Your Past / Present / Future Draw of the Day
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Meanings of the cards when read in their upright position:
1. The Past
King of SwordsThe King refers to you, or someone who strongly influences your life in the situation in question, but does not have to be male. He is an authority figure who wears the yellow crown of mental energy. The butterfly on his throne is a symbol of his emergence from a chrysalis: he transforms into the confident King depicted on the card. He has fought many psychological battles, and has gained wisdom, hence his purple mantle. He listens carefully to all sides, basing his judgement on his own experiences, trying to make the fairest decision. The birds flying over him, symbols of Air, fly above it all. Their vantage point offers them an impartial view, just like that of the King. He sometimes appears unapproachable, unfeeling, and cold because of his remote countenance. Apply his view to your current situation.
The concept of the past sounds like an obvious one, but often there are subtleties involved. While this can include the Querent’s past, it can also include events or the feelings of others that have had an impact or influence on the current situation. Does it necessarily mean things that took place long ago? Maybe... or it could be a conversation that took place last week.
2. The Present
Ace of SwordsIn the Ace of Swords, the crowned sword of intellect is held over the mountains, literally denoting the triumph of mind over matter. Truth and honesty prevail, symbolized by the palm of victory, and peace is found, symbolized by the olive branch. Violent acts of force are not necessary to achieve your goals. Your determination and strength of Will have surmounted the obstacles in your path.
The center card symbolizes the present–the things that are happening right now around you. Because this spread contains only three cards, many things can be read into this card that might normally be seen in several cards in other spreads.
3. The Future
The DevilThe Devil is the sixteenth card in the Major Arcana, and is given the number 15 to indicate the Magician (1) using the (5) elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit) for materialistic purposes. Note the Devil’s four fingers and thumb held up (5), while the cudgel (1) aims the power down at the earth...the reverse position of the Magician. The inverted pentagram on the Devil’s forehead is a symbol indicating spirit submerged in and subjugated by matter, or the material world. The Devil presides over a couple from a superior position, in a perversion of the trio on the Lovers card. The couple remain chained to his solid block of stone, though the shackles are loose. They are naked, vulnerable—and yet their faces remain calm. They are entranced by the promises of superficial gain that the belief in the Devil has given them. They remain chained to their worldly desires, believing that only what is concrete and physical is important.
When the Devil appears in a reading, it can indicate pettiness, materialism, and base desires. In the Christian faiths, the Devil is the enemy. Like Lucifer, whose vanity and conceit cost him God’s favor, the Devil in the Tarot can be a warning to the selfish and egotistical. Overall, the Devil is a long, hard look at our darker selves, and a reminder that if pushed to the side and allowed to fester in darkness, our dark sides only grow more grotesque, and erupt when we least expect them, or when we just plain lose control. If you fear that you have not fully accepted the parts of yourself you dislike, don’t lock them away. Bring them, slowly and safely, into the light. It will break the chains, and set you free.
Our last card represents the final outcome. It could be a long-term goal or an immediate resolution, depending on the question and the situation that the Querent is facing.
