A Tarot Spread For Independence Day

I developed this spread about five years ago, when #45 was just starting his reign of terror.

Independence Day originally celebrated the founding of the United States by some men who were fearless, who knew what they wanted for the world, who were unafraid of saying it — and who, by the way, were Deists, who believed in a Supreme Being but didn’t put a label on it. Therefore, they had room for other people’s ideas about God as well.

These days? It’s been co-opted. The Founding Fathers are being reshaped into Christian Dominionists. The difficulties of the 18th century are being whitewashed. The darker parts of the founding of this country are being buried.

Still, we can fight.

I’ve adapted the idea of the Four Freedoms: the classic meanings are freedom from Fear, freedom from Want (otherwise known as Scarcity), Freedom of Speech, and Freedom of Religion. I’ve turned the “want” idea on its head a bit, making a “want” a positive aspect. But it fits well with how to make our lives Independent of what stops us.

As we face the darkest time in American history since its founding, it’s important that we each look inside us. What we know about ourselves we can use — and fight the shadows.