Reading of the Month

Mars in Pisces Reading

The Hanged Man XII (Conscious Mind)   2 of wands (Past) 10 of cups (Indicator) 5 of wands (Crossing) Empress III (Immediate Future)   The Tower XVI (Sub-Conscious)

6 of disks (Outcome) 2 of cups (Hopes and Fears) 7 of swords (Environment) 2 of swords (Inner Self)

This reading for Lance (not real name), is a perfect example of the effects of the close encounter we are experiencing with the planet Mars.

The first card, the 10 of Cups, is Mars in Pisces. It represents the old idea of ultimate satisfaction. Lance (like Mars) has focused on goal, not process, and now that Lance's love relationship has gone past the initial passion, shown by the 5 of wands, crossing the indicator, will he just give up?

I suggested that this might not be about Gwen, the woman he was seeing, at all, but more about his own inhibitions from his upbringing, symbolized by the Hanged Man in his conscious mind. Would he be willing to go deeper past this pattern, that he confirmed he did have in past relationships, or would he conclude she wasn't the ultimate lover and walk away?

In his sub-conscious we see the Tower (Mars card), working internally to breakdown the rigid patterns of his personality. In the Tarot deck the Tower is naturally followed by the Star, which represents the healing waters of the new Age of Aquarius. Right now, in his closest visit in 60,000 years, Mars is taking a bath in the Piscean waters of the old age, having shed his armor and his weapons at the shores of Neptune's pool, he is healing his wounds and redreaming himself as a lover of Venus and a warrior on the path of enlightenment. (See Mars Story in Tarot News)

So in his future, The Empress, Venus herself, beckons him to open to unconditional love. The Hebrew letter for the Empress, Daleth, means the door, and reminds me of the 60's lyrics, 'You hold the key to love and fear all in your trembling hand, one key unlocks them both, you know, its at your command'. (The symbol for Venus looks like a key, and so it is.)

Venus also represents creativity in our life work. Lance, is an optics engineer and he said it works as a metaphor for his view of the world. He enjoys his work and has a strong sense of accomplishment. But with The Tower in his sub-conscious showing the eye (optic) of Horus burning down old structures and his numerology showing me he is in an Emperor year, I asked him if he was tired of the corporate structure he was in and he said he was.

The next two cards in the suit of Swords suggested he wanted a new and peaceful environment, (2 of Swords), but he was fearful of the unknown and was stopping the exploration of new options by just considering it futile(7 of Swords). The 7 is a number of growth, as well as being an Aquarius card, and it was challenging him to be inventive in exploring new ways to find a peaceful environment. The two of swords is a Libra card, suggesting equality, instead of the hierarchy of the Emperor.

The 2 of Wands in his past, (Mars in Aries, connecting the Tower and the Emperor) has shown up to remind him of other times he has burned down an old personae to find his true domain, and here he goes again.

If the Aquarian desire for unique, individual expression can overcome the delusional fears of a weakened moon he can surmount his obstacles with Martian courage and resourcefulness.

The next card, in the hopes and fears position, is Love, the 2 of Cups. I suggested that in the past, at this point in a relationship, he would look for the next fresh thrill, or conquest, a la the old Mars, but this time he was being guided by something deeper. The 3 2's in the reading are all aspects of The Priestess leading him to go thru the door of The Empress,( for those of you familiar with the Cabbala this is her path), cross the abyss and reach the success of the 6 of disks in the heart of the Tree of Life, to let the determination of his sensuous Taurus self be actualized. Sometimes we need to let the ten cups empty and trust that they will refill from a deeper place in our wellspring of love instead of wondering the desert searching for the next oasis.

The Priestess is also meant to pull him past his fears in work. I told him that others might think him foolish to let go of such a secure and profitable job, but he knew that he felt like the Hanged Man, held to old structures, and that he wished to shine like the Sun and experience his own inventiveness. The Sun is his personality card and suggests either self-employment or working cooperatively with others.

I asked him if he might also like to be a teacher at some point because Taurus is the sign of education and his soul card is Jupiter (the Wheel of Fortune), who is also a teacher. He said that he always felt that he would do that some time in the future.

Finally, in comparing his life card with Gwen's, I suggested that he may be encountering his life lesson in this woman. His 19, 10, 1, cards are the only 3 number combination. The Sun, 19, represents his personality, The Wheel of Fortune, his soul, and The Magician,1, is a unique life lesson. Since Gwen's numbers are 10 and 1, I think he met his match! He agreed that he had been considering moving on because of the reasons I had revealed but there was something so different about Gwen that he felt the reading was telling him what he needed to hear.

Lance said he felt very encouraged by the reading and knew this was an important point of transformation in his life.

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