Tarot Books Cover2Cover Opening Day!

We have a date!

Tarot Books Cover2Cover will be starting our study of 21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card on Wednesday January 5, 2011. 

We're all very excited about this new book study! 

 

We have also opened a social group for our members called The Tarot Books Cover2Cover Lounge so that we have a place to interact, socialize, ask questions, make announcements and talk about anything that would be considered off-topic in our Book Study Group.

The Book Study Group is an open group.  All are welcome.  Come join in the fun!

Micki

 

 

Hippy Holidays

    May the joy and blessings

          Of the Season

                         Be with you now

And throughout the whole New Year

 

Full Moon In Gemini

 

Since the Moon is full in Gemini today which means the Sun is in Sagittarius, and since I am a Sagittarian, I thought I would dedicate a post to our Lady Diana.  I've just received my new Llewellyn Tarot deck and The Moon in this deck really depicts what I have always felt about the card. 

I've always resisted the traditional image of The Moon, with the angry and somewhat fearful looking face and an interpretation of fear, illusion, anxiety, deception, and bewilderment, etc,  Though I might read it this way if it is reversed, to me the upright Moon invokes a feeling of mystery, intrigue, enchantment and power. 

I’ve also ordered the Legend: The Arthurian Tarot and I love the image of The Moon in this deck also.  Here pictured is Morgan le Fay:

“The famed and complex Morgan le Fay was the chief priestess of the sisterhood of Avalon, and feminine counterpart to Merlin. Morgan was thought to be of divine origin and was granted great respect, though over time her character was debased.”  Orphalese Tarot

Here is an interpretation which I really love which came with the import of the Connolly Tarot in the Orphalese Tarot program:

“Open yourself to mystery. Explore your dreams and visions for truth that will help you live to the fullest and find answers you seek. Welcome enchantment and imagination into your life to break up dreariness and monotony. Embrace the shadows for in them you will find great treasure.”

Though the moon only shows herself clearly when it is dark and more difficult to see clearly, producing shadows which may seem threatening and seem to move of their own accord, my feeling has always been that she produces a feeling of sacred insight, the thrill of the hunt and a sense of awe and beauty.  So I salute our Lady on this day when she shows herself in her full and greatest glory.

Micki

Images:  The Llewellyn Tarot and Legend The Arthurian Tarot. 

Quoted interpretations:  Orphalese Tarot Program.

New Tarot Group On Yahoo

Tarot Books Cover2Cover
...........A Tarot Book Study Group

How many Tarot books do you have on your bookshelf that you've never read completely? If you're anything like me, I'm guessing quite a lot! Come and join us at Cover2Cover, and we'll read them together.

Here at Cover2Cover we feel that one of the surest ways to tap into the wisdom contained in the Tarot, is to study what has been shared by those who have gone before us and attained that wisdom.

This group will be a lively interactive online workshop, sharing the insights we glean from the exercises and activities outlined in the books we study. We hope to enhance our own intuition, creativity, and individual gifts and to empower ourselves by connecting with Tarot in a truly personal way.

 Coming in January 2011!

We are starting 21 Ways To Read A Tarot Card by Mary K. Greer!

All are welcome. Come join in the fun!

 

Click here to join TarotBooksCover2Cover

Micki

5 of Wands / 8 of Cups Card Combo

Elemental Interaction:  Enemy elements, Conflict

Five of Wands: Strife, Conflict, Debate, Competition, Contest, Hassles, Annoyance, Irritations, Trivialities

Eight of Cups: Moving on, Disentanglement, Starting a journey, Search for meaning, Discovery, Spirituality, Finding hope, Weariness

5 of Wands / 8 of Cups

• Walking away from petty arguments and disagreements, rather than wasting energy on the silly stuff.

• Tiring of constant conflict and moving on to find deeper meaning and emotional fulfillment.

8 of Cups / 5 of Wands

• Becoming aware of what one truly values through conflict and strife.

• Leaving on a journey which will stretch one beyond their comfort zone.

In a relationship issue this combination invokes an image of people constantly arguing, struggling and annoying each other. The 8 of Cups is a card of search for real value and meaningful relationship, both within ourselves and with others. Because these two cards are enemy elements, the disputes, annoyances and arguments in the 5 of Wands will probably never cease, so it's best to move on to something that will be more compatible with ones true nature.

This could also signify an internal conflict which can only be resolved by learning what is truly valuable and fulfilling in life and choosing to live according to ones own true values. 

“To thine own self be true.”

Micki

Simply Drenched

Sometimes the cards are so literal that we miss their message. 

This came home to me over an issue with my pickup one winter.  I don't have a garage or carport, so whenever it rains or snows the truck gets a bath.  In mid-winter it started a series of episodes where it wouldn't start.  Sometimes it would and others it wouldn't.  I couldn't figure out why. 

One day, when I needed it badly, it refused to start.  Frustrated, I pulled a card asking why the truck wouldn't start and got the Ace Cups reversed.  Now, even more frustrated I snapped at the deck,  "What does that mean? That I don't love it enough?  Well, I don't love it right now - that's for sure!!" 

Without thinking about it further, I put the deck away in disgust.

The winter had heavy snows for about a month, and I finally resorted to arranging for someone to take me where I needed to go when the truck wouldn't start.  I finally noticed that it usually took about two days to begin starting again after a rain, or after the snow on the truck had melted when it snowed.  After two days of no rain or snow it would start again and continue to start until the next rain or snow, when the pattern started all over again.

When spring arrived a friend offered to take a look at it to find out what might be wrong.  I thought it could be in need of a new air filter, gas filter or a tune up - something like that.  But when he looked at the distributor cap he discovered that the little metal pin in the top of the cap was missing and the cap had been wired in some inexplicable way to work anyway.  (The work, I assumed, of the last amateur mechanic who had replaced the old distributor cap with what was supposed to be the new one I bought.)  This left an open hole in the top of the cap and when it rained or snowed, moisture was getting into the distributor rendering it incapable of producing a spark!  After my friend put a new distributor cap in, the problem was solved and the truck started every time despite rain, sleet or snow.

So that reversed Ace of Cups had shown me exactly what the problem was! The truck was literally drenched.
 
I’ll never cease to be amazed at the way Tarot communicates with us.
Micki
Image from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot.

4 of Cups / 6 Pentacles Card Combo

Elemental Interaction:  Supportive

4 of Cups
Apathy; disenchantment; boredom; ignoring opportunity; feeling empty or let-down; disappointment; depression; self-pity; social isolation; withdrawal; tired or fatigued.

6 of Pentacles
Charity; generosity; sharing the wealth; kindness; gifts; balanced accounts; material gain; having plenty.

4 of Cups / 6 of Pentacles
Stop moping around and ask someone for help.
Don't miss an opportunity to share something of value with others.

6 of Pentacles / 4 of Cups
Ignoring an offer of help and assistance.
An opportunity is overlooked or lost because of feelings of apathy and isolation.

With most of us the first thing that comes to mind with Pentacles is money.  Pentacles however, represent much more than just cash.  They represent all tangible resources in the material world as well as the health of our bodies.  They represent skills and abilities with which we can earn income, but also share freely and/or exchange with others.

Often when we are feeling isolated, detached, or let-down our first instinct is to emotionally withdraw into our own private little world. When we feel like this, the last thing we want to do is reach out for help or get out and interact with others. But, if left untended for too long, this can spiral down into depression.  We may not feel like painting the town, but another good solution is to go out and get involved in helping others.  Charity organizations, for instance, are a wonderful place to volunteer our services because when we reach out and offer what we have to others, such as our time, energy and skills, it brings us out of our shell and we begin to realize that, no matter what has happened to us, we still have something of value to give and share.  Sharing with others gives us the opportunity to focus on something besides our own problems and the rewards are often greater than we would expect.

So, anytime we get too wrapped up in our own troubles one of the best solutions is to get out and give of ourselves to others.  It brings us out of our shell and it makes the world a better place for someone else.  That looks like a win-win situation to me!

Micki

Images are from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot

7 of Swords / 10 of Wands Card Combo

Elemental Interaction: Supportive

7 of Swords
Futility, Dishonor, Deceit, Sneakiness, Avoidance, Lying, Stealing, Fleeing, Shirking responsibility, Independence, Aloofness, Not helping

10 of Wands
Oppression, Over-extending, Burdens, Responsibility, Struggle, Resistance, Strenuous labor, Difficulty, Doing more than your share

7 of Swords / 10 of Wands

• Running away from heavy responsibilities
• Going it alone rather than allowing others to burden you with their responsibilities
• Refusing to pitch in and help someone carry a heavy load
• Realizing the futility of taking on too much responsibility
• Over-burdened by oppressive responsibilities a person resorts to stealing away secretly

There are a number of ways to combine these two cards. Fire and Air support and feed each other, so this can indicate an oppressive situation where the solution makes things worse, such as avoiding responsibilities (7 Swords) only increases the feeling of oppression and adds to the weight of the burden (10 Wands) that one must carry.

This could be a situation where one is expected to do more than their share, or where other's expectations become oppressive.  In response they plan to secretly escape without being willing to confront the situation directly.  It could merely mean shirking responsibilities that have been agreed to.  Another way of looking at it is someone doesn't want to confront the consequences of of taking on more than they can handle. 

I see the futility and possible deception in the 7 of Swords, but I also think it may signal a situation that must be kept secret until the time is right right to reveal it.  Combined with the 10 of Wands it could indicate a very oppressive situation where secret activities are called for because of the opposition that will be encountered if they are revealed too early. 

The key here is to keep intentions honorable and try to avoid a lack of integrity.  If one is doing something secretly because they cannot openly reveal it, then that is what must be done.  However, there is a thin line between doing something secretly for a good reason, and falling into betrayal and deceit.  But, combined with the 10 of Wands, the situation is far from ideal to say the least.

Micki

Images are from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot

Tarosophy Tarot Associations Launched

 

Tarosophy Tarot Professionals announces the launch of Tarosophy Tarot Associations at the national level!

“…we are delighted to announce we have appointed Tarosophy Consuls who will head-up new Tarosophy Tarot Associations at a national level, i.e. USA, UK, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, etc., all of which are now live and running.”

Benefits of membership include:

• Access to a range of innovative and modern Tarot courses
• The worlds leading Tarot magazine, Tarosophist International
• Video lessons and Tarot projects for you to take your Tarot to new levels
• As a professional you gain valuable legal, business & marketing support

Now we will have all this - plus more - available at the national level as well as the international!

You can visit the new site Tarosophy Tarot Associations here.  It has just been launched so keep your eye out and check back often to see what’s new as it grows.

Micki

The Moon / 9 of Swords Card Combo

Elemental Interaction:  Neutral

• Overactive imaginings cause fear, anxiety and sleepless nights.
• Confusion and misunderstanding results in illusion or a sense of bewilderment.
• Becoming obsessed with feelings of guilt and fear which may or may not be founded.
• Inability to connect with or trust natural intuitive insight because of worry, anxiety and fear of the unknown.

I don't generally read the upright Moon in a negative light. Upright I see it as imagination, visions and dreams, psychic and intuitive insight. It is magical, enchanting and inspiring, like the full moon on a clear night which fills us with a sense of mystery and intrigue. I reserve the negative side of illusion, unclear vision, delusion, deception and fear for the reversed position.

However, next to the 9 of Swords, it does become difficult to see the Moon in its more positive light. Swords are the mental suit, and the problems in the Swords suit are generally the result of our thinking patterns or how we are communicating with others. With this combo we may have let a sense of dread and fear take over and are obsessing about things which may never come to pass; or feeling guilty about something and worrying about the outcome. It can also indicate vague unconscious fears which one can't pinpoint.  I would tend to favor these interpretations unless there are other cards which indicate something more real.

However, this combo could also be a signal that someone is having very serious mental problems which may need attention if there are other supporting cards in the spread which point to that also.

Baring that, the best way to resolve this is to face the fear and find out if it is real or imagined. If it is not real, you can relax and get a good nights sleep. If it is real, get busy and see what you can do to resolve the situation.  Action generally goes a long way toward dispelling fears.

Micki

Images are from the Llewellyn Tarot

7 of Pentacles / 3 of Swords Card Combo

 

 Elemental Interaction: Enemy elements

7 of Pentacles / 3 of Swords
Hard work and patience do not work out favorably.
Expected funds or returns are not received. 
Plans for future progress are are rejected.

3 of Swords / 7 of Pentacles
Disappointing news about the progress of a project. 
Rejection of plans sparks a reassessment of a project.
A betrayal interferes with future plans.

There is not only a conflict between the elements; these two cards are antithetical by nature as well.  Hard work, diligence and patient care produce disappointing results.  This could be a warning that by refusing to face a painful truth, one is setting themselves up for a fall or asking to be betrayed. 

This doesn't necessarily mean that a project or course of action should be abandoned entirely, but a reassessment and adjustment of plans is definitely called for if one is to avoid trouble and/or failure.

Micki

A Happy Halloween To All!

This is a brief history of Halloween from History.com:

Halloween, celebrated each year on October 31, is a mix of ancient Celtic practices, Catholic and Roman religious rituals and European folk traditions that blended together over time to create the holiday we know today. Straddling the line between fall and winter, plenty and paucity and life and death, Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition. Halloween has long been thought of as a day when the dead can return to the earth, and ancient Celts would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off these roaming ghosts.

The Celtic holiday of Samhain, the Catholic Hallowmas period of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day and the Roman festival of Feralia all influenced the modern holiday of Halloween.

In the 19th century, Halloween began to lose its religious connotation, becoming a more secular community-based children's holiday. Although the superstitions and beliefs surrounding Halloween may have evolved over the years, as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, people can still look forward to parades, costumes and sweet treats to usher in the winter season.

In Wiccan and Pagan circles, Samhain, pronounced SOW-in, is one of the four Greater Sabbats which are celebrated on the cross-quarter days, the mid-way point between the corresponding Equinox and Solstice.  Of the four, Samhain is considered to be the most important. It is the third and last harvest of summer, and the time when darkness increases in the northern hemisphere until the Winter Solstice on December 21, the shortest day of the year and the day which marks the rebirth of the Sun and Light again as the days slowly begin to increase in length.

The four Greater Sabbats are celebrated on historically traditional days which do not necessarily match the exact mid-point between the corresponding Equinox and Solstice, however they all fall around the 15th degree of the Fixed Signs. In Scorpio, the Sun is in the 15th degree on November 7, and many Wiccans and Pagans use that day for their rituals, though most observe the public holiday also. 

The Tarot cards which represent Scorpio are Major Key 13, Death and Minor cards the Queen of Cups and the 5, 6 and 7 of Cups. 

The 6 of Cups represents 10 to 20 degrees of Scorpio, and the time span of November 2 to November 11, corresponding with the time when the Sun is in 15 degrees of Scorpio on November 7. The astrological association for the 6 of Cups is the Sun in Scorpio, an appropriate card for the Halloween holiday since the Sun actually is in Scorpio on these dates.

The veil between the worlds is said to be very thin during this time and rituals and celebrations often include communing with the dead and departed souls, as well as leaving offerings of food outside. Divination is also a common practice such as tarot readings, scrying, astrological planning and prediction, just to name a few.

In this card from the Halloween Tarot the Ghosts of the departed do seem to be having a very pleasant and possibly nostalgic time as they gather together to commune with the living, enjoy the offerings put out for them and recall and share past times gone by.

In this ‘spirit’ I wish everyone a warm and happy Halloween filled with costume parties. haunted houses, eerie sounds and noises, trick-or-treating and the simple enjoyment of the company of friends and loved ones, both living and departed.  Enjoy!

Micki

Mars Enters Sagittarius

 

Mars moves into Sagittarius today, where he will stay until December 7. The corresponding Tarot Cards for this combination are The Tower and Temperance.

Now there's a combo for you!  Try to wrap your head around that!   The energies of these two cards couldn’t be further apart. 

 

Some interpretations for this combo in a tarot reading might be:

Sudden and unexpected change and upheaval, which results in picking up the pieces and combining them into a new state of affairs.

A sudden release of pent-up energy which results in flashes of insight and revelation about how to combine extreme circumstances into new and harmonious conditions.

The ability to stay centered and calm in the midst of unexpected change and upheaval.

However, in Astrology the fiery nature of Mars is right at home in all three of the Fire Signs: Aries, his domain, Leo and Sagittarius. 

As the ninth sign of the zodiac, Sagittarius rules philosophy, religion and spirituality, higher education and long-distance or foreign travel.  Mars represents our energy and the drive to accomplish our goals, and filtered through Sagittarius this can indicate an increased interest in education, travel and/or religious and spiritual practices. This is a good time to focus on your wider and long-range goals, or to take some new courses in an area of special interest.  Travel and exploration are also emphasized so you might want to take that trip abroad that you’ve been planning for awhile,  

Mars in Sagittarius also represents the spiritual warrior, as shown in this corresponding Symbolon card.

These days our spiritual quest may not require that we ride off to the Crusades, but this is a good time to put your passion into getting the word out about your own pet crusade or charity, or you may find yourself feeling a desire to renew your own spiritual practice.

Whatever your special quest is, this is a time of high energy when it’s possible to get lots done toward the realization of your goals, whatever they may be

Micki

Illustrations are from the Hanson-Roberts Tarot and the Symbolon deck.

The Pentacles and Timing

The suit of Pentacles represents the three earth signs in Astrology, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.  The King represents the Cardinal Earth sign Capricorn, the Queen represents the Fixed Earth sign Taurus, and the Knight represents the Mutable Earth sign Virgo.

Capricorn - December 22 to January 20

The four cards shown here represent Capricorn in the Minor Arcana.

The King of Pentacles represents the whole sign of Capricorn and the time span from December 22 to January 20.  The 2, 3 and 4 of Pentacles represent 10 degrees each of Capricorn and span these days:

2 of Pentacles – Dec. 22 to Dec. 31 
3 of Pentacles – January 1 to January 10
4 of Pentacles – January 11 to January 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taurus – April 21 to May 20

The four cards shown here represent Taurus in the Minor Arcana.

The Queen of Pentacles represents the whole sign of Taurus and the time span from April 21 to May 20.  The 5, 6 and 7 of Pentacles represent 10 degrees each of Taurus and span these days:

5 of Pentacles – April 21 to April 30
6 of Pentacles – May 1 to May 10 
7 of Pentacles – May 11 to May 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virgo – August 23 to September 22

The four cards shown here represent Virgo in the Minor Arcana.

The Knight of Pentacles represents the whole sign of Virgo and the time span from August 23 to September 22.  The 8, 9 and 10 of Pentacles represent 10 degrees each of Virgo and span these days:

8 of Pentacles – August 23 to Sept. 1 
9 of Pentacles – Sept. 2 to Sept 11  
10 of Pentacles – Sept. 12 to Sept. 22 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This concludes the timing system for the Minor Arcana.  Every day of the year is represented by one of the 36 Minor Arcana numbered (Pip) cards, providing us with a very workable timing system for those of us who wish to use it. 

Micki

The Swords and Timing

The suit of Swords represents the three air signs in Astrology, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius.  The King represents the Cardinal Air sign Libra, the Queen represents the Fixed Air sign Aquarius, and the Knight represents the Mutable Air sign Gemini.

Libra – September 23 to October 22

The four cards shown here represent Libra in the Minor Arcana.

The King of Swords represents the whole sign of Libra and the time span from September 23 to October 22.  The 2, 3 and 4 of Swords represent 10 degrees each of Libra and span these days:

2 of Swords – September 23 to October 2
3 of Swords – October 3 to October 12
4 of Swords – October 13 to October 22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aquarius – January 21 to February 19

The four cards shown here represent Aquarius in the Minor Arcana.

The Queen of Swords represents the whole sign of Aquarius and the time span from January 21 to February 19.  The 2, 3 and 4 of Swords represent 10 degrees each of Aquarius and span these days:

5 of Swords – January 21 to January 30
6 of Swords – January 31 to February 9
7 of Swords – February 10 to February 19 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gemini – May 21 to June 21

The four cards shown here represent Gemini in the Minor Arcana.

The Knight of Swords represents the whole sign of Gemini and the time span from May 21 to June 21.  The 8, 9 and 10 of Swords represent 10 degrees each of Gemini and span these days:

8 of Swords – May 21 to May 31 
9 of Swords – June 1 to June 11
10 of Swords – June 12 to June 21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the next post we’ll cover the suit of Pentacles and the signs and time periods the Pentacles cards represent.

Micki