Tarot and Men’s Figure Skating

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been enjoying watching the Winter Olympics from Vancouver this last week. Even though I’m in the final week of rehearsal for my show, I HATE HAMLET, I have been DVRing the events and watching them the next day when I can. After a long rehearsal last night, it’s nice to have a day off, so I sat down at lunch today (with my new healthy eating plan) to catch the Men’s Figure Skating Short Programs. I love the artistry of figure skating, and, I’ll be honest–the jumps are incredible to watch when they’re well executed. As usual, there were some terrible mishaps on the ice for some of the competitors, but an exciting battle has shaped up for the gold medal between leader and 2006 gold medalist Evgeni Pleshenko of Russia, Evan Lysacek of the United States, and Daisuke Takahashi of Japan. These athletes are only separated by small margins as they currently stand in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, respectively.

So, as I watched these men and their competitors this afternoon, I thought it might be fun to do a one-card Tarot pull for each of the top six, to see who may end up on the podium on Thursday night after the Free Skate. Those top six are:

1. Evgeni Pleshenko, Russia
2. Evan Lysacek, United States
3. Daisuke Takahashi, Japan
4. Nobunari Oda, Japan
5. Stephane Lambiel, Switzerland
6. Johnny Weir, United States

I’ll use the Rider-Waite deck to take a peek at what may be in store for each man in the finals on Thursday. Let’s see what comes up!

1. Evgeni Pleshenko: Major Arcana The Tower
2. Evan Lysacek: Major Arcana The Magician
3. Daisuke Takahashi: Major Arcana The Hermit
4. Nobunari Oda: 5 of Swords
5. Stephane Lambiel: 7 of Swords
6. Johnny Weir: Major Arcana The Moon

Wow! Out of six cards and for six different men, Major Arcana cards came up 4 times! This is an important turning point for all of these gentlemen, which I’m sure they realize. Spirit reminds them with these cards that they are not only fulfilling dreams in these games, but life plans. They are right where they need to be, and there are important lessons for each of them to take away from this opportunity, win or lose.

The appearance of Major Arcana The Tower for leader Evgeni Pleshenko worries me. He is known for his amazing jumps and his bravado, but The Tower forecasts destruction of the foundation on which he stands. He may have something that shakes his faith in himself before Thursday that throws a wrench into his hopes for another Olympic win. Because of the power of The Tower, there is a vital lesson for him to learn here: he has physical strength and determination, but extraneous ego may strip him of his win. The outlook for him is ominous. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes a very costly mistake that bumps him completely off the medal podium, opening the door wider for one of his competitors. I wouldn’t rule out a possible injury, either.

On the other hand, Major Arcana The Magician for Evan Lysacek indicates that he has the magic to manifest a personal best and a podium win in these games. Everything is working for him right now; he needs to focus and concentrate his will to make his dreams a reality. A medal certainly looks promising with the appearance of this card, and it would not surprise me one bit, under this card’s influence, to see Lysacek bring gold home to the United States.

Daisuke Takahashi looks to have a strong chance for a medal as well with Major Arcana The Hermit appearing as his card. The Hermit is an energy that lights the way, not just for the self, but for others. I get the sense that Takahashi must remain committed to his coach and the teachings that have been passed on to him; he must remember all the nuances of what he has been taught to succeed. He also needs to meditate and go within to pull the very best performance out of himself that he can. Success looks assured, however, and as The Hermit is the card of the teacher, Takahashi may go on to instruct others and continue the cycle of excellence and pride.

Nobunari Oda has drawn the 5 of Swords in this reading of his energy, which indicates that he may take something away from one of the other more well-known competitors. His finish may upset a favorite, but this may come at a high price. Some may see him as a usurper. Still, Oda seems to have what it takes to win a place on the podium at Vancouver. He does need to keep his ego in check to ensure success.

Our fifth skater, Stephane Lambiel, has drawn the 7 of Swords. This card seems to indicate someone stealing something away from him, which makes me believe his chances of medaling at these games are slim. The 7 of Swords can be a deceitful card, which I hate to see in any sporting event. It brings to mind cheating or some sort of dishonesty. I wonder if this athlete will be judged fairly, but I’m not sure that’s something that will be discovered if it happens to be the truth. It could also mean a win for Lambiel as a result of deceit. I don’t feel good about this card, however, and I don’t think Lambiel will make it to the podium after his performance on Thursday.

Finally, our last competitor in the top six, Johnny Weir, falls under the influence of Major Arcana The Moon. The Moon can be a temperamental, cranky sort of card. She can indicate mystical influences, but often she symbolizes illusions. I think Weir’s hopes of medaling at this Olympics may be a reflection of those illusory Moon qualities. He is certainly true to himself, but there is a quality about him that makes me think he may not know himself as well as he thinks he does. This makes him vulnerable and perhaps a bit uncertain, which may be his downfall when it comes to performing under intense scrutiny and pressure. I don’t think he’ll medal here, but this won’t tarnish him in the eyes of his fans, who see him in an iconic sort of way. In reality, this card indicates that he’s a completely different person than we may think–and he may want to keep it that way.

So, based on these cards, here are my predictions:

Gold Medal: Evan Lysacek, United States
Silver Medal: Daisuke Takahashi, Japan
Bronze Medal: Nobunari Oda, Japan

It will be fun to see if these predictions turn out to be accurate. I’ll be sure to post again after Thursday’s results to reflect on the competition and the card reading.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! xox