The topics include: White Buffalo Calf Woman; Tarot/the 2 of cups; 10 tips for women– surviving the modern world. Relationships– Is your Ex badmouthing you publically? How you can deal with this situation, both on a mundane level and magically.
I’m delighted to have added a new feature to my Tarot Website– “Today’s Reading: Pick a Card”…this page will be updated 3 or 4 times a week with different tarot decks and cards that are chosen randomly. Some days I might have quite a bit of time to write and be able to add in-depth insights, other days it could be short and sweet and to the point. Be sure to stop by (click on the link above) and choose your Tarot Card for the day!
I’m not a medium, not usually, anyway. But once in a while, when doing a tarot reading, the dead come through. A few of these occasions have been like a small footnote to the whole process and the tarot session itself; but there have been several times that were quite profound and memorable, either to me, or to my client, or both.
Once such case involved the four of pentacles. I was using the Rider/Waite deck, and the imagery on this card is that of a male figure with both feet firmly planted on his gold coins, and his arms wrapped protectively around two more coins. The common interpretation for the four of pentacles is The Miser, that penny-pinching individual who refuses to part with his money.
As some of you know, I read using the intuitive method, which basically means that I simply allow my sub-conscious to run amok and pick up, see, or feel anything that the images on a tarot card might spontaneously trigger. Needless to say, most interpretations brought up this way have absolutely nothing to do with the traditional meaning of a card. These flashes of insight, visions, feelings, and such are often way out in left field, and sometimes the only one who can really make sense of them is my client.
That was the case this day:
As I was staring at the figure on this card, the four of pentacles, the entity of an old man was suddenly very present (in my mind and around us). I kept talking and staring and talking and staring intently at the card: “Oh, my.” I said, overwhelmed by the feelings. “His hands are curled up tight in a fist.” And as I said this I was grimacing and clenching my own fists, drawing my hands up to my chest. “Oooh, it’s icky!” I said, still grimacing, overwhelmed at the emotions and sensations. It was awful.
The woman stopped me, sort of abruptly. I think she was concerned for me.
“Wait,” she said, “I have to tell you…”
And then she went on to explain that her father-in-law had recently passed away and had left her and her husband what amounted to a small fortune, a life-changing amount of money. But that wasn’t all. When he died, she told me, he was frightened, and he was in pain, and he was fighting the death process with all his might. It was terrible to watch.
“He curled his hands up to his chest, clenching them into tight fists.” she said, staring straight into my eyes, wanting me to understand.
I looked down at the male figure on the four of pentacles tarot card, and I knew that what I was really looking at was this woman’s father-in-law.
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What a dilemma– you’re walking a tightrope with no safety net. You have decisions to make. You have to decide which way to go, but there are so many obstacles standing between you and an intelligent solution to your predicament. This card also emphasizes to me how much of life we stumble through without being aware, really aware-in-the-moment, of life and all its subtle nuances. We miss so much, even with all five senses, and sometimes even with all six.
We can be our own worst enemy, living a life of denial, blind-folded. How does that old saying go– “You’ve got blinders on”. (Or maybe the proverbial rose-colored glasses.) Sometimes I think we just try to convince ourselves that everything is good because we don’t want to admit what’s wrong and what needs fixing. This is the point which makes all the difference in so many people’s lives: you have those people who give up and admit defeat; you have people who try their damnedest to change things but fail; and then you have those people who don’t give up until they succeed.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be in that third group.
That’s why I view this card as a “Wake-up Call”…and so should you.
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The Deck: The Psychic Tarot
Two figures stand on this card, identical figures, one in the shadows, one in the light, both gripping a golden scepter. They are eye to eye, stern, serious, surrounded by a galaxy of blue stars.
Black and white. Polar opposites, polar opposite energies, polar opposite personalities. What is the ulterior motive of this card? Its almost a dare. Who will win?– your good side, or your bad side…and is your bad side so bad after all, or can you think of it as just a different dimension of your whole being? This card is unique, in that it can be a mirror with two variations– it’s either going to point out an inward conflict, or a literal conflict within the real world.
This card is all that and more. When this card appears for me, it actually warns me of confrontation, confrontation that can be very personal. It warns me to be on guard, it warns me of ulterior motives, it warns me with an animal instinct that relies on adrenalin. It prepares me for the fight.
When the major arcana card “Justice” comes up in my readings, 95% of the time it’s because the person I’m reading for is involved in some way with the judicial system. They’re either going through a divorce, or involved in some sort of litigation or other legal issues. Always. This never fails. But getting someone to admit it, or getting them to see the connection, isn’t so easy.
When I was doing readings at Ameristar, two very common looking middle-aged mid-western women sat down across from me, all giggly and twittery from the nervousness of having their cards read for the first time. As I guessed, from their very mundane appearance and demeanor (and energy), there wasn’t anything earth-shattering going on in their lives. It was really kind of boring, actually, though I wouldn’t say this. But “Justice” popped up, and it popped up in a significant way that sort of tapped me on the cheek– there’s a connection here, it said, shhhhh….listen.
I looked into the round face, the eager eyes, the lady bent expectantly over the cards, and I asked, “Do you have anything going on with the judicial system right now?”
Her eyes glanced up into mine (we were very close), and she said, “Ahhh….no, nothing that I can think of.”
“Yes,” I insisted. “You have some connection with the judicial system.”
She turns to her friend sitting in the chair beside her, “Agnes, I can’t think of anything, can you?”
Agnes squints as she thinks, wracking her brain, “Noooo…”, she starts to say, drawing the word out as she was still thinking, then suddenly…“Well, your sister is a Clerk of Courts.”
I had all I could do to keep from laughing.
The Aces
The Aces herald beginnings, beginnings in love, finance, money ventures, or mental endeavors—according to cups, wands, pentacles, and swords. Beginnings may be strong and powerful, overwhelmingly passionate, or rife with potholes and points of contention we should be cautious with. Beginnings are always exciting, often unexpected, and lead us on a journey through life which often winds up at the door of our destiny.
Ace of Pentacles
Since the Aces herald beginnings and this one usually deals with those things connected to the element of Earth, and more specifically—money, material goods, acquisitions, growth and expansion; you’re coming into something substantial when this card shows its face. Upright, this card bodes well for new and upcoming financial ventures. This card tells us it’s a good time to start that business, make that investment you were thinking of, or even buy that lottery ticket.
But reversed, this card is like a little tap on the shoulder, a little voice in our ear whispering, “Be careful!” It can also suggest that there is a weasel lurking amongst your financial and business associates. It’s warning us to check contacts carefully, consider motives, use your intuition and don’t be rushed into something when you don’t feel certain.
Ace of Swords
The suit of swords deals with the element of Air, the mental aspect of life—communication, study, writing, thought processes, that intangible part of us, but the part of us that connects us to the world through our human intelligence. Upright, this Ace may be telling us that we’re going to pass that test, that it might be a good time in life to go back to school, start writing that book, or to sharpen up on a few subjects we’ve always found interesting.
Reversed, however, the Ace of Swords can be a brutally painful card. It may be speaking to us of emotional and mental abuse or illness, or some other form of mental instability. This card may be telling us that we have to work harder at mental endeavors in order to succeed. It may be warning us about decisions we have made, or are about to make, that may not be in our best interests. Sometimes this reversed card is trying to tell us that we may be our own worst enemy.
Ace of Wands
The set of wands are often centered around business and finances. Since wands are associated with the element of Fire, there seems to be more passion, more urgency, more movement in this area than pentacles promote. Again, we’re at beginnings and the beginning of any ventures whether in finance or romance, often begins with a walloping amount of passion. Upright, this card is like a no holes barred flashing green light. “Go for it!” it shouts in our ear.
But reversed, this card may be warning us that a situation is too hot to handle. It’s telling us to be careful, be cautious, think things through and slow down. We may be playing with fire, and who wants to get burned? This card, reversed, is warning us to temper unbridled passion and enthusiasm with a little common sense and restraint. If you’re at the beginning of any financial endeavor, double check contracts, verify information, and look into alternative sources.
Ace of Cups
The suit of cups is attuned to relationships, love, and romance. If you drew this card and you are single, there’s a very good possibility that love is coming your way. If you drew this card and you are in a relationship or married, odds are that there will be a renewal of those first sparks you experienced early on with your partner.
This card also heralds blessings, a communion—of body, mind, and spirit, a new spiritual awakening and enlightenment, the discovery of a new life path and destiny.
When reversed, this Ace speaks of loss—a loved one is gone—sometimes suggesting that they have moved on to another relationship, they have physically moved, or a loved one has passed over. All three scenarios have appeared in my readings, being announced by this one mysterious enigmatic card.
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Ace/cups: I’ve noticed that this card almost always comes up for someone who is alone, romantically speaking, and that’s because this card heralds a new relationship on the horizon. Love is coming, just hold on to your hat, listen for that special voice, watch for those eyes that captivate you. You’ll know it when you see it, when you hear it, when you feel it. That’s what the Ace of Cups says, be ready, open, willing to take it all in and embrace the moment.
There are many types of relationships, and many types of people who come and go from our lives in a variety of ways and at various stages.
I was doing readings in a book store once, when a young girl, about twelve years old, came into my booth. I generally don’t read for children, but this was a Harry Potter in-store book party, so parents were at hand.
She sat down across from me, very wide-eyed, quiet, and expectant, absolutely adorable. As I turned the cards for her, this card, the Ace of Cups, came up (reversed). I was hesitant at first, then I told her, “This card, when it comes up this way, often means that someone we love has left. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just means that they’ve ‘gone away’ for a while.”
Her eyes opened wide in amazement, and the expression on her face was like a light bulb going on. She opened her little mouth and enthusiastically began telling me about her cousin, her dearest friend, how they’d been together ever since they were ‘little’; and how her cousin and her cousin’s family had just moved away. She told me how sad she was, how much she missed her cousin and all about plans to visit each other. She prattled on and on, and I just sat and let her talk.
When she left my booth, she met her mother on the other side with a high-pitched incredulous voice, “She said that someone I loved had left, but that it was okay!” I could hear her enthusiastically talking to her mother, her chattering little voice fading as they walked away.
Ace/wands: If you’re thinking of starting your own business, changing careers or companies, or in any way starting over where employment and a career are concerned, this is the card you want to see. It’s like the green light at a drag race. When you see it, step on the gas, put the pedal to the metal, and roar down the pathway, cause it’s clear and victory can be yours at the end of the line.
Just remember, once in a while this card turns up reversed, and it says, “Hang on to your hats, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.” No one ever said that beginnings and change are easy and effortless, and it’s this little glitch that usually catches people off guard.
Ace/pentacles: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; hold on to what you have; a hand-out; kiss my ass…These are only a few of the impressions left with me by the Ace of pentacles. I suppose I should be all happy and hopeful and grateful when this card comes along. Traditionally it means ‘new financial beginnings’, tra-la-la. Big fat deal. This card is chintzy. It wants to make you think it’s all rich and important and that it’s going to be bringing you some tremendous miraculous windfall. It lies.
The Ace of pentacles is just like some sparkling toothy smiling man with a big car and a wad of cash in his pocket. He’s never what he seems to be, and he never delivers on anything, including sex, money, or personality.
In the end, it’s a big let-down.
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The above text are excerpts from my books:
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Partnership, pairing, and sharing. As much as our individuality is respected and held sacred, so is our ability to share our lives, our world, our bodies, and our selves with another human being. Whether we are mated to someone through romantic love, creative endeavors, ideas, familial connections, or simply choice– this is a sacred union because what is part of us is touching another individual, adding to the experience of their life in ways we might not even realize. The fluidity of relationships is highlighted with this card, represented by the ocean and a pair of dolphins interacting on a blue horizon. Partnerships are not stagnant and are constantly metamorphosing to encompass change, changes within the partnership itself and changes to the individual. Because of its fluidity, partnerships, friendships, and special connections may not always be forever, but may touch our lives at a moment when it is most needed, when this connection will be most beneficial.
(The deck: Motherpeace Tarot)
3 Empress:
This card is wide hips and breasts full of milk, knowledge, history, and strength. It reaches into the past, far beyond the clutches of Christianity, to a deeper time when we were more connected to the earth and nature’s natural cycles. It dances the joyful dance of femininity, the dance of the wise-woman. The Empress luxuriates in all that is hidden and cloistered within our sub-conscious. She is our base raw sexuality, she is the essence of the witch, the female shaman, the matriarch in all her old glory. Through her lineage all women are connected, and one day the world will turn once more to the Divine Matriarch and set destiny upon an old new path.
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Magickal Connections 