Halloween Tarot Spread

I just a few days we will be celebrating Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve, Samhain). I thought that I would like to create two things: a Tarot reading, and a Tarot meditation. On the one night of the year that the veil between the worlds is the most transparent, our readings can be scary real!

I defined the positions as follows:

1. My conscious self on this night.
2. My unconscious self on this night.
3. What my Guides want to tell me.
4. What the Void wants to tell me.
5. What I need to take from this night.

I set the positions as follows:

1 2
3 4
5

Please note: card number five should be in between the two columns of numbers. If anyone knows how to center something on Word Press, please let me know!

The following cards showed up: (From Robert Place’s “Alchemical Tarot Renewed”)

1. Six of Staffs
2. Two of Swords
3. King of Vessels
4. Queen of Coins
5. Nine of Vessels

The Six of Staffs in the position of the conscious self indicates self-confidence, and movement towards a specific goal. The Seeker is on a journey, and will be both respected and honored for their work. Very much a “take charge” position!

The Two of Swords in the position of the unconscious self indicates that the Seeker may be blocking their emotions. They are also juggling many things at the same time. This is a note from the inner self to pay attention – stay in the present and pay attention! (I love the Owl between the two crossed swords in this deck!) This is also a time when the Seeker should question anything and everything.

The message from the Seeker’s Guides is coming from the King of Vessels. Quite the charmer, he is telling the Seeker to open up to the possibility of love, and to express their creative nature. Those two energies are very good at feeding off of each other, and creating magic! (This is also a card of finding one’s inner power.)

From the Void, the Queen of Coins is telling the Seeker to rule well over their physical environment, and the people and things in it. The Seeker needs to nurture their environment, and then trust that they are safe and protected. Interesting that she is facing away from the King of Vessels in this deck. She is fixed on the cornucopia of life’s abundance that she balances in her right arm. Leave the emotions to the King! But should she?

The Nine of Vessels in the position of what the Seeker needs to take from this night indicates that the Seeker indeed is going to have their wishes fulfilled! Woo Hoo! Interesting – while the Queen distained her emotions, the Seeker is being advised from the Void to express them! In Place’s card, the Seeker is at the top of their game, standing on top of the hill the backdrops the nine vessels. Be Creative – visualize your biggest dreams – enjoy your success! This is a card of confidence!

For the meditation, I defined the following positions. Lay the three cards out, left to right, and spend some time meditating on the to candle light – or the light of the Hermit’s pumpkin!

1. The Seeker’s physical world.
2. The message from the void.
3. The Seeker’s spiritual world.

I placed the cards from left to right:

1 2 3

Enjoy!

© October 2009 Bonnie Cehovet

Tarot Affirmations

Tarot Affirmations

Author: James Ricklef
Knighthawk Books
2009
ISBN #978-1448699933

“Tarot Affirmations” is a benchmark work on the use of affirmations in combination with the Tarot, based on James Ricklef’s stunning “Tarot of the Masters” deck. In his introduction James notes two important components of this book: (1) that the affirmations are being presented in conjunction with the 78 cards of the Tarot, and (2) that affirmations can be used for self-improvement, self-exploration, spiritual enlightenment, for understanding the cards themselves, and for putting into use the advice that is presented during a reading.

The affirmations in this book were originally conceived from work that was done with many different decks. Use here is made of black and white illustrations from the “Tarot of the Masters” in a very seamless manner. The cards are representative of universal energies – the imagery from various decks may be quite different, but the intent to reflect a specific energy is there.

James begins with a discussion of what affirmations are. He defines them as “truths that we tell ourselves until we manifest them”. How true this is! They are positive statements we make about specific qualities or things that we wish to manifest in our life. James feels that affirmations should be practical, easy to understand and assimilate, and direct in nature. He notes that combining affirmations with visualization or meditation helps to transport the information into our unconscious mind (which uses images and symbols to communicate).

Along with understanding the nature of affirmations, we also need to understand how to use them. James suggests working with them just before you go to bed, and again just after you wake up. He also suggests placing the relevant Tarot card where you can see it while you are repeating the affirmation. The point is made that when you use affirmations – state them with conviction! If you have to – pretend that you believe them! He makes a very powerful suggestion – that you look yourself in the mirror when stating your affirmation. In his words “It is said that your eyes are the window to the soul, and this technique makes use of that window.” The suggestion is also made to write your affirmation down and carry it with you during the day – along with the associated Tarot card (or a scan of the card).

Another suggestion was made that I think that even I, as a very “non” techie could do – that is to create an electronic image of the card that you are working with, add the affirmation(s) that you wish to use, and set this image as the wallpaper on you computer. How cool is this! I tend to work with individual affirmations over a period of time (generally three weeks), so this would work quite well!

James has created a series of excellent affirmations for each of the 78 cards of the Tarot. He shares this process with the reader, so that they can create their own affirmations if they want to. What you are looking for is a card from the Tarot that represents to you the issue/situation that you want to focus your affirmation on. He suggests three basic ways that you can choose your card: (1) go through the deck and deliberately choose the card that is best suited to your needs, (2) using the intuitive process, go quickly through your deck with the cards face up while considering the issue that you are focused on, choosing the card that feels right for your situation, (3) using the divinatory method, shuffle your deck well and choose a card at random. All methods have worked for me, with the divinatory method being the most “in your face”. Yes, the Tarot can be “in your face”!

James presents an exercise in which you draw a card at the beginning of the day, and create an affirmation for the day. I find this to be useful, as it grounds and centers you in your day. This can also be part of journaling. James suggests keeping a journal covering the cards used and affirmations created, along with comments on the results.

He also suggests using the affirmations in this book to give an added dimension to your Tarot readings. With problematic cards, look up the affirmations that he suggests to help you get through the situation. Or use the affirmation from a positive card to help reinforce that message. The focus in this book is on affirmations that are practical, attainable, an actionable. He also very sensibly notes that affirmations are not a panacea – if you have serious issues that are not resolving themselves, then you need to consider appropriate professional help.

Each card presentation is accompanied by a black and white scan from the “Tarot of the Masters”. James talks about the energy of each card, and the types of affirmations that might be applicable. He also discusses where the inspiration for the “Tarot of the Masters” card came from, which is valuable in creating your own affirmations.

From the book:

“IX The Hermit

The Hermit can depict someone who is searching for a deeper understanding of his soulful purpose in life. His spiritual path (as opposed to that of the High Priest) is an unorthodox one, and a uniquely individual one. Also, the Hermit may be urging us to seek solitude in order to find our calm, spiritual center, which will facilitate our own quest for enlightenment. These observations imply the following affirmations:

I value my quest for meaning and purpose in life.
I find the answers that I need within the calm, spiritual center of my being.
The quiet time I choose to spend alone nourishes my soul.”

Note: The above quote is only a portion of the presentation for the Hermit.

At the end of the book is an appendix of affirmations by type (Specific Problems or Situations, General Self-improvement, Spiritual Development), and a Bibliography & References page.
I found this book to be well thought out, well written, easy to follow and easy to use. At one point in the book James talks about taking the energy from a reading and creating an affirmation from that. This is a wonderful gift to self, if you are reading for yourself, and a unique “Added Value” for a reading that you are doing for a client (and you can include them in the process!).

James has a weekly card affirmation on his site – www.jamesricklef.com. To purchase the book please go to either Create Space, or Amazon.com.

I would like to end by quoting one of James’ Spiritual Development affirmations:

“The Hermit: The quiet time I choose to spend alone nourishes my soul”

© October 2009 Bonnie Cehovet

Templar Tarot : The Journey

Templar Tarot: The Journey

Author: Stephen Dafoe
Artist: Allen Chester
Inspired By Design
2009
ISBN #978-0-9715867-1-0

“This project is dedicated to the seekers of truth that desire to know themselves through the eternal wisdom of the ages.”
Allen Chester, Artist

“Templar Tarot: The Journey” takes off where the “Templar Tarot” left off. Quite literally – the added (79th) card from the “Templar Tarot” becomes the first card in “Templar Tarot: The Journey”. The set includes the 79 cards from the original deck, an additional 21 cards (forming a second Major Arcana), and a 175 page companion book.

In his introduction, Etienne Thevou talks about the song played by the figure in the Magic Flute – the 79th card of the original deck, the first card of the new Major Arcana. Eight years after the publication of the original deck, it is now time for this new song to be played. In this new deck, the story of the Tarot unfolds alongside the story of the Templars. Where the story of the original “Templar Tarot” was a speculative story of the Templar knights, the new arcana tells the story from the point of historical reference.

In his artist’s statement, Chester notes that he paints primarily from a trance state, with music playing in the background. There were no conceptual drawings, no preconceived color schemes. In essence, past ideas and memories were allowed to be channeled into this work. The task of connecting his paintings to a written interpretation was entrusted to historian and author Stephen Dafoe. (Note: Mr. Dafoe is also founder and owner of “The Templar History Magazine”.)

In his introduction to “Templar Tarot: The Journey”, Dafoe speaks of the power of language and the power of symbols. He sees the Tarot as a form of meditative self-analysis, a psychology of symbolism. He also notes that the Tarot can be used as a mnemonic device, where the cards act as a book or a reference to a group’s teachings.

The new deck serves this purpose, as it expands on the revelations and lessons in the original Templar deck. It is meant to reveal the birth, life and death of the Templar Order, between the years of 1119 and 1314. Each card provides the student with a chapter in the Templar history, with symbolic contents drawn fro Pagan, Christian, Islamic, and Judaic thought and symbolism. Of course, not all has been revealed.

May those who seek, find.
May those who find, be transformed.
May those transformed, enlighten others.
(From the companion book.)

The companion book begins with the new Tarot cards, broken down into three divisions: Birth, Life, and Death. The titles are as follows:

Birth:

Card 22 Obligation
Card 23 Beatitude
Card 24 Semblance
Card 25 The True Cross
Card 26 Discipline
Card 27 Fecundity
Card 28 Grand Master

Life:

Card 29 Affinity
Card 30 Sapience
Card 31 Synthesis
Card 32 Jihad
Card 33 Quietus
Card 34 Darkness Visible
Card 35 Jinn

Death:

Card 36 Avarice
Card 37 Polarity
Card 38 Betrayal
Card 39 Interrogtion
Card 40 Dissolution
Card 41 Caliginosity
Card 42 Pilgrimage
Card 000 Ascension

Each card is presented with an accompanying black and white illustration. Included in the text is the card’s Historic Context, Symbolic Context, Divinatory Meaning, and Reversed Meaning.

This is followed by a section on the original “Templar Tarot” cards, with the text by Daria Keller. The presentation for the Major Arcana is that of a black and white illustration of the card, accompanied by a paragraph on the card itself, followed by the Divinatory Meaning and the Reversed Meaning. The Court Cards and Pips (numbered cards) show a black and white illustration, an explanation of the card, and Divinatory and Reversed meanings.

The suits are Staves, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The Court Cards are entitled King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The Major Arcana titles, along with their associations, are as follows:

The Fool (The Pilgrim)
The Magician (The Troubadour)
The High Priestess (Mary Magdalene)
The Empress (Great Mother)
The Emperor (Dagobert II)
The Priest (The Pope)
The Lovers (Repanse de Schoye)
The Chariot (Saladin)
Strength (Bernard of Clairvaux)
The Hermit (John the Baptist)
The Wheel of Fortune (The Tarot)
Justice (King Solomon)
The Hanged Man (the Heretic)
Death (The Alchemist)
Temperance (The Grand Master)
The Devil (Rex Mundi)
The Tower (The Secret Tomb)
The Star (The Bloodline)
The Moon (The Cathars)
The Sun (The Gnostic Church)
Judgment (The Crucifixion)
The World (Ein Sof)

At the end of the book are instructions for doing a Three Card reading, along with the traditional ten card Celtic Cross spread.

For me, presentation of any work is of ultimate importance. I was impressed with how the deck and book were presented. The deck and book are in a black, hard cardboard box, held in a sleeve done in muted browns to give an antique appearance. The top of the sleeve shows the Templar Cross, while the bottom of the sleeve gives the appearance of a cover being drawn back to show the paper beneath it. On the corner that is revealed, we see a partial page from www.templartarot.com.

The cover of the accompanying book uses the same brown coloring, with the name of the deck, the names of the artist and author, and an illustration of the Templar Cross. The back cover shows just the brown coloring. The pages themselves are an antique cream color, with brown edging. At the bottom outer corner of each page a small illustration of the Templar Cross appears.

The cards themselves are 3 ½” by 5”. Of study, non-glossy card stock. The backs are reversible, brown with the Templar Cross in the middle. The illustration on the faces goes to the edge of the card (there are no borders). The card name is centered across the top, with the card number centered at the bottom. Both appear in unobtrusive pale lettering/numbering, so that you have to look to find them. I found this to be a benefit, as it did not detract from the card. The art form is a very whimsical, fantasy style. (The Minor Arcana Pips show the number only, centered at the top of the card. The Court Cards show the title only, at the bottom of the card.)

From the new deck, the cards that I was most attracted to were Magic Flute (a flute playing figure with wings), The True Cross (a slender figure in blue carrying a green cross), Fecundity (a female figure in red, carrying a baby), Grandmaster (a Pagan-like male figure with antlers, three tear drops coming from the corner of his left eye, a Pentagram held in his right hand, and one finger of his left hand held up, pointing towards the sky), and Jihad (showing a Knight in armor sitting astride his horse, which is rearing up).

From the old deck, the cards that I was most attracted to were the Magician (a figure with multiple arms, in a light blue/white suit, walking on tiptoe), the High Priestess (shown seated, holding what appears to be a globe, with twelve stars acting as a Zodiacal halo around her head), the Emperor (shown seated in a meditative pose), the Priest (literally shown in modern day priest garb), Strength (which shows figure meditating in a room filled with jars and skulls), the Wheel of Fortune (which shows a winged figure doing a Tarot reading), the Hanged Man (who has all four limbs attached to lines, very much like a marionette), the Two of Pentacles (which shows a figure drawing pentacles in a book).

The Pages are all shown standing, the Knights are all seated on horses, and the Kings and Queens are all shown seated on their thrones.

I enjoyed reading about both the historical and the symbolic content in these cards. I feel that they would appeal to a collector, to someone that is interested in the Templars, to someone who wishes to work with meditation or journeying, or to someone interested in artistic decks. They would be best worked with by someone who already has at least some knowledge of the Tarot.

© October 2009 Bonnie Cehovet

Intellectual Property – Copyright Infringement

I recently had an interesting exchange of thought with Catherine Chapman, owner of the “Tarot Elements” blog (www.tarotelements.com) , Tarot reader and writer. We were discussing the best ways to protect intellectual property on the Internet – both writing and images. My first thought was that this was not an unusual conversation. Both Catherine and I are Tarot professionals, with work up on the Internet. Her blog is a new and expanding one, including her own artwork and teachings, as well as reviews and other articles.

My thought was that almost everyone I know has had this happen at some point in time. My sister, a professional massage therapist, has an extensive Internet site. On more than one occasion she has had parts of her site (at one time – the entire site!) stolen and placed under someone else’s name. Interestingly eough, there is a name for having the use of all or part of your website used by someone else – it is called “website hijacking”. I have had parts of my site, and parts of my reviews/articles appear on other people’s sites, under their name. I was not happy!

Plagiarism is a given – it will happen. What we need to know is what to do about it. We have come a long ways from the time when a “link back” was sufficient. As artists and writers, we deserve full credit and compensation for our work. It should not be used without compensation to draw traffic to someone else’s site.

The following links will help you understand copyright law:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Millennium_Copyright_Act
http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf- US Copyright Office summary of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/iclp/dmca1.htm - The full text of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

My feeling has always been that copyright information placed at the end of any article is the first step in establishing copy rights. I was very happy that in the midst of researching this article I found the following site, which validates my thoughts - http://www.bizhelp24.com/business-law/an-overview-of-copyright-protection.html . What this author suggests is the use of the copyright symbol ©, the year(s), and the author/artists name. IMHO, it does not hurt to add something to the effect of “This information is not to be used in any form, online or off, without the express permission of the author/artist.”

The following site reiterates the steps that I would take to address any of my work that had been plagiarized – http://www.ehow.com/how_4919899_report-plagarism.html . The steps are basically: (1) contact the owner of the site with the plagiarized material and ask them to take it down. (2) If that fails, notify the site host that this site contains plagiarized material. (3) Notify any advertisers on the offending site that the site contains plagiarized material. (4) Notify Google and file a complaint. Note – There is a specific procedure for this – http://www.google.com/dmca.html. Another great site on taking action on copyright infringement is – http://www.seologic.com/faq/copyright.php (Step by step actions to take with copyright or trademark infringements.)

Note that no lawyers are involved (the little people of the world cannot afford a lawyer, and those who deliberately steal from a “Mom and Pop” site know that. There are other ways to address the issue, thanks to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Following up on content piracy is not time consuming, and it can (and should!) be done by everyone who has content on the Internet.

How can you detect piracy in the first place? Sometimes people will notify you that your work is being published where it should not be. If you do a Google on yourself at routine intervals, you can also catch material that has been pirated. Also, putting specific phrases from your material in the Google search engine may bring up some surprising results! The following sites are also good places to reference checking on copyright infringement:

http://www.keytlaw.com/Copyrights/cheese.htm - This is a lawyer written site on website copyright infringement.
http://www.copyscape.com - Search for copies of your page on the net.
http://plagiarismanalyzer.org/blog/2009/02/19/copyright-infringement-bad-things-about-it - Plagiarism Analyzer.

The following links are to sites where content piracy can be reported:

http://www.siia.net/piracy/report/report.asp - Online content and software issues.
http://lorelle.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/content-theft-and-wordpress - How to deal with theft from WordPress authors.
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html - Copyright law and remedies in the US.
http://www.google.com/dmca.html - Google Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

I would also like to share the following articles on copyright – some of which surprised me (such as the copyright on quilts):

http://www.lostquilt.com/CopyrightInfringement.php - Copyright for quilts.
http://www.bruceclay.com/ethics/webthief.htm - Response to stolen web pages, basic copyright information.
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html - 10 myths about copyright explained.
http://plagiarismanalyzer.org/blog/2009/02/19/copyright-infringement-bad-things-about-it - Blogs on plagiarism.
http://sacred-texts.com/tarot/faq.htm - Rider-Waite-Smith copyright FAQ.
http://home.comcast.net/~vilex/copyright.html – Holly Volley’s Rider-Waite page on copyright issues for the “Rider-Waite Tarot”.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=75304 - Aeclectic Tarot forum for copyright issues for collage artists.
http://www.tarotgarden.com/faq.html - Tarot Garden FAQ on copyright/intellectual property issues.
http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/copyright-internet.htm - Copyright on the Internet.
http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/cpyrght.htm - Copyright resources.
http://www.bizhelp24.com/business-law/an-overview-of-copyright-protection.html - Overview of copyright protection.
http://www.bizhelp24.com/business-law/copyright-protection-online.html - Copyright protection online.

Protecting images on the Internet:

http://www.mediacollege.com/internet/security/protect-images - Steps to take to protect images.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Secure-Your-Web-Images-65431.shtml - Securing web images.

What is clear is that plagiarism is not an unusual activity. Sometimes the person/people involved are naïve – they simply do not understand the rules of the road. Sometimes the parties involved do understand that what they are doing is wrong, but they figure that if. when they are caught, they will take the offending material down, and all will be well. Then there are those that rip off material deliberately to benefit themselves in some fashion.

It is not up to us to judge. All we need to do is take the small steps, and hope for enforcement. In most instances the material will be taken down. If it is not, we have to make the decision on whether we want to take legal action or not. This is a final step, and an expensive one. If we do the small things consistently to protect our intellectual rights, and if we make it a practice to check on a consistent basis for material that has been ripped off, we are doing what we need to do.

Addendum: Catherine very thoughtfully included my blog on her site Tarot Elements. Jan, one of her site visitors, left a thoughtful comment on her own copyright experience, as well as a link to a site that I would like to share – Fair Share. You can register with this site to check the Internet for improper use of your own material. Thank you, Jan!

© October 2009 Bonnie Cehovet

The Way of Tarot

The Way of Tarot –
The Spiritual Teacher in the Cards

Author: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Marianne Costa
Translator: Jon E. Graham
2004 (Editions Albin Michel)
2009 (Destiny Books
ISBN #978-1-59477-263-4

“The Way of Tarot” is a very impressive work. Whether you agree with the authors conclusions or not, it will make you think outside of the box, and will perhaps be the impetus needed for someone out there in the Tarot world to connect the dots between their thoughts and present them for examination.

Card references in this book are to the “Tarot of Marseilles” restoration done by Alexander Jodorowsky and Philippe Camoin (used with the permission of Camoin Editions).

Alejandro Jodorowsky is a filmmaker (“El Topo”, “The Holy Mountain”), psychotherapist and author of many books on Tarot and spirituality (including “The Spiritual Journey of Alexander Jodorowsky). Marianne Costa has worked with Jodorowsky since 1997, co-teaching workshops on the Tarot and family tree therapy. She is the author of “No Woman’s Land”.

This book is a presentation of Jodorowsky’s insights into the Tarot as a spiritual path. Working with the original “Marseilles Tarot” to reveal the roots of western wisdom, he provides the key to the symbolic language of what he terms the Tarot’s “nomadic cathedral”, moving the Tarot from a tool of divination into a vehicle for self-realization and healing. He sees the Tarot as representing the structure of the soul.

Jodorowsky structures the Tarot as a multi-dimensional mandala, representing both the microcosm and the macrocosm. The book includes a full color representation of each of the 78 cards of the Tarot, as well as a two-dimensional and a three dimensional representation of the Tarot mandala. The thought is held throughout the book that the cards should always be viewed with an awareness of the whole structure, in order to fully grasp the Tarot’s hermetic symbolism.

The book is broken down into five parts: Part One – Structure and Numerology of the Tarot, Part Two – The Major Arcana, Part Three – The Minor Arcana, Part Four – The Tarot Two By Two, and Part Five – The Reading of the Tarot. Each Part includes introductory remarks by Jodorosky.

I would actually suggest reading the introduction before anything else, as this is where Jodorowsky talks about his life, his personal background, and how his interest with the “Marseilles Tarot” evolved (he worked with other decks, but did not connect with them for varying reasons).

In “Part One, Structure and Numerology of the Tarot”, the authors present quite an interesting schematic of the Major Arcana, with The Fool on the left hand side, The World on the right hand side, and the other Major Arcana cards divided into two rows between them – I-X and XI-XX. They also present a schematic where the 22 cards are laid out in a row, and connections are made between them that add up to 21, the figure of realization.

The Minor Arcana suits are addressed, along with their associations (Swords/Intellect/Active (pointing towards sky); Cups/Emotional/Receptive (pointing towards the sky); Wands/Sexual/Active (pointing towards the earth); Pentacles/Material/Receptive (pointing towards the earth).

The Court cards are also addressed, as to what they represent. It should be noted here that Jodorosky has realigned the court structure to Knight/King/Queen/Page.

In his section on numerology, Jodorosky presents a schematic with 1 at the bottom, 10 at the top, and the other numbers paired in between:

10
8 9
6 7
4 5
2 3
1

He describes each of the ten degrees, and then shows their dynamics as pairs. Two and Three are seen as heavy and energetic, adolescents. Four and Five are seen as still in the material world, but as adults. Six and Seven are refined and active: one knows where one is going. Eight and Nine combine to permit evolution. At degree One, the Totality is in potential. At degree Ten the Totality is achieved, symbolizing the end of one cycle and the beginning of another.

The mandala at the heart of Jodorowsky’s work is based on numerology, so it is imperative that the reader review the section on numerology and come to some personal understanding of it.

The presentation of the Major Arcana includes a discussion of the cards energy, keywords, a discussion of the symbols in the card (along with accompanying small graphics along the right hand side of the page), how the card functions in a reading, the figure in the card speaking to the reader, and traditional interpretations for the card. There is also a full-page black and white illustration with each card.

The presentation on the Minor Arcana Pips (numbered cards) begins by presenting each set of numbers together (i.e. all four Aces, all four Twos’s etc), along with small black and white scans. There is a discussion of the energy of each card, as well as the symbolism within it. Small graphics of the symbols under discussion are included. At the end of this section the suits are presented as a whole (from Ace through Ten).

The presentation of the Honors or Court Cards includes small black and white scans, a short discussion on the card, the voice of the card speaking, and the cards position on the mandala. Each title (Page, Queen, King and Knight) is presented in a group (i.e. all four Pages, all four Queens etc.). At the end of this section is a summary of the meanings by suit.

In Part Four the authors address the “duets” in the Two Decimal series (remember – two rows, with I-X on top, and XI-XX underneath, with O at the left hand side, and XXI at the right hand side). Jodorosky posits that one cycle can be seen as the shadow of the other cycle. The pairs are presented as: Magician and Strength – Two Beginnings, The High Priestess and the Hanged Man – Gestation and Interiority, The Empress and The Nameless Arcanum – Creative or Destructive Explosion, The Emperor and Temperance – Security on Heaven and Earth, The Pope and The Devil – Temptation in All Its Guises, The Lover and The Tower – The Appearance of Pleasure, The Chariot and The Star – Action in the World, Justice and The Moon – Faces of Perfection, The Hermit and The Sun – Crisis and Regeneration, The Wheel of Fortune and Judgment – What Begins Comes to an End. Also discussed are male/female and other pair relationships, including the pairs that add up to 21 (the Eleven Paths of Realization).

In Part Five – The Reading of the Tarot, Jodorowsky encourages (let say “mandates”) the reader to become a mirror for the cards. Presented are exercises and sample readings with One Card (The Spirit of the Day, The Ally, Sounding Yourself, Exercise of Humility with the Major Arcana, Exercise of Humility with the Minor Arcana, What Are My Limits), Two Cards (Advantage-Drawback, Strength-Weakness, The Conflict, The Most Favorite Card, The least Favorite Card), Exercises With One Partner (The Tarological Conversation/Tarot Poker, Tarot Poker Variation), and with Three Cards (Past/Present/Future, Beginning/Deployment/Result, The Reasons for the Present Situation, The Family Trio and its Influence on the Consultant).

Jodorosky also goes into Tarot strategy (How Questioning the Tarot Makes Us the Actors and Authors of Our Own Lives, Repositioning the Cards) and the Psychological Aspects of Tarot Reading (Yes, But … Therefore, Protagonist –Mediator – Antagonist, Reading the Card at the Bottom of the Deck, Choosing a Positive or Negative Reading), and Reading Three Cards Based on Their Numerological Value. A unique take in this section is Following the Eyes, Gestures and Clues given by the Cards.

In his section on using Four Cards or more in a reading, we see exercises entitled The Tarot of Doubt, The Tarot of Liberation, The Hero’s Journey, The World Tarot, The Tarot of the Two Projects, and The Tarot of the Choice.

In the section on using Ten and More Cards in a reading, we see Amplifying The World Tarot, the Tarot of the Realized Self, The Tarot of the Hero Applied to the Four Centers, and Tarot of the Choice Applied to the Four Centers. There is also a section entitled The Artistic Reading, included to help the reader develop their own spreads.

Jordowsky concludes the book with his thoughts on his own Tarotic Philosophy.

I found this book to be interesting and worthwhile, even though I do not agree with some of the concepts. There is a great deal of material to be worked with here – each individual will take what works for them, and leave the rest behind. This is a worthwhile addition to the Tarot library of anyone that wishes to move beyond the divination aspects of the cards into self-realization.

© October 2009

Interview With CIro Marchetti

Interview With Ciro Marchetti

I had the great good fortune to meet Ciro Marchetti at Readers Studio 2009. It was there that the Tarot world got the first glimpse of a project that Ciro had been working on for some time – an interactive membership site that was conceived along with the “Legacy of the Divine” Tarot deck itself, the companion story, and the promotional video.

Ciro, along with team members Carlos Rodriguez (FL), Chris Maher (NY), and Rik Hamilton (UK), have put in an incredible amount of work (which started before the deck was even finished). To quote Ciro: “The purpose of this site is to provide a visually rich Tarot environment that will be both entertaining, informative and functional.

This is intended to be an ongoing project, with updated articles, Hall of Knowledge “snippets” (50 word synopsis of Tarot related wisdom), and some completely new features in the future. Various people from the Tarot world have contributed articles and snippets, allowing many different voices to be heard. (I would like to thank Ciro for allowing me to be one of those people!)

Let’s hear what Ciro himself has to say about this stunning world that he has created for us!

BC: Ciro, this was an all inclusive project from the very beginning. How did that come about?

CM: From the learning curve of producing the Gilded Tarot several years ago, I considered there had to be more possibilities and options for telling the Tarot story than simply having 78 images printed on card. Artists throughout history have embraced new media and technology when it became available. From hand prints on cave walls to the latest multimedia feats delivered to your mobile phone. Yet Tarot seemed to have lagged behind, up until very recently. Tarot decks have been modified in thousands of ways from variations of size, system, theme and image style, but all still based on an image printed on card. Even web sites and phone applications are still merely reproducing a static image albeit on a screen of some kind.

I felt that this missed a great opportunity to take the genre to a new and different level entirely, namely to incorporate animation and sound to breathe some additional life and allow the “cards” or sequences to better communicate their message. I believe when I did this initially on the interactive CD that accompanied the original special edition of the Tarot of Dreams, this was a first. This Legacy web site is an evolution of that process.

BC: What was the developmental process of the Hall of Knowledge?

CM: This is really a means of virtually replicating a scene from my Legacy story, where I enter through the “Gateway” and experience the various interactive walls. Interactive data bases which when approached, respond by providing a wealth of information and instructions covering an eclectic range of subjects.

BC: Tell us a bit about the lenses that have been incorporated into the Halls of the Major and Minor Arcana. How will they allow for future expansion, and what might we see here?

CM: The larger central lens is the main viewing area that displays the animated video sequence for every card of the suite and arcana. Outside of that main lens each interface has four additional smaller lenses, the first of which is already active. Its a link to a designated card calculator or “Portal”, with appropriate question categories for its corresponding suite. The other small lenses will be activated in the near future with some really great additional features. These will include “talking cards”, and the ability to select any card, add a personal message or greeting and send it by e-mail as a digital “post card”.

BC: Can you explain why the downloads will go faster the more times an individual uses this site?
(Personally, I felt that the download time was very good, right from the beginning.)

CM: We are assuming that some people may not have the fastest internet access or when they log on for the first time the internet may be at a peak time, and the download of all the graphics and video content may reflect that. Nevertheless we have put a lot of effort into compressing the content to be as efficient as possible and hosting the content on high end servers. Much of the content will also be stored in your browser cache, so in fact it won’t have to be repeatedly downloaded.

BC: I love the reading rooms! Can you give us a mini tour, and tell us how they work?
CM: We consider the reading rooms to be one of, if not the most sophisticated reading software available. Its a proprietary one developed by Rik Hamilton, who is not only a master software programmer, but also a tarot reader of many years experience. It offers the Gilded, Tarot of Dreams and exclusively the Legacy decks. The Reading Rooms are designed to simulated a true reading environment. you click and drag cards onto decorated tables to create whatever spreads you wish. You are not limited to simply choosing from a limited list of pre determined spreads.

After a reading, you can type a summary, save it to your “Private Journal” for future retrieval or send it by e-mail to your querant.

BC: What are some of the ways that you suggest for using the animated cards feature?

CM: Beyond simply looking at them to gain a deeper understanding of their message, we believe that they lend themselves to being used as teaching aids by those who give tarot classes.

BC: Could the animated cards be used in a professional reading?

CM: Absolutely, wether from their home base, or at a local coffee shop or book store. By logging on, readers could quickly select and play the animated cards that they have just selected from a physical deck and discuss them with their querant in their context of the reading.

BC: If someone wanted to submit an article for future use, how would they go about doing so?

CM: Simply contact me with a brief description of the subject of your proposed article and short bio.

BC: Please talk for a moment about your gift shop. There are some incredibly awesome items offered, including Tarot bags, shoulder bags, quilts, cushions and reading cloths. (All done by hand by Ciro’s talented wife Maria!) How did this come about?

CM: My wife and I have a lovely house which is elaborately decorated with a number of mystical and tarot related items, many of which are adapted from, or incorporate my imagery. After having hosted a couple of meetings of the local tarot association, many of our guests indicated that they wanted to also have some of the items on display. It expanded from there.

BC: What is included in your graphics room?

CM: I receive requests almost on a daily basis asking permission to use some of my images to decorate other peoples web sites and blogs. So I decided to go one better and produce a selection of tarot themed images, designed to also incorporate plain areas, where people could add their own names (real or professional)

BC: What would you like the Tarot world to know about using this wonderful site?

CM: I think the most important issue is to point out that this site is not merely a source of tarot ‘eye candy”. The content is designed to be visited on a regular basis to be used and to learn from. It contains an ever growing Library of articles especially written for this site by leading authors and figures from todays tarot community.

Other features such as the daily card calculators are exclusive and sophisticated programs in their own right designed to filter their responses via the users input to provide more personal and relevant results.

And last but not least, the site designed to constantly incorporate new features and content.

I want to thank Ciro for taking the time to chat with us. This is an incredible venture, made even more so by the fact that he is including the Tarot community in the process.

BIO: Ciro Marchetti (Florida) is an award-winning artist from the United Kingdom. He studied art in London, followed by a career working in Europe and South America before settling in the United States where he opened a design agency in Miami. In addition to managing his company, Ciro also gives workshops and lectures on digital digital imagery and illustration at the Fort Lauderdale Art Institute, and continues to create his own visionary art. His decks include the “Gilded Tarot”, “Tarot of Dreams”, and “Legacy of the Divine Tarot”.

© October 2009

Personal Responsibility

Sitting here listening to Ginny Hunt on Leisa ReFalo’s “Tarot Connection”. Good background for reviewing the things that have been coming my way lately. I have been perusing Tarot blogs, and noticing how they inter-relate with social media venues, such as forums, groups, Face Book and Twitter. I remember “way back when”, and how interaction on forums and groups was generally handled within the group, or discussed through personal e-mail. Fights broke out, fights were resolved, and, in general, everyone survived. There was a certain amount of moderation – both by the forums/groups and by individuals of themselves.

Now what I see is people addressing what may or may not be inappropriate activity within forums/groups on professional blogs. Sometimes this is done under the auspices of “What do you think?”, or “Do you want to talk about this?” IMHO, there has to be a better way to start a discussion, or find a blog topic. Actions taking place within a forum/group need to be handled within that forum/group. If you find actions by one or more individuals divisive, then take it up with them. If you cannot find resolution, then one option is to leave the forum/group, and perhaps to start another forum/group of your own. Taking the issue into cyberspace won’t resolve anything.

This takes my thinking to personal responsibility on the Internet. We have to be personally responsible for what we say/do. One we choose to speak, once we choose to act, there are going to be repercussions.

One other thing that happened recently has me reassessing many things. A well known New Age author/speaker recently held a purification ceremony near Sedona, AZ, for over sixty people. This was part of a multi-day group learning experience. It went tragically wrong – at least one person died, and several more were treated at the scene, and/or taken to the hospital. There may have been safety concerns involved, which may lead to criminal charges.

How we choose to do what we choose to do is very important. I am still assimilating this whole thing. I want to thank @LlucyD on Twitter for bringing this latter information to my attention. Her blog on this can be seen here: http://bit.ly/cYaeW.

The Tarot Lovers’ Diary

Tarot Lovers’ Diary
2010
Tarot Spreads, Tarot Card Meanings, Illustrations and Calendarial Information

Author: Karyn Easton
Paranomrality.com Publishers
2010
ISBN #978-0-9552497-4-7

Karyn Easton has chosen three of what I consider to be the strongest cards in the Tarot (The Sun, The Lovers, and Strength) for the cover of her 2010 “Tarot Lovers’ Diary”. New for 2010 – Karyn has included full color illustrations of the forthcoming Limited Edition “Paranormality Tarot Deck”. The illustrations have been printed with backs so that the cards can be cut out and used, if one desired to do so. (Personally, I cannot cut anything like this up! I will be at the head of the line for the deck when it is released.)

I was first introduced to the “Tarot Lovers’ Diary” in 2009. I love working with it, and keep it on top of my printer (right next to my laptop) for easy access. It is on this calendar that my personal work notes go. I will do the same with the 2010 version.

What is included in this diary? What makes it special? For me, both the size (approximately 4 ¼” by 5 ¾”), and the fact that it is spiral bound (making it very easy to use) weigh in its favor. This year, as mentioned, full color illustrations of the forthcoming “Paranormality Tarot Deck” have been included (this is a wonderful bonus!). The upright and reversed meanings to all 78 cards are included (as shown on the Paranormality web site), as well as a variety of Tarot spreads (Question and Answer, Seven Card Horseshoe, Six Card, Yes/No, Three Card, Seven Card Infinity, and Question and Answer – yes, there are two differing Question and Answer spreads!).

From the diary:

“ The Fool –

The Fool
The Spirit of Aether

Card Number: 0, Key Number: 11, Rulership: Air, Hebrew Letter: Aleph, Translation: Ox, Numerical Value: 3

Divinatory Meaning

Upright: Beginnings, most probably of journeys which may be possibly mental, physical or spiritual. The beginning of a new life-cycle. Energy, force, happiness and optimism. The overturning of the status quo or existing states by unexpected happenings, innocence, naivety, and spontaneity. Important decision to bemade.

Ill Dignified or Reversed: Ill advised risks, impulsive action, choices and rash decisions. Foolishness, gambling, instability and the wasting or frittering away of creative energy. A bad time for commitments and can be an indication of someone who starts many new things but never finishes them. They may also consistently seek changes in their environment or job.”

There is a table of contents at the beginning of the book, so that card meanings, card spreads, and calendar-type information (phases of the moon, religious and civil calendar) can be easily accessed.

Under Astronomical Information, we find information on the eclipses and the seasons. Under Chronological Cycles and Eras, we find information on specific eras (Japanese, Roman, Insian, Nabonassar, Diocletian, Byzantine, and Grecian), the year they are in, and when the year begins. We also see common religious holidays, the Civil Calendar for the United Kingdom, and holidays specific to the United Kingdom. For those who work with the cycles of the moon, as I do, there is a listing of both new and full moon phases for the entire year.

There is enough space each day to include daily notes, with a space at the bottom for notes and weekly priorities. Each day includes a bit of interesting information – i.e. for Sunday, January 3rd: JRR Tolkien, born 1892.

Another bonus – a clear, hard plastic cover. Not only does this keep the pages from curling, but it protects from inadvertent spills of coffee and soda (speaking from personal experience here!).

A scan of the diary cover, along with deck and purchasing information, can be found at www.paranormality.com . The “Tarot Lovers’ Diary” is convenient and easy to work with, making it an excellent gift for yourself, family or friends.

© October 2009

Love God, Heal Earth

Love God, Heal Earth
21 Leading Religious Voices Speak Out
On Our Sacred Duty to Protect the Environment

Author: The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham et al
St. Lynn’s Press
2009
ISBN #978-0-9800288-3-6

The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham is founder and president of the Regeneration Project, which has as its focus the Interfaith Power and Light campaign. This is an effort that involves more than 4,000 congregations, mosques and temples, and more than 500,000 people in a faith-based action to heal the Earth. It is an innovative plan that mobilizes congregations of all faiths to reduce energy consumption in their buildings, as ell as in their communities. This is more than a “greening” of religion – it is a religious eco-movement based on the premise that we have a moral obligation to preserve and protect God’s creation – the earth that we live on.

The voice we hear is a united one, featuring the views of twenty-one religious leaders from differing religious backgrounds on the subject of healing the earth. The authors are in agreement that the religious community has come late to the environmental movement. But they are here now, and are taking action! It is also important to note that in each religion there is an imperative to take care of the earth that we live on.

In her introduction, Rev. Bingham notes that there are now twenty-seven state Interfaith Power and Light programs, as well as one in the greater Washington DC area. They are the leading faith community advocates for climate protection in America.

Contributors to this book include the Rev. Woody Bartlett, a retired Episcopal priest; Mohamad A. Chakaki, who hold a Masters Degree in Urban Ecological and Environmental design, as well as undergraduate degrees in religion and biology; Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener, director of the Inter-religious Eco-Justice Network and the spiritual leader of Congregation Pnai Or of central Connecticut; the Rev. Dr. Gerald L. Durley, senior pastor of Providence Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta; SR Paula Gonzalez, SC, Ph.D, futurist, environmentalist, and a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati; Imam Achmat Salie, founder and director of the Islamic Studies program at Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Michigan; and Linda Ruth Cutts, Abbess and Senior Dharma Teacher of the San Francisco Zen Center from 2000 – 2007.

Through the stories these individuals tell, we get a clear picture of the impact that we can have as individuals on our environment. It is a choice – our choice – but more importantly it is a religious imperative that we need to listen to and act on.

© October 2009

I’ll Trade My Sorrow

I’ll Trade My Sorrow –
Trading the Pain of Yesterday For
A Journey That Frees Your Soul

Author: Cynthia Primm
Higher Life
2009
ISBN #978-1-935245-09-4

“I’ll Trade My Sorrow” is a collection of poems written over a period of thirty years, beginning in adolescence. Born to an alcoholic mother and an emotionally distant, violent father, Primm found out very early in life that poetry was the one avenue that helped her deal with the overwhelming pain in her life.

Before each section of poetry (which is the time in her life in which it was written) Primm offers a brief narrative of what was going on in her life at that time. While the poems alone are quite evocative, placing them in the context of what was going on in her life gives them added perspective and depth.

It also does something else – it allows the reader to identify with the process that Primm went through, and gives them hope that they can heal also. These poems are all about looking for love and acceptance outside of ones self, and coming to the realization that healing needs to start with self-love.

Primm put herself through college, married, had children, and built a solid career – all the while dealing with her shadow demons. Through sharing her story, she gives other women a solid foundation upon which to find their own road to self discovery and self-love.

© October 2009