Areas of your life spread - need some help

I have done this spread as posted by Sulis, can be found here
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=42302
I have used the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot deck

1. Home / Family
The Devil
Feeling bound and stagnation. I think this may come around due to the fact that I have been told things such as I am silly, stupid, clumsy and other negative things by family members. I have been made fun of by my family members and, not only that, pointed out to other people so that they could laugh at me as well. I still carry around a lot of negative emotions about myself due to this. I have low self-esteem and am feartul of trying something new as I feel that if I fail I will be made fun of. As well as the fact that I am a single mum, somehow I feel restricted by this

2. Relationships
Nine of Wands
I have had a few relationships that have not been good. I have used that as a learning experience so I know that I want and need from a relationship as well as some self-respect. I have had a struggle with this due to the bad relationships that I have had. I am more self-aware of about these apscts, however not totally. I still have more work and struggle in this respect to get victory, ie, a good relationship. However much effort it is for me, I will find the inner store of strength to continue to finish the struggle and to obtain victory

3. career / job
The Chariot
I have drive to be successful in my job and/or career. Victory is at hand if I keep going and not give up

4. finances
Queen of Pentacles
Self-sufficient and generous. I have a good income. I have enough money to buy things for myself and to make my environment beautiful and comfortable as well as putting money away in a bank account

5. Achievements so far
TherEmperor
Logical thinking and common sense
I need some help this this one, can't come up with anything at all

6. Energies around you
Page of Swords
New ideas and the emergence of different ways of thinking. Curiosity
A bit of help with this one as well, please

7. Lesson to be learned
Ten of Cups
A capacity to love. Appreciation and gratitude for love given and recieved.
A bit of help with this one as well, please

Bec

Since no one was going to help I decided to make a spread that would help to give the meanings of the cards in positions that I couldn't come up with the meaning. The spread I have created is posted here
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?p=539850#post539850

5. Achievements so far
TherEmperor
Logical thinking and common sense
I need some help this this one, can't come up with anything at all

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1. Which influence does the Emperor have on me?
Nine of Cups
Being pleased in what I have achieved. Looking at what I have achieved and being proud of myself
5. Clarifying card
Eight of Pentacles
Working on something to fine tune and perfect some skill and talent, with practice. Not giving up on what I have started, having the determination to continue what I have started

2. What are the strengths associated with the Emperor?
Six of Pentacles
Being able to share with others that need it what I have gained. Whether that is money, skill or talent. Also only needed if they ask for it, afterall there is no point trying to help someone if they don't want your help

3. What are the weaknesses associated with The Emperor
Five of Wands
Struggle and conflict. Oppression of creativity due to to innerblocks, inhibitions or outside factors
6. Clarifying card
The Lovers
Choices. Too many choices. Perhaps looking for someone else for guidance when I should be my own guidance.

4. What is the overall meaning of The Emperor for you?
Two of Pentacles
Weighing yo the pros and cons of a situation. Performing a balancing act
7. Clarifying card 1
The Emperor (Doh!!!)
Success in a worldly sense, and to material ambition or achievement. Bringing ideas into some sort of reality
8. Clarifying card 2
The Hanged Man
Staying in a situation voluntarily where something needs to ge given up. Self-sacrifice. Making a decision whether to stay in a situation or moving on from the situation. By staying means not losing anything but at the same time not gaining anything. By making the self-sacrifice involves an act of faith as there are not guarantees regarding the outcomes but could possibly gain something bigger and better

6. Energies around you
Page of Swords
New ideas and the emergence of different ways of thinking. Curiosity
A bit of help with this one as well, please

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1. Which influences does the Page of Swords have on you?
The Devil
Being bound to particular situations and circumstances. Being stagnant and not having any forward movement due to self-doubt and other negative thoughts. Maybe bound due to an addiction or an infatuation
5. Clarifying Card
The Emperor
Success in a wordly sense to material ambition or achivement.

2. What are the strengths of Page os Swords?
Temperance
Sharing, compromise and co-operation in relationships. Maintaining a balance between two opposing aspects of myself such as masucline and feminine or having a connection between the conscious and subconscious
6. Clarifying card
The Hermit
Wisdom and maturtiy. Patience, acceptance and tolerance of myself. Self-awareness. Greater spirituality. Staying on the path that I have set out for myself

3. What are the weakenesses associated with the Page of Swords?
Eight of Pentacles
Keep working on a skill, talent or project to fine tune or perfect this in the hope to get some financial gain from it. Undivided attention on this and not paying attention to other things. Excessive behabiour?

4. What is the overall meaning of the Page of Swoprds for you?
Ace of Swords
A new way of thinking. Strength in adversity or a situation which initially looks unpromising yet has a positive outcome. A sense of inevitability of great change. This change may be initially unwelcome but would be ultimately beneficial

7. Lesson to be learned
Ten of Cups
A capacity to love. Appreciation and gratitude for love given and recieved.
A bit of help with this one as well, please

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1. What influences does the Ten of Cups have on me?
King of Wands
Energy, enthusiasm and desire for new initiative, creative, imaginative, impulsive, restless and eager for adventure. Warmth and eagerness to inspire other to get involved in whatever new ideas I dream up
5. Clarifying card
Six of Swords
Leaving a place of pain, hurt, torment and turmoil to a place of happoiness, peace and calmness

2. What are the strengths associatied with Ten of Cups
Justice
A wake up call. Being rewarded for past deeds, either good or bad. Maintaining or finding a balance between passion in the earthly realm and spiritual development and knowledge. Weighing up situations impartially in order to find a fair and an objective solution
6. Clarifying Card
Nine of Wands
Having to face struggles to achieve something, now that whatever needs to be achieved is almost achieved there is still struggle to get victory. Inner strength will be found to get the success that is wanted. As long as I don't give up now, success will be mine

3. What are the weaknesses associated with Ten of Cups?
Seven of Pentacles
Coming across a situation where you need to choose between sticking with what you have been doing or starting something new. Maybe there is frustration and disappointment associated with the seemingly lack of progress and it appearing pointless with the projcet that you have been working on. In relation to the strength is that perhaps even though I have come so far and close to victory and success I can't see that and maybe contemplating giving up

4. What is the overall meaning of Ten of Cups for you?
Seven of Wands
Needing to rise to the occasion. Perhaps I feel like I need to defend what I have acquired and accomplished up to date
7. Clarifying card
The Magician
A new project or path I have started on recently. This relates to my deisre to gain greater spiritual awareness, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-love and psychic abilities. This could also relate to my new interest in tarot card reading which has been only really started a month ago

Bec

Bec,
I think it's great that you created a spread to interpret your earlier one. I'd just gotten an idea of what the Emperor could be about and then saw that you had done this additional clarification.

What is really interesting is how many of the original cards in the first spread showed up again in your second.

Devil- and Lovers, both showed up I believe, and are so tied together, facing the things that are not good for you, acknowledging a destructive situation and taking the steps needed to turn that around, as well, as the wild active natural side of ourselves... that sometimes it's good to get in touch with the earthier side, recognize the beauty of it, rather than become a slave to our needs and desires.

9 Wands... never giving up, no matter how much you've been knocked down, you get back up and stand your ground.

Emperor- again standing your ground and laying down the rules, enforcing them to ensure a secure, stable environment for growth.

Cool, that the Empress shows up, since now she has the security and safety backing her to flourish and grow, to nurture and give birth to creative, innovative ideas and projects... not to mention take care of her family with all her best.

10 Cups... finding fulfillment and contentment in your heart, with your family and all of those you hold dear to you... those who are under the protective, watchful eye of the Emperor and nurtured, created and loved by the Empress.
the Lesson is appreciate what you have before they are grown up and gone... your children are not an obstacle to finding happiness.

I had five kids, was a single mother and was sure no one in their right mind would ever get past that hurdle... it kept the ones I didn't need away and didn't matter to the one who loved me best and the most. If having kids is a problem for someone you are interested in... you don't need him at all.

WalesWoman said:

I had five kids, was a single mother and was sure no one in their right mind would ever get past that hurdle... it kept the ones I didn't need away and didn't matter to the one who loved me best and the most. If having kids is a problem for someone you are interested in... you don't need him at all.

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Know where you are coming from. Unfortunately for me and my son, the person who is his father is not interested in having kids. So, there you go. But I have finally managed to move on from that. Some of the problems I have in relation to self-doubt and negative self-talk has a lot to do with my childhood. That is what I have to work on, turn this self-doubt and negative self-talk into self-conviction (I suppose that is the opposite of doubt) and positive self-talk. I think my first step is to realise when I do it, and then turn it around. Ever since I have had started this tarot card reading seriously I have noticed that the negative self-talk is slowly getting less and less. I still doubt my ability to some extent in this, but I am finding at last that I am getting quite good at it, and there is quite a lot of potential for it.

Bec