Friday, January 6th, 2012

Two of Pentacles — The Light and Shadow Tarot

Artist: Michael Goepferd

Author: Brian Williams

 

Interpretation: “Change and balance. The equilibrium and companionship of forces that could, in other circumstances, conflict.”

 

I am tired. I have so much to complete before my baby is born. I was tempted to say, “Tell me nothing.” The deck silently replied, “Do not listen,” and remained face down. What was I to do? I am tired. I said, “Then tell me something about time.”

 

Brian Williams writes for this card, “Touch forever changes the face of the world, the connection to it and every other.” I am touched by time,  embraced by time, wrapped in the infinite ouroboros of time.

 

The two of coins represents an individual juggling seemingly conflicting interests. This card indicates the necessity for balance between new ventures and other areas of life. It serves as a reminder to remain alert, be clear about priorities and manage time well. There is a tendency to be distracted by day-to-day affairs and general busy-ness. Keeping on top of daily affairs is as important as pursuing broader life goals. Be sure that bills are paid on time, chores are done, and all appointments and daily commitments are kept, lest they become obstacles which hinder the attainment of larger life goals.

 

Two of coins predicts change. To cope with change, remain flexible, adaptable, and centered. Go with the flow. Life will always be uncertain, yet balance and harmony among its demands is possible. Balance and harmony leads to a happy life, and happiness is the ultimate form of prosperity.

 

As the wise Mister Rogers sang:

You can make-believe it happens, or pretend that something’s true.
You can wish or hope or contemplate a thing you’d like to do,
But until you start to do it, you will never see it through
‘Cause the make-believe pretending just won’t do it for you.

 

 

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Thursday, January 5th, 2012

The Lovers — Twenty-Two Keys of the Tarot

Illustrator,  Author, Printer & Publisher: Susan Kay Topa

 

Outside my window, snow falls in gentle flakes, drifts like dandelion fluff. It is January in Vermont and the grass is green. I dream a thick white blanket— a snow-quilt. Remembering a life lived not too long ago, I say to the cards, “Tell me something about Hawaii.” A strong surf pounds in my bones. I pull The Lovers. This deck knows Kauai.

 

 [Hours later, a thin sheet of snow covers the ground and I have submitted a deck review and more card images to Aeclectic Tarot. It will eventually be found under “Deck Reviews.” I will provide an exact link when one appears.]

 

Interpretation: The Lovers— harmony, love, trust // Reverse— unreliability, fickleness

“This is the first card in which two figures appear, it is the marriage of the male and female principles of nature; the Sun and the Moon, Air and Earth, Fire and Water, etc. The result of the marriage is the Orphic egg which flies between them. It represents the essence of life. Its visibility is a sign of the success of the union which leads to harmony. The male carries the staff, a phallic symbol and the female carries a chalice, a symbol of the womb.”

 

This was the first deck I ever purchased. Knowing nothing of its value, I proceeded to live my regular vagrant, semi-homeless life. The first place I brought it was on a three-week backpacking trip to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. I was living in Fairbanks, Alaska at the time. After I bunged up the book and the box, I learned what a rare deck it is.

 

Almost three years later, I returned to Kauai from Fairbanks, this time to stay. The deck and I lived on the moist and mildewy south-shore together for four-and-a-half years. During that time I fell madly in love with the ocean. I swam for hours at a time, swimming from beach to beach all along the south shore. I wore a pair of swim trunks and a pair of goggles. I pulled my bikini top down around my waist so it wouldn’t chafe my arms. I coated my nostrils with Vasiline to help keep the membrane from drying out. I took nothing with me and told no one where I was going. I swam with turtles, spinner dolphins, humpback whales and a whole stained-glass window of tropical fish. I swam in pouring rain, strong rip-tides, and high surf. I swam out, out past the rocks, out past the surfers, out, out, out. I swam an undulating stroke and kept the rhythm of the waves. I fell madly, madly in love with the ocean. When it was time to leave Hawaii, leaving the ocean broke my heart. It was years before I was able to hear the word “ocean” without crying. We were lovers, the ocean and I, and I will never be the same.

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Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

Death — Little Czech Oracle Deck

Illustrator: Ivy Hüttnerové

 

I don’t want to know anything about anything today. I shuffled the deck and said, “Tell me something funny.” I promptly drew the Death card and was relieved I hadn’t asked any of the questions that had flitted through my head. The little booklet that comes with this 32-card deck is all in Czech, so I get to practice my skills at oracle reading.

 

This card has many traditional symbols— skeleton, scythe, cross, barren tree, black ribbon— which, especially when taken together, have come to symbolize death in western culture. To me they symbolize the very hollow aspects of death: death as viewed by the bereaved. The image of death seems lonely, like a dog howling at the moon.  Dogs howl for communication. They howl at other dogs or lack of other dogs— and at sirens— which are sort-of like dogs. On nights without a moon, dogs are more likely to be sleeping; on nights with a moon, dogs are more likely to stay up all night talking on the phone: howling. Their voices travel better in the relative silence of night. They can hear a dog howling five blocks away instead of only two blocks away. More dogs on the dog phone means more howling. Of course, anyone with a dog yard knows dogs howl at any time, for no particular reason at all.

 

If dogs had their freedom, they’d all get together for midnight romps on moonlit nights, cruising for chicks, chickens, and general trouble. I think this death card is the newly dead, baying for her compatriot dead souls, ready to rush off and join the dead army— or perhaps the dead knitting group.

 

How is death funny? Death catches us unawares, like the punchline to a good joke. Death like shitting: everybody does it; few people like to talk about it in good company. The difference is, we only die once, and no one ever reports back to say, “Oh, that was such a good death. I feel so much better now.” Maybe we need more death jokes.

 

*    *    *

 

I wanted to play with the deck more, so I said, “Tell me a story in five cards,” and drew the following sequence: Letter, Illness, Hope, Thief, Misery. The sixth card would have been death. A letter tells of illness. We hope for the best, but disease is a thief that steals dreams and happiness and leaves misery in its wake.


 

 

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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Six of Pentacles — Stone Tarot

Six of Pentacles, Alison StoneArtist: Alison Stone

 

Interpretation: Generosity, charity, sharing. Kindness.

In this image, the coins above shower gold upon the coins below.

 

I’m beginning to remember to ask questions. However, I’m not supposed to ask yes-or-no questions— it’s one of the rules— and the truth is, I don’t really have any questions. I like watching the present unfold as I live it. I do enjoy asking the cards to “tell me” about some aspect of my life. I get the feeling I could view almost any aspect of my life through the window of any card and come up with some correlation. Thus far, the images I have been given easily fit the aspect I wish to view. Today I  said, “Tell me something about my relationship with Martin,” and drew this card.

 

Generosity and kindness are things to be shared. The Christian theological concept of the virtue charity— which I refer to because I like it— is unlimited love and kindness. These are lofty ideals to attempt to live up to. However, if we have no ideals, there is nothing to strive for. Success may be defined as a continual endeavor to reach our ideals. May we have a successful relationship.

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Monday, January 2nd, 2012

Ten of Blades — Tarot of the Absurd

Jessica Rose ShanahanArtist: Jessica Rose Shanahan

 

I said, “Tell me something about money,” and drew this card, reversed.

 

Blades are related to thoughts, plans, and attitudes. This card indicates a forceful re-evaluation of previous values, leading to a transformation that can eventually bring growth.

 

The ten of blades may indicate resisting an inevitable ending, fear of ruin, or dwelling on a painful ending. This creates unnecessary fear and anxiety. Are things really as bad as they seem? Old wounds need to be brought up, dealt with, and released. This is always difficult, but it is important to look ahead and realize how change frees you up to re-direct your energy and reshape your life.

 

So, I will be forced to re-evaluate my attitudes about money. I have generally spent as little as possible that I might work as little as possible. I have always counted my savings, felt in control of the money I spend, and stayed positive and monetarily independent— or at least had a relatively strong illusion of being so. Having a child is a joint-venture. I will no longer even be able to pretend I am independent. In the near future, there will be a gazillion unforeseen expenses. I may get closer to running out of money than I ever have. I will be more willing to share money and spend money on others than I have been. Certainly, I will learn a lot.

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Sunday, January 1st, 2012

Six of Cups — Tarot Nova

[This card measures about 1″ tall by .5″ wide]

Artist: Julie Paschkis

Author: Dennis Fairchild

 

Interpretation: “Your personal magnetism is on the rise. Be firm in affairs of the heart. Don’t let the past detract from the present. This is an excellent time to start a new love affair [I don’t think so!], renew vows [what vows?] or relocate [hardly!].”

 

My reading: Reunion, nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence.

 

I asked the deck, “Tell me something about my mother.”

 

I am visiting my parents’ house in Syracuse, NY. It is the house where I grew up. I have been here a week. Two of my siblings and both of my parents are here. There are two cats and one dog. We spend most of our time in the living room/ dining room area doing our slightly separate things together: reading, writing, working on the computer. The TV is off. My dad plays music. My mom cooks dinner. We talk to each other between thoughts. We go for walks. These are my people. I am blessed.

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Saturday, December 31st, 2011

Fante di Denari — Il Tarocco Bizarro



Artist: Franco Bruna

 

“It is practically impossible to use Tarots in order to know what the future holds before-hand. If this was not so, this crazy, mad world would be even more insane and frightening than it already is. Maybe this is the reason why the journey into the Tarots begins with The Fool… At the end of this journey it will be easy to use Tarots to better understand the reality that surrounds us and to see what could have been clear, but, clearly, [was] not…”

 

[In other words, it is easier to read the past than to read the future. Still, we refuse to learn.]


*     *     *

 

A student with new and brilliant ideas needs guidance.

Act on those grand ideas, but keep your feet firmly planted on the ground.

The page of coins asks us to grow in a way that generates wealth for the future. It indicates the energy to begin the process of bringing dreams into reality. This card encourages us to begin actions that will ultimately lead to the achievement of goals. Be clear on what skills and resources are required in order to get closer to the goal. Putting theory into practice will lead to finding a solution that actually works.

The page of coins has the desire to learn all things. Instead of getting carried away with more ideas, remain focused on the practical elements of what is realistic and achievable: remain focused on tangible outcomes and results.


Der Worte sind genug gewechselt,
lasst mich auch endlich Taten sehn!
Enough words have been exchanged;
now at last let me see some deeds!
Shall I ever pass the page of coins
and move beyond the prologue in the theater?
My kings! My kings! I need to draw my kings!
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Friday, December 30th, 2011

Page ~ Princess of Wands — The Renaissance Tarot

[I forgot to ask a question again.]

Illustrator: Helen Jones
Author: Jane Lyle

 

Interpretation: “Ability. Creative beginnings. // …an upsurge of the pace in everyday life. Original ideas, intuitive guidance, a desire to make new friends— all these may spring from inside ourselves. Outer events mirror this energy; there is often an increase in conversations, letters, invitations, short trips and social events.”

 

How about: I would like an increase in conversations (with friends), letters (from friends), invitations (to visit friends), short trips (with friends) and social events (at my house).

 

Is grocery shopping or a trip to the doctor’s a short trip? Is traveling to Quebec or Syracuse for the weekend or week a short trip or a long trip? Perhaps the length of the trip is determined by how long the trip feels. “Short trip” is supposed to seem positive whereas “errand” generally seems negative.

 

Maybe “short trip” means “brief psychedelic experience.” From the on-line urban dictionary: “An adjective meaning cool, freaky, groovy, amazing, or all of the above, depending on the context in which it’s used. …the root word, “trip,” refers to soft psychedelic trips and has been in use since the 60’s.”

 

When I wanted Martin to consider home birth, I didn’t try too hard to be convincing. I handed him my only book on birth— Ina May Gaskin’s book Spiritual Midwifery— where the natural birthing experience, as described by the husband, is always trippy, other-worldly, and extremely spiritual. After he’d read a bit, he said, “I’d like to experience that kind of energy.” I was happy.

 

The short trip of birth (as opposed to the long trip of raising a child) will indeed herald new beginnings, an upsurge in the pace of life, and the need to come up with original ideas to solve every-day problems. It will necessitate following my intuition. I hope to make new friends who can help me with these things.

 

I could, perhaps, have picked another aspect of my life to relate this card to. I’ve used pregnancy a number of times. However, that’s what gets my attention right now. Louann Brizendine, MD, director of the Women’s Mood and Hormone Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco explains pregnancy brain, in part, like this: “There are 15 to 40 times more progesterone and estrogen marinating the brain during pregnancy, and these hormones affect all kinds of neurons in the brain.” And, “You only have so many shelves in your brain so the top three are filled with baby stuff.” Good enough for me.

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Thursday, December 29th, 2011

The Faeries’ Oracle — 41. Ilbe the Retriever

Artist: Brian Froud

Author: Jessica MacBeth

 

“Office of Unclaimed Property, Hopes, and Wishes. Loyalty.”

 

Oracle decks are different from tarot decks in a number of manners. Mainly, there is no predetermined pattern to the deck,  there is no history behind the cards, and the cards are not used for games.

 

Oracle decks are similar to a ‘book with all answers,’ where opening a page answers your preset question. In this case, drawing a card tells you which page to open to.

 

Oracle decks often originate from the author’s passionate belief in one particular area. Some decks, as this one, marry existing imagery to suitable meanings. In general, these cards spring from a desire to tap into the spiritual world to find “insight, wisdom, and joy,” as this deck states.

 

The author says, Don’t read someone else’s definitions of the cards until you already have some idea of what they mean to you. This is good advice for any work of art, literature, poetry, graffiti, kitsch, tarot card, or ancient spiritual text. Don’t let someone tell you what it means. Figure it out yourself, then listen to others’ opinions. You will gain no insight if you do not allow your inner eye to open. You will gain no wisdom if you always only listen to the words of others— perhaps knowledge, but not wisdom. And joy? What truly gives you joy?

 

To me, this card looks like an old-man-puppy begging at the table. I used to love Froud’s dreamy images when I was a little girl. As an adult, that which I see in reality is more fantastic than any faerie he could ever dream. I want to tell the card “grow up” and will not let the deck “speak” to me. A few things may be happening: self-censorship, lack of interest in oracle decks, and refusal to assimilate anyone else’s vision of faerie.

 

Nonetheless, I admit Jessica MacBeth gives good instructions on how to get to know a card. In part, she asks a series of questions which I answer here*:

 

The creature seems selfishly immature. It is wanting something, whining, trying to make me feel guilty if I do not give what it wishes. This beast has a certain slowness about it. It looks spiritually incomplete, grasping to the leadership of others. I find its wings appealing, because I like wings. I find the tilt of its head unappealing. It makes me want to wring its long neck, but the neck seems rubbery and I get the feeling that if I tried to choke it, the creature would laugh. I find myself fixated on wringing its un-wringable neck and hypnotized by its maniacal laughter into continuing on and on into insanity. It is frustrating. I come across as cruel and crazy—

 

but this is how we sometimes seem
in both reality and dream.

 

*Question summary:
1) What is the emotional atmosphere of the card?
2) What might the physical manifestation of this card’s symbols be in someone’s life? What aspect of life does this card symbolize to you?
3) What do you see in the card’s symbols that might represent the card’s mental characteristics?
4) What are the spiritual characteristics of the card’s symbols?
5) What do you find most appealing or comforting about this card?
6) What do you find most unappealing or uncomfortable about this card?
7) What other ideas or impressions do you have of this card?
And she says: if you fail to answer any of these questions, take a break until you can.

 

The following terms must be defined by YOU: symbol, spiritual & mental characteristics, comforting & uncomfortable, appealing & unappealing. These are opinions and reflections of experience.

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Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Page of Cups — The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg

Artist: Yuri Shakov
LWB*: Stewart Kaplan

 

Interpretation: A studious and intent person. Reflective. Meditative. Loyal. Willingness to offer services and efforts toward a specific goal. A helpful person. Trustworthy.

 

[I think, from now on, if the LWB is completely at odds with how I generally view a card and has nothing in particular to say about a deck itself, as in this case, I shall cease to quote it, as it adds little to my insight.]

 

Yuri ShakovI love the Page of Cups. When my mom saw the image I drew for the card, she said it reminded her of Alice in Wonderland. Wonderful! The Page of Cups is my not-quite-rational, dreamy inner-girl-child. She reminds me: Be open to the unexpected. Listen to your intuition. Never cease to dream. And she reminds me to take a fresh perspective— a child-like view— when faced with difficult issues.

 

A couple of days ago I told my Big Sister I am going to have a baby. Six months is rather far along for just telling her, but we don’t talk often. I didn’t know how to bring it up sooner. I was afraid of feeling judged in one way or another. When I told her she said something like, “WHAT? Now you’ll be Mom’s favorite forever and ever.” Which is silly and she knows it isn’t true: I’m just Mom’s most huggable child. I will have Mom’s favorite grandchild by default: there are no others.

 

Having a child sets my sister and I down incomparably different paths. She is on the successful-career path and has succeeded, whereas I never quite tried hard enough. I am suddenly, after many years of much goofing-off, on a path of motherhood.

 

Today when I pulled a card, I remembered to ask a question: How does [my Big Sister] really feel about me having a baby? The answer is: the Page of Cups. Keep an open mind. If I expect a certain reaction, I am more likely to get it. If I expect to be judged, I will feel it. On the contrary, if I am able to be playful, to be open to unexpected feelings, to admit the possibility of a positive change in our relationship, I am more likely to be pleasantly surprised.

 

*LWB= the little white booklet that comes with most tarot decks
and tells, quite briefly, what each card is about
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