Month: March 2021

Marketing Ploys in Tarot

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

Okay so I want to do a bit of a rant today that was inspired by my use of the Harmony Tarot this month.

Although the Harmony Tarot is not the only one guilty of this. And I guess before I start, I should define just what exactly tarot is…. and isn’t.

Tarot is a specific system of card reading. This specific system has a structure of 22 trumps (called the Major Arcana) and four groups (suits) made into 14 cards which are collectively called the Minor Arcana.

Each card is numbered in this deck has a specific meaning attributed to it, and that meaning is the same across all tarot decks. The Magician, for example, is card #1 in the Major Arcana, and in all tarot decks it means the same thing. Readers can then intuit more from the cards through imagery, but the base meaning of the #1 card in the Major Arcana is always the same. That holds true for all 78 cards in the deck.

An oracle, on the other hand, does not share the same structure. Each deck is it’s own system, it’s own structure, and builds it’s own meanings on the cards. If you have the structure of tarot, but not the meanings attributed to match the tarot system, it is not a tarot deck.

It irritates me when decks are marketed as “Tarot” that are not tarot. Examples of this include (but are not limited to) the Morgan’s Tarot, Dreams of Gaia Tarot, Osho Zen Tarot, Wildwood Tarot, Merlin Tarot, Harmony Tarot, Daemon Tarot, and Jane Austin Tarot. None of these decks should have the name “Tarot” in the title as none of them are actually tarot decks. They are oracle decks with their own structures and their own system. This isn’t to say that they’re not excellent oracle decks… but they aren’t tarot decks and thus shouldn’t have that word in their titles.

I feel that the use of the word “tarot” in these decks is a marketing ploy. They know that people who read tarot are interested in new tarot decks, and that more people out there read with tarot decks than with oracle decks, and so they use the word “tarot” in their title to draw these people in, even though the deck isn’t a tarot deck at all.

And that? Pisses me off. Oracle decks are NOT tarot decks. Anyone that is making a tarot deck -or- an oracle deck should know this, or they haven’t done enough research and shouldn’t be making a damned deck in the first place in that case.

The word is not interchangeable and I feel that using the word in the title of a deck that’s not a tarot deck is false advertising. A marketing ploy. Essentially? A lie meant to fool people into spending their money.

Slow Awakenings… and Impatience

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_0205Today’s meditation was was just over ten minutes long and I returned to the Calm app today for one of the guided meditations, with my interval timer added in for my pirifromis stretching.

The focus of today’s meditation was about living in the moment, even when the moment sucks. I agree that sometimes you just have to allow yourself to experience what’s happening, but I don’t think it should keep us from improving our situation when its possible to do so.   It’s a delicate balance.

Tarot de Marseille-Waite and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the High Priestess, which is traditionally a representation of the subconscious, intuition, inner awareness, spiritual knowledge, and the possession of secret knowledge. 

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card is the curtain behind the priestess.  A curtain that hides what lies beyond.  The Priestess knows what is there, but like the beaded curtain in a fortune teller’s shop, only she knows what lies on the other side.

Combined with the Thera-Pets card for the day, what I see here is a reminder that I’m still in recovery.  During an MDE, my intuition is often stilted and muffled.  This can become really frustrating, especially now in the process of recovery, where I feel like I -could- be or -should- be fully recovered… but I’m not yet.

The reminder here is that it takes the time it takes.  My intuition isn’t going anywhere, nor does it become “rusty” with disuse during these times when I’m stuck in the MDE. Patience is needed, and it’s okay for things to move slowly.

DECK USED:  TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

LionHart’s Whispering Woods Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: Where am I welcomed to take a break and gather myself?

Walter & Fitzpatrick inspired Harmonious Tarot

 Reading Summary:  You don’t have to charge forward (Knight of Wands) with your eye on the prize (Two of Wands) and coming out on top (King of Swords) as you are standing up for what you believe is right. (Seven of Wands).

Take Away:  Sometimes just living your life the way that is right for you and following your own moral compass is enough. It doesn’t always have to be about saving the world or going somewhere.  It doesn’t have to be about winning or losing or conflict.   It’s okay to just live by example sometimes, and that can be enough.

DECK USED:  WALTER & FITZPATRICK INSPIRED HARMONIOUS TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsMar2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I better handle conflict?

Tarot de Marseille-WaiteReading Summary:  Take a pause (Trois de Bâton Rx). 

You need to approach from a place of stability and comfort (Quatre de Bâton) where you can then linger (Trois de Bâtons Rx) and view your choices more clearly (L’Amoureux).

Take Away: Sometimes, when conflict is upon us, we react in the moment…. even when there are times when we know that we shouldn’t.  Emotions running high and BAM, out of the blue your mouth opens and something unintended comes out, or we clam up and flinch away, or we act without thought and do something we regret as a result. 

The cards here are indicating that in order to better handle conflict, it is wise to take  a step back and find your balance and calm.  Put yourself in a place of comfort and calm where you can look at things from many perspectives, and with a level head, choose the response that will be best for you. 

DECK USED:  TAROT DE MARSEILLE WAITE

Daily Self Kindness

I made sure to structure my time so that I didn’t have to pull another all-nighter like I did Monday night.  That shit was ridiculous and I want to actually sleep tonight.

Gideon’s Challenge

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Cycles of Integration

Clinging roots
and beautiful shoots
the earth takes her time
and with every year
that passes
all becomes tangled
and the individual
is accepted
welcomed
and absorbed
until smooth stone
and small shoots
eventually become
sand and dust

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Fostering Forward Movement

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped because I was tired and ended up sleeping instead. I very much need to get back into doing this daily, but… yeah.  Today wasn’t it.

Harmony Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Four of Autumn.  This is not a tarot card, and the meanings on these cards are not cohesive with a tarot system.  I wasn’t aware of this when I purchased the deck (because, hello, the word “tarot” is in the title yeah?) but this deck is an oracle deck.

(Mini-rant about marketing ploys now over.)

Right, so.  The Four of Autumn is about a time of healing from a mental health ailment, distressing situation, or conflict.  It carries elements of the Four of Cups within it’s meaning in that there is a need to step back from others in order to heal, and a bit of the Seven of Pentacles in that  this healing can take a bit of time to develop and patience to bring into fruition.  It is about acceptance of where you are and taking time to yourself to find your focus and where you want to go.

When combined with the Thera-Puts card for today, the message is that sometimes when you’re working on healing from difficult times or circumstances, it can feel like it’s taking forever and the progress can sometimes feel so slow that you wonder if you’re ever going to actually heal fully at all.  Patience can be a hard thing, especially when stuck somewhere that is unpleasant.  The message here is to take a breath and practice that patience, accept it’s going to take some time yet, and do what you need to do to foster that forward movement towards a healthier you.

DECK USED:  HARMONY TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

LionHart’s Whispering Woods Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I nurture my dreams into full growth over the next few months?

Gregory Scott Tarot

 Reading Summary:  In times of struggle (Three of Swords) and strife (5 of Swords) make sure that you are focusing on finding balance and connection with the earth and your spiritual self (Temperance).

Take Away:  This message is a re reiteration of my COTD for today.  It’s a reminder that sometimes you need to take a step back and pause… breathe… focus on finding your balance and the connections that help you find solid ground within yourself.  This is especially important when dealing with times of struggle and strife.  In order to nurture my dreams over the next few months, this is a lesson that I will need to keep in mind.  Don’t allow the crappy shit to keep you from doing what you need to do to feel balanced, complete, and connected.

DECK USED:  GREGORY SCOTT TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsMar2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Why do we dream?

Harmony Tarot (Oracle)Reading Summary: To rise above and improve upon ourselves (Nine of Winter), find happiness and acknowledge those things we take pleasure in in our lives (Le Soleil), and to seek out truth in those people and things around us (Two of Summer).

Take Away:  The answer here is that dreams are to give us something to strive for, something to grow towards, and a way to connect with the world around us in healthy ways that will make us happier and healthier. 

If you don’t have dreams to strive for, then the stagnancy of where you are without the drive and desire to move forward, will cement you in place and allow decay to begin to take root with you.  Our dreams are the drive that keep this unhealthy stagnancy from happening.

DECK USED:  HARMONY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap when I really didn’t want to.  I’m a little frustrated at being more tired lately than usual, but I’m trying to be accepting and understanding of this, and allowing myself a bit more rest to help in perhaps healing whatever it is that’s keeping me from the full energy I usually have at my disposal.

Gideon’s Challenge

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

My Beloved Sun

Paint me yours
like sunlight
paints the dawn
and spreads its claim
primal and perfect
over earth and sky
claiming each inch
and every crevice
with the warmth
of golden rays

There is nowhere else
I’d rather be
than here with you

Photo © ZenStatePhotography

Morning Bonus Read – The Next Step

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Next Step Tarot Spread - Odissea Minerva Playing Cards

Specific Situation:  Wednesday’s car accident.

What’s my next step?
Queen of Hearts

Take control but do it in a way that allows for some softness and warmth to enter into the equation.  There’s no signs at this time that you need to be a hardass, so just keep an eye on things and allow yourself time to heal… and allow Gideon a chance to get his anxiety over needing to put you in a protective ball ease up.

What do I have to change?
Six of Diamonds

Don’t make excuses for others and don’t allow people to walk all over you. There’s a difference between being generous, and being a pushover.  Make sure you’re on the right side of the line when dealing with this issue and others involved in the process.

How can i change this?
Seven of Spades

Be clever.  Be watchful. Pay attention and make sure everything is on par and moving along smoothly.  Don’t be a doormat or a pushover.  You don’t need to be aggressive, you just need to make sure you’re keeping an eye on things. Like that saying about door locks not keeping out the truly determined, but dissuading the tempted.

What do I have to continue doing?
Ace of Hearts

Make sure you are being kind to yourself and giving yourself gentle encouragement. Stay focused on the emotional education you are working towards and don’t get frustrated or discouraged.

How my life will change as a result of this next step.
Eight of Hearts

Things will change and move forward, but in keeping the advice above in mind, that movement will be in a positive direction. At times things might be frustrating or discouraging, but keep in mind that’s a part of the process and is temporary as long as you are staying on top of things and doing your due diligence.

DECK USED:  ODISSEA MINERVA PLAYING CARDS