storytelling

Weekly Creativity Prompt – How I Lost My Voice

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“Blurring the Lines” Creativity Prompt: “Choose a card to represent a real life experience that happened to you last year (any type of experience counts). Then, randomly draw two more cards, and use them to veer fact off into fiction and expand on your experience with a fictional extension, ending, or additional fictional details.”

Lovely Om TarotTen of Swords – A mighty crash as door frame and lock shatter.  A stranger within my home. A battle waged with ice pick against blade. Pain excruciating, and yet nothing at all, and in the end, the blade won. And then the pain went away and there was only peace, and silence, and stillness.

Six of Swords – Then came a stirring. A pull upon my soul. A glowing thread of comfort and need that drew me from that peaceful place. I followed the thread, seeking to sooth the ache of need felt as it drew me to its end. Bringing me forward through time and space to reunite with that familiar piece of me given to another… and more.

Two of Cups atop Queen of Cups – It lead me to my beloved, who grieved with all his heart.  And I knew that I couldn’t go back, and I couldn’t go forward either. I chose to stay here with him. To wait. To whisper comforting and loving words to him in his dreams and sit on his shoulder or tuck in just behind his ear, day in and day out, until he could eventually join me.

DECK USED: LOVELY OM TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Lovers

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Prompt: Pull the Lovers card from your deck(s). Compare the imagery between the Lovers card from the Tarot of the Hidden Realm and the Lovers card(s) from your own deck(s). Based off the imagery, how would you read them differently, and why?

The Lovers - Tarot of the Hidden RealmTarot of the Hidden Realm – There is a sweetness here, and a loving innocense.  This is the anticipation of first love with a moment’s hesitancy due to innocence.  There is trust in this moment and irresistable attraction. Here we see depicted a moment caught in time where a bridge is created between what once was… and what will be. A decision made that will forever change everything. How do you make the right choice? Where does the decision come from?

Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Eros Garden of Love Tarot, Blood Moon Tarot, Tarot de Maria Celia

Eros Garden of Love Tarot – So wrapped up in each other they can’t see the serphent tangled among them, here we see depicted the distraction that sex, attraction, and passion can become when one dives in care free and careless. Others watch on (the angel) but don’t interfere, like a friedn that wants to warn their friend that the “other half” is bad news but won’t because they either don’t want to butt in or fear damaging their friendship by pointing out the obvious. This card asks… what has your passion blinded you to? What warnings and dangers lurk that you are ignoring because you are too caught up in the moment?

Blood Moon Tarot – To me, this card is very reminiscent of the Tarot of the Hidden Realm’s Lovers card. The same irresistable draw of opposites, but with less innocence, and more passion with a gritty “tangled roots” sort of feeling. There is heat here in the connection between the two figures, familiarity and pulse fluttering intimacy, as well as a sharing of resources that speaks of nurturing energy, love, and care. Union flavored with passion, emotion, and support. Where in the Tarot of the Hidden Realm the card depicts a choice in the moment it is about to be made… here we see that choice made once and over again and again.

Tarot de Maria Celia – Let us not forget the Marseille depiction of the Lovers, which we see here in this card. A man and his bride stand together as a mother figure tries to pull him away.  Sometimes, this mother figure is an alluring “other woman” instead.  In both cases, this imagery is all about choices and making decisions that are best for you and alligned with your values and what you want in life. This imagery is asking if you are allowing yourself to be distracted from what is best and healthiest for you. Do you make the good choice? Or let distractions, temptations, and other influences pull you away and off this path you’ve invested in?

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, EROS GARDEN OF LOVE TAROT, BLOOD MOON TAROT, TAROT DE MARIA CELIA

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Memes Have It

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Prompt: Have you ever seen a meme and suddenly thought “This meme is such a Fool Card moment!”? This activity is based off of our love for the almighty meme and how we associate tarot with the world around us. Pick (or randomly draw) between three to five cards from your deck. For each card, pick (or find) a meme that you feel fits that card perfectly.

Shadowscapes Tarot, Joie de Vivre Tarot, Corinne Elyse Tarot, Modern Witch Tarot, Tarot Elements

DECK USED: SHADOWSCAPES TAROT, JOIE DE VIVRE TAROT, CORINNE ELYSE TAROT, MODERN WITCH TAROT, TAROT ELEMENTS

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Falling Apart

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Prompt: Draw (at least) three cards. Use them to tell us about a (real or fictional) winter night in the city.

The Grand Elixir TarotWalking in this old, worn neighborhood at night takes a certain amount of projected authority (The Emperor) to keep from being accosted… and a certain amount of disregard for one’s safety (The Lovers Rx) because it might just happen anyway.

What was once a lush and thriving beauty is now a crumbling shell of what once was (imagery for The World) as corruption took over to eat away at its core as crimes are committed and remain unsolved either through disinterest… or willful ignorance (Justice).

Sadly, there is no coming back from what it has become. In this neighborhood, there is no recovery to be had, for it goes beyond the cracked sidewalks and grime… the poison has gone root deep. Too much blood, and violence, and too many deaths. (The Tower)

And yet even in this place I see beauty (The Magician), for it is in the strength of those that live here (Strength) if for no other reason than they can’t afford to live anywhere else. I see it in their eyes as I pass them on the street while they avoid the darker shadows and hurry home, their heads down but the inner spark that lives within them shining with a hope that they can lift themselves and their children up to rise to something better (The Star).

DECK USED: THE GRAND ELIXIR TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Judgement

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Prompt: Pull the card from your deck(s) that matches the card posted below. Compare the imagery between the card provided and the card from your own deck. How would you read them differently and why? Share your card(s) with us and your interpretation differences between the imagery on them cards.

Tarot of the Hidden Spirit - Judgement - Life RenewedTarot of the Hidden Realm – There is more than rebirth in this card. There’s hope.  Hope in the features of the girl and in her seeking gaze, as well as in the delicate unfurling of the seedling in her hand. She offers new life, rich and tender, bright and strong.  New life that will grow into a mighty oak, strong and resilient, if given the chance.  In this card I see the promise of greatness… if we are willing to believe in it and foster it’s growth within us.

The Spacecaster Tarot, Irish Mythology Tarot, I 22 Arcani Fiabeschi

The Spacecaster Tarot – Maat’s scales lie in the background of this card, indicating that the imagery is about being a good person, for it is only then that one’s heart can be weighed against a feather and come out on top. In the foreground, two figures with multiple eyes tell us that we are always watched, and there is nothing you can hide from your own heart. This card asks… What are you doing that is a weight on your heart? Stop pretending it is okay, listen to your heart and make the reparations necessary to lift that weight.

Irish Mythology Tarot – [The oghams on the sides of this card read Nuada.] Depicted in this card is Nuada Airgetlám, a king that lost his arm and his throne, only to be given a new arm by the gods and come back to reclaim his throne once more. It is a story of redemption and homecoming. In this card I see a message that speaks of what you’ve lost along the way on life’s path. What has been left behind that, if reclaimed, can make you feel whole once more?

I 22 Arcani Fiabeschi – Here we have a very classical image of the judgment card, but instead of the figures below looking up towards Gabriel who’s blowing his horn to call them home, they are focused on each other. The figures below are so focused on the physical world around them, that they discount the spiritual side of themselves and of life. This card begs the question… what elements of life are you ignoring that would help you to develop into the person that you want to be?

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, THE SPACECASTERS TAROT, IRISH MYTHOLOGY TAROT, I 22 ARCANI FIABESCHI

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Product Review

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Prompt: The Christmas season is at an end, and after Christmas day, I’m sure we’re all ready for a bit of peace and quiet.  For this prompt, I challenge you to draw (at least) three cards, and use them to write up the funniest (or worst) product review ever. Then share your cards as well as the product review that inspired them!

Fungjai TarotDear Sir or Madam,

[ The Hierophant ]

When I purchased your product, I was under the impression that it would be a sweet treat that would lift my spirits and be something I could enjoy on the road. I do a great deal of driving in my work, and it’s difficult to find snacks that can be left in the car year round without spoiling.

While I cannot deny that these candies are quite delicious, I believe you may wish to remove them from the market and I am asking for a refund as well as payment for damages. Let me explain…

[ King of Pentacles ]

I started my day at 7am, with a route that would take me through rural areas before heading over the mountain pass about midday. I had my first candy around 10am, and another a few minutes later.

At this time, I was thrilled with my purchase, and considered when I might have the opportunity to order more.

On the way up the pass, I ate a couple more. They really are quite delicious. Just the right amount of sweetness. At lunch time, I pulled into a rest stop to eat, and after, I had another candy.

[ The Chariot ]

It was soon after this that things took a turn. I started to feel a horrible cramping sensation in my gut. As you might imagine, a snowy mountain pass is not a convenient place to need to use the facilities.

Quickly, this cramping then turned into a rumbling, and it soon became apparent I was not going to make it back to civilization unsoiled if I did not pull over!

I pulled over and got out, and hid in the ditch behind my truck to put myself out of my misery.

I then proceeded to have the most explosive evacuation in my life. This lasted for so long that I was quite certain I would pass out and die of exposure.

[ The Emperor ]

When it was over, I stood up only to find a cop had pulled in behind me and had watched the entire thing. I was issued a $980 ticket fir public exposure and malicious mischief. Absolutely the most expensive shit I’ve ever taken.

From there, things only went down hill, and I am not referring to the road.

I sincerely feel that the Ex-Lax Candy Company should take full responsibility for this entire mess including the replacement of clothing worn that day and reupholstering of my truck seat. Please see the enclosed documents for remittances.

DECK USED:  FUNGJAI TAROT