TarotBlogHop Archives < Arwen, Professional Joy Seeker

TarotBlogHop: What I Learned On My Not-Summer Vacation

Altar in progress featuring a bit of my Readers Studio swag.

Joy has asked us to discuss our thoughts on education and beyond. So I went to the Readers Studio in NYC to get something to write about. Okay, not really, but the timing was excellent.

First, let me preface this with a caveat. No teacher knows it all. No student can learn it all. But all knowledge must be absorbed. Cool? It’s a koan by Arwen. And I am sure it is not a new one in this universe.

I recently read a post by someone who had paid a significant sum of money to a teacher he found on YouTube. Then he discovered that this teacher had one small problem.

HE KNEW ALL THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING.

Doesn’t seem like a problem, right? Student wanted to learn. Teacher wanted to teach. Well, unless you are a tabula rasa, you already have some knowledge. Some of that is going to bump up against what someone else says. You have to learn what is yours to absorb and what is theirs to keep. However, this teacher told the student that everything they knew was pretty much wrong because it didn’t agree with his list of what’s right in the world of Tarot. This, people, is NOT a teacher. Run from those. Do not give them your money. Tell us who they are!

Back to Readers Studio. We were treated to a Divination Day (I chat about that on my other post in this hop–keep hopping to find it.) Then we got two days of main stage presentations, study groups, rituals, incubators, and breakfast talks. Please understand that there is utterly no way to do it all. I did less this year than I did last year. I did NO study groups. I went to bed or chatted with friends. And there were some amazing study groups this year.

So what did I do? I absorbed the mainstage presenters brains. Muahahahah. Ethony Dawn kicked us off on Friday with her Tarot Muses (book coming but don’t rush her. I’m doing that. 😀 ) I went so deep with this presentation. She gave us a spread to work with each of her Muses. I also got a copy of her book Your Tarot Court: Read Any Deck With Confidence . This book is a good one. I love her work with the courts as noble allies. I also had the chance to spend time with The Cartomancer’s design goddess and assistant editor, Bean! BONUS.

Then Saturday hit. Remember that there were study groups Friday night so here we all are a bit bleary-eyed (study groups, talking, or otherwise sleep-compromised.) George Koury is as funny as he is spiritual–and he is deeply spiritual. He gave us a handout on his Peter Pan spread that opened me up on deep levels. It is a deceivingly simple three-card (but four-question) spread. It is one I will be using with clients () because of the depth it created. It is on a simple, easy subject–life’s purpose.

Last, but not least, was Sasha Graham. Her body of work speaks for itself. Cartomancer readers were treated to an article by her recently. Her light and breezy topic was about the seven cornerstones as evidenced in the 7 of Cups. That pretty much blew my danged mind. We did writing prompts while creating a mandala. You know, the light kind of thing you want to do. LOL.

Each presentation contained such juicy nuggets of wisdom I will spend weeks if not months processing. I stopped taking notes after a bit just to absorb the lessons.

The learning didn’t stop there. It continued at breakfast with friends I’ve known and friends who were new this year. It went on in the hallways and elevators. I got so much from just hanging out with my colleagues (all those who attend are my colleagues) and close friends. Getting time to do a download with Ethony and Benebell was a highlight. I never get time with these two so it was a treat to steal off for a gabfest.

So to answer Joy’s questions…

What classes are you taking/recommending?
What are you doing to advance your knowledge/experience/abilities with tarot?
Joy Vernon

I went to Readers Studio 2019. I absorbed as much as I could. I carried home handouts. I walked out with books (gifts, people, gifts!). I enriched my world by opening up to other people’s gifts of knowledge. If you are curious about my download of RS 2018, here’s that blog. As you go hopping through this Beltaine/Beltane 2019 Tarot Blog Hop, please remember to leave a comment so we know you were there.

I am recommending Readers Studio and classes by any of the above teachers. Oh, by the way, if you leave me a comment here and/or on my other post in this hop, you will be in a drawing to win this deck. It’s part of my swag from Readers Studio that I want to share with you.

Here’s a picture of that swag. You will see art from Joanna Powell Colbert along with her Herbcrafters Tarot (pre-order on this link for a cool gift!), art from Monica Bodirsky, my amazing hamsa mandala from Heidi Strachan via the Boston Tea Room. Speaking of Heatherleigh Navarre, she suckered me into getting that darling crystal ball! I got books from Ethony Dawn and Theresa Reed as well as snagging a copy of the Alice Grist book from the swap table. My gorgeous hamsa piece and Ganesh bracelet are from Soultopia (owned by Michelle and Roger Welch who are HIGH up on my people I adore list.) And more! I know I’m leaving things out! Oh! Tori Hartman handed out cute little bags. And I got Gina Thies’ Tarot of the Moors (so excited about that!) The “I’m bossy” bag came from…c’mon Arwen, you know this… and the Vegemite was from Karin Dalton-Smith, the teacup lady.

In conclusion, don’t be that aforementioned teacher. Okay, now go hop!

PREVIOUS | MAIN | NEXT?

Really Odd Shit aka TarotBlogHop: Imbolg 2019

PREVIOUS | MAIN | NEXT

Hey, y’all! Arwen, Professional Joy Seeker here. It’s Tarot Blog Hop time again. Did you know that I started this Imbolg 2012? I’m so proud of how it’s continued. That’s because of dedicated individuals! This hop is brought to us by seasoned wrangler Jay Cassels and new wrangler Sharron Bassanti. Is it me or were double letters required to wrangle this ODD ASSOCIATIONS hop? Hmmmm?

Um, it’s just me. The seasoned wrangler is actually Morgan Drake who has no double letters. Still, I’m leaving in my double letters because it makes me grin!

Yeah, it’s probably just me. But what our wrranglerrs asked of us was, ”
Share your Oddest, Most Interesting, Most Educational associations that you have adapted in your divination practice. Have you discovered yourself reading for circus clowns, disgruntled teenagers, aliens from outer space, or a herd of cats? “

Really? They want me, queen of the weird shit, to answer that? Twice? (You will also see me on my WitchesandPagan.com blog if you do the whole hop. I hope you will. And please? Leave comments? That’s all we ask of you. Even if it is just “Arwen is making me leave a comment.” Thanks!

I have a metric shit ton of weird stories. True weird stories. Stories you just can’t make up. Let’s start with the missing baby one, shall we?

Psycho? Did someone say Psycho? Mother? Mother?

First, I worked on a 1-900-Psycho line. Sorry, Psychic. My mother and sister loved calling it a psycho line. And I loved them for it. They have my humor. Not everyone does.

Back to the missing baby. I took a call from a woman who was worried about getting pregnant. She talked about her two miscarriages. I did a reading. We discovered that guilt was blocking her. I told her she might want to do a grief ritual. When she said she wanted to know more, I gave her instructions that involved three candles, three stones, three offerings. (ASIDE: That ritual was shared with a friend who asked if she could use it in her book as a pet death/euthanasia ceremony. Of course I agreed! She even mentioned me in her forward.)

Right…back to the missing baby. The woman stayed silent while I proscribed the ritual to her. I assumed she was writing everything down. Well, she was, but she had a huge question for me at the end.

“Why did you say three of everything? I told you I’d had two miscarriages.”

I was stunned into silence (which is also an oddity in the life of this Aquarius rising.) “Ummmm, I guess I heard you wrong?” I answered even though I knew I hadn’t.

That’s when she said, “No, I don’t think you did. I didn’t tell you about the first baby I lost. I had an abortion…”

THUD. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was young. I had been reading on the line for about a month. This was one of my first instances of learning to trust what falls out of my mouth. Somehow I knew three was the number. That had come through me without me filtering it.

I never heard back from her. I can only hope that she now has the children I saw for her. They would be in college by now or graduated.

That’s my first odd story, but not my last. Keep on hopping to read everyone else’s odd associations.

Want to join my Inner Joy Seeker Tribe?
Want to get Arwen and Ember in your inbox every month? ?

Please remember to leave a comment on each blog. And share some as well so your friends can come hop along. Seek joy, y’all. #seekjoyyall

PREVIOUS | MAIN | NEXT?

TarotBlogHop: Imbolc 2018 Brighid’s Blue Moon

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

Hey, y’all. Welcome to the TarotBlogHop for Imbolc 2018. Our intrepid wrangler is my friend, Aisling. She is an extraordinary woman. Aisling’s challenged us with a triple spread. Before we start, did you know that the Tarot Blog Hop’s first hop was Imbolc 2012? Yep, it’s been that long!

Here’s what Aisling says,

“We are calling this Hop “Brighid’s Blue Moon”. This festival is a “trifecta”, a combination of three significant events on a single date. February 1st is “Imbolc”, meaning “In the Belly”, the festival dedicated to Brighid of the Three Fires, who brings life back to Land, Sea, and Sky after winter’s doldrums have passed. But on Imbolc Eve, the day before the festival, we will see a Full Moon, which is also a Blue Moon, the second Full Moon in a calendar month. Therefore, we are celebrating a “Solilune”, a combination of a Solar and Lunar Festival, and it’s dedicated to a Deity who Herself is represented in Her Celtic realm by three Elemental locations, Land, Sea, and Sky, and three characteristics of the Inner Flame, Poesy, Smithcraft, and Healing, as well as shedding her beneficent influence on three areas of human life, Body, Mind, and Spirit . This day also represents a Secret Gift of Spirit, the Blue Moon, representing those things that are rare and precious–after all, they only happen “Once in a Blue Moon”. Therefore, we will be creating a pattern of triplicity in our draw and layout for this Hop. “

The spread itself is amazing in its depth. There are three parts with three cards each. I really didn’t think I had the time to do this spread. A nine-card layout means work for me. When I am doing my email readings, I’m going deep into the readings. I don’t generally have time/make time for this type of reading for myself. Still, it keeps nudging at me so I think I shall do all nine. I won’t share images of the cards (well of all the cards) but I will share what I draw. How much I share of my insights will be guided by what I pull. I am going to use

1) The Foundation: You will draw three cards, one representing Land (Body), one for Sky (Mind) and the third one for Sea (Spirit). These will indicate for you the physical, mental, and emotional/spiritual focus of your year-to-come. These cards honor the Solar Festival of Imbolc and the Three Fires of Brigid.

Land (Body) is the Eight of Earth. This is the card of the apprentice, the journeyman, and the master. I am working on some health-related things so this makes sense as a physical card. Learning about what I can and can’t do.
Sky (Mind) is the Seven of Fire. Interestingly this is the card I call Brighid at the Forge. A woman blacksmith hammers out the iron. Water waits to quench the hot iron while the forge glows hot for the next heating session. It is an endless cycle–this making. My mind understands that learning will take me from the fire to the anvil, to the water and back again.
Sea (Spirit) is the Nine of Earth. Here is Joanna herself (she is the creatrix of the Gaian Tarot) standing in a field of lavender. She is smiling as representative of the successful woman this card traditionally holds. My spiritual pursuits are blessed, I think.

2) The Construction: This Moon, according to the Celtic Tree Calendar, is the Full Rowan Moon. This tree is sacred to Brighid, and represents “Protection from Evil Enchantment”. It is considered a Guardian, a Guide, and a Gateway, so that we may be safely sheltered and receive direction as we walk down the new path of the year. So the three cards you draw for the second level, the Lunar energy of the year, will represent the answers to the following three questions: What is the energy of the new path that presents itself? From what will I need protection on this journey? What energies of my own or of spirit will guide and protect me?

What is the energy of the new path that presents itself? The Explorer of Water surfs in. In class today (I’m taking a class on two Adobe products) we worked on a project that featured a surfer. I was very confused as my program wasn’t set up right so I kept getting behind. I was so frustrated. But here is the surfer again, reminding me to ride the waves. The new path may be bumpy, but if I follow my heart and love the ride, I’ll be fine.
What will I need protection from on this journey? Ah, the Two of Air with the little birds chirping away in the background. Hello, little voices in my head telling me I can’t do this. Hello, little souls in my world trying to tell me I can’t do this. Whether it’s internal editors or external detractors, I must protect my heart from the naysayers.
What energies of my own or of spirit will guide and protect me? And the Seven of Water is a reminder to me to drink deeply from each dream. I have guides who will show me how to achieve all that I want to achieve…including the VBD.

3) The Surprise: Once in a Blue Moon, wonderful things come forth. Draw your final three cards connected with Body, Mind, and Spirit, in that order, to see what treasures the Universe has in store for you.

Body Treasures: Well that’s a bit dismaying to pull Lightning (Tower) for Body treasures. That sounds like a lesson that will teach me something very wonderful about my own body.
Mind Treasures: The Canoe (Chariot) is how to take charge of my own mind, how to direct my mind to create the tribe I want and need.
Spirit Treasures: Grin, hello Death. A transforming year it would seem with the Tower, the Canoe, and Death in my treasures realm. I fear I know what this might mean. I do hope I am wrong. But the Universe will show me the way as long as I keep my eyes open and my feet moving. It’s not just about staying on a path. It’s about forging one.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

TarotBlogHop:Yule 2018 Wishing On A Star

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

Thanks for hopping by. This ends our sixth year of the Tarot Blog Hop. Our wrangler for the 2017 Yule hop is Ania. She’s given us this for a topic:

Wishing on a Star

As we approach the final festival of the calendar year, we prepare for a time of feasting and drinking. Whether you are observing Yule, the winter solstice, Christmas, any other holiday, or just being able to down tools for a few days, it is a time for celebration and also for anticipation and wishes. With this in mind and before you fling yourself headlong into the spirit of seasonal over-indulgence, take a moment to reflect on what this year has brought you and what you wish for the next year to bring.

Which card(s) best represent or celebrate your past year and which best represent your wishes for the year ahead. You can either select the cards you think fit best, or draw them randomly and see what the Tarot thinks.

2017 has been a stellar (pun fully intended) year for me. I took some really big leaps of faith. One was moving to the Patreon platform. Another was buying The Cartomancer. Both were hella scary moves. For one choice I thought I would be vilified. For the other, I thought I would crash and burn. Of course, neither of those happened. This and other things were valuable lessons in how I have let fear take over my life in many areas. I’m a fearful person. I can point a finger at many reasons why, but when it comes down to it, the reason is staring back at me in the mirror. I allowed myself to think other people’s opinions were that important. Don’t get me wrong. I value (okay, crave) approval. But I put far too much weight on other people’s approval than on my own. I’ve made choices in my life based on how happy it would make someone else. Or how it might make them approve of me.

That bears repeating…I did things based on other people.

So the Patreon thing and the Cartomancer thing were terrifying. Both have approval ratings built-in. I’ve had some bumps with both but those have been minor. I think the person who has been hardest on me is, again, that face looking back at me in the mirror. She can be a really critical bitch. Still, she’s someone I know pretty well these days (talk therapy for the win.) So I know how to redirect her more easily. Because this year also saw me say yes to some pretty scary things like writing decks for USGames, putting my name in to present at NWTS, and publishing my first self-published book.

Taking it out of the micro and moving it into the macro, a whole lot went sideways in my world. Specifically, I developed a violent reaction to the number 45. This led me down a dark path where anytime anyone did anything to piss me off (traffic mostly), I muttered, “They voted for him.” I realized that was part of what the regime wanted. A Them vs. Us attitude. It lost me a few friends. I miss some of them. But it also led me to a very bright place full of activists, full of people who refused to be sucked into the quicksand of despair. People who held on to the idea of hope. That’s an ongoing good thing.

Now that’s some exposition for you, but what about the actual topic? What card or cards best represent the past year and which ones represent my desires for next year? Ania, I love this topic. It really made me dig into some things. I decided it would make a good combo spread where I draw a Tarot card then an Oracle card as the…I was going to say clarifier but here I think it will be the amplifier.

Reflections & Projections Spread

Past Year Card for reflection on the joy of the year
Past Year Card for amplifying that joy.
Past Year Card for reflection on the lessons of the year
Past Year Card for amplifying those lessons.
Coming Year Card for desires and projections.
Coming Year Card for amplifying those desires and projections
Quintessence of the Reading (this is the Mary K. Greer tip: Add all the cards up. Add them down to a number that is 22 or less. That is the drill-down of the reading–the Major Arcana that corresponds to that number.

Here is my own reading using the Gaian Tarot and Secret of the Mystic Grove.

Gaian Tarot (2011) Limited Edition by Joanna P. Colbert

Secrets of the Mystic Grove Deck (c) 2017 U.S. Games Systems Inc. Used with permission. No other rights implied

Joy of the Past Year Card: The Ten of Air is my card for reflecting on my joy. What an interesting card. Typically this is the Ten of Swords but here are geese flying. This is my own joy at achieving leadership but also at learning how to let others lead. It is not always necessary for me to do it all myself. By leaning on others this year, I’ve accomplished so much more.
What amplifies the joys of the Past Year Card: 14, Confidence. I love this card for its message of taking pride in myself. I can see how this plays in beautifully to the Ten of Air geese. I was able to be proud of what I’d accomplished where before I might have been falsely modest. But dammit, I bought a mother-effing magazine. I wrote three decks in one year. I rocked it.
Lessons of the Past Year Card: Whoooo boy does the Two of Earth ever hit home. I’ve always had choices. Often I’ve made the wrong one then beat myself up for that choice so much that I missed out on other things. I learned to make choices, reap the results, then move on. Pissed someone off? Okay. I apologized if necessary or cut ties otherwise (in cases where it wasn’t just a little tiff.) Choices.
What amplifies the lessons of Past Year Card: Ahhhh 2, Dreaming is a bit ouchy for me. Some of my dreams were upended by my choices. I needed to listen more closely to that voice in my head telling me what to say yes to and what to say no to. I hear you, Universe. Dreams need smart choices.
Desires for the Coming Year Card: I actually considered throwing this and the other two back in to start over. Surely 2018 would be better than the Ten of Fire, right? But it makes sense. I’m cutting back, cutting down, trimming away that which does not serve me. This card is about how a fire can destroy while at the same time create the potential for new growth. I’m down for that. I’ve already got my eye on some things that must go or must be redirected. Energy isn’t endless. I have to treat it as a renewable source and remember to renew it. That’s a desire for 2018. To be so creative that I have to let go of what doesn’t serve. Tenacity will play a major role in this.
What amplifies my desires for the coming Year Card: 9, Togetherness made me grin. Fellowship is HUGE on my list of things I need this year. One piece of that has already fallen into my lap courtesy of one of my Gaian sisters. This card features such a variety of animals–including another peacock. I am going to have to shake my tail but that’s okay. I will be gathering my tribe to me.
The quintessence of the Reading: Typically this is for Tarot numbering only, but since the Secrets of the Mystic Grove cards are numbered, I factored them in as well. I got 47 which is 4+7=11 so Justice is my Quintessence for this reading. Justice is my reminder to balance my inner with my outer, my desires with my husband’s, play and work, all those things we are told to balance. With Tenacity as my word of the year, I will add Balance. Because as much as I want to be dogged and fierce about my wants and needs, I must balance things as well.

I hope you have enjoyed this journey through my process. If you want to be notified about upcoming things like my expanded Journey to Joy class, please join my newsletter.

Now hop on to the next blog. Don’t forget to leave a comment so I know you were here.

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

TarotBlogHop: Samhain 2017 Handbaskets and Maps

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

Our blog hop wrangler, Jay Cassels, gave us an easy-peasy topic for this hop. (casts big stank-eye at Jay.) If you are hopping forward, you just came from Messages from Lore. If you are hopping backwards, then you already met Jay (if not, leave him a message on his blog that tells him I’m giving him the stank-eye!)

After reading his topic, I thought I’d name my post “Handbaskets and Maps.” But the spread he gave us took me to a different spot. I’m okay with that. Here’s his topic:

For this year’s Samhain Hop, I am interested to find out where you are at the end of this cycle. Using either a single card or a three card spread from your chosen deck:

What do the cards tell you about where this cycle has lead you – Where have you been?

What do they tell you about where you are headed – Where are you going?

What do you feel has changed for you at the end of this cycle along your journey of life?

Like I said, easy-peasy, right? Sigh! So, I’m going to use the Secrets of the Mystic Grove. While it’s not a Tarot deck, I like it for the way it’s been answering my questions lately. Of course, I’m partial to it for other reasons.

Secrets of the Mystic Grove Seeking Knowledge — Seeking Knowledge

So where have I been this cycle from last Samhain to this? Ha! Seeking Knowledge indeed! I’ve learned so much in this year. And I’m still cramming more into my brain on a daily basis. In case you missed it (and, darlings, how could you with as mouthy as I’ve been), I’m the new editor of The Cartomancer. This print & digital quarterly was founded by Jadzia and Jay DeForest. When Jadzia announced this past May that she was going to be turning the magazine over to someone, I threw my name in the hat. After talking with Jadzia quite a bit, she decided I was the right candidate for this.

I was thrilled. Then I realized I was also terrified. A bit like the gal in this card who seems to have overloaded her head with information. Still, I’ve learned I can ask for help. I can trust people to help me. I’ve learned that I’m a terrible ditherer when I get anxious. I’ve learned that my husband is very good at pointing things out that help me grasp the situation. So yes to Seeking Knowledge. I’ve also learned a lot about myself in this year. You would think at 56, I’d have a handle on that, but come to find out…there was more to learn.

Secrets of the Mystic Grove Bloom — BLOOM

So cards, where am I heading now? What’s the next point on the wheel for me? Bloom it is. This is the card that I draw a lot. It is, in my head, a paraphrase of one of my favorite quotes.

Bloom Where You Are Planted. Ashleigh Brilliant.

I first read that quite a while ago. Saw it in a newspaper and clipped it out (when’s the last time you did that?) Because I was something of a gad-about in my younger days (still am, truth be known), my mother used to write me into her address book in pencils. Something of a family joke.

But that “being seen” is certainly a good thing for me in terms of my work. I want the magazine to not just maintain, but to grow. And right now, I really am all about the magazine. Well and the decks I’m writing for. Two are turned in to my publisher (USGames) with a third in progress on my computer. I’m loving it, too. When I did the Fairy Tale Lenormand, I was hooked.

So the last question is what do I feel has changed for me from the Arwen I was in 2016 to the Arwen I am in 2017. I think I’m more confident about my self-worth. I’m told I still under-value myself, but hey! I’m getting better. But why don’t I look at the cards, hmmm? This is a reading, after all. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Authenticity for the win. This card made me laugh out loud when I first saw it. I was so startled by the pheasant in her hair that I didn’t see the cactus right away. Talk about a woman who doesn’t care what others think, right? I don’t want a damned bouquet, thank you very much. I shall pose with a small barrel cactus and you can suck it if you don’t like it. So yes, this time last year I had just left a job that I wasn’t really giving my all. Now this year I have a magazine, a Patreon, a YouTube channel and decks to my name. Has it been easy? Nope, it hasn’t. I’ve had to face fears, shed tears, and lose a few friends along the way (that was mostly politics, damn it.)

As I’ve told more than a few people, when I turned 50, I discovered that 50 is the new “fuck it.” 55 to nearly 57 has been a whole lot more of that. I have less patience for the inane but am also less inclined to engage it. It’s just not worth the expenditure of energy to try to fix crazy. Crazy doesn’t fix. It just gets more cray-cray. Probably the best lesson I’ve learned this year.

Blessed Samhain to my fellow travelers on this path. Happy season of the witch to the rest of you. May your ancestors bring you wisdom and carry away grief as necessary. And if you do find yourself in a handbasket, look under the seat for a map. I’m sure I left one somewhere.

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

Litha 2017 Tarot Blog Hop

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

Our TarotBlogHop wrangler, Aisling, asked us, in part, “so we will use our Tarot cards to explore and explain the duality of our own natures. Who, indeed, is your “other Self”, your “Tanist”? How is it that you are, actually, of “two minds”?”

She gave us a very detailed set of steps. I have chosen to go off-book by taking only one part of her instructions for this post.

“These two cards, the light and darkness of your own Being, will work as a unit but represent two opposite views of the same situation. They both may be in the same suit or in two different suits, one may be major and one minor arcana, but if one were to receive both these cards in a reading, how would you represent the opposing energies thereof as they apply to your own personality and all the situations which life hands you?”

When I think about duality of being, my Piscean sun self swims effortlessly into the topic. I think we are all far more than merely two parts of one whole. For me, there are layers to the dark and layers to the light. I cannot, by my very nature, see myself as just dark and light. I am at my heart, a myriad.

That is to say, a multitude, a large/great number, a large/great quantity, scores, quantities, a mass, a host, droves, a horde. In a way, this correlates to my feelings about the Tarot. The seventy-eight cards are also myriad. Within one deck, you have countless ways to combine cards for scores of interpretations. When you expand your mind to encompass the fact that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of artistic interpretations of each of those seventy-eight cards? Yeah. Mind=blown.

How can I see only two sides of myself? I am not a fan of seeing shadow self as evil or wrong or even as needing to be incorporated into anything. For me, again that Piscean nature leaping in a great splashing arc, I see shadow self as whole and separate. I think I will call it my Submerged self while the other main self is Emerged. Submerged is no less important than emerged. And vice-versa on that. What I allow to be seen may be partially my submerged self. The fact is only I will ever know the true answer to that. Which points to my strong Scorpio moon influence. Secrets are part of my life. I know many secrets that aren’t mine but were given to me in confidence. So I keep them there in confidence.

If I only address Submerged Self and Emerged Self, I wonder what they would say. Could I be a bridge between those two pieces assuming they don’t actually communicate? It’s my belief that they do communicate–well and often. The society we live in has a norm of not addressing Submerged Self except as an enemy. What intelligent being would allow itself to be seen if it is only ever thought of as wrong?

To that end, I wanted to create a vehicle for communication between Submerged and Emerged Selves. Of course, that vehicle would be a Tarot spread. I thought I might use the Sun and the Moon for the Emerged and Submerged Selves but it didn’t work for me. Instead I have a list of questions. Then I follow that with my reading for myself using this spread.

Submerged-Emerged Selves Spread

1. What is the main message from Submerged Self?
2. How can Emerged Self use this message best?
3. What does Submerged Self need most from Emerged Self?
4. What is the main message from Emerged Self?
5. How can Submerged Self use this message best?
6. What does Emerged Self need most from Submerged Self?

How can Submerged Self and Emerged Self best work together?

What is the main message from Submerged Self? Main Message (Submerged) is the Teacher. Here is someone sitting with Coyote just behind them. They offer me a dandelion which most of us consider a weed. I must remember that Submerged self offers up seemingly useless parts of myself. But with a bit of exploration, I can learn all the uses of those unwanted-by-society parts.

How can Emerged Self use this message best? Take all the energy of worrying about what other people think and use it to swing my own personal fire. Be my own best self as the Explorer(Knight) of Fire is her best self.

What does Submerged Self need most from Emerged Self? Submerged Self needs Emerged Self to allow both halves to drive the Chariot (Canoe). Only by swimming together can we master our own true purpose.

What is the main message from Emerged Self? The Seven of Earth is the card of the gardener. The one who plants and tends and lets things grow. Here the plants of the Teacher are echoed as she puts saplings into the earth. Both selves are intent on growth and learning about the things we plant.

How can Submerged Self use this message best? Interesting to see the Child (Page) of Fire show up when the Knight of Fire showed up for the reverse question. Here I am told that Submerged Self could be more proactive, more curious about how things are. This is a card of energy and movement. Both sides have plants and energy.

What does Emerged Self need most from Submerged Self? Death floats in reminding me that to master myself (as with the Canoe), some parts of me must be laid to rest. Any parts that aren’t nourishing me. If I don’t flourish from the energy, then it must be let go. Death is change that is inevitable, inescapable, and unavoidable.

The final question is How can Submerged Self and Emerged Self best work together? The Elder (King) of Air with his Luna moth companion made me smile when they showed up. I see him as the Priest who does the work. He is sending his prayers (and those of others) up to the heavens. The Luna moth serves as the steed to carry those hopes. When I stand in myself as priestess, I am myriad.

This reading made sense to me. I realize that I used some shorthand here and there but this was a deeply personal reading.bI offer this spread for you to use. Please do not post it without my attribution: Spread by Arwen Lynch

And if you are doing #CampNaNoWriMo, .

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

TarotBlogHop: Master List Imbolc 2017

This is the master list for the Imbolc 2017 Tarot Blog Hop. Thanks for stopping by. This list serves as a one-stop-shop to find your favorite bloggers or to deal with a broken link. We do our very best to make sure our links are good, but we aren’t perfect.

Thanks for reading the posts. We love your comments! You honor us by sharing our words as well. Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Tarot Blog Hop: Samhain 2016 Wake The Dead

PREVIOUS : MASTER : NEXT

Welcome to the 2016 Samhain/Halloween/Mid-Fall Tarot Blog Hop. We’ve been doing these hops since Imbolc 2012. It brings me such joy to know that for these past five years, community-minded bloggers have gathered every six weeks to create a ring of posts that all share the same subject. It’s been copied by others (which also brings me great joy) so I know that original question “How Can I Be The Best Candle” truly burns on.

This time, we are asked by our wrangler, Louise Underhill of Priestess Tarot, to turn to our ancestors for advice. She challenged us to “seek their advice on what we need to work on in the year to come.”

So I did. First, I wanted to be clear on the questions as well as the intent. Once I had the questions, I took time to make sure I was mindful of my surroundings. I wanted to be aware of not only where I was, but who I was.

I opened up asking my ancestors to gather if they would. I requested that one of them step forward to give me advice for the coming year (in my Tradition, we treat Samhain as the New Year even though the validity of that has been brought into question.) Honestly I hoped that someone from my deep ancestral bloodlines would turn up. Maybe the daughter of that English king (not a very popular king, oops) or the German lawyer would weigh in on the questions.

Nope. I got a much closer relative. And I knew her the moment I pulled the first card. But first, let’s look at the spread itself.

Arwen Lynch's Wake The Dead spread — My 2016 Samhain spread: Wake The Dead

The answers were pretty clear. Because of the reading, the answers were also quite personal. I’ll show you the card and give you the abbreviated answers.

Moon Victoria Regina Tarot — The Moon, Victoria Regina Tarot

First up was the Moon. With the binoculars and crawfish on this one, I immediately knew it was my mother. She was a Scorpio as well. I have a Scorpio Moon that rests in the 8th house so this could only be Mama. At first I thought it might be her mother, but the crawfish and binoculars were all Mama.

10 Swords Victoria Regina — Ten of Swords

Next came the 10 of Swords. If I wasn’t sure before, this nailed it (pun intended). My mother once told me a story about a sparrow, a cat and a pile of manure. The lesson was to stop complaining about where you were. The main message I got here was, “Being weighed down by other people’s opinions is silly. That’s their energy, not yours. DO YOU.” On a side note, when I look at my handwriting on this question, the “do you” is very similar to my mother’s handwriting. Hmmm

Strength showed up as the response to the third question.

Strength Victoria Regina Tarot — Strength

Her admonition here was that she raised me to be a strong woman. She reminded me that she had not been fair to me in one area (she took care of me when she should have let me find my own feet) but she felt I was getting better there.

The fourth question brought the World (so many Majors, Mama.) She was a bit fierce on this one which didn’t surprise me. Protecting her children was one of her strengths. Living with a Scorpion for a mother wasn’t always easy, but you knew she had your back. The answer was, in part, “Focus on the people who add to your life rather than take away. Be your own center.”

Finally, I pulled the Two of Wands. My mother loved that I wrote. She got to read the first book my writing partner and I ever finished. That book has never been published, but my sister called me. She was laughing because my mother, who was in the hospital dying from cancer (she passed away two months after), would not take any calls. She told my sister to tell them she was reading. Her message here was to take action. Do rather than be. The funniest thing was her “Get wet sooner” message. She’s the reason I keep .

Thanks, Mama. I love you and I will always remember you.

Now please leave a comment then hop on to the next post. Or hop backwards. And thanks so very much for sharing this and other posts. You can use the hashtag #tarotbloghop .

PREVIOUS : MASTER : NEXT

It’s the Litha Tarot Blog Hop, Y’all!

PREVIOUS | MASTER LIST | NEXT
Our wrangler, Morgan, gave us the task of making a card. He suggested we use junk mail. Well, I didn’t follow the rules because I didn’t manage my time well. 😀 But I am going to use one of the variations.

Before diving into that, I’d like to invite you to check out a collaborative book I’m part of. Today is release day. It’s 365 Moments of Grace.

I use Zentangle as a meditative practice. I don’t set out with anything in mind when I tangle but the end results often remind me of a Tarot card. It’s an interesting exercise for me to “see” something in the artwork.

So what I want to do is offer a few of my tangle pieces here and have YOU tell me what you see. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”TarotByArwen” suffix=”tarotbloghop”]What card comes to mind with these images for you?[/inlinetweet]

I also wrote an article for Witches And Pagans about how Zentangle made me a better psychic.

So what do these images bring to your mind? Once you’ve answered that question, it’s time to hop along to the next blog in this Tarot Blog Hop.

PREVIOUS | MASTER LIST | NEXT

Spring! Tarot Blog Hop 2016

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT

Money Money Money and Tarot is our topic. That damned Ania was anti-bunny this year so she’s forcing us to talk about money and oracles. 😀 Okay, so she’s not really forcing us but I thought I’d whine a bit.

Money and this Pisces are not the best of friends. I am very fond of spending my money. My darling husband is more a fan of keeping the stuff. We usually find a common ground. But when we don’t? Oh good gods, y’all! It’s fireworks then–and I don’t mean the fun kind.

It’s the kind that breaks things. No, we don’t throw stuff, but trust and love can get damaged when money comes up.

While this isn’t a spread per se, these sets of questions are designed to get you talking to your partner (or partners if you are in a poly group). Use it as a springboard for fine tuning your own money relationships. You can use them for opening up communication. Please note that if you get triggered easily, you should find a good therapist to work with you and your partner. Money is one of the deal-breakers in many marriages.

(For Poly folk, just add a card after Person 1 and Person 2.)

Person 1: What is your biggest block around money?
Person 2: What is your biggest block around money?

Person 1: What is your biggest financial dream?
Person 2: What is your biggest financial dream?

Person 1: How do you relate to money?
Person 2: How do you relate to money?

Person 1: How do you want Person 2 to think about money within your relationship?
Person 2: How do you want Person 2 to think about money within your relationship?

You can create your own dialogues as well of course. Just stay open to the idea that you are exploring this with your other half. Don’t make it a war, please.

PREVIOUS | MASTER | NEXT