A Suit-of-Pentacles “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Here is my final “elemental storyboard” test reading that uses the suit of Pentacles to represent the “base element” of Earth. An objective I’ve been working toward is at the point of requiring concrete action, so I’m going to look at how I might proceed and what my prospects for success are.
The premise here is that Pentacles, and thus the element of Earth, symbolize the “field of operation” for the querent’s initiative; they are placed in the spread as a “reference” line along which the randomly-drawn cards evolve. Once again I’m relying on the heavy black connecting lines to keep the narrative flow straight, although where the cards are contiguous I didn’t bother with lines because the succession is obvious. With Earth as the “Base Element,” the “Zenith” of the developmental progression is comprised of Earth cards, with the “Rising Trend” populated by Water cards, the “Falling Trend” by Fire cards, and the “Nadir” by Air cards.
The inert 4 of Swords in the Inception position is also in the elementally hostile “Nadir” row; its reversal suggests being “kept at bay” by practical considerations involving uncertainty about my readiness to act. Cautious withdrawal (or at least deferral) rather than advancement may be best at this time.
In the three “Growth Phase” positions, the Tower reversed in the “Falling Trend” row implies building pressure toward overthrow but no pronounced shift in focus (just a state of alert) following the “false start” indicated by the 4 of Swords; the Ace of Cups reversed in the “Rising Trend” row looks to me like “hoping against hope” (wishing for something to happen that is not likely); and the King of Swords in the “Nadir” row shows an impatient. possibly irritable personality that feels stymied in the realm of Earth. The up-and-down “roller-coaster ride” involving the Tower, the Ace of Cups and the King of Swords is centered on the “baseline” 3 of Pentacles, intimating that continuing to “work the plan” will probably come up short of the goal, at least in the near term.
In the two “Peak Potential” positions, the 3 of Cups in the “Rising Trend” row gives the impression of help from friends, perhaps received at a social gathering, while the King of Pentacles in the “Zenith” row strongly affirms a “window of opportunity” for taking some kind of well-favored action or stance in the matter. But the “progress line” between the King of Swords and the 3 of Cups passes squarely through the “baseline” 5 of Pentacles, conveying an “impoverishment” of the wherewithal to make any headway and further discrediting the platitude “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”
The three “Results Phase” positions start out benignly enough but move steadily downhill in their elemental fortunes. The 9 of Pentacles reversed in the “Zenith” row makes me think of a last-minute demurral or denial of largess when all seemed to be going well; the 5 of Cups in the “Rising Trend” row is still hopeful that something will pan out (or at least won’t totally collapse) but otherwise conveys frustration; the 6 of Wands in the “Falling Trend” position — normally a card of victory — runs head-on into the foreboding conclusion, so I would apply my alternate “tarot euphemism” of “Pride goeth before a fall.”
The 10 of Sword reversed in the “Conclusion” position of the “Nadir” row is hostile to my purpose both elementally and situationally. The advice seems to be to “pull in my horns” and avoid conflict that could lead to mental anguish of some type. I think I had better heed the not-so-subtle hint.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on July 20, 2024.
