Painting a New Life Journey...

Welcome to the Tarot Witch's contribution to the Tarot Blog Hop. You probably hopped over here from Donna's Blog. Hope you are enjoying your journey this far, and we'll direct you on your next bunny-hop when you're through here. For now, here's my take on your New Life Journey. I am using a different Oracle here than the Tarot, Caitlin and John Matthew's Celtic Tree Oracle. I have created a layout using the Compass of Traditional Witchcraft as a pattern, likening each point of the compass to one of the facets of the New Life Journey. And I have drawn one random card for each point of the Compass, to assist you in understanding this Journey with which the Oracles have presented you. So let's walk the Compass together--let's Paint a Journey With New Life!



Oestare: Painting A Journey With New Life

One of the first signs of "new life" in my area is buds on many many trees, even in late winter. So I was inspired to create a "new life journey" spread based on the Compass I use in my 1734 Witchcraft practice, using my Celtic Tree Oracle cards. Here's what I came up with--wander the budding orchard with me!

1. Choose Your Destination: Last year, you thought it through, you perhaps made some New Year's Resolutions, you decided where your New Journey was going to take you. The energy of this leg of the compass is the Air of the North, the new idea that has grown in the silent darkness. The card drawn for this point of the compass, the seed of your journey, is Ioho, the Yew tree. Yew is the tree that represents rebirth and eternal life, and its resonance is that of ancient truths, of those things that we each have to teach to ourselves lifetime after lifetime, again and again. In this position it is telling you that your Journey, although you will be painting it anew with the colors of the new Spring, is one sourced in ancient truth, your own truth, one you have perhaps forgotten or neglected. Your journey will take you to the future, but the seeds of your new growth lie in your past.

2. Purchase Your Ticket: This point of the Compass reminds you that preparation is necessary: purchase your ticket, pack, get your passport. The energy of this point of the Compass is Air of Fire, the concept that your mind must inform your will if you are to achieve your objective. The tree drawn for this point of the compass is Phagos, the Beech, the tree of retained and recorded knowledge. This card is a reminder to record the experiences of your journey, and to look into records you have already been keeping to be inspired by your own knowledge and learning of the mysteries of your own past. You need the firm basis of the truths you have already revealed to yourself in order to understand, construct, and use the new discoveries that will manifest themselves on your journey. Preparation is going to be the key to the new wonder you will encounter.

3. Begin Your Travels: At the rising of the new spring sun, at the point of balance whence comes forth all life, you will take the first steps, and paint the first strokes of the new masterpiece you are creating. The energy here is Fire, the first spark of new thought, new ideas, new desires. The card you have drawn on this compass point is Koad, the Grove. This card bespeaks a new concept for many of us--part of, if not most of, our "journey" as we take it, is not things, but people. The "Grove" was the place where the Druids met in council, where each individual person's words were heard, where all were equal and none stood above another. The Grove is the resonance of many trees, many ideas, many new ways of "seeing". Your compass today is pointing you to remember to see the "other" with new eyes on this new journey, to notice and wonder and marvel at that which is not your Self. You are the traveler in an unknown realm--let yourself be informed and directed by those you may meet there.

4. Take A Detour: You've begun your journey, and you're on the way to new things. The energy of this point of the compass is "Duir", the Oak tree...Oddly enough, "Duir" is the Irish word for "door", and this part of the journey is all about taking the highways and byways, poking your nose into all the interesting little side-paths that present themselves--you never can tell which of these doors might hide something essential to your continuing on your Path. Doors of opportunity are manifesting themselves as you travel, popping up here and now in your world. Duir provides you with the strength to open the doors and utilize the openings to step into the experiences that will bring fulfillment, purpose, and your creative pleasure.

5. Points of Interest: Besides those alluring byways that Duir invites you to explore, one of the focal points of any journey is the attractions the destination is famous for presenting. Your destination, as suggested by the energy of Yew, is the exploration of hidden and ancestral truths, those things you don't know that you know. So--what kinds of "points of interest" might this journey afford to you? Funny thing--your card for this compass point is the perfect answer for that. We've drawn "Gort", the Ivy, which represents the "spiral to center"...Theseus in the labyrinth is the avatar of Gort, as the leaves grow in that inward-spiralling pattern and we look inside ourselves at the "point of interest" representing our own Inner Child, our Shadow, that which is Within. The most significant Point of Interest on the journey to Ancestral Memory is to find out who we truly Are, and where we go to do that is deep within.

6. Souvenirs: Whenever you "travel", whether on earth or in the Realms, you want to bring back remembrances of what you saw and what you learned on the journey--did you know that "souvenir" is literally the French word for "to come to mind--sub venire" which is literally "to remember". And so, your focus for this point of your Compass is the Reed, Ngetal, the symbol of three strong powers you will want to preserve from this inner journey--the reed-light, which is a candle into your own darkness, the reed-whistle, the voice of the wind which makes it possible for the ancestors and the Sidhe to talk to you in ways you will understand, and the thatched roof of the house, your safe haven within your own place when things outside become too difficult. So--your voice, your safety, your illumination are the souvenirs of your new life journey.

7. You're Almost There! : In the fairy-tale hero's journey, or the Fool's Journey of the Tarot, right before the desired end is achieved there is usually a lesson, an obstacle, or a diversion to get through before the prize is attained. For this penultimate focus of your compass, the Ogham is Luis, the Rowan tree. There is special significance on many levels to this...The Rowan is Brighid's Fire, and is a tree of protection, as well as one which makes you powerful in your own right, powerful enough to withstand any obstacle that can keep you from completing your journey. All inner knowledge falls into human oblivion if you don't care for your own sacred inner flame. So surrender to your own inner divine fire of wisdom with confidence. The flame you realize through your existence and your earthly body lives for all eternity. It is guarding and protecting and guiding you. It is real as soon as you accept it as your own. It helps you to understand yourself and conceive yourself as part of the great miracle. Your life will enfold to its true beauty and show you the way out of fear and darkness.

8. Relax! You're there! You're at the end of your Journey of New Life, you've painted a lovely new picture in all the colors of Spring. You sit back and gaze in wonder, and the Ogham you have received to energize this leg of your Compass is Uilleand, the Honeysuckle. You have achieved the honey-sweetness of success on three levels, the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. On the physical level, you are reminded to pursue your desires, allow yourself to experience pleasure - you are not a monk. By joy do we learn, not by abstinence of what we enjoy. Your gift of mental sweetness is a simple one--the hidden secrets you pursue are not as impenetrable as you suspect. They are simply muted by background noises. You will succeed if you trust your own mind. Hone in on the secrets, and put aside the distractions. Spiritually, you receive a warning, like the gentle nudge of a honeybee on your hand--not stinging, but making you aware. Remain true to your beliefs and principles in your journey to the self. Follow the Honeysuckle in safety and joy. The Honeysuckle shows the way in which to achieve the search for the self. Honeysuckle indicates hidden desires, secrets and the path to the search for the self. Now that you have achieved the completion of your inner journey through the Compass, pick up your basket and go on into the bright day of the new Spring, and fulfill the journey in truth.

And now you can hop over to take a look in the lovely eggs Rosered has to show you....