Try to read this

If you can't read it, try reading it with the ends of your eyes pulled back. Haha!

Bee Movie (2007)

Release Date: 7th November 2007
Language: English
Running Time: 90 mins
Rating: PG
Genre: Animated / Comedy
Starring: Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, Renee Zellweger, Jerry Seinfeld
Directed by: KaLok Chin, Steve Hickner, Simon J. Smith
Local Distributor: United International Pictures

From creator Jerry Seinfeld comes "Bee Movie", a comedy that will change everything you thought you knew about bees. Take a close look at the world through the eyes of one bee in particular - Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld). A recent college graduate, Barry wants more out of life than the inevitable career that awaits him and every other worker in New Hive City - a job at Honex... making honey. Barry jumps at the chance to venture out of the hive, and soon encounters a world beyond his wildest dreams. When Barry inadvertently meets a quirky florist named Vanessa (Renee Zellweger), he breaks one of the cardinal rules of beedom - he talks to her. A friendship soon develops, and Barry gets a guided crash course in the ways of the human race. When he shockingly discovers that anyone can purchase honey right off the grocery store shelf, he realizes that his true calling is to stop this injustice and set the world by suing the human race for stealing the bees' precious honey.

Official Website: http://www.beemovie.com//

A rather interesting movie to catch. Well I seldom watch cartoon movies but I still find this movie somewhat nice. The story about Barry B searching for a career in the beedom. Haha! Hilarious. This story shows that every creature in the nature plays a part to the world and other living things. Indirectly, it means that every living thing is link to one another and we affect one another. It is also important that everyone play their part and perform it right. Hence some kind of responsibilities and disciplines have to be in place. Lesson learnt. =D

Ratings: 3/5

The Game Plan (2007)

Release Date: 1st November 2007
Language: English
Running Time: 110 mins
Rating: PG
Genre: Family / Comedy
Starring: Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Directed by: Andy Fickman
Local Distributor: Buena Vista International

"The Game Plan" is the story of superstar quarterback Joe Kingman (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), whose Boston-based team is chasing a championship. A 'serial bachelor', Kingman is living the ultimate fantasy: he's rich, famous and is the life of the party. But this dream suddenly ends when he meets the seven-year-old daughter (newcomer Madison Pettis) he never knew he had - the product of a last fling before parting years ago with his young wife. Now, during the most important time in his career, he must figure out how to juggle his parties, practices and dates with ballet classes, bedtime stories and dolls that come with his daughter. Equally perplexed is his agent, Stella (Kyra Sedgwick) who is without a parental bone in her body. Joe discovers that there's more to life than money and fame...

Extracted from: http://sg.movies.yahoo.com/The+Game+Plan/movie/14329/

Official Website: http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/gameplan/

This is a heart-warming movie, showing the kinship of a father and his daughter. A rather plain American storyline with some comedy in it.

Ratings: 3/5

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,

for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.


quoted from 'Unknown'

Thanks to Sharonne for sharing! =)

Stardust (2007)

Release Date: 1st November 2007
Language: English
Running Time: 128 mins
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Action
Starring: Sienna Miller, Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Charlie Cox, Robert De Niro
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Local Distributor: United International Pictures

From the imaginations of best-selling author Neil Gaiman and director Matthew Vaugh comes “Stardust”, the enchanting tale of a fallen star who crashes into a magical kingdom – and turns out to be no ordinary meteorite at all, but a beautiful, imperilled woman chased after by an incredible array of seekers who want or need her secret powers. From wicked witches to power-mad princes, from flying pirates to duelling goblins, each person who encounters the star has his or her own agenda, but they all desire just one thing: her heart.

The result is a rip-roaring tale of true love and high adventure that mixes and matches all the grand themes and imagination-sparking elements that have ever caused anyone of any age to fall in love with fairy tales.

“Stardust” begins in the sleepy English village of Wall, so named for the cobblestone wall that has, for eons, kept the villagers safely apart from the supernatural parallel universe that lies just on the other side. It is here that young Tristan Thorne (Charlie Cox) makes a wild-eyed promise to the prettiest girl in the village (Sienna Miller), whose heart he hopes to win: that he will bring her back a fallen star. Now, in order to make good on his promise, Tristan will have to cross the forbidden wall, and enter a mysterious kingdom lit by unending magic and unfolding legends of which he will quickly become a part.

In this fantastical realm known as Stormhold, Tristan discovers that the fallen star is not at all what he expected but a spirited young woman (Claire Danes) injured by her cosmic tumble. Now, she is in terrible danger – sought after by colossal powers including the King’s (Peter O’toole) scheming sons for whom only she can secure the throne; and a chillingly powerful witch (Michelle Pfeiffer) desperate to use the star to achieve eternal youth and beauty.

As Tristan sets out to protect the star and bring her back to his beloved on the other side of the wall, his journey will bring incredible encounters with pirate captain (Robert De Niro) and a shady trader (Ricky Gervais), among other surprises. But if he can survive by his wits and the strength of his newfound love, Tristan will also uncover the secret key to his own identity and a fate beyond his wildest dreams.

Official Website: http://www.stardustmovie.com/

This is a movie not to be missed! I managed to catch it at a cheaper price. Haha! It's a very nice movie especially to people who likes fairy tale genre stories and magical works in the movie. There are witches, king, princes and princess... and of course a Star. Go watch it and you'll be able to find out more!

Ratings: 3.5/5

What's Your Personality Type?

You Are An ENFJ

The Giver You strive to maintain harmony in relationships, and usually succeed. Articulate and enthusiastic, you are good at making personal connections. Sometimes you idealize relationships too much - and end up being let down. You find the most energy and comfort in social situations ... where you shine. In love, you are very protective and supporting. However, you do need to "feel special" - and it's quite easy for you to get jealous. At work, you are a natural leader. You can help people discover their greatest potential. You would make a good writer, human resources director, or psychologist. How you see yourself: Trusting, idealistic, and expressive When other people don't get you, they see you as: Bossy, inappropriate, and loud

What's Your Personality Type?

Me meh?

Farewell Bunny!

Farewell to you Bunny. I hope you can cope well in the Army. =)

Will she make it?

*WARNING*

Just don't be too shock if you gonna continue reading this and watching the video.

Below is a MV I bet you've never seen before. Just got a shock of my life while watching. Scared and yet excited to wanna finish watching it.

Keng, if you're reading this I bet you'll love it so much. Haha!

Proudly presents to you the China Wine! Tada!

Well... She's Sun Ho if you can recognise. A big difference from her image she gives to the Asian fans right? Perhaps that's the way to break into the American music industry. Like what Coco Lee once did. Somehow or rather, it's still very hard to get into the market. They have many more talented artistes around than in Asia. Or at least those artistes suit their taste.

So next time you see Sun Ho around on TV, you can imagine she has these 2 images she gives to people. One is her so holy, friendly and caring pastor-turned-singer image that she portrays to Asian and the other is her so wild and bitchy image to the Americans.

What a shock! Phew!

H is cute!

H is cute & adorable. The pair of eyes tells. Cool too. Too cool.

Met H twice today. Twice! That's like so rare. I saw H more than twice today in fact. So altogether it's like 1, 2, 3, 4... 5. About 5 times! Why am I so happy? As though H is God like that... Maybe 'cos H is rare so I'll appreciate more. Just like Bunny, Fattoon, Madame Butterfly, Tortoise and all... They are rare too! Where on earth did I manage to find all these peeps as friends? Seems all are from the animal/insect world.

For your info, I'm Penguine. LOL! Don't laugh! I told my secondary school teacher that I adore penguines. Don't you just find them cute? Very cute in fact! Right, Fattoon? As adorable. =)

As requested...

Update.

NDP @ Marina Bay (28 July 2007)

Wahahah! I'm so fortunate to be able to catch this year's NDP preview! All thanks to bunny! He gave me the tickets last minute, hoping for my surprise reaction in return. Too bad I disappointed him. LOL!

This year's NDP is definitely a catch. Many exciting ingredients are added in to make an overpowering concoction. That is to say, too many new things are added and it leads to somewhat a mess, yet a mess in the nice way somehow. 'Cos of the excitement?! After the special effect comes from this direction, you'll be led to another place for some attention and then back to the stage and it continues. That's what I mean.

Overall, it's still a very nice catch as compared to past years' NDP. There will be just too many excitements not to be missed in this year's NDP. So do remember to catch it Keng Wee! Be patriotic even after you've ORD!

To catch some of the photos that I've taken, proceed here.

La Vie En Rose (la Mome) (2007)

Release Date: 26th July 2007
Language: French
Running Time: 140 mins
Rating: NC16
Genre: Drama
Starring: Gerard Depardieu, Emmanuelle Seigner, Sylvie Testud, Jean-Pierre Martins, Marion Cotillard
Directed by: Olivier Dahan
Local Distributor: Cathay-Keris Films

A swirling impressionistic portrait of an artist who regretted nothing, writer-director Olivier Dahan’s La Vie en Rose stars 2005 Cesar Award-winner Marion Cotillard (A Very Long Engagement, A Good Year) in a blazing performance as the legendary French icon Edith Piaf.

Perhaps finding her nearest American analogues in figures such as Judy Garland and Billie Holiday, the tragic story of the world-famous chanteuse is worthy of a 19th Century novel by Zola or Balzac. From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York’s most famous concert halls, Piaf’s life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Born into abject poverty, surrounded by street performers, hookers, and pimps, Piaf’s magical voice made her a star on both sides of the Atlantic.

Raised in her grandmother’s brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee (Gerard Depardieu), who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. This, combined with her diminutive height (4’ 8”), inspired Leplee to give the singer the nickname that would stay with her the rest of her life, La Mome Piaf (“The Little Sparrow”).

Piaf’s passionate romances and friendships with some of the greatest names of the era-Charlie Chaplin, Jean Cocteau, Yves Montand, and Marlene Deitrich, who famously remarked that Piaf’s voice is “the soul of Paris”-made her a household name as much as her unforgettable renditions of the songs she made famous, including “Hymne a l’amour” (1949), “Milord” (1959), and “Non, je ne regrette rien” (1960). The title of the film is from Piaf’s signature song “La Vie en Rose” (1946), a love song which translates into English as “The Life in Pink.”

But in her audacious attempt to tame her tragic destiny, the Little Sparrow flew so high that she could not fail to burn her wings. The great love of Piaf’s life, Middleweight boxing champion Marcel Cerdan, died in a plane crash in 1949. Piaf developed a serious morphine addiction following a car accident in 1951, and eventually succumbed to cancer in 1963, dying at the untimely age of forty-seven. Piaf’ remains, however, one of France’s immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 10th Century.

Official Website: http://www.edithpiafmovie.com/

A very nice and understandable french movie. This french movie on the autobiography of singer Edith Piaf is captivating. I see her life somehow ill-fated yet glamorous - she was famous enough to export herself out of France at that time.

I would seriously consider this movie as a must watch. However, knowing that Singaporeans don't favour such movie genre other than the blockbuster movies, I don't foresee it as one of the best-selling movies in Singapore.

My tears just kept flowing non-stop towards the end of the movie, while she was lying on her bed, reminiscing on her life (background playing song "Non, je ne regrette rien"). It let me thought of myself, looking back at my past when the day comes. Rather sad. Haha. Erm... And I like that song too. Shall get it somehow. Nice movie to catch.

Rating: 4/5

Left or Right?

1. Place your palms together as if you are praying. Look at your thumbs. If you see...

Left thumb below right thumb ---> Left brain

Right thumb below left thumb ---> Right brain

2. Fold your arms in front of you (as if you are angry)...

Right arm above left arm ---> Left brain

Left arm above right arm ---> Right brain

Base on point 1 and 2 (order is important), below is the interpretation of your personality:

Right-Left

- Considerate, traditional and indirect type.

- Can instinctively read other's emotions.

- Respond friendly by nature.

- Although not very into taking initiatives in moving forward, this person will always take a step back in supporting others.

- Stable personality and considerate and give others a being protected feeling.

- Weakness is they cannot say no; regardless how unwilling they are, they will take care of others.

Right-Right

- Loves challenges type. Straightforward.

- Once they decided on one thing, they will take action right away.

- Very curious, and love challenges.

- Dare to face dangers without thinking through (sometimes foolishly).

- Their weakness is that they don't listen to others. They will filter in only what they want to hear in a conversation, and very subjective.

- However, because of their straightforward attitude, they tend to be fairly popular.

Left-Left
- Dedicated, cold, perfectionist.

- Very logical in all aspects.

- The only way to defeat (or win over) him/her is through reasons.

- Has lots of pride, and feeling strongly about doing the right thing.

- If they are your friends, they are very trustworthy.

- However, if they are your opponents, they will be very tough to deal with. Because they can be very 'anal' as a perfectionist, they usually leave a bad impression of being hard to deal with when first met.

Left-Right

- Likes to take care of others. Leader type.

- Has a cool and keen observation ability to see through situations and yet still can be considerate in others' needs.

- Because of their cool, calm nature and strong sense of responsibility, they tend to become head of a group.

- Popular among people.

-However, they may not be able to help themselves in meddling because they want to take care of others too much.

- Very concerned about how others view them, and always on alert.

Which one are you?

Chocolat au village de Flavigny

Oh my God! Look at the picture! You see that picture? You know where is it? It's at France! A place named Flavigny. And it's le village de Flavigny, the place where the movie Chocolat was filmed. Oh... Found it from a link that sells candy made in that village.

Tada! L'Anis de Flavigny This is the link. That is a brand that produces candies since the 9th century. They are presented in keepsake tins, decorated with beautiful old-fashioned pictures.

Well I don't think the candies are nice but I certainly think that the tins are beautiful. Very certain. It's still hard to say whether they taste nice... Maybe they are? I don't know. Never tasted them before. You know? Don't know? Go buy lah! Can get them from Beautyhabit.com. Then can share with me lor... Since I introduce to you, you all buy and share with me. Wahaha! Like conducting monologue here. DUH!

Happy 29th Birthday Yanzi!

Happy birthday to you! =)

Looking forward to your new album soon! Though not any sooner...

Wei Lun to the Army days...

Had a small gathering with Wei Lun, Sharon and Benny at VivoCity on Thursday before Wei Lun set off for his Army journey. He should have, by now, reported to Pulau Tekong for his enlistment. Take care pal! See you perhaps 2 weeks later. =)

Main character of the day! Tada!!

The female lead: Sharonne

Guest appearance: Benny

Wei Lun & Sharonne as the couple

Benny & Wei Lun looking at different directions <_< ^_^

The friends!

Some scenes at VivoCity

Be a Fashionista` (5)

OMG! I have been procrastinating of getting the light grey cardigan. It's nice lah! Maybe not on me. But it's still nice. =p

And the white printed crew neck t-shirt looks cool with the prints!

Get to know yourself better

哇靠! 这超准的!

Your view on yourself:

Other people find you very interesting, but you are really hiding your true self. Your friends love you because you are a good listener. They'll probably still love you if you learn to be yourself with them.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You are a true romantic. When you are in love, you will do anything and everything to keep your love true.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You are ready to commit as soon as you meet the right person. And you believe you will pretty much know as soon as you might that person.

The seriousness of your love:

You are very serious about relationships and aren't interested in wasting time with people you don't really like. If you meet the right person, you will fall deeply and beautifully in love.

Your views on education:

Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:

You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:

You are afraid of failure and scared to have a go at the career you would like to have in case you don't succeed. Don't give up when you haven't yet even started! Be courageous.

What are you most afraid of:

You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:

You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.

Try it: http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test82.aspx

Remember this moment...

Date: 07/07/07
Time: 07:07am

Remember this moment. As it won't come again anymore. In fact, no moment will come again. But this is a special moment that's kinda once in a lifetime. Just like...

Date: 01/01/01, 01:01am

Date: 02/02/02, 02:02am

Date: 03/03/03, 03:03am

Date: 04/04/04, 04:04am

Date: 05/05/05, 05:05am

Date: 06/06/06, 06:06am

And it's 07/07/07, 07:07am now.

Actually it isn't 07:07am now. I was sleeping then. Hahaha! But just to create that 'once in a lifetime special moment feeling' therefore I'm lying. Whahah! It's actually 11:40pm now. Just came back from SSA 40th Anniversary Day performance at Singapore Indoor Stadium. Wow! What a busy yet fulfilling day. I was running here and there, helping out. Quite fun. And I took some photos at the river side.

Quite nice ambience there. Good place for close friends and couple. =)

一见钟情

他们彼此深信,
是瞬间并发的热情让他们相遇.
这样的确定是美丽的,
但变幻无常更为美丽.

原来我们那么近, 但是又碰不到...

Any Chance to really be together?

Mysterieux 784533

Where Have All The Flowers Gone

Lyrics for: Where Have All The Flowers Gone
From the album: Around The Campfire
Songwriter: Seeger, Pete
Label: Warner Bros.
Genres: Folk

Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing.

Where have all the flowers gone, long time ago.

Where have all the flowers gone, young girls picked them every one.

When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone, long time passing.

Where have all the young girls gone, long time ago.

Where have all the young girls gone, gone to young men every one.

When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young men gone, long time passing.

Where have all the young men gone, long time ago.

Where have all the young men gone, they are all in uniform.

When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

Where have all the soldiers gone, long time passing.

Where have all the soldiers gone, long time ago.

Where have all the soldiers gone, gone to graveyards every one.

When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

Where have all the graveyards gone, long time passing.

Where have all the graveyards gone, long time ago.

Where have all the graveyards gone, covered with flowers every one.

When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

I'm truly happy for you friends...

I'm happy to see that most of my friends have found their partners. It's a good thing. Afterall, it's about age for us to find a partner. However, I still pretty much enjoy singlehood though I do agree that it's time I should find one. Haha! Contradictions. That's about me.

Anyway, it's glad to see my friends find happiness together with their partners. It's not an easy thing. And I believe Fate has come into their picture to match them together. Well, not yet for the other half of my friends. Don't worry pals, you guys will eventually find one if you really thought of finding one and perhaps when it's your time. For the time being, you guys have the mission of accompanying the singlehood me! Wahahah!

Nowadays, I quite enjoy loneliness. I think should be very much enjoy. Don't know why. Maybe because I'm growing old? LOL! Or maybe because I don't enjoy crowds in the first place.

I was at Frontier Community Centre for SSA's 40th Anniversary Day combine rehearsal this morning and almost half of the time I was alone. Immersed almost totally into my own thoughts while at times chatted with some old friends, I somehow just felt that I don't belong to the group anymore... I can't feel for it. It isn't like the past anymore. It's nice to see Mei Qi back though. This long time comrade...

I was saying the feeling I'm feeling now is different from the past. I don't wish to compare but I just know that I don't like the roles that I'm playing now. I'd just wanna be a simple member and participant for the events. It's and would be much simpler for the thinker me.

Grr... Don't know what am I blabbering... Tired and I think I need some sleep.

承诺 | 负担

你不敢承诺, 是因为你怕承诺带来的负担.

爱你一万年

I had found my best love, but I did not treasure it...

I felt regretful after that. It is the ultimate pain in the world...
If God can give me a chance, I will tell the person three words, "I love you".
If God wanna give me a time limit, I will say this love will last ten thousand years.

Isn't it kinda familiar? Haha!

Tarot Card - The World

Basic Card Symbols
Woman or hermaphrodite dancing, a wreath in the shape of a Yoni (almond shaped circle), two wands, a cherub, an eagle, a lion, a bull.

Basic Tarot Story
The Fool turns to take that final step along his final path, and finds, to his bemusement that he is right back where he started, at the edge of that very same cliff he almost stepped over when he was young and too foolish to look where he was going. But now he sees his position very differently. He thought he could separate body and mind, learn all about one, then leave it to learn about the other. But in the end, it is all about self, mind and body, past and future, the individual, and the world. All one. As above, so below, and all opposites are each other, including the Fool and the Mystic who are both doorways to the secrets of the universe. With a knowing smile, the Fool takes that final step right off the cliff...and soars. Higher and higher, until the whole of the world is his to see. And there he dances, surrounded by a yoni of stars, one with the universe. Ending, in a sense, where he began, beginning again at the end. The world turns, and the Fool journey is complete.

Basic Tarot Meaning
The World card pictures a dancer in a Yoni (sometimes made of laurel leaves). The Yoni symbolizes the great Mother, the cervix through which everything is born, and also the doorway to the next life after death. It is indicative of a complete circle. The Dancer has one leg crossed over the other, just like the Hanged man. She is, in a sense, his opposite, the hanged man right-side-up. As the Hanged Man saw infinitely inward, the Dancer sees infinitely outward. Which brings us to the Lion, Bull, Cherub and Eagle standing for Leo, Taurus, Aquarius and Scorpio, the fixed signs of the Zodiac (these link the ever turning World card to the ever turning Wheel of Fortune), and so symbolic of the four elements, four compass points and the four corners of the universe. All within the Dancer's sight and power.

Thus, the World card, very aptly, represents a successful conclusion, all aspects accounted for and taken in. Simply put, this card tells the Querent that the end to a long-term project is in sight, and that it will be accompanied by well-earned praise, celebration and success. With Saturn as its ruling planet, this card can also indicate that the Querent, now an expert in their subject, is likely to become a teacher or sought-after lecturer. And, finally, on a more mundane level, the World card indicates travel, not short business trips, but long, fantastic trips. Maybe a lecture tour, book signing, or just a trip around the world. This is a wonderful card of wholeness, perfection, satisfaction and happiness.

Thirteen's Observations
There are three possible things I usually see in this card when it comes up, sometimes combined, sometimes not:

(1) Everything finally coming together, successfully and at last. The Querent will get that Ph.D. they've been working for years to complete, they'll graduate at long last, marry after a long engagement, finish that huge project. This card is not for little ends, but for big ones, important ones, ones that come with well earned cheers and acknowledgements. The Querent's hard work, knowledge, wisdom, patience, etc, will absolutely pay-off; they've done everything right.

(2) Maybe because of their success, the Querent is about to become a teacher, a Sensei, if you will. Revered for their expertise.

(3) And maybe, because of this, they're going to be offered a job or trip to some amazing place. They're asked to lecture in a remote city in India, spend a month at the North Pole, teach on board a boat sailing round the globe. No boring little trip for this person, no sir! Luckily for them, the World card indicates that they'll feel comfortable and welcome no matter where they go. The World card indicates a person who owns nothing, because everything is theirs. No place is their home because every place is their home. It's all one, all complete.

Tarot Card - Judgement

Basic Card Symbols
Angel, trumpets, graves with people rising from them, often water or an ocean.

Basic Tarot Story
As the Fool leaves the garden of the Sun, he feels that he is near the end of his journey, ready to take a final step. But something is keeping him from doing this, holding him back. He gazes up, hoping to find guidance from the Sun; instead he sees above him a fiery angel, beautiful and terrible.

"You are right," the Angelic figure confirms, "you have only one last step on your journey, one final step to completion. But you cannot take that step until you lay your past to rest." The Fool is perturbed. "Lay it to rest? I thought I'd left it behind, all of it," he says. "There is no way to do that," The Angel observes. "Each step wears down the shoe just a bit, and so shapes the next step you take, and the next and the next. Your past is always under your feet. You cannot hide from it, run from it, or rid yourself of it. But you can call it up, and come to terms with it. Are you willing to do that?"

The Angel hands the Fool a small trumpet. The Fool is hesitant, but he knows that this is a final decision. Either to go forward, or stay where he is. He blows, and the trumpet's song echoes across the sky, its vibrations seeming to crack open the Earth. From under the Fool's feet, memories rise. Images of his innocent youth, challenges, loves, failures, losses, success, disillusionment and wisdom.

For the first time, he does not try to leave them, ignore or forget them, but accepts them. They are, he sees, nothing to fear. They happened, but they are gone now. He, alone, carries them into the present. With that understanding, the memories vanish. Though they remain in his mind, they no longer have any power over him. He is free of them, reborn, and wholly in the present.

Basic Tarot Meaning
With Fire as its ruling element (or Pluto as its ruling planet), Judgement is about rebirth, ressurection. The idea of Judgement day is that the dead rise, their sins are forgiven, and they move onto heaven. The Judgement card is similar, it asks the resurrection to summon the past, forgive it, and let it go. There are wounds from the past that we never let heal, sins we've committed that we refuse to forgive, bad habits we haven't the courage to lose. Judgement advises us to finally face these, recognize that the past is past, and put them to rest, absolutely and irrevocably. This is also a card of healing, quite literally from an accident or illness, as well as a card signaling great transformation, renewal, change.

Thirteen's Observations
Judgement is often a hard card to read; it usually signals just a big change, that involves leaving something old completely behind and stepping into something completely new. Like closing the door on an old job, and opening the door to a new and very different career. But it's also about making a final decision, to take that plunge into the new career, to forgive your family, to leave an abusive spouse, to make a new life. To heal and renew. A very hard card to read in part because it deals with very hard and final decisions. And it means facing something that most Querent's don't want to face. You can't hide any longer, this card says, all the dead have risen and are out in the open. Face what you have to face, make that decision. Change.

Tarot Card - The Sun

Basic Card Symbols
The Sun, one or two naked children (a naked little boy, sometimes riding a white pony or a boy & a girl), sunflowers, often a wall, sometimes a banner.

Basic Tarot Story
The Fool wakes at dawn from his long, restless night to find that the wild river has, at last, come to an end, quietly floating him into a serene pool. There is a walled garden around this pond dominated by roses, lilies and splendid, nodding sunflowers. Stepping ashore, he watches the Sun rise overhead, bright and golden. The day is clear. A child's laughter attracts his attention and he sees a little boy ride a small white pony into the garden.

"Come!" says the little boy, leaping off the horse and running up to him. "Come see!" And the child proceeds to take the Fool's hand and enthusiastically point out all manner of things, the busy insects in the grass, the seeds and petals on the sunflowers, the way the light sparkles on the pond. He asks questions of the Fool, simple but profound ones, like "Why is the sky blue?" He sings songs, and plays games with the Fool.

At one point the Fool stops, blinking up at the Sun so large and golden overhead, and he finds himself smiling, wider and brighter than he has in a very long time. Since he started on this spiritual journey, he has been tested and tried, confused and scared, dismayed and amazed. But this is the first time that he has been simply and purely happy. His mind feels illuminated, his soul light and bright as a sunbeam. Like the great Sun itself, this child with his simple questions, games and songs, has helped the Fool see the world and himself anew, to wonder at and appreciate both. "Who are you?" the Fool asks the child at last. The child smiles at this and seems to shine. And then he grows brighter and brighter until he turns into pure sunlight. "I'm You," the boy's voice says throughout the garden, "The new you." And as the words fill the Fool with warmth and energy, he comes to realize that this garden, the sun above, the child, all exist within him. He has just met his own inner light.

Basic Tarot Meaning
The Sun is ruled by...the Sun, of course. This is the light that comes after the long dark night, Apollo to the Moon's Diana. A positive card, it promises the Querent their day in the sun. Glory, gain, triumph, pleasure, truth, success. As the moon symbolized inspiration from the unconscious, from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made fully consciousness and wide awake. This is science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect, clarity of mind, and feelings of youthful energy. And, yes, the child/children in this card can be taken literally if other cards in the spread seem to suggest it. Your Querent can be informed that a wanted and most welcome babe will soon be on the way. Likely a boy, or twins.

Thirteen's Observations
I actually have predicted children with this card once, and once only. Most of the time, however, this card, to me, is all about the Apollian ideal. Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way. It's one of those days when it all goes right. Just right. The money you were waiting for arrives and a bonus has been added, the project you've been working on comes out perfectly and you get all the credit. Traffic lights turn green for you, liars come clean and apologize, the garden blooms, the sky is blue, the weather is warm and sweet. As the song goes, "Here comes the Sun...." and absolutely everything is going to be all right.

Tarot Card - The Moon

Basic Card Symbols
A full moon (with a crescent within), twin pillars, two dogs/wolves howling, a stream that runs to the ocean, a crayfish emerging out of the water.

Basic Tarot Story
Following the star the Fool travels through the night. The full Moon rises, illuminating for him a watery path. And he begins to feel disoriented, as if walking in his sleep. He passes under the moon, between two pillars ancient and strange. Suddenly, he looks around to find himself in another land entirely. When he was in the presence of the High Priestess, he saw hints of this dark land though the sheer veil draped behind her throne. And later, when he hung from the tree, he felt himself between the physical world and this one. Now, he has at last passed behind the veil. Here are the mysteries he sought, at least, here are the dark mysteries, ones that have to do with the most primal and ancient powers, powers of nature, not of civilization. It is a land poets, artists, musicians and madmen know well, a terrifying, alluring place, with very different rules. Wolves, howling in homage to the moon, run wild across this land, hunting along side maidens with bow and arrows; and creatures from childhood nightmares and fantasies peer from shadows, eyes glowing.

The path the Fool was walking is now a river, and he stands hip-deep in the powerful pull of its salty, moonlit waters. There is, on the nearby shore, a small boat, but it has no rutter, no oar. The Fool realizes he has only two choices. He can lose himself in this desolate, primal land of madness and illusion, howl with the wolves, be hunted down, or he can get into the boat, and trust himself to the river. The moon will be in control either way, but in the boat, his surrender to the powers of the unconscious and the natural world will at least take him somewhere. As the artists and poets and magicians know, inspiration, visions, genius, Moon magic, are the rewards of such surrender. The Fool gets into the boat, and shoves off. As the waters sweep him away, moon beams light his "path" and he feels the Mistress of this dark land gazing down at him with the High Priestess's approving eyes.

Basic Meaning
With Pisces as its ruling sign, the Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. The Querent who gets this card should be warned that they may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if they have any past mental problems, they must be vigilant in taking their medication. They should avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. They can and should trust their intuition.

Thirteen's Observations
This is the card of that scary, dreamy, secret otherworld where lies the most powerful and dark magics. Primal magics. It is the card that you'd get for Jackson Pollack types, switching between being wild, mean, crazy drunks and creative geniuses. They have wicked mood swings, dark, dark, dark depressions, charming manic modes. They have no inhibitions, don't even try to behave themselves in polite society, their crazy behavior sometimes inspired, sometimes horribly embarrassing, even unbelievable, even dangerous. But the art, poetry, music they produce....it's magic. When I get this card, I let the Querent know they're in for an emotional and mental rollercoaster ride. They can do two things, either wander through this crazy, lunatic landscape howling at the moon (get drunk, wallow in depression, alienate friends and family with wild, antisocial behavior), or get in a boat and go through it purposefully (paint something!).

Tarot Card - The Star

Basic Card Symbols
Seven or eight stars, a kneeling woman, a pool of water, two urns.

Basic Tarot Story
On the bleak landscape where the Tower stood, the Fool sits, empty, despairing. He hoped to find himself on this spiritual journey, but now he feels he's lost everything, even himself. Sitting on the cold stones, he gazes up at the night sky wondering what's left. And that is when he notices, nearby, a beautiful girl with two water urns. As he watches, she kneels by a pool of water illuminated with reflected starlight. She empties the urns, one into the pool, one onto the thirsty ground.

"What are you doing," he asks her. She looks up at him, her eyes twinkling like stars. "I am refilling this pool, so that those who are thirsty may drink, and I am also watering the earth so that, come spring, the seeds will grow," she tells him. And then she adds, "Come. Drink." The Fool comes to kneel with her by the pool and drink. The water tastes wonderful, like liquid starlight. "I can see you are sad," the girl continues, "and I know why. But you must remember that you have not lost all. Knowledge, possibilities, hope, you still have all of these. Like stars, they can lead you to a new future." Even as she says this, she began to fade away, like dew, vanishing. All that remains is a gleam that was at the center of her forehead. This rises up and up, until it settles in the night sky as a shining star. "Follow your star," the woman's voice seems to sing from that light, "and have hope." The Fool takes in a breath and rises. It is a dark night, a desolate land. But for the first time, he has a guiding light to show him the way. Distant as it is, it heals his heart, and restores his faith.

Basic Tarot Meaning
With Aquarius as its ruling sign, The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench the Querent's thirst, with a guiding light to the future.

Thirteen's Observations
The Star is one of those cards everyone loves. In every deck, it is usually the most beautiful. It suggests the peace and harmony of its meaning. There is nothing negative about this card, but I think there is a trick to it. Whatever hope, healing, future it offers, the reader must remember that it might not be immediate. This is a soft card, and like Aquarius, its vision is for tomorrow, not today. That's not to say that it offers no concrete benefits; it is a card the predicts unexpected help, but that help is only the first step. The star only reveals the future. It is up to the Querent to find his way to that future.

Tarot Card - The Tower

Basic Card Symbols
A tower on a rocky outcropping, a powerful bolt of lightning, one or two figures falling from the tower, sometimes waves crashing below.

Basic Tarot Story
As the Fool leaves the throne of the Goat God, he comes upon a Tower, fantastic, magnificent, and familiar. In fact, The Fool, himself, helped build this Tower back when the most important thing to him was making his mark on the world and proving himself better than other men. Inside the Tower, at the top, arrogant men still live, convinced of their rightness. Seeing the Tower again, the Fool feels as if lightning has just flashed across his mind; he thought he'd left that old self behind when he started on this spiritual journey. But he realizes now that he hasn't. He's been seeing himself, like the Tower, like the men inside, as alone and singular and superior, when in fact, he is no such thing. So captured is he by the shock of this insight, that he opens his mouth and releases a SHOUT! And to his astonishment and terror, as if the shout has taken form, a bolt of actual lightning slashes down from the heavens, striking the Tower and sending its residents leaping out into the waters below.

In a moment, it is over. The Tower is rubble, only rocks remaining. Stunned and shaken to the core, the Fool experiences grief, profound fear and disbelief. But also, a strange clarity of vision, as if his inner eye has finally opened. He tore down his resistance to change and sacrifice (Hanged man), then broke free of his fear and preconceptions of death (Death); he dissolved his belief that opposites cannot be merged (Temperance) and shattered the chains of ambition and desire (The Devil). But here and now, he has done what was hardest: destroyed the lies he held about himself. What's left is the bare, absolute truth. On this he can rebuild his soul.

Basic Tarot Meaning
With Mars as its ruling planet, the Tower is a card about war, a war between the structures of lies and the lightning flash of truth. The Tower, as Wang points out, stands for "false concepts and institutions that we take for real." When the Querent gets this card, they can expect to be shaken up, to be blinded by a shocking revelation. It sometimes takes that to see a truth that one refuses to see. Or to bring down beliefs that are so well constructed. What's most important to remember is that the tearing down of this structure, however painful, makes room for something new to be built.

Thirteen's Observations
No card scares a Tarot reader like the Tower - or the person they're reading for if that person knows anything about Tarot cards. It is however one of the clearest cards when it comes to meaning. False structures, false institutions, false beliefs are going to come tumbling down, suddenly, violently and all at once. What's important to remember as a tarot reader is that the one you're reading for likely does not know that something is false. Not yet. To the contrary, they probably believe that their lover is being faithful, that their religious beliefs are true and right, that there are no problems in their family structure, that everything is fine at work...oh, and that they're fine. Just fine, really.

Alas, they're about to get a very rude awakening. Shaken up, torn down, blown asunder. And all a reader can really do to soften the blow is assure the Querent that it is for the best. Nothing built on a lie, on falsehoods, can remain standing for long. Better to tear it all down and rebuild on the truth. It is not going to be pleasant or painless or easy, but it will be for the best.

Tarot Card - The Devil

Basic Card Symbols
A winged, horned devil, a black pedestal, a naked male and female figure, chains, inverted pentagram.

Basic Tarot Story
The Fool comes to the foot of an enormous black mountain where reigns a creature half goat, half god. At his hooves, naked people linked to the god's throne by chains, engage in every indulgence imaginable: sex, drugs, food, gold, drink. The closer the Fool gets, the more he feels his own earthly desires rising in him. Lust, passion, obsession, greed. "I refuse to give into you!" he roars at the Goat god, resisting with all his might. The creature returns a curious look. "All I am doing is bringing out what is already in you," the beast responds. "Such feelings are nothing to fear, nothing to be ashamed of, or even to avoid." The Fool gestures angrily at the chained men and women, "You say that even though they enslaved?" The Goat-god mimics the Fool's gesture. "Take another look."

The Fool does so, and realizes that the chained collars the men and women wear are wide enough for them to easily slip off over their heads. "They can be free if they wish to be," the Goat-god says, "Though you are right. I am the god of your strongest desires. But you see here only those who have allowed their base, bestial desires to control them." At this the Goat-god gestures upward, toward the peak of the mountain. "You do not see those who have allowed their impulses and aspirations to take them up to the top of that mountain. Inhibitions can enslave as easily as excesses. They can keep you from following your passion to the highest heights." The Fool realizes the truth in this, and that he has mistaken the Goat-god. Here he understands now, it is not a creature of evil, but of great power, the lowest and the highest, both of beast and god. Like all power it is frightening, and dangerous...but it is also the key to freedom and transcendence if understood and well used.

Basic Tarot Meaning
Perhaps the most misunderstood of all the major arcana, the Devil is not really "Satan" at all, but Pan the half-goat nature god and/or Dionysius. These are gods of pleasure and abandon, of wild behavior and unbridled desires. With Capricorn as its ruling sign, this is a card about ambitions; it is also synonymous with temptation and addiction. On the flip side, however, the card can be a warning to someone who is too restrained, someone who never allows themselves to get passionate or messy or wild - or ambitious. This, too, is a form of enslavement. As a person, the Devil can stand for a man of money or erotic power, aggressive, controlling, or just persuasive. This is not to say a bad man, but certainly a powerful man who is hard to resist. The important thing is to remind the Querent that any chain is freely worn. In most cases, you are enslaved only because you allow it.

Thirteen's Observations
This card explores some very frightening things, things we are taught to view as evil or shameful. Like earthy materialism, sexual desire, valuables, food, drugs. Lack of control, excess, obsession and raw ambition. At its absolute worst, this is either the addict or the stalker, totally obsessed, enslaved. At its best, this is a card about giving into impulse, cutting lose, going for the gold, climbing every mountain. Among all the cards, this is one of the most complex. Interestingly because no other card is so one-sided. Most cards urge balance, unity, restraint, yin-yang. Not this card. Completely tilted toward the masculine, it is a card that revels in extremity. There is a convincing argument that this is the most powerful and dangerous card in the deck. Magically speaking, it is the one card in the deck that holds the secret of how to escape the material and temporal bonds of Earth. It is a very potent and fascinating card.

Tarot Card - Temperance

Basic Card Symbols
An angel (often female or genderless), a pool or river of water. Two cups or beakers, a fluid flowing between them.

Basic Tarot Story
Continuing on his spiritual path, the Fool begins to wonder how to reconcile the opposites that he's been facing: material and spiritual (which he hung between as the Hanged man), death and birth (the one leading into the other in the Death card). It is at this point that he comes upon a winged figure standing with one foot in a brook, the other on a rock. The radiant creature pours something from one flask into another. Drawing closer, the Fool sees that what is being poured from one flask is fire, while water flows from the other. The two are being blended together!

"How can you mix fire and water?" the Fool finally whispers. Never pausing the Angel answers, "You must have the right vessels and the right proportions." The Fool watches with wonder. "Can this be done with all opposites?" he asks. "Indeed," the Angel replies, "Any oppositions, fire and water, man and woman, thesis and anti-thesis, can be made to harmonize. It is only a lack of will, a disbelief in the possibility of unity, that keeps opposites, opposite." And that is when the Fool begins to understand that he is the one who is keeping his universe in twain, holding life/death, material world and spiritual world separate. In him, the two could merge, as in the vessels that the Angel uses to pour the elements, one to the other. All it takes, the Fool realizes, is the right proportions....and the right vessel.

Basic Tarot Meaning
It is hard, at first, to see where Sagittarius, the ruling sign of this card, fits in. Sagittarius is an expansive sign and Temperance is, on a surface level, about "tempering." Butler points out that the original pouring from cup to cup might have been about cutting wine with water. So this is a card about moderation. There is, however, another angle to the card, that of merging seemingly impossible opposites. Sagittarius, the centaur, merges beast and man into a unique creature. And then there is the bow and arrow, one moving, one stationary, working together to point the way. Temperance may be, at first glance, a warning to the Querent to "temper" their behavior, to cut their wine with water. But it may also be a reminder to the Querent that seemingly irreconcilable opposites may not be irreconcilable at all. Belief that fiery red and watery blue cannot be merged may be the only thing standing in the way of blending the two. Change the belief, measure out each with care, and you can create otherworldly violet.

Thirteen's Observations
This is one of the hardest cards to interpret. I think, perhaps, Crowley is most helpful in understanding it, as he calls the card: "alchemy." It sometimes works best for me to imagine the Angel wearing a lab coat and very carefully pouring measured amounts of colored liquids into beakers rather than cups.

This card really does seem to be less about moderation then about the Sagittarian desire to find a unified field theory, a way of blending opposites, achieving synthesis. In a reading, this card can mean that the Querent sees two opposite camps (choices, belief systems, families, friends) and no way to unite them. But sometimes the only reason the two won't blend is that we're not taking the time, not measuring out the right amounts (the Querent might, for example, be trying to merge two full families when blending has to occur bit by bit with individuals). It is also a reminder that a bow and arrow are useless apart, but together a formidable weapon. This card tells the Querent that they CAN and should put thesis and anti-thesis together to get the even more useful synthesis. But it will take time, care, patience and experimentation. And also, yes, moderation.

Tarot Card - Death

Basic Card Symbols
Skeletal Death, black robes or armor, sometimes with a scythe or a flag featuring a white rose on a desolate black field. There is often a rising sun. Sometimes there are other figures in the field. The most common, reoccurring figure on Death cards is a child.

Basic Tarot Story
Having left the tree from where he hung, the Fool moves carefully through an fallow field, head still clearing from visions. The air is cold and wintery, the trees bare. Before him, he sees, rising with the sun, a skeleton in black armor mounted on a white horse. He recognizes it as Death. As it stops before him, he humbly asks, "Have I died?" He feels, in fact, rather empty and desolate. And the Skeleton answers, "Yes, in a way. You sacrificed your old world, your old self. Both are gone, dead." The Fool reflects on that, "How sad." Death acknowledges this with a nod. "Yes, but it is the only way to be reborn. A new Sun is rising, and it is, for you, a time of great transformation." As Death rides away, the Fool can feel the truth in those words. He, too, feels like a skeleton, all that he was stripped away. This, he understands, is how all great transformations start, by stripping things to the bone, and building fresh upon the bare foundations.

Basic Tarot Meaning
Yes, the Death card can signal a death in the right circumstances (a question about a very sick or old relative, for example), but unlike its dramatic presentation in the movies, the Death card is far more likely to signal transformation, passage, change. Scorpio, the sign of this card, has three forms: scorpion, serpent, eagle. The Death card indicates this transition from lower to higher to highest. This is a card of humility, and it may indicate the Querent as being brought low, but only so that they can then go higher than they ever have before. Wang notes that Death "humbles" all, but it also "exults." Always keep in mind that on this card of darkness there is featured a sunrise as well .

Thirteen's Observations
The connection of sex and death in Scorpio (the sign stands for both) is a strong indication of what this card is all about. We westerners see "Death" as a frightening card because we often see Death as an end, and we hate for things to come to an end. However, in other traditions, Death is just a natural and important, if sad part of an on-going cycle. In a karmic sense, you die so that you may be reborn. Winter comes so that there can be a spring, and we can only appreciate what we have when we know that there is loss. The Death card signals such things. This is a time of change. Time for something to end; but time also for something new to begin. The Querent may honestly be told that they may feel sad or empty, low, but that this will give him a way to rise again, like a phoenix from the ashes. Death is not the end. It is only the precursor to resurrection.

Tarot Card - The Hanged Man

Basic Card Symbols
A man hanging by one foot from a Tau cross - sometimes from a bar or tree. His free leg is always bent to form a "4," his face is always peaceful, never suffering. Sometimes his hands are bound, sometimes they dangle. Sometimes coins fall out of his pockets or hands.

Basic Tarot Story
The Fool settles beneath a tree, intent on finding his spiritual self. There he stays for nine days, without eating, barely moving. People pass by him, animals, clouds, the wind, the rain, the stars, sun and moon. On the ninth day, with no conscious thought of why, he climbs a branch and dangles upside down like a child, giving up for a moment, all that he is, wants, knows or cares about. Coins fall from his pockets and as he gazes down on them - seeing them not as money but only as round bits of metal - everything suddenly changes perspective. It is as if he's hanging between the mundane world and the spiritual world, able to see both. It is a dazzling moment, dreamlike yet crystal clear. Connections he never understood before are made, mysteries are revealed.

But timeless as this moment of clarity seems, he realizes that it will not last. Very soon, he must right himself, and when he does, things will be different. He will have to act on what he's learned. For now, however, he just hangs, weightless as if underwater, observing, absorbing, seeing.

Basic Tarot Meaning
With Neptune (or Water) as its planet, the Hanged Man is perhaps the most fascinating card in the deck. It reflects the story of Odin who offered himself as a sacrifice in order to gain knowledge. Hanging from the world tree, wounded by a spear, given no bread or mead, he hung for nine days. On the last day, he saw on the ground runes that had fallen from the tree, understood their meaning, and, coming down, scooped them up for his own. All knowledge is to be found in these runes.

The Hanged Man, in similar fashion, is a card about suspension, not life or death. This is a time of trial or meditation, selflessness, sacrifice, prophecy. The Querent stops resisting; instead he makes himself vulnerable, sacrifices his position or opposition, and in doing so, gains illumination. Answers that eluded him come clear, solutions to problems are found. He sees the world differently, has almost mystical insights. This card can also imply a time when everything just stands still, a time of rest and reflection before moving on. Things will continue on in a moment, but for now, they float, timeless.

Thirteen's Observations
Neptune is spirituality, dreams, psychic abilities, and the Hanged Man is afloat in these. He is also 12, the opposite of the World card, 21. With the World card you go infinitely out. With the Hanged Man, you go infinitely in.

This card signifies a time of insight so deep that, for a moment, nothing but that insight exists. All Tarot readers have such moments when we see, with absolute clarity, the whole picture, the entire message offered by a spread. The Hanged Man symbolizes such moments of suspension between physical and mystical worlds. Such moments don't last, and they usually require some kind of sacrifice. Sacrifice of a belief or perspective, a wish, dream, hope, money, time or even selfhood. In order to gain, you must give. Sometimes you need to sacrifice cherished positions, open yourself to other truths, other perspectives in order to find solutions, in order to bring about change. One thing is certain, whether the insight is great or small, spiritual or mundane, once you have been the Hanged Man you never see things quite the same.

Tarot Card - Justice

Basic Symbols
The Justice figure seated or standing, scales in one hand (usually left), upraised sword in the other hand. Sometimes blindfolded.

Basic Tarot Story
The Fool is looking for a new path, a new aspiration and inspiration for his life. Sitting uncertain at a cross-roads, he notices a blind wise woman listening to two brothers argue over an inheritance. They have come to her for judgement. One brother has the whole inheritance, the other has nothing. "I ask that all of it be given to me," the poor brother demands, "Not only because I have a better right to it, but because I will not be wasteful with it, as he is!" But the rich brother protests, "It is rightfully mine and that's all that should matter, not what I do with it!" The woman listens, then awards half of the rich brother's inheritance to the poor brother. The Fool thinks this only fair, but neither brother is happy. The rich one hates losing half his wealth, and the poor one feels he ought to have gotten all.

"You were fair," he remarks to the woman after they have left. "Yes, I was," she answers plainly. "With only half the inheritance, the rich one will stop being so wasteful. And the poor one will have as much as he needs. Even though they cannot see it, this decision was good for both."

The Fool thinks on this, and new insight on his own life comes to mind. He realizes that he has spent his life achieving worldly ambitions, physical goods, while leaving his spiritual self to starve, primarily because he didn't want to make the sacrifices necessary to feed his spiritual self. Now, he sees that this is necessary, the only path he has not walked, one he must walk to regain his equilibrium. Thanking the woman, he heads out with new purpose. It is time to balance his own inner scales.

Basic Tarot Meaning
With Libra as its ruling sign, Justice is about cold, objective balance through reason or natural force. This is the card that tells the Querent that they can't keep smoking and drinking without consequences to their health. It is the card that advises cutting out waste and insists that the Querent make adjustments, do whatever is necessary to bring things back into balance, physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually. In a more mundane sense, this card may signal a court case, legal documents, adjustments in a marriage or partnership. The outcome of all of these may not be exactly what the Querent wants, but it will be a scrupulously fair outcome. If the card is reversed, it can indicate bias, obstruction of the law, or legal complications.

Thirteen's Observations
I think Justice is a good card (as compared to Strength) to stand as the first of the next ten cards of the Major Arcana. The reason I think it right is because with it we move from the physical world (first ten cards) into the metaphysical world (next ten). When I look at Justice, I always see the two worlds balanced on her scales. "You've spent all your time in one," she seems to be saying, time to move into the other and balance things out."

One thing to remember about the Justice card is that it is not about punishment, good, bad, right or wrong. It i's about adjustment. The sword suggests that sometimes this won't be pleasant. Justice pares things down with that sword so that the scales end up equal. The message is to do what's necessary, no matter how hard, how disagreeable, in order to gain, or re-gain equilibrium. It is not a nice card, but in its way, it is a very wise card.