Today's Tarot Reading - October Nineteenth, Two-thousand Sixteen

10/19/2016

Today I finished the Scrad-Collage Tarot Deck! It's been almost two weeks in the making. I feel very accomplished! For the first reading, I decided to read the possible future of the deck itself. Any experienced Tarot practitioners in the audience would probably instantly recognize this as a foolish endeavor. As soon as I started shuffling the deck (ten times) with my question in mind, I started having a sneaking suspicion that a reading on the deck would be reflected back at me. After all, the deck that I created is merely a reflection of myself.

So, there I was, reading a reflection of a reflection of a possible future. And it was hauntingly accurate to my current life struggle!

Card after card I realized that the Scrad-Collage Tarot Deck wasn't predicting its own future, it was predicting MINE. Here are the results, displayed more clearly:

I am a rank amateur when it comes to reading the Tarot. However, "Biddy Tarot" has been a wonderful online resource for deciphering some of the hidden meanings in the symbols of the deck. Using their help, and my own insight, I have deciphered today's reading as follows:

1. The Present = The Devil (Reversed)

The Devil is largely regarded as a symbol of vice, but I've read that the reversed card represents a growing awareness of one's own dependence on these vices. I've been aware of my own habits for years now, but I'm increasingly becoming aware of the obstacles they represent in my life. I am overly dependent on alcohol and other substances, as well as women. Each is a powerful vice that I am aware of in my life, each being detrimental to my goals.

2. The Challenge = 6 of Swords

The six of swords represents a major transition that should lead to a better place in life, often at the cost of leaving something behind. This could not be more appropriate for my current challenge in life. Next month I will be moving away from most of the people I know and love. I will move out of California and into a small mining town called Wickenburg, Arizona. The move is designed to put me in a better financial standing... very in tune with the ideas behind the six of swords.

3. The Past = Justice (Reversed)

In the past, I have been dishonest to myself and others regarding my break up. I broke up with my fiancee about six months ago and life has not been the same since. The reversed Justice card reminds me that I need to examine the reasons for my break up in an honest way, and own up to the underlying conditions that brought me to the present moment.

4. The Future = 4 of Pentacles

The majority of my recent efforts have been aimed at securing financial stability. The four of pentacles in the future position indicates, to me, that I will achieve my goal. I will become financially stable, perhaps even wealthy. However, this card can also be read as a warning to not be miserly with your wealth. I will have to remember this in the event of future prosperity.

5. The Goal = 6 of Pentacles (Reversed)

The reversed six of pentacles "suggests a one-way stream in terms of charity" (according to Biddy Tarot). I believe this card, in the fifth position of the Scradic Cross, represents my ideal state of prosperity. My goal is to be generous to others without needing to worry about a return on that generosity.

6. The Emotions = The Sun (Reversed)

There are two strong but conflicting meaning suggested by this card in the sixth position. Both that I may have trouble seeing the positive, or that I may be too optimistic. I believe that both are true in my current scenario. I regret some of the moves I must make... leaving California and making sacrifices in my personal life. However, I hope these moves will lead to success in my career. This perceived gain may not be as great as I anticipate. Or so I feel. 

7. The Advice = 5 of Pentacles

I am personally fascinated by the five of pentacles and I was glad to see it represented in my first reading. This card suggest a period of financial hardship, but appearing in the advice spot, I find it to be a reminder of the financial stress that I currently find myself in. It's easy to be burdened by a lack of money, but the five of pentacles also reminds you to find support in the people around you, which I am doing by relying on help from my family.

8. The Influences = Queen of Pentacles

The queen of pentacles is a motherly figure and is found, in this reading, in the eighth spot. I find this representative of my own mother in my current living situation. I am living with my mom, and I sometimes come into conflict with the living situation. I am coming to terms with the fact that I cannot control my mother's influence in my life. Additionally, I find this card to represent my own nurturing nature, which often leads me to make decisions that affect my living situation.

9 The Hopes & Fears = 6 of Cups

I've read that the ninth position is often the hardest to get a reading from, but I find the six of cups to be a clear cut example of how one card can represent both hopes and fears simultaneously. I've read that the six of cups represents nostalgia and looking backward. Looking back can be both helpful and detrimental. I can look at my past failures and struggles, but I can also gain strength from that insight.

10 The Outcome = Page of Cups (Reversed)

I wish I got a better outcome from my self-reflexive Tarot reading, but there it is! The reversed page of cups is STRONGLY linked to my initial card, the reversed devil. This clearly shows me that my vices are an obstacle to my financial success that WILL overcome me... IF I don't do something about them. I have to get my habits under control!

/// Overall Analysis \\\

There is an obvious link between the first and last card, both reversed, and the page of cups correlates to the devil card. This shows me that this must have been a strong reading. But did you also notice that the devil was followed by three different sixes? The devil and 666! Sheesh! It's quite the ominous initial reading for the Scrad-Collage Tarot Deck.