Death

Death XIII

My oldest foe Death,

How I fear your visit

The clasp of your cold hand

The scent of your presence,

I live in your black shadow

You great bringer of sorrow.
Forcing the wheel of life to turn

Encourager of new seasons,

Without the demise of Winter

Spring would not burst forth.

Without you, would I know joy

Experience purest happiness,

Without comparison to your gloom.

My dearest friend Death,

Do you know what love is?
 

-N. Thiemann

This card needs no fancy heading or funny play on words. It needs not a paragraph on the February weather or my usual initial banter- though I do have some good Tarot Adventure stories and updates for my next post. This my friends, readers and fellow bloggers is the most infamous card of them all. Featured in countless horror movies, detective novels, surrounded by a smokescreen of mystery and fear. Why do we fear this card so much? Is it because most of us are inherently scared to die? I sometimes think this card is so powerful because we can all connect with it. Every one of us has experienced death in our lives or will eventually experience it. I remember my first exposure death. Like most people, it was the passing of a pet, my first dog, Tramp. I will never forget the day I found out Tramp had passed on. I think we all remember our first experience realizing that the fragility of life is a very real thing.  Out of all of the cards, this is the one I respect the most. I have the upmost respect for the grieving and the afraid. We are all in this together. Side note: my dog was named after "Lady and the Tramp" (it was the 90's) and we thought that would be a fitting name for the scruffy terrier/weiner dog that he was. Afterwards we realized that might not have been a good "dog name" after all. The little bastard- I say that with love, had a real passion for running away and it would result in my mother yelling, "Tramp" loudly out the door. I think a lot of people in our neighbourhood might have took it personally based on our popularity with the neighbours...

Many people in the Tarot community tread lightly when this card makes an appearance in a reading. I believe in following some serious Tarot ethics and one of those things is to never tell someone they or a person they love are going to die. Lets leave that conversation for medical professionals who can really tell you how much more time you have on the clock. This is not something for a Tarot Reader, in my opinion, to get into. I have a close friend whom a Reader once told her mother that her father would die within the year. She spent a year worrying every time he coughed or went out. He is still kicking today. You see, there is no need to plant that seed in someone's mind. Even if I do see a death, I personally would never tell someone. Does that make me dishonest? Maybe. I'm not losing any sleep at night. Plus it is very rare that this card does mean an actual death in the first place. Which is a perfect way to lead into our next paragraph...

 

This card does indeed mean the end of something, hence the title, "Death" but that could mean the end of many things. Depending on the cards surrounding it, it could indicate the end of a job or relationship. Usually it lets you know that the end will be a GOOD thing. The sun is pictured rising which is always a symbol for better things to come. When the cards around Death are a mismatch of all sorts of different meanings than I take it as a sign of BIG CHANGES to come. It can indicate a whirlwind like change, where you feel like everything is happening around you but you have lost control. Oftentimes this will come up for people who have been having a terrible year or they are feeling lost on their path. This card really wants you to just, roll with it or go with the flow. There is no sense fighting what we cannot change. Like physical death, we can put on anti aging face cream or workout until the cows come home but in the end the Reaper will always be waiting. I am just a ball of sunshine today folks! When this card is coupled with the Three of Swords, Nine of Swords or Ten of Swords, this is when I would think about physical death. Again, I caution you, please use your discretion. No one needs to hear about their demise from a psychic. If you are someone who feels that their querent should hear all news, please be gentle in your delivery and remember even the best of us can be wrong. I strongly urge discretion when sharing information like this and the consideration of not sharing this info at all.

 

Getting Acquainted with Death

 

It is no surprise to anyone who knows me personally, that I am a little on the morbid side. My house is pretty much Halloween ready 365 days a year- however it is classy not tacky- there is a very fine line folks. I love horror in all its many forms. Growing up I lived beside a cemetery so my parents would take me there to play. That's where I learned to ride my bike and used to go sliding. I was always a little antisocial even as a child and would go to the cemetery to relax and sort out my thoughts. The cemetery that I frequent is called Fernhill and it is where my family has been laid to rest for many generations and it truly is my "happy place". Please do not be fooled, even though I surround myself in spooky imagery and take relaxing strolls through the cemetery, I am terrified of death and my own future demise.

 

I have been trying to figure out some exercises to help anyone interested get more in tune with this card. My recommendation would be to take a stroll through your local cemetery, if this type of place does not bother you. Make an afternoon of it. You will be surprised at how much history you will uncover. Do some cemetery etchings or maybe take some pictures. You might just capture a couple of ghostly images. If you do decide to do this exercise please be respectful of the cemetery and those who are laid to rest there. If you bring your dog, clean up after him or her otherwise, I will get on my broomstick and find you! Nothing bothers me more than people who let their pets run rampant in a place that should be respected. This is not an amusement park! *takes off ranting hat*

 

 

If you are not comfortable with the cemetery, which I completely understand why not embrace the change aspect of this card. Take a little trip to a nearby town and check out some new sights. Do something different that you would not typically do. See what happens when you bring new change into your life!

 

Hanging with the Hanged Man

The Hanged Man XII

Finally it's safe to say we survived the Mercury Retrograde and now are on our way to greener, well maybe snowier pastures (it is February after all). I am feeling a lot better than I was feeling last month. I feel like I am ready to get back on my broomstick and continue on with my Tarot journeys. I must say even with the retrograde going on causing me all kinds of scandal, I also had the pleasure of meeting some really great people for readings. One lady was just a sweetheart. We talked for hours and I ended up almost leaving without getting my fee, leave it to me! Thankfully she was honest and reminded me to take my moo-lah. I also got to read for some lovely ladies who served me delicious goat cheese and cider. We had excellent conversation and a lot of laughs. That is just a small fraction of the delightful people I met last month. I say this often but I am truly lucky to be able to read Tarot and meet so many interesting and wonderful souls.  Meeting people for readings and hearing their stories really helps to remind me of why I do this. Tarot can be exhausting at times. You are constantly opening your energy and spirit up to others, but I will tell you that in the end it is always worth the late evenings and busy schedule. What you get out of reading Tarot is so much more than what you put in. Especially if you are passionate about this art. 

As I write this I can see the trees outside of my house bending with the wind. The flowering crab is doing it's best to stand strong against the February gusts. Clive Barker, the author of my favourite book of all time, "The Thief of Always" compared February to a "great grey beast". Ever since reading that description I have always seen this month as this beast that comes roaring in, beating us down with cold, unpredictable weather and then disappears like a fever dream. Recently it has been eerily warm in my neck of the South Eastern coast of Canada. Normally by this time we would be buried in feet of snow, I am actually not even exaggerating, but as it stands we have less than six inches of the white stuff. The weather is weird. Things are changing. My reptile brain is a little concerned. 

I find myself starting to get a little stir crazy as well. Even though it hasn't been a typical Winter, it still has been cold and wet enough to keep me away from the places I love like the beach. I am starting to feel stuck and am longing for warm sunny afternoons and humid nights. I miss the smell of bonfires and the sound of crashing ocean waves. The way the sand is almost too hot under your toes and the stark contrast of the freezing cold ocean water- gotta love the North Atlantic- am I right? You know you are Canadian when you brave the FREEZING temperatures like a pro because you want to swim in the ocean. I am feeling a little like our buddy the Hanged Man. Stuck on my tree, okay with the wait but stuck all the same with Winter waning on one side and Spring waxing on the other. Its just a slow waiting game but eventually the changing of the seasons will start and I will be back to my beloved ocean in no time.

I suppose I have bored you long enough with my talks of the weather that I really should get on with what this card is all about. When the Hanged Man shows up in a reading he can symbolize a couple of things. First I always see it as something that is moving slow. For example if someone were to ask me about love and they had this card, I would tell them that love is on it's way but its going to be a wait and to be patient. It doesn't mean that things wont happen but it does mean it is going to take a while. Another interpretation of this card is sacrifice. I was told years and years ago that the Hanged Man represents the Norse God Odin- fun fact: I have been researching my family history and found out my maternal ancestors were Norse! Odin hung on the World Tree for nine days to learn the hidden knowledge of the runes. He sacrificed an eye and was speared but through this sacrifices the knowledge that he obtained was well worth the trouble. His message to you if you get this card is that your sacrifices are soon to pay off. Keep doing what you are doing and you will see results. If you are someone who is always doing things for others, expect some appreciation or pay off. I never see this card as bad omen or an image of suicide or death. Some people have conjured this idea up but I assure you that is not the meaning, at least in my humble opinion. Another fun thing that this card signifies is independence. Someone who knows what they want and what they need to do and does not need the help or influence of other people. If you recently had a break up and this card made an appearance it would be very encouraging because it would remind you that you GOT THIS! As long as you have your back, nothing else matters. This card wants you to be independent and make your own choices. I think that is a very powerful and positive message. I hope that if you see this card in a reading that you get excited that Odin stopped for a visit and a lesson in sacrifice and independence. 

An Exercise with Odin 

Our good friend Odin was a Father God in Norse mythology who was also the God of both war and death. He is also the God of poetry and wisdom- which is what we are going to focus on here. His old english name was Woden which is related to the day Wednesday, which is his day. Odin is also the Father of that sexy Thor fellow. He has two ravens whom he uses to keep an eye on what is happening on Earth. I wish I had myself some fancy ravens that I could use to keep an eye on people. 

For more information on Odin, which I highly recommend researching because he is super interesting, check out the link above to old faithful aka Wikipedia. 

What we are going to do to get more connected with his energy is that on a Wednesday, make some time for yourself, sit down and read some poetry. Be inspired by your favourite poet. Enjoy the lyrical rhythm of a good poem. Take time to appreciate this art. Many people have never read a poem after leaving high school and this makes my poem loving heart sad. If you enjoy writing maybe ask Odin for some inspiration and see what you come up with. I used to write poetry all the time and not to toot my own horn, but I was really damn good at it too! I think I may use some of this Odin inspired thought to write some new poems. I hope you do too!

Here are some links to my favourite poets. I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration through their talent!

Edgar Allan Poe- anyone who knows me should not be surprised that he is number one. 

Robert Frost- seriously, he is so talented. His poem, "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" be still my Canadian heart. 

Sylvia Plath- You hear references made about her all the time in movies when people are trying to sound well read or smart. Ever wonder why? Her poetry is both strong and beautiful. Check her out! 

William Shakespeare- I am a sucker for old Shakes, especially his love poems. It is the month of love after all! 

Ovid- Last but not least we have Ovid. If you are not familiar with him just know he was one bad ass dude who was exiled. His poetry was considered a little on a racy side back in his day. I absolutely am in LOVE with Ovid, especially surprise, surprise his love poems. Check him out! <3 I always thought if I were to write a book the main character would be named Ovid.

PS: Not a poem but seriously, check out "The Thief of Always" by Clive Barker if you want an awesome February read! 

Happy reading!