I don’t know about other Tarot enthusiasts out there but I start October deck planning in, say, JUNE, and I never end up keeping the decks I think I’m wanting to use! But, needless to say, in peak spooky season I’m stoked to work with my favorite Halloween/Samhain decks and it takes a bit of force to make myself use newer decks that aren’t just the veterans of my shelves.
I had to at least include my beloved Silver Acorn Tarot with several new decks. I have already explored the Four Courts Tarot in an earlier monthly decks this year, but I loved it so much I needed its whimsical colors and fantastical creatures this month as well. I’ve had the Tarot of Famous Witches since spring and it’s such a spit-fire deck that I’ve been waiting to use it in earnest until this month. Though the Kickstarter was REALLY late in delivery, it was worth the wait and extra shipping; it’s a gorgeous deck with serious attitude which makes it fun to use. The Wild Providence Oracle Deck was kinda an unexpected win for me as I’m not a huge oracle buff but this one really scratched a witchy itch, you’ll see. And then the Elegy of Black Lichen Tarot. This was a deck I was super hesitant to back on KS as it gives me uneasy feelings. I so far though really liking using it! It kinda reminds me of an apathetic True Black Tarot in that it’s really eerie, but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a really interesting deck, but certainly not for everyone.
Sides: The Wild Providence Oracle Deck. Top Row: Tarot of Famous Witches (Major and Minor Arcana), Silver Acorn Tarot. Bottom Row: Four Courts Tarot, Elegy of Black Lichen Tarot (Standard Edition) Appropriately spooky backs.
Some oracles are deep, introspective, in possession of absolute TOMES of a guide book (ahem, looking at you Renais Tarot), and then there are others that are just straight shooters. This one you don’t really need the guide book for, but it’s a nice little edition anyways. The two cards for this month are “Moon Bathing” and the “Gift of Hades.” Moon Bathing, an ancient practice which I think has a lot of modern takes in various pagan and other religious contexts, is recognizing our inner sensuality and practice self-kindness. Each person has much to be proud of but we are pressured to ignore these accomplishments of ours–now is a good time to recognize my own. The Gift of Hades is a reference to how Hades “tricked” Persephone into eating pomegranate seeds thus securing her yearly return to the underworld (winter). This classic memento-mori (remember you must die) image asks us to recognize that the things that are most precious to us are the ones that will fade into cycles of life and death. We must carpe our diem (apparently we’re practicing Latin today) to feel fulfilled in life, which is such a complimentary card to the Moon Bathing sentiment. Okay, take time to feel in yourself and care for your self and enjoy the things that matter in life.
The Tarot of Famous Witches has this funny hybrid vibe of the RWS and Marseille systems. It feels very punk. Of course, the Silver Acorn is just to-die-for cute so it’s kinda a funny pairing with the two of them. This Eight of Cups (which, much to my chagrin, actually has NINE cups in the picture!) with the cups in the lady of the lake’s hair seem rather tangled up–emotions are tangled and you want to get away from them. Perhaps with the nine cups it seems on the outside like you got everything you could wish for when in reality you really gotta get your ducks, er, cups, in a row. In rides our cheerful romantic Knight of Cups! Ah ha, we have a new alighted passion with the Ace of Wands! As if you didn’t have too many cups already that you’re looking to de-tangle from, you now have this romantic figure bringing with them the flame of passion. So, with our self care and seizing the day we have some emotional complications that an outside party seems to either interrupt or somehow shift how we are feeling them from wanting to escape to wanting to grab that wand. Hmm…
The Four Courts gave me two pentacles in this draw. The 8 and the 9 reversed. And then the Black Lichen doled out the Page of Swords reversed. This Eight of Pentacles is a very traditional RWS take on skilled labor and hard work. There is a challenging moment ahead that’s going to take effort and concentration and put your abilities to the test. Something that really keeps drawing me to this deck is the incredible facial expressions of the characters–this fairy seems pretty annoyed and pissed off! When have I done enough already?!? The Page of Swords reversed typically to me is “putting the cart before the horse” or thinking ahead of yourself too quickly and not pacing yourself. Then we have a 9 of Pentacles in reverse—I feel like my success is fragile. Perhaps this is a warning to not get too ahead of myself, to slow down and think things through carefully, to go back to my foundations and make sure I’m doing things the right way. Together, though it feels like a slog, hard work takes significant time to yield the results we want, so don’t try to rush things even if you’re feeling totally done with a situation.
Geez, this month is a see-saw of feelings for sure! That’s probably why there is the flanking oracles reminding to be present in myself and practice self love and self gratitude and live in the moment. Both the Eight of Cups and the Eight of Pentacles stacked on one another suggest a frustration and an action needing to be taken. Then we have the charming Knight of Cups busting in on the scene with his romantic whimsy, and the Page of Swords letting their head get ahead (hehe) of themselves. We finish with a powerful spark and a tentative contentment, but there seems to be a warning that more work is needed! There is diligence (oh where is the Knight of Pentacles when I need him?) that is required to push through our temporary happiness and to grow that spark.
Just for fun and practice, the runes came out. This month I dropped them on the cards and realized I need to use my little rune stones to prevent denting my cards!
The Fehu rune, representing “wealth” much in the sense of the pentacles suit as in worldly materials, community clout, fertility, creative energy and generosity, dropped dead on the Moon Bathing card. There is much for me to gain by taking care of myself this month and I’ll see payback for the efforts I put into it as well. I like that!
Nauthiz, one of the runes I have a great deal of difficulty understanding, fell on both the Ace of Wands and the Nine of Pentacles reversed. It could perhaps be simplified as a rune of “need”, but it speaks of having to endure hardships. It’s the patience and resilience and the struggle towards a goal. It’s the hard motivators we have to face in life. While this really isn’t the kind of thing I want to see in a draw, it does verify that my “ends” with the Ace of Wands and the Nine of Pentacles do need work and they are only the start of the process. *sigh*
Well, how about YOU lovely readers? What decks do you like using for October? What has your cards been saying this month?
