Herbs, Tea, and Books, Oh My!

This has been A Week.

Two of the three kids have been sick with something similar to the flu, and I've been making batch after batch of special tea to help ease their discomfort and strengthen their bodies' ability to fight off this nasty virus. I will say that there are few things more satisfying than being able to help improve your children's health. Sickness is really unpleasant, but especially for the little ones; there are few medicines they can take, and principal effort tends to revolve around making them as comfortable as possible while they get over the worst of it. There is a particular infusion I make when they're feeling under the weather, and it's almost magical to see how (relatively) quickly they start to feel better after spending a day sipping on steaming mugs of goodness. The recipe changes slightly depending on what symptoms they're struggling with most, but the base is always a combination of lemon balm, spearmint or peppermint, and echinacea root. I often add elderflower and elder berries, sometimes mullein and St. John's Wort. This is a wonderful, and powerful, combination of herbs that effectively fight viruses, ease coughs, and soothe nasal congestion.

Healing tea, red with elderberries.
O. Destrades

So after making several batches over the past week I was running short on supplies, and this morning the kids and I made a trip to Ann Moura's shop, Luna Sol Esoterica, in Sanford, in order to restock. We strode in, the only customers shortly after opening. I brought my list to the front of the store and announced my mission. Ann said, "Just read off what you need, and I'll start gathering!" She had everything I'd remembered to scrawl across my folded paper, and I picked up a few extras like beeswax, camphor and flannel bags. The first thing I did upon returning home was - yes, indeed - prepare a brand new batch of tea.

The second thing I did was ponder the ridiculous state of my divination/supply bookcase. It's in need of some major help. I simply don't have enough space for everything, and every time I restock, or acquire something new, I again remember just how no-space I have, and how desperately I need to find another bookcase, or a hutch, or cupboard that will allow me to make all my goods a bit more comfortable. Just looking at my cards and roots and figurines makes me feel slightly claustrophobic! So this will have to be an upcoming project to put on my ever-growing to-do list.

Having spent some time pondering this space issue, a large box arrived from my mother right on cue in the evening, just as I was settling the kids in for dinner. She sent quite a few things for each of the children, and threw in some surprises for me, too! She purchased a selection of Tarot and shamanism books, and a couple of sacks of herbs - one of raspberry leaf, and another of a blend of chamomile and red clover. Really, she is a special one! I am grateful for everything she sent, and am particularly excited to peruse "Jung and Tarot" by Sallie Nichols. Everything else will have to take a number and get in line for the bookshelf, but this one is going on my night table!

It's been A Week, but there's been a lot of good, as well. Herbs and tea, a stack of wonderful books from my most awesome and supportive mom, and the company of my funny and endearing kids. Life is good.

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. ;-)

A Reading Special for October!

For the month of October I'm offering a special deal on Halloween Oracle readings!

For $15 you'll receive a 3-card oracle reading that will provide insights and guidance on a matter of importance to you. To take advantage of this offer please see the Reading Request page by clicking here.

I've been working with the Halloween Oracle, by Stacey Demarco (art by Jimmy Manton), for some time now and find the images to be stunning, and the card messages to hit home quite potently. To hear a list of some of the card titles, see my October Taroscopes.

Happy October!

A Moth Unfolding Its Wings

It's Sunday evening. I filled my belly with a simple dinner of roast chicken, mashed potatoes with garlic, and carrots. Later I decocted carefully-sliced ginger root and added lime juice and honey to make one of my favorite hot beverages. As I listen to my children's chatter, their pre-bed busy-ness, I've decided to pull a card for my week ahead, using my Halloween Oracle (Stacey Demarco).

I shuffled my cards, and drew Death. Sigh. My first thought was: again? This card has been following me closely of late. In fact it was my card of the month from my Taroscopes for October: 

"Significant aspects of your life are shifting and changing, which can be pretty uncomfortable. Know that the transformations unfolding now will ultimately leave you stronger, and even happier, when all is said and done."  

Halloween Oracle - Stacey Demarco

Yes, this week, and this month, are certainly times of big change. Gabriel has just started attending daycare, which in and of itself is a huge transition. He's three years old and loves to socialize; he was very ready for this. When my girls reached this milestone in their lives they were not particularly happy about it. In fact, Lourdes cried so much, and was so miserable, we ended up plucking her right out of the center again after three weeks, and she didn't set foot inside such an establishment again until she started kindergarten (at which time she was startlingly ready). Gabriel, however, has been raring to go, and has not cried at all. Well, that's not entirely true. When I pick him up and ask him how his day went, he reports: "I played, and I cried." When I ask him why he cried, he says, "Because I didn't want to sleep. Sleeping isn't fun." He is not a big fan of institutional nap-time. But he loves "school" and is happy to go every morning, which is a blessing. 

Another massive change has happened simultaneously: Jorge has flown off to the far, autumnal reaches of Scandinavia to work for at least a couple of months. It's the first time he's ever been gone for so long, and it's a significant transition. He's sad. I'm sad. The kids are sad. The distance irritates me, and I have to work to keep the big picture in mind. He left last Wednesday and fortunately we've been able to speak each day which has provided some peace of mind (and heart). 

On pages 27-28 of the Halloween Oracle book, Demarco writes: "Do not be afraid if you pull the Death card as it simply means that something is falling away, or will do so, so you can begin strongly afresh. There is great power in this clearing." 

This is true, and I feel it in my bones and in the depths of my soul. Despite the big changes moving through my life at present, I am keenly aware that ultimately these changes are occurring for an important reason, and that these fluctuations are just as they should be. I'm grateful for them, in fact, in the way that sore muscles after a powerful workout kind of feel good in a way; the achy newness of a moth unfolding its wings. 

Taroscopes for October 2014

It's the first day of one of my favorite months of the year, and in thirty more days this mysterious and sacred time culminates with Halloween, Samhain. Though I live in Florida now I see and sense the changes in the season. Down here, far in the south, there are three discernible seasons: Summer, Spring, and Autumn. To someone unfamiliar with the subtleties of this environment it may seem that summer reigns for most of the year, but to those of us who live here year round, there is most definitely a quietly buzzing gleam of change in the air once September hits. You know, like when the ten-day forecast includes more days in the 80s than the 90s. When the evening low dares dip below 70. I rub my hands together, grinning with delight, and start brewing the mulled cider.

So in honor of this special time of year, I have decided to use my (rather new) Halloween Oracle, by Stacey Demarco, for this month's….(oracle)scopes!

Halloween Oracle - S. Demarco

Capricorn - Death: Significant aspects of your life are shifting and changing, which can be pretty uncomfortable. Know that the transformations unfolding now will ultimately leave you stronger, and even happier, when all is said and done.

Aquarius - Nightsong: You have a pot of gold hidden away inside you. You may have been reluctant to share your gifts and talents with others out of insecurity, fears, anxieties, or even self-doubt, but now is the time to let yourself be seen.

Pisces - Invisibility: This month consider how your inner and outer lives match up. Are you allowing people to know the real you, or do you have a tendency to compartmentalize? What steps can you take toward living and embodying your truth?

Aries - Ancestors: Regardless of your cultural or ethnic background, no matter how far back your knowledge of your forebears goes, you have a rich ancestral heritage living within you, ready to be tapped into. Allow those who have come before to nourish you. Remember that your spiritual ancestors are just as important as the biological - honor them, and let them guide you.

Taurus - Skull of Darkness: This card encourages you to make October a month for exploring the parts of yourself that you tend to neglect. Shining a light into the corners of your heart and mind can be difficult, but therein may lie the key to important healing.

Gemini - Jack-O-Lantern: This month consider your personal boundaries. Do you shut people out? Do you let people enter your life and take what they will? You have within you the strength to lead the life that you desire; a critical step toward manifesting it lies in being strong enough to know when to say yes, and when to say no.

Cancer - Dawn: The greatest tool in your possession is your ability to trust in the coming of the morning after a long night has passed. Hope will enlighten your heart - embrace it and let it be your focal point. Know that a positive phase of life is being born.

Leo - Hearth: Make loved ones a priority this month. Connect and reconnect, make room and make time, be willing to fix what isn't working as smoothly as it should.

Virgo - Owl: Night vision would be handy this month, but since you probably aren't an owl, be open to seeking as much objective guidance as you can. Don't make big decisions lightly.

Libra - Apple: They say that oftentimes the greatest rewards come through the greatest risks. But risks can be scary! Being cautious can be smart, unless you consistently shy away from things when the seas become a bit choppy. You might be missing out on the good stuff! Try to find a happy medium.

Scorpio - Underworld: When you begin to live a life that reflects your genuine self, it's natural to undergo a process of transition. If that realignment frightens you, know that it's only temporary, and the long-term benefits will likely be fulfilling.

Sagittarius - Vampire: Show love and help others insofar as there is a healthy exchange and mutual benefit. If the scale is getting off-balance learn to reinforce your boundaries; protect your emotional well-being.

The theme card for the month of October is JOY. This card asks each and every one of us to consider the following questions:

How can I bring more joy into my life?
What joyful aspects of my life am I overlooking, or under-appreciating?
In what ways can I share joy with others?
How do I open myself to receive joy into my life?
What can I do to bring joy to those around me?

Halloween Oracle - S. Demarco

Hey, I think that would make a pretty nice spread! What a lovely way to wrap things up ;-)

Happy October!

Mabon Blog Hop: Trusting Intuition

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Greetings, and Happy Mabon! Please use the links at the top or bottom of this post to access the other wonderful blogs in this circle.

Our wrangler for this hop, Morgan Drake Eckstein, has asked us to consider and write about a time when we feel we made a "quantum leap" in our understanding of the cards. At first I didn't know what I might write about for this topic, because learning and integration of Tarot (as with any divination system) feels so gradual, and in some ways implicit.

But one afternoon I received a reading request from a client, and it wasn't about love, or work, or money. She had been studying the cards for years and felt she wasn't making any progress. She wanted to know what was creating limitations for her, and how to be a better reader. These are the kinds of questions I really love to explore with clients, and as we worked through her reading we found that she was over-intellectualizing the process. She was treating divination like math class: memorize the formulas, understand what the symbols mean….and once she's done that she should be golden, right? But she wasn't golden. She was stuck.

As we explored her blocks and how to address them, I was brought back to that "quantum leap" I'd made in my own studies, and I knew just what to write about for this hop…

That little voice that speaks to us….
Photo Credit

When I first started to really study and learn Tarot I used a Marseilles-style deck; the Major Arcana was beautifully illustrated, but the cards in the Minor Arcana featured just the appropriate number of elements for the suit. In other words, the 6 of Pentacles showed just six pentacles. There were no images that might help a novice learner understand the energy being represented. I'm an academic, and I'm very methodical about learning. I went to the library, found a nice book on Tarot meanings that also showed the Rider Waite images for each card, and I studied and memorized and studied and memorized. I created lists and charts, and I learned that deck. When I saw the 4 of Swords, I didn't just see four swords, I imagined the Rider Waite depiction, and it helped make meaningful connections to my own deck. Great?

Sort of! Except studying in that way is like crafting a mojo bag without breathing life into it. It's static and stale. I wanted my readings to come to life, become more dynamic, but I had spent so much time memorizing those book meanings that I was afraid to let them go. Eventually I decided I needed some help - I needed someone to encourage me to let go of my limitations, to tap into something more than my intellect. One day I saw an advertisement for an "Intuitive Tarot" class at a local metaphysical shop, and I signed right up.

The instructor was a wonderful woman who had been working with the cards and as a medium for over 30 years. The first thing she said was "bring whatever deck appeals to you." I had brought the Radiant Rider Waite because I assumed that would be the deck of choice for a formal class. But she felt that the most important thing about becoming a reader is not to memorize meanings, but to pay attention to the art - what does it say? What parts draw your attention? How does it make you feel? How do the colors mesh together, and what message does that send? To read that way, it's best to have a deck that you're drawn to, not necessarily the most common or traditional deck.

Golden Tarot - Liz Dean

To be clear, she wasn't encouraging students not to study card meanings - she felt that in the long run knowing the meanings would be very helpful. But she wanted everyone in the room to leave class on the last day with the ability to give accurate readings, and knowing book meanings wasn't essential for that. (As a side note, I suspect there are many people who never read Tarot because they're overwhelmed by the prospect of having to learn all those meanings. This particular method teaches that you can give great readings by trusting your intuition first, and there's still room to work on traditional meanings and structure over time). Whew, I was in the right place! In fact it was harder for me than for other students because I was so attached to those meanings; I had to unlearn a bit in order to loosen up and open up my intuitive channels.

That class was wonderful in that it gave me "permission" to let the cards speak to me personally, to delve into a deeper level of reading than what I had been allowing myself to experience. And in the end I was able to find a reading style that struck a comfortable balance between my intuition and rational mind, so that I was able to honor both; my readings became so much richer and more profound. That was rewarding.

High Priestess, by Panskiduf

But trusting your intuition is not always easy, especially when you're first learning. And in the case of my client who'd been studying for years and wasn't making significant progress, her blockage hinged on her fear of honoring her intuition and letting it speak to her. Most readers have had that experience - you have a "gut feeling," or a hunch, or a proverb pops into your head seemingly out of nowhere. Do you tell the client, or keep it to yourself? What if you're wrong? Too risky, better just stick with the standard meanings. Then the client starts chattering away about the details of their situation, and everything you were feeling turns out to be precisely the case, and if you'd have just said that then your reading would have been so much better! Well, that's the process of learning to trust yourself, and it takes time and a pinch of bravery, but it's so worth it in the long-run.

With that, I send you on to the next Blog Hop post - Mabon Blessings!

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A Lenormand Daily Tells It True

I pull Lenormand lines of 3 almost every day, both for myself and for my husband. Of course as with dailies across any system of divination, the meaning of the cards tends to be toned-down or even literal.

If you draw a rather negative card, therefore, such as the Clouds, this is a good thing; rather than signifying deep confusion or misfortune it most likely is referring to a momentary feeling of uncertainty, or even that it will be raining that day. On the other hand, it also means that the very best cards are also toned-down or literal, so the Bouquet may suggest that your allergies could be an issue (flowers carry pollen, after all!).

With these variations in mind, dailies can be a great way to get to know the cards, as well as seeing how your predictions manifest across your day.

Yesterday morning I pulled Rider - Sun - Fish. The meaning was quite clear: Good news about money. The card on the bottom of the deck was Letter, so I imagined that the news would come in the form of a letter or an email. Ooooo, good news about money! I tried not to get too excited, since I figured it would unlikely signify anything life-changing. But all the same it was a positive line to pull, so I took a picture and promptly forgot about it entirely.

Game of Hope Lenormand

I worked a long day and in the evening Jorge picked me up and brought me home. As we were driving down our street I noticed a plant I wanted to investigate up-close, so after we pulled into our driveway, I dropped my bags in the house so that we could stroll down the block to check it out. As we passed the mailbox Jorge pulled out everything we'd received that day, and seeing a stack of envelopes I was keen to know what they were all about; I wanted to enjoy the stroll, and with that bundle of tantalizingly mysterious mail it was hard to concentrate. So I made him stop in his tracks and flip through each bit until I was satisfied that there was nothing of particular interest or concern, and we continued on our way. In fact the only envelope I was at all curious about was from my health insurance following a procedure I'd had several weeks back. A week earlier the doctor's office had sent me the bill in full and after having a mini-heart attack I realized that they'd never billed my insurance company! So I called and straightened it out, though I was still a bit anxious that there would be some cost left-over for me to pay.

The plant was a bust (not the type it had seemed to be from the car) so we headed back home. Jorge put the stack of mail in the kitchen and I grabbed the envelope from my insurance company to open. I was immensely relieved - between the insurance discount and the coverage, I had nothing left to pay!

And it was then that I started laughing because I realized that my morning line of 3 had just manifested: very good news about money. :)