A “Grunge Tarot” New Year
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I was gifted the recent (2021) Grunge Tarot for Christmas and decided to use it in my annual forecast for 2023. The deck is billed as an homage to “the last great rock movement” that emerged in Seattle during the 1990s, with tormented souls like Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) as two of its standard-bearers. A few high-profile frontmen (Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, Dave Grohl of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam) survived the demise of the genre at the end of the decade, but many of them don’t identify with the unflattering label anyway and consider themselves straightforward rock musicians.
The deck sports a “comic-book” style with loose references to traditional Waite-Smith iconography. It is vibrant, with a well-chosen color palette. Obviously, the sweatshirt I used as a spread cloth (also a gift) was designed by a Wiccan and not an astrologer, since the “natural” zodiac starts with Aries on the eastern horizon and proceeds counter-clockwise, while this one starts with Capricorn in the East and proceeds clockwise, a clear reference to the pagan “Wheel of the Year” that begins on the Winter Solstice in December. Since we’re just over a week into the pagan year, I decided to stick with that paradigm rather than applying the astrological model. The “catomantic psychic” notebook at the center was also gifted to me. Although they’re hidden by the cards, the words on the sweatshirt read “Wisdom of the Past, Knowledge of the Future.”
General Comments:
Although I thoroughly randomized the deck before use, I did not receive a single Major Arcanum in the spread, which is unusual for a 12-card pull since the trump cards make up almost one-third of the 78-card population. The suggestion is that 2023 will have no major background themes operating behind the mundane circumstances shown by the monthly cards. Perhaps there will be more interpersonal engagement than in recent years because almost half the draw was comprised of court cards. This does not look like a “banner year” for significant change, but rather one of tending to the details of daily life with its usual ups-and-downs. After the analysis I’ve presented a close-up of the cards so you can see the images a bit better. I’ve also added the Thoth titles for the cards since they are the ones I normally use with any tarot deck.
December-January: 7 of Wands reversed (Valour)
The definition of Valour is “extraordinary courage in the face of daunting odds,” but the reversal suggests that the challenge may not materialize in its most aggressive form. Perhaps mild irritation rather than disruptive conflict will be the result. In her book Tarot Decoded, Elizabeth Hazel describes the Sevens as representing a “test” or a “trial” and also “taking a step in a new direction,” while Alejandro Jodorowsky describes them as “taking action in the world.” Both versions reflect overturning the complacent harmony of the Sixes, so I’m glad there’s only one in this reading; 2022 delivered enough drama.
January-February: King of Wands reversed (Fire of Fire)
This card reversed implies some difficulty in coming to grips with the fallout from January. The advice would seem to be to apply less force and more restraint. As an external person in the matter, it could mean I will have to deal with a disagreeable man. (For background, we are about to escalate a situation with an uncooperative contractor who has failed to perform the work we hired him — and paid a hefty deposit — for, and it could wind up in Small Claims Court.)
February-March: Page of Swords reversed (Earth of Air)
The idea here could be petty arguments over minor details that serve little or no purpose. A younger person may be in the middle of it.
March-April: 2 of Cups (Love)
All apparently returns to “sweetness and light” after the Spring Equinox; some kind of accord is indicated. However, celebration may be premature since friendly overtures don’t necessarily mean “money in hand,” and this guy has been ghosting us for months..
April-May: Page of Cups (Earth of Water)
The start of “lawn maintenance and gardening” season, pushing everything else briefly into the background.
May-June: Queen of Wands (Water of Fire)
This could mean getting a leg up on the King of Wands by holding my ground, not getting rattled and keeping the persistent and patient pressure on.
June-July: 5 of Swords (Defeat)
Perhaps the May-June posture didn’t go as well as anticipated and there will still be some “loose ends” to tie up. It suggests someone being in a “weak” position and the opposition pressing its advantage.
July-August: Knight of Swords (Air of Air)
The implication here is of “manning up” and approaching any proposed alternatives squarely (which could be my initiative or that of an external party). It looks like “coming to the negotiating table for a meeting-of-the-minds.” This could also be read as receiving a “summary judgment” from the court that moves things along.
August-September: 4 of Cups (Luxury)
Here I’m thinking that some kind of “peace offering” could be forthcoming, which may be enticing but not exactly thrilling.
September-October: 10 of Cups (Satiety)
We will move beyond the altercation and find another provider who will be better suited to fulfill our home-improvement expectations. (I’m hoping the court doesn’t just tell the contractor to deliver the already-purchased materials to us and keep the money, since the reversal suggests a less-than-ideal solution.)
October-November: 3 of Wands (Virtue)
We are back in control of the situation. All parties to the original contract will be anticipating closure.
November-December: 6 of Cups reversed (Pleasure)
In retrospect, the reversal takes some of the “bloom” off our satisfaction, but all-in-all we will make the best of an unfortunate incident.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on January 3, 2023.
