Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot : The Sun

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Sun is possibly the most positive card in a tarot deck. It symbolizes joy, triumph, glory, renewal; it is about finding your inner light.

In the standard Rider Waite tradition, this card normally features a naked young child upon a horse. This can signify youth, fresh beginnings, innocence, vitality, and movement. There are no secrets with this card- everything is laid bare under the clear light of the noonday sun, which banishes all shadows.

Reversed, this card suggests that you are daydreaming too much, or are seeing things the way you want them to be, rather than how they really are. It could suggest that you're pushing too hard for what you want and are going to rob yourself of whatever that is; perhaps joy and excitement in an endeavor is turning to exhaustion and frustration.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine: The High Priestess

Monday, November 2, 2009

The High Priestess is all about the things unseen. The scroll in her right hand represents the Torah; the pomegranite suggests the unconscious mind and the fertility therein. She stands before the gates to the unseen.

This card talks about intuition, developing empathy and psychic abilities, and nurturing the spiritual. She can represent the esoteric and the occult, things like the Tarot and magic- tools which can be used for good, or for evil.

When the High Priestess appears, it is time to pause and listen to your intuition. What is your gut telling you? Look at every angle of your situation, and try to see beneath the surface. Trust yourself. It may be that not everything is apparent in your situation; the High Priestess can represent secrets waiting to be revealed.

When she is reversed, she is telling you that you need to be careful- you don't know all the information, or the information that you have is not accurate- perhaps someone is keeping a secret from you, or perhaps you need to hold your own secrets close.

Sometimes, all the High Priestess is saying is, "Right now, you are not meant to know the answers."


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot: The Magician

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Think about what you know of magicians. Now, apply all of that to this guy.

Magicians are smart, crafty, and quick. They are manually dexterous. They can be prone to not telling the truth- or at least not all of it; they are smooth and persuasive talkers. They have the tools to complete their work and they have mastered them.

The Magician is the master of his craft, and he opens the doors for creative potential in his students. He represents all possiblities made real.

The Magician can signal that you are entering a time when it is important to take action; that the necessary tools and skills are available to make something real. It is a time to focus on your goals His appearance suggests that you will succeed in your endeavors- and it might be time to take chances, instead of staying where it's safe.

He says, "Trust yourself. Trust your creative instincts. You don't know yet what you are capable of- there is more to you than you are aware."

Reversed, the Magician can represent deception or half-truths in a situation or that someone is being manipulative. If he comes to you reversed, take some time to think things through! It could simply suggest that you're in a rut, and it's time to try new things.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- The Star

Saturday, October 31, 2009

When I see the Star, the first word that almost always springs into my head is "Hope". The Star symbolizes hope.

It also symbolizes finding your way in the terrifying darkness. When we are in very bad situations, sometimes the star shines it's light on us, and we can see where we need to be. The Star doesn't fix anything for us, we still have to do the work ourselves- it simply says to us, "There is a solution. It can get better."

The Star can represent joining the physical with the spiritual. She also represents renewal- adding water to the land so that it can grow and blossom, and adding new water to the water so that it does not grow stagnant, and can support life.

Looking forward, it can suggest getting help from an unexpected source.

Reversed, this card suggests stagnation and clinging to the past instead of moving to the future. It can suggest hopelessness- not necessarily that the situation is hopeless, but that the querent feels hopeless, and possibly helpless. If this card appears reversed, perhaps it is time to look for someone to help you with your problems.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- 9 of Coins

Friday, October 30, 2009

The Nine of Coins, or Nine of Pentacles, is an interesting card; it comes between the diligence and hard work of the Eight of Coins and the security of the Ten. Therefore, it makes sense that the Nine is about self control and self reliance; enjoying the bounty of your own hard work.

This card shows a woman who obviously loves beautiful things; the richness of her clothes and surroundings shows us that. She has tamed the wildness and impetuousness of her nature (the bird); she is comfortable, at peace, and secure in her surroundings.

This card can refer to a love for art and music, and all things beautiful; it can also talk about success in business, health, or the fruition of creative endeavors.

The important thing to note about this card is that she is alone; this card talks about succeeding by yourself and providing for yourself. It doesn't talk about excessive wealth, rather it talks about having enough to live comfortably. You can run your air conditioner all summer- you cannot book every floor of the Montecito and have a slammin' house party.

This card can also talk about self discipline and sacrifice; not getting everything you want so that you can save those resources for later.

Reversed, this card can refer to being overly dependent on others, being lazy, or simply being over-indulgent.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

The Master: Zen Card of the Day

Thursday, October 29, 2009

In this tradition the Master is not master of anyone else, but of himself. He is willing to trust in his own wisdom and strength rather than fall prey to the currents of life, the ups and downs.

He recognizes his own immortality of spirit.

He also recognizes his own responsibility in this matter. You won't catch him depending on the perfect situation or person to further his own growth potential. He knows to turn inward and visit with his own essence for guidance and strength.

If you draw this card it can be telling you to look inside for growth instead of to the world around you. To become enlightened, you must conquer your inner mind, not the world around you.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine - XVIII- The Moon

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

I have a lot of trouble with this card. A LOT. OF. TROUBLE. In fact, I drew this card a few days ago for my card of the day, researched it, and gave up. I ended up heading to the Aeclectic Tarot forum to ask for help; those brilliant people, between them, know everything there is to know about tarot.

The Moon is a very feminine card, dealing with Intuition and Spirituality; this card is closely related to the High Priestess.

It's ironic that I have so much trouble with this card- as one person said, that itself is evidence of the Moon in action.

The moon symbolizes confusion. Things that are actually mundane look scary and mysterious in the moonlight; the everyday becomes mysterious.

This card can be about secrets, deceptions; it can be about our own imaginations getting the best of us; it can be about our journey from confusion to enlightenment. Some people have said that the moon is about romance; I can see that; after all, having romantic feelings for someone tends to keep us from seeing their flaws!

Reversed, the meaning of this card becomes clearer. I see this card reversed as confusion fading away; reality becoming apparent. When the moon fades, the sun rises, and your path becomes clear again. Looking at it that way, though, it could also mean the opposite- when the moon is new, there is no light at all, and it's far too easy to get lost in the woods.

If this card comes up reversed, I would advise taking a flashlight with you when you go out. :D


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- Eight of Swords

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

It might be a little hard to believe, but the Eight of Swords is one of my favorite cards in any deck, because I relate to it in a lot of ways.

Swords are the cards of struggle. They can refer to difficulty, new ideas, intellectual pursuits and education.

When this card comes up in a spread, my first thought is always "fear". This card talks about being trapped by fear or old ideas, unable or unwilling to see your way out of it. Being caught in a bad situation but afraid to move to extricate yourself because you don't know where the dangers lie- you only know that they're there.

This card is also about making yourself a victim. You see the woman in the card? Her hands are free. She could simply reach up, remove the blindfold, and use one of those nearby swords to cut herself free. She has the ability and the tools necessary to get out of her situation, and for whatever reason, she refuses to. Maybe she doesn't realize that the swords are there and can help her; maybe she's afraid of what she will see if she removes the blindfold. However, what will happen to her if she doesn't take that first step and simply look around is certainly scarier than what's going to happen to her otherwise.

Reversed, the blindfold falls away. When this card is reversed, it may be saying, "You're ready to move forward!" Things may get easier soon- or maybe you're just tired of being a victim and are ready to take that first step to freedom.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine - VIII: Strength

Monday, October 26, 2009

This is another lovely card from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot. Looking at the imagery, a lovely young woman is surrounded by large cats of prey. She is calm, serene, and in control- the ferocity of the beasts is still present, yet she is in no danger from them. They have gone from being her predators to her protectors.

This card is about strength. It generally doesn't talk about physical strength; instead it talks about discipline, compassion, gentleness, and control. This card refers to being able to harness those dangerous, wild parts of yourself and turn them from things that can be hurtful or dangerous into something that is an asset to you. In some decks, this card is called fortitude- the will and ability to keep moving forward, even though it's difficult or painful.

When this card appears, it could be heralding tough times. You could be entering a period that will test your self control or your compassion, or even just your ability to keep going. However, this card is a good sign- it says that you CAN be in control of the situation, you have the strength to overcome, you just have to use it.

When this card appears reversed in a thread, it can indicate that the lions are about to turn on you. You are in danger of losing control, of being driven to action by your inner "lions"- your feelings, your impulses, even your fears. It can also indicate that your need to be strong is closing you off from other people- it may be time to open the doors and let other people give to you. Sometimes, strength lies in knowing when to allow yourself to accept support. No one can always do it alone.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Four of Wands

Sunday, October 25, 2009

I am going to be working with the Legacy of the Divine deck a lot in the next couple of weeks, so that you can all see what we're giving away. Gee, darn, poor me, having to work with something so lovely. (Note the sarcasm. :D )

Wands (to me) represent fire, passion, enthusiasm, and creativity; endeavors, and things we're working on. For example, since I've started this blog, I've had wands popping up a lot in my own readings.

The four of wands generally speaks to me of celebration and giddy excitement. It makes me think of the breathless enthusiasm you sometimes feel when something you've really wanted comes to pass. It also means, to me, stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new.

In researching, I also learned that this card can represent seeking freedom, and moving away from something that is holding you down or trapping you.

In a divinatory sense, this card can refer to joyous events like weddings, birthdays, graduations, or more unexpected, thrilling events.

The thought just occured to me- I know one person to whom this card applies brilliantly right now- in regards to her pending divorce. Not an event I would normally apply to this card, but there you go.

This particular card also speaks of safety, doesn't it? An oasis, a safe place in a world that is otherwise terrifying and dangerous. Imagine how joyous and relieved you would be if you were wandering through that cracked, dead land and stumbled upon the sanctuary offered by those four wands.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card Of The Day: Legacy of the Divine III: The Empress

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Isn't this a beautiful card? I love the Empress card in general, and this one is truly stunning.

The Empress is one of the 22 Major Arcana, the archetypical symbols of the things almost everyone experience through life.

She is the Mother. She can represent the bounty and fertility and abundance of the Earth, the way that it provides everything we need, it's strength and beauty. She is nurturing, loving, giving, protective, and patient.

She is also earthy, passionate, and sensual. She is a creator; she takes the seed of romance, the seed of creativity, and helps it grow. See how she's pregnant? She is full of potential not yet realized.

She also has a dark side. She can be smothering and overprotective, controlling, and clingy. Sometimes, mothers have a hard time letting go, and this mother is no different.

This card can signify an opportunity, something that needs nurturing and babying to grow. It can signify a pregnancy or represent a motherly figure.

I just love this card; it is one of my favorites in the entire deck.


Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card Of The Day: Fairytale Tarot Three of Coins

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Today's card is the 3 of coins from Magic Realist Press' "Fairytale Tarot".
(An important note about this tarot deck- it's beautiful, stunning, extremely well produced, and out of print. Many retailers are already selling out, and Karen from Baba Studios (who run MRP) has said that they only have about 90 copies left. They do not intend to reprint this, so once it's gone, it's gone! Previous copies of MRP OOP decks sell for ridiculous amounts on eBay- some for up to $1000. If you want it, get it now. )

OK. The 3 of coins. In more traditional decks, it's usually known as the 3 of pentacles.

Pentacles are the suit of the material; solid, real things, like jobs, money, health, and possessions.

The three of pentacles (or coins, in this deck) is all about being a master of your craft. Not through luck and talent, but through a lot of dedication and hard work. It also talks about teamwork, planning, and using your resources well. It refers to getting the job done, and doing it well.

Reversed, this card can refer to working so hard that you lose touch with everything else (like a workaholic would), being a perfectionist, holding people up to impossible standards, and not working well in a team.

In a divinitory sense, this could indicate that because someone excels at their job, they will continue to have plenty of work to do; it can also indicate that someone will be working as part of a team.

The really cool thing about this card from the Fairytale deck is that while it shows all the positive things associated with being really, really good at what you do, it also shows the drawbacks. See those people gossiping in the corner? The jealousy and bitterness other people can feel can be a problem for anyone who excels at what they do.

Image used with permission. Copyright Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov 2005.

Card of the Day: Robin Wood Page of Cups

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

It's interesting that I would get a court card (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings are court cards) for my very first card of the day, since I am absolutely terrible with court card. Court cards can represent people; they can represent a particular set of of physical traits, personality traits, a particular age group or sex, or any combination of the above, as well as standing for facets of a situation.

Cups: Emotion, feelings. Water. West. People with fair skin, light colored eyes, and dark blond to light brown hair.

Pages: A new beginning, a message or messenger. A pre-pubescent child.


This specific page represents someone who is gentle and helpful, who is studious, who is emotionally needy and vulnerable. They're artistic (See the paints hanging from her belt?) and imaginative. They like to be of service. It can refer to someone who is emotionally immature, gullible, or emotionally led. Sometimes refers to someone with androgynous characteristics. This tends to be someone who is lives very much in their imagination. This page is sensitive to the feelings of others.

Events: Can refer to pregnancy or childbirth, the beginning of a new friendship or a new, happy stage in an existing relationship, or other emotional beginnings.

My first thought when I see this card in a spread is always that it's the beginning of a new emotional phase, or a new relationship. Water can represent emotions, and she is standing on the edge of an ocean; perhaps experiencing things that she had not yet, reveling in it, really experiencing it as an artist will. The bird emerging from the cup makes me think of creative inspiration or a message of some kind. The way that the Page is standing, and the look on her face, make me think that the message, the inspiration, or whatever the bird stands for was unexpected, but not unwelcome.