[	Current Mood	|	calm	]
[	Current Music	|	Lavender - Marillion	]

Decided to join the 78 Weeks of Study exercise over at Aeclectic. It is pretty obvious I won't be able to do an essay per week at all times, but I will still try. Alongside my comfort RWS deck I've picked the Tarot of Reflections by Francesco Ciampi for comparison. I find this is one of the more promising Lo Scarabeo decks, feeling much less arbitrary than some of their other releases.

Since this is a project split up in weekly exercises, I started with the week from August 6th - 13th, card: Five of Cups. The idea is to spend 5 minutes every day with a particular card for one whole week and jot down your results. Any deck can be used. Any style of reading/meditating/musing can be applied.

My thoughts:

"I've always been inclined to feel very strongly with the figure in the RWS deck here - three cups have tumbled over, so it takes some effort to re-evaluate and recognize the two cups that are still standing.

More cups down than up definitely indicates a loss that has to be dealt with. This being the suit of Cups, I usually connect this with someone close disappointing you, or with getting disillusioned. Healing is needed before you can turn and see the remaining cups.

My second deck for this exercise will be the Tarot of Reflections again. This time, the image and meaning seems to be totally different from the RWS.

A female figure in a blue dress and purple cloak with flowing, bright green hair and a crown rides along in a triumph cart and throws coins to a mass of bystanders. The people are indiscernible, just a brown blur, but they seem eager, as you can see their raised arms. The head of the figure is reflected at the top and bottom of the card. The refelction at the bottom is distorted, so it looks like
she is squashed by her own chariot.

Frankly, that pic told me nothing that would match my concept of the 5 of Cups... but the LWB offered some explanation: "If you sow at the wrong time, you are wasting your resources. If you sow in the field of others, the harvest won't be yours." (Does that bright green hair stand for envy which she unwillingly creates?)

I've never seen the fallen cups in the RWS as something you might have wasted actively. It always looked like an accident brought about from the outside. But this new meaning might make sense in some cases, too and it also warns you of not throwing the remaining cups after those already gone by grieving to long and refuse to change your path. So, this really is a new aspect I'll take into account
in the future."

Week from August 13th - 20th, card: Six of Cups.

This week will only begin tomoroow, but since I pondered the 6 of Cups quite a lot yesterday, I decided to start my post anyway and maybe edit it as the week moves along and possible new insights are gained.

"Actually, this card already occupied me yesterday night, when I posted to the Song thread. Without thinking, a song started playing in my head - Marillion's "Lavender".

These are the lyrics:

I was walking in the park

Dreaming of a spark

When I heard the sprinklers whisper

Shimmer in the haze of summer lawns.

Then I heard the children singing

They were running through the rainbows.

They were singing a song for you

Well it seemed to be a song for you

The one I wanted to write for you

Lavenders blue, dilly dilly, lavenders green

When I am king, dilly dilly

You will be queen

A penny for your thoughts my dear

A penny for your thoughts my dear

I.o.u. for your love

I.o.u. for your love

This song to me represents a lot of the qualities of the 6 of Cups - the slightly dreamlike atmosphere and also the "wishing well" connection CreativeFire has made (represented by the rainbows). In the RWS imagery, I can well imagine the taller figure tell the smaller one "When I am king you will be queen" - sort of children's make believe, but with a true core of commitment and attachment.

Numerology-wise, the Sixes describe stability, but it is acquired, mature stability (having already passed the Two and Four). A moment of well-earned rest after the toils of the Five, preparing for the challenge of the Seven. This is most prominent in the 6 of Cups.

To move out of my comfort zone, I additionally looked at the 6 of Cups in my Tarot of Reflections, which I have not yet gotten around to study properly.

While using a slightly different imagery, the Refelctions is very much in synch with the RWS here - it shows two children running with a ring through lush green fields, two girls winding flower wreaths and adorning each other with them. In the vackground there's a cutesy little Holly Hobbie-house, reflected in the sky, thus emphasizing the message of being in a protected environment - and also, being in a
secluded, small environment which must be left behind eventually to expand one's horizon."

Vintage Collage Pendants

A very good creative day.

Next month, I will have a small exhibition pf my jewelry, together with a fried who is designing hand-printed t-shirts. Most of my pendants so far are based on dominoes, found objects and charms, but yesterday I tried out a new technique - bezels filled with collage elements, shrink plastic, and Diamond Glaze. Quite liked the results.

Will try to experiment with other shrink plastic techniques, polymer clay, and stamped foam core tomorrow.

Just to improve my mood - some pics from recently visited renaissance fairs: Left - Zeitreise Ehrenberg, middle - Hexenagger,
right - Kaltenberger Gauklernacht.

 

[	Current Mood	|	tired	]
[	Current Music	|	Engelsstaub - Eden's Rising	]

"The energy from 2005 emerges as BODACIOUS BODACH.

He carries a lingering feeling of heaviness.........some difficulties last year in your external eorld ..........an energy loss, working too hard?. A lack of time or freedom to fly..........the focus on what you had to do rather than what you wanted to do.

As the new year begins you still have a wariness..........a watchfulness.........you look back preparing for the worst...............something or someone from last year may not have had your best interests at heart............you’re wary of a continuation of this.

As the [i]energy of the New Year ...........SPIRIT DANCER

brings a renewed sense of wellbeing, freedom and movement. It will be a year when you can reach out and dance to the music of your inner self. A year that will bring opportunity for you to reach towards fulfilling the dreams that lie in your heart........with a gentle warning not to overextend or you’ll fall on your face.

As the year begins she is only potential..............the thoughts of what and where you will direct your energy.

Dreams, wishes.........

.........your greatest hopes THE RARR.....

bounce in your mind in many different directions. Too many outlets, too many choices can create a danger ...................that nothing will manifest ............too many irons in the fire. Trying to achieve too much in too big a hurry.

You must watch out for depleting your energy............the Rarr always makes me feel so tired.

The energy you need to release .........HIMSELF

reflects the Universal energy of this year which is 8. A strong force that pulls us all forward striving to reach our goals whatever they may be.

You need focus...............one hope shines brighter than the others............channel your energy there.

Himself asks you to believe in and trust that what you hope will be...........will be.

Reminding you that sometimes what you want is not what you need at this time.

Life puts seeming obstacles in the way that are really challenges............that test our patience and commitment, our determination and perseverance...........our courage. Releasing these energies will help you through this year .......as well as seeing and

understanding the spiritual perspective of life ............your personal growth achieved through your life’s events.

The energy of Himself is the masculine ,active, creative spark you need to release.....

Your greatest fears....................SHE OF THE CRUACH

.......are held within the gentle , feminine and nurturing energies and manifest as a sorrowing.............the fear of not being able to nurture the creative spark into life.

Creativity takes many forms...............everything we do that expresses our self is creative so its hard to pinpoint exactly what is being referred to. Everything that begins as an idea, that spark of potential given life .............given birth to and becoming a reality is our child.

A creative venture?....................or even literally , hopes that revolve around a child of your own? Or both. Fear that it will never be.

The message of the FAERIES OF THE FUTURE will help to release this fear

You cannot know what the future will be...........hopes and fears become entwined

when your heart and mind reach too far forward................wanting the goal to be reached ..........the reality ...........then you will be able to relax and both the hoping and fearing will be no more. When you do this you lose the beauty and potential of the present, of the now. This is when the energies of Himself are needed...............to accept each day as it comes, to enjoy it .............moving forward is not a giant leap to the finishing post but a step by step process. See the opportunity in each day and see how you can use it to take you one step further.

To aid you in reaching your goals...............TOBAIRA OF THE WATERS

Make time for yourself. Its likely that rather oppressive energy of last year has left you drained and tired, even depressed. You need time to rejuvenate and restore your personal energy.

Not doing..........being.

You need to be in touch with the gentle healing flow of water.

Long, lazy soaks in the bath.

Brisk refreshing showers.

Walking in the rain.

Drinking plenty of water.

Alone............just
being ...........and feeling and understanding your emotions, their source and how they’re affecting you. I get the feeling that much of this is physical..........that in restoring your own wellbeing, looking after yourself, drawing on the gifts of She of the Cruach for your own benefit is the way to set the wheels in motion to bring your hopes to fruition.

GEEEEEOOO THE SLOW agrees with this but indicates that this may be challenge!

All that frenetic energy of the Rarr wants out.

Impatience...............a need to be busy and active..............so much to do, too little time. Go, go, go!

Slowing down ................having the patience to wait. To move through the natural process.

‘To every thing there is a season’...............no amount of effort is going to make the leaves turn colour and fall in the spring.

Where the energies present will take you...........THE FEE LION

Is your choice!

I see the Fee Lion as a cousin of Bodacious Bodach.........they have a similar look.

You may be in danger of ending this year in much the same condition you did last year. Using the energies of the year correctly.................making some changes so you slow down and don‘t try to do too much.............focusing more on your own needs seems essential which may mean doing a little less for others.

Organise, prioritise , focus..............try not to let your energy be scattered in too many directions and you’ll find the extra time for yourself.

Spirit Dancer offers movement and freedom.................how you use this will be important...........to know that its possible for the spirit to dance within the obstacles and restrictions that life places on you."

My comments on this were:

The reading was very much on target, I feel. Interestingly enough, I did my own New Year's reading with the same spread, but with the Druidcraft deck.

In position one, the 10 of Wands came up, which I feel is very closely related to Bodacious Bodach. And nothing could describe the condition better. I did work very hard, and I'm in a competitive situation at work right now which is very negative, since it has shifted very much to a personal level.

So it was good to see that some fresh energy will pour in with the Spirit Dancer. Indeed, as a Gemini I tend to shatter myself in different endeavours, so hopefully the Rarr will be at my shoulder and give me a nudge every now and then.

Another card that struck me is She of the Cruach. In my other reading I had the Sun reversed in that position, and yes, my fear of never having a child of my own is quite prominent lately after 4 years of futile trying. Sigh.

I take the advice of the Faeries of the Future as actually making something happen. I tend to ponder and plan a lot, and sometimes I'm not really taking any real steps after that ;-) And this is porbably where the Fee Lion butts in, to make sure I remember my resolutions instead of wanting everything and then cowering before the mountain of everything in awe, accomplishing
nothing ;-)

Seems I will have to work on this just a little harder. For the whole day, the reading was nagging me, somewhere in the back of my mind; I hadn't really looked at it after January. But now I felt a strong urge to go back to it and find its focal message. Good thing I did.

The first was my favourite card, Justice.

A woman in a rich purple gown stands between two pillars (though only one is clearly visible). She is wearing a blindfold. In one hand, she holds a sword, in the other, a heart. She extends the hand with the heart as if to offer it to the onlookers.

In the background, you can see the floating iamge of a Latin law text and parts of the word "Justice".

Symbolism:

Pillars: To pass through the gates that separate day and night, you have to pass Justice guarding the threshold.

Blindfold: Rules never on the base of appearance and cannot be fooled by illusions.

Heart: Stands for the moral responsibility and conscience that keeps Justice from being merciless and also for the ability to see the core of the matter, regardless of outward appearance.

Sword: The sword symbolizes both ratio and the power to separate good from evil, reality from illusions, positive from negative - in an impartial and controlled way. The sword points upward to symbolize guidance from above.

Judicial text: Justice acts upon a codex which must be public to prevent corruption and arbitrariness.

Purple gown: Corresponds to the crown chakra to emphasize the peak of spiritual development. Red background: As in the RWS, red stands for taking action that will have an impact in the material world.

Card Meaning

Quote::"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye."
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry-

Divinatory meaning:

Just outcome, fair battle, weighed decisions, responsibility for the outcome of one's actions, an ethical navigation system ("leading star"), settling legal matters, taking courageous risks for a higher cause

Shadow: Self-righteousness, justice without mercy, corruption, indecisiveness or shying away from what should be done, turning your eyes from injustice, using unfair means

Artistic Media

Digital photo, scanned background graphics and some filters in Paint Shop Pro. Model for Justitia: Myself, in one of my renaissance reenactment gowns.

 

A couple is standing in front of a great castle with turrets. Colourful foliage makes the backdrop.

They are holding hands and look at each other happily - his head is tilted down to her face and you can see they will kiss any moment now.

Both wear festive clothing - gown and tux - which looks natural and comfortable on them, like they are elegantly outfitted every day. Still, the whole arrangement suggests this could be a wedding.

On the left side of the card, ten coins from various currencies form a line. On one of the bigger coins, the light gets caught in a sparkling flare.

Symbolism

Castle: Material accomplishment, a safe harbour, a stronghold for values and valuables alike.

(Wedding) Couple/Marriage:
Emotional stability and maturity; a traditional approach to life; setting things "in order".

10 Coins: Material abundance, wealth, connection to the Earth element. Flare on Coin: Success shines; a falling star that stands for granted wishes

Foliage and plants:
Growth on a stable foundation, harvest, but also new seeds, indicating following generastions.

Card Meaning

This cards depicts my best friend and his wife on their wedding day. Both come from affluent backgrounds, but both pursue very successful careers. They always radiate just the aura of contentment that for me goes with the 10 of Coins. Incidentally, their zodiac signs are Virgo and Taurus, thus emphasizing the Earth correspondence of the Coins suit, which is very pronounced in the Ten.

The wealth in this card usually does not come suddenly, nor to those without merit. It is a result of efforts. The couple in this card has received part of their wealth, both material and in terms of stable loving homes, from the generation before them, but did not rest on the laurels, and made their own way. As every completed cycle carries the seed for the new cycle, they are now ready to share their
wealth and pass it on to the next generation.

Divinatory meaning:

- Material abundance, affluence

- Protection, a safe haven

- Traditions, foundation

Shadow meaning:

- Ungratefulness, absence of charity, putting traditions over spiritual needs

Artistic Media

A scanned photo I took at my best friend's wedding of the couple, alterd with some Photo Shop filters. Background is scanned piece of scrapbooking paper. The castle was sketched on a graphic tablet and then digitally enhanced, using Castle Neuschwanstein as as reference. The coins are a Paintshop Pro image tube. The font is a historical German one called AD Zierfraktur, and was enhanced with SuperBlade Pro.

[	Tags	|	queen of pentacles, tarot	]
[	Current Mood	|	mellow	]
[	Current Music	|	Inkubus Sukkubus: Io Pan	]

Queen of Pentacles: Digitally
enhanced collage

Earthy and accomplished, between lush greenery, the Queen of Pentacles reclines on a luxurious recamière.

The Queen of Pentacles has done her work of consolidation and can rest on what she has built.

There is wealth and growth in the Pentacles suit, but the lady has a very alert look about her - in my interpretation, this means that she is ready to spring back into action any time it is required.

 

[	Tags	|	tarot	]
[	Current Mood	|	melancholy	]
[	Current Music	|	Mediaeval Babes: Erthe upon Erthe	]

Sometimes, this card can mean the ultimate defeat and battle utterly lost. But my first Tarot teacher always called this card - in the RWS deck - the "overkill" card. Too many swords, too little blood, no visible wounds. So, this card is as much about the fear of being defeated as it is about defeat itself. In my version, the oversized hand and huge sword symbolize that. The skulls allude to the Death trump, for in my view a moment like that pictured in the Ten of Swords can't pass without some profound change.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Douglas Adams

The Great Gatsby - F.Scott Fitzgerald

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Animal Farm: A Fairy Story - George Orwell

Catch-22 - Joseph Heller

The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

Lord of the Flies - William Golding

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

1984 - George Orwell

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling

One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut

Angels and Demons - Dan Brown

Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk

Neuromancer - William Gibson

Cryptonomicon - Neal Stephenson

The Secret History - Donna Tartt

A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

Ender's  Game - Orson Scott Card

Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson

A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides

Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien - started it several times, never made it beyond 2/3 of book 1...

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

Good Omens - Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman

Atonement - Ian McEwan

The Shadow Of The Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath