Tarot pulls no punches

This is one of the many reasons why I love Tarot.  No matter what the question and/or concern is at the time, the cards will let you know what led you to ask for guidance.  Then the guidance itself will leave it up to you, whether you want to follow through with what the cards advised or not.  Simple-right?  Sure, as long as you don't try to manipulate the cards by doing multiple readings one on top of the other while asking the same question.  I tried this over 10 years ago.  I do not recall what the question was or which deck I used...but I do remember the final layout (third or fourth) and what it told me.  In Tarot language, it told me I was being a dumb ass.  To say I was upset would be an understatement...and the cards went into storage for two years!  It was a lesson well learned for I haven't even tried manipulating the cards since then-never will again.  What is is-at the moment of query, and by the next day, the answer usually is different because we ourselves have changed in so little time.  Right now, I work with the Tarot as a personal life guide and once I become more proficient with meanings and readings-then I'll reach out to help others.  

  Here's the card I pulled for how far I have come with the Tarot:

I know-yikes! was my first reaction to this Death on a Pale Horse version of the Ten of Swords-but very apropos.  I will explain-but, I just wanted to let you know that all the Tens in the Mary-El are based upon the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse...they fit perfectly too...just have to go deep...really deep to understand what they try to say when they show up.  

So, how in the world is the 10 of Cups positive-especially in relation to my query?  Good question...let's see how I can explain what this card means to me.  First, here's the RWS version and the Wildwood version:

Sorry about the extra pic of the Seer...couldn't find a single pic of the Ten of Arrows...which shows a very different meaning than the Mary-El and RWS.  Or does it?  The cards from all three decks show a progression of growth and struggle-mentally.  The tens are the culmination of learned and yet to learn lessons.  So, Death on a Pale Horse wipes the mental slate clean in order for us to begin/continue our journey.  Perhaps he wipes our fears clear too-which is how I sometimes see the RWS 10 of Swords...perhaps our fears have gotten the best of us for this round of lessons...which brings us to the 10 of Arrows and instruction...perhaps the instructor is readying the boy for his journey by teaching him lessons that he himself  learned along the way.

So, this is my time to begin again with my Tarot studies.  And so I have.

Links to the Tarot pictures:  mary-el.com, RWS, Wildwood.