Six of Cups

There is a playful element to this card, but there is also a slightly sinister aspect too; an issue from the past that we thought we had dealt with can present itself when this card appears.

Every now and then something from the past revisits us, sometimes turning our world upside down and sometimes forcing us to re-examine things in a whole new way.

This is the astounding tale of a fish known as coelacanth (seel-uh-kanth) that was thought to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs, 65 million years ago. Unexpectedly one such fish made its appearance in fishing nets off the coast of South Africa in 1938, and it was very much alive! Fondly referred to as ‘Old Four Legs’ and the ‘Living Fossil’ the coelacanth quickly became the continuing obsession of journalists, biologists, scientist, explorers, aquariums and divers.

The coelacanth fascinated the world and ignited a debate about how the bizarre lobe-finned fish fits into the evolution of land animals.

According to National Geographics, Many scientists believe that the unique characteristics of the coelacanth represent an early step in the evolution of fish to terrestrial four-legged animals like amphibians.

The most striking feature of this "living fossil" is its paired lobe fins that extend away from its body like legs and move in an alternating pattern, like a trotting horse.

Despite initial reactions that this was a hoax or a once-off wonder, a community of these coelacanths was discovered near the Comoros Islands near South Africa and another in the waters off Sulawesi, Indonesia. Studies in the Comoros suggest that only about a thousand remain there, and are today considered an endangered species.

Here’s the thing that we have to ask ourselves though, did evolution stand still? This fish should have evolved onto land many millions of years ago. Why didn’t the coelacanth evolve? But more importantly, based on these findings we have to ask ourselves whether there are other prehistoric dinosaurs or ‘monsters’  like the Loch Ness for example around today? For all we know there are living, fire-breathing dragons lurking deep beneath, just waiting to be discovered. Yes, there is the playful element of the card rearing it’s head again, but in light of these findings it is not all that inconceivable any more, is it?

Sometimes things come back from our past. Things that we have forgotten about or that we thought we had dealt with, often these turn our world upside down, or forces us to look at things in a whole different way.

This card reminds us to allow playfulness into our lives, but it also prompts us to ponder whether those issues we thought were dealt with for once and for all have really been laid to rest. There are times, as Carl Sagan said, that we have to know the past to understand the present.

Six of Pentacles

The Six of Pentacles is what I sometimes like to refer to as the “Yule” card. In times gone by the richer families would slaughter their cattle in winter, keeping only the strong ones alive for springtime. They could not of course eat all the meat from the winter slaughter, so shared this with the less fortunate families. In some ways I guess these richer families represented a kind of Santa Clause to the families who had none and who depended on the charity and generosity that their wealthier neighbours would show them.

The scales in the card symbolises measuring out the bounty in equal shares to ensure that everyone got some. While there was enough, they had to ensure that nothing went to waste.

In return, the wealthier families could depend on the loyalty of the less fortunate to help in spring when crops needed to be planted and tended, because when winter came the less fortunate knew that they could rely on the wealthier families for food. As long as this healthy balance of give-and-take was maintained it would continue to work well. Interdependency rather than co-dependency was the key.

The number six in the card could refer to the family unit, the tribe or community, as is the case in numerology. All working to support one another and to look out for each other.

This card speaks strongly of the need for an equal exchange of energy. We all give of our time and share our resources, but are we wise enough to ensure that the real gift we give is one that empowers those who receive our gifts rather than keeping them indebted to us or unable to help themselves? Mikao Usui Sensei, founder of the Reiki system of healing taught that in order to truly help others we need to teach them to help themselves. Expecting an equal exchange of energy keeps all parties accountable and responsible. If however the balance is disturbed by giving without expecting anything in return, beneficiaries are often not empowered and soon return to their former situations without the understanding that they have a responsibility towards themselves to change their less fortunate circumstances which is within their reach to do.

When reading through the bible, the word ‘charity’ can often be exchanged for ‘love.’ If we love others we would want to see them lift themselves out of an impoverished situation and into something more empowering. Therefore we need to exercise wisdom and be discerning in our charity by guarding against perpetuating a situation that could contribute towards keeping others entrapped in indebtedness and helplessness.

I am not necessarily speaking about world hunger or poverty here, instead I am referring to our daily ability to be charitable towards our fellow man, family, loved ones and community, and towards those who look to us for guidance and answers. A Chinese proverb teaches: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

That is the kind of charity that I am referring to, giving of ourselves to empower others to give to and of themselves who empower others in return. In that lies an equal exchange of energy, devoid of resentment, indebtedness and helplessness.

In closing I share with you the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said:  "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no person can sincerely try to help another without helping themselves."

6 of Wands

Six of Wands is a card of victory. Having overcome the difficulties and struggles of the preceding card this card assures us of triumph over adversity. Now is the time to take stock of the present. See that the here-and-now is informed by the past and connected to the future.

This is a period of rest after the storm. A time to recognize and value our personal development from a greater perspective. We recognize now that our growth & development influences those around us. We see how the changes within ourselves affects those around us and is reflected in them as their attitude and behaviour towards us changes. In this way we are

gently reminded that we are ultimately responsible for how others perceive and treat us. Thus, victory over self AND power within is the reward of this horseman as he triumphantly sits upon his horse.

Horses lead heroes into and out of the realms of darkness. They know the way and they know the dangers along the way. In this card the horse is white. A being whose colour is the colour of purity, beauty and dignity - qualities that he transmits to his rider. This horse carries his rider from the past into the present and towards the future in the world of human experiences. Because the intent of this card is to picture victory the horse is white to symbolise nobility, triumph, and the mildness of perfect surrender to the rider’s will.

The horse in this card is the horse of mid-day, a creature of the sun. In the light of day the rider has clarity of vision and steers the horse according to his will to meet the future.

The crown upon the riders head denotes a certain attainment of accomplishment. We have thus succeeded in achieving a measure of self-mastery in the present. So too when this card appears for us, can we learn from it the beautiful gift of balance and modest mildness as we enjoy the liberation and illumination that victory over our impulses gives us. Harry S Truman said “In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first.” These words echo the timeless message of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato who said: “The first and best victory is to conquer self.”

Wands are associated with the element of Fire. Fire purifies and transforms matter. It is th

e element associated with action. Thus, the 6 of wands speaks of the actions needed to achieve victory. This victory is not achieved through passive thought, it is achieved through action, direction and determination. It transforms us, forever changing us as we burn with desire to achieve victory. When facing the flames of change we do not retreat, we persist and we surrender to the transformation that we must undergo in order to experience a brief moment of victory in self-mastery before we continue onward in further pursuit of our soul’s journey.

Self Mastery, this is what we strive for and this is what the horseman in the 6 of Wands has experienced a taste of. But, as we all know, self-mastery like enlightenment is elusive. It is a continuous journey of insights and victories, changes and transformations, and like the wind cannot be held onto and claimed as owned once experienced. The victory of self-mastery is aimed for throughout, and is the ultimate goal of the soul’s journey as it experiences all there is to experience.

In contemplating how this card can inform and remind us of our own pursuits towards victory, we ask ourselves today what it is that we wish to gain self-mastery over? What are the impulses in need of discipline that are dictating our future experiences? What little choices do we make each day that determines our destinies? Do we need to review these choices in order to set ourselves on a path towards victory? What do we need to change in our daily lives? What is it that we need to action? And, are we procrastinating when we should be taking action?

Forming new and healthier habits to lead us towards victory requires persistence. We CAN do it. We CAN take those first steps today towards victory. In closing we are reminded of this with the words of Buddha who said: “In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins – not through strength, but through persistence.”

Reference

The Secret Language of Tarot, Ruth Ann & Wald Amberstone - ISBN: 978-1-57863-416-3

Personal Development with the Tarot, Catherine Summers & Julian Vayne - ISBN: 0-572-02462-2