Happy Lunar New Year my friends! We are entering the year of the Fire Horse, so needless to say this ought to be exciting (haha)! Horses are an integral part of human’s civilization and exist in many many cultures with various symbolism attached. Today most of us are quite removed from our equine partners, but there remains a romanticism linked with horses. But, I wanted to make a draw that gives us a more, lets say, realistic view of riding off into the sunset. I always enjoy making these prompts, so I figured I’d share what my Tarot bestie and I came up with this year:
Today I’m using, IMO, the sweetest horse Tarot deck out there, The Riderless Tarot by Nakisha. If you are a horse girl too and love this deck, you can find it here in her etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RabbitTarot?ref=nla_listing_details.
Here are our prompts–I’m starting 1 at the 1 o’clock position:
1 Where do I find the strength to stand on my feet?
2 What is one of my roles in my herd?
3 Who is helpful in my herd?
4 What skill do I have to offer to strengthen my herd?
5 What unexpected delight makes fairy-knots in my mane? (Fairy-knots are when parts of the mane is twisted almost braid-like from playing and horsing-around.)
6 What pile of sh*t do I need to joyfully roll in? (Or: what do I need to indulge in?)
7 What’s my plastic bag? (What’s my irrational fear?)
8 What fire makes me leap into action?
9 Where can I find a moment of wild freedom?
10 What is something I need to work on, but don’t want to?
11 What horse-fly bite (i.e. annoyance) do I need to ignore?
12 Which sunset do I need to gallop off into?
Okay! 1-3:
1 Where do I find the strength to stand on my feet?
Eight of Wands, I find my strength when taking action and in movement! Doing something rather than sitting around and worrying about it is very good for the soul and relieves anxiety. That is quite a horse answer, tbh.
2 What is one of my roles in my herd?
Six of Pentacles, I am the person who allocates resources, helps those in need, helping send things down the proverbial line, bringing others the resources they need, mediating.
3 Who is helpful in my heard?
King of Pentacles, those who are well established and are willing to share resources and knowledge, and have a kindly, caring nature.
4 What skill do I have to offer to strengthen my herd?
Judgement. I can speak the truth loudly and clearly! I can hold my peers and myself accountable. I can demand change. I can use my knowledge of the past to help shape the future. I can be the change I want to see in the world.
5 What unexpected delight makes fairy-knots in my mane? (Fairy-knots are when parts of the mane is twisted almost braid-like from playing and horsing-around.)
The Empress: My well-spring of creativity brings me delight as does my ability to nurture and care for others. This nurturing is reciprocal too!
6 What pile of sh*t do I need to joyfully roll in? (Or: what do I need to indulge in?)
Ace of Swords: New ideas! And the freedoms I have. New ideas are needed to shape the world and should be indulged in, even if they don’t end up useful, its always good to be brainstorming and constantly thinking of how to make the world a better place.
7 What’s my plastic bag? (What’s my irrational fear?)
Nine of Wands. My irrational fear is that I’ll forever be tired of never ending work and battle, hyper-vigilance.
8 What fire makes me leap into action?
Justice, seeing injustices!
9 Where can I find a moment of wild freedom?
Five of Cups, even in sadness I can see beauty and the path that I look forward to, imagining a future past the hard times.
10 What is something I need to work on, but don’t want to?
Three of Cups. Establishing meaningful relationships, keeping friendships alive and active, finding time to socialize for fun and enjoyment. I’d be a homebody if I didn’t make myself get out.
11 What horse-fly bite (i.e. annoyance) do I need to ignore?
Six of Wands—I need to keep things in perspective and realize that little wins and losses must be measured all towards my end goals. Don’t get over excited due to one small victory or failure, there’s a lot more going on.
12 Which sunset do I need to gallop off into?
Strength, I need to ride into strength! I must own the quiet strength I have and form partnerships with unlikely friends who can enrich my life!
Uh oh, the mini manager came to check on me.
Lets see, three wands, two pentacles, a sword, two cups, and four majors. Seems like a very complex year ahead for me! What about you? What are you seeing ahead in this fiery equine year?
And, I’ll end with some real horse wisdom: Carpe Diem, always roll in the poo when you have the opportunity to!
Welcome to the Year of the Snake! I was excited for this draw a few months ago, seeing as this is my Zodiac animal, but I wish those of us in the USA are having a better start to the year. Well, a good tarot draw makes me less blue, so lets soldier on! Perhaps we can glean some insight into this year.
Sometimes I have a great deck for a themed draw, and I was intending to use my Blood Moon Tarot, seeing as it has snakes aplenty (now that I think of it, is there a snake themed tarot out there? Anyone know of one?). But I was really craving a kind deck and, well, Blood Moon isn’t exactly that! So I went with my newest love, Forest Spirit Imprints Tarot instead, and we have a nice emerald green theme that makes me think slithery snake! Perhaps, later this month it might be fun to do a deck comparison between the two.
I love the “clock” style draw for the Chinese New Years draw. You can consider it a month to month, a personal progress through the year, you can assign the actual zodiac animals to different cards or you can see it as the journey for the year ahead. I like to make twelve animal themed prompts for the year. I’ll start at 1 o’clock and work my way around!
1 What skin do I need to shed?
We start off needing to shed the Ace of Pentacles–and, after a second glance, is it just me or is this ace bleeding??? I suppose there’s some relationship to fertility, but yeesh. This year, I need to shed my idea of wealth and security. Oh boy! Maybe this is a moment to find true freedom from the material world.
2 Where do I need to conserve my energy?
I love seeing the clam in the 4 of Cups, its a much less full-of-one’s-self image I tend to see with this card. I need to conserve my energy in regards to emotionally unfulfilling things! I should turn my back on that which does not fill my cup. (I like this, “Does it fill my cup?”)
3 Where do I bask?
4 of Wands, and a very sweet four of wands at that! I can bask in my successes and positive relations! It is important to celebrate the little things and the baby steps towards our bigger goals.
4 Where must I strike with lightening speed?
The Devil, ha! I must strike down that which is tempting me with falseness and fake promises!
5 Where do I show my fangs?
The Hanged Man. This is for sure a strange Hanged Man, with the trapped fairy closing it’s eyes and praying but our protagonist onlooking. I feel there are many ways to read this one, but given the current situation: I need to show my fangs at injustices done, even when others don’t notice or want to notice them.
6 Where do I poison?
The beautiful Queen of Cups. I have the power to poison the whole ocean! I have the ability to strike right at the emotional heart of things. I must be careful though to not poison my own cup! If I let the negative ocean in around me it will harm the joyous ecosystem I’m nurturing.
7 Where do I heal?
We must remember that snakes in both east and western traditions are not only associated with their venom but also were though of as creatures who can heal (looking at you Asclepius and your staff!). Here I pulled the lovely Empress; I can heal through my creativity, femininity and good nature. I can make good things grow. I have “mom” vibes!
8 What is something I need to digest slowly?
The 2 of Wands! I need to plan my path/journey carefully. Where I want to be is at a distance, with many obstacles in the way, but I can do it with a plan! But this takes time.
9. Where do I need the help of other’s hands?
7 of Pentacles (we have a little nod to our bloody Ace of Pentacle at the beginning, don’t we?). I need the help of others to aid me in cutting the dead growth out of my life to free up the new growth so my tree flourishes. Get rid of that which doesn’t serve you and is holding you back. Again, “does it fill my cup?”
10 How to use my cunning?
Temperance makes her second appearance this month! I must use my cunning to maintain balance in my life. I must choose my battles strategically but also know when to rest and take a break. Perhaps I need to “slither-out” of situations with grace. With this particular Temperance I get a sense of taking only what you need and no more.
11 How to use my charm?
The delightful 10 of Wands. I must use my charm to get the hard work done, even when it feels like an endless task. Perhaps I convince others to help me in the labor, or perhaps I make the the chore fun and delightful for myself.
12 How does the snake help me grow?
7 of Cups. The snake helps me grow by giving me choices, but also the wisdom to make good choices. There’s a rather fantastical experience here, isn’t there? Lets remember our 2 of Wands and think over our choices before jumping into the most appealing one. (I love that we have a little snake wizard in the tree!).
This sure seems like a year of growth (and perhaps growing pains) for me! How about you? What does the Year of the Snake have in store for you?
Starting at the left, clockwise, Le Tarot Arthurien, Forgotten Legends Tarot, Asphodelon Mythos Tarot, The Oracle of 11, Legendarium Tarot
When the season is turning noticeably darker, I love returning to the stories I was read as a kid, or read as an adult, or stories in general. I love to read, but often I find I am too busy in the long summer days to linger in a book. Late fall really gives me that chance that I crave. With the anxiety of the tumultuous elections in the USA, I more than ever need a place of solace and stories are that for me. It shouldn’t be a surprise then that one of my favorite “themes” in the Tarot world are decks about stories, or that tell stories, and I wanted to dedicate a whole month (at least!) to decks that are all about myths and legends. I may need to return to this theme seeing as I have so many decks that fit this category!
Look at the variety of gold edging!And the “helper” doing her best to keep out of the way!
This month I wanted to choose decks that are not only myths and legends, but of those decks, ones I’ve used the least. Almost all of these are a year or less in my collection so I’m pleased to get the chance (and challenge!) of really digging in deep to get to know them better.
At the top is the The Oracle of 11, made by the brilliant Ambi Sun, who is the creator of my much beloved Oriens Tarot. This oracle deck is representing South East Asian stories (I believe it was originally called The Oracle of SEAS). This enchanting deck really packs a wallop, as you’ll see shortly. The art is of course just stellar, but I will say that the colors of the card faces are quite a bit darker than the backing and box suggest. In any case, this is a really different and fun deck to use!
The Legendarium Tarot gave me two jumpers for this month. This deck so surpassed all expectations I had of it! It’s very clear that D&D had a huge influence over the card images and keywords, and it deviates at times rather drastically from the RWS, but it’s structure and general “Fool’s journey” is delightful and fresh. I could easily see traveling with this deck for months on end and never getting bored of it! This is a total “cool kids” deck. The art is quirky, charming, and a very interesting nod to traditional Marseilles Tarot and playing card art. The creator is the same who made Tarot of the Golden Wheel and currently has another Kickstarter deck, a sister deck to Legendarium, that is just wrapping up it’s funding! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montenzicollabs/the-clouds-of-destiny-tarot
The Forgotten Legends Tarot was a last moment purchase. I knew of it for a while, and like many many decks I admired it from afar and told myself I already have Yoshi Yoshitani’s Tarot of the Divine. The art between the two decks are very similar, and obviously the theme of legends and myths is exactly the same, but Forgotten Legends is muted in color pallet and overall has a rather darker tone in many of the cards. I was so surprised when I got it in hand how very different it feels compared to the Divine, and I absolutely love it. It is certainly much more Euro-centric in its choices of myths and imagery, but this deck is very complex, and is a perfect, moody winter deck.
I was gifted the beautiful Le Tarot Arthurien for Christmas last winter, and I’ve used it through out the year but have held off including it in a monthly deck collection. I adore this beautiful and emotionally evocative deck and I must say that Ana Tourian really is becoming one of my favorite deck makers. I was hoping that I’d be able to acquire the English version of the book that accompanies this deck, but I don’t think its been published quite yet.
And finally, the Asphodelon Mythos Tarot, a deck that has been long in the making. I bought the majors from the artists personal shop years ago and was so stoked to see that she decided to finish this awesome Greek inspired deck! I’ve had this deck for most of this year but really haven’t used it all that much so I’m really enjoying the discovery time I have with it! I really like that there are certain myths I know quite well, but others that are totally new to me, albeit this means that when I sit down with this deck to do a reading I need to budget a little more time in case I get sucked down a story rabbit-hole!
This month I did my monthly draw with my Tarot friend and I wanted to take the opportunity to share with the small audience I have on here how she really helped me become more engaged with my cards and think of my reading with fresh eyes. Like with any art, it’s easy to get stuck in a formulaic structure that works well for you, but this can limit your growth when you neglect to try new things. This is a great example of how you can choose to make your reading more creative, and become more engaged with your cards–include your friends in your draw!
So, I’ll first give a short version of my first reading with these cards as seen above, then we’ll talk about Val’s hot take!
We open with the month’s theme represented by the Puteri Walinong Sari story–a beautiful princess has so many suitors due to her looks and power, and she isn’t really interested in marrying them. She herself is an accomplished martial artist, so veils herself and says that she’ll marry the suitor that is able to fight and beat her–well, of course she kicks all their butts! Then a humble man from out of no-where talks to her and, you know, takes a real interest in her. He too is a martial art mat-rat and they inevitably decide to spar and he is winning! In a last ditch attempt she removes her veil and stuns him with her beauty and is able to defeat him and *poof!* he disappears! It is said she was whisked away with him to a far away mountain top and is reunited with him, neither ever seen again.
So, from this I get the “true beauty is within” but also “don’t settle for less.” There’s a lesson of needing to fight the good fight to get what you are worth. Expect there to be resistance. Huh.
Then I have the Two of Coins with the keyword “Rope-Walker” and the Ace of Cups with a charming Nereid. Though you go through this time with a knowing grin, you are playing a balancing game. Things are not as easy as they may appear to others. Nevertheless, you must keep your eyes (see that creepy eye on the chalice? ) and heart open for the genuine and true (similar vibes to our oracle card I think).
And then we end with a pretty exhausted 10 of Wands, a jousting 5 de Batons (Wands), and the cute Page of Cups. You have much bounty but to harvest it is a great chore and perhaps too big for one person, but you have no choice but to persevere. There is a challenge, and neither party is ready to take it on, though there is a “winner,” both knights have no tack and are certainly falling off their mounts. And we end with Hebe, who is carrying the ambrosia of the Gods. You are tasked with an important responsibility, but this doesn’t require you to leave your child self behind–see the world through the eyes of a child, let yourself play and try to find joy and meaning in what you do.
Now, my friend took these cards and did something really simple but interesting with them and pointed out some visual cues:
She pointed out in the oracle card, we have two figures, male and female, who are clearly warring with one another, but we know in their story they end up as dearest lovers.
We see the jester juggling in the Two of Coins the sun and moon, two drastically opposing forces.
In the 5 of Wands, we have on the left the chestnut-horse rider the 10 of Wands (also in warm brown tones), and the opposite black-horse rider is paired with the black haired Page of Cups. She explained that if it was her draw, she sees the Chestnut-riding knight the work-a-holic person fighting the childlike play that is the Black-riding knight.
But, we finish with a mermaid, who is, despite all natural order, is a half human and half fish–two opposites that seem impossible to get along, combined to something new and fresh. So, how can you (me) think of taking these two different approaches to responsibility and marry them together into something that is strange, but beautiful and new? How can you integrate these two parts of yourself harmoniously?
Wow! I was so taken by this interpretation! You can see how just thinking of the cards and what they depict in a different way can completely set a different tone with a draw. I feel like both readings are spot on for me this past month, and I was so pleased I had her with to look deeper at imagery and think critically at the whole of the draw!
How about you? Do you read Tarot with friends? What new ideas do they inspire in you?
One thing that I don’t see too much of, is run-of-the-mill daily tarot draws. Perhaps I’m just looking in the wrong places. I tend to find draws that are seasonally focused, formal traditional layouts, or larger, general-viewer draws on the YouTube. I can’t say I see many “I just I want to practice my tarot skills, but I don’t want to spend an hour reviewing thirty different cards” draws. So! I thought I’d share some of the common ones I use! Please let me know if you find this at all interesting.
Decks used in this draw: Liminality Oracle, Asphodelon Mythos Tarot, Wild Unknown Animal Spirit oracle, Wild Unknown Archetypes oracle
I find dreams and dreaming fascinating. Of course, Tarot fits nicely into the various archetypes we might see in dreams, so I’ve developed a typical structure I like to use when delving into cartomancy to help think of my dream in a critical way. Before I get into the actual cards, let me share my dream with you! Please be kind; this is a real dream I had and there is a great bit of vulnerability when sharing it into the internet abyss. Also, be mindful that while this is a bit of a silly dream, it was quite a scary when I was having it, which is why I chose to delve more into it through the cards:
21 Feb 2024
I’m in this mall that has a glass ceiling. There is so much commotion happening outside. The ceiling is shattered as something huge come flying into it. I run, seeking shelter from the glass. I look out at what looks like an airport tarmac and see massive monsters. They are so big I can’t really even tell what they are.
I run, trying to find a safe place, but there is no safe place. I’m shockingly swift and don’t seem to become winded easily. I see this group if kinda “alternative” looking people, taking on a monster. They are so strong and fast it is like they are savage animals!
I join them—I don’t want to be a passive bystander! I try to help topple the monster too. I bite it and hit it and kick and do everything I can. I get knocked violently aside and I hurt from it. The monster doesn’t topple but runs away.
The leader, who I am acquainted with but don’t know well, pulls me up. I’m so tired I feel limp at this stage. He commands me to stay with the wolves, that we’re going to figure this out. I’m so puzzled, I tell him that I don’t know what he’s talking about. He’s puzzled then tells me I’m a wolf, don’t I know? I don’t. He takes my left arm and says we’ll see if the sign sticks.
He draws a finger down my left forearm on the top, from elbow to wrist and draws some sort of simple symbol. The area he touched first looked like water drawn on my skin then turns black as if tattooed or cauterized into the skin. “See?” he says. “You have the mark already.”
I go trailing after them. We run into a parking ramp to regroup, then we split up into smaller groups to try and secure a certain area. I cannot stop staring at the black mark on my arm!
I should start out that by no means do you need a ton of decks to do this dream draw; you’d be perfectly fine with just one tarot deck or well-rounded oracle. I just had the excuse to pull out some fun deck, so I did! When I typically do a drawing for a dream, I’ll pick one, two, or on rare occasion three cards to represent the main characters in the dream. I used Kim Krans’s The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit oracle for my two characters, my dream-self, and the “pack” leader:
For myself, I drew the Mouse, an earth sign, and for the leader, the Hawk, an air sign.
A mouse is notable for it’s small size. It is a relatively weak animal that is at the bottom of the food-chain, and of course a staple for hawks! Despite it’s timid nature, the mouse is know for its resourcefulness, and its ability to get into spaces its not welcomed and cause havoc. In numbers, mice can be very troublesome indeed. I should note that in my past month of reading Lenormand, the card “The Mice” has repeatedly appeared over and over, and we recently in our own home were losing the battle with a particularly clever and fit little mouse. I can see myself feeling small and fearful in this dream, unsure of myself, but I do not wish to be timid! I want to join others and help them out! Though I am marked as one of them, I do not feel it.
A hawk is considered a bird of prey that is either a buteo or an accipiter (so, not falcons). They have large wings, hunt open spaces and forests, use the wind to their advantage, as some can soar! They are powerful animals that are often viewed as being regal and proud. They have incredible eyesight and must develop deadly accuracy in hunting to survive. The leader in this group is perceptive and sees “the mark” of the “wolf” on me, which I cannot see myself. He comes across as strong and powerful, and somewhat intimidating.
Then, if there are big “themes” or “ideas” or “concepts” that appear in the dream, I might draw a card for those as well. In this dream, I had literal BIG monsters, and also the group of people dubbed “wolves” so I drew a card each for them from The Wild Unknown Archetypes deck (a deck I have a love-hate relationship with):
I pulled for the monsters LXXVII Aletheia. A Greek term that literally means “truth or disclosure in philosophy,” it is also described as “being unconcealed…(i.e) evident,” or relating to disclosure, revealing, factuality or reality (from Wikipedia). The not-so-little white book describes this card representing “truth” or “act of truth.” We see how the same rose looks in both black and white, no matter what way we look at it, it’s the same rose. These “Monsters” are showing me a truth–that there are some big problems that need to be tackled! They exist and affect everyone, whether we want to deal with them or not! And, it will take a group of people to get them to retreat, you cannot do it alone.
For the general group of monster-fighters called “Wolves” I drew LXX The Thread. This image seems both very tenuous but also strong! That person is hardly gripping a thread–its a huge cord! We see a splash of rainbow and color after the stark former Aletheia. The image says to me hope is thin, but not weak, you must grasp it hard and hold on! The LWB speaks to finding the purpose and meaning in the chaos and anchoring to it, which seems very fitting in this draw! We can see the “wolves” as giving us purpose to protect ourselves and attack back at the monsters in an organized way.
Then I decided to draw some tarot. Because I typically draw from jumpers, I usually will shuffle until I get at least three cards, but this deck (the all-new Asphodelon Mythos Tarot) seemed to have a lot to say and gave me six jumpers on the shuffle-through so I lined them up in the order they came leaping out.
In the past, I’ve read the tarot as a separate spread from the oracle cards, but after doing a month of Lenormand, I had a Galaxy Brain moment and realized I can read where the cards are placed relative to the oracle cards (okay, I know you seasoned veterans do this all the time, but I’m still learning, bear with me).
According to the cards, my dream-self in this dream has all the agency and tools at my disposal by which to act upon the world. I can make sudden decisions, and have the power to heal with my actions. I have a great amount of empathy and emotional soundness and security that allows me to love and feel deeply. Also, it’s interesting that with the “angel” like image combined with the two lovers, these two cards look strikingly like the traditional Lovers card which speaks of choices: I have a choice–what do I choose?
Okay, I’m not gonna lie–this is the first serious draw I’ve done with this deck and now I’m really bummed that I already have my monthly decks planned for several months because the Asphodelon Mythos Tarot is totally rad and I need to use it, constantly, for some time. This is an interesting combination of cards for our hawk character–if I saw a RWS clone pairing of the ace of cups with the devil I’d read it as a relationship for the wrong reasons, or a selfish emotional motivation. But in this ace of cups we see two intimate figures, Nix and Erebus. It reminds me of a ying-yang, two side of the same coin, darkness and light. The water out of the cup seems to be cascading down and trying to snuff out the raging Cronus. Perhaps we can say that our strong leader is representing the struggle between balance and selfishness? Maybe his role is to extinguish the threat. Maybe while he is a new person to me that has something to offer, there is a darker aspect that remains to be seen.
So if we take the two tarot under Aletheia (the Monster) we see the Ten of Swords and Death. Easy enough, there was a profound defeat/failure that was a definitive ending. But from that end is the beginning of something new.
Flanking The Thread (the “wolves”) is The Magician and the Ace of Cups–you have surprisingly found a new place–do you belong here? There’s a strong connection here, that is very empowering.
If we take the tarot together on their own, we see someone very assured and strong who was flying high took a terrible downfall and met a proverbial death. There is a rebirth that is more balanced, but the core problem still lingers and rages on (after all, the wolves and I did not kill the monster, it fled).
So, I asked the Liminality Oracle “advice about what can I do?” And drew:
Wow! Those are definitely very wolf-y creatures, aren’t they? Change first starts with you. Be the change you want to see. To change the course you have to take action. Work actively towards what you seek. Be dogged in your pursuit!
Hm, food for thought, eh!
How ’bout you? Do you ask your cards about your dreams?
I really got a kick making a draw for the year of the Rabbit in 2023, and I 100% have been waiting to do a Dragon 2024 draw for this lunar year! A Google told me that people born in the year of the dragon have “natural courage, tenacity, and intelligence, often displaying enthusiasm and confidence.” Seeing as I don’t personally know any scaly dragons to model actual animal behavior and wisdom after, I’ll have to take the G’s advice about the Chinese Zodiac system to help structure my questions. Let’s get to it!
Of course I had to bring out my beloved Smoke, Ash & Embers Tarot deck! I love that this deck is RWS, but it takes a very different, practical and holistic approach to modern tarot. In their version of the LWB they label the Wands as our spirit, the Pentacles as our material world, the Swords our thoughts, and the Cups our emotions. While this is pretty typical in RWS decks, I’ll especially be paying attention to this during this draw.
What great magical thing will start your year?
What frightening obstacle will block your path forward?
How best to show courage?
What will try your patience?
How to show tenacity and perseverance?
What riddle will puzzle you?
How best to outsmart it?
How do we show enthusiasm when we’ve lost our mojo?
Where should we cultivate confidence?
When should we be tender?
When do we need to be fierce?
Where will I find unexpected luck?
1.What great magical thing will start your year? Three of Pentacles. You will have help in building your nest egg! In a project or financial adventure, you will find a willing and eager partner. Perhaps they will help teach you, and you in turn can teach them. This is now the second recent draw that I’ve had a 3 of Pen show up, I gotta start paying attention.
2. What frightening obstacle will block your path forward? The Hanged Man. You will face uncertainty and a change of view—things are not as you thought, but if you take a moment, you will see there is something to be gained here that you’d not be able to get otherwise.
3. How best to show courage? Ace of Swords. Pay attention! Use your head. Use your sense of observation to understand and learn to go forth strongly! Success is at hand, but you need to take the sword and practice the skills it takes to get there. Listen to mentors (this also seems to be a reoccurring theme).
4. What will try your patience? Eight of Swords. The constant hard work, grind, and, well, patience! Accomplishing something is never a linear journey and sometimes it feels as if you are getting nowhere, fast. Keep at it! Don’t worry about needing to get your hands dirty every once in a while.
5. How to show tenacity and perseverance? Two of Swords. This is a very different take on the two of swords than I’m used to. Counter intuitively, sometimes you need to take a fricking nap! When things get overwhelming and seem to lack progress, take a break, try something new, enjoy the flowers of your successes you have made. Also, don’t stand up too fast!
6. What riddle will puzzle you? Page of Cups. A new person, feeling, idea, or opportunity will come out of nowhere and completely take you off guard!
7. How best to outsmart it? Six of Pentacles. Be kind. You will find reward for your kindness in unexpected ways. Be a force that brings others together. Realize what a person really wants when they give you something. Put offerings/gifts in context; if someone is giving you something, what, if anything do they expect in return?
8. How do we show enthusiasm when we’ve lost our mojo? Page of Pentacles. Keep things practical; look at what you have already accomplished, and look at where you want to be. What will it take to get there? Make a list, write it down. How can you allocate your resources right now to get to where you want to be? Start there. Go back to the fundamentals. Once you get moving, you’ll get your chutzpah back!
9. Where should we cultivate confidence? XIX The Sun! Be confident in what you know you do well and are successful at! Duh! Do that! When you are happy and joyful, you exude confidence, so first ensure you are having a good time.
10. When should we be tender? Page of Wands (holy mole, we got some Page energy today!). Treat the imagination and the joy of newness tenderly—this is where great things happen and negatively criticizing ideas prematurely will help no one. Help yourself and others grow to be their best by believing in your/their vision!
11. When do we need to be fierce? Ten of Cups. When it comes to your family-of-choice and those you love, you get involved! They are your people! It’s up to you to help make sure they are secure and they in turn watch out for you. It really does take teamwork to make the dream work.
12. Where will I find unexpected luck? Nine of Wands. When you are feeling like you are at the end of your game and you have no more strength to persevere, you will find unexpected luck.
And, just for fun, I drew from The Thistle Down oracle deck a card for “advice for this lunar year.”
Don’t forget to take moments to collect yourself, live in the moment, and smell the flowers, even if you’re a little bit of a grouch *wink*.
So, I see lots of pentacles and pages, so I have a lunar year of learning and practicing my arts and skills. Can’t ask for anything better in the year of the Dragon!
It will be a while before we experience another super blue moon again! Here’s my little themed tarot draw for the occasion:
I used used the Golden Wheel Tarot, to stay on theme with the month.
Significant Event
What opportunity should I not pass up?
What “opportunity” should I let slip by?
My significant event is the 5 of Pentacles! Oftda! There are times in your life when you experience loss and misery–use these moments to help you be grateful for what you have and where you are now! We often feel like we’re missing out one way or another, but we are blind to our blessings we do have.
I should not let the opportunity to rest and meditate pass by! Rest is often seen as a waste of time–it is NOT! It is part of being a whole person and should be enjoyed. It’s a necessary part of healing and offers retrospection. Embrace the quiet moments! You don’t need to be productive 24/7.
Be wary of those who are in your life and seem to “hold the keys” to your success. People who gate-keep are often frauds and prey off others eagerness to learn. If there’s an “opportunity” that appears but is at the mercy of another’s whim, its probably not all it’s cracked up to be.
Do you have a special draw design for the Super Blue Moon?
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!
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?
The Tarot Tarts 