They’re not Tarot cards, and magician Juan G. Perez is making them specifically for use in magic tricks, not readings, but I really like this Hidden Mirrors Eclipse playing card deck he’s trying to produce.
In the Kickstarter video below, you can see samples of the cards and hear Perez explain what’s special about them.
Primarily it’s about the colour. Rather than white cards, he’s making black cards with white borders. He’s designed them himself and I think they’re quite nice.
For magicians, I imagine it would be a great deck to have as part of one’s collection, but I think it might also be really nice for people who do readings with playing cards.
The dark colour adds a depth, and maybe even something mysterious to the standard deck I don’t usually feel. The Aces are really nice, and I like that there’s one card that’s double backed.
I know it’s meant for a trick, but pulling the ‘Eclipse card’ might prove especially meaningful in a reading.
Visit Perez’ page and/or watch his video to see what you think. A donation of as little as $10 will get you a copy of the deck for yourself.
The Moon moves into Aquarius today and stays there until Sunday.
Described in Tarot cards, this transit would be like the High Priestess is dressed as the Star. In other words, her robes are gone and she’s naked as the bird in the tree behind her.
The Moon in Aquarius, or High Priestess in the Star’s clothing, can sometimes be emotionally stressful. Hope may be in the air, but it’s a cautious hope.
Emotionally you feel like sharing, bubbling over with dreams for the future. But your mind keeps getting in the way, reminding you that dreams can sometimes be nightmares.
Try not to spend what could be a nice time double guessing yourself or listing off all the reasons things could go wrong. They might. But they probably won’t.
Be real, but not a wet blanket. Rather than smothering your dreams, direct them with intelligence.
The reckoning’s done and it’s finally time to dole out the rewards. Have you done your fair share? Are you ready to accept what’s due?
Success is coming to those who have done what they can to manifest their goals. It may seem like manna from heaven but look again – it’s more likely compensation for a job well done.
And don’t forget to thank those who have been helping you. We’re never alone in either our successes or our failures.
In case you’re making travel plans for the summer and haven’t yet decided where to go, may I suggest San Francisco during the last week of August.
Not only will you get to spend some time in one of the most beautiful cities in the US, you’ll be there in time for the 21st annual Bay Area Tarot Symposium, aka BATS.
Produced by the fabulous Thalassa in association with the Daughters of Divination, BATS is the oldest running Tarot conference in the world.
Having been there myself the last couple of years, I understand why it keeps going strong. It’s just great. I can’t wait to get back!
This years’ line-up hasn’t yet been announced, but pre-registration is open and there’s early-bird specials for those who already know they want to attend.
As might be guessed from the title, it’s about the unconscious, and how much of what we experience in our conscious lives appears to arise out of or be directed by this mysterious and uncharted part of ourselves.
It’s really interesting stuff, and I highly recommend the book. Reading it made me want to ask my own unconscious what it thinks of itself. To do so of course, I turned to the Tarot.
The card I pulled when I asked ‘what is the nature of our unconscious?’ was the King of Cups.
In it, a king sits on a slab of concrete in the middle of an ocean. A fish pops out of the water to his right, while a boat sails past on his left.
What a perfect card for my question.
This is the emotional King, the one who communicates through feelings more easily than with logic. He intuitively senses how to navigate his way, and works very well with symbols and nuance.
And you could say that within this question, the King himself might represent consciousness. He’s the part of us that experiences sensation. He acts and emotes.
The ocean on the other hand, is like the unconscious. It’s deep, and dark, and for the most part unknown. Anything might pop up from under the waves or float by.
If we look at it this way, it’s also interesting to notice that the King takes up so much of the picture, when in fact he’s so little compared to the sea below and around him.
It’s similar to how we experience our consciousness relative to our unconscious. Our conscious mind seems to think it’s the one directing the action, or at least is the most important element in the picture.
Really though, it’s likely just a tiny speck on a giant ocean.
Mercury moves into Taurus today and will stay there until May 24th.
Translated into Tarot, this transit would be like the Magician is wearing the Hierophant’s clothing. He’s replaced his light robes for heavy holy vestments.
Mercury in Taurus, or the Magician wearing the Hierophant’s clothing is a time when communication might take a turn towards the spiritual, and the rules of morality.
Tradition, faith, and religious world views are all open for discussion and some conflict might be expected between new ideas and old.
This is a period when it’s not good enough to just say one thing, then jump on over to the next. You might be asked to stop and focus.
Say for real what you believe. And don’t fall for, or become, a trickster guru.
Take this opportunity to review what you have faith in. Look at it from all sides and be willing to play with the ideas.
New life can be pumped into stale old structures, and solid traditions can offer grounding to inspiration.
The Moon moves into Capricorn today and will stay there until Friday.
If you were to describe this transit using the Tarot, you might say that the High Priestess is wearing the Devil’s clothing. The virginal goddess has gotten downright beastly.
The Moon in Capricorn, or High Priestess in the Devil’s clothing, is a period of potential internal conflict. The physical world might seem to draw you away from what you typically believe to be right.
You might feel driven or compelled by behaviours and attitudes that go against the grain of your morality. It could be liberating or disturbing, depending on your secrets.
Whatever’s going on though, don’t be too hard on yourself. Get obsessions out of your system, and learn what you can about yourself while you do so.
You should be ready to move on soon. There’s nothing wrong with a little focused physicality. Just don’t get stuck.
You feel full up with all the love around you. In fact, you might even be a little overwhelmed with how much you care and how loved you feel.
This is a happy time to be with your family or friends or whoever it is that makes up your social community.
You’re probably nearing the end of an important emotional phase. Taking the time now to recognize and be grateful for all you have will help prepare you for the beginning of the next stage of your journey.
Celebrate with your loved ones, remembering with joy and humour all the good and not so good days that brought you to where you are now.
