Tarot As “Offering Bowl” — A Situational Development Spread
AUTHOR’S NOTE: The practice of Taiji envisions eight “offering bowls” that enclose space and also present the contents of that space to the aspirant. Here I’ve created an eight-position tarot spread modeled on the taijitu (yin/yang) symbol of the I Ching to show situational progress from constructive input (yin as receptive and cooperative) to productive output (yang as generative and assertive). I’ve flipped the traditional symbol to align it with the “bowl” transition of the spread, with the receptive side to the left and the generative side to the right in the usual top-to-bottom and left-to-right cartomantic fashion.
Begin by shuffling the deck while concentrating on the question or topic and then deal one card face-up into Position #1. (Reversals may be used with this spread.) This card represents the main focus of the reading, the formative principle that will receive the feminine “yin” input and from it generate the masculine “yang” output. (Note that gender is applied in the Hermetic and Taoist sense, not the biological or psychological one.)
Next, deal six more cards into Positions #2 through #7. These cards identify what the querent has to work with (the descending, three-card “yin” flowpath) and what he or she should do with the resources (the ascending, three-card “yang” flowpath). Read these cards as a developmental arc from input to output, with the “Heart of the Matter” card and the modulating “Middle Way” card as the advice for advancing from resource-wrangling to full-on production mode.
Using the face values of the first seven cards, calculate a “quintessence” card (in this case it’s actually a “septenary essence”) to signify transcendent insights that can be applied to formulation of the conceptual baseline. (This will always be a trump card.) It conveys the idea of a “candle flame” floating above the rim of the bowl that illuminates the interior.
Depending on the polarity of this card, it will symbolize either the “minor yang” point within the “major yin” curve on the left or the “minor yin” point within the “major yang” curve on the right, favoring that aspect of development with its philosophical influence. (See the diagram at the top for a visual depiction). The link at the end explains my approach to “quint” card derivation, but you can use any method you choose.
Below is an example reading to show how the layout works. The question I asked was “What does the future hold for my entrepreneurial aspirations in the field of professional tarot reading?” with the understanding that this would ideally be a face-to-face gig in my local area. I think the brief on-board meanings are self-explanatory, but here is a synopsis.
Art (Temperance) reversed appears to be excessively cautious in its estimation of the risks involved in pursuing a professional initiative, as shown by the upset condition of the Wheel of Fortune reversed.
The 2 of Swords (Peace) reversed suggests that nothing is going on at the moment (very true).
The Chariot could reflect an inbound opportunity that would amount to a substantial improvement in my prospects; however, it isn’t well-favored by the inertia expressed by the two adjacent cards, which are elementally unfriendly to one another and suggest limited traction.
The Knight of Disks is not very energetic at the best of times, and I usually see its reversal as “being caught flatfooted” by circumstances; I may not be ready to field the ball if and when it comes my way.
The World reversed looks like plodding progress that nonetheless knows exactly where it’s headed and is in no hurry to get there.
The Prince of Wands reversed reminds me of the impatient “little brother” of the Chariot who is frustrated by not being able to rush into action; elementally, it aligns with both Art and the Wheel of Fortune, making for a dynamic contrast to the yin side of the pattern. I don’t see it happening, but this reversal implies opportunistic overreach and a whiff of desperation.
The 10 of Disks (Wealth) indicates a rewarding situation that materializes almost in spite of myself; it’s the second-best card in this reading after the Chariot, a “perfect 10” in mundane terms even though I don’t need the money and primarily want the experience.
The Wheel of Fortune reversed as “quint” card is associated with elemental Fire in the form of Jupiter, the “Greater Benefic” in classical astrology. Independent of its problematic orientation here, this polarity places it in the “minor yang” position of the “major yin” curve, connecting it to the Chariot in the center of that flowpath. (For completeness, I should mention that at various times in the past Jupiter was associated with both Water and Air, but in modern usage it is the ruler of the Fire-sign Sagittarius.)
I believe this puts strong emphasis on being prepared to move quickly when changing circumstances deliver the potential for success. Interestingly, in my personal system of esoteric correspondences, I’ve swapped Jupiter over to the Chariot since it epitomizes “triumph on the material plane,” while I moved Cancer from the Chariot to the Wheel of Fortune due to its reciprocal flow that echoes the taijitu symbol. It’s an intriguing bit of serendipity that serves to further unite them in this reading.
There are numerous reversals in this spread, creating resistance to momentum. But in keeping with my current stance on reversed cards, they don’t significantly alter the overall complexion of the reading, which is neutral to positive, they just tamp down the optimism to a sustainable level. Fire and Earth dominate the yang flowpath, which is a constructive combination in support of the “game-plan” offered by the Chariot once the reversed Knight of Disks finds his mojo.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on November 3, 2024.
