The Action and The Apocalypse

when the ace of wands meets the tower

Trippin’ Waite Tarot

Let’s begin by using the Sixty-Second Sweep.

Before you interpret a single card, read the whole table, whether you’re using ten cards or one. This is not a warm-up. This is the actual work. Here’s the sequence:

First impressions first. What is the overall energy of this spread? Looking at these two cards I’m struck by the sunshine in one and the water in the other, by the blue and by the yellow. Because of the sunrays in the Ace and the swimming mermaid and merman in the Tower, there’s movement in both cards. There’s also something about those bubbles that catches my attention. [Don’t discount the things that you initially notice.]

Colors second. What is the palette. Dark and heavy or light and open. Warm or cool. You are not looking for symbolism yet. I mentioned the blue and yellow, but the green stands out in the Ace and the pinkish color on mermaid/merman is unusual as pink isn’t a color I’d typically think about when the Tower card appears.

Suits third. Count them. Well, since this is only a two card spread this is more difficult. We have Fire (Ace of Wands) and a Major Arcana (Tower). Interesting combo as you typically see the Tower being struck by fire (lightning), but this rendition shows the aftermath, the ruins in a watery grave. Any time a Major shows up, you know the message is more important than one about an everyday event.

Major versus minor. How many major arcana cards landed. One or two suggests practical circumstances. Four or five suggests something larger is operating, forces bigger than daily problem-solving. With only two cards and one of them a Major, we can say that half of this duo is telling us something important is afoot.

Interpreting the Pair

After doing the Sweep, what sticks out? For me, it’s the absolute joy I see in the Ace and the sadness I see in the Tower. And that definitely is not how I would usually interpret Major Arcana XVI.

I just realized the sadness comes from all that blue; in fact the swimmers seem quite happy playing amongst the ruins.

My personal experience of the Tower is based on the very first tarot reading I received; the Tower popped up and I remember the reader saying something like this: Change is needed and you can go along with it happily or resist and have the rug pulled out from under you. I think the swimmers are actually going along with the downfall quite happily.

So stop a sec and tell me what your Sweep unearthed. Then tell me how you think those two cards work together. Or do they? What is your client was asking about a new relationship or a new idea; the Ace of Wands is a definitely ‘go ahead, it’s all good’, but the Tower shows us an entirely different story. It appears as if that new thing is destined for failure.

But is it?

Remember I said that the bubbles caught my eye? That would tell me that the new thing could be successful IF the client ‘came up for air’. In other words, take the time to assess all potential outcomes as this isn’t a time to be a Pollyanna. Leave the bubble (echo chamber) of all your friends telling you what a great idea you have. Instead, be a list maker, cataloging all eventualities and outcomes. Then, that Ace can come into play.

One more thing to think about. That green stuff around the wrist in the Ace reminds me of a handcuff. Is there something precluding a full steam ahead? Just something to consider.

This is your reading

I pay a lot of attention to the image. And you may read the imagery totally different than I do. As you should. Pull these two cards out of your own deck and see what they tell you.

Part of building your tarot skills is doing exercises like this: doing real readings for anyone who will let you. After time, you will reach a point of trusting that your interpretation of a card is the right one for this client, at this time, and for their question.

Let’s talk. Leave your thoughts in the comments.