Crone /  Hag / Hecate – greek goddess of the underworld and mother of witches.

Solitude awaits you and whispers to you wisdoms from the depths. Are you listening? Have you chosen to rest alone in silent knowing? In meditation? With the darkest night and only a lamp to light your way?

Take time out to hear your own thoughts, withdraw from all distractions. Feel your body resting and easeful in this space. Awaken your third eye and you will see that everything before you is a mere projection reflected from within. If you relax you will hear your inner voice speaking in wordless prayer.

Here is the midwife to your spirit, you have called her to bring you to the doorway of a new paradigm. Turning away from busy social spaces to energise your creative expression with your essential life force.

Creative spider woman, fortune teller, spinster, turning inward to your wild woman / wild one, your separatist, your night crawler.

You long for a greater depth of understanding, to look into the pool of truth, soothsayer, seer, aware of the formless wonder from beyond.

Patience, she is waiting to give you advice, be open to this inner guidance regardless if you like it or not.

Fertility in its most exalted sense, the Virgin, Corn, Wheat, the most feminine form of the earth element. Virgo, ruled by Mercury who is in turn exalted in Virgo representing a guide through the lower regions.

References
Mother Peace. Vicky Noble. HarperSanFransisco. 1983.
Songs for the Journey Home. Catherine Cook & Dwariko von Sommaruga. 1996.
Book of Thoth. Aleister Crowley.

Although the first tarot decks did not assign numbers to the major arcana, in the 1600’s the French Marseilles decks began to assign numerical order to the cards whereby VIII was given to the major arcana card Justice and XI to Strength.  However in 1909, the classic Rider Waite Smith deck was the first to reverse that order and many decks today assign the VIII to the Strength archetype.

In the card Strength we often see a woman taming a lion, as a symbol of our journey to take control over our animal instincts, our personality defects, the parts of ourselves that hold us back. This is not to say that the lion as a life form needs to be dominated by humans, but that the part of humans that is unconscious and reactive must be brought into line.

The Thoth deck renames this card Lust XI. It speaks of the gentle acceptance of our base instincts and devoting ourselves energetically to our work. How can we allow love to flow directly through us without becoming diverted by impulsive instincts and reactions? This is the time for an important transformation, to take what is waste matter and alchemise it into gold for the development of the soul.

In the Motherpeace deck Strength is subtitled ‘Finding Magical Helpers’ and speaks of finding a grounded and centred way to experience life’s energy. Tune in to the animal kingdom all around you, the rocks and stones, plants, trees, lakes and rivers. Open yourself to the power of creative manifestation by visualising what you really need at this time, be it a home, a job or a lover, hold that vision in your heart and trust that you can bring it into the physical plane. Believe in magic and help it come into form in what ever practical way necessary.

References

https://www.clavielle.com/the-strength-justice-tarot-controversy
Book of Thoth. Aleister Crowley.
https://tarotx.net/tarot-card-meanings/thoth/lust-thoth.html
Mother Peace. Vicky Noble. HarperSanFransisco. 1983.
http://www.motherpeace.com

Focusing purpose, determination, resilience.

Successful ventures require consistent effort. With this in mind you can proceed. Understand that everything is continually changing however your direction can remain true and unwavering so long as you are committed to authenticity and truth.

Watch your ego and make sure it pulls on the reins with equal power as your spirit so it does not pull to one side and turn your vehicle in circles.

Right action will lead to the achievement you desire, you have all the energy you need for a positive outcome. Work wisely, leave a light foot print on the earth. Acknowledge and honour your vessel, your body. Feed yourself good healthy food and water, don’t rely on abusing stimulants to get you over the finish line.

Balance your emotional, spiritual, physical and intellectual centres. Listen to the wisdom that each of them have to offer you and the venture you are undertaking.

Victory, intense activity, media success, steering your energies, ease, fertilization, travel.

References
Mother Peace. Vicky Noble. HarperSanFransisco. 1983.
Songs for the Journey Home. Catherine Cook & Dwariko von Sommaruga. 1996.
Book of Thoth. Aleister Crowley.
The Way of the Tarot. Alejandro Jodorowsky. Destiny Books 2004.
The Alchemists Tarot. Matsu & Hayat Morrison. 2020
Tarot. Kathleen McCormack. Fontana Books 1973

Union of Opposites, Surrendering to love.

An ambiguous card that points to the finding of what we love most and asks us if we are living in our own truth and joy? When we marry together the polarities of masculine and feminine, Yin and Yang, our inner and outer worlds, we can find peace.

To truly surrender to the beloved requires each of us to be coming from a place of wholeness. There may be a choice to make here, to dive deeper into relationship? To embark on a joint venture? Surely this is a relational space, this is the first Major Arcana card to feature more that one person, usually two. The Gemini twins. Androgynous, Hermaphrodite, self completing.

The inevitable cycles of life create union and dissolution simulatenously and continually.

Unconscious loving leads to dependancy, clinging, jealousy, possessiveness. It is to abandon the self and live only from a place of lack. In order to reach unconditional love it is necessary to have down the physical, mental and emotional groundwork.

To love another is to witness a thousand deaths of people they have outgrown, goals completed or abandoned, personalities discarded,  transformations embraced. To love the self is to allow this to occur within, self acceptance, appreciation, and the ability to be alone as well. To fulfil ones own needs at times when you are the only one who can fully understand them.

References
Mother Peace. Vicky Noble. HarperSanFransisco. 1983.
Songs for the Journey Home. Catherine Cook & Dwariko von Sommaruga. 1996.
Book of Thoth. Aleister Crowley.
The Way of the Tarot. Alejandro Jodorowsky. Destiny Books 2004.
The Alchemists Tarot. Matsu & Hayat Morrison. 2020
Tarot. Kathleen McCormack. Fontana Books 1973

The Pope, The Teacher, Spiritual Authority,

Bridging between the inner and outer worlds The Hierophant is our guide to finding inner truth. When we feel we have reached the peak of our journey, it is The Hierophant who helps us reflect on how far we have come and who will gently show us how much wider our horizons are from this vantage point. They are the externalised spiritual authority, from whom we ask forgiveness.

Sometimes attributed to Venus, and sometimes to the all seeing Jupiter, The Hierophant can also become our own internalised judge, to whom we may be continually trying to please and coming up short.

If corrupted, The Hierophant may manifest as the greedy guru, the abusive parent, the hypocrite, the pervert. We have these negative archetypes within us, and we may find them outside us, repressing our power and our atunement with the Goddess.

Can we forgive ourselves? Can we forgive misdeeds done to us? Can we accept forgiveness when it is granted to us?

Are we blindly accepting the morality imposed apon us by society, family, school, religion? Or are we able to search deep within ourselves for our ‘own truth”?

The Patriarch. The Father. The Authority.

On the positive side, the Emperor is your inner authority, your mature masculinity and your disciplined, controlled self. He is able to lead you steadily to achieve your goals.

However this part of ourselves (and of society) has often becomes toxic. So it’s important when drawing the Emperor to examine if you are trying to control or assert authority over another, or if you are perhaps on the receiving end of this treatment and experiencing some kind of repression.

Therefore, how can you stand with sovereignty and be the master of your own destiny?

Earth Mother, Papatūanuku, Pachamama, Tonantzin, Venus, Ishtar & Aphrodite. She offers an abundance of life nurturing energies as the Goddess of sustenance, receptivity and understanding. Here is the part of you who holds space for healing and prosperity.

She is fertile with new life and her gifts overflow whilst never rendering her empty. Reach down to the core of your creativity and she is there. She takes care of you and helps you rejuvenate with rest and gentleness. She dances in harmony between body and spirit. Invite her to be with you by accepting her offer of positivity and passion for life.

Tap into your creativity, respond to an inner desire and passionately nurture your dream. Take loving care of yourself as you find harmony between body and spirit.

The Empress represents sexuality, she is eve after exile, she dwells in the material world as a contrast to the High Priestess who dwells in the mystery of the underworld.

Here lies the endless power of nature that continually brings new life, here lies the immortality contained within the endless cycles of birth and death.

She speaks to us of creativity, and invites us to embody our artistic nature, as dancers, writers, musicians and all forms of artistic expression, behold her rising energy!

Inner wisdom, intuition and self knowledge. If you’re asking a question or making a decision it’s likely that you already know the answer. Drop deep, turn towards the mystery and let your need for analysis and logic be replaced by silent understanding. Words can only take you so far. It’s time for you to pay attention.

Take a moment today to acknowledge that you are at home within yourself. A child of the earth, oceans, wind, starts and ether. Through focussing your intention you can manifest whatever you visualise. So take some time to reflect quietly on what you really want, and then make a tangible step towards your goal. Feel your way into the outcome, your desire, your direction and ACT. Now is the time to own your path and summon your magical energy to alchemise the raw elements around you. Sing yourself into being. Dance your way through the obstacles. Speak your truth.