PCO: Horoscope spread for a relationship

I had a request to do a reading about a relationship that is having some problems. I was going to do it using the usual 4-card spread, but since I had time to do it (it was not face-to-face), I decided to try the Horoscope Spread again. Although big and (apparently) daunting, the truth is that this spread is very interesting. 

My sitter, N., asked me about her relationship with U. 

They have been together for 3 years and she feels that they are not as close as they used to be. She wonder if this is a prelude to an ending or just a temporary crisis. Should I continue to work on healing this relationship? was the question.

The first card I looked was the one in the 1st House, the 7♣ (The Sword of Enchantment). Not a bad card, it tells me that isn't completely hopeless about it... but it does give me the impression that she's waiting for a miracle. She's expecting that 'something' will appear and solve this situation for her.

We all know this usually doesn't work.

But let's see what about her partner, U. He's represented by the 7th House, and there we find the 5♥ (Fata Morgana). At first this card seemed to scream that he's hiding something, but lets not rush into conclusions. This card can represent that he believes everything is fine - which is an illusion, since N. feels that something is wrong. So this card could represent denial. Also, this card presents a restless heart... even though he behaves as if all is well, inside himself his heart may not agree with this attitude... it feels that, indeed, something isn't right about their relationship. Something is missing.

RWS Tarot says... develop your emotional intelligence.

Another night, another fight. The reason? Three women, one home.
That's just another way to say that the reason was stupid, just like 95% of the fights amongst (normal & healthy) sisters, mothers and daughters.

Despite the stupidity of the fight, and the despite the fact I knew it was all silly, yesterday I was boiling on the inside. I felt like the Krakatoa must feel right before an eruption, but thank goodness I have developed some self-control and avoided getting in direct conflict. I am a bad company when the lava is bubbling in my heart. I locked myself in my bedroom so I could huff and puff and plot revenge in private.

But no, I am not proud of it! According to my natal chart, I am a Choleric person with a dominant Mars influence (thank goodness a strong Saturn is there to keep me rational most of the time), but this is no reason to be a walking volcano.

My family was unfair to me, but I was also unfair to them to some degree. The fact they keep reinforcing how "selfish and moody and uncontrolled" I am makes me wish I could really go berserk on them and make them regret reminding me of my worst traits whenever I happen to not make them happy. But I cannot change them - I can only change myself. And my inability to cope with anger is often more damaging to me than it is to others.

I asked the RWS Tarot how can I better manage my anger. This is my reading.

The 13 Witches Runes ~ Part II

Here's the second part of the Witches Runes study. I am going to cover the next four runes: Romance, Woman, Man and Harvest.

Again, if you like what you read here, I strongly recommend that you buy Susan Sheppard's book, A Witch's Runes. This is the book that taught me about the runes, and it has much more information than I give here! You will not regret having it in you collection!

~*~

Romance

As I mentioned briefly in the first post, the Romance rune is also a symbol of connection, just like the Rings rune. But differently from the latter, the former implies a deeper sort of connection. While in the Rings we have two (or more) people joining to reach a similar goal, here we have two people joining for reasons they can't quite explain.

Hence this rune is related to love, passion, emotional bonds, sexual chemistry and sudden attraction. Any strong bond can be symbolised by this rune, including the unconditional parental love or a very strong friendship. And it's not limited to the emotions that sparkle between individuals - the love can be also directed to an object, a subject or even a work.

It's important to not limit this rune to the emotional field. It can be quite physical, representing sexual relations, arousal and irresistible magnetism. This rune is powerful, and often gives an extra impulse to any rune that is close it. Charismatic and seductive people are represented by the Romance rune as well.

Outside from the field of romance and sex, this rune is concerned with any act of creation. If you have any ongoing projects, you can be sure an extra impulse will come and spur you on. The Romance rune can also represent the reconciliation of opposite forces or tendencies, and the resolution of conflicts. Obsessive thoughts, stubbornness in pursuing a person or a goal and lack of objectivity are the downfalls of this rune.

Sometimes you'll give crappy readings...

You will, trust me.
If you haven't already.

I have done it many times, specially when reading for others face-to-face. I blame it on my anxiety and lack of self-confidence, but I can't deny that every time this happens I trust my cartomantic skills a bit less. And the worst is that I don't even read for strangers yet - I only read for family and friends!

Not very promising for a wannabe card reader. After all, if you have blank spots and a coronary thrombosis when reading face-to-face, you will not have enough concentration to even try to give a good reading. You won't be grounded. And most importantly: you won't trust the message.

Despite my occasional failure at reading for others, I have a deep belief that the cards I get in a reading are the perfect cards for that moment. I almost never draw clarification cards or re-do the reading, unless I realises that the reading I am doing is not about the sitter, but about me. This has happened to me as well, and for me it's a sign that I am not grounded and detached enough from the situation. "It's not about me", I have to tell myself. "It's about the sitter. It's her reading, not mine". 

I try but... sometimes I fail. Nothing comes. I look at the cards and get nothing. Not a single tiny bubble of a message floats to the surface of my suddenly still mind-ocean. I scratch my head. I analyse the elements and nothing seems relevant. I try Geomancy and find that, great, now I am more confused. My braincells start to cannibalise each other in the calmness. I smile. I try to connect the cards. I stutter. Nothing makes sense - are these really my cards!?

I give up. And apologise.

RWS Tarot says... find a focus!

I have always liked Astrology, but only this year I decided to study it seriously and go beyond the usual Sun Sign descriptions. Learning Astrology is like learning a new language... it's not just a matter of memorising concepts, but also a matter of understanding the reasoning behind it. The whys and the hows. Study and practice until the thought process becomes natural... and this can take a while.

A long while.

I have been reading a lot on the subject and wanted to know what do I need to do  in order to keep growing. I really wish to become good at Astrology, and eventually move beyond the basic level. I drew three cards from the Tarot Nova.

The High Priestess as the first card tells me that I am in the right path. Gathering information, trying to understand what I am learning. This card also tells me face the difficulties I am facing with enthusiasm, and not let them make me give up on a subject I am loving so much!

The Page of Swords warns me about a possible pitfall, that is reinforced by the High Priestess - lack of focus. It is true I have been reading all I can find, but this chaotic approach may not really help me in the end. There's a difference between stacking away information and actually learning it. The Page of Swords is also a card of communication, so it suggests that I keep taking to other astrologers (actually, asking them questions) in order to learn more.

I may have to rationally organise my thoughts, in order to optimise my study time -- that could mean keeping a journal or notebook, which is something I never managed to do successfully. Otherwise all I have been learning will remain scattered in the many books I have.

The last card is the 6 of Wands, a card of good results. I will not become a professional astrologer in 6 months, but if I follow the advice given by the cards, I'll really improve as a student. I must let the challenges bring out the best in me. This card also means that I main gain some recognition from fellow astrologers and Astrology students.

Back I go to the notebook! The scary blank page awaits for me!

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

The Grail Tarot says... learn through practice!

This week was a strange one.

It was intense, even though apparently I did nothing out of the ordinary. I feel that my week passed in a strange wave of chaos from which I felt rather disconnected. It was as if most of the time I was seeing everything from the outside.

Perhaps this is due to my newest discoveries in my spiritual path. I have been reading different things... difficult things, against which I wish to fight sometimes... So it was a mentally tiring week. I can feel the ghost of a headache burning my brain. I feel like I could sleep for a thousand years.

I decided to get some guidance from the Grail Tarot, which I find a helpful tool specially for spiritual questions. I made up a small 3-card spread, that I will share with you right now.

1. What lesson am I learning right now? ~ Preceptor of Vessels

The Preceptor welcomes the new Seeker of the Order. The Preceptor's role is to guide the young Seeker, guard his path and mediate his contact with the higher teachings. I feel like I am the Seeker of this card... right now I am learning about the importance of having a mentor, a preceptor, someone to discuss you discoveries with, someone to learn from. Alas, I still have no teacher for now.

But this card is also the card of the Grail Knight himself. It's about dedication and effort to understand one's journey. And this is my lesson right now: to listen to my 'inner preceptor' and try to dedicate myself to a whole new way of seeing life and the world. For the first time I feel that my spiritual journey is beginning to affect how I react in the 'material' world. If all goes well, it should transcend the ritualistic part and really become a part of my own world view. This process is painful, because it scraps the veneer off of many things and situations I am attached to. I need to balance what I am learning with what I am living.

2. How can I integrate this lesson in my life? ~ Two of Vessels

The first thing that came to mind mind is that these lessons I have been learning will be important when dealing with Emotional Turmoil™. On a more general level, this card is about sharing. In the image, the Grail Master is studying the plans to build a new temple, both for the Order and for the laypeople who wish to learn more about the Grail. So the best way to integrate what I have been learning is through practice, specially if it involves other people. Share through actions, not words. Make the lessons appear in how I live my life, and not turn them into something I do during the weekends for fun.

3. What is the next step? ~ Preceptor of Swords

According to the book: "The application of wisdom to overcome the trials that beset us is the message of this card, It indicates a need for reflection, meditations and forethought. Such disciplines lead the Seeker towards their goal; rushing headlong is not the best way." (p.95) I think this is interesting for two reason. The other two cards were emotional cards, probably dealing with the 'softer' parts of what I have been learning, that need to be practiced and shared with the others. That's where I am now. But the next step involves gaining some clarity about my own situation, so I can overcome the obstacles that stand between me and a more enlightened vision of life. The next step will be the 'harder' side.

I also was surprised by the fact there are two Preceptor cards. In the texts I have been reading, it is said that we have two 'gurus'. One is inside of us, and in identifying ourselves with it him/her we can absorb their qualities and gain a more balanced and generous view of life. But there's also the outer guru, the one who will teach us and discuss things with us, and be a living example to us.

I think I have begun to get in touch with the 'inner' teacher a bit, represented by the Preceptor of Vessels But I am determined to find an 'outer' teacher all well... someone who can teach me through examples, and discuss my spiritual discoveries with me.

I am sure he will appear, when I am ready.

The Grail Tarot © REDFeather, John Matthews & Giovanni Caselli

PCO: Where is the love?

I did this reading for my friend, A. She's in a long-distance relationship with T., and a few months ago I did a reading about whether she'd see T. again (in flesh, not through the computer) before the year was over. So far the reading has been accurate, so she asked me for another one.

Apparently T. and her are living in a limbo... she says she has been trying to keep the flame alive, but he has been acting distant. So she asked the cards 'what is going on with our relationship?'.

The first thing I noticed about this reading is the lack of Diamonds. Diamonds IS fire, so yes, their relationship is rather cold right. But before I started interpreting the cards themselves, I did the Geomancy analysis: Conjunctio = Cauda Draconis + Laetitia.

I was very surprised to see that these are the exact same Geomantic figures I got for the other reading I did for her. My impression is that this reading is a development of that other one... the was no significant change in their situation, they are still heading to the same future.

Laetitia says that there is joy between them, but alone it cannot overcome the obstacles they are facing, represented by Cauda Draconis. And this figure is all about big obstacles - in their case, it's the distance and the different realities they live in. If they want their relationship to survive, they have to trust that their link can survive the distance. Also, Conjunctio suggests that they may have to make sure their communication is as clear as possible, to avoid destructive misunderstandings.

Back to the cards, we see that the Torso position is hosting a complicated card: 8♠, the Field of Stones. But right below it, we have a very nice card, the 2♥. What's going on here? My answer is - there's love, but it's buried under tons of worry and obstacles. The 8♠ is not saying that the love has ended, but only that it is facing obstacles that appear to be insurmountable at this time. The water offered by the 2♥ keeps them together, but for now is not enough to nourish the dry land that seems to be surrounding them.

The 13 Witches Runes ~ Part I

One of my all-time favourite oracles is the Witches Runes by Susan Sheppard. Differently from the Nordic Futhark runes, they are not an alphabet, but rather a gathering of symbols that are a part of the western "collective mind". Love, man, woman, moon, sun, death... all these are present in the Witches Runes. Although apparently simple, these symbols can be used for fortune-telling with incredible accuracy, and some people also use them in magical rituals.

Sadly, there's very little information about this oracle on the web, so I have decided to talk a bit about the 13 symbols here in the blog.  I use the method taught by Susan Sheppard in her book A Witch's Runes. The book is wonderful and very complete - if you like what you see here, I recommend buying it!

It's important to keep in mind is that there is more than one kind of "Witches Runes". One has 8 symbols, the other has 10 symbols and the last one has 13 symbols - this is the one that I use.

I'll split the explanation of all 13 runes in 3 or 4 posts, so I can write more detailed definitions for each of them. Although I have learnt the method from Susan Sheppard's book, the explanations below are my own and come from my own experience - please do not repost them anywhere else without asking first, ok?

I hope you all enjoy it!

~*~

Sun

The Sun is well-known symbol of good omen and protection. It is the life giver, the light that chases away the darkness and brings the new day. It's masculine and dynamic. In the Witches Runes, it represents the beginning of something new, or a significant change in a situation that was bleak. As a source of light, the Sun can symbolise the disclosure of secrets and the clarification of hazy situations.

Just like the Earth and the other planets revolve around the Sun, this rune indicates that you'll soon be a source of attention for some reason, or that something (or someone) will grab your attention irremediably. It often symbolises the bestowing of an honour or award, or the acknowledgement of a good work. This rune can literally put you under the spotlight and expose you to public scrutiny. Be prepared to deal with a crowd.

Traditionally, the Sun's metal is the gold, and this also reflects in this rune - it's a rune of material wealth and can represent very rich people.

In relationship readings, this rune can indicate that one of the partners has a very strong presence, and may sometimes dominate the relationship. There's a strong Ego whenever the Sun appears, and this can be good or bad depending the nature of the relationship. In negative readings this rune can show that one of the partners is not allowing the the other to grow and shine on their own. But this is not very common - usually the Sun represents a vital and healthy relationship, even if it's not necessarily a peaceful one.

~*~

Fours as Winds?

The text below is a small compilation of some reflections I posted at the Temple of Wisdom, regarding the apparent contradiction between the number 4 and the idea of Winds. Many people who start studying the Playing Card Oracles are surprised to see the number 4, usually associated to stillness, structure, foundation and order, being symbolised by Winds - rather unstable forces.

I spent a long time thinking about this, and came to my own conclusions about what the number 4 really represents, and how it matches the idea of the Four Winds very well. Hopefully, my ideas will help other readers and students.

For a while I thought that the number 4 - a number of stability and structure - did not relate at all to the idea of a wind. After all, winds are an unpredictable element. They bring you rains, but they can also steal them away in a matter of minutes. They can be a welcome breeze in a summer day, or a hurricane!

Nothing in the head... everything in the mind.

First of all, I'd like to thank you all my friends who wished me good luck with the MRI. Thank goodness, the results were good! Nothing in the brain and skull area! That's such a relief. We may have to investigate the spine area... I still have to talk to my otolaryngologist, see if he wants to try other things or wait to see if the symptom will go away on its own.

The more I think about it, the more I think my Pilates teacher (who is also an physiotherapist) is right - my constant neck/back tension could be the source of the problem. I am a very stressed person, and the fact I have not been sleeping well makes me even more stressed. I have trigger points in my neck and upper back area (she told me that), and these can cause many symptom, from pain to numbness, in different areas of the body.

If that's the problem, then it's something I can deal with. Through Pilates and Yoga exercises, I can try to cure the physical symptoms. But as we know stress is also psychological, and this part is the problem. What is making me stressed?

Perhaps my mind is the biggest trigger point of all. It's the true source of my blockages.

In a moment of great worry, I did a 4-card reading with my Playing Card Oracles about what could be causing the facial hypoesthesia. The in the Head position was the 2 of Spades - a card of disagreements, strife, conflicts and... inner turmoil. We discussed the reading at the Temple of Wisdom, but it was hard to pinpoint the cause of the problem due to our general lack of expertise in the medical field (only one member is a healthcare professional, and he did bring some good and objective ideas) .

However, the more I look at this card the more it says to me that the roots of the problem are not just organic, but psychological. The two faces in the card, yelling at each other, could easily be two side of me unable to come to an agreement. But why can't I hear what they are discussing about? And more importantly - who is the judge of this conflict?


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

Deck Review: Sacred Scarabs by DeTraci Regula

I received the Sacred Scarabs in a trade with a friend. I had no special interest in them, but they seemed to be a nice, different kind of oracle that I'd like to have in my collection. Back then I was trying to learn how to read with the Futhark Runes, and any oracle that resembled runes began to interest me. And that's how I came across the Sacred Scarabs.

The Sacred Scarabs is a small set of 30 blue-and-gold rubber scarabs. I know that the rubber material can put some people off, but I found that this makes the little scarabs quite resistant. Some of my glass and stone runes get scratched or faded from constantly rubbing against each other in the bag - that does not happen with the scarabs.

Besides, the scarabs themselves are rather cute. The top part is painted in Egyptian blue, and has a rather detailed shape of a scarab beetle. The bottom is flat and painted in gold and blue, with a bas-relief depiction of a symbol. That is the symbol you use to read the scarabs.

The Scarabs were "created" by DeTraci Regula, a Priestess of Isis member of the the Fellowship of Isis, and they were inspired by a dream she had. The dream is described in full detail in the Introduction of the book, but the idea is more or less this: she was a priestess in Ancient Egypt, partaking in a big celebration in a temple. During this celebration, a unique method of divination was used. Small scarabs would be put on a net and then thrown over the people. The scarab that hit a person was a message to her/him. Very neat!

It's important to say that the scarabs have appeared before in the book The Mysteries of Isis, also written by Regula. There she introduces the idea of doing divination with symbols inscribed underneath small scarabs. Minor changes have been made between the 'first' version of the oracle and the finished Sacred Scarabs set. The author explains these changes in the beginning of the companion book, and in my opinion they are not detrimental to the set.

The set includes a companion book, 30 rubber scarabs and a small black pouch for you to carry them. All in good Llewellyn quality. In the book, Regula tells you briefly about the Magic and Divination in Ancient Egypt and what the scarab meant to Egyptians. She also teaches a divination ritual, with invocations to Isis and Khepera (the scarab god), and three spreads with multiple scarabs. One of the good things about the book is that Regula includes many examples, both of single and multiple scarab readings.

The Foot Chronicles: In a Snail's Pace

There are times in my life in which I remember my dreams in detail. They are so strong I feel 'high' during the morning, a part of me living in reality and a part of me still lost in the remnants of my dreams. And there are times in which I can't recall a dream to save my life. If I couldn't see the sun rising through the eastern window, I'd doubt I had slept at all.

The last couple of months have been 'dreamless' months. Of course I dream, but their contents remain a mystery locked in the black box of my mind.

But today - ta da! - I remembered. Not all the dream, but a part of it that made me sit on my bed and think about it for a long while before getting up. Not something I usually do: early in the morning my thoughts have the complexity level of a Neanderthal's, and nothing profound comes from my brain cells as I drag my sleepy butt to the bathroom. I even think in grunts.

The Grail Tarot says... there's a flower that blooms in solitude.

I have been meditating about the influences surrounding me in this moment. I began to notice that one of the most damaging influences I have to deal with in my life is cynicism. I don't mind scepticism, because it helps us to question, to think for ourselves instead of blindly following the mass. But cynicism can be destructive... all the people that I know who have been bitten by this bug (and some of them are very close to me), became very dry on the inside. Surely, they have a very active mental and physical life, but they lack something. Even their emotional side sometimes seems to be stilted, because emotions require you to dive and cynics are always afraid to drown.

I saddens me that many of these people, while having a good nature, often feel the need to try to prove you that their point of view is correct. Some of them can be quite active in doing this, behaving like some sort of missionary, and others will do that passively, simply showing their contempt for you. They are the kinds that will say "God/Astrology/Tarot/Divination/UFO/etc. is bullshit" without ever trying to understand what any of these things are. They are just happy to tread on other people's beliefs, because nowadays this is a sign of superior intellect.

But is it?

I don't know. I once had a boyfriend who openly told me he considered me mentally inferior to him, for believing in tarot and for being a woman. I am often treated with contempt by the people around me who do not understand what I do, and are not interested in learning. I find nothing superior about any of these attitudes, but I endure them. Yes, I can accept cynicism (it is a way of living, after all), but no, I cannot thrive in it.

So I asked my Grail Tarot about what can I do to not let cynicism influence me so strongly. The first card, that is the answer to my question, was Prester John (The Hermit). The second card, which is the qualifier of the answer, was Sheba (The Empress).

The first card is very direct... in order to avoid being so affected by the cynicism around me, I will have to isolate myself a bit, or at least part of me. The most sensitive part - the mystic soul. It tells me to observe others, and not jump so quickly to defend myself or my point of view. I have nothing to prove who people who will not accept any proofs. Sheba confirms that I'll find growth in this quiet isolation. Both cards also seem to suggest some sort of retreat, perhaps in nature. I need to be alone to find my inner truth, one that can stand against the pointing fingers.

I should not need the approval of other to believe in what I do. I should not need their approval to live by these beliefs, specially since the don't harm anyone. I may have to learn the art of disentanglement.

The Grail Tarot © REDFeather, John Matthews & Giovanni Caselli

Deck Review: Titania Star Tarot by Titania Hardie

I have a penchant for the bizarre, specially oracle-wise. I enjoy having uncommon oracles in my collection; not uncommon in a sense of rare/expensive, but more in a "different from the mainstream" way. One of my favourite strange decks is the Titania's Star Tarot.

At first, it appears to be a common tarot deck with brightly vivid colours. It has 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minors, 16 Court Cards, 4 suits. The cards have a small size (6.4 x 9.4 cm), wonderful for small hands like mine, and a rather thin cardstock. I was surprised to see that it's quite resilient to intensive shuffling, as long as you are careful not to the bend them (because it marks badly). The cards do not have any sticky lamination to them, so they slide easily against each other.

The images are the real charm of the Titania's Star Tarot. The cards have a clean and elegant design, featuring silhouettes against a strikingly colourful background. The borders are silver, and the backs are reversible.

The package is beautiful. Outside it looks like a silver hardcover book, but when you open it the actual book is a softcover 'glued' to the right side. On the left side, there are two small boxes embedded into a blue frame - these contain the cards. The book is in full colour, displaying good quality scans of the cards along with fairly detailed description for the Major Arcana and small paragraphs for the Minors and the Court Cards.

PCO: Destroying illusions or destructive illusions?

Finally, a sunny day. A wonderful opportunity to sit outside and have fun with playing cards. That's exactly what I did during my lunch break today. No questions, no reading. I was just telling little stories with them, because for me it's a good way to connect with the cards and calm my mind.

Then, in one of my stories, I drew two cards.
First the 5 of Hearts. Then the 7 of Swords.
Hum... interesting.

The 5♥ is called Fata Morgana, a card of illusions and deceit, and the 7♠ is the Sword of Destruction.

At first the meaning of this combination seemed very obvious to me - the Sword of Destruction was "destroying" the illusions cast by Fata Morgana. Duh.

But as I gave it more thought, I began to wonder if the cards were not talking about a destructive illusion instead. Since Hearts & Swords (Water & Earth, respectively) are complementary suits, I suppose these two cards would add to each other's meanings, and not contradict each other. In fact I think Morgana would be positively thrilled to play with the Sword of Destruction!

So, the elemental combination made me rethink my first interpretation.

But if the Sword of Destruction will not destroy the illusions cast by Fata Morgana, who will?

I ask you: which is the most effective way to kill a bit of water? (A bit, because the 5♥ is a low number)

With fire. Right?
And in the playing cards, fire is represented by the Diamond suit.

So, the real "enemy" of the 5♥ is actually the 7♦ - the bold and brave Sword of Truth.

I love when the cards themselves teach me something new!
Watching them interact on the table is SO fascinating.



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

Deck Review: Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards by Svetlana Touchkoff

There are many decks that have the word "gypsy" somewhere in their name. You have the Zigeuner Wahrsagekarten ('Zigeuner' means "Gypsy"), the Gypsy Fortune Telling Playing Cards, the Gypsy Fortunes, the Gypsy Bijou deck... and the list only grows, year after year. However, few decks manage to be as interesting - and as unique - as the Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards.

This is one of the treasures I brought from Canada, and it was found in a small esoteric shop in Richmond, in my last day. I can't tell you how many times I almost bought this set from Amazon or eBay, only to give up in the last moment. But the deck still found its way to me.

Created by Svetlana Alexandrovna Touchkoff, the Russian Gypsy Fortune Telling Cards includes a 182 pages hardcover book and a deck of 25 cards. Both come in a sturdy and beautiful slipcase. The cards are squarish, and have one particular characteristic: none of them contains a complete picture. Wait, what?

Yes, that's the deck's most unique and fascinating feature. Each of the 50 pictures of the deck has been split in half, and each card has four different half-scenes. The way to read is simple: you lay down all the cards in 5 rows or 5 cards and see which images become 'whole'. You cannot move the cards from their original position, you can only rotate them to find any matching halves. And you will only read the images that get formed.

Trust me, it's much less complicated than it sounds, and the book explains this method in detail. It's a fun "puzzle" and even some sitters get engaged in finding the images. You don't read the cards, but the pictures, and the meanings gain different nuances depending on which direction the picture is facing.

The cards have very vibrant and rich colours, and the drawings have a gorgeous Russian lacquer box style to them. Their squarish shape and size (10 x 10 cm) make them very easy to handle, but the cardstock is a bit flimsy, and doesn't seem to withstand a lot of rough shuffling. I confess I always feel a bit weary of letting others shuffle it, something very unusual to me. I suppose that I'll have to use it more to see if the cardstock will hold up over time.

PCO: And what have I learnt...

It is a bit difficult for me to write about what have I learnt this week, with the sudden trip to the conference. I still don't know exactly what my lesson was, but I am happy I did not miss this opportunity... as scary as it was at first!

The King of Clubs, Sol, and the 6♦ were the two cards that helped me to decide whether to go or not. They appeared in the Head and Throat positions of the Present Spread, respectively. I did not meditate about their meanings, but for some reason they screamed "YES!" to me. "Go M., go!"

And I went. Veni, vidi, vici!

Now I think about what these cards were telling me, and what lesson have I learnt. Sol is an eternal student, a master of many subjects, but specially someone whose curiosity is never sated. Alone, all by himself, he is cold and still, like the stale air of an old library. Full of knowledge but without any use to it.

And then comes the fire, in the 6♦. A growing fire, the one that make things change and manifest, as in a chemical reaction. The 6♦ was like a Bunsen burner, heating the little dish in which Sol rested, making his molecules move faster and faster and faster... making him rise.

The Lady of Lightning never sleeps on duty

I don't really like when cards pay me visits too often. It usually means that I have not being paying attention/working on their message... or that something wicked this way comes.

I used the Wisdom of the Hidden Realms for some readings this week... usually one card readings, asking general information/advice about my life. And The Lady of Lightning appeared to me in EVERY reading. In every single time I used the Wisdom of the Hidden Realms this week, she found a way to sneak into my reading and make her message known.

Now, I am not unnerved by lightnings, and it's been a while since The Tower card made me shake in my boots. I understand that cards tend to adopt 'smaller' meanings when referring to 'smaller' facts, and the readings I was doing with the WHR were a bit prosaic in their intention. So while the constant appearance of the Lady of Lightning puzzled me, I did not expect anything huge to happen. Perhaps in the long run... not in my current run-of-the-mill life.

And then it happened.

Today my co-worker came to talk to me... I was afraid I had done something wrong and began to prepare myself for the blow. But no - there was nothing wrong. She just wanted to tell me that next week there will be an international conference about digital books, which is my area of speciality at work. It'll happen in another city and will have a lot of interesting lectures about the subject.

Before my mind could understand the avalanche of information, she asked me: "do you want to go?"

The Arrow of Truth

The Truth.

When people look for card-readers, that's usually what they are after. An answer to a question, a missing piece of information, a future development - and always the truth. But sometimes, delivering the truth is more difficult than it seems.

I have confess that, in my experience, 100% positive readings are rare. Almost all readings, even good ones, have a catch. There's something you must change... something you must let go of... something you must do in order to reap the rewards. But if the general feeling of the reading is in accordance to the querent's wishes, it's much easier to talk about the small stumbling blocks.

Handling the arrow of the truth becomes difficult when the reading is not what the querent wants. Nobody likes a no!, no matter how prepared they think they are to receive it. And if the querent is certain that the answer will be a double yes!, then the task becomes even harder. Furthermore, there are times in which people think that they want the truth, nothing but the truth... but when the truth is shown, they close their eyes. As readers we cannot force them to accept the message - but we still have to find a way to deliver it.

So... how to shoot the arrow of truth without stomping on the querent's heart with hobnail boots?

Some readers don't care much about this. Their style is 'blunt', and they deliver the message as it comes. I know that some people don't mind this, and some even appreciate the sincerity. But being a very sensitive person myself, I know I could not endure this in a moment of vulnerability - and I know that many querents ask for readings in difficult times, when they are feeling hurt, weak and frail. So I try to put myself in their shoes before saying that "it's so bloody OBVIOUS that he doesn't care about you anymore!". Nothing is obvious when emotions are involved.

I am not implying that a reader should lie to the sitter - never! You can be fully honest, and still be considerate. I go against the idea that card readers should go around pushing 'reality checks' down everybody's throats. I think that whenever we have to shoot the arrow of truth, we must dip the tip in a bowl of honey.

So you sugarcoat the message, eh? No. Sugarcoating means making something appear better than it is. Being tactful means delivering the message in a way that the other can receive it. I want my querents to understand the message and use it in an empowering way, even if it's apparently negative. I don't want them to be traumatised by it. I think that a harsh slap across the face is just as unhelpful as a lie.

Brutal honesty should be used as a final measure, for very troublesome querents. And if things became this bad, I'd reconsider my ability to help this person, and would probably refer them to another reader. We don't have to lose our sanity because of rowdy sitters.

There's no recipe, and eventually every reader find his or her own way to deliver the more 'negative' readings. When confronted with this problem, I try to remember how I'd like to receive a similar message. My inner answer usually is: in a compassionate, honest and encouraging way. In a way that does not make me feel silly or exposed. In a way that helps me to see both the light and the shadows of my situation. And that's what I try to convey to my sitters.

I know that sometimes I'm not successful, because I am human and I have bad days too! But I think it's important to keep exercising our kindness when shooting the arrow of truth through the heart of the others. You don't have to be brutal to be honest.

"Feelings are everywhere -- be gentle." (J. Masai)

Cliparts © Florida Educational Technology Clearhouse

Through the looking-glass: Paganism in the Southern Hemisphere

Helen's post "Christmas in July" inspired me to think a bit about the spirituality 'culture' and how it relates to (and sometimes, ignores) the Southern Hemisphere. Like her, I was shocked to read a reviewer of the Oracle of the Dragonfae accusing the "New Moon Fae" card of having a 'wrong moon' depicted.

Excuse me?

It is undeniable that most of the human race lives in the Northern Hemisphere, as it has much more land than the Southern Hemisphere. Also, the fact is that many Southern Hemisphere countries have been colonised by Northern nations, and ended up adopting their views, holidays and religions without discrimination. I believe this explains why the Northern Hemisphere view of certain natural events, like the moon phases and the seasons, tends to prevail.

But when it comes to some aspects of spirituality - specially for those who follow a nature-centred path - things are a bit more complicated. You are supposed to follow the rhythms of the Earth - and to do that according to the Southern Hemisphere, you have to adapt (or ignore) a huge portion of the spirituality literature that is available.

Most of books about paganism, tarot, divination, rituals, magic etc. have been written by Northern Hemisphere authors. That means that they offer you a Northern-centred perspective of how nature works - and basically leave half of the world out of the equation. This is understandable to some point. After all, most of the spiritual traditions that have spread worldwide and became popular nowadays have originated in the Northern Hemisphere. All magical attributions and observance of seasons are in accordance to their place of origin.

However.... I have read many books on all these subjects, and I have to confess that after a while, it became tiring to never see the rituals match my reality. In the end I had to alter so many little details in my practice for it to feel right, that I began to feel 'fake' for even trying to adapt the rituals. Clearly, those rituals were not made for me, or for the place in which I live.

That's when I stopped following books, and started following what is happening outside my window. I gave away all my dogmatic instruction books and began to celebrate the seasons as I saw them happening around me.

I do think that trying to see things from a Southern perspective while living in the Northern Hemisphere is a bit like walking into a mirror. A lot of things seem 'reversed'. But I think it'd be an interesting exercise for those who practice any form of spirituality to remember that the world is not a half-sphere. Honestly, it peeves me a bit to watch some people defend certain attributions (like the idea that North is unquestionably related to the element Earth) as universal rules determined by the deities, when they are not even true to the whole planet!

I don't intend to change our whole culture - I know we will keep celebrating Christmas on summer, even though it's originally a winter holiday. My intention is simply to remind the fellow pilgrims that not even the cycles we use to guide our lives and count our time are absolute. Cross a line, and you'll end up in the other side of the mirror, where everything seems backwards - but it's still correct.

I wish the teachers of the Earth-centred traditions would let go of their own dogma when spreading the word. That they would willingly put themselves in the position of the Hanged Man, and try to see things from a different point of view. This way they will not exclude practitioners from different backgrounds, and they will also educate those who share their reality.

Educate them, so that when they go through the looking-glass, they never look up in the sky and think that the moon is wrong...

Interview with the Herbal Tarot

The Herbal Tarot... many times I considered buying this deck, only to change my mind in the last minute. But the friends you are meant to meet in this life always find a way to jump at you. My Herbal Tarot found me in a little metaphysical store, in Victoria, BC, Canada. It was an used copy, and looked like it had been there for a long time, waiting for someone...

I brought the Herbal Tarot home with me, and it surprised me! I was also lucky enough to find its companion book, "The Spirit of Herbs: A Guide to the Herbal Tarot", which is very OOP.

This deck really attracts me, so I decided to explore our potential together through an interview.

1. Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic? ~ Five of Swords [Mistletoe]

I am a friend and a teacher for both the moments of happiness and sadness, victory and loss. When you reach the top, I'll remind you the importance of humbleness. When you are feeling down, I'll help you to rise again.

2. What are your strengths as a tarot deck? ~ Knight of Pentacles [Elecampane]

I'm a loyal companion - I can be used in any situation, for all kinds of questions. I am good with practical matters too, not just spiritual or emotional issues. I am close to earth and nature, and I can help you to connect to them. I also know the ways of natural healing, and I can teach them to you and guide you in your first steps.

3. What are your limits as a tarot deck? ~ 5 of Cups [Horsetail]

The fact that my imagery blends tarot and herb may be a source of distraction - it's easy to see only one side and forget the other, rendering the message incomplete. Also, you may have high expectations on me, and because of that I may let you down. Remember that I am just a tool, I do not create anything alone.

4. What are you here to teach us? ~ Page of Cups [Damiana]

I am here to bring a bit of water to the dry land of your life. I'll teach you about the importance of adventure, and of discovering new passions. This will enrich your life! I will introduce you to the art of healing... show you how to use your gifts and talents to heal and help those in need.

5. How can we best learn from and collaborate with you? ~ Six of Wands [Hawthorn]

Use me to pave the way towards your small victories, and to learn from your small losses. If you are lost, use me to help you to find your way again. If you are hurt, remember that I am a deck about healing plants - use me to increase your knowledge about herbalism, and let me part of your self-healing path.

6. What is the potential outcome of our working relationship? ~ Nine of Wands [Bayberry Bark]

In working with me, you'll feel more balanced and grounded. Of course there will be conflicts, but you'll be more capable of dealing with them. You'll gain more knowledge (and a bit of self-awareness and inner calm), that will help you reassess your life. We have big chances of becoming partners that stick together through thick and thin!


Herbal Tarot copyright © US Games Systems, Inc.

Horoscope spread ~ Helping a friend to decide

I never had enough... courage?.... to use the Horoscope spread, although I have always admired readers who could use it. For me it is one of the few big spreads that really work, if you know how to use it.

Today a friend of mine sent me a message asking for a reading. Like me she is a deck collector, and she just found for sale a deck she wants very much. However, the deck is kinda expensive, because it is uncommon... she knows she should be saving money instead of spending it, but she fears she may lose the opportunity of getting it if she doesn't buy it now. She asked me for a reading because reading for herself wasn't helping.

I said I'd giving her a reading, if she agreed to be my Horoscope Spread guinea pig. And she did!

The question is: "is it wise for me to buy this deck right now?". Below is her reading.

 

The 1st House is related to the self, to the personality and the attitude of the querent. Here is is being represented by the 9♦, Gawain. Because it is a Diamond card, it tells me that she probably has the money to buy the deck she wants. But it also tells me something about her state of mind - she just can't stop thinking about the deck, and whether she should get it or not. I say that because Gawain always strikes me as being a stubborn type.

The 9♦ also reveals that she believe it is her 'duty' to get this deck. Perhaps she has been wanting it for a long time, or thinks that she, as a collector, has to have it.

To see whether if she has conditions to buy this deck, we need to look in the 2nd House. There we find the Q♠, Morgana. This confirms that she really has the money, but Morgana is about hidden things, so I believe that in order to buy this expensive deck she'll have to get the money that is hidden - not readily available. It immediately brought the "saving account" to my mind.

The 8th House is about hidden resources too, and there we have the 4♠, the North Wind, saying that her resources are stable, but not big so she should not abuse. Wait? Stable? But it's a wind card! Yep, but it also a four, which is a stable number. For me the winds in the fours are not about chaos (that comes with the 5s), but about constancy.

The 7th House tells us about the seller, and with the 6♥, it seems that the seller really hopes the deck will be going to a new, loving home. It says the transaction has big chances of going smoothly.

So, her situation is not so unstable that getting this deck would be a big problem for her. Of course, the amount of Spades in the reading shows that there is a desire to maintain what one has, to maintain stability. I think the conflict is shown well in the 12th House, in which we find the 2♠. There is no one telling her what she should or shouldn't do - only herself battling with her own ideas and desires.

I tried to find in this reading a card indicating if she would like the deck or not. I confess I do not know exactly where to place this yet, I feel split between the 7th House (that could also represent one's ideal of 'beauty'), and the 5th House (that is related to creative energies, entertainment and fun). The cards that are in both positions are good.

The 3♦ in 5th House suggest she may find this deck highly inspiring, and may be interested in working with instead of keeping it for collection purposes only. She'll feel like playing with these cards,

I placed a central card, asking for the most likely outcome of this conflict. The 8♥, the Garden, is a card of pleasure and giving into temptation. I'd say that although she has a big part of her pulling her towards stability and maintenance of her resources, she'll probably just give in and buy the deck.

My answer to her is that she's stable enough to spend money on the deck, although it means she'll have to use money that she was saving. The deck is going to be a nice addition to her collection, but she doesn't have to get it just because it's for sale. She needs to decide what is more important for her right now, and once she decides, she has to stop thinking about it.

I'm not sure if this reading was any helpful, but it was certainly an interesting exercise for me! :)


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

PCO: Focusing on details, missing the whole picture

Oh yes. I have been doing it again. *sighs*

Yesterday I sat down, lighted a candle and focused. I was going to read for a friend who was absent at that moment, but who had requested the reading. I knew the question was important to her, and as I am very close to the situation, I tried to clear my own mind from any expectations. Just read the cards!, I told myself. And after shuffling my deck, I drew four cards and spread them in the Present Spread, as taught by Ana Cortez.

The question was "Will A. [my friend] and T. meet again before one year passes?".
(Note: A. and T. are living in different countries right now.)

As soon as I saw the cards, mind entered panic mode. Oh no, that Leo guy on the top again! I knew I had interpreted him wrongly in a past reading, in this very same position. To calm and quiet my mind, I did the Geomancy, and I got the following: Laetitia + Cauda Draconis = Conjunctio.

That does not point to anything bad, but Cauda Draconis as the 2nd witness, tells me that there will be some significant obstacles to be overcome, and difficult choices to be made, before the meeting can happen. Conjunctio, as the judge, is a very good figure for a meeting. But that did not help me to get any calmer.

I started pulling details together - no Spades, hum, that means lack of practical plans, and 10♣ in the "Foot" position could indicate instability at work. And that Leo. Leo... K♦... maybe he's part of the obstacle? Maybe he's A's boss? Maybe she'll be offered a job opportunity that will get in the way? And that 6♦ in "Torso", it shows a lonely and isolated heart, ugh, I think the answer is not because of money, I mean, you have 10♥, the only Heart card, surrounded by Diamonds... suffocated by money issues...

Argh, shut up brain!

Thank goodness I went out to have dinner with my friends, and forgot about the reading for a good while. When I can back home, after enjoying a long conversation with a good friend, I was tired by happier, and my mind felt more at peace. And suddenly... suddenly it came to me that I was not answering A's question!

No, I was getting caught up in the details, focusing on the small relationship between the cards, and missing the whole picture completely!

Of intention and card reading

What is the power behind the cards? What power makes certain cards be chosen in an specific moment, fall into an specific position and deliver a message? I do not presume to know the answer to these question for sure, and I think that every card reader has his own personal answers to them.

I do believe that there's some special kind of energy behind every reading. It does not necessarily come from a higher power of any sort though - it comes from the reader and the sitter. I call it "intention".

For me, intention is the desire to know something, to receive an answer. It is an ardent question, and the strongest and clearest it is, the more powerful the reading will be. It is what separates empty questions and real questions - and what separate dull readings from intense ones.

Intention is actually present in all aspects of life, not just divination. It can be translated in "what you really want". In times like ours, in which there is so much to want, and our focus changes constantly, it may be hard to feel that deep and intense wish for something. But we still have many moments like this. Like when we are in love, or like when we wish to accomplish one thing above all else. This guides us, guides our steps and our choices.

Deck Review: Bird Cards - The Healing Power of the Bird Kingdom

Today it is exactly one month since I came back from Canada. And boy, what a trip it was! Not only I had a great time there, but I also found three decks that unexpectedly became favourites. One of them is the Bird Cards: The Healing Power of the Bird Kingdom, by Jane Toerien and Joyce van Dobben.

I'm a huge bird lover, but that wouldn't make me love a deck about birds. I love cats too, and no deck featuring cat has ever got my attention. To be honest I never really cared for animal-only decks, as I enjoy a lot of "human factor" in my cards.

Well... it's good to have your beliefs challenged sometimes.

I found the Bird Cards in a very big second-hand bookstore in Victoria BC. Of course, my first stop was at the tarot shelf... which sadly didn't have anything interesting to offer that week. But they had this deck, and after a whole day thinking, I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did.

The deck has 55 cards measuring 14 x 9cm (5,5 x 3,5 inches). A bit large, but still comfortable to shuffle. The cardstock is not bad, it feels like thick card paper without much (or any) plastic lamination. The feel of the cards is good, they slide between your hands easily, they are not sticky and they don't smell like chemicals. However, because they are a bit unprotected, bumps in the corners become noticeable after the first shuffles (specially in the back, because it is blue). And while the cards are not flimsy, I think that depending on how you shuffle them, they can bend or get marked.

The printing quality is very good. Joyce van Dobben used colour pencils to illustrate the cards, and the result is at the same time soft and vivid. It's clear that she studied very well the anatomy of the birds - no children's scribbles here! I did not find any card that I disliked or that I'd have done differently. The artist admits to be a huge fan of rainbows, and indeed the cards are filled with them.

What I loved about the art is the way Joyce van Dobben managed to mix landscapes, birds and mystical symbols. All cards look like a door between the nature we can see and a mystical world. As a stone lover, she also included in the cards many different stones, that interact with the birds and add to their symbolism. She explains the stones in the end of the book.

The artist comes from The Netherlands, but the book is written by an author living in South Africa (that is Jane Toerien). So this deck is the child of both southern and northern hemisphere, which is something I really liked. As a person living in the southern hemisphere, many times I have missed decks and books that are in touch with our reality "down here". A deck that has a bit of both hemispheres feels really balanced to me.

Entering the Creative Void! ~ a reading analysis

I'd like to comment on one of Ana's recent post in her blog: Hathor Message and Numerology – Entering the Creative Void! If you have not read it yet, I definitely recommend it! It's an amazing analysis of the number 5 and how it works in your life.

This is exactly what I am living right now. The "Head" of my last reading was the 5 of Clubs (The Wind Cape)... the "Foot" was the 10 of Spades (Terrene), telling me to slip a bit into a state of acceptance, instead of fighting this 'void' crazily (as it is my tendency). Stay grounded, but don't harden yourself too much (like Morgana, Queen of Spades, would).

I've been trying to do that, but the discomfort is way too great.

I always thought that the 5 of Clubs only meant 'confusion' or 'a head full of ideas'. Now I am living the 5♣ and it is at least 10 times more disturbing than I ever expected it to be. I've been sleeping badly, eating badly, I can't concentrate at work, my natural body rhythms feel thrown off... The mind overreacts because it knows that the crossroad is coming.

Or maybe it's already here?

You can't go back to where you were... you can try to deny the 'hurricane', but that means staying forever in the number 4. It's not a bad place to be, but if you are meant to go forward, it is quite stale.

The Uninspired Reader Syndrome: seeking treatment

So... my lack of inspiration is getting a bit daunting, and I must do something about it. I don't even feel like my usual self. I love reading, I love handling my cards, but I feel like the whole experience is becoming stale. It's like eating candy with the wrapper, or watching a beautiful spring day through a dirty and scratched glass. The beauty is right there, but you can't access it for some reason.

Thus, I decided to ask the cards. What should I do about my Uninspired Reader Syndrome?

I confess I was surprised by the Peddler's Ace in the Head position. This is one of the cards that follow me... and I usually don't see it with good eyes. However, this card is in a favourable position for its suit, and it has Livia right below it. Livia is a kind and warm presence, a constant fire. The 5♦, on the other hand, is a more chaotic fire, because of the instability of the number 5 itself.

So, I decided to give the card a chance of showing me its best side. I felt this card was talking about exchanges - of energy, and maybe even of money. My practice is too lonely, too private - I need to exchange my knowledge and skills with others. I need to 'sell my product'.

Livia, Q♦ in the Throat position speaks of connecting to a warm source of learning and inspiration. She is certainly a woman older than I, in her bowl she is offering her knowledge and her guidance. This card tells me I should maybe look for a mentor, someone who can help me to develop my card-reading skills.

The two fire cards make the message clear: dynamism is necessary. Change is necessary.

The Grail Tarot says... look for new horizons.

I spent the weekend thinking about how to address my lack of cartomantic inspiration... I still couldn't come with a good text, I think I need more time. Like a friend of mine suggested, I might be going through a burn-out... along with a faith crisis. A hazardous combination.

So, yesterday before going to bed, I was drinking a cup of tea and mindlessly shuffling my Grail Tarot deck. It's one of the few tarot decks that has managed to maintain it's appeal to me after my temporary break-up with the tarot. I like this deck for many reasons. I love the art, I love the fact all the cards form a continuous frieze when laid side by side, I love the objectiveness of the book... and while the Grail quest is deeply entwined with spirituality, the book does not attempt to cram the "divine" into your mind. When I'm using this deck, and reading the book, I feel like I'm being advised by an old and wiser friend, and not consulting any supernatural sources.

As I sipped my tea, I felt the urge to ask my deck what should I do regarding the triteness in my card-reading practice. I pulled two cards, following one of the spreads taught by John Mathews in the Grail companion book: The Brothers Spread. The first card is the indicator. It gives you a more or less direct answer to your question, or indicates what should be done. The second card is the qualifier. It details or qualifies the answer given in the first card.

My question was: what should I do about my card-reading practice?

1. Indicator: Two of Lances
This cards shows the Seeker walking through the pouring rain, wondering what is the purpose of all that. He's not a beginner - he has faces difficulties and overcome challenges before. But has to decide now how will he use the lessons learnt in the past, and the skills he developed over the years. As an indicator, this cards tells me I am going through a similar phase - it's a moment of self-doubt. Like the man in the cards, I need to keep my focus in order to persevere. I also need to make a choice, regarding how I'm going to use what I have learnt so far in a more productive way.

2. Qualifier: Preceptor of Lances
This card shows the Seeker receiving the Holy Lance from his teacher. It's a card that suggests the start of a new journey, the lance representing a new source of energy and creativity that is being received. As a qualifier, this cards says that I should look for something that may spark my creativity, and definitely use my skills to start something different. The way it is going is not working - if I do not wish to lose my focus, I must find a new horizon. The presence of Preceptor also shows that I should really consider looking for classes and workshops that could get me in touch with different people, from whom I may learn.


The Grail Tarot © REDFeather, John Matthews & Giovanni Caselli

My views regarding intuition

First of all, let me state this: what I wrote below is by no means a final summary of all my ideas regarding intuition. First, because I still do not have scientific knowledge enough to be sure of anything I am saying, you could say that it all came from my own "intuition". Second, I reserve the right to change my mind, as I gain more knowledge, experience and wisdom. ;-)

So this is, at best, a sketch of my thoughts, right in this moment of my journey. I do believe intuition exists, I have seen it work and I have experienced it myself. The difference in my approach lies in its origin. Differently from some I do not think it's a 'psychic' ability, nor that it comes from any divine source. I believe intuition is one of the greatest evolutionary gifts nature - and our ancestors - have given us.

 

~*~

For me, intuition is an optimised form of knowledge. It's something so ingrained in your mind that you no longer need to consciously access this knowledge - it simply comes to you, when you need it. That's why it appears to be sudden, to bypass all conscious reasoning, simply because you cannot perceive the process behind it - it's so fast! But it comes from somewhere, yes - from you. From your mind, your thoughts, your memories, your knowledge.

That's why everyone has intuition, there's nothing psychic about it, in my opinion. When a doctor looks at a patient and somehow already knows what he has, without any further examination - that's intuition. When an engineer looks at a building and just by looking sees that something isn't right about it's structure - that's intuition. When a card reader lays the cards in front of him and immediately perceives the atmosphere of that reading, and makes connections between the cards without having to remember their meanings - that's intuition.

When you learn something and it becomes easy, it becomes 'intuitive'. But you need to learn it first.

What do I mean by all this? That to me, before you can use your intuition, you need to have some solid knowledge of what you are doing. Or maybe just the basics, if you are specially talented. I do not mean to make intuition and imagination slaves of knowledge and reason - not at all. I think they all function better when working together, not separately.

What I am trying to oppose here is that common notion that intuition and imagination are opposed to reasoning and knowledge.

It does not make sense to me the idea of a "divided mind". Intellect vs. Intuition. It's not how it works for me, I believe that knowledge and imagination work together... actually, the best they work together, the stronger they are. You never met a creative genius like Da Vinci or Einstein or Newton who were a complete idiots. They had imagination and intuition, but they also had a hell-load of knowledge. They literally stood on the shoulders of giants, but used their own intuition and imagination to fly, to go beyond.

Knowledge, all by itself, without any imagination to make it grow or any intuition to make it flow... is just a bunch of stuff. Like old dusty book on a shelf. Intuition, all by itself with no intellectual knowledge, is just emotional-guessing.

What does it have to do with divination? Well, I've been playing and analysing some 'intuitive tools', like the Oracle-X lately, and I realised it's very hard for me to use intuition right out of the box. Perhaps some fellow cartomancers will find this preposterous, after all, intuition seems to be the main tool of any card-reader. But... not for me. Sorry folks.

For me, a deck only becomes intuitive when I know it very well. To know it very well, I must first study it and use it. That is my process - I embrace the tool logically first, and when my logic is comfortable with it, then my intuition comes into play. I cannot get something from nowhere, and for me knowledge and intuition walk hand-in-hand. Hence my belief:"Intuition needs knowledge to function. Knowledge needs intuition to flow."

So a good divination method is one that has a special balance. It gives you a logic, solid method to work with, and at the same time, allows you to grow from there and make the oracle yours.