#MyTop5Faves a (non) VR to The Hermit’s Cave

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This is a reply to Simon’s newest hashtag over at The Hermit’s Cave on YouTube.   His question was what are your ultimate favorite Tarot, Oracle, Lenormand, and Playing Card decks… plus a wild card number five.   For his wild card, Simon introduced his favorite crystal, and I will be using that as my wild card as well.

Please keep in mind that some of these will change over time.  Others have been the same answer for years and years.

So, here we go….

Tarot of the Hidden Realm Favorite Tarot Deck — The Tarot of the Hidden Realm by Julia Jeffrey and Barbara Moore. This became my favorite from the moment it came out of the box.  It was much different than any tarot I’d owned to date, and when I ordered it, I wasn’t entirely sure how I would click with it.   As soon as the deck arrived and I opened the box and got the cards in my hands, though, all those worries disappeared.

I connect in a deep and profound way with the artwork in these cards.  The deck feels perfect, from the way they shuffle and fit in my hands to the artwork on the cards, and even the accompanying guidebook, which I see as more of a book of short stories than a guidebook.  I just love them.  In fact, I just recently bought a back-up set in case anything ever accidentally happens to the set I currently use.

Favorite Oracle Deck — For oracle decks, I’ve really found that it changes regularly. I have a “primary deck” for both tarot and oracle that I change out each month.   I might use others during the month as well, but these decks are my “deep dive” type of decks where I spend the majority of my time with them specifically.   I’ve found that whatever oracle deck I’m using during this time?   That ends up my favorite… at least until the next month comes along.

Flora Healing CardsCurrently, I’m combining the Flora Healing Cards and the Fauna Inspiration Cards (both by Phoebe Hunt and Rebecca Lefebvre) into one deck and using that as my oracle for the month of July.  These are beautiful cards filled with flora and fauna in watercolor imagery and include the elemental affinities on the top of each card as well.  On the back of the cards is a paragraph that explains the significance and guidance for the fauna or flora represented on the front.   I really like these.   They are not the normal gloss card stock, but something softer, which means you have to be a bit more careful with them than most decks, but surprisingly I don’t mind it with these decks, in fact…. it sort of “fits” really well.

1889 LenormandFavorite Lenormand Deck — This was difficult, but I think my favorite of all time is the 1889 Lenormand by Jennifer Sager.   I like the earthy colors and the artwork that is both soft and yet very clear at the same time.  It has that “old time” feel of the Lenormand decks I grew up with, but with a hint of modern style.

I have a feeling this will change if I can ever get my hands on a copy of Kelly Fitzgerald’s Story in Color Lenormand.  I’ve yet to get this deck into my collection, and it is not traditional imagery for the Lenormand by any means, but there is something about the images that I’ve seen that makes me think it will end up being a favorite for me.

Favorite Playing Card Deck — The Daydreams expansion pack of the Dixit Cards. They are not a regular playing card decks, but they are game card decks, which I personally use as intuitive oracle decks.  So maybe these should have gone up in the Oracle section?

Faunae Playing Cards Playing cards as in poker decks?  This one is slated to change very, very soon… but at the moment it is the Aqua and Creme playing cards put out by Bicycle (and are notoriously difficult to photograph), which I think might be out of print now, but can still be found on eBay from time to time.  I like them because I find the colors (as well as the distressed look of them) very soothing.   I say that they are is slated to change very soon, though, because I have backed a Kickstarter deck called the Faunae Playing Cards, and I have a feeling once I have them in my hands I am going to be enamored.

Labradorite Palm Stone The Wild Card — Favorite Crystal — Labradorite has been my favorite crystal for as long as I can remember.   I connect really well with the energy of this stone (at least, as long as I avoid putting it on my forehead during meditation).  I find labradorite to be very soothing for me, and often meditate with a piece resting at my solar plexus, which can ease anxiety when I’m having issues in that department.  I’m a big fan of the large palm stones in particular, as I like that sense of “weight” with this stone, more so than any other.

 

 

Old Habits Die Hard

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and fifty six seconds, and focused on dealing with failure.  Everyone deals with failure from time to time, and the key to moving past it is to look at failures as a lesson to be learned, rather than internalizing failure into a reflection of you and your worth.

My mindset on doing something… anything, really, is that I will push myself as hard as I can.  Try my best to do the very best that I can.   That way, IF I end up failing, I can’t look back and say “Well, that was a waste of time.  I could have done better.”     Instead, when I fail, I can look back and see where I can improve and either make changes to my approach the next time or accept that perhaps what I was striving for just wasn’t meant for me.    Because I gave it my all, there is no doubt that I “could have done better” somehow.  I know that I did my best.

I think if more people looked at things in this way, there would be far less people out there “half assing” shit.  And far less people putting themselves down when they eventually fail at something.

This isn’t to say that I don’t get bummed sometimes when I stumble across failure.  I do.  But it’s extremely rare that I internalize it as a reflection on me on a personal level.

In the guided meditation, failure was presented as an opportunity for growth, but also as something you separate yourself from (much like rejection was approached in a recent Supportive Tarot topic).   In this approach, you work to view failure not as a reflection on YOU personally (ie: your personality or worth), but rather a failure of the method.

Today’s draw is the Knight of Cups, which is a representation of a projective beta energy, personality, or person in the area of emotions, relationships, intuition, and creativity.

A lot of times in readings I see this card as the charmer in the bar, full of flattery and lacking substance.  Or rather, his aim in the moment lacks substance, right?  He’s not after the long term, he just wants to feel good and in the process, his emotional manipulations and machinations will make -you- feel good too… for the time being, anyway.

This card, of course, represents far more than that, and I don’t think that is the message in the card today.

Today, the Knight of Cups is telling me to get in touch with my emotions.  Emerging from the subdrop, sometimes I find myself backsliding into  my old stand-by habits of closing myself off emotionally.    Today’s card is a reminder to actively keep an eye on this and stay open… to you, to others, and to the world at large.

 

 

An Appreciative Mindset

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and thirty eight seconds long, and focused on getting the most out of your meditation practice by carrying it beyond just those few minutes in which you are with in meditation.

This involves the practice of taking a moment just to stop and “smell the roses” and be mindful of where you’re at during the day, or perhaps using breathing techniques during times of stress in order to retain some semblance of calm.

The fact is, if you are meditating on a regular basis and not feeling as if you are making any progress… chances are you have not carried your practice beyond just that time spent meditating. In order to get the most out of one’s meditation practice, it is necessary to take what is learned within your daily practice out into the world with you on the day to day.

Today’s draw is the Three of Cups, which is a representation of harmony, collaboration, communication, cooperation, and “good times” in the area of emotions, intuition, creativity, imagination, and relationships.

The Three of Cups is a”live in the moment” card. It is all about finding that “groove” with others and reveling in it.  In fact, it has a bit of a hint of revelry to it all on its own.

The appearance of the Three of Cups in today’s draw is a reminder to be grateful for what I have and relish the present.   It speaks of appreciating not just the situation of the now, but also the people I am surrounded with and share my life with, collaborate with, and spend time with.

 

#HowITarot a (non) VR to the Three Fat Readers

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RWSfan
Another tarot quiz, this time from the Three Fat Readers YouTube channel.

The Questions:

1. What sparked your interest in tarot? (Tarot beginnings, tarot origin)

As I’ve explained in a previous post or two, I was gifted the Gypsy Fortune Cards when I was around the age of nine or ten. I was then, in the next few years, given a number of Lenormand decks. This is the foundation of my practice with oracle themed cards.

In my mid/late teens, I then was exposed to the Rider Waite Smith system, and I really liked the vast amount of symbolism and imagery in the cards. I then picked up my first deck at a metaphysical shop in Seattle. My second deck outside the Lenormand system was a playing card deck of casino cards from The Mirage in Las Vegas. It was with this deck that I learned the numerology behind the RWS system. From there, I then received the 1971 Rider Tarot.

2. Do you only use tarot in your readings or do add in other forms of divination? (What are they)

Lenormand. Playing Cards. Tarot with Oracle cards as clarification, as long as the Oracle is a balanced deck (not just light and positive). I also use oracles for certain spots in a spread now and then, but I see the single dimensional Oracles (positive and light oracles) as more for affirmations and meditation, though, and not for readings.

Lets see… what else. Pendulums. Casting charms. And I would like to learn runes. Linette does tea leaf readings.

3. Are you a “psychic” or a card reader?

Intuition from the imagery, with a foundation of basic card meanings.  I lean heavily on intuition over basic card definitions, but I look at both when doing a reading and follow my gut on what feels like the right message, or if both need to be taken into account.

I wouldn’t call this method psychic, but I wouldn’t classify it as a basic “card reader” either.

4. Do you use tarot for anything other than readings? (Spells, altar cards, display as art, gifts)

Absolutely. I do a daily positivity pull each day to assist me in battling my depression and keeping it at bay.  I sometimes scan cards and print them smaller to put in my tarot journal. I often use extra cards in decks as bookmarks. I’ve rarely used them for spell castings, but I have from time to time if I feel it’s called for. In some cases, this has permanently damaged the cards, though.

5. Have you ever taken a break from Tarot? If yes, why?

I have. In fact I’ve taken a break from my spirituality practice as a whole on more than one occasion. Usually, it’s during a time when life is overwhelming, although I’ve recently come to realize that I cope better during those times if I do not abandon my practice, so I will be striving to make this change in the future.

6. If you could live in any tarot card from the RWS which would it be?

I don’t think I can choose just one, so I have three.

The Nine of Pentacles, because there is an abundance and peace within the depiction of the card and a communion with nature.

Seven of Pentacles, because I like hard work, and I like even better that feeling of accomplishment that comes when you start to see the fruits of your labors coming into fruition. I mean, come on, the guy’s working in a garden.

The Two of Wands. There’s a hint of station to the card, which to me represents a certain financial security. Add to that the world in his hands and the grounding of the wands to the earth. It seems like a very good place to be to me.

7. Do you use the tarot in a predictive way? Do you predict the future?

I’m not sure I would call it “predicting the future” so much as reading the possibilities and interpreting trajectories. As in, the cards indicate that this is the path you are on and where the energies are leading you.

Awareness and choice can then change that trajectory. If you make changes and still end up there, I don’t think it was so much that I predicted the future as that the result is about a lessons you needed to learn.

For me, divination is an exploration of possibilities and trajectories, with the opportunity for changing the outcome. It is not the same as prophesy or fate, both of which come from a place of receiving messages and/or direction from beyond.

8. Intuitive, wrote, classic, modern, mix?

I guess that I’d say it’s mix with heavy on the intuition.

I think this question is very similar to the #3 question.  I was taught to read Lenormand intuitively. When I then started learning the RWS, I pushed myself to learn and memorize the card meanings. But, in the end, I came to realize that although the base knowledge is a good foundation, it’s intuition that really speaks to me first in most readings.

The exception to this is when I’m reading playing cards and/or the Tarot de Marseilles decks.  Then I end up depending more heavily on the numerological interpretations and definitions.

9. What are your most consistent Tarot habits?

My daily draw for positivity that I use for mental health reasons. I do this consistently during my morning devotional.  I request a positive message to carry with me throughout my day and foster perspective, and I then blog my interpretation of this card’s positive message here on my blog to share with you.

Weekly check-ins on Saturday as part of my self care.

I also regularly do readings and spreads on holidays, full moons, new moons, and at the beginning of each year.

10. Do you see Tarot as a magickal tool, a spiritual tool, a psychological/self-help tool, something else? All of the above?

All of the above. As a magickal tool, it is excellent for use in setting intention.  As a spiritual tool it assists in communicating with the energies of the nature, the universe, the all, etc.  In the areas of psychology and self-help, the cards are excellent for communicating with your intuition and your inner voice, as well as in shadow work and in combating issues such as anxiety and depression with the daily draw practice.

In truth, the tarot decks are a tool and their uses are as vast as the array of different people that use them.

11. Do you ‘collect’ Tarot decks? Why or why not?

Good f’king god, yes. I collect tarot decks. I do not just collect them willy nilly, though. (Like that word? LOL)  The imagery has to speak to me in some way for me to be interested in owning it.

I DO have a small collection of decks that do NOT speak to me, that I’m on the fence for what I’m going to do with them as yet.

12. Do you have an aesthetic when it comes to the types of decks you enjoy? If so, what is it?

Absolutely, although I’m not sure I can define it.   The fact that you and I are in agreement on the artwork presented on certain decks (whether we both love it or hate it) makes it clear that I absolutely -do- have a certain aesthetic.

I guess I would say that it’s a combination of earthy, traditional with a hint of historical vintage, colorful without being garish or abrasive, a good balance of warm and cold colors, and not too “messy”.  I am sometimes attracted to a bit of fantasy, as long as it’s not too fluffy and froufrou, and I sometimes like a cartoony aesthetic now and then as long as it isn’t too childish or too explicit.

I am not attracted to angels and goddess themes.

13. Do you personify your deck?

Definitely. I don’t give them names and think of them as people, mind you.   But I DO associate personalities to the decks based on how they feel to me, as each one speaks to me differently and they have differences in what I feel they work best for depending on how I relate to each one.

 

The ‘Us’ Card

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Today’s meditation was 10 minutes long, and focused on making a choice to reside in the present and mindful in the moment, rather than allowing future worries and concerns or past traumas to pollute your mind and emotions with stress and anxiety.

Sometimes, in the face of stress over the future, we forget just how sweet the current moment is.   Today’s meditation was a reminder to stay mindful of the present and don’t get carried away with things that are either already over, or have not even come yet into existence.

Today’s draw is the Three of Pentacles, which is a representation of collaboration, cooperation, and the small gains and growth in the area of the physical world, finances, manifestation, and resources.

The Three of Pentacles reminds me of our relationship.  Not that there are three people in our relationship, but rather that there are three entities… the you, the me, and the us.

This is not the suit of emotions and relationships, mind you.   That would be the suit of Cups.  But, I feel that this suit fits our relationship better.  For me, our relationship isn’t based on emotions.   I’m not saying that love and emotions are not there, as they absolutely are.  I’m saying that our relationship feels like home.  Solid.  Substantial. Supportive. Stable.  All of these are a reflection of the suit of Pentacles, and that, to me, is where our relationship resides.

The Three of Pentacles speaks of how differences come together to create something better, collaborating in a way that each side contributes its own particular brand of expertise to the whole.   The you, the me, and the us.

Each on our own are forces to be reckoned with, and we are both very, very different.  But, what we have built together is also its own thing.  It is “US” and that, too, is powerful and strong in its own right.  It is the blend of two that creates something with a life of its own.  Our life.

Today’s appearance of the Three of Pentacles isn’t a lesson, but simply a reminder to appreciate the us… and the you… and the me.   All three distinctive factors, unique and essential in their own right, that when combined together create something bigger and more beautiful than any one could have done on its own.

I love you.

 

Be a Nice Boy

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on clarity of the senses.

This is the conscious act of taking time to pay attention to both the world around you and your own body, rather than allowing disinterest to muffle the things that you are experiencing.

This is especially important when feeling like the world is a drab and boring, and there is nothing new of interest to capture and hold one’s attention. At these times a lot of people take trips or go on vacations, but that really isn’t necessary in order to refresh one’s view of the world. What is needed is to focus on and appreciate the little things. That is what clarity of the senses is all about.

Bearing down on the little details, sort of like putting on a new pair of glasses after getting a new prescription, allows you to see things from a new perspective and appreciate the complexity and beauty of even something so small as a crack in the pavement.

This is along the same theme as yesterday’s forest bathing, although you are taking this awareness with you back into your regular life rather than leaving it behind in the forest.

Today’s draw is the Five of Wands and the 15th card in the Major Arcana, the Devil card. No the card is a jumper, as they both came out together.

The Five of Wands is a representation of struggle and strife, tests and trials, harshness, discord, and conflict in the area of one’s ambitions, drive, willpower, and passion.

The Devil card is a representation of temptation and the shadow self. This card, like all major arcana cards, does not represent a certain aspect of life but rather the larger picture as a whole.

As part of the subdrop, I found myself with a tendency to feel a bit snippy this morning when interacting with other people. Today’s draw is a reminder that this temptation will only lead to conflict, and seeking out conflict… or inspiring conflict, will only lead to a crappier day and the emergence of more of my shadow self self.

This is a cycle that will continuously feed upon itself. It is a cycle that I need to be aware of today, so that I can avoid it and have a more pleasurable day, as well as to avoid affect other’s days in a negative way.