Contemplative Tarot - Bootstraps!

A proud stance hides wounds.
A dreaming queen avoids the truth.
But high above, the wise one waits,
his lantern lit for those who dare to seek.

This morning, I turned to the tarot to examine my state of mind. Before shuffling, I asked for guidance. Am I seeing things clearly? Am I grounded in reality, or drifting into delusion?

As I drew the cards, a message emerged: the dangers of illusion and the need to confront life as it truly is.

The first card, the Five of Pentacles, portrays an alley behind a church, where two homeless people struggle to keep warm on a gray and snowy afternoon. One figure is huddled under a patched blanked, her hand out in forlorn hope for charity from a passerby. Nearby, a veteran who has lost a leg and an eye stands proudly, his once-grand uniform now in tatters. He maintains a fashionable mustache while relying on a makeshift crutch. Although injured and alone, he appears ready to move on.

There are no passersby to offer comfort. There is no aid in sight. Can this man find meaning in his pain? Can he humble himself to seek shelter and warmth, or will he vanish into the snow, holding onto pride?

The second card is altogether different. The Queen of Cups is lost in fantasy. Crowned with an ornate tiara and enthroned upon a majestic shell that echoes Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. The pink glow inside the shell mirrors the ethereal hue of the setting sun. The scene is alive with bright clouds, crashing waves, a sandy beach strewn with starfish and other treasures, ghostly seals singing with longing, and the cry of seagulls. Wrapped in luxurious robes, one hand touching her own heart, the queen is absorbed in gazing at a veiled cup that glows with untold visions.

Yet she does not the veil from the cup. She gazes at the cup dreamily, choosing hopeful anticipation over the potential disappointment of reality. The queen of this card is the mirror image of the hopeless woman in the Five of Pentacles, neither one able to take action. Hope remains suspended, hidden beneath the veil of illusion.

Lastly, The Hermit appears. A gray-cloaked figure stands atop the Mountain of Knowledge, his long white beard flowing in the moonlight. The sky is dark and silent. A red feather dangles from his staff and his feet are wrapped in crimson. Holding his lantern aloft, he looks down at the city he left behind. Is this the man from the Five of Pentacles?

What do the red feather and red shoes mean? Do they mark a transformation forged by determination? Does he now carry wisdom shaped by experience, truths earned through struggle and solitude?

These cards deliver a clear message: See clearly. Step forward. Let go of illusion, and face your life with courage and truth. We are not meant to remain huddled in despair or gazing at veiled dreams. We are meant to rise, to question, to endure.

May the Holy One of Blessing walk beside me as I make this journey, offering insight, strength, and grace along the way.

Card of the Day

Today’s card: Five of Pentacles (Robin Wood Tarot)

Initial impressions: Saw the snow. Remembered the negative meanings of the card.

Keywords and phrases: Loss, out in the cold, ostracism, no one to turn to  / Hope, survival skills, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps

UPG: NA

What’s happening in the picture: Outside a stained glass window, a light snow is falling on two raggedly dressed people. One huddles against the wall on the wet pavement, the other, a bandaged soldier missing a leg, hobbles away on a crutch.

Symbols/images that stand out: snow, black pavement, army green fabric wrapped around his head, eye injury, even whole leg is bandaged, ragged cape is tartan

What emotion is expressed: There’s still hope.

Greeting card message: Stand tall and be true to yourself. Hard times, come again no more.

Personal experience at the end of the day: Was feeling the opposite of out in the cold until the end of the day

Events and situations: Luckily finished errands at one place. People let me go ahead in line. First couple of restaurants were closed for cleaning because Pesach starts Saturday night. We spent the afternoon at 9Beach enjoying the lovely weather.

People: Arlan, couple at supermarket, waiters, characters on the bus, KK and FF

Lessons learned: KK and FF didn’t banter about my chat. I excised anything that might be wrong or embarrassing, i.e., anything personal or potentially interesting from it, and also failed to consider whether KK would know the Hebrew greeting for Pesach.

New insights: Your card of the day may reflect just a moment at the end of the day. It may not be the theme of the whole day.

*Questions from Biddy Tarot

Storytelling

"Stories are compasses and architecture; we navigate by them, we build our sanctuaries and our prisons out of them, and [not knowing your] story is to be lost in the vastness of a world that spreads in all directions like arctic tundra or sea ice." - cited by Marie Gauthier

Voyager Tarot 

Should you tell your story? XIII Death. It is liberating to discover the lessons your story holds about yourself and the mystery of life. Let your old worldview pass on so that you can embrace your life in a new way.

How? Five of Wands: Oppression. Look at things in a different light. Feed the energy in your body so that you can move forward bravely. Find a structure or a purpose that will keep you focused so that you finish your task.

Why? Two of Crystals: Equanimity. To gain self-awareness and to find a map for the future. To hear the voice of guidance that may begin to speak as the pattern of your story unfolds before you. To see from above the jumble of confusions of your life and thoughts.

When? Eight of Worlds: Change. As you are changing. In other words: Now! But make sure you are being held. Find someone who is generously willing to witness the discovery of your life lessons.

What do you need to know? Five of Worlds: Setback. Defeat and difficulty are regenerative. If things you depended on dried up, then you must reflect before forward movement is possible. Make sure your story tells of your successes and your skills so that you will remember to rely on them. And always care for your body.

Contemplative Tarot - the Hermit, the Four of Air, and the Five of Earth

Each week, Carolyn Cushing shares a trio of cards for contemplation and spiritual reflection. I was also inspired by Jason Ash’s practice of using the Gaian Tarot to guide prayer and inner stillness.

This post continues my Contemplative Tarot series—an intuitive and prayerful approach to working with tarot. These three cards—The Hermit, the Four of Swords, and the Five of Pentacles—invite you into stillness, deep rest, and compassionate awareness of hardship. Together, they offer a space to pause and connect with yourself, Spirit, and the wisdom of the cards.

If one or more of these tarot archetypes speaks to you, I hope you’ll share your reflections in the comments.

Force and Source of Life,

May I embrace the darkness
    and hold it as gently as I would a newborn child.

As I contemplate my journey,
    may I bravely envision a wondrous future.

May I forever dwell in awareness,
    rejoicing in the abundant blessings around me.

I’d love to hear your reflections—please leave a comment below. I read each and every one!