I've been experiencing some confusion this week. I keep searching for the question that is not there. Who is this reading about? Is it about me? Is it about someone else in my household? Is it about someone that I do not know? What is the question here? I keep wanting more input. I have to keep reminding myself there is no question, and it's not about me! We do readings, in part, in order to learn to walk in others' shoes. The question, "How does this feel?" however, keeps bringing me back to wanting to focus the readings on myself. Finally, I realized that I had to stop shuffling -- stop trying to read too much into the cards -- and continue the exercise of going through the whole deck systematically, in order to distance myself from the narratives and their messages.
Here's one of my exercises:
Two of Coins, Valet de Bastons, L'Emperatrise
What is happening? The Valet de Bastons offers a handmade object to the Empress, which she refuses to take. The Two of Coins shows a lathe, a wood-carving machine, by which the Valet has made his gift for the Empress, but her arms are full, and she doesn't feel that she needs what he offers. She already has a perfectly fine baton, thank you very much, and she also holds a shield on her lap to protect herself from his advances.
How does this feel? This feels like a rejection of something that the Valet worked hard on and gives with the best of intentions. For the Empress, it feels like an imposition. She is too good for this man, and he and his gift don't measure up to her expectations.