Various Paganism, Tarot, Etc

The Three Sisters – Story Time

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Pull at least three cards and use them to…
…tell a  story about an argument between siblings.

Fey Tarot

Annabelle, Beatrice, and Nora are three sisters living under the same roof with completely different goals.  Living together is stressful because they each have such different personalities.

Coming into the kitchen one morning, the ever impulsive Annabelle (Knave of Pentacles) announces, “I’m taking the car today.  None of you need it and I have a hot date with my boyfriend (Three of Pentacles) later to play DND with some friends (Ten of Pentacles).”

Beatrice, the benevolent older sister of the three (The Empress), looked over with a frown from where she was cooking at the stove, “You are going to need to wait until later.  I need the car to go to the grocery store and run some errands. You can have it when I’m done.” (The Chariot)

At that moment, soft spoken Nora lifts her head off the table where she’d appeared to be napping. (Four of Swords)  “I don’t feel very good,” she says, “Do you think someone could take me to see my counselor?” (Three of Swords)

Annabelle knows better than to argue with Beatrice, but she’s seething on the inside at this interruption in her plans today.   So it’s not a surprise that when the youngest sister, Nora, speaks up that the scowl on her face is supremely displeased and her glare in Nora’s direction is seething. (The Seer)

“You don’t need to go see the counselor,” snaps Annabelle, worried that now her plans are dashed and she won’t be able to have the car at all. “Stop being such a whiner!”

“Annabelle!” Scolds Beatrice with a glare at her selfish younger sister. “WHAT has gotten into you?   Why don’t you go study for that exam that you have to take on Friday. (Eight of Pentacles) You can have the car when I get back.”

Beatrice then turns to Nora and comes to sit down beside her.  Putting her arm around the youngest sister, she gives the girl a comforting hug.  “I think that the office is closed today, Nora.  But how about you come with me to run errands and I’ll take you to the pet shop to visit with all the animals. (The Magician)  You really like that.   Then you and I can come home and veg out in front of the tv and talk about what’s bothering you. (Two of Chalices) Okay?”

Nora leans her head on her sister’s shoulder and nods.  Beatrice always knows what to do to help make her feel better and keep Annabelle from getting too mean (Strength), and having some time alone with her without Annabelle’s chaotic energy always feels good (Four of Wands).

As Annabelle grouses under her breath and heads upstairs to study (Eight of Pentacles), Nora follows Beatrice to go get on her coat.  Beatrice’s promise to go see the animals has created a spark of excitement within her for the day of head that she’d been lacking just a short time earlier (Queen of Wands).

DECK USED: FEY TAROT

 

Playing Favorites

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So, Pagan Perspective is back online after their winter break and did new videos this week, but I felt very uninspired by the topic, which is about looking back at 2019 and ahead into 2020 and what our plans are.   I’m a bit burnt out on the whole transition from 2019 to 2020.   It seems to be all that’s focused on at this time of year from YouTube videos to writing prompts, tarot prompts, journal entries, etc.

So… I decided to do a different topic for this week.  Namely, since a few days ago I focused on what my favorite Major Arcana card in the tarot is (The Hanged Man), I thought today I would focus on a similar question.

Topic for the Week of 1/6: What is the card that you identify with most strongly from the Minor Arcana?  And, if it is different, what is your favorite card from the Minor Arcana?

Two of Pentacles

This is probably not surprising, but in the Minor Arcana, I associate most strongly with the Two of Pentacles.   I struggle with finding balance, and when I look at the imagery on most two of pentacles, that’s exactly what I see.   I see an eternal juggling of responsibilities, as I seek a balance that works for all.

The relationship and identifying I feel with this card isn’t surprising.  I hold down between three and five part time jobs depending on the season, plus run a home business.  I’m on my building’s administration board, and in a long distance relationship that requires my time and attention.  Add into this family responsibilities, medical responsibilities, and all the other things that make up a life as well as my own personal self care?   It’s a lot to keep in balance as the needs and responsibilities for each element are constantly changing.

Sometimes it feels like juggling and sometimes it’s even fun, other times it feels overwhelming, but it is a never ending task, which is what I see the infinity loop around the pentacles as being a symbol of in the card’s imagery.

Ten of Swords

Unlike in the Major Arcana where my favorite card and the card I identify strongest with are the same card, in the Minor Arcana this isn’t the case.

In the Minor Arcana, my favorite card in a tarot deck is the Ten of Swords.

This is because I appreciate a good warning that something’s coming that’s really going to hurt. I do predictive readings, and to me? That’s what this card says most often. It says, “Take a breath and keep moving. This shit is really going to hurt.”

It can also often feel a bit like compassionate understanding that sometimes to move through something or move on from something? It has to hurt… and that that’s natural and okay.

Waxing Poetic – The Hanged Man

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The Major Arcana card that identify most strongly with, and what it means to me.

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The Hanged Man reminds me that each hurdle I come upon (of which there have been many, and will surely be many more) is an opportunity for betterment in some way, not a road block.

The card says to me that it’s okay to have a life filled with struggles and hurdles, strife and discord, woe and adversity. These things are lessons in life that teach me how to become better. Better at the things I want to do… Better at the way I find my joy… And, just an all around better person as a whole.

The Hanged Man is a reminder that these things are there not to drag me down and make me miserable. Instead, they are there to create perspective, wisdom, and strength, as well as to foster deeper roots within myself and my life with which to anchor me through the hardest parts, like a tree standing strong in a storm is anchored deep within the soil.

Learning lessons and learning different perspectives is not always pleasant. It’s painful and uncomfortable and extremely awkward. To me the Hanged Man is a representation of how these struggles hold immeasurable worth, if I’m willing to look beyond the discomfort to see what’s waiting there for me to learn.

 

December Story Time (Part 4 Continued from December 16th)

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The Light Seer’s Tarot Into the Sunset ( The Conclusion)

Indeed, the traveler does end up needing the dragon’s help along his journey, perhaps even more than the little dragon needs his.  She keeps his hopes and spirits high (Queen of Wands) when he feels despair that they will never get free of the woods (Three of Swords), and instead of being dependent upon him, she works with him (Three of Pentacles) to find their way through the dark tangle of foreboding shadows.

As they travel together they discover a vastness to the forest which hides many secrets (The High Priestess) and they discover that although dangerous, it is also a place of exploration and discovery (Three of Wands).

As the traveler becomes more and more comfortable in the forest, and less inclined to leave (Death), he and the dragon become a team, and develop the mastery of survival in among the trees (Eight of Pentacles).

The man discovers he is happy, and no longer feels the longing for the accolades he once craved (Six of Wands).  Instead, he he finds that the companionship of the dragon has created a sense of balance (Justice) and contentment (Ten of Pentacles) in his life.

He has learned that life is better with someone to love in it, and someone to love you in turn.  Solitary life may have its benefits, and may allow for the freedom to strive for certain goals, but when you find someone to share your life with, your outlook changes and so do your goals. (The Hermit)

DECK USED:  LIGHT SEER’S TAROT

 

 

 

#IAmAFortuneTeller (non) VR to Mary-Grace Fahrun

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Okay, so the Pagan Perspective is definitely on a holiday break.  So, I decided to do one of my (non)VRs today in place of a response to their regular videos.

One of my favorite content creators, Mary-Grace Fahrun, did a video on YouTube at the end of November about how she uses tarot and about the stigma behind the use of cartomancy for predictive readings. She included a tag for responses, and I very much enjoyed her video and wanted to do a response.

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Like Mary-Grace, I grew up with cartomancy. In my case it was Lenormand cards, then playing cards, and then tarot. In my experience, Lenormand in particular is all about handing you a roadmap of potholes along your path.

I don’t know where the judgement against predictive readings stemmed from, or why it is so prevalent among modern day readers, but it is very prevalent and highly frowned upon by a large majority of card readers out there.

Somewhere in my teens was when I ran into this issue.  I was told that 3rd party readings and predictive readings are ethically wrong, and for a while I fought against using the cards in that way… but honestly? I gave up on that rather quickly.

Interestingly, I am not as strong at reading the past as I am at reading the present and future.

Intuition is intuition, and that information is going to come through whether I want it to or not. So I had a good look at my own moral compass and values and decided that for me? Both 3rd party and predictive aspects are a part of it, or I don’t read cards… because it just comes naturally. And I sure as hell am not hanging up my decks!!

I honestly do not understand why it is considered taboo or why people look down their noses at readers that do fortune telling (predictive readings, telling the future, etc).  I’ve had people say it’s about clients seeing the predictions as written in stone, or taking away choice, etc.  But the fact is?   That is in the presentation, NOT in the predictive aspect.

Doing predictive readings requires the responsibility and sensitivity to make sure those you read for are aware of the fluidity of the future, and how even just having the reading can have the possibility of changing the results, because knowledge is power.  It requires empowering people, so that they can build the future that they want, and be prepared for what is coming.

Any tarot reader, no matter the type of readings they do, has the ability to take away people’s choices and diminish their power.  Not just during predictive readings.  You are tapping into their needs and wants, desires, fears, and the depths of their psyche.  And that requires sensitivity and respect and a sense of responsibility.

So yes… I am a fortuneteller.  I am not ashamed of that.  It’s how my intuition works and fighting against my intuition or ignoring my intuition’s voice is just… not the path for me.

 

Surprise Divination Activity

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I would like you to follow along and do this one in comments.

Intuition Exercise:   Let’s see how the new year will go. Set a music playlist to shuffle then select the 4th song. Listen to it, and use your intuition to pick up on any messages or imagery that sticks out. What song did you get and how do you think your new year will be based on what you picked up from the song?

Interpretation:  Nostalgic and conflicted. I have a lot of restructuring of methods and practices to do over the New Year. Changing gears is hard and it’s difficult not to fall back on old habits. The lessons I’ve learned over the past year have made it clear I need to change up how I’m doing things, though. It’s just not going to be easy.

This style of divination is called Shufflemancy.

Exercise Source: Discord (Server name withheld due to server rules.)