5 CARDS OF THE TAROT

5 CARDS OF THE TAROT

Have you ever watched a movie where a young, impressionable girl goes to an old scary crone who reads her fortune by shuffling the tarot deck? The crone picks up one card and gazes at it in an ominous manner and then drops it on the table. The card reads DEATH and the frightened girl, petrified and shocked at cruel fate, draws back and begins to cry fearing for her impending doom. Maybe she rushes out the room in a frenzy?

These cliches and superstitions still linger in the minds of folks when it comes to the tarot and some even call it the work of the Devil. But is there something more to the cards or is it just some new-age mumbo-jumbo?

Once you gaze at a particular card, it activates your unconscious mind. Your unconscious is the reservoir of deep awareness and memory that remains inaccessible to us in waking states, yet profoundly influences every thought, idea and action that arises from the landscape of your being.

The unconscious is fertile with divine forms and creative expressions that reveal a universality that impacts the collective hive mind of humanity. However, at this stage of our knowledge, not much is known about the unconscious. We are truly unconscious of the unconscious. The thing is, we cannot even begin to fathom the depths of our ignorance, because there are certain things we know we don’t know. The percentage of things we have no clue about and we don’t even have any concepts about them is much higher. But there are tools to navigate through the unknown realms of the unconscious mind and the tarot is one such tool. Today we shall look at five such tarot cards and try to understand what they reveal, and no death does not mean literal death when this card appears in a meaning.

DEATH CARD

The Death card symbolizes a purely transformational process. The universe is offering you a chance to tweak the perpetual cyclical movements of life and to look deeper within, for meaning. What is ending needs to end, and we cannot force it to last. We cannot project our own thoughts onto a particular situation just because it feeds our false sense of security. We have to be totally objective and non-discriminating when we analyse our lives. Death is dispassionate and so must we be if we are to end a cycle and embark on another one. The death card teaches us it is okay to let go. In fact, letting go at the correct time means you’ll not sink with the baggage. This card exemplifies the memento mori theme, which is an artistic symbolic trope depicting the inevitability of death, because as a collective we celebrate life but are petrified of death. At the end of Ingmar Bergman’s iconic “Seven Seals”, we see Death perform the Danse Macabre, carrying off souls of both rich and poor with dispassion. Notice how the Sun is radiating from the background; this is clearly a symbol of resurrection signifying that after every death or ending, there is a life and a new beginning.

EMPRESS

In stark contrast to the death card, we have the fertile and creative Empress who is an iconic depiction of Venus/Aphrodite. She has grace, she has beauty and is the very personification of the mother archetype. She embodies divine femininity in diverse roles as sensual, procreative, nurturing, security-giving, comfort-giving; she’s the universal mother incarnate. She is full-breasted suggesting she’s abundant and pregnant. There is no sterility or dankness in her energy and she blesses us with love, beauty and desire. If you are looking to enhance your wealth, just gaze at this card everyday for 11 minutes. Be open to receive her energy and manifest untold abundance. If you want to find a love interest, gaze at her deeply and feel the love she feels and this vibration you’ll create within this practice will foster the coming of your dream love.

THE TOWER

Aha! Another fear-mongering card, the card of the planet Mars! Something will collapse abruptly but have nothing to fear, for this is for the best. Mars energy cuts and burns, but it’s the greatest force that can help transcend the material world. Lightning and fire can be destruction, but sometimes it’s best to let unsustainable scenarios collapse. Yes, it’ll be difficult, but it’ll be worth it. People are scared of those human beings catapulted out of the window. This is not some divine retribution but an internal cleansing process. Those figures are thoughts that assail our minds. Sometimes, we can barely focus and remain stable. The destructive mind will be quieted by being burnt away by the fire of Mars, so best embrace this renewal. There is zero need for an alarm. Be careful. Be aware. Yes, an unknown bend is upon us, and its new grounds, exciting! Be ready to explore. Be open to new ideas and new concepts. You can journal about what action you need to take. Three steps, and that’s all. Be clear when you write. Write in the present tense and visualize. If there’s anything you’ve avoided, it’ll come to bite you in the posterior. Literally and metaphorically. Don’t let stubbornness cloud your judgment. It’s time to face Mars.

STRENGTH

Are you ready to shine like the Sun? This is card number 8 and 8’s about abundance, material prosperity, and success in the material world. With this card comes authority, and your leadership skills are tested. However, there is a spiritual component to this. You’ll feel a deeper connection to consciousness as when you turn 8 horizontally, you get the sign of infinity. This woman is engaging with the lion, but is she struggling? I don’t see any conflicts in her body language or micro expressions. She looks to be in control, the boss of the situation. She even appears affectionate towards the beast. Can we be kind to ourselves, our baser instincts? It’s worth your while to journal on this idea. She’s displaying inner strength and asking you to do the same. Often, cowards display outward shows of strength, but a true warrior possesses inner strength, which is infallible. Develop self-love and self-confidence, even when you’re confronted with past mistakes. Maybe you need to cooperate with your demons so they can be released?

THE STAR

This is such a deep cleansing energy and not just physical as depicted in this card. It deals with your psychosomatic. Your spiritual body is also being cleansed. The nakedness is a symbol for you to stand in your raw power. There needs to be no veils, no pretences. You’re ready to claim your destiny. Look how she kneels and pours the waters from one container to the stream and the contents of the other she disperses on earth. This activates the air element as Aquarius is air, but it’s also connected to water and earth. Inside the jugs, there is the water of life. She returns water to source, the streams, and also energizes earth and mud by infusing them with consciousness. The stars above are the Pleiades or krittika nakshatra. There is an optimism in this card that cannot be ignored. The important thing is to have hope, a new and happier time will emerge. Your spirit guides are hard at work, so enjoy the benefits. Walk through the gate of infinite possibilities.

The article has been authored by Tina Mukerji, a soul guide working with Astrology, Tarot, Psychism, Yoga, Tantra, Breathwork and Mantras. She works to discover the inherent archetypes, by studying astrological charts.