Tarot
and Your Daily Life: The Fantastic Fours
by James Ricklef
In this
month’s article we will explore the "Four" cards
in the Tarot’s
Minor Arcana, but first let’s look at a brief numerological
overview of the number four itself. The year is divided into four
seasons, and we speak of the four corners of the earth. Chairs
and tables typically have four legs, and rooms have four walls.
When we seek structure and stability in the world and when we need
to set boundaries and lay foundations, we generally use the number
Four to create our concepts and conventions. Similarly, in the
Tarot’s numerical sequence, the “Four” cards
can restore balance and organization to the creative Threes, or
they can illustrate a consolidation or recuperation from the energetic
Threes. With these considerations in mind, let us now turn to the
cards themselves. The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot’s Four of Wands depicts several
people in the midst of a celebration, thus implying things like
a reunion, festival, or wedding. A similar interpretation is that
it indicates a rite of passage in which the celebrant is leaving
behind one phase of life (which, in its time, has provided a solid
foundation of its own) and entering a new one. In any case, an
important component of this card is its implication of celebration,
especially as an expression of gratitude and appreciation, for
it supports our sense of well-being, and it has a vital role in
creating lasting success. And so this card urges us to create space
in our lives for joyful celebration of our past achievements, new
adventures that we are about to undertake, and our plans and goals
for a better life. The Four of Cups, on the other hand, is suffused with a somber
mood. It depicts a melancholy man seated quietly beneath a tree,
oblivious to the phantom hand offering him a golden cup. Perhaps
he has been glutted by, or exhausted from the revelry depicted
in the Three of Cups, or maybe he just wants a bit of solitude
for some introspection. Such contemplative withdrawal can be recuperative,
but it also holds the risk of blinding us to other blessings in
the world around us.
Often, this card
indicates ennui or dissatisfaction with life, such as when our
emotional foundation has been undermined by things like superficial
indulgences. According to Gary Zukav, “Boredom is your ‘fuller
life’ calling you, and your fear of hearing the call.” (Note
how aptly the Four of Cups illustrates this quote.) So when this
happens, it helps to quietly listen for a higher calling because
although our moods and emotions are constantly shifting, we can
stabilize them by centering on our spiritual core.
One might find morose connotations in the Four of Swords’ depiction
of a knight lying beneath a stained glass window and three swords
hung on a wall, but this is not its typical interpretation. There
is a peaceful quality to this card that is uncharacteristic of
the strife-filled suit of Swords, and meanings like rest and recuperation,
or retreat from conflict are more often assigned to it. Retreat,
of course, can imply hiding and cowardice, but the serenity of
this card favors the more positive interpretations of healing and
preparation. Withdrawal to a quiet place (either mentally or physically)
allows us to reflect upon the past as we prepare for a return to
our pursuits in the present. This card emphasizes the importance
of taking time to find a place of peace within ourselves. It also
warns us to be sure not to get stuck in a place of inaction, but
to use our retreat as a foundation for future actions instead.
The man in the Four of Pentacles sits with a pentacle (or coin)
on his head, one covering his heart, and one under each of his
feet. He appears safe and secure, but he is also alone, set far
apart from the city that we see in the background. Material success
and security are indicated in this card, but there is a dark side
to it as well. It warns us of becoming dependent upon, or addicted
to material gain, of hoarding our possessions and clinging to them
as if they, in and of themselves, are important. Doing so separates
us from our humanity. Thus, implicit in this card is the advice
to recognize that wealth’s value is determined by how we
use it and what we make of it. True wealth lies not in what we
possess, but in our capacity to give, and if we do not share what
we have with others, financial security has no true and lasting
meaning.
James Ricklef is a Tarot reader, teacher,
and writer. His new book, Tarot Get the Whole Story explains how
to read Tarot cards through various spreads, giving ideas for inventing
your own spreads. For more information about his work, see his
website: http://home.att.net~jwricklef/
e-mail: knighthawk111@hotmail.com
The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot’s Four of Wands depicts several
people in the midst of a celebration, thus implying things like
a reunion, festival, or wedding. A similar interpretation is that
it indicates a rite of passage in which the celebrant is leaving
behind one phase of life (which, in its time, has provided a solid
foundation of its own) and entering a new one. In any case, an
important component of this card is its implication of celebration,
especially as an expression of gratitude and appreciation, for
it supports our sense of well-being, and it has a vital role in
creating lasting success. And so this card urges us to create space
in our lives for joyful celebration of our past achievements, new
adventures that we are about to undertake, and our plans and goals
for a better life.
The Four of Cups, on the other hand, is suffused with a somber
mood. It depicts a melancholy man seated quietly beneath a tree,
oblivious to the phantom hand offering him a golden cup. Perhaps
he has been glutted by, or exhausted from the revelry depicted
in the Three of Cups, or maybe he just wants a bit of solitude
for some introspection. Such contemplative withdrawal can be recuperative,
but it also holds the risk of blinding us to other blessings in
the world around us. 
