Greetings,
And welcome to Reflections on the Tarot.
For these readings I'll be using the Thoth Tarot as developed by Alistair Crowley.
The images used in this deck are particularly powerful and link closely to the teachings of the Mystical Kabbalah.
For each of these readings I will draw three cards,
The first card representing the past,
The second the present time,
And the third card representing the future as it may unfold.
These readings are timeless.
If you are drawn to this reading,
You may find it particularly pertinent to you.
If not,
Then take what applies to you and simply leave what does not.
These readings are for self-illumination only and do not constitute advice.
Let's begin.
For this reading,
The first card representing the past is the Five of Wands,
The second card representing the present is the Prince of Wands,
And the third card representing the future is the Death card.
This is a particularly powerful tarot spread,
Full of fire,
Transformation,
And momentum.
Let's break it down card by card and then synthesize the story they tell together.
The Five of Wands,
Strife,
Represents conflict,
Struggle,
And creative tension.
This is not necessarily destructive,
It's often the friction that arises when multiple forces or wills clash,
Each striving for dominance or expression.
The energy is disruptive,
It's testing of strength,
It's competition,
It's frustration or resistance.
The lesson in this card is that through tension we are able to push ourselves to a direction and refine ourselves,
To prove ourselves.
This card suggests that we've been in a phase where we've been forced to grow through challenges that have sometimes felt chaotic.
The second card representing the present time is the Prince of Wands.
The Prince of Wands is dynamic,
Bold,
And full of fiery charisma.
He's the personification of pure creative and passionate drive,
But sometimes also tends to be rather impulsive.
The energy is one of courage,
Movement,
Action,
And enthusiasm,
Taking charge fueled by ambition and inspiration.
On the shadow side,
It may indicate that we need to temper recklessness or arrogance and to channel energy constructively rather than burning out.
The overall message here is that you've moved from struggling against obstacles to embodying your own power and will.
You're riding the fire now,
Not fighting it.
The third card representing the future is the Death card.
In the Thoth deck,
Death is not really about physical ending,
But about transmutation.
This version is deeply alchemical.
Death clears away the old so that new life can emerge.
The energy is representative of transformation,
Rebirth,
Shedding old patterns,
And major life transitions.
The overall message is that the path you're on leads to profound change.
Something fundamental,
A belief,
An identity,
Or a situation,
Will dissolve to make room for renewal.
This isn't loss,
It's an evolution.
In short,
The three cards taken together represent struggle,
Mastery,
And transformation.
You're moving from fighting external battles to internal metamorphosis,
The evolution of your will into something truer and much more free.
In terms of a narrative,
Let's put these three together into a story.
In the past,
Life felt like a battleground of competing energies,
Each demanding attention,
Each pulling you in different directions.
The Five of Wands speaks of a time marked by tension,
Frustration,
And challenge,
When your efforts seem to meet resistance at every turn.
Yet,
Within that chaos,
A vital spark was being forged.
The struggle refined your will,
Forcing you to confront what truly mattered and to find strength amid conflict.
What once felt like strife was,
In truth,
The fire that tempered your purpose.
Now,
That purpose burns bright through the Prince of Wands,
The embodiment of fearless momentum.
You've learned to harness the same energy that once scattered you,
Turning it into forward motion.
This is a moment of courage and bold expression,
A time when passion drives you to take risks and act decisively.
The Prince rides the flame,
No longer consumed by it,
Yet his lesson is balance,
To channel enthusiasm without letting recklessness take the reins,
And to use fire as a creative force rather than a destructive force.
Ahead lies transformation under the silent gaze of death,
The Great Alchemist.
This card promises not an ending,
But a profound renewal,
A shedding of skin,
A clearing away of what no longer serves your growth.
The road you're on leads to deep metamorphosis,
Where the self that fought and the self that conquered both dissolve into something new.
Through this passage,
The fire of struggle becomes the light of rebirth.
What emerges on the other side will be leaner,
Truer,
And more alive than ever before.
Let's now add a short meditation to solidify this reading.
Find a quiet space and sit comfortably,
Allowing your body to settle.
Close your eyes and take a few slow breaths.
With each inhale,
Draw energy up from the base of your spine,
And with each exhale,
Release the weight of recent struggles.
Feel yourself grounding into the present moment.
Now,
Bring to mind the image of fire,
Bright,
Restless,
And alive.
This is the energy of the Five of Wands and the Prince of Wands within you.
The same fire that once burned in conflict now glows as strength.
See the flames surrounding you,
Not to consume,
But to refine.
With every breath,
Imagine this sacred fire burning away distraction,
Self-doubt,
And resistance.
Let the sparks reveal your core will,
That steady,
Luminous center of purpose beneath the noise.
When you feel centered in that warmth,
Visualize the fire softening into glowing embers.
From the ashes rises the figure of death,
Not as a destroyer,
But as a guide.
Feel the gentle wave of release as old patterns fall away,
Ambitions that no longer fit,
Fears that once kept you small.
Allow this transformation to happen naturally,
Like leaves falling in autumn.
Sit in the stillness that follows,
Trusting that something new is already taking form within you.
End this meditation by placing a hand over your heart and affirming softly,
I am the fire that refines.
I am the will that acts.
I am the soul that renews.
Remain in silence for a few breaths before returning to your day,
Carrying with you the quiet strength of transformation.
Thank you for joining me in this reading today,
However it applies to you.
If you'd like to leave some comment or reflection on this reading for yourself,
Please do so.
See you next time.
