RIP Roger

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

 

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

 

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

 

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

 

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face: your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

 

Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together.

 

Author Unknown

 

This is in honor of my long haired Orange Tabby, Roger. I went to bed last night, exhausted beyond belief. I thought he was in the house. I heard a rustling outside of my bedroom window – as if an animal had pounced on a smaller animal. They were no yowls, no cries at all. I was too tired to go check – and at that point, I could not have done anything anyway.

 

I got up this morning, and Roger was not in the house. I looked for him, I called him – he rarely leaves the area around the house, and never stays outside overnight. I am sure that Roger is gone. I have taken up his food dishes … tomorrow I will take the kittie litter boxes out.  I hope that he will return, but I know that he won’t.

 

I have no idea why this had to happen, and there is a large hole in my life. Roger could be a real pain, but he was also very loving. He will be missed.

 

Roger, may you walk with the Fool on your journey, accompanied by the Empress and the High Priestess.

 

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Tarot Birth Card Pairs: Tower/Chariot

Over the next year I am going to be writing about Tarot Birth Cards, what they mean and how we can work with them. I use the system of Tarot Birth Cards developed by Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone of the Tarot School (www.tarotschool.com). Using the Seeker’s birth data (month, day and year), pairs of birth cards are defined. (For more information, and to calculate your own Birth Cards, go to http://tarotschool.com/Calculator.html.)

Please note: I have a book being published by Schiffer Books in fall of 2011 – “Tarot, Birth Cards and You: Keys To Empowerment” (http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764339028), incorporating images from Karyn Easton’s “Tarot Lovers Tarot”. This was to have been a joint project (book and deck published together), but the decision was made to publish both separately, which I find very exciting! Karyn has a Birth Card calculator up on her site, where you can also view her incredible deck (it really is!) –http://paranormality.com/tarot-birth-card-calculator.shtml.

A special thanks to Leisa ReFalo www.tarotconnection.net, who developed the Birth Card Calculator, and graciously gave us permission to use it.

Our seventh pair of Birth Cards are the Tower (Key 16) and the Chariot (Key 7). Some of the associations for these cards are:

The Tower:

Astrological Sign: Mars

Keywords: spiritual awakening, sudden/unexpected change, chaos, abrupt change in life structures, “lightening bolt” of wisdom, frustration, anger, fear, freedom from restrictions, setbacks, suppressed anger, clearing that which no longer serves you well out of your life, unwillingness to let go of established structures.

The Chariot:

Astrological Sign: Cancer

Keywords: self-control, victory, triumph, confidence, faith, mind over heart, depending on yourself, making use of your skills/abilities, over-confidence, recklessness, scattered energy, anger, rebelliousness, inflated ego.

 

The Theme for this lifetime is that of releasing ego and old structures, grounding yourself in the present and the day to day of life.

We can choose to do personal work with our own Birth Cards, we can use Birth Cards in conjunction with a reading for a client (place their birth cards, drawn from a deck other than the one you are reading with, above the spread(s) laid out for them). The spread(s) are then read through the lens of perception of the Seeker’s Birth Cards. As added value, a reader could give their client scans of their Birth Cards, along with a short write-up about them. Readers can also use the Birth Card system to better understand other people in their own lives (family, co-workers, friends etc.).

The key to bringing balance to any lifetime is that of understanding how and where your Birth Cards are operating in your life. The Tower and the Chariot represent the two aspects of the gateway into a 16/7 lifetime. The Tower is ruled by Mars, placing focus on intense, warrior like energy – the energy that it takes to bring old structures down. (Note: The structures we are referring to here are ones that man has put in place himself – religious strictures, boundaries set by governmental law, and boundaries set by culture.) The Tower is an intensely active energy, expressing the need for things to happen in a very immediate manner. The Seeker does not have control over themselves or their environment here.

 

The Chariot is ruled by Cancer, placing the focus on home and family. The need for close personal relationships is shown here. It is important to pay attention to the day to day of life, make informed decision and take decisive actions. This is where the Seeker balances his or her emotional and intellectual selves. This is also where we see the union of our Higher Self and our Spiritual Self.

 

The Tower and the Chariot set the tone for this lifetime. The path that the individual walks is one that addresses the lessons of how they express control in their life, and how they bring about a sense of balance. The Tower with its Mars-like warrior energy blasts away at the structures in its environment, and insists on charging ahead quickly. The Chariot carries a gentler energy, seeking to balance life by maintaining control of impulses and actions. Change is still the result, but change that is brought about by informed decision making and actions.

A 16/7 (Tower/Chariot) individual empowers themselves by balancing the need to release non-functional social structures and establish new social structures (the Tower) with the areas of self-control, self-discipline and self-confidence (the Chariot).

The Tower and the Chariot work together to release the hold of the ego. The Tower brings abrupt change, blasting apart personal structures that are no longer serving the individual well. The Tower brings a spiritual awakening, as old beliefs and habits are released, and shadows faced.

The Chariot teaches self-control and self-discipline. Here we see a balancing of intellect and emotions, the development of self-confidence and a sense of personal direction. The ability to use your own skills and abilities to take you past all challenges into success.

Images from the “Tarot Lovers Tarot”, Karyn Easton, 2008, paranormality.com.

© July 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

New Moon In Cancer

 

Image from “Oracle of Visions”, by Ciro Marchetti (2011, self-published).

July 1^st  brings us a new moon in Cancer, accompanied by a partial solar eclipse.  This is the last of the Capricorn/Cancer eclipse series, and represents a time when resolution is coming to issues originating in mid 2009. Focus will be placed on Cancer related issues – home, family, our sense of security (our “safe place”), that which supports us, our past and emotional issues.

This is a time when we need to listen to our inner self, to trust our gut instinct. It is time to pay attention to the foundations in our life – especially those centered on home, family and emotional connections. We need to honor who we are, to bring a balance between work life, family life and personal life. With the energy of a new moon, be looking to begin new projects in any of these areas.

Questions that we could ask ourselves at this time include:

• Where do I not feel supported?
• What do I need to feel successful?
• What challenges am I leaving behind me?
• What makes me happy?
• How can I best get in touch with myself?
• What constitutes my “safe place”?
• What do I need protection from?

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

The Tetractys and the Four Suits

In this article I’m going to be looking at the concept of the Tetractys, a mathematical pyramid conceptualized by Pythagorus that consists of four rows of 1, 2, 3, and four numbers respectively. Not being a mathematician, I am not going to go too deeply into this, but I want to present a basis for looking at the numbered cards in the Minor Arcana of the Tarot, and how they relate to each other.

Some interesting background on the Tetracty (from Wikipedia):

1. The Tetractys symbolize the four elements – earth, air, fire and water.
2. The first four numbers also symbolized the harmony of the spheres and the Cosmos.
3.  The four rows add up to ten (1+2+3+4=10), which is a unity of higher order mathematically,
4. The Tetractys represents an organization of space: (1) the first row represents zero-dimensions (a point), (2) the second row represent a one-dimension (a line with two points), (3) the third row represents two-dimensions (a plane defined by a triangle of three points), and (4) the fourth row represents three-dimensions (a tetrahedron defined by four points).

There is an actual spread entitled the Tetractys (Tetraktys) spread. It is in the form of the ten position Tetractys triangle, and is defined as follows:

1

3          2

6          5          4

10          9          8          7

The bottom row, the Tetrad, represents the material world. From right to left, the positions represent the elements of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. This row represents the opportunities and conflicts between the different areas of the Seeker’s life.

The second row from the bottom, the Triad, represents spiritual forces. This line presents the back story, or the explanation for what ha happened in the bottom line. The three positions are, from right to left, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Destroyer.

The third row up from the bottom represents the Dyad, or the essential principles. The right hand card represents light, and yang, while the left hand card represents dark, and yin. Here we see the heart of the issue of the reading.

The fourth row up, from the bottom, represents the Monad, or the whole, the unity of the principles in he Dyad. It represents the theme of the issue being addressed.

Over the next four weeks, we will take a look at the four suits of the Minor Arcana, and see how they fit into the principle of the Tetractys. Some of the things that we will be looking at are masculine/feminine polarity, which cards are operating “behind the scenes”, and fate versus free will. Wish me luck on this!

In the meantime, take a look at the Tetractys – as a unified triangle, and as a triangle made up of many smaller triangles. Lots of inter-relationships here!

Here are a couple of links that will allow you to use the Tetractys as an actual Tarot spread: Aeclectic Tarot Forum, http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Tetractys/id/578326.

To end this on a high note – a little video that I found on You Tube. It is a reflection on the Kabbalistic Tetragrammaton and the Tetractys, so not directly related to the Tarot, but well done and interesting, none the less.

Bibliography

Kabbalistic Tetragrammaton and Tetractys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAukInaCgas.

Tetractys. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetractys

Tetrakyts. http://www.telp.com/tarot/tetraktys.htm

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

ISIS Tarot de Marseille

ISIS Tarot de Marseille

Artist: Tadahiro Onuma
ISIS (The Institute of Study on Initiation and Symbolism)
2010
ISBN #978-4-88594-446-8

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I want to thank Alec Satin for bringing this deck to my attention. I saw he scans on his blog, and “had to have it”! I purchased the deck directly from Mr. Onuma, with not a little trepidation, because I was not that sure how well Japan’s postal system had recovered from their recent devastating tsunami difficulties. I need not have worried – it came through in record time, and in excellent condition!

The “ISIS Tarot de Marseille” is a traditional, 78 card Marseille-style deck, based on the Nicholas Conver Marseille deck (1760). Where the Conver deck was made from wooden block prints, and therefore appears two dimensional, the ISIS deck is three dimensional.

The colors are absolutely stunning – rich and vibrant, they pop right out at you. Primary colors are used – green, blue, red, yellow and light blue, symbolizing, as noted below, the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) plus flesh. There is a slightly different view of the colors presented by Jean-Claude Flornoy in his restorations. He presents the seven symbolic colors as white, the color of emotional saturation; black, representing the earth; red, representing blood and suffering; blue, representing blows to the body and soul; yellow, representing perseverance; green, representing hope; light blue, representing awareness;

There was no LWB (Little White Book) with this deck, but there was an informational card that reads as follows:

”The Tarot de Marseille is part of a World Heritage in which a spiritual tradition of Southern Europe has successfully been preserved and cultivated since ancient times. It is like a museum on paper where mystical wisdom from ancient Egypt, the Orient, Greece, India and the Celtic and Jewish traditions can be found hidden in symbolism. It is you who will discover the inherent value that resides within the cards.

The oldest Tarot de Marseille can be traced back to the beginning of the 17th Century. It is said that Francois Chosson’s 1672 version defined the basic structures of this particular tarot, and all versions of the Tarot de Marseille after that one include the following characteristics:

1. The proportion of the card is always the equivalent of two equilateral squares joined.

2. There are frames at the top and bottom of each Major Arcana card, containing a Roman numeral at the top and the name of the card in French at the bottom.

3. The number frame for the Le Mat card is blank and the Arcana XIII has no name frame.

4. Each image is depicted in a geometrical composition consisting of three circles, two squares, two triangles and two pentagrams.

One hundred years after Chosson, the Conver version was published in 1760. In the 250 years since, it has become the de facto standard of the Tarot de Marseille.

A wealth of esoteric teachings are embedded in the composition, colors and numbers of this tarot. The colors of the Conver version are green, blue, red, yellow and light blue, symbolizing respectively, earth, water, fire, air and ether of the 5 elements, plus flesh. The ISIS version restores these colors as faithfully as possible.

The Conver version was made with wooden block prints, representing each image two dimensionally. The ISIS version presents the images in third dimension. The ISIS version includes contemporary technology and Japanese aesthetics, making it the most beautiful Tarot de Marseille in the world.”

The cards are approximately 2 ½” by 5”, and the card stock is study and will stand up to use. The backs are a small patterned green, and are reversible.
The card faces show a ¼” white border, followed by a thin black line. The Major Arcana show the card number, in Roman numerals, at the top, with the card title across the bottom in French. The Pips (numbered cards) show the card number, in Roman numerals, centered on the left and right hand side of the card. The Court cards show the title and suit across the bottom. As this is a Marseille-style deck, the imagery on the Pips is limited to the suit icon and minimal embellishments.

The Fool and Strength have an interesting added detail of a bee prepared to sting! What I noticed immediately was the eyes in this deck – they stand out int hat they are focused in a definite direction, and they add emotion to the figures on the cards.

Several of the cards in this deck retain traditional markings: the Two of Deniers (Pentacles) shows the year of publication and the publisher. The Two of Coupe (Cups) shows a Cup in ayellow background at the bottom of the card, the the initials “G” and “M” to the left and right of the Cup as it faces the reader. Le Chariot shows the initials “V.T” on the chariot, between the horses. The Valet de Deniers is labled with the word “France” on the left hand side of the card, and he words “Conver Valet.de.Deniers” on the right hand side of the card.

I liked the feel of this restoration. The added dimension to the cards, along with the intensity of the color, makes for some very pleasant reading experiences. I would not hesitate to recommend this deck for any level of student/reader – there is something for everyone here. I also feel that it is an especially good deck for someone new to the Marseille tradition.

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Chain Reaction

Chain Reaction

Author: Ross. E. Goldstein, Ph.D.

Self-Published

2011

ISBN #978-1-452842284

 

“Chain Reaction” is what I would call an epic story. Goldstein, a competitive cyclist, journalist covering the cycling world, an sports psychologist writes about a 23 year old cyclist, Cal Scott, riding for a major team, T-Mobile, with apparently everything going for him, who abruptly leaves the cycling world to return home to live with his parents. He won’t tell them why he left a promising career as a cyclist, and makes no moves to pursue an alternate life. He becomes a barista – a top barista – but has no plans for a future.

 

When Cal is 25, his father Paul plans a trip to Italy, to do some “recreational” cycling. He invites Cal to come along to ride with him. Paul is a hardball defense attorney – Cal strongly suspects strings, and refuses to go. In the end, his father will not take no for an answer. Cal finds himself in Italy, meeting his father’s friend Gianni Di Salvo, and Gianni’s cyclist daughter Daniella.

 

Oh … the trip strangely coincides with Bassano del Grappa’s grueling race up the ferocious slopes of Monte Grappa. Di Salvo is the coach for his own Squadra Diavolo cycling team. Cal is offered a chance to ride with the team, where a winning race could mean re-entry into the cycling world. Along the way Cal faces his own shadows, his relationship with his father, a growing relationship with Daniella, and a highly competitive relationship with the team Squadra Diavolo leader, Rocco. Rocco will do anything to win, and he is Daniella’s ex-boyfriend.

 

Along the way we hear many familiar names, including that of iconic cyclist Lance Armstrong. We learn about blood doping, and performance enhancing drugs, such as EPO, CERA, We see the way a team functions, from the inside out. We see the competitive nature, the team members that give their all for their team leader, pushing themselves until they have to drop out.

 

The sport of cycling has a cut-throat side, but it has an equally strong heart – that of pushing ones-self beyond all limits to achieve the seemingly impossible.

 

Well written, fast paced … one does not want to put this book down!

 

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

 

 

Wildwood Tarot

The Wildwood Tarot

Author: Mark Ryan, John Matthews
Artist: Will Worthington
Sterling Ethos
2011
ISBN #978-1-4027-8106-3

In his preface, “Return To The Green”, Mark Ryan refers to the “Greenwood Tarot”, the predecessor to the “Wildwood Tarot”. He notes that the insights from the Greenwood “otherworld” have been nurtured and applied by thousands of people. They have come to know the esoteric archetypes that inhabit the Wildwood, and the Wheel of the Year system. Unavailable for some years now, the “Wildwood Tarot” takes its place alongside it predecessor. The focus and emphasis for the “Wildwood Tarot” is on ecology, and he older conception of forest lore from a European perspective.

Everyone that I know that has worked with either of these decks has been drawn into them, and moved beyond belief. They are not to be taken lightly. The box that the book and deck come in is heavy duty, with a lift-off top. The figure on the top of the box is that of the Ancestor (Hierophant), a very imposing figure clad in reindeer skins and evergreen leaves. This figure alone tells of the seriousness of intent in this deck. There are two compartment within the box for the cards, with finger-hole to make easy to get the cards out

I am a little bobblehead reading the companion book. (Yes, I read companion books from first word to last. I am not of the school that throws the book away and just takes the cards out to play.) The figure on the cover of the companion book is that of the Hooded Man (The Hermit). This is a favorite card for me in most decks, as it is one of my birth cards, and a card that I strongly identify with.

Note: Having said this, Mark Ryan says in “Part One – Into The Green” that the best advice he was ever given was to “Read the book, meditate with the cards, then put the book away and do your own thing.”

I am impressed with many things in the companion book. From an esoteric perspective, I love the fact that green type has been used, and that the pages that divide the sections are green, with white print. It follows the theme of the book, without making a mockery of it. The companion book is divided into three parts: Part One – Into The Green (Introduction), Part Two – The Cards And Their Meanings, and Part Three – Finding Your Way (working with the cards).

The deck is a traditional 78 card deck, with the Major Arcana renamed as follows:

0 The Wanderer (The Fool)
1 The Shaman (The Magician)
2 The Seer (The High Priestess)
3 The Green Woman (The Empress)
4 The Green Man (Emperor)
5 The Ancestor (The Hierophant)
6 The Forest Lovers (The Lovers)
7 The Archer (The Chariot)
8 The Stag (Strength)
9 The Hooded Man (The Hermit)
10 The Wheel (The Wheel of Fortune)
11 The Woodward (Justice)
12 The Mirror (The Hanged Man)
13 The Journey (Death)
14 Balance (Temperance)
15 The Guardian (The Devil)
16 The Blasted Oak (The Tower)
17 The Pole Star (The Star)
18 The Moon On Water (The Moon)
19 The Sun of Life (The Sun)
20 The Great Bear (Judgment)
21 The World Tree (The World)

The suits are Arrows (Swords/Air/Spring), Bows (Wands/Fire/Summer), Stones (Pentacles/Earth/Winter) and Vessels (Cups/Water/Autumn). The Court Cards are King, Queen, Knight and Page.

In his introduction, Mark Ryan addresses the subject of gender in the deck. First and foremost, each of us carries both male and female qualities. Where the concept of the archetype was largely masculine or feminine, that is what the creators worked with. In other instances, choices were made – such as the Moon being portrayed as feminine and the Sun as masculine. Ryan also addresses such things as asking questions (which he breaks down into the formulation of the question, the impartial layout of the cards, and the interpretation of the layout), fate and the Tarot, and the foundation for the Wheel of the Year. He takes us through the four seasons, the four corresponding suits, and each card in turn. The text is complimented with an excellent schematic of the Wheel of the Year and the four suits.

The cards are presented with a black and white scan, a short synopsis of their position on the wheel, a description of the card, a discussion of the meaning of the card, reading points, and a highlighted section called “Roots and Branches”, where the keywords are listed. Note: The Court Cards do not contain descriptions, and the Pips (numbered cards) do not contain keywords. The intro page to each suit includes a quote, the position on the wheel, the elemental association and associations (keywords/qualities applicable to each suit).

The chapter on working with the deck includes a three-card spread (The Pathway), a seven card spread (The Bow), and an eight card spread (The World Tree). After the spreads the authors have included a visualization (The Hermit’s Cave). At the end of the book are blank pages for making notes.

I was especially pleased to see a visualization presented, and presented so well. The reason given for including this was that answers do not come easily in any divination system, or in a form that is easily understandable. The visualization is meant to help the Seeker focus on their question, and to get to know the archetypes and what they represent.

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The cards themselves are 3” by 4 ¾”. The backs are black, with a fine white border ¼” in. At each corner is a white flower. Along the border on the right and left hand sides is a copyright notice. The backs are reversible. The card faces have a ¼” white border. The titles are across the bottom, in black mettering: the Major Arcana show the card number and title, the Pips show the card number and suit, in text, with the keyword for the card. The Court Cards show the card title and suit, in text, along with the keyword for the card.

The artwork is color intense, with a sense of fantasy, along with a strong acknowledgement of the natural world, and stands consistent from card to card. The artwork, by Will Worthington, is very different from that of the “Greenwood Tarot”, which was illustrated by Chesca Potter. Both decks stand on their own as far as the artwork goes. There is an intensity of both color and form in these cards – they carry great power, to the point that at times one does have to step back and regroup.

With the sense of earthiness and care for the planet at the foundation of this deck, it would appeal to all forms of nature (green) spirituality, as well as to those that follow other religious orientations. The stories flow in this deck – it would be easy to read from for and level of Tarot reader/student, and is applicable for all ages and all backgrounds.

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

A Few Notes On The Minor Arcana

When we think of the Minor Arcana, we think of the 40 pips (numbered cards) and the sixteen Court cards. We might think along the lines of Marseilles (icons only, no imagery) versus non-Marseilles (those decks that show imagery in the Minor Arcana). Our minds might, momentarily, wander over to the four suits, their differing names from deck to deck, and the elemental association of Fire with Wands and Air with Swords, and how in some decks this association is reversed. Our minds just don’t stay for too long with the Minor Arcana.

There are many different decks out there, representing many different schools of thought. What they have in common are: (1) they have four suits, with Elemental associations, (2) each suit has ten numbered cards (Ace through Ten), and (3) each suit has (traditionally) four Court cards, titled Page, Knight, Queen and King (or some similar titles), or a variation with Princess, Prince, Queen and Knight (the “Thoth Tarot”). Additional cards have been added to some decks, but this is the foundation for the traditional Minor Arcana.

Something that we often only pay passing attention to is the importance of the numbers themselves. The play an important part in bringing “order” to the foundation and geometry of the Minor Arcana, and its ability to drive the “story” of a reading or meditation. In her “Essay On The Minor Arcana”, Christine Payne-Towler talks about Pythagoras, a sixth century BC teacher and prophet. There are some very interesting concepts here, about each number having a specific vibration, and specific properties. From here Pythagoras developed the harmonic theory, which is expressed through music, but which he also applied to the relationship amongst the stars, and at the atomic level.

Pythagoras used numbers to drive his philosophy. Whole numbers, in his world-view, embraced and illustrated the Great Laws of Nature. In both the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana, we are dealing with numbers, numbers which act as the foundation for the card being examined, not to be viewed as a system (numerology) that was super-imposed on the Tarot. The geometric figure that Pythagoras used to express his philosophy was the Tetractys, a pyramid a ten discs, with each disc bearing the geometric figure of a whole number.

Every numbered card in the Tarot takes on the sacred geometry of the number that rules it. Aces represent a whole, and opportunity. Two’s represent duality, while Three’s act to balance and bring together the the properties of each element. Four’s form a foundation, while Five’s act to challenge each individual. Six’s can be seen as two three’s working together, and move the individual forward. Seven’s represent the spiritual triangle in the physical square. Eight’s can be seen as two connected squares, while Nine’s become the “perfect number”, in the form of three triangles. Ten’s act to continue the cycle, as they move into the Ace of the next element.

In future blogs I am going to be taking a look at the sequence of numbers as they play out in each of the suits – how the structure of the number blends with the essence of the Element to make the Tarot what it is. What are your thoughts on numbers as related to Tarot? Do you consider them significant to your readings? Do you see them in an individual format, or as part of a process, with each number holding its own position and responsibility?

Bibliography

Christine Payne-Towler: Essay On The Minor Arcana

(c) June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

 

 

 

Gaian Tarot Reading

This is a reading that was part of a tele-class taught by Carolyn Cushing for the Gaian Tarot Circle on 6/15/11. The deck is broken down into three stacks: the Major Arcana and Aces, the Pips (numbered cards 2-10), and the People Cards (Court Cards). One card was draw from each deck, in answer to the following questions:

Major Arcana/Aces: What is the path of sacred expression that will help me live my deep purpose now? – Temperance

Minor Arcana Pips: What practice will help me to be on this pathway? – Five of Water

People Cards: Who can help me carry on with my purpose? – Elder of Fire

Temperance

Five of Water

Elder of Fire

Temperance to me is literally the Healing Angel. In her companion book, Joanna talks about Temperance as being the “middle path”, the place between the two extreme polarities. This resonates with me, because I see myself as a healer, as being the “middle man” that helps others see what is there for them and find their way. This is my purpose, and I am living that purpose.

The practice that will help me on this pathway is that of paying attention to my intuition, to that creative spark within me. I need to not be afraid to let it loose.  I love the “between the worlds” feel of this card.

I see myself in this card. In her companion book, Joanna identifies the figure as a “curandera”, or healer. She carries the gifts of the shamanic and healing arts, and has the capability to shift between the worlds. The power is within me to carry on with my life purpose. In moving between the worlds, ancient wisdom can be tapped.

I want to thank Joanna for forming the Gaian Tarot Circle, and Carolyn for gifting us with this incredible spread.

(c) June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

 

Full Moon in Sagitarius/Total Lunar Eclipse

On Wednesday, June 15th, there will be not only a full moon in Sagittarius, but a total lunar eclipse. According to Spaceweather.com, the length of this eclipse will be more than 100 minutes (where the Earth blocks the Sun’s light from reaching the moon), making this the longest total lunar eclipse in eleven years. For almost two hours the light from the full moon will appear to not shine. I am not an astrologer, but that has to be disruptive in some way.

The energy of the moon is about emotions, relationships, and psychic energy. With this full moon/lunar eclipse, we are going to be looking at what we want, what we need (and they may not be the same thing!), and what we lack (or what we feel that we lack). It gets better – the Moon is all about the waters of the unconscious self, so memories and emotional “ghosts” are likely to come flooding over us at this time.

When all is said and done, we will have a better knowing of what it is that moves us, what our core beliefs are, how they have shaped us and how they are shaping us. We get to know our own truth – whether we want to or not, whether we think that we are ready to or not. There is a negative extreme, of course. We see our truth, decide that it is THE truth, and expect everyone to shape up and go along with it! Sagittarius also like to keep moving along, so energies can be a bit scattered if we don’t watch them closely. We need to be flexible when discerning our own truth, because there are a lot of truths out there.

As the Moon represents our unconscious, we may find ourselves facing, and having to deal with, both hidden beliefs and hidden motivations. They come from our life experiences, and can represent true shadows. If we can face and deal with those shadows, then we can begin to reach our full potential as individuals, and as a part of a community.
This is a time of expanding consciousness, where our focus moves away from self and out into the world.

Three of Teeth

The Idea

Camno of Teeth

I decided to do a three-card spread for this Full Moon. I defined the positions as:

3

1           2

1. What I want. – Three of Teeth (Wands)
2. What I need. – The Idea (The Hierophant)
3. What I lack. – Camino of Teeth (Path of Teeth – Wands)

I want to be able to access my intuitive powers, to collate and bring things together. Then I want to share my wisdom, my results. I consciously recognize that this is what I want.

What I need is a strong belief in myself. I need to walk my talk. My life is changing, my beliefs are not, so what I need is something that I really already have (IMHO).

What I lack is enthusiasm, self-confidence, and courage to challenge the unknown. This is a surprise to me. As a Cappie, I have never stopped myself from tackling anything. I have always had the courage that I needed to do anything that I really wanted to do. What I show as lacking here is a huge block for me.

My next step is going to be to take these three cards into meditation during my Full Moon ceremony.

What are each of you taking into the Full Moon time?

Images are from the “Individuum Universal Tarot”, Superjumpers S.L., 2008.

© June 2011 Bonnie Cehovet