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tarotlogy · 1 year

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PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER

Congratulations on completing the previous Nine Lessons along with the Ace to Ten of each of The Four Suits of The Minor Arcana. This is no mean achievement for there was a lot to learn along with getting accustomed to thinking in a whole new way. As each Lesson and Card was studied and analysed, both your mind and eyes opened to new concepts and sharper visual appraisal. No longer are you merely holding a pile of Forty Picture Cards in your hands called The Minor Arcana of The Tarot, for now you are the new guardians of Four Individual Stories and Journeys, the Stories and Journeys of Life. You now should be at a stage where you understand The Four approaches to life and the Four Aspects of our Personalities which govern how we and those around us act and feel, and what we say, think and do.

You should have a strong understanding of The Four Elements that governed and influenced The Four Suits as they journeyed throughout The Minor Arcana. You should now also be in a position to identify how The Four Elements influence your own life and which one/s dominate and direct your life from day-to-day. You should also be clearly aware of which Element/s are lacking in your personality, which ones would be beneficial for you to get more acquainted with and which ones are best to keep under tight control. Your knowledge of the behaviour of the individual Elements should explain why you have tendencies to act and behave in any given situation. You should also have reached a state of honesty with yourself and acknowledge any Elemental Aspects of your Personality that are in Reverse. You are no longer at the mercy of your Personality for this new knowledge will have empowered you to make adjustments where necessary and to pre-empt certain behaviour which should enable you to gain better control over your life.

You will also have noticed that you have a better understanding of partners, spouses, family, friends, work colleagues and associates. This is because of your understanding of The Four Elements; Fire, Water, Air and Earth. These Elements will have revealed themselves to you as you became more familiar with them, putting you in a better position to identify their Personality Types. As a result you should now have realised why you get on better with some than with others based on your dominant Element Type and theirs. Many will be similar, others compatible, while some will be in opposition or hard to reconcile with. You cannot choose your family but you can choose your friends. Your friends, especially your closest friends will have Personalities, Elemental Types that are similar to yours or compatible. Sometimes they can be the exact opposite of yours, but by working together, the opposing Elements will bring out the best in each other or force the other out of their comfort zone, which helps growth and development. Those we work with, or have need to deal with on some level or other, will be a mixed bag of Elemental Types and here we have no control, for we must do our best and just get on with it. We may have to grin and bear certain Personalities because they are our Boss or Manager, we may have to be obliging and agreeable to members of the public when really we would rather throttle them over the head. On the work front, some of our work colleagues may drive us to distraction while others help make our day just by their very presence. When several Elemental Types are thrown together, there is a tendency to drift into certain groups or clicks that we call ‘our type’. We get along better with ‘our type’ and will sit together in the work canteen at lunchtime or socialise after work hours. There will be many Elemental Types we just won’t get to know much about at all because unless we make an extreme effort they will be deemed as ‘not our type’ and will feel we have little in common with them.

We rarely sit down and ponder this or ask ourselves why it is that a certain person, who has done nothing wrong at all to us, gets our back up all the time, have no interest in or are completely indifferent to them. We try to avoid them whenever possible and find it extremely difficult or tedious to hold a conversation with them. Then there are those that unnerve us or intimidate us, and we just cannot put our finger on what it is that is wrong. We constantly hear of bands breaking up that have been together for some time and their press release will put it down to ‘personality differences or artistic differences’ as the cause of the breakdown. These are The Elements at play again and when we come to Personalities that become extremely strong because of the lifestyle and attitude of celebrity-hood, there can sometimes be an inclination to let a certain Element become dominant. Certain celebrities drift into a way of being that leads them to believe that they do not have to make an effort to keep their Personalities balanced. Instead they become out of balance; demanding, egotistical and out of hand. No one tries to stop them, especially those who have jumped on the gravy train with them. In fact the more extreme their Personality is, the more publicity and attention they get. Friends who try to exert some influence will be cast aside and banned from their presence. Only the ‘in crowd’ who are inclined to the same behaviour, or tolerate it just to be seen with a certain someone will gain favour, which can be withdrawn at any stage should they disagree or show signs of disgust

The behaviour of some celebrities can become extreme and outrageous as The Elements go berserk. Money can buy them out of anything and they can lose all sense of perspective in their life. When these Overly Dominant Elemental Types come together, as in a band, on a movie set or on stage, there can be terrible clashes as every Element fights for supremacy. Each thinks it is more important than the other. We hear of dreadful behind-the-scenes hostility and jealousy. Celebrity marriages in the majority of cases often end disastrously for the same reason. Two overly-strong and Dominant Elemental Types compete against each other. Instead of bringing out the best in each other, or being there for each other, they do the exact opposite. A celebrity who marries a non-celebrity stands a better chance of staying grounded because the non-celebrity partner will have a better mix of Elements governing their life. They may be ambitious in their own right but are not driven in the same manner as their celebrity partner. The non-celebrity partner can retain feelings of compassion or empathy without coming across as a soft touch and get taken advantage of. They can speak their mind and assert themselves without fear of getting ‘bad press’ or being boring or unpopular. They can work normal jobs where others relate to them in a natural manner. They have friends who want to be their friends because they like them. They can equally shop on the high street as well as enjoying designer labels. The can come and go to many places without being recognised. They are generally free to be themselves, even though being a partner to a celebrity does bring its restrictions and conditions. Can you see what I am getting at?

We must all aim to keep are Personalities, our Elemental Energies as balanced as much as possible. Of course one or more will be dominant which will make us who we are and define us, but unless we can find the right blend, like in The Temperance Card of The Major Arcana, we will never be truly happy or realise our full potential. The Tarot can help us discover who we are, how we became who we are and whether we have personal work, self-development or growth to do before we can be our own ideal role model. The Stories of The Four Suits amply provide us with the evidence of how life would be like if we only worked with one Element. Yes, at times on their Journeys we found them channelling or calling upon the energies of other Elements to achieve their aims, yet the majority of the time they worked off their own steam, forging ahead, driven by the influence of their Governing Element. Certain Suits demonstrated how detrimental going it alone could be. In The Suit of Swords we saw the results of being influenced solely by the Air Element and at times in The Wands Suit we saw the consequences of too much Fire creating hyper-activity with little thought leading to exhaustion and impulsive decision-making. The Cups Suit was driven by pure motives in pursuit of inner-happiness and love. The Journey undertaken by the Cups Suit taught us how vitally important The Element of Water is to the very existence and continuity of humanity, for without love, without feeling from the heart, we are all but lost. The Suit of Pentacles showed us how soul-less and materialistic we can become when The Element of Earth works alone. Of all The Four Suits we must carry out a self-examination to determine if we can honestly and proudly announce that, yes, we have a sufficient level of Water in our Personality Make-up to make us warm, emotional kind, generous, loving human beings. Too much and we become overly emotional and hyper-sensitive. Too little and we become cold and sterile, thinking only of ourselves. If Water is absent what we have left amounts to nothing as we will be unhappy regardless of wealth, education and career. So after your individual Journey with The Four Suits and their Elemental Energies, how do you measure up? It is by understanding how The Elements have affected you and your life that you will be able to do the same for others when you Read for them. It is what The Tarot is all about.

If you are still uncertain of the impact of The Four Elements in The Tarot, or find it hard to grasp their implications on the forming of Personalities and Behaviour, which in turn predicts certain behaviour, it is best to go back and study The Elements Section in Lesson Three and The Four Suits in Lesson Four thoroughly before proceeding any further. It is only through understanding The Four Elements that you will fully get to grips with learning The Tarot.

***Examples of the Results of mixing Elements and when Certain Elements Dominate or take too much Control. The Result is Elements out of Balance.

When Fire and Air Mix – When Water overpowers Fire – When too much Water overpowers Earth – Too Much Earth Burying Everything

The Four Elements naturally lead on to having an understanding of Archetypes and Archetypal Behaviour. Archetypes are modelled on the individual Four Elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth as well as when they are mixed and blended in a certain manner. The Archetypal Fire Personality will become another Archetypal Personality if mixed with Air for it will act and behave in a way we expect when these two Elements come together. That is, potentially volatile; the Archetypal Aggressive/Criminal Hooligan, or on the other hand, depending on the exact Proportion of these Two Elements, the Archetypal Dynamic Intelligent Entrepreneur whose success is based on being fearless and being able to think fast on their feet. Mix Air and Earth and we find the Archetypal Success Personality with brains, ability, skills and tenacity. Too much Air and we get the Archetypal Pontificating Personality; lots of plans and ideas but unable to manifest them into something tangible, the Cannot Follow Through Archetypal Personality. Too much Earth and we have the Archetypal Never Realised their Full Success Potential Personality; hard relentless work, with no real plan or inability to set Goals. Could have been something if they had put their mind down to it. You may also get The all Work and No Play Archetypal Personality who does not have the time to enjoy their money or are too mean to spend any. Mix Water with Fire and we have the Archetypal Dynamic, Big Hearted Personality. Too much Fire and we then find The Archetypal Do as I Please Regardless of The Feelings of Others Personality. Too Much Water and we get The Archetypal All Fired up Today and Fearful Tomorrow Personality, The Chickening-Out Personality, The Personality that dampens enthusiasm with unnecessary worries and fears.

The Archetypes of The Major Arcana

Understanding The Four Elements naturally helps us understand Archetypes and vice versa. Tarot Readings will lack depth and reality if there is no understanding of both Elements and Archetypes for they will not reflect true life, they will not mirror what we have all learned to recognise as Typical Situations. Therefore they will be impossible to understand for they will become like Fortune-Telling; a series of abstract words and messages that could relate to anything or anybody because there is no personal connection or identification of an Archetypal Situation or Personality. There is no story to tell.

Gaining an understanding of Numerology helped us determine at what point of a cycle we are at and how the Collective Energy of Numbers affects our everyday life. The more dominant a Number in a Reading, the stronger the impact of its energy. We learned that Numbers carry messages which can help with interpretation. We discovered that there are positive and negative Numbers, masculine and feminine in energy. We realised that odd Numbers often carried energies of challenge and difficulties but when successfully handled, resulted in desired growth and progress. We found that Even Numbers regularly brought balance, stability and strength with the exception of Two which brought the challenge of decision-making and extremes. We concluded that there was no escape from Numbers and their associated Energies for we were surrounded by them, and because of their cyclical nature, are forced to experience each of them at some stage on our own Individual Journeys. Our very own Birth Dates created energy patterns that along with our Elemental Energies help govern and direct our lives. We also learned how we can use The Power of Numbers to our advantage and to help us understand why we are going through certain things at a given moment in time or life.

Some Symbols in Tarot:

The Importance of Colour In Tarot:

The importance of Symbols and Colours came to light as we studied the imagery on each Card. We learned to train our eyes to see more than just the picture in front of us. We began to see more, we noticed things we hadn’t before. From a blade of grass to a bird in the sky we started to understand the reason for their presence, for every detail in the imagery carried a message whether it was metaphorical or direct in its approach. The Symbols told their own story apart from the story of the overall picture. We began to see The Story behind The Story that was hidden within Symbols. We realised that Symbols are Shape-Shifters in that they were clearly obvious one day, and on another day just blended into the background. We began to search for Repetitive Symbols in Readings with the knowledge that they carried more urgent, insistent messages. We realised that Symbols and Archetypes are the language of Dreams and as a result, Tarot Reading was similar to Dream Interpretation. We began to understand that not all Symbols can be taken literally in that they often held Cryptic Messages, just like Dreams. Where Colour was concerned we suddenly noticed it, and that it too carried its own message of moods, emotions and atmospheres. We began to understand how a Dominant Colour in a Spread can influence the Tone of a Reading. Colours carry their own Energy and have us feeling the blues one day, a black mood, red with rage, green with envy or tickled Pink with Joy. We learned how Colours can be cold or warm depending on where they were on the Colour Spectrum and we linked certain Colours to The Four Elements; The warm to hot shades of Orange, Red and Gold for Wands/Fire, The soothing cooling shades of Blues, Turquoise and Aqua/Greens for Cups/Water, The colder shades of Pale Blues and Greys for Swords/Air and the heavy shades of Dark Green, Brown and Russet for Pentacles/Earth. From Colour alone we could determine whether a Reading was positive and uplifting, or negative and heavy.

At this stage of our Journey we should be able to pull all the above information together so that a Story reveals itself to us. When Reading The Tarot we do not work with one tool alone, for this would only show one side to us. The Tarot is multi-faceted, so by applying all the above disciplines we can truly bring forth all the messages it, our Subconscious, wishes to share with us. Our Subconscious uses these methods of communication, as it does during Dream Time, to help us make sense of our life, and to offer guidance and direction that is particular to us, but certainly not unique. We all share this planet, are all human beings, and all access the pool of Universal Knowledge to gain knowledge and information which we then give back so that others can be privy to what we have acquired and assimilated. And so it goes round and around, Stories repeating themselves over and over again all over the world. They may be taking place in different environments and varying scenarios, but are all so alike. So much alike that we could all write the book if we had the time. Instead, The Tarot does this for us. It can tell everyone’s Story from their unique particular point of view for it knows the Stories of all those who have been before, those who are here now, and those who have yet to come.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF PENTACLES REVERSED

Lack of Success, Short-Lived Success, Financial Ruin, Financial Disaster, Huge Losses, Massive Debts, Bankrupt, Riches to Rags, Insecure, Unstable, No Foundations, Bad Luck, Negative Change in Circumstances, Overspending, Squandering Money, Living Beyond Your Means, Ovely Materialistic, False Impression of Being Wealthy, Unstable Business/Establishment, Bad Business Management, Illegal Business Activities, Money Laundering, Well from Crime, Get Rich Quick Schemes, Collapse of an Empire/Government/Monarchy, Losing Everything, Nouveau Riche, New Money, Bling, Genetic Family Health Issues, Inheritance Worthless or Disputed, Not Making Provisions For Family, Neglecting Elderly Relatives, Favouritism in Wills, Disinherited, Family Quarrels/Feuds, Family Burdens/Obligations/Duties, Dread of Family Events/Gathering, Domestic Disharmony, Bickering over Money, Bad Housekeeping, Breaking Family Traditions/Honour/Customs/Loyalty, Gambling with Family Money or Resources, Huge Financial Loses, Overly Materialistic, Emotionally Cold, Marrying for Money, Un-traditional, Un-conventional, Liberal

A lack of success due to poor planning, lack of practical application and insufficient effort is often suggested when The Ten of Pentacles appears Reversed. You have not achieved what you set out to and there may be various reasons for this. The success you have chased has elluded you or has been short-lived. You may only have thought of the big picture and not given enough attention to the small detail. You may not have had the patience to last the course or kept changing the goal posts as your interests shifted, losing sight of your original plan. Shortcuts may have been taking instead of sticking with the tried and tested methods which would have yielded positive results. You may have listened to the wrong people, people who seemed exciting and convincing at the time. You may have moved too fast or put your trust in the wrong people and control into.

One way or another, success has not been achieved. You may have given promises to those around you and now you must let them know that it has all failed.

The Ten of Pentacles Reversed can suggest that you have great ambition and great plans of getting to the top but you do not necessarily want to put in the work and effort to get there. This can lead you to taking gambles and risks in your rush to the top. You are drawn to shortcuts and fast-track methods. You can become easily influenced by opportunists who come to you with their get rich quick schemes. You might believe that hard work is for silly people who cannot see the big picture like you do. You may have a very grandiose attitude about yourself and look down your nose at those who have to work 24/7 to make a living.

A lack of financial security and foundation is strongly suggested by the Reversed Ten of Pentacles. Poor investments with very little return can be indicated so be very careful about where you put your money. What you plan to do may require more money than you have, so give great thought to this as you may end up throwing good money after bad. We always underestimate how much something is going to cost and often fail to make provisions for a contingency fund. This leaves us exposed and vulnerable should any unforeseen problems arise.

When The Ten of Pentacles Reverses we may be looking at a situation where everything looks great on the surface. People, a family, a business etc. seem to be very successful or wealthy. We see big houses, big cars, designer clothes and a lavish lifestyle. They seem to be always going somewhere and have fancy businesses premises with numerous staff. Behind the scene lies a different story. There may be massive debts and heavily mortgaged homes and premises. They may be living on credit and running up huge bills wherever they go. This Card can represent such people, people who cannot live within their own means. They expect and demand the best that money can buy and can be very arrogant and unapologetic about their debts for they believe they were born for material comfort. They bounce cheques and throw credit card statements in the bin.

This may be you, trying to live beyond your means or giving the impression that you are successful and wealthy. You do not have enough money to afford the lifestyle you desire so stop pretending you can.

Financial ruin or collapse can be indicated by The Ten of Pentacles Reversed. You could go from riches to rags overnight. The Global recession and economy have been the ruination of many people’s fortunes over recent years. Massive empires have collapsed, establishments which had become household names, destroyed and worthless. Businesses thought to be rock solid and financially sound, also took massive hits as the tidal wave hit. Hundreds of thousands who had sunk all their money into property, saw it decimated in the crash. People who had been used to living in mansions and flying first class, had their homes repossessed and forced into declaring bankruptcy. Only those who had been extremely wise and extremely financially sound managed to survive, although some impact would have been felt. The Ten of Pentacles Reversed can also represent the scenario of not been as financially secure as you once were. You may have lost some of your wealth, business profits may have fallen or land and property devalued. However, you are still standing and whereas you have to be a little more careful with what you spend your money on, you are still much better off than most. All may not be lost, but your standard of living may have dropped. You may be able to rebuild out of the ashes.

We can also have the opposite scenario were we encounter the nouveau riche, the new rich. Money may have come too easy, too soon and too much. The Elderly man in the Reversed Card can represent the old traditional way of acquiring wealth by building an empire slowly in comparison to the young couple who establish their wealth rapidly, but wish to give the appearance of it being old money. They may have every thing that money can buy and have amassed incredible fortunes, but it may not be able to buy them into the inner-sanctum and inner-circle of the elite classes. The elderly man, sitting beside his family crests and old money will find it hard to accept these new-comers and may find them crass, unrefined and ostentatious. He views their world of bling and loud financial statements as tasteless and vulgar.

When it comes to families, there may be arguments, disputes and feuds. These family quarrels are often associated with money, inheritances and properties. There may be bad blood between relatives or siblings and families torn apart by greed and favouritism. If you are awaiting the reading of a family will, then you may be in for a shock or a surprise. Inheritance rights may be disputed with family members becoming estranged from each other as solicitors letters arrive in the post. Then again, the losses associated with The Ten of Pentacles Reversed, often hits family money. Family inheritances, legacies or even the family home may have been badly handled or gambled away. What you waited so long to inherit, may be found to be worthless or not worth the paper it is written on. You may discover that no provisions have been left for you at all, or that there was nothing to leave. Worse still, you may discover, like a client of mine did after her husband died, that the only thing left to her were substantial debts that she knew nothing about, but as his wife was now liable for. Presuming that their life assurance or mortgage protection was in place and her home secure, she also discovered that her husband had been failing to make the monthly payments a short time before his sudden death. Probably an oversight on his part, but this meant he was not covered at the time of his death. My client had to sell her home and move into rented accommodation in order to settle his debts.

On the other hand, you may be disinherited or unwelcome in your family if you have broken important traditions or customs. You may have taken your own direction, made your own plans or followed your own mind and heart instead of what was expected of you. You may now feel alienated, ostracised and an outsider. Once you can prove to them you can be equally a success following your own path, and that you meant no personal slight or insult towards them, they will eventually thaw and respect your decisions. However, if going your own way, brings scandal and shame upon your family then you may be waiting a long time for forgiveness.

The Ten of Pentacles Reversed can suggest family disloyalty and dishonour. There may be no family values and a lack of respect for family members or elders. You may view family obligations or duties as a burden and begrudge doing anything for them or having to visit. The family may be divided over an issue or situation. You may be asked to take sides. The foundations of this family have been weakened but then again may not have been very strong to start out with. You may resent caring for an elderly relative but do so in order to inherit.

You may not feel close to your family or see little of them. Your family may place too much importance on material things. You may have grown up in a monied family but spent little time with your parents if they were career-oriented. You may have been sent to boarding school and had many privileges, but feel there is something lacking in your life.

If you are looking for answers regarding your health problems then the presence of The Ten of Pentacles Reversed can suggest you look to past generations, as your condition may be genetically related. Instead of finding some famous people while tracing your family tree, there may be infamous villians, rogues and also those responsible for losing the family fortune. You may feel disappointed or ashamed about where you have come from or your ancestors.

In Relationships, The Ten of Pentacles often refers to domestic disharmony for one reason or another. However, finances issues will probably be causing much strife, especially if there has been a sudden drop in standard of living. You may be too materialistic in your relationship and have become emotionally cold. If you are financially insecure right now, this may be new territory for you, and your relationship might be feeling the strain. You may see your partner in a new light as the money dries up. You may discover you have very little in common once the material things are taken away. It may signal the end of your relationship or marriage as we see the fall of a family.

The Ten of Pentacles can also suggest that you are working too hard, or are so ambitious that you are neglecting the needs of your relationship or family. You may put your work ahead of everything else. You may see yourself as being the ultimate provider and needing to maintain the family’s standard of living, but your children may prefer you at home rather than have an increase in their allowance. Are your children crying out for your attention or do you have to buy their love? However, you may be breaking away from established family traditions or realising that you have sacrificed your family and relationships for money and status. You might choose to turn your back on the material world or a fantastic career in favour of a simpler life for you and your family. This Reversed Card can also represent the non-traditional, non-conventional family set-up.

Whereas this Upright Ten sees you marrying into money, the Reversed can find you Marrying for it. If you have your sights set high, yet don’t want to have the bother of working for it, then you can always trying climbing on the back of someone else who is on their way up, or already there. You may seek partners on the basis of material wealth and status. You may be prepared to sacrifice love in order to marry well. Be very careful if other Cards concur for someone may be after you for your money and could bleed you and your family’s inheritance dry before moving on to their next project. It may be wise to put a pre-nuptial contract in place before saying ‘I do’. If there are extreme reactions to agreeing on the contract then you must ask yourself why? However, there is no need to be miserly or cold and calculating in the contract but you must protect family assets and old family money that may not be directly yours.

Then again, you may have met someone who, by your family’s standards, is below your class or station. You may find that your new partner is not welcomed by the family or shunned. You may not be able to take your partner to family events or gatherings if there is sufficient disapproval. You might become torn between loyalty to your family and loyalty to your partner. This can be a tough relationship to maintain under such circumstances. If you have met someone who is from a wealthy or important family, you may feel insecure or inadequate if your background is very different. You may be initially dazzled by all the glamour but eventually feel out of your league. Again, another tough situation to overcome.

If Career Related, the company you work for, or seeking employment with, may be financially unsound. You may have chosen a career path that was once financially very rewarding, but has now become redundant in present day circumstances. You may be qualified in a profession that no one has any use for. You may find it impossible to get work or have to settle for a menial position just to survive. With The Ten of Pentacles Reversed comes demotion and wage cuts. The company you work for may no longer be able to sustain top-heavy salaries. However, if you are employed in a long-established family company, you may find it impossible to advance due to promotions being awarded to family members only. The company you work for may also be financially very sound but not great at sharing it around.

Business Wise, there may be the fall of a well established family empire or business on the Cards. You may be selling your family business or your shares in it. Unfortunately, The Ten of Pentacles Reversed does not augur well for business and can suggest that your business is far from successful. When this Card Reverses, all the people seem to be at the top of the card which may indicate that you are not sufficiently looking after the financial side of the business. You may be paying yourself and others too much money or dipping into the profits for personal use instead of re-investing. What money you have, is not being put to proper use or is being mismanaged. More effort is needed to be put into the day-to-day running of the business, for it may be going down the tubes while you are out wining and dining on your expense account. If you have enjoyed long-term business success then the appearance of this Card Reversed can act as a warning that you have become too complacent and laid back about its continued success. You may be stuck in old patterns of business practice when change is needed or happening all around you. You may think that your name and reputation are your strongest assets but there may be some new kids on the block who are beginning to draw attention and interest.

You may also over-estimate your importance in a family business and believe yourself indispensable. There may be some secret family dealings going on in the background with a view to removing you or vote against you. If you are the head of a family business, you might be holding the reins too tight or being inflexible, and closed to change or new approaches. It might be time for you to take a step back or retire from the business but you refuse to retire or relinquish any control to others.

Underhand business practices may have you taking money under the table or backhanders when The Ten of Pentacles appears Reversed. You may be running an illegal business or there could the use of a business for money laundering purposes. Here we have the drug barons and criminal gang lords living the high life on their ill-gotten gains. Protected by high security gates and armed guards they enjoy immense wealth and the good life in their palatial mediterraen villas. Corrupt and obsessed with money, they are driven by greed and power. They trade in misery, fear and death and have never worked an honest day in their life.

In The Ten of Pentacles Reversed we see also see The Wheel of Fortune and The Sun Card Reverse too. Your circumstances have dis-imprpoved and there is little to celebrate or feel happy about. Money is short and you seem to be down on your luck. You need to go back to the Nine of Pentacles and become self-reliant once more. Family and friends may not be able to help you out of this one, but you have been resourceful in the past and therefore can be again. If you have lost everything and your world seems to have turned on its head, remember that The Wheel is still turning, even if it does seem to be stuck on the downward turn at the moment, with you firmly wedged into its spokes. You were successful before and once That Wheel begins to move, you can choose to go back to the beginning and start afresh either with a new project or the salvaging of your existing one. You are on your own at the moment until you can prove to others how determined you are. The Pentacles are well able to rise out of the ashes and come back fighting. They can do it with their own hands too. Success is still achievable if this is what you desire.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF PENTACLES

OLD MONEY, LASTING SUCCESS, FAMILY

KEYWORDS

Financial Success/Stability/Strength, Success Breeding Success, Permanence, High Ambition/Achiever, Thriving, Flourishing, Status, Reputation, Long-Term, Results of Hard Work, Promotion, Strong Investments, Solid Foundations, Security, Protection, Financial Rewards, Materialistic, Wealth, Affluence,Riches, Permanent Wealth, Luxury, Comfort, Old Money, Property, Land, Home, Homestead, Family Matters, Family Home, Family Money, Family Tree, Continuity, Genes, Ancestry, Descendents, Heritage, Passing On/Handing Down, Inheritances, Legacies, Wills, Deeds, Trust Funds, Posterity, Provisions, Pensions, Family, Traditions/Customs, Family Values, Family/Duties/Obligations/Responsibilities, Family Support, Family Riches/Privileges, Domestic Harmony, , Family Honour/Loyalty, Family Duty/Expectations, Family Business, Family Gatherings/Events/Celebrations, Establishments, Institutions, Corporations,Businesses, Empires, Contracts, Tried and Tested, Old Values, Old School, Old Ways, Old-Age, Elders, Generations, Coming of Age, Conventional, Conservative, Old-Fashioned, Marrying into Money, Marriage, Settling Down, Starting a Family, Combining Career and Parenting

CARD IMAGERY DESCRIPTION

As we finally arrive at the end of this particular cycle for The Pentacles in Card Ten, endings are the very last thing these people are thinking about. They may have made it to Card Ten, but their journey is not over by a long shot. On the Contrary, this Card is strongly linked to Continuity and not endings or final Outcomes. The Pentacles have done way too much on their journey for it to suddenly come to a stop anywhere. The Pentacles from the very beginning, had long-term plans and goals which they were determined to achieve, but these plans and goals were never intended to be the climax of their lives or the final realisation of their dreams. Rather each long-term plan or goal was viewed only as a small part of a much larger and grander Major Plan. As each long-term plan or goal was reached they merely acted as spring boards to the next one.

Every stage was meticulously and methodically planned out, with patience, understanding and belief. Very rarely did they take risks or try out new or novel ways of reaching their goals. They preferred to operate by the traditional way, looking to those who had already achieved success through tried and tested methods for inspiration and know how.

The Pentacles and their ambition was born out of the cradle, and looking back, they really had a head start on all the other Suits who lacked their practicality, common sense and old head on young shoulders attitude. Their determination and belief in hard work being rewarded with success, very probably came prior to the cradle and was inherited through their family genes. Here we come to one of the key messages of this Card in that the continuity the Pentacles desire, goes way beyond the personal. They have not gone to all this trouble and made so many sacrifices in their life to have to say goodbye to all they have achieved at their grave. Their desire is to pass on, or hand down, that which they received in their genes, inherited or worked hard for, to the next generation so that they may continue the work of their ancestors and family tradition.

The Pentacles will not pass on, or hand down, all that is theirs and hard-earned to just anyone, for there is too much risk associated with such a gamble. A lifetime’s work could be rapidly undone, if control and rights over it fell into the wrong hands. Therefore The Pentacles will seek continuity of their existence and lifetime work through those of their own kind, people who have grown up to understand and respect the same high standards, principles and responsibility of such an honor bestowed on them. What better place to find like-minded, well-trained and properly prepared people than in your own family? Your own flesh and blood, the family you have helped create, reared, fed, clothed and loved. The family who worked alongside you and gave their unquestioning support and understanding. The offspring you invested in through good education and a stable, secure home life and environment. The strong values and work ethic you instilled in them since they were babies. The respect for money, and having to work for everything they wanted, instead of being spoiled and indulged. Yes, the family were part of the long-term plan for The Pentacles and not just the individual.

Any decent family want the same. They want to be able to provide a strong, stable and secure environment for their family to grow up in. We want to be proud of our children and them of us. We want to ensure financial security for them and never have to see them go without. We want to provide a roof over their heads and ensure they will be properly looked after, and taken care of, should anything happen to us. And then when we are no more, we want to make sure our family are left anything that was ours, so that they may benefit and remember us. We want our family line to continue, and in turn, our offspring to hand down, or pass on to theirs, in the same manner we have done for them. And so traditions, customs and even names continue to thrive, and family history is made. So too and very importantly so, does property, land and business.

*******

Much time has passed since we visited The Pentacles in Card Nine, when we watched the elegant and refined woman of wealth stroll in her lush garden. They had reached a time in their lives when they could enjoy the rich rewards of all their hard work. It is true, they were no longer young but they were very comfortable and wanted for nothing. They had a beautiful house, stunning garden and were in a position to afford anything they wanted. They no longer had to work so hard and were enjoying their well-earned rest, secure in the knowledge that they had provided well for their future and the future of their family. They had everything in place and a strong family around them.

As we enter the scene in The Ten of Pentacles we are struck first and foremost by the sight of Ten Pentacles dominating the front of the imagery. The Pentacles seem to be everywhere and we must look behind them to see the personalities and scene behind. The Pentacle is a symbol of protection and with so many floating around in this Card, we can be certain the people and buildings behind them are well protected and secure. In Tarot, Pentacles represent The Earth Element and govern the material world and physical body. Therefore, these Ten Pentacles suggest strong financial protection and security. These Pentacles have been built up over time, right from the beginning in The Ace, and by the looks of it they are here to stay. In the Ten we are looking at substantial financial success, ongoing financial security and especially old money.

Let us now look behind these Pentacles and see who they are protecting and who is responsible for their presence. As we all know, Pentacles(money) do not grow on trees and any Pentacle Plants portrayed in Tarot are purely for symbolic purposes. Therefore these Ten Pentacles have been earned or inherited by someone.

Immediately behind the Pentacles and sitting on the left is an elderly man with well-groomed grey hair and a long beard. He sits on a comfortable but lavish seat decorated in vines and healthy bunches of grapes. The grapes symbolise, wealth, abundance and riches. The Man’s cloak is also elaborately decorated and embroidered. It looks to be quite expensive and made of high quality material. He must have some money to be able to afford such attire, but he looks comfortable in it and also quite at home sitting on his chair. This display of wealth and luxury is nothing new to him, and he does not feel apologetic for wearing it in front of so many of us who could only dream of affording similar. He has nothing to be apologetic about, because he worked hard all his life so that he could afford such luxuries. Nothing was ever given to him for free and so he is quite relaxed in enjoying what he rightfully earned. He likes others to acknowledge this too and respect him accordingly.

As we look closer at the elderly man, we suddenly realise who he is. Why it is The Pentacle’s Man from The Eight of Pentacles, the Master, Expert, Highly Qualified Professional. We first saw him in the Two of Pentacles not long after he had started out in The Ace. He had already doubled the Pentacle he had been given as he headed out on his journey, and was also working doubly hard to get his long-term plan and goal underway. He was living on a tightrope, juggling his finances and personal time so that he could get his foot on the first step of his career ladder. It was tough and he had to make many sacrifices, but he knew he could do it. He was very young then, full of energy and high ambition. He dreamed of the day when he would be mature and in full possession of his abilities and potential. It would take time, much time, but he was patient and prepared to give his all to make a success of his life.

We were delighted when he began his studies and apprenticeship in the Three of Pentacles. This was were he really laid down solid foundations for his future. In our story he had chosen Stone Masonry for his apprenticeship but it could have been any other trade or skill. Anyone could see by the way he applied himself to his studies and work that he had the makings of becoming a Master and Successful. This young Pentacles Man, learned his trade first hand working on the intricate stonework of the spiritual building. These places of worship were made out of solid stone, top quality materials, and built to last. He knew that for every foundation he lay in this holy building, he was also laying the foundations for his own life and success. It was an honour to work on such a magnificent construction that would still be standing long after he had departed this earth. Imagine that, hundreds and hundreds of years later, people would still be entering the building, touching the walls and admiring his craftsmanship. Like the building, The Pentacles Man intended the same for himself. He was here to stay and his success would live on long after he had gone. He was not going to be a one hit wonder or a flash in the pan success. He wanted more than that and he knew he would have to work hard to achieve it.

And so he worked hard and saved hard, and we saw how frugal he became in The Four of Pentacles when every cent was held onto and nothing wasted. It was quite a bleak time for him really and he had much to learn about money and possessions, for he had become, like many who are ambitious, quite obsessional and even a little ruthless. There was little fun or relaxation in him as he drove himself and those around him to the limit of their abilities. It was all about work and money, saving here and saving there, sharing nothing, not even his time.

Alas, his lesson about money and possessions, when it came, hit hard and fast. He lost everything in The Five of Pentacles and found himself cast out on the street like so many others, with no money, no food, and no roof over his head. For a time he was lost. His stubborn pride prevented him from seeking help or support, for he was used to being financially independent and self-sufficient. He came close to breaking at one stage but his natural Pentacle’s survival instinct kicked in and he fought back. Swallowing his pride, he sought assistance and took all the help he was given. He became employed once more in The Six of Pentacles and even though it was not what he had been used to, he was a hard worker and slowly but surely made his way up through the ranks again, and began his quest for success in earnest once More.

He worked hard all the way through The Seven of Pentacles only taking a break to check that he was still on track and heading in the right direction. He knew he was making progress for his success was beginning to manifest all around him. His hard work was beginning to pay off and he was nearly there.

No longer, the young boy of the Ace or Two, he had matured spectacularly into the highly skilled Master and Expert of The Eight of Pentacles. He had grown up and come of age, so too had his abilities which could be seen in the high standard and quality of his work. He had several qualification under his belt by the Eight and was highly committed and dedicated to his craft and choice of life. The money was rolling in and he was at last seeing the rewards for his years of relentless dedication and determination. He was also getting public recognition and was very highly thought of and respected in the community, and by his peers. He had an impeccable reputation and his work was much sought after.

Not only was he committed to his work, he was also a committed and loyal family man who cared deeply about his partner and children. He wanted to provide a stable and secure home for all of them. He had been drawn to his partner because she reminded him or himself. She was bright, ambitious and down to earth. Practical and thorough, she was a great business woman too. She followed her own career but helped him with his too whenever she was needed. They understood each other and accepted that on many occasions, work would have to come first and pleasure second. Their children grew up with this understanding too and were proud of their working parents even if they were not always available. The Pentacle parents taught them the value of money and to respect the effort that is required to make it. Their parents may not always have been around when they were growing up but they lacked for nothing and knew they were loved and cherished. They went to the best schools and were taught to be ambitious from an early age, to plan for their future, and then save for it. As parents they had both started with very little but had made a success of their lives. Their children had the advantage of a good start in life but even though they had been born into success, their parents were not foolish enough to let them think that it was their god-given right or that things came easy. They would be expected to prove themselves, their worth and follow in the family tradition of being hard, honest and dedicated workers.

We had missed him in The Nine of Pentacles, when we spent time with his lovely partner or spouse. He was away doing what he loved and she was suitably occupied doing what pleased her too. They may not have had the pleasure of each other’s company in The Nine of Pentacles but they were solid and strong enough in themselves to be able to enjoy their own solitude without being lonely. These were not people who would slip into retirement or old age too easily. While they very much enjoyed their new-found free time and rich comforts, they would never completely stop working. They would continue to have some input or active interest in the business world. For the Pentacles Man and Woman or Couple it was always going to be very hard to let go altogether, for although it had been a lifetime of work and effort, they had thoroughly enjoyed it. Most of the time it didn’t even seem like work to them.

However, time does move on and we all must acknowledge that we are not as young as we once were or that it would be foolhardy to attempt to keep up the same pace and level of activity of our younger years. In the Ten of Pentacles, the Pentacle’s Man has eventually had to come to terms with this aspect of his life. He has done his bit and it is now time to hand it on, or down to, other’s so that they can do theirs. He can relax and enjoy his golden years, content in the knowledge that he will be leaving a wonderful legacy for his family and those who follow. His shoes will certainly be hard to fill but he has planned well for this stage of his life and has left nothing to chance.

As he sits in the Ten of Pentacles, he gives his attention to his beloved dogs and constant companions. He grew up with animals and always had a deep love and respect for them. He admired their loyalty and complete devotion and in return he loved them dearly and looked after them well. The dogs look adoringly at the old while he gently strokes their head and talks to them. He made sure to instill a love of the animal kingdom in his children and is happy that they too are continuing this tradition. They always had dogs and he couldn’t imagine a loving home without pets.

The Pentacle’s Man sighs with deep content as he takes in his surroundings and those he holds close to his heart. He sits at the entrance to his kingdom, his family estate, and takes ownership of it by placing his family crests on the strong stone walls. Let no one be mistaken in who owns this domain, this establishment, this property, business or land for this is his. It belongs to him and his kin-folk. He has built it brick by brick, and much of it with his own bare hands. This his work without a doubt and what a success it has all been. He looks in through the archway at the man and woman with fondness and pride. These may be his son and daughter, his son or daughter with their partner or they may even be his grandchildren all grown up and now adults too. The woman has a child with her who teasingly pulls the dog’s tail in an attempt to get his attention. The child is yet another symbol of the family and new generations of that family.

It is interesting to note that both the child and elderly man appear to find company with, and attention from the family pets, while the adult couple can only spare the time to talk to each other in passing rather than stopping for a proper talk. This can symbolically suggest numerous scenarios but we must remember the way the Pentacles People operate. Ambitious and industrious, they rarely have time for idle gossip or frivolous behaviour. The couple and child can symbolically represent the hardworking parents who pass each other going in and out the door to work, dropping kids off and picking them up from childminders and creches, combining parenting with their relationship and demanding careers. It is all go, non-stop, and both children and partner must understand and accept that they may not get undivided attention every time they look for it as everyone is busy and have things to do. Daddy must work and so must Mammy if they all want to live in a big house and go to the best schools.

The Old Pentacle’s Man looking on at this is very aware of the sacrifices he made with his own family when it came to building his empire. He understands that a fine balance has to be achieved and maintained in order to minimise the damage to all involved. Personal sacrifices are one thing, but when others can be potentially affected by his decisions, he always aimed to make wise ones and ensure all were properly catered for. Looking around him he feels reassured that his lifetime’s work has not been in vain. He has properly provided for and cared for his family, and will leave them secure in the knowledge that they will be well looked after when he is gone. He casts his mind back to where he came from and what he had starting off, and compares it to what he is leaving behind. He finds a changed world, the world he strived for and successfully achieved. He takes in the solidity of the surrounding strong walls and buildings and feels the stability of the earth beneath his feet. His lifelong investment in property and land has rewarded him well. Putting his money into bricks and mortar was always part of the long-term plan and has provided evidence of his lasting wealth.

As he dwells on his kingdom he feels the twinges of arthritic pain and becomes aware of his own mortality. He looks to the man and woman with their child, the people who will inherit all that he has worked for. He feels confident that they will be able to carry on successfully with out him when his time comes, for he has trained them well. Whereas once he cared for and provided for all of them, they must now take their turn and look after him. Regardless of how old or frail he gets, they must keep him at the heart of the family for that is what strong loving families do for each other. His partner or spouse may be inside the house or off visiting one of her children, but she also may have passed away. It is only right and fitting for his family to protect him until his time comes. In The Upright Ten of Pentacles, the family look happy to do this and the elderly man looks comfortable and well nurtured, even if he is left on his own at times.

Whereas the couple worry about the welfare of the elderly Pentacle’s Man, he still worries about their welfare. He is all too aware that they have never been exposed to hard times or the kind of want that he experienced in the past. To the left of the elderly Pentacle’s Man is the black and white checkered entrance to a distant memory of the trauma in his life. The faded grey outline of The Tower reminds him of the catastrophic effect it had on his life in The Five of Pentacles. Up until the Five, he had thought to be in control and in a safe, secure position. Just like the black and white checkered frame, he went from riches to rags, from white to black, from one extreme to the other, in one foul swoop. Whatever foundations he had built up to the Five, turned out not to be strong enough to resist the force of The Tower, and it all came toppling down around his feet. He was left staggering in the wake of the crash but luckily for him he managed to keep upright and not collapse like so many others did. The power of The Tower still haunts the back of this mind and he can only trust that the foundations he has built on since will be able to withstand its force should it ever strike again. However, he cannot cover every eventuality and must have faith in those who follow to protect these foundations. They will have a duty as custodians of the family empire and line to strengthen and reinforce the foundations and to ensure that any new additions or constructions are based on the tried and tested standards of the past. Not only must his empire maintain strong foundations but so too must the family stay strong and united.

In The Ten of Pentacles we may be looking at several generations with these four people alone, ancestors and descendents, and suggests family lines and continuity. All these people feel the blood of their family course through their veins and their heart beats to the same drum beat of their parents and their parents before them. As each generation is born, they inherit family traits, personalities, talents and abilities in their genes. They also inherit, family morals, ethic, traditions and beliefs. On the material plane they will inherit any Family Land, Property, Business and of course Money and Assets. With everything inherited comes responsibility. They may also inherit negative aspects such as predispositions to health problems so they must be prepared to take the good with the bad.

And so the line continues safe and intact, and certain expectations for each succeeding generation are passed on by their predecessors. Children are born to each generation and in many cases are expected to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Therefore, farmers may expect their children to follow suit, doctors might expect their sons and daughter to enter the medical profession too and musicians may presume their offspring will be just like them. Certain families build up huge reputations around their family traditions, skills and professions and sometimes we only have to hear a person’s surname to know who they are and what they do. These archetypal families are usually very close-knit and all are happy and proud to be a part of their history and continuity of it. They are deeply involved in the family and all that it expects of them. Loyal and committed they are part of a tight team and all work towards a common goal to ensure continued success. These families provide security and stability for the individual members along with a strong sense of who they are and where they have come from. They support each other not out of obligation or duty, but because of love and unity.

The Ten of Pentacles symbolises the strong and solid family unit as above and problems only occur when certain family members choose not to follow or break with tradition. Even in this scenario there should not be any real problems if the family are open-minded enough, encourage free thinking and believe that everyone should follow their own path. However, as many of us are aware, families can be both a blessing and a curse. Family traditions may be forced with members feeling under obligation or duty-bound to comply. Terrible pressure can be put on the individuals to toe the line or risk excommunication or disinheritance. Parents can be demanding of their adult children and use emotional or material blackmail to control and keep order. Looking after an elderly parent is not welcomed and neglect may occur or there may be hidden agendas involved usually surrounding inheritance issues. These families are built on oppression and tension with family events loaded with stress and dread. There will be a strong Patriarchal or Matriarchal Figure who hold the reins tight, and can be stubborn and unyielding when challenged or exposed to change. They can oppose the choice of their offspring’s partners, career wishes or place of residence if they do not match their own expectations and standards. This can cause difficulties and arguments which can result in the withdrawal of affection, communication and privileges. The results of such situations are often reflected in the wills of parents when there is a huge discrepancy in the distribution of monies and assets among family members.

Family honour, pride and toeing the line are all suggested by this Ten. When you are born into wealth, certain things are expected of you. Where you will go to school, what sports you should take up, who you should be friendly with, who you should date and what direction your career should take? Money does not always bring freedom especially when you have not personally earned it yourself. Duty to your family and an unspoken expectancy of obedience can be part of the price one may have to pay when you come from a privileged background and stand to inherit. Introducing outsiders to the inner sanctum of that family may not always work out favourably and they can often be made to feel very unwelcome.

The Ten of Pentacles is a card of traditions, conventions, solid foundations and long-term establishments. There is safety suggested and the sense of a tried and tested solidity and old values. The elderly Pentacles Man has been methodical and thorough. He has stuck to what he knows works. However, sometimes change is good or refreshing or even just trying out a new approach. The energy The Ten of Pentacles brings is not generally in favour of such an attitude or risky behaviour. However, the young couple may have plans for the future that differ from what The Elderly Man has envisioned. They may feel that the time has come to make some changes or try out new methods with the aim of moving forward and making progress. It will be hard to convince the Pentacle’s Man at his stage just as it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks. They may have to wait until they inherit before they can introduce any changes new approaches.

The Ten of Pentacles very nicely shows off the energy of The Wheel of Fortune and The Sun Card. Circumstances are very favourable and everything is going well as The Wheel of Fortune puts The Pentacles in a very advantageous position indeed. The Pentacles have experienced the Reversed Aspect of The Wheel in Card Five when they were down on their luck. Thankfully they have learned their lesson and have made provisions that will tide them over such times in the future. They understand that even though it may be sunny now, there will always be rainy days ahead to be endured and survived. They have a contingency plan in place now and should be able to weather any storm that comes their way. The Sun Card with the little child on the horse suggests birth, new generations and good times to be enjoyed by all.

Well done to The Pentacles. Mission Successfully Completed.

MEANING

The Ten of Pentacles appearing in your Reading augurs favourably for financial, business and family matters. Here we are looking at success, prosperity and abundance on many levels. This Card suggests you have done or will do very well for yourself, not by chance, but by working very hard to achieve it. Wealth and strong financial security are indicated, and more than likely here to stay, as you have well prepared for this time and have done the essential groundwork. You may have had a long-term vision or goal that is now being realised or has come into manifestation. Careful planning, a methodical approach and the application of tried and tested methods have kept you on the straight and narrow. You may have taken your inspiration from those who have gone before or by researching that which had the most potential for long-term success.

It has been a long road to your success and many sacrifices have been made along the way but you are now in a position to finally enjoy the rich rewards it brings. The Ten of Pentacles suggests comfort and luxury which you have rightly earned. You are now in a position to or buy the house of your dreams, the car you always desired, the clothes that become you and the holidays of a lifetime. Your affluent position also brings you status and recognition as others see you as extremely successful and of great importance. Your name or family is probably well-known and respected in the community and in business circles.

Old money is strongly suggested by The Ten of Pentacles so there may be issues surrounding family inheritances. This Card can represent a wealthy family. Success generates success as accumulated wealth, titles, properties, business and assets are passed on to the next generation with a view to building an even bigger empire. Wills, legacies, inheritances and deeds are all represented here. You may stand to inherit a considerable amount of money or property, and this will more than likely be family related. You may be in line to inherit the family home, family business, family property or land. This Card can suggest that you will be well looked after and properly provided for.

The Ten of Pentacles suggests a tight and close family unit. This family look after and support each other. A strong bond, a united front and communal vision ensure all within the family work towards a common goal. All share in the hard work, duties and responsibilities. All are richly rewarded and benefit from the privileges and perks of being part of the family. Together they are a force to behold, and through combined effort, can realise any dream or bring about mass manifestation.

Wealth comes on many levels so this Card may simply refer to the riches that money cannot buy but are as equally important. Being part of a strong and united family, where you are loved and cherished, is something that money cannot buy. Here we see the Family who view each member as equally important, but hold an additional respect and reverence for the elder members. Elderly parents and grandparents are lovingly cared for and held in high regard. There is an understanding within the family, that they have the older members to thank for the people they are today, and the comfortable standard of living they enjoy. The Ten of Pentacles suggests a family built on strong foundations, foundations that were laid down from day one and have been carefully maintained and strengthened over a long period of time. This family love to be together and will be very much involved in each other’s lives. Traditional family events and gatherings are of great importance and fondly looked forward to.

Strong family values come to the forefront and the group scene in The Ten of Pentacles remind you that any actions you take, or any decisions you make will affect everyone involved. That is why it is crucial to consult with, and include everyone’s view and opinions, before making a move. Family loyalty may be an issue if you decide to do your own thing or head off in your own direction. You may be given the cold shoulder if you act alone.

The Ten of Pentacles can suggest you are caring for an elderly parent or relative. In the Upright Ten, this is not seen as a burden or obligation. Neither do you feel duty-bound to begrudgingly take them in. On the contrary, you find their presence a comfort and are only too delighted to repay them for all the care that was shown to you. This is a happy situation and the elderly parent or relative is content to let you go about your business and not interfere. If you have children, there will be the opportunity to build a strong rapport, respect and understanding which will bridge the generation gap. Your children will learn much from the traditions, stories and values of their elders.

However, if you have been too busy, like many Pentacle People, to visit elderly parents or relatives, The Ten of Pentacles can highlight the need to make the time, as you may be left with regrets and unable to turn the clock back. It is also important for your children to understand where and who they came from, for it will only be as adults, will they realise how much they have missed out on. It will then be too late and may ultimately affect their relationship with you as you age. It is essential to instill in your children from a young age, that elderly people have just as much a place in society as they do, and that they wouldn’t be here at all if it was not for them.

The Ten of Pentacles can also suggest the loneliness experienced as we age. You may no longer be able to participate in family activities or work the way you wish. You may feel slightly outside of things, but do not want to burden anyone with your worries as they are all so busy, with many things to do and places to go. You may get great comfort and companionship from a pet who is happy to sit with you all day and listen to your woes. In the Upright Ten, this scenario is only mild and simply part of the process of getting old. However, it can act as a reminder to ask after the welfare of an elder parent or relative, or spend time having a proper talk with them. Just because you are caring and providing for them well, does not mean to say they are carefree and have no worries. Elderly people will typically keep problems to themselves as they can be proud and struggling to hold onto their independence. It may be up to you to draw them out.

With regards to Elderly parents or relatives, The Ten of Pentacles can suggest that they may be the ones to help you in your situation or with your issues. They may be able to offer some advice or practical help, so don’t rule them out on the basis of being too old or too set in their ways to understand, for they may surprise you. If your parents are no longer living then perhaps ask of yourself what they would have done or advised if they were here today. Looking to the past and traditional ways of dealing with things may offer the solution to your problems.

Sorting out your affairs and giving thought to making wills or leaving proper provisions for your family can be suggested by The Ten of Pentacles. You may be setting up trust funds for your children or grandchildren, sorting out insurance and title deeds, or organising the transfer of ownership of business to the next generation. The continued well-being and welfare of your family after your death is extremely important to you, but you also want to ensure that all you have worked hard for, and established over the years, is properly managed and controlled in your absence. This Card also highlights the importance of making adequate provisions for your own old age such as investing wisely in solid, trustworthy pensions and tried and tested establishments.

The Ten of Pentacles is a Card for following family traditions and customs. There may be internal and external understandings and expectations which you have been born into for good or bad. This may involve following in the footsteps of those before you such as career, business or profession. You may be expected to fill your parents shoes when they are gone and continue their work. In the Upright, this is something that comes naturally to you and a role you are only too happy to fill. Family Honour is also at stake in this Card and if you happen to be born into a wealthy or well-known family there may be pressure on you to toe the line and not draw any negative attention to yourself. You may be expected to move only in certain circles, date only eligible partners or follow careers only fitting to your family status. Your family reputation may be a joy or a burden to maintain. There may be a strong and powerful patriarchal or matriarchal figure who holds tight control of your life choices. We see such scenarios especially in royal families where the members must constantly remember who they are and what they can and cannot do. Privileges, wealth and fame rarely bring freedom, so The Ten of Pentacles can highlight this issue. However, in the Upright, again it is not extreme.

The Ten of Pentacles can also simply suggest that you are attending or organising a family event or gathering, where all generations will come together to celebrate. Look for the Four of Wands and Three/Six/Ten of Cups which would support this interpretation. You may also be taking the time to trace your family tree. If so, you may discover someone of great importance and wealth in your ancestry which will quite surprise you.

The Ten of Pentacles appearing in your Reading when you are speculating on taking a massive gamble acts as a warning. It suggests that now is not the time for taking such risks and asks you to stick with the more traditional and conventional methods, even if they involve taking the long road and extra effort on your part. Don’t be in such a hurry to move too quickly. Take your time and build slowly. The idea is to seek permanence now, something long-lasting instead of instant gratification. If you are confused or uncertain, ask your family for advice.

This Card deals with all aspects of home, property, family, ancestry and posterity. The Family Home is strongly represented and suggests there may be issues surrounding it. You may be purchasing a house, building a house, inheriting a house or renovating an old house. You may be investing significantly in home improvements, extensions and decorating. Similar to the traditional ‘Barn Raising’, family, friends and neighbours may be helping you with the project and workload. This Card can suggest that you may be purchasing something large other than a house, such as a car or business. It confirms that the money is there for your purchase and that it will be a sound, wise and long-term investment. The Pentacles always believe in putting their money into bricks and mortar as they like to see something tangible for all their hard work. If you are house hunting at present and enquiring about a specific house you have seen, The Ten of Pentacles being drawn is a very good indication that it has the potential to be a long-term family home. This Card signals sound financial investment with guaranteed returns.

If you are involved in a legal case the appearance of The Ten of Pentacles can be a positive sign of the courts ruling in your favour or a possible large payout to your benefit.

When it comes to Relationships, The Ten of Pentacles can suggest you are looking to settle down or take steps to make your relationship more permanent. You may be planning on moving in together or looking to buy a house. The Ten of Pentacles can suggest marriage, so look for supporting cards in the Reading to confirm this. A traditional and conventional relationship is represented by this Card. If you are thinking about starting a family, then The Ten of Pentacles appearance is a very good omen, as it suggests your relationship is strong enough and both of you are fully committed to being parents. As a couple, you will be able to provide a stable and secure environment for your children. It also suggests that you will have more than enough money to cover all the costs that child rearing incurs.

The relationship suggested by this Card is one of financial comfort ahead of everything else. This couple will have the best that money can buy. Ambitious and career oriented, both probably work while children are happily cared for by nannies, or sent to crèches. Their status along with their affluent standard of living will put them in favour of boarding or private fee paying schools for their children. As a couple you may have high expectations for your children and have been steering them in the desired direction from infancy. This couple will talk business and shop over a dinner of good food and wine. Unlike the Cups, Pentacles will put less importance on the romantic side of their relationship but make no mistake here, for this is a couple who enjoy a strong passion for each other and a healthy sex life. Life and work can leave them precious little free time but they make the most of each other’s company whenever they get the chance.

The Relationship represented by The Ten of Pentacles Upright is rock steady and secure. Built to last, strong foundations have been laid down from the very beginning and constantly maintained, just like every other aspect of their life. If this is your prospective partner you are asking about, then they are in it for the long haul and will be someone you can trust and rely on. Conventional and conservative, family is very important to them, and this Card turning up in a Relationship Reading is a positive indication of a stable background and disciplined upbringing with traditional family values. The partner suggested by this Ten will be reliable, responsible and turn up when they say they will. Loyal down to their toes, you won’t have to worry about them straying or going on mad benders or drinking binges as they will probably be more sensible than you. A healthy down-to-earth relationship is indicated. The couple in this relationship know what they want and will work as a solid team towards achieving it.

The Ten of Pentacles can also indicate that you are marrying into money. Your partner may come from a wealthy family or indeed have their own. They probably stand to inherit substantially from older members of the family. In the Upright your inclusion and welcome into the family is generally accepted but you may go through a period of time when you are kept at arm’s length and viewed with suspicion. The family may be guarded with you, and might come across as cold or rude at times until they get to know you. However, you will have to prove to them that you are not just a fortune hunter and out for their money, especially if you do not come from a similar background. They will be very protective of each other in this regard. If you are marrying into a wealthy family then you may be asked to sign a pre-nuptial contract.

Career related, if this Card is representing a new job or career, then it suggests the long-term benefits from working there will be immense. This company is not going to disappear overnight and is financially sound and stable. Your career could really grow working there and you would be rewarded for your loyalty and work ethos. This company has the money to pay large salaries and bonuses. However, if you like working in an environment that is changing rapidly or have plans to introduce radical change or update technology then you might run into a brick wall when seeking the go ahead from owners or management. As well paid and prestigious the position on offer, you must remember that this establishment will be run in the ‘old school’, traditional tried and tested manner. They may not be readily open to change, and might stubbornly resist it, even if it is in their own best interests. The Ten of Pentacles can also stand for promotion, so if you have been working hard, others have noticed and you are likely to be rewarded.

The Ten of Pentacles suggests that you have high ambitions and want to go all the way to the top. You have a major plan in place with very defined goals and time frames for achieving them. You may only be on the first step of the ladder or possibly further up but you have what it takes to last the course and be super successful, but it will not happen overnight. Remember, hard work, focus, determination and ultimate patience will get you there. Learn from any mistakes you make along the way and when you hit hard times (as you will), do not lose your focus or faith. Dust yourself down and get back on track. No matter how much you think you have planned for, it will never be plain sailing, so be prepared.

When it comes to Business this card represents established businesses, corporations, institutions or family business. It is a very welcome Card in Business Readings as it suggests success, and success building upon further success. You may be working in a family business or taking over a family business. The Ten of Pentacles speaks for itself in Business or Career Readings as it is the ultimate success Card for ambitious, hard-working and driven people. It confirms that your business is rock solid, but then you knew that too, for it is you who has made it what it is. You may have started on a very small-scale but it has steadily grown over the years and is probably a household name now. Staff are industrious, highly skilled and professional, for you understand that it pays to hire the best. In return, your staff are loyal and supportive and all work like a family team for mutual benefit. Many of your staff may in fact be family members who have grown up learning the ins and outs of it from day one. You may be thinking about taking a back seat in your business or handing the reins over to the next generation. Your business is in safe hands.

If you are thinking about buying a business or buying into one, then it promises to be a sound investment when this Card appears Upright. This business is financially stable and will be around for some time to come, so you stand to make a good return as profits soar.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF SWORDS REVERSED

KEYWORDS

Worst is Over, Light at the End of Tunnel, Burdens/Worries Lifted, Rising above Problems, Survived, Recovery, Slow Recovery, Rebirth, Liberation, Freedom, Release, Window of Opportunity, Being Thrown a Lifeline, Rescue, Circumstances Improving, Temporary Improvement, Pull Yourself Together, Change, New Attitudes/Beliefs, Learn from Past, Something Coming Back from the Dead, Near Death Experience, Surviving a Disaster, Problems Worsening, The Worst Has Happened, There is Worse to Come, Fears and Worries Justified, Beyond Help, Despair, Unable to Survive, Hopeless, Mental Collapse, Physical Collapse, Chronic Health Problems Resurfacing, Relapse, Bed of Nails, ‘Made Your Bed Now Lie On It’

When The Ten of Swords Reverses several scenarios may be suggested. It is vitally important to consult with the surrounding Cards and communicate with The Querant as it can have quite negative implications both Upright and Reversed.

The Reversed Ten of Swords can indicate a release from a stressful situation, not being able to or not wanting to free yourself, or that regardless of how low you think you have sunk, you will still have to hit rock bottom before things will improve.

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As The Ten of Swords turns on its back, so too does the body lying in the sand. It now moves to the top of the card instead of being at the ‘rock bottom’ end. When this happens, the force of gravity takes over and the heavy Swords begin to loosen their hold in the man’s back. Their sheer weight pulls them out, and they fall away into the dark oblivion below. The man feels the burdens lift or fall, one by one, and realises he is now free to move. He is no longer pinned down and begins to rise above his problems. The dark night sky also begins to recede and in its place The Sun rises on a new dawn. Hope, Recovery and Rebirth.

The Ten of Swords Reversed can bring eventual release from terrible stresses, conflict or torment. Release will not be instantaneous, but it will be enough of a lightening to allow you have hope once more. The Sun now rising above the dark when The Ten Reverses, symbolises solutions being found or help appearing on the horizon. You are no longer alone when this Card Reverses as others have come to help you from your plight. The worst is behind you. The bright sky now more evident signals recovery and a fresh start as darkness recedes. You have survived and the worst is now over. Liberation and freedom replace woe and despair.

As The Swords fall from the back of the lifeless man in The Reversed Ten of Swords, the soothing blue waters of the ocean gently bathe his wounds, and instead of the rigid and unyielding pain of the sharp Swords (worries, stresses, conflict), he now floats peacefully in the tranquil waters. This suggests that a sense of peace and harmony is being restored and the rawness of your situation is easing. Any turbulent emotions will begin to calm, and when that happens, you mind will stabilise and begin to refocus. With the intensity of your situation beginning to dissipate, you can now see light at the end of the tunnel and the recovery process can begin in earnest.

However, we must always remember, The Ten of Swords whether Upright or Reversed is never going to be easy, so even when it reverses, the way forward for you will not be smooth and easy. The release offered by this Ten Reversed is often temporary. It can present itself, like the strip of yellow light in the imagery of this Card as a small window of opportunity. Something has happened to create this opening, or there is the possibility that someone has thrown you a lifeline. There may be very little time to think it over or consider your options. In fact this might be the only option you have, but are you willing to take it? When you have been laid low for so long, being so overwhelmed with all your issues, worries or stresses, it can be hard to think positively or have any faith in finding a way out. Chronic fatigue may have you lacking in enthusiasm and you may feel too low in energy to motivate yourself, but this Card is telling you to act fast if you want to get the benefit of it. There is no guarantee though that it will work and you may just be putting off the inevitable. You must try though and not just give in to failure and defeat.

It is up to you now to pull yourself together and take a good look at your life. Change and a release of old attitudes and beliefs are essential if you are to make the most of this chance. No one can do it for you. You must learn from what has happened to you so as to make sure it never happens again. Otherwise like the Figure in the Ten of Wands, you will find yourself back in the same position somewhere in the future. Look back to the Nine of Swords Card. Do you really want to live live like this? This is your chance now so reach out and grab it with both hands.

Unfortunately, The Ten of Swords can indicate the terrible scenario where the situation or person involved is beyond help. All efforts to find a solution or release have failed leaving a sense of hopelessness and despair for all involved. This can be down to a person not wanting to help themself and making it difficult or impossible for others to. Then again, the worst may have happened. All you feared and worried about may now be a reality. Negativity and pessimism can become intense.

You may be resigning yourself to a situation, giving up the fight, the struggle, not wanting to know anymore and not caring what happens from here on in. The weight of all your worries has broken you. There might be total mental collapse. Hospitalisation or admission to a psychiatric unit may be necessary. Depending on surrounding Cards (several swords), there could be concern for the safety of the individual. There may be obsessional thoughts of suicide or death. Returning to the Nine of Swords, severe anguish and delusional thoughts may take over. Mental strength has disappeared. As the Ten of Swords Reverses, the Swords sink deeper into the figure. The surrounding Cards will give evidence as to whether this theory might be applicable.

A negative or worrying situation that you are hoping will soon pass may not be quite over when The Ten of Swords Reverses. You may think that things cannot get any worse at this stage and that you have hit rock bottom, but you are not quite there yet. You may have to brace yourself for further upsets or upheavals before your circumstances can begin to improve. Everything has its own cycle, and unfortunately this one may not yet be completed. Don’t let yourself sink into despair. Keep faith and the belief that things will improve in the not too distant future.

For some, The Ten of Swords can signify the end of a terrible situation, experience or problem. However, you may be seriously shaken by the events and not exactly be in the mood for celebrations. Celebrations may not be appropriate in these circumstances, especially if the event experienced was traumatic or tragic. Others may have been involved and not just you. Not everyone may have survived the impact of the situation or managed to escape. Fate, destiny or luck may have been on your side, and you may wonder why you have been spared or are still standing? As the darkness of the situation disappears into the background and light appears on the horizon, it may not be as easy for you. Inside, scars of the recent events may remain, some will heal and others will remain as a constant reminder of what you have just come through.

You may have survived a serious accident or crash and must now begin to put your life back together again. You may also have survived a major catastrophe or violent assault. This Card can also be associated with near-death experiences, especially if The Death Card also appears in Reverse. You might be recovering from a serious illness or have come through major surgery. You must be very careful and take extra care of yourself, for set-backs in recovery, or a return of an old illness can accompany this Card. A chronic health condition can flare up, or treatment for it becomes insufficient or ineffective. Where back problems are concerned, there is the eventual possibility of finding a treatment that actually works. However, because this is a Reversed Card, it can work the other way and become worse.

Problems you thought dealt with, or done and dusted may come back from the dead and resurface causing you anguish and distress when this Ten appears Reversed.

With the Reversed Ten of Swords, there may come the realisation that you are your own worst enemy and have been self-sabotaging your own happiness. Through Self Help, Personal Development, Counselling or Psychotherapy you may be discovering how your dysfunctional mindsets, pessimism and rigid beliefs have negatively impacted your outlook on life. You no longer want to wallow in self-pity or bore anyone else with your woes. You may begin to lose the victim attitude or refuse to become a martyr for the sake of others. It can herald a time when you refuse to let one more person take advantage of you or treat you like a doormat. You are not there for everyone else’s convenience. You have a life of your own to lead so get up and get going. Strengthen your resolve and be firm with others. The time for self-sacrifice and self-pity is over.

A Relationship thought dead can come back to life again when The Ten of Swords Reverses. However, there would need to be supporting positive Cards to run with this interpretation as it is not a welcoming Card to appear in any Relationship Spread.

If you have gone through a painful or hostile separation or divorce this Reversed Ten can can indicate you are slowly beginning to recover. You may have thought the break-up of your relationship was the end of the world, and the worse thing that could have happened, but life beckons once again and you have survived. After much dark times and despair you now glimpse light at the end of the tunnel and have faith in better times ahead. It is vitally important to remove and deal with all the Swords (issues) connected to your breakup, otherwise you will unconsciously carry them forward and taint your future happiness. This Card can also suggest the slow recovery process after the death of a partner or spouse.

On the other hand, you may not want to move on after a broken relationship, especially if it was not your idea. You may prefer to get stuck in your bitterness and refuse to let go of what is now dead and gone, bemoaning how badly you were treated and how much a victim you had become. You could become negative, twisted and paranoid in the process. You could be maintaining a campaign of hatred against your ex-partner, laying sole blame at their doorstep. Angry words and badmouthing fly from a bitter heart and vindictive mind. The only one you are really hurting at this stage is yourself and you are doing yourself no favours. Professional help may be needed to cut painful ties.

The Ten of Swords Reversed can suggest escape or release from a controlling or abusive relationship. The abuse may have had to reach an all time low before any real action was taken. If a way out has not been found, aggression and violence may escalate and get out of control.

When this Ten Reverses, the Figure now looks as if he is lying on the Swords or possibly a bed of nails. The saying ‘you have made your bed and must now lie on it’ springs to mind. There is a possibility you have resigned yourself to staying in a bad relationship or marriage, or that others are expecting you to. You may have no allies and no one to turn to when things go wrong. You may have to keep your problems to yourself and accept them. You may have to ‘put up and shut up’.

Work-wise, The Reversed Ten of Swords can suggest you have eventually left a stressful or highly pressurised job. Your job may have got the better of you and affected your health. Conflict in the workplace eases or those who instigated the problems have left, or have been removed. However, gossip and slander in the workplace may intensify and hostilities increase.

A sinking business slowly starts to recover as you find new ways and new attitudes to replace the old when The Ten of Swords Reverses. A rescue package may arrive or be offered just in the nick of time. This may be your one and only chance to save the business, so make the most of it. If you have been struggling to find out why your business is failing, you may have nailed the problem areas or tracked down those responsible for mistakes or underhand behaviour. On the other hand, your business may have brought you to your knees with worry and stress. You may decide to close up shop or sell up in favour of a more peaceful and healthier way of life.

The Ten of Swords Reversed can suggest you are starting over in business again. Make sure to tie up any loose ends from the last one and not repeat any mistakes.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF SWORDS

HITTING ROCK BOTTOM FINALE, THE DARKEST HOUR IS JUST BEFORE DAWN

KEYWORDS

The Death of a Situation Prior to The Beginning of a New One, Transition, Major Psychological Transformation, Mental or Physical Collapse, Mental Stress, Breakdown, Exhaustion, Defeat, Failure, Ruin, Catastrophes, Luckless, Cursed, Blighted, Heavy Cross to Bear, Powerless, Letting Go, The Death of a Situation, Time to Move On, Goodbyes, Severance, The End, Closure, Flogging a Dead Horse, Surrender, Giving Up, Finality, As Low as you can Go, Hitting Rock Bottom, ‘The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back’, Final Nail in The Coffin, The End of The Line, Unable to Cope, Hitting The Wall, ‘Darkest Hour is just before Dawn’, Relief, Release, Overkill, Exaggeration, Melodramatic, Martyr, Victim, Looking For Attention, Treachery, Betrayal, Stabbed in the Back, Bitter Rows, Assault, Attack, Violence, Aggression, Crime, Enemies, Disloyal Friends, Bad Mouthing, Bitching behind Your Back, Being Used as a Doormat, Bullying, Run Down, Chronic Fatigue, Ill, Back Problems, Acupuncture, Getting Your Point Across, Forcing your Opinions on Others

CARD IMAGERY DESCRIPTION

And so, the end of the journey has come for The Swords in more ways than one. It wasn’t hard to predict the direction it was inevitably going, or the likely Outcome. The scene that lies before us in The Ten of Swords is indeed shocking. It was designed to be so, and disturbs us greatly when it appears in our Reading. It is the culmination of the continued, ongoing chronic stress and conflict The Swords endured, or brought upon themselves from the moment they headed off at The Ace. The Element of Air is very powerful indeed and needs to be harnessed and disciplined if it is to be of any positive use to us.

The Sword’s fate seemed sealed from the outset as they quickly lost control of their Element in the Two. They had been gifted one of the most amazing and fascinating Elements of all, but it was complicated and tricky. The Sword if held the wrong way could hurt or kill. Double-edged, both sides needed to be mastered before it could be properly utilised. This was an expertise not all could achieve and many fell into the trap of learning to use only one side. Depending on which side was used, The Sword falling into the wrong hands became dangerous and destructive, not only to others, but also to who bore it. The Sword had a tendency to turn inwards, when the hand that held it was weak or vulnerable. The Sword had a mind and power of its own, and if left to its own devices, flicked back and forth from one edge of the blade to the other. If it was not used, neglected or abused, it went to work regardless, in search of someone or something to plunge itself into.

As a result many victims fell under its weight and felt the sharp cold taste of steel as it pierced their minds and heart. However, wherever the Sword ventured to wreak havoc or damage, it always returned to its owner whether wanted or not. Then it would turn inwards upon the owner, or hang precariously above their head, as they tried to sleep or go about their business. They multiplied over time and the stronger they became, the more uncomfortable, nervous and agitated their owner became. As they multiplied they became more active and restless. Not a moment’s peace was to be had for they were constantly there poking, jabbing and piercing. The pain they inflicted of course was not always visible on the outside for they were clever in how they went about their work. Instead they tortured the mind over and over in an endless assault. They fed on distress, conflict, worry, stress and paranoia. They caused insomnia and exhaustion with their constant negative chatter and demoralising inner comments. They enforced pessimistic views of the world and of those around. They sliced away at self-belief, self-worth and self-confidence and in their place instilled self-doubt and fear. They hacked wedges out of the heart, carving deep ruts into love and emotions.

On and on they went, driving their owners out of their minds and emotional stability. They were relentless in their attacks and constantly found new ways to cause distress and suffering. Tormented and powerless, their owners had crazy notions of escaping from their Swords and hatched wild plans to run away from them. They crazily believed that their Swords were apart from them and not of them, that they could sneak away from them leaving all their troubles and worries with them. If they could just get away from their Swords, those separate things that were causing all the trouble, then they would find peace of mind and be at ease. They thought it would be that simple and in the Six of Swords we watched them try to put distance between them and their troublesome Swords (conflicts and stresses). However, as we watched the hopeless trio quietly sail away in the Six, we couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. There, travelling right beside them were the Six Swords they thought to be outrunning. Maybe we should have called out and warned them of their unwelcome cargo, but it is doubtful they would have heard us for they were convinced they had found a solution to their problem. So we let them slip away, oblivious to the fact they were taking their problems with them. We hoped they would get a bit of respite before they became aware of their Sword’s presence once more, at least enough time to regroup and recharge their batteries. How disappointed they would be to discover that no matter how far they had run, their Swords had matched their pace. No matter how clever their plan to escape and conceal their whereabouts, their Swords would always Outsmart them.

They did make an attempt to come up with a new plan in the Seven of Swords, to strike back and find a solution to their problems, but they were already gone too far and finding a way out would involve sustained effort on their part, and not just a short-lived display of determination and grit. However, it did show us that it could be done, if only they could learn to turn their Swords around and use them in a positive and constructive manner. Trying to make a stand in The Seven, was all too little too late. Unlike the other Three Suits, who equally were presented their own Elemental Gift in The Ace, and then went happily on their way for some time before encountering problems, The Swords, upon departure from The Ace, immediately fell into crisis in The Two. Unsure as to how to use their Sword when with difficult decisions, they panicked and froze, blocking movement of their precious Element of Air. With their Swords crossed at their heart, they made their first mistake. Instead of facing their fears and using their double-edged Sword (mind) to find a balanced solution and then vocalise it, they shut down and became confused. Terrified by their dilemma and what was being asked of them, they placed a blindfold upon their eyes and refused to deal with it, hoping it would ignore them and go away. Internalising their issues, it was then they lost control and gave away their power to the darker blade of The Swords. Turning sharply and deeply inwards into their owner, they began to twist in their mind.

It could all have been so different if they had just trusted their ability to use their Sword wisely instead of being afraid of it. The lighter blade of The Sword is very powerful and would have provided sense, logic, reason and understanding. If it had been allowed, it would have offered a solution to the crisis or dilemma, a way forward. It would have provided clarity of mind and judgement in all matters. It would have looked at both sides of the story or situation in an objective manner, instead of focussing on just one. The lighter and brighter edge of The Sword would have encouraged communication of any worries or stresses to others, or opened the door to negotiation and reconciliation. It would have spoken out in favour of justice and fairness for all, and fearlessly exposed abuse and corruption. It would work tirelessly for its owner, encouraging assimilation of knowledge and learning. Its natural curiosity would have made them relentless in the pursuit of truth and the facts of the matter. The lighter blade of The Sword would have empowered them in the written and spoken words, words that would have a profound effect on others. With, the lighter blade of The Sword they could have flown high, into the sky and space beyond, for the power of a brilliant mind is limitless. They could have risen above their situation and sought higher ground where issues could have been viewed in their true perspective, and not created out of wild imaginings and twisted beliefs. The Lighter and brighter edge of The Sword would never have used its blade to hurt anyone or anything for it would have sought ways to end suffering and heal wounds. It would never engage in bloody, violent battles or use aggression to achieve its aims, for it knew only of peaceful ways to solving conflict. The lighter edge of the Sword stood for law and justice for all, never would it entertain ideas of being above the law or seek to break it.

Alas, they fell deeper under the spell of the Sword’s dark blade in The Three of Swords when pain and grief overwhelmed them. They were already psychologically in a bad way after The Two, so it was doubtful they would come away from the energy of the Three unscathed. And so they picked up their Third heavy Sword, added it to the other Two, and their mental burdens began to weigh heavy. They tried to go about their business, continue on their journey and keep up some sort of normal face for those around them. However, the signs of distress began to become visible in the Four of Swords and others began to notice that all was not well. The effort of trying to keep going despite the growing turbulence in their mind burdened them with another Sword in the Four and their knees gave way beneath them. Unable to cope, they were forced into rest and retreated to their bed, or to a hospital to be treated. Mental and nervous exhaustion seeped through every cell in their body and wiped out any fight that was left in them. They could do nothing but lie there and try to heal. No one knows how much time they spent in retreat and withdrawal but it did take much time for them to be strong enough to face the world once more.

Still fragile and vulnerable, the Sword’s person was discharged from hospital, medical care or left his place of rest. He then went straight from the frying pan into the fire in the Five of Swords as all hell broke loose in his situation. He either flipped and lost the run of himself and his mind or he came under vicious attack from others. One way or another the scenes from The Five of Swords were shocking and upsetting. Many got hurt on one level or another, leaving terrible tension, anger and upset among all. It certainly was not the environment for the recently exhausted Sword’s person to be in, for they were not mentally strong enough to deal with such negativity and brute force. It was this episode of trauma that made them run for shore in the attempt to escape their predicament in The Six of Swords. We know they should really have stood their ground and dealt with their problems instead of running, but it was their way of dealing with it and probably the only thing they could do at the time. It did buy them a bit of respite from the acute turbulence of their situation and gave them a chance to catch their breath and calm down.

Thinking on their feet and taking some action for the first time in The Seven of Swords gave us some hope that The Sword’s person could make a comeback and rise above his situation but he quickly lost power and any ground he had gained in The Eight of Swords. His stab at courage and bravado could not be sustained and his dark bladed Swords began to breed once more. He had so many at this stage he felt trapped by their presence. No matter which way he turned they were there, threatening and dangerous. He felt like a prisoner as the walls of his mind began to close in on him. It went wild trying to come up with a way out of his dilemma but The Swords continued to close in on him and his mind became paralysed with all types of fears; some real but most born out of his twisted, dysfunctional and tortured mind.

Believing there was no way out for him, he pulled the blindfold on once more for he did not want to see anymore. He thought it might block out all the terrors but all it did was internalise them further and remove any trace of light from his existence. He was alone in his torment and locked into his mind. He believed there was no escape and no options open to him, no way out. He also believed he had no power and was helpless. If he could only have grabbed hold of those Swords and turned them around to the lighter and brighter blade, he would have had such wonderful positive power available to him. They would have severed any bonds or chains that tied him down without inflicting pain or distress. They could have freed him and mended him. He could have found peace of mind and a way to live in a normal world, and a way to cope with the worries and stresses we all must face.

Sadly it was not to be. Bereft at how to help him or get him to help himself, we could only stand by and bear witness to his continued torment in The Nine of Swords. Truly we were all tired of this ongoing saga and drama. Would it ever end and if it did, where would that be? Surely he should have made some progress at this stage, but he certainly hadn’t helped himself or made it easy for anyone else to help him. In The Nine of Swords it was clear that he was losing whatever was left of his mind. He was beside himself with torment and worry. Yes, it was true he had some terrible things to worry about, troubles that none of us want visited upon us, but a lot of his worries were all in his mind and not based on reality at all. He had blown a lot of things out of proportion but there was not talking to him.

His now, ever-growing number of Swords had come between him and his sleep. He could get no rest, lie down or even leave his room. His mind had descended into a very dark room and he refused to seek help. He wouldn’t talk about his problems and kept them buried inside where they ricocheted back and forth in his mind, doing back flips and cartwheels. Such were his woes, he rambled and cried, sobbing bitter tears into his hands until we could take no more. We still felt very sorry for The Sword’s person and ran back and forth, holding his hand, offering soothing words and trying to make his life easier. On the other hand, there were an increasing number of us who had grown tired of his constant whingeing and moaning about how hard his life was. We were fed up with having to listen to the latest drama or crisis that was constantly besieging his life. We all had our own problems to deal with, our own worries and stresses, but it appeared none had such a heavy cross to bear as he. He should have sorted himself out a long time ago, but instead let it all get out of hand. He is now in a right mess and incapable of thinking straight. He will have to pull himself together for we can no longer help him. We have our own lives to live and he will have to find a way to live his. He needs to start taking some action, some real action. He needs to face his fears for they are obviously not going to go away at this stage in the game. If he could just get out of the bed, have a shower, get dressed and pull back the curtains he might feel a little better in himself instead of wallowing in his misery, and dare I say it, self-pity. There I said it. It’s out and sorry if I come across as heartless but enough is enough. He will have to sink or swim now, so I think it is best if we all retreat from his room in The Nine of Swords and leave him to figure it out himself. We can do no more here and the rest is up to him. We cannot watch over him, guard him and keep him safe 24/7 so he will have to start taking responsibility for his own welfare. Let us withdraw.

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There is a dilemma here for we have now reached The Ten of Swords and we are not sure what we are to do or what is happening. It is true, The Sword’s Man had terrible troubles and an unbalanced mind. He was dreadfully worried and afraid he was not safe. Maybe there really were others out to get him and even physically hurt him but it might all come down to hysteria and being a drama queen. Then again, he might just have been looking for attention all this time, acting the martyr or victim, making us all feel sorry for him and his circumstances. It is crazy but some people feed on this sort of attention and lifestyle, constantly sighing and moaning about how cursed their life is. They are constantly in the middle of terrible things happening to them that no one would believe possible. How could one soul have to bear so much strife? we think as we listen to them bleat out their little hearts to anyone who will listen, over and over and over. They have so many stories to tell of the bad luck that has befallen them, and how they have soldiered on throughout, putting up and not complaining!!! If only we had to deal with what they have to, we would know all about suffering! These people are surely due for sainthood, their lives have been so remarkably tortured.

So, here we stand on yet another shoreline in The Ten of Swords. At our feet lies a body face down in the sand. We are suitably shocked. We slot into our detective mode and begin to analyse the scene. The body appears to be male and is fully clothed. He lies with his head facing away from us and his right arm turned backwards and outstretched. Ten large Swords (Exhibit A – possible murder weapons) stick upright out of his back, with one piercing his head. His lifeblood drains away from his wounds into the sand. He is still and does not move. He appears to be dead but we have not checked for a pulse yet as we do not want to contaminate the crime scene, that is if it is a crime scene.

Theory One

We need to find out what he was he doing on the beach? When we had left him in The Nine of Swords, he was in his bed. Was he trying to run away from his problems again? Possibly, for he is facing the water and there is a land mass in the distance. He does have a habit of heading for the sea when things go wrong. He may have had a destination in mind. He may have got very desperate after our departure, and reverting to his plan back in the Six of Swords, the only one he knew or had tried, believed he could escape for good this time and get away from his Swords. Grabbing a red rug from his bedroom (Exhibit B, red rug thrown over body) he made a desperate bid for freedom and dashed from the room. Running as fast as he could he headed for the shoreline. He hadn’t a plan, I think it was more of a spur of the moment thing for there is no boat in sight. Did he think he could swim that distance? It doesn’t matter now for he never got the chance to try. As he ran, his breath burning in his lungs, he could hear the clatter of steel close behind. The Swords were following or chasing him. He took a quick look over his shoulder to see how close they were, and not looking where he was going, tripped on a rock and fell, the red rug fell strewn across his back. Within seconds The Swords had descended upon him and plunged deep within. They pinned him to the ground, preventing any movement at all. He was done for, they had got him held tight and there would be no getting away from them now.

The Sword’s Man lay on the sand, badly wounded, his life-blood flowing from his body, the sand stained deep red. It was over and he knew it. The end was coming for him as he lay there, his head facing into the dark night sky and the blue ocean before him. This was the moment he had been running from all his life. He had been trying to get away from his dark Swords for so long it had consumed his entire existence. He knew nothing else of life but the constant worry and stress of his Swords. Lying in the sand, The Sword’s Man has reached his lowest point. He has hit rock bottom, and in a sense it is a relief to him. As he stares out to sea, he notices the water (his emotions) have calmed and he begins to feel the calmness flow throughout his body. He wonders if he is dying and strangely feels no fear. Instead he feels at peace, and so do we, for it is over, the end has come and he is being released from his pain and suffering. He does not have to run anymore, for he has accepted his fate. He has sunk so low, he cannot go any further.

Now that his mind is calm, he begins to realise The Ten Swords actually belong to him. He had accumulated them on his journey, one by one. From the corner of his eye he can now see their double edge for the first time and realises all he has missed out on. He had only known the dark blade or edge of The Swords and had wasted all his energy on their negative power over him. If only he had his time over again, he would do things differently, change his approach and attitude, and become positive and optimistic. It is too late for him now for he cannot have that time back. The Sword’s Man lies on the sand waiting for his end to come, surrendered to his situation, and through final surrender has been liberated. What a strange situation? His troubles are over now. The worst has happened and he can now stop worrying about it.

Staring out to sea and across to the far land, he wonders what life would be like living there as a normal person? He would love a chance to be happy and experience peace of mind. He stares at the dark sky and closes his eyes to await death. He suddenly becomes aware of a flickering light through his eyelids. Weak and barely alive, he opens his eyes to a dazzling bright yellow light. Above him the sky is still pitch dark, but on the horizon, just over the land in the distance, dawn has broken and the sky is lit up with a deep golden glow. The Sword’s Man thinks he is watching the gates of heaven open to welcome him in and sighs in deep contentment. He is brought back to the present by the twinkling of light out of the corner of his eye. Concentrating on where it is coming from he realises it is the sunlight reflecting off the bright, light blade of his Swords. He is amazed by their beauty and brilliant gleam. Why has he never noticed them before?

As the night sky begins to recede and give way to the dawn, The Sword’s Man hears a voice from deep within calling to him. It speaks to him in a clear and precise tone with a steady pace unlike the ramblings he is used to. ‘As sure as day follows night, your troubles are now behind you. You have lived through the darkest hour of the soul and understand now, that sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better. The darkest hour is just before dawn and you can survive that too. That is if you want to? Just like every day is given a fresh start with the dawn each morning, so too are you being given a second chance. You now have an opportunity being handed to you to start afresh, but it is only a small window of opportunity. Once the night sky has fully receded, the day will already have started and the chance will be lost. The dawn is the magical hour for such transitions and you must make your mind up as to what you want to do. You stand at the gateway now, and must choose life or death. Death of course will be the easy option for you for you after all you have been through. Should you choose life, then this time round you must make a determined effort to make it a life worth living. You have hit rock bottom and cannot sink any further. This is your time to rise. The Wheel of Fortune is turning once more. You can get on board and begin a new cycle with all your new-found knowledge and experience behind you. You will be expected to have learned from your mistakes, be more determined to use your Swords wisely, and put them to the use they were always intended for. If that is what you want, then you must reach back and pull each of the Ten Swords from your back. It will take all the energy you have left, but it must be done, if you want to have a chance at living. The choice is yours’.

The Sword’s Man doesn’t have to think about it too long for he knows what he wants and can’t believe he is being given another chance. He concentrates on the light side of the Swords, and as he does, begins to feel energy flood through his body. He is amazed at the strength and power returning to his limbs. Calmly but very determinedly, he stretches his right arm back and plucks out one Sword after another. The pain of each Sword releasing wracks the man’s body with pain but he is able to cope with it. As the last Sword is plucked, the pain begins to subside and he rolls over onto his back. He rubs his hands over his body but can find no wounds. The blood has disappeared from the sand and he is overcome with emotion. He slowly kneels up before getting to his feet. Stretching his body he stands facing The Sun and gives thanks for his re-birth and being brought from the dark into the light. He turns to look for The Ten Swords but he can find only one. He understands, he gets it, he realises what is happening. He is back at The Ace of Swords once more but things are different. He hears the faint hum of The Wheel of Fortune turning and knows that his old cycle is over and the time has come for him to start another. Grabbing his bright new shiny Sword, he dashes off eager to begin his journey in the confidence he will get it right this time.

Theory Two

After we left The Sword’s Man in his room in the Nine of Swords, we didn’t realise his tormentors were watching our departure. Alone and scared, the vulnerable Sword’s Man heard a noise at the back door. Peering out the window he saw someone trying to break into his house. Terrified and nearing hysteria, he grabbed a red rug from his bed and fled through the front door and away from the house. However, some of his tormentors had been left on guard at the front and saw him disappear down the street in the direction of the shoreline. They called to the others and shared the information. They had a cunning plan. Splitting up, they headed out in all directions and blocked every exit from the beach. They watched the Sword’s Man run and as he reached the water’s edge, they begin to close in. Panting and breathless, The Sword’s Man stopped to catch his breath. He was unsure which way to turn next but then he heard a noise behind him. One of his tormentors has coughed and given their presence away. The moved in rapidly and circled him. In the dark night sky he could not make out their faces. He counted Ten of them and he was surprised. He had thought there to be only two or three he had to be afraid of. The same three who made his life a misery and were always intent on causing him hurt and harm. One had been his partner but had betrayed and hurt him, the other enjoyed taunting and making fun of him on the corridors in work. The third was a debt collector he owned much money too. He had been putting him under constant pressure with threats of evictions and repossession. They were nasty people who used their Swords to hurt and cause injury. But who were the other seven? He knew his enemies but couldn’t account for these people who seemed to be aiding and abetting them, to be in on the act.

Each of The Ten drew their Swords and moved closer. The Sword’s Man was surrounded, with nowhere to run. He looked far across the water to the distant landmass, and wildly thought of swimming for it in a bid to escape. As he did, The Sun began to rise on the horizon as dawn broke and flooded the night sky with light. The Sword’s Man turned back to his tormentors and froze. He couldn’t believe it. The rising sun illuminated the face of his Ten tormentors. There, just as he had guessed were the ex-partner, work colleague and debt collector, but beside them stood seven people he thought to be good friends. These were people he had trusted and confided in. Among them were other work colleagues who he had always helped with their workload. They were after his job it seems and had been putting him down in front of the boss when he wasn’t around. He had even had them to his house for dinner. Then there was an actual friend who had known his ex-partner and was supposed to be on his side. It now appeared they were a couple and had been before they even broke up. There was also a neighbour who he now knew had been behind the intimidating letters he had received when he first moved there. He minded her cat for her every time she went on vacation. The worst of all was the discovery of a family member in the group. He realised it was her who had been saying all those nasty things about him to his mother so that she would get the bulk of the inheritance and property. She had turned his mother against him and he had never known why.

The Sword’s Man was stung to the core and devastated. He had no idea this had been going on behind his back all the time. Two-faced people with hidden agendas and he had been duped. They laughed in his face and began to push him. As he turned to run, they charged and stabbed him in the back with their Swords. He fell to the ground, wounded and destroyed. He had been betrayed by his friends, stabbed in the back and the pain of their Swords was much worse than his known enemies’ ones. It would be some time before he would heal from this attack and ever be able to trust again. When he does, it will be a fresh start and a cleaning of the slate. For each betrayal Sword he pulls from his back, he will use it to sever the ties with their owners. He will have to say goodbye to some people and let go certain aspects of his life. He will be more careful next time round if not a little paranoid and suspicious. He will have to tread gently. This cycle of his life is over and better times will come. His tormentors will go underground for a while before finding a fresh victim to torment for that it the way they spend their time on The Wheel.

Theory 3

We left the Sword’s Man to his own devices in The Nine of Swords because we felt it had all gone on too long, and he might be playing the situation in order to get attention. There was always something terrible happening in his life and we wondered if he was exaggerating everything. We also wondered if he got enjoyment out of playing the martyr or victim role. He was used to us running around after him so when we just upped and left in the Nine, he was probably taken aback by the suddenness of it. Feeling sorry for himself and sulky, he stumbled from the bed and did his usual weak, shuffling walk that used to make us all cry out ‘take it easy’, ‘don’t push yourself’, ‘you should have called us to help you’. His usual replies usually followed ‘Oh but I don’t want to be a burden to anyone even though my pain is worse than you could ever imagine’, ‘don’t worry about me, I can fend for myself, ohhh, ouch, don’t worry, it’s nothing, just my usual horrific pain’, ‘you go on your way now and enjoy yourself, don’t be thinking about me at home on my own, sure that is my life now’. God!

With no one to watch his dramatic, martyr to his suffering theatrics, and no one to tell about the most recent awful thing that happened to him, he became needy and annoyed. He hatched a plan to make everyone feel full of remorse for leaving him on his own and not giving proper acknowledgement to all his suffering. And so, he wrapped the red rug around himself and headed out the front door and down to the beach. Dawn was breaking and he knew many early morning walkers would be out with their dogs or even jogging. He would not be alone on the beach and there was bound to be an audience.

Down on the shoreline he waited and it was not long before he saw a man and woman walking towards him in the distance. A dogs chased ahead of them. There were plenty of rocks on the beach. He found a particularly lumpy one and walked towards it. Sticking his toe under the rock he flung himself to the ground and began to moan as loud as he could. He stared down the beach in the direction of the approaching man and woman who were now running. Great, he had been seen and continued to moan. The dog reached him first and proceeded to lick his face all over which intensely annoyed the man. The couple arrived panting and breathless, but full of concern. ‘Are you alright’ they asked at the same time. In a weak voice, The Sword’s Man put on a good show. ‘Its the pain, I felt weak and then I forget everything else. I must have fainted’. He closed his eyes and grimaced in pain. The woman clucked around him while her partner called the Emergency Services.

They asked him what he was doing out on his own at this hour of the morning? He told them he had been left alone and needed to go for a walk, as being stuck in the house all day in pain was terrible. He had thought he would be fine but didn’t realise he was so weak. They ask if they can call anyone for him and in a weak, moany voice he tells them he has ‘no one, no one that would be interested and doesn’t want to be a burden on anyone’. The couple are horrified that this Sword’s Man had been left to fend for himself in such a state. His family and friends should be ashamed of themselves. It was lucky they had been out walking their dog so early, otherwise God knows what would have happened.

The Sword’s Man is pleased. He now has a new audience to share his victim and martyr stories with. He begins and they sit listening to the litany of misery and disaster in his life. What a brave man to shoulder such burdens they think. As the Man regales them with one story after another, Swords begin to appear sticking out of his back. They continue to pop up until there are Ten. The man and woman are horrified at the sight. They ask him again if they might call someone for him.

The Sword’s Man has second thoughts. ‘Well there might be a few you could call for me’ and quickly lists off the names and numbers. The woman grabs her phone and starts dialling. We are all in bed when our phones ring and we jump with fright at the sound of them. As we listen to the drama on the other end of the phone we inwardly groan but quickly get dressed. We get there before the Emergency Services arrive and take in the scene. There he lies, the moaner and whinger, with Ten Swords sticking out of his back. It is a bit over the top we think. This is certainly overkill, why Ten Swords when we could have done it with just one? He is obviously trying to make this as dramatic as he can, the same as usual, and we are all fed up with it. A drama queen to the last.

We don’t look suitably concerned and the woman and man are quite cool with us. ‘He could have died out here’ they accuse us. We take a closer look at the Man. Dismissing the comments of the couple, we demand of him ‘what is it now? what is the matter this time? What are you doing out here? What is supposed to have happened to you now?’. ‘He fell over a rock’ the woman says as she points to the offending stone on the ground. ‘then as he was telling us all his terrible woes, these Swords appeared and we didn’t know what to do’. ‘So he fell over a stone, did he now?’ we all respond. ‘And even though he is weak, he had enough strength to tell you his life story? we question ‘ ‘we wonder how that happened?’. We kneel down on the sand and examine the man who keeps taking sneaky looks out the side of his eye at us. ‘What is supposed to be hurting him the most’ I ask of the woman. ‘He says it is his toe’ she now realises she is beginning to sound silly. ‘so he sucked you in too with his tales of woe. Don’t worry, he does it with most people, even us’ I assure her.

Lifting my phone, I call the Emergency Services and cancel their call out. Then we all get together and begin pulling the Ten Swords out of his back. ‘Ouch’, he cries out ‘that hurts’. ‘Well you deserve it’ we cry. After the Swords are all pulled out, we throw them into the sea and tell him that enough is enough, and he will not be using those anymore to get his way or attention. ‘Now that you have no Swords, you will have to wait and see if you will be given a new one. If you do, you had better not start a repeat of using it like you did the others. Now, get up off that ground and pull yourself together. Stop the moaning, the whingeing and boring everyone with your tragedies. No one wants to hear them anymore, so it is time to get a life. A new day is dawning and it is time for you to start over afresh and learn to live like we all have to. We take the good with the bad, the ups with the downs, and try to keep positive. You had got so used to bad things happening and so negative in yourself, you began to draw those things to yourself. You became a victim and adopted the role quite easily. You will find now that I have flung those dull Swords away, your mind will have room for some new light energy. Now go back to your house on your own. Get showered, dressed and open the curtains before going for a proper walk on the beach to get fresh air. If you do meet someone and stop to chat, speak about the lovely day it is and how great it is to be out and about. You will no longer be able to get away with the way you have been behaving up to now for no one is interested anymore, and you are missing out on so much good stuff in life. As The Sword’s Man heads back up the beach, on his own, he discovers a shiny new Sword sitting on his doorstep. He lifts it carefully and carries it inside.

Theory Four

The Figure in the Nine of Swords we discover could not sleep and was miserable because he had severe back pain. After the worst night of his life, he heads off to visit an acupuncturist/osteopath who has his practice down near the beach. He has to lie very still while the therapist puts several pins in his back and manipulates his vertebrae. He had tried everything else to fix his back and had come to the end of the line ,and his tether. He has heard great things about this therapist and his success in treating back pain. He is hopeful this might be the way forward for him and an eventual release from the ongoing pain and discomfort. The Sword’s Man just wants to get on with his life. We wish him well and hope the acupuncture or osteopathy works for him.

Theory Five

After concluding our forensic analysis of the scene we realise this is actually a crime scene. The man was obviously assaulted by some villains or thugs. A violent crime has been committed and we need to inform the police and emergency services right now.

Theory Six

Psychologically distressed after all he had been through, The Sword’ s Man could not go through another Nine of Swords night of misery. In a dark place and even darker mood, his mind has fragmented. All attempts and efforts made to find a way out of his situation or state of mind may have failed. He may be on the verge of a total mental collapse or breakdown and needs professional help immediately. In the worst case scenario, he is not able to go on any longer and decides to take his own life.

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So, there you have it. One way or another change is coming for the unfortunate Swords. The change this Card brings is often very hard to deal with and can be shocking and upsetting. However, this Card is not all darkness and gloom. When it appears it is acknowledging that your situation cannot go on any longer and that something has to give. When it does, it may be dramatic and painful, but understand it had to happen. For the Swords Figure in this Card he has reached the end. Major changes may have occurred in rapid succession and many aspects of his life swept out to sea, never to be seen again. He may feel destroyed and try desperately to rail against these changes, wanting to hold onto his old way of life, but the more he struggles, the worse it will be for him in the long run. If he can let his mind settle, he will understand that it is time to let go, time to say goodbye to an area or areas of his life. Psychologically he is going through a major transition and will feel very unsure of himself and where he stands. Everything will feel strange or alien to him. He will experience instability and insecurity but if he can just accept this as part of the process of major transformation he may find it interesting to observe and his passage will be smoother. This is a process we must all go through and not be terrified of it.

For the Swords, they now have reached a turning point in Card Ten. They have gone so low, that the only place they can now go is up. The Wheel of Fortune is turning once more, and if they can find the patience, the rewards will be great. If they are willing to let go and allow the necessary changes to take place, what will be delivered in return will be more than they ever expected. There is a new dawn on the horizon and a new life and way of being beckons. The worst is behind them. Surrendering does not mean failure, but is understanding what is best for you in the long run and embracing it. Know that all will be well and the sun will come out once more.

MEANING

Like all the other Tens in the Minor Arcana, The Ten of Swords deals with endings and beginnings. However, the ending aspect of The Ten of Swords is very often extremely painful or catastrophic. This Card can often suggest that you have come to the end of the road with your situation and like ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’ you may no longer be able to cope. There is a possibility that all you have worried so intensely about has now come to be. It may no longer be in your head anymore but an actual reality you are being asked, or forced to face. It may be too much for you to take in, or deal with.

The Ten of Swords often indicates that you have ‘hit rock bottom’. You are bound to be feeling very low and swamped with despair and hopelessness. This is generally not something that has happened overnight, but rather an accumulation of stresses, problems or conflicts. It is also unlikely to be coming from just one source. The Ten of Swords appears when you feel overwhelmed by your situation and have lost the ability to sort out individual issues, even the most simplest of them. This Card cuts you off at the knees and pulls the plug on your physical and mental energy. Suffering from Chronic Fatigue, you may be unable to carry out your everyday tasks. This Ten can lay you very, very low and leave you feeling paralysed, and incapacitated in mind and body. It is doubtful you will be able to think straight under the heavy weight of its energy. You may have been trying to cope for some time but it has spiralled out of control.

Sometimes it takes you having to literally collapse from the strain of all yours stresses and worries, before you realise how bad things have got and admit something has to be done. We often presume the body is like a robot or machine, and just because we want it to keep going, it will. Few of us realise that is has its limits because we have never had to face them before. We often run around shouting ‘I can’t take anymore’ or ‘I can’t cope with this any longer’ but mostly we don’t mean it and is all forgotten once the issue has passed or has been addressed. The effects of chronic stress or worry is another matter altogether.

Each of us are born with a genetic stress or coping threshold. The coping threshold for prolonged exposure to chronic stress or conflict varies greatly. Some of us seem to have amazing stamina to deal with all types of crisis and traumas, while many of us crack after our first main exposure to stress. It often happens that those experiencing chronic psychological stress live dangerously close to their coping threshold, and once nothing major happens on top of what they are already dealing with, appear to get by and live quite normally. It is only when something new happens, a different type of stress, affecting them or those connected to them, that their threshold is breached. It can be something small, seemingly irrelevant, or possibly major, but certain buttons have been pushed. This brings them out of their usual comfort zone of stress and into unmanageable territory. Their already low serotonin levels stagger and their overworked, exhausted adrenal glands crash. To those standing by watching, they may be confused at the level of reaction to what they consider to be, not so big a deal, but for the physically and psychologically collapsed person, as silly as it may seem to others, it is the final nail in their coffin. Once that threshold is crossed it’s not possible to quickly jump back over it.

Crossing the stress threshold has a knock on effect on every area of the body. Crashing fatigue hits and saps every ounce of energy out of you, insomnia or sleep disturbances kick in, muscles and joints ache for no apparent reason and migraines plaque you. The simplest of decisions or having to plan anything becomes a major deal, or may not be possible at all. Appetite either increases or decreases. Noise seems to be extra loud, and leaves you in a constant shocked state with your heart pounding long after the noise has gone. Palpitations, breathlessness and serious weakness leave you panicked and distressed. Emotionally low, you find everything sad and are deeply disturbed by tragic stories in the newspapers or on tv. People, try to rally you around with suggestions of a night out, or trip away to take your mind off things, but the thoughts of even having to get washed, think about what to wear, or pack a bag, is a step too far. No one quite understands the type of tiredness you have when you say you feel exhausted. They talk of getting a good night’s sleep or going for a walk in the fresh air, but you have gone way too far for either of those to having any real lasting effect. Socially you become a recluse and will avoid answering the phone or doorbell. You are a mess and something has to be done.

The Ten of Swords has done its work and pinned you down to the ground. It is very hard to see a way out of this and extra distress is heaped upon your existing burden, because even with the best will in the world, you are unable to do anything at all, which stresses you even further. But let us not be all disaster and gloom. You may feel you have fallen into a black hole and do not know or have the energy to get out of it, but when The Ten of Swords appears it brings hope and light out of the darkness and misery. It speaks of now having an oppportunity to sort yourself out. It may not have been obvious to others before, because you were coping, but the recent turn of events has left no one in doubt as to how bad things have got for you. You can collapse now in peace as the struggle is over. Just let it happen now for this is something that has been coming for a long time.

The contrast between the dawn breaking on the horizon in this Card and the dark black sky is symbolically letting you know that no matter how bad things have got for you, there is now hope and the possibility of solutions to your problems, help and healing. Peace is on the way and an end to suffering. However, you cannot just lie there and expect it all to be done for you and to you. Recovery depends on your letting go of and saying good-bye to the way you have been living and coping with things. Change is needed on every level for you, as what you have been doing up until now has not been working. Old mindsets, attitudes and perceived notions about things or people will have to go, allowing fresh positive and optimistic energy to fill the vacuum. You may have to finally let go of stale or unhealthy relationships, so-called friends, a job that has been running you into the ground or a business that is beyond saving. You have been struggling to hold onto a way of life that has been systematically killing you. You must also let others in to help, you need to be open about your problems or issues and communicate your feelings. People cannot help if you keep them in the dark and try to cope alone. Professional help may be needed such as doctors, counsellors or psychotherapists. Offers of support from family and friends should be gratefully accepted, for everyone wants to help you recover and see you back to your normal self, happy and full of life. You will have to take it easy, get plenty of rest and find a way to learn how to relax. Taking up yoga or meditation might have long-term beneficial effects on your health. Gentle exercise will be needed to restore strength to your overwhelmed mind and body.

Unfortunately, when The Ten of Swords appears, the worst may have happened. It can bring ruin, disaster, catastrophes, dreadful misfortune and ill-health. The associated pain and distress of such events may leave you shattered and destroyed. You might feel like you have lost everything and that your world is at an end. Defeat and failure bring you to your knees. You have reached a low place indeed and may feel isolated and terribly alone. You are close to giving up the will to live, and may wonder what life is all about if it has to hurt so bad.

The Ten of Swords always supplies us with victims and you may be feeling like one right now. You may feel cursed or blighted by bad luck and misfortune. You may believe you have been singled out by the Universe for particularly harsh treatment and ask ‘why me?’, or ‘what have I done to deserve such bad luck?’ or ‘I must have been terribly bad in a previous life cause I’m definitely paying for it now’? You may feel that no matter which way you turn it’s blocked or whatever you attempt to do fails. You may be throwing your hands up in the air and crying ‘ I give up, what’s the point in trying anything anymore?. I might as well give up and die’.

It is more than likely true that the Gods are not shining on you right now, but you are not the only one. It may appear that you are getting more than your fair share of disasters but it is important to understand that we all go through times like this, when the universe seems to be conspiring against us. When we bring The Wheel of Fortune into the picture, we can see that it is constantly moving. As The Wheel rotates, those who have been enjoying their time on the ascent and reaching the top, now begin to move in the downward turn. Their luck, good times and everything falling nicely into place for them may begin to dissipate as The Wheel turns. Their circumstances may appear to take a turn for the worse. Those who have been descending, or have spent time stuck on the bottom, begin to make their ascent once more and will see an upturn in their circumstances. Life moves in cycles but there are ebbs and flows during that time, and nothing is constant. When things are going in our favour it would be truly magical if we could keep it like that, if we could stop The Wheel from turning just where we want it to be. Alas, we all want the same and our first time stuck on the downward turn, or crushed underneath it, can be a harrowing experience. We may think The Wheel is stuck, never to turn again, but as sure as night follows day what we are experiencing will pass and slowly but surely we will make our ascent once more, our luck will change and things will begin to happen for us once more. If we can be patient, observant of this process and understand the nature of it, then the next time our downward turn comes upon us, we will be able to weather the storm instead of being swept away by it.

Rest assured that no matter how bad things may seem right now, understand you have reached the lowest point. Things can’t get any worse for you now, because that has already happened. You have only one way to go now and that is up. You have reached a turning point and although you still feel you are in the dark and quite hopeless, light is on the way and there will be the first signs of circumstances improving for you. It is important to never lose hope or faith in life when everything is grim and black. The only way you can be a victim is if you constantly expect to be one. It is then you become a magnet for negativity and pessimism. Know that whatever you are going through at present will pass, just like The Wheel turning, it will move into the past and be put behind you. Don’ let this break your spirit for there are much better times ahead. You must maintain a healthy outlook on life and not let recent occurences sabotage your future happiness.

The Ten of Swords also brings melodrama and we can’t help but feel the figure lying on the ground looks a bit pathetic with so many Swords stuck in his back. Talking about overkill, he certainly gets Ten out Ten for effort. Someone may be playing the ‘good old martyr’ or ‘victim’ role in your situation. Two Swords sticking out of their back isn’t enough for them to portray their suffering or catch your attention. No, they need Ten Swords to play on the sympathy of all. This Card represents the person who is always moaning and whingeing about their life to anyone who will listen. If you are unfortunate enough to get trapped beside one at a dinner party or social occasion, then you will find it hard to get away. They have story after story to tell you about how tragic their life is and what they have to put up with. If there is a victim or martyr person in your situation, they may be making life quite difficult for you. Emotional blackmail may be used to keep you under their control. They possibly have an underhand way to make you feel guilty when you attempt to go out, enjoy yourself or go on vacation. Comments such as “poor me”, “isn’t it well for you?” and ‘don’t worry about me, you go and enjoy yourself. I will be fine all here on my own’ make you inwardly cringe while guilt and resentment eat you up inside. It is up to you to change this scenario by putting your foot down and making it clear to them you know what they are up to and won’t stand for it any longer. If the victim or martyr receives much sympathy and attention as a result of all their Swords, afflictions and crosses they have to bear, you will have a hard job getting them to drop their act. It may be best to back out of the situation and leave them to it, otherwise your life will be blighted by their constant demands.

When The Ten of Swords appears, it is certain that major changes are occurring in your life and possibly at such a rate or force you no longer know who you are or can be sure of anything anymore. You may have lost the constant landmarks in your life and do not know which way to turn. It is quite possible that you have been desperately trying to hold on and resist these sweeping changes but even though you do not see it right now, it is best to let go and give in. You must resign yourself to what is being taken away and give up the struggle. Life is changing for you and it is best to let go and trust that is all for the best. It indicates the death of a situation prior to the beginning of another. It may be the end of a relationship, collapse of a business or friendship. It is time to move on. Acceptance to the death and the changes it will bring is key here. Your thoughts about life have brought you to this place and new beliefs can take you out of it.

The Ten of Swords has been traditionally associated with betrayal and attack. Betrayal could come from close quarters or from people you thought you could trust. Because The Swords are associated with the spoken word, The Ten of Swords can suggest that someone is bad-mouthing you or bitching about you behind your back. You may feel stabbed in the back by a friend or friends after discovering treacherous behaviour. You may not know who you can trust or confide in. Individuals or groups may be working against you, making your life difficult or have it in for you. You could be the victim of bullying or harassment. This Ten of Swords can also suggest that you are letting people walk all over you, leaving foot prints on your back or wiping their feet on you as they go. It is time to put an end to such treatment and stand up for yourself by speaking out and objecting.

On a more aggressive level, The Ten of Swords can also be associated with violence and aggression. There may be the threat of physical attack or assault. Injuries or worse could occur. Criminal activity may be involved. When this Card appears it can be a warning that you do not take your personal safety seriously enough. You may be taking unnecessary risks or exposing yourself to danger. Walking home alone from a night out instead of getting a taxi is taking a risk, so to is getting separated from your friends on an outing or accepting a lift home from someone you have just met.

The Ten of Swords brings ill-health of all kinds and not just psychological woes. However, it is particularly associated with the back. It can highlight a chronic back problem in a Health Reading or be suggesting acupuncture to treat health issues. The Ten of Swords is one of the Cards that when found together in a Reading can suggest Physical Death. Remember, on its own or even when a couple of other negative Cards are involved, it does not necessarily mean death.

The Ten of Swords can indicate a sending or receiving a forceful message. Let you be in no doubt about the sender’s intentions as they drive their point home.

The Ten of Swords can signal the death Knell for Relationships. It might be time to let go of a relationship that has not been working for some time, is full of conflict or stress, or has brought you unhappiness. It is more than likely dead at this stage and you need to learn to accept this in order for you to move on. When it comes to your relationship you may feel like you have been flogging a dead horse and now realise there is no point in continuing anymore. This is bound to be a very stressful time for all involved. The final stages of it will be very painful but must be endured. Remember, that in order for new doors and opportunities to open for you other doors need to close. Time to say goodbye and move on for there is nothing more to do here and nothing can be achieved. There will be immense relief and release when it is all over and done. Look to the Reversed Ten of Swords for the possibility of a once thought dead relationship coming back to life.

If in a violent and abusive relationship The Ten of Swords can be a warning that your life or personal safety may be in serious danger. Issues and conflicts may have come to a head or are at boiling point. A tense situation could get out of hand and someone may lose control of their senses. Rage and anger may be explosive, resulting in violence and assault. The outcome may be extremely nasty and someone may get injured or worse.

There is also the possibility of treachery and betrayal by a partner or spouse when The Ten of Swords appears, but again other Cards will need to concur before jumping to conclusions. Your partner may be seriously bad mouthing you to others or family members if they are seeking a way out of their relationship. They may have the potential to turn everyone against you, and are setting the scene for you to take full blame.

In a Relationship Reading, depending on the situation and surrounding Cards it may be highlighting the fact that your partner is ill or is laid up at present. There may be ongoing treatment and hospitalisation, which is causing stress and worry for both of you. Depending on surrounding Cards it can highlight the sad fact that your partner or spouse may have died.

Work-wise, The Ten of Swords is not a welcome Card. There may be terrible conflict, stress or bullying in the workplace. You may be overloaded with work and can no longer cope with all the pressure and deadlines. This Card can also suggest that someone has it in for you in work, or is saying things about you behind your back. Everyone seems to have their own agenda and may be quite ruthless in how they go about achieving it.

There is obviously a lot of mental stress in your job and possible information overload. You may have been struggling to keep on top of things but something has happened to make you snap. There is a chance of a work-related breakdown or having to take time off from work to recover from chronic stress. It is time to re-think your whole career for it is making you ill and very unhappy. You may be forced out of your job because of ill-health or had an accident while at work. It is time to let go and move on for your job or career choice does not suit you. Have a good rest before making any decisions.

It may be time to let go of a business that is not working. Business failures, major losses and ruin can accompany The Ten of Swords. You may have collapsed alongside your business and have lost everything. You have struggled as much as you can to keep it afloat but now must make some painful decisions. All may not be lost as the dawn breaking on the horizon can suggest starting over again. However, this Card can suggest that you have been working with out-dated methods and poor planning. Doing things the way you always did, or the old way, will no longer work. You will need to bring yourself up to speed on modern business and technology, along with some fresh ideas and realistic plans. There is also the possibility that you are not suitable for running your own business. You may not have it in you to cope with all the stresses, worries and responsibilities that being self-employed brings.

Career-wise, you may be working as an acupuncturist, chiropractor or osteopath. You may be a crime scene investigator or working in forensics.

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TEN OF CUPS REVERSED

KEYWORDS

Broken Dreams, Throwing Away Happiness, Lack of Inner Happiness, Not Emotionally Fulfilled, Lack of Closeness, Domestic Disharmony, Hitting a Rocky Patch, Family Breakdown, Family Quarrels, Separation, Divorce, Family Out Cast, No Family, Empty Nest Syndrome, Poor Parenting, Smothering Parents, Dysfunctional Families, Disillusionment, Keeping Up Appearances, Playing Happy Families, Family Secrets, Family Outcast, Cancellation of Family Events, Fertility Issues, Not Wanting a Family, Not Wanting to get Married, Non-Traditional Families/Couples, Problems with Children, Working with Dysfunctional families and Children at Risk, Social Worker, Foster Parents, Homesick, Losing your Home, Hate Being at Home, Neglected Home, Not Settling into Your Home, Lack of Community Spirit, Lack of Teamwork, Unfriendly Neighbours, Keeping To Yourself, Isolated, Alienation, Creative Blocks, Not Happy with What You Have Produced, Fantasy, Illusions, Unrealistic

When The Ten of Cups Reverses, the rainbow turns on its back and the beautiful Golden Cups topple. The Cups are scattered and their contents pour out. Where once emotional fulfillment, love and happiness resided, the Cups are mere empty, hollow vessels now. This can suggest a once harmonious family situation or relationship is now experiencing trouble. Domestic disharmony replaces bliss, and rifts begin to appear. Instead of the wonderful sharing of love and emotions, they are now hurled back and forth. Real cups, of the crockery type, might be flung as tempers flare and resentment settles in.

The couple or family who seemed to have everything, now appear to be falling apart at the seams. Dreams shatter along with the smashed Cups as the idealisation of the Upright Card fades into disillusionment. Intense disappointment appears along with the gathering dark clouds. The Upright Card spoke of a truce or making peace. As a couple you may have been trying very hard to put a rocky patch or indiscretion behind you in favour of a fresh start. The Reversed Ten can highlight the inability to sustain it and can be a sign that issues never really settled or healed. Blame, resentment or anger still lurks behind all the good effort. You may have tried to make a go of it for the kid’s sake but The Ten of Cups Reversed can be a sign that it is not working. You may be putting on a front or facade, giving the impression that everything is okay, but it may be taking a lot of effort and energy to maintain. You may be convincing others but you are not convincing yourself. There may be a deep unhappiness that you are trying to hide in order to spare or protect others.

If we look at the Couple in the Reversed Version of this Card, it appears the woman is slightly pulling away from the man who has his arm around her waist. She has one arm upraised but the other is held stiffly by her side. Even the train on her dress, which appeared to flow behind her in the Upright, distinctly flows away to the left when it Reverses. As body language goes, this would be suggesting a lack of closeness, tenderness and affection. The woman leans away from the man who stands quite stiff and formal. It is similar to the Hollywood Celebrity Couples who will work hard to deny rumours of a split, but can’t hide the truth in their photos. They usually look strained, like holding magnets the wrong way, they pull away instead of together. The impression in the Upright is very different. However, the children at play seem to be blissfully unaware. Because this is a Stage Card, the couple may be playing out, or acting their roles as scripted, but lack stage presence and a convincing connection. The couple, children and house now dominate the imagery, while the rainbow and cups (happiness) drift away or have been carelessly thrown away. They still have each other, the kids and their house but the joy, warmth and love has gone out of it. It is all about maintenance now. In the current time of Recession it might be the only option for many unfortunate couples who do not have the money to separate. Like them, you might be trying to make a go of it for everyone’s sake.

Sadly, divorce can be suggested when The Ten of Cups Reverses but you must check surrounding cards for further evidence of this before heading down that track. One Negative or Reversed Relationship Card does not mean the end. However, it does suggest problems or blocks. If the family situation has broken down there may be several reasons for its demise, but a lack of maintenance and effort has probably not helped the situation. You may have let a perfectly good chance of happiness slip through your fingers. There may also be a possessive spouse or partner. There may be an illusion of closeness but the relationship may be tightly controlled.

The Ten of Cups Reversed can suggest that you are self-sabotaging your chance for love and romance. You may hold unrealistic expectations about relationships and partners. Your idea of marriage and happy families may be of the fairytale kind or based on happy ever after novels or movies. You may be chasing a dream and setting yourself up for disappointment. Then again, you may have got what you wished for but the glow has now worn off. The once fabulous partner leaves his dirty clothes all over the place, stays out late with friends and prefers to watch tv while he eats instead of talking to you. The baby never stops crying, and you feel you have aged ten years from lack of sleep, because you have to do all the night-time feeds. The dream home you had great plans to restore and renovate, leaves you financially and physically drained. Somewhere along the way, you have lost interest and enthusiasm. The life you planned has not lived up to your expectations. Nothing is ever as easy as you think it is going to be.

The Ten of Cups Reversed can highlight the non-traditional couple/family or same-sex couple. If you have a pattern for failed relationships or broken marriages, you may need to go back to the lesson of The Nine fo Cups to understand that you must love oneself before you can truly love another. You may be looking externally for happiness instead of within. You will need to spend some time on personal and inner-work to identify your emotional needs before entering into another relationship.

If you have relocated in search of peaceful country living you may discover that it is not what you expected it to be. You may feel terribly isolated and lonely instead of calm and serene. Instead of the strong community feeling in the Upright, neighbours may be unfriendly, unwelcoming and keep to themselves. You may feel like outsiders in the village and your kids complain of being bored. On the other hand, it may be you who does not want to get involve. You may hold back on friendship and support with interest only for your own family. This Card Reversed is associated with lack of team and community spirit.

The Ten of Cups is strongly linked with the home or homestead. When Reversed it can suggest that you are very homesick. You may have moved far away from family and friends and miss their close connection. There may also be deep sadness or emotional upset over the loss of the family home. It may have to be sold or perhaps repossessed. Again look to surrounding Cards for further information. If the Reversed Ten of Pentacles or Five of Pentacles are also drawn, then the family home may be in danger. In the Upright, we see the home lover or home-bird, but when it Reverses, we can find a disinterest in the home and maintaining it, or wanting to be away from it at every hand’s turn. If you have recently moved home, it may be a sign that you are finding it hard to settle down or feel at home.

Family Events, re-unions or homecomings may be cancelled or postponed when The Ten of Cups is drawn Reversed. Then again, you may dread the thought of them. Old family arguments and bickering may surface causing disturbances and uneasy feelings. There may be family secrets, a skeleton in the cupboard or a dysfunctional family background. When it comes to families, who knows what goes on behind closed doors? If the Reversed Six of Cups appears or any Reversed Court Cards, there may be hidden things in the past. On the other hand, you may have been turned out of the family and home due to scandal or an argument, and now feel alienated and alone. If you never got on with your family, you may be living a life apart from them. Your children may never have met their relatives or grandparents. In the Upright, the family is very important to you, but in the Reverse, they may mean little or possibly you do not appreciate the one you have. You might have little or no contact with your family, or indeed have no family at all. You might have been separated from your mother at birth or adopted. Families in need and family welfare are also suggested by this Reversed Ten.

Where children are concerned The Reversed Ten of Cups can represent many situations. Your dream may be to get married and have children, but your partner does not share it. This can be especially difficult and emotionally upsetting. You may love your partner deeply but he or she do not want the same things as you. It may be an issue impossible to compromise on. Then again, you may be breaking with tradition and deciding not to have children.

Depending on surrounding Cards, Reversed Ace of Cups and Wands, Reversed Nine of Pentacles or Reversed Empress, there may be a problem with fertility. As a couple you may not be able to have children. This is bound to bring tremendous sadness as you would make excellent parents. Reversed Pages appearing close to the Reversed Ten of Cups may point to a child causing problems or tension in the family, or a child who has a condition such as ADHD, Depression or Autism. Other Cards would need to concur to support this interpretation. If you have had an unhappy childhood, you may be vowing not to make the same mistakes your parents made. In the extreme aspect of this Card, despite good intentions, you may be falling into the same negative child rearing traps your parents did.

The Ten of Cups Reversed can symbolise the “empty nest” syndrome as children grow up and leave the home. It can also represent possessive and smothering parenting.

When it comes to Career, this Reversed Ten would suggest a group or team is not working together. The job you were once happy in may have lost its appeal. A happy family work atmosphere may have been disturbed or broken by the departure of friendly work colleagues or the arrival of new ones. There may be quarrels or disputes in the workplace. The job of your dreams has not lived up to expectations, leaving you feeling disillusioned and disappointed. You may have been oversold a position, promised the sun, moon and stars but the reality may be quite different.

You may be working as a social worker; dealing with broken families, child abuse or neglect, or providing a loving stable home as Foster Parents. You might decide to choose career over starting a family.

Creative blocks can leave you feeling frustrated or you may feel disappointed with what you have produced. Your work may go unnoticed and unrecognised.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF CUPS

THE HAPPY EVER AFTER FINALE

KEYWORDS

Happiness, Inner Happiness, Happy Families/Groups/Relationships, The Family, Family Events/Homecomings/Gatherings, Children, Soul-Mate, Destiny, Fate, Marriage, Long-Term Relationships, Loving, Love Nest, Good Luck/Fortune, Striking Gold, Blessings, Gifts, Gratitude, Appreciation, Peace, Harmony, Serenity, Emotionally Balanced/Fulfilled, Content, Relaxed, Stability, Security, Well-Being, Domestic Bliss, Delight, Joy, Glowing, Warmth, Fun, Play, Creativity, Sharing, Embracing, Caring, Support, Community, Home, Homestead, Home-Bird, Country Living, Putting Down Roots, Teamwork, Idyllic, Happy Ever After, Dreams Coming True, Social/Community Affairs, Family Welfare,Truce, End of Hostilities, Forgiveness, Illusions, Fantasy, Idealistic, Fairytale, Selling a Dream

CARD IMAGERY DESCRIPTION

No wonder the Figure in the Nine of Cups looked so happy with himself. He knew something that we didn’t and he couldn’t help but keep the smug and satisfied smile off his face.

When we last saw him he was sitting on his own in front of what looked like a banquet table laid out for a special dinner or celebration. He sat there with his arms folded and beaming smile, as we puzzled over what had happened to bring about this dramatic change in mood and demeanour since his emotional and lonely journey in the Eight of Cups. However, he sat there and just kept grinning, refusing all our pleas for any hints that might help us explain his jolliness.

We thought he had possibly won the lotto and was going to make a grand announcement at the banquet celebrations. Maybe he had been left a heap of money, an enormous inheritance, from a distant second aunt or cousin? Then again, he may have secured a fantastic business contract that would make him a very wealthy man? Could he have got a book published or a highly prized commission for one of his paintings? He certainly looked like the Cat that Got the Cream in the Nine of Cups and a far cry from the sad and hunched Figure who decided to walk away from everything which left him unhappy or emotionally unfulfilled in his life. We hadn’t seen him for a while of course for he was travelling far and wide and always attending courses and workshops of some sort or other. Some said he had gone off to ‘Find Himself’ and we thought it simply too clichéd. Others amusingly referred to him as gone in search of ‘The Holy Grail’ and doubted he would find what he was looking for. However, we did hear he had met some unusual people and enjoyed many wonderful experiences on his Quest.

The laugh was on all of us in the end for he certainly was ‘The Cat That Got The Cream’. You see, from the very beginning in the Ace, he knew what it was he wanted. His Cup had overfloweth then and was enthusiastic about sharing it with all. He was love’s young dream and I supposed held a very idealistic view of life, relationships and a rosy future. ‘Why not’? said I, and we all indulged his fantasies, for he was a sweet and gentle young thing who was peace-loving, kind and considerate, if not a tad naive. While the Wands were out trail blazing, The Swords worried about everything and anything and The Pentacles building empires, The Cups just wanted to be happy. Not only did they want to be personally happy, they also wanted to share their happiness with everyone and especially a certain other. From the Ace, The Cups began to seek their Soul Mate or Partner. They had very good intentions but were probably a bit too hasty too soon. They had a tendency to fall in love too easily and wore their heart on their sleeves, so eager were they to express their emotions and feelings.

Bless their little innocent hearts, for they were not prepared for the pain that would be inflicted upon it when their rosy bubbles of love and happy feelings burst. Because they were Cups, they felt all emotions on a very deep level and were easily scarred by harsh words or rough treatment. Highly sensitive to their atmosphere and environment, their moods could swing terribly low when balance and harmony were disturbed. It came as a shocking disappointment to them when they discovered not everyone shared their caring and considerate way of behaviour. People could sometimes be mean and deliberately nasty. They said things to hurt and often laughed in their face when they saw the tears that were quick to fall.

Then there was the experience of the most terrible blow of all, betrayal by those they loved and trusted. The dagger-like pain of rejection and separation when love turned sour. The disbelief, anger and dreadful disappointment. And then of course for some, there was the worst separation of all. The total loss of a loved one through bereavement. The shock, pain, loss and loneliness endured seemed unbearable.

With their lovely world turned up-side down in the Four and Five of Cups, they wallowed for some time in their misery and mourning. Overwrought with turbulent emotions they struggled to understand what had happened, what had gone wrong and why? They had a choice to drown in the sea of their trauma and sadness or swim to shore and save themselves.

The Cups chose life and once they did, they discovered their hearts were still beating, and not as they thought, grown cold as stone. There was a pulse, and a steady, if not fragile rhythm. They had something to work with, they could mend their heart and emotions. All was not lost but it was vitally important for the Cups to protect their heart, feelings and emotions from unnecessary further damage. They had to toughen up but not get hard, for they liked being able to feel and respond. They just had to be a little bit more sensible and realistic about life, and not take everything so personally. With their heart on the mend, they felt the first stirrings of the need of love, but this time the feeling was different. They understood the stirrings were the inner-calling for love and acceptance of the self first, before that love could be transferred to another.

This realisation marked the moment on the journey when the Cups emotionally grew up. After spending time healing their damaged hearts and emotions in the Six of Cups there was a desire for change. However, that change would not happen automatically for The Cups refused to move forward until they discovered what it was they really wanted, and where they needed to go to get it. They spent a challenging time in the Seven of Cups examining each area of their life and what options were open to them. They re-examined their dreams and had to decide whether they were just ‘pie in the sky ideas’ or potentially feasible.

When they finally emerged, they had their bags packed and were ready to put in the necessary work, and travel any distance, in search of their goal. They were on a mission to find inner-happiness, self-understanding, emotional fulfillment and realisation of creative potential. Turning back was no longer an option for the old life had gone and many things had changed. Releasing and forgiving the past was especially painful to do and took the longest of all. However, when The Cups Man headed off in the Eight of Cups, he left all his emotional baggage behind and took only what he needed on his journey. He wanted to travel light for he had carried the weight of his burdens for too long.

**************

And so, after much time, we are summoned to meet this now changed man in The Nine of Cups. He is positively beaming with warmth and well-being. He tells us he has something to show us which will explain everything we need to know. We now see the table behind the man rise and grow taller. The blue table cloth becomes larger and wider. To our growing amazement, the table cloth begins to separate and we realise they are curtains. As the curtains slowly part, we see a large screen. The lights begin to dim in the large hall and we are asked to take a seat. The Cup’s Man turns and clicks his fingers before nodding in the direction of a man who is standing in front of a machine.

The screen lights up brilliantly and our eyes are momentarily dazzled by the strong rich colours before us. We take a moment to adjust our eyes and now begin to see a picture take form in front of us.

The Cup’s Man stands up and proudly announces to us ‘Let me present to you my Ten of Cups’ and eagerly watches all our faces to gauge our reaction. On the Screen we see what looks like a picture postcard scene of an idyllic family in a pretty countryside setting. Let us have a look at this picture and see what we have. In front, with their backs turned to us, stand the Figure of a man and woman. The man is simply dressed in country casuals and the woman is modestly dressed and quite homely looking. They stand side by side, tall and proud. The man holds his arm tenderly around the woman’s waist suggesting togetherness, care, closeness and intimacy. Their free arms are uplifted and opened wide in an expansive, sweeping gesture at the vision in front of them.

Beside the couple to the right play two young children which we presume to be the offspring of the loving couple. The children seem carefree and totally caught up in the enjoyment of each other’s company. They are doing what children are supposed to do, having fun and playing, safe in the knowledge of being loved and cherished in a stable, caring family. The older child is dressed in similar colour clothes to the father, and likewise, the younger, apparently female child, is dressed in blue like her mother. This suggests tradition and balance along with most couple’s ideal family set-up of one boy and one girl. However, the woman’s blue overgrown looks quite roomy so she may easily be carrying another child.

While the children play happily, the couple take in the view in front of and above them. In the near distance we see a sweet little cottage with a red roof and chimney breast. The cottage sits nestled between gentle undulating hills and mature trees in full leaf. The cottage has a quaint and whimsical appeal, and we can almost catch the scent of freshly baked bread and scones wafting down across the fields and land surrounding the small house. A small stream softly meanders through the lush green countryside and hills suggesting calm, peace and harmony. I am sure that anyone living in the house would be able to hear the sound of the babbling brook through open windows, as it tumbles over pebbles and rocks in the still country air. We see more trees in the distance which give good shelter and protection to the little house and its inhabitants. We presume there are other houses nearby but cannot see far enough. No doubt there is a local community where the children go to school and the couple meet up with friends for activities and social gatherings. I am sure there is a pretty building nearby, a house of worship where the community gather to give praise, count their blessings and do good work to help each other. There must be a local grocer and supplies shop where all in the community give their custom.

We don’t have to stretch our imagination that far to presume this is an area with a strong community presence. Living in the countryside, one needs to have a strong network of friends who are happy to help each other if asked. Otherwise, it could be a very lonely and isolating experience. I get the impression that this community looks out for each other and the door is always on the latch, with neighbours dropping in to say hello, or to bring surplus produce from their vegetable plot or chicken coop. I can already see them all gathered in the village hall for Christmas concerts or school productions and plays. What a great place to live. I for one am envious of their little love nest and perfect set-up. I want one for myself. Don’t you?

Wow, hold on there. I did get carried away didn’t I? Romantic old fool am I, but who can blame me for being taken in and away by this idyllic scene. Is it really true? Is it possible to achieve such a Happy Ever After? Are these people real or are they part of some advertising campaign for a holiday brochure or an estate agent promoting country properties as a ‘great place to raise a family’? I now look up and see a brilliant rainbow arched right above the pretty country scene. In the rainbow sit Ten perfect gold Cups. The rainbow and Cups appear like an aura of love, positive emotions and warmth which wraps itself protectively around this house and the family who reside within. I am immediately sucked back into the fantasy-like scene in front of me.

The couple gesture towards the rainbow of golden Cups and understand the blessings that are contained within each for they have drunk of them many times. It is the contents of these Ten Cups which sustains the family and provides for their emotional and spiritual needs. This couple know that once they are provided for on emotional and spiritual level, everything else falls into place and takes care of itself. The contents of their Cups also carries them through tough times as they are never depleted. Once they care for and protect those Cups they can never go wrong for love is all.

The Cups family has found that elusive elixir of happiness both within and without. They certainly have earned every bit of it, for they had set out on a mission from day one in The Ace of Cups. Even when things didn’t go as planned or their way, no matter how disheartened and broken they were, they never gave up on their dream and now it is rightfully theirs. It just goes to show you, that if your heart is in the right place you just can’t go wrong. What is for you won’t pass you by and something of great value is certainly worth waiting for. There is a sense of perfect contentment and joy around the family. They are fulfilled and have realised their dream. They are at one with the world and very content with their lot.

As we stand to give a round of Applause for The Cup’s Man, a door at the side opens and in run two children, a young boy and girl who jump into the arms of The Cup’s Man. They are excited and giggling and both talk at once. Following behind them is a lovely soft looking woman who is embraced by The Cups Man as they exchange tender words and smiles. Their deep bond and friendship is very evident and their body language speaks volumes. The Applause intensifies and the family are overcome with emotion. All in the crowd raise their glasses to this loving family in a toast of celebration for the ultimate success in completing their journey with such amazing results. The Cups did it and we have to take our hats off to them for not all of us have managed to pull off what they have.

The Cup’s Man certainly found what he was looking for and got his Fairytale Ending, his Happy Ever After. His dream came true and he got what he was wishing for. See, it does happen for some and it is possible. The Cup’s Man announces that he will give a speech and tell us his story of how he came to be the happiest man ever. I think I will hang around and listen to what he has to say for this is a man of great emotional maturity and experience. He has lived through it all and come out on top, so I am sure he has some wonderful, wise insights to share with us.

As I settle down into my seat and prepare to listen to The Cup’s Man and his words of wisdom, the woman beside me begins to collect her bag and jacket. ‘I’m off’ she says. ‘I have heard enough of this garbage’ she mumbles as she buttons her jacket. ‘What?’ I am stunned. The woman leans over to get closer to my ear and says’ that’s all too good to be true. I bet they’re not as happy as they are making out. I think they are trying to sell something, a product or a dream. Who knows, but to me it looks like they are actors on a stage, reading from a fairy-tale script.’ I am horrified by her negative slant on the whole thing and in a way it has burst my bubble of happiness. I suddenly feel flat and ask her if she has any proof? ‘No, but as I said, it all seems a bit Brady Bunch stuff to me. I bet they have terrible rows in that house and the kids are little brats. I still think they are trying to sell something, you know like – Look at us, you too could have what we have if you read our book or attend our workshop’. And with that she is off.

I am unsure now as to what I think but The Cup’s Man does seem very genuine, and his story very interesting. Could they really be only painting an idyllic picture for us, that reality just cannot live up to? If so, then many of us are going to be very disappointed with our lot or never find what we are looking for. I think he is genuine and maybe that woman is having some personal issues in her life which are causing her to be negative. She may be stuck in the Four or Five of Cups and is angry, bitter or resentful of other people’s happiness. She is on her own journey and like The Cup’s Man before her, will have to decide to let it drown and destroy her or swim for shore and save herself. We can only be responsible for our own happiness and once we are happy with ourselves then we can be happy for, and with others. This is certainly what most of us are searching for so let us stay and listen to The Cup’s Man speech.

The Gods are smiling down on the Cups as The Wheel of Fortune brings them good luck and good cheer. What has gone around has come around and there are positive consequences as a result of the correct action taken. The Wheel of Fortune brings messages of destiny and karma. This couple may have travelled together in many other lifetimes and are soul mates. The Sun shines down brightly on the Couple and their family allowing freedom, expansion and creative expression. The Sun brings life, birth, joy and fun. Everything is in Divine Order and has turned out exactly as it should.

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If we are honest with ourselves we will admit The Ten of Cups is the ultimate dream for most of us. To find the perfect partner to share our life with, to have beautiful children and a beautiful welcoming home till death us do part. This Card brings with it many blessings and asks us to pay particular attention to our family. To care about them and for them. Not occasionally, but all the time. A happy and strong family create balanced and well-adjusted children who then become our backbone and support as we age. Celebrate your family and wherever there is disharmony take it upon yourself to become the peacemaker. Be the rainbow that brings calm after the storm. Happy families are not made overnight. Like everything else in life a happy family or relationship must first be strived for and once attained needs constant attention and maintenance to keep it in good shape.

TEN (X) OF CUPS

KEYWORDS

MEANING

Abundance, joy and emotional fulfillment are yours to enjoy and give thanks for when the Ten of Cups appears. Everything has worked out wonderfully for you and you will be experiencing a level of happiness you hadn’t thought possible. It is as if all your dreams have come true and wishes granted.

Peace, harmony and prosperity in life or your endeavours leaves you sighing with deep contentment and gratitude. It is a time for being aware of, and thankful for all the wonderful blessings that have been bestowed on you. Some of this may be down to good luck but on the whole you have strived constantly to achieve this enviable state of being. You have managed to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. This Card can be a sign that you are being, or will be, rewarded for all your good deeds and that big open heart of yours. You are now in a position where you can really appreciate where life has delivered you and might become quite emotional about the whole thing. In a happy way of course.

When the Ten of Cups appears there is a strong sense of personal balance and inner-happiness. Very little can get you down when this Card appears for it is full of positivity and joy. It speaks of the happy times in life and of great joy and lightheartedness. Any struggles or strife is behind you now, as the rainbow appears to signal the end of rain or storms. Everyone is allowed out to play again and that includes you. It is a time to embrace life and happiness, enjoy just being, and not constantly striving towards something else. Enjoy the Day Herein for you have spent a long time getting to it. Smile and laugh to your heart’s content.

The Ten of Cups brings a lasting happiness with it, and speaks of good times ahead, with even more joy and contentment. You have found what you have been looking for, so give thanks and relax. Your heart feels vibrant and a wonderful warm, loving glow radiates from you, making those around you sit up and take note. It is a time to share the love and happiness with all, and especially those close to you, such as family and friends. You are over the moon with delight and others are genuinely thrilled for you.

The Ten of Cups is a positive Card for happy family, friends, groups and communities. Its presence can suggest that your family, or having a family, is very important to you. Your family home is also very dear to you, full of wonderful memories and a place that has always offered stability and security. You are very close to your family members and count yourself very lucky indeed for the good fortune to be a part of them. Your family share and care for each other, and offer support during difficult times. It can suggest you are very aware of what you have and are emotionally well-balanced. This Card can appear when Family Events, Gatherings or Homecomings are being arranged or coming up. As this Card is strongly connected with the family and family home, you may be returning home to live or to look after a family member. You may have an elderly parent or relative who needs your help and support. You might be taking a trip down memory lane and showing your partner and kids where you grew up.

The Ten of Cups can appear after the end of long-time tensions or hostilities. These difficulties usually centre around family or friends, so it will be quite close to home. It has caused great emotional disturbance and upset, but the rainbow coming out in this card symbolically represents the end of trouble. Someone has called a truce or issues have been settled to the agreement of all. Peace and harmony are restored once more and all must be prepared to forgive and move on. If you are currently experiencing unsettling trouble with those around you, The Ten of Cups can be pointing to the fact you could be very instrumental in bringing warring sides together. If it has been you causing the upset in the family, it may be time to stop and rethink. Your family may be ready to embrace you back into the fold should you apologise. You know you are missing out on so much, and also missing them, so maybe it is time to call a truce.

The Ten of Cups is also associated with the homestead, the house you live in or want to live in. It can suggest that you love your home and are very happy in it. You may also be quite a home-bird. Its presence can highlight your desire for idyllic countryside living, so you may be on the hunt to buy a suitable property or site. You might have found the house of your dreams and are eager to show it off to family members to get their opinion. Great excitement surrounds this move and there may have been a group effort to get you there or settled in.

If you are in the process of buying a house and want to know whether you will be happy living there, the presence of The Ten of Cups in relation to it bodes well. It suggests the home will bring much joy and will be very easy to settle into. There is a good energy about the house which will support the occupants. The house will be happy to have you live there too, should you decide to commit. It suggests a welcoming community and neighbours who will be eager to offer their friendship and support. In fact you won’t be able to believe your luck, so pinch yourself. This will be a great house for rearing children and may easily be the place you put down longterm roots.

Domestic harmony and peace abound when The Ten of Cups appears. This Card represents the traditional outcome for many couples and marriage is highly suggested if the Spread includes any of the following the Four or Six of Wands, Ace, Two or Three of Cups, Justice or The Lovers. You might be setting up home with your partner and enjoying the intimacy it brings. As a couple you may be deciding to have children or another baby. Children are definitely very important to you or play a special role in your life.

Where Relationships are concerned, The Ten of Cups is The Happy Ever After Card and is a joy when it appears in a Reading. It suggests emotional fulfilment, settling down and starting a family. You have found the love you have searched for. You may have met your Soul Mate or feel a strong karmic connection with your partner. If you are asking whether your partner would make a suitable parent then The Ten of Cups appearing is a very good sign indeed. It suggests a committed partner who is very family oriented and loving. He or she might just be the one you can build a long-term future with.

Because The Ten of Cups is a Stage Card, we must always look at another slant or aspect, whether Upright or Reversed. The Ten of Cups appearing in your Reading may not be based on fact or reality, but more so on your dream of the perfect partner, romance or relationship. It might be considered quite old-fashioned now, but there are still so many little girls and boys who dream of growing up, getting married, having children and a perfect house. You may have a picture painted in your head of the ideal partner and life for you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this as we all have our own idea of what we are looking for, and a dream we would dearly love to come true. It only causes problems for us when we cannot compromise on our dream or if it does not work in our own best interests. It is hard to be perfect in an imperfect world, so it might be difficult to find a partner who ticks all the boxes. You may bypass a wonderful relationship opportunity if your standards have been set too high and out of reach. You might also be chasing, or in a relationship with an unsuitable partner because he or she appears to be the type.

Look for inconsistencies in surrounding Cards for evidence of this aspect. For instance, the Querant is gushing about her partner and talking about wanting to get married and have kids. The Ten of Cups appears in the Surrounding Energy Position which lets us know where the client wants this relationship to head. However, the Cards that appear for her partner tell another story. A story of lack of commitment and possible disinterest. So where is she getting the Let’s Get Married and Have Kids’ signal from? We wonder if he knows anything about it at all? It may be all her desire and not his. It is her dream or fantasy driving her and not based on fact or reality. This can be a very difficult Reading to communicate, for even though you do not want to burst her bubble, you also want to give constructive advice.

Career related you may be involved in community and social affairs, tending to the needs of families in your local community. It is a time for being really happy in the workplace and everyone gets along just like one big happy family. Your workplace probably has a great social scene attached to it. Great teamwork and cooperation is suggested when The Ten of Cups appears in a work related reading. It also can suggest landing the career or job of your dreams if it appears in the Outcome Position.

For those involved in creative work such as artists, writers, musicians, pottery makers or designers, The Ten of Cups suggests exceptional work. Your creations will be truly inspiring and might even be your best yet. Your emotions are flowing freely and spiritually you feel truly connected. Your work has moved onto a higher plane and the results can be seen and appreciated by everyone. It is all taking off for you now and you may even get some global recognition. You are happy with what you are doing and have found your niche. This is what you are good at and enjoy.

The Ten of Cups can also suggest working from home in order to be there for the children. Then again you may be staying at home to rear the children. Being a house wife or house husband can also be suggested.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF WANDS REVERSED

KEYWORDS

Off Loading/Taking on More, Delegation, Taking Matters in Hand, Overhauling, Radical Change, Learning To Say No, Compromising, Weeding, Cutting Out The Dead Wood, Dumping, Reflecting, Learning/Not Learning from Mistakes, Giving Up on a Dream or Ambition, Letting Go, Giving Up/Holding On, Delays, Set Backs, No Reward after Immense Effort, Lack of Productivity, Insurmountable Problems ‘Flogging a Dead Horse’, Efforts being Stymied by Others, Not Up To The Job, Not Strong Enough, No Staying Power, Falling at The Last Hurdle, Too Much, Information Overload, Last Minute Rush, Panic, Hysteria, Burnout, Exhaustion, Working 24/7, Nervouse Exhaustion, Breakdown, Collapse, Taking the Sole Blame/ Responsibility for Everything, Dut-Bound, Ball and Chain, Being Saddled, Taken Advantage Of, Resigned To Your Fate, Used, A Cross too Heavy to Bear, Hiding, Hidden Things, ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’, ‘Street Angel House Devil, Treachery, Duplicity, Pretence, Facades/Fronts, Moving Home, Clearing Out

When the Ten of Wands Reverses, for better or worse, you decide to do something about your situation. You might stop to catch your breath and have the sudden realisation you have taken on too much and can’t possibly achieve what you thought you would. You may have over-calculated or over-estimated your available time, energy, resources and abilities. The weight or burden you are carrying is to too heavy for you and you will never get anywhere unless you do something about it now. It represents a time when you have to give in and accept that delegation may be the only way and decide to take offers of help, or seek it. You may decide to lay down or offload some of your duties and responsibilities onto the willingly shoulders of others. It suggests a time to re-group your thoughts and find a more feasible approach to achieving your aims or goals.

This may involve you having to compromise on certain areas that may have held much importance for you before. It will be hard letting go of what you have become so intricately involved in but you must acknowledge that it or they have been holding you back and slowing your progress. Multi-tasking or being Multi-talented are both excellent attributes and abilities but they can lead to having your fingers stuck in too many pies all at the one time. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be and do everything, be everywhere and anywhere and also be everything to everybody else aswell ,but it is not humanely possible to keep it up. Your intentions were indeed admirable but now a halt must be called when the Ten of Wands Reverses.

Just look at you! You are exhausted and worn out, living on nervous energy, with not a moment to yourself. You now have to find a way to lighten the pressure and one of the first things you can do is start saying ‘no’ to any extra requests or demands on your time and energy right now. It is imperative that you take on nothing new until you have sorted out the heap of stuff you are dealing with at present. You will have to go back to the Nine of Wands and have a good think about how you got yourself into your current situation for this has not happened overnight and that is for sure. Your current overstressed and overstretched dilemma has accumulated over much time. You have probably seen the warning signs coming for some time but chose to ignore them, thinking you could manage everything and all would be fine. It is also likely others have tried to advise you of the long-term consequences of what you were getting into, but thought you knew better.

Once you have reviewed all your obligations, duties, responsibilities, tasks, commitments, demands, requests and promises made, you will have to decide what is really important and what is not. If you do choose to lighten your load, you will have to decide which of your Wands (tasks, commitments, duties etc.) are worth holding onto and which are not. If you decide to drop the less important ones, you must take the time to understand how you got stuck with them in the first place. It is likely that much of the weight you are carrying belongs to others, and therefore, should rightly be returned to them no matter what you promised. It is a case of having to go back to people and tell them you ‘are sorry, but after giving considerable consideration to their situation, you believe you will not be able to give it the full attention it deserves. Therefore, it would be best if they did it themselves or get someone else to’. You may not be liked for this but they will get over it.

You see, The Ten of Wands Reversed often points to a situation where someone is being taken advantage of by others. These certain others, are quite happy to keep doing it because the person they are taking advantage of never complains. They are always looking or asking for something and continually keep pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable. Before long, they feel it is their automatic right to expect immediate compliance or re-action from their willing victim. Before long, habits become traditions before quickly turning into obligations and duties. If you have got into the habit of always cleaning your neighbours gutters when you do your own, they get used to it and then expect it of you. It can be very hard to get out of it without them feeling offended and you feeling awkward. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, and you were only too happy to oblige, but now it is expected of you, which leaves you feeling pressurised and resentful. Some people just keep taking and taking once they are allowed to, especially when they get used to it.

When the Ten of Wands appears Reversed, it can carry a significant warning that the need to lighten your load is becoming apparent and quite urgent. If you do not heed what your body is trying to communicate to you, then you may be heading for burn out and possibly physical or emotional breakdown. Exhausted by the weight of your commitments and obligations, you may be denying your own personal needs. You could find yourself working 24/7 just to keep on top of things. You must find a way to release yourself from your oppressive circumstances.

This Card can suggest that you are flogging a dead horse and putting your all into it while getting no results. You may be too stubborn to admit defeat or failure so keep on forcing the situation and peddling on. You are breaking your back and for no reward. The job has become too much for you. It may be time to say goodbye to a dream or ambition as it hasn’t worked out. It might be too complicated, too involved, too much money and too much work. No one else shares your vision as the problems are insurmountable. This will be a crushing blow for you.

As in the Upright, The Reversed Ten of Wands can suggest deceit, disguise and underhand behaviour. Remember, this is a Stage Card, so look beyond the obvious. When the Card is in Reverse, it becomes more apparent the Figure is making a deliberate attempt to hide behind the screen of Wands. This can suggest a front or facade of some sort. Someone may be pretending to be someone or something they are not. This Card has especially negative associations in the Reverse as there may be hidden agendas and intrigue. There could be plotting and scheming going on right in front of you, hidden behind the smiles and sweetness of those you think friendly and benign. Someone may have it in for and could be deliberately making life difficult for you. They may be putting up a resistance, objection or argument every time you attempt to make progress or get ahead.

Those you thought you could trust may have turned sour on you. If any mistakes have been made or problems discovered, someone may offload the sole blame on you without a second thought, in order to save their own skin. There may be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, appearing sweet and innocent on the outside, but behind the façade lies not so pretty a picture. This Card Reversed can suggest the presence of a ‘House Devil, Street Angel’ personality. Your partner may treat you very differently when in front of people then when you are behind closed doors. Look to surrounding Cards for signs of duplicity or deliberate treachery and betrayal.

Where Relationships are concerned, something may be hidden or concealed from you at the moment. Something may be going on that you are unaware of. Your partner may be holding something back from you. If the surrounding Cards give no clues, it is advisable to pull an extra one or two for further insight.

The Reversed Ten of Wands can suggest that something is wrong in your relationship but you bury your head in the sand and refuse to acknowledge it. You may be in denial and maintain a business as normal attitude in the hope that it will all go away or sort itself out. It likely won’t, so you will have to confront the issues sooner or later. You may have to accept that your relationship is going nowhere or that it all seems to much of a struggle. No matter what effort you put in, the results just aren’t there or enough. You may feel very disappointed. Then again you may have eventually freed yourself from an unhealthy relationship. If so, it is imperative you understand how you got into it in the first place and how the relationship problems developed, otherwise you may find yourself in the same situation again.

In relationships you may have the tendency to dump your partner once it gets too serious. You may lack staying-power and commitment. You might prefer to be a free agent or keep several casual partners on the go all at the one time. You may decide to shirk your responsibilities by walking out or away when things get tough. You may sneak off, leaving your partner holding the baby and the bills.

This Reversed Ten of Wands can suggest a partner who blames you for everything that has gone wrong in your relationship. It can suggest that only one partner is making all the effort to maintain their relationship and carrying all the worry and responsibility for the success or failure of it. It may all seem like hard work and a constant uphill battle. You must ask yourself if your relationship is worth all the struggle? Time to look up, open your eyes, and take a good look at how weighed down you are by the whole lot, and determine whether its worth salvaging or saving. You may feel exhausted or worn out by chronic problems or issues in your relationship. Burnt out and disheartened, you may not be able to see the wood for the trees or a light at the end of the tunnel. It has all become too much and something will have to give.

When it comes to Work, you may have decided that enough is enough. Your energy is scattered and dissipated leaving you highly stressed and incapable of finishing any of your tasks or projects. Work begins to pile up or goes unfinished. People may be ranting and raving about wanting things done now or even yesterday as demands go overboard. Either you have no choice but to work flat-out, or someone is dumping more and more work in your lap. I am not sure why you cannot say ‘no’ to all this extra pressure? It could be related to the recession dilemma of cutbacks in staff, with the extra workload spread out to those who remaining, or then again, you may have to work double shifts or double jobs just to cover the basic bills. There is a possibility you could go into meltdown and throw a hysterical scene. You might dramatically walk out on your job, or are carried out after collapsing. Then again, you may decide to confront your boss about your excessive workload in the hope that some of the strain can be lifted from you. There is definitely no joy or fulfillment in this work as you feel like an ox drawing a plough through a rough field. Then again, you may just put your head down and keep going. You might become resigned to your circumstances or trust the future will bring an upturn in your luck and a release from your predicament. It really comes down to how fatigued and exhausted you are at present. You will have to go back to The Nine of Wands and determine if you have the stamina to keep going and if it is worth it. It is very hard to see where you are going at this stage.

If a work project has failed, you might be feeling the weight of responsibility for its lack of success. It may have been your idea. You possibly pushed or encouraged others into getting involved or onboard. Now the finger of blame is pointed solely at you.

With the Ten of Wands Reversed, you might also be trying to finish too many things at the same time and need to prioritise. Your to-do list is too long and needs to be sorted in order of importance and urgency. You will never get anything achieved if you try to rush at all of them together. It may be a sign you have let things get out of hand and control. Could you have left everything to the last moment and now realise the enormity of the tasks you have to finish in only a short space of time?

Business-wise, you may be deciding to do something about your business or working conditions. Time to delegate or collapse from the sole pressure. You may be letting people go in work or restructuring your business in order for it to be more productive. You may be making a radical overhaul of your business. You might decide the effort is not worth it and sell the business, or the business may collapse just when you thought it was nearly there. You might have decided to hand the daily running of your business over to sons or daughters. Taking a back seat or deciding to retire altogether will allow you more free time, and the rest you so badly need.

Unfortunately with the flip side of this Card comes the worrying tendency of failing to listen to good advice or learn from your mistakes. You might be continuing in the same old manner, doing things the way you always did them and wasting energy on products or areas of your business that are just not working. You may also have delegated responsibilities to the wrong people. There is a possibility you do not have the stamina required to make your business a success. You may also refuse to retire and persist in keeping up the same pace you always did. No one is going to tell you that you are getting older and need to slow down. stubbornness and pride may have you standing your ground, trying to prove a point that no one is interested in. You may push yourself too far.

As the Wands also refers to travel this Card may suggest that you are packing up and moving home or location.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TEN OF WANDS

THE OVER-BURDENED & OVER-STRETCHED FINALE

CARD IMAGERY DESCRIPTION

The battle weary soldier of the Nine of Wands, the bandaged warrior, had one last stand to make when we last met him. He was tired, exhausted and weary of conflict and challenge.

By Stage Nine of his journey he had barely stopped to rest or sleep, so enthusiastic and fired up with his glorious vision, his burning ambition and passion sustained and fueled him. He needed no more and couldn’t get enough of hard work, projects, pressure, deadlines and missions. He had endless goals and dreams which he was determined to realise. He was very optimistic about his success and confident of his abilities and skills. If any man could do it, it would be him. He would take on the world and be sure to win. Stress was his friend and he thrived on it. He worked better under pressure and stress and became a live wire of fiery energy and constant activity. He was here, there, everywhere, and anywhere. On the go from morning till night, friends marvelled at his force and determination. He said yes to everything and everyone, as nothing was too much for him. Most couldn’t keep up with him for he was moving so fast, with no time to spare, on his way to the top, and with an extra push, maybe even further than that.

He burst into life in The Ace of Wands and hasn’t really stopped since then. Like a flash fire he ripped through from Ace to Nine, leaving a scorched trail in his wake. He was relentless and strong. His shoulders were wide and solid, the perfect size for carrying all the responsibilities, obligations, pressures and stresses that were a permanent fixture in his life. His mind was clear, fresh and very fast. Creative and dynamic, he was ahead of everyone at all times and could out-think, out-smart and out-move the best of them. He knew what he wanted, was single-minded, and often bloody-minded, in going about achieving it.

Born with an inherent interest for adventure, novelty and travel he covered as much ground as he could and had a go at anything that caught his attention and imagination.

A born leader and ruler, he was fearless in the face of battle and his adversaries. He enjoyed a good fight or competition and has gained great experience in these areas. His courage led him to explore unknown territory and take risks when others shrank back in doubt and hesitation. He was always the first to volunteer for dangerous missions or step forward when times where difficult and others needed his help. He pushed the boundaries of his personal best, and unwavering, set his sights on his vision of a dazzling future.

He was certainly flying high when we caught a flashing glimpse of him in Card Eight as he zipped by us on the way to securing another success, another achievement, another victory and another job done. However, by the time we caught up with him in Card Nine, something had certainly changed. The glide was gone out of his stride and the pep out of his step. He was exhausted. His enthusiasm, beaten out of him. His hectic and frenzied life had eventually caught up with him and he seemed fatigued and highly stressed. Gone were the high-jinks, laughs, snappy remarks and restless energy. Instead he looked wary and dour. His mood was quite flat and at times he appeared negative and bitter.

There he stood with all his achievements behind him, his projects, his obligations and goals fought long and hard for, but they did not appear to be making him happy. He appeared nervy, jumpy and humorless. Tense and stressed he had no time for anything or anyone as he had so many things to do and areas that needed to be checked, maintained and secured. While everyone went off to their lives and social activities The Wand’s Man, who used to be part of it all, had too much on his plate to even think of having a bit of downtime. With frazzled nerves he refused to give up or accept any help offered to him for he could not let go of any of his Wands. Delegation just wasn’t his thing and anyway, no one else would have known how to handle the Wands the way he did. It was best if he stuck to doing it all himself.

He had thought to be long home and dry after the Eight of Wands, but hadn’t taken into account that the hardest work of all was yet to come. After the Eight of Wands, he believed he would be in a position to start enjoying the rewards of all his effort and past successes. Instead, more was required of him before he could secure that glittering prize. As he crossed the finish line in Card Eight he was confident of everything falling nicely into place, but he discovered he had one last effort to make, and it would be colossal. Shattered and fatigued he had to call on all his inner-strength and stamina to make his last stand. He was a fighter and no one would ever call him a quitter. He had to psyche himself up for the battle for he now felt a little rattled and unsure.

So in the Nine he rose to the Challenge, injured and deflated, he pulled himself together and refused to give up or give in. He was going to finish the Race and complete his mission even if it killed him. We couldn’t help but admire this Wand’s man as he summoned his last reserves of energy and refused to be beaten. He was certainly taking on a lot and we hoped he would not live to regret it. Surely success should be his. After all his hard work, he certainly deserved it.

We now can catch up with him in Card Ten and see where he is and how he is managing.

As we enter the scene of The Ten of Wands the first thing we see are Ten Wands dominating the Imagery. They rise high up in the air and spread fan-like in all directions. It is only then we notice the bent and hunched man below who is almost obliterated by all the Wands. The man wraps his arms around the Ten Wands and clutches them to his chest. It appears awkward to us, and we think he would be better advised to carry them over his shoulder, but this is obviously the way he chooses. Again we wonder why, because we now realise The Ten Wands are completely obliterating his view, and with his head bent, one would question whether he can see where he is going?

By his body stance and movement, the Wand’s Man appears to be walking uphill even though the ground is flat beneath him. He seems to be using a lot of force and energy to walk so we must presume these Ten Wands are indeed extremely heavy. His back must be aching, his leg muscles burning and fingers blistered from the continuous effort and strain. He is certainly driving this situation but it looks like it is taking every bit of his energy and willpower to keep it going. He is struggling to hold on to his ten Wands no matter what.

After the events of the Nine of Wands, the Man has almost gone into automatic pilot mode and can’t stop now even if he wanted to. If we could see his face, it is for sure his teeth are gritted and his jaw set hard. There is no one else in the picture so The Wand’s Man has no help with his heavy load. It looks like it is all up to him. It seems he is trying to push his way forward or through something and is experiencing resistance. There may be blocks or obstacles he has to overcome before he is free to travel onwards. His stance reminds us of a scrum in Rugby when bodies bend and heads lock before extreme force is applied to drive the scrum forward. Only the strongest are up to the job.

We must now ask where he is heading to if he cannot see the road ahead? Is he using his intuition, instinct or natural homing device to see him to his destination, or has he actually lost sight of where he is heading to? Maybe he has lost his way or forgotten where he was supposed to be going? There is a town in the distance, not too far away so maybe that is where he is bound? If so, then one would think he would appear more relaxed in himself and relieved to be almost there. However, if he cannot see the road or pathway in front, he may not realise he is so close to the town. He may be too engrossed with carrying those heavy Wands, he could easily bypass the town, and miss within it, the opportunity to rest and lighten his load for a while. There may be people in the town waiting to greet him and celebrate his eventual arrival and ultimate success. His goals and rewards could be sitting only a few hundred kilometres away from him. If he doesn’t look up soon it may be too late and will be left wandering under his heavy load indefinitely. Then he will certainly have lost his way

Then again he could collapse from exhaustion before he gets there and has to be carried away by those stronger than him. It might be a case of ‘nearly never made it’. Could he have gone this far only to fail or fall at the last hurdle? Could it all have been for nothing, all in vain? Surely not, so let us think positively. The Wand’s Man seems broad-shouldered and well-built, and just as well for he will need all his physical energy to reach his destination or realise his goal (the town or village). Progress is slow as the weight of the Wands slow him down and the journey must seem endless. He may feel resentful of his situation and the price he has to pay for success. It may all have become too much. However, the skies are clear and bright which suggests he will eventually reach his destination even though he has gone about it the hard way. His red and orange clothes symbolise the energy and effort it takes to carry his Wands. He may be weary and worn out but now is not the time for him to give up. He is nearly there, on the agonising home stretch, but cannot afford to take anything for granted just yet.

Great effort is now required of him now and he must give one last push even though it seems unbearable. As he approaches his final destination his load will appear to get even heavier. The Wand’s will become more difficult to manage and his hands will be torn apart with splinters. It will seem like his Ten Wand’s (tasks, duties, obligations, responsibilities) are multiplying as they build and feed off each other’s energy. His legs will feel like buckling beneath him and he may be staggering as he approaches the finish line.

To those looking on at this scene and know of The Wand’s Man, it might be hard for them to acknowledge his hardship and the weight of his burdens for he has always appeared machine-like to them. He has never complained before or said ‘no’ to any requests or demands made of him. He has always being a work horse so why should things change? They may not understand that he is only human after all and cannot do everything. They may not recognise his desperate fatigue for he has never been seen down or low before. Neither has he asked for help from anyone, therefore he probably doesn’t need it, and it won’t be offered. He is a ‘doer’, a ‘fix-it man’ for all and sundry, so people expect him to be able to manage his own stuff. But then he was always a proud man and not prone to showing any weakness. He wouldn’t like people to think he wasn’t able, or up to the job, so he was always affirmative. ‘Yes’, ‘of course’, ‘no problem’, ‘consider it done’, ‘how soon would you like it’ and he always was there with a smile, obliging and eager. People began to rely on him more and more and often off-loaded their difficult tasks or problems on him because he was the best man to sort them out. I suppose many saw him as a hero type and The Wand’s man was eager to live up to his reputation.

Alas, one can only be pushed so far, and we all have our limits, even The Wand’s Man. Along with The Ten Wands he carries is the full and sole responsibility for his situation. He has nobody to blame but himself for the burdens he now has to endure. We wonder if he is thinking about all these things as he struggles on his way? Failing to curb his enthusiasm as he progressed through his Suit he took on one exciting project after another. He gave little long-term consideration to what would be involved. He only thought of today and the accompanying instant gratification or glory they brought at that time. He was also a good soul and liked to be obliging whenever he could. This has now got him tied up in responsibilities, obligations and commitments that he may find quite difficult to get out of. If he hadn’t always said ‘yes’ to everything his load would be much lighter and his journey long completed. He would be free to enjoy himself or to concentrate on those things that give him real satisfaction.

Now we see him at the end of his journey, not so enthusiastic anymore and left with the aftermath of his endeavours. The screaming hungry babies he gave birth to on his journey from Ace to Ten are all demanding to be fed at once. He took on so much over that period he now finds it hard to let go of the reins because he is so intricately involved and responsible for all. He might dearly love to drop some of the Wands but too much is at stake. How can he possibly delegate or share out his responsibilities when this would require him having to let go of full control? He is quite determined to see them all through to the bitter end. He is not going to let the side down or lose face. He feels it is all up to him now and that he has no choice but to see it through.

The pressure is on him now and he resigns himself to doing whatever has to be done. In the Nine of Wands he decided that this last stand was a battle worth fighting and so he must give it his best and throw all his resources behind it now. As painful as this stage of the journey may be, the rewards upon successful completion will be immense and totally satisfying. He just needs to stick with it now and not lose heart as this period of intense pressure and anxiety will soon come to an end. He just needs to keep his head down and put one foot in front of the other.

However, he may be forgiven for feeling deflated as this was not how it was meant to be. He was supposed to be living the high life at this stage, travelling here and there and enjoying himself. Instead he is bogged down with drudgery and dreariness and the sole responsibility of these Ten Wands lie with him. No one else would know what to do with them or even want them. It all seems like hard work and no play. He longs to be free to follow his urge for travel, adventure and excitement. He must understand that he is totally responsible for his situation. This is what he wanted and he has to accept that it is tough at the top.

We now look at him with sympathetic eyes for he resembles the battle weary soldier, making his way into the local town or going home, his kit heavy on his back and the life drained out of his soul. It is certainly a far cry from his early glory days. Is this really the same man who sat proud and tall on his horse in The Six of Wands and looked on top of the world? He doesn’t look like the same man at all. Indeed, the world now seems to sit on top of him.

The Wand’s Man no doubt will make it to his final destination but he has gone about it the hard way. He is trying to deal with too many things at the one time. He is overloaded and overburdened. He has certainly overstretched himself this time and was probably overly confident about his ability to carry such a load and give each of his Ten Wands equal attention and focus. He was so caught up with the daily grind and chore of these Ten Wands he may have lost sight of his original plan, vision or goal. With his head buried in the Wands, he cannot see the wood for the trees. He is too close to his situation and needs to take a step back and learn how to prioritize. Does he really need to carry all Ten Wands at the same time? Could he not leave down a few less important ones for the time being and concentrate on the most important tasks only? He has too much on his plate and needs to offload before it breaks his back. He is suffering from physical and nervous exhaustion and will end up on the flat of his back in bed if he does not lighten his load and get some rest or help. The trouble is, The Wand’s Man is not used to being ill or fatigued so will have the tendency to keep pushing himself further and further and won’t realise how bad things are until burnout hits, and he collapses or cannot get out of bed one day. Who then will tend the Ten Wands?

So when he does make it to the town sooner or later, we hope he will have learned some valuable lessons along the way. We would like to see him lay down some of his Wands or hand them over to others who have the enthusiasm and energy for them. Before he starts his next cycle and returns once more to the Ace we would like to think he understands himself and his Elemental Influence much better. Starting from Ace once more but on a higher plane of experience and maturity, he must accept he has a tendency to collect too many Wands if he is not careful. Only he knows where that will lead him. If not, he will soon find himself picking up another ten Wands in no time at all. He must also learn when to say ‘No’ and work in certain parameters. Another lesson he should have learned, is the importance of pacing himself instead of trying to rush or force situations which of course leads to the art of patience. This journey is nearly over but there will be more journeys to come which will give him ample opportunity to apply all the accumulated wisdom and experience of his triumphs and failure so far.

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Looking at The Ten of Wands from another aspect we now have to view the Figure in the Imagery in a more suspicious manner. We must ask ourselves why he carries the Ten Wands as such? He now looks as if he might be trying to conceal himself behind all the Wands. What or who is he hiding from? The Figure may be using the Wands to conceal his true identity or personality. He may be deceitful or a shady character. He might be trying to disguise himself or act falsely to gain the confidence and trust of another. He might also be attempting to sneak into the town without anyone seeing him. He could be working undercover or on some covert mission using camouflage to get around.

Take note that The Ten of Wands is a Stage Card and therefore we must look behind the scenes as much as possible for not everything may be as it seems. It may all be an act to give a certain impression or possibly someone is playing on the sympathy of others with their burden of woes and cares. The Figure may be acting the martyr and deliberately loading themselves down with duty and obligations in order to get attention. He might be deliberately taking the hard road to show others how much he suffers.

MEANING

KEYWORDS

Home-Stretch, Nearly There, Nearly Home and Dry, Keep Your Head Down and Keep Going, One Final Push, Success is almost Yours, The End is in Sight, Overburdened, Over Extended, Weighed Down, Arduous Tasks, Taken on Too Much, Too Much on Your Plate, Doing The Lion’s Share, Being Pushed Too Far, Over-Taxed, Doing it All Yourself, Unable to Delegate, Huge Weight on Your Shoulders, Over-Loaded, Immense Effort, Unable to See Clearly, Lost Focus, Lost Sight, Lost Your Way, Slow Progress, Blocks, Delays, Resistance, Exhaustion, Uphill Battle/Climb, The Longest Route, Prioritise, Challenging Times, Responsibilities, Assuming Responsibility,Taking On other’s Problems, Demands, Sole Responsibility, Obligation, Duty, Commitments, Unable to Say No, Being Taken Advantage of or Taken for Granted, Being Saddled, Left Holding The Baby, Information Overload, Stress, Worries, Physical/Nervous Exhaustion, Pushing Yourself, Burnout, No Fun, Lack of Freedom/Spontaneity, Working Overtime, Taking Your Work Home, Drudgery

When The Ten of Wands appears in your Reading, depending on position in Spread of course, it is quite obvious to tell what is going on and the Querant will see it too in the imagery. Here we see the culmination and consequences of too much energy, enthusiasm and activity beginning to take its toll. We have all been guilty of this at one stage or another and have vowed ‘never again’. However, this Card suggests Harvest Time when back-breaking work is required of us all if we want to reap the rewards of all our previous effort. Sometimes there is no way to avoid it, so it can be a case of under, over or through to get to where you are going with no shortcuts or fast tracking involved.

The Ten of Wands often appears when you are entering the final stages of a project, task or job. The end is in sight but you are now entering the agonising home stretch when energy levels are down and enthusiasm for the project has been beaten out of you. Instead of the workload lightening, it has become heavier. There are so many things that need to be sorted and arranged, especially those boring parts you would rather suck razor blades than do. These tasks are usually ones you just have to do yourself, because involving others at this stage would create further delays as you would have to spend time instructing them on what you need done, how, where and when. You might as well do it yourself. Thing is, you are not very good at delegation anyway, and if you had learned how to delegate some of the less important tasks back in the beginning, you wouldn’t be under such pressure now. You are tired, fatigued and fed up but the show must go on. Every time you think you are nearly there, something else pops up and demands attention, creating delays or set-backs. Progress is slow now and it all seems like too much. Close to burnout, you may be suffering from information overload now and are not able to think straight. Will it ever be all over?

You may wonder why you ever bothered? Feeling riddled with stress and anxiety, you have paid a hefty price in your quest for success. You will have to rekindle the original passion you had for this project or task and draw your energy from that. Massive effort and in-put is required of you now, but do keep in mind you are nearly there, and the rewards will be immense, and success better than you had ever hoped for. Now is not the time for quitting. Put your head down and your back into it for you will be home and dry before you know it. Then you can have a well-earned break and relax. However, bear in mind you have taken the hardest and most awkward approach, and at times have made life very difficult for yourself. You must learn from this. You need to plan things out better, prioritise and ask for help when you need it. Save yourself for the most important tasks. Learn how to pace yourself and how to be patient. You are only one person after all.

When the Ten of Wands is drawn, it suggests that you are under immense pressure and are finding life a huge struggle. You are extremely busy with not a moment to catch your breath or take stock of what your are about. You seem to have a lot to deal with and are probably under considerable stress. A lot is being asked of you at present or you are asking a lot of yourself. Life certainly feels like an uphill climb or battle right now, making it hard to get ahead or make progress. You may be collapsing under a tonne of arduous tasks or projects that just have to be completed no matter how tired or fed up you might feel. It seems like everything has to be done, and all at the same time. Many of these tasks have been ongoing, but they never seemed to cause so much work before. They probably started out as simple things you got involved in, easily managed as such, but now they have grown out of proportion or multiplied and have to be dealt with, just when you don’t have the time for them. Your mind may be on other, more interesting things which you would prefer to be doing, but here you are having to give your all and more, just to get them sorted. You would dearly love to walk away from them all but that is the last thing you should do. This is unfinished business and even though it is weighing you down at the moment, it is best to deal with them now, rather than leave them hanging over you indefinitely. Yes, they are blocking your way forward and all progress at the moment, but with a bit of effort and renewed determination, you should see an end to in the very near future. Put the necessary work in now and get it sorted. You then have to determine how you let yourself get into this situation. Who’s fault was it? Where does the responsibility lie?

The Ten of Wands in current times can often represent the uphill and desperate struggle for those who have been badly hit by the recession. There may be a daily struggle to pay the mortgage, clear debts and bills which is almost breaking your back. Look for the Five of Pentacles, Reversed Two, Reversed Four or Reversed Six which will indicate severe financial pressure. Multiple stress and worry might be sapping the life energy out of you and it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. However, like so many others, you have no option but to keep soldiering on in the hope that things will improve in the future. However, swamped by so much burden and responsibility, you may find it hard to look any further than just getting through today, let alone looking to tomorrow or next week. You do have the stamina and resources to get through these hard times.

The Ten of Wands can suggest that you are shouldering many burdens. You may feel overloaded with commitments, obligations, duties and responsibilities. You are probably pushing yourself too hard and are finding it hard to cope. This is not like you at all and you are more than likely forcing yourself to keep going, making out that all is fine. There is no let up though and you may be working harder than you have ever done and knowing you, harder than anyone else around you. You seem to be doing the Lion’s share of the work at present or feel that you have to take responsiblity for everything. Others may be expecting too much of you and are adding to your load with their constant demands and requests. You have too much on your plate as it is so you will have to learn to say ‘no’ because until you do, people will keep dumping more and more on top of you, especially if you are not complaining about it. You see, it is not in you to say ‘no’ as that might be a sign of weakness. Your pride and being overly confident of your capabilities have you taking on things you really haven’t the time or energy for. You believe you can’t back out and hand them back ,or over to someone else, because you said you would do them, so you soldier on.

The Ten of Wands can suggest that someone has put a saddle on your back and will ride you to hell if they want. They may see you as a workhorse and take advantage of your good nature and willingness to help. You may be given the hardest and messiest tasks to carry out, and because you are obliging and successfully complete them, more and more is then asked of you. You may feel like you are on a treadmill, going round and round, faster and faster, but personally getting nowhere in the end. There is probably a building resentment towards those who are putting you through this as they have cleverly manipulated the situation, allowing them to do little, while you work like a cart-horse.

Of course if anything goes wrong, you will have to take the sole blame, and therefore feel the burden of your responsibilities intensely right now. You are worried and stressed about how you will be able to manage and what will happen if anything should go wrong. It is all up to you now, no pressure of course! People do seem to have a habit of dumping all their problems on you, or at your doorstep, and it has to stop. You are left to clean up all their disasters and mistakes with barely a thank you. This has all become a habit which must be broken. The pressure may be coming from any area in your life. It could be work-related, a partner who asks too much or family and friends who expect too much.

Self-Care is essential at this stage for you are spreading yourself too thin and are quite frazzled by it all. Outwardly you may be keeping up a pretence of being strong and enthusiastic but inside you could feel beaten and exhausted. You certainly cannot keep going on in this manner. Stress, tiredness and fatigue have become chronic and you may have lost the ability to relax. You may be close to burnout and feel like a physical and nervous wreck. You may have lost all the fight in you and energy levels could be very low. You don’t seem to know where you are going, have lost your focus or your way. Fatigue has resulted in you losing sight of , or faith in your original goals. Instead of the rewards you expected, you may feel trapped or now see it as a massive ball and chain you have to drag around with you. You need a break and some rest to gain perspective as you can’t think straight at the moment. You have over-extended yourself and expected too much of your body. It is time to prioritise and offload as much as you can. Concentrate only on those areas that are the most important and relevant. Everything else will have to take a back seat or just get dumped. There are many around who would be delighted to take them of your plate, if you would only ask or let them know you have too much to cope with. Don’t struggle on your own. Learn how to delegate and you will find your energy and enthusiasm soon returns.

The Ten of Wands also deals with deceit, concealment and falsities. Therefore it is important to look beyond the outward facade as somebody may be pretending to be something or someone they are not. Someone may be hiding something from you or try to get away with something without being noticed. There might be sneaky behaviour going on around you. Check all documents thoroughly as this Card often represents fraud and forgeries.

The Ten of Wands can also represent the physical act of moving home. You may be packing up all your belongings and relocating. This is often a stressful and very trying time.

If related to relationships The Ten of Wands may suggest that you are taking the full responsibility for its continuing success. One partner makes all the effort while the other makes none. You could be working hard all day and then have to come home to housework, cooking and screaming children, while your partner sails in the door and puts their feet up. You are tired and frazzled with no time to yourself. In your relationship, things may be very different behind closed doors than they are in the open. You may be concealing problems, incidents or issues from friends and families. Your partner may also be hiding something from you. Then again, your partner may have upped and gone, leaving you holding the baby and having to go it alone. Check the surrounding Cards for further insight.

There is a tendency also for one to take all the blame in a relationship should it fail. You could be guilty of being too busy with work or your business to have time for relationships, or to concentrate on the one you have. You may be very ambitious and chasing success at any cost, causing a lack of connection and intimacy in your relationship.

Your relationship may feel like hard work and effort rather than something you should be enjoying. As a couple you may be carrying several burdens and finding it all a bit of a struggle. There may be worries over money, work, family or health and certainly you have much to deal with at present. If you are both in this together then you should weather the storm and be confident that life will improve in the near future. Look to surrounding Cards to see where the Ten of Wands is coming from.

As a couple you may have decided to relocate and are packing up the home. You might be engaged in a self-build and are doing all the hard manual work yourself in your spare time. This is certainly tough going and extremely tiring. However, all this heavy work will not go on forever, and when it is complete, you will be thrilled with the results of all your efforts.

Career related, you may be responsible for everything in work and don’t seem to have anyone to help you. However, you may not trust anyone else to carry your responsibilities (Wands) as you fear that no one else is capable of doing the job right. You can find it hard to delegate and probably have a tendency to take your work home with you either physically or mentally.

The pressures of the workplace may be getting to you. You may be finding it hard to keep up with the constant inflow of work, demands and deadlines. You may be stressed and living on your nerves, and find it hard to relax or switch off when you go home or at the weekends. There is a danger you are heading to burnout or breakdown. You are no good to anyone or to yourself when you get to this stage as you cannot find solutions or think straight. Your work will suffer as a result, and this is the last thing you want, for you are so conscientious. You will have to speak to your those in charge and inform them of your difficulties, for they may not realise you are so burdened. They may be more than happy to get someone to help you or redistribute the workload. Taking a little time off might do you the world of good and help re-charge the batteries.

In work you may feel resentful, as more and more tasks, duties or responsibilities are dumped in your lap. Your workload may have become unbearable. More and more is required of you but there may be no financial gain as a reward. In fact, during these times of recession you may be asked to do two people’s job and take a pay cut at the same time. You may have to work extra hours or overtime for no pay. You may be carrying work colleagues, doing their work for them or covering up their mistakes.

If you are self-employed it can represent the heavy responsibility that weighs on you to make sure that every job is done and done well. You may have taken on too much in work and now feel burdened by the sheer tediousness of it all. Work has become boring and drudgery. You may feel very alone as you try to do everything yourself. This is the hard part of getting a business established and all business people go through this. Being self-employed is great but there are many sacrifices to be made on the road to success. Hard work and long hours may be required of you right now, but it will be worth it in the end.

Your business may be struggling and taking much longer to get established than you expected, leaving you thinking that you will never get there. However the appearance of this Card suggests that you are nearly there and now is not the time to give up. In hindsight, you probably have made things harder for yourself than you should have. Impulsive decisions made along the way in your business may have delayed its development and success. You may have areas of your business that are not working, or indeed staff that are not pulling their weight. Serious weeding and offloading of dead wood is needed if your business is going to be successful in the long run. Instead of peddling away furiously, take a step back for you are too close to it all at the moment, and determine which are your most successful and profitable areas. Focus on these and let go of any areas that have been chronically weak and unproductive. However, before you do that, check that the staff in charge of these areas are doing what they should. Discover where the fault lies and sort it. Your business will be tidier, less of a financial drain and easier to manage.

This Card can also suggest you do not want to retire and prefer to trojan on as there is plenty of life left

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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TENS INTRO

The Number 10 is seen as the end and also the beginning. The Number 10 has gone full circle and thus returns to the original state of 1 or in the case of Tarot, The Ace. This is because all numbers are born out of the Numbers 1 to 10 and all we need to learn is contained within this Number or a combination of its components. As 10 is reduced down to 1 by adding the digits 1+0=1 we close the door on a cycle of life while simultaneously opening the door on a new one. Out of death comes new life. In nature, the Cycle of the Four Seasons brings us the different stages of birth, life, harvest and death only to begin all over once more, on and on and on.

We are constantly passing through 10 Stages in our life. Some of these can be major, such as moving home, moving job, ending a relationship or deciding to have a baby. Even death itself can be seen as a 10 because depending upon personal belief, we pass from the end of a cycle of life and are born into the spirit world or into another incarnation. Then we have the constant 10’s in our daily life. The completion of a project before moving on to the next, the signing off on a contract or business deal, eventually getting to the bottom of the laundry basket before it fills up once again. Therefore 10’s can be seen as both simplistic or major depending on the circumstances surrounding it.

As we complete each Cycle or 10, we are expected to have learned something or gained experience. We are supposed to be much the wiser for our journey, which should enable us to be more confident and prepared when embarking on the next cycle. If not, our journeys would become meaningless and pointless. If you are entering a new relationship after ending a previous one, hopefully you will have learned a lot about yourself and your emotional needs that should positively influence your choice of new partner. On a simplistic level, a hobby of mine is making Boudoir Dolls and designing wonderful period costumes for them, painting their faces and styling their wigs. I have no professional training, and so have been teaching myself. As I work my way through the creation of each doll from Ace to Ten, I learn a lot and usually through my mistakes. Once the doll is complete I then move on to the next. As I complete each doll (stage 10), they are beginning to look better and better, and are also taking me less time to complete. I have learned some tricks of the trade along the way, and therefore am being a little bit more adventurous each time. This is because I have completed several stage 10’s and personally expect more and better of myself. I do have to start at Ace each time with the birth of the creative design for my new doll before scissors are even taken to cloth but I have been down this road or journey a few times now so I am prepared for the little pitfalls and errors that can happen if I am not careful. I am returning to The Ace each time but from a Higher Perspective and a deeper understanding of what is involved and demanded of me. The Four Tens in The Minor Arcana are the same. Once they have completed their Cycle from Ace to Ten, they once more find themselves at Ace but this time it is on a Higher Plane with a heightened sense of awareness and maturity.

The Four Tens in the Tarot represent the completion of the Lessons of the Suits and the beginning of a New Cycle with a set of circumstances born out of the previous cycle. The Tens are the culmination of the Elemental Energies as they act independently in the individual Suits. In the Ten, The Suits are expected to have realised the potential of their Elemental Gifts presented to them by Spirit in The Ace. They have fulfilled their mission or quest, for good or bad, and now must bear witness to it. Their harvest is in and has been weighed and measured. They must now take ownership of it and full responsibility for the outcome. They all started out in the Ace with equal potential, and most importantly, freedom of will, and the choice as to how best to use their Elemental Gift. They were given advice by Spirit but no hard and set rules were laid down. It really was very much up to them and they were left to their own devices.

The Four Suits quickly became quite predictable in their actions, emotions, thoughts and behaviour as they marched, ran, stumbled or crawled through each Stage and for certain we knew who to put our money on as they neared the finish post. In The Ten, they now have the Full Experience of their Suit and Elemental Energy behind them. Most I am sure would admit to being not fully equipped at times for situations or circumstances they found themselves in. This is because it is not possible to work with just one Element and be successful all round. As humans we aspire to have a good balance of all Four, the Gift of the Elements, the Tools of The Magician. Throughout the Minor Arcana we have seen incidents in certain Cards where more than one Element was being utilised to achieve the desired result, but other than that, they did try to operate as purely as possible. How have they fared?

The Wands show the result of too many challenges, too much action and not enough rest. However, their Ten also shows their blistering determination and amazing stamina. The Cups show the joy and happiness that love and family can bring along with a sense of inclusion of, and concern for the wider community. They show the results of following your Heart. The Swords show us how our thoughts and beliefs can eventually destroy us if no mental discipline is applied. The Pentacles show us the results of hard work and commitment manifesting in the material world.

So who won the Race? How you answer that question will mostly depend on your own personality and Elemental Influences. For me, I would like to think that they were all pretty close coming into the final straight until the Swords collapsed. The Cups, full of concern and compassion, stopped immediately to help their fallen comrade while The Wands and Pentacles kept going. I think The Wands were due to finish first, but became too cocky too soon by making a last-minute change of plan. Heading off on what they thought to be a short cut, resulted in bringing them home the hilly route, the toughest of all. Someone did try to stop them but they were off and gone before anyone could get to them. The Pentacles stuck to their original plan and never wavered. They crossed the finish line first, barely out of breath but immediately alerted the officials to inform them The Swords were down. The Pentacles then rushed back to help The Cups carry The Swords over the finish line. This gave The Cups second place and The Swords, third. The Wands came home eventually struggling up over the hills, cursing, swearing and definitely not in a good mood. Well, that is only my version of course.

On the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, The Four Tens reside in the 10th Sephira – Malkuth (Kingdom/Physical World). It represents the manifestation of all creation; life, ideas, form. Malkuth gives tangible form and density to all God’s Emanations and so completes the cycle as the seed is given birth and becomes manifest. This is the furthest Sephira from Kether (Source) but does not mean that it is un-spiritual.

The Four Pages of The Court Cards and The Four Tens of The Minor Arcana also reside here. The Seed of Elemental Potential Gifted by Spirit in The Ace has travelled through each 10 Stages or Spheres until it has being realised in the physical. The Energy or Emanation originated from the Source and will eventually make its way back to the Source to await Re-birth once more. The Cycle has been completed in The Ten. The Four Pages fittingly reside here, and like The Aces, hold the physical potential of their Suit in its immature state.

Astrologically – Corresponds with The Earth.

In The Major Arcana, The Four Tens correspond with Card Ten, The Wheel (X) of Fortune and also Card 19 (1+9=10) The Sun. The Wheel of Fortune teaches us the Lesson of Cycles and the constant movement of energy, situations and apparent luck. What goes around, comes around and consequences as a result of action taken. Once aboard The Wheel of Fortune (life), all the ups and downs of life are experienced, the gains and losses, happiness and sadness, strenghts and weaknesses, loves and hates, fears and courage. The Wheel of Fortune deals with fate and destiny and can be a hard one to pin down for it, like the Universe, is in constant motion. Some of the Suits may have believed they could control the movement of this Magical Wheel in an attempt to manipulate its power and Lady Luck but nothing can stop its constant rotation. It is as old as time itself and has been there long before us and will be there long after we are gone. We shall hop aboard it on countless occasions, in different shapes and forms, but we shall never be able to stop it. We should use our time wisely aboard The Wheel of Fortune and observe closely how it works. Then we can use it to our advantage. The Four Suits have each completed their Cycle on The Wheel, and if wise, will have observed and learned much.

The Sun (IX) Card brings manifestation into the physical and the birthing or re-birthing of new life and energy. It brings a creative explosion in its wake and for The Four Suits represents the culmination of their journey through The Minor Arcana with the eventually birthing or manifestation of their potential in the Ten. The Sun brings illumination, life and a time to celebrate and enjoy the rewards from all their effort and hard work.

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Any Tens appearing in your Reading will suggest the end or beginning of a new Cycle. It very much depends on the Ten/s in question but they usually represent a bit of good luck with life turning out as you wished. They suggest goals reached, potential realised and hard work paying off. Change is also on the way when Tens appear and more than likely you are ready for it. If the Ten is a Sword, then the change may be quite harsh and initially perceived as bad luck, but in the long run is for the best.

Upright Tens represent a natural conclusion to a situation or circumstance, and should generally be viewed positively. It can represent a time when you have all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed. All the work is done for the old Cycle and you are enthusiastically looking forward to the next.

Three or more Tens in a reading suggest contracts, legal documents or the purchase or sale of a home, car, or business. Also they represent a period of immense change in your life but the change should be good.

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When Reversed, Tens can still be positive but there may be blocks to completing tasks or reaching goals. You may not be able to fully realise your potential. There is still work to do regardless of how exhausted you might feel. Reversed Tens often point to unfinished business and it will depend on which Ten and how many are present as to where the problem lies and how widespread it is. They may point to an eagerness to move on to fresh pasture and a new Cycle before completing the old. Impatience and frustration are often felt with Reversed Tens as you are not quite there yet.

Reversed Tens can also suggest change that is either unwelcome (check surrounding cards) are initially perceived as such. They do not bode well for business deals or the signing of contracts. Big sales or purchases may fall through. You may feel down on your luck or that the Universe is out to get you. It can be a sign that The Wheel of Fortune has begun her downward rotation and you are feeling the effects. Realise that this is only temporary so don’t excessively brood over it. Life should balance out again quite soon.

Now Click onto The Ten (X) of Wands, The Ten (X) of Cups, The Ten (X) of Swords and The Ten (X) of Pentacles or in the Sub Menu where you will find their Descriptions, Meanings both Upright and Reversed along with all their relevant Keywords. Alternatively click on the Images above.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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NINE OF PENTACLES REVERSED

Living Beyond Your Means, Reckless Spending, All Work and No Play, Materialistic, Money Mad, Coarse, Lack of Grace and Sophistication, Superficial, Tacky, Bling, Cheap, Airs and Graces, No Taste/Stlye, Inability to Relax, Working too Hard, Anti Social Working Hours, Lack of Discipline, Wanting it all but not Wanting to Work for it, Get Rich Quick Schemes, Disappointment, Lack of Success, Failure to Progress, Lack of Self-Discipline/Self-Control, Impatience, Marrying for Money, Keeping Up Appearances, Security Breaches, Lack of Security, Lack of Protection, Damage to Property or Possessions, Theft, Cons, Scams, Swindling, Fortune Hunters, Dishonesty, Deceit, Cover-Ups, Termination, Miscarriage, Prostitution, Menopause

When the Nine of Pentacles Reverses it can suggest that you are living beyond your means. You may be better at spending money than earning it. This is a warning for you to pull back and address your problems as you probably have built up substantial debts at this stage and maxed several credit cards. You are being irresponsible with your money and living recklessly, throwing it around and for what? To impress people? It’s a case of ordering a bottle of expensive champagne when a simple bottle of wine would have sufficed, buying more designers clothes that you don’t need and driving a flashy car that costs a fortune. Where do you think all the money is going to come from? Then again you may live your life with the attitude of ‘let’s eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die’. There is also a chance that it’s not your money you’re spending. You may be funded by your parents or have been left an inheritance and think that money grows on trees. Regardless, you need to exert some discipline as the well will run dry at some stage.

Where taste and style is concerned, there is a tendency to follow every trend whether it suits or not. Clothes may be expensive but gaudy and tacky. Like a lotto winner gone overboard and mad, bling may be the order of the day as you like others to see how much money you have to throw around. Unfortunately, you may end up looking a bit trashy so remember ‘less is more’ and you will not go wrong. The thing is that money cannot buy sophistication, refinement or grace if you just don’t have it, and a wardrobe load of designer clothes and heaps of sparkling jewellery won’t cover it up either. You can work on it though by taming down the volume and being more discreet. Then again, you may have all the style, grace and sophistication but carry an air of superiority and look down your nose at others. You may be full of ‘airs and graces’ , conceited and way too self-absorbed with your own importance and image. Like many so-called celebrities, you may be famous just for being famous.

The Nine of Pentacles can also point to the opposite and suggest you are working too hard, allowing precious little time for leisure, social activities or relaxation. It can imply that you are a workaholic. You may not need the money but continue to let work dominate your life. There can be an inability to relax even though you have earned it. It can be all work and no play. On the other hand, you may have no choice in the matter. You may have to work every hour possible just to cover your overheads and pay the bills. This is especially true if you are trying to pay for a lifestyle you can’t really afford. Unlike the first instance where you may be guilty of spending money you don’t have, in this case, you are spending everything you have earned and must keep earning more and more just to keep up.

You may have set your sights high, gone for the big house, flashy car, expensive holidays and designer clothes. You might also be putting your kids through private schools or funding college. Status and prestige may be more important to you than free time or relaxation, so if keeping up appearances is important to you, then you will be happy to grind yourself into the ground. If this is your personal choice, so be it, but you may also be under pressure from your partner or spouse to maintain a certain standard of living. You will need to reflect on why you do it and what your priorities are. If someone gave you an option to walk away and live a more simple, less showy life, would you jump at it?

Following on from the above associations for the Nine of Pentacles Reversed, we also see the all too common dilemmas so many well-meaning and good intentioned people have found themselves in as a result of the recession. A huge number of people made a lot of money during the boom years. They studied hard, graduated and began top salary careers with large bonuses, perks and company cars. They began relationships with similar career-oriented ambitious partners. The money poured in and the spending was frenzied. Banks were literally throwing money at them and pre-approving large mortgages before they had even been asked for. Big properties were bought and sometimes a holiday home. Then there was the pressure from peers and banks to buy more investment properties for rental purposes. When the crash came, jobs disappeared overnight along with the perks and bonuses. If they were lucky, they had a company car that was just taken back but most had probably invested in a top of the range model and were still liable for the huge monthly repayments. Property prices plummeted and spiralled into negative equity but their mortgage repayments went up due to interest rate increases. So, they were left in their big luxury houses, with the fancy car or jeep outside and wardrobes full of designer clothes. They also had the mortgages on their rental properties which were now all vacant because of job losses. The holiday home was mortgaged up to the hilt aswell. There was one big problem though, there was no money to pay for any of it anymore. They couldn’t sell because of negative equity and they couldn’t pay their mortgages because of no money. They couldn’t get a job to save their life. What a mess. So the Nine of Pentacles Reversed very appropriately highlights these wretched situations. It hit a certain sector of the population dramatically. The nouveau riche very quickly became the nouveau poor. Was it a crime for them to want to improve their standard of living or did they get their just rewards because of greed. Many worked very hard to afford their lifestyles, putting in years of study and training but others appeared to move too fast, too soon and became rich overnight.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can also suggest that you have been very ambitious and have worked your way up the ladder in your career or business. Your goal was success and financial freedom and you have given years of your life to the pursuit of it making many personal sacrifices along the way. You have succeeded in your mission, reached your goal and realised your dream. The money is now there and plenty of it but you have lost touch with life somewhere along the way and have disconnected. Appearing more machine-like than human, your personality may be non-existent. You may only be able to converse in facts, figures and profit. Everything is weighed and measured. You know the price of everything but the value of nothing. You have what you worked so hard to achieve, but now that it is here, you don’t know exactly what to do with it. It is the accumulation of money that excites and interests you but not the spending of it. You may buy expensive properties and drives top of the range cars but they bring you no joy and you spend very little time in them. Your holiday home on the mediterranean may lie vacant each year because you do not get the whole thing about vacations and the need for them. What a waste.

On the other hand, you may now be viewing your great wealth as a curse rather than a blessing. The garden walls that acted as security in the Upright Nine may now seem like a prison as your very wealth and success have robbed you of freedom of movement and social associations. You might become paranoid about security and theft.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can bring dishonesty where money is concerned. Deceit, cons, scams and swindling may be high on the list. Look out for the King of Cups Reversed and the Reversed Magician as there may be professional criminals working their way into your company. They may be hard to recognise by appearances as they are well organised and hide behind suits and sharp white collars. These are the kind who want everything that money can buy but do not want to work for it. They will be after big sums of money, massive fraud or theft of luxury or collectors items. You must guard your assets and possessions well for someone may be out to take them from you.

This Card also refers to property and land. If you are in the process of making a purchase, make sure you check things thoroughly, go over all documentation and fine print. Carry out all the necessary searches and surveys regardless of how genuine and sincere the sellers may be as something may not be right, or is being concealed from you. Remember, the Snail in the imagery of this Card and how he seemed out-of-place in the beautifully manicured garden. There may be something out-of-place with your purchase too. Regarding property there is also the threat of damage as a result of vandalism or storm.

The discipline that was so strong in the Upright may be sadly lacking when the Nine of Pentacles falls into Reverse. You may not have the tenacity, determination or staying power to follow your plans or goals through to completion. You may be too impatient to see results and as a result become impulsive and take ill-advised action. You may fail to get the result you had hoped for. Success may be achieved but not to the level of your satisfaction. You may pull out of college too soon or fail to get further qualifications that will seal your future. There is a danger of abandoning your long-term plan in favour of a get rich quick scheme that is bound to fail. Nothing can replace good old hard work and slow but steady progress but you do not have the patience for that.

Your wealth may have been gained by underhand or illegal means as we now see the wealthy drug barons living it up on the Mediterranean secure behind their high walls and armed guards. What price have you paid to get where you are today? The truth may be hidden behind all the designer clothes, fancy cars and sprawling house. Prostitution can sometimes be suggested by this Nine especially if accompanied by The Devil Card and King of Cups Reversed.

If you have made financial investments for your future, you may cash them in too soon or they fail to mature as well as you had hoped for when the Nine of Pentacles Reverses. You may have to sacrifice some of your plans for retirement or may not be able to retire as planned. The recession may have had a very negative impact on your investments, and depending on surrounding Cards, you may not be able to retire at all.

If you have reached a certain age, you may feel very disappointed at how things have worked out for you. You might be comparing your life to those around you of a similar age. You may see others as having an easy life or being well taken care of in their middle years while you are still struggling. Everyone seems to have it better than you. You had probably presumed when younger, a certain lifestyle you would have when older. Yes, you would have to accept that you were getting older, ageing even, but there would be a lot of positives that would go with it. You would be able to relax more, take it easy, do your own thing. You may have envisaged travel or lunching with friends. Possibly taking up golf or art classes and getting your hair blow dried every week. You would have swapped your trendy clothes for well-cut tailored key pieces that flattered and hung well. You probably planned on tinkering around in your garden or having the house revamped. What a let down and how wrong you could have been. Instead you are stuck in your boring job, eking out a mere existence, and having nothing to look forward to. You can’t afford to get you hair cut or buy nice clothes and you don’t know the last time you were able to sit in your garden. You wouldn’t be able to buy a golf ball let alone pay for a round, and holidays are a thing of the past. Your mortgage should have been paid off years ago but then there was the divorce and having to buy a new property after the money was split. You will have to work into your seventies to pay it off and you feel old, dull and dreary already. At your age, you shouldn’t have all these things to be worrying about and you feel hard done by.

Then again, your health may not be great when the Nine of Pentacles Reverses. You may not be looking after your body the way you should. Nutrition may be poor and you might be lacking in physical exercise. You may be too lazy but then again, may not have the time to give it your proper attention. As this Card can suggest Menopause, there may be hormonal imbalances causing you to feel pretty low or ill. Look for the High Priestess Reversed and The Reversed Moon for more evidence of this. You may be trying to keep up the hectic pace you always did, but now must try to slow down a little. If The Empress Reversed appears in the Reading close to the Nine of Pentacles Reversed, it can suggest unnatural growths, so women should ensure they keep appointments for breast checks and smear tests.

Where Relationships are concerned, you may be chasing a certain lifestyle and seek prosperous partners in order to access the wealth you desire. You want all the trappings of being rich but are not willing to put in the hard work to earn it yourself. You want to be looked after by a partner who is prepared to spoil and pamper you. You or your partner may be high maintenance and are costing a fortune. Partners are chosen for their bank balance and property portfolio. You may choose to marry for money and not love.

As a couple, you may be financially sound but lack closeness and intimacy. You may marry for status or connections. There is a good chance that this is very acceptable to both of you. This is a throw back to the days of arranged marriages and especially where important families or royalty were concerned. Dowries, titles and land changed hands when the marriage was consummated. Then again you may be working so hard and career focussed, you do not have any time for relationships. However, this may be a deliberate attempt by you to avoid intimacy. You may need to take a close look at yourself in order to understand why.

All may not be well in a relationship when the Nine of Pentacles Reverses. Again, you must look to surrounding Cards. Appearances can be deceiving. Outwardly, people may see you as a couple who have everything going for them and want for nothing. On the inside there may be boredom or disinterest that is masked by material trappings. You may have too much time on your hands or feel trapped by your environment as you discover that money cannot buy you happiness.

Someone may be more interested in your money than you. Romance may move too soon with marriage proposals popping up before you know it. This Card is strongly linked to women and especially women of a certain age. However, it can also represent a mature man of a certain age. When this Card Reverses and you are financially wealthy, you must be on your guard against fortune hunters and seducers who will tell you anything you want to hear until they get a ring on your finger. If it all looks too good to be true; a young man or woman declaring undying love and you are old enough to be his or her grandmother or grandfather, then it probably is. Look out for the Reversed Knight of Cups for he is an expert at seduction.

Where pregnancy is concerned, the Nine of Pentacles Reversed can suggest a termination or miscarriage. Then again, if you or someone you know is close to full term it can represent the actual birth, as in not been pregnant anymore. However, you may have either left it too late to have children or chose a career over starting a family.

Where Work is concerned, you may be a workaholic and just do not know when to quit. You may have reached the top of the career ladder but are still not satisfied. Money is all that matters and we see the Pentacles dominate the top of the Card when it Reverses compared to the Upright, where the Pentacles are nearer the ground while the woman looks away. This symbolises her interest in things other than the material world. You may have no outside interests or hobbies. Work is all there is and you have lost balance in your life.

Then again, you may be very ambitious but work shy. You may seek a short cut or easy access route to the top by making a play for the boss’s son or daughter. You may even go after the boss if you think you are in with a chance.

Career-wise, things may not have gone according to plan. You may have lost your high salaried job and are finding it difficult to adjust your lifestyle accordingly. Then again, you may not have put in the effort that was required and now find yourself falling behind and unable to keep up. Success eludes you at every hands turn and you may feel like a total failure when you compare yourself to others. You may have lost sight of your goals or long-term plans, or possibly got distracted. You lacked self-control and self-discipline when it mattered the most. You may find it impossible to get further in your career. Then again, you may have achieved your goal or dream career and find it not what you expected it to be. You may resent the amount of time you have to give to work which takes you away from the things you really want to do. You may walk away from a highly paid job in favour of something less demanding.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can also suggest anti-social working hours or working 24/7.

Your Business has not developed the way you wanted it to and years later still find yourself working all the hours god gave in order to keep it in the black. It may be bleeding you dry on many levels but not giving you the lifestyle you had hoped for. You may have invested all your money and have little to show for it. You may have poorly planned for your business or took short cuts which have backfired on you. There may be big losses. Your business may have a ‘flash in the pan’ success but can not sustain it in the long run. However, your business may just be slow to take off, and given time, will be a success as long as you put the effort in and remain patient. Slow but steady progress may be all you can hope for at present.

When the Nine of Pentacles Reverses, your business may be very successful but gain comes from illegal dealings and unprofessional practices. You may be making money out of the misery and suffering of others. Tax evasion, fraud and embezzlement are all associated with this Nine when it Reverses.

If in business, it is important to do some spot checks in all departments to ensure everything is in order and everyone can be trusted. There may be some underhand business going on or dishonesty, so check accounts and stock inventory.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can indicate not being able to retire when you want or deciding to work on past retirement age. You may be feeling your age and find work a struggle.

*****When we next visit the Pentacles in Card Ten, we will see if they have managed to hold onto their success and wealth or has it all disappeared again? Will they be back at the Five of Pentacles, down and out or will they be living the life of luxury and adding to their existing wealth. Are they truly a success story? How long can they keep it going for? Is it possible for them to become even more successful? We shall find out all the answers very soon, for like the rest of the Suits, they are nearing the end of their cycle, their journey through the Minor Arcana, and the Universe will demand results and answers from all of them.

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tarotlogy · 1 year

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NINE OF PENTACLES

ENJOYING FINANCIAL SECURITY

KEYWORDS

Success, Success breeding Success, Profits, Better Than Expected, Prosperity, Wealth, Financial Stability, Financial Strength, Business Giant, Securing Your Future, Bumper Harvest, Flourishing, Thriving, Abundance, Maximising Profit, Luxury, Quality, Expensive, Comfort, Contentment, Property, Land, Countryside, Possessions, Investments Maturing, Business Thriving, Financial Security, Professional, Reputation, High Status, High Expectations, Self-Discipline, Self-Control, Self-Reliant, Self-Confident, Being Resourceful, Reaching Goals, Hard Work Paying Off, Hard Worker, Making Sacrifices, Results, Achievements, Accomplishments, Rewards, Freedom, Liberation, Taking It Easy, Taking your Time, Maturity, Wisdom, Mature Woman, Refinement, Elegance, Finery, Grace, Noble, Sophistication, Beauty, Pampering, Indulging, Alone but Not Lonely, Pregnancy, Birth, Menopause, Vacation, Retirement, Taking a Step Back from Business, Leisure, Hobbies, Turning Hobbies into Businesses, Protection, Security

CARD IMAGERY DESCRIPTION

You have got to hand it to this Figure in the Nine of Pentacles for she has doggedly stuck with the plan. She has studied, saved, studied more, focused and kept her head down. She has gained, lost and gained again. She has picked herself up after falling and failing, dusted herself down and got back out there. She had been determined and relentless in the pursuit of her goal. She is the ultimate success story.

While the Wands were running amok, the Cups lost in love and blowing their money on partying and romancing, the Swords tying themselves up in knots, the Figure in the Nine of Pentacles has kept her feet firmly on the ground and steadily and quietly arrived at her destination. Her crops (her hard work and effort) have yielded well and her harvest is bountiful. As she approaches the closing stages of her cycle, her Pentacles are flourishing beyond her wildest dreams. Her original planting has sprouted and has very possibly grown in several directions creating even more bumper harvests and even greater success.

The Figure is now at leisure to enjoy the fruits of her labours and all they can afford her. We can see her lovely house in the background and the beautiful countryside environment she has chosen to live in. She has achieved this success all on her own and is quite happy to enjoy it on her own as well. She is self-reliant and can be alone without been lonely. In fact she enjoys her own company so much she may find it difficult to share it with anyone else. She surrounds herself with objects of luxury and beauty and gains immense pleasure in all that she possesses.

Success, prosperity and luxury are strong features of the Nine of Pentacles and the Figure can afford it all with plenty to spare. Her sustained efforts have made her financially secure not just for now but in the future too. Her gown is rich and expensive and she moves with a gentle grace suggesting that she can now take her time. Refined and elegant she walks with a noble gait, for she is Queen of her environment.

The hard work is now done and she may retire or better still, develop that hobby that she has never had the time for. She has the freedom of choice now, and there is no urgency or stress in her life. She calls the shots and suits herself for this time is now about her. She has given her all for a long time and is now ready to take her just rewards. she will think nothing of splashing out on expensive items and pampering herself for she has earned it. No one can deny her this success even if we do envy her position. It is there for the taking for all of us should we want it bad enough.

The Figure fondly strokes a Pentacle representing the beautiful and luxurious goods that her money has afforded her. Vines with bunches of ripe grapes grow abundantly suggesting the prosperity she has created and now enjoys. She is safe, secure and where she wants to be. She may no longer be young and perhaps realises that she has sacrificed a good deal of her life in hard work, but so what she may rightly think? Look at what she has now. She understands the price she has paid to get where she is; the lack of travel and frivolous holidays with friends and the lost opportunities for fun-filled romance. She has sacrificed part of her freedom over the years which is symbolised by the hooded falcon resting on her hand. The walled gardens suggest the security her status has brought her, but also that she may have cut herself off from others to reach her goal. These walls may symbolise how well she guards her possessions and achievements. They will keep intruders and thieves out.

A Snail moves slowly across the well manicured lawn. The Snail is symbolic of the time it takes to reach a target or goal. Some things just can’t be hurried and it teaches us the Lesson of Tenacity and Patience. When we are working hard towards a goal it sometimes seems that life has stood still and we are getting nowhere. We look around and everyone seems to be moving faster than we are. This is when people give up or give in because they don’t see the results quickly enough. However, the Snail knows better. If we stare at the Snail it may appear that he is not moving at all, but it is for certain he is making quiet progress, even if it is not obvious. If we look away and distract ourselves for a short while before looking back, we will see that the snail has indeed moved if not gone altogether. As he sets off across the garden, he knows it will take him much time to get to the other side but this does not stop him making the journey. The snail is making his way to where he will feast on all the rich vegetation, so is quite certain it will be worth the effort. This takes us to another aspect of the Snail.

The Figure in the Nine of Pentacles stands in a well manicured garden in which her prize crops and plants flourish. A snail can wreak havoc in a garden and we must wonder why she has not taken steps to address this obvious threat. The Snail may be telling us that she does not have control over everything, regardless of her financial status and position. Money can’t buy you everything. Mother Nature is a law onto herself and will not be contained. On the other hand, the Figure, being a Pentacle, has a deep understanding and tolerance of nature and animals. Therefore she may have learned to live in balance and harmony with her surroundings instead of trying to suppress it.

The Figure depicted in the Nine of Pentacles is a picture of health, and rightly so, for she has looked after her body, nourishing it and getS plenty of outdoor exercise. As this Card is a Nine, it suggests the end of a cycle. The woman may be entering her menopausal years as she naturally slows down, but this Card can also herald pregnancies and the imminent arrival of a baby due to its Nine association.

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Below is a continuation from The Eight of Pentacles Story. Many years have passed since we last visited the Stone Mason. He was on the brink of incredible success and was working flat-out, his wife too. Following in his father’s footsteps, his son had begun training as a Stone Mason. His daughter wild and restless, had not made any plans. We do know that he had bought a plot of land and was working on the design of a house he would move to with his family. He was in the process of handing over his current property and workshop buildings to the community to provide training for the local unemployed. He wanted to build somewhere really nice and special for his retirement. Yes, even though he was close to being a workaholic, he did intend slowing down at some stage so that he could enjoy the perks of his success…..

Story – What happened Next for the Stone Mason and his Family.

As we arrive at the scene of the Nine of Pentacles, it is a beautiful sunny day, not a cloud in the sky and the air shimmers with the heat of the afternoon sunshine. We are on vacation in a beautiful area of the countryside and while having our breakfast in the hotel dining room we ask about the best place to go for a walk. The young waitress has a quick think before telling us about a particular area that has beautiful views and scenery. She also tells us that it’s where all the ‘big monied people’ live. ‘Oh you should see the fantastic houses out that way’ she says. ‘They are like palaces. You would need to be very wealthy to own a property there. You know, there are even a few celebrities living there too ‘ She sighs as she pours our coffee. ‘On my wages, all I would be able to afford would be a postcard of that area and nothing else’. As she heads back to the kitchen she jokes back to us. ‘If you find any stray rich men wandering around out there, make sure to bring one back for me’. And with that she is gone through the swinging doors.

Well, that is sorted then we agree and hurry back to our rooms to prepare for our walk and whatever adventure the day has in store for us. Our hotel is in the town so we have to walk for some time before we get out into the open countryside. We have a small map which was kindly given to us by the hotel receptionist and a packed lunch supplied by the chefs in the kitchen.

Oh, but it is a glorious day and it is so wonderful to be out in nature, getting some fresh air and that lovely warm sunshine on our faces. The further we walk the land becomes more lush and the scenery begins to change from sparse hedgerows and flat fields, to avenues of tall deciduous trees in full leaf and rolling hills. Every turn and twist on the road reveals more natural wonders to our delighted eyes. Powerful, sleek and shiny horses graze lazily in fields, their silky long tails swishing back and forth as they munch away. We stop to talk to them and one wanders slowly over to check us out, while the other momentarily raises its head before returning to its food. It is obviously not impressed with us.

As we walk on, the road begins to climb and we can feel the pull on on our leg muscles as they take the strain. We then spot our first house, but just barely, for it is tucked away behind high trees and an almost equally high electric gate. As we are admiring the beautifully trimmed hedges and flowering shrubbery, the gates suddenly open and out drives an expensive looking jeep pulling a horse-box. We try not to look too obvious or nosy but grab a quick look in through the gate at the long stud-railed avenue that leads up to a stunning house surrounded by meticulously landscaped gardens. The gate closes and the jeep is gone. We continue to walk, talking now about what it must be like to live in one of those houses and the money that would be needed to maintain it. We discuss where the people may have got such money and we argue about whether it was inherited money are hard-worked for.

Our discussion comes to a stop when our breath is taken away by the vision that lies to our left at the bottom of a valley. It is a long, long way down from the roadside we stand on. We decide, we have to go there and take a better look, for it is just stunning from where we are standing. So we walk the meandering roads, taking turns here and there as directed by the map. The hills are much higher as we climb the steep roads. They look almost like mountains and are covered in a shimmer of purple heather. We are much closer to the lake now but it is still far down below us. From where we stand, the water looks almost black. There is a small sand-like beach area on one side and A sheer mountainous cliff face on the other. It is magical, just like a scene from a mystical movie.

A track or road appears to run from the lake and disappears into a small wood. The land around the lake is quite wide and sloping. We see movement in the fields and think it to be horses or cattle. We know we are taking a chance, and that the land we are about to enter is private, but we just have to get a closer look and take some photos of the lake. We hop over the low stone wall that borders the land and begin to scramble downhill towards the lake. Laughing and nervous all at the same time we are excited about our adventure and forge on. We keep climbing down but eventually are forced to stop for the land suddenly falls away before us. We find ourselves at the side of a sheer drop. This is as far as we can go without putting ourselves into mortal danger but decide it is an ideal place for us to picnic at.

We spread our rug on the soft grass and lay out our lovely lunch under the blue skies and silently watch the scene below us. Again we see the movement of animals but can now identify them. To our amazement, a herd of deer move together across the field towards the lake and our cameras come out again. We pull out the mini binoculars which we had almost forgotten were in the bottom of our bag and take a closer look. The lake and surrounding area is too fabulous to put into words. We are speechless and humbled by its incredible natural beauty. Looking through my binoculars, I decide to follow the path or roadway that meanders away from the lake. I follow it to the woods where it disappears but I raise my binoculars and adjust the focus to see past the woods. There it is, a long, low house surrounded by a walled garden. ‘Wow’ is all that I can say. Someone is actually living down there and in the most beautiful house you can imagine. I further adjust the binoculars to get an even closer look. I can see another roadway that runs from the house and up the side of the hill to an entrance onto the road we had been walking. ‘So that is how it is accessed’ I say to no one in particular. ‘Now that is what I call a house and what a garden! Imagine having a lake in your back garden and a herd of deer’? I am almost overcome with envy. ‘ I just can’t begin to think of or guess how much a place like that would cost.’ I say, shaking my head at the notion of ever being able to afford something so amazing.

I know I am being cheeky and intruding on private property but I want to see as much as I can. Straining my eyes through the binocular lens, I study the house once more and the walled garden surrounding it. I just can’t get enough of it and am hit by another wave of intense envy at the people who are lucky enough to live there. What a charmed existence they must have, what an idyllic lifestyle. Suddenly there is movement at the back of the house and I jump back fearing that I will be seen but it is just the binoculars, for we are too far away and well hidden in the bushes. No one knows we are here and we are confident we can’t be seen. I look back into the binoculars and this time I see a woman in the garden below. Now I am very curious. She might be a celebrity; an actress, a singer for all we know. She moves further into the garden and slowly walks towards the flowering plants and shrubbery. She is wearing a long elegant robe which flows behind her as she moves. She is not a young woman but has obviously looked after herself well. She moves with an air of Refinement and confidence. Her whole looks suggest money, and plenty of it. Is she the owner of this incredible place we wonder? She has her left arm raised and appears to be holding something but I cannot make out what it is. Oh, if only we could get closer.

I want to get closer but my friend is beginning to get nervous. ‘What if we get caught?’ she worryingly asks. Agreeing she has a point I calm down and resign myself to our picnic blanket and the rest of our lunch. Oh, I would give anything to live in a place like that’ I declare as we eat our little pastries. ‘ I don’t know, I am not sure if I would like to be so isolated’ replies my friend. ‘It must get very lonely down there, even if it is a beautiful place’ she continues. ‘ I wouldn’t mind being on my own if I had luxurious surroundings as such and plenty of money to buy whatever I want. That would be all the company I need’ says I, but my friend comes back with ‘but is she happy, really happy do you think?’. ‘Why wouldn’t she be happy?’ I am astounded by the notion that she might not be happy. I realise now that I am quite a material girl. Whereas I see the luxury, splendour and glamour which would definitely make me happy, my friend is thinking about needing people around her and a simpler life in order for her to be happy. We discuss and argue this point for some time, me saying that I would move in tomorrow and my friend wanting something a little more normal and going on and on about money not being everything. We agree to disagree on this one and decide in the end that it is all down to personality, priorities and what we consider would make us the most happiest. It is bound to be different for everyone.

As the girls chatter away, down below in the garden of the house beside the lake walks the woman in the long robe. Earlier that morning, she had waved goodbye to her husband as he drove up the long driveway to the main road. He was on his way to the airport where he had a plane to catch for the USA. Her husband was meeting with a well-known movie maker in Los Angeles to discuss the intricacies of Medieval Stone Masonry for authenticity on a movie set that was being designed and built for a big budget production. He would be gone for two weeks. Officially he was retired but everyone knew he was the best in the business and so the calls continued to come and he continued to be tempted by the more interesting projects. These projects took him all over the world and away from home for weeks at a time. The woman was used to that and was quite happy for him to go. She had plenty to occupy herself with anyway and was very self-reliant. She liked these times when she was on her own because it helped keep her sense of independence and self-identity. She looked forward to the peace and quiet of the coming two weeks.

She knew her husband did not take on these projects because he needed the work. It most certainly was not for the money at this stage for they were financially very secure, if not incredibly wealthy. Her husband went because he loved his work and it gave him an interest. It also gave him money whether he needed it or not. There was a saying he used often over the years ‘if you have nothing, then it is hard to get anything but if you have something, it is easy to get more’. She knew how true this saying was for now that they wanted for nothing, had more money than they needed, the money still came in and in large amounts. They didn’t really have to make much effort at all now. All the hard work had been done in the past and now they were really beginning to enjoy their rich rewards. They were financially successful and their very success seemed to breed more success. No matter what they did turned out to be a success. Success followed them now but they had experienced failure too. Before the woman had met her husband, he had lost everything, and had, for a while, been living rough on the street. He had been a victim of the recession, gone from an up and coming, much in demand, Stone Mason, to losing his job, his house and having no money or food to eat, in a very short space of time.

Life was indeed hard for him. He felt very demoralised after working so hard, for so long, and then ending up with nothing to show for it. As a very young man, a long time before the woman knew him, he had a dream, a vision, a goal that he was determined to realise. He had started off with just the shirt on his back and a small inheritance left to him by his grandfather, also a Stone Mason. He was determined to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a Stone Mason himself. He had saved his inheritance and worked hard so that he would have enough money to see him through his apprenticeship. He had lived a very quiet life back then; working all day, studying, sleep and then back to work the next morning and the same thing over and over again. He was determined and had learned much from his grandfather. He knew he had years ahead of him where he would earn very little but that if he stuck with it, he would eventually qualify and the world would then be his oyster. If it hadn’t been for the recession back in The Five of Pentacles, it would all have worked out as planned no doubt, but then again, who knows where he would be now and what he would be doing? He had always wanted to work for himself so the woman is very sure he would have set up in business, maybe not what he is doing now or has done, but no doubt something similar. She knew her husband well and was very proud of what he had achieved.

After she had closed the door that morning, the woman enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and read through the post. She picked out her favourite Horticulture Magazines that arrived each month and relished flicking through the pages, reading articles here and there that caught her fancy. The sunlight poured through her kitchen window and she sat there for some time staring out at the tall rock face that bordered the lake behind the woods. She was alone in the house and would be for most of the time her husband would be away. Her daughter would visit maybe once or twice but she was a busy girl and did not have much time. She ran a very successful stud farm along with looking after her young children. She also helped her horse-trainer husband when she could. It was great to see her when she called, but the woman understood how busy she was. She had been like that herself when she was younger, and she too had young children to raise, a business to run and also helped her Stone Mason Husband.

After breakfast, she took a long soak in the magnificent roll-topped bathtub. It was antique and had cost a fortune to restore but it was worth it. As she lay in the bath, she thought back to when the house was first built and the fun she had decorating it bit by bit. They had wanted only the best in the house. They preferred quality instead of quantity and both had a keen eye for style. Her husband’s weakness was art and he had made substantial expensive purchases over the years. These beautiful paintings now hung on the walls in their dream home and they never tired of admiring their beauty. The woman’s own weakness was antiques and she had carefully planned the interiors to incorporate magnificent pieces that she had searched long and hard for.

They had both agreed that a time would come when they would cut back their workload and live a more leisurely lifestyle. They loved their work and careers but they also wanted to explore others aspects of their personalities. They had hobbies and wanted to spend more time developing them. They also just wanted to relax and not be constantly pushing themselves. However, none of this could be done until the had achieved what they set out to do, so they kept their heads down and kept going. They would not stop until they had enough money to enjoy a financially secure retirement.

The house had been their dream, their ultimate goal and it was to be a testimony to all they had worked for and achieved.They knew what they had wanted in a property and the kind of location for it. They had talked about it for over 15 years and it seemed nearly as long finding the right place once they had decided the time was right. They could have bought several sites over the years and thrown up a variety of perfectly acceptable luxury houses but they had very specific requirements. They would wait until the perfect one arrived. Patience was something they were very familiar with and they both agreed that nothing of value ever comes easily. They had individually, painstakingly set up small businesses and then worked harder than they thought possible to make those businesses grow and grow. They were both ambitious and worked well as a team. They supported each other and made little personal demands for they knew they were working towards a mutual goal.

After her long soak in the bath, the woman spent some time in her dressing room, choosing what she would wear. Today, it had to be something exquisite she thought. She had a group of foreign horticulturist enthusiasts coming for a private viewing of her garden. She would also host lunch and give a short talk. Since she had handed over the reins of her preserve making business and cookery school to her daughter-in-law, she had indulged her interest in growing rare specimens of fruit bushes. Her walled garden now boasted a selection of exotic fruits and it was the rare specimen grapes that everyone was coming to see and taste today. It had cost a lot of money to first find and then cultivate them but she enjoyed every second of it.

She chose a beautiful deep orange silk long robe with a red crushed velvet collar. The robe was hand embroidered with red flowers and symbols of Venus. On her head she placed a matching hat. Slowly and gracefully she walked out through the large glass doors and into the garden where she stood in the sunshine for a few minutes, breathing in the heavenly scents of her flourishing garden. She then moved to a large building at the far side of the garden and opened the door. Inside, she took a long yellow leather glove from a hook and preceded to open the door of a cage close by. Moving slowly and purposefully she entered the cage and held out her gloved hand. Out of the dark there was a ruffle of feathers and a whooshing noise. A falcon landed on her gloved arm and the woman spoke softly to it. She then placed a red hood over his head without any protest from the bird. She had done this many times and the bird accepted it. She then made her way back to the garden.

In the garden she examined all her plants and fruit bushes as she spoke to the falcon on her arm. She closely inspected the vines that would be the centre of attention later in the day. Heavy bunches of rich, ripe grapes hung form the strong vines. These grapes did not come cheap and she had a growing list of private clients who were prepared to pay for such delicacies. Another success, she thought to herself. She had not intentionally set out to make money from her hobby but yet again, it had happened. She was being rewarded for all her hard work and effort. It seemed to come naturally now.

Beside the grapes grew a crop of healthy large Pentacles which were her husband’s own project. It was the Pentacles that had earned them their first big success and had opened many doors for them. The Pentacle Plants are what saved her husband from complete destitution after he had lost everything in the recession. They would never forget their significance and all they had to be thankful for. Her husband had learned how to grow Pentacles from seedlings and cultivated them until they were ready for harvest. They were a huge success and he had established a strong business on the back of it. Their son, also a Stone Mason took over the business some years ago and it continues to thrive. The woman strokes the large, ripe, golden Pentacles and appreciates what they have afforded them over the years. Because of the Pentacles, they are now in a very advantageous position. They are wealthy and continue to add to their wealth. They can buy anything they want and can now enjoy the fruits of their labour.

As the woman strolls through the garden she realises that she now has time to smell the flowers and enjoy her lovely home. She looks to the falcon and knows that he too understands. She is no longer young and knows that she made many sacrifices in her life to get to where she is today. She did not enjoy the freedom that many of her friends had. While they had holidayed over the years and enjoyed hectic social lives, she had been working hard. She had worked all the time her children were growing up and had studied at night while they slept. She had left them in childcare so that she could run her workshops or make her preserves. The hooded falcon is a symbol of the freedom she denied herself and the price she had to pay to get what she wanted. She knows that the world at large looks in on them and envies what they have. They do not always understand the lengths they have gone to, to achieve this apparent success.

She bought the falcon because of his predator qualities and had always wanted to learn how to handle them. She had applied herself to the training of this Falcon with the same determination and discipline she approached everything she set her mind to. She was enthralled by Falcons and had watched them in the wild on many occasions as they hovered high in the air, their eyes honed in on their quarry. Once the Falcon had set its eye on what it wanted, nothing would deter it from acquiring it. Determined and single-minded, it would swoop and triumphantly hit its target each time. Watching the Falcon at work was very symbolic for her and at times she had modelled herself on this great bird of prey whenever she wavered off her path or doubted her abilities. She thought of what the falcon would instinctively do and found she could then re-focus.

Now that her success is guaranteed it does not automatically bring freedom. It must be maintained and guarded. The contents of her house alone are worth a King’s Ransom. Should someone break in and destroy her garden, what then? As a family they are worth a lot of money and with that brings the worry about personal security. ‘Yes my lovely Falcon, you may think me free but I am as trapped just as much as you are’ she speaks softly to the bird. ‘No amount of money can buy you freedom. Money just enslaves us but I understand that and accept it, for this is the price I have paid to have this beautiful house and all that comes with it.

The woman stares at the wall around her garden and checks to see if the security cameras are working. She is unaware of the two women high up on the hillside eating a picnic on her land. She is also unaware that she is being watched. Tonight she will dine alone and be very comfortable in doing so. She will eat well and enjoy some excellent wine from the cellar and look forward to a phone call from her husband. She has not had the time to form close friendships over the years but she does not feel deprived. She enjoys her own company and relaxing in her beautiful environment. If she is not too tired, she might update her blog about the guided tour today and gives some tips on preserve making. She may be retired now but there is still always something to be done. She is happy though and very content. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

MEANING

When the Nine of Pentacles appears in your Reading, you can relax, sit-back and exhale for the pressure is off you now. You have, or are on the brink of realising your goals. Your crops have matured nicely and are ripe for the picking. Your harvest is bound to be plentiful and you will have just cause to celebrate. It has all come together marvellously, maybe even better than expected. To say that you have made a success is an understatement, but both you and I know that it was hard-earned. By the way, you have done this almost single-handedly too, with very little input from others. This card can suggest that you have made many sacrifices or denied yourself freedom and spontaneity in order to achieve your goal or dream. You are not afraid of hard work even though you may miss out on fun in your life. This is all your work and you can take the credit for all your success too. A round of applause is needed. If you have made any investments then it augurs well for they have matured nicely and the return will be more than you expect.

This is a card for a mature, independent and successful business person who has spent his or her whole life working towards their goal. It speaks of self-reliance, self-discipline, self-belief and self-control. Patience and tenacity have been your constant companions along with an unwavering focus and gritty determination. Your self-control has curbed any impulsive moves or knee jerk reactions which may have stymied your success. You have managed to handle all the ups and downs by falling back on your own resources, learning from direct experience and also from your mistakes. You are a professional down to your toes and also quite a tough cookie. Nothing really phases you anymore as everything you do now has been personally tried and tested.

The Nine of Pentacles brings wonderful associations of material wealth, strong financial security, luxury, abundance and good health. Prosperity is yours in many, many ways. Your hard work has paid off and you are now in a very comfortable position, especially financially. The Nine brings you to the end of a cycle and for you it has been a journey of consistent and sustained effort. It tells of long-term goals, made at a time when you might possibly have been much younger. You may never thought you would see this day, but deep down there was always a steady confidence and self-belief. You have proved to those around you that if you want something very badly; a dream, a goal, to succeed then you can do it once you are prepared to put in the hard work and don’t expect overnight success.

The Nine of Pentacles suggests that you have made a success of your life and are now in possession of the secret ingredients of that success. By learning through experience you have unlocked the door to that magical formula and can apply it to anything you get involved in from here on in. Success breeds success and don’t you know it. With this Nine, everything in your life is flourishing and thriving especially in business and finance. Success has opened doors that would generally have remained closed to you up until now. Your name and reputation may be known in high places as you now have gained reputation and status. You may be much in demand as a result and may find it unnecessary to put you hand in your pocket on occasions. Your name and face might be worth a lot of money to others. Restaurants may prefer your patronage rather than your money as your high status presence encourages a similar clientele. Designers may ask you to endorse their clothes by offering them to you free of charge. Bank Mangers may be falling over each other to get your custom. You are a big success story and should feel very proud of your achievements.

When the Nine of Pentacles appears you no longer have to work so hard or put in so many hours. You do not have anything to prove anymore. Any work and effort done to date is thriving and flourishing and does not need as much one to one focussed attention. Things are taking care of themselves nicely without you having to worry, for you have put all the necessary aspects in place and they are secure. You now have time to turn your attention to yourself or to other interests.

The Nine of Pentacles indicates a time of concentrating on the self and indulging it. You may be rewarding yourself for all your hard work by buying expensive clothes or accessories. That Prada bag, those Jimmy Choo shoes. Well, why not? You would never have been able to justify them years ago when you were younger but can probably well afford them now and consider yourself worth it. You are successful within your own rights so you may as well show it externally too. Looking after yourself is key and trips to the Health Spa and investing in regular massages and manicures are all part of the Nine of Pentacles time. Pamper time all round.

The Nine of Pentacles may suggest that you are approaching middle-age or older and no longer see the need to rush around, wearing yourself out and being at everyone’s beck and call 24/7. Your children may be raised and the college fees paid. You can now move at a slower, more gentle pace. You are beginning to feel a peace in your life now and have the time to appreciate all that you worked so hard for. You might be enjoying your home for the first time and relish having the time to smell the roses. Your garden may bring you great joy and you desire to spend as much time in it as possible. This may be one of the hobbies you always had to put on the long finger when you were working so hard. You might become a keen gardener or grow rare specimens of plants or flowers.

The Nine can sometimes suggest a move to the countryside. You may decide to relocate from the busy city to the beauty and less hectic pace of the countryside. You have a strong attachment to the natural world and this is something you have wanted to do for a long time. You might be searching for the ideal property or site to build on. Then again, you may be on the look out for a rural holiday home now that finances are strong. You may be viewing it as another investment or as an idyllic place to rest and relax. This Nine can also imply that you are keen to find an old property to restore and would not look on this as work but rather an opportunity to indulge your natural eye for design and style.

The Nine of Pentacles brings refinement, grace, elegance and sophistication. You have a natural love of the finer things in life and the arts. You also like good food and vintage wine and quality is very important to you. Therefore you may be surrounding yourself with the beautiful things in life and getting immense pleasure out of all your possessions.

The Nine of Pentacles can indicate strong security around your possessions, money, assets and property. You have worked hard to accumulate so much and now it must be protected from opportunists. Try not to become too paranoid or you might see thieves and robbers in all. Speaking of possessions, you must guard against becoming too attached to them. There may be a tendency to cut yourself off from normal life in favour of your things. Let’s face it, you do like your own company and might prefer to sit in your lovely home, sipping your good wine in front of the fire instead of getting out to meet friends. When the Nine of Pentacles appears, The Hermit may be having too much of an influence on you. You might be spending too much time on your own and could retreat even further into the homestead if you allow yourself. Getting the balance right is important for it is a good thing to be independent, self-reliant and secure without constantly needing the company of others.

Trips and vacations to the countryside or places of beauty are strongly favoured by the Nine of Pentacles.

When it comes to Relationships, this card can represent pregnancy if found beside The Empress in a spread or an imminent birth. Check for other pregnancy and celebration cards such as the Ace of Cups, Ace of Wands, Three of Cups and any of the Pages.

A mature and independent woman may have come into your life. She will be refined, graceful and sophisticated. She will not be so ready and willing to fall in love or let you into her life. However, if you are both on the same wavelength then it could augur well for a practical, comfortable, successful and very financially sound relationship. You may not have the fireworks in your love life that the other Suits have but you wouldn’t want it any other way. Finances dominate this relationship and partners may have been chosen for their suitability. Every successful business man needs a good woman behind him and every successful business woman need a good man behind her too. If the building of a business or career is strongly indicated for one partner in the relationship, then the other partner will need to be in full support of this and accept the sacrifices that will have to be made as a couple. You may not see your partner very often during the hard work years. Your relationship will need to be very strong and commitment to each other and the goal a guarantee. This is equally applicable if both partners are career ambitious.

The Nine of Pentacles can suggest retirement or vacation. The effort and hard work put into your relationship over the years has paid off. You can now enjoy your retirement together with deep respect and regard for each other instead of dreading the constant company of each other. Both of you enjoy the good things in life and all the trappings that money can buy. You can now catch up on all those times when your denied yourself treats and luxury. Time to book your retirement holiday; perhaps a luxury cruise or the Orient Express. Make sure to book only the best of hotels and restaurants. Why not travel first class too? You deserve it.

The Nine of Pentacles is a strong card for success in relationships but it may not be everybody’s cup of tea or idea of a perfect relationship. It is a relationship based on equally ambitious partners who are very self-disciplined and have strong priorities. They may have made many sacrifices over the years to get where they are today but they are more than happy to have done it.

Obviously this is a very positive card when it comes to Career or Business. It is a Card for a very strong and professional Business Person or Business. You have worked extremely hard to get to this stage and more than likely started with very little. You can sit back now and look at what it has grown into. At long last all the effort you have put into building up your business has paid off and you can enjoy all the financial rewards. Your crops have been harvested and much money has been made as a result of your sustained efforts. Your business is thriving because it was built on solid foundations.

Like the Pentacles growing all over the wall in this Card your business may have grown and spread or new businesses may have sprouted from the original one. This Card may suggest retirement or that you no longer have to work as hard as you did in the past. It is a time to enjoy the fruits of your labour. You may be ready to step back from your business and let your children take over. Your business will be in good hands for you have taken care of every last detail. You should be very proud of yourself and take a well-earned break.

However, being a Pentacles Card it is unlikely that retirement years will be spent sitting around the garden all day long. It is highly likely you have a hobby or two and are eager to spend more time developing them. Because you now have the midas touch, it is quite probable you will find yourself back in a business once more without consciously seeking to. If so, it will be a relaxed business which operates around you, your life and the time you have to give it and not the other way round. It really is very hard for you to do absolutely nothing after all. Do make sure to get some rest for you no longer have to slave away.

The Nine of Pentacles is a really wonderful Card to appear in a Reading and brings great reassurance.

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