Path Spread

 

 

Difficulty: Easy

For the Path reading, one asks for suggestions how to behave properly to achieve a desired result. The Current column represents how the reader has been acting, and the Suggestedcolumn suggests how they should act to achieve a certain goal. The chart-like spread uses the standard three levels: Rational, Emotional, and External Stance (how one projects oneself outwardly). When comparing the Current and Suggested cards, the most important thing is to notice the differences between the two cards. It is these differences which hint at the behaviours that should be altered.

Card #1 is the significator, the card which should reflect the nature of the query and/or the desired outcome.

Card #2 shows the way the reader is and has been thinking. Card #7 suggests how to change the way one thinks to serve themselves better.

Card #3 suggests the reader's emotional attitude. Though it may seem difficult to manipulate one's own emotions, it can be done if one puts their mind to it. For example, acting a certain way such as smiling intently for a few minutes will lead the emotions to follow. When a person tries this, as silly as the exercise seems, they find this to evoke the emotion of happiness. For this reading, one should try to make themselves feel the way that Card #6 suggests.

External Stance means how one acts outwardly, how they hope others see them. Card #4 is about how the reader has been acting, while #5 indicates how they should act outwardly, for other people's sake. It is the differences between these cards that hint at what behaviour patterns should be altered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Path Reading

	Current	The Significator 2 of Swords	Suggested
Thought	5 of Coins		Judgement
Emotion	2 of Cups		Death
External Stance	The Hermit		7 of Coins

 

 

 

 

The Significator

2 of Swords

The picture shows a closed eye. A lot is still taking place inwardly. The heart and water in a way are being crossed out. Emotions have to be left out for the moment.

The varying thoughts seem to influence one another. Both hands are open. Each thought is equally valuable at the moment.

 

 

 

 

Current Thoughts

5 of Coins

Wealth and poverty are separated by a wall. The rich man is wearing white gloves. He doesn't want to get his fingers dirty. The poor man has a missing middle-finger, the centre has been lost. His stick is brittle.

The colour blue separates the colours red and yellow from brown and green. The yellow is similar to gold. Red used to belong to the most expensive colours. Green is also the colour of mould and brown is the colour which at first appears to be inert.

The candle is helping the poor man to find sense and the distant path, as far as he is aware of them.

 

 

 

 

Suggested Thoughts

Judgement

Classical symbols are also used here. Five graves are opening up, out of which stretches a hand to awaken a new life. The implication of the archangel Gabriel is blowing the trumpet of the Resurrection. One of the hands shows three fingers, which portrays a release from the grave's number four. It is also a gesture of the Hierophant.

The number five, shown by the number of hands and flowers, points to entirety. The aim is to see material things as being divine, so as to unite them and not to damn them and so create a new division. The flowers are about to bloom and through their colours the subjects of integration and entirety are emphasised again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Emotions

2 of Cups

The two faces and the two cups seem together to form an entirety. The difference between them is shown, among other things, through the colours, which, in each case, mirror the opposite.

Two fish in the water also suggest dualism in the unity. In the same way, the heart at the top, made of two parts, becomes one at the bottom. The suggestion of an angel above the heads supports the same theme.

 

 

 

 

Suggested Emotions

Death

The circuit of coming and going is symbolised by the serpent, which frames the picture and bites its own tail. The red background portrays sunset, or as the case may be, sunrise. The house and the tree, representatives for the element earth, have fallen into decay and are bare. The three tombstones show the headgear of the pope, the king and the farmer. At death there is no difference.

The skeleton's hand comes from the left and holds a blue scythe, which seems to be a mixture between a sceptre and a sword. The leaf, which is growing out of it, shows that death, due to its quality allowing old things to fade away, makes new growth possible.

The water symbolises the river Styx, which has to be crossed at death so as to reach the next world. The colour blue in the picture stands for disconnection and purification. Like its younger brother sleep, death also has a cleansing property, which is particularly emphasised by the whiteness of the skeleton's hand and the blade of the scythe. What is interesting (I only realised later) is that the scythe's blade itself gives the hint of a crescent moon.

 

 

 

 

Current External Stance

The Hermit

The picture is kept fairly dark. The only light can be found in the star and the house. The moon, which does not shine itself, shows the occupation with the subconscious and the concealed which have to be discovered. The star shines itself, but is still too far away. It is the star the Hermit will follow as soon as he leaves the house. It is five-pointed, which forms a connection with the Hierophant's theme.

The picture's spirals in the trees, path and window turn in different directions and refer to the inward course. This can be consciously taken, turning to the right, or intuitively, turning to the left. The Hermit finds his light in the safety of the house. The fish (newly discovered emotions) are waiting outside for him. The direction of the path, which again follows outwardly, is not clearly evident. One can suspect strong emotions in the background, portrayed by moving water.

 

 

 

 

Suggested External Stance

7 of Coins

Seven pentacles are lying on a heap of leaves which is being swept up. They look like unusable fruit. Two tears show that the sweeper is grieving over his lost harvest. The star in the background suggests that the loss is small in comparison with the high goal which is being aimed at.