The other day I was listening to the first episode of Beyond Worlds’ Meditation Moments with Paris Finley. In it he teaches us how to make little Tarot card easels out of twigs.
I was barely ten minutes into the segment when I had to pause it and run outside to gather twigs myself. Fortunately, my yard was full of them and the hunt was easy.
I ran back in, found four elastic bands, a feather and some colourful string. Then I started the show back up.
While I listened to how the wood represents the four elements of earth, fire, wind, and water, I put together my own easel concentrating on the energies I associate with the Magnolia tree from which the twigs came.
For me it was about love and sweet beginnings, new emotions, and the feeling of spring. I’ve always associated the Magnolia’s blossoming pink and white flowers with bubbling chalices of happy.
I’d like that type of energy to surround any card that sits on my easel, whether it’s a ‘happy’ card or not.
As you can see, I’ve posted a couple of pictures of my work, one with cat, and one without. My craftsmanship might be a little primitive, but I’m happy with the results.
With some more time and effort, you can make it really nice.
The first card I pulled to sit in the new easel was the 9 of Painting, or ‘fruition’ from the William Blake Tarot by Ed Buryn.
Could there have been a more appropriate card?
Not only did the easel come to fruition by the end of the show, I love that a ‘painting’ card appeared to be the first to sit in it.
And the image in the card seemed to match the energies of the tree from which it was made, or at least the ones I was imagining.
In the picture, two lovers embrace in the centre of an open lotus-like flower. It’s perhaps a little more romantic than I had originally conceived, but it certainly fits the love theme.
And doesn’t that flower they’re sitting in look sort of like a fully opened Magnolia blossom?
If you want to make an easel for yourself, take a listen to Finley’s meditation segment below, and/or visit his site to get a more detailed description of how to do it.
And if you’re listening to the show and want to follow along, the handout they’re talking about can be found at Donnaleigh’s website.
In case you’re thinking my cat Carl is sweet and respectful of the Tarot, take a look at this shot.
The easel survived, but the meditative spell was certainly broken.