by Madhavi Ghare | Knowledge, Tarot, Deck Review, Tarot Card Decks |
The Cathar Tarot is a new deck that will be released on the 20th of December, 2016. I recieved a copy of The Cathar Tarot from the deck publishers in return for a honest review.
To be honest, as I started out, I did not have much knowledge of the Cathars. And I don’t claim to be an expert either. However, from a complete novice’s point of view, this deck does create a great entry point to get to know of the life and the culture of a people that have, sadly, been obliterated from this world.
The Cathar Tarot
The Cathars existed during the Middle Ages, and were found in Italy, Germany, Flanders, England, and France. The name ‘Cathar’ seems to have been derived from the Greek word ’katharoi’, which means ‘the pure’. They rejected several formalized beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and believed that the world was not created by God, but by the Demiurge, a reflection of the real Creator. This world, therefore, was a poor copy of humanity’s true home, which is an earthly paradise where there was no ‘fall’, no ‘sin’, and no one was expelled from Eden.
Some interesting facts about the Cathars include: they were vegetarian, and they had pretty open view about sex. More than that though, the Cathars were a gentle people, and had very tolerant views about other religions.
Ultimately, these people were branded as heretics by the Church and were systematically hunted down and slaughtered.
A number of legends still prevail about them, chief among which is the belief that they held the secret to the Holy Grail, or even the Grail itself.
Deck Theme
The Cathar Tarot Card Deck is an interesting depiction of the beliefs, life and lifestyle of the Cathars in the Middle Ages. The images draw upon the beliefs of the Cathars, and then upon an ancient belief system called ‘Gnosticism’.
Deck Creator(s) and Artist(s)
The deck creator, John Matthews, and the artist, Wil Kinghan have used the universal symbolism and appeal of the Tarot structure to share the wisdom of these wonderful people with the rest of the world.
I liked how the artist has used a very interesting drawing style for the card images — you often find art and fresco drawings from the Middle Ages drawn in this exact way! I thought that this was a great way to connect with the time-period that the Cathars existed.
The Cathar Tarot: The Cards
The Cathar Tarot Card Deck comes packaged in a very sturdy box that holds the cards and a 112-page book that contains full color illustrations.
The cards are approximately 3 inches wide and 4.5 inches tall, and have rounded edges. The card stock itself is pretty thick, and so the entire deck is a bit of a thicker pile compared to, say, the Universal Waite Tarot Card Deck.
Regardless, shuffling the deck isn’t that hard for me — and I have relatively smaller hands. Probably the reason lies with the surface of the cards which is smooth and not matte.
Back Design
The back design is pretty, and features the Cathar seal. This is a part of the armorial bearings of the Counts of Toulouse and can be seen in the Languedoc region of France, where the Cathars had their final stronghold. This design is therefore also known as the ‘Cathar Cross’.
Due to the coloring though, one is able to easily know if the card is upright or reversed. For those of us who use reversed cards in readings (like I do), back designs like these can be a bit frustrating. However, I overcome this by closing my eyes while pulling the cards — that way I don’t get affected regardless of the card’s direction.
LWB
and/or Book
The deck is accompanied by a 112-page full color illustrated book.
The guidebook contains quite a bit of information about the Cathars, their way of life, and their belief systems. The card illustrations for the Major Arcana cards are big (take an entire page) but are comparitively smaller for the Minor Arcana.
The font size is pretty small though, so you may need your reading glasses for this one.
What I really liked about the guidebook is that the information is presented slowly, and it builds upon itself as you keep reading. As you read through the information of the Major Arcana cards, you learn more and then a bit more about the Cathars’ life and belief.
While I am not completely averse to info-dumps, I did like this approach very much — somehow, I wanted to keep on reading and thus learning more about these lovely people.
Meanings (Upright and Reversed)
For both, the Major and Minor Arcana cards the description included the information about the context and the imagery, and keywords for the ‘Light’ and ‘Dark’ aspects of the card’s meanings.
This is particularly useful for those of us who use reversed card meanings in our readings.
More Information
The back of the book contains a section where the deck creators talk about how one can get to know the deck better, and activate the cards. Three spreads, the ‘Cathar Cross Spread’, and the ‘Court of Wisdom Spread’, and the ‘Grail Knight Spread’ are included, along with a sample reading.
Finally, there are a few passages from actual Cathar writings that add to our knowledge of the Cathars and their beliefs and lifestyle. And if you are truly drawn into this, there is a short list of books and websites where you can learn even more.
The Cathar Tarot: Majors. Minors. Courts. Suits.
The deck follows the Rider-Waite-Smith format — the Minor Arcana cards have pictures on them. And if you have experience working with the Rider-Waite-Smith or similarly-formatted deck, learning this deck won’t be hard.
In keeping with the deck’s theme, the suits are named as follows:
- Wands: Book of Shields
- Swords: Book of Swords
- Cups: Book of Love
- Pentacles: Book of Wisdom
The names of pretty much all the Major Arcana cards are also in keeping with the deck’s theme. Here however, they do not follow the Rider-Waite-Smith pattern — Major Arcana 8 is Justice, and Major Arcana 11 is Strength.
A comparative list of the names of the Major Arcana cards is also provided at the back of the book.
The Cathar Tarot: Reading with this Deck
As you may have seen, I’ve been doing my daily card readings for this month, on Instagram, with this deck, and the information flows so smoothly from the imagery!
My Experiences and Thoughts
Since this is a new deck for me, I do carry the book with me and glance through it while I look at the card image. But, even if I didn’t have the book, I wouldn’t suffer much. The imagery of the cards lends itself very beautifully to the storytelling process and to an intuitive reading.
Knowing the meanings of the symbols and the context specific to the Cathars beliefs and lifestyle does help — but if you are in a bit of a rush, and can’t refer to the book, then too, you won’t go wrong if you just mined the cards’ imagery and used your intuition to seek guidance. IMHO, this is the best thing about the Cathar Tarot Card Deck.
Video
I also made a video where I talk about this deck, and where you can get a sneak peek at the cards as well. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/ZSeUHqIE75g
The Cathar Tarot Giveaway
The fun thing is that I accidentally ended up getting two copies of the deck in the mail. That meant only one thing. A Giveaway!
So go ahead and enter yourself into the giveaway thingy below. The giveaway ends 12 a.m. EST on the 9th of January 2017, and I will announce the winners on my Instagram and FaceBook, and also in the Comments section of this blog. The deck will be sent via USPS (and I think I ought to be able to provide a tracking number as well).
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Buy Your Deck Now!
The giveaway has since ended, but you can still buy a copy of this lovely deck!
Your Turn…
What do you think about this wonderful deck? Would you want to buy it for yourself? Or do you already have it? Do share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments section below. It would be interesting to hear what you thought of this deck.
by Madhavi Ghare | Begin, Tarot, Knowledge, Tarot Card Decks, Book Review
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
P.S.: Most of them cost less than / around $20!
Do you want to learn Tarot Card Reading? Are you on a budget?
I think it is such an interesting turn of fate that we get drawn to wanting to learn Tarot Card Reading right when we are in the middle of something else, you know, like Life. 🙂 So there we are, wanting to learn Tarot Card Reading while pursuing studies, or working a full-time job, or raising kids.
And of course, we are on a budget – think shoestring budget. Most one-on-one or classroom Tarot Workshops cost a bit (mine included). And carving out time for the lessons is not always possible. How do you learn Tarot then? Especially when you are on a shoestring budget?
I’ve spent over a decade reading, studying, and gathering a bunch of knowledge and information about Tarot and taught Tarot Card Reading to many students. After all that reading and studying and teaching, I have compiled a list of processes, techniques, books, articles etc that may help you in your journey with the Cards.
I would like to share this with you. Part of it came about as a ‘Reading List’ that I give all of my students after they finished my workshop. And the other part — well, it is in the form of blog posts on this very web site. In this post, I’m just bringing it all together in one place, so you can have a single point of reference during your self-study process.
The learning is totally your domain though. That is one place you will have to help yourself. The biggest advantage of this resource list is that you can work through the list at your own pace while you juggle and balance all your other life stuff.
Before We Begin…
This list has been compiled with a lot of thought. I’ve either read / written every book / article / resource that I’ve mentioned over here. That is one reason why this list cannot, in any way, be complete. I still have many books sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read. And there are only so many hours in the day when I can read. So, while this list may be big and exhaustive, it is by no means complete. I promise though, that I will keep adding to it as and when I get to reading / writing those books and blog articles. Promise.
Please Note: Each of the images of the Amazon Books is a clickable link with my Amazon affiliate code embedded in it. This way, I get a few pennies as my affiliate commission if you choose to buy via these embedded links.
Now, without much ado, let’s really begin…
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 1: Your First Deck + Basic Book with Card Meanings
Please resist the urge to buy the Universal Waite deck along with the book titled ‘Pictorial Key to the Tarot’. (The Book and Deck Set can be purchased for approx. $19). You can totally buy the book later if you want. This book was written by A.E. Waite, the creator of the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Card Deck. It is written in old style english and has a lot of stuff that is pretty obscure and confusing to a beginner. The list of meanings in this book can and will confuse you. Some of them are, at best, of historic significance, and at worst, dated. It won’t serve your purposes right now to get confused. The history of this deck is pretty engrossing, but right now, you don’t want to spend time on that, right? You can do this later.
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 2: Studying and Understanding the Cards
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 3: Learning How To Actually Do Tarot Card Readings
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 4: Go Deeper With Your Tarot Studies
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 5: Explore the Card Connections
There are so many things areas within the cards where you can go deep and explore. You can either see the cards as a place where these things converge, or you can see the cards as a launching point to exploring these realms.
While there are many realms to explore, there are many areas which I haven’t explored. It is a simple matter of being drawn to a concept and not being drawn to another.
Everyone likes a different flavor of ice-cream. That doesn’t make the other flavors irrelevant. Or unimportant. And since this is a list of resources that I have compiled based on my personal experiences, you may find some interest areas ill-represented.
For that I apologize in advance.
Symbolism
The Tarot Card Images are filled with Symbols. From the simplest to the most complex, symbols populate each aspect of the card image. Symbols are like short forms or acronyms. They convey vast amounts of deeper truths in a very compact format. Just by being present in the image of the card, they suffuse the image with a wealth of meanings that probably could not have been conveyed otherwise. Often, the meaning of these symbols is rooted in logic. Apart from common sense, symbols derive meaning from myths and legends, and the psychological spheres that they evoke. Knowing about the various symbols and the mysteries associated with their interpretation can be quite useful in the interpretation of the Tarot Card Images.
Mythology
This is the aspect of Tarot that attracted me the most. Almost all of the cards in the deck are associated with some or the other myth. Being a storyteller, that was extremely attractive to me. Myths are the first stories ever told. Myths form the basis of storytelling, both simple and complex. I loved how the symbols and stories were intricately woven into the imagery of the card. And of course, understanding the meaning of those images and symbols added into the meaning of that card.
Read:
Psychology
This is the next aspect of the Tarot images that pulled me in. While the images are associated with myths, they also evoke many attributes of pyschology. The imagery is a pathway into the depths of the subconscious mind. It may not be simple or easy, but the cards can truly open the door to the deepest reaches of the mind so you can be guided by your subconscious mind.
Read:
Numerology
All the cards have numbers on them. Naturally, that makes it easier for us to connect them with the occult art of numbers – Numerology.
While you may find a number of texts about the subject as-is (i.e. with no connection to Tarot), there is an interesting book that does talk about Numerology and Tarot together.
Astrology
Due to the number of cards in the Major Arcana (22) a unique connection has always existed between the Major Arcana cards and the Astrological Signs and Planets.
Each of the 22 Major Arcana cards is either associated with a Sun Sign, or a Planet. Most of us stop at this point, and don’t venture any further. That’s cool.
But what if there is more to this connection than what you’ve known so far?
Download this PDF Chart of the Major Arcana Associations.
Kabalah
The mystical and esoteric elements within Judaism are called Kabalah. Briefly, the Kabalah aims at explaining the connection between the infinite and the finite Universe.
The arrangement of the Pentacles on the Rider-Waite-Smith / Universal Waite 10 of Pentacles card is quite similar to the image of the Tree of Life from the Kabalah.
Also, 22 Paths connect the 10 Spheres on the Kabalah Tree of Life. Many people see that as a very straightforward connection between Tarot Cards and the Kabalah with the 22 Major Arcana Cards and the 10 Suit Cards structure in each Tarot Card Deck.
Art
This is also a side of the card imagery that attracted me. The images and the art on some of the decks is often pretty compelling. From a storyteller’s point of view, these images can launch you into a completely different and intriguing world. Fantasy and imagination can easily find themselves combined within the artwork of many a Tarot Card Deck. A few such notable Tarot Card Decks that I own are:
Of course, tastes vary. As I love to keep saying, “Everyone likes different flavors of ice cream”. You may like a different sort of imagery. And that’s perfectly okay. 🙂
Learn Tarot on a Shoestring Budget
Step 6: Explore the History of the Tarot Cards
There is a very colorful history that surrounds the cards and their images. To be honest, I feel that this could be a whole ‘nother post by itself. So, I’m just going to give you the information, the links, and a brief description.
Read:
In Conclusion…
As I’ve said before, this list isn’t complete. But it does contain the links to resources that I’ve encountered first-hand, and over this past decade. As you work through the list, and in order, you will slowly develop and enhance your knowledge and experience of the Tarot Cards, and doing Readings not just for others, but for yourself as well. Wisdom comes from putting these principles and this knowledge into practice. Trying out various techniques and approaches to see which fits will no doubt open doors and pathways into various areas of understanding and help you grow and develop even more. As I see it, the Occult Arts of Divination are just another pathway towards self awareness, and self realization. The knowledge that you will gain from them will always help you, no matter what. Trust the wisdom of your soul, and you will find that your life opens up for you.
Your Turn…
As I read more, and learn more, and discover more resources, I will be sure to update this list. If you want to be notified when this list of resources updates, and if you are ok with getting some more emails from me about all sorts of Tarot-ically Speaking stuff, then sign up! You can save the PDF file on your computer / smart phone / tablet and access whenever and wherever you like. When the list updates, I’ll send you a download link for the new PDF. And I hope you won’t mind if I also send you the occasional emails with news, updates and article links. Sound good? Well, then sign up! 😀
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by Madhavi Ghare | Rider-Waite-Smith, Symbolism, Tarot, Interesting |
A very interesting idea was brought to my notice a few days ago – Tarot card images on Helmets! While exploring the whole thing a bit more, I had a chance to communicate with and have a nice telephone chat with Danielle Baskin, the wonderfully vibrant person who is the brains behind this concept.
Here are some excerpts from the conversation we had (both e-mail and telephone):
[Any errors in the transcription are purely mine.]
MG:
Danielle, tell me, how did you get this whole idea?
DB:
I [had] never touched a tarot deck until about two years ago when I was sort of ‘conned’ into getting a reading on the street. I was completely skeptical about the whole thing but [since I was] feeling sorta ‘off-track’ in life so [I said] “Okay, why not?”.
What really surprised me was the powerful sense of agency I felt immediately after leaving. It’s like all these hypothetical ideas [that] you didn’t know ever existed started to emerge simply from attempting to construct a story using these enigmatic images as a template. I accepted the idea that the Tarot cards [are purely images] – and didn’t reject it as a form of advice or therapy. The images trigger so much buried information! It’s [the process of] constructing the story that helps clear [the mind] and create patterns of thinking.
Helmet with Star Card Image
MG:
What was it about the cards – especially the images on the cards – that really struck you?
DB:
When I bought a deck and tried to figure out the different meanings of the cards, I started writing down my immediate reactions to the way Pamela Colman Smith placed the symbols.
I’ve always been fascinated on how different modes of thinking trigger eye movements – and how visual perception relates to storytelling.
For example:
- Upper Left – What you’re imagining in your future
- Upper Right – What events have actually happened (Unseeable)
- Bottom Left – Potential area of mental space – not yet broken into
- Bottom Right. What factors are affecting/controlling you
Of course, reversing the images changed the meanings dramatically. For example, in The Magician [card], when the card is reversed, the hand pointing at the plants is more noticeable. This could mean quite literally feeling like a situation is out of your hands and you can’t grasp your resources, you’re blaming something else for your situation. The infinity sign [seems] less important when reversed. His face frowns more. He points at nature. When [upright] The Magician is aware of all his resources and the natural world. He appears to be altering nature, to make it more beautiful using cleverness and manipulation.
Helmet with Hierophant Card Image
[The amazing part is] that the cards were not painted in reverse. I’m not sure [that] Pamela Coleman Smith [thought about the fact] that the images would be flipped while she was painting them intuitively – but I still like the idea of the card possessing dual meanings, but a reversed card might be a stretch of a confabulation.
MG:
So what gave you the idea of painting these image on helmets, of all the things?
DB:
Well, the idea just came to me suddenly one day. The idea of having an entire deck of Tarot cards cycling around on the streets seemed to really jump out at me. There is a lot of motion involved with the Tarot cards. The images of the cards make you want to take action! I most certainly wanted to, and did!
The idea of seeing connections and attributing causality to chance circumstances is really fascinating to me. – while on a surface level the helmets are ‘protecting people from accidents’, they might [also] be regularly reappearing into people’s lives. It would be fascinating if people run into certain Tarot helmets on their daily commute and if there’s some sort of pattern of thinking (or mental state) that correlates to the times they do see that image – like “Whoa! I’ve seen that before! This is connected to this which is connected to this.”
I think temporarily disengaging from your environment is really important to help crystallize memories and sort of ‘think about yourself thinking’. Noticing symbols are important – because they help you learn about how you think. Not that symbols or omens are more powerful than you – but the idea that you’re noticing them could be more relevant than the symbol itself. It helps you pay attention to your own personal thought patterns and open up spaces for possibilities.
I also like the idea that each card-wearer will be connected to an entire deck. Realizing that he is a part of a whole. And that the whole is always in motion and impossible to capture.
MG:
All this sounds pretty interesting if you ask me!
DB:
Helmet with Emperor Card Image
Yes, it is! Especially since the wearer of the helmet always has the card stationary – there would be different ways to think about the card. [And as] the helmet is hemispherical like a brain, I got the idea of purposefully mapping out the images in accordance to the right-brain/left-brain.
Though highly debatable in neuroscience, the dualities that represent your conscious/public behavior (left) and your potential and unconscious thoughts (right) are understandable. The brain doesn’t necessarily work that way – but the two concepts or mental-modes are simple to grasp. I thought about this for a bit while mapping the images.
For example, the character in Justice is on the left side of the helmet hence its a card about public persona and and image you’re portraying. It’s less of a ‘personal’ image. I painted the High Priestess split in the middle in the back because its both subconscious and conscious. I think that card is about information and knowledge. How one can become burdened by excessive knowledge to the point where it blocks thinking. It is really symbol-rich and relates to vision (the occipital lobe).
MG:
What are your thoughts about looking at all these images in motion?
DB:
As I said before, the wearer of the helmet has the image stationary on his head, while he is moving around. Meanwhile other people may see the image either coming towards them, or moving away from them.
For example, with the High Priestess, if the image is coming towards you it means you have too much information clouding your thinking. You can’t see her from the front of the helmet. If [the image is] moving away from you it means you’re just scratching the surface of the learning experience. You need to examine things more closely. In the High Priestess image, you can see words and letters like ‘TORA’ but its physically moving away so you need to catch up.
MG:
What about the colors of the cards? Did they play any role in this process?
DB:
Helmet with Hermit Card Image
Oh, yes! The color choices are also really important.
For example, placing gray around only half of the Hermit (disappearing into a vanishing point) is another intentional choice.
I am planning to make a little informational booklet about each card and give it away with every helmet so that the people who buy the helmets can understand the fantastic symbolism of the images that they have chosen.
MG:
Did you get inspired by any particular card when this idea came into your mind? If so, which card was it?
DB:
Oh yes! It was The Magician card. He has all these resources on his table which he is using. And the infinity sign on top of his head – its like there are an infinite number of possibilities with the things you have in front of you.
MG:
Wow! The Magician is the card that does always talk about creative inspiration and creation. In fact, many creative people often use the image to help them find focus and bursts of creativity within their lives and work. I know I always pull out this card and look at it and carry it around with me, whenever I feel myself losing focus.
DB:
That is very interesting. But, funnily enough, it wasn’t The Magician which was my first helmet painting.
MG:
Then, which was the first card you painted on a helmet?
DB:
It was actually The Wheel of Fortune card. And I had some pretty interesting experiences with that image, let me tell you.
MG:
Really? Like what?
DB:
When I first started my company I created a Wheel of Fortune card for this psychic I met at a craft fair. I made it for free so I could meet with her to discuss tarot cards. Once I created it I kept getting tons of orders. When I went to meet her to give it to her my wallet was stolen from me on the subway. I actually lost some money when I was giving away the lucky helmet. Who knows what to attribute this to?
MG:
Oh yeah! I have had that experience with The Wheel! It is a crazy merry-go-round alright!
DB:
Tell me about it!
Danielle and I chatted for a few more minutes after that exchanging our experiences with the cards.
My Take:
Helmet with Fool Card Image
Personally, I found this whole concept quite fascinating – imagine you are going to work and then you spot a helmet with the picture of The Magician card, and then you go to work feeling great and experiencing a burst of creative energy within you! Or seeing the picture of The Hermit card while you go back home from school, and finding that peaceful, solitary place to sit down and grasp some complicated lessons you learnt at school…
The possibilities of the sightings of these symbols is endless – and will only add to the powerful symbolism that surrounds us in our lives everyday! In fact, something like this makes us sit up and take notice of these symbols – which otherwise just go away unnoticed because we just didn’t look.
When I do get me one of these helmets, I plan on getting one with The Fool card .. We have quite an interesting bond, The Fool and I..
Which one will you get?
To order your helmet from Danielle, just go to her website on www.humantarotproject.com or e-mail her at tarothelmets@gmail.com.
by Madhavi Ghare | Tarot Card Decks, Interesting, Readings, Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, Tarot |
This year began with a bang for me! After waiting for 6 years, my immigration visa interview came through and I am finally on my way to USA to meet my family, live with my Mom (till I find my own accommodation) and generally give my career as a fiction writer some right mileage.
But before I launch into all that, let’s have a look at some interesting number facts that I noticed along the way…
My final interview date was set on the 31st of December, 2008. Add it all up: 3+1+1+2+2+8 = 17 which adds to an 8. Then, my interview was conducted in a cubicle numbered 9. If you add up 8 and 9, you again get 17, which, adds up to an 8. I was the 8th last one from among the whole lot of people to be called in for the interview (the Gujrati (!!) lady next to me was keeping count!) 🙂
Interesting! Well, I was born on the 8th of Jan…. and I have often observed how this number and it’s half (the 4) keeps popping up in my life on and off for all the strangest of reasons.
My flight is booked for the 28th of Jan, 2009. Add these up and you can see that 2+8+1+2+9 = 22 which adds up to a 4! I live in a flat numbered 4.
I am going to live with my mom for some time, before I can figure things out in the USA. Her house number is 305 (another 8)!!
So, with all these numbers going around, let’s have a look at the year to come: 2009. This year adds up to 11 or 2. So, let’s examine these numbers with regards to our cards.
Beginning with the Major Arcana:
Key XI : Justice.
This one is the actual number that this year adds up to. The Justice card, among other things, talks about decisions – taking decisions, making decisions (oh, yes, there is a difference between them two!) and about Karmic Justice. This is the kind of open-eyed Justice, where all is seen and heard, and then action is taken with all the pros and cons in mind. The main feature of this card is also inherent in the pair of scales which she holds in her left hand – Balance, and the sword she holds in her right hand – Logic.
She is often likened to Themis, the Greek Goddess of Justice, or to Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Justice. And in keeping with the qualities ascribed to both these Goddesses, she takes logical and balanced decisions, weighing all her actions and thoughts in accordance with the Universal Law of Karma.
My Prediction:
This is a year when all things will even out – Karmic Debts will be repaid and decisions will be taken with an even-handed, action-oriented, long-term perspective and an objective vision.
Key II: The High Priestess.
The High Priestess card is often held to be the most powerful card in the entire deck – simply because it is full of deep symbolism, and because it shows the inner sanctum of the Divine Feminine.
She is often likened to Persephone or to Isis, and sometimes even to the female Pope. The High Priestess is the perfect picture of the balance that one can achieve within the Duality of everything.
She is the inner self – the unconscious force which holds all the secrets concealed within her psyche. She is the representation of inner wisdom and intuition. She is the stillness before creation.
She simply is – and there is no disputing that fact.
My Prediction:
Taking forward the tone set by the Justice card, this year will also be one where focus will be drawn within – our souls, our inner worlds and our inner wisdom. Intuition and instinct will rule the decisions which will be made and taken. Although stillness will be the norm, it will foster new thoughts and ideas which will be waiting to germinate and sprout out into form (in the next year!)
Key XX: Judgement
The Judgement card talks of redemption – a redemption from the cycles of Karmic action. This is a card indicating freedom and release. Typically depicting a scene from the ‘Judgement Day’ scenario, this card signifies a movement forward on the Karmic ladder – where one transcends the flow of material life and moves into the spiritual form.
My Prediction:
Adding to the tone of the message from the Justice and The High Priestess cards, the Judgement card tells me that for those among us who ‘hear the wake-up call’, our intuitions will guide us along the right paths – helping us take and make decisions with a strong will power, and creating situations from where maintaining and generating Karmic balances will lead us on to a place where we will be free from struggles and transcend towards redemption. The key theme of this year will be Forgiveness.
So, after all these deep, heavy, top-level things, what will our everyday lives be all about? Let’s look at the Minors for that.
So, Moving On To The Minor Arcana:
2 of Wands:
This card from the Suit of Wands talks clearly about careers, work and seeking opportunities. This man standing on the terrace of his house, dressed in fine clothes, looks on to the sprawling ocean in front of him, while holding on to a wand in one hand and a globe in another.
This card talks of how the world has indeed become a small place. We don’t really suffer from the ‘frog in the pond’ syndrome anymore – rather, we have now begun to question ourselves more about our self-created perceptions of that pond. To me, this card is now raising the following questions:
- How would you described your pond?
- Do you want to explore another pond?
- Or do you want to remain in your own pond and be satisfied and content with what you have?
My Prediction:
Many of us will face these questions in different aspects of our lives – especially, our careers, and in any other area of life, where our desires and passions – our fire energy – comes into play.
2 of Swords:
This is a card which talks of choices and decisions. In this picture, we see a woman holding two swords in her hand, while crossing her hands across her chest. She has a blindfold on her eyes, and she cannot see. We also see a crescent moon in the sky, and a water body behind her. She is faced with decisions (remember the Justice card?) – but she also wants to protect her own heart from the consequences of these decisions. Perhaps, she is also afraid to see what lies ahead of her, and so she has chosen to be, or to remain blindfolded. There are choices available to her, but she knows, that she has no one else to rely on, except for her own intuition. She knows that no matter what decision she takes, she is liable to face the consequences.
My Prediction:
Many of us will find ourselves at cross-roads and at cross-purposes this year. Taking and making decisions will rule our minds – choices will be available: between a rock and a hard place, or between the devil and the deep blue sea. Take your pick! But the main questions that abound will be: ‘Should I choose now?’ and ‘Can I choose now?’. No matter how logical it may or may not sound, it is Intuition which will rule over the mind in the next year.
[Psst: Note how her sitting pose is strikingly similar to the Goddess in the Justice card and the High Priestess card!]
2 of Pentacles:
This card from the Suit of Pentacles shows a young man dressed up in clothes which look funny, but he is definitely not laughing. He is juggling two pentacles within a lemniscate – with boats going up and down on the waves right behind him. The whole juggling the pentacles business is exactly how many of us are going to manage our money this year.
My Prediction:
Many of us will spend time in an endless juggling match – trying to do this thing and that, trying to keep things going. And while this is going on, the emotional ups and downs in the background are not going to ease up on us…Add to this mix the whole career-questions raised in the 2 of Wands and the choices presented to us in the 2 of Swords, this year promises to be one filled with a seemingly endless up and down financial see-saw.
2 of Cups
This card seems to be the most promising one of all. Here, we see a young man and a young woman meeting each other and exchanging cups. Above them rises the face of a lion with wings and a caduceus – passion and healing, combined with an exchange of emotions.
My Prediction:
Many of us will find friends or lovers or significant others in this year. It will be a relationship where the key feature will be sharing of emotions which brings about healing and then leads on to passion.
Alternatively, this card also shows a harmonious partnership at the workplace or business. This kind of partnership is sustainable and creates a positive feel at the workplace.
Some of us may also experience a harmony coming about within the male and female parts of their psyche (the Animus and the Anima).
So, To Sum It All Up…
This year looks good with regards to taking and making balanced and logical decisions – in fact, the favorable decisions made in this year will be those which have been taken with the gut instinct / intuition in consultation. Similarly, in the different aspects of life choices, decisions, harmony and adjustment are the key themes which abound.
Perhaps nothing substantial may occur this year, but this is the year where the foundations are going to be laid out for the fruits of next year. So it is extremely important and essential that things be done right this time!
And so I leave you with a quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (Act IV, Scene III), which is something which I always follow in my life:
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their lives
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
May The New Year Bless Us All!
by Madhavi Ghare | Tarot, Tarot Card Decks, Interesting |
First off, let me apologize for writing a post after such a long time….
Lately, the world’s been buzzing about with books and videos related to creative visualization and manifestation of your desires. All this has taken off especially after ‘The Secret’ came out in the market. And now the sequel to the book has also come out (titled ‘Law of Attraction’) and it is creating quite a buzz too….
Let me start by telling you all that the video of ‘The Secret’ was one of the most amazing videos I have seen in a verrry long time…
So, back to the post….I have been experimenting with Creative Visualization and Manifestation for quite some time now. Back when I began experiencing these moments, I didn’t have these nice names for it – it began as a process of simply making a wish, and seeing it come true in front of your eyes. Of course, back then, I felt as if something tremendously magical was happening to me…Now I know that it is still magical, but there is a process and so forth to it…the video simply seemed to put things in the right perspective for me….
So, how can you use the Tarot cards for this process of Creative Visualization? There is a very simple process quite like a meditation with the card. Here is how it goes…
Choose a card which resonates with what your wish, and your desire is. Hold it in your hand. Watch the card closely and close your eyes. Try to recreate the image of that card in front of your closed eyes. Open your eyes after some time, and see if you got all the details correct. And then close your eyes again. Now visualize that these details from the card are actually manifesting or happening all around you. It is almost as if the card is materializing all around you. Stay in that image / visualization for as long as it takes for you to feel right at home in it. Then, slowly imagine that the elements of that card are dissolving in the reality around you, and that the energy of those elements is now getting transformed into your desired outcome (which has to be in resonance with the card you have chosen, of course). And then slowly open your eyes…
If you want to, you can even choose 2 or more cards if you want a certain situation to manifest. But for a start, you can choose just one card, and then work your way up to more.
However, a few words of caution / wisdom here: Choose something which is in alignment with the forces of Nature, and make sure you follow the ‘Harm None’ philosophy. Otherwise your manifestations could just bombard you in a way you may have not imagined it and things can end up going crazily out of control for you….
So, I leave you with the card I am going to meditate with for now…
Card from Osho Zen Tarot Deck. Card from Rider-Waite-Smith Deck.
So, which card would you be meditating on?
by Madhavi Ghare | Tarot, Tarot Card Decks, Interesting, Rider-Waite-Smith |
The Large Hadron Collider has been in the news lately for all sorts of reasons. So, today, I decided to have a look at the Wikipedia page about it here. Fascinating read!
To be honest, all the technical stuff kinda went over my head (yeah, well, that’s why I am no scientist!) – But then the ‘Purpose’ section of the Wikipedia page made me stop, think and wonder. Apparently, among other things, this machine will help Mankind understand so many different concepts and theories – all relating to the creation of the Universe itself!
All the people, especially those from the scientific community are obviously very excited about this – and of course there are those doomsayers who think that this experiment may pose a danger to the world itself.
Creation.
The one word that has inspired many books, concepts, theories, ideas, philosophies, myths and even religions – why are we so curious (often to the point of being obsessive) about how things began?
What does any person think that the beginning of anything will really reveal?
How does the BEGINNING of anything make any difference to what that thing IS NOW – or for that matter how it ENDS?
An interesting thought – considering that everything that ends must have begun somewhere and unless it begins, it simply cannot end. But it is sure that creation and destruction are both, equally inevitable parts of every single thing that IS.
In Hindu Mythology, there are 3 Gods who are associated with these different aspects of existing – Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu is the Protector, and Shiva is the Destructor. These 3 Gods form a Trinity, to keep everything going. And as per the Divine plan, everything begins remains and ends – apparently all at the same time – simultaneously.
Will knowing how the Earth or even the Universe began really make so much of a difference to Mankind – or is he just satisfying his innate inherent curiosity – and that’s all there is to it?
Or is Mankind waiting for some kind of a revelation to happen at the end of this discovery?
What does Man hope to gain from finding out how it all began? Is it a quest for Glory? Or is it for attaining the honor of becoming a God?
Will that satisfy the thirst?
When we find the Beginning will the search End?
You know what I think: I think that we all exist because of our will to exist and if that will went away, then everything will cease to exist.
It reminds me of something I saw when I meditated once: I had been sitting for some time watching the darkness in front of my eyes and feeling the tingling in my body. And then in the darkness there was a voice that asked: ‘Who Am I?’ And so a blue dot began to take form in that darkness – and it grew and it grew till it covered everything. It was all water, I think, rippling and flowing – and it was almost as if the question had stirred up echoes of reverberations all inside it and on the surface of it. And when each part of that flowing liquid resonated and asked the same question, the cacophony of sounds grew and grew till the whole thing exploded because of the sound. All those particles – each and every one of them – wanted to find out, individually (of course!), who they were! And they all began to move around and began to take shape and form – trying to find their identity in this and that – trying to find out whether this was who they were or that was who they were. They changed their shape and size and form and design – but the answer still eluded them. So they kept on going and going – because each shape and size and form and design – gave them no way, no method and no means of reaching any satisfactory conclusion. The more they changed, the more they began to become more confused about who they were. Soon it came to a point that they even began to forget what the question was in the first place. And it became commonplace for them to keep on changing their form from one thing to the next – completing a life-cycle every single time. And soon, the world (as we know it), began to take form. And then these particles began to become trees and birds and animals and then human beings. They liked becoming human beings – because they could now find several means of expressing their ideas, their thoughts, their concepts and their new questions. So they continued to remain more and more in this human form – they somehow thought that it was the most superior form that they had ever achieved. They were pleased with themselves. But then again, they realized that this form was not quite satisfactory too. Meanwhile, a few among them began to look deeper and probe more and more within themselves. They began to ask more and more questions. All these questions were about the same thing – how did it all begin? And the most important question of all – who were they? And so it all came full circle – and Mankind was besieged by this question – ‘Who Am I?’ Some of them have been able to ‘crack the code’ as it were – and then they supposedly merged with the Supreme. In my meditation, I saw that some of these became glowing blue dots and then some of them, the rare ones, just simply disappeared and started to form the darkness all over again.
And one day, it all went back to becoming the glowing blue dots, and then found its way back to the darkness – of course, only till the next time that a voice asks, yet again: ‘Who Am I?’
And as I moved far away from this, I saw that there were many such blue globes floating around in this darkness – each and every single one of them in different stages of this process. And each particle within each globe asking the same question: ‘Who Am I?’
Creation, Preservation, Destruction – all of them carry within them the seeds of the other. Everything came from the darkness and will go back there to rise once again – in the endless search for the elusive answer.
And this is not the first time this story has occurred. It has happened again and again and will keep on happening for ever.
Nothing is Everything and Everything is Nothing. Everything comes from Nothing – Nothing creates Everything. And then Everything turns into Nothing.
As I came out of this meditation, I realized that either of two things could be possible: that I had a really fantastic imagination (yeah, well…) and that what I saw was REAL.
So I decided that it was really great to JUST BE and ENJOY THE HERE AND NOW and stop chasing the elusive answer. Perhaps that is just the answer.
I AM. AND NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Reminds you about the symbolism of the Number Zero [ 0 ] – The Fool Card and The World Card – both merged together – doesn’t it!
by Madhavi Ghare | Tarot, Tarot Card Decks, Interesting
Here is a link to a video that I happened to catch on YouTube…watch it till the very end…Lovely Stuff…
(The link will open a new window)
The girl has a point!
by Madhavi Ghare | Tarot |
Here is a cool video that I saw today….
The original link is
http://tarotconnection.net/legacy-of-the-divine-tarot-by-ciro-marchetti/
Hope you enjoy these stunning visuals as much as I have…
by Madhavi Ghare | Rider-Waite-Smith, Tarot, Tarot Card Decks |
Continuing my trend for looking at things from the other way round (as with the Minor Arcana cards), here I am trying to look at the journey of the Major Arcana Cards from the other way round, -i.e.- from The World to The Fool.
Sounds interesting? Well, then, click here to read on.
