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Today the card is (or was, at this point) the Three of Mirrors (Cups) from Chrysalis Tarot. I wrote about it on my Facebook page, so do follow the link if you haven't read it. The point I want to make here is the synchronicity with my own experience. The Keyword I used in my posting is Celebration, and the Three of Mirrors indicates celebrating is in order today - either just for its own sake, or mostly because something good has come to pass. In my own life, the final step in the sale of my partner's house (after being on the market for way too long) was a definite cause to clap today. I couldn't have been more relieved and my sigh was audible. So, I took this card's advice to heart and consciously applied myself to enjoyment today - and then my partner and I celebrated at a nice restaurant this evening. But the point I want to make is how I celebrated earlier in the day. My Thought of the Day in my FB posting was "What can I celebrate today?" I went out to another glorious morning here by the Bay in California and made a conscious effort at appreciation and joy. Not that it's so hard, but sometimes, no often, I rush through my day, pausing only a little to experience the beauty and glory abounding around me. Today I savored it. I took my time walking to the gym I work out in most mornings, feeling the warmth of the sun, the breeze, the scents in the air. I took my time throughout my workout instead of rushing through it so I can get out that much sooner, as I often do. I was consciously methodical, feeling my muscles, my body, being there. It was calmly enjoyable. I felt grounded, here, and happy to be so. This is a switch from my usual caffeine-fueled manic routine, all rush, rush, and rush. So I was celebrating. Celebrating being alive, in this beautiful place, on this beautiful day, just being. The thing about the Three of Mirrors is it's not just about partying with friends and/or family to acknowledge some success or good fortune, though it can be that. It's also about partying with ourselves - that is, being happy with ourselves, in ourselves, in our own company. Loving and accepting and appreciating ourselves first and foremost, before we can offer that love to others. Being happy in our own company, with ourselves. If we don't have love for ourselves, then we really don't have love to give away to others either. So, the Three of Mirrors indicates it's time to enjoy and celebrate, but the real party starts right here, right now, within us. Go for it, I say~ get that party started! Celebrate everything, don't wait for a reason or excuse. Just do it! Life is short and there's so much to enjoy! Look around - it's all there waiting for us. And joy is most contagious! 
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I've moved my blog entry on oracle art (below) to its own page to give it room to grow and change and to be also easily accessible. Find it here...
Tarot/oracle art is a never-ending attraction, fascination, and delight for me! If you haven't yet, visit my Pinterest board Unusual Tarot Cards with over 1100 images from many different decks. There's so many individual brilliant images out there - though not so many decks that are consistently brilliant all the way through, unfortunately. So far I've got just 15 decks on my list that contain enough brilliance to qualify (in my opinion of course). I'm sure I'll add more as time goes on, but I really have to dig to find them! Let me know if you think of decks that you feel might fit into the list. I'd love to hear from you! Ten of Mirrors (Cups), Golden Flower (Temperance), Herne the Hunter (The Chariot) Chrysalis Tarot A fabulous week is promised in this week’s spread, so get ready! The Ten of Mirrors (Cups) brings a joyful start to your week – a plan or project may have reached fruition, a relationship or friendship is taking off, or you may be setting off on an exciting new chapter in your life. Whatever it is, there’s nothing more you need to do except celebrate and enjoy! The Golden Flower (Temperance) midweek brings harmony your way. That burst of excitement and joy early week gives way to quiet contemplation and appreciation. This card indicates positive conditions in all areas – physical, mental, emotional. A stable equilibrium can be achieved, allowing you to experience life’s ebbs and flows in a gentle and peaceful manner. Focusing on the mandala image on this card encourages this balance. Temperance can also indicate the need for compromise and cooperation in testy situations – a mingling of opposing forces or ideas to create a new harmony; with your inner calmness, you may find yourself in the role of peacekeeper. Herne the Hunter (The Chariot) rounding off the week through the weekend could not be a better omen! Anything you’ve been working on is certainly moving forward now with your will and energy behind it. If you’ve encountered obstacles, expect these to be overcome if you continue to keep your eyes on the road and ditch any limiting beliefs that may be keeping you back. Be confident that success is on the way! All in all, it's a great forecast for this week. Lots of positive energy with a bit of Temperance reminder to even out any over-excitement with a little calm and even perspective. If you feel yourself getting a bit ungrounded, just take a breath and gather in your joy, call in any scattered thoughts, and settle into yourself. Focusing on the beautiful sunflower mandala in the Chrysalis Golden Flower card (which was created with this function in mind) can be one way of settling down into a more steady serenity. Just gazing at this card with its bright warm colors will be sure to bring a smile to your face, as it does mine. That, once again, is the Chrysalis magic!
 Love this image from Chrysalis Tarot! I'm a big mask/carnivale fan and use this theme in my own art frequently – and I think this Chrysalis image is one of the most interesting (and benign) images of The Devil I've seen in tarot decks. And of course, as always, I love Toney Brook's positive and empowering interpretation in his LWB. You can find the posting on my Facebook page or read it here:
KEYWORD: ILLUMINATION THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What beliefs can I let go of? With a nod and a wink, The Devil today is reminding us it's okay to be ourselves. He reminds us not to take our roles too seriously; behind all our masks lies the essence of who we are. It is only our false beliefs about ourselves that limits us and keeps us from authenticity and fulfillment. He is also letting us know that we are not prisoners of our own negative habits and/or obsessions, but can free ourselves with awareness and force of will. In essence, we are much more than our emotions and delusions - stronger than The Devil. So, take a breath of fresh air today and step into your light! Toney's interpretation of The Devil shows we are all "players upon a stage" (or in a Carnivale) and the key is to become aware of that, moment by moment. Here it really is so that "The Truth will set you free." It's also true that we can enjoy playing our roles - like participating in a Carnivale; we can wear the most elaborate of costumes and pretend to be whoever or whatever we desire. We can change our costumes at will and try on many others, and in fact, we do wear different masks everyday, depending on where we are and what we're doing. The message then is - don't get too caught up in the role. If you find yourself clinging, it might be time to step back, take a breath and pull the mask off for a little perspective.  After posting today's Card of the Day on my Facebook page from Vision Quest Tarot - The Eight of Water (Cups), I thought of some other aspects I hadn't included. The 8 of Cups is all about walking away from something - often a situation or even a job or place. It's also about setting out to find or create something new. After thinking about what Vision Quest's LWB discusses regarding this card, I realized it can also be a journey within to a deeper, truer integrity. That is, realizing what is real and what is a role, what comes from our deepest self and what has been absorbed from without or laid upon us. Our beliefs about ourselves, what we hold dear, our values - these are all open to self-scrutiny.
When we feel the sort of malaise that seems to have no clear reason and we find our energy is low though we know we're healthy, have slept enough, etc, then it is time to check in and see what we may be ignoring within. Trapped emotions can drag us down until we feel we're just going through the motions. Once recognized and acknowledged, the energy is freed and the lights come back on, so to speak. So, the Eight of Cups is asking us how we feel today and if the answer isn't positive, look at the path out of the downer (literally seen in RWS with the figure walking away). It's probably time to let go of something, or more than one thing, to allow the energy to move and vibrancy to return. I wasn't happy to have pulled this card today initially and even considered putting in back in the deck and trying again, hoping for a "better" card. But I felt this would be "cheating" and that Tarot always has a message we need to hear regardless of whether we want to hear it or not. So today was one of those times. I checked in with myself and found I did indeed feel a bit low energy and a slight malaise. Hmmm. So, I dealt with it. The first step was to tune in and feel and acknowledge where I was at and what I was feeling. Right away I felt reality returning - at least I was now conscious of what was going on. Good first step! The more I work with Tarot, the more faith I have in it and the more I love it. The cards are not intrinsically powerful in themselves, in the sense that they are magical. No, they are just ink and paper. But they are Keys to the Kingdom and while they sometimes may seem like a Chinese puzzle, with patience, perseverance, will and trust the doors will open. Everything is connected. Stay tuned, I'm going to review two decks here very soon - The Vision Quest Tarot and the recently released Tarot de St. Croix. I love both of them and I hope you will find out why!  Can't keep away from Chrysalis Tarot too long even though some of my other decks are begging for attention! I find Toney Brooks' LWB and his blog to be invaluable for working with the deck and getting its real benefit. Reading his interpretations, with their spiritual, healing and uplifting aspects is a boon to my day. It gets me in a good frame of mind, regardless of the card I pull from this deck - even what's considered "negative" or challenging cards become deep and meaningful exercises or thoughts to guide me through my day in a positive way. I hope those who read my daily postings either here or on my Facebook page derive equal benefit from this deck (and my musings).
July 23, 2014 CARD OF THE DAY: EIGHT OF STONES (Pentacles) Chrysalis Tarot KEYWORD: DILIGENCE THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What do I need to focus on today? Focus and attention are needed today on a project or plan in order to bring it to fruition. If you've been working hard on something, this card is indicating completion is near, though let the effort be its own reward. By focusing wholeheartedly on the work, rather than on the goal, new innovations may be revealed and fulfillment will be yours. It's really all about the journey, not so much the destination; make each moment count. This card may also indicate beginning a new course of study or learning a new skill. Whatever it is, focus on the details today and the day will be its own reward!  I received the Tarot de St. Croix today and do I love it! Magical is the word to describe the feeling I get looking through it! I can tell this will be a deck I will use a lot - maybe not just for spiritual self-readings, but for all-purpose readings too...I haven't yet strayed from RWS deck and clones usage for basic question spreads for myself and others, but I do want to and this may be the deck to do it! There's just something about the images by artist Lisa de St. Croix that is haunting....just perfect for me - the perfect haunted "4" of the Ennegram system, if you're familiar with that...If not, it means that I like layers of meaning and images with a hint of darkness or sadness beneath. We 4's suffer from an underground river of melancholia, though we can also shine very brightly. In short, I think we're a bit intense emotionally. This deck has a definite emotional component to every image, so I really relate to it.
I also want to put in a plug for the Vision Quest Tarot, which is certainly not a new deck (came out in 1998 I think), but a deep deck, thanks to the LWB that accompanies it. I love the way it handles "negative" or painful cards, putting a spiritual and positive (though not fake) spin on them, making them helpful, rather than frightening or dark. The LWB has two interpretations for each card - Inner message and Outward Manifestation, and each is compassionate and spiritual. It's not unlike the recently released and celebrated (by me and many others) Chrysalis Tarot in its depth and approach, though Vision Quest is of course Native American-themed while Chrysalis is more Celtic and a mix of other traditions. I have done some self-readings with the Vision Quest Tarot and found them to be extremely, even startlingly accurate and meaningful. I haven't yet worked with Tarot de St. Croix, but of course I will soon and I'll report the results right here! I don't think I'll be disappointed in this deck.
 FOUR OF EARTH (Pentacles), Vision Quest Tarot for July 15, 2014
KEYWORD: Security THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What does security mean to me ? Today is a good day for some inner exploration regarding security. You may be finding yourself holding on too tightly to material aspects of your life - possessions, money, cravings for more. But do you really feel secure? Vision Quest Tarot's Four of Earth shows us a medicine wheel mandala with all lines leading into a still center. It is asking us to take a few deep breaths and go within. If we step away from the whirlwind of thoughts and assumptions to the still place within, we will realize the security we seek in exterior things is always to be found there. Ultimately, it is not our possessions that bring us security, but being in touch with our deepest selves. It is the acceptance that change is inevitable and we cannot control it, but even in the midst of constantly evolving circumstances, we find our inner stillness and strength is always present, like the stable spoke of a wheel. All else is illusion. Let's try loosening our grip today on things, just a little. Give something away maybe, or just step back, take a few breaths and enjoy just being! BTW, I love the Vision Quest Tarot! I haven't had it very long, or worked with it much, but every time I use it, I find it to be amazingly accurate, meaningful, and magical! Highly recommended. I love its gentle Native American-themed art, and most of all I really like the accompanying LWB. For each card it has two sections of explanation - the Inner Message and the Outward Manifestation. One is clearly spiritual and psychological and the other is how the card's energy manifests in the physical world. Unlike many other LWB that accompany decks, I find this one immensely useful, often adding another dimension to my understanding of cards. I can favorably compare it Chrysalis Tarot's enhanced, spiritual card interpretations; unlike Chrysalis, however, this deck hasn't gotten the publicity it deserves in my opinion. If you're a reader and not familiar with Vision Quest, give it a try – I'd love to hear your opinions! Manifestation is the theme for this week! The deck is once again the magical Chrysalis Tarot with a simple 3-card spread. In the name of variety, I try to rotate the decks I use for my daily and weekly draws, but just couldn't stay away from Chrysalis! A good part of the credit for this is not only Holly Sierra's beautiful artwork with its bright lovely colors, but writer Toney Brooks' accompanying LWB and his weekly blog, which greatly expands his already fascinating takes on the cards. So, onwards to the outlook for this week: Monday - Tuesday - THE WEAVER (Queen of Scrolls/Swords): Chrysalis Tarot's Weaver, is much more than the traditional RWS Queen of Swords as we know her. Toney Brooks describes her role as Muse, and her sharp, clear vision reveals the larger Truth behind what may appear as random events, confusion and ambiguity. She may be present in your life early this week as a strong woman with a sharp mind, one who doesn't mince words and cuts through ambiguity to clarity. She could come to your side in matters that require an advocate who can bring discernment and balance, or be of some other significance as co-worker, boss, friend, or family member who will have an influence in some way. You may want to ask for her clear guidance if you're considering making a move you're unsure of. Alternatively, she could represent your own inner qualities or qualities you need to draw on, as there may be a situation arising that requires sharp discernment and sorting out of facts from embellishments. Call on The Weaver within or without to help you see the threads of connection that make up the larger picture and tie it all together. Wednesday - Friday - GREEN MAN (The Emperor): The Chrysalis Green Man brings another dimension to the traditional view of the RWS Emperor; rather than an imposing, conquering figure, he is here a nurturing Lord of Nature, bringer of harmonious coexistence, balance and structure. If you have been considering the implementation of a plan, idea, or project, his appearance is an encouragement to action. All inspirations need the structure the Green Man represents in order to manifest; listen for his ideas in your dreams and intuition; watch for synchronicity and messages in nature. These will let you know you're on the right track and will further reveal the connections between all things. This is the time to put your energy into motion and manifest your creative dreams. Saturday - Sunday - THREE OF STONES (Pentacles): If you've heard the message of The Green Man and put plans into motion or made a decision recently, the appearance of the Three of Stones is a confirmation you're heading in the right direction. This card further encourages you to keep the momentum going with a promise of new growth ahead. Trust that the structure you have created is sound and it is a good time to acknowledge all your efforts and dedication. Alternatively, if you haven't yet gotten a hold on the niggling details of a plan or strategy, this card is a reminder to do so. It also lets you know you have all the competence and knowledge you need to achieve your goals. Success is just around the corner! This week, then, is all about manifestation: The Weaver brings clarity, The Green Man encourages the harnessing of creative energy into direction and structure, and the Three of Stones boosts our conviction and confidence by reminding us we already have all we need to succeed - just keep moving! Come visit my Facebook page for more Tarot goodies!
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AuthorI am an intuitive counselor and visionary artist who has studied and worked with Tarot for over 20 years. I am an avid collector of tarot art, as well as a creator. I am the creator of four oracle decks. I also have an extensive collection of tarot art images on Pinterest.com which you can enjoy. Archives
February 2016
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