Deck Review: Halloween Tarot in Tin

The Halloween Tarot in Tin is a fun, family-friendly deck that can be used all year round. Although October is the obvious time to pull out this deck, it certainly need not be reserved for Halloween time. I have used the deck with enjoyable readings smack dab in the middle of Spring!

There are two versions of this deck. The one I have is the pocket sized version which comes in a tin (like its cousins the Vanessa Tarot and Gummy Bear Tarot). The cards have a matte finish, which I love, and they shuffle beautifully. There is also a companion book (sold separately), which I don't own, but hear is good.


The Cards
The artwork in the Halloween Tarot is cartoony and the coloring is very vibrant. The scenes take place at night, so the skies are all black, which gives the deck a fitting atmospheric feel.

The deck is RWS based, so most of the cards are instantly recognizable, and readable right out of the box. There are only a few exceptions where the cards stray slightly from the norm.

The suits have changed, and have a Halloween theme:

Cups: Ghosts
Wands: Imps
Swords: Bats
Pentacles: Pumpkins

Within the deck are familiar references to various horror genere characters, such as the Bride of Frankenstein, Wednesday Addams, Dracula, etc. There are also your garden variety of recognizable monsters and creatures of the night. There are depictions of Vegetable People included, which were German-made toys popular in America in the 1920's. Familiarity with the Vegetable People isn't necessary to work with the deck, as I hadn't heard of them before, and they blend right into a typical Halloween scene. There is a also black cat which follows you around, as it is featured in every card in the deck.

The Death and Devil cards are not scary in this deck, which makes it inviting for people of all ages. Death features a happy go lucky skeleton watering his garden with a big smile on his face. The Devil shows a female devil-woman, also with a nice smile, holding three little human-like creatures on loose leashes.

How it Reads
I find the Halloween Tarot to be very honest in its readings, yet still able to get its message across with an occasional sense of humor (see the fabulous Ten of Imps to the left). It's not a deck I would select for a deeply, emotionally serious reading. But for inquiries that are less dire and could withstand a tone that can be campy and unconventional, this is a great choice. It's easy to read stories within the cards, which makes for a fun reading when combining your storytelling with Halloween images.

The LWB
The Little White Book which accompanies the Halloween Tarot in Tin is semi deck specific, however it unfortunately doesn't go into detail on the illustrations themselves. Keywords for reversals are not given.

There is a brief intro written by the author, and the typical LWB spreads (Three Card and Celtic Cross).

Final Thoughts
This is definitely a deck you want to get if you plan on doing Halloween readings for an audience of varying ages. It's also a fantastic reading deck for any time of the year. It's a fun deck to use, and an entertaining variation of the RWS.

See below for 12 more images.

Suits: Ghosts, Imps, Bats, Pumpkins
Court Titles: Page Knight, Queen, King
Justice/Strength: Strength 8, Justice 11
Cards: 78
Card Size: 2 1/4" x 3 3/4"
Card stock: Matte
Backs: Reversible
Deck-specific LWB: Yes
Deck-specific Spread Sheet: No
Artist: Kipling West
Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, Inc.










To see more images, visit my daily draws with the Halloween Tarot.

Deck: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Lifting the Veil - An Otherworldly Halloween Spread

It is said that Halloween is the night where the veil between our physical world and spiritual worlds is thinnest. I designed this spread to allow different spiritual entities to share whatever message they have this night. Feel free to adapt the layout to include other entities of your choosing (or remove ones you don't desire to contact.)

Lifting the Veil - An Otherworldly Halloween Spread

Layout Position:

......2........3......
1.....................4
...........9............
5.....................8
......6.........7......

1. Message from the Dead (Human spirit)
2. Message from your Spirit Guide
3. Message from your Guardian Angel
4. Message from an Ascended Master
5. Message from the Nature Spirits
6. Message from the Faeries
7. Message from the Animals
8. Message from the Magical Creatures
9. Message from the Dream World

I will personally be using a different deck for each position, utilizing decks that fit each essence.

Additional notes:

Position 1 (Message from the Dead) will most likely be a message from someone you personally know who has passed on, though I suppose it's possible to receive a message from someone you've never met. But in my experience, Halloween is a time where deceased loved ones reach out.

Position 9 (Message from the Dream World) is one that I placed in the center of the reading, as dreams often serves as a bridge between the physical (bottom cards) and spiritual (top cards).

If I find that my own reading with this spread proves interesting, and I have time tomorrow, I'll post it here.

Happy Halloween!!!

Update: The reading I did with this spread on Halloween night proved to be very insightful, terribly honest and helpful. I don't have the time to post such a long reading right now, but thought I'd share which decks I used for each position, and the card I drew, along with a few quick notes.

The message from the dead was very clearly my grandfather. I found it fascinating that I drew three "Seven" cards, since I think of the number seven as being mystical, and this was a spiritual based reading. I drew the Seven of Cups twice, greatly deepening the message for me to make a decision and move forward instead of floundering. And the next day my son found a beetle in the car, iridescent green just like the one in the Seven of Cups I drew from the Animal-Wise Tarot! So that was yet another Seven of Cups moment for me. There was a lot of advice for me in several of the cards regarding getting out in nature more, and avoiding conflict.

It was fascinating how the cards played off each other, as none of the cards stood alone. I wrote my reading down in my notebook and drew lines connecting all the various cards in different ways. Every card connected to at least one other. This is definitely a spread I will use again.

1. Message from the Dead (Human spirit) - Legend: Arthurian Tarot (Seven of Swords)
2. Message from your Spirit Guide - Sacred Art Tarot (Five of Swords)
3. Message from your Guardian Angel - Saints & Angels Oracle (Stress Management)
4. Message from an Ascended Master - Ascended Masters Oracle (Green Man)
5. Message from the Nature Spirits - Tarot of Trees (Seven of Cups)
6. Message from the Faeries - Faeries' Oracle (Ffaff the FFooter)
7. Message from the Animals - Animal Wise Tarot (Seven of Shapeshifters/Cups - Beetle)
8. Message from the Magical Creatures - Fantastical Creatures Tarot (The Moon - Unicorn)
9. Message from the Dream World - Dream Inspirational Cards (Rain)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Happy Halloween!

This morning as I was shuffling for my daily draw, the Six of Pumpkins flew out of the deck. I decided to leave it at that, since the Trick or Treating theme in the card epitomizes Halloween for me right now. In fact, we did our Halloween costumed outing last night. The neighborhood had a parade, and the participants threw out candy to all the neighborhood kids who were all dressed up in costumes. So that was our version of trick or treating this year.

Since my kids don't eat candy, every year they leave their candy out for the Halloween Witch, who in turn leaves gifts for them. So they woke up this morning very excited to find out what the Witch had left them!

Happy Halloween!! Have fun and be safe!

Update: Funnily enough, I also drew this card when doing my sample reading for my Original Spread section in my eZine today. Pretty neat! (The Halloween Issue of my eZine will be sent out this afternoon, so if you're not yet signed up, now's the time! Among other things, I'll be offering two special Halloween discounts on a reading with me!)

Deck: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Halloween Tarot and Froud's Faeries - Tarot Talks Tarot

When I drew my cards this morning, I saw something interesting. They were describing a spread I designed yesterday, to be used on Halloween night. The first thing I saw was the Three of Ghosts (Cups) and Death, and the phrase "celebrating the dead" came to mind, which is what Halloween is to some cultures. In the Two of Bats (Swords), I saw "communicating with angels". The woman is blindfolded, and her hands are stuck in position, so her communication will have to be otherworldly. The fact that she is an angel gave further detail, because my spread involves angels and other spiritual beings. Since Halloween is the night where the line between our world and other worlds are thinnest, my spread is designed to allow the different spiritual entities to share whatever message they have.

My faerie card for the day is The Faun, and of course, it was also referring to the spread I made. The Faun, to me, is the essence of animal spirit. I drew the Faun last, after my tarot cards... as likewise the animal world was the last addition to my spread. I was wondering whether or not to include animals in the layout, and ultimately decided I would. The Faun coming up in this reading tells me I made the right choice.

I will probably post the spread I devised tomorrow, though I don't know if I will have time to post my reading with it, because I intend to do it rather late in the evening.

Decks: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems, Inc.)
and Faeries' Oracle (by Brian Froud, published by Simon & Schuster)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Halloween Tarot and Frouds' Faeries: Ho'oponopono

This morning I drew the Five of Bats, Nine of Pumpkins and Temperance. Yesterday I pulled three cards, but didn't have time to post about it. But the Five of Bats was one of my cards yesterday. And I found it pretty amazing that the Nine of Pentacles and Temperance would come up again (as it did three days ago here) right next to each other, in the same order as before, since I have shuffled quite a bit since then, and I always put the cards back in different sections of the deck.

Several days ago, a friend of mine sent me the book Zero Limits. The book is based on an adaptation of the ho'oponopono technique (an ancient Hawaiian practice of inner healing which leads to outer transformation). According to this theory, everything in your experience is your responsibility to clear and heal. I quickly read the book, and have begun practicing the theory, the essence of which is the internal repetition of the phrases, "I'm sorry, please forgive me, thank you, I love you." These four main phrases are what I saw in these cards today.

Five of Bats: "I'm sorry. Please forgive me." That is absolutely what the bully in this card needs to be saying.

Nine of Pumpkins: "Thank you. I love you." That is what the woman in this card is thinking as she appreciates all she has.

Temperance is often a process of trial and error. Mixing and matching, making mistakes and learning from them, until you come up with the perfect solution. This is me, trying this ho'oponopono on for size.

The faerie card I drew for today was the Singer of Transfiguration. I love when this card comes up. The fiery reds are so beautiful and mesmerizing to me, and they remind me of the fiery rebirth of the phoenix. This card, in my experience, heralds a time of ascending to a higher level. As always, my faerie of the day blends right into my tarot reading.

Transfiguration is changing your form or appearance. A transformation. A metamorphosis. And this is precisely what is supposed to happen when you practice the technique featured in the book Zero Limits.

After the first two days of reading the book, I did a tarot reading, and a faerie reading, asking about this ho'oponopono technique. I wanted to know if it would be wise for me to invest my time into it... if it was a fit with me and would provide me with results. I received a resounding YES from both the tarot and faeries. And now, this Singer coming up today while my tarot cards are talking about it is another glowing and positive confirmation of the transformation awaiting me with this technique.

I have already begun to see results, but I am playing around with how much time I spend on it, which of the phrases I emphasize most (right now I'm definitely leaning more heavily on the "I love you" part, as it feels the most vibration-lifting to me.) Like Temperance, I am working with it to figure out the best balance for me personally right now. I know it will likely change as time goes by, and I have to be open to remaining adaptable.

Decks: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems Inc.)
and Faeries' Oracle (by Brian Froud, published by Simon & Schuster)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Halloween Tarot and Frouds' Faeries - Sharing My Loot

This morning I drew the Six of Pumpkins, Six of Bats and Ace of Pumpkins.

What it looks like to me is that I will be receiving something today that I will be excited to share. The trick or treaters in the Six of Pumpkins are receiving candy. In the Six of Bats, which is usually a somber card yet moving in the right direction, the guy steering the boat is jolly as can be. He has a huge grin on his pumpkin face, and that's what stood out to me, so much so that I almost didn't even notice the huddled figures in the boat. He is taking his new treats and heading for the house on the shore, and he can't get there fast enough! There he will arrive, as his hand appears in the Ace of Pumpkins. He has brought his trick or treat bag and is happily sharing his bounty.

I am expecting several tarot decks in the mail, and if they arrive today, I will be happy that I have new decks to share with you here on my blog. So I'm hoping that's what these cards are referring to today, but I will stay open to other possibilities as well. Maybe something else will surprise me!

On a broader, more spiritual note, I can see how these cards may also be talking about a bigger picture. As I went to title this post, I was going to write "A Gift to Share" when I realized that I had titled a post last week "A Gift to be Shared"! So this could also be confirmation of that post. And maybe it can mean both things!

The two sixes made me think about their Major Arcana counterpart, the Lovers, which is a coming together... the sharing of a life. So the sharing theme is emphasized for me there.

The faerie card I drew for today was Spirit Dancer. I'm not very familiar with her, and she didn't speak directly to me, other than the obvious (doing what makes your spirit dance), so after looking at her for awhile, I consulted the book and was surprised (but not really!) to find that the author talks a lot about sharing when discussing this card. Spirit Dancer encourages us to share with others through our creative expression. This made me think again that I will be receiving a new tarot deck today, because that is a tool with which I share my creative expression here every day.

Sharing your expression with others takes your creation to a different level. The sharing of it gives your creation another dimension. I could do tarot readings for myself every day, but I choose to share them with others, and by doing that, my readings transform into other essences. My message might reach someone else who needs to hear the same message that day (or even months or years later if browsing through my archives). Or someone might see something in a card that they had never seen before, or in a new light. My interpretation might end up being wrong, and when the outcome turns out to be something other than what I had seen, it serves as a lesson not only to myself, but to others, that it's okay to be wrong! And that tarot is a continual learning process which never ends. So yes, sharing my expression definitely changes the dynamic of it, and makes it larger than what it originally was, for better or worse (but usually for better!).

On a larger scale, when I consider what I have to share with others, my mind always thinks of writing. I have always written stories, since I was a little girl. I am considering attempting NaNoWriMo again this year. I think Spirit Dancer would encourage me to do so. Scratch that - I know she would! (She came up for me last night too!) Writing makes my spirit dance, so she says that is what I must do! I have so many books inside me, and I am beginning to see that their true growth will only come with sharing them with others. Going back to the mention of the Lovers, writing is something I love to do, and I really need to make more time for it in my life.

In fact, one of my finished children's books has been begging me to seek a publisher for years. I really do have to follow up with that. (My fear on that front is that if my book is picked up by a publisher, choosing the illustrator will be out of my hands. There's nothing worse than a lovely children's story with horrible illustrations. I have very particular taste in children's book art, and I would hate to see my book illustrated in a way that I didn't love.) I'm not sure how to overcome that obstacle yet.

Okay, I'll update here later if I receive a treat in the mailbox today that I can share with y'all!

Update: I did receive a new deck in the mail today! It wasn't one of the tarot decks I've been waiting for, but a cute little oracle deck called Faerie Wisdom, by Gillian Kemp and Emma Garner. (The same creators as the Good Witch, Bad Witch oracle I have.) The illustrations are very cute, but I'm not sure how it will read. I'll have to give it a spin!

Deck: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems Inc.)
and Faeries' Oracle (by Brian Froud, published by Simon & Schuster)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Halloween Tarot - A Compromise Concoction

This morning I drew the Nine of Pumpkins, Temperance and the Hierophant. I love when Temperance appears as the center card, between two others, because it always tells me that I need to combine aspects of the flanking cards.

The Nine of Pentacles, to me, is a card of independence. I often hear Frank Sinatra's song, "My Way" when this card comes up.

The Hierophant, depending on which part of it you relate to, can be seen as the same or the polar opposite of the Nine of Pentacles. If you look at it from the point of view of the Hierophant himself, then it's His Way or the Highway. If you look at it from his subject's lens, then you are at the mercy of his direction. You are expected to do things His Way and not your own. The latter is how I usually view this card.

So Temperance tells me that I need to consider these two opposites today. On the one hand, I have the urge to do things only my way, without any input from others. On the other hand, I am blindly following direction without question. So I am being urged to compromise. To take a little of this, and a little of that, and blend them to come up with the best of both worlds.

Since the Hierophant is a Major card, I get the feeling that that is the area where I am off balance a bit, and so I will need to incorporate a little more from his side than from the Nine of Pentacles side. This is confirmed for me as I see the witch pouring from the Hierophant side into the vessel on the 9-Pents side. But the owl from the Nine of Pentacles is right there on the witch's hat in Temperance to make sure she doesn't pour too much Hierophant in! The wisdom of the owl will be with me to ensure I have just the right balance.

As far applying this to my day, there are specific things that I need to do today, and instead of doing them the way I usually do, I will incorporate a bit more of a traditional method to my approach and see how that works out for me.

Deck: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Halloween Tarot - Birthday Reading

I wanted to do a birthday reading for myself today. I made up this spread...

Birthday Spread

1. The Birthday Girl: Where I stand today.
2. Past Growth: What I've learned over the past year, that I can take with me into next year.
3. Garbage: What I need to release from the past year.
4. Preview: What is coming up for me this year.
5. Future Growth: What I will learn this year; how I will grow.
6. Heads Up: (Bottom card of the deck) What I need to watch out for. Something I will deal with better if I am prepared ahead of time.

Here's the card layout that I used:

..........1..........
3....2......4....5
..........6..........


I used my Halloween Tarot deck for my reading. (Click on the image to enlarge)

1. The Birthday Girl: Where I stand today.
King of Pumpkins (Pentacles)
Hmmm. Well I don't particularly feel like the King of Pumpkins, but I guess I can see in a way why this would come up for me. I am more in control of my health than I have been this past year. I have overcome my sugar addiction, which is a huge thing for me. The King's foot rests on a gargoyle's head, proving his power over the demons that tempt him. There are ways in which I feel more in control of my life than I did a year ago, that's for certain. But I do have more work to do as far as being the financial king of life.

2. Past Growth: What I've learned over the past year, that I can take with me into next year.
Four of Bats (Swords)
I have learned to release and relax when faced with adversity. I have started taking better care of myself, and not allowing stress to overcome me is a big part of that. I'm on the right track as far as that is concerned, and I need to take that with me into next year. This card also tells me that I need to return to my daily meditation routine. I really need to do that this year.

3. Garbage: What I need to release from the past year.
Eight of Ghosts (Cups)
What I see when I look at this card is a figure walking away from all the ghosts of his past. I need to let the past die away and look only to the future. I tend to hold onto things in my mind longer than necessary, and it never benefits me. I need to let the ghosts go, all the things that happened this past year that upset me... they are dead and gone, and I need to release them from my mind, and make room for better things.

4. Preview: What is coming up for me this year.
The Fool
This is the only Major Arcana card in the reading, and it's the very first one of the deck, so it seems that this year will mark a huge new journey for me. That is exciting to hear. My eyes were drawn to the suitcase on the ground, so I can only hope that this indicates a move to a whole new place for me.

5. Future Growth: What I will learn this year; how I will grow.
Seven of Imps (Wands)
In this card I see a bunch of imps, with the leader pointing up to a creepy house on a hill. There is one youngster dressed in an imp costume, trying to fit in. It looks like the leader is going to try to make him pass a test, to see if he can really hang with the big boys. Will the boy take the challenge? Or will he remove his costume and realize he's happier being himself?

This card tells me that I may be faced with such a challenge, and I will grow from the decision I make. From where I stand right now, I am guessing I'm more likely to be my own person and not give in to peer pressure just to prove a point to someone else, when it's not even something I care about myself. I'm no stranger to the Seven of Imps. I am used to living differently than most. Maybe this year I will grow more comfortable in my own skin and it will bother me less when I have to defend myself. Maybe I will come to a point where I no longer even describe it (or consider it) as "defending" myself, and instead I will have a more positive and empowered position on the subject.

6. Heads Up: (Bottom card of the deck) What I need to watch out for. Something I will deal with better if I am prepared ahead of time.
Two of Ghosts (Cups)
Ha! Ha ha ha! I chuckled when I turned the deck over to view my warning. With all the recent talk about love in my cards, I have had this feeling that it would be about a year before I encountered this possibility. So it looks like this timing seems accurate. The Two of Ghosts is giving me a heads up that this year I best be preparing for this meeting!

Overall, it looks like I'm headed in a good direction this year. And I have some good advice on what to take with me, what to let go of, and what to be prepared for!

Deck: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Halloween Tarot - Happy Birthday to Me!

It's my birthday today! This week I'm using the obvious choice... The Halloween Tarot. And this morning I drew the Knight of Ghosts, Knight of Pumpkins and Death. The two most thoughtful Knights are bringing me gifts!

The Knight of Ghosts (Cups) brings his birthday greetings in a letter. Since it's Sunday and there is no mail, this will be in the form of email and e-cards, which I have already received this morning from thoughtful friends and family.

The Knight of Pumpkins (Pentacles) brings a gift in person, a tangible gift I can hold in my hands, which I have also received today!

And Death... well, it's just perfect really! This day marks the end of my 35-year-old status, as I have now transformed into a fabulous 36 year old! I also found it quite remarkable that Death came up, because the astrological sign associated with Death is Scorpio, which is my birthday sign!

I'm going to do a birthday tarot reading for myself, and if I have time I'll post that later.

Deck: Halloween Tarot in Tin (by Kipling West, published by US Games Systems Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Deviant Moon Tarot and Frouds' Faeries - A Group Gift Idea (Nixed)

When I drew my cards this morning, my seven year old daughter was hiding under the covers next to me, being dramatically distraught. She wants to make me a beaded bracelet for my birthday tomorrow. I mentioned that her younger sister would want to do one too... so I came up with what I thought was a great idea. I'd have each of my kids string a bracelet for me, and since I have to do the binding on it, I thought I'd bind them all together at the closure. So it would look like three separate bracelets, but I'd only have to attach it once when I want to wear it. They could still make their individual designs on their own strand, but it would just close together as one. This was far from a good idea, according to my daughter who was full of tears at the thought. She wanted to be the only one to make me a bracelet.

So there she was, hiding from the world under a blanket when I sat next to her and took out my cards for my daily draw. I didn't purposely read on the situation, but it's what I saw in the cards right away. I drew the King of Pentacles, Three of Pentacles and Ace of Cups. I dug under the blanket to show her the cards.

I showed her the Three of Pentacles and said, "Look, here you are, all my kids, working together to make something!" Then I showed her the Ace of Cups and said, "And there I am, holding a brand new gift in my hands that I LOVE!" To this, she simply replied, "What does the other card say?" (I wasn't sure how she knew I had drawn three cards, since she was under the blanket, but I didn't ask.) I said, "Hmmm, well, I don't know." I showed her the King of Pentacles. I said, "Well, he's the King of all things material... he's the Master of Gifts. He's looking at the three pentacles in the card next to him, and he holds up One Single Pentacle as if to say, 'One... three bracelets in one!'" She took the part of the blanket I had lifted and drew it back down over herself.

So I got out my Faeries. I was shuffling when a card flew out of the deck at me. I turned it over. It was Unity. I laughed. "Ha!" I said, pulling the blanket up again. "Look!!" She looked at the card and said, "What is this?" And I said, "Unity!" She said, "What does that mean?" My son then chimed in and said, "It means working together." I had a big smile on my face. My daughter's tears had dried, but she was trying her hardest to remain unhappy.

So I reminded her about a word she had used several times yesterday. Thoughtful. When she kept using it yesterday, I asked her how she knew what it meant so well. She shrugged her shoulders and said that it meant that when you are giving someone something, you think about what they would want, and not what you would want. So I reminded her that since it was my birthday, she might want to think about what I would want. And what I would love is a bracelet made by all three of my kids. I told her it was a great idea that she had, and the only adapting that I wanted to do was to create one clasp instead of three. There would still be three individual strands.

The subject was dropped at that point. I'll ask her now where she is on the idea. If she wants to do her own thing, I'll have to find a way to allow my other daughter to also bead something (without them fighting over who gets to make a necklace over a bracelet!)

I just asked her, "So where are at on the bracelet issue?" She said, "I still want my bracelet to be separate. Because I want you to be able to put them on individually, not always together. And I want you to be able to wear it on different arms sometimes. ...but I want you to have what you want. I want it to be my way, but it's your birthday so it should be your way." So I told her that she could make me her own bracelet if that's what she wanted and I know it's going to be beautiful and I'm gonna love it. She smiled and danced away.

So much for taking the cards' advice today! :) It is amazing to me though, how the Faeries' Oracle always manages to pinpoint the theme of the tarot's messages so precisely!

Deck: Deviant Moon Tarot (by Patrick Valenza, published by US Games Systems Inc.)
and The Faeries' Oracle (by Brian Froud, published by Simon & Schuster)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Deviant Moon Tarot and Frouds' Faeries - Courage

This morning I drew the Ace of Wands, Six of Swords and The Tower. This trio reminded me of last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy. In the show, there had been a hotel fire. One of the subplots was that of a firefighter who had missed his footing while trying to save a teenager from the fire. The teen ended up severely burned. I see the fire in the Ace of Wands, which was the spark that started the string of disasters that occured in the episode. The Tower is the hotel that caught on fire, complete with victims (and also the tragic death of the young mother). The Six of Swords is the firefighter (and all firefighters in general). He is flying in his balloon, and while it looks like he is steering away from the fires on the ground behind him, he is headed straight toward the Tower. Going where he is most needed, despite the danger of doing so. The balloon appears to be going at a snail's pace. The firefighter in the show wasn't able to get to the boy in time to prevent his massive burns.

What I saw in these cards was courage. When most people run from burning buildings, firefighters charge straight into the danger, risking their lives for perfect strangers. I really don't even have the words for this type of courage. It's pure love.

While I was still contemplating the message these cards had for me today, I pulled out my Faeries deck for a card of the day. I received an amazing confirmation of what I saw in the tarot. I drew The Singer of Courage. Wow. So apparently courage is definitely the theme for me today.

I truly hope that the cards are not foretelling a Tower moment in my life where I will need courage. I would rather they were more of a general pep talk for me, telling me that I need more courage to take risks in my life and follow my heart... facing the danger that comes when you live a life of pure love. That is a message I needed to hear, so I hope that's what the cards are saying to me today.

P.S. I posted a really fun update here on yesterday's reading. I took the cards' advice to heart, and I'm thrilled to say it turned the day from ordinary to extraordinary!

Decks: Deviant Moon Tarot (by Patrick Valenza, published by US Games Systems Inc.)
and The Faeries' Oracle (by Brian Froud, published by Simon & Schuster)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.

Deviant Moon Tarot - The Devil Wants To Play!

I was ill yesterday, so didn't have a chance to blog. This morning when I took out my deck, I had a specific question in mind. I wanted guidance as to how to get as much joy from this day as possible. I have been feeling bored lately and I feel like I can't quite get a good grasp on living every day with pure joy. I want to be one of those people who always have a smile on their face, who are always happy just to be alive. Although I'm not sad or upset or down, I'm kinda just there... living every day like I did the last. Boring.

I drew the Ten of Wands, Justice and The Devil. I smiled when I saw the Devil. Now here's a guy who knows how to have a good time! He reminded me of the episode of Eastwick last night where all hell broke loose as everyone was under the moon's influence and were incapable of resisting their every lustful and maniacal whim.

The Ten of Wands is how I feel, day after day, shouldering the same burden. Nothing changes. Every day is the same. I carry the same routine from one day to the next. The monotony is growing wearisome and I need a break.

Justice stands in between the two, holding a sword out to each. There will be a duel between the dull daily responsibilities and the primal urges to let loose. You'd think that Justice would be the impartial go-between. But there are creatures beneath the judge's robe, along with an extra arm. There is also a set of keys to open the keyhole in the building on the Ten of Wands' side of the judge. It seems to me like the judge is on the Devil's payroll. The creatures under his robe resemble the character in the Ten of Wands. I think the Devil has conjured them up to distract his opponent. He knows he will take care of all necessary tasks before dueling. And while the creature is busy putting his wands and fellow creatures away in the locked building, the Devil will escape into the building on the right... where the party is happening. To heck with the duel. That's just wasting precious time that is better spent indulging in life's richest temptations.

This tells me that instead of thinking this subject to death, instead of doing what needs to be done before having fun, I need to make joy my priority today over anything else. What would make me happy? What can I do today that I haven't done in awhile? What is something that tempts me but I usually shy away from it because I don't have enough time, or other things are "more important"? Where can I throw caution to the wind today and take a "Devil may care" attitude? I need to pick at least one thing that I can do today that I wouldn't ordinarily indulge in... one guilty pleasure that I can revel in, and in doing so, experience the thrill of living fully.

Now I am getting off the computer to do just that!

Update:
When I got off the computer, I sat there wondering what spontaneous thing I should do. Out of the clear blue sky (I realize it was really a sign meant for me), my older daughter said to my younger daughter, "Ya know, every day is a holiday. Today's our Unbirthday!" I immediately thought, That's it! We should have an Unbirthday party today! But then my mind was inundated with excuses.

• It'd be silly to simulate a birthday party three days before my own birthday.
• I haven't made any preparations.
• What about presents?
• What will I make as treats?
• How will I decorate last minute?
• This just isn't something you do without planning ahead of time.
• etc...
  

Then the Devil card jumped in my mind. This is JUST the types of excuses that he expected from me. This is precisely what he wanted me to conquer today. And with that, I announced we were having an Unbirthday party this very afternoon!

I had the kids draw names to make secret presents for each other. I wrapped up a movie I had bought them for Christmas. The kids also secretly made me drawings. I grabbed a bright red piece of fabric for a tablecloth. I went in the yard and gathered wild flowers and threw them around the table. I got out my deck of playing cards and placed them around the table. My daughter's Chesire Cat plush purse joined us at the table. I made iced tea and served it in my beautiful Alice in Wonderland teapot. I made mini cupcakes. We sat and had tea and cupcakes. We sang "A Very Merry Unbirthday to You". We exchanged gifts. It was fabulous!

My son asked if it was okay if he made me a "scary" version of Alice in Wonderland for my gift. I said, "Sure, that'd be cool!" Here's the drawing he made for me. I love it! (Click on the image to enlarge.)

This was exactly the sort of spontaneous fun that I have been lacking, allowing my lame excuses to bully over my joy of living. I'm so thrilled that I listened to the cards' advice and did something so spur of the moment today. It wasn't perfectly organized, it wasn't planned with every possible detail in mind, but it happened... we lived it, instead of putting it off for another time. Thanks to the Devil's influence today, we experienced unexpected joy and spontaneous, celebratory fun!

Deck: Deviant Moon Tarot (by Patrick Valenza, published by US Games Systems Inc.)

~ Kiki
Tarot Dame

If you'd like to book a tarot reading with me, please click here for details.