it is still nerve-racking not knowing when they are going to show up and whom they will want to visit. So I asked the cards if my classroom will be one of those visited. I decided to use The Opening of the Key Spread this morning; my Significator was The King of Swords. My Significator was in was the group of cards called the "Vau" stack, aligned with the third letter of the Ineffible Hashem (name) and relating to Material Success. So very appropos.

The cards I got surrounding my The King of Swords were 7 of Swords and 7 of Wands, two dates that are nowhere near where the visits will be taking place¹. Since I see sevens as numbers of perfection or completion, I believe that two other teachers, those who have their proverbial s**t together more than I do, will be visited. These are younger teachers who do more of the program than I do (they are in their twenties and straight out of school). But they are very much the same in terms of teaching style and personality. That's all I have to say about these cards. Recall that I was doing the opening of The Opening of the Key Spread and these cards were not "dignified" yet were surrounding my Significator.

The cards that were dignified were XIX The Sun and Queen of Chalices:

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Very few RWS-style decks have the impact on me that this one does in that it draws attention to waht the characters are doing in it. I think it's the eyes. Look how the figures are looking to the past  The baby kanga in the pouch, XIX The Sun, is symbolic of my class (I teach Second Grade) and their waving a little flag in recognition and welcome. I, too, stand eagerly awaiting either visit, a waiting period that will be just that---waiting. The Queen of Chalices is a personality card that speaks of fixation of purpose (I feel court cards are astrological in archetype and queens are the fixed signs, not cardinal).

So, although I am prepared for a visit, my classroom and plans are ready for it, and I would be a good example for the school, chances are that I will be bypassed yet again this year for a visit. 

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¹The two time cards surrounding my Significator were the 7 of Swords and 7 of Wands, meaning "between the 8th week after Winter solstice and the 8th week after Spring equinox." This is a six month period from mid-February to mid-June.

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Reading About Gaza

This morning I read a comment someone made on facebook about ending the seize of Gaza and contacting the incoming U.S. Administration to halt it. This hit a sore spot with me. Who are we in the United States to oppose it? Who are we to support it? Logging in later tonight I found an utterly offensive picture (which is probably a fake) in an effort to persuade Americans to choose one side or the other. I firmly believe in Israel's right to defend itself from Hamas, but there isn't enough information on the subect, unbiased information that is, to make any sound judgment. But still my conviction remains, and I must stand as one with Israel.

Going into this reading, my question was "Why do I feel so strongly about Israel's right to defend itself?" As the meditation-reading progressed, the outcome changed, as did the focus or question in intent.

I drew the 7 of Swords.

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Obvious at first are the two swords that are left behind. I see this as the two camps over here in the U.S., one which supports, or in the very least attempts to understand, what Israel is doing, and the other camp that does not nor cares to. It occurs to me that those who oppose this offensive would be opposed to any violence against any group of people, no matter what. Those who feel a kinship with the Israeli civilians, those who agree that Hamas firing rockets for seven (the seven again) years into Southern Israel, will feel the exact opposite. There are the informed and the uninformed, in other words. One might say that there are the franchised and disenfanchised.

Two swords are also indicative of two sides to the truth---"ours" and "theirs." Often times the "theirs" is seen as propaganda and vice versa; each side thinks they are in the right. This is the nature of war, is it not?

Bottom line with this reading is that there isn't anything any of us can do with this conflict except wait it out. (This is the point at which my mind begins to change.) Also I do not feel obligated to support a government on either side that refuses to make concessions to the other. Like it or not, swearing to destroy the Jew and the nation of Israel or not, Hamas is the government that the Palestinians chose to represent them. 

The five swords, ruled by Saturn the Planet of limitations, reminds me that I need to divorce myself mentally and spiritually from what Israel is doing as a secular society. This is the only way I can feel solidarity with the Klal Israel and (the citizens of worldwide Jewry) while at the same time distancing myself from politics. (I have found this to be true here in the United States when it comes to the culture wars. And, boy, do my problems seem trivial now!)

The two swords that are on their own, which I as the character in the card am studying, reminds me once again that I should not fall into the trap of oppositional politics. This inevitably is no good for my health. My time is best spent affecting change in the wider world through acts of loving kindness (g’milut chasadim) instead of concerning myself with matters of government. I need to look at this crisis not in bitterness but as a galvanizing force in my life. What do I really need to support? A war on the other side of the world which will clearly be won by the mightier military? Should I rejoice in this? No. My energies are best spent elsewhere. I will take my swords and go play in another sandbox, thank you very much.

The moon in this card is also a reminder that this too shall pass, as the phases of the moon, not that I am belittling the plight or pain of others in Gaza and in Southern Israel because I am not. This is simply an effective way of coping, of reconciling the connection I have with Jews as a people while at the same time distancing myself from their civic government.

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Reading On "What to Focus On"―Outcome Far in the Future

I asked the deck "What do you have to show me and in what time frame?" Interestingly enough, after picking up the deck, the question morphed into, "What do I have to tell you (and in what time frame)?" in my mind's eye. It was definitely as if there was an external influence there. This doesn't happen often.

Thereby the focus of the deck immediately shifted into the first person singular. It was truly as if this deck were speaking to me!

Not surprisingly then, the top card was 2 of Swords (again!) and the bottom card was V Hierophant.

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The 2 of Swords came up in my reading from last week. This suggests that this is going to be far more of a "meditation" deck than a "readings for others" deck. The 2 of Swords falls in the realm of Yesod (Hebrew for Foundation), as it is a "long" suit and aligns opposite upon the Tree of Life schematic. The very premise for this deck and what I will glean from it in the next few months, is preparation for the period of time¹ that the deck itself intimated.

The XX Judgement card also comes into clearer focus because of the scrutiny I must undergo in order to make the conversion official. This is not scrutiny into my personal life; I am not converting into the Orthodox; but into my spiritual development and my intention to bring about personal change (tikkune) and societal change (tikkun olam).

For this reading, V Heirophant echoes the sentiment of the 2 of Swords (NB the crossed keys at the owl's feet) and reminds me of the bimah from which I will be officiating my first Haftorah portion², a second reason of the importance of the dates (explanantion footnoted) given by the tarot.

The wise owl did not get to where he is by being idle and not studying. This period of time between now and then is only 7 months. This is a very short period of time in terms of preparation. 

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¹The two time cards surrounding my Significator was the 2 of Wands and 8 of Chalices, meaning "between the 13th week after Spring equinox and 7th week after Summer solstice." This is an eight-week period from mid-August to mid-October.

²i.e. my adult Bar Mitzvah. 

Card images © Lo Scarabeo ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Used by Permission

I haven't done a new deck reading in a few years. But something drew me in with The Magical Forest and I thought I would give it a shot. Let's preface the reading by saying that I think this deck is cutesy but creepy at the same time. Right up my alley! I threw three cards. The first card was "What can this deck show me?" The second, "What can I hope to get from this deck?" And the third, "What will I fear about this deck?"

The first card was Two of Swords. While looking through the deck, I noticed that this deck is strongly based on the Rider Waite Smith, more so than other RWS "clones" I have in my collection. I take this card to mean that this deck will enable me to look at the original (lowercase "o") RWS through a new set of eyes. There will be a time when reading with my old trusty (which I normally use when friends come over and want a reading, for comfort-level's sake) that I will say, "Oh, hadn't seen this before!" But only because The Magical Forest will have the effect that will be like lifting a blindfold after a long rest.

The second card, The Empress, is the deck's softer side coming out. My readings, particularly with the RWS, tend to be direct and brash. There isn't a whole lot of room for my intuition and/or numerology to take over because of the cut-and-dried pictures in it. Sometimes this is a distractor and sometimes a galvanizer. Perhaps this deck will show me that I can use both equally (my intuition and my direct-skills approach) when reading with (eventually) the good old trusty RWS when guests come over.

The third card, Judgement, made me immediately think, "Uh-oh, this deck is going to tell it like it is!" There is no wiggle-room here for sugar-coating. It may seem an easy trap to fall into with a deck with furry, magical forest creatures, but I shouldn't delude myself to think that this will not be a forward-speaking deck for me.

Quintessential card (adding the Majors and subtracting 22, ala the Hermetic method) I get The Magician. What an appropriate card to get with The Magical Forest! This suggests that this would be a good party reading deck, whimsical and fun, but with a dark side. Party fun!

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