Rituals of Imbolc

Welcoming Imbolc: Ideas to Inspire

The view from my Reading Room

I must confess, I was supposed to have these Imbolc ideas written to go with the Imbolc Blessings post. Then got lazy and never posted it, so alas, here I am writing on a snowy day all about the Spring. The weather has been so weird this Winter. It was 9 degrees Celsius yesterday now today it is cold and there is a snowstorm going on. This is probably the first "real" storm we have had all Winter. I am not sure if the Gods are just being good to us on the East Coast or if there is something more sinister at play causing this warm and unusual weather. Snow or no snow, I wanted to talk a little about Imbolc.

I have always liked this Sabbat. Imbolc is all about hope, which is something we sure could use a lot more of in this world. When February 2nd comes around normally we would be in dire need of some sign of Spring or a message from the universe to let us know it is going to be okay. At this time in the year many of us are in the deepest part of seasonal depression and are struggling to stay positive. Imbolc comes to help cheer us up and give us a little nudge by reminding us that beneath the snow and cold, the Earth is coming alive.

Can you believe that in some parts of the world, little flowers are starting to poke their way through the snow? Or that birds are starting to make their way home? Even though we can't see it with our human eyes, nature is getting ready for the next season. We need to have faith that before long the sun will be kissing our faces with warmth once more. I don't want to go into the history of Imbolc or go into it too deeply, simply because there is information all about the Sabbats all over the Internet. I recommend doing some deep reading on this Sabbat if you are not familiar with what I am talking about here, because I think you will be excited about what you discover!

Growing up as a Wiccan- at the time (I really don't know what to call myself these days) I was very lucky in the sense that I had a group of like minded friends and even a family member (my dear magickal witchy Aunt Donna) to celebrate the Sabbats with me. We would all gather together, do a ritual and then have some delicious potluck food. I cherish these memories. These days our group has changed, people have gotten married, older, busier and new magickal people have come into our lives. We do not gather like we used to but I find comfort in knowing that we all share these same candlelit recollections.

Today I want to share with you some of the Imbolc activities I have done in hopes that it inspires you to make some Imbolc memories for yourself. Even if we are a few days late!

Here are some things to do on Imbolc:

• If you consider yourself a kitchen witch, why not try your hand at some bread making? You can make a simple dough (who I am kidding, is there a "simple" dough out there that actually tastes good?) break it into three sections and then braid them together. Your bread is going to come out looking AMAZING and everyone will praise you for your mad kitchen skills! When you braid the dough together infuse it with your awesomeness so anyone who eats it gets a blessing from you.
• Make some candles! This was always my favourite part of Imbolc. I used to go down to Michael's- I know, not the most new age kinda place, and buy some beeswax sheets and some wicks. Then I would heat the wax up with a hair dryer and roll them into candles. You can get creative with different colours or designs. There is pretty much no mess and they come out looking beautiful. You can add herbs, oils or even gemstones to your candles. I went to go do this last year and was told that it was so cold they were not getting any beeswax shipments in but other years I have had no problems getting the wax.
• Make a bed for Bride. Imbolc is heavily associated with the lovely, beautiful, inspiring Goddess Brigid. Back in the day people would make a little bed for Bride and put it beside their hearth. They would create an effigy of her from corn husks (or whatever you have on hand) and then would put her in bed for the night. It is believed that Brigid would visit in the night and bestow blessings on your home. You can also make an acorn wand representing the God and put that in the bed too. This is a great way to bring some fertility magick into your house.
• Take a bowl of milk and leave it out or pour it outside as an offering to the nature spirits. If you have a garden, I would recommend pouring your milk there. If it wont freeze (which is what happened to mine) you can leave it outside as a snack for any animals making their way through your yard at night. Almond milk, coconut milk etc. also work fine! Doing this is supposed to bring good luck to your garden and a fruitful harvest.
• Corn husk dollies and sun wheels are another great Imbolc craft to get you into the spirit of Spring. Here are some lovely links to help guide you: dollies and sun wheels also known as Brigid's Cross. Happy witch-crafting!

We will be back in full Tarot mode in my next post all about that infamous Death Card.

***Cue spooky noises.***

 



 

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.

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!

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?

October Tarot-Scope

Tarot and Horoscopes? Why not!

I started doing this last month on my Facebook page, Tarot with Tasha as something special for my Facebook Group People, but good things need to be shared and especially when they are being shared with my awesome readers at this blog. I hope you enjoy and I will make sure to add these monthly here too! If you are on my FB Group page, thank you so much for stopping by here! If you are not on in my FB and want to be, please ask to join. I would love to have you join! )O(

Without further delay, I present you with the October Tarot-Scope enjoy!

Its hard to believe that it is almost October. This is my favourite time of year and I am counting down the days until Halloween! I thought with this exciting time on the horizon it would be fitting to use my Tarot of the Dead to pull the cards for the October Tarot-Scopes. Hope you enjoy and Happy Fall! 

Aries (Mar. 21-Apr 19)- Justice- Loose ends will be tied up for you sweet Aries! This month will be the month of you getting things together. People will be impressed with how organized you are. 

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20)- Strength- As a Taurus you are naturally strong so this card should not come as a surprise. Someone is going to be coming to you in need of your shoulder to cry on. Try to make time for this person because they are really good to need your down to earth, truthful advice. 

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20)- 10 of Reels- Money! Money! Money! Need me to say it again? You lucky Gemini! This month you are going to be feeling very lucky. You could win some form of money prize. I would be getting in on that TV Bingo wink emoticon! 

Cancer (Jun 21- Jul 22)- King of Coffins- Ooohhh saucy, saucy Cancer! There is a lover whom is very dreamy. They are going to be putting the moves on you this month! Expect romance and other delights of the senses to be coming your way! We will see you in November, when you get out of the bedroom! 

Leo (Jul 23- Aug 22)- 10 of Pens- Your creativity is going to be at an all time high. Being a wild and fiery Leo, you never stop and like getting things done. Try not to let this sudden burst of energy encourage you to take on too many tasks at once. Save some of this energy for pleasures. 

Virgo (Aug 23- Sep 22)- 10 of Coffins- Lucky, lucky Virgo!! The 10 of Coffins (really the 10 of Cups) is a very SPECIAL card!! This card is here to grant you a wish. Make a wish on a star and expect it to come true by the October Full Moon. You are going to find yourself surrounded with lots and lots of love this coming month. 

Libra (Sep 23- Oct 22)- The Moon- Spooky, spooky Libra! Expect Spirits to be making themselves known around you. Little bumps in the night and psychic visions coming true. Pay close attention to your dreams next month because there will be important messages in them. Trust your intuition. )O(

Scorpio (Oct 23- Nov 21)- Ace of Coffins- October is going to bring you a fresh new start. You will be taking on a new project that is going to feed your creative urges. You will also be making a new friend or entering into a new relationship. This person is going to be bringing a lot of love into your life as well as inspiration. Enjoy this new beginning, kind Scorpion! 

Sagittarius (Nov 22- Dec 21)- The Magician- Sagittarius, you are going to be very, very busy. There will be a lot of people taking advantage of your resourcefulness and connections. You will find that people will be texting and calling nonstop. November will slow down but in October you are going to have a lot going on. Expect to be using your amazing diplomatic skills as well.

Capricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19)- High Priestess- Magic! Lots of magic in your life this October. Expect yourself to be indulging a little extra in the pleasures of Halloween. Your psychic senses will be extra strong around the New Moon in October. Trust your gut and go with what you think is best. 

Aquarius (Jan 20- Feb 18)- The Empress- Fertility and new babies. This card could mean that you are a little extra fertile if you are looking to get pregnant if you are looking to stay as far away from that as possible, BE CAREFUL! Family energy is very strong so expect to hear a lot from your relatives this month. You will be invited to a family event and shockingly you will have a wonderful time. 

Pieces (Feb 19- Mar 20)- The Lovers- Pieces you are getting all hot and spicy in October! If you are in a relationship this is going to be a very romantic time for you. Expect your love to grow deeper and feelings of new love will be surging back into your relationship. Go on a date or stay in either way you will be with your lover and you will be happy. If you are single, expect some extra hot loving to be coming into your life. 

Enjoy and Happy almost Halloween!

Finding your Strength

Strength VIII

This has been an interesting time for me. I am about to get married, which is exciting and terrifying all at the same time. Even if you aren't about to get married, you probably also have some wildness going on for you. The end of Summer always goes by so quickly and before we know it we will be back into the Fall. I really think that this is the time of the year when we could all use a little bit of the calming, but always powerful Strength card in our lives! This card has been popping up a lot in the readings have been doing lately. I have always seen this card as a bit of a "power" card.
When I was learning Tarot,  my teacher was a very effective story-teller. She would weave these wonderful stories that breathed life into the cards. When we got to the Strength card she told me a story and now I am going to share it with you my most precious reader.

In the card you see a maiden with her hands clasped around the mouth of a lion but how did this happen? Well there once was a village that was being terrorized by this beast. It was rampaging through the village, causing fear to grow inside the hearts of the villagers. People cried out for help because they did not know how to protect themselves and their families from the wild animal. After many terrifying nights the King of the village found out about this lion and knew had to do something to stop the terror that striking his people. He sent his best warriors to hunt the lion, asking them to bring back it's head. The warriors went out each night but had no luck capturing the beast. They hunted with spears, knives and bows. They sent their best hunters out to find the lion but no one could locate it. Each night without fail it came to the village. Exhausted by the hunt and after many nights of returning to the King empty handed the King decided he would kill this devil himself. 
Out into the night the King waited. Draped in the shadows of the starless sky, he hid amongst tree line.  Even the powerful King felt insecure out in the wild, outside of his element with only his sword to protect him. The King hunted and hunted. He walked for miles trying to find the lion's den but he had no luck. He went back to the village and was ashamed that he could not protect his people from this fierce beast. Seeing the King sitting alone and looking upset, a woman who was cleaning up her market stand after a very busy day went over the to King offering him her last piece of bread and a glass of wine. The King took the bread and wine and explained to her what was happening and how even his most capable hunters could not stop this lion. The woman asked if she could help. The king laughed and asked her, "how do you plan to kill this lion when you have no weapons, no training." The woman smiled. She said all she needed she had and that she desired no weapons. The King examined her closely, considering her mental state. He decided that regardless of her apparent lack of sanity, he was running out of options and was afraid to return with no lion, so he said to the woman to try her best and wished her good luck. 
The woman went to the outskirts of the village and waited. She could see in the distance the lion. It was roaming looking for food. She seen its head perk up towards her. She was not afraid. She did not shake or quiver. She knew she had everything she needed to stop this beast. When the lion was close enough that it was only standing a few feet away from her, she reached out her hand in kindness. The lion did not know what to do as it was used to being hunted and people being afraid of it. Slowly she stroked its long mane. It stood still with its golden eyes looking into hers. She knew this was a dangerous feat but she also knew in her heart she was safe. She could feel his power causing her heart to ring loudly in her ears. She inhaled a deep breath and embraced the lion and gently placed her hands around his mouth to embrace his face in kindest  She whispered into its ear that she loved the lion. That she knew it was lonely and needed companionship. It did not mean the people harm. It was misunderstood like she was also misunderstood. She asked the lion to stay out of the village and made the promise that she would bring him food every night to this special spot where no one would hurt him. 
The lion never terrorized the village again. The woman went back to the King and advised him that they would be safe. He asked for the lions head and she said that his head is happily still attached to his body.  There was no need to kill what you are afraid of. You only need to understand it. The lion never bothered the villagers again, the king was celebrated and the woman remained her meek and mild self knowing that in her heart was that of a lioness. Strong, powerful and courageous.

Left to Right: Tarot of the Old Path, Tarot of the New Vision and The Witches Tarot aka naked people who clearly go to the gym...a lot!!!

See this card is all about finding your inner strength regardless of what someone else tries to tell you. Too often we listen to the opinions of others and allow them to make us feel like we are less than what we are worth. If you find yourself feeling terrorized by your own lions, know that you too have the strength in your heart to do what you need to do. When this card comes up for someone it is usually a message for them to believe in themselves. To stand up for themselves and most importantly to trust in their own inner strength.
Keys to remember: courage, strength, inner strength, accomplishing an almost impossible task, embracing who you are, putting a stop to negativity.

An Exercise in Strength:

This time I just want you to think about the story I told above. I want you to ponder on your own lions and your inner strength. What is the moral of this story? How could this way of thinking make our world a better place?

Hope you enjoy the rest of summer and the next time I write, I just very well may be a married woman!!

Finding Confidence with the Chariot

The Chariot VII

My Chariot's waiting, ride it...jump on it! Sorry for the 90's R&B there...

This has been an interesting month to say the least. My Tarot adventures have been a little quiet which is a bit of a good thing right now. I felt like I needed to take a short pit-stop before continuing down my path once more. Lately, I have spent my free weekends on other various hobbies such as casually drinking, going to a very shitty horror movie- looking at you Poltergeist and getting caught up on some much needed landscaping.

Zombie Garden of Awesomeness! Yes that is a hand. Romantic! No?

Oh landscaping... no one tells you how painful and horrifying it can be. I discovered some horrors living in the soil in my gardens such as: larva, ants, HUGE worms and other creatures that should remain unearthed, NO THANK YOU! My spiders were also in abundance but I like them so they're cool. I was out there, weeding the side garden, simply trying to transform a run down space into something nice and BAM; there it was under my hand friends, thats right,  I was touching this thing, not even knowing it... a HUGE, white almost see-through larva. Disgusting. It was right there just lurking for me to touch it. I shudder at the memory. Then not four feet down the garden was a giant beetle just waiting for me to accidently awaken it from its terrible slumber. I have seen things dear readers that cannot be unseen.

Where the terrifying creatures rest.

 My back, oh my poor back, how it ached for hours after terrorized fleeing from the gardens. Clearly this is not my niche. Just like the vegetable garden last year was not my niche. I want to believe that I am one with the Earth however I am beginning to wonder if that will ever actually happen...
I took some pictures to show our progress and to show off my Flowering Crab, which is my very most favourite. Like a proud parent I am excited to tell you it is the biggest on the street and stands higher than our house.

With Tarot being slower in the summer months it allows me to work on other mystical and magickal things. My love and I recently started on an oil blending adventure. We started making beard oils and balms for my fiancé's extremely impressive beard and then decided we would make more for the other lovely men folk in our lives. If you are reading this, men folk who haven't received one yet, wait until Yule Tide and you too will be blessed with some balms/oils. I also plan to start making different oil blends to correspond with different Tarot cards. Spicy ones for the Lovers, musky ones for the Moon and of course a hot cinnamon one for The Devil. I am thinking something airy for the Chariot which brings me to what I am actually supposed to be writing about on here, Tarot cards! Today's adventure is going to be all about our ever fun Chariot. The card of confidence, independence and driving your own change. I find that my own personal opinions on this card differ slightly than those of others but we will just roll with it. What do you think of when you see this card?

When I see this card my mind automatically goes to the two "beasts" which is what my Tarot teacher always called them. Upon further learning I discovered they are sphinxes which now makes me think of Harry Potter but thats a whole other tangent that I won't go down today, other than to say, my GODS do I love those books. Any who back on course here- see I am driving this Chariot baby, they always make me think of the two aspects of us all: light and dark. We are made up of both of these things whether some people choose to recognize this or not. We need balance. I believe in this card they are here to usually say the person getting the reading has found balance. They no longer are searching for it like they were in previous cards. The man driving the Chariot symbolizes that you have gained independence and are basically driving your own destiny. Which is GOOD. Many of us, myself included can let others drive our ships when we need to man/woman up and become the captains. In his hand he is holding a fancy cane but he does not need to use it on the beasts because he has control over the light and dark. When someone gets this card I tell them that they are beginning to take control back in their lives. This could be control over a physical situation or a mental one, depending on the cards around it. Movement is another big thing with this card. New changes are ahead and you are going to be in control of them when it happens. You might even be starting the ripple yourself. This card is governed by Cancer and the Moon. Which are both tied to movement and changes as well. 

Keys to Remember: Swift change, independence, control, light and darkness- accepting both, driving yourself forward. 

Driving Forward- Meditation on the Chariot

Today I would like to do something special with our meditation. I would like you to take a drive. Now of course, DO NOT meditate while driving (this includes broomsticks ;)- looking at you witchy friends xoxo but do take a drive somewhere. Go to a place where you are happy. Maybe you need to rest by the seashore and take in some salt air. Perhaps your soul is happy sitting in a peaceful garden or a park. Wherever you go just make sure you can enjoy some quiet time to sit, relax and think. If you do not drive take a bus or a bicycle or your own two feet to somewhere different than your usual. Get outside of your normal element and see what happens.

When you are at your place, take some time to just take in the sights and sounds. If you are at the sea, which would be my ideal spot, listen to the waves crashing, breathe in the salt air. Listen to the birds or other sounds. Do this wherever you are. Enjoy life even for this short moment. Do not think about work or the dishes waiting in the sink (oh boy, am I guilty of that one!) and just be- I sure do sound like a hippy but we will keep going. For this short moment realize how lucky you are to be alive. Not to paint a horrifying picture during this beauty, but out of all those little swimmers you were the fastest one friend. YOU are meant to be here. YOU have destiny. Life is ever so short so take in this moment to just be alive and connected to the Earth around you. Begin to feel yourself becoming apart of the scene around you. Feel your body connecting with the Earth and your thoughts connecting with the higher consciousness. Take deep breaths into your belly. Slowly breathe them back out. Enjoy this rhythm. 

Now think to yourself, why I am I here? What drives me forward? Wait and allow the thoughts to come into your mind. Picture your journey, even your journey to this place. How did you get here? Did you drive, take a bus, or walk? What made you choose this way of transportation? What is your Chariot? Think about your independence and how lucky you are to be able to just get up and go, when many others are unable to. Think of all the positive you bring into this world. Your light. The positive things you have done for others and yourself. What impact are you making on this planet? Now think of your darkness. What parts do you keep hidden to yourself? What are your secrets, your shadows? What do you regret? What aspects of your shadow-self that you embrace? By accepting both sides of who you are, you will become closer to being who you are meant to be. Release anything that is holding you back but keep everything that is moving you forward. In this life YOU are the Chariot. Continue to sit and ponder on these mysteries until you feel ready to go and enjoy your time in this special place. 

Its so lovely.