Cult of Tarot Forum

(Since I just got this in the mail, I’m going to use it this week. I’ll slip back to the Viscontis next week.)

I’m going to quote myself from the deck stork thread:

Physically, the deck’s a joy: poker sized, nice slippery linen, pretty coated box.

I’m fascinated by Ian's take on the trumps, influenced by the Mantegna and other historic decks, but with a different, creative slant.

The box includes a slip of paper with three lines of text on each trump. From that, it looks like the "official" zero card is someone playing a lute by a crumbling wall. But there are four other unnumbered cards, Wanderer, Trickster, Player, and a title card that's not really the title, but has a quote? that refers to the name of the suit cards deck title, Pike and Clover. So it would be easy to sub in a wanderer or trickster for the fool, if you don't like the musician. The Player looks more like the Judgment angel, with a trumpet but without wings. (The number 20 card in this deck is Fame.)

The suit cards are French suited cards with Marseille-inspired illustrations, meaning there are 2 hearts and 4 spades (or pikes), but they have Marseille flowers and leaves around them. The courts/face cards look very Marseille, too.

Let’s give it a good wash and shuffle and then on to the interview!



Most important characteristic: XIII
It will challenge and maybe put an end to my usual, normal card interpretations.

Strength: Ace of Pikes
Interesting to have pikes instead of swords, but pikes are still instruments of war and killing, just less symbolic and aristocratic. In any event, this is definitely an Ace of Swords card, only with a pike. The deck’s strength is that it is definitely an intellectual deck, an intellectual exercise in creating something new by referring to history, not following more contemporary “tradition.”

Weakness: 5 Diamonds
Hmm, as I mentioned above, I think the physical presentation of the deck is quite good and a strength. And it wasn’t expensive. The only weakness I can think of is it won’t appeal to beginners or more new agey tarot folks because it’s just too “different.” It did have an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign before its successful one . . .

What the deck can teach me: King of Hearts
Is he about to chop that heart in half? Is he a heart breaker? His eyes look so sad, though. Maybe his heart is already broken, and he’s going to get even or express himself by chopping up the poor innocent heart in front of him. Do I really need to continue to learn that people who hurt others are often in pain themselves and lashing out at whoever comes near them? I thought I knew that already all too well . . .

How can I learn it: IIII. Nobleman
He’s detachedly observing the King’s destructive attitude. The next step for me is learning this dumb truth without it emotionally affecting me. I need to rise above it. Realize that, even though it was completely personal, it wasn’t really personal. It happened to me because I was there, maybe because I put myself there. An emperor is higher than a king, and that’s how I’m reading it. But this is only a nobleman? This is one of those cards that’s definitely influenced by the Mantegna.

Outcome of our work together: XIIII. Temperance
This is my card, specifically my “teacher card” according to birth card numerology and Mary Greer’s Who Are You in the Tarot? But it’s a complicated one, and sometimes I find I have to go back to basics to remember the real gist of it. I will find it easy to blend more generally accepted tarot meanings with the interesting idiosyncrasies of this deck. The combination will be more than the sum of its parts. And it will teach me.

Thanks for listening! Have a great week! See you tomorrow for more Rare Triumphs!

Monday
Full moon in Gemini, Crone Moon, Lunar Eclipse



What is brewing in my life? XXI. Eternity
I’m pondering the big questions, life, the universe and everything. I’ve been reading Buddhist scriptures, so I’ve been thinking about past lives, future lives, this life. Eternity!

What ingredient should I add? 4 Spades
I should add meditation. The Buddha didn’t teach us about future lives to upset or worry us. He taught it to tell us we can make this current life better, which can only help any future lives there may be.

What energy am I using to stir this brew? XVI. Thunderbolt
Worry and panic never help anything. But I think that shepherd better get out from under that tree during the thunderstorm. Sensible precautions do help things.

Counsel from my guides: X. Fortune
Not very helpful really, but yes, there are only so many things I can control, the rest just happens to us. The wisdom to know the difference. And also the wisdom to not resent it. This card says go with the flow instead of fighting the waves.

What ingredient should I discard? 3 Clubs
I don’t always have to be doing something or working toward something. Let go and let Fortune lead instead of messing up my plans for doing things.

What needs to brew a little longer? 7 Spades
I should stick with my latest reading/study plan for a while. I haven’t learned what I need to yet, but I might stumble upon it in my reading.

Wisdom from the Crone: Knight of Spades
Same. It doesn’t hurt to be a bit of a know-it-all if you actually know things! My mind can be quick, but my actions should be slow. This is my MBTI card. It will be good for me to let loose my full INTJ self now.

Lunar Eclipse



Earth: My current vision of myself: 7 Hearts
I think I’m an emotional mess. Not really, but there’s always that possibility hanging out there for us Cancer suns!

Moon: Wisdom from my queen self: VI. Love
My mature wisdom comes from my experience of relationship hell. If I didn’t have that, then I wouldn’t be the independent person I am today. True, but what a way to grow! Ugh!

Sun: How can I shine my light? Ace of Spades
I can shine in the intellectual department. That’s where I’d like to shine.

How can I heal my insecurities? 4 Spades
Meditation again. A great way to heal insecurities!

My intuitive wisdom: VIIII. Time
Same topic and same answer as Love. (And the only other major, too!) My wisdom is the wisdom of age and life lived. My questionable past can guide my future, and help others.

These seem to be very insightful readings, and the deck is working, too! I’m not having any trouble reading the French suits.

I hope you all have a happy week!

Tuesday
What do I need to do to become my best self, accomplish what I’m here to accomplish?



Physically: III. Merchant
I should understand and enjoy physical pleasures and comfort. This is a major so it’s saying physical realm is important to me. I need to embrace it in a good way. I kind of like the merchant, whose life is focused on money and things, with the shadow of the Empress in the background, with her emphasis on the body and pleasure.

Emotionally: 7 Spades
My love (7) of learning (Spades) is my true self. In another reading, I talked about how my mom always encouraged me and was proud of me for always reading and being good in school and being curious. I don’t remember much about my childhood, but that is an important memory for me.

Intellectually: 10 Spades
Ok, a whole bunch of spades in this reading, including here in the intellectual position. I need to learn and teach in a social setting (10). I should share my love of learning with a larger group. And that would make it all worthwhile, too. Why just learn a bunch of stuff for myself? And then I’ll probably just forget it anyway. If I teach or study with others, maybe it will make a difference to someone or to me.

Energetically: Queen of Spades
I’m glad to see a bit of feminine here, especially because our Empress is behind the scenes. This is the professor card, so just enforcing all those other spades: I should put my energy into teaching or studying with others.

Spiritually: 9 Diamonds
And back to the physical realm. This is the prudence card. Whatever it is that I teach and learn can be spiritual, but it also needs to be practical, something that I and other people can use to make our lives better in a real way. The 9 of Diamonds is prudence as a virtue. (The GD makes 8 Coins prudence as careful planning, 8 = thoughts + Coins = about practical stuff.) So the focus should be on practical actions that help not just the doer but everyone. People these days don’t like to talk much about virtue and morality, for good reason because for millennia they’ve been used as a way of controlling people, not helping them. But real morality and virtues are now needed more than ever! It’s like no one ever got the memo that lying is wrong!

Anyway, off my soapbox. I’ve done hundreds of readings about my life purpose, etc. and this time I got the answer I wanted! But seriously, it really as resonated with me on a non-verbal level, which I usually don’t get when I read for myself. So this time I’m paying attention, and will try to carry it through.

I hope you have a great day!

Wednesday
A quick why the who is in the what



Well, a very mundane reading today, with 3 work cards! I will be concentrating on my work, and I’ll enjoy whatever little challenges come up (7 Clubs). The first club card I’ve had with this deck! I think I’ll go full work for the major without much influence from the Magician, except that it can imply that he’s a competent, skilled worker. If I had subbed in the Trickster, it would have been a totally different reading!

Have a great day!

Thursday
An advice elemental star: What should I be doing today?



Wow, 2 majors and 2 10s! More than I bargained for. Oh, and all fire and air.

Physically: XI. Strength
I’m feeling a migraine coming on. Right now its a manageable headache and slight nausea. I should power through it, and don’t let it make me weak and whiny today. Maybe some mild exercise might help instead of hurting. Oh, look at the kitty using the column as a scratching post! (Instead of a lion and a broken column.) Cute!

Emotionally: VIII. Justice
And here we have blind justice. I shouldn’t get all emotional and blame-y about anything. Everybody’s just doing the best they can, just like everybody else.

Intellectually: 10 Clubs
Either don’t overwhelm myself today with study, or be sure put some energy into sharing insights with others.

Energetically: 3 Clubs
Do something with the energy I have, don’t just let it dissipate. That’s the advice of my horoscope for today, which is the current Mars trines my birth Mars.

Spiritually: 10 Spades
My rehabilitation of 10 Swords continues! I got my early present of an anthology of scriptures of the 6 major religions. It’s the coolest! https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Norton-A ... Religions/ My spirituality should focus on learning from all the scriptures from all the people of the past and present.

Well, this reading did cheer me up from whining about feeling sick! I hope you have a great day!

Friday
Oldest Spread just because I can, and we can see more majors that way!
What do I need to know about my son’s birthday?



Madman + 9 Spades: The guide paper for the “madman” card says:
“- 0 -
“The artist sits in ruins
“In poverty is inspiration
“The choice of a madman”

If we act the fool or do something crazy, it will be our own fault. Don’t do anything we’ll regret later.

Eternity + 5 Spades: We will be confused about our goal.

Moon + 10 Hearts: Happy family love will prevail, even if we don’t express it very well. Love doesn’t have to be measured.

Sun + 4 Spades: It will be a day of happiness and calm.

Time + 5 Hearts: Enjoy it now because who knows what sorrows time will bring?

Justice + 9 Diamond: We shouldn’t overspend, and I shouldn’t show overt partiality between my son and his fiancé. We’re all family, especially now!

Maybe not the best spread to help me choose a birthday gift, but otherwise good advice!

Have a happy Friday!

Saturday, last day for Rare Triumphs
Norse Nine Worlds Spread, no question



North: 5 Hearts
Forgiving and forgetting isn’t really happening as quickly as it should.

South: XVI. Thunderbolt
And there might be a new blow-up before it’s all over.

East: 10 Hearts
Emotions are running high for everyone, and it’s hard to be surrounded by so much emotion.

West: XX. Fame
But I can rise above it and clear my name of all this negativity.

Inside: VIIII. Time
I feel like I’m too old for this stuff, and ain’t nobody got time for dat!

Outside: Knight of Spades
But I present myself as detached and above it all and able to move on quickly.

Below: 10 Diamonds
Deep down, all this is for the best for everyone, and we’ll all take something away from it.

Above: 5 Spades
Don’t let it confuse us too much.

Center: XVII. Star
The result will be a blessing. Heavenly light will finally shine on everything making things clear, or at least better. And everyone can really move on.

This is a completely hypothetical reading. I have no idea what it’s about. It just seemed to tell me a story, so I went with it. I hate when that happens with a questioner! I’ll be interested to know if anything like this happens to me in the near future . . .

I hope you enjoyed the Rare Triumphs as much as I did. On to the Cary-Yale Visconti starting tomorrow! Have a happy weekend!