Intuitive
Sometimes we don’t know what seeds we want to plant or what seeds we should be planting. Oftentimes this confusion is brought about because our head wants to go one way and our heart wants to go another. The best method is to let your intuition choose for you. In order to do this, you will first need to remove your Aces from your deck. Put them facedown in front of you and shuffle them as they remain facedown. Then go ahead and select one. I sometimes like to choose the one that either has heat emanating from it or creates prickling sensations in my hand as I slowly scan the cards. If you draw this card upside down, turn it right side up.
So what did you pick? Is it what you thought you needed, or is it a match for what your heart has been crying out for? Either way, use this card, and do the same exercise we did in the intentional section, as I want you to grow the seed of your intuition. Trust that your intuition knows what it is talking about, and that it wants to align you to success in all of its forms.
Wandering
In this exercise see if you can find the four Aces throughout your day. Be on the lookout, raise your awareness, and move as if in a walking meditation. Be mindful of what people say and do. Pay closer attention to where you end up during the day. Read street signs and take in landmarks. You are on the lookout for four things:
1. A new opportunity to increase your abundance, be it money or health
2. A new possibility for a deeper emotional connection to someone or something
3. A new spark of creative potential
4. Last but not least, a new seed for an idea or a potential new class to expand your current knowledge
I am always surprised by where I find these sparks. I suggest you write each one down as you find them. Think of this like the once-popular game Pokémon Go, but for the four Aces of the tarot instead.
Twos
With the Twos in your orbit, you know it is time to bring someone or something into your life to help you with your current goal, situation, or problem. The Twos teach us how to work and play with others. No matter how much we like to think we are alone in this world, we are not, and the Twos remind us that we all work in partnership with someone or something. Writers need publishers and readers, without which their writings would never be seen. Companies need innovators, marketers, and customers, otherwise they would never be able to create a product and have people buy it. No matter what you are doing in your life, I can guarantee you are in partnership with someone or something. If you have a job that provides a consistent paycheck, you are in partnership with the people who pay you for your time. If you freelance, you are in a partnership with your clients. I could go on, but I think you get the idea. When I work with the Twos in a magical sense, I use them to bring me the part of the puzzle which I myself may not be able to find. In other words, I actively seek out a partner through the Twos. It might be a person to share the experience with, it might be someone to keep me motivated and who inspires me to keep going, it might be choosing just one idea and firmly committing to it and giving it my all, or it could be seeking balance with all the blessings that the Ace of Pentacles has bestowed upon me. Either way I am very deliberate when working with the energy of the Twos, and I highly recommend you take the same approach. Therefore, only work with one of the Twos at a time, as you want to keep a single focus while dabbling in the realm of partnership and duality. In fact, the more singularly focused you can be, the better partner you will be, and, in turn, the better partner you will attract. So be specific, laser in, and keep your mind and heart aligned with one single intention.
The Two of Swords reminds us that we have to make a commitment to an idea. I know this sounds strange, but it is true. Many times, people never truly commit to an idea. They won’t walk the path the idea opens up for them, and they are already dating other ideas the moment they start to get bored. This is one of the traits of unsuccessful people. They can never commit to an idea long enough to see any real results. The Two of Swords wants you to first make a decision and then, second, commit to it, give it your all, be faithful to it, and watch how it grows and evolves. Elizabeth Gilbert talks about this concept in her book, Big Magic, as it is a problem many creative people have. Don’t get me wrong, not every idea is for you, and not every idea is going to bring rewards, but if you never give an idea a try, you will never know which is which. Therefore, just do it already. Make a decision and commit to it. See what doors it opens, or closes for that matter, and really walk the path with your decision. Published writers know that they often have to invest hours into an idea or concept before they know if it is going to lead to anything. We often call this the ten thousand-word test, for if you can get your idea to ten thousand words, there is a good chance you have an actual book in the making. If, however, you can’t, then it is time to maybe reconsider your direction and see if retracing your steps might be helpful. For most of us, it takes time, effort, and energy to get those first ten thousand words written. We fully commit to the idea before we even know where it will end. This is one of the great lessons the Two of Swords has to teach us. Commitment equates to time, but not necessarily with the results you have in mind.
The Two of Wands brings a nice spark, a burst of growth and motivation to any situation. If in the Ace you had one magical wand, here you have two. Just be careful, as you want to make sure you are growing the right things and making headway only on the things your heart wants to achieve. This card can bring with it temptation, distraction and an illusion of power. This card has the energy of a young Mars testing his power under the watchful and loving gaze of Aries, which, let’s face it, makes Mars more than a little cocky. When someone is too sure of themselves, they tend to make mistakes, get sloppy, and forget why they are doing something in the first place. It is easy to let the energy of this card distract you, but this card is put to much better use when it is supporting and empowering you. You want to approach this card with some humility; you will see better results if you do, even though there is a temptation here, with Mars at your side, to let the ego strut its stuff. Having two magical wands at your disposal can make you feel incredibly powerful, but it can also make you impulsive and reckless, so really think with your heart before you start waving these gifts around and aiming them willy-nilly.
The Two of Cups will bring you an ally in someone who shares your feelings, beliefs, and vision. I know a lot of people think this card is about lovers, and matched with the right cards, it can spell the initial spark of attraction to another in a romantic way. But generally speaking, this card is a nudge from the universe to invite someone else into your life to help with whatever issue, problem, or challenge you seem to be having. Think of this card as the “two heads are better than one” card. When this card pops up, you will know it is time to seek someone else’s guidance, support, or advice. Your thinking related to some particular matter may have hit a wall, or you may be struggling to see a situation from another perspective, but when you find someone who shares your spark, who gets moved by the same things you get moved by, they offer up some brilliant and fascinating points of contemplation. We don’t all see and feel things the same way, and because of this, we often never get the whole of anything. We only align to the bits and pieces with which we share a common bond. Other people also only see bits and pieces of the whole, which is why bringing someone else into the equation gives you more bits and pieces to ponder. Two heads really are better than one. Think about what areas in your life feel incomplete or where you feel like there is something you might be missing. Chances are the right person has been waiting in the wings this whole time for you to open up a space for them to come into your life and help you out.
The Two of Pentacles is a super active card. All of you needs to be engaged when this card dances or staggers into your life. If you blessed the hell out of your life in the Ace of Pentacles, then you have managed to double your blessings here in the Two of Pentacles. Congratulations! The only problem i
s now you have more to do. You have more demands on your time, energy, and body, which could have you literally juggling between that which needs to be done and that which you would like to be doing. That Ace really should come with a warning label. Oh wait, it does! It can be easy to get caught up in the never-ending action of this card. You may very well feel like you are always trying to manage your time, control your spending, focus on what you are eating, and rewrite your to-do list, but all of these things are just new to you. You are still learning to have a relationship with all of these new blessings. You haven’t really negotiated the terms of engagement with any of them, though now might be a good time to consider doing just that. Let’s face it, you can’t juggle forever. Eventually you will get things under control and life will seem less hectic, but you have to start where you are. So use this time to take a good look around and observe this new landscape. What is really important to you now, and what will be important to you moving forward? What items do you need to be focused on, and which ones can you delegate? The Two of Pentacles ushers in a temporary state of busyness, but it is not one that is meant to last or set you up for failure. Instead, it is meant to push you to expand, grow, and tap into the things that are most life-affirming.
Pathwork
Intentional
In the Aces, you planted a seed, one that you want to grow and see become your heart’s desire. Here in the Twos, you start to learn that you never create anything on your own. You will need others to help you, guide you, support you, and possibly even heal you. There are four possible ways for this to happen, but just like back in the Aces, you can only pick one. So, sit with each of the Twos and really consider what your seed needs to help it grow. The Two of Wands will bring extra energy to your seed. It will enhance its magic, and if you have been having trouble focusing on your seed, it will give you a much-needed bout of inspiration. The Two of Wands will light up you and your seed, bringing energy and illumination to your dreams and goals. The Two of Swords offers you a choice between using your head and using your heart. The Two of Swords can’t be used at the same time, but they can be interchanged, which means you have two superpowers at your disposal to help your seed grow. You will have the logic for weeding out the past and keeping your mind and imagination focused to see the seed fully grown. The Two of Pentacles will help you, if you feel you are juggling what needs to be done and what you want to get done. It will support your current balancing act, so you don’t feel overwhelmed or exhausted. The Two of Cups will bring you someone who will believe in you and everything you are trying to achieve. This person will be emotionally invested in seeing your seed grow.
Based on this, which card is the right one for you? Do you need some extra inspiration, or a way to release the past while focusing on the future? Do you need some help with keeping up with all of life’s demands, or do you require someone to share your vision and infuse it with love? Select the card that is right for you and place it in your spell jar, just like you did with the Ace, though this time, you want a rose quartz and some ground ginger to add to your jar. Write a small mantra, spell, or prayer for your card, based on what you have selected it for, and light a pink candle. Recite your mantra, spell, or prayer and spend at least ten minutes a day visualizing your Two working its magic on your seed. Do this for as many days as you feel necessary, then discard the contents of your jar and keep your energy-infused crystal with you for the next couple of weeks.
Intuitive
For this exercise, you are going to intuitively choose a personal assistant from the four Twos. In many respects, the card your intuition selects for you is the card that will best support, guide, and move you today. First, you are going to need to remove the four Twos from your deck. Place them facedown in front of you, spreading or fanning them out. Next, close your eyes and take some nice cleansing breaths, as you just focus on who would be best suited to be your assistant for the day. Place your hands over the top of the cards. You don’t need to be touching them, but if it feels more natural to do so, go right ahead. Feel your way over the cards and select the one that either gives off some heat or some cold, or makes your fingers tingle. The energy of the cards feels different for everyone, so trust that whatever sensation you get from the cards is the right one for you. Now go ahead and turn your card over, and take a look at it. This is your guide for the day. Ask your card questions, use it as a point of reflection before you make a move, and think about how it can help you get through that to-do list with ease and grace. It may even give you a clue about who you should ask for help or who you could connect with to move a current project forward.
Wandering
For this exercise, as you walk through your day, you are going to find one of the Twos in your environment. Let’s say you are at the park and you see someone walking two dogs who look like they want to go in two different directions, and the dog walker looks like they are struggling with juggling the two dogs. Hello Two of Pentacles! Perhaps you are walking along the sand watching the surf as it rolls in and out, and you see a flash of a fin, and notice two dolphins making their way across the waves. Hello Two of Cups! You could even be getting a morning coffee at Starbucks and find yourself with two hot, steaming cups of coffee. Hello Two of Wands! On your morning walk you might come across two paths and have to choose which one you will take. Guess who—yep, the Two of Swords. I think you are getting the idea. The idea is that the tarot cards will find us when we need them. Right now you need help from the Twos, so let them show up along your path today. Allow the card that wants to work with you to just materialize and see what opportunities show up with it.
Threes
As we progress through the minor arcana cards you will notice a bit of trend: we start inviting more people, places, and things into our lives. And the Threes just got very social. Under the Twos you learned about partnerships—how you work with one other person, thing, or situation at any given time. Here in the Threes we bring in as many people as possible for you to get done what you need to get done. Threes tend to be tactile in nature and are not at all afraid to let their hair down or wear their emotions on their sleeve. Each one of the Three cards of the minor arcana will share with you a different aspect of the Threes’ personality, and you might notice just from looking at these cards in your deck that they do seem to go from one extreme to another. This is because there is no middle ground here in the world of the Threes. Balance is not something natural to these cards, yet they will try to create conditions for which they feel more balanced. Through these cards, your interaction with the world will broaden, and you will need to consider what your part in the larger picture of the world really is. In other words, what is the part you came to play, and how does that part join with the parts others around you are playing? This may lead you to question the intentions you set under the Aces. For the most part, you will learn that your goals, dreams, challenges, and blessings aren’t as much yours as you think they are. You will start to see how your decisions impact others, and how the people, places, and things you encounter are interconnected in ways you never stopped to think about.
The Three of Swords is the most extreme of the all the Three cards, for where the others show the joy of engaging in the world and the people in it, this card shows isolation, pain, suffering, and grief. This card is often described as the heartbreak card, due to the nature of the Three of Swords shown sticking out of a heart, as you can see in the Llewellyn Tarot’s depiction of this card. However, as I said in the opening paragraph, Threes can and do wear their hearts on their sleeves. They feel deeply, which means they are very sensitive to others’ pain and suffering. They will often feel this pain as if it is their own, and can become indulgent in it, moving them out of empathy and into self-inflicted torment. There is a good chance this card is you carrying around pain that was never yours to begin with. The problem is that you have carried it for so long it feels like it belongs to you, and somewhere along the line you have taken ownership o
f it. This card is a reminder that others’ pain is not for you to take and claim. By all means, show empathy and compassion, but don’t cross the line where your ego turns you into a martyr. The suffering of others is just that, their personal suffering. It is part of a larger karmic cycle that has nothing to do with you. Your role here in the Three of Swords is to feel it, transmute it into compassion, and send it back into the world as love. Do not hold onto it and add even more suffering to the world. Remember: what you feed grows, so be careful when it comes to feeding more pain.
The Three of Wands wants you to get up close and personal with the world around you. This card wants you to immerse yourself in your manifestation process and engage with all of it. It wants you to dream big, visualize daily, take bold and decisive action, and expect miracles. This is the card that is often linked to the law of attraction. The Three of Wands is the polar opposite of the Three of Swords, for here we see hope and joy at the possibilities that the material world has to offer. Creation is celebrated in this card through the act of engaging in the process and allowing oneself to experience each step of the process as if it were an intimate lover. This is exactly how you should approach the art of manifestation. You should be able to see every detail, feel every curve, and walk around with a bit of knowing swagger in your step. Fire knows no fear or doubt. It only knows results, and here in the Three of Wands, we get to see just how well Mars taught you how to play with fire in the Two of Wands. As the energy and intensity of this card builds, the signs of your manifestation energy will grow, and before you know it there will be no doubt in your mind that what you are working to create is on its way. All you have to do is keep going deeper with your law of attraction process and make sure you are feeding your fire all the right ingredients to keep it burning.
Pathworking the Tarot Page 13