The Tarot Room – Georgianna

Morgan's Tarot

I got a new deck the other day called Morgan’s Tarot. It’s not really a Tarot deck. There are 88 cards (not 78), no majors, no minors, no numbers at all. So I guess it’s an Oracle Deck that calls itself Tarot, but I don’t mind. And normally I would.

Typically I’m not drawn to Oracle decks. And certainly they shouldn’t be running around calling themselves Tarot if they’re not, but I’m crazy about this one and will let all such details slide.

It was created by Morgan Robbins and illustrated by Darshan Chorpash in the ‘60s and first published in 1970. The images are simple sketches in black and white, clearly inspired by the counterculture new age of its time.

I came across it quite accidentally while looking at decks on sale at a website I soon discovered did not deliver to Canada. But Amazon does and they had a few copies so I got one. I was drawn to the sketches and lack of colour. Don’t get me wrong – colour is great, but I was really attracted to the simplicity in these drawings.

Anyway …. the deck arrived and I love it. The first few readings I did with it where not only dead on, but very funny. It’s a deck with a serious sense of humour (or at least one that shares my humour). I’ll give you an example here ….

Having had the deck for only a few hours, I hadn’t really looked through all the images. I decided it would be more fun to get to know it slowly through reading with it rather than by studying it card by card.

So I asked it about my ‘psychic’ work, and whether or not I was on the right track (nothing like checking in now and again to make sure). I pulled three cards ….

The first one I drew showed a picture of a theatre with a full audience watching some performers on stage. Under the image it said, “Who is watching The Cosmic Drama”. My first thought of course was ‘Me!”. Then I turned over the next card.

There was a picture of a sun low on the horizon and a person standing on a beach watching it rise (or go down) while holding something in front of them (I thought it was a guitar for some reason). But it was what the words underneath said that floored me …. “Let George Do It”.

I’m George!!!! This deck has a card with my name on it! Really. I can still hardly believe it. And yes, I’m always busy watching the Cosmic Drama. That’s exactly how psychic work feels to me.

morgan's tarot talks

The final card I drew had a heart on it, one that seemed to be resting a little, comfortable and just there. Underneath the image it said “You Are Our God’. I don’t know who’s God I am, but if they’re connected with this deck, I like it. I’m guessing though it really meant that I’m my own God, or that God is within. In fact it said as much in the randomly unorganized Little White Book that accompanied the cards.

Quite a message, quite a deck. All in all, I have to say that Morgan’s Tarot is a joy to read. It’s crazy it’s taken me so long to find it, but now that I have I believe we’re going to be good friends. I recommend it to all lovers of divination and good solid advice be they Tarot readers or not. This deck likes to talk with everyone. And it’s well worth taking a listen.

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My friend Mean Jean Brophey collects playing cards. Not such an unusual hobby except that she does it one card at a time. Some years ago, she started noticing individual cards lying on the street. She’d see them here and there and wonder how they got separated from their decks. After a while, she decided to start picking them up (for some reason always hoping for a 9 of Spades).

Today she’s got over 90 cards and is just 10 shy of a complete deck of 54 (if we include the Jokers). Of course there are duplicates and triplicates. She’s got four 4 of Spades and 8 Jokers. And some cards aren’t even from regular decks. There’s a property card from a Chinese game of Monopoly and a somewhat creepy one labeled ‘blowjob’ discovered on the floor of a strip club in BC. But most are your everyday Bicycle brand red or blue with diamonds on the back.

Mean Jean's Found Deck

Mean Jean’s method of deciding whether or not to pick up a card is quite specific. If she comes across an entire deck or extremely large cluster of cards somewhere on the ground, she ignores them all. It’s primarily the lone wolves she’s looking for. The single 4 of Hearts laying on a sewer grate or an 8 of Spades beside some paint buckets in the alley.

There have been the odd exception to the lone card rule. For instance, once she and a friend were walking along an empty beach and came across what looked to be an entire deck floating on the ocean. In that case they plucked just one from the water – a Jack of Hearts. It’s a particular treasure.

Word has spread about Mean Jean’s collection and other people have started keeping an eye out too. I’ve personally added a few cards to the deck. It’s rare that I see a single playing card lying around, but unless it’s covered in something too disgusting to be involved with, I pick it up and bring it to my friend.

Though it’s not a Tarot deck, Mean Jean’s Found Deck loves giving advice. Its cards come from all over North America, and it enjoys sharing its unique perspective with anyone who cares to ask. So … in anticipation of the coming holiday season, we decided to ask Mean Jean’s Found Deck what it advises to make the most of this (potentially) wonderful time of year.

Mean Jean herself drew the cards. She pulled one to describe the spirit we should bring with us to our holiday activities, one for an emotional attitude to take, one for a positive direction of thoughts and finally, one about how we might physically behave.

Remarkably, all the cards she pulled had red backs (her eyes were closed while she was drawing) and red fronts! They were diamonds and hearts. Red and white just like Santa!

Back of Mean Jean's Draw

The first card drawn, representing the spirit of the season, was the 5 of Hearts. My take on this card is to turn it into the 5 of Cups and say that the spirit of the season is to forget all the sadnesses, fights, disappointments and other displeasures we’ve had with our family, friends and strangers and look at the healthy love in all these relationships. If it’s hard to find – look that much closer. There’s gotta be something.

5 of Hearts

But since this isn’t a Tarot deck, and we’re actually reading playing cards – I thought I’d take a peek in a book dedicated to just that. It’s called It’s All In The Cards by Chita St. Lawrence. Chita says the 5 of Hearts means: “small token/gift/little attention/a pleasant telephone call/surprise.” Apparently this card is all good and suggests a short period of time when gifts, visits and surprises abound. Couldn’t be more perfect for the holidays!

The second card in the spread represents the emotional attitude recommended by Mean Jean’s Found Deck. The card she pulled was the 4 of Diamonds. As a Tarot reader I translate that into the 4 of Wands. The emotional attitude suggested by this card is enthusiasm and celebration! Laughing, dancing and enjoying everyone you meet. Sounds good.

4 of Diamonds

But Chita’s message is a little more somber. “decision/four corners” is what she says. There’s a suggestion of being at a crossroads, about ready to make a choice. The choice has a lot to do with the surrounding cards, in this case two rather happy ones. Maybe the choice is to be happy or not. Enjoy this time with your family and friends or be cranky at having to spend so much time and money on people you usually avoid. It’s up to you how you want to look at it. Sounds a little like that 5 of Hearts in the Spirit position – at least as interpreted from a Tarot perspective.

In the position of mental attitude, the card that appeared was the 6 of Hearts. Could it be more sweet? The 6 of Hearts in Tarot would be the 6 of Cups – a card of unbounded loveliness. It’s all about gratitude and sharing, letting those you love know you love them and appreciate them for all they are and all they’ve shared with you. There could hardly be a more beautiful mental attitude to take with you to every holiday gathering you attend.

6 of Hearts

Chita agrees. The book says “very nice trip or path”. It goes on to describe a time of pleasant passage, well-being and very enjoyable ventures. Highlighted are family, friends, personal trips, dates, parties. Even excursions to the mall!! “Any steps taken are pleasant.” If we can pull off this mental attitude, the holidays will be fantastic!

And finally, in the physical position, Mean Jean pulled the 10 of Hearts (I’m starting to think she’s not so mean after all). The 10 of Hearts would be the 10 of Cups in Tarot, a card typically pictured with a happy family enjoying life under a rainbow. The suggested physical behaviour to engage in this season is loving and enjoying your family and friends. Could the message be hitting home any harder?

10 of Hearts

Apparently it can. According Chita, the 10 of Hearts means “great joy”. In playing card speak, this card is a straightforward positive representation of exceptional happiness and well-being.

That about does it then. “Joy, Happiness, Gratitude, Love and Good Will to All” is the message from Mean Jean’s Found Deck. Whether you read them as Tarot cards or playing cards, the message is the same. Love as much as you can!!

Start this Holiday Season right and listen to a deck that’s really been around. I think it knows its stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans!! And thanks Mean Jean for sharing your cards with us.

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So the cold hasn’t let up. I was hoping it might, but when -5 degrees C is the warm front it gets discouraging. Every morning it’s the same. Cold. And more often than not, snow. Since it looks like this icy weather might be here for a while, I decided to see if the cards had anything to say about it.

Sure enough they do. The RWS Tarot has two cards that show snow, the 5 of Disks, and #9, the Hermit. In the 5 of Disks, two people, ragged and beat up, trudge through the snow passing what might be a stained glass window of a church. They look pretty cold. The one that’s lucky enough to have shoes is on crutches. It’s a tough scene.

5 of Disks

Though I personally have a great pair of boots, a very warm parka and the most fantastic new hat anyone can imagine, I, like many others, have been feeling a bit like these two. Economically and meteorologically challenged. How the heck are we going to get through this winter?

The cards’ advice – Get inside! Just joking, but not really. I think the message here is to remember your spirit, that light on the other side of the stained glass window. Every season feels like winter when all you can think about is how to pay the bills and feed yourself.

This card is reminding us that our energy for living actually comes from within, whatever the circumstances are. The spirit on the other side of the wall is really just our own fire. The flame inside that lets us laugh and sing even when things are tough. Hard times, aren’t enough to break us down. Only forgetting why we like living can.

#9 The Hermit

And then there’s the Hermit. It’s a very different feel in this image. There’s snow on the ground but the sky is clear. He’s wearing what looks like a warm hooded cloak and with all that hair on his face he hardly needs a scarf. What’s most important though is the lantern he holds in his right hand.

This guy’s got his stuff together. He’s knows it’s the light that leads his way and he carries it with him wherever he goes. He’s calm, unflinching and comfortable in the snow. He internalized the lessons of the 5 of Disks a long time ago. They come in handy when the sun sets and the temperature drops.

The forecast says tomorrow’s high may reach -3, with a 40 percent chance of flurries. I look forward to it. Almost balmy relative to the -14 we’re expecting Saturday. I’ll take the messages from the cards to heart and wear my new hat. It’ll be spring soon enough.

Bundle up and smile.

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