Ten of Cups

While the Nine of Cups was a wonderful embodiment of the triumph of love over adversity, there is still work to be done before this triumph is complete. The Waite-Smith version of the Ten celebrates an ideal of familial togetherness that, in keeping with the mores of the early 20th century, stems from the union of one man and one woman. A century later, that concept has evolved and expanded, though its underlying principle of love, devotion, and fulfillment is more or less unblemished.

With the fight over Prop 8 continuing to divide communities and families, non-traditional families of all stripes have begun to come forward into public view, hoping to convince opponents' that non-traditional families can be just as happy as traditional ones. It's one of the final phases in a complete image overhaul: an attempt to modify and broaden existing ideals to show a more complete picture. This slideshow by the Courage Campaign presents a full spectrum of mothers, fathers, children, aunts, uncles and pets, urging viewers to reconsider the concept of "family."

Practically, this card represents a great conquest, one which transcends the personal and binds others to you. While it may be a romantic achievement, it could really be anything -- your awareness of relationships has expanded to the point where you've become innately sensitive to the connections that link you to those in your life. This can be a glad, empowering position to find oneself in, but depending on the people you're bound to, it can also be too much to bear. Whether your sensitivity to these connections affirms or hinders you, they are an incredible force to reckon with, demonstrating the awesome power of the intangible over the tangible. And remember, your ideals make for a convenient measuring stick to gauge your success and happiness, but at the end of the day it's important to remind yourself that ideals themselves have a funny (and necessary) tendency to change as you grow. [Via]