The ugly march of fascist, tiki torch-bearing, right-wing politics surfaced on American televisions and in our streets in 2017. Americans from the center and left responded. The division cost us lives.
What is to happen to America?
I don’t know, but when I have questions I look back on my witchy youth and pull out my tarot cards. No worries, I can’t tell you when you’re going to die. It’s not magic — it’s a skill anyone can learn.
I own about 15 decks. Reading for a lot of people requires variety — cards that are good for the heart, some that are forthright, and some that encourage self-reflection.
I feel like we need some definitive answers about where we are going in 2018, but instead of one deck, I will use three. For the sake of space and time, I am doing three card, past present and future readings for each.
Foreign Policy magazine said that America is heading toward a constitutional crisis. If Special Counsel Robert Mueller discovers collusion, we have to decide whether we intend to rewrite U.S. history to allow greed and fascism to become the norm in a nation that promotes freedom, even if we don’t always agree on what that looks like. The magazine posed this question: “What will Trump’s reaction be when he figures out he’s been duped — and that the Mueller probe, far from a ‘nothing burger,’ is a carafe of strychnine that poses an existential threat to his presidency?’”
Well, we know our Baby-in-Chief will squeeze out a litany of fake news accusations.
But let’s ask the deck. For this first question, I’m consulting the Enochian Tarot, a blunt deck.
The first card representing the past is No. 20 KHR (The Wheel). It represents destiny and cycles. It also represents fate. So looking at the past, it looks like we were destined to get stuck with Trump, and that where he is now is part of the plan. Scary, right? Well don’t get too worried. The present card, No. 64 SOAIZNT (Fifth Senior of Water) represents someone of big personality. A character. It also represents a journey and happiness. There are those in America who are overjoyed that they feel their voices are being heard, even if those voices are racist trash. I can see it.
Here’s the thing, times change and eventually the party comes to an end. The final card for this question is the No. 29 RII (The Heavens). The Heavens card speaks to judgment and a decision. Whatever that will be, it is one that is definitive and without reprieve. This card also speaks to purification, which, if this were to be read against the probe into government officials acting as foreign agents, the GOP and possibly others are about to see a deep cut to their ranks. Jill Stein, anyone?
Americans have a decision to make about where this goes and for us, this final card is a challenge. We have to be ready to stand together with the outcome of wherever this Russia probe lands.
Phew, that was icky territory. Let’s move on to something a bit more local and maybe less gross. How about weed?
Kentucky is putting up bills to address medical marijuana. Oh Kentucky, you asshole. Just go full-adult use and quit playing games.
Secretary of State Allison Grimes told Courier Journal, “This is an issue of which I hoped the Commonwealth would have already addressed.”
Damn right. Kentucky needs to get with the green. Finding support on either side of the aisle shouldn’t be an issue. But, again, we are talking about Kentucky. Kentuckians, get on the phone.
Until then, let’s see what the tarot says. Different issue, different deck. This time I’m using the Deviant Moon Tarot, a deck influenced by Greek art and the graveyards of eastern Long Island. Sound spooky? Nope, because it isn’t. So much of tarot is really about the art.
The tarot says, give us the weed.
The first card, and one that speaks to the past, is the Three Of Swords. The Three Of Swords is one that indicates stormy relationships, separation and longing for the love of someone far away. Man, can y’all feel me right now? Where have you been Mr. Green?
The present card is the Six Of Swords, which means a journey, escaping bad situations and finding safety. With the history of how weed has been lobbied against by forces more destructive, I think this is a perfect card to illustrate the way that most Americans view marijuana in relation to other substances, including tobacco and alcohol. Finally, the future card is The Lovers. The Lovers is a card in the major arcana. Think of it as very important. It means a lot. The Lovers can represent juvenile fantasy and youthful admiration, but it also represents harmony and union. And I think that on the issue of legalization, this is one that Kentuckians — Democrat, Republican and whomever — can get behind. This issue is a winning one for the state. Ahem, Indiana?
Finally, dear readers, I’m looking at you. What’s to come in 2018?
Americans have seen an uptick in the level of anxiety and stress in the last year. Financial strains are growing and the economy is not as stable as President Pussy Grabber von Trumpnik would have you believe. We aren’t all winning but that doesn’t mean this is forever.
Here’s what the cards say. For this, I’m using a deck called I Am One, because as much as we can’t stand each other sometimes, we’re stuck in this quicksand together, and I hope to hold your hand as we’re sinking. Maybe we can save each other.
The first card is the Two Headed Serpent (aka the Two Of Wands). It represents harmony, twin souls and equation. This doesn’t mean that things have ever been harmonious, but the ideas to which we’ve ascribed have tied us to the idea that we’re working toward a unique harmony. We are willing to participate in this equation and willing to fight to make it work for all.
The present card is the 8 Pear Of Tears (the Eight Of Cups), which represents turning our backs on things that no longer work, that don’t feed our souls. We are walking away from our past. Not forgetting but beginning to put it in its place and let it go. It represents being tired, drained and realizing we’ve tried very hard for little result. Our future is beautiful (fingers crossed). The Doer (The Sun) says as the master of cosmic light, we will take the right action that works for all while supporting our own destinies. It also indicates institutions so perhaps we finally right the wrongs of many institutions that have kept some of us out and over-inflated others. It is a card of brotherhood and fellowship.
I’ll take it. Will you?
