Being Strong

 

We say, "be strong," but what does that mean? I have spoken about the three aspects of our spirits, our talking nature, our animal nature and our godlike nature and the how these can be seen as three spirits, or three pillars of one spirit.
But wait, there's more. There's knowing yourself. There's the three layers of our orientations. When expressed in terms of our sexual and/or relationship orientation, it's: what do you want to do? what are you actually doing? and, what do you tell others you are doing?
In my opinion this all takes time to sort out. Our layers inform our pillars and authentic strength requires being aligned in both our pillars and in our layers.
I am invoking the King of Wands. This King doesn't fear the journey. He knows that knowing and owning yourself, and telling people who you are, then living that truth in our hearts, our minds and our spirits, is vital to authentic strength and living a life worth being proud of. That's real strength!
--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

Strength is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The King of Wands is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

As above so below

 

Today I pulled the Magician. The Magician is the first stop on the fool's journey. The way I read The Magician, this card introduces the fool to magical possibilities, the ability to cast intentions, shape your life, set a path on a spiritual plain and follow that path on a physical plain. This can be done through one's strength of will and intellect. The Magician teaches how through harmony and balance in one's life those plain's become one; as above, so below.
Recently I have found some old photos and journals from my past that have taken me back. I have gotten to know old versions of myself again. Some of what I found is good and fun to revisit and some is really not. I wish I could go back sometimes. I wish I could talk to old me. I wish I had taken the time then to know myself better, had set intentions — the now version of me has a lot to say to that then version. Also, there's the old photos of loves who have passed through the veil. So much was left unsaid. But, there's no going back.
I am invoking The Four of Cups. This card takes a hiatus. It re-evaluates the past in the present. Grief is the price of love lost. But, the past is the past.
The lesson is: reach out for the wonderful love of the present. Life is for the living. Take the gift of now-love and, yes, be thankful for the love you have had. That love is part of you but know that new love is more love. It's love that's here now that you can talk to, that you can hug and kiss. More love is more love.
This is life, here, now, breathe, live, love! And, be here now!
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Magician is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The 4 of Cups is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Wisdom and discernment

Today I pulled the Hierophant. This is a card of religion, orthodoxy, ritual, spiritual advice as well as willingly meeting and making commitments to established cultural institutions including marriage —it's meeting social obligations and the seeking of social and cultural approval and recognition.
In response I am invoking the Ace of Swords. The Ace of Swords has all the potential of the mind and the element of air to evaluate cultural expectations and decide the greater good. The Ace of Swords is the ability to discern with wisdom whether cultural expectations have an ethical foundation based on the greater good of all through love, consent and tolerance or if they are hidden tools of oppression designed to enforce obedience with shame and empower the establishment of hate and intolerance. The Ace of Swords slices away hate and intolerance.
 --
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The 4 of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Hierophant is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Love and sun

Yesterday I pulled the 4 of Wands. This four is a card of sanctuary,  peace and accomplishment. It was a lovely warm sunny day and Susie and I enjoyed the day, laying in the sun and going on a beautiful walk and we still got a lot done. I invoked the Hierophant, one who gives spiritual advice. This came in handy for conversations I had with a dear friend.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The 4 of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Hierophant is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Sometimes...

 

Sometimes when I pull a card I really feel it all day. This is one of those days.
I am invoking The Empress, The Lady, The Earth Mother, The Goddess. A mother's love is unconditional. She loves you and accepts you as you are. For her, any day's a good day for a hug.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Ten of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Empress is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Personal Dominion

I think each day's card is part of a stream, life is like a stream of frames, each year, month, day, minute is a frame leading to the next frame. Thus does the movie of our life flow and so too, in my opinion, does the Tarot. Today I pulled the Emperor. We seem to have a theme here.
Leadership, authority, stability are all part of the words that describe The Emperor. This is a card of dominion, dominion over one's life, being a great person, living a stable life.
In response, as accompaniment, I am invoking the Ace of Wands. Wands are fire. This is the full potential of the element of fire. Fire burns away that which does not serve, it combines, it transforms, it purifies.

--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Emperor is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Ace of Wands is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

It's your turn

You have heard me say, "we don't get to choose all the cards we are dealt but we do get to choose how to play them." One of those choices involves the possibility of deciding not to play them at all. Deciding not to decide is a choice. Letting your cards play you, that is a choice.

Today I pulled the King of Wands. Wands are in the realm of fire. Fire changes things, burns things away, melts and combines things. Wands are about manifestation for me. This King is in charge of his passions and is a good steward of them. He is noble and he cares for and takes care of his loves.
This is our question, do we want to take charge of our lives or let our lives take charge of us? I am invoking The Fool. The beginning of the journey, your journey. So, here are your cards. Here is your life. It's your turn now. Do you want to play or pass?
--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.
The King of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Fool is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Her multitudes

 

Walt Whitman and Bob Dylan talk about how we all contain multitudes. I often think of that when I think of Marie. She was, and is, deeply loved by so many people. I am one of those people. She was in my life from 1975 until her untimely death in 2009. Today is her birthday. I often think of the Marie her husbands knew, her kids knew and her family, friends and other loves knew — and now even the Marie we all remember — and how each is a unique, different and valid Marie. She had multitudes. She was easy to love, easy to breathe in and make a part of your soul. She could give that way and not lose even a tiny part of herself. I cannot be me and not love Marie.

--

I took this photo in Spring 1978 in the California Gold Country.

Come as you are

I pulled The High Priestess. You are on your psychic journey and the High Priestess shows you the way. She brings a bowl of pomegranates and she sets you on the path to The Goddess.
This is a path through the inner nooks and crannies of yourself. Do not expect this path to authenticity to be an easy path. It's your own path, nobody else can make this journey for you, into you. You will have to confront parts of yourself (and others) you may wish you had never seen. You will call down the Moon and dance with your shadow. You will gain knowledge about yourself, you may not understand (and others likely will not understand.) You will learn to accept and love yourself as you truly are. And know this before you start — that which is learned cannot be unlearned. Once you taste the pomegranate and shed ignorance and innocence, it is gone for keeps.
But, what is gained? I am invoking the Queen of Wands. She represents the power of manifestation. Her fire burns away that which is inauthentic enabling the revelation and manifestation of the loving and fair life that best fits you, and only be achieved knowing your own sweet heart, just as it is and just as it is not.
--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The High Priestess is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Queen of Wands is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Being a good steward

Being a good steward involves knowing and working with what you have. Today I pulled the Chariot. I believe we have either three natures, three spirits or three aspects of one spirit — however you want to visualize that. In The Phaedrus, the allegory of the chariot, Plato captures that well. Our spiritual self and our animal self is managed and works with our rational thinking, talking and acting self. This is also the story of Robert M. Pirsig's, Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. To move forward, to have quality, is the art of honoring and balancing all three of these self natures.
I am invoking that role, that awareness and discipline by invoking The King of Swords. The good steward, wise and imaginative. The King of Swords works with the law point of the Pearl Pentacle.  The King of Swords, the good steward, works with natural laws and an intuitive nature of the world and who we authentically are as spirits, as animals and as thinking and rational beings.
--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Chariots is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The King of Swords is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Boundaries and Rules

 

Today I pulled the Seven of Wands. This is sometimes called the boundaries card. I think of boundaries as being something different than rules. But, they can go together. A boundary is something you impose on yourself. A rule is something you impose on others. I won't be with someone who smokes, is a boundary. You can't smoke if we are in a relationship, is a rule. If you have the previously mentioned boundary and your partner smokes you might leave the relationship. If you have the previously mentioned rule and your partner smokes you might throw a fit.
Because of Omicron, Susie and I have agreed (agreements are yet another thing) to set up a boundary between ourselves and everyone else in the world. We either have things delivered or put in our trunk with curbside pickup. We do not go into public venues or even grocery stores. The rest of the world can go to grocery stores, restaurants, theaters, concerts, see friends, have company or go on airplanes and such. We do not. Not at all.
Therefore, I am invoking the Hermit. Here we are, co-hermiting in our bubble of two. Yes, it's leveraging privilege. We know for many, many people hermiting is not an option. It is for us and given our health issues we feel it's for the best.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Seven of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Hermit is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris-Anne

Forgive Yourself (Myself)

 

Today I pulled Judgement. Sometimes this card is called Rebirth. Speaking entirely for myself, this is always a hard card because I have what a partner once called a Lake Superior of regrets. Rebirth requires letting go of those regrets, that's the death part. You have to let the regrets die and sometimes they can be such a part of you (me) that they can come to define you (me).
The truth is it doesn't matter what you wish you coulda/woulda done differently — because that's simply not an option in real life. Why is that so much easier to say to a friend than it is to yourself (myself)?
I am invoking the Queen of Cups. She is nurturing and is here to assist you (me). She offers love, emotional healing and nurturing. She is the Goddess in human form. She will help you (me) let go of what needs to be let go and help you (me) get on with life knowing not only are you (me) loved you (me) are worthy of being loved. Especially that!
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

Judgement is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony

The Queen of Cups is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

You have arrived

You have arrived at your destination. In the realm of water and love — lasting happiness, perfect love and success. In many Tarot decks this appears very white, mono and hetero normative as a traditional, culturally normative, happy nuclear family. Of course in reality this can look like that or look very different, what constitutes "having arrived at your destination" for you?
In response, I am invoking The Star. I am, and you are, exactly what the universe needed to be right here, right now, as you. You are necessary. You are loved and needed. I am so glad you are here. I am so glad you are here now!
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Ten of Cups is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Star is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Living the dream

Celebration, sanctuary, my happy place, that's what I think of when I pull the Four of Wands. Being with people I love, safe at home and doing something creative, exploring the arts, maybe serving a dinner I made to my loves and laughing, lots of laughing.
After pulling this lovely card I am invoking The World. This is the last card in the Major Arcana, the completion of The Fool's Journey. It's a life well lived.
There's no one measure of success. We all have different dreams we want to live. Sometimes we wake up in the morning and know, we have arrived — we are exactly where we are meant to be.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Four of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The World is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Death and Earth

Death and Life and Death and Life... this is like the breath of our Earth. Today, again, I pulled Death. Yesterday I spoke of impermanence, about how everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. This is true on both grand and small scales. As well as individuals, every nation, every civilization, every species — ultimately even every planet and every star has a beginning, a middle and an end.
We cannot change that fact but we can influence the timeline. We, as a species, can be good stewards or we can do things like ignore climate change and live in denial regarding our impact on our planet and let our Earth suffer. The truth is we need the Earth more than she needs us. We humans can prove to be a failed experiment and she can move on without us.
In recognition of that inconvenient truth I am invoking the Five of Pentacles, adversity in the realm of Earth.  As we wade through Covid, a disease we brought upon ourselves through our cruelty to animals and that we spread amongst ourselves through our carbon polluting transportation system, may we at least come to some realization of how we are hastening the demise of our civilization and our species. As I said, we need the Earth more than she needs us. It may take Earth millions of years to heal the wounds we have inflicted. But, she has plenty of time, we do not.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

Death is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Five of Pentacles is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Death and Grief

Today I pulled Death. Death is the inescapable companion of life. Death is the realization of impermanence. Death comes in many forms and there are many kinds of death. Sure, there's physical death, but there's also everyday losses like the losses of innocence, trust, youth, vitality, health, friendships, loves and so, so much more.

I am invoking the Ten of Swords. I learned years ago from a dear friend and Tarot teacher who said, "there are no good or bad cards." I carry his wisdom into every reading. Grief is a necessary adjunct to Death. If we don't express our grief it's very hard to heal. Like Death, the Ten of Swords brings necessary disruption and tears. Some folks think the Ten of Swords is a "bad card" and would never choose to invoke it. But, sometimes, when we reach a nadir, the only thing there is left to do is cry. It's okay to cry. It's an appropriate reaction to Death. It's good to cry.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

Death is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Ten of Swords is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Juggling

Today I pulled the Two of Pentacles. In the past I have gained a lot of experience juggling things, sometimes having a lot of fun with that — balancing harmony and change, shiny new and stability. It can be a lot of fun, exciting, thrilling even.
What I have sometimes struggled with is setting boundaries with myself (who else can you really set boundaries with, really?) In short, I get carried away.
So, I am invoking Temperance. I am telling myself, "slow down cowboy! There really is no rush here, enjoy it all at a gentle pace!"
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Two of Pentacles is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Temperance is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

The Wheel Weaves

Today I pulled The Wheel. We like to think of the wheel as turning in a predictable motion, balancing highs and lows. In my experience it's not quite that simple. Sometimes the wheel changes direction, sometimes abruptly and goes in a totally unexpected direction in ways that can sometimes be miraculous, sometimes tragic. We plan for the direction we anticipate, knowing it can all change, knowing it can all go away. Our plans may be for naught.
“The wheel weaves as the wheel wills,” said Robert Jordan in The Wheel of Time. We play the cards we're dealt knowing that sometimes the deck gets reshuffled. The game is changed by things like a bad diagnosis, Covid, car accidents or perhaps unexpected windfalls.
I am invoking the Two of Cups. Couplehood has been on my mind and in my heart lately so that's what I am seeing. But, know — the Two of Cups is not always a card for romantic partnership. Partnership is interesting. People ask who is your partner?
We can have many partners in life. First, I believe we all need to be our own primary partner. So whether this card represents your lover(s), your family, your friend(s), companion(s) and/or your own sweet self. Be a good partner. Be there for your partner(s), all of them including yourself.
Be in love with your partner(s), no matter what the wheel weaves. And, nothing bad that can happen can erase the miracle of love.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Wheel is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Two of Cups is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Soothe with love

 

Today I pulled the Five of Swords. In this time, this time that sometimes feel like the endtimes, it's easy to sink into despair and be in conflict with those we love. Defeat, failure, frustration and chaos ensue when fear takes root. When we can't take flight, we fight — sometimes we fight with those we love most. Sometimes we fight with ourselves.
I am invoking The Lovers. In this case I am not just invoking it as a binary (as the lovers are most often depicted.)  I am invoking it thinking of love of self, love of those we love romantically and/or platonically, this includes family, friends, pets and acquaintances. Be one who loves. All relationships start with having a loving authentic relationship with ourself. Love yourself and soothe yourself with love. 
Breathe, be here now. Love you for the awesomeness you are. If you don't know where to start, start there. Start here...
May all beings in this world live in peace.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Five of Swords is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Lovers is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Power and Focus

 

Today I drew the King of Wands. To me this is another passion card. The King of Wands is firmly in control in the realm of fire. This King is noble and he uses his energy wisely. He is generous, honest and smart and passionate in his interests and with his loves. He is focused on his goals and he knows a good thing when he sees it. He is not easily distracted by flashy.
To go with this card I am invoking The Chariot. When I think of this card I think of the allegory of Chariot, as explained by Plato. In the Phaedrus, Plato (through his mouthpiece, Socrates) shares the allegory of the chariot to explain the tripartite nature of the human soul. We are thinkers and talkers, we are spiritual beings and we are animals. For me, The Chariot card is about being focused and on the same path in all these aspects of who we are. It pairs well with the passion and focus of the King of Wands.
When I was younger and an avid bicyclist I used to ride my bicycle up and down mountains. It didn't take me long to realize the steepest mountains are the ones in our own minds.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The King of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Chariot is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Impermanence

 

Everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. Impermanence is the nature of life, of everything. Today I pulled The Tower, a major card of impermanence. Towers are symbols of security. Towers can also be prisons. When towers fall we have to say to ourselves, "what now?"
Impermanence is the nature of life. Towers fall. Knowing this, I am invoking the 4 of Swords. To be able to respond, rather than react, requires mindfulness.  When towers fall, when we have to say to ourselves, "what now?" This requires a pause: to breathe, to weigh our options, to rest and prepare for what is ahead, to know for now — there is no more normal. Normal is an illusion anyway because everything has a beginning, a middle and an end, everything, everything.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Tower is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The 4 of Swords is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Looking Back

 

Yesterday I drew the Eight of Wands. To me this card encapsulates what the amazing photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson called The Decisive Moment. It's that moment when everything comes together: the light, the angle, the action. The photographer releases the shutter. The archer releases the arrow. Whatever the tool is. It's not something you think about. We humans have an amazing ability to extend our consciousness into things and they become an extension of us. We get the feel of them. We put just the right amount of pressure on the brake to stop the car at the red light, not short of it, not beyond it. We do this without math or calculation or thinking about it much at all really. Thinking gets in the way sometimes. It's like if you think about your feet you step on your partner's toes. So, we just dance.
Yesterday when I pulled the Eight of Wands I thought about this and the importance of invoking thought and discipline before taking action. And so, I invoked the Emperor. We need to be our own best leader in order to serve or lead others. The Emperor brings discernment, stability and authority.
This combination served me well yesterday.

----

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Eight of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Emperor is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Manifesting

Today I pulled the Magician — as above so below. For me, this is about our strength of will and our ability to use our mind, physical body and spiritual awareness, making correct decisions; and using all to manifest our will.
I am invoking the Six of Wands. Six is the Lovers in the major arcana. For me, that is a card of passion. I see it in the realm of fire as being your own hero. It's about triumph, success and supporting yourself and your loves and being recognised in the process. It's all about being amazing!

----

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Magician is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Six of Wands is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Mourning

 

Today I pulled the Five of Cups — Yesterday I ran Zoom tech for a remembrance ritual for a friend, a dear sweet man. It was intense and lovely.
Death has been a presence in my life since a young age, as it has been for many. I learned early in life that we all have a beginning, a middle and an end. I learned why the mourning doves in the neighborhood I grew up in were called mourning doves. This knowledge equipped me to better cope with the death of my first wife when she was 33. I was already comfortable with grieving following the death of both my parents when I was in my 20s. Their deaths prepared me to better handle her death and to better help our sons as they went through their grieving processes and together we moved forward.

Letting go — today I am invoking Death ∞ Rebirth. Life literally feeds on death and death literally feeds on life. This is part of the wheel and is how the wheel turns.

----

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Five of Cups is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Death∞Rebirth is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Thinking about abundance

My card for today is the Nine of Pentacles. For me this is a card about being comfortable in your own skin, material comfort, abundance within reason. It's also a walk in your own physical and metaphysical garden. This is a card of prudence and situational awareness. The bird is there to see over the horizon. It's not a card of extravagance,
I am invoking Temperance. Temperance is also a card of prudence, enjoying but not overindulging.
Like many people I struggle with managing my own life and overindulging. When I say no to myself and others sometimes, and also say yes to myself and others sometimes, I am most comfortable in my own skin.
--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Nine of Pentacles is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Temporance is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

The Earth Mother

Today I pulled the Queen of Pentacles. The people I have thought of as being Earth Mothers include my first wife, Candy. Candy was nurturing  generous and charitable. She was the one who took care of both my parents as they were at end of their lives. She was an amazing cook and she loved to garden and she loved children and animals. She even cared for the family after her untimely death. Candy left her handwritten cookbook that enabled me to make our sons meals exactly as she had prepared them when she was alive. I still cook Candy's recipes.
In response I am invoking the Empress. This card recognises her power including motherhood and fertility. Candy wanted more children than our first two. She prayed and prayed and then conceived, gave birth to and mothered a child of mine, years after I had a vasectomy following the birth of our second son.
The doctor said it was a one in a million thing. Today, that son turned 35.
--
This reading is part of my own personal Divination/Invocation practice. As always when I speak of life, love and tarot I speak only for myself.

Divination — The Queen of Pentacles is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Invocation — The Empress is from The Witches Tarot, by Ellen Dugan

So mote it be

 

Today I pulled the Ace of Wands. To me this card represents the power of manifestation. We don't always get to choose the cards we're dealt but we can decide how to play them. That's how we can make things happen. We set an intention and follow through with our mind, our heart and our spirit — then send it forth. Some might call it a Spiritual Mind Treatment, others might call it something else, I call it casting a spell. It requires total commitment. The power's the same no matter the label. I am invoking The Magician: as above, so below.
--

As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Ace of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Magician is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

The little things

Today I pulled The Hermit. As I am writing this we are isolating from the world. Susie and I are co-hermiting. It's interesting how the littlest thing, a virus, has caused such a global disruption.
We blame the virus. Yet, it's us. Folks don't really talk a lot about how it's our own cruelty that brought this pandemic about. It likely started in a place we humans created, a place of misery — the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, a dank and poorly ventilated awful space where seafood, poultry, meat and living wild animals were sold.
Humans inflict so much misery on nature, is it any wonder when nature inflicts misery on us?
After the virus made the jump to humans, humans spread it, using the tools of global warming, jets burning fossil fuels, this virus spread throughout the globe.
Are we listening? Are we learning yet? 
I am invoking the Page of Pentacles. What other lessons has the Earth for us?
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Hermit is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Page of Pentacles is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Living your passion

Like I said yesterday, I see the Lovers as a card of passion. In the Major Arcana 6 is the Lovers. Each 6 in the minors, in my opinion, is a manifestation of passion in a related element. Today I pulled the 6 of Wands. Passion in the realm of fire: being a warrior, overcoming adversity.
Emily Dickinson wrote, "If your Nerve, deny you — Go above your Nerve..." We only live once! In that vein I am invoking Strength! For me Strength means more than just "being strong." It means being committed and being in alignment: mind + body + soul.
Today I am reminded to be in alignment with my passion!
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Six of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Strength is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Love and Sex?

 

Today I pulled the Two of Cups. To me this card is about companionate love. I really felt this reading speaks to the companionate nature of Susie and my marriage. That said, I don't believe companionate love requires romance. I have seen friends, siblings and cousins who have/had beautiful companionate emotionally intimate platonic relationships. I have been in several such relationships myself. I felt for this particular reading the correct card to invoke was The Lovers. Since I was thinking of Susie and my relationship, I invoked that card with the passion we have in our marriage in mind. Again, as before, I don't believe passion requires sex or even sexual chemistry.
Lovely loving passionate emotionally intimate relationships can be emotionally and/or sexually platonic, or not.
So, what do marriages require? In my opinion that's up to the people in them, or contemplating one, to decide and nobody else.
--
As always when I speak of life, love and Tarot I speak only for myself. This reading is part of my Divination/Manifestation Practice.

The Two of Cups is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
The Lovers is from The Light Seers Tarot, by Chris Anne

Saying Yes and No

Again today I pulled the "Hell No!" card, The Seven of Wands. As I said before, I see this card as a card of setting boundaries, drawing lines in the sand. But, what about setting boundaries with the hardest person to set boundaries with?
In the 1980s my mother smoked herself to death. She was on oxygen and smoking at the same time. She literally could have blown the house up. We human animals think we are so smart yet we seem to have a death wish sometimes. We abuse substances, drive dangerously and generally wilfully engage in dangerous practices individually and collectively. We seem to have a hard time telling the difference between what we should say no to and what we should say yes to. How do we draw the line between the two?
Sometimes we have to look inside.That's why I am invoking The Moon. How do you know the difference between that which you should deny yourself and that which you should indulge in? In The Charge of The Star Goddess Starhawk says, "For if that which you seek you find not within yourself, You will never find it without." She also says. "Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, For behold — all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals."
When I want the answer to these questions, what should I allow or deny myself, I know where to look.
--
This reading is part of my own personal Divination/Invocation Practice. As always when I speak of life, love and tarot I speak only for myself.

Divination — The Seven of Wands is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Invocation — The Moon is from Crow Tarot, by MJ Cullinane

A Rough Start?

 

Today I pulled the Three of Swords. This is a card of tears, of strife and of heartbreak. Also, as I read it, it's also a card of divine inspiration, of Awen. My life has taught me to embrace impermanence as the one inviolable law. Loss of love, loves, loved ones and ultimately even of self is part of impermanence but, so also is rebirth. Phoenix Rising is more than the name of a soccer team. The Phoenix rises from the ashes, ascends and — eventually becomes ashes again. If there is one law that cannot be escaped it's that cycle. And so, I am invoking The Tower. On this first day of a new year, I am invoking that. The Tower both protects and imprisons us and, well, everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. We can embrace it, fear it or deny it, no matter. It's true.
--
This reading is part of my own personal Divination/Invocation Practice. As always when I speak of life, love and tarot I speak only for myself.

Divination — The 3 of Swords is from The Modern Love Tarot, by Ethony
Invocation — The Tower is from Cold Lyre Tarot, by Lacy Marton and Christine Scanlon