The Child Archetype

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Upright Meanings: fate, destiny, soulmates, progress, upheaval, unexpected events, advancement, cycles of life, change, good luck, decisive moments, karma, fortune

The Child may be literal but usually symbolizes the ever changing ups and downs of life, a time of cycles of leaning, and that the cycle is one that we cannot control. It is something that we are all subject to and remind us that nobody on earth can avoid what is fated. When you have good moments in your life, make sure that you enjoy to the fullest, for what comes up must always go down. The same is true in reverse – when you are in a bad situation, things will eventually become better again.

Reversed Meanings: delays, disruption, outside influences, bad luck, interruption, disorder, external forces, lack of control, upheaval, unwelcome change, failure

When The Child is reversed, it means that luck has not been on your side and misfortunes have been following you. When it’s associated with this card, you must understand that these are due to external influences that you cannot control. Like The Child, our luck and our fate is always in motion, and sometimes we are on the bottom. Be assured that The Child will turn again, and you will be okay again soon. What you shouldn’t do however, is cling to the illusion of control. Perhaps in this turn of The Child, the lesson is to learn to let go and release. There are things that cannot be moved by human will and action alone. When we do not let go, it can bring only more suffering, for you may blame yourself for actions that could not have altered the situation. When we learn to accept, we also learn to forgive ourselves. We learn to move on, and move forward – and eventually, we learn that this feeling of acceptance can push The Child again forward, and move it towards a new cycle.