“Exclamation-Point” Cards (!)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I just came across the notion that some cards in a reading can add an exclamation point or “Aha!” emphasis to whatever message the rest of the cards are trying to convey, in effect imparting some certainty to the forecast. (Thank you Lisa Young-Sutton for the inspiration!)
In Lenormand readings this honor falls to the Key, which affirms or validates the testimony of the card that sits to its right while amplifying the input of the card to its left, ushering it through for “good or ill” depending on the inherent nature of the cards so reinforced. For example, the Key followed by the Fish and preceded by the Moon could mean receiving an “embarrassment of riches” from those who hold you in high esteem (perhaps an exceptionally good raise at work), while the Key followed by the Coffin and preceded by the Whip would suggest being “shut out in the cold” due to some offensive (and still smarting) action or remark of yours. Taking this idea a bit further, the Key preceded by the Clouds and followed by the Stars and then the Cross could advise being careful what you wish for. You might be closing in on an ambiguous or conflicted goal that winds up as a “cross to bear.”
In short, although the Key is generally seen as positive because its most laudatory function is to promote happiness by opening a door to some agreeable interlude, what comes through the portal may not in fact be entirely congenial. In some instances it could be best to read it as “locking the door” when the cards attending it are threatening, in which case this action would deny access in order to preclude “negative reinforcement.” In any event, you’re holding the key to the outcome and can choose the best course of action to take.
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the three”stop” cards that deserve honorable mention in this category because they can dramatically alter the tone of the reading. They are so named due to the fact that in the Game of Hope a player landing on one of them is stuck there until replaced by another player or a “double” is rolled with the dice on a subsequent turn (Anthony Louis says “snake eyes,” which is a double “one-spot” roll.) In divination, the Coffin decisively ends whatever was happening up to the moment of its appearance and the rest of the story enters a new chapter; the Mountain poses a significant barrier to progress, typically requiring a detour; and the Cross presents a burden that can seem overwhelming because of the hopelessness it symbolizes. All of these place the querent in “recovery mode,” demanding a fresh perspective on the situation before a turnaround can occur. Rather than “Aha!” it’s more likely that they are exclaiming “Oh no!”
In the world of tarot, a trump card appearing in the midst of a spread full of pip and court cards could create a strong focal point for the action no matter where it lands in the sequence. Although I currently interpret the Major Arcana as primarily representing a “background theme” or archetypal “stage setting” for the mundane circumstances of the reading rather than as identifying significant events that are likely to occur (because they usually don’t!), they certainly can produce an environment that is susceptible to such developments; all it takes is some kind of “trigger” to set them off. (We might think of them as potent opportunities or vulnerabilities waiting in the wings for their cue.) For example, in my own experience the Tower has only delivered minor upsets, never anything more traumatic even when it appeared in three consecutive daily readings. But in all of those scenarios, without the prompting of the tarot to guide me, a little less vigilance on my part could have yielded a very different result.
The most important take-away from this analysis is to always pay attention to any unique signal or sign that jumps out of the narrative in a way that places emphasis on factors that would normally be experienced as routine. There is always a reason for such highlighting, even if it only serves as a warning to watch your step!
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on September 10, 2023.
