Recent Tarot Reading

I wanted to save for posterity a tarot reading that I recently had done for me through the mail. The topic at hand was related to finding a spiritual path and a teacher, and practicing “magic” (whatever you want to take that to mean):

This reading was done with Lon Milo DuQuette’s Tarot of Ceremonial Magick, but using a more Mathers-tradition interpretation of the cards.

1. Present position - Knight of Swords. Rushing without fear into the unknown.
2. Immediate Influence - Empress. There is a very strong feminine influence in your life.
3. Goal or destiny - Prince of Wands. The Prince of Wands is an honest and trustworthy messenger. It would seem those are the qualities you are looking for.
4. Distant past foundation - Nine of Disks. In this situation, I would intpret this card as representing skepticism and caution with regards to magical practice.
5. Recent past - Six of Swords. Some sort of positive journey, or success in a difficult goal. Whatever it is, it seems to have encouraged you to forge ahead dispite your history of caution and skepiticism in these matters.
6. Near future influence - Knight of Disks. Dependable, confident spiritually, patient. While the knights generally are portrayed as male, the disks are a feminine suit. I have the feeling this card represents your teacher, but I’m not sure of the gender. So keep an eye out.
7. You - Chariot. Hastily persuing a goal. Embolded by whatever the Six of Swords represents, you’re charging ahead perhaps a little too quickly.
8. Environmental factors - Hanged Man. Change not yet realized. This position generally refers to things you cannot change. So what this tells me is that there’s something you’re resisting in your circumstances that you need to accept.
9. Inner emotions - Four of Wands. Peace, prosperity, and relaxation after a long struggle.
10. Final results - Two of Cups. Love, happiness.

Overall: The basic theme is this, you’ve been emboldened by something that’s pushed you past whatever blockages you’ve had in regards to practicing magic in the past. But you’ve reached a point where action needs to be replaced with a more observational and introspective period, or you might miss the opportunity that you’re waiting for. Based on the Hanged Man card, it could actually be that what you’re seeking is right under your nose. Go with the flow, and you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Looking at it, the reading I think could be taken rather more broadly to refer to some more personal aspects of my life not covered in the original question’s phrasing. But that leads me to believe that solving the spiritual path issue involves solving these larger life issues first. Very interesting stuff.