Today's spread is Mind / Body / Soul, the three-card spread I wanted to start with.
From left to right, the Ace of Cups is my Mind; the 2 of Wands is my Body; and the Magician is my Soul.
My interpretation of Ace of Cups:
Beginnings of love relationships. Hope and opening of the heart. Stirrings of the heart. Twanging of the heartstrings. There is a dove next to her; so I see her finding peace & freedom in the flowing water she sits in. Did she come from this water, formed from the essence of liquid itself? What kind of quality is the liquid? It overflows into the waves around her, but she finds solace in her chalice. There is a skull on the cup, but it is not menacing; it seems more to show the 'bare bones' of a situation - in that this is just a skeleton of a beginning, there isn't much meat to it yet.
What my books have to say:
It may signal a beginning of an emotional situation, or beginning of the healing of the heart. Can indicate love, empathy, and compassion for others, or the peaceful serenity of such feelings. May advise us to trust our feelings and to follow the dictates of our heart. Can also warn of drowning ourselves in a relationship or an emotion, or reacting in a purely emotional way.
Putting it together:
In the position of mind, it seems my mind is open to love & also set on the idea of love. I wouldn't necessarily say that this is a 'you are in love with someone' card, for I am not, but more 'in love with love', which I often have been and could easily be now. I find mental peace & solace & freedom in the idea of love, and my mind overflows with possibilities for love. I should be aware of being too idealistic and/or emotional when reacting.
My interpretation of 2 of Wands:
I can't remember off the top of my head what the Two of Wands typically means; but twos tend to be choice and duality, and wands are energy and passion. This could be showing two choices or two options of how to direct one's energy. The girl walks on a road, with a desert starting to creep up the edges of it. There are signs for 'Death Valley' in the background. She holds a balloon on a string, and the balloon is the world. This makes me think of having the whole world in your hands; the world opening up and showing you a path. It also makes me think of Delirium from Sandman with her fish balloon, which adds whimsy and childlike innocence but a certain strain of unreality.
What my books have to say:
Compare your goals with reality and see which, if either, you need to adjust. Opportunity, off to a good start, a period of waiting. The early stage of an enterprise. Sincere effort. Feeling restless as you prepare for a change. Time to act energetically, be assertive & courageous. Headed in the right direction.
Putting it together:
Reality and unreality juxtapose as I take a step away from fantasy and into reality. My enterprise of the tarot - for this card is in 'body', which to me means it's in the position of my reality-based, grounded, day-to-day actuality - is off to an energetic start, for it starts in wands. This fire of the suit should be kept up and will get me far. The world is at my fingertips.
My interpretation of the Magician (reversed):
I don't have a whole separate set of meanings for reversed cards; for me, a reversed cards means the energy in the card is blocked or directed elsewhere, or it can just be a way of drawing attention to the card. As this is a Major Arcana in a simple three card spread, my intuition is that this card is the major one to pay attention to.
The Magician is all about focused will & energy, having the tools to get something done and using them. The Magician has many skills at his disposal, and can create many things by utilizing them. He has a crystal ball in the card, perhaps suggesting that he can even divine with his abilities, but instead of gazing into it he holds it in his hands, suggesting that he is more hands-on than drifting and dreamy.
What my books have to say:
"In everything natural there is something marvelous." Talent, skill, creativity, consciousness, willpower. "There are two ways to live your life: one is to live as though nothing is a miracle. The other is to live as if everything is a miracle." The Magician seeks to fulfill his purpose through active involvement with life. Focused energy. Ability to make decisions. Disciplined and creative action. You are about to take advantage of the expertise you have gleaned from a period of disciplined training. You are able to use special skills and abilities to achieve your goals. The time is right to initiate projects because you are the master of your destiny.
Putting it together:
This card is jumping around wanting to be paid attention to, due to its reversal. My own willpower, energy, and focus have culminated into finally taking steps forward with my tarot. This pertains to my soul in that it gives me spiritual purpose & a path, and it gives me something to direct my often overflowing but equally often poorly spent energy into. I am the master of my destiny.
Concluding sentences:
My heart is open, the world is at my fingertips, and I am the master of my destiny. However, I should be wary of reacting emotionally to situations, to being too naive or idealistic, and to misusing the tools I have at hand.
Until tomorrow,
Ariel
