Cult of Tarot Forum

This is an invitation to work with one card deck for one week in a group reading.

You can pick any deck: tarot, Lenormand, Kipper, oracle or playing cards. From this deck, you'll draw one card per day - i.e., seven Daily Cards from your Deck of the Week that allow you to get to know the deck better, to hone your reading skills and get new insights about your life.

In a Planetary Week reading, we don't only draw a card per day but also give it a topic. We focus on motifs, topics, patterns in our lives, inspired by the planetary ruler of every weekday (for background information, look here).

On Saturdays, ruled by Saturn: Obstacles and Blockades,
on Sundays, ruled by the Sun: Inspiration and Goals,
on Mondays, ruled by the Moon: Dreams and Fears,
on Tuesdays, ruled by Mars: Conflicts and Challenges,
on Wednesdays, ruled by Mercury: Interactions and Change,
on Thursdays, ruled by Jupiter: Power and Influences, and
on Fridays, ruled by Venus: Love and Attraction.


The focus words I chose for each planet/day are not binding. Please don't limit yourself to the two short words if you feel other aspects of the planet are relevant to your reading.



There are different ways to perform a Planetary Week reading.

Traditional: draw a card per day and use the prism of the planetary influence to connect the card to your day and life.

Selective: select a card that suits the topic of each weekday and use it as affirmation and empowerment to improve your life.

Day-by-day: draw or pick your daily card one by one through the week.

Summarily: draw or pick all cards together before the week starts and treat them as a complete reading.


And what about those who just want to have a Deck of the Week, Card of the Day reading? They can just jump in and leave the planetary lore away.


Share pictures if you can or want to.

No matter how we do it - by reminding ourselves of the planetary regents and their influence, we re-connect to the sevenfold cycle of time that our ancestors established, with their eyes to the sky.



Participants:
Amoroso - Lo Scarabeo Sola Busca Tarot
Nemia - Haindl Tarot
Dodalisque - Beatles Tarot
Chiscotheque - Golden Age of Hollywood Tarot
CharlotteK - Sacred Circle Tarot

I'll use the LoS Sola Busca this week.

I'll again follow the planetary focus words, but this time it's in conjunction with the theme of transformation/metamorphosis, which I aim to explore.

Amoroso, that sounds fascinating! I'm still pondering which deck to use... the Haindl! It was my second deck, and I haven't used it yet as deck of the week.

The Haindl Tarot - one of my first tarot loves. I used to love this deck... but my love cooled a bit when I saw two Youtube videos about Haindl and his work. That man really took himself very very seriously. He has a mystical-pompous way of talking about himself and his art that I find really quite obnoxious. The man was a commercial artist for many years, he doesn't have to give himself artifical gravitas by waxing spiritually. Much as I like his painting style, I understand now that many of the cards were not painted for their specific purpose but were parts of larger paintings that were made to fit to the card meanings somehow.

Another doubtful point is for me the ease with which Haindl, who had been a Wehrmacht solider in WWII, adopted Hebrew symbols and letters. I'm not overly fond of the "cultural appropriation" claim because I'm fundamentally in favor of getting to know everybody's heritage, but in the case of Haindl, it makes me a bit uncomfortable. I don't know what Haindl did on the Eastern front and I recognize that he tried later in his political and artistic endeavours to "make up" for the past. And yet I feel that he's in a strange position to use Jewish symbols the way he did when he painted his Tree of Life.

As native German, I've simply seen to many people who claim a great love for everything Jewish but there's no real interest or understanding behind the declarations, just the wish to belong to the "good Germans". Let's say I'm suspicious of Germans in Haindl's age and with his biography. Before he claims to understand the Jewish soul, before he claims to contribute to peace in a peace-less world (name of one of his exhibitions), let him tell us first what he did in the war. Sorry if that sounds too judgmental, I speak here from my own family background and from disappointments like Grass who played the moral authority figure for decades until we found out about his SS past that he had hushed up nicely. (I confess that I didn't read Haindl's autobiography, I should probably do that and THEN speak again - I'll try to find the book).

I had to get that off my heart. It's the reason why I find it heard to work with this deck that I used to love. In spite of these drawbacks, I still find the Haindl one of the most beautiful and interesting tarot decks from an artistic and conceptual point of view.

And here we have the Saturn card - the Four of Wands.

Day 1 - Saturday, ruled by Saturn: Obstacles and Blockades Card : 6 of Cups - City Lights

This is a card of great innocence and love, so it's position in a reading about obstacles and blockades is either ironic or oblique. Although sound had firmly established itself, Chaplin continued to make his films in the style he had when making silents. Chaplin's perfectionism was in full-force during the making of this film, which took 3 years to complete. He wrote, produced, directed, and starred in City Lights, which came to be considered not only his greatest film but one of the greatest films of all time.

In the story, Chaplin as his Little Tramp character falls for a poor, simple, beautiful flower-selling girl who is blind. One night, he saves a drunkard from drowning himself. That drunkard turns out to be a very rich man, and he and Charlie become fast friends - but only when the man is drunk. When sober, he can't remember much of anything, let alone who Charlie is (in America, he would be Supreme Court Justice material). When inebriated, the rich man gives Charlie the money needed to perform surgery on the flower-girl to restore her sight, but when the rich man sobers up he accuses Charlie of thievery. Charlie does time in jail and when he returns to freedom he visits the flower-girl, selling flowers in a posh flower store and able to see thanks to Charlie. Looking at him on the street, all she sees is a pathetic little tramp, but when she touches his hand she realizes who he is and what he has done for her.

Sentimental as all get out, this card with today's theme could suggest too much sentimentality may prove an impediment. Conversely, it may indicate certain modes and feelings may appear outdated but can in actuality provide something poignant and lasting. This card may argue that taking too much on one's self, being a fusspot, a hopeless dreamer, and ultimately a martyr looms as a possible danger. And yet, at the same time, sight was restored to the blind and a great cinematic work of art was created from just such a self-sacrifice. A subtext of the card may point to a psychic split between being a successful, sober, if somewhat mean pillar of society and the compensatory urge to become blackout drunk, suicidal, yet open-hearted.

In real life, Charlie had problems, legal and otherwise, due to his dalliances with young girls - a problem I don't have to worry about. But he was also vilified for his political beliefs, hounded about whether or not he was a Jew, and ultimately exiled from America during the McCarthy era by HUAC. This may advocate for judiciousness on my part when voicing my social and political opinions in mixed company.

Addendum: I spent the morning writing a song. In the afternoon and into the evening, I performed music from the 50s & 60s with my father and a couple of his old school chums. After dark, in preparation for their transfer from Super 8 to digital format, I attempted to view some old home movies, mostly of myself as a child. I didn't get very far because the projector wouldn't focus or stop fluttering so I couldn't properly see.

Day 2 - Sunday, ruled by the Sun: Inspiration and Goals Card: 10 of Batons - For Whom The Bell Tolls

This card is about taking on too much and being overwhelmed by it. Taking everything on one's own shoulders, being forced into a corner, burning bridges, and in the end getting totally burnt out. The film is based on a Hemingway novel, the title of which is taken from a Donne poem: "any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee." As it happens, this was a poem often recited in its entirety by my grandfather-in-law who died this last winter by assisted suicide at the age of 100.

The film concerns an impossible mission by anti-fascist guerillas to dynamite a bridge during the Spanish Civil War. Some of the themes include the ever-present reality of death, camaraderie as a kind of compensation to death, the role of moral and political ideology, suicide as a way of escaping pain, and the value of self-sacrifice.

Both Hemingway and Gary Cooper exhibited a rather insufferable machismo, befitting the terminal card of the male suit of Batons. That brand of pig-headed manliness is a trap I've always aspired to impede the advance of, if not blow up entirely. That said, I am a man and men are half of humanity - if occasionally only half human. There is comradeship there, and help to be had on either side. This card then, with today's particular assignation, suggests the lesson that integrity can still be had by sharing my ambitions and burdens. Indeed, doing so will lead to greater success and a deeper engagement with humanity, for no man is an island. We are born alone and we die alone, but we live together.

Addendum: I awoke at 4, and because the clocks went back, it was actually 3. This meant I had a very long day, at the end of which I was dead tired. I went to an interview for a volunteer position assessing musical instruments, records, and books, and got the job. One of the books I noticed set aside on a shelf there was Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms (seen at the bottom of the 10 of Batons card). In the afternoon, a friend in Montreal posted an article from The Toronto Star written by Hemingway in 1923 which assesses Mussolini (Il Duce being an obvious parallel to The Don). I didn't mention this earlier, but the day before I spent the morning writing a song, one of the lines of which is "make way for tomorrow / the bell that's yet to toll."

Day 3 - Monday, ruled by the Moon: Dreams and Fears Card: Justice XIII The Screen Actors Guild

This is a very political card, about standing up for one's rights, negotiating, maintaining law & order, and backroom skullduggery. Noted on the card is the Hollywood Canteen, a club for servicemen offering food, dance, and entertainment and staffed by Hollywood stars pitching in for the war effort. Yesterday I applied for and was given a volunteer job. This may all be for the greater good, or perhaps this card is suggesting I stick to the agreed upon workload rather than get caught up being far more involved with the non-profit than I feel comfortable with, something I can see being a real danger.

The personal involvement of FDR in SAG's formation and Ronald Reagan's position as union president and later President of the United States, points to politics, especially US politics, and so the highly contentious and extremely important mid-term elections tomorrow. Speaking about it with a friend last night, he firmly believes there will be civil unrest and possibly the implementation of martial law. The Right have been busy gerrymandering districts and inventing new forms of voter suppression, and Trump - who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - has been inciting hatred and fear. Trump's alt-right agenda is insidious and intentionally harmful for the majority of Americans, and of the many nasty aspects of that agenda, one of most concern to me is the political reshaping of the judicial system. The appointment of Kavanagh was not just about Roe vs. Wade - Kavanagh is anti-union, against the Chevron Deference doctrine, and pro-presidential immunity - criminal charges being a very real threat to Trump. While I don't live in the US, what happens there greatly affects my country and the world.

On a more personal level, this card could be telling me to be more judicious with my time, with my involvements, and with my allegiances.
Addendum: A friend showed up unexpectedly and we spent the morning editing his book of poetry - a task that had been pending for some time. I did some chores around the place and then worked for a spell in the music studio. I spent the evening with my parents, where I ended up mediating between their manner of talking at each other. Then, exhibiting judiciousness, I went to bed early.

Day 4 - Tuesday, ruled by Mars: Conflicts and Challenges Card: 3 of Spades - Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Well, one would be hard-pressed to find a more apt card in the GAHT for this somewhat super-Tuesday, in which crucial mid-term elections are being held in the US. This film made a deep impression on me as a 10-year-old, reflecting as it does one's perspective at that age: naive, sincere, and idealistic. The bad guys are unquestionably bad - beating up little kids - with the slight exception of Claude Rains, who is always somehow charming even when playing a cad. And although she was never really more than a light comedic actress, this film began a low-key one-way love-affair between me and Jean Arthur, whose voice was a mixture of bubble-wrap being popped, helium, and ice clinking in a glass. What I loved about Jean Arthur was not only her pluck, her sarcasm, and her genuineness, but the way within the film she was first and foremost Mr. Smith's friend, resolutely in his corner.

Mr. Smith premiered in Constitutional Hall in Washington. It was attacked by both the media and the Congress for being Anti-American and Pro-Communist because it dared to suggest corruption and incompetence could exist in the United States Capitol. Made on the eve of WWII, the film was banned by countries antagonistic to democracy. Although the ending of the film is ambiguous as to whether the greater good wins out over self-interest, Mr. Smith has become a quintessential underdog and whistle-blower fable. Hopefully, this signifies an about-face to the current state of affairs in Alt-Right USA.

On a darker note, despite all the flag-waving and star-spangled optimism, the challenge this card may expose is how societal solutions do not reside in politics - especially the current mode of American politics. There is a tide rising in the world towards fascism, with a home-grown version welling up within the self-proclaimed protectors of liberty, the US. The unquestionably corrupt, self-seeking, and hateful forces do not exist exclusively in the demagogues and tycoons, but in us.

Addendum: The day began with me finally getting around to doing some editorial work on the computer. It proved a little more taxing than I'd foreseen, and I ended up having to abandon the enterprise part way through. I certainly could've used the secretarial help and camaraderie of Jean Arthur's Clarissa. In the evening, I watched the mid-term results - everything seemed to run pretty smooth, no civil unrest, nor to the best of my knowledge any beating up of little kids.

Day 5 - Wednesday, ruled by Mercury: Interactions and Change Card: The High Priestess II Mae West
Yesterday, I openly hoped the 3 of Spades would signify "an about-face", and today, with Dali's Trompe-l'œil of Mae West's face looming and inviting, the first line in the GAHT companion key for The High Priestess reads "The comedy of Mae West is the comedy of the about-face". West represents a revolution of sorts in the traditional role of women in society - specifically, the formal roles of power, representation, and direction. As Mr. Smith yesterday clearly alluded to the US mid-terms, Mae West today clearly alludes to the victory of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, with a record number of women candidates running for and being elected to office, including the first Muslim congresswoman, the first Native American congresswoman, and the youngest congresswoman. As a gay icon, West here may also allude to the first openly gay person elected governor in America.

The sexual aspect of West may suggest the turned-tables of the #MeToo movement. We are at the moment, after all, under the sign of Scorpio. Here, on The High Priestess card, West stands with her arms outstretched, a little like a scorpion and a little like Christ on the cross. She is dressed as a bat, the "Gaudian of the Night", often feared and misunderstood as omens of evil, but in fact symbols of rebirth. Contrary to superstition, bats have strong family bonds, signify transformation and spirituality, and are incredibly agile thanks to their use of sonar - a skill unique in the animal world. West is dressed in the blue of the Democrats, while the Trump-l'œil wall behind her is Republican red. It may be worth noting West became popular at the beginning of the Great Depression, when people were worried about their fate and had lost faith in the status quo. Before long, West was co-opted into the power structures that be and, her humour essentially desexed, sunk into obscurity and self-parody.

On a personal level, I will be looking out for any interactions of a spiritual nature - for me, hardly a change - and also for any subtle innuendo of change, especially if it's blue.

Addendum: Brisk and exceptionally sunny, it was a beautiful autumn day. I spent most of it outside, working in nature. Curiously, the only people I interacted with directly were women, notably a young girl who stopped to ask me for directions. No spiritual revelations, and no sexual innuendos whatsoever - all in all a simple, rather solitary day... I even went to bed early and got plenty of much-needed rest.

Day 6 - Thursday, ruled by Jupiter: Power and Influences Card: King of Cups - Clark Gable
I consider Cups my suit, so one would think the king of it would suit me just fine. But actually, I have always considered the King of Cups to be a problematic character; someone at core afraid of true feeling, who controls their emotions so that they can control the emotions of others and in the end becomes something of a monster. To me, Clark Gable was this kind of man.

As an awkward adolescent, he came under the mentorship of the acting coach Josephine Dillon. Dillon changed Gable's walk, his talk, his teeth, and transformed his persona into the one he would go on to make a lifelong career of: the confident man's man and lothario, admired by both men and women. When Gable became a desirable Hollywood star, he threw Dillon over. When he began an affair with Carole Lombard, he threw his 2nd wife over. When his new wife Lombarde was out raising money for the war effort, Gable was cheating on her with Lana Turner. He personally had George Cukor removed from Gone With The Wind because Gable found the director's homosexuality objectionable. In 1935, Gable date-raped Loretta Young; she later bore a child from the incident whom she ingeniously contrived to "adopt". Pretty much every step of the way Gable was a cad and got away with it because of his manipulative charm, his rugged good looks, and deference to his status. As Gable got older and went to pot, he became embittered and remorseful, an arch conservative, and an alcoholic. The King of Cups, then, especially in the position of Power and Influences, feels like a warning - stay true to feeling, don't wield it to some self-centred advantage or use it to beguile others.

This card focuses on one person, Clark Gable, but it could also indicate the allure generally of mass-culture and celebrity. The record label encircling Gable's eye - giving him in effect a black eye - is the hit single "You Made Me Love You", sung to Gable by the 15-year-old Judy Garland. The song makes the inducement explicit: "I didn't want to do it/ you made me want you / and all the time you knew it". Here, an up-and-coming actress - herself being manicured by the Studio System - is acting the part of an average young girl infatuated by the "The King of Hollywood". The song she sings to him became a Nationwide hit, and a model of cross-marketing promotion. The visceral power and influence of pop-culture is ubiquitous and perfidious; the realm of emotion must not be conquered and ruled over, but remain genuine and ingenuous.

Addendum: Overall I felt all day a solemn and assured sense of agency. I attended to various things about the place which needed upkeep and then, in the afternoon and into the cold night, I worked on the performance and recording of a song. Which, I must say, not only went off without a hitch but without me imposing my will, everything proceeding intuitively, as sometimes one experiences a state of grace, the full import of which one only realizes after it's past.

Day 7 - Friday, ruled by Venus: Love and Attraction Card: KIng of Spades - Humphrey Bogart
At first glance, both the King of Spades and Humphrey Bogart as a signifier for Love and Attraction seems strange and unlikely. But then, as I've said on previous Fridays, interpretations for the realm of Venus are bound to be awkward as my inamorata and I are currently living in different cities. And as usual, on closer inspection, the tarot may indeed have something salient to say.

First off, rather like assuming a card's meaning at face value, who Bogart was in real life differed in key ways from the public persona he spent years crafting on film. For instance, he was born into a family of high social standing on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and attended a prestigious private school. He was rather sensitive as a child and remained so as a man. He grew to hate Hollywood but admired writers - he subscribed to the Harvard Law Review, was an avid reader, and could quote from Plato, Pope, and Shakespeare. Easily bored, he sometimes indulged in practical jokes and pranks. Due perhaps to an ambivalent relationship with his mother, Bogart was the opposite of a lady's man. Nevertheless, he had married twice before wedding the would-be actress Mayo Methot in 1938. Methot was an insanely jealous woman, and when she drank she would become paranoid, vicious, and physically violent. The couple's rows became infamous in Hollywood, who dubbed them "The Battling Bogarts". As Bogart's celebrity rose, Methot's sank, and they both aggravated the situation by drinking chronically and to excess. Unhappy as Bogart was - Methot literally stabbing him in the back on one occasion - he was resigned to this cruel and unhealthy marriage. Here, on the King of Spades card, the woman clinging to Bogart's neck is his wife, the actress Mayo Methot.

Reversed, the King of Spades can indicate manipulation, oppression, & abuse, but upright it indicates clear-thinking, authority, & truth. The image here of Bogart is his career-making role as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon . At the end of the film, he throws over the woman he ostensibly loves rather than suffer himself for her transgressions. Within a few years of making The Maltese Falcon, Bogart met the love of his life, Lauren Bacall, an emotional epiphany which compelled Bogart to divorce Methot and to - within reason at any rate - clean-up his act. Fittingly, Bacall is represented in the GAHT as the Queen of Spades.

I was stuck for years in an abusive, unhealthy relationship, rife with jealousy, spitefulness, deceit, mental anguish, and all fueled by alcohol. When I met the love of my life, it afforded me the clarity and strength of character to extricate myself from that madness and move forward not only emotionally but in all my life pursuits. For her care, authenticity, and elevation, I am forever indebted to the Queen of Spades (even if, within a few short years, I die of lung cancer).

By the bye, today, November 9th, is the woman Methot Mayo represents for me - my ex's - birthday.

.

Nemia wrote: ↑03 Nov 2018, 10:46 Amoroso, that sounds fascinating! I'm still pondering which deck to use... the Haindl! It was my second deck, and I haven't used it yet as deck of the week.

I hope it will bear good fruit, Nemia. All the Planetary Weeks that I've joined have given me useful insights so far.

Back after a bad patch. I'm not going to try and catch up but will start today with Sacred Circle Tarot.

Monday, ruled by the Moon: Dreams and Fears.

Seven of Discs (Prudence)

There are no shortcuts, no easy way to get to where I want to be. This is a work related card. I have a dream for my team and as I have discovered in the last week or so, only a few truly share it, but even fewer are prepared to work for it. Am I? Yesterday I was not sure I was. Today I am thinking I must, because without my hard work and consistent effort, there really is no chance of any of it coming to fruition.

Saturday, ruled by Saturn: Obstacles and Blockades King of Cups (suit of George)

The character of the King of Cups combines the intelligence and toughness required of a king with the emotional and loving qualities associated with the element of Water. In other words, this is a conflicted character. He has jobs to do and responsibilities that must be fulfilled, but temperamentally he would much rather be enjoying himself. His heart may wish to be compassionate and loving but his head knows that a less sentimental approach is absolutely required of him. So George has his head - his intellectual centre, his kingly part, if you like - above the water, but nine-tenths of his being - his heart and his guitar (cf. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps") - completely submerged. The problem with passive enjoyment is that not much practical stuff gets done. So George is seated and drinking tea rather playing his guitar or performing necessary duties on dry land. A Court card can either refer to another person in your life or some aspect of your own character.
Later: Indeed, Saturday was a wasted day. A friend, a King of Cups character if there ever was one, phoned early in the morning to borrow some money for dope and booze - in true Beatles tradition I might add in his defence - and he also needed me to drive him across town to the party. Even though I had a list of chores to accomplish, the day never did get back on track. I should have taken the card as an early morning warning.

I'm in stress mode right now. I had the Five of stones for Sunday, and the 8 of Wands for Monday. I have the cards right next to me but neither light nor power to take a picture. And now, oh dear oh dear, the Tower for Tuesday - so much Mars, that's the answer it seems to the Empress on Friday...

Pictures later, and thoughts, too. Terribly busy days, wonderfully busy days

Sunday, ruled by the Sun: Inspiration and Goals 6 of Sticks (suit of Ringo)

Traditionally this is the card of victory. Wands (or Sticks in this case) equate to Fire (or Energy), and the number 6 is associated in numerology with love. What does energy love? Victory! Energy strives for success. So the card seems to be saying that what inspires me is the prospect of achieving success and status. If so, I'm not sure that is a good thing. Ego based? Materialistic? Creative work should first and foremost be play. Nothing is more serious than play. But Ringo is not playing drums here. In fact his tambourine (replacing the flag on the Waite-Smith 6 of Wands) is held uselessly aloft on the end of his stick like a halo that's slipped. Ringo's horse is being led by a personal valet, a symbol of success, and the drumsticks visible are Ringo's own signature brand, another popular symbol of status. Nevertheless, even though Ringo is a winner and he is smiling, the background is rather desolate. When we do finally achieve success on the material plane, the experience can often be disappointing. The English poet Philip Larkin refers to it in a poem about lust, loveless sex, as "fulfillment's desolate attic", and the Sticks tumbling around him look like they are falling down or are perhaps an unnecessary surplus. Ringo looks completely out of place, not at all like a member of the ruling classes out for a canter round his estate. Maybe he's not familiar with the sensation of victory. I'm thinking of that Paul Simon song "Something So Right": "When something goes right/It's apt to confuse me/Because it's such an unusual sight." These are the reversed meanings of the card and a little negative, but actually the combination of Fire with the loving number 6 might also suggest I'm about to all in love today with a sexy babe. No, the Paul Simon song stuck in my head is drowning out that unlikely possibility.
Later: Following on from Saturday's King of Cups I feel a theme emerging this week about developing the proper attitudes necessary to do creative work. My birthday is on Wed Nov 7 this week and I have been fruitlessly mulling over various writing projects for a long time. Maybe my birthday is a good time for a new beginning - to get serious about something I've always dreamed of doing but never had the "right stuff". Sat was about getting more disciplined and not wasting time on idle enjoyment. Today is about forgetting about winning the Nobel prize and just writing because I love the sound of words and the coincidences that happen when they start bumping into one another. Maybe the most important figure on the card is the anonymous valet, quietly leading the horse (Pegasus?), patiently making progress by putting one foot in front of the other, head modestly lowered.

Monday, ruled by the Moon: Dreams and Fears 8 of S/words (suit of John)

In the Waite-Smith deck and in the Beatles Tarot this is a gloomy oppressive card. Stuckness seems to be the subject. 8s in the minor cards of the tarot generally have the effect of doubling the fixity associated with 4s. The Air suit is traditionally connected to the theme of language and ideas, of the intellect, of fantasies and delusions. So this card shows someone trapped in a circle of firmly established obsessions. Maybe I've spent so many years dreaming of writing stories and poems, while avoiding any actual work out of fear of failure, that the entire art form is associated in my mind with guilt and claustrophobic misery. The seated figure with his face scratched out is John's friend Stuart Sutcliffe who started as an untalented bass player in the band and then died in his teens, possibly of a drug overdose. He was really a painter but John insisted on having him in the band just because they were friends. John was devastated by his death and felt partially responsible. Stuart reappears in the deck as The Hanged Man (XII). The woman in the middle mirror is Julia Lennon, John's birth mother who abandoned him when he was a toddler, and then was killed in a car accident. John never got to properly express his love for her face to face. There are two images of John curled in the foetal position as if clenched in pain. The two outer images in the mirrors are of Yoko wearing a blindfold. John's worst nightmare was to be separated from Yoko, his true self no longer seen by her. At the top of the card, looking subterranean, like a corner of hell, is the stage at the Cavern Club where The Beatles began their rise to the top. Stuart never got to experience that. He was dead before the heady success of The Cavern days. He seems to be trapped in his own private hell with that constant reminder hanging over his head of chances missed.
Later: The cards this week are starting to have the feel to me less of a day by day prediction than of a general life reading. My approaching birthday is reminding me powerfully that time is passing and that I might not have too many more chances to have a bash at fulfilling a dream or two. Do I really want to end up in hell next to Stuart Sutcliffe, a faceless nobody full of regrets. But Stuart was a painter not a musician. Maybe I'd have more fun in the world of creativity doing something I have no talent for at all, like painting or knitting. I certainly wouldn't be inhibited by expectations of success (cf. the Sunday card). Hmmn, escape from the circle of Swords and simply walk away. Or the subject matter visible in the card, applied to my own life experience, might be the source for the poems and stories I should be writing. Jeepers, who'd want to read something as miserable as this card looks? Maybe I need to use art, in whatever form, as a way of escaping from these black and white nightmares. Just walk away, escape the inhibitions and sorrows associated with the past.

and then died in his teens, possibly of a drug overdose.

Hi Dodalisque. Stuart actually died of a brain haemorrhage, probably caused from an injury to the head during a fight with the boyfriends of adoring female fans in Liverpool. John, however, always worried that it had been caused by him, during a brief fist-fight they had.
I notice you avoided mentioning the rows of empty liquor bottles lined up behind him.
Stuart's hands form a heart, more or less over his crotch. This could allude to a homosexual connection John had with Stuart. Maybe this card is alluding to a seminal friend you had in your late teens and early 20s? John considered Stuart his "alter-ego".
Stuart was indeed a painter - maybe the card is suggesting you should pursue some kind of personal expression that isn't cerebral, as are words.

Saturday - Obstacles and Blockades

Two of Swords

The card depicts a nearly naked youth listening to an old man. He looks as if he's listening intently to what his mentor is saying, but the fact that they both grasp their swords means that they don't fully trust each other.

This means that if I truly wish to effect a transformation, I must first let my defenses go and fully immerse myself in the wisdom of the ages. Sometimes I feel like reading accounts of events gone by can be a sort of regression, that they don't really apply to the present because certainly things are vastly different and more complicated compared to then. I have to listen more carefully, dig deeper into the events of the past so that I can extract the timeless and universal lessons that they hold. Only by fully opening my mind can I expand my horizon and gain the wisdom that will serve me in good stead in the future.

This Two of Swords also suggests mental activity, energy, and enthusiasm. All the best enterprises can only be carried to completion through sheer effort and prodigious vigor. I must exert myself more if I truly wish to reach a higher level.

My main obstacle to change is in not utilizing all the educative resources at my disposal in order to bring it on.

Sunday - Inspiration and Goals

VII. Deo Tauro

This is one of the very few Chariots I've encountered that depicts a triumphal procession in profile. No horses seem to pull him, and it's suggested that it's Destiny that impels him to move ever onward, from victory to victory. He has the laurels of conquest adorning his brow and the scepter of lightning, reminiscent of the power of the chief of the Olympian gods, grasped firmly in his fist. For the moment, he holds the world in awe, and even so he plots and plans to extend his dominion.

This means that my primary impetus for transformation is the desire for recognition and glory. Victory tastes sweeter than the most heavenly nectar, and it is this, something to savor again and again, that compels me to aim for greater heights. It can only be wrought at the cost of great labor, pain, and sacrifice. But by fixing my eyes on the prize, by disregarding the present toil and holding the scene of my future triumph, of a bright and gleaming future full of promise, I'd be able to withstand anything and everything.

The purple color of the chariot suggests that my primary goal is more than mundane material gain, altho that would come attendant to the prize that I seek. It's not merely nobility and position either, but the eventual mastery of body, mind, and spirit. In the end, my goal is to win against my basest impulses, and in so doing be at one with my higher self.

My main inspiration in searching for change is the promise of gaining an exalted position, won through sweet victories and acclaim.

By the way, I did mention that the card as per its number (VII) and depiction seems to be equated to The Chariot, but some say that the Sola Busca majors don't really follow the traditional structures. I try my utmost to interpret them on their own.

Tuesday, ruled by Mars: Conflicts and Challenges

Two of Wands (Courage)

So yesterday's counsel was that there were no shortcuts to achieving my dreams, just hard work and effort. Today is along a similar theme and here the challenge presented is about bringing my ideas to fruition, in particular the willpower and dedication required and having real courage of conviction. Have I got the stamina, tenacity or sheer mental strength to carry on with this huge engagement challenge at work and making my vision for my team a reality? I don't know that I have any other option except perhaps to give up, and that's no option really.

Tuesday, ruled by Mars: Conflicts and Challenges Queen of Swords (suit of John)


The Queens in The Beatles Tarot are represented by their wives. Here is a picture of Yoko during a live art performance before she met John, when members of the audience were invited to come forward and cut off pieces of her clothing with a pair of scissors. The work was partly a commentary on the voyeuristic exploitation of female nudity in art and also on the subject of violence against women. The ladder refers to an incident that happened on the evening that John first met Yoko. At an art exhibition of hers in London, John climbed a ladder and used a magnifying glass that was suspended there to read the word "Yes" which was written on the ceiling in tiny print. The positive message had a remarkable effect on John, who was going through a period of deep personal confusion in his life. The ladder also calls to mind the idea of the "hustings", an Old Norse word to describe a temporary platform erected for political candidates to address the public. Because today is the day of important US mid-term elections, and today's Tuesday theme is "conflicts and challenges", it is hard not to see political significance in the card. Perhaps the deciding factor will be the female voters outraged by Trump's anti-feminist bias, such as his attitude to abortion, and the scandalous sexual history of Brett Kavanaugh, his nominee to head the Supreme Court. Yoko looks like those women knitting at the foot of the guillotine during the French Revolution. The Queen of Swords blends the mental clarity of the Air suit with the warm emotional quality associated with the feminine element of Water. This is truth and passion working hand in hand.

However, since the other cards in this planetary week have an autobiographical tendency, there may be an alternative way of reading the card. We should not always assume that all the cards featuring female characters involve women. Men also can demonstrate the qualities of the Queen of Swords, when they are concerned with the nature of truth itself rather than the implementation of truthful principles, which is the job of the King of Swords, who starts wars over such matters. Perhaps the card is recommending that, in order to make art, I first need to climb the ladder of awareness to discover exactly what I truly believe. In the context of making art, what do I stand for? What would I proclaim from the top of that ladder? Yoko's humility, vulnerability, and nakedness seem like a good place to start. This is the card of truth - or at least how we behave when we believe that what we feel is also the same thing as the truth.

Monday - Dreams and Fears

Queen of Wands. Palas

The Queen of Wands wears a cream ensemble relieved only by a deeply red drape. This symbolizes a mature, discerning intellect that can be capable of ruling fairly, but which can fly into passionate rages when provoked. There is a determined but kind expression in her visage, indicative of the benevolence and noblesse oblige of a mighty sovereign who's secure in her throne. This is also illustrated by the fact that she holds the Wand of Office in her left hand, while with her right she offers a benediction. She can also be a patroness, a powerful protector, or a benevolent dictator. She can also be capable of humility, pragmatism, and a connection to her subjects, as indicated by her comfortable position in her Wooden Throne

This perfectly encapsulates the dreams and fears with which I behold a metamorphosis. I know that I'm capable of beneficience and generosity, but I still have a problem with my temper, and I can sometimes run into a great rage under inauspicious circumstances. Upon ascending to a position of authority, I know that I can be kind and shrewd and capable, but with my current maturity, I can see how easily I can devolve to become a tyrant. I should develop character and sangfroid, and strive to restrain my pride and passion.

My main dream that can only be fulfilled by triggering a metamorphosis is to become a strong and determined leader, while I fear that I may abuse my authority by still being captive to my emotions.

Tuesday - Conflicts and Challenges

King of Swords. Alecxandro M

The King of Swords surprised me with his presence, since his is the very card that I drew as my Card of the Month for this November. Quoting my description of him:

Here we come to the exalted monarch, the King of Swords - Alecxandro Magno - better known as Alexander the Great. Beneath his crown, he wears a helmet armor, indicating that while he may be a king, he's also a skilled warrior. He swings a red sword with his right hand while with his left he grasps a globus cruciger. This boasts his imperial authority and penchant for conquest - with his blade, he can conquer the world. Like the dual nature of the ebon griffins that surround his throne, this also suggests his two-fold authority, both material and spiritual. His visage sports a haughty, daring sneer, indicative of the extreme confidence and security with which he wields his power.

He wears a red coat of armor and violet stockings, suggesting his willingness to go to war to preserve his monarchic privileges. His throne has classic columns for armrests, upon which is affixed a wheel. This is symbolic of an institutional authority that changes to fit the needs of the populace, becoming neither stagnant nor out of touch. It is something that can aspire to the monumental, or the eternal. The four black griffins surrounding his throne highlight the connection between the earthly power and strength of the lion and the celestial influence and wisdom of the eagle. This suggests that his reign has the blessing of the divine, that that as portended by the Wheel, it is destiny that brought him to his exalted position, invoking the divine right of kings.

He is the Warrior King who can nevertheless be a strong and just monarch in times of peace. He upholds the human and universal laws, and with his symbols of office and regalia of power, he insists on submission to a higher will.

This unequivocally states that my path to transformation is littered with challenges, roadblocks, and competition. It is not something that will be handed to me in a silver platter - it is something that I have to fight for, sweat for, and bleed for. It promises the richest rewards, but until then I'd have to give it my all. I can use this as motivation though. If my battles become too intense, if I'm on the verge of defeat and beginning to lose hope, I can just find inspiration in how the real Alexander managed to overcome great odds in order to acquire that which he believed was rightfully his. The King of Swords might portend toil and trouble, but he also vows victory to those who holds on and stands their ground.

This is shaping up to be another wondrous Planetary Week for me. 2 Courts and a Major in 4 cards portends a fateful sequence. I've noticed that all of the cards that I've drawn so far are elementally or visually active, indicative of motion, activity, and advancement. I'm looking forward to what the rest of the week would bring.

What a week I had until now!!! Let's see what we had.

I think I will from now on, in order to make things easier for me, make a list at the beginning of the week and then fill it in. Whose idea was that? It wasn't mine (although I do the equinox and solstice readings that way), but i think it might be interesting.

I will re-read the book and see where I connect... maybe tonight.

Deck: Haindl


Saturday, November 3rd:


Saturday is the day of obstacles, and what is it in the 4 Wands that gives me a hint about the things that make me stumble - or not take the fence at all? Energies go up and down - a nice balance - is it stagnation? I don't know.



Sunday, Nov 4:

Sunday, day of aspiration and inspiration - Five Cups, oh I know the projects where I disappointed myself. Still playing consistently beneath my level at work. Always letting others take the applause. Hm. Why do I do that? Why do I set myself up consistently for background roles? I don't know.



Monday, Nov 5:

Monday, Hermit, that fits quite nicely. When I work from my intuition, when I work alone, things go well. And here we have the answer why I don't run for center stage roles in my job: I don't really want it. I prefer to do it all alone.



Tuesday, Nov 6:


No, there was no catastrophe on the double Mars day. Tuesday and Mars' Tower together gave me an unexpected resolution to unhappiness that existed for many years. Two of my brothers had a horrible quarrel some years ago - the frustration, distrust and rivalry of many years exploded, both said unforgivable things, and they haven't spoken since then. For my mother, that was a Tower event. On Tuesday night, they spoke for the first time again because we arrange a birthday surprise for our mother... and my sister and I simply stood by and watched how the boys started to put out feelers. This is an anti-Tower, an Anti-Mars event. How strange. My mother is a Scorpio, and Scorpio's main star is Antares, the Anti-Mars. In short, it all fits together. Now let's hope the two find a new way of relating to each other. I love them both very deeply. And I can't believe the cards picked up these energies of Tower consequences and Tower re-building... Well, the Haindl is an amazing deck.



Wednesday, Nov 7:


8 Wands for today. Let's see how that works out.

It worked very well. Lots of activity, lots of communication. The card obviously suited my day, I can't think of any big message coming along with it... oh yes, of course I can. It was a Gemini who made the whole project on that day happen, some hectic-but-fun communication, fast decisions and wonderful atmosphere. Totally mercurial.



Thursday, Nov 8:



7 Stones for Thursday, Jupiter's day, the day of power relationships, authority, benevolent or not so benevolent leadership. The card reminds me of Sisyphos and his efforts, all in vain, to get that rock where it belongs.

That's not a bad association at all. I can totally relate to the concept of Sisyphos as a happy person. Much of our daily lives is Sisyphian and I love it. Housework, garden, repetitive work - I find it relaxing and I have no problem with stagnation.



Friday, Nov 9:


For today, my dear Venus day, it's Kali, Mother of Wands. It's the dark side of the Queen of Wands' energy, and I again find myself struggling with Haindl's concept of the court cards. These are ARCHETYPES, Hermann, not court cards! person or character cards. They are loaded with associations - directions (East), cultures (India), gods (Kali), family positions (Mother)... it's too much for me. The Queen of Wands is a card I can relate to, she's a woman full of energy to whose positive traits I can aspire though most often, I'm not active and driven enough. There are such characters in my life and I love and admire them. But this Kali is too far removed from the approachable realm of court cards.

I would have loved if Haindl had made "normal" court cards and added these 16 cards as additional oracle cards - for deeper energies in your life, for human relationships, for patterns, actually like the additional majors some decks have. Well well. I have to live with the deck the way it it



The whole week - some cards that were amazingly precise, either about ongoing troubles in my life or about the specific day and its events. I'm much attached to this deck and in spite of my dislike for Hermann Haindl's self stylization as priest of justice, reconciliation and world peace I still like his art.


The book though... with all respect to Rachel Pollack... is so general that I don't get any messages from it at all. Everything is about growth, change and all these new age buzzwords that say nothing concrete. Too many tarot books are like that. All the cards are soooo meaningful that in the end, every card can mean nearly anything.

I had a good week with this deck, it's thought provoking and imo very very beautiful. All those earth colours and textures. I like that.

Wednesday - Interactions and Change

Seven of Wands

The Seven of Wands in the position of Mercury suggests that in my pursuit of change, I must not neglect the social component, and strategize how these interactions can be harnessed to my benefit. In spite of his considerable burden, the well dressed young man in the card carries it off with aplomb and grace, even taking a bow as if he's celebrating the end of a performance. That's how the social angle should be exploited - with life as theatre and the world as a stage.

Regardless of all the hardships that meaningful change would entail, I must not let my mask slip, must not let the sweat and strain show. I must adhere to the ideal of sprezzatura and still act with dignity and grace even if I'm placed under tremendous duress. Nobody likes whiners - I must show tremendous progress while still looking as if it all took very minimal effort.

The seven staves may symbolize the seven liberal arts. This is a reminder to be discerning in my choice of the company that I keep, and to be partial to those who would complement and be able to keep up with my trajectory.

The image also shows the protagonist in the act of laying down his burden. This means that it should not be sturm und drang all the time. I must have some time for recreation, and it would be best if I do this with the people that I feel closest to, with the ones that I truly care for. I should be able to compartmentalize - if it's time to play, I should lay aside my worries and focus on the fun to be had. These should serve as an effective pressure valve, and should I need to hoist my burdens again I'd find myself refreshed, with a renewed energy to carry on with my toils.

Wednesday, ruled by Mercury: Interactions and Change.

Rebirth (Judgment)

Had a bit of an epiphany in terms of tackling things in a different way. Realised I can't keep doing the same things and expect different results.


Thursday, ruled by Jupiter: Power and Influences.

The Warrior (Strength)

Not sure I felt terribly warrior like today but had the opportunity to have my say and stick up for some of my thoughts and ideas.

Thursday - Power and Influence

Knave of Amphorae

The card shows a splendidly-dressed youth, attired in a robe of many colors, symbolizing a penchant for the display of his station or comeliness. This suggests that to incite meaningful change, it should not only be internal or out of view. The fruits of the power and exaltation that is its gift should be made manifest to the public, not only to enhance their esteem for him but even more importantly, his belief in himself. It does not mean that it should be flaunted flagrantly - there is a way to project power through finery and personal appearance while still keeping it all in good taste.

The knave can be seen studying an amphora filled with blossoms. This means that he is not just keen on experiencing love and desire, which is the domain of the suit aqueous. More than savoring it, he is keen to study it, experiment a bit to observe its manifold effects, see how he can polish his talents to a brazen sheen and thereby refine them to a preternaturally effective degree. The purple column upon which the cup rests attests to his desire to learn only from the masters, from the very best. The flowers indicate that to him, amour is not mere theoretical construct - it is a leaving and breathing art, which flourishes the more that it is practised. The moneybag behind him suggests that wherever this endeavor may lead, money would surely follow.

For the Knave of Amphorae, a transformation of his paradigms on power and influence means a shift of focus on how these may be made manifest through desire, spectacle, and the manipulation of emotions. This is where a recalibration of my studies would bear the most fruit.

Friday - Love and Attraction

XIII. Catone

For the card of Love and Attraction, I finally came full circle. In the beginning, I resolved to interpret this planetary week through the lens of the Atu of Scorpio, the major of Transformation and Change, and see how the boons of the various days can help me in realizing this for myself. It's so apt that to close this week I drew the very card to which I dedicated it, i.e. with XIII. Catone, or Death. I can't believe how inspired this is. It reminds me of one of opera's greatest masterworks: Wagner's Leibestod from Tristan und Isolde, or Love-Death.

In my previous planetary weeks, I've always drawn a special card for Friday: The World, Death Reversed, andKnight of Pentacles Reversed. Now we come to the full blossoming of the Venus sequence with the arrival of this card. This association is heightened by the appearance of the eight-pointed star at the upper right corner of the image. This is known as the Star of Venus, the ideogram of Ishtar, the symbol of the alchemical union of spirit and matter. This represents the illumination/enlightenment of those who have passed the darker regions of one's soul as part of their inner odyssey, corresponding to the exploration of the Shadow in our readings with the Tarot. This aspiration to reach a fuller knowledge of the self is important in the quest for metamorphosis. We have to identify and know this shadow intimately, realize its violence, destructiveness, and intransigence and then, like what happens in the Black Opera, delving into the nether quarters of our subconscious to blind it.

This card confirms that the greatest part of my quest for transformation and change would take part in the sphere of love and attraction, and that I may realize the full benefits of this metamorphosis through strengthening my advantages and exploring my weaknesses in this area. As can be seen in the Catone card, with victory towards one's self comes triumph over one's enemies, a glorious fate that is predestined, as can be seen in the banner he unrolls. On it is written "OR FATIS" - or "TRAHOR FATIS", the motto that's also emblazoned in the Ace of Amphorae (a card which holds a special meaning to me), the Cup of Love. It means "I am drawn by Destiny".

On the card is depicted a soldier with laurels on his brow, signifying glory and acclaim. Indifferently, he supports a lance over his right shoulder, the business end of which is driven through the eye of a decapitated rival. This is emblematic of an easy, indifferent, and violent victory, whether over one's baser self or one's actual enemies. Love is a fierce battlefield, and only those with the wherewithal to remain ruthless and keep their wits around them would be able to stand on their feet until the end. Paradoxically, in the game of amour, it's the one who maintains an inner dispassion who wins it all. His contemplative stance depicts a sense of intellectuality amidst the rigors of battle. This suggests a strategic mindset, in this instance intimating the man's desire to fully acquaint himself with the laws of human nature, to fully master the calculus of the human heart.

Friday, ruled by Venus: Love and Attraction.

Five of Swords - Defeat


Not an auspicious card for a Venus day! Here there is a pointer to accepting limitations, not holding out for a pipe dream, focussing on the art of the possible rather than lofty romantic ideals. I guess after seven years of marriage and a child (it's our anniversary in a fortnight) the passionate romance has 'settled down' into something more 'comfortable'. I feel very far from defeated in the live and attraction stakes, but I suppose I do sometimes have a little daydream of being romanced a little more than I am. Perhaps all this card is saying to me is "be realistic".