The Eight of Cups (Brother and Sister) in the Fairytale Tarot

I believe our lives are always being guided by the mythic, and sometimes that sense of an underlying framework is even stronger. My life has been like this for some time now as I prepare to pull up 23 years' of roots in this apartment (60 years worth in New York city as a whole), for a retirement residence in parts as yet unknown.

The Fairytale Tarot seemed the perfect deck to consult tonight. I randomly pulled the above card, The Eight of Cups whose story in this deck is "Brother and Sister." I was astounded (I am always grateful that after over 30 years of working with many different decks I can still be astounded) at what meanings the authors gleaned from this story. But mostly how absolutely on the mark it is for me right now. Here's just a few excerpts:

Leaving one thing to move on the next. A sad parting but a new beginning. Mingled regret and anticipation. Making the steps that are necessary, even though it's hard. ....usually contains an element of pain in the parting. The sad but sensible decision that Brother and Sister take in moving away from their unhappy home is a very good example of the mixed feelings of both hurt and hope that are at the heart of this card. ....It also recalls the Death card in Tarot, a card that is as much about transformation, and a journey from one 'life' to another, as about any actual physical death. ....However, the Eight is essentially a positive card. It tells us to acknowledge the difficulties of deciding when change is needed, but it also assures us that sometimes it's a decision that has to be made.

This story and what the authors say about it have confirmed the necessity of and my resolution to make this move. This confirmation will help to sustain me as I continue on through all the uncertainty, sadness, happy anticipation, and hard work.

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‘til next time, keep facing up to the difficult decisions and changes, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry and Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka).****

TODAY'S CARD IS The Ace of Cups. The version below is from The Fairytale Tarot, designed by Karen Mahony, illustrated by Alex Ukolov, and artwork by Irena Trikova; published by Magic Realist Press:



For comparison, here's the Ace of Cups in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:



THE ACE OF CUPS: Given my recent new creative project that I've been sharing here (The Taiga Tarot), I thought it was a good time to speak a little about the Ace of Cups. Not too long ago, after I'd drafted a review of a beautiful new art Tarot deck, I dreamed of three different versions of the Ace of Cups. I think that is a good example of how this card shows up around times of creative beginnings. This ace also tends to surface in times of great potential for love and other emotional abundance. I must admit it is one of the few cards in the Tarot that I've infrequently seen show up in a negative capacity. In fact, like The Star, its positive meaning(s) often radiate within a reading, affecting surrounding cards. I find attributing the story of the Ugly Duckling in The Fairytale Tarot to the Ace of Cups to be charming. The ultimate new beginning for the beleaguered ugly duckling as a beautiful swan is a wonderful image of potential realized. (The accompanying book covers this correspondence in depth, as it does with all of the cards and their fairytales.)

DIFFERENT OR LESS COMMON, EVEN QUIRKY MEANINGS FOR THE ACE OF CUPS (i.e. the below is not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of this card; a quick google will produce a wider variety of takes should you not be familiar with this card):

Can indicate an egotistical or self-centered person.

To positively effect your mood, take a shower whether you need one or not (it's worked for me!).

Rarely, but it can indicate a situation is approaching emotional overwhelm.

Watch the tendency to stay in the delightful early stages of creativity in order to avoid the next, grittier steps needed in order to manifest the idea.

An influx of many different sorts of creative energies or ideas. Keep notes so you can decide later what to pursue.

A time to be emotionally generous. The more you give, the more you have to give.

That sense of (or yearning for) mystical union with the All.

Aces in General: Can mean one needs to go back to the beginning to "pick up lost stitches," or start again from scratch. Can also simply suggest taking stock or a second look before taking any new action.

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Resource: The Transparent Tarot, "...uses clear sheets with symbolic elements that can be combined in layers, to make combined pictures and meanings," a deck-in-progress.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep being open to creative energies and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****

TEMPERANCE REDUX

Temperance, in The Fairytale Tarot, Written and designed by Karen Mahony; Illustrated by Alexandr Ukolov, baba studio; Artwork by Irena Triskova.

The Fairytale Tarot is my newest deck and what a deck it is! Each of the 78 cards is illustrated with a scene from a fairytale, some familiar and welcome, many new (at least to me) and fascinating. This is a rich deck both in art and the accompanying book, which includes the full fairytales and how each relates to the card it appears on. I'll review this deck at greater length here in the future. For now I just wanted to share a card from it.

I shuffled the deck, asking simply "What card should I post?" and got Temperance. I've previously addressed this card here, so will only add that Temperance images (in waking and dream life) have been very present for me recently. So I was not surprised when The Tarot "suggested" I post it today. What was a little bit of a surprise was the focus in the Fairytale Tarot book's text on Temperance that we appreciate "ordinary life," those things often thought of as little or of lesser import. I've been caught up in that other understanding of "tempering" (how a sword is tempered in fire and water -- ouch!) and not recognizing the quiet, deeper truths just beneath all the fuss and bother and drama. A good bit of advice to remember when Temperance shows up in a reading.

Click on the link under the graphic above to see more of the cards in this wonder-full deck.

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Resource: Mother Goose Tarot, very different style and approach from The Fairytale Tarot (some have illustrations, some little poems) but still fairytale; it's a deck-in-progress.

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep staying aware of the possibilities in the "little" and quiet things of life, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****