Your Daily Number for May 23rd: 7

Distractions at home or work will capture your attention. It’s important to have patience today, a day when contemplation and meditation are important for your psychological well-being. Avoid confrontations with others.

Fast Facts

About the Number 7

Theme: Quiet, Insightful, Analytical, Mystical, Intuitive
Astro Association: Cancer
Tarot Association: Chariot

Lessons In Tarot – Lesson 8: The Question Reading

LESSON 8

The Question Reading

In this lesson, you will finally learn how to do a full tarot reading for yourself. I describe a simple procedure you can use to explore a personal question. Having a procedure to follow is important in tarot work. When you follow the same steps over and over in a certain way, they help you center yourself in the moment. The details of the steps are not that important; in fact, you can change any of them if you wish. The goal is to maintain a spirit of mindfulness. Doing a reading with loving concentration will make your tarot practice very powerful.

Here is the procedure for a Question Tarot Reading.

Setting the Mood

Your first step is to create a conducive mood. Lesson 6 offers some suggestions on how to set up a pleasing environment. You can try these ideas, if you like. Focus on what will make you feel comfortable and secure.

When you are ready, sit down on the floor or at a table leaving some empty space in front of you. You should have your tarot cards and your question written on a piece of paper. At first, a full reading will probably take at least thirty to forty minutes. Try to arrange your affairs so you won’t be interrupted. With experience, you will be able to shorten this time, if you wish, but it is always better to feel unhurried.

Begin to relax and still your mind. Put aside your worries and concerns for now. (You can always get them back later!) Settle fully into the present moment. Take a few deep breaths, relax all your muscles and feel the quiet as you turn away from the outside world. Take as much time as you need for this calming process.

Asking Your Question

When you feel centered, take your cards out of their container. Hold them cupped in one hand while you place the other hand on top. Close your eyes and bring the cards into the circle of your energy.

Now, make an opening statement, if you wish. Some possibilities are:

  • a prayer
  • an affirmation
  • a description of how you are feeling
  • a simple hello to your Inner Guide

You can write a phrase to say every time, or you can speak spontaneously. It is more important to speak from your heart than to mouth an empty formula. Say your statement out loud, as sound adds energy and conviction.

Next, ask your question, either from memory or by reading it. Be sure to say your question exactly as you wrote it. One of the mysteries of the unconscious is that it is very literal; the cards you choose will often reflect the precise wording of your question.

Shuffling the Cards

Open your eyes and begin shuffling. It is important to shuffle the cards because this is how you sort through all the forms your reading could take and arrange at a subtle level the one you will receive.

There are a number of ways to shuffle the cards. Each method has its pros and cons. Choose one that is most comfortable for you. Certain methods mix the cards so some are right side up (upright) and some, upside-down (reversed). If this is your first reading, do not worry about reversed cards.

Concentrate on your question while you shuffle. Focus on the overall intent rather than the details. Don’t strain to stay fixed, but do keep the question in mind as much as you can.

Cutting the Cards

When you feel you have shuffled long enough, stop and place the cards face down in front of you with the short edge closest to you. Cut the deck as follows:

  1. Grab some number of cards from the pile.
  2. Drop this smaller pile to the left.
  3. Grab some part of this second pile and drop it further to the left.
  4. Regroup the cards into one pile in any fashion.

It’s best to regroup the cards in one quick motion. Don’t try to figure out which pile should go where. Just let your hand move where it will. The cut is an important finishing step that marks the end of the card-arranging stage. Once you have regrouped the cards, the pattern of the reading is fixed, and all that remains is to lay out the cards and see what they reveal.

Laying Out the Cards

Follow the steps for the spread you have chosen. If this is your first reading, use the Celtic Cross.

  1. Pick up the deck and hold it in one hand with the short edge closest to you.
  2. With your other hand, turn over the first card as you would the page of a book.
  3. Place this card in Position 1.
    (The position number corresponds to the placement order.)
  4. Turn over the second card, and place it in Position 2.
  5. Continue in this way until you have placed all the cards.
  6. Turn any reversed cards around if you are not using them.

Responding to the Cards

Pay attention to your reactions to each card as you lay it out. At first, you will not know or remember the usual meaning of a card. Your thoughts and feelings will be based mainly on the images. As you practice, your reactions will become more informed, but also more predictable. Try to keep some of your original openness as much as possible. Pay attention to any responses that seem unusual or out-of-place.

When all the cards are laid out, take a moment to respond to them as a whole. Do you get an overall impression? Do you have any new reactions? Jot down some of your thoughts, if you wish. Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of them. Just as with dreams, you will recall the most important. Try not to get too involved in your notes as that can break the flow of the reading. You simply want to capture a few ideas quickly.

Analyzing the Cards

In the beginning, use the section about individual cards in your Tarot Book till we get to covering individual cards here. Later, you can examine the cards on your own, but you may still find this section useful. (I use it myself from time to time!)

Begin your review with Position 1 and proceed in position order. Here are the suggested steps:

  1. Look up the card in the Card Section of the Tarot Book that came with your cards.
  2. Read through all the keywords and actions.
  3. Look for actions that make you say “Yes, that one really fits!” I experience a kind of jolt of recognition when I see one. Don’t shy away from actions that seem less pleasant. Trust your reactions, and reserve judgment until you’ve seen all the cards. Note any stray thoughts or “irrelevant” feelings that come to mind.

When you’ve considered each card, look for relationships between them. Apply the principles of interpretation.

You could ponder a reading for hours without running out of insights, but, of course, this isn’t practical or desirable. Do try to spend some time, however. Your reward will be equal to your effort.

Creating the Story

At some point, you need to pull everything together. I call this creating the story. Your story will help you understand your situation and give you guidance for the future – what you have been seeking all along.

I recommend that you create your story spontaneously. Once you have finished your card review, let that analytical approach go. It’s no longer appropriate. Your story will be more authentic if it arises freely from within. When you feel ready, simply begin speaking your story, saying whatever comes to mind. Use any notes you have to help, but don’t focus on them too much.

I encourage you to tell your story out loud. Writing is too slow, and just thinking your ideas is too vague. Your story will gather strength and power as it is spoken. If you begin to ramble or lose your train of thought, don’t be concerned. Simply pause, regroup and start again. As you practice, you will get better at speaking on the fly. You may want to tape your story. When you play back the tape, you will be amazed at what you hear. You will truly feel you are your own best tarot reader.

Writing the Summary Statement

Your story is done when your words slow down and stop naturally. Your next step is to distill the main theme of your story. What is the essence of your guidance? Ask yourself these questions:

  • What is the problem or conflict?
  • What is my role?
  • What does my Inner Guide want me to understand?
  • What is the projected outcome?
  • How do you feel about that?
  • Do I sense any recommendations for action?

What you are doing is forming the answer to your question. Before the reading, you posed a question that had meaning for you. Your Inner Guide has responded, and now you want to capture that wisdom in a form you can remember. Try to summarize your story in one or two sentences. Concentrate on the message in the cards and not the mechanics of your interpretation.

Finishing Up

The main event is over, but, as with any ceremony, there are a few final steps to take to end your reading and leave your cards ready for next time.

If you have not already done so, write down the cards you selected and their positions. It is easy to forget them. Then, clear the deck to remove all traces of the energy patterns of this reading. I clear a deck by scrambling the cards together gently. It reminds me of erasing letters in the sand with a sweep of my hand. You may enjoy this technique as well, but any shuffling method will do. Take a few moments now to clear your deck. Make sure the cards are face down or turned away from you. Stop when you feel you’ve shuffled long enough, and gather the cards together. Your deck is now ready for your next reading.

Before putting the cards away, hold them again for just a moment. Place your deck in one hand with the other hand on top, and close your eyes. Say what you feel you have learned from this reading. Express your gratitude to your Inner Guide for helping you via the tarot cards. Gratitude is a wonderful sentiment. It provides the ideal frame of mind in which to end your reading.

When you began, you initiated a cycle. You created meaning in the form of a reading, and now you have completed that cycle by returning the cards to their resting state.

Using What You Have Learned

The reading proper is over, but the inner work is just beginning. Your goal is to integrate what you have learned into your life in some way. If you don’t, your tarot practice will remain a beautiful pastime with no power to help you.

Decide on one or more actions you can take to put your guidance to work. You can reinforce what you’re doing now or make some changes, either radical or minor. Specific actions are usually more helpful than vague plans.

If you are keeping a journal, write down what you intend to do. Commit only to what you know you will actually carry out. I know how easy it is to lay out some cards, look at them briefly and then never think about that reading again, especially when your reaction is less than positive!

As the days go by, think about your reading and how it meshes with your life. Ask yourself these questions:

  • How meaningful was my story?
  • How well did the guidance fit?
  • Did I miss any clues?
  • Did I carry out an action, and, if so, what happened?
  • Did something unexpected occur?
  • Do my Daily Readings add anything?

You may be tempted to do another reading, but it’s probably best to wait until there are important changes in your situation. Assume that your first reading covers all you need to know. If you are puzzled about certain elements, mine your first reading for more insights. By going deeper, you will get closer to the heart of the matter.

Using what you have learned in a reading is probably the most important step – and the most difficult. It involves moving beyond playing with the cards. When you actually commit to integrating your tarot insights into your life, you have realized the true and lasting benefit to be gained from the cards.

This is my ideal tarot session, but, to be truthful, I don’t always follow it. Sometimes I linger over these steps, sometimes I neglect quite a few of them. I encourage you to adopt whatever procedure suits your interests and needs. If you don’t enjoy the cards, they’ll just gather dust on the shelf. The details aren’t that important; it’s the intention that counts!

Exercise – Lesson 8

The Question Reading

Exercise 8.1 – Doing a Question Reading

You are going to do a Celtic Cross Question Reading from start to finish. Follow the procedure outlined in lesson 8. You will need a question to be answered. You can use the question you wrote in Exercise 7.1 or write a new one. Interpret the cards as best you can using your intuition and the Card section of your Tarot Book and Celtic Cross Sections.

You may feel a little at sea this first time – not sure whether or not you’re doing everything right. Remember there is no one correct interpretation. What you see in the cards is right for you by definition, and, no matter what, you will come away with something of value. In future lessons, you will learn some principles of interpretation that will help you feel more confident. At that point, we’ll revisit this reading to see what else you can learn from it.

Your Daily Number for Tuesday, May 22nd: 5

You may find yourself discussing or embarking on a trip today. Not a great day for details; it’s better to take advantage of today’s self-promoting energy to get off the beaten path and be social.

Fast Facts

About the Number 5

Theme: Resourceful, Adventure, Speculation, Travel
Astro Association: Taurus
Tarot Association: Hierophant

Your Daily Number for May 21: 3

Domestic issues that include decorating, gardening, or home-repair may dominate your schedule today. It’s not the best day to engage in business dealings; some confusion in money matters is present. Be sure to get receipts and estimates for all purchases and projects.

Fast Facts

About the Number 3

Theme: Expansive, Sociable, Dramatic, Diversified, Creative
Astro Association: Venus
Tarot Association: Empress

Today’s Tarot Card for May 21st is The Magician

The Magician

This Tarot Deck: Winged Spirit Tarot

General Meaning: Traditionally, the Magus is one who can demonstrate hands-on magic — as in healing, transformative rituals, alchemical transmutations, charging of talismans and the like. A modern Magus is any person who completes the circuit between heaven and Earth, one who seeks to bring forth the divine ‘gold’ within her or himself.

At the birth of Tarot, even a gifted healer who was not an ordained clergyman was considered to be in league with the Devil! For obvious reasons, the line between fooling the eye with sleight of hand, and charging the world with magical will was not clearly differentiated in the early Tarot cards.

Waite’s image of the Magus as the solitary ritualist communing with the spirits of the elements — with its formal arrangement of symbols and postures — is a token of the freedom we have in modern times to declare our spiritual politics without fear of reprisal. The older cards were never so explicit about what the Magus was doing. It’s best to keep your imagination open with this card. Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by evolutionary forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul.

Today’s Tarot Card for May 18th is Judgment

Judgment

This Tarot Deck: Visconti-Sforza

General Meaning:What has traditionally been known as the Judgement card, sometimes entitled Resurrection, represents the great reunion that the ancients believed would happen once in every age. This was the time when souls are harvested and taken Home to their place of origin, outside the solar system. Then the World is seeded with a batch of new souls and the process starts over.From a modern point of view, this great reunion — which includes every personality that you have ever been and every soul that you have done deep work with — reunites to consciously complete the process. In a way, we symbolically celebrate this returning to center every year on our birthday.

In personal terms, the Judgment cards points to freedom from inner conflicts, and so clear a channel, that the buried talents and gifts of past incarnations can come through an individual in this lifetime. This card counsels you to trust the process of opening yourself, because what emerges is of consistently high quality. You can effortlessly manifest as a multi-dimensional being, and assist in evoking that response from others.

Your Daily Number for May 16th: 2

You may find yourself more sensitive to the world around you today. Your intuition is heightened, and you may find yourself longing for knowledge. You’re feeling somewhat emotionally exposed to the world, so be careful to guard against insecurity and keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Fast Facts

About the Number 2

Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: Moon
Tarot Association: High Priestess

Today’s Tarot Card for May 16th is The Sun

The Sun

This Tarot Deck: Spiral

General Meaning:What has traditionally been known as the Sun card is about the self — who you are and how you cultivate your personality and character. The earth revolves around the sun to make up one year of a person’s life, a fact we celebrate on our birthday.The Sun card could also be titled “Back to Eden.” The Sun’s radiance is where one’s original nature or unconditioned Being can be encountered in health and safety. The limitations of time and space are stripped away; the soul is refreshed and temporarily protected from the chaos outside the garden walls.

Under the light of the Sun, Life reclaims its primordial goodness, truth and beauty. If one person is shown on this card, it is usually signifying a human incarnation of the Divine. When two humans are shown, the image is portraying a resolution of the tension between opposites at all levels. It’s as if this card is saying “You can do no wrong — it’s all to the good!”

Your Daily Number for May 15th: 9

Success is yours today, and your feelings of accomplishment touch everything you do. Don’t miss this chance to pamper yourself and engage in some mind-body healing. It’ll do you good.

Fast Facts

About the Number 9

Theme: Encompassing a love for all, Compassion, Patience, Selfless
Astro Association: Virgo
Tarot Association: Hermit

Today’s Tarot Card for May 15th is The Star

The Star

This Tarot Deck: Sacred Rose

General Meaning:What has traditionally been known as the Star card is about reconnecting one’s Soul with the Divine — the transcending of personality, family, community and reputation. It has to do ultimately with the freedom to be one’s Self. The Soul is responding to celestial influences — forces that can provide the personality with a stronger sense of purpose. The Star card helps us to remember our exalted origins and our attraction to a Higher Union.This card could also be called the “Celestial Mandate” — that which refers us back to our reason for being, our mission in this lifetime. The Star reminds us that, in a sense, we are agents of Divine Will in our day-to-day lives. If we let go of the idea that we are supposed to be in control, we can more easily notice and appreciate the synchronicities that are nudging us along. In this way, we become more conscious of the invisible Helping Hand, and we better understand our place within — and value to — the larger Cosmos

This Tarot Deck: Sacred Rose

General Meaning:What has traditionally been known as the Star card is about reconnecting one’s Soul with the Divine — the transcending of personality, family, community and reputation. It has to do ultimately with the freedom to be one’s Self. The Soul is responding to celestial influences — forces that can provide the personality with a stronger sense of purpose. The Star card helps us to remember our exalted origins and our attraction to a Higher Union.This card could also be called the “Celestial Mandate” — that which refers us back to our reason for being, our mission in this lifetime. The Star reminds us that, in a sense, we are agents of Divine Will in our day-to-day lives. If we let go of the idea that we are supposed to be in control, we can more easily notice and appreciate the synchronicities that are nudging us along. In this way, we become more conscious of the invisible Helping Hand, and we better understand our place within — and value to — the larger Cosmos

Today’s Tarot Card for May 14th is The Devil

The Devil

This Tarot Deck: Hanson Roberts

General Meaning:What has traditionally been known as the Devil card expresses the realm of the Taboo, the culturally rejected wildness and undigested shadow side that each of us carries in our subconscious. This shadow is actually at the core of our being, which we cannot get rid of and will never succeed in taming. From its earliest versions, which portrayed a vampire-demon, this card evoked the Church-fueled fear that a person could “lose their soul” to wild and passionate forces.The image which emerged in the mid-1700’s gives us a more sophisticated rendition — that of the “scapegoated Goddess,” whose esoteric name is Baphomet. Volcanic reserves of passion and primal desire empower her efforts to overcome the pressure of stereotyped roles and experience true freedom of soul. Tavaglione’s highly evolved image (Stella deck) portrays the magical formula for harnessing and transmuting primal and obsessive emotions into transformative energies. As a part of the Gnostic message of Tarot, this fearsome passion and power must be reintegrated into the personality, to fuel the soul’s passage from mortal to immortal.

LESSON 6 – The Environment

LESSON 6

The Environment

The environment of a tarot reading includes the physical setting and your internal state. There are five inner qualities that are beneficial. These are:

  • Being Open
    Being open means being receptive. It is an attitude of allowing – being willing to take in what is offered without denial or rejection. By being open, you give yourself the chance to receive what you need to know. 
  • Being Calm
    It is hard to hear the whispers of your Inner Guide when you are in turmoil. Tarot messages often arrive as gentle hints and realizations that can be easily overwhelmed by a restless mind. When you are calm, you are like a peaceful sea in which every ripple of insight can be perceived. 
  • Being Focused
    Focus is very important for a tarot reading. I have found that whenever I feel a question strongly, I receive a direct and powerful message. When I’m scattered and confused, the cards tend to be the same. Your most insightful readings will be those you do when the desire is very strong. 
  • Being Alert
    When you are alert, all your faculties are alive and awake. A cat is alert when it is watching a mouse or bug. Of course, you won’t be pouncing on your cards, but you will find them difficult to read if you are tired or bored. 
  • Being Respectful
    Being respectful means treating the cards as you would any valued tool. You acknowledge their role in helping you understand yourself better. You honor the choice you have made in deciding to learn the tarot and handle the cards accordingly.

Even though these five qualities are important, they are not necessary. You can have a meaningful reading without them, but it may be more difficult. The best way to decide if the time is right for a reading is to look inside. If something feels wrong, postpone the effort, but if your inner sense says go ahead, then all is well.

Besides the inner environment, there is also the setting of a reading to consider. The ideal place is one that elicits feelings of quiet, peace, even reverence. You could do a reading in a crowded airport, but the noise and distractions would make inner attunement difficult. Since you will probably be doing most of your readings at home, let’s look at how you might create a agreeable environment there.

Set aside a place in your home where you will do your readings. By using the same spot over and over, you build up an energy that reinforces your practice. If you meditate or pray, you can do these activities here as well as they harmonize with the tarot in spirit and intent.

Try to create a sense of separateness about your spot. When you use the cards, you want to turn away from the everyday world and go into a space that is outside time and the normal flow of events. A separate room is ideal, but a corner set off by a screen, curtain, pillows or other divider can work too.

Try also to create an atmosphere of beauty and meaning. Place some items nearby that are special to you. Objects from nature, such as shells, stones, crystals, and plants are always appropriate. A talisman, figure or religious icon can help you shift your focus from the mundane to the inspirational. Consider pictures and artwork, especially your own, and appeal to your senses with such items as flowers, incense, candles, textured materials and quiet, meditative music.

These touches are nice, the only thing you really need is a space large enough to lay out the cards. You can use either a table or the floor. There is a grounded feeling to the floor, but, if that position is uncomfortable, a table is better. Choose a table of natural materials such as wood or stone.

If you like, you can cover the table or floor with a cloth to create a uniform area. The material should be natural, such as silk, cotton, wool or linen. Choose the color with care as colors have their own energies. Black, dark blue and purple are good choices. There should be little or no pattern, so the images on the cards stand out from the background.

Store your cards in a container to protect them and contain their energies. Any natural substance is fine, such as wood, stone, shell, or a natural cloth. I know of one woman who sewed herself a silk, drawstring bag and embroidered it with stars, moons and other designs. Consider keeping your cards wrapped in silk cloth when inside their container. Silk has a luxurious feel that will remind you of the value you place on your cards.

Tarot cards pick up the energy and character of those who use them. For this reason, set aside a tarot deck that is just for you, if you can. These cards are going to be your personal tool of communication with your Inner Guide. You want to bond to them closely.

When you do your tarot work in a place of your own, the experience can be quite powerful, but extra preparations are never necessary. All you have to do is use the cards. That’s the important part.

Exercises – Lesson 6

The Environment

Exercise 6.1 – Creating a Place To Do Your Readings

Spend some time thinking about where you will do your tarot readings. Consider some of the suggestions or use your own ideas. Don’t feel that you have to create a showcase location. Just see what you can do to create a setting that is pleasing and comfortable.

Exercise 6.2 – Quest for a Symbol

In this exercise, you will be announcing your intent to find or create an object that will be a personal symbol of your tarot practice. You can buy, find or make this object yourself. Once you have it, place it in your tarot spot as an inspiration for your work.

Read over the description of the Fool. This card often stands for the feeling of joy and freedom that comes from beginning a new adventure. It is in this spirit that you will seek your object. This quest symbolizes the quest for greater understanding you are undertaking by learning the tarot.

Hold the Fool in your hands, and close your eyes. Announce your desire to find or create a tarot symbol. Commit to working until you have it. The value you place on this quest will reinforce the value of your larger quest. Once you have affirmed your intent, let it go. You will find what you are looking for.

This exercise will strengthen your faith and commitment and leave you with a tangible symbol of your purpose. It will also help you learn that hidden within seemingly foolish acts is the experience of life as an adventure.

Lessons In Tarot – Lesson 4 (The Spread)

LESSON 4

The Spread

A spread is a preset pattern for laying out the tarot cards. It defines how many cards to use, where each one goes, and what each one means. A spread is a template guiding the placement of the cards so they can shed light on a given topic. It is within this template that the meanings of the cards come together so beautifully.

 The most important feature of a spread is the fact that each position has a unique meaning that colors the interpretation of whatever card falls in that spot. For example, the Four of Pentacles stands for possessiveness, control, and blocked change. If this card were to fall in Position 4 of the Celtic Cross Spread (the “Past” position), you would look at how these qualities are moving out of your life. In Position 6 (the “Future”), you would instead view them as coming into your life – a quite different interpretation.

Tarot spreads can be any size or pattern. Rahdue’s Wheel includes all 78 cards and creates a vast tableau of one person’s life. A spread can also contain just one card. In lesson 5 I show how a one-card spread is useful for daily readings.

Most spreads contain between six and fifteen cards. This range is small enough to be manageable, but large enough to cover a topic in some depth. The pattern of a spread often forms a design that reflects its theme. For example, the Horoscope Spread is in the shape of the traditional circle that forms a person’s birth chart. The twelve cards of this spread correspond to the twelve houses of astrology.

When cards are related to each other in a spread, an entirely new level of meaning is created. Combinations appear, and a story line develops with characters, plots and themes. The weaving of a story from the cards in a spread is the most exciting and creative aspect of a tarot reading. It is an art, but there are many guidelines you can follow. I discuss these in later lessons and give examples of the story-making process.

In these lessons, I refer to just the Celtic Cross Spread. I think you will be able to concentrate more on developing your intuition if you stick to just one spread at first. Once you know the cards well and feel comfortable reading them, you can expand your tarot practice by exploring other layouts. Before you continue with the lessons, read over the Celtic Cross Section. We’ll be using this spread throughout the course.

Exercises – Lesson 4

The Spread

Exercise 4.1 – Celtic Cross Spread

Spend a few minutes looking at the Celtic Cross Section so you understand how it is set up. Don’t worry about memorizing anything. The goal is simply to get comfortable with the information.

Now, lay out ten cards of your choice using this spread. Read the page for each position one by one. Think about the meaning each card takes on because it falls in a certain position. You will learn more about this later, but just speculate for now.

Exercise 4.2 – Designing a Spread

You can design spreads yourself to suit your needs. Create for yourself now a three-card tarot spread. Follow these steps:

  • Draw a picture of the physical layout – where the cards should go.
  • Number the positions to show order of placement.
  • Write a short phrase or two describing the meaning of each position.

 

This is a basic three-card spread that covers events in time.

Here’s a spread to use when you belong to a three-person team and want to know the expectations of the members (including yourself). The cards form a “Y” with the tops facing inward. This pattern suggests a meeting of the minds.

The Celtic Cross

Here is one approach to interpreting the Celtic Cross.

  1. Look at the six cards of the Circle/Cross section. They show what is going on in your life at the moment of the reading. 
  2. Examine the cards in pairs, perhaps in the following order:
    • Look at Cards 1 and 2 to find out the central dynamic.
    • Look at Cards 3 and 5 to find out what is going on within you at different levels.
    • Look at Cards 4 and 6 to see how people and events are flowing through your life.

    From these six cards, create a description of your immediate situation. 

  3. Consider the Staff section of the spread, perhaps in this order:
    • Look at Cards 7 and 8 to find out how more about the relationship between you and your environment.
    • Look at Card 10 – the projected outcome. How do you feel about it? What does it say to you?

     

  4. Review the cards to discover the factors leading to the outcome. See if one card stands out as key. Also:
    • Compare the projected outcome (Card 10) to a possible alternative outcome (Card 5).
    • Consider how the near future (Card 6) contributes to the projected outcome (Card 10).
    • See if Card 9 tells you something you need to know. Do you have a hope or fear that is relevant?

Just A Little Note From The Witch’s Desk……

Book & Candle Comments I have everything and its brother on my desk except the skull, lol! Didn’t want you to get the wrong impression. But, of course, if you have put up with me this long, no telling what kind of impression you have of me, lmao! Enough with that foolishness, now on to what I want to actually say. If you remember I made a post a few days ago concerning whether or not you would like to have a daily Tarot lesson or Rune lesson. These lessons would take the place of the Special Critters that I now post everyday. Well I got a good response on the subject. No one was interested in the Rune lessons. There was an equal response on the Special Critters and Tarot lessons, however. Since this occurred, I am going to continue to post the Special Critters as always. After them, there will be a Tarot lesson posted. I figure this is only fair to everyone. If you enjoy something, I don’t want to take it away from you. For the Tarot Lessons, I will be using the Rider-Waite deck, in case you would like to follow along. I believe the first day I am going to start with a brief history on the deck. Then afterwards, I will take each card one by one, put it’s image up and the meaning of the card. When we work our way through the deck. We will then go to the spreads. There we will discuss what each spread means and also what the placements of the cards means in the respective spots. I truly hope you enjoy this. I ask that you please have patience with me. I have never done anything like this before and hopefully all will go smooth. 

 

Oh, I almost forgot, over in the category section of the site, there will be a Tarot Lesson section. Just in case you miss a card, you won’t have to dig through the daily posts to find it. 

~Magickal Graphics~

I am thinking of new ideas for the blog……

I am in the process of racking my brain for new ideas for the blog. I know I generally post the “Doggie of the Day” and the “Special Kitty of the Day.” What I was wondering instead, how would you like it if I posted a “Daily Tarot Card” and “Daily Rune.” These would be no way similar to the Tarot & Rune for Divination each day. These would have a picture with them and also a description or meaning for each. I would start with the first card/rune and work my way through each respective set of Divination tools. Also I would start by giving you a brief history on the Tarot Cards and the Runes. It would be an on-line course for learning the Tarot & Runes. You would get the history, a picture of the card/rune and also the meaning. You could print these out and keep them for your own personal reference.

I think the “Special Kitty & Dog of the Day” are adorable. But I am not teaching you anything except how to recognize certain breeds of doggies! But it is up to you. I don’t want to do anything to run anyone off. I want to keep you all happy and do what the majority wants. Oh, these lessons would be posted were the “Special Kitty & Doggie” show up each day.

So what do you think? I will keep posting the Daily Kitty & Doggie till I hear from you. I just thought this other idea you might find beneficial especially if you want to learn the Tarot or Runes. I am waiting to hear from you. Let me know.

***If you don’t want to post a comment, just hit the hell out of the “Like” button, lol! And I will get the message loud and clear!***

The Pendulum Board

The Pendulum Board

A pendulum board is not necessary to perform tasks of divination, but it does come in handy.You can make your own or purchase a pendulum kit when you’re looking for the right tool for you. If you want to make your own, you simply need a circle with these six directions. This is the most common layout of a pendulum board. As you progress you might decide to make a more elaborate board that includes an alphabet and numbers.
  1. Yes ~ an up and down direction.
  2. No ~ a side to side direction.
  3. Maybe ~ a diagonal direction, from the lower left to upper right corners of the circle.
  4. Don’t Want To Answer ~ a diagonal direction , from the lower right to the upper left corners of the circle.
  5. Probably Yes ~ a clockwise circle.
  6. Probably Not ~ a counter-clockwise circle.
Making Your Own Board

Most pendulums you can purchase come with their own pendulum board. But not all do. If you chose to use a board, you can use a variety of things to make your own board.
You can draw a simple circle on a piece of paper and place the labels in the locations you feel most comfortable with. You can use a photo. You can alter a photo or picture with a graphics package and print it from your computer on photographic paper. You can even use “The Wheel” or “The Fortune” card from your favorite tarot deck.
The key is finding an image that inspires you, that has a circle in the center and you can easily identify the answer layout to.
This image is a good example of how a picture can be used to create a board. It’s a picture that was sent to me as a gift. Using a graphics package, I simply added the labels to make the board. In reality, you don’t have to add the words if you don’t want to. It can make it easier for the client to watch the pendulum as it swings and answers their questions.And it can also provide the new reader with a reminder of how they programmed the pendulum to operate.

Horoscopes and Tarot Cards: Handling Daily Readings

Horoscopes and Tarot Cards: Handling Daily Readings

Author: Raven Morgana Fae

Horoscope and Tarot Card readings are both forms of divination, and divination is the ability to tell the future. But how seriously are we to take these readings? And how are we to, in effect, to use this foretold information, to our advantage?

Millions of people read their horoscopes on a daily basis, most of the time at the beginning of the day. So at the end of the day they say to themselves, “Well, my scope was a little off today.” These people don’t realize that they might have somehow twisted their own fate just a bit that day. If someone has had a negative reading it makes him or her think in some way they are going to have a bad day. This sort of thinking occasionally makes some people put the day’s readings in the back of their heads, but subconsciously, they are telling themselves, “I’m not going to have a bad day.” The same can be said for anticipating something good to happen. It kills the moment, sometimes making the outcome different then expected.

The way to take advantage of a reading is to make those subconscious decisions, conscious ones. One thing I have learned is to not associate a reading with your day as a whole. It could very well represent one solitary event. But also don’t look for things to happen! Don’t expect anything; do quite the opposite: live your normal life and stop living like a paranoid schitzo!

No, I’m just kidding. Serious, in essence, but kidding about the whole paranoid schitzo thing. 🙂 So… first thing in the morning, we read our divination readings of choice, absorb what it could all mean, how it pertains to what is happening in the present, and once absorbed completely, forget. Forget what you read this morning off of the newspaper right next to the comics section under Dear Abby, for at least the next twelve hours. Did the undesired happen? Perhaps it passed you by. Or the worst thing that happened to you was traffic on the way home. You’ll find that when you don’t dread on things, like having just read your fortunate or unfortunate fate, they pop out when they have to.

Throughout the day, follow your routine as you normally would. If and when any situations make it so that something in your readings “pops up” in a way, make a note of it, and save it for later. At the end of your day, reflect on your day altogether. The ups. The downs. Now make any connections between your reading earlier that morning. Compare notes with your day; bring up your “pop up” moments, whether it is one simple word or phrase, or the entire reading altogether.

For example, here is how I handle my daily readings:
[NOTE: In terms of the way I define my tarot card reading, this is simply an example of how I perceive the cards. The meaning of any one card may vary slightly amongst psychics. This is why it is often said that art of divination is purely subjective; identifying the meaning in any one card is identified through one’s own perception of what is going on in that particular moment during that particular reading.]

October 25, 2010
Daily Horoscope (From “The Daily” News for iPad) – Capricorn: What occurs over the next few days will prompt you to accept that maybe you don’t know it all. It will force you to consider the possibility that what you call “truth” is in fact a rather fluid concept.
Tarot Card of the Day- XVI The Tower: Quarrel. Combat. Danger. Ruin. Destruction of plans. / Ambition. Courage. Sudden death. Escape from prison and all it implies.

Morning “At A Glance” Thoughts
At first glance I can already see that I am going to go through a sort of coming of realization according to the horoscope reading. Connecting that with actual events in my everyday life, I can say that I have been doing a lot of reading lately, mostly pagan articles. I have also wanted to start a daily exercise routine, and I have also wanted to start up my hobbies as I once did.

I just moved to Texas a couple of months ago, and have been doing little to nothing out doors since I have been here. In the last few days, I have come up with the resolution that exercise, hobbies such as blogging and geo caching, re-engaging in pagan practice, and taking care of myself are things I have to do to get out of what I felt like, has been a rut since I’ve been here. In the past few days, those are the truths I have come up with for myself.

Even though I know these truths, I have been a bit shy, and in some instances, pretty much scared, to begin my journey into re-establishing who I once was. All of last week I did my crunches, telling myself, that starting this week, I would start going to the gym (which I have available to me in my complex!) for AT LEAST 20 minutes. Monday, which was yesterday, came, and I didn’t go to the gym. And today is gonna pass and I still haven’t gone. Out of fear of being seen, or not being able to finish the 20-minute session because I haven’t worked out in over a year, or fear of starting and not continuing day after day. Who knows… XVI The Tower: Ruin and Destruction of plans.

End of the Day Reflections
There are two views or sides to every tarot card. The trump card of The Tower possesses the negatives aspects such as combat and ruin, but it also possess the positive aspects of ambition, courage, and escape. So a way for me to have consciously turned the fate of the card that was dealt to me today, per say, would be for me to go ahead and have gone to the gym tonight, even though I usually like the morning, when its empty. I, in a sense, (If I were to have gone.) possessed the courage to go on with my plans and perhaps upon going, I would have escaped from the “imprisonment” of the fear I once had of going. But let’s be honest, I didn’t go to the gym today either. Returning to its main negative aspect- Ruin and destruction of plans.

About an hour after my morning reading, I found myself in a sort of “lover’s quarrel”. But that was only brought on by my partner’s combative nature, and I had no way of going around it. This is an instance of a fortune unfolding itself, leaving me to deal with the situation. I quickly and swiftly corrected the situation upon remembering my earlier reading (ya, know, the one we are suppose to ignore till the end of the day. Well… you are supposed to put her back there because she comes in handy! I wasn’t thinking about it, but it came up.) In this situation I believe that I did not let the negative aspect of The Tower take control of my life in this particular moment in time by putting an end to what would have been a sizable argument. I, in a sense put “sudden death” to anything that would cause “destruction” or “ruin”, and then the situation was put behind us.

Even though we consciously try to live our lives to the best of our intentions, there are still times when what is foretold, whether positive or negative, cannot be bent around or changed.

Later on in the evening, my boyfriend’s uncle came by with his 3-year-old daughter, asking me if I would be willing to braid her hair this weekend. An escape from prison and all it implies. I can’t seem to get myself into the groove, so fate has brought it to me regardless!

If there is one thing I love, but haven’t done in ages, it’s braids! If I do a fair job, I will be doing her hair on a weekly basis for a small price. I was willing to do it for free, might I add! It was so strange how just seeing the little girl enlightened me in some way. I automatically wanted to just follow her around. I kept patting and touching her little hair bun. (LOL!) I was asking myself, “How would I part her hair to trail out the braids? Would it look better this way? That way? She’s a little baby so I have to do as little as possible…” I felt myself WANTING to do something. A sense of ambition.

Tomato… Tomatoe
It is important not to be looking for things to happen! For example: I woke up this morning and I’m out of toilet paper because my cat decided to teepee to living room (mistake for RUIN by the paranoid) , true story, btw. Or my Netflix got cut off (SUDDEN DEATH) . Also, did happen today. (-__-) . Not everything has something to do with that pesky little paragraph you read this morning! And not everything you read is LITERAL. “An escape from prison and all it implies, ” does not mean you are gonna get locked up today, and escape. “Sudden death” doesn’t mean that someone or something is gonna drop at any second. Your escape could just as well mean you finally were able to get out of the house to go get that mani/pedi you’ve been dying for. As a matter of fact, the definitions I posted for the tarot reading are not concrete definitions.
As I have mentioned before, divination is a practice that is subjective. The meaning of any one particular card changes from one person to the next depending on his or her own perception and concepts. One word can bring about different emotions and feeling amongst different people. The Tower card, to me, is entrapment and irritation, needing to find a sense of release but not being able to find one. Kind of like Rapunzel, stuck up in a tower, looking out into the world and all it’s beauty, but not being able to experience any of it. On the opposite side I see an escape by jumping off the side, or climbing down, which takes major courage and true deep desire for freedom and/or exploration. Is my form of expression in any way similar to what is written in text? I may say it differently, but the symbolism turns out somewhat the same. Tomato… Tomatoe…


Footnotes:
1. Crowley, Aleister. 2006. “Instruction for Thoth Tarot Deck.” U.S Games Systems, Inc.

2. Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Tarot Deck

Today’s Tarot Card for Jan. 13th is The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man

This Tarot Deck: Old English

General Meaning: Traditionally, the card known as the Hanged Man usually indicates a lack of ability to help oneself through independent action. This energy is arrested and awaiting judgment. With this card, there is no avenue for the will to regain control until the situation has passed.

This represents a good time to be philosophical, to study and meditate upon the position you find yourself in, and form resolutions for the moment you become free again. Only those who possess wisdom, patience and optimism will be able to see through limitations, including possible humiliation, to grasp the inspiring lesson one can gain from such an experience

Your Daily Number for Jan. 11th: 2

You may find yourself more sensitive to the world around you today. Your intuition is heightened, and you may find yourself longing for knowledge. You’re feeling somewhat emotionally exposed to the world, so be careful to guard against insecurity and keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Fast Facts

About the Number 2

Theme: Adaptable, Tactful, Gentle, Cautious
Astro Association: Moon
Tarot Association: High Priestess

Today’s Tarot Card for January 11th is Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune

This Tarot Deck: Moon Garden

General Meaning: The central theme of what is traditionally called the Wheel of Fortune card is cyclical change. The Wheel keeps on rolling, churning events in a ceaseless progression of ups and downs, either way freeing us from the past. No one can escape its cyclical action, which can feel somewhat terrifying — no matter whether we are rising or falling. When one is balanced on top there is a moment of crystal clarity, but the only part of the Wheel not going up and down is the hub, which is your eternal Self, the Source of Freedom.

Every one of us will occupy all the points on the wheel at some time or another. The cycle of the wheel is its lesson — and we can learn to take comfort in it (as we do when we celebrate our birthday). If you don’t like the look of things right now, just wait — things will change. Of course, if you do like the look of things right now, enjoy it while it lasts, because that will change too!