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Mid may - mixed bag!

5/21/2019

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Buckland Romani Tarot

Tools And Timing

Sometimes creative projects come in fits and starts. There may be funding or creativity problems. All kinds of obstacles can crop up when you are trying to put a project out in the world. But, no journey can begin without a first step! Admittedly, I am often slowed down by health issues, but for a long time I put off doing the creative things because I didn’t have the “right equipment” or because I was in an unstable situation. Finally, I decided that I was just going to do it anyway. That was really exciting.

But, lately, there have been some impediments to doing it anyway. I’ve had to surrender. I started a YouTube channel only to find out when I make videos or take photos, I'm unable to transfer them from my phone. My computer is old and unreliable. I have sporadic internet. My life is full to the brim with stress and my physical pain seems undaunted no matter how much ibuprofen I throw at it.
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There are times in every creative process when you feel like you’ve hit a wall! I had a good momentum going and I smacked up against it pretty hard. I’ve been pretty mad, dejected, frustrated, but the cards have been telling me lately that maybe I just need to stop for a bit, focus on some of these tiny details and build up my tools. I don’t have to stop creating. I just have to be patient, go slow, do it at my own pace, etc. It does no good beating myself up for being sick. That doesn’t help me with my health. Surrendering to my limitations and having faith that I’ll still produce some good work that connects with people is a pretty good strategy and may prevent me from having a stroke, yes?

This reading with the Animals Divine Tarot, which is always on point, really underscored this for me. It’s time to be an industrious little mouse and stock resources.


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ABUNDANCE!

The Abundance card from The Vintage Wisdom Oracle has come up a number of times lately, alone or paired with Transition. It’s been a good reminder that the acceptance that change is inevitable and letting go of things or people that are holding me back makes room for things that do. Making room for abundance is a worthwhile endeavor. It also reminds me that even though I don’t have the kind of financial abundance most people associate with the word, I have much to be grateful for as I am truly rich in friends.

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Let's Talk Tens!

Changing gears a bit here, I had meant to highlight Michelle Tea’s marvelous book, Modern Tarot throughout May, but barely got started with one post on Instagram last week. I’m going to keep it going. Hopefully, you’ll follow along and enjoy it, The book is highly quotable, Tea’s observations on tarot are brilliant. It is one of my favorite books and I recommend it highly!

So, let's talk TENS in the Tarot for a minute: I have a little bit of trouble with tens. On one hand,, they can signify a moment of huzzah! You’ve done the thing, everything is beautiful, and all your hard work paid off, right? Time to celebrate! This is especially evident in the Ten of Cups and the Ten of Pentacles. The Ten of Wands is that temporary extra load you’ve taken on that you know will push you over the edge to your goal! The Ten of Swords, on the other hand….yeesh, that’s the one we all try to avoid, right? But, you have to end your cycle. It’s inevitable. Even the scary cards have a positive message when you can get past the imagery!

"Tens are the resolution, but they are not the big happy whiz-bang party card you might expect. Because the tarot is a glyph of life itself, and life is about action always, the pride and happiness of a ten is tempered by a twinge of boredom, of “what now”-ishness.  Because as one cycle ends, another is beginning, and the suit is ready to tip back into the Ace and start the whole thing all over again. This is sometimes a big relief - the Ten of Swords for instance, looks like the worst card in the deck, but it holds the considerable Silver Lining of this lousy moment finally being over."  -Michelle Tea

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Here are three decks that illustrate this rather well (L to R):
​The Fradella Adventure Tarot, The Morgan Greer Tarot, The Buckland Romani Tarot.
I’d invite you to spend some time with the Tens of the tarot this week. What do they make you feel? What clues  jump out from the imagery in the deck you use most?

Recommendations

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What am I listening to this week? I’ve been delving into the tarot episodes of Midnight Scario podcast. It’s been fun hearing the observations of someone who is somewhat of a novice. I’ll have to listen to a few more before I can really comment.

What am I watching? Well, I had a fun surprise. I had a rough day and decided to unwind with a few giggles by watching, Amy Poehler’s comedy film, Wine Country on Netflix. It has a great cast of ladies, mostly SNL alums including Maya Rudolph and Tina Fey. Poehler says many of the film’s  misadventures are based on things that actually happened on various vacations, including a very bad group tarot reading. Cherry Jones, is hilarious as a reader with a very bad cardside manner. What I appreciated about it though is that the scene was written with accurate card interpretations. It’s refreshing to see tarot respected in this way. They used the Golden Universal Tarot which is a very pretty RWS based deck. 

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Golden Universal Tarot
That’s it for Tarot Tuesday this week. As soon as I can get something, ANYTHING working, there will be new videos on my YouTube channel. I post on the Speaking Of Witch Instagram regularly, but not so much that it will overwhelm your feed. I’d love to see you there!

If you want to help Speaking of Witch grow and get better content,  HERE is our Amazon wish list of decks and books we'd like to review.  

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I Just Can't Even! Can You?

3/14/2019

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There are some days you just can't even, and you aren't sure how to even start sorting it out! Those are great times to whip out your deck and create your own spread!

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CURRENT MOOD
I don’t know about you, but 2019 has gotten off to a rocky start for me. January and February were brutal emotionally, physically and financially. March has gifted us the first Mercury Retrograde of 2019. As a Pisces, I’ve braced myself for a rocky birthday month. Since this retrograde is in Pisces, I can expect all my worst traits to tempt me and for others to be baiting me with them. Oh shadowy shadows! The whole month will be an adventure in communication. By the time my birthday rolled around, Mercury was firmly stomping on the brakes. I know I am going to have to continue to navigate this one carefully!
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The last couple days I found myself pulling out my cards and looking at them with trepidation. I know how pithy and on point they can be and I just didn’t feel I could take the sass. I sat down this afternoon, holding the well worn leather bag in my hands and thought, I just can’t even, today.

M
y cards, being the Smarty McSmartass deck that they’ve always been, piped up, “Well then, how about you make up an, ‘I Just Can't Even, Right Now’ tarot spread? I’ve got you, on this, trust me.”
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I groaned and let out a dramatic sigh (It actually felt good letting all that air out) but I agreed it was a brilliant idea. As usual, my Buckland Romani Tarot, socked it to me. It didn’t pull any punches. It threw me some shade but it also gave me a pep talk.

So here is what the spread looks like:

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CCards start on the left and go down, then up.
  1. Can’t Even!: What is at the core of my burnout or exasperation? What is the story I am telling or letting others tell me that is perpetuating this situation?
  2. Right Now! (Action!): Are there any actions I can take right now to improve or change things or do I need to take a step back or chill out for a while?
  3. I - Perspective:  What am I missing? Is there another angle I should be looking at this situation from? Is my assessment of what I’m dealing with accurate or skewed? Is there something I can do to change my outlook or attitude?
  4. I - Self Care!: What can I do to nurture myself and repair so that I can come at this fresh, with more energy, clarity and hope?
  5. Even - Meditation or Lesson: Here is some food for thought. What do I need to reflect on? What do I need to know that will help me make a better decision? What knowledge will help me get unstuck and go forward?
  6. Can! Encouragement: What should I feel good about? What am I doing right? What do I need to hear? How about a nice little nudge! Give me some good news!​

Why couldn't I even, today?

​Why can I not even? I have been in a perpetually disadvantaged situation for some years now. Every time it seems like things are finally going to stabilize and I can start to inch forward, the whole apple cart tips. Bending over and picking up all those apples and righting the cart time and time again isn’t getting any easier as  I age. I need a little help from my friends, frequently. I find myself having to ask for help over and over again; frustrated that I can’t change my situation on my own. I hate having to be dependant on the benevolence of others. I loathe having to ask for assistance. I often feel judged and spend twice as much time criticizing myself as other people do.  I feel like the Chris Farley character in that SNL skit where he would start to hit himself on the forehead and call himself, idiot and stupid, repeatedly. There is a lot of shame attached to my daily existence.

Process and Interpretation

Before I reveal my results, let me explain a few things about how I read. I keep the traditional card meanings in mind, as well as the information I have about the specific images in this deck, but I give equal or even a bit more, weight to my intuition. What jumps out at me from an image? What story is it telling me? What does this card mean in this reading right now, today for the person I am reading for? I also generally do not read reversals, unless they absolutely make sense, which in this reading they did. I tend to like to look at the whole picture in a card, shadow side and all, which gives me a much richer interpretation.
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When creating a reading, it's as simple as brainstorming a list of questions or placements that you think will best address the situation you want answers about. You can also decide ahead of time what number of cards you want to use, including whether there are any numerical significances you want to imbue the reading with. For example, if you are doing a reading related to your Oshun practice, you might use 5 cards, A reading for the month might include a card for each week, etc. After you have decided how many cards and what they will mean, play with the layout. You can make any pattern or shape that makes sense to you.

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I decided on sort of a staggered zig zag pattern. Cards are read from left to right, lower card, then upper card.

Looking at the overall picture, I’ve got two major arcana, two court cards and one minor arcana numbered card from each suite. As things go, this is pretty balanced elementally. I seem to be equally vexed and supported in my, “can’t even” issues: emotionally, mentally, physically and materially. Only two major arcana suggests things aren’t written in stone. The court cards, do not automatically represent other people every time they pop up, either. I often see readers try to force that in when it doesn’t fit.

Numerologically, I have some interesting repetition as well. I have a ten (reduces to one). Tens symbolize completion. Ones can symbolize beginnings. I also have a Page which symbolizes something new. I have a three. Threes are all about growth and often teamwork or group dynamics. I also have a knight which is really the one who carries growth forward and often inspires others to move forward with him. I  have two fours which represent a stage of manifestation, but maybe not the end game. The cards seem to say this situation affects me in every area of my life and I would say that’s accurate. I also feel I am in a constant cycle of starting, getting things moving and having a bit of a win, followed by something throwing me rather roughly, back to square one.

1. “Can’t Even”- Knight of Chivs  (Knives aka Knight of Swords)

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Normally, the Knight of Swords is shown charging into action on a white horse, but the Knight in this deck is different. He sits confident and vigilant on a calm, dark horse with a white blaze on its face. The young man is shirtless, yet the snowy weather does not seem to bother him. His sword is unsheathed and ready for combat if the need arises. The scene in this card really represents how I feel in the now. I feel like I am out in the cold, bleak, winter and that I need to always be vigilant and prepared. There are things I want to do, but I have business to take care of. I feel vulnerable, but I know I am tougher than I look. I have survived worse things than this. This ain’t no apocalypse! Been there, done that.

The horse on this card symbolizes support. Even though I feel isolated, I do have strong support. I have a lot of issues around that though, so even with gratitude and appreciation comes shame and self criticism.  And...SCENE!

How the BRT's Knight of Swords differs from the traditional depiction:

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Buckland Romani
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Rider Waite Smith
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Fradella Adventure
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78 Tarot Nautical

2. Right Now - Wheel of Fortune (Major Arcana number ten):

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I see this in a couple of ways. One, is that even when things are really difficult, to the point that some people would look at me with certainty that I am under a curse, I still have a fair amount of good luck. The kind of luck that I have, (amazing friends, prime parking spaces, serendipitous timing) may not change my fortune dramatically, but throws a fair amount of glitter on it. (Quality glitter)

I also see this card as telling me that I should buckle up, because there's not a lot of action that I can take other than just reaching out to spin the wheel. Most things are completely out of my control. Spinning the wheel, in this case, meant asking for help even though I didn't want to, and seeing where the arrow lands. So far, the outcome has been a helpful one; not a reversal of fortune, the next card won’t be the sun or the world, but it was a stay of execution.  I did get exactly the amount of help that I needed at the time to cover the things that were really dire.

​It helps me to realize in a crisis that thing's do tend to work out, if not landing on fabulous, I will definitely be all right or at least not stomped on by a rogue elephant! I would certainly enjoy a turn of the wheel that resulted in a jackpot and I would definitely like to pass on the kinds of experiences that forced me to make a choice to either suffer or gamble, but I am grateful to be able to make that spin and have things turn out a bit better in the morning. I take this card as a prompt that I should continue to ask for help when I need it and be open to lucky solutions!



3. I / Perspective - The Emperor Reversed:

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*Note: I am showing this card upright for viewing purposes.
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This was a bit of a hard one for me. I gotta say, this is not the first time I've felt personally attacked by my cards. I feel to some extent that this card reflects my personal need to at least appear to have my shit together, my aversion to showing weakness, and my flair for throwing unreasonable standards and harsh judgments at myself. I tend to feel responsible for everyone and everything!

I also have a history of male figures in my life who are stern, judgmental and controlling. Because of my vulnerabilities, physically and financially, I often find myself in situations where I have no choice but to be at the mercy of people like this. I'm not on an equal footing with people who have the power to prop up or completely derail my life.

The upright emperor is an empowering person who knows when to take charge, when to delegate and when to lend support. The reversed emperor can be a micromanager, an underminer, and a punisher. So, how can I be vulnerable without putting myself so heavily at risk? How can I keep these kinds of people from interfering with my growth when I may have no choice about sharing an environment with them?

Also, how can I stop being so judgemental and hard on myself? How can I get the support that I need both from within and without? This is well worth examining.

4. I / Self Care - Page of Koros (Cups):

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I was not surprised when this card also came up as a daily draw on my birthday.
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This feels very obvious to me. My therapist has been after me for weeks about allowing myself some self care. “Work on your altar” she suggests every week like a squirrel with a nut! This card is recommending that I take a moment, look around, find some beauty in nature and breathe it in. Have a cuppa. Take time for myself. Allow myself to start a creative project I've been eager to dive into. (These blogs, perhaps?)

​Even in a stressful situation, there are always bright opportunities and new things to learn. I should let myself feel like a girl instead of a grumpy sad sack. I also may want to look out for friendly messengers (like the rabbit) who will tell me how to run with my dream.

5. Even - Lesson: Three of Bolers (Wheels aka Pentacles) Reversed:

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*Note: card is shown upright for viewing purposes.

This is typically a card that illustrates building something in collaboration, however in the Buckland Romani Tarot, the Romani man is repairing a wagon wheel while gauchos, non Rom, look on. Are they admiring his work? Judging it? Mocking him? That's open to interpretation. He's the expert here. They need his skills. He works alone.

Reversed,  Three of Wheels / Pentacles really seems to reflect doing something  that is too simple for your skill-set or feeling underappreciated. It can also show a feeling of frustration because you either feel you always have to do things by yourself or just aren't getting the cooperation from others to get the job done. It is often a prompt to tell you to go ahead and ask for help. This very much reflects my state right now and one of the dilemmas that I have.

I had an experience recently when I needed to clear out a storage unit with a short deadline. Someone did offer to help me, but I ended up doing the whole job myself simply because I knew there would be a lot of time that she would spend standing around while I went through stuff. I also had a really specific idea in mind of how I wanted things to be placed in the new space and it just seemed more efficient to do it the hard way.

Fighting against asking for help is definitely a thing with me. Asking and accepting does not come easily. It makes sense that I would benefit from spending some time evaluating this situation and asking, is it really necessary or reasonable for me to strive to be completely self-sufficient? Am I allowing myself to perceive criticism and judgment from others when it might not actually be there? Am I not allowing people to help when they can and want to? Can I envision a balance of accepting help on some occasions while maintaining a general state of independence? What would that look like?

6. Can - Encouragement: Four of Koshes (Staves) Reversed:

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*Note: card is shown upright for viewing purposes.

This is a great card for this position, because it's still a positive card whether it's upright or reversed! Upright, there is a group celebrating together, but reversed, this card often is a nudge that one can achieve a bit of success on one's own, and be proud of it without making it a big thing. I think this might be encouraging me to find some joy for myself and acknowledge that even though it's been really, really, hard lately, I am still making progress and I should be proud of that.

I might want to consider an affirmation like:


I am doing my best. I don't need other people's approval to assess whether I'm doing enough for myself, whether I've made progress, or whether I should ask for, or deserve, help. I am worthy of praise AND assistance.

I really need to find a some nice sweet joy sauce to pour liberally over all this bitter, salty old humble pie I've been forcing myself to eat lately.

BONUS: CLICK HERE FOR Links and TWO MORE SPREADS (from Jessi Huntenburg & Evvie Marin) PERFECT FOR WHEN YOU JUST...CAN'T.. EVEN

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Thursday, April 5th, 2018

4/4/2018

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The Hierophant
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The Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot

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Everytime I look at this card I cannot help but think of Cartman from South Park saying, “Respect my authoritaaah!” In most decks, the Hierophant is an illustration of the Pope, who for Catholics is revered as the one to look to for spiritual guidance, blessings and knowledge.

​Smith has illustrated his holiness in full regalia. With one hand he gives a blessing and with the other he holds a triple cross.  Two students kneel before him in reverence to receive his blessing and teachings. At his feet are the keys to heaven.

So the thing to ask yourself is does this card represent a figure or an institution in your life that you see as a higher authority or does it represent a position that you are moving into? The Hierophant can symbolize a spiritual Institution or spiritual education and what that means to you personally. It represents more of a sanctioned holiness than a personal spirituality. But it can also represent your own study and accumulation of spiritual knowledge as well as any kind of official seal of approval. Perhaps you just got married, earned your PhD or are publishing a book.
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Another thing that the Popish Hierophant always brings to mind is the risk of playing follow the leader, without question, when it comes to spiritual issues. Or the risk a leader others look to for guidance may have to become, complacent, rigid and pompous. The mind, heart and soul deserve more consideration, I think. It doesn’t matter what the religion, when we accept what our ordained leaders and teachings say as the unassailable truth we put ourselves in danger. My post at the beginning of the month about  being in a cult is a good example. No one questioned the High Priestess whether out of fear or belief. Some even felt her divinity was a given. Some still do, even with all the carnage left in her wake. This is one of the cautions about organized religion. It is more dogma than darma. The Hierophant does not strictly represent dogmatic, authoritarian belief however. Some decks like The Buckland Romani Tarot represent more of a belief and respect for knowledge than a rigid system.


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Instead of a religious icon, The Buckland Romani Tarot Hierophant is a Blacksmith. 

"Working with fire and smoke to transform crude iron into tools and weapons, the blacksmith was held in awe in many cultures. His work in iron and bronze was so important that throughout the world the smith was regarded as a magician, a holy man."

"Iron itself has been regarded as near-magical in many cultures and is credited with supernatural powers. In many legends it is the smith who is the healer and the doctor, and it is he who teaches people how to use fire. The smith usually plays a leading role in magic and divination."
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- Raymond Buckland

​It's not a bad thing to want to learn from religious or spiritual leaders. Faith can be a marvelous gift. Critical thinking; sifting through what makes sense, checks out and weighing out its value is of utmost importance. Blind faith is what is expected of animals being herded into the chute for slaughter.

If I pull out the little vintage text that Waite wrote, it will give you a whole slew of potential meanings:

Divinatory Meanings: Marriage, Alliance, captivity, servitude, mercy and goodness, inspiration, the man to whom the Querent has recourse.

Reversed: Society, good understanding, concord, over-kindness, weakness.


Here are the Centennial and Universal Waite Hierophant images:

To Ponder:

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How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded, “This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said, grander, more subtle, more elegant?” Instead they say, “No, no, no! My god is a little god, and I want him to stay that way.” A religion, old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.

― Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
“I have as much authority as the Pope. I just don’t have as many people who believe it.”
― George Carlin
“Spirituality is not adopting more beliefs and assumptions but uncovering the best in you.”
― Amit Ray, Beautify your Breath - Beautify your Life
When distant and unfamiliar and complex things are communicated to great masses of people, the truth suffers a considerable and often a radical distortion. The complex is made over into the simple, the hypothetical into the dogmatic, and the relative into an absolute. -----Walter Lippmann
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
-Albert Einstein

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Tuesday January 9th, 2017

1/9/2018

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Five of Wheels (Pentacles) -
​Buckland Romani Tarot

This card came up from a different deck on Saturday, January 6th so I'll refer you to that post for basic meanings, but I have a couple of interesting things to note today:
  • First, this is the second time the card has come up in a couple of days
  • Someone else has been drawing this card constantly
  • I actually got up early this morning and drew the card but didn't have time to do a write up before my appointment started.
  • The kicker is this evening when things finally calmed down and I decided to do another draw, I shuffled my deck really, really, really well and guess which card came up? The same one, five of Pentacles. 
  • This tells me that this message is one that's really trying to get through and probably to more than just one person!

So, let's talk about this particular five of Pentacles because it's a little different than some decks and I think it's really interesting. Instead of people out in the snow we instead have a woman and her two children begging in front of the church. The woman in particular is wearing tattered, faded and clothes that have been mended many times over. She and the girl to her left are looking directly at you, in a plea for sympathy. A bowl is in front of her and she hopes he will put some money in it. However, the girl to her left (your right) is smiling and looks as if she is about to laugh. Despite the hole in her shoe, which she is almost pointing to, she seems to look as if this might be a game. It is entirely possible, that this Romani family begging in front of the church doesn't really need to be begging or are not in the state of despair that they seem. This could be how they're making their money, or supplementing their income. 

They are leaning against a very substantial building, a church. When you think of churches you think of charity, spiritual and sometimes physical support. The window has shutters and they are open to let in the light and to show that people are welcome to come in. The wheels in the window are like warm, golden suns. The sky is blue. It's a sunny beautiful day out. The grass is green. These are all elements of hope.

You have several levels to look at here. You can look at it from the position of being affected by poverty (financial, spiritual, health, isolation) and help that you may not see is at hand. Or you can look at it as telling a story of that poverty and refusing to see other options. Or finding a benefit from allowing others to see you as being impoverished in some way.

One of the things I always say, is who do you identify with in the card? What do you feel drawn to? And I think what is really important about this card is it's asking you to examine, what are the stories you are telling yourself and others your financial situation, health, spiritual lack or whatever type of poverty or bad luck you may feel you possess? Are they useful? Are they true? Are you ignoring solutions or are you turning down help? Have you become so invested in wrestling with obstacles that you can't see the solution at hand for getting around through or over them? What is your relationship to money? What is your relationship to success? What are you afraid of when it comes to your spiritual growth? Again, what stories are you telling yourself and others? And what stories are you allowing other people to tell you about these things? Which do you choose despair or hope?
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Saturday January 6th, 2017

1/6/2018

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Five of Pentacles -
The New Palladini Tarot

This card often looks so bleak. however it is really a card of hope, when you know where to look for it or are willing to ask for it. 

Here we have two elderly, weary Travelers bent over from age shivering in the cold. They are looking down at the ground so they can't see that right next to them is the warm light of a church window it's windows decorated with beautiful stars / coins. If they would just look up they would see sanctuary, shelter, and assistance right beside them. The building is physical comfort and the church offers spiritual comfort. All they have to do is go inside.

The traditional meanings for this card are: "isolation, insecurity, worry, financial loss, poverty"

reversed: "recovery from financial loss, spiritual poverty"

The Five of Pentacles is a reminder that resources are always available. You just have to be open and watchful for an unexpected opportunity. You may be going through a period where all you feel is poverty and lack, loneliness, no spiritual connection, job instability, broke, illness, etc. Often these problems are caused by your unwillingness to reach out, your pride, stubborness or your fear. However, recovery is possible, and you will not have to get out of this situation all by yourself. In fact, trying to do everything by yourself or your way may be one of the things that got you into trouble. 

It's a good time to stop and look both without and perhaps within ( to listen for spiritual guidance) for answers and assistance. Ask yourself. What am I afraid of? What am I uncomfortable with that is holding me back? What is my relationship with money, success, accepting help? Is it unhealthy? 

Five of Pentacles - Comparative Tarot

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Comparative tarot is really fascinating to me. It really helps you understand tree cards. It's one of the things that I love about having so many different decks. I thought I would show you the Five of Pentacles in five of the decks I have on hand.

Starting at top left, left to right:

1. New Palladini card I just drew. 
2. The Buckland Romani Tarot has a bit of an interesting twist because the Romani are beggars in front of the church, but they may be merely pretending to gain sympathy and make money. So it kind of takes some of the issues of this card relating to the state of poverty and fears, relationship with money, etc to another level. 

Both of these cards are very much influenced by the traditional Rider Waite imagery. Some of these other decks change things up a little more. 

3. Animals Divine Tarot. It's odd to see the red fox in winter. Being a trickster he also adds a little bit of that element of poverty or your ideas about being a sham. Normally a fox can be pretty much invisible in any landscape but this guy is completely exposed and his red coat is highly visible against the winter storm. 

4. The five of Oaks from the Incidental Tarot. You notice the broken branch is the focal point here. There's a feeling of disconnect. 

5. The Secret Tarot. This is probably the weirdest five of Pentacles I have. It has completely divorced itself from any connection to the Rider Waite. I still have not a hundred percent figured this one out and it makes me so sad that there is no book accompanying this tarot because I'm dying to know what the artist intended. What I usually read this as, and honestly I kind of get a different thing from every single person who draws it, but it feels a lot like it's about vanity and the trappings of success. There are so many interesting little things in this card. I often ask people whether they are more drawn to the woman or if they feel like the photographer in this image. Here you have this extremely glamorous women posing opposite this obese photographer, who actually looks like he might be Jewish. There's a feeling of aloofness on her part and voyeurism on his. This card just fascinates the heck out of me.
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    The (Almost) Daily Divine

    An almost daily, hopefully helpful, exploration of the tarot

    Lorelei Moon

    Lorelei Moon has been reading tarot cards both professionally and for herself for nearly 40 years. She has an extensive collection, but the deck she uses most often is The Buckland Romani Tarot



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    Albrecht Durer Tarot
    Alchemical Tarot
    Alchemist
    Aleister Crowley
    Amit Ray
    Amy Martin
    Amy Poehler
    Animal Lords Tarot
    Animals Divine
    Animal Theme
    Animal Themed Decks
    Animal Totem
    Anna Franklin
    Ansata Tarot
    Arcane Bullshit
    Art
    Art Deck
    Asian
    Asian American Mental Health Tarot
    Athena
    Ba;ance
    Bad Witch
    Balance
    Baseball Tarot
    Be Candid
    Beginnings
    Biddy Tarot
    Black Rose Witchcraft
    Blodeuwedd
    Blue Apatite
    Bolers
    Bonus
    Brandon Sanderson
    Buckland Romani Tarot
    Byzantine Tarot
    Cailleach
    Captain Merphlepoof
    Carl Sagan
    Cartomancy
    Catrin Welz-Stein
    Cats
    CAYA Coven
    Celebrate
    Celebration
    Celtic
    Chakras
    Challenge
    Challenges
    Challenges. True Grit
    Cherry Jones
    Chimera
    Chrysalis Tarot
    Cindy De Andrade Avelino
    Clarity
    Clubs
    Coins
    Collaboration
    Comes In Threes
    Communication
    Comparative Tarot
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    Conflict
    Connection
    Control
    Coru Cathubodua Priesthood
    Cosmic Tarot
    Court Cards
    Creating Your Own Tarot Spreads
    Creativity
    Crisis
    Crystals
    Cults
    Cultural Theme. Major Arcana
    Cups
    Cynthia Sheppard
    Daggers
    Dame’s Fortune’s Wheel Tarot
    Daughters Of The Moon
    David Carson
    Decisive
    Defense
    Deities
    Desire
    Destructive
    Devil
    Devin Hunter
    Discs
    Disks
    Divination
    Djamila Knopf
    Dogma
    Double Egg Yolks
    Doug Larson
    Dream Inspirational
    Dreamwalker Tarot
    Earth
    Egrov Tarot
    Eight Of Swords
    Emotion
    End Of Struggle
    Energy
    Evan Doherty
    Everyday Witch Tarot
    Evvie Marin
    Family
    Fantastical Menagerie Tarot
    Fantastical Tarot
    Favorite Decks
    Feathers
    Fertility
    Fierce
    Fire
    Five Of Bolers (Wheels)
    Five Of Pentacles
    Fives: For Fighting
    Flower Agate
    Flower Faeries Tarot
    Folklore
    Follow Your Heart
    Four
    Four Of Wands
    Fradella Adventure Tarot
    Frustration
    Full Moon
    George Carlin
    Gillian Kemp
    Goals
    Goddess
    Goddesses Knowledge Cards
    Golden Tarot
    Golden Tarot Of Klimt
    Good Witch Bad Witch
    Go With The Flow
    Go With Your Gut
    Green Witch Tarot
    Growth
    Halloween Tarot
    Hanging On
    Harriet Braike
    Having It All
    Heartache
    Henry David Thoreau
    Hezicos Tarot
    Hierophant
    Holly DeFount
    Hollywood
    Home
    Hoopoe
    Hope
    Housewives Tarot
    I Just Can't Even
    Illusion
    Imagery
    Incidental Tarot
    Influence
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    Inner Child Tarot
    Institutions
    Intellect
    Interpretation
    Interrobang Tarot
    Introduction
    Investment
    Isha Lerner
    Isolation
    Jamie Sams
    Jane Park
    Japan
    Jessica Matthews
    Jessi Huntenburg
    Joie De Vivres
    Journey Ahead
    Judgement
    Kickstarter
    King
    King Of Cups
    Kings
    Knight Of Swords
    Knight Of Wands
    Knights
    Knives
    Knowledge
    Lawrence Teng
    Leadership
    Learning
    Lenormand
    Leo
    Lessons For Children
    Letting Go
    Lily Tomlin
    Little Charles
    Long Term Plans
    Looking Forward
    Loss
    Love
    Lovers
    Major Arcana
    Manifestation
    Marco Nizzoli
    Margaret Atwood
    Marriage Card
    Mary Greer
    Mastery
    Maya Rudolph
    Medicine Cards
    Medieval Cat Tarot
    Meditation
    Mercury Retrograde
    Messenger
    Messengers
    Michelle Tea
    Midnight Scario
    Minor Arcana
    Missing The Forest
    Modern Spellcaster’s Tarot
    Modern Tarot
    Moonology
    Morgan Greer Tarot
    Mrs. Anna Laetitia Barbauld
    Mt Miyagi
    Multi-tasking
    MVP Of Bats
    Mythology
    Narcissist
    Native American
    Nature
    Navigators Of The Mystic Sea Tarot
    New Moon
    New Palladini Tarot
    New Year
    Nicoletta Ciccoli Tarot
    Nope
    No Tarot Day
    Nurture
    Nyx Rowan
    Oaks
    Observation
    Obssesion
    Obstacles
    Obstacles. Adversity
    Omens
    Opportunity
    Oracle
    Oracle Decks
    Ostara
    Ostara Tarot
    Out Of Print
    Out-of-print
    Ovomancy
    Owl
    Owls
    Own Worst Enemy
    Pagan Otherworlds Tarot
    Page
    Page Of Swords
    Pain
    Pamela Colman Smith
    PantheaCon
    Passion
    Paul Struck
    Pentacles
    Phoenix
    Pisces
    Podcast Recommendations
    Poppy Palin
    Poseidon
    Poverty
    Preparedness
    Prison Of Mind
    Protection
    Queen Of Cups
    Queen Of Pentacles
    Queen Of Swords
    Queens
    Quills
    Quotes
    Rainer Maria Rilke
    Raven Grimassi
    Raymond Buckland
    Reading Elements
    Rebirth
    Reckoning
    Recognition
    Resolution
    Revelation
    Reversals
    Rhiannon
    Rider Waite Smith
    Rider-Waite Tarot
    Rods
    Round Decks
    Ruth Bader Ginsburg
    Secret Tarot
    Self Care
    Seven Of Wands
    Shadowscapes Tarot
    Shadow Work
    Shake-up
    Sharp Cookie
    Shit Sandwich
    Sigmond Freud
    Signs
    Sitting Bull
    Skills
    Sloth
    Smith Waite Centennial Tarot
    Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot
    Socialize
    Solar Cross Temple
    Sorrow
    Spirituality
    Spring
    Stability
    Stand Your Ground
    Star Tarot
    Staves
    Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
    Stephanie Taylor-Grimassi
    Strength
    Stress
    Strife
    Strong Foundation
    Strong Roots And Wide Branches
    Struggle
    Stuck
    Study
    Success
    Suffering
    Surreal
    Surrender
    Susan Seddon Boulet
    Swords
    Sylvia Ritter
    Take A Moment
    Tarot Cards
    Tarot De Saint Croix
    Tarot Of Cats
    Tarot Of Metamorphosis
    Tarot Of The Cat People
    Tarot Of The Mystic Spiral
    Tarot Of The New Vision
    Tarot Of The Secret Forest
    Tarot Of The Zirkus Magi
    Tarot Reveries
    Tarot Spreads
    Temper Temper
    Ten Of Swords
    Tens In The Tarot
    TERF
    The Animals Divine
    The Fool
    The Magician
    The Oracle Of Mystical Moments
    The Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot
    The Star
    The Tower
    The Triple Goddess Tarot
    The Wild Unknown
    Things Are Not Always What They Seem
    Thoth
    Three Card Spreads
    Three Of Cups
    Three Of Fire
    Three Of Swords
    Three Of Wands
    Threes: Come Together
    Timing
    Tina Fey
    Tools
    Tower
    Transition
    Transphobic
    Travel
    Truth
    Tsuyoshi Nagano
    Turmoil
    Ukiyoe Tarot
    Universal Waite
    Unusual Decks
    Use Your Words
    Vintage Wisdom Oracle
    Vision
    Vitality
    Wands
    Warning
    Water
    Well Worn Path
    Wheels
    Whips
    Whispers Of Ganesha Oracle
    Whispers Of Lord Ganesha Oracle
    Wicca
    Wicca Cards
    Wild Unknown
    Wildwood Tarot
    Wine Country
    Wisdom
    Witches Tarot
    Work
    Working With Novelty Decks
    Worry
    WTF?
    Yasmin Boland
    Yeshe Rabbit Matthews
    Zigeuner Tarot

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