Problem solving with tarot

This morning, when I woke up, I didn't feel that great. I was obsessing about, now please don’t laugh, which journal I would like to use for the coming time. This is an obsession which has been going on for as long as I write in my journals. I go back and forth between several formats and almost never really finish one. Sometimes I write everything in one book, or I use multiple journals; for each subject a different notebook. And don’t get me started about the actual journals I can choose from: ring-bound, spiral bound, hardcover, digital, A4, A5, A6, lined grid, blank…. the possibilities are endless. A typical first world problem or maybe a cover-up for an underlying issue. When I feel this anxious it is very hard to let go of. So instead of obsessing about it even further, I flipped trough my deck and picked a few cards face- up which visualize how I feel.

In short:

When too many choices are available, I get stuck, unable to move, while in my mind the quarrel is constantly going on and without a winner. The only thing I have to do is take of my blindfold get up and receive the gift of choosing one possibility, be content with it and start journaling. This will lead me through the gate towards freedom.

It is so easy. All I have to do is make one decision and release the illusion I have to solve this dilemma for eternity. Just choose for today and be happy with it.

Is it just me, or does any of you have such nagging, not at all crucial, long lasting, dilemma too?

The King of Coins and fox – Sometimes you just want to run off

Today’s card is the King of Coins from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti. This is the king who is practical and reliable, sure of himself and sometimes a bit conservative. He is a great manager and  his focus is always on the welfare of everyone he is responsible for. He yearns for sensual pleasure and is sometimes a bit self-indulgent.

When you have so much responsibility, you have to make time for the good things in life. And most of the time the king doesn't feel guilty in doing so. But he never crosses boundaries because he knows the eyes of his people are always upon him. Look at him standing there on the balcony with his Pentacle in his hands. What is he thinking? What does he want?

For some additional information I pulled one card from the Gilded Reverie Lenormand: the Fox. Oops. There is something sneaky going on here. Although the fox wants to get into the henhouse, I've got the feeling the king wants to run off and  leave his Pentacle behind for a while. I guess everybody can relate to this feeling. We all have our responsibilities but o, how wonderful it would be, if we could just play truant for a while and run off to do whatever we want and maybe even misbehave just for a tiny little bit… Or maybe we have to manipulate others to have some time to ourselves. Is it so bad to feign  a headache when you want to be on your own for a while…..

I think there a lots of ways to “sneak out” if we need to. Maybe not all totally legit but certainly very understandable. 

Review of The Inner Wizard – Message cards from your higher self

Today I want to share my thoughts and feelings about a wonderful and gentle deck of cards. “The Inner Wizard - messages from you higher- self” is a small square deck of 84 cards. Each card has one side a short message, notelet  from a part of your higher self and on the other side a conscious new choice how to approach life. And this is for the main part what this deck is all about. And I love it!! 

There are no illustrations on the cards to trigger your intuition. You have to work mostly with written language to find meaning for your personal situation. It is almost as if I have found another key to open the door to  my intuition. 

The messages are very diverse: motivating, gentle, funny and empowering. They all adhere to the notion we can consciously and actively be a participant in our own life and life in general. The parts of our higher self, the “writers” of the notelets have also wide range of characteristics: God, your wicked self, your sense of humor, your body, your fear, your inner goddess, your future self, your wild self …..  I think that the variation in these messages and messengers add a very playful and surprising element to this deck. Each time when I pull a card, mostly in the morning I wonder: who I will hear from today? Will I get a supporting pat on the back or a soft kick in the butt?

Personally I think this deck is very suitable for daily draws. Of course you can do a three card spread if you like but with oracle decks I usually only do daily draws

A few examples

Some further information:

Each of the 84 cards has been assigned to a zodiac sign which can add another layer to the meaning of the card. Since I am a complete newbie as regards to astrology, this could be a way to familiarize myself with the zodiac signs and their attributes.  And since each zodiac sign is related to one of the four elements, you can also choose to use this aspect to enhance your reading. 

The  side of  choice proclamations are done in luscious red and the side with the the notelets have a soft pastel color according to their astrological sign.

The cards are sturdy and  have a glossy finish. They come in a nice box with a lid which is perfect to storage you cards in. In the box you will also find a leaflet with some more information about the cards and the astrological and elemental attributes

This lovely deck of cards has really found its rightful place in my collection of tarot and oracle cards.

Author: Jacob Roth & Libby Ram

Artist/Designer: Orna Ben-Shoshan

More information can be found at Kabbalah Insights: Inner Wizard

(disclaimer: although this deck was kindly given to me by the artist. This hasn't in any way influenced my review)

The World – The end of our Journey?

For today I've drawn The World from the Anna K tarot. This is far out the most beautiful version of The World I have in my collection. In this depiction we see  the universe enfolding the World tree, the Yggdrasil. The sun, the moon phases, the night sky, filled with stars; all are here to celebrate the end of the Fools journey. The fool, the explorer, the wander, has traveled through the entire Major Arcana  and he has learned so much. But the most important thing he’s learned is to be who he truly is: The Fool, the most authentic part of our selves, ready to travel the next winding of the spiraling journey towards becoming one with everything, with the Universe, with God(dess)

I think this spiraling journey inwards is the greatest adventure we can have in this lifetime. It is a voyage beyond compare: climbing mountains, fighting dragons, finding our significant other, leaning about magic and deep wisdom, being guided by celestial bodies; always on our way and always home for the journey is within.

“We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.”

T.S. Eliot

Page of Cups - Playing in the mud

Today's card is the Page of cups from the Anna K Tarot. A young boy is playing with water, pouring from the rock. The source of this spring is a the vast universal well of intuition and hidden wisdom but he doesn't know that; not now, not yet. It is late at night and in the distance one star is watching over him, ready to guide him if he needs it. But not now, not yet. The young boy has as a cup and saucer to gather the water and to pour it out over the rocks, over and over again. The fun is in the repetition of the game. He is experiencing an abundance of flowing feelings, of embracing them and letting them go but he doesn't know that; not now, not yet.

Al he wants to do is play with the water and the mud for that is what this page (earth + water = mud) is all about. Shaping the mud into formless  pies is what all children love to do. Eating them (throwing them over their shoulder) and baking a new batch; over and over again. This is the message for me today from this page: Playing is not a onetime thing. Doing the same thing over and over again it what gets you in the flow. In my opinion, playing is a circular act while practicing is often more linear; working towards a goal

This afternoon I am going to paint with my watercolors some whet in whet backgrounds for later drawings. So no pressure to create something beautiful; just playing with water and paint. YAY!

What will be your “mud pies” today?

Knight of Wands – Setting my priorities straight

Today’s cards are the Knight of Wands from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot and the man card from the Gilded Reverie Lenormand. Both decks are by Ciro Marchetti. This Knight of Wands is as fiery as it is possible. Red and Yellow and every hue in between is used to create this image. Two dragons are battling one another with fire, while unaware of the damage they are causing to their surroundings. They are passionate and reckless, strong and vital. But maybe lately a bit over the top with all their plans, projects and challenges. This knight can sometimes give us  the idea of  “I can do everything if I really want it”. So we plunge in enthusiastically with passion and good intentions and only to feel afterwards the blisters on our soul. Then we have to admit we've acted like the dragons in this card: a bit over the top and somewhat impetuous.

But then I pulled the Man card. Today I read this card as being  the Knight of Wands, without his armor. He is tired of fighting his inner and outer battles. There too many options, too many battlefields. In his hand he is holding one rose and he is silently waiting until he knows for sure which challenge is worth his sole focus and all his energy.

I do relate to these cards very well. For five days now I am trying to change my behavior and routines on several fronts and I am coming to the conclusion that it might be a bit too much ad once. Because I do want this challenge to be a success, I have to set my priorities  straight. What do I want to  focus on? What is it that I want to change the most? One rose…. one priority ….

Lenormand – practice, practice, practice!

This morning I figured it was about time I picked up my Lenormand cards again to practice my reading skills so when my copy of the Celtic Lenormand would arrive, I would be able to work with it. For this line of five I have chosen the Gilded Reverie by Ciro Marchetti. The question is: what advice can you give me on how to pursue my challenge of “Making room in 40 days”?

After shuffling the cards I searched for the ring as a symbol of my commitment to this challenge and picked the two cards on either side of the ring. Together they form a line of five with:

whip + cross + ring + heart + sun

Cross+ ring+  heart : it is important to devote yourself spiritually and emotionally to this commitment.

Whip + cross : establishing some repetitive spiritual practices can be very helpful

Sun +heart:  Give yourself permission to bask yourself in the light of self love

Whip + sun : although there will be difficulties, maybe self-doubt and other  and inner  struggles, this challenge will  strengthen your confidence and will give you  a lot of insight in yourself

These cards gave me lots of practical advice. Especially about  creating some daily rhythm, so there will be some flow during the day and I won’t be constantly aware of the things I cannot do but more focusing on what I can and want to do. Honestly it feels a bit like when I quit smoking but with the heart and the sun in view I am on my way again!