The Steampunk Tarot Ebook. John Matthews

Meaning of the Cards

      “What the Gods themselves could not promise to accomplish, Revolving Time has brought to light.”

      VIRGIL, Aeneid, Book 9

      Within this Adventury (an inventory of adventures), each of the seventy-eight cards offers ways to set out on your own quest. The meanings herein outline some of the possibilities that the cards will reveal, although you will find many more in your readings.

      • THE GODS OF THE MACHINE •

      Each Gods of the Machine card—in addition to an array of meanings—offers a micro-spread of its own, so that you may test for yourself the power of each archetype. Use all of the cards in these micro-spreads, to discover how they power the machine. Remember that the way the cards combine, or respond to their positions in a spread, changes the way that you interpret them (see Part Four to explore this further).

      · 0 APPRENTICE ·

      The Apprentice is drawn into the worlds of the Imperium by the first flush of enthusiasm to follow his dream. Trusting his innate sense of adventure, and spurred on by his imagination, he wants to enter into the world of possibility. He doesn’t yet know much, or how he will achieve his dream, but his steps are guided. The impulse of the Apprentice is innocent and uncomplicated, for he is one of the youngest of the Gods of the Machine. Like you, he holds all the possibilities in his heart in a childlike way, and just wants to implement what his vision promises. When you follow your dream, your innate sense of adventure is stimulated—you throw caution to the winds and rush headlong towards the pathway that your desire opens up. Your spontaneity can help kindle the spark of the machine, your dream can become its drive and your skills its delight!

      Gate of opportunity: ▲ The chance to try things out for yourself is offered to you. By trusting your vision, you experience carefree enthusiasm and youthful energy; by questioning the process, you learn your skills. Follow your dream or your heart’s desire with enthusiasm. ▼ Naivety leads you into some dangerous areas. You risk all on the fall of the dice. Foolhardy bravado beckons you to the edge. Behaving idiotically endangers you and others.

      ♦ APPRENTICE’S TRY-OUT SPREAD ♦

      1. What does this adventure offer?

      2. What can I trust?

      3. What do I risk?

      4. Where does the vision lead?

      Gear-change: ▲ Prepare to play with the possibilities that present themselves. You are able to strike out into new areas. A sense of optimism and adventure will see you through. Whatever you are starting out upon, follow the promise of your potential. ▼ Inappropriate levels of engagement leave you open to loss of innocence. Reactionary impulses lead you into sophisticated paths or exploitative practices. You reveal your agenda in self-exposing ways. Your trust is likely to be abused.

      Blockages to clear: ▲ You lack the spontaneity or curiosity to go deeper. Seeking your heart’s desire is not yet on the agenda. Blessed ignorance protects you, but don’t push your luck. Life is a serious business for you, so try to work playfully, and play with enthusiasm. ▼ You feel ostracized or marginalized, or don’t want to look like a fool. Escaping into childlike states brings feelings of security. Being too careful means you never leave home. Distrusting the unknown or scorning the simple options.

      Steampunk Wisdom

      Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, for this is the edge where experience grows.

      What possibilities are calling you to follow?

      · I TECHNOMANCER·

      The Technomancer is a conduit for elemental power. Like Prometheus, he brings fire from heaven and is the master of technology. His power is the bright spark at the heart of all creation, making him a primary God of the Machine, the dynamo of its power. His mask protects his face from its sudden flare. The immense power that flows through him is channeled into engines of ingenious design, but the vast forces he invokes can overthrow him if he gets out of balance. Mind is his natural medium. The capacity to hold and remember is held in the massive library of his brain, knowledge that synaptically bridges all kinds of possibilities. His whole purpose is the mind’s evolution, hinted at here by the ape doctor. Within the lemniscate, molecules create new genetic permutations.

      Gate of opportunity: ▲ Stepping up to the footplate, you can use all your talents and skills, make an impact and innovate with every ounce of your potential. Creative initiative and clarity of mind translates into skill of hand. When you actively grasp your power and follow its creative lead, you feel powerful and dynamic. Your concentration and engagement initiates the connections that will transform your life. You can become a conduit for magic! ▼ Over-confidence can lead to megalomania and arrogance to the corruption of power. Use your imaginative insight to feed creativity and compassion.

      ♦ TECHNOMANCER’S CREATION SPREAD ♦

      1. What is my intention?

      2. What do I have to decide/plan?

      3. How can my skills be engaged?

      4. What magic brings things alive?

      Gear-change: ▲ Engage with the task in hand. Learn or practice a skill. This is the time to be single-minded and determined. Believing in yourself, you will not be afraid to act decisively. Self-confidence aligns you with life’s ebb and flow. Make strong connection with your core motivations. Get down to the practical tasks. Fire up your synapses, brainstorm solutions; be as cunning as a wagonload of monkeys! ▼ Over-reaching the mark is risky. Self-doubt causes plans to stall or fall apart. Discover the correct focus and concentrate.

      Blockages to clear: ▲ You and your mind are one. Whatever you conceive there will manifest around you. Blockages may be caused by being too clever for your own good. Have things got too complicated and theoretical? The potential for self-sabotage, deception, and manipulation is intrinsic in the fledging Technomancer. ▼ A self-serving charlatan tries to bamboozle you, or you could be pulling the wool over your own eyes. Denying the power that is innately yours causes the flow of energy to be disrupted. Accurate perception and reading the patterns clearly can help train your will to get started.

      Steampunk Wisdom

      The magic of life sparkles in your hands. How do you take the initiative?

      · II AVIATRIX ·

      The Aviatrix is the initiator into self-knowledge and a deeper wisdom. She speaks as a sibyl of the soul and travels on the airway of dreams. Her task is to reveal the truth behind appearances or to veil things from sight until revelation strikes. She is the mistress of the right moment, being able to lightly hold ideas and concepts, or mould them into being by modeling them virtually. As one of the Gods of the Machine, she represents inner intelligence, maintaining its running by her inspiration. When you listen to the inner voice within your soul, you can find the answers to the most important questions. Allowing yourself to enter and be held by the silence, or in the pool of the creative stars, you can swim towards self-knowledge.

      Gate of opportunity: ▲ An opportunity to go deeper and consult the innate knowledge of your soul. The ability to educate, give instruction