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 King of Pentacles represents wealth and influence. In the depiction of this card, the king holds a scepter representing the extent of his power, while the gold in his opposite hand represents the amount of material wealth he has within his reach. He is in a position of leadership and a high level of control. The greenery at his feet that takes shape in plants and flowers conveys material successes. 

The Five of Swords depicts a victorious figure in the foreground, gathering the Swords of the opponents he has defeated who have turned away, in the background, disconsolate. A grey, choppy sea swirls beneath a turbulent, ragged sky, suggesting both emotional and mental disquiet.

In the Four of Wands, we see two dancers, followed by a joyous troupe of people, leave a castle for a flower-garlanded bower. This is a card of celebration, joy, openness, and freedom; the citizens of the fortress have chosen of their own free will to come forth into the sunshine - the card can be seen as a parallel of The Tower. Here, though, rather than allowing the castle to become their prison, the people have left it of their own accord, carried along by hope, trust, and the will to celebrate the bounty that life has to offer.

The Nine of Pentacles depicts a woman standing in a garden, dressed in a way that signifies a high status. The card symbolizes a comfortable lifestyle that has been achieved based on merit. It indicates that managing resources and looking ahead is what ensures long-lasting livelihood.