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CARD MEANINGS

Matka

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1. Ancestor

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2. Storm

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3. Mountain

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4. Labrynth

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5. Tiger

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6. Mask

7. Dragon

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8. Tower

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9. Rose

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10. Sword

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11. Idol

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12. Laboratory

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14. Embrace

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15.Community

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16. Unicorn

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17. Tree

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18. Garden

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19. Pearl

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20. Eye

21. Honey

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22. Gold

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23. Source

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24. Turtle

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25. Child

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Matka

Matka represents liberty, movement, travel, and surrender to what is.  In the image, we see a woman on the back of a wild creature.  She carries no saddle, no map, and no reins. Below the feet of the creature, we see chains that have been broken, representing freedom.  We see a dandelion full of seeds blowing in the wind. If Matka has arrived in your life today, prepare for new horizons and adventure.  Just as the woman in the card travels with no luggage, be willing to leave behind the stories, patterns, and baggage of the past.  Relinquish control. Cast away the values, political constraints, gender requirements, and traditions of convention and judgment.  Go boldly where no one has gone before. Go into the wild.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Break the chains of the past and go boldly in the direction of new people, new places, and new opportunity. It’s up to you. Every great journey begins with the first step.  Light the spark of fire towards your next great adventure.

Matka
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1. Ancestor

 

The Ancestor card represents discipline, authority, and rigid thinking.  Imagine your most strict school teacher watching her students with eyes in the back of her head. This card demands respect for tradition and the rules and conventions of society.  It can represent law, religion, or structure. If this card has visited you today it is an opportunity for you to evaluate your relationship with authority.  Are you acting as the rigid dictator of a relationship or situation? Or perhaps you have found yourself under the heavyweight of family expectations, institutions, or cultural conventions. Ancestor demands that you dot your I’s and cross your T’s.  Will you comply?

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Harness the power of your inner authority.  It’s time to develop grit and self-discipline in full commitment to work or a project. Develop the structure and consistent habits that will transform you into the master of your domain.

Ancestor
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-1. Reverse Ancestor / Candles

 

The Candles card represents the guiding light of a sage teacher. She is patient, intuitive, and understanding.  She knows your capabilities and she is waiting to mentor you beyond your limitations to your greatest potential.  The candles in the chandelier represent the light that is available to you now. If the Candles card has visited you today, the message is one of hope and gentle nurturing. You are the initiate, rich with understanding.  Is it time to be a guide for others? Or perhaps you desire greater education through a wise mentor who will show you the path? Either way now is the time to receive the guidance or to become the intuitive guide that lights the way.

 

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

You provide guidance and illumination.  The Candles card instructs you to look within to receive that which you seek.  You have access to the wisdom of the ages-- resources of ancient ancestry. Pick up the lantern. Light the path for yourself and others.

 

 

Reverse Ancestor
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2. Storm

The Storm represents chaos and destruction.   On the card, we see a tree and a row of houses being uprooted by tumultuous waves.   Three men cling to a boat, and a woman cries out as a baby is torn from her arms. The raging clouds and lightning render everyone helpless and out of control.  If this card has visited you today, it can mean that there is a storm raging in your life that has stripped you of the controlled, predictable life that you once knew.  Shocking to the core, this card signifies complete and utter destruction. Some part of your life is succumbing to chaos, spinning out of control. Take heart in knowing that nothing is permanent.  There is no need to rage against the storm. Your options are to resist or surrender. Nature will have her way.   

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Although you cannot control the chaos around you, you can control your reactions. Take a deep breath and ride it out. This is storm season.  The sun always shines after the storm.

 

 

Storm
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-2. Reverse Storm / Infant

The Infant card represents great cleansing or clearing.  On the card we see tumultuous waves uprooting a tree and a row of houses.  Raging clouds and lightning render everything into a state of disorder and chaos.  In the top, right corner of the card we see the infant, the symbol of new life and potential.  Although the storm creates upheaval, take hope in the fact that this card is charming. The water washes away the old, outdated rubble to create space for something new.   Imagine a great flood that leaves fertile land in its wake, making way for new growth. Imagine the great forest fire that clears out the dying, rotting trees to make way for seeds to sprout anew.  If this card appears in your life rest assured a great cleansing is taking place. Old, familiar patterns, beliefs, behaviors, or relationships are being washed away to allow for new growth and greater potential.  After the clouds clear your life will be fresh and renewed.

 

If this card comes to you in the context of advice:

It is time for the levy to break, the volcano to erupt, and the storm to rage.  Take a firm look at anything you have been allowing to collect; negativity in the form of people, emotions, physical junk, or beliefs. Wash it away, light it on fire, or simply let it go.

 

 

Reverse Storm
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3. Mountain

The Mountain represents struggle and endless work without reward.  In the image we see men and women attempting to climb a mountain while carrying immense stone columns on their backs.  The task is impossible, yet they continue to work and struggle without hope of success. If this card has visited you today you have an opportunity to assess the areas in your life that require struggle.  The Mountain teaches us that we are engaged in a difficult, arduous endeavor. It is relentless and unforgiving in its demands. Even the most basic needs are difficult to meet while on the mountain. The steep paths deceive us.  Just when we think we have arrived at the top we discover another peak up ahead. When we are on the mountain we believe that to exist is to struggle. Are you enduring a path of misery and struggle without end? If so, brace yourself for the task at hand.  Or, consider asking the cards for a new direction. It doesn’t have to be this way.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Examine your relationship to work. Perhaps you need to let go of the glory or the destination and focus on the task-at-hand. Consistency, servitude, and even toil are what is required for this moment. Exert the needed effort and carry on.

 

 

Mountain

-3. Reverse Mountain / Crane

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The Crane card represents perseverance, strength, grit, and hard work.  It signifies the breakthrough that we experience when, against all odds, through sheer determination, we arrive at the impossible.  Through sustained hard work and determination we achieve the unachievable. In the circle at the bottom right of the card, we see a crane.  The crane is the bird that soars to great heights in thin air to sit at its perch at the top of the mountain. When the Crane appears, this charming card assures us that our efforts are not in vain. Whatever your dreams, you can be sure that in the end, all your hard work will pay off.  Your continued dedication serves you well.

 

If this card comes to you in the context of advice:

You will soar to greater heights than you ever thought possible.  Dig deep, reach high, and go beyond the limits you have placed upon yourself.  It is not guaranteed to be easy; it is guaranteed to build a more expansive version of you.

 

 

reverse mountain
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4. Labrynth

The Labyrinth represents confusion, indecision, loss of direction, and obstacles.  In the image we see a four-headed creature split in four directions. The card depicts paths leading to nowhere and doors opening up to doors that open up to more doors.  If you have drawn this card today, it might be time to evaluate your path. Perhaps you are pulled in too many directions at once. Or perhaps you are taking the path of life too seriously, frustrated by locked doors and dead ends. Have you forgotten that the journey is just as important as the destination?  How do you want to walk the path of life? The Labyrinth may be reminding you to surrender to the uncertainty, the tangled twisted journey that is life.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Explore all possible paths at once. Locked door? No problem. Dead end? Not to worry.  Because you have a lot of options it’s not a problem when one thing doesn’t pan out. Your situation requires that you approach solutions in every direction.

 

 

Labrynth

-4. Reverse Labrynth / Key

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This card depicts a golden key in its center.  The key is a prize for all who are called to the search for truth in the snarled labyrinth of life. All who have a brave heart and a curious mind are invited to join the ranks of those who seek the key.  When you embark on this path, be aware that there are no absolute answers, and that for every question you explore you will discover more questions. The Key card is the path of the philosopher. There is no guarantee that you will find a destination.  No guarantee you will find the prized key. The only guarantee is the charm of the quest and the satisfaction of the asking and seeking.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

It is time to ask the big questions of life, not simply to get the answers, but to journey to your own truth. The Key card is summoning your inner seeker and philosopher. The thrill of the great unknown is calling you. What will you ask?

 

 

Reverse Labrynth
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5. Tiger

The Tiger personifies instinct and aggression.  It does not premeditate. It does not assess and analyze its options or consider the wishes of others before making an attack.  In the image on the card, we see a tiger that is disproportionately larger than the elephant that is under attack. We sense the strength of the tiger and the weakness of its prey.  No one is safe in a jungle that houses a tiger. Have you found yourself terrorized by a predator in your own jungle? Or perhaps you yourself have resorted to violence, fear, and aggression on your rise to the top of the food chain? Either way, the Tiger card is here to alert you to a competitive instinct that has run wild. There can be only one survivor.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Rely on your animal instinct and act with radical assuredness. It is time you recognize the tiger within you; the king of the jungle and top of the pyramid.  For a tiger, the only way to handle a conflict is head-on.

 

Tiger
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-5. Reverse Tiger / Tigress

The Tigress embodies the boundless love of a mother along with the strength and instinct of a predator.  She is primal, skilled, and powerful. She will summon all her powers to protect and defend that which she loves. If the Tigress card has visited you today, you are called to act with absolute precision in the defense of that which you love. You are reminded that you have the power to defend the weak, the young, and the marginalized. The Tigress urges you to follow your instincts and be aggressive in protecting your “young”, whether it be a new project, a person, or a value.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

Show no mercy.  Go to any length in protecting your new endeavor.  Be aggressive. Don’t overthink it. Follow your gut.

 

 

Reverse Tiger
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6. Mask

The Mask personifies hiding and deception.  On the card, we see insects and specimens that have been preserved to look as though they are alive.  Now, pinned to the wall, one can easily see that what remains are empty vessels. The mask meets our eye, devoid of life.  If the Mask card has visited you today, consider what part of you is hiding. Are you presenting an exterior image that doesn’t match what is on the interior?  Are you pretending to be someone that you are not, in order to please other people? Perhaps you use the mask to deceive in order to get what you want? The mask causes harm to self and others.  When we work so diligently to hide our needs, feelings, or desires from others, we no longer occupy a life that is our own. When we mask our motives, we can not be accepted and loved for who we are.  Have you lost trust in who you are? Take a moment to consider the cost of living behind a mask. How does it feel to occupy an empty vessel?

 

If this card arrives in the context of Advice:

At the moment it is best that you hide your true feelings or motives from others.  Keep your hopes and dreams to yourself for now. Wear a mask when you go out in public.  Now is not the time to reveal your authentic self to people who don’t understand or cannot be trusted. 

 

 

Mask
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-6. Reverse Mask / Laugh

The Laugh signifies the energy you embody when you role-play.  You are on a stage with a script and you exchange places with others for the roles of the lead and supporting characters.  For one act you will be the Hero and I will be the Villain. In the next act you will be the Servant and I will be the Queen. One day you will play the role of Teacher and the next day you will be the Student.  The trick is not to get attached to the roles you play and not to take them too seriously. There is not one single role that is your identity. Every role can be your identity but only for a moment. The Laugh invites you to play along in a grand theater of life, with endless possibilities of roles and dramas.  When you realize that it is all for fun, you can wear any mask and it will make you laugh.

 

If this card arrives in the context of advice:

Be flexible in the roles you play. Do not become too attached to one identity. We are the friend, the teacher, the servant, and the comedian all at once. Can you see the absurdity of it all? There’s no reason to be so serious. What roles do you play today?  Laugh about it.

 

 

Reverse Mask
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7. Dragon

The Dragon represents inflammatory language, fury, explosion, adversity, and conflict.  When the Dragon breathes fire we feel the heat of its anger and rage. If the Dragon card has appeared today, take a look at your relationship with anger. Have you been keeping your anger inside?  Allowing it to fester or escape in ways that are ineffective?  The Dragon card may be calling you to be direct in your communication, even at the risk of becoming inflammatory.   Or, on the other hand, it is possible that the Dragon is calling your attention to the fury and conflict of a situation, warning you to beware of a volcano about to erupt.  Is there a dragon in your life? Perhaps there is a situation exploding with conflict? Whether you have become the Dragon, or you are in proximity to the Dragon, this is an opportunity for you to assess, express or expect anger and hostility. 

 

If this card arrives in the context of advice:

Express anger.  Be direct in your communication by using inflammatory words. Face confrontation head-on and don’t worry how your words fall on the ears of others. Express your anger in its raw form, in its entirety.  Be direct. Don’t hold back. Be honest in how you feel. Be the dragon and breathe fire.

 

 

Dragon
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-7. Reverse Dragon / Knight

If the Knight has appeared to you today, you have the gift of compassion and service.  You may be a caregiver serving and protecting someone in need. Or you may be an advocate, using words, skills, and power to protect the underserved.   Knights are often in a position to share or keep secrets, as a trusted listener or confidant. In the card, we see an image of a knight now positioned above the dragon. This brave and courageous champion wields a spear against a mighty, fiery dragon. Perhaps it is time to slay some dragons using dialogue to quell the fire. Perhaps it is time for words of kindness, encouragement, and inspiration. The Knight serves with compassion, courage, and bravery of heart.  

 

If this card arrives in the context of advice: 

The world needs your compassion.  Use your skills to deescalate conflict through kind words and good deeds.  Command the powers of deep listening at this time. Speak words of inspiration and lend a loving ear. 

Reverse Dragon
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8. Tower

The Tower represents isolation and separation.  In the card we see a narrow tower atop a cold and imposing castle on a dark, starry night.  In the choppy water below, fish feed on two men. These men are lost, a reminder that visitors are not welcome at the tower.  If the Tower has visited you today, it may be time to look at the need to emotionally or physically withdraw from others. Ask yourself if you are living in an ivory tower. Have you built a moat around yourself in order to keep away from people or situations? One could go mad in that castle rehearsing all the hurts of the past. There is still a choice. If you built the tower, then chances are you know how to climb down from there.

 

If this card comes in the context of advice:

It is time to withdraw from what has been swirling around you and focus on your own life. This is the season for you to be alone.  Hunker down in your own castle and be with your own emotions.

 

 

Tower
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-8. Reverse Tower / Lotus

The image in this card depicts a vibrant red and yellow lotus springing from the base of the castle.  It signifies the depth and beauty that comes from finding peace from within. The Lotus card is the charming aspect of solitude, the quiet contemplation of a babbling brook or a walk in nature that brings self-introspection and self-exploration. Lotus reminds us that within one’s self, we find good company. If the Lotus card has visited you today, you are entering a time of quiet meditation. You have the ability to listen to your own inner voice and discover the soft beating of your own heart. Are you listening? What does your inner guidance have to say?

 

If this card arrives in the context of advice:

Practice quiet meditation, solitude, and reflection. Traverse the universe of your own being. Discover the celestial stars and navigate the emotional waters within. Go deep. Embrace the quiet breath of your soul.

 

 

Reverse Tower
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9. Rose

The Rose card is shocking.  It represents a strong, magnetic, irresistible attraction to temptation, passion, infatuation, and allure.   No sooner has the rose blossomed into full bloom, emitting an intoxicating fragrance, reaching a climax of perfection and beauty, than it begins to die.  It is dying love. That which makes it most beautiful is the very thing that makes it unattainable: its short life. It has a soft fragility ensconced in piercing thorns.  It can represent illusion, jealousy, or fatal attraction. People seek it in lusty pursuit only to realize that as soon as they have it, it has already disappeared. If the Rose is visiting you today it is gifting you with beauty, glamour, and the awareness that it is a fleeting passion.  Just because the rose has a short life doesn’t mean it is unworthy of pursuit. Just remember, beauty isn’t meant to last.

If this card arrives in the context of advice:

Seek beauty. Pursue what stirs your heart.  Yes, the rose most certainly will wilt and die.  All the more reason to revel in a fleeting moment of glory, to dance in the last golden drops of a setting sun.

 

 

Rose
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-9. Reverse Rose / Lovers

The Lovers card exemplifies pure, heart-felt love.  Just as the rose blossom welcomes the bees to partake of its nectar, so the Lovers open their hearts to give and receive love with one another.  The Lovers card offers a love that is without condition. It has no ulterior motive. It has no restraints or limitations. It is a love that is long-lasting, sustainable, and ever-growing.  Deep and abiding, it has endured the test of time. Despite its maturity, it retains a quality of passion and intrigue, a living witness to the mystery and wonder of love. If this card has appeared today, you offer an open and loving heart. You are engaged in something beautiful and profound. Receive the grace of rare and pure love.

 

If this card arrives in the context of advice:

The Lovers card reminds us to offer an open and loving heart. Purify your thoughts, mind, and actions through the filters of compassion and unconditional love. Give freely. Receive openly.  Be the ever-flowing stream of true and lasting love.

 

 

Reverse Rose
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10. Sword

If you are holding the Sword today, there is no question that you are in power over your domain.  You are the victor of a bloody battle and the king’s head is at your feet to prove it. You have summoned all your resources and demonstrated greater, stronger abilities than your opponent. If the Sword card has appeared in your spread today it may be time to look at your relationship with power and duality. Do you seek to win at any cost? In your world, can there be only one winner? Is the only path to peace a fight? Maybe the battle is not “out there,” but rather the battle that rages on within oneself.  Either way, the Sword is reminding you that the power is yours. And so is the choice.

 

If this card arrives in the context of advice:

It is no longer time to sit on the fence.  The Sword is beckoning you to take up arms and pick a side. Now is the moment to claim your territory, gain domain, and claim your rights. You have the power. Unleash the warrior within.

 

 

Sword