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.

~*~