Two spreads for selecting a spiritual counselor

I just scheduled an hour-long spiritual counseling session with someone I've watched on YouTube a few times. Our appointment isn't for another sixteen days, which has given me time to second-guess my decision.

So I tried to create a spread to determine if working with this counselor would be beneficial. (I selected The High Priestess as the counselor's significator, because she's a guide and because she has very black hair.)

First reading

These were my questions: 

• As I approach, does she want to help me? 5 Swords
  Not a pretty card, it usually indicates a mean person, a "sore winner," who enjoys inflicting both defeat and humiliation. This doesn't look like the image of a spiritual counselor; maybe it's saying more about me as I approach her. Is there any indication that my situation would make me an "attractive" client to her?A positive spin would be that she wants to take negative thoughts (swords) from me.
• Does she have the resources to help me? Queen Swords
  Her rank indicates she has the experience to help, her sword indicates she has the knowledge and communication skills to help, and her open hand may suggest that she wants to help. But what might she do with the sword in her right hand if I reach for her left hand?
• Can she intuit what help I need? 6 Wands
  The card suggests that as long as I’m cooperating with her, she’ll be able to successfully intuit any needs that I am unaware of or unable to articulate.
• Will working with her put me on the right path? Tower
  This can be a terrible card, but could be interpreted positively, as enlightenment and recognition of what part of my foundation needs to be replaced.

I realized that, in the first reading, I'd committed the cardinal error of asking yes/no questions, so I did a second spread, which included a significator for myself, the Four of Wands, which appeared in a reading earlier today. I understood it to mean that my energy and creativity are restricted.

Second reading

These were my questions for the second reading: 

• What does the counselor want from me? 10 of Pentacles
  The cynical part of me answered: 'She wants my coins.' The more creative part of me thinks she's seeking wholeness, both for me and for herself.
• What do I want from her? 8 Strength
  Self-awareness, inner strength, a connection to my feelings, the integration of my conscious and unconscious.
• What can the counselor offer me? 7 Chariot
  Encouragement to get back on the horse and move forward, and an idea of what direction to go.
• What can I gain from working with her? 3 Empress
  Creativity, self-love, and a sense of self worth.
• What she cannot give me: 8 of Swords
  She cannot free me; I have to do that myself.
• Outcome of our work for me? 2 of Swords
  Usually a negative card, but here it might mean recognizing what my choices are, examining my feelings and intuition, and then balancing those with rational decision making, so I can get off the ruin and move to a better place.

The second reading seems fairly encouraging. And the outcome card (for each reading) could be positive, even though I most often assign "negative" meanings to The Tower and the Two of Swords.

EDIT: Oephebia had some additional ideas about both readings. In summary: Make sure the counselor is a compassionate person. Avoid being rigid; I must be willing to change and move forward without looking back.

Tarot BlogHop MidFall/Samhain 2017

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This season's topic suggestion from Jay Cassels was too emotionally charged for me to work with publicly. So I decided to take a different approach. I turned to a tarot spread developed by Carolyn Cushing to gain insight into how best to navigate this season. This reading allowed me to explore what sacred path I should follow, which contemplative practices would aid me on my journey, and which attitudes and behaviors would be most beneficial in undertaking these practices at this time.

To perform this reading, I divided my tarot deck into three piles: one containing the Majors and the Aces, another containing the other Number cards, and the last one containing the People cards. I shuffled each pile separately and drew one card from each to answer the following questions:

from right to left: 

The Teacher, the Ten of Earth, and the Explorer of Air

from The Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert

1. What sacred path would best serve me this season?
The card drawn for this question was 5 - THE TEACHER. The image suggests embracing a mindset of continuous learning and growth. It encourages me to seek guidance by spending time contemplating nature, engaging in introspection, and learning to trust my insights. This season, the focus should be on personal development, embracing lessons from life experiences, and cultivating a deeper understanding of myself as well as a sense of oneness with creation.

2. What contemplative practice will help me move along this pathway?
The card drawn for this question was THE TEN OF EARTH, which symbolizes reflection on the cyclical changes of the seasons, ancestral wisdom, and my own legacy. It suggests engaging in practices that foster introspection and connection with my roots, both ancestral and experiential. Reflecting on the cyclical nature of life, honoring traditions, and contemplating the impact of my deeds on future generations can provide insights and a sense of purpose.

3. What attitudes and behaviors will be most helpful in undertaking this practice?
The card drawn for this final question was THE EXPLORER OF AIR, which represents curiosity, courage, and mental clarity. This season calls for achieving a mindset of openness to new perspectives and a willingness to explore different paths. By cultivating a sense of curiosity and embracing uncertainty, I will be able to navigate challenges with resilience and creativity. Focusing on my highest values and rising above negative thought patterns will be necessary to foster personal growth and self-awareness.

Since I chose to use The Gaian Tarot for this reading, it's no surprise that the reading emphasized spending time in nature as a way to experience this season. I've shifted from Carolyn's more mystical interpretations to more practical ones that can help me in personal development. This reading reminds me to reconnect with the natural world, learn from it, and trust in my own inner wisdom. Somehow, awareness of nature will go hand in hand with self awareness. I will reflect on how to develop resilience. As the season unfolds, I will keep these insights in mind and strive to walk the sacred path of learning and contemplation. 

If you ever find yourself wondering about the season ahead, perhaps a tarot reading like this one can provide you with the guidance and clarity you seek.

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Fast Reading

I get lost when I do emotionally charged readings for myself. So I did these three readings really fast, so I wouldn't have time to overthink. My thanks to Dianna Collins for insights into the Eight of Cups and The Hermit.

Middle row: what purpose should I strive to achieve now? 
2 Wands - it's time to take action, make a choice 
Emperor - be realistic and act logically, create structure 
Temperance - take a moderate approach but test yourself 
Conclusion: focus on immediate employment rather than dreams

Top row: how helpful to hire a career coach? (images mirror cards of middle row) 
3 Wands - action taken, creating a future  
King Coins - practicality and hard work lead to success 
10 Coins - financial success and dream of belonging 
Conclusion: it would be helpful

Bottom row: how helpful to move back to the US? (images seem to be the reverse of the middle row) 

Knight Swords - think through decision
8 Cups - painful act of letting go, might be nothing more to be done here 

Hermit - discern an entirely new path for yourself 

Conclusion - don't rush; give this some thought

What is my soul telling me?

I read the cards from right to left. 

Consider what shaped you.

Observe those who were raised differently.

Plant a seed and grow into a new person.

When I was nearly 40, my mother spoke words she hadn't uttered for decades. She threatened to kill me. A wave of nausea washed through my whole body and then a number of different thoughts flashed through my mind. Memories of my childhood fear of her resurfaced, yet I couldn't ignore the absurdity of her threat now that she was aged and diminished.

When I was growing up, my parents were really the only people in my life as we relocated incessantly. Whenever I forged connections with other children, my father's voice would erupt in a blend of anger and teary distress, admonishing, "They aren't your friends!"

Decades have passed and I've labored to ignore what Dad tried to teach me. Slowly, it dawned on me that he was right. Even if I had the energy to sow another seed of hope, I don't want to risk deceiving myself again.

 

* Cards from the Aquarian Tarot.