I’m in the process of learning more about marketing (for my low carb business). It’s been enlightening from all sorts of angles because I’m both consuming and deconstructing a whole lot of marketing material as I’m learning.
Naturally, people offering marketing how-to info often are frequently selling more advanced marketing systems. Sometimes, very pricey marketing systems! Some of these, I do feel a strong urge to buy. It’s emotional and I know it! My rationality is, fortunately, keeper of the credit cards. But seeing this with fresh eyes has made for a fascinating experience.
And it’s exactly the same energy interplay as next week’s Tarot…the Fool wants to buy, buy, buy! Now. He wants to believe every promise and learn every new trick. He seeks the advanced understanding he can gain in the process. He wants to move!
The Emperor shakes his head and says, “No, no, no.” He wants to dismiss every offer as lacking value, full of fluff and shiny only because of how it’s presented, with plenty of psychological triggers that stimulate the urge to buy.
In truth, both elements are a reality to varying degrees and the only way to consistently and effectively divine the difference between promise and the personal value–to a specific individual–is intuitive.
You’ve got to stay grounded and plugged in to make wise decisions. But then again, that’s never bad advice!
Next Week in Tarot: Fool & Emperor
For the forecast, we have The Fool for outlook and advice as the Emperor–note that both cards actually showed up reversed, but I photographed them upright for easier examination. These are from the gorgeous Star Tarot Deck.
The Fool reversed suggests a week with plenty of potential for false starts, confusion, misinterpretation, and partial truths. This isn’t necessarily bad, particularly if you are aware of it. If you’re prone to impulsiveness, however, it could be a bumpy ride. So you may want to reign that in.
Astro aside: Mercury has already entered his shadow in preparation for the next retrograde in Pisces on March 5, stationing direct on March 28th. The shadow period is where he covers the space in the sky he’ll soon be revisiting during retrograde and you can consider this “setting the stage” for the upcoming retrograde in terms of themes.
The Emperor reversed would have us remain flexible and avoid making a judgment before all investigation is complete. If you feel yourself getting fired up and ready to rain down some fire and brimstone? It would be a VERY GOOD idea to take a step back and engage in some deep breathing. Seriously. Personal boundaries are (always) appropriate to maintain, but I would skip schooling the transgressors this week. In short, you don’t know what you don’t know.
The interplay between these two energies is also very interesting.
The Fool is a blank page, very much wanting to learn everything he can. He’s driven by a desire to fully experience the world and he’s willing to leave the comfort zone of his small life on a quest to obtain knowledge. Dangers to the Fool come largely from his naiveté and lack of real-world experience. He is prone to trust what he’s told and may not always have the sophistication to realize not everyone is as forthcoming as he is.
The Emperor, on the other hand, has gained enough expertise to be sitting in the big chair. He is decisive without question and has a level of confidence in his own abilities the Fool is only hoping to discover through his travels. But the Emperor’s raw authority will only get him so far. His leadership skills will fully blossom only if he’s willing to exercise some of the Fool’s never-ending curiosity and desire for growth. He cannot dismiss new ideas out of hand or his rulership will stagnate.
In the question of who is wiser, Fool or Emperor, the answer depends on when you ask. They both have their good days. Always be open to new experience and learning from other points of view, but remain steadfast in commitment to maintaining personal authority and heeding your intuition. Combining these two approaches will net the best results.
Are you feeling more “Fool” or “Emperor” lately?
If you are ready to hone in on your own answers, give me a holler for a personal consult.