tarot hopes and dreams

Preparing a deck

2012-01-29T21:04:00.000+01:00

How fun is it to buy a new tarot deck?!
Most tarot readers will agree with me that it's just great!

Not every new tarot deck I buy becomes a "working deck" for me.
When I use a deck every once in a while, I keep it in the box it comes in.

When a deck really speaks to me I keep it in a special bag.
Next to this I prepare this deck. The reason I do this, is because I don't like the way a new deck feels.
The cards can be very slippery and since I almost never do my readings on a table, this can get kind off annoying.
I like it when a deck feels used and doesn't look all new and shiny.

The method I use I got from what I read on the Aeclectic tarot forum.

Yesterday and today I have been preparing my Gilded Tarot deck.
Although I always find it a bit scary, because I don't want to mess the deck up, I'm totally happy with the result.
The deck feels great!! It's ready for beeing used even more :-)

Wonder if you have any special ways to treat a new deck? Let me know!

Elements of Consiousness spread

2012-01-24T22:18:00.000+01:00

On Lisa's blog Tarotize I saw her Elements of Consiousness spread.

I found it really inspiring, so I decided to do this spread for myself, using the Gilded tarot.
This is how the spread is built up:

- The central card shows me how to align with my Higher Self in order to release any blocks to Spirit energy.
- The card at the bottom represents the Fire Element and my ability to express my true self - being authentic.
- The card to the left is Water and shows me what I need to know about my intuition in connection with reactivity/response.
- The card on top is the Earth Element and signifies my trust in the ability of creation to receive my responses in the constant dialogue of life.
- The card to the right is the Air Element and represents how I can learn to detach and become the Observer.

When I was working at this spread my blog got lost, so I had to do it all again.... Maybe other words and another view where necessery to make this a good learning expierence for me.

Spirit King of Pentacles:
For me this card is about beeing in control and beeing balanced in your world.
Not letting things/people around you distract you.
Beeing distracted from what is important for me and not feeling in balance, will eventually block my spirit energy.

Fire The Sun:
The Sun is the ultimate card for expressing your true self if you ask me!
When you are pure and open you will shine like the sun.
The feeling of beeing connected to the whole universe can support this even more.

Water Three of Wands:
Using my intuition is no problem. There is enough trust and power in myself to see what good it brings me.
But sometimes it's helpfull to have some patience to see what the results are. It can take some time before you see what comes out of it.

Earth Knight of Pentacles:
Although I'm powerfull and passionate I somehow feel the need to protect myself.
I have the energy to go for it and to walk my own path. This I can do holding my head up high, since I know I'm sincere in the things I do.

Air Nine of Cups
For me this card shows that all that is needed is to enjoy life as much as possible.
It's not necessery to be serious al the time. This can lead to getting stuck and then you won't be able to take some distance.

So the advice is: drink health to life! This can give you a clear view.

It was a challenging spread for me. I had some difficulties making myself clear writing in English. I hope it makes sense to you reading it though.

Thinking of me

2012-01-23T23:59:00.001+01:00

My card of the day was The Magician. In stead of this morning I drew my card this evening to look back on this past day.

Today was a very self-centered day for me. Something that doesn't fit my nature at all, so it was kind of difficult. But it was really necessery.
Because of the things I experience health whise I have to choose for myself and the baby.

The Magician is able to do this. Something I can learn from him for sure.
He also shows me I don't have to feel guilty doing this.
It's a part of growing and learning to see these things different.

How comforting before going to sleep! Thank you mister Magician :-)

I am the.........

2012-01-23T15:32:00.002+01:00

On Tarotize I saw a link to do this test. I thought it was fun, so I did it!!

You are The High Priestess

Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.

The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Activity 2

2012-01-19T21:49:00.001+01:00

Time for the second activity using the book "21 ways to read a tarot card".
I posted this on the facebook group as well, but for everbody that isn't a member of that group it might be intersting as well.

First I'll discribe the card I chose objectively.
I see a woman with red/brown hair. She is wearing a black dress with a golden patern on it. Around her hips she is wearing a red belt. The belt is long and has golden buttons on it.
Around her neck she is wearing a necklace.
Her coat/cape is green and the sleeves end in a point.
On her face she is wearing make-up

In her hands she holds a golden circel with a cross at the bottem. She is watching at this circle.
Around her there is a golden circle that shows the zodiac signs.

In the background there is sky in different colours with some stars and a green planet in it.
The card has a golden border and is black on the outside.
At the top of the border stands number III. At both sides there is a little black circle.
At the bottom of the borders I see the words "The Empress".

Now I will descripe my card from a first person perspective.
Here I am, standing in the open sky which has different coulors, several stars and a green planet in it.
The signs of the zodiac are all around me as I stand in the middle of them.

I am wearing a black dress with a golden patern on it. I'm also wearing a red long belt with golden buttons and a grean coat with pointy sleeves.
Around my neck I am wearing a necklace.
I am also wearing make-up.

In my hands I hold a golden circle with a cross at the bottom and I'm watching at it.

The key to these exercises it to keep beeing objective. This is difficult, because you are likely to assume things that aren't really there.

Ready to read.....

2012-01-15T14:55:00.000+01:00

I have the book "78 degrees of whisdom" from Rachel Pollack for a couple of years now. I started reading it when I first bought it, but at that time it just didn't work for me.
I have used it while studying some individual cards, but never read the whole book.

Beeing "away" from tarot for some time and now beeing "back" again gives me inspiration and a new view on some things. I think 78 degrees of whisdom is one of them.
I started reading it again and now I seem to "get it". I can connect with the words now. They make sense to me more then they ever did.
Don't know if it's because I have a better understanding of the cards then when I bought it, but it feels as nice journey through the major and minor arcana.
I think it's because I'm not surching for the meaning of the cards, but looking for a deeper view on them.

It makes me wonder how others experienced reading this book. If you like to share, you're more than welcome!

This is my Dutch copy of the book written by Rachel Pollack.

Activity 1: The Card

2012-01-14T16:53:00.000+01:00

To go through all the activities of "21 ways to read a tarot card" I have to pick a card from one of my decks.
The deck I decided to use is.....................The Gilded Tarot.
I think it's a nice way to get to know this deck better.
Now I have to choose one card to use for all the activities. To do this I pulled three cards from the deck.
I got the Three of Swords, The Empress and the Eight of Pentacles. From these cards I chose The Empress.
Studying my other decks I never really conected with The Empress. So there's a chalenge.
And since I'm going to be a mother for the first time I think the energy of the card fits my situation.

So that's the first activity for now.
Looking forward to the next one!

21 ways........

2012-01-13T21:18:00.001+01:00

I decided to take part in a Facebook group about Mary K. Greer's book "21 ways to read a tarot card".
This group is innitiated by Amethyst Mahoney.
Together we will do the activities that are written in the book. I think it's nice to share with and learn from each other.
Every week we will do an activity and I'm planning to post my results on my blog as well.

Staying close to myself

2012-01-12T22:20:00.002+01:00

After working at home yesterday, today was another day at the office for me.
Before leaving for work I pulled The Hermit card. A nice card to keep in mind while practicing staying close to myself.
I tend to give to much and that's something I just can't do now.

As reminder of this card of the day I use my phone. I have pictures of all cards from the Rider Waite stored on it and every day I put my card of the day as a background on the screen.
I think this is a great way to stay conected with the card throughout the day.

At work I did a good job staying close to myself.

Now beeing at home, I was thinking about The Hermit again and I see now that there is more to this card today.
It's also about keeping this blog.
I have so many ideas on which I want to shine my light. I just don't allow myself to take the time to work them out.
After realising this, I decited to take the time and write this blog. Being one with myself.

My goal is to post more often and not only daily cards, but more projects and thoughts about the tarot also.

My go-to deck

2012-01-08T18:22:00.002+01:00

The reason I first got interested in tarot where the images on the cards. I just love looking at nice pictures.
With tarot the choices are almost endless. There are so many beautiful decks.

My first deck was the Universal Waite, because someone told me this was the best deck to start with.
The images didn't speak to me at all, so when I started reading, I bought a Thoth deck. This deck I still love for its artwork.

When I started a 3 year tarot course, I had to work with the Rider-Waite tarot, so I bought a standard version. As I learned more about the cards I started to appreciate the Rider-Waite more and more and I gave a good amount of readings with it. My deck is a little worn now, which for me shows how much it is "alive".

Over the years I collected different versions of the Rider-Waite deck. The colours and the backs of the cards vary. Since I find the striped backs of the standard version horrible, I would like to use a different version.
The problem? I just can't do it :-)
Yesterday I pulled my Rider-Waite decks out and gave them all a good look. Started shuffeling with one of the decks I find more appealing. While shuffeling I just knew this wasn't it. The feeling just wasn't right.
I realized I just love my worn standard Rider-Waite. It's a part of me and I just can't let go (yet).

Today I pulled three cards from my beloved deck. The question I asked was: What is the connection between myself and this deck. These where te cards I pulled:

I think these cards really show the connection well.
The II of Cups shows the collaboration between us.
The Empress shows how natural it is for me to work with this deck.
The Queen of Swords shows how clear my readings are with this deck.
But for me she also shows that I'm not looking (well) at the other ones. I'm focused on this one, because of my feelings for it. When I think about it, I know it doesn't matter which one I use.......

But for now, I'm sticking with my good old "standard" Rider-Waite, and I'm happy with it!!

Our sweet little one

2012-01-07T20:21:00.001+01:00

Nothing about tarot, but something I have to share!!!
A picture of our little one in my belly!
How beautiful :-)

Finding an old love

2012-01-05T13:43:00.003+01:00

My card for today is the Queen of Cups.

She is totally in touch with her feelings. A loving woman this Queen represents for me.
She looks at situations with care.
This is the way I may look at my own situation. Not beeing able to do everything at work and at home is difficult for me. But I can’t blame myself or anyone else for this, so why would I judge myself?
I feel kind of lasy when I’m not able to do all these things. What I'm trying is to look at myself as she would do.

She also gives me a thankfull feeling. She represents how I feel about finding my “lost love” the tarot again.
It’s so great to use the cards for myself again. Nog focussing on reading for others, but pure for myself.
Just love it!

Tonight I’m going to read a book about tarot, just because I love myself :-) And that is not beeing lasy at all!

Warning!

2012-01-04T13:36:00.000+01:00

Today it's back to work for me. Since I'm having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions, the midwife told me to take it easy........ That I find a little bit difficult.......
But I have to pay close attention to my body and than I'm sure I will be just fine!

Before I left for work I picked a card for today. And there it is, another warning.
My husband, parents, friends an co-workers all said it before, but this card really did it for me.
The Tower....... I almost never pull this card from my decks.
For the next three months I'm sure taking it easy.

The good thing is, I have time to post this blog in my lunch break since taking a walk outside is to much for me now.

Tarot on YouTube

2012-01-03T19:39:00.001+01:00

Because I have some problems concerning my pregnancy I have to take some rest.
So I was looking on YouTube for tarot video's.
There I found the video's of Angelo Nasios. I really like them!!
I listed his blog in my blogroll. It's called: That's Totally Tarot.
Take a look!

New Year spread

2012-01-02T08:59:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I did the spread I found on the blog of Zanna Starr.
It's called: Covering all the angles for 2012.
In the picture below you can see what the spread looks like.

I did this spread using the Hanson Roberts tarot.
The spread covers four areas of life:
- Self
- Home and family
- Relationships and Partnerships
- Career

These are all looked as in the following way:
- What may work in my favor in 2012?
- What may work against me in 2012?
- Advice/forecast

In my notebook I took a extensive look at this spread. Here I will post a shorter version.

The cards I drew for "Self" are:
Five of swords, Queen of cups and Five of rods.
The first card showes me my idea that it's "not done" to celebrate your victories in public.
Sometimes it could be nice though. It's not bad to be successful. It's nothing to be ashamed off.
The Queen showes me why I think this way. It's about always considering other peoples feelings.
I really should play with these inner convictions. That's shown in the last card.

The cards I drew for "Home and family" are:
Two of cups, XX Judgement and Five of cups.
This year our first child will be born. Lots of changes!
The first card tells me how importend it is for me and my husband to keep giving attention to our connection together.
In this place the Judgement card tells me something different than it normally does.
I read it more literally now. What can work against me is the judgement of other people about how things should be done.
The five of cups will help me cope with this. Look at the positive things and not at the negative things that can come out of judgement.

The cards I drew for "Relationships and partnerships" are:
Knight of Rods, Queen of swords and VIII Strength.
I can be kind of clossed and keep things for myself. The knight showes me the benneits I can have from a more open state of mind.
He comes out in the open with full passion. No fear for disappointment.
My somewhat distant state of mind could work against me. I'm always rationalising.
The strength card fits in perfectly here. It showes me I can change my ways and I can be gentle to myself about it.
With peace and trust I will come a long way!

The cards I drew for "Career" are:
Ace of pentacles, Knight of Swords and Five of pentacles.
When our baby is born I'm going to work less hours. I've alway spend a lot of energy in my career, so I find this somewhat difficult. The ace showes me there still will be opportunities.
My mentality of the knight of swords can work against me though.
I have to look at the things that are possible in the hours that I'm going to work.
The five of pentacles shows me that the way I look at this, is pure about myself.
I can go past the opportunities that are there and not pity myself bacouse off the things I can't do.
I have to see the wealth I have within reach.

This is how I see these cards now. I'm curious how things will develop this year and how I will look at this spread later on.

All the "five" card of the small arcana are represented, so lessons will be learned.

Happy New Year!!!

2011-12-31T15:23:00.001+01:00

I wish everybody a lovely New Year!!

Wrong expectations

2011-12-31T14:00:00.002+01:00

Today is a special day! We became aunt en uncle for the first time!! The sister of my husband gave birth to her first child. A little girl named Britt. So special to end the year this way.

My husband is over the moon and that's so sweet. To bad he has to work today and his boss doesn't want to give him a few hours off to visit his siter..... Now we have to wait till tonight before we can see them.

Even though I'm am so happy with the birth of our niece, I'm kind of mad at my husbands boss at the same time. There are lot's of people working today, so there is no reason my husband has to be there all day.
He is always there and doesn't ask for a lot of free time at all. It feels really unfair...

Because I wanted to know what to do with my anger I pulled a card from my good old Rider Waite.
Instead of pulling one, I picked two cards. They just stuck together :-)
And when I looked at them, I could understand why!

I pulled the seven of cups en the ten of swords.
So, these cards show me the illusion we had about how the boss of my husband would react and the way it was feeling when he didn't give him a few hours off.
I felt my husband was beeing stabbed in the back.

The cards bought me in touch with my feelings of disappointment and that is what I wanted to let go.
A beautiful lesson at the end of this year.

I - The Magician

2011-12-29T18:14:00.001+01:00

The first thing I notice are the eyes of the Magician in this card.
He doesn't avoid you, and stands for his case.
A serious and concentrated man.

He also reminds me of Merlin the wizzard.

Just like in the Rider Waite, this Magician has all elements of the tarot within his reach.
And he is actually using them.
He seems to control them, what shows he controls the different features which belong to the elements.

Above his head/ crown chakra you can clearly see a bright light.
For me this represents the connection with spirit.
His connection with the divine.

Interesting things from the companion book:
He is aware of the power of his will.
By learning to control his will and the elements, he can accomplish whatever he chooses.
The Magician's message is one of discipline and responsibility.

0 - The Fool

2011-12-29T06:30:00.000+01:00

The first thing I notice when I look at the face of the fool, is that he reminds me of a former president of the USA.
I don't know if Ciro Marchetti did this on purpose, so I'll try not to pay attention to it.
Sure think it's funny :-)

The first difference I see when I compare this card with Rider Waite is the fact that this Fool is floating in the sky.
There is no dog or other animal to warn him for any kind of danger.

He is playing with te signs of the zodiak. In the mean while, he is balancing a ring on his ankle.

Because of his cloathing he reminds of the joker in a "regular" card game.
As if he is there to entertain others.

This card is about playing for me. To look at things in a playfull way.
But also about discovering and curiosity.

Things I find interesting from the companion book:
The signs of the zodiac all represent a characteristic, where he is playing with.
He can choose wich one he wants to use/ represent.
But, one can also come radomly to him.

The Fool's massage is to adopt a playful attitude in a serious situation.
(something I have to do more often)
It tells you that you are at a crossroads and you have no way of knowing where each road will end.
Pick one that strikes your fancy and set out with courage and a light heart.

New journey

2011-12-24T12:00:00.001+01:00

Today I'm starting my journey with the gilded tarot.
As I put all the cards of the major arcana on the table, the richness of the colours reallly strike me!
What a power comes from these cards.
I've had this deck for some time, but now seems the perfect time to get to know these cards.

Home sweet home

2011-12-23T21:14:00.001+01:00

Today I picked a card from the gilded tarot. A deck that I find fascinating because of its colours and amazing artwork.

My card of the day is Ten of Cups.
For me this card showes my biggest dream of this moment. Creating a warm and safe home for my husband, myself and the baby we are expecting.
When I see this card, I reallly am looking forward to the day we become a family.

Christmas skull grid

2011-12-23T19:12:00.001+01:00

This energy grid I made for Christmas.
May it send you good warm energy!

Three of Wands

2011-12-19T22:19:00.001+01:00

How great is the blogger app for IPhone!! This really makes it easy to publish posts. And pictures too!

My card of the day is the Tree of Wands from the Golden Tarot.

For me this card is telling me that I worked hard and now it's time to see what it's bringing me.
First look at the results before you go any further. It's good to enjoy the results of your work from time to time.

Because of my pregnancy I have to take some steps back at work. This is hard for me, but there is only one thing important, that's the health of our little baby growing in my belly :-)

My love for Crystal Skulls

2011-12-19T06:15:00.001+01:00

Over 2 years ago I became caretaker of my first Crystal Skull.
I always liked stones and minerals, but the energy of the skulls was new to me.
It took some time to get used to the carving of a skull. I thought it was kind of creepy to be honest.
But when you realise that it is your own skull that holds all kind of information, it's not creepy at all.

Next to the kind of mineral it's carved from, every skull has it's own special energy.

I'm looking forward to share more about the crystal skulls with you.

How times change....

2011-12-18T17:16:00.001+01:00

What a long time it has been since I last posted a blog..........
Of course my life changed over time, but my love for tarot cards did not!

The last time I wrote I was busy starting my practise. All that is behind me now.
I found out it is not what I want to do.

At the moment I'm 23 weeks pregnant!!

My new tarot journey will be focused mainly on myself :-)

Looking forward to sharing again. But also looking forward to read the ideas about the cards from others.

With love,
Charlene

My own collage card

2009-07-04T14:17:00.008+02:00

Today I was supposed to have a workshop on Voyager tarot. Too bad that I received an e-mail this morning that it was cancelled.
This left me with some extra time though, because I planned this workshop of course........
The weather has been super for the last few days, so I decided to sit in the garden and make myself a collage card out of magazine pictures. I really liked making this!!!

I laminated it and made a picture on top of some flowers that live in our garden.
For those of you that can't read Dutch, the words say: Change, Struggle, Honest to yourself, The Truth and Together drinking coffee.............

I forgot to mention that my card of the day was the Art card of the Voyager tarot!!

Losing negativity

2009-06-24T16:07:00.004+02:00

This is something I really need to do. Since I told my boss I'm leaving, my workplace isn't the most positive environment.
When I saw what James Wanless wrote on Twitter, I finally got it. This is what I've got to do!!
He wrote:
CotD- Five of Crystals - Use negativity to help you move forward instead of stopping you from trying.

Say no to negativity, self-criticism, self-limitation; say yes to calm confidence, quite composure, and energetic action.

By acknowledging the negativity in our lives, we can move on to great ideas and better choices instead of giving up on our goals. Keep going!

My card for today is: Four of Wands, Aspiration. This card tells me to set my goals and make them doable. This is how I can make my dreams come true. The sky is the limit.

Website and busy with my tarot practice

2009-06-05T14:50:00.006+02:00

Ever since my session with James Wanless, I've been busy with my tarot practice. I'm really trying to let as many people know what I'm doing as I can.
James made us think about one doable action, and I picked updating the website of my tarot practice. It's in Dutch, so you probably can't read it, but you can look at the lay-out at http://www.vanuit-jezelf.nl/.
Next to my regular job at the local government, I want to read and teach tarot as much as possible. To reach this goal, I have to let my commercial site out, if I like it or not.
The stagnation card of the Voyager tarot reminded me a couple of times over the last two weeks that I have to keep going. For my tarot practice to be successful, I have to take action over action. Today I pulled the Universe card. This card showed me that my opportunities are endless. But pulling the card isn't enough of course. I have to feel it, believe it and do it!!!!!

I had a successful day

2009-05-24T19:24:00.005+02:00

Yesterday I went to an intuitive workshop that was given by James Wanless.
Before I went, I drew a card of the day. It was the Ace of Cups, Success!! Wow, I had the opportunity to make this a great day and I was totally up for that!
The workshop was very insightful for me. James did some great exercises with us, which I really plan to use.
One thing that got clear: It's time to take action on practicing tarot for others!!! And that's what I'm going to do!!! Yeah, ACTION!!!
When you want to know more about the workshop, take a look at the James' blog. He wrote a post on it.

Wrong interpretations

2009-05-15T14:22:00.008+02:00

Since I have been waiting all week long for a phone call about a job interview I have had, these cards got a little misinterpretation this morning. I was really running out of patience, so my mood wasn't all that............
They told me they would call this week and since its Friday time was running out.
When I pulled the Strength card on the position of issue of the day and the three of swords cards on the position of the lesson of the day, I thought this could mean that I would have to be strong today coping with disappointment.
Luckily for me, none of this tuned out to be truth. I got a call that I was invited for the next round and my chance for getting the job seems to be quite high!!!
So, up till now, it seems that the cards are telling me not to doubt my own strength, because when I do that negative thoughts are running through my mind, which will make me feel sad.

Change of process

2009-05-06T12:29:00.007+02:00

Of course I know for myself that I'm going trough a different process right now. But it's showing in my daily draws too. Different cards are drawn than a couple of months ago.
Like the six of cups. This is a card that I never used to draw from the deck and it's been showing up more often lately.
While I always thought of this card to be a little childish, I can really connect with it right now.It shows me how things used to be and how much I want that back. It also shows me that I have to go back to remembering that old feeling. That childlike happy feeling, not worrying about problems.

I think it's pretty cool to see this change of process in the cards. It gave me lot's if insight!!!

Lucky Day

2009-04-25T15:59:00.006+02:00

This is definitely my Lucky Tarot Day!!!!
Today mp3 cd of The Process arrived at my house. I ordered it last Monday at the Tarot Garden and I didn't thought it would arrive so quick in the Netherlands. So, I'm totally excited about it.
Then, I was able to buy the Ancestral Path Tarot today. This deck is out of print and was able to purchase it kind of cheap. That's always great to!!!!
I'm enjoying my lucky tarot day ;)

Published

2009-04-25T15:42:00.008+02:00

Yesterday the Dutch Tarot Magazine came in and I was surprised to see that an article I wrote got published. Of course I was a little proud to :)
The article is about the connection between my year card the High priest and the year card in general the High priestess.
When I read it myself, I see some things I should have done different, so it's a learning process for me. But I'm sure going to write more articles!!!

Which one shall I use??????

2009-04-10T18:53:00.018+02:00

Okay, I'm not sure what to do.........
Yesterday I went to Antwerp where I bought a Waite-Smith deck that was published by a Dutch publisher. I had my mind set to it for some time now, because of the backside of the cards.I couldn't see the entire deck at the store, because it was wrapped in plastic of course. As I came home and unwrapped the cards, I saw the colors where not the same as the Waite-Smith deck in the yellow box I already own. So, now I don't know which one to use. The thing is, I really want a deck that I'm going to use for a longer time (I like decks that look used). It took me a while to be sure which deck this was going to be and I finally decided that it's a Waite-Smith deck. It's just that I don't like the backside of the US version I have. But........I seem too got used to the bright colors already.
What to do?? What to do???
Here are some pics I made of the two decks. Would like to know what you think about it.

The backsides of the cards, don't have to tell you which one is which I guess.

Seven of discs. As you can see, the one on the right is much brighter.
Two of Swords. This card shows differences in brightness as well as you can see.

The Dutch publishing company says on their website that they reproduced the authentic colors of the Waite-Smith deck.
The thing I also like is the fact that there is no copyright written on the cards and that they feel like real cards. Almost no lamination. They have a real mate finish to them.
The reason I'm in doubt, is because of the meaning of the colors in the deck. The colors do have great meaning, and I don't want to miss something. But what are the real colors??????? That's the biggest question I guess.......

All kinds of stuff.....

2009-03-29T16:53:00.013+02:00

Since it has been a while, I have got all kinds of stuff to talk about.
First, I want to thank the people who contacted me about the life path spread. I really enjoyed doing them for you. So, THANK YOU!!!!!

Last few days I've been listening to some podcasts from The Tarot Connection. I've added them to my blog roll. Finally got round to using my mp3 player again. Really relaxing to listen to a tarot podcast while doing some stuff around the house!!
There are lot's more I didn't listen to yet, so I'm looking forward to that already!!

Today I was just playing around with my cards, and while shuffling them one card kept looking for my attention. It fell out a couple of times and popped up at the bottom of the pile..........
So I decided to give it some attention in this post, because I of course related to it.
The card I'm talking about is the ten of wands.
The reason I connected with this card, is because lately things have been a bit to much for me too handle. That's why I didn't see where I was going to and that it was too much to carry around with me. My body showed me signs however and when listening to them I finally got to the point of throwing the weight of my shoulder. Have to say, I feel much better now. This card reminded me again, that I have to be careful not to get in this situation again.

Free!! Life path reading

2009-03-14T16:15:00.006+01:00

Today I designed a seven card life path spread. To see how well this spread works, I'm offering free life path readings.
If you're interested, sent an e-mail with your name and birth date to lifepath.reading@hotmail.com.
I will answer your request as soon as possible and enclose a document with your reading in it.

New vision on the Rider Waite

2009-03-11T10:38:00.007+01:00

To be honest I never really liked the Rider Waite tarot. When tarot came in my life, someone gave me the advise to buy the Universal Waite. The colours of the Universal Waite are softer and seem to be more gentle.
At a course I once took, a Rider Waite tarot was included. When I looked at these pictures I thought they where kind of harsh. I put them away immediately.
Because I was working with the Crowley at that time, I didn’t connect with the Waite tarot at all, not with the original and not with the Universal.
As time went by, I started a two year tarot course. This course acquired u to use the Rider Waite tarot in the first year. Okay………….that was something I had to get used to. I picked up the Universal, because of the soft colours to get started.Now, after 6 months of taking the course, something changed.
As we spoke about the cards and their meanings, I suddenly missed something in the Universal cards. It was a sense of clearness that was missing in the cards for me.
When I got home I took the original Rider Waite cards out of their package and they just felt right. As if I suddenly understood what it was all about with these cards. Never felt so close to them before.

Why I’m telling this story? I was wondering if you ever got a change of heart, when it comes to tarot decks? Just let me know!!

Tomorrow Tarot Congress

2009-03-06T12:33:00.002+01:00

I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. In the Netherlands there will be a tarot congress, organized by the Dutch tarot magazine. It’s the first time I’m going, so I’m real curious how it’s going to be.
Three people are going to speak. The subjects are:
- 20 years of the Heindl Tarot
- The secret of the Golden Down
- Tarot symbolism and the Arthur legend (this is going to be an interactive workshop)
It’s also possible to buy tarot decks and books!!!

So, really something to look forward to!

The "3" cards of the Voyager Tarot

2009-02-28T09:04:00.031+01:00

In this post I'm going to talk about seven cards that are related to the III card in the tarot deck.
Of course the Empress, being the official III card. But also the minor arcana cards that belong to the III series.
Than there are the Hanged Man XII (12=1+2=3) and the Universe XXI (21=2+1=3), which also have a connection with the number 3.

The first card is III Empress
The Empress card many times is called the Mother Nature card. The way the Voyager tarot portraits the Empress, Mother Nature could be a good description as well. She seems to be filled with love as she is standing before the earth, on this beautiful and valuable meadow.
Valuable as in ideas an opportunities. There is space to create and to be open for everything that surrounds you.
The dove and the flower symbolize the loving and peaceful character of the Empress.

Three of Crystals: Creativity
This card shows the opportunity to make something more of your ideas. To be able to go from thoughts to deeds, and the possibility that something beautiful can exist.Sometimes ideas can be a bit rough, but with the right amount of creativity they can turn into shining crystals which you show with pride.
Three of Cups: Love
This card shows the aspects of receiving love as well as giving love.Feelings, are showed in this card as flowing flowers and water. I think when your feeling are flowing, love is possible.The rose and the fish show the beauty of love.
Three of Worlds: Nurturing
On this card you can see an elephant and a bird who take care of their baby’s. This can be real baby’s but also baby’s in terms of ideas or things you have created. You have to take care of your ideas and creations as well, to get the best out of them.
This card shows all kinds of food. Again the necessity of healthy food for body and soul is shown.
Three of wands: Compassion
This card shows the helping hand we all need every now and then. A hand that can offer loving care and doesn’t judge us.The red hand shows a lot of energy. Energy that can be used to heal. The different kinds of air are a sign to me, that you can use/show compassion in different situations.The Butterfly shows that you can be compassionate in a very subtle way. And trough this, transformation can take place.
The connection between the Empress and the minor Arcana cards:
The 3 cards of the minor Arcana all show the soft and loving side of the Empress.To me the minor Arcana cards are all soft and healing cards. But they have enough power to accomplish something.Again all the minor Arcana cards show us the same qualities as the major Arcana card, they are just divided.

XII The Hanged Man:
This card shows us the surrender that is needed to be able to look at things from another side. The principle to consciously stand still, so you can move on, being more focused. This card shows that it lies in your own hands to be able to do this.With the loving energy of the Empress this can be made a lot easier. This also counts for the 3 cards in the minor Arcana.
XXI The Universe:
This card shows that you are a part of a big completeness. It shows the connection with everything.The earth is a part of the Universe, and so is the Empress (Mother Earth).The Universe never stands still and is always evolving. This applies to all of us.We want this evolution to be as valuable as possible. As valuable as the meadow on the card of the Empress.

Johfra Zodiac Signs

2009-02-14T13:59:00.011+01:00

As I mentioned before, I'm taking tarot classes every three weeks, to complete a two year tarot education. The last class I took, was about Astrology. Very interesting, but kind of tough to learn.
Our teacher showed us a book from Johfra, an artist who made paintings about the zodiac signs. I thought they were so beautiful, that I went searching for a copy of the book for myself. My teachers book was written in French. Because I don't understand a bit of that, I was happy to find myself a Dutch copy. The same book was published in English as well.
My zodiac sign is Virgo. I found the picture of the painting on the internet. Isn't it beautiful??? And the others are gorgeous as well!!! In the book there is a complete description of each zodiac sign. The specific details of every painting are zoomed into as well.
The reason I mention this book is because many people like tarot because of the images. When you're attracted to tarot because of that reason, this is a cool way of getting to know some more about astrology.

The "2" cards of the voyager

2009-02-09T18:14:00.019+01:00

II The Priestess
The Priestess is a very intuitive woman, what makes this a very intuitive card. In this card you see a lot of elements that stand for feelings and wisdom. The first thing that I noticed about the woman figure on the card is her diamond eye. She clearly has the ability to see things clear. She also wants to look at all the facets, before she judges something or someone. The moon above her head again shows her sensitive side. But also the gift to keep her head strait when the nights are dark.
The dolphin is a sensitive animal that communicates by sending delicate signals. The Priestess has the ability to sense delicate signs in her surroundings. The owl shows her wisdom.
The water on the card is for me another sign for coping with your feelings and emotions, but also the ability to let people look in their mirror.
The blue color of the card makes the Priestess look a bit cold to me. She will keep a distance. The connection with XI (11=1+1=2) Strength
The Priestess is a person with a powerful mind. This person is like the lion (from the cat family) very intuitive. She can take a lot on her shoulders, but misses the fire that is shown on the strength card. She is a lot more in control.
The connection with XX (20=2+0=2) Time-Space
The Time-Space card gives the opportunity the oversee the situation. To look back at that what you have left behind. The most important connection between the Time-Space card and the Priestess for me is the fact that the Priestess is a person that sees the overall picture. She holds herself and the situation in control. Self reflection is a word that fits both cards in my opinion. Two of wands: Purity
This card shows the untouched. The bright and the new. It shows purity in every way.The snow, with just a couple of prints in it, the bright blue sky and the window that shows nothing but light. Then there are the lotus flower and the flame of the candle which both stand for flawlessness and pureness. The energy is flawless and pure. Things are done with the best intentions. Two of Worlds: Reflection
The snowy landscape that is reflected in the wrinkle free lake. The bright sky with stars and the big moon. The snow that lies there untouched. It’s the perfect surrounding to be silent. Te look at your yourself and your life. This will help you to make choices. By looking in the mirror every now and then, it will be more clear what you want to do with your life. Two of Crystals: Equanimity
The crystal on this card seems to be a big diamond, as in the eye of the Priestess. It seems as if this diamond can oversee all the other crystals. The word realization pops in my head. Your thoughts are clear and you know what you should do.
Don’t place yourself above others, because you think you already know it all. Two of Cups: Equilibrium
On the background of this card there are four landscapes. Four different landscapes that are balanced by their state of weather. This is an appearance of stability. Keep your feelings balanced, then there will be stability. That’s also the reason that this heavily loaded duck can keep moving. The different kinds of plant, which represent different kind of emotions, are balanced.
Connection between the two’s of the minor arcana and the Priestess:
The first obvious connection are the colors. The blue color dominates and feels a little cold to me. For me that represents the detached principle where the Priestess is connected with.
For me the two cards of the minor arcana all represent something that lives within the Priestess.

The Sun

2009-02-05T22:16:00.006+01:00

For those who are wondering......... The next post in the category "10 posts with the Voyager" is coming. I just haven't had the time yet to write a full post about that one.
In the mean while I have been pulling daily cards from de Voyager deck. Today I pulled the Sun card. My first thought about that was that this would be a happy day with lots of "sunshine". That wasn't completely true looking back on this day though.
While being at work, I had to conclude that it was showing me something about the way I reacted to things today. With a whole lot of fire that was!!!! The card really worked as a mirror and that was good for me!! A good lesson I think haha.

Way of the great oracle

2009-01-30T07:50:00.006+01:00

This week I got my hands on James Wanless' book: Voyager tarot: Way of the great oracle!!!This may not sound very special, but for me it kind of it, because this book was never released in the Netherlands. So while I wag googling on the title, I saw it was only available by ordering overseas. Then a link of a little Dutch bookstore popped up........... Probably would never have found it if I looked at their own website, cause the placed the book in the painting and drawing category (??????).As you can understand, I ordered it right away and last Tuesday it arrived. It's great to be able to read all the things James has wrote about the different cards. And also the combination that is made with other well known oracles!

The "1" cards of the Voyager

2009-01-25T16:33:00.040+01:00

So, here is my first post about the Voyager cards. I'm starting with the "1" cards.
1. Magician

2. Fortune (10=1+0=1)
3. Sun (19=1+9=10=1+0=1)
4. The Aces
I started looking at these cards yesterday and wrote the things I noticed on some pieces of paper. For this post I will shorten my findings, because I have already wrote four A4 pages..............

I Magician
You see what happens in the world and everywhere around you, and you act on that. All elements (of the minor arcana) are available. Results are in your own hands. The energy to start new things. The power to use all elements available. It's how you use them to see what the result will be.

X Fortune
Wealth inside and out. Life is like a rollercoaster, with its ups and downs. Sometimes you need a bad thing to happen, to see the good things around you. Good things are coming to you.

XIX Sun
Strength and warmth, that's what this card feels like. Enjoying life. The connection with everything around you. Positive energy and the possibility to receive it.
Warning: Don't get burned out, by using too much energy or using it the wrong way!

The connection I see between these major arcana cards: For me they all have something to do with power and energy. The power you use and the energy you're willing to put in (Sun), to accomplish something in your life (Magician). Doing this, you can comprehend with all the ups and downs you come across (Fortune).

Are you still with me.........?? Okay, here come the Aces.
Ace of wands: Illumination
An explosion of energy. The possibility to oversee things. This can make things more clear. You can put your finger on some things. You can guide your energy in the right direction.

Ace of worlds: Success
There are lots of possibilities. When you use the right qualities on the right moment, you can achieve a whole lot. When you know you're in the right place in this universe, you can be very successful.

Ace of Crystals: Brilliance
New ideas can set of a spark in your eyes. There are always more sides to things, examine all sides to know for sure. All possibilities you see, puts you aside from the others around you. You only have to see a glimpse of something, to get an explosion of ideas.
Don't hurt yourself by having negative thoughts.

Ace of Cups: Ecstasy
You can get excited by the beauty in everything that surrounds you. You have an eye for things/people/nature that appear to be fragile. You can feel their power. Feelings are able to flow. You give attention. Connection between the Magician and the Aces:
The magician knows how to use the elements of all these aces. The quality of all these aces lay within him, when he handles his energy, feelings, thoughts and the circumstances the right way.
The aces also stand for new beginnings. The Magician has the possibility to start new things. He is open for this as well.
The Magician is able to melt the elements together to achieve the best results.

The inspiration called Voyager

2009-01-24T13:01:00.010+01:00

Still very inspired by the voyager tarot. So I planned on doing this:
10 posts with the Voyager tarot
What does that mean??? Well, to get to know the cards better I'm going to work my way through them in a numerological way. For example, in my first post I will do all the cards that have a connection with the number 1. I'll be looking at the Magician (I), Fortune (X), The Sun (XIX) and the Aces.
This will be continued in a total of 10 posts. I'm already looking forward to it. My first post will be tomorrow.

For some inspiration right now, I want to show you this short film made by James Wanless. It's about the year 2009 in connection with the tarot.

The Voyager card titles

2009-01-23T14:59:00.003+01:00

In my last post I wrote about the card titles of the Voyager tarot and how they might be confusing to me.
Well.............. on Aeclectic Tarot there's an interview with James Wanless himself, and this is his answer to my question:

"It is the easiest deck in the world, because it has a title at the top, which is a form of symbolism in itself, but there are so many other rich symbols in there that you can always find something."

"I view the Tarot deck as a map of life, and the titles on the cards give you a clue!"

Thank you Mr. Wanless for answering my question!!!!!

A wrong card in my deck

2009-01-22T11:09:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I opened and looked at my Voyager deck intensively for the first time. And I found out that there is one English card in my deck. All other cards are in Dutch. Since I have had this deck for quite some time now, I can't go back with it.
My lesson is: Always check a deck when you buy one!!!!!!
I'm not troubled by it though. I think it probably should be this way. The deck is complete, no cards are missing, so I can do readings with it.
The cards do have a good vibe, so I look forward about doing a spread with them this evening. The only thing I'm wondering about is how the interpretation of the cards will go. Because each card has a title written on it, I'm afraid of being influenced to much by these words.
Well..............time will tell I guess.

What about the Voyager tarot?

2009-01-21T15:25:00.008+01:00

As I wrote in my previous post, my husband and me went to Amsterdam last Monday. The reason we went there was because I got a consultation from one of my teachers, who gives some of the tarot classes I'm taking.
The tarot reading was really clear to me and I'm happy he did one for me.

He used the Voyager tarot to do the reading. I own this deck as well, but never get to using it somehow. This reading got me thinking though. Maybe I have to use this deck more often. I don't know if it fits me completely, but I sure want to find out.
So, tonight I'm starting with a (little) Voyager journey. I will keep you posted about the things I find out.

Morgan Greer

2009-01-21T13:29:00.008+01:00

Last Monday my husband and me went to Amsterdam. At the new age store called Himalaya, I bought the Morgan Greer deck. This deck was on my wish list, so I'm happy they had it in their collection. These cards are different from the other cards in my collection. The fact that they haven't got borders is something I really like about them.

While going trough the cards the clear images really got to me. The only thing I have to do is not compare them so much with the Rider Waite cards. The things that are important are being showed. The idea that some of the details are missing is something I have to let go.

Queen of Swords

2009-01-13T15:22:00.010+01:00

Today I again pulled the Queen of Swords card. I also pulled this card last week and because I already wrote an article about court cards, this is a nice addition to it.
Though I don't really dislike any card in the deck, I would rather not see myself as the Queen of Swords. The reason lies in the fact that she seems kind of cold to me. She shows only one side of her face. To me that feels as if she isn't very open. Not in touch with her feelings.
The fact is, when I'm not feeling okay, I am distant and maybe a little cold. This is not something I like about myself, so I guess this card works as a mirror to me.

Of course there are also a lot of positive things to say about this card. She seems to be a honest person, who will look at the facts and will not be influenced by things other people say. I think she is a strait forward, no nonsense kind of girl.
While I'm typing this I start to recognize more and more about myself.
That's the beauty of tarot I think!!!

The Moon

2009-01-08T21:12:00.029+01:00

Because I pulled the Moon card two times this week, I spend some time this evening looking at the different moon cards in a few of the decks I own.
Tough the description of this card is more negative than positive in most books, I don't mind pulling it. It really got me thinking these past few days..............
The moon gives us a cyclus, and for women that's something we can connect with. From the cards shown in this post the feminine side of the moon is most clearly shown in the Universal Waite deck. That's something I like about this card.

Also I like to think the moon is that one light that you can see in the darkness.
When you're feeling down, the moon is the reason to be a little more cheerful. And when you're feeling better, the sun will begin to shine for you! It reminds me that you need to experience the more darker side of life sometimes. It makes you more grateful of all the beautiful things you have, so you can appreciate them for what they are.
Of course I also see this card as a representation of the fears in your life. And the special spiritual feeling the moon gives us is also important in this card.

The cards in this post are from the Universal Waite, Quest, Toth and Druid Craft decks. As you can see, all these cards show us a path. I think it's the path of life. It isn't always strait, there might be some bumps along the way, but it sure takes us further.
What do you think of the Moon card???

Court cards (I am who I am)

2009-01-04T15:34:00.009+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I bought Mary K. Greer's and Tom Little's book, Understanding the tarot court. It's a shame it isn't published in Dutch, but that sure counts for a lot of tarot books.
Because of the two year tarot class I'm taking, I have a special interest in the court cards at the moment. And since I'm one of those people who want to have everything there is on the subject I'm interested in, I think this book is a great addition to my collection!

By the way, hope you understand my writings a little. English isn't my natural language of course.

One of the exercises in the book is picking out your significator. That's the court card you feel most connected with.
Today I picked the page of pentacles. I used the Universal Waite deck.
Why did I pick this card? I think it's because of the curiosity that this page is looking at the pentacle in his hands with. He sees the opportunities that lie in it and he kind of admires that. Of course he's also a young person and I am too, but I didn't look at the pages only. This card really stood out for me.
That curiosity is something that I can connect with. It's in my nature I guess. And when something pulls my attention (like tarot did), I can see a thousand of opportunities...........

New year, new energy

2009-01-02T16:08:00.011+01:00

I started the new year with a whole lot of new energy and it feels great!!! Seems like I really closed 2008. The last few weeks of 2008 I had a lack of energy that was totally unbelievable to me. I didn't recognize myself at all.
So this new shot of energy feels so good, it makes me totally happy!!!
And I used it for the better too!!! I cleaned my house today. Feels fresh now, like I feel myself.
I put away the Christmas stuff and decorated the room like I wanted it to look right now. Also did some grocery shopping and brought in some fresh white roses to put on the table. They are so beautiful.........love them!!!
To get some insight on this fresh energy I'm feeling, I pulled a card from my Thoth deck. This is the deck I learned using tarot cards with. It was some time ago I used this deck, but it will always be special for me.

I pulled the queen of swords to give me insight.

Yes, I totally feel this card. Sitting on top of the clouds, not hiding any more. Just being herself. Think she represents me quite well.......
It's also a reminder for later on I guess, because this feeling I'm having now won't last forever.
There are also two warnings in it for me:
1. Don't go drifting off on these clouds, or put your head in them.
2. Don't fall off, because the landing won't be soft.

I like the way she is holding the mask in her hand. That shows to me that I don't have to pretend being someone that I'm not. So that's what I'm going to try to do more this new year in front of me, being myself.

Happy New Year!!!!

2008-12-31T08:42:00.003+01:00

I want to wish everybody a happy new year.

I hope 2009 brings you everything you wish for!!!!

The Golden Tarot

2008-12-30T15:52:00.006+01:00

Yeah!!!!!!! One of my Christmas presents was the golden tarot deck!!!
I totally love it. Want to look at it and look at it and then...........look at it some more!!!!
Of course I'm also going to use it hahaha!! I decided that this is the perfect deck to use for my personal tarot journey. So I bought I stunning journaling book from paperblanks to put my journaling about all the cards of this deck in.
After I finished this personal journey I want to use this deck for doing readings.

Three of cups

2008-12-17T09:25:00.003+01:00

Yesterday I pulled the three of cups card and I somehow rejected it. The picture on the card showed everything I didn't feel. Did not feel like partying and I was not in a happy state of mind at all.But this card sure wanted to tell me something. It showed me what I was missing. I was missing the pleasure and the joy. This is something I of course want to have, but to get it I have to change my state of mind.It also reminded me that it's in my own hands to achieve this, so it's something I'm going to work on.

Two of cups

2008-12-15T19:11:00.003+01:00

Today I pulled the two of cups as my daily card.
This card shows me the importance of the interaction between me and my husband and the interaction in myself.
I have to treat myself and the people around me with love and affection. Been a little distant, because I was to busy with myself I guess.

Ace of Swords

2008-12-12T07:56:00.006+01:00

This morning I pulled the Ace of Swords. Somehow I always like to pull an Ace card. Because they stand for new things or new beginnings.
It's still early now, so I don't know what this day will bring.

Maybe I can put the crown on some of my ideas............
I'll keep my eyes open and let you know how this card fitted in my day.

15-12-2008
Last few days I did not get round to pulling a new daily card. Think this happened for a reason. This Ace of Swords card needed some more thinking I guess.
It showed me that to much thinking puts grey clouds over my head. Because I did to much thinking the last few weeks, I have had a headache for the past three days.
My body is now telling me to stop and I'm going to listen, that's for sure!!!!

King of Pentacles

2008-12-11T20:44:00.003+01:00

Today I pulled the King of Pentacles as my daily card. This King is surrounded by wealth. But he is wealthy in the inside as well.This reflects how I'm feeling today. Just enjoying my life and all the simple things in it.I had a good day at work. Took time for myself tonight to do the things I wanted to. That's something I don't do easily. These simple things made me feel real wealthy today.

The Death Card

2008-12-09T13:03:00.003+01:00

Last Sunday I pulled the death card. It told me to make an end to the situation I'm in, considering my diet. It's time to make a new beginning. I can't keep looking back to my achievements in the past. If I want to get control over my weight, I have to take control.

So, that's what I'm going to do. Take control!!

Seven of Cups

2008-12-06T16:31:00.004+01:00

Today I pulled seven of cups as my daily card. Okay, had to think about that one for a while......
Been real busy today and it felt great. So I think this card shows me all those different things I did and how it made me feel. Felt like I was floating (kind of like a cloud). This cloud carries al these cups and it doesn't cost him any trouble. I was that cloud today. Doing all these chores and without getting tired of it. Just felt great!!!!

Six of cups

2008-12-05T08:06:00.004+01:00

Yesterday I pulled the six of cups. This cards takes you down memory lane. Reminds you of your past.
I was lucky to find a picture of the Universal Waite deck. I use this deck, because I like the soft collors so much. For me they give something extra to the cards.

As I wrote before, I'm struggeling with my diet. Not seem to understand why I can't get a grip on it, like I did a couple of years ago.
So, I'm looking back at my accomplishments over the last years, with good feelings. Hoping to get a hang of it, so I can be proud of myself again.

Page of swords

2008-12-03T14:59:00.000+01:00

This is my first entry on this weblog. I want to use this weblog to share my vision on tarot. Hope you will respond on my posts, to let me know what your vision on tarot is.
Of course English is not my first language, but I will try to be as clear as possible.

Today I pulled the page of swords as my daily card.

Think this card wants to warn me. I may have to defend myself today. Or that I go into defense to soon.
Think I'm defending myself against me. Realy struggeling with my diet the last few days.