Romantic outcome: Hermit, Devil, Fool

[csdude]

There's a girl that I used to really crush on a long time ago; in fact, she was my first "real" crush. She lives in another state now, but we chat every once in awhile.

I was considering sending her a message and remind her about how we had first met (she was 6, I was 7), and tell her how she was really my first crush. I typed it all up, and then did a spread, asking "what will be the outcome for me if I send this message?"

The result was:

Hermit (time to yourself, learning a lesson)
Devil (deceit, treachery; desire for earthly gains, maybe sex)
Fool (don't over-analyze; great potential, new beginnings, inspiration, joy)

* Shadow
6 of Swords (change of direction for a new perspective; difficult time is ending)

I'm using Enchanted Tarot.

I usually read the middle card as the focus, then the first card as the first clarifier, and the third card as the second clarifier. I do the spread in a triangle, then whether the clarifiers are facing towards or away from the focus is sometimes relevant. In this case, both the Hermit and the Fool are facing away from the Devil, so maybe I should consider them to be reversed?

My feelings toward her were never "purely" sexual or material (I mean, it stemmed from when I was 7), so I don't think that the Devil is referring to how I feel here.

Maybe the outcome is that she'll be in to me sexually, but my desire for a relationship (Hermit reversed) puts me in danger of acting foolishly (Fool reversed)?

Or if I don't consider them reversed, then maybe she'll still be in to me either sexually or for money, but it won't be immediate (Hermit), and could turn in to something happy (Fool)?

Other thoughts?

 

[kika_meow]

The Devil not necessarily speaks about sexual desire, but also about attachment, and since it's your old crush, it's definitely a thought that has you "attached" to her, and in my experience in love readings the Devil usually talks about idealization of the other but only because we're looking to satisfy our own ego.

The Hermit Rx may be saying that she won't reply or if she does, the relationship won't go far and you will end up feeling isolated.

The same with the Fool Rx, it talks about "feeling like a fool" after having taken that risk. You're a romantic and, in the bright side, she'll notice that, but the fact that it was reversed tells me that you won't like how this ends.

Hopefully it will have a good ending and will be a good experience (all experiences are good, since we learn from them), it's a good thing that you're finally pulling this out of your heart, because it's like if you were liberating yourself from the chains in the Devils card. You'll be free of this attatchment soon.

 

[Amanda]

My feelings toward her were never "purely" sexual or material (I mean, it stemmed from when I was 7), so I don't think that the Devil is referring to how I feel here.

The Devil is primarily a mask in this card; it does not have the naked lady or man in it like a RWS-version of the card. I would suggest that the mask represents a lie or covering up of the truth in some sense; as an outcome it could be the avoidance of a real, deeper issue. It might be a wrong solution to a problem.

Maybe the outcome is that she'll be in to me sexually, but my desire for a relationship (Hermit reversed) puts me in danger of acting foolishly (Fool reversed)?

Or if I don't consider them reversed, then maybe she'll still be in to me either sexually or for money, but it won't be immediate (Hermit), and could turn in to something happy (Fool)?

I just want to note that these are very masculine answers, and it's possible you might be getting in your own way here. The Hermit is about self-acceptance, and if you are reading this card as a first clarifier to the Devil, it would suggest to me that self-acceptance/understanding is your weakness here, and perhaps this woman will be able to tell by whatever you have written. Sexually and financially are how men tend to look for validation of power/confidence within themselves; she may get the sense that you are looking for some kind of validation out of her, validation that you should already have yourself. Tell me Mr. Dude, what are your best qualities? What are you proud of?

The Fool is your savior in this spread; an air card in total opposition to these stuffy earth cards you've drawn. He advises that you go into this totally clean and clear-headed, with no fears of looking like an idiot and quite simply, and purely, doing you're own thing with the most innocence you can muster up, free of your own baggage. It suggests to me a couple of things -- for instance, and I say this in all seriousness and practicality, consider having a sexual release before talking to this woman (or any woman you might approach) and get that out of your 'system'. Secondly, the Fool would just wing the conversation, starting with a simple, Hi! and How are you? while remaining open to simply respond and no clear intentions/desires seeping out. That is, as an outcome, you'll have better luck with no obvious agenda or baggage and a focus on the present moment.

I hesitate to read this as an outcome like you've asked because of all the Majors which seem more advisory for you. I caution you of simply looking at this as an outcome; you have Earth-Earth-Air. The Hermit and the Devil suggest more of the same on your path by you're own undoing which may keep you moving backwards and not evolving or progressing. You can keep doing the same things you've always done (Hermit) and remain trapped by that (Devil), but I see the Fool as a big -OR- you can totally break away from that, break away from /yourself/, and try new and different approaches that you would never normally try to take.

The 6 of Swords as /Shadow/ suggests to me that you are dragging old issues into the present and that will keep affecting your future. I like this quote for the card: "If you can change your mind, you can change your world, for your world is greatly affected by your state of mind."

Overall, I'd suggest you start simple- no reminders of the past and your crush, and simply see how things are currently going in her world.

 

[Barleywine]

Without putting too fine a psychological point on any of this, I don't see these cards as very positive. The wisdom that kept you apart (Hermit) descends (Devil) into folly (Fool). I don't have the the Enchanted Tarot, but looking at the standard symbolism, the Hermit is standing apart on a mountain peak; the only way he has to go is down. The Fool accommodates this by obligingly stepping over the precipice. The Devil could be seen as the "pit of despair." I agree that this is a cautionary combination. It reminds me of the old cartoon where the character has an angel (representing honesty) whispering in one ear and a devil (representing deception) whispering in the other. I would err on the side of wisdom and keep it casual.

 

[LeFou]

Devil = obsession, gratification, temptation. It seems to say "caution."

Hermit is wise, and Fool isn't. Given the symmetry, it looks like two choices. Which card would you prefer to be?

 

[Amanda]

Just wondering if anything came of this...?

 

[Sulis]

Moderator note - Feedback

csdude, please leave feedback for each person who has replied here. You have some long and detailed readings, those people deserve some feedback from you.

Once you've done that if you don't want any more replies, add a note saying so and we will close the thread.

Sulis - moderator

 

[csdude]

Sorry, Sulis! Life got in the way and, even though I read the replies, time got short and I didn't get a chance to reply until it became too late to be relevant.

I know, excuses, excuses.

I don't know if there's any need to close the thread, though; if anyone wants to discuss the relation of the cards then it's still relevant from a Tarot point of view. But the issue is over now, so I don't need any further advise or anything.

Anyway...

The Hermit Rx may be saying that she won't reply or if she does, the relationship won't go far and you will end up feeling isolated.

The same with the Fool Rx, it talks about "feeling like a fool" after having taken that risk. You're a romantic and, in the bright side, she'll notice that, but the fact that it was reversed tells me that you won't like how this ends.

Reversals are always tricky for me, because I never really paid attention to them until recently. As a rule I keep my deck even and straight with all cards facing the same direction, so the only time I can have a true reversal is if I have a jumper that gets flipped around.

Someone suggested last year that I consider how the cards are facing, so I've been taking that in to account, but only within context. Sometimes it makes sense, but sometimes it doesn't, so I've been kinda wishy-washy with it.

In this case, based on the result, I think that I should not have considered these as reversals, since I neither felt isolated nor particularly unhappy about the outcome. More on that shortly...

I just want to note that these are very masculine answers

Haha, there's a reason for that!! :-D Which begs the question, do my cards give me a response knowing that I will interpret them in a masculine way?

Tell me Mr. Dude, what are your best qualities? What are you proud of?

Wow, that's a really hard one to answer. Almost impossible, because I can't say that I'm very proud of myself for anything. I used to think that I was relatively attractive, but not anymore. I used to think that I was smarter than average, but not so much anymore. I used to be proud of my business and financial successes, but not so much anymore.

I don't think that I'm totally undesirable... I'm a kind and caring person, I tend to go far out of my way to make a girl laugh and feel good about herself. But that hasn't done me any favors in the dating world, so I guess these aren't really such great qualities, either. Plenty of pseudo-friends, sure, but that's all.

After 2-3 years of no real romantic interest or even a date, I can't honestly say that I think I have any qualities that are all that great, or anything to really be proud of. But I think I keep that pretty well hidden, I'm only saying that here because we're anonymous and lying would be pretty stupid.

Hermit is wise, and Fool isn't. Given the symmetry, it looks like two choices. Which card would you prefer to be?

The Fool, without a doubt!! LOL I've spent my whole life trying to be wise, but the Hermit teaches me that with wisdom comes loneliness. Ignorance is bliss, as they say, so I would much, much, much rather be a happy fool than a lonely and sad wise man.

I would err on the side of wisdom and keep it casual.

The Fool is your savior in this spread; an air card in total opposition to these stuffy earth cards you've drawn. He advises that you go into this totally clean and clear-headed, with no fears of looking like an idiot and quite simply, and purely, doing you're own thing with the most innocence you can muster up, free of your own baggage. It suggests to me a couple of things -- for instance, and I say this in all seriousness and practicality, consider having a sexual release before talking to this woman (or any woman you might approach) and get that out of your 'system'. Secondly, the Fool would just wing the conversation, starting with a simple, Hi! and How are you? while remaining open to simply respond and no clear intentions/desires seeping out. That is, as an outcome, you'll have better luck with no obvious agenda or baggage and a focus on the present moment.

I took these to heart, and sent her a message to just strike up a conversation, then gradually led in to what I thought was a flirty and complimentary conversation about her being my first crush, etc.

The conversation didn't go badly or anything; if anything, we had the longest and most fun chat we've had in years! She didn't reflect any feelings back to me or anything, but she talked about how she was very shy as a teen and completely oblivious to anyone having feelings for her or anything. And we continued chatting over the next several days.

But then it eventually died away naturally, and we haven't really talked since then. I don't think there's any discomfort or anything, but now I know that the feelings were definitely not mutual (or she would have said so).

So, issue resolved, and that particular baby has been put to bed

 

[Elven]

Hi csdude
Nice to see the longer term feedback from this reading and the cards you drew.
I didnt reply to your thread - I wasnt visiting then, but interesting outcome after reading the replies.