So for the week of 27 May thru the 2nd of June, I did a three-card spread and got the following:
Whoo boy. This is going to take some unpacking…
Judgement:
The next to last Major Arcana, I like to think of Judgement as a warning that the means won’t be forgotten in the end. Legacy will reflect the choices made here and now and you will face evaluation after the fact. Maybe the ends do justify the means, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be questioned about it later. Or that you’ll ever forget what you chose to do, to ignore, or prioritize differently.
For me, this is more about looking back at a later date and asking: “Could I have done better?” It’s my innate mode of self correction and method of perpetually trying to make myself a better person. Rather than waiting weeks for the final outcome, I can ask here and now: “Am I doing the best possible thing I could be doing?” It will help me with fighting procrastination, and failing to act for fear of failure or making a mistake, and most of all: prevent failing to act when I do make a mistake or not act to correct one in the making in time. Shortening the leash, if you will, from “i’ll hate myself later for acts i take now,” to “I don’t want to hate myself later, so I’d best do the right thing NOW, rather than regret it later.” An ounce of painful prevention now, rather than a pound of agonizing cure later.
TEN of CUPS
The ten-cards in the Minor Arcana represent fulfillment and the end of story arcs and journeys. I also like to look at ten-cards as turning points: signaling the end of one process and the beginning of the next. They can represent reaching a plateau point where the next steps on a journey can begin. One might not even be able to see the next cycle until you reach the end of the current one. The Ten then rolls around to the One/Ace again (or the Zero if you need it) and the ascension begins again. In this sense, the Ten is a kind of singularity: the point beyond which you cannot see until you cross its’ boundary; after that whole new worlds and possibilities open up before you.
As the ultimate CUPS card this one is about emotional contexts. And that feels true here. Life has been a challenge lately. Work stress and life stress have been peaking. Keeping a steady hand on the emotional till has been essential for navigating the rapid of my own emotional reactions. I believe the Ten of Cups here signifies the light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel. There IS and end in sight to the stress and drama.
Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.
[RoseRed hates this card, BTW. But I’ll let her explain why on her own blog 😉 ]
TEN of WANDS
Everything I said above about Tens in general applies here as well. Most other decks depict an overwhelming wave or wall of responsibilities and causes, but Stephanie’s gorgeous watercolors here give a different feel and inspire another answer: the alignment and mutual support of many different yet related branches of life and cause and passions. Hearths and homes raised above the bramble and clutter of the ground-level. Each getting its own new lease on life-giving light from above and support from below. This speaks to me of a worthy goal, and one not out of reach.
Conclusion
As some of you who know me in real life know: we’re moving shortly into what we plan and hope will be our hereafter home. Like any move this is an immensely complex and detailed process. The appearance of multiple Tens cards show both the challenge and rewards of this journey. That the cards drawn are about water and fire sources tell me this is a journey of emotional resilience and with passionate outcomes worthy of the challenges. That no Coin or Swords cards appear in the readings, I choose to take that as there are no outstanding complications about money or details. Everything on those fronts are known and manageable challenges. That’s a relief, frankly.
So while this spread contains some rather BIG MEANING cards, I choose to interpret them in this context as helpful signposts, rather than dire warnings or sudden reversals of fortune.