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Most Frequent Tarot Card(s): 30-Question Challenge Q9

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© US Games, Inc. (Thoth)

Q9: What card do you pull the most often? Why do you think that is the case?

For this question, I took a look at this past month’s Within, Without, Advice series from my Instagram buddies. I totaled up the different cards drawn (three cards per day), and was actually amazed at the variety first off.

I got three cards that came up three times each, but no groups of more than three. Also, twelve cards that came up twice. The three most frequent cards were the Four of Cups, Two of Wands, and Queen of Wands.

© US Games, Inc. (Univ. Waite)

Other overall patterns included a plethora of fours, a dominance of Wands, and all four Pages.

My takeaway on these patterns is that it’s time to get organized to take charge of my creative efforts. Take charge (Q of W), put yourself out there (2 of W) and quit looking at all the shiny objects because I’m missing the one that really counts (4 of Cups).

Also, the fours really emphasize the need for structure, especially with two draws of the Emperor (IV) on top of all the Minor fours. And Wands seem to be everywhere, with double card draws for more wands than any other suit. Let’s get something going here!

© Lo Scarabeo (Mibramig)

Lastly, the Page energy is a complete set, which is interesting, since I have four angles going on for what I want to do (spiritual mentoring, Tarot, website design, book shepherding). I am also in learning mode and expertise mode at the same time for all four. I think it’s time to focus on filling in my learning for all of these and get on to the next level (in this case, Queen!).

That’s the way it is with draws for self: kind of self-fulfilling prophecies since the cards are responding to my energies, and I know my “stuff” pretty well. Although in a given reading, I can also often find underlying things that I wasn’t conscious of. So, my frequent Tarot card visitors (more than one) provide a good encapsulation of me and my inner world.

You can try this little “game” with your cards, also. You’ll need to have access to your Tarot journals or a decent number of draws you’ve done for yourself over a period of time. If you like this idea, develop a list of cards (one name per line for each instance that a card was drawn) using a consistent labeling system (“9 of Wands” and not “9 of Wands” and “Nine of Wands”). Then use Microsoft Word’s Sort feature (under the Table menu) to put the list in order and have all the instances of the same card be listed under each other. Then you can see the multiples and decide which are your frequent visitors.

Let me know, if you are so inclined, what you find out.

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I found the questions for this series at a Tumblr account that no longer exists. A lovely person named Rhee started the thing. These are great prompts for telling stories about one’s journey through the world of Tarot, so I’ve started the series again on a weekly basis so you all can get to know me better, and also share your own answers to the questions in comments or links to your own posts. I’d love to hear from you!

Weekly Tarot Forecast: 15 April 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! For this reading, I’m using the Fountain Tarot. I love its gentle colors and meditative imagery. And although the little white book is small, the angle the creators take on interpreting the cards is quite interesting and integrates well with their imagery.

Since there is no specific question or area of concern for these readings, my interpretation will be very general in nature, based on my sense of what the Tarot itself is addressing and the general energy potentials for the week.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

This week we first see a call to sensitive leadership in the Queen of Cups. Get your feelings clear and take a look at attachments to outcomes before moving on to take charge of your situation with the Chariot. You’ll have opposing forces trying to pull you in different directions, and the Queen will help you navigate a course that takes into account the contributions of everyone to the whole.

By midweek, you will reach a destination where you can fully integrate your accomplishments from earlier in the week and realize that you are One with your Universe. The Fountain is an extra card in this deck that epitomizes the centering of self into calm awareness. It’s in the middle here, so I see it as a pivot from the energy of the earlier cards into the energies of the next two cards, where you will apply this awareness to making decisions.

As you move on toward week’s end, you’ll be asked to let go of a relationship or project that you’ve previously been attracted to. The work you did with the Queen of Cups and Chariot energies to center yourself will allow you to perform this letting go (Eight of Cups), because at the end of the week, you’ll be able to see a more practical opportunity (Ace of Coins) that will have required all the inner work you will have done this week.

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

The focal point for this view of your cards is the Fountain, which to me means that your deepest inner sense of communion with your world and the universe as a whole is the key to a successful week.

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. Looks like the state of your feelings and how you work your boundaries with others will be key to focusing on any practical opportunities (Ace of Coins) that come your way. The Q of C can be a wonderful, huggable person, but she’ll need to keep her delicate feet on the ground this week.

The inner pair reinforces the first pair, I think. The Chariot’s take-charge attitude will be needed to make your decision to let go of some past attachment (Eight of Cups) in order to center yourself and embrace the grounded new.

Weekly Tarot Forecast: 2 April 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! For this reading, I’m using my tried and true Robin Wood Tarot. This deck was actually my first Tarot purchase back at the turn of the latest century, and I have never tired of its wonderful colors, suit consistency, and the comfort of its take on the RWS images and interpretations.

Since there is no specific question or area of concern for these readings, my interpretation will be very general in nature, based on my sense of what the Tarot itself is addressing and the general energy potentials for the week.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

The week we first get to take a break from the challenges we face (Four of Swords) (deadlines, anyone? I’ve got three!) and use the clear-thinking energy of the Queen of Swords to turn and face the rest of the week. Since we begin with two Swords cards, it will be important to apply their dispassionate and incisive methods to the Wands situations in the rest of the draw.

By midweek, you’ll be feeling the burden of all the things you are responsible for taking care of (Ten of Wands) (deadlines approaching!) and trying to decide which needs of others you want to prioritize (Five of Wands). Lots of distractions (which is why the need for the Swords energy you hopefully collected at the beginning of the week).

As you move on toward week’s end, it looks like you’ll be able to move quickly into finishing things up and maybe getting together with friends (Knight of Wands), or at least getting some inspirational help from a young and energetic individual to get things done. Just be careful not to let him become just another distraction.

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

The focal point for this view of your cards is the burden of the Ten of Wands. Like I wrote above, it’s probably a deadline week for whatever you’re working on, with lots of expectations from clients or family, or both.

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. Looks like a contrast of energies here, between resting and moving quickly. I see the resting effigy in the Four of Swords taking a break from the constant movement and playing with new projects of the Knight of Wands. Seems like the week will be asking you to strike a balance between taking breaks and putting out lots of energy to get things done. Don’t lose focus and end up moving for the sake of moving.

The inner pair seems to be a call to use your best and clearest thinking to address the problem of prioritizing conflicting requests for your time and energy (Five of Wands). The Queen of Swords is offering support to make those decisions so you get the most important things done this week.

Cosmic Whispers of the Week

Great Elements spread using the cool-looking Dreams of Gaia Tarot from the TABI Tarot blog hop this week. Details here.

Learned some new things about the origins of Mother’s Day (it is celebrated as Mothering Day in the UK on the fourth Sunday of Lent—we USians will have to wait until May) from Sandra over at Firerose Tarot. Great article and also spread for giving birth to things. More here.

And lastly, Little Red’s cool new upcoming decks for spring. All of them are interesting and inspiring, but I think the Ostara is my personal fav. Check them all out here.

Weekly Tarot Forecast: 26 March 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! For this reading, I’m using the Alice Tarot from Baba Studio. This lovely gift from my daughter is creating some definitely different angles on the traditional meanings and tones for the tarot cards.

Since there is no specific question or area of concern for these readings, my interpretation will be very general in nature, based on my sense of what the Tarot itself is addressing and the general energy potentials for the week.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

The week seems to have a theme of being a bit unprepared for things and then being able to recover at the end of the week. We begin with the Queen of Cups, but in the Alice Tarot, this queen demonstrates more of her negative than positive attributes. The White Queen in the Looking-Glass story talks a good tale about what she knows, but seems at a loss most of the time and tends to panic because the can move forwards or backwards on the chess board. So, she’ll be crying over things that are going to happen. So if you are feeling vulnerable or confused at the week’s start, it will be this sort of energy in play. And then it looks like from the Eight of Wands card that you’ll be hauled off at top speed to…nowhere! Since the Red Queen explains to Alice that you have to move faster, faster! just to stay still, you may have a feeling of expending lots of energy and not getting much of anywhere. Withe the White Queen’s tentativeness, it should be a challenging combination.

Midweek you get to a point where although you may feel a bit trapped by adversarial circumstances, you are going to be powerful enough and smart enough to overcome the pesky little things that might bother you. The Seven of Wands portends eventual success over opponents, and Alice’s troubles with changing size and then using her bigness to vanquish Rabbit and Bill’s attempts to burn her out bode well for a positive result. It may take all your wit and power to pull this off, though.

As you move on toward week’s end, one more challenge lies in the offing. You may be trying to find just the right fit for a solution to something, only to come up wrong several times in a row. Alice is upset because she can’t seem to eat the right side of things in order to get to size so she can fit through the door to the garden.  Meanwhile, the Three of Swords is normally about emotional pain at some level, and you and Alice may just be feeling defeated. But, beware of despair. Alice is also teaching us that there are consequences to staying in sorrow for too long. She ends up almost literally drowning in her own tears after crying as Big Alice and then changing sizes again to become Very Small Alice.  So, look out for self-inflicted wounds and try not to stay in a pity pot for too long. Why? Because this, too, shall pass. After all the fuss this week, you get to end with the Hanged Man, or in the case of the Alice stories, the Cheshire Cat. Take a pause, laugh at the craziness of the week and realize that you can indeed start over with a smile.

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

The focal point for this view of your cards is in the center at the Seven of Wands. Your cleverness and power will vanquish your challenges this week; you are big enough to figure this out.

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. On the outside, we’ve got our somewhat impaired Queen of Cups matched with the Cheshire Cat in the Hanged Man. They are teaming up to let you know that you may need a rest at some point to nurture your bruised emotions. Do take time out so you’ll have the strength to play a winning game on your focus for the week.

The inner pair seems to be a warning not to let others rush you; you won’t get anywhere that way and will find yourself drowning in regret.

Weekly Tarot Forecast: 19 March 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! For this reading, I’m using Erik Dunne’s and Kim Huggen’s Tarot Illuminati, a richly textured visual journey through the Tarot using cultures from around the world in a Renaissance time period setting.

Since there is no specific question or area of concern for these readings, my interpretation will be very general in nature, based on my sense of what the Tarot itself is addressing and the general energy potentials for the week.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

The week seems to have a theme of active efforts needing to be matched by the appropriate resources. We begin with a new creative effort or social opportunity (Ace of Wands), but one which causes some serious anxiety for you. Should you go ahead, or will this turn into a nightmare  (Nine of Swords)?

Midweek message is some reassurance that you have the resources and skills to do what you are thinking of doing (Three of Pentacles); that you have the expertise to hang out with a group of people you may be connected to. As a matter of fact, taking the creative impetus of the Ace of Wands, you can use that expertise to create a team at work or a social circle to work out the plans and resources for your idea.

As you move on toward week’s end, looks like you are in the driver’s seat in a big way (Chariot). Time to take charge of the momentum created by that Ace of Wands idea and move it forward. The Two of Pentacles shows that although you may not have all the resources to hand right now, you have the ability to work with what you’ve got as you await more investors/supporters, who seem to be headed over the horizon in your direction. So, all good in the end. You’ve got this, if you so choose.

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

The focal point for this view of your cards is in the center at the Three of Pentacles. You and your team/patrons designing your new project and getting all your resource ducks in a row. You can count on confidence from others that you know what you are doing.

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. The Ace of Wands and the Two of Pentacles together indicate that your project may be long on passion and possibly a bit short on resources, at least at first, so be prepared to balance things out until things develop.

The second pair seems to be about your confidence level; you may be worried that you can actually pull this off, given that you don’t have every t crossed or i dotted. The Chariot’s power as a Major Arcana card says that it’s important to wake up from your nightmare worries and move ahead to lead this project. Again, you’ve got this.

Cosmic Tarot Whispers of the Week

A little plug for Theresa Reed’s (The Tarot Lady) weekly missive called “Soul Proprietor Mondays.” This past week is about taking responsibility for doing your own work in your freelance business (Tarot-related or otherwise). Although bigger businesses can be aggressive in competing, there’s almost always a niche the smaller biz can find, if they don’t fall into blaming instead of working what makes them unique. I get this weekly missive in my inbox every week and am never disappointed in the biz-related wisdom this very successful Tarotist and astrologer imparts.

Ava, The Girl with the Cards, has a nice, short article on the multi-directional cause-effect of outcomes in a reading. Did the outcome influence her attitude such that she took a different interpretation of the that outcome? Check here and see what you think.

Weekly Tarot Draw: 4 March 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! For this reading, I’m trying out a wonderful early birthday gift from my lovely, intelligent, and talented daughter. She gave me The Alice Tarot from Baba Studio, a deck I’ve been wishing for, but one whose price tag made me hesitate (a little over $100). I’ve bought self-published decks that cost up to $60, but Alice stopped me. However, now that I have the deck and the companion book, I have a much better idea as to why the price tag. But I’ll save the details for a proper deck review. Let’s just see what it’s like to read with the Alice stories in mind.

Since there is no specific question or area of concern for these readings, my interpretation will be very general in nature, based on my sense of what the Tarot itself is addressing and the general energy potentials for the week.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

The week starts with an opportunity to take a break. The Dormouse looks ready to take his usual nap, at least as long as the Mad Hatter and March Hare don’t decide to torture him. The Alice Tarot companion book reminds us that the name “dormouse” might have derived from the French for “sleeper” (dormir means “to sleep”). But in keeping with the ever-challenging suit of Swords, there’s also a message of resting with one’s eyes open (like the Dormouse here), because Hatters and Hares may be nearby.  And actually, there they are in the next card! Your period of pause looks like it will be interrupted by folks wanting to party, which is fine if you are in the mood for fun, but by midweek, you may want to set some boundaries.

Midweek provides another opportunity to take a break from the “madness” and find comfort in the grounded realities of home and hearth. Indulge in a relaxing activity at home, knowing that you will eventually need to try on the next adventure. (This scene in the book is from the very beginning of the Looking Glass story, so the adventure is about to start.)

As you move on toward week’s end, it will be time to get out and deal with some kind of world again (knitting sheep?). This is the Two of Swords, which usually indicates a defensive posture that may be unjustified because the figure in the RWS image is blindfolded with swords crossed in front of her. Here we have the Sheep and her knitting needles, along with her rather grumpy and critical personality (sort of like a reversed Queen of Swords). Alice looks a bit unsure of the situation, but if she keeps on rowing, she’s bound to reach the other shore and get closer to her destination, in the case of Looking Glass, the end of the chessboard and the opportunity to be a Queen herself. So, be patient with the critical knitting sheep in your life and go with the flow, because at the end of the week, you’ll get to rest in the Six of Cups, where cuddly kittens of fun and home await. This is the same rug, the same room, as in the Nine of Coins in the middle of this draw, so don’t let the Sheep get to you; you will soon be home.

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. The nice thing about The Alice Tarot is that it is based on two stories with the same protagonist in similarly insane dream-worlds. So we can see a connection right away between the Dormouse in the Four of Swords and the kittens in in the Six of Cups. Both represent periods of rest and comfort either before going out to the challenges of the world, or coming back home at the end of the adventure. Adventures almost always have these rest and action cycles, so you can count on the idea of rest being a theme for this week, especially since the center card, the Nine of Coins is also focused on rest.

The second pair, the Ten of Cups and Two of Swords, represent your challenges and action for the week. Looks like between rests, you’ll have an opportunity to socialize, perhaps with some wacky people (Ten of Cups) and deal with a difficult person where you’ll get to exercise your ability to be patient and go with the flow. In both cases, eccentricity may be the order of the day, with that lovely Nine of Coins moment to balance things out.

The focal point for this view of your cards is that Nine of Coins moment at home with your own thoughts and comforts. Know that whether you are active or taking a break this week, you can always return, if only in your mind, to the sense of home and hearth.

Cosmic Tarot Whispers of the Week

Alison Coals, of Alison’s Alembic, always has cool stuff to write in her Tarot-and-often-astrology blog. I was intrigued by her post the other day, largely because Margarete Petersen’s deck was used. It really feels like a inner-self deck, with muted images that exude calmness. Alison gives a great interpretation of the Son of Coins.

I love the honesty in the journey that Lisa Eddy presents in her writing and her life. She has recently “come out” as a Christian Tarot reader, and I applaud her for seeing a way to be both, in spite of prejudices in certain parts of the Christian community and corresponding prejudices on the other side from Tarot readers who are busy leaving the restrictions they perceive in traditional Christian hostility to divination. Traditional Tarot cards are filled with Christian symbolism even as they show that this symbolism is also one aspect of the human archetypes that inform all Tarot decks and interpretations.  I love Lisa’s honesty and her reminder of where the Tarot comes from. Check her take out here.

Weekly Tarot Forecast: 21 January 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! This is the Gilded Tarot Royale deck from Ciro Marchetti. This self-published update to the Gilded Tarot (unfortunately out of print now), was a wonderful gift from my children a couple of years ago.

Since there is no specific question or area of concern for these readings, my interpretation will be very general in nature, based on my sense of what the Tarot itself is addressing and the general energy potentials for the week.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

We start the week with a call to leadership (The Emperor). Of self, of others? Perhaps of the emotional solidarity of home and family (Ten of Cups). Although the Emperor carries masculine “squared off” energy to organize your week, keep in mind that ordered structure comes in many forms, including the totally predictable color prism and curve of the rainbow. Since there is primarily feminine energy in Ciro’s interpretation of the Ten of Cups, here, maybe it’s time to get some masculine structure applied to our emotions, making sure they are grounded and focused for best effect.

By midweek, it will be time to launch this new masculine/feminine holistic love out into the world (Knight of Cups) as a new offering to those who carry the traditions of your family or group (The Hierophant). This is a more energetic Knight of Cups than is normally depicted in the Rider-Waite-Smith illustration. Let him have that energy as he focuses love on the powers that be to inspire them.

As you move on toward week’s end, remind your traditional family members or community of the wealth of grounded power that comes from the women in your life, in your world. It’s time for the traditional carriers of belief (The Hierophant) to offer a blessing to the women in our lives who hold the home and community together, who give of their wealth to support everyone else (Queen of Pentacles).

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. The Emperor, symbol of masculine power, is paired with the Queen of Pentacles, a traditional symbol of grounded feminine power. Not your stereotypical “soft” feminine person, this Queen, and yet also traditional in her focus on material support for others. She tends to lead from behind rather than in front. I sense a need to allow her to influence the potential rigidity of The Emperor’s desire to control things this week, and to allow for a measured but flexible approach to the week’s events.

The second pair, the Ten of Cups and The Hierophant are again mirroring a partnership of feminine and masculine influences, with the Ten of Cups providing a loving basis for The Hierophant’s blessing of your efforts this week.

The focal point for these two feminine/masculine mixes this week is an offering of love. I think the balance of these forces tells us to avoid being carried away with our feelings but to also acknowledge them and respect them at the same time (Knight of Cups).

Cosmic Tarot Whispers of the Week

Seems like lots of new decks have come out in the past several months. James Wells has used a very nice four-question interview process to get to know three interesting new decks. Check it out here.

Chloë McCracken has provided us with a wonderfully introspective look at the past-present-future spread and the value of introspection on our progress and looking at things we may still need to work on. More here.

Weekly Tarot Forecast: 15 January 2017

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Welcome to your weekly Tarot forecast! This is the new Tarot Decoratif deck from Ciro Marchetti. An interesting and visually color-rich interpretation of the Marseille tradition of Tarot card design, with elements of the Rider-Waite-Smith minors illustration mixed in. I actually think Ciro could have gone with totally unillustrated pips, but that would also have restricted the audience for these cards.

Let’s do a chronological look first, and then we’ll use some mirror pairs to round out the message.

The Timeline View

We will start the week with a sense of accomplishment and resting point. If you’ve been working on a team project of some sort, you will come to a point of at least interim completion (Four of Batons), followed by a challenge to go deeper to see what direction you and your team want go in next (Seven of Coupes), but this direction may not be clear at first.

By midweek, you’ll have an incentive to move in the direction of making a decision about where to go next with your project. You will need to decide pretty soon, but you are in control of events (Eight of Batons).

As you move on toward week’s end, your moment of decision will arrive (Two of Épées). You will have to get past the emotional fog over what you want to do next from the Seven of Coupes and make a decision. Once you do that, you should see a message that leads to a new excitement about moving forward and possibly a new person to support you (Ace of Coupes).

The Mirrored Tarot Pairs

Now let’s pair the outer cards up to see how they might inform your situation. Coupes and Batons, Coupes and Épées! Matching multiple team desires with a decision on where to go next. The first pair outline the need for the infusion of new emotional energy of the Ace of Coupes into the static situation of the Four of Batons.

The second pair, the Seven of Coupes and the Two of Épées focus on the importance of getting past the fog of multiple options and go deep (number 7) to find the right choice, for you do need to choose.

In the end/center, you’ll get back on track and moving again after you work out this situation with your team.

Cosmic Tarot Whispers of the Week

To help you with any decisions you face this week, you can try out Beth Maiden of Little Red Tarot’s Should I Stay or Should I Go? spread to analyze two possible choices for action. More here.

Ethony has a long and what looks like valuable realistic take on crowd-funding, applicable to Tarot decks but also just about anything else you might want to crowd-fund. It’s not easy and you’ll need to take into account Ethony’s perpective before launching a project of your own. More here.

© 2013 – 2020 Joanne Sprott