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Everything You Want to Know About Magick (But were afraid to ask) – Book Review
21 week ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Review
Everything You Want to Know About Magick (But Were Afraid To Ask) has a healthy balance of reason and creativity. Scanlon has presented well researched information on theory and step by step directions to preform rituals that takes the fear out of doing magick for a beginner.
This book is universal in nature, that the principles learned here can be applied to other traditions. The main sources used here are from The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Hermeticism and Qaballah to name a few. This is not a Wiccan or Pagan specific book which I think is a huge advantage because most books on Magick are aimed at wither Wiccans or Pagans with the focus on the God and Goddess (lord/lady) and other specific elements that are associated with these paths. Scanlon presents Magick as something for everyone regardless of your spirtual belief or lack of one. If you are looking to step up your magickal practice this book is a must read.
What I really enjoyed most about this book was it was packed full of really good information on the main subjects of the chapters while at the same time providing additional side information in the text or in the footnotes. Scanlon knows what he is talking about, I never doubt for a moment or questioned a think he said. All his knowledge is based on legitimate sources and traditions.
What will you learn from this book? There is a ton to learn from Scanlon. You learn about the Lesser Banishing Ritual of Pentagram which Scanlon calls “the Equilibrating Ritual of the Pentagram” for a good reason which Scanlon explains regarding the meaning of “banishing”. Your learn about the Tree of Life from Kabbalah which Scanlon explains excellently. Scanlon goes also into the 22 paths in the tree and the corresponding tarot cards, which for me being a tarot reader was an excellent learning experience. I have not found anything in the tarot material that did a good job at explaining the paths and tarot like Scanlon did. You learn how to create Talismans, how to synthesize your script, using magickal alphabets. Scanlon teaches you specific magick for wealth, healing, love and deeper subjects like demonology. In the demonology section it is very informative how Scanlon explains the true meaning of “demon” from the root Greek word “Daimons” which were the lesser divinities. Not evil in nature, but more connected to our physical world than higher beings like Angels.
Among all the material presented in the book only one thing troubled me. There is a small section on Tarot and Divination. Scanlon did present uses for tarot like meditation, rituals, path working and such which I liked that he mentioned. However when he discussed tarot as a divination tool he made a statement which did not sit well with me. “For the most part, divination is overused; mainstream occultism relies on it far too much. Fortunetelling feeds the ego and induces hesitation and doubt instead of promoting action, energy, force and success against any challenge that may arise”. Page 207. I would have to disagree 100% on this statement. Tarot is a tool that does the opposite, it does promote action for change in ones life. However I think that Scanlon is presenting here an issue that is specific for magickal practitioner who use divination before conducting a ritual of some kind and not tarot readers in general. Which in that case I understand where he is coming from however he does not make that distinction clear in his writing. People who do not have the frame of reference like myself might be mislead by what Scanlon says here.
In the end Everything You Want To Know About Magick is an excellent source of magickal knowledge. Scanlon presents all the material in again an excellent manner. He removes the “woo-woo” mystique that such a subject may carry so that people who want to learn real magick can do so with it being so abstract and esoteric. Scanlon does not dumb down magick whatsoever, this is a highly intellectual book that once you finish reading you will be wiser than before and will posses the tools needed to preform your own magick. While being intellectual Scanlon always stresses the importance of finding and using your person style and being creative when preforming magick. This is a must read for anyone in the Magickal community and for tarot readers like myself will find relative information to our practice.
Tarot M&M – 9 of Swords
02 weeks ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Tarot M&M
The 9 of Swords
Key Concepts
- Worry, Anxiety, Fear, Distress
Something is causing you to be anxious, fearful and worried. These emotions are originated in your mind. Somehow you convinced yourself that you may be in present danger or something in the future will turn out against your favor.
-Trouble sleeping, nightmares, insomnia
Experiencing nighttime problems as sleeping problems, restless nights, constant thinking that keeps you from sleep.
- Negative Cognition
Your general thinking is set to a negative mood. Doom and Gloom type of mentality.
Symbols
The woman in her bed crying stands to represent nighttime troubles. Crying indicates sadness, depression, worry and anxiety. The swords above her are symbolic of her thoughts that hover over her mind.
Psychological Aspect
The 9 of Swords is a very psychological card. Because it does with anxiety, fear, depression and all sorts of cognitive distortions. Around 30% of the American population has Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Fear and Anxiety are two different emotions. Fear deals with the present through danger being presented to us. Anxiety is a future based emotion, fearing an outcome that will not be in our favor. Behavioral theorists believe that we become anxious through classical conditioning (programing) to be anxious in certain events. We are wired in other words to that tendency. Anxiety is co-morbid with Depression. People with anxiety often have depression as well. This idea is reflected in the 9 of Swords.
Messages & Meanings
- You are worried and anxious about something outside of your control. This lack of control may be the source of anxiety. Avoid extreme thinking when the 9 of Swords appears. You worries may only be that of thoughts, without any real evidence or reason for real worry. Examine your thinking critically for flawed reasoning.
Shadow/Deeper Meaning
You may be invoking bad dreams, looking for danger. Deep down you know that you are being irrational.
10 Years in Tarot – Reflecting on the past and looking to the future
22 weeks ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Uncategorized
The month of May marks my 10th anniversary reading tarot! Man does it feel longer than that. I started reading tarot way back in 2002 when I was in the eighth grade. I bought myself a Rider Waite deck at a local store; little did I know that this small purchase of a deck of cards would vastly change my life forever.
I have been thinking back at my journey thus far. Where I came from, what I did, what I am doing and where I am going. I started reading tarot at the age of 13, I am now 23 and the way I read tarot has evolved and changed numerous times. There were periods of time where I shifted back and forth between styles but thankfully because of positive influences my style has changed in good ways overall. I think the most profound change in my style was because of Robert M. Place from whom I learned about the story telling method using three cards without position meanings. It is this method that I have adopted and call my I.S.I.S method. Before adopting this method I used large spreads that took up too much time. I really like small spreads that get to the heart of the issue. The three-card spread was the answer I was looking for. Reversals were another thing I would constantly be switching between either using them or not using them. Currently I am not using them and don’t plan on for a while.
The people I have met in the last 10 years have all touched me in some way. When you are a tarot reader you meet all sorts of people, like clients who are very diverse and unique. But as unique as people are, you come to learn that we all have the some issues, problems, hopes, fears and desires. As I read for my clients, sharing with them the wisdom of tarot, they to in return share something with me. Because each reading done for a client is like a reading for myself because I to learn in return from their reading and experience in life.
I have come into contact with many tarot readers through out the years. Some have come and gone and others have had a huge influence on me. Donnaleigh de LaRose, Theresa Reed and Stacey LaRosa are three people who I would have to say have had the largest impact on me in the last 3 years. During Readers Studio’12 I finally got to meet Donnaleigh and Theresea for the first time. Which was just amazing. The whole experience of being with all tarot readers during my visit to Readers Studio has given me much to think about as well. There are then the bad apples in the tarot community which rotten it for the rest of us. The names these individuals will not be named. But because of them I have also learned a lot and have woken up a little because of it.
All of this could not have been possible or would have made it more difficult if I was born lets say 10 years earlier. The Internet has been a godsend for the tarot community and myself in general. I started reading tarot a year before social media came into existence. There were still plenty of sources online for me to learn from. The first place I joined was Aecletic Tarot Forum. My first attempt at reading people online was via Yahoo Groups. With the creation of MySpace I became more connected with other tarot readers, doing reading for people in tarot groups. In 2006, I officially went “pro”, charging money for my readings. It was also in 2006 I joined a tarot organization called World Tarot Readers, a free reading site. From 2008 until 2010 when I left I was the director of the group. In 2008 I shifted over to Facebook, which was where I met even more tarot people and continue to today. It was also in 2008 I started my YouTube channel. 3 years later I have now over 100,000 views and over 700 subscribers watching my videos. At the end of 2009 I started playing with the idea of writing my own book. As 2010 came in I began to write that book. I am still writing it after 2 years at it, yea I am a little slow but I want to make sure I do it right and I am in no hurry. At the end of 2011 I was awarded by popular vote “Tarosophist of the Year 2011” by Tarot Professionals.
The more I use tarot the more I change. Over the last 10 years I have learned so much by way of tarot. Thanks to tarot I began to study related arts like Astrology and Numerology. That branched out into other esoteric/occult philosophies. I naturally have a spiritual bent to who I am. I am studying religions, mythology, philosophy and related subjects. Tarot is like a gateway drug to new forms of divination, I tried pendulums, scrying, dream interpretations and more. Tarot has made me a very spiritually educated person.
My passion for tarot is strong and has only gotten stronger over the years. At first my involvement was low, I would go through periods of time where I did not touch the cards. Then there would be other periods where I was more active. Over the years I have become somewhat of a collector. I have as of now 70 decks and 100 books. I hunt for rare decks often, looking for something unique and special to add to the collection. I also collect tarot artwork.
As much as I have done so far which is not much compared to the veterans of tarot but still respectable for my age, there is still much to be done. I have much to learn and I want to learn more. Looking forward into the future I see myself more devoted to tarot. I see myself finally publishing my book (before I die lol) and one day I hope to do workshops, lectures and one day be a presenter at Readers Studio. I want to also one day started a Long Island Tarot Association / Meet up group here for Long Island residents. My YouTube channel will be my constant source of exportation of tarot along with my blog. I might be able to made a professional tarot DVD for interactive learning. There is so much that can be done. I am very excited and looking forward to the adventures that are ahead.
I raise my chalice with thanks and gratitude to the past and I look to the future brightly with hope and excitement. Here is to the next 10 years and more
Cheers!
Tarot Reading – What was the essence of the last 10 years for me. – The Empress
The last ten years where a time of growth and expansion. Of support and nurturing from myself and from others. I can see The Empress as other tarot readers who instill in me hope and encouragement. The last ten years in a way was just the “pregnancy” of my tarot career. It is time to give birth.
What will the next 10 years have for me? – 6 of Swords
There will be a change, something will have to change in me where I need to leave something behind and move forward to something better. I know what this is referring to, it is a little personal so I will not share it here on the blog. This can also reflect me assisting more people in need.
“Crashing” Readers Studio 2012
42 weeks ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Uncategorized
This weekend was different from all other weekends out of the year. Readers Studio’12, tarot conference was in town. Organized by the Amberstones of The Tarot School (NYC), Readers Studio is the place to be to meet tarot people, talk tarot and learn about tarot. 2012 is a special year for Readers Studio, it is it’s 10th anniversary, and I am crashing the party!
I wanted to attend the event this year but was unable to; instead I planned on “crashing” the event. I am going to try and recollect the events that transpired to the best of my ability. So I visit Readers Studio 3 nights in a row, on Thursday,Friday and Saturday night. I live about 25 minutes or so away from where Readers Studio was so I was able to visit. I was so happy that I did, the experience was so touching and great. I was able to meet face-to-face many of the prominent names in Tarot. Upon my arrival the first person I spotted in the lobby was James Ricklef. I joined James at a lobby table with Alec Satin and other readers. Alec and I had a nice conversation. Thalassa Therese showed in the lobby and I greeted her. We hit it off right from the start, which I knew would happen. Thalassa has such a great personality and lovableness you cannot resist. We took some funny photos together.
A little later my Tarot Thug mother Therese Reed aka The Tarot Lady along with her daughter Megan found me and we went on the search together for my other mother, Donnaleigh de laRose who was missing in action someplace with Mary Greer lol
Once we found Donnaleigh I ran into her arms for a hug. We all ended up in the hotel bar at a table with other readers, Chanah Liora Wizenberg was among them. We ate dinner, talked tarot, took photos and Donnaleigh was doing readings for Megan. It was all so surreal being there with my tarot peeps. To be able to meet them was all so surreal. Even thought this is the first time I am meeting Theresa and Donnaleigh I feel like I have meet them before, as if I knew them my whole life.
Through the night I meet some more people. I had a checklist of people I needed to meet lol I was able to meet more men of tarot, Mike Hernandez, Ciro Marchetti, Robert Place and Dan Pelletier. After dinner I got to meet my “stalker” Nancy Schultz and my new buddy Toni Brooks.
Back into the lobby I found Ferol Humphrey who is such a sweet woman I felt a connection to her quickly. She is very open and kind. Then I spotted Tarot Diva Sasha Graham and had a few words with her. Then whom did I see next? The ravishing Barbara Moore! Dressed in a beautiful green dress, I just had to twirl her around just a little. By the end of the night midnight I went home.
Friday, night 2 I got back to R.S at around 9:30 and stayed until 2:30 into the morning. I got into the lobby looking for a familiar face; I was greeted by RoseRed Robinson who recognized me as that “tarosophist” guy! That was one thing that made my night, thanks Rose! I spent a little bit with her. I dropped off three decks I no longer wanted at the free deck and book table. I got to see Donnaleigh again, she brought me my Gilded Royale Tarot which I was dying to get my hands on. That deck is simply stunning in it’s quality, I am sacred to shuffle it because it is just so stunning. More people started showing up in the lobby, Ciro Marchetti and Robert Place joined Donnaleigh and me in the lobby and we spent some time in a deep conversation on tarot, history and religion that was amazing. It was so amazing to be able to converse with one of the smartest men in tarot!
Later on I met Doug Reuschel and Oliver Puzon. James Ricklef showed up again and was hanging with us. Then I saw James Wells. So at one point there was large group of us in the lobby just hanging and talking. I got to see my long Island tarot mother, Stacey laRosa. Then all of a sudden who do I see coming up, non other than Mary K. Greer! I walked up introduced myself and gave her a hug. It was so wonderful to meet Mary. I was still waiting to see Rachel Pollack and finally I saw her come in with other people and I said hello and gave her a hug as well. It was a great pleasure to have met both Mary and Rachel. Two tarot legends and idols right there with me was amazing. They are so humble and so approachable; I felt very comfortable with them. I spent more time with Ferol and she showed me a spread she uses which I will have to try.
The night was getting late and I was about to leave but I popped into one of the rooms where the free deck and book trade was and I found a group of readers at a table. I spent the rest of the night here. I made some new friends; one of them was Rana George who is my new favorite person! She speaks faster than me and I was shocked. Normally I am the one who speaks the fastest. I have finally met my match. Toni Brooks was there along with other great people. I was not sure what the conversation was about, I knew it was heavy and deep but I was a little lost lol It was getting late and I was tiered, I had a blast with them and finally I had to leave.
Saturday night I returned once more, I did not plan on coming back a third time but I could not stay away! I spent the whole night at the bar hanging out with Donnaleigh, Theresa, Barbara and many others. Barbara had with her a very special device called The Prognosticator. A steampunk fortunetelling device, a one of a kind in fact made just for her! Oh how I wanted to sneak off with it 7 of Swords style lol Stacey LaRosa finally made her way into the bar where me and her spent some time together talking and looking at the new Gilded Royale tarot and comparing it to the older version. As we were doing that who shows up next to us? Ciro Marchetti, perfect timing Ciro! We spoke to him about the cards and some of the changes with him. I finally got to meet Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone in this finale visit to RS. Which was a real nice treat. I had to meet the hosts of the Readers Studio, how could I not! The treats did not end, it turned out that Valerie Sylvester who I was sitting with me had a tarot deck which I want so much. She had a deck in a pouch and I asked, which deck did she have. I learned that this question can lead to some exciting results. Val had an The Illuminated Tarot by Carol Herzer. I am a Rider Waite Smith junkie and this deck was giving me an overdose! I did 2 quick readings and posed for a picture with the cards lol. As the night came to end, I left parting ways from my tarot peeps saying good night and safe journey home to them all.
Overall it was simply amazing to meet everyone, even though I did not attend any classes as an official guest of the event I enjoyed visiting. To be with like-minded people was a welcome change. To converse with those I consider to be mentors and idols was a very special experience. I will never forget these three nights. I feel more closely connected to the tarot community now and have more to reflect on in terms of my own place and role in everything.
RuPaul’s Drag Race – Season 4 – Winner Prediction
71 month ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Predictions
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 4 is down to the top three, a queen will be crowned soon. This season’s top 3 is an amazingly talented group, however only one will win, who will have to sashay away? Let us see what the cards have to say.
The top 3 consists of Chad Michaels,Sharon Needles and Phi Phi O’Hara
I pulled three cards, one for each.
Chad Michaels – Strength /// Sharon Needles – Justice /// Phi Phi O’Hara – King of Cups
Interesting cards, I could not see a clear winner in this cards right off the bat, however I did see that Phi Phi would be eliminated and that would leave Chad and Sharon as the top 2. But which of these two would win? So I pulled clarification cards on all three to really make it more clear.
My feelings about Phi Phi were validated with the 8 of Swords. Which leaves us again with Chad and Sharon. Looking at the 4 of Pentacles combined with Strength it gives me a feeling that Chad is being blocked or held back in a way. Sharon’s cards Justice and Knight of Wands gives me the sense that Justice is referring to a fair and just verdict / decision being made. Knight of Wands adds a feeling of energy, starting up and new adventures which makes me feel confident in her.
Prediction – Sharon Needles will be crowned America’s Next Drag SuperStar.
Tarotuition 2
31 month ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Tarotuition
Adam comes to you for a reading about his career. He wants a predictive reading looking out into the future for what is to come. You pull the following cards.8 of Pentacles – 5 of Pentacles – The Tower
What do you tell Adam?
Know Thy Self – The True Meaning
11 month ago
Inscribed on top of the Oracle of Delphi’s temple are two sayings. The first the most well known and most quoted, γνῶθι σεαυτόν, translated as “Know thy self”. Know thy self? What does this mean? The saying has taken a life of its own through incorrect interpretations because the context of the saying is taken away. Most people think the saying implies self introspection and reflection into ones self, identity and coming to an understanding of who we are. I call this the new age view of “know thy self”.
To understand the orignal Greek meaning we need to examine the next phrase because there is more than the “know thy self”. The second part, μηδέν άγαν translates as “nothing in excess”. So what does “know thy self’ & “nothing in excess” mean? What do they both mean together?
Know thy self and nothing excess is not spiritual advice to make you a better person it is a lesson or warning to people to not be hubris. In other words, don’t be arrogant and overestimate yourself. It was to remind people that you are mortal and that you have a certain place in the order of things. Know thy self means know that you are human, know your limitations and know your place. Nothing in excess simply reminds people not to indulge yourself, because if you indulge yourself with too much of anything it can lead to hubris.
With Tarot we can make sure we “stay in line” as not to offend the gods. Take your deck and ask
1) How do I boast/overestimate myself?
2) In what do I indulge in the most?
What is Tarot? My Simple Answer
11 month ago
by Angelo Nasios
in The cards
What is Tarot is much like asking what is meaning of life. Everyone has an opinion but no one is really correct. It is open to endless hours of debate, theory, philosophy and the like. We could talk about it’s historical history or talk about its mythos. We can speak of its countless connections to spiritual attributions in astrology, numerology, Kabbalah, alchemy, hermetism and magick. Things things however are not what tarot is. It is justa few parts of the whole picture. Tarot is much more than the sum of it’s parts.
If you asked “what is tarot?” my simple response would be, Tarot is a divinatory system of 78 cards. These 78 cards hold within the wide rainbow of human experiences and expressions via archetypes and symbols. They are used however you like, with the endless list of possibilities, the tarot is open to your imagination. Tarot is not made of magick, but the experience of tarot is. Everything else is commentary.
Book Review – The New Tarot Handbook (Llewellyn Publications (July 8, 2012))
11 month ago
by Angelo Nasios
in Review
“The journey of tarot continues on, Rachel Pollack presents tarot in a simple and direct manner in the style of Eden Grey, that proves there is always more to learn”
Tarot author, teacher and all-round legend best known for her “78 Degrees of Wisdom” has written a new book, “The New Tarot Handbook”. I was very excited when I saw that this book was an upcoming release, anything that Rachel writes is simply worth reading. I was looking forward in seeing what The New Tarot Handbook had to offer. What more is there to be said? If you have read 78 Degrees of Wisdom or her 2008 release, “Tarot Wisdom” you may think the same thing. To be honest I had some concern as to what was going to be presented. Was it simply going to be another 78 Degrees, reworded in a different fashion with a few updates? Or will be refreshing offering new insights? Let us explore and find out.
To start the book is in total 280 pages long and is grouped in six chapters. Listed as Introduction, The Major Arcana, The Minor Arcana, The Court Cards, Readings and Further Study.
In the introduction Rachel explains her background in how she came across tarot. Rachel speaks about the influence that Eden Grey author of Tarot Revealed impacted her and on modern tarot reading. This is a very nice homage to Eden as Rachel also describes The New Tarot Handbook as restoring the Eden Grey tradition by saying “I like to think that this book revives Eden Grey’s tradition – a work that is short, direct, yet hopefully is backed up by deeper knowledge and awareness”. This statement gives us our structure and intention of this book. A book that is simple, easy to read, that is backed by real knowledge and solid understanding that people can grasp onto. After reading most of the book I can say that Rachel had done exactly what it was she was hoping for. The New Tarot Handbook is short, direct and easy to understanding. Now to say short I do not mean short in content, there is plenty of solid background on the cards, explanations of symbols and meaning.
To give a brief description of how this is setup, there is a Waite-Smith image of the card, in this case The Empress. Below that are a few keywords to generalize the essence of the card, for The Empress it is “passion, love, motherhood, abundance”. Below that is Rachel’s spiel about the card. After that you will see divinatory meanings and reversed meanings in the style of Eden Grey’s Tarot Revealed. After each card is a “reading for” the card, a spread customized for each card.
As for what is presented in the actual description and explanations of the cards in the words of Goldilocks “Ahhh, this porridge is just right” so to is the amount of information just right. In 78 Degrees of Wisdom and so to in Tarot Wisdom there is a sense of information overload, that there is a lot to soak up. This is not the case here, where you are given the right balance of knowledge needed without feeling like a deer caught in headlights. The writing is casual and easier going than previous writings. But by all means this is not dummied down tarot, a good way to describe it is as Diet Tarot Wisdom or 78 Degrees of Wisdom Lite, still has that refreshing taste with no calories! The New Tarot Handbook provides new insights along with already established ones, so readers of Rachels others books will find out there is more to learn.
The flow of the book is smooth; Rachel shows how cards are interrelated to one another, building up from previous cards and showing the development and growth from one to the other. This is a very important thing for tarot readers to understand, how cards are connected to each other and how that impacts the meaning. In the example of The Empress she does this by showing the connection via pairs, the Magician and Empress, High Priestess and Empress and Emperor with Empress.
I love to read about the mythologies in the cards, with The Empress we are taught the association with two goddess, Venus/Aphrodite and Demeter, then going further explain the myth of Persephone’s kidnapping by Hades. I would like to make a quick side note that Rachel says Hades is the god of death; in actuality he is the god of the underworld, not death himself. Death is represented by another figure, that of “Thanatos” who is the personification of death. But Rachel was making a point with associating Hades with death in that in the end Demeter gets her daughter back from “death”, revealing a lesson that you should never underestimate a mother.
Moving onto the Minor Arcana Rachel explains the suits in terms of their elemental qualities and explains the numerological meanings of each number, the foundations that all readers should have. The minors are setup just like the Majors with the removal of the keywords under the card instead replacing it with the Element & Theme of the card. The minor are at times linked to the majors to give you a sense of deeper connection, while some cards like the 2 of Swords simply states it “links her to the High Priestess”, without any other explanation of that that connection.
Towards the end in the section of “Readings” Rachel explains the reading process and goes with the “do as you will” mentality throwing to the wind the notion that you have to follow certain ritualistic “rules”. She also lists several complex free spreads.
In conclusion The New Tarot Handbook was a wonderful read. Rachel’s aim at writing a book that was simple and direct to the point was achieved. Who would is this book good for? Anyone really, however I would recommended it to a new reader who is looking for a deeper awareness to the cards meaning, mythology and symbolism without feeling lost in the esoteric translation.
Relating to The “Bad Cards”
5In my opinion people experience more pain than pleasure in life. We are always seeking happiness and pleasure because we are in a state of pain or at the least discomfort. The Buddha said life is “dukkha” which often translates as “suffering”. However “dukkha” can mean many things and suffering is just one possible meaning. But at the core life is challenging, it is in flux, going up and down. It is the times of pain and trauma I feel which have the largest impact on us. A silly example would be Batman, Bruce Wayne would never have become Batman if his parents would never killed. So it is the tough cards in the tarot which seem to be more real to me, easier to connect with and understand. Take the 9 of Swords, this is the anxiety/stress card. The Anxiety Disorders Association of American says that “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older (18% of U.S. population).”
Women are twice as likely to be affected from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and Post traumatic Stress Disorder. So seeing a woman in the 9 of Swords makes a lot of sense. If you look at the troubling swords (6,8,9) there are woman in them which may signify a anxiety issue or another psychological problem. So as I said 40 million adults are affected, children are also affected by anxiety, “About 13 out of every 100 children and adolescents ages 9 to 17 experiencing some kind of anxiety disorder, such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder.”
Because of the high levels of anxiety that people experience it makes the 9 of Swords so relatable. It is so easy to understand that card and feel the pain of the woman in the card.
Backtracking a little into the Major Arcana, Death is a card which I like because like I said it is clear, death means something is ending. Done over and finished. Death is a name that everyone understands because it is the ultimate fate of us all [shudder] and for that reason we connect to the concept so very easy. Everyone comes into contact with death sooner or later. I came into contact early with death with grandparents and my own father. I understand what death was at a early age (about 6 or 7). Over 150,000 people die every day.
The Devil well this is a card many people think they know based off the title but they will be wrong, this card has nothing to do with the Biblical devil. When I look at this card I see bondage and attachments such as addictions (of many kinds). You can look at the Devil as drug and alcohol abuse. There are countless people who are addicted to drugs both legal and illegal. There are adults alcoholics and in teenagers there is binge drinking. Addictions come in other fashions like material attachments to shopping (like myself) or attachment to someone in a bad relationship. So again we see here that the concepts of The Devil are almost universal to everyone and easy to understand and relate to.
The Tower is yet another so called “bad” card which is so easy to relate to. This is the card which signals that things are going to fall apart. Things will change and not as you expect. Things are sudden out of the blue that rock your world and pull the rug out from under your feet. We all experienced this. Our current economic crisis would be a perfect example of The Tower. People purchased homes with mortgages that really could not afford which lead to large scale forecloses. To get an idea how large of a problem this is you can compare the foreclosure rates of 2000 which was 470,000 to 2011 which was 3,920,418.
The 5 of Pentacles can come in here as well and related to this to. We can look at natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina which killed At least 1,836 people and the total property damage was estimated at $81 billion. On the small scale we can relate to the Tower when we get a flat tier, the roof starts leaking, the boiler breaks and your computer hard drive crashes. Sudden out of the blue problems which just ruin things. We all experience things like that.
In the end what I want to stress is that life is filled with many experiences, good and bad. As tarot readers we need to be realistic and live on earth where shit happens. Pain is real, my pain your pain your client’s pain. It is alive and real. We cannot have our heads in the clouds and makes all the cards chocolate covered bunnies. We need to understand the realities people go through, the drama, pain, suffering and valid it. If we ignore it exist will not make it simply go away and it does not help the client. As tarot readers we however can redirect the energy of the client into a path that can solve the issue and bring change. I would also like to say that yes, the cards have many interpretations and they don’t always go to such extremes like the ones I pointed out, I am just making a point.