tarot

Ethony’s 31 Days of Tarot 2019 (Part 6)

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hermit

Okay! It’s time for another installment of Ethony’s 31 Days of Tarot challenge.

  1. What cards relate to you personally. NOT just your astrology association or court cards.
    I skipped this question last time, because I struggled with it a bit. That is because I relate to all of the “pip” cards in the deck. That is the whole point of the tarot’s minor arcana, actually, and especially in the case of the pips. So, I guess if I had to choose just one that I relate to the most, it would be the Two of Pentacles. In relation to me personally, it is all about the juggling of responsibilities, wants, needs, goals, home, work, etc. It’s that constant, never ending effort towards balance.
  1. What Tarot deck do you wish you could get into or vibe with but just can’t and why? (this is not an opportunity to deck or deck creator bash it is more about how we all work with different decks and like different things.)
    Marseilles decks. Which is odd, because I read playing cards just fine, and I love historical style decks. I love the aesthetic of Marseilles style decks as well, and yet for some reason I have a really difficult time connecting with them.
  2. How do you pick your Tarot decks for readings?
    I find that certain decks are “workhorse” decks, and are good at just about everything. But, I have found that in most cases, some decks just ‘read’ better at one or two things. It comes down to the the feeling that each deck has a tone and a voice that is uniquely theirs. You wouldn’t want someone snarking comforting words at you… and you wouldn’t enjoy a soft comforting voice when what you really need is someone smacking you upside the head to light a fire under your ass. It’s like that.
  3. What is your ‘go-to’ Tarot book and why?
    You know… this used to be 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack, but ever since I’ve started using the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, I’ve begun using that guidebook (Journey Into the Hidden Realm by Barbara Moore) to add new, interesting perspectives on different decks.
  4. How do you feel about Tarot deck modification? Do you draw on your decks? Trim the borders or is it a no go for you and why?
    I think this is pretty obvious from other posts on this blog, but I’m all for it. I don’t alter all my decks, but sometimes it helps me in connecting to a deck. For me, the modifications I do are primarily edging decks to make them feel a bit more “finished”, and trimming decks if the borders are distracting (or detracting) from the artwork or message. There have been a few decks I’ve chosen to trim as well, simply because they were too damn big. Usually, though? There’s other compounding factors involved that bring me to that decision.
  5. Do you carry out predictive Tarot readings? Yes, no, why?
    Yes, and no. I do occasionally read predictively, with the caveat that nothing in the future is ever written in stone until it has come to pass. So anything predictive that I might see in the cards is more about trajectories and energy flow than actual set-in-stone.
  6. What question/s do you most often ask the Tarot? (for yourself and for others)
    My daily pull is a request for “a positive message to carry with me throughout the day and provide perspective”. That is the exact wording of the query. Another question I often ask is along the lines of “what do I need to focus on in the ______ ahead?” The time frame changes, as does whether it’s a time frame, an event, or an occasion. Back when I read for others, the most common questions had to do with love and relationships, as my observation is that most people seeking the advice of a reader on this topic are either lonely, or miserable.

And that’s all 31 questions! Tada! This post is Part 6, and the final installment for Ethony’s 31 Days of Tarot challenge. Here is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5 for easy reference.

I’ll be starting another quiz very soon. They do a lot of them on YouTube, and although I don’t make videos, I do like the whole “quiz” and “getting to know you” aspect of participating here on my blog.

Ethony’s 31 Days of Tarot 2019 (Part 5)

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Tarot cards mystical background. Senior card lovers.

Returning again today to Ethony’s 31 Days of Tarot challenge.   I’m having a bit of trouble with question #18, so I’m going to skip it for the moment, and move on to the next, then revisit the one I’m struggling with at a later date.

  1. If you were shipwrecked on an desert island, which five tarot or oracle decks would you want to have with you and why.
    Well, the Tarot of the Hidden Realm is a given. The way I connected with that deck is just remarkable and I wouldn’t want to leave it behind.
    My very newly modified Sacred Circle Tarot, as well, is now (after the modifications) one that I’ve found myself really connected to and would like to bring along.
    Any one of my “classic” Waite/Smith decks (Radiant Rider Waite, Universal Waite, Original Rider, Smith-Waite Centennial) because the versatility is a must.
    The Blue Owl Lenormand because of our history and familiarity (using this deck is just like coming home).
    And… hm. The Roots and Wings Oracle, I think. It’s pretty new to my collection, but it works well with every deck that I’ve paired it with thus far.
  2. What is your favorite Tarot Spread at the moment?
    I just recently did a re-create on my deck interview spread, and I’m very happy with it. It’s a nine-card spread with room for jumper cards to add additional input when they show up. I’m so happy with it, in fact, that I’ve recently begun the process of re-interviewing all my decks. This, of course, is going to take a good deal of time.
  3. Do you use the Tarot for mediumship readings? Why or why not? If no, would you like to?
    No. I’m very much of the mind that this isn’t the kind of thing I would like to open myself up to, even with a intermediary (the cards) there as a buffer. Whether or not I even have the ability is not something I have an interest in exploring.
  4. Where is one place in the world you would love to read the Tarot and why? It could be a sacred site, event, mystical shop, anything.
    I never really thought of tarot as a travel companion for reasons explained in my previous post. My answer to this would be in the depths of the Olympic Rainforest… in the rain. Obviously, tarot cards are not water proof so that would be a bad idea, although I did recently find a couple decks that are so it may be a possibility in the future.
  5. What is your most sassy Tarot deck, what is your most gentle Tarot deck? Why did you pick these decks?
    My Eight Coins Tattoo Tarot has a mouth on her. She’s very blunt and snippy, and very picky about how she’s used. For the most gentle deck, it’s a tie between the Mesquite Tarot and the MoonChild Tarot. Both are equally gentle, but the moon child is a better communicator where as the Mesquite has more of a “shy” voice. The gentlest deck I’ve ever handled, though, isn’t a part of my collection. It belongs to my sister. That would be the Soul Cards Tarot.
  6. What Tarot card do you feel is the most misunderstood and why?
    I imagine my answer is pretty standard for most tarot readers, but it’s the Death card. It seems whenever it comes up people that are unfamiliar with the tarot always immediately have that “oh shit” reaction. The death card is so much more about organic change than some horrible omen from beyond, but you can’t convince a lot of people of that it seems.
    Another, I’ve found, is the Tower card. This one, a lot of people even familiar with seem to not fully appreciate the Tower. It’s not all doom and gloom, and much good can come from the chaos the card indicates. I see people often given pause, though, when it appears. As if its presence jerks them out of their flow.
  7. Do you have any Tarot self-care rituals that are only for your personal practice?
    Yes. I have a Saturday check-in spread that I do each week to help in reconnecting myself to… myself. It includes ritual bathing and meditation, followed by a time bonding with the deck I’m using at the moment and then drawing the spread and journaling it afterward.

So far, this is Part 5 of the series. Here is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 for easy reference.

I’ll make another post in a few days to continue on with more questions in the challenge.

Together is Better

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and eleven seconds, and took place in the dentist’s chair while waiting for the oral surgeon to come in and check on my progress.  It was surprisingly relaxing, considering where it took place.   And, just sayin’?  Air conditioning is a wonderful thing.

Today’s draw is the Two of Cups, which is a representation of duality, cooperation, and a collaboration in the area of emotions, creativity, and relationships.

The Two of Cup’s appearance today is all about us and the new energy we’re putting into our relationship.  It’s about our opposites joining to create something better.  Something healing and heart warming and good.

I’ve very much been enjoying the extra time we’ve been spending together lately.  It feels good on the inside in those places within myself that I usually disregard or outright ignore.  I’m positive that you feel the same.

Our time together touches on just not the heart, emotions, and relationships, but also has a direct correspondence to how we spend our time.   The writing we do and the play we enjoy together is first and foremost how we foster the deep connection between the two of us, but by the sheer nature of how we spend that time, a creative endeavor as well.

By blending all of these elements together, this is where we are… and it is where we’re at our best and most harmonious.

I love you.

What the Heart Wants

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and six seconds, and focused on stillness and silence.  Specifically, it focused on the restorative power of having a moment of silence.  How this moment can refresh you and help you recover from the cacophony of everyday life. 

The meditation included not so much following the breath, but focusing upon the moment of pause between the inhales and exhales.    I found this practice very relaxing.

Today’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is an indication of determination, energy, and strength in the area of emotions, creativity, and relationships.  This is a card of purpose and movement, and as such, it speaks of being lead by the heart to make changes and move away from the things that are not working for you.

The Eight of Cup’s appearance today has spurred me to sit down and look at what isn’t working for me.   I look around and I find myself dissatisfied, but it has taken a good deal of time to realize that the dissatisfaction hinted at inside has to do with the mess I am surrounded in.

Running a business from home is a messy thing, especially running a creative business.  Yes, I know where everything is, but there’s stuff…. everywhere.  Piled on the coffee table, stacked on flat surfaces around the house. It’s become a bit stressful, actually.

I think it’s time to start looking at a new system.  Or perhaps just altering and refining the system I currently have.   Things have gotten a bit out of hand and it’s time to clean up, clear up the chaos, so that my creativity can flow more smoothly.

Within the same theme, yet on a different thread, the Eight of Cups speaks to me in another way as well.    I really enjoyed our time together last night.   The amount of separation lately has been difficult for you, and it’s not working for me either.  I woke up feeling so much better internally this morning, and I could trace that feeling back to you.

I feel I need to move towards finding a better way to manage my time and activities so that we can have some more time together.  I’ve had some false starts and tripped over my feet a few times on this since emerging from my depression this spring.   I am determined to make this change, though.   I miss you.  I miss our time together.  Not that we don’t get time now, but…. it’s not enough.

Getting in Touch with Responsibilities

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes and six seconds, and focused on the practice of Metta. This is mantra meditation, where you focus your mantra upon yourself first, and then picture a recipient in your mind to focus it out ward upon them. For example, today’s mantra was “May I be happy. May I be well. May I be safe. May I be at peace.”

I directed this mantra, when it was time to do so, to you. After our conversation yesterday, it feels like these ‘blessings’ are something that you are in need of right now, and I hope the energy that I directed your way helps you in finding that happiness, wellness, safety, and peace that you felt lacking in last night.

Today’s card is the fourth card of the Major Arcana, The Emperor. As with all Major Arcana cards, this card is focused on “the big picture” instead of smaller factions of the human experience.

The Emperor is a “father figure” card of responsibility, authority, and goals pertaining to the “greater good”.

The appearance of the Emperor in today’s draw ties into the readings I did yesterday for my Self-Care work, as well as the morning’s daily draw. The emerging theme of yesterday’s readings was one focused on compassion, and yesterday’s draw was Temperance.

The Emperor requires both of these to bring about positive consequences and be the embodiment of a just, fair, and balanced authority. He is focused on what is important to him, what he values most, rather than on the new and the frivolous.

This is a continuation of yesterday’s lesson, and a reminder to focus on the now. The Emperor card is pointing out that my actions and their consequences affect more than just myself, and to pay heed to this when considering my future actions.

Moderation is The Key

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes in length, and focused on enlightenment.  During the guided meditation, it discussed how when one seeks enlightenment, you will never find it, for you cannot “be complete” if you are still searching.  Ie: if you are always reaching for more than where you currently are, you are not fully in the moment of the present.

Today’s draw is the fourteenth card of the Major Arcana, the Temperance card.  As with all the cards of the Major Arcana, this card deals with “the big picture” rather than any one aspect of life.

The Temperance card is about balance.  It is about being rooted and patient, at one with the ebb and flow of life.  It is about balance and moderation.

I’m still having a small bit of a problem getting my “creature comfort spending” under control, and the Temperance card has appeared to let me know that a part of finding that control in this area involves finding balance in all areas.

Stop fighting.  Stop struggling.  Stop reaching.  There is no pitting one side against the other, as when they are in true balance, they are equal.  The Temperance card says that I can have my cake and eat it to, but only if I do so in moderation.