Witches, Women and Elderberry Tree

One of my favorite tarot decks, The Deviant Moon deck created by Patrick Valenza. Here is the 7 of Pentacles, with a woman as witch, beneath the branches of  an elderberry tree. Women, witches and the elderberry tree have a relationship in lore:

She may provide a potent link with the Mother Goddess and facilitates contact with spirits of other trees. In a sense she acts as a mother figure within the woodland. She carries the wisdom of the Crone, and is mistress of the deepest magic. 

Witches were said to be able to turn themselves into elder trees. Gypsies believe that it is very bad luck to cut down and burn elder wood and that the Elder Mother will take revenge. This superstition arises from an instinctive realization that a lack of respect for Nature is dangerous, ultimately, to the human race. Elder's unruly growth hints at the untamable aspect of Nature, the black heart of the earth to which we owe our being. 

Elder fairy has an aged, feminine wisdom, too long mispriced in our culture, but with a little respect she will act as teacher.

The Fairy Bible, Teresa Moorey/

The Goddess Tree.com 

Deviant Moon: Ace of Wands Twice

This card has come up twice, in two different readings involving the same individual.

In context of the situation and individuals involved, this card suggests the hold on family the person in question has. New direction, beginning, possible pregnancy, children. This woman will hold onto their unit with whatever it takes. Perfect union for them, but isolated, insulated, and at what cost? Before that:

The two other cards in the reading: 9 of Cups, 10 of Wands.

9 of Cups: material fulfillment. Greed, lust, such wishful thinking! Like a kid who gets all the candy they want, not knowing or caring that it isn't good for them. Concern for the material is the priority. Expecting things to be given to them, more to the point really: feeling of entitlement. And not having to share. Mine, mine, mine!

10 of Wands: Such a burden! Heavy, hard to handle, all the individual has to do is put the load down. But they won't, they can't. so grasping and greedy and overwhelmed with keeping what they believe is theirs. Nobody else deserves it, there's no sharing the burden. No leaving some of it behind to lighten the load -- someone might steal it after all! Better to carry the heavy thing. That way it's sure to stay with the rightful owner -- no one else will get any!

Back to Ace of Wands. I love the imagery in this card; it's very Madonna like. But in this context, and the fact the card has come up twice in the same context (different days, different readings) it suggests a skewed maternal instinct.

Summary
Another dark reading, and so where is the benefit to this? The healing and productive side to such a reading? This was a reading for insight into a situation for another. Not much can be said for the unpleasant truths of the situation; but we can be forewarned. Our intuitions about the situation are confirmed, and we now know that it is simply best to walk away and leave them to themselves. 

Insight Into an Ugly Situation

I created this little three card layout that offers insight into an ugly situation. Why is this person behaving this way towards others in the context of this situation? Lies, secrecy, irresponsibility and more.

I tried using the Angel Tarot for this reading, but it was not happening. I knew it wouldn't -- funny how that works! Using the pendulum, the message was clear: Deviant Moon for this reading!

1st card: Middle position
What is the person afraid of?

2nd card: Left
What the person wants

3rd card: Right
Where the person is at right now.


In the 1st position -- fear -- is the 9 of Wands. 
This person does not want to be lost, nor perceived as being lost. Alone, sadness, fear, boredom, a sense of being stuck, apathy. Just not having what it takes to get out of the situation. It's a self made situation; all one has to do is get up and go. There is light, there is passage, there is help. But this fear is keeping the person stuck.

2nd position: Wheel of Fortune. Karma, fate, what comes around and all that. If you simply sit back -- like this person is doing with the 9 of Wands -- and let Fate have all the power, then there is no onus to be responsible. "It's out of my hands," is what the individual is telling themselves.

On a higher level, events do happen in their own time and way.  The changes that are inevitable are being confused with refusing to take responsibility.

3rd position: The Hermit. In context of this reading, this person is hiding. Not solitary or away for healing productive self-reflection, but escape. Secrets. Hiding away from others. Cannot move (9 of Wands) cannot take responsibility, cannot seek guidance from self.

But maybe there is hope. Alone with the self, this person has to either confront within and learn, or, continue to hide and deny.

Summary:
A dark reading. I did this not for a client, but for some insight into someone I know and a situation very close to us.

New look at tumblr

My Tumbling Tarot blog at tumblr has a new look. Like it better but not quite happy with the color, probably will play with it some more.
http://tumblingtarot.tumblr.com

Follow-up: Three card reading by Kate

Image: Public Domain

The other day I posted a link to a YouTube video by Kate, a tarot reader I follow, and her style of a three card reading.  She places the cards face down, begins with the center card (the present) but then turns over the "future" card next.

Usually, tradition tells us to start with the past, move on in a linear fashion, present next, the future.

Kate suggests, as you'll see in the video, that you follow your instinct, but she does it as described, so I thought I'd try it.

I don't read with cards face down; I've tried in the past and didn't like that process. But I tried it again using Kate's method. I also read the present card first, then the future or energy the client is moving into, then, lastly, turn over the past. I've done several readings using this method and love it!

For a larger reading, like a ten card spread, I do not place the cards face down. But with this three card reading, it seems to work very well. Reading the flow of energy is easy and smooth and makes sense, and when I read the "past" card it represents both a past state of energy but also, strengths or support once experienced that can be called upon now, and in the future.

I've also found that this works very very well with Doreen Virtue's Angel Tarot, and it's fine for the Deviant Moon tarot, but I like it better with the Angel tarot. I haven't yet tried it with other oracle decks, such as the Angel Dreams deck.

30 Day Picture Challenge

Well, I've already fallen behind. The second challenge from Lisa Frideborg Lloyd was to post my name in Runes, but I just didn't get around to it. (#30daydivinationpic)

The fist challenge, a tarot selfie: photo of myself with my soul card, The Star. This is from the Deviant Moon deck.

Third - today's -- a crystal ball. This is the only crystal sphere I have; they're expensive, so all I could afford at the time was this very sweet and small one, which is on my Full Moon/Super Moon altar right now:

Deviant Moon Borderless Version

My deck has finally arrived! The Deviant Moon tarot deck, designed by Patrick Valenza. 

I already had the original Deviant Moon deck, which I love. It is in my top three favorite decks. When the borderless version became available, I knew I had to have it.

This new version doesn't have a glossy or slick finish. At first I was a bit disappointed because I assumed it would have that type of finish. But the more I handle this deck, the more I appreciate it and the non-glossy, more matte like finish is just fine.

The cards are the same size as the original deck, but there are no borders. This allows for the image to fully fill the card. Valenza's art work is so vibrant, rich and detailed that having the images stand out in this way is a treat, and makes reading the cards very enjoyable.

With this special edition I received a little goody; this version of the 4 of Coins, signed on the back. 

Playfulness: Healing with the Angels oracle

Felt like choosing a card for the day, wasn't sure which deck to choose from. Slightly surprised, I found myself grabbing the Doreen Virtue Healing with the Angels deck. I say "slightly surprised" because I wasn't feeling that angel, mellow energy. Yet I found I wasn't going anywhere else either, like the Deviant Moon tarot deck, or the Druid Animal oracle. So there you go.

As I was pulling the cards, this is the one that jumped out. Okay, so we all know what that means when this happens! Use it. That's the card that wants to be heard!

"Fun and play is the Angels' way. They guide you to add fun to your life, and to know that fun is a necessity, not a luxury." ~ Doreen Virtue, Healing with the Angels p33

This card reminds us to have some fun; we can't succeed if we don't allow ourselves to relax, take time to just be and enjoy and play. I see this as the partner to the "take time out for yourself" reminder we so often get. Take time to reflect, be by yourself, meditate, soak in a tub... this card, Playfulness, is the other side of this. Take time out, but play! Dance or laugh or socialize, do something considered "just for kids" (popping bubbles on bubble wrap, fingerpainting...) just have some fun.

It may seem like an indulgence, or that you don't "get to" have fun. After all, we're adults, we need to take care of business. No time! No money! We have to be serious, or we won't succeed. Well, this card reminds us that we can have fun in hundreds of different ways and it doesn't have to cost a thing. When we take time out for play, which includes that sense of joy and wonder, even with the simplest and smallest of things, we actually add energy and success to our plans and our work.

Don't be afraid to have fun, to play. Taking time out to play only adds positive benefits to the rest of your efforts, in fact, charges them and amplifies them!

So go kick up those piles of leaves as you're raking them!

Talula's Review of Deviant Moon Tarot

Patrick Valenza's Deviant Moon tarot is in my top three favorite tarot decks. (Santa is bringing me the new borderless version.) Here is a YouTube video from "Talula" reviewing the Deviant Moon deck:

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