tarot of the hidden realm

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Sun

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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 below and the card(s) from your own decks). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - The Sun CardTarot of the Hidden Realm – Children touch upon an innocence that is often depicted in the Sun card in tarot, and here we see two that play together, a flower in full bloom and abundance of green giving an impression of success that is about happiness and the butterfly above their heads lends a carefree atmosphere to time spent together.  This card speaks of happiness being about those you spend time with and the joy found in abundance, camaraderie, and sharing rather than monetary values.

The Sun Card - Lonely Dreamer Tarot, Förhäxa Tarot, Autumn Miss Tarot

The Lonely Dreamer Tarot – Here in the imagery of this card that is a serenity provided in the pool of water the figure stands in and the reflection of her form upon its surface.  The pool is calm and smooth, and the form of the woman graceful as the sun overhead turns the water into pure gold. The imagery in this card speaks to me of success in its many forms.  Not everything has to be about excitement, optimism, and positivity. Sometimes it’s in our most calm and serene moments where we discover true value in ourselves and the world around us.

Förhäxa Tarot – In this imagery, an angel appears to reap energy from a forest fire’s blaze below.  This speaks to me of there being no energy ever wasted.  Even forest fires have their purpose, and that energy is not wasted either. There is mystery here, but also hope.  Strength, too.  This card says that failures are not always failures at all, but rather a plan that is simply beyond our ken put into action.  It encourages, optimism and asks us to reject pessimistic viewpoints for a more positive perspective.

Autumn Miss Tarot – This card’s imagery is the closest to the traditional RWS imagery, and it speaks to me not of fun… not of joy or of peace (for who in their right mind can be peaceful, optimistic, and joyful when riding a horse while without paints?)  Instead, it speaks to me of success earned through tenacity and hard work, and the celebration of that success (as seen in the flying of the red banner the figure holds and the clenched fist of the other hand).

DECK USED: THE LONELY DREAMER TAROT, FÖRHÄXA TAROT, AUTUMN MISS TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Magician

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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 cards(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - The MagicianTarot of the Hidden Realm – Right, so… Perfection, for me, is not complete without a flaw. This card is essentially the “flaw” in an otherwise perfect deck that makes the deck truly perfect.  (This deck is my “Soul Deck” and thus, perfect for me… not in general.)

I have issues with this Magician.  Issues! I tell you.  Because when I look at him? I see a porn star. A gigolo. A male whore.  That’s what I see, and I’m unable to see anything else.   So yes… he’s a man with all the tools (and what tools they are!) and all the skills as well. He’s ready to go, knows what he wants, and is not just well suited for his work but very good at it.  Interpreting this card leaves me with an awareness that not everyone’s goals and values are going to align with everyone else’s and sometimes you have to focus on what’s right for you and only you.

The Magician in the Four Twenty Tarot, Mystical Medleys Tarot, and Ema Poetica Tarot

Four Twenty Tarot – Classic imagery in a non-classic artform, the Magician in this card is empowered (and a bit baked) and has all the tools they need at their disposal including the four elements that lie on the table and the smoking pipe in her hand as well. Around her sprouts her desires, manifested into reality. I would see this imagery as encouragement to go after that which holds value to you, that you have all you need to accomplish what you want in life if you use your skills, abilities, and tools wisely.

Ema Poetica Tarot – All elements are again accounted for in this card, as is growth in the form of flowers, and the addition of an all-seeing-eye that speaks to me of a greater sense of awareness of the world around them than what is seen in the previous two cards. Not only is the Magician determined and equipped, but they are aware of the world at large and will see hurdles coming and adapt to them to ensure success.   I would read this card as a reminder that there is more to success than determination and skill, and that sometimes to obtain one’s goals we must look outside ourselves at what’s going on around us as well.

Mystical Medleys Tarot – Singular focus is the theme I see in this card.  There is still growth in the flowers at the Magician’s feet, and all the tools are there for his use.  But instead of looking -out- at the world, the eye in this card is the Magician’s head and it is singularly focused upon what he holds and what it can do for him.  Where the Ema Poetica card speaks of looking outward, this one speaks of bearing down one’s focus and buckling down for the effort it will take to manifest what they desire.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, FOUR TWENTY TAROT, EMA POETICA TAROT, MYSTICAL MEDLEYS TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Hanged Man

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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 below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?“

Tarot of the Hidden Realms - The Hanged ManTarot of the Hidden Realm – Eyes open and body relaxed, he hangs inverted and sees the world from this vantage point.  As the green grows up around him, coiling in his hair, a butterfly comes to whisper secrets for him to hear.    In this imagery I see patience, but also a hint of determination in his features. He does not hang for the heck of it, but with purpose.  He is a seeker, and he wants to see this alternate view. Thus, I would see this card as an encouragement to actively seek out new perspectives.

The Stormlight Archive Tarot, Darkened Dreams Tarot, The Kitchen Tarot

The Stormlight Archive Tarot – In this card the figure is bound by one wrist, pierced by an arrow, and run through by many blades, one of which also pierces through his free hand.  He hangs with his head bowed, brought to a knee in his pain, bound through not just ropes or twine, but by punishing pain as well.  As the Hanged Man, this card reminds me that the world looks different to everyone.  Chronic pain, pessimism, punishment, or misfortune can all create a skewed view of reality.  A skewed view we then carry with us as we move through life.  I see this card as a reminder that we must pull out the (metaphorical) blades that keep our past wounds open and raw so that we can heal and begin to rise, straighten from our kneel, and see the world from a better perspective.

Darkened Dreams Tarot – In the imagery of this card we see a figure that ascends as if defying gravity, their wrist anchored to a barren tree as they are pulled upward, defying gravity.  This imagery speaks to me of astral projection while the colors of the card speak to me of enlightenment.  As the body is anchored to a tree, it makes me wonder if it is not the tree’s soul that floats above, seeking new adventures and perspectives that it cannot experience when rooted to the ground. I see this card as an encouragement to explore and try new things, seek out new experiences and allow them to expand one’s perception of the world.

The Kitchen Tarot – In this deck, the Hanged One is named the Kitchen Timer with the added input of the words “miracle worker” etched into the arms of the chef with their third eye open and the other two eyes closed. There is something to be said for the old adage “time heals all wounds” and, in a way, this is true…. -if- you are willing to be open to the healing that time offers us.  I would see this card as an encouragement to wait.  To wait and to watch, and to keep an open mind.  Allow yourself to move past your own first impressions, and look deeper.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, THE STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE TAROT, DARKENED DREAMS TAROT, THE KITCHEN TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Temperance

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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 below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - TemperanceTarot of the Hidden Realm – For me this card’s imagery is all about gentle energy and a great deal of focus. She pours carefully, after all, in order to not spill a drop.  The dragonfly in the lower left corner speaks of change. I would read this card as a need to instill more patience and focus into one’s life, redirecting impatience and chaos into healthier and more peaceful alternatives.

Oriental Fantasy Tarot, Gold Moon Major Arcana, Il Meneghello's Tarocco Musica

Oriental Fantasy Tarot – The imagery in this card is closest to that of a standard RWS deck.  There is a balance between earth and water that speaks of connecting emotions to a grounded energy, creating a stability to the unpredictability of one’s emotions. The star in the sky offers guidance, while the budding tree behind the standing figure speaks of the sweet burst of new life beginning to awaken. The imagery here speaks to me about time, and how growth is not immediate but takes time to accomplish as well as a combination of different factors coming together to create the right environment for things to flourish.

Gold Moon Major Arcana – Here I do not see the “connection” aspect that I see in the Oriental Fantasy Tarot’s imagery. Nor the gentle touch that is seen in the Tarot of the Hidden Realm. Instead what I see is that the figure in the card seeks to connect to the viewer.

In the traditional tarot, as well as in the Hidden Realms deck, the figure connects to both earth and water through their feet, signifying a connection between two realms of experience. Here in this card’s imagery it is purely about moderation, steadiness, and balance as the figure pours water from one urn to another without looking… and, the glance towards the viewer seems to hold expectation, as if to say that the viewer also has the ability to use these traits when necessary.

Il Meneghello’s Tarocco Musica – This card is designed to be a of Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, where a knight battles a mysterious foe that he thinks is a known enemy, but who refuses to reveal their identity behind their armor until that foe is defeated and the knight then realizes he’s slain the woman he loves. In this operatic story, the woman is then baptized by her love just before her final breath. Knowing the source of the card and what it represents brings special meaning to this card for me and I would read this card as being a word of caution against assumptions and rash action.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, ORIENTAL FANTASY TAROT, GOLD MOON MAJOR ARCANA, IL MENEGHELLO’S TAROCCO MUSICA

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Hierophant

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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 below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden RealmTarot of the Hidden Realm – Here in this card I see a kind old man willing to guide and teach, but not with a strict demeanor.  Instead he nurtures our curiosity, provides us room to grow and guidance to keep us on the straight and narrow path as we explore and learn. He’s understanding, and willing to listen as well as to teach, and it is this energy that fills the card and any reading that this card would fall into.

The Hierophant in the Wandering Moon Major Aracana, Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Mara Lunne Tarot, Radiant Tarot, and Second Sight Tarot

The Wandering Echo Major Arcana – In this deck, the Hierophant is renamed the Teacher, and we see in the imagery the shifting grow of a moon from half to three-quarter and finally to full.  The keys in the half moon speak of the tools we have and the knowledge we must gain, where the development of the moon speaks of growing into our knowledge as we learn more and more until finally we come to a place where we have the keys needed to unlock the doors to even more knowledge… and still more to explore.

Mara Lunne Tarot – One of the more traditional imagery cards in those chosen for this activity, this card depicts the Hierophant as a robed religious figure with a halo of holy knowledge surrounding their head and a tomb in their hands. In this depiction I see peace and serenity. There are no harsh lessons here, only trust and guidance passed down from generation to generation, and entrusted to us to be passed down as well.

Second Sight Tarot – Although the imagery in this card is not as traditional as the one to either side of it, I see this one as far more leaning into the “atmosphere” of the traditional imagery in the RWS tarot. It is in the ruffled cuffs of the sleeve, and in the Marionite cross (which I believe was meant to be the Papal cross) which serves as an emblem for the office of the Pope in ecclesiastical heraldry.  This card speaks to me of stringent rules and rigid tradition.

Radiant Tarot – In this card we see the crow figure standing crowned and holding a key of knowledge. He is robed in red, speaking of knowledge and authority, and the head is turned to the past, speaking of knowledge that comes from the past through generations and traditions held in long standing.  This card speaks to me most strongly of tradition and knowledge that holds structure and formality, but is perhaps not quite as stringent as what is seen in the Second Sight Tarot card mentioned above.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, THE WANDERING ECHO MAJOR ARCANA, MARA LUNNE TAROT, SECOND SIGHT TAROT, RADIANT TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – Different Perspectives

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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 below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?”

Tarot of the Hidden Realm - Wheel of Fortune (aka Fortune Faery)Tarot of the Hidden Realm – In this imagery (not surprisingly), I see wishes and hope. In the golden glow and wistful expression there is hope for good things to come, and in the blowing purse of her lips and preparation to send seeds to fly is the wish she will use to give those hopes flight.

The thing is?  Wishes sometimes come true, but sometimes they don’t.  Blowing those seeds into the wind sets flight to one’s hopes and wishes, but it doesn’t guarantee results.

The Greater Secrets Tarot, Gravity Falls Major Arcana, The Orphans of Dudleytown Tarot

The Greater Secrets Tarot – (From the COTD reading I did on this card the other day.)

In the imagery of this card we see a representation of the three fates.

The idea of the three faiths that not everything is under our control, no matter how much we want it to be. Some things will be decided for us, depending on the situation and external forces. There’s nothing we can do about this except to be adaptable and prepared to adjust to what is thrown in our way upon our path by chance or fate.

Gravity Falls Major Arcana – The “shut your yap” in this card says it all for me where this card is concerned.  Well, that and the reference in the imagery back to the “Wheel of Fortune” game show. Here, again, I see an indication that being clever and making smart decisions can help to protect one from the fickleness of chance, but not mitigate it entirely. Sometimes you just have to accept what’s being dealt and deal with it.

Orphans of Dudleytown Tarot – Could you imagine the amount of balance it takes to ride one of those penny-farthing bikes?  It’s not as if you can stick out a leg to catch yourself if you begin to fall. It’s almost a unicycle.  Unicycle with training wheels, right?  What I see in this card is that when you take risks, there’s a chance you could fall down.  You have to make the decision for yourself if the risk is worth the chance you take or not.

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, ORPHANS OF DUDLEYTOWN TAROT, GRAVITY FALLS MAJOR ARCANA, THE GREATER SECRETS TAROT