The tarot spread I used for Will’s pre-The Wrath of the Lamb reading is a ten card spread from the tiny tarot deck I used in the nicho. I only used the Major Arcana and the interpretation is from Biddy Tarot:
- The Moon
- The Hierophant
- The Chariot
- Wheel of Fortune [reversed]
- Justice
- The Lovers
- The Hermit
- The Tower
- The Emperor [reversed]
- Death
A detailed explanation of the reading is below the cut.
1. This card shows the influence affecting the questioner; the atmosphere surrounding the matter in question:
The Moon – A card of illusion and deception, and therefore often suggest a time when something is not as it appears to be. Vigilance and clear perception will be necessary to find that which is hidden before it is too late. The Moon appears in a reading when you are not sure of your destination, or even of the path you are travelling but you travel nonetheless.
2.This reveals or assists the obstacles facing the questioner:
The Hierophant – The Hierophant card often stands for institutions and their values. It is a symbol of the need to conform to rules or fixed situations. His appearance can show that you are dealing with a force that is not innovative, free-spirited or individual but is instead fixated on the ‘way we have always done things around here.’ The Hierophant may also appear in your life as a psychotherapist, a wise counselor, a priest, or a spiritual mentor to whom you will turn for wisdom and knowledge.
3. This represents the questioner’s aim or the most practical goal that he can achieve or avoid under the circumstances:
The Chariot – The Chariot requires you assert yourself and be bold. Sometimes, The Chariot asks you to come to terms with your own aggressive impulses. Aggression cannot be simply suppressed: to do so will only turn it inward on yourself, leaving it to manifest itself in the form of physical illness. This is a time when you need to be the master of your emotions and curb any impulses or anger. You need to show who is the boss and achieve control of the situation but this will also require you to be in control of yourself.
4. This indicates the foundation upon which the present circumstances are based; the causes:
Wheel of Fortune [reversed] – The reversed Wheel of Fortune can reflect resistance to change, particularly if change is being forced upon you. The appearance of this card suggests that change has become a source of significant stress for you and you may be trying to consciously or subconsciously stop events from running their course.
5. This represents the immediate past, or the influences which were present but which are now passing:
Justice – Justice reflects the search for truth. You need to know and speak the truth and perceive it in the words and deeds of others. Be fair and just with all and you will soon be able to detect dishonesty in yourself and others. Learn the rules that govern what you are involved with. This is a time to remain objective and to base your judgment on fact and not on hearsay.
6. This shows the influence that will operate in the near future; the forces which are becoming influential:
The Lovers – The Lovers represent perfection, harmony and mutual attractiveness. Their trust in one another gives them strength and confidence to overcome the obstacles in life. The bond that the two lovers has created is incredibly strong and is often reflective of a marriage, soul mate connection or very intimate and close relationship.
The Lovers can also indicate a very strong sexual connection that goes beyond instant gratification and lust to suggest a very deep desire and passion that exists between two beings. The physical attraction is strong and so too is the desire to be intimate with one another.
On a more personal level, the Lovers card represents the establishment of a personal belief system and becoming clearer about your own values. This is a time when you are figuring out what you stand for and what your personal philosophy on life is. Having gone through the indoctrination of the Hierophant, you are now ready to establish your own belief system and make up your own mind about what is and what is not important in life. This is also a time when you need to stay true to yourself and be as authentic and genuine as possible.
The Lovers also represents choices on a grand scale. A dilemma will be presented demanding an action or decision, and you will want to decipher the best way to proceed or make the right choice. Something is going to change your plans or the course of your experience, something that may look negative on the surface but will later prove to be a blessing in disguise.
If you find yourself at a moral crossroads where you must choose between taking the moral high ground or the low ground, then you need to consider all consequences before acting. The Lovers card highlights that your own value system is being challenged, and you must make a definite choice based on that system. The choices are never really easy or obvious, either. Unlike the Fool’s choice which has no wrong answer, the choice of the Lovers is very much right or wrong because one of those options will almost certainly take you down a negative path.
7. This represents the questioner and shows his attitude; his frame of mind:
The Hermit – The Hermit Tarot card suggests that you are in a phase of introspection where you are drawing your attention and focus inward and looking for answers within. You have a strong need to understand, not just at the surface level but to really know why life is the way it is. The Hermit reflects that your consciousness has moved inward and you now realise that the truth and understanding you seek is within yourself and not in the distractions of the outside world.
The Hermit reflects that you are engaging in a period of soul searching. You want to seek the truth at all costs. You desire a new direction in life and, as a result, have recently begun a journey of self-discovery and contemplation. There comes a point in life when we begin to question the status quo, knowing that there is a deeper meaning to life, and thus, we begin to search for it. This search is mainly a solitary quest because the answers do not lie in the external world but within us.
Through meditation, contemplation and self-examination, you may begin to re-evaluate your personal goals and change your overall direction. You will look at your life with a deeper, more spiritual understanding and will begin to change some of your priorities as a result. Be content with being alone or associate only with those on your level. Do not waste time and energy on those not ready or not worthy.
This Tarot card indicates that you have gone beyond the point of being critical and you can now understand and appreciate that the varied paths people choose for themselves all lead to the same higher purpose. You have reached a high enough level of spiritual attainment yourself that you no longer need to convince others of what they should do.
8. This shows the questioner’s environment; his position in life; his friends’ influence on him:
The Tower – When you see the Tower in a reading, you may feel afraid, shaken and insecure. It is a time of great turmoil and destruction as you seek to understand how you could have been so wrong, so naive, or so blind about a particularly situation. And now, what will you do and how will you manage in the face of this shocking truth? You may be experiencing sleepless nights, depression, grief, anger and confrontation. These are normal reactions to major changes in your outer and inner worlds.
The most important aspect of the Tower is that with any destruction there comes creation. Thus, the Tower card represents an awakening and is about inspiration, freedom, reality and the release from bondage. It is a truth and honesty card that comes as a bolt of lightning to you through a shocking and impactful life event. It represents a necessary experience that forces you to get out of your comfort zone and to grow beyond your present level. The sudden destruction of the Tower represents the immediacy of change, and the often disorienting effects of that change. Once you hit rock bottom the choice is yours.
The Tower also represents the inner and outer structures that you have built. These structures represent your personal defenses, defenses that create a more socially acceptable ‘you’ by hiding your true, inner thoughts and feelings. It is like laughing politely when your boss tells a joke, or, on a deeper level, disguising your sexual feelings, particularly if you feel that they are socially inappropriate. In times of great pressure and stress, these structures will be tested and are at risk of shattering, finally revealing your true inner self to those around you. So, you need to be very careful how much of yourself you attempt to hide, knowing that one day, all will be revealed. Similarly, the Tower can signify your ego and the illusion of considering yourself to be superior to others.
9. This represents the questioner’s fears, hopes, or predictions:
The Emperor [reversed] – Reversed, the Emperor can suggest that there is an over-use and abuse of authoritative power surrounding you at this time. He can be incredibly domineering and rigid in his thinking. It could be originating from you or from another person, often a boss, partner or a father-figure. There may be an insecure man throwing his weight around who has a need for control.
In a relationship reading, the reversed Emperor suggests that you may be in an unequal relationship and this is making you unhappy in the long-term. Your partner has become over-bearing, possessive, dominating and authoritative. While you may have been looking for a partner to take care of you and provide a stable foundation for the future, it has gone too far now and you feel as though much of your independence and freedom have been taken away. Your partner has become stubborn, rules-based, argumentative and highly structured. This is putting strain on the relationship and preventing a creative flow of energies to flow between you. He/she feels benevolently toward you but has inflexible expectations of you.
10. This indicates the final outcome; the culmination of all the influences shown:
Death – Death is symbolic of the ending of a major phase or aspect of your life that may bring about the beginning of something far more valuable and important. You must close one door in order to open another. You need to put the past behind you and part ways, ready to embrace new opportunities and possibilities. It may be difficult to let go of the past at times but you will soon see how important it is so that you can bring renewal and transformation into your life.
The Death card contains elements of a sudden and unexpected change. You may feel as though you are caught in the path of sweeping change and cannot escape its effects. Though the immediate thought is toward the negative, an end need not mean failure. The loss could be a series of unexpected surprises that bring an end to a period of turmoil or problems. You feel you can no longer go along with the status quo and want things to change radically. Many changes are going to take place to enable a new direction to emerge.
Death teaches you to let go of outworn and outgrown ways of life and move forward. This may be a good time to purge old belongings, memories and ‘baggage’ that is getting in your way.
Ballad of a Wayward Fannibal 