The Light at the End of the Tunnel

So, I finally got my Rider-Waite deck, and now, I can begin blogging! Let me do some backstory first.

How It Started

I dreamed about this blog while staying at my dad’s for Christmas/Yule. I usually live in Arkansas, but I came to Georgia for the holidays. At home, I practice magic a lot, such as the Labor Day ritual I did to get a job. I go to Goddess circles with my friends and howl at the moon with one of my boyfriends. I join the local witchy meetups and try to do my Wheel rites when I can.

How It’s Going

My sister was diagnosed with cancer some months ago, and she requested that I stay with her while she goes through treatment. I feel like this blog will be my substitute for practicing as I do at home, as well as a journal of how I’m doing during this. Put your oxygen mask on before helping others, right?

So, yeah. Today is my first step on this journey. Each day, I’ll do a one-card pull and use it to anticipate my day. Today, as it is mid-afternoon, I decided to start with a traditional three-card pull (past, present, future). Let’s dive in.

Today’s Tarot Reading

I asked the cards if they could tell me about my situation here in Georgia and what the Universe has in store for my family and me. Basically, “What does Georgia have in store for me?”

Card 1: The Past

The Wands suit is typically that of risk-taking and ambition. It represents such concepts as initiative and enterprise.

The card shows a crowned woman facing forward on a throne with a stave in her right hand and a sunflower in her left. She is looking off to the distance, perhaps surveying her kingdom and its farms. She has a pensive black cat in front of her and her family tapestry behind her. The sunflower is likely one she grew and harvested herself. The cat is a well-known symbol of a thriving farm, where she freely hunts rodents that would otherwise ruin crops. The lions on the Queen’s throne and in the tapestry are the leaders of the animal kingdom, majestic and powerful.

The Queen is a natural manager. She inspires others and divides tasks among her team. She also gets her hands dirty and toils alongside her family and subjects. She keeps up morale and encourages others to do their best and succeed. She is not sentimental, however, and will cut off non-productive resources that no longer serve her or her purpose.

I believe this card represents me before Georgia when I began my new job and was looking to the future. I am very ambitious and driven by success. Before becoming my sister’s caregiver, all I had in sight was a career with a higher path. I believe I found that in my current job.

Also, I feel like this card represents my sister before her diagnosis. She is charismatic and energizing, not to mention the oldest sister of our generation. She moved to Georgia alone, to a town in the middle of nowhere, not knowing a soul who lived there. The closest familiar face then was our parents, who were an hour away. She had a lot going on, and she managed it all with grace and authority.

Card 2: The Present

The Swords suit is typically that of rationality and differentiation between fantasy and reality. This suit cuts through illusions and shows the true face of the person or situation the card is about.

The card shows a crowned woman facing East with a longsword in her right hand. She is robed in white and sky blue and sits on a stone throne with an angel carved into the side. Her left hand is raised, showing her commanding force. The clouds in the background are clearing, revealing a bright blue sky full of hope and promise. She has no standard or family crest. She is alone on a pedestal.

The Queen is an independent force, usually a widow, crone, or divorcee. She embodies self-sufficiency, intelligence, and high standards. At times, she can be seen as critical or hard to please. She is too independent to conform to society’s norms or attitudes. She is careful to choose who is close to her, tending to prefer solitude.

I think this card represents my new role as a caregiver. In the past, I’ve been lazy about such things as making food, cleaning my house, doing the laundry on the regular, etc. Now, I am in a situation where I must do these things not just on a monthly or even weekly basis. These chores must occur daily. My sister is about to undergo a stem cell transplant, meaning that her immune system will cease to be. She could die from a cold or a simple stomach bug – illnesses that you or I could get over in a day or two without any medical intervention.

This venture into caregiving while trying to maintain a new job and long-distance relationships is forcing me to become very independent. I must see through the bullshit and focus on what’s happening in front of my face. I have to be here in the now at all times, and I have to be not only self-sufficient but also there for my family to rely on.

This card can also represent my sister in her moment now. She has to learn about a new chronic disease and its effect on her life, but she also can’t get too down and think about death all the time. Yes, a cold could kill her, but many have lived long lives with this cancer, and while not curable, it is sustainable. I will do my best to ensure she keeps that in mind.

Card 3: The Future

The Cups suit generally represents the emotional and psychic realms. This suit encompasses ideas of the fantastical, love and devotion, imagination, and feelings.

The card shows a jovial man sitting on a stool in front of a table abundantly lined with nine cups. The man is wearing a bright red hat, indicating he is a merchant or tavern keeper. He also wears a richly lined robe, which suggests some moderate wealth.

The Nine of Cups represents happiness and, at times, victory over an ordeal. The rewards may be monetary or a feeling of contentment in a job well done. It may also represent a sense of fulfillment from community service or another selfless act. Or it could simply mean being grateful for one’s blessings.

I hope this card represents victory over the cancer. It feels very hopeful. I think my family and I can keep my sister well enough that she can survive this for many years to come. If it meant something like a large inheritance, then it wouldn’t be represented by the “happy” suit.

Additionally, it sounds like I’ll be doing well in my job while I’m here instead of floundering like I feared. I’ll have to take a lot of time off and not be available on a set schedule, so I’m glad it looks like I’ll be able to do that and maintain work, even perhaps getting a promotion. Fingers crossed.

Overall Interpretation

I believe this reading represents me as a person who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and gets shit done. That led me to become my sister’s caregiver, which means I have to be self-sufficient in these times. I’ve already experienced this as my sister has gotten upset with me for not taking charge and making decisions such as what’s for dinner and if the litterbox needs cleaning. I am now in charge. All of this will lead to success and victory, with my time in Georgia ending on a happy note.