Hi everyone! Newbie here!  Let me introduce my experience with Tarot quickly.  I've always loved the tarot: the art & imagery, the flexibility of it to describe various situations in life so generally & succinctly all at once.  It is so versatile and portable that I am always in awe of what it can do.  I would love to be a collector and maybe one day (online/preferably IRL) operate a tarot museum of sorts.  Just let the different cards & people soak up each others' energies.  My current collection consists of only 8 decks.  :(

I never quite memorized the meaning of the cards so I am not great at reading.  Although everytime I do a reading for myself when in need of some direction or outlook, after slowly looking up the interpretations, I can say that 75% of the time they are spot on and that's good enough for me.

Did a 5 card quickie draw on my way to work (in the car...). That time in the morning when my mind snaps from sleepy-drowsy to alert & awake seems to be the best time for revelations and readings too apparently.  It was a casual "what's up for me in the next little while" type of spread.  I simply decided it would be 5 cards only, what each consecutive card would represent and drew the cards blind after shuffling the deck.  I wrote them down on my phone and looked up the meanings on the MB-Tarot site after I got to work.  Perhaps someone else here would like to comment:

BG on myself:
- mid-20's Scorpio
- halted a start of successful creative career path at beginning of 2007
- been a temp at a mindless but steady job for a year, company has offered many times to take me on full-time but I was always hesitant
- in a now steady but once tumultuous, long term relationship with an Aquarius whom I love deeply

Card 1 - Sum up current situation - 9 of Wands
Card 2 - What I want - Ace of Swords
Card 3 - What will be - Two of Swords
Card 4 - Getting there - High Priestess
Card 5 - Obstacles - Moon

All interpretations are welcome!

 ...Mmm... interesting spread. I like the meanings you chose for the positions. I have put before me those 5 cards and the whole thing gives me a feeling of deception or fear of it. Let's see...

Currently, you seem to be always on the alert, as if fearing some treachery. Most of your energy is invested in this protective stance, so make sure it's worth it.

You would like to be able to see the truth clearly, so no one can mislead you, but so far you seem unable to tear the cloth from your eyes. Still protecting yourself, this time from something you don't seem ready to face.

The High Priestess counsels you to look inside for answers and calm down. Things will come to you when you are ready to accept them, but you need to relax a bit. The main problem seems to be your fear of being deceived by others, but bear in mind that no one is better at deceiving than our own mind.

Let down your guard a bit and see if the threats are real or imagined under tension.

Hope to have been of some aid. I am taking Gem's Tarot course here in MB and you can be my sounding board in this instance.

Nice to meet you  

By the way, reading in the car? How do you manage?  

Quote:All interpretations are welcome!

Hi Cyprine

How I see it is you were inspired to do something different, probably because you couldn't wait for a larger pay packet, although may be know you are thinking you acted a little hastily

Card 1 - Sum up current situation - 9 of Wands...You've over come most problems but are disappointed probably feeling a little hurt or let down
Card 2 - What I want - Ace of Swords... i see this as you wanting a change to something more mentally challenging  
Card 3 - What will be - Two of Swords.. you will come to terms with your situation gaining peace of mind
Card 4 - Getting there - High Priestess... There's only one way to get there and that to use your intuition, listening to your inner voice
Card 5 - Obstacles - Moon... This is were you let your self down blowing things out of proportion
    By taking a more positive attitude telling your self you can and not doubting your abilities you can get your self back on track

Am i any were close

The 9 of Wands coupled with the 2 of Swords in the spread reinforces the fact that I have indeed been closing myself off this past year, to protect the balance of "things" I have worked hard to achieve.  

In 2006, I had a very bad year.   It was great in terms of career but perhaps too much so that it was upsetting the balance of life at home with my significant other.  We talked through the problems that had built up over the year and agreed to try and make things work.  However, I made the decision on my own to stop pursuing the type of career I was after because it would inevitably pull us apart.  The first few months after our "agreement" was tough on us both.  I started my boring steady office job and committed to nurturing the relationship.  It was very difficult to find a balance but now we seem to have achieved it and I am happy.  Work, while boring, makes enough money and gives me enough free time to juggle the other aspects of life.  It is this balance that I try hard now to protect and I am fearful of upsetting it.  

I have decided finally, after a year here, that I will take on a permanent full-time position with the company and I just talked to my boss about it so it isn't quite finalized.  Here's where the Ace of Swords comes in.  Certainly, my tasks and challenges at work will change as they find ways to fully utilize me.  I may even take additional training course to gain more skills that will apply to the job.  That may get a little tough to balance my time again but I am the type to soldier through to achieve my goal and persevere.  This is what I envision for myself anyways and this decision will definitely set a clearer path for me.  

The 2 of Swords in the What Will Be position troubles me a little.  While it reinforces the 9 of Wands for my current situation, it also seems to indicate that in the end, I will still be at a stalemate with myself.  It makes me wonder if there is something in my situation or even in What I Want that is unclear, muddling my decisions.  As coupled with The Moon, it begs the question, am I deceiving myself in some way now?  Or perhaps I will continue to deceive myself, close myself off, refuse to see truth, etc.  

The High Priestess in the Getting There position seems almost cliche in this spread.  To get to What I want, or to What Will Be, I must follow my intuition and listen to my heart.  (Seems like listening to my heart is how I got to where I am today...it is a good place to be now though so maybe that's not a complaint.) Or maybe I am confusing my intuition and my emotions with what's in my heart and THAT's the truth I need to see.

Then of course, The Moon being in the Obstacles position is purely redundant.  Things to avoid: being overcome by anxiety, deceiving myself, losing direction & purpose.

To conclude, the spread was a perfect snapshot and statement of now, what I hope and everythin related to it.  Did it shed new light or give me direction?  I would say no...but maybe that's too much to ask from the tarot.  Perhaps that was never its purpose.  Pirbid's interpretation of the High Priestess gives me some hope though.  Maybe I will find what I really want when I am truly ready, that is all.  

I am still a fan for it's ability to summarize though.  For some people, they can't even do that themselves and the tarot would be a wonderful self exploratory tool.  Thanks for your input!  You guys totally had it too and I am sure after reading this, you can see how all your comments totally apply!

I have a mini Rider-Waite deck in a purple pouch that I've kept in my purse all the time for the past 5 years.  It's great!  When I get bored anywhere and I don't feel weird about whipping them out, I look at them.  Still never memorized them though.  The moment in the car, inspiration just struck and I just randomly picked out 5 cards without even looking, just felt for them with my hand.  So handy!