He Said She Said - January 2012

Do men and women read tarot differently? Is the guidance we offer the same – or is there a distinct masculine/feminine edge to our words? Join Matt Williams and myself each month as we tackle questions sent in from our readers and see how different – or similar – we really are with our interpretations and advice.

We will each prepare a reading separately and then comment on each other’s interpretations and put this all together in one fun (and thought provoking) post for our readers to enjoy.

This isn’t a “tarot battle of the sexes” – this is an exploration, a mash up, a contemplation.

If you’d like to see your question featured, send it to me at tarotlady@wi.rr.com or Matt at info@personaltarotwithmatt.com with “He Said She Said Question” in the subject line.

Question from Katie: What can I do to find love in 2012?

Matt’s reading: Eight of Wands: This is a card of swift action and motion. My short answer as to how you can find love? Get out there and seek it. Let yourself go with the speed of the wind into your life. Experience the rise and fall of your motion like a leaf on a stiff breeze. Allow yourself the freedom to go to places and do things that you have never done before. I also am hearing that a connection to the outdoors and nature itself will help you in finding the love you are seeking. Get involved with groups that explore areas of nature around your area. Take walks in the park, visit the nearest woods, get up and out of your daily life.

Eight of Cups: The eights in general are a call to action for me. In this card, you are called to set aside your perceptions of what love is supposed to be and seek out what it truly is. Like Persephone leaving the comfort of the temple for her time with Hades, you too will need to experience and explore the shadow side of yourself to gain a greater understanding of what love is. I say this as a man who has been hurt deeply on many levels in love and has risen from that, you need to experience the pain to know the joy of what love is. The failed relationships teach us just as much as the successful ones. Sometimes more.

Four of Pentacles: Yes, you need to get out of your comfort zone to experience what you do not have. Yet, this is not to say that you need to give up your moral standards or ethics. The Four of Pentacles here calls for you to hold tight to your ideals while you are out exploring. Enter into relationships, but if they do not hold up to your ethics and morals, move on. Relationship exploration is not about giving up who you are, it’s about taking who you are with you and seeking a balancing and compatible energy. The right relationship is out there, but you need to get out and meet it half way.

Theresa’s response: I am astounded by how similar Matt and I interpreted these cards! The fact that we both urged Katie to “get out there” and break out of her “comfort zone” shows that both men and women can view the same situation and come to almost identical conclusions – right down to some of the same words! Perhaps when it comes to matters of the heart, we are more alike than we care to admit. I really loved that Matt was able to show his sensitive side again – his ability to relate Katie’s situation to his own was remarkable and intimate. As a female, this would have set me at ease with him right away, especially if this was my first experience getting a reading from a man.

Theresa’s reading: In the traditional Rider Waite deck, the 8 of Wands and 8 of Cups are both about movement – while the 4 of Pentacles is about stability. Right away, this says to me that Katie needs to start moving and get out of her comfort zone if she wishes to find love this year.

Now, when I look at the cards that Matt drew from the Spiral Tarot, I get some different vibrations here – first of all, the 8 of Wands still suggests movement – notice the wind blowing the wands up in the air! This seems to suggest travel or to simply travel in new crowds, to new places. If Katie tends to stick to the same old same old haunts, she may not be opening herself up to someone new that could share her interests.

Next, I see the woman in the 8 of Cups – she’s lingering by a doorway. There is a cup right there at the door but she’s looking backwards and hesitating. It’s almost as if she is holding herself back from making that step outward to find love. Does she think it will come to her door? It may. But she’ll be stacking the odds in her favor if she takes the first step outward. This is about bringing adventure into her life. It’s about getting out there even if you don’t know what you are doing or who you may meet.

The 4 of Pentacles in this deck has an image of a man holding on to a coin with two under his feet but one also on top of his head. What strikes me about this card is the tiny window – it almost looks like a prison window. This is another suggestion that Katie shouldn’t limit herself to a narrow space. It’s time to be vulnerable, try new things, get herself out there. To me, this is the strongest card in the spread and it indicates her comfort zones may be difficult to break. She’s holding on to the familiar and shielding her heart. She needs to explore why and then work diligently to change that dynamic. Take a risk. Get out there!

Matt’s Response: Theresa’s reading really presented a wonderfully similar message with some great twists on what we were both seeing. The big picture message seems to really carry through that Katie needs to get out to new places and see things from a new perspective. I find it interesting that I was feeling more of a shadow side to the Eight of Cups and the need to feel the pain to appreciate the joy. While Theresa was picking up a lighter side of seeking the adventure that the dark and unknown has to offer. Conversely, Theresa was seeing a more trapped energy in the Four of Pentacles and Katie being held hostage by her own comfort zone and I saw a need to hold onto her values and morals. Combining the two messages together really gives Katie the mindset she will need to get out there and jump into her life with both feet!

Blessings!

Theresa

https://www.thetarotlady.com

Matt

http://personaltarotwithmatt.com/index.aspx