This reading emphasizes material security (Pentacles), action and energy (Wands), and a significant contrast between uncertainty (The Moon) and clarity (The Sun).
General Themes
Pentacles (Material Stability and Work): The presence of the Four of Pentacles, the Page of Pentacles, and the Three of Pentacles suggests financial concerns, developing a skill, and the potential for progress through effort. I am focused on material security now and I am always willing to work hard. (My last boss pointed out that you shouldn't always give 100%, but be like the famous soccer player who waits til the right moment and then gives 110%.)
Wands (Energy, Movement, and Initiative): The Page of Wands, the Eight of Wands, the Ten of Wands, and the King of Wands indicate that my situation involves personal drive, ambition, and movement, but also burdens and responsibilities.
Major Arcana (Significant Life Themes): The Moon and The Sun highlight the contrast between uncertainty, fear, and illusions (The Moon) versus clarity, joy, and confidence (The Sun).
Card-by-Card Interpretation
Situation - Four of Pentacles
I feel financially restricted and stuck. The Four of Pentacles often represents a scarcity mindset: clinging to whatever little you have due to fear of loss. This card reflects that financial concerns are central to my decision.
Influence on the Situation - The Moon
The Moon represents confusion, illusion, and uncertainty. There are things I don’t understand about this move, and I am afraid that I'm being unrealistic. My perceptions of both places are strongly colored by emotion. I feel happy about returning to the US, but fear that my life will be more secure here.
Basis of the Situation - Three of Cups
This is a card of joy, celebration, and social connection. Its appearance as the foundation suggests that my decision may be based on a desire to reconnect with a sense of community. I still view the U.S. as a place of happiness, belonging, and support.
Potential in the Situation - Eight of Wands
This is card often signals rapid developments, opportunities, and even travel. It suggests that once I decide, things will move quickly. There may be unexpected progress in ways I can't anticipate now.
Recent Past - Page of Wands
This card suggests a spark of inspiration or an idea that led me to this point. The figure is looking toward the past, just as I have been reflecting on past experiences and trying to draw lessons from them. The Page is a messenger, so perhaps some communication has influenced my thinking. The message, I think, is: this isn't the place for me.
Near Future - Page of Pentacles
The contrast between two pages, suggests that I will shift from reflecting on the past to planning for the future, hopefully in practical, tangible ways. The Page of Pentacles is about learning, gaining skills, and being realistic about financial matters. I will be focused on job prospects and money management as I prepare for the move.
Myself - Three of Pentacles
This card represents work, craftsmanship, and collaboration. I must figure out how to develop my skills and find work in a new environment. Since I'm not very good at advertising myself, I will require the help of other people. The card suggests that I am willing to put in the effort but that success will require the collaboration of others. Can I demand that much assistance of anyone?
My Environment - Ten of Wands
I feel overburdened, exhausted, but not quite defeated here. However, the weight of responsibility will be heavy even in the US. This card has been a warning in the past. I need to lighten my load and also listen to my intuition rather than trying to be "sensible" which I never get quite right.
My Hopes and Fears - The Sun
I want success, clarity, and joy, but I also fear being disillusioned (again). The Sun is a card of happiness and triumph, suggesting that I want this move to bring renewal and a sense of purpose. However, the Moon earlier in the reading highlights my doubts and worries.
Outcome - King of Wands
This is a very strong and encouraging outcome. The King of Wands is a visionary leader; he takes bold steps and pursues his passions with confidence. So if I take command of my situation and act with purpose, I can establish myself in a way that aligns with my long-term aspirations.
Key Insights
1. Financial Concerns and Scarcity Mindset (Four of Pentacles, Page of Pentacles, Three of Pentacles)
My primary concern is financial security. I have no options here, but I'm not sure if the U.S. can really provide more opportunities considering my age and the huge gap in my resume.
The Page of Pentacles often indicates a student. I can't afford a training program, but maybe I could learn about job hunting and self-promotion.
2. Uncertainty vs. Clarity (The Moon vs. The Sun)
I have a lot of uncertainty and little clarity right now. The Moon suggests fears, but the Sun in the hopes/fears position means I crave certainty and confidence.
I have to do some research and planning and yet I fear that I don't have the ability to do those things well.
3. Potential for Rapid Progress (Eight of Wands, King of Wands)
The Eight of Wands suggests that once I move, things could develop quickly.
The King of Wands in the outcome suggests that, if I act with initiative and purpose, I can succeed.
4. Burdens and Responsibility (Ten of Wands)
My environment is stressful, and moving will at least temporarily make everything more stressful. However, shifting from the burdened Ten of Wands to the King of Wands suggests that I will have more control over my circumstances if I take charge of my career and finances in ways I cannot here.
Final Thoughts
My heart is already leaning toward moving (Three of Cups, The Sun, Eight of Wands), but there are still practical uncertainties (The Moon, Page of Pentacles). At times, I feel happy and enthusiastic about this choice, and at other times, I remember the all the financial challenges of living in the US and wonder how I can manage to return with no money in my wallet.
The move could be successful if I approach it with determination and a belief in my own power (King of Wands).
There will be financial struggles at first, but because I speak the language, there will also be opportunities to develop skills and find stability (Three of Pentacles, Page of Pentacles).
I need to ensure there are resources and job opportunities available before making a final decision. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that. In the past, I always had a head hunter doing the leg work for me.
Overall, I think the reading suggests that moving holds promise for me, but only if I'm very careful and wise, plan my finances sensibly, and maintain a realistic but positive attitude.
Monday, January 27, 2025
Monday, January 13, 2025
The Abortion Debate
My mother, who was born in 1925, always emphasized that abortion was a woman's most important right. Growing up, I accepted this belief without question. My confidence in this “right” shifted during paralegal school when I decided to read Roe v. Wade. I was shocked by the poor legal reasoning of the decision and realized it was only a matter of time before it would be overturned.
The recent overturning of Roe and the ensuing debate have prompted me to examine the issue more deeply.
Before the advent of modern medicine and contraceptives, women often valued chastity before marriage not because of societal or patriarchal control but out of necessity. Childbirth was dangerous, sometimes fatal, and unmarried women who died in childbirth left no one to care for their children. This grim reality profoundly shaped women’s behavior and choices. When a woman did survive childbirth, she required support in raising her child.
Before the judicial legalization of abortion, even married women sometimes risked their lives to obtain abortions in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. The issue has never been a simple debate between "life" and "choice." It’s a deeply complex matter of survival, autonomy, supporting existing children, and moral gray areas.
The necessity for unsafe, illegal abortions diminished with the introduction of reliable contraceptives. Contraceptives transformed society, giving women control over when they gave birth and enabling them to shape their economic futures-- and also enabling families to acquire more wealth. This empowerment significantly contributed to equality of the sexes. (It had other, less fortunate consequences that are less black and white, but I won't address those now.)
Yet many who identify as "pro-life" also oppose contraceptives, creating a contradiction in their stance. If the goal is to reduce abortions, accessible contraception should be a shared priority. Limiting access to contraceptives undermines the very foundation of women’s autonomy and progress.
I’ve never thought the pro-life side was entirely pro-life, as many within the movement don't support childcare while also oposing contraceptives. Today, I don’t believe the pro-choice side is entirely pro-choice either. While I still support the right to choose, I’ve become disillusioned by the radicalism of some pro-choice rhetoric.
A few years ago, there was a campaign to “advertise your abortion.” The intention was to reduce stigma and normalize abortion by encouraging women to share their stories openly. While well-meaning, I found the campaign counterproductive. Abortion is a deeply personal and often painful decision. Making it public may increase awareness of the number of women who have abortions, but it doesn’t necessarily foster acceptance of those choices.
I had a friend in college who realized she was pregnant early (apparently, morning sickness occurs immediately) and decided to have an abortion without hesitation. Nonetheless, she kept her decision private, reflecting what many women felt then: abortion should be safe, legal, and private.
More recently, I’ve seen statements from trans women in which they express the aspiration to have abortions as a validation of their womanhood. Vocalizing this aspiration often alienates people from the pro-choice argument. Most people, male and female don't believe that abortion should be a goal, and for many women, motherhood is a goal.
It’s hard to argue that a newly formed embryo is not a life. At the same time, I cannot say with certainty that a woman must carry and give birth to it. This is where some of the tension lies: balancing the value of life with the value of a woman's autonomy.
I don’t believe there are simple answers to this debate. Both extremes—opposing abortion entirely and glorifying it—fail to address the complexity of the issue.
The abortion debate isn’t just about life or choice; it’s also about autonomy, family values, and the profound human questions that arise when these values conflict. To move forward, we must approach the issue with empathy and nuance, rejecting the extremes that dominate the discourse. For me, and I suspect, for many others, the ideal is for abortion to remain "legal, safe, and rare," limited to the first trimester except in cases of medical necessity.
The recent overturning of Roe and the ensuing debate have prompted me to examine the issue more deeply.
Before the advent of modern medicine and contraceptives, women often valued chastity before marriage not because of societal or patriarchal control but out of necessity. Childbirth was dangerous, sometimes fatal, and unmarried women who died in childbirth left no one to care for their children. This grim reality profoundly shaped women’s behavior and choices. When a woman did survive childbirth, she required support in raising her child.
Before the judicial legalization of abortion, even married women sometimes risked their lives to obtain abortions in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. The issue has never been a simple debate between "life" and "choice." It’s a deeply complex matter of survival, autonomy, supporting existing children, and moral gray areas.
The necessity for unsafe, illegal abortions diminished with the introduction of reliable contraceptives. Contraceptives transformed society, giving women control over when they gave birth and enabling them to shape their economic futures-- and also enabling families to acquire more wealth. This empowerment significantly contributed to equality of the sexes. (It had other, less fortunate consequences that are less black and white, but I won't address those now.)
Yet many who identify as "pro-life" also oppose contraceptives, creating a contradiction in their stance. If the goal is to reduce abortions, accessible contraception should be a shared priority. Limiting access to contraceptives undermines the very foundation of women’s autonomy and progress.
I’ve never thought the pro-life side was entirely pro-life, as many within the movement don't support childcare while also oposing contraceptives. Today, I don’t believe the pro-choice side is entirely pro-choice either. While I still support the right to choose, I’ve become disillusioned by the radicalism of some pro-choice rhetoric.
A few years ago, there was a campaign to “advertise your abortion.” The intention was to reduce stigma and normalize abortion by encouraging women to share their stories openly. While well-meaning, I found the campaign counterproductive. Abortion is a deeply personal and often painful decision. Making it public may increase awareness of the number of women who have abortions, but it doesn’t necessarily foster acceptance of those choices.
I had a friend in college who realized she was pregnant early (apparently, morning sickness occurs immediately) and decided to have an abortion without hesitation. Nonetheless, she kept her decision private, reflecting what many women felt then: abortion should be safe, legal, and private.
More recently, I’ve seen statements from trans women in which they express the aspiration to have abortions as a validation of their womanhood. Vocalizing this aspiration often alienates people from the pro-choice argument. Most people, male and female don't believe that abortion should be a goal, and for many women, motherhood is a goal.
It’s hard to argue that a newly formed embryo is not a life. At the same time, I cannot say with certainty that a woman must carry and give birth to it. This is where some of the tension lies: balancing the value of life with the value of a woman's autonomy.
I don’t believe there are simple answers to this debate. Both extremes—opposing abortion entirely and glorifying it—fail to address the complexity of the issue.
The abortion debate isn’t just about life or choice; it’s also about autonomy, family values, and the profound human questions that arise when these values conflict. To move forward, we must approach the issue with empathy and nuance, rejecting the extremes that dominate the discourse. For me, and I suspect, for many others, the ideal is for abortion to remain "legal, safe, and rare," limited to the first trimester except in cases of medical necessity.
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