DTC: King of Cups

King of Cups
The Fisher King

This card is so serene.  The Fisher King is fishing peacefully in a river.  You can see a small waterfall in the background just adding to tranquility of the card.  One thing i notice every time is that he is not looking at the reader and he is unarmed as if he is unconcerned for us and his enemies (if he has any).  He simply is passing time fishing at the river.

There are many legends surrounding the Fisher King.  For the Arthur legends, he is the guardian of the grail.  He is also wounded in the leg and waits to be healed.  My inference is the knight who can heal him is the one deserving to find the grail.  

Knowing the legend (a small fraction) and the imagery in the card, I feel this is a card of patience and reflection.  You know what you need but you have to wait before it comes to you.

Weekend Spread

I have been kinda bleak of late.  It makes pulling a daily tarot card a bit hard.  So this weekend I set down and did a simple 3 card spread.  I have decided to share that with you today to make up for missing the daily tarot today.

I did a relationship spread.  Layout is simple You, Them, and together.

Queen of Spears (Dindrane)→ Justice (Lady of the Lake) → King Of Swords (Mordred)⤓


Queen of Spears -  Strong woman seeking knowledge to help others.

Justice - GUT - being judged - determining worth

King of Swords ⤓ -  Being used, unfavorable outcomes.


-Reading-
I see the person is searching, possibly lost on their path, may be unsure of their place.  Justice as a person or group of people is read as judgmental or over-evaluating.  The King of Swords reverse states the out come of this current relationship is not a pleasant one.  People are going to feel cheated and manipulated.

Please feel free to let me know how you would see this reading and outcome.

DTC: Page of Swords

Page of Swords ⤓
The Adder

The court cards are always difficult for me the read.  The Pages and Aces are the hardest.  I think today I got the easiest of the lot.

The Adder is simply that an Adder.  The card is a wonderfully painted serpent.  So after the feeling creeped out by the fact I am looking at a snake.  The Adder (snake/serpent) plays a number of roles in folklore and mythology.  To me the first thing I remember is the snake is wise.  But this creature has a duality, it seen as both good and evil.

Today the Adder is reversed.  I see this as being his "evil" side coming out.  It may be bad news, or misunderstanding that causes harsh consequences.

DTC: Seven of Spears

Daily Tarot Card:

Seven of Spears

Arch of the Twelve Kings

This is a lovely card for today.  

I find this card to be very soothing.  It depicts 2 soldiers/Knights resting under an arch.  This arch is well light with statues of Kings set in the walls.  Each king is softly glowing with the color of candle light.  The top of the arch is decorated with a floral garland.  The arch feels like it is place of worship or reflection.  It would be someplace to go when you need guidance.

Usually I read this card as taking time to reflect and gather your bearings.  A quite moment of Zen before moving on with your plans.  Which is very different from the imagery in other decks.

DTC: The Fool

Daily Tarot Card

The Fool

Major Arcana 0

Percival

Ok I take back my statement earlier this week.  I seem to not have block on the Major Arcana.  I seem to be getting them just fine right now.

Ah, The Fool.  Isn't he just lovely and whimsical.  This card is all sorts of bright and cheerful right down to the double rainbow over Camelot.  Percival has finally reached Camelot, where he intends to fulfill his quest to become a knight of the round table.  He is young and with an energetic pup looks out over his future as bright and hopeful.

That is how I interpret this card.  Looking brightly into the future with hope and optimism.  It can almost seem to be you are ignore all negatives and just seeing that which you want.  

Bullet Journal Ideas

So I have asked Jason for a notebook to use as a journal.  Last year I was introduced to the idea of bullet journaling.  It looks awesome and I use a very simple for of it at work to keep organised.  But I leave that journal at my desk at all times because it is for work info and tracking known issues.  Also I do not want my personal endeavors listed in a work Journal.

So I have been looking on line at different videos and ideas.  One Youtuber made a great point, list out what you want to track and what sections you want.  So I am going to make that list here.  Since one of my goals this year (my birthday is coming up and I want to start that weekend) is to be more active in my Tarot blog and in the craft, so they will be in my journal.

The List (subject to loads of changes)

• Mood
• Water
• DTC
• Monthly Layout
• Deck own & lust list
• Birthdays
• Books/Movies/TV to partake
• daily flash journaling
• Dance Days (need to move more)
• The Moons

Things need:

• notebook
• Bullet Ruler (silly but please)
• pens
• stickers (I cannot draw so pretties!)

UPDATE:
Jason "bought" me a new journal.  He helped me pick it out cause it has to me.

DTC: The Chariot

Daily Tarot Card

The Chariot
Major Arcana #7(r)

Battle of Mount Badon

Wow, 2 major arcana in one week.  my mind must be sifting through some heavy stuff right now.

Ok first off this card is based off an actual historic battle.  The story may be a legend now but it has a actual real start in history.  Historians still debate the actual location of this battle but all agree it did happen.

The imagery on this card is very masculine.  Front and center is King Arthur in his chariot, his sword drawn, and his army following behind him.  What my eye is drawn to is the sky.  This is a card of battle, death, mayhem, and a beautiful peaceful sky.  It just so odd to me, I would have thought a dark sky for such an event.  To me that signifies I am looking at the confident conquerors.

It is nor surprising that the typical meaning for this card is a good start or overcoming obstacles with ease.  But our card is reversed.   To me, the reverse means a lack of confidence in overcoming a challenge, may be being unsure of how to begin a project and anxiety.

Since I am late posting this, I added the Shaman-Caselli Tarot (far left) and the Aquarius Tarot (far right) in the pictures.

DTC: Seven of Swords

Daily Tarot Card

Seven Of Swords (r)

The Sword in the Stone

This is a repeat card.  So I will try to think of it in a different light.  Last time this card utterly confused me, and to be honest it still does.

I really love looking at this card.  To me this is where my fascination with King Arthur began and then spiraled out of control.  I am of course talking about the story of the Sword in the Stone.  Except there is twist in the card.  That is not Arthur pulling the sword but Galahad pulling Balin's sword.  I had to Google the Balin story to refresh.

In a nutshell a Lady of Avalon (not THE Lady) comes to Arthur's court shortly after Balin had been released from prison.  The Lady announced only the purest knight may unsheathe the sword.  Everyone tried, including King Arthur, but no one could pull the sword.  Balin asked to try and after some hesitation the Lady agreed.  Balin, who was imprisoned because he was wrongly accused of killing the King's cousin, pulled the sword and claimed it as his prize.  But the Lady warned that keeping the sword would prove his undoing.  Balin is eventually banished from Arthur's court and is set on a path of destruction. Nope, I am not going to tell you the whole sordid affair, you should go read it yourself.

In this card we see Galahad claiming this sword from the river with Arthur watching from the bank behind him.  This marks the beginning of Galahad's quest.  But I want to take not of the water, it is running water.  Running water in some stories is known to purify and remove curses.  So by placing the sword in the river, Merlin has removed the curse that Balin suffered.

Now rethinking the card I can now understand the divination/upright meaning for a new beginning.  For the reverse, Galahad pulls this sword on the advice of Arthur and Lancelot since reverse is perceived as negative versions it is starting badly or heading ill advice in the start.

Bonus image:

Tarot of the Magical Forest

DTC: The Hanged Man

Daily Tarot Card

The Hanged Man
Major Arcana #12

Castle Perilous

Today I actually drew a card from the Major Arcana! I am surprised. Normally these cards are elusive in my readings. I will need to do a post later on what the Major Arcana is and how these 22 cards stand apart. But that will be later, for now lets just keep in mind that these are the big cards.

That being said I do not like my card today. It is a sad/depressing scene. You have come upon a an army hanging in the grove outside a castle. It looks like this may be the lane into the castle. These men appear to have been laying siege to the castle, as evident by their camp behind them. the knights are hung and their right leg and arm are bound behind them. The trees are barren, the grass is brown, and overall it feels grey in the picture. I look and look for that little bit of bright light, that small glimmer of hope and I just cannot find it.

Typically this is a card of stagnation and feeling trapped for which its is spot on. In most other decks the man is hung upside down and alive and thus hope is given that it will be better. It is meant to represent self sacrifice and mediation. The Arthurian deck makes it more difficult because the card depicts death from the men to the trees and even to the very grass!

Castle Perilous: The would-be champions of Lady Lyones hang in the trees, unable to free her or themselves. Eager to make a name for himself, the Knight Ironside held Lyones hostage in Castle Perilous, hoping to attract the rescue attempts of the Knights of the Round Table. Many knights came and failed, but still the opponents Ironside wished to face, namely Gawain and Lancelot, had not come to take up his challenge. In a further effort to lure the chosen knights, Ironside began the grizzly custom of hanging his fallen opponents in the trees for all to see. Arthur eventually sent the young Gareth to challenge Ironside. On his arrival, Gareth counted forty knights amongst the trees. This sight enraged Gareth and gave him the strength to overcome Ironside, the Red Knight of the Red Laundes.

May be I should not be focusing on the men, the Card is named for the Castle not the men.  The Castle holds the Lady, she is trapped and waiting.  Possible I should look at this card and see the failures as just that a failed attempts, and that with proper motivation (not death a destruction) that circumstances will change.   That with patience and planning one can change and rescue the lady?

I do understand why this card is showing up in my life.  I will not be posting a recap, it is personal and not something I want to discuss on a public forum.