Earthly Power

*Image is from the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot.

"Stable opportunities often manifest within structured limitations. Sometimes being "in the box" ain't all that bad..." 

That was my interpretation of the Four of Pentacles this evening on Twitter's #pmtarot. This card often gets a negative interpretation. I think it's mostly because it's depicted as a miserly looking man who's holding tightly onto his Pentacle (RWS). Pentacles can often refer to money, and materialism is often a keyword I see associated with this card. But depending on the other cards around it, I don't always see it that way. Hardly ever actually. Pentacles to me is about manifesting wealth on Earth (or, as this card says, power). But define true wealth.... Is it ALWAYS money or things that money can buy?

The Four of Pentacles reminds me of the foundation of a house. Safe, structured, security, stability, solidly built, home.... are all words or phrases that come to mind. Another frequent thought is earthly means of transportation. Four wheels on a car, four legs on a horse, etc. Dependable modes of transportation, I'm thinking. And finally,  an old saying that also popped into my mind was; "A house is made of brick and stone, but a home is made of love alone." It's not just the four corners of the house, is it? More about what is contained WITHIN.... that lovely box we call home.... which, incidentally, can always be expanded for personal growth. That's how I got a bigger living room! It used to be a carport, but Luna (my car) doesn't mind the elements  :)

Emotional Maturity

“Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get - only with what you are expecting to give - which is everything.” ~Katharine Hepburn

That's Important!

Great question today from the LivingTarot fan page on Facebook. "Who is the most important person?" Pull two cards for this question. Using the Robin Wood deck, I pulled Judgment and the Six of Swords. From these two cards I got, "The most important person is the one who can rise above it all and move on to better things." And  then DJ Divine whispered in my ear and said, "Gotta song for that!" lol





Two more cards jumped out of the deck at me when I went to lay it down, and they strongly supported the first two. The Nine of Swords Reversed and the Queen of Wands. From these two I got, "The nightmare is ending with the help of a fiery, self-confident woman who's not afraid to drive out the darkness with her bright, inner light." :)

It seemed logical to place these two in front of the other two, so that they blended together to make a bigger picture. I also digitally trimmed the borders off the cards so that they flowed together better. :)

I really like how this turned out because it's almost like a mirror image of sorts. Lots of matching components too! The Queen of Wands and the woman in the Judgment card look to be the same gal.. same with the Nine of Swords and the Six of Swords. They all just blended together seamlessly for me. The song was just the icing on the cake, so to speak. Strong message in there. Gotta love the Tarot and the beauty of it's powerful messages. :)

Tarot Cuteness

"Awwww, shucks! I gave her that flower and now I'm too embarrassed and shy to even look her in the eye..."

Sometimes the cards actual meanings don't even cross my mind when I have cards in front of me that seem to interact in their own special way. :)

*Cards are from Nakisha VanderHoeven's Rabbit Tarot. 

The Rabbit Tarot

The Rabbit Tarot by Nakisha VanderHoeven is a delightful pocket sized tarot deck that I recently acquired in order to appease my inner "fluffy bunny" tendencies. ::::lol:::: It's relatively small size (3 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches) allows for easy shuffling, and the card stock is sturdy, yet flexible with a light, glossy coating. I find the gentle, watercolor images very easy to interpret, and they always leave me with a smile on my face when working with them. The suits are Daisies (Pentacles), Carrots (Swords), Tulips (Cups), and Sticks (Wands). The Court cards are Pages, Knights (who ride goats!), Queens and Kings. Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. It doesn't come with a LWB (little white book), but the cards meanings can be downloaded for free as a PDF file here. Or if you prefer, the companion book can be purchased at this website.

Card backs are reversible too! :)

I'm so sorry, Sammy.... (Little Boy Lost)

In the summer of 1988 I took a part-time job as a lifeguard at the local, neighborhood pool. I was still living at home trying to figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, and it seemed a like a pretty good idea.... sit in a chair all day and get a great tan while gettin' paid. I thought it would be easy money. I was dead wrong. The pool was owned and operated by the VFW... or maybe it's the American Legion. Legion, I think. Anyhow, of course it attracted all the local drunks. Not too bad during regular daytime pool hours, but afterwards could get pretty rough.

Sammy was a regular to the pool.. and his Mom was a regular at the Legion. She'd drop him off and disappear into the bar just about every day. He was only about seven or eight at the time, I think. Sweet little boy that quickly attached himself to me, and settled into my heart so, so effortlessly. He always put his towel and assorted toys on the grass behind whatever chair I was assigned to that day. Endlessly happy and chatty, he was. He'd often bring me a bunch of Dandylions that I'd lay under my chair where they'd quickly wilt and die in the hot sun. He didn't know how to swim, and on my off days when I was at the pool, I'd try to teach him how. Never did learn how to. He was just simply too scared to relax in the water, and that's one of the most important steps in learning to swim. He'd cling desperately to me, and sometimes start to cry in frustration with himself. I always told him that it was ok, and he'd learn someday. I really hope he did.

This is probably not the best written blog post, and I apologize for that, but it's hard for me to "talk" about this. Plus I'm going through a really rough patch emotionally right now for some reason, and my thought processes aren't really up to par. Anyhow, the job sucked big time. lol After closing time, a few of the drunks from the bar would crash the place. Of course, there is no reasoning with a drunk person. They are always right... and you're just a stick in the mud if you disagree. Management wasn't interested in doing anything about it either. "Just leave, Ottey. Don't worry about it!" But I couldn't leave... It went against everything my parents taught me, everything I believed to be the "right" thing to do. That damn cricket in my head wouldn't let it go. Sometimes a conscience is a bad, bad thing. lol So, I'd end up sitting at a picnic table, watching and cringing.. until they tired of their antics and left. Didn't get paid for it either.

My resentment steadily grew and grew and grew... I wanted to quit that job REAL BAD... but there was Sammy. I didn't want to leave him behind. Truth be told, by the end of it all, I coulda cared less about the drunks. They were already drowning themselves in alcohol anyhow, and they resented my ever judgmental presence to boot. And get rid of me they finally did... but it was on their terms, not mine... One night I was sitting at the table reading a book. They'd all left and went back into the bar. Except for the one guy.. the fucking really mean one. He stayed behind and was just floating in the middle of the pool. I didn't think anything of it. That I was pretty much alone with a drunk guy. Until he got out of the pool and started laying his hands all over me. Grabbing and laughing. Reeking of whiskey and chlorine. I can still see his grin. Sometimes I wake up night, sweating and scared. I still see his leering face in my dreams occasionally. BUT! Luckily for me, I was half his age and outweighed him by at least thirty or so pounds. Probably a good four inches taller too. (Thank you, DAD!) Being 5'11" tall ain't all that bad sometimes. :)

So, after pushing him to the ground and running to my car... I left.. and I never went back there again. Even to this day, I refuse to even LOOK at the place when I drive by it on the way to town. I often wonder what Sammy thought. How he felt when I never came back. I should have went back during the day to be with him. But that's not how the story went. I was too angry, too scared and too fucking WEAK. I'm sorry, Sammy. You were one of the truly bright spots in my life back then... and left ya without as much as a glance back or a word of explanation as to my leaving. :*(

This post was inspired by my facebook friend, Donnaleigh, who writes a wonderful Tarot blog on her website Divine Whispers. Plus someone else, but I'll leave him anonymous. Today, her Tarot exercise was on Flexibility and Firmness. I pulled two cards for this and got the Six of Cups and the Five of Cups from the Robin Wood Tarot deck. Sammy was very flexible. His lesson to me back then was to STAY flexible, even when life is pretty rotten. He was always such a happy kid, despite the fact that his Mom was a drunk who got passed around at the bar more than the bowl of peanuts. (That's pretty harsh, I know.. but it's the truth.) I should have been more flexible like he was. Always willing to brighten someone else's day by bringing them flowers, even when the rest of his life was pretty darn bleak. And I shouldn't have been so firm with holding on to my pain, fear and disappointment about that bad experience. I should have let it go and moved away from it. There were still two perfectly fine, upright cups behind me, but I just wouldn't or couldn't turn around to see them.

I failed to see the life lesson in all of this back then. I see it all too clearly now. Don't just completely quit because one unstable person tries to take your good deed and take advantage of it. Stand firm. There might be someone else connected to it all that really needs you to be strong. And also, do it for yourself. You'll avoid a whole lotta guilt and gain a load of self-respect. <3

Ship of Fools

This mini spread was found on facebook's Living Tarot fan page by Ferol Humphrey. I love her Tarot exercises because they can be so deep and meaningful at just the right moment. In her post tonight, she she wrote:

"SAILING ME FORWARD TOWING ME BACK TAROT~ Shuffle while thinking "What force is sailing me forward? What force is towing me back?" Draw one card for each. Name your deck, your two cards, and tell us what you make of the answer you got. Do you agree? Is this true? What question would you ask next after this answer? Given that neither idea may really apply to your life, see what happens anyway."

I decided to give this one a try on the spur of the moment because I had been recently listening to Robert Plant's song, Ship of Fools. I took it as a sign. ;) So I grabbed my copy of the Wheel of the Year Tarot deck, and for the first question, a card jumped right out at me. Justice. How does Justice sail one forward? Justice is the keeper of time. It's harmony, equilibrium, fairness, peace, and (of course).... justice. Justice for all, actually. Fair is fair. That's what sails me forward. Imbalances in power shut me down. Period. If I'm giving more of and depleting my precious energy in any type of exchange.... I"ll raise the proverbial anchor and set sail for more balanced waters. It's just not worth it in the long run to do all the hard work for someone. Chances are they won't appreciate it or you for doing it anyways. You'll end up being taken for granted. It will always be expected of you, and there will be nothing but unhappiness and a steadily growing resentment on your horizon.

The card for the second question came up the Five of Wands. This card really grabbed my attention. It shows two people arm wrestling, and the LWB meaning is: The test of strength. Competition, challenge, arrogance and brawling. LOL! How does that tow one back? It's just another added layer of extra work that turns you off about a situation! You're striving for equilibrium, fairness and balance, but the fight for more power on the other end just keeps going on and on. So I asked the question, "Tell me more about this power struggle." What shows up in this position? The Fool. At that point, I burst out laughing, put the deck back in the box and called it a night. XD You don't even have to know anything about Tarot card reading to get this one. Just think about the questions and look at the pictures.... Fool! :D

The Ability to Receive

~Card is from the Robin Wood Tarot

I almost always cringe when I pull the Ace of Cups reversed. I normally see it as an end of a relationship, a general feeling of being unloved, or love blocked. Perhaps someone is toying with another's emotions, or it could signify someone who is not open to receiving love. But is there a positive side to this Ace reversed? I think so.

When I pulled this card earlier, I frowned. It was one of those moments when I was like, "Can't I just put this one back and pull another?" I wanted a do over. It didn't seem to apply to me today. lol I always do my best to resist doing that though. Surely there was something this card wanted me to take a deeper look at.

So I propped the card up and stared at it for a bit. And that's when it occurred to me that looked like a glass turned upside down on a bar. Like the person who had been using it was telling the bartender... "I've had enough for right now. No refills, please!" BINGO! I'd done this many times myself in the past. Like a lot of folks, after I hit twenty-one, I hit the bar scene for a while. I quickly learned that alcohol and myself didn't mix too well. I never got to the point where I was drunk and having fun. Instead I got sick and ended up in the bathroom all night puking my brains out.

After that, I pretty much ended up as the designated driver for all my friends when we went out. Not a bad thing, mind you. Sitting at the bar, drinking a Coke, smoking cigarettes and watching everyone else tie one on can be quite funny, and educational in regards human behavior actually. But back to how this all relates to the Ace of Cups reversed. Most of us can graciously accept all the love that is offered to us, even when the cup is filled to overflowing. It's in our nature. But what if a person just can't handle too much of it all at once? What's an insignificant amount to one person might just be way too much for another to handle without disastrous and painful results.

So the next time you encounter someone's glass turned upside down.. don't insist on filling it up because you erroneously think they're not living life to the fullest or to the best of their ability. What you're offering is being blocked for a very good reason from their perspective. They probably just need a breather or some time to recover. Some time to process it all. Try coming back a little later. You will probably find the glass back upright and ready to receive what you have to offer. :)

Someone once told me that opening ourselves up to RECEIVE love allows us to FEEL more love, which in turn, allows us to GIVE more love. Start with some self-love. When you love yourself, no one can take it away from you. Identify the things you do to protect your heart and let them go.Very wise advice, indeed!

Which reminds me! I bought a bottle of Appleton Estate rum and a six pack of Dr. Pepper last week. I think it might be time to turn my glass over for a little bit. ;)

Job Well Done

"One important key to success is self confidence. An important key to self confidence is preparation." ~Arthur Ashe

This quick four card reading was pretty clear and spoke straight to my heart. I love it when Tarot does that! :) You lay the cards down, and a smile immediately brightens your face. You just KNOW... without over-thinking it at all.... what it definitely means.

Four of cups reversed, Knight of Wands, Knight of Swords and 8 of Pentacles. A period of discontent is finally ending. How did I do it, you ask? By taking action in areas of creativity, fiery willpower, and calm, cool thinking. These are ALL skills I have learned and honed over the years to a high level of proficiency. It was very liberating to have those two knights in my corner championing ME this time- charging in where angels fear to tread. What a pair to have as backup! How lucky can a girl be to have not one, but TWO noble fellas whispering into each of her inner ears as to the best course of action? :D

Zen Quotes and Tarot - Freedom

"Without freedom from the past, there is no freedom at all, because the mind is never new, fresh, innocent." ~Krishnamurti

Some Zen Advice From The Queen of Swords

Lately, the Knight of Swords ill-dignified (or reversed), keeps cropping up for me in readings. Not the easiest guy (or gal!) to have to deal with. He's prone to rash, thoughtless words and actions. Shoots off at the mouth without thinking it through first. He's often unnecessarily aggressive, and impatient and careless with other's feelings. Like an irrational, out of control thorn in one's side.

So, I got to thinking.... what would the upright Queen and King of the same suit say to this guy? A little while later I stumbled across a Zen quote that really seemed to fit for the Queen of Swords.

“Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind” ~Zen Proverb

In the cards above from the Robin Wood Tarot, the Queen has her hand outstretched towards the Knight as if trying to appeal to his "higher" self before it's too late. Because this Knight is about to crash headlong into the King, who is standing very solidly on higher ground with his arms crossed, and sword in hand. This Knight is about to be put in check (pun intended), if he doesn't get a measure of self control soon.

So for today, practice active listening instead of immediate reaction. Also, see clearly those whom you should steer clear of for the time being. (lol)

Zen Quotes and Tarot - Right Here, Right Now

"Do not look back. And do not dream about the future, either. It will neither give you back the past, nor satisfy your other daydreams. Your duty, your reward--your destiny are here and now." ~Dag Hammarskjold

Cards are from the simply divine Tarot of Pagan Cats.

Zen Quotes and Tarot - Takin' It Easy

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." -Lao tzu

From the Osho Zen Tarot:

The Knight of *Pentacles *(called Rainbows in the Osho Zen, and Shields in the Arthurian), plus the seven of Pentacles came to mind when I read that quote this morning. Like the Spring after the Winter, it too shall come in it's own sweet time. Hard to picture right now amid all the snow, ice and cold temperatures, but slowly the days get longer, and soon the thaw will be upon us. Tonight I will light a candle for Imbolc, and embrace the returning of the light. Pregnant with the expectation for warmer weather, I will practice patience.... and slow down in order to stay more closely attuned with nature. Quit chomping at the bit, and. just. take. it. easy. A world of fresh, new wonders will be your eventual reward. :)

From Legend - The Arthurian Tarot:

Zen Quotes and Tarot - Thinking Outside the Box

I love my page a day Zen calendar! Yesterday, when I read the quote for the day, the cards that I felt described it, flipped through my head in a rapid succession.

"We experience ourselves, our thoughts, and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us."

-Albert Einstein

From the Radiant Rider-Waite Tarot~

After reading his quote and digesting it for a spell, I came to the conclusion that he was basically saying, "Think outside of the box!". So after laying out the RWS cards first, I then got the Osho Zen and did the same. Aha! Check out the girl with her head in the box. lol! In the book, this card is called Clinging to the Past, and described as, "Its time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn't been clinging to what you have already been through." Einstein also said that insanity was trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!

From the Osho Zen Tarot~

I really like the Osho's version of the Devil too. It's called Conditioning, and upon reflecting on that too, I thought of how very true that was. If we're conditioned or taught that things should be a certain way, then they most certainly will be. So today I will look in the mirror and not see myself as just another sheep in the herd. I will think outside the box, and become conscious of my own true identity (without feeling guilty about it!). I will see us as all interconnected beings who are simply struggling within the narrow confines of what we've been taught from the past. I will widen my focus and attempt to show love to everyone. This will be MY new vision. How will you think outside the box today? :)

Waning Half Moon Tarot Spread

The Waning (decreasing) Half Moon, or the Last Quarter Moon is an ideal time during the lunar cycle to rid ourselves of negative influences (both inner and outer), that can feed our addictions, divorce us from our emotions, hinder our decision making processes, and cause unwanted stress in our everyday lives. In order to protect the continuing growth of our higher self, we must purge, and sweep them out on occasion. Like dirty bath water spiraling down the drain, it must be allowed to flow out in order to make room for the fresh and new. Time for a soul smudging! During this phase I like to burn Dragon's Blood incense, so I feel protected and safe at this vulnerable time.

This spread is modeled after the Waning (decreasing) Moon, and is designed to be read as mirrored pairs. For this spread, I used two decks: Tarot of a Moon Garden and the Deviant Moon Tarot. The left side (Moon Garden deck or the lighted side) is what's leaving or needs to go, so these cards should be read in a somewhat negative light. I don't particularly care for reversals, but that's one way you could approach reading them. I also see them as sometimes being "too much of a good thing". Holding on to certain behaviors or habits that no longer serve our greater good can cause us to stop growing, I believe. At some point we must surrender them and just let go. Make room for the new, expanding you!

The right side (Deviant Moon deck or the darkened side) is what can aid you in "pushing" (or releasing) these negatives out, or they could give you some insight as to WHY they need to be released. I did assign some designated positions to the Waning Half Moon spread, but I always like to encourage free-flowing, unstructured associations as well. :)This is, after all, a spread based on the Moon, so follow your intuition!

Waning Half Moon Spread

Position One: Main Focus
Position Two: Supporter (of Focus)
Position Three: Root (what's hidden and/or where it's coming from)
Position Four: Heart (of the matter/what needs addressed)
Position Five: Shadow/Stressor (what's bearing down on the situation or dogging it's heels)

Pair cards up with the b group. See how they interact visually. What would a conversation between those two cards sound like? I like to check elemental dignities on them as well. If I see two enemies side by side... I know that this will be a particularly difficult adjustment.

For instance, in this spread I got the Ace of Wands (or Staffs as it's called in the Moon Garden deck) and the Queen of Cups as a pair. Fire and Water. The first thing that popped into my head with this pair was that the Queen appears to be dampening the enthusiasm of the Ace. The Ace seen in a negative light could be interpreted as having too much energy that could be destructive and chaotic. The Queen of Cups helps by providing calm, caring control. Notice the drop of water falling from her cup? She's adding a small amount of water a little at a time to keep the Ace in check. It reminds me of a mother giving gentle guidance to a child who has ADHD. Looking at this pair brings to mind the Strength card. :) I was also reminded of my Dad, who used to burn large piles of autumn leaves in the back yard. He always kept the hose handy to keep the edges of the fire within certain boundaries.
On an interesting side note, I took the corresponding cards out of the Deviant Moon deck just to have a look see. Remarkably, the Ace of Wands from that deck looks like The Ace of Staffs and the Queen of Cups combined! How cool is that!?

At this current time, the Moon is in Scorpio. I associate the Death card from the Major Arcana with this astrological sign. Change. Transformation. Something must "die". Here's the Moon card from the Tarot of a Moon Garden, and the Death card from the Deviant Moon Tarot. I had to smile at how apt they are for this spread. The next time the Waning Half Moon comes around, I'll be looking at that corresponding astrological card as well. I think it adds some depth into the reading as a whole. :)

More info on the Moon in Scorpio.

And finally, a quote I stumbled across that seemed to fit:

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But it's Death will produce many new kernels--a plentiful harvest of new lives."

John 12:24
(New Living Translation 2007)

Many Blessings and.... well.... Good Riddance! ;)