Friday Reading: 5/18/2012

The Emperor  •  The Chariot  •  Four of Swords

Hello, all. Today's Friday Reading is quite a doozie! Two major arcana cards, right side up indicates someone going through something quite major. Let's find out what it is.

Spread: The Emperor, the Chariot, Four of Swords

The Emperor is a card that represents an authority figure, or simply the presence of authority in your life.

The Chariot is direction and forward movement. It can mean actual travel sometimes, but it often indicated progress along a path of some sort.

Finally, the Four of Swords is a card of repose, of taking a rest and gaining some recuperation. Fours are about the cresting of action, and this card represents a moment of respite after some measure of grief and conflict.

Interpretation: There are two ways this reading could go, and they are based on the Emperor card there. His place represents authority in power, but the question is how do you fit into that dynamic? Either you have had an authority figure over you, like a boss or a parent, or you have been the authority figure.

In either case, the Swords card tells us that there has been conflict around that authority: you have been struggling with maintaining your authority with those you lead, or you have been in conflict with someone who is in a position of authority over you.

Fortunately, the Chariot tells us that there has been progress and consolidation. Something has changed recently, and it's likely not a matter of becoming accustomed to that authority. The Chariot says that movement has happened, so either you have managed to get out of having to be in a position of authority, or you've gotten out from under the thumb of the authority figure you were finding so difficult.

The Four of Swords counsels rest. BE CAREFUL not to put yourself right back into the same situation. If you were a leader, stay out of leadership positions for a while; if you were under someone else, do yourself a favor and remain a free agent for a little bit. The difficulty you had recently has been stressful, and you deserve some time to recover from that.

Prescription: In order to speed up this process, I suggest some cleansing work on your end. A simple Van Van spiritual wash or a Hyssop bath should do the trick. That will clear away any lingering mess associated with all of that conflict.

If you are finding it difficult to not re-engage with that situation, and it keeps coming back to haunt you, I suggest doing some Cut & Clearing work. This kind of work is traditional to hoodoo and used to sever ties from previous experiences, keeping the stuff you want and getting rid of the rest of it. If you feel you need this kind of work, get in touch with a credible rootworker. They can either teach you to do the work and sell you the proper supplies, or can be hired to do the work on your behalf.