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)

The Secret Diary of Pisces Moon Aged ..........

Vibrational Energy Oracle by Debbie A. Anderson

Sundays are my day I do my weekly spread.  It just gives me a nice overall picture for my coming week.  I am so impressed by the Vibrational Energy Oracle, I chose to test run it for this reading, instead of a usual one card daily draw.

To say this deck is accurate is an understatement......... this deck has been reading my diary!

Current situation, Inspired Juggler.
I currently childmind my 2 year old grandson while his mum works. She has been doing so many extra hours recently I feel like I am rarely in my own home and when I am, I'm doing the usual chores (my daughter has a great little fairy that does her housework).   Add to the mix, 2 dogs, 1 puppy, 4 guinea pigs and 3 rabbits.

In between there are my tarot readings and all the networking that entails, my mother's health issues, my youngest daughter re-locating and I feel like anymore balls added to my juggling act will make me drop every single one.

Emotional challenge, The F Word.
Oh there are many I could use.  This is a word I need to scream, to release and my chosen word is............FATIGUE!!!!  I just want to wake up refreshed and not have to start planning my day before my feet hit the floor.  So the word I am throwing out into the universe to free myself from is, Fatigue.

Advice, Release.
Time to heal and rid myself of this feeling of overwhelming tiredness, to get some real rest and recover some energy.  This week is a week of slowing down the pace and the demands on me.

Scarily accurate, when this week, my daughter has a weeks holiday from work, my youngest daughter has now got all her personal items from home and the weather report looks good, so my guinea pigs can play in the garden and my dogs can have some outings to their favourite places and for once my mother has no medical appointments.

I really must buy a lock for my diary and hide it from this deck.

Shusssssssh!

I feel like a neglectful momma, my absence as been duly noted and dealt with.

I sort of got lost in my backlog of 'books I really had to buy as I really want to read them'.  I have a habit of going through my wish list and buying books, that although may look good on my bookshelf, were actually bought to read.  So I have had a literary-fest and have been losing myself in my books.

It is surprising to find that books I have on my Amazon wish list are actually sitting on my shelf at home (I know, I am a hoarder).  This tells me I have a problem and really need to get my bookshelves organised and possibly data based.  
I admit to having two 6 foot high bookcases, with every shelf at least two books deep of books that I own.  

My taste in reading is so varied that I could probably use section makers like Waterstones do.  Alas I just pile them wherever I happen to find a space and so have a jumble of titles, authors and subjects as varied as Oscar Wilde right through to Darren Shan.  I have Idiot's guides through to Richard Dawkins, Terry Pratchett to HH The Dalai Lama.  

I hate to admit that I also have boxes of books in my loft, under my bed and in my spare room.  But I just cannot bare to get rid of books.  Some I must admit I have passed on to charity shops, jumble sales, friends and family, but only the books I have little interest in or have not enjoyed.  I still have my collection of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books somewhere.  

So I have been in hibernation with my books, and as the days get warmer I will be found in my garden with a book in my hand and my dogs by my side and a cup of capuccino. 

By this time next year I may have even got through one shelf of books if I am lucky enough to have the time, as there is always tarot to distract me from my wordy friends......  Oh, and don't get me started about my Kindle.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible (well, when I finish the chapter I'm reading).