21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card -- step FOUR

Bluecat

Thanks Dave - your post shows the experience that you have over me as I am at the beginning of my studies e.g. the cloak to the right being a concious influence which I would not have noticed! Isn't it interesting the different things we all see in the same small image?

I am enjoying following these steps (even though my card is not invoking the best feelings in me!) and think I will get a lot out of the study and group :)

(I think I will purposefully choose a happy card next time to get the contrast in emotions is it revealing!)
 

flowerpower

Universal Waite - King of Wands

Step 4.1 - Once upon a time there was a great woodland king who was the leader of a vast forest filled with many, many people and woodland creatures. The King was a very wise, caring & just king. But he found it hard to govern so many people. He spent most of his days listening to his peoples many issues and problems and trying to find a just solution for them all. This of course was a great task because his people were poor and had many needs. He spent so much of his time listening to everyone that he had no time left for doing the things he needed to do to help his kingdom prosper. He new that if his kingdom was more prosperous his people would have happier, more fulfilling lives. One day while he was sitting and pondering how to accomplish all that needed to get done a lizzard climbed up on him and wispered in his ear "you must delegate your responsibilities". The lizzard went on to tell him that there was simply too much to do for even a king who was as wise as he. He told him the secret to his success was to find people in his kingdom who were themselves wise, trustworthy and caring and put them in charge of overseeing the many different tasks of the kingdom. The king thought these were wise words and did just as the lizzard said and soon his kingdom began to prosper and his people were much happier.

4.2 - I am the king of this vast land but my people are poor and suffering. I'm spending so much time trying to govern them and help them with all their problems that I don't have the time to do the other things I need to do to help my kingdom become prosperous. Fortunately, a very wise lizzard has given me the answer to my problem! This lizzard has shown me how to delegate my many responsibilities which will free up my time to work on making my kingdom more prosperous and my people happier.

4.3 - I guess it's no wonder my story took this direction because I feel like I'm being pulled in many different directions trying to be the mediator among my many family members! I feel like there are just too many problems and it's impossible to work them all out. I just want them to all get along!
 

Jewel

For Flowerpower

flowerpower said:
4.3 - I guess it's no wonder my story took this direction because I feel like I'm being pulled in many different directions trying to be the mediator among my many family members! I feel like there are just too many problems and it's impossible to work them all out. I just want them to all get along!
I really enjoyed your story! And as we are friends I know some of the issues you are dealing with and when I read your first person retelling of the story I could see how these things were tied together, and the responsibility you place on yourself for being the mediator.

I believe you will find your journey with the King of Wands a rewarding one, this step is the first to start really tapping into tough issues and exploring how they trully imapct you and what you will learn you can do about them. The answers are all within you, the work in 21 Ways will just make the situations clearer and allow you to view them from different perspectives which will become keys to dealing with them in a positive manner.
 

Starling

RWS - 5 of Swords - Tell a story

Once upon a time, long, long ago and in a country far, far away, a group of young men decided to meet at the dock, by the sea, and find out which one of them was the best in sword fighting. Four of the young men were the best of friends, and they decided that the best swordsman had to be one of them. The last one was added to their group as an afterthought. He really wasn't one of them, after all. The goal was to gain all of the swords.

They fully expected him to fall easily and first, but they were surprised when that didn't happen. It didn't happen in the second sword fight, or the third, and it didn't even happen the fourth time he fought.

So there they were at the end, and the man who was supposed to have fallen easily, and first, was the last one standing.

At this point I've told this card from the viewpoint of everyone except the main character, so I guess this is going to be his story.

I've been lonely. I'm new to this place. Today I was going to meet up with four of my classmates at the dock for a little sword fighting. I was looking forward to it because I fully expected them to gang up on me. They don't realize how good I am at what I do.

Sure enough, that is exactly what happened, but it didn't quite work out the way they planned. I'm standing here with three of the swords in my hands and the other two at my feet. As for them, they have scattered. I can't even see the first two I conquered. Yes, I'm feeling a bit smug about it all. I think I'll go find some other people to get close to. This bunch isn't worth all that much in any way that counts. And I'm not talking about sword fighting.
 

dadsnook2000

Interesting

This is a really interesting view of the card's story, quite valid. What I'm most happy about for you is that you have not limited yourself in terms of seeing this card as friends or enemies, or just a conflict settled by arms. This is the flexibility and freedom that, I believe, Mary Greer is encouraging us to adopt. Dave
 

Jewel

For Starling

Starling, I really enjoyed your story! It does give a new perspective of events going on in the card, and it adds some attitudes which I also liked a lot. Very interesting and usable in relation to this card.
 

Starling

Thanks for the kind words. I haven't read forward to find out what we try to do next, but if I'm going to do more viewpoints I'm probably going to have to become one or more of the swords next. I've "done" all the people. <grin>
 

bryghtrose

Robin Wood Tarot, 2 of Swords

Wow, I'm wordy :)


4.1: Once upon a time, there was a headstrong young girl who always listened to the moon. She staid up at night, despite what her parents wanted her to do so that she could watch the moon rise and set and change throughout the months. She loved the moon, and she enjoyed her freedom. She was smart enough to convince her parents with her arguments and while she didn't always get her own way, she got it often enough to be convinced of her own intelligence.

She kept up her headstrong, head smart ways throughout her teenage years and her parents despised of marrying her off to any of the young men in the village. She didn't want to marry. She wanted to think and learn as much as possible. She wanted to listen to the moon and the sea and to explore the lands beyond her village.

One day she set off from home, and carried with her a pack full of clothing and food, and a sword. She didn't know how to use the sword, but she knew that having it would ensure her safety. She had some adventures along the road, and explored the villages beyond her own. She sat at the feet of scholars and she learned how to use her sword. Eventually, she came into the possession of a second sword, but that's a story for anther time. She's not even sure how she got the second sword, it was beside her one morning when she woke up. She shrugged and took it with her. Weren't two swords better than one? She practiced with the second sword, teaching herself how to use both swords at the same time. It was hard work, but she learned how to do it, and showed off her skills to the moon. The moon was her constant friend through those years of travel and solitude.

One day she got into a spot of trouble. She got into a fight and she lost: she lost her pack, with her spare clothes and her food, and her hope. She had nothing left, but two swords and the nightgown she was wearing. She had no idea what to do with herself, no one to turn to. She lost all trust in herself, and she was too ashamed to go back to her family and ask to be taken back, to live as a young girl again. She was too ashamed to listen to the moon, her one friend. She was so consumed by her failure that she couldn't see beyond that, to what else she was able to do. So she retreated to sit alone with her swords and he fears. Her friend the moon won't abandon her, but the moon doesn't have hands, and all the moon can do is shine. The moon can't help her, she can just be there.



4.2: Once upon a time, there was a headstrong young girl who always listened to the moon. I staid up at night, despite what my parents wanted me to do so that I could watch the moon rise and set and change throughout the months. I loved the moon, and I enjoyed my freedom. I was smart enough to convince my parents with my arguments and while I didn't always get my own way, I got it often enough to be convinced of my own intelligence.

I kept up my headstrong, head smart ways throughout my teenage years and my parents despised of marrying me off to any of the young men in the village. I didn't want to marry. I wanted to think and learn as much as possible. I wanted to listen to the moon and the sea and to explore the lands beyond my village.

One day I set off from home, and carried with me a pack full of clothing and food, and a sword. I didn't know how to use the sword, but I knew that having it would ensure my safety. I had some adventures along the road, and explored the villages beyond my own. I sat at the feet of scholars and I learned how to use my sword. Eventually, I came into the possession of a second sword, but that's a story for anther time. I’m not even sure how I got the second sword, it was beside me one morning when I woke up. I shrugged and took it with me. Weren't two swords better than one? I practiced with the second sword, teaching myself how to use both swords at the same time. It was hard work, but I learned how to do it, and showed off my skills to the moon. The moon was my constant friend through those years of travel and solitude.

One day I got into a spot of trouble. I got into a fight and I lost: I lost her pack, with my spare clothes and my food, and my hope. I had nothing left, but two swords and the nightgown I was wearing. I had no idea what to do with myself, no one to turn to. I lost all trust in myself, and I was too ashamed to go back to my family and ask to be taken back, to live as a young girl again. I was too ashamed to listen to the moon, my one friend. I was so consumed by my failure that I couldn't see beyond that, to what else I was able to do. So I retreated to sit alone with my swords and my fears. My friend the moon won't abandon me, but the moon doesn't have hands, and all the moon can do is shine. The moon can't help me, she can just be there.

I'm scared I can't live up to my own expectations. I'm still unsure of myself, despite years of hard work and I'm not ready to accept my new self, and the changes I've undergone. I've lived with this one image for so long, that It's trapped me-- that I've trapped me-- into a false idea of who I am, of what I should be. But I'm the only one who has these ideas of who I should be. No one else does. The moon doesn't.

4.3: I know exactly what the connection is, and what's going on here. It's very true in regards to something that happened in my own life. However, that's not something I'm going to share on the Internet.
 

squeakmo9

I enjoyed reading your story, BryghtRose. 2 of Swords is an interesting choice and card. I liked how you engaged the moon as an active part of the story. Look forward to seeing what you can uncover from it...great to have you here:)
 

kwesifriends

wow this is great I love story telling and I want my story to be told to everyone. yay ok maybe I'll post later the story and I will think briefly yay!