Tarot Thrones | The Court Card Blog

Tag: Fire

  • Chinese Elements | The Fire Monkey Year

    In the West, we tend to use the classical elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water.  However, this is not the only system of elements available and as we move into the Chinese Year of the Fire Monkey, I thought that we could take a look at their elements.

    Why the interest in China? Well, hubby has just relocated there for maybe the next two years and, with any amount of luck, I’ll be able to go and visit him from time to time (worry not! he will still be coming home every eight weeks, for eight weeks!) but I am delving into all things Chinese.  And you cannot escape my burgeoning interest in all things Chinese either!  πŸ˜€


    In Chinese astrology, just as in the West, there are 12 signs that you can be born under.  However, there is no Leo, Aquarius or Taurus … instead we have:

    Rat
    Ox
    Tiger
    Rabbit
    Dragon
    Snake
    Horse
    Sheep
    Monkey
    Rooster
    Dog
    Pig

    Every 12-year cycle begins with the Year of The Rat. This year we have entered a Monkey year, so next year will be Rooster etc.  An additional dimension is added to this, with the inclusion of the appropriate Chinese element:

    Wood
    Fire
    Earth
    Metal
    Water

    Yup, the Chinese have FIVE as opposed to our usual FOUR.

    Each of the signs has its own natural element – for example: Monkey’s natural element is Metal.

    But this is a Fire year.  So how does Fire and Metal sit together with Monkey’s nature? Well, clearly you would need to go to an expert in Chinese astrology for a proper reading but, here’s my tuppence worth!

    Metal is associated with the wind – so it’s changeable very quickly. Couple this with Monkey’s mischievous and curious nature and you have got a potentially tricky year ahead!  Be aware that things can/will change quickly, so there is a lack of certainty and bear in mind that while curiosity is the source of many marvellous discoveries, that it also killed the cat πŸ™‚

    新年快乐 !!!

  • How to Read Reversed Tarot Court Cards

    If a court card coming up in a Tarot reading can present a reader with a tummy-flipping moment of panic, then interpreting a reversed court card can engender a fully-fledged head-between-the-knees (your own, silly!) brace position.
    But it needn’t be so!

    Any card coming up as a reversal is basically calling your name and telling you to pay special attention to it.  Why does it need your attention? Well, because it means that the interpretation of the card won’t be straightforward.

    The most common ways to interpret any reversed card are:

    1  The information is the exact opposite of what you would usually say
         (perfectly reasonable place for a beginner to start from, I think – but a bit like using a sledgehammer
         to crack a nut as far as sophistication goes!)
    2  The message from the card is unbalanced – too much of the energy or not enough.
    3  The card’s information is delayed or blocked.
    4  The card’s energies are somehow perverted or twisted out of shape.

    And there are LOTS of other ways to interpret a reversed card (for the last Glasgow Tarot Meetup group I thought I’d provide ’10 Ways to interpret a reversed card’ and came up with 11 for the hand-out. So I had to make one of them 10a and the last one 10b.  I am inventive.  I am the Queen of Wands :-D)

    With a court card you get another two options – which I think are REALLY useful.

    Let’s think about the elements that we tend to use in Western Tarot: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

    Fire and Air are πŸ™‚
    Water and Earth are πŸ™‚               (friendly)

    Fire and Water are πŸ™
    Earth and Air are πŸ™                   (not friendly)

    Fire and Earth are 😐
    Water and Air are 😐                  (neutral)

    Got that?  OK, Let’s take the King of Pentacles:

    Elementally, he is Fire of Earth.  The Kingly fire partners up with the practicality of Earth and we have someone who is incredibly level-headed,  got lots of practical skills, materially successful, knows what to do to Get Nice Things in life etc.

    Now, here’s the first thing that you can do with a reversed court card:


    SWAP THE EXISTING ELEMENTS AROUND

    Instead of Fire of Earth, he is now Earth of Fire. Gone is the maturity of the King and in its place is the Beginner Mind of the Page of Wands.  So the King of Pentacles, when reversed, can mean what the Page of Wands means rightsides up.  You follow?

    The second thing that you can do with a reversed court card is:

    EXCHANGE FOR THE EXACT OPPOSITE ELEMENTS

    Sticking with our King of Pentacles example, we have Fire and Earth.

    The exact opposite element of Fire is Water and the exact opposite element for Earth is Air.  So you can interpret the reversed King of Pentacles just as you would the Queen of Swords!

    What do you think?

    BTW – There’s PLENTY more of this stuff in my forthcoming e-book on working with the court cards. Excited? Are you? ARE YOU?!