Category: Monthly Decks

March 2024 Decks

March 8th, 2024

It is a balmy windy day–more like the end of May instead of the first of March!

After using Lenormand for (nearly) all my draws last month, I’m so ready to move back into the familiarity and comfort of Tarot, but I still wanted to stick with a theme for this month! I want to see what happens when I use animal-themed decks.

The Witches’ Wisdom Tarot, the Woodland Wardens oracle, the Oriens Tarot Deck, the Wild Child Tarot, Thistledown Oracle deck

I am very picky about my animal cartomancy decks. But, I also have a real soft spot for animals! I find that I have quite a few critter decks and I usually include at least one animal deck per month. But, there are still animal decks that I haven’t included in my past year’s monthly decks! So I wanted to round a couple of them up to showcase them, and see if they play well together.

I have been wanting to focus on using The Witches’ Wisdom Tarot since I first purchased it not long after it was released (in 2020 I believe). It wildly deviates from the RWS while still keeping a rough RWS structure and when I first hand it in hand, I was not ready for it. Of course, its famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) for turning the path of the fool upside down to represent the path of self discovery and union with the earth/greater universe. The minors also have a tendency to do their own thing, and the courts are completely reworked. I like this very gentle and nurturing deck, and while it’s not “exclusively” animals (as you can see, I drew a more human-centric card) there are plenty of animal guides through the cards and the book is very mindful of various animal presence.

From TWWT, I drew the Craftsman of Air–your March will entail putting ideas into practice! Try, try and keep trying until you find what works! You will have lots of study ahead. Be prepared to accept new ideas, and discard what has worked for you in the past. The path to mastery is neither straight nor linear–do not be discouraged if something fails, see it as an opportunity. Discernment and hard work should be tempered with a lighthearted approach–do not take yourself too seriously otherwise you might set yourself up for failure. There is also hints that cross-pollination between different, seemingly unrelated studies is beneficial to learning and deeper understanding (literature, astronomy, geometry, music, chemistry, biology, there’s a lot in this card!).

The Woodland Wardens oracle deck is a new face to Tarot Tarts, though I’ve had it since it was released. I find this deck is very sweet and it feels rather Tarot-esque in its numbering system/choices, but I find I don’t often reach for it, through no fault of its own.

With a clever combination of animal and plant, this deck is not only very beautiful, but also is a little pocket dictionary of flora/fauna myths (hello cross-studies!). From Wardens I drew X The Duck and Chrysanthemum, Luck. Lucky Ducky! I LOVE that the image chosen was not the classic male Mallard, but his demur, female counterpart. She is beautiful too with her iridescent wing-bars! This card speaks to not only being lucky, but cultivating luck–being kind to others, and not expecting any particular outcome are good places to start. So, I’ll have a good turn ahead of me it seems!

The Oriens Tarot is probably my favorite animal deck ever, and it has made several appearances in this blog, hence why it hasn’t been a “monthly” deck yet (though don’t be fooled, I use this deck all the time).

From this came the King of Cups, a handsome flamingo, perfectly balanced. How can I this month keep my emotions in balance while still perfectly “owing” myself? What is the right balance perhaps is an even better question. This beautiful bird is a little more than flamboyant, isn’t it? There’s a degree of trusting one’s self to achieving that sort of equanimity. This flamingo certainly does not face imposter syndrome! You as you are right now are enough–own it!

The Wild Child Tarot is just a darling deck. It is so very sweet (I feel like I’m going to say this a lot in this monthly draw!). The artist is the same who created The Healing Waves Tarot, and also the Wild Child Oracle. While the animals chosen are rather “typical” of what I’d imaging for most of the cards (whereas I’d say the Oriens is very atypical in most cards) I cannot think of a more classic Emperor animal than the majestic Ram!

Of course, the Ram and the Emperor are cards associated with the Aries Zodiac, so its a “no, duh” choice. But, I usually associate the Emperor with a fire element (hello there little salamander!), but this Emperor seems very earthy and grounded, doesn’t he? Hm, a very practical and perhaps gentle Emperor. While you will have mastery and self control of your emotions, you will also be the boss of your world. You have stability, and are the leader in your own life right now, and you carefully protect what you have. You use logic and sensibility to make decisions and you will exercise prudence to ensure you are on top of things. Also, those are some really impressive horns! You probably only need to look like you mean business to get things done rather than actually needing to exercise any sort of force.

Hmm, between The Craftsman, the King, and The Emperor, there is a bit of a masculine theme, isn’t there?

And finally, the Thistledown Oracle, from Three Trees Tarot (the same who made Oak, Ash, & Thorn Tarot). I have yet to use this deck in any seriousness, and it’s the perfect oracle deck for someone like me who has a bit of lack-of-imagination when it comes to oracles. The images are intriguing without me needing to know much context, and the key-word is simple. This sweet little oracle deck is predominantly forest and farm animals, however, like The Witches’ Wisdom, this deck spat out one of its (very) few non-animal cards and gave me a dragon card.

Silver Lining! “Every mushroom cloud has a silver lining” said Owl City. Yes, I still listen to their album! Sometimes I feel like “silver lining” should be my nick-name! I always, always, always try to find the silver lining in a tough spot or bad place. There have been points in my life where nothing was good or right and I had my work cut out to find something positive. Sometimes you make a decision that isn’t want you thought it would be, or a decision marks a split in the road and while neither is a bad choice, you lose out in some form or another. OR sometimes bad things happen and you have no ability to control them. Silver lining speaks to finding that there is something to be gained in loss, or something that happened to make YOU better and stronger, even if the immediate effect is negative. The little dragon looks out at the retreating storm that has disturbed the forest–there is a wild beauty she sees that she’d have never been able to witness if she didn’t hold on through the chaos. You will find that even the negative have a secret positive that will help you out where you are this month.

I have to say this is a fantastic reading for this month! While there’s a lot of work needed and focus, I’ll have mental and emotional balance and I have a great deal of agency at being my own “fate-maker.” I’ll see a good turn of luck, but also positive thinking which will enable me to weather any difficulties, or perhaps past difficulties will blossom into positive experiences now. In any case, a good month ahead!

What about you? Do you have a favorite animal themed deck? What does March look like in your cards?
February 2024 Decks

February 5th, 2024

I want to mix things up a little. In fact, this year I’d like to spend a month here and there focusing on different styles of cartomancy readings to help me feel more comfortable outside of my normal decks, pairings, and general RWS modality.

For this month, I wanted to have a specific focus on Lenormand decks! I have done a bit of Lenormand reading in the past, but it’s been very sporadic and I wouldn’t say that I’m at all adept at the style. And, I need at least ONE Tarot deck, so I have my beloved Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, possibly the best tarot deck for Valentines month (that and I love this deck and am always looking for an excuse to pull it out).

I have five Lenormand Decks, but The Shadow Night Raven Lenormand I used just last October (quite a bit actually), so it’s on hiatus for a little while.

Never fear! There’s still four that I haven’t used much in the past half year so lets dive in!

Clockwise left to right, 1999 Bizarre Summer, The Paper Oracle, The Owl’s Lenormand, The Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, The Magpie’s Lenormand

1999 Bizarre Summer Lenormand is a new addition to my collection, and I have to say it was the inspiration for this month’s Lenormand theme. I have to admit, I find this deck very interesting! It has an adorable, vintage manga style of art, and thematically revolves around pre-teen girl’s day dreams and reality, but its very off the wall, and unexpected. It also has a sense of movement that in a world of stagnant Lenormand pictures is a breath of fresh air. It’s also uber cute.

I really started reading Lenormand with The Paper Oracle, made by Eric Maille, the same artist who produced The Ink Witch Tarot, and The Endless Oracle I worked with last month. It’s beautiful and the images really clicked for me. I believe last year I utilized this deck as my monthly “oracle” deck, but I’d like to dig in more seriously. Its playful and lush without feeling over done, or busy.

The Magpie Lenormand and The Owl Lenormand, as you can tell, are made by the same artist, Rozenn Grosjean. And they are gorgeous! The cardstock, imagery, glorious gilding, are all top notch! The Magpie Lenormand was the first Kickstarter I backed and I did so, not because I was particularly interested in Lenormand, but because it was so dang beautiful! Yes, I sometimes will buy a deck for looks. I will say, there are some critical changes in the deck that make this a not-easy to learn variation of Lenormand (for example the child-woman-man was replaced with Caterpillar, Chrysalis, Butterfly/Moth, and other replacements). I found once I got this lux, lovely deck in hand, I felt rather lost in the system. It doesn’t help that the pretty book is more or less useless to me (this is my opinion!). Its sister deck, The Owl Lenormand, while using very similar images, does feel a little more “classic” in its choice of imagery, but I would not say this is particularly beginner friendly either. After having other Lenormand decks, I think I want a retry with these two!

And since I need at least one Tarot to cling to while being on the Lenormand Struggle Bus, I included the Fyodor Pavlov Tarot, which at this point hardly needs an introduction!

The monthly draw!

The internet tells you to start Lenormand by reading in threes. We’re not gonna do that! Let’s jump right into the four cards:

I was secretly hoping I wouldn’t have to address the Chrysalid in the room. But alas, the one card I didn’t want to draw, I drew. *Sigh* In the two Rozenn Grosjean decks, The Chrysalid (Chrysalis) takes the place normally held by The Woman signifier (or The Man, its not clear which it replaces), and, while I can appreciate the artist’s attempt at removing gender from the deck to make it more accessible to all readers, it bothered me for a while that one was in-progression to the other, in the direction of a “better” form. BUT after some actual contemplation and using my brain, I realized this is faulty thinking on my end. The author ISN’T saying this, I am projecting that onto the card images; rather, she seems to be focusing on an individual’s growth process and where you might be in that process.

So, The Chrysalid. Arguably the most intriguing card in this deck. Something that you’ve been working towards, or something that is subliminally on the proverbial “back-burner”, is growing. There is unseen change happening. This is a moment of being in flux. Things both exist and don’t exist. There are behind the scenes action happening, something new is cooking out of the old.

I love how this interpretation of the Key makes it clear that the character in the card is not entirely sure where the key might go to! You already have the answers/knowledge. Something new is about to be opened for you, but its up to you to do the work to get there, and find how it fits in your life. We can see this progressing from The Chrysalid as perhaps realizing what has been working behind the scene, or how to use it or how to unlock it’s potential. Let see what else.

The moon; intuition, dreams, creativity, imagination. Perhaps the keys will unlock a sleeping well of inspiration, a muse, or creative drive! Perhaps looking closely where dreams and reality align would be of value this month, or otherwise asking what have you been dreaming about that needs to come into the realm of tangibility?

Aww, The Bouquet! You are being acknowledged kindly. You have either meet success or a friend is making a sincere gesture. Your creativity you’ve unlocked in the prior cards will be recognized in a positive, admirable way! I especially love the peonies pictured here, they are one of my favorite early summer flowers. Perhaps I’ll see the fruits of my efforts in early summer???

So far the draw has been very individual focused, but our tarot card, the three of pentacles, reminds us we do not learn skills on our own. We need excellent teachers, friends to support and help us, and also to share our wisdom in return to continue to grow as artisans. Don’t be afraid to ask your mentors and friends for help. Be willing to assist others who ask you in turn!

All in all, I’d say this was a very positive draw for the month of February! There was a theme of personal growth, “leveling up”, and being seen for it! The Tarot reminds us to always remain the student, always look for opportunities to grow and learn and never be afraid to ask for help when stuck!

What do your cards say you have in store for February? Do you use Lenormand decks?
January 2024 Decks

January 5th, 2024

Right to left: Black Violet Tarot, A Divine Feminine Tarot, Endless Oracle, Tarot of the Abyss, Ephemere tarot

Nudity warning for several card images ahead! I guess I have a lot of decks with naked people (face palm).

Like most of North America, we’re having a very weird winter. It’s astonishingly warm. But the strange light of January remains the same—its either very very bright, or very very dark. While we are out of the darkest month (thank goodness, dark at 4pm is really early! I don’t know how folks even further north do it), January still has days that are bleak. But, the strange flip-side is that when its cloudy, its warmer! And when the sun is blisteringly bright, it’s very cold. The thick clouds act like a blanket.

Usually for January I like returning to the stories I know and love. There’s comfort in my favorite stories, and I especially need this when we are trapped inside due to cold. Usually, I will reach for my Tarot of the Divine, a perfect deck of myths and stories with bright happy colors I crave in the stark white. However, its above freezing today, the snow’s almost melted, and frankly I’m missing winter. So, if I can’t have it outside, I’m going to try to have it in my Tarot (though, I’m not complaining *too* hard, it’s nice that my skin doesn’t get frost bitten!)!

My experiment this month is to use decks that are black and white, stark decks, with minimal color; let’s see what happens!

I’m kinda digging the various back textures and colors! I get some major mix and match tea set vibes from this one!

The Endless Oracle, by the same artist of my beloved Ink Witch Tarot (Eric Maille, https://www.ericmaille.com/store), is a deck I’ve been waiting for what seems an age to really dig into! As a myriorma deck, all cards appear to flow from one to the other due to the black bushes and trees at the edges, as if you’re walking from meadow to meadow in a thick forest at night. With little pops of color, and the same rough, charming unfinished style of the Ink Witch, this oracle seems like it will fit with most other decks. The keywords and images do invoke rather mythic and storybook settings, so perhaps my regular January theme still exists!

The Tarot of the Abyss I’ve used extensively since I first purchased it, and I typically use it in winter or darker days. I find this deck is very profound in its readings where it can tap into the inner child, and it can really get into sensitive subject matters with me. I usually save it for personal readings only for that reason. Ana Tourian (https://www.anatourianart.com/) is an incredible artist who clearly understands the Tarot system and also has a deep artistic understanding of human psychology. I suspect that this deck will really stand the test of time and continue to be a deck people buy many years down the road from now.

I really enjoyed last year getting to know The Black Violet Tarot (by Heidi Phelps, https://www.blackviolettarot.com/), a uber minimalist tarot deck that is also very earthy, grounded, prudent, and dare I say, grandmotherly? I found the experience last year very novel using such a simplistic deck, but I haven’t reached for it all that much since. I actually find I rely on lots of “stuff” in a card to read, so using this deck is a challenge, but one I’d like to revisit seeing as I really adore the quirky, almost folk style art. Despite the lux cardstock and stark imagery, I find this deck very gentle and humble. I’m excited to get it back out again and see what I can learn from it.

If The Black Violet Tarot is the humble country grandmother, then it’s fabulous youthful city sister would be A Divine Feminine Tarot Deck by Cocorrina (https://www.cocorrina.com/). This deck has been around a hot minute, but I didn’t acquire it until I added it on when I backed Cocorrina’s Book of Whispers. The black and gold is so glamorous, and the nude figures are so dramatic, this whole deck is over the top. I have barely used it but I can tell we’re going to have a fun time together!

And then, last but not least, my project deck for this month, the Ephemere tarot, by Arthur Wang (https://trueblacktarot.com/), the same artist who created my much beloved True Black tarot. I feel I have exercised great restraint in using this deck almost not at all and saved it for a New Year’s treat. Wang’s done it again and made a stunning, gorgeous deck. But, not only that, this deck’s majors are a new take on the tarot system; instead of the Fool’s Journey, we take the Hero’s journey. He has a whole web series that is being produced right now that delves into this new system structure and I’m SO EXCITED to be learning along!

Okay, all major arcana–what the heck does January have in store for me???

A group of revelers, or perhaps some sort of religious ceremony, go marching up the mountain side, their wreaths and banners bouncing merrily along. A bloodmoon, an auspice lunar eclipse, rises in the sky. Are they welcoming in the new year? Then, a lone fisher-person sits quietly along the calm banks. Do they need of space to think and reflect? Are they idle? Do they come from the procession or do they await them? Then our little creek flows into the mighty waterfall. Though you cannot see it, even single drop of water makes a difference in is ever constant progress. Strong, it ever pushes forward and waits for no one, quite the contrast of the still fisher-person. We also see no people in the waterfall, complete solitude. I see a trio of balances, social time, alone/idle time, and time to focus and get stuff done. There’s also this sense of movement, movement in a crowd, stillness, and pushing forward with purpose. Hmm, lets see what the tarot say to give us some more context.

Usually I read right to left (except when I don’t, lol), but my eyes were really caught by these two bright white cards so I had to look at them first. We first have the Seeker, (or traditionally, The Hermit). The moon is almost nothing but a sliver, and she is cloaked in a veil, but she carries a lantern and a mirror. What she seeks is both an external observation and an internal examination. What you know about yourself, you also know about the world, in a sense. How you internally project onto the world shapes how you see the world. To truly understand something profoundly, you have to look beyond yourself but also be mindful of who you are and how that affects your perceptions. What is it that you seek?

Ah, the lovely Temperance! I really love this take on XIV, so simple and truthful. Fire and water, earth and air, passion and emotion, grounded-ness and imaginative thinking, you need all to be complete and feel whole. Balance is key. Do I seek balance? You bet I do! The struggle is real!

Though I thought these two simple decks would clash with one another, they are actually rather complimentary!

I like how The Black Violet Tarot’s High Priestess is praying. She is listening to her internal consciousness and intuition. Gut feelings are a gift to us to keep us healthy and alive! They are not to be ignored, and sometimes when we are repeatedly told otherwise, we forget how to listen to ourselves. The LWB says “The High Priestess urges you to trust your instincts as you move forward–your path will become clearer as you go.” For some reason, I get major Princess Mononoke vibes from this Priestess. Between the Fisher and the Seeker, there’s a lot of internal retrospect in the draw thus far!

Well, this is truly a very dramatic Judgement! Again, we see another sliver moon. This herald also has a lovely messenger dove. A year is done, and now we move on to the next. What have you learned that will help you this coming season? How can you grow and become a better person despite your shortcomings and flaws? Even an imperfect person can have grace and move forward with their life.

Taken all together, this months draw seems to acknowledge the end of a busy year! It has a heavy emphasis of balancing of activities with others, with myself, and towards my goals along with balance in my life, rather than the “success” focus I saw last year. There’s the concept of knowing one’s self, being honest and true with oneself, and using the outside world to learn and teach me to become a better person. In a way, the only measure of one’s life is what a person has already done (you are your own yardstick), so I see this as a call to use what I’ve learned to become my best person this year! This seems like a yearly thematic draw, to be honest!

From The Book of Whispers, my January draw is concluded with the advice “Walk boldly and excitedly towards something new.” It better mean a new year, cause I have zero spoons for a new hobby!
December 2023 Decks

December 13th, 2023

Aka Medieval Fantasy Madness aka when your decks are done with your shenanigans.

Okay folks, I made this tarot list back in October (yes, sometimes I do get my homework done in advance!) because, well, I wanted to do something just goofy for the dark month of December! December can be hard, with the pressure and stress of the holidays, the lack of sun, and if you’re in the northern sphere, the cold might make one feel trapped indoors. SO! Where I can, I try to lighten things up, especially in my deck choices. Bring forth the Medieval Fantasy Madness Decks!

While these are not all of my medieval themed and certainly not all my fantasy themed decks, these needed to have an excuse to be on the playground together.

I like big boxes and I can’t deny! Nah, just kidding. I typically HATE big boxes, but I do have a bit of a love affair with the limited edition The Citadel: A Fantasy Oracle and The Deck of Emblems’ book-box, and I am really mesmerized by the huge limited edition Slavic Legends Tarot box (I mean, its WOOD and they made the spine accordion-like so it can bend?!?). Also this month we have the Medieval Europe Tarot, the Förhäxa Tarot, and The Woven Path Tarot.

I broke down and bought The Citadel (limited edition) Oracle decks, because I did love the first edition and I do think it’s a great deck to use with most of my Tarot decks. I really like the simple line art and how most of the keywords and images are quite symbolic rich. I’ve been trying to wait to use it until December, but it has sneaked out of it’s box here and there the past few months (oops) for a trial run or two. It’s just as fun as its first supposedly special edition (don’t get me started), and the cool card shapes are still as interesting as the first edition hexagonal deck. I also like the bonus sister deck that came with the limited edition, but I cannot figure out why they decided to edge them in different colors–this makes it difficult to want to use them in a combined deck. Ah well.

I had followed the scant progress of the Woven Path tarot for years before it finally hit kickstarter. I as a general rule don’t like decks with multiple artists, HOWEVER this is a notable exception because the premise of the deck is to be like a medieval tapestry, which of course might have multiple weavers, and would certainly have had many repairs by various people through time. I also think that the deck creators generally got the “medieval fantasy vibe” down just right, and there is a rich, deep tone and earthy color pallet that brings it all together. It’s a funny deck for sure in that it has strange idiosyncrasies. I’ll be really focused on getting to know it this month because it’s the least familiar of all the decks out for the December line up.

The Medieval Europe Tarot cracks me up! I won’t wax on too much about this deck because it frequently appears in lists of decks I love and adore. It’s a collage deck of Medieval (and Renaissance) European Art and it is perverse, violent, tongue in cheek, rude, and in general has some of the best shock value of all my decks. And the card stock is to die for. If The Haunted Mansion Tarot was what I wish my family was like, the Medieval Europe Tarot is a much more accurate portrayal of my family. Perfect for the holiday seasons.

The Slavic Legends Tarot is arguably one of the most beautiful decks I own, and there’s a strong winter fairytale vibe in several cards and it just has that “festive” feel to it that begs to be used in the cold season. I never feel down using this deck; it’s as kind of a reader as it is beautiful. With the intense nature themes and folksy vibes, it also fits the Yule season. I also like the large card size; I do like to have size variation during my various month decks, but I don’t have a ton of decks that are extra big.

Even though the Förhäxa Tarot is more of a fantasy/fairy tarot than “medieval,” I love using this during the darkest season of the month and it seemed to fit just fine with the other decks. It has a very feminine feeling to it (to offset The Medieval Europe’s masculine feel), but it isn’t particularly hand-hold-y. Rather, its a very brazen and bold deck! It has a strong sense of adventure, and go forth and blaze your own trail mentality.

Onward with the draw!

I may have mentioned in passing that I choose my cards via “jumpers”, or “peekers” if I’m using a particularly matte finished deck. These are cards that fall out, jump out, or stick out as a byproduct of my bad shuffling. I really like this because I am a details-person, and if I use a deck long enough, I’ll start to know specific cards from little faults or flaws, so letting them fall on their own takes me out of the equation as much as possible. Though on this blog I typically only show fairly structured draws, my daily draws are not anywhere near as formal, and sometimes I get five cards, sometimes ten, sometimes one. I’m not really all that particular. Now, for posting lovely internet pictures, I typically like to have one one card from each deck, but try as I might to get The Citadel to give me just one card please! I got two cards in a row from four different shuffles, so I finally gave up and took the two that came out the final time, which are The Aspirant and The Orator. Oh what a pair!

So, it is my personal belief that the magic of Tarot (and other cartomancy systems) happens because the images represent universal human experiences that we can all relate to at one time or another. I tend to tell people that I’m not a strong believer in the “woo” of Tarot. However, there are times when a deck just seems to call you out, isn’t there? Uh, this is one of those times.

I really love how this Oracle deck divides its cards into practical and alchemical groups: there is “the court:” achievement and responsibility, fire, where the Aspirant comes from, “the academy:” development and growth, air, home of the Orator, “the crowd:” community and hard work, earth, and “the troupe:” internal thoughts and identity, water.

The Aspirant seeks success and has all the trappings of expectations. Setbacks are seen as a negative thing. Things should just progress smoothly and learning happens on a linear rising line, doesn’t it? Oh boy does this ring true. I suffer from “not enough-ness,” even when things go perfectly, it still isn’t good enough, there was (in retrospect, of course) something more I should have been doing. I’m getting better with age at removing myself from this mindset, but it is kinda my default setting, so it creeps up on me whether I want it to or not. It can get really difficult when I hit a hard point in my learning or growing of a skill and nothing I seem to do gets me over the hump. Just yesterday I overheard a stranger say something I always tout, but seem to forget: “People think you learn when you are not struggling, but that’s completely wrong, you learn when you hit a wall and struggle.” Which leads us to…

The Orator. Of course, the card states the obvious in its key words of communication and confidence. But the book expounds that to doubt yourself is only to hold yourself back. It is okay to take the time to voice your needs, and write yourself a “script” if this will help. It’s okay to be heard and to take up space, to ask for that which will help you. I think that much of my current struggles could be solved by simply having a poignant conversation, but that seems almost insurmountable until I start to actually list out my needs which don’t seem all that complex to begin with…

And then I draw from The Deck of Emblems, The Broom. “Mundane yet vital work that must be done to support a community…sweep away complications…it may also suggest that support is needed.” Yeesh, I get the point, cards!

So I could have stopped there in my draw seeing as these two decks in no uncertain terms are telling me “just talk about it, for Christ’s sakes!” but nooo I had to draw my tarot too, because this is a monthly draw after all! So from the Woven Path I draw the nine of swords–my goodness isn’t it a pretty nine of swords? I love how the thorns of her tapestry seem to come to life and wind around her bed! Talk about the fear of something making it real! Geez, I get the point!

Then Förhäxa pulls out a card that I don’t think I’ve drawn from this deck before. This playful page seems to be mixing fire with water! She is not afraid to try something new! She is working outside of the norm and therefore she has to explore different options. The snake is her tame friend rather than a scary creature. Become friends with the fear and then the fear isn’t a terror any more. Trying something different with confidence and boldness rather than fearing an unknown outcome, I think I can say when seeing these two cards.

Oh the Medieval Europe Tarot! How skeptical does the man look in The Lover’s card? If the women weren’t there, I’d think this the Four of Cups! I’m often of a divided mind with the traditional Lovers–one of actual love and affection and emotion, and one of choices, divisions of a path. This clearly looks like “choice” to me, and our man seems rather disappointment in his choices! What do you do when you don’t like the obvious choices? He also seems to be reminded by the animals that there is only a or b, and he has an audience watching what happens! No pressure!

I like that this draw ends with The Slavic Legend’s Queen of Coins. This lady has it all–beauty, grace, flowers and wealth! She doesn’t have to make a choice! You can have your cake and eat it too. You are in a powerful position to affect your personal outcome. Approach with the attitude that you can give to others, and this will in turn help you with yourself.

This month’s draw seems to be saying “Life ain’t easy, learning isn’t easy. Being fearful will only set you back. Ask for what you want, don’t settle for less! You gotta try new things in order to progress. You got this!”

How about you? Have your decks ever had a talk with you?
November 2023 Decks

November 13th, 2023

It feels like spring outside folks, so though the cards have a dark theme, the tea cup tells the truth!

November can be a real hit or miss month, but so far we’ve been blessed with unseasonably warm temperatures, lots of sun, and an extended leaf-fall period to enjoy! This year, the leave-colors were stupendous, probably the best I’ve ever seen!

When I choose my tarot decks, the weather is the largest factor in what makes the cut and what goes back on the shelf. I wish I could say otherwise, that I use some divine intervention to choose my decks, but no, that’s not how it works for me. In a way, given the balmy temps, I’m having a bit of October take-two, which is great seeing as there’s always too many spooky season decks to go around.

I will admit that the one specific “November” deck I have used conservatively for a few years is the stark Lost Hollow deck. The barren forest theme in the deck looks like November does here, so it always ends up in the post-Halloween rotation, because, like birds that migrate or animals that hibernate, I’m seasonally and weather motivated. And, it’s also pretty bad ass!

I…have a pretty dysfunctional family. BUT, I like the idea of Thanksgiving family get together, even if mine turn out to be Friendsgiving more often than not (chosen family and all). However, if I had an imaginary family it would be the characters in The Dark Mansion Tarot. There are some true characters in those cards! This is a deck that I’d say is my second or third most familiar tarot deck, so it’s an easy grab-and-go where as some of the decks in this month take a little more effort.

Both the Oak, Ash & Thorn and the Blood Moon Tarot are harvest season decks for me (so September through October), but they didn’t get to make an appearance this year, and I missed them. So seeing as we’re having second October, I get the excuse to let them out for exercise! Both of these decks are rather hard-hitting readers for me—I bet you wouldn’t think that with the OA&T! But those cute animals are savage as all get out, just you wait. They don’t shy away from hard truths of mother nature, even if its wrapped in a “cute” facade. And of course, the Blood Moon is a very visceral, primal deck that does tap into both animalistic and dream-like imagery. I suspect these two are actually going to pair and read well together.

And then, I’ve been waiting impatiently to bring out a birthday gift, the beautiful, colorful, limited print Earth, Moon, & Shadow Oracle. This deck is just stunning and I regretted not backing it on Kickstarter, but my dearest Tarot friend Val snagged me an extra copy. Based upon Jungian ideas of the shadow self, its gentle yet profound. It also has *gasp* keywords! I’m going to flex my card reading muscles this month and try to use keywords more readily!

Clockwise starting from top left: Oak, Ash & Thorn tarot, Earth, Moon, & Shadow Oracle first edition, The Dark Mansion Tarot large size edition, Blood Moon Tarot, Lost Hollow tarot

So…I don’t know about anyone else, but, sometimes there are draws I do and I’m just plain ol’ stumped. I did this monthly draw with dearest Val and I was just sitting there, thinking that “well, I guess I don’t Tarot after all!” Val suggested, you know, using the key words of the Oracle card! Preposterous! With some degree of hand holding, I was able stumbled through this spread!

With her nest-hat made of wheat and lavender to protect her precious and fragile eggs, our oracle representative of the month shares that the home space should be fertile, abundant, calming, and above all safe. It should be the place you return to, to feel good. Also, notice how her nest is on her head? Much of what we feel about “home” is very much a mental thing!

Okay, so if we take the keywords literally, my “nest” is looking pretty sad, isn’t it, with the three of swords? (You see what I mean about this cute animal deck being gnarly?) There is a history of this being the truth for me–I have never know a place that feels like “home.” I’ve always just occupied space that serves me, but it doesn’t embody a feeling of safety and calm. And, many spaces that should have been “home” were instead spaces of heartbreak and loss. So, clearly, this season that usually marks the kickoff of holiday seasons needs a little help in making the “nest” feel better!

Then for “Spiritual Hearth” the absolutely delightful four of wands makes an appearance! We even have the keyword “fulfillment” written here! Also, this strikes a very personal chord because I really love to dance with my dance class, and I often feel happy when I’m doing something in my body physically. I love that we can only get a sense for the flesh of the bodies here, the skeletons are more base, stripped down from everything else, leaving the rest behind as they cavort around the candles. I get some major “home is where the heart is” sentiments.

Here’s another prominent bony figure. I have to say, of all the cards in the Blood Moon Tarot, II The High Priestess is one of the creepiest to me. This represents “Comfort” from the oracle keyword?!? Val pointed out that I gather a lot of creative inspiration from dreams and they are very close to my heart and important to me, much like this pomegranate/heart is to the sleeping skeleton. Again, without a body, the skeleton feels like a very “down to the bones” understanding of who I am as a person. Also, this skeleton dreams of things much bigger that its self. Perhaps we can say I find comfort chasing my dreams?

For “Well Being” we see the Sun (daww!) and the text on a poster saying, “le voyage a traver l’impossible,” which translates to “the journey through the impossible.” Little dreams can become big dreams and those can become reality. Many of the dreams I have are quite impossible, until they are committed to the page (or, well, the word document) and through my writing, myself and perhaps more importantly my audience are transported into impossibilities! My well being is reliant on my ability to create and do things that are thought of as impossible, making those strange (if a little scary) dreams into reality.

Okay, looking at the reading as a whole, it would seem as if my sense of “home/nest” in the spiritual and mental sense are quite strong! And my comfort is less connecting with physical comfort and more at home with how I think and imagine. I fell “at home” in myself more so that the physical space! I think it’s a good time then to think of doing a deep clean of my physical space before winter and maybe consider hanging up those painting’s I’ve been neglecting!

How does your November look? Do you use keywords in a literal sense or are you more abstract in reading? Let me know!

Sage tea advice I keep on my deck with other dust collectors: “The purpose of life is to know yourself, love yourself, crust yourself, and be yourself.” Go forth and be your best toast self.
October 2023 Decks

October 4th, 2023

Its been a while since I’ve had my monthly decks in their original boxes!

It’s here! The most spookiest time of the year! It also is the month that I am most likely to purchase a deck because, well, October sends out a lot of really fantastic and fun tarot decks! Brace yourself!

I have several new decks that I’ll be working with this month and a very beloved old faithful…

Top row: Shadow Night Raven Lenormand, W.I.T.C.H. oracle. Bottom Row: Stars Lightening Up The Night Tarot, Silver Acorn Tarot, TrueBlack tarot

Mmmm, I like shiny backs and I cannot like! This has to be a selection of some of the most beautiful card backs I have in my collection.

The oracle deck W.I.T.C.H. was a kickstarter by Angi Sullins and Silas Toball that was, in my humble opinion, not the best managed kickstarter and I had worries when the deck came VERY late and was VERY glossy and rather darker in imagery than I imagined. That being said, after using it here and there for a few months, I must admit that this quirky deck has really grown on me. I’m not exactly a fan of collage decks (though I have several exceptions), but this one has what the kids describe as “main character energy” so I’m looking forward to using it extensively this month.

And, I almost didn’t include it, but it felt wrong not to, I added my faithful TrueBlack tarot deck. This is arguably one of, if not my most favorite, deck. It’s not exactly a nice reader though so I use it in small doses, but I adore the lux cardstock and the images are just breath taking. And its perfect for Halloween spooky season.

Is there a Tarot deck buyers anonymous support group? I might need to join one. I was SO intrigued by the anime art in Stars Lightening Up The Night Tarot. I don’t usually care for anime art in a tarot deck, but I found many of the images to have striking resemblance to Diana Wynne Jones’s various novel characters. I’m binge reading her novels, many of which I read as a kid, but now am revisiting as an adult, and I’m obsessed with some of the uncanny related images this deck has to her characters. I mean, who doesn’t love Howl’s Moving Castle? This may be the absolute dumbest reason I’ve ever bought a deck, but there it is. It is very close to standard RWS but there is some really intriguing imagery that’s been substituted.

Then, for the same reason as above, I saw the Shadow Night Raven Lenormand deck, which, despite looking like it was produced by the same artist that did Stars Lighting Up The Night, it is not. But you’d never know and assume they were sister decks. I also find the hexagon shape so intriguing to stack and make shapes with. I take small issue with the large gaudy borders, but they seem to aesthetically fit and I find the images fascinating.

I seem to be breaking all the rules this month; I typically don’t care for super “cutesy” decks, and I also don’t usually go for anthropomorphized animals (never mind plants) but the Silver Acorn Tarot just stole my heart. It is so freaking silly and carefree, I adore it.

And now, for da flip!

Well, I intended to draw three Lenormand cards, but the deck gave me two sets of two, so we’re getting four!

Okay, I won’t lie, The Story Keeper is one of my favorite cards in this oracle deck. The guide book asks us what are the narratives we tell ourselves–are they ones of empowerment, or lack thereof? Even when we do not have the agency over our life we want, if we tell the story of how we failed because of this, rather than how we managed despite it, this will profoundly affects how we perceive ourselves and what we’re capable of. I love how she’s sitting at the top most bow of a tree, and has set aside her story to look out at the magic around her. What can she see when she leaves the escapism of her book? Often we can loose our sense of adventure in the real life when we let humdrum take over. Where are you going next in your adventure? How are you going to get out there and find it? What adventure should I jump on board with this October?

My first jumpers from the quirky Shadow Night Raven Lenormand were the Crossroads and the Anchor. At first blush, these feel like two opposing cards–one calls for the need to choose a direction, a moment where paths divide and which will you go down, the other suggests being planted firmly in place, security, and stillness. Does this indicate indecision or a difficult decision? Going in circles? Or perhaps pausing before choosing? Maybe with the keen eyes of the Story Keeper we should first look carefully down each path before striking out?

This Garden seems very regimented, while the Tree grows haphazardly–another set of cards of similar but juxtaposing views! Both have a theme of nature. The garden seems very public and eye catching, and the tree has imperfections but does many services to various life forms and has fantastic yellow leaves. Perhaps this combination is a call to welcome the outside eye to your true self and nature, to allow closeness in your various communities. Don’t be afraid to be your true self, faults and all, in the pubic sphere. You don’t need to put on a farce to fit in with cold columns. You are entitled to basic needs just like everyone else. The best care you can give others is to first take care of your own needs.

Hmm, quite the curious draw thus far, lets see what else.

Such a stately King of Wands! Dare to see things how they can be rather than what they are now–you have the ability to take yourself where you need to go! Be the boss you are. You have mastery over your passions and you can be comfortable in your skill to get to where you need to be. You have succeed and used one success to springboard another. While you have many things at play, you have it under control and can sit back and watch it unfold.

Temperance as a trickster fox? Hmm! Not what I’d expect! I typically read Temperance as balance of give and take, blending ideas, patience for an outcome, and practicing moderation. But, the fox as our temperance angel, I’m getting a bit of a showmanship feel–like a magician who sets up a trick and employs misdirection. Showing a calm peaceful exterior while hiding a clever mind. Employing social savvy to make the seemingly impossible happen.

And finishing up with the two of swords–oftda! The card of heart/mind struggle, break down of discussion into discord, miscommunication, misunderstanding, refusing to see. Following the cool headed portrayal of King of Wands with a rather crafty Temperance, I’m really tempted to read this two of swords as purposeful misunderstanding! Or sly use of words to hide one’s actual goal. Employing evasive maneuvers in writing or spoken commitment.

Okay, so taken together, this is what I’d read: you are searching for your ideal path and next adventure (in fact your rather distracted about it), but you have social pressures holding you back from what you want to achieve. While you are a presence in many places, you are not bound to these various communities. You grow with in them perhaps, but also despite them–you are your own person. You got the chops and the social grace to pry yourself away with gentle misunderstandings or outright topic changing when people want your commitment when you do not wish to service them. Being completely honest all the time (especially when others take things personally) doesn’t always serve you.

Wow! Looks like I’ll have some demands on my time this month! What decks are you bringing out for this special season and what did they tell you to look forward to?
September 2023 Decks

September 6th, 2023

I won’t lie, I simply choose decks that make me happy this month! I have too many decks that have a great September vibe. It was hard narrowing it down to just the four tarot and choosing one oracle. With summer winding down, I suddenly have time to sit and play with the cards on the regular again!

Clockwise, starting from the far left, Trionfi del la Luna Illustrated Pips Paradoxical edition, The Citadel Deck (original partner deck with the Limited Edition Seed and Sickle Oracle), 5¢ Tarot (second edition), Santa Muerte Tarot, Llewellyn Tarot.

I suspect there are some people out there that would shudder to think that spooky season begins September 1st, but I am already full steam ahead on the spooky train! I really love having fun with my Tarot decks in the fall season (even if we’re at the tail end of summer), and that fun-ness really comes out in the silly Trionfi del la Luna deck! I have used my standard illustrated pips edition to death (haha), and broke out the paradoxical to mix it up. I just adore this deck, it very much feels like the Deviant Moon, but it does not take itself seriously at all! Its like catching up with a dear old friend and having all the laughs, even at things that normally are not laughed at.

I can wax on and on about the beauty of the Llewellyn Tarot. It’s a crying shame the beautiful watercolor paintings are so small with the massive border. I have a dream they will reprint it properly. Anyway, it has such beautiful late summer colors and harvest season vibes I cannot not use this deck in the final days of summer. It’s a work-horse reader and sweet deck; it will be hard not to use it solely throughout the month.

The Santa Muerte Tarot is usually a deck I use in late spring because of the brilliant colors and floral themes, but it kinda got set aside and I wanted to see how it reads closer to The Day of the Dead. This unique deck has a sense of humor. I like how it can surprise me, even though I’ve used it for so long and feel very familiar with it. The spellbinding skeletons, rather than being morbid, are encouraging me to live my life to the fullest!

I recently acquired the 5¢ Tarot after many years of debating if I wanted it because I’m personally not a huge fan of keywords on Tarot decks. Oh my goodness, am I in love with this deck! It’s such a cheeky personality with a great vintage vibe. It also has a bit of a cute/spooky feel that gets me into the spooky season nicely. I will say that this deck, while very pretty, does have a heavy dose of snark and bit of a mischievous personality.

And for my oracle, I picked up my love/hate oracle, The Citadel Deck. I love the artwork and the concept of this deck. It is actually the reason I ended up getting the Seed and Sickle deck (I actually wanted this funky hexagonal deck more that the S&S). I love how it has “roles” as archetypes for the cards and I love the black/white simple line art with the bronze foil accents. What I don’t love is they ended up reprinting this deck as a more complete deck with different cards and different structure and a partner deck in the fancy Liminal 11 Limited edition—and I love that one too—and I was so mad they remade it, I didn’t preorder the fancy shiny new version and get the big fat discount, and then I had a bad case of FOMO, and couldn’t stand it every time I reached to use this deck so I ordered the limited edition of the new one this month seeing as I’m thinking about it every time I pick up my cards and now I had to pay all that extra money and shipping has gone up and I’m just mad about it.

Already I see a similar theme from the past two months!

When I think of “Champion” I think of someone who has sworn fealty to either a person or a concept and they will fight for that person/idea no matter what the cost. The guide book takes a more practical approach of someone who has success and achievement and something to lose. The book says “yes you’ve had success but don’t let it go to your head!” A very Six of Wands feel. What person/ideas am I willing to fight for? Does this mind set help or hinder me? Is there honor in my choice of priorities? Enjoy my success but still practice prudence and know there are more battles to be fought.

Or…being a bad ass is a lifestyle, baby! It ain’t all fun and games.

The Sun! And what a devilish Sun it is! It makes me think The Champion is referring to another person seeing this card! You have had success, you are living in balance, but be aware who you give yourself to–be sure they are taking with your permission. Be aware you are not taking advantage of another. Give and take should be part of relationships but make sure it’s balanced. Or perhaps, are you taking too much of your self to see success? Do not abuse the good side of your nature. Or perhaps you established a healthy balance and you only need to be brave enough to get to the next step? Hmmm….

The Ace of Pentacles—is this what the devil plucked from the angel’s belly? A new opportunity to make something grow and prosper! We see opium poppies (a rather dangerous dream inducing drug) along side the start of an apple orchard. Dreams are the foundation of making reality, but rarely does reality resemble the dream. What dreams and ideas do you need to start growing into something real? Now is the time to give action into those ideas! Again. So it seems, seeing as this card appeared in last month’s draw which also reminded me of apples. Perhaps there’s an element of resourcefulness–you can make much which is already at your disposal.

So…there are a few cards that really puzzle me in the Santa Muerte Tarot and this is one of them! I also frequently draw it as well. To me, it is not at all a traditional RWS take on the Four of Pentacles. And, it is also a grabbing hand, isn’t it? Go after what you want! You are in a comfortable position of power and you can take what you want, but be choosy and careful in what you do take! There are expectations of what you do and you have to navigate these things. If you choose to do something out of desire, be careful this aligns with your end goals and you do not step unnecessarily on toes. When in doubt, exercise reservations until you know the best move. Get the most bang for your buck.

I have gone on a quest this year to read only upright cards, but with the 5¢ Tarot having written reversal key words I’ll make an exception for this deck. With the Three of Needles (Swords) in reverse we are given relief, acceptance, growth. What is done to the poor moth is done, what can we learn from this? When you go through heartbreak, moving on eventually happens. It’s a process and you learn things when you walk this hard path. These opportunities you are seeing are a result of moving on. You are moving beyond your past sorrow and now can look forward to better times of growth!

Ah, I’d say this is a Carpe Diem draw isn’t it? I think I’ll have a very fun September!

What do your decks say about the month ahead?
August 2023 Decks

August 25th, 2023

Y’all. It’s HOT out!

Without fail, August is the month where I realize I STILL haven’t finished that summer project, I also plan all my travel in August because I wouldn’t be bogged down with project responsibilities (insert laugh-cries), its the Month of Chaos(TM), and the time one can let go of all irrational expectations you had in spring about summer and just be, its the bitter sweet realization that summer is at its end,and holy hell, why is it so friggen hot?

These past two days have been like living on the surface of the sun outside so I guess that’s good because I can finally get to publishing my August decks!

Starting left, clockwise: The Light Seer’s Tarot (Mass Market), The Golden Journey Tarot (Luxury/Light Edition), Tarot of the Golden Wheel, The Enchanted Tarot (30th Edition). Middle: Baba Studio’s The Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards (Traditional/Smaller Edition).

I won’t lie, my choices this month were all over the place. I really wanted to focus on using the only AI created deck I own (The Golden Journey), and to bring some well-loved decks that I’ve never used together, the Light Seer’s, the Golden Wheel, and the Enchanted Tarot. I also picked the new Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards for an oracle deck.

I will say, that though the back of the cards don’t really seem to match together all that much, I DO really love how saturated and bright all the colors look together once flipped over into a proper draw!

For the monthly theme I drew Love, followed by the Ace of Pentacles.

I really enjoy the juxtaposition of card shapes and sizes together. The Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards, like all Baba decks, are very lux with metallic overlay, but they are also quite small, barely palm size. They remind me of fine jewelry, in a way. I recognize the heart cushion as a grandmotherly object! I’ve seen these small pillows filled with fragrant dried herbs and flowers, embroidered with a loved one’s name, have a ribbon for hanging! It’s a very nostalgic, old-fashioned image of love, one of fondness and “absence makes the heart grow fonder” in my mind! What old-fashioned kind of love am I in need of this month? Well, taking things slow for starters! I feel like I’ve been in a race all summer and gosh darn, am I tired! I also haven’t given the time I’d like to, to my dearest one and this is a good reminder that I need to attend to this. Cultivate the world you want to see.

I know a lot of people hate the massive borders, and also find the size cumbersome, but I really love the giant-ness of The Enchanted Tarot. I find much of the tapestry imagery often too busy to be able to use in more than three card spreads, but I also love that it’s easy to really fall into a card and get lost in all the details. A comparatively plain card in the deck, the Ace of Pentacles immediately brings to mind the inner star of an apple core where the seeds are stored. I’ve been quite upset this summer upon learning that our much beloved apple trees are sick and need to be removed this fall. It’s been hanging over my head, and I’ve been doing my best to not think of it. But, being the Ace of Pentacles, this is a card that reminds me that there is a new beginning at hand, a new opportunity to plan and plant something new. What can I put in the tree’s place that will bring me excitement and new opportunities?

The Golden Journey, and AI created deck from images created by people for specific use in THIS deck (rather than grabbing images willy-nilly) is a very beautiful and strange deck. It’s haunting but also does feel “off” at times. Without a doubt it leaves an impression. I drew the Ace of Swords (another Ace–I guess new-ness is afoot this month!). Doesn’t it look like The Tower?!? But the obelisk cuts through the organic overgrowth and shines like a beacon rather than crumbling. A break through is here! It’s time to leave an old thing behind that isn’t serving your mindset and set forth clearly in the direction you want to be taking! Time to de clutter so you can think clearly ahead and make future goals. A strong idea will cut through that which tries to hold it back. Also, perhaps this card is telling me that not only do I need to say goodbye to our dying trees but maybe it’s time to weed too.

I love this Knight of Wands in The Light Seer’s Tarot. It may be my favorite Knight of Wands of all my decks, even if the “follows the beat of her own drum” is a bit cliche. Doing what you love will light a fire in you and free you from restraints (like that dancing horse). It asks “What sets you free? What make you feel like your best self?” You have the energy, confidence and motivation to face the world when you are aligned with your passions.

And the wonderfully precarious Ten of Wands from the Golden Wheel. What a challenge this person faces, blindfolded, carrying ten batons, trying to cross a precarious river. It’s not easy being true to yourself and cutting through the bs and continuing to grow as a person. It’s a lot of work! Expect to slip and fall, expect to have to give up for the night on occasion, and expect to ask for help. You have a lot of responsibility and demands, but it is possible to manage even if you don’t exactly do everything perfectly at the first try. Keep at it.

This months reading comes across to me as very “stay true to thyself” and roll with the punches sort of draw! All I can think of is SNAP! The Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm6DO_7px1I . Life isn’t always easy, but you can do yourself a favor by asking “what opportunity does this challenge/disappointment offer?” Sometimes it can be difficult to see, especially if there is a problem or you are particularly emotionally attached to an outcome. But, sometimes you have no choice but to be resourceful and find the opportunity!
July 2023 Decks

July 10th, 2023

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?
June 2023 Decks

June 14th, 2023

I’ve been waiting for a deck to arrive to include it in my monthly decks and…cheesus on a cracker, that took a long time to arrive! But it’s here…

The absolutely too stinking cute Mimit (and Bimit) Kickstarter Tarot decks!

So, like with most (but not all!) Kickstarters, there is good and bad with the finished product. I think this Kickstarter fell prey to the two most common trip-ups that KS decks will run into: not maxing out the cardstock quality, and choosing whiz-bang nick-knacks over a quality box. I should just do a posting regarding kickstarter decks, but I won’t belabor it here. Know that the cardstock and box (and art book) leave much to be desired, but hot d@mn if it ain’t cute as sh*t.

Clockwise from top left: Tarot of a Moon Garden, The Spacious Tarot, The Children of Litha (tarot), A Little Rain (oracle), middle Mimit (tarot), also, notice my new deck has a dented card??? Hopefully the artist will send me a replacement.

Some months I pick decks around a theme, some months I pick decks that I like the look of together, and this month, like everything else in my life, became a scattered mess and I impulsively grabbed what was itching to get off the shelf.

I knew I needed The Children of Litha tarot. I’ve had this deck well over a year (two years?!?), and I’ve used it less than ten times. I love the art work, I love the concept, I find it a really intuitive reader, but there is something (I don’t know what) that really is scary to me about this deck. To me, it’s really a raw, hard hitting deck. I had to choose it with Litha coming up though! I want us to be friends! It really feels like a “cool kids” deck.

June is also my birthday month, and the deck that I use exclusively for myself is The Spacious Tarot. I just love this deck, and it’s comforting without being smothering.

I’ve been feeling the stress and anxiety of the events going on at the world at large, and this makes me seek things that remind me of positive childhood experiences, so in that nostalgic mindset, I chose Tarot of a Moon Garden and, of course, the Mimit tarot. I will say regarding the Mimit, I am NOT a fan of small decks, so I’m going to see if I can warm up to this one.

I’ve been liking adding an oracle deck to my monthly Tarot decks, seeing as I typically don’t reach for oracles, and I wanted to test run A Little Rain Oracle by Ambisun, the same artist that made the Oriens Tarot. It’s so pretty I’ll forgive it for being one of the least intuitive deck I own.

There is quite the nature theme going on now that I see the cards laid out! I think this is the month of getting back in touch with childhood nostalgia across the board.

Okay, let’s go ahead and talk about the elephant in the room–I had to do a three card Mimit draw because, well, they’re just so little! Little with big feelings it would seem! We could go through this card by card, or I can tell you what I immediately though when I saw all three cards together: the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The Queen of Swords, to me, is the coldly logical card, the emotional represser in a way. Even if something is on paper “correct” or “truth” or “good advice,” if you cannot abide by it in your heart, then it cannot serve you. You are being dishonest with your true self and following a negative, destructive path. It would be better to explore your own reality and learn the hard way what means right and wrong for you. Its okay to get things wrong.

This beautiful Queen of Pentacles is surrounded by loving friends–the winged horse is draping its feathers around her, she herself is protecting a little white hare, and a butterfly dances around her crown. A new moon sliver hangs in the evening sky–there is much growing and much more to grow. You are rich in many ways, resources, but also friends and time. Accept kindness and give kindness.

Then I drew from the A Little Rain oracle the Orchid. This beautiful card, very reminiscent of the Queen of Pentacles, speaks about Unity, Communion, Harmony. To create something truly beautiful and wondrous takes many people working together. You have the friends, ask them for help in being your best self and realizing your goals. Share your own strengths.

Well, I guess together these two cards suggest success begets success!

The Four of Wands say that a project reaches actualization, so take the time to celebrate it! You’ve put in the work so enjoy (especially with others), even if it is ephemeral in nature. It’s good to make a big deal of things to help propel you through the rest of the hard work.

And The Chariot. Now that you’ve tasted success, it gets harder here on out. You have more to manage, and with each success more to loose, and more responsibility. It will seem as if life is trying to pull you in opposing directions; sometimes you have to learn to give in order to stay on the straightest course to your end goal. Use your opposing forces together rather than trying to divide and conquer. You can manage, you’ll go the distance!

Overall, this is a very positive reading for the month of June! Be true to thy self, include others in your journey, believe in yourself.

Also, I guess if any cards had to be bent, then I suppose the fool is appropriate for having a “bender!”