Christmas Presence Spread, Day 2

Christmas Presence Tarot Spread: Day Two: Ten of Chalices

What does the Darkness teach me?

"The rainbow shines after the rain."

This card symbolizes contented happiness, ease, family, harmony. Stability and a firm foundation. Well-established contentment, the knowledge that even through hard times, the family holds together and comes through stonger for their relationship. The lesson of this card is not to let the darkness overtake you, to believe that there will be better times ahead. To believe in the permanence of family love and the strength of a good foundation.

Card is from the Manga Tarot.

Spread can be found here: The Christmas Presence Tarot Spread.

Christmas Presence Spread, Day 1

Christmas Presence Tarot Spread: Day One: The Tower

How can I be fully present to the Miracle of the Season?

Change, upheaval, reversal in fortune. A slap to the face to snap you out of hysteria or complacency. Something is wrong and you are ignoring it -- expect a blow (physical or to the ego, for instance), a surprise, a fall from grace. Disruption or destruction is necessary, how you deal with it is the key. Try to find the positive in any situation, no matter how bleak. Clear away the old and make a fresh start; a welcome release, shattered illusions, the courage to change beliefs that are no longer appropriate. A powerful revelation that changes everything.

I always go into the holiday season with some trepidation. I do my best to do things that will raise my spirits even though this time of year is always hard. I do a really good job for a few days, sticking to my plans to watch Christmas movies, make early preparations, not get caught up in the frenzy, or guilt that I'm not doing a good enough job. Invariably, my plans fail and I begin to lose hope, realizing that this Christmas will be like all the others, just something to get through, and look forward to the relief on the other side.

This card seems to indicate that I need to pull myself out of that mindset, accept that things may not (will not) be perfect, that there will be pitfalls and setbacks. Shake it off and push forward, take things as they come, and expect that everything may get turned on its head.

Card is from the Manga Tarot.

Spread can be found here: The Christmas Presence Tarot Spread.

Nine of Wands

Card of the Day: Nine of Wands

This card is from the Manga Tarot.

From the LWB: "Vigilance. Not everything happens without conflict."

This card represents inner strength and determination, persevering despite setbacks, being wary of being attacked, being knocked down but standing up again. Holding fast, continuing on through difficult times, keeping things together. Relying on yourself to be strong enough to get through the current situation. A struggle, with the hope of victory.

Two of Wands

Card of the Day: Two of Wands

This card is from the Manga Tarot.

From the LWB: "Desire. Where the eyes don’t see, the heart sees."

This card represents personal power, commanding respect, inventing something new, doing things your own way. In a reading, it suggests that preparations may have been made for something, but the project, venture or journey has not been started. It could also indicate that the querent may focus on planning, but never actually takes the first step. You may be faced with opportunities, but will have to follow through to gain a good result.

Three of Pentacles

Card of the Day: Three of Pentacles

This card is from the Manga Tarot.

From the LWB: "Service: There is also honor in serving."

I got this card three times in a row over two days, so obviously it's something that I need to pay attention to. The Three of Pentacles focuses on a group, a team, rather than individual action. It also indicates competence, i.e., be proud of your good work even if it is as part of a team and not individually recognized. The traditional card shows a workman showing his progress his admiring bosses. Perhaps they are architects and he is carrying out their plans; they show that they are pleased with his competence at his job. You don't always have to be the boss, you can also achieve happiness and satisfaction by following the lead of someone else, as long as you concentrate on doing your own job well.

Ace of Pentacles

Card of the Day: Ace of Pentacles

This card is from the Tarot of Pagan Cats.

Prosperity, abundance, security, positive energy, productivity. The Ace of Pentacles suggests that you may be ready to start a new business or career with the potential of financial advancement, as long as you are willing to put in the hard work necessary. LearnTarot.com calls it the "seed of possibility," and says that if you focus and stay grounded, you will be able to bring your dreams and goals into reality. The Ace of Pentacles shows a hand appearing from the sky holding a coin. However, it is only a possibility; the lush garden indicated on the card will only come about with hard work, but if the hard work is done, the financial reward will come.

Queen of Swords

Card of the Day: Queen of Swords

This card is from the Tarot of Pagan Cats.

Honesty, sense of humor, experienced in the ways of the world, both good and bad. You can't put anything by this Queen!

She is traditionally shown as one who has suffered, who has known pain, yet has faced it with courage and dignity, and has been able to hold her head high. She may represent a person who will enter your life, or may indicate that you will be required to develop such qualities yourself. If you are faced with adversity or sorrow, bear it with dignity and a sense of humor.

Six of Cups

Card of the Day: Six of Cups

This (and all the cards this month) is from the Ceccoli Tarot.

From the LWB: "Look into your deepest memories to remember who you are and what makes you happy. Let others help you find yourself again.

Key concepts: Revisiting the past, childhood memories, forgiveness.



The traditional Six of Cups card shows two children playing, with a castle (their home) in the background.

From Learntarot.com:

It is a truism that there is violence, anger and mean-spiritedness in the world. Certainly there is enough of this, but there is also much good will and caring. A mother hands a drink to her child. A friend lends his car for the weekend. A worker fills in for a sick colleague. Small gestures, barely noticed, but so important. The Six of Cups is a card of simple goodness. It encourages you to be kind, generous and forgiving.

The Six of Cups also represents innocence - a word with many shades of meaning. You can be innocent in the strictly legal sense of lack of guilt. You can be innocent of the truth - unaware of some secret. You can be lacking in deceit or corruption - innocent of ulterior motive. Finally, you can be virtuous or chaste. These are all possibilities that can apply to the Six of Cups, depending on the situation.

In readings, this card can represent a child, children, or childhood, or the qualities associated with childhood, i.e., innocence, playfulness, sweetness, feeling safe and/or secure.

King of Swords

Card of the Day: King of Swords

This (and all the cards this month) is from the Ceccoli Tarot.

From the LWB: "One who plans and strategizes thoroughly before acting. Brings a brilliant mind to any situation."

A man of intellect. Honest, truthful, insightful and eloquent, impartial and incorruptible.

The Queen of Pentacles

Card of the Day: Queen of Discs (Pentacles).

This (and all the cards this month) is from the Ceccoli Tarot.

From the LWB: "One who gives abundantly of all of life's sweetness. Generous and motherly, a resource for wealth."

This Queen is sensible, down to earth, matter-of-fact. She doesn't have the time or the inclination for a lot of foolishness. Loyal, steadfast and trusting, she just takes care of things without worrying too much about it. She's nurturing, but she won't put up with a lot of your nonsense. A lover of nature, she represents involvement with the physical world, reliability, pragmatism, success, security, wealth.

In readings, the Queen of Pentacles may represent someone currently in your life or someone that you may meet. All of the Pentacles cards represent money or finances in some way; the Queen is strong, affectionate, nurturing and wise. She is financially secure and spends money wisely, but is not particularly frugal. She enjoys the things that her wealth brings, i.e., a beautiful home, gifts for her family, the ability to pamper herself with beauty treatments--maybe a spa day or two.

The World

Card of the Day: XXI, The World.

This (and all the cards this month) is from the Ceccoli Tarot.

From the LWB: "Everything seems complete and perfect just as it is, but don't be afraid to shake things up. A new pattern will emerge."

Key concepts: Completion, wholeness, breaking through.

I love the card from this deck, with the little gingerbread house and the little girl inside a snow globe. I've always loved snow globes -- a whole little world inside a sphere, with "snow" or glitter inside. A couple of years ago I made Christmas ornaments for everyone in my family by buying clear glass fillable ornaments and filling them with plastic "snow." There's just something about that little self-contained world that intrigues me.

Traditionally the World card shows an dancing woman with her feet crossed in the manner of the Hanged Man, but upright rather than upside down. According to Rachel Pollack in Tarot Wisdom, "the World represents the culmination, full consciousness unlimited by dualism or ignorance," and "the World card doesn't just overcome limits, it transcends them to show us a vision of fully realized existence."

In readings, the World represents a positive result, a breakthrough of some kind, "some powerful understanding that leads to wholeness and freedom. . . mostly, it promises success." Rachel Pollack's Tarot Wisdom

In Learning Tarot, Joan Bunning equates the World card to a feeling of thanksgiving: " It's Thanksgiving Day. . . . You're happy, fulfilled and truly thankful . For this moment, the World and everything in it is yours." So while I was first thinking that this card would be more appropriate for the last day of the year, I also think it's very appropriate to start off this month, this season, with a wish for wholeness and completion, to go into the holidays on a positive note.