“No Future Without A Past”
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The commentary on the third (yang) line of the I Ching hexagram Tai (Harmony) reads in part: “No future is without a past.” Among experienced tarot readers there seems to be a growing reluctance to use (waste?) a spread position for studying past circumstances or events that underlie a present and future situation. The argument usually goes “I already know that, I don’t need to be told.” In my own three-card readings I’ve begun changing the left-most “Past” position to the “Present” and the following cards to the “Near Future” and the “Eventual Outcome,” respectively; but this may not be advisable in all cases. While an accurate explanation of previous conditions may only serve to validate the legitimacy of the rest of the reading, there are often protracted consequences buried in that history.
A sitter for one of my readings who was only interested in the future dismissed the narrative I was offering by making just such a statement: “That already happened!” Although I didn’t think of it at the time, the perfect come-back to that complaint would be to ask “But have you gotten over the experience and completely let it go?” The Celtic Cross spread has two “foundational” positions and two “past” positions that are instructive in this regard: the “covering” card or situational environment; the “crossing” card or what I call “major motivators;” the “distant past” card showing aspects of the matter that are no longer subject to change; and the “recent past” card that may still be crucial to present affairs.
When I read the “Distant Past” card in particular, I always explore with the querent whether there are any residual or lingering effects of long-ago events that are still nagging at them. The premise is that, like a case of shingles, the past isn’t dead, it is just dormant and can always flare up. This can anchor the reading to an upsetting occurrence that has not been completely resolved in the seeker’s mind and must still be dealt with in order to move forward. There may even be hints of a reprise in later cards that are ostensibly about the future; as the old saying goes, “What goes around, comes around.”
With the Celtic Cross spread it is almost always productive to closely consider the first four cards of the “cross” with an eye toward how they “color” the historical perspective on the querent’s emerging prospects. Will they progress smoothly or is there likely to be a retroactive “hiccup” or two that can be “nipped in the bud” with a little foresight? I’ve had very few clients who don’t appreciate this overview. Although there are certainly exceptions, those who discount it are most likely in denial about its sustained impact and don’t want to be reminded that there is an “invisible elephant” in the room. To them I say “Don’t turn your back without at least glancing over your shoulder first.”
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on June 23, 2024.
