Blue Rose Tarot
Created by Paula Gibby
Published by Soul Guidance

The Book says: Notice first, the spinning of the two wheels. The horizontal wheel, symbolized by the carnival merry-go-round, represents a concept discussed earlier; that of “being in a rut”, always ending up where one had begun. Never accomplishing anything. See how the horses speed along, their figures blurred with the flurry of motion. Poles deeply driven into their backs, these horses are controlled by the Wheel. They do not understand the workings of the Wheel and so they are mindlessly driven by it. The vertical wheel, symbolized by the Ferris wheel, symbolizes life’s “ups and downs”. No sooner do we feel on top of the world, than we are down in the depths once again. The vertical wheel also represents that feeling of vertigo and lurching of the stomach that can accompany the rapid ascents and descents. The clues to riding the Wheel are represented in the last two images. First, notice the acrobat, balancing carefully upon one hand in the center of the merry-go-round. Her body is a picture of constant and careful balance. Acrobats spend years learning their craft. They constantly stretch their bodies, maintaining flexibility, all the while performing tiny, almost imperceptible adjustments in order to maintain their balance. This is to say nothing of the intense conditioning of an acrobat’s inner state of being. In order to achieve perfect balance, one must achieve total harmony of mind, spirit and body. As with anything, the more one practices a craft, the more perfected it becomes. But it always requires serious work and the utmost application of years of skill. The final clue lies in the final image; that of the lovely face of the acrobat. Notice how it looms over the Wheels. This image symbolizes the inner spirit. The light of the Hermit turned outward, placing the Wheel and its purpose into its proper perspective. In this tiny acrobat, we see the perfect blending of inner spirit working actively with the material body. Both work in concert. Body and spirit. And by bringing his own dual nature into harmony, a Fool can begin to make his way slowly and carefully from the outer perimeter to the very center of it all. And ride the Wheel.
TarotBroad’s Buzz: This card is a reminder that the gods have a sense of humor and sometimes set things up so that our view of life gets turned upside down. Sometimes we need to hit the bottom before we can appreciate the view from the top. But it also suggests that there are moments when we feel so dizzy and spun around that we’re not sure what direction we’re going. We may not realize that we are spinning our wheels in place – just digging a deeper rut but not moving anywhere. I think many of us have experienced this in our lives. We think we are moving but we are really spinning in a circle. There is movement but no progress. But there is an overall divine guidance to it all. The acrobat is us – balancing carefully on one hand, trying to avoid falling over. But it’s also a reminder that we can’t do this forever. No one has perfect balance forever. We must eventually tire and lose it. No one was meant to stay on top forever. Professional athletes can only be at the top of their game for so long before their bodies can’t handle it anymore. Celebrities come and go, sometimes returning to the top only to slip back into obscurity once again. And what was once seen as the pinnacle is often overshadowed by new developments – we see this all the time with technology. What is top of the line in computers is quickly supplanted by the new “hottest thing”. It is easy to get caught up in these frenzy if we are not able to take a step back and realize that the minute we give in, something changes and we are once again kicked from the top spot. And the serene, slightly, amused woman watching over it all reminds me of Kwan Yin, Chinese goddess of compassion. I get the feeling that if we lose our balance or find the spinning is making us sick, she will catch us and gently lower us to the ground. And of course this song brings to mind that Byrds classic “Turn, Turn, Turn” based on a passage from Ecclesiastes. How true it is that “to everything turn, turn, turn, there is a season. . . and a time for every purpose under heaven”. In today’s world it is so easy to lose sight of that. But the Wheel brings us back to our center and allows us to remember not to get so caught up in the spinning and twirling that we lose sight of the purpose behind it – the genuine need for things to change and allow the cycle to continue.