Sitting in Judgement

I’ve been challenged, recently, about my interpretation of the Judgment card.  In a reading, I’d said that Judgment wasn’t about judging and being judged – or at least, not only about that.  But others clearly don’t agree, so I thought I’d have a look and see what other views are around.

© Judgement

Universal Waite Tarot

The Little White Book (LWB) that accompanies the Universal Waite Tarot deck simple says “Change of position, renewal, outcome.”  Short and to the point. 

Rachel Pollack, in her Seeker: The Tarot Unveiled (Llewellyn, 2005), adds “rebirth, new possibilities, and wholeness” to the list.  In fact, she maintains (as do I) that Judgment is not about judging others, showing good judgement, or being judged themselves at all.  The child in the image reminds us that new opportunities and possibilities can appear when we heed the voice that tells us to let go of old, out-of-date, ways and beliefs.  The nakedness of the figures symbolizes openness as well as new beginnings – the state in which we were born into this world, but also the state in which we need to embrace this “re-birth”.  The trumpet, far from being the call to judgement, is in fact the “voice”, the push, the call – however it manifests – to step into the unknown and stop hiding.

© Judgement

Game of Thrones Tarot

Juliet Sharman-Burke, in her Beginners Guide to the Tarot (Connections, 2001), adds “resurrection and resolution” to the list.  She too sees this as an opportunity to greet the new with joy.  She calls it the card of karma, saying “it heralds the time of reaping what has been sown”.  You might see an element of judgement in that but, reading between her lines, I feel it’s more about assessment.  Yes, she does use the word “judge” – “to judge your actions and appraise what you have done” – but she goes on to say it’s more about the preparation for the next stage in life. 

Liz Dean, in the accompanying guidebook to The Game of Thrones Tarot (Home Box Office, Inc., 2017), doesn’t use the word “judgement” in her description of the card.  She writes about being on the edge of a change, and focuses on the need for second chances after a review or appraisal, and about the chance to make sense of the past.

© Judgement

Shadowscapes Tarot

In the accompanying book to the Shadowscapes (Tarot Llewellyn, 2010), Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore do refer to making a judgement.  They talk about holding an accounting, and about it being “time to evaluate the phase of life just past, to recognize and to appraise with an unbiased mind and honesty to oneself”.  They too see Judgement as a card of awakening, of hearing and responding to a voice or call, and the need to respond to it.

The creators of the Wildwood Tarot (Connections, 2011), Mark Ryan and John Matthews, are very clear in their view.  In the accompany book, they write that “The major element in this process [surviving inevitable change] is judgement of yourself and others.”, yet the word “judgement” doesn’t come up in their list of keywords.  “Karma” and “cosmic law” do, as does “inescapable truth”.  They do talk about renewal and rebirth, themes that are echoed in the image that Will Worthington has created for the card.  That idea of rebirth is also seen in the DruidCraft Tarot’s image (also by Will Worthington).

© The Great Bear

Wildwood Tarot

© Rebirth

Druid Craft Tarot

So yes, my challenger was right in saying that the card is about judging the self and others, but I think perhaps it depends on how we define “judgment” – and maybe I need to be clearer about that when I read!  (To be fair, the deck I was reading with, Kim Krans’ Wild Unknown Tarot, does focus on the forgiveness aspect, as I did in the reading.)  Kim Krans’ view is that the word carries such negative connotations – fear, guilt, shame – that it’s more helpful to seek the truth and forgive, not blame.  The image, the dove rising up above all the negativity (the darkness) and spreading its wings reflects that beautifully, I think.

© Judgement

Wild Unknown Tarot

Pollack, Rachel. Seeker: The Tarot Unveiled. Llewellyn Publications, 2005.

Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Druid Craft Tarot created by Philip Carr-Gomm and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Game of Thrones Tarot, created by Liz Dean, published by Home Box Office, Inc., 2017

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Universal Waite Tarot created by Mary Hanson-Roberts & Pamela Colman-Smith, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Wild Unknown Tarot, created by Kim Krans, published by HarperCollins, 2016.

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Full Moon in Taurus

Today’s offering comes from the Wildwood Tarot, created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, beautifully illustrated by Will Worthington. 

18 The Moon on the Water (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

The Moon on the Water seems like the perfect card to work with on the day of the Taurus Full Moon.  Full moon overhead, casting light over a marshy landscape – that’s appropriate too, as we’re in the watery sign of Scorpio.  And against the backdrop of that moon we see the silhouette of an aurochs, the ancestor of our bull – the symbol of Taurus. 

Taurus is associated with fertility, among other things.  In the old Druidic traditions, a bull or ox might be sacrificed at midwinter, as a symbol of new life emerging from the ‘dead’ of winter.  In the accompanying book to the Wildwood Tarot, the creators write of the auroch’s horns representing not only the waxing and waning of the moon, but also fertility: they see the womb and fallopian tubes in the bull’s horns. 

New growth emerging from death is also a theme of Scorpio, of course, with the transformation from what’s decaying or no longer of use into something from which new life can emerge. Just think of your compost heap!  The Moon represents this too – the cycles of life: birth and death, new and old, waxing and waning.

So what might The Moon on the Water be saying to us today? It’s difficult to see a way through the marsh, although the Moon does cast a path of light (reflected from the Sun) over the water. The 'passage through the unknown', perhaps? The heron, a water bird, represents psychic ability as well as reflection - and there's plenty of reflection in the imagery. The heron also stands at the gateway between life and death, acting as mediator on the soul's journey to the underworld. Or between conscious and unconscious? Under the surface (how Scorpionic!) lies the “primal egg” (to quote Ryan and Matthews), waiting to be fertilized. So, at this time of the Taurus New Moon, perhaps it’s time to stand still for a moment, and see the potential that lies before us. Pay attention to your dreams and your imagination – what are you being called to create?

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Scorpio in the Minor Arcana: The Five of Cups

Let’s start our exploration of Scorpio in the tarot in the Minor Arcana.  In the astrological correspondence system that I follow, Scorpio is linked to the Five, Six and Seven of Cups. Today I’m going to look at the Five of Cups, which corresponds to the first ten days of Scorpio (this year, the 23^rd October to around the 1^st November) – and to Mars in Scorpio.

Scorpio is the fixed Water sign, so we’re looking at maintaining our emotional resources, delving into the depths to get at the heart or root of what’s going on.

Mars, the traditional ruler of Scorpio, is associated with the element of Fire.  Mars is the warrior, the Roman god of war – powerful, passionate, driven by strong desires, and very likely to take the initiative.  Mars is decisive, and needs to express himself freely – which could come into conflict with the Scorpio preference for keeping things hidden, buried away in the depths.  Mars likes to be in control but when combined with Scorpio’s energy, this is likely to manifest through an intense transformation of emotional power at a very deep level.

Five of Cups (trimmed):

© Sharman-Burke/Caselli Tarot

So how might this play out in the Five of Cups?  Let‘s start by looking at a relatively ‘traditional’ depiction of the Five of Cups, from the Sharman-Burke/Caselli deck (Beginners Guide to Tarot). Here we see a figure facing away from us, looking down at the three overturned cups in front of him. He’s so intent on these and what’s spilling out of them, that he doesn’t see the two that still stand, intact.  Juliet Sharman-Burke uses the words ‘regret’ and ‘sorrow’ for this card. So we have someone who feels deep sorrow at what’s happened (the three cups emptying), but who’s ignoring or overlooking at what still exists (the two full cups).  The decisiveness and freedom of expression that Mars would usually exert is being held back by the compulsion to look only at the loss and the emotions that accompany it – to become lost in the emotion itself perhaps?

Five of Cups (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

In the Shadowscapes Tarot, we have a slightly different interpretation. The figure is ignoring the three overturned cups at her feed, focusing on the one in her hands. The fifth cup bobs on the waves in front of her – does she see it? Which one holds her hopes – the one she’s gazing into with Martian determination, or the one that’s trying to head out to sea with Martian determination of its own?  Perhaps the cup she holds represents what’s happened, and her feelings of sorrow or disappointment, while the cup on the waves is pushed and pulled by the tide, unable to move forward. Again, the decisiveness and freedom of expression associated with Mars being held back by being lost in the emotion of loss.

Five of Cups (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

In the Thoth deck, the emphasis is the same – regret, sorrow, and the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations.  The cups are empty and look as though they could easily break. The lotus has been uprooted, and its blossoms have died. Even the water looks dead.  But the roots of the lotus form a butterfly shape, representing the idea of transformation – the theme of Scorpio.  The card warns against allowing the potentially aggressive, potentially destructive Martian energy to spill over.  That energy can be used usefully though, by transforming it – by shifting the emphasis from what’s lost to what’s still available to us. We can learn from disappointment – nothing is ever wasted. Remember that Scorpio represents cycles, endings and beginnings – and is the ultimate recycler!

Five of Vessels (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

The Wildwood, on the other hand, shows us a rather different view!  Although Mark Ryan and John Matthews, the deck’s creators, haven’t use astrological correspondences I see Will Worthington's figure symbolising the passion of Mars, using that energy to travel to deep levels through dance.  I think here of shamanic work – dancing in trance – and the revelations and transformations that can come through this. Powerful stuff!

Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Libra in the Major Arcana: Justice

Libra is one of the three Air signs, along with Gemini and Aquarius, as well as being one of the cardinal signs.   As such, its energy focuses on the outer world, rather than our inner world, and its main thrust is on social contact.  It seeks partnership – friendship, business, marriage.  It’s not about the passion of a personal relationship – Libra is not thought to be a passionate sign - but more about the ‘contract’, if you like – the need for equality and fairness within relationship.  Libra is the peacemaker, the negotiator, the mediator.  It’s ruled by Venus, providing a sense of refinement, and an awareness of beauty and harmony.

As usual, let’s start our exploration of Libra in the tarot with the Major Arcana.  In my previous post, I mentioned the idea of balance in various traditions – Egyptian and Greek mythology, Christianity – all of which use scales to symbolize the weighing up of whatever’s ‘in the balance’.  That, and the use of the blindfold in some of the imagery, leads us to the Justice card. 

Justice (trimmed):

© Sharman-Burke/Caselli Tarot

Depending on which deck you use, this is probably either the eighth or the eleventh card in the Major Arcana.  Most (but not all) Rider-Waite-Smith-based decks will have Justice as XI in the Major Arcana – the mid-point of the Fool’s Journey.  Personally, I like the idea of it being the 11^th card; having it as the fulcrum of the journey, half-way between the start and the end ‘embodies’ that sense of balance.

Some RWS-based decks (for instance Juliet Sharman-Burke and Gionvanni Caselli’s, shown here) place Justice at VIII.   I haven’t found a clear reason for this in the case of the Sharman-Caselli deck, but my guess is that it’s because they wanted to have all four virtues appear in order: 8 – Justice, 9 – Temperance, 10 –Strength, and 11 - The Hermit, the card to which they attribute the virtue of Prudence.  Regardless of the card’s position in the Major Arcana, the image contains most of the ‘traditional’ (i.e. RWS-based) symbolism – the scales representing perfect balance in one hand, the sword of truth in the other.

Libra has a reputation (unfair, in my opinion!) for being indecisive. Following from Virgo’s need to analyze everything in great detail, Libra weighs it all carefully but is always having to take new factors into account, upsetting that delicate balance, hence appearing to be constantly changing its mind.  For this reason, my favourite version of the tarot card associated with Libra, Justice, comes from the Thoth deck (although Crowley has re-named the card ‘Adjustment’). 

Adjustment VIII (trimmed):

© Thoth Tarot

Like many versions of the Justice card, the image still shows a figure with a set of scales, although here the scales appear to be balanced on her head.  She holds the sword of truth in both hands, between her legs, while balancing on her toes. The entire image of one of balance and harmony – including the coloured spheres (blue for spirit and intellect, green for creativity) in their symmetrical placement. But how long can this balance be held?  All it takes is one distraction, one thought, one new factor, to be added to the scales, and the whole thing is no longer balanced.  So it’s not that Libra is indecisive per se – it’s more that that the picture isn’t static; there’s always something else that needs to be considered, something else to knock us off track. That’s why I like the name ‘Adjustment’ – we’re always having to make adjustments as new elements come into play, in order to maintain our (always precarious) balance!

As our ingress into Libra is also marked by the Autumn Equinox, let’s also look at cards that are associated with this festival.  One deck that uses the Wheel of the Year as its base, rather than astrological associations, is the Wildwood Tarot, created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, and beautifully illustrated by Will Worthington.  Here we have two cards from the Major Arcana that sit at the Autumn Equinox – The Wheel (X) and The Mirror (XII). 

The Wheel (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

The Wheel reminds us of the constantly changing seasons, and that what comes around, goes around.  The equinox is but a moment in time – one where the hours of day and night are balanced, before the hours of darkness increase at the expense of the light.  In many traditions, the autumnal equinox marks the start of a period of withdrawal - not just in terms of physical withdrawal or hibernation - but a time of introspection and inner journeying, contemplation and rest. 

The Mirror (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

The Mirror shows us our reflection and allows us to see our inner selves, and by sitting on the Equinox represents the point at which our journey changes direction – from outer to inner; the point where we’re balanced between the two.  And although Mark Ryan and John Matthews aren’t making any astrological associations in their deck, the mirror is often used as to symbolize Libra. Both through Venus’ rulership and its affinity to the 7^th house, Libra is concerned with attraction and partnership.  Aries, the sign opposite Libra in the zodiac, is about ‘I’: -how we meet the world as individuals, how we’re seen. Libra is concerned with ‘the other’ - what we look for in our relationships with others.  The mirror allows us to see what others see in us. ‘Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?’ indeed!

If you’ve enjoyed this post, you might be interested in my new e-book, Astrology in Tarot, now available from Amazon.

Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Thoth Tarot created by Aleister Crowley, illustrated by Lady Frieda Harris, published by US Games Systems, Inc.

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections.

Leo in the Minor Arcana: The Seven of Wands

7 of Wands (trimmed):

© Sharman-Burke/CaselliT arot

The Seven of Wands is linked to Mars in Leo, and the final ten days of the Sun’s passage through Leo (12^th-22^nd August).  Mars is associated with ‘masculine’ energy – drive, determination.   It’s sometimes described as war-like, Mars being the Roman god of war.  Here Mars joins forces with the strength and courage of Leo, the ‘heart’.  This is a battle that will be well-planned.  Again, like Jupiter in Leo in the Six of Wands, there’s a danger of arrogance – Leonine pride combined with Mars aggression.  But as long as that’s kept in check, Mars in Leo suggests initiative and drive, confidence and creative flair. 

The Seven of Wands is often associated with the idea of fierce or stiff competition, and with keeping the momentum gained in the Six going.  After all that glory and acclaim, we can’t just sit back!  The Seven is about being ready to take on whatever comes next. That’s where the Mars in Leo energy comes in. We can draw on the Leonine daring and strength, allowing ourselves to take risks.  I think of the phrase ‘take no prisoners’ with this card – there’s no room for compromise here.  In the Thoth deck, the Seven of Wands carries the word ‘valour’.  There’s also an awareness of our fears, something else that comes through experience – perhaps through overcoming the obstacles in the Five of Wands.  

7 of Flames (trimmed):

© Margarete Petersen Tarot

In Margarete Petersen’s Seven of Flames, we see the feline (looks more like a tiger than a lion!) energy emerging from the shoulder of a human figure, surrounded by all the fire of both Mars and Leo. According to the accompanying LWB, the tiger symbolizes releasing anger, with a focus on the shoulder and pelvis – the joints from which action springs, perhaps? In more general terms, I can see the idea of ‘focused growth’, being willing to take risks for what we want to achieve.

7 of Wands (trimmed):

© Shadowscapes Tarot

The Shadowscapes Tarot shows this through the vixen taking a stand, defending what she believes in – the thing that’s most important to her (her family). She’s ready to do what’s necessary to protect them, the key word being ‘necessary’. The Seven of Wands is about doing what’s needed; it’s more than simply courage  - although I know that people sometimes see the word ‘courage’ being made up of ‘cour’ (heart), and ‘rage’ (as in fiery determination to take action), and courage is certainly part of this.

7 of Bows (trimmed):

© Wildwood Tarot

The Wildwood’s Seven of Bows focuses on the idea of clearance. After celebrating the abundance of the Six of Bows – what we’ve achieved – it’s time to decide what’s still useful, and what we can clear away.  So yes, we’re still keeping the momentum of the Six going, but this brings in some discernment, perhaps.  Not necessarily what you’d think of with Mars in Leo, perhaps...but it might take strength and courage to let go of some things, rather than cling to them.  Mars gives us the drive and determination to make those choices, to cut away what’s no longer of service.  “Change is a natural part of the process of renewal”, to quote Mark Ryan and John Matthews in their accompanying book to the deck; sometimes that change is easy, but at other times it’s challenging.  Mars in Leo helps us to deal with that.

Beginner’s Guide to the Tarot created by Juliet Sharman-Burke, illustrated by Giovanni Caselli, published by Connections

Margarete Petersen Tarot, AGM-URANIA/Deep Books, 2004.

Shadowscapes Tarot created by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn

Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Beltane Tarot Blog Hop 2016

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Welcome to Alison’s Alembic!   You may have arrived here as a stop on the Tarot Blog Hop from either Karen Sealey's Pure Blessed Tarot or Aaron Lonzano's Turtle Tarot blog.  Or you may have found this through TABI’s Facebook page, or though one of the many wonderful tarot bloggers in the ether... It doesn’t matter – what does matter is that you’re here! 

We’ve arrived at Beltane, and for this particular Blog Hop, our wrangler Karen Sealey of pureblessedtarot.com has asked us to write about the word “may”. What does it mean to us? Do we use it often, and if so in what context? Or.... let it take us where it chooses.

Karen, you may have caused mayhem with this one!  Maybe some of us will be shouting ‘Mayday, mayday, mayday!’ (from the French m’aider) as we scramble for ideas.  My scrambled thoughts included...

...the Mayflower, ship of the pilgrims that braved the Atlantic in search of a new life. 

...‘Gathering nuts in May’... an old English rhyme, first recorded in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland (1894-8), even though nuts were never gathered in May in England. Turns out that it may possibly be a corruption of ‘knots in may’, referring to the clusters of blossoms on the hawthorn (a.k.a. May tree), and not something rude! Although, given that it’s Beltane, maybe it did...

...even White Christmas ...  

It was the last one, despite the un-seasonality of the song, which really started me thinking.  In the Druid celebrations of the seasons, we usually end with the phrase “May our memories hold what the eye and ear have gained“, which could be taken not only as permission to take away what’s been experienced, but also the possibility or potential for that to occur.

So from there I went to my trusty books on grammar! “’May’ plus an infinitive can indeed express possibility in the present or future” says The Practical English Grammar.  It can also be used in the conditional:  if you do X then Y may happen. 

How many of us have used such constructions in our tarot readings?  I’m probably not the only reader who finds themselves using phrases like ‘you may find...’ or ‘it may be that...’  Some might see this as prevarication, hedging our bets, not wanting to commit – and I have to say, I sometimes still feel that on occasion.  

Ten of Arrows (trimmed): ©Wildwood Tarot

I discussed this with my very first tarot mentor, years ago; she was the one who set me off on this path in an attempt to head off my rather directive first attempts at reading.  She felt that using the word ‘may’ helped to temper what I was seeing in the cards - softening the blow, maybe – and/or giving the power to the querent by allowing them to choose what to do with the information, by offering them the possibility, the potential shown by the cards.  Ever since I saw the Wildwood’s Ten of Arrows, I’ve always thought of her and her sage advice!  

And - surprise, surprise - this card is linked to the approach of Beltane in the Wildwood's Wheel of the Year...thanks to Alison Cross' new e-book, A Year in the Wildwood).

14 Balance (trimmed): ©Wildwood  Tarot

‘Tempering’ makes me think of Temperance, or Balance in the Wildwood Tarot. And – surprise, surprise – in the Wildwood’s Wheel of the Year, this card sits at Beltane! Mark Ryan and John Matthews , in the accompanying book, write of the “balance of powers” – and it’s exactly that that the word ‘may’ represents for me in a reading. Yes, I’m providing the interpretation as I see it, but by offering it with the word ‘may’, I’m sharing the ‘power’ of the card with my querent by letting them choose what to take from it!

Thank you for stopping off here on your own journey through this Imbolc Tarot Blog Hop!  Please do come back and read some of my other posts.  

The next stops on the Tarot Blog Hop are - depending on whether you’re moving backwards or forwards through the list – PureBlessedTarot and Aaron Lonzano's Turtle Tarot. The Master List can be found here.

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Wildwood Tarot created by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, illustrated by Will Worthington, published by Connections

Thomson, A J and A V Martinet. A Practical English Grammar, Fourth Edition. Oxford University Press, 1989.