Monthly Archives: January 2011

Don't Get Your Britches in a Bunch.

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Today I drew three cards using one of my favorite spreads, The Bridge.  The positions are: Where I am, where I’m headed, and the middle card is the bridge – how to get there gracefully.  This reading is about my three grand-children that will be spending the day with me.  So, where I am today is certainly surrounded by my three babies that live close by.  The Hierophant Rx (reversed) is a scene I see quite a lot around here.  In addition to the babies, we have a 3 month old pup running around.  Someone is always in a little bit of trouble and getting instruction in one way or another.   With the puppy in the mix, it makes for some interesting times of chaos.  The Hanged Man looks as if he is falling, rather than just hanging.  It can certainly feel that way at times.  I believe his britches are attached to the post, which leaves him actually just hanging, no matter the orientation of the card.  His is still hanging.

Everyday around here is an adventure, and usually filled with little surprises.  So whether its bath-time, story-time, meal-time, or nap-time, the Hanged Man offers his best wisdom—don’t get your britches in a bunch.  Hang out with the  “Ariel’s” and teach what lessons you can when you can.  It’s Monday and it’s going to be a long day, so chill out awhile and make it a good one.  Just “hanging-out” is very good advice indeed.

(*Ariel’s are what my 4yro granddaughter call Mermaids.)

images are from the Victorian Trade Card Tarot by Marcia McCord.

Another Successful Day

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The Victorian Trade Card Tarot

Ohhh what a busy day.   My usual Monday gig started a bit earlier today than normal, at 4am.  I then dozed in the recliner for a few hours until two of my grand-children arrived.  Feeling a little better at 9am than I did at 4am, (thank goodness) my 4yro grand-daughter and her 17 month old little brother arrived bright eyed, bushy tailed, and hungry.  Hungry seems to be a constant state with them anyway.  Our 10 week old puppy Wolfie, was happy to see them and added to the confusion and the hugs of starting our day.  Between the kids and the pets, my usual Queen of Swords persona didn’t stand a chance.

All in all it was a good day, even though a long and tiring one.  Lessons were taught, some were learned and some were pushed to the edge of the envelope.  No milk was spilled, at least not any amount of consequence.  Looking forward to tomorrow and knowing it will pretty much be an exact replica of today.

Cautiously, I pulled a fourth card and it was the Six of Wands.   Well no ticker tape parade, but everyone got fed, bathed, kissed, hugged, and walked.  No serious injuries and the toys were picked up and put away to start all over again tomorrow.  A successful day in my book.

Images are from the Victorian Trade Card Tarot by Marcia McCord and can be purchased from her web site.

Deck Interview – Victorian Trade Card Tarot

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Victorian Trade Card Tarot – by Marcia Mccord  copyright 2010 Marcia Mccord.


Tell me about yourself.  What is your most important characteristic?

Nine of Cups:  Abundance is my most important characteristic.  I am like a never ending buffet.

What are your strengths as a Tarot deck?

Two of Swords:  Not moving forward or back?  I will show you options you had not considered.  Help you make a decision or at least show you where a decision needs to be made.

What are your limits as a Tarot deck?

Page of Wands:  I dance to the beat of my own drum, so even though I always mean well, you may need to steer my focus from time to time.


What are you here to teach us? (me)

King of Swords:  To conquer your fears, to be more decisive, and to have confidence in yourself and your ideas.

How can I best learn from and collaborate with you?

Eight of Wands:  Jump right in, and hold on tight.  It’s going to be a fast and fun ride.

What is the potential outcome from our working relationship?

Nine of Wands:  I will test you time and again to look closely at your personal competence and convictions.  I will keep you on your toes and keep you challenged enough to keep your appetite wet to learn more.

Any final words?

Four of Wands:  Enjoy the fruits of your labor, build on a firm foundation, honor and celebrate your achievements and relationships, put down roots and enjoy order and stability.

To get your copy of Marcia’s limited editions Tarot Decks, she can be contacted through her web-site.

Marcia Mccord Tarot Reader

Let your Light Shine

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Druid Craft Tarot

First card down, the Five of Swords – Not a card that most of us are usually very thrilled about when we see it in a reading, especially when it’s your own.  Five’s in general are conflict, competition, blockages, and sometimes loss.   As unpleasant as these aspects are, we all have to deal with them at one time or another.  Today’s Five of Swords made me think of gossip, slander, and placing blame.  This reminded me of one of my favorite characters from the movie, Steel Magnolias, Clairee Belcher, played by Olympia Dukakis, where in a scene Clairee states, “..If you can’t say anything nice, come sit by me.”   We have all listened to and participated in gossip in some form in our lives.  For me it’s one of the things I’m not proud of and I make a conscious effort to not comment or repeat when I do hear gossip.  Ok, off my soapbox now.  I’m not really sure where all that came from, but it must be a message for someone.

The Five of Swords though is for me more of an inner conflict card.  Self-doubt is defeating and echoes my card of the day, yesterday of the Eight of Pentacles reversed.  Second guessing myself, doubting my abilities and fearful of sticking my neck out in the big bad world.

The Sun as my challenge:  I’m afraid to let my light shine, afraid to be too optimistic as is my usual way.  , The Sun reminds you (me) to let your light shine and find an opportunity in any negative situation.  The High Priestess gives the advice that you are above petty gossip and as long as you consult with and listen to your higher-self, your inner light will shine.

The probable outcome card is the Nine of Wands.    Am I waiting for the other shoe to drop?  Or looking for the big pin that will burst my little bubble?   Even though I feel I have battled my way through life, I don’t want to isolate myself as a means of defense.  That is no way to live and not my style.  If I subscribe to the negative thinking of the Eight of Pentacles Rx, and the Five of Swords, I may as well get my coat and go home.

My Chariot Year

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Chariot - Sacred Circle

With the turning of the New Year and the beginning of a new decade, there has been a lot of discussion of resolutions, forecasts, and aspirations for the future.  For those of us that read Tarot, it is quite natural to look at our year card(s) to use as a guideline.  There are a few different views on determining what your year card is, when it starts, and how far you reduce your sums.  I am most familiar with the formula Mary K Greer uses in her book, Tarot Constellations.  (Tarot Constellations is oop, but I heard a rumor that it may be published again in the not-too-distant future.)  It’s a very simple formula of adding your month of birth, plush your date, plus the current year.  So, for me it would like this.  My birthday is October 29 – 10+29+2011=43 4+3=7 7=Chariot.  *note – You only use the Major Arcana cards in determining your year card.

Chariot

Since my birthday is late in the year, I look at the time between then to the New Year as a transitional overlap.  From January until the end of October then, the Chariot influence will be at its peak, and will then share the last part of the year with Strength until January 1, 2012 rolls around.   Birthday to birthday is how most people figure the influence of their year card and depending on when your birthday actually falls will help determine how you decide when your card of the year has the most influence.   The next step is where you will find the biggest difference in how people work the formula.  Reducing to the smallest number or perhaps using shared cards.  For example, last year I consider my Devil year.  (10+29+2010=2049 2+0+4+9=15)  Other’s will further reduce this number to 1+5=6 and consider it a Lover’s year, while some will consider using both the Devil and the Lovers.  Mary advises that as long as your final sum is 22 or less there is no reason to reduce further.  However, there is not necessarily a right or wrong way, just be consistent in your system.

What does it mean then for it to be my Chariot year?  Try out a dialog with your year card asking, “what do I need to learn from you this year?” and write down your first impressions, or try a meditation and see if there is a specific message there for you.  Of the Chariot year, Mary writes:  “The Chariot Year focuses on your goals, so you harness your energies to move forward.  You need to work on self-control and self-discipline.  It’s a year to master abilities and prove your expertise by handling difficult situations, often with conflicting aspects.”

Will power will be the key for me this year.  I’ve never exercised very much will power, ever.  It’s about time I did.   What is your Year-Card this year?  Do you think your card will have much influence on you this year?  Let me know what you come up with or if you need any information concerning your year-card.

Chariots illustrated are:  Sacred Circle, Sun and Moon, Pearls of Wisdom, Deviant Moon, A King’s Journey, The Ecliptic Tarot.