Naomi
04-25-2008, 03:01 PM
I have my own system of reading tarot cards, depending on the situation I will use the Sword and Shield spread, the Tree of Life spread or more recently, the Tetractys (http://forums.abrahadabra.com/showthread.php?t=2611&highlight=tetractys).
http://www.dazimua.com/images/occult/tarot-sword-shield.jpg
You treat this as it's called, a sword and a shield. It's a special spread for attacking a problem. It shows you how to defend yourself from all angles and how to destroy the root of the issue.
Mine is slightly modified from what others are doing.
1. You, standing behind the shield, wielding the sword. This is your stance, weak or strong.
2. Your issue or the person, your target. All things have a way of being reversed, so it could go either way (if you're using ill-dignified/upside down cards)
3. Some prefer to call this the crown, I usually see it as the standard of the shield, or more esoterically, how the will of heaven is working on the situation, beyond the obvious. Some believe you can't control fate if it's from above. Me, I believe in yanking god in the ballz if he needs it.
4. The right, the light and dark side of the situation, what caused this to happen and perhaps what occurred in the past, distant or future influence arising from previous incarnations. This is what was written to cause the changes leading up to this.
5. The path, or what's protecting your legs. This is the arena conditions you have to fight in. It also represents the present and your chosen path, the one that features this obstacle.
6. The left, the indeterminate, the unknown. You need to pay attention to this card. This can be where further problems arise. It also represents the future, though indeterminatedly so - you shouldn't count on it. In the stance this is the side where more attackers come from unprotected by your sword. So if you think of it that way you can also see how vulnerable you are.
The Sword
7. This is your hilt, it's how you grasp the situation in the first place and your starting point for combat. So if you're trying to think of how to approach, say, your boss, you might look at this card. It could also signify a change in your attitude is needed especially if it is ill-dignified.
8.-9. are the two sides of the sword, representing the world of wisdom and compassion, one tends to use the heart and the other the head. So if you like you can pick which one you would like to represent the two sides, but I would apply wisdom first to 8 since it's closer to the hilt, and heart for 9.
I also would do this because nin in Japanese means perserverance or enduring, which is written as a heart kanji beneath a sword kanji. The most sacred number in Ninjutsu is the number 9. Anytime you are dealing with compassion (which is really a warrior trait believe it or not) you are used to cutting the heart so that is really the logic behind that.
So for this you will be dealing with the one side of the sword, your emotional needs (9) and your practical needs (8) fundamentally attached to the will of heaven which cares nothing for futile sacrifice.
10. And then we come to ten, which is the point of the sword, a reflection of the tetractys because of the triangular shape of the sword point and the number 10, which reflects also the nature of the spread as a mutation of the tree of life. This is how to kill your problem, or how it might happen, and what will happen when you attack it or kill it - not all things need to be attacked mind you. So be cautious. :laugh:
I have a different way of reading the tree of life and I want to explain it later...feel free to expose your own reading styles in this thread here.
http://www.dazimua.com/images/occult/tarot-sword-shield.jpg
You treat this as it's called, a sword and a shield. It's a special spread for attacking a problem. It shows you how to defend yourself from all angles and how to destroy the root of the issue.
Mine is slightly modified from what others are doing.
1. You, standing behind the shield, wielding the sword. This is your stance, weak or strong.
2. Your issue or the person, your target. All things have a way of being reversed, so it could go either way (if you're using ill-dignified/upside down cards)
3. Some prefer to call this the crown, I usually see it as the standard of the shield, or more esoterically, how the will of heaven is working on the situation, beyond the obvious. Some believe you can't control fate if it's from above. Me, I believe in yanking god in the ballz if he needs it.
4. The right, the light and dark side of the situation, what caused this to happen and perhaps what occurred in the past, distant or future influence arising from previous incarnations. This is what was written to cause the changes leading up to this.
5. The path, or what's protecting your legs. This is the arena conditions you have to fight in. It also represents the present and your chosen path, the one that features this obstacle.
6. The left, the indeterminate, the unknown. You need to pay attention to this card. This can be where further problems arise. It also represents the future, though indeterminatedly so - you shouldn't count on it. In the stance this is the side where more attackers come from unprotected by your sword. So if you think of it that way you can also see how vulnerable you are.
The Sword
7. This is your hilt, it's how you grasp the situation in the first place and your starting point for combat. So if you're trying to think of how to approach, say, your boss, you might look at this card. It could also signify a change in your attitude is needed especially if it is ill-dignified.
8.-9. are the two sides of the sword, representing the world of wisdom and compassion, one tends to use the heart and the other the head. So if you like you can pick which one you would like to represent the two sides, but I would apply wisdom first to 8 since it's closer to the hilt, and heart for 9.
I also would do this because nin in Japanese means perserverance or enduring, which is written as a heart kanji beneath a sword kanji. The most sacred number in Ninjutsu is the number 9. Anytime you are dealing with compassion (which is really a warrior trait believe it or not) you are used to cutting the heart so that is really the logic behind that.
So for this you will be dealing with the one side of the sword, your emotional needs (9) and your practical needs (8) fundamentally attached to the will of heaven which cares nothing for futile sacrifice.
10. And then we come to ten, which is the point of the sword, a reflection of the tetractys because of the triangular shape of the sword point and the number 10, which reflects also the nature of the spread as a mutation of the tree of life. This is how to kill your problem, or how it might happen, and what will happen when you attack it or kill it - not all things need to be attacked mind you. So be cautious. :laugh:
I have a different way of reading the tree of life and I want to explain it later...feel free to expose your own reading styles in this thread here.