Charlie Brown Reads for Marigold TdM Oct. '19

[Charlie Brown]

What can I do for you?

[Diana]

Hi Charlie Brown. Nice to have you reading for me. You're a very good tarot reader so I'm feeling lucky here.

Have been racking my brains but nothing specific seems to be on the horizon. Would you be prepared to do a more general type of reading, for instance is there any area or areas that I should be aware of in the coming weeks, that I may overlook or am unconsciously or deliberately avoiding but which would require attention ? That kind of thing ?

[Charlie Brown]

I'll do my best but, in my experience, this spread isn't well suited for that. I'll figure something out. I might use a different spread or, more likely, I'll turn it into a specific question like "What area is it important for you to pay attention to",or "What issue will be most pressing for yu between now and the end of the year?" something like that.

If a more specific question occurs to you prior to my doing the reading, whenever that is, just post it here and I'll substitute it.

[Diana]

No, let's make this an experience that's pleasant and enjoyable for us both. Ignore my previous post and I'll give this more thought and get back to you tomorrow at the latest with something you can get your teeth into. Am not a huge fan of "general" kinds of questions anyway, so this reading exchange deserves better. (Stop being lazy Marigold and THINK !!!)

[Charlie Brown]

I can wait, but it isn't a case where I won't "enjoy" the reading. I'm happy to offer whatever guidance I can in the area you wanted. I'm just not necessarily confident in the end product. It was more a warning for you rather than a plea for me.

I'd actually kind of like to try a version of the "what's upcoming that's important"

Either way though.

[Diana]

I'd actually kind of like to try a version of the "what's upcoming that's important"

Suits me just fine. I really have no specific question that comes to mind. Looking forward to this !

[Charlie Brown]

I'll come back and post pictures later. You know what the cards look like.


I don't really have a good sense of what this reading means. If it's going to have any value, I imagine that it's going to require a lot of input on your part. Like I said before, I usually need a very specific question in order to rock this spread. Nevertheless, maybe it will have meaning for you, if not me.

I asked "What is the most important area for Marigold between now and the end of the year?" I used the 'classic' version of the cross in which the top and bottom cards are past-present respectively. This was because I had hoped that the temporal progression would give some insight into what the issue/area is. I imagine that this is possible a successful strategy since the Tower as a past event is hopefully something that you will be able to easily identify.

For: Star
Against: Empress
Past: Tower
Present: Emperor
Answer: Emperor

The things that jump out at me are:

The sight lines of The Star and The Empress,
The relationship between the Empress and Emperor
The Emperor's sight line is in the same direction and The Star's

The fact that your "present" card and the answer are both the same suggest that what's important is something that you're dealing with right now.

The fact that the Empress is your negative card and the Emperor is your positive card suggests to me that the key to this reading lies in understanding the differences between the Empress and the Emperor.

The fact that the Q-Emperor (quintessence Emperor) and The Star are facing in the same direction, that the Emperor is the answer, and that the Star is your positive factor suggests to me that understanding how the Emperor and the Star work together will also factor into understanding this reading.

So how do these cards behave?

Star - open, follows guidence
Empress (neg) - Overprotective, Overemotional
Emperor - Acts assertively and assumes control, if not 'objective' than more guided by the big picture

In many ways The Star and The Empress are similar in their feminine energies, but in this reading, they oppose each other. The Empress is closed off in many ways. She wants to nuture but also wants to control. She can be overprotective and stifling. The Star may need that protection, but she's comfortable without it. She's trusting and exposed. She's open to new ideas and directions. She has faith but that also makes her vulnerable. Compared to the Emperess, the Emperor's interference is less personal. Rather than controlling her (her being the star) he attempts to control the world around her. He doesn't sheild her so much as attack the dangers that might otherwise threaten her.

There seems to be a contradiction between the openess of The Star and the Assertiveness of The Emperor. How do these work together? I followed up with some cover cards.

For: Star/Page of Swords
Against: Empress/Knight of Coins
Past: Tower/Four of Coins
Present: Emperor/Seven of Wands
Answer: Emperor/Nine of Cups+2 of Swords

What sticks out to me:
Gazes: Page of Swords matches Star, Knight of Coins matches Empress
Suits: Tower + Empress = Coins, Star+Q-Emperor = Swords

Like with their gazes, with see that the quint Emperor and The Star are in sync (both sword cards) while the Empress is oppossed. The Knight of coins goes off in the same direction as the Empresses gaze, actively doing her bidding. The Four of Coins connects the Tower to the Empress.

Re: the court cards: The page is a learner rather than a doer. The page is someone who articulates and advocates the positions of others rather her own. Looking in the opposite direction, the knight follows the direction of the Empress. We see that it's the wrong direction.

Re: Both Emperors' pips. Perhaps there is a disharmony in your will (7 of Wands) because you're keeping yourself (2 of Swords) from what you want (9 of Cups)?

Or maybe, you desire (9 of Cups) to be more confrontational/oppositional(2 of Swords). That feels right.

How about this...

You want to do more, but something—the overprotectiveness of your inner Empress— is holding you back a bit. Whatever happened in the past (Tower) is smothering you through its protectivness and sending you in the wrong direction (coins connecting empress and tower). This leaves your will in a state of disharmony (III + 7W)

So what is it that you want to do and how do The Star and The Emperor combine?

The Emperor is the answer and the answer, tentatively, is for you to act like the emperor. To be more assertive and confronational, to impose order, etc.

What are you asserting, what structure are you maintaining?

My best guess is that this reading is telling you to take this active posture on behalf of someone or something else. Don't do it in an Empress-y protect the individual's feelings kind of way but really try and tackle the germane issues head on.

Beyond that, keep in mind that the star is closer to the situation than you are. Its light must lead the way. The Emperor must act in service, addressing the need's of The Star and not acting through his own ego. Understand the Star and follow its lead, taking the kinds of actions it is unable to. Let the light of The Star be your guide.

Did any of this mean anything to you?

[Diana]

Thank you Charlie Brown for this most unusual and interesting reading. And insightful, although I haven't had time yet to study it in depth. I need some quiet time to do this. And I'm hugely tied up with some important unexpected things I need to focus on fully in the next few days. Nothing dramatic or tragic, but important matters that can't be delayed. So I'll give you feedback, hopefully thorough, on the weekend. I'll give as much as I can openly in this thread, but some of it may be by private message if this is suitable for you.

I can tell you already that you seemed to have struck a rather raw nerve. I had some faint first signs of a panic attack after having read it (nothing serious - but these first signs are unmistakable) which lingered for some time. I think this whole reading is maybe about something I've been hoping would sort itself out like magic - maybe I was hoping for a Wheel of Fortune occasion - although now I come to think of it is a ridiculous hope, because for me the Wheel of Fortune in such situations just means that one lives through the same film over and over again until one "learns the lesson". A sort of tarotic Goundhog Day.

It may not be this issue. This was my first impression however, but will only receive confirmation once I've had some quality time to ponder the reading and have recomposed the draw with my cards to observe them closely. And particularly those sight-lines you speak of.

The Star puzzles me hugely at present, but may become clearer once I've studied your reading. But something very unusual happened last night (so before I'd read your reading). I was putting my five year old granddaughter to bed, doing our bedtime rituals and hugs and cuddles, and then suddenly out of the blue and with no connection whatsoever to what we were talking about, she said "tu sais à quoi je pense tout le temps ? C'est que les étoiles se sont des êtres de la pensée." Translated : "you know what I always think ? That the stars are beings of the mind". (Literally penseé would be thought, but this would not translate correctly the French idiom.) I told her that I thought this was just beautiful what she said, and then she gave a huge smile of contentment and then threw herself into my arms to give me a one of the biggest hugs I've ever had. It's mightily unusual for a five year old to speak of such things - it's more mystical even than philosophical. She assured me she'd never heard this in a book of a movie but that it's "what she likes to think". I wonder sometimes about all this synchronicity that we sometimes experience. And the next day this Star in your reading which eludes me completely at present. Did I receive a message last night ? Or are the two things unrelated ?

Anyway, see you on the weekend and again my thanks.

[Charlie Brown]

I'm sorry to hear that the reading caused you distress. I hope it wasn't because I phrased anything insensitively. I look forward to learning more. Best of luck in the challenges you're facing this week.

[Diana]

I'm sorry to hear that the reading caused you distress. I hope it wasn't because I phrased anything insensitively. I look forward to learning more. Best of luck in the challenges you're facing this week.

Oh no no. Don't be sorry! I wouldn't know where you would have phrased anything insensitively. I could look for a million years and not find anything.

I was very glad to have these feelings, which were only faint, because that's what we come to the Tarot for right? To get to the bottom of things? Bottom isn't always a pretty secret underground cave with unicorns and diamonds and rainbows . Sometimes it's muddy and sometimes there are even DRAGONS !!! We can't go to the Tarot and expect to be mollycoddled. Also, I have somewhere in a trunk an Ace of Swords that is good at cutting off the heads of dragons.

Your reading is great from what I see, and most unusual which is great too.

[Diana]

Hi Charlie Brown ! Here is my feedback, a little confusing as the whole can of worms is confusing. It will need weeks or even months of pondering your reading, perhaps doing some more readings on the questions that arise during the pondering, and try and see how all this fits into the tapestry of my life and the events occurring in it.

I won’t go into any details of the issues I’ve been facing and particularly one which seems to have no solution, as they are very personal but I don’t think the details are necessary.

I was most intrigued by all these “sight lines” as you call them. They were a kind of an eye opener so thank you for your emphasis on this.

I realise now that my efforts and solutions that I found for the difficult issues I faced the last few years, efforts which brought their fruits and have indeed smoothed out many rough edges and even managed to reverse some of the problems completely, have not left me completely unscathed. I took the option of working for the “greater good”, a most utilitarian position. But by doing this, I've sacrificed quite a lot, as when I compared my needs to others, they seemed small in comparison. I wonder now if I haven’t been crucifying myself by taking this utilitarian position. I remember once being interviewed by a newspaper when I was very active in animal rights, when I ranted on about how awful utilitarianism is, that in its worst form it can lead to eugenism and other nasty things like that. So I realise I’m a walking contradiction here.

Have I martyred myself in some way so that others can be happy ?

And if I have done so, was this necessary ? Maybe it was at the time - it certainly felt right and proper and dignified and I never doubted the path I had chosen - there was a sense of conviction about it - it was like a guiding light, a lighthouse, a torch. A Star ? But now with an important outstanding issue to which no solution has yet been found, should I take now a different attitude ? Forget the utilitarian philosophy and become more of an “egoist” ?

Also, is my nurturing really stifling and controlling ? Could be. I need to really think about this seriously. Perhaps it is. I thought that because my intentions came from a point of love and tenderness, that this would preclude any controlling. If it turns out that it has been stifling and controlling, I will kick myself for this. Because it was no my intention.

“The Emperor is the answer and the answer, tentatively, is for you to act like the emperor. To be more assertive and confrontational, to impose order, etc.

What are you asserting, what structure are you maintaining?”

I’ve never identified with the Emperor. I don’t like him – I’ve always seen him more as a dictator than a benevolent ruler. Maybe I’ll take some time with him and see if we can’t get on a bit better.

I’m not someone who is not assertive, and will stand up for my rights and fight like a lion if I have to. One of my anthems is Bob Marley’s Get Up Stand Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg97JiBn1kE

But my assertiveness has been more of the Empress type than an Emperor I realise from your reading. When you say “compared to the Empress, the Emperor's interference is less personal. Rather than controlling her (her being the star) he attempts to control the world around her. He doesn't shield her so much as attack the dangers that might otherwise threaten her.” I don’t think I’ve focused much on any dangers that would threaten me, but only those dangers that would threaten others. I’ve put myself in a certain measure out of the picture, for the sake, as I said of "the greater good".

I’ll probably also do a reading on utilitarianism in the Plato’s Cave thread, to see where I really stand on this issue. I decried it when it came to animal rights, ranted on about Peter Singer, the Australian utilitarian philosopher, but apply it in my own life. I think I need to make a stand of some sort here and decide.

If it turns out that my “crucifying” myself was and still is the best option for this final issue that somehow has to find a resolution (although your reading would indicate that a change of direction could be envisaged due to the strong presence of the Emperor), then I’ll have to find a way to resurrect, because that’s what crucifixion is all about. The method of execution is not so important – it’s what you do afterwards to rise up. I’ve always wondered about this. Apparently it takes only three days to rebuild the temple. Emperors know how to build temples and palaces and beautiful gardens. I think maybe The Star here should be my guide, but I need to find this Star. Maybe its light hasn't yet reached the earth - I'll have to observe the "skies" and see if I can see it. Or perhaps that Star is the Conviction I was speaking of earlier. As long as there is that sense of peace that such kind of conviction brings, it should be okay.

Charlie Brown, you’ve touched on some deep philosophical and existential issues in your reading. An eye opener as I said. And you may understand now somewhat why the first reading of your spread caused a big enough impact to create a bit of anxiety. This was only fleeting - but hugely significant. I don’t know how to thank you enough. So just let’s say “thank you Charlie Brown”.