Indicates the querent in relationship to the present situation.

Meaning: Skill. Craft. Making use of talents. Marketable skill or idea. An inherent ability that is a great asset of more than mere monetary value. Being able to take interest and pride in humble work. Finding comfort and peace in one's work. Steady, sure progress. Earning a reputation for quality, though not recognizing your own worth. Maturity and pleasant work environment.

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Represents the positive forces or assets in the querent's favor. If this card should happen to be a negative card, it indicates the nature of an obstacles that is hindering progress. (The card in this position is always interpreted in its upright manner.)

Meaning: Triumph. Victory parade. Success of a multifaceted endeavour. Leadership, competence, and maturity. Conquest. An evolved personality. Courage. Being centered and secure. Moral, ethical progress and conduct. A high-minded, honourable approach to life. Balance, integration. Harmony of opposite tensions. Equilibrium. Reconciling opposing forces or views. Uniting right and left brain functions. Control over inner conflicts. Harnessing wild energies. Life unfolding at an accelerated pace, yet maintaining direction. Finding one¹s stride. Enjoying the thrill and ride of life. Engaging an ambition or dream. Achievement. High energy. Promotion, honours, and reward. Overcoming opposition. May indicate a rescue, as in the arrival of the cavalry.

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Represents the preoccupation of the subconscious which filters into waking life, affecting moods and outlook. This is the underlying theme of dreams and the emotional undercurrent in the querent's life.

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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Can be viewed as a message from the "higher self." It can also reflect the querent's potential aspirations.

Meaning: Silence. Retreat. Withdrawing from the outside world. Protection and concealment. Calm soul-searching. Seeking wisdom and understanding of the larger patterns in life. Guidance or advice from an elder. Pilgrimage. Searching, wandering. A philosopher. Psychic abilities enhanced by peace and freedom of thought. Foresight. Prudence. Knowledge. A study and respect of nature and the limits it places upon us, such as the effects of seasons, time, etc. Reflection. Giving thought to one¹s self or condition. Leaving the material riches in search of the spiritual. Celibacy. Healing. Resolving serious problems. Recuperating. Valuing time alone. Taking time to lick one¹s wounds. Peace. The solitary nature of the Hermit card can be a positive or negative condition in one¹s life‹on the positive side, solitary time can bring peace and clarity, a balancing, a sense of well-being, or transformation. On the other hand, it can be negative in isolating a person, creating misanthropy, and bringing on fear, fatigue, and depression and distancing one from real aspirations, dreams, opportunities, and good company. Check surrounding cards for an indication as to positive or negative influence.

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Represents past events and influences that color and give rise to the current situation.

Meaning: Order and control. Planning and preparations. Experience. Guarding one's assets, whether they be ideas for the future or gains made in the past. Anticipating hostility. Reviewing defences. The discipline of a seasoned warrior. Wisdom that has come at a high price. Growth and the refining of one¹s character through a perilous passage. Preparing for a storm. Deterring or outwitting an adversary.

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Represents what is likely to happen next.

Meaning: Inspiration. Rising to a challenge. Breakthrough in thinking. Self-reliance, spiritual strength, and confidence. Conviction and faith in vision or path. Reason reigning over impulse. Ideas empowered by desire. Creative heights and achievement. Quick thinking, humour, and balance. Revelations and transcendent thoughts. Fruitful plans and far-reaching ideas. Empathy and understanding. Marriage and fertility.

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Indicates the querent's psychological state and attitudes which can greatly affect the outcome of the matter.

Meaning: Competition. Erratic energy. Confusion. Inconsistent effort. Preoccupation with material acquisitions. Appearing a fool in trying to keep up with the Joneses. Overspending. Impatience and stress. Waxing and waning of purpose. Clash of ideas and principles. Sloppy effort. Rebellion and turmoil. Breakdown of communication. Hurting others by giving mixed messages. Need to reevaluate situation, organize, and start afresh.

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Represents the querent's environment and unseen forces influencing the situation.

Meaning: Freedom from financial concerns. Prosperity. Strong, established family setting. Protection and stability within a clan. Family traditions and gatherings. Having the time to enjoy the fruits of one's labour. Achieving of worldly dreams. Benefiting from the work of one¹s predecessors. Gifts, inheritance, archives. Celebrations and reunions.

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Indicates the hopes and fears of the querent.

Meaning: Surprise. Change of fortune. Unexpected turn of events. Good luck. Progression. Windfall. Measurable time or natural cycle. Upturn of the wheel. Improvement. After struggles, obstacles give way and plans engage. Breakthrough and movement. Blind fortune. Chance. Moods of fate. Surmounting difficulties. Relief from another's oppression. The Wheel of Fortune can herald random change neither sought nor deserved, reminding us that fate sometimes rewards the unworthy while denying those deserving of luck. The card also carries a warning to the vain and fame seekers, in that what went up must come down, and at times depicts the figure atop the wheel with the ears of an ass. The wheel can represent a natural shift of circumstance or phase in life, such as the change from adolescent to adult, adult to middle age, etc.

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Indicates the outcome of the matter.

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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