Career spread for clarification

This spread was done with the Paulina Tarot, by Paulina Cassidy.

It was done as a clarification spread for someone, after an initial spread regarding career choices was done a week ago. In my opinion, the initial spread told her what she needed to know, but she wanted to pursue the matter further. She recently lost her job, and is trying to determine whether to venture out on her own with a business, or seek employment with someone else. The initial spread encouraged her to seek a job working for someone else, while attempting to get her own business off the ground. I expected much the same from this spread.

I used a 9 card career spread posted on Aeclectic tarot by member Netzach. I really like this spread and will most likely use it again.

Out of 9 cards, 5 were Major Arcana cards, so this is a very significant answer for the querent.

Card 1 represents the querent, now.

The card was The Tower.

She recently lost her job, so at this point, she is feeling as if everything has tumbled around her. She suffered loss and a reversal in finances, and things have changed drastically.

Card 2 represents how the querent is feeling about the future now.

The card was The Empress.

She is concerned about her family and making the right choices in order to provide for them. She is feeling blocked right now because of emotional stress and financial worries.

Card 3 represents the direction she needs to go in.

The card was The Fool.

She wants to take a leap into the unknown, but deep down, she knows that this is not her best bet for security and success. Once again, I believe this card is cautioning the querent to be cautious about her choices. She shouldn't go with her heart at this point, she needs to be logical and rational and go with what her head is telling her. She stands to lose alot by making a poor decision right now based on poor judgement. She needs to act responsibly, and choose the most secure path at this point, which I believe is seeking employment elsewhere while working to build up her own business on the side.

Card 4 represents the obstacles she will face.

The card was the Queen of Cups.

Her emotions are interfering with her ability to make the right choice. She will need to pay special attention to her hunches and intuition at this time, and she should beware of the possibility that someone is trying to deceive her in some way - it may be simply by telling her what she wants to hear rather than what they truly believe.

Card 5 represents who she should accept advice from.

The card was the Ace of Swords.

As a person, this card represents someone in her life who is very logical and authoritative, and possibly very controlling. It may be someone who is affiliated with the legal system, or the medical profession in some way.

Card 6 represents who she should NOT accept advice from.

The card was The Hierophant.

With these two cards opposing each other, I get a very strong sense that this is a decision she should make alone, without any input from outside forces. As a person, The Hierophant could be a minister or a teacher, BUT, it could also be someone in a legal profession or medical profession, which is contradictory to the last card reflecting who she SHOULD take advice from. For this reason, I believe she should rely on herself alone to make this decision.

She knows deep down what needs to be done.

Cards 7, 8 and 9 represent a general assessment of what she should do.

The cards were The Sun, the Knight of Pentacles, and the Four of Wands.

These cards are telling her to do what is important to her, and what she finds rewarding, but she also needs to do what is realistic and will offer her hope and optimism for long term. This may mean delaying something that she really wants in order to achieve it. If she takes the best path (two jobs - working for someone else and for herself) she will be making slow and steady progress towards her ultimate goal of having her own business. It will all pay off in the end, even though it may not be what she wants right now. She will be insuring her long term success with the actions she takes today. It will be a stage of growth and development for her own business, which will eventually become a reality.