Seventh Day of Christmas: Wheel

What should I forgive?  What should I ask forgiveness for?
10-Wheel-Botswana Agate

This seems to be more about why to forgive, rather than what to forgive.  I should forgive the things I need to forgive because, in the big picture, the painful things happened because of causes and conditions.  Yes, people did things that hurt me, and I still hurt some when I remember them, but the other people involved were just as much, or almost as much, victims of circumstances as I was.  Forgiveness allows me to move on, free of memories and pain and the idea that I need to do something about them.

I will probably have to work on this for a while, but I hope that I will be able to begin a new year with this kind of freedom.

Reading note:  As you've probably noticed by now, I'm laying out the stones in clock positions.  And, just to let you know, I am putting all the stones back into the bag before I choose the stone for the next day.  So repeated stones are a possibility, but we haven't had any yet.

Eighth Day, January 1, Teachers Day.  The eighth day from his birth brought the circumcision and naming of Jesus, marking the beginning of his religious instruction.  It’s time to be grateful for the spiritual, academic, and practical teachers that we have learned from throughout our lives.  How can I honor my teachers and spiritual friends?  How can I be an effective teacher or mentor?

I’ll read on this tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

Sixth Day of Christmas: Priestess

How can I honor my parents and ancestors?  How can I be a better parent?
2-Priestess-Moonstone

The short answer to these questions is to follow my intuition.

This is an interesting time in my parenting life:  My grown son is moving to his own place in the coming month.  He has lived on his own before (in college and grad school), so I think the biggest transition this time will be for me!  Priestess says the best way for me to help him is to just go with it.  Definitely let him do it his own way, only jumping in with my own ideas when I feel strongly that he needs my help (not when I think I should do or say something).  I should stay open to feel his vibes about how he wants things and help him with that.

And on the parent side, I should do the same with my mom.  I should let her do her own thing but stay open to understand/recognize when she needs something from me, when she might not come out and say so.  Even though she is a pretty straightforward character, I can see times when she might not want to ask for help.

It’s always good advice from the stones to get a bit of distance from my own petty but all-consuming concerns so I can keep my mind and emotions open for glimpses of ways to take better care of my family.

Tomorrow’s theme:

Seventh Day, December 31, Forgiveness Day (All Beings).  It is an Eastern European tradition to forgive and be forgiven on New Year’s Eve to start the year with a clean slate.  Buddhism teaches that we should be thankful for all beings, even (or especially) those we are in conflict with, because they teach us valuable lessons about ourselves, compassion, and forgiveness.  What should I forgive?  What should I ask forgiveness for?

I’ll read on this later.

Merry Christmas!

Fifth Day of Christmas: Star

What is the state of my spiritual life?  What do I have faith in?  How can I increase tolerance in myself and in the world?
17-Star-Blue Lace Agate

My spiritual life is kind of in limbo right now, but there’s one constant for me--I believe that I receive blessings galore!  Whatever troubles and irritations I need to deal with or endure are nothing compared to the wonderful things that are right and good in my life. 

Getting Star today is a confirmation to me that maintaining my attitude of gratitude is the right direction for my spiritual life.  Whatever greater spiritual flowerings I realize whenever I get my wandering mind and attention back together, I need to remember to plant them in a rich soil of thankfulness and enjoyment of the blessings I already have.

Besides blessings, another meaning for Star is hope.  I have been thinking about and working on the difference between Faith and Hope for a long time, and I think I’m getting closer to an understanding.  And here they are today, back together again (Hope in the Faith position)!

Briefly, Hope is wishing for and wanting something good and wonderful.  Faith is believing, not with your mind, but with your heart, let’s say trusting, that that something good and wonderful is going to come to you, and trusting in the way that will bring it to you.  That’s why religion is faith--you trust that following the guidelines of the religion will bring you what you hope for.

Here is the theme for tomorrow:

Sixth Day, December 30, Parents Day.  This is the feast of the Holy Family, honoring the child Jesus, his mother Mary, and (earthly) father Joseph, as a family.  This is a good time to be grateful for not only our physical parents and ancestors, but also the ancestors of our culture, land, nation, and community.  How can I honor my parents and ancestors?  How can I be a better parent?

I’ll read on this tonight.

Merry Christmas!

Fourth Day of Christmas: Lovers

How can I honor and help the children in my life and the children of the world?
6-Lovers-Rhodochrosite

Such a simple answer!  (But perhaps not so simple to put into action.)  The best way to help children is simply to love them!  I just have to remember that the essence of true love is giving what the recipient wants and needs, not necessarily what I’m willing to give.  A good way to love any child, from the over-scheduled to the attention-starved, is to stop, take time, and really listen to his/her wants, needs, and dreams. 

I don’t have any children in my family right now (still waiting patiently for grandchildren!), but I’ll keep this advice in mind when the opportunity arises for me to interact with children.

The theme for December 29:

Fifth Day, December 29, Religious Freedom and Tolerance Day (Faith).  This is the feast of Thomas Becket, a close friend and supporter of King Henry II of England, who appointed him Archbishop of Canterbury.  After his appointment, Becket opposed the king on issues affecting the church he now led.  He was assassinated for sticking to his principles and defending his faith against political interference.  What is the state of my spiritual life?  What do I have faith in?  How can I increase tolerance in myself and in the world?

I’ll read on this tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

Third Day of Christmas: Hermit

What is my wisdom, and how can I share it?
9-Hermit-Fluorite

Interesting that this theme talks about a wise old man, and I have drawn the wise old man of the tarot, the Hermit.  My wisdom is to recognize true wisdom, wisdom passed down by generations of wise men and women.  I have been doing a bit of research on an obscure corner of Chinese Buddhism today, and I think the Hermit is here to remind me of the difference between an amusing academic religion hobby and the actual life changing wisdom and truth of religion!

As far as the sharing part, Hermit is also saying that the best way for me to share any wisdom I might stumble into this year is not by talking or writing about it, but by living it.  Wisdom isn’t knowing stories or memorizing scriptures, it’s understanding how to live.

Here's the theme for December 28:

Fourth Day, December 28, Children’s Day (Hope).  This day commemorates the Holy Innocents, the children born about the same time as Jesus whom King Herod ordered executed in an attempt to eliminate a rival “newborn king.”  All children are holy innocents who need hope to grow and who give us hope for the future.  How can I honor and help the children in my life and the children of the world?

 

I'll post on it tomorrow.

 

Merry Christmas!

Second Day of Christmas: Devil

What gift do I have to give?
15-Devil-Hematite

Well, I have to confess, I had to think about this one for a while!  But I figured it out.  My gift to give is the awareness of when and how best to break the rules and transcend inhibitions.

I’m usually the first person to say that rules are rules for a reason.  Conventional morality is usually a good, if not perfect, guide to avoiding causing troubles for people, including ourselves.  But you don’t get to my age without realizing that following rules just because that’s what everyone does, or the way we’ve always done it, isn’t the best way to live a full life. 

And even more insidious than time-worn societal rules are self-imposed rules that no longer serve our best interests. 

So let the Devil tempt you to do something you never dared before.  I’m going to actively search for random opportunities to give the gift of encouraging joyful freedom and innocent self-expression in myself and others throughout the coming year. 

Let’s start now!  If you’ve always had short hair, grow it long, or vice versa!  Wear red!  Recite Dr. Seuss in the grocery store checkout line!  Kiss your boss on the cheek!  Eat dessert first!  Tell yourself how beautiful you are--and believe it!  Start writing the great American novel!  Or the best cookie recipe of all time!  Or feel good about giving up on an old, tired dream that you don’t really dream anymore.  Dare to be different!  Or the same!

These are my Christmas wishes for you.

The theme for December 27:

Third Day, December 27, Wisdom Day (Prudence).  This is the feast of John, the longest-lived of the original twelve disciples of Jesus, and the author of both the Gospel of John and Revelations, two of the most mystical books of the Bible.  The teachings of this wise old man have intrigued, inspired, and enlightened countless people for millennia.  What is my wisdom, and how can I share it?

I’ll post my reading on this tomorrow.

Merry Christmas!

First Day of Christmas: Fortitude

 What is being born or coming to light for me?

8-Fortitude-Tiger Eye

 

In the coming year, I will come into my own personal power.  There are just some things one has to do for oneself, and this is the year for me to strike out on my own and take care of myself by myself.  It’s taken me a long time to get to this point--to really feel like I am ready to try to make it on my own.  I don’t know if I’ll succeed, or even if it’s really what I want to do, but at least now I feel like it’s a viable option for me. 

 

Just as there is beauty in the bold and shining stripes of the tiger eye, there is a certain beauty in a bold and independent person standing on her own two feet.  I’ve got the eye of the tiger!  Hear me roar!

 

The theme for December 26:

 

Second Day, December 26, Giving Day (Charity).  This is the feast of Stephen, when Good King Wenceslas helped the poor man.  Stephen was a deacon of the early Church tasked with helping the poor, as well as the first Christian to give his life for his faith.  In Britain, this is also Boxing Day, a day to give gifts to the poor and to service people.  What gift do I have to give?

 

I'll post my reading on this tomorrow!

 

If you're following along, you are welcome to post a comment with your reading, but don't feel like you have to. 

 

Merry Christmas!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

 

A few years back, I created a Twelve Days of Christmas Spread based on Christian saint and holy days and focusing on these themes:   

·         Beginnings

·         The Christian Seven Virtues

o   Prudence

o   Strength

o   Justice

o   Temperance

o   Faith

o   Hope

o   Charity

·         The Buddhist Four Gratitudes

o   Parents

o   Teachers

o   Friends

o   All Beings

And that makes twelve!

 

This year, I’d like to share my readings for each of the twelve days using Arcana Stones.  Each evening, I’ll post my reading for the following day and then the theme/position for the day after that.  I hope that makes it easy for you to join in with your own twelve days of Christmas readings if you like.

 

(Email me if you would like a pdf of the full spread.)

 

I’ll draw a stone and post my reading for the first day of Christmas tonight.  Here’s the theme:

 

First Day, December 25, Birthday of the New Light (Beginnings).  The calendar has since slipped, but the day to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child was chosen to coincide with the winter solstice, the birth of the sun, when the length of the daylight once again begins to increase a bit day by day.  What is being born or coming to light for me?

 

Stay tuned for my reading!

 

And I hope you’ll consider reading for yourself on these twelve days of Christmas for a mindful transition into the new year.

 

Merry Christmas!

Four Things to be Thankful For

Just what it says!  Thanksgiving is almost here, so I thought I’d take a quick look at things I should be thankful for.  I picked up three stones and decided I need four things to be thankful for, so I pick up one more and dropped them all together, and got this:

Looks like left to right will work this time.

14-Temperance-Rose Quartz.  I am very thankful that my life is calm and smooth these days.  It has been for a while now, but I haven’t forgotten the miseries of a disorganized and emotionally unpredictable and chaotic existence.  I need to give myself some of the credit here.  My attitudes and ways of dealing with the world have changed along with my circumstances, so that small doses of chaos don’t throw me.  A true blessing of temperance.

And look who’s next!  8-Fortitude-Tiger Eye!  So along with the blessings of mental/emotional health, I have the wonderful opportunity to be thankful for physical health.  I joined a “fitness bootcamp” class earlier in the fall, and I can’t believe I can now do exercises I thought I never could!  I even jogged!  That’s an accomplishment for me.  I don’t know why I ever even thought of starting, but I’m so glad I did. 

5-Hierophant-Orange Calcite.  I’m always thankful for all the opportunities I have to learn and study.  It’s a constant joy in my life, and was, even back when things were not so good!

3-Empress-Malachite.  And of course, I am humbly thankful for the prosperity and abundance I enjoy.  It’s so easy to forget to appreciate that I have a comfortable home, plenty to eat, health and healthcare, and pretty much all the books and decks I want.  Life is good!  Sometimes when it’s pointed out that there are so many people in this world who have so little, it can be a kind of a bummer.  But if you look at it from the other side, it’s not only an encouragement to share with and help others, but also to just enjoy and be happy with what you have.

I’m glad I did a Thanksgiving reading!  What are you thankful for?

Job Hunt Reading for Meghan

I have the good fortune to read for Meghan again.  She asks if she will find a suitable job that she will be happy with by February.

I laid out my houses drop sheet and picked up four stones all at once with my eyes closed.  I dropped them near the center, and this how it turned out.

(I took the picture right away, which is a good thing because my cat decided the stones were her toys and scrambled things up a bit.  I realigned the stones according to the picture to do the reading!)

Let’s read from the middle out.

16-Tower-Jasper in the twelfth house.  The twelfth is the house of “self-undoing,” so I’m thinking that in your job search, you might suddenly or unexpectedly (Tower) do something that you immediately wish that you hadn’t.  A wrong word in an interview or leaving out a certain ad or company from your list, maybe?  So keep your eyes open for that.  (But don’t let it make you nervous in an interview!)

3-Empress-Malachite in the first house.  You continue to have the mind of prosperity and positivity.  (I think it’s funny that the stone is right over the head of the figure on the sheet.  The first house isn’t usually about “mind” exactly, but that’s what it looks like today!)  You are fully using the law of attraction.  Which is a good thing!  You know what they say, you can’t be it until you see it!

7-Chariot-Amethyst in the seventh house.  Your best bet for going forward or getting ahead (Chariot) in your search is to network.  Let your friends and acquaintances know what you’re looking for.  Maybe they know somebody who knows somebody.  Don’t feel too independent or embarrassed to take advantage of any of these opportunities if they come around.  Maybe that’s the Tower moment.  Don’t ignore a lead just because it comes in a roundabout way from a friend of a friend.

13-Death-Mahogany Obsidian outside the fifth house.  Hmm, I’m afraid this is a negative answer to your “be happy with it” clause.  You may find something, but it probably won’t be a job in which you can use your talents and creativity the way you want to.  And, of course, that won’t be very enjoyable.  The good news is that nothing lasts forever.  And you don’t have to stay in a job that doesn’t satisfy you.  But you might want to take something for the in between times.

Well, in summary, this isn’t a great big yes, which I wish I could give you, but it gives you some ideas for positive and negative things to look out for.  I wish you all the luck in the world, and I hope a fantastic job is coming your way!  Think Empress in the first house!

Thank you for asking me to read for you and for letting me post it here.

New Moon and Full Moon Spreads

Here’s one way to keep up a regular reading practice: 

Plan to read for yourself every new and full moon!

There are lots of websites that list the dates and times of the new and full moons.  (Check that they are adjusted for your time zone.)  I put them on my calendar, complete with popup reminders, every January for the year. 

It’s best to start a moon-based reading practice with a new moon.  (You’ll see one reason why when you take a look at the spreads.)

The next new moon (in Scorpio) is Sunday, November 3, 2013, 7:50 a.m. Eastern.
The next full moon (in Taurus) is Saturday, November 16, 2013, 10:16 a.m. Eastern.

A note on timing:  The moon stays in a sign about 2.5 days, so that’s a good rule of thumb for timing moon readings.  One day before or after the exact time of a full moon is close enough for a good reading.  But you might want to wait to do a new moon reading until after the exact new moon time.  The hours leading up to a new moon are a dark, empty time, which can be tricky for wishes and intentions.  (On the other hand, it can be helpful if your intention is to lose or end something!)

New Moon Spread

Before beginning a new moon reading, come up with a wish or intention for the month ahead, and choose a stone that represents it to use in the second position of the spread.  Or choose the stone randomly to get an idea of what you should wish for.


3
    2
1

1.  What is hidden in the dark. 

2.  [Choose intentionally or randomly.]  A wish or intention for the month to come. 

3.  Something new that will soon be coming to light.

 

Full Moon Spread

   3
2    4
   1

1.  What is obvious in the light.
2.  Progress being made toward the new moon wish or intention.
3.  Something in abundance to celebrate!
4.  What is beginning to fade away.

I hope you enjoy these spreads!

Three Stone Extravaganza!

Here are some three stones spreads for your reading pleasure. 

I've picked up many from Aeclectic Tarot Forum and other places, decks, and authors.  (If you see something that should have an author attribution, please let me know!)

They're categorized by the order in which you lay down and read the stones. 

1   2   3

Past.  Present.  Future.
Yesterday.  Today.  Tomorrow.
Morning.  Afternoon.  Evening.
etc.

Stop.  Start.  Continue.

Opportunity.  Challenge.  Resolution.
http://www.gaiantarot.com/online-tarot-reading/

Head:  What I need to know.   Heart:  What I need to embrace.   Hands:  What I need to do.  (Add Health for a 4-H spread!)

What you want.  What you need.  What you get.

Fork: What to spear and bring in.  Knife:  What to cut away.  Spoon:  What to slowly savor.






(What’s so funny ‘bout) Peace.  Love.  Understanding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RVDQgVxprE

What I can’t change.  What I can change.  The difference.
Serenity.  Courage.  Wisdom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serenity_Prayer

2   1   3

Issue.  Questioner.  Outcome.  (Add an optional fourth above Questioner:  Advice.)
(This is my all-purpose go-to spread!)

What hinders.  Issue.  What helps.

1   3   2

An extreme.  Happy medium.  The other extreme.
Thesis.  Synthesis.  Antithesis.

Worst case scenario.  Likely outcome.  Best case scenario.

Weakness.  Opportunity.  Strength. 

3

2

1

Red Light:  Don’t do this!
Yellow Light:  Use caution with this!
Green Light:  Do this!






Spirit.
Mind.
Body.

Or:
Superego.
Ego.
Id.

Etc.

Enjoy!

Crime and Punishment

I’ve always found that a good way to study tarot is to work out how similar cards/stones are different.  After all, if they all mean the same thing, then they don’t mean anything!

So I’m going to do a few posts on ideas related to Justice, giving my take on the similarities and differences of Justice with other majors that also can be related to those ideas.

The most obvious ideas related to Justice are crime and punishment, morality and karma.  The Catholic Encyclopedia (a good place to go for the straight dope on Renaissance-era concepts such as the cardinal virtues) says Justice means giving others what belongs to them, and points out that it focuses on how we treat others, while other virtues focus on how we deal with ourselves.  I’m pretty sure what is “owed to” or “due to” others refers to both the “front end,” expected moral behavior, and the “back end,” appropriate punishment for those who do not follow moral behavior.

As I discuss briefly in the Arcana Stones booklet, karma is simply a law of nature that guarantees that individuals will always get exactly what they are due (in the moral arena).  This exactly appropriate occurrence might not be obvious to other people or even take place in a current lifetime, but it does (or will) happen.  (Early translators of Buddhist texts translated karma as “retribution,” but that’s not a great fit, especially if the karma incurred is good karma as payment for good/moral actions.  So now it is usually left untranslated.)

So what other majors besides Justice relate to the concepts of crime and punishment, morality and karma?

Morality

Emperor, Hierophant, Devil, Sun, Judgment

How are these different than Justice and each other?

 

Emperor and Hierophant are about laws and rules.  Emperor imposes actual laws and rules, those of governments and other outwardly constituted authorities, such as employers, homeowner associations, and parents.  Hierophant imposes religious laws and rules, and, perhaps more importantly, societal, traditional, and unwritten rules, as well as self-imposed rules.  In opposition to Justice, Emperor and Hierophant can also represent authority acting outside the law, or outside morality (think embezzlement and sex scandals).  For both Emperor and Hierophant, the emphasis is on who imposes the rules and what the rules are.  Justice is more about whether rules are being followed or broken.

 

And so is Devil!  He is, of course, about breaking the rules (including rules that should be broken).  Devil also represents the temptation to break the rules.  So you could say that Devil is the before, and Justice is the after.  Which points out another difference between Emperor, Hierophant, and Devil and Justice.  Justice not only relates to following the rules, or not, but also what happens after (punishment or karma).

 

One of the concepts of Sun is openness, honesty, and integrity, the idea being someone with a clear conscience acts in the light of day, while someone who knows she is doing wrong hides her deeds in the shadows.  I consider this a secondary meaning for Sun, which would apply only in certain readings, maybe when it shows up accompanied by many of the other majors mentioned here!  In contrast, this is a primary meaning of Justice.  Also Justice refers to a wider range of morality meanings, not just conscience or honesty.

 

I’m usually careful to separate Justice from Judgment by emphasizing that Judgment refers to a specific mythological event, the Last Judgment of Revelation.  But it’s called Judgment for a reason, which is that the souls not only rise, but are also judged to be deserving of either eternal companionship with the divine or everlasting torment.  This is obviously closely akin to karma.  (See below.)  But it also suggests choosing and deciding, judging what is best to do, perhaps addressing a moral dilemma.  This could also be considered a before, with Justice, the action that results from the deliberation, as the after.

 

But my preferred meaning of Judgment is still “a higher level,” including transcending conventional Hierophant (and perhaps even legal Emperor) morality to do what is really right.

 

Time for a brief Buddhist tale:  One day, two wandering monks came upon a swollen river, with a young woman standing on the bank.  “How can I get to the other side?,” she asked the monks plaintively.  Without a word, the elder monk scooped up the girl into his arms and carried her across to safety, leaving her and her thanks on the opposite bank.  After a few more miles walked in silence, the younger monk blurted out, “You know it’s forbidden for a monk to touch a woman!  How could you have held her in your arms like that??‼”  The elder monk answered calmly, “I left the girl on the riverbank.  Why are you still carrying her?”

 

This is a perfect illustration of Judgment morality:  The elder monk has transcended the need for the letter of the law because he doesn’t perceive the girl as a sexual or romantic object, or as a stumbling block to his monkhood.  She is simply a fellow traveler in need of his help.

 

Karma

 

Wheel, Hanged One, Tower, Judgment

 

How are these different than Justice and each other?

 

Some say Wheel is a karma card/stone, quoting the karma-like saying, “what goes around comes around.”  But I don’t think Wheel is a good fit for karma because its focus is on chance and unexpected change.  Karma, as the effect of a moral cause, is not a manifestation of chance, and shouldn’t be all that unexpected (even though it can be by the morally unaware!).  (As the card/stone of expected change, Death might actually work better that Wheel for karma.  But it has other jobs to do, so we won’t go into that much here!)  If you believe in karma, Justice is not random.

 

Hanged One is a representation of a Renaissance punishment, but it’s not usually thought of as punishment in current tarot thought.  Even if not a punishment, the suspension or delay represented by the Hanged One could be a result of karma, a kind of cosmic time out.

 

Tower’s relation to karma is similar that of both Wheel and Hanged One.  They all represent experiences, that, since unexpected, are not representative of karma, but that could be a form of punishment, the result of karma.

 

Judgment, as an event that includes the separation of saints and sinners, seems to have a closer correlation with karma than these, but again, this is a depiction of the result of karma, not really karma itself.  As to the connection between karma and the higher level of Judgment, well, beings transcend karma only if they are fully enlightened Buddhas, so we probably don’t have consider that when we read for ourselves or our friends . . .

 

So while all these majors have interesting connections with the concept of karma, only Justice is a representation of karma itself, not just result of it or a punishment/retribution.

 

I hope I haven’t thoroughly confused anyone with my musings on morality, karma, and Justice!  Coming up will be another post on the concepts of Justice:  Health and Balance.

Arcana Stones Interview Spread

When you get your Arcana Stones, you might want to try this spread as a way to jump start getting to know them better.  And you can use the spread later after you’ve worked together for a while to see how your relationship has grown.

Let your Arcana Stones speak for themselves! 

Ask them these questions:

--4
--3
2---1

1.  What is your greatest strength?
2.  What is your greatest weakness?
3.  What can I learn from you?
4.  What will be the outcome of us working together?

Please post here if you interview your Arcana Stones! 

I'd love to hear what they have to say!

Four Noble Truths Reading for Me

Here is a reading with the Four Noble Truths spread.  I decided to use a stone-card combination--stones for the first four and cards for the path cards.

 

I asked for insight and advice on my various tarot projects, especially the two deck concepts I’ve been working on for a long time. 

 

Here’s the beginning of the reading:

 

Symptom:  15-Devil-Hematite.  My problem with my projects is a common one--my attention is always being called off by other tempting interests!  TV shows and movies, random (but irresistible) divination topics to research, fascinating new decks to get to know, these are where my time, attention, energy, and thoughts are snagged, instead of with my own creations that are not yet prepared to be sent into the world to seek their fortune.  I am in charge of my own thoughts and time . . .

Diagnosis:  14-Temperance-Rose Quartz.  The reason that I’m not paying enough attention to my projects is that I’m under the mistaken impression that I can take a balanced approach to my work.  But in reality that just leads to the temptation to work on what’s new and fun instead of working out the difficult issues with a project or knuckling down to the nitty gritty of writing things out exactly the way I want them.

Prognosis:  5-Hierophant-Orange Calcite.  This is good news!  The probable outcome is that I will be able to complete the writing and editing (and teaching) portions of my projects.  They will be considered acceptable entries in the tarot tradition.

Prescription:  2-Priestess-Moonstone.  Here’s where it get interesting.  Even though the beginning of the reading is telling me I just need to manage my time and energy and buckle down and do it, the actual advice is trust my inner knowing.  Does that mean my inner knowing of how to manage my work?  Or does it mean don’t just crank something out, but make sure that my work includes true tarot and spiritual wisdom?  It’s also an interesting contrast between Hierophant and Priestess.  If I put personal, inner wisdom into it, conventional and accepted wisdom will come out.  This works with the idea that religion and conventional spirituality are always based on the roots of someone’s very personal (and usually difficult to express) transcendent experience (as in Varieties of Religious Experience by William James).

So, to get more insight into and answer my questions about the Prescription, I drew 2 path cards for 2-Priestess.  (The deck is La Corte dei Tarrochi.)

Path:  Due Spade and L’Impiccato.  So, it looks like yes to both of my questions!  2 Swords says I need to follow my own wisdom and self-knowledge to make a (sharp?) decision about how I’m going to spend my time and energy.  The Hanged One, on the other hand, says I need to know when to work and when to wait.  I need to be able to wait for the inspiration and wisdom I need to say exactly what needs to be said.  The fact that the hanging person is held up by a chain of leaves held by two small birds perched in a tree makes me think that this waiting won’t be an anguished dark night of the soul or an uncomfortable punishment.  It will seem natural and in harmony with nature to wait until the time is right.

This is an encouraging reading.  I just need to balance (Temperance) the need for concentration and regular work habits with the need for waiting until it’s time for the truth to emerge in my work.  And I’ll keep my eyes on the prize of the Hierophant outcome!

The Four Noble Truths/Medical Model Spread

This is a special spread I created to go along with a Buddhism tarot project I’ve been working on (or at least thinking about!) for many years.  I hope someday it will become a reality.

Because the spread has four positions, it’s great to use with Arcana Stones.  It also has an “extended version” you can use with a full deck (or with Arcana Stones, if you want to throw the 15 percent rule out the window!).

 

Background

The Four Noble Truths is the fundamental teaching of Buddhism.  The goal of Buddhism is simply to put an end to suffering.  When the Buddha, after many years (and many lifetimes) of searching, discovered the way to do just that, he taught the cure for suffering in the form of the four point medical report used by the physicians of his culture. 

The First Noble Truth describes the symptom (the problem):  Suffering exists. 
The Second Noble Truth gives the diagnosis (the cause of the problem):  Craving causes suffering.
The Third Noble Truth is the prognosis (the possible outcome):  The ending of suffering is possible.
The Fourth Noble Truth is the prescription (what is needed to cure the problem):  Following the Eightfold Noble Path will end suffering.  The eight steps of the Path are right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.  The eight steps are often grouped into three aspirations:  morality, meditation, and wisdom.

The Spread

Randomly draw 4 stones or cards and line them up left to right.

1.  Symptom:  The issue or problem you want to know more about.
2.  Diagnosis:  The cause of the issue.
3.  Prognosis:  The likely outcome.
4.  Prescription:  Advice on how to deal with the issue.

Optional additional step:
Path:  Steps to put the advice into effect.

Draw the number of cards or stones corresponding to the number of the Prescription stone or card.  If the number is over 9, add the digits together.  (For example, if the Prescription is 14-Temperance, draw 5 Path cards.)  For Pages, draw 1; for Knights, 6; for Queens, 3; and for Kings, 2.

Like the steps of the Eightfold Noble Path, these steps don’t need to be taken in consecutive order and may be better understood or more useful when organized into groups.  So rearrange the Path cards or stones until you have put them into a Path pattern that makes sense to you.

I hope this spread works well for you.  Let me know if you try it!  I’ll post a reading using it shortly.

“Your Personal Tarot Formula”

I’m a big fan of using tarot for more than divination, so when an interesting tarot practice comes along that uses just the majors, I immediately think, “this would be perfect for Arcana Stones!”

Most of us are aware of the idea of birth cards and year cards based on the numerological reduction of your birth date.  For an insightful and very thorough look at these, check out Who Are You in the Tarot? by Mary K. Greer (Weiser Books, 2011).

I found an interesting alternative personal card method in the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot mini-kit booklet by Sandra Tabatha Cicero and Chic Cicero (Llewellyn Publications, 2000).  (The deck has been republished without the booklet, and I don’t know if this part is included in the new LWB.)  It’s called “Your Personal Tarot Formula,” and it’s based on astrology (sun and ascendant/rising signs) and numerology.  Let’s try it with Arcana Stones and see what happens!

Everyone knows their sun sign!  If you don’t know your ascendant, try one of the many places on the internet that will calculate your chart for free.  (You need to know an approximate time of birth to find your ascendant.)

(I have paraphrased the operations and added my own expanded meanings for the keys.)

If a number is greater than 22, add the digits together.  Fool = 22, but, because some of the operations are subtracting, you could also end up with a 0, which would also be Fool!  Subtract in any order to get a positive number.

Your Personal Tarot Formula

Individuality Key = Sun sign stone.  The real you; your significant traits and potential.
Personality Key = Ascendant stone.  How you present yourself to the world and how you’re perceived.
Problem Key = Individuality plus Personality.  The work to be done or lesson to be learned in this lifetime; what you don’t know.
Solution Key = Difference of (subtract) Individuality and Personality.  What you need to learn to solve the problem.
Means Key = Difference of (subtract) Problem and Solution. How to pursue the Solution.
Integration Key = Add all five other cards.  How all the keys work together to take you to a higher level.

In case you don’t have your Arcana Stones booklet handy, here are the sign-stone attributions to get you started.  (Note that all the keys can be any stone except Individuality and Personality.  They must be one of the stones listed below because they are always signs, never planets or elements.)
Aries = 4-Emperor-Carnelian
Taurus = 5-Hierophant-Orange Calcite
Gemini = 6-Lovers-Rhodochrosite
Cancer = 7-Chariot-Amethyst
Leo = 8-Fortitude-Tiger Eye
Virgo = 9-Hermit-Fluorite
Libra = 11-Justice-Aventurine
Scorpio = 13-Death-Mahogany Obsidian
Sagittarius = 14-Temperance-Rose Quartz
Capricorn = 15-Devil-Hematite
Aquarius = 17-Star-Blue Lace Agate
Pisces = 18-Moon-Mother of Pearl

Here’s my Personal Tarot Formula in Arcana Stones:

Individuality = Cancer = 7-Chariot-Amethyst:  I feel like I always need to have a goal in mind, or at least a path laid out to follow, especially in my intellectual life.  When I think about the Holy Grail being made of amethyst, I am reminded that I’m sure that there is a fundamental good or at least a basic reality that means more than just survival or “getting and spending.”  (See the next key!)  This doesn’t seem to have much to do with Cancer, but I’m reading the stones, not the astrology!

Personality = Taurus = 5-Hierophant-Orange Calcite:  I am a very moralistic person.  I often find myself determining the nature of something based on whether it’s right or wrong.  It seems like that’s just how my mind works . . .  I have always been interested in learning about religions and spirituality.  And I’ve always been interested in learning about anything!  I’ve spent my whole life reading, studying, and learning.  As far as it being how people see me, probably one of the reasons I identify so strongly as a student is because my mom (a Gemini) always encouraged me and made a big deal out of the fact that I was a good reader and a school lover since kindergarten and before.

Problem = 7 + 5 = 12-Hanged Man-Sodalite:  Maybe this is the sum of the previous two keys because they are about having a plan, and that plan is probably based on a traditional, or at least conventional, understanding of the world.  So what happens when things don’t happen as expected?  I get hung up!  My life so far is what happened to me while I was making other plans!  Maybe the lesson I have to learn is that it’s not shameful that things don’t turn out the way you planned.  You just have to keep trying until you get a bit closer and closer to where you want to be.

Solution = 7 – 5 = 2-Priestess-Moonstone:  Spirit, true spirit is the answer, not somebody’s traditional interpretation thereof.  So my impulse toward religion and morality is taking me in the right direction.  I just need to learn my own truth, not someone else’s.

Means = 12 – 2 = 10-Wheel-Botswana Agate:  Buddhist scriptures teach that we are lucky to be born as humans, lucky to live at a time and place where spiritual teachings are available, and lucky to have our basic animal needs met so we have the opportunity consider spiritual things.  I am one of these lucky beings.  This luck is the means by which I will get from hanging around disappointed with where I am to recognizing the truth that the disappointment is teaching me.

Integration = 7 + 5 + 12 + 2 + 10 = 36 = 9-Hermit-Fluorite:  This really does bring all the other insights together.  My interests have exposed me the invaluable tools of meditation and mindfulness.  I also don’t need to be afraid of being alone in the pursuit of the lessons I need to learn.

Visually, the keys increase in transparency as they progress downward, hopefully indicating that things will become clearer and clearer as I move forward on my personal path.

Well, what do you think about “Your Personal Tarot Formula”?  Intrigued? 

What’s your personal tarot formula?

Rachel’s 15 Percent Rule

When are many cards/stones/runes/etc. in a reading TOO many? 

I’m sure most tarot readers have had the experience of laying out a large spread and then feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of cards to interpret, plus the relationships between them, summarizing them, etc.

I also have a related but different concern:  If a spread uses many, half, or most of the cards in the deck or stones in the bag, then so many meanings are represented that it’s difficult to figure out which ones are important in the reading.  There are so many trees, it feels like you’re working with the whole forest! 

For example, if you get 3 queens and a king in a 5 card reading, that is a meaningful number of court cards.  (Maybe a lot of people are involved in the issue, or the questioner is having an identity crisis!)  If you get 3 queens and a king in a 22 card reading, it’s much harder to tell if that number of courts is significant.

(Thus, I am fascinated by, and rather uncomfortable with, the Lenormand Grand Tableau!)

This concern especially comes into play when the deck or bag holds a smaller number of items than 78, for example:
Ogham = 20 or 25
Tarot majors and Arcana Stones = 22
Runes = 24
Sibillas = 32, 36, or 52
Lenormand = 36
Playing cards = 52
I Ching = 64

To get a useful idea of the proportion of cards or items to use in readings with these various numbers, I thought about the largest spread I was comfortable using with a 78 card deck.  My favorite homemade spread has 10 or 11 cards, and the famous Celtic Cross has 11, too, if you count the significator.  11 is 14.1 percent of 78.  12 is 15.4 percent of 78.

So, to give plenty of leeway for the smallest systems (like ogham and majors), a nice, roundish 15 percent is the rule of thumb I have come up with.

15 percent of 22 is 3.3, which is why I recommend using only 3 or 4 Arcana Stones in a reading, whether using a spread or tossing.  Luckily for us Arcana Stones users, there are a multitude of 3 card spreads that clever tarotists have invented over the years.  (I feel another post coming on!)

For the record, I think the Stone Arrowhead Spread follows the 15 percent rule because only 3 stones are chosen randomly, with the rest of the stones in the spread chosen numerologically based on the first 3.

Since I'm someone who worries about these things, the 15 percent rule has give me stability and reassurance in my Arcana Stones and oracle readings.  Of course, as in all things divinational, everyone should follow his/her own heart--or rule of thumb.  I just thought I’d share mine, and give you the background on my 3 or 4 stones idea.