Christmas Carol Tarot Spread

Yuletide/Christmas is the time of the year which can be truly magical with family, friends and/or our pets, a time to relax with mulled wine and mince pies. A time when a simple thoughtful present can help someone realise how much you love them.

However, it is also the time of the year which can bring difficulties, stress, ressentment, loneliness, family tensions and the list goes on.

Yuletide to me is a time of reflection, looking at what the year about to end has brought me, the good things and the not so good things. It is a time to count my blessings (to be alive and well is the best blessings of all), to see the good things in my life, to be grateful that I made it through another year.

With that in mind, this spread has been created to have fun with the cards during the festive season, but also to truly find the magic of Yule: the sun is being reborn, we can wish upon a star (from the top of our Yule tree) for more blessings to be counted in the future.

Blessed Yule
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year

Christmas Carol spread with the Yuletide Tarot

Position 1: Ghost of Christmas Past 
What was the main theme of most of your Yule/Christmas from the past?
Was it a good time?
Was it a difficult time?
Do you have fond memories of these times or none?

Position 4: What needs to be put to rest?
(Card on position 1 and 4 work together)
What memories do you need to let go off?
What energies no longer serves you?
What chapter in your book of life needs to close?

Position 2: Ghost of Christmas Present
What is the most important thing to you during the festive season?
How can you create a truly magical time for you?
What is your wish for this Yule/Christmas?
What do you need right now?

Position 5: What needs to be born?
(Card on position 2 and 5 work together)
What are your wishes for the new year?
What seeds are you planting right now that will bear fruit next year?
What chapter in your book of life needs to be written?

Position 3: Ghost of Christmas Future
What does the ghost of Yule/Christmas future want you to know?
How do you envisage your future Yule/Christmas?
Would it be a time of true happiness?

Position 6: What will be born?
(Card on position 3 and 6 work together)
What do you need to put into motion to make you feel happy?
What will the incoming year bring you?

Position 7: The Future
What could possibly be on its way for you next year?
What important direction you may want to take?
What would need to change?

Position 8: Gift from Christmas present
In position 2, we looked at the Ghost of Christmas present, but with this position, we are now looking at what they have left behind for you.
So, it would be interesting to see if your desires on position 2, will be fulfilled in the future 🙂

Position 9: Gift from Christmas future
In position 3, we looked at the Ghost of Christmas future.
Position 9 looks at the extra gift left for you!

Oephebia and the Pumpkin Queen Kitty (and the kitty monsters in spirit)

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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

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Jack-O’-Lantern Tarot

Samhain 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 indoors more, to prepare and enjoy earthy food, to read books and to honour our ancestors, to remember them, to reflect on the passing year and to be grateful.

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, feasts of apples and magic.

One of the most recognisable symbols of Samhain, is of course the pumpkin and subsequently the Jack O lantern.
The story of Jack-o’-lantern is an ancient one, involving a human and the devil and trickery.

When I heard that a Jack O Lantern tarot was going to be available in the UK, I was overjoyed, as what is it not to love? Tarot, pumpkins and Samhain. Simply perfect.

The first thing that catches my eye when I look at a new tarot is symbolism.
Many of my students know how important it is to understand symbolism within the tarot, as it can help tremendously when reading the cards for oneself or a stranger.

Many decks are very pleasant and are aesthetically amazing, but are poor in symbolism or the energies of the deck are “off”.

With the Jack O Lantern tarot (Copyright Lo Scarabeo) , I was surprised that the symbolism of both the tarot and Samhain display a rich tapestry of energies, which in turn is perfect for divination on Samhain’s night.

Without further ado, let’s have a look at some pumpkin cards and their symbolism and compare them with the most recognisable tarot of all time, the Rider Waite Smith.(Copyright US Games)

Please note that I will refer to the Rider Waite Smith as RWS and Jack O Lantern as JOL, to make things simpler when comparing cards!

The Fool

My favourite card of all, a misunderstood card about being foolish, totally reckless, immature etc. That is far from the truth, it is rather a card for listening to the calling of one’s soul (amongst other meanings of course).

With both cards, we can feel the sense of travelling and movement with the symbolism of the boots, whilst innocence is depicted in both cards with flowers (a white rose with the RWS, and deadly nightshade (Atropa Belladona) which is lethal and hallucinogenic with the JOL)

In the RWS pack the wand and the Fool’s sack has a wing on the bag (one of the very few belongings the Fool will need). And in the JOL pack the wand is present but, the sack is now a bat (symbol of foresight, and protection).

The protector in both cards is of course, the dog. The instinctive part of us, trying to warn the Fool about the danger of the cliff. With the RWS, the dog is active, trying to attract the attention of the Fool. With the JOL, the dog is more aggressive in their warning, biting the boot to stop the Fool. And an additional symbol has been added, a bird, on the grass (which of course is a symbol of spirit and soul). The Fool card in my view is the representation of the soul being born into this world and undertaking the journey through life (the Tarot).

The belt on the Fool’s waist (RWS) is made of beads representing the planets and their principles. With the JOL tarot, a cat belt has been added. Cats are essential to Samhain, as they represent magic, protection, death and rebirth and of course, independence which is the essence of the Fool.

Both Fools wear androgynous clothes, rich in colours, with the RWS, trees and fruits together with red under sleeves talk about the Fool’s connection to nature, the untamed part of us and passion. With the JOL, the colours are more within Samhain, orange (creativity, passion) and purple/green (perhaps linked to the heart and crown chakras, following one’s heart/head).

The yellow sky in the RWS, represents optimism, warmth, the intellect and golden opportunities, whilst all these attributes are embodied in the Fool’s head (a glowing pumpkin) in the JOL.

And of course, the cliff (danger) and mountains (wisdom/healing) are present in both decks.

3 of Swords

One of the cards that transcend words, as the visual is extremely powerful and any human being will understand the symbolism of a heart pierced by swords: being heartbroken.

In ancient times, anatomy was not as understood as today, and people thought that the centre of thought was the heart not the brain. The JOL portrays this notion as we can see a head pierced by three powerful swords. No blood can be seen, but instead roots emerging from the cranium giving birth to candy floss clouds. In other words, thoughts can trap us in a permanent state of confusion, pain, sorrow, and mental anguish. If one is not careful it can lead towards depression. We have four owls (owls are a symbol of wisdom), trying to distract the head from the internal process going on. The head is floating above mother earth, means we are not connecting to our world anymore creating trauma. Consequently, we are shutting down our emotions causing heightened distressing thoughts.

The RWS depicts a simpler version, a heart pierced by three swords (Mind Body and Spirit) in a grey sky, with clouds and rain. The meaning is the same, trauma, sorrow, pain, and to a more simplistic extent, extreme stress due to external events, the fight or flight mechanism necessary to survive when presented with situations which require us to tackle them head on  (redundancy, divorce, separation, bereavement etc).

Both cards remind us that everything in life is temporary and things change all the time, it is what life is about, change, loss, gain, completion, new cycle, end of a chapter and the list goes on.
Pain is a powerful emotion that can be transformed into healing and sometimes creative outlets, or positive things. Sorrow will ease with time, one has to acknowledge it and ride the wave, eventually the wave will arrive on a shore and life will go on.

On a personal note, I was going to write about the 3 of Swords (and the rest of my chosen cards) on the day my beloved Lugosi (my rescue Persian cat) was put to sleep. On that afternoon, I had managed to write only about the Fool, the card that to me, represents the soul.
I was distracted by a phone call when I was gathering my thoughts about the 3 of swords. During the telephone conversation, my boy jumped on my desk to tell me that he was not feeling well (he had a tumour on one of his lungs and we knew that he was on borrowing time at 16 years old). We called the emergency vet and it was decided that the best was to let him go. He was put to sleep on the spot and passed away in my arms.

The 3 of Swords has been so apt to let me know that a soul (the Fool) was about to embark on a new journey and that I will be left heartbroken and totally bereft. All the cards I had chosen in the morning to write this article were in fact a message from the Universe to let me know about the event that will unfold later on. Somehow my higher self knew and these cards were chosen to leave a powerful message.

Almost 12 years ago we went to the Celia Hammond Trust to adopt him and his friend Karloff (who is also grieving hard).

The rest of this blog is in memoriam of my beautiful boy!

5 of Pentacles

Another powerful card because of its visual. The theme of destitution, poverty and hardship is well depicted with both the RWS and JOL.

In the RWS, we have two beggars, barefoot in the snow, the male has crutches and a bell around his neck (an indication that he is a leper) and the female looks tall and thin. They are passing by a church (stained window with 5 pentacles arranged as the tree of life, with two towers on the top indicating that life has its up and downs but help is always within reach). The cold ground and the snow remind us of the harshness of life when our health declines, when our safety net is no more (losing a job, having a house repossessed, separation, divorce etc) or, when we feel emotionally disconnected from life.

The JOL goes a bit further in the depiction of the harshness of life/health/finances as the only comfort the two beggars can find is death (disguised as a monk). Only death understands and offers protection and the end of torment. This can be so true when one is terminally ill, or when we are faced with a decision to put to sleep a beloved animal friend.
Sometimes a clean state of affairs is necessary to start the new, which is depicted by the bat (instead of the stained window of a church in the RWS). Bats are a symbol of foresight, letting go of fear and flying free from it. Supernatural powers are also a spiritual attribute of the bat. So apt with this version of the 5 of pentacles!

Queen of Wands

IMHO, one of the most magical queens, fierce, enthusiastic, passionate, independent, sincere, creative and intuitive (raw intuition/gut instinct). This queen is often the card depicting psychic, tarot readers, healers and independent personalities. A queen to my heart (with a strong Leo ascendant, it has to be).

With the RWS, the Queen of Wands sits on her throne, with her legs wide open, not concerned that it is perhaps not lady like and unaware of what other people may think. We are not worth her gaze, she is looking away, perhaps looking at her next adventure or next steps. She does not dwell on the past; the present and the future are more exciting to her. Her sceptres are as unconventional as she is, a simple sunflower and a wand with three leaves (Mind Body and Spirit or, a link to arcana number 3, the Empress: Gaia). Her black kitty reminds me of Bastet (originally a sun Goddess), is the only being looking at us.

Cats are of course, a symbol of magic, hidden knowledge, independence, fierce love, protection and mystery. The Queen wears a cat brooch meaning she has integrated some of the characteristics of the cat, but so much more needs to be discovered.
The lions on the throne are a symbol of royal houses, power, and are linked to Sekhmet the Goddess of war and healing.

With the JOL, the queen is looking straight at us, her gaze is intense and we can see the power emanating from her eyes (her eyes look like feline eyes).
She still holds simple sceptres such as a sunflower with the head of a fierce lion, and a wand with twelve leaves (twelve months or twelve signs of the zodiac, reminding us of the circle of life and death).
She wears an elaborate crown with three levels (Mind Body and spirit) with a Moon on the top. This Queen is indeed in touch with her higher self and her psychic intuition. The lower part of the crown has a feline face on it, as cats are magical beings.

The little Bastet/black cat is also present in the card, rubbing their head against the statue of their sister Sekhmet. The queen has a rather large depiction of a cat hanging from some kind of cape, a puma perhaps? This represents a significant source of her understanding of healing, love, unseen forces and cycle of life and death. She is a powerful queen who understands the unknown (her purple robe linked to the crown chakra). A green face is seen behind her crown, showing that she acts on impulse from the heart (green is the colour of the heart chakra). She is the one that can go deep and come up with healing words, healing messages when it is needed. She understands instinctively what you are going through. She has a direct line with the unknown (the cherub in the sky together with the three crows symbol of second sight).  She is not scared of being whom she wants to be.

4 of Cups

Ah, the card for apathy, discontentment, and no enjoyment of life.
If you want to know more about the card, I wrote an article about the 4 of Cups on my blog a few years ago.

With the RWS, we are presented with a young man, with crossed arms, leaning on a tree, seemingly lost in his thoughts whilst looking at three cups standing in front of him. His whole attitude is one of boredom and apathy. This young man does not seem to realise that excitement in life is still around, if only he could see the hand of the magician giving him a brand-new cup to fill with love and enjoyment.
The young man does not notice nature around him, the tree and the grass, the blue sky and the whole of nature supporting him.

The JOL on the other hand, is showing a figure in green and purple (colours that are found throughout the deck, meaning the interaction of the heart (chakra) and the spirit (crown chakra)), sleeping against a seemingly dead tree. Again, the figure does not seem to realise that help is at hand with the skeleton hand offering a golden cup with a purple ribbon (a kind of holy grail to step into a new lease of life).
Two leaves can be seen on the dead tree, the promises that life can be renewed after a period of introspection or apathy.
The vulture perched on the shoulder of the figure is a symbol of death and rebirth. Emotions come and go, from the happiest to the saddest. Everything has a cycle and whilst it is ok to pause and to feel a bit disconnected, the purple wizard hat on the floor, reminds the figure that magic can be found again, if only one is willing to look for it. The bat on the hat vouches for it.
Interestingly enough, the figure is barefoot, which means that if he wants, he can connect to mother earth and her loving energies, as the blue mountains of healing seen behind the tree.
A very important message is to find happiness again, it is not yet lost, it may well be different but still there.

I hope you enjoyed looking at the cards from two different packs, the symbolism may appear very different, but yet the magic is there, the essence of the cards is intact.

These cards obviously had a very personal message for me, and it was a bit cathartic to write this blog. Life goes on, it always does!

I hope you will have a magical Samhain

Oephebia and the kitty monster (and the one in spirit)

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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

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Post Covid19 & Bach Flowers Remedies

On 23^rd of March I first showed symptoms of Covid19 and little did I know then, that a strange journey had just begun. A journey that weeks later (I am currently on week 10 going week 11 on Monday 8^th of June…my birthday) is still unravelling as I am not 100% as yet.

Like everybody else, I naively thought that contracting Covid19  was like having flu, a bit of temperature, few days in bed and hey presto back on my feet, right?

Apparently a two week recovery period was what to expect according to the NHS and the media.
Really? These 2 weeks belong to the fairies’ realm.

It is not like having flu, it is far worse, the symptoms linger long after the virus has apparently died in the body.

The virus is like a super villain on steroids because it tries to create as much disruption as possible in the body in a short time, attacking the body on many fronts at once.

Covid19 attacks the central nervous system leading to disrupted sleep patterns, nightmares, cognitive problems, loss of smell and/or taste, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, confusion, brain fog, giving people the impression of being disconnected from the world and life, distortion of time and spatial awareness, and hallucinations.

The cardiovascular system is not left out of the fun and is under tremendous assault by the super villain. Disruption of heart beats creates arrhythmia (abnormal rate or rhythm at which the heart beats). Chest pain, giving the impression that the heart is going to explode and high blood pressure is another way the super villain puts pressure on the heart. These symptoms could lead to potentially serious problems such as cardiac arrest for example. Some scientists believe that in fact, Covid19 is a cardiac disease as well as a lung disease!

The super villain continues on its destructive path by attacking (for good measure) the gastrointestinal system leaving people with nausea, loss of appetite, heartburns, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation, abdominal pain and/or gastrointestinal bleeding.

The respiratory system has no chance with the super villain as the lungs are under systematic attack. For some people a secondary infection such as pneumonia (my case) will be the result of such attacks.

For other people, their lungs will be rendered inefficient and sadly they will need treatment at the hospital to help them to breathe.

The upper respiratory system won’t be shown mercy either by the super villain and sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, shortness of breath will be part of the virus working through the body.

Other symptoms include (and the list is not exhaustive): extreme fatigue, sweating, fever, lack of vavavoum, loss of hair, loss of weight, headaches, heaviness of the chest, conjunctivitis, eyesight problems, short term memory loss, difficulty concentrating,  vertigo, shortness of breath, various pains and aches all over the body, gastric reflux, blood circulatory problems, bladder or kidney problems, blisters and rash, low oxygen levels, blood clotting, earache, sensation of coldness in some parts of the body, etc.

If you want to find out more, Professor Paul Garner (professor of infectious diseases at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) has written a blog about post Covid19, as he has experienced the virus first hand as a human being but also as a doctor/scientist.

The media need to give the right information when it comes to Covid19 as 2 weeks convalescence is not the norm to overcome the virus…weeks or even months to recover is what many people are experiencing and so far, no one knows when we will recover completely.

Those of you who have been infected by the super villain can find help and support online.
One group about Covid19 is in the UK Coronavirus Covid-19 UK & Ireland Sufferers and Survivors Support Network

Now, what all this has to do with Bach Flowers remedies I hear you ask 🙂

Well, after 3 weeks mostly in bed, I started my convalescence but although I knew that the body will take time to recover, I was crippled by anxiety, fears of all sort (that I will contract the virus again, that this time around I won’t be lucky and will end up in an ICU or worst).
I felt that I was not myself anymore. The strong spiritually minded Crone that I used to be was nowhere to be seen, and in its place was a frightened woman who felt that her body had been invaded by an invisible ‘monster’ winning the battle and leaving ruins behind.
I simply felt powerless whilst the super villain was rampaging through me.

As many of you know a psychic tarot reader needs their mind to be strong and clear when providing readings.  I felt that even my spiritual side had been taken away. I thought that maybe I won’t be able to use my psychic abilities to help others,  that I won’t remember my tarot cards and that I would be left with nothing.

Those totally irrational fears were the product of Covid19 and knocked my confidence for a while. I thought I was going through not only a physical breakdown but also a nervous one!

Then I decided that enough was enough. As soon as the body started to show little signs of getting better, I took the bull by the horns and decided that I needed help to reconnect with myself.

What better and a more natural way to do so than the Bach Flowers Remedies?

I have used them professionally (I am a Bach Flowers Practitioner for Animals but did my level 1 and 2 in humans) and personally for years.  Although many people dismiss them as placebos, this cannot be true for animals as they do not know if you have put the drops in their food or not and yet they (like us) recover from negative emotions.

The Bach Flowers system was developed by Dr Edward Bach (pronounce Batch), an English doctor, homeopath, and surgeon. He believed that a strong emotional wellbeing was the key to good health. He developed the 38 flowers remedies in the 1930’s. His system is simple but highly efficient. The most famous one is the Rescue Remedy.

Here is my personal blend that I used during my convalescence to help my emotional state.
I choose: Mimulus, White Chestnut, Olive, Oak and Rock Rose.

Mimulus: for fear of what the super villain has done to my body. Fear of re-contamination. Fear that my body won’t cope if a second infection, fear that I won’t be able to work on the spiritual side anymore.  It is a good essence for anxiety.
Mimulus is the remedy for known fears and will help to remove these fears by rationalising them.

White Chestnut: to calm an overactive mind, to let go of worries, to help with sleep as the mind is more relaxed. With the virus, thoughts are erratic and sometimes one can be locked into a thinking pattern that can turn to obsession.

Olive: for the sheer mental exhaustion one can feel after Covid. It is a great remedy to regain mental clarity and peace of mind. Olive brings optimism and rebalances the solar plexus (centre of the self).

Oak: to regain strength on the mind, body and spirit. Oak trees are known for their resilience and their longevity. To give the mind the space to regain momentum after such destruction.

Rock Rose: the remedy for terror, and post stress disorder. I must admit that I was terrified during the illness, that finally my time had come (and I was obviously not ready) but also terrified for my beloved who had contracted the virus too. Of course, the sheer thought of contracting the virus again had me running for cover and something needed to be done for me to calm down and be more rational with it all. So Rock Rose was a life saver for my headless chicken syndrome 🙂
Also Rock Rose helped to ease the nightmares or heavy dreams typical of Covid. Beloved had such heavy dreams too.

How to make a bottle of mixed remedies
Take a 30 ml dropper medicine bottle and fill with still mineral water (no tap water).

Add 5 drops of your chosen formula.
In this case, 5 drops of Mimulus, 5 drops of White Chestnut, 5 drops of Olive, 5 drops of Oak and 5 drops of Rock Rose.

Taking the remedies
Put 4 drops of the mixed remedies in a glass of water, or in a cup of tea (or coffee, cocoa), or on the tongue, or like me I put it in my food.
The minimum dose is twice a day.
The best is 4 drops x four times a day. 
With this dosage your bottle will last around 3 or 4 weeks.

After 4 weeks discard the remedies and make a fresh batch, this time tweaking your remedies as the remedies act as the peeling of an onion, some new emotions may rise to the surface.

In my case, impatience raised onto the surface as I had enough of convalescing and wanted to do things. When I prepared my second bottle I used the same essences but I added the remedy Impatiens flower to help with well….impatience 🙂

Other remedies you may want to consider

Crab Apple: this is the remedy when we feel unclean or when we cannot stand an untidy/unclean environment (particularly when ill). It is a great spring cleaner of energies and many therapists take Crab Apple between clients to cleanse their energies.

Holly: For anger.
Many of us experienced anger during Covid, particularly when seeing how other people have been careless, not respecting the lockdown and the social distancing rules. Anger that we caught the illness despite taking every precautions, anger about the lack of understanding of other people (friends, colleagues and family) but also health professionals.

Hornbeam: When feeling overwhelmed by life. Not being able to face daily challenges, feeling weak and for mental fatigue. The Monday morning feeling that we all know.

Pine: for those of you who were hospitalised and survived, whilst others did not. Pine is the remedy for guilt.

Scleranthus: When the mind is going from one thought to another, when unable to make up one’s mind. To stop the mind going in circle. Scleranthus may help with vertigo.

Walnut: For the change in your routine due to the illness and the lockdown. To accept that the body is temporarily not as efficient and that energy levels are low. To adapt to change.

Water Violet: for the feeling of isolation and loneliness.

Wild Rose: when one has given up and feels unmotivated, a lack of interests in surroundings and everything is meaningless. When having no drive, no energy.

Please note that the maximum number of flower essences you can mix together is 7
If you use the Rescue Remedy with any other essences, then the Rescue remedy is considered as one essence (despite being a mix of several essences).

How the remedies work
The remedies do not push down troubling emotions; instead they raise your vibrations and encourage the development of positive emotions.  The process is gentle and simple.  A passing mood is likely to respond to remedies more quickly than a long-term feeling.  Working on deep-rooted issues, this will take longer than a recently occurred feeling.

The remedies are not a quick fix and take time to work on your auric field. On average a few days to a few weeks will see subtle changes in your way of thinking!

Personally, I respond very quickly to the remedies, but this might be not the same for everyone.

Adverse reactions to remedies
The remedies do not cause any actual side effects and can be taken with allopathic medicine. There are no risks of overdose or addiction. They can be stopped immediately without any problems. They do not work on the physical but on the emotional and spiritual side. They are safe to ingest as they are diluted with water.

They are preserved in Brandy though, so seek medical advice if you have any problems related to alcohol. You can find the remedies preserved in oil as well.

Always consult with your GP or health professional as certainly the Bach Flowers remedies are not a substitute to medical care and attention.

Where to find the Bach Flowers remedies
The remedies are widely available online or depending on where you are, health shops, pharmacies, healing centres etc.

I hope the Bach Flowers remedies will help you with your emotions, as it will help with the convalescence. We know more than ever today that a healthy mind has an impact on the body and of course, the spirit.

Obviously, there are so many things you could do to help your emotional state, such as using aromatherapy in a burner or on a pillow (lavender and valerian to help sleeping), doing gentle stretching exercise sitting on a couch, mindfulness, meditation, visualisation, sound therapy, acupuncture, apothecary to name but a few.
I am sure there is lots of information online.
I choose the Bach Flowers remedies because it is a system I know well and that has and continue to work for me 🙂

Get well soon fellow Covid warriors

Oephebia and the kitty monsters

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Birth of a New decade Tarot spread

This is the time of the year that is full of hope for a better and brighter future.
The birth of a New Year spread is a fun spread to use to see what 2020 may bring J

However, 2020 is also a brand new decade that will bring its positivity and challenges as well.

Looking back at previous decades, I am sure we can all be grateful for the positivity in our lives, the achievements and successes we may have encountered, the love around us from people and/or pets, and the wisdom acquired along the path.
Of course, light cannot be without darkness and the last decade may have presented us with emotional challenges, trials and tribulations on many levels.

In order to have a look at what the next decade may bring, I have created a Birth of a new decade spread, which looks at the last decade (the root of the future) and what the future may bring.

It is interesting to see the progression from one decade to another, or to see if similar themes will be around.

For people hitting their second Saturn return (around 58 to 60 years old), this new decade may show what your soul truly needs 🙂

Card 1: Main lesson learnt from the last decade
The main theme of the last 10 years, what you needed to understand or to integrate on a soul level.

Card 2: What do I need to release from the last decade?
This is what no longer serves you, situations or people who should not be part of your future. A bit of spring cleaning  🙂

Card 3: Positivity of the last decade
This is quite fun to remember the good fortune in your life, the achievements, the travels, the opportunities to do better things, the children born during that time, the pets who came to live with you, the change of jobs, new hobbies and so on.

Card 4: Negativity of the last decade
The other side of the coin, the events less positive that have occurred, redundancies, divorces, separations, death, children leaving the nest, health problems, financial constrictions and the list goes on.

Card 5: What do I need to bring forward from the last decade?
The card in that position may surprise you. It is the message of your higher self to you.

In my case, it was the Ace of Cups, which comforted me as the last decade has been tough on the emotional level.

Card 6: Main lesson for the next decade
Principles you will need to learn on the soul level.
Have a look at card 1 (lesson of the last decade) and compare the two.
It might reveal a similar lesson or something totally different.

Card 7: What do I need to concentrate on in this new decade?
What goals you may want to set for yourself.

Card 8: Positivity of the new decade
Something to look forward to, what the main positivity will be and to take it in your heart and soul 🙂

Card 9: Negativity of the new decade.
We know that life will bring some unwanted gifts in many forms.
Forewarned is forearmed.

Card 10: Gift of the next decade
What the Universe has in store for you…mine was the Wheel of Fortune and the Sun 🙂

With this spread you can put two cards in each position, to have more details or, you can just put one card for each position, the choice is yours.
Personally I did one card with one tarot deck, and an additional card with another tarot deck, it was good fun 🙂

Let me know if this spread is easy to use as creating a spread is a very strange process.
What works for someone might not work for someone else.

Bonne Année – Happy New Year
Oephebia and the kitty monsters

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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

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Colour Blue and the Tarot

Blue is the colour associated with the sky and the oceans.
Blue is the ideal colour to help meditation, dreams and for healing.

A room painted with blue walls will calm and soothe the mind encouraging relaxation and releasing stress.

For this reason, blue is the perfect colour for bedrooms to enhance good sleep and dreams.

Blue is the colour of authority and “the blue blood line” in French history talks about the royal connection with the heavens. It was believed that the King was the representation of God on earth and because of the “purity” of his blood (by being born in the Royal family within the sanctity of marriage), the King was considered pure and divine.

Certainly Louis the XIV of France took this idea further by declaring himself the Sun king, le Roi Soleil, as this picture from the gate of the Chateau de Versailles shows. The absolute divine power coming from the sky 🙂

Following the idea that blue is the colour of “authority” and divine right, presumably the colour blue attributed for centuries to boys, has some roots in the idea that men were the authority within a family line (inheritance, carrying on the name etc…).

Fortunately mentalities are changing now, and more colours are more available for both boys and girls 🙂

Another hint that blue is connected with spirituality, wisdom and the heavens is found in the Christian iconography. The Virgin Mary is often represented with a blue veil and white dress, as she is the mother of the son of God (Blue veil: the connection to heaven) and she is pure (white dress).

As we have seen blue is connected to the celestial bodies and the Universe. Our own planet is called the Blue Planet and was the subject of documentaries by Sir David Attenborough. 

Blue is also the colour of the throat chakra 🙂
The throat chakra when balanced is the centre of your truth and your ability to communicate.

Blue has a connection with Neptune (dream and imagination) and Mercury (communication and self-expression)

Colour blue in the tarot (Radiant Rider Waite)

The High Priestess card bears a resemblance with the Virgin Mary as she wears a blue veil (symbol of her wisdom) on a white dress (showing her purity as she is the guardian of truth).

The Hanged Man (ruled by Neptune) wears a blue garment, facilitating his meditation and withdrawal from a busy mind.

The Queen of Swords (3rd decan in Virgo. Virgo is ruled by Mercury) wears a blue cape adorned with clouds. Obviously the blue colour is linked to a Royal connection (she is a Queen) but possibly to her healing abilities with words! She is a clear communicator, and can talk her mind in a concise and truthful way (the sword in her hand).

The king of Cups wears a blue tunic, connecting him to the oceans and spirituality. He is a great listener, and his calming energies and wisdom can help reconnect to one self.

There are many other cards with a blue sky, or with people wearing a blue garment within the RW and other tarot decks.

Always pay attention to the colour blue 🙂

More info on colours and tarot: the colour black and the colour green 🙂

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Birth of a New Year Tarot spread

This is the time of the year when we can truly look at the previous year and take account of what has happened, the trials and tribulations we endured, the blessings and joyful moments we had, the goals we reached, big and small. In other words, to integrate life’s up and downs and to look with hope in the year ahead 🙂

At the beginning of each year, traditionally,  we make a list of New Year’s resolutions which most of the time will be gone by the end of January if not before.

Personally, I like to look at the year ahead and to have projects and goals I would like to achieve or more generally, a direction I would like to focus on.

With that in mind, I created this fun spread which can be used as a general spread, or for more specific areas of life such as family, love, career, spirituality, creativity etc..

Card 1 : Main lesson of last year
That which was more challenging to integrate, what you needed to focus on most of the time.

Card 2 : What I need to get rid of
What you need to let go of on the shore of 2017 and not to carry  any more.

Card 3 : How to let go of what no longer serves me?
What has become a burden and practical steps to let it all go.
This card is significant as it is a little something from the universe to help you unburden yourself.

Card 4 : New Year’s gift to me
The gift/blessings/energies that the Universe (or deity you believe in) wants you to be equipped with for the new year.

Card 5 : Main focus of the year
What will be your main direction/intent for the upcoming year. Which area of life is in need of  TLC.

Card 6 : What I must do this year
Here there is a sense of duty and urgency with this card. What would be the pillar for your goals/expectations to be achieved.

Card 7 : Goals to achieve this year
What would be a great focus of intention laying the foundation for the future that could spread further than 2018.

Card 8 : Advice from the universe for this year
This card is significant as it is linked with card 4, so pay attention to both to see if they complement each other or seem in opposition. If in opposition, it will mean that challenges will be keenly felt, which sometimes is needed in order to achieve.

Card 9 : Main energy of the year.
With this card you will be able to feel intuitively what the year will bring 🙂

Have fun using this spread, and please let me know how it worked for you.
I did it for 2018 and it was absolutely spot on, a bit scary actually.
So cannot wait to do it after 1st January 🙂

Bonne Annee – Happy New Year 🙂
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Major Arcana

To celebrate the Second International tarot day, a day to freely recognise the Tarot as the wonderful tool that it is, an international team of sleuths have been on the trail of 78 suspects.

The Interpol team, specialised in the most wanted list of 22 major suspects from the hermetic world of Tarot had a list of questions to follow in order to build a forensic profile of their possible villains.

However, despite the efforts of some of the detectives, 11 of the most wanted offenders have not be taken into custody and are still at large.

Investigations were also undertaken in the four corners of the Earth, from the realm of Cups, Wands , Pentacles and Swords.

Here are the unsettling confessions of the most wanted on Interpol’s list: the High Priestess by Lisa Frideborg , the Lovers by Meniscus Tarot, The Chariot by Amanda Morrison, the Hermit by Margo Moncur, The Wheel of Fortune by Lati Lati, The Hanged man by Brenda Oakley Carter , Death by Carmen Byrd Bohn, The Devil by Rachel Pollack The Tower by Anthea Homer, The Star by AJ Bell, Judgement (the sleuth has not completed his task).

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The High Priestess  by Lisa Frideborg

 

The Lovers, blog by Meniscus Tarot

 

The Chariot by Amanda Morrison

Radiant Waite Tarot – The Alchemical Tarot – Tarot of the Holy LightSo, the mission given to me was to research The Chariot with a helpful list of suggested areas to cover. There’s much to say, and I found it difficult to know where to stop – so I shall aim to channel some of The Chariot’s energy and set to the task. Many of you reading this will have considerably more knowledge and experience than me, so I look forward to any additional comments.

Possible meaning of the Chariot.
The first task was to reflect on possible meanings of the card. Even a driven character such as The Chariot is open to a myriad of interpretations, but in essence, when he turns up he brings positive energy and signifies victory. However, this has not been handed to him on a plate, and may still be a work in progress. Rather it suggests that hard work brings its own reward, and that with focus and application you can move mountains. This requires endurance, determination, self-control and a good dose of self-belief. On a literal level, the card can signify a journey, or travel – or anything connected to travel, such as a car. This is strange given that The Chariot looks pretty static to me in the RW version, although has considerably more va va voum in other decks. The Chariot suggests a certain maturity and sense of purpose (being in the driving seat), and is likely to involve a degree of struggle as he attempts to attain balance (not so easy when you are dealing with opposing forces like those pesky sphinxes).

Plato, in Phaedrus describes the mind as a chariot drawn by a black and a white horse (although in RW sphinxes replace the horses used in earlier decks). This tells us a lot about the strength of character represented by The Chariot, who controls the direction of travel without any need for reins. However I feel that it is important to bear in mind that control is only a way of managing rather than understanding or resolving a problem, and no matter how successful The Chariot is, there are limits to what he can achieve using this modus operandi, and he risks burn out by continuing long term like this.

 Mythology of the Chariot.
The story of Oedipus, a Greek myth about a king who fulfilled a prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother, is often associated with The Chariot. It’s a lengthy tale, but key elements include Oedipus’s encounter with the sphinx at the gates of Thebes. By answering her riddle correctly he not only spared himself a ghastly fate, but freed the people of the city from the tyranny of the sphinx (who had thrown herself into the sea on hearing Oedipus’ answer – strange behaviour but then again, this is a myth). His triumphant entry into the city is reflected in The Chariot (although in this image he is leaving the city behind him). However there remains something of the victory parade about The Chariot, and horses that appear in many decks, were used in celebrations to welcome home victorious heroes and conquering armies.

Numerology.
Neptune (also sometimes associated with Cancer) rules the number seven which has a magical vibration. Think of the main chakras in the body, days of the week. Introversion and introspection are qualities associated with this number so although the Chariot looks very focused and dynamic, he has done some soul searching before deciding on his destination. Another seven is The Tower (16 1+6=7), which warns us of the disruption that will occur if we choose the wrong path.

 Elemental correspondence.
The element associated with The Chariot is water. Fluid and able to simply move around any obstacle that gets in its way, water has both adaptive and pragmatic qualities. It will take the path of least resistance, and like The Chariot favours a direct route. Water also symbolises the unconscious but the body of water lies behind The Chariot, suggesting that the mysteries of the unconscious are of no real concern for now.

 Astrological Correspondence
Cancer, ruled by The Moon, is a Cardinal water sign. As a Cardinal sign, Cancer is associated with new beginnings and fresh starts, which bodes well for The Chariot. The Moon of course has a huge influence on the oceans, and I wonder if The Chariot is in touch with intuition more than he might like to admit.

 Meaning of the symbolism found in the card
The Chariot is incredibly rich in symbolism, much of which resonates with earlier cards.

The black and white sphinxes represent dualities and contradictions that exist in life, and which have to be controlled sufficiently to ensure that progress isn’t hampered. They link this card to the myth of Oedipus and, looking in opposite directions, the sphinxes remind us of the force of will required to keep on track. They echo the twin pillars in The High Priestess, and the drapery at the back of the chariot is reminiscent of her veil although the charioteer is not currently concerned with the unconscious.

The wand is similar to that held by The Magician, although it rests low rather than pointing heavenward, suggesting that he uses his will to control events.

Stars like those in The Empress’s crown adorn the drapery, and the City in the background represents The Emperor.

Lunar faces on his shoulder are named Urin and Thummim, from the breastplate The High Priest of Jerusalem and therefore connect The Chariot with The Hierophant.

Hindu yoni and lingam symbols adorn the shield on the chariot itself – representing feminine and masculine principles united in an interlocking figure. This relates to the preceding card The Lovers and suggests sexual maturity, someone who is control of their emotional life and who will not give into basic instinct. The winged symbol above, I understand, has a connection with the Masons, but I am not clear of its exact meaning.

On the belt are planetary symbols that signify the astrological signs, while the skirt is decorated with magical symbols.

Rachel Pollack’s take on The Chariot, as the victory or culmination of the first line of the Major Arcana, makes a lot of sense to me. If we understand the tarot as a means of exploring the development of the human psyche, this card represents the developed ego, who has learned from experience and reached a point of confidence and contentment, and deservedly so. The outer personality, or persona has been created. However he remains unaware of the limits of his knowledge and understanding of life. In other words, he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, and the realms of unconscious and super conscious remain beyond him. Although he has come far, he has much further to go to fully understand himself and his place in the world.

Shadow
The shadow aspect of The Chariot can come in a number of guises. Perhaps that renowned drive and focus becomes so intense that s/he rides roughshod over anything and anybody in pursuit of his or her aim. On a mission to attain a goal, it can be easy to become so intent on one’s path that we forget to live in the moment or stop and smell the roses as we go.
There is, I feel, a potentially ruthless streak in The Chariot, and perhaps also a sense of superiority or even narcissism, being raised, as he is, above the level of mere mortals.
It’s useful when reflecting on the hidden aspects of this card, to look to its astrological correspondent, Cancer. Liz Green, describing the shadow aspect of Cancer in Astrology for Lovers, says “with Cancer the shadow speaks through the mouth” which I feel could equally well relate to The Chariot’s potential for coldness or even cruelty when anything gets in the way.

It is also interesting to consider elements within the card as potential shadow aspects. The sphinxes, according to Greek myth, have the potential to be lethal and may therefore remind us of the destructive forces that lie within us that can be awakened when things don’t go our way.

 Crystals

• Tiger’s eye – develops courage and confidence
• Pyrite – boosts energy, strengthens willpower and helps overcome bad habits
• Chalcedony – alleviates hostility, promotes benevolence
• Amber – for decisiveness, and to enhance intellect and memory
• Howlite – mitigates anger and helps to connect with our life path
• Leopard skin jasper – promotes physical strength, unifies all aspects of one’s life
• Staurolite – grounding and soothing, alleviates stress

Not really my area of knowledge, but these are the crystals that appear to be linked with The Chariot. I have given the most basic qualities they possess. Interestingly, most are linked to the root or sacral chakras, which suggests the need to remain grounded, vital for maintaining balance.

Herbs, flowers or essential oils
Cyperus papyrus.
Essential oils include black pepper for warmth and courage, Lavender for strength and solidarity and Rosemary for mental clarity.
Others that clear the path ahead, and help to make way for new things like Peppermint and Orange would also make sense for The Chariot.

The Hermit by Margo Moncur

Thank you Oephebia for creating this exercise for International Tarot Day! I was not surprised the Hermit came up for me. Oephebia will know I have for the last couple of months totally retreated. Doing this has helped me bring along my friend The Hermit with me, to help me understand and go through some “stuff”!

Possible meaning of the Hermit.
For me and especially in the present time. The Hermit reflects a time of introspection and solitude. A chance to connect with ones’ true self. A reminder that your true self lies within. This can be a journey that is both spiritual and also a time to get to clear answers before moving forward in to the light once more.  A bit of self-development is required and sometimes a withdrawal from society is required to do so. Before lighting your own path to the future.

 Mythology or folktales attached to the Hermit.
This had me intrigued and took me on a bit of a journey not only to the folklore and myth but how the Hermit was depicted through time. The Hermit is said to represent Diogenes of Sinope who was a Greek philosopher. He was one of the founders of Cynic philosophy. He used his simple life values and was a beggar and is said to have slept in a ceramic jar. He was notorious for his philosophical actions, such as carrying a lamp during the day, claiming to be looking for an honest man. He believed in living life as naturally as possible and that others should to. This led me to looking at the different depictions of the Hermit throughout the years. So a bit side tracked but very interesting.

Throughout the time of the Tarot cards existence. The earliest cards in late medieval Europe depicted a beggar, which then became a beggar with angel wings. Then finally the figure which we now know as the Hermit. There seemed to be a shift in this period from a religious depiction to a more mystical one. Though there are variations of these depictions, they were almost standardised by the Rider Waite cards.

There are so many depictions from the 14 & 15th centuries. In this period manuscripts that are available have listed this as the 11th card and not the 9th. Some of the images were a hunchback, an old man, and Time itself. While depicted as Time in the 15th century, he had an hourglass in his right hand and clearly now not a beggar.

In the 16th century and beyond, the then hourglass became a lamp/lantern. Which seemed to signify a reinterpretation of the Hermit as a figure of wisdom.

I really wanted to go in to more detail and have written a lot of this information down with more information on the different decks that are in different galleries in France and Italy. Some amazing exhibits and some really strong connections to Diogenes himself.

Element and Astrological association of the Hermit
The element associated with the Hermit is Earth. Quite apt I think. Grounding and firm. Though it requires the introduction of the other elements to flourish. It’s tactile and a foundation from which things can grow. It is feminine and is receptive, taking in nutrients and sun, using it to sustain the life that grows from it.

Virgo, represented by the virgin in astrology. What is the connection! Both are solitary and the epitome of a person in complete fulfilment alone, while seeking out through contemplation their needs. Virgos are known to be intelligent and analytical. So would seem of the Hermit.

Meaning of the symbolism found in the Hermit card.
The symbols of the Hermit to me represents the following. Six pointed star to me is symbolic of both fire and water. The water, the part of the star pointing down shows the need to withdraw. Which then moves to the fire, the part of the star pointing up. Which shows a need for action and of course energy.  The fact that it splits in to these elements shows the need for one then the other.  This can be the fire drawing us to withdraw. Or after a time with water during withdrawal, the fire is needed to ignite our journey again. Depending on where you are at that time.

The light also represents illumination and the lantern a guide to find your path. The grey cloak shows the neutrality of the Hermit and balance the opposites in nature.

The white beard is a sign of wisdom.

The snowy mountains represents the need to withdraw and be alone.

Sometimes when I have meditated on the Hermit energy I am transported to the peaks of a high mountain in the clouds. Away from distractions.

His wand/stick is a symbol of both support and his tool of initiation.

Shadow side of the Hermit card
This to me can mean excessive withdrawal from the world. Though on the other hand it can be keeping oneself distracted to actually take the time to be alone and connect with your inner self.

It can be a time of sadness of being exiled and sometimes feeling like a misfit.

You have to listen to the Hermit if he appears reversed and not shun its help. He is trying to help you.

Crystals associated with the Hermit.
Peridot/Olivine – Bloodstone – Smoky quartz – Sapphire – Blue calcite

Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to the Hermit.
Herbs – Angelica, Chamomile & Sage

Flowers – Star of Bethlehem

Essential Oils – Lavender, Frankincense, Black Spruce

There is a lot of cross over looking at the different aspects that have been included in this. I felt a great connection. There are perhaps some things I am not too sure about. The last two topics of Crystals, herbs, flowers & essential oils especially.

Have been a bit of searching the internet and also trying to focus in on what I feel. Not too much out there on these. Though I am due to go on holiday to the place we always go. The last time I was able to pick up from the Earth, some Peridot, strange that!

I am fairly new to the Tarot and after such a great grounding with Oephebia’s Tarot course. I felt I could do this, well to the best of my ability.

I thank Oephebia for taking the time to teach me. It has been a great help to me and was an extremely comprehensive but most enjoyable time spent learning.

Had a great time doing this exercise for International Tarot Day, 8 July.

The Wheel of Fortune by Lati Lati

Possible meaning of the card:
To me the Wheel Of Fortune is all about cycles in our lives that we have no control of, and that nobody can avoid. Life is full of constant changes, good and bad.

The wheel of fortune also represents to me fate/destiny. It Says: “Enjoy The Good Moments In Life To The Fullest, Cherish Your Loved Ones, Your Blessings” because anything can change in the blink of an eye, nothing ever remains the same, never take things for granted, remember that ” Whatever Goes Up Must Always Come Down”.

It also represents good fortune, winning the lottery, a struck of good luck.  This card for me always represents something positive even when it comes in the reverse… why? Because it means that our actions will take a great play in the situation that we are being confronted with, in other words, lessons learned/to be learned, or that justice will be served.

If you have been good and you are stuck in a bad situation just know that things will get better, that the dark days will not last forever, it gives us hope for a better tomorrow, the wheel will always turn no matter what.  On the other side remember that if you have been bad or done things with ill intentions know that sooner or later you will have to face the consequences of your actions and that it will have a major impact in your life.  This is one of my Karma cards.

It is kinda funny I was given this card. Don’t get me wrong it is one of my favorites yet one that I am very scared of because I am a person that fears changes, fear of the unknown even if I have been acting from the goodness of my heart creeps me out lol.

Mythology or folktales attached to the Wheel of Fortune
I dugged deep and one of the mythologies i learned was that:
In medieval and ancient philosophy the Wheel of Fortune, or Rota Fortunae, is a symbol of the capricious nature of Fate. It was believed that the wheel belongs to the Goddess Fortuna who spins it at random, changing the positions of those on the wheel: “Some will suffer great misfortune, others will gain”

Numerology connection
1 and 19, The Magician and the Sun

Element and Astrological association.
– Fire – Jupiter

Meaning of the symbolism found in the card:
A blue sky with four clouds, one in each corner – gives the card a mystic vibe
Sphinx – life’s riddles
Snake -the tree of knowledge where the snake tempted Adam and Eve
The red humanoid figure represents our Shadow Side, Our Inner Beast that we must confront as we evolve.
Each of the four clouds hosts a winged animal reading a book: Angel – Aquarius, Eagle – Scorpio, Winged bull – Taurus, Winged lion – Leo

* These zodiac signs represented in the wheel are all fixed signs, signs that give a sense of destiny because they all represent a personality that hold steady towards the inevitable*.

The letters on the wheel spell: T A R O T.

Shadow Side
Reversed, it represents events of misfortunes, luck is not on our side and there is nothing we can do to control it, we must go with the flow and remember that the wheel is always turning and that when we least expect it things will turn again in our favor.

Our luck and fate is always in motion, sometimes we are up sometimes we are down. Just remember not to resist the changes because the more we resist the more pain we will endure, the stucker we will get and the longer we will remain in a situation that does not serve us.

When we learn to accept the changes that are coming at us we grow as a person, we evolve, we move on, we forgive ourselves and others, we learn to accept the things that we cannot change nor control and we can figure out another way out towards a better situation, a new cycle in our lives that do serve us well.

Crystals associated with the card
– Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Aventurine, Sardonyx, Black opal, Amethyst, Rhodonite

Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to the Wheel of Fortune
– Herbs:  Frankincense, Anise, Basil, Neem
– Flowers – The dandelion says “oracle.” Its seed tuft head is blown on to divine answers to questions as diverse as years left to live, a lover’s thoughts, and the time of day. The root, used in tea, promotes psychic powers. From its radial spoked leaves to the stages of its flower, the dandelion’s circular shapes invoke thoughts of cycles and rotations.
-Essential Oils – Lemongrass essential Oil to help aid with the negative aspects of this card

 

 

The Hanged Man by Brenda Oakley Carter

Mythic Tarot

Possible meaning of the Hanged Man and mythology
The Hanged Man is the only Tarot card visibly based on a mythological figure.

He is Odin, the Norse god who hung from the World Tree for nine days to earn the knowledge of the Runes. Odin carries out his quest without moving, at least in the physical sense. The true quest is seeking within, not without.

This may be confusing at first, but only because the Hanged Man is the card of the paradox.

The Hanged Man shows a time a greater understanding that there is more to life than what is on the surface and a time of stillness is needed for contemplation.

It shows that a sacrifice will be made in order to gain something of greater importance. This is a voluntary sacrifice or giving up of something to get something you want more. Can be sacrifice of a cherished attitude such as intellectual superiority, unforgiving hatred or a stubborn pursuit of some unobtainable fantasy.

Look at things in a new and different way. Sometimes doing nothing can be the answer. Whatever you do next will bring a complete change to your life.

Change is about progression and this is a very positive card. It can feel like a time of limbo when you are waiting for one chapter of your life to end and a new one to begin.

Patience is needed and time should be spent in careful reflection and maybe take a step back to move forward. Don’t force anything and stop struggling so you can move forward. You may feel vulnerable but you will also feel strength.

In brief: A sacrifice must be made to gain something of greater value, transition, limbo, readjustment.

Numerology connection
The Hanged Man has the number 12 in the major arcana.
This is reduced in numerology to 3 (1+2).
The number 3 is the number of self-expression, joy, social gatherings and creativity.

Element and Astrological association
Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius (higher learning)
Ruling Planet: Neptune

The Hanged Man corresponds with Water, Pisces and Neptune. Its aspects are sacrifice, suspension and release. Reiki would be a good therapy to try while contemplating.

Crystals associated with the Hanged man.
Healing Crystals: Beryl, Selenite, Peridot/Olivine, Bloodstone, Smoky quartz, Sapphire, Blue calcite, Blue tourmaline.

Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to the Hanged man.
Mugwort is a plant for strength, healing and prophecy. Myrrh is a good oil to use for protection, healing and spirituality.

Death by Carmen Byrd Bohn

Esoteric Tarot of the World of Fairies Linda Ravenscroft. RWS, Tarot of the Pagan Cats

Possible meaning of the Death card.
Acceptance of an ending and a new beginning. It also contains the seeds of a new life that makes transformation possible. Change and the understanding of important things as well as the fear of the impossibility of going back in time. Out of the darkness comes the light, but we need strength and courage to start a new life, which will ease the pain, dissipate sadness and fill the void.

Mythology or folktales attached to the Death card.
Hades is the God of the Underworld. The souls that enter the Underworld carry a coin under their tongue in order to pay Charon to take them across the river, if the soul reaches Elysium, they have a choice whether to stay or be reborn. Persephone is also related to the Death card. Gaia planted a narcissus to attract Persephone. When she saw it, she thought it was so beautiful that she had to pull it up. As she did, the earth opened up and Hades came out in his golden carriage and abducted her to make her his wife.

Numerology connection of the Death card.
Death carries the number 13. Adapting to change gracefully will bring out the strength of the 13 vibration and decrease any potential for negativity. Death is also related to the Emperor, number 4. The number 5 stands for Spirit like the five petals of the flower on the flag.

Element and Astrological association of the Death card.
Water Astrological Association: Hades was sometimes referred to as Pluto (considered the giver of wealth). Hecate was associated with the Moon (crossroads), death of a lunar cycle and birth of a new one. Scorpio is the astrological sign of the Death card. (Funny my moon is in Scorpio).

Meaning of the symbolism found in the Death card.
Rivers – Oceanus is the river that encircles the world where the end meets the beginning. Skull – symbol that all things change and transition. Sun – where there is an ending, there’s always a new beginning. The Sun will rise again. Flag – announces change. Change and Transformation.

Shadow side of the Death card.
Loss. Pay attention to your instincts. Stay strong and on course, don’t fear the change.

Crystals associated with the Death card.
Obsidian – Tourmaline – Amber – Tiger Eye

Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to the Death card.
Poplar, Elm, Pomegranate, Narcissus, Roses.
Rosemary, Cypress and Myrrh can be used as either essential oils or incense.

Interview with the Devil by the one and only Rachel Pollack

The Tower by Anthea Homer

Possible meaning of the Tower.
I looked at the Tower in three different Tarot decks – to widen my perspective a little. I used the Rider Waite and The Baroque Bohemian Cats and the Tarot Nefertari.

I deduced from all three that this card represents a “rude awakening” – a very drastic change. There may have been earlier warnings but unheeded and now the change is forced upon us. This is the Spring Cleaning card. Inevitable change – but it is not all negative because now we have an opportunity to move forward. Provided that we can see through the illusions and the errors – we can move forward.

Mythology or folktales attached to the Tower.
The Tower is pictured in the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel – when God punished man for their egotism and stupidity by sending confusion and the inability to communicate one with another. The result was that the Tower of Babel was never completed.

Numerology connection.
In Numerology the Tower has the number 16.
No. 1 – The Magician – standing for power and self-confidence.
No 6 – The Lovers – standing for freedom of choice.

Together they add up to 7 which is the Chariot. The Chariot enables us to move forward and take control of our emotions and make the correct decisions.

Element and Astrological association with the Tower.
The element associated with the Tower if fire.
The Tower is ruled by Mars.

Meaning of the symbolism found in the Tower.
The symbolism of the card is – as mentioned earlier – The Tower of Babel.
The Tower stands on the edge of a cliff – in danger of collapse showing a false sense of security.

The 12 leaves of gold symbolise the 12 astrological signs and the tree of life – as represented in the Kabbalah.

The gold crown symbolises ego and arrogance – and it has been toppled!

There are two figures – one male which represents the conscious mind and one female representing the unconscious mind.

The sky is dark with hidden forces but there is lightning to illuminate and bring hope.

Shadow side of the Tower.
The shadow side of the Tower indicates that we are reaching the end of a difficult time – and assuming that we have understood the error of our ways or our illusions we can now move on – and do so with enlightenment and have a new start. The shadow side is therefore very positive.

Crystals associated with the Tower.
The crystals associated with The Tower are: garnet, ruby, obsidian, lodestone/magnetite, chrysocolla and hematite.

Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to the Tower.
Heather and honeysuckle and yarrow are the flowers and herbs associated with The Tower, with Vetiver, Bergamot and Lavender (essential oils) to help to de-stress.

The Star by AJ Bell

Alternative names:  “Daughter of the Firmament” and “Dweller between the Waters”
This card corresponds to the path that connects Netzach and Yesod on the Kabbalistic tree of life.Other attributes: the Hebrew letter Hey (ה) and the symbolic image assigned to Aquarius.

Possible meaning of the Star.
The Star is a major arcana tarot card associated with the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, which is one of the most current derivations of the Tarot de Marseilles or Latin Tarot. It is number 17 (XVII) in major arcana and when it appears in a spread, it usually signifies hope.

The Star card shows a naked woman kneeling at the edge of a small pool. The woman holds two containers of water. She pours the water out to nourish the earth and to continue the cycle of fertility, represented by the lush greenery around her. The other container pours the water onto dry land in five rivulets, representing the five senses. The woman has one foot on the ground, representing her practical abilities and good common sense, and the other foot in the water, representing her intuition and inner resources, and listening to her inner voice. Behind her, shines one large star and seven smaller stars, representing your chakras. This represents a need to open your chakras and cleanse your aura. Notice all the stars have eight points. The bird in the tree in the background is the sacred ibis of thought, roosting in the tree of the mind. The astrological sign of the Star is Aquarius.

Numerology connection of the Star card.
The Star is associated with the number 17, which equals 8 (1+7=8). Eight is Strength, the quality needed to accept your faults and love yourself in spite of them.

In numerology, the number 17 reduces to 8 (1+7). This number reflects worldly success, such as in work, business, or finances. This number is reinforced by the total number of stars on the card. In the tarot, the number 8 also represents rewards and progress, as well as another major arcana card, Strength. This suggests strength is a quality that can help overcome difficulties to bring hope. The five tributaries represent the five physical senses.

Element and Astrological association of the Star card. Meaning of the symbolism found in the card.

The element is air.
Aquarius, Uranus, the ONLY planet that spins on its side, these colorful personalities march to the beat of their own drums — known for being worldly and unconventional.

Meaning of the symbolism found in the Star card.

Similar to water-bearing Aquarius, The Star card features a woman that is pouring water into a body of water and into the earth, providing nourishment and restoring hope for the future. She has one foot in the water, symbolizing intuition, and one on land, symbolizing stability. This echoes the same duality in Aquarius, which is the only zodiac sign represented by two astrological elements — water for her emotional side and air for her intellectual side.

The maiden is a water-carrier, which is the symbol of the Aquarian astrological sign. This is a fixed air sign. The element of air in tarot is associated with the mind, and its primary energy is, “I think.”

Her nakedness is a symbol of truth and transparency; she hides nothing.

The water flowing into a still pool and creating concentric circles shows energy flowing outward from a small point to become larger as it moves away from its initiation point. It is also a representation of the element water.

The grass field represents the element of earth. The maiden kneels on the earth, suggesting groundedness and rootedness in the physical.

Stars represent the element of fire, which is active and passionate, and they also serve to light or heal the darkness.
The stars symbolize the card’s over-arching message of guidance, hope and inspiration! Aquarius is NOT one to blend in with the crowd, and this is illustrated by the large, yellow star that is set apart from the others. While external guidance is appreciated, Aquarius has a strong connection to their OWN intuition and will listen to that internal voice above all others.

The bird represents aspiration and symbolizes the Sacred Ibis of thought who roosts in the tree of the mind. This represents the boundless intellect of Aquarius

The tree of life represents being rooted to earth but reaching high.

All four of the classical elements are represented in this card, suggesting a balance of energies.

Crystals associated with the Star card.
Hope, renewal, peace, clarity, aspiration, optimism, sense of purpose = Rock crystal, Turquoise, Moldavite, Tektite, Sugulite

Herbs, flowers or essential oils connected to the Star card.
Skullcap was historically used for bites of rabid dogs. It also helps with headaches. American Nature Guides Herbs by Anna Kruger. “Scutellaria root (Huang Qin, Radix Scutellaria Baicalenses) has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine to support the immune system. In related research, Baicalein, a major flavonoid in Scutellaria was shown to support cardiovascular health. Research shows that Scutellaria root modulates inflammatory activity to inhibit nitric oxide (NO), cytokine, chemokine and growth factor production in macrophages. Scutellaria has also been shown to inhibit histamine and leukotriene release.”

The detective has not completed their case

The department hopes you have enjoyed reading the forensic profiles of the most wanted on Interpol’s Tarot list.

But remember, detectives from police departments all over the world were busy investigating the most wanted from the Suit of Cups, Suit of Wands, Suit of Pentacles and Suit of Swords.

Their investigations were equally fascinating and well worth a read.

Enjoy and Happy International Tarot day 🙂

Oephebia and the kitty monsters
group: Tarot and Kitties