Getting to know Lady Justice

Justice XI

 

I know in the last post I had said that I would see you in 2016, but typical me, I lied. I have just been feeling the Tarot love so strongly lately that I had to do another post. Can you believe that tonight is Christmas Eve, which has always been my favorite part of the holiday, what about you? Did you find 2015 flew by at an insanely fast rate? I know I did! I just cannot believe that tomorrow is Christmas  and then next week marks the end of 2015! Insane! I already said it in my Yule post but I will just say it one more time, I am very grateful for all the wonderful things that have happened this year. Tarot has taken me on so many adventures it has been mystically, marvelous (see what I did there?)! I am grateful to the Tarot community: fellow Readers, Bloggers, Tweeters, FB Posters, and of course my Tarot Family over at Tarot with Tasha. It has been an amazing year full of Tarot and I am super excited for our adventures in 2016! Lets get on with the card, shall we?

 

Well sexy, beautiful, studly, handsome readers, we made it to the eleventh card, Justice. I must confess, up until like yesterday, I thought this was a man. Somehow Lady Justice and the Justice card never matched up in my mind- blonde moment! (I do think it's pretty badass that the Justice card is also a blonde lady, did the Tarot cards predict Legally Blonde was going to happen all those years ago? Sorry I got sidetracked...) You probably can tell by now, that I am more drawn to the watery lovey cards thus far than I am the more stern cards. Its just my personality and has nothing to do with the importance of these more "stern" cards. Justice is all about getting what is owed. Sometimes that can work in your favor, other times not so much, but in the end you deserve what is coming you way. It can be thought of like Karma. You are getting back what you put out. If you have been a good person and have done your best, this card is here to let you know you are going to get some form of payoff or reward. On the flipside, if you have been a bit of an a-hole then you can expect your "up-n-comin's" as my late grandfather would have said. This card can also indicate a possible legal issue or having to go through the justice system. In a career reading, this could mean a possible career in one of the many professions inside of the justice system. Lady Justice (now that I know she is a lady) wants you to weigh both sides of the coin, think about both sides of the story and make a fair decision. Its about thinking things through and doing your best to do what's right instead of what is easy. In her left hand she holds a set of scales meaning weighing your options. The sword represents punishment by not following the simple rule of being fair to others. The crown on her head represents that even the justice system is not to be held above the common folk- too bad this isn't practiced in all justice systems... I will just keep my opinions on that to myself!

 

Keys to remember: Fairness, karma, weighing your options, possible career within the justice system, getting what's owed.

 

An exercise in Karma:

When thinking about an exercise that would bring the Justice Card into your life, I kept thinking Karma and how could we play with that. I don't expect you to right your Karma by going out on a limb and trying to fix old relationships etc. Old relationships are in the past for a reason and we don't want to make our lives messy. Instead, I think it would be a good idea to try to bring some good Karma into your life. Go out and do something nice for someone not expecting anything in return. This could be buying a coffee for a stranger, taking your dog for an extra long walk or to a dog park, helping a family member or friend. Just go out there and do something that is nice for someone who deserves some good Karma to come into their life. Let Lady Justice guide you and think on the card before you go do your good deed. You never know, Karma might come around for you and you might get a little somethin' somethin' from the universe!

 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

 



  



Happy Solstice

Happy Solstice! )O(

Before we get into Lady Justice which is our next card, I wanted stop in, to talk about how today is the Winter Solstice or Yule. How exciting! This evening will bring the longest night of the year and officially mark the first day of Winter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. I am finding it hard to swallow that yet another year is about to pass us. Its unbelievable that 2015 is almost over. This year has been a really special one for me and has truly been one full of adventure! I got married to my "one true love" as Disney would call it, went to Salem which has been a dream my whole life and I got to work at a carnival, a haunted one no less! I was able to use Tarot to raise money to help an amazing cause and had the pleasure of meeting all kinds of different people in my community. I think I was able to bring Tarot to people who would normally not experience it and my Facebook group has grown into a budding Tarot family. This blog has grown and gotten more views and visitors over the past twelve months and I think I learned how to use a hashtag! (#stilllearning) I have been able to use Tarot to touch lives, make people happy, comforted and connected with the universe a little better than before. It has been a crazy but wonderful adventure. I am excited for what is waiting after the clock strikes midnight on the 31st. 

Yule has always been one of my favourite Sabbats. The idea of the longest night of the year when I was a kid, was always a mix of the scary unknown and anticipation. I would lay in bed for what felt like hours, thinking the sun was never going to come back. Even as an adult, I still have a hard time sleeping on the Solstice. It feels like night is never going to end, time feels slower and the darkness of this night is just a touch more inky than the others. The magick is that no matter how dark, the Sun always does come back. No matter how dreary it might seem and even if it feels like the darkness stretches out into forever, the light never actually leaves us. Thats the meaning of this old holiday to me. Can you imagine our ancestors and how they have felt by this point? The days growing shorter and the nights longer and colder. Then finally right before the breaking point the longest night passes and slowly the sun creeps back. What an amazing feeling that must have been. Yule is a holiday of hope, blessings and merry making (though I think the Pagans always had a way of sneaking some sex into every holiday, such a smart group!).  We must be thankful to the light, the sun and all of the blessings in our lives. This is a time of feasting and toasting. Below is a little Yule ritual for anyone who wanted to welcome back the Sun. Happy Yule, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for sharing this past year of adventure with me, here's to many more!

Welcoming Back the Sun- Yule Ritual

Opening the Circle:

Set a candle one in each Quarter (North, East, South, West). Bring a lighter starting in the East, light the candle and say the following, repeat for each direction. 

East: Guardians of the frigid Winter winds of the East, I welcome you to this Yuletide circle. I ask that you join me this night in celebrating the return of the Sun. 

South: Guardians of the fiery flames who light the Yule Log of the South, I welcome you to this Yuletide circle. I ask that you join me this night in celebrating the return of the Sun. 

West: Guardians of the frozen lakes and turbulent seas of the West, I welcome you to this Yuletide circle. I ask that you join me this night in celebrating the return of the Sun. 

North: Guardians of the cold Earth of the North, I welcome you to this Yuletide circle. I ask that you join me this night in celebrating the return of the Sun.

Invoking the Powers of Nature

Have two pretty candles one of the left and one of the right. The one of the left represents the Goddess or the feminine side of Divinity. The right represents the God or male side of Divinity. 

Light the left candle and say: Great Goddess, Mother of the Earth, I ask that you join me in this circle as I celebrate the returning of the Sun and the turn of the seasons. I ask that you bless me and those that I love. Please join me this Yuletide. Blessed Be.

Light the right candle and say: Great God, Father Sun, tonight we celebrate your return from the Underworld. As the sun grows stronger so do we. I ask that you join me in this circle as I celebrate this solstice night in your honour. Please join me this Yuletide. Blessed Be.

Now the circle is cast. Say: The circle is open. Blessed Be. 

You can do whatever you wish at this point. You will be surrounded by the energy of the Quarters and the Lord and Lady. Here are some suggestions:

Little Pieces of the Sun Exercise:

Even though the Winter Solstice marks the beginning of longer days, it also represents the beginning of Winter. If you are someone who gets the Winter Blues this little exercise is exactly what you need. You will be taking four small items and filling them with hot Summer energy. They will keep you motivated and feeling sunny, even in the coldest days of Winter. 

You will need a yellow candle, a small red or orange flower (that would dry well, like a rose), small bowl with water mixed with salt or sea water and one stick of incense. 

Begin with the stick of incense. Take the incense and carefully pass it through the East candle- do not light it. Think of all the smells of Summer, such as: bonfires and campgrounds, burnt marshmallows and suntan lotion etc. As you hold the incense picture the warm summer breeze passing through it. Think of the way the air smells like flowers when the wind is just right. The scent of lilacs and wild roses. Infuse the incense with the energy and hope of Summer. Thank the element for its gift. Return the incense to the centre of the circle. 

Take the yellow candle and carefully pass it through the South candle- do not light it. Think of all the fiery hot energy of the Sun and the South infusing the candle. Direct all of your energy into the candle, fill it with memories of Summer. Feel the candle grow hot like the Summer Sun. Think of how it felt when the Sun was beaming down on your skin. What Summer mornings feel like and hot Summer nights. Infuse it with the energy and hope of Summer. Thank the element for its gift. Return the candle to the centre of the circle. 

Next take the small bowl of salt or sea water to the West candle. Carefully drop a little bit of wax from the candle into the water. Think of the feeling of jumping into a cool lake on a hot Summer day. Think of water balloon fights and refreshing dips in the ocean. Think of the way the beach smells. The scent of salt in the air. The way it makes your skin taste and feel tight. Think of the sound of waves crashing on a beach. The way the sand feels between your toes. Allow yourself to long for the sea. Picture blue streams of light coming from your third eye into the water. Infuse it with the energy and hope of Summer. Thank the element for its gift. Return the water to the centre of the circle.

Finally take the rose bud or flower to the North candle. Carefully pass the flower over the flame- be careful not to put it too close. Think of the flowers that bloom in the Summertime. Think of gardens growing. Vegetables sprouting and the scent of the earth after a sun-shower. Think about the way the grass feels under your toes and how the Earth feels warm. Your hands working the soil and tenderly caring for plants. Think of sleeping under the stars and staring up at the Moon. The way this time of year nature beckons you to come outside and play. Infuse the bud with the energy and hope of Summer. Thank the element for its gift. Return the flower to the centre of the circle. 

Now you have successfully blessed and infused the four items with the power of the returning Sun with memories of it at its height. Anytime you are feeling the Winter Blues bring out one of the items. Light the candle or burn the incense. Use the water for blessing yourself or your home. Dry the flower and keep it out somewhere as a reminder of the growing Sun.

Mirroring the Past, Looking to the Future Exercise:

This exercise is all about reflection on the past year and excitement about the future ahead. You will need a deck of Tarot cards or other divination tools (runes, playing cards, crystal ball, tea leaves, your own palm (this works perfect when you don't have divination tools of your own), whatever floats your canoe really) and a piece of paper, pen and lighter. 

On the paper write everything you have accomplished this past year. Try to remember the special little things that stood out in 2015 that you were thankful for. When you are ready fold up the paper and set aside for later. Next we are going to look at our future. Do a Tarot reading for yourself or some other form of divination. Try to take a peek at what 2016 holds. Write your forecast in a journal or online. Check back in June of 2016 and see what has transpired so far!

Once your celebration is over, take the paper outside and burn it somewhere safe. Say a prayer to the universe to thank it for its blessings. Watch the smoke carry your gratitude to the heavens.

Janus

Closing the Yule Circle:

I always think it is important when you close your circle to thank the Quarters as well as the Goddess and God in your own words. Start with West and work Widdershins (counter clock-wise) around your circle. Reflect on how the four elements matter in your life and why you are grateful to each one. 

Thank the God or male energy for his presence during your celebration and then do the same for the Goddess or female energy. 

Make sure to snuff your candles. Say: The circle is open, but never broken. Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again!

Clean up and make sure to have a glass of wine or other festive drink and something to eat. Save a little bit of the drink as well as some of the food to offer to the Nature Spirits outside. 

May you never thirst or hunger! )O(

I hope you have a Blessed Yule, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Very Happy New Year!

See you all in 2016 (or possibly before) for more Tarot Adventures! 

Religion and Tarot

Tarot, God, Gods, Goddesses, Aliens, Rocks and Trees- Can we all play on the playground?

This post has been sitting in my drafts for a long time and has been revised a thousand times. I have been debating over and over again, do I really want to talk about religion on here? Religion has become such a taboo subject and that makes my hands sweat when I think too hard about it. Its sad in a way, because I remember being a kid and only thinking positive things about religion and faith. It helped people be better people, it gave them hope for what's waiting after this life and on top of that, it gave you something bigger than yourself to hang onto for help or comfort. Sadly, as history seems to prove, we only get to see the dark side of religion and the extremes that come with it. It has become one of those topics that you do not approach in polite company. I am going to attempt talking about where religion falls in the Tarot world and will do my upmost best to try not to offend anyone.

I want to begin by saying that I personally do not spend any time thinking about my client's chosen faith or lack there of. I think that faith is something that is personal and I am not to judge you for how you seek comfort or where you get guidance from (or if you don't believe anything at all!). I don't think any religion in this world is inherently bad and I think at their cores', religion is a good thing for most people.

When I read Tarot, I get to read for people of all faiths and never have I ever had a negative experience with anyone, but I do hear this question from time to time, "Do you think God would be okay with me getting this done?" That's a really good question and not one that is easy for me to answer. I usually phrase it back as, "Do you think God would not be okay with you getting messages of hope, happiness and positivity?" I can't speak for the man upstairs, but I would like to think he/she would be supportive. (Also note when I say "God" I just mean that in the simplistic term that could mean whatever God is to you. It could be Aliens, Gods, Goddesses, God, Rocks and Trees, Energy, whatever you want it to be or nothing at all.) I do not think it matters if someone who is religious would like to get a Tarot reading done and I most certainly do not place any judgment on anyone wanting a reading or wanting to learn Tarot. Tarot is a way to express yourself, learn more about who you are and its a great way to have some innocent fun. We have morphed religious texts so much and lost their original meaning that I think the only thing that matters is that you are comfortable and wanting the reading done. If you don't feel comfortable with Tarot, I am not going to knock you over the head with a crystal ball for deciding to opt out of a reading.

I do not see Tarot in the same way Hollywood likes to portray it. Much to the disappointment of a few, I did not sell my soul for these gifts nor did I have to throw any virgins into a volcano or perform some intricate blood sacrifice. A lot of people get the idea that it comes from a dark place and that the man downstairs is somehow involved. I think the Devil, should he exist, has a lot better things to do than hangout with me and my Tarot deck- I am not very good company and my deck is starting to get a little grimy. I am sure there are jewel thieves, spies and villains hiding out in much cooler places than my house or myself for that matter.  I think that my ability to do readings comes from a positive place. I believe that there are special people on this earth who are just a little bit more connected to the unknown and mystical side of life. I also think that anyone can get that connection, but it takes time and a lot of hard work! When I am doing readings, 90% of the time its usually a positive message and I don't see that coming from a dark entity who would be hell bent on telling you that you are going to fall in love or get a raise. Even when the message isn't so positive, it is never something bad, its just a warning to get you to wake up to what is happening around you. Again, not necessarily a bad thing at all; nor do I believe it is coming from a place of devil possession and black magick as some would have us believe.

Don't Forget to Check your Monthly Tarot- Scope in the Pages Section! ---->

December Tarot-Scopes are Available Under Extras! )O(

December Special Feature: 

I am not booking private readings or parties for the month of December, but I am doing 12 month forecasts for 2016 by email! You can get a 12 card month by month future forecast for $15.00 which is $10.00 OFF the normal price! Email me at tarot.sj@gmail.com if interested. Note: At this time I can only take Canadian funds through e-transfer. I am hoping to change this soon! )O(

Tarot at the Carnival of TERROR!

Madmen, Killer Clowns, Murderers and "Tasha" Await YOU at the Carnival of TERROR!

Looking all mystical and magickal for a wild night of Tarot!

A few months ago I alluded that I would be reading fortunes at a community event called, Scare to Care. I have been so busy doing readings and of course, celebrating Halloween, that I never got a chance to talk about what an amazing adventure it was! To begin, you must understand that I live in a very small city, where literally nothing alternative happens, like ever. The concept of an "adult" haunted house is a new one to Saint John, where almost everything that happens is centred around families with small children. It is kind of like the town in Footloose, minus Kevin Bacon and his penis. When our local, Loyalist City Paranormal decided to create a legit scary haunted house, teenagers and adults alike were delighted. Not only did this group of totally wicked people offer something fun and new to the city they were doing it to raise proceeds for the Canadian Mental Health Association; with 100% of money raised going to the Saint John Chapter. This is huge and proves that spooky folks truly are the most giving people! By the end of the two week run they raised an incredible, $10,000!!!

I call her Brumhilda, killed by the sight of Kevin Bacon's penis. <3

I was reading Tarot there the first week of the Carnival because the second week, I was away on my trip to Salem. It was an incredible experience for me, even if it was only for a short time. I decided to do Tarot readings instead of palm readings because to be honest, reading palms bores me. I would likely have turned into my friend Brumhilda (pictured above). I also don't enjoy touching sweaty hands. I did readings by donation and ended up raising around $268.00, with 100% of the proceeds going to the cause. Instead of my typical ten card reading, I decided to skim it down to six, which I am glad I did!

I still feel pretty good about myself for being able to contribute to something that means so much to me. I think everyone can benefit from the services that the Canadian Mental Health Association has to offer, so to be able to help a group that has helped me, means a lot.

Being able to read cards and be the Fortune Teller at a carnival, was a pretty big deal to me, it kind of feels like, I have "made it" to the big times. I remember being a kid and going to the fair and there would always be this mystical lady (or sometimes a man) tucked away in a dark tent making people laugh or cry; couples would be going in together and coming out blushing; there is a certain allure to this and I have always aspired to be like these magickal people someday. I am so excited that I can finally say that I have a small part in that history.

Let me paint the setting for you: the Scare to Care group set up this awesome tent for me, that was draped in colourful scarves; inside, was full of pictures of magicians and Tarot cards. There were salt lamps and the mood was something right off the Midway. Haunting calliope music was booming out of the sound system and when the lights were turned off everything was bathed in a blood red glow. The volunteers who set this up, spent countless hours of their own time making all of this happen and they did an amazing job. Before I even started putting my own energy into the tent, I could feel magick in there.

I wish I took a picture at night, this lights on pic just doesn't do it justice.

Why, hello handsome!

When I arrived on the first night I had no idea what to expect. I sat down at my table, took a deep breath, checked my lipstick- which looked FIERCE by the way, and made sure my Tarot cards were well shuffled. I had no idea what type of people would be coming to see me or how they would react. I was so nervous on night one, my stomach was in knots with anticipation. They called 15 min until show time, then 10 and then 5... I was counting down getting ready and then my first client came in. Immediately my nervousness disappeared and I went into full stealth Tarot mode.

In the beginning people stopped by and peeked their heads in to see what was going on. Volunteers from the carnival stopped by to get readings, which was really fun. I have never read for skeletons, marionettes, clowns or monsters before. It is an interesting task to pick up on someone's energy as they are costumed in an awesomely horrifying way. The first 30 minutes did not prepare me for what was to come. Soon the crowds started to pile in and my line began to grow longer and longer. By night three I had a 45min wait to see me at some points in the line. Never would I have believed I would have this many people coming to get a reading!

It allowed me to read for people that I would typically not read for. Not to sound sexist because there are men who love Tarot and some of the dearest men to me, read cards, but as a norm most of my clientele is female. It was fun to read for the fellows and I think they enjoyed it. Men have a different energy than woman; which made it fun and unique for me. I also had the pleasure of reading for a lot of young people. I love to read for teens. Their energy is so vibrant and they know how to laugh at themselves and have fun. Even though I wish I could steal their youth like a vampire, I really love their energy. The awesome thing about young people is that they have an open mind and they always ask the best questions. I even had a young lady who decided to pick up her very own deck of Tarot cards after her reading. I wish her the best in her future Tarot adventures!

Another fun aspect of this was reading for young children. Typically, I don't really read for many children (I will be doing a future post on this) but at the carnival many kids stopped in to see me. It was fun telling them that they will grow up to be successful or in love. That they will meet the woman or man of their dreams and see them blush as their mothers watch with a close protective eye. I had two very memorable young boys stop over who wanted to be future NHL stars. I told them to keep working hard and not to give up not their dreams. I also advised them that when they make the NHL I expect a special "Tarot Reader shout-out" on either Twitter or whatever fanfangled thing kids will be using in the future. Several couples came to visit me, I could see them holding hands under the table and having little laughs to themselves about different things I told them. For some reason the sex card was very popular with the couples I read for, I guess its true that fear breeds arousal! I wonder if there will be any Scare to Care babies born in the next 8 months?!

If this doesn't get your gears going, I don't know what would!

All in all this was a very moving and memorable experience for me. I met some truly wonderful people reading there and am grateful to every single one of them. The volunteers and planners who made this happen and of course all the great people who waited in line to get a reading done. Having all these strangers share their stories, laugh and even shed a few tears with me was a very healing experience. My cards are now full of all of your energy and I am so lucky to have had the chance to take part in this. I can only hope that they made need a Tarot Reader next year and I can do it all again!

Here are some more pictures of the carnival for your viewing pleasure:

Taking a Ride on the Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune X

Dear readers, we have finally reached the tenth card in the Major Arcana. Thank you for sticking with me through to number ten. There has always been something special with the number ten. How many of us as kids thought we were “grown up” because we reached the double digits? Ten is special. It is a number of change and wonder about what’s next. There is a little mystery with ten and what options it presents for the next decade of life. When I think back ten years ago, I would have been graduating high school about to embark on my first trip without my parents (If you’re curious, I went to Montreal to see Rob Zombie). I thought I was finally an adult and could make decisions for myself. Ten years later looking back, my Gods, I had no idea what adulthood was at eighteen. Ten years from now, I will probably look back on my twenties with the same disdain. So many wonderful and scary things can happen in ten years; happy times and heartaches. The future can be frightening, as a Tarot Reader I probably shouldn’t say “the future is scary” but we have to keep it real here at, Adventures in Tarot Reading. 

When we proceed to ten in the Tarot we land on the Wheel of Fortune. Note: every time I go to write “fortune” my fingers type “torture”, no it is not a wheel of torture- fingers! Clearly, I am watching too many horror movies. What the Wheel of Fortune is telling us about is the unknown, taking risks and letting our inhibitions go. When this card comes up in a reading I usually see it as a nudge for the querent to take a risk. Do something different and out of character. The payoff will be worth it. I see this card as a indicator that your luck will change. Of course, this is twofold. If there were a lot of “dark” cards around the Wheel of Fortune than I would say that luck could be changing for the worse and to be careful. If the person getting the reading has a gambling problem then I would tell them to be very careful. Normally however, because I do see the Tarot as a mostly positive messenger it can mean your luck is changing for the better. This card can be an omen that things are going to be looking up really soon.

It can also mean that the querent is going to win something. Now this does not mean the lottery. I feel like I always have to stress this because so many people associate fortune tellers with lottery winnings or other such mumbo-jumbo. It could be winning money but it could also be about winning a raffle or something small. A win is still an awesome thing to have happen no matter how big or small it is. I would even go as far as suggesting the querenet have a little fun and do a little HEALTHY gambling. I am not saying gamble the house and dog away but do go out and test your luck; you just might be surprised by the results.

You will notice some characters surrounding the Wheel of Fortune; here is a little bit of info on each one:

The Wheel: This represents the wheel of Ezekiel. I will be honest, this aspect of the Tarot when we get into the really, really deep symbolism both fascinates me as much as it intimidates me. I am going to link you to our good friend Wikipedia who will explain this much better than I ever could. In layman's terms, just think mystical, magickal wheel.

Anubis or Demon: I always see this as Anubis but I have heard people refer to it as a demon as well. Anubis is the Egyptian God of Death (my personal favourite). Death always symbolizes a new beginning and uncontrollable change. It is a symbol of positive transformation in this card.

The Snake: I always thought this part of the card was pretty interesting, the snake is the Greek creature Typhon, the most deadly creature in their mythology. It is descending because it is telling you that the evil in your life is going away allowing good things to ascend into your life. The best is yet to come.

Man, Lion, Eagle and Bull (pictured in the corners): Represent the four fixed signs of the Zodiac (Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus, Leo). They also represent the four angels of the Tarot (Michael- the lion, Raphael- the man, Gabriel- the eagle and Uriel- the bull). Another representation that these four critters represent are the four elements (earth, air, fire and water). Their wings represent freedom to change. The books they are reading is called Torah which full of ancient knowledge and visions.

The Sphinx: The sphinx represents strength and endurance. 

The letters on the wheel stand for God.

Keys to remember: A new direction, change of luck, winning- hopefully not Charlie Sheen style, risk taking, lower inhibitions, doing something out of character.

Wheel of Fortune Exercise:

This card is urging you to do something outside of your character. I am not saying go out and become a stripper- though there is nothing wrong with being a stripper- those folks make A LOT more money than I do, but I would like you to do something different. Try something a little wild. Focus on this card and try your luck. Enter in a draw, 50/50 or buy a lottery ticket. Enjoy the rush of the gamble. If you have an issue with gambling, please do not listen to me! Do not go back on all the hard work you have done to get away from your habit- also kudos to you! What I would like you to do is to do something fun. Whether it’s getting on a thrill ride, seeing a horror movie or getting a hot new lover. Do something that makes your heart pump and makes your adrenaline spike. Again, please be safe but do get out there and take a ride on the wheel. I think you will be excited by the results of doing something a little outside of the norm.

Side note this card always makes me think of my grandma. Simply because she loves the game show Wheel of Fortune and I feel like I would be doing her a disservice by not bringing up nanny Betty in this post. I keep thinking about her as I write this because she is someone who truly lives by the Wheel (not just with making sure she is home in time to watch the game show but also in a Tarot sense LOL). She was never was afraid to take a little risk or do something out of character. I have proof of this because there are pictures floating around of my sweet, Rice Krispy square-making grandma with male strippers at a Chippendales show. I can only hope that her wildness and appreciation for doing things out of character stays with me when I am a few decades older. Nanny Betty, please don’t kill me for telling the Internet about your male stripper adventure! Love you!

My Salem Adventure and Belated Halloween Blessings!

*** This is a warning that this post is going to be a long one, so sit tight, get a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa and enjoy this journey with me!***

Happy belated Halloween readers! I hope you all had a magickal Samhain. I am a little late with this post but I hope you still enjoy a little after the holiday Halloween magick. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday- shocking I know. A lot of people think it is because it is the one-day of the year when I can really let my freak flag fly indulging in all the horror awesomeness of the holiday, which for the record is half true. I do love all of those things but the true reason is that this is the one night when I feel like I can truly connect with those I have lost. I really do believe that this is the night you can make contact. Normally on this evening I would set up an altar adorned with the images of my lost loved ones with lit candles. I would take some time and write them letters that I would later burn. It is my belief that the smoke carries over the messages to the other side and sends my love to them. I will never know if the messages are received but is gives me a deep sense of peace knowing that I tried. I usually only send the letters to a special few, my paternal grandparents and my uncle Larry. I miss my grandfather and uncle every day, the pain and hurt that was left with me will never leave but on Halloween the ache is much less. I never met my grandmother Marion but I have always felt her presence and on Halloween I like to believe she is with me. I heard stories from my dad that she used to practice witchcraft so I have always felt a connection with her through that. These are the real reasons why I look forward to this special night.

This Samhain was a little different because I was away, so I had to send my messages through prayer and not through my normal means, but that is okay because I got to spend it in Salem, MA. Salem holds a special significance to me because in 1692 the only Witch Trials in North America were held there. Twenty innocent people were hanged and one was crushed to death.

It is extremely unlikely that any of these people were actually witches but it is important because as a practicing witch in 2015, to remember that we were once not as free as we are now. If I were back then, I would have been hung for sure. There was no such thing as public Tarot readings back then and I feel that I owe it to these lost souls to pay my respect to them. It is a constant reminder of how lucky we are, whether we are witches or not that we can be who we are without prosecution. Not to get political but this also serves as a reminder that there are people in this world right now who do not share the same rights as we do. Always be thankful that you live in a country where you can be yourself.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have wanted to come to Salem my whole life. I remember being young and checking out books from the library on the witch trials, which sparked my interest on the occult. Salem was always this mysterious place of magick. Nowadays it is a place where people like me are welcomed. All of the things that make me odd around my hometown make me normal in Salem. When I first stepped foot there, I could feel the magick. There is a weird energy in the air. It smells like magick and fried donuts. The trees are huge and adorned with bright yellow and orange leaves. The town was alive with Halloween celebrations and people everywhere were proudly letting their inner witch out to play.

We started out with a trip to the House of the Seven Gables, which I mistook as the Witch House and was pleasantly surprised when I found out I was 100% wrong about its history. It was actually the setting of a book by Nathanial Hawthorne. The house is a big black mansion. All of the furniture inside was from the 1600-1700’s. Our guide led us through various rooms and one very confining almost panic attack-inducing staircase. He taught us the houses history through bad jokes and references to nerdy movies that I got but I think left the rest of the group confused. It was amazing to see this old house and to just take a moment to step back in time. It was probably one of the highlights of my trip and considering I legit had no idea what it actually was until I got there, was a very pleasant surprise for me. After the House of Seven Gables we set off to get some much needed lunch and a cocktail that left me feeling a little buzzed in Salem.



We stopped at a pub called In a Pigs Eye. The pub had this really cool vibe to it and the food was excellent. Our waiter was awesome and really made the whole meal entertaining. On the walls in the pub were different photographs of people posing as different Tarot cards. It was fun to be surrounded by something I love out at a public bar. Our waiter told us that the people in the photos were bar regulars. They were beautifully done and if I had more money I would have bought some. I thought it was awesome as a Tarot Reader that the pub we picked ended up being decorated Tarot-Style. Only in Salem can you get a drink with both the Devil and the High Priestess looking over your shoulder. I had this drink called a Rum Runner and it knocked my witch boots off a little bit. I had to get my father-in-law and fellow lover of rum to help me finish it off otherwise my family would have been dealing with “drunk Tasha” for the remainder of the trip. I prefer to keep her at home so I was happy for his help in finishing the drink.

After dinner we decided some good ol’ fashioned horror would help kill my buzz. We headed down to the waterfront to visit Count Orlock’s Monster Museum. This is where the horror fan in me was delighted. Count Orlock’s had wax figures from several horror movies throughout history and overall had a very creepy atmosphere. You would turn one corner to see Nosferatu rising from the grave to being face to face with Regan from the Exorcist. Freddy Krueger was there and so was Michael Myers. Jason Voorhees made an appearance and so did my main squeeze Elvira. We had the chance to see several props from different movies and even got to take a peek into Pinhead’s puzzle box. For any horror fan this place is a must. I will definitely be going back there. You can tell that the owner is passionate about horror cinema and this love shines through the exhibits.

A trip to Salem on Halloween would not be complete without a trip to a haunted house. After doing a lot of haunted house research we found Chambers of Terror. My mother in law has never been to a haunted house and she braved her way through one of the more intense ones in Salem like a pro. I also would like to note that one of the people in the group before us bailed out and Cathy still braved her way through. So big blog kudos to you Mama T! She had this plan to be in the middle and I think the scare actors could tell she was nervous because they never hesitated to take advantage of any opportunity to scare the living shit out of her. We laughed, we screamed, I told a ghoul I would do whatever he wanted… apparently when I am scared for my life I am very giving of myself, much to my husband’s dismay. Also side note: I love calling Paul my “husband”, must be a newlywed thing. ;)

We had some time between our ghost walk and our appointment for the Witch Museum so we walked around Salem for a bit. This was amazing. There are no words to describe the beauty of the houses or of the port. There was a huge tall ship docked there called Friendship that was a replica of one of the first trading ships. She was a thing of beauty. Some of the streets were old cobblestone and again the energy was just like static. We stopped at Salem’s oldest cemetery after walking through the Witch Village. The cemetery was beautiful. The rows have been worn down to dirt from all of the people who have walked through there. In this cemetery is the Witch Memorial. It was a little overwhelming. I think I was able to hide a few stray tears under my huge sunglasses. It was an emotional experience and I am feeling a little overwhelmed right now as I write this. They have these stone seats set up with all of the names of the people who were basically murdered by the puritans. On the seats people have left offerings of coins, bottles of oil, bouquets of flowers and other mementos. It is a nice sign that even in this time people still feel the loss of these innocent lives. When we were in the cemetery a huge bird, I think it was either a hawk or a falcon- I am no bird expert landed on one of the stones. It just sat there and watched everyone. It really added to the magick that was present in the cemetery that day. After paying our respects we went back to Essex St. to check out several of the occult shops. We went to a shop called Crow’s Haven Corner, which claims to be one of the oldest Occult shops in Salem. It did not disappoint. It smelled so good in there, if you know witch shops, you know the smell I am referring too, witches and their stores have this really odd perfumed natural smell and it was awesome in there. People were casting spells and reading Tarot cards- for very high prices may I add. I bought myself a new Tarot deck called, The Halloween Tarot- I thought it would be fitting for the occasion. I also picked up a spell candle for myself and something else for a dear magickal friend of mine. I am not going to put what I bought him here because I know he reads this blog. Sorry M, you will have to wait for your dinner!

We also stopped at a wand shop, which had some of the most beautiful wands I have ever laid eyes on. The shopkeeper was a sweetheart and he was telling me some different stories about Salem and his time in the theater as part of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. After this we went to our second haunted house of the evening. 

The 4D Haunted House, was visually really cool- do people still say, “cool”? Though it was not very scary, however my mother-in-law may disagree. There were so many interesting things to see in there like theme rooms and some parts were a little bit spooky but I felt rushed and didn’t really get to see a lot of what was in there. They let you in as a large group and the group in front of us got a lot of the scares so I knew what was coming. I really would not recommend this place and I would not go there again. If you want to go to a haunted house, go to Chambers of Terror and save your money on this haunt; at least in my humble opinion.

One of the highlights of being in Salem was just walking around, though my aching feet may disagree with that. Seeing all of the people in costumes was awesome. Only in Salem can you find yourself walking down the street with Michael Myers stalking behind you. Groups of skeletons would wave you across the street while Freddy Krueger played a little finger-tapping tune on a lamppost. Witches of course, were in abundance. I almost regret not wearing my witch hat when I was there. Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas were greeting people on the same street corner that that creepy kid from the Ring was hanging out. The Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus were everywhere casting spells and running about. I saw a very sexy cat woman and also some sexy cops. Surprisingly people were not dressed in the trashy costumes that you would see in my neighborhood back home. The costumes were all well thought out and executed. I could spend pages talking about the different costumes so I will spare you the rest.

Towards the end of my night there we went on a ghost walk with our dead tour guide Michael who claimed to be stuck in a time machine, which brought him to 2015. He was an amazing guide who took us on an hour-long trip through the city. He showed us the local haunts and told us interesting stories of murders, witches and curses. One of my favorite stops was the old old Salem jail (yes two old’s). He also took us to where one of the accused witches had an apple orchard, which is now a bar, and he claims you can still smell the apples on some mornings. He made the walk fun and even made sure to get the approval of us Canadian tourists. He took us to this house where a high profile murder took place. Cathy took some interesting pictures there, which were full of orbs that we can’t explain maybe it was the ghosts! We stopped at an old church, which was built on a puritan graveyard to stick it to them by a rebel who escaped during the trials and returned afterward, the church of course if supposed to be haunted. This part was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip. When I return to Salem, I plan to do a lot more of these tours.

After this we headed to our last stop of the evening, the famous Salem Witch Museum. I wish I could end this post on a positive note, but this was actually very disappointing. The first part of the Witch Museum was excellent. You sit in this big theatre and all around you are displays from the witch trials. A voiceover tells you the stories of the people accused and as the story progresses each display gets lit up. Its hard to describe but it was really interesting and informative. The second part of the museum is an exhibit on witches through the ages. It consisted of a wall with pictures of Glenda the Good Witch, the Wicked Witch of the West and other characters throughout history. However I could have easily seen this same info online. Then there is a wax figure of an old-school Pagan priestess who talks about being a wise woman. It was lackluster. Then on another wall were pictures of witchcraft trails through history. This would have been more enjoyable if I could stop and read it but there were so many people there I didn’t have the chance. I think if we went on the off-season, maybe I would have enjoyed the exhibit a bit more. Lastly there was a display of two modern Wiccans who explained what Wicca was and modern witchcraft. I thought this was alright but as a Witch myself I think it would have been better to have someone who actually practices to talk about Wicca, but maybe that isn’t realistic of me. That was it. No reproductions of what the houses would have looked like back then or what the gallows would have looked like. No real witchcraft items, other than some really old herbs. No real essence of witchcraft or history was in there. I thought that as a museum which is set up inside an old HUGE church that it would have had a little more to offer on the history side of things. The gift shop, to be honest pissed me off a little. I was expecting to be some more pieces of history of Salem in 1692 or maybe some more authentic witchcraft items but it was just your run of the mill witch Halloween decorations and Harry Potter stuff. The Harry Potter stuff bothered me because Salem has nothing to do with Harry Potter and vice versa. Why focus on HP when you can focus on the history that has brought so many people to this city in the first place? Also side note: don’t get my wrong, I LOVE HP but not in this setting. I am no museum expert or curator so this is of course only my ignorant opinion, which is to be taken with a grain of salt. I would not want to dissuade anyone from going there because you just may have an amazing experience. Maybe I am just old and bitter and have my broomstick shoved too far up my ass! LOL.

Thus concludes my adventure to Salem. I am going to hold on to these dear memories for the rest of my life. I could take up pages and pages talking about everything I seen but frankly, I don’t want to do that to your eyeballs. If you are still with me reading this right now, high five to you, dedicated reader! If you ever get the chance to go there I hope that you take full advantage of the opportunity. It was almost, dare I say, life changing for me. I hope you had an amazing Halloween/ Samhain and that you were surrounded by the love of those who have passed before you. Know that your loved ones are always close by. Even though the hurt that leave behind never really heals, remember that they want you to be happy and to continue to move forward in life. May your witch hats always be pointy and your brooms never need a tune-up. I think I will go try to remove that broomstick from up my rear end, now that I am don’t ranting about the Salem Witch Museum and gift shop, LOL. Blessed be to you dear reader!

Old School Pen and Paper Journaling

Everyone seems to have a journal or grimoire these days. Us bloggers and journaling folks are everywhere. If you are looking for some inspiration on starting your own personal or Tarot journal, maybe this post will be a good starting place for you.
It can be intimidating to start a journal in the first place, I can tell you that from my own experience. No matter how hard however, I do believe that keeping a journal is a really awesome thing to do, and honestly, I think everyone should at least try it. I have been keeping a personal journal since I was eleven and have continued to add to its volumes over the past seventeen years (annnnnd that sentence just made me feel really old!). The journal that I have been keeping holds all of my secrets. If you ever made an impact on my life your name is probably scribed on one of those pages. There are things in those books that no-one knows:  joys, sorrows, adventures mixed with misadventures and of course, a lot- like an embarrassing lot, of teenage angst.  My journals are my most sacred possession. Like all things some have gotten lost but I am content to still have most of them kicking around. My hope is that I keep adding to its volumes for the rest of my life. It has been a lot of work and dedication but I know when I am old and can barely remember who I am, I will have these books to remind me. I will have a chance to read the names of those I love, those I have lost and maybe laugh at myself along the way. A gift from mostly able minded me to not so able minded future me. The pièce de résistance of my life.
I started my Tarot journal when I started my classes with my teacher. I read a lot about Tarot journaling in books but never really knew how to get started so it was something I always put off. I knew how to write a personal journal but to write on a specific topic, that was tough. I had too high expectations of myself and ended up giving up because it wasn't coming out "text book" enough. I would focus more on the wording than what the actual card was about. When I started to study, A. recommended that we start a journal. She said that it would help us get our own interpretations out of our minds and on to paper. She said it would be easier to remember the cards this way and she was right. After my first lesson, I was assigned a card and was told to write about it. I was told not to focus on the sentences or it making sense. No one was going to read the journal but me. I was not writing for a public platform. Realizing this was just a personal journal about a topic was an "a-ha" moment for me. I was no longer writing a text book, and with that my first Tarot journal was born.

Bumblebee book is the first one. What? Bumblebees scream TAROT! No?

I was told to just look at the card and write my first impressions down about it. Like I was meeting it for the first time. Did it make me feel happy? Sad? Did I want to run away from it or be a part of it? I would go through the deck starting with the Minor and just write down my thoughts on each card. There were no fancy pictures in there or beautifully written poetry. No flowery spells for psychic clarity or anything like that. Just the name of the card and my first impression. It was the most basic of basic, but it worked. If you want to start your own book, try doing this little meet and greet through the cards. You don't have to write a paragraph, a quick sentence or even a word jotted down quickly will do. Use this as your start. Before you know it the pages will start to fill up- the most gratifying part of any journal- if you ask me! Its crazy the little hang-ups we get before we starting writing in a new book. Push through the "fear of tainting the shiny new book" and just go to town on it! No one is going to care if your writing is messy or if you use different pens. You will be too busy having your mind expanded with Tarot awesomeness that you too will stop caring about your penmanship or choice of Bic.

The rewards of keeping a journal are too many to list but I will try a few in a last ditch attempt to get you writing. 

You will: 

• Learn more about yourself than you ever thought you would.
• You will remember odd things and strange memories will surface that you thought you buried six feet under and covered in cement. 
• You will be surprised how much life without auto correct both sucks and doesn't suck. 
• There will be no phrases such as, "The 3 of Swords makes me really ducking depressed". When you use a pen and paper journal.
• You gain a creative outlet.
• You will be able to document your awesome Tarot journey and someday turn it into a real book or blog- if you want too!
• You can always add to it, start again or make your existing one better. *See pretty glitter book above, behind the bees. LOL. 
• You can bring up in conversation that you, "journal" which will add to your already sexy mysteriousness.
• You can literally do whatever you want. You could even write your own Tarot-Sutra or Tarot-erotica. Maybe the next 50 Shades of Grey cash cow is sitting in your Tarot cards right now! Hubba hubba! Toot-Toot! 
• You do not have to write in it every day. I don't write in either my journals daily. I only write when the mood strikes me. I find it is so much easier to commit to keeping a journal this way because it stops it from being a chore. Try this method if you struggle with daily journal writing.
• Every time you write in it, its an escape from this world to somewhere magickal and who doesn't want more magick in their lives?

I will one last time beg humbly before your supreme sexy mysterious awesomeness and ask you to please, please, please give this a try. I think you will be happy with the results! 

Next up we will get risky, explore the unknown and take a ride on the Wheel of Fortune! 

Here are some more pics of my Tarot journals.

Bee book first page. I was 15 when I started this book. 

Bee book, love my Periwinkle nail polish by the way. Totally reminds me of Mother from Psycho! Almost Halloween!

I should have been a hand model, dammit! This is my more recent Tarot journal that I am currently writing in. 

I am no artist but wanted to add little pictures of symbols that stick out to me. 

Finding Peace With the Hermit

The Hermit IX

Fancy seeing you, old man from that Led Zeppelin album hanging out here!

Well its official, Fall is here! YAY! Its time for delicious desserts and sweet glorious sweaters. My chubby legs will no longer fear "short weather" this alone makes Fall extra special! The leaves are starting to burst into bright displays yellows, reds and oranges, in nature death if so beautiful, if only we could go out with the same bang! (I am feeling a touch morbid today). This is my favourite time of year.  At night it is cold and you can see your breath and the ground is covered in little frozen diamonds. If the wine wasn't blurring my vision, I think a seen frost a couple of nights ago. This is the time when things start to go quiet.  I feel like you can feel magick in the air. 
This is a good time to start planning for Winter and any inner work that you want to do.  My favourite aspect of the dark side of the Wheel, as I said above, is that everything is quieter. No more loud unruly children outside interrupting my beauty sleep. No more expectations to be going out at all hours and times of the day. The whole wildness of Summer, is coming to a sweet glorious end. Can you tell I am excited? On top of all this, this is also a perfect time of year to talk about the Hermit. The perfect mascot for those introverts we all know (and love!) or are *raises hand*! I say this a lot but I really do love this card. It makes me think of peace, quiet and self reflection- all things I am desperately in need of! It is here to say that it is okay to relax and just take some time out of the humdrum of life to spend some time with yourself. 

When was the last time you spent some time on your own? When you were cut off from the distraction of those in our lives? Have you had a break from your children, your spouse or your family and friends? Or work even? When was the last time you decided to do something for your spirit? Or for your own wellbeing? I bet for a lot of us, these questions are impossible to answer because life has a tendency to get in the way of the relationships we have with ourselves. The Hermit wants you to turn off your phone, get off social media and even avoid the family, if even for only a little while. He wants you to take a long look in the mirror and get to know the person who is looking back at you. When was the last time you spent time with that person? He wants you to meditate on what makes you happy. He wants you to nourish YOUR spirit and finally deal confront those inner demons. Recognize both sides of your nature and be OKAY with who you are. Are you up for the challenges that this card presents? I hope so! 

If you are doing a reading for someone and this fellow decides to make an appearance, I would recommend that maybe the person needs to hit pause for a little while and make time to be alone. This card can also indicate someone who is lonely and is looking for a positive omen that this dark period will come to an end. The light that the Hermit is holding is knowledge. Knowledge of oneself and what truly matters to you. Its a quest for knowledge. This card is never fun in a love reading, the querent will probably be waiting a little longer for that spicy lover to come into their life. They are waiting however because they need to learn to love themselves and embrace who they are before anyone else could love them. Take some time to get to know you. This card is about slowing down and the energy is very quiet, almost non-existent. Time will move slow for those involved with the Hermit, but that may not be a bad thing. 

Keys to remember: alone time, inner mysteries, quiet, contemplation, non-romance, knowledge, meditation. 

Hermit Homework

Here is your Hermit homework. If you are reading this right now, I want you to take out a notebook and write down some promises to yourself. Make a list, draw a picture, or whatever floats your little boat. Set some goals on what you want to accomplish this coming Winter. Do you want learn a new skill? Paint a picture? Write that amazing novel you never have time to write? Maybe its something as simple as just taking five minutes a day to show yourself some love *wink wink*- sorry that got too pervy but not pervy enough to delete.... I also want you to think about the things that bring you physical and spiritual pleasure. I want you to make a point before the next Full Moon to make sure you do something to fulfill both of these needs. Whatever it is, no matter how simplistic or extravagant, make time for it. Let the Hermit show you the way. 

PS: I tried to find online who this Hermit is or whoever inspired Pamela Coleman-Smith to draw him, but had no luck. If you know this little fact, can you please share it with me for my own inner work?