Tara-Cards

Your compass navigating the tarot

Month: August 2022

TAROT’S NINE OF CUPS: WHY GRATITUDE IS IMPORTANT

August 30, 2022 / / 0 Comments
The Nine of Cups Sitting on a wooden bench is a man wearing a red turban and hose, with long white robes. His arms are crossed, and he is smiling contentedly. Arranged behind him on a semi-circular platform draped in blue cloth, are 9 cups, which appear to be trophies or symbols of life’s successes and bounty.
The Nine of Cups

Overview and common meanings of The Nine of Cups

The presence of the Nine of Cups is a sign that the things you have been working for or dreaming about, are getting closer to manifestation.  Along with this, always comes the warning to continue to remain focused on what you are working towards, whether it be a better job, a relationship, more money, or better spiritual fulfillment.  You are getting closer but keep your eyes on the prize. 

Some other names in varying decks are gratitude, fulfillment, joy, and the wish card. 

If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you believe it won’t, you’ll see obstacles.

Wayne Dyer

Common Meanings

The Nine of Cups was traditionally known as the wish card.  You would make a wish at the beginning of a reading and if this card showed up, it was a sign that your wish would come true. 

When the Nine of Cups shows up in a career and finance-based reading, it is likely that you are seeing the growth of projects you have been nurturing. If you have been seeking a new job, it is a sign that you may finally find that perfect fit.  Financially, things are looking up and you could see a great uptick in your financial abundance.  As always, gratitude is key. 

In an established relationship, the Nine of Cups is a sign that your relationship will continue to grow and deepen.  If you have been struggling in an existing relationship, the Nine of Cups reminds you to remember and be grateful for all of the positive qualities of your partner.  If you are seeking love, the Nine of Cups can be a sign that you are going to meet some great people.  The key is to just be yourself and enjoy yourself.   

The Many Faces of the Nine of Cups

The shadow side – or reversal – of the Nine of Cups can indicate ego interfering with forward momentum in the form of self-absorption and emotional detachment.  It is a good time to take stock of what you truly want in life and make sure that it is in alignment with your values and truly serves your highest good.  There is also the aspect of frustration over postponed fulfillment, unfulfilled yearnings, greed preventing you from progressing, lacking appreciation for the simple joys in life, self-righteousness.  The message is clear:  quiet your mind, pay attention to your inner wisdom, and go from there. 

Description

Sitting on a wooden bench is a man wearing a red turban and hose, with long white robes.  His arms are crossed, and he is smiling contentedly. Arranged behind him on a semi-circular platform draped in blue cloth, are 9 cups, which appear to be trophies or symbols of life’s successes and bounty.

Themes of The Nine of Cups

  • Abundance
  • Choosing Bliss
  • Fun
  • Generosity
  • Happiness
  • Harmony
  • Manifesting dreams
  • Material Comfort
  • Plenty
  • Prosperity
  • Satisfaction
  • Thankfulness
  • Wishes coming true

The Number 9

Faith, inner-strength, accountability, insight, learning how and when to say “No.” Trio of mind, body, and soul, and the perfect balance of this triumvirate. 

Elements of the Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Cups arranged in a semi-circle, almost touching – intimacy and connection with others; emotional fulfillment gained from the realization of deepest desires
  • Red turban & hose – vigor and love of life
  • Wooden bench – comfortable, but not too comfortable. 

Herbs for The Nine of Cups

  • Alfalfa – luck, prosperity, overall good fortune
  • Allspice – Money, luck, healing, acquiring wealth. Provides added resolve and momentum
  • Almond – Knowledge, money, productivity, and success.
  • Blue violet – Love, insight, good luck
  • Chickweed – Fertility and love. Use to invite a new lover or sustain your present relationship

Questions that the Nine of Cups asks us

  • Are you starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel on a dream you have long held, and if so, what do you need to do to push it over the edge to reality?
  • Have you taken the time to check in with yourself on a dream, to make sure that it is in alignment with your highest good?

That is the Nine of Cups.  Wishing you a week in which you see those long-held aspirations begin to come into focus.  As always, please leave comments, ask questions, or reach out for a reading.  Thank you for reading and please join me next week for the Ten of Cups!

TAROT’S EIGHT OF CUPS: POWERFUL KNOWLEDGE OF WHEN TO WALK AWAY

August 23, 2022 / / 0 Comments
The Eight of Cups A figure wearing a red cloak and boots, and carrying a staff, walks up a rocky path, away from the edge of a river. On the opposite side of the river, in the foreground of the card are eight cups, positioned in such a manner that it seems that one is missing. In the distance are rocky outcroppings rising out of a river or waterway. It is night; there is a blue sky and a sun within a moon overlooking the scene
The Eight of Cups

Knowing when to walk away, is wisdom. Being able to is courage. Walking away with grace, and your head held high, is dignity.

Ritu Ghatourey

Overview and common meanings of the eight of cups

The Eight of Cups can indicate a sense of restiveness, and like something is missing.  Everything appears great on the outside, but your intuition is bothering you.  The Eight of Cups traditionally indicates leaving a situation, place, or relationship that no longer fulfills you.  This is usually a decision made after much careful consideration, and when done, you may find that you had already left the situation emotionally and that there is less strife and drama about the leave-taking than you originally feared.  Some Other names for the Eight of Cups in varying decks are Quest, renewal, stagnation, indolence. 

Common Meanings

In a career or financial reading, the Eight of Cups shows up at a time when you are feeling ready to leave a job that is no longer fulfilling your needs.  Perhaps it is one you have outgrown, and it is time for you to stretch your wings and reach for something more.  Maybe it is time to liquidate that struggling business or those investments that aren’t performing well. 

In a relationship or love reading, the Eight of Cups can indicate that it is a good time to take a break from seeking a relationship while you spend some time determining what you really want.  If you are in a long-term relationship, sometimes the Eight of Cups can show up at a time when you are considering leaving the relationship and making a change.  It’s always important to check in with yourself and determine what it is that you truly want and need.

The Many Faces of The Eight of Cups

The shadow side – or reversal – of the Eight of Cups can indicate a fear of abandonment, or an actual abandonment.  Often, there is an aspect of clinging to a situation past the time when it is healthy to do so.  There is the aspect of giving the situation one more try.  You could be staying because it is the logical thing to do, or out of some sense of duty or obligation, but in this instance, it is more important to tap into your intuition and heed your inner guidance.  Just because things look perfect on the outside, it doesn’t mean that it is perfect for you. 

Description

A figure wearing a red cloak and boots, and carrying a staff, walks up a rocky path, away from the edge of a river.  On the opposite side of the river, in the foreground of the card are eight cups, positioned in such a manner that it seems that one is missing.  In the distance are rocky outcroppings rising out of a river or waterway.  It is night; there is a blue sky and a sun within a moon overlooking the scene. 

Themes of The Eight of Cups

  • Abandonment
  • Avoidance
  • Boredom
  • Departure
  • Disappointment Letting go
  • Escapism
  • Fear
  • Feeling stuck
  • Releasing old patterns or beliefs that no longer fit who you are
  • Walking away
  • Regretting choices made
  • Restlessness
  • Soul searching 
  • Spiritual journey

The Number 8

Fulfillment, the combination of two fours which represent stability.  Stability and renewal, inner strength and wisdom and healthy balanced ego.  When combined with Cups, it can indicate boredom and dissatisfaction.

Elements of the Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Sun – the mind
  • Moon – Insight and Desire
  • Staff – inner guidance  
  • Red cloak – competence to manifest objective
  • Rocky outcropping or mountain – trials and new experiences

Herbs for The Eight of Cups

  • Black Cohosh – strength and lucidity when leaving harmful situation; particularly useful when you have adopted negativity directed towards you. 
  • Kava – eases tension, calms the mind, and supports healthy stress response
  • Mimosa – Sadness, loss, heartache, grief.  Can help when mourning the things you are letting go from your life. 
  • Pine – rebirth, wisdom; useful when walking away and “rebirthing” into a new reality
  • St John’s Wort – used for depression and anxiety; can help bring the light back to your life. 

Questions that the Eight of Cups asks us

  • While it may appear that you have everything you want in life, do you truly have everything that you need?
  • Is this one of those times in your life that you need to walk away from something, and towards something else, no matter what others around you may think of your decisions?

That is the Eight of Cups.  Wishing you a week in of discernment on whether it is time to walk away from a situation that you have outgrown.  Thank you for reading and please leave comments, ask questions, or reach out for a reading.   

Join me next week for the Nine of Cups!

TAROT’S SEVEN OF CUPS: FOCUS ON INNER WISDOM

August 16, 2022 / / 0 Comments
The Seven of Cups: A figure that is shadowed stands in the foreground, back to us, facing a cloud on which 7 cups float. They are all filled with something different. One has a woman’s head floating above, one is shrouded, hands lifted as in entreaty, and red light emanating from it, one contains a snake, one a dragon with a forked tongue, one a laurel wreath, one overflows with jewels, and one contains a tower. If you look closer at the cup containing the laurel wreath, there appears to be a skull etched in its side. One gets the sense in looking at the card, that the figure is facing these cups filled with many choices, like we face the many paths that life can take us on.
The Seven of Cups

Overview and Common Meanings of The Seven of Cups

When the Seven of Cups shows up, there are many choices in front of you, and it could be hard to pick because they all seem great.  The important thing is seeing past the shiny illusions of what you think you want and taking the time to really make the choices that are right for you. 

Alternate names in varying decks for the Seven of Cups are choice, ambition, excess, and vision quest.

Transformation occurs when there has been a learning lesson and you choose to create a better choice.

Andrea Reibmayr

Common Meanings

Maybe you have been partying a lot to avoid taking the steps towards what you want in life.  This is a great time to stop wasting your time dreaming about what you want and to get off your metaphorical ass and start working towards it.  Sometimes this manifests as the need to move forward without seeing the whole picture; the leap of faith and trusting that it is all going to work out that is required in such cases.

 In a work related reading the Seven of Cups can indicate that you have lots of options coming your way, either within the job you now work, or offers for something new.  Again, really listen to your inner wisdom in this and remember that if an offer seems to good to be true, it likely is.  Regarding finances, it is a reminder that now is not the best time to make reckless purchases or investments.

 If you are asking about love and relationships, if you are not currently in a relationship, it could be a sign that you have many options to choose from.  The warning here to look past the shiny and really make sure that you make the choice that will be the best long term fit for you.  If you are in an established relationship, the Seven of Cups can show up to highlight options, which may not involve your current relationship.  If you are presented with the option of an affair, really take the time to weigh whether the short-term thrill is worth the potential long-term consequences. 

The Many Faces of The Seven of Cups   

The shadow side – or reversal – of the Seven of Cups can indicate extreme emotions or becoming embroiled in drama.  It can also serve as a warning to be careful of idealizing relationships or people and can indicate that you are being deceived by appearances.  Other meanings of the shadow side are fear of making the wrong choices, frustration at uncertainty, and overwhelm. 

Description of the Seven of Cups

float.  They are all filled with something different.  One has a woman’s head floating above, one is shrouded, hands lifted as in entreaty, and red light emanating from it, one contains a snake, one a dragon with a forked tongue, one a laurel wreath, one overflows with jewels, and one contains a tower.  If you look closer at the cup containing the laurel wreath, there appears to be a skull etched in its side.  One gets the sense in looking at the card, that the figure is facing these cups filled with many choices, like we face many paths in life.

Themes of The Seven of Cups

  • Choices
  • Confusion
  • Fantasies
  • Illusion
  • Imagination
  • New opportunities
  • Options
  • Sentiment
  • Wishful thinking

The Number 7

Seven is an important number.  It is the number of alliance, days of the week, days of creation of the universe.  The number seven is all about learning and understanding at a deeper, more intellectual level. Seven presents’ options and the ability to combine heaven and earth for creating the ideal.

Elements of the Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Contents of the 7 cups:
    – Male figure – possibly archangel Michael suggesting temperance
    – Shrouded figure – what is hidden, ascending consciousness, things yet to be revealed
    – Snake – knowledge and sycophancy
    – Tower – stronghold, security  
    – Laurel wreath – sign of victory, cup has the likeness of a skull, so is the victory false?
    – Jewels – wealth, fame, reputation
    – Dragon with forked tongue – are we hearing lies or the truth?

Herbs for The Seven of Cups

  • Elderberry – astral travel, enhances intuition  
  • Echinacea – psychic insight
  • Mugwort – introspection and intuition, gateway to inner-realms—unveiling who you are and what you need to understand. Promotes lucid dreaming. 
  • Peony – for becoming receptive, opening to your spiritual gifts and intuition
  • Sassafrass – foundation, thoughtful selections

Questions that the Seven of Cups asks us

  • Have you made some choices that haven’t turned out to be as good for you as they initially seemed, and if so, how can you course-correct and come back into true alignment with your spiritual self?
  • Are you having a hard time choosing something, because so many of the options seem great, and have you really checked in with yourself on which is right for you?

That is the Seven of Cups.  Wishing you a week in which you take whatever time you need to make sure your decisions are the right ones for you, no matter how fun and exciting the other stuff seems at first glance.  As always, please leave comments, ask questions, or reach out for a reading. Thank you for reading and please join me next week for the Eight of Cups!

TAROT’S SIX OF CUPS: BEAUTIFUL PAST REVISITED

August 9, 2022 / / 0 Comments
The Six of Cups At the foot of a stone path in a garden leading to a fortress, a child wearing a red hood offers a cup brimming with flowers to a smaller child dressed like a grownup. At their feet are four more cups also filled with flowers, and a sixth cup perches on a pedestal at the base of the path. On the face of the pedestal is a shield with an X inside. In the background we see a figure walking back up the stone path – that of a guard or a watchman perhaps - carrying a spear.
Six of Cups

Time and again we reconnect.  Its like the universe nudges us to give it one more chance.

Nikki Rowe

Overview and common meanings of The Six of Cups 

When the Six of Cups shows up, it is an indication of memories and ties to old friends or lovers being renewed.  This is a time of nostalgia of a happy childhood and the “good old days.”  This is a great invitation to get in touch with your inner child and embrace a sense of the wonder, discovery, and playfulness that children bring to the world.  Alternative names in varying decks are Six of Shells, sentiment, joy, pleasure, and contentment. 

Common Meanings

Six of Cups tells us that sometimes, by revisiting your past, you can gain perspective on your path going forward. Other times the card can indicate the children that are around you. 

In a career related reading, Six of Cups can indicate that you will return to an old job that you once loved, or it could just be a sign of increased harmony and cooperation in your workplace.  If you are curious about finances, Six of Cups can be a sign of a surprise financial gift or an inheritance.  In love, the Six of Cups can be a sign of reuniting with an old lover.  If you have recently ended a relationship, the Six of Cups serves as a gentle reminder to shift your focus from the way a relationship once and see what it evolved (or rather devolved) into. 

The Many Faces of The Six of Cups

The shadow side – or reversal – of the Six of Cups can indicate being stuck in the past.  Sometimes this being stuck in the past is a coping mechanism to avoid being present and moving forward in life.  Other possible shadow indications are regret, the need for forgiveness of self and/or others.  It also serves as a reminder that no person is an island, and there is a need to let walls down and let people in. Sometimes the shadow side of the Six of Cups is a reminder to not take yourself so seriously and remember to bring playfulness to your life. 

Description

At the foot of a stone path in a garden leading to a fortress, a child wearing a red hood offers a cup brimming with flowers to a smaller child dressed like a grownup.  At their feet are four more cups also filled with flowers, and a sixth cup perches on a pedestal at the base of the path.  On the face of the pedestal is a shield with an X inside.  In the background we see a figure walking back up the stone path – that of a guard or a watchman perhaps – carrying a spear. 

Themes of The Six of Cups

  • Allegiance
  • Bonds of friendship, love, history 
  • Contentment
  • Harmony
  • Love
  • Nostalgia
  • Past and Present
  • Playfulness
  • Reconciliation
  • Reuniting with old friends
  • Teamwork
  • Themes of your life
  • Youth

The Number 6

The embodiment of the heart and love.   Emotional relationships, compassion, empathy, and support. 

Elements of the Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Child with red hood – intended as a reminder of childhood and the past
  • Child dressed as an adult – a nod to fairy-tales
  • Flowers – spiritual blossoming and love
  • Watchman and Fortress – protection and safety

Herbs for The Six of Cups

  • Calendula – uplifting moods, restoring well-being, promotes relaxation
  • Damiana – enables us to be more open, and connected within ourselves and with others
  • Heliotrope – Cheerfulness, gaiety, prosperity, and protection
  • Lavender – love, devotion, purity – the innocent state of the soul
  • Sweet Pea – Bliss, love, harmony, thankfulness, and loyalty

Questions that the Six of Cups asks us

  • How can you embrace the enthusiasm of a child in your everyday life, and what would that bring to your present state of adulthood?
  • What lessons from your past are showing up for you to learn again?

That is the Six of Cups.  Wishing you a week of happy reunions and the lightheartedness of your childhood.  Please reach out with questions, comments, or to schedule a reading.  Thank you for reading and please join me next week for The Seven of Cups!

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