Connectivity
There are many benefits to looking inward, but if that's all you do you'll end up driving yourself and everyone around you crazy. From time to time it's important to take a moment to remove yourself from your interior world. For some people that may sound obvious and easy, but for me and other people like me it's a constant struggle. Some of us are High Priestesses, others are natural Empresses. People throw around the terms introvert and extrovert too often without really understanding what that means. Deep down you know who you are and the kind of energy you thrive off of. It’s important to remember that your connection to others is rooted in your connection to yourself.
If you are feeling disconnected from either yourself or the people you care about, or feel the urge to make a new connection, this spread can help point you in the right direction.
It’s a little more complex than others I’ve covered as it has two phases and requires a higher amount of critical thinking.
Connectivity Spread
Type: Self-Reflection or Querent Driven
Level: Intermediate
Phase 1
0. Represents you
I. A connection from the past/present
II. A new connection on the horizon
Place the court card you’ve previously chosen for yourself in the zero position, then shuffle the deck. Place cards one and two face up and attempt to decipher their meaning.
The card in position one points to a connection you’ve already made. The card may either be describing that person or how that person makes you feel. It may not be obvious until phase II.
The card in position two points to a connection you have yet to make but may be in your future.
Phase II
3. Covers you
4. Covers the past
5. Covers the future
The cards in this phase cover the ones you’ve already placed.
The card in position 3 asks, how can I strengthen my connection to myself?
The card in position 4 will tell you whether to strengthen or sever the existing connection that position 1 alluded to depending on if it is upright or reversed, respectively. Then, read the card and decipher what it is telling you to do in order to make that happen. At this point the person it’s pointing to should be clearer. Trust your instincts. If you’re stuck, go outside of the meaning of the card and use what you know about the cards and their associations to astrology to help you out.
The card in position 5 will tell you whether you need to be active or passive in the pursuit of the new connection from position 2 based on whether it is upright or reversed. Is it one you really want? Then, read the card and decipher what it is telling you to do.
So this can be a tricky one, but that’s the nature of human relationships. Rarely are they laid out simply before you. You have to work at them.
I did this reading the other day to use as an example here.
Phase 1 and Phase 2
In phase 1 I first placed the Queen of Cups as we’ve already established that as my representative court card. The current connection was revealed as the VIII of swords. I tried to think of someone in my life who feels helpless to their circumstances right now and got a pretty good idea of who it was talking about. The future connection was revealed as the hanged man which told me two things; the first being that this connection is inevitable because it’s a major arcana card, and second that this person is selfless, perhaps a martyr of some kind. They could also be stuck in the middle of something or waiting in the crossroads for me to arrive.
In phase 2 I covered myself with the VIII of Wands. I took this to mean that my connection to myself can be further strengthened by a willingness to work hard and swiftly towards my goals. I need to keep up with the standards I usually set for myself. I have been feeling less invested in my (non tarot related) work lately. In turn, I’ve been procrastinating and taking shortcuts, which isn’t like me at all.
I covered the current connection with the III of Wands, which told me I should support this person on their journey and future plans to free themselves from the unfavorable circumstances that are currently making them feel trapped. I believe this to be alluding to a woman in my life who is going through a rough time in her relationship. I need to help her look to the future and prepare to do what is necessary to free herself.
I covered the future connection with the X of swords, which added another level of intrigue to this position. At face value it seems to be telling me to actively bring about unavoidable disaster in order to meet a martyr, which sounds very compelling. However, I think it’s referring back to the current situation. By helping my friend I may bring about disaster for someone else, i.e her current significant other. A new person may enter my life as a result who has been waiting in limbo. Perhaps a new man in her life? Time will tell.
If you take one thing away from this post let it be this: You can live thousands of miles apart from someone, never speak or visit, but you remain a part of them. They may think of you in quiet moments or in moments of struggle. But these silent, invisible strings that bind us are not always enough. It's so important to let people know what they mean to you while they're still around.
