A Very Menschy Christmas!

[onabench]

The question I asked as I shuffled the cards was about the coming year. I like doing Celtic Cross spreads on New Year's Eve or Day to try and get a full perspective on what's to come. So this spread is about where you currently are and how to make the best of 2018 <3

The deck I used was Stasia Burrington's Sasuraibito Tarot, given to me for Christmas/Hanukkah, so this is the first reading I'm doing with it for someone else!




1: You and Your Present Position
Ten of Swords

Yikes. You first card is a card with even stronger implications than Death itself. In this case, though, I think it’s only fair to be honest with yourself and the situation that’s been gnawing at you. There’s a lot of stressors in your life right now but as your first card, I think we can take it to mean that this is your stepping off point and that it’ll only get better from here as we literally walk the cards out from the center and ascend to your coming year.


2: Immediate Influences
Ten of Cups

Now this is interesting. The Ten of Cups is a card of happiness and fulfillment, the ten of every suit is, after all, a sense of completion, whether it’s the utter exhaustion of the Ten of Swords or the total contentment of the Ten of Cups. I’m choosing to interpret these in combination to mean that things are rough right now, but there are always, always people in your corner and people who will try to support you as well as they can. I’m also going to consider the reversed meanings of this card: imbalance that prevents the completeness. Is it work/life? Are you giving more than you get from friends or family? Be conscious of those and maybe try to enforce limits where you can.


3: Goals, Aims, Destiny
King of Wands (Reversed)

So, when I draw reversed cards, I prefer to take it as a halfway point rather than only the reversed aspects by taking into account the meaning of the card in both directions. Upright, the King of Wands is a leader who looks to the future and optimistically strives for more, a pretty good card for your goals. In reverse, Stasia Burrington suggests that there are two potential meanings. First, that you risk abusing any power or advantage. Alternately, the second interpretation is that you don’t have enough faith in your skills and charisma to take you where you need. Trust yourself and strive for better.


4: Distant Past Influences
Eight of Swords (Reversed)

With a lot of Swords, the reversed meaning can just be an even more severe form of the already negative upright form. In this case, it’s more optimistic. Upright, the Eight of Swords is a card of entrapment, of someone who looks at every angle and sees no positive outcome. In the position of the past, obviously, everyone’s got skeletons in the closet. I’d also say that in this case, with the Ten of Swords as your starting point, a lot of your history is still weighing on you, whichever pieces you’re carrying.

But never fear, the reversed meaning of this card means you are escaping from the trap, leaving behind any victimhood. As Rafiki says, the past hurts but you can learn from it. This isn’t just happening in your history but it’s probably still happening now. Shake it out.


5: Recent Past to Current Situation
King of Cups (Reversed)

There’s an interesting polarity in having two reversed kings across from one another. Cups are the suit most commonly associated with emotions and so this king is a diplomat, one who works hard to build bridges and smooth ruffled feathers. Like with the King of Wands, this reversed King isn’t the opposite of itself but it does warn against poorly managing your emotions and either letting them put you off balance (a recurring theme in your reversals) or else making you prone to lash out. Are there any recent events for which you need to make amends? Finding some kind of peace with that, whatever it means, will help translate past struggles into current success.


6: Events Influencing the Near Future
Three of Wands

With all these kings in your reading, the Three of Wands appearing is very interesting indeed. This is another card that relates to leadership. I think in this case, Burrington’s chosen art is important. The three sticks tied together create a basic but stable structure, which allows you to build out and up. If there’s a chance for a better job or a promotion or a raise, don’t talk yourself out of it. Your moment is coming! Embrace it.


7: Present Attitudes and Perspectives
The Sun

In the Major Arcana, the Sun emerges after the Moon. Where the Moon represents mystery, the unknown, and very scary, the Sun is all about emerging from the darkness and murk into the light, into clarity. In short, it’s a very positive card and in the position of your perspectives, I would interpret it either as a good attitude or as an aspiration in that you’re seeking to become more positive and clearheaded. Or, as the Hush Sound sings, “Shadows kept me hidden from the light that calls my name. All the creatures stood above me. Now I'm crawling towards the sun.”



8: Environmental Factors and Influential People
Five of Cups (Reversed)

This is a card of loss and pain and haven’t you had more than your fair share of that this year? Both for yourself and for those you love. The art on the card shows us three empty cups, drained to the last drops, but there are still two full ones. There’s hope and that’s what the reversed meaning can indicate. Yes, there’s loss and grief and empty cups but it’s time to also look at the full cups and the potential they still have. Moving on means healing, not forgetting.


9: Inner Emotions, Fears, Hopes, and Desires
The Magician (Reversed)

Haha, oh Raven Cycle feels. The Magician doesn’t just mean a magic user or a druid or an alchemist. It means someone who understands their abilities, their desires, and their potential. This is the card of a person seeking fulfillment and completion in this position. Of course, it’s also a card that reminds us of Adam. Reversed, however, is a warning against false promises and smoke and mirrors lies, sometimes from external sources and sometimes the lies we tell ourselves. If your starting card, the Ten of Swords, asked you to be honest about some of the crappier parts of your current situation, this card is about finding the right path and staying that course for yourself. Follow the yellow-brick road you build for yourself.


10: Most Likely Outcome Based on the Other Cards
Queen of Pentacles

I think it’s interesting that we’ve had two reversed King cards from two different suits and now our last noble is an upright Queen. The Queen of Pentacles is an excellent outcome. Pentacles, or coins, of course are a card often related to material success, which has been a current through your reading. Hopefully, 2018 will be a bountiful year. The Queen of Pentacles, however, is a very emotional card too. All that material wealth? She uses it to be caring, compassionate, and generous. She builds, crafts, cooks, and shares.

However, even though this is an upright card, I like to warn against its reversal. A Reversed Queen of Pentacles is someone with poor work/life balance, who stretches too thin with too little. Given that other cards have warned you of an imbalance, it’s something to keep in mind. Yes, care and generosity are important, but you must always reserve some of those for yourself. Set limitations. Take no bullshit. Give what you can but don’t deplete yourself. Balance. Completion.

2018, I hope, is a year in which you will have both material success and also realized potential, with friendships and relationships stronger than ever. I hope, too, that it will be a year of healing from the frankly disastrous 365 days that was 2017. Just remember to take care of yourself and be mindful of when the dial swings too far one way or the other.