TAROT READING with THE CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

Published by LoScarabeo, distributor Llewellyn

I have been thinking about and visualizing the amazing High Priestess (II, posted at the end of this reading) in this deck for some time now and not quite taking the time to figure out why. Then today I decided to do a reading with the full deck. I asked as I shuffled: "What do I most need to pay attention to as I make this difficult transition out of an intimate relationship?" and then pulled one card at random:



What hit me immediately was that she's pregnant, i.e. big in the belly and how just this morning I noted that my recent food bingeing is beginning to show a bit in my stomach (the first place I gain and the first place I lose weight). Then I noted that it's the Ace of Swords, which is to me primarily a card of the mind, especially of thinking ... thinking ... thinking. I hear that I need to watch very carefully how I think about myself in order to continue on my path toward a healthier body, especially as it has been and will be greatly effecting my will to eat and exercise as I truly want and need to. My Spirit has been getting bloated with thoughts of fear and anger and disappointment (in myself, in him, in the relationship) as I have been going through this breakup.

Then I checked with the accompanying little white book ("LWB") about the Ace of Swords: "Plans that take a long time to actuate are often the most reliable." This is not a meaning I have come across for this card before. But it seems right for me at this time. Actually at any time of change for me as I tend to become very impatient, rooted in anxiety. Maybe if I hold the idea in my mind that I'm pregnant with something new I can be more patient. What is intriguing to me is that images of pregnancy have been showing up in my life recently, so I think this is quite appropriate. E.g., I just this morning -- hours before doing this reading -- wrote this scifaiku (haiku-like poem with a sci-fi or fantasy theme):

some call Her a door
this pregnant Empress
on Her Tarot card

I just hope the birth is a gentle one, given how traumatic the pregnancy has been, at least so far. (BTW, that's said only half jokingly.)

I then felt urged to take a look at The Empress (III) in this deck:



The LWB says about Her: "Our image, when reflected, never corresponds to reality. If we only look in the mirror, we lose all contact with reality." Wow. The mirror of this relationship is accurate only to a certain degree, it has its distortions. I need to keep this in mind along with that idea of being pregnant. However, in a way it's the relationship that is the womb from which a newer me will emerge. I say "newer" rather then "new" because I believe we are never finished; ideally we are always changing and growing.

I'll close with The High Priestess (II) I referred to at the start of this post:



I immediately see those heavy horns of thought as resting on those pillars -- in the Qabala, the pillars of mercy and severity. As if, within the compass of intuition, even the heaviest contradictions and conflicts can be borne up. I see Her now as pointing to the path of inner vision, inner sensing, of feeling one's way along. Yes, I've spent far too much time (almost literally) lost in heavy, heavy thought during the vast majority of time in this relationship. It's past time to go home and curl up with supportive intuition, nurturing myself as I explore inwardly and await (yet another :-D) rebirth.

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‘til next time, keep honoring your intuition and enjoying The Tarot,

[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; Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka); and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems.****

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ROSWILA (a/k/a Patricia)!

Sunday, January 4, is my 65th birthday and to celebrate it I'm posting below the cards that are my "family" in the Tarot deck. I did this sharing of my family of cards on my birthday two years ago with the quirky Terrestrial Tarot. The Tarot I'm using this time is the New Tarot for the Aquarian Age, by John Cooke and Rosalind Sharpe. The cover of an original old accompanying booklet is above; the deck was first published in 1968.

This New Tarot for the Aquarian Age was my first deck ever, given to me nearly 30 years ago by a co-worker. It is now a collector's item and worth a little bit of money; the only one in my collection of 90 decks that is worth much of anything monetarily. However, I would never consider selling it. It's too valuable to me personally. It even left my possession at one time many years ago, and very soon found it's way back to me. I rarely read with it as its designs are so "far afield" from the vast majority of Tarot decks. In fact, when first given it, I quickly moved to both the Rider Waite Smith and The Thoth Tarots whose images I immediately found more enticing and inspiring. But I do have a great affection for this first deck and take it out just to enjoy its images, every so often. And occasionally I'll have a dream about or a poetic association to one of the Major Arcana images in this deck (such as The Reverser below).

For those of you who may not know, you can determine your "family" of cards in The Tarot via various aspects of numerology and astrology. For example, here's the link to an article that explains using your birthdate to determine one of your Major Arcana cards: Innerchange Magazine.

I'll say just a little bit about each one in my Tarot family below, though I hasten to add the booklets accompanying the New Tarot for the Aquarian Age have rather different understandings of these cards though not totally unrelated. I suggest if you aren’t familiar with this deck or The Tarot in general that you might want to try some of the links I post on the right for further information or do some googling. I highly recommend aeclectic.net.




Above left: The Speaker (The Hierophant)-- Intuition; spiritual teacher; tradition; bridge builder.

Above right: The Reverser (Temperance) -- The sword tempered in the flame; I read somewhere it’s said to be on the most difficult path on The Tree of Life (in the Qabala).




Above left: Stone Queen (Queen of Pentacles) -- She makes do on less that almost anyone else; abundance and fertility; an Earth Mother type.

Above right: Blade Page (Page of Swords) -- The child of difficult parents who ultimately triumphs. (I think I read that somewhere in The Thoth deck’s comments on the card.) I've nicknamed this card the ACOA or Alanon child, i.e. the Twelve Step program child.




Above left: Three of Stones (Three of Pentacles) – Probably my favorite family member. :-) In the more traditional Rider Waite Smith deck and clones thereof, it has a stone mason working on a cathedral arch under what is sometimes said to be the supervision of the Hierophant and The Fool. (I generally don’t particularly care for unillustrated pips, as on this deck. Less symbolism for my intuition to hook on to maybe?)

Above right: Four of Stones (Four of Pentacles) – This card is often said to be ruled by Capricorn; in Thoth decks and clones thereof it’s called “Power.” Hoarding; good management.

Middle: Ace of Blades (Ace of Swords) – When I first studied with The Thoth deck, this card made me think of the story of the Gordian Knot, i.e. sometimes we simply can’t think our way out of or through something, but must just take action. It also often makes me think: the sword of the mind can cut both ways.


That last comment on the Ace of Blades is a good one for me to close this post with and keep in mind as I continue to go through the ending of an intimate relationship I’m choosing to leave, very sadly.

Not to end here on that note, I hope this New Year brings peace and prosperity to all our personal lives, and Peace and Prosperity to our world.

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‘til next time, keep having Happy Birthdays and enjoying The Tarot,

[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; Roswila’s Taiga Tarot for taiga (illustrated tanka); and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems.****