Tag: government

Partygate – A Short Tarot Perspective

As you may know, the United Kingdom is gripped by a government scandal, involving numerous individuals flagrantly breaking their own rules of isolation during the pandemic. I asked the cards, ‘will the government survive?’

The first card, representing the overall overt situation, was the 5 of Swords. I see this card as the equivalent of the second decanate of Aquarius ruled by Mercury. I think this shows rather well the conflict, the ongoing arguments, not only within the British Conservative party, but also in the whole political establishment and particularly the media. It will be temporary, but it is quite clearly very serious, a situation which has rightly raised the ire of the public.

The second card position is the covert, or hidden perspective. Here I drew the 6 of Cups, which is the third decanate of Scorpio ruled by the Moon. To me this suggests that underlying the headlines and the fury, we are now emerging from the pandemic paradigm which has completely dominated our lives for two years. Could it be that the stories and the headlines will act as a segue towards some form of normality in our lives? For me, this is a healing card.

However, there is an elephant in the room, constituting two profound questions that are still rarely asked. 1. Why has it taken until now, nearly two years into this pandemic, to discover the full extent of this scandalous behaviour?; and 2. Just what was/is it that many political and celebrity types knew that allowed them to brazenly carry on partying as if there was no deadly virus around us at all??? To me this covert 6 of Cups suggests in itself that there is something hidden and that all is not quite what it seems.

The final card on the right is the outcome, or resolution position, where I drew the Knight of Swords. For me this is Libra and to do with justice, perhaps swift justice in regard to this scandal. Swords are thoughts, information and the media; I think there may be a rather quick resolution to this issue, which will also clarify the truth of the situation which we have all faced for far too long. And that truth, I am sad to say, may be much more shocking than even the behaviour of certain government and other responsible officials.

Copyright Francis 2022

Full Moon January 17 2022 – Uh Oh

This full Moon chart is set for Westminster, seat of the British government.

We are on the threshold of major political and economic changes, transformations and revelations everywhere and no more so than in Great Britain; they have already begun, but may come to a head around the day of the full moon.

Will the Prime Minister and the government survive? I don’t know, but this juncture looks particularly rocky and the road ahead uncertain. The British people, represented by a dignified and culminating Moon, and also the 4th house, look as though they’ve had quite enough to say the least of the whole situation.

So this full Moon will particularly affect the government and the people’s perception of it. But with Mercury retrograde it might be difficult, at first, to see what is truly going on, although the sense of shock will hard to conceal in certain quarters. Beware of the hype, the spin. Things which have been hidden could well be shown, and it may be quite upsetting for many.

Copyright Francis 2022

Where On Earth Are We Right Now?

I asked the cards how we were doing, not only in my country England and the UK, but also in the world in a general sense.

We have, after all, been in this particularly crazy and trying situation for nearly two years now, together. Are things getting better, clearer, or not?

For this question I used my own 7 card spread, which I call the ‘7 day week spread’. It’s not actually about 7 days but rather I’m using the 7 known traditional ‘planets’, including the Sun and Moon, as delineators for important areas of our national and international lives.

For example card 1 at the centre is my Sun (ie Sunday) card, which represents authority, government, monarchy, general well-being. Moon and Saturn days are self explanatory, but Tuesday is Mars, Wednesday is Mercury, Thursday is Jupiter and Friday is Venus. Think of the days of the week in French and you’ll get there.

For this reading I’m using one of my favoured Tarot de Marseille decks, the Ancient Italian Tarot by Lo Scarabeo.

So let’s start with the centre Sun card, which in this spread is La Papessa, or the High Priestess in the Rider-Waite decks. It is card 2 of the major arcana, indicating a feminine energy and perhaps a split or duality (2) in the situation right now. At the same time I think divine help is at hand and if we ask sincerely we can find out what’s been going on with all of our governmental institutions. Creatively too, it is time for self help, to look more deeply and not take everything at face value.

Card 2 is the Moon card on the top left of the spread, in this case the 7 of Wands, which for me is the first decanate of Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter. The Moon represents emotion, feeling, the masses, family. I think we are making good progress here with our own discernment, we know our feelings have been played with and we are beginning to see with more clarity that certain strategies won’t work, whilst some others will. I think the ball is now in our court and we can come through in a much more positive forward thinking fashion.

Card 3 is the Mars card (Tuesday) on the top right of the spread – the Sun. Mars represents individual energy, drive, industry. The Sun shows that things are looking more positive, that we can project and make changes, begin to force our own futures for the better. New ventures should generally prosper from now on so long as they are grounded in sound principles.

Card 4 is the Mercury card (Wednesday) on the very top. Mercury is all to do with the mind, communication and the media. Here we have the Chariot, a very positive sign that things are changing. We will have freedom of movement and choice locally, we will be able to organise on a more local basis. I think we can look forward to a change in the media too, the way it is presented as ‘news’. This is likely to be quite radical, but may begin quite slowly. The sun will begin to shine in areas that have been dark for too long.

Card 5 is the Jupiter card (Thursday) at the very bottom. Jupiter is long distance travel, higher education, religion, spirituality and justice. The Hanged Man here shows that long distance travel will continue to be problematic for a time but will get easier in its own time. I think we are all going to be shocked at certain legal issues too, yet find that certain outcomes were absolutely necessary and justice will come in due course.

Card 6 is the Venus card (Friday) on the bottom left. Venus is our relationships, where we feel good about ourselves. Here we have the King of Coins or Pentacles, which to me represents Taurus. I think it’s suggesting that it’s time to reconnect to the earth, to nature and to simple things. It also shows that we are due some good news in regard to all this, which might even involve the issue of money and its usage.

Card 7 is the Saturn card (Saturday) on the bottom right. This is my longer term card, or possible outcome. Here we have the Ace of Wands, which is a very positive card indeed in this placing. All is about to be renewed, it would seem, from the ground up but most especially in a spiritual sense, for this card represents the beginning of spring, the first decanate of Aries ruled by Mars. It may even suggest that by next spring, 2022, we will be well on the way to recovery and forging new lives and communities for ourselves, beyond any limitation authorities can impose upon us. Let’s hope so.

Copyright Francis 2021

Tanka: ‘Remember, Remember’

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Pennies for the Guy
Heroes portrayed as traitors
History repeats
A dime has duality
Turn over the other side

Copyright Francis Barker 2020

Lunar Eclipse, July 5 2020 – Tension, Change, Fireworks… and Healing?

lunar eclipse
Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

The up and coming lunar eclipse on Sunday July 5 falls on a very sensitive point of the USA independence chart.

This will be almost exactly conjunct the Sun’s position in the eighth house in that 1776 chart, activating the important second and eighth house axis, which is all about national security, money, finance, investment, banking. The USA would appear to be at a significant point of change in these affairs.

Intriguingly, the Sun at this time is exactly conjunct the fixed star Sirius, Canis Major, or the ‘dog star’, which is thought to be largely beneficial, his effects ranging from guardianship (protection), honour, perhaps even to spiritual healing and rebirth, some believe. Sirius is obscured by the Sun from early July until the second week of August, these are the so called ‘dog days’.

This might be highly significant, especially as this period will last until Sirius’ rising at the beautifully termed Lion’s Gate in August. We could all do with some spiritual, mental and physical protection and healing right now.

Dichotomy

In the chart for the eclipse itself, set for Washington DC, the tenth and fourth houses are particularly activated, highlighting the dichotomy between the government and opposition in the United States, the Sun and Moon also squaring the ascending degree of the chart.

And talking of ascendants, Aries is rising and therefore Mars is the chart ruler, who happens to be powerfully placed in his own sign. The whole situation is therefore energised, even bellicose, so we might expect some ‘fireworks’. Mars is in difficult aspect to Mercury, so expect caustic commentary and irritation too.

Energised

That said, Mars is in positive aspect to Venus in Gemini the third house – potential here for some ‘good news’ – we could do with some of that.

Interestingly, the Sun and Moon make a positive aspect to Uranus in Taurus in the second house, indicating the potential for positive change in regard to the economy, money, finance and banking. There are likely to be a few surprises here.

It certainly has the potential to be a weekend we won’t easily forget.

Copyright Francis Barker 2020