The Tarot Court Cards | Exercise Regime

Published by Alison Cross on

There’s a new yoga teacher in town, Kate. Β She’s a former ballerina and you can tell. Β She is in control of every bit of her body and moves into positions fluidly and strongly.

I’m as envious as a very envious thing.

Inside my head, I am good at yoga – very bendy, very strong and about 20 years old. Outside my head I am not very good at yoga – I’m reasonably bendy, my language is stronger than my body and I am, of course, considerably older than 20.

Last night we were lowering ourselves slowly and purposefully into plank position. Which was fine. Β Until I realised I was going to have to do it another five times. Β By the time we got to the fifth plank. Β I was dropping to the mat as gracelessly as a pile of stones tipped from a wheelbarrow. And about as noisily.

Things didn’t much improve when we moved to the pilates core exercises. By this time the sweat was lashing off me (yoga is not for wimps!) and there were proper groans escaping from me as I huffed and puffed and strained to get my core engaged.

Sure, I’ve had a few abdomen operations. Β Let’s see…. appendectomy that didn’t go smoothly ….. a caesarean section ….. gall bladder removal. Β But the gall bladder removal was about 5 years ago. Β The appendectomy was …. back in the 80s. So, yanno, I can’t really use these as an excuse for being shit at yoga!

Time to consult the courts – who is going to help me with my yoga?

Card 1: who will help me get fitter: Β The Page of Bows and the 4 of Vessels (Wildwood Tarot). Β Well the Page of Bows is Stoat – and they don’t come much bendier than Stoat. Β But the 4 Vessels is called Boredom. Β A woman sitting lost in thought while water pours down endlessly into overflowing jugs.

Wildwood Tarot | Page of Bows | Four of Vessels | Tarot Thrones

The Page of Bows is an agile and fast-moving person. Quite at odds with the woman in 4 Vessels. Β Whom, if I’m honest with myself, I mostly identify with.

I am bored with my self. Β I am overweight, out of shape and drives me to brooding and many sad moments whilst contemplating my navel (literally) in the full length mirror in the bedroom.

Beware boredom! Beware sitting about wondering what I can do about things! Because while I’m sitting there lost in thought, my life force is spilling down, overflowing …. and it won’t last for ever!

Stoat says that the key is to get myself going. Β I don’t need a clear plan. I just need to start speeding up and being more active. Β Stoat is telling me that I need to have FUN too. Β Yes, yoga is fun! What else do I see in the card – running water – maybe try some swimming? Get back to Aquafit class?

I also need upper body strength. Β Clearly flinging tarot cards around and mindlessly surfing facebook all day isn’t cutting the mustard. Β Who helps me here?

Wildwood Tarot | Queen of Bows | Four of Bows | Tarot Thrones

Another character from the Bows family – this time the Queen, Hare. And she is paired with 4 Bows, Celebration. Β Celebration shows us women dancing around the fire with unstrung bows in their hands. Celebrate the small victories! Exercise with friends! Do a bit of dancing! Β A lot of them have their hands above their heads. Β Yip, that’s maybe something that I’ll need to do too ….

The Queen of Bows tells me to start seeing my challenges as opportunities and not to let my emotional responses to things enmire me to the extent that I end up doing absolutely nothing.

What does the Tarot need me to know about exercise and my attempts to be fit and flexible. Β The Queen of Stones – Bear. Β Remember to be grounded, be practical. Β Take some time out for myself (Bear stands at the mouth of her cave – maybe this is a message about my own Lady Cave being built even as we speak, in the garden!) Β She reminds me that although I must be Bows active, to be in it for the long haul requires Stones stamina and tenacity.

So, a quick look over all four cards – three of them are Bows and associated with the element of fire. Fire is all about activity and it’s a process that requires to be fed to keep it roaring. Β Hmmmmm – I could probably do with giving my diet a bit of an overhaul – I’m not stoking my boiler very well. Β Almond croissant, anyone?!

Two of them are Queens – Queens are co-operative and group-orientated for teaching and learning, so group activities suit me.

Two of them are Fours – stability is key to progress. Β Perfect message for yoga!

What exercise do you do? Β Do you ever use your cards to help you plan out an exercise regime? Want to give it a try?


Alison Cross

The Tarot's Court Cards are my specialist area.Β  They talk to me. Not LITERALLY though ....

3 Comments

Mrs. Me · 12th January 2018 at 9:02 pm

What a fun exercise! As a yoga instructor myself, I feel like this is all pretty spot on. It can be tough to get on the mat (yes, even and maybe most especially if you teach!), but once I get going, I want to keep going. It's serious and requires commitment, yes, but it's also very fun and playful. I'm going to have to do this for myself!

Inner Whispers · 3rd October 2017 at 5:52 am

At one time, I used Lenormand cards every day to decide which workout to do πŸ˜€ Haven't done that in a while as I'm pretty regimented now: cardio one day, weights the next. Might be fun to throw in a bit of variety. Hmm, I wonder what the cards will say πŸ˜€

Priestess Tarot · 31st May 2017 at 7:41 am

With you on everything except the 4 of Vessels… Bored I am not, engaged with the yoga I am. πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘

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