I will try to start us out here by giving a quick interpretation of the spread. In parts.
The 8 of Wands is in a position symbolizing the querent's current situation. I read the 8 of Wands a little differently from most, to me it has always symbolized energy being expended rapidly, not in a good way, things headed in a negative direction.
The 8 of Wands is crossed by the Knight of Wands. This position I see as having an important impact on the situation illustrated by the first card. Interestingly, placed together like this, I see these cards as extremely complimentary to each other. I'm reading the Knight of Wands as symbolizing that same use of energy. This not in a negative or a positive way, just the use of energy, will perhaps. The querent utilizing lots and lots of energy, mental, physical, emotional, or all three.
These two cards taken together are the heart of the matter. They show our querent expending a lot of energy and effort, I'd say worry, about her question, which is, will she find the relationship she is seeking?
Card three, the King of Cups crowns the heart of the matter as illustrated by the previous two cards. These are the querent's conscious thoughts about the situation. It makes sense. The King of Cups symbolizes an emotional and loving man. She's thinking about what she is expending energy to find.
Card four, the Eight of Cups symbolizes our querent's unrecognized, subconscious thoughts. The Eight of Cups is a card standing for loss. A walking away from a situation, specifically from an emotional situation, perhaps a past relationship, or perhaps illustrating a fear of having to leave a future relationship in which much was invested, but it didn't work out anyway. This card, in this location, given this question and the rest of the spread is to me a card illustrative of the querent's fears, unrecognized though they may be.
We now have a vertical line of cards, moving down from the King of Cups to the 8 of Wands, crossed by the Knight of Wands, ending with the Eight of Cups. We can view these cards as her conscious desire for a loving, romantic relationship, along with her unrecognized or unconscious fears about that relationship breaking up if it was found, with these two opposing thought patterns resulting in a lot of thinking about finding a relationship, and effort to find a relationship, but perhaps in a poor or misguided way because of unconscious fears holding her back, or causing her to act in a manner contrary to finding that which she is seeking. She may well be sabotaging herself.
Card 5 is the position of that which has just passed away, or is passing away at this time. The position is occupied by the 6 of Cups. A card symbolizing joy, and perhaps an innocent or naive love. It seems from this card that our querent had found what she believed to be the relationship she wants, but that it has very recently ended or is still in the process of ending. She knows that it is over. And that very likely is contributing to the fear she is feeling as symbolized by 8 of Cups examined earlier. That fear is beginning to make sense.
Position 6 illustrates what is to come very soon. Perhaps in days or a couple of weeks. No longer. It is filled in this spread by the 5 of Pentacles. A card symbolizing want and poverty, needs going unmet. It shows that our querent will not be finding that which she is seeking, or even feel hope about finding that which she desires anytime soon. She will continue to feel as if the situation is hopeless, at least over the short term.
Taken together these cards can be seen to symbolize the Past - Present - Future. In this case, a budding relationship or at least the hope of such, illustrated by the 6 of Cups has been lost. Much thought, worry, and energy is going into reliving that loss, and the search for the next relationship at this time. But, in the short term, all of that will prove fruitless.
This completes the 'cross' half of our Celtic Cross. This represents the generative energies surrounding our querent and her actions in her search. These are passive energies that will, when combined with active energies, work to create our querent's reality.
Tomorrow I will post my interpretation of the second half of this spread here, including the card we are focusing on, Death.
But, in the meantime, does this break any thoughts loose for you? Anything you agree or disagree with? Anything you find that you can expand upon?
I will try to start us out here by giving a quick interpretation of the spread. In parts.
The 8 of Wands is in a position symbolizing the querent's current situation. I read the 8 of Wands a little differently from most, to me it has always symbolized energy being expended rapidly, not in a good way, things headed in a negative direction.
The 8 of Wands is crossed by the Knight of Wands. This position I see as having an important impact on the situation illustrated by the first card. Interestingly, placed together like this, I see these cards as extremely complimentary to each other. I'm reading the Knight of Wands as symbolizing that same use of energy. This not in a negative or a positive way, just the use of energy, will perhaps. The querent utilizing lots and lots of energy, mental, physical, emotional, or all three.
These two cards taken together are the heart of the matter. They show our querent expending a lot of energy and effort, I'd say worry, about her question, which is, will she find the relationship she is seeking?
Card three, the King of Cups crowns the heart of the matter as illustrated by the previous two cards. These are the querent's conscious thoughts about the situation. It makes sense. The King of Cups symbolizes an emotional and loving man. She's thinking about what she is expending energy to find.
Card four, the Eight of Cups symbolizes our querent's unrecognized, subconscious thoughts. The Eight of Cups is a card standing for loss. A walking away from a situation, specifically from an emotional situation, perhaps a past relationship, or perhaps illustrating a fear of having to leave a future relationship in which much was invested, but it didn't work out anyway. This card, in this location, given this question and the rest of the spread is to me a card illustrative of the querent's fears, unrecognized though they may be.
We now have a vertical line of cards, moving down from the King of Cups to the 8 of Wands, crossed by the Knight of Wands, ending with the Eight of Cups. We can view these cards as her conscious desire for a loving, romantic relationship, along with her unrecognized or unconscious fears about that relationship breaking up if it was found, with these two opposing thought patterns resulting in a lot of thinking about finding a relationship, and effort to find a relationship, but perhaps in a poor or misguided way because of unconscious fears holding her back, or causing her to act in a manner contrary to finding that which she is seeking. She may well be sabotaging herself.
Card 5 is the position of that which has just passed away, or is passing away at this time. The position is occupied by the 6 of Cups. A card symbolizing joy, and perhaps an innocent or naive love. It seems from this card that our querent had found what she believed to be the relationship she wants, but that it has very recently ended or is still in the process of ending. She knows that it is over. And that very likely is contributing to the fear she is feeling as symbolized by 8 of Cups examined earlier. That fear is beginning to make sense.
Position 6 illustrates what is to come very soon. Perhaps in days or a couple of weeks. No longer. It is filled in this spread by the 5 of Pentacles. A card symbolizing want and poverty, needs going unmet. It shows that our querent will not be finding that which she is seeking, or even feel hope about finding that which she desires anytime soon. She will continue to feel as if the situation is hopeless, at least over the short term.
Taken together these cards can be seen to symbolize the Past - Present - Future. In this case, a budding relationship or at least the hope of such, illustrated by the 6 of Cups has been lost. Much thought, worry, and energy is going into reliving that loss, and the search for the next relationship at this time. But, in the short term, all of that will prove fruitless.
This completes the 'cross' half of our Celtic Cross. This represents the generative energies surrounding our querent and her actions in her search. These are passive energies that will, when combined with active energies, work to create our querent's reality.
Tomorrow I will post my interpretation of the second half of this spread here, including the card we are focusing on, Death.
But, in the meantime, does this break any thoughts loose for you? Anything you agree or disagree with? Anything you find that you can expand upon?
Does it offer any insight to you?
Let's chat about it...