Jill's mother never returned from that trip. She left her husband and all her belongings to move in with Jill's father. From that point on, Jill's interaction with the two was often tense. There were several dramatic, even frightening, occurrences that were very upsetting to Jill. At the time of the reading, she wanted very much to find out where this situation was heading. The question she wrote was:
How will my relationship with my birth mother and birth father develop in the future?Here are the cards she drew:
Position | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
Cards Drawn | Eight of Wands |
King Pentacles |
Eight of Swords |
Four of Wands |
Nine of Wands |
Death | Ten of Pentacles |
Devil | Page Pentacles |
Empress |
Bold phrases are from the information page for the card, italic phrases from the position page.
The Nine of Wands has moved from Card 9 (reading 2) to Card 5. This card was a warning to Jill to take care of herself and prepare for the worst. Well, she has certainly started to think along those lines! Having been burned, she knows she has to be strong and defensive emotionally.
The Four of Wands has moved from Card 6 (reading 2) to Card 4. The celebration over the reunion is fading. The excitement of the good times has moved through Jill's life and is now way behind her.
Cards 7 and 8 show that Jill's expectations still do not match her parents'. Jill longs for a secure, orderly family life (Ten of Pentacles). She wants a solution that will endure - nothing more than the chance to experience the ordinary routines of a normal family.
Her parents, however, are locked into the obsessive relationship symbolized by the Devil. What Jill viewed as the Lovers in reading 2 is really the bondage of two souls who do not have enough self-understanding to create a love that includes their daughter.
Jill needs a resolution, and there are two cards that suggest it is coming. First is the Eight of Wands as Card 1. It shows that a conclusion is likely. Jill will be able to complete unfinished business if she takes quick, decisive action.
Death shows that an ending is approaching in the near future. Perhaps the three will suffer a parting of the ways. Maybe Jill will make a transition into a new kind of relationship with her parents.
The Empress as the outcome or resolution is a positive sign because it shows that the ideal of the Mother is the understanding awaiting Jill in this situation. The Empress is the archetype of Mothering - the ability to love, cherish and nurture despite all temptations away from that response. Jill felt this card also meant a refocusing on her role as a mother.
How is Jill to proceed if she wants to bring about this positive resolution? The key lies in the two Pentacles court cards. The Page as Card 9 is the fourth repeat card; it appeared first as Card 1 (reading 1). It reinforces the idea that Jill's lesson is about trust and the ability to act on your dreams.
Jill found her birth parents despite many formidable obstacles, but she discovered that the reality was not the same as her fantasy. She learned to trust herself and not rely on the support of others to see her through. The King of Pentacles as Card 2 tells Jill not to seek salvation through other people. She must develop within herself the mature (kingly) Pentacles qualities of steadiness and dependability.
The Page is encouraging her to claim her power and find a solution that works. She must release her dream of an ideal family once and for all so she can relate to her actual parents with all their faults and limitations.
Although this reading is about love and the ties that bind people from birth, there is not a single Cups card. These cards of love and emotion are totally absent. The lessons of love are not always easy. For Jill, they have taken the form of challenges that have drawn out her inner reserves and made her a stronger and wiser person.
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