Keywords: conformity; church; theology; rules and regulations; “the box” (that one some people can’t get out of); rigidity
Archetypes: nuns; the Pope; your teacher; the principal; the city counsel
Correspondences:
Number/5
Planet/Earth
Element/Earth
Astrological Sun Sign/Taurus
In a Nutshell: Conventionality
Upright Interpretation:
It’s sort of strange that a card supposedly connected with conformity and morality, linking it to traditional spirituality, shares correspondences for both the planet and the element as Earth. It’s too grounded to be spiritual, really spiritual. It’s too grounded in rigidity, married to conformity, giving birth to stubbornness (Taurus). “They” (the establishment, or formal religious mainstream) just don’t “get it”. They’re so busy following the rules that they loose sight of the vision.
Reversed Interpretation:
Everyone is standing on their head. It’s topsy-turvey time, nothing is as it seems. And the really cool thing here is that events are going to come to a great big impressive culmination, maybe with a confrontation, or perhaps just a quiet but firm declaration. The most important thing is that the shackles are off and someone has discovered their voice, discovered their inner strength, found their back bone. This might have been a long time coming, working it’s way through lots of opposition and tradition. Rejoice, now that you’ve found your voice. Go stand on a mountain top and sing!
Keywords: passion; sex; lust; bonding; couples; love; romance; more sex; more passion
Archetypes: Romeo & Juliet; Brad & Angelina; Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor; John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Correspondences:
Number/5
Planet/Mercury
Element/Air
Astrological Sun Sign/Cancer
In a Nutshell: Passion
Upright Interpretation:
“Let’s get something straight between us.”, says the male figure on this card to the female figure on the other side of this card. And between them, there is indeed something straight-- a big old mountain rising out of the ground, stretching into the blue sky. I also find it significant that they each have their Very-Own-Tree; his going up in flames, hers decorated with the proverbial apples and a snake. It’s an eternal story line, this card...love and relationships, and the differences between men and women, and how does it all work out anyway? It’s usually a story-in-progress.
Reversed Interpretation:
Ack! Not everything is all hunky-dory, usually a long way from it. What is perfection, anyway, where relationships are concerned? Is it even practical to use these two words in the same sentence? Attraction and compatibility are two very different things, one doesn’t always mean the other will follow. Damn! It’s always the good looking individual you’re attracted to, and it’s usually a recipe for disaster. “Head’s Up!”, says The Lovers reversed...watch out for the train wreck.
Keywords: movement; progression; progress; activity; controlled chaos; decisions; choices; leader-ship; “hang on for the ride”; giddy-up; “move ‘em out”; strength; purpose; in charge
Archetypes: the Bionic Woman; Margaret Thatcher; Hilary Clinton; Whoopi Goldberg; Katherine Hepburn; Cat Woman
Correspondences:
Number/2
Planet/Moon
Element/Water
Astrological Sun Sign/Cancer
In a Nutshell: Movement
Upright Interpretation:
Oh my gawds, this card is hair flying, rampaging down the road at 100 mph. It’s the idea of “going somewhere fast”; of “git ‘er done”; it’s crazy in-your-face super hyper energy. It almost makes me tired just contemplating the movement and speed associated with this card. The image of The Chariot is a single driver in a small horse-drawn (or in the case of the Rider Waite deck-- sphinx drawn) carriage. This implies to me that You are in charge, that You are at the helm of your ship, and it is You who has the power to control the direction your life will take, the decisions that you make. It’s all going to come down to You. You’re not going to be able to blame anyone else for your choices.
Reversed Interpretation:
“Be careful!”, says the reversed Chariot. This is a train wreck (or chariot wreck) just waiting to happen. When this card is reversed, you are feeling all the pressures of this card mentioned above. It means that Life, or someone else, is in a hurry for you to make a decision. You’re being rushed, and this means that you might make a rash decision. Whenever life comes barreling at you too fast, whenever you feel that the wheels are spinning out of control, remember that you have the power to stop and step off, step back...take some quiet time to reflect and regenerate.
Keywords: power; perseverance; hidden strength; taking chances; beating the odds; persistence; determination
Archetypes: the cowardly lion; Rosa Parks; Tinker Bell
Correspondences:
Number/1
Planet/Sun
Element/Fire
Astrological Sun Sign/Leo
In a Nutshell: Self-reliance
Upright Interpretation:
This card is all about getting a grip on life -- anything, anything in your life that is causing confusion and consternation, anything that’s messing you up. It’s about the Little Guy and how he can conquer the world, regardless of other people’s doubt and negativity. It’s about perseverance, and holding out, and hanging on during extraordinary challenges. This card is shouting, “You can! You can! You can!”. Get off your ass and get some balls, is the unceremonious message from Strength...don’t give up!
Reversed Interpretation:
You threw in the towel! You gave up! You didn’t give something a fair chance; you lost faith; you let other people’s opinions influence you in a negative way. When Strength is reversed, it means that someone isn’t trying hard enough. If you’re not going to give a project your all, why bother? If you’re not going to put everything into it to get the most out of it, why start? Strength reversed is an ominous indication of defeat.
Keywords: solitude; reflection; meditation; anti-social behavior; loner; out-cast; innovative thinker
Archetypes: Cinderella’s Fairy God Mother; Gandhi; Jesuit priests; cloistered nuns; Robinson Crusoe
Correspondences:
Number/5
Planet/Mercury
Element/Earth
Astrological Sun Sign/Virgo
In a Nutshell: Solitude
Upright Interpretation:
This guy has great things going on in his head, but he’s just too shy to spread some of these insights and this incredible wealth of knowledge and ideas. Sometimes it’s the quiet people who have the most to offer. We just have to look below the surface and take some time and effort to crack the shell these people put up around themselves. Solitude (the good kind) is highlighted with this upright card. Take time to just “Be” and “Think”, the Hermit is telling us.
Reversed Interpretation:
The reversed Hermit is pathetic. He’s neurotically insecure, which makes him try harder to impress, or to make sure he’s the center of attention. He’s usually a churning mass of jealousy, tends to be pissy when someone disagrees with him (or doesn’t validate his egotistical impression of himself), and has little regard for other people’s feelings. The reversed Hermit tends to be an asshole. If you meet him, you kind of wish he’d crawl back into the solitary hole he climbed out of.
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