Heroic Tarot Tuesday: Jean Grey

Greetings, dear reader!  Many people have been curious about my process regarding my X-Men Tarot. They wonder how a regular playing card deck which features X-Men artwork is able to give someone a reading comparable to conventional tarot.  Today we take a look at all of the cards featuring Jean Grey and compare and contrast my comic-based interpretations and how they relate to their traditional definitions.  I recommend you check out my “All Hands On Deck” post which gives information about all of the decks that I use, including a concise description of the X-Men Tarot deck.

One of the interesting aspects of the X-Men cards that I use is that every character gets to be represented four times.  For example, Cyclops is all of the Kings, Storm is all of the Queens, Wolverine is all of the Jacks, etcetera.  Jean Grey is represented on the face of all of the nines, which makes a lot of sense since the number nine symbolizes wisdom, spirituality and enlightenment.  Who better than the former wielder of the cosmic Phoenix Force to give us insight about these concepts?

Note:  I will be referring to each card by their traditional tarot names, although I will provide the equivalent playing card terms under each image.

Jean Grey as the 9 of Spades/Swords

Traditionally, the 9 of Swords speaks to worry and self-doubt, or suffering over one’s suffering.  The traditional image that one associates with the 9 of Swords is a young person awakening from a nightmare.  The terror resulting from an overactive imagination leads to despair.  The wisdom of this card is to focus on your successes and let your inner critic out for a long lunch.  Your imagination can be your ally instead of your enemy.  You have the power to decide which it shall be.  In the above image by Jim Lee (from X-Men #1), Jean is paralyzed by self doubt.  Her mental defenses are, for the moment, in stasis as she reconnects to her spiritual center.  The suit of Spades/Swords represents the element of air, which in turn speaks to intellectual challenges.  The purpose of this suit is to help us find clarity.  As a telepath (one who can read minds) and a telekinetic (one who can move matter with one’s mind), Jean embodies that challenge like no one else (save for Professor X, who is found on the Aces of this deck) as we seek our individual truths.

Jean Grey as the 9 of Clubs/Wands/Rods

The 9 of Wands in traditional tarot features a young man with a bandaged head surrounded by wands standing all around him like a wall of defense.  This card speaks directly to the idea of keeping one’s energy harnessed on the task at hand.  The idea of perseverance is important here.  Wands represent the element of fire.  Wands move with a quickness, lending energy to whatever they are exposed.  This card wants us to remember that challenge is to be expected, not avoided, and to remember that our strength is up to the task.  The 9 of Wands is reminiscent of Jean Grey in her Phoenix alter-ego, filled with joy and power, strengthened by her resolve to do her best.  This is a time for discipline in every aspect of our lives and as Jean uses her telekinetic abilities to fly through the air, so too are we meant to move toward our goals with similar energy.  The above image is by Tom Raney from Uncanny X-Men #291.

Jean Grey as the 9 of Diamonds/Disks/Pentacles/Coins/Worlds

The 9 of Pentacles is the only card in the deck that repeats artwork.  Tom Raney’s depiction of Jean focuses our attention to her mind and her telekinetic abilities to move matter with a thought.  This card typically shows a well dressed woman, bird in hand, surrounded by the fruits of her lush and plentiful garden.  The theme here is of abundance.  It is time to savor one’s riches and share it with others.  Self-discipline, self-reliance, and refinement are key to the situation.  As someone who has died and returned to life many times (and having been cloned and fought that other “self”), Jean Grey represents all of these attributes and can teach us how to be at peace with our bodies, our possessions and in our communities.

Jean Grey as the 9 of Hearts/Cups

This image by Marc Silvestri from the Marvel Universe Trading Card Series 3 depicts Jean in all of her supermodel superhero glory.  With one hand touching her head and the other toward the ground, we can infer that Jean is tapping into her telepathic and telekinetic abilities.  She is in top form!   The conventional image of the 9 of Cups shows a man sitting with a self satisfied grin.  Behind him 9 cups sit on shelf in an arc.  He is the personification of fulfillment.  The 9 of Cups teaches us to experience beauty and sensual pleasure, to act on our wishes and feel contentment.  As Jean floats on the power of her own mind, so are we to indulge our heart’s desires and move toward bliss.  We are all a supermodel superheroes at heart.

As one of the most loving and compassionate characters in X-Men continuity, I believe that Jean Grey represents energies and concepts of the Major Arcana card, The Empress.  She once possessed the cosmic power of the celestial Phoenix, thereby making her one with creation (this gave her the heightened senses and awareness of the archetypal mother).  After she became Dark Phoenix, she sacrificed herself to save the universe.  Whether you believe she was replaced by the Phoenix entity or not, it is still important to note that the Phoenix acted as Jean would, being imprinted from her persona.  Jean also raised Cable as her own child, even though he was the offspring of her beloved Cyclops and her clone Madelyne Pryor, proving she is capable of unconditional love.

So now you see a glimpse into the mental process that I use in reading the X-Men Tarot.  Next week we will look at Storm and all of the Queens in this deck.

I am available every week at Swankety Swank on Fridays from 4-7pm, Saturdays 12-5pm, Sundays 1-5pm  (walk ins welcome) and other times that vary from week to week (by appointment only).  I am accomplished in individual and couple’s readings, and enjoy bringing my brand of Tarot Magick to events and parties.  You can also purchase an art card gift certificate for your loved ones and I also give readings over the phone.  Let your inner superhero shine!