How to spot fake tarot decks

Counterfeit decks have been around for a very long time but recently, it feels like a tsunami of fake tarot decks have found their way onto many online platforms.

Some of us may not be aware that a coveted deck won on Ebay is a fake or, the deck they just purchased is also fake (it happened to one of my students, when she showed me her new Rider Waite Smith. I had to tell her that what she had purchased was indeed a fake).

If you are a tarot aficionado, of course buying decks is in your job description (guilty as charged here). And as tarot lovers, we are spoilt with many online retailers but, not all are bona fide resellers and many are there just to make money, blatantly copying decks and robbing artists of their hard-earned royalties.

But how do I know that a deck is legitimate?
Here is a non-exhaustive list of pointers to help you make some decisions when making your tarot deck purchase.

1) Indie decks.
Usually the best is to buy from the artist’s web site directly.
If you found their decks somewhere else, try to contact the artist via social media or web site, and see with them if their decks are sold by a 3^rd party.

Some decks such as the Light Seer’s Tarot (see images below) started as an Indie deck and later published by Hay House.

You can see from the artist’s web site, that the Indie version of the deck is OOP (Out of Print). However, a mass market version is available via Hay House publishing.

Genuine deck with the name on the publishers (Hay House) on the box

2) Market place
Many fake decks come from China and Russia.

* Aliexpress, Alibaba and Wish (seem to be the worst offenders).
If you buy from these platforms, know that you are more than likely buying a fake deck, it is that simple!
These platforms do not sell genuine tarot decks, period.

This is a snapshot of the first page on their site.

Here is a small list of the counterfeit decks (there are many more) I have spotted on the platform:

. Rider Waite Smith (many versions)
. The Light Seer’s Tarot
. Tarot of the Pagan cats
. The Modern Witch Tarot
. The Nightmare before Christmas Tarot
. Tarot of oppositions
. Tarot del Fuego
. The Dark wood Tarot
. Santa Muerte Tarot
. The Green Witch Tarot
. The Deviant Moon Tarot
. The Mystical moments Tarot
. Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot
. The Tarot of Dreams
. The Vice Versa Tarot
. Morgan Greer Tarot

Just a small example of the decks you can find on Alibaba.

Again, here is a small list of the decks I have seen on their web site (in addition to the ones found on Aliexpress)

. The Illuminati Tarot
. Tarot Mucha
. The Antique Anatomy Tarot
. The Gilded Tarot
. Tarot de la Nuit
. Star Spinner Tarot
. Mermaid Tarot
. Raphaelite tarot
. The Golden Wheel Tarot
. Tarot of the Little Prince
. Tarot of the White Cats
. Forest of Enchantment Tarot
. Cat Tarot
. The Chrysalis Tarot
. The Spellcasters Tarot
. The Universal Celtic Tarot
. Osho Zen Tarot
. The Wheel of the Year Tarot

Resellers on Wish are very busy scamming people…this reseller has 316  “styles” of decks at £1.00 each 😦

*IMPORTANT
Please note that many bona fide publishers choose to have decks printed in China, but none of the decks are sold on these platforms.

* Ebay
You can find a gem on this platform but there are many scammers ready to take your money.
I chose the Dark Mansion tarot (Indie Deck) to show you how to spot a fake deck on Ebay.

Please note that Taroteca Studio, the genuine creator of the deck has an excellent blog on the subject of counterfeit decks

Hot Full English…for a second, I thought they were selling breakfast in a cafe!
Tarot deck board game is another red flag on a listing showing that the deck is fake!

Back to our Ebay seller, you can spot many red flags apart from the description and price above.

The outlandish descriptions, dimensions of the cards and packaging/box are usually a dead give-away.

The correct dimensions of the cards are 12 cms x 7.5 cms
Notice the print quality as well as colours compared to the one above!

* Etsy
Once upon a time you could find little gems, with artists selling their decks on this platform.

Now, it is a bit of a minefield to try to guess if a tarot deck listed is genuine or fake.

In the example below, the Light Seer’s tarot is listed at a cheap price (first red flag) but, at the back of the deck you have a scan QR code to download a pdf  (we know that this indie deck is out of print, and a mass market edition has been published by Hay House). Publishers as far as I know, do no use scan QR codes.

As we discussed, the description also rings another alarm bell: materials: laser paper!

This how the box and the cards should look.

* Amazon
Like them or loath them, Amazon has a large range of tarot decks on their site and because of their delivery system, sometimes you can get a deck pretty quickly.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of fake decks on Amazon, sold by 3^rd party sellers.

However, the ones sold by Amazon and dispatched by Amazon are usually the genuine article.

To make sure, look at the description of the deck and more importantly, the ISBN number that Amazon provides together with the name of the publisher, publication date, dimensions of the cards and language.

Should I stop buying tarot decks online?

Of course not,  you can still buy your tarot decks online but make sure to verify by asking a reseller for the ISBN (International Stand Book Number). Fake decks do not have one, but instead have a scan QR code.

If a seller indicates that there is no ISBN 13 (a 13 number long identification on items published after 2007) or IBSN 10 (a 10 number identification for work published before 2007), then ask yourself if you want to proceed.

Online platforms such as Wordery, Blackwells, Book Depository or WOB (World of Books) are a good starting point, as you can get the info needed to buy a deck.

You can also go to your local esoteric book shop and browse their tarot section if they have one.
In London, Watkins, Treadwells, Mysteries, The Astrology shop and Atlantis Book shop to name but a few are good places to buy genuine tarot decks.

3) Know your publishers.
The world of tarot has a number of publishers selling tarot decks from their signed artists.

There are small independent publishers too, and it is sometimes worth it trying to find out who is the publisher of any deck you are interested in and perhaps about to purchase.

As we have seen, decks can be created and self-published from independent artists usually using a crowd funding platform of some sort. That is ok as the artist will send you your deck directly via their web site/crowd funding page.

Then you have the well-established publishers such as:

* US Games
* Lo Scarabeo
* Llewellyn
* Hay House
* AGM Urania
* Blue Angel Publishing
* Red Feather/Schiffer
* Rock Pool Publishing

If a deck (unless an Indie deck) has no publishers stated on the packaging, alarm bell should ring!

4) To summarise
As we have seen there are a few things to check before you buy a new deck

1) Check the online platform.

2) Cheap prices, usually under £10 are a good indication, but not always.

3) Research the publishers of a particular deck. If it is an Indie deck, go to the web site of the artist or their crowd funding page.

5) Check the ISBN of a deck. If none, contact the reseller to ask for the ISBN, easy to find on the back of genuine decks!

6) Look at the size of the cards.

7) Be aware of description online (board game, cards game, English board game, family game, fate board etc).

8) Sometimes, on the cards themselves additional words are written (see example).

9) Quality of printing and colours: the fake ones are less vivid and washed out

10) Packaging, as usually the fake ones are like a “cigarette/tuck” box as opposed as a rigid box, a flip box or a magnetic book box.

11) Card stock, usually the fake ones are thin. Although you won’t know until you have purchased a deck.

Why should I care about buying a fake deck?

Who does not like a bargain?

Of course, it is very tempting to buy a cheap tarot deck, particularly with the cost of living and rampant inflation.

Also, if one is building their tarot collection, it is a costly affair (says she with 170 decks, all genuine apart from the Antique Anatomy Tarot that I purchased to illustrate this article).

However, it is not only about our purse and our desire to get a deck.

These decks are counterfeit which means their creators, who worked for months and even years to create a deck are robbed of their hard-earned royalties.

Is it fair to them?

Tarot aficionados, lovers, readers and teachers have a spiritual and moral responsibility towards the tarot artists who create magic for us to enjoy for years.

We can report the sellers of fake decks online when we find one (but it is a time consuming affair as it is not easy on some platforms).

To help the creators of decks, we can simply question our motives when we are buying a deck, that we know is not genuine (now that we have learned how to spot a fake deck).

And last but not least, if one is sensitive to energies, these decks are not great to work with, the energies are off (after all the artist has been robbed of their work) and it begs the question about one’s own spiritual fortitude.

Should it be better to save up to buy a treasured deck, knowing that the artist will receive their royalties via the publisher of the deck?

Or should one go ahead regardless and buy a fake deck, knowing that it is intellectual theft?

I will let you ponder over this 🙂

Oephebia and the kitty monsters in spirit

  Follow Oephebia on Instagram

Tarot and the Menopause

Back to 2019 I was a speaker at  TABI’s conference (Tarot Association of the British Isles)  and my chosen subject was to discuss the Crone/menopause and the tarot.

Yesterday, I was delighted to see Davina Mc Call presenting a program on Channel 4 (in the UK) about  Sex, myths and the Menopause

I am sharing again the article I wrote  about the menopause together with some tarot spreads to help work with the menopause.

According to the NHS website: the menopause is caused by a change in the balance of the body’s sex hormones, which occurs as you get older.
It happens when your ovaries stop producing as much of the hormone oestrogen and no longer releases an egg each month.
Premature or early menopause can occur at any age, and in many cases, there’s no clear cause.

But, before we can jump up and down on the bed and throw away our tampons or sanitary towels, we have to understand that sometimes the menopause will throw some unwanted surprises and tantrums (periods stopping for a few months, but then back again with a vengeance for instance).

The menopause will occur for sure after twelve consecutive months of no period (providing you are in your late 40’s/50’s of course). If you are a younger woman and your periods stop for more than 12 months surely, a trip to your GP is advisable in order to investigate.

It can take a few years for the menopause to occur, with a wide variety of symptoms.

The menopause is a walk in the wilderness, being battered by different challenges and turning points, a bit like a vision quest in a way, armed with only your knowledge and your wisdom.

Once it is completed, the transformation not only in your body, but in your soul can be quite spectacular.

For this exercise look at the whole deck and select the cards (both major and minor arcana) that you feel represent the menopause to you.

You may select one card or many, this is okay, it is a personal understanding both of the cards and your own feelings.

Unfortunately for us Crones, the menopause is not just unilateral with one or two symptoms. Alas, it is multidimensional with a myriad of symptoms.

The good news is that not all symptoms will be experienced (some of us will experience little symptoms if any, whilst others won’t be so fortunate), but it is good to know how to recognise the impact of the menopause on the mind, body and spirit.

Of course, the Queen of Cups deals with the emotional side, as she is the typical custodian of the suit but, also with what can happen with the body as our bodies are made up around 60% of water/fluid (approximate only).

The Queen of Pentacles is in her home with the practicality of the body, its layers such as muscles, bones, tendons, teeth etc.

The Queen of Wands has dominion over the ‘vavavoum’, the stamina of our spirit and our internal ‘fire’ as well, which can be troubled by some of the symptoms seen above.

The Queen of Swords is the one who will force us to acknowledge that the menopause is not a simple mechanical glitch from nature, it is also a transformational time as well. Once you overcome her tough lesson, the reward will be enormous 🙂

For this exercise, simply shuffle the whole deck and pull two cards to answer each question about each domain and two cards to answer the questions about the Crone 🙂

Card 1 – Domain of the Cups
Emotions and feelings
What is happening right now with my emotions?
How can I help myself with how I feel?

Card 2 – Domain of the Wands
Intuition and vavavoum
How can I tap into my inner fire?
Where do I need to direct my intuition?

Card 3 – Domain of the Pentacles
Body and security
What do I need to be aware of regarding my body?
How can I feel more secure?

Card 4 – Domain of the Swords
Mind and mental health
What is constricting my mind?
How is my mental health at the moment?

Card 5 – The Crone
Where Am I heading as a Crone?
What do I need to embrace?

HELP WITH THE MENOPAUSE

Exercise: Yoga, running, swimming, walking, pilates, dancing etc…

Water: To hydrate the skin and the body from within, to avoid bloating. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Diet: Tofu, flaxseeds, linseeds, sesame seeds, beans, wholegrains, vegetables and fruits.

Reduce sugar as it can cause a sharp rise and dip in blood sugar levels, leading to tiredness and irritation.

Do not skip meals as it can make symptoms worse and hinders weight loss.

Stop smoking: Smoking can worsen hot flushes. Also the loss of bone density in smokers is higher than non-smokers, leading to osteoporosis.

Herbalism:
Valerian is good for sleeping problems, anxiety and stress.
Red clover is good to reduce high blood pressure, boost immunity and to strengthen bones as it contains phytoestrogens which helps hormonal imbalance.
Black Cohosh: hot flushes

Bach Flowers and flower essences:

Cherry plum: to calm the mind, panic attacks (fear), agitation
Olive: for mental exhaustion and consequently physical exhaustion
Gentian: overwhelmed by everything, feeling low, want to give up
Larch: lack of self-esteem
Scleranthus: mood swings
Walnut: to adapt to changes

Mindfulness: meditation, gratitude, visualisation, deep breathing exercises, journaling, tarot (shadow side), time off from social media etc..

Supplements
Calcium for bones
Vitamin D for bones
Vitamin B12 for bone health, neurological functions
Vitamin B6 to help with mood swings and depression
Vitamin E: antioxidant, help with depression and help to prevent heart disease.

This exercise is best done by removing from your pack the 4 queens of the tarot, and to place them face down as per the picture below.

Then shuffle the whole pack and cover each queen with a card.

It is a simple spread but quite revealing!

Let me know how it worked for you 🙂

Card 1
Which queen do I need to embrace?
Card 5
How can I integrate her in my life?

Card 2
Which queen is my ally?
Card 6
How can I make this ally work with the queen on position 1?

Card 3
Which queen needs to take a back seat?
Card 7
Which area of life needs to be let go of?

Card 4
Which queen will be my mentor during my crone years?
Card 8
In which area of life will she help me the most?

I think it is great that we can have a conversation about the final rite of passage a women has to go through, a challenging but so powerful one.

Much love

Oephebia and the kitty monsters

  Follow Oephebia on Instagram

Tarot and the Crone (Menopause)

Photo courtesy of Lunaesque
Copyright @ Carri Angel Photography

I was one of the speakers at the TABI’s 2019 tarot conference on 27^th July 2019, together with Liz Dean (tarot author and creator of the Game of Thrones tarot), Juliet Sharman Burke (creator of the  Mythic Tarot and the Sharman Caselli’s tarot) and Alison Cross (author of Tarot Kaizen).

What a great group of Crones 🙂

My chosen subject was to discuss the Crone/menopause and the tarot.

After more than 33 years reading professionally, I have seen countless women from the age of 45 onwards, complaining about their state of mind and/or body during a reading.

Many of these women do not realise that what they are experiencing is a natural cycle which can take many years to undergo: the menopause.

Many are surprised to hear that the end of a woman’s cycle is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the menopause.

This blog talks about the menopause and how the tarot can pinpoint some of the symptoms.

There are two spreads created by yours truly that you can try to understand better what is happening with you right now (if you are menopausal or, post menopause) 🙂

I hope you will enjoy them 🙂

Of course, you will have your own understanding of the cards and you will choose the cards that represent something very personal to you and your journey with your body.

Talking about the Crone and the Tarot could be the subject of a day workshop or even a retreat so, this blog is not going to delve too deeply into the subject but hopefully, it will give you a better understanding of one of the most powerful and liberating times in a woman’s life.

Own your Cronehood, ageing does not mean disappearing and becoming a ghost, ageing with panache is what I am aiming for and I hope you will too 🙂

So, without further ado, let’s begin by first examining what a Crone is!

In ancient cultures, the Crone was the regent of the underworld, where the soul rested between incarnations.

Older women were seen as wise women and the keepers of wisdom. They understood the mysteries of birth (many were midwives) and death (assisting in the transition of the soul).

The Crone is associated with autumn and winter, sunset and night, waning moon, ageing, necromancy, endings, death and rebirth, past lives, prophecy and vision.

These two are the most famous Crone goddesses (there are more):

HECATE
Associated with crossroads
Ancient Greek Goddess of the moon, magic and the underworld.

BABA YAGA (Russian)
Baba Yaga is the wild woman or dark lady of magic, living deep in the forest.
She is often depicted flying on a mortar and pestle and rules over the four elements

Animals associated with the Crone: ravens/crows/wolves/owls

Colours: dark blue, black and deep purple.

Festival: Samhain

Many of us are tarot readers, healers, therapists, intellectuals, leaders in our field etc. Our collective knowledge is a force to reckon with for the best of our communities.

As we have seen, the Crones were presiding over births, and many of us will be grandmothers, welcoming the new generations into this planet, and educating them about the wonders of our world.

As Crones, we will also witness the departure of our beloved elders, being our grandparents and parents, our spiritual leaders and pillars of the community, also our beloved pets. Our understanding of death, our spiritual beliefs, our deep connections to the planet will help us heal the traumas of losing loved ones, and healing others.

So, the role of the Crone is still present, but it is not celebrated as much these days. Although, there seems to be a resurgence happening all around the world (see Crone in the 21^st century).

For this exercise, be spontaneous, look at all the pack and select the cards (major and minor arcana) you feel represent the Crone.

Write your thoughts in your journal, meditate about what it means to you to be a Crone, your role within your family or/and your community.

ARCHETYPE OF THE CRONE

When patriarchal society and religion took hold of Europe, the Crone became a symbol of evil and hell (witch hunts were one example of the consequences of the control systems forced onto peoples of the time).

Unfortunately, these less flattering and damned negative images of the Crone are still present in literature, films, plays and songs.

Our first archetype is:

Vilified as an ugly old woman, living in the woods, away from society, wicked and cruel, casting spells and enchantments.

The hag is often depicted as a hysterical and malevolent old woman.

Of course, she is the one who will try to kill the beautiful maiden in fairy tales (which are archetypes themselves) or, will cast a spell to render a man impotent for instance.

This hag will summon and command demons.

Our second archetype:

Staying with the theme of malevolence and trying to kill people.

The Hag Syndrome is a sleeping disorder when people experience sleep paralysis…experiencing oppression of the chest, like someone is sitting on the body rendering the sleeper unable to breathe or move.

Charming *not* 😦

And last but not least our 3^rd archetype:

Many of us will recognise this one, as we are enamoured with our feline friends.

The link to the old witch with her familiar is why the archetype of the cat lady is still so present in modern depictions of the Crone.
 
Personally, I am happy with this archetype… I love cats and for me kitties represent (and they certainly have a link to) the spiritual realm  🙂

CRONE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Here, three wonderful British women who wear their Crone crown with poise and panache.

Dr Jane Goodall, the primatologist, travelling the world to educate not only about chimpanzees, but also about the environment and sustainability.

Dame Helen Mirren, wonderful actress, not afraid of being a voice for others (her most recent was to protest about the TV license for pensioners being scrapped by the BBC) or, to urge people to stop bringing plants back from their holidays!

Dame Judi Dench, actress and fellow tree hugger who talks about nature. Her documentary about trees was refreshing and educational as well.

These ladies are in the forefront of their profession, despite being in their 70’s+, proof that being a Crone is not seen as a handicap, but truly as the jewel of an older woman’s crown, sharing knowledge, wisdom and power.

Of course, there are many other famous Crones all over the world, fighting for the environment and other similar causes such as:

– Sylvia Earle (marine biologist and oceanographer),
– Biruté Galdikas (president of the Orang Utan foundation International),
– Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts was cast as Erin in the film of the same name. A film about environmental contamination). Erin continues the fight to educate about Chromium 6 contamination,
– Susan Sarandon (actress but also social and political activist),
– Daryl Hannah (actress, and founder of sustainable diesel),
– Dr Ingrid Visser (world expert on orcas and fighting to stop the captivity of orcas),
– Brigitte Bardot (founder of the Brigitte Bardot’s foundation to help animals), environmental activist since the 70’s.

This list has many more names that could be added, but it is important to remember that we, as a species, are all custodians of this planet, and we as “elders” can only try to reverse the most damaging trends seen in our lifetime, as the planet is in grave danger.

On the social media front, it is interesting to note that more than ever, women can find their Crone tribes via groups such as The Silvertent for example, where women can talk to each other, to support each other and to embrace their Crone status 🙂

Silver disobedience is another movement about what it means to be 50+ and how to embrace life with poise 🙂

Interestingly enough there is a model agency for older women in my native France, the Silver Model Agency  to show that age is also beautiful and not something to be ashamed of  🙂

 And something that will probably take off more and more, Crone ceremonies, which are organised by women for women, to celebrate this rite of passage, going back to the roots of the sacred Crone. Finding our tribe 🙂

So, let’s leave behind the origins of the Crone, and let’s talk about the menopause, and how the tarot can help!

According to the NHS website: the menopause is caused by a change in the balance of the body’s sex hormones, which occurs as you get older.
It happens when your ovaries stop producing as much of the hormone oestrogen and no longer releases an egg each month.
Premature or early menopause can occur at any age, and in many cases, there’s no clear cause.

But, before we can jump up and down on the bed and throw away our tampons or sanitary towels, we have to understand that sometimes the menopause will throw some unwanted surprises and tantrums (periods stopping for a few months, but then back again with a vengeance for instance).

The menopause will occur for sure after twelve consecutive months of no period (providing you are in your late 40’s/50’s of course). If you are a younger woman and your periods stop for more than 12 months surely, a trip to your GP is advisable in order to investigate.

It can take a few years for the menopause to occur, with a wide variety of symptoms.

The menopause is a walk in the wilderness, being battered by different challenges and turning points, a bit like a vision quest in a way, armed with only your knowledge and your wisdom.

Once it is completed, the transformation not only in your body, but in your soul can be quite spectacular.

For this exercise look at the whole deck and select the cards (both major and minor arcana) that you feel represent the menopause to you.

You may select one card or many, this is okay, it is a personal understanding both of the cards and your own feelings.

Compare your selected cards with the ones you picked up for the Crone, do they match? Are they different? Reflect about it in your tarot journal.

Unfortunately for us Crones, the menopause is not just unilateral with one or two symptoms. Alas, it is multidimensional with a myriad of symptoms.

The good news is that not all symptoms will be experienced (some of us will experience little symptoms if any, whilst others won’t be so fortunate), but it is good to know how to recognise the impact of the menopause on the mind, body and spirit.

Of course, the Queen of Cups deals with the emotional side, as she is the typical custodian of the suit but, also with what can happen with the body as our bodies are made up around 60% of water/fluid (approximate only).

The Queen of Pentacles is in her home with the practicality of the body, its layers such as muscles, bones, tendons, teeth etc.

The Queen of Wands has dominion over the ‘vavavoum’, the stamina of our spirit and our internal ‘fire’ as well, which can be troubled by some of the symptoms seen above.

The Queen of Swords is the one who will force us to acknowledge that the menopause is not a simple mechanical glitch from nature, it is also a transformational time as well. Once you overcome her tough lesson, the reward will be enormous 🙂

For this exercise, simply shuffle the whole deck and pull two cards to answer each question about each domain and two cards to answer the questions about the Crone 🙂

Card 1 – Domain of the Cups
Emotions and feelings
What is happening right now with my emotions?
How can I help myself with how I feel?

Card 2 – Domain of the Wands
Intuition and vavavoum
How can I tap into my inner fire?
Where do I need to direct my intuition?

Card 3 – Domain of the Pentacles
Body and security
What do I need to be aware of regarding my body?
How can I feel more secure?

Card 4 – Domain of the Swords
Mind and mental health
What is constricting my mind?
How is my mental health at the moment?

Card 5 – The Crone
Where Am I heading as a Crone?
What do I need to embrace?

HELP WITH THE MENOPAUSE

Exercise: Yoga, running, swimming, walking, pilates, dancing etc…

Water: To hydrate the skin and the body from within, to avoid bloating. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Diet: Tofu, flaxseeds, linseeds, sesame seeds, beans, wholegrains, vegetables and fruits.

Reduce sugar as it can cause a sharp rise and dip in blood sugar levels, leading to tiredness and irritation.

Do not skip meals as it can make symptoms worse and hinders weight loss.

Stop smoking: Smoking can worsen hot flushes. Also the loss of bone density in smokers is higher than non-smokers, leading to osteoporosis.

Herbalism:
Valerian is good for sleeping problems, anxiety and stress.
Red clover is good to reduce high blood pressure, boost immunity and to strengthen bones as it contains phytoestrogens which helps hormonal imbalance.
Black Cohosh: hot flushes

Bach Flowers and flower essences:

Cherry plum: to calm the mind, panic attacks (fear), agitation
Olive: for mental exhaustion and consequently physical exhaustion
Gentian: overwhelmed by everything, feeling low, want to give up
Larch: lack of self-esteem
Scleranthus: mood swings
Walnut: to adapt to changes

Mindfulness: meditation, gratitude, visualisation, deep breathing exercises, journaling, tarot (shadow side), time off from social media etc..

Supplements
Calcium for bones
Vitamin D for bones
Vitamin B12 for bone health, neurological functions
Vitamin B6 to help with mood swings and depression
Vitamin E: antioxidant, help with depression and help to prevent heart disease.

This exercise is best done by removing from your pack the 4 queens of the tarot, and to place them face down as per the picture below.

Then shuffle the whole pack and cover each queen with a card.

It is a simple spread but quite revealing!

Let me know how it worked for you 🙂

Card 1
Which queen do I need to embrace?
Card 5
How can I integrate her in my life?

Card 2
Which queen is my ally?
Card 6
How can I make this ally work with the queen on position 1?

Card 3
Which queen needs to take a back seat?
Card 7
Which area of life needs to be let go of?

Card 4
Which queen will be my mentor during my crone years?
Card 8
In which area of life will she help me the most?

I hope you enjoyed this blog regarding the Crone and the menopause. Of course, so much more could be said and discussed on this subject.

I feel that us women, we are often under tremendous pressure to be in a certain way, to conform to a certain stereotype of what we should be like as Crones, and ageing is frowned upon in our society instead of being a rite of passage like any others. Not enough information or discussion is available for women to talk and compare notes so to speak, about a natural rite of passage that all women will experience at one point (if they are blessed to grow older).

I embrace my Cronehood with enthusiasm, despite having had a harrowing time with it but, I came out the other side, stronger, wiser and more acutely aware of what it means to be a woman in her late 50’s in the 21^st century!

To start with, this year I decided to colour my hair no longer and go grey.
On 5^th of September 2019, I officially became a Silver fox Crone  🙂
Many women told me that I was brave to do that, it is no bravery, it is liberating 🙂

I look forward to see where my silver years will lead me in terms of creativity, emotions and spirituality. The body is a vehicle for the soul and although it is ageing, my soul is more buoyant and free since the menopause!

To all women of a certain age out there, you are not alone, there is an army of Crones willing to talk, to educate and to support 🙂

Much love

Oephebia and the kitty monsters

  Follow Oephebia on Instagram

Samhain/Halloween and Tarot cards

Samhain is an ancient Celtic festival that marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of longer, darker and colder days, in other words winter. It is believed that the veil between the material and the spiritual world is at its thinnest around 31^st October.
Samhain starts the new cycle of the wheel in the Pagan calendar and is effectively the beginning of a new year. The festival of Samhain is marked by honouring ancestors, bonfires, divination, feast of apples and magic.

Personally, this is my favourite time of the year, when the air becomes crispy, when the leaves on the trees change colour and wear magnificent crimson, gold, orange and brown hues. Animals such as squirrels are busy burying nuts, bees are pollinating the last flowers, mushrooms are appearing and generally speaking, nature is preparing for the big sleep.
Time to stay more indoors, to prepare earthy food, to read books and to honour our ancestors, to remember them, to reflect on the passing year and to be grateful.

Of course, tarot readings at this time of the year are quite potent, perhaps more than usual. With that in mind, the spread above can help you connect with your ancestors.
If you choose to do this spread, meditate afterwards because lots of info will be available and it may take time to absorb into your understanding.

A good idea would be to take a picture of your spread and to write down your thoughts and impressions of the cards for future reference. I looked at mine from last year and it was so spot on, that if I didn’t know better, I would find it totally spooky!

To enhance the spread, I have listed some of the Gothic decks you could use.
The list is not by all means exhaustive.

I will write another blog on decks that use skulls and zombies, vampires and the like.

The Bohemian Gothic Tarot – 1^st and 2^nd edition – BabaStudio.

Many of you know the legendary BabaStudio, who have produced very beautiful decks for a number of years. These decks featured are both out of print, but you can get a 3rd edition deck .

The decks are exquisitely gothic (the old Goth in me loves it) and can really enhance any questions about the past, past lives etc. I particularly love the 9 of Cups, the Absinthe drinker….so deliciously Victorian and dark.

The Deviant Moon tarot by Patrick Valenza

Another great tarot deck dealing with darker characters, some quite menacing and others like the Ace of Wands or the mermaid in the World, depicted in this image, are quite whimsical if not, a darker, underlying tone.

Patrick has a unique style which deals with the darker side of humanity’s psyche whilst being truthful to the tradition of the tarot. A very delicate balance that he has achieved.

The Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo

This deck is a firm favourite of mine, as readings with it can be powerful, straight to the point and not running around the bush. I used this deck quite a bit back in the days when I was doing psychic readings on TV, and was using it particularly for past lives.

Maybe because of my Gothic tendencies, reading a deck with Nosferatu, Dracula, vampires, skeletons and the like makes an old Goth happy 🙂

The Halloween Tarot

Halloween without pumpkins, black cats, ghosts, witches and ghouls would not be Halloween right?

This deck is whimsical and follows the Rider Waite tradition in its imagery.
A great tarot to have at parties (I use this deck as a treat and, a darker deck as a trick) and people love it, as it is lighter unlike the ones we have just reviewed.

A fabulous deck if you prefer a less dark tarot and more fun looking at the kitties on the cards 🙂

The Halloween Oracle

Okay, not a tarot deck, but rather an oracle deck, and I absolutely love this one.

The artistry is very good and evocative, and I like to use it at the end of a reading at a party as the message of “spirits” with very spooky accuracy!

Of course cauldrons, black cats, skulls and the like are part of the attraction for many people following an ancient spiritual path.

The Wormweird tarot

This one is the darkest tarot I have. It is a rare deck and out of print.

It is not for the faint hearted and has an underlying Victorian sense of the macabre, which means death and taxidermy, needles, absinthe, torture and the like. A descent into a disturbing asylum of the dead and the grotesque.

I have done readings with this deck for myself and it was quite revealing actually.
But not to do if you do not want to see the depths, mechanics and undercurrent in a situation.

We have now finished our little walk through some darker tarot decks in my collection.

I hope you will have a magical Samhain

Oephebia and the kitty monsters

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International Tarot Day 8th July 2018

To celebrate International Tarot day (8^th July 2018), let’s take a card and zoom in to find as much as we can about the card.

Your assignment if you choose to take the challenge will be to do the following:

Possible meaning of the card,
Mythology or folktales attached to your assigned card (when possible),
Numerology connection (when possible, as the court cards have none),
Element traditionally associated with your card,
Astrological association (ruler, planet etc.),
Meaning of the symbolism found in the card,
Shadow side,
Crystals associated with the card,
Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to your card.

You don’t need to write a big essay, a few sentences will be enough evidence 😉

You may discover that once you start to write, more info will be channelled in the process and a few sentences will be more like a paragraph, it is cool too 🙂

Here an example with the 2 of swords. 

If you want to investigate a card, please contact me on my Facebook page, so I can choose at random, a card for you to interrogate.

If you have a blog, please write up about your card and let me know so I will add your link to a blog I will write about the International Tarot day 🙂

If you do not have a blog, do not despair, you can send me your research. I will include it in a blog with a credit to your website if you have one.

Studying cards like you are using a magnifying glass is a great exercise to deepen your perception of the cards, particularly the ones you do not feel comfortable with.

Once a month, select at random, a card and do this exercise. Sure, it can take time and effort to investigate a card, to go beyond keywords, but the reward will be a deep understanding of the Tarot 🙂

Have fun and let’s celebrate the beautiful tool that the Tarot is for self-development and spirituality.

Oephebia and the kitty monsters

Learning the Tarot. Self-taught versus courses.

Recently when providing Tarot readings at a private party, the host asked me how I came to learn the Tarot as he was interested in finding out more about the skills involved.

This innocent question triggered a kind of timeline review on how I came to travel on a path of such rich and complex archetypes that is spirituality and widely known as the Tarot.

Back in the late 70’s in my native France, the only Tarot available was either the Tarot de Marseille or l’Oracle de Belline. I was fascinated by the images in the Marseille deck, so I bought a book and a Tarot deck and studied for years on my own!
Looking back, it is clear to me that my first steps into the Tarot was a tenuous journey as I had no support whatsoever to guide me, to teach me, to push my dormant abilities, it was a kind of wilderness; a lonely and difficult journey.

Today there are hundreds of Tarot decks (and for us Tarot addicts, it is heaven) and anyone can pick a deck and start doing readings and establish themselves as a reader. A few hours spent memorising keywords attributed to the cards, learning one spread or two and voila, Gypsy Rose Lee is here to tell you what your future will bring.

So, is it really important to spend hours, weeks and months even years learning the Tarot?
Is it fundamental to know the mythologies entwined with the cards, to understand astrology and numerology, to learn about the rich symbolism of the arcana? Is it really essential to practice and practice in order to help oneself and others in the process?

In other words, should one learn the Tarot? And if yes, is self-taught better than learning from a course?
If doing a course, how? Tarot workshops? E-learning? Tutor/mentor?
This is pretty much down to each individual.

Regardless, any Tarot course should be seen as learning a new language, learning the subtleties of this new language in order to be fluent and to do so, one needs time, willingness to learn, passion and practice.

A good Tarot course should also serve as a self-development course, you will acquire 78 friends who will never let you down and will guide you on your life path.
With knowledge comes power and responsibilities, both to oneself and to others 😉

Also, the financial aspect of learning the Tarot is something to take into consideration as prices range from the affordable (£39 for an online Tarot course, or £15 per lesson private tuition) to the very expensive (£250 a day for a one to one Tarot tuition or £995 for a 10 weeks (2hours a week) foundation course + £1,995 for a 10 weeks (2hours a week) advanced course by the same tutor, total for this course a whopping £2990).

But let us keep money out of the equation and rather examine the various pros and cons of learning the Tarot, self-taught versus courses.

Please note that the list of pros and cons is not exhaustive 😉

Self-Taught

PROS	CONS
*Learning at your own pace, no rush, no timetable, no pressure to go physically to a class. You can choose to learn with books, online videos, blogs etc.  You can learn at a time suitable to you, day and night.*Knowledge at a press of a button.	*If you are not focused on the task ahead, you will learn sporadically or even give up. *Also, as there are many blogs, videos and books on offer, one can feel overwhelmed and can suffer from information overload.
*You can choose to learn about some aspects of the Tarot more in-depth, such as mythology, or numerology, astrology as a standalone and then integrate them with the Tarot.	*You will need to spend time researching about the mythology and other subjects. You may want to invest in specialised books on the subject as well, which can cost in the long haul.
*If you want to become a professional Tarot reader, you can establish yourself at any time and you can begin doing readings.	*Although you may be a professional reader after studying the cards, you may find out the trials and tribulations of being a professional reader the hard way.
*You can join the many groups online and learn as you go on your journey, at your own pace. *Some groups also concentrate on certain aspects of the cards or, have challenges to help you think outside the box J *There are often Tarot meet-ups when you can meet like-minded people and exchange readings etc… and make new friends in the process.	*Online groups can be a rich source of knowledge. *However, be aware of the Queen of Swords in some groups, the holier than thou Tarot gurus who will make you feel that your knowledge or interpretation of the cards is not to their standard!

Tarot Workshops

PROS	CONS
*Learning with a professional reader.*This is a great way to dip your toes into the Tarot pool to see if you can make sense of the cards and learn a few things in a suitable environment.	*The standard of workshops varies from reader to reader. Be aware of workshops promising that you will learn how to read the 78 cards in a couple of hours. *Workshops are appetizers, not the main course!
*Workshops are usually fun and are a great way to meet like-minded people. The personality of the teacher will make the experience a great one as well as a fun one!	*Sometimes in a group, you will have people with different levels of knowledge and you can feel that you are not as “good” as some others, which can create a sense of inadequacy.*The best is to choose a workshop for your level with the Tarot (beginner, Intermediate or Advanced).
*After a workshop, you can decide if you want to push your knowledge further by embarking on a course to delve deeper into the magic of the Tarot. If you had good vibes with your teacher, chances are they may have a course you can enrol to.	*You may have enjoyed the workshop because of the Tarot itself, but not so much the teacher. If so, look for a teacher you will feel comfortable with. Energies are a funny mix, one must be totally at ease with their teacher or mentor.
*You may decide to do a few workshops with different teachers in order to see which teacher could be the best for you. Workshops vary in prices and locations, it is always good to try two to make up your mind.	*Workshops are easy to enrol, but you may want to draw a line on how many you want to do. There is no quick ways of learning the Tarot, practice and dedication is what is required if you want to achieve a good level with the Tarot.

Online Tarot courses

PROS	CONS
*Like with self-learning, usually you can learn at your own pace with the added bonus of having a teacher supporting you. *A good course will have a set of exercises for you to do and you will get feedback on how much progress you are making.	*Although you will have a teacher, the learning will be done on your own, following the course lessons and the structure of the course. *You will need to be organised and regular with your lessons if you want to see some progress. *Time will be the essence concerning your exercises.
*Usually you can choose your level with the Tarot and enrol on a course which will push you to the next level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, master).	*You can enrol to the right level for you, but some teachers will insist that you start from beginner to whatever levels they provide, in order to monitor your progress.
*The written lessons provided by the teacher are yours to keep forever for future reference. *So when the course is finished, you can revisit some of the lessons at your own pace. *A good rapport with your teacher will help you to fill more at ease and will help with your progress.Make sure you have detailed information about what you learn, how many lessons and how many exercises.	*Some written lessons are very basic and can be found for free online. *If a course has no exercises to do which can be monitored by a teacher, it is not worth your financial commitment (better the self-taught route). *If the modules of a course are not detailed prior to your enrolment, be aware, the chances are that the course will not be up to standard!
*Choose a reputable Tarot school or Tarot organisation or a professional Tarot teacher with experience. *Do not hesitate to ask questions before departing with your money. *Try to see if there are testimonials about the course and what other people think about it. *Make sure that the course will cover what you want to learn from it (the cards, spreads, techniques for reading the cards etc.)	*Remember that promises of learning the Tarot quickly is something to avoid.*Sometimes, learning with a school is a bit rigid as they have their own sets of rules for learning. *Choose a bona fide Tarot organisation for learning, although saying that, sometimes it is not a guarantee of excellence! *The Tarot is very complex and you will see that we are all eternal students of the Tarot.

Tarot tuitions

PROS	CONS
*Learning in a structured and relaxed atmosphere with a reputable Tarot reader and teacher can help you to develop your skills.*Private tuition is excellent for your skills and awareness to blossom under the watchful eye of your tutor. *On average one lesson a week is good as it gives you plenty of time to integrate the principles of the cards, time to practise, to do your exercises etc. *Lessons can be done face to face or via a webcam in the comfort of your own home	*In order to benefit from one to one private tuition or mentoring, you will need to be at ease with your tutor. *They will need to be approachable and knowledgeable about the Tarot; and patient. *If a mentor is not willing to go the extra mile for you to progress is not worth your while. *You will need to put aside time regularly for your lessons, so you will need to be organised. *The dance of the diaries might be a bit complicated if you and your teacher are very busy.
*You will be able to develop your own style of readings with the encouragement of your tutor. *You will be able to ask questions and to discuss reading techniques from simple spreads to more advanced layouts with your mentor. *Passion for the Tarot is something that can be fuelled by the right Tarot tutor. *Prior to enrolling on a course, try to have a conversation with your tutor to discuss your needs. Try to feel your tutor, are they passionate about their subject? Do they instil in you the desire to learn?	*In order to achieve a good level with the Tarot, your mentor will need to teach you the cards by encouraging your thinking process, by instilling a desire to push further your abilities, by challenging you with the cards, so you will need to be prepared for some constructive criticism. *A tutor without passion and going through the motions will be the most disheartening experience you could have with the Tarot IMHO.
*The course litterature provided by your teacher should be concise and precise with lots of information and of course, concrete examples of readings with techniques. *A set of exercises should be the norm and a good mentor will encourage you to develop your ways of thinking about the cards. *Fun is usually part of the process and we all learn better when having fun.	*If you are looking for a quick way to learn the Tarot, mentoring won’t be the right platform for you. *Usually, mentoring with the Tarot involves a deep knowledge of the cards and this knowledge is passed on from the mentor to the student. It is an organic process that takes time. J *Be aware of mentors insisting on you learning keywords by heart and not allowing you to be yourself with the Tarot. We all learn differently.
*Choose a reputable Tarot mentor/tutor as this can make your experience of learning the Tarot a good one or a more difficult one. *A good mentor/tutor usually is someone with many years of experience reading the Tarot in different environments. *Read testimonials online about your mentor/tutor and what they have to say.	*A good mentor/tutor will let you to be you during the course, and shouldn’t be rigid about your way of learning or reading. *Be aware if your mentor/tutor wants you to follow a certain set of rules and procedures about the cards and readings. The first rule of Tarot: there is no rule!
*You can start from point of a total beginner and achieve an advanced level with a Tarot mentor/tutor. *If you know the Tarot already, you may want to learn further techniques to read the cards or, you may want to practice your skills under supervision. *A good Tarot tutor/mentor will be able to tailor lessons specific to your needs.	*Some Tarot tutors ask potential students to do their beginner tutoring and go through their modules to achieve a higher level. *Although, there maybe a financial incentive attached to this for the tutor, it is not really suitable if you have already achieved a certain level with the Tarot.
*If you want to become a professional Tarot reader, your Tarot tutor/mentor will be a great source of knowledge and experience in guiding you through the ups and downs of the profession. *That is why you should choose someone with experience and reputation.	*Some Tarot mentors/tutors see students who want to become professional as potential competitors and are reluctant to impart their experience and knowledge. If your tutor is not open to the idea of sharing their knowledge, look for someone who is more open and suitable to you.

Hopefully, after reading this blog, you will have a better understanding about the various avenues and cul de sacs towards learning the Tarot.

Something we must bear in mind, variety is the spice of life and what is suitable for one may not be for someone else.

Use your intuition, reflect on why you want to learn, what you may want to achieve (self-development, learning more about yourself via archetypes, or career change; training to the best of your abilities) and above all, have fun whilst learning, it keeps the mind young.

Oephebia and the kitty monsters