Magical Tranformation

Titania's Love and Success Spell Cards

Ah, the forgotten treasures that can be uncovered when having a total de-clutter. As I forge ahead on my boxing and bagging spree from my daughter's old room, I have come across so many, long forgotten, items.  

When I first moved here, she, K, had already been away at university for a year.  Her room was only truly a base between semesters, so had been a bit of a storage space for many things (my other daughter, E, being the guilty party).

Hidden among the treasures was an item from E's long ago 'teen witch' phase,  something that I now recollect buying as a present for her.  The box is slightly marked (probably black eyeliner) but it's contents totally intact.  Titania's Spell Cards for Love and Success are a delightful little set of 64 cards each with a simple spell intended for a specific outcome.  But that is not what drew me to them.

On the other side of each card is a delightful image, very simplistic and all different.  You know what I'm thinking, right?

This would make a great little oracle deck, a totally personal deck, one that could be 'just for fun' or something more specific, some specific theme, but great for just reading intuitively.

Looking through the images it does seem to be more capable of being a general themed little deck as there are images that involve plants, animals, earth elements and even general items like the umbrella and handbag.

So my downtime creative project this next few weeks is getting to know these cards and seeing just how they work (and searching for the other deck that I remember purchasing for E). Totally transforming their original purpose to one that is  more useful to me,  oh and telling E to take her badly hidden clutter over to her house instead of cluttering up mine. 

Holding Destiny in My Hands.

Chronicles of Destiny Fortune Cards, Schiffer Publishing.

I suspect everyone is like me when they get a new card deck, impatient to start using it, and also a little bit concerned that they may not bond with it as easily as other decks in their collection.

When I heard about Chronicles of Destiny I anticipated it's release.  Not because I was so eager to get my hands on it, however, I found them intriguing.  Nevertheless I wanted to see some reviews and get others opinions about it before taking the financial gamble.

I am not a predictive reader, so, the 'Fortune Cards' subtitle put me off them a bit.  I prefer to use my cards for self discovery, guidance and advice.  Prediction is not my 'thing'.  I can work on probabilities but never straight forward predictions (and don't get me started on 'how does he/she feel about me'. Grrrrrrrrr! )

There was also the point that these cards don't read like your usual oracle decks.  There is a specific method in reading them, and like Lenormand, certain cards hold a specific meaning.  That detail, in itself, intrigued me as I'm not a Lenormand girl, but the concept captured my attention.

So after watching reveals, reading reviews and following threads over on Aeclectic Tarot I decided that I had to have them.  Justifying my decision by telling myself that artwork alone is stunning.

However this is a deck that until you have it in your hands, you cannot understand how special it feels.  The cards are, as I said, beautiful, the guidebook is a gem and the box is rather luxurious too, but it's the content and accuracy of the readings that make this deck so amazing.

Once I had received my deck, I started by doing the basic 2 card daily draw.  The accuracy from these readings was astonishing.  Whether I used them in the morning or late evening, each reading rang true.

Feeling a bit in awe, I decided to offer some free readings purely for feedback. Worried, if I would mess up and dubious about any predictive messages, I read for 10 sitters.  I surprised myself, 9 of the sitters told me the reading was acurate, detailed and insightful.  The other one person may have to wait and see how their situation pans out.  I was able to perform the readings in my usual style, with advice and guidance and leaving the sitter with choices to consider.

I am so enthralled with this deck, I can't seem to pull myself away from it.  From daily draws right down to in-depth readings, each turns up so much information. Every card has so much to offer, and each time I see something different in each one.

It's definitely a deck that I'll keep close to hand

Embracing the Darkness

Back, L - R Chronicles of Destiny Fortune Cards by Josephine and Emily Ellershaw, Oracle of Visions by Ciro Marchetti

Fey Tarot by Mara Agham and  Ricardo Minetti, front center Holistic Tarot by Benebell Wen

Recently I've noticed the days here are starting to get considerably shorter, as summer starts to loosen it's hold  Just weeks ago it was possible to enjoy sitting out in the garden until almost bed time.  Now it has turned cooler and my nights need a focus.

I've taken the opportunity to prepare in advance for how I shall invest my time and gave into the urge to splurge.  

Three of the four items I bought had been sitting on my wishlist since their respective release dates.  Chronicles of Destiny Fortune Cards (Shiffer Publishing) sparked my interest due to its unique reading method.  So far I've used it only for a couple of daily draws.  To say it has been spookily accurate is an understatement.  Although it may be a while before I take them 'out to play', as I'm a little bit besotted with them and don't want to share.  (Imagine a woman in her late forties, clutching the box and throwing a tantrum while shouting 'but they're mine, waaaaaah!!!!'  Embarrassing, I know) 

The next item that mysteriously ended up tumbling off my wish list and into my eager little hands was Oracle of Visions (US Games Systems).  I am a huge fan of Ciro's Legacy of the Divine Tarot deck.  This deck and I go back a few years, and I understand some people don't like digitally designed deck's (some are truly awful), but this deck really speaks to me, it's vibrant and chatty and having been in its bag for a few months, it likes to have a catch up.  It never disappoints.  This spurred me to get Oracle of Visions, having seen the images online I knew I had to have it.  Heck! I even started my journal on it before I even had the deck.  The artwork doesn't just speak to me, it sings, like John Owen Jones. It hits the emotions, triggers the intuition and just sends me off into a rather surreal land in my head. But it makes sense to me,  even without 'definitions' (which I actually prefer).

The final 'oops how did that get in my basket' purchase was, of course Benebell Wen's Holistic Tarot.  After all the amazing reviews and write ups I knew I had to have it.  I love Benebell's blog and the tone of the book is similar. It's easy to read and understand.  The chapters are not heavily laden with jargon.  I'm loving what I have read so far (and given the size of the book, percentage wise it's not much).

My final purchase was only by coincidence.  I've liked the look of Fey Tarot (Lo Scarabeo) for a long time, but always prioritised other decks on my wish list. As much as I like a lot of Lo Scarabeo deck's, the accompanying LWB leaves much to be desired
For 5 days running, this deck kept popping up, on blogs, in exchange readings,on the temptation feed Amazon put on your personal page, you know the one.........other things we think you may like.  Never ever be tempted to look, it's a trap!!!!!  So I decided, there must be a reason this deck is haunting my every online moment.  There it was an 'as new' copy for not a lot of money, so I guessed why not.  I got a good bargain, but imagine my utter joy to find the full companion book for sale too, for less than £2.  (Ironically this was delivered 3 days before the cards arrived).  The book has delightful preliminary sketches of card details as done by Mara Agham, and goes into detail of how she expanded or even changed her original artwork to capture, what is a lovely, readable deck. 

So now that the nights are drawing in, and the neighbours retreat behind their front doors earlier than of late, I'm content to retreat too.  I have new worlds to visit, new lands to explore, oh, and a Christmas list to compile. I'll be heading over to Amazon then to re-categorise my wish list, (just a subtle hint to my family, if you're reading this)

Warning! Detours Ahead.

As life seems to pull us away in directions we wouldn't choose to go, so it has been recently.  My commitments to family have meant investing time away from my own path and into helping others along theirs.

Thankfully though, I now have time to catch my breath and place some focus back into my life.

I do not begrudge one moment of stepping out of my journey and assisting where I am needed, I know that any time taken is accepted with gratitude. 

So after a period of absence I am happy to continue to where I am going.  Although I have no destination in mind, I am just enjoying the journey and sometime, like all long trips, a little stop off can be nice.

The card I pulled for today's blog inspiration was the Ace of Pentacles from Fairy Lights Tarot and elicits thoughts of boundless potential and unlimited resources, if you are prepared to do the work.

However, looking at the card again, I feel it fits so well with the past few weeks, having had to come away from my place of inner tranquility.  I have been walking along  a haphazard path, helping someone else realise their potential.  And now it leads me over the brink of the cliffs and down a path unseen while the promise of opportunity still shines over me.

So maybe that short detour wasn't in my plans, but it's been added to my map, almost as if I needed to have the company, the change of landscape and most of all, the challenge.  So maybe thats where my opportunity lies.

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. 

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. 

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?

  

  

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.

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    

A spread for 2015

As we all move towards a new year, we all make promises to ourselves that this year will be better/different/the year we achieve all our personal goals.

I've been developing a spread that may be of some use if you are not sure what 2015 shuld be doing for you.  It is not a predicitve spread, but a spread of self learning and awareness. 

The spread uses O The Fool as the pivotal card and is loosely arranges around the figures 2,0,1,5.

The first 2 cards I have placed as something from your life that needs to be left in 2014, something that no longer serves you or doesn't working for you.  In practice readings I have done, it has read two ways, so you need to use your intuition to go with it.  The first interpretation can read as an entire situation, a brief outline of an issue, the whos the whats the whens.  The second interpretation (and it has happened in approximately 50% of the practice readings is that it shows an issue and the reason to leave it behind, the whys.

The Fool card is not interpreted, per se, it symbolises the new year, new start, new step in your life.

Card 3 is the main focus you need to keep in 2015.  It is the lesson that we need to learn to put all the rest into place (even better if a Major shows up here).

Cards 4 through to 8 are also lessons to take on board over the coming year, they may be small changes or realisations that need to be addressed to help us deal with whatever 2015 is going to throw at us. 

It has taken a while to figure if the positions work, and in reality they can be tweaked to be whatever you choose them to be.  But I do like this spread, it can be a bit of an eye opener when most people tell you they are going to go to the gym next year, or give up chocolate and you can say, I'm going to develop my authoritive side/ try and become less self sabotaging, or speak my truth, and I'll keep eating the chocolate when I feel like some (and not judge myself harshly about it) thank you. 

Have a play around with the spread and let me know what you think, let me know if you have given the positions different meanings and if so, what are they, and how do they work for you.

Pre-Christmas Cards

Father Christmas came early this year, I have acquired the latest addition to my oracle collection, Colette Baron-Reid's Wisdom of the Hidden Realms.

All I can say is, 'amazeballs'.  The artwork is so rich, the images just speak for themselves. All the card artwork is by the artist Jena DellaGrottaglia, which gives a nice constant flow to them, which I like.  I sometimes feel when the artwork on the cards are a collaboration of different artists, some cards in the deck just don't give me the vibe.  

This could be why the Oracle of Shadows and Light, and Shapeshifters remain my favourite oracle decks as Jasmine Becket Griffiths artwork is consistant on both decks. 

I have been having some 'getting to know you' time with each card and think the deck and I are going to get along well.

The Wisdom of the Hidden Realms cards use reversals, which I like, however the upright position is called an ally, and reversed is called the challenger.

Some of the cards are ally only, a few of the cards are both ally and challenger in the same instant, making it an interesting deck to read.

I can't wait to try them out properly and really get to know them, this is why I'm going to offer some free readings HERE in the coming days, so keep checking back if you would like to find out what these cards have to say to you.

I Am Woman, Hear me Roar

As The Empress card goes I think this one from Legacy of the Divine tarot has got to be my favourite.

If an image has to symbolise the femininity, fertility and abundance associated with the Empress, this card has it all.

I love when this card appears in a spread, it gives me such a happy feeling.  It is enough to tell any female querant that as she stands, she is amazing.

The heavily pregnant Empress, draped in her sheer robe rejoices in the beauty of the female body and its ability to grow and expand with the seed of the future.  I love explaining to querants that this does not signify pregnancy per se, but symbolises that we should rejoice in our ability to grow and nurture the seeds we plant for our future.   

As women, we tend to down play our strong points, sometimes we find they are down-played for us.  We need to learn that as the bringers of life we hold amazing power over our lives.  The Empress also shows that no matter what or physical body is like, we all hold that potential to create, nurture and reap the bounty of those sown seeds.

The Empress is the mother archetype, she not only nurtures the child growing within her, but all that is around her.  She cares for her own, for the earth and everything in it, knowing it is all connected.
  
Loving and caring the Empress embraces all, but she is no martyr to her cause.  She enjoys the good things in life, luxuriance and abundance are evident in her life.  But these things have come from the seeds The Empress has sown, that she has tended and protected.  She is one practical and grounded lady, and the fruits of her harvest are for sharing.  She is a life giver, protector and generous in her love.


There is so much more I could waffle on about regarding The Empress, however I am going to leave it there for now.  I really just wanted to share the beautiful image of Ciro Marchetti's work.  

A Festive Tarot Spread

Feel free to use this spread, if you are using it on a forum or blog or any other website, please link it back to me here.
Many thanks.

I've put together a little seasonal spread for you.  Its been tested out using Legacy of the Divine tarot deck, and seems like it is pretty accurate.

.  

Feel free to use it, let me know what you think.  All I ask is if it is going onto a blog, forum or any other website, can you please link it back to me here.

Obviously its festive so here are the card position definitions.

Card 1 The Tree, this is your basic 'core', where you sprang from, where your roots are deep.

Card 2 and 3, Your Branches, this is where you have had growth, the lessons you have learned, where you have been developing.

Card 4, The Tree Lights, this is where/what makes you shine.

Card 5, The Baubles, this is what hangs from the branches, subconscious thoughts/underlying issues.

Card 6 The Star At The Top Of The Tree, your hopes/fears.

Card 7, Your Gift Under The Tree, this is something coming your way.  I placed card 7 horizontally to make it neutral 'cos lets face it, nobody wants coal in their Christmas stocking.

I hope you have fun with it.

Wicked Wishes and the 9 of Cups Rx

'Cause getting your dreams

It's strange, but it seems

A little - well - complicated

There's a kind of a sort of, cost

There's a couple of things get, lost

There are bridges you cross

You didn't know you crossed

Until you've crossed

(Lyrics from Thank Goodness, from the musical Wicked)

As the wish card in tarot, the 9 of Cups seems like it can do no wrong.  Reversed though, well lets look at how I see it.

I always try to relate my understanding of a card with an experience from my life, that way it makes it easier to understand. The above song lyrics tend to resonate so well with how I see the 9 of Cups reversed.

Using the RWS card, the man in the card seems to be sitting, claiming his space, arms crossed and a hint of a smug look on his face.  This is someone who seems to be in a stance of arrogance, closed off and with little regard for anyone else's feelings or opinions  No matter what is happening he is going to put himself at the forefront of any situation.  His own inflated self importance is almost sickening.  

Behind him are 9 cups, upside down, I think we all know that an upside down cup is an empty cup.so what exactly is this telling us?

The man is too arrogant to realise the cups are even there, is this someone's emotions being drained?  is it their dreams being tipped away? and still the man sits there, smug and full of his own ego.  

How did this card go from being the 'wish card' to a card of shattered dreams.

Maybe this man is so wrapped up in how everything affects him and his world, that he ignores the emotional upset he is causing. 

He has no interest in seeing what is happening behind him, he is the centre of his world and his dramas.  

At some point this man was the epitome of contentment, he was the fruition of our deepest desires, hopes becoming real, and dreams manifesting.

Somewhere along the way this changed and this wonderful feeling of a dream come true, of emotional fulfillment has become a feeling of complete emptiness, of emotions spilled or simply drained.  And yet there he sits pompous, self righteous and full of denial that he has caused this.  His back turned, determined not to look at the devastation and loss behind him.  Determined not to accept responsibility for his part in any of it.

Its a time to go back to the 8 of Cups and learn the lesson of walking away, leaving the emotional ties behind.  If the advice from the 8 of Cups had been followed in the first place then maybe the 9 of Cups reversed wouldn't have happened.

However it did and only then did I realise that 'getting your dreams, it's strange but it seems a little, well complicated'.  

  .

Internal Sat Navs and the Re-calculating Route

I'm a great believer that we meet people in life for a reason.  These reasons can be varied and confusing at times, but I feel that there are lessons to be learned from each and every one of our encounters.

As a typical Pisces I can be a bit of a dreamer and not always decisive on my direction in life however I have met people and been in situations that have made it abundantly clear to me the direction i do not want to take.

These people are like the Magical Map Shifter, they can throw you off course.  They change your direction in life either temporarily or permanently, sometimes in a good way sometimes not so good.

We need to accept that not everyone we meet will be for our higher good, some interactions may happen to actually make us question ourselves about just where our motives and ideas have been leading us.

This can sometimes make us have to double back on our life journey and plan to re-route and make the changes we need to make in order to reach that better place.

Some people turn up to help take us further down our path when we feel stuck, lost or just need company over the rocky bits of the mountain we need to climb.  These are the people that sometimes, just as quickly disappear from our lives.  Yet, these are the people who impact on us and magically shift our personal maps for the better.    

In years gone by, I would simply refuse to acknowledge my part when things went wrong, when I wandered in to bad places.  I now see that I had to accept my part in these things, and I can now understand that the people who were there with me at the time were there to show me a lesson about myself.  Believe me some were pretty hard to learn.  However each person that has touched my life has been a part of my personal map, they helped shape the landscape and build the pathways that needed exploring.

I feel that every connection we make in this life has the ability to be a magical map shifter, we just need to choose which of these can help us on our journey and which ones want to take us to the dead ends.  

All Pain, No Gain

I've had a really bad few days suffering with a dental abscess and doped up on pain relief and I noticed that I really wasn't connecting to my cards at all.

I tried meditation, however the constant throbbing in my lower jaw was too intense to transcend, and after pain relief I was more unintentionally starting to drift off to sleep.

I think I'm back up to speed now and have been working with long time favourite cards, The Psychic Tarot Oracle deck by John Holland.  Its very close to the RWS tarot but has no court cards (yayyy) and has chakra cards added.  It has a full set of Majors although the names are different and four 'suits'.  These being, Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spirit. Included are 7 chakra cards.

My favourite card in the deck has to be 'Power'.  I think the image of the half man, half lion is definitely telling us that strength lies in us and we can use that strength at any time if we let it show its face, however the card also shows we need to balance that power with who we really are, never let the beast completely take over.

I love these cards for intuitive work.  They speak to me in a clear, straight forward way.  I don't believe that 'sugar coating shit' solves anything.  In real life I do try and be diplomatic, in that I will say, what I believe or advise on what I would do but always state that its not me in the situation, so its not my decision to make.

When people ask for a card reading, they are looking for answers, truths or clarity, and I feel that by sweetening the blow we don't do our sitters any favours, or ourselves any justice.  However the ultimate decision is the sitters and not the readers.

I think by pulling the Power card today the cards are telling me that I need to find the strength to get to the dentist (massive phobia of anything dental).  I need to take control of this situation and the strength to overcome my fear.  But its feeling better now so maybe not. 

Parlour Games and Positive Movement

Hands outstretched and her vision obscured by the blindfold, she steps out cautiously, hoping to get a sense of where she is. 

Sometimes in life the only way to move forward is to go blindly, feeling for a touch of something solid to steady us as we go.  The inability to see what lies ahead can make the journey scary but it may be that we may cannot have the distraction of stopping to see what is around us.  If, like the woman in this card, your current place is one that is appealing, you may decide to not move anywhere and become stagnated in where you are.  If, however your surroundings are not so pleasant you would hurry yourself through to get away from it, and miss something important that you needed to find there.  

Some people will happily go along and enjoy the adventure, relishing the air of mystery, not knowing where they are going but happily explore wherever they are.

Some people are reluctant to move, but know that the blindfold will not come off if you don't even try.

Some peoples' blindfold is thrust upon them and have no choice but to participate and fumble about in fear and dread, but are then happily surprised that they found courage and strength in themselves to allow their lack of vision move them forward.

Then we have the ones who will stand on the spot, refuse to move, if they can't see where they are going they are not going to take the risk of falling or bumping into something for fear of hurting themselves.They fear they will end up somewhere unpleasant, that they will be made to look foolish, so they stay exactly where they are.

I think its all a part of life, instead of being focused on how something looks, we need to experience how something feels.  We need to sometimes have the courage to use all the other senses to guide us. 

In todays modern age we are bombarded by media images of what our lives should look like, The beautiful people with their beautiful families and homes, the fantastic successful careers they have.  

In reality what do these people feel.  Does the woman struggle with food issues in a bid to stay slim, is she constantly concerned by her looks and fear the first signs of age.  Is the man in her life spending vast amounts of time working out to keep that six pack, toned pecs and pert butt after a long day in a cut throat job that drains him mentally.  Are the children nurtured and having quality time with their parents or being pacified with material goods.  Life may look good but how does it feel.

If we stop just using our eyes to see where we are heading in life and allow ourselves to just take a 'leap of faith' and let our other senses take us where they will, we would possibly find a lot more satisfaction in where we find ourselves and the lessons we have learned.

If you have faith in your gut feeling, then you are not going to go wrong. 

Selfishness, Solitude and the Single Girl

Oracle of the Shapeshifters

I notice when I travel around the various tarot forums I'm a member of, the number of posts from people wanting answers regarding their love lives, crushes, obsessions is enormous.

Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against people wanting to find that one true love, but the amount of people who believe it is the be all and end all is frightening.  The general thinking is to just throw yourself in whole heartedly into having a partner, any partner and calling it love.  

I am of the belief that real deep love only comes through time, and is not something that happens after a 3 hour dinner date.But seriously, the amount of people who post on these boards with things such as 'How does he feel about me.... I went on a date 5 weeks ago with this guy and he hasn't called so I did a tarot spread.  I can't read the tarot cards but I think it meant he's in love with me, cos I love him'. (This is not an actual post, but you get the gist of what I'm saying). 

Call me an old fart if you wish, however I am a firm advocate of loving yourself first. Don't bring another person into your relationship with yourself until you have a firm foundation to build on.  I've read some horror stories of people who believe they are 'destined to be together' and then go on to describe the most horrific stories of distrust, jealousy, obsession, emotional abuse and at best dislike for the person they are having a 'relationship' with.  This to me just smacks of at best, low self esteem and at worst, sheer desperation.

I'm not mocking, I've been there, oh boy have I been there.  I've had some horrific 'relationships' that felt like love, However I can look back now and realise my self esteem was at rock bottom at the time.  My last relationship makes me want to hang my head in shame, but I won't bore you with details. 
We can be our own worst enemies when someone else is loading the bullets into the gun.

So why are people so afraid of being alone?  Do they dislike their own company?  I find people like this to be very shallow people.  How can you not like being alone with yourself?  How do you even know who you are if you are constantly being fed by other peoples' thoughts and opinions?  Or do these people not trust or like their own thoughts?

Being alone is not the same as being lonely.  You can be in a room full of people and still feel lonely if there is no connection there.  And I'm not even going to touch on loneliness as that is something totally different.

Being alone is a good time to think your own thoughts, get things straight in your head, even sing at the top of your tone deaf voice if you so wish, without someone telling you you're tone deaf.  So what if you are, to enjoy something doesn't mean being good at it.

Being alone makes you accountable for your every thought and action, its a brilliant time to reflect on your hopes, dreams, fears likes and dislikes.

This past 2 years has opened up so many different avenues to me, I have found things about myself that previously I had never noticed before.  My choice of reading material has totally changed, my political views are now different and I have a spiritual side of me that is developing in a way I would never have imagined.  Even my priorities are different now

I'm single by choice (yes, it is my first choice) and have been for a while.  I have no interest in finding someone to share my life with because I realised that until I found out who I truly was, and find enough reasons to love me, I couldn't expect someone else to love me.  I enjoy my time alone, I've become openly selfish, in that I don't want to have to think about 'us' just me.  I know by looking back, I have always had a selfish streak in me, I accept it and have no problem with integrating it as part of me.  I feel at this time in my life I need to be selfish.

I have become so much more at peace with my past, and accepting the negatives about myself.  I am happy with where my life is now.  I don't have someone projecting their issues on to me, making me feel I am unworthy of anything.  I do't even feel the need to socialise just because it is expected of me.  I'm a happy hermit.

So when I read all this anguish from others about either the desperate need for finding someone that loves them or that their one true love ( the 7th in a space of 2 years) is causing them hurt, I feel like replying,' Turn off Facebook, quit wearing Eau de Desperation and get a mirror.  Because reflected back is the one person who can truly love you for you, warts and all'.  You do not need any other person to validate you.  Only you can do that.

Right I'm back off to my cave in the wilderness to sing tunelessly very, very loudly.

Love Is All Around Us

VI The Lovers, Tarot of the Hidden Realm

When The Lovers card appears in a spread, most clients assume that this is a sign that the true love they seek is going to happen.  In some readings it can mean exactly that, however sometimes it is not even close.

Originally this card was called 'Love' and somehow over time evolved into The Lovers and its meaning became fuzzy.

The Lovers is about developing bonds, close, personal, deep bonds.  It can be a connection between two friends that on a mental level, seem to think the same thoughts, have the same beliefs, see things from the same perspective.  Almost like 2 halves of the same thing. 

It is about those people in our lives who bring a connection that makes them special to us. It is about love, but may symbolise the love we have for our partner, parent, sibling, child or friends. They are the people who enrich our lives just by being a part of it.   

There can be an element of physical attraction, even sexual desire, within the context of who the card is portraying.  But the card alone is not always read as that passionate romance that will sweep us off our feet.

The card is also to do with choices, moral and ethical dilemmas that call on us to decide what we must do, from our our best choice.  It is the difference between right and wrong, it symbolises our beliefs, our truth and our morals.

So if it shows up in a reading for you, don't think that it is necessarily time to book the minister and telling your mother to buy a new hat, you may be very disappointed. 

Love is in our lives in many different guises, if you accept that you are never going to be poor.