Go Tarot

[KAOSkonfused]

While I was wondering if my studying will actually help me improve - or not so much, I remembered this thread and decided I’ll also take a glimpse into the future.

This is the order of the cards in this spread:

So… My momentary relationship with Go is flourishing. I’m enthusiastic and full of energy (1 & 2). I’m aware that Go helps me find balance (3), and subconsciously, it’s all about learning and making progress (4).

In the recent past, I took Go very easy and was not serious about it (5). In the near future, I will experience some bitter wins - I’ll be kind of successful, but at the high price of disappointing others (6).

I’m coming from a bad time during which I lost many games (7). But now, there’s a positive influence regarding Go from my environment (8) - the card stands for growth and creativity. I look ahead with trust and confidence (9). And my future will be a loving relationship to the game (10).

[Gia]

I happen to have a tarot set but I’m not at home, I’ll contribute in a couple of days

I’d like a reading from the master though

[trohde]

Nice! And you also seem to prefer the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

So then I just had to pick a card, just one card, and it was this:

(Forgive the blurry quality, I didn’t check it immediately and only saw this on the big monitor, don’t want to take the deck out again.)

---

A story.

40 years ago I lived in the city of Hamburg, 60 km to the North of where I now live. I was politically active, left-ish, green-ish, anarchist-ish (which has nothing to do with violence though, make no mistake!), “Bunte Liste - Wehrt Euch!”, Anti-Nuclear movement, peace groups, “Basisgruppen” at university; so, mostly hippie peace-freak grassroots stuff.
One day, a comrade from one of those groups visited … saw my Tarot deck on the table, and began a fuming tirade about how I could “believe” in cards
I waited for him to finish, then I took the deck and threw it against the wall — you should’ve seen his face then — and told him that I don’t “believe” in cards, but that I believe in the power of our subconscious, which takes those fairy-tale-like imagery from the cards and tries to make sense of them in the context of one’s life. He was quiet then …

Thing is, I believe there is nothing “supernatural” about using Tarot (or the I Ching, etc.) … such techniques plug into our subconscious and stimulate it to make sense.

However I usually only do this for myself, only rarely have I assisted others when they had questions about their lives, and in such cases I never “interpreted” the cards and their imagery but asked the querent what they thought the image might have to do with their question and their life and circumstances … “look closely, do you see any hints in the symbols?”, etc.

I.e. I believe that any “master” wouldn’t tell you anything about yourself but rather ask, and thus assist you in finding out yourself.

[KAOSkonfused]

@Gia

I’d like a reading from the master though

The master? Äh, you mean me?
Sure!

What is your question for the tarot?

[Gia]

@KAOSkonfused

What is your question for the tarot?

Whatever it believes I should know

[shinuito]

@KAOSkonfused

What is your question for the tarot?

Is the early 3-3 invasion all it’s cracked up to be?

[KAOSkonfused]

@Gia

Whatever it believes I should know

Well, let’s see.
You are ready for something new, and at the same time, there happen to be new, inspiring impulses in your Go life (cards 1 & 2) - sounds like a great situation to begin with!

You are fully aware of how much you love this game (3), but on a subconscious level, there is also a lot of pain (4). Maybe due to your long-lasting DDK-status, with which you are not fully at peace?

Interestingly, card 5 is the same that I had in this position. Could be that you also haven’t been serious with your games lately, but it could as well mean that you have been very flexible and tried out something new. In the near future, you will be able to see things more clearly and gain better judgment in your games (6).

You feel a lot of fascination for Go and you can trust on your skills and your willpower (7). From your environment - the Go community, I suppose - , you experience love and support (8).
Card 9 is showing your fears or hopes. The Two of Wands here might mean that you don’t feel ready, you don’t feel prepared to move forward and improve your play.
You Go future holds conflicts and aggression (10). Let’s hope they’ll be mainly on the board and will help you practice fights!

[KAOSkonfused]

@trohde

Nice! And you also seem to prefer the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

I use the Modern Witch Tarot, which is relatively close to Rider-Waite-Smith.

@trohde

So then I just had to pick a card, just one card, and it was this:

The Six of Wands - victory, success, good news. Nice!
In my deck, it looks like this:

[Gia]

@KAOSkonfused

From your environment - the Go community, I suppose - , you experience love and support (8).

[trohde]

@KAOSkonfused

@trohde

Nice! And you also seem to prefer the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

I use the Modern Witch Tarot, which is relatively close to Rider-Waite-Smith.

Haha, I just noticed it, scrolled down to comment my mistake, and found this

I like it, and I guess I need to get myself also one, after all I also sit in the hedge (Hexe < haga zussa), sit on the fence, am a scout in the white spots of the maps of the mind.

<edit>
Ah no, it’s apparently ONLY women in that Tarot deck, sadly, so … I’ll skip it. But I know a friend or two for whom this will be a nice gift … thanks!
</edit>

[Gia]

I found my set

Today is victorious (I guess the tarot didn’t see my suicidal group earlier).
Tomorrow I think is the card that represents me, I think I’m Queen of Cups? I’m the maker of my own destiny? I should actually do my tsumego seriously?
Above me is a new person. I’d love to find someone who plays Go in this foggy town.
Behind me is I guess openness, but also too much hope? (yeah I should put behind me any hope for my life, it tracks )
Below me was an achievement. I think that’s from another chapter and not related to Go
Before me is… Appetite for life? Hm, not giving up I guess. Playing more live games, risking more.
Me as the questionner, I’m stubborn. General life lesson, probably
House is reason for gratitude (indeed had a lovely long weekend with family).
My heart is a disaster
Outcome is “hang in there, you’ll reach SDK before you die” if you do your tsumego

Or at least that’s my superficial interpretation, I’m not very good at this.

All in all, my Go will definitely improve but I have to do my homework.

[KAOSkonfused]

I think you need to ask the tarot a more personal question:
Should you do more early 3-3 invasions?

Here’s the spread I did for you (a couple of days ago, but I haven’t found the time to analyze it here…):

It’s a spread that’s supposed to help you make decisions. The card on the left symbolizes the underlying topic of the question. The three cards on the top show what will happen (in chronological order) if you start doing more early 3-3 invasions, while the three cards at the bottom show what will happen if you don’t.

The topic: The Hierophant symbolizes the search for answers. You’re a reasonable person and you probably feel relatively confident about your play, and rightfully so.

What will happen if you do more 3-3 invasions? As the King of Cups, you will focus on your feelings and your intuition to find the right moments and the right joseki variations for your invasions. But this will be devastating! (10 of Swords) You will face defeat and find yourself in a more than uncomfortable situation - at least for a while. Eventually, however, your change in play will be successful (The Star) and your development will be positive in the long run.

What will happen if you keep playing the same way as before (or do even fewer 3-3 invasions)? You are going your own way (8 of Cups), but you don’t feel comfortable about it, and you’ll be asking yourself if this was a good idea. After a while, you will enjoy yourself again while playing Go, and you’ll feel your play is well balanced (Temperance). But eventually, you will realize you’ve been lying to yourself (7 of Swords) and just cowardly avoided studying 3-3 invasions in more depth. You can stay on that path and you’ll be fine, but it will keep you from improving.

[shinuito]

@KAOSkonfused

But this will be devastating! (10 of Swords) You will face defeat and find yourself in a more than uncomfortable situation - at least for a while. Eventually, however, your change in play will be successful (The Star) and your development will be positive in the long run.

How did it know we’d be playing the flying dagger variation and it would lead to devastation more often than not Complicated Star point joseki

@KAOSkonfused

and just cowardly avoided studying 3-3 invasions in more depth. You can stay on that path and you’ll be fine, but it will keep you from improving.

Well that settles it, no time like the present to learn the flying knife

[yebellz]

On the Amazon page for the English edition of that Tarot card deck, in the product photos, they show a version of the ten of swords with this alternative caption:

[KAOSkonfused]

Yes - this one is included in the package as well, in addition to the “normal” card.