Tarot
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RWS stage cards: The power of two little lines
During a deep dive into the RWS tarot, I became drawn into the world of the stage cards and it seems they had no interest in letting me go until I paid them some attention. So, here is me paying them attention. What is a stage card? Stage cards are represented by two lines that suggest we are looking at a stage backdrop rather than an outdoor scene. Are we sure that’s what they are? Who can say? Like every interpretation in tarot, the ultimate answer to that question is up to us. There is even contention about which cards should be included. The cards I consider to be stage…
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Lightening the Load: A tarot spread for unpacking burdens
Introduction The Lightening the Load spread is a simple eight card spread that will work with any deck but my suggestion is to start off with a hug deck if you have one. If you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed I believe a deck that presents the message in a gentle, yet honest way, is the best approach. Regardless of the situation, I never think there is a wrong time to be kind to yourself. Anyhow enough said. The deck you choose is obviously up to you. Background I had an idea, or should I say ideas/beliefs around what I thought was weighing me down and preventing me from doing…
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Mystic Palette Tarot
Ciro Marchetti created two versions of the Mystic Palette Tarot that are essentially the same and yet feel completely different. As such I wasn’t sure about the best way to write about them. In the end, I decided to treat them like one deck and present them side by side. Therefore this is a longer post than usual because it is in fact reviewing two decks. So I’ll get straight to it. About the Mystic Palette Tarot Ciro Marchetti describes the Mystic Palette Tarot as “decorative and baroque with a touch of goth, a dab of Arthur Rackham, and a sprinkling of Victoriana.” I’d add, fantasy, steampunk, and Roman Empirical…
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Earth Woman Tarot
Earth Woman Tarot is one of the decks I included on my Upcoming Decks I’m Excited For list. It is one that I pre-ordered so I waited in anticipation for it to arrive. It didn’t disappoint. Tarn Ellis sought to create a deck that encapsulates the ancient wisdom of Mother Nature and the Divine Feminine. Her aim is to invite women to be unapologetically themselves. The guidebook, and much of the artwork, does indeed encourage you to take ownership of your own power. And, I found that some of the changes she’s made to the images, encourage a more nuanced way of viewing certain cards. Add in the scenically beautiful,…
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Tips on how to ask good questions
Pick up just about any book on tarot and one of the first things it will tell you to do as part of a reading is to make sure you ask good questions. However, what I realised when I flicked back through many of the guidebooks in my extensive tarot collection is that few of the books then go on to explain what that means. My daughter told me that she finds trying formulate the question is one of the hardest things about doing a reading so I thought I’d put together a post to try and demystify the process. Is it as important as people make out? Short answer…
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Cozy Witch Tarot
I pre-judged the Cozy Witch Tarot and in so doing I did myself and the deck a disservice. I have Amanda Lovelace’s Believe in Your Own Magic Oracle and I found a lot to love about it so I should have taken that into account. But, I didn’t. Instead, I saw the keywords and questioned whether the deck was for me. Generally I see keywords on tarot cards as distractions that can limit the meanings of the card. How wrong my assumption has proven to be. My eye is naturally drawn to the artwork and when it does wander down to read the words beneath the title I find I…
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A tarot spread for those dealing with Imposter Syndrome
What is Imposter Syndrome? The term Imposter Syndrome was first used by psychologists Suzanna Imes and Pauline Rose Clance in 1978. Whilst not a diagnosable condition, it can be a challenging psychological phenomenon that can unfortunately become self-fulfilling. That’s why it is well worth addressing. Ironically, it is usually highly accomplished people that suffer. Psychology Today states that up to 25-30% of high achievers may suffer with 70% of adults experiencing feelings of Imposter Syndrome at least once in their life. Web MD puts that figure as high as 82% of people. Martin R Huecker et al define Imposter Syndrome as: A behavioural health phenomenon described as self doubt of…
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Midnight Magic
Midnight Magic has a lot to say. Yet I never expected to write that when I first became aware of this deck. My initial reaction was, “How on earth would I read with that?” As it turns out, very, very easily. I mean wow! I have a monumental crush on this deck. It’s grounded, it’s cheeky, it’s enchanting, and as corny as it sounds, it nourishes my soul. Yes, I’ll say it again, I’ve fallen hard. I don’t think I’ll ever look at mushrooms in the same way again. Pairing mushroom names and properties with tarot is the sort of seemingly random connection that turns out to feel so natural…
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Tarot of the Owls
At first glance the Tarot of the Owls may seem like a cutesy deck that focuses on being beautiful to look at rather than offering anything new. However, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. It may look light but it offers so much. Beneath its beauty is a solid tarot deck that I have come to discover is wonderful for shadow work. That definitely wasn’t what I expected when I first flicked through the cards. The deck might take you into a magical Owl Realm, but what you find in this mystical place is solid, practical and helpful. The Tarot of the Owls deck To discover that this…
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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…
