2.20.2025
Doors of time . . .
Today’s post steps away from the Ten Doors to Tarot journey for a brief trip through three portals of Tarot Time.
First—a look back to the turn of the 20th century, when a French mail carrier was completing 33 years of work on an extraordinary project.
Second—a look at the drastic events going on around us right now.
Third—a look just slightly ahead, to the flurry of astrological objects about to enter the last house of the Zodiac.
The 1890s: Facteur Cheval
Most of the time, my “Tarot everywhere” stories start out somewhere seemingly distant from Tarot, then end up with an unexpected connection. But this week, one of my own books was in the distant place (Luxemburg) and ended up sending me a message.
It came in the form of a much-appreciated email from someone who came across The Tarot: History, Mystery, and Lore in a second-hand bookshop, and noted that one of the chapters mentions a book title—”Life and Death of the Facteur Cheval”—included as part of a Tarot-themed Surrealist art exhibition in 1947.
As I wrote on the next page, I hadn’t been able to find out anything about what the title meant:
But! The note-writer had happened while in France to discover that Facteur Cheval was not only a real person, but one of the most amazing outsider artists imaginable.
Facteur is the French word for “postman,” and Joseph Ferdinand Cheval was a letter carrier in rural France for most of his life. But one day he tripped over a stone, and was seized by the idea of making something commensurate with its beauty—a project he devoted himself to for 33 years.
It’s quite difficult to find a single image that conveys both the scale and the detail of the “Ideal Palace,” but if you are intrigued, you will find much information, and many pictures available with a simple search.
As for the Tarot connection . . .
And yes—that is the very Leonora Carrington who created a uniquely artful Tarot deck.
The 2020s: Tarot and War
We turn now to a much darker story. This week, two terrible conflicts are not only unresolved, but more tragic than ever.
The bodies of two small children kidnapped by Hamas terrorists have been returned to their families. And Ukraine’s heroic struggle against a brutal Russian invasion hangs by a gossamer thread.
I wrote about both conflicts in past EP posts—and because I believe that looking at even the most complex questions through the lens of Tarot can yield new insights, I wanted to share them again.
Since I wrote these stories, the American political landscape has changed drastically. And from a Tarot perspective, it seems the prevailing energy of the Major Arcana can be found in the Wheel of Fortune. But whether you think the next card is Strength or Justice—either way, thoughtful people can find the means to make a difference.
And coming soon: The Pisces Stellium
A harbinger of better times, an omen of deepening crisis—or some of each?
If you haven’t already heard Frederick Woodruff’s commentary on this astrological event, add it to your must-do list!
As always—Tarot opens doors into the darkest parts of human history, but also into light-filled spaces of extraordinary creativity. I continue to be amazed.
Thanks so much for reading. More soon, C
I look forward to your articles! I find all of your insights deeply intriguing. My cards have been silent, they don't speak much lately and forcing them doesn't yield much for personal enlightenment. I find after reading one of your articles, a shift in the energy in my orbit occurs, and as I sit and listen to my inner voice, I'm sometimes pulled toward my cards. 😊