I am using the 'Mona Lisa Tarot' with the writers prompt: you are standing on the side of a closed door......

I randomly drew the Hierophant, the Stars, and the 6 of Wands. Here is the story....

The young man desperately needed an answer. He sought the path to God. He followed all the rules, listened to the knowledgeable. Read all the books. Wore the right clothes. Hung out with the right people. Silence. Nothing. No answers. Seemed to be only closed doors surrounding him. Ok. Maybe there was another way. He sought out the palm reader. He paid all the money he had....she held his hand. She listened. She gave him all the answers she had. It helped, but it wasn't the key to the closed door. What was the door? Fear. Only he held the key. Courage. The courage to listen to the whispers in his soul. And trust himself. To know the path to God is right where he stands. To listen to himself, to overcome the demons he holds at bay, behind the door. Let them go. They run from light. Be the light. This first card looks like he is seeking answers in the graveyard. 'God is not the God of the dead, but the Living.' The answer is not there. This could be described as, digging up bones. Leave them buried. Leave them in peace. The key is inside him. Stop running, open the door. Reminds me of the term, 'a ghost in the closet.' Well, set him free. Sometime the closed doors are'nt even locked....just closed. He opened the door. He faced his fears. He is victorious. Cool.

Always looking for a new way to lay out the Tarot Cards, I was listening to the news this morning, heard them say.....when someone is in distress in the water (this being a holiday weekend) , remember this : Reach, Throw, Don't Go. I thought, hey, a new layout! Thank you.

I am using the brand new- hot on the market, 'Mona Lisa Tarot by Mark McElroy.' Very different, I have to stop and look at the images again, they have many things to find in each detailed card. Not your typical deck. I like that. Rebel I am.

Reach....The Hanged Man

Throw....9 of Cups

Don't go....6 of Cups

One child in the center of this card is reaching. Someone holding the puppets, has them just out of reach, it's a game, a show, wait until it's over, and you can touch them then. In the next card, this man has eaten everything he wanted, and more. Is blessed, and has even more right there by his side. Everything he wants, right there. The next card shows someone helping another person get to the top of the hill. Reach out...

Putting these in context with the 'reach, throw, and don't go' layout, this is what I would think...

Keep your goals right in front of you, keep reaching, the time will come and you will understand why you could not touch what you wanted. Just wait...Look at what you do have, and what you can give to others to bless them. Today, don't try to lift anyone, stop trying to fix everything. Just stop. Or, if that is me that is reaching up for the help, stop. Maybe I'm not ready for the next step, yet. Just wait. Go back to the center card and just relax, stop trying so hard.

There are so many fun things to do with the cards, just have fun with them. It's not all about dire predictions, bad news, this will happen and you have no power over it. Remember this is your life, free will. The choices you make today, determine where you are tomorrow. And the cards reflect that. Choice, and change.