Card for the Day December 27: King of Pentacles.
This is a good day to enjoy all that is good in life. Spend it with your family and loyal friends sharing great food and excellent wine.
For those of you working, this could be a very profitable day.
by Anna
by Anna
Here is my review of Advanced Tarot
An in- depth guide to practical and intuitive tarot reading by Paul Fenton -Smith.
Paul Fenton – Smith is a well known Clairvoyant, Tarot reader, writer and teacher in Australia.
This is a massive book, 556 pages!
Surprisingly it is a nice, easy and entertaining read, full with valuable information.
The author explains the cards by dividing them in groups of the same number, then the Court cards divided by ranks, and finally the Major Arcana.
I agree with the method as it makes it easier to remember the information when you can lean on a basic understanding of Numerology and Elements.
Something else I like about Fenton- Smith style is that it is relaxed and cordial , as he teaches symbols, numbers , suits, and ranks. He gives plenty of examples.
He also provides several Tarot spreads, my favourite being The Seven-Card Layout.
I have now used it many times and it has proven to be a very reliable spread for prediction.
Something I appreciate is that the author, who has a Diploma in counselling, doesn’t shy away from divination.
In the book he explains Tarot reversals very well.
I have already endorsed this book with former Tarot students and I believe that anyone passionate about Tarot would benefit from reading it.
I am truly enjoying my copy.
by Anna
I often hear that reading for oneself should be avoided.
I would like to know why.
If you are a dress maker should you not make your own clothes and alterations?
If you are a painter should you hire someone else to paint the walls in your house?
I personally don’t think so.
I read for myself all the time because I appreciate the wisdom I get from the cards.
Also, reading for myself regularly gives me accurate and reliable feed back.
By comparing the cards and my interpretation of them with what actually happened is extremely helpful.
It goes well beyond bolstering my confidence when I got it right, it helps me learn from my mistakes. There are times when in retrospect I can see how the cards were spot on, but their message was lost in translation.
Tarot readers know that each card has many meanings and that we have to find the one that correctly applies to the question, and in the contest of the surrounding cards. It is not an easy job.
Consider that what is taught about the cards is often very spiritual, but what we ask of them is often quite mundane.
It is by regular practice and feed back that we become more accurate at interpreting the everyday wisdom we seek.
I always encourage and appreciate clients feed back, but I cannot learn from it to the same degree. I am happy when I hear a client say that I helped them assess a situation wisely, but by then I have forgotten the cards, and the ideas and feelings that accompanied them.
There are times when I seek the advice of another reader.
When my questions are about situations that will affect me or my family in a profound way and for a long time, I book an appointment with someone who has no knowledge of my personal situation, and has no skin in the game. In other words, I look for someone who can be objective.
Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that in those situations reading for oneself is wrong. I simply suggest you seek a second opinion.
by Anna
My review of the Giant Rider-Waite Tarot deck.
I have bought my Giant Rider-Waite Tarot deck because I thought it would come in handy when teaching Tarot classes.
What I had not anticipated it is how helpful this deck is when studying, reflecting or meditating on the cards.
Given the size of this deck the pictures are much bigger therefore it becomes easy to notice details that had not caught my eyes before.
I highly recommend it.
by Anna
I Recently started to work with the Gilded Tarot Royale by Ciro Marchetti.
It is a lovely deck and I like that it is small and easy to shuffle.
It is borderless, which in my opinion is a plus. In the presence of a border I feel like I am looking at the image from the outside. Without it I feel like I am right in it.
I also like the back of the deck, which is pretty, not too busy, and it can work with reversals too.
I also own the Gilded Tarot deck and I find the Royale to be somewhat familiar, but not entirely.
Many of the Gilded Tarot Royale cards are completely different and those that remain true to the Gilded Tarot have also been revisited.
The images are beautiful. The colours are vibrant and there are lots of details.
I like the court cards. They are not traditional, but their associations to the elements are still clear and the figures are relatable.
I am a big fan of Ciro Marchetti and I own several of his Tarot decks.
I am not a collector. I use my decks all the time and I am enjoying getting to know the latest addition to my tool box.
I would not recommend the Gilded Tarot Royale to a beginner, because some of the cards do not contain the well associated symbols found in the RWS deck that most Tarot books refer to.
The Emperor, for example, is depicted standing and missing his cubic throne.
The Hierophant is by himself.
The Lovers shows no angel, trees or snake.
The four of Pentacles is totally different. It shows a lady standing and holding a box or tray in her hands.
I believe that most people familiar with the RWS deck will have no problem reading with this beautiful deck.
To absolute beginners I would suggest to learn with a more traditional deck, and then move on to this one if they like.
Last but not least, the deck comes in a small box with a very basic little white book, containing two Tarot spreads.
I am testing the Daily spread, which requires five cards and I like it.
by Anna
Tarot: No Questions Asked:
Mastering the Art of Intuitive Reading
By Theresa Reed.
I love this book! Let me tell you why.
It is a great resource for beginners as well as experienced readers. I will definitely recommend it to all my students.
Tarot: No Questions asked is a nice size, not too tall, not too thick, very easy to handle.
It covers everything you need to know and without feeling heavy.
Theresa explains numbers, elements, Majors and Minors, even reversals!
She goes through the meaning of each card and provides a Rider Waite Smith image for each. She also gives you exercises to truly familiarize yourself with the cards.
The second part of the book explains the basic of intuition and why it is so important in everyday life.
Theresa teaches you how to recognize the voice of intuition and how to work with it. She provides lots of funny exercises to strengthen yours and grow confident using it.
Theresa also touches on the importance of meditation and suggests a few ways to give it a try.
In Tarot No Questions Asked you will also learn three spreads:
One – Card Draws
Past Present Future
The Celtic Cross
The reading examples show you how Theresa thinks and they are very helpful.
The book is filled with valuable, practical tips. There is even a section for those who are thinking to go pro.
All in all the book flows beautifully. Theresa generously shares her decades of experience as a full time reader. Her tone is friendly, confident and to top it all, she is funny!
I have an extensive Tarot library, Tarot: No Questions Asked, makes a valuable addition.
I only have one complaint. I believe this is one of those books designed to be used frequently and for a very long time, but the cover is already falling apart. I have had the book for only three days. There is some kind of plastic film on it and it is separating from the cover.
by Anna
In honour of Mother’s day I am going to reflect on the personalities of the Queens.
They are first of all women.
As representations of human beings the queens are multi faceted, but here we will keep it simple.
Every woman contains traits of all the queens, but will identify more with one or two of them.
Since life is full of surprises we all end up playing many characters at different stages of our lives.
Let’s start with the Queen of Wands.
She is the most confident. She is the life of the party. She is very active and knows how to live intensely. She is ambitious, warm and affectionate. She is a born leader who goes after what she wants. She works hard but knows how to have fun.
As a mother she is a great role model. She will drive her kids to sport activities and tournaments. She may even be a coach or instructor. She will inspire her kids to dream big and work hard to make their dreams reality.
Her passion is her biggest asset, but she needs to keep it in check to avoid becoming an overbearing prima donna, too arrogant to consider her children’s own needs and desires.
The Queen of Cups is an extremely loving woman.
She likes to feel connected and at peace. She is a good listener and very observant. She likes beauty and harmony. She is creative, sensitive and intuitive. She wants to get along with everyone.
Conflicts drain her and she avoids them as much as possible. She is a very caring and sweet mom. Her kids feel loved and heard. She raises loving, sensitive and compassionate children.
Since she wears her heart on her sleeve and cares so deeply, she easily gets hurt and disillusioned.
By nature she is not likely to directly confront who has done her wrong. She is more likely to get depressed, moody, passive aggressive or manipulative.
The Queen of Pentacles is the most practical queen.
She enjoys simple pleasures. She will cook healthy and tasty meals. She will surround herself with things that look nice and make her life easier. Her home is her castle. It will look nice, warm and welcoming. She loves a full house. She will do her best to give her children love and a stable, comfortable life. Her door is always open to family, friends and pets. She is a beacon of light when life gets stormy. Her favourite sound is laughter.
She needs stability and security and therefore she appreciates a safety net. She will occasionally lose a good, but risky opportunity. She prefers to play it safe. She may appear stingy, too set in her ways, stubborn and reluctant to try new things. She will adapt when she needs to, because she is resilient, but she will fight it first.
Last but not least we have the Queen of Swords.
She is fiercely independent and extremely smart. She is curious, open minded, values logic and fairness. She knows how to communicate effectively. She is not afraid to ask the tough questions or make the difficult choices. She does not need to be a mother to feel fulfilled. She is very ambitious and driven and she can easily dedicate her life to a career she loves or a cause she believes in. As a mother she will raise kids that know how to think for themselves. Who will not be afraid to question authorities, or the way things are done. Human beings that will study hard and search for ways to improve life for everyone. People that know how to stand on their own two feet.
She may lack warmth and sometimes be a tad too harsh and critical.
In my opinion the world needs all these queens and all women should be free to express or try traits of all of them when they see fit.
Let’s celebrate all mothers, but also all the women in our lives.
In conclusion, I apologize for not writing the card of the week for quite some time. We are going through strange times and I find it too hard to guide many with just one card. I hope you understand.
Please stay safe and be well.
by Anna
The Nine of Swords guides us through the week of April 6 to 12, 2020.
The image clearly reflects how many of us feel, and perhaps look right now.
During times of uncertainty it is harder to find the strength and motivation to begin another day.
It is easy to give up, let fears and sadness take over.
This week will most likely give us ample reasons to despair, especially if we keep the news on as background noise.
Let’s remember that the darkest time comes just before dawn.
So concentrate on the sunrise and if you can, soak up some sun in the back yard or on your deck.
Get up, take a shower, get dressed, and tidy up your environment. You will be surprised by how such little steps can lift your spirit.
This too shall pass.
Let’s be grateful for our health, our loved ones and even the time we now have to be present and talk to each other.
Something else we can be grateful for is the advance of technology, which is helping us in so many ways.
Many are able to work from home.
We can order what we need and have it delivered.
Thanks to Cable, WiFi, Netflix and so on hours can fly by.
Imagine how much harder the situation would have been with the technology we had in the 60’s.
So get going!
If you are one of those who can work from home, consider yourself very lucky.
To those who still go out to work everyday I say thank you!
You have good reasons to feel tired, scared and discouraged, but your actions help everyone.
So please be strong. Do everything you can to protect yourself and know that you are appreciated.
You are making a difference and don’t let a few idiots here and there make you think otherwise.
To those who have let fear overcome good judgement and compassion, I say “Wake Up!”
Fear is no excuse to stock pile and leave empty shelves to others.
There is no excuse to be rude to those still working with the public. None.
So let us be kind to ourselves and to others.
We are all a bit scared and confused, but if you are reading this it means you are alive, so let’s be grateful for that.
Call your loved ones, forgive and forget.
Express your affection.
Revisit your priorities.
May love prevail over fear and selfishness.
May the lucky ones find the strength to support and comfort the others.
Rise, get dressed and find reasons to smile throughout the day.
I will try to do the same.
by Anna
This is my humble opinion of Everyday Witch Tarot by Deborah Blake, art by Elizabeth Alba.
I have owned this deck for about eight months and I like it.
I possess many Tarot decks, but I am not a collector. I use the cards.
The art work must appeal to me, but in a way I can relate to. The symbols must speak to me.
Things I love about the Everyday Witch Tarot.
It is small and easy to handle.
No borders, It makes me feel like I am inside the image.
Bright colours.
A modern touch.
I like that there are animals everywhere and a ton of cats.
I enjoy the sense of humour that comes through the images.
I appreciate that it comes with a lovely companion book and a great box for storage.
Minor complaints about Everyday Witch Tarot.
The cards are nice and flexible, but I don’t think they would last long if not handled with care.
It is not a big problem for me, because I don’t let my clients shuffle my cards and I take my time mixing them.
The back of the cards is lovely, but revealing, for those like me who use reversals.
Here are some of my favourite cards in the deck based on their clear and direct expression.
10 of Cups. Bliss.
10 of Swords. You hit rock bottom, but your attitude can make a big difference.
5 of Wands. Too many cooks in the kitchen will spoil or delay dinner.
5 of Cups. Loss and regrets might be blinding you.
Death. Something is coming to an end. Will you make it fast and effective or will you drag it out?
Temperance. It is a matter of balance, the right dose of indulgence and discipline.
Devil. Danger and temptation.
Moon. Emotions sometimes distort reality and affect perception.
Four of Wands. Milestones, joy and celebrations.
Emperor. Tough, prepared, trustworthy and dependable.
Queen of Swords. She sees the big picture. She is independent, direct and communicates effectively.
Knight of Cups. Wears his heart of his sleeve. He follows his emotions blindly.
I recommend you use this deck to lighten up the mood and to avoid taking yourself too seriously.
by Anna
The card guiding us through the week of March 23rd to 29th 2020 is the Sun.
This is one of the best cards in the deck.
It speaks of hope, innocence, light, health, victory and progress.
Children are closely associated with this card.
In the next few days, some of you may conceive, others may give birth.
Many of us will be spending a lot more time with children than we are used to.
With schools and nurseries being closed we may have to take care of children, grandchildren, younger siblings and so on.
Try not to look at this as a chore, but rather as a gift. An opportunity to spend time with them, to see life through their innocent eyes.
Let them remind us of the beauty of life, where each day brings discovery. Let us appreciate everyday simple joys, be present and real.
Young minds believe that anything is possible. Life has not yet tamed their spirits or their enthusiasm. They still live in a world of fairy tales, where the good guys always beat the bad ones. Where love and courage against all odds can defy the most powerful evil.
Let’s defend our children and their dreams.
The arrival of the Sun shines light where there was darkness.
It brings knowledge and awareness, a great defence against blinding fear.
Hopefully the Sun will bring us a breakthrough to help us fight this virus and the chaos it brings wherever it goes.
The Sun invites us to:
be honest with ourselves and others,
be loving and caring,
bring joy, calm and peace.
It reminds us to do what we can to bring light, strength and sunshine to those around us..
Let’s try to lighten up the mood and not obsess with what is going on.
Let’s do what we can and let go of the rest.
We can read a good book, watch an uplifting movie, draw, paint, write, play music, dance.
How about watching some good comedy?
Let’s try to bring smiles and laughter into our homes and conversations, try yoga or anything else that can lift our spirits.
Joy is not a betrayal to those who are suffering, rather a way to stay strong and keep hope alive.
Last but not least, the Sun often brings clarity and new understanding.
Many of us have plenty of time right now to think and reflect, to communicate.
Our everyday routines have changed seemingly overnight. Freedom we took for granted is gone. We cannot travel where we want, we cannot gather as we like. Milestones are put on hold. We are asked to keep social distance.
Perhaps this experience will teach us the importance of so many things and people we took for granted. Maybe our priorities and values will shift long term. Perhaps we will forgive and forget and make peace with loved ones we had lost touch with.
Above all the card inspires us to live and love each day.
by Anna
As I look at the Six of Wands, the card guiding us through the week of March 16 to 22 2020, I see strong leadership.
This is traditionally a card of movement and travel.
We are also at the beginning of March break, usually associated with travel and vacations.
Given the current times I truly hope people will be smart and stay home.
As I observe the image a few things jump up at me.
In the deck I am using, Druid Craft, we don’t see the usual happy crowd celebrating the guy on the horse.
We see a determined and disciplined person, in a position of power, leading forward the resigned people behind him.
How could the energy of the Six of Wands be expressed in the days ahead?
Strong leadership steering people with courage and discipline.
The need for each of us to carry our own burden and follow the rules for the benefit of the group.
Perhaps travel, but not of the fun kind.
People going home or to their country of origin following strict rules.
It can also be a warning to avoid arrogant , selfish behaviours.
In this particular deck the Six of Wands has a more sombre vibe than in others, but the card remains overall positive, carrying a message of success and progress through co-operation.
by Anna
The Devil is the card for the week ahead, March 9 to 15 2020.
In this deck, The Druid Craft Tarot, we have a feeling of danger and perhaps a lack of awareness.
After all, the couple in the image is depicted naked and asleep, totally vulnerable to the huge horned figure approaching them.
The connection to the Corona Virus is easy to make.
Thing where I live, in Canada, are good so far, but not so much in many other countries.
I am from Italy and my family and friends live there. Everyone I know is good and healthy, but there is apprehension. The situation is constantly evolving and the restrictions to everyday life for everyone living there are increasing rapidly.
The Devil card represents situations that are unhealthy, where power is not distributed equally and where fear obscure judgement.
Let me give you an example of how the card could be expressed in your life in the next few days.
Under the negative effects of fear people often go to extremes.
You could behave badly and justify your greed, selfishness or rude behaviour as necessary, when in reality it is not.
On the opposite extreme, you may accept a bad situation out of fear of change.
Do you know the expression “Better the devil you know than the one you don’t”?
Under this thinking people stay in abusive or unhappy relationships, or in dead end jobs that suck the life out of them.
Wake up! If you live with the Devil, you need to come up with a good plan to move out as soon as possible.
There are bad lovers out there, but there are also a lot of nice human beings.
Other jobs are available with better pay, better hours or nicer bosses or colleagues.
To sum it up.
This week pay attention to your surroundings and to the people you deal with.
Be fair and don’t let others take advantage of you.
Check the fine print before signing any contract.
Also, face your fears and your dark secrets. Deal with what matters, do not procrastinate.
by Anna
With the Queen of Swords guiding us through March 3rd to 8th 2020, it is best to keep our thinking cap on.
This queen has had her fair share of challenges and sorrow in life.
She has seen and experienced a lot, not much surprises her anymore.
She has become a good judge of character. She knows hot to cut through confusion as well as lies.
In this particular deck the Queen of Swords is barefoot, therefore well grounded with the Earth. She looks like she is ready to get up.
She faces challenges, represented by the wind, with an inner calm.
Her dress is purple, which to me means that she is quite spiritual. She is holding her sword with both hands. Her left one is holding the blade, a dangerous thing to do. A reminder perhaps that communicating honestly is tricky business, since the truth can still hurt.
by Anna
With the Five of Swords guiding us through the week of February 24 to March 1st 2020 we can expect some turbulence.
Fives are about instability and unrest.
Swords (Air) is active and fast.
We may deal with aggressive people or intense situations.
We may be impatient, self centered and unwilling to compromise.
This week will see some people involved in altercations, heated arguments and nasty litigation.
For everyone’s sake let’s try to breathe, calm down and look for ways to deescalate conflicts.
The Five of Swords represents those times when people tend to fight dirty and forget human decency. Remember that a win at all costs often leaves a bitter after taste.
This card came up once before. You can follow the link here https://wisdomandhealing.ca/five-of-swords-is-the-tarot-card-for-the-week-of-sept-17-to-the-23-2018/
Notice that at the time I was new to the deck and I followed the creator’s element association for it. I have since decided to stick to my own, which is Air, not Fire.
by Anna
The Three of Wands is the card guiding us through the week of February 17th to the 23rd 2020.
As I look at the image I cannot help but feel a sense of anticipation.
Three birds of prey are flying.
The first one looks to me like it has just been released by the lady. The other two are arriving. The closest one is carrying something.
The lady is standing up high, like she is seeking to look far into the distance.
I suspect this will be a week of important developments.
Some will receive important news and /or feed back.
We are approaching the next phase.
We see the first results of something started in the past.
We are waiting with trepidation to see how our efforts were received. Did we do well?
Will the results meet our expectations?
The lady in the card is alone. She ventured out of her comfort zone. She is a pioneer.
The Three of Wands invites us to be courageous and explore the world around us.
Try new approaches, launch your projects, expand, believe in your creative ideas, beliefs, and desires.
In the days ahead some will travel or even relocate.
Some will be applying for new jobs, others may land interviews or new positions.
What ever your situation is, the presence of this card invites you to expand your horizons.
Go after what you want, if you have already done that, take a big breath and welcome the wind of change.