Talent and Career Potential Reading

from Numerology: Key to the Tarot by Sandor Konraad (Whitford Press)

On page 185 of Sandor Konraad's detailed and fascinating book Numerology: Key to the Tarot I came across a Talent and Career Potential spread that I just had to try.

I am doing this spread as a "retrospective" spread in a sense, because I'm pretty sure I already know where my talents lie and which careers I might be most suited for. My purpose in doing this reading is more to check my experience and understanding against the information the cards provide.

Layout

3....6....9

2....5....8

1....4....7

Each positional definition describes the career potential associated with its respective number.

(1) Writing, teaching, communications, innovative career
(2) The theatre, diplomacy service occupations
(3) The creative arts and sciences, particularly music, anything expressive or creative, including parenting
(4) Clerks, bookkeepers, psychotherapists, health-related vocations, detailed work of any kind
(5) Politics, guidance work, bartending, glamour jobs, work involving much travel or adventure, any job where there is tactile gratification
(6) Commerce, garden-variety jobs, selling, collecting, home management
(7) Religious, spiritual or occult calling; research, any profession involving food
(8) Law, banking, The Power Structure
(9) Humanitarian service, social work, people-oriented enterprises on a grand scale

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Using the Mystic Dreamer Tarot (Llewellyn Publications; art by Heidi Darras), I drew the following cards:

(1) Writing, teaching, communications, innovative career

THREE OF CUPS
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-Three-of-Cups-45393792

My keywords for the number 3: creativity, synthesis, initial completion, expansion

In her book The Dreamer's Journal (Llewellyn Publications), Barbara Moore describes this card as "an all around good omen in financial, relationship, work, or spiritual concerns." I certainly agree with that interpretation in this case. From earliest childhood, I wanted to be a writer, and I have held many jobs where my writing was a major factor. I have written 10 books that have been published by mainstream publishers. I have also worked in Marketing and Communications. The joyous tone of the Three of Cups clearly represents the fact that I have always enjoyed using my writing talents in my work.

(2) The theatre, diplomacy service occupations

THE EMPRESS (Trump 3), reversed
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-The-Empress-43932019

My keywords for the number 3: creativity, synthesis, initial completion, expansion

My first reaction here is "uh oh, not a good career choice." An upside down Empress can suggest blocks or delays in the areas of creativity, synthesis, or expansion. I did enjoy acting in a few plays in school, but I never saw myself as having a career in that field. Diplomacy service doesn't sound attractive to me at all.

(3) The creative arts and sciences, particularly music, anything expressive or creative, including parenting

KNIGHT OF WANDS*, reversed
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/tarot-Knight-of-Wands-70897282

My keywords for the number 3: creativity, synthesis, initial completion, expansion

Interesting. Music has always been a major interest of mine. I play piano and guitar. In my younger days, I wrote a lot of songs and performed them in public. However, the reversed position of the Knight of Wands suggests to me that these would not be the best careers for the expression of my creativity.

Barbara Moore writes that this card reversed can represent someone who "always has to be center of attention." I confess that my interest in writing and performing music declined as I grew older and realized that nobody seemed to think I was "all that good." At least that was my perception based on the comments (or lack thereof). As far as parenting, I was extremely reluctant to become a parent, partly because I was concerned that I was too self-involved to do a good job! My (now adult) children seem to think I did okay...

* The Court Cards present a bit of a challenge from a numerology standpoint. The Mystic Dreamer deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith model (as opposed to the Thoth model) for the Courts: Page, Knight, Queen, King. I confess that I use a very simplistic method for assigning numbers to the Courts.

• Page = 11 or 2 (1+1)
• Knight = 12 or 3 (1+2)
• Queen = 13 or 4 (1+3)
• King = 14 or 5 (1+4)

(4) Clerks, bookkeepers, psychotherapists, health-related vocations, detailed work of any kind

TWO OF CUPS, reversed
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-Two-of-Cups-44871980

My keywords for the number 2: relationships, harmony, unity, balancing polarities

The Two of Cups reversed suggests to me that the occupations listed above might not help me create balance, unity, or harmony in my life. Barbara Moore writes of this card reversed that it "can indicate a union or partnership that in theory or on paper should be amazing, but the reality is that there is just no emotional connection." The fact is, I am a detail-oriented person, which served me well in my jobs as a secretary for various employers. But that sort of work -- while fulfilling in the sense that I do it well and I know I do it well -- is not satisfying emotionally.

(5) Politics, guidance work, bartending, glamour jobs, work involving much travel or adventure, any job where there is tactile gratification

KING OF WANDS*, reversed
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-King-of-Wands-73186166

My keywords for the number 5: restlessness, adventurousness, flexibility

While the occupations listed above might have provided travel, adventure, or tactile gratification, the King of Wands reversed suggests to me that these careers might not have been a good choice for me. Barbara Moore notes that the King of Wands reversed can represent someone who is demanding, impatient, and tyrannical, perhaps with anger issues. This suggests to me that the occupations listed above would not be suitable for me, perhaps because I would desire or expect more attention and control than I would be given in those jobs.

* The Court Cards present a bit of a challenge from a numerology standpoint. The Mystic Dreamer deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith model (as opposed to the Thoth model) for the Courts: Page, Knight, Queen, King. I confess that I use a very simplistic method for assigning numbers to the Courts.

• Page = 11 or 2 (1+1)
• Knight = 12 or 3 (1+2)
• Queen = 13 or 4 (1+3)
• King = 14 or 5 (1+4)

(6) Commerce, garden-variety jobs, selling, collecting, home management

FIVE OF WANDS
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-Five-of-Wands-47684542

My keywords for the number 5: restlessness, adventurousness, flexibility

A few keywords for this card from Barbara Moore: "combat, competition, strife." I don't know about "garden-variety jobs," but I have always had a strong aversion to selling. I absolutely hate being expected to convince people they want or need something they don't actually want or need. Unfortunately, being self-employed means that I am selling myself and my services, whether I like it or not. And it is stressful for me. I feel the competition keenly, and I am not comfortable with it.

(7) Religious, spiritual or occult calling; research, any profession involving food

TWO OF WANDS, reversed
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-Two-of-Wands-44730835

My keywords for the number 2: relationships, harmony, unity, balancing polarities

I'm not quite sure what to do with this. Having chosen to be a Tarot reader and astrologer, I clearly feel a "spiritual or occult calling." And I truly enjoy doing research. Barbara Moore writes that the Two of Wands reversed can indicate being "unable or unwilling to make a choice," or "being faced with two unappealing choices and feeling forced to pick the lesser of two evils." I'm going to have to give this one more thought.

(8) Law, banking, The Power Structure
FOUR OF PENTACLES

Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-Four-of-Pentacles-46767506

My keywords for the number 4: stability, security, hard work

I have worked in both banking and law -- in clerical or secretarial positions. In both jobs my bosses told me I should consider those professions (lawyer, banker) because I would do well in them. Too bad I had no desire to be a lawyer or banker! I do wonder if I had gone into one of those fields, if I would have become the miserly person depicted on this card, focused on controlling things and making money.

(9) Humanitarian service, social work, people-oriented enterprises on a grand scale

THREE OF PENTACLES
Link to picture of card: http://azurylipfe.deviantart.com/art/Tarot-Three-of-Pentacles-45550446

My keywords for the number 3: creativity, synthesis, initial completion, expansion

This card seems to indicate that the occupations listed above would suit me well, especially in terms of personal fulfillment and recognition. It is satisfying to feel that my work "helps people." I like using astrology and Tarot to help people deal with or address challenging situations in their lives. It's not quite the same thing as "social work" and maybe I don't operate on a "grand scale," but what I do certainly is "people-oriented."