The Hierophant
In the Health position
Hidden health; physical and emotional.
Meaning: Authority. An advocate of tradition. Society's structure and code. The establishment. Orthodox behaviour. Adhering to tradition. Religious authority. A keeper or guardian of knowledge. Initiation. Instruction. The expectations of the outside world. Education. Following an established path. Benefiting from the strength of a group or tradition. The comfort of one's roots. Guidance. Clemency. Religious or educational institutions. Ritual, ceremony, and performance. A wedding or public alliance. Religious or spiritual inclination. Morals and ideals. Mediator. Interpreter. Mentor. Official faith and custom. Accepting a hierarchy. Depending on surrounding cards, can represent repression and the challenging of a system or of conventional wisdom. A person with the power to advance, challenge, or wrong another.
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Strength
In the Health position
Visible health; physical and emotional.
Meaning: Courage. The determination to overcome obstacles. Inner strength. Spiritual strength. Consistent effort. Conviction. Having the strength to persevere. Being able to withstand naysayers and judgments of others and not be deterred. Facing one¹s fears. Being true. Harnessing passions that threaten to overwhelm but may be tamed with compassion and the will to overcome. Faith. Vitality. Ability to endure failures, losses, and disappointment, and yet keep the faith. Tenacity. Energy and intelligence. Work. Activity. Integrity. Focus and discipline. Overcoming. Outlasting competition or conditions. Reason and passion unite to bring strength.
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Three of Swords
In the Attitude position
Hidden mental attitude.
Meaning: Heartache. Hurt. Harsh resolution. Distress. Having been abandoned. Severance. Feeling crippled by the weight of past hurts. The pain of being misunderstood or unfairly judged. Rejection. Estrangement. Fear and isolation. Separation. The pain of a triangle dynamic in relationship or interests. The need for mental control over emotions. Frail health.
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Two of Cups
In the Attitude position
Visible mental attitude.
Meaning: Romance, love, attraction of opposites. Union. Magnetism. Dance of courtship. Entwining energies. Sparks. The flow and grace of a natural match. Forming emotional bonds. Sharing, stability in give and take. Balanced ebb and flow of emotions. Curiosity, affection, and excitement. Most often symbolizes a romantic partnership, but may refer to a friendship or alliance with an emotional component and compatibility of a kindred polarity. Engagement or marriage.
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Nine of Swords
In the Relationships position
Hidden relationships.
Meaning: Nightmares, suspicion, and insecurity. Depression weighing one down. Worry and delays. Longing and misery. Pining for a loved one. Distress and obsession. The haunting of past hurts and injustices. Debilitating, unhealthy situation. Unrelenting enemy. Loneliness. Indecision. Bewilderment. Premature end.
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The Lovers
In the Relationships position
Visible relationships.
Meaning: Union of opposites. The promise or potential for love and romance. Partnership. Attraction, chemistry, lust. Magnetism. Harmony. Play. Joy. Humour. Romantic interlude or amorous encounter. Restless imagination. The crystallizing, projecting process of "blind love." High hopes. Flare of desire. Friendship, admiration, and affection. Communion. Sharing. On a deeper level it can represent transformational power of love. Inspiring feats to attain or secure love. Being made brave by love. Conviction and commitment. The mystic bond of familiar spirits. Mutual understanding. Fusion and energy. A pact. Symptoms of love: anxiety, vulnerability, short attention span. Being made useless by love. Poetry, daydreams, music. Expanding experience. Loss of the rational. Gratitude. Can represent a choice between what is desired and what is acceptable. Assessment. If a decision is involved, indicates happy outcome after struggles.
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Three of Cups
In the Career position
Hidden career.
Meaning: Celebration. Thanksgiving. Shared happiness. Pleasure and satisfaction. Enrichment of friendships. Support, encouragement. Excitement and play. Enjoying arts and talents. Luck, excitement, and momentum. Goodwill and humour. The doubling effect of success shared. The joy of artistic collaboration. Romantic fun. The freshness of spring. Gratitude and good health.
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Nine of Cups
In the Career position
Visible career.
Meaning: Fertile surroundings. Nourishment. Natural beauty. Delight. Romance. Summer's cauldron of all good things for the heart. Relief and well-being. Blossoming. Seduction and pleasures. Gentle, inspiring surroundings and company. Warm, encouraging atmosphere. Luck. The feel of enchanted evenings.
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Eight of Swords
In the Spirit position
Hidden spiritual path.
Meaning: Frustration and fear. Feeling powerless and at the mercy of outside forces. The controlling behaviour of others. Unfair treatment. A pawn. Not having the ability to adequately protect oneself. Vulnerable to deceit. Scapegoat. Pleas falling on deaf ears. Being misunderstood. Being used. A temporary situation that will pass.
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The Tower
In the Spirit position
Visible spiritual path.
Meaning: Destruction. Major change. Unheeded warnings. Greed, pride, arrogance. Revolution. Breakdown or breakthrough‹ the positive or negative implications of the card depend on the querent's position. If one has been living under oppression, dramatic and possible traumatic change will be freedom, but if one has been living the high life off the toil of others, expect reversal of fortune and loss. Irrepressible tantrum of change. Eruption. Triumph over enslaving, compulsive behaviours such as addiction or obsessive complexes. Collapse of the old system or lifestyle. Destruction of gains made by ill means. Clearing of the air. Cleansing destruction. Change of values.
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King of Cups
In the Outcome position
Outcome of the present path.
Meaning: A visionary man. A strong, dignified man with a gentle manner who enriches the lives of those around him. An authority. Meaningful accomplishment. Intelligence and influence. Significant artistic abilities. Trust. Ethics. Strength of conviction. Higher principles and higher love. Intuition and foresight. A magnetic, somewhat reclusive, reflective nature.
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