Daily Card - Knight of Bells

This morning I drew the Knight of Bells (Pentacles). The thing that stood out for me was the squirrel. I immediately thought of the red squirrel in the Animal Messages oracle deck. I recently ordered this oracle for my son's upcoming birthday. The supposed deck/book "set" arrived missing the book, and also missing two of the cards. (Warning! Shop at your own risk: BookCloseouts.com) So I ordered the set again, this time from Amazon,which will hopefully arrive in time.

The Red Squirrel is one of the cards that I do have from my first order, though I don't know what elaboration the book offers. The key phrase on the card states: Gather your resources now, for they will sustain you through coming change.

That sounds pretty darned appropriate for the ever-dependable Knight of Pentacles!

The Knight of Bells actually has personal meaning for me today, which I won't go into here. It addresses a mental conversation I had with my spirit guides last night. I'll just say that it's a very clear sign that they heard me!

Decks: Fairy Tarot and Animal Messages

Daily Card - King of Hearts

Another King today! This one is a bit more jolly than the King of Bells I drew yesterday. This King of Hearts (Cups) almost looks like Santa Claus, with his long white beard and red robe trimmed with white fur.

♥ ♥ ♥

I wrote the above introduction this morning, and then had nothing else to say. The traditional meaning of the King of Cups just didn't do anything for me today. It's now nearing the end of the day, and I just looked at this card again and laughed. Santa Claus! I started the week with the Easter Bunny, and now I have Santa Claus appearing for me.

Perhaps there are more surprise gifts in store for me soon!

Update: Wow! Today I received a package in the mail from my mother. It was full of gifts for me and my kids. It was like a little Christmas! There was even a Christmas CD in the package that my mom knew I wanted, and so she had copied it for herself and sent me the original! I really, truly did receive a visit from Santa today, disguised as my mailman. Just like on the day I drew the "Easter Bunny" card, someone delivered chocolates for my kids.

Then, tonight as I was reading a chapter to my children from Meindert DeJong's "The Wheel on the School", imagine my surprise when I read the following passage:

"Sure, it's Janus! Who'd you think it was - Santa Claus?"
"No, but it's as good as Santa Claus," the woman said softly.

I couldn't believe it! (This book has nothing whatsoever to do with Santa or Christmas.) Synchronicity is becoming more and more prevalent in my daily life, and I really enjoy the magical feeling it always brings. It never gets old, it always catches me by surprise and delights me!

Another Update: Egads! After American Idol tonight, the show that comes on is Don't Forget The Lyrics. A few minutes into the show, the host (Wayne Brady) calls someone out of the audience to dance. It happens to be a big guy with a long white beard. And I'm sure you can guess what Wayne Brady called the guy. Yep! Santa!!

Deck: Fairy Tarot

Daily Card - King of Bells

Today I drew the King of Bells (Pentacles). He doesn't look like the happiest fairy in the forest. Especially when comparing him to his bright and shiny beacon of happiness wife, the Queen of Bells. It seems he has the power and money that comes with being a king, but he is missing that certain je ne sais quoi... that sparkle about life.

But the thing I was most drawn to, for its relevance to my life today, was his chair. The bottom of it is old and worn, as if it had been his favorite chair before becoming a rich and famous king. Men and their chairs... such an odd romance. So the King of Bells became royalty, but couldn't drag himself away from his favorite worn chair. He decided to spruce it up a bit, by painting the top with a snazzy design. He assumes everyone will be so dazzled by his "throne" that they won't notice it's really something old he made new.

This concept of "something old made new" reminded me of some dreams I had last night all featuring money bags. It was very bizarre. In different dreams, I come across a different sack, heavy with coins. In the dreams, I was aware that they were "found" money, in that it was money I already had that I was unaware of until then. This was likely inspired by my search yesterday for that elusive truth I was being guided to find. (I did in fact discover it, and wrote a little about it here in my faeries journal this morning.)

This morning while I was meditating, before drawing my daily card, I had an image of two different presidents come to mind. One of them was Abraham Lincoln, which led me to think of the penny, which then reminded me of my dream. So then I drew the King of Bells, which often indicates financial status. Then on top of all that, yesterday I also drew a faerie card who sometimes takes the form of flowers with names of varying types of money.

I definitely think there is some financial magic buzzing in the air around me.

Deck: Fairy Tarot

Daily Card - Four of Hearts

This morning I drew the Four of Hearts (Cups). The scene shows a girl leaning back on a mushroom, slightly retreating and overwhelmed by the boy before her on his knees, reaching out to her. There is a crown knocked over on the ground. I get the impression it belongs to the boy, but he just doesn’t care. He hasn’t even noticed that it’s fallen off, as its royal importance pales in comparison with his love. All he wants is to get through to the girl he’s pleading with.

This card reminds me of a relationship I was in many years ago, with a very sweet guy. At the time, I took his kindness for granted and didn't appreciate just how wonderful he was to me. Looking back now, I realize that I let a good thing go.

I sometimes see the Four of Cups as not recognizing a good thing if it bit you in the ass. The explanation of the card in this particular deck speaks of sudden illumination, and the need to profit from, rather than dwell on the situation.

Is there something I need to recognize that is right in front of my eyes? I spoke yesterday in my faeries journal of my ocular migraine, which was a literal, physical blinding of that which is directly in front of me. Perhaps that (painless) migraine, along with this card today is trying to tell me something. There may be some golden opportunity in my life that I am currently blinded to, though it is right under my nose. I will try to be more aware of my surroundings today and see if I notice something significant that I have missed until now.

Deck: Fairy Tarot

Daily Card - Ace of Bells

This week I’ll be using my Fairy Tarot deck. I’ve had issues with this deck, which I spoke about here, but I’ve been inspired to give it a whirl this week.

This morning I drew the Ace of Bells (Pentacles). The first thing I was drawn to was the foreign phrase on the ribbon at the bottom of the card. Latin again!? (I really wish I knew the significance of all the Latin popping up in my life lately.) I found the translation for this phrase on this card here:

Discipulus Est Prioris Posterior Dies - Discipline is of the first following after the day. The structure is peculiar: Prioris refers to the first of two things - but it is the genitive case (belonging to the first of two things.) Posterior is the later of two things and is an adjective modifying Dies = day. So I think it means something like - discipline is the first priority at the end of the day. But I am not secure in that.

The translation is just as confusing, as I can hear it two different ways. Does it mean that discipline is the “first priority” only at the end of the day, after you’ve lived the rest of the day without it? Or does the phrase “at the end of the day” translate as “when all is said and done”, meaning that discipline is always the first priority? This sounds more likely, as it’s the pentacles suit.

Discipline is necessary for abundance. If you believe that you have to work hard to be prosperous, then discipline is needed for persevering at working hard. If you follow the Law of Attraction, discipline is also required. You must be disciplined in remaining positive and creating the time and energy to do what's needed to draw what you want to you with your vibratory offerings. Both methods can work. But both require dedication and discipline.

And what's the reward for being disciplined in working towards a goal, whichever way you choose to approach it? Well, the rabbit in the card carries a bell like a basket. It’s the Easter Bunny! Coming to bring new treats to one and all! I love it! What a fun way to view the Ace of Pentacles!

This card serves as a reminder for me to continue following the path I'm on, and not to be discouraged when I don't see immediate results. The Ace of Bells is here to tell me that my treats are on their way, if I only believe they are. Because you know, the Easter Bunny only comes to those who believe!

(It's actually funny because I have never done the "Easter Bunny" with my kids, though it's something I celebrated when I was a child.)

Update: How's this for a fun update? This afternoon, my landlord knocked on our door and handed me a bag of Hershey's Kisses for the kids. The Easter Bunny actually arrived at our house today! What a delightful moment!! (Of course, we don't eat dairy, but it was still a pretty magical event after having written about the Easter Bunny delivering treats this morning!)

Deck: Fairy Tarot

Week in Review

Previous Week's Tally
(Monday Feb. 18 - Sunday Feb. 24):

Majors: 1 (The Hermit)
Courts: 2 (Page of Wands, Page of Swords)
Minors: 4 (2 of Swords, Ace of Wands, 2 of Pents, 6 of Cups)

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

This is one of those weeks that I didn't want to end my daily draws with a deck. I love the Ator tarot! It's earned a spot as one of my few within-arm's-reach decks for impromptu readings.

Deck: Ator Tarot

Daily Card - Six of Cups

This morning I drew the Six of Cups. I thought of my kids, as I usually do when this card comes up.

The next thing I thought of was old friends, two of whom I contacted yesterday. This card tends to come up when I'm reuniting with people from my past.

There's really nothing more I can add about this card's meaning in my life today. Sometimes a daily card will just tell you nothing out of the ordinary will be happening. I spent the day with my kids, just like every other day. Which is actually ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. Ordinary, in that it happens every day, and extraordinary, as it's my dream come true every day.

Deck: Ator Tarot

Daily Card - Two of Pentacles

Today it was suggested by a certain special someone that I start a monthly bibliomancy reading circle on the tarot forums. (Thanks, AJ!) I’ve never organized such a thing before, and wondered if I would be able to adequately juggle such a project. When I pulled the Two of Pentacles, I had to laugh, because that’s what it feels like. I'm not one to step up and initiate a group project, so it has taken me out of my comfort zone and out of my element. Will I be able to keep all the balls in the air, and make sure everything runs smoothly? I sure hope so!

It looks to me like this guy is doing one of those little celebratory click of the heels. I figured this was a sign that I would be able to juggle the organizing of the group and have fun with it at the same time, so I took the plunge and got the group started!

If you want to join us, please do so! It'll be lots of fun, and beginners are more than welcome!

Deck: Ator Tarot

Daily Card - Page of Swords

Today I drew the Page of Swords. And my faery companion for the day is He of the Fiery Sword. I could definitely use their combined energies today to make some sense of the past week. There has been so much synchronicity and little things coming together, but in enigmatic and mysterious ways. I can't make heads or tails of it, so I'm hoping things will become more clear today.

I had a very strange day yesterday with my gnome friend and his connection to the frog world. By the end of the day, it all ended up tying in with a couple of cards I drew this week, and as I was updating my faerie journal, I found myself on system overload. What I need is clarity gained by stepping back from the situation, and detaching to acquire an objective view. This is difficult to do sometimes. This is what the Page of Swords excels at... cleverly finding that missing piece of the knowledge puzzle.

I just have to add that this Page makes me laugh because it looks like he's playing golf. Every time I look at this card, it looks like this left-handed guy is just about to swing at an unseen ball. I can hear "Fore!" ringing through the air, as the birds scatter away. Hmmm, perhaps there's a way to mix this into the interpretation. Golf does involve a great deal of calculation and clarity. Interesting...

Deck: Ator Tarot

Fairy Tarot Reading

My faery gnome companion today has made me think about things in new ways today. And in particular, I'm being drawn to a tarot deck of mine that I haven't worked with yet...the Fairy Tarot. Makes sense for the faeries to persuade me into giving this deck a chance.

What I don't like about the deck is that the majors/courts/aces are illustrated in a completely different style than the minors. The former being cartoonish and the latter are Victorian style drawings. This was one of the issues I had with the Cagliostro deck as well. Another thing that has kept me from working with the Fairy deck is that while many of the illustrations on the minors fit RWS meanings, a great many don't. I don't like the inconsistency of this. I feel they should either follow RWS or not. Not just on some of the cards.

I have heard that the accompanying book really helps, as it explains what the illustrator was thinking, and explains more about the fairy world depicted in this deck. Unfortunately, I acquired this deck without the book, and have only the LWB. It's probably the first LWB I have actually consulted, as it seems necessary, and though brief, it is somewhat helpful.

But my little gnome friend seems to want me to give this deck a chance. So I decided to do a test reading. I simply asked, "What do you want me to know right now?" and this is what I got:



Queen of Hearts (Cups) • Knave of Acorns (Page of Wands) • Nine of Hearts (Cups)

Okay, now, I have to say that whenever I work with a new deck, I know there's a good connection when the introductory reading features the Queen of Cups. That's my card. So when that appeared as the first card, I was impressed. But it didn't end there.

The Knave of Acorns (Page of Wands) was next. This was my daily card with the Ator today, and appeared in the reading I did for myself last night (also as the middle card)! The LWB confirms this Knave can indicate an unexpected messenger.

And the third card, the Nine of Hearts, I immediately thought of as the Wish card, as I do with regular playing cards. It is often thought of in the same manner with tarot too. The description of this card mentions wellbeing and satisfaction, as the fairy sits and meditates as a way of communing with nature.

I read this three-card spread instinctively as I do when court cards appear. I am represented by the first card, and as it happens to be the Queen of Hearts, that makes complete sense. The Knave of Acorns (second card) is a messenger, bringing with him the Nine of Hearts. So, in a nutshell, I can expect a message about something I've been wishing for. This fits in perfectly with what I wrote today about how I'm receiving signs that there is good news coming my way very soon.

So...I'm happy to say this deck surprised me, and I think I'm going to expand my horizons and start working with it some more and see how it goes. I had another deck already in mind for next week's daily draws, but perhaps I'll use this one instead.

Deck: Fairy Tarot

Daily Card - Page of Wands

Okay, so last night I did a super quick, three-card, one-sentence reading for myself with the Ator. I didn’t have a question, I just wanted to play some more with this deck, which I just adore! I didn’t analyze the cards, I just said the first sentence that popped into my head.

Here’s what I got:

The Hermit / Page of Wands / Six of Pentacles

“Sit tight - Good news is coming - You will receive surprise money/relief.”

Yesterday, the Hermit was my card of the day, so it was cool to have it appear in the reading that same evening. Then this morning, I drew the next card, the Page of Wands. Again, cool.

Over the past few days, I have been receiving the same message from different sources... from my cards, from reading exchanges with others... that I will be receiving a letter, or some form of good news soon. So that’s how I read this card today. There is good news on its way to me, and I’m ready! Gotta love waiting for happy surprises!

Deck: Ator Tarot

Daily Card - The Hermit

Last night just before going to bed, I asked my Ator Tarot for one-card advice on a situation. I pulled The Hermit. I love the Hermit. I can relate to the Hermit. I am very comfortable in solitude. It was a sign for me to just be myself, and approach things in a way that was comfortable to me.

This morning, after thorough shuffling, I asked for advice on how to approach this same project today. Again, The Hermit appeared. (I just love when this happens!) I know that if I have questions about how to go about it, I need to look within. To find that quiet place, go outside alone for a bit, and just listen to my inner self and see what she has to say.

I love this card, and welcome its presence in my life today!

Speaking of re-appearing cards, this is quite the day! Last night I also did a reading for myself with my Faeries' Oracle, and one of the cards that appeared in the reading gave me a glorious Eureka! moment. It was fantastic. So when I was shuffling for my daily faery companion this morning, I knew exactly how I was going to act on this light bulb idea today, and wanted to see if there was a faery who wanted to come along for the ride and offer me support. I drew the very same card that gave me the idea in the first place! I was delighted! I have a strong feeling this is going to be a very special day.

Deck: Ator Tarot

Daily Card - Ace of Wands

This morning I drew the Ace of Wands. New beginnings, new creative ideas, new passion. Energy, fiery enthusiasm, optimism, exhilaration!

Usually when I get a new idea, I get really excited about it, and the potential of it. Then I may even begin to create it. But somewhere along the lines, my interest will begin to fizzle and I won’t bring the project to completion.

The other day I had this silly idea. I had just heard of the term “bibliomancy”. I was immediately struck with the fun idea of using one of my favorite children’s novels to do readings for people. I wasted no time. I didn’t look up “how to do a bibliomancy reading”. I didn’t research how other people did it. I just wanted to jump in because it sounded like such fun! So before I could talk myself out of it, I hopped over to the tarot forums and offered Alice in Wonderland Bibliomancy Readings!

The book I have is a combination of two novels, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. I asked people to give me a life situation they’re in (problem at work, relationship with boyfriend, etc.) and I would tell them what Alice and Co. wanted them to know about their situation, as well as advice from Alice (or whatever character happened to show up).

I focused on their situation, flipped through the edges of the pages with my left thumb until I felt compelled to stop, and opened to that page. The first sentence my eyes found was what I used for the reading. Sometimes it was a couple of sentences. Then I’d interpret the quote for their situation. I’d then find a second page and quote, and interpret that for the advice. (There was one reading where I had a page number and paragraph number pop into my head, so I did it that way for that particular one.)

It was so much fun! I had a blast doing these readings. And what's more, the readings were actually relevant! You can read them here.This is an example of a great way to follow through with an initial burst of Ace of Wands energy. I had a sudden idea, and took immediate action on it, which was out of character for me. I think it was a great lesson for me, in how to take an idea and just run with it!

This Ace of Wands reminds me of the passing of the torch. When the torch is handed to you, you don’t just stand there and let it burn out. You run with it!

Deck: Ator Tarot

Daily Card - Two of Swords

This week I’m using my new Ator Tarot deck for my daily draws. I absolutely love this deck! It’s a light hearted take on the RWS, yet it delivers really straightforward readings.

I drew the Two of Swords today. This card came up for me in a dream reading I did for myself the other day. In the reading, this card was randomly drawn to represent a terrifying sea monster that I feared. It was a very appropriate card to come up in that position. In the dream, I was paralyzed when I found myself face-to-face with this horrific creature, but I ended up facing my fear and swimming away from it, knowing full well it could have attacked me from behind. It did follow me, but by the time I reached shore, I turned around to find that it had turned into a friendly and beautiful dolphin. When I faced my fears head-on, the thing I feared disappeared, to be replaced by something harmless. Dolphins are even known to help people, so it ended up even better than I could have hoped for.

Sometimes when there’s something I really want to do, but I’m afraid of the potential outcome if I take action, it’s better just to step straight into my fears, rather than letting fear completely hold me back. Whatever the outcome, even if my fear is realized at least I will have done something, giving me a feeling of being truly alive. And most likely, the monster that was my fear will just turn out to be a gentle dolphin. It may end up that the thing I feared will transform into something that can actually help me.

There are a couple of things that this card relates to in my life today. There are things that I want to do, but I’m letting fear hold me back. I’m sitting here like the woman in this card, allowing my fears to control me into submissive dormancy. What I need to do is stand up and charge right through my fears, come what may! I had a helpful visual image come to mind, imagining my fears as wispy ghost-like images that will disappear as soon as I go through them.

I suppose today's as good a day as any to take that brave and decisive first step!

Deck: Ator Tarot

Angel Oracle Readings

A couple weeks ago I was inspired to take out my Angel Oracle deck which I had never used (not even for myself). I did several readings that day and was surprised to find that I connected very well with the cards, and received some very strong messages from the angels. After doing each reading, I felt my energy completely depleted, and I had to re-energize before beginning another one. This had never happened to me before.

I have received emails from people who have asked about these cards, as it seems to be a deck that people have trouble reading with. It is a collection of beautiful paintings by Sulamith Wulfing, which were not originally designed for use in an oracle deck. The back of each card features a smaller, black and white copy of the image featured on the front of the card, along with a keyword and inspirational quote. There are no meanings given for the cards, so you are given full intuitive license, which I love.

When I first got the deck, I read a few of the quotes on the backs, but they didn't seem to have anything to do with the feeling I personally got from the images, so I completely disregard them, and don't even read the quotes when doing a reading.

I don't use spreads with this deck, or a predetermined amount of cards. I shuffle, concentrating on the querent's question, and a number will just come to me as I shuffle. Then I lay out that many cards, and simply read them intuitively from what I see and feel come through. To see examples of how I work with these cards, I have posted a few of the readings I have recently done using the Angel Oracle:

• Angel Oracle Reading - 1 Card
  

• Angel Oracle Reading - 2 Cards

• Angel Oracle Reading - 3 Cards

(Readings and feedback have been posted with permission from querents.)

Deck: Angel Oracle (Sulamith Wulfing)

Angel Oracle Reading - 1 Card

Querent's question:
I would just like to know how I should approach this situation, and if my concerns are still valid.

Reading:
I felt compelled to stop at one card when drawing for your question. I drew Innocence.

Innocence: The entire card is framed by an angel's wings. Inside the frame are five young children, holding candles. Three of the children, who appear to be boys, are looking down. The two girls are looking up, straight at me. They both see something that the boys don't. I feel there is a balance of energy here, innocence blended with intuition. The younger girl, the more innocent of the two, looks on with interest. However, the older of the two girls appears slightly alarmed, as though she is seeing something she hadn't expected. I get the feeling that earlier in your situation, you were a little more innocent, or naive than you are now. Perhaps you've been sensing something that you hadn't before, and it is causing you concern. With the boys looking down, it makes me wonder if there is someone male in the situation who is either hiding something or refusing to see or share something you want to know more about?

I don't know if what you are worried about is indeed true, however you asked if your concerns are still valid. If you have concerns, they are always valid. If you sense something is not right, there is usually a reason for it. The fact that both the girls see something in this card leads me to believe that there is indeed something there you need to explore, even if only to rule it out. I feel this card is suggesting that you approach this situation by remaining alert to the issue that is troubling you. You don't want to feel paranoid, yet at the same time, turning a blind eye isn't the answer either. Try to find a balance in the situation by listening to your intuition. Listen, trust, and then follow through with what your soul tells you is right for you.

Querent's feedback:
I have to say that one card you drew for me nailed it perfectly with everything. There had been this issue in my life where I came into very naively. I felt like I was too ready to jump into something I knew little about and just expected others to feel and relate to what I believed was normal. Yeah, I was really wrong, where some are very open with very personal things in life, I feel like those things are more personal and sacred and should be treated as such, and that was a big wake up call for me. Then you mentioned a male in my life who was refusing to share something I needed to know more about, and that is precisely true, I believe with my entire heart, mind soul and/or intuition that he has done something very grievious on a level I do not believe I can ever forgive, and it is a very serious matter! Needless to say, we have cut him out of our lives for fear that his intentions are not good indeed! I know that this situation has hurt a lot of people, but I cannot seem to "turn a blind eye" on this one, because if I do it might happen again, and I cannot for the safety of my family allow that to happen again! Thank you a thousand times over for this reading, one card said all I needed to know. Your cards are truly beautiful! Thank you, thank you and thank you!

Reading and feedback posted with permission from querent.

Deck: Angel Oracle (Sulamith Wulfing)

Angel Oracle Reading - 2 Cards

Querent's question:
I would like guidance on how to handle my situation with X.

Reading:
I pulled two cards for you, Unity and Light.

Unity: There is a mortal girl who is emitting a strong, warm and radiant glow around her. She is wearing a dress of earth tones, and is looking towards the angel before her. The angel is draped in white/silver robes, with hints of blue. Her face is white and she stares away, not acknowledging the girl. I get a cold and stony feel about her, when comparing her to the warmth of the girl. Relating this to your situation with X, it feels as though one of you is giving more attention to the situation, more feeling and emotion, while the other doesn't seem to care about it as much, and is maybe closed off to some extent?

Light: There is a baby, or very young child sitting down, with eight child fairies surrounding her/him. (I'm going to go with "her" just so I don't have to keep typing "him/her".) There's even a little tiny man, smaller than the baby (a gnome-like man?). All the angels (and gnome) are holding red candles, which are lit. The baby is dressed in a simple white gown, and there is a soft glow around her head. I had this impression come to me that the glow from the baby was what lit all the candles. So what started out with one glowing child became warmth and light spread around to many others.

I am struck by the glowing mortal in both images. I feel there is someone in this situation, perhaps you, who is full of love and light and wants to share this with others. And maybe X isn't willing or able to receive it at this time. You asked for guidance on how to handle the situation with X. I feel the angels urging you (from the second card) to focus more of your attention on spreading your warmth to those who will embrace and appreciate it. Rather than spending your time trying to unsuccessfully light a wet candle, it may be better for you to spread light to those who will accept it. This will not only benefit those around you, but it will also ensure that your light remains charged, and doesn't blow out! This is not to say that this person won't ever be able to open up to what you have to offer, but perhaps the timing isn't right just now, and your energy would be better spent elsewhere right now.

Because there is a baby, a tiny gnome, and another little baby in the picture, I have the feeling that the emotion involved in this situation needs time to grow and evolve, and not something that can be rushed at this time.

Querent's feedback: This reading is very powerful, you have described the situation to a T. Person X has just come out from a difficult heartbreak, about 6 months ago and like you say the time is not right for this person to be open to new feelings or relationships. I think he is afraid of going through this again, I think it will take this person a long time before they can recover from their heartbreak. I agree with you I shouldn't give my time and attention to someone who is not open to receive it. Thank you so much for the advice, this is exactly how I perceived this person.

Reading and feedback posted with permission from querent.

Deck: Angel Oracle (Sulamith Wulfing)

Angel Oracle Reading - 3 Cards

Querent's question:
This situation is something that has been on my mind for a long time. I think I need the help of the angels, because it's a difficult situation. My ex and I broke up a year ago, and you'd think I'd be completely over him by now, but I'm not. It's really frustrating me because I still have hope that we could work things out, even though we haven't been in contact for quite some time now.

In my life, I have always been a very sensible person....I cannot understand why I am being so very "dumb" (for lack of a better word) about this, but no matter what I do, I can't just let it go. What can I do about this?

Reading:
Wow, I had a really strong reading come through for you. I drew three cards for you: Relationship, Protection and Nature.



Relationship: There is a woman, with closed eyes, being embraced and comforted by an angel, whose wings are wrapped around the woman. The angel stares ahead, and I get the feeling that she will be there as long as the woman needs her to be. The thing is, I saw this card as representing the comfort you feel in living in the past, and remaining hopeful for a reunion with your ex. Though you say it's been over for awhile, there is still some comfort you feel in keeping the relationship close to your heart. And like the angel, this feeling will stay as long as you allow it to.

Protection: This card shows four angels floating in a purple/blue/yellow night sky, looking down at the ground below. There is a winter tree, devoid of all leaves in front of a full moon. The tree appeared to me to represent your "dead" relationship. And what immediately came to mind when I saw the colors of the sky was a bruise. You know how nasty bruises will change color from purple/blue to yellow? I know, maybe not the most beautiful imagery you were expecting from these lovely cards, but that's what came to me. I feel that this relationship remains to be a sensitive bruise on your heart. The yellow part is the color closest to the angels, and when a bruise gets yellow, that means it's almost healed. These angels will bring healing to you if you will let them.

Nature: This card is completely surrounded with more winter, leafless trees. There is an angel with swirly black lines around her, similar in feeling to the bare trees, again symbolizing the relationship. Even her hair is this black/white motif. There is one leaf in the picture, brown and crunchy, and it is falling down through the air. The angel has her hand held out as if to catch it. She (you) wants to hold on to anything that is a reminder of what used to be. The sense I get from this card is the importance of trusting in the natural order of things. When a leaf falls from a tree, you don't try to stick it back on. You let it fall...you can feel grateful for the beauty it brought you, and then you look forward to another leaf to come in the spring.

I don't want to squash your dreams of getting back together with your ex, but I feel as though the angels are telling you that it's okay to let go. They will be there to protect you, if you remain aware of their presence. And while you are keeping yourself captive by the comforting thoughts of the past and wishes for the future, you are not allowing your "leaf to fall" naturally. Until you do that, you'll never be able to see what beauty the angels have in store for your future tree!

There is a reason relationships end, and a reason leaves fall from trees. The cycle of life and beautiful new seasons require letting go. I know it may not be what you wanted to hear, but I do feel there is great healing and hope for a beautiful future for you. Perhaps you can get a greater sense of the angels' protection and healing if you were to spend some time outdoors, in nature, and listen to what the angels are whispering to you through the wind in the trees.

Querent's feedback: (The feedback I received for this reading was rather extensive and personal, so I am going to write a brief summary, and keep the exact sentiments private.) The querent agreed that there was a sense of comfort she felt in holding onto the past. She really liked the way I interpreted the second card, as she did feel "bruised" by the situation, and that it is indeed almost healed, but she's been yet unable to take that last step to completely release it. She had a very strong connection with this person, and misses him. She mentioned that the metaphor of being grateful for the beauty of the leaf and letting it fall was very true and really spoke to her, and she does feel grateful for the beauty the relationship had given her. She also said she has been receiving a lot of messages from her own cards calling her to spend time outside in nature.

Reading posted with permission from querent.

Deck: Angel Oracle (Sulamith Wulfing)

Week in Review

Previous Week's Tally
(Monday Feb. 11 - Sunday Feb. 17):

Wisdom (twice!)
Nurturing
Beauty
Service
Patience (twice!)


Deck: Oracle of the Grail Code

Daily Card - Patience (again!)

I drew Patience again today. This is the second time this week I've pulled a card twice from this deck. It feels a little like that movie Groundhog Day.

When I saw this card come up for me this morning, I heard the song Patience by Guns N' Roses pop into my head. I used to loooove that song in high school. That really doesn't have any significance, but thought I'd write it since it came to me. I guess I could go into a whole schpeal about things that I wanted in high school that required patience, from the point of view I have now, having lived out their manifestations. And how I can relate those experiences to what I'm waiting for now. But I'm not in the mood to search my memory archives for specific examples. I don't need to though. I get it... I need patience. Point taken, Oracle of the Grail Code.

Perhaps I'll be mindful to be more patient today with the little things in life too, rather than limiting the meaning to just the big things I'm waiting for.

Deck: Oracle of the Grail Code

Daily Card - Patience

Ah. This morning I was interested in knowing what element I could embrace which would help me further along on my path toward a specific goal. I drew Patience. Sure. Of course.

The woman in this card has left her violin on the bed to gaze out the window above. She is too distracted to play. She wants only to wait for (I assume) her loved one to return. This brings to mind the phrase "a watched pot never boils". Perhaps the time would go by faster if she picked her instrument back up and busied herself while waiting. On the other hand, she is giving all of her attention to his return, thereby attracting it to her with her magnetically focused energy.

The book’s description of this card reminds me very much of the Law of Attraction. It speaks of holding a vision strongly while expecting great things to come. I can do that.

Pulling this card means that what I am waiting for isn’t ready for me yet. The timing isn’t quite right. I need to sit tight and trust that it will all come together when it’s meant to. And in the meantime, not to lose sight of my desire, and fully expect it to arrive, just as if I had ordered it from Amazon.com. When I order something online, I know it's coming. I don't wish it will come...I don't wonder if it will come. I know it will. I have no choice but to be patient waiting for it to come, but I have an excited feeling of expectancy, knowing every day could be the day it arrives.

I know this is how I need to approach all my “orders” from the universe. It’s just hard to be patient sometimes. Pulling this card today lets me know that my desires are on their way, and that until they arrive, patience is a virtue I should embrace.

Artwork: Forget Me Not (by Arthur Hughes)

Deck: Oracle of the Grail Code

Daily Card - Wisdom

Well, this is going to be short and sweet. I pulled Wisdom again today. (I drew this card at the beginning of the week here.)

I heard a very simple message when I looked at this card today. Learn something new. So that is going to be my task for the day. I am going to learn something new. I haven't figured out what that's going to be yet. But the day is still young.


Update: Ugh. So I racked my brain trying to figure out what fabulous new thing I would learn today. I finally settled on getting out a tarot deck that has confused the heck out of me, and doing some research on it to see if I could learn to work with it.

It's the Cagliostro, a now out-of-print deck which my mom gifted me with last summer. I have yet to work with it for several reasons. The majors and minors are completely different styles from each other, and that throws me off a bit. The majors are three dimensional while the minors are two dimensional. I have another deck where the majors and minors don't match, and I haven't worked with that one either for the same reason. It feels like I'm working with two different decks. Also, this deck has non-scenic minors which I am not attracted to. But that's only the beginning.

The Cagliostro deck is multi-faceted, and none of the facets are ones I'm familiar with. It is apparently a deck based on the work of Papus, and a freakish combination of the Marseilles, Etteilla and Wirth systems of tarot, with playing card suits, astrological dates, zodiac signs, Egyptian influences, unfamiliar keywords and the occasional Hebrew symbol thrown into the mix. My lack of knowledge on all of the above doesn't bode well for working with this deck. There's just too much going on, and there's probably even some things I've left out!

After attempting to do research online for awhile, hoping to gain more insight into how to work with this deck, all I ended up with was a raging headache. I think if I were stranded on a desert island, this would have to be the deck I'd take with me because it might take me forever to figure it out.

The wisdom I have gained today is that I am not ready for this deck yet, and it can be put away again for a day in the future when I'm feeling abundantly curious and/or scholarly. Or I might get a little crazy and use it for my daily draws one week ... disregard all the symbolism I'm clueless about, just use it purely intuitively and see what bizarre insights come out of my interpretations.

Decks: Oracle of the Grail Code and Cagliostro Tarot

Law of Attraction Reading

Awhile ago I did a reading for a self-employed querent who was being counseled by a Law of Attraction coach. She was tired of struggling to get new clients for her business, and wanted instead to use the power of the Law of Attraction to attract clients to her more easily. She came to me to ask if she would be successful with this endeavor.

The Spread

I used my favorite 5-card spread:

----2---
4-------5
--1---3-

1. Question (This card usually rephrases the question asked)
2. Reason for asking (This card shows why the question was asked)
3. Advice/consideration (This cards gives the querent something to consider, or advice to take)
4. Answer/solution (This card answers the question)
5. Outcome/result (This card shows what will result from this answer)


The Reading

"Will I be successful in attracting a new wave of clients by using the Law of Attraction?"



1. Question: 7 of Wands
This frog in this card looks like his eyes might bulge out of his head from using mental powers. He doesn't seem thrilled about having to struggle the traditional way, and is wondering, "If I work hard enough at this mind power thing, will I be able to get what I want this way, rather than having to physically use this stick?" The querent wants to know if she can use a more spiritual approach to getting new clients, rather than the more traditional, hands-on manner.

2. Reason for Asking: 4 of Wands
The frogs in this card are dancing and having a grand old time. The querent wants to have a good time and enjoy life while clients roll in. She loves what she does for a living, and just wants to focus the aspects of her business that she's passionate about (servicing her clients), rather than spending so much energy on struggling to draw new clients.

3. Advice/Consideration: King of Swords
The King of Swords makes intellectual, no-nonsense decisions and goes for them. He's not wishy washy. He does not like to wait around for the Law of Attraction to take effect. He wants action. This card immediately leaped out to me as a loud "Warning!" What stood out to me was that this King was dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. I had the feeling that taking a King of Swords approach to her business right now would lead her to a very undesirable place.

4. Answer: Page of Cups
Good news! I saw this card as a signal for the querent to follow a more spiritual/metaphysical approach to her business, and to pay special attention to signs and synchronicity. To continue working with her Law of Attraction coach and put her whole heart into it, as it's not something that can be done halfway. The Page of Cups suggests that using her intuition and following her heart's desire would lead her to success.

5. Outcome/Result: 6 of Wands
The frog in this card arrives at his destination effortlessly...on the back of another animal. He has ridden the wave of the Law of Attraction and who is there waiting for him? A gathering of new, excited clients!

The querent recently contacted me with an update. She has continued working with her coach, and has successfully attracted several new clients utilizing only the Law of Attraction, with no other marketing means!

This reading is an abbreviated version of the original, and is posted with permission from the querent.

Deck: Tarot of the Magical Forest

Daily Card - Service

This morning I drew the Service card. Actually, it fell out of the deck, and for some reason I instinctively stuck it back in and continued shuffling. Usually I will give more attention to a fallen card. Then when I made my cut and draw, it turned up again. This image is so sweet and immediately brought me back to the days of nursing my young ones. My girls tandem nursed until they were 4 and 3. I had nothing to do with the weaning process... I made myself available whenever they wanted to nurse. As they got older, it just naturally grew less and less frequent. And I didn’t really even notice when they had stopped.

I love the details in the nursing blouse featured in this painting… the primitive yet delicate strings holding the blouse together, and expanding to open when time to breastfeed. I love the nakedness of the baby and way he is holding onto his mother’s breast with one hand, while his attention is diverted elsewhere, yet not disconnecting from his latch. This exact pose is so very familiar to me. It's a really true depiction of a nursing moment.

This is a beautiful card for me to draw today because it shows mother and child, and I will be spending this lovely Valentine’s Day with my children. I woke up to the three of them giving me homemade cards that I hadn't even known they had made! They had each created a card for me over the last couple of days, and hid them until this morning. So sweet. Love abounds today, and I am so happy.

Artwork: Madonna Litta (by Leonardo da Vinci)

Deck: Oracle of the Grail Code

Daily Card - Beauty

Today’s card is Beauty. I have been thinking lately about incorporating more beauty into my daily routines, so this card is very timely.

The accompanying book suggests that whatever it is we do, we can choose to do it with care and add beautiful touches to it, rather than throwing it together willy nilly just to get it done.

Small touches here and there can make a big difference. In daily life, it can be the difference between giving my kids regular PB&J sandwiches or cutting those same sandwiches into heart shapes. I don’t always do the little things like this because I think I’m too busy. But in truth, there will always be plenty of time to add a small touch of beauty to whatever I do. I know the rewards will be well worth the extra effort. What a lovely card to get today!

Another thought that came to mind was that I can also choose to see, with new eyes, those things that I often overlook. I can look for the beauty in the ordinary.

I turned to the faeries this morning for more help on how to add beauty to my life, and they suggested that I watch what I say. I am being advised to think before speaking, to avoid spreading any unnecessary negativity into the world, and that I can also add more beauty into my life and the lives of those around me by offering more verbal blessings and compliments. I received an additional message that I should also offer these kind words to myself. Fancy that!

Artwork: The Birth of Venus (by Sandro Botticelli)

Deck: Oracle of the Grail Code

Daily Card - Nurturing

Today I drew Nurturing. This card is one of the John William Waterhouse paintings in the deck. I love his artwork, so I’m very glad to have this card propped up against my monitor to admire all day. The woman in this card has literally stopped to smell the roses.

The card’s meaning speaks of self-nurturing. It suggests that before I can continue on my path I must become proficient in the art of self-nurturing in all levels of my life. This type of self-nurturing isn’t a once-in-awhile pampering, but rather an alteration in the very way I think and believe. It’s also a call to go to nature for nourishment and inspiration. The book compares women to nature: cycling, seasons, bringing forth new life, nourishing life from our bodies. So nature is where great nourishment can be found.

Also mentioned is taking time for oneself, if time is usually spent caring for others. This is something, as a mom, that I have been trying to consciously address in my daily life. I thought I was doing good when I actually took 15 minutes out of my day for myself...and indeed that was a great improvement over not taking any time for myself. But after contemplating this card's meaning, I realize that nurturing myself shouldn’t be restricted to treating myself to a few minutes a day, but rather something that is naturally a part of how I go about my daily routines - all the time. It's not something I should have to set aside time for, it should just be a way of living, something intrinsic within me, a part of the way I live and do everything. The tricky part is just HOW to do this.

I wanted more concrete guidance. So I then read the meditation and found it was designed to lead me to that answer. So I would like to try this meditation and see what happens. I did attempt yesterday’s meditation, but I started it at the end of the evening, laying down on the floor and I fell asleep. Whenever I try to meditate laying down, it never works, I always fall asleep. If you put me in a laying down position anywhere, I’m as good as gone. So I will have to try this one sometime during the day to