Let’s begin your first interpretations of the Arcana you already know - from The Hierophant to The Wheel of Fortune.

Cards can appear in both upright and reversed positions
(remember: “reversed” can mean either too much or not enough of the energy).

The task:
We take a position in a Tarot reading (layout):
“The Past” - what caused the current situation in the client’s relationship or work?

Situation 1 - Relationship
The couple has broken up - the partner left your client
(or vice versa, if you prefer).

Your task is to explore all possible reasons behind this outcome.

Situation 2 - Work
The client did not get promoted.
Why?

Explore all possible explanations based on the Arcana.

How we work:
Take the first card - The Hierophant - and try to generate as many possible interpretations as you can.

What could have led to the current result?

Example:
The Hierophant - Why did the partners break up?

• Cultural or traditional differences
• One partner did not accept the values or “rules” of the other
• Pressure from family or society (disapproval)
• One partner pushed too strongly for the next step, creating pressure
• An arranged marriage (relevant in certain cultures)
• One partner was already married, and the other did not know

There can be many interpretations - your task is to think, explore, and follow the meaning of the energy. Apply the same logic. Use the same approach for the “no promotion” situation.

Read the myth about Phaethon and answer the questions below.

Phaethon and the Sun Chariot

Phaethon, whose name means "shining", was the son of the Sun-God Helios and a mortal woman, Clymene. However, he was living only with his mother as his father had a difficult task to perform. He was responsible to drive the horse chariot with the Sun from the one side to the Earth to the other during the daytime.

One day, a school-mate of Phaethon laughed at his claim that he was the son of a god and said he didn't believe him. In tears, Phaethon went to his mother and demanded proof of his paternity. Clymene assured her son that he was indeed the son of the great god Helios and sent him on his way to the palace of his father to establish his legitimacy.

A delighted and hopeful Phaethon travelled to India, as there was the palace of his father who was supposed to begin every day his course from the East. When he reached the palace of Helios, he was astonished at its magnificence and luxury. His eyes were almost blinded by the dazzle of the light all around him.

The palace was supported by massive columns adorned with glittering gold and precious stones, while the ceilings and doors were made with polished ivory and silver. Phaethon watched with awe the exquisite representation of the earth, the sea and sky on the walls of the palace.

Inside the luxurious palace of Helios

Amazed with all the luxury he had faced, Phaethon came into the august presence of his reputed father, Helios, sitting on a diamond-studded throne surrounded by the presences of the Day, the Month, the Year, and the Hour. His other attendants included Spring, bedecked with flowers, Summer, with a garland of spear-like ripened grains, Autumn, with feet reddened with grape juice and Winter, with hoar-frost in his hair.

Phaethon told Helios about the humiliation he had to suffer because of the imputation of illegitimacy. He pleaded Helios to recognise him as his son and establish beyond all doubt the legitimacy of his birth. Helios got deeply moved and firmly affirmed Phaethon's paternity and legitimacy. In fact, he declared, in the presence of all his attendants, that he will gladly grant his son any favour that he would ask him.

Phaethon, happy because great Helios had recognised him as his son, decided to test the limits of his father's love and benevolence. The rash boy asked to be allowed to drive the awesome Chariot of the Sun for one day. Helios was fearful at his son's irrational request. He tried to explain to his son that even the mighty Zeus could not presume to drive the Chariot off the Sun, much less a mere mortal. That onerous task was reserved solely for him, god Helios.

Unfortunately, once the gods had promised a favour, they could not withdraw or deny it. Helios used all his persuasive skills to plead the rash Phaethon to withdraw his outrageous demand, but to no avail. The boy insisted that Helios kept his promise. The god of the Sun could do nothing else but to give in.

The great destruction

Wanting to drive the awesome Chariot of the Sun was one thing, but to actually do it was not as simple as our naive Phaethon had imagined. A helpless Helios tried to warn his son for the dangers involved in driving the Chariot with its fiery horses which even the great god himself had found it difficult to control on many occasions. He advised Phaethon to steer the Chariot through a middle course and not to go too high or too low. Helios rubbed an expression of power and arrogance on his son's face.

As soon as he took off, Phaethon realised that he had taken on more than he could handle. He found himself utterly powerless to control the fiery horses. When the horses realised the weakness and inexperience of their young charioteer, they began to steer a wild and dangerous course. The Chariot of the Sun was said to have blazed a gash in the skies which supposedly became the Milky Way, a spiral galaxy.

Then the uncontrollable Chariot with the Sun began to steer a too low course, hitting the earth and unleashing immense destruction, including the burning of the African continent and turning it into desert, and even causing considerable damage to the river Nile.

The danger of a greater destruction infuriated the chief of the gods, Zeus, who struck the boy down with his thunderbolt. The body of the dead Phaethon fell into the Eridanus River, which was later to be known as the river Po off Italy. The unfortunate Phaethon was deeply mourned by his sisters, the Heliades, who were transformed into poplar trees to stand by the river and protect their brother for always.

Your task:

• What is the main lesson of this myth?
What does this story teach us?

• We have not yet discussed the reversed Chariot -
what are your interpretations?

• The Chariot - which professions can be associated with this energy?

Guidance:

Try to look at the myth through the lens of Tarot:

• What qualities does Phaethon demonstrate?
• Where do we see the energy of the Chariot expressed?

We did not discuss the shadow (reversed) side of the Chariot during the lesson for the reason - this part is especially important for your understanding:
• Where does it become “too much” or “not enough”?

Think not only about the story itself, but about the energy behind it.

During the lecture, I intentionally did not talk about the shadow sides of The Lovers and The Chariot.
This is your task.

Write down all the possible shadow manifestations of these Arcana.
Additionally, think about in which professions you can see these energies expressed.

Attention:
Interpretations like “The Lovers can not make a choice” or “The Chariot does not move toward the goal” are too basic.

Think deeper.
Go beyond the obvious.