In Search of Lost Time: A Tarot Reading for Nantes

I went to the DC Tarot Society meeting yesterday afternoon, and as usual I had a great time talking to tons of people about a number of subjects near and dear to my heart. I also met Mary Phelan, tarotist and artist, who has published three decks of her own and has been writing and reading about tarot for many years.

Anyway, I love reading for others, but I don’t like to have readings very often. Usually it has to be a specific need on my part, and because I also read for myself, occasions where I would have a reading become more rare. Mary was nice enough to offer to read me yesterday, and I took her up on it. Sometimes the right opportunity just presents itself.

What I asked was pretty simple. Going to Nantes is an amazing opportunity for me, so what I asked was, “What do I need to know about this trip?” Mary did a four-card spread for me, and while I usually don’t share my readings—they are very private and no one should ever be asked to divulge one, in my humble opinion—I am happy to share this one with you.

I liked the spread she used, too: Clean, simple, quick, and elemental. It was a four-card layout in a line, read left to right.

Physical: The Nine of Cups. Mary said I would have a fantastic time, eat and drink well on this trip, and just generally enjoy the hell out of it. YAAAY ME!

Mental: Queen of Wands. I’m going to meet a woman on this trip who might give me an opportunity to share my gifts with others.

Emotional: Five of Pentacles.

Disclaimer: Before I begin this piece, let me tell you that I am just like everyone else when I am the client. When I see a card like the Five of Pentacles, my stomach falls just a little and I kind of swallow and go OH HOLY FUCKBALLS! in my mind. So please do not think that because I read professionally I can see a card like that and just go “Whatever”. Just sayin’. I’m smart enough to shut up and let someone else do the interpreting, and since this is a snapshot in time, etc., etc. At this point in my head the peasants from Monty Python and the Holy Grail were shouting GET ON WITH IT!! just like before Scene 24 in the movie.

And yes, Samantha, I can see you laughing at me now saying, “Look who’s in the hot seat!” But I digress, as usual.

Mary just said, “Are you going to miss your wife a lot?” Ummm, America fuck yeah! In her defense, Mary had just met me. But I had been doing a lot of thinking about Jen and how I would feel about a) taking a vacation by myself for the first time in my marriage, and b) how I would feel being separated from her for a whole week because it doesn’t happen very often.

Anyway, Mary asked me not to focus on missing her so much. She assured me that I would have a fantastic time despite our separation. I told her that I would do my best; I am going to miss the hell out of Jen, but I will do my best to put it aside and enjoy France.

Mary also mentioned that in a past life, she got the sense that I was a high priest in Europe who was helping an oppressed religious minority. In Nantes, she said, I might be able to understand more of it, and told me to ask to dream about it for additional information.

Spiritual: Ace of Swords.

I knew what Mary was going to say before she opened her mouth on this one: “Write! Write! Write!” She said that my writing will become very important in the next ten years, and that I might find an amazing setting in Nantes to use in my tarot fiction book.

So it sounds like it’s going to be a phenomenal adventure/journey! I am looking forward to it even more now.

I’ll leave you with that. Tomorrow I will be too busy to blog, but I may get one or two in while I’m abroad. We’ll see…I may be way too busy having a good time.

Catch you on the flip side! Au revoir!