Start Today with Guidance and a Glimpse of Possibilities

The Devil card depicts a male and a female demon, with chains about their necks, held captive by a central devil figure. Although if examined more closely: the chains are loose. These human-like figures could easily slip out of them and be free. Their captivity, therefore, is optional; or perhaps a price that they are willing to pay for something else. The Devil, thus, represents what can happen when primal forces, kept in harmony by Temperance and used with direction by The Hanged Man, are allowed to rage unchecked.

The Four of Cups depicts, in the Rider Waite version of the card, a man sitting with arms crossed, looking fed up and disinterested in life. A hand holding a Cup appears from a cloud - an echo of the suit’s Ace, while three other Cups are lined up in front of the man. Here we see what can happen if Water’s receptivity is not tempered by another element: passivity has turned to apathy.

The card of Temperance concerns balance, and harmony achieved through successfully merging all the many elements of our lives. This is seen literally in the image of the angel pouring water from one cup into another, mixing the streams in a never-ending flow. The card hints at it figuratively, too, in the way in which the figure stands with one foot on land - a symbol of the outer world - and one foot in the water, which is representative of the inner one. The path in the card’s background suggests that, with the hard-won self-awareness and openness to change brought about by The Hanged Man and Death, we are now ready to return to our lives, clarified, and with a new sense of purpose.

Justice is the card of ultimate karma, with her open gaze, set of scales, and a double-edged sword: we receive exactly what we deserve. Make note that, unlike other traditional depictions of Justice, here the figure wears no blindfold. This points to the core elements of the card: truth, honesty, and clear-sightedness. We must fully recognize the past events that have led to our present situation in order to understand and move beyond it. When Justice appears in a reading it should always be given special attention. Look her fully in the eye, and listen carefully to the message she has for you.

Through the successful completion of the journey of self-discovery to inner awareness, The Fool becomes The World dancer, free, with mind, body, and soul in complete unification. The wand that was held with such focus and ambition by The Magician is held - one in each hand - lightly by The World; the power she channels flows through her and is replenished in a never-ending stream. A laurel wreath entirely circles the dancer, symbolizing triumph and achievement.

In the Eight of Cups image, there is a sense of deep sadness but also resolve; we see a figure walking away from a collection of Cups that remain upright and unspilled. The stick that the figure uses and his cloak suggests a long journey ahead: we intuit that he is not planning to return.