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?

The page of Water - Understanding

My card for today is the Page of Water from the Osho Zen Tarot. The card is called: Understanding. Being the counterpart of the Page of Cups in the Rider Waite system, this page's understanding has nothing to do with his mental abilities but more with a deep knowledge of Truth; almost like a feeling of enlightenment. Suddenly you just know….

“The bird pictured on this card is looking out from what seems to be a cage. There is no door, and actually the bars are disappearing. The bars were an illusion, and this small bird is being summoned by the grace and freedom and encouragement of the others. It is spreading its wings, ready to take flight for the very first time. It is the dawn of a new understanding; that the cage has always been open, and the sky has always been there for us to explore (..) Move with the sweetness and gentleness of the present moment. Feel the fluttering within. Spread your wings and be free.”

How fitting, this card comes after  yesterday’s  Page of Rainbows  – The Outsider. Now the gates are wide open and the bird realizes he is free to go wherever he wants to. The so feared excluding and bullying birds are not so scary anymore. They are like him: just birds.

When we let go of our limiting preconceptions about the world and it's inhabitants, we can grow wings and fly high. Our possibilities are endless when we embrace freedom. First our inner freedom and then the freedom to step into the world with confidence and trust. This is of course so much more easy to write down than to put into practice. But this card might be a nudge in the right direction.J

“No one can persuade another to change. Each of us guards a gate of change that can only be opened from the inside. We cannot open the gate of another, either by argument or emotional appeal.” Marilyn Ferguson

The Page of Cups and his fish

For today I've drawn the Page of Cups from the Original Rider Waite tarot. This is a lovely and gentle card to pull. Mostly I interpret this card as unexpected intuitive messages, creative impulses, hunches and gut feelings. The page of Cups is talking with his fish. Behind him the waves of the sea represent his internal stirrings and potential. He doesn't notice them. His mind is fully absorbed by this fish he talking too. He is never been taught to suppress his intuition and imagination. He is totally open and free to listen to the messages the fish is giving him.

Pages are like children. Everything which emerges from within is a bit raw, naive and childlike. They need the freedom to explore and play in order to discover the world around them. It was my theme for this month to listen more to my inner voice and believe me I've tried but the times when I thought I heard or felt something, were the times I was the least expecting it. Perhaps while playing; being totally absorbed in whatever I was doing, when my mind was to focused to dismiss my intuition as foolish inner chitchat. Following the way of this page can bring us intuitive and creative renewal. Just live in the moment; be fully aware of what you are doing and our little fish will talk to us too.

Valentine’s day spread for Self Love

I have found a wonderful spread on Daily Tarot girl for self love to perform on, or just before Valentine’s day.  I have never been a  fan of Valentine’s day before. When my husband was still living with us it wasn’t that popular yet and nowadays you can imagine it is not something we pay any attention to. Until now! What a perfect day to celebrate Self Love. There will be definitely lots of chocolate involved and who knows what other goodies and treats I can come up with.

But first let’s have a look at this wonderful spread made by Kate. I have used the  Anna K Tarot. Not the most romantic deck I have, but it turned out to be a really good choice. It has become a beautiful layout especially with the yellow center card and all the blue cards around it. 

Anna K Tarot

1 Relationship to Self – What is your relationship with your Self like? 

The Six of Wands. I am glad to be able to agree fully with this card. When I consider where I’ve come from I really see myself as a winner. Doesn't mean I am there yet, but still.

2 Admirable Qualities – The parts of yourself that are easy to love  

The Hermit. I love to be on my own. I am a Hermit in heart and soul

3 Disowned Self – Your “shadow”aspects, the parts of yourself that need more love and acceptance from you 

The three of Pentacles. I see this as my creativity being locked in the basement. I have to accept that a difference between dream and reality is always going to be there and I shouldn't let it keep me from creating

4 Release – Judgements and expectations that you need to release in order to be more loving to you. Seven of Wands. I have to let go of the fighting against myself. Let go of my own stifling expectations and strive for perfection. It is smothering me, it is exhausting me and it is keeping me from doing anything at all.

5 More Love – Something loving and nurturing that you can do for yourself right now ! 

Page of Cups. Playtime! This page will help me to enjoy the creative activity itself instead of being focused on the result. With his mentality, I am sure I am going to have some fun on Valentine’s day.

I wish you all a very loving Valentine’s day

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. 

Page of Vessels – Otter: Going with the flow

Page of Vessels - Otter
Wildwood Tarot

After having drawn two aces from the Anna K Tarot, which felt very stimulating but also somewhat demanding,  I've chosen another deck for today: My Wildwood Tarot by Mark Ryan and John Matthews and illustrated by Will Worthington. How I long for the day I can say: ”My trusty old Wildwood Tarot” J

But let’s stay in the moment and focus on my daily draw: The page of Vessels (cups) aka Otter. Keep breathing Ellen: A courtcard depicting an animal! That’s something entirely new! What a way to start with a new deck. 

My first impression of this card is playfulness. If you've ever seen an otter in the water you know what I mean. They are also social and loving to their fellow otters. An otter can live both on land as well as in water. In both environments they feel equally at home. I love to see an otter floating in  the river stream. It looks  wonderful and so effortless.

Now let’s see what the guidebook has to say about this page of vessels

It says this animal can be seen as a mediator between the worlds. Of course they highlight the playful character and the intuitive, sensitive side of this page. For me he’s a welcome pause and reassurance after the aces. He can help me to intuitively know whether to focus on the ace of wands or on the ace of swords or…… to let the aces be for a while and contemplate the splendor of everyday life during meditation or just while pondering and doing nothing. Since “Going with the flow” is my theme of this month I am happy to be accompanied by this beautiful animal 

Wisdom at the crossroads

October 13: The Greek goddess Hecate belongs to this time of year. Hecate was associated with passages and crossroads. Nature is at a her crossroad. Hecate gives wisdom, courage and strength. What wisdom do I need at my crossroads?

Druidcraft Tarot

The princess of Cups from The Druidcraft tarot. She is a lovely sweet girl full of dreams and fantasies. She is looking in the cup or she has her eyes closed and is pondering on it. Whatever she does, she’s okay with it. With her bare feet (big ones) firmly on the ground, she is one of the most earthed pages of cups I know. The tree behind her is letting go of her leaves, which connects this card to Fall; a time of release and change.

Dreams and desires appear to become a theme in my daily draws. I think I will take her example and try to meditate more regularly. (Without being harsh when I skip a day J) And while doing so, I’ll try to let go the desperate search for my heart’s desire. Because when I pursue this to strong it might  flee.

I want to release the impatience and letting my heart‘s desire, find me in its own time. I just have to open up in order to receive and in the meantime I’m enjoying where I am: moment by moment by moment…….