Parting the Mists

Yesterday was a crazy day for me, but I’m glad to be back to pulling the card. Hope today’s helps you all a bit.

Do you need to develop a skill? Or are you letting a known skill languish or need to use it differently? It’s time to think of how you use your abilities.

Blessings!

EIGHT OF STONES – SKILL

MEANING: There is an ability to utilize skill for the completion of labors of practical necessity as well as love. Sometimes, intense concentration and dedication are required.

DESCRIPTION: A man clad in skins sits in a cave working at a stone carving. Around him on the walls and the ground are seven objects which he has created. To one side is an ancient hand print the signature of the maker. Three rush lamps paint the scene with light and shadow.

READING POINTS: Since human beings first walked the Earth, we have honed and practiced our skills in all manner of practical and esoteric arts. We have the awareness and self-discipline to develop new skills to meet new challenges and have overcome nature’s most adverse and deadly conditions. Whether it was the life-saving and practical skills required to track and bring down sometimes dangerous game for food, or the growing and managing of crops for the good of the tribe or village, human beings have continually striven to invent new social frameworks, scientific or philosophical concepts and practical tools and equipment. Such discoveries require us to master new skills for the betterment of the tribe or society. This unique human ability requires patience, perseverance, and – most of all – self-discipline. Acquiring a skill that involves imagination and artistic flair require time spent learning and defining the nature of self-expression. The mastery of any skill requires you to call on the divine to bless thee effort and energy expended in the process.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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Still feeling the Halloween Oracle today, but we shall see what next week brings. This is a good one, regardless. Happy weekend, everyone!

SPIDER – Community and web weaving

She spins her silk alone
In the dark with hope of collection
Sticky with dreams,
Weaving the worlds
A wide web of connection

Masses of sticky spider webs make any Halloween decorations complete. The idea of a haunted house covered in the “artwork” of a big, hairy spider is classic horror. Even those of us who appreciate our eight-legged friends still hurriedly brush off those stealthy webs if we run into them in the dark!

Although most spiders are not venomous, humans have an innate fear of them. Perhaps it’s the fangs or the poison. Perhaps it’s all those legs and the way they move. Perhaps it’s where they live – often in dark, hidden places – or the way our Western, popular culture has demonized them by making the giant, fierce, and man-eating! Some cultures though revere the spider in very positive ways. In many Native American traditions, for example, the spider is the creature that gives birth to all other animals and sustains the web of life. The Goddess Spider Grandmother (and there is also a Spider Woman) is a key deity that brings wisdom, safety, and communication to all the tribes. She created and wove all the stars in the sky and makes soft webs for those that are troubled to rest upon and be supported by.

Spiders’ webs can be seen as a symbol of connection, not necessarily entrapment. There is a fine line sometimes between a family or community supporting us and controlling is. This card looks at this discernment. It also suggests you review the way you communicate with the wider community, at work, or generally with others and take steps to improve this or do it slightly differently. It also indicates that there needs to be a balance between what you do for yourself and what you do for others . . . if we give too much to the outside, our strength diminishes and we cannot weave the supporting web for ourselves.

The Halloween Oracle by author Stacey Demarco and artist Jimmy Manton

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This a great card for a busy world. This is also a great card for a world where many give their energy freely to a digital world and neglect the physical one. Take care to focus on what – and who – is truly important in your life.

Bendithion Affalon!

VAMPIRE – Emotional Intelligence

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OK, today’s card was bookended by two very strong figures, the Woodwose and the Stag. Both  can be intimidating, but both are important. I couldn’t overlook them even though the Ace of Vessels was clearly the strong card today.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic week. Tonight, the women’s group I’m in will be making poppets, which will be a lot of fun. What is everyone else up to?

NINE OF BOWS (Woodwose) – RESPECT

When nearing the heart of a sacred quest, motivation and integrity of human desires are challenged. Ancient wisdom demands the seeker be humble and forgiving. Respect for others and for the environment is required to proceed along the path to enlightenment. There is no completion without overcoming the challenge.

THE STAG

On a personal level, some kind of adjustment or interaction has taken place. The keyword here is responsibility. We must, as individuals, constantly observe the rules and regulations of society, and these can fluctuate as the view sand knowledge of civilization change. Whether on a political or moral level, we subconsciously know when a realignment of our perceptions is due. This is a time to welcome the justice that has arrived with the coming spring and the fire of creation. Face the coming season with honesty and integrity and trust to right and appropriate action.

Ace of Vessels – The Waters of Life

Meaning: The waters of life retain the ancient wisdom ready for reawakening. The moonlit pool of the universal soul retains all memory, ready to renew the inspired quest.

Reading Points: The suit of Vessels represent the primal mystery of human emotions, and the Ace focuses on the very essence of these powerful, yet elusive, traits. Since prehistory, emotions have been represented by the element of Water and, however far we have evolved, we are still largely ruled by our emotions and instincts. Our powers of reason, intellect and science have given us mastery of the oceans and skies, but what propels the driver to explore, invent and build is still human desire and curiosity.

Biologists would argue that our emotions are simply a manifestation of the ancient evolutionary process and are covered by the limbic system or mammalian brain. What influence the ancient reptilian brain (on which the mammalian brain sits) has on our emotional reactions is still a mystery. Our emotions need to be harnessed for positive ends, and suppressing our basic emotional needs will lead us to rebel and become detached. Gather your emotional energies and keep them in balance for health, creative, and loving interaction with all nature, including the sometimes irrational and destructive energies of humankind.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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Hoping everyone’s week is off to a good start.

Bendithion Affalon!

Fern – Life-force, Sensuality, Fertility (also Invisibility, Subtlety, Self-effacement)

The card shows a gulley in the Scottish Highlands with there of the most frequently mentioned ferns in British herb and folklore. Lightning streaks the sky and to the right in the foreground is a Moonwort Fern. Behind it is a Male Fern and to the left a Lady Fern.

Meaning: A plant sacred to midsummer and to Nwyfre, the life-force that snakes through the sky as lightning and along the ground as lines of telluric force, the fern signifies fertility in every sense of the word. Choosing this card may mean that you are being blessed with life-force and energy at the moment. This energy may manifest in subtle or dramatic ways, but the important thing to remember is that it comes from the essentially spiritual nature of all creation.

The way to maintain your contact with this life-force is through a spiritual practice that attunes you to the natural rhythms of the Cosmos. Druidry is a sensual spirituality, meaning we can accept the pleasures of the body and the senses while recognizing their spiritual nature – enhancing our appreciation of them rather than making us feel guilty. Celebrating the season festivals, meditating on the power of the elements, rising the old places, soaking in the energies of the moon, sun, and stars are all ways that we can open to the powers of the Seen and Unseen Universe.

On the flip side, this card also bring to mind Bracken waves. Its fronds move and the creatures is gone – hidden among the Ferns. Many animals have developed astonishing ways of becoming invisible to escape predators. If you have chosen this card, it might mean that you need to develop the skill of going unnoticed in situations where a high profile is inadvisable. We are so used to a culture that encourages fame, disclosure, and being “up-front,” that the more old-fashioned qualities of being self-effacing, of working in the background, and of avoiding the limelight are undervalued. Often it is appropriate to be open or challenging, but there are times when common sense or intuition dictates that a subtler, perhaps more oblique, approach is needed.

Alternatively, the card may indicate that you are feeling invisible – as if no one is noticing you or paying attention to your needs and concerns. If this is so, ascertain whether it is an isolated instance or whether it forms part of a long-standing pattern, and seek guidance to clarify the issue and suggest ways you could improve the situation.

The Druid Plant Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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As I shuffled the deck this morning, this card flipped itself around. I put it back in and reshuffled, but it insisted on being the card pulled. Talk about stubborn! As it turns out, this one had never been posted here before, but he seems to want to let us know to get some perspective and clear sight as we work through our day.

Blessings!

Knight of Arrows – Hawk

Meaning: Quick, graceful, and a master of the element of Air, the Hawk is symbolic of vision and power. The ability to fly and nest at hight altitude and see prey and hunt from a great height brings a special reverence to this majestic and fearless creature.

Reading Points: A quicksilver messenger of fate, the Hawk can help and support you to see through layers of doubt and uncertainty to the problem at the heart of the matter. Be swift and use your common sense to progress.

Tracks & Pathways: Heroism, subtlety, clear-sightedness, impetuosity, anger, holding a grudge, valor

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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The work the Water Dragon leads us in is important for growth and tending the should, but note the warning side to this card. Work up to shadow work and dealing with traumas and so forth. Diving too deeply too soon could make it hard to resurface.

Bendithion Afallon!

WATER DRAGON – PASSION, DEPTH, CONNECTION

Meaning: The Water Dragon brings that which is hidden into the light of day. Memories and wishes, which may have long lain forgotten or repressed in the Unconscious, may emerge to frighten or overwhelm you with their apparent negativity or destructiveness. Facing these experiences with compassion and courage will, in the end, bring you to an experience of a greater depth of soul and a greater sense of connectedness to all life. Although you may at times feel overwhelmed with emotion, with time you will be able to achieve a sense of balance and stability, as these strong feelings are integrated in your consciousness.

This card could also be a warning to approach the exploration of our psyche and our past with caution. The conscious self can absorb the impact of only a limited amount of repressed or unconscious material being released into awareness. It is wise to work fractionally, little by little, to integrate unconscious material into achieved slowly. Beware also of allowing your emotions to rule you in a way that later you will regret.

The Druid Animal Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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Today’s spread rang pretty true for me personally as I’m in the process of trying to find work that fits me better than freelance does, but it can be difficult to find a good job in our low-income area. Hopefully, today’s card or spread speaks to you all as well.

Blessings and happy Thursday!

Do Not Fear the Unknown

The ugly is not always bad and evil, and the beautiful not always good and just. Failure is not predetermined, nor is it a given that others laugh at you if you choose to follow your dreams. It is your fear of the unknown that makes you question and judge. Do not let another’s experience be the truth that guide you. Do not allow another’s experience be the truth that guides you. Do not allow your fear of the unknown outcome to hold you prisoner. Your own experience could be both different and rewarding. Live!

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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OK, still feeling really drawn to this deck though it’s not the season for it, but I have learned not to argue with my gut too much.

Today’s draw suggests we might be pigeon holing ourselves or trying to hyper focus on one path. Remember that the cauldron was a multipurpose tool for hundreds of years. Relax and look to see what things you should perhaps include in your work or personal life.

Blessings!

CAULDRON – Synergy and healing

Where all things come together
Under pressure, flowful synergy
A new thing is created
A crucible of infinity.

A typical depiction of a witch sees her standing over a boiling cauldron slowly stirring the bubbling and mysterious contents. As she stirs the enormous metal over the raw flames, she cackles and incants commands to all the elements, transforming the contents into something magical.

Cauldrons were commonly used in ancient and medieval times for everything from the nightly meal to the making of medicines. This “family crucible” was usually placed within the hearth of the home, making it an essential part of the gathering of family. Much healing and nourishment came from the cauldron.

Should you receive the Cauldron card, it indicates the importance of combining a variety of techniques or elements to get the best result. Do not pull all your eggs in one basket. Refuse to choose just a single rigid pathway when a variety of ways are there to be enjoyed and experienced. You can find your own ways to create something new. The cauldron is a deeply transformational tool – things change once they are put under pressure. Resilience is being cultivated over time and this means that you will be able to withstand any negative pressure much more healthily from the inside out.

The Halloween Oracle by author Stacey Demarco and artist Jimmy Manton

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Happy Tuesday, everyone! Here we are with a rather serious card this morning, so let’s take a closer look.

This card is telling us to dive deep into our intuition and/or ourselves. The Moon illuminates our world, but it is an illumination void of color – it makes our familiar world unfamiliar and leaves us to color things with our own intuition and creativity. The Sun takes away the questions, which is why so many of us view the Moon as closely aligned to intuition and looking deeper at what is around us and within us.

However, this is more than a Moon card. The path of moonlight across the marsh waters speaks volumes to those with an Avalonian inclination. It is a time for reflection and inner journeying to the Isle, perhaps for healing or to be the healer. Also depicted is an auroch, an extinct kind of wild cattle and ancestor of modern cattle, which were known to stand as tall as elephants. This would have been a beast to be wary of, even for skilled hunters. Indeed, cave walls depict the auroch in a way that suggests respect.

Moon on the Water

Meaning: In the image of the Moon on Water, there is no visible pathway for the traveler, and yet its reflective light illuminates the whole landscape. We stand at the edge of the watery marsh, reprinting the primordial emotional state that holds all potential a creative energy with the human psyche, and are drawn to the horizon where Moon meets Earth beyond the barren trees. Beyond the flight of the sacred heron lies the fusion of our ancestral should with the soul of the Earth.

Before us is the primal egg, submerged in the amniotic fluid of the world, waiting for the creative impulse that beings the process of life. The aurochs’ horns represents fertility as well as the horns of the waxing and awning moon. The shape of the horns and head resemble the womb and Fallopian tubes. In Mithraic and Druidic traditions, the bull or ox also had a sacrificial role at midwinter, presenting the coming of new life from the “death” of twitter. The heron is a sacred totem bird of fertility and is also known in Ireland as siothlagh a bhoga, meaning “sheelagh of the boglands,” a euphemism for a promiscuous woman, although in the form of a stork the bird takes over the mysteries or reincarnation, offering powerful insights into the mystery of life itself.

The Moon on Water signifies the first steps beyond earthy awareness across the primal emotional void of creation. She also encompasses the dark-moon aspects of fertility, sexuality, and initiation as well as the irrational fear of the creatures that are associated with the night such as faeries and demons and other hidden or unseen shapes of ancestral memory. 

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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