Règle de Reine

"On a high throne, looking into a clouded sky, sits a queen with a raised sword in her left hand. This suggests, 'Let those approach who dare!'

Her crown and the base of her throne are decorated with the butterflies of the soul, and just under the arm of the throne we find a sylph, the elemental of the air. The queen's face is chastened through suffering.

Choose this card for a brown-haired, brown-eyed woman.

Divinatory Meaning: A subtle, keen, and quick-witted woman who may represent a widow or one who is unable to bear children. Perhaps she is mourning for those she loves who are far away from her.

Reversed: Unreliability. Narrow-mindedness. Gossip. Deceit. Malice. A woman of artifice and prudery."*

- - -

"The Queen of Swords indicates a woman who is blessed (or cursed) with sharp perception, and highly honed intuition. She is acutely analytical, with a razor-sharp ability to get to the heart of a situation, seeing exactly what is, rather than what others would wish her to see.

She is a private woman, unwilling to let people too close to her until she is satisfied she thoroughly understands their motivations. But once won as a friend, she is unfailingly loyal, honest and supportive.

She's usually very intelligent, with a dry sense of humour. Her penetrating insight will often reveal aspects of themselves to others that they had previously been unable to grasp - thus she is a capable therapist, teacher or leader.

The woman represented by this card will be experienced in the flow of life, understanding a great deal about both the great triumphs, and the deepest failings of the race. Her clarity and measured expression will be of great value at times of confusion and sadness.

Sometimes in a reading, this card will turn up to indicate a woman in a particular phase of her life, where she temporarily becomes a Sword as a result of what is happening to her. In that case the card is not quite so positively defined, for it can indicate a woman left alone, and perhaps embittered. She may be a widow, or a woman passing through the aftermath of divorce.

In this case we often see the more negative aspects of the Queen - coldness, judgmentalism, criticism. At these times there is a certain sourness about her, with cynicism and sharpness making themselves felt.

It should be said that these qualities are inherent to the woman who is a Queen of Swords by nature too - if the woman concerned has not evolved sufficiently you will often find that the card represents a person who is hard and cold toward others."**

- - -

My guards are rising.

I can feel them going up, even though I know I'm desperate for the opposite.

Old habits die hard, I guess.

I want to say, Come in, come in. You're welcome here.

But the barbed wire I surround the gates with are less beckoning than my whole-hearted appeal.

You're welcome inside, as long as you don't hurt my pride.

And I wonder why the signals are always crossed.

- - -

I know I am meant to be happy.

I just haven't found anyone yet to bring me that happiness.

* Gray, Eden. A Complete Guide to the Tarot. New York: Bantam, 1972. Print.
** (source)

VII – The Chariot

"This key signifies victory for the triumphant king who has conquered on all planes, particularly those of the mind, science, and growth. The chariot stands for the human personality, which can be a vehicle for the expression of the Self.

If his powers of observation are faulty, superficial, or fearful, the resulting sequence of subconscious reactions is bound to be destructive.

Key 7 means rest and victory, self-discipline and stability. The conqueror may not yet have conquered himself. Here we find both will and knowledge, but there is more desire to attain than proven power for real attainment.

Some occultists divide the Tarot Keys into three groups of seven cards each. In this case the number 7  indicates the Fool has reached an outer triumph and is ready to learn further lessons in the next seven cards.

Divinatory Meaning: Triumph, success, control over the forces of nature–thus triumph over ill health as well as money difficulties or enemies of any sort, including one's own lower animal passions. This is a card of those who achieve greatness. It may also indicate travel in comfort. Mental and physical powers should lead to fulfillment.

Reversed: Decadent desires, possibility of ill health, restlessness and desire for change, an unethical victory."*

 

After a long period of spiritual distance and neglect, I decided to break out the Tarot cards once again to help me figure out where I'm going to go with my life now, what's next in my journey after finally putting an end to the latest chapter of my book.

I managed to pick up the entirety of the deck of cards from the black box that my (late) Chanel sunglasses came in, save one.

After setting down the cards I had grabbed, I picked up the remaining card left behind in the box.

When I turned it over, I involuntarily gasped—it was like being shocked by electricity.

Shocked by the hand of Fate.

- - -

I'm scared.

Now that it's over and done with, what now?

What's next?

I thought I knew what I was doing. I thought I had a plan.

I thought I had something for sure, something so solid in its certainty that nothing could have shaken me out of my resolute determination.

Call it cold feet, but now it feels as if the cracks I've managed to overlook thus far in the foundations of my strategies have gradually spiderwebbed to a point too far past the limits of denial.

What the hell do I do now?

* Gray, Eden. A Complete Guide to the Tarot. New York: Bantam, 1972. Print.