Aces

Work is progressing, too slow as far as I'm concerned, then again I do not have that much time considering I also have a full time job and a serious lack of energy due to small medical inconveniences.

However, the Major arcana are done, I won't do a full res scan of the world though, I'm sorry. Against my own nature I decided to limit access to the full set to people I choose for now and people ordering the complete finished set later.

So on to the minors, here's the aces. Lots to do, but at least I made a good start and the concept and ideas behind the deck are gaining strength. All the known symbols are there in their traditional form, though it remains to be seen if this will be the case on all the minor arcana, still seeking the right balance between accessible, traditional without falling back to predictable and just downright copying the Rider. I want my vision my re-imagining to be key in this deck, there are enough Rider Waitte clones.

Fours in Tarot, stagnation… magician is the cure.

So today this blog will actually feature Tarot again and I will actually use tarot and esoteric references as well.

There is method and system in Tarot, as many who do regular readings know. You can almost learn the cards by understanding the system behind it. From ace to ten and followed by the court cards the numbers have the same background in every suit. An ace is a spark, a basic concept of a suit, while the ten can be considered the completion of the essence of the suit. Take into account what the suit represents and voila, you just saved yourself a lot of money buying all kinds of reference books.

Well okay it’s not THAT simple, but consider this system and you have a very strong guide to understanding the tarot and a certain insight in the system on which it works. Now I will make it personal and focus on the number I can’t seem to escape lately, the four.

Fours

The four in tarot symbolizes stagnation. In swords it’s being held in place possibly by illness or something else outside of your direct control. In pentacles it’s keeping your possessions close and your wallet closed. Cups shows you how you miss opportunities and therefore progress and four of wands or staves, though a lot more positive in it’s approach shows you the start of a building, there is time for rejoicing but you are at the start of a project that will keep you from going anywhere soon.

Right now the fours are all over the place in my life, or at least it feels that way. It may be the lingering after effects of my ear infection, or it may be the time of year. It is clear that I am not moving forward. Understanding this however has brought me no closer in changing this state. In a way I am feeling like an alchemist unable to change the state of the ingredients I am working with, knowing what to do to invoke a reaction but somehow only partly consciously waiting for some cosmic event to change the rules for the better so I can turn lead to gold. Maybe I need to live up to the card I have chosen for myself, the magician, maybe this conduit between the spiritual and the material is the philosophers stone needed for the transformation… or maybe it’s entertainment value as a performer alone is what can spur movement in tranquil but confining state I’m in.

Or maybe I’m just whining and should wait till I am fully recovered before I can do an accurate assessment of my life again…

How to: Learn tarot reading….

Since this is sort of a tarot blog I may as well post some Tarot related texts every once in a while. Now some of this I have gone over before. Also, keep in mind this is A way to do it, not necessarily THE way. This is also the essence of my most important advice in this whole post there is no standard way and what feels best to you is most important, don’t let others lay down rules for you…

Tarot is at least a few hundred years old and though there is some historical information regarding how it looked through the years and how certain games where played with the cards, regarding the spiritual and mystical value there is extremely little historical reference and everything people claim to know is little more than fabrication, superstition and for lack of a better word theatre. Now having said that… and considering the fact that what feels good, is good… some amount of ritual may add to the mystical atmosphere and greatly improve your intuitive reading. Meditation, cleansing or cleaning yourself, lighting candles or incense it all has at least ads to the feeling of mysticism.

I am not going al skeptical on you and say it has no spiritual value and if it works for you, go for it. I am just saying it is in no way obligatory and as a professional reader who’s been at it for quite some time I can say I never had any problems with my readings and all I do is take a wee and wash my hands before a reading. So no sleeping on your cards, dealing only with left, keeping them in the window during full moon or only reading without wearing underwear for me.

Now to reading…

First and foremost, get a deck. Yes that is important, it’s also important you pick up a deck that works for you. To start out using a well known deck is easier simply because there must be a reason it is well known and there is lots of reference material out there. Also it is a lot easier to learn the cards when you use illustrated pips. My advise, when starting out go with either the Rider Waite or the Crowley Toth. The rider works best for traditionalists, younger readers or people who like to dive into the symbolism. The Toth has a sort of new-agey feel to it and is somewhat more confrontational, for some considering Crowley’s personal history may have some weight in deciding for or against this deck.

Now get familiar with the cards

The fast way is simply to study the cards, lay ‘em on the table and keep the book next to it. To get a deeper and more intuitive understanding I do advice the longer term strategy. First sort out the cards an put the minors aside (the book you may should have purchased will explain what minor and major arcane are), make a pile of the major arcane, whether you leave them in the standard order or randomize them is a matter of personal preference. Each day pick one card and examine it, read up on the meaning of the card, use different information sources if possible and put the card on the bottom of the stack. Now focus on the literal and figurative meaning of the card, pull it into the abstract and recognize it’s patterns. Simply put, look around you all day and see how you can fit the card into your daily life.

I can feel you’re confused, I’ll illustrate with an example. Let’s pick 13, Death for this one, it’s one of the best known cards from popular media and also one of the most straightforward. It means: the end, over, schluβ and because of that, it also means a new start. A deeper meaning lies in Death being the great equalizer, to death it makes no difference whether you’re beggar or prince. So death… now you may see a run over animal in the street and think, look, it’s death. Also getting out of your car is death, it; s the end of a trip and the beginning of a new phase of that day, maybe this also ends the relaxed and self controlled part of the day as your workday may begin, this is a shift in perception and behavior you may go through. A co worker may get fired, or even quit himself, he is no longer a co worker, for him a new challenge begins, when it’s your boss that gets fired you see the equalizing effect of death, it can happen to everybody.

Get it? Now do this every day with a new card until you’ve had every card twice. After that do the same with the minor arcana. Now you have a basic knowledge of every card. After this it’s basically a matter of practicing, lots. Do readings for yourself and others, keep the book close for looking up cards as long as you feel you need to and even every once in a while after that. Try going to public places to do free readings, if that’s allowed, reading in public or for others is not legal everywhere make sure you know what you can and cannot do.

Now what?

At this point you really don’t need my advice anymore, but I will leave you with a few tips I came up with through the years.

- - Get a reading yourself every once in a while to keep your mind open to the perception of your “clients”.

- - Keep reading up on cards, when you haven’t for a while you may start to get a one sided or limited view on the meaning of some cards.

- - Not all explanations of a card are in the books and some symbolism isn’t written down, try looking at the meaning of water and where it comes up in the Rider Waite for instance, this expands greatly on the meanings of the cards.

- - Don’t try to alter the believes of the ones you’re reading for. Don’t be overly skeptic with die hard “believers” and don’t try to convert the skeptics either.

- - Never claim to predict the future, though “strange things” may come up, you cannot claim to predict. Advise on future possibilities, open someone’s mind to possibilities and challenges they may encounter.

- - Put yourself in the place of the one you’re reading for, would you feel comfortable?

- - Avoid distraction, too warm a place, too cold, too much noise try to minimize distractions as much as possible.

- - Keep glasses of water and a box of tissues ready.

- - When you’re done, say so and stop talking (about the cards).

I’m done…

Meme based Tarot deck? Trollface as fool.

Though I admit, it might be fun, it is off course nonsense. When you think about it though, both popular memes as well as tarot cards are based on basic human emotions and aspects of everyday life. They both represent us and our worlds so when you take some effort you might actually come up with some interesting possibilities. The Hermit is forever alone guy, ten of wands may be high expectations Asian dad… possibilities are limitless. And the fact that internet meme’s are as good as copyright free it could be an easy do it yourself sort of thing.

So today is April fool’s day. Besides a few small pranks I haven’t really done any good pranks, nor have I been pranked… yet. I was planning to switch site appearance with my wife’s blog, but she didn’t like the idea, so there you have it a basically prankfree April fools form a born prankster. I have seen some very well executed pranks on the news today though so it is good to see that April fools is very much alive…. Loki would be proud.

Today’s card, how can it be any other… The Fool Card number zero. The first step of the journey, the fool is more than just an idiot. Though he pays no attention to his surroundings and might very well walk off a cliff in seconds, he is also someone free of judgment and is the incarnation of the statement ignorance is bliss. He has the power to see things the way they are without prejudice, he is innocence. And make no mistake, he may be walking towards the edge, chances are he will turn at last second, or better yet, he might just sprout wings and fly, such is the fool's nature.

Asleep or working… I need to get shit done. The Sun

Asleep or working… I need to get shit done.

Lately it seems like I am either asleep or at work. I can’t shake the feeling of being lived. I have a total lack of energy and to a large extend I can’t find the willpower to do the things that need doing. For instance because of our purchase of a sony photo camera we can make a photo album for free, this is a two to three hour job which has been sitting there waiting for more than two months. I still have to scan in the tattoo designs I made two months ago for my ex-brother-in-law. But my inaction also reflects on my health, I am gaining weight and my blood glucose can not be benefitting from this. And so I find myself in this downward spiral which I find very hard to break. Especially now with the daylight saving shit stealing an hour of weekend from me.

I am hoping the lengthening of days and the rise in temperature will slow the decline so I can once again gain some control and be able to get shit done.

I want to congratulate Ixani beauty, wellness and new age shop, with her one year anniversary.

So todays’ card

The Sun

The sun is a card which is usually considered to be a good sign. It represents hope, joy and vitality. Summer, light and warmth indicate a better period in life or a brighter state of consciousness. There is always the warning that the sun can also scorch or cause drought, blister the skin and ruin crops. Too much of a good thing can be even worse than the lack of it.

Busy day today.... Yes it Hurts and today's card 4 of coins

Busy day today….

First in five day of waking up without a killer headache and the weather is absolutely gorgeous, so there’s a bonus. Got a meeting planned with a new client, looking forward to that as well. All in all a demanding but interesting day. And since there’s so little to complain about I’ll leave you with some commercial messages and a card of the day.

Grand Opening, Yes it hurts - Tattoo & Piercing

Saturday, 16 April 2011 at 12:00

And don’t forget my forum…. Go post new topics, reply and have fun….because right now it is becoming a somewhat sad affair. Nocturnal Lure "Tarot" Forum

4 of Coins

Four of coins as with most fours symbolizes some form of stagnation. Adding to that the concept of earth and the material world this card implies holding on to ones possessions even though it may not always be the best choice. Saving for a rainy day and forgetting to live a little today.

Mist outside…mist inside.

Yesterday I told you about the crappy mood I was in well today I am at least somewhat more cheerful, though I think I’ve got a cold or flu heading my way. Often days leading up to getting sick, I feel like my head is stuffed with cotton balls. Not really a physical sensation but rather an emotional state, like the input form the world around me is dulled, filtered or softened while at the same time my head feels like it’s too full. Yeah I know I AM "full" of it some time.

I hope I am wrong because I’ve got a lot of extra work heading my way with which I am going to have my wits about me. But when I look outside and see a fog covering everything it’s like that fog is also covering my mind. And not in an exciting way like in “the Fog” or “the Mist”.

Starting today I will add a Tarot card to my blog as often as I have the time to do so and well… feel like it.

Today I present to you one of my personal favorite cards The Magician (Rider Waite).

The Magician is card number one and is one of the most recognizable symbols of tarot. The Mage may even be considered to symbolize the whole tarot, he at least represents the aces of the suits, which are usually depicted near the mage. He is a jack of all trades but master of none, he is the mediator between heaven (the spiritual world) and earth (the material world). The magician is a performer pur sang and loves to be the center of attention and though he can be a good counselor due to his broad knowledge and insights his ego can make him be an illusionist or even a deceiver because his need to give his advice can be greater than his skill to do so. As an illusionist, jester or deceiver the magicians skill is something to be reckoned with, but this does not in any sense mean everything he does is fake.

What Tarot deck is best? Starter decks, just like magic the gathering… but with less trading.

Okay this is one I get asked a lot during readings, workshops and trainings. What is the best tarot deck? Well it’s almost too obvious but there is not one “best” deck. There are however several decks suitable for certain situations, people or questions.

Today I will focus on which decks are best suited to start out with. Some people stick to one deck for most of their tarot reading life, many however start with one deck but continue searching for the deck best matched with their personal preferences. Some wish to have several different decks for different types of readings, I for instance have several decks well suited for Halloween readings… or readings to scare the crap out of people any day beside Halloween. Fact remains, there has to be a “first” deck for every tarot reader. Often how this deck works out is key to what type, if any, of reader you will become. Some decks are especially difficult to work with and have been known to make people leave tarot altogether.

Rider Waite Smith In many cases considered “the” traditional tarot deck. Mister Waite and artist Pamela Coleman Smith designed this deck to be used and have a certain degree of graphic information that makes the meaning self explanatory. A big bonus in comparison with many other decks is that the pip cards, that is any other then the majors and court cards are illustrated as well. Due to it being probably the most well known deck there is also plenty reading material about it as well as way too many “tarot for beginner” books and box sets. A colorful user friendly experience that’s not too confronting.

Crowly Haris Thoth Aleister Crowley, the self proclaimed “great beast” is the name many a conservative Christian considers equal to the Anti-Christ. Though the spiritual equivalent of Marylyn Manson in his time, this man was all about shock. Not without point however, he bitch-slapped people awake in a literary fashion and made them consider the cosmos in a whole new way. This modus operandi is what his Thoth tarot is all about as well. Sure you can do readings on a completely uncomplex and reader friendly level but when you take effort to immerse yourself the Thoth gives you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me… God, Goddess, gods well let’s keep that one open to debate ;-). But the truth is what you get, whether you like it or not. Due to it’s build up and naming of the cards however, but in no less important way due to the brilliant artwork, this deck is suitable for newcomers still getting to know the cards. You can start out with the Crowley and never need another deck again because it invites you to explore. Even when you have used the Crowley for years it still manages to take you deeper. It is however a deck that seems to be a tad unforgiving and confronting. A big difference with the RWS (RIder Waite Smith) is that when you are looking for a second deck it’s a harder transmission coming from the Thoth.

Haindl The Haindl is a complex and rich deck and each spread invites you to spend hours pondering all possible connections. So why is it suitable for newcomers? Well in truth it’s not, not really. I put it up here because it is suitable for people who have some knowledge concerning the spiritual and mythological. I tjing, Kabala, Runes are all present on the Haindl cards together with prominent deities and astrological symbols they flavor the cards to such an extend that even with little knowledge of traditional Tarot these cards can be used without difficulty when you’re advanced in other area’s of spiritualism.

There are more decks suitable for beginners, like the Gilded or the Legacy tarot but often they are basically visually re-designed Rider decks. What’s important when starting out is; get a deck that feels good, has at least more then one reference book available and has illustrated pip-cards. This way you will get the best beginners experience.

For extended reviews of all kinds of decks check out: Aeclectic Tarot

Happy reading!!!