New Moon / Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to all of my U.S. friends! The very next day, November 25th, we see a New Moon in Sagittarius, and a solar eclipse, also in Sagittarius. Just how much energy can we handle, here! We are seeing a new beginning (new moon) in a mutable sign (Sagittarius). What exactly is that little Archer up to!

My suggestion would be to look at his positive traits, as we draw to us what we focus on, what we hold in our mind. The Archer is very energetic, and carries a tone of optimism and enthusiasm about him. He moves fast, and he enjoys life! In fact, he does like to keep on the move, to explore and learn. You have to watch him a wee bit, as he can be blunt and outspoken. He simply sees no reason not to be. Can definitely be annoying at times!

Now is the time to focus on deepening our understanding of ourselves, and of our goals. Time for a bit of a time out for some personal time. Personal time to tune in, that is, not to tune out! Use this Sagittarian energy wisely! Take this time to define your goals, to make sure that your goals are in alignment with your current beliefs (our beliefs will change somewhat as we come to understand ourselves and the world around us more and more.)

Move past the minute details of your life and look at the big picture. Are you who you want to be? If not, why not? Answer these questions:

* What would make me happy at this time?

* How can I bring that into my life?

* What is out of balance in my life?

* How can I bring it back into balance?

* Where can I stretch myself … where can I extend my boundaries?

* What is holding me back, and what do I need to do to release it?

The New Moon Solar Eclipse squares Mars (as well as trining Uranus). The square to Mars releases some potent energy – impulsive energy that has a few surprises in store for us! Not being one that takes to change – or impulsiveness – easily, it looks like I am in store for a ride! To ground and center myself, I need to remember that the changes that are going on are important changes that need to be made.

This is all about finding our truth, and living that truth in an ethical manner.

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

 

Holiday Sale on “HazelMoon’s Hawaiian Tarot”

I have great news! The creator of “HazelMoon’s Hawaiian Tarot”, Katalin E. Ciskos, is offering a steeply reduced price on her deck for the holidays. (I believe that this offer expires on December 31st, 2011.) She is offering her deck for $8.00 each –  half the retail price!

You will not see this offer on her site. To take advantage of it, all you need to do is email Katalin at   hazelmoon3@msn.com, and let her know how many deck you would like. She will send you an invoice, and you can pay through Pay Pal. I just placed my order (small as it was!), and hope that some of you will take advantage of this to provide a nice little gift to a Tarot friend or two!

The deck can be seen here:HazelMoon’s Hawaiian Tarot”.

My review of the deck can be seen here – HazelMoon’s Hawaiian Tarot

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

The Four Agreements – Fifteenth Anniversary Edition

The Four Agreements
A Practical Guide To Personal Freedom

Author: Don Miguel Ruiz
Artist: Nicholas Wilton
Amber-Allen Publishing
2011
ISBN #978-1-878424-93-8

To The Circle of Fire:
those who have gone before,
those who are present,
and those who have yet to come.
(preface to the book)

“The Four Agreements” has had a very long life. The book under review here is the fifteenth anniversary edition, which includes four-color illustrations by Nicholas Wilton.

We each limit ourselves in many ways. In releasing these self-imposed limitations, we free ourselves to be who we really are, and to live the lives that we were meant to live. Don Miguel Ruiz is a shaman in the tradition of the Toltec. His mother was a curandera (healer), his grandfather a nagual (shaman) in the Toltec tradition.

The Toltecs were a group of people that were known throughout southern Mexico as “men and women of wisdom”. They were scientists and artists who formed a society to explore and conserve the spiritual knowledge and practices of the ancient ones. They came together at Teotihuacan, the ancient city of pyramids outside of Mexico City. Over time, the nagual were forced to conceal the ancient wisdom, keeping it going in a secretive fashion. Part of the reason for this was that a few apprentices were misusing their personal power.

This ancient wisdom has been passed down, in secrecy, by several lineages of naguals. Ancient prophecies foretold of a time when it would be necessary to return the wisdom to the people. This is that time. Toltec wisdom is not a religion in and of itself, but it honors all religious masters. In the chapter on dreams we find the following: “Ninety-five percent of the beliefs that we have stored in our minds are nothing but lies, and we suffer because we believe all these lies.”

To move away from believing our own lies, we read the following: “If you want to live a life of joy and fulfillment, you have to find the courage to break those agreements that are fear-based and claim your personal power.” We feel powerless because of the agreements we have created. Our agreements rule our life – to change our life, we need to change our agreements.

There are four agreements that will help us to break the agreements that are holding us back. Those four agreements are:

Be Impeccable With Your Words
Don’t Take Anything Personally
Don’t Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best

The first agreement asks us to speak with integrity – to not speak against ourselves or others. The intention that we need to put into our words is that of focusing on truth and love.

The second agreement asks us to recognize that the things others say and do is not because of us. We cannot take it personally. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality.

The third agreement asks us to not make assumptions. We need to have the courage to ask questions, and to express our own opinions. We need to be able to communicate clearly.

The fourth agreement asks us to always do our best … and to recognize that our best will change from time to time.

To be free, we need to break our old agreements. In the chapter on the Toltec path to freedom, we read the following: “The first step toward personal freedom is awareness. We need to be aware that we are not free in order to be free. We need to be aware of what the problem is in order to solve the problem.” This is followed by: “The freedom we seek is to use our own mind and body, to live our own life, instead of the life of the belief system.”

This is an incredible book – it is a blueprint for becoming whole and real. And the artistry included in this, the fifteenth anniversary edition, is awesome! It is beautifully done, and flows throughout the book. It adds to the text, rather than taking attention away from it.

This book is a gift … a treasure.

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Arnell Ando Tarot Tour – Italy 2012

I am reprinting the following with Arnell’s permission . This is a marvelous opportunity to visit Italy and see Tarot history!

Dear friends interested in the Tarot art & history tour of 2012:

Good news! The first tour (which ended a few weeks ago) was a great success and Facebook is still buzzing with Tarot travelers posting great photos and sharing happy memories. We are already hard at work organizing the 2012 tour. You can see the pictorial itinerary with an outline of planned destinations and events here: www.arnellart.com/tarot-italy-tour2012.htm although some details and surprises are yet to be revealed. I apologize for the long e-mail but wanted to give you as much info as possible.

Having this first tour under our belts, we now have an even clearer understanding of the entire experience (what to add to 2012 tour or do differently) and we believe we can offer you an even better experience. For one thing, this trip will be extended an extra two days to give you more time in favorite places (extra time to explore places like Ferarra, Florence and Siena). We also have a better understanding of actual costs (as close as can be estimated with the Dollar to Euro fluctuation in these uncertain times) and realized we calculated the tour package a bit too low last time, (unaware of Italian taxes and additional fees, etc.) And as mentioned, this is also a longer tour than Fall of 2011, by two days. While still keeping the tour extremely reasonable, and especially with all that it includes we are excited to share this wonderful adventure planned for you and hope that you can join us.

Tour Details:

Tour Dates: (14 Days) Hotel Check in: Sunday September 23rd – Saturday October 6th 2012 (Hotel Checkout: Sunday the 7th of October)

Tour Cost & Payment Due Dates: The tour package includes a week stay at a wonderful castle in Tuscany (the same castle we stayed with the legendary Brian Williams during the Tarot tour of 1999). The castle does not have single rooms; only lovely apartment suites (iow, all rooms are intended for double occupancy or larger). Therefore those who wish to have a private room on this tour will be offered two price options. If you want to have a private room during the full 2 weeks of the tour including the castle suite, the tour package price for you will be $3700. But if you can share a suite with a tour mate during the week at the castle but want to have a single hotel room for the other week, the price is adjusted down to $3400. For the solo traveler who matches up with a roommate for the entire tour, your price is only $3000 (per roommate). Same goes for friends traveling together as roommates, naturally. Couples tour package price: $6000. ($3000 for each of you as well).

A small initial non-refundable deposit of $150. is due by December 15th 2011 so that we may secure early deposits required in Italy. In the near future we may offer this tour in two packages (with an alternate luxury tour). This however is an ‘economy tour’ and extremely reasonably priced given all that is offered and therefore we need to gather no less than 25 travelers to make it financially viable. Only in the event that we do not receive enough December deposits of $150. will the tour be canceled and these early deposits refunded.

The 2nd deposit of 50% of the remaining balance is due by January 20th 2012. This amount in non-refundable as it is used to pay hotel and castle deposits to secure our lodgings. If you want to pay the entire tour amount at this time, you will be thanked with blessings and given a 5% discount on the entire cost of the tour package (we can do the math for you, if you like, just ask). You can pay me for the tour by personal or bank check (U.S. Dollars), Paypal or bank wire transfer (covering any and all fees). More details will be forthcoming in a future e-mail to those who contact me expressing an interest to join us on this fabulous tour.

The balance for the tour will be due by April 23rd, 2012 (5 months prior to the tour). …Remember tho, a 5% a discount to those who pay the full amount by January 20th 2012.

We can try to help accommodate single travelers who hope to find a roommate, (if you let me know your wishes to find a roommate, any special requirements and in so doing give me permission to share contact info with others who are also hoping to find a roommate).

More Details…
Tarot Tour Forum: Registered members of the tour will be invited to join a private forum. The forum will be updated with trip details, photos, dinner menus, lodgings, as they become known, as well as useful tips and a way to connect with other tour group members.

Food: On the Tour Forum you will be given a choice of set menus for most of the fabulous resteraunts we have planned for you. Typically these fine eateries will offer a menu which includes an appetizer or 1st course, a main course involving meat & veggies and then possibly a dessert or something in that realm sure to delight. A 2nd option would have just as much food to enjoy but be more of a vegetarian fare (keeping in mind its nearly impossible to avoid tasty cheeses and farm fresh eggs in Italy…and by Vegetarian they typically mean the meal has no meat or fowl).
A satisfying buffet style breakfast will be offered in the hotels and at the castle. At lunch time you will be on your own to break up into smaller groups if you like to explore the places we are visiting. Most dinners are included and will be at great restaurants (most of which are favorites from previous trips) featuring delcious local cuisines from that particular province of Italy. 3 of the 14 days you will be offered some free time to explore on your own and dine with friends. Generally speaking wine and drinks are not covered and are up to you to come out of pocket if you want them. Although in some cases a bottle of wine to share is offered (in other words, please don’t expect drinks to be included…its more of a kind gesture when it happens). Anything you order off the set menu is also out of pocket.

Accomadations: You can check out the lovely castle we will be staying for a week while we travel the Tuscany region here: http://www.montalto.it
All hotels will be conveniently located to our travel needs and are 3-Star or above with private bathrooms and breakfast included.

Your Travel to Milan: We recommend that you fly in and out of Milan international airport (MXP Milan Malpensa Airport) for those of you traveling by air, since that is where our tour begins and also ends, after having come full circle. The hotel we plan to stay on arrival and departure is puposely conveninet and within a short walking distance to the Milan train station and airport shuttle area. More details on that later.
Travel expenses within Italy during the tour will be covered (we plan to charter a private tour bus again) and most planned events and admissions to the various places on the itinerary too. However things you choose to do on allotted free time or that are not part of the planned curriculum are on you.

Our tour guide is none other than Morena Poltronieri, the director of Museo dei Tarocchi (Italian Tarot Museum) www.museodeitarocchi.net/; a lovely individual and dear friend, well versed in Tarot history, symbology and lore. (Fyi, here’s a mini site I created to give an overview of her Museo: www.arnellart.com/museodeitarocchi/home.htm

Tour Bus: As we did this autumn, we plan to charter a comfortable tour bus and will request the same driver Andrea, since he was spectacular. Although having a private bus makes the experience that much more enjoyable and relaxing; (not having to worry about over crowded mass transit and time lost waiting for such, etc.), it does not mean the tour does not still require a lot of walking and climbing stairs. Many of the ancient places we will be visiting require us to travel by foot some distance so if you have health issues that prevent you from walking a good distance or climbing stairs, you may find this tour too much of a challenge. Others may want to consider what Michael and I began doing several months before the tour; getting into the daily ritual of walking an hour after dinner with sturdy, supportive walking shoes.

At this time we ask that you please let me know by e-mail if you are still interested in attending this tour. If you can no longer make the trek, please drop me a note, so I don’t continue to bombard you with e-mail. Please let me know specifically if you mind that others are aware of your plans to join us on this tour. I trust that this will be an incredible adventure with many happy surprises and unique experiences that we will enjoy together and in the retelling for years to come.

We very much look forward to hearing from you and sharing more details as they become available. Please refer to the tour outline on this webpage www.arnellart.com/tarot-italy-tour2012.htm which has photos. However I have posted a text only reference below in case you find it useful. Thank you again and we look forward to your response with great anticipation and to hopefully sharing this adventure.
Ti voglio tanto bene, ciao!
Arnell Ando along with Michael McAteer as well as our good friends at Museo dei Tarocchi
www.arnellart.com

Highlights planned for this
14 day Tarot Art & History Tour of northern Italy:
September 23rd – October 6th 2012

In cosmopolitan Milan, we’ll visit the awe inspiring Renaissance fortress of the Castello Sforzesco, where the ancient Visconti Tarot cards were found in an abandoned well. We’ll bask in the beauty of frescoes by Leonardo da Vinci and by Bonifacio Bembo, the creator of the earliest known Tarot deck. We’ll visit with living Italian artists, publishers and scholars who are among the most prolific in the field. We’ll enjoy inspirational art showing how the richness of this culture fostered the Tarot. We’ll spend time with internationally renowned Tarot artist and publisher, Osvaldo Menegazzi and be mesmerized in his shop Il Meneghello www.arnellart.com/osvaldo. And later dine with Osvaldo and family at one of Milan’s finest eateries. And we’ll revel in the beauty of Milan itself, with its incredible Gothic Cathedral: http://milan.arounder.com/en/churches/milan-s-duomo-cathedral and famous plaza, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

In the charming Renaissance village of Fererra we’ll spend the night in order to pack in a full day of exploring this charming town full of character and intrigue. Highlights include Palazzo Schifanoia; a 14th century Palace, boasting frescos by early Renaissance painter Francesco del Cossa, that depict astrological paintings having a correlation to Tarot symbology. We will view the Massari Palace with its impressive Boldini exhibition as well as a lovely Romanesque Cathedral with Baroque style interiors. A leisurely walk around a cobblestone Jewish village is bound to inspire with its delicate beauty and unique architecture.

We will spend three exciting days within the city walls of historically rich and vibrant Bologna and take day tours with Morena Poltronieri. She will reveal early symbology inherent in Tarot found in the magnificent Saint Petroni Cathedral, as well as the church of Saint James and we will discover an ancient Temple of Isis with ties to Jerusalem. We will have time to visit wonderful museums, an elaborate open air market and to sample the local cuisine on our own as well.

Onward to Riola, where we will spend a day at the incredible Tarot Museum nestled in a small hilltop village, surrounded by majestic forests and mountains. An impressive array of original Tarot artworks from around the world, as well as an incredible collection of decks from the rare to the unusual and most popular awaits us. The 400 year old building of the Tarot museum so lovingly restored has many hidden treasures including tree trunks that open to reveal shelves of prized Tarocchi and tiny doors with lit windows hidden in stone walls that open to show off precious miniature artworks. www.arnellart.com/museodeitarocchi/brochure.htm The Museo folks plan to throw a special garden party for us with their artist friends…

Next we will travel to the enchanting Tuscany region, with its tidy lines of cypress trees, endless olive groves, and lazy sunflowers…like gazing into an immense painting. Medieval castles and villages dot the landscape adding to this picturesque scene. We will stay in a fabulous ancient castle of our own for a week in lovely suites while we travel the Tuscany countryside! http://www.montalto.it/index.shtml The castle’s personal chef Alexander will grill a special barbeque for us and treat us to lovely buffet style breakfast each morning.

We will visit Florence with time to explore its great and gentle beauty and wonder at its incredible Duomo. You will be free to take in the Galleria del Accademia (home of Michelangelo’s David) or other equally intriguing landmarks of your choosing.

We’ll also spend an afternoon in the quaint, tiny Renaissance town of Pienza with street signs like titles of Tarot Trumps and an unusual Cathedral boasting an underground labyrinth, as well as enticing shops with flavorful cheeses, sausage and sundries.

We will explore the marvelous Medieval city of Siena which offers much to tantalize the palette and inspire the artist within; with its stunning B&W marbled Duomo di Siena, designed to fill the visitor with overwhelming awe. And see mosaics and frescoes with pre-Christian, Pagan imagery and symbology also found in ancient Tarot decks. Fabulous museums await with some of the greatest masterpieces of all time. Cobblestone paths spiral out from the Campo de Piazza offering wonderful eateries and unusual shops.

At the heart of our tour we will make a spiritual pilgrimage to the Tarot Garden of Niki De Saint Phalle. A breathtaking view of colorful sculptures loom large on the horizon as we draw near… Niki created this amazing magical place where all twenty two trumps welcome us to explore and play in sight of the Mediterranean ocean surrounded by a rocky landscape graced with olives and oaks. Unlike most museums where you’re not allowed to touch or even take photos, the Tarot garden invites us to interact with her art. www.nikidesaintphalle.com

The tour will end where it began, in Milan (convenient for air travel) where we will savor a last supper while dining with dear Osvaldo Menegazzi and friends. And having come full circle, we can bask in the collective experience of a lifetime!
Our Italian artist friends await to make this tour very special and memorable. Please book early as space is limited for this extraordinary adventure.

Arnell and Michael went on both amazing Tarot art history tours with the late great Tarot artist, writer and scholar Brian Williams in 1999 and 2000 http://tarocon.com and we dedicate this tour, as always to Brian’s memory and legacy. Having visited Italy frequently we have become more deeply enamored with this wonderful country with each passing year.

A Little Info About Your Tour Organizers & Tour Guide:

Arnell Ando is a Jungian-based, Expressive Arts Therapist and has been passionately studying the Tarot since 1984. She has contributed to countless collaborative Tarot projects and has created 5 decks so far including, Transformational Tarot published by U.S. Games, and Hero’s Journey , which she has been handcrafting since 1994. Her latest offering is the Lucky Pack Tarot. Arnell has combined her studies in the spiritual and psychological realms to create her unique interpretation of the Tarot. She occasionally conducts art therapy and Tarot workshops. Arnell has two grown sons who she adores and lives in San Diego with her husband and best friend Michael McAteer (resident expert on logistics and our seasoned border collie for the Italy tour). You can view Arnell’s art, decks, and a line of custom made miniature occult shops, or read her various articles at: www.arnellart.com

Morena Poltronieri is the director of Museo dei Tarocchi; an internationally renown Tarot Museum, and the Hermatena publishing house, which she co-created with her partner Ernesto Fazoli. She has led tours both in Italy and abroad for many years and is an expert on ancient and Tarot symbolism, history and lore. Visit the elaborate Tarot Museum site here www.museodeitarocchi.net/ Or for a quick overview, this mini site – www.arnellart.com/museodeitarocchi/home.htm

(c) November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Joie de Vivre Tarot

Joie de Vivre

Author: Paulina Cassidy
Artist: Pauinla Cassidy
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
2011
ISBN #978-1-57281-662-6

“Joie de Vivre” – French for “joy of living”. And yes, this is a joyful, light-hearted deck that brings out the child in each of us – something that we don’t do often enough! In her introduction Cassidy notes that the living beings that occupy this realm are all sentient souls of love who want the best for those that choose to journey through their world. They will help you lighten up in order to better tap into your intuition and connect with Divine source. The Seeker will find themselves responding through heart, mind, and spirit.

The presentation in the LWB (Little White Book) is what I have come to recognize as the style of U.S. Games Systems, Inc. – text only, keywords, a short paragraph describing the energy of the card, and the upright and reversed meanings. At the end of the book is a unique six card spread entitled “Spreading the Joy”,as well as blank pages for note taking. The author bio is something that you will want to read also – because it is here that you will find that Cassidy has been a student of energy healing for over ten years, and applies her studies in Reiki and pranic healing to her visual art, and that she also composes and records songs. Certainly the energy of the healer comes through in this deck!

The cards are 2 3/4” by 4 3/4”, of good quality, glossy card stock. The backs show a 1/4” white border around a beautiful orange center, and are reversible. The card faces show the same 1/4” white border, with the card titles at the bottom: number (in Roman numerals) and title for the Major Arcana, number (in text) and suit for the Pips (numbered cards), and title and suit for the Court Cards.

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The art is very gently done fantasy, in pastel colors. The Fool seems to be floating through the air, and there is a bit of the Mad Hatter in the Magician’s top ha. The Hanged Man hangs from a vine in mid air, while the Two of Wands is a lovely muse standing with a globe in one hand, and her owl companion appearing to be sitting on her head. The Nine of Cups is a lovely lady with nine cups swirling around her. The Four of Swords shows a figure standing, with a sacred spiral where her lower body would be. The LWB notes that this is Chrysalis, who has retreated to her sacred cocoon of soul healing, from which she will emerge a butterfly. The King of Swords, a cat-like figure, stands with his dove companion.

This is an excellent deck to use with clients that are a little nervous about the Tarot, or to take yourself, or a client, “out of the box” in your reading. It would also be a wonderful deck to use in a comparative reading. It is not a deck that would be used by a beginner to learn to read the Tarot, but it has its place. The artwork alone is worth the price of the deck!

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Cat’s Eye Tarot

Cat’s Eye Tarot

Author: Deborah M. Given, DVM
Artist: Deborah M. Given, DVM
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
2011
ISBN #978-1-57281-685-5

In her introduction Given posits that it is possible that cats are our spiritual guides. Anyone who has even been owned by a cat will agree with that! Given has portrayed the cats in this deck as thinking and acting as cats. Again, anyone who has ever been owned by a cat will look at the imagery and situations in this deck, nod, and smile. They will have seen these same situations many times over in their own experiences with their pets.

Given notes that cats are experts at reading body language, as they rely upon visual signaling to communicate at a distance, and to avoid conflict with other cats. People can also learn to read their cat’s body language. Does anyone out there not know what ears laid back flat means? It is mot definitely not an invitation to pet them!

The imagery in this deck is, as the author states, clean and uncluttered. As in, this deck is minimalist as far as esoteric symbols are concerned. What you see are the cats, in their everyday environment, doing everyday things. Given has followed the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition as interpreted by author Joan Bunning in her book “Learning the Tarot”. The Major Arcana carry the traditional titles (with the exception of the Hanged Man, which becomes the Hanged Kitty, with Strength at VIII and Justice at XI. The suit titles are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles, and the Court Card titles are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. Continuity in this deck is established through the use of color: the Major Arcana are purple, Wands are orange, Cups are red, Swords are blue, and Pentacles are green and brown.

The suit of Wands shows Red Tabbies, the suit of Cups Black and White Tabbies, the suit of Swords Siamese, and the suit of Pentacles Brown Tabbies. The suit symbols have also been replaced: Wands are represented by reptiles, the suit of Cups by fish, the suit of Swords by birds, and the suit of Pentacles by mice.

The LWB (Little White Book) presents the cards in text only, with keywords, a short paragraph on the card’s energy, and how the card appears in a reading. At the end of the LWB is a unique spread called the “Nine Lives Spread”. (This spread is also presented as an extra card with this deck.) Nine cards are drawn – three for youth, three for mid-life, and three for maturity. At the end of the book are blank pages for notes.

The cards are 2 3/4” by 4 3/4”, of good quality, glossy card stock. The backs have a 1/4” white border, surrounding the image of the face of a cat with green eyes. The image is done landscape style, and does not lend itself to reversals. This is the only thing that I did not like about this deck – the card backs could have been done in a different format.

The card faces show the same 1/4” white border, with a color coded border at the bottom of the card fot the card title. The Major Arcana carry the card number in Roman numerals and the card title. The Pips (numbered cards) show the card number in text and the suit. The Court Cards show the card title and suit.

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One of my favorite cards in this deck is the Ten of Swords (I never thought that I would be saying that!) Here we see a Siamese cat walking very gingerly on a cluttered kitchen counter. Another Siamese is using the kitty litter box (yes, in the kitchen!), while a young mother guards her kittens in the cabinet under the counter.

The Fool shows a young cat, balanced on a porch railing as he goes after a bumble bee. The Page of Pentacles shows a brown tabby barn kitten slowly approaching a mouse, who is hiding in the hay. The Four of Swords shows a Siamese cat on the top tier of a cat perch, looking out the window. On a limb outside the window we see a sparrow gazing up at the cat.

The Empress is one of those “Awwwwwwweee” cards, showing a mother cat sitting on the bottom step of a staircase, with her two kittens sitting between her front paws. The Emperor is really cute – here we see a black smoke Persian seated on a chair in front of a lit fireplace. Struggling to make his way up into the chair is a young orange kitten.

The Hanged Kitty shows a gorgeous Maine Coon on his back in front of a lit fireplace. He knows that he is safe, and that he does not need to be ready to fight, or to flee. Temperance shows a pure black male cat and a pure white female cat, curled together in the yin/yang position, balanced on a balustrade above a rugged coastline.

The Two of Wand is a “laugh out loud” card, showing a young orange tabby precariously draped over a tree limb, reaching out for a small, green lizard. The Ten of Wands shows a scenario that has actually happened to me: we see an orange tabby about to go up the steps to his house with a snake in his mouth. It is hard for the little fur balls to drag a snake around, but they can do it! I have had to rescue more than one snake from my living room!

Last, but not least, the Ace of Cups. Here we see a brightly colored fish in a bowl, fascinated by the friendly cat paw that is on the outside of the bowl. In my personal experience, the paw is usually over the top of the fish tank, trying to drag the fish out!

This is a beautifully done, “believable” deck. Not just for cat lovers, and an excellent choice for clients that may be a bit nervous getting a Tarot reading.

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Crystal Visions Tarot

Crystal Visions Tarot

Author: Jennifer Galasso
Artist: Jennifer Galasso
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
2011
ISBN # 978-1-57281-702-9

“Crystal Visions Tarot” is brought to us by fantasy artist Jennifer Galasso. The beautiful, soft artwork bring to mind another of my favorite decks, the “Shadowscapes Tarot”, by Stephanie Pui Mun Law. I love the colors and sense of grace in this deck. The intention with this deck was to create art that was unique, but that would be close enough to traditional imagery to allow new readers to learn the Tarot easily.

The name for this deck was inspired by the Stevie Nicks CD “Crystal Visions”. Galasso also attributes her interest in the spiritual realm to Stevie’s haunting voice, ethereal nature, and poetic lyrics. Her interest in crystal balls is also evident in the deck’s imagery. While not intended by the artist, I have to agree with a comment in the introduction that some of the imagery in this deck does bring to mind the faerie realm.

This is a traditional 78 card deck. The traditional names are kept for the Major Arcana, with Strength at VIII, and Justice at XI. The suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. The Court Cards are entitled King, Queen, Knight, and Page. There is one additional card in the Major Arcana, entitled the Unknown Card. It represents an answer that is not yet ready to be revealed. I love decks with an extra card like this – we can all identify with Kat Black’s Happy Squirrel in the “Touchstone Tarot”, and who doesn’t adore the Artist in Monica Clio Sakki’s “Sakki Sakki Tarot”! The Unknown Card can refer to something from the past, or something that is going to happen in the future. The area that this card falls in indicates where steps need to be taken to clarify the big picture. There is also a hint to move forward with an open mind, leaving all bias behind. I loved this card before I even knew what it represented – my thought was “Yes! Another deck with a card that is “gifted”!”

The LWB (Little White Book) that accompanies this deck gives a short introduction, then presents each card, text only. The energy of the card is discussed, with upright and reversed meanings. At the end of the LWB the layout for the Celtic Cross is given – meanings only, no sample reading. This is followed by several blank pages to take notes on.

The cards are 2 3/4” by 4 3/4”, with a slick card stock. The backs have a 1/4” white border, surrounding a gorgeous center done I shades of lavender, with roses and vines in the four corners, and a round globe in the center, surrounded by vines and roses. In the middle of the top and the bottom is an upright chalice. The backs are reversible.

The card faces show the same 1/4” white border, with the card title in across the bottom, with the background color indicating the suit: the Major Arcana is yellow, Wands are light red, Cups are pink, Swords are blue, and Pentacles are gray. The artwork is done in a fantasy style, using reds, greens, lavender, and dark brown predominately. There is a sense of gentleness and “otherworldliness” that draws one in, and makes one feel right at home.

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This is one deck that if I had my way, I would talk about each and every card! However, that is not allowed, so we will look at the cards that pulled me in the strongest. One of my birth cards is the Hermit, so that is one card that I look at in every deck. If there was a make or break card for me, this would be it. Here we see a lone figure, in a lavender robe, sitting atop a mountain, with a lamp in their left hand. They face the right hand side of the card, generally considered to represent the future. To me, they appear very wistful.

The Empress stands in the middle of a garden, wearing a bright red dress, and carrying a triskele scepter in her right hand. She holds a heart shaoed charm. Lush greenery is behind her, as well as a tree with bright green foliage and ripe red fruit. In the upper right hand corner of the card we see beautiful butterfly’s.

The Lover’s shows a man and a woman embracing, with flowers in the right and left hand lower corners. The figures are bound by ties held by two doves,

The Unknown Card is an “extra” card added tot his deck to represent that which we are not ready to know yet. What an incredible card, with the female figure holding a crystal ball in her left hand, wIn her right hand is ith lit candles on her upper right hand side and lower left hand side. In front of her we see the shadow of an owl. Her whole body posture invites the Seeker to peer into the crystal ball!

The Queen of Cups is shown seated on a rock, surrounded by water lilies and dragonflies, wearing a lavender gown. In her left hand she holds a cup, in her right hand a trident staff.

The Ten of Swords in this deck is one of the least scary, but saddest, images of this card that I have seen in any deck. A female figure is face down in the snow, bloody, with ten swords in her back. She is surrounded by snow and barren trees. The clouds in the sky behind her are attempting to part, indicating that there is hope.

The Eight of Pentacles shows a female figure, standing at her spinning wheel, paying ardent attention to her work. I like this card because she is working outside, with greenery surrounding her and a tree behind her.

The Knight of Wands is seated on his horse, which is rearing up, indicating action. In his right hand is what appears to be a lit torch.

The Fool in this deck just carries incredible energy! The figure is a female, with dark, flowing hair. She stands on a precipice, one foot on land and one in the air. There is a trail of butterfly’s in the air to her right.

I found this deck very easy to read with, and feel that it would be a great deck to offer clients as a choice for their readings. The art alone is gorgeous, and the additional card (the Unknown Card) to me opens up new avenues for reading. It could simply be taken out of the deck if the reader preferred not to use it.

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

Taurus Full Moon

The November, 2011 Full Moon occurs on Thursday the 10th, in the sign of Taurus. (How very auspicious – my sister and I are headed up to Canada for a seminar on that day!) There is another reason that this Full Moon is auspicious – on Friday, November 11th, we experience the much ballyhooed 11/11/11. (November 11th, 2011) You can read my thoughts on 11/11/11 here – http://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/2011/11/04/111111/ .

Hmmm What does a Full Moon in Taurus bring us? This is a time to remember that not all things are as they seem. We need to develop an appreciation for who we are, for our “authentic self”. If we are not reflecting our authentic self in our day to day life, then we need to take a look at that. One way to ground and center is through how we express our spirituality.

Along with the Full Moon in Taurus, we have the Sun in the sign of Scorpio. Here we see the extremes in emotions (including that little Scorpio stinger!), along with a sense of depth and intimacy. This is a time when we want to get to the truth of things, to “out” all things secret. BTW – Scorpio has a strong will to go along with their (mostly quiet) intensity! All things superficial are out! Scorpio energy can be healing and transformative if positively aspected. If negatively aspected – watch out! Jealousy reigns supreme!

Put together, Taurus brings us patience, while Scorpio gifts us with an astute sense of timing. It will be easy at this time to create calm within the chaos, and to ground and center yourself. This carries importance, as the Taurus Moon/Scorpio Sun can bring with it an internal power struggle, especially relating to material things. Dealing with current or old relationships may be called for, but this is not a good time to begin a new relationship.

Things we may want to look at on this Full Moon:

1. What am I not seeing in my life?
2. How do I feel about power? Do I use it wisely?
3. What am I basing my goals on? Do I need to re-evaluate, release the things that no longer serve me well, and reset my goals?
4. Is trying to achieve my goals costing me more than it is worth?
5. What do I need to take the time to reflect on this Full Moon?

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

100 Years of the IPA

100 Years of the IPA
The Centenary History of the International
Psychoanalytical Association
1910-2010
Evolution and Change

Editors: Peter Loewenberg & Nellie L. Thompson
Foreword: Charles Hanly
Karnac Books
2011
ISBN #978-1-905888-16-0

In his foreword, current IPA President Charles Hanly notes that the year 2010 marks the 100 year anniversary of the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA). The beginnings of the IPA were at the Founding Congress in Nuremberg in March of 1910. As small as this council was, it included such luminaries as Freud, Ferenczi, Abraham, and Eitingon. While the IPA was founded by men, yet women gained recognition, institutional equality, and governance roles in the psychoanalytical field before they were able achieve comparable status in other scientific fields. Hanly regards the IPA as a unique organization that advances its field of knowledge and practice by means of congresses. In addition, the IPA maintains minimal ethical, training, and professional standards, and creates new study groups, provisional societies, and component societies throughout the world. It also certifies psychoanalysts worldwide according to the highest standards of training and practice in the field.

This work is a four year collective effort on the history of the IPA, with 56 contributors, in 41 countries and societies. Included are essays by the six living past IPA presidents (and by the late past president Leo Rangell). Each contributor speaks of both the accomplishments and the shortcomings of their administrations.

The book is divided by geographical area: Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Oceana. Each geographical area is then sub-divided into countries. Each contributor has written a synopsis of how the IPA developed in their country, including the individuals involved, the names of the presidents, and the issues that were faced, which included religious and cultural bias, national bias, political bias, and individual “ego clashes”. In several instances the IPA was either shut down, and then later re-instituted, or groups splintered off from an existing group.

At the beginning of the book is a listing of each of the contributors, with a short biography. At the end of the book is a listing of IPA Congresses, by year, including who was president of the Congress. There is also a listing of IPA Societies, broken down by geographical location.

Reading this material takes one back in time, as if they were reliving the times of Freud and Jung, their contemporaries, and those that followed them. I found this to be a fascinating book, and a must have reference for anyone in the psychoanalytical field, or anyone interested in it.

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet

11:11:11

Okay, this blog is a little late in getting out! (Twitter #FF’s done earlier!) Today is 11/11/11. Just saying that is enough to make some people turn pale, lock the door, call in sick to work and crawl back into bed. Sounds like a good idea to me! We can all do with a few more three day weekends, IMHO.  All those ones! Well, more important, all those 11’s! Okay, so I am a bit behind in getting this blog out! At least it is getting out today. And yes, I did get my Eleven being a Master Number, connected to spirituality, new beginnings, and a sense of compassion.

Certainly 11:11:11 brings with it a change of consciousness. It is considered a gateway into higher consciousness by some. It is a raising of our vibrational level, so that we are able to receive information sent to us by higher beings. This can be a scary thought, or it can be something that we accept and flow with. What are you going to do with it?

Many of us have been seeing multiples of numbers around us for some time now. This is happening more often than chance would seem to indicate. Repeating numbers in an address, repeating numbers on a clock – 11:11, 12:12, 2:22, 3:33, 4:44. 5:55 … the list goes on. I have read that this is an indication that we are being tapped on the shoulder to pay attention to that which is around us, that we are being told to get ready to have information brought to us. It isn’t something that we can really prove or disprove, but I weigh in with those who do think there is a significance, and that this is not a random thing.

I drew three cards from Christine Payne-Towler and Michael Dowers’ “Tarot of the Holy Light”. The positions are defined as: (1) What does 11:11:11 mean to us?, (2) What do we need to know about 11:11:11?, and (3) What should we take with us from 11:11:11?

3

1                                             2

 

1. King of Swords
2. The World
3. 6 of Disks

11:11:11 has everything to do with looking at things in an objective manner, making a decision, and then acting on it.

We need to know that 11:11:11 is the completion of a cycle – a spiritual cycle. Things are coming together for us in our understanding of our own world. We are about to make a quantum leap in our connection with, and understanding of, Spirit.

We take with us on this 11:11:11 a sense of balance in the world on a personal, community, state, country, and global level. The playing field has been leveled, and we are moving forward in our “negotiations” with the spiritual world.

© November 2011 Bonnie Cehovet