Ostara Tarot Blog Hop: The Importance of Re-Creation

Blessed Ostara to all of you, and welcome! Hopefully you've just come to visit me from Morgan Drake Eckstein's blog. :)

(If you get lost, you can find the master list of blogs here.) 

Astrologically speaking, it's been a turbulent few months. We started off the year with the personal planets all going retrograde at some point: Venus, then Mercury, and now Mars. And we're not out of the woods yet, since Mars stays retrograde through mid-May and his effects will be felt through July, when Mercury retrograde comes at us again in June. In short, we could easily be off our game right now.

Typically, at Ostara we talk about re-balancing, with the equality of light and dark, and that's all well and good. But we can talk about balance anytime, so today, I'm going to focus on a topic that many of us miss out on, and that, dear friends, is the idea of "re-creation". 

We have many roles in life. We're bosses and employees. We're psychics and astrologers. We're husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, and teachers and students. But it's essential for all of us to sometimes forget the titles and focus on ourselves.

"Re-creation" involves doing things that you enjoy. It involves being selfish for the sole purpose of being able to later on take on the many roles we have in life, like the ones I listed above. And it's a part of life that many of us miss out on because we're too busy trying to be everything to everyone else. 

I'm passionate about games, and I always have been. It doesn't really matter what kind: computer games, console games, card games, or board games. And when I play, I am re-creating myself. I played in a local Monopoly tournament last month, and loved every second of it. 

I found out recently that my landlady is selling the house my wife and I are living in, so things here are definitely a little bit crazy. I'll be moving in less than three weeks. I've been packing, purging, and re-arranging. But gaming helps keep my sanity, and I devote a little bit of time each day to it, even if it's only 15-20 minutes. 

So this Ostara, take a hard look at your "re-creation" and if you're having a hard time coming up with your personal recreational activities, then you're not doing it enough. Set aside some time for what re-creates you, and PLEASE don't feel bad about it! 

Thanks for stopping by! Please head over to Maureen's blog, the next stop on the blog hop!  

Litha Blog Hop: Shining the Light

Hi there! You may be coming to visit me from Chloe's blog if you're doing the blog hop from the beginning. In any case, no matter how you got here, blessed Litha to all of you!

The sun is at its most powerful at Litha, and so it's time to "shine the light" on ourselves and our talents. So I've selected three tarot cards that represent my talents the best. 

The first is the Hierophant. 

As the Head High Priest of the Tradition of the Witches Circle, I not only provide spiritual education to my students, but I'm also their spiritual advisor. It's a role that I feel I do very well, especially when it comes to knowing when to give my students/clients space and when to press them. It's a very fine line to walk sometimes. 

I'm also often called upon to help people "go their own way" in life, spiritually or otherwise, and I know what a traumatic experience it can be. 

The second card I picked is the King of Pentacles. 

As a sun sign Scorpio, you might have thought I'd go with the King of Cups. Not this time. One of the nicest compliments I was ever given was when a veteran tarot reader told me she never worried that I wouldn't be grounded in reality. 

Astrologically speaking, I'm Capricorn moon and rising, and in many ways I'm much more earthy than watery. 

One of my best talents is my work ethic. In addition to a full-time office job, I have a professional tarot and astrology practice, and my duties in my spiritual community. I love to work and revel in getting a job finished the right way. 

All of the nuts and bolts of running my own business make me happy. My accountant LOVES me at tax time because I've got business records that would make many people jealous. I'm able to keep track of it all and still excel, so I feel like overall I'm very prosperous and organized. It's even had positive financial effects: I've received some tarot gigs because other readers never called prospective clients back, and I make it a point to respond to every single inquiry as quickly as possible. 

When do I sleep, you might ask? Well, that's another reason why I've pulled the King of Pentacles. I had a back problem last summer and have spent (a little) more time relaxing and taking care of my health. I'm in probably my best physical shape in more than ten years. I even have ABS now. WHO KNEW??

Finally, the last card I picked is the Emperor. 

Compassion has never been my strong suit. But honestly, one of the most important things I've learned is that my role as a "father" is important. I don't have human children of my own, but I feel like I'm able to walk that line between stern and imposing--like the RWS Emperor--to supportive and understanding. It's something I've been working on for a long time, and I'm finally starting to see the results in my professional and personal life. 

Learning how to hold the line without being cold was the challenging part. But I'm happy to say that I'm doing it rather successfully now. 

Thanks for the opportunity to "toot my own horn"! Let your own talents shine this Litha! 

If you're continuing on with the blog hop, please head on to Machelle Earley's blog! 

Beltane Blog Hop: My Tarot "Traditions"

Hello everyone...and blessed Beltane to all of you! If you're working your way through the entire blog hop, you're probably coming from Vivianne's blog.

Today's post is on tarot traditions, and more specifically, my own tarot traditions. Every reader has their own, and as is likely true for many other readers, mine are an eclectic mix that have evolved over time. For me, those "traditions" also meld with what I would think of as "best practices", but let me be clear: Each tarot reader is different, and each has a different method. Mine aren't any better than anyone else's.

So, in no particular order, here are some of my "traditions":

• The tarot gives you the message you are supposed to hear, every single time it is consulted. Whether or not it is what you WANT to hear is irrelvant.
• The message that the tarot gives is a dynamic "snapshot in time". The client's decisions make their future. All we're doing is trying to help them by letting them know what's coming.
• The deck should be cleansed using sage smoke or a light sage-water mixture spray between readings. If that's not possible, then I cleanse them mentally while holding them in my hands for a moment before handing them to the client.  
• Whenever possible, the client should handle the deck and decide how they will mix or shuffle it. I've seen many different methods and if they're right for the client, and the client isn't doing anything to disrespect the cards--like throw them on the ground--I'm good with it. I've never had a client be disrespectful to the cards. Once the client is done, I take the cards and cut them in 3 piles with my left hand.  
• The cards should be treated with respect, but how it is stored isn't really that important to me. In other words, if you keep the deck in the original box, that's fine. If you want to make or buy tarot bags, or wrap your cards in a particular material, that's fine, too. I don't believe that certain materials or storage techniques enhance or detract from the reading. Speaking personally, my wife has made many of my tarot bags from cloth remnants from the fabric store that I think are cool. One of my favorites was made from my "Tarot Readers Union" tee shirt that I bought in New Orleans many years ago on my first visit.
• If you connect with a deck, buy it and use it.  There's no special significance to receiving your first deck as a gift. My mother bought me my first deck at my request, and I used it faithfully for 20 years. It now lives permanently on the altar at the shop where I read; my wife bought me a replacement Rider-Waite-Smith deck 3 years ago for our 15th wedding anniversary.  
• Tarot cards live, breathe, and work in the spiritual/intuitive mind of the reader. Otherwise they are just cards--pretty cards, I'll grant you that--but they have no human characteristics in the physical world. I always find it amusing when readers say, "This tarot deck doesn't like me." If YOU don't like the deck, no problem; use a different one. But they're inanimate objects.
• When I am reading at the shop, I usually leave a piece of amethyst on top of my tarot deck when it is not in use. it's another way for me of keeping the deck "cleansed". But it's also pretty, too. I mean...I haven't met anyone yet who doesn't like amethyst.

One other "tradition" that deserves a little more explanation is that of reading tarot professionally. I believe that if you're going to read tarot professionally--and by that I mean that you take money for readings--you have to have a whole lot of confidence that what you are seeing is the truth, as well as some experience reading the cards for others and some time hitting the books. You'll see "your" truth, of course, but if you're not confident in your ability, you will struggle. 

I think some people also think that reading tarot is a great career, and jump into the moneymaking mart of it without honing their skills enough. One beginner reader I met was more concerned about the "props" and marketing herself than on doing a great reading for the client, which really bothered me. It begins and ends with the client. And I don't know anyone who has gotten rich reading cards. By and large, even if we take money for doing readings, we're not living the high life on that money. That's not a complaint, folks; it's a fact. But it's a labor of love and service; at least that's what it is for me.

Finally, depending on who you talk to, some tarot readers will not give the client "bad news" in a reading. I believe with every fiber of my being that the client has come for a reading to get the truth as the Divine/Universe sees it. If I see it, I say it. I won't read for people who "only want to hear the good things" because life doesn't work that way. For me, I'm doing a client a disservice if I don't tell them what I really see. But I labor to do so in with compassion and a positive attitude, with the understanding that the client has the ability to make changes to improve his or her life.

In other words, the tarot reader shouldn't be doing the job as an ego trip or power trip. I don't want my clients to call me every time they have to choose paper or plastic, or mint chocolate chip vs. Swiss chocolate almond--although HOLY CRAP! What a choice that would be! Speaking totally personally, I might have to pull out my own cards for that one. [WINK]

All kidding aside, part of the "tradition" of the tarot for me is sending people away feeling like they 1) have control over their own lives, even when times are tough, and 2) can indeed make choices that will improve their own condition. I want to help create EMPOWERED people who consult me when they feel they need to, but who are also capable of listening to their own intuitive sense when it comes to their own lives.

Here's to a wonderful Beltane as the wheel turns again! Brightest blessings for the holiday to all of you!

Please continue with the blog hop by visiting Tierney's blog here. And while you're at it, go buy her new tarot tool set! It's awesome!

     

Yule Blog Hop: The Presents of "Presence" and Other Little Gifts

Blessings of the season to all of you! Hopefully you are coming to visit me from Arwen’s blog.

At this time of year, presents are on the mind. You agonize over what to get every person on your list, and you wait with anticipation to see their smile as they open your gift. You wonder what you might receive from others, and look forward to ripping open those packages. Well…at least I do.

But what I want to focus on today are the intangible presents, the “gifts” that we receive each and every day from people that are not of the physical or mundane realm.

A lot of people who know about the tarot will tell you that Pentacles is a suit about money and work, and I have no argument with that. What many of us forget, however, is that it’s also our “resource “ suit. Money is a very tangible resource, but our time is less so, and many may not even consider that a resource, although in many ways for me it may be the most precious.

Think about it; how many times have you walked out of a movie thinking, “That’s two hours of my life I’ll never get back!”? Or when you come home drained from work or an event?

You remember that time you were really upset and your friend took more than an hour of their time to talk you down and let you vent? They listened. They consoled. They tried to cheer you up. They didn’t have to do it; they chose to help. They gave their time and energy for you. To me, that’s a fantastic gift right there.

How many times has your significant other done things for you? Sure, you think, s/he does things for me all the time. But those are gifts, too. You’re settled into your comfy chair and some ice cream appears next to you, complete with a spoon and napkin. You might not feel like climbing the stairs that one more time, and s/he offers to run upstairs and grab what you need.

Just the very presence of that special someone is a gift. I had a lesson in that a few weeks ago. I went to Europe for the first time in many years—11 to be exact—and at the encouraging of my beloved bride, I went by myself. She knew she’d be taking on all the extra stuff I do at home while I was gone, like the trash, and was willing to give me up for a week as I had an adventure on my own.

I was excited for the trip, and had a great time. The day before I returned home, I went to Disneyland Paris, and as I entered the park and looked around, I realized that I’d never been to a theme park ALONE. My beloved wasn’t there to enjoy it with me. She doesn’t ride many rides, but she wasn’t there waiting for me when I came out, asking me how it went. She wasn’t looking for that perfect souvenir in a shop. The lack of her presence cut me to the core, and I was glad that I would be seeing her the next day.

[Before I forget, I want to give a shout out to all my non-American colleagues—I was truly impressed that people from every nation imaginable came out to Paris Disneyland in the nearly freezing weather, complete with drizzle, to enjoy the park. I’m not sure how many Americans would have braved it in conditions like that, except perhaps for this crazy Yankee. But I digress.]

My point is that it doesn’t have to be tangible to be a gift. We receive so much from our families and friends each day that we sometimes miss. Because while I’ll be the first to admit that presents don’t suck at all, my life would suck a whole lot more if not for the little gifts I receive every day from those in my life.

This holiday season, take time to give thanks for the little gifts that come our way as well as for presents. Blessings of the season to all of you!

Now it’s time to head on to Stella's blog!

PS: You can find the master list of all blogs here! A special thanks to Alison for wrangling us this go-round! :)

Tarot Blog Hop: Exploring the Shadow Side at Samhain

Blessed Samhain to all of you! Make sure to check out Elinor Predota's before mine in the blog hop!

There is always a shadow.

No matter how amazing, talented, or kind others say you are, the shadow never goes away. And that’s a good thing, because it keeps us honest.

Samhain is a time when we look at many things around us that scare us. But this time we look inside ourselves.

As part of my spiritual studies, I’ve created two shadow masks. The idea of the mask is to take the part of you that makes your angry or fearful, one that keeps you from succeeding to the greatest extent possible in your life, and give it shape and form. That way, you bring the “shadow” out into the light so you can deal with it.

If you’re sitting there asking yourself why anyone would choose to do such a thing, I’ll be honest and say that if you’re doing it correctly, you say that to yourself at some point. It’s supposed to make you uncomfortable at first, but later, it makes you more at ease with the “shadow” that you might prefer not to acknowledge. It forces you to really deal with it.

Unless you are absolutely nuts, you only deal with one Shadow Mask at a time. And you’ve got to be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. You start smaller and work your way up toward the larger issues that plague you.

I’ve shouted at my mask. I’ve kicked it and stomped on it. I’ve thrown it around. I’ve had somewhat pleasant conversations with it and have spewed my venom at it. But you can’t obliterate it until you have finally conquered it.

My first one took me a few years to finally destroy, but I did so knowing that it would not be my last. Actually, my mask was only a part of a larger mask that I’m working on now. I’m almost done with the second, but I’m far from finished. I plan to really attack my shadow with the 3^rd mask, but I’m not done with this one yet.

Since I started doing this work, I’ve definitely seen a difference in my life. I feel like I can now go further and be the person I’ve wanted to be.

My Witchcraft students go through the same exercise, and as their teacher, I can’t see asking them to do it unless I am as well. So I share my mask with them and talk about it. Let me tell you honestly…having to explain to others what your mask is all about is a real test of your courage. But kind of like jumping into cold water or riding roller coasters, the more you do it, the less painful it gets…in some ways. Will it ever be easy? HELL NO. And I’ve accepted that.

This Samhain, embrace your shadow as part of you. Then bring that ugly thing--that thing that pains you or keeps you from blossoming in your life--into the light and deal with it.

There is always a shadow, ladies and gentlemen. But you decide if it controls you, or if you’re its master.

Thanks for tuning in! Please proceed to Jordan’s blog, the next stop on the blog hop!

Tarot Blog Hop--Pentacles: Fruits of the Harvest

Hello everyone...and blessed Lammas to all of you! Hopefully you're coming from Donnaleigh's blog. :)

Lammas is about the first harvest, the idea that we are starting to see the fruits of our labor. I've picked the Seven of Pentacles for this particular blog. This card often comes up when people are starting to assess what is going on, and step back to admire their handiwork. It's also a great time for a course correction; sometimes the things we see "growing" in our lives are not what we want, so we take the time to fix them.

Nearly two weeks ago, I was at work minding my own business and lost control of my legs due to a back problem. Talk about a course correction! I can walk again now, but it's slow going...and I frequently get tired. It's frustrating, but you know, I'm very happy to be able to walk again! I definitely took that ability for granted. But the fruits of the labor--the walking slowly, the using handrails on stairs, resting when I need to--are starting to show, and I'm less tired and more comfortable standing than I was a week ago. My body is taking the time it needs to heal. I'm making another course correction with a new diet plan, hoping to take some of strain off my back; the doctors say that's what will help me the most. But I definitely don't want this to happen again, so it's time for change. That's one of the great things about this card; it's a seven, so whatever we're dealing with is not over yet. You've still got time for a positive outcome. If you don't like what you see, you still have the ability to make changes so your goals can still be met.

This card also epitomizes one of the most difficult realities as a professional reader: Many people fear change, and as such may not be open to the message of change that is part of many tarot readings. It's hard for me to see people come back time and time again with the same concern, only to have the cards provide the same message as last time. In many ways, a good tarot reading is a "checkup". It tells you where you are and if you need to make changes to get the results you seek. So to me, just the act of having a tarot reading--or a psychic reading, rune casting, etc.--represents the Seven of Pentacles. It's your time to step back and evaluate what's happening. Of course, it's up to you to make the changes to be successful, and unless you're ready to embrace change, likely you will have difficulty meeting your goals. I'll admit that I shake my head sometimes and say, "So be it," when I see people refusing to make change. But I can't let my ego get involved and say to clients, "If you'd just to what I'd tell you, your life would be perfect!" Each person must make that decision for himself or herself.

Here's one way to consider change that may make you less hesitant: Think of it as "evolution". Just the word CHANGE makes people run for the hills. But as a Scorpio, I'm a transformation expert. One of the best aspects of my sun sign is the ability to grow and evolve to meet challenges. Life is always changing and nothing is permanent. The Seven of Pentacles is a good reminder of this idea. Sometimes we're surprised by life events--like I was with my back a few weeks ago!--but sometimes we know the score and we resist making necessary adjustments. Like many people, I'm not thrilled when I have to change--especially when it means I have to stop doing something I like--but what's better in the long-term is what it's all about. Change is growth, and we should always be striving for growth and to be just that tiniest bit better--physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

So Lammas is about seeing the fruits of your labor, and it's great when everything is coming up roses. I hope that's true in your life. But if it's not, then the more serious question really becomes, "Are you willing to make changes to achieve your goals?" I throw out this challenge to you this Lammas, and wish you the blessings of the Lord and Lady as you grow.

Thanks for stopping by! Please make sure to visit Chloe's blog, the next stop on the blog hop!

[You can find a master list of all the blogs in the hop here!]

Tarot Blog Hop: Celebrating the Sunrise

Hello everyone! Welcome to my entry on the Tarot Blog Hop for Litha (Midsummer)! Our theme this holiday is "Celebrating the Sunrise". (I hope that you're coming from Matt Williams' blog, but if not, please go check it out!)

A sunrise is a gorgeous, beautiful thing. And today, the sun greets us and will stay out longer than any other day this year. Reaching the pinnacle of the sun's power on earth makes me consider the cyclical nature of all life, and in particular, our lives as individuals.

As a Scorpio, I'm all too aware of the temporary, transient nature of things. Intellectually, we know that everything changes, evolves, grows, dies, and is reborn. As human beings, we often don't want to believe this is true. We want the good things to stay exactly as they are, and we want the bad things to be even more temporary. So we remain stagnant. We get caught up in the day-to-day nonsense of what we are doing. In hindsight, we can look back and say, "Yeah, I remember that month. I realized that I should have made a change and not resisted; it would have been better for me that way."

With the sun at its peak, I'm asking questions about how I made it here to build on my successes. How did I improve myself, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually over the past year? Who helped me grow? Which relationships truly benefitted me? How did I help others? The warm, lasting sun helps me to appreciate all of these blessings.

At the same time, it is for just this one day that the sun remains at its zenith. So I ask myself very specific questions on how I can improve myself and my life. As a young man, I realized I made two very grave errors in judgment more than once. The first is that I often told people that I "would never change". The Universe just laughed at me on that one, folks, let me tell you. But I learned that change would be forced on me if I didn't choose it, and overall that was a good thing. The second is that I made radical changes in my life quickly, only to figure out that in many areas, gradual change is easier and more effective.

At Litha I also ask myself how I can improve myself over the next year, and I look for small ways that can build up over time. The sun's power gives me a healthy boost of enthusiasm and confidence to start making those changes. "How much weight can I lose in the next year?" became "How can I become healthier in the next year?", for example.

This year I have important unfinished business to attend to. The first is my health. Despite some success in being healthier this past year, I have to do better. Without my health, nothing else matters, and the day-to-day rat race make excuses on why I haven't done it very easy. I need to keep the sun shining down on my good health as long as possible. So I'll be making a few gradual changes to ensure that happens.

The second is that I have a nonfiction tarot book that needs to be edited. Many times in my life, I have not succeeded in finishing a book. My family, friends, clients, and students keep asking me when I'm going to be done. But my own weakness and lack of confidence keeps me from it each time. A year from now, I want to have this book in the hands of an interested publisher.

Finally, I'm branching out and writing a novel, something I never expected to do. A close friend asked me a few months ago why I didn't write fiction. I came up with some bullshit excuses, which she promptly shot down--I am thankfully surrounded by powerful women in my life who respect me enough to call me out when necessary--and consequently, I have been working on it since that time. Next Litha, I would like to have that also in the hands of an interested publisher.

I look at Litha as a mini wake-up call. I'm going to "Celebrate the Sunrise" by allowing the sun's rays to illuminate those areas of my life where I am most blessed, while burning away the fog of excuses and rationalizations that keep me from attaining my full potential. The things I want won't happen overnight, but I'm confident that I'll be well on my way when the sun again rises to its peak.

I hope that the sun gives you the courage, determination, and peace of mind that you need to accomplish your long-term goals.

Thanks for stopping by! There are a lot of talented tarot professionals doing this blog hop, like Jaymi Elford, whose blog is next on the blog hop. I hope you take the time to visit them all!