Tarot of Jane Austen

Who doesn’t love Jane Austen? I know I do. And with the slight hint of crispness in the air, my thoughts turn naturally to curling up on a comfy sofa, with a warm blanket, cup of tea, and an excellent novel. Let’s indulge the moment with a visit with a card from the Tarot of Jane Austen, created by Diane Wilkes and illustrated by Lola Airaghi.

The book that accompanies the deck is pure delight. Diane’s knowledge of Austen’s work is both broad and deep. She included, for each card, a wonderful segment called “What Would Jane Do?” And Jane is, as we know, very wise, and so her advice is valuable. Let’s see what she has to say about the Two of Cups…an apt choice for this deck.

What drama is complete without the promise of romance? And here we have two brave souls considering that very endeavor.

Here’s Jane’s advice:

“We have entered into a contract of mutual agreeableness for the space of an evening, and all our agreeableness belongs soley to each other for that time.” Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey.

Fidelity and complaisance may be the principal duties of both marriage and dancing (says Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey), and yet one dance does not necessarily encompass our understanding of either. This is not to say that first impressions can teach us nothing, especially if we are discerning and possess neither pride nor prejudice. However, as most of us are vessels of frailty, time and experience are invaluable predictors of long-lasting love. These principles in no way diminish, of course, te pleasurable memories provided by that first glance across a crowded dance floor.