Matt Feeny's Apartment
Suite # 1002
*Day after Diwali*
7:45 PM
Attendees: Julia, Matt and Me
Julia, I realize is staying with Matt in his apartment. They arrived in Manila together 2 days ago and were hence sharing the apartment. I am invited to sit at the dining table after exchanging a few pleasantries. The sitting room cum dining room is dimly lit and there is 'Sitar' playing in the background. Matt gets us all a beer each and a bowl full of chips. White candles are placed on the table along with a soft pack of Marlboro Lights, an ashtray and a zippo. There are 3 packs of tarot cards on the table; Osho Zen Tarot (mine), The Angels Cards (Matt's) and The Original Rider Waite Tarot Pack (Julia's). The whole setting is larger than life and I feel as if we have some divine powers that will help us unravel each other's secrets and predict the future however grim and bloodcurdling it might be.
Matt opens his pack and asks me what kind of reading I would like him to do for me. I think for a second and request him to do a 'Zodiac Reading' for me. The Zodiac Reading is done once a year, its done at the turn of the year to help clarify one's goals and resolutions, or alternately at Diwali (for Indians), Halloween (for Catholics) i.e whenever one starts his/her year.
Matt warns me about this reading being deceptively simple. He shuffles the cards until he feels ready, and then he deals them out, face down, in a circle, roughly like the numbers on a clock dial. He dealt out twelve cards, each representing a month of the year ahead, starting with the current month, October.
Starting with the first card he dealt, he turns over each card in turn.
He now starts to predict my future, which he insists is only an aid to help me determine what my future 'may' hold and what I can do to shape it myself. Of all tarot readings, this is probably the one to take most seriously, so I disregard his warnings and listen to his interpretation in rapt attention.
The 1st house represents, Aries. Matt tells me about my life and health in general in the coming year, which is not too great. He tells me I'll undergo a lot of mental stress and a close and trusted friend would try to manipulate me and brainwash me. I need to be on my guard and pull away. I sit back and let it sink in. I know who he is talking about and I try hard to convince myself that tarot reading is not a science. I shake myself out of my reverie and ask Matt to continue.
The 2nd house represents, Taurus. I learn about Financial matters now, which look bright and cheer me up a bit.
The 3rd house is of Gemini. He now talks about a few Short journeys which I will be undertaking, my kin, and learning. I realize I'll learn a few lessons alright in the coming year.
The 4th house of Cancer speaks of my mental state, which I understand will not be at peace.
The 5th house of Leo tells him that the items that represent my legacy will be mine. I'll acquire knowledge of some family secret.
The 6th house of Virgo shows my Work and professional life as relatively smooth and indicates growth.
The 6th house of Libra disheartens me as it speaks of affection, love, and relationships which are going to be rocky. Matt says I'll ruffle a few feathers and rub people the wrong way. He advises me to watch out.
The 8th house of Scorpio throws light on what I was waiting for all this while. The darker things: sex, death, birth, passion, and psychic ability. Julia now interprets this card as of extreme importance. Matt too says my psychic ability will be sharper and most intense this year. I'll emerge a stronger individual and deal with situations and people intuitively.
The 9th house of Sagittarius shows I'll take long journeys and have serious (professional) travel.
The 10th house of Capricorn: Personal and family honor, aged relatives, responsibility.
The 11th house of Aquarius is disappointing as was expected. It is about friends, which I don't have too many of anyway.
The 12th house of Pisces: My enemies, the paradoxes and self-imposed limitations of my life. As Matt says, "Heaps of those love, heaps of those...".
My reading is over and all three of us sit silently, each reflective on what the cards have unravelled. I take a big gulp of beer and sit up straighter. I offer to read Julia's future. She smiles and inquires if I know the 5 card spread. I assure her that I do. I deal my set of cards and lay them down, face down. The 1st card in the middle, 2nd to the left, 3rd to the right, 4th further down and to the left, 5th further down to the right.
Card 1: The present or general theme of the reading
Card 2: Past influences still having effect
Card 3: The future
Card 4: The reason behind the question (this shed light on card 2)
Card 5: The potential within the situation.
Julia clearly wanted to decide on the given course of action. Card 4 reveals Julia's subconscious impulse, perhaps a blockage which is stopping her from achieving a desired result. Card 5 shows the possible result from taking the given course of action. The cards keep pointing towards a relationship. I ask Julia a few times if there is trouble in a love relationship. She just smiles and requests me to proceed with the reading.
After the Reading is over, she finally confides in us. She tells us that she is separated from her husband and he wants her back. She says that she has dealt several spreads including the Celtic cross, which is best used if seeking an answer to a specific question, in her case the question obviously being if it was a good idea to go back to him or not.
Matt refuses a reading when Julia offers to deal a spread for him. He enthusiastically picks up the phone and orders a non-veg pizza from Yellow Cab. I stay on for another hour or so, we The Tarot Card Readers, discussing different kinds of spreads and their usefullness in different situations. I keep wondering why Matt declined the offer for a reading. All tarot card readers want a reading from another tarot card reader to gain a fresh perspective and also for an unbiased advise.
********************************************
I stagger back to my apartment across the corridor after an eventful evening and 5 beers with an invitation to join Julia, Matt and their friends for a pajama party the following night.
********************************************
(To Be Continued...)
