Cards symbolism

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 31st 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.

small halloween decoration

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!

small black pumpkin

The Fool blog

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 blog
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.

Bastet

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!

Lugosi-B&W

Bastet

5 of Pentacles blog

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 blog

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 blog

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.

small black pumpkin

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

small Happy Halloween

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

End of presentation

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tarot spread

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 🙂

Birth of a new decade

Birth of a new decade 2

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 🙂

Feather1-W

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 spread

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..

Birth-of-a-new-year-1

Birth-of-a-new-year-2

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 🙂
Oephebia and the kitty monsters

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Tarot musing

International Tarot Day 8th July 2018

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

celTarot

magnifying-2681372.png
Your assignment if you choose to take the challenge will be to do the following:

MercuryPossible meaning of the card,
MercuryMythology or folktales attached to your assigned card (when possible),
MercuryNumerology connection (when possible, as the court cards have none),
MercuryElement traditionally associated with your card,
MercuryAstrological association (ruler, planet etc.),
MercuryMeaning of the symbolism found in the card,
MercuryShadow side,
MercuryCrystals associated with the card,
MercuryHerbs, flowers or essential oils connected to your card.

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

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

Here an example with the 2 of swords. 

International-Tarot-day-2018

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oephebia and the kitty monsters

tarot spread

Mother’s Day

Here in the UK Mother’s day is celebrated in March whilst in other countries it is celebrated in May.

Regardless of the date, it is a day to celebrate and remember the woman who carried us for 9 months in her womb and gave birth to us.

pagan-altar-1034856

But to me Mother’s day is also to celebrate the biggest mother of all…Gaia or mother Earth, our beautiful planet.

Without Gaia, there would be no life on earth, we must remember that our planet is in need of love, not only on Mother’s day but every day.

We need to nurture, protect and be compassionate to all of Gaia’s children from the plants/flowers’ kingdom, the animals’ kingdom and the environment.

If Gaia thrives, we all thrive.

sheep-384608

It is also to celebrate all mothers….humans and animals.

Animals usually have very strong maternal instincts (most species) and humans so often interfere with the love of an animal mother and her baby.

Some of us are mothers to human children, whilst others are mothers to animals and people who are not genetically linked to them.

They all share a theme in common, the love given to another being 🙂

Mother's-day
Inner Mother Spread

To celebrate Mother’s day, the Inner Mother spread I have created is quite fun to look at …well you guess it…your inner mother, regardless if you have children or not J

Position 1
My idea of motherhood
Position 2
Shadow side of motherhood. What do I need to avoid?
Position 3
How can I release the energy of my inner mother?
Position 4
How can I tap into my creative powers?
Position 5
How can I nurture others around me?
Position 6
Which area of my life is more suited with my compassion?

As usual, have fun 🙂

Happy Mother’s day to all.

Oephebia and the kitty monsters
 

tarot spread

Tarot deck interview

You know the feeling when a new tarot deck is on its way to you, a deck you have been drooling over for a while.

The anticipation and the excitement of getting your paws on the new deck, to caress it, to feed your senses, feeling the cards underneath your fingers, sensing the energies and looking at the artwork. What a treat eh?

But sometimes, although we love the artwork, the theme of the deck, the artist etc… the energies during your first reading with your new deck are not as strong or totally off.

Rings a bell, right?

Before working with a deck, it is a good idea to ask a few questions to your new deck and to get a feel of the energies of the deck, how it combines with your own energies.

Here is a spread to do just that (I know many tarot deck interview spreads are on offer), but I created mine because I know what I am looking for with a deck for myself personally or professionally 🙂

Tarot-deck-interview

1 – Main energies of the deck
2 – Best way to approach the deck
3 – Areas of life best suited with the deck
4 – Lesson or challenge from the deck
5 – Best advice from the deck
6 – Friend or foe?

I have used this spread with my trusted Rider Waite (energies in synastry), my Everyday Witch Tarot ( very good vibes) and the Star Tarot (jury is out on this one with position 6 : Kings of Cups/Moon).

Happy interview 🙂

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

Colours and Tarot

Colour Green and Tarot

green-1357925

“Green Party stands aside in crucial seats to help keep Conservatives out”, such a headline by the Independent in regards to the General elections here in the UK grabbed my attention.
Not because I am involved with politics as such, (although the genius of Diane Abbott recently was anything but entertaining but, at the same time scary) but, because it made me think of the colour green and its symbolism.

Green smoothieGreen is generally regarded as the colour of hope, longevity, strength and eternal youth.
Green is often a colour chosen to represent harmony, balance and tranquillity (a green room can help inspiration and creative expression).

Eating your greens or drinking a green smoothie is supposed to keep you healthy too 🙂

forestIn modern times, green is traditionally the colour of the pharmacist (linking to the natural world and the power of plants to heal), the environmentalists (Greenpeace comes to mind) and the green parties (protection of mother earth).

planet-and-treeGreen energy (protecting the environment and nature) have grabbed headlines for decades and in more recent times, with the US concentrating on fossil fuels instead of alternatives.

faerie-and-absintheDuring the middle ages, green was seen as the colour of madness and evil, and green beverages were seen as the drink of the Fools. This belief continued during into nineteenth century France with the infamous Absinthe also called “La liqueur des Fous” (the liquor of the Fools).

It was believed that a green fairy lived in the bottle and had the power to take away sanity.

Famous artists became intoxicated with the beverage and lost their sanity, like Vincent Van Gogh who cut off his own ear under the influence of Absinthe and the poet Paul Verlaine who shot his lover, the poet Arthur Rimbaud, in his hand while drunk with Absinthe.

Green is also associated with greed/jealousy and envy (hence the expression, green with envy).

water-lilyGreen is also the colour of the heart chakra 🙂

Green-colourColour green in the tarot (Radiant Rider Waite)
The Fool wears a green tunic and a green crown suggesting his inspiration and hope to discover the world and showing his youthful nature.

Justice wears a green cape suggesting a calm approach and balance/harmony to render her verdict.

In the suit of Wands, the man in the 7 of Wands wears a green shirt, battling for his ideals, suggesting the idea of strength.
The merchant in the 3 of Wands has a green scarf over his shoulders, showing strength and harmony. The horse on the 6 of Wands has a green cover showing harmony in success.
The king of Wands has a green scarf showing his strength and balance containing the fire within.
Notice that all the people in the suit of Wands with green garments had to take some risks in order to be successful and even with success, one has to keep going to be at the top of their game!

Interestingly, in both the 2 of Pentacles and 6 of Pentacles, the people at the centre of the cards wear green shoes or boots, emphasising the idea of balance (at least trying to balance money in the 2 of Pentacles with the green loop as well, and the balance of charity in the 6 of Pentacles).

Both the Page and the Queen of Pentacles wear green garments to emphasise their connection to nature and healing.

Finally, the figure in the foreground of the 5 of Swords wears a green tunic.

This time green is seen as evil/madness as the figure has taken away the weapons from the other people, leaving them raw and defeated.

Notice that one of the figures has a green sleeve, over a yellow tunic, suggesting that healing will need to take place on the intellect (colour yellow) and that the best course of action is to leave the charged situation behind.

There is probably more green to be seen in the RW, particularly trees, laurel leaves, flowers etc., which is the connection to nature.

And don’t forget, drink or eat your greens 😉

Oephebia

tarot spread

Tarot readings for pets

The UK is seen as a nation of animal lovers and many households have at least one pet.

I have seen many times people using the Tarot for their pets or consulting tarot readers because their pets are feeling unwell.

If your pet has changed its behaviour or is off food, is unwell etc…Obviously, the first course of action would be to consult a veterinarian first. They are the professionals that can diagnose an illness, conduct tests and can give your pet the most appropriate treatment for their condition.

If you are unemployed, or on a low income, there are still brilliant vets that can help your pet such as the PDSA or the Blue Cross (here in the UK).

Once you have had a diagnosis by a vet, you may want to consult a complementary therapist, such as an animal communicator, an animal healer, a feline/canine/equine/bird behaviourist or a homeopath to help your pet in a more holistic way (mind-body-spirit).

However, when your pet is in good health, and with no apparent behavioural problems, it can be fun to do a reading for your pet 🙂

Paws-in-my-heart-spreadHere is a little spread I have designed for you and your pet.
1 – How do you feel emotionally?
2 – How do you feel physically?
3 – How can I make your life better?
4 – How can I relate to you better?
5 – How do you feel about the vet?
6 – How do you feel about people or other animals?
7 – What do you want to tell me?

The questions can be changed to fit with your pet’s circumstances and more can be added.
It is a canvas 🙂

To help with interpreting the cards (example from the Cat’s Eye Tarot) we could define:

Elements-for-pet-readingsWands as activities (or lack of) your pet may need to do more or to do less; playing, going to the park, obedience classes, outdoors activities and confidence in new situations etc.

Pentacles as food, comfort, security, health/body, routine, toys and sleeping arrangements

Cups as emotional ties and security, rest time, interaction with guardians, with other animals, fear (thunder and noise for example), bereavement and emotional problems.

Swords as mental abilities like learning new tricks, stubbornness, communication with guardians, communication with people and other animals outside the home but, within the home too, trust issues and behavioural issues.
Court-cards-for-pet-readingsPages could be seen as the interaction between your pet and young children, or young animals. Also, could represent your pet at this moment in time, the youthful energies that they may display or not.

Knights could represent your pet as they mature, how they protect their territories and start to establish themselves at home and the outside world.

Queens could be translated as the emotional side of your pet with you or other humans in the home. The emotional attachment displayed by your pet. The security and affection your pet needs.

Kings could be seen as the vet, or any professionals your pet encounters such as a groomer, trainer, behaviourist, pet sitter etc. How your pet behaves with professional people generally speaking.
Major-arcana-for-pet-readingsMajor Arcana can represent the message and the energies your pet may want to convey to you. Also the principles of life you may need to implement to give your pet the best home possible.

Like with all tarot readings, the most important thing is to follow your intuition!
Have fun 🙂

Oephebia