Ace of Coins — Dragon Tarot

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

Peter PracownikArtist: Peter Pracownik
Designer: Terry Donaldson

 

“Tell me something about work,” I said, and drew the Ace of Coins.

 

“Work,” replied the Ace, “will entail many things you have never done before. Do not limit yourself to the work of mothering, although that is important. Be sure to notice opportunities that come along. Do not be too content and too lazy to take them. Although it may be frightening and difficult to get over the initial inertia, the work of putting yourself out there will be much more rewarding than the comfort of remaining safe.”

 

Positive Meanings:

 

The Ace of Coins is a positive, prosperous-feeling card that heralds a feeling of being blessed with abundance in all areas of life, in both giving and receiving. On one hand, it may point toward a new business venture or investment; on the other, it could point toward a more holistic, earthy sort of wealth.

 

The Ace of Coins is representative of new beginnings, fresh energy, and inspiration. If one realizes available opportunities, the Ace of Coins is the beginning of a plan that leads to the manifestation of goals which may eventually generate income.

 

Negative Meanings:

 

The Ace of Coins reversed is not a good financial opportunity. There is a significant risk of failure due to lack of planning and foresight. One must be very careful about what can and cannot be afforded. Numerous impediments delay the achievement of (possibly unrealistic) goals. Do not rush into business blindly.

 

Ace of Coins reversed may point toward corruption, greed and theft. Others may be exploited in a blind quest for personal betterment. Financial accumulation and wealth becomes obsessive at the expense of other areas of life.

Three of Coins — Bruegel Tarot

Friday, March 9th, 2012

“Tell me something about gluttony,” I said with a mouthful of food.

 

I find it interesting that cards come in groups. I mean, for a while I was drawing lots of fives, especially the five of cups. Then I pulled a bunch of kings in a row while I was finishing up my own kings. Now two days in a row I get the Three of Coins.

 

When I first learned this card, I learned it as craftsmanship, artisanship, and skill. It was the card of the artist. Looking at it yesterday, I realized I missed something essential: teamwork. And today, this little white book says improvement. First, there’s a dirty-looking scoundrel who seems to be saying, “Heh-heh-heh, if I pay off this angel dude, I get to go to heaven! Cool!” Then there’s the middle guy saying, “Here, angel, take this coin, for you are of wonderous beauty!” Then there’s the angel who sort-of looks like he’s thinking, “Geez, why do these guys keep giving me so many coins?” As fast as he can, he gives coins out to everyone in need— but new coins keep appearing in his arms. It is a progression towards selfless giving.

 

(Brief aside: as a professional arborist, I must say there’s no way that little grafted twig in the foreground is going to take. If you graft a top onto a rootstock, the two need to be the same size. If you graft a twig onto a tree, it needs, likewise, to be grafted onto a similar-sized twig. And the tree needs to be alive. A vibrant twig dies dead rootstock. If this is the situation, I recommend planting seeds.)

 

Going back to what I thought I missed: teamwork. The truth is, sometimes it’s really hard to see the rest of the team. The craftsmanship takes total focus. As skill improves toward perfection, the rest of the team may be forgotten. The mason, upon completing a building, cannot forget the architect who drew the plans. Students, upon finishing a book, cannot think themselves top in the field and forget the author of primary research. The seed cannot forget the soil that anchors it. The potter cannot forget the formless mud or the Supreme Mud Former whose actions s/he mimics. None can forget the teacher. In reverse, the architect cannot take pride in how well his plans turned out without giving thanks to the mason. The author would be a nameless nobody without a readership. The soil would erode without anchoring roots. And both potters and gods cease to exist without their creations.

 

We cannot forget our origins. We do not exist in a vacuum. The definition of “individual” is nebulous. A solitary success implies a team. To think otherwise is pure venom. One could read in the Bruegel Tarot image that when one learns to give without thought of receiving, the gifts received are endless.

Three of Coins — Ship of Fools Tarot

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Brian WilliamsArtist & Author: Brian Williams

 

I ask: “Where am I going with [this situation]? How do I progress?”

 

Excerpt From the Book of Fools:

Divinatory meaning:

Great plans, big setback.

Architects, builders, and workmen mean: anguish.

Constructive ambitions, ambitious constructions.

No monument is built without delays and obstacles: success requires risk.
[…]
Von narechtem anslag — Of foolish designs:

“He who would build without regard

Of what costs are required

Will find himself at the end before he begins.”

 

The Three of Coins sends encouragement. Dreams are made real with persistence, determination, and effort. Teamwork is essential. The knowledge and experience of my partner is needed. There is no superiority. Feedback and input are important to continually improve.

Oh! But this is exhausting!

Ten of Coins — Tarot of the Absurd

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

feedback farm alaskaArtist: Jessica Rose Shanahan

 

Generally, I don’t like asking questions about the future. The future is what I make of it; it will unfold one way or another. Sometimes, it is nice to be reassured that everything will be okay. Today I asked the deck to give me a hint about what I will do with my life after I have a baby. I drew the Six of Blades, previously drawn from this deck on December 27th, 2011— you can see the card and read it’s story there. Briefly, the Six of Blades shows a journey of transformation or a rite of passage. I asked, “Where will this journey lead me?” and pulled the Ten of Coins.

 

The Ten of Coins is about wealth. This card shows a family sitting on a treasure chest. I drew the image with some friends of mine in mind, many years ago when they only had one baby. The baby is no longer a baby. There are now more children. Their riches are the same.

 

In our culture, wealth is most often thought about in terms of property or investment assets. When I went to take out a mortgage loan, at one point I told the mortgage broker, “I like to pretend I’m very wealthy.” He looked up from his paperwork. “You’re not,” he said. I hadn’t expected a mortgage broker to think I’m wealthy. “I like to pretend I’m wealthy,” I said, trying to emphasize the bit about pretending. “Well,” he said, looking me in the eye, “you’re not.” I don’t know what his point was; my point was that I feel as if I have enough for my needs.

 

The Ten of Coins is a card of affluence and wealth, but true wealth cannot be measured by a mortgage broker. Wealth is the realization that one has enough to satisfy one’s needs. This is a card of shows financial security, accomplishment, and comfort. It is a card of commitment to sustainability, long-term investment, and following a consistent approach to achieve a form of success that truly stands the test of time.

 

The Ten of Coins says, despite challenges and setbacks, everything will eventually come together beautifully. This sense of accomplishment is a result of an improved career path, more solid finances, a stable home, and committed long-term relationships called “family.” Family— or a family of beloved friends— is incredibly important for the sense of place and the sense of belonging this card represents. Those who earn the Ten of Coins feel compelled to share their success with others.

 

I knew the friends I depicted on the card would never have a bundle of money, but a bundle of money is not a measure of true wealth. Their wealth lies in their family, their commitment to the land, and their commitment to their way of life. They share generously with others. I admire them immensely. I will be joyous if my journey leads me to the place where their hearts sit.

King of Coins — Tarot of the Absurd

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

Jessica RoseArtist: Jessica Rose Shanahan

 

Dignified— This card can indicate a loyal and dependable leader who is not necessarily either intelligent or imaginative. He is trustworthy, patient, cautious, and uses his inborn wisdom to increase his wealth. He is slow to lose his temper, but once angered he stands rigid against his enemies.
Key Words— Planning, advice, counsel, promising ventures.

 

Ill Dignified— This card can indicate a person who is easily bought, dull, very materialistic and mercenary. He is blind to beauty and hates change as he finds it hard to adapt. He treads a well worn path even if it leads nowhere.
Key Words— Beauty blindness, dislike of change, mercenary attitude.

Re de Denari — Il Tarocco Bizzarro

Monday, February 20th, 2012

re di denariArtist: Franco Bruna

 

“Coins are the suit of money and success. They refer to practicality, concreteness and the physical world. They are linked to the earth element because of their solidness and reality.”
King: Commercialist, trader, financier, smart investment.

 

The King of Coins was the final card I illustrated for my deck. I have pulled it numerous times from other decks. I no longer recall why I had such issues illustrating the kings. I think I had trouble motivating myself to sit down. I have always said I’ll finish all my more sedentary projects when I’m crippled.

 

A friend who infallibly misunderstood the gist of what I said once replied, “Why do you plan on becoming crippled?” Too caught off guard to explain that the effects of age are often crippling, I replied, “I don’t plan on it—” and he said “You’ll never finish anything.” Alas, he lived his life as an inverted Two of Coins. It was not in his nature to understand my reasoning.

 

[Oops! I meant to post a card of mine today! I’ll show my own King of Coins tomorrow…]

Six of Coins — Cary-Yale Visconti Deck

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Artist: Unknown

 

Nice interpretation: Generosity. Philanthropy. Charity. Kindness. Gratification. Gifts. Material gain. Not-so-nice interpretation: Avarice. Selfishness. Envy. Jealousy. Bad debts. Unpaid loans.

 

I think I’ve posted this image upside-down, which might be bad luck. Looking closely at the card, there are three coins that have a horse and rider on them. The way I have it posted, horse and rider are upside-down. Giordano Berti proposes, in his book The History of the Tarot, that the deck was produced between 1442 and 1447, because the coins show both sides of the golden florin coined by F. M. Visconti in 1442 and withdrawn from circulation at his death, in 1447. Upside-down and right-side up are not so important in this deck as they are in modern tarots: there is no evidence it was ever used for divination. I like to assume the card was right-side up when I drew it.

 

I could find the fact that the deck was never used for divination as a wonderful excuse to write nothing further about the meaning of this card. The other wonderful excuse I have is that the washing machine overflowed today, spreading about ½ an inch of water through a large portion of the mildew-inclined basement. That said, I’m glad the washing machine was in the basement and not on the first floor, and I’m glad it’s winter so we can keep the wood stove cranked to help dry things out, and I’m glad it seems a relatively easy fix. Martin came home early to help me wring out the spare futon and the collection of cardboard boxes and the drywall and such. So I think the card was definitely right-side up. If it was upside-down, I’d be in a foul mood— but I’m happy.

King of Pentacles — Pearls of Wisdom

Sunday, January 29th, 2012

Artist: Roxi Sim

Booklet: Caeli Fullbrite

 

I said— tell me something of a breaking heart—

[reversal]

 

 Interpretation:

“Archetypal male, strongly related to the riches of the earth.

His love and care bring abundance.

He is loyal, reliable, sincere, and successful,

especially on the material plane.

Whatever he touches leads to security and protection.”

 

the woman said to me—
there is no other for
he is the King of Coins—
but I don’t know what love is—

 

I said— love is just that—

 

but now it is too late— she said
for he has lost all hope

 

and I said — hope

is all you’ve left to loose

the King’s heart breaks slow
his Lover’s heart tumbles soon after

Eight of Pentacles — The Lover’s Tarot

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

8 of PentaclesArtist: Oliver Burston
Book: Jane Lyle

 

Martin has been out of town for over a week. With this in mind, I choose the Lover’s Tarot and pull the Eight of Coins, reversed. It says to me [brackets mine]:

 

“Problems at work [what work?] or with your working life [implying that parts of my life might not be working?] are draining your energy [and everyone else tells me it’s the baby!] or filling your mind with negative thoughts [e.g.: “I am so lazy—” true]. You may feel as if you are in the wrong job [perhaps my partner should be pregnant and I should go to work?], or resent the time you must devote to work [always]. This may, of course, describe what’s troubling someone close to you [even if he expresses himself well and has never said as much]. There is little energy available for love or romance— practical difficulties [i.e.: a few hundred miles between two people] must be resolved before a relationship can flourish. [Be glad your lover comes home tonight.]”

 

[Insert humming, hemming and hawing noises.]

 

I think I am more inclined toward sarcasm in a reading when I don’t feel a connection to the deck I am reading from. I am embarrassed to say this, because it makes it seem as if I take this whole tarot-reading thing more seriously than I would take, say, an average college English writing assignment. This is not true: I was an English writing arts major and took every writing assignment quite seriously. I love writing. These daily entries are, to me, little writing assignments. I love everything about keeping a blog other than the fact that it limits what other things I may (or, recently, may not) accomplish during the day.

 

In addition to learning the meanings of the cards, I am also learning what I like in a deck. I like a deck that pushes me to learn something new. I like a deck that thinks outside of its box. I like a deck where I feel that the artist fell in love, Pygmalion-like, with the completion of each card. I like a deck where I can look again and again at the images and enjoy them. I like to see the genius behind the art.

 

Does this mean I will no longer read from a deck when I realize I don’t like it so much? Will I come to the point where I can actually get rid of some decks? I don’t know. Right now I still feel ignorant enough that I want to learn from as many sources as possible, even if I do not enjoy each lesson equally.

 

The purpose of this blog is to gain a better understanding of the cards
that I might better be able to explain the images in my deck
and someday write a little book.

Cuatro de Oros — Tarot Lukumi

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Luigi ScapiniArtist: Luigi Scapini
Author: Emanuele Coltro Guidi

Conscious of my changing shape and lifestyle, I said

“Tell me something about my body,”

and drew this card, reversed.

I love this version of the Four of Coins. I love this deck.

 

Interpretation: “The power of the four elements is represented by the four towers of King Chango’s castle. We can see the four attributes of Chango on the coins. This card means power and economic and social steadiness, it is the power of a just leader.”

 

A small mythology: Chango, the god of thunder and lightning, was second to spring from the body of Yemaja and is the second-most powerful god of the Yorubas. He dwells in the clouds in an immense brazen palace, with a huge court and a great number of horses. Besides being thunder-god, he is also the god of the chase and of pillage. Veneration of Chango enables a great deal of power and self-control.

 

Coins are about money and material goods. Like many cards, the Four of Coins has both positive and negative aspects no matter which way it falls. I asked about my body— commonly seen as a material possession— tho the objective of many religions is to transcend such a limited viewpoint. Nonetheless, one’s body is a form of wealth— or poverty.

 

Thus, in this instance, the Four of Coins signifies accomplishment of goals and attainment of great physical ability. It indicates bodily conservatism and of a strong sense of self-preservation, as the body is often equated with the self. It indicates material attachment to the body and the physical realm. It warns of the risk of greed: of coming to value only the physicality of being. I must continually work hard to maintain the status-quo of my aging self and sustain my ongoing obsession with bodily preservation. I am forever trying to create order amidst the chaos, to bring a state of calm and stability into my life.

 

Veneration of Chango enables a great deal of power and self-control. Likewise, veneration of one’s body enables a great deal of power and self-control. In order to empower others, it is necessary to humble one’s self, let go of power, and release control. The Four of Coins reversed asks me to loosen my hold on my body as it is— or as it recently was. While difficult at first, this is an important aspect in my personal development, the development of my child, and the development of life unfolding now before me.