The Cross in Context: Millstone or Turning Point?
“. . . one of the most negative cards in the deck.” (Andy Boroveshengra, Lenormand, Thirty Six Cards)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: As one of the “stop” cards in Lenormand, the Cross is particularly sensitive to where it appears in a reading. We may be tempted to lump it in with the Coffin as showing a clear dividing line between the “very bad” and the “getting better,” but this is overly optimistic since, at least for the time being and into the foreseeable future, the hardship it bestows is “all bad.” The misery we’re saddled with is indifferent to subtle shades of gray, so hair-splitting over whether the glass is half-full or half-empty is pointless when all it contains is a bitter brew.
If the Cross is indicative of “now” or “in the present moment,” the cards immediately to its left can suggest recent events that led to its arrival, in which case they can impart a sense of resignation: the die has been cast and we must now deal with the burden. If we realize that we made a mistake, we must pay the price. This can generate an atmosphere of discouragement, casting a long shadow that can be difficult to escape. The cards to its right must be remarkably upbeat to erase its dismal footprint.
However, if we’re doing a projection in which the Cross sits in the near future, we can examine any helpful cards preceding it, seeking insights to aid in defusing some of the negativity if we can only catch them in time and make them stick, while those following it offer guidance for picking up the pieces and soldiering on. In either case it’s a matter of finding the positive pulse and giving it a boost while we still can. Unaided, benevolent cards before it won’t do much to mitigate its severity, just as favorable cards after it have their work cut out for them. We will still have Poe’s mournful “beak in the heart” to contend with, and extracting it will be more heart-rending than denying it access in the first place. Since the Cross must land somewhere in a Grand Tableau, having it relatively close to and “beneath the feet” of the significator while the latter is well-attended by fortunate cards is about the best we can hope for since we can at least keep an eye on its transgressions (think “squashing bugs”).
The earlier the Cross shows up in a line, the better the chance of righting the ship and getting on with life before the scenario covered by the reading “times out” and we’re left holding the bag; we can only hope that we’ve capsized in the shallows and not at the deep end. Nothing is entirely static (except perhaps the Anchor), so the situation will most likely limp along on its own to a relatively dormant state over time (although this may be small consolation in the way of recovery). The Cross has similarities to the tarot 10 of Swords, in that “There’s nowhere to go but up.” The turning-point it offers might be easily missed in all the moaning and hand-wringing, so when it barges in the advice is to take a deep breath and two steps back before succumbing to a knee-jerk reaction. The Cross is never our friend but we don’t have to let it call the shots without a whimper of protest. If we can whistle the refrain from Joe South’s tune Rose Garden at the arbiters of Fate with no irony and at least the ghost of a smile, we’re in the right frame of mind:
“I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There’s gotta be a little rain sometime.”
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on September 12, 2023.
