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Facebook and Instagram are down today. Mondays are when I do the bulk of my marketing work, and most of my followers are on those platforms, so it's a bit of a bummer to not have them available. What's a small-time Fortune Teller to do?
Create a Down 'n Out Tarot Spread! That's what! Let's see what the cards think I should do about this terrible event. Something got you down, lately? Read along with me. 
The Down 'n Out Layout:
Card 1 - Why Am I Down?
Card 2 - What Action Should I Take?
Card 3 - Who will help me?
Card 4 - Where should I go?
Cards 5 & 6 "Outcome"
I did a reading for myself. Although I know the bulk of my issues come from Zuckerberg's shenanigans today, maybe there is something else afoot that is causing me distress, or something I can do about it. Let's see! Card 1. Why am I, Emily Paper, down? I drew the Ace of Pentacles.
Card 2. What action should I take? I drew the reversed Seven of Wands.
Card 3. Who will help me? Hopefully whomever is bringing me that ace of pentacles gift. I drew the reversed Seven of Pentacles.
Card 4 - Where should I go? I drew the Seven of Cups upright. Holy sevens, batman. I'll talk about this in a minute.
Two-card Outcome (Cards 5 & 6). I drew the King of Swords and the Emperor. Woah patriarchy.
Well okay then, I'll take it. I count this blog and tarot spread as hard work. I honestly wasn't going to do this today, but I didn't have a Facebook to read. On multiple sevens: It is very rare to get the same number tarot card three times in only a 6-card spread, so let's talk about Tarot and Numerology for a sec. The Minor Arcana follow a similar pattern with numbering. Here's what the numbers represent: Aces - new beginnings, potential, fresh starts, gifts Twos - duality, balance, juggling, choices Threes - growth, increase, expansion, creativity Fours - stability, foundations, structure Fives - instability, challenges, changes, losses Sixes - comfort, healing, peace, adjustment Sevens - questioning, spirituality, independence, knowledge, gaining wisdom Eights - courage, movement, change, disappointment, fortitude Nines - achievement, awakening, becoming, nearing the end of a cycle Tens - endings, accomplishment, failure, the finality before a new dawn So my multiple sevens represents a lot of questions and spiritual insights being gained during this Facebook outage. I suppose that's true. I spend a lot of time on that platform - on purpose, because being alone in my own head is like attending a circus 24/7. But maybe these sevens are telling me to just live with my thought-circus for a bit and see what fresh insights come to me. I guess I'll go do that. In the shower.
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Here's a spread I made for difficult decisions. I use this all the time when I have to make a choice about something. It could be as mundane as "should I have beef lasagna or veggie lasagna for lunch?" or as serious as Sophie's Choice.
Okay, your spreads should never be used for a Sophie's Choice scenario. Please do not do that. Today I'll do a spread for myself and use a choice that's somewhere in the middle - should I go back to work right now, or keep doing what I'm doing? My partner is at a startup and we're having some minor cash flow problems, so it would help if I worked, but I also have this little business plus grad school on the side, so work would be a difficult thing to manage. I know the issues, let's see what the cards have to say! An image of my spread is below. Card 1: You This card may be a direct representation of the querent (such as a court card), or it only shows where their head is at in regards to this specific choice they need to make. My spread: I drew the reversed Sun - I'm not happy about possibly going back to work, but I'm also not happy about my money problems. I'm just not happy in either scenario, and it's hard for me to see the sun through the clouds. I'm very much the reversed sun! Cards 2-4: The positives, negatives, and outcome of Choice 1 A lot of "choice" spreads lay out both of the positives first, then both negatives, then both outcomes, but I don't and I'll tell you why - I frequently need a third option. When I'm finished laying out all my cards, and I've seen both scenarios, sometimes in the meantime I've come up with a third choice that I didn't think of before! In the example of lasagnas, I forgot there was a third option - 5-cheese lasagna! No beef, no veggies, just delicious cheese! I would need to tack that on to the end of a lasagna spread as cards 8, 9 and 10. My spread: I drew the three of swords as a positive to returning to work. ouch no. that's bad. there are no positives to a full time job. The positive is that I might suffer a heart attack and die, so I don't have to work. I drew the reversed five of pentacles as a negative. I will get the finances I need...? I'm not sure why that's negative but money does funny things to people, so who knows. For the outcome I drew the reversed Strength. I will become weak, insecure, and helpless if I go back to work. Okay. Cards 5-7: The positives, negatives, and outcome of Choice 2 This is self explanatory, but make sure that when these are drawn you are also comparing them back to their counterparts in Choice 1. Is this positive better than that one? Is the negative even worse? Which outcome is better in general, with all the cards considered? My spread: I drew the reversed five of swords as a positive. If I don't go back to work, I'll avoid a difficult battle but I'll hold a big grudge about it. That makes sense, I'll still have these money problems. I drew the reversed knight of wands as a negative. If I don't go back to work, I will become more arrogant and might take some risks I shouldn't. Hmm, that's troublesome. For the outcome I drew the reversed two of swords. If I don't go back to work I will be left with indecision, worry, and discomfort. Blaaaaah. In my own spread neither option was particularly good. I wonder if there is a third thing I'm not thinking about when it comes to fixing my cash flow problems. I drew three more cards, for a third choice. The positives are the reversed ten of swords - I'll avoid a disaster. The negatives are the reversed page of cups - I'll become obsessed with whatever it is. The outcome is the Chariot - I'll create a direction for myself and will go for it! Wow, I wonder what that third option is. I probably should have come up with something before I laid out the cards. Oops. So there you have it, the choices tarot spread. I hope you make some good choices! If you're anemic, go with the beef lasagna. Otherwise do the veggie and add an extra layer of cheese! Pic of my spread. The deck I used is the Tarot Mood Deck by Natalie Meraki. It's a very funny take on Rider-Waite. 
Write down and draw your spread in your new Tarot Divination Journal! The US purchase link is below: 
I'm stupid-pleased to announce that Applied Tarot REVERSED is now available through Amazon worldwide!
If you've been carefully shuffling your deck and asking specific, everyday questions, but your cards keep popping out all criss-cross applesauce, askew, and wonkified, this book is for you! In Applied Tarot Reversed, we take the basic interpretations and -sometimes literally!- turn them on their heads. When it comes to reversed cards, some meanings are the negative of its upright form, some are positive, some are opposite, some are personal, and others are completely different. How are you supposed to choose what to eat for dinner when that happens?!? Read Applied Tarot Reversed and find out! Still confused? Here's the trusty old 79th card - reversed! - to explain it: 
¿ What is the 79th card ?
Some Tarot decks have one or more extra Major Arcana cards. Often these are ultimate question cards, or have other specific names such as Gratitude, Artistry, or Ascension. Or occasionally, if you're like me, you’ll forget to remove a junk "joker" card before shuffling a brand new deck, and it will pop up in a reading. You can use that as your 79th card. Reversed, unless detailed in the book that comes with your particular deck, it has similar interpretations to upright, or it can be more personal, or more negative. Who? Who do you think? What? What do you think? Where? Wherever When? Maybe never Why? “We live in the world our questions create” ~David Cooperrider How: You figure it out Yes or No? Maybe! An action? Think more about your situation Place in your house, city, or world? Yes! Looking for a job, food, color? Keep looking! Movie? Something you’re ambivalent about watching – you might be surprised What should I clean? Whatever you’d like Where is my missing item? Unknown 79th Card reversed combinations: Any combination with this card turns the answer back into a question. For example, if you asked "what career should I look into" and pulled the Hierophant and the 79th card, your conscious mind might jump in and say "I love church! I could work there!" but ponder it a bit - you might realize you'd come to hate church if you were forced to attend it for work. The 79th card asks you to think about it. ¿
Wow! That 79th card didn't explain anything at all. Aren't you glad that card exists in your deck? It's almost completely useless, but it makes you think. Maybe. Hopefully.
There is no thinking involved when it comes to the Applied Tarot Reversed. Just buy it before it's gone forever*. Here are some links to a few international sites:
*It's not going anywhere. I don't know why I said that.
Read Applied Tarot Reversed and then let me know what you think!
I've finally finished all of Applied Tarot Reversed, so this week I have to fix some formatting, create the cover, and get it published. I'm hoping to have it out by the end of July. That's three months later than I was originally planning for, but not being able to finish is a very World Reversed way to do things. Incompletion is my signature style.  The World upright is achievement, completion, and feeling whole. When the card is reversed, it often means that completion is within reach, but there is something standing in the way. There are a few other reversed meanings that might be happening here:
Questions answered by The World Reversed: Who? A person unable to move on What? Nothing; unfinished projects Where? Nowhere; a place of stagnation When? The end of the year; Capricorn; during delays Why? “Ten years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.” ~Unknown Yes or No? No; possibly, after work is done The Reversed World Before any card: Delays and issues with (card) After any card: incompletion; immigration; problems The World Reversed as: …an action?
…a place in your house?
…a place in your city?
…a place in the world?
…something to eat?
…something to clean?
…where to find the missing item?
…a color? no color or all colors …a movie theme? Incompletion, immigration
…a new career?
Possible Major Arcana combinations with The World Reversed: Reversed Fool: No travel; trip cancelled Upright Magician: A lazy but skilled worker Reversed Priestess: Minor issues cause huge doubts Upright Empress: Achievement causes ongoing problems Reversed Emperor: Personal issues or baggage Upright Hierophant: Immigration woes Reversed Lovers: Acrimonious divorce Upright Chariot: Running on fumes; trip delays Reversed Strength: Insecurities; unmet goals Upright Hermit: Finishing a project alone Reversed Wheel: No end in sight to projects Upright Justice: Justice does not bring closure Reversed Hanged One: Querant is at fault Upright Death: Finished project is incomplete Reversed Temperance: Stroke; imbalance Upright Devil: A difficult child Reversed Tower: Paperwork or business problems Upright Star: Unjustified worries Reversed Moon: defection; exile; quitting Upright Judgement: A misunderstanding The Major Arcana represent significant life events. The World reversed could indicate:
 The Sun is the happiest card in the deck. Even in a reversed position, the interpretation still promises that the sun will rise again soon. In most decks, the imagery on this card depicts excitement, joy and play.
With this card reversed, even the most ominous fortunes have positivity and enlightenment in them. Reversed, here are some things that might be happening:
Questions answered by The Sun Reversed: Who? A temporarily sad person; The least enthusiastic group member What? A small success; optimism Where? A shady spot When? July-August; a partly cloudy day; the vernal equinox; decent weather Why? “If only we’d stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time.” ~Edith Wharton Yes or No? Yes, after a few minor issues What should I clean?
Where are my keys?
The Sun Reversed as: …an action?
…a place in your house?
…a place in your city?
…a place in the world?
…something to eat?
…a color? Purple, blue, red …a movie theme? Sadness, trying, no enthusiasm
…a new career?
Possible Major Arcana combinations with The Sun Reversed: Reversed Fool: No confidence in new beginning Upright Magician: One needs to get started Reversed Priestess: Slowly coming around to an idea Upright Empress: Postpartum depression Reversed Emperor: Disappointing career Upright Hierophant: Obligatory church visit Reversed Lovers: A breakup Upright Chariot: Don’t put the cart before the horse Reversed Strength: Many small obstacles ahead Upright Hermit: Work or knowledge difficulties Reversed Wheel: The future is unknowable at this time Upright Justice: A difficult truth to hear Reversed Hanged One: Stagnation is sadness Upright Death: An upsetting change Reversed Temperance: Mental illness Upright Devil: An addictive personality Reversed Tower: Suffering and negativity Upright Star: Hope after sadness Reversed Moon: Misinterpretation of situations Upright Judgement: Closure after some delay Reversed World: An incomplete project Before any card: Unrealistic expectations about (card) After any card: Sadness, pessimism, ego The Major Arcana represent significant life events. The Sun Reversed could indicate:
 Upright, the Tower is strongly associated with catastrophic end. It is a card of sudden and unexpected shock, chaos, and disruption.
A card of such universal devastation means that, when you reverse it, it’s hard to narrow down the meaning to a few quick notions, but here you go:
{6.21.21 note: At this current time in my life I am paralyzed by a severe fear of catastrophe, so I'm excited to read on and see what I should do about it...} Questions answered by The Tower Reversed: Who? A difficult person; one who has recently suffered a catastrophe What? Cleanup after a storm or emergency Where? A volatile location; an area after a storm When? March to April, October to November; After the tragedy Why? “Times of crisis, of disruption or constructive change, are not only predictable, but desirable. They mean growth. Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” - Fyodor Dostoevsky Yes or No? No What should I clean?
Where are my keys?
The Tower Reversed as: …an action?
…a place in your house?
…a place in your city?
…a place in the world?
…something to eat?
…a color? Electric blue …movie theme? Disaster recovery; fear of ruin
…a new career?
Possible Major Arcana combinations with The Tower Reversed: Upright Fool: Keep an eye on the kids Reversed Magician: Fear of job loss Upright Priestess: Personal trouble; emotions Reversed Empress: A worried mother or parent Upright Emperor: A struggling business Reversed Hierophant: A falling out; lost faith Upright Lovers: Avoiding a breakup; no divorce Reversed Chariot: Fear of flight; travel delayed Upright Strength: Training for emergencies Reversed Hermit: Lack of adequate preparation Upright Wheel: Disaster avoided this time Reversed Justice: White collar crime Upright Hanged One: decisions must be made to avoid disaster, don’t delay Reversed Death: Unnecessary fear Upright Temperance: Everything is in balance Reversed Devil: Smooth sailing; all disasters are averted Upright Star: Foretells recovery from disaster Reversed Moon: A difficult journey to recovery Upright Sun: After a big change there is bliss Reversed Judgement: Extreme self doubt Upright World: A personal transformation Before any card: Recovery from a disaster related to (card theme) After any card: Disaster recovery The Major Arcana represent significant life events. The Tower Reversed could indicate:
{6.21.21 note: I watched a sappy movie so I had a good cry this morning. I do feel better! Thanks Tower Reversed!} Well, the 9-day intensive program of my MFA program is done and now I'm freeeeee! But I'm not, really, because now the really hard work begins and I have a bunch of projects to turn in this summer, no set schedule to do them except one I have to make myself, and no one to keep me on task. So while the freedom is a very reversed Devil place to be, so is the ability to slag off. I'd better make sure I get it right. Read on to learn more about the Devil reversed!  Upright, the Devil is indicative of addictions, greed, and learned helplessness. Reversed, there are often more positive interpretations of the upright card, but do watch out that it’s not the upright meaning even more intensified. Figure out which meaning is correct for you:
Questions answered by The Devil Reversed: Who? Someone who has recently broken free What? Natural items Where? The Earth; a farm When? December to January; planting season; the harvest Why? “As soon as we left the ground, I knew I had to fly.” ~Amelia Earhart Yes or No? Not until you free yourself What should I clean?
Where are my keys?
The Devil Reversed as: …an action?
…a place in your house?
…a place in your city?
…a place in the world?
…something to eat?
…a color? Dark blue …a movie theme? Breaking free, rehabilitation
…a new career?
Possible Major Arcana combinations with The Devil Reversed: Reversed Fool: Carefree abandon Upright Magician: Manifestation of desires Reversed Priestess: Breaking free of emotional blackmail or a difficult emotional period Upright Empress: Nature; fertility; harvest Reversed Emperor: Breaking free of tyranny Upright Hierophant: An ethical decision Reversed Lovers: An amicable divorce Upright Chariot: A protest; bucking trends Reversed Strength: Freedom brings insecurity Upright Hermit: One knows what they need to do Reversed Wheel: Trying to recover from a string of bad luck Upright Justice: Clarity in confusing times Reversed Hanged One: Fear of freedom Upright Death: Rehab; preventing death Reversed Temperance: Taking freedom to excess Upright Tower: A shocking and surprising (usually positive) end to a serious problem Reversed Star: Too shaken up to love Upright Moon: Freedom is only an idea or dream Reversed Sun: A difficult end to partnership Upright Judgement: A new beginning; freedom Reversed World: A delay to independence; immigration problems Before any card: Breaking free from (card) After any card: Rehabilitation; independence The Major Arcana represent significant life events. The Devil reversed could indicate:
Sorry for the lack of cards posted recently. I'm in the middle of a 9-day intensive educational session for a Master's program that I've somehow gotten mysef into, and I'm super stressed out and have no idea what my thesis is anymore. I'm unbalanced, confused, overworked, emotional and in need of some sort of structure if I want to succeed at this program. It's a very reversed Temperance place to be.... which is great because apparently I left off of bloogging right here, at reversed Temperance. Let's look at the card:  Temperance upright, commonly depicted as an angel pouring equal parts of water between two cups, reminds us to stay calm during turmoil in order to get things done.
In reverse, however, something is out of balance in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps the querent is rushing to a decision, or clashing with a foe. There are a few things that could possibly be happening here
Questions answered by Temperance Reversed: Who? An aggressive or reactionary person What? Emotional turmoil Where? Where a spill or flood occurs When? November to December; During a flood or rainstorm; Without notice Why? “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves” ~ Viktor Frankl Yes or No? Not yet, work is needed What should I clean?
Where are my keys?
Temperance Reversed as: …an action?
…a place in your house?
…a place in your city?
…a place in the world?
…something to eat?
…a color? Red, grape …a movie theme? Impatience; sensitivity; flood
…a new career?
Possible Major Arcana combinations with Temperance Reversed: Upright Fool: Not watching where you’re going Reversed Magician: Sabotage; deceit Upright Priestess: Subconscious warning Reversed Empress: Bad weather; growth delayed Upright Emperor: A male figure is struggling Reversed Hierophant: A rebellious teenager Upright Lovers: A very emotional connection Reversed Chariot: Bad weather disrupts travel Upright Strength: Trying to control emotions Reversed Hermit: Loneliness; mental illness Upright Wheel: Extreme changes; bipolarity Reversed Justice: A crime of passion Upright Hanged One: A needless sacrifice Reversed Death: Extreme changes; bipolarity Upright Devil: Selfishness; greed Reversed Tower: Chaos is temporary Upright Star: Some difficulty finding hope Reversed Moon: An emotional journey; therapy Upright Sun: Mania or Manic disorder Reversed Judgement: Refusal to listen to wisdom from those around you Upright World: The mind is over-saturated Before any card: Control your emotions about (card) After any card: imbalance, mental illness The Major Arcana represent significant life events. Temperance Reversed could indicate:
This is not the card I wanted to start on for June 1st, the first day of what should be a celebratory and rainbow-colored Pride month... but I didn't really time my blog posts very well, did I? That's a very death reversed thing to screw up, so I guess it fits. Let's jump right in:
The upright Death card is about chaos and transformation. However, reversed it is a more devastating change – such as a major loss, upheaval, or even death. Reversed, there are a few other things that could be happening here. Figure out which one is correct for you:
Questions answered by Death Reversed: Who? A dying person; someone resistant to change What? A death Where? A room that has stayed the same; a funeral; Russia When? October-November; after a delay; after a death Why? “He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” ~Harold Wilson Yes or No? No What should I clean?
Where are my keys?
Death Reversed as: …an action?
…a place in your house?
…a place in your city?
…a place in the world?
…something to eat?
…a color? White, grey, greige, tan …a movie theme? Resistance to change; death
…a new career?
Possible Major Arcana combinations with Death Reversed: Reversed Fool: A reckless decision Upright Magician: Being ghosted; ghosting Reversed Priestess: Sadness; grief; regret Upright Empress: Lateness; baby is overdue Reversed Emperor: Trouble at work; firing Upright Hierophant: Unwilling to follow rules Reversed Lovers: Separation, divorce Upright Chariot: Difficult but vital journey Reversed Strength: Illness; death Upright Hermit: Unwillingness to accept truth Reversed Wheel: There is nothing you can do Upright Justice: Justice resolves after delay Reversed Hanged One: Victim mentality Upright Temperance: Impatience; fear of delay Reversed Devil: Relapse; overdose Upright Tower: Delays after a sudden disaster Reversed Star: Discouragement; insecurity Upright Moon: Unconscious fears Reversed Sun: Disappointments; loss Upright Judgement: A difficult problem is resolved Reversed World: A person unable to finish what they’ve started Before any card: Inability to accept (card) After any card: Loss; defeat; delays The Major Arcana represent significant life events. Death Reversed could indicate:
Applied Tarot Reversed is delayed due to my constant disappointment and running away from troubles. I am Death Personified! But do take a look at Applied Tarot for information about this groovy card when it's upright! 
My neighbor's car got broken into last night. I found out because a police officer knocked on my door and asked to see my video camera footage. It's extra terrible because the neighbor was parked just a few feet too far up the road, so the camera didn't catch anyone or anything.
His unfortunate day reminded me of this Tarot spread I use when my day is just not behaving like a day is supposed to behave. Although my morning wasn't quite so bad as the neighbor's (knock wood) I did receive a frustrating email from my kids' school, and I'm kinda pissed about it. Without getting into too much personal detail, my child is going through some pandemic-related school nonsense, and as the school year draws to a close it's looking more and more like he won't be able to maintain a reasonable GPA. Although his SAT score was an impressive 1550 (which I will repeat to anyone for the rest of time because I'm just so damn proud of him) without the GPA he needs, he's probably not going to make it into his dream math/computer science post-secondary institution. It's a bummer, but I digress. The school's email this morning was a frustrating reminder of that issue, and it has put me in a bad mood now. Time for a Tarot Spread for a Frustrating Day! Play along with me. Card 1: What is Going On?
Card 2: What Can I do?
Card 3: Who Can Help Me?
Card 4: Look Ahead to This
Bah, okay. Maybe I'll let this one go. The two of wands also suggests eating Raspberry bars and watching Moneyball, so that sounds like a great distraction from frustration, as well. Price Drop! Starting tomorrow and for a limited time, Applied Tarot will be just $5.99 on Kindle ($6.99 in Canada). As always, it's free on Kindle Unlimited. |
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