Just One Card: The World

The sun joined Saturn in the sky a few hours ago. You may be feeling stagnant, like your life is all work and no play these days, or maybe you’re eager to put your nose to the grindstone and get things done. This is a time when we are confronted with our limitations and responsibilities, but we also are able to enjoy the fruits of our labors, and the sheer pleasure of accomplishment, more than usual.

The World card (named the Universe card in some decks) is connected to Saturn. It is important to keep in mind that Saturn is not only the planet of work, restriction, limitation, and responsibility– it also is the harbinger of achievement, wisdom, karma, completion, and wholeness. Alas, we humans often aren’t able to grasp these things without a lot of the “bad” lessons Saturn is so famous for.

This is the final card in the Major section of the tarot, the end of a path of archetypes and subtle lessons. Saturn represents wholeness, the reward of learning about ourselves inside and out, the satisfaction of completing a long and difficult journey, and of working through and transcending our karma.

Some things to ponder as the sun mingles with Saturn:

• Are you learning your lessons? When Saturn drops by, there is something we need to learn. If you are willing, even eager, to learn what Saturn wants to teach you right now, you will thank yourself later. Saturn is patient and willing to give remedial work if we don’t seem to be getting it the first time around, so make things easier on yourself by paying attention.

• Saturn-related projects are marathons, not sprints. You made your beginning, you tried something new, you stuck out your neck. Now you’re in the middle of a major undertaking, and it’s probably not going as fast as you want it to. Remember that you’re in the middle now, where it’s hard to see the beginning or the end, and you will reap the biggest personal (and material) satisfaction by sticking it out even through the boring parts. Don’t give up.

• The sun and Saturn are together in Libra right now. Make sure you keep the highest and best purpose in mind, no matter what you’re working on. Cutting corners, profiting at the expense of others, and not playing fair will bring you particularly expensive lessons later.

Do you need to pace yourself differently to keep working on your marathon projects? What resources do you need to keep going?