The Journey Continues…

I’m so thrilled we’ve gone through the Major Arcana!.

Now, we face the 56 other cards, the Minor Arcana (sometimes referred to as pips) 40 cards in four different suits of ten — traditionally wands, cups, swords and coins, and 16 court cards of four per suite – traditionally the page, knight, queen, and king.

And here I pause, uncertain which way to go. There are different ways to read the minor arcana – some focus more on the suites, others on the numbers (did you get all wands, did you get all fours…) and which way should I start describing it? Do I start with Kings and work my way down, or start with Aces and work my way up? I’ve been focusing so much on the court cards in my own personal reading on Tarot right now. Do I go there with you (though it’s probably a lot more than you want to know!) or do I go in a more ordered fashion?

Well, despite being intuitive and loving the creativity of the cards, when I learn something, I really need order and systems. So I’ll keep reading away, but I’ll structure this blog in a more orderly fashion. After a brief introduction of the suites, I’ll start going through them, from Ace to King, and afterwards (in a year or so) we can focus on cross currents, and look at the numbers and other aspects of the Tarot. So pleased to be thinking of still writing this in a few years time!

At the World's End...

The World (21)

The World is the final card of the Major Arcana, the end of the Fools journey. So it signifies completion - everything finally coming together, all your hard work paying off. It also signifies a shift, from student to master. You started this journey a ‘Fool’, but end it at the centre of your world, having gone through many trials and tribulations, meeting with devil, watching it all crumble, but then coming to the light at the end of the tunnel, walking into the sunshine, hearing the call for a new way of doing things and here you are… at the World.



I like the world in the eye as well, as it gives the sense that for a moment we see clearly, and it all makes sense, we see the pattern and the payoff.



I particularly love the Inner Child version of this card, that beautiful magical baby, floating in space. It gives you a sense of innocence and wonder, the completion of the gestation, and then birth – and a new journey commences - the Tarot is all about cycles. I often get this card when women are anxious about conceiving and we are both so happy to see it.

Heeding the call to Judgment...

Judgment is such a complicated card, and the resurrection imagery of the Rider Waite card can scare some people off. Judgment is about hearing the trumpet call, and responding. There is a new energy in your life. It’s about awakenings and rebirths. If you are worried about changes and get this card, then your worries are over. It signals a good time for career moves, a new energy, new vitality and clarity.



It’s about hearing a call and releasing old guilts and sorrows – forgiving yourself and others. It’s a great card for therapy breakthroughs, moving from knowing something intellectually to truly knowing it at an emotional level. I love the story of the wolf and the pigs, here, finally, safely in their brick home, having built something substantial that can truly protect them.



It is also about making profound decisions in your life. Is it time to move – from a bad marriage? To a new job? To a different country? This is not the small stuff, but rather the huge life changing events. If you feel drawn in a new direction, and you get this card, then you should definitely follow your inner conviction.
I really like the seed imagery here, Judgment being the small kernel unfolding, creating a new life…

Sparkling in the sunshine

Sun (19) Now who doesn’t want to get this card? It shines warm and bright. After the intuition/dreaminess of the moon, the sun is bright eyed and wide awake. I call it swimming the Tao, when you feel in the flow of the universe. It’s a lovely energy card and I’m always happy to see it. The sun burns away all the mist and cobwebs. Things that were confused become come clear and everything falls into place. It’s a great outcome card, though anywhere it falls is a good place. In case you are wondering where these beautiful tree cards come from (I used her poignant death card image as well,) they are created by Dana Driscoll and she called pack, appropriately enough, The Tarot of Trees

Learning by moonlight

The Moon (18)

It’s funny, as I look around the net for images of cards that speak to me, some cards definitely get more love than others. There are hundreds of beautiful moon cards out there, all with interesting, personal interpretations. I guess the moon cards is a card that speaks to Tarot readers…



The moon is cyclical, it waxes and wanes... It's a 21st century mantra that change is the only constant, and the moon proves that. It gets fat and happy and we want life to stay that way and then it gets thin... but we have to remember that it will get round again... We also struggle with what we can change and what is the moon, changing on its own cycles, nothing to do with us...



I like the Cinderella theme in the inner child card - it's about needing someone else to rescue you, longing for a magical intercessor, and then seeing the image of your destiny in the magical moonlight.