Today’s three card draw: Knight of Cups, The World, Seven of Swords.  Old English Tarot by Maggie Kneen, U.S. Games Systems Inc.

As my cotd, the Knight of Cups energy is great advice for me today to crawl out of my ‘cave’ and engage with others.

“Mutually Enjoyable” activities, conversations, people, places, and things. Surround yourself with people (or just that one special person) that share the same passions and interests as you. Seek out a group with like interests, or invite others to join yours. 

Typically unsociable? Not today! Get out there, make connections, go where the ‘fun’ is.

Not sure what the day will hold for me, and likely I will need to go in search of such social activities.  But, as I pondered on this combo I kept hearing the song “Favorite Things” playing over and over in my head.  I think it suits it quite well!  What do you think?  Have a listen and enjoy!

For today’s three card draw I’m using The Incidental Tarot by Holly DeFount.  The Seven of Arrows, The World, and Death.  Arrows are the equivalent to Wands.  (from the lwb)

• Seven of Arrows:  Gaining the upper hand in a struggle.  Conflict has arisen, but strength is inherent. Courage in times of trouble.
• The World: Success, completion and achievement. Rising to a state of global awareness, affecting change and progress on a large scale.  Completion of a large scale project or endeavor that will propel you to even greater work.
• Death:  Great or calamitous change, and a chance to prepare for the shift it brings.  Assess yourself and your state of being before you are forced to endure the consequences of disaster or misfortune.  Accept inevitable change and be transformed.

The Seven of Arrows as my cotd is about conflicts.  From the small, mundane, run of the mill kind, to the more major ones, and overcoming these conflicts.  This isn’t necessarily just outer conflicts, but rather inner conflicts or even a combination of both.  I usually see the Seven of (Wands) as giving the advice to stand your ground, defend what you believe in, and sticking to your guns.

The thing with conflicts and this card, is that I/we are in a good position to overcome them.  The ball is in my/your court, so to speak, and the next move, the winning move, is yours.  The World card enforces this idea of success and completion. Point, Match, Game!  I’m not sure if I have ever felt I was in this position before.  The position to really call the shots.

Now for the Death card.  I have no problem with the concept of transformation and change.  But, calamitous change?  No, not necessarily.  Of course, if you happen to be one who abhors and fights change tooth and nail, then yes it might feel like a calamity.  But, as with anything, success will certainly bring about change.  Hopefully, a change(s) for the better, which The World endorses and reinforces.   A change in the way I think about things like succeeding or excelling.

There are several irons in the fire, projects to wrap up, expand on, and plans for future projects.  The conflicts?  Nothing so dramatic or that worrisome, but there will  be “game-play” changes to work out.   A path to explore that hadn’t been seriously considered before.

At the end of the day, change is good.

Art of Life Tarot presents a 78-card deck of oversized tarot cards.  Each card features a treasured work of art paired with an insightful quotation. The cards in this unique deck may be used for traditional tarot readings or individually for daily inspiration.

Creator and Author:  Charlene Livingstone

Publisher:  U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

ISBN:  978-1-57281-715-9

Relying on her 25 yrs. experience and education in teaching Visual Arts and English, Livingstone created her Art of Life Tarot by selecting specific pieces of art and pairing them with the perfect quotation to create this unique Tarot.

As we explore, you will see the traditional suits of Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles, and the Court structure is Page, Knight, Queen, and King.  The Major Arcana has retained its traditional titles as well, but do not show a number for any order; however the LWB lists them in order with Strength 8 and Justice 11.  The lwb gives three or four keywords for each card.  The Minor Arcana section gives characteristics of both the suit and number, and the role of the court figures, all for a quick reference when interpreting.

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Today’s draw includes the Three of Swords, the Ace of Cups, and the Six of Cups.  I see ‘Forgiveness’ in this combo.     Brokenhearted, a gift of love, and memories of the past.  Normally, I see the Six of Cups as sweet nostalgia, but with the Three of Swords on the opposite end, it speaks to me of wrongs done in the past.   If that broken heart is to heal, allow the Ace of Cups to mediate with the gifts of love, contentment, and peace offerings.

Get to the Heart of the Matter, and allow the broken heart to heal.  As the song says, it’s about Forgiveness…

*Images are from the Golden Tarot by Kat Black and published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Beltaine:  “The Fire Tends to All”

When the topic for this blog-hop round was announced, the Ace of Wands from the Druid Craft Tarot immediately sprang to mind.

“Here, the wand is offered to us from the heart of the sun – the source of creative fire, initiative and energy.” (pg. 44)

Balefire’s were often lit from a fire created especially for the Beltaine celebrations.  They were called a “need-fire”.   What better source of a “need-fire” than the life-giving, earth warming, burning sun?

“The Fire Tends to All”

Sparks turn to flame

Flickering with life

Aglow they reach for the sky.

Warmth and light

Spreading outward and up

Dancing embers racing on high.

Moths to the flame

The revelers come

The Blessings of summer bestowed.

Drums beat the spring tempo

Jump, twirl, grind, and spin

Rejoice all the night

‘Fore a new day begins.

The fire we’ll take

Home to the hearth

The promise of life renewed.

The continuing gifts

Of a season reborn

Yet again, The Fire Tends All.

Thanks for stopping by!  Be sure to check out all the great posts in the Beltaine Tarot Blog Hop.

For the next Blog Hop, please ‘Click’ and continue reading!

*Images used: Ace of Wands from the Druid Craft Tarot, The Four and Eight of Bows are from the Wild Wood Tarot.

What’s instore for the upcoming week?

The North Winds, The Ruin, Sword of Healing, La Hire.

This is the first time I’ve used a Playing Card Oracle, so please bear with me.    Love and relationship issues may be the focus this week.   The north winds are strong and powerful and threaten to blow you off course.  The pull of remembering yesteryear is strong.  A long lost love perhaps?  Pining over an opportunity missed?  Or just thinking back to a time when you thought things were better in relation to your love life and/or sex life.  Overtime all relationships change and evolve, sometimes it’s due to the people involved actively making changes, and sometimes it’s from apathy or neglect.  Yes, there is a challenge to overcome, but also a good chance for healing.  A secret may be revealed.  Be ready for it.

The lwb that comes with this deck gives little “hints” as to the meaning of the card, leaving plenty of room to use your intuition.   For instance:

• The North Wind:  From cold harsh lands, this wind blows with raw and unsettling power and often involves sexual motivations.
• The Ruin:  What once was, is no more.  though time marches on, the past often lingers within us, dictating the present.
• Sword of Healing:  When the Sword of Healing reveals itself, a challenge of love and/or healing is at hand.
• La Hire (Jack of Hearts):  This card often portrays a young lover.  As it is a “one-eyed” card, he is hiding something.

Have a great week and Happy Tarot’ing!

*images are from the Playing Card Oracles Divination Deck by Ana Cortez & C.J. Freeman.  Published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. 

Art Through the Eyes of the Soul Oracle

Paintings and Text by Cheryl Yambrach Rose

Published by Daghda Visions S.R.O.

Distributed worldwide by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Introduction – “How to Use the Oracle”

This oracle deck is a vehicle to provide personal intuitive guidance from the mythic beings and Divine entities that inhabit sacred sites and spaces.  Deep insights and profound answers are hidden within the paintings.  Meditating on a card image connects you into the energy field of the location where the painting was conceived.  (lwb)

Cheryl describes her style as Neo-Mythic Art.  It is the unique blending  of a portrait painter, visionary  artist, and researcher of historical data of sacred sites and their mythology.  She lives and works in Glastonbury, England, Prague, Czech Republic, and Mt. Shasta, C.A.

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Today’s reading includes the Four of Pentacles, Seven of Pentacles, and the Five of Wands, from the Art of Life Tarot. 

As my COTD the Four of Pentacles is about time.  Sharing our time and making time for the really important things in life.   The Seven of Pentacles is also about time, in that having patience and allowing the time that it takes for something or someone to mature and grow as intended.  The Five of Wands is a little different from a traditional stand point.  To me this one is less about competing and more about not needing to compete.  While others are busy competing with each other over “table scraps”, you realize those scraps aren’t worth competing for anymore.  There are bigger and better things for you to seek out.

I found this quote which I thought goes nicely with this combo–tying it together with a big fat bow.

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue.  Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them.  And the point is, to live everything.  Live the questions now.  Perhaps you will find them gradually, without noticing it, and live along some distant day into the answer”.  ~Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

Today’s draw comes from the new Art of Life Tarot Deck by Charlene Livingstone.

First off we have the Five of Pentacles.  (Present situation) the woman in this painting looks totally despondent.  Her shoulders are hunched forward in a posture of defeat, her eyes appear to be staring at nothing, her face is void of expression, and she doesn’t even seem to be aware of her surroundings.  What could have possibly happened that she has arrived at such a dejected point?

Well, not to get overly dramatic, it’s not as bad as all that.  As my COTD the Five of Pentacles takes a further look at this idea:

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The Hobbit Tarot

U.S. Games Systems, Inc. 2012

Author – Terry Donaldson

Artist – Peter Pracownik

ISBN:  978-1-57281-677-0

(Introduction)  “In a sense, the journey of Bilbo Baggins is perhaps rather like our own journeys, with a tendency to cling to what is known, a disdain of change, and an unwilling hero who gradually finds within himself qualities he never knew he had.“

Where shall this story start, you ask?  Why, from the beginning of course, with The Fool, also known as Bilbo Baggins.

“It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no telling where you might be swept off to.”  ~Bilbo Baggins – Lord of the Rings~

This 78 card deck brings the much loved story The Hobbit, to life through the beauty and genius of the Tarot.  Twenty-two Marjor Arcana and fifty-six Minor Arcana, are based on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith structure, which include four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, Coins) and four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King).  Real as well as mystical creatures appear throughout, along with a cast of colorful characters including Dwarves, Elves, Men (humans), Wizards and Trolls, just to name a few.

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