Welcome to the Samhain Blog Hop! Louise Underhill, from Priestess Tarot, is our trusty wrangler this time around, and she has asked us to open ourselves to the guidance and advice of our ancestors in honor of the present time of year. So here goes!
Last Samhain Blog Hop I chose to focus my post on my Grandpa Malgeri. This time around I decided not to choose, but to let any grandparent(s) come forward that wished to. I pulled three cards to help describe the person, and another three cards to form their message to me. Interestingly, I found my Grandpa Malgeri here again!
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| Pagan Otherworlds Tarot |
The King of Swords is the anchor card, and my mother's dad was a Libra; I think he was a good father in his own way, but he made choices that ultimately led to many years of considerable geographic separation from his kids. The Page seems to trying to show his pentacle to the King of Swords whose attention is diverted toward the Lovers - he's even gesturing toward them. My grandmother left Italy and returned to the U.S. with her kids after she learned that my grandfather had been having an affair.* So here I see my grandfather nestled between two rather significant areas of family life: his love relationships, and his children. I will underscore the fact that I don't judge my grandfather and the choices that he made - life and love are complex and messy at times. Given that he died when I was a baby, these are some of the sparse details that I know about him, which means that they are particularly helpful themes to touch on for purposes of helping me figure out which grandparent was "speaking."
I love that he is letting me know that he is still here and present in my life.
The message along the bottom - the 6 of Swords, Fool, and Ace of Wands - speaks of movement, new adventures, and opportunity. This is indeed what my astrology reports have been hinting at lately, too! And I see evidence of it in my life - the sense of wheels turning, of new paradigms waiting to be born, of branching out (no pun intended!) and exploring new territory, especially as it relates to my professional life.
Thus it is a comforting confirmation of the small wonderings that clamor for the attention of my waking mind. I'm ready for what may come.
This is a peek at my ancestral altar which has been seeing quite a bit of action lately.
May your Samhain, Halloween, may your Winter Nights, be blessed.
To continue around the circle of blog hoppers, use the links at the top or bottom of this post!
*Interestingly, in a reading I did recently (for Shadow Work October on Instagram) about the "wisdom of the female lineage," I saw my grandmother's story there, too!
Olivia, it's very compassionate of you to be so open. Thank you b
ReplyDeleteThanks, Arwen! I did have second thoughts about it, to be honest. I didn't want my grandfather to feel I was being disrespectful! But in the end I think our ancestors make choices, and if we are wise, we learn from them. There is a lot of beauty in that. <3
DeleteAs you say, life is messy, and that's just the way of it. Both my parents had affairs before their divorce came through, and my father's first affair was one of the reasons it happened at all. Yet, they were both good people, in their way. We have to let others be their own, imperfect selves, else how can we be who we are?
ReplyDeleteThat advice line is wonderful - so full of movement and potential! And do you put out a glass for each ancestor you're aware of?
Absolutely! Thanks for your words <3 Yes, I am spending quite a bit of time pondering the advice cards, and many of them keep popping up for me in other spreads :) Yes, technically you "assign" a glass to as many ancestors as you wish to. I do this, but loosely. The left side of glasses is related more to my maternal lineage, and the right to my paternal. Usually as I refresh the water each Friday, I simply keep them all present in my mind and heart.
DeleteInterestingly, I often have the 6 of Swords come up indicating travel overseas, so I can see the connections you have made with your story :) I must admit that seeing those glasses lined up, I'd be tempted to play them (rub a moist finger around the rim to make them sing) :D
ReplyDeleteHa! Musical glasses are awesome! These are a little thick to give a good sound, but I love the thought!! :) With the 6 of Swords and 3 of Wands popping up a lot lately for the next year, I am quite curious about what's to come ;)
DeleteLove the photo of your altar and all the reflections that are there... it's like worlds contained within worlds...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen :)
DeleteI was really struck by all the reflections too. So many different perspectives on offer depending on which one you look through, and from which angle...
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely way to look at it! Thanks :)
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