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Quick Tarot Question

All Acting Regiment

15:55 / 17.10.05

Okay. The cross and triangle ritual looks interesting, there's just something down at the bottom:

Remember to word your question right, such as: "What is the probable outcome to me if I take a trip to Russia?" Also, the more you use the Cross and Triangle Spread the more sense it makes. I would also suggest you begin with only the right side up keys. Do not use reverse keys in the beginning.

What do they mean by "reverse keys"?

rising and revolving

16:47 / 17.10.05

Cards that are dealt upsidedown. Some people read these as having a different meaning to the card dealt right side up, some don't.

I don't, but generally those who do read them as an indication of "The thing the card would indicate, but restricted or blocked" - so the two of cups may signify a fulfilled and loving relationship, whereas the two of cups reversed would suggest that the relationship was there but there was something preventing it from manifesting in it's full and loving manner.

Sorta.

gale

18:04 / 17.10.05

I think rising and revolving's explanation was fine (no sortas necessary). The cross and triangle looks interesting. The advice you copied from the bottom of the page simply recommends that you read all of the cards as right side up for the time beng until you become more familiar with the spread.

I don't like reversed cards, but will usually pay attention to one if it looks like it's going to have a big impact on the outcome. If you have time, you could read the reversed cards after you do the first reading (as all right side up), and then compare the two for anything that might apply to the situation at hand.

Cheers, guys.

I would also not reverse anymore then 9 cards in a spread when you do the shuffle.
Rather then being blocked as was described earlier, I think that diminished would better describe how to read the cards (or maybe not)... so instead of two of cups reading like this; a fulfilled love relationship; completeness; union....it would read unrealised love relations, desire, approaching. Most readings don't require a solid question either. I've found that the question tends to be defined in the reading, and the reading will shed light on the real issue at hand.

All Acting Regiment

18:15 / 28.10.05

About the minor arcana. The four minor families are supposed to correspond to the four elements, right? So, Wands = Earth, Swords = Air, Cups = Water. But what does the Pentacle correspond to? Fire? It doesn't seem to scan somehow.

I thought that pentacles in general were supposed to represent the human being (the top point) in control of the four elements (the four other points). That way the pentacles doesn't seem to have much place within the bounds of the four elements.

Chiropteran

18:21 / 28.10.05

Unless I'm mistaken, Wands = Fire and Pentacles = Earth.

Chiropteran

18:24 / 28.10.05

Oh, and again unless I'm mistaken, Pentacles were originally Coins (metal, wealth, material concerns), which fits Earth pretty well.

LykeX

18:24 / 28.10.05

It's wands - fire, pentacles - earth.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

18:27 / 28.10.05

Yes, Wands definately correspond to the element fire, and Pentacles correspond to Earth. Possibly your confusion comes from the old Pentacle/Pentagram mixup. Other decks have Coins or Disks.

LykeX

18:27 / 28.10.05

Damn, you beat me to it. That's what I get for reading multiple pages at once.

rising and revolving

19:08 / 28.10.05

It's worth nothing that some traditions use Wands = Air, Swords = Fire.

While I can see the argument for that (Swords are more Martial, and therefore more Fire-y) I prefer the classic Wands = Fire.

Also, you can look at them from the position of the four Kabbalistic worlds - Wands = Atziluth, Cups = Briah, Swords = Yetzirah, Pentacles = Assiah. The advantage of that, from a viewpoint perspective, is that it basically lets you plunk 4 trees of life one atop the other. Then you're looking at 1-10 of each suit as the Ten Sephira, and each suit as a greater degree of refinement of the basic principle embodied in the Sephira.

Therefore the 10 of Pentacles represents completion on the physical plane (Assiah), whereas the 10 of Wands represents the same thing at the abstract, archetypical level - the pure concept of completion rather than the actual outcome.

All Acting Regiment

00:14 / 29.10.05

Ah, that makes sense. It's just that on the RW deck the wands are presented as living branches.

gravitybitch

17:07 / 29.10.05

*shrug*

So they're not the best fuel. They, being living, contain the Fire of Life...

I also tend not to read reversed cards; I think that stems partially from using a deck with a back that has a distinct orientation (isn't radially symmetrical).

And thanks for the link - it's interesting!

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