By Sarah Taylor
The three cards in front of you together offer a simple, potent, and deeply transformative reading, with the figure in the central card, the Seven of Disks, as the initial point of focus.
The Seven of Disks speaks of Failure. But in this case this is failure from a limiting point of view — the view of the person sitting under the seven disks, arms resting on his knees, shoulders hunched, head lowered. Despondent.
Death, Seven of Disks, Six of Wands from the Röhrig Tarot deck, created by Carl-W. Röhrig. Click on the image for a larger version.
He is sitting facing towards the card on the left, which he has come from: the Death card. He is dwarfed by it; it is writ full in his current experience, sitting as he is at the level of the skull that emerges from the shadows in the lower half of the picture. This is what he is associated with — an ending; the falling away of something whose time had come to an end, like the dried leaves that are blown from the bough of a now-invisible tree.
The Death card is a major arcana card, which means that the shift that accompanies it has a depth to it that indicates a shift in the Soul’s journey. The death may be an ending in the day-to-day world, but it is also the transition from one inner state to another. Like the shedding of the leaves, it is the shedding of a skin. However, what the figure seems to be identified with is that old skin, and not what the skin makes way for.
Look back at the Death card and to what emerges from the skull. It is the figure of a woman, holding to herself, young, the harvest of wheat giving a golden shine to her hair and dress. Note this: what was harvested is the bringer of light and life. She is in a protective position, though, which suggests there is something that is not yet ready to emerge fully, because it needs time to strengthen and to grow into itself. It needs time to adapt to its new surroundings, to become fledged.
And so back to the card at centre. Are you able to see it differently now? You, who might be that figure who sits, pressed down upon by the weight of something that felt too much to carry. Was it yours to carry in the first place?
Can you now look up and see what that burden was concealing: a source of light that lies at the level of the woman in the Death card, in much the same way that you, the seated figure, are at the level of the skull. See how a shift in perspective can reveal more than you might at first have thought?
Notice, too, that the sky behind the disks is clear for the most part, the clouds dissipating as the eye moves towards the darkness along the top of the card. The figure is alone, but there is an atmosphere of beauty, and a place of space. There is a depth to this card that confers a feeling of grace if you are able to look past — with your mind’s eye, your intuition — the oppressive opacity of the disks.
And what if you were to change your position completely, to see what is opening up at your back? The final card brings the nascent light in the Seven, that was birthed in the Death card, into the centre of the picture. Now, it is a Sun. And here, right in front of you, is a road, the ‘wall’ of rock before you blasted open to reveal something that is calling to you. It is compelling, impelling — the energy of wands quickening the atmosphere, calling you onwards, fuelling you for your journey.
“Victory,” “Success,” “Clear breakthrough,” “Combination of power.”
I’m intrigued by the word “combination.” A combination of — what? Maybe that is part of the journey too.
What’s clear is that there is a turnaround here, and it may be one that you feel quite palpably because it has at its foundations a major arcana card. And if the hints weren’t enough to look at what you’re not seeing in your situation, then the face hewn from the rock to the left of the road in the Six of Wands is perhaps the final sign you need to know that there is a route leading you somewhere. It is there. You don’t need to find it immediately. In fact, it may well be that it finds you.
What you will feel, though, when you see it, is that quickening of the wands; a stirring in your body; a fire ignited; a job well done!
Astrology/Elemental correspondences: Death (Scorpio), Seven of Disks (Saturn in Taurus), Six of Wands (Jupiter in Leo)
If you want to experiment with tarot cards and don’t have any, we provide a free tarot spread generator using the Celtic Wings spread, which is based on the traditional Celtic Cross spread. This article explains how to use the spread.
Right! I get this now! This reading (and Rohrig deck) makes sense of the Death card. Death is a kind of completion. The 7 is the seasoning the green maid is seeking, and 6 is two more than 4 of wands, isn’t it.
I am reading a new business book, which reiterates that daring to fail is essential to success. Jupiter in Leo will dare anything!
The colouring on the Victory card is very expressive of the type of victory or achievement following a long, hard battle. This is not an easy success, and the Failure card shows why. This speaks of severe, heart-rending trauma, which one must overcome to reach the goal – the “clear shining after rain”.
On seeing the Death card, I immediately thought of the birth of Athene, who sprang fully-grown from the head of Zeus. Transformative experiences of this intensity certainly do bring wisdom.
Just an additional thought: how cool you drew the Jupiter in Leo card just as Jupiter stations retrograde in Leo!
Phew! powerful stuff. As always so pertinent & with depth of meaning.
Funnily enough ‘combination’ spoke with me too. In the past I’ve shown a particular side of my character rather than the whole & not only has it made me lose track of my whole harmonious self, however honest I was being it would never be Truthful. The issues that led me to go into survival mode & hide deeply the attractive, creative, intelligent, powerful female I was developing into have finally been dealt with & just recently (last 36 hrs) I have noticed I am able to draw on strengths & facets of the brilliant diamond of myself and rather than them retreat into a whole they are combining into a meaningful Whole. Ok I am learning to write & accept those words, & wanted to omit a comment like ‘brilliant diamond of myself’ yet it would be untruthful if I did not accept the Perfection of the Plan & my Role within it. I am finally allowing a combination of this body, mind, organism to work in full acceptance of my absolute right to exist on this planet. Whereas before there was blockage & avoidance it really does feel (just as you have shown) as if the rock of resistance has been blasted through & it is such a straight road now … and so clear. So I thank you Sarah for being such a clear reflection that I am able to process what was just a miasma before reading your most excellent spread. As a final note I was heartened to see the volcano at the end – that deep connection with Mother Earth and that Everything is Being Created now.
DivaCarla — The Six is indeed a step or two along the road from the Four, where the confusion of the Five gives way, rather strikingly, to the openness of the Six. The Seven also has that openness, but things have been pushed out of balance. That one disk that seems out of place feels like a choice that didn’t jibe with what was being created. Everything then seems lost. Remove one: you get the Six again.
Amy — Thank you for some rich additions to the interpretation! I agree that the Seven is a card of heart-rending trauma here, because it is in the physical world and the body that it will be most experienced. Too much to carry alone.
I, too, thought of Jupiter in Leo. (Though, Carla, this particular Leo is currently fighting a dare to eat all of the milk chocolate in the house! I will reassign this sense of ambition to other pursuits.)
Just read your comments Amy – a helpful addendum. Thanks
Racquel — Thank you for sharing your experience. And your courage. Your observation about ‘combination’ makes sense for your context, and I also think there will be others who can relate to this idea of integration of an aspect of self. I certainly do.
Right, Sarah. I’ve taken more time with the images, and I can see that out of place disk that undoes an elegant solution into a doomed failure. Sinister even. I am also realizing that I am enchanted by the rose wands and the ball of light. The rubble strewn highway tells of a challenge –a breakthrough! In the distance, the highway ends at the foot of the mountain, and the bridge over a canyon narrows or may not exist. Victory may still demand a leap of faith. Thinking of the Rohrig Chariot, speeding down the highway, taking an Evel Kneival leap across a canyon, or being abandoned for the ultimate spiritual quest of the body and soul.
Feed the chocolate to the fairies and nature spirits in your garden.
Racquel and Amy, I appreciate your additions too. I am falling in love with this Tarot deck.
Wow. Thank you so much for this, Sarah. And thank you, Amy, particularly for this, This speaks of severe, heart-rending trauma, which one must overcome to reach the goal – the “clear shining after rain”. J’ve been going through one of the darkest phases I’ve had in a long time . and it all seems to be about owning my stuff and really letting in past trauma, so as not to project it onto the world any more.
Go for it, Racquel! Love the diamond…
DivaCarla — Your description of the road reminds me of Saturn in Sagittarius, which is coming up very soon. The way, but with restrictions and limits so that we move forward in a considered manner. The Seven of Wands is implied and is that canyon leap that you write of.
Here in December I am looking at my road ahead. Fortunately I don’t have to do it all at once, yet mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, the leap us made instantaneously in one powerful section to go for it! Thanks for the extra Sarah! Thank Saturn in Sagittarius!
Argh. Edit! One powerful DECISION!
DivaCarla — yep, I came under the Rohrig’s spell several months ago. it’s stunning — bummer it’s so limited in quantity and costs a pretty penny. maybe with all the publicity Sarah’s giving it, we can convince the publisher to print a new English-language edition???
Interesting: Death is the path from the 7 to the 6. One can get bogged down in the 7 cause its place in the flow is to concentrate and collect. All the paths leading away and to it lead to movement: the Wheel, Death, The Moon, The Tower. Looks like what I’ve been experiencing lately: getting past the irritation of things not moving fast enough and just working without attachment allows the process to unfold. That irritation created waves obscuring the core of the flow.
From Yi Jing Taming Power Of The Great: 4th line moves: Headboard of a young bull. Headboards shaped the young bulls horns so the adult bull does no harm. My first instinct is to be irritated at the restriction, but the Yi Jing says of this line “great good fortune”. Had I succeeded at being a Rockstar in my youth as I thought I wanted I probably would have been dead by 27 like so many bright stars that burn through their fuel before Saturn does a lap and I wouldn’t have reached the beautiful compositions I can now play. Releasing attachment to the rockstar I never really wanted to be allows the musician I am to exist without argument, as just a fact of nature.
Just last night I was realizing how this time in my life seems to be about letting go of everything that has been part of my identity for the past 10+ years. Like the person in the middle card, looking back at Death, I realized also that I’ve been looking back at what is dying instead of ahead at what is to come. When I read this reading (this morning) it was a big aha moment about what’s going on for me, and a big confirmation of what I had been thinking. I wonder if this is an effect of Saturn changing signs. My partner is also going through the loss of his identity (on an emotional level) while I seem to be experiencing it on a physical level (loss of job, possessions, moving out of country…).
It’s been a long two years of Saturn in Scorpio traversing my 12 house. I def get the figure in the middle – but looking back so I don’t miss one last shred of cobweb that needs to be dealt with before moving on. I can see the light in the canyon, beckoning me. And the face in the rock? An ancient rock man appeared in a healing session I had 2 months ago, an ancient Easter Island type edifice, and the spirit inhabiting it spoke and offered himself as an ally. The gift at the end of a long, long road? It’s too early for me to get my hopes up, yet I can feel the load lifting as Saturn approaches my Ascendant.
wandering_yeti, abenasara, and Josie — Thank you for contributions (that are also personally very familiar, and helpful, to me too).
Amanda — I’ll see if I can contact someone to enquire about another English print run for the Röhrig. I’ll keep you posted.
Thank you Sarah. After reading this last night I woke up finally, with a better understanding of the power of Uranus, and also my 7th house where it is transiting. I see the “combination of power” as in finding wholeness. Victory comes on the path in grasping (allowing) Freedom, Liberation, yet through experiencing (allowing) Mercy, Compassion, and Forgiveness. I noticed in this card the light is not only from the Wands through the Sun but also lit up from the earth.
The “combination” to the Six of Wands offers this transmutation of power in balance, which I see also illustrated so in the two preceeding cards that were drawn.
In the middle of the effort
dark, painstakingly….
Let go, receive
Mysteries are unraveled
Miracles happen
You are set free
Upon waking August 8, 2013. 8:30 am