Tarot articles
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Upcoming decks I’m excited for in 2024
When I spent some time on the Llewellyn website recently a few items due for release later this year caught my attention. I’m pretty confident that I’m not the only one they’ll appeal to. Even though I titled this “Upcoming decks I’m excited for” I have to admit that it’s actually five decks and one book. There is another deck and a couple of books that interest me, but I know for sure that each of the ones listed below will be finding their way onto my shelves as soon as they are available. I’ve already pre-ordered two of the decks. Listed according to their stated release date, these are…
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My deck review process
Recently I was talking to someone about why I write tarot deck reviews. I told them that initially it was because I truly believe there is a tarot deck out there for everyone. So I write reviews about a variety of decks to showcase what is available. This is still what drives me. However, I soon uncovered a secondary motivation, that has in turn led to the creation of this post. It is this. As a direct result of writing reviews I have learned so much about myself, my tarot decks, and tarot in general. Every deck has its own story to tell and along the way each one takes…
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Your Personal Year: Combining tarot and numerology to get the most out of the energy
In numerology your personal year number suggests the prevalent energy for the year ahead. Learn how to use tarot to make the most of that energy.
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How to make an informed choice
Introduction Oftentimes when we try to make a choice we go round and round in circles without actually thinking things through. We contemplate “what ifs” but often only of the negative variety. Or we spend time worrying about making the wrong decision. There is another way. You can use this approach when weighing up a decision or when trying to choose between multiple options. For multiple options just repeat the process for each. What factors should I consider when making a choice? When some people think of tarot cards, fortune-telling comes to mind. But, tarot cards can offer so much more. For example, I asked the cards what factors I…
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Modifying the Gaian Tarot to make it easier to handle
I love Joanna Powell Colbert’s Gaian Tarot. Her artwork is stunning and the accompanying book is wonderful. It is written with such love and compassion for both the user, the Earth, and those we share it with. There is however one problem. The cards measure 10cm x 14.5cm (4″ x 5 3/4″) which is huge. My daughter couldn’t hold more than a quarter of the deck in her hand and even though I have large hands I found it a stretch. Also, as I noted in my write up of this deck, it isn’t well suited for large spreads because it requires so much space. This meant that, as much…
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What is Tarot and how can I use it?
At its most basic, tarot is a set of seventy-eight cards that together represent both our everyday lived experiences and the forces that shape our lives. Carl Jung called these forces “archetypes”. These archetypes represent the different drives, patterns, and powers that impel us to behave in certain ways at certain times. Often, possibly more often than not, this is done unconsciously. Before I go on though, I want to address one of the fears associated with Tarot. Tarot does not have the power to create or control these forces or our experiences. How can it? Tarot decks consist of seventy-eight pieces of art. It is us that ascribes and…
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Journal to get the most from a tarot reading
Introduction I’ll put my hand up and admit that I have done personal readings that, apart from making me feel better at the time, didn’t lead to much because I did nothing with the information. Now there is nothing wrong with a tarot reading that just helps you to feel better about a situation. Some readings are specifically designed for that purpose. Though I don’t mean in a fluffy, everything is unicorns and magical genies granting your every wish kind of way. I mean that a tarot reading can present a different viewpoint and then that new perspective changes how you feel about yourself, your situation, or someone else. As…
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How to make connections between tarot cards
Introduction I remember when I was starting out with tarot, I would pull some cards and then dive straight for the book. Even when I did discern messages I would dismiss my own interpretations if they were different to the meanings the book suggested. I was a book reader rather than a tarot reader. Along the way I picked up a lot of information, so I know it wasn’t all bad. But I believe it did slow my progress. Yet, I do encourage everyone to read through the accompanying guide book whenever you get a new deck. The guide book is a great way to give you a feel for…
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What is the difference between tarot and oracle cards?
The difference The difference between tarot and oracle cards is quite simple. Tarot cards follow a set system, whereas oracle cards do not. A tarot deck consists of twenty-two Major Arcana cards, (although more and more decks are adding a few cards here eg The Bohemian Animal Tarot, The Tarot of Curious Creatures and Tarot of Oneness), and four suits each with fourteen cards, four of which are court cards. There is considerable variance in the naming of the Major Arcana, the suits, and the court cards but the structure itself remains constant. Albeit some decks, but not many, switch the energy of the Wands (Fire) and Swords (Air) suits.…
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My first experience of reading with blended decks
Inspired by SanTarot over on YouTube, I decided to do a reading with three decks blended into one. I used three of the four Chris-Anne decks I own – The Muse Tarot, The Tarot of Curious Creatures and The Light Seer’s Tarot – because I knew colour-, size- and energy-wise they would blend well. They did and WOW! The logistics of working with blended decks Before I get into the reading, let me start with the logistics. I have big hands and I shuffle decks every day, and truth be told I managed to hold all three decks in my hand at once, but then I had no idea what…
