OK, this is an appropriate card for me today! Last night, the women’s group got together to design and paint our own hex signs (as in the Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs often found on barns). We’ve been interested in some different folk art and folk magics, so last time we discussed the history and meaning of the signs. Having seen some of the hex signs on barns as a child – I had family in Lancaster and other counties in Pennsylvania – I’ve always been intrigued by them. The primary pattern I chose was the Mighty Oak; you can see the work in progress below.
Another woman chose a Tree of Life for her sign, and yet another had a lot of the colors found in today’s card. Weird coincidence – or is it? Anyway, this lovely card speaks both to the season we are in the Northern Hemisphere and to slowing down and working on things so they last, whether that be a craft, your home, your career, or whatever.
Enjoy the day!
Seven of Earth – Oak
Live by the rhythms of the earth; work slowly and steadily toward your goal; plant for the generations to come.
A large tree stands gracefully at the edge of a lush lawn. The pages of a local field guide are open to Oak. A handmade basket sits on the grass, full of collected acorns. The sky is blue on this crisp fall day. The leaves are beginning to turn; several float down to the earth.
Meaning: Knowing nature is key to knowing the self. Your legacy is intertwined with the moss and trees. Oaks are slow going, long-lived sovereigns of the land. Like the oak, you have worked hard and gathered your awards. When it is time to build your future, listen for the call of the earth. Oaks grow only about one foot per year. Be patient; trust your vision to manifest in its own time. Furniture made from oak wood is durable and hearty. As Texans said on seeing a 1,000-year-old oak standing after Hurricane Harvey, “You don’t get old by being weak.” Have faith in your work. The fruits of your labor will last beyond your lifetime. Look at the pace of nature for guidance. The seasons will give you direction.
Crafting with Seven of Earth:
• Make an acorn necklace to remind you to slow down and live in alignment with the seasons.
• Take a basket weaving class. Work on your craft.
• Study the ethnobotany of the land where you live.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artist Joanna Powell Colbert
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