Nine of Pentacles - A little update on where I've been…

Today card is the Nine of Pentacles from the Original Rider Waite tarot. This card shows perfectly well what I’ve been up to these last few weeks: Nothing spectacular except taking it easy and enjoying the peace and quiet of my own home. Life has presented me with some rather difficult “stuff” which took and still is going to take a lot of my energy, so blogging had to be moved to the back burner for a while. I don’t know how it is with you but when life is challenging my cards seem to grow quieter with the day, so there wasn’t much to blog about anyway. The lady in this card is enjoying herself in her garden and she is noticing the precious daily gifts of her life. Like the snail she moves gently and slowly through her day. She encourages me to follow my heart’s impulses and to do what brings me joy and happiness. Also she is a welcome reminder that there is so much to be grateful for even when life isn’t all together perfect.

Queen of Swords – Me and my journal

Today’s card is the Queen of Swords from the Spirit Within Tarot by Steven Bright. As you all know I identify highly with this queen and I was pleasantly surprised when I saw how Steven has captured her in his deck.

We see a woman sitting at her desk in front of her laptop, scratching her head with a pencil. She is obviously pondering what to write next; how to formulate her words in a way they will describe her feelings and ideas as clearly as possible. It feels so natural to see myself in her place. It is almost as if the silhouettes are inviting us to put ourselves or others in the depictions of the deck.  

I like to journal, almost on a daily basis. It helps me to get my mind in order and to think in a more linear way, which can be a good thing when your mind sometimes resembles a merry go round. Also, I feel that writing things down makes them more real, more tangible. I’ve been journaling since I was ten years old so I can hardly imagine myself without a journal by my side.

And then I was wondering what she was journaling about and I got …the Nine of Pentacles. This is a favorite of mine in any deck. Although I don’t shy away from writing about sad and painful things, I do like to emphasize what is beautiful, magical and delightful in life. Focusing on the sad stuff comes naturally to many of us. It used to be that way for me too. So nowadays I’d like to push myself a bit further and try not to write only about the clouds but even more so about their silver linings. Like the lady in this card, I have so much to be grateful for.

Nine of Pentacles – Happy September!

For today I drew the Nine of Pentacles from the Goddess Tarot. This is a card of enjoying everything you’ve accomplished and of an abundance of material and spiritual wealth. This card is also about being enough for yourself and enjoying your own company. As I have probably mentioned before, this card is one of my favorite minors…

It is a beautiful card for the first day of September, the very beginning of Autumn. I see this card not so much as an indication of today’s energy but more as a general promise for the coming season. I mean look at those pumpkins! Yesterday M. counted 17 pumpkins in our little garden.

What really stands out today is her invitation to the white dove, which is for me the symbol of Spirit, to come sit on her hand. Their renewed connection is adding so much deep felt joy to the material riches around her. Without it the Pentacles are meaningless. She would feel lonely, abandoned and perhaps even scared to be outdoors on her own.  But there is no need for all that now. Because she and her little white dove always seem to be close.  The only thing she has to do is lift up her hand and She'll be there...

Nine of Pentacles – Happy Lughnasadh /Lammas

Yesterday I have received the Llewellyn Tarot in the mail. It was a belated birthday present from M. This deck has been on and off my wish list for such a long time because I wasn’t sure if I needed yet another Rider Waite Smith based deck in my collection. It was the artwork that convinced me that I indeed wanted this deck. When I flipped through the cards for the first time I was amazed by the rich palette the artist has used. As always in real life, the colors are so much more vibrant than in the online pictures. Because it is Rider Waite based, the deck is easy to read but has also more than enough new symbolism and layers to stir my curiosity and to let me dive deep into this deck and the beautiful guidebook filled with Welsh history and myths.

Today it is Lammas or Lughnasadh, the festival which marks the beginning of the harvest season with the first wheat harvest. For this day I picked the Nine of Pentacles. Not only because it is one of my favorite minors but more so because it illustrates beautifully how the time of reaping what we have sown has begun. The lady in the card is fortunate: she has worked hard all Summer and her harvest is abundant. The first wheat has been bound into a sheaf and I am positive that a lot more will follow.

I am planning to bake a loaf of bread today and fill my heart with things I am grateful for. All the things  I have sown myself but perhaps even more important: everything which  I have received as a gift from others.

Full Moon in April

For this full moon I have pulled three cards from my Original Rider Waite Tarot. Even though I have so many other beautiful decks, I seem to be in totally love with this deck all over again. Of course it has been my one of my favorite tarot decks all along but nowadays I read with no other deck than this one. Maybe it is only a springtime infatuation but I will enjoy it while it lasts.

I have asked my deck three questions:

What is crystal clear? Two of Wands – It is time to pick a Wand, to make a choice. Don’t feel pressured to go for the easy option. The options are many. The world is in the palm of our hands. So maybe it is also time to leave my comfort zone.

What am I grateful for? Queen of Wands – although it doesn’t  always show, I know that beneath my fear of failure and my insecurity lives a passionate and creative woman who is eager to get up from her throne and is ready for some action.

What do I need to let go of when the moon starts to wane? Nine of Pentacles – This is one of my favorite cards in the deck. And just like with The Hermit, I am too much attached to this secluded inward energy. But  there is no need to break down the wall. Perhaps I will look for the gate of her garden so I can (again) leave my comfort zone. I noticed she is looking to her bird instead of to the city in the back ground. And her bird doesn’t bring her much new from the outside world either because he is blindfolded.

Together the cards all seem to convey one clear message: leave you comfort zone and live a little! Easier said than done but the fact I read it in these cards is promising. I don’t have to jump from the castle tower. I can take also the stairs J

The Emperor and the Nine of Pentacles - Practice makes… Happy

Yesterday I’ve pulled two cards from the Rider Wait tarot for my daily draw. One to answer the question: what is preventing me from experiencing creative freedom and the next would be telling me what my gift would be if I could embrace this freedom, which is already within me, waiting to be found.

The first card, the challenging one, was The Emperor. Look at him sitting there in his armor on his concrete throne. If he would only look behind him, he would notice the mountains, symbolizing the blocks he is experiencing. But no, he just sits there being high and mighty and if he would sit there much longer I think his armor would immobilize him because of the thick layers of rust.  The Emperor in this position is rigid and controlling and is certainly not in the mood for a  playful and open minded approach of making of art.

If I would discover my creative freedom my gift would be the Nine of Pentacles: a feeling a success. fulfillment, happiness and tremendous self-worth. This card is a perfect follow up of the Eight of Pentacles, where we see a guy practicing his skills.

Together these two cards have influenced me enormously yesterday. First I went to the gym because I knew I had to get out of my chair and out of my head and that I had to start moving. Then after a refreshing shower I picked up my watercolors and painted a part of the Nine of Pentacles in my Tarot journal. That was a big step for me. Instead of writing a blogpost about it (the wish of The Emperor) I also painted a Sunflower which was so much fun to do. Sometimes it feels like I have to open the floodgate to my creativity, which can be so heavy and is sometimes almost nearly impossible to do but when it is open creating feels like the most natural thing to do and it makes me so very happy.

Berkano and the Nine of Pentacles - Time to leave the nest?

Today’s Rune is Berkano, the equivalent of The Empress. This is the rune of abundance, creativity, fertility, nurtering, and of course the symbol of the Divine Feminine. My card for today is the Nine of Pentacles from the Wild Unknown Tarot.  Immediately I  felt so safe when I saw this depiciton: nine pentacles are symmetrically arranged in a diamond shaped nest. They are shielded from the outside world with white soft feathers. These feathers give  a very motherly feel to the nest.  The Nine of Pentacles is all about being content with what you have achieved and received so far. It is a card of accomlishment and gratitude. This card is related to the Hermit. Al the nines share an energy of solitude and reflection; of discovering who we truly are. But they also encourage us not to stay to long here but to move forward in life and trust we will have the tools and the wisdom to do so.

Personally for me today this means I want to trust and embrace my ability to make art. Considering my nine pentacles in the nest, this is not a strange thing to do. I’ve come to this Nine of Pentacles  through a lot of practice (Eight of Pentacles) but after having ""reveled in my success" it is time to spread my wings and leave the nest.

What is helping me a lot to move forward lately, is the notion that I don't have to be super creative all the time. Copying pictures is a very good practice and a lot of fun too. It is also a good way to warm up our creative muscle. The results are rewarding and it is very relaxing thing to do. 

Affirmation: Today I am grateful for the gift of creative abundance

P.S  I've added yesterdays drawing of a little gnome. M. noticed it looked like The Hermit. Now I like it even more. J

Nine of Pentacles - Feeling secure within my own boundaries

From The Crystal Visions Tarot I've pulled for today the Nine of Pentacles. As usual we see a refined woman who has done well for herself and is enjoying life’s little luxuries in her garden. She is fulfilled and content. In most of my decks she is only accompanied by her falcon while in this depiction there is also a tiger present.

This tiger reminded me of my post about finding Durga through tarot. The goddess Durga is a protectress of boundaries and she is riding a tiger while fighting of the enemies. This evening my son in law will come to stay with us for one week and Sunday my husband will come to visit us too. I think protecting my boundaries can be a “lifesaver” for me, although of course those two men are not my enemies. It is more about my inner demons, the ones that urge me to ignore my own needs. Too often without noticing it, I am inclined to push my boundaries for the sake of everybody else’s happiness. But thanks to this card, I will remind myself I have a lovely room upstairs where I can be that lady of the Nine of Pentacles. I can read there, play with my cards, meditate, write, drink my coffee: just be comfortable with myself en recharge. And if the weather is fine there is a bike waiting for me in the shed or I can pull out a chair to sit in the back of my garden. So for the coming week, keeping my boundaries will be a focal point. And when I see how relaxed the tiger is laying there beside his lady, I think everything will work out just fine

All the ingredients for nice relaxed Sunday

After the challenging cards of last week according to my tarot cards, I am going to have a lovely Sunday. I am going to enjoy my own company as well as spending some quality time with my daughters. So this is going to be a day of harmony and balance.

I seem to be more inclined to acknowledge the predictive qualities of the tarot when I pull positive cards like these two. Perhaps I am more eager to be influenced by the energy of these two cards rather than feeling depressed about my nine of swords experience.

But as always it all comes down to my own perception of reality. What are my thoughts and how do they make me feel? If I feel down how can I be mindful enough to be aware of my thoughts and change them into more comforting ones?

Perhaps cards like these can be helpful in this process. Today I have drawn them from my deck but sometimes I pick the cards which will remind me of qualities I want to embrace or manifest. Almost like a sort of a visual affirmation. I used to do this more often and I am glad that I have rediscovered this practice by writing this post

Which card would you pick for yourself?

Imbolc Tarot Spread: Brid’s Wheel

This spread for Imbolc, I have found in Christine Jette’s book “Tarot for all Seasons”. I've bought this book to accompany me on my journey around the wheel of the year with the Wildwood Tarot, I've started out last Yule

For this spread I've used my brand new Morgan Greer tarot.

Brid's Wheel from "Tarot of All Seasons" by Christine Jette with The Morgan Greer Tarot

1.    Strength.  This card shows where you are strong. 

*    The Queen of Rods: she is a strong, outgoing and creatively inspired. She is always warmed by her inner fire. She is confident and resilient. It pleases me to see her as my strength card

2.    Heart’s Desire.  You deepest desire.  What do you really want? 

*    King of Cups: How lovely it would be if I could master my emotional ups and downs and become more balanced. I want to be able to reach out to others and help them without getting emotionally drained

3.    Healer. What needs to be healed if you are to be strong?  Note whether or not there is a relationship between position one (strength) and this card. 

*    The Chariot: I have to acknowledge I am my own person, live my own life and I can set out my own direction and try to keep my insecurity and anxiety under control.

4.   Creative Inspiration.  When healing energy is released, creative inspiration is the result.  What are you inspired to do?  What creative activity fires you up?

*    Six of swords: That was a difficult card for me. But then I drew the sun as clarifier. I think I can interpret this as a creative spark in my communication abilities. The six of swords is about sorting out idea’s, looking for new ways of thinking and communicating; leaving behind idea’s which, although comfortable,  aren’t helpful anymore; or sometimes it could mean a spiritual journey or a quest.  In this sun card two people are coming together in the light of the sun which brightens and reveals everything. So I will use my creativity to communicate my thoughts clearly (writing?). Perhaps it is also a hint to put some effort in my Dutch blog.

5.   Making Plans.  Based on the creative information of position four, what plans can you now make? 

*    Nine of Pentacles. I always love this card.It is so easy to identify with this woman. It strikes me this nine of pentacles is very purple unlike many other cards in this deck. I can interpret this to use my inner wisdom in my spoken and written words. I’ve pulled the eight of swords as clarifier and it tells me to be aware of my limiting beliefs. So I see the Nine of Pentacles also as an advice to look after myself and be aware of maintaining my self-worth; Try to relax and be confident and believe in myself. This woman likes to be alone and that is okay too. In her so loved solitude she can find the peace and quiet to listen to her own thoughts and put them in writing

6.   New Growth.  What is the promise of spring that lies just beneath the snow? 

*    Nine of rods. Another nine. This card is all about vigilance. I am going to watch out for distracting influences (like procrastination!!!) which might make me forget my creative goal. (it happened before J) I will go on even when I get insecure. This card will be my defense against my inner critic.

A three card spread for my daily draw

Today I am going to follow my own advice: to make a minor change in a daily routine, just for the fun of it. So instead of drawing one card today I've done a three card daily spread, using my Druidcraft Tarot:

Druidcraft Tarot

1 The main energy of the day - The Nine of Pentacles: I couldn't be more happy with that card. I often use it as my significator. This woman is so at ease in her fenced garden. I know the world is bigger but for now I am happy with myself and enjoy the abundance within my safe boundaries.

2 The challenge of the day - Princess of Cups: Don’t get to carried away by the worldly and material well being. Keep dreaming and fantasizing to expand your experiences and your creativity. Stay open for your sense of wonder and  for your intuitive feelings

3 The gift of today - the World. I seem to be getting this card  a lot and that pleases me. As a gift I would read this as a feeling of accomplishment and feeling whole again ( after a very long time). I feel like I am getting to know my authentic self a lot better lately. And blogging has a lot to do with it. This daily writing about tarot (and oracles)  is focusing my thoughts on unexpected topics and often I am surprised at what I think and write and in so I get to know myself a little bit better each day.