Tarot and Time
I've always had a strained relationship with the concept of time. I'm sure anyone with anxiety can relate. I plan 2-1000 steps ahead and always feel like the day is over before it's even begun. I need a ticking clock to help me stay grounded because it's hard to live in the moment. It's even harder now that I have significantly less time to do the things I need to do to feel like myself such as art, yoga, household care etc. The majority of my time goes towards the singular goal of getting through the day and making money, which makes me feel even more disconnected from it. Life feels incredibly short and long at the same time.
That duality is well represented in the symbolism of the tarot, from the patient Hermit to the hasty knights. The cards can be a great tool for grounding when the concept of time becomes a struggle.
In a tarot reading, sometimes we focus on the ‘what’ and ‘why' and neglect the ‘when’. It can be a little difficult to judge the timing of things if the spread doesn’t indicate what cards represent the past, present, future, or certain other points in time, so it’s helpful in those cases to associate certain cards with different levels of urgency.
Knights
Knights are all about quick action. When they appear in a reading know that whatever is going to happen is going to happen quickly, but also be over just as fast. So if something unpleasant comes up, know it’ll be like pulling off a bandaid. They may also indicate that news or a message you’ve been waiting a long time for will get to you very soon.
Aces
Aces are similar to the knights as they suggest that something is just about to happen, but generally point to new events and new sparks of energy that will leave a lasting effect.
The Hermit and Temperence
Both of these major arcana cards represent patience. They impart the wisdom that things will happen when they are meant to and there is no sense in trying to rush.
The Court Cards
Aside from the quick energy of the Knights, the entire court represents different stages of energy and time. I represent these in The Prism Tarot by using the phases of the moon.
Knights = Now
Queens = Soon
Kings = Later
Princesses = Always or never, a perpetual state of being
This is obviously not all of them, but if you really consider the energy of the cards in regards to time you can find a lot of time associations. For instance, the VIII of Wands has a similar energy to the Knight of Wands, but with a bit more urgency and turmoil.
You can add a lot of depth to your readings if you start looking at the cards in terms of time.
This needlepoint was created with a beautiful intention for someone else a long time ago. I found it in a thrift shop and adopted it as my own. Sometimes it's comforting, sometimes it feels like a taunt, but it's always an important reminder.
Right now I'm hoping I can repair my relationship with time, strike a balance, and start to feel like myself again.
