Brandon Victor Swanson

Brandon Victor Swanson disappeared after leaving the home of a friend in Marshall, Minnesota. His car was found near Taunton, Minnesota. After experiencing car problems, he spoke briefly with his father via cell phone, which is how his car was located, but no one can find Brandon. Someone asked me if I would do a reading for him, so I will give it my best.

This reading begins with the Knight of Cups, reversed, crossed by the two of pentacles, which is also read reversed, here. When the Knight of Cups falls reversed, there is always trickery involved, as this is usually an untrustworthy man in his early twenties. His presence is followed up by the reversed two of pentacles, which points to forced, or simulated calm. At face value, it looks as if Brandon was carjacked and told to tell his father he was okay, when he really wasn't. But let's look further.

Another court card appears to lend some background information; the King of Pentacles, reversed. This would be a man who is older than the Knight of Cups, and I would expect him to have darker hair than the Knight of Cups and a darker complexion. He falls reversed here, and since his suit is pentacles, this points to a man who misuses his assets and, possibly, gambles. So we have two unknown people who might know what happened to Brandon.

The next card is also a court card; it is the King of Cups. As this card falls upside right, meaning that he is friend, not foe; I am inclined to identify him as Brandon's father. He is the last known person to have spoken with Brandon. This is followed by the Page of Pentacles, reversed. This leads me to believe that Brandon did not simply "disappear"; there was foul play involved. This page heralds bad news, and often theft, when reversed. Temperance comes up next; reiterating the message of competing interests and bad combinations. I would also venture a guess that Brandon either saw or heard something that could have compromised one or both of the men, the knight and the king.

The first card on the staff, describing problems connected to finding Brandon, is the seven of wands. This card tells of things that are guarded; secrets, homes, property, the like. The message here is that Brandon has not been found because he is either on private property, or somewhere bordering private property. Someone has deliberately impeded the search. The next card, showing environment, is Justice. This shows us that law enforcement still has an interest in finding Brandon, and if outworn ideas are scrapped in favor of trying new, Brandon can and will be found. It is quite likely that this will involve a search warrant, however. This is followed by the six of swords, which is a card of travel. The six of swords has appeared in the place of desires, and is a wish on the part of someone involved. The nine of pentacles is the last card, and it is a card of solitary enjoyment of property. This supports what we have seen in the seven of wands, by which we were told that private property and the need for a search warrant is pertinent. It is also a suggestion to look near or in a garden or flowerbed, or a small vegetable garden, near a house.

The pentacles and cups in this reading take us north and west, as directions. Fourteen is the number of the Temperance card; that is a likely number miles that should be covered. I found myself drawn to the small sun on the Temperance card; "sun" may be an actual, physical symbol here, such as part of the name of road or a place. Perhaps the name of a town that is somehow sun-related, or the name of a business. Somehow, this symbol is meant to give us a clue.

I always wish I had better news when I do a reading like this one. I will keep hoping for the best.

Unique Harris

Unique Harris disappeared right inside her house, seemingly into thin air. Her children woke up one morning and were unable to find her. The only things that disappeared with her are her cell phone and keys. So where is she, and what happened?

This reading begins with the four of pentacles, reversed, which sets a tone of wasted resources, crossed by The Last Judgment. Events were set in motion by someone who didn't want to wisely manage money and material resources, and no chance of renewal of relationships or lost friendship and the conveniences that accompanied the friendship. Founding this, we find the World, with all of it's freedoms and opportunities. And bringing the whole situation down to earth, someone involved here took advantage of that.......a new place to live, and new opportunities. This is reiterated by the appearance of the eight of cups, telling us that Unique had recently discarded a lifestyle and direction she to which she had formerly committed. Something that never materialized, but was in the picture as a possibility, is the King of Pentacles. This is a man who had material resources and a mature, helpful outlook to offer. He was also kindly disposed toward Unique, as he falls upright in this reading. Next, we find the Hermit, which is a card of spiritual and physical searching. Unique was searching for a new direction in life, and that is what prompted her disappearance.

The staff is the part of this reading that bothers me, as it describes other individuals, and motive. In the place of fears and plans, we find the seven of pentacles. This card tells of waiting for a harvest, but here, I think it answers my question concerning what happened as "lying in wait". Someone was lying in wait for Unique, waiting for the most convenient moment to confront her. The Hermit, who appeared earlier, also suggests this. It is followed by the none of pentacles, which gives us a motive: the nine of pentacles is interpreted as financial independence, and whether Unique was actually independent or not, her potential independence was seen as a threat by someone. Also, at face value, these cards are both pentacles, which are associated with the element of Earth, and both of these cards suggest gardens and digging. I do not like them coming up in the positions they have taken in this reading, one right after the other! The six of wands appears next, and this card usually tells of successful communication and messaging....I think she got a call on her cell phone and stepped outside to talk. I think this provided the opportunity for someone to grab her. The final card in this reading is the Empress, which says quite a bit. First, it gives us insight into the fact that a woman is a big part of this picture, possibly the instigator. It also tells us about this woman's relationship to the Hermit, who is a man who is involved, but was closer to the action. Look for her to be "old enough to be his mother". Next, motherhood, and the business thereof, was, at least in part, the motive. Yet, had Unique received any challenges to custody of her young children?

These are the clues given by this reading: more than one person, with a woman calling the shots, digging, gardens, and earth. Pentacles and earth also point north, as does the Hermit, but the four of pentacles is upside down, so perhaps north is merely the direction traveled by the perpetrator. The six of wands also tells us that this crime was premeditated.