The May 2020 Cards of the Month feature The Philly Tarot Deck illustrated by James Boyle and written by Gina Tomaine and just as an FYI, this article contains affiliate links.

The deck itself features Philadelphia notables and the cards depict new spins on ideas of the past.

Swords are Feathers, Wands are Clothespins, and the Cups are sandwiches. The Cup cards typically signify intuition. Though in real life slang, when someone fills your cup, they are usually feeding you.

The Clothespins, symbolizing the creative ideas of Wands and the feathers, symbolizing the paperwork of today that often acts as the sword of yesteryear.

In The Philly Tarot, the regals of the original deck are city workers and wearing enforcement attire, which gives the viewer a lot to think about.

When compared to the original Rider-Waite Tarot, its durability in construction and the extra bells and whistles make it worth the additional price.

So without further ado, we're going to pull three cards for May from The Philly Tarot Deck. 

Starting with where things were, the past, moving into where things are now, the present, and for the final card, what is coming in the future.

Below you will find our first card of the Month, representing the past, where things were.

May 2020 // Cards Of The Month

two of feathers

In the original Rider-Waite Deck, swipe right to view, the two of swords is a woman blindfolded in a white gown with her back to a river and a crescent moon over her shoulder.

I particularly like Boyle's choice of parking enforcement officers for the swords in this deck and instead of swords, he chooses feathers.

The swords tend to have a violent feel, but with the feather interpretation, it gives this suit a new feel, more a Divine influence.

Regardless, this is a strong card. The woman in this card is in a holding pattern. 

She won't be able to stay there long, since holding arms crossed upward with feathers is a somewhat uncomfortable position.

This card indicates a temporary position.

Feathers, to me, indicate Angel signs, so when I see this card, rather than the violence of the swords, it feels like she is making a decision, but one that involves perhaps loftier ideas.

Whatever decision she makes, she's doing it without being able to see what is in front of her with physical sight.

Having a crescent moon above her is a sign that even though our character can't physically see to make whatever choice is needed to end this, intuition is there.

To me, this card indicates someone who is at a standstill until they make a decision, and the decision that has to be made, is one before all the facts are known, given the blindfold.

This decision consists of at least two choices, and our character has to do it based on what they trust and believe, before the facts from all else come in to verify it.

Though, with the moon and the feathers, it’s going to be a Divinely guided choice when it is made.

Twos typically symbolize duality, harmony, balance, and new unions. When you see twos in number symbolism, it often means everything is working out harmoniously.

So when I see the two of swords, which in this deck, is a two of feathers, it indicates when a decision is made, it will be a fair, Divinely Guided one.

Still, it'll have to be made with some pause first and when all the physical information is yet to be available.

With the crossed arms up it shows healthy boundaries, so this person can't and won’t be budged by outside forces.

Like someone refusing to take action until they've decided, and they're also resisting outside interference, this card symbolizes a person who wants to go on blind on their intuition. 

Soon, this person will take action on what they trust in their conscience.

In the past position, this card indicates that recently, either you or someone you know, has been in a state of a somewhat defensive indecision.

At least that's how it has appeared on the outside.

On the inside, choices are being made. And these choices have been protected and intuitively guided.

This person is going to make the best ethical decision they know to make, the viewer just has to wait. Thankfully, the two of feathers is temporary. 

So if it feels like someone else making a decision has put you on hold, or you are on hold on a decision you must make, know this card indicates that position isn't lasting very long and that the holding pattern is Divinely and intuitively guided.

The High Priestess

This brings us to our present card, representing where things are now, and we have The High Priestess, one of my favorite cards of the deck.

If you swipe right on the above image, pictured is the original Rider Waite card for The High Priestess.

The original High Priestess is a woman draped in white and blue, symbolizing calm and purity or truth, with a moon at her feet. She's surrounded by pillars and pomegranates, the fruit of life. 

She carries a book of knowledge on her lap. Behind her and around her are signs of vitality and prosperity.

This is a person who has trusted their intuition, and others trust their intuition, enough that they have some comforts.

This card is the epitome of embodying intuition. 

When The High Priestess appears in any reading is often asking the reader to step into their own High Priestess, their higher knowing, and into their seat of power and inner wisdom. 

The High Priestess symbolizes inner wisdom, brilliance, and divine connection and mystery.

Whenever you see this card, there is always an element of asking the reader to turn into their own mystery now and trust it.

It's a powerful card to appear in the present position and also a sign that the intuitive powers needed in the last card to make a decision, are now here - loud and clear.

The High Priestess Card in The Philly Tarot is portrayed as National Public Radio's Terry Gross.

In the guidebook, Tomaine writes Gross serves as a reminder to listen closely to others, and also to your own inner wisdom. 

Boyle chooses to dress Philly's The High Priestess in mostly red and black clothing rather than blue and white, and I find this interesting.

Black often symbolizes the unknown, or not yet created, and red, security, and even comfort.

To dress Philly's intuitive queen, The High Priestess, in colors of embracing the unknown and security, I think says a lot about what the goal of The High Priestess card really is.

With The High Priestess, we can be at one with and find comfort and security in the mystery.

This card suggests that now is the time to step into the spiral trusting your own High Priestess. The more you can let go and do that, usually, the more peace you have, the more quickly you can roll with the ball of life that keeps moving forward.

Both cards have in common the book of knowledge, which is on their lap, is closed. It's there, but it's not open. 

This symbolizes there is a value set each cherishes and refers to. Still, the characters are currently sitting in peace, not looking at this set of wisdom, they're just holding onto them and being reminded it is there to support. 

Do you have a book of knowledge? Or a set of wisdom codes you know to be true? If so, remember this book can guide you through, and it may even remind you of your own connection to the mystery that you can access now.

Step into your intuitive power and mystery. If you were waiting to make a move until more information was known, as indicated by the last card, your intuition is here, and best of all, it's in High Priestess mode.

You have all you need to make a choice, and when you do, it will be surrounded by pillars of support, the fruit of life and balance. 

Surrounded in pillars, the fruit of life, and draped in comfort clothes, there is some evidence that the answers of inner wisdom have already been available to you in the past. This gateway of knowing is back now, and asking you to step in.

With The High Priestess in the present position, know there is nothing to fear. This card indicates you have all the answers, from the book of life in your hands, to the wisdom of the mystery at your feet. 

For our final card -

two of clothespins

I love this card every time I see it. 

It symbolizes a man of some power and achievement, contemplating his next step, with the Universe in one hand and his next move in the other.

In the Philly Tarot Deck, the man of achievement and power is a man in a Center City Worker uniform and how true this is today.

He already has one wand, or clothespin symbolizing a creative idea, down beside him. In the original deck, this set-down wand symbolizes a completed project or victory.

Another clothespin in his hand, this signifies a new project already on the docket to come. 

He holds both the world and his next idea in his hands. This is a man poised to act, with intellect and thought put into it. He pauses to look out into the valley, admire, or contemplate what to do next.

This is not a rushing card.

This card indicates someone taking a breather, contemplating all that has been, and the work left to do. Our character is thinking mindfully about how to go about the next steps, not rushing or making hasty choices.

The two of clothespins, to me, symbolizes someone who is about to begin new project or creative idea, which may already be in hand, while having already completed something.

This card strongly indicates the viewer is at a mid-way point - there is something left to do with that clothespin in hand.

A new project in the works, a new assignment, or a potential new direction has already been handed to him.

But, he's taking some time to think about where to take things next and maybe how to best tackle it.

A contemplative card, it symbolizes there is time to consider an idea before moving forward, and that one idea has already been accomplished, so there’s something to be grateful for.

It's a card representing some level of pride and achievement, but it also signifies someone who knows there is still at least one more thing to do.

For a future card, this is optimistic. The two of wands is historically depicted as a wealthy merchant standing on the edge of his castle, looking over the town and the sea before him.

In this case, it’s a city worker, which are the noble people in today’s current events, with considerable freedom of movement and power over the people.

Regardless, from this secure position, our character now grasps a new wand or project.

In his right hand, he holds a globe, looking out with anticipation and optimism, he literally holds the world in his hand.

This is an optimistic future place to be. From a position of comfort, what new wand or project are you going to think about tackling? 

This card strongly suggests that one exists for you, and you hold the world in your hands on how you will achieve it.

You still have time to pause and move into it slowly, though, as this card indicates something alongside you has already been completed.

so to recap, for May 2020

This Month's cards had all twos.

The two of feathers in the past. The two of the Major Arcana, The High Priestess. And the two of clothespins in our final position.

In Tomaine's description of the twos from the guidebook that comes with The Philly Tarot, she writes,

Twos indicate necessary equilibrium and determination.

The balance of two opposing forces can help you on your way to success if you can manage to keep your footing - whether it's the ten miles of the Broad Street Run or simply a project undertaking.

So while getting all twos in a typical card game may feel disappointing, in a Tarot Reading, it can symbolize great things.

Twos can symbolize balance, a gateway to harmony, even health or prosperity.

All these add up to six, which in many decks is a health card, a work card, often combined as prosperity.

In Astrology, the sixth house represents the daily actions you take in your workplace and how you get work done, as well as your health and what you do to keep your body healthy.

The May cards of the Month Suggest

• In the most recently influencing past, a person was in a standstill on making a decision, it was temporary, and it may have appeared defensive, but the moon and Divine influence was there to guide them

• There is now bountiful wisdom, brilliance, and mystery available to make all the decisions needed with The High Priestess Card in the present

• A new idea is coming in or has already been given, though, there is also time for contemplation on what has been and what will be, as some accomplishment has already been had

This is a contemplative month for the cards, and they suggest a new project or idea is already underway, but you have some time to think it through.

To me, it seems May is all about holding, stepping into the mystery in each present moment, and then, anticipating or planning a new pattern or project from a secure spot.

Even if nothing appears to be happening on the outside - these are all thinking and meditation cards, indicating much is happening on the inside.

Decisions, intuition, and contemplation are all here, in balance with the straight twos, symbolizing a return to equilibrium for this Month.

This appears to be quite a peaceful, still optimistic Month for May.

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The Philly Tarot Deck

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