Daily Card - Six of Swords

This week I’m using my New Palladini Tarot. What I like most about this deck is that about half of the cards feature night skies. I also really like the unique silhouettes featured in the Queen and King of Pentacles.

Today I drew the Six of Swords, which is appropriate on a couple of levels. This card sometimes indicates travel overseas, but that isn’t in my near future. My “travel” is more metaphorical. This card is about leaving the past behind and moving on towards brighter days. The boat in the card is headed toward calmer water and clearer skies.

Today is New Year's Eve. So this card makes perfect sense, in leaving the current year behind, and moving on to the new year. Out with the old, in with the new. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about making changes, and letting go of the things in my life that don’t serve me well. I think this is going to be a year of great evolution for me.

I’m very adaptable to change, so this idea doesn’t cause me anxiety, but rather excitement. Some would view this card with feelings of loss and apprehension. There are those who are afraid of change, even if it’s for the better. They would rather stay in a situation that isn’t working for them, just because it’s familiar, taking comfort in the reliability of the bad situation. I’m not one of those people.

The figures on the boat are wrapped in cloaks, leaning forward. Even their cloaks are wrapped so that no piece is left flowing backward in the breeze. Everything is facing forward, showing no indication of looking back.

Focusing on the past while trying to move forward creates resistance, making it that much harder to get to where you want to go. Imagine walking down the street towards your goal. Your attention is on where you want to be, and you can walk there with confidence, speed and ease. Now imagine walking towards your goal while looking behind you. Your journey will be much more challenging, it will take longer because you will instinctively walk slower, and you will be walking with a great deal of apprehension, not knowing what you might bump into. Looking back causes fear.

I look forward to the changes ahead, traveling to greener pastures without looking back.

Deck: New Palladini Tarot

Week in Review

Previous Week's Tally
(Sunday Dec. 23 - Sunday Dec. 30):

Majors: 3 (The Magician, The Hermit, Justice)
Courts: 1 (King of Coins)
Minors: 4 (5 of Coins, 7 of Coins, 2 of Swords, 6 of Cups)

Cups: 1
Wands: 0
Swords: 1
Pentacles: 3

This week consisted of 8 daily draws, with an extra day added so I could more easily integrate my weeks with my new day planner.

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Daily Card - Six of Cups

I drew the Six of Cups today. As it did last week when I drew this card, it indicates reuniting with someone from my past. Yesterday I spoke on the phone with my brother. I haven’t seen him (or spoken to him) since he was a baby and he’s now in his mid-20’s.

My kids and I spent the weekend with my “long-lost” father. I’m not inclined to go into detail about that at the moment. But suffice it to say, this card is again a very accurate description of the way I spent yesterday and today, and also last night’s communication with someone dear to me from my past.

Note: Until now, my daily draws have been from Sunday to Saturday. I have a new day planner for the new year, and each two-page spread for the week goes from Monday to Sunday. So for convenience, I will now be starting new decks on Mondays. This gave me an extra day with the Sakki-Sakki deck, and you'll hear no complaints from me about that!

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Daily Card - Seven of Coins

The first thing I noticed about the artwork in this Seven of Coins (Pentacles) card was that it reminded me of Van Gogh’s work. The second thing that drew my attention was that there is no person depicted in the card. Usually this card shows a person, weary and/or impatient, leaning on a hoe. In this rendition, the hoe is leaning “off stage” of the card. It’s a clean and shiny hoe, indicating that the work is over. You wouldn’t clean a garden tool if you were planning on using it again later that day.

There’s no one there, there’s no emotion to this card. There’s just the facts. The plants are blooming. They’re thriving. The work has been done. The seeds have been planted, they have been watered and tended to, and now it’s up to mother nature to take care of the rest.

I thought about the elements needed for the survival of plants. Earth, Air, Water. (Pentacles, Swords, Cups.) No Fire. No Wands*. No Action. If a fire were to sweep through this card, the plants would be destroyed. All the work would be lost. If I were to sweep through my life with a whirlwind of action right now, trying to force my way into changing things, it would ruin all that I have worked for thus far. Sure, this type of energy has its place and time, but it's not now. This is a time of letting nature run its course. Time to let things blossom in their own time.

*Upon making this observation, I also realized that I have not drawn any Wands cards this week for my daily draws... and my last completely Wands-free week was a month ago. So this seems to be a valid interpretation.

Yesterday, I was frustrated. I felt like I wanted to just snap my fingers and fix my work situation. Today I am feeling guided to relax. To get back in the flow. Working against something will only draw more of it to me. So I need to let go, breathe, and let the universe work in its own time. When I was pregnant, I didn't focus my energy on creating my babies' fingers and toes, yet they grew. When I go to sleep, I don't wake up to remember to breathe. It happens naturally.

Everything has its season. The air in the sky which allows life to breathe is readily available. Rain falls naturally. I need to trust that my rain will come. It’s the natural order of things. My dreams will grow and blossom if I allow the natural flow.

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Daily Card - Two of Swords

Okay so I’m sitting outside, holding my cards, about to shuffle for my daily draw. Sometimes before shuffling, I feel called to go through all the cards, face up or face down, just to get a connection with the deck. Today I did so face up, looking at all the cards as I quickly went through them. The one card that stood out to me was the Two of Swords. When I got to the last card, I turned them over and shuffled a few times. I was feeling disconnected, my mind was wandering, so I stopped shuffling. I paused to reconnect before resuming the shuffling. When ready, I glanced down at the card on the bottom of the deck. The Two of Swords. I smiled. I continued shuffling. When I got the “ready” feeling, I stopped, cut the deck twice, and drew...The Two of Swords.

This is a blindfolded girl without a body. She’s got a head and artwork for a spine, and shoes waiting for the appearance of her feet below. The swords before her are being held up by an invisible force.

Have you ever seen a child “hide” in plain sight, covering his eyes, thinking that if he can’t see anything, then no one must be able to see him? That’s the first thing that came to my mind when I saw this card today. This girl has covered her eyes because she doesn’t want to see the reality she faces. She’s thinking that since she can’t see out, then she can’t be seen either, and she’s protected by her invisibility.

There is this struggle I’ve been having with work. I don’t enjoy my work, but it’s something that enables me to stay home with my kids, and provide for us. I work in sales and advertising, and it’s not a role that I was made for, it’s not something I like doing, and I always procrastinate until the last minute because I just can’t muster up the energy to do something I hate doing. But I do it, because I must. I want with all my heart to do what I love, and only what I love, for a living. My tarot reading business isn’t yet at the point where I can completely depend on it enough to release my other work. My goal this year is to expand my client base so that I am able to shed the job that doesn’t fit me.

So I feel out of balance, as if I’m going against the grain rather than with the flow, and that feels so unnatural to me. When I procrastinate, it’s my version of covering my eyes and making myself believe that the problem can’t see me. There is no easy solution. I wish that I could quit today, but I can’t. So I’m forced to continue the status quo for awhile, and I’m having an increasingly hard time accepting this.

A good friend once told me that I live in my own little butterfly world. I see things as I want them to be, and I believe that living in a fantasy land is possible. It’s true, I do. So when I’m forced to live out a reality that is contradictory to what my spirit is calling me to do, I have a very difficult time resigning to such a thing. Because I know that living my ideal life is not only possible, but it's what I'm meant to do.

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Daily Card - Justice

Justice cards which are portrayed by a formal judge are probably my least favorite tarot cards. When I think of how I am repelled by them, it reminds me of the way that two magnets can’t be stuck together...there’s that sure distance between them. In fact, the reason I bought my Tarot of a Moon Garden deck was because it had such a lovely Justice card and I was so happy to find a deck where I actually liked the card (shown below).

The card I drew today features a formal judge. I can’t even watch court on TV, whether it’s real or dramatic. I have all sorts of issues with the way our government works, the myriad of nonsensical laws and our inane legal system. So when I see this card, it makes me uncomfortable. The universe must know this, because this card has only come up for me once before, in a reading I did for myself, and that particular reading had to do with a legal matter, so it was fitting.

I had to fight back my first instinct to stick this card back into the deck and choose another one, thinking "I must not have been “tuned in” at the moment I cut the deck". I just stared at it for awhile. The thing that I can’t draw my eyes away from is that the judge has noticeably extreme bags under his eyes. I would look like this character if I had to work there too. I should mention that the artist of the deck refers to this judge as a woman, but I see it as a man.

I’m very much a free spirit and don’t like to acquiesce to rules and regulations that don’t make sense to me. Looking at the court-based imagery of this particular rendition of the Justice card reminds me of the restrictions placed on my freedoms, and is similar to the way I feel about the Hierophant card and its relation to formal religion and formal schooling for children. I don't like to be told that I have to do something just because someone else decided it is best for me. That's rubbish.

I know this card can mean all sorts of things, such as decision making, balance, fairness, compromise, etc., etc. However, I'm not really sure what meaning this card has for me today, it’s probably something I should meditate on.

The only thing I can think of this morning is that perhaps it's a call to review the ways I mediate between my children when they have arguments. Or it could be a message to reevaluate the "rules". While we don't have a lot of restrictions in our unschooling home, maybe there are some things that need updating to ensure that everyone's needs are being respected. Or it could be something totally different that I'm just not seeing yet this morning.

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

(additional image from Tarot of a Moon Garden)

Daily Card - King of Coins

Okay, so Christmas is over and the King of Coins (Pentacles) is here to say, “Back to business!” Yes, this is indeed true. But I am going to approach "business" with a sense of pure joy today, and try my darndest to make this a habit that sticks long enough to become a part of who I am. It is possible to have fun no matter what you're doing, and I intend to be one of those who do!

And as if to corroborate with my idea of this trait becoming part of me, the kings and queens in this deck seem to actually be integrated with the thrones, rather than sitting upon them. This gels nicely with my desires to become "one" with the combination of business and fun.

The black marks in the background look like rain to me. This personally indicates a good thing. I love rainy days. Whenever it rains, I think to myself, “It’s gonna be a good day (or night).” Rain is my equivalent to most people’s cliché, “The sun’s shining down on me.”

There is some sort of funky, artsy castle in the background that I just love. (What’s so great about this deck is that the artwork is so abundant that you can find new things to notice every time you look at a card. And depending on the day, certain things will stand out more than others.) Unfortunately, the lines and clarity don't come across in the scans, so the detail I am talking about isn't clear on screen.

The castle stood out to me today because it’s exactly the funky style I love and I would love my home to feel like that. I did a spread the other day that someone posted on a tarot forum. It was a spread to gain insight into why no place feels like home. I have moved around so much all my life and have yet to find a place where I feel I truly belong (geographically). Seeing this funky castle designed to my taste reminded me of that spread. And I think it’s no coincidence that it landed on the King of Coins card. This gives me great hope and inspiration that I will be able to find that place to call home, maybe sooner than I had hoped.

It hasn’t escaped my attention that I have pulled the King of Pentacles once a week for the past three weeks. I’m also aware that it began when I got back in touch with my father. I have always attached this card to my dad (stepdad). So when it started coming up during the week that I was to reunite with my (biological) father, I think I was hesitant to attach the meaning to him. In my past, he wasn’t there for me, so I don’t view him as being the stable, reliable and dependable man that I see the King of Pents as. But perhaps it’s a sign that he needs to be given a chance to be what he wasn’t able to be before.

I don't have any illusions about what this new relationship has in store. I'm an adult now, and there's really no way to make up for lost time. He and I are very different, and I don't know if he will be able to understand the unconventional way I live my life. I’m going to be seeing him again this weekend. So maybe the King of Pents is trying to tell me that it can be representative of both fathers in my life, albeit in very different ways, if I allow for the possibility.

Note: Try as I might, I couldn’t get the scan or photos to portray the true colors of this card. The blue you see in the throne is really shades of purple in the card. Since purple happens to be my favorite color, it bugs me that I couldn’t get that color to show through. I grabbed my camera and took photo after photo of this card, and it always photographed as blue. Very strange.

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Daily Card - The Hermit

Hmmm… Sort of a weird card to get on Christmas, but it’s true. I am a hermit. And I make no apologies for it. I am not a social butterfly. My kids are very social, and I’m not quite sure how that happened...but me, I’d rather be at home alone, curled up with a good book than out at a party. I had started to write out a long post about this subject, but was sidetracked by today’s festivities. Upon coming back to what I had written, it all seemed like a bunch of fluff, so I did away with it.

I’ll just say that while I enjoy having a quiet, private life, I do miss being near my parents who live on the other side of the country. And I'm especially reminded of this on holidays such as today.

My kids and I had a very festive and joy-filled Christmas today, and I wish a happy, safe and beautiful holiday season to all those who may be reading this.





Side note: The cloak of the Hermit in this card always reminds me of Peter Parnall’s illustrations in Byrd Baylor’s beautiful children’s books. I can just see this Hermit walking onto one of the pages of “The Desert is Theirs” (or one of their other amazing books), and blending right in.



Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Naughty or Nice? (The Santa Stocking Spread)

Okay, since it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd make up a fun little spread, as I didn't see any Santa-related ones out there.

It's meant to be shaped like a stocking. The "present" is sticking out on top, while the "lump of coal" sinks to the bottom of the stocking.

(I personally face my stockings the other way, but a quick Google search showed the majority facing right...so to appeal to the masses, I changed the layout for this post.)

I couldn't figure out how to type out the spread the way I have it set up here. Cards 1 & 3 are at more of an overlapping diagonal, rather than corners touching. Does that make sense?

xx4xxx
xxxxxx
xx2xxx
xxx1xxx
xxxxx3xxx

1. Naughty: How have I been naughty?
2. Nice: How have I been nice?
3. Lump of Coal: What can I expect as payback for being naughty?
4. Present: What gift will I receive for being nice?

Cards 1 and 3 (Naughty/Lump of Coal), I pulled from the bottom of the deck
Cards 2 and 4 (Nice/Present), I pulled from the top.


My reading with this layout was pretty funny and accurate.

Daily Card - The Magician

I love the Magician. In fact, last night I dreamt of one (Criss Angel). So I had a feeling I might pull this card today. I thought so many things while studying the art on this card today, and I’m not sure if I’ll successfully be able to put it into words.

The first thing I always notice about this Magician is his body. He’s supposedly legless (and neckless and armless). However, I always see his body differently. It’s a little hard to see all the lines on screen, but in the card it looks to me as if he’s sitting with his feet on his chair, and his knees drawn into his body. Hard to explain. I know this is not how the artist meant for it to be seen, but I see what I see, and there must be a reason for it.

His sitting that way reminds me of the comfortable, at ease way I sit. His boots are even set to the side, and here I sit barefoot at my computer. It gives me the impression that I don’t need to be this official, professional magician standing at a table with all the correct protocols. I can just be me, sitting relaxed and informal, and still make magic happen. I can create my own reality just the way I am.

Another thing that grabbed me this morning about this card is all the question marks featured on the top, sides and bottom of the card. (Again, hard to see in the on-screen image.) My mind immediately rushed to supply the question for all the question marks, and instinctively I heard, “How?” But a moment later, I realized that it was the wrong question, and not a question the Magician would need to ask, so therefore, not a question I should need to ask.

I then realized, “What?” would be a more appropriate question. A magician can create anything at all, so all the question marks are like possibilities on the menu of life. “Hmmm, what should I create today?” If I truly know What I want to create, then the How will “magically” appear.

I ask “How?” far too frequently in life, and it frustratingly gets me nowhere. I need to realize that I have in me all the powers to create any reality I desire, I just have to ask better questions.

One more thing that drew my attention was the Magician’s eyes looking upward. Above his head is the infinity symbol, emphasizing the unlimited possibilities available. I saw him as looking through the two holes in the infinity symbol, acknowledging it, then looking beyond, upwards... symbolizing that I need to look at my higher, spiritual self if I want to make magic happen in my life. I have been really bad about taking the time to meditate lately, and have been seeing the High Priestess show up in a lot of my personal readings. It's absolutely something that I need to weave back into my daily routine. It has, in the past, been a great source of magical events happening for me.

There’s all this rigmarole in the air surrounding the Magician. A lot of black and white swirls and shading and busyness. But he’s looking upwards, beyond it all, not allowing it to distract him from his peace and his purpose. My life, with three young children, consists of constant activity and noise. There’s not a moment’s peace while they’re awake. All the while I’ve been typing, there has been the noise of playing, laughing, singing, complaining and arguing. No screaming or crying yet, but the day is still young. I do take time once or twice a day to go outside for a few minutes to read, or just to experience momentary silence. And when the kids go to sleep at night, that is my Me-Time. My Quiet Time.

When people learn that I am with my kids 24/7 and have never had a break, ever, they wonder how I do it. I have never known any other way, so it’s normal to me. The craziness of it all doesn’t stress me out because I’m used to it. I do treasure my quiet time at night, but I have never wished for a break away from them during the day. I suppose I have found that peace among chaos that this Magician is displaying.

Now to work on the Creating-With-Magical-Ease part...

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Daily Card - Five of Coins

This week I’ll be working with my deliciously artful Sakki-Sakki Tarot deck for my daily draws.

Today I pulled the Five of Coins (Pentacles). Of course this month, the budget calls for more money spent than usual, which could potentially lead to lack mentality, despite being surrounded by new "things". What strikes me about this particular version of the Five of Coins is that there is much half-empty vs. half-full symbolism, as opposed to being a purely dreary scene.

Putting myself in the scene, I notice I have several options available to me as to what to focus my attention on. I can look at the melancholy grey buildings, or I can look at the bright purple ones, which happens to be my favorite color. I can walk past house after house noticing no entrance available on most, or I can be aware of the one whose doors are open and inviting. I can fret the snow falling, or I can be grateful that the road is paved and I’m not up to my knees, freezing in it. I can be woeful that my clothes are drab and dreary and without color, or I can be thankful that I have someone close by my side to share the day with.

This card suggests that when times are less than ideal, there's always the danger of focusing on the negative, yet that will only make it more prevalent. Changing my perception and choosing to see the positive will literally change the environment surrounding me.

I find the dichotomy of this card quite beautiful. I am reminded that there is always a bright side. There will always be things to be grateful for, if consciously looking...even on the darkest of days.

Note: Many of the cards in this deck feature headless people, but somehow it doesn’t come across as creepy! Rather, I find it enables me to appoint a look or expression to the faces according to their body language, environment, or through intuition. Also, it allows for the faces to look different every time you pull the card, which is really unique and wonderful.

Afterthoughts: Upon additional reflection of this card this evening, I got the feeling of "coming in out of the cold". I love when the weather gets cold. I love the feeling of snuggling under blankets at night to keep warm. Those few delicious moments, as you're defrosting under the covers. The feeling of two extremes melting together, where the remnants of harsh bitter cold actually verge on feeling blissful just as they're leaving your body. In life, there can be a comparable feeling, when shedding the last remains of suffering and entering a new dawning of joy in your life. The awareness of those last hints of struggle make the achievement that much sweeter.

Deck: Sakki-Sakki Tarot

Week in Review

Previous Week's Tally
(Sunday Dec. 16 - Saturday Dec. 22):

Majors: 3 (The Chariot, The Hanged Man, The Universe)
Courts: 2 (King of Shields/Pents, King of Spears/Wands)
Minors: 2 (6 of Cups, 2 of Wands)

Cups: 1
Wands: 2
Swords: 0
Pentacles: 1

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Daily Card - King of Spears

Well, I’m not quite awake yet this morning. I feel like I could crawl right back into bed and sleep the day away. And if I didn’t have kids, that’s just what I’d do. I’m so tired right now that I can’t wrap my brain around what the King of Spears (Wands) has in store for me today.

He’s alert, with energy and drive. It can be said that when he comes up in a reading, he represents someone in your life, generally thought of as a mature man, who inspires and encourages you to pursue your dreams. I don’t have anyone like that in my life, so perhaps when I draw this card, it means that I need to muster up that enthusiasm for myself, and be my own cheerleader.

But I think today he’s here to simply snap me out of my unusual lethargy this morning. He’s taken it upon himself to be the card of the day just to say, “Wake up!! There’s life to be lived!!”

This card features King Pellinore, one of King Arthur’s bold and influential allies.

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Daily Card - The Universe

Just before picking up my deck for my daily draw, I read the following quote in a daily newsletter I receive from Abraham-Hicks regarding the Law of Attraction:

"It's not your work to make anything happen. It's your work to dream it and let it happen. Law of Attraction will make it happen. In your joy, you create something, and then you maintain your vibrational harmony with it, and the Universe must find a way to bring it about. That's the promise of Law of Attraction."

It’s just what I needed to hear this morning, because there’s some work I have to do today that I was dreading. And it’s very true for me that when I dread something, it either doesn’t get done, or it gets done with poor results. I must remember that I have to bring joy to whatever I do if I want it to be successful. I have to approach the project, feeling that I’ve already succeeded, and feeling that wonderful sense of accomplishment ahead of time.

So then I pulled a card for today, and the first thing I noticed about this Universe card was that the woman in the illustration is doing exactly what the quote advised me to do. She’s feeling the joy! I need to feel the way this woman does, before there’s a reason for me to do so! She’s celebrating life, without worries, only faith. I love when I get one sign after another with the same message.

I will approach my day as if I have already accomplished what I set out to do. I will feel that victory before it gets here, in order to achieve vibrational harmony with it, and therefore attract it to me with joy and ease. The Universe (World) card indicates that success is mine, if only I believe it is!

This card depicts “The Giants’ Dance” at Stonehenge, a victory dance of being, circling around the stones. There’s a story that says Merlin had a hand in creating Stonehenge, bringing the mystical rocks from Ireland to build a memorial for soldiers, under Ambrosius’ wishes.

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Daily Card - The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man in this deck is different from most, in that the knight is actually hanging by a noose around his neck, rather than the usual suspension upside down. Drawing this card this morning, the first thing that came to mind was the movie my kids and I watched last night (Castaway, with Tom Hanks.) The hanging-by-a-rope premise comes into play in a couple of scenes throughout the movie.

Tom Hanks’ character in Castaway had to become very resourceful and look at things from a different point of view. He had to suspend his plans in the real world, being temporarily forced to remain isolated and stagnant. All traits of this card.

When entering back into the real world, he seemed mesmerized by the simple things we take for granted. Like ice cubes, light switches and creating fire by a simple click of a lighter. This card, bringing along with it thoughts of the movie last night, is a reminder to me to be grateful for the simple things generally taken for granted. Instead of “waiting around” for all the things I want in life, I would be wise to look around at everything I already have. All the things I gloss over without appreciation on a daily basis. Like a refrigerator, shoes, a toothbrush, etc.

Another note on this particular card...oddly enough, though hanging by his neck, the knight doesn’t appear to be dead, but has a rather tranquil and patient look on his face, as you would expect from the Hanged Man card. So it doesn’t come across quite as creepy as it might appear to be. The accompanying book refers to a tale of the Norse God Odin, who hanged himself for nine days to gain enlightenment. However, this card depicts the story of Castle Perilous, where knight after knight tried to save an imprisoned maiden from her captor, Ironside the Red Knight. Upon failing, they were hung by the surrounding trees to serve as a warning to other would-be rescuers.

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Daily Card - The Chariot

The Chariot. This is the week before Christmas. Lots of action, lots of Go! Go! Go! Traveling to and fro, for that last minute shopping and preparation. Making sure you get it all done in time. I hate the frantic chaos and busy crowds of the stores this time of year. I must remember to keep a sense of inner peace among the charging horses!

I do all of my shopping online, but there are a few things remaining that I wasn’t able to order in time, so I will need to head on out among the craziness of it all in the next couple of days.

‘Tis the season! Which reminds me...Santa would make a great character for the Chariot card, sitting in his sleigh with his reindeer leading the way. Perhaps by next year, there will be a really cool Christmas tarot deck available! With all the thousands of decks out there, you'd think this would have been covered by now, several times over, with different versions and styles available. It's times like these when I wish I was an artist, so that I could create for myself something that's lacking. Alas, I am powerless, as I don't even do justice to stick figures!

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Tarot of the Magical Forest! Great News!!!

I have what appears to be fantastic news...it looks like Lo Scarabeo will be publishing this deck in July 2008!!! It's now available for pre-order on Amazon. I have received SO many emails asking about this deck, as it just went out of print in Taiwan. I have wished that somehow everyone who wanted this wonderful deck would be able to get it, and it looks like my wish may come true!!

I definitely intend on getting a back up copy (or three) when it becomes available! Will be only slightly bummed about the LS border it's sure to have, as I love the charming little swirls on the bottom borders of this deck, but it's definitely a small price to pay!

I just had to share here, because I'm so excited for everyone who missed the boat on this deck the first time around!

Update: Here's a preview of the cards with the new borders. Scroll down to page 4.

Daily Card - Two of Spears

Three days ago, I drew the Ace of Wands. Today I drew the next step, the Two of Spears (Wands). I’m being urged to keep the momentum going and continue carrying out my plan. Perhaps I drew this card today because yesterday I took the day off (with good reason.) This card is a reminder to continue with my new habit of evenly distributing my energy throughout the day to include things I regularly procrastinate doing. Doing a little every day will be a better use of my time than waiting until the last minute and stressing.

What caught my attention in this card today is Bedivere’s hook where a hand used to be. He has a physical challenge, but doesn’t let it stop him from doing what needs to be done. My challenge is mental, as I am a lifelong, card carrying procrastinator, and it will be a hard habit to break. But I am working on it.

So I will get back in the game today, and not let yesterday’s break deter me from the new path I’m on. The Two of Wands often indicates making a decision and moving forward with it. I have the choice to return to my old ways, or move onward towards a more desirable balance. I am very glad this card came up today to remind me of which way I truly want to head.

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Daily Card - Six of Cups

This morning I asked the cards, “What will today be like?” I drew the Six of Cups. I’m not kidding. Today I’m getting together with my father, who I haven’t seen since I was 13. (Just over 20 years ago). We hadn’t had any contact all this time. A couple of years ago, he got in touch with me out of the blue. We have corresponded via email since, but only sporadically.

He happens to live not too far from where we have recently moved, so when the kitten incident happened last week, I emailed him asking if he knew of anyone who could help. He said he knew of a shelter near him, and he could come pick them up on his day off. That would be today.

Obviously, the Six of Cups speaks of nostalgia, and more appropriately in this case, someone from your past coming back into your life. The cards couldn’t have nailed it on the head any better than this.

What strikes me also is the story behind the card in this deck, “In Ector’s Keeping”, as it speaks particularly about a parental separation. Arthur was taken from his parents by Merlin and given to Sir Ector to raise. This was done to protect him from those who would wish to harm Uther’s heir. So Arthur grew up spending a great many years separated from his father, a particular distance with which I am familiar. I’m pretty wowed at drawing this card today...the tarot never ceases to amaze me!

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Daily Card - King of Shields

This week I’m using the Legend: Arthurian Tarot for my daily draws. This deck features characters and stories from the times of King Arthur.

Today I had another leaper. As I was shuffling, the King of Shields (Pentacles) jumped out from the deck. This card is represented by Uther Pendragon (King Arthur’s father) who was a strong and feared leader.

Last Monday, I drew the King of Pentacles, but at the time the only message I got was to buy some apples. Getting this card for my daily draw twice in one week probably heralds a greater message. Either I’m going to encounter a man who holds the qualities of this card, or they are traits that I need to embrace myself. I believe it is the latter.

I have recently set into motion new habits which will make my life more evenly balanced. If I keep this flow going, it will be much easier for me to feel more powerful about my responsibilities. By nature, I’m dreamy, free spirited and intuitive...and this king's practicality is a side of me that is lacking. This card coming up for me again is a reminder of my goal to acquire some of the beneficial traits of this king in a way that will still allow me to be myself.

Deck: Legend: Arthurian Tarot

Week in Review

Previous Week's Tally
(Sunday Dec. 9 - Saturday Dec. 15):

Majors: 2 (The Devil, The Sun)
Courts: 2 (Page of Pents, King of Pents)
Minors: 3 (Ace of Wands, 7 of Wands, 8 of Cups)

Cups: 1
Wands/Rods: 2
Swords: 0
Pentacles: 2

Deck: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Daily Card - Ace of Wands

It’s so funny how tarot works. While shuffling today, I tried to think back if I’d ever pulled an Ace for my daily draws on the blog. I think there was only one, during the very first week. So I had to laugh when I cut the cards to an Ace.

This card is a good sign for me today. I intend to work excessively this weekend and get up to speed and caught up on some things that have contributed to my life being out of balance. My plan is to get enough of it done this weekend so that I can start the new week spreading my energy out more evenly, and hopefully make that a new habit.

The Ace of Wands signals that by following through with my plan, I can begin anew next week, and this card heralds a promising new start!

Well...that does it folks, for the Tarot of the Magical Forest draws. I want to thank everyone who has emailed me about this deck. I’m glad you have enjoyed it, and I’m sure it will eventually make it back into my blog rotation.

I will be contacting the winner of the free reading drawing today, and will announce here when the reading has been posted to the website, so there’s still one more of these little creatures to look forward to in the near future!

Deck: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Daily Card - The Sun

Again today, my card for the day wasn’t one of my choosing...it fell out of the deck during my shuffle. As I was shuffling, I couldn’t get my mind to shut up, and found myself worrying about how the day would go. I kept trying to clear my mind, but those pesky thoughts were way too intrusive today. So out pops The Sun and stops me dead in my tracks.

The Sun card jumped right on out as if to say, “Hey! Don’t worry, be happy” (Remember that Bobby McFerrin song?) Oh, how I love this deck. (Have I mentioned that yet?) It doesn’t even wait for me to pick a card...when it has something to say, it wastes no time and literally comes right out of the deck to say it.

The Sun in this deck features a marsupial...I’m gonna go ahead and call it a kangaroo. I don’t read Chinese, so I don’t know what the accompanying book has to say about it. I'm generally not attracted to the sun, and likewise the Sun card in most tarot decks. But this one is very "me". I love the style of the sun in this card, with its whimsical curly rays. The kangaroo with baby joey in her pouch reminds me of myself. As an attachment mama, I carried my babes in slings until they were over a year old.

This is a really nice feel-good card. The little joey is waving a flag as if he’s about to watch a parade or something. The advice for me today? Enjoy the day and expect everything to turn out beautifully, as this card is indicating it will. So I will quit my worrying and transform the traces of anxiety into positive anticipation!

Deck: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Playing Cards Predict a Tooth Falling Out

Last week, my son lost his top front tooth. A couple days ago, the other top tooth fell out. Yes, he can honestly sing, “All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”!! Having two permanent teeth on the bottom already, one of the next bottom ones had also come loose in the past couple of days. I can usually tell when one is going to fall out that day, because the tooth progresses from just being wiggly to actually separating from the gum. It’s pretty gross. My son, of course, loves it.

So early this morning, he asks me, “Will you do a reading for me?” And I said, “Sure, what about?” And he said, “Will my tooth fall out today?” I told him that I would do a reading, but his tooth wasn’t at that stage yet, and not nearly wiggly enough. It would probably take a couple more days. He wanted a reading anyway.

So I pulled out my playing cards. I am a *very* new beginner at cartomancy, but from the playing around I’ve done with it, I find it to be more practical in daily matters, where the tarot is more philosophical. (I just started playing with cartomancy about a week or so ago. I researched many methods over a period of time, and the one that clicked the most with me was the Personal Prophecy method. The deck I purchased for learning with is the Emily the Strange deck.)

So I laid out three cards for my son’s inquiry, "Will my tooth fall out today?":


7 of Hearts: A good, true friend...there with you through thick and thin.
6 of Diamonds: A relationship of some sort.
4 of Hearts: Jealousy (other emotions as well, but basically jealousy)

So I read the cards to my son in a sentence:

"A good friend who you have had a relationship with is jealous."

He looked at me questioningly. I laughed.

I said, “The good friend who you have had a relationship with is your tooth. It has been with you, always there for you since you were a baby.” He smiled with understanding and agreed. I continued, “Your tooth is jealous because the other two teeth have fallen out this week, and it wants to join them.” He smiled even bigger.

“So it’s gonna fall out today?!”

I told him that I wasn’t so sure, but that’s what I felt the cards were saying, yes.

Fast forward to 7 p.m. “Look, Mama!” I look, and his tooth has separated from the gum and is really hanging on for dear life. I couldn’t believe it. Within a few minutes, he had wiggled it out and held it proudly in his hand.

Pretty cool.

Deck: Emily the Strange Playing Cards

Win a Free Reading with the Tarot of the Magical Forest!

I offer a drawing every month to my newsletter subscribers for a free tarot reading. This month, I'll be using the Tarot of the Magical Forest deck for the one-card reading. Since I have received so many emails this week regarding this deck, I thought I'd announce the drawing here on the blog for anyone who may be interested.

If you'd like to enter, email me at tarotdame@gmail.com and I'll add you to the mailing list and you will automatically be entered in the monthly drawings. (I send out the newsletter once a month, so you won't be bombarded with emails from me, and you can unsubscribe at any time.)

The winner for this month's drawing using my Tarot of the Magical Forest deck will be randomly selected on Saturday, December 15. I will contact the winner with details and to inquire about his/her question for the reading.

Please be aware before entering the drawing that the reading will be posted on my website, TarotDame.com. The winner's name will be withheld for privacy.

Good luck!!

Daily Card - Eight of Cups

Today as I was shuffling for my daily draw, I was asking the cards to show me something that I needed to embrace or understand fully today. The Eight of Cups fell out of the deck.

In this card, there are eight cups stacked so that there is one very obvious void where one cup is missing. The little rabbit has gone off to search for the cup to fill that void.

I am a happy person. I am consciously grateful every single day for all the blessings in my life...my health, my family (and their good health), food, shelter, work that I’m passionate about, etc. I am glad for the simple things in life. I thank the universe with all my heart when I bite into a piece of delicious chocolate. I really do! But I am not completely satisfied enough to call it a day. There is a certain balance that is missing. A void as obvious to me as the missing cup in this image. It is something that I have been thinking about a lot lately.

The crescent moon in the card signaling nighttime stood out to me also. I see it as a message that I will be spending quality time tonight contemplating this card’s meaning in my life. It looks exactly like the moon that my son and I admired in the sky last night, though it was facing the other way. (I don’t know the technical lunar terms.) While the sun shines today, I will be taking specific action to begin creating a healthier balance of my energy. Finding a way to begin filling that void without compromising the other things in my life that are working. (Oddly enough, it was already on my list of things to do today, before this card literally fell into my lap.) And when the moon rises tonight, I think I will spend time meditating and listening to the call of my higher self, which I have been lately neglecting.

Deck: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Daily Card - The Devil

Oh, how perfectly fitting that this card should come up for me today. As I was shuffling, I was thinking of someone who upset me greatly yesterday, so much so that I looked straight into his eyes and called him evil. If you read my post yesterday, you know that that is not something I would easily do. I was hoping that a card would come up in my daily draw that would be accurate enough to allow me to write about the situation. The great friend that this deck is to me, it revealed none other than the perfect card to describe this person. While the Devil card usually refers to temptation, being a slave to addictions, excess, etc… today it just means The Devil himself.

There are two teeny, tiny stray kittens that have found their way into our yard. Yesterday, the neighbor who rents the space next to us asked if they were mine. I said no. He then said that he was going to either shoot them or drown them in the canal behind the house... he couldn't decide which. I thought he was kidding. He had to be kidding. Who says something like that and means it?

He wasn’t kidding. He kept repeating it over and over like a deranged lunatic. Finally I ordered him to stop talking. I told him he was evil and that I didn’t want him talking to me anymore. I scooped up the kittens and put them in a cat carrier. We have an indoor cat, and as I don’t know the health of the kittens, I don’t want to endanger our cat with potential illness. So the kittens remain outside in the carrier. It sucks, but at least they are alive and fed until I can find them a safe home...and it's warm here, so the temperature isn't an issue.

I called all the animal shelters and humane societies in the phone book, and no one would come pick up the kittens. They are apparently so numerous that they are considered pests. They suggested I call pest control and pay to have them removed and killed. I was going to place an ad on Craigslist, but there's a warning there about people picking up free kittens purposely for abuse and torture practices. It's times like these when I just cannot wrap my brain around this world.

So I am now trying to find a home for these poor kittens. They are so sweet and affectionate. They are totally loving on me and my kids. I cannot comprehend how someone could be so horrifically cruel as my neighbor. The Devil card in this deck even depicts two tiny little animals (puppies) at the mercy of the Devil. It’s eerily descriptive of my day.

(I couldn't get the coloring of the card to come out just right from the scan...the background in the scan has a magenta tint to it, while the card in reality is more purple.)

Deck: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Daily Card - Seven of Wands

The frog in this Seven of Wands card is saying, “Back off! I’ve got a stick and I’m not afraid to use it. … Okay, well, I am a little freaked out, but still...back off. Seriously.”

This little guy is standing up for what he believes in, despite being outnumbered in opposition. However, his strength of conviction has him in a higher, more advantageous position, as most of the others with sticks are coming from a lower ditch.

When meeting new people, I find myself spending more time defending my beliefs than I would like to. I don’t understand how people acquire the mentality that causes them to question other’s lifestyles if they don’t equal their own. I am questioned with confusion and even scorn about my children’s home education (we unschool), my son’s long hair, our vegan lifestyle, etc. etc. etc. I, on the other hand, would never dream of questioning someone with disgust about why they believe eating meat is “right”. As strongly as I believe in what I believe in, it’s not for me to say what others should do. So I’m always surprised at the rudeness of those who attack my beliefs. Often perfect strangers, no less!

I will always stand up for what I believe in, and will live my convictions to the best of my ability. Every time I meet with someone rude enough to verbally attack myself or my children, I get the desperate urge to find an island to live on, far away from the ignorant people of the world. However, that’s not possible, and it is just something I will have to endure. I suppose I should just be grateful that I am not like those people, that though I have equally strong opinions, I have the strength to respect others who are different from me.

Standing up for what you believe in despite strong opposition is a lesson my children are learning in life, as they are very different from the mainstream. But they already have a very strong belief system and sense of self. Just yesterday, my 5 year old daughter asked the lady at the grocery store why she sold cigarettes. The cashier and those people behind us in line were very surprised at her question. She answered that it wasn’t her choice to stock them, and that they probably shouldn’t sell them. My children are already more outspoken about their beliefs than I am. While I will defend myself when attacked, I’m not an activist in any way. My children are more verbal about their beliefs, and I hope that they wil