Start Today with Guidance and a Glimpse of Possibilities

The theme of love continues in the Two of Cups: the Rider Waite image depicts a young man and woman holding their Cups out to each other. Note its compositional similarity to The Lovers: the winged lion represents the merging of spirituality with physical passion, and the symbol beneath it is the caduceus of Hermes, which relates to wisdom and healing. We see in this card the great transformative power of love.

The Queen of Wands sits comfortably and firmly on her throne; in the traditional Rider Waite image she holds her Wand in one hand and a sunflower in the other, and a black cat sits before her, symbolizing protection. The Queen looks calmly out at us and the landscape around her, deeply receptive and appreciative of the good things that life offers her.

One of the most beautiful and beloved cards in a tarot deck, The Star epitomizes hope and healing. Unlike Temperance, here there is no pathway back through the mountains to the outer world beyond: for now, it is enough to simply allow ourselves to rest and to experience the peace that can come after a difficult trial. The Star reminds us that we are whole and that we have an infinite capacity within us to transform the darkness into beautiful light.

The Knight of Wands is in full charge, in contrast to the Page, who stands still, contemplating the adventures before him. The Knight's horse rears up, as keen to begin the quest as his rider, and we have the clear sense of the wind that is created in their wake: the feathers on the figure’s helmet stream out in the rushing air. This is a card of movement, action, and eagerness.

The joy and optimism inherent in Ten of Cups are clear for all to see: the rainbow, a symbol of hope, contains ten images of the suit arching across the sky. Below, a couple looks up, delighted at the sight, while their children dance beside them: the little ones don’t need to see the rainbow itself to be filled with the simple happiness that life can offer.

The Pages in each suit express the element’s most simple, distilled quality. Here, we see the Page regarding his Wand with uncomplicated happiness and anticipation. He relishes Fire’s potentiality, and the sense of an adventure only just beginning.