It’s a mid-summer long-weekend here in Toronto, and in honour of the holiday I thought I’d share a mid-summer Tarot spread.
It’s meant to tap into the energy of summer and be a keep-the-heat-on mid-season check-up for any project or situation you’ve been focusing on these last few months …
Mid-Summer Tarot Check-Up
1. What has been the focus of my summer to date?
2. What mid-point have I reached regarding this focus, project, or situation?
3. What adjustments in my focus might be recommended considering the progress I’ve made so far this summer?
4. How can I keep-the-heat-on in gaining clarity, and/or achieving resolution?
Disturbed by fear-inducing superstitions surrounding things like Friday the 13th, black cats, broken mirrors, and the like, my very own black cat, Carl JK, suggested I share the following Clear Away The Fear Tarot spread.
Sometimes the things we’re afraid of are well worth being concerned about. Often though, we create fear from nothing.
The Clear Away The Fear spread is meant to explore areas in our life where false fears or superstitions might be holding us back from enjoying ourselves as fully as we can.
So take this Friday the 13th to try it out. Clear away your own fears, or at least look at them closely enough to make sure they’re worth your time.
Oh yes, and fear not the black cat. He brings good fortune.
Clear Away the Fear Tarot Spread
1. In what area of my life am I harboring superstitions or what might be irrational fears?
2. What about these fears have legitimacy?
3. What about these fears are creating a false state of panic?
4. What can I do to confront and deal with my legitimate concerns?
5. How might I replace the false fears with courage and positive action?
In honour of the Sun moving into Gemini yesterday, I thought we could celebrate with a Tarot spread – a Gemini Tarot Spread to be specific.
In Tarot, Gemini is ruled by the Lovers and often represents commitments, communication, relationships, and decision-making.
The Lovers
Though this is a great time to explore any of those topics, it’s the area of decision-making that I’d like to focus on in today’s spread.
Looking at all sides of an issue is one of the gifts of the Gemini energy, and in turn the Lovers.
But that same gift can also be a challenge when it comes to making a choice. Too much information can be confusing.
To help pull out the relevant issues in a decision-making situation, here’s a simple spread meant to examine two options (though of course you can add as many options to the lay out as you’d like).
Try it out …
Gemini Decision-Making Spread
1. What am I trying to do? This card is meant to look at the big picture, or the ultimate goal of either option.
2. Describe my options (2 cards) – Before you pull these cards, decide which of your options will be described by which card, ex. Option A: I take the job at company XYZ, Option B: I keep working freelance.
Check to see not only how each card describes what the options might look or feel like, but also how they relate to the first card you pulled.
Does there seem to be a connection or is the option described taking you somewhere completely different than you mean to go?
3. What are the challenges of Option A? What are the challenges of Option B?
4. What are the benefits of Option A? What are the benefits of Option B?
5. How am I likely to feel going forward if I choose Option A? How am I likely to feel going forward if I choose Option B?
Again, look to see how these cards not only describe how you might feel, but also how they compare to the other cards in their group, the other group, and the ultimate goal of your decision.
Tomorrow is April Fool’s Day, and in honour of positive foolishness everywhere, I’ve put together a Tarot spread aimed at releasing your own inner Fool.
Try it out …
A Fool’s Spread
1. Why do I need to play and to be a Fool sometimes?
2. What hinders my sense of play and shuts down my Fool?
3. What helps support my Fool and helps me to play?
4. Where can I find more fun and positive foolishness in my life?
5. Right now – how can I most positively act the Fool?
Happy April Fool’s Day Everyone!! Be free, adventurous, and have some fun!!
In the video below, Scott Grossberg, creator of the Deck of Shadows, demonstrates a reading technique he calls the Hands of Truth.
He describes the method as being similar to using a pendulum in that ideo motor responses from the body direct the reading.
In Grossberg’s technique, a reader randomly chooses two cards from the deck and turns them up. He or she then passes them to the querent who holds each card face up in each hand.
The reader then tells the querent that one of their hands is going to rise, while the other will get lower. There’s no rush for this to happen, but typically it does.
The reader then takes the card from the lower hand and reads it as being an energy the querent is leaving. The card from the raised hand represents where they are likely headed.
It’s an interesting twist on a two-card reading, and really allows for the querent to be involved.
I think I’ll try it out with someone soon.
Scott was a guest on Beyond Worlds back at the end of 2010. He spoke about his Deck of Shadows and a lot of other interesting and magical things. You can listen to the show here …
Mercury will be going direct on Friday, so if communication, calculation, and travel have been a bit crazy lately, don’t despair, things should start getting back to normal soon.
And not only is the retrograde ending, but with September on it’s way, a new season is about to begin.
It sounds like a good time to get organized, at least for me. Things are likely to start getting busy again and I want to be prepared.
The 2 of Pentacles from the Rider Waite Smith deck came to mind when I started thinking about what the Tarot has to say about getting organized.
In the image, a man in an unusual hat is holding a couple of pentacles in front of some water. Boats go by behind him, rocking with the waves, but staying afloat.
I typically see this card as representing harmonious change, like the movement from one season to the next. It points to taking care of the little details necessary for the transition to go smoothly.
It’s a busy rather than a heavy time, though the water behind the man does indicate a certain emotionality.
When there’s a lot to do and not much time, emotions can get stormy. Ride the wave and hold on, you might get wet, but you don’t have to get swamped.
This card reminds us to find a flow and take things step by step, even see our tasks as play if we can, quite literally as juggling. It’s easy and fun once you find the rhythm.
What needs organizing might feel overwhelming, but just break it down into smaller pieces. It’s likely a lot more manageable than it looked at first.
From the ideas in the 2 of Pentacles, I’ve put together a Get Organized Spread. It takes a look at what area in your life might need some organization, what’s in the way, and what might help.
Get Organized
1. What area of my life is in particular need of organization?
2. How is my attention being divided from my tasks in this area?
3. How can I find the flow to maximize productivity in this area?
4. What emotions might be getting in the way?
5. Is there any way to make my work feel more like play, while still getting things done?
Yesterday was the Solstice. Summer has officially arrived on this side of the planet and I love it!
Long days, lots of sunshine and absolutely no need for heavy outerwear. It’s my favourite season.
So in honour of the Summer and all things bright, I made this little Summer Sunshine Spread.
Just five short questions about life in the sun …
Summer Sunshine Spread
•what can I see clearly now?
•what should I grow?
•what’s been waiting to be warmed up?
•what might need some cooling down?
•what would be a lot of fun to play with this summer?
Tarot readings are a lot like dreams. They both arise from our unconscious and bring forward issues important for our conscious selves to examine.
We could say that a Tarot reading is a consciously induced dream, meant to organize our thoughts, recognize our shadows, and motivate us to action.
Thinking about this got me to thinking about how the Tarot itself illustrates dreaming. What are the ‘dream’ cards?
#17 The Star
The first card to come to mind was the Star. She might be described as a process of renewal through the night.
Pouring water into the pool, she brings motion to our unconscious, gently stirring the dark waters.
The Star is ‘wish fulfillment’, the type of dream we don’t want to wake from. She reflects back our soul’s beauty like a mirror.
#18 The Moon
But dreams aren’t always so pleasant. From the Star we move on to the Moon. This is where the intense work begins.
The Moon represents the deepest part of our unconscious coming up into awareness, like the crab in the card rising out of the sea.
There’s fear here. Exploring the dream landscape can be a frightening journey. It’s scary to face our deepest selves. We keep them hidden for a reason.
Like the Star, this is a major card, one that forces us to take notice. It’s connected numerologically with #9, the Hermit.
And as the Hermit reminds us, finding the courage to face our shadows is part of the path to inner wisdom.
9 of Swords
The 9 of Swords is another dream card. But it points directly to nightmares, or the inability to sleep due to anxiety gone wild. There’s no escape because it’s all in the mind.
This card is also connected to the Hermit through the number 9.
Once again we’re presented with the idea that facing our unconscious self, our unacknowledged shadows, is part of dream-work and the pursuit of wisdom. It’s just not always fun.
#9 The Hermit
And then there’s the Hermit himself. He’s not sleeping or dreaming, but wandering around in the dark with a lantern and a walking stick.
Is he the Sand Man, leading the way to our dreams, to the deepest parts of our unconscious?
4 of Swords
The 4 of Swords also suggests dreaming. An armoured figure lays on a stone slab, as if in perpetual sleep.
Other than the slab and the figure, the stained glass window is the only real colour in the scene. I’ve often thought of it as the dreams of the sleeping man.
It’s his connection to the spirit, or the world beneath his armour and beyond the three swords that hang above him. Through dreaming he’s able to release sorrow and prepare to move forward.
2 of Swords
The 2 of Swords might also be a dream card. You can imagine the woman pictured to be lucid dreaming, or in deep meditation.
She sits at night, blindfolded before the sea. Safe on the beach between earth and ocean.
Like the swords she’s holding, her mind is balanced. The dream state and waking state are working in tandem.
#2 High Priestess
And finally there’s the High Priestess, with the moon at her feet and a dress that trails off like a stream. She’s like a dream herself, flowing and not quite tangible.
She guards the secrets of life and death, wakefulness and sleep, and passes easily between the realms.
If anyone understands dreaming, it’s her. She can lead us through it all.
Induce a dream for yourself now using the Tarot dream cards as your guide:
1) The Star – What do you wish your dreams would tell you?
2) The Moon – What do you hope they’ll keep hidden?
3) 9 of Swords – What’s keeping you up at night? Is it really that scary?
4) The Hermit – Where can you find your guide?
5) 4 of Swords – How might you come to a truce with yourself? How can you connect to your spirit?
6) 2 of Swords – How can you rebalance your consciousness with your unconscious?
7) The High Priestess – What lesson have you been given now?
