He Said She Said 2/28/11

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Matt Williams

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 Theresa Reed 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 would like to see your questioned featured, email me at info@personaltarotwithmatt.com or Theresa at tarotlady@wi.rr.com with “He Said She Said Question” in the subject line.

Question from Heidi: Recently, I was asked to participate in a work project. The project coordinator neglected to tell me that a coworker that I cannot stand would also be participating. This coworker and I have had major issues – and the issues are so bad, we now avoid each other. I’ve even moved to a different department so that I rarely have to cross paths with him. I’m furious with the project coordinator who seems to think we should “just get over it” and “get along”. I’m not even sure what I am asking here – I’m just so angry right now! What can you tell me about how I need to handle the workplace dynamics?

Cards: 3 of Pentacles reversed; The Chariot; The Hanged Man reversed

Matt’s reading: Wow, this is a very interesting dynamic, Heidi. On one hand, you have the Three of Pentacles reversed. This is asking you to step back from the spotlight and just be part of the team. Minimal drama, minimal attention. There is no need for either of you to lose your cool or your jobs because of the tension between you. Hang back, focus on the task at hand and keep to the anonymity of the group. If he is going to encourage drama, let it be with someone else, you have work to do.

On the other hand, you have the Hanged Man reversed. He is telling you that there is no need to sacrifice yourself either. Should you find yourself involved in the drama again, you need to speak up. Speak your truth and hold your ground, but in a polite and professional way. Don’t seek out an altercation, but don’t fall into martyrdom either.

Down the middle road, you have the Chariot. This is your focal point. Forward momentum, progress, keep moving. You were chosen for this project for a reason and your talents are needed. Don’t let the drama and tension of the past hinder your progress. Set yourself on a mission to complete the project to the best of your ability, regardless of the speed bumps and obstacles.

You have a challenge, that is for sure. But here is your guidance, keep your head down and work hard at constant forward progress. Allow your work to speak for you rather than your words or actions. Avoid any drama like the plague. Should you find yourself getting caught in it anyway, be sure to speak your truth in a professional and practical way. Let the project manager deal with the drama, you have a job to do.

Theresa’s comments about Matt’s reading: I found it very interesting that Matt and I came up with some very similar advice for Heidi. The message seems to be telling Heidi to stay the course and get the current project done but be well armed and prepared so that this does not happen again. I like Matt’s advice about “speaking your truth and holding your ground” – I have been in situations like Heidi’s and I know that “keeping the peace” and “being the good girl” is not always in my best interests. His gentle but wise statement: “Don’t seek out an altercation, but don’t fall into martyrdom either” is incredibly wise for the delicate work politics that many of us find ourselves in from time to time. I’m going to keep that tucked in the back of my head for the future.

Theresa’s reading: A: With the 3 of Pentacles reversed leading this situation, it seems as if you are indeed in a work situation that is problematic. You are being asked to do something that feels uncomfortable and this is not conducive for you to do your best work. This card reminds me of a bad “love triangle” and there may be no winners here. If you give in, your boundaries may feel crossed – if you hold back, you’ll look like a bitch. It’s very challenging.

The Chariot suggests that for just this project, perhaps you need to put on your armor and get in there and just do what you have to do to drive this project in a successful direction. Notice how the man in the Chariot is staring straight ahead – he is focused on the goal and only the goal. He has both sphinxes restrained as he continues to move ahead. That suggest to me that you need to focus less on the work place dynamics at this time and just get the job done.

For the Hanged Man reversed in the final position, that is also an indicator that you do no have to be in these sorts of situations any longer if you feel uncomfortable. When this card is right side up, it is all about sacrifice – “taking one for the team”. Reversed seems to say: don’t put yourself in this type of situation again. Look carefully at what is expected and who is involved before you go out on a limb again. If you do not feel comfortable with a situation and if being involved in a project is optional, I’d opt out. Your boundaries need to be respected. If this type of situation comes up again, it may be time to look for a more supportive work environment.

Matt’s comments about Theresa’s reading: I have to say that Theresa and I really seemed to be in sync on this one. I really liked the thought of the three of pentacles and the energy of the situation being like a bad love triangle. There is a high chance of emotions running wild and keeping yourself grounded and focused on the tasks will be the key to success in this project. The overall impression that I see in both of our readings is this thought of keeping your head down and plugging forward. I typically don’t find myself paying much direct attention the sphinxes in the Chariot card. But Theresa’s mention of them being restrained got me thinking about the idea of what the sphinxes represent. In Greek mythology, the sphinx was a creature that was feared for her riddles and the penalty of death should you answer incorrectly. This may be an indicator as well that you need to grab hold and control the fear in your life. Don’t let your fears and anxieties take you to places that you don’t want to go. Grab the reigns and control your outcome!

To find out more about us, book a reading or just say “Hi!” you can find us at:

Matt Williams- http://personaltarotwithmatt.com

Theresa Reed- http://www.thetarotlady.com

He Said She Said

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Matt Williams

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 info@personaltarotwithmatt.com or Theresa at tarotlady@wi.rr.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!

Find out more about Theresa and I by exploring our websites

Matt Williams

http://personaltarotwithmatt.com

Theresa Reed

http://www.thetarotlady.com

What advice would you give Katie baed on these cards? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

He Said She Said 12/11/11

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Matt Williams

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 info@personaltarotwithmatt.com or Theresa at tarotlady@wi.rr.com with “He Said She Said Question” in the subject line.

Question from Joyce: I have a question. My oldest son (Jerry) is 24 yrs old..He has a 3 ½ yr old daughter but he is not in a relationship with the child’s mother (Ashley) at this time…to say the relationship between my son and the mother is stressful is putting it mildly. The situation is very precarious because of issues the mother is facing, my granddaughter is a year and half past a stroke she suffered and is recovering fine….Do you see any peace down the road between the two young parents?

Theresa’s reading: 8 of Wands reversed; Ace of Swords reversed; 10 of Swords. Starting out with the 8 of Wands, we see that this issue has become stagnant. Traditionally, this card is about moving forward – when reversed, it suggests that this issue may remain at a standstill for an indefinite period. Wands are also about action and it appears to me that neither the son or the mother of the child are budging. In order for this to move towards a healthy direction, something needs to give. And I don’t see that here.

The Ace of Swords also indicates that the thinking and communication between this young couple seems to be aggressive and prone to battle. This is a card of conflict and old wars continuing. Those first two cards seem be calling for a “truce” – someone needs to be the bigger person here if these two are ever going to see progress.

And then we get the 10 of Swords. Now this is another difficult card! Here we see a man lying on the ground with swords in his back. But on closer inspection we also notice a sunrise in the background. That says to me that these two may continue to hurt each other for an extended period. Perhaps the reason these two are not getting along is because there is a lot of unresolved hurt and they both feel a need to punish the other. Eventually, they will get sick of this dynamic and the negativity may peter out. A new beginning is there – somewhere – but it will only emerge when either these two decide to grow up or until they get tired of the drama.

Because of the negative nature of these cards, I decided to pull another one for advice. I got the 7 of Pentacles. This says that perhaps Joyce can help by listening to each side and offering practical advice. If there is a way that she can remain steadfast and stable for both parents and the granddaughter during this difficult time, perhaps she may be able to guide her son towards taking some grounded actions and working towards peace. It won’t be an easy task but if there is one person in the situation that can be the mature and patient one, it may evolve quicker.

Matt’s comments about Theresa’s reading: I love how Theresa’s cards picked up on so much tension and hostility between the couple. This really echoed for me the fact that both parents have been holed up in their personal bubbles assuming their viewpoint was the correct one. This is a total “blame game” and I am in full agreement that someone needs to step up to the plate and be the mature one. I do have to disagree with Theresa on one aspect though. In regards to Joyce’s possible role in providing advice and guidance, I see her focus needing to be primarily on her granddaughter. Any advice she gives to either side right now has strong potential to be viewed by the opposition as playing sides. A key part of the parents maturing and resolving this conflict is for them to shift their perspectives on their own. Lay it down hard and fast for them, Joyce. You will do everything you can for the baby but the parents need to put their focus there too. It’s time to grow up and focus on raising your baby not fighting with each other.

Matt’s reading: The overwhelming feeling I have in this reading is one of a need to change perspectives immediately. With the 10 of Cups leading off the insight, there is a strong call to keep the focus on the blessings that Jerry and Ashley have both been given in life. The birth of a child is always a blessing and a huge responsibility. When there are medical challenges associated with your children, it can add to the difficulty of raising them and can strain the parents to unbelievable limits. It is very easy to lose sight of the joy that children bring and the blessing that they are a living extension of you. It is each parent’s responsibility to show their children how to appreciate the gifts that we are given in life and accept challenges with grace and style.

I see the Two of Pentacles as a representation of Ashley’s energy in this relationship. Given the option, she has a tendency to put her focus on the negative aspects of a situation and only sees the doom and gloom. Though she may come off very pessimistic and possibly even accusatory, this is a safety mechanism that she has put in place to help her deal with disappointment and frustration. If she sees only the possible negative outcomes, she will not be let down if they happen and will be pleasantly surprised if things go right. Unfortunately, the Universe hands us exactly what we ask for in these situations too. As long as she maintains this negative outlook, she will continue to find her thoughts coming true and the worst case scenarios coming true.

Jerry’s energy is coming through in the Two of Wands and seems to be speaking of escaping from the current situation. Jerry’s focus seems to be very misplaced as well in that he can’t seem to be content in the here and now. Regardless of how things are going and what blessings or frustrations are going on, he wants to be “anywhere but here”. I see him imagining a way to just get out of the situation entirely and start over. The interesting thing that I see though, is that if he did get a chance to start over, I don’t think he would do things much different. The figure in this card is looking to the figure in the Two of Pentacles and both are looking in the direction of the Ten of Cups. Deep down, I do think that both of them are seeking the same thing. However, there is a disconnect on how they see the peace and prosperity of their family coming into being. Both parents need to shift the focus to the immediate welfare and quality of life for their child. There needs to be an understanding that you do not have to love, or even like, the other parent to raise your child lovingly and get along.

Theresa’s comments about Matt’s reading: I thought Matt was able to give great insight into the situation. His interpretations are very even handed – I often wondered if a male reader would be more sensitive to the male’s viewpoint in a situation like this. Not so here. Matt’s reading was sound and logical – and I agree with his advice for the couple. However, I also felt that the grandmother needed advice more than the couple at this point – which is why I turned the question towards her. Matt focused primarily on the couple instead. Does the couple need to handle this alone – or can the grandmother be of assistance? I am intrigued that Matt and I had a completely different take on that.

Be sure to catch next month’s “He Said, She Said” as well for more great insight from Theresa and I. In the mean time you can check out our websites, find us on social networks and see how guidance from the Tarot can help you in your life.

Matt Williams:

http://personaltarotwithmatt.com

Theresa Reed:

http://thetarotlady.com