Gift and Challenge Game.
 

Found on AT and based on an exercise from a book by Rachel Pollack.

Pull one card and give a positive meaning (the gift) and a negative/shadow meaning (the challenge) of that card.

To start us off 8 of Wands

GIFT - swift progress towards your goal.

CHALLENGE - things are happening too fast and you feel overwhelmed.

Three of Pentacles -

Gift: Apprenticing the solidarity of help and togetherness.

Challenge: productivity over emotional currency




(hope I am doing this right :/ Not sure if I draw another random )

The Knight of Wands

Gift: coming to help someone out.

Challenge: getting somewhat distracted and ending up not showing

The Devil (eep, what a card)

Gift: Locked in! This would be a great card if you're wondering if you'll still be in a contract/mortgage etc... apparently it's also one of the more sensual cards in the deck.

Challenge: Again it's about being locked in... but it's challenging when you don't want to be as committed as circumstances are asking of you. The good news here is that people are usually able to extricate themselves, but don't want to for some reason or the other.

4 of Swords

GIFT - the 5 P's (usually it's 6 but had to remove one) Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

Challenge - being unprepared with no solid plan.

The Sun

GIFT. You're feeling on top of the world and nothing can go wrong.

CHALLENGE. Learning a bit more than you really wanted to. The truth can be liberating but only if you want to hear it.

7 of Athames:
GIFT: Success through diplomacy and tact, not confrontation. It requires an agile mind and determination.

CHALLENGE: Overcoming lack of confidence and not believing in yourself (abilities) enough, fear of expressing your truth

Queen of Swords

GIFT: Clear-headed, foresight, and the ability to see everything as it is.
CHALLENGE: All of the above... at the cost of dampening down your emotions and getting them out of the way :D

7 of Swords

GIFT: Having the ability to think outside the square, finding solutions to problems using unconventional methods.

CHALLENGE: Not to get caught out. This is someone who will try and get away with something in the hope his deception isn't found out.

Ace of Wands

GIFT: An epiphany! The spark which enables creative endeavors.

CHALLENGE: Avoid maelstroms, leading to burn-out.

King of Pentacles

GIFT: Hardworking man who is confident, self-reliant and has the knack of being able to turn his hand to most things.

CHALLENGE: Puts money before emotions, especially when in a relationship.

6 of wands/spirit (victory and success)

Gift: Success despite odds. Success that inspires respect.

Challenge: To become boastful and complacent about success which might prove a temporary phase.

The Sun (yeah, I know I'd already pulled this. But it's challenging to find different meanings to keep us on the ball).

Gift: School holidays at the beach, yay!
CHALLENGE: Not enough sunscreen causing some very nasty sunburn.

Knight of Cups

GIFT - sees the beauty in everything.

CHALLENGE - can't face the harsh reality of life.

Strength

GIFT: Calming an otherwise volatile situation using low energy, and soft speech.

CHALLENGE: Trying to get someone to change something negative about themselves for the betterment of a situation, but they won't have a bar of it and resist.

Four of Cups

Gift: Withdrawing and taking a objective look to regroup/ restrategise

Challenge: Accepting all is well as is.

The Hermit

GIFT: The ability to reflect to help find a solution to a problem.

CHALLENGE: Being uncomfortable on your own, feeling lonely and needing company to feel whole.

Nine of Swords:


Gift: Heal and transmute emotions.

Challenge: Staying present

The Lovers:

GIFT: A beautiful loving relationship where each party is open and honest.

CHALLENGE: Temptation of infidelity.

Four of Wands

GIFT: Party time! Enjoying loved ones and letting loose!

CHALLENGE: Don't forget the hostess gift.. ;-)

Six of Wands:

Gift: Sovereignty and triumph over emotions/well being.

Challenge: Bragging *pounds chest* :tongue:

Queen of Wands

GIFT: Extrovert and confident

CHALLENGE: Bad tempered and demanding

King of Swords

GIFT. Knowing when to cut cords with another and being firm of it, detached.
CHALLENGE. Brutal force to disconnect.

Queen of Swords (what's the go with the run of court cards, lol)

GIFT: Ability to be fair and logical, without letting emotions cloud judgement

CHALLENGE: Bitter, cold and aloof

Cygnus - 6 of swords

Gift: Rite of passage. Transitions. Movements. Sailing to another land of coming blessings
Challenge: Tough times. Uncertainty. Conflict through change

I pulled the Queen of Wands AGAIN, so chose to reshuffle.

10 of Cups

GIFT: Feeling at home in a community

CHALLENGE: Having problems fitting in after moving somewhere new

9 of Coins

GIFT - Time to sit back and enjoy all you've worked for.

CHALLENGE - Always falling shy of your goals.

10 of Pentacles

GIFT: Family support

CHALLENGE: Bickering and disagreements, particularly involving money

Justice

Gift: Doing whats right

Challenge: Doing whats right :biggrin:

Hahahaha! Very good! :D

7 of Pentacles

GIFT: Gradually building up security over time (stupid thing to say, seeing as gradually would be over time, lol)...

CHALLENGE: Realising it's been a waste of time after all :icon_frown:

Cardinal Air ~ King of Swords

Gift: Astute discernment, keen eye for things, able to move through tough waters with discernment, strong power and will, authority, knowing

Challenge: Uncertainty, lack of will and power, tyrant, having difficulties in making choices

Hierophant

GIFT: Learning from tradition

CHALLENGE: Being stiff and stuck in your ways

Lovers

Gift. Being already safe in one's own power
Challenge. Opening oneself to loving interactions with others.

The Moon

GIFT: Imagination

CHALLENGE: Fear and confusion

Fool

GIFT - Adventurous

CHALLENGE - Reckless

6 of Cups

GIFT: Fond memories

CHALLENGE: Obsessed with the past

Three of Wands (Mary -el)

Gift: Exploring choices/ideas/Options

Challenge: Getting stuck on one

If I may ask, and not to judge, just wanting to learn... isn't that more Wands 2?
I thought Wands 3 already held more action, taking steps to make it happen, so past the exploring / planning / thinking stage?
I sometimes find it hard to make a distinction between these two, hence my question.

^ Hey Fairy, oh your fine. You know what, they are my two lease favorite wand cards LOL. They seem the same, right? My personal take, I feel there is more of an indulgence with the 3's across the board. I am not using a traditional rider deck so this is probably why I am contrasting with the cards traditional meaning. My card is from the Magical forest and has a frog ( lol) looking at a sailing ship from far distance and he wants to go exploring too. Doesn't the traditional have similar? Someone looking at boats from a far and holding one stick up? My holistic reference says although the person has conquered, the person knows the missions is not complete. Either they are waiting to reap the benefits from their conquest or they are looking for expansion, hence holding one stick up for possible opportunity. The 4 of wands seems to be at a level of completion/celebration.
I feel two's is more exclusive to the concept of 'either/or', similar with two of coins, and yes still planning and thinking as you say. Three's your starting to see more people/objects come into play. Hence why I said 'options' and me thinking the challenge is just being contempt with what you already have. I am not a fan of these particular cards at all but I just wrote down what felt right for me at the moment. I just thought to myself, the little froggie on the pic is not satisfied and wants to get on that ship and see what is in the other side. hehe

Hi Clover,
Indeed the two cards are confusing, even more some on other decks than the RWS. Two of Wands of Green Witch tarot shows a woman waving at two toads that are venturing off, each carrying a wand. There's a cart with fabric she's weaved. The book says it's about beginning something new with lots of enthusiasm, but the results it will bring are yet unknown.

Then 3 of Wands depicts a ship at the docks with crates on the docks. Book says that returns on a venture are successful, possibly even better than expected. Funny enough you can both see the ship as having arrived or about to leave. I'd never seen that before.

With the RWS I always took the 3 of Wands man to be looking out at what he'd want to do and achieve in the future. But I guess it could also be that he already has goods on the ships and they're either departing to sell the goods or are coming in with good returns on a venture.

Hmmzzz, confusing cards indeed. Esp when comparing: RWS 2 of wands has no action, Green Witch has the 2 toads running off with the wands. Maybe I should erase those toads, lol, they put me on the wrong foot, haha. Glue a picture of a flower over it or something :biggrin: