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Monday 26 January 2015

Synchronised Sorries

6 of Cups, Tarot Illuminati by Erik. C. Dunne

I've spent most of today pondering the 6 of Cups.  It's been going through my head all day could it represent forgiveness?  Laying some ghosts of the past to rest is it were?

Doing my daily spread tonight with a question with regard to regrets I may hold on to in my life, my third card was in the position for what I need to do to forgive myself.

The card I pulled was the 6 of Cups.  Now to me the cards have basically confirmed my quandary.  I see this as going back in my thoughts, to the younger me and forgiving myself.  Also to offer the gratitude to those people that taught me lessons in life, both good and bad.

I do believe that even those people that have brought us pain and heartache all had a lesson for us to learn.  They may even have given us a legacy which is full of joy (one of my exes brought untold despair and suffering to me, however, I had 2 beautiful children with him, for which I cannot thank him enough).  The lesson he taught me was about self love and honesty.

I feel the image of the card was clear enough to show me this as the person in the background looking down towards the children, feels as if this is me now.  The children, innocent and unaware of the watchful figure are lost in their exchange with each other.  The girl looks to me as if she is explaining something to the young boy, who listens intently.

I have recently been working on forgiveness and accepting my part in past situations in my life, that i feel had a particularly negative effect on my, so this card seems so relevant with the theme and my musings today.

In visualisations, when working through the forgiveness issues, this is exactly how I see it in my mind.  It is how I imagine forgiving the younger me and the people involved

I feel it was a nice bit of synchronicity to pull this card today, and it shows me that this deck and I are getting along very nicely, hopefully it will keep showing me more and more as I ask more from it. 









Thursday 22 January 2015

I Do Believe in Faeries.

The Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud

Along with my delivery of Tarot Illuminati another card deck bounced into my cart and found its way to my loving arms.

Its a deck I have read so much about (some of it quite bizarre) but I wanted to see what the hype was all about.  As I have made this year's deck study all about Tarot of the Hidden Realm (which is a fey energy deck) I wanted to explore this world a little more.  I am developing a real pull towards the fey realm and thought as I have 365 days and 78 tarot cards in my Hidden Realm deck, maybe I needed something to expand on.

Some people find a belief in the faerie realm a little, let's call it, odd. I, however, feel it opens up our inner child and lets her play in a way that adulthood has neglected.  Surely this is a good thing.  I mean c'mon, if big business execs can spend a day paint-balling, running round a place playing pretend shoot outs and call it team building, what is wrong with someone else 'seeing' faeries.  

Now call me a cynic, strange or whatever, but I have a real issue with 'Angels'.  I know that they are popular and well received by a lot of people, (and an excellent money maker for certain people) but I just can't click with the concept. Maybe its about the Christianity thing, them being portrayed as the 'messengers of 'god' and all that, but it really doesn't taste good in my mouth. Every angel deck I have come across is sugary sweet with positivity and that is not real life.   

If that is what you are in to then its nice you have found a system that gives you comfort and guidance, however its not for me.  If we are to believe that every difficulty we face, every issue we have to deal with in life is a test from the angels then doesn't that absolve us from taking any responsibility for choices we have made, that may not have been good ones?.  Like a celestial 'pass the buck'.`

How do you do a reading for the person whose partner has just walked out on them, left them with massive debts, broke, in a bad place mentally and at the risk of becoming homeless as they may be losing their job?  

How can a reading from a sugary sweet positive deck help that person?  How does having Gabriel telling you that the loving arms of the angels are around you, help you move forward.  Am I just 'not getting it?'  To me its like being given a life threatening diagnosis and then being handed a sticking plaster.

Sorry, I digress on a totally different ramble.  

Faeries, yes.  I have researched the Faerie Oracle before it fell into my shopping cart, and I love the earthy style of some of the fey.  There are some beautiful faeries (more in keeping with general ideas of how faeries should look, but there are some gargoyle-esque fey there too).  The messages are honest and relevant.  It should not be assumed that life is going to be sprinkled with pretty pixie dust with these cards, some of the energies would just as easy throw a cow-pat over you if it meant you got the message.

Faerie energy is cheeky, mischievous but strong, powerful and honest.  Life is all about the ups and downs, the light and dark.  It is duality, it is contrast and complement.
These cards hold it all and I'm chomping at the bit to get to know them. 

Postman Pat and the Illuminati

Tarot Illuminati by  Erik. C. Dunne

I can be so ostentatious at times and when I see money in my account that has no obvious purpose, it seems to find its way to exchange itself into a new deck of cards.  I honestly do not know how it does it but it does.  Honestly these things just magically 'appear' in my shopping cart.  That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Today I was excited to receive my copy of Tarot Illuminati by Erik. C. Dunne.  To say I was hyper excited was an understatement.  I was at my daughter's house and luckily my post man knows me so he handed the parcel(s) in there, seriously I could have kissed him.  

My delight was a little obvious as I ripped open the package then proceeded to ooh and aah my way through the deck.  The colours are so vibrant and each card is loaded with imagery.  I'm a little hmmm about the faces of the people on the cards, but I suppose its just a case of familiarising myself with them. 

I know some people do not appreciate CGI decks, I don't have a problem with them as, if done well, it can add layer upon layer of imagery which to me only enhances the understanding of each card (no TdM for me thank you).  The LWB (if you can call it that, as it is not little or white) is beautifully written by Kim Huggens, one of my favourite tarot authors.  Each Major has a full page colour reproduction of the card with a one page explanation of its significance.

There are a few spreads in the book too and information is given about furthering your learning with tarot with astrology, numerology and Kabbalah.  

I'm a Ciro Marchetti girl myself and adore his tarot and oracle decks and eagerly anticipate the release of Tarot of Dreams on the mass market. But I must admit I am royally impressed with Illuminati. 

I am looking forward to doing some self development readings with these cards, as I feel they have a wealth of information within each card.

I have also been ordered, by my daughter. to give her a reading with these as soon as possible, so it looks like I may be busy this evening.

  







Tuesday 20 January 2015

Snuggling Down on a Bed of Nails


Legacy of the Divine tarot by Ciro Marchetti



I apologise for the hiatus, I have been taking a bit of a rest.  

Recharging the energy can sometimes be a necessity, and over the past week I have been feeling a tad drained.  It as been a readings heavy week and it isn't easing up.   My online store is temporarily closed as I have not had time to update it. 

All the energy spent needs to be restored, and so I have taken a few days away to give my brain a rest.  It can be mentally draining when you spend a lot of time staring at cards and working through their messages, don't get me wrong, I love tarot and being in the position now to be able to call it my job, I am happier than ever.  Like any job though it can be draining on the mental energy levels

No matter how detailed you make a reading some querants decide that they need 'more' information than what the reading is giving them.  Usually it is a point  you pick up on that is not what the querant was expecting to hear that they start to ask more about  so any compassionate reader will seek the clarification they require, but this takes its toll on the mental faculties and low energy levels do not help a reader work to their best ability.

So when I drew the 4 of Swords on Saturday morning as my daily draw, I knew that I had to take notice.  I needed a time of rest and re-energising, to spend time sleeping on those thoughts that that niggle about every day in the mind.  It can even seem as though the Legacy of the Divine depiction is telling us to get on top of those thoughts and then, you can rest.

No matter what you do in your life, everyone has thoughts that are flitting through their heads like annoying wasps, be it about shopping, laundry, kids, partners, everyday things on that never ending to-do list, those thoughts that drain you , as they are ever present.  The 4 of Swords can tell us that unless we get on top of these we are not going re-coop that energy.  

Time out can help us prepare for the next round of whatever life has to offer us.  Whether it is about rest and regrouping with ourselves, or preparing for something we all need downtime, we need to shut down our inner computer and allow it to update and configure otherwise, just like my laptop has just done, it can crash and lose all that work you have just done, leaving you with a feeling of wanting to bang your head on a hard surface.    

And this is exactly why I took some days out from the blog, tumblr, and some of the forums (well I wasn't going cold turkey).  Honestly? I feel back up to speed, and ready to go again.  






Thursday 15 January 2015

Shelving the Idea


It seemed like the answer to my problem.  The problem being, where to put all my tarot and oracle decks, tarot books and journals (5 currently in use) that seem to be taking over my living room.

So I copped a bargain in the sales and got this lovely shelving unit for £10.  

I stood yesterday morning waiting for it to be delivered making beeswax polish with pure beeswax and coconut oil, to lovingly treat the raw wood.  I added some cedarwood essential oil and it smelt soooo good.

I've waxed it as smooth as porcelain, it has a sheen that looks like silk.  

Being a master of the screwdriver, I lovingly assembled it, and waxed it once more ( I think the smell of the wax has got more to do with it though than a love of polishing).

Out came the drill and hey presto I have storage for my collection.  That is, until I realised that one was not going to be big enough.  Oh heck no!! 

I still have decks on my bedside table, one deck is actually under my pillow.  I have a couple of decks on a bookcase and another 2 in the post.

I love the unit though, the top shelf has a lip to it and is just the ideal size for the bigger oracle cards, the fit like a glove. and no need for bookends to hold everything on the shelves.

So, guess what I'm off to buy tomorrow (no prize awarded to guessing correctly), yep another shelf unit, although ideally a bigger house may be a better idea (although would cost considerably more than a tenner).








Tuesday 13 January 2015

Sir Bob Crowned King

King of Cups, Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti

When people start reading tarot I find the majority of confusion regarding card meanings comes from the Court Cards, Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings.

The issue being, is this an actual person, is it the energy of the querent or the energy of a person in the querent's life? 

I think if the Court cards were removed people would learn tarot in half the time, however they are ever present and need to be learned and understood.

Older tarot teachings even attached the physical attributes of the person supposedly represented in the cards.  More modern thinking has used the energy the card represents (we are after all a lot more multi racial these days).

To really start tackling these 16 mind boggling cards I looked around at various methods and found the ones that felt like they could work for me.  There are simply hundreds of different methods, each as valid in their own right.  

The only way to stop yourself going into melt down is to find 2 or 3 methods to start with that feel comfortable and don't leave you sobbing in a heap over your deck (it does nothing for your self esteem or the longevity of the cardstock of your deck).

The system that has really started kicking the Courts butts into shape for me is to associate each one to a person you feel best suits the cards attributes.

My King of Cups, I associate with Sir Bob Geldof.  He is a man who is sensitive to others, he is compassionate and sensitive. He responds to the needs of others, and will fight their cause.  The King of Cups has a strength of emotion that he uses to rally people to fight for a cause that touches his heart.  He is an amazing father, who encourages his children to be attuned to their feelings and be true to themselves.  He allows them the freedom of personal expression, understanding that each one of them are individuals.

This King knows of heartbreak though and yet he puts the needs of others first and only speaks of his personal troubles in a controlled way that ensures he does not leave himself or those he loves vulnerable.  

Do not think for one moment this man is a complete saint, he does have a negative side, he can display a moody side to him, he can become over emotional about things close to his heart, where people are involved he can appear clingy and needy.  He can be impatient and intolerant to the point that he pushes people away.

But in the positive aspect I feel that is attributes point toward Sir Bob, when we look at the change he made in our understanding of third world famine, with BandAid in 1984. 
His personal and very public tragedies that has befallen his family and to rise to the call of the devastation caused to peoples lives with the ebola crisis by bringing BandAid 2014 together.  He fully deserved his Knighthood, but in my world of tarot, he wears a great big crown.





























Saturday 10 January 2015

Katy Perry and th Un-Cowardly Lion.





VIII Strength.  Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti

For some strange reason the Strength card always make me imagine the Katy Perry song 'Roar'.  The chorus sums up this card beautifully:

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
'Cause I'm a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than the lion
'Cause I'm a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Songwriters
MCKEE, BONNIE LEIGH / MARTIN, MAX / GOTTWALD, LUKASZ / PERRY, KATY / WALTER, HENRY

.Published by
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

When we look at what Strength symbolises in tarot, we realise that we have an animalistic side to us, that needs to be brought into balance.  It is also about remembering that the greatest acts of our strength are not created through physical strength, but the strength of calm, reassurance and trust.  

The song lyrics remind us though, that it is sometimes necessary for us to un-leash the beast inside of us.  When we are in a situation where our personal power has been removed, through fear, manipulation or control, we owe it to ourselves to allow that inner tiger, lion, beast, to emerge.  A temporary surfacing is not a bad thing, as long as we know when to bring it back under control.  That is true strength.

Whether it be in a personal relationship, a work situation or even something on a global scale, letting that beast loose can sometimes be the thing we need to do to make a positive change.  To be able to stand in our own power, we need to know when patience and trust are no longer working for us, and we need to be our own 'champion'.

It is not uncommon to hear of people doing amazingly heroic acts, exercising an inner strength to protect others or even to survive themselves.  And these are people who, in everyday life, are thought of by others to be quiet, placid even, and unremarkable in every other way.  These people have full control of that animal that lurks beneath.

Strength is not about just sitting back and never getting angry.  If that was the case, the world would be a horrific place to be.  Strength is about knowing when you need to allow situations to run to their natural conclusion and when to stand up and roar.



















Wednesday 7 January 2015

Hard Days Knight

Tarot of the Hidden Real by Barbara Moore and Julia Jeffrey.


On my new year agenda is an in depth study of the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, and as a way of getting to know the energies of the cards I am committing myself to take time with each card individually and in small groups.

The first card I have been working with is the Knight of Pentacles, unlike the usual RWS style of representation, there is no horse, no armour, and no glaring sign that this fey man is actually a knight at all.  The only similarity to the RWS style of Knights is that this man is static.  As the Knight of the Earth element, he is grounded and steady as a rock.

Here is a dependable person, loyal to his cause, however there is no need to rush in and search for a quest, he has waited patiently to be called to service.

He has been happily dealing with the mundane things that need to be taken care of, instead of blindly galloping off looking for a cause to throw himself into.  He knows and fully understands  the 6 'P's' principle, Proper Preparation Prevents P**s Poor Performance.

This man is never going to sweep you off your feet, make grand gestures or demand to be centre of attention, however what this man will give you is 100% of his efforts. 

He's a man who likes to be able to practice and perfect, he will look for the signs that the time is right to make a move (think finances, physical health, family life).  He's not the kind of man to sign up to the London marathon without having done some kind of running mileage, or book that once in a lifetime holiday if the money is not available.  

He plans and ensures that whatever he does is viable.  He would rather wait and prepare for something, he's definitely not one for being impulsive.  This is where a Knight of Pentacles is great for a 5 year plan, he will put his efforts into making it happen, he will happily plod along to get where he wants to be.

As you, this card shows that you have your head screwed on the right way, you know that most things in life need time to happen, that it is usually the rash decisions that fail. Pointing out that taking some time to prepare and waiting for that optimum moment can be for the best.  However don't get tied up with the goal of just making money, it does not buy happiness, but to have a cause to fight for can be good.   

In a partnership, he would be great for those material aspirations, a nice house, some savings, probably even handy for some DIY, but don't expect fireworks and trumpets from being with him.  

But then again, when did fireworks and trumpets pay the bills?

  








  

Sunday 4 January 2015

If You Go Down To The Woods Today







A time away from the pressures of the modern world and all of its stresses can be a welcome retreat.

Like The Hermit in tarot, solitude can bring about personal insights and clarification that we can lose sight of when we are bombarded with the technological input of everyday life.

Away from external influences and responsibilities, we have the opportunity to quiet the noise and mental babble and really tune in and listen to what is going on internally.
Connecting with nature and with nothing but ourselves, it can be a time of laying to rest some of the issues that we struggle with. 

Getting back to nature, for me, is a spiritual experience too, to look at what Mother Earth has created from nothing but her own resources, never fails to amaze me.  When I am alone with nothing but the elements it puts life into perspective, in the grand scheme of things we as beings are just a fleeting moment in time, and yet the connection with everything is so strong. 

Finding peace and quiet, the inner voice has the strength to be heard clearly and listened to with full attention.  We can shed light on many things that can feel pushed to one side in the hurly burly of daily routine.  

Not everyone feels comfortable with solitude,and that is everyone's personal choice, however it makes me wonder what it is about themselves that these people dislike that they don't want to spend time in their own company, what do they not want to learn about themselves?

By being alone with nothing but our own thoughts can bring us closer to our higher self, the divine spirit, God or whatever your belief system names the great power.  

I just wonder how much more open and accepting this world would be if everybody spent some time off the beaten track with themselves, to listen to what is really being expressed internally, how much more at peace we would be with ourselves and each other if we could all have some solitary moments and connect with ourselves, 

No matter what someone's age is or life experiences, everyone has lessons to learn continually through life, if we don't listen to what our inner voice is telling us, we stop learning, we stop seeing those signs of what we can learn, where our journey can take us.

And like The Hermit, some time in solitude is enlightening, but it can be quite cold off that beaten track, and heading back to civilisation (and a hot chocolate) is necessary, especially if we want to put into practice what it is we have learned.









Thursday 1 January 2015

Happy 2015

Tarot of the Hidden Realm


As 2015 takes its first tentative steps I am sat wondering what this new year holds in store.  Never being one to make resolutions I have decided this year though, to make some goals to work towards.  They are nothing major but they will have an impact in the long term.

Like the 3 of Cups tho' I am raising a glass to toast the support and love of those I hold dear and I welcome anybody to join me in what now lies ahead.  By having those close to me supporting me in my journey I feel I am able to keep moving forward. 

As in the card, I am celebrating that love, I am also raising my glass to new creativity, having laid my plans down and made the conscious decision to go with them I am happy in the direction I am taking my plans.  

I want to continue to build on the foundations I have laid, the connections I have woven over the past 12 months and really start to develop my plans.  I want to become more active in the communities in which I circulate, both physical and cyber-world.  I feel as though 2015 is the year of making my small presence on this planet known. 

I am full of enthusiasm for the coming 12 months and I want that enthusiasm to grow and continue, I want it to be infectious.

I believe we all have dreams, we all have a desire in us that can drive us forward, but so many people give up on them as they feel their dreams are unrealistic, that is why I am making small changes, bit by bit, I am going forward with what my dream is.  I support and admire anybody who as the vision and drive to make positive changes.  I love being able to see people achieve their heartfelt desire, especially when those first nervous steps start to develop into a confident stride.

I have made many fresh starts in my life, however I feel I am now in a place where I no longer want a fresh start, I want roots, I want to be in this place and grow and strengthen what I currently have.     

By celebrating the small successes with my close circle, it makes it easier to be able to accept the not so successful times, Because these people understand me and my dreams they know how to alter my perspective and give me input that may allow me to change a negative and make it work for me in another may.

So for my friends, the people that just 'get me' whether online or physical, I raise my glass to you and wish you all a fabulous 2015, may your dreams be realised and your journey take you down exciting new paths.

Happy New Year. XX