In Nine of Cups, a portly, satisfied man sits with his arms crossed in contentment. Behind him is a wall with nine golden goblets arranged in a structured, well-organized fashion. He enjoys success both materially and spiritually and represents the fulfilment realized after the accomplishment of our deepest desires.

The Nine of Cups indicates contentment with the way things are. You are deeply satisfied that everything is going your way and you can finally sit back and revel in the knowledge that all is right with the world. This is also known as the wish card, indicating that something you have desired for a long time will finally come true.

A word of caution, however! You may be tempted to indulge yourself at the cost of someone else. This may feel great at the time, but sooner or later regret will set in. Pursuit of pleasure without regard to consequences is never satisfying in the long run. (Chocolate and ice-cream are coming to mind!!)

Find out more about the Nine of Cups.

All the best,
Biddy

Below are the books I most recommend to beginner Tarot readers. These books are great as general reference guides for the Tarot novice!

Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Tarot by Mark McElroy

This is a straight-forward and practical guide to reading the Tarot cards, suitable for all Tarot beginners. It also includes tips on how to set yourself up as a Tarot reader, including selecting a deck, finding additional Tarot resources and drawing your own insights from the cards.

Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning

One of the first places I started when I was learning the Tarot card meanings was Joan Bunning’s Learn Tarot website. Here, she provides practical interpretations of the 78 Tarot cards and 19 lessons on how to read the cards. Her book captures all of this information in the one resource and is an excellent starting point for any beginner.

Mastering the Tarot by Paul Fenton-Smith

While this book is pitched towards the more experienced and/or professional Tarot reader, the Tarot card meanings provided are very practical and offer real-life examples to further the reader’s understanding. What I love most about this book are the reversed Tarot card meanings and the way in which Paul Fenton-Smith uses the principle of returning to the energy of the previous card so as to avoid any unwanted consequences of the reversed card. Mastering the Tarot also provides tips and techniques for the professional Tarot reader—even if you’re not reading professionally, these tips may be useful for polishing your Tarot reading skills and style.

Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack

This book is often referred to as the “Tarot bible” for its extensive insights into the Tarot cards. Rachel Pollack draws on both the traditional symbolism of the cards and the more modern psychological aspects of the cards to help the reader truly appreciate the deeper meaning of the Tarot. This is a must-read for all Tarot readers. For the beginner, I would recommend first building a broad understanding of the cards before delving into the deeper meanings with this book.

Tarot Card Meanings eBook by Biddy

Yes, it is a shameless plug! My eBook provides over 150 pages of Tarot card meanings, tips and techniques to help you learn the Tarot cards. I have drawn together many different interpretations of the Tarot cards, including upright and reversed Tarot card meanings. I also include tips on how to read reversed Tarot cards, use a Tarot journal and combine numerology with Tarot.

Tarot for Your Self by Mary K Greer

This is an oldie but a goodie! Mary K Greer is one of the gurus of Tarot and in her book, Tarot for Your Self, she has created something more like a workbook or Tarot journal which includes meditations, rituals, spreads, mandalas, visualisations, dialogues, charts, astrology, numerology, affirmations and healing all designed to allow you to experience Tarot for yourself in a hands-on way. This book is an excellent learning tool for those who are new to Tarot as well as the advanced practitioner.

The Tarot Revealed: A Beginner’s Guide by Paul Fenton-Smith

Similar to Mastering the Tarot, The Tarot Revealed provides practical interpretations of the Tarot cards with real-life examples, but this time it is pitched towards Tarot beginners. Paul Fenton-Smith helps to interpret the cards, without needing to understand the more esoteric concepts that are often related to the cards.

The Two of Cups depicts a man and a woman exchanging cups in a wedding ceremony with the caduceus of Hermes between them. The caduceus has been used since ancient times as the symbol of physicians and healers. The symbol is a staff with two snakes wrapped around it topped by a pair of wings with, in this instance, a lion’s head between them. The two snakes represent dark and light and their coexistence within us. The wings symbolize the spirit and the lion represents matter and the material world.

The Two of Cups indicates partnership, engagement, friendship, marriage, romance, passions and emotions. Reversed, however, it reflects that a relationship may be going through a difficult time where you are failing to connect on an emotional level. There is a lack of compassion and understanding, and instead of feeling like you’re on the same team, you are going up head-to-head against each other. You may not be seeing eye-to-eye and there may be a lot of resentment beginning to emerge.

If you are experiencing trouble in your relationships this week, then it is time to return to the energy of the Ace of Cups and remember what brought you together in the first place. Remember those feelings of love, excitement, passion and energy that you felt when you first met and try to restore the balance in your current emotional connection with one another. Be compassionate and remember that you are both there to help each other, even through the tough times.

Find out more about the Two of Cups reversed.

All the best,
Biddy

The Wheel of Fortune is elaborate in its symbolism. In the centre lies a wheel. It contains the knowledge of the Great Mysteries. The four Hebrew letters stand for the Divine name – YHVH – Yahweh or Jehovah. The letters TORA stand for the first Five Books of Moses, which contain the Hebraic Laws of righteous living. When the letters are reversed, we find the name of the TARO. The Wheel of Fortune is surmounted by a sphinx holding a sword. Both the wheel and the Sphinx remind us of the temporal nature of life. They tell us that to every time there is a season, life moves in and out of a great cosmic cycle of creativity.

The Wheel of Fortune refers to the fact that things tend to go in cycles – there are good times, and there are bad times. When times are good, do not become complacent because things can change. When times seem bad, don’t become too discouraged. When things seem their worst, that simply suggest that things can then only get better! Furthermore, the Wheel suggests you shouldn’t simply stand still and accept what life hands you. You can take an active hand to try and remain on the upside of the Wheel. When things are down, instead of waiting and hoping for things to get better, you can work actively towards improving your situation, thereby speeding up the recovery process. Finally, the Wheel can suggest not becoming discouraged when faced by adversity – adversity is a natural part of life and should be expected to happen. The fact that bad times happen shouldn’t worry you – accept them as natural and not necessarily indicative of problems. Instead, look for ways how you can face and conquer the adversity. If it cannot be addressed, then that might be taken as suggestion of a problem.

So, be prepared this week to take it as it comes and remain flexible and adaptable to change. Know that if you have done everything right, then the Universe will be on your side.

Find out more about the Wheel of Fortune.

All the best,
Biddy

The Page of Pentacles shows a young man holding a pentacle. Behind him are some mountains in the distance, suggesting that there are challenges on the horizon. The Pentacles suit traditionally represents all things material, whilst the Pages represent an opportunity of some sort. Combined, the Page of Pentacles tells you that it is time to make your dreams a reality. The circumstances are right to enact your dreams and make them come true.

When this card is reversed, it suggests that there are current blockages standing in your way of achieving your goals. It may be that you haven’t planned sufficiently, or that you have become lazy and complacent and have lost sight of your goal. You need to review your goals and think again about why you were originally motivated to achieve them. Think about what it will be like once you achieve that goal, and become re-committed to your objectives.

You may also be focusing on short-term pleasures and desires rather than sustainable and long-term goals. You will need to move beyond material satisfaction and towards what will bring you sustainable happiness and fulfilment.

All the best,

Biddy

The Nine of Wands depicts a weary, injured man who holds a staff as though in a posture of final defence. He is protected by a number of wands propped up like a wall behind him. This card indicates struggle and the need to call up out of ourselves the strength needed to overcome a challenge which may seem insurmountable. The man in the card has survived many battles and even wears a bandage around his head. Yet in his eye is the determination to overcome this final challenge to his accomplishment and victory.

When we encounter the Nine of Wands we are often in the midst of a challenge that appeared just when we thought all was won, at the moment before our final accomplishment of a creative task or goal. The card indicates that we have the inner resources necessary to overcome any difficulty we encounter, even though it may seem impossible at the time. How often do we give up just before we finally achieve success? This card is a sign of hope and encouragement that if we stand firm and strong against challenge, we will achieve our goal. The challenges before us are only the last bit of darkness before the break of wonderful dawn.

All the best,

Biddy

The Ace of Swords shows a hand, cloaked in white, holding an upright sword. At the tip of the sword is a wreath, indicating success. The barren, mountainous landscape below the sword reflects the often cold nature of intellect. Upright, this is a card of mental clarity and a new beginning that involves using the mind and the intellect.

However, this week, the Ace of Swords is reversed, suggesting that you may be lacking the mental clarity you need and your vision and judgement is clouded. Additionally, this card suggests that you need to focus on the basics and do some better planning. Sometimes introducing a more focused plan can really help bring some more routine to the situation.

The Ace of Swords reversed also reflects an idea or concept which you have not yet but into action, perhaps because you are unsure about whether or not it will bring the results you want.

All the best,

Biddy

In the Rider Waite deck, the Six of Pentacles shows a man dressed in a purple robe, indicating he is wealthy, holding a balanced scale in one hand, representing equality, and feeding two beggars with his other hand. Not only does this card reflect the state of being materially secure, it also tells us that you are able to use the abundance in your life for the benefit of others.

Reversed, the Six of Pentacles suggests that you may have lent money to a friend or given someone a favour, but, in this instance, do not expect the money to be repaid or the favour to be returned. In other words, this card suggests a one-way street in terms of charity. With this in mind, be careful about who you lend your money to or do things for, especially if you yourself are in financial trouble.

More broadly speaking, the Six of Pentacles reversed can indicate that you are giving too much of yourself to others and you are being taken advantage of. Think carefully about the balance between giving and receiving and ensure that others are not simply engaging in take, take, take!

All the best,

Biddy

The King of Cups sits in his throne and holds a cup in his right hand, suggesting that he is able to bring his emotions into his daily life in a controlled and also proactive manner. His right foot is also resting lightly in the water which lays beneath him, again a symbol that he is in touch with his emotions. The stone throne symbolises his solid foundation and his dependability and reliability, especially in emotional issues. Upright, this card reflects someone who is very mature with respect to their emotional development. They are a visionary, and a role model.

However, this week this card is reversed. The reversed King of Cups suggests that you may be in contact with someone who perhaps has a position of authority or a role where they could be seen as a role model, but someone who abuses that authority and that position. This is someone who manipulates others through emotional means and has only their own needs in mind. This card can represent a very selfish person who may, on the surface, appear to be emotionally stable and in touch with themselves but underneath is weak and destructive to others. This week may see the unveiling of such personalities, either in others, or in yourself. The best advice is to stay clear of this type of behaviour because it will not assist, no matter how hard you try.

All the best,

Biddy

The Moon is the card of intuition, dreams, and the unconscious. The Moon provides light as a reflection of the Sun, yet this light is dim, uncertain, and only vaguely illuminates our path as we journey toward higher consciousness. Similarly, our dreams, intuitions, and inner promptings lead us forward toward higher levels of understanding if we listen carefully and use our judgement to help interpret the veiled messages of the unconscious.

The Moon is a psychological card of projecting fear into your present and you future based on past ordeals. The images, thoughts and feelings that you have repressed are causing disturbances which are overwhelming. This results in negative blocks within your personality and cause pain and anxiety. The Moon makes you shudder as it presents a sordid reality most people choose to sublimate or ignore. This card represents a purging process where deep memories are released. You go deep into your soul and dredge up your anxieties, phobias, psychic blocks and personality disturbances.

The Moon brings many invisible things to the surface: secret motives, clandestine information, ancient hidden truths brought into the light. These newly discovered resources may confuse you, but once they are brought to your awareness, the will no longer haunt you. Listen closely to your dreams as you may find these dreams are the windows to your subconscious.

All the best,

Biddy