A TAROT TRYPTYCH AND A WITCH HOUSE

i build a small/white wood Tarot tryptych/witch house

The above is a haiga, an illustrated haiku. (Technically the poem on it is a dreamku, a haiku-like poem based on a dream.)

The image is a scan of an actual white wood tryptych given to me by a dear friend. Funny thing is when I recalled the dream and wrote the dreamku, I did not relate it to this tryptych which I have to pass everytime I enter and leave my kitchen. Even funnier (in that sense of being odd) is that the dear friend who gave it to me lives in California. And this dreamku reflected my difficulty in deciding which (the pun of "witch" in the last line) of two senior residences to move to -- a California one, or one in upstate New York. After the dream I kept worrying and finally decided: I move to California the end of this January. What I did not know until searching for an image to accompany this Tarot dreamku today -- many days after the dream, was that this dream was giving me the answer I had been searching for: California. Not only that but that the threeness of "tryptych" is the number of women friends I have living near (and one actually in) that California residence. Well, duh, nothing like hindsight, is there? LOL!

As to Tarot? I see this tryptych as a version of the Three of Cups, which is often illustrated with three women celebrating together. And personally I can see this tryptych as saying I am building a new home, that will be filled with Tarot. I'm moving from a three bedroom, two bath apartment, into a studio. Folding down, as a tryptych does, into a smaller space. So my 80 Tarot decks, numerous Tarot books, and Tarot posters will take up proportionately more room, making it even more of a Tarot house than I have here. I look forward to it.

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‘til next time, keep enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry and Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka).****

The Eight of Cups (Brother and Sister) in the Fairytale Tarot

I believe our lives are always being guided by the mythic, and sometimes that sense of an underlying framework is even stronger. My life has been like this for some time now as I prepare to pull up 23 years' of roots in this apartment (60 years worth in New York city as a whole), for a retirement residence in parts as yet unknown.

The Fairytale Tarot seemed the perfect deck to consult tonight. I randomly pulled the above card, The Eight of Cups whose story in this deck is "Brother and Sister." I was astounded (I am always grateful that after over 30 years of working with many different decks I can still be astounded) at what meanings the authors gleaned from this story. But mostly how absolutely on the mark it is for me right now. Here's just a few excerpts:

Leaving one thing to move on the next. A sad parting but a new beginning. Mingled regret and anticipation. Making the steps that are necessary, even though it's hard. ....usually contains an element of pain in the parting. The sad but sensible decision that Brother and Sister take in moving away from their unhappy home is a very good example of the mixed feelings of both hurt and hope that are at the heart of this card. ....It also recalls the Death card in Tarot, a card that is as much about transformation, and a journey from one 'life' to another, as about any actual physical death. ....However, the Eight is essentially a positive card. It tells us to acknowledge the difficulties of deciding when change is needed, but it also assures us that sometimes it's a decision that has to be made.

This story and what the authors say about it have confirmed the necessity of and my resolution to make this move. This confirmation will help to sustain me as I continue on through all the uncertainty, sadness, happy anticipation, and hard work.

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‘til next time, keep facing up to the difficult decisions and changes, and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for Tarot poetry and Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka).****