What is divination?

[The following reflection was prompted by a discussion in the Aeclectic Tarot Forum. It's not meant to be conclusive.]

Some people say that divination is about, as the name says, purely "connecting with the divine" in order to gain information. 

I feel unsure about this definition, because many times in my life I have struggled to trust in a all-seeing and ever wise "divine", such as Guides, Angels, Deities, Spirits, or a Higher Self etc. I prefer to think that everything around us is divine because... well, it is all there is, isn't it? It's the grand mystery of which we are a part, but that none of us can fully understand, envision or explain. But I can't decide yet whether I believe that there is a greater intelligence guiding our steps or not.

That said, I do think divination is like having a map.

Reading the map will show you what to expect in your path, which way is better, which one is easier, which one is more difficult... It'll help you plan ahead. But it'll not show you every bump on the road, every dangerous curve, every choice you'll need to make. And it'll not show you your whole path - a map, after all, is just the limited snapshot of one single moment in space and time.

Some people spend too much time reading the signs, but do not enjoy the trip.

Divination, in my opinion, is best used when it helps you to make informed changes and decisions. And also, when it gives you the chance to ask yourself why you are chosing one path and not the other, thus making you more conscious of your own inner and outer processes.

It's not meant to replace life. It's not meant to protect you from it. The future shown in the cards is not meant to replace the present - it's meant to help you to understand what you are creating now.

Ultimately, the present is the only time that ever really matters.

WHR - A quick relationship reading.

I received a new oracle last week, called the Wisdom of the Hidden Realms, by Colette Baron-Reid. I had known the deck for a while, but I was afraid that it was yet another Doreen Virtue-ish fluffy deck. To my surprise, it's not. I saw Colette using this deck in a video, and decided it was worth adding to my collection.

After a month of wait, here it is!

I did not have time to play with it during this week because I was oh-so-busy, but today I took it out with me and used it to give a 3-card reading for a friend, S.. She complains that her relationship with her significant other has become stale, and that they have 'lost' their connection over the last few months. She wants to do something about it, so we asked the cards what should she do about this relationship.

In the Wisdom of the Hidden Realms, upright cards are allies, whereas reversed cards are challengers. In this reading, The Rainbow Prince is upside down, telling that in the past S. has perhaps given too much of herself to this relationship, and is now wondering why did she bother. It didn't make anything better in her view. It may also suggest that in a more recent past she stopped giving, and then the link between her and her partner weakened.

The Resting Tree advices that right now is not the moment to do anything. That she needs to let things develop according to their own rhythm, let herself rest and don't worry so much about making a decision. With The Swan Queen as the possible future of this matter, this idea of patience becomes even stronger. Things won't change overnight, and S. needs some peaceful time to think and reassess her situation.

Now is definitely not the time for decisions and changes. It's time to wait and think... perhaps the relationship is just going through a bad phase.


Wisdom of the Hidden Realms © Jena DellaGrottaglia & Hay House, Inc.

Deck Review: Oracle Alma Bose by Grimaud

Grimaud is a French company, responsible for a many well-known decks such as the Tarot de Marseille, the Grand Eteilla and the Astro-Mythological Lenormand. But mostly, it's responsible for a huge amount of rather unknown decks. The Oracle Alma Bose belongs to the latter group.

The Oracle Alma Bose has 67 illustrated cards that come in a sturdy silver box. It also comes with a bilingual booklet, in French and in English, to help you to read the cards. Who created the deck? Who illustrated it? We will never know, because there's no credit in the booklet - just instructions. Instructions that, I daresay, are better than what we usualyly find in little white books. But getting ahead of myself.

The deck's most interesting feature is the fact it comes with three querent cards: a man, a woman and a man/woman cards, that can be used for couples or for NB and NGC people. And there is more to it! You get four cards that are all about sexual orientation, the different genders symbolised by little penises and little coffee-beans (a rather cute way of representing a vulva), as you can see in the image below.

The first card in the picture shows a "Bacchant", a woman who likes men. The second cards shows an "Artemis", a woman who likes women. The third card shows a "Faun", a man who likes women. And the fourth cards shows an "Antinoüs", a man who likes men. Trust me, this is the most thoughtful deck you'll ever come across when it comes to sexuality. 

So, this is perhaps the most original feature of this deck. As you may have already noticed, it's not a specially creative deck when it comes to imagery. The images of the cards are not related directly to fortune-telling... you'd think it's a collection of post cards if you didn't know better. There are beaches, forests, temples, islands, waterfalls, manors, all kinds of beautiful environments sculpted both by nature and man. And they repeat in some cards.

What really matters in this cards for fortune telling purposes is the little symbols and astrological glyphs you see at the top and at bottom of the cards. The cards heave both upright and reversed meanings, and these are written on the card in French and in English. Most of cards have reversed and upright meanings, but some of them do not. The booklet provides no explanation on why this happens. They also gives a small list of 10 cards called "trump cards" for the game, but no explanation on why these cards are special.

The Answer Spread

Ever since I joined the AOC Forum, I saw a lot of people using a spread called "The Answer Spread", specially with playing cards. It's quite fascinating, because it helps you to answer specific questions, while remaining simple!

I'm sharing it here, so other people may learn about it. I did not create it. I got it from a post by Kepherus at the AOC Forum.

Choose 6 cards from the deck and lay them on the table as shown below. Read the columns from left to right, one at a time. You are working with combinations of two cards.

First column: indicates the past, or the premise of the question (ie. the reason why it's being asked, or the circumstances that led to the situation in hand).

Second column: indicates the present, or the answer to the question (taking into account the past and present influences).

Third column: indicated the future influences, or the factors that contribute to the situation (these are usually factors unknown to the querent).


It can be used to answer yes/no questions, when using playing cards. If most of the cards are red, it means 'yes'. If most of them are black, it means 'no'. If the amount of red and black cards is even, that means the answer is not set yet.

It's said that the time span covered by this spread is usually from 2 to 6 months, but in my opinion the spread is too small and short-term to cover such a huge amount of time. Personally, I'd say it covers from 1 to 3 months, depending on how unstable and prone to change the situation is according to the cards.

The Grail Tarot says... when home is not home.

I did my daily reading with playing cards, but I actually felt the need to do another kind of reading. Yesterday, I went to bed very sad, feeling the oppression of my own choices, wondering what to do when you simply don't know what to do. If you have a goal, that's a start! But if you can't tell anymore what your goal is? Then it gets a bit more complicated.

Ask me why I don't do a reading about this? Well... I do not believe I can read for myself about such a complicated matter. But I do believe I can still seek for some advice when it comes to my reaction to these problems.

So that's what I did. I grabbed my faithful Grail Tarot and asked the cards: What can I do to overcome this feeling to despair that takes hold of me sometimes? I got the Preceptor of Lances, known in more traditional decks as Knight of Wands.

This card shows the preceptor giving the Lance of Longinus to a younger knight, who is about to go on pilgrimage. The preceptor known the mission is difficult, and looks even a bit grim about it. In the words of John Matthews:

"A great deal has been learned so far; now this knowledge should be applied at every level of experience to bring fresh insights to the journey and help separation from worn-out ways." (p. 124)

This card is telling me that I'll only stop feeling this despair and constant frustration when I use my knowledge and creative energies to pursue a different path - even one far away from home. I am stuck in so many levels!

Then I decided to pull another card - no, not a clarifier - and ask a different question: How do I begin this journey? How to bring this change to myself? I got the Ten of Vessels.

This card shows the same young knight of the last card (the one receiving the lance), but he's now older and wiser after such a long journey, and he has become the Guardian of the Grail, a Grand Master of the Templar Order. He shares his knowledge with the new generations of knights, bothers and preceptors, finally being completely in peace with himself. He has found the Grail - he has returned home.

Now, that's interesting. The last card told me "leave your comfort zone, leave your home, a journey awaits for you". But this one tells me that to begin this journey, I must start by seeking... home.  Contradictory? Only in a superficial level... I believe these cards are telling me that where I am now is not my home - it's not the place to where my heart and soul belong. And this journey far away is not going to take me away from home, but bring me closer to it, to the real home, not to that pile of bricks we call "comfort zone".

I must admit I do not know how exactly to apply these cards to my life right now... I feel myself more tied up than that 8 of Swords lady of the RWS Tarot deck! But it's a start - a distant voice from far away is calling me, perhaps I should start listening to it...

When darkness lays her crimson cloak
Your lamps will call - call me home.
(Loreena McKennitt, "The Mystic's Dream")

The Grail Tarot © REDFeather, John Matthews & Giovanni Caselli

PCO: Building card castles (or homes, or bridges, or....)

One of these days I was sitting at my usual spot in my favourite Café, doing an exercise from a cartomancy book, when a sudden question filled my mind: if I wanted to represent my workplace in reading, which card would I choose?

Traditionally, the Ace of Hearts stands for the home, and the Ace of Spades may stand for imposing buildings and institutions. But of course, since there is no one-true-method of reading playing cards, you do not have to adopt these meanings.

In the Playing Card Oracles method created by Ana Cortez, all cards number 6 have buildings on them. They usually have very metaphorical meanings, but I suppose that they could mean physical places too. Representing these places could be very useful to determine "where" the facts shown in the reading are happening (specially if it's a general reading, with no specific question). If a conflict shows up - is it at home, or at work? If one of these cards show up, they may provide a hint.

So, I came up with some ideas for each of the 6s. It's by no means a complete list, but maybe it may help others to come up with their own ideas!

Six of Diamonds - The Tower

This is one imposing building, and since the diamonds suit is related to money and creativity, I'd chose this cards to represent my your workplace, or the place in which you usually earn their money (even if it's not a formal company). As Ana Cortex says in her book, this also could represent a bank.

I suppose that it could also symbolise any actual towers or skyscrapers.Combined with the 6♥, I would also think of a hospital. With the 8♣ (The Scales), I could easily see a church (the building, not the community). 

PCO: Using the Lost Man Spread for a friend

Although I have done the "Lost Man" spread in the past, ever since I watched Ana Cortez's video about it, I gained a new level of understanding regarding it and they it's supposed to be read. I decide to try it again today, during my lunch break.

I decide to read for a very good friend of mine, who lives abroad. He seemed upset the last time I talked to him, so I decided see what kind of things were surrounding him right now, and was very surprised by the result!

I chose Sol, the King of Clubs, to represent him. I shuffled the deck, and then looked for Sol and the cards that surrounded him.

The first thing that called my attention was the 5♠ (Circle of Crows) - a card of worry, that confirms my suspects that something wasn't right. Looking at the cards that come before the 5♠, I was surprised by the two very contrasting cards! Although diamonds and clubs are suits that complement each other (fire and air), these cards in particular have very opposing ideas to me.

One of them is the 9♣, Galahad, the eternal idealist. The dreamer, the grail seeker. The other is the 7♦, the Sword or Truth. The sword is between the King of Clubs and the 9♣, so it's as if it's "cutting" Galahad away. I say that something happened that somehow "cut" Sol's dreams away. He has this nice dream or goal of his own, and suddenly harsh reality hit him on the head. And that's what is worrying him.

On his other side, we see Déja, the lovely Queen of Hearts. Notice that Sol is looking at her - she is too part of his worry. Maybe his dreams were related to her, and now he is asking "what do we do, my dear?". But... she has her eyes closed. It is as if she didn't see the problem, or refused to see it. Déja and Sol make a beautiful pairing, but one that tends to focus on their mutual feelings and mental connection - I do not sense a lot of physicality here.

Beside Déja we see the Ace of Clubs (Ethra), a card that indicates dreams and wishes from the mind, and also a huge potential for communication. So he is seeking to communicate with this woman, but in a new way - not in the idealistic manner suggested by the 9♣ anymore. The 6♦ (The Tower), complements well this card, as it is a card of security, and also one that indicates a vantage point (you can see far from the top of a tower). Sol now wants to think his dreams in a more strategical manner, one that can set the foundations to make them come true.


The Playing Card Oracles © Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman

Of future, fate and divination

I see the pattern of life as a spider web - many different futures can be constructed from the same choice. It's not one thread that goes on and on in the same direction until we die, but rather a web with interconnected threads radiating in all directions, criss-crossing each other. And the threads of our lives are also connected to those of other people, influencing each other.

I do, however, believe in fate. But for me fate is not a power that predetermines your whole life from the beginning to the end of it. It's like "knots" that tie together the many threads of "life's cobweb"... things that you need to live, lessons that must be learnt, a task that must be accomplished in this lifetime, people that you have to meet in order to grow. It's a calling.

I believe that many people hear the calling and never follow it, or insistently deny it, and those are the people that always have the impression that they missed something important in their lives... that they did not fulfil something they were supposed to... they remain forever stuck in that knot.

Although fate can sometimes be a tidal wave that crashes and carry us away, most of the time we need to be prepared for it to fully seize the opportunity it gives us.

And that's where the divination comes it - it both helps us to make more informed choices, in order to build the future we want for ourselves, and it also offers us guidance when dealing with those "knots of fate". It makes us aware of them, and shows us how to surf on the sudden waves of destiny instead of being drowned by them! It helps us to choose, as well as to be prepared for the moments in which fate intervenes.

I know my view is a bit of a romantic one, but I admittedly am a romantic thinker. 

Who is that Pope?

The Hierophant, also known as the Pope, is a very underrated card. Perhaps it's because of the tidal wave of neo-paganism that washed over everything spiritual, combined with the declining popularity of the Catholic church, that made us regard the Pope with a bit of distrust.

The descriptions given to this card usually include terms such as "conservatism", "morality", "other people", "status quo", "tradition", "social convention" etc, even though it's the highest cards amongst the ranks of human society. This description, although correct, makes this card sound boring and massified, and makes you think of the unkind mob that frowns upon you whenever you try to be yourself or show any trait of originality.

Okay, perhaps it may be. Intolerance is the Pope at it's worst. But the if the Devil himself can be forgiven for being such an extreme fellow, why can't the Pope be seen in a better light as well?

I did not like the Pope myself... for me, it was the card of the fossilisation. Once the Pope got hold of you, it'd slowly suck any lively part of your personality until you became a rock shaped by social expectations and conventions. No longer a person, just a robot programed by the others.

I was unkind the poor Pope, I know. But then he started showing up in my readings - not once, not twice but in nearly every reading. And the worst: he specially enjoyed showing his face in the readings I did concerning my LOVE life. In my mind's eye I could see my inner fire being burried under tons of bricks of ennui and social expectations, while a choir of mindless robots sang "it's time you take your place in life. In life and in line! Da doo dee doo~"

Besides, the Pope in a love life question meant "no love life at all" to me. Or at least a very dull one. And I thought "where is that Devil-guy when you need him?".

But the Pope kept coming up, challenging me to decipher him. What was he trying to tell me? It took me a few days to go beyond the "oh noes I iz monotonous" thinking and have a truly enlightening TA-DA! moment.

Whether I agreed with it or not, the Pope was telling me to literally mind my business. Love is exciting, but are you really building the path that will take you to your love, or are you just daydreaming? 'Tis time to delve into the nitty-gritty of life, little cricket. And you know what? He is right. I was full of plans and ideas, but the point is that I need to gather resources before making anything come true. Both inner and outer resources. Both money and experience. I need to grow a bit, and mature. And I can only do this by focusing on what I what I have now - my job and my responsibilities - which will prepare me to follow my bliss later on.

The Pope says that, although we like to behave as if we were "too sexy" for our trivial lives, in reality they help us to pave the path towards our dreams. He reminds you that now is the time in which you need to play by the rules - to later have the conditions to challenge them. It is the fool taking his place in life and in line... while he plans his next adventure.

Rider Waite Smith Tarot: Centennial Edition © US Games Systems, Inc.

Deck Review: Magdalene Oracle by Toni Carmine Salerno

Toni Carmine Salerno is an known artist, that has turned many of his paintings into oracle decks. It seems that he doesn't paint for the oracles, but rather picks paintings he already has and turns them into oracle cards. His most known decks are the Universal Love Cards and the Universal Wisdom Cards. The Magdalene Oracle is another of his creations, this time focusing on some Christian icons.

This is the first deck I got from him, and I had only seen a couple of scans when I bought it. It interested me because I love anything concerning Mary Magdalene, and an oracle bearing her name definitely belongs in my collection. So there was no big expectations about it - in fact, from looking at Toni's other decks I expected it to be fluffy à-la Doreen Virtue, pretty art and a silly booklet.

I was surprised.

The deck has 45 colourful cards - BIG cards (9.5cm x 14cm or 3.74" x 5.51"). Not as big as the Oracle of the Grail Code (that one broke a record, methinks), but may still be uncomfortable for people with small hands because the card stock is think and a bit on the sticky side. It does soften with time though. They are nicely stored with the booklet inside a sturdy two-piece box.

The cards are VERY colourful, including the borders. Their colours are chosen to go with the predominant shade of the image in the centre, creating a nice effect in the card. Even so, these borers could be easily trimmed, because the title of the cards is at the bottom of the picture itself. The back has a non-reversible image that resembles a yellow/orange rose seen through a macro-lens.

Aesthetically, these cards are gorgeous. In his site, Toni says his art is intuitive - he does not plan what he's going to paint before hand. This can be both good or bad, depending on personal taste. His usage of colour is fantastic, the art is alive and jumps at you, which can be good for intuitive reading. However, his drawing, specially of human beings, is not perfect and is not stable (some cards are wonderfully well-drawn, other not so much) , and this may peeve more perfectionist people. In my opinion, this deck has a very feminine art, which may not attract male readers.

Anyway... onto the book. It's a small, saddle stapled book with a soft cover showing the same image we see on the back of the cards. It has 72 pages. The first chapter teaches you how to use the cards, how to ask the question and gives you some spreads to try, This part is not written by Toni Salerno, but by Denise Harradine and seems to be present in some of his other decks. The second chapter is a small reflection on Mary Magdalene and how she made her presence and objective known to him. And then the third chapter is all about the cards.

PCO: The North Wind says... the lazy days are over!

I did abandon my poor blog to the vultures, but now I'm back. Enough of lazying around!

I pulled a card to see what should I do about my blog, to keep it going and I got the 4 of Spades.

I like how the PCO is always challenging me - this is certainly not an obvious answer for my question, and being it a one-card reading, it makes the meaning a bit harder to grasp.

First of all, I think it relates to my sudden impulse to come back to the blog - the 4 of Spades often relates to unsettling energies that makes us act! As for what I should do, this card tells me to prepare for a challenge: probably the challenge of doing it even when I'm not inspired, the Spades suit talks about hard-work that's not always prompted by a creative energy.

But most of all, Spades is a "doer" suit, and the number four is about completing things in an organized manner, so above all I believe this card is telling me "Holiday's over! Time to get up and get going, m'dear".

Yes sir!

The Playing Card Oracles © Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman

PCO: The elusive Two of Clubs

The Two of Clubs is called "The Friends", but it shows a man, all alone, staring at the horizon. You will notice that the stars on the sky make the shape of the geomantic image conjunctio (Latin for "the Conjunction") - this image is considered neutral (not positive, nor negative), and it tends to reflect the "atmosphere" around it.

That says a lot about the Two of Clubs. This is a peaceful encounter, a "light" relationship. No obsessions, no fights, no excessive feeling - only that mutual understanding. It may stand for a superficial relationship, in a bad layout, or for a comfortable relationship in which the individuality and freedom of the people involved is respected. The man is alone, but it doesn't make him sad, because he knows that he has a friend - and maybe his friend is far away - and he trusts the endurance of their connection.

In a more negative context, this card represents someone who is distant and feeling lonely. He looks to the horizon, looking for a way to connect with the person/people he misses, but he's unsure if the other party still remembers him. But I believe that this card is 'soft' even when expressing its darkest side.

Since clubs is the suit of ideas and communication, this card may stand for a relationship in which there is a strong exchange of ideas, knowledge and thought. A strong mental link is also indicated by this card.


The Playing Card Oracles © Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman

PCO: The scary Nine of Hearts

The Nine of Hearts is a card that tends to scare most of people who start using the Playing Card Oracles, because of the "bleeding hearts" and the scary face in the middle of the card. Also, in traditional cartomancy this is the "wish card", but in the PCO, it apparently has a more negative connotation.

Personally, I believe the Nine of Hearts presents a huge challenge: allowing yourself to be filled with positive emotions. At it's best, this card stands for humanitarianism, the need to serve the others, the ability to love and feel compassion without letting your personal judgements interfere. Think Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa...

No, this isn't easy - none of the Nines are easy.

In a more "down to earth" level, it could mean not letting your feelings suffocate you or turn into poison inside you. This can be achieved by cultivating altruism and other noble emotions.

At it's worst... it's very bad. Extreme emotions and mood changes, obsessions, feelings that "drown" you, paranoia, inability to control your impulses, distress, decadence, excessiveness... Like all in Nines, it may mean surrendering yourself completely to one "element" only (water/emotions, in this case), and forgetting all others. The necessary balance is lost.

Of course, the "meaning" of the card will be determined by the whole spread, the position in which it appears, the question asked etc. There's not need to be afraid whenever this card shows up - it looks ugly, but it has a beautiful potential. Try to figure out where the excess is, how it may be hindering you (or your sitter) and what can be done to restore balance.


The Playing Card Oracles © Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman

Ridiculously simple tarot reading...

This is to prove that tarot is not always so esoteric and complicated to understand as people usually think. In fact, it can be pretty obvious sometimes. A person close to me asked if now was the time to go on vacations after one year and a half of hard working non-stop. This the reading I got using the Gummy Bear tarot:

 I assigned no specific positions to the cards - and I didn't even need to. The first card, Seven of Pentacles, shows a bear that has been working hard for a while. Unlike the original Waite-Smith card, that shows a guy looking tired and unmotivated, this bear look tired but happy about what he has accomplished. It wasn't easy, but it gave the desired fruits.

Now, the central card shows a little Page of Pentacles holding a coin. I completely ignored the "traditional" meanings of this card, because here it showed me one thing: the green bear is taking a coin from the 7 of Pentacles to the next card - the Three of Cups. A card of celebration and good times.

The reading was very simply - it's time to use the fruits of your work to have some fun! Yes, definitely go on vacations! Use your hard-won money to give yourself a gift!

Of course, the Gummy Bear isn't the most complex deck around. But sometimes the message is very clear. It's literally just a matter of reading the story that's in the cards.

Gummy Bear Tarot © US Games Systems, Inc.

PCO: Crossing the bridge of the elusive heart...

I did a reading about a relationship. I used a layout called "The Bridge", taught by Ana Cortez in her book The Playing Card Oracles.

The spread is simple - you place the 6♣ (called "The Bridge") in the middle. Then you place one card before it, one above it, one below it and one after it.  The card before the 6♣ is the past; the card above is the gifts of the present; the card below is the obstacles of the present; and the card after the 6♣ is the future.

Easy, uh?

Let's see.

~*

............... 6♠ ..................

.......................................

2♦.......... 6♣ .......... 12♣

........................................

............... 5♥ ..................

In the past polarities met. The 2♦ is called "The Rivals", but it's not necessarily about enmity - it's more about a clash between two people have opposite characteristics. Since this is a love relationship reading, I do not see competition here... for me this is how they started. A sudden and unexpected bump created a spark between two people that would have never even talked otherwise. Their differences were attractive, and they somehow made the game more interesting.

I also believe they were distant - like night and day, completing each other but never touching. A bit like the eagle and the wolf in Ladyhawke.

The gift of the present is a scary gift - the 6♠, also known as "The Ruins". It cannot be seen separately from the obstacle of the present, the 5♥ ("Fata Morgana"). First, because the two suits complement each other, making this difficult present better. The obstacle is the illusion - emotions here are lacking any depth. Still, they make the heart restless! But how can ruins be a gift? I believe this shows that the querent already had a similar experience in the past, regarding the same sort of illusion... now it's time to recall is and learn from it. It also reinforces the essentially "empty" nature of this relationship. Like Ana Cortez says in her book "a form without substance of life". To realise that is truly a gift - an important advice to avoid the trap.

The future card shows Leah, Queen of Clubs. She looks like she's about to fly, her eyes seeing beyond... she is flying away from this reading, and facing the future. The blackness of this suit (and the overall reading) makes me believe the querent will go through a moment of retreat... she'll turn her inner eyes towards something else in order to leave this all behind.  I sense here something like going throw a "dark night of the soul". In this process, she'll mature, and then open her eyes to new dreams...

The Playing Card Oracles © Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman

Interview with the Gummy Bear Tarot

I just received my Gummy Bear Tarot from a friend at Aeclectic Tarot! I immediately felt the urge to "interview" it and here's the result!

1. Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic? ~ 8 of Swords

People take time to see my true value as a deck., so they usually keep me simply a collection item. I seem too limited and lacking of depth because of my child-like appearance, but in fact I'm just waiting for the readers to free me from their own judgement start using me.

2. What are your strengths as a tarot deck? ~ 8 of Swords

I'm a great working deck. I'm a good deck to use at any time, to anyone. I'm a jack of all trades. I am the right deck to choose when you need something that simply works.

3. What are your limits as a tarot deck? ~ Ace of Swords

I'm sorta simple... I have problems at dealing with really complex matters. Also, I'm a tad too tied to the RWS imagery, which can be limiting.

4. What are you here to teach us?  ~ 9 of Cups

I'm here to teach you to enjoy. Relax. Forget those complex decks and the deep studies... just sit down with a drink you like and talk to me. I'm your friend.

5. How can we best learn from and collaborate with you? ~ XII - Hanged Man

Use me, please! I look better in your hands than inside your drawer. Besides, I get very annoyed when I'm left hanging!

6. What is the potential outcome of our working relationship? ~ 4 of Cups

Hum... I think we may become bored of each other after a while. I'm not a really challenging deck. But hey, I'm cute. And fun.


Gummy Bear Tarot © US Games Systems, Inc.

PCO: Never trust the fire!

I did this reading for a friend, called A, and I am sharing it here with her permission. It's about relationship that is not quite a relationship yet.... just that initial arousal of the emotions. Her question was: "What should I expect of this relationship with T?"

Head (♦/Fire): 4 ♦ (South Wind)

.

Throat (♣/Air): 12 ♣ (Leah)

.

Torso (♥/Water): 6 ♦ (The Tower)

.

Feet (♠/Earth): 5 ♦ (The Peddler's Ace)

This is not a balanced reading - all fire, fire and fire, and a bit of air, to feed it. No water, which for a relationship that intends to be more than a heated night of passion, is not good. There's much attraction, much fire, but no deep emotions involved yet.

The South Wind is the impish wind that brings confusion and chaos. This is very significant in this reading. This attraction began unexpectedly, and became hot very quickly. It is making the querent confused and restless. Leah, Queen of Clubs, is the air that feeds this fire, thanks to her tendency to nurture illusion and fantasise. The South Wind carries her higher, and the higher she gets, the more filled with fantasies her mind becomes, making the passionate emotions even stronger (even though they are not necessarily based on real feelings).

The Torso position is very important here, because this is the main position for relationship readings. Here we see a lonely tower, standing strong... but alone. A has been feeling lonely inside. The 6 of Diamonds also means boredom, monotony - her love life has been unexciting. It inspired her to look for excitement in the dangerous - and marvellous - fires of passion.

The feet, which shows the base of the relationship, shows another card that is not known for it's dependability. The 5 of Diamonds is called the Peddler's Ace, because what you see here is never quite what you get. I have the feeling that this "relationship" is based on nothing more than conversations and meaningless promises - things that sound pretty under the moonlight, but disappear when the day rises. The peddler offers A something beautiful, exactly what she needs, but it's not what she expects. The base of this relationship is weak - there's nothing "real" here.

The geomancy confirms what the reading says: Tristitia + Puella = Amissio 

 

Tristitia shows the sadness and emptiness that she felt before all this started. Then her femininity is awakened in Puella - a pleasant sensation, but lacking in depth. The result of it will be Amissio - loss. This entanglement might leave her even more empty then she was when it started.

Not the best love reading I ever did, but not all relationships are meant to be...

So I would have had him leave,

So I would have had her stand and grieve,

So he would have left

As the soul leaves the body torn and bruised,

As the mind deserts the body it has used.

I should find

Some way incomparably light and deft,

Some way we both should understand,

Simple and faithless as a smile and a shake of the hand.

~ La Figlia Che Piange - T.S. Eliot

The Alchemical Tarot says... something in language I cannot understand.

The challenge for tomorrow is the 2 of Wands - a card that is a challenge in itself. Funny, isn't it? I was about to post some LWB thoughts, but then I figured that my challenge may be to find out what this card means. It appeared in another reading this week. It wants to be understood. 

But this card always makes me think of something that is still and "burning" in it's own good ol' way, until something more chaotic or different (Mercury fire) comes and stirs everything up. Maybe my challenge is to perceive this influence, and allow it to play in my life?

In any case, the lesson can also work both ways. The High Priestess, with her book and her librarian face could be suggesting studying. Studying the card. Studying what it could possibly want to say.  Looking for it not only in books (her book is closer), but also inside... in the waters of the unconscious. And she could be telling me that whatever is the energy that is beginning to play in my life right now, I must try to perceive it in silence, in meditation. It's not time to share. It's something I must keep to myself, until I understand it.

I don't think I made any sense today... I like when my readings are objective, not when they sound like they belong in a newspaper horoscope... oh well. I'm having a bad tarot day, I guess. The inner fires... fighting, wanting to consume each other and consuming me in the process... don't let me concentrate. 

Hum... I think I'm beginning to understand the elusive 2 of Wands... 

The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... 10 swords beg for gracefulness!

It's official - I hate the 10 of Swords. And I don't care how much it's challenge may help me to grow as a human being, I don't like it, specially the day before I'm going to the eye doctor to see a problem in my left eye... that could be nothing. And that could be serious, as well.

But I guess this is the 10 of Swords already affecting me.

The challenge of the day is a guy laying on a pool of his own blood, with 10 swords piercing his chest in a way that make us think of Julius Caesar's death a peaceful. Hum... maybe not.  Beside him, there's an open book. I'm think that my challenge tomorrow is to face something unpleasant (probably what is in the book) without letting it destroy me. Or keep in mind that it isn't the end of the world. 

Easier said than done.

The Lady of Vessels is my lesson. She's is balancing a vessel on her head while walking on the water - tricky! - showing self-control and grace. I think this means dealing gracefully with the challenge given by the 10 of Swords... not losing your mind, not making a scandal. Keeping your balance. It also looks to me that she's walking towards the man in the 10 of Swords with a bottle of water (or wine) to clean his wounds... maybe I'll have to face some sort of treatment in the end.

Oh well... the Lady of Vessels definitely lightens up the reading a bit...

...but I still don't like the 10 of Swords.

The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

No Majors in Saturn...

For the last two weeks, I've been doing something I never did in my entire tarot journey: daily reads.

I know I didn't post all of them last week, but I did them. I even (tried) to meditate on the cards and all. The whole process is very natural to some people, but for me, it's a struggle sometimes. I'm too fickle for certain routines.

But so far, I've been successful - the Alchemical Tarot faithfully by my side, offering insights I sometimes don't understand, showing me a new way to see the cards and their meanings. I've been even enjoying this discovery.

One thing that I noticed, however, is that nearly no Majors have been showing up in my readings. I remember the Magician and the Hanged Man... and that's it. Two weeks. Seventy-eight cards. It's probability, you say... there's a bigger chance of minors appearing, since it's 56 minors and 22 majors, specially in such a short time-span.

But then, we'd be assuming that tarot is just about combinations and probabilities, and not something else. And it'd lose all magic.

The last two weeks were filled with new things - new job, driving lessons, problems with the driving lessons (I'll have to re-schedule them all), new routines... I'd have expected some Majors to show their faces. A bit of Death. A pinch of Tower. The shy light of a Star. The strictness of a Emperor. The suddenness of a Wheel. But except for the Magician and the Hanged man, none of them gave me the joy of their presence. The coins suit, on the other hand, abounded.

Why is that happening, I wondered this weekend. Hum... does that mean that my life is boring? That nothing important is going on? But how is that possible, when so many important things seem to be happening?

I can't say that I found a good answer for any of my questions - I'll believe I'll have to ponder harder. But the Minor Arcana is very related to the everyday things, the good and bad things that make life what it is. I'm thinking that the reason why the minor arcana has ben so present in my readings is because I have been focusing on the most trivial aspects of life... work, get money, learn to do it, learn to drive, wake up, take the bus, work, have lunch, work, go home, sleep, wake up... wow. It isn't bad... it's just pure and unadulterated life.

Even so, I do miss some Major Arcana action. I believe they will come... when I get closer to something meaningful. When I get closer to my own destiny, which is what I've been looking for... the Majors will come. For now, time to focus on more earthly issues. Let the coins keep coming, until I'm ready for something major.

I had often played with images of the future, I had dreamt of roles that might be meant for me, as a poet perhaps, or as a prophet, or as a painter or whatever else. That was all meaningless. I didn’t exist to write poetry, to preach sermons, to paint pictures; neither I nor anyone else existed for that purpose. All of that merely happened to a person along the way. Everyone had only one true vocation: to find himself. Let him wind up as a poet or a madman, as a prophet or a criminal – that wasn’t his business; in the long run, it was irrelevant. His business was to discover his own destiny, not just any destiny, and to live it out totally and undividedly. (from "Demian" by Hermann Hesse)

Rider Waite Smith Tarot: Centennial Edition © US Games Systems, Inc.

PCO: Watching as a reading unfolds...

Last weekend I did a playing cards reading regarding my job, because I thought my boss was coming back from her vacations. Monday came and she didn't come back, for reasons I didn't understand... until now.

This was the reading:

Head (♦/Fire):7♥ (Sword of Healing)

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Throat (♣/Air): 12♠ (Morgana)

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Torso (♥/Water): A♠ (Terra Incognita)

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Feet (♠/Earth): 11♥ (La Hire)

I'll not post my full interpretation because, frankly, I didn't understand the cards when I first got them. The two first cards puzzled me the most - Swords of Healing and Morgana? Somehow I immediately knew that Morgana was my boss, but had no idea what the 7 of Hearts was trying to tell me.

I knew it couldn't be too bad, because these cards complement each other - earth and water. But the Swords of Healing in the head position puzzled me completely. I wondered if it meant the prejudices I had about my boss (which I only met once, during the interview before they hired me) would be healed - I'd be able to see her in a better light.

It was not that. The week started and my boss never showed up. I forgot about the reading, but listening to my co-worker speak to the Big Boss (one of the guys who own the whole thing) yesterday, I came to know that my boss got an extra week of vacations due to health problems. Apparently quite unexpected ones. She's doing fine, but it was something scary - I don't know what, nobody talked about it to me.

And now the Sword of Healing + Morgana make sense - boss was dealing with health issues, and would not return, thus affecting my job. Also, no one talked about it - I found it weird that she started with one week of vacations and suddenly had three, but figured that maybe she deserved it. The secrecy of the situation could be represented by the Ace of Spades, a card that means secrets and hidden things. Also, it stands for the physical body, and like Morgana, it has the blade of the Sword of Healing turned towards it.

Most of the reading is making sense now, except for one card: La Hire. What is that Jack of Hearts doing in my reading again? He showed up in every reading I did about my job in the last few days, and I still can't figure out who is he or  what is he trying to tell me. The fact he is a man doesn't help either, since I work mostly with other girls! No young boys around! And in this particular case, he is in a very important position - the feet, which represents all things physical and material, such as work. He is someone who may influence my work, but he isn't completely reliable, or honest.

I guess I'll have to wait until the next chapters. Who is the Jack of Hearts? And what does he have to do with me? Hum... It's interesting to watch how the readings unfold in the real life, sometimes in the most unexpected ways!

The Playing Card Oracles © Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman

The Alchemical Tarot says... you know the drill, girl.

Uh-oh! Traditionally, the Six of Staffs stands for victory... but this card looks for me as someone being given more things to do than they can handle. I see a busy day tomorrow, with more complex tasks and slightly higher stakes. It also has a bright side - having things to do and responsibilities also helps you to get recognition. To just do the easy stuff, while hiding quietly in your corner of isolation will just make you invisible. A challenging day, indeed.

The lesson is the same card of Tuesday, the Knight of Coins. As usual, this guy is all about working diligently, doing what must be done, keep yourself grounded. I have noticed that the cards have been giving me this message a lot - stay grounded. And indeed, it helps you to deal with tiring things such as repetitive jobs and things that you don't feel like doing. An interesting thing I just noticed is that this Knight looks a bit... detached... He is looking at the earth, his element, and at his shield, but there nothing passional about him. He realizes his mission, and is prepared to do do what he must, but he doesn't let it touch him too deeply. He doesn't take it too personal.

It's just a job. The artisan in the Six of Staffs, on the other hand, looks very bothered by all those burning sticks that are being thrust into his face...

The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... I think you didn't get it last time...

My challenge for tomorrow is, once again, the Ten of Staffs. The phoenix being reborn from the fire is something very Nietzchean card. Use your strength to rise above the difficulties... overcome yourself. I think it is also telling me to allow my previous ideas to be renewed - it may be related to the fact I'll start taking my practical driving lessons tomorrow. I hate cars and think it may be a disaster... well, time to let old idea burn and be reborn as something useful.

My lesson if the Four of Coins... first, I see this card telling me to stop spending money like crazy. Which is something I'm guilty of, unfortunately. But relating to the other card, I think it's telling me to conserve my resources... not burn way too much. Overcome my difficulties without exhausting myself in the process, or else everything will become too difficult. Ground yourself, it's telling me.

And interesting lessons, as I'm very bad at keeping myself grounded, and usually that means I end up wasting more energy than I should...

The interesting thing here is that the advice seem very similar to the one given last Thursday. Apparently I haven't understood it's message yet. Lets see if I can do it better tomorrow...


The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... skills. Use them. Trust them.

The challenge for the day is The Magician. In the Alchemical Tarot, he is represented by Hermes, the Greek god of communication, wisdom, magic, skills, travel and thieves. He knows how to use the elements and his own inner power - for good and evil. How to use my skills - that's my challenge. Will I use it well, with higher purposes? Or will I use it for lower things. None of these ways are wrong per se - but they bring us different results. Also, as the god of communication, I think this card is also challenging me to improve my communication with the people around me - specially at work, I think. My tendency there, as I am a newbie, is to “arrive mute and leave speechless”.

The lesson for the day is the Seven of Vessels. Again, this is about choice - the skill is inside me (The Magician), but alone it isn't enough. You need the right medium to show it well. This card is reinforcing the first one, telling me that I need to learn how to better use these skills. My inner voice will teach me, I must trust my intuition. As Robert Place himself said, "pick the right tool for the right job, the right path for the journey".


The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... don't burn alone.

The first card is beautiful and haunting. A phoenix is reborn from the very fire the consumes her. My challenge tomorrow is to find a way to keep going even when my energies seems to be low. To be reborn from my own ashes. It could also mean struggling to find a purpose amidst senseless work and obligations.

This card makes met think of the book Demian, one of my favorite book by Hermann Hesse:

"The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born must first destroy a world." 

In this case, the bird is struggling out of it's own ashes.

The second card is the lesson for the day, and it shows a boat carrying a bring staff floats towards a shore, in which two other burning staffs wait for it. I think the lesson here is to share the burden - don't burn alone. Let each staff carry a bit of the fire. I think it's related to my current situation at work - I have co-workers, they seem nice people, but because I'm new and kinda shy I don't feel like I can just talk to them... I feel like an outsider there. Maybe it's card is telling I need to think of it as team job - I am the floating boat. They are the shore that will give me more security.


The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... (try to) think positive.

Again, the challenge for the day is to focus on the practical issues (ie. work), but this time the approach should be a bit more gentle. Just working isn't enough - it's time to seek some joy in it, some pleasure. A hell of challenge. I can't see myself doing it. Also, the Queen of Coins looks at the Queen of Swords, as if looking for advice...

The Queen of Swords is the lesson for the day, the way to overcome the challenge. She offers a choice, between positive and negative thoughts - a consciously made choice. It's not that things get better, but you decide to face them as if they were better, or about to improve. Use the power of the mind to shape your reality. She's telling me that the only way to deal with the challenge is by having a change of mindset.

Oh well. Here we go again...


The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... endure.

Some readings make you feel like crap...

The challenge for tomorrow will be to... work. Yes, easy as that. To sit down and do what I must do with concentration and dignity, no matter how boring it might be. The Knight of Coins is me, dressed to work, trying to work hard, but looking hopelessly at the following card...

Ten of Spades. What a good lesson to learn. This is usually the "it cannot get any worse" card, which should be reassuring... but isn't. Because it's still bad. I'm working with book edition right now, and that there's an open book lying by the dead guy's body... creepy. My lesson for tomorrow is to let go of the self-pity attitude and just look at the work that needs to be done. Look at the book. Like the Knight is doing.

Even when it's a book that actually sucks. Even if the people around you are a bit hostile. Focus on your goals - see to the end of it.


The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

The Alchemical Tarot says... keep a low profile!

Tomorrow is my first day at the new job. I did a small reading to see what to expect from the day. I used Umbrae's Daily Spread. 

The Six of Swords is my challenge for the day, it shows a ship skillfully avoiding the six swords that float around it. It's being guided by the slow east wind. The challenge tomorrow will be to avoid the swords... I believe this refers to some of the people there. Ever since the first time I went there, I got the feeling that some of my future co-workers are not be happy with my arrival. Like the boat in the card, I have to maneuver through the things that are against me, and focus on my goal. The east wind is usually seen as unlucky and slow, so that's telling me that it'll be a slow journey that's just starting. Finding inner peace and patience is part of the test.

The second card is the Hanged Man, and he represents my lesson/ what the challenge brings me. Again, the message of patience is reinforced. Hanging a man by the feet was a form of humiliation... the lesson here is to let go of pride and ego in this situation, because they won't help. I have nothing to lose there, and I need to keep this in mind. Surrendering, for now, is necessary. 

It's interesting to see how to ship is sailing away from the Hanged Man. This "hanged man" situation won't last for too long - it's just the first part of the journey. This is reassuring, but still I see a difficult day ahead of me...

[Edited to Add] I should have also remembered that the Hanged Man + a card that has the East Wind should mean boredom. It was, indeed, a slow day to me.

The Alchemical Tarot © Robert M. Place

Of seeking and finding...

When someone is seeking... it happens quite easily that he only sees the thing that he is seeking; that he is unable to find anything, unable to absorb anything... because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means: to have a goal; but finding means: to be free, to be receptive, to have no goal.  (from "Siddharta" by Hermann Hesse)

I read this book by Hermann Hesse about five or six years ago. A friend of my mother gave it to me, and although I enjoyed it, I fear I never quite appreciated its wisdom... until now. But as I started reading the book again, I saw this quote, and it reminded me of the last cards of the Tarot:  Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement and World. 

Until the Tower we seek actively: we try, we do, we fail, we try again, and so on. That's why a lot of ego is involved, because we are seeking something. Then the Tower comes, all crumbles, including us and all we believed in. The Star appears as a small light, telling us that it hurts, but soon... soon the day will rise again. In this cards we see a woman releasing the waters into the nature - letting go. If we compare it to the Temperance card, we see that the angel in 14th card is controlling the water, passing it from one vessel to another, or mixing it with a different element. In the Star, she surrendered, allowed herself to go with the flow.

Then the night darkens, and the Moon appears ominously in the sky. The have to survive the Dark Night of the Soul, and what is it but a lesson on surrendering. Not giving up - there's a difference. When the world is covered in shadows, and everything is uncertain, it is sometimes wiser to let go, let the time pass, until everything seems clearer. Controlling everything in this stage may lead us into insanity - how can one control shadows and illusions?

The Sun rises, at last, and finally everything makes more sense. We feel once again warm, and ready to get up and find a new path. But not one filled with old pretensions and egocentric goals - usually the figures shows in the Sun are either children or naked people, symbolizing innocence, the release of ego. 

The Judgement will come and test our newfound wisdom - are we really ready to let go of the past? Accept things we claimed to be unacceptable in the past? Forgive the unforgivable? It'll call all the bodies we thought we had hidden carefully in our closets and force us to look at them, as ugly as they may be - can we finally put them to rest?

And if we pass this difficult test, we finally reach the World, the completion. The force that guides our destiny, that inspires us so we can live and create. In the end, we see that it's is no by pursuing crazily the completion that we find it... the secret lies in surrendering to it's greatness. To it's power. The World is everywhere, always around us, ready to be seen. It has always been there, hidden in plain sight. But we only find it when we are receptive and open, freed from our compulsion to control. Then we open our eyes - and then we find it.

Rider Waite Smith Tarot: Centennial Edition © US Games Systems, Inc.