Death as a Source of Power

As part of my participation in an April Instagram challenge, I drew a card from the Major Arcana meant to represent the archetype from which I draw power. As I started to shuffle, my mind began to wander...what card would appear? I can say that of all of the images that passed through my thoughts, I was not expecting the one that I finally pulled - and it is in those moments that the most interesting and unexpected insights emerge....

I draw power from Death.

Druid Craft Tarot - Art by Will Worthington

I see the tale of Ceridwen, Gwion, and Taliesen here in the cauldron's crest, and it has special significance for me at the moment, another iteration of a common theme of inspiration and transformation.

In Death I see the story of our ancestors. How many people have contributed to our bloodline, have died without their names or stories ever being recorded? And yet they influence us still, in our blood and bones, in our örlog and our hamingja, the substance of our very souls. We are their legacy. Death - even our own mortal one - is not the end of our tale, nor that of those who will draw on our guidance far in the future when we are in turn ancestors, when perhaps even our own names and stories have been forgotten. No matter what, our essence is an indelible thread in the fabric of existence.

I draw my power from my ancestral past, and from the mythologies that still serve to teach timeless lessons to us after thousands of years.

I draw my power from the cycle of death and birth, or creation, and change; death and life are indivisible lovers.

Yesterday's Hanged Man, drawn as the "source of my skills," brought to mind, as always, Odin's story of self-sacrifice. Today's Death furthers that line of connection: to greet its presence every day, even in its smallest measures - the death of a thought, a feeling, an assumption, a limitation, of an expectation or desire - to allow something new to be born in its place: that is life and growth.

Finding Myself in the 9 of Pentacles

There is a lovely challenge occurring on Instagram this month which I am not participating in: #tarotperspectives. I will say, though, that I'm enjoying reviewing the posts of those who are! The idea is that you pull a card for the day from one, "main" deck, and then draw its equivalent from two or three other decks in order to see how different depictions of the same card speak to the same basic energy. Some of the voices are quite different, others very similar. Some approach the same archetype from unique angles.

I decided to try it out today using a few decks that I haven't drawn from in quite some time: the Fountain Tarot as the main deck, and then the Steampunk and DruidCraft Tarots as the companions. I shuffled and swirled and cut, and drew the 9 of Pentacles, a card associated with personal financial success and the comfort and pleasure that comes along with it. Then I pulled the same card from the other two decks, and laid them all side by side. Two images - from the Fountain and DruidCraft - were both quite similar to each other (and quite true to RWS styling), showing a woman with a falcon perched on one hand.

But despite their obvious connections, there are some significant differences in detail upon closer inspection. The DruidCraft 9 of Pentacles shows a woman who might be in her 40s. With the stone wall behind her, there is a sense that she could be in a courtyard, or at the edge of a castle enclosure. She bears appropriate falconry gear, with the heavy glove on her right hand, which reminds me that falconry was a "noble sport," practiced by those with enough money to afford the luxury of a fine bird, its housing needs, the necessary equipment, and the training. This was not a layperson's activity.

In the Fountain Tarot image there is a woman who appears to be a bit younger - perhaps in her 30s. She also has a bird, but she has no glove, which gives a more natural feel to her position. Perhaps the bird is there of its own accord - I like the idea that this wild bird simply came to visit. The woman stands before a series of concentric, golden circles, or arcs. This reminds me of tree rings, and I like the symbolism here: age and experience can be wonderful assets to support a successful life.

Then there is the Steampunk 9 of Leviathans, which shows a very science-fiction scene with two figures riding along in what appears to be some sort of futuristic amusement park ride. I had to look to the guidebook to try to understand what was going on here, but it just mentions that financial well-being allows one to enjoy life. Well, alright, I get that. I live in Orlando and never go to the "Parks" (Disney, Universal, etc.). The fact is that I just can't justify the expense of going with my family. Thus it does seem like some sort of symbol of economic success to be able to afford a worry-free visit there without breaking the bank.

As I was reviewing all of these cards I just felt flat. Not a single one made me truly "feel" anything. Women holding falcons isn't an image that resonates with me, and the Steampunk doesn't speak to me either - even if I was rolling in dough I wouldn't waste my money on a day at Disney. It was actually a kind of jarring experience to realize that I didn't connect with any of these cards - all from decks that I ostensibly really like.

So I went on a hunt to find a version that I could see myself in. I found it in the Prisma Visions deck:

Now this is what I'm talking about. No pretenses, no fancy gowns, no fancy gadgets and rides. This card shows a naked woman out in the middle of a field of tall grasses and wild flowers. It appears to be sunset, and the light in the sky shines in orange, yellow, and green hues. In the distance there is the outline of a cabin with an inviting glow coming from the windows. Perhaps logs crackle in the fireplace. There is a bird perched on the woman's shoulder, but there is not even the slightest hint of it being a pawn of the wealthy - it might have lit briefly on the lady's arm as it went about finding its evening meal. There are sparkles in the air - fireflies! The tall trees offer their green embrace to the world all around. Yes, this is me in the 9 of Pentacles. This is a woman who is glad simply to be alive, to be connected to the earth and sky. She delights in the presence of nature - she considers herself a part of it all. A rustic bowl of stew and a steaming mug of cider... a night of star-gazing...that is true contentment.

Mabon Tarot Blog Hop: Princess of Cups

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Welcome to the Mabon 2015 Blog Hop! Please use the links at the bottom or top of this post to navigate to the other wonderful blogs in this circle of divination thinkers, writers, and creators.

For this second-harvest festival hop, our wrangler, Maureen Aisling Duffy-Boose, asked us to think of a Tarot card that embodies this time of year for us, and then to create our own card using whatever materials suited our fancy. I am a drawer and painter primarily, so my first thought was to head for the canvas and acrylics. But then I thought about trying out a new (to me) medium - digital/photographic art! So here goes.....

When asked to consider a card that highlights the harvest season, autumn, most completely, I immediately thought of the Princess of Cups from the DruidCraft deck. In fact I will never forget how I felt the first time I laid eyes on it after having purchased it several years ago...the colors in rich, deep reds, the orange leaves preparing to fall into the brisk breeze...the golden fields in the background, and the cool calmness of the water. I love autumn, I'll just clear that up right now. It's my favorite season, and one of the more difficult adjustments I've had to make with living in the near-tropical south has been losing the earthy charm of this time of year. I have rediscovered it to some extent in the Florida winter, which is quite like autumn in the north, complete even with certain trees that change color and lose their foliage (usually in mid-December).

Still, the apple-cinnamon-orchard-pumpkin-chill-campfiresmoke-mystery is a little bit harder to find.

DruidCraft Tarot/W. Worthington

That said, the minute September 1st rolls around I start to feel an undercurrent of excitement - the thrill of the impending change in season. It's subtler down here, but it's still noticeable if you pay attention. Even in the at-times-oppressive 90-degree heat, I am thinking of baking, cider, and pumpkin pie.

So I knew that I wanted to recreate the Princess of Cups in honor of this second harvest festival of Mabon. Interestingly as I went a-researching I found (thanks to my trusty Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, by DuQuette, 2003) that the season of the Princess of Cups begins at the Fall Equinox and rules Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius! Coincidence? Synchronicity? Perhaps!

Princess of Cups/O. Destrades

I chose my daughter, Lourdes, to be my Princess, and I used my iPad and an art app to create the effects over the photo. While her Sun sign is Taurus, pretty much everything else in her chart is water, and she is certainly the most sensitive of my three kids. In this image the core color scheme highlights autumn: oranges, reds, browns and black. Representing the pure essence of water, streams of the element shoot from her finger and hand, arcing up into the sky and then down and around her body. She is young, and carries the innocence of this Court, but her expression is calm and knowing.

Inspired by the process of working on the Princess of Cups, I also created the Princess of Disks using the image of my oldest daughter, Isabella, who is a triple Earth (Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus)!

May your creativity always flow! Happy Mabon!

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The Three of Cups Saves the Day

This has been one rough week so far! When I drew Death for my weekly card I suspected that it would relate to the adjustments here at home now that Jorge is in Sweden. Quite right. In the Lenormand system, Death's counterpart appears as the Coffin, and can represent illnesses and cancellations. I've had quite a bit of those as well this week. Now that Gabriel has started at his daycare center (which he really likes, for the most part) he's exposed to all those other adorable-and-germy children, so as is wont to occur, he's come down with a nasty cold. I didn't need the cards to predict that for me! And his sickness has led me to cancel some classes and rearrange my schedule so that I can be home with him, dumping elderberry and lemon balm tea down his gullet on the hour.

I was hoping to return to my normal schedule today, and was hopeful that Gabriel would feel better enough to return to his center. Being rather anxious about it, last night I decided to throw some cards about what I might expect for today. I first asked how Gabriel would do at school, and I pulled the 5 of Cups and the Hermit reversed. Sigh. That blurted out to me: he's going to be really sad, and he'll feel abandoned. Gah.

5 of Cups, DruidCraft Tarot
Will Worthington

Next I pulled a card about how things would go at work, and I pulled the 3 of Cups. Ah hah. I would have some friendly support from my colleagues. I started to wonder if I might even be able to find someone to sub for me for today, but then I realized that it was already 8:00pm, and knew it was a bit late to be scrambling around trying to find help. I would try to go to work, and I'd plan to bring Gabriel to his center the next morning.

After a full day of herbal remedies and rest he had a much better night last night, but he's still healing. He slept so long that I had to wake him up ten minutes before we needed to leave so that I could at least get him dressed and comb his hair before heading out the door. I knew that was a potential recipe for disaster; waking up a sick child and hurrying them out the door into the bright, wide world is not a kind way to start the day! But he did okay. He even brushed his teeth and consented to taking a little heart-shaped homeopathic pill to help with his congestion. It was as we were getting our shoes on that things started to go awry. He said, "I don't want to go to school, I want to stay home!" He refused to carry his lunchbox. He enjoys school quite a bit, so I knew that if he was feeling a preference for home, he really needed the comfort and security. But what could I do? I had no plan B. So we got in the car and drove to his center and as we sat in the parking lot the tears started to roll. He was just so sad. I saw the 5 of Cups and Hermit reversed floating through my mind, and as I watched those pitiful teardrops fall, I made a split second decision to take him to work with me. What the heck??? I didn't know. I didn't know what I'd do with him while I was teaching, I just knew that I couldn't force him to stay at his school in that state. So off we went. We dropped Lourdes at her school, and headed to the university.

DruidCraft Tarot - W. Worthington

On the way I was thinking about that 3 of Cups. I decided to call my colleague, Rose, and let her know what was going on. I explained the fiasco and she listened with a sympathetic ear. She had to give an interview at 11am so it wasn't a straight forward fix, but she thought we could work something out. We hung up as I pulled into the school parking lot. Gabriel helped me retrieve the room key, and my student was surprised and pleased to have a tiny classmate (this was a tutoring session, fortunately, rather than a full-sized class!). Eventually I reconnected with Rose, and in addition spoke with my program coordinator and another colleague, and between us all we worked out a plan to cover the necessary tutoring hours for my student. This allowed me to take my son home to ever more tea and couch-laying. I was grateful.

The cards accurately predicted how Gabriel would feel about attending school, but they also gave me a remedy. Though at first I didn't see how best to take advantage of the potentially available support network, when I made that sudden choice to not send my child to school, I was thrust into a situation that spurred me to reach out to others, and they indeed came together to aid me in that moment of need. What is special about that is the encouragement that the 3 of Cups had given me. I was feeling very much that I had to work everything out on my own. Pulling that card opened up an idea in my mind about how I might leverage help from others, and my trust in that possibility made me comfortable reaching out to ask for what I needed. I didn't have to figure it out on my own, and the positive energy of the card I'd drawn allowed me to believe that a solution was possible, and achievable. And it was.

Go divination. ;-)

Lammas Blog Hop 2014: Remembering to Nurture Yourself

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Welcome to the Tarot Blog Hop! To navigate to more wonderful blogs in this circle, please use the links above, or at the bottom of this post!

For this Lammas Blog Hop our lovely wrangler Joanna Ash, from Sun Goddess Tarot, asked us to consider how the energy of the Queen of Pentacles manifests in our lives. This topic came at a particularly interesting and important time for me, as my typical nurturing role as mother and wife had been entirely turned on its head for the month of July: my husband was gallivanting about Europe, and our three children were spending vacation time with their grandparents. That meant….that I was alone!

I love having alone time. But it’s one thing to carve out bits of alone time while balancing children, dinner, work, bath time, date night, studying, divination, etc. etc. etc. It’s quite another thing to have a large block of alone time placed gently in your lap, the Universe looking you in the eye as if to say, “What will you do with the time you’re given?” Oh easy… I’ll go to the bookstore and browse for hours on end! I’ll head over to the library, pick out some books, and camp out all afternoon at that table in the far back corner where no one ever goes. I’ll go to a movie all by myself! How wonderful that will be!

Crystal Tarot by Elisabetta Trevisan
Lo Scarabeo/Llewellyn 2000

It is wonderful. There’s just a bit more to it than that. With no family serving as my anchor I was left entirely unmoored, ungrounded, unearthed. The first thing that hit me was the empty space. I was really alone. No noises of chattering children, no husband out mowing the back lawn. Just silence and my own thoughts.

The second thing I started to realize was that I had no idea what to do with myself. I don’t mean that I was at a loss for activity, per se, I just had no sense of how to regiment my time. That first day, I worked for nearly 8 hours, came home and spent three hours cleaning, doing laundry, organizing… only to realize I’d entirely forgotten to feed myself, and I was ravenous!  So I threw together a simple meal: a veggie burger on a bagel, some carrot sticks and frozen peas. Why bother cooking a proper dinner when no one is there to enjoy it?

So without a family to structure my time, I had to start to guide myself. I made a list of the things that I needed to do so that I could check those off bit by bit, but I also started to build in time for the things that I actually wanted to do. One day I left work and instead of heading home (to clean, do laundry, and organize!), I decided to keep driving, and finally managed to get to the bookstore. I plopped myself right down on the floor of an aisle and thumbed through books, reading for an hour. Almost bliss! Except then I remembered that once again I’d forgotten to eat! There seems to be a learning curve when it comes to caring for oneself! So I headed home to another veggie burger, another plate of carrots and peas.

DruidCraft Tarot - S./P. Carr-Gomm
Will Worthington
St. Martin's Press

Eventually I decided that I really needed to feed myself properly. I realized that I cook primarily because I have to take care of people, because I want my children to eat well, and because doing that for them gives me pleasure. Here I was alone, not cooking at all, and not finding much pleasure in the thought of putting that effort and creativity forth for…just…me! So I went to the grocery store and purchased some things to make a good meal for myself. When you’re used to feeding five people, it’s quite an experience shopping for one. I learned that a single russet potato is more than enough to make myself a side of mashed potatoes! Who knew? I even picked a tomato from the garden for my salad. And instead of multitasking while I ate my first hot meal, I put on a movie and simply sat there, enjoying my food, and focusing on just that one thing.

I was alone for nearly a month, but instead of remaining listless I took advantage of that time to replant my feet in the ground of my own, individual life. I did clean quite a bit admittedly, and I figured out (eventually) how to enjoy feeding myself appropriately. I acquired books I’d been wanting to read but never made time for  (and I read them). I took my many floating ideas, brought them down to eye-level, and determined which I truly wanted to pursue and which I could release (kind of like cleaning out the mental closet). I enjoyed a fat piece of chocolate cake, all for me!

The Queen of Pentacles nurtures her family and her home. She protects her children, and works to provide a healthy and comfortable environment for her dear ones. There is immense value in that! But there is just as much value in learning how to care for and nurture oneself. When I was temporarily stripped of my familial responsibilities, it gifted me the opportunity to realize how little I prioritize my own needs. I don’t think this is entirely a bad thing – when you’re a parent, this is often what you do, and it’s usually out of deep love. But there must be a balance, and by becoming aware of my own needs, and learning how to tend to those needs, I can work to find a healthy and happy balance between caring for others and caring for myself (turning the reversed Queen upright again).

Queen of Pentacles Activity

Find your favorite Queen of Pentacles/Earth from whatever deck you like. Study the image. How does she make you feel? What do you love about this particular Queen of Pentacles? How might you see yourself in her, and how might you see her as a part of yourself? Set the card down, in view – she will be the center card for the rest of the activity.  Shuffle your deck and pull a card for each of the following questions:

1) In what ways am I neglecting my own needs?

2) How can I better nurture myself? 

Lay one card down on each side of your Queen. What do your cards tell you about yourself? How can you allow yourself to be inspired to action in regards to self-care?

Make this a journal entry that you can reflect on, and keep track of your own efforts to be good to yourself.

Thoth Tarot - A. Crowley/F. Harris
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

That concludes this Lammas BlogHop post, and I wish you all many harvest blessings! I encourage you to keep moving through the circle of wonderful divination writers: look both at the top of the post and along the bottom to find the links to continue your journey!

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Cards I Don't Love to See in Love Readings (Part 2)

Here we go again! In my last post I discussed the Hierophant energy in love readings, and how it definitely makes me cautious. Today I thought I'd talk about the trusty 3 of Pentacles! What's wrong with this card, you ask? Nothing, really, it's a perfectly nice card…. in a career reading this is a great sign of project expansion, teamwork, appreciation, and indicates that the groundwork for a plan has been successfully lain - now it's time to keep on building!  When applied to a love situation, it would seem that a similar vibe would be true: love requires the focus and attention of the couple; the foundation of the relationship is set, and it's time to move forward toward mutual goals - or hey - maybe the couple even works together!

DruidCraft Tarot
Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm
Will Worthington

Yeah….but no. I'm not hating on this card, or denying the fact that in some cases it can refer to positive and uplifting teamwork in a relationship. I'm simply saying that in many cases I've experienced the 3 of Pentacles as a gentle warning that there's a third "something" involved in the relationship. This doesn't necessarily have to represent a third person, but it does represent some issue that puts pressure on the development of the couple. This could be an issue of jealousy, important responsibilities that could detract from time spent together, or it could simply mean that how well a couple's puzzle pieces fit together has yet to be determined. Perhaps one person is very interested in taking things to the next level, while the other is still trying to keep things a little more "open" for the time being. So while it's not at all a "bad" card, it always makes me hesitate and take a very careful look at the message that the rest of the reading is giving off. It usually indicates the need for increased dialogue about what each person wants from the union.

A final note: I work with reversals, and in these "Cards I Don't Love to See" posts I am referring to upright cards. I will have to write a separate post about the intricacies of those feisty reversals-vs.-uprights in the future :)

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Autumn Descends

Today we had our first cool day in Central Florida.  It was mostly cloudy, and the temperature didn't surpass about 70 degrees.  That sounds warm, but down here, after a long, hot, humid summer, 70 degrees feels like pure autumn, and I love it!  The trees here tend to drop leaves all year round, but the sycamores actually go through a yearly cycle not unlike the more temperate north.  Starting about now their great, broad leaves start to dry and brown, and slowly drift to the ground, and by late December they're entirely bare and stark. I feel fortunate to have some sort of sycamore-like shrub next to the house which even turn colors before they drop - bright reds and oranges, mostly - which gives me a small and deeply appreciated taste of a northern fall.

I spent most of my life in a northern climate, with all four seasons.  When I was a child the winter was my favorite - the colder the better.  I even tapped our front yard maple tree one year in March and managed to produce about an ounce of maple syrup.  I dreamed of being a dog-sled racer, wearing snow-shoes regularly (and in fact my parents bought me a pair for Christmas one year), and enjoying the sun twinkling on the new fallen snow.

As I grew older I began to appreciate the summer more, and found the long months of winter a bit burdensome.  The early winter is always lovely, especially the first snow, but by late January I started to yearn for spring....and yet still had 2-3 months left of ice, slush, and gray skies.

Fall was always a fun time, and it was a season I began to deeply love more than all other seasons, and I suppose it still is my favorite season.  The leaves change colors slowly, and fall foliage in late September is quite breathtaking.  I love the fall activities of apple picking, and cider-drinking.  I enjoyed preparing for Halloween, which then led into the series of holidays I adore (which I'll focus on in an up-coming Samhain post!).  I savored the breath of fresh, crisp air after a warm summer.

So moving to Florida was both exciting and also a bit sad for me, when I considered the seasons I'd be leaving behind.  Well, okay, I wasn't going to miss much of winter...but fall?  Definitely.  And indeed our first fall here was quite bittersweet.  The local Starbucks and other shops would ironically tape paper cut-outs of autumn leaves in their display windows.  I'd been under the impression that Florida would be warm and humid year round, and was pleasantly surprised that first year to learn that Florida does indeed have its own seasons, that perhaps are best described as wet/dry, or summer/fall.  There is no true winter here, but a Central Florida "winter" is like the most pristine fall one could imagine.  The air is very dry and cool (so dry that we even have wildfire warnings).  It hardly ever rains.  Sometimes in January it gets cold enough to create a brief glaze of ice on the windshields, though it never snows. I'm grateful for that hint of season, and thoroughly enjoy every day from late October to early April.

Today was our first truly cool day, and during my evening stroll with my husband I could even smell the beloved scent of woodsmoke in the air.  Brown leaves were strewn across the grass and sidewalks, and it felt like autumn had finally arrived.

So I wanted to share a few of my favorite autumn cards - the ones that remind me most keenly of what I love most about this season.....here we go:

DruidCraft Tarot/Will Worthington

Llewellyn Tarot, The Wheel of Fortune
Anna Marie Ferguson 

Wildwood Tarot/Will Worthington

So with that I will conclude this post so that I can go watch the sun finish setting, and the stars come out!

Going Tarot-Crazy

At some point it becomes impossible not to see card meanings in everything perfectly mundane.  Nothing is exempt.  The mind has been saturated, and everything is viewed with Tarot-Sight!

A couple of months ago my younger daughter was arguing with her 2-year-old brother over toys (he loves her LaLaLoopsies just as much as she does!).  She finally decided that if she couldn't get her point across clearly enough ("LEAVE MY TOYS ALONE!"), she had no other choice than to drop down in a curved huddle over her pile of toys.  Each arm and leg was draped over the items that leaked out from under her, and my first thought was: "4 of Pentacles!"

We have a lot of storms down here in Florida during the summer, which is really what makes living here during those hot months bearable.  One evening in late-August a particularly large storm rolled through with an unusually high amount of lightening.  It was high-energy and quite exciting, mainly because of the note of danger.  I was in the kitchen preparing dinner when suddenly a resounding CRRRAAACCCKKK pealed through the house, scaring us all out of our socks.  When I went to the front window I saw that the neighbor's new utility pole had been struck neatly in two.  My thought: "The Tower!"

My husband and I have three kids, so we build activities for them into each week.  One day we go out to breakfast....another day to an arcade.....then the Science Center......then a trek out to the beach (and on and on).  It's become common custom for me to silently ponder what Tarot decks I could have purchased with the money we spend on each outing.  Now don't get me wrong, I love doing things with my kids and wouldn't trade it for any deck.  Nevertheless the thought always crosses my mind..."Hmm... $20.... that would be one deck...maybe two if I chose the less expensive ones on my list..."  I was relieved to find that I am far from the only Tarotist that experiences this when I happened across a post on a Facebook Tarot group that reflected this same phenomena.

And once I had an entirely Tarot-coded conversation with another reader, that was hilarious and also borderline crazy.  It went something like this:

A: "I like to balance out my Queens, and right now I'm working on developing my Queen of Swords."

B: "Oh really?  I need to work on my Queen of Pentacles.  You have any Pentacles to throw at me?"

A: "Hah, you know I'm kind of 4 of Pentacles right now, but in the future I would be happy to go 6 of Pentacles on you."

B: "Oh nice, thank you!  And I'd be very 2 of Cups in return!"

So yeah.  Tarot is not just a practice, it's a way of life.  And it's truly beautiful to find meaning every where I turn, and it's also a great way to digest card meanings - finding the essence of the cards in every day life.  But I find it's important to balance out the seriousness of the Tarot with the ability to find humor in the journey as well.. you know.... 2 of Pentacles... or maybe Temperance.... ;-)

The Fferyllt (aka Temperance)
DruidCraft Tarot
Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm/Will Worthington
St. Martin's Press, 2005

Hidden Mountaintop, Here I Come!

Today I'm feeling Hermit-y.  On my way to work this morning I was dreaming of a lonely mountaintop, my own private cabin, no one for miles around.  Some days being part of humanity is taxing!  I watch the news and see stories of so many horrible things.  I drive to the grocery store, and on the way have to battle 28 crazed motorists that make me feel like I'm in a battle video game.  At work there is always some new miscommunication in the general environment which leads to rampant gossiping.  I know that escaping is not really the solution, but that doesn't mean
that at times it isn't very tempting!

DruidCraft Tarot, St. Martin's Press
S. and P. Carr-Gomm, W. Worthington

Oh, the Hermit!  The solitary figure on the cliff high above the land.  He is accompanied by a wolf, signifying the power, fortitude, and deep self-understanding that come from being alone, while the moon shines above, a symbol of inner-knowledge and intuition.  The green shade in the sky represents healing, peace, and our innate connection to nature.  In his right hand the Hermit bears the lantern of spiritual illumination and teaching.  He's alone because he chooses to be, not because he must be.  His gifts are the pursuit of truth, guidance and learning, and the wisdom that comes from experiencing the deep quiet within.

4 of Wands, Peace and Home

This was my daily draw today, and it's just what I need (and am getting).  I've been working my tail off lately and am starting to feel a bit under the weather.  Not only am I a busy teacher and mother and wife, but I have been expending a lot of energy on readings lately, and today just feel worn out.  The 4 of Wands is that bit of time to rest and enjoy being home after spending a lot of time working away at projects.  I love the image on the DruidCraft card, because while the fire and flowers are inviting, there is no one around.  Perhaps everyone is in the house, or out in the forests picking herbs for a nice tea (apparently what I need!).  It gives the feeling of deep peace and the calm joy of caring for, and being cared for, by loved ones.  It's being in your core refuge, the center of it all, the home and hearth.  I'm extra thankful today for my couch, my husband who made me a lovely after-work snack, and my kids who make me laugh....

DruidCraft Tarot
S. and P. Carr-Gomm, Will Worthington

30-Day Tarot Challenge, Questions 14 and 15

14) For what purposes do you usually use to Tarot?

I don't do a lot of "self" readings, other than daily draws, which I use as a sort of 1-card-reading to give me some insights about my day.  Lately I've been reading for strangers, helping them gain insights into major life issues, which is really rewarding over all.  Sometimes I just sit with a particular deck and go through each card, considering the images and how they impact me.  So in a way I am ever studying and deepening my connection to and understanding of Tarot.

15) How much emphasis do you put on the textbook meanings for cards, and how much stress do you place on the "feeling" you get from cards through their artwork/symbolism, etc.?  Do you do both, or one or the other?

Um, I'd say I'm kind of in the middle at this point.  I always consider the textbook meanings, but sometimes I get a feeling from a card that doesn't necessarily match up closely to what the meaning is "supposed to be."  For instance I did a spread once where a woman was asking for insights about her relationship.  The Queen of Cups showed up as representative of the querent.  I was using DruidCraft, and on that card the moon is sort of hanging in front of the Queen's face, almost looking like it's about to drop into her cup.  For some reason on that day I really felt drawn to that moon, and I felt that the querent was very focused on the uncertainties and confusion she was experiencing in her relationship.  On the other hand, so far with Wildwood Tarot I go both ways... I first consider my own, more traditional interpretation, and then think about the keywords, or alternative interpretations on those cards to see if they offer something more.  Once the 5 of Arrows popped up in the spread, which shows a goat leaping down toward a man who is furiously trying to shoot it with an arrow, but repeatedly missing.  The keyword is "frustration."  I felt the goat was the querent, who was taking hits (or near-misses) from all angles but still forging ahead.  It was all about inner strength.

DruidCraft Tarot
Philip/Stephanie Carr-Gomm and Will Worthington

Into the Wildwood

Yesterday my Wildwood Tarot came (Mark Ryan/John Matthews).  I love it.  It's a pretty intense, and very beautiful deck, not only because of the artwork (Will Worthington) but because of the depth of meaning - the focus on archetypes and uncovering the core meaning of an issue. As I read through the book and held the cards, I was left with a feeling that my other decks were kind of fluffy in comparison.  That's not really fair or true, but it was how I was feeling.  I don't know if I want to use this deck for email readings - I wonder if it's too philosophical for that.  I am considering keeping the deck and using it for readings for myself and family members.  Also it will take some time to feel out some of the cards.  For instance, the 2 of Arrows (Swords) is meant to mean Injustice in the Wildwood Tarot, rather than the common meanings of denial, indecision, attempting to find harmony between two disparate things, etc.  I love the meaning of the 7 of Arrows - "Insecurity."  It's brilliant - isn't insecurity the root of most of the traditional meanings of the 7 of Swords?

I've heard people say in reviews that this is a very powerful deck, and I definitely get that.  I did a "break-in" reading with just three cards, and it was painfully accurate.  I am looking forward to continuing to work with it!  The crux: do I use reversals with this deck or not?  It is technically possible... the deck backs allow for it, and most of the cards are similar to traditional meanings.  But the deck creators did not have this in mind when they made it.  If I use the Wildwood only for personal meditations, etc., it won't matter at all.  If at some point I choose to use this with "strangers" I might revisit the topic.  Something about this deck feels so deep and primal that I'm not sure I even want to use reversals at all, or that they'd even really be necessary!

Wildwood Tarot
Illustration: Will Worthington

One final note: I've noticed that some people trim these cards, like they often do with DruidCraft.  I also trimmed DruidCraft because they were truly so large that it was a turn-off to think of using them regularly.  I did it, it turned out great, and it's one of my favorite decks.  However Wildwood is a really normal size!  I would cringe to think of cutting it.  It's a great, average size, and shuffles just fine.

An Inner Battle

Yes, it's true. The 5 of Wands was my draw today, and this one was clear from the get-go.  I am involved in an inner battle today, rather than an outward one.  So as I mentioned in yesterday's post, I did my first free-reading.  I felt it went really well, and still think so.  But here's the catch.  The client finally responded to me.  He thanked me, and told me that for some reason his birthdate didn't register correctly, so I had used the wrong information when calculating his personality/soul/shadow cards!!! Gahhhh!!!!!  He asked if, in my opinion, it made a difference to the reading.  Dear God.  Look, I know I said that my worst nightmare was having really horrible, negative feedback.  And I really am grateful that he did not tear me to pieces or anything.  But I was so deeply embarrassed.  And the truth is that I didn't really know if it would have an impact on the reading.  I incorporated his card constellation so much into the reading, that I figured it would be confusing for him to tease things apart.  So I wrote him back and told him that I would draw him some more cards.

DruidCraft Tarot

I apologized for the glitch (which was not my fault), though I did not apologize for anything else.  I told him I thought it may have some impact, but nothing significant.  I drew four more cards, and while they were slightly different, the core message was very similar to the first reading.  Instead of including some Pentacles (and air), however, it was all water and air.  And the card I had *thought* to be his soul card, actually made a repeat appearance!  So on one hand I felt validated - the reading was a touch different, but it was really relaying the same ideas.  On the other hand I felt terrible, because...what will this guy think of me????  I sent him the second reading and indicated the important areas where the readings overlapped, so he would see that it truly didn't change at a core level.  Thankfully it didn't, because then what message would I be sending this guy?  That Tarot is entirely undependable?  That I, as a reader, suck?  Gahhh.......

So, while inside I feel that the readings were good, and I'm so happy that the second reading did share a lot of common elements with the first, this was a bit rough as a first reading for a stranger.

He has not responded to my follow-up reading.  At this point I'm just not feeling good about it at all.

Then, as a cosmic joke, the next free-reading request I received this morning was from the free-reading website owner!!!  Seriously?

Fortunately I have another querent asking about something romantic, which I am fully prepared to prioritize at this time :)  Maybe it will take the edge off my searing self-doubt.

P.S. I just got feedback from the client and he said I was "spot on."  Ahhhhh so happy and relieved!

The Knight of Cups Comes A Callin'

I pulled the Knight of Cups this morning for my daily draw..... moments after completing my first free reader spread.  Very fitting, and.....holy crap.... I have butterflies in my stomach.

Actually it was good.  Really good.  I mean, I haven't received any feedback from the querent, and I am kind of preparing myself for something horrible.  But I really think it was right on.  The question was rather vague, but not too vague to be able to work with.  I felt I was able to connect with the querent's energy... how is this possible?  I didn't know what to expect at first.  But I found that by thinking of the photo that accompanied the question, thinking of the person's name, and thinking of the client's card constellation (which I got from the birthdate), I did feel myself connecting.  And when I drew the cards I knew it was right, because not only did the suit and card numbers resonate with the main issue presented in the question, but the outcome card was the client's personality/soul card.  I like calculating that information so I can see if it pops up in a spread.  And there it was!  Also, the four cards I chose worked together... I could see the story.  Of course afterwards I found myself entrenched in a lot of self-doubt (but HOW can you know it will make any sense to this person at all??).

Morgan Greer Tarot

I also decided to select an extra card from the Druid Animal Oracle, and it supported the message from the spread.  So yeah, it was great.  But I'm not going to allow myself to believe it just yet... not until I hear back from the querent.  Crossing my fingers on that one.  At the same time, I've thought: "What if I do get terrible feedback about how off I was?  How would that make me feel?"  And in the end I realized that I'm confident in the reading I did.  I mean, the question was kinda vague, and my reading was thorough, but not terribly specific (how could it be?).  But I'm sure there were some valuable nuggets of truth in the reading, and I hope the client feels that way.  We shall see.....

P.S. I used my DruidCraft deck, which is the deck I'm using to practice reversals.  I feel that not knowing the person I'm reading for makes using reversals a better option... because the reversals give slightly clearer meanings.  Two of the four cards I picked in this spread were reversals.  I think it'll be a great way to become increasingly comfortable using them (doing email readings, that is, where I have the luxury of wading through meanings).

P.P.S. The client got back to me eventually, and his feedback "spot on."  *sigh*

Same Message, Twice in a Row

I did a spread this evening for someone using DruidCraft with reversals, in a 7 card Horseshoe.

Not gonna lie, it was a challenging read.  It took a lot of time to mentally sort through the reverse meanings, even though I ended up with a decent handle on the message.

But I wanted to cross-check it, "just to see." Just me testing my doubts, again.  Silly girl! Ha...

I did a 3 card spread, no reversals, using the Morgan Greer deck.  I got a succinct, clear message, very easy to read, and it was exactly the same message as the first spread.

Morgan Greer Tarot

                                        

It got me thinking.....the reversals were accurate, though cumbersome (at least partially due to the fact that I am not accustomed to using them).  But I got the same message, simple and clear and not at all cumbersome, with the short spread, all upright!  Both spreads even had a majority of the same suit, which was definitely significant to the question asked.  In the end it made me feel like the longer spread, and the reversals even, were just giving me more "noise" than was necessary.

I have one deck that I've decided to set aside for reversal practice, so I'll keep working on my comfort level with them.  I do see value there, especially for readings about complicated situations.  But it was nice to see how the same idea can be accurately conveyed using a different format and no reversals at all.  

I've been trying to incorporate the elemental dignities into my readings as much as possible, and to some extent numerology, which I feel has been successful, and does help highlight important areas in a spread.  

Only one way to go....keep on practicing :-)

The Advice of Air and Wolf

Today I pulled the Ace of Swords for my daily draw (using DruidCraft Tarot - Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and Will Worthington).  Phew!  This is really good, and also really challenging. 

Yesterday evening we received our oldest daughter’s grades for last year (why so late??) and they were not particularly good.  Yet her State test scores were far above average.  We know she is capable of doing the work, but she daydreams a lot, and keeps a lot of her thoughts and feelings inside, and that combination has really created some obstacles in the past.  She will make some decisions that are not ideal, and when it creates a major problem she does feel bad and accept responsibility…. But then soon she falls back into her own private world and the cycle continues.  I ask myself what I can do better as a parent to help guide her, help her with structure.  I pulled three cards from my Morgan Greer deck last night asking, “What should I understand about my daughter?” 

I pulled the 7 of Cups, Justice, and the High Priestess. 

Morgan Greer Tarot

Yep.  The 7 of Cups represents how much time she spends entertaining herself, distracting herself, with exciting ideas and fantasies – none of which she ever turns into an actual project or activity in the real world (even despite our continual encouragement).  The High Priestess is her hidden world.  In the Morgan Greer deck the High Priestess sits before a curtain with her feet resting on the moon.  Behind the curtain you can see that there is an ocean beyond, but it’s mostly hidden.  The moon signifies many things, but one of those things is illusion.  For me this card represents how while my daughter always seems cool, calm and collected, underneath the surface she is feeling a lot of things that she keeps to herself.  She gives the illusion that all is well in her world, when the reality might not be at all that way.  For me Justice represents her brief moments of clarity, when she realizes that she keeps stepping in the same hole (so to speak), and she feels a sense of responsibility for her behavior, and understands the need to make some changes.  But Justice is flanked by two water cards – while air and water get along okay, the predominance of water makes me feel that her daydreaming and hidden world are why she keeps returning to the same patterns.  She is a teenager, but she’s still young.  I’m not sure she can find that extra “air” to help sort things out.

DruidCraft Tarot

That’s where the Ace of Swords comes in.  I really want to help guide her in a nurturing but firm manner.  While I am frustrated by the poor performance, I feel for her, and oftentimes end up focusing more on her feelings rather than finding a solid solution for her.  Which is not a true help, I think, in the long-run.  What the Ace of Swords is telling me to do is to put the emotions aside for now, and figure out a rational, well-thought-out plan that will provide her with the extra scaffolding she needs to be successful.  The Ace of Swords shows a sword breaking through illusion and emotion.  This is a great analogy for the need for Jorge and I to break through the illusion of our daughter's mind-set and emotional state, and work with her where she truly is.  In the past we’d have long discussions, tears, lots of hugs, and then we’d feel like we made progress and we’d let it go.  That was an error.  It’s time for a change in how we work with her, which will hopefully result in real change all the way around, and will end in a happy, successful kid, and happy, relieved parents.  I’m ready for that challenge.

One additional note (this is several hours after posting this): I am definitely pulling on the Ace of Swords at work today, too.  I've been placed in a leadership position for a group assignment, and some of the members on the team are resentful and uncooperative.  I am definitely rather Cupsy, and always strive for harmony, and am always considering people's feelings.  In this case I need to buck up and take on this challenge.  I need to let go of my concern about what others think of me, especially when the dislike stems from negativity rather than reality.  I need to be a leader, a fair leader, but the focus must be on the facts, on honesty, and strength.  Difficult, but a worthy lesson for me.

I also pulled a card from the Druid Animal Oracle (Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and Will Worthington).  I didn’t pull it in relation to this situation, just for additional advice.  I pulled the Wolf, and it really works in harmony with yesterday’s Hermit card pull.

The Wolf encourages me to recognize that to grow deeper I need to take on challenges that may cause me anxiety.  This does have a relation to the issue with my daughter, but I feel it relates most strongly to my Tarot study.  I’ve been going deeper into Tarot, but knowing that at some point I need to dive into reading for strangers.  This causes me anxiety, and I ask myself, “What if I don’t connect?  What if my reading is completely off?  What if the client tells me that my interpretation has no relationship to their lives??”  Well, that is a little overboard.  I already know that it wouldn’t be that bad.  The accuracy of the readings I do has been high, and the work I’m doing practicing my story-weaving skills (based on strangers’ online spread postings) has shown me that I’m not entirely inept.  But those concerns continue to haunt me a bit.  At the same time I know that taking that leap into free-reading is a critical step to my development as a card reader.  And I actually do want to do it.  So in that respect the Wolf (“intuition, learning, the Shadow”) is encouraging me to accept my fears and move past them into deeper waters.  I’m grateful for the advice. <3

Pentacles, Wands, and a Bull

Yesterday my daily draw was the lovely lady from 9 of Pentacles (Morgan Greer), telling me what I already know: I've been spending a lot of time thinking about economic stability, and deeply wanting to be able to buy my kids all the toys and books they want.

Morgan Greer Tarot

Today I drew the Prince (Knight) of Wands (DruidCraft) who was encouraging me to tap into my creativity and energy and get those tasks taken care of.  Ugh.  I knew I'd have to rework a part of an important assignment at work, and wasn't really looking forward to it.  But like the picture of the Prince, I'd just have to close my eyes and charge on.

DruidCraft Tarot

As a complement, I decided to draw a card from the Druid Animal Oracle, and I pulled the Bull reversed.  This indicates a lack of motivation to "get the job done" (did the Bull and the Knight of Wands have a private meeting before I woke up??).  It suggests to me that if I push through the less savory tasks without getting overly frustrated, I'll enjoy the final result.

Druid Animal Oracle

Okay, that pretty much summed up my day ahead.  I know I've said it (typed it) before, but I really appreciate even the simple acknowledgement of what lies ahead, or what's on my mind.  It helps me reassess my own reactions, and be more realistic and peaceful.

A Knight, The World, and The Empress: 3 Days in a Nutshell

I didn’t post my daily draws for the past three days, so I thought I’d do that now, just to try to keep up the practice of reporting what I pulled and how it related to my day!

Today is Monday (ugh). 

On Saturday I pulled the Knight of Swords, using my Golden Tarot deck.  Well, as much as I love to see other suits, it was fitting all the same.  It was pretty much Jorge.  He woke up on the wrong side of bed, and was irritable for most of the day, until late afternoon/early evening.  Sometimes just the acknowledgement of what your day is bringing you is enough to make it easier to deal with, to keep in mind that it’s just a moment, and won’t last.  To take it in stride.  That’s one of the important benefits of daily draws, I would say.  And while the day was pretty Knight of Swordsy, the evening ended on a positive note.

Morgan Greer Tarot

On Sunday I pulled The World, using my new Morgan Greer deck.  That’s what I’m talking about!  Not a sword in sight! ;-)  (To be fair I do appreciate and value the messages the suit of Swords delivers, but sometimes I just want a break!).  Realizing goals, getting active and involved, healing, synthesis, contentment and fulfillment.  Quite an auspicious card, really! I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live up to it!!!  But it did color my day in many ways.  I made inquiries about two courses I want to take at a local shop – one on herbs and the other on intuitive Tarot.  I purchased ritual candles and a small bottle for holding consecrated oil.  I bought some Hawthorn berries for a tea I wanted to make (due to a haphazard reading about my health I’d done that morning which worried me and made me want to take some action!).  And to top it off, that evening I did the most affirming reading (with my DruidCraft deck) about my future with Tarot which really brought everything together and gave me a strong feeling that I’m heading in the right direction.  I followed that up with a one-card-draw from my Druid Animal Oracle to ask what animal teachings would be most helpful on my path, and pulled the Seal card (connecting to your Unconscious; Feminine energy and teachings; opening yourself to following your dreams).  Not only was the message in line with my reading, but the card features a cloudy sky with a rainbow.  A few minutes later I put the cards away and Jorge and Lourdes and I went out for an evening walk… when I looked up there was the most beautiful rainbow hanging in a hazy sky.  I’ve never seen a rainbow by our house before, so it felt like another sort of confirmation, and it was a really beautiful moment for me, on many levels, kind of left me in awe.  So The World seemed fitting for my day yesterday.

Morgan Greer Tarot

Today I almost didn’t even have time to pull a card.  And let me say that it was quite the incomplete process.  I was hurriedly shuffling my Morgan Greer deck (I’m trying to switch it up now that I have three decks, so each one gets a little attention) and wasn’t even able to finish one shuffle before Gabriel and Jorge came in the room, and I needed to change Gabriel’s diaper, and Jorge started organizing the bed sheets.  So I just gave up shuffling, and cut the deck once and it was the Empress (how very fitting, given the surrounding activity!).  I put that on the back burner and ran out the door.  Despite the incompleteness of the shuffle/selection process I decided to go with it!  On my way to work I thought about it, and feel it’s telling me that the most important aspects of my day today will involve my family.  Jorge had a hard morning today with aches and pains he can’t identify the cause of, and feeling really tired.  So I feel the need to be supportive of him, so that he can get some rest.  Except I’m going to be at work for most of the day!  So I’m going to help him as much as possible from afar (planning the grocery list, etc) and then later when I get home try to give him some down time, and see what activities I can come up with for the kids.  To me today is all about giving extra support to my family in both roles: wife and mother.

I’m out.

A Reading with DruidCraft

I did a reading last night using my new DruidCraft Tarot by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, and Will Worthington (yesssss, came in the mail yesterday!!! And a side note- after a brief deliberation I decided to trim the cards because they were so huge and cumbersome, and despite my terror they came out well).

The reading was for a friend's husband, who for the sake of privacy I'll call "Jason," though they were fine with me sharing the results on this blog (thank you!). He's been struggling to develop his own business, starting from scratch, and feeling anxious about the future.  My friend, meanwhile, has been the primary "bread-winner" as her husband slowly works toward his goals, and making his dreams a reality.  They have kids, and he's been acting as a stay-at-home-Dad at the same time.  So the question was: "What does the future hold for my business idea?"

I decided to use a 7-card horseshoe spread that I'd been wanting to try, and the card numbers as as follows:

1         2

3         4

5   6    7

So here goes:

                                

(P.S.: Sorry for the dark picture- it was at night and the light was dim!!!)

Firstly, the Ace of Wands jumped out during shuffling, which felt significant in terms of the question presented.

Card #1, The Past - 9 of Pentacles: I haven't been using reversals, but after some consideration I felt strongly that the reversed meaning of this card was true for Jason.  For a long time he's felt a sense of frustration in the development of his plans, and the deep desire to be successful and economically stable.  He longs to be able to enjoy the fruits of his labors, but has had a hard time figuring out how to make his hopes real.  He's often had the sense of his plans and dreams being thwarted by the everyday issues that come up and get in the way.

Card #2, The Present - 6 of Cups: The image on the card is a man seated in a house, looking out at two children at play.  This represents Jason as he's been spending a long time as a stay-at-home-Dad.  While he loves spending time with his kids, he also has the feeling that all the time he spends focusing on taking care of them distracts him from approaching his career goals with a clear mind.

Card #3, Underlying Influences - The Princess (Page) of Pentacles: This is a cool card; it represents the fact that Jason has an opportunity to take the idea and early beginnings of his business idea and turn it into a successful endeavor as long as he puts in effort and works steadily toward his goals.

Card #4, Potential Obstacles - 4 of Pentacles: This represents the need to be financially conscientious.  While Jason desperately wants to be able to have economic flexibility, he needs to keep in mind that it's a process.  While he may find success with his business ultimately, it's important to make budgets and adhere to them in order to maintain balance, especially because in order to grow the business Jason needs to invest some amount of money, and the family as a whole is operating on limited income.

Card #5, The Environment - Queen of Wands: I felt that this represents Jason's wife (my friend).  In one way it represents the reality of her balancing her career with her family.  In another way it represents the positive and creative environment that she provides Jason, supporting him to find his way and grow his business idea.

Card #6, Advice - 7 of Cups: This is an important card.  It represents Jason himself, laying casually on his side and watching the opportunities floating before him.  While the road hasn't been easy, and there have bee a lot of distractions along the way, to some degree Jason has been getting in his own way by feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities and routes for growing a successful business.  When feeling overwhelmed, he tends to sit back and think for too long about what he "could" do, which creates a sense of frustration and confusion, and limits the action he takes.  This card says that in order to move ahead he's going to have to make a decision about what route he wants to take, and move toward making it happen.  It also advises Jason to stop getting lost in his dreams of an ideal future which may not be realistic at the moment, and start working with the resources he has at hand.

Card #7, Outcome - The Lovers: This is an encouraging card.  It suggests that if Jason follows the advice card, he'll ultimately reach a sense of fulfillment.  Card #6 shows a man on a rock ledge peering into a pool of water in which sit all the possibilities he could choose from, that might lead to happiness and success.  The Lovers represent the union of desire with reality.

All in all there were two court cards and one trump card. The court cards being in the positions of underlying influences and environment suggests positive energy, and the trump is a promising card in the future outcome position. There were three earths, two waters, one fire, and one air.  The Queen of Wands (fire) next to the 7 of Cups (water) may indicate (trying to incorporate the dignities!) that Jason's wife is a positive support, but not critical to the final outcome - that lies in Jason.  There is a lot of desire and dreaming happening, but not a lot of focused energy on creation and decision-making, though the Princess of Pentacles does show promise for creating a firm basis for a new project.  However the "extra" card, the Ace of Wands, indicates that there is creative energy under the surface which will be able to spring forth if Jason can manage to focus his business goals into a workable plan, and the air element of the Lovers indicates that in order to find success he'll have to be more rational and decisive as well.

I was worried about not being able to connect with a brand new deck, but after trimming it (which was a difficult decision, and not one I imagined I'd ever make!) and performing a consecration and charging ritual, I feel good about them, and felt my accuracy was high on the first go, which is a tremendous relief!

However here is my fear as it relates to reading strangers: 

So far I am familiar with everyone I've read.  I've never read a complete stranger.  I was wondering how I might have interpreted this spread had it been for a stranger who, let's say, only gave me a succinct question to work with, and no background info...?  I know that in person you can, and should, ask questions, carry on a conversation with your client.  But what if it's via email?  Would I have intuited that the 9 of Pentacles should be read in reverse?  Would I have come to the conclusion that the 6 of Cups represents a literal situation?  I know I'm learning, and sometimes there is a delay between the time I see some of the cards and the moment I have a good idea of what it means.  But this is what scares me about providing strong and helpful readings for people I don't know.  Food for thought!