Falling in love with the Thoth Tarot

Yesterday, after watching a video from Elyse of Wild moon woman about how one of her goals for 2018 was studying the Thoth tarot, I got my long-forgotten copy of this deck out of the “I don’t know what to do with these decks” box.  I shuffled the deck thoroughly and I pulled: Six of Wands- Victory. Since I am a total Thoth dummy I opened the book: Tarot a mirror for the Soul” by Gerd Ziegler and I read the chapter for my card. Not only did I found the description and meaning of this card but also some in-depth questions and an affirmation. What I read gave me goosebumps and so did the next card, the Prince of Wands which I pulled for answering one of the questions.

This morning I pulled the Five of Cups – disappointment, which talks about an emotional crisis, perhaps by unconscious fears come true. The next card was the Three of Wands – Virtue and this card advised me to center myself and find that inner place of peace and quiet, so outside circumstances won’t disrupt me so easily. Again these two cards definitely hit a chord with me and I carried them both with me throughout the day

All in all a very auspicious beginning of my love affair with the Thoth Tarot….I am so excited. It feels like I am in the first grade of Tarot school all over again! 

Page of Swords - First card from my new Fountain Tarot Deck

Today I received my copy of the Fountain Tarot which I had won in a giveaway in September.  It is a stunning deck. It is even more beautiful  in reality than the pictures  I’ve seen online presumed. It feels like a whole year round, multipurpose deck.

After giving  it  thorough shuffle, the first card I drew was  the Page of Swords – bold curiosity.  A card about being open-minded to new ideas and situations. This page likes to try out new things and seek out new approaches to old concepts.  A perfect guide to dive into this modern looking mesmerizing deck.  But since the Page isn’t the studious type and has a rather short attention span, I asked what could help him to take the study of this deck more seriously and I pulled the Three of Wands – focused effort. Now this guy is holding on the his rope vigorously. He is not the kind to let go that easy when things get a bit more complicated. This is the  attitude I need for my tarot studies: dedication!   The guidebook talks about how he is alternating between energy puling inwards and energy pushing outwards. I love how this is depicted by act of rope twisting. In case of studying this deck this could be about reading and practicing versus contemplating and letting new information and experiences sink in

And last but not least like every Three of wands this cards also stands  for the promise of success !

Three of Wands - Bloom where you're rooted

Today’s card is the Three of Wands from the Tarot of the Hidden Realm.  

  

A lovely couple with their new born child is depicted in this card. They’ve made a commitment to each other and they chose to stick with it for better and for worse. Their love for eachother and their hope for the future have brought a new life into this world. Their lives will never be the same but they are okay with that because this little baby will give them Love and Joy and so much more than they ever dreamed of.

I tend to read cards mostly as a mirror of my soul, so for today I see all three of them as aspects of myself. At the beginning of my adult life, like many of us,  I started to make life changing choices and with each choice I made, other options were ruled out. Little by little my path seems to have less forks in the road and mostly I am okay with that. I mean, I don’t mind that I can’t climb the Mount Everest nor do I miss milking my cows at four o’clock in the morning. I think you get the idea. The older we get the more settled we are becoming and the more rooted we get in our way of life.

Then there is this child, which represents the fruits of our labor, our goals and our passions. How do  I love this child: my children, my paintings, the home I’ve build for my family and my love for them and last but not least the becoming of me.

When I asked the cards to tell me a bit more about this child, I had to laugh because I pulled the Page of Wands. This little child is growing up so fast and he is getting stronger too. He is becoming more and more self aware and comfortable with who he is. He is curious, active and optimistic and loves to learn new things. A lovely guide  for when I want to play some more in my art journal to try out some new techniques  or maybe for when I want to do something completely different than what I'm used to....

Three of Wands - Taking a Moment

Today’s card is the Three of Wands from the Original Rider Waite Tarot. It was a jumper card. I do not always give in to jumper cards because I prefer to pick my daily card myself. Maybe that is a control issue of mine? But for today I decided to go with what fate or the universe had thrown literally in my face.

A man is standing on the top of a mountain, watching the ships go by. He is holding one wand in his hand. The other two are standing behind him. He is at ease and content with how things are going. Maybe he reminiscing about how he has left his castle in the Two of Wands and how he has chosen the right idea to act upon. Everything is going smoothly and now he is taking a moment to reassess his options. Where does he want to go from here? What will be his next step? What does he need to let go off and what does he need to pursue further? So many questions to ponder about and I wonder in what direction he is going to move forward. What does he really want to accomplish?

And I pulled the Ace of Cups. This reminds me of how many of us a searching their whole life for the holy grail only to discover this grail was already given to use the day we were born. The Ace of Cups is Love in abundance and teaches us not only to be ruled by the head but also to really listen the whispers of our heart.

So the man is wondering what is that will make him truly happy. What is his heart’s desire? Is it the cargo of his ships or is it to drink from this overflowing cup. Or is it both: living our daily live with Love and kindness in our hearts. …. So many questions… No wonder he is taking a moment to consider what to do next.

The Ace of Swords – Finding Truth

For today I’ve drawn the Ace of Swords from the Tarot of the Hidden Realm. Immediately some keywords come to mind: new perspective and ideas, mental clarity and truth.

Looking at this image I noticed that the Heron is looking to his left, which is often seen as the direction of the past, of everything what has been before.  Maybe we can find mental clarity and truth when we face our past and learn from all the experience we’ve had and the lessons we’ve learned.

By embracing and accepting our past new doors will open for us; new opportunities to find the truth or parts of it.

When we try to notice the smallest changes and movements around us and the whispers of our soul within us then we will be able to distinguish truth from illusion. Little by little we gather and learn...

So what will I find when I quiet down and listen.... The Three of Wands: whatever has happened or whatever will happen the love for my family is what drives me to be a better person then I was yesterday.

The King of Swords needs to loosen up

My card for today is the King of Swords from the Original Rider Waite Tarot. It is not the first time this week the King of Swords is passing by. But today I finally understood why it is he is paying me a visit so frequently. 

Lately there are so many things on my mind; so many choices to be made. And don’t fret, nothing life threatening or life changing is going on, it is just me and my constant need for control who wants to organize and structure her life. Questions like: what journal do I use, do I type or write by hand? Do I paint in my small art journal or in my larger one? Do I meditate in the morning or in the evening etc etc etc. All those questions prevent me from doing something. 

So I pulled another card and I got the three of wands. Oh what a wonderful solution. Standing on a hill top watching the ships go by. For now he has nothing to do, the choices he has made in the Two of Wands are the right ones. Being confident about the decisions he has made is paying off. Maybe the ships are sailing to far away countries or maybe they are returning to the harbor, but either way there is movement in this card which is lacking in the depiction of the King of Swords.  So movement, flexibility in thinking and deciding is what I will focus on today. Nothing what I will decide today will be set in stone forever. So letting go of the need to structure (control)my life will give me a sense of ease and a freedom to listen to the whispering of my intuition telling what is good for me right now!

The full Harvest Moon of September – Tarot Spell

Yesterday, it was the night of the full Harvest moon and encouraged by Bev from By the Sycamore Tree I've decided to create a tarot spell/visual prayer in order to help me cope with and accept the coming changes in my family. (S will be moving out when her boyfriend finds a job) Also to help me see these changes in a positive light; perhaps even as a kind of personal harvest after years of mothering.

I've  learned this type of spell from Kerry from Neopagan Priestess. The tarot is a wonderful tool to visualize and focus on your desires, need for change and maybe even your gratitude before you have actually experienced the fulfilling of your desire or noticed a positive change.

Because I've been working with the Anna K Tarot lately, this deck was a natural choice to use for my spell.

First I've laid down yesterday’s card as the main theme. Then I flipped through the deck to find cards which resonated with me and/or were connected one way or another to this theme. This went very quickly and without a lot of thought. Finally I narrowed the little pile down to three cards to put around the theme card.
I've picked the following cards:

Ace of Pentacles for Me and M nourishing our roots, planting seeds, redefining our living together and for new exciting opportunities for both of us

The Sun as the symbol  for joy, a positive outcome, and self-confidence for all of us

The Three of Rods for S making plans and starting out on a new exciting journey 

I loved how these three cards were radiating their yellow sunlight over the darker Eight of Cups. Yellow and blue, a match made in heaven!

I've put it all on tray (thank you Kerry!) to put it wherever I want it to be. To focus on my intent I've come up with this little prayer. I tried to translate it as well as I could.

“May the sun shine its light over you and your journey and your choices yet to make and over us while we are keeping our home safe and enjoying the new opportunities this change will  bring us.”

The Three of Wands - Almost on my way again

After the Ace and the Two of wands, today we have the Three of Wands from the Crystal Visions Tarot. It almost feels like a sort of drum roll before I on my way, moving forward again after being ill: First the Ace with all the expectations en choices and options; then the Two which urged me to slow down, find out what I truly want and think about how I want to pursuit it. And now in  the Three of Wands we see a woman sitting on a rock. The lake is left behind and she is watching her radiant crystal ball. She knows  what she wants, where she wants to go. Her vision is crystal clear. Her path is laid out before her and she only has to follow her star. (This star is in fact a blemish on my card J). She doesn't have to go alone on this adventure She has two animal guides to go with her: A lion cub and a little dragon. Both animals are still young and immature but when fed and played with, they can grow into fierce allies on a creative journey.  They both represent inner strength and passion which are definitely Wandsy traits, I personally have to nurture and develop more. I know they are in there, but I don’t have the guts to see them in their true appearance. In my mind they will  always stay small, similar to the two pets of this woman in the three of Wands. Maybe this card is also about gathering confidence and strength and about raising these youngsters before we are good to go. (luckily in our mindscape this can be done a lot faster then in reality)

So for today I will feed and play with my inner dragon and lion and see if they are already up to the challenge to move forward again.

Three of Spirals - Contemplation

All in all, yesterday was a good day. I've managed to  keep my emotions out of the equation and we had a sociable get together.  My husband was pleasantly surprised with the leek pie and the cake was eaten to the last crumb. Today is a day of rest and recovery of the emotional roller coaster which I've been riding for the last couple of days.

My card for today is the Three of Spirals from the Chrysalis Tarot by Tony brooks and Holly Sierra. Again a fitting card for me. Look at how the head of the Buddha statue is held by the tree. It looks as if it's been there for such a long time. The three has folded himself around it over the years. This card is about slowing down and contemplating your next move. Really assessing where you are and where you want to go next. It is time to ask yourself: What do I really want?

For me this card also symbolizes that, in order to become one with everything around you, you have to lose yourself (ego) first. This can be so scary at times because you have to let go of the illusion of control. I begin to experience this little by little while meditating. Only fractions of moments I feel utterly free of self and connected to everything around me, only to get pulled back again in me. But this tugging and pulling is of such gentle kindness that is also teaching me not blame myself for “failure” and except what is.

Three of Bows - Fulfillment

The Hooded archer from Three of Bows (Wildwood Tarot) is welcoming us. One hand is raised like a greeting or a blessing, the other hand is holding a longbow. He is meeting us at the crossroads in the Wildwood.  In the two of Bows we had to make a decision and pass to a similar gateway, only that one was on fire. Now we are less passionate, impulsive and more internally focused. We have come a long way and can be satisfied with our achievements. But we’re not there yet. This is the time and place to take stock and find balance, in order to be able to aim and shoot our next arrows with the longbow. We see the two snakes of the Balance card on the archer's robe.The archer is standing in front of a large tree with two paths on either side of it. Which path should we choose? 

Again, just like yesterday, this card encourages us to choose. And again when we try to  listen to our intuition and make the best choice, we cannot go wrong and will not get lost. Because our life is our path and following it, living it, will bring us our deepest Fulfillment. On this path we will discover the experiences, dreams and goals we were set out to find in the first place, perhaps even without consciously knowing it. Life is all about moving forward and not about reaching a goal or a destination.

“The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Three card Daily Spread - Something needs to change

For today I've done a three card daily tarot spread for myself with the Druidcraft Tarot. The positions are as follows: 

1 The general energy of the day

2 The challenge of the day

3 The gift of today

1 The general energy of the day- The Four of Cups. It seems my lethargy of the past week isn't quite over yet. The events with M has taken a lot of my energy and I am still feeling a bit “bleh”. The cards of the last three days have been obvious doorways to a different mindset but I have not yet been able to give in to their call. I am thinking a lot about what I want to change and what is worth to hold on to. But looking at the person in the card it is clear my batteries has to be recharged again

2 The challenge of the day – Three of wands.  This card is urging me to rise up and stand tall . To look at the road ahead.  To be aware of what I have accomplished and  how foolish it would be to stay in the shadow of the tree too long. The road is there to be taken, not to be looked at.

3 The gift of today - The Hermit. And what a gift this is. Not only do I have to look at the road ahead but I also have to look inward to become mentally and spiritually aligned: to discover if what I want and where I want to go from here is in sync with my heart’s desire, my core purpose, Sometimes I am too eager and impulsive; to all or nothing and it is a wise thing to reflect before I continue to walk the road ahead.

While reading these three cards it occurred to me how the man in the Three of Wands and the Hermit are connected in this spread. They both are standing straight and are looking in the distance. In the three of wands the man is standing in the shade of the tree and is looking into the bright light of the day while The Hermit has his lantern to light his path in the night. They both are standing on higher ground; a safe place to consider their next move or decision. And they both are supported by either a tree or a staff. Finally the last thing I've noticed was that in both cards a path is depicted. In the Hermit card the path has lead him to the cliff, while in the Three of Wands the path is yet to be discovered.  I love how this Hermit is accompanied by the wolf of yesterday’s draw. It is just like he is trying to get my attention again. How wonderful it will be to find some Hermit moments today 

Three of Rods - Climb every mountain

My card for today is the Three of Rods (Wands) from the Anna K tarot. The man/boy in this card has reached the top of the mountain, bringing with him three wands. He has attained his goal only to discover there are more challenges within reach. It almost seems the first mountain was a test if he is able, strong enough, to go on. And he is!

So for me this card is about building confidence by pursuing long term goals, mountain by mountain and not  let myself be overwhelmed by the entire route

Sometimes this is the most loving thing to do for ourselves. No one would give a six year old fractions and times tables, but we know in a few years the child will be able to master them. So let’s take life challenges one step at the time too and celebrate each achievement for a moment in a four of wands state of mind, before climbing the next mountain