lateral shifts

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Mar 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

destinyawaitsme	24 Mar 2002
In an earlier reading I posted in the reading section, someone commented on that I had lateral shift (like 3 of swords to 3 of wands) in my reading. Well recently I discovered that these are very common in my readings. Usually the past and present share teh same number but different suit. Well in a relationship reading I discovered that the card that represented my expectations was 6 of wands, and the card that represented his was the 6 of cups. (Another one of those lateral shifts). So basically my question is what is the significance? Is it like not fully solving a problem? Like above I listed the 3 of swords to 3 of wands. does this mean that i'm still stuck in this whole problem...but now there is a new attitude or aspect? If anyone could help, I would appreciate it. thanks destiny

january	28 Mar 2002
Hi there, Destiny, how are things going for you? That was myself who posted the 'lateral shift' concept. Think about it like getting a new job. If you take a position that doesn't bring you more money or a higher position but you'll be in a different atmosphere with new perspectives - that's considered a "lateral move".. Just like latitudes in geography. I always pay attention to the numbers on my cards. For example, if there are several sixes, I know I need to make choices and think about balance. The sixes relate to the Major card, The Lovers and therefore about choices and balance. I see the wands as a choice to move forward and the cups, backwards. You're ready to move forward to a hopeful and vibrant future and he's thinking back to when things were nice, easy and uncomplicated. So you're both on the same line, just degress apart in your attitudes. Comparing the elements, fire vs. water, his inertness and willingness to step back into days gone by - the water can extinguish you flame to boldly go ahead. Flip it around and you get the potential for your fiery passion to make him boil! But when BALANCED, the fire of the wands can bring the atmosphere of the water to a nice and cozy temperature. Is this reading part of your situation with your friend and the guy who came between? If so, the 6 of cups may represent his possible unwillingness to take your cue and move forward because of past events however you feel confident to go ahead. Just a thought. If you post the rest of the reading we can get a broader look at the whole picture. Peace to you! ~ january

Geenius at Wrok	29 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by january The sixes relate to the Major card, The Lovers and therefore about choices and balance. I can't buy into this numerological relationship between the minors and the majors. It's a pretty well established fact that the fives are about struggle. But what's the fifth major arcanum? The Hierophant. Maybe some folks find the Hierophant to be a negative card, but I don't—for me it's a very positive one. And even its negative aspects don't really have anything to do with struggle, do they? (I suppose one could find oneself struggling against the social order and rules the Hiero represents, but that's a bit of a reach. Struggle certainly is not central to the meaning of the Hiero.)

mermaid1622	29 Mar 2002
I can't say that I buy into everything numerological because I haven't been considering that aspect until recently even though I've been working with the cards a long time. So my opinion is just a working hypothesis at this time. For what it's worth (maybe about $.02?) with the example that you gave, I have to say that very definitely for me personally the Hierophant is a card that is very challenging -- dealing with organized groups is not my strength. So when you say about the Hierophant >And even its negative aspects don't really have anything to do with struggle, do they?< I say, "Boy, oh boy! for *me* they do." And when you say >(I suppose one could find oneself struggling against the social order and rules the Hiero represents, but that's a bit of a reach.< I think, "It's not a reach at all for *me*." So, unlike you, I find that struggle *is* central to the meaning of the Hierophant for *me*. (It's not the entire meaning to me, but is central to the meaning to me.) I enjoy reading your posts and I don't intend to be debating you; I just wanted to share that I do see that particular card in the way that you considered would be unlikely. mermaid1622

Geenius at Wrok	30 Mar 2002
Quote: Originally posted by mermaid1622 I enjoy reading your posts and I don't intend to be debating you . . . Uh, you definitely do not need to apologize for engaging in a debate. That's what intelligent people do. My point is, I'd expect such correspondences to be more universal than personal—getting back to the case of the Hiero, if there really were a parallel being drawn deliberately between Major No. 5 and all the minor fives, shouldn't the meanings of the minor fives have something more Hierophant-like in common? For example, the five of swords might refer to advanced study; the five of staves, to social action; the five of cups, to religious knowledge; the five of pentacles, to conformity. But, as we all know, they don't refer to those things at all. That's why I find the assertion of such correspondences dubious. If I were going to pick a major to represent the idea of struggle, it'd probably be the Devil. Granted, the Devil is the 15th major (5 + 10), but I haven't ever heard anyone suggest that the minors are all symbolically related to their corresponding major plus 10. And anyway, maybe I didn't pick the best example. How about the threes? What do they all have to do with the Empress, especially the threes of swords and pentacles?

The lateral shifts thread was originally posted on 24 Mar 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.