Jaq reads for Joan Marie

[Charlie Brown]

viewtopic.php?f=75&t=980&p=5310#p5310

[Joan Marie]

Hi Jaq! I need a day to put together my question. I've got a lot of things on my mind so expect a good one!

[jaq]

Hi Jaq! I need a day to put together my question. I've got a lot of things on my mind so expect a good one!

Ok! <rubbing my hands>

[Joan Marie]

Hi Jaq! I need a day to put together my question. I've got a lot of things on my mind so expect a good one!

Ok! <rubbing my hands>

Okay, no hurry.

I'm preparing for a trip to the US to attend the Northwest Tarot Symposium in Portland, Oregon. I'm attending just as a guest. My question is, in the 6 weeks or so I have to prepare myself, what should I be focusing on the most?

This doesn't have to necessarily be a specific action. It could be a mental state or something like that.

If this question is to vague to work with, tell me and I'll try again. Thanks!

[jaq]

I'm preparing for a trip to the US to attend the Northwest Tarot Symposium in Portland, Oregon. I'm attending just as a guest. My question is, in the 6 weeks or so I have to prepare myself, what should I be focusing on the most?

***1***
**2 3**
*4 5 6*

Card 1 - The Issue
Cards 2 & 3 - The factors or dynamics playing out in it
Cards 4, 5, & 6 - How the issue is dealt with.

Cards 1 & 5 will sometimes reveal a hidden factor or hidden dynamic at play.

1. The Issue – Preparation
6 of Wands
I get a sense of complexity and orderliness, more than from any of the other cards, some of which are quite similar (swords all over the place!) I am particularly taken by the “braiding” of the wands in the middle. That takes some skill! What I’m taking from those cards is that good, orderly (yet inspired) preparation is probably a very good idea.

2 & 3 Factors, Dynamics
7 of Swords, 2 of Wands
The sense of orderliness continues! 7 comes after 6. But boy, there is so much more going on in the 7 of swords. Of course TdM pips never look really chaotic but this one definitely moves ahead quite a bit in terms of complexity. The 6 swords are braided but not as symmetrically as the 6 of wands, the hilts on both sides are fused, another sword crosses them – makes me think of the overwhelm that can come with these conventions, and perhaps also the little fights and fusions. The 2 of wands, on the other hand, is simple and calm, and of course I’m thinking how often in RWS the 2 of wands is seen as the planning card. That may be about how the conference itself is (hopefully) well planned but also reinforcing the orderliness and planning that you want (and are invited) to carry out yourself.

4, 5 & 6 – Dealing with the Issue – What to focus on
4 of Swords, Moon, 2 of Pents
The first two rows felt a little stern and masculine, but these three feel rounder, more giving, softer, more feminine. So while orderly preparation seems to be a really important theme (maybe you’re even expected to do that by the organizers, by some of the attendants or by someone else?) here’s what I say re what/how to prepare: What strikes me about the 4 of swords is that this pip has the most flowers on it. They almost seem to encroach on the swords. And like the rest of this row, it’s an even number, pointing to the balance that is also shown in the 2 of pents. Then we have the Moon in the middle. The phrase that comes up for me is “the deep well of the unconscious.” I’m wondering whether trance work might be a good preparation.

There seem to be four major forces at work here in this spread.
One is the sense of orderliness and planning
The preponderance of pips (no Aces, no Courts – statistically interesting) – pointing to the importance of small details in the planning?
Preponderance of even numbers (also statistically interesting) – pointing to a sense of balance
The central position of the Moon

Interesting how the spread talks about hidden factors in the combination of 1 and 5. Well, the Moon itself is about the hidden! It just seems to accentuate what I already see here: prepare well, and in your preparations focus on your unconscious/intuition. I can see you wandering about the convention, totally guided by this intuitive, deep, female Moon energy …

[Joan Marie]

1. The Issue – Preparation
6 of Wands
I get a sense of complexity and orderliness, more than from any of the other cards, some of which are quite similar (swords all over the place!) I am particularly taken by the “braiding” of the wands in the middle. That takes some skill! What I’m taking from those cards is that good, orderly (yet inspired) preparation is probably a very good idea.

I think this is pretty on the money. Part of the material preparation I am doing has to do with having some things ready to bring with me, things I have to actually make. I am feeling very inspired and that is making it a lot easier. It sounds like I am on the right track in this regard.

2 & 3 Factors, Dynamics
7 of Swords, 2 of Wands
The sense of orderliness continues! 7 comes after 6. But boy, there is so much more going on in the 7 of swords. Of course TdM pips never look really chaotic but this one definitely moves ahead quite a bit in terms of complexity. The 6 swords are braided but not as symmetrically as the 6 of wands, the hilts on both sides are fused, another sword crosses them – makes me think of the overwhelm that can come with these conventions, and perhaps also the little fights and fusions. The 2 of wands, on the other hand, is simple and calm, and of course I’m thinking how often in RWS the 2 of wands is seen as the planning card. That may be about how the conference itself is (hopefully) well planned but also reinforcing the orderliness and planning that you want (and are invited) to carry out yourself.

This is interesting because I hadn't even considered the conference being all that overwhelming or intense. I really have no idea what to expect. I used to work in Silicon Valley and I went to a lot of big tech conferences so I guess I imagined a Tarot conference being pretty tame, but in truth I have no idea.
But back to the stuff I 'm working on, the degree of complexity is pretty high and if I thought about it I know I would feel overwhelmed but I just keep at it and don't think about that. Maybe that's what these 2 cards could be pointing at? Calm in the face of overwhelming complexity? That seems to fit as the dynamic for this, whether it's about the stuff I'm working on or about the conference itself. There is a lot of travel involved, (I'm flying 14 hours arriving the evening before the conference starts) lots of new people and I've never been to one of these. So, staying clam seems like really good advice.

4, 5 & 6 – Dealing with the Issue – What to focus on
4 of Swords, Moon, 2 of Pents
The first two rows felt a little stern and masculine, but these three feel rounder, more giving, softer, more feminine. So while orderly preparation seems to be a really important theme (maybe you’re even expected to do that by the organizers, by some of the attendants or by someone else?) here’s what I say re what/how to prepare: What strikes me about the 4 of swords is that this pip has the most flowers on it. They almost seem to encroach on the swords. And like the rest of this row, it’s an even number, pointing to the balance that is also shown in the 2 of pents. Then we have the Moon in the middle. The phrase that comes up for me is “the deep well of the unconscious.” I’m wondering whether trance work might be a good preparation.

There seem to be four major forces at work here in this spread.
One is the sense of orderliness and planning
The preponderance of pips (no Aces, no Courts – statistically interesting) – pointing to the importance of small details in the planning?
Preponderance of even numbers (also statistically interesting) – pointing to a sense of balance
The central position of the Moon

Interesting how the spread talks about hidden factors in the combination of 1 and 5. Well, the Moon itself is about the hidden! It just seems to accentuate what I already see here: prepare well, and in your preparations focus on your unconscious/intuition. I can see you wandering about the convention, totally guided by this intuitive, deep, female Moon energy …

I love this last sentence so much. I am trying to approach this without expectations. I have no agenda. I just want to present myself well, meet people, be open and see what happens. Focusing on letting go and being guided by a higher and serene spirit seems like the perfect way to prepare.

Thank you so much jaq. This is extremely helpful.

[jaq]

This is interesting because I hadn't even considered the conference being all that overwhelming or intense. I really have no idea what to expect. I used to work in Silicon Valley and I went to a lot of big tech conferences

Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. I've also been to lots of conferences and trade shows. The last one was an annual meeting of a regional haiku group, and despite the sedate theme, beautiful, serene surroundings, and not a lot of people present - maybe 40, 50 - it still felt like a LOT of information and ideas people to take in, probably because I was really engaged with all of the material - as might be the case for you. Looking forward to hearing about your experience! For a short while I was flirting with going, as well, but with everything else on my plate that would be crazy.

[Joan Marie]

Looking forward to hearing about your experience! For a short while I was flirting with going, as well, but with everything else on my plate that would be crazy.

I'm hoping to do some "live reporting" from there and kind of cover it in some way for us here at the forum.