Tarot Reading for Elizabeth E. (ladybess) by "The Dolly Llama" (jean f.) Happy Birthday!

I am the Dolly Llama... Answerer of questions of a spiritual nature... Well versed in the interpretation of the ancient Tarot, I offer a reading per the request of my good friend, Elizabeth E.

Happy Birthday, my friend! ;o)

First off, we find Elizabeth's "significator" (the card that represents her) in the bottom third of the deck after shuffling and cutting the cards. This placement within the deck signifies that the question (or, if no specific question was asked, the area of life that the cards wish you keep an eye on or notice) has to do either with "physical" matters (health and bodily matters) or "financial" ones.

I also note that the card "behind" your significator (which -- as an air sign woman -- is the Queen of Swords) in the deck was the 7 of cups which has to do with dreams or things that you wish for as the card shows various things coming out of cups such as a castle (home), a dragon (wisdom), jewels (wealth), a laurel wreath (association with honors of some sort), etc. Coincidentally (or... perhaps NOT) in front of you in the deck was the 7 of pentacles. This card shows a person leaning on their hoe in their garden smiling at the "fruition" of 7 "fruits of their labors" represented by 7 pentacles. It signifies tangible results of past toil yielding results.

Beginning the reading (for which I have chosen the standard "Gypsy layout") with your Queen of Swords in the center, the next card I turn is said to be "surrounding you" at the moment of the reading (which, in this case is at approximately 8:50 pm PST on Feb. 19th, 2008).

In this case, it is the "court card" of the King of Wands. Most times, a "court card" (Queen, King, Knight, Page) is usually representational of another person -- in the case of the King of Wands, it is a "fire sign male of age" (Aries, Sagittarius or Leo). If not one of these signs, this man displays many of the characteristics of the fire signs such as enthusiasm, forthrightness, assertiveness and perhaps even somewhat of a "fiery temper".

If this description does not fit someone whom you know that was near you at the time of the reading, the alternate meaning of a court card (which is of the opposite gender of the Questioner) can indicate that part of the Questioner's personality which takes on these characteristics that I have mentioned. (In your case, however, my "feeling" is that this King of Wands is someone whom you know well whose influence was strong at the time of this reading...)

The next card I turn, I place perpendicular (crossways) to the first two and this card it is said is "crossing" you. It is a situation or person or feeling that is not of your making but one that you "stumble upon" as you are going about your life at the time of the reading (which, in my experience, usually amounts to anywhere between a one month and a 3 months' time-period).

This card is the Major Arcana card of "The Fool" and it's number is "0". The Fool shows a vagabond, a wandering minstrel, if you will, who is blithely strolling on a sunny day with a song in his heart and a flower in his hand with his few meager belongings in a sack tied to a stick over his shoulder (this signifies his lack of ties to the purely "material" of this world).

It is a lovely scene until one realizes that he is about to step off the edge of a cliff... The Fool is the close companion to the card that I get in almost every single one of the readings that I do for myself: The Hanged Man. The lesson of both is that enlightenment on a spiritual level comes always at the cost of the material. I used to get The Fool all the time until about 20 years ago when it changed to the Hanged Man... (I'm not certain at all that this was a "step up" ...lol...) This position of the Fool is the card that will be "breaching" your immediate past to your immediate future so let us go on with the reading so that we may see the other two cards in these areas to see how it relates.

The next card I place below the first three and this forms "the basis of the question" (or, if there was no specific question, the most important area of your life that you should be looking at more closely) and this card is the Ace of Cups.

I have "pet names" for many of the Tarot cards (developed over YEARS of familiarity) and this card I call "my cup runneth over" (taken from the 23rd Psalm). Cups symbolize "emotions" and (judging from the "0" of the Fool and the "1" of the Ace) it appears that you are at the moment beginning a new cycle in your life. Numerologically, "life cycles" begin at "1" and carry out to "9" (when they end). So, I would say that you are experiencing a period right now where your emotional "cup" is "full". As the "basis of the question", this might very well signify your excitement over what you consider to be a new and exciting time in your life -- a time of great happiness.

The next card I place to the left of the center 3 cards and this position signifies what has gone on in your immediate past. (And, as such is the "past" card which your "Fool" card connects to your "immediate future" card which we will reveal in a couple of more steps...)

This card is the "4 of Wands". My "pet name" for this card is "homecoming" and it is a card that has always meant a kind of happy time of being welcomed into a circle of friends, family or simply other people who share some of your spiritual values. (When my best friend and I read our cards before starting off for an extended stay in Mexico, this is the card we got as the "final outcome" and it did seem very much to us as though we WERE being "welcomed home" there in a way... even though, up until that time, we had never really been there before... We found friends at every turn and felt very much "at home" there...:o) ) This card can also mean that there was some kind of "family reunion" or other "reunion" in your immediate past where you shared a happy time with those with whom you have an affinity.

Next I place a card above the first three cards and this is said to be "crowning" you -- or "in the offing" and, sometimes, also "the highest you may attain" in the situation. If it is a "negative" card, we can be forewarned of a situation which we can then avoid. If it is a "positive" card, we can concentrate on it and thereby draw it into our lives.

In this case, it is another major arcana card -- and very, VERY positive -- "The Sun". The lesson of the Sun tells us that the bright light of love and innocence shines into even the darkest corners and makes all known. In it, a fair-haired, happy child rides a white horse in a lovely garden surrounded by sunflowers... It is happy and bright and childlike... (This was the card that was the final outcome that I got when I read my own cards when I was pregnant with my daughter and asked what the baby would be like... She was exactly like the blonde, blue-eyed child in the card and happy and smiling all the time -- even making dour-faced strangers smile at her whenever they looked at her...) I would tell you to awake each day and feel the sun on your face and rejoice in your life and all that you have and are... Be happy! for you have much to celebrate!

The next card, I lay to the right of the first 3 and it signifies the immediate future. (And, thereby, the other card to which the Fool is bridging.)

This card is the 6 of cups and depicts a boy who has taken 6 beautiful chalices and planted flowers in them and who is giving one away to a little girl... The meaning is love and generosity -- unblemished by ulterior motive of greed or sex -- but, rather, childlike and innocent... This is almost like "puppy love" (another pet name of mine) ;o) .

(So, the "bridge" of past to future of the Fool is between a "homecoming" and some instance of "puppy love". I shall leave the application of this concept to you...)

The next card I turn even more to the right of the 6 of cups signifies YOU after the previous lessons of the aforementioned cards happen.

It is the King of Swords. This is the male counterpart to your own significator and, in this case, I do not believe that it means another person... Since it's position is YOU in the future, I tend to believe that we see you in 1 to 3 months come into more of "your own"... a stronger, more assertive and commanding "you" than you are at the moment or have been in the recent past...

The next card I place above the King of Swords and it is said to be in the "home" position... Now, bear in mind that "home" isn't just a place where you live but it is the circle of friends and family that surround you: Home is where the heart is.

This card is also a major arcana card (in that it is not "cups", "wands", "pentacles" or "swords") and it is the card of "Death". Now before you go all ga-ga on me, I hasten to tell you that "Death" as far as the Tarot is concerned DOES NOT MEAN PHYSICAL DEATH!!! "Death" in the language of the Tarot has the same meaning as "Change" and, in this position, I see it as a major "change" of some sort that will be happening to someone within your circle. This could mean retiring from work or moving somewhere new or changing jobs or embarking upon some new venture which will substantially change things in their lives. Again, this is NOT at ALL necessarily a "negative"... In fact, the only time that "change" is negative is when everything in our lives are just PERFECT -- and that can't be said for anybody's life very often... Change is the only constant in the Universe and, because things are seldom exactly perfect for any of us, "Change" should always be welcomed...

The next card, I place above the Death card and the card in this position is called "hopes and fears". As such, it is NOT "reality" but merely gives you an insight into your own mind -- your own preferences or fears...

It is the 2 of cups. The 2 of cups shows a couple (male and female) making a betrothal "toast" with 2 chalices.... Out of the cups grows an idea -- an event -- some tangible "thing" that comes about as a result of their union. For that reason, this is said to be the card of "contracts", "agreements", "partnerships" and signifies anything that comes about as a result of two or more people coming together in an enterprise. In this position it is possibly your hope that something arises out of an agreement or contract or partnership which is beneficial to all...

This last card I place atop the 2 of cups and this is said to be "the final outcome" -- the culmination (within 1 to 3 months) of the "question" (or "life question") of the Questioner.

 This card is the 4 of cups and shows a man sitting beneath a tree with 3 cups empty before him that he has already drunk and a fourth one being offered by a "divine hand" that is full... His arms are folded and he appears not to even be interested in this fourth cup... It's almost as though he already has "too much" and doesn't even really WANT any more...

Remember that "cups" mean "emotions" and, in the case of your reading, you have so much "good stuff" happening to you and around you at the present time that I think this final outcome of almost having "too much" is quite apt. The lesson being that when TOO much "good stuff" keeps happening for us, we run the risk of becoming bored and jaded... Always try to keep yourself aware that -- just as quickly and easily as these good times come -- they CAN go away and be ever thankful (keeping your eye on that "Sun"!) of these periods of plenty and happiness in your life.

Overall the main things that stand out about your reading are the abundance of wonderful things that are happening for you during this period of your life (Ace of Cups, 4 of Wands, 6 of Cups, The Sun) and the strength (King of Swords) that this gives you to see you through future times when -- as they must -- things will probably change. Do not allow yourself to become overly naive or trusting (the Fool) during this time and be ever mindful to "save" some of this great abundance for leaner physical, financial, emotional AND spiritual times. But, for right now, ENJOY IT!! :o)

Do you have any questions that you you'd like to ask me further about your reading, Elizabeth? I shall endeavor to answer them as quickly as I can...

Blessings,
The Dolly Llama

(jean ;o) )