Cult of Tarot Forum

And here we go again - what a wonderful feeling! My old Signposts of the Year readings are here.


Sacred Days of Midsummer 2020 - Pharos Tarot (majors only)


My reasons for choosing this deck: it deals with the symbolism of light and is painted with an impressive sensitivity to light and colour. It's a majors-only deck and since I'm undergoing many changes right now, I feel this is the right time (and the first time) to do a Quarter of the Year reading with majors only. I really want to hear and understand the messages of the cards.

Unfortunately, I'm so busy that I can't write every day. I do draw a card every morning and put it up on my magnetic wall (i.e., an old fridge in my studio) but I don't always have the time to take a picture and write about it.



More about the deck here.

1. Birth of the Muses – June 14: This card shows how our inspiration and creativity is manifesting.


The Sun


We start with - the Sun. The Sun is the Lamp, the part of the lighthouse that is absolutely vital. I'm still amazed by the geniality of this deck! To those who don't know it - the majors of the tarot are functioning as a lighthouse in this deck. Each major has a role to fulfill.

And what is a lighthouse? A man-made structure that allows people to find their way - to find home - or to enter unknown territory - or to save themselves from getting lost or getting into trouble.

Just like the tarot, as a matter of fact.


And the great light is shining on me. I've looked for it. I love the star light, the light of the moon, I rarely seek out the sun. I did now - and the sun found me.

I have so many associations with this wonderful card right now.


MMM's explanations in the book that goes with the deck describe for the first time in a many years my own situation. I could never identify with the sun. I can now. The solar twins - Gemini - that's now.

And look what we have on my tarot calendar right now.


It's Sunday (the Sun card from the Cosmos Tarot and Oracle is for the weekday). And we're in the solar decan of Gemini (the Sun card from the Tabula Mundi and mini RWS is for the decan). A triple sun as first card of the Summer Solstice reading! If I haven't stepped from the darkness into light, tell me what else can it mean?

I have made some changes in my life - and they have made me happy. That happiness warms and lightens up my life. I burn my fuel, yes. But I know that I'm going in the right direction.

2. Vestalia – June 15: An ancient Roman festival dedicated to Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth. This card shows us our hearth, the fire at the center of our life and home, and how to tend to it.


Death



It's Death - and that's a surprising card for the Vestalia. Hestia/Vesta, the goddess of the hearth, is one of my favourite goddesses - along with Aphrodite and Demeter, she's one of my "inner conference of goddesses" according to Shinoda Bolen, much more so than Athene, Artemis, Hera or Persephone - and one goddess not mentioned by Bolen is dear old Hekate, also very important to me. And oh, actually, there she is, Hekate in disguise as Death.

There have been drastic changes in our home life and I still find it difficult to adjust to them. The fact that I'm the mother of adult children who get along perfectly without me, who chose to live or travel abroad, who are independent of me and my husband, is encouraging on the one hand - that's what our educational goal was: educate independent individuals who make their own decisions. But my desire to protect, to nourish, to give love, overwhelms me at times. It's one of the reasons why I decided to work with children again. In a way, I bury the young mother I was so joyfully, and become the Crone.

There are also some home-related worries that Death confronts me with.

Thinking about it, this card is not as weird in the Vestalia position as I'd like to think...



Death in the Pharos Tarot

3. Night of the Teardrop – June 16: Remembrance of the tears of Isis causing the Nile River to overflow. This card shows what our emotions are telling us at this time.


The Emperor


Emotions - for a long time, my emotions were closer to the tear drop than the smile, in spite of ups and downs... Somehow, I know how, my former optimism and happy mood disappeared, eaten up by guilt and remorse about bad decisions and egoism. I couldn't shake them off, these bad feelings. A kind of self indulgence of negativity that I recognized and then felt bad about, too. A vicious circle that I find hard to break although I have hopes that I stopped the wheel.

The Emperor means a lot in this context. It's my father and my husband - two Aries men, one angry and frightening (in my memory - he had other sides, too), the other strong, kind and protective. It's my need for structure and control over my vicious anger inside - I have Mars in Aries which is truly frightening sometimes, and I can be a fiend when angry. I have fought a hard struggle to get my aggressions under control.

But the Emperor also reminds me of the card I did for the We Are One Tarot - after many years, finally some creative work. I have started again drawing, and I finally found a way to structure my time, too.

The Emperor is for me the decision to put my own emotional needs on the backburner and focus on tough matters instead. And for my emotions, that's good.

It's a surprising card, again, in this position, but one that makes perfect sense.



The Emperor in the Pharos Tarot

4. Juno, Goddess of Fertility and Union – June 17: Celebrating the ancient Roman goddess for whom the month of June is named. This card shows us an area of fertile growth in our lives.


The Moon



Wow, what a reading. Sun - Death - Emperor - Moon. I'm moving from bright, clear places to dark, murky ones in a wonderful movement. Great rhythm! I'll make photos later, have to work again. Fertile growth in the unconscious - doesn't that sound promising?

Juno is the sky and air goddess, the queen of goddesses, unfairly remembered only as jealous Xanthippe making life hard for her philandering husband Jupiter/Zeus. But her protest against his behaviour is understandable and I see her as defender of the dignity of women (even if her methods are not exactly fair). She's not one of my favourite goddesses but for me, she's about self respect. A regal goddess. A protector. The female form of genius is called juno - all women have one.

On her day, the Moon makes an appearance - the trump that is very far removed from her, the foghorn that leads us through darkness, using sound. Repressed memories come up. My juno will hopefully continue to lead me. I don't go the easy way, I make things difficult for myself, I cling to illusions, and I have to rely on the foghorn of conscience and intuition to find my way.

The combination Moon-Juno is certainly a good symbolic image of the difficulties I make for myself - and since it seems I can't change it, I might as well celebrate and accept it.

The Moon in the Pharos Tarot

5. Festival of Strawberries – June 18: As the strawberries ripen, this card shows us the sweetness in our lives and encourages us to live in the moment.


Tower



That's the price I pay for choosing a majors only deck The Tower! In a way, the Tower is the harsh side of the Emperor, Mars and Aries belong together, but if I see the loving side of the Emperor more clearly today than ever before, even I find it difficult to find a positive side to the Tower. Only the obvious "blessing in disguise" aspect - that the Tower shows destruction of structures that have to be destroyed, need to fall.

Btw, the first time I ever found a mistake in M.M.Meleen's writing is in her text about the Tower - which is associated with the path between Netzach and Hod - and Hod is NOT the sephirah of Mars but of Mercury. Mars is higher, since the planet is farther away from us. Malkuth is Earth, Yesod the Moon, and next comes Mercury and Hod.

But back to my card. Sweetness in life - live in the moment - enjoy the Tower!

Immediately when I saw the card I knew what it meant, very concretely. Twice this year a bitter and horrible event has given me the kick in the backside that I needed. The first was much more horrible and sad than the second - a tragic death, a truly sad loss that shook me up and gave me something I had nearly lost - my faith. Yes, a lovely young woman left us and in leaving, gave me back my faith.

The second Tower event was a bit more than a month ago. thanks to Corona, I had no income anymore and for our family, the outlook was bleak. An official warning letter was the kick I needed. Two hours later, I had a new job, much lower than my qualifications - actually the kind of job I started out with many many years ago. But I enjoy it and it brings a low but steady income, just what I needed. Without false pride, I embrace this job and enjoy it. Even my body, unused to physically exhausting work for the last 25 years, enjoys it. And by now, other work offers start to come in again.

I have learned to welcome the Tower's after effects but I hope it won't strike me again.


The Tower in the Pharos Tarot

6. Oak King – June 19: A dedication to the Oak King, who is now near the height of his power in his battle with the Holly King. This card shows us our strength.


Lovers



The Compass - Hathor - and it's the time of the year for Gemini and the warm, sun-filled colours again - and my strength is my love. My husband is my soul mate, my love, my pole star, and the better I know him, the more I love him. He is difficult to know since he's very very different from me. Sometimes we laugh about HOW differently we see the world. But we have steered our family ship for many years together now, each of us contributing our strengths. We are a perfect team and I know that without him, my life wouldn't have become what it turned out to be.


The Lovers in the Pharos Tarot

7. Scrying – June 20: In the tradition of scrying at the time of Midsummer, this card shows us a blessing to come.


Adjustment



A blessing to come - probably in September, Libra time - which will bring balance where it's lacking? I can't know what it is but I hope it's a good thing.



Adjustment in the Pharos Tarot

8. Summer Solstice – June 21: We are at the height of the sun’s power, the longest day, in the Northern Hemisphere; OR in the Southern Hemisphere this day is the turning point for the days to get longer. This card shows us how to shine our own light like the Sun.

The Hanged Man



9. Honey Moon – June 22: This card shows us how to release anxieties or worries, how to enjoy ourselves.

10. Saint John’s Eve – June 23: Like the herbs traditionally gathered on St. John’s Eve, this card shows what protects or heals us.

11. Guru Purnima – June 24: Indian festival of expressing gratitude to teachers. This card reminds us of a lesson we have learned, or an experience or person who taught us something, that we should remember and have gratitude for as we move forward.

12. Parvati, Earth Mother – June 25: The card shows us how to ground ourselves and how to connect with the earth’s abundance.

I keep drawing my cards every morning but can only put them up on the board, then I have to rush to work. Tomorrow is the last day - I feel as though I didn't get the maximum effect and joy from this reading although I know and feel that everything I need to know is up there on the old fridge door. Amazing deck, the Pharos. I smile when I see it.

Let's hope tomorrow I'll have the energy to write everything down and take some pictures.

At least I have finally made a picture!


I'll keep the reading on the fridge door until I have written everything down. Let's hope tonight I'll have time...

Sacred Days of Midsummer - affirmations for the next year, half year, quarter year...



1. Birth of the Muses – June 14: This card shows how our inspiration and creativity is manifesting.

The Sun - The Lamp

I will let my sun shine, I will let optimism lead me instead of pessimism, I will stop making myself smaller than I am.


2. Vestalia – June 15: An ancient Roman festival dedicated to Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth. This card shows us our hearth, the fire at the center of our life and home, and how to tend to it.

Death - The Walk

I will accept that worry and fear are part of life, I will accept change, I will accept the passing of time.


3. Night of the Teardrop – June 16: Remembrance of the tears of Isis causing the Nile River to overflow. This card shows what our emotions are telling us at this time.

The Emperor - the Azimuth

I will balance emotion and ratio better, I will take over more responsibility, I will continue to appreciate my husband.


4. Juno, Goddess of Fertility and Union – June 17: Celebrating the ancient Roman goddess for whom the month of June is named. This card shows us an area of fertile growth in our lives.

The Moon - the Foghorn

I will draw on the hidden power of dreams and imagination, I will make more art and rely on my intuition.


5. Festival of Strawberries – June 18: As the strawberries ripen, this card shows us the sweetness in our lives and encourages us to live in the moment.

The Tower - the Rod

I will enjoy life to the fullest because I have learned how quickly lightning can come and destroy everything. I will escape the prison of fear.


6. Oak King – June 19: A dedication to the Oak King, who is now near the height of his power in his battle with the Holly King. This card shows us our strength.

The Lovers - The Compass

I will continue to seek compromise and cooperation. I will let my conscience lead me.


7. Scrying – June 20: In the tradition of scrying at the time of Midsummer, this card shows us a blessing to come.

Adjustment - the Pivot

I will find my ideal balance at work and won't resist further changes. I will consider all my needs and weigh them fairly against the needs of others. I will treat myself as well as I treat others.


8. Summer Solstice – June 21: We are at the height of the sun’s power, the longest day, in the Northern Hemisphere; OR in the Southern Hemisphere this day is the turning point for the days to get longer. This card shows us how to shine our own light like the Sun.

The Hanged Man - the Sea

I will learn to change my point of view. I will stop interfering in the lives of others.


9. Honey Moon – June 22: This card shows us how to release anxieties or worries, how to enjoy ourselves.

The Priestess - The Ship

I will intensify my spiritual life. I will infuse my everyday life with magic.


10. Saint John’s Eve – June 23: Like the herbs traditionally gathered on St. John’s Eve, this card shows what protects or heals us.

The Universe - The Keeper

I will keep the goal in mind and welcome it.


11. Guru Purnima – June 24: Indian festival of expressing gratitude to teachers. This card reminds us of a lesson we have learned, or an experience or person who taught us something, that we should remember and have gratitude for as we move forward.

The Hermit - the Lantern

I will keep my inner light burning. I will continue to learn and to teach.


12. Parvati, Earth Mother – June 25: The card shows us how to ground ourselves and how to connect with the earth’s abundance.

The Aeon - the Flame

I will open myself to the insight of the circle. I will learn to let go.



The meaning of this reading is clear as crystal. It reminded me strongly of one of my favourite poems - Goethe's Selige Sehnsucht (which I had to interpret at school in my oral Abitur examinations - and got the highest points possible, I just UNDERSTOOD it on that long ago day).


Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Selige Sehnsucht

Sagt es niemand, nur den Weisen,
Weil die Menge gleich verhöhnet,
Das Lebend'ge will ich preisen,
Das nach Flammentod sich sehnet.

In der Liebesnächte Kühlung,
Die dich zeugte, wo du zeugtest,
Überfällt dich fremde Fühlung
Wenn die stille Kerze leuchtet.

Nicht mehr bleibest du umfangen
In der Finsternis Beschattung,
Und dich reißet neu Verlangen
Auf zu höherer Begattung.

Keine Ferne macht dich schwierig,
Kommst geflogen und gebannt,
Und zuletzt, des Lichts begierig,
Bist du Schmetterling verbrannt.

Und so lang du das nicht hast,
Dieses: Stirb und Werde!
Bist du nur ein trüber Gast
Auf der dunklen Erde.


The English translation is not bad but ... you know there is no way to translate lyric.


Blessed Longing by Goethe (Translated by John O'Donohue)

Tell no one else, only the wise
For the crowd will sneer at one
I wish to praise what is fully alive,
What longs to flame toward death.

When the calm enfolds the love-nights
That created you, where you have created
A feeling from the Unknown steals over you
While the tranquil candle burns.

You remain no longer caught
In the peneumbral gloom
You are stirred and new, you desire
To soar to higher creativity.

No distance makes you ambivalent.
You come on wings, enchanted
In such hunger for light, you
Become the butterfly burnt to nothing.

So long as you have not lived this:
To die is to become new,
You remain a gloomy guest
On the dark earth.