SKYE stephenson

I was up in Berlin, Vermont visiting my friend Suzanne the other evening when she suggested we do a card reading. She had invited two other friends over – Kathleen and Ellie. Kathleen had brought along a tarot deck.

We gathered around a large circular table, and Kathleen placed her deck in the center of the table. It was the Mother Peace tarot deck. The Mother Peace tarot was created by Vicki Noble and Karen Vogel several decades ago. Their aim was to create a tarot deck with a feminist perspective. Thus, the cards are circular, rather than rectangular, and the images on the cards are quite different than the more traditional tarot decks.

            I have my own Mother Peace tarot deck. But had not – until this recent evening – even cast a glance at my deck for months, if not years.

            The sun was just setting outside the window as Suzanne asked: “What should we inquire about this evening?”

            She explained that when she worked at Goddard University (which she had for many years), they would sometimes select a collective question they were puzzled about, and ask the tarot.

            Without hesitation, we all agreed: the upcoming US presidential election.

            We spent a few minutes chatting about exactly how to best phrase our inquiry – as we tried to move beyond all the divisiveness swirling like a hurricane around this topic of late.

            When we thought we had refined our group inquiry to the right wording – Kathleen shuffled the deck a few times. Then she ever so carefully fanned out the cards into a circular shape.

She drew a card.

            Suzanne went next.

            I was third.

            Ellie drew the final card. She admitted to us that she was a little nervous. This was the first time she had ever been part of a tarot card reading. We assured her there was nothing to fear.

            Suzanne turned over her card first. We all stared at the image, in shock.

It was of a Pharoah-like man sitting in a throne atop a high pyramid. Below him are several levels of people – all in chains. The description describes this card as “patriarchy.” It is the devil card of the traditional tarot, reworked. The booklet accompanying the cards says this card represent personal gain of a few at the expense of the many; a state of greed and egotism.

            Kathleen turned her card over next. It was the image of a male figure dancing for a woman holding a young child, with another child, somewhat older, nearby. He has painted his face with bright colors, and is smiling joyfully. The booklet describes this card as the “archetypal positive male principle. The integration of eros and logos.” 

This card seemed to us almost the opposite of the first one.

            I went next. My card was the Four of Discs. The image is of a woman closing the door of her house, or sanctuary, and turning within. She is closing off the noise of the outside world so she can listen to her inner voices. And find some inner peace.

            We discussed how this card could be interpreted as a reminder in times such as these to withdraw periodically if we feel the need. And also to shut off too much social media and news if we begin to feel overwhelmed.

            The final card in a group reading is meant to suggest the way forward. The possible future, or at least the best path for us to follow at the present time.

Ellie was holding this card, and it was still face down. We watched with bated breath as she turned it over. It was the Lovers.

            As Kathleen wrote to us the next day in an email, “the card can be read as a tribute to the idea that Love is the animating force of the entire cosmos. And all life is really One in spirit, linked in Love.”

            Yes, it was just a card reading. An apparently random selection of four cards from a deck. And yet, maybe the cards chosen were not so random after all.

            We sometimes think that our health in just individual. But this is not always true. The state of our community, our family, and – yes – our nation can impact our health in many ways.

            And right now there is great uncertainty, and some fear, about how the Presidential election will unfold in the coming months. These are not easy moments for any of us who call this nation our home. This is true whatever your political inclinations may be.

            I find it hopeful that Ellie selected the Lovers card as the final one in our group reading.

            Love as the way forward.

FROM ARTICLE IN THE MONADNOCK SHOPPER NEWS JULY 17-23, 2024