The Hanged Man

A serene looking man hangs upside down by his left leg, this is The Hanged Man. Perhaps you see this man as Odin hanging from Yggdrasil in living death to gain knowledge of runes. Or maybe you see St. Peter, insisting to be hung upside down because he was not as holy as Christ. Both men sacrificed themselves to a higher purpose as perhaps this man is doing. I see this person as The Fool/ Hermit awaiting yet another transformation. At this point in his journey his life is in suspension waiting for the judgement of his most recent life to be passed.

1 Around his head there is a halo. Halos have long been a sign of an enlightened, and holy person. The halo we see here is no different. He has been enlightened by the experiences of his life past and has readjusted his mindset to accommodate his new knowledge. The expression on his face is calm, this is the respite between important events and he is appropriately apathetic.

2 His clothes tell the tale of change. While his legs are clothed in red, a color of passion, excitement, and fury; his upper body is clothed in blue, a color that is synonymous with calmness and healing. This symbolizes a reversal of the mind and in one's way of life.

3 He is held to the gallows above him by a single rope. His right leg is crossed while his left leg is held out straight and tied up. As the left side is associated with higher consciousness it tells us that he has renounced his previous way of life, and is currently being controlled by his spirit. The right leg is crossing the left. This could mean the submission and repentance of his conscious mind or it could simply be pointing to the fact that he is at a crossroad in his journey.

4 The gallows themselves are in the shape of a Tau Cross. This symbol is associated with two particularly famous religious figureheads involved with death and resurrection, Tammuz and Christ. This symbolizes the upcoming changing of life's forces. He is about to experience a regeneration of sorts as a new soul.

5 The background is white, suggesting a neutral surrounding. Everything that is about to happen will happen within and because of him. His surrounding has no influence over the next stage of his life.

Key Words: Transition. Abandonment. Sacrifice. Awaiting transformation. Life in suspension. Readjustment. Respite between important events. Apathy. Change. Reversal of the mind and in one's way of life. Renunciation. Repentance. Changing of life's forces. Regeneration.

When Using Reverse Meanings: This person is preoccupied with their ego, they aren't willing to make the personal sacrifice necessary to allow their higher consciousness to take over. Or perhaps they have sacrificed themselves unnecessarily. It could be that they're not ready for this type of change or there was no change that needed to be made. If you sacrifice yourself when it's not necessary you risk losing yourself altogether.

Justice

Here we see the card of Justice. A young woman sits on a throne robed in green and scarlet and wearing a crown. In her left hand she holds a set of scales and in her right hand she holds a sword. Perhaps she decides the fate of the Hermit / Fool. Depending on your belief system she may decide which body he is reincarnated into, or perhaps she decides whether he has earned entrance into Heaven or Summerland. In any case she is his judge and whatever she decides will be truly fair.

1 As we have seen in the other cards everything means something, even the color of a person's clothes.The embodiment of Justice is wearing robes of scarlet and green. Scarlet represents power. This could symbolize the high regard with which Justice is held or it could simply denote the weight of her decision. It is final and always correct. Green denotes balance, harmony, and stability. Necessary attributes to have when judging the fate of others. Atop her head is a crown. Again the crown is a symbol of her power and authority. She is supreme arbiter.

2 In her right hand ( the hand symbolizing conscious thought) she holds a sword. Swords (as we'll see in the other cards) are symbols of the element air. Air is the element of reason, intelligence, clear thought, and communication. Also the sword may symbolize cutting through the "fog" so to speak to get to the heart of the matter.

3 In her left hand (the hand symbolizing unconscious thought) she holds a set of scales. The scales which are associated with the zodiacal symbol of Libra represent poise, equity, balance, and equilibrium.

4 In the background we see a set of pillars. The pillars represent structure and again balance. Balance is something we see a lot of in this card. Without proper balance justice cannot be achieved. Behind the woman and between the two pillars we see a purple tapestry. Purple represents nobility and spirituality. Justice is a woman of honor, virtue, and righteousness. As is also symbolized by the golden background behind the tapestry. She is a perfect and impartial being who will ensure that whoever is judged gets their just rewards.

Key Words: Justice. Whatever is decided will be truly fair. Harmony. Reasonableness. Poise. Equity. Equilibrium. Proper balance. Honor. Virtue. Righteousness. Impartiality. Just rewards.Virginity.

When Using Reverse Meanings: This is a judge who cannot be impartial. The questioner may be facing someone who is biased, unfair, and intolerant. Or perhaps the questioner is behaving as such. This could also mean an abuse of power, A judge who is making false accusations to get what they want without considering what is fair for all.



The Wheel of Fortune

The Wheel of Fortune is a card rife with symbolism and open to many interpretations depending on your spiritual beliefs and background. However no matter how you interpret the symbols you always come back to the same definition. Cycles. The Hermit who was once The Fool is no more. He has passed on into the afterlife and The Wheel of Fortune represents the culmination of that life. Perhaps he's waiting to be reincarnated, or perhaps he's awaiting entry into heaven but in either case he has transformed, for better or worse, even though we always hope for better.

1 The most prominent symbol on the card is The Wheel itself. The Wheel is representative of many things. The letters on The Wheel are T - A - R - O returning once again to T with the rotation of the wheel. This represents the course of events from beginning to end. The Wheel is made up of eight spokes. Eight is considered to be a lucky and mystical number and is thought to be mathematically perfect. It is an important number in many religions. For example in paganism there are eight sabbats. In most belief systems eight represents a type of momentum, i.e. the turning of the wheel, abundance, and in Egyptian mythology the eight deities of creation. The Wheel symbolizes either good or bad luck, depending on the influences of nearby cards.

2 On the right side of The Wheel we see a red canine creature. One could interpret this as being Anubis god of the dead, or as the representation of our inner animal nature. This creature represents inevitability. Whether that be the inevitability of death or coming to terms with our inner animals.

3 On the left side of The Wheel is a golden snake. This serpent could be seen as the snake from the Garden of Eden, representing the tree of knowledge; or simply as a snake with all of the meaning that it entails. Snakes represent knowledge, rebirth, transformation, healing and immortality. The snake and the red humanoid dog are opposites bringing balance to The Wheel. If the dog is death than the snake is immortality, if the dog represents animal than the snake represents spirituality.

4 Atop The Wheel is a blue sphinx bearing a sword. The Spinx is traditionally the giver of riddles and keeper of arcane knowledge. It is the one who knows the answers to all. Ultimately it represents truth and knowledge. The Fool/Hermit has all the answers he needs from life and is approaching the end of all of his problems.

5 In the four corners of the card are a winged human, eagle, ox, and lion reading a book. These could be anything from the four horsemen of the apocalypse, to key characters of the zodiac. Regardless how you see them whether they be fallen angels or something else entirely they are undoubtedly hosts of the afterlife in which The Fool/Hermit has found himself.

6 The clouds we see in the background against a blue sky represent destiny. Clouds are generally associated with the element air (even though it can be argued that they are a combination of all elements) and higher thought. This is a card abundant with spiritual understanding and knowledge.

Key Words: Fortune. Fate. Outcome. Cycles. Culmination. Transformation, for better or worse. Course of events from beginning to end. Good or bad luck, depending on the influences of nearby cards. Inevitability. Immortality. Spirituality. Approaching the end of a problem. Destiny.

When Using Reverse Meanings: When right side up this card could mean either good or bad luck. Essentially it means whatever was meant to be will be. Inversed this card can only mean bad luck. Something has been altered, either by our own doing or by unexpected circumstances and now what was meant to be cannot. The natural cycle of events has been broken. We did not contemplate what the effects of an outside influence could do to us.

The Hermit

In the ninth card we see an elderly man, robed in gray, standing alone on an icy mountain top. He carries a lantern and a staff. We have met The Fool once again after a long life of challenge and enlightenment. The passage of time has turned him into The Hermit. The Hermit is a card that symbolizes wisdom and counsel as well as regression. The Hermit has come to a point in his life where he spends his time viewing the world rather than taking part in it. His withdrawal from society has given him the space to transcend the mundane and achieve higher understanding.

1 The first thing we see is The Hermit. An elderly man dressed in gray robes. His robes represent balance. Gray is neither black nor white but both. Gray is also symbolic of old age and intellect. The Hermit's two most defining characteristics. His age is also an important symbol. Old age has long been a symbol of wisdom.

2 In the Hermit's left hand he holds a staff (also known as a wand). The staff is representative of power, authority, and guidance while his left hand represents the unconscious mind. This symbolizes the control he has over his unconscious mind. He is long past the point of being ruled by desires and emotions and is now a man of discretion, caution, and self-denial.

3 In The Hermit's right hand he holds a lantern. This symbolizes the illumination of his conscious awareness. He is a knowledgeable man who has taken a lifetime to broaden his conscious mind.

4 The Hermit is standing on an icy mountain top. Before now we have always seen mountains in the background but with a lifetime of traveling and learning behind him he stands atop the precipice. Mountains generally represent achievement. Since The Fool's journey has led him on a path of spiritual enlightenment we can say that he has achieved his goal for this particular lifetime. Mountains can also represent solitude as they are above and separate from everything else, looking down on the world. This is indicative of the life he now leads.

Key Words: Wisdom. Counsel. Regression. Withdrawal. Higher understanding. Balance. Intellect. Authority. Guidance. Discretion. Caution. Self-denial. Knowledge. Solitude.

When Using Reverse Meanings: When we see The Hermit inversed we are seeing someone who has not learned the lessons of life. They are either over-prudent or imprudent. They give poor advice and experience failure due to their lack of knowledge. Also they have rushed to label themselves a wise old soul when in fact there is much more life has to teach them. They have hurried to remove themselves from the world when the world is not yet done with them.

Strength

The card we reviewed last week was the first card to focus on an object, this wee we see the first card to focus on a personality trait. The card depicts a woman in a white gown interacting with a lion. It's a simple and straightforward card best described by it's title. Strength could either be referring to the lion, the woman, or both combined.

1 In front of everything else we see the lion. The lion is a classic symbol of Strength as well as, courage, power, and ferocity. Those under the sign of Leo are known to be controlling and confident. The lion also represents our inner passions and desires. The forces that motivate us and call us to action. This creature is pure energy.

2 Gently holding the lion's head we see a woman. She is clothed in a white gown, a wreath, and a sash. The white gown represents purity while the wreath and sash represent victory. She exhibits a different kind of Strength. While the lion represents a fierce and brutal Strength, the woman possesses the Strength of conviction, resolution, and self control. She controls the lion otherwise known as her inner beast or animal self with patience and kindness which are Strengths of their own. She keeps it's zeal in check and it gives her the confidence to succeed.

3 Above the woman's head we see the symbol of infinity. This was the same symbol we saw above the head of The Magician. This depicts her Strength as unfathomable. It is never ending. Again and again she will defy the weakness of giving into her inner demons.

4 Behind the pair, in the distance, we see a mountain. The mountain represents the reward reaped when one exhibits Strength. It symbolizes accomplishment.

Key Words: Strength. Courage. Power. Confidence. Action. Energy. Conviction. Resolution. Self Control. Zeal. Defiance. Accomplishment.

When Using Reverse Meanings: Obviously the opposite of Strength is weakness. This is a pathetic and petty person. Depending on the question this is someone who either easily succumbs to temptation or is about to succumb to a specific temptation. They have no faith in themselves or anything else, they lack conviction and are indifferent. If they are a person in a position of power it is likely they will abuse it. This could also symbolize a physical ailment. The person the card is referring to may be sick, or about to get sick.

The Chariot

Following The Lovers we see The Chariot. For the first time the star of card is an object rather than a person. However while the vehicle does take center stage it is nothing without the man guiding it. He is a man in the prime of is life ready to do battle. This card represents a challenge or an opposing force. This could even be a challenge that you've already overcome.

1 The man guiding The Chariot is a golden haired youth bearing a scepter, adorned with a crown and dressed in armor. He is someone that doesn't lose and finds success through hard work. Although hard work is not everything, he must also have confidence. Without it he would be unsure of himself and his decisions, and even though he may rush to make those decisions he has confidence his plans with seem him through to victory. as he is a man ready to take on any adversary he must pay attention to details. His armor represents this personality trait as it helps to keep him protected. If forgotten who knows what tragedy could befall him.

2 The Chariot is being pulled by two Sphinxes, one black and one white. The black and white Sphinxes represent conflicting influences that need the warrior's guiding hand. Not only are they opposing colors but they are also each pointed in a different direction. It is up to him to make sure that each elementt works together to achieve the desired goal. The Sphinxes represent arcane wisdom and unity as their bodies are comprised of so many creatures. Harnessing their power is invaluable when overcoming odds. The relationship between the man and the Sphinxes also represent redirecting energy and the need to control one's emotions.

3 The Chariot is the final piece of the overall war machine. All are important but without each other they are useless. The Chariot represents movement and motivation.

4 In the background we see a town and then a body of water that he has crossed over. This depiction of crossing terrain symbolizes a journey, or possibly an escape. This could be an escape from a person, place or situation as is often necessary in battle.

Key Words: Turmoil. Vengeance. Challenge. Opposing forces. Success. Confidence. Rush to make a decision. Paying attention to details. Conflicting influences. Redirecting energy. Need to control one's emotions. Movement. Motivation. Movement. Journey. Escape.

When Using Inverse Meanings: This would be the failed warrior. This is a person overwhelmed when faced with adversity and who can't face reality. Their plans fail and they lose everything even when it seems like they have it all within their grasp.

The Lovers



Until now all of the cards have featured single parties. The Fool (who can be perceived as sexually ambiguous) The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, and The Hierophant (whose gender varies according to decks, The Hierophant is a symbol of a spiritual leader or guide and could be male or female). Now for the first time we see a man and a woman together on a card. I believe the Woman to be the fully realized divine feminine, the combination of The High Priestess and The Empress. Just as her partner, the Man, is the full realized divine masculine, the combination of The Magician and The Emperor.

1 The thing we notice first about Man and Woman in this car is their nudity. This symbolizes innocence and the newness of their relationship. They feel no shame in their bodies or their union. They are free to share their emotions without restraint.

2 The Most prominent character we see besides The Lovers themselves is an angel surrounded by the sun in the clouds above them. We can clearly see that while the Woman is looking at the angel the Man is only looking at the Woman. It leaves us to wonder can he not see it or is he simply placing the responsibility of interacting with the divine on his partners shoulders. This symbolizes his trust in her and the trust they share in their relationship.The Man and Woman also represent the conscious (the Man) and subconscious (the Woman) mind. They are incomplete without each other. She helps to him connect to the divine and he helps her stay connected to the world around them. Together they are in perfect harmony.

3 Between the pair we see a mountain. The mountain represents challenges they will face together in their relationship.

4 Behind the Woman we see a tree that clearly represents the tree of knowledge from the bible. The tree represents a choice between the sacred and profane. It also represents the necessity of putting their new relationship to the test to see how they will come out on the other side.

5 Behind the Man is a tree adorned with twelve flames. I believe this tree is meant to represent the tree of life. In Judeo-Christian mysticism after eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge Adam and Eve were sent out of the Garden before they could also eat of the tree of life and become like God. This further suggests that Man is symbolic of the conscious while Woman is symbolic of the subconscious. She is in front of the tree that represents knowing (a nod to intuition) and he is in front of the tree that represents eternal life (perhaps a nod to the practicality of survival).

Key Words: A new relationship or romance. Freedom of emotions. Trust. Perfection. Harmony. A choice between the sacred and profane. Put to the test. Love. Beauty. Deep feelings. Optimism. A meaningful affair.

When doing inverse readings: This would be a relationship in decline, a failed relationship, or an unhealthy relationship. The test which was given has not been met and it has bred bad blood between the two. They are frustrated with their partnership and believe each others to be unreliable. If they are trying to work things out they may be experiencing interference from others or they may be unable to work out their trust issues. They make poor decisions as a couple and no longer belong together.

The Hierophant

As we continue our Tarot journey we come to The Hierophant. He is representative of a very traditional religious leader, or spiritual guide. Whether you see him as a kind and gentle guide or an old bull he is still a powerful character.

1 Upon his head he wears a triple crown otherwise known as the papal tiara. This crown is representative of his position. In this card we see that he is clearly meant to be seen as the Pope. This can mean many things to many people. He can be seen as someone who is a conformist, someone who clings to outdated principals, or he could be seen as someone who offers inspiration. It depends on the Questioner's own life experiences and the cards surrounding it in a reading.

2 We see his right hand raised in a universal sign of benediction or blessing. Once again, depending on the question and the other cards surrounding it in a reading he may be offering his forgiveness or he may be telling you that what you plan to do has his blessing.

3 In his left hand is raised the Papal staff. Both hands hold significance. The right hand is symbolic of his mercy and the left hand symbolizes justice. His holding of the Papal staff further cements his position as the Pope or another traditional spiritual leader. The staff is also representative of ritualism as it is used for ceremonial occasions.

4 At his feet we see a crossed pair of keys. These are meant to be the Keys of Heaven, or the Keys of St. Peter. These keys represent divine authority.

5 In front of The Hierophant we see two acolytes. One is robed in red roses which symbolize romantic love, and the other is robed in white lilies which symbolize purity. These acolytes could be asking for his judgment or they may be simply listening to his wisdom. These acolytes represent The Hierophant's servitude. He must serve the people. His success and power rely on their acceptance of his ideas which The Hierophant is often a slave to. He is known to be someone who is stuck in his ways.

Key Words: Traditional Religious Leader, Conformist, Outdated Principals, Inspiration, Forgiveness, Mercy, Ritualism, Divine Authority, Stubborn

When using reverse meanings: If the right side up Hierophant is a well meaning guide, than the inversed Hierophant is one bred of greed. He is someone who does not believe what he preaches but uses his power and status to further his own agenda. However just as the inversed Hierophant can be blinded by greed he may be blinded by kindness. This type of inversed Hierophant is someone who may believe in false charity. He is someone who gives too much of themselves with no return.

The Empress

The Empress is the second female card we see and is the other half of the female archetype with The High Priestess being the first half. This card is fairly straight forward and probably one of the easier cards in the deck to interpret.

1 Below the Empress's throne we see what is meant to be either a heard shaped stone or pillow with a feminine symbol on it. This represents feminine progress, and feminine influence. The heart may symbolize her caring, and nurturing personality. She is the ultimate wife, mother, and sister.

2 In the foreground we see a field of wheat. This represents fertility and fruitfulness. She is Gaia and the sheaves of wheat are her children. The wheat may also represent abundance.

3 The Empress is lounging on a throne piled high with red pillows and cloth. These represent accomplishment, luxury and The Empress's connection to her senses. The Empress is a woman in tune with her body. She embraces pleasure and isn't afraid to share it with others.

4 In the background you see a forest. The forest is a clear representation of nature and The Empress's connection to it.

5 Running through the forest is a river that turns into a waterfall. The water represents The Empress's intuition and the power of the waterfall represents her ability to motivate and influence others.

Key Words: Feminine Progress, Feminine Influence, Caring, Nurturing, Wife, Mother, Sister, Fertility, Fruitfulness, Children, Marriage, Mothering, Abundance, Accomplishment, Luxury, Senses, In tune with the body, Pleasure, Nature, Intuition, Motivation of others, Practicality

When using reverse meanings: When thinking of reverse meanings for the Empress think of her as someone with manic depression. This sounds strange but helps when interpreting the card. When right side up you're facing the cards manic side. When upside down you are facing it's depressed side. The Empress's inverse personality is someone who has anxiety, lack of interest, lack of concentration, and indecision. She's someone who is infertile and unfaithful in relationships.