Here is the fateful spread, which I will decipher one card at a time.

America's Past: The Five of Swords (Reversed)

Let's start with America's past on the world stage. Here, we turned over the Five of Swords, which is from the Minor Arcana, or the 56 cards in the deck that represent the swords, wands, cups, and pentacles.

The image shows a strong figure in the foreground grasping three swords, with two more swords lying on the ground. The man looks on confidently, in possession of the field of battle, as two enemies retreat in dejection. The card signifies conquest and the completion of objectives.

But the card is reversed, meaning an opposite interpretation, or a restriction on the original meaning. The reversed Five of Swords can signify loss or an empty victory, a sense of victimization, and feelings of failure and humiliation.

So how does this apply to America's past? The picture of triumph and conquest in the original Five of Swords could refer to World War II, when the United States won the spoils of victory.

The reversed image may capture America's difficult military experience since 1945, including stalemates like Korea, defeats like Vietnam, and successes that felt hollow like the first Gulf War. We've struggled to recapture the glory days of D-Day. Where did all the victories go?

America's Present: The Empress (Reversed)

What about America's present? Here, we turned over the Empress, which is one of the heavyweight cards from the Major Arcana (the 22 key images in the deck).

The empress sits on a throne, wearing a crown emblazoned with stars, and carrying a scepter. Bountiful grain, forests, and a waterfall surround her. The Empress card symbolizes creation, nurturing and sustaining--a harmonious and natural balance.

But again, the card is reversed, meaning an opposite or restricted interpretation. This could refer to America's difficult recent experience of creation--or building stable regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. The high hopes with which we began these adventures have given way to conflict, uncertainty, and unintended consequences.

With the card upside down, the natural harmony is lost. The empress falls from her throne, the trees are uprooted, and the water drains away. This suggests ecological damage, which may signify America's failure to lead on environmental issues like climate change.





America's Future: The Two of Wands

Tell me something I don't know: What about America's future? Here, we're back to the Minor Arcana with the Two of Wands.

A man stands on the battlements of a castle, holding a globe in his right hand, while grasping a wand in his left. A second wand is attached to the wall. Mountains stretch away into the distance beyond the sea.

Finally, we get an image that is not reversed. The wands signify growth, energy, creativity, and patience. The card suggests caution and determination--taking stock before striking out on a great project. The man is confident in his self-knowledge and in the individual path he has chosen.