Monthly Tarot Musings - August 2023
Welcome back to Monthly Tarot Musings for August 2023! I’m using the Fountain Tarot Deck today, it has incredible artistry and there are so many beautiful layers to work with. Feel free to watch the video to see the free flowing, intuitive style. If you’d prefer to scan through and read - go ahead and peruse!
In this post, I share my insights and interpretations of the Fountain Tarot cards that I drew for this month's reading. I discuss the significance of the Major Arcana cards and how they represent spiritual awakening and understanding. We explore the symbolism and artistry of each card, focusing on the Emperor, the Sun, the Star, and the Ten of Cups. I emphasize the importance of embracing vulnerability, finding hope in darkness, and connecting with our emotions. Join me on this journey of self-discovery and share your own insights as we delve into the world of tarot!
Reminder
Monthly tarot musings are meant to be helpful and enjoyable ways to cultivate self discovery. It is NOT in any way a substitute for therapy. I am also not a comprehensive tarot expert, so if you have some extra insights and knowledge let me know! It’s what I love about tarot most - no matter how much you learn, there is always more to know.
Quick Note
Today I’m using a much more intuitive approach to working with the cards. During July’s tarot musings I sat with the cards for a few days, wrote and made notes. For August though, I pulled these cards an hour ago so you can get an idea of how I work with tarot in session. It's much more intuitive. Really allowing the artwork of the cards to speak to our emotions and to our bodies.
Mindfulness exercise
I always start tarot musings with being present with the cards. For about 30 seconds, I want you to focus in on each individual cards. Notice what sensations come up in your body. What emotions or thoughts bubble up? Let yourself absorb the artwork and see what happens inside of you.
Major Arcana
The first thing that stands out to me is the first line is all Major Arcana cards. The Tarot is split up into many sections, but the first two big sections is the Major arcana and then the Minor arcana. The Major Arcana is also known as trumps, from when tarot cards were used as playing cards. And for people who historically used Tarot for spiritual awakening and understanding, the Major Arcana is really where it's at.
The Minor Arcana wasn't really used with as much reverence until Pamela Coleman Smith illustrated it and breathed new life into it. So the Major Arcana is where we have the most history, story telling, and metaphor. Even down to the order the Major Arcana archetypes fall in. The idea is that The Fool goes through the journey through the steps of the Major Arcana in order to achieve enlightenment. And I was so thrilled to have so much major arcana here.
The Emperor
The Emperor typically is the like highest form of a masculine person. It's the highest form of masculine energy. The archetypal father. He brings structure and organization. The fact that he’s the fourth trump is really synchronous with what he represents.
The number four has a steady energy. Strong, efficient dependable. Four favors a tried and true approach. Fours enjoy advancement and progress, just not a quick new path forward. Four brings security and morality. Very big father energy, right? Masculine energy is all about protect, provide, and order.
So this archetypal father brings structure and organization. In this artwork in the Fountain Tarot Deck the Emperor is standing on a cube, and holding a prism. Again, maybe a cube? If I focus on it too long my eyes go crosseyed.
In the Pamela Coleman Smith illustration the Emperor sits on a stone throne, bringing a solid and cubic sense. He is holding the ankh in his left hand, which is traditionally a symbol of power, authority, and protection. Underneath his red robe he’s wearing armor - so he’s not ready to be in battle, but he’s also not completely relaxed.
Traditionally the Emperor is meant to represent socialization and society at large. Laws and rules that shape society and keep it stable and safe. Like a social contract (look at my college philosophy brain go!)
The Star
The Star is such a beautiful card ,and to be honest we can't really talk about the star without talking about the Tower. The Tower is the sixteenth Major Arcana card and obviously comes before the star. The Tower depicts darkness and a strong building crumbling, set on fire (light…but the destructive kind), and going up in smoke.
Then comes the seventeenth card. The Star. You’ll see the theme of darkness is still here in the star, but there is non-destructive light. The Star is about rejuvenation. Hope. Faith. The pinpoint of light in the darkness that can help you feel seen, can help you feel awe, and can help put things in perspective.
Stars guide. They can help navigate. Stars also can tell us something about ourselves. If you think about astrology, stars illuminate something about who we are. About our relationships. About our world, where we're going.
In the artistry of the Fountain and Pamela Coleman Smith, you see generosity. Generosity of emotion, and generosity of spirit. There’s reciprocity. Nourishment. And vulnerability. The figure in both Star cards is open and vulnerable, stretched open and long. Relaxation and openness. There is no conservation, no hesitation, no guardedness. Which is incredibly brave to be so open.
Six versus Eight Pointed Star
The Fountain Tarot depicts a six pointed star, where as the Pamela Coleman Smith illustration has an eight pointed star. Eight pointed stars is a combination of two squares.
Traditionally squares in tarot represent the temporal - earth, mountains, dirt, rocks, strength. The grit of life.
Versus circles, which represent spirit - expansive, beautiful, awe inducing things that feel beyond our spinning rock. There’s no beginning, no end, just an infinite loop.
The eight pointed stars is the closest squares can become a circle. The closest that earth can become spirit.
But in the Fountain Tarot, we see a six pointed star. If you remember from July’s Musing, six’s represent restored harmony. A time of stability and rejuvenation after a time of conflict. Tower to the Star… so I feel like it fits the spirit of the card really well.
The Sun
Speaking of the sun and round objects representing spirit… The Sun!. In the Fountain Tarot illustration we have the orb of light up at the top, and then these two cubes off in the bottom corners. Balancing the light of spirit and the organization of earth.
This naked child on the swing made of pure sunlight seems so precious and joyous. It’s a pure look at the presentness and playfulness we get to have in childhood, before we’re aware of all the structure and rules around us.
The Sun trump usually brings meanings of joy and success. This idea of golden light washing over everything you see. Things that were ambiguous or difficult to decipher now are clear. You’re able to see where you’re going, and how far you’ve come. Sunlight gives us the gift of vision and warmth.
Everything that comes with full flood of light.
Ten of Cups
I am obsessed with this particular illustration and how it's connecting to the other cards. In the Pamela Coleman Smith illustration, the Ten of Cups reminds me of the Sound of Music…
There’s a couple embracing, and their free arm raising up the sky, open wide with joy and gratitude. The cups are cast across the sky in a rainbow, and children are dancing with each other, not paying any attention to any of it. Just joyfully dancing by themselves.
For the Fountain Tarot Deck, you have a couple in what looks like a swing dance move on top of a cubic pyramid. The figures are leaning on each other, but also open and abandoned in joy.
Typically the fourth card I pull can be a piece of advice, or where to look next. But for these cards it feels like a summary, an incredible moving conclusion to all of these cards.
Something about this particular pyramid shape reminds me of Maslow’s hierarchy. We start at the base of the pyramid with basic physical needs - safety, shelter, food. And then the next level of the pyramid is other forms of need - employment, financial stability. Then the next step we have belonging and connection.
I’m pretty sure I’m forgetting a step…. But the final piece of the hierarchy is self actualization. And I love that we have this at the end of these cards. The self actualized person isn’t in structure and power. Shadow and guidance. And it’s also not fully in child form. It’s a blend of all of these pieces expressed together.
Conclusion
These cards start with the concrete... Strength and power. Something tangible - rules and rubrics and organization.
And then we have this piercing, small light. Offering hope. Rejuvenation. Allowing us to get in touch with our emotion and our intuition. It says we don’t have to be afraid of the dark. We don’t have to be afraid of our shadow selves, things that are unknown, because we do have a light to guide us.
And then that light blooms into becoming a full sun. That sunshine takes this like Cirque du Soleil dancer who’s expressing her emotion through art turns into a child fully present with their own sense of play.
In the full warmth and ray of the sun, we move fully from a place of strength and stability. 90 degree angles. Hard cut edges. To a place of like warmth and sensuality.
And then finally we have the Ten of Cups. This gorgeous encapsulation of everything we’ve seen. The line from the star goes all the way directly into this wonderful light that encircles the couple.
It is the shadow self, the child self, and the adult structure all together in harmony. And the structure is able to give a platform and a sense of strength for the play.
These cards are just really beautiful. It's just like filled my heart with such a sense of joy. Like when I first dealt them, I could feel my heart and my spirit expand. And the more I’ve worked with them, I just can’t help but smile.
I hope these cards are a hopeful message. A little talisman to hold on to in this coming month.
Journal Prompts
What structures, rules, or routines in your life are helpful? Are there any that hold you back? I want you to think about the strength that can be displayed in the emperor in his like structure and groundedness. The Emperor is a more stoic figure, less joyful, open, playful, or loving like the rest of these cards. So ask yourself - what are the helpful and unhelpful pieces of stability?
How can you stay open and vulnerable in the darkness? It’s dark and yet the figure in the Star doesn’t feel the need to hide or self-protect. She’s able to remain wildly vulnerable. What would allow you to do that?
What were you like as a kid? What forms of play did you enjoy most? Play that you participated in the most wholly. Engaged in the most fully. Without any sense of self awareness or self-consciousness. Is there a way to replicate those forms of play now?
Where are you in Maslow’s hierarchy? How close to self-actualization as depicted in that 10 of Cups card? How close to that card do you feel right now on a scale of 1-10? 10 being ‘Girl, I AM those two figures swing dancing on top of a pyramid in full light and abandoned to joy’ and 1 being ‘Are you crazy? I’m at the very very bottom of the pyramid. There is no pyramid. I’m on the ground.”
Light & Structure
Light and structure keeps standing out to me with this card combination.
Light is both an external concept - it helps us see. Shedding light on a situation allows for clarity. But it can also be an internal concept. Light is also used to describe inner passion. That type of light can easily be threatened, pushing us to put our light under a bushel. Light can be blinding and illuminating. Light can create heat and hope.
Structure similarly is something that can enable us or keep us stuck. Sometimes organization gives us clarity and a path forward. Sometimes structure is the golden cage keeping us in the exact same spot. We need structure the same way plants need pots. But also we need flexibility - propagation and repotting are normal parts of life.
Bushels are structures too if you think about it. Find a structure that compliments light - that holds it up, let’s it shine (let it shine, let it shiiine). Like a fabulous candle holder. Find yourself a gorgeous lantern that keeps your light safe while allowing it to shine brightly.
If you have any musings of your own that you want to share, please shoot me an email at emilea@sparrowtherpay.net! If you live in South Carolina and you’re interested in doing this type of work with tarot to create self-discovery and self-actualization… go ahead and schedule that consultation call!
