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