Tag Archives: Rider-Waite deck

22 August 2019

Mystic Monkey: The Tower

By thefallenmonkey

Wait, whaaat?? I haven’t posted here since January? Egads! Well, let’s just say it feels like I’ve been everywhere, done everything since then, and now my tarot journal is back with a bang.

The Tower. Oh crap.

Sooo…on its surface, let’s just say it: This card is pants-pissing terrifying. A tower struck by lightning, fires raging, smoke billowing, people (and primates) falling in the dark of night. This is one card that seems to come with audio included as I can hear the explosion and screams. Lovely. Looking at the card’s less literal meaning is still scary as hell to me. Why? Because it represents big changes, total upheaval, and nothing scares the ever-living stuffing out of me more than change. I like stability. Calm. Consistency. You could ask, well, who doesn’t, but I’d venture to say that some restless folks out there do like to jump from one thing to the next, always looking to shake things up whereas introverted little hermits like me thrive on routine, feeling safe within what they already know. But the Tower is the big shake-up that comes for all of us at some point or another. And it’s not without good reason. What we might think is stable is not actually sustainable, and our shaky foundation will inevitably crumble and bring the whole flimsy house of cards to the ground. Something’s gotta give, and when it does, it levels everything, bringing us back to square one–but with a chance to rebuild for our better good. So, this card’s not bad. It’s not the villain–our own delusions and dishonesty are. We can kid ourselves that everything is fine and that we can keep going as we are without consequence, but the Tower tells it like it is: Nope. Do-over.

And therein lies the bright side. Change is scary–oh, hell yes–but it’s necessary for our growth, and if something’s not serving us well, it’s gotsta go. So the positive here is twofold: 1) something wrong for us must leave our lives, and, 2) we have a chance to course-correct. Be the third little pig and build our house out of brick this time. And maybe just a two-story would suffice, huh? A ranch? Need we really have such bravado, thinking we need a skyscraper capped with a friggin’ gold crown, for cripes sake? I mean, compensate for something much? As a tremendous wake-up call–be it painful, core-shaking change or an acute revelation that transforms us before our world comes crashing down–the Tower reminds us that it’s with truth and honesty that we can truly reach the skies.

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Crystal pairing: obsidian for grounding and clearing negativity.

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3 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Major Arcana, Mystic Monkey, Tarot Journal

28 January 2019

Mystic Monkey: The 10 of Swords

By thefallenmonkey

Today’s was a dark photo shoot…

Sorry, Monkey. 😦

The Ten of Swords is a tough one to take. But on the bright side, it can’t get worse than this! You might have hit rock bottom, but it’s uphill from here as this cycle comes to a close and you make a new start. See that sunlight on the horizon? The yellow light fends off the black darkness looming above. So though it looks bleak, all hope’s not lost. You’ve gotten your ass handed to you, is all. You’ll get back up again. Remember that in tarot, Swords are of the mind, and so is your defeat. Yeah, it hurts. And yeah, the guy on the card looks dead. Quite dead. If he’s not, he’s a freaking medical marvel. But this death isn’t literal; it’s just some sort of ending, loss, or betrayal. Painful, but you can come back from it and stand again simply by shifting your mindset. Don’t dwell on the negative, learn from it. Grow from it. Recover, then rise.

The brown earth and red shroud, from a chakra-color standpoint, show a need to get grounded, to find stability, and the still, blue water shows calming emotion. Breathe it out and get clear on the truth of the situation, however painful it might be, so that you can see it for what it is and move on. There will always be more obstacles ahead (which I see in the distant mountains), but you’ve overcome them before and you’ll do it again. Yes, you will survive this to see another day and go the distance with new goals in mind.

You’ll see.

Once you get your face outta the mud.

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Crystal pairing: red jasper + yellow aventurine for endurance and hope.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Minor Arcana, Mystic Monkey, Swords, Tarot Journal

24 September 2018

Mystic Monkey: The 5 of Wands

By thefallenmonkey

Happy Monday, all! What better way to start the week than with a little group conflict… 😀

Those darn 5s. They, along with 7s, like to herald conflict and struggle in tarot, but what can ya do. That’s life. Here in the Five of Wands card, we see a group of lads duking it out with their staffs (hello, sausage fest!). This isn’t generally a positive card to me, but it’s not as bad as it initially appears either. This doesn’t look like combat so much as friendly competition. We’ve got five people dressed quite differently from each other, signifying their differences in perspective as well. This could be a clash of viewpoints on an issue or how to accomplish a team goal, or individuals vying for an achievement. There’s also confusion here, a lack of clarity that obscures the way forward and keeps anyone from making progress. I look at the chap on the left, though, who seems to have freed his wand from the fray and thus holds it up victoriously–he’s gotten himself out of this tangle and can now make more productive use of his time, be on his way ahead of the rest. There’s this healthy aspect of competition that encourages you to do your best and set yourself apart, but it’s also good to work with others, to brainstorm and hear diverse opinions–as long as everyone is listening and valuing that input; otherwise, you really will get nowhere.

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My chosen crystal pairing: aqua aura quartz + fire agate for clear and calm communication, focused action, and blocking negativity.

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Minor Arcana, Mystic Monkey, Tarot Journal, Wands

21 September 2018

Mystic Monkey: The 8 of Wands

By thefallenmonkey

Yikes, drew my tarot card this morning and almost forgot to write about it today! Here’s a little somethin’, then, about the Eight of Wands.

Pew-pew-pew! Eight wands, firin’ at ya! No person present in the card, just these long projectiles headed your way. These could be a plethora of opportunities coming to you, choices you must make, and the speed at which they’re flying to you might make this overwhelming, but you need to act just as fast. The fire element of the wands calls for this swift action, and the air through which they fly shows the mental decision you must take. Or a burst of ideas you have, some of which will reach their target while others’ll be hit or miss. The number eight, too, is meaningful in that you’re nearing completion of something, so don’t start dilly-dallying now. Keep the forward momentum going. This can sometimes also mean air travel.

I did find myself with quite a bit of options today, not least of which are the flight tickets I must book tonight!

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My chosen crystal pairing: amber + aventurine for decisiveness and quick action.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Minor Arcana, Mystic Monkey, Tarot Journal, Wands

3 September 2018

Mystic Monkey: The Knight of Cups

By thefallenmonkey

Well, look at this charmer.

He actually flew into my lap (well, hellooo 😘) upside down during shuffling, and I do take reversals into account in my readings. But for the purposes of this card-a-day exercise, I am only interpreting upright meanings.

So. Back to this dreamboat. The tarot suit of cups is associated with the element of water, and indeed I literally see water running through this image as a river or stream. The cup itself may be filled with water for this knight’s long journey. Water also flows through this guy’s get-up in a pattern that includes fish, so…he’s not winning any fashion awards with me, but I do give points for flamboyance. He’s owning it. And he’s perhaps the most gallant of the knights–literally the knight in shining armor on a white horse that we romanticize. And being the Knight of Cups means he’s in tune with his feelings and probably a great communicator. He’s a guy who could sweep you off your feet. Maybe also break your heart. The wings on his helmet and ankles show him to be fleet of foot, bringing in an air element to me that reinforces the idea of communication; he knows how to express himself. Lord knows he does it through his snazzy clothing, but he probably articulates himself well, too, through writing, speaking, and/or art. He sits tall and confidently, and even his pretty horsie is posing for the camera, though maybe this knight is a little vain, a little showy. A man of grand gestures, but how well does he follow through when it really matters? Does he go with the flow of the waters and just move on when he’s made a conquest? However he might regard others’ feelings, he does seem in command of his own and willing to share but is probably a bit sensitive, in both good and potentially bad ways. He feels all of the feels and doesn’t hide it. He has an artistic temperament, perhaps. But he-n-horsie are just stopped at the water for this little photo op; he doesn’t seem particularly ambitious about crossing it or getting around it some way. Nonetheless, as a knight of his strong posture, he has a degree of accomplishment, motivation, and responsibility and looks forward to his ultimate goal. He’s heading in the right direction and will get there, eventually, led by his heart. 💖

So, that’s my particular take on this particular card on this particular day. It always varies, and I’m not trying to lock in any meaning, only spending more time with each card and letting the thoughts flow to see what fresh perspective they might bring. In a nutshell, I’m just babbling. 🙊

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My chosen crystal pairing: blue lace agate + honey calcite to calm and smooth over communication (in case of cranky knights!)

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Court Cards, Cups, Minor Arcana, Mystic Monkey, Tarot Journal

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