The Tens

In her book Personal Prophesy, Deborah Leigh says that having multiple 'tens' in a spread suggests a shift towards change. Coming at the end of the suit, they are on the edge of new beginnings, so should there be more than one in a reading, this is strengthened.

I pulled the 10 of Spades recently; on the day when my parents went away for a week. The card signifies a journey and travel, so it wasn't such a surprise. The two characters seem to be on a boat, leaving dry land behind them. This could be a holiday they are going on or maybe they are relocating to somewhere new. When I draw this particular version of the card, I also think about what they are leaving. What happens in the next card? I think that this can be important in interpretation, for what they leave is as valid as what they are leaving to find.

The two characters in the 10 of Diamonds are an odd couple. With the many painted characters in this deck, the Sergeant Bilco lookalike in the background doesn't fit so well. Underneath his arm, he holds a book. It's full of his accounts and he needs to get to the bank as quickly as he can. The woman in the foreground doesn't notice him hurrying by. Instead, she is simply enjoying her moment. Sitting by the canal costs nothing.

It's funny because the original pip of this card would not have allowed me to think about the contrast in value between money and experience. When the card turns up in a reading, it has something to do with money and our finances. I'd say that in some situations, it could suggest that we are concentrating on the material side of life. This could be evident if it sits next to a card like the 4 of Hearts, where the cards might suggest we are spending too much time craving the possessions which someone else has.

Pierrot returns in the 10 of Hearts. Some of the characters in these cards remind me of angels and the woman that looms up behind him is one such figure. All dressed in white, she suggests purity of thought, heart, and intention. When this card turns up, it indicates true love. When accompanied by the 10 of Hearts, someone will do anything for you and wishes for a long term commitment. Their love is unconditional. This is what Pierrot is all about. He wants to give you the world; every tear of love and piece of his heart. I often think of my friend and her husband when this card comes up because they dote on each other. They are not a sickening couple in the slightest, since both are independent creatures, but I always notice how they are both there for one another unconditionally.

The 10 of Clubs concerns business and official matters. This illustration is not as easy to bend as the others, but I guess that they do look stiffer than most of the other people in this deck. When this card shows, it brings about important correspondence, legal matters, and anything to do with our business life - for me, it might fall when there are changes with my student loan or if I need to check my accounts, contracts, or should get another CRB cheque sorted out.



Illustrations from The Carnival Cards by Sevarino Baraldi