Strength and The Star

My In-Depth, Very Very Long Review of the Bohemian Gothic 2nd Edition

2010-08-23T12:56:00.001-07:00

(My original review for the Bohemian Gothic Tarot can be found here. You can view images for all of the cards in the deck at the Bohemian Gothic Tarot website.)

It's no secret that I am passionately, fanatically, and deeply devoted to my Bohemian Gothic tarot. It's unusual, because I hate horror movies, scary books have no place on my shelf (sorry, Stephen King!) and I despise being frightened. Anything that falls into that arena, therefore, is normally an automatic "no" for me. However, much like I will play any game that Bioware releases simply because they are the very, very best in their business, I will at least try any deck that Magic Realist Press releases because they never, ever disappoint. Their decks don't always work for me (Fantastic Menagerie, anyone?), but they're always gorgeous.

The BG isn't my normal cup of tea, but it is, somehow, perfect for me. I have said before that I think it's because the deck's inherent darkness makes it impossible for me to twist the message into something purely good and happy. I hate giving bad news, but there's a dark side to everything, and the BG doesn't let you forget it. I also appreciate that it's a dark deck, but it's not a violent deck. Many of the images, while dark, still evoke a sense of stillness and peace.

My second edition arrived on Saturday, while I was out clothes-shopping with my daughter. Instead of a shiny new deck to play with, I got a yellow slip telling me to go to the post office and pick it up on Monday morning. To make my anticipation more painful, Sunday evening my car, The Prissiest Minivan in the World, refused to start. The horror! So, this morning, I hopped on my bike and rode to the post office in 90 degree weather. (See how devoted I am?) As soon as I got home, I washed the sweat off my hands (ew!) and peeled open the new deck.

I was quite impressed with the box. It's lovely, opens and closes smoothly, and it's quite easy to get the deck in and out. One corner was a wee bit crushed from shipping, but that's happened with every deck I've gotten that comes in a cigar-style box, and it doesn't really effect the appearance of the box. More importantly, the deck was fine. I would feel perfectly comfortable carrying the deck, in the box, in my purse.

See? You can't even tell.

Inside the box, there was a LWB and a coupon for 10% off my next purchase. Very nice! The deck itself was wrapped in cellophane, which was secure but not so snug that I feared damaging the deck in my attempts to get it off, as I do with some decks.

First, my observations and comparisons of the deck as a whole:

The deck is thicker than the first edition. The cards have a matte finish; the first edition cards feel absolutely slick in comparison. The cardstock feels slightly stiffer than the first edition, as well, but that might not be a valid observation, since I'm comparing a broken- in deck to one I haven't even shuffled yet. The cards are also slightly smaller than the first edition, by maybe 1 millimeter in both height and length, and the corners are slightly more rounded.

The Second edition is on the left.

A second edition card face down on top of the Nine of Wands from the first edition. You can see the size difference on the top and the right edge.

The back of the card is the same design as the first, but done completely in black and silver. (The first edition deck was black and white with silver shadowing.) This gives it a much softer, darker feel than the first, almost like if you put your hand towards it, you could get pulled in and swallowed up. Which, now that I think about it, is pretty creepy.

On the front of the cards, the biggest change to the deck as a whole seems to be the clarity of the pictures. In the first edition, the images were so sharp you could cut yourself on them. In the second edition, the images were softened, giving them a more dreamy quality. I prefer the sharper images of the first edition, myself; the new version is lovely, but I like the harshness of the original. The Hierophant, for example, has always struck me (in this deck) as an uncompromising man, who is almost cruel in his absolute authority. His unwillingness to bend or to see other viewpoints isolates him, but as far as he's concerned, that's the fault of others.The sharp lines around him made that clear; there was his way, and his way was right, and that was that. The new card is almost exactly the same; the red hat is a bit brighter, the blue robe is a bit softer a blue- but the biggest change was softening the image.

There are many other slight color changes throughout the deck. For example, a gray which is bluer in one deck might be greener in the other. The small border on the bottom that carries the card's name is a bit shorter in the second edition, as well, although the text appears to be the same size.

In some cards, the colors seemed more muted and less vibrant, such as the reds in the Eight of Wands, the smoke in The Magician, and to a lesser degree, the Hermit's lantern. I'm not really a fan of this; I loved those vibrant, passionate, eye-catching colors!

Card By Card comparison:

I am not going to actually do every card in this deck. Many of the cards are very nearly exactly the same as the first, with slight changes in tint or sharpness that I have already mentioned. I'm just going over the ones that struck me, for whatever reason.

Where the 2nd Edition wins:

Ready?
The Moon: They changed her face. She has a regal, calm look now, a certain tilt to her head that is confident , mysterious, and almost haughty. In the first edition, she looked worried and weak willed. The new card is a win.

Justice: The cover of the book is actually much clearer, and the robe on the figure in the background is red now instead of black. The judge's different colored eyes are more noticeable, and the furnace in the background is much more muted in color. I love these changes.

The Devil: I adore the addition of a gold earring on the woman. Somehow such a small thing adds so much to this image!

The Sun: Another card with simple color changes, yet the new card is beautiful and powerful.

Judgement: The painting behind the angel is now muted and fades into the background, giving the image a sense of depth and allowing the reader to focus on the people in the card. as a result, the contrast between her peace and his horror is more tangible.

Two of Wands: Not much was done to this card, mostly cropping, I think, but the woman seems more ghostly and more wistful, bringing the emotion of the card to the forefront and involving the reader more than the first edition.

Nine of Wands: At first glance, you'd think it was exactly the same, but the softer focus of the image is more reminiscent of early morning light, and underscores the meaning of the card. Love it.

Six of Cups: The new picture on the headstone is a definite win. It makes the image far more personal, and easier to relate to.

Nine of Cups: They changed the glass style in the drinker's hand. I love the new glass, it seems to fit more readily with the mood of the card.

Eight of Swords: I really like the addition of the rats. It suggests that, yes, there ARE things to be afraid of, but it's not something you can't overcome.

Knight of Wands: LOVE the new background!

Queen of Pentacles: Thank you, MRP, for NOT CHANGING HER FACE! She is my favorite card in the deck, because of that look on her face, and I am delighted you left it alone.

Where I'm Undecided:

The Lovers: I'm kind of split on this one. The woman in the new card is far and away lovelier than the woman in the first, and looking at her does evoke images and emotions; she appears to be making a difficult choice, leaving something behind for the sake of something that means more. It's a more emotional card, compared to the more physical composition of the first edition Lovers. The problem is her male counterpart. In the new one, he has this expression on his face that suggests he's just about had it with her Edward Cullen obsession. He doesn't appear loverlike or passionate or even a little creepy. He just looks bored and slightly irritated. I also much preferred the original background, with the light of the moon peeking from behind the black clouds. The new card, on the whole, is much prettier, and I suspect in time I'll prefer it. I just have to reconcile that look on his face, and the fact that it is vaguely Twilight-esque.

The Tower: I adore the new red shadowing on the statues; however, I also adore the purple sky in the first.

Six of Pentacles: Do I prefer him with horns or without? I can't decide.

Where the Second Edition leaves me cold:

The Emperor and The High Priestess: I preferred the original backgrounds. The skulls on the ceiling in the Emperor were much clearer and more powerful, while the forest behind the HP was more symbolic, to me, of mystery and the unknown.

Queen of Wands: There was a wealth of emotion in the first Queen's expression; wistfulness, hope, sorrow, even quiet laughter. Her successor looks irritated, or even bored. I suspect she's in a secret society with the gentleman on the Lover's card, where they read Very Serious Literature and eat very small sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Also, the fact that the original Queen was likely a transvestite added an entire world of meaning to the card that is now missing.

Five of Wands: for some reason, simply cropping this card neutered it for me. It has always been representative, to me, of either making things harder for yourself by fighting things that aren't there, or refusing to see what is. Having those ghouls closer gives them more substance, and alters the way I read the card.

Three of Cups: I don't like the vampire puncture marks in the oldest girl's throat. (Assuming that is what they are, and I didn't just get a misprinted card!) They feel unnecessarily violent.

The King of Cups: Expression again. In the original, he clearly felt both wistfulness and hope, sadness and longing. This time, I rather get the impression that his lady love ate broccoli and beans for dinner and is emitting some rather indelicate odors there at the window.

Queen of Swords: I loved the old Queen of Swords, because at first glance she looks so unassuming, but if you take a second look at her face you know she will cut you. She is perfectly lovely, and yet her direct, unwavering and calm expression says, "I see through you." She looks powerful and unafraid. She doesn't need to keep her hand on her sword because the sword is just a distraction- the truly dangerous thing in that image is the Queen herself.

Although the symbols of power and danger are more overt in the new image, with her hand on her sword and her teeth all vampire-y, I would be far less intimidated by the new queen than I would the old, and far less confident in her wisdom and impartiality.

After showing the deck to Wakingspirit, she commented that the new deck "looks more cohesive and less photo-edited, which is good. The colors are clearer and brighter, but because of that, the deck is less creepy. Still creepy, just... less." She was also extremely taken by the Momento Mori card, which is lovely.

So, overall, it appears that the deck is a win. To finish this post up, I finally gave the deck it's first shuffle, and it is stiff and hard to manage, I suspect it will soften up beautifully in time. It will be interesting to see how the gilding wears with use.

The fact that this deck has always reminded me of campy B-Movie horror in the very best ways has always been one of my favorite things about it. Even though the characters in the cards should seem dangerous or evil, when you really look at them, you get the feeling that they're just as prone to bumbling mistakes as the rest of us. These monsters throb with humanity, and we can relate to their struggles and their triumphs. That is what makes it a great reading deck, and that is why I love the Bohemian Gothic, both old and new.

Images used with permission, Copyright @Alex Ukolov and Karen Mahony, Baba Studio 2010.

New Deck Interview

2010-06-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

I've never done a deck interview, so I took myself over to aeclectic.net and picked one out of the many offered by members there. I sat down with Shadowscapes, some incense, and had a chat. Here are my results, see what you think:

1. Tell me about yourself
Result: 4 of cups--isolated, self focused, introspective, narcissistic. Perhaps a good deck for growth of self, or reflection of inner states.

2. Strengths
Result: Queen of Wands--passionate, lyrical, attractive, draws you in, inspiring, confident, creative, feminine. Feels like the deck is very inspiring to creativity and spirituality, especially for women.

3. Limits
Result: Fool reversed--overconfident, foolISH, stagnant, rooted, careful, plodding. Deck might be a bit too cautious, not want to push the querent into harder territory.

4. What are you here to teach me?
Result: Page of pentacles--Deck has potential wisdom, to trust the earth and the messages received. To rise above difficulty, or to see difficulty as potential. You are a part of everything.

5. How can I learn and collaborate with you?
Result: 4 of pentacles--Selfish or greedy. Perhaps deck wants to be used for readings for self only, rather than be shared.

6. Potential outcome of our working relationship?
Result (this one made me giggle): Wheel of Fortune--eh, things always change anyway. Seems like the deck is telling me that it isn't the life changing sort, rather a companion for each turn of the wheel.

All in all, I interpreted this to mean that the deck will work better for personal readings than reading for other people. That it is clearly feminine and creative, passionate and engaged but not particularly pushy or daring. And that it remains staunchly committed to the 8 fold path ;)

So, I probably won't be reading much for others with this one, but I revel in its beauty and earthy spirituality all the same.

Dark Decks

2010-06-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Note: Apparently I wrote this and failed to post it in October. My bad.

Happy Halloween and Blessed Samhain, everyone! In honor of the day (and also the fact that I just received my brand new Bohemian Gothic tarot), we're going to talk about "dark" decks.

There are thousands of different tarot decks out there, with imagery that will appeal to just about everyone. There are tarot decks devoted to cats, ferrets, and even (ugh) baseball. There are decks aimed at different cultures; Native American decks, Chinese decks, Norse decks. There are decks about angels, fairies, saints, and dragons.

I have two "dark" decks. One is the Deviant Moon.

This deck sometimes gives me the crawlies. The imagery is beautifully done, the art is amazing, and the deck stayed on my mind until I gave in and bought it. It's not really a horrifying deck; it's more just that the inhabitants of the deck are "different"- but if you look past the differences, they're living lives not much different from ours. The cards themselves are brightly colored; it's not the first thing you notice when you look at them, but eventually the thought creeps in... "These are oddly... cheerful."

This deck is different, and takes a definite turn from my other decks, but it is a walk in a sun-filled rose garden compared to my other dark deck- my brand new, deliciously creepy Bohemian Gothic.

This deck is, to put it plainly, creepy as hell. Some of the cards give me shivers- if you're interested and in the Halloween mood, go check out the Four of Wands on the Bohemian Gothic website. That card makes a chill crawl up my spine- and as my husband says, the really fantastic thing about this deck is that the images that really make you shudder are the ones that look the most benign. This deck isn't blood and gore horror, though- it's a more thoughtful kind of horror from a time when artists really understood that sometimes, true fear isn't about having zombies jump out at you and graphically eat your face off. (Have I mentioned that I REALLY hate horror flicks?) This deck is somehow over the top and subtle at the same time.

There are some decks that may not be described as "dark"- but that I won't touch with a ten foot pole. The Morgan Greer, while a favorite for many and not to different from some decks I do have (and love!), creeps me right out. It's that Devil card. The Barbara Walker literally makes my skin crawl.

There are other decks, far, far darker than the two I've profiled here. You can check out a great variety of dark decks at Aeclectic.

So why have dark decks? For some people, it's just what they're comfortable with. For me, it's about understanding that there is a balance of light and dark in the world, and in the people, around us. The fact that there is always another battle to fight, always another struggle on the horizon; the fact that people are NOT always fair, kind and just; the fact that most people are generally, at the heart of it, out for themselves- these are things I am finally learning to accept, and it's not easy.

Tarot is a reflection of life. Every card represents something that every person has experienced in some way. Change, heartbreak, growth, celebration- these are all universal experiences, and every different depiction of these experiences in different decks can teach you something different about that situation- a new angle to view it from.

(The Death Card image up there is from the Dark Tarot series by Tease Tarot. As far as I can figure, it's not an actual deck, simply the covers for a series of books- but if it is available as a deck, can someone please tell me where to buy it?)

Connection

2010-06-05T14:05:00.001-07:00

I keep talking about my tarot hiatus. In reality, it was more of a spirituality hiatus; I played a lot of video games and did really nothing else.

I'm ok with that. For whatever reason, a period of stasis was what I needed, and I am a firm believer in giving yourself what you need. (Also, I REALLY like video games.)

Coming back to the Tarot, however, has been an interesting experience. I expected to pick up a deck and be able to read with it the same way I could six months ago, and that's just not what is happening. I remember my book meanings, but the connection I had with my cards, the ability to hook into my intuition and see what the cards were really saying, is hard to tap into. It was a climb the first time, and I can already see it's going to be a climb again.

And I don't mind. In my earlier post about apples, I mentioned that I had immersed myself into tarot to the point where I wasn't really paying attention to anything else. I was excited about the journey and the possibilities; I was very much the Fool stepping off into a brand new adventure, never seeing the dangers or day-to-day concerns around him.

This time, I am more grounded and more aware. I am back on track to developing my spirituality, but in a slower, more careful way. More of the Eight of Pentacles in me this time, I think, than the Fool. And it's better, and I am happy with that.

Balance is good.

Hey a post! Shadowscapes

2010-06-04T10:25:00.001-07:00

I know, I know, NaNoWriMo totally derailed my posting, and then... yeah. But I refuse to let pixels make me feel guilty!

Anyway.

My sweetie and I were discussing the "perfect" tarot deck some time ago, and we hatched the brilliant plan to create one from scratch. I'm not an artist by any means, so my plan was to scour the internets for images that spoke to me, and combine them into one self-use-only tarot deck. I was pretty excited about this, and I went searching for images right away. As soon as I found one I liked, I would save it to my hard drive and move on. After doing this for, oh, an hour or two, I realized something--nearly all the images I was saving came from one tarot deck. A then-unpublished tarot deck called Shadowscapes.

Problem thus solved, I settled in to wait for Shadowscapes to be published. I just received my copy about a week ago, and I absolutely love it.

The images call to me on a very spiritual, intimate level. Taking a leave from the more Christian-based imagery of the Rider-Waite, the artist instead draws from nature and fantasy to create images based in the four elements. The deck truly speaks to my woo-woo pagan nature, down to depicting the Hierophant as a treeman and Death as a phoenix rising from her own ashes.

The natural world crawls through the deck, even nature spirits like sylphs, dryads and dragons make an appearance.

I hope to do a deck interview and post the results here... as soon as I get a quiet moment, which during the summer with two crazy kids can be a challenge! So far the deck seems to give soft answers, gentle and spiritual rather than the more person-centered Mystic Dreamer I use often. I'm very excited to do more with Shadowscapes!

Image ©Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

In Which Apples = Tarot

2010-05-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Imagine you love apples. You adore apples. You eat apples for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then you have apple pie for dessert.

You explore all different kinds of apples. Braeburn, Gala, Granny Smith. You start tracking down gourmet apples, investigating different apple recipes, even creating some of your own.

You join an apple fan club. Then you start an apple fan club.

Your internet browser is full of websites devoted to the history and mythology of apples. Eventually, if someone has an apple related question, they call you first. They even call to find out what type of apple might best suit their friend, who is fond of apples, but has not yet found the perfect apple for her.

This goes on for months. Then, one day, you get out of bed, look at your apple pancakes, and think, "Apples are rubbish. I could really use some fish custard right now."

It was bound to happen. No one can eat that many apples for that long without eventually growing sick of them.

Hopefully, if you take a break from apples, and start eating other foods, you'll rediscover the joy you once had with apples. Hopefully, you've also learned your lesson, and are able to balance your diet- and your life- in a healthier manner.

That's the plan, anyway.

Out with the old, and in with the new.

2010-02-09T12:06:00.000-08:00

In a manner of speaking, anyway. I recently cleared out a good number of decks, and it was NOT easy. I love my decks.

Still, no matter how much I love them, I was being buried alive by the sheer number of them in my tiny, already overcluttered home, and most of them not only did not get used, but were likely NEVER to get used. I liked them, but I didn't connect with them. Therefore, a number of them left my loving care and moved on to people who might actually, y'know, USE them. I haven't felt the loss so much as I've felt the pain of saying, "I have 40- Imean, 20- no,I mean...14 decks."

Ouch.

So, most of my once abundant collection is gone, and I find myself shepherding a small number of decks that I either already communicate well with, or that I have high hopes for. Lisa Hunt's Fairy Tale deck is gone, although I am already regretting that and will probably buy it back pretty quickly. Magic Realist Press' most successful deck, the Baroque Bohemian Cats, is also out of my hands now, which was difficult for a number of reasons. The only deck I parted with that I probably will not be able to replace if I decide I want to is the Tea Leaf Fortune Card deck. I hope I don't end up kicking myself over that, but the person it went to will take wonderful care of it, and I am content knowing it's in good hands, even if they aren't mine.

This clearing out occurred at roughly the same time as my addiction and dependence on the Bohemian Gothic tarot started to wane, and I started to play with some of the decks I have left. The Revelations got another spin around the track, and I found it sadly much less compelling than the first time I used it. The Tarot of Prague also got to stretch her legs. She confused the heck out of me and got stored until I get a chance to read the book and speak her language. And then, the Victoria Regina came out to play.

I have GOT to stop taking one look at decks and deciding that I hate them. The same thing that happened with the Bohemian Gothic is happening with the Victoria Regina; I didn't immediately fall in love with it at first sight, so therefore decided it wasn't a good deck for me and put it away. The only reason I didn't sell it with the others was because it would be virtually impossible to replace, and so I decided to give it a chance.

It reads brilliantly. It is a very inspiring deck in the sense that it really does draw very much on your intuition. The images are extremely detailed, and I believe that being in black and white suits the mood of this deck far better than being in color. Even soft watercolors would only detract.

These are large cards, suitable for the intricate artwork, and can be a bit difficult to shuffle. The are very well made, sturdy and glossy. The backs are quite simple, white with the image of Queen Victoria as she appeared on some coin or the other.

Where this deck really shines, though, is not the deck at all. It's the companion book. The book is a wonderful amalgamation of Victorian history and tarot. The court cards are all represented by different personalities from the Victorian era, including Benjamin Disraeli, William Gladstone, Oscar Wilde, and of course, Victoria herself. The parallels between the lives of these people and the personality traits represented in the cards is absolutely brilliant, and by far the most inspired writing I've ever seen in regard to the court cards.

Once again, however, I am taunting you with a deck that is not easy to find. There is a Chinese version for sale through ebay, as long as you don't mind not reading the book and can disregard the Chinese writing on the cards. Unfortunately, reviews of the Chinese version are not positive, stating that the cards are far too small (much smaller than the original, English version), the lamination is sticky and gritty, and the cardstock is not as well made.

I am entranced by the Victoria Regina at the moment- but when that wears off, I am quite excited to see what surprises my much smaller collection of decks has in store for me.

Can we talk Oracles for a moment?

2010-01-16T19:03:00.000-08:00

I was very excited today to learn that Morgan's Tarot (which is an 88 card oracle, and not a tarot at all) is going to be reprinted by US Games and should be in stock in a couple of weeks. I've wanted this deck for months (which is forever, as far as my interest in tarot is concerned!) but never managed to bid quite enough on ebay. I'm feeling rather fortunate in that, now, although I am a bit concerned that the deck is going to come on US Games' heavily laminated stock, which I generally like but which doesn't fit into the vibe of this deck at all.

In general, I am not a fan of oracles. They tend to be too one dimensional for me; more bluntly, I cannot read with them at all. There has so far been one exception to the rule:

The Oracle Of The Grail Code. This oracle was (obviously) inspired by Dan Brown's popular book, "The Da Vinci Code", and so I am terribly embarrassed to be so enamored of it. There is a very snobby part of myself that snickers and whispers, "Why don't you just put those New Kid On The Block posters back on your wall, while you're at it" every time I pull this deck out. In the long run, though, it doesn't matter, because this deck is beautiful, and very, very chatty.

The artist, Amy Sophia Marashinsky, took strong and evocative female images from some of the most famous paintings in the world, and applied keywords to them. The cards are oversized and are far too large for me to riffle shuffle; I tend to dump them out on the floor and mix them around. There are 33 cards; they come in a cigar-style box with a book.

The only problem that I have with the manufacture of this set is that the back of each card shouts out the name of the deck, followed by the words, "The Book and Card Collection." Thank you for that, Barnes and Noble. The book is hardbound, and includes spreads, description of the cards, and meditations for each card, as well as artistic credits.

I have used this deck for single card draws and three card draws; I have also used it for a celtic cross. Every single time I use this deck, it is very clear and concise, telling me in simple terms exactly what I need to know. The keywords are not so specific that they limit the meaning of the card, which is a problem with some oracles.

Love, love this deck- I only hope that, when the Morgan's Tarot finally gets here, it performs as well.

Whew.

2009-12-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

So, the holidays are almost over, and with the passing of the holidays comes the opportunity to return to normal. Or what passes for normal around here, anyway.

I have kind of let my tarot studies lapse over the past couple months, (I know- shocking and unexpected, right? You never would have guessed) but as the new year approaches, I've been considering how best to approach diving back in. You see, I miss tarot in my life when it's not an everyday part of my life. I think it's not just the Tarot, but an overall sense of spirituality that is missing. I get really caught up in "Now, and now, and next" and forget to breathe- to really, really breathe, to slow down and see and experience everything that is happening.

So, my goals for the new year are as follows:

To continue meeting with our tarot group as often as possible, hopefully an average of once a week;

To offer no less than 5 online readings at Aeclectic.net per week;

and,

To study and learn a new spread an average of once every two weeks.

I've also decided to start carrying a deck with me wherever I go. I had a very tough time choosing which deck that would be. I recently cut about 17 decks out of my collection; I still have quite a few, but most of them weren't appropriate for purse-living for a variety of reasons. I waffled and wavered and finally remember that my Legacy of the Divine, which has been on a little adventure of it's own, had returned home to me. In to the purse it went, and I am quite satisified with it there. Honestly, given the choice I would always, always pick the Bohemian Gothic to read with, but until it's reprinted (which looks quite likely at this point, yay!) I'm not carrying everywhere I go.
In other news, we've welcomed a couple new contributors to our ranks, and hopefully they'll be along to post as things settle down a bit more.

Lastly, don't forget to add strengthandthestar@hotmail.com to your messenger account; if you see me online, I'm available to do readings.

I hope the new year brings peace and prosperity to everyone.

I'm a bad blogger. Bad, bad blogger.

2009-11-27T21:24:00.000-08:00

If it makes you feel any better, I've been feeling guilty for my terrible neglect. Really. My computer has been giving me reproachful glares for... awhile.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what my husband calls "positive thinking" and what others I know call, "sending it into the universe".

You see, I tend to get what I want. Pretty much always, and very much due to the kindness and generosity of the people around me. A lot of the decks I have that are hard to find were sold to me for much less than they were worth simply because people were generous, and it was worth more to them to see these decks in the hands of someone who would love them than in the hands of someone who merely values them for their rarity. One of them I even "won"- although technically, my partner in the drawing won the deck, and sent it on to me. I have a friend who refers to me as a shopping genius- because somehow, I find what I am looking for, and for less than I expect to pay.

In all aspects of my life, this trend is consistent enough to make me really stand up and take notice- it has gotten to the point where I even rely on it. If I am meant to have something, or to do something, I will have or do that thing. I don't doubt this. (This doesn't mean that I don't worry; not all of the experiences that we are meant to have are pleasant!)

It also kind of creeps me out. WHY does this work? I've read, recently, that atoms will change their behavior according to the expectations of the people who are viewing them. This is huge, when applied to the idea that we can create our own realities based on our expectations. How much do we limit ourselves based on what we believe we can do or have? How much of our own negative experience do we create by fearing it?

I haven't read "The Secret", although from what I hear it's really the same idea- as Buddha said, "With our thoughts, we make the world."

Here's what I am working on. I want the world to be a better place. I want people to be kind and generous and loving with each other, and with the earth we live on. Normally, I pretty much believe people are bastards; I'm going to work on changing this belief. Maybe with my thoughts, I can change the world.

The Bohemian Gothic Tarot

2009-11-15T19:50:00.000-08:00

Let me start out by saying that I am not the type of girl that likes "dark" stuff. I can't watch horror movies or read scary books; in fact, even after watching those "Haunting" shows on television I end up sleeping with the light on. "Ghost Rider", with Nicholas Cage, kept me up one night. Seriously. This is how much of a coward I am. My imagination is too visual and too active to feed it those types of things. After watching Stephen King's "Rose Red" I slept with the lights on for a MONTH. Ask my husband. He'll roll his eyes. :D

So, we've established I'm a wussy. More than that, I tend to find those types of things distasteful. It's not just that they scare me, they also tend to disgust me. I appreciate greatly when the dead are shown a measure of respect, and I am very disturbed when they are not, even in fiction.

Taking those things into consideration, it is an absolute wonder that I ever even purchased The Bohemian Gothic Tarot. It's a horror movie lover's fantasy deck, after all. Very dark, and very chilling. Everyone I know who sees the deck gets the creeps from it. (And the waitress at Ihop gave us MUCH better service after I pulled it out. :D ) What is even more astonishing is how much I adore it.

Let's take a step back. Magic Realist Press is responsible for several amazing decks, including the Victorian Romantic Tarot, Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot, and Fairytale Tarot. Their decks are extraordinarily beautiful, and an absolute pleasure to touch and use. They use high quality products to create their decks and put an amazing amount of thought and care into them, even after the product is complete and on the shelves-and the product that ends up on the shelves is in an entirely different class than any other deck that I've ever seen.

Don't get me wrong. There are publishers out there that create amazing, gorgeous, high quality decks. However, there is only one publisher that I would buy a deck from, sight unseen- and that's Magic Realist Press. If they produce it, I want it. (They also create a wide range of other products, including laptop bags, tarot bags, and purses- and they are also amazingly well made. You can check out their products at http://baba-store.com .)

Initially, my desire to have the Bohemian Gothic was fuelled simply by the fact that it was a Magic Realist Press deck, and therefore worth having. Then, I got a look at the three of pentacles:

And had a good giggle over it. Remember, the three of pents is about teamwork and mastering your craft. What a wonderful choice to depict those two qualities! It made me consider the card in an entirely new way. I started to wonder if perhaps this deck could provide me with a new outlook, teach me to see the cards in ways I hadn't before. It became more attractive to me on it's own merits and not simply because of it's creators.

Unfortunately, this deck is not easy to find, and if you do find it, it's not cheap. I started hunting. I kept my eyes open, nearly bought one from a kind member of AT, and waited... and one night, on a whim, checked Amazon: Voila! A Bohemian Gothic that was downright affordable, from a marketplace seller. I didn't even stop to think about it. I just clicked "buy"... waited four days.... received it....

And was horrendously disappointed.

Yup. I did NOT like the deck. It was too dark, too creepy, the cards were too stiff (when compared to my darling Victorian Romantic, which is well broken in and delightful!), I was never going to be able to read with it... It was crushing, really. Still, I had the deck, and if I sold it, I was never going to be able to replace it, so I used it.

And I used it some more. And the more I used it, the more I realized how very wonderful this deck actually is. It is an extremely readable deck, as a matter of fact; it lends itself well to intuitive reading, and the cards flow together to create stories better than any other deck I've seen. It's a dark deck, yes, but it's not morbid; it has a delicious sense of humor, and is also very good at conveying the full range of human emotion. This deck remembers that there is very rarely such a thing as pure joy. Always, there is a balance in our lives of joy and pain, of light and dark.

The book is a delight, too. The Justice card doesn't fit the Rider Waite Smith imagery at all; but after reading the description in the book, I was nearly in tears.

Each entry contains the original image that was altered to create the deck, which is not only interesting, but can also be enlightening. The original three of swords actually showed a man and a woman in an embrace, not seeing the woman in the foreground. Even though that's not what the cards show, I remember it when I draw that card, and it does make the card deeper and more meaningful for me.

My favorite card in the deck is the Queen of Pentacles:

The look on her face just breaks me into giggles every time I see it. That's a "WTF?!" face if I've ever seen one.

That is not to say that the deck isn't creepy. On a lot of the cards, there is just something off about the people in the card; when I described it to Wakingspirit, she called it "the uncanny valley". Heads are turned just that much too far, skin is just this much the wrong color, the cards are extremely well executed to be chill inducing. After working with it for awhile, though, that stops being a distraction, and becomes more of an asset- another small thing to draw from.

The cards are still too stiff, (I like thin, floppy cardstock) but I suspect that will resolve with time. The backs are stunning, showing a spiderweb-like arrangement of bones and skulls in white ink, shadowed by shiny silver ink.

The cards are borderless. I am not a huge fan of the bar of color at the bottom of the card, where the card is labelled; I would have much preferred the text directly on the image without that. However, that is my only complaint about this deck- all in all, it's glorious- and I am not selling it.

You can check out the entire deck at http://www.bohemiangothic.com.

Images used with permission, Copyright Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov, Magic-Realist Press 2007. All rights reserved.

Charlatans, Con-men and Scammers, Oh My!

2009-11-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

In my short time as a member of Aeclectic.net, I've seen scam artists mentioned occasionally, and always with distaste. The members of Aeclectic are, from what I've seen, incredibly honest, kind and generous people- but there are scammers in every lot, and "fortune tellers" are no exception.

I grew up in a family that had abilities. When my grandmother was alive, there were always odd things happening in her house; lights turning on and off, voices when no one was there, shadows, knocks and doorbell-rings when no one was at the door, occasionally even a full entity taking a stroll through the house. I know, because I lived with her, and I saw it all happen. I've had dreams where people who are no longer alive (including my grandmother, which was actually quite wonderful) come to speak to me; my mother has prophetic dreams, poor thing- she calls me occasionally to tell me what she dreamed about, so that later she can say, "Remember?!"

Even with all that, I still suspected for a long time that divination was a con. I always thought- before my strange and unexpected conversion- that the readers were conning themselves as well as their seekers. Actually, it may well be true; I certainly don't have all the "hows" and "whys", but I don't believe it nearly as much as I once did. What never crossed my mind was that people would use these things to take advantage of others.

Apparently, I think better of the human race than they warrant, which is terrifying, because I don't really think that highly of us as a collective to begin with.

After a conversation at Aeclectic, however, and reading the stories at this website, I felt like I needed to come here and talk about how some people use tarot and spirituality in general to take advantage of people who are in pain, afraid, and desperately need some hope.

I am not an expert in this area, but here's what I think: Anyone who reads for you and tells you that you have no control over your life and that you need someone to fix it is conning you. Even if they don't ask for money, you need to go see someone else, because we always have choices.

There is no shortage of ethical, caring people in the world who also happen to read tarot cards. A lot of them DO charge for genuine readings, and they should- it's work, and it's sometimes very draining. The fact that someone charges isn't an indication that they're scamming you.

If someone spouts stories about curses or dark entities, and tell you they need $xxx to fix it for you, run, don't walk, to someone with some ethics. I've seen speculation that those people don't even know how to read the cards. I suspect it's largely true. Learning the cards is hard work- these people aren't interested in hard work. They're interested in making a fast buck off of someone else's desperation; they create abusive relationships based on fear.

I cannot say for sure that when I read the cards, I'm not unintentionally cold reading. I can tell you that I honestly speak for what the cards say, regardless of whether it seems to be "hitting" with the querent or not. Sometimes it doesn't seem to, which is awkward- but that doesn't mean I change the message. I also usually remind the seeker, when getting to the outcome cards- "THIS isn't set in stone- it's up to you."

Anyone who tries to take away your power over your own life, and then wants you to pay them for it, is not only scamming you- they're also trying to injure you.

Real Life Woo Woo

2009-11-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

Well. I've had an interesting weekend.

I've been feeling pretty awful lately; bloated, slow, with an unhappy tummy. I just have not felt like eating. Finally, I decided that if my body didn't want to eat, I wasn't going to make it, and I started what I thought was going to be an 8 day juice fast.

You can start laughing now.

I lasted all of 30 hours on my juice fast before I cracked and ate part of a donut. And a scrambled egg. And the rest of the donut.

And two pieces of pizza.

And a kit-kat bar.

(This dietary recitation may give you an indication of why I've not been feeling well in the first place. I usually keep this kind of stuff out of the house, but lately things have been kind of odd.)

Now, 4 hours since breaking my fast, I am thinking perhaps I should have stayed on it. I wasn't hungry, I WAS feeling better; I was a little weak and tired, but I suspect that my body still needs a break.

What I found interesting was how, when I mentioned to my dad that I was doing a juice fast, I made a point of mentioning that it had nothing to do with anything spiritual. Yes, fasting has been said to have spiritual benefits; more clarity of thought, more awareness; I was hoping for these things, but they were not my driving focus.

That got me thinking how, really, a lot of supposedly "woo woo" things have real benefits. Meditation, for example- I avoided this for years simply because I wasn't into "that stuff". Oh, no, I wasn't crazy, I had my feet firmly on the ground (and my head firmly up my ass, really). Now, I do it on a regular basis. Not because of any magical purpose, but simply because it helps me find my center, be more grounded and more calm. I have a tendency to get wrapped up in my own head, and run and run like a mouse on a treadmill until I am emotionally and mentally exhausted. Meditation gives me an opportunity to clear out the clutter, get in touch with what is real and let everything else go.

Tarot, I think, serves a bit of the same purpose; it gives you the opportunity to look at things from another point of view. Not everyone accepts that; I have seen someone take an obvious "No!" in a spread and twist it in their head until it said what they wanted it to say. It was astounding, really. But taken with an open heart and an open mind, a tarot spread can help you step back and look at your life, and really take responsibility where you have been avoiding it- or release the responsibility for things beyond your control. Tarot can show you that there's hope when you'd thought there was none, and sometimes, sadly can say, "Hey- this is going to be really, really awful for awhile". Never good to hear- but at least you're prepared.

To be perfectly honest, I still have a lot of suspicion about tarot. How does it work? Why does it work? Is it really just people taking generic meanings and applying them to their lives however they fit? However, I've seen enough creepily accurate spreads to realize that there is most likely something deeper, something really special that happens when you lay out a tarot spread. Even if there's not, people are taking from the readings things that they need to hear.

(That juicer up there is a Waring. It's the one I have. If you must buy a juicer, do yourself a favor and skip this one. It wastes a TON of juice.)

Deck Review: Wisdom Cards by Louise L. Hay

2009-11-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

I found the neatest little deck the other day at the bookstore. It's not my normal style, being more brightly colored and abstract than I normally go for, but for some reason it caught my eye and I snatched it up.

I'm glad I did. This little deck is adorable. It's not a divination deck, although I think it could be used that way with one or *maybe* two card draws and some imaginative association; instead, it's a deck of affirmations. The brightly colored cards are two sided, with a message on one side and an elaboration of that message on the other.

For instance, an orange card with flowers and birds on it say, "I dwell on positive thoughts."

And when flipped over, the card is darker orange, with a green flower at the bottom, and says,

"If good comes into my life and I deny it by saying, "I don't believe it," I literally push my good away."

Another card, this one with a black background and rainbow coloring, with a person in the middle, says "I can heal myself on all levels."

The back has a yellow background, with a rainbow border and rainbow text, and says, "Healing means to make whole and to accept all parts of myself- not just the parts I like, but ALL of me."

I really love this deck. In fact, I think this would be a fun deck to use to surprise strangers with- to leave cards in random places for others to find.

This is part of a set called "Beautiful Card Decks" by the same author, which includes titles like "Power Thought Cards", "Healthy Body Cards", and "I Can Do It Cards". I know at least the "Healthy Body Cards" are definitely going into my Amazon cart (from which no item ever returned, mwahahahahaha).

Check out the deck here.

It's TIME!

2009-11-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

Well, actually, it's past time! I just sat down, shook the heck out of the tupperware -er, Giant Cauldron- stuck my hand in, swished it around for awhile, and drew a name, and it's.....

*Cue drum roll.....*

Sharyn!

Whooo- Hooo! Congratulations, Sharyn!

Send me an email at strengthandthestar@hotmail.com with your info, and I'll order that for you right away.

Conversely, if you'd rather have a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com, let me know, and I'll send you that instead. :)

Thanks to everyone who entered, and keep an eye open- we have other contests and giveaways planned!

Only one more day!

2009-11-05T07:12:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow at 10:00 Mountain Time we'll be doing the drawing for a brand new, straight from the retailer copy of The Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti. I've been posting some of the gorgeous images over the past two weeks so that you could enjoy them, and I hope you have- they really are breathtaking.

So- if you want to win this gorgeous, luxurious deck and book kit, remember to post a comment on any post on the blog before 10:00 am tomorrow morning, and I'll write your name on a slip of paper and drop it in our Giant Cauldron (it's a tupperware bowl) of Names.

Also, if you like the Legacy and think it's stunning (which of course you do, because you are a person of impeccable good taste) check out Ciro's website- lots of beautiful stuff there.

He also has a website specifically for the Legacy of The Divine, with animated versions of all 78 cards, card of the day calculators, and a lot of other neat features. You can get more information at www.legacyofthedivinetarot.com.

And as a special treat, some samples of the animated cards:

The Three of Swords:

The Empress:

The Four of Swords:

You can view more samples of his gorgeously animated cards at his Youtube Channel.

Good luck, everyone!

The Ethics of Tarot

2009-11-05T06:31:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking for awhile about what my own personal code of ethics for reading tarot was going to be. Honestly, at first, I didn't really need one. My readings were pretty darn shallow, scratching only the surface, and usually not touching on subjects that were too uncomfortable.

As I progress, though, I seem to be delving deeper and touching on more and more painful areas. To be perfectly honest, I don't really like it. I would really like to tell people everything is sunshine and roses all the time. I can't.

I have found that I have a tendancy to try and "soften the blow" when faced with unpleasantness in the cards, and that's not fair to myself or to the person I'm reading for. I feel guilty when I can't tell them everything is going to be ok, but that is life- everything isn't always going to be ok. I need to work on remembering that, as a reader, the cards aren't about ME. It's not a conversation between me, the seeker, and the cards- it's a conversation between the seeker and the cards, and I'm translating.

The other thing I have been considering concerns privacy. I started this blog wanting to post readings on it, so that other readers could offer their interpretations, deepening my learning and the seeker's experience. Since then, though, the readings have touched on some deeply personal, painful issues, and it's been niggling at me that this was not the appropriate way to go about it. After some gentle nudges by some people whose opinions I respect, I'm going to go with my gut and stop posting readings to our blog. I am still available for free readings; if you would like one, feel free to email either of us using the links to the right. You can also add me to your MSN messenger under Strengthandthestar@hotmail.com; if you see me on there and available, feel free to ask me for a live reading- that's why I'm on.

Also, concerning the ethics of blogging: All images will be coming down today, and will not be going back up until and unless I have permission from the artists to post them. I'm not being sued, or anything; just trying to do what is right.

Thank you all for your patience with me while I bounce up and down the learning curve. :) Have a lovely Thursday!

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot : The Sun

2009-11-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Sun is possibly the most positive card in a tarot deck. It symbolizes joy, triumph, glory, renewal; it is about finding your inner light.

In the standard Rider Waite tradition, this card normally features a naked young child upon a horse. This can signify youth, fresh beginnings, innocence, vitality, and movement. There are no secrets with this card- everything is laid bare under the clear light of the noonday sun, which banishes all shadows.

Reversed, this card suggests that you are daydreaming too much, or are seeing things the way you want them to be, rather than how they really are. It could suggest that you're pushing too hard for what you want and are going to rob yourself of whatever that is; perhaps joy and excitement in an endeavor is turning to exhaustion and frustration.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- The Hermit

2009-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Hermit is a seeker, walking alone on a path of learning. He's not wandering in the desert, aimlessly; he's also not hanging out in a cave somewhere. He's travelling, learning, on a journey of discovery. He's learning about both the known world, that is visible to everyone, and the spiritual world, which reveals itself slowly to him, as he becomes prepared for it through his travails.

The Hermit holds great wisdom, which he has earned over years of dedicated travelling. He holds a light in his hand, so that he can see which way his path turns. doesn't stumble along in the darkness; he moves steadily forward, seeing every step along the way.

When the Hermit appears in a spread, he can be telling you that you need to take some time for yourself; that you are in need of a teacher, or that there are lessons that you need to learn; he could also be saying that you need to guide someone else for a few steps on their path.

Reversed, he could say that you are being too withdrawn or reclusive, that you are NOT getting enough time for yourself or paying attention to your own need for solitude and discovery, or that you have stalled on your path, and need to refocus and start moving forward.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine: The High Priestess

2009-11-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

The High Priestess is all about the things unseen. The scroll in her right hand represents the Torah; the pomegranite suggests the unconscious mind and the fertility therein. She stands before the gates to the unseen.

This card talks about intuition, developing empathy and psychic abilities, and nurturing the spiritual. She can represent the esoteric and the occult, things like the Tarot and magic- tools which can be used for good, or for evil.

When the High Priestess appears, it is time to pause and listen to your intuition. What is your gut telling you? Look at every angle of your situation, and try to see beneath the surface. Trust yourself. It may be that not everything is apparent in your situation; the High Priestess can represent secrets waiting to be revealed.

When she is reversed, she is telling you that you need to be careful- you don't know all the information, or the information that you have is not accurate- perhaps someone is keeping a secret from you, or perhaps you need to hold your own secrets close.

Sometimes, all the High Priestess is saying is, "Right now, you are not meant to know the answers."

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot: The Magician

2009-11-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

Think about what you know of magicians. Now, apply all of that to this guy.

Magicians are smart, crafty, and quick. They are manually dexterous. They can be prone to not telling the truth- or at least not all of it; they are smooth and persuasive talkers. They have the tools to complete their work and they have mastered them.

The Magician is the master of his craft, and he opens the doors for creative potential in his students. He represents all possiblities made real.

The Magician can signal that you are entering a time when it is important to take action; that the necessary tools and skills are available to make something real. It is a time to focus on your goals His appearance suggests that you will succeed in your endeavors- and it might be time to take chances, instead of staying where it's safe.

He says, "Trust yourself. Trust your creative instincts. You don't know yet what you are capable of- there is more to you than you are aware."

Reversed, the Magician can represent deception or half-truths in a situation or that someone is being manipulative. If he comes to you reversed, take some time to think things through! It could simply suggest that you're in a rut, and it's time to try new things.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- The Star

2009-10-31T08:07:00.000-07:00

When I see the Star, the first word that almost always springs into my head is "Hope". The Star symbolizes hope.

It also symbolizes finding your way in the terrifying darkness. When we are in very bad situations, sometimes the star shines it's light on us, and we can see where we need to be. The Star doesn't fix anything for us, we still have to do the work ourselves- it simply says to us, "There is a solution. It can get better."

The Star can represent joining the physical with the spiritual. She also represents renewal- adding water to the land so that it can grow and blossom, and adding new water to the water so that it does not grow stagnant, and can support life.

Looking forward, it can suggest getting help from an unexpected source.

Reversed, this card suggests stagnation and clinging to the past instead of moving to the future. It can suggest hopelessness- not necessarily that the situation is hopeless, but that the querent feels hopeless, and possibly helpless. If this card appears reversed, perhaps it is time to look for someone to help you with your problems.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- 9 of Coins

2009-10-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Nine of Coins, or Nine of Pentacles, is an interesting card; it comes between the diligence and hard work of the Eight of Coins and the security of the Ten. Therefore, it makes sense that the Nine is about self control and self reliance; enjoying the bounty of your own hard work.

This card shows a woman who obviously loves beautiful things; the richness of her clothes and surroundings shows us that. She has tamed the wildness and impetuousness of her nature (the bird); she is comfortable, at peace, and secure in her surroundings.

This card can refer to a love for art and music, and all things beautiful; it can also talk about success in business, health, or the fruition of creative endeavors.

The important thing to note about this card is that she is alone; this card talks about succeeding by yourself and providing for yourself. It doesn't talk about excessive wealth, rather it talks about having enough to live comfortably. You can run your air conditioner all summer- you cannot book every floor of the Montecito and have a slammin' house party.

This card can also talk about self discipline and sacrifice; not getting everything you want so that you can save those resources for later.

Reversed, this card can refer to being overly dependent on others, being lazy, or simply being over-indulgent.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Decks

2009-10-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

Whoohoo! One week to go in our fabulous giveaway! We only have 24 entrants so far, so odds are pretty good. In fact, I can say with 100% certainty that SOMEONE will win that deck. :D (It occured to me upon viewing this post that it could, possibly, appear that we were giving away that box full of decks. We aren't. Not even close. We are giving away one (1) deck, NOT pictured above, Ciro Marchetti's "Legacy of the Divine" which is gorgeous and beautiful and will come to the winner brand spanking new and straight from the retailer. Those decks in the picture are mine, and shall stay that way. Stop drooling. Mine.)

So, I was going to do a card of the day, and in fact, I have several set up and ready to go (not written, but I have pictures. Cause that's the easy part.) but I am tired and I have a brand new Terry Pratchett book waiting for me, so instead, I am going to talk about one of my favorite things about tarot.

The decks.

I love tarot decks. I love the variety in them, the sheer beauty of so many of them, the quirkiness and humor in others. I love how every different interpretation of a card deepens its meaning for me. No matter what you are interested in, what kind of art you like, what size cards you want- somewhere, there is a deck for you.

My very first tarot deck was the Mystic Dreamer Tarot. It was a gift from our very own Wakingspirit, in response to the words, "I think I want to learn to read tarot cards." Her immediate reaction was, "Well, don't buy one yourself. Pick one out and I'll get it for you."

Yes, I have the best best friend ever.

I went trolling through the decks on Aeclectic, and the first deck that I oohed and aahed over was the Tarot of Prague. I thought, and still think, that it is just lovely. Fortunately, I looked up prices before I told her what I wanted, because I am pretty sure if I'd told her to buy me that one, she would have laughed herself to death. Mystic Dreamer was my second choice, and I do love it- but not nearly as much as Wakingspirit does! She ended up getting her own copy a few weeks later and uses it all the time.

This was the beginning of my obsession with tarot decks. It was also the beginning of my education in tarot superstition. (Nice segue, right? I know, I rule.) The idea that a person should receive their first deck as a gift is a superstition hotly debated among tarotists. I've since learned about other "rules"- there are, for instance, a million different "right" ways to store the cards. Some people won't touch a deck that has belonged to someone else, and some people feel that the appropriate way of discarding a deck that you will no longer use is to (gasp!) burn it.

Don't use tarot cards on wood, ONLY use tarot cards on wood; don't let the querent shuffle, the querent MUST shuffle. It's really the same in all things tarot; each individual must determine for themselves what the "right" way is.

I personally don't see any reason why someone musn't buy their own first deck, if they've no one to do it for them. For me, it was a lovely "welcome" into the tradition to have someone give me such a wonderful gift; it felt like someone else opened the door and invited me in, saying, "Look around! There's so much to learn!" But as nice as it was, I feel sad for all the people who don't learn because they're worried about bad luck or a deck that won't "work" if they buy it themselves- not to mention the people who steal them and then tell themselves it was a gift from the store. (Even my powers of justification aren't that good, and I'm a grand master!)

As for everything else, I've done it pretty much every which way (except for burning decks) and really, it doesn't seem to make a difference. After all, it's not really the cards that do the work. The cards just lay there. I am the one working.

And if you are tempted to burn a deck once you're done with it, send it to me! You don't want to inhale all that smoke. Let me "burn" it for you. :D

The Master: Zen Card of the Day

2009-10-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

In this tradition the Master is not master of anyone else, but of himself. He is willing to trust in his own wisdom and strength rather than fall prey to the currents of life, the ups and downs.

He recognizes his own immortality of spirit.

He also recognizes his own responsibility in this matter. You won't catch him depending on the perfect situation or person to further his own growth potential. He knows to turn inward and visit with his own essence for guidance and strength.

If you draw this card it can be telling you to look inside for growth instead of to the world around you. To become enlightened, you must conquer your inner mind, not the world around you.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine - XVIII- The Moon

2009-10-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of trouble with this card. A LOT. OF. TROUBLE. In fact, I drew this card a few days ago for my card of the day, researched it, and gave up. I ended up heading to the Aeclectic Tarot forum to ask for help; those brilliant people, between them, know everything there is to know about tarot.

The Moon is a very feminine card, dealing with Intuition and Spirituality; this card is closely related to the High Priestess.

It's ironic that I have so much trouble with this card- as one person said, that itself is evidence of the Moon in action.

The moon symbolizes confusion. Things that are actually mundane look scary and mysterious in the moonlight; the everyday becomes mysterious.

This card can be about secrets, deceptions; it can be about our own imaginations getting the best of us; it can be about our journey from confusion to enlightenment. Some people have said that the moon is about romance; I can see that; after all, having romantic feelings for someone tends to keep us from seeing their flaws!

Reversed, the meaning of this card becomes clearer. I see this card reversed as confusion fading away; reality becoming apparent. When the moon fades, the sun rises, and your path becomes clear again. Looking at it that way, though, it could also mean the opposite- when the moon is new, there is no light at all, and it's far too easy to get lost in the woods.

If this card comes up reversed, I would advise taking a flashlight with you when you go out. :D

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Living Out Loud

2009-10-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

Over time, I'm sure I'll mention a hundred ways that tarot, and my ventures into living a more spiritual life, are improving my life and making me happier. What I probably won't mention are the ways that it's making my life more difficult or complex; those things aren't as significant to me, so may not get mentioned so much here. (If you're on Aeclectic, though, you may already know what a crybaby I can be!)

The biggest issue that I have dealt with so far is explaining my interest to other people. People seem to fall into two basic groups. You have the people who, for whatever reason, believe that tarot is evil and/or dangerous. These people tend to be ignorant about tarot in general, and get pretty freaked out when they find out that you do it. These are the people who insist that you're going to hell for reading, that tarot calls evil spirits, that tarot functions through the efforts of evil spirits, or simply that tarot is a sin. (So is eating shrimp. Try and get me to stop. You'll lose a hand.)

The other group are the skeptics. When they learn that you read, their estimation of your intelligence drops about 100 IQ points. If you're lucky, they're dismissive and will only ever speak to you of fashion magazines and animated sitcoms. If, however, you're unlucky, they're combative. They want you to PROVE it. PROVE it works. Tell them the winning lottery numbers/ location of missing child in the news/ winner of American Idol in 2010. It doesn't matter what you tell them, or what you see- if you are completely accurate, they come back with, "That could fit anyone." There is no point arguing with them- they are secure in their world view. You might as well argue with a brick wall.

In the interest of complete honesty, I used to be a member of the first group. Tarot scared me; more than that, I thought it was ridiculous. I had a reading when I was very young that was so inaccurate as to be offensive, and from that point on, I believed tarot was a con; more than that, though, my mother had a deck that she used specifically when she was in a bad emotional place. To me, that deck felt (and still feels) bad. Mix into that the fact that I grew up in a conservative religious environment, where my mother and her spirituality made her the black sheep, and you get a whole lot of intolerance and prejudice in tiny little me. I've been steadily moving away from that place of fear and intolerance; still, I'm still not sure what sparked the interest in me to try tarot. One day in July, it hit me like a bolt of lightening: "I want to learn that." The second bolt of lightening: "I have to keep it to myself."

It's a new and unpleasant feeling, to have to keep something I am passionate about, something that I find so wonderful, under wraps and hidden away like it's something I'm ashamed of. The way I grew up was completely the opposite of that- I was expected to share my beliefs, to spread them like a virus. To have to treat the things that made me happy like they are dirty or sinful makes me very angry; not only for myself, but for everyone that has to live that way.

Recently, I came out of the tarot closet in a very subtle way; I posted on my Facebook about the Tarot blog. A lot of the very, very conservative people that I am related to are connected to me on Facebook, and I suspect that there will be some fall out, some tearful phone calls about how they're praying for me, perhaps some type of spiritual intervention. I expect to have to make sure that my children are not being indoctrinated when I'm not looking.

Some people that respected my intelligence before likely think less of me now; that's ok. I suspect that will have no real effect on my life; I know how smart I am. It may effect my relationships with them in the long run; that's okay too. I have never been one to live any part of my life hidden away, and I don't expect that I'll start now. I'm not saying it's not scary- it's scary as hell. I'm living in the open, anyway.

The positive surprise is the way that people seem to be handling it so far; a lot of people that I was concerned about have been accepting or downright enthusiatic. The people I suspect to be the most disapproving are either ignoring that I ever said anything (we'll see how it goes when I see them in person), or have flat out asked me to not discuss it with them, as it makes them uncomfortable due to the whole me going to hell thing. Still- they're rejecting the tarot and not me, and that I can live with. I'm not pretending to be something I'm not, and that's what's important.

Edited to add: It has been pointed out to me, very gently, that there is another group of people that I dismissed: the people who are not familiar with tarot, and not prejudiced against it at all. I personally have not encountered very many that fit into this category, but they do exist. They just don't cause me angst, so they didn't fit into my rant. :D

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Tarot- Eight of Swords

2009-10-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

It might be a little hard to believe, but the Eight of Swords is one of my favorite cards in any deck, because I relate to it in a lot of ways.

Swords are the cards of struggle. They can refer to difficulty, new ideas, intellectual pursuits and education.

When this card comes up in a spread, my first thought is always "fear". This card talks about being trapped by fear or old ideas, unable or unwilling to see your way out of it. Being caught in a bad situation but afraid to move to extricate yourself because you don't know where the dangers lie- you only know that they're there.

This card is also about making yourself a victim. You see the woman in the card? Her hands are free. She could simply reach up, remove the blindfold, and use one of those nearby swords to cut herself free. She has the ability and the tools necessary to get out of her situation, and for whatever reason, she refuses to. Maybe she doesn't realize that the swords are there and can help her; maybe she's afraid of what she will see if she removes the blindfold. However, what will happen to her if she doesn't take that first step and simply look around is certainly scarier than what's going to happen to her otherwise.

Reversed, the blindfold falls away. When this card is reversed, it may be saying, "You're ready to move forward!" Things may get easier soon- or maybe you're just tired of being a victim and are ready to take that first step to freedom.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine - VIII: Strength

2009-10-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is another lovely card from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot. Looking at the imagery, a lovely young woman is surrounded by large cats of prey. She is calm, serene, and in control- the ferocity of the beasts is still present, yet she is in no danger from them. They have gone from being her predators to her protectors.

This card is about strength. It generally doesn't talk about physical strength; instead it talks about discipline, compassion, gentleness, and control. This card refers to being able to harness those dangerous, wild parts of yourself and turn them from things that can be hurtful or dangerous into something that is an asset to you. In some decks, this card is called fortitude- the will and ability to keep moving forward, even though it's difficult or painful.

When this card appears, it could be heralding tough times. You could be entering a period that will test your self control or your compassion, or even just your ability to keep going. However, this card is a good sign- it says that you CAN be in control of the situation, you have the strength to overcome, you just have to use it.

When this card appears reversed in a thread, it can indicate that the lions are about to turn on you. You are in danger of losing control, of being driven to action by your inner "lions"- your feelings, your impulses, even your fears. It can also indicate that your need to be strong is closing you off from other people- it may be time to open the doors and let other people give to you. Sometimes, strength lies in knowing when to allow yourself to accept support. No one can always do it alone.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card of the Day: Legacy of the Divine Four of Wands

2009-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am going to be working with the Legacy of the Divine deck a lot in the next couple of weeks, so that you can all see what we're giving away. Gee, darn, poor me, having to work with something so lovely. (Note the sarcasm. :D )

Wands (to me) represent fire, passion, enthusiasm, and creativity; endeavors, and things we're working on. For example, since I've started this blog, I've had wands popping up a lot in my own readings.

The four of wands generally speaks to me of celebration and giddy excitement. It makes me think of the breathless enthusiasm you sometimes feel when something you've really wanted comes to pass. It also means, to me, stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new.

In researching, I also learned that this card can represent seeking freedom, and moving away from something that is holding you down or trapping you.

In a divinatory sense, this card can refer to joyous events like weddings, birthdays, graduations, or more unexpected, thrilling events.

The thought just occured to me- I know one person to whom this card applies brilliantly right now- in regards to her pending divorce. Not an event I would normally apply to this card, but there you go.

This particular card also speaks of safety, doesn't it? An oasis, a safe place in a world that is otherwise terrifying and dangerous. Imagine how joyous and relieved you would be if you were wandering through that cracked, dead land and stumbled upon the sanctuary offered by those four wands.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

Card Of The Day: Legacy of the Divine III: The Empress

2009-10-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a beautiful card? I love the Empress card in general, and this one is truly stunning.

The Empress is one of the 22 Major Arcana, the archetypical symbols of the things almost everyone experience through life.

She is the Mother. She can represent the bounty and fertility and abundance of the Earth, the way that it provides everything we need, it's strength and beauty. She is nurturing, loving, giving, protective, and patient.

She is also earthy, passionate, and sensual. She is a creator; she takes the seed of romance, the seed of creativity, and helps it grow. See how she's pregnant? She is full of potential not yet realized.

She also has a dark side. She can be smothering and overprotective, controlling, and clingy. Sometimes, mothers have a hard time letting go, and this mother is no different.

This card can signify an opportunity, something that needs nurturing and babying to grow. It can signify a pregnancy or represent a motherly figure.

I just love this card; it is one of my favorites in the entire deck.

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

In which I am the Fool.

2009-10-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

I am a little concerned that it may appear that I believe that I am an expert, or that I am trying to set myself up as a teacher. In fact, for most of these cards that I have posted about, I am writing down my own interpretations, researching "book meanings", figuring out what the card means TO ME, and then posting that. I am not an expert, at all- I am just beginning to learn- and the meanings that I am writing down in this blog only scratch the surface.

There are so many possibilities, and many things that I'll never know about tarot. For instance, I will never, ever even try to learn the numerological and astrological associations; I don't have the type of brain that focuses on those things. That's ok; I don't need those things to make the tarot work for me.

Tarot can work for anyone- and that is one of the doors that I was trying to open with this blog. To invite people who are intimidated or don't understand to join me on my voyage of learning.

I am not trying to lead the way, or to teach anything to anyone. I am simply trying to learn, and hoping that I can in some small way contribute to the journey of learning that other tarotists are on- and maybe to welcome new travelers to this road. Like the Fool, I am leaping forward with enthusiasm, not knowing where the path I am on will lead, but excited about the journey.

The image is from The Fairytale Tarot, copyright 2005 Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov. Image used with permission.

2009-10-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

Zen card of the day: The Mind.

The cloud suit in the Osho Zen symbolizes things that can "cloud" our path to enlightenment. Things that stand between us and the whole, mindful middle way.

The Mind is the perfect example. Many of us praise the mind, our thoughts are our greatest triumph. But what we forget is that our thoughts are temporary and fleeting. We might be in the depths of the deepest depression and still, sometime that day, we have to have a thought about turning left, or eating lunch, or simply "what is that smell?" Our thoughts are not permanent, and they do not encompass who we are.

When you draw the mind card, the message is simply to ask "how are your thoughts interfering with your self today?" Are you dwelling or ruminating on things that you cannot control, trying to gain a sense of mastery through worry? Are you blocking your mindful practice with the constant screeching of that monkey mind that we tend to think rules us? Take a moment to clear your mind, focus on your breath or a piece of music instead of the incessant thoughts that you treasure but you really can't trust. In the Osho book, the author says that "the mind is a servant." Allow your mind to serve you, don't be a slave to it.

What? You want a sparkly new deck?

2009-10-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

Good morning, all you lovely people! To celebrate our new blog, Wakingspirit and I would like to offer you all a chance to win a copy of Ciro Marchetti's beautiful Legacy of the Divine Tarot. This will be a brand new, sealed in the box kit, including the companion book.

Legacy of the Divine is a beautiful, readable deck, and one of my artistic favorites.

Here's how the contest is going to work. From now until November 6th, leave a comment on our blog and your name will be entered in to our Giant Bowl of Names. (It's probably actually going to be a cooking pot, but that doesn't have quite the same ring to it!) On November 6th, at around 10:00 am (give or take- we're busy ladies!) we will draw a name from the Giant Bowl (pot) of Names. The winner will be contacted, and once we have their information, we will order Legacy of the Divine from an online retailer (either Amazon.com or bookdepository.com) and have it shipped directly to our lucky winner.

You can comment as many times as you like, but it's only one entry per person. Anonymous entries will get you nowhere, my friends- make sure we have some way of contacting you.

Once the contest is completed, the winner has 2 weeks to claim their prize (by sending us their information!), or they're out of luck, and we'll draw again.

Good luck, and have fun!

Image used with permission. Copyright 2007 Ciro Marchetti.

The Right Way

2009-10-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to read the Tarot. As many ways, in fact, as there are people. There are people who look up every card in the book for every reading, and do excellent readings; there are people who never learn a single "standard" card meaning, read the cards intuitively by looking at the pictures- and also do excellent, accurate readings.

Even the people who have assigned meanings to the cards don't always agree on what those meanings are. One person might say Judgment is about reconciling with your past so you can move on into your future, while another might say it refers to being caught in the grips of a difficult decision. Both of those interpretations are accurate for the reader, and that's what is important.

For myself, I am working on learning the book meanings, and I use those as a springboard to reach the message I see in the pictures on the cards. It works for me.

That's part of the reason I started this blog- I wanted a place to discuss my interpretations with others, to expand my understanding of the cards. I love it when I hear or read something that makes me think, "Oh! I never thought of it THAT way, that's excellent!"

So the "Right Way" to read the tarot is this: honestly, with love for the person you are reading for, and to the best of your ability.

Oh Hai.

2009-10-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Allrightythen. Here I am!

So, I'm here to add my thoughts on reading tarot and to offer up readings to anyone who might want one.

I started reading cards as far back as the sixth grade, finding myself drawn to Wicca and other forms of pagan beliefs. Over the years I've put them away and taken them out again many times, but about four years ago I dedicated myself to a path of spiritual awakening and since then I've been reading tarot as part of that journey.

My spiritual bent is influenced both by earth-based religions and Buddhist thought. I'm not any one thing, I've meshed many philosophies together into a working framework for myself. When I read cards, the same thing applies. For example, most read swords as sitting in the east and wands as sitting in the south but I reverse them. Swords to me are active, masculine, can be destructive. To me, that's fire (which is the southern "element" in many traditions including Wicca). Wands represent idea generation, creativity, development, much more suited to the "element" of air for me. When I do ritual, my journal, my wand and my incense all go to the east.

I love to read because it connects me to the earth and to my spiritual center. It gives me an excuse to turn off the external and turn inward. I hope to grow and learn in this practice as we go along, as well.

I read using two decks, the Osho Zen Tarot and the Mystic Dreamer Tarot. Mystic Dreamer is a traditional deck. Osho is a Buddhist deck, based on the teachings of a kooky cult leader. This does not deter from the awesomeness, however, and I really enjoy reading from this deck. The Osho deck will not tell you your future or what dark handsome stranger is coming your way. It will tell you what is going on for you emotionally and spiritually, and what path you might take to deepen your practice and your self-growth.

So, that's me, and my practice. And now maybe Susan will get off my back about posting ;)

Card Of The Day: Fairytale Tarot Three of Coins

2009-10-21T20:13:00.000-07:00

Today's card is the 3 of coins from Magic Realist Press' "Fairytale Tarot".
(An important note about this tarot deck- it's beautiful, stunning, extremely well produced, and out of print. Many retailers are already selling out, and Karen from Baba Studios (who run MRP) has said that they only have about 90 copies left. They do not intend to reprint this, so once it's gone, it's gone! Previous copies of MRP OOP decks sell for ridiculous amounts on eBay- some for up to $1000. If you want it, get it now. )

OK. The 3 of coins. In more traditional decks, it's usually known as the 3 of pentacles.

Pentacles are the suit of the material; solid, real things, like jobs, money, health, and possessions.

The three of pentacles (or coins, in this deck) is all about being a master of your craft. Not through luck and talent, but through a lot of dedication and hard work. It also talks about teamwork, planning, and using your resources well. It refers to getting the job done, and doing it well.

Reversed, this card can refer to working so hard that you lose touch with everything else (like a workaholic would), being a perfectionist, holding people up to impossible standards, and not working well in a team.

In a divinitory sense, this could indicate that because someone excels at their job, they will continue to have plenty of work to do; it can also indicate that someone will be working as part of a team.

The really cool thing about this card from the Fairytale deck is that while it shows all the positive things associated with being really, really good at what you do, it also shows the drawbacks. See those people gossiping in the corner? The jealousy and bitterness other people can feel can be a problem for anyone who excels at what they do.

Image used with permission. Copyright Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov 2005.

Funny, silly link

2009-10-20T22:10:00.000-07:00

Tarot of the King of Cups in Tatters as written by followers of the divine Fifi-hotep. Amusing, snarky take on the RWS system of tarot. :)

Card of the Day: Robin Wood Page of Cups

2009-10-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

It's interesting that I would get a court card (Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings are court cards) for my very first card of the day, since I am absolutely terrible with court card. Court cards can represent people; they can represent a particular set of of physical traits, personality traits, a particular age group or sex, or any combination of the above, as well as standing for facets of a situation.

Cups: Emotion, feelings. Water. West. People with fair skin, light colored eyes, and dark blond to light brown hair.

Pages: A new beginning, a message or messenger. A pre-pubescent child.

This specific page represents someone who is gentle and helpful, who is studious, who is emotionally needy and vulnerable. They're artistic (See the paints hanging from her belt?) and imaginative. They like to be of service. It can refer to someone who is emotionally immature, gullible, or emotionally led. Sometimes refers to someone with androgynous characteristics. This tends to be someone who is lives very much in their imagination. This page is sensitive to the feelings of others.

Events: Can refer to pregnancy or childbirth, the beginning of a new friendship or a new, happy stage in an existing relationship, or other emotional beginnings.

My first thought when I see this card in a spread is always that it's the beginning of a new emotional phase, or a new relationship. Water can represent emotions, and she is standing on the edge of an ocean; perhaps experiencing things that she had not yet, reveling in it, really experiencing it as an artist will. The bird emerging from the cup makes me think of creative inspiration or a message of some kind. The way that the Page is standing, and the look on her face, make me think that the message, the inspiration, or whatever the bird stands for was unexpected, but not unwelcome.

A tarot joke...

2009-10-20T14:12:00.001-07:00

How many cards of the Major Arcana does it take to change in a light bulb?

All of them!

The Fool has already started before anyone else is ready.

The Magician assembles an array of objects that might be needed, displays them to best advantage and starts discussing how to go about it.

The High Priestess sits in the background, knowing one thing is missing but says nothing.

The Empress fusses around making sure it is safe and nobody gets hurt.

The Emperor tells everyone he thinks it should be done right now and starts delegating responsibilities.

The Hierophant offers advice on the missing part after consulting with the High Priestess.

The Lovers umm and ahh about what wattage bulb to put in this time.

The Chariot charges in and starts doing it himself regardless of the others’ protests.

Strength surreptitiously places what’s needed into Chariot’s hands and gets it done her way.

The Hermit suggests a candle in a lamp would provide light in the meantime.

The Wheel of Fortune laughs and reminds everyone that the light will need changing again in the future.

Justice works out whose turn it is to change the light and whether the division of labor is being delegated fairly.

The Hanged Man contemplates how darkness can change our lives.

Death points out mournfully that this was bound to happen and how everything ends.

Temperance tells Death to chill out, it all evens up in the end.

The Devil tries to make the others take responsibility for causing the light to blow and creates bad feelings all round.

The Tower suddenly starts ripping out the original light fixture so he can create a whole new more basic look.

The Star marvels at new beginnings and says how much she’s looking forward to having the light working again.

The Moon continually offers conflicting advice, confusing everyone until she wanders off to the relief of all.

The Sun wants to redesign the whole room around a much brighter light.

Judgment examines the bulb to see whether it truly was its time to blow and ponders whether the bulb can be recycled.

The World suggests that any problems with the light are temporary: we had light once, we will have it again, and suggests focusing on the bigger picture.

Meanwhile, The Fool has already finished changing the light bulb and is off doing his own thing.

The Fool's Journey Starts With a Single Step

2009-10-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! At this point, I am going to assume that most of you that are reading this followed the link from my Livejournal, either out of genuine interest or morbid curiosity. :)

The fact that I have an interest in tarot is something that most people don't know about me. I tend to keep it to myself; there are a lot of misconceptions about the function and purpose of tarot, and a lot of people are very afraid of it. In fact, at one point, I was one of those people. However, working with the tarot has so far been an incredibly positive force in my life, and it is something I enjoy immensely- so I wanted to branch out, and make it more accessible to those people in my life that may be interested in it.

The purpose of this blog is for us (myself and my co-tarotista, who I'm hoping will introduce herself soon!) to further explore the Tarot. We wanted a place to record our readings, as well as a place to discuss them and get fresh perspectives.

I also hope to review tarot decks, and I am planning to draw a card a day and research and discuss that card. We are also planning to do readings through the blog, so if you'd like one, please leave a comment with your question on the blog and we'll get to it as soon as we can, assuming it works out the way I'm hoping it will. That's always a bit of a leap of faith! (Keep in mind that, unless you tell me otherwise, your reading will be posted to the blog- if it's something terribly private, you may want to ask for a general reading.)

I am very excited about this new venture, and hope that you'll join me on it!