Three Card Map of the Upcoming Week....

The TarotWitch has taken quite the hiatus, but it is time once again to begin sharing the regular intersection of body, mind, and spirit that can guide us into a productive and beneficial week. Three cards, one each for Land/Body, Sea/Mind, and Sky/Spirit, drawn on the first day of the weekend, to give us all time to look and think and interpret before we move once again into our work-week, where the message of the cards will incorporate itself into our week's actions and give us deeper understanding of how the YOUniverse is interacting with each one of us. So--here is this week's three-card guide-map to our inner life, so we can move in thought, action, and interaction with spirit. Here we go:

Land/Body: 

This is going to be the last week of 2018, and we will be looking at the state of our health, our finances, our homes and surroundings, and all the other physical manifestations of the passing year, and asking ourselves: "What has increased my good fortune this year, and how can I carry this energy into the New Year without limiting my opportunities or narrowing my perspective?" Fortune is a word having to do not simply with finances, but with the entire layout of possibilities and achievements, and this card is asking us to look carefully at where we stand right this minute in our physical circumstances, and decide for ourselves what we intend to carry forward, and how we intend to do so.

Sea/Mind:

We are seeing the inner resources of our own minds in the form of  this card, "Aeon," representing "the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind" and indicating new ideas, thoughts and mental explorations that have yet to emerge, but are waiting for us.  Aeon (Judgment) emphasizes the theme of renewal for the whole planet. When we think of the card in readings we see that this can apply to an individual as well. The card of Aeon is a powerful one. It tells you that this is a time of change. The person who receives Aeon becomes "reborn" into a new situation. This may involve a real change in circumstances--a new job, a move to a new home, a new relationship. Sometimes, the new situation is psychological, a new way of looking at life in which everything becomes fresh.

Sky/Spirit:

All too often, we have so little understanding of, or faith in, our own interactions with Spirit that we somehow feel as if, unless someone else tells us what Spirit is saying and what it means, we won't be able to understand it. This card is telling us, for this last week of the current year, the exact opposite. We already know, very simply, that we don't "know", we can simply wait to find out, what Spirit has in store for us. But this card is reassuring us that no matter what we see in our new walk of Spirit, no matter how unique or unusual or simply new, Happiness and Joy will be the result of our explorations. So--fear not, walk in Beauty, and wait to see what the YOUniverse will hand to you. It is going to bring Joy, and if you let yourself fly free in the company of Spirit, you can't do it wrong. So--just DO it. Happy New Year!!

Tarot Blog Hop Yule 2018: Finding My Cozy

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Good tidings of Yuletide, my friends. Our wonderful wrangler, Joanne Sprott, has requested us to remember the necessity of warmth within in this time of the year wherein yes, baby, it IS cold outside. She suggested various ideas concerning ways to discuss and meditate upon how one finds one's own "cozy" during this season, and this one really spoke to me: "Create a Tarot spread around asking for ways to increase the cozy in your life right now, or if you like, you can focus on insulating against the cold (or both)." This resonates with me, because I am a snow-lover who lives in one of the best ski areas in the United States, but notwithstanding that, I am absolutely unable to remain in good physical, mental, or emotional health when I become too chilled. I NEED my "cozy", and I know there is more than one kind of warmth that will permit me to love and enjoy the snow and ice, and the feeling of death and rebirth over the winter, and yet I need to be able to connect with my mind, will, body, emotions and spirit without letting myself freeze within and without. So--here is a draw I created, simply connecting to the elemental nature of the Tarot and the ways that each element resonates within my own life. Air is thought and inspiration, represented  by Swords; Fire is inner light, personal power, and is represented by Rods: Earth is manifest reality and stability, represented by Stones; Water is the flux and flow of emotion and the refreshment of the inner Being, represented by Cups; and Spirit is the entire focus of all the angles of reality represented by the Major Arcana. So, I separated each section of the deck into a stack in itself, and drew one card from each, asking the Universe: "In my Mind, my Will, my Body, my Emotions, and my Spirit, what must I do to find and maintain my warmth in the cold, my "cozy"?. And here is what I discovered:

AIR:

I drew this card reversed, and in its appearance in that position reinforces something I have been working on within myself for many years--the concept (the IDEA) of refraining from self-criticism at the expense of your calmness of mind. Cruelty of mind, believing one's own ideas are worthless compared to the opinions of others, is one way to defeat the "cozy" and send the chill of winter into one's head. So I promised myself, on sight of this card, to welcome my thoughts and ideas with warm appreciation and hospitality of mind, permitting myself to open a light into the darkness of winter, and, huddled up within my mind, snuggle into the "cozy" of self-exploration and new ideas. It does, indeed, make things within my brain more hospitable and warmer. I will be feeding the fire of personal ideas and new thoughts throughout the dead of winter, to bring inner warmth to life.

FIRE:

Another reversal!!! I believe the YOUniverse is speaking to me, telling me what is going to stoke and feed the cozy fires of inner warmth and light, and what is going to extinguish them and leave me freezing. I do suffer the consequences of my Irish temper, often, with family and other dear ones, and drawing this card reversed was a clear and powerful mandate to refrain from conflict and to extinguish the wild flame of anger and disagreement and, well, conflict. One wishes to create the warmth of interaction with family and friends, sitting around the hearth sharing talk and laughter and intimate understanding of one another, and maybe even a warm cup of something delicious. So--to keep the "cozy", refrain from conflict and instead focus on positive interactions. I can DO this!

EARTH:

Aahh...the warmth of actual knowledge and awareness is something the YOUniverse is reminding me to awaken, use, and enjoy to create and maintain the cozy warmth of positive energy in action. I already have some "winter skills", some cooking, some beverage making, some enjoyable indoor activities, some ways to organize and arrange my home environment so that it speaks of peace, joy, love, and the warmth of family and friends. And--if I think, and read, and study, and learn, in the lovely and calm peace of winter's indoor days, I may yet be able to increase my store of knowledge and add some tools to the "cozy bag" I am currently using; Soo...time to cuddle up in front of the fire with a cup of soup and a couple of friends and family members, and share knowledge of ways to warm and brighten the Yuletide. Let's grow our cozy by feeding our minds, together.

WATER:

A smile illuminated my face as I saw what the YOUniverse had sent me to elaborate on my feelings and emotions---the Ace of Cups, the absolute focus of loving interaction. This card reminds me that my cup is already filled to overflowing, but that the more of the rich balm of love and understanding I am able to consume and share, the more the cup will refill itself, again and again. Each person, each event, each experience of my inner life during the winter darkness, will illuminate me with inner light and warmth and peace, and keep me cozy.

SPIRIT:

And here we have the wonderful culmination of the cozy spirit--the many faces and directional foci of Brahma, the spirit of warmth and light. No accident that he is a Deity of fire, holding the wand of light, and looking in many directions. He reminds me that there is always another way, another idea, and something more within to awaken my own warmth and light. Keep loving, keep looking, keep laughing, and I will remain cozy and aware of light throughout the dark time. I can DO this. You try it too, eh?

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Master List, Tarot Blog Hop Samhain 2018: Walking Into Life WIth The Dead

MASTER LIST: USE THESE LINKS ON YOUR POST TO LINK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS

  1. Morgan Drake Eckstein | https://gleamingsfromthedawn.blogspot.com/2018/10/tbh-07.html
  2. Joy Vernon| http://joyvernon.com/Blog/tbh-walking-life-dead
  3.Jay Cassells | info@sacred-healing.co.uk/ | http://sacred-healing.co.uk/tbh20a
  4. Katalin Patnaik | katalinpatnaik.wordpress.com/saying-thanks-to-spirit |
  5. Arwyn Lynch Poe  https://tarotbyarwen.com/19522/tbhsamhain2018/
  6. Aisling the Bard | https://tarotwitchery.blogspot.com/2018/10/samhain-2018-walking-into-life-with-dead.html
  7. Raine Shakti| http://www.tarotofchange.com/2018/10/tarot-blog-hop-honoring-beloved-dead.html
  8. Kimberly Essex | http://kimberlyessex.com/Samhain2018/
  9. Arwen Lynch Poe | http://witchesandpagans.com/sagewoman-blogs/tarot-templates/tarotbloghop-samhain-mysteries-2018.html
10. Joanne Sprott |https://cosmicwhisperstarot.com/2018/10/grandfathers-samhain-tarot-blog-hop |
11. Kiss Boglárka | https://vadrozsatarot.blogspot.com/2018/10/samhain-2018-walking-into-life-with-dead.html
12. Sharron Basanti | https://www.seedsofshakti.com/blogs/blog/tarot-blog-hop-samhain
13. Jay Cassells | info@sacred-healing.co.uk/ | http://sacred-healing.co.uk/tbh20

Samhain 2018: Walking Into Life With The Dead

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In creating this Hop, I truly believe it was the spirits of some of my own beloved dead who brought me to thinking of the questions I utilized to create the topics for the Hop, as follows:

1. What is the most important thing the spirits of your beloved dead have been attempting to show or teach you this year?

2. What is your personal connection to Spirit, as you define it, whether that be Gods and Goddesses, the Powers of the Land, the Souls of the Dead (or the Living), or in any other way you define this word. How does Spirit connect with you and at the end of this year, what is the primary energy of Spirit that is showing itself to you?

3. What will be your personal Gift to Spirit, whether this is an offering made to Deity, something you will do because of what Spirit has taught you, or some other way of acknowledging the influence of the Living Dead on your own life?

And I was all set to answer the questions as those of whom I was thinking might have suggested, so here are my responses, one for each of the people I believe, from my own inner light and from the Samhain rites I have already attended this season, were definitely trying to talk to me.

The first person I know would want to speak to me about this is my dear mother Mary, and the card she always resonated with in my decks was the Empress, saying to me, "She's always giving birth to something new, and that is something I do all day, every day." So here is the Empress, and to me, it represents my own mother's ability to take whatever is given to her and produce something new and beautiful and useful from it, no matter what it is. And at Samhain, that is a very good way to focus your own energy on the energies of the Spirit of the Season, both ending, and beginning. Learning how to do this myself at the age of 71 is one of the most significant things I have learned from her
spirit.

My next beloved spirit is my father, and his energy was always that represented by the Hierophant, the Seeker and Source of Inner Wisdom. He was the one who repeated, incessantly to each of us children when we were growing up, "How can you say you're bored? Don't you have ANYTHING going on inside your mind?" I have learned, and hope to have taught to my own children, that inner wisdom is valid and must be acknowledged--one can't look outside the Self to find the answers for everything. One of our main difficulties as humans is that often we know, but we don't know that we know. And every time I come up with some kind of new idea or insight from within my own head, I see my Dad standing before me waiting to discuss it with me. I consider the things I can think of, some of them not thought of ever before or given to me by another living person, as perhaps the gift I can give to Spirit as I improve on my own inner wisdom and attempt to share it with my Universe.

The third beloved spirit who has been influencing my inner being at this time of year for over 30 years is the spirit of my older sister, Ellen, who died before I was born. And the card that is her being and her message has apparently changed each and every year--this year, she sends me, and lives within, the Star. Her message to me is different from the one I have always used. I saw the Star as a reminder to look up and see the truth of the Self, not the reflection as seen by others. But Ellen's message, in my dream of last night, simply said, "The Star reminds us that, in a sense, we are agents of divine will in our day-to-day lives. If we let go of the idea that we are supposed to be in control, we can more easily notice and appreciate the synchronicities that are nudging us along. We are all of Spirit, both the living and the dead, so it isn't about what you see in yourself, not all the time. It is about what you see in your Spirit and how that connects with the Eternal Spirit of all life." I am truly meditating on this one, and will be thinking about it, probably, from this day until next year when Ellen and I talk again.

These three people, and their cards, are my own interpretation, not only of the questions asked, but also of the true meaning of Samhain. It may be the end of the year, but it is also the beginning of the following year, and the end of life is also the beginning of the next life. And may your own walk into life from the death of the current year be rewarding and amazing.

******

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Tarot Blog Hop, Mabon 2018: Restoring the Balance

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 For this year's Hop honoring the week-long festival of Mabon, our awesome Wranglers, Jenn Waltner & Louise Underhill, asked us to consider the concept of balance, as Mabon is that time when the light and dark are equal, and we might like to see if the events of our own lives follow that pattern of balance. My own thoughts on this concept created for me a "light and dark" layout for my Mabon reading, resembling the concept of yin-and-yang, and focusing on the idea: "What do I need more of, and what do I need less of, going into the realm of winter?"

So--how does one do this? I had an idea that seemed to call upon Spirit to connect me with what is needed and what is finished, as drawing cards in this fashion needs to be completely in the realm of Spirit, not my own pre-planned choices. So--I simply spread out my entire Haindl Tarot in a curved format, all 78 cards creating a rainbow-shaped pattern on my table. And then I thought of this year, 2018, numerologically a Master Number, the number 11. It seemed as if that needed to be in there somewhere. So--Mabon is the 21st of September, the 9th month, and I used the patterns of the numbers to create the method of choosing cards. I began at either end, and counted from each end to draw the cards, number 11 for the year, number 9 for the month, and numbers 21 and 3 for the festival itself. And there I had it--four cards from each direction, from left to right indicating what I needed to increase, and from right to left indicating what I needed to decrease, to create balance in my life. So, here we go:

Card Number 11

What needs to increase? The three of cups represents commingling one's own ideas with the input and support of family and friends, which will result in filling one's cup to "overflowing". So, for me, this winter, less alone-time and dark moods, and more recognition of the joy and love I have available to me, to share and delight in. 

What needs to decrease? The Son of Cups, Parsival after the achievement of the Holy Grail, represents the idea of being willing to let go of things that have been completed, even if they did not turn out as one desired. It is time to admit the quest to be over, see what has actually occurred, and decide what that means to me while looking at the bigger picture.

*************

Card Number 9

What should I do more of? The Two of Swords, entitled "Peace", represents the concept of permitting certain things to simply be what they are. Have patience. There are circumstances in which action is better than non-action. This, however, is not one of them. Remain silent as much as possible and allow things to settle. A little meditation can help you achieve greater objectivity. You do not have enough information, as all the evidence hasn't come in yet. Be at peace, and let things develop before you attempt to act.

What should I do less of? The Son of Swords, Osiris of the All-Seeing Eye, can also represent someone who simply believes that their own view is the only correct one, and refuses to listen or to take other viewpoints into account, especially in a situation of disagreement with others. Don't let yourself feel that you MUST be right and everyone else is wrong. Don't just Look, Listen. You don't have all the answers.

                                                                 **************

Card Number 21

What should I do more of? The Sun is the representation of the High Self, one's actual persona, no matter how little of it one usually sees. Let your light shine. Be confident in the sacred power of your original nature. The card  suggests a course of action which will harmonize what you want with what is currently possible. The Sun card advises you to have confidence in your natural divinity. Throw off any cultural conditioning that keeps you from being authentic with yourself.

What must I do less of? Sometimes you simply can't change or act on a circumstance, no matter how hard you try. So stop resisting your circumstances and let some time go by. Eventually, you will be released a little wiser and not much the worse for wear. You will come to realize in time how you collaborated with the problem.

                                                               *************

Card Number 3

What must I do more of? The Mage represents the High Self, one's own personal power and ability, and the concept of creating one's reality in accord with one's own skill and talent, utilizing the resources available. Simply put, what I must do more of is to simply Become, and Be, my Self. All power lies within. Find it and use it.





















What must I do less of? Stop sending your Self negative vibes, believing that everything is going to fail, that your own resources are not sufficient to deal with what Life sends you. The Tower is NOT coming down--but you may be remodeling it. Let yourself have some positive energy, and stop acting as if your life is beyond your control. It isn't. Only YOU can be YOU. So do it.

                                                                 ************

This reading told me things I really needed to know about keeping and restoring the balance of my life. I am so grateful to the Wranglers and the Blog Hoppers for the opportunity. May all of us receive Balance and know how to sustain it! Mabon Blessings on you all!


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Tarot Blog Hop, Midsummer/Lammas 2018: "The Sun Harvest"

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Our awesome wrangler, Arwen Lynch Poe, has given us the opportunity in this Hop to look forward at the energies of Lugh, the Holly King, the waning Sun, and our own personal actions and reactions, and determine what we would like to harvest this cycle. For me, the energies of this festival are pervasive and personal, as we have been homeless and living in an extended-stay motel for almost a year. What I would like to harvest is a Home, a Hearth, a beginning of our new life together. So, taking the Sun, and using the card to decide how, when, why, and what will be the energies of this festival, and what will be my harvest, I came up with a plan....

I did this working on the Full Blood Moon, which is also the Holly Moon, sacred to the Holly King, the God of the harvest. I shuffled my whole deck, the Haindl Tarot with which I do my professional readings, and simply went through it, card by card, until I found the Sun card. And the reading was done by selecting the two cards which preceded the Sun in the shuffled deck, and the two which followed it. The preceding cards represented what more needs to be done to achieve the harvest, and the following cards represented what will be the actual energy brought forth. So--here we go:

Here is the Sun, the bringer of bounty, the source of the harvest to come. And in order to achieve it, here is the direction we must take:

Maintain ourselves in patience, be willing to "hurry up and wait" and use the time of waiting to contemplate exactly what we need and require and what might be extraneous. The process will take time, and we're not done yet.

Don't permit ourselves to be distracted by worry, impatience, or annoyance because things have not yet come to fruition. The Devil represents "the obstacle" and in traditional lore, was a servant of Jehovah making it clear whether His followers were willing to hold to the path regardless of obstacles  and distractions. So--don't let ourselves be "bedeviled". Take time, thought, and focus, and wait the cycle out.

A new discovery and journey of inner knowledge awaits us. This move will give us an entirely new perspective on our life together, and bring to the surface new awareness that has been awaiting our change of perspective. Rejoice in the journey, and examine and experience each note of the new tune that will lead us forward.

The race is on, and we are standing tall and steady on the new path, and there is nothing we cannot achieve as long as we keep moving forward. We are going to win!

Happy Sun Harvest, and can what you achieve be as wonderful as our future looks to become!


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Tarot Blog Hop, Midsummer/Litha 2018: Don't Fence Me In!

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Our lovely Wrangler for this event, Joy Vernon, has given us much freedom concerning the way we utilize this well-known song and its inner meaning to illustrate our Midsummer Dreams for this Blog Hop. For me, as a musician and poet, there was no question about how I would interpret this one. Here is a song of my own composition, combining the elemental nature of the Tarot and the freedom sought in this song, and a layout that intersects with both. Get out your cards, get in tune, start flipping cards, and let's hear you sing!


******

Oh give me cards, Tarot cards, and the light they soon will shine...
Don't fence me in!
I'll receive, I believe, all the path that's shown as mine...
Don't fence me in.

A card for each time of day from the dawn to dusk,
I smell the lovely scent of Mother Nature's musk
Reminding me that life is more intent than luck, so
Don't fence me in!

Just let me see what the layout has to show me
In the symbols of each card...
I can be free if I let the spirit know me,
Even though sometimes it's hard.

I want to read through the night till the morn  commences--
The images of cards will wake my inner senses
And help me see the open  gates in all the fences.
Don't fence me in!

And then I'll sail over land in my own delightful world,

Don't fence me in!
I'll know the way I should stay on the path that's been unfurled,

Don't fence me in! 

I look at all the Tarot has to bring and show,

The way to see each day as down the path I go.

No matter what the future holds, I surely know

I'm not fenced in!!

***** 

And so--here is the draw that I literally did while I was creating the song. Four cards, representing. the here and now, the path I need to take, the destination, and the way to make certain to create the gates in any fences that will appear. So, one at a time, they will create a map of your journey. Here goes:

Here And Now: 

The Daughter of Wands, Radha, the wife of Krishna, is the oldest known deity figure from the Middle East who encouraged females to hold their own will and walk their own path. This is one of the happiest cards in the deck. Her jewelry and cosmetics show the abundance of a highly developed culture. The stories of her playful love with Krishna show humor and humanity. She is gentle but not passive, calm but not weak. She is devoted to her partner without losing her sense of self. So...here you are, all of your Self, life with humor and strength, ready to walk your road.

The Path That Beckons:

New ideas await you, knowledge and wisdom concerning your own journey. Look around and pay attention--much you will learn is coming forward on the path.

Where You Are Going:

Spider Woman, the Mother of Stones, represents the journey through one's own personal labyrinth, taking it slowly, one step at a time, and knowing that "the journey IS the destination." It's not a hurry-up-let's-get-there trip---it's a slow and focused walk through all the possible twists and turns of your labyrinthine path.

What About Those Fences?: 

The Wheel of Fortune is the ideal card to represent not only the turning wheel of fate, but the concept, which many of us forget, that there is always another angle to any view, and another way to create the ideal path around obstacles. Indeed, this journey may be specifically about how you will always be able to prevent yourself from being "fenced in" if you only take another route each time an obstacle shows up.

After all, this is YOUR life. So---you can't do it wrong. So--tell the YOUniverse, "Don't fence me in!" and make sure you understand that you have the power to make that happen.

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Daily Draw, 6/18/2018

Here's today's WitchWisdom, from a question I was asked earlier today by my granddaughter: "What do you do when it seems like there is no good choice and you just have to pick one of the bad ones?" I couldn't think of a logical answer to that, so I decided to let Spirit talk instead--and here we are:

Apparently, the idea is simple. When we are not certain what to do in a given circumstance, we need to recall the wisdom of the Hierophant, the teacher of wisdom in medieval times. The Hierophant advises that you return to the role of a meticulous student, yourself, learning from the circumstances. Learn everything you can about your situation and your choices. Let that knowledge become a part of you and an operative influence on your day-to-day awareness. In this way, you can slowly and steadily establish real credibility to yourself, giving yourself more than one possible path and being fully aware of where each choice might take you. Because you will begin to ascertain that there IS no "bad choice" if you are being guided by your inner wisdom. Whatever you should choose will put you on the path in the direction you need to take.

The TarotWitch Is Back!! Daily Draw, 6/17/18

Well, folks, it's been a long hiatus, but here we go again, listening to Spirit and taking into account the date, the Moon Phase, the Tree Calendar, and the numerological entities which control much of each day's work--so, here we go:

June 17, 2018:  Numerological Focus, 7 --  Moon Phase, Waxing (tomorrow is the First Quarter)--  Tree Calendar---Oak Moon, rising.

And the Three-Card Draw--Body, Mind, Spirit:

Body

Mother of Cups: Venus of Willendorf, Queen of Earth-Spirit: This card traditionally portrays a sensitive, vulnerable, omniscient woman who offers unconditional love. She is supremely empathic -- sometimes to a fault. Her caring nature exposes her to everybody else's emotions and needs. This person sometimes has difficulty identifying her own best interests in the midst of her responsiveness to others. As a result, she sometimes appears slightly unfocused or perhaps overwhelmed. Connected with Body, this card says: "Do not lose your Self in your eagerness to be of help to others. Your physical well-being is the main Tool you have for your own growth and development. Be real, but be focused on your own Path before that of others."

Mind

Daughter of Swords, Reversed:

The traditional interpretation of this card is about a messenger, an emissary or liaison between separate camps, charged with faithfully representing one side's communications to the other. Both of those "sides" are within your own Mind, the receptive and the powerful, giving and receiving, saying yes and no, sometimes at the same time.  Because this card, however, is also the Goddess of Farsight, we need to remember Her own qualities, not just her calling. She may be acting as the eyes and ears of your Self,  her patron, but She also has Her own view, the farsight, of the results of what you may be thinking of and planning. Reversed, She is saying "Do not pay so much attention to the Path you choose to move forward on, but focus on where you are NOW and how that might affect your future."

Spirit:

This card is a promise from Spirit, which usually comes forward when one believes that what one is called to do might be difficult and cause unhappiness for oneself and the others involved. The card is reminding you that the Joy of Spirit is about Inner Light, and often that Light only shines when something in one's mundane life is sent into darkness. Do not focus on the actions, but on the results of the actions, and happiness will be the reward of Spirit.
*****

With love from the TarotWitch. More to come. FFF & F

Tarot Blog Hop Bealteine 2018: "What I Could Teach The World"

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I don't truly consider myself an "avatar of wisdom", so I am not certain I walk through my life with a need and desire to "teach the world" anything--at least not from the perspective of "let me teach you because I know so much better than you do". However, I do see in myself a great desire to assist others in seeing themselves clearly and positively, and doing, from their own perspective, all the good they can to all the people they can ... actually, John Wesley gave me the words I try to actualize in my own life, and help others to do likewise. He said, " “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”  This would make a world so amazingly more positive and powerful than the one we live in, that I hope to try every day to actualize as much of this amazing goal as I can. And so--

....how does the Tarot fit in here? Well-- we do all know the meaning, if we read Tarot, of the concept of the "significator". This is the card representing the person for whom the reading is being done, and each card in the layout is interpreted partly in reference to the significator, and their interactions work to introduce the concepts of thought and action and inspiration one hopes to have a reading bring forth. So--here is a suggestion, something I will try to teach to each one who reads this, and anyone who asks me to give them ideas about living life better. Every Full Moon, I draw three cards, for my Self, to give me the concepts of exactly what I must focus on in the walk of this Moonth. I draw these in connection with the Irish "three realms" which I grew up with--"Land, Sea, and Sky" which connect to "Body, Mind, and Spirit". And these answer for me, "What do I do, what do I think, and how does that impact my Inner Realm of Spirit?" And just as an example, for this Moonth, here are my cards, drawn on Sunday's Full Moon. I will walk in harmony with these ideas for this month, will make note of how they impact me, what I learn and what I can do about it, and then will do it again the following Full Moon. And so--Full Moon of Willow, healer of Body, Mind, and Spirit, what did you suggest I should learn?

Land/Body:

This card is a reminder that I am far too likely to try to change my body's parameters, my way of moving and eating and resting and exercising, and therefore I sometimes don't recognize the state my body is actually in or what I might need. SO this card is saying "Don't interfere with your Body's natural processes, and do your best to permit your physical being to modulate in harmony with what you really are doing and experiencing, instead of constantly trying to change things. What IS, is what is important. Before you try to change it, experience it and learn from it."

Sea/Mind

I have had some difficult times lately, and this card is reminding me that healing the mind is based on love and acceptance of who you ARE, what you truly think and feel, and trying to use your actual Self as a tool for good and healing not just for yourself but for others. So I am working on loving who I am and not being so annoyed because I am not yet what I hope to become. Every moment matters, and Now is all we ever have. Live in the Now.

Sky/Spirit

This is the card that reminds us that Spirit is Real, that it manifests through our Mind and Body, and that "new beginnings" happen every day. So let your Spirit cleanse itself with each night's sleep, and awaken with a focus on what will Be, and how it will inspire us. What is Spirit, is Life. Don't let the past weigh you down. Each day is another beginning, and you can make it happen.

*****

And if I could do so, this, and the Wesley quote which sources it, is what I would teach the World. Live and Learn, each and every one of you. And---don't forget that your most significant teacher is your own Body, Mind, and Spirit--your Self. Give honor to that Being. And learn.






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Tarot Blog Hop: Tarot, The Musical, 2018

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           Singing In The Aether: The Music Of The Tarot 

 Our amazing Wrangler, Jay Cassels, has suggested that this might be a time to celebrate, since it is the 50th Anniversary Blog Hop. And so, of course, music must create the harmony and symphony of all that the Tarot does, not only for the recipient of a reading, but most deeply and permanently, for the reader. And so, in harmony with this suggestion, words and music are floating through my mind, and I present to you the Song of Spirit, the anthem which celebrates in words and song the ways in which the Tarot can make one's mind open, one's heart glow, and one's spirit dance. And so--here we go, tune your mind and voice, and feel free to sing along:

(To the Tune of "Singing In The Rain")

I'm drawing cards today,
To guide me on my way,
What a glorious feeling--
My soul will sing and play!
I'm laughing at Fate,
The dark will have to wait,
My mind and spirit say
"Let this reading illustrate
All the ways you can aspire
To lift your spirit higher!
Your deck encompasses
Earth and Water, Air and Fire,
So what is there to do
But let your Soul look through
The ways that Elemental
Energy brings hope to you!"

Thank you, oh Tarot,
For the ways you help me know
All the choices, all the ways
I can just step up and GO!

And so, I need to see
What the future holds for me,
And for this, the cards which show
The path on which I go
Will need to number three,
For land and sky and sea.
Stand on land and gaze at sky,
As the Irish, from whom I
Draw my life and blood and soul
Knew that these three were the whole
Of life, so see and hear it,
Cards for Body, Mind, and Spirit!

And so--Body, what say thee? Come show me, come play me!

Ace of Stones--calling me, to be whole, to be free, to look for the rainbow and follow the black crow, and know that what happens is always what should, and whatever it is, I can turn it to good!

Now, Mind, home of thought, from you what am I taught?

Ace of Swords--Air is thought, something new I'll be taught, and the sword points the way, go and journey today through the clouds of your Mind, and see what you can find!

And Body, my Being, what now are you seeing?

Life is moving and changing, so keep on arranging the path and the places of rest. You won't stop till you win it, so while you are in it, make each step of the Journey--the BEST!!

My song of hope and love for the Tarot
Is written, sung, and now, friends, off I go!!!

© Aisling the Bard, 3/17/2018  All Rights Reserved

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MASTER LIST: Brighid's Blue Moon, Tarot Blog Hop, Imbolc 2018

MASTER LIST: USE THESE LINKS ON YOUR POST TO LINK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS

1. Arwen Lynch Poe | http://tarotbyarwen.com/19309/tarotbloghop-imbolc-2018-brighids-blue-moon/

2. Karen Sealey |https://pureblessedtarot.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/by-the-power-of-three/| 
3. Joanne Sprott | http://cosmicwhisperstarot.com/2018/01/31/brighids-blue-moon-spread/ 
4. Jay Cassells | http://metaphysicalangels.co.uk/tbh15
5. Alison Coals | https://alisonsalembic.blogspot.com/2018/01/tarot-blog-hop-imbolc-2018-brigids-blue.html 
6. Deirdre Doran |https://thewillowpathtarot.com/2018/01/31/brighids-blue-moon-tarot-blog-hop/
7. Aisling the Bard | https://tarotwitchery.blogspot.com/2018/01/brighids-blue-moon-tarot-blog-hop.html
8. Raine Clara Shakti  |http://www.tarotofchange.com/2018/01/brighids-blue-moon-blog-hop.html
9. Morgan Drake Eckstein | https://gleamingsfromthedawn.blogspot.com/2018/01/2018tbh01.html
10. Joy Vernon| http://joyvernon.com/Blog/tbh-brighids-blue-moon/

Brighid's Blue Moon: Tarot Blog Hop, Imbolc 2018

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Here is the set of cards for the Foundation:

LAND:

Brahma, the dynamic King, holds his wand and looks in all directions to determine where he will begin his journey. The King of Wands in this position reminds us that our lives are designed to bring us eventually to a place of self-ownership. An opportunity for self-empowerment is presenting itself to you now. Recognize that through your attitude and the way you express yourself to others, you hold the power over your own experiences in life.

SEA:

Odin, the origin of the Hanged Man, voluntarily relinquished his godly powers so his brethren, the Midir, who were afraid of his power, would cease to fear him and speak with him. Support others with your strength and wisdom. The card in the Advice position suggests a course of action which will harmonize what you want with what is currently possible. The King of Cups in this position advises that you closely examine your conscience and bring your personal mission into alignment with what is best for everyone. You can then step into your community or situation with integrity and an ability to communicate the highest wisdom.

SKY:

Above us, the Sky represents the future which we will achieve if we are able to walk out path through the obstacles and focus on our True Will and our Wisdom. Doing both these things will increase our ability to maintain our lifestyle, and bring us many different kinds of "material gain"--everything from money to job, home, success in endeavors, and all the kinds of things we want to make our lives beautiful and bountiful. And even though that kind of thing might happen rarely--well, this is a Blue Moon, isn't it?
******
Here's the Triad of cards for the Construction:

What is the energy of the new path that presents itself?

On the card in this deck we see a rainbow – often symbolic of the end of the frustrating and difficult story times and the beginning of the new light and clarity in the world – so things you have been frustrated with over the last couple of month clear up and you now can start the ball rolling again with your plans. There is a sense of spiritual overseeing in the eagle of the card – you can see the bigger picture of things this month and start to aim for what is really needed, small details, small adjustments can make huge changes possible when you are precise about your actions and see them in the context of the overall picture.

Setting the ball rolling on projects you have gained a lot of wisdom and information about is also depicted here. It is time to act on your vision of a better future! Do it now!

From what will I need protection on this journey? 

There are others in the mix who simply believe that you should not be able to do it YOUR way, but need to "follow the rules." Be willing to make the rigorous effort that is being called for now. Perform wholeheartedly, with good faith and hopefulness. As such, you'll forestall bickering and criticism, prevail against negative forces and overcome the demons of doubt and resistance.

What energies of my own or of spirit will guide and protect me? 

No matter what your past patterns have been, it is fully possible to place yourself solidly on the road toward the future. Not only can you get a clear sense of the proper path, but you will also have enough instructions to be self-directing. Necessary skills and resources are available to you, and the time is right for you to act. Once you get started, you may be surprised how easy it can feel, but don't be seduced by that feeling. There will be comfortable stretches of the road and there will be distinctly uncomfortable ones. Know that any form of motion is better than no motion.

*******

And here we have "The Surprise"...as in, "Once In A Blue Moon"....

Body;

Stay focused and resolute, for you are about to reach your objective. The card in the Advice position suggests a course of action which will harmonize what you want with what is currently possible.
The Ace of Swords in this position advises you to be steady--you are about to reach your objective. There may be no need to hesitate. Just concentrate on making your impact. This could be your moment. The arrow is pointed straight at the target. Your eye is keen, your grip is firm. Let that arrow fly! If you set aside distractions and hit your mark, you will be rewarded with insight and clarity.

Mind: 

 Aeon  emphasizes the theme of renewal for the whole planet. When we think of the card in readings we see that this can apply to an individual as well. The card of Aeon is a powerful one. It tells you that this is a time of change. The person who receives Aeon becomes "reborn" into a new situation. This may involve a real change in circumstances--a new job, a move to a new home, a new relationship. Sometimes, the new situation is psychological, a new way of looking at life in which everything becomes fresh.

 Spirit: 

Identify and acquire the ingredients that will most help you complete your mission and leave the rest behind. The card suggests a course of action which will harmonize what you want with what is currently possible. The Alchemy (Temperance) card advises you to identify and seek the missing ingredients in your life. Marshal your known skills and abilities and do what needs to be done to complete your mission. Prepare to use spiritual practices, studies, or lifestyle changes that can  assist you in your quest. A tremendous amount of benefit is available if you can organize yourself and be disciplined at this time.

************

And there we have it---guidance from the Blue Moon of Rowan on the Festival of Imbolc under the guidance of Brighid of the Three Fires. Who could possibly go wrong if we only listen?

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