Daily Draw- Eight of Cups, Temperance, Queen of Swords

There are a good many times in life when I have had to be taught and/or convinced that when a situation no longer works I am just best off leaving, and that is not abandonment.  I have loyalty issues, because once I give it I want it to be forever.

Mystic Dreamer Tarot- Eight of Cups, Temperance, Queen of Swords

The Eight of Cups, like most of them, is leaving a situation, although we often see a configuration of Cups in which some, but not all, of them are standing up.  This situation I am about to turn away from may, in fact, not really be inherently not working, but that still doesn't mean it is right for me.  The figure turns to leave, clutching her violin.  I played violin as as a teenager, and while I liked it a great deal, I did not love it.  She does love it, and that is why it goes with her wherever she may roam.  As long as she has the most important aspect of herself, nothing else matters.

To me, Temperance is a funny Major Arcana.  As an archetype I can get with the idea of being a mystical mix master of sorts, and I understand the metaphor of blending opposites.  In practice of the way I read, it most often appears as managing the details of day to day life.  I gotta do this, go here, write that, make this class, this kid thing, on and on.  Oh yeah, and keep my house clean so that is pleasurable to live and cook in for all of us.  Although my anxiety issues are less and less as I am more in control of how my days work, and as I live in this very happy home life, Temperance appeared a lot for me as needing to manage my circumstances as much as I am able to keep my anxiety issues from rearing their head.  Keeping a schedule helps me be less anxious.  Because both of the other cards are leaning into Temperance, and it is right there in the middle, as well as being the only Major Arcana, I know this card is the lynch pin of the reading.

Mystic Dreamer Tarot- Queen of Cups

The Queen of Swords is my second aspect in Queens, the Queen of Pentacles being my first.  She represents my Libra ascendent in my astrological chart, and the rising sign is the mask we wear for the world to see.  The Queen of Swords is probably happy with letting people perceive her as suits her best.  She is also practical, and quick witted.  As I put these cards together I can see that I have no need for guilt, and as I refer back to The Devil, my lens for the week, I am thinking that guilt is a huge shadow issue for me and needs to go.

To reaffirm that thought, the Shadow Card of the reading is the Queen of Cups.  She is far less in control of her emotions than her counterpart, the Queen of Swords, and if she is ill aspected she can be a guilt mongering, either beating herself or others up with her innate knowledge of what will most hurt.  Guilt is a strange emotion, really serving no purpose, because if we really thought we shouldn't do whatever we feel guilty about, most of us would stop.  It is kind of a filler emotion, and it puts on a show.

Wisdom of the House of Night Oracle- Self-Worth

The card I drew from Wisdom of the House of Night Oracle is Self-Worth.  When our Self-Worth is high, we don't engage in useless emotions like guilt, we leave untenable situations, and we arrange our lives in such a way that pleases us best while working with our loved ones.  Feeling our true Self-Worth makes us sure we can say what we need to say, as compassionately as possible, and when we come from a place of love our words always ring true.

The companion book says this about the card, "When you draw this symbol, you are asked to consider: What value do you place on yourself in life?" From these words combined with the tarot reading, I can know that sometimes the most loving act, for me, and for others, is in fact to do what is best for me, no guilt, no getting tripped up in useless emotions that do not serve to get me where I want to be.



These cards are from Mystic Dreamer Tarot by Heidi Darras and Barbara Moore, published by Llewellyn, and Wisdom of the House of Night Oracle by P.C. Cast and Colette Baron Reid, published by Potter Style.