nine of wands – Sage Words Tarot

Holding Peaceful Space part 2

Nine of Wands and Holding Space continues

Two threads are better than one

Hello and welcome to Sage’s Short Sip Tarot where we contemplate Tarot in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. Today we are picking up on a second thread of meaning that parallels the meanings we talked about in the Hold Peaceful Space post and episode.

Please feel free to go back to that part of this Nine of Wands reading at the link above or in the podcast episode menu.

Today, instead of thinking about the space within, the nine of wands asks us to think a little bit about the boundary that defines that space.

Last time we talked about the tone and energy and environment of a space, be it a physical space or mental one. The two are parallel. Think of a literal room. If it is cold and noisy and missing a window, would you want to spend the night there? The same is true of our mental and emotional spaces. You might be in a literal unpleasant space but still hold a warm peaceful place within. It isn’t easy, but sometimes one can lead to the other. An inviting and comfortable literal space supports a happy, confident mindset. A happy, whole, and peaceful mindset supports creating a better literal situation. Nature abhors a vacuum and will fill whatever kind of space you hold accordingly.

But you can’t hold or create any space at all without some sort of boundary. A teacup is the classic Zen example. Without its sides, the teacup doesn’t exist. A teacup needs substance, like wood or ceramic. A teacup made from rice paper isn’t going to work for very long. Yet, almost paradoxically, it is the empty space that the teacup bounds and defines and holds that makes the teacup what it is. The space it holds in essence and function defines the teacup. No empty space, no room for tea and it’s not a cup. Only the empty teacup that is holding space can be filled with tea.

That was the main message. The undercurrent of energy, focused on the cup holding the space instead of the space itself.

For an intuitive, energy sensitive person sometimes the teacup is thin to the point of not knowing where the tea begins and air around it ends. To a very sensitive person it’s all tea. For anyone, if the boundary is damaged, the tea is drained away.

I’ve been working with cards and intuition since the early 1990s and reading Tarot professionally for almost – good gravy – twenty years now. In my experience, Tarot clients are an intuitive and energy sensitive group of people. Otherwise, they probably wouldn’t have been drawn to Tarot in the first place. It takes some modicum of intuition and insight to be able to use Tarot for the inspiration, comfort, personal growth and creative problem solving that Tarot was always intended to provide. (We’ll save my ranting about predicting the future for another day.)

Because of that inherent sensitivity, I did readings with some really uncomfortable people in late 2019 and 2020. Many had a vague sense of something wrong, but couldn’t quite figure out what. Other people felt overwhelmed by one specific thing, but the feeling was stronger than usual for the situation. All sorts of things came to the Tarot Table that year. Many of them felt as if the issue was outside of them, not internal. Even though I was reading for them about their specific concern, it also felt like something on the outside was tapping on their teacups like that movie trope of tapping on a wine glass to get attention for a toast. One reading after another, the message was that they were individually OK but that they were also resonating and vibrating with the high voltage zeitgeist energy of the times. It’s like that physical phenomenon where if you sound a note loud enough, nearby bells or instrument strings that are tuned to that note will vibrate along with it. The stress and fear of the pandemic had all of our intuitive teacups quivering.

When that kind of resonance happens, it can be helpful to think about our boundaries. In other words, when the outside world is ringing your teacup, know your teacup and make it as strong as you can.

Here is an imagination experiment to show what I mean.

Take a deep breath, close your eyes and imagine.

Imagine you are surrounded by something that symbolizes protection to you. Imagine you are are in a submarine or a safe room. Imagine you are in a fort or a castle keep. Imagine you are holding a black crystal or wearing a superhero cape. My favorite is to imagine wearing one of those bomb squad blast suits or one of those hazmat suits with the big clear visors like in the movie Outbreak. Whatever symbol you choose, imagine you are surrounded, safe, and protected from any outside influences on your mood.

I’m not talking about you being attacked by psychic vampires or hexes or being beset by negative influences….I’m just saying leave your stress-y mess at the door and be your own true self for half a minute.

Here’s the thought experiment – when you imagine that protected place, how do you feel in there? If you go into your mental bomb shelter and still feel that something is wrong, then you have a different problem. It isn’t a matter of resonance to outside energies. If you go into your hazmat suit and feel like “HEY! It’s kinda happy in here” then that also shows you what you need to do next.

This mental exercise shows you whether your next step is yin or yang. If you still feel bad inside your imagined shelter, then you need to turn your attention inward with self care, self love and healing. If you feel happy inside your mental safe space, then that is a call to turn your attention outward for a little practical, down to earth planning and problem solving.

You can’t hold space without something to hold it in.

This kind of mental exercise helps you learn your teacup.

Don’t save this quick little boundary check just for when times are tough and situations are stressful. The nine of wands came along today to remind us to pay attention to energy boundaries and healthy psychological and emotional boundaries at other times too. Try the mental exercise when things are fine. Learn what it feels like when things are OK both inside and out so you can recognize when things are OK inside but you are reacting to stress from outer collective energies.

Tend to your teacup so it holds good space for your tea when you need it to, so to speak.

Thank you so much for reading and listening!

Any likes, subs, follows, or shares are always appreciated. If you enjoy Sage’s Sips, please click the white coffee mug on the blog or visit the ko-fi page link in the episode description. When you buy me a virtual coffee it supports the free Tarot content in the blog and podcast.

Seneca on opportunity

Page of Wands meets Seneca on Luck and opportunity

Thoughts on the nine of wands, holding space, and the energy sensitive person tomorrow (or maybe Saturday)

Late winter schedule: none. We are in full pirate radio squirrel rave mode until further notice.

Have a good day! – Sage

Hold Peaceful Space

You’ve heard the term “hold space” but what kind of space are you holding?

What is inside that space we are always talking about holding?

Hello and welcome to Sage’s Short Sip: Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee. Or tea. Or adult beverage. Or whatever it is you are sipping this time of day. I’m glad you are here.

Every profession loves its jargon and jazzy acronyms. Spiritual or psychic work is no different. Speaking just for Tarot readers, we have a whole glossary of terms that make sense to us, but may or may not make sense to people who don’t spend their day immersed in the woo woo.

The phrase “hold space” is an example.

It is a little hard to imagine, since there isn’t a really good physical world analog. How do you hold space? In a jar with a lid? Does a bowl or coffee mug count?

Holding space is a mental and emotional process more than a tangible thing, although there are tangible things that one can do to symbolize and support the internal process of holding space. That’s why sometimes people who want to find long term romantic partnership are sometimes advised to clear out a drawer or a closet and literally make space in their life for the soulmate that they hope to find. It creates a mindset as much as it creates a later convenience.

It’s a hard thing to put into words, but I would define holding space as “mindfully allowing” combined with the far more familiar “save my seat.”

When we say hold space it also relates to the principle from science that “nature abhors a vacuum.” When we create space, nature tends to flow something into it. If you put a bowl out in a rainstorm, it collects more water than a brick because of the space the bowl holds that the brick doesn’t have. When you pull back on the plunger of a syringe, it holds space in the barrel for the medicine to flow in.

When we admit that something can be a part of our life, then we save its seat, we save that thing’s spot in line next to us. Admit can mean confess or confirm the truth of something, or it can mean allow someone in, as a ticket to an event is admission to that event. When we admit that we want something, that is a step toward admitting that thing into your life.

Doing the literal work or preparing a literal space is another step.

Today’s nine of wands points out another aspect of that process. It’s an aspect that I don’t think gets much thought or attention sometimes.

Desire and a fear and desperation that you may never get what you want can make the whole holding space thing messy if not impossible .

If you want to save space, to hold space for something or someone to come in, the quality of the space may affect the admission process.

Think of a literal room.

If a room is cold or noisy or missing a window or missing a big part of the outside wall…who or what would want to inhabit that space? If a room is secure, comfortable, quiet and inviting, who or what is going to want to stay there?

If that room is metaphor for part of your heart, mind, awareness or emotions, what are you asking in? What is that inner room going to attract? More importantly, is that inner space you are holding one you are willing to live in one the hoped-for person, thing or situation arrives?

The theory applies to anything. If you hold a peaceful place within, then you can be safe and warm and comfortable and happy while you are waiting for your invited guest to arrive. You can be safe and warm and happy even if the invited guest never comes.

Whether you are hoping for prosperity or a soulmate or whatever it is, pay attention to the mental and emotional space that you are inviting the wanted person or thing to enter. The more peaceful the space, the happier the end result.

Thank you so much for reading and listening. I have a few more thoughts about this card and empaths, but we can pick up that thread another day.

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Thanks again! See you at the next sip!

The Great Teacher

Just because experience is a great teacher doesn’t mean the lesson is easy

Part of the healing process is learning from the experience, the great teacher.

Normal blog posts and podcast episodes return December 22. Ish.

Lots of free Tarot content here to browse in the meantime, both the daily short sips and longer reads. Use the search box over there ->

Friyay Tarot

This weekend is going to be a busy one here, so Today’s Tarot is a Friyay Tarot looking at the weekend vibe.

Lucky you if this card is in your path! The nine of wands is about endurance, persistence, recovery. In some instances it has to do with setting boundaries but I don’t get any sense of that sort of thing here.

If stamina and persistence is thwarted or blocked, as the reversal would hint, then the next 72 hours might be a good time to stop struggling. Just stop. The struggle and persistence will still be there on Monday. Pick it up again later, but give it a rest for now.

That isn’t to say it is all fun and games. While playing as hard as you work can be healthy and healing, healing in itself can be hard work, especially on the emotional or spiritual level. Wands cards are associated with the element of fire, the inner world – spirituality, philosophy, your relationship with yourself. Outward battles may need a rest, outward progress and persistence may be blocked or slowed, but the hard work of inner growth and facing yourself is very much at hand. It is a weekend to give it all a rest while you do inner work that will, by comparison, make the external stuff seem easier later on. Witch Instagram tends to put this kind of thing in terms of “shadow work” or “breaking generational curses.” Whatever your tradition, whatever terms you put on it, it is a weekend to look yourself in the eye, and then be kind, nurturing, teaching and healing to the person that you see.

Imagine, execute, balance

Here is how the interactive Tarot posts work:

Pick a card, any card. Actually, you get to choose between left, center or right.
Pick on impulse or, if you want a little time to ponder or get a feel for which card is right for you, pause the video and restart when you are ready to see the reveal.
Listen to the video interpretation and/or read the guidance for this week for the card you chose below.
Any likes, youtube subs, blog or video shares, blog follows or reading orders you can spare are always, always appreciated!

You know how it goes…a journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step, and you have to have a plan before life and random circumstances can blow it to bits, so here is the main 2021 plan (she said as she puts on eye protection and readies the catcher’s mitt for the inevitable plan-schraphnel)

“YouChoose” interactive Tarot will post on the YouTube channel and here on the blog sometime between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning inclusive

Today’s Tarot with video will post both place on Wednesday morning. Ish.

Other days will have print-only content: Zombie Cat Answers (ask your free question HERE for Z.C. to answer in the blog) My Side of the Table, and other topics. Most other days. Some of them. I’m really hoping to be busy doing readings and/or selling stuff in the Etsy shop in addition to blogging.

The comments are OPEN so please feel free to send any non-spam questions or feedback. Tell me the Tarot content you would like to see, and I will do my best to try and create it!

When all the cards are taken together, there is a lot of active, creative energy and movement. The card you chose might be a hint where in the creative or project process is best for your attention because that is where the energy is flowing. The cards feel more aligned with their traditional element associations than with traditional meanings or the more contemporary ‘relationship with…’ meanings.

Left: Ace of Cups. Think water meets creativity. The energy here are raw creative flow. Imagine. Innovate. This is the early phase of creativity. This is the “dream it” part of “dream it and then do it.”

Center: Nine of Wands. This is fire and energy. This is the mid point of the creative process that moves from create to make. This is the part where you stop obsessing over planning and get up and do the thing. Execute. If you chose this card it is time to go all 80s movie montage on this – kick the tires and light the fires, baby!

Right: Two of Pentacles. The most balance-y card this side of the major arcana and Temperance. This is all fine points and fine tuning. Again I get three rotating points, like a juggler or a triquetra sort of shape. It may not be a literal three, but rather symbolic of many moving parts. If you chose this card, you might find yourself with a lot of moving parts to track. Earth is the element here, so stay grounded, centered…be the center of gravity around which all those moving parts move instead of letting them pull and drag you in every which direction. Spirit (energy, the collective unconscious – whatever you like to call it) has been into music the past couple of days. Here I’m getting “Loves Me Like a Rock” by Paul Simon. I guess it is oldies day in the spirit realm. But that is the energy of the card….earth energy, solid, centered rooted energy to keep your balance, not matter how many moving parts are whirling around this week.

Thanks for reading and watching! Best wishes to you for this and every week.

Wear Your Experience

Daily meditation style one card tarot reading with the nine of wands.

“Wear your experience, you’ve earned your scars.” comes through here.

It isn’t to say wallow in past experiences or let past injuries dominate your mind now. There is a difference between release and denial. We can’t deny extant fact. Our experiences don’t disappear. They are part of the path that brought us to where we are now. They are in part of us. The difference lies in how those things are integrated. They are part of us, yes, but what part, how big of a part and what part that part plays in our current life are malleable.

I also relate this to a mental image that came through near to New Year’s Day. The swarm of small tornadoes across a USA map outline is still there, but not as strong, as if the lines are drawn in grey instead of black. The sense of taking stock, of crawling out of the wreckage to begin to survey the damage is starting to strengthen. Here I mentally/intuitively ‘hear’ the song “Beyond Thunderdome” by Tina Turner from the movie of the same name. In particular, the lyrics “Out of the ruins, out of the wreckage, can’t make the same mistake this time” come to mind. Granted, this is one of my favorite movies and songs from the mid 80s, but it fits this time, and this energy.

Whatever your Thunderdome has been, you don’t have to live in it. Walk out and walk free, move beyond it, but own the fact that you were there.

Today’s Tarot: An Element of Optimism

The Nine of Wands asks much of us, but it is an inherently optimistic card.

Today it feels very aligned with other cards like the Seven of Pentacles in it’s promise making quality: If you do what needs done, then it will turn out OK in the long run.

The ‘it’ll be OK’ energy of it is very much related to the energy of the day, more than the traditional meanings for the card. The card, as with all the wands, is inner-world oriented. Typically it is about the ‘do what needs done’ part more than giving any sense of the outcome. It speaks to the internal things like courage, persistence, and optimism

Success requires our sustained active participation. That active participation itself requires those internal qualities. If there was no hope of success, then we probably wouldn’t do the thing. In encouraging action, the card offers an element of optimism to go along with it.

YouChoose Interactive Tarot 15-20 June 2020

Welcome to the “link in the description below.” This is the blog page I talk about in the video. If you came here directly … thank you! Following just on YouTube gets all of the “Today’s Tarot” and “YouChoose Interactive Tarot” posts, but there will always be plenty of print-only content that you can only get here. I hope you will follow the blog (free of course…opt in with your email over in the right hand side of the screen on laptop or scroll WAAAYYYY down to the bottom of the page on mobile)

Thanks for reading!

Left: Ten of Wands. Don’t carry old emotional burdons. If it isn’t useful for you to lug around, then put it down. It opens up bandwidth in your energy and attention for better things. By the same token, don’t be afraid of saying yes. Shouldering something that seems trivial to you might mean the universe to someone else who needs you.

Center: Knight of Sword. This is the card of daring and self-confidence. It doesn’t mean you are necessarily going to FEEL it. It also means that the time is right to step outside of your comfort zone and see what you can do. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; courage is doing what must be done in spite of feeling terrified.

Right: Nine of Wands. Stake your claim. This week is not the time to be a shrinking violet. Stand up for yourself, defend your emotional perimeter. Remember Eleanor Roosevelt – “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

YouChoose Interactive Tarot: Own It.

Pause the video if you need more time to pick your card, then restart to see the reveal. Scroll down to see your card reading. Please follow the blog so you don’t miss any of the learn-to-read-Tarot and other “my side of the table” written content that will be coming up over the next few months.

Left: Knight of Pentacles. “SUSTAIN” A knight that drops his shield in a battle doesn’t survive for very long. In this case “back to business” does NOT mean back to the way things were before. It means put on your big kid underwear and keep going, even if you are exhausted to the bone. Last month was alarms and claxons and responding to a real life and death emergency, collectively speaking. This isn’t recovery. This is keep going. Keep your guard up. This card is letting us know this isn’t close to over. We needed a period of mobilization, freak-out, and adjustment, without judgement. Now is the time to be adjusted already and sustain our response. Forget before. It’s time go get to the business of the business at hand. Energies are shifting from an all out sprint to a sustained, marathon endurance pace.

Center: Nine of Wands. Read the Knight of Pentacles, this is basically the same message on a slightly less literal and more mental/emotional level. Energies are shifting, but stay on guard. If you are empathic or otherwise energy sensitive, continue to set strong boundaries. Don’t be a victim. Be responsible. Do the self-care you need to sustain through this middle phase. There is no “back to normal.” Do what you need to do to be in a good head space right here, right now.

Right: The Star. “Thank the things that got you this far” This is also has a bit of a mental/emotional/spiritual spin to it, although it is important to know the physical realm people and resources that have helped you…and the things that can and will help you still. Pay it forward as best as you can both now and later. Less literally, think about the things that got you through the initial response and change and is helping you to sustain as we begin the middle of unknowable duration. What ideas, beliefs, people and practices have gotten you this far? What old beliefs that “should” be your rock and your shelter have crubled to dust under the weight of everything? What beliefs have supported and sustained you? What new shining star guides you when the world seems to spin out from under you? Forget before. What ideas and beliefs have proven their worth under these very real stresses be they old or new?

Buckaroo Bonzai said “No matter where you go, there you are.” Well, here we are. It isn’t like it was, but it is what we have. Now it is time to own what we do with it.