World card as obstacle?

[seaglass]

In a reading with the Tarot de los Gatos deck (all majors, based on the Marseilles), the question "What keeps me from being myself?" was answered by the World.

If it helps, the question of "What is my destiny to realize?" was answered by the Sun.

It's an interesting card to get. I'm not sure if it means I'm stuck in my shell, with the World being a kind of prison. Maybe it means that I need to harmonize with my surroundings or... perhaps... since Sun is the ultimate goal here, I am too harmonized with my surroundings and need to differentiate myself more. Wondering what some other takes on it are. Thanks in advance.

 

[SpiritualLight]

The link between the World and the Sun could be about completed projects.

I have seen the World as obstacle when the querent was (unconsciously) afraid of a continuation ("step out in the world" for example). Probably because of earlier failures or losses.

The Sun could tell about new better options where you are given the opportunity to truly be yourself (which could be your ongoing project).

They are Majors so my feeling is that this is important to you and that you are going to improve if you make the effort. Your souls seems to be with you in this "task".

My 2 cents.

 

[DaveyWavey]

The World usually means completion to me so perhaps you have yet to complete something that your inner being is longing for? The Sun usually means happiness but it can also mean coming to realizations since the sun shines brightly on what is potentially lurking around in the dark. If the Sun comes up in the way it did for you, it could suggest that you need to shine more light on specific areas of your life in order to realize your full potential.

 

[seaglass]

Think what you both said is complimentary and makes sense. I think the fear of stepping out into the world resonates with what I was saying about being stuck in my shell. I don't have any ongoing projects, but I did get married and move to a new city two months ago. I also have a family member with a serious illness, and I kind of wonder if the World refers to that. Maybe a fear of letting go and ending an era.

 

[Lucas Prince of Cats]

I see the world as an obstacle as being too open-minded. If you fit with the sun, I see the last three major arcana cards as success cards, so I see the sun and world as different goals, and perhaps you need to not be too easily satisified, and/or follow a path of power.

 

[LeFou]

Perfectionism.

 

[seaglass]

I can see Lucas's interpretation. I think that's what I was referring to when I said that maybe I was too harmonized with the world and needed to differentiate myself.

LeFou's "perfectionism" comment certainly resonates with me because I am a perfectionist and sometimes (often) this causes paralysis. That said though, I would think Justice would be a stronger card to represent perfectionism, no? I guess the perfectionism of the World card could be in wanting to be well rounded and high functioning in several areas at once. Maybe trying to do too much? But then that takes me back to Justice, especially as I have learned to interpret it in the Marseilles deck. Perfection on earth and in heaven.

The fact that all of these interpretations make sense to me is really making me feel like a goner! As in, is it possible for me to be more confused about myself?

 

[Tamaya]

I´m sorry- because I havnt seen a picture of both cards of this deck-
but during reading your posts I am reminded to the child riding on a horse into the light -
so that could mean - maybe go on and try to be perfect and also you could try to be this child -
just feel yourself (perhaps a bit more ?) feel the warmth -
dont be always in sorrow for everybody else ?

(Sometimes The world means we´d like to be everybodies darling ?)

Especially there s someone ill - we cant take care for anyone,
if we are unable to take care for our inner child

 

[Tamaya]

same post ..

 

[Barleywine]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that, in the qabalistic approach to tarot, the World (or Universe) is associated with the planet Saturn, which is the epitome of restriction. If you have a taste for complex ideas, one of the more lucid explanations of this card is in Robert Wang's Qabalistic Tarot. The core concept is one of resistance to change - or at least rapid, fluid change; slow, steady development is more the way of Saturn. Regulation, administration and discrimination can manifest as caution and hesitancy, imparting delay. Toward the end of his explanation, Wang says "Time is, of course, one of Saturn's primary restrictions." In any situation where a sense of urgency and impatience is present, this deliberateness would certainly be experienced as an obstacle. Capping it with the Sun would vitalize Saturn's austerity and lighten the load; you would just need to wait for things to work out in their own time and not beat your head against the wall trying to force them.