As Anna explains in the newsletter, the 8 of Swords (Card 62 in the TD system) is linked astrologically with the first decan of Gemini (0 to 10 degrees). Today, we have a first quarter Moon at 10 degrees Gemini, which is why the 8 of Swords is considered to be the Tarot Card of the Week (TCOW).
Quoting Anna:
"With the 8 of Swords as this week’s TCOW, whether directly, (through your own goals, health and/or employer) or indirectly, (through the goals of your significant other, their employer, family, friends, or their health and well-being ) everyone, all over the world will be thinking a bit more, or a bit more seriously about where they want to go in life from here, and how to get there!The newsletter provides a simple spread that can be used to further explore how this first quarter Moon placement might affect our week.
The Eight of Swords is NOT predicting a nasty week. Although it DOES warn of some extra work or news coming our way that could upset our day or pre-empt our agenda..."
For my reading, I am using the Crystal Visions Tarot by Jennifer Galasso (U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)
I place the 8 of Swords card face up to represent me and the general mood or tone of the week ahead.
Next I shuffle the remainder of the deck and choose a card to cover the 8 of Swords. As per the TDU system, this card represents "whether it's likely to prove a little easier or a bit more challenging for me to deal with people and matters this week."
And I pulled . . . (drum roll please) . . . 3 of Cups (Card 43)!
In Issue 4 of the TDU newsletter, Anna graciously provides a detailed discussion of how we might interpret various cards that appear as Card 2 in the reading. Here's what she says about Subject Card 3:
"The 2, 3, and 4 of EVERY SUIT indicates an upcoming opportunity, setback or new phase of awareness that will arouse the Seeker’s enthusiasm and confidence, or their selfishness and impatience."In general, the 3 of Cups comes across as a "positive" card, one that suggests cooperation, sharing, and "Emotional / Thinking, Networking" (from Tarot Dynamics by Anna Burroughs Cook, Kima Global Publishers). With the elemental dignity system I use, Air (Swords) and Water (Cups) are somewhat friendly or neutral toward each other. There can be moderate stress, irritation, or annoyance -- but not outright antagonism.
When I put the 8 of Swords and 3 of Cups together, I get a sense that my thoughts about where I want to go in life from here and how to get there could veer in the direction of cooperative projects or collaboration with another person or persons. Since Swords and Cups are not always 100 percent super-friendly (and because the 8 of Swords warns of "some extra work or news coming our way that could upset our day or pre-empt our agenda"), I need to be aware that a partner or potential partner may not be 100 percent reliable, supportive, and forthright.
Consider the contrasting images on these two cards: an individual bound and blindfolded vs. three people celebrating, dancing, and displaying their emotions. Constraint vs freedom. Tight vs loose. Somber vs festive.
I actually spend a lot of time collaborating with others in several areas on a daily basis, so this is interesting, useful information! The suit of Cups may also refer to family relationships, and some sort conflict or snag related to "getting along with" family members in a specific situation. I tend to be the "sober, serious one" in my family, while my siblings are more carefree.
This was an interesting post and I would have liked to see Anna's newsletter but I couldn't see a link.
ReplyDeleteAgain there is no subscribe to comments by email button again, so I will have to come back to see when you respond. ^__^
Just click in "Issue 4" in the first line of the post. That's a link to the newsletter.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to check and see about the "subscribe to comments" by email button.
Interesting to compare Crystal Visions Tarot 8 swords with 2 swords from phantomwise tarot. Both have black birds and long "blindfolds". No girl in 2 swords for Phantomwise Tarot. Black birds in 8 swords for Phantomwise tarot too. Impossible to not consider difference between interaction of girl with birds and blindfolds and birds with swords. Perhaps poor girl has already passed away in Phantomwise Tarot 2 swords.
ReplyDeleteThe Phantomwise deck is quite intriguing, isn't it? I had not heard of it before now, so I did a Google search and saw some of the images. Do you have the whole deck? I understand that it is no longer available.
DeleteNo, I have only seen it online. I started to look at tarot decks as part of an interest in subtle use of pictures to woo people into accepting subtle messages. I saw an 8 of swords online and did not write down the deck name. Swords in tarot are interesting because I think the swords elude to "hibernation" or "storage" phase in economic (income generating) activity. The difference between the Crystal Visions Tarot and the Phantomwise tarot must be imortant because the two decks want to stress different aspects of the same situation. The girl is missing in the 2 swords but I don't think that she was forgotten by the designer. The girl is in the same predictament in the 2 of swords. I'm not an art history expert so I don't know if she is in limbo in Hades or has been cast into a horrific dimension by a really powerful spirit (Buffy the Vampire type story)
ReplyDelete