Sometimes the best thing about a day is that it’s over. That’s how life goes. Here’s my own personal draw when I need to decompress:
1, 2 , 3 What do I have to look forward to tomorrow? or, What will tomorrow bring?
4. What has caused this funk I’m in?
5. How do I get out of it?
6. Self care I can do right now.
7. How to absolve the bad feelings/anxieties I have after this day?
I grabbed my sweetest deck for this, Smoke, Ash & Embers by Three Trees Tarot.
1, 2, 3. What do I have to look forward to tomorrow? Well, my sweetest deck did not fail me in this draw! Ah, The Fool. Tomorrow is a new day! It’s a fresh start. It will have it’s own challenges, but you’ll not be alone. Try to leave behind what does not serve you and go forth courageously.
Now, the unnamed card made it’s first appearance in a drawing. I was beginning to wonder if it’d ever pop out. In Three Tree’s Tarot’s first deck, Oak, Ash & Thorn, the extra card was called “Possibilities,” I believe. This card, of two twin dragons sleeping coiled together, looks like they are still dreaming of possibilities. Tomorrow, you’ll dream of new possibilities, new ideas, together with the one you love.
And the too cute 10 of Cups. The sun will come out tomorrow! There cannot be a rainbow without the rain. You’re family will be there for you, you will feel fulfilled, content and grateful for all that is going well. You get to feel that “happily ever after” moment after all the hardship you’ve endured.
4. What has caused this funk I’m in? The Sun. (The Sun?) High expectations, or even unrealistic expectations. If you are using happiness and success as a measurement for how you are as a person, you miss the point of being a complex human being. Joy is merely one feeling, and its fleeting at that. It is not possible to be always joyful and there is nothing wrong with simply a not-great-day every now and then. Feeling something less than happiness and perfection is not a bad thing, it just is.
5. How do I get out of it? Six of Cups. Sometimes we understandably are jaded when we try to do a good thing and it’s flung in our faces, or it simply goes unnoticed or unappreciated, or worse when we’re taken advantage of. We may begin to think that our kind nature is what caused this unfortunate situation, when it couldn’t be further than the truth. A person’s inappropriate and rude behavior is not a reflection of us, but instead that person. Continue to show kindness to others, and you’ll see the gift of kindness returned when you need it most. Tap into the things that bring your inner child joy and spark curiosity.
6. Self care I can do right now. Ace of Cups. I can accept the love and support of those around me. I can embrace my emotions in this moment without judgement. I can steak out my circle of safety and stand behind the boundaries I have asked for.
7. How to absolve the bad feelings/anxieties I have after this day? Seven of Cups. Realize that the world is about choices. You don’t control the flow of the river, but you do have control over your self. You have the power to chose what you do next. There’s also no black and white/ good or bad choice, it is what is best for you in the moment.
That was quite the cups heavy draw! Seems like the cards are trying to tell me that it’s gonna be okay! Keep your chin up, kiddo!
Please know there is some nudity in the decks I chose this month. Also, raspberries are delicious.
No such thing as peace when in the work nook.
It has been a tough month already, with sad news, set backs, good news that means additional work and a life change, unexplained illness, and just one wrong thing after another. It’s a funny that as a kid I though of the summer season as a season to relax, to kick back and have some freedom. As an adult, and also partly due to my own life choices to be #responsible, summer has become nearly the opposite! There are too many things that need tending to that I know no matter how much I struggle to race to get them done, something will fall by the wayside! So much house work and repair needs completing before the snow flies, dying trees need to be cut down before they fall on the house, the fruit needs picking and preserving, the animals need extra outside time while its nice, someone get very sick and we don’t know why, friends and family are moving, birthdays and cook outs and bonfires and riding clinics and festival booths and and and…and don’t forget bills need to be paid, dinner must be made and god forbid if you let the laundry go too long and now you’re out of underwear!
From top, clockwise, Everyday Witch Tarot, Tarot of the Dream Enchantress, Cosma Visions Oracle, Smoke, Ash & Embers. Center Oracle of the Radiant Sun
While Tarot definitely falls low on the to-do list in the summer months, I still like to pick my monthly decks and get a few readings in! No surprise that this month I’m still dawdling in nostalgia, but I kinda feel that I’m now channeling more of my preteen and early teen love of high-fantasy.
I knew that I wanted to focus on learning, at least a little better, the Cosma Visions Tarot Oracle. I personally use this deck more like a tarot than an oracle, though I definitely have had past struggles and frustrations with it. But gosh darn it, it’s one of the prettiest decks I own! I find it fascinating, and I want to be able to use it as part of my regular rotation. It has some lovely magical nature themed imagery that seems to fit the colorful summer season very nicely.
I was gifted Tarot of the Dream Enchantress a few years back. When I borrowed it to give it a test run, it gave me a captivating read and my friend realized that it needed to be on my shelf as well. While there are some real loose RWS relations, this odd and clever deck takes its own spin on your typical RWS meaning. I find that every time I bust it out of its lame Lo Scarabeo tuck box, I go through the same process of confusion, contemplation, and then admiration for the cunning artist.
Did anyone else as a kid rent a million times the VHS of Kiki’s Delivery Service? My local movie rental place actually put a ban on me from checking it out every week–I could only check it out every other week. I find that I’m really drawn to that movie when I’m completely overwhelmed with my life, and oh boy am I there right now. My trusty Everyday Witch Tarot is very reminiscent of Kiki’s Delivery Service, and its got to be one of the easiest, kindest decks I own. A no-brainer for this month. I’m going to have to force myself to not just grab this deck every time I want to do a reading!
And my beloved Smoke, Ash & Ember. The deck I thought would be a gimmick and I ended up falling head over heels for. I loved dragons as a kid and clearly I still love them now. They are so magical and perfect for the summer season, and man oh man, are the decks that come out of Three Trees Tarot honest. This deck is the chicken-noodle soup of decks for me.
For the month’s oracle deck I picked Oracle of the Radiant Sun. I actually use this deck quite a bit, however I almost never include it in public readings because, well, I don’t know nor care much about astrology. I DO find the images on the cards very compelling and I like the keywords and general different-ness of the deck.
I actually asked the cards for this month to tell me how to navigate all the stuff I gotta do. For my “theme” I drew Friendship from OotRS. Yes I am a cancer. Sometimes you need a different space and a different person to show you truths about yourself. It’s easy to get into the weeds, but without outside perspective of a caring friend, you might miss the beauty and awe the world has. Now is not the time to sequester yourself in your own space and work–get out there and adventure with others. Life always has it’s problems but friends can make it easier to deal with them and realize that’s the natural ebb and flow.
Then with Tarot of the Dream Enchantress, I pulled the 9 of Swords–uh, yeah, I guess that about sums it up, doesn’t it! I really like this variation–the artist has drawn may swords, but seems unhappy with his results, seeing as he keeps doing the same thing over and over. He’s drunken himself into a stupor and now this demonic imp has arrived to haunt him. Attempting the same thing over and over with no different results is a waste of time. If you turn to escapism to solve your problems they just return 9 fold in a different form. Instead, identify the real cause of your distress rather than the feeling of inability. Ask yourself, is there anything actually wrong? What is something different I can do rather than this same defeating spiral?
From the Cosma Visions, I drew The Geomancer, or traditionally the Queen of Pentacles. I love how the eye is the same all seeing eye on the backs of the cards. She see’s all, she knows the hurts and sorrows of the world, yet here she is working on the mundane things of planting seeds for tomorrow. She gives them life and care, despite all the other rather looming troubles. Take joy and pride in the little things you have to do to make life work–do not think of them as “chores” but rather self care for your future self. Just because you can see all the problems doesn’t mean you need to abandon the necessities of life, which include the joy of growing and nurturing living things. Behind here is an old growth forest; the old and the new can live harmoniously together, both deserve your love and appreciation.
I drew the Ten of Pentacles from SA&E. So cute and lovely isn’t it? I love how the sunset seems to glow off the cardstock. You have abundance, security and love. Your earthly needs are secure. It is okay to enjoy them! Be proud of what you accomplished. There is no need to be 24/7 grinding if you don’t stop and take a moment to soak it all in. Things will come together and work out. Channel some of that inner child memory you have of summer being fun and enjoyable! You can still have that now if you only allow yourself to do so.
And then The Star makes another appearance. 17 seems to be the card that is haunting me of late; perhaps Tarot is trying to tell me not to give up! I love the Everyday Witch Star, she is actively taking what is given to her from above and putting it into use in the water. It can be hard to want to keep going when so many things look bleak, but keep using what you got and putting it to work, and making it better. Resourcefulness is a blessing. Positive attitude is a blessing. Sometimes it’s a matter of having faith and belief that things will be alright.
My month is really overwhelming, and my decks seem to be telling me to just slow down a little and seek out others for their help and comfort. Identify what the real problems are rather than just doing the same chicken-with-her-head-cut-off dance. Don’t get wrapped up in the big what ifs, tend to the little things in your control that make your life good and enjoyable. Understand cycles are a thing in life. Take it slow and relish what you do have with your loved ones, rather than what you don’t or what you’ve lost. You live a wonderful, bountiful life. And finally, have a little faith in yourself. You are able to take what you need from what you get.
I think I might need to take the time to make a s’mores now. What about you? What decks are you drawn to in July?
Here is a draw I came up with to honor the rites of spring and to ask ourselves where our passions and energies are leading us.
1. For whom do you gather flowers? What/Who you focus on is where your energy goes–where is your focus?
2. Who do you dance around the maypole with? Many things that occur in our lives are not our choice, but we do have a choice in who/what we spend our time with–who is this person/thing? Are they helping or hindering us?
3. What will spark the flame? Beltane is a celebration of our passions–what is it that you need to alight those feelings?
4. What is the fire you need to jump over? What risk must you overcome to move on to the next part of your life?
5. What ember should you take home to your hearth? What lesson are you learning now that you will carry with you throughout the rest of your life?
6. What unexpected magic will you find? Like Samhain, there is a belief that during Beltane the veil between the magical world and the mundane is thin–what magic will appear in your life?
Today, I’m using the large Czech Shadowscapes Tarot–it is SO beautiful!
1. For whom do you gather flowers? Seven of Pentacles. My focus right now is bringing my projects and plans to fruition! Nurturing that which I’ve put in a lot of work so far. I’m not finished yet, there’s still lots to be done, but its also a good time to enjoy my labors thus far.
2. Who do you dance around the maypole with? Six of Cups. I spend my time with those who inspire my child like wonder at the world! Those who make magic happen and love me for all my strange quirks and individuality. People who “play along” with my ideas and whims. While they light my path and I enjoy their company, I need to be careful they are not overly sheltering me from reality.
3. What will spark the flame? Ace of Cups. Another example of “thanks for telling me what I already know, Tarot!” XD Being profoundly moved by emotions, experiences, the meeting of the new and novel, spiritual nourishment, profound love, dreams, pleasure, art, are the things that spark my passion! I am in love with love, girlfriend!
4. What is the fire you need to jump over? Eight of Cups. Moving on and leaving the past behind you. Sometimes there is nothing left to do other than go forward. That is where you have to gather courage and leave what you know because there’s nothing left for you here. You have your inner guiding light (star), and though you do not know what lies ahead, it will speak to a truer version of yourself.
5. What ember should you take home to your hearth? Five of Cups. How to accept and process grief and more importantly, how to release grief. Grief is a necessary gift to manage pain and loss. But like saying goodbye to a dear friend or releasing a wild animal you’ve come to love back into the wild, the real challenge is letting grief go and wash away with the tide. Maybe it will come back to visit on occasion, but healing really comes when you release it so it is no longer yours to hold and care for.
6. What unexpected magic will you find? XVII The Star. You will find that hope is not an external thing, it is a light that you carry with you and that you radiate into the world. You will find that by taking things as they come, accepting what you’ve been given in life (good or bad) you will go forth with wisdom, grace, and inspiration to make your wishes and dreams come true.
Oh, gee, well, for a fiery celebration, this draw sure tapped into the emotional water element for me! What did your cards say about your Beltane season?
It’s been a while since we’ve done our own draw hasn’t it?
I’ll be the first to admit that when the weather is really fine, Tarot gets put on the back burner. But we always have nice rainy days I can get cozy with my cards and card friends and make up a fun draw.
I don’t know about you, but when brain storming my own draw, I tend to start with something that sounds really fun and ends up rather serious–thank goodness Val was able to keep me on track!
Here’s a simple spring draw to help you think over your priorities this season and going forwards!
For this draw, I’m using the Fantasy Garden Tarot. I find it intriguing how it uses a unique approach of focusing on the card subject in a landscape setting. It really helps give a “bigger picture” feel to each card.
What needs to go?
What needs to be brushed off?
What needs to be aired out? (as in, you need to leave it alone for the moment and come back to it later)
What needs to be given away? (something you don’t need right now but someone else close to you could use)
What needs to be reorganizes?
What needs to be polished? (what is almost finished but needs some refinement?)
Excuse the skew of the cards, I really wanted to use this scarf but had to fold it up on itself and trying to make it into a flat surface was impossible!
1. What needs to go? Knight of Swords. The constant moving and grooving, the need for immediate action and decisive decision and travel needs to stop this spring! You were moving from one barren place to another to fight the fight with little provisions and preparedness because you had to (notice how the knight has nothing but his horse and cloak! He doesn’t even have a sword!), but that is no longer needed! Time to take a break and chill out!
2. What needs to be brushed off? 3 The Empress. It’s time to brush off that child-like ability to be in wonder with your space and surroundings. It’s time to tap into your creativity and personal growth. Return to your magical happy spaces and places.
3. What needs to be aired out?16The Tower. Your past grievances and grief need airing and recognition. There’s no need to hide behind a “everything is alright” facade. Speak the truth and allow that fire burn. When it dies out, you might find useful things in the rubble and ashes.
4. What needs to be given away? Knight of Wands. Oh, the dearest Knight of Wands that has been my partner since new years! It seems like his usefulness for the moment is at an end. You can give away your brazenness and the courage that is needed to face a difficult situation head-on. Not everything can be solved with bravery. Pass this along to someone else who needs a boost. Encourage others to tap into their internal hero. You’ve learned what you can for the moment, move on to something else.
5. What needs to be reorganizes? King of Pentacles. Time to revisit your financial end-goals! Much has changed in your life, where do you want to be in 10 years? Or more years? You have a masterful grasp on the situation, so utilize this now to plan out your future. Also, consider budgeting travel! There’s much for you to see and learn from! Going unexpected places help teach you life lessons and gives you perspective.
6. What needs to be polished? 8 Strength. I love this strength. We can see the massive angel statue demonstrating a typical kind of strength, but it is only a statue after all. Beside it, this wondrous lady who has mastered a pride of lions demonstrates a different, shows us a terrifying kind of strength! So, polish your strength–you are no longer in need of that brash, primitive knightly energy. Hone and refine your feminine strength: how can your inner strength serve you now going forward?
In addition, I asked a clarifying statement to question 4 (What needs to be given away?) asking “who should I give this brave Kight of Wand energy to? This is what I pulled:
Answer: someone who has fears! Is afraid of fear itself, perhaps? A person in need of bravery. XD thanks Tarot, you really cleared that one up for me!
There seems to be a theme in this reading for me! Slow down, enjoy life, embody Spring. Let things happen, but exercise prudence. Tap into more feminine energies to re-balance from a period of aggressive forward motion. Seems like things will be a little less chaotic in my life!
What things do you need to spring clean according to your deck?
While the spring equinox was last week, you sure couldn’t tell here in the frozen north! The “first day of spring” was snowing, freezing rain, and generally sucked. HOWEVER today is starting to feel like a serious turn in the weather! The sun is SO WARM! The snow piles are actually shorter than me! There’s some straggly grass appearing! The pastures are turning into poop soup! Ah, spring! How we’ve missed you!
This draw was suggested by Val, taken from the Ostara Vernal Equinox draw by The Word Witch (found here: https://www.thewordwitchtarot.com/post/tarot-spread-for-ostara-spring-equinox). I’ve taken the draw word for word, so full credit goes to The Word Witch. Go check out their site and all their tarot goodness they have to offer!
THE YOLK: What has been gestating all winter, ready to be born?
THE SHELL: What limiting beliefs or old structures am I ready to break through & leave behind?
THE CRACK: How do I break through the shell and open to transformation & rebirth?
THE SUN: What awakens & nourishes me this season?
THE SONG: How to speak my truth & embody my light this season.
THE WING: What new journey or opportunity invites me this Spring?
I’ll be using the Seasonal Fox Tarot, both the day and night decks in conjunction, because a) I absolutely love this deck and b) I love the way “seasons” have been integrated into the majors and minors and it seems appropriate to incorporate a seasonal theme given the equinox.
1. THE YOLK: Queen of Swords, Day. This queen of swords seems so care free here, with the wind in her face and spring coming to her, almost as if it’s blowing the winter and clouds away. Hardy butterflies who don’t seem to mind the cold flit around her. You patience has paid off, you are free now to use your skills you’ve honed, and to use your thought and judgement freely in pursuit of a new life. Don’t doubt yourself, you’ve proven your grit by getting through the worst of it and coming out a better person (with great and inspiring friends!). A new metaphorical spring is on your horizon!
2. THE SHELL: XIX The Sun, Night. Oh I just LOVE this deck and all the strange things that come up when using two decks together like this! I need to leave behind the old belief that in order for there to be light in my life there must be darkness. While it is true that life gives both joy and sorrow, I (and I suspect many others) have this belief that sorrow is required to feel joy; NO! I can feel lightness and joy in my situation DESPITE the darkness, not BECAUSE of it.
3. THE CRACK: XVII The Star, Day. To achieve your next breakthrough, keep following your dreams, guiding principles, and your hopes! Even when they are difficult to pin down and see, do not doubt that they are there leading you on to a better self. You know in your heart what is right and wrong for you, no one else.
4. THE SUN: King of Wands, Day (very Sun energy, much wow). Your creative vision, execution of your passion, dedication, and honoring yourself by sticking to your plan will get your butt into action and keep you going this season! Graduate from the knight of wands you were seeing earlier this month and be your own fire. Be your own leader of your own life!
5. THE SONG: Page of Pentacles, Night. To speak your truth and embody your own light, be ever the student, eager and willing to learn, to try their hand at something new even at the expense of possible failure. Cleverness comes at the cost of times failed. Try, try, and try again until you get it right–the experience is not only rewarding but worth it’s weight in gold. You may feel alone in your journey, but that shouldn’t stop you from attempting new ideas nor celebrating your successes.
6. THE WING: I The Magician, Night. Now is the journey of yourself! You are free, unfettered, you have all the tools you need to succeed, and all the help you need to safely venture forth. You are now the master of your fate. Dawn is around the corner; be ready to start the new day!
What a gung-ho reading! With three major arcana, and three court cards, with it being evenly split between day and night, this deck seems to want me to embrace my spring future.
Have you done a spring reading? What did your decks have to say?
If you hang out on this blog for any amount if time, you will learn that Val and I take our Tarot very seriously. We would never revert back to our pre-teen giggly selves and never ever ask any dumb, stupid or insipid questions.
Enter this beauty! This Cupid’s arrow which pairs up two individuals (or hey, more if you want to add additional fletching at the top), and lays out their romantic path! Perfect for your secret ship, crush, D&D characters, you name it.
1. Person 1
2. Person 2 (add additional persons as needed)
3. Foundation of the relationship
4. Spark of the relationship
5. Choice that must be made
6. Death of the relationship
7. Life of the relationship
8. Tip 😉
Stacy’s Draw
Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, mass market
1 Person 1 (Page of Cups) considers their art their LIFE! They are here to live for the experience! They are looking for a muse.
2. Person 2 (Two of Cups) wishes to meet others and establish relationships–they are people persons and wish to find connection.
3. The foundation of their relationship (Ace of Pentacles) is one of similar entrepreneurial pursuits. Their worldly goals can further each other and are complimentary.
4. Their spark (Queen of Pentacles) is they are both extremely giving persons, willing to help others by sharing their resources. They are fertile individuals ready to make the most of what they have.
5. Ooooohh! They will have to choose (Nine of Pentacles) a life style of comfort and means, or accepting their love as it is! XD!
6. The death of the relationship (King of Swords) is relying too heavily on logic, being too black and white, letting one’s ego get too big, one insisting on being the top dog, not remembering your emotional side (seeing as person 1 and person 2 are both cup cards).
7. What brings this relationship to life (XI Justice) is seeking fairness and balance. Doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do rather than based off expectations. Being brave and seeing the truth of matters.
8. Tip: (Eight of Pentacles) Making something beautiful takes time and practice. Use your hands, be crafty. Manual labor may be required ;-).
Full disclosure, I “draw” cards from the deck by choosing jumpers, and usually only single jumpers at that. I am astonished at how pentacles heavy this draw became! This couple clearly is really rooted into the earthy material world and may be business partners, even though they themselves are rather emotional people.
Here’s a big ol’ Love Draw! Feel free to word this as it suits your situation! For example, you an ask “How to keep alight an old flame?” or “How to alight an old flame” or “How to stomp out an old flame?”
What self-love can I practice?
What toxic love should I be rid of?
What or whose unrequited love lingers in my life?
How to keep alight an old flame?
How can I help fulfill another’s love?
What will help my fantasy come true?
What sudden Cupid’s arrow of infatuation will strike me?
What new love (person or otherwise) is entering my life?
How can I nurture true love (person, yourself, hobby)?
How can I invite more love in my life?
Stacy’s Draw
The Victorian Romantic Tarot, 4 edition standard. Also used the 4 edition special large.
1 What self-love can I practice?
Ace of Pentacles: Be your own entrepreneur! Take a financial opportunity and run with it!
2 What toxic love should I be rid of?
The Magician: Be rid of the romantic idea that working late and working yourself to death is going to lead to success (can we just talk about that creepy skeleton leering at the magician?!? This is what happen when you pull all-nighters!).
3 What or whose unrequited love lingers in my life?
Two of Pentacles: There is a person who loves you only when you perform–they only love what you can do for them, and only love an imagined version of you rather than the authentic you! They command, you respond.
4 How to keep alight an old flame?
Nine of Swords: Get out of your comfort zone! Take a risk, go out on a limb, try something you’ve never done before!
5 How can I help fulfill another’s love?
Six of Pentacles: Help another by being generous–see things for how they really are and give the resources you have a plenty.
6 What will help my fantasy come true?
The High Priestess: Follow your dreams! Trust your gut and intuition. Remember Beauty is as Beauty does. Be an active player in your life. Embrace your femininity.
7 What sudden Cupid’s arrow of infatuation will strike me?
Eight of Wands: The need for speed! The desire to move and act. A partner in action. A partnership of the man and beast.
8 What new love (person or otherwise) is entering my life?
The Knight of Pentacles: What a wonderfully puzzling card! I feel like there’s many ways to read this–a steadfast, knight in shining armor who will protect me, a steady eddy, a person of underrated skill, someone who is indifferent to me, OR a person I save who I am indifferent to that lavishes their affections onto me.
9 How can I nurture true love (person, yourself, hobby)?
Five of Cups: Accept your loss, process grief and move on. I love in this card how the woman is clearly moving past the fallen cups. Only then will you have space to nurture true love.
10 How can I invite more love in my life?
4 of Pentacles: Be willing to wait and save your resources for those special moments–do some “house cleaning” and get rid of the unnecessary people and things in your life. Keep what matters and allow it to grow!
And then for fun, I drew one card from the large edition of this deck asking for advice:
Ah! The Magician makes a second appearance! I’d say that this is reiterating that while some aspects of The Magician I could and should discard, the general spark and individuality of The Magician should be preserved! Be your best self!
There’s plenty of sites out there that explore the various pagan and related festivals of Imbolc. For me, it means that the worst and darkest of winter is over (supposedly!). While it’s too covered in snow to start thinking of planting here, I do get out and “garden” in the sense I trim our fruit bearing plants and the roses. In the home, it’s the time to take down any remaining holiday decorations and do a serious deep clean of my pantry and refrigerator.
Le Tarot de Marseille-Waite and Slavic Legends Tarot special edition
Of all the celebrations in February, I personally really enjoy the French festival Valerie introduced me to which, on Candlemas or Fête de la Chandeleur, they have crepes! While I don’t go to the mass, I 100% am on board with Crepe Day!
Imbolc: In the Belly of the Mother, by Valerie
1. How does this winters’ blank slate invite me to start afresh?
2. Which seed should I prioritize under the grow light?
3. How should I help it grow?
4. Which seed should not be discarded?
5. How to gently nourish it?
6. Message from Brigid
Stacy’s Draw
I’m using Le Tarot de Marseille-Waite seeing as it has such a good growing spring vibe, along with The Nameless One Oracle
1. How does this winters’ blank slate invite me to start afresh?
6 de Coupes: You should embrace the child-like spirit, good fond memories, and an innocence in the belief of human good. Don’t take things so seriously, take the time to notice and enjoy life (stop to smell the flowers, for crying out loud!)
2. Which seed should I prioritize under the grow light?
IV L’Empereur: The authority! It’s time to be the emperor of your life–you’re the boss, make yourself rules to follow and practice discipline to find your success. Take the wheel, baby!
3. How should I help it grow?
Valet des Epees: Follow new ideas to see where they go! Slack that thirst for knowledge by finding out for yourself. Again, be disciplined, but don’t be rigid–sometimes you are meant to follow this side tangent. Be enthusiastic in following your curiosity. Nurture the mind.
4. Which seed should not be discarded?
10 de Epees: The pain and defeat of your past should not be ignored nor attempted to be forgotten.
5. How to gently nourish it?
4 de Batons: Celebrating your current successes, even if small, will help heal the past pain and wounds.
6. Message from Brigid: XXII The Poised and Patient Ones (Reversed)
Affirmation: I am poised and patient.
Especially when you are impatient, fearful and angry is patience required. Nothing worth having or doing happens suddenly or quickly. Wounds take time to heal, wrongs take time to right. Take a breath, do one thing at a time.
This draw seems on-point with my healing journey. You need to embrace the good things, be your own boss and leader, heal the old pains and be patient with yourself.
I will openly admit that while I don’t make a *big* deal about it, I really like celebrating Valentines Day, and I like to imagine February as being the “romance” month. Part of it is February here at least is cold, grumpy, and generally hung over from January so any excuse to make it better I’m on board with. I have a real romantic streak in me that goes out of it’s way to try and find excuses to make things more lovey-dovey for lack of a better word.
So no surprise, I wanted to bring out some of the most romantic decks I got!
First, we typically don’t see any signs of spring here for another month or two. The quirky Le Tarot de Marseille-Waite by Emmanuelle Iger and Alice Laverty has such a bright, happy spring tones that really soothes the soul. This French mass market deck, as implied by the name, is a hybrid of Marseille majors and RWS minors. It’s imagery is set in Europe, high-medieval era, and is just a wonderfully Hollywood romanticized (see the Medieval Europe Tarot for a not-so-romanticized version). So chivalric, much quaint, very wow. This deck gave me the Reine des epees (Queen of Swords). I guess despite my imagining that all’s going to be fru-fru, I’m going to have to be a discerning bad ass and cut the shit out of my life. ;cries;
Next, we are really still in some short, dark days, and I wanted to put to use my much beloved The Nameless One tarot and oracle deck. This underrated, sigil including masterpiece from Xia Hunt has such wonderful gothic-romance vibes. It’s beautiful, it’s lush, it’s dark. What more can you ask for?!?
I drew the Queen of Cups from this one–so maybe there’s some hope yet for the idealized February! This queen of cups is rather cold, but she has Cancer in her crown, reminding us to embody the best of this zodiac by being the caregiver to ourselves and others–to be a devoted and emotionally stable partner. To practice empathy and trust our intuition. I tend to see the Queen of Swords and the Queen of Cups as opposite sides of the same coin.
Of course I had to include The Victorian Romantic Tarot by Baba Studio. There’s little point in me even explaining this one. This deck gave me the Four of Cups, which is probably my favorite four of cups ever (my god, the poor man’s expression!). I’ll have many options, but I won’t like any of them. What I have isn’t perfect, and I’ll turn my nose up to it in dissatisfaction (omg!). I’m going to keep searching.
And finally, I wanted to bust out and use the mass market edition of Fyodor Pavlov’s Tarot. I have the indi version, but the mass market is so beautiful I want an excuse to use it! It’s perfect for the month of romance with all its various expressions of love. That, and it’s just saucy as all get out.
This deck gave me the Queen of Wands! Three queens??? This queen is a total bad ass as well, focused on her goals, the boss, a lady that knows what she wants and how to get it (thank goodness, because apparently I don’t), and she has a little magic luck on her side too.
And for an oracle deck, I wanted to use Xia Hunt’s companion oracle to The Nameless One tarot. I drew the card XV called The Victor’s Blade, with the tl:dr of “I rise victorious; I overcome all hindrances and defeat all opponents.” This is a very Machiavellian card that feels like a hybrid of the Six of Wands and the Five of Swords. It’s the ‘do anything to win’ card, the ends justify the means, but it also means standing up and defending that which is meaningful or precious to you.
Phew! Well, taken all together, I’d say this month requires me to wear many hats of my feminine persona, none of which necessarily fulfill me, but together get the necessary job done!
January is probably the toughest month for me. It is not that it is particularly more dark than December (December and February here are really miserably dark months) but it historically becomes bitterly cold. It gets so cold that I don’t want to be outdoors, and I suffer when I cannot be outside.
I find it is natural when you’re trapped inside swaddled in sweaters to end up spending quite a bit of time doing retrospective thinking, and planning. To stave off some of the seriousness that is involved with this rumination, I usually indulge in reading a fantasy book or two, the likes of which I used to read as a kid. This month I wanted to actively focus on treating the inner child with kindness. It’s been a rough couple years and said inner child has been neglected, and boy oh boy can tarot help with that journey.
To that end, I think I picked a set of decks to use for this month that are actually perfect, and I must say that the month’s reading is also right on point! I set the intention to be kind and loving to my child-self and the cards did not disappoint in our first read!
January decks starting from the upper left clockwise: the Monsoon Tarot (Kickstarter edition), Tarot of the Abyss, The Brady Tarot (second edition), Tarot of the Divine, center The Drifting Moon Tarot (Kickstarter majors edition). Reading cloth is from The Tarot of Sorts Kickstarter.
The first deck is the new Kickstarter release of the Monsoon Tarot by Woh Studios. This is certainly a dark horse deck, and I was really on the fence backing it, but man-oh-man am I glad I did! This sweet yet eerily surreal deck seems to take on the premise of what would the world look like if there was a great flood. It’s very loosely based on RWS but really has its own internal workings and is a stellar emotional reader. I haven’t had it long, but I’ve been using it quite a bit already and I really like how gentle, yet stern and serious it’s artwork is. There is an uncanny depth to this deck that I just love. It has a pale, pastel sort of coloration that seems to be very dream-like. For January’s fruition, this deck gave me the Six of Air (Swords) where a little girl that is floating helplessly on her bed finds a cheerful rabbit family–finally you have found safety.
The second deck is Tarot of the Abyss. I bought this deck last year because it immediately spoke to my inner child. I’ve actually found myself avoiding it because it really stirs my emotions, but now is the time! The deck agrees with me because it gave me the stunning spiritual metamorphoses XX Awakening card for January’s Inspiration, and that really warms my heart.
The third deck is the Brady Tarot–an animal deck of wood cut beauty, it’s hard not to fall head over heels all the details and inspiring images and homage to nature and wild life. I must admit though that I find this deck very challenging since it does not sugar coat the harsh realities of life. I can wax on about this deck, but the art speaks for itself. As a child, I loved (and lets be real, I still do!) all that is the natural world and this deck invokes that sense of wonder. For my monthly obstacle I got the Three of Feathers/Vantage (Wands). The leopard is planning its next move. Yes, already we’ve been struggling to see ahead and plan for our next five, ten years!
And, as I planned from the very get go of monthly decks, the fourth deck I’ll be working with is the famous Yoshi Yoshitani’s Tarot of the Divine. All children love stories and I’ve always loved telling and writing a good yarn! The colors are wonderful and images so clear yet thought provoking, and I love relearning or learning for the first time new tales from other cultures. Perfect for the cold days of January. For ingenuity of the month, I drew XXI The World–the world awaits and you have everything you need to figure it out. This fun world card also suggests partnership–I can share my adventures with my husband and loved ones!
Finally, in addition, I’ll be using the majors tarot The Drifting Moon (from a recent Kickstarter) as a supplement deck–the sweet story book images seem to really fit the feeling of the rest of the decks.
What decks are you using this month?
PS also, my tarot challenge of the month is I am going to read ONLY upright cards! I want to try it! Maybe I’ll continue a while with uprights only, we’ll see how the month goes.
The Tarot Tarts 