Before a forest filled with silence and mystery, a lady sits upon a great lion. She is calm, as is her companion, and yet both of them have the potential for violence within them, as do we all. Her strength comes from serene inner power, without the need to prove it, just as the lion instinctively moves from a place of inner strength.

Strength comes from confidence, serenity, centering and allowing power to rise from within, not from posturing or needless aggression. There is nothing in all the forest to fear, for fear itself has been subdued...

The individual photos are good ... I like the colors and textures ... but I'm not wild about her pose. It seems like she's treating the lion like a bench rather than a companion. If not astride, she should at least be sidesaddle, facing his head, hands on his mane, and talking to him. She just seems ... detached, and I don't like the idea of strength as power-over, or detachment. Pretty card, though.

It is time to take control of your life, to seize the reins of your own destiny and move forward with courage and confidence. Your life is ready to change, and success is assured. You have only to act, with the sure knowledge that your will and right action will carry you in the direction meant for you. Do not wait for others to advise or work with you... take the initiative on your own... and CHARGE!

I like this one. I think I'd like it better if she was between the horses, but hey, collage is what it is. You can't always get the perfect combination of images. But this one is pretty good. The horses show a lot of spirit and energy, and she looks like she is in control and guiding, rather than being pulled along without a vision of her own.

On a hilltop overlooking a broad vista two lovers stand before a lowering sky, victorious spirit warriors standing together, facing the world as one... They are true soulmates, beyond the first blush of love... for now it is as if they share one heart within their two bodies... competely equal, wholly themselves. This is the ideal relationship between two people, which is yours for the taking...

Open to your soulmate's coming... listen for the sound of the beloved's heartbeat...

As a lesbian, I'm tired of Lovers cards that assume heterosexuality. This one also assumes white, young, slender, and pretty. Tired of it. Even if the artistry on the feminist decks like Womanpeace are less than professional, I appreciate that they try to make no gender assumptions.

Not sure I see "spirit warriors" in the imagery. Yes, the woman is holding a sword. But she sure isn't dressed in warrior clothing. Tell me the last time you've seen a woman warrior with her hair down, too!

Anyway, pretty background. Pretty figures. It just doesn't speak too well to my experiences of Lovers.

The priest stands within the full majesty of his church, all the trappings of spiritual authority upon him. But is it true authority, in the sense of deep knowledge, or merely blind dogma? Traditions are valuable and worthy of respect, but you must always evaluate if you are coming from your own center, listening to your own inner bell.

Remember: real authority will always welcome questions, for they do not threaten what is true. Do not be overly guided by "Thou shalts"...

Now this is a good image for the Hierophant (Authority) card! This man is certainly authority in his community, and many people quietly submit to authority without questioning it. Even a governmental authority would not have been as appropriate, because we have the option of voting out a governmental authority. (At least we do in the United States, where I am posting this message.) But for many churches, the choice of the authoritative voice is not in the people of the community.

Love this card!

Radharani, you left a message on an older post of mine asking for a reading. Please leave your email address, and pick out a deck that you like, and I'll be in contact with you to arrange it.

Builder of civilizations, definer of limits and boundaries, the Emperor is the symbol of enduring male power... He is in command of his empire, ruling benevolently, but still ruling absolutely. He is the loving mate of the Empress, she who is the archetype of female abundance. He is the seed as she is the blossom and the fruit... Together they make god and goddess, the balance of yang and yin...

Use his commanding presence to set limits and make lasting changes in your life...

Well, this one is a good mate to the Empress card in my previous post. I'd say the same thing about its imagery that I'd say about that card. While Sean Connery makes a very handsome Emperor and has Emperor qualities about him, I find it disconcerting to see a recognizable face on a tarot card. I'd much prefer some other handsome, emperor-type man on the card. Because when I look at this card, I don't say "Emperor!" I say "Sean Connery!"

I once had a cat named Isis. After naming my cat Isis, I started having the image of my cat when I heard the name Isis, not the goddess. Which is not good, when you attend a ritual to Isis. So, no more cats named after deities.

And no famous faces on tarot cards, please!

In a verdant forest carpeted with wildflowers, the Empress, embodiment of all that is female, stands proudly, her pregnant belly representing fertile life-force, her stance declaring the wisdom, power and sexual fire that are her gifts... Grapes and eggs surround her, the sweet lushness of abundant life, and portraits of other queens show her confidence among other women, for they are peers, not rivals... There is gentleness here, but also absolute authority. She blesses, she rules, she loves, she creates, and she sustains all that is in her empire.

Let her richness and her love embrace you ...

It is somewhat disconcerting for me to see Demi Moore on a tarot card image. I love the photo of her, but the idea of a Hollywood Tarot just makes me shudder. I think it would work better for me if she had photos of regular people on the cards, not famous ones.

But then again ... A decade ago, a woman in my local pagan community created a photographic tarot deck, and she had people I know posing for various cards. She did a great job, but I think it would have been better if I didn't know the people in the photos. As it was, I couldn't look at a particular image and say "Hey, that's the Hierophant, for sure." I'd look at it and say "Hey, that's So-n-so!"

Other than that, I love this card. The colors are terrific, the composition is good, and the images are gorgeous. This card does illustrate Empress very well.

In the depths of the forest, you meet the High Priestess on the path, her snake coiled around her neck, moving from the source of her sexuality to her right hand and passing over her heart, symbolizing the wisdom she offers that comes from deepest inner knowing.

Her familiar, a blue-eyed temple cat, lies at her feet, symbol of the mystery and devotion contained in silence. Power sparkles all around the priestess as she stands on the ancient forest path. Her gaze invites:

Come, learn the ways of magic... surrender to the wisdom that is within you, as I have done... open to the unseen, and come naked to the mysteries...

Again, I'm liking what she has to say about the image, but I'm finding myself being too critical of the image itself. I know many priestesses who circle naked in their rites, but that's among coveners. Here she seems to be calling to someone who is not a covener, and she's standing naked at the entrance to her forest.

To me, it would be similar to answering my door naked. Yes, I'm comfortable being nude among those I know, but I would not stand before potential students naked. Just not done.

On the other hand, I like the cat and the snake as partners to her spiritual practice. The forest is beautiful. She is beautiful too (if you're into thin young white women). But personally, when I picture a High Priestess, I picture someone older, larger, and wearing some badges of office besides a snake. A garter, a bracelet, a necklace, a circlet around her head, a robe ... something that shows her status.

Against a blazing night sky, the Magician casts his spell, calling on the power of the lightning to energize and illuminate. The intensity of his focused will sends his intention out into the cosmos. Spinning waves of light and power radiate to accomplish his desires ... He knows he can make anything happen once he turns his focus to it ... He visualizes the outcome, gathers his strength, and sends that vision outward to become reality...

Gather your own intention ... focus .... imagine ... believe ....

I like the imagery on this card better than the Fool card. I can't tell what the image behind the Magician is, but I like the lightning and I like the male figure. Not wild about his sweater, but the intensity in his eyes is good. You do get a sense of focus and intention from the card.

"The innocent seeking soul stands on a rainbow bridge, the path of her bliss before her. Her companions are the owl of instinctive wisdom and the cat of intuitive grace ... and she bears the blessing of the Goddess' love as she begins her journey through life. This card represents the adventurous spirit who accepts each lesson Life offers, and all knowledge as precious and new.

On the rainbow path, there are no expectations, for each moment is a gift. You are exactly where you are supposed to be."

I'm not terribly enamored with the imagery of this card. It is a bit too cutesy and girly for me. The Fool looks more like a doll than a person, which makes it hard for me to relate to her. I like the write-up for the card. I can appreciate that she wanted the Fool to look more like a child than an adult, to give the impression of that child-like wonder when viewing the world. But still, the art is not doing it for me.

What do y'all think?

I really like this deck, perhaps largely because I know the woman who made it. She has been active in the Goddess community for many years, and is a contributing writer (and an editor now too, I believe) of SageWoman magazine. I have every issue of SageWoman ever made; it's been a wonderful touchstone over the years.

I am pleased to see that her first edition of 250 decks has sold out. She is now collecting orders for a second edition. It's a beautiful deck, and I highly recommend it.

I think I'm going to use future entries in this journal to look at individual cards in this deck and make commentary on them. I'm getting bored with just showing the text of readings in this journal, and I'd like to try something new. Hope you'll enjoy looking at one deck in more detail!

What kinds of cloths do people lay down before laying down the cards in a spread? (Or do you bother?) I have several silk hand-painted Thai scarves (square ones) that I use. They are tie-dyed or salt-dyed. Here's an example of a salt-dyed silk scarf, although obviously not one of mine:

You get a wonderful graduated color scheme. One color flows into the next. And silk holds a terrific charge, so it's perfect for tarot cards. If I had unlimited wealth, I'd love to have each of my tarot decks wrapped in its own silk scarf while it is in storage. But I can't, so they sit in their cardboard boxes inside my plastic storage containers.

My favorite salt-dyed scarves are in shades of blue and green and purple, for whatever reason. I don't have any in firey colors. I have no explanation for that, since I am more drawn to the root chakra colors in crystals and stones. I just go with what pleases me.

How do you store your tarot decks?

In my house, there was a little gap (I think it is 7 inches wide) next to the chimney in my home.

I filled the gap with small plastic totes, and I store my decks in those. I had been thinking about building a little bookshelf-like system in the gap, but then I'd have to dust everything, and I'd lose an inch in width to the vertical supports. This way, everything is dust-protected, and since the plastic is thin, there's more storage space available. The containers are just a wee bit too wide; if  only they were a half inch narrower! The lids get stuck sometimes on the wood trim, and I imagine with time the trim finish will get scraped. And I'm not thrilled with storing tarot decks in plastic; I wish it had been a more natural material.

But, that's what I'm doing ... and I'd love to hear how the rest of you store your decks!

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/

I love this one for showing me pictures of decks! Many online sellers just display the titles, and don't show pictures of the decks. This website shows nice big scans of several of the cards, which makes it easy for someone like me to look over lots of different decks and create a shopping list of my favorites.

A few days ago, I mentioned Abyssal Tarot. Look at these sensual photos from the deck! These look like they were photos taken underwater. But they might be fine paintings. Whatever, they are lush!

http://www.tarotpassages.com/rare.htm

This is a list of rare and out of print decks. Some of these I'll have no hope of ever finding for sale, so I might as well enjoy the images online.

Actually, a few of these are available for sale. Thea's, for instance. Too bad I already have that deck. It's lovely.

Anyhow, browse and enjoy.

Hands down, my favorite tarot website is tarotgarden.com! If you've never checked it out, you should. They always have such interesting decks featured on their index page. Today they have this totally gorgeous deck called Abyssal featured. At $150, I probably won't be buying it, at least not right now ... but ooo, can I drool.

TarotGarden also does searches, if you're looking for an out of print deck. Tell them the deck, and the max price you're willing to pay, and the owner of the website will get back to you within a day to tell you what the chances are for getting a deck in your price range. If you're priced too low, you can modify your entry in her search list to raise the price, or you can wait in hopes that all the people before you will buy all the expensive decks and an inexpensive one will manifest for you. It could happen!

Anyhow, check back often and enjoy all the new decks they feature. I'm sure you'll have no trouble putting together a wish list!

OK, OK, I said the last one would be the last one. But then I got this report, and had to include it as well. This was for M: Pettiness.


She said:

my first thoughts:
Is it petty to want to be rid of my car?
Surely it is going to be petty if I can not be nice and comfortable at my sister's wedding... something to focus on overcoming in the petty department. Growing up my blonde younger sister always had more friends than I did and now she is getting married, again being more socially successful than I. At the same time I do not value the same things as my sister and I have a hard time acknowledging that the things she values are valid. With five months left until the wedding I am certain that my teenager frowns will be documented in the wedding photos if I don't find a way to smile like I mean it, which means I need to find a way to feel like smiling.

One last reading from the Dreaming in Color deck from the New Year one-card pull. This one was for C: Serenity.


She said:

Hmmm. That's unexpected... but very reassuring!

I think I do see the relevance, although I hadn't been thinking of things in such terms. I've been spending a fair amount of time and effort lately on getting things in order in general, and one of the goals for that is indeed serenity. I love it when things flow fairly smoothly, and am doing a better job of creating an environment in which they can start to do so.

So this is very encouraging for me. Thank you, so much!

Here's another one-card reading I did at the New Year for my friend T. This is what she had to say about it, and it also mentions a comment about her 2006 reading.

So, each new year, someone whom I hold most dear, Donna, does a one card reading for any of her friends who comment on a specific post. Last year was my first year doing it.

2006 - "INDEPENDENCE, Decide for yourself, Exercise your right to choose."

This year - "Chaos".


I think, with respect to last year, I did not really learn that lesson until the very last day of the year, when I finally did.

This year, when I think of Chaos, I think not just of disorganization, but of loving, and living, life. No hiding. I have a lot of new things on my agenda this year, which are going to be challenges for me, and changes, and things I'll be living. I'm moving in with Amy in May, I'm graduating, taking the bar exam, moving back into the real world, all sorts of things.

When I look forward, at least, I think that the Chaos is change, is experiencing, is feeling in the maelstrom of feelings that I try to hide from sometimes.

Thank you, as always, Donna.

I did a bunch of one-card pulls near New Years Eve to give people a meditation point for the coming year. The card I pulled for C was "breakthrough."

I asked her to meditate on the card and see what comes up for her about that theme, or the image pictured on the card. She wrote:

What comes up for me as I look at the card: Light after darkness, breaking through after a long journey. More concretely, it suggests to me that things will fall into place and I'll turn a corner and "shine," so to speak. Very concretely, maybe this means that my learning curve with this job is leveling off, and maybe I'll be able to find some life balance that works for me with this job. Then again, maybe this is just wishful thinking.

I'll have to make a note of checking in with her a month or so from now, to see if she's turned that corner.

Another recommendation from the same friend who brought me yesterday's Victorian Romantic deck is this gem:

Lively, humorous and utterly engaging, The Fantastic Menagerie Tarot is based on the illustrations of 19th century French illustrator, J.J. Grandville. Known as the "Father of Surrealism". Grandville was a huge influence on artists such as Tenniel, the first illustrator of Alice in Wonderland. His pictures are cynical, funny, bitter and sweet - and make for a deck that manages to be both timeless and true.

This deck was unveiled less than a year ago. I love it! I don't own it yet, but it's on my wish list. http://www.fantasticmenagerie.com in case you want to take a look at the website and see more of the card images.

I asked a friend to recommend a new deck to me, and she came up with this one.

That's the High Priestess card, and the Magician card, of the Victorian Romantic deck. The Victorian Romantic deck is based on gorgeous original 19th century engravings from European and American artists.
It's taken two years to collect the art material for the deck, much of which is now rare. The result is a most extraordinary range of images from artists both famous and forgotten. Each picture is a gem in its own right, and they've been chosen and collaged with great care so that the cards read beautifully. This is a wonderfully usable visual feast of a deck that will appeal to collectors, lovers of Victoriana and tarot enthusiasts alike.

I don't own it yet, but it's on my wish list. http://www.victorianromantic.com if you want to look at the website and see more cards from the deck.

After lusting mightily after the Maat deck I posted yesterday, I had to explore the other two decks this woman created. This is the Blue Moon deck. It's just the major arcana, which isn't normally a deck I would desire, because I like a full deck with major and minor arcana, but I like the images in this deck.















Here's a review by Bonnie Cehovet, since I actually haven't got the deck myself.

Julie first came to my attention with her Ancestral Path Tarot, which fast became a favorite deck and still resides next to my computer. By the time I found out about the Blue Moon Tarot it was out of print. I was more than happy when I learned that Julie was coming out with a special Collector's Edition - especially when I learned that the proceeds from this printing of the Blue Moon Tarot would be used as seed money for the private printing of Julie's newest creation, the MAAT Tarot.

The Blue Moon Tarot grew out of a moon calendar project that Julie was commissioned to do by Janet Berres and Ron Losczyk of the Light of the Moon occult bookstore. What evolved was a seasonal/Pagan calendar based on the twelve full moons of the year, with the thirteenth full moon, the Blue Moon, being represented by the Moon itself.

The cards are 3 1/4" by 4 1/2", on good quality cardstock. The backs are solid white, with the illustration going all the way to the edge of the card (no border, which I really like!). The coloring is dark and intense, and the symbolism a mixture of fantasy and reality. The cards carry their traditional title, along with their Pagan association, across the bottom in white lettering.

There is an accompanying 5 1/2" by 8 1/2", 47 page booklet that comes with this deck. Each card is presented with the title, the cycle of the moon, a description of the card, the cards message, symbols in the card, other names for and attributes of the card.

From the book:

Strength

Full Moon in Gemini

The full moon before Winter Solstice

The image of this card is the Evening Star (rebirth) and the Morning Star (death) as the twins of ancient myth. The morning star disappears from the brilliance of the sun and reemerges as the evening star. This disappearing and reappearing phenomenon occurs again and again with all of the heavenly bodies. In the late autumn it is the sun itself that disappears below the horizon in the far north. The sun disappears into the body of the Great Mother earth. The promise of the suns return is the Winter Solstice, during which strength is needed to make it the moments of deepest darkness. Shu and Tufnut, twin lions (first born of Re) from Ancient Egyptian Mythos, are two siblings that are quite interesting. Shu is most often depicted in human form, while his sister Tufnut assumes the lion's shape. Originally both were lion deities reappearing later in the Middle Kingdom as the twin lions of yesterday and today. Shu was the "Atlas of Egypt", his role being to support the sky. His lioness sister was goddess of the sun and the dew and legend has it that she received the newborn sun each morning. Shu and Tufnut were two of the original gods of Heliopolis, but their personalities were later absorbed into Horus and Bast.

Some of the ancient text refers to the double lion in twin-soul terms, the physical manifestations of the original creator Atum, whose energies assume a dual form upon coming into contact with the earth or material sphere.

"Twin souls follow each other from incarnation to incarnation, sometimes never meeting up with him/her on the earth plane but always gathering the experience necessary for the spiritual development of the complete unit. Another explanation is that only half of the twin incarnates while the other half watches over its polarity from the world of spirit. When the incarnated half has reached a certain level of evolution and awareness then the twin may take human form to create final polarization on the earth level prior to ascending to the higher planes."

Murray Hope, The Way of Cartouche (New York, St Martin;s Press, 1985) p. 151-155

Other Names: Horus (Atlas of Egypt) and Bast (Goddess of the Dew and Sun), Zeus and Nemesis, Polydeuces and Castor, Dionysis and Semele, Hercules (associated with Shu (the White Goddess by Robert Greaves); Egyptian warrior god Anthur, Sekemet Lion headed goddess of the Sun

Symbols: Twin lions of Today and Yesterday; Sun and Moon; Light and dark; Morning star and Evening star; Sleep and Death

Attributes: Taking over of feminine; Darkness over light; surrender; faith

Full Moon in Gemini key phrase: "I think"

At the end of the book is the Blue Moon Tarot System Guide. This is a graphic, done in mandala format, that shows the relationship of the cards to the seasons and to the zodiac. The Blue Moon Tarot is a powerful deck backed by very "outside the envelope" type thinking.

Three of my favorite cards are the High Priestess, Judgment, and the Emperor. The High Priestess shows a female form lying on mother earth, covered by a thin lavender fabric. Look closely at the spiral details in the fabric. Then look again - I had to look a second time to see the nude female body lying in front of the first form. This one is done all in white - it is a memory, it seems, a dream form for the first figure.

Judgment is a dark card, showing a raging sea as a backdrop for what could pass as part of Stonehenge - a large stone base, with a longer, flat stone perched at an angle on top of it.

The Emperor is a dark, dark card in the "Green Man" mode - a central, knarled tree with the face of a man, surrounded by forest with a backlit background - as if one were seeing into heaven.

I am very happy to be able to have this deck in my hands, and to be able to work with it. For me, this is a deck for ritual and ceremony, and also for shadow work. A welcome addition for any Tarot collection.

The last few days, I've posted decks that are either out of print, or were never printed. But there is one deck on my wish list that is actually in print and available! It just came out this year and it is just stunning. Want, want, want!















This is a review by Solandia, since I have not yet purchased the deck to review on my own.

The Maat Tarot is the third tarot deck from Julie Cuccia-Watts, and is a full deck of 78 large and vibrant intuitive paintings based on the lunar phases and seasonal cycles.

Julie Cuccia-Watts is perhaps best known for the Ancestral Path Tarot, , published in 1990, and the later 22-card art deck, the Blue Moon Tarot. The Maat Tarot evolved from the ideas of the calendar in the Blue Moon Tarot and the weeks of the year in the Ancestral Path Tarot, to link with the cyclical patterns of the natural world. Unlike a typical linearly-organised tarot deck, these cards are ordered to correspond with lunar cycles, seasonal festivals, and zodiac associations. Thirteen majors relate to the thirteen full moons, eight majors to the cross-quarter days in the Celtic calendar, and the remaining card, the World, is the central card in the cycle. The Aces are linked with the seasons, and the rest of the minor cards, rather than being connected with the 52 weeks of the year, and connecting with the lunar phases. (The book has a pictorial diagram that illustrates the placement of each card in the complex pattern.)

The word ‘Maat’ was chosen for its translation as justice or truth, and because the goddess Maat was the wife of Thoth, the Egyptian god of magic, which suited the female-centred world view of the cards. The name might imply Egyptian-style Tarot imagery on the cards as well, but the deck draws on many cultures, spiritualities and time periods through world history as well as ancient Egyptian - 18th and 19th century Europe, Native American cultures, and some more abstract or timeless paintings.

The cards and characters inhabit the natural world, and on the whole are colourful, vibrant and full of life. Some imagery is a little confronting because of its female physicality, with the Devil card the most so: a woman with long, dark hair, is naked and giving birth, the baby’s head just visible and light streaming through. It’s an interesting interpretation of the Devil – certainly an image of sensuality, of earthly power, and utter control to a bodily or lower plane force. The Magician is similar, and appears to be the same dark-haired woman as in the Devil, still naked, bending down to a baby held in both her hands. A few cards also appeared in the Blue Moon Tarot and have been used again here: the Moon, and the World.

Each card has its painted image filling the card to the edge – there are no distracting borders here. Printed on the card are the title, lunar position, seasonal holiday or astrological position, and the artist’s copyright message. The backs of the cards have an Egyptian feel, with papyrus-like background, a hieroglyph in the center, and an outer border in bright blue, red and black. In the hand, the cards are very glossy with laminate, shiny, and slick, but not so much that the stack of cards slides off the table.

The Maat Tarot has been self-published as a rather beautiful limited edition of 1000 copies. The 78 large-size cards come with a lovely hardback companion book, made with creamy textured paper and set in an old fashioned looking typeface (that is initially a little hard to read but it suits the deck and its theme). The book is decoratively laid-out, with decorative elements, illustrations and borders at the beginnings of chapters, plus black and white images of the cards.

The cards could be used without reference to the book if desired, but they are really an integral part of the system. The book follows the unusual ordering (it can take a while to find the cards you’ve drawn in a reading to begin with), and begins by dividing them into four parts, corresponding to the seasons and the Aces. Each part is divided into chapters, each linked with a major arcana card, and then five to six other cards are associated with that cycle. For example:

Part 1 – Swords (Ace of Swords – Autumn/Fire
Chapter 1 – Full Moon Cycle of Aries – The Emperor
The Tower / Prince of Swords / 2 of Swords / 3 of Swords / King of Swords / 4 of Swords

The book also follows Julie’s journey through Tarot, the process of creating the Blue Moon Tarot and then expanding and building on that to make the Maat Tarot. Julie explores each of the 78 tarot cards through myth and legend, also giving the traditional tarot meaning and what that Maat Tarot card might represent in a reading.

The Maat Tarot is definitely not a traditional deck, but is instead a unique interpretation of tarot though natural cycles – lunar, solar, earth and physical – and Julie’s intuitive paintings. Along with its companion book, it’s a high quality set that I’d recommend for meditation and tarot work, for intuitive readings – or just for the joy of having it in the collection.

While the previous deck I mentioned really was printed, this one has not yet been printed. Still, I wait and hope it will be made, so that I can get one.



























Shekinah's Tarot began as a project created by a womanspirit circle. Shekinah facilitated some of the earliest circles back in the 1970s when she was living in the woods. The womancircles were held in the Moonhut, a yurt beneath the trees in a redwood forest near the central coast of California. Each circle met for nine months, practicing magic, feminist process, and building sisterhood.

In most of these groups a pact was created for the purpose of developing ethics for the new world women envisioned. These were signed in menstrual blood at midnight, on Hallowe'en, with serious intent and ritual. You can see the final version of these in the back of Shekinah's book, Ariadne's Thread.

The members of one group in particular, Lillith, decided, instead of writing a pact, to create a feminist tarot deck. (Back then none others had appeared, although Sally Gearhart and Susan Rennie were soon to publish their classic "A Feminist Tarot," which uses the traditional Waite patriarchal deck, but gives new interpretations.) Ethical material would be built into the cards, along with many new concepts and images.

Years and many changes later, three tarot decks emerged from the original project: "The Book of Aradia Tarot," by artist Djinni Van Slyke (self published on occasion), "The Daughters of the Moon" book and deck, by Ffiona Morgan, Djinni Van Slyke, Shekhinah Mountain water, and a number of other artists (widely availabe), and the yet unpublished "Shekhinah's Tarot."

Many of the concepts and designs first created by Shekhinah are present in all three decks, such as: the round shape, the greater emphasis on fiery, watery, airy, earthy, and spirit elements, the move away from the old hierarchy of major and minor arcana found in traditional decks, and the introduction of Maidens, Mothers, and Crones to replace the old court cards. There are concepts and designs created by all the original contributors present in all three decks. And each has gone on to craft decks containing their own visions as well. "I call them sister decks," says Shekhinah. "There is room in my tarot universe for all of us, and for acknowledgement to all."

Shekinah's Tarot is based on a circular system, beginning with the roundness of each card. If represented as a grid of concentric circles, the image of the individual round card would be at the center. Surrounding it would be a circle representing the cards numbered one through ten from the four suits of fire, water, earth and air. (Flames, Cups, Pentacles, and Blades.) Surrounding this circle would be a tripartite circle representing the Maidens, Mothers and Crones in their elements. (Fire Mother, Air Maiden, Water Crone, and so on.) Outside the MMC circle would be the circle representing the 21 Spirit cards which replace the 22 major arcana cards of traditional decks. Finally, the outermost would be a circle representing the Five Elements, which encompass and permeate the entire deck.

The Spirit cards are understood to represent energies and experiences that affect us on a soul level: rites of passage and initiations. The remaining four suits are considered to be about more mundane daily life phenomena. Blades (instead of Swords) represent mental and communicative experiences and the element of Air. Cups (Water) are about the emotions and subconscious levels. Flames (instead of Wands) are about action, energy, interaction, and will. Pentacles (Earth) are about the material plane, money, practicalities and matterful things. However, there is not a solid division between suits in this deck, and all inform one another. An earthy experience can also be spiritual, a watery event (emotional) can have airy (mental) consequences, and so on.

The circular appraoch to the tarot is a central part of Shekhinah's thealogy and politics. This deck is meant to be a roadmap to a new consciousness, a non-linear woman-positive archetypal system that can lead to the creation of a peaceful world.

Shekhinah's Tarot is filled with Goddesses of many cultures and imbued with her love and devotion to all things female. There is one male card named for her son Frey who was named after the Norse God of Sunlight and Lifegiving Rain, consort and twin to Freya, Goddess of Love and Beauty. The deck depicts a reality that is passionate, sensual, magical, and woman-loving. Shekinah says, "I believe the Female is the Root Form of all creation, and the Male is a part of  Her and emerges from Her. 'Men are women too,' I am fond of saying. Our loss of this understanding explains much of the tragedy of patriarchy ... our regaining of it is crucial for universal healing."

"I couldn't draw at all when I began to make my cards," says Shekhinah. "But it was such a joyous experience that it didn't matter." Tarot art is not necessarily about technique and skill in drawing. It is more about a spiritual process of learning and deepening. While Shekhinah's drawings are childlike and unskilled, they have impact and charm. Many people (including me!) are waiting for this deck to become available.

I actually saw this deck on eBay once, but my bid of $300 (what was I thinking??) was not enough to win it. Now of course I kick myself and say I should have bid higher. I can always make another $300, but I can't ever seem to find another copy of this deck!

This Major Arcana deck is from a limited edition of 1000. It is a feminist deck that is similar in many ways to the Daughters of the Moon Tarot Deck. The only male image is Pan. It is round (4 3/4" diameter) and the images are black and white. There are 21 cards from the suit of Aether. Aether represents the element of Spirit. The cards have been renamed.







The backs are done in blue and white.The deck is the result of a collaborative effort between Jean Van Slyke, Shekhinah Mountainwater and Ffiona Morgan. The title card states that it was "(formerly a Matriarchal Tarot)." The art was done by Jean Van Slyke and is excellent.

The deck comes with an instruction sheet that provides some background information about the deck. The deck seems to be a precursor to the Daughters of the Moon (DOM) deck, as the description given discusses the Minor Arcana suits and court cards and they are the same as those in DOM. The sheet has pictures of each card with a description of the card's meaning. Two spreads are provided - Shekhinah's Layout (13 cards) and Jean's Layout (10 cards).

The deck is beautifully packaged in a folded black sheet tied with a silver cord. The sheet slides into a silver sleeve. This deck is out of print.

0 = Self
1 = Witch
2 = Priestess
3 = Maya
4 = Pan
5 = Aphrodite
6 = Boudicea
7 = Power
8 = Oppression
9 = Crone
10 = Moriae
11 = Athene
12 = Reversal
13 = Transformation
14 = Temperence
15 = Moon
16 = Lightning
17 = Star
18 = Amaterasu
19 = Celebration
20 = Nut

Want it, need it, lust it, crave it. Oh please, someone somewhere must know where there is a copy of this deck awaiting a new home. Please, help me find it! I put an ad in Lesbian Connection a few years back, but no luck.

A while back, I did a reading for a friend using the Motherpeace deck.
















She gave me the following feedback on the reading:

As to the cards having to do with the heart, there is a man who has had his eye on me and me on him. I'll respond privately if you don't already know from my comments over the last six months of LJ who it is. It has not been easy or smooth, I feel like a door has opened in the last two weeks, but I am not sure it is real or my imagination. And then again, the energy that flows between us is electric in the extreme from my perceptions. I am just worried I am talking myself into things that aren't real from my own neediness. He has his faults but then I have a few of those myself.

I have been worried about the job situation - my temp job will end sometime between now and the end of March, at which time I expect that one of my supervisors will have much nastiness to say about me. It looks like you are saying the ending willlead tosomething better, so I will bid a sad farewell to it, but then look forward to what is to come.

I am both pleased and wary of the number of cards that are telling me there is a love interest about to come into my life. I need that on many levels, I am not totally sure I am ready for it, but am willing to try. The last two days I worked last week, the gentlemean I am thinking may be intended her gave energy hugs along the lines of 'welcome home.' Wednesday night, I felt like quoting a passage from one of Lois McMaster Bujold's books about a woman who has fallen in love with a man of the enemy when he smiles thinking "Oh, do that again!" It was wonderful it was heady, I knew I had been missing the presence of another when I came home at night, but this brought it all right to my heart and face as it were. And when it happened again Thursday night, I found myself smiling broadly. Oh, yes, by all means do that again.

I think the three of swords has two meanings. One is a physical housecleaning, right now my place is not fit for company. (Not that that is an issue with a potential flame because it isn't safe for my reputation for me to let a BF into the apartment in this neighborhood.)

But it may also represent me finishing up the grief work over Bill's death.

I think the three of cups represents both the dinners over the last two nights, but also the fact that I have gained a companion for the Friday dinners and another couple may join us on an irregular basis. I am not doing anything with the theatre excpet being in contact with my cousin Jancsi who still works there.

As to the student, thud. Not exactly but maybe. One of the women at work has been knitting with me for nearly a year now and has recently revealed some things about her spiritual beliefs. It is not an exact match given that she is much inot New Age things, but it feels like a connection that will be a two way street in some ways and she is perfectly willing to exchange advice about the work world for insight into things in her life from my point of view.

In other words, Spot On! Thank you very much for this effort when you have a cold. Soft warm snuggles ina down comforter in the sun hugs to you.

Even though this is a deck I've displayed here before, I had a friend who wanted a reading with this deck. So here are a few different pictures from the deck, and the reading.
























Tierra is a fairly well-known herbalist. This deck is a variation on the Rider-Waite Tarot. The imagery is pretty similar to Rider-Waite, but each card is also titled with the name of an herb. The herbs are assigned to the cards according to Tierra's intuitive understanding of the correspondences of the cards and the traditional use of the herb.

L's question was, "My questions/concerns are mostly about direction - like every other college student ever, I'm trying to decide what to do with my life - what to major in, how to deal with being in a wonderful, but committed relationship when I feel like I've barely dipped my toes in the dating pool, where all this is going. If that's too broad feel free to pick and choose, but that's what runs through my head when I think of things I'd like clarity on."

Since she touched on several broad categories, I decided to use the horoscope layout that Gail Fairfield suggested in her book "Choice Centered Tarot." The twelve cards correspond to the twelve houses of an astrological chart, and illuminate the concerns of that house. So hopefully, she would get some insights on a range of concerns. The cards are laid out like the numbers on the face of a clock, but the first card does not correspond with the 1:00 position on a clock. The first card is laid in the 8:00 position, the second card goes in the 7:00 position, the third card in the 6:00 position, and so on around the circle such that the twelfth card is at the 9:00 position.

Card 1. The self you are projecting to others; your appearance. The card drawn was Four of Cups - Burdock. The key phrase for this card is "Acting on what you feel." Now that you know what you're feeling, you're acting on it. You're doing something to express your emotions. You may be taking some steps toward creating a relationship or toward showing your emotions.

People see you as open and approachable.

Card 2. Your money and possessions; your skills and talents; your values and self-worth; your earning power. The card drawn was III - The Empress - Dong Quai. The Empress is shown as a rounded, warm, and caring woman. Her environment is one of abundance; grains have been harvested, herbs are available for healing. She has both the emotional and physical resources for healing, feeding and nurturing people.

You are sensitive to the physical and emotional needs of yourself and others, and your talents lie in the nurturing, caretaking process. Are you considering a career path that would take advantage of these skills - doctor, veterinarian, or therapist, for instance? Or are you thinking that you'd like to be a parent? You may not turn these skills into a career; it may be that you will find your life more satisfying if you met people's needs on a volunteer basis, such as Habitat for Humanity, or participating in a community garden. But do think along the lines of how you would like to spend your time and talents for healing and nurturing those in your community.

Card 3. Your mental or intellectual activities; your community or neighborhood involvement; short trips; siblings; school. The card drawn was Page of Cups - Damiana. The key phrase for this card is "Emotional risk-taking." You're taking some emotional risks in a public, up-front way. You've chosen to jump in and commit to an emotional direction or relationship even though you're not sure where it will lead. You may have had a relationship that was working pretty well on a certain level. Now, you want to make it better than "okay." You're willing to risk losing what already exists in order to create what it could become. It may feel a little scary but you have some confidence that it will succeed.

Since this card relates to intellectual activities, it makes me wonder if you're taking a class this semester that is unusual for you. Something outside your major, or outside your comfort zone? A class you're feeling anxious about? Or since community involvement is also part of this layout, I wonder the same thing about the organizations you have joined, or the projects that you have volunteered to do with these organizations. Is there something that you want to try this year that will vault you into a more public role than you have had in the past? Think about the things you'd like to do that will stretch your talents and try your best to make them successful.

Card 4. Your emotional security or sense of belongingness; the activities related to your home; your mother. The card drawn was XVIII - The Moon - Lemon Balm. The Moon is depicted as lighting up a path through potentially unfriendly territory. By following the light of the Moon, a traveler could come out of the murky depths onto a clearly lighted way.

You're trusting your greater self to guide you and you're getting good results. As long as you stayed tune to the signals, your intuition will show you where you need to go. Watch for signs. It may be some real-world event, like a letter from home, or a visit from a friend, that will lead you to feel more emotionally secure. Or it may be that the Moon's guidance will come from within, via a dream or a hunch, or a sudden flash of an idea.

Card 5. Your creativity and artistic ability; your children; love affairs and romance; recreation and leisure; gambling. The card drawn was Two of Pentacles - Yellow Dock (reversed). The key phrase for this card is "Choosing a physical path." You recognize and affirm the need for a new security base. You are nurturing and confirming a particular direction that would help to establish a different pattern of stability in your life.

With this card in this position, it makes me wonder if you are looking to try a new creative, romantic, or leisure outlet. Thinking of trying your hand at an art form you haven't tried before, like photography or collage? Or are you or your partner attracted to someone else and thinking about how to deal with that? Thinking about doing something unusual for fall break, or January term? Consider how much energy or money your idea will cost, and consider the risk, and make sure you have the resources to try your new path before you commit to it.

Card 6. Your daily routine; your health; your job or work; your co-workers; your tenants; pets; service activities. The card drawn was Ace of Pentacles - Whole Grains. You are planting seeds for a new home, job, or career. You are working out how you will deal with money and finances. You may be getting some urges to begin a new workout regime or new direction in your health.

Are you thinking ahead about what kind of career you'd like? Start investigating it. It may manifest as going over to Career Services to see what kind of job listings they have, or talking with your friends about what you'd like to do for J-term, or next summer, to see if they have any leads that sound interesting to you. If your ideas need financial resources, like scholarship money, gather up the applications to get it in place. If you're thinking you need more exercise, or a different form of exercise, check out what's available around you. You may have a friend who would be willing to be an exercise partner so that you can motivate each other to stick with your new program.

Card 7. Your business partner(s); your clients; your primary relationship(s) or significant other(s). The card drawn was VII - The Chariot - Cyperus. The Chariot card is represented by a person riding in a chariot, which may be moving at an incredible speed, but the driver looks calm. Events are moving quickly, but you understand the situation well enough to know, instinctively, how to act or react. You know how to handle yourself within the situation, so go ahead and immerse yourself in the current process. Beware of stress and tension; if things are moving too fast for you, get outside of the situation for a bit, so you can come back with a new perspective and more energy.

Card 8. Money or possessions belonging to the partnership; loans, grants, inheritances, taxes; transformative experiences; conception; death and rebirth; intimacy and sexuality. The card drawn was Queen of Cups - Lady's Mantle. The key phrase for this card is "Emotional or intuitive maturity." Not really a card that addresses money or posessions, so I'm thinking this card has more to do with intimacy and sexuality than material goods.

Work on processing your feelings and understanding what is happening in your relationships. Commit yourself to show a deep empathy and understanding toward others. Make it a goal to reach a strong level of maturity and depth within your relationships.

Card 9. Your higher education; training opportunities; long-distance traveling; religion and philosophy; advertising. The card drawn was Six of Wands - Hawthorn (reversed). The key phrase for this card is "A predictable personality." You've reached a level of stability with your sense of self-worth. You are consistently viewing yourself through a particular self-image. Which may be a good thing, if you have a strong self-image. But if you don't, you may be limiting your options and denying your true ambitions, thinking you couldn't possibly do well in some things. Take a closer look at the list of things you'd like to pursue, and make sure you aren't leaving things off the list due to lack of self-confidence. If you have interest in something, but feel timid about trying it, see if there is someone who can help you build up your skill set so that you can explore that new path.

Card 10. Your public reputation; your contribution to society; your career activities; your father. The card drawn was Eight of Pentacles - Ginger (reversed). The key phrase for this card is "Organizing physical things." You are thinking about the different things you've tried in your search for stability. Try to recognize which things consistently bring you to a deeper level of security. Money in the bank? Making a friend in each class, so that you can depend on each other for help with homework? Having a strong love relationship? Whatever they are, recognize them consciously, so that you can work on making sure you have these things in your life.

Card 11. Your goals, dreams, and wishes; futuristic visions; friends, groups, clubs, and organizations; politics. The card drawn was Knight of Swords - Wild Cherry Bark. The key phrase for this card is "Philosophical focus." You are so involved with the pattern of your daily routine that everything else seems to recede in importance. Make sure that you don't focus only on your intellect, but that you take time to have fun and rest and recharge your batteries.

You may also have a strong desire to express what you think and be intent on communicating your ideas to others. Make an effort to not only talk, but also to listen and compromise.

Card 12. Your spiritual situation; your psychic ability; your need for "retreats" from the world; escape and other fantasies. The card drawn was X - Medicine Wheel - Slippery Elm. In the Rider-Waite tarot, this card is known as the Wheel of Fortune. Everything possible has been done, by you or by others, so don't push yourself any harder. Relax and wait to see what the Universe sends in response. I see a reemphasis on the eleventh card, about making sure you don't overextend yourself. Take some breaks; take a walk; enjoy warm sunny days when you get them to relax and unwind out in nature.

I hope you found this helped you; would you please let me know if it did?

This is a reading for G. Even though I've used this deck before, he had a strong preference for it. So here are some different images from the deck than I used in the previous reading, and the reading itself.
























This is an enormous deck, but amazingly easy to shuffle. The crescent moon is the back of the cards.

G's question was as follows: "Well, I'm not sure how to ask this, but the question I have pertains to my ex. I really still love her, and the last reading I had done (about a year and half ago) said she was the one for me. Well, she recently broke it off with me (July 13), but she still sends me emails with my nickname and signs it with the name I gave her. I want to know should I just move on or weather the storm and see where this leads?"

We chose the following layout of eight cards.

Card 1. How you see this woman. The card pulled here was Pan. This represents the presence of a good-hearted person: gentle, sensitive, loving and caring. Is this an accurate description for your ex?

Card 2. What kind of relationship you see with this woman. The card pulled here was Maiden of Cups. The image on the card is a mermaid. The Mermaid is the message of a new love which is positive and romantic, bringing endearments, sensitivity, and those gestures that make us feel special. That's pretty easy to interpret. :)

Card 3. How this woman sees you. The card pulled here was Mother of Flames. The Aztec goddess Chantico is pictured on this card. She is both the volcano and the hearth who keeps the home fires burning. To me, that suggests she sees you as someone with whom she feels very comfortable. With you, she finds home. Does she also see you as volcano-ish? Volatile, passionate, firey?

Card 4. What kind of relationship this woman sees with you. The card pulled here was Shakti - The Life Dancer. The appearance of this card indicates the completion of a cycle of experience, or the culmination of a project. It's unclear to me just yet if that means she sees the love relationship with you as completed and done, and she is uninterested in picking that up again, or if she's gone through a cycle of not being sure what she wants and now knows what she wants and is ready for the next step. Perhaps the rest of the reading will illuminate this.

Card 5. Areas of compatibility and positives of the relationship. The card pulled here was Four of Blades - Deception. In a reading this means a lack of mental persistence in your endeavors, or closing your mind to the obvious. This card also represents the mental process of undoing the deception by putting two and two together, seeing what is wrong and gaining power with knowledge.

Not a great card to get on this position of the layout. I'm thinking that you two broke up for a reason, and being apart has made you romanticize the past and think you can do better this time by trying again. But know that unless both of you are aware of the problems that led to your breakup the first time, and unless both of you are willing to do the hard personal work to make changes in yourselves, the old problems will come back if you do try again to be lovers.

Card 6. Obstacles or problems you may have to overcome. The card pulled here was Coyotewoman - The Trickster. She is described as the one who tricks us and thus forces us to grow and learn the necessary lessons. This leads to our learning to trust in life. Being stubborn, we often need tricks to grow. People become comfortable as they are and don't wish to experience the pain that rapid growth sometimes brings.

So I'm thinking that this card is suggesting that her little gestures of friendliness and her use of the nickname for you are deceiving you into thinking there can be more to this relationship than just friendship. If that is true, then it's something that you'll have to be very aware is going on, and not let your heart get fooled into thinking there is more going on than just friendship.

Going back to card 4, it appears that the cycle that ended is the lovers relationship that you had, and that it's time to move on and pursue a friendship and not a lovers relationship. I'm sorry. I know that's in conflict with your other reading, but that's what I see here.

Card 7. The most likely future of this relationship. The card pulled here was Six of Cups - Compassion. This is the card of healers. Compassion gives a caring quality to life. It shows a loving flow of energy among friends. A good omen for a friendship with her! Can you be happy being close friends with her, and not having a romantic element to your friendship?

Card 8. What could be done to get this relationship off to a good start. The card pulled here was Four of Flames - Conflict. There is a strong opposition of wills or circumstances occurring. This could be an intense conflict within yourself, pulling you in two or several directions, or you may be engaged in conflict with someone else. The flames of conflict can be healing and lead to creative resolution by opening up positive communication and growth. For clearing to happen, all involved must be willing to sit down and talk with each other with an openness to grow, learn and receive criticism. A temporary retreat for reflection and centering can be useful.

This card suggests to me that if you want your relationship to be compassionate and close, you need to address the conflict you feel about her affectionate way of dealing with you. If you need time away from her to put the relationship into perspective, then take it. If you need to air a few things with her in order to find peace, then do it. But dealing with the conflicted feelings you have will ultimately lead to a good warm friendship between you.

I hope you found this reading helpful; would you please let me know if you did?

This is a reading for Sarah. She wanted to know what the cards had to say about two special friends in her life. The first set of cards I'll draw will be for friend "A", and the second set of cards I'll draw will be for friend "B". She looked over the decks I have used for past readings, and fell in love with The Poet's Tarot by Jesse Cougar. So that is the deck we are using.



























This deck was published in 1986. 74 cards in the deck, and the only deck I have that is two-sided. One side has a black and white image on it, and the other has a poem that illuminates the image. (Or is it the image that illuminates the poem?) The four suits are Sticks, Bowls, Knives, and Pens. The Sticks correspond to the Wand suit in other decks; the Bowls are Cups, Swords are Knives, and Pens are Pentacles.

I chose to pull eight cards for each of the relationships, and the layout of the eight are as follows:

1. How you see this friend
2. How you see a possible relationship with this friend
3. How this friend sees you
4. How this friend sees a possible relationship with you
5. Areas of compatibility and positives of the relationship
6. Obstacles or problems you may have to overcome
7. The most likely future of this relationship
8. What could be done to get this relationship off to a good start

- - - - -

So, let's look at the cards drawn for friend "A."

Card 1. How you see friend "A" - VI of Sticks - Wand of Destiny. I can't figure out what the image is; it looks like two mountains, maybe. There are only six lines to the picture. The poem reads, "A hexagram, cast sticks, will say at last that your destination was known, and so does fate unwind, as unexpected and as defined as an old road new to you." Ah, so the picture is supposed to be a casting of sticks. Yet another form of divination, which I won't get into here.

I love the poem on this one: "so does fate unwind, as unexpected and as defined as an old road new to you." I know a little about Sarah's friendships, so I know that she did meet this friend in an unusual and unexpected way. But yet, she must feel like they had a good connection from the start, that somehow it was fated to happen, and almost like recognizing a familiar friend that you haven't seen in a long time, just showing up in a new setting.

Card 2. How she sees a possible relationship with "A" - XXI/Infinity - The Dancer. The image on this card is the one Jesse Cougar chose to be the cover image for the deck. It shows someone dancing naked under a full moon, head thrown back in joy. The poem reads, "Celebrate heaven on earth for perfection comes in many colors and doesn't mean the end."

Well, I'd say that Sarah is feeling very optimistic and happy about the idea of having "A" in her life, no matter what the form of that relationship may take.

Card 3. How this friend sees her - III of Bowls - Cup of Loving. The image shows two people embracing on a bed, with a bowl, cup, and pan pipes on the table next to the bed. The poem reads, "Like cup, bowl and pipe, let us be together to sustain, to nourish and to inspire."

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to interpret this one. This friend has very deep feelings for her, and an intense desire to express them in a supportive and loving way.

Card 4. How this friend sees a possible relationship with her - II of Sticks - Wand of Perspective. The image shows just the hands from mid-arm down. In the left hand there is a bowl. In the right hand, there are chopsticks poised over the bowl. There is a window in the background. The poem reads, "Is truth everything I know to exist, or is it that which I can see before me? Truth and beliefs, like my sticks, are only useful when working together."

It appears to me that this person has some doubts about whether the connection they have between them is real, or if they are both just dazzled by that "new relationship energy" that we feel when we meet someone charming. They appear all perfect and just what we need ... until we get to know them better, and see their flaws and fears. And we all have them. So I think "A" is wondering if they are both showing their authentic, true selves, or if they are trying to be on their best behavior and hiding their flaws to impress and charm the other.

Card 5. Areas of compatibility and positives of the relationship - VIII of Pens - Disc of Craft. The image shows a seedling pushing up from the soil, and the sun beaming down on it. The poem reads, "Work and rework, reach for the light, 'till like a sunflower you have it captured temporarily: the sprouting power in a seed."

I interpret this to say that the areas of compatibility and the positives of the relationship are still being discovered. Or perhaps what will be their area of compatibility will be something they will explore for the first time together. Keep talking and learning about each other, find out what each person likes to do, and those common interests and those positives will become clear.

Card 6. Obstacles or problems you may have to overcome - V of Pens - Disc of Alienation. The image shows a cat looking through a window at a fireplace with a fire going in it, and a rug empty and inviting before it, but the cat cannot get to the rug. There is a pile of wood near the fireplace. The poem reads, "The light attracted me to your window, but my blood warms the pulse of the forest, and I have no desire for the hearth that would turn me to a cool fur rug."

Interesting. Perhaps one (or both?) of you is a little anxious about getting too close too fast? That tendency to hang back, and not get too close, is the obstacle to overcome. It appears that hanging back may be a good option, too; "I have no desire for the heart that would turn me to a cool fur rug." You are not ready to cocoon just yet; the call of the wild ("the pulse of the forest") is still seductive.

Card 7. The most likely future of this relationship - 0/Perfection - The Fool. The image shows a naked woman sitting cross-legged on the beach, with her hands folded palms up in her lap, looking peaceful and happy and meditative. The poem reads, "We have the dream, but we are not the dream. We are the dream. Yes, both."

I interpret this to mean that while this may not be the relationship you pictured as your dream relationship, it will be a happy and fulfilling one, and manifesting a dream all of its own.

Card 8. What could be done to get this relationship off to a good start - III of Pens - Disc of Relativity. The image shows a cat sitting on a table, with a deck of cards nearby. Some of the cards have fallen to the floor; the mischief of the cat? The poem reads, "Learn the cards, but remember: this book She can suddenly cut to shuffle, so your skill's for you to read between the leaves."

This makes me smile. I interpret this one to mean, keep your awareness open to new ways you can be supportive and loving toward this person. You may think you know what is needed, because of what you know of your friend, but keep your mind open to the possibility that your friend can surprise you and need something you hadn't thought of before. For instance, let's say you know your friend values time alone, and needs quiet time each day to unwind and de-stress. You might be also surprised to learn that your friend really cherishes those times when you visit on a whim, and stay to laugh and connect for just a short time. You might hesitate to do that kind of thing for your friend, thinking of that tendency to be a hermit. But if you do hesitate, you miss out on a wonderful way to give support to your friend.

- - - - -

Now, let's look at the cards drawn for friend "B."

Card 1. How you see friend "B" - II/Devotion - The Priestess. The image shows a naked woman standing under a waxing crescent moon, with her arms and head stretched toward the moon. She is wearing a triple moon armband around her right bicep, several necklaces, and a light jeweled chain around her waist. The poem reads, "The bright moon's face shines from the surface of the water. Such layers of reality are no illusion. Goddess I dedicate myself to reflect your love and shine with your power."

I'd say that Sarah has a very favorable impression of "B." She feels a strong connection to B, and has a great respect for B and what B has accomplished in life.

Card 2. How she sees a possible relationship with "B" - VI/Electricity - The Lover. The image shows a woman dancing in a mountainous area, with a lightning bolt hitting the ground behind her. Her hand is stretched out, palm up, toward the viewer. The poem reads, "Love, like power, is not passive. If, with your leader stroke you choose to bring down lightning, you'll receive the reply. Thunder will join you dancing in love."

I interpret this to mean that Sarah wants to reach out to this friend, to offer herself wholeheartedly in love.

Card 3. How this friend sees her - XIV/Tempering - The Healer. The image shows a naked person from behind, kneeling before a naked person lying face down on the ground in a wooded area, with hands outstretched over the prone figure in a healing gesture. There is a stump nearby with a large crystal cluster on it. The poem reads, "She makes pain into the power to change."

"B" sees Sarah as the person who brings healing. Perhaps there was a painful past relationship, and the love and support that Sarah can bring healing from those bad memories.

Card 4. How this friend sees a possible relationship with her - VI of Bowls - Cup of Growth. The image shows a peaceful scene with trees, and leafy plants growing down over large rocks in the landscape. The poem reads, "The past is as real to the present, as the bedded rock beneath our feet and forest is a past sea. I can reach out and touch the child who was me."

"B" believes a relationship with Sarah would be grounding, and also integrating. Their relationship would be both playful and secure.

Card 5. Areas of compatibility and positives of the relationship - X/Fate - The Seer. The image shows a woman in hiking clothing, lying on her back at the foot of a large pine tree, with her hands folded behind her head and one leg crossed over the other. A cane and sunglasses lie near her on the ground. She looks peaceful and comfortable. Little pine seedlings are cropping up near her. The poem reads, "Fate is like the face of my lover that I read so easily, and has shown me the wisdom that is in me and above me."

The areas of compatibility and the positives of this relationship are very obvious to the both of them. They recognize what they offer each other, easily.

Card 6. Obstacles or problems you may have to overcome - IV of Knives - Blade of Regeneration. The image shows two pyramids in a desert, with a waxing crescent moon in the sky. The poem reads, "Though sometimes you may fly through these channels, there is a focus of energy in the sacred chamber from which you do come reborn."

I interpret this to mean that the challenge for this relationship will come in going slow. Taking time to be focused and spending time with other people too, and taking care of themselves. They will be tempted to spend too much time together, and that will not be the best thing for them.

Card 7. The most likely future of this relationship - XII of Bowls - The Scorpion. The image shows a waterfall, flowing down over a rocky cliff. The waters part here and there to reveal the rocks underneath. Green plants sprout up near the waterfall at various places from the very top to the very bottom. The final pool where the waters will accumulate does not show on this card. The poem reads, "Luminescent, your life is like a waterfall: to be lived from the bursting water to the deep pool beneath, between the rocky jaws of time."

I interpret this to mean that there will be obstacles to their friendship, but they shouldn't let their relationship end because of them. They should approach any obstacle or disagreement steadily and fearlessly, then move around them and through them with love and caring, and they will find connection and support in the end.

Card 8. What could be done to get this relationship off to a good start - XI of Bowls - The Whale. The image shows an ocean at sunset (or is it sunrise?), with a wave curling on the beach, and a whale's tail breaking the surface far out at sea. The poem reads, "Water into water, The Amazon still runs to the sea. Like the whale, play ocean deep in the days of extinction."

I read this as carpe diem. Seize the day, enjoy what you have, don't worry about where you've been or where you're going so much as enjoying the moment right now.

I really love this deck, and I enjoyed doing this reading very much. I hope you found this reading useful, Sarah; would you please let me know if you did?

This is a card reading using Rachel Pollack's Shining Woman tarot deck. The book was published in 1992, so I assume the deck was published about the same time. I used a custom layout designed for the querent.


Rachel Pollack says about her deck:

Shining Woman Tarot is a radical version of the ancient Tarot, inspired by mythology from many lands, shamanic journeys, esoteric traditions, prophecies, stories, 'found art' (rocks, branches, mountain views and other encounters from sacred places and simple walks along the road) and especially prehistoric and tribal art from around the world.

It's a standard 78-card deck. The Major Arcana consists of 22 named and numbered cards, beginning with 0, The Fool, and ending with 21, Shining Woman (The World in a standard deck). The Minor Arcana has four suits (Trees, Rivers, Birds, and Stones). Each suit contains 14 cards, Ace to 10, plus four "vision" cards that replace the four court cards of a standard tarot deck. Instead of Page, Knight, Queen and King, the cards are Place, Knower, Gift and Speaker. They describe a progress of learning and using the energy of each suit.

This reading is for a friend who wants to remain anonymous. She had a particular question on her mind for this reading:

It seems like my spiritual path is going to need to become a bigger part of my life again, very very soon, in a less solitary way than it's been in the past. I have some ideas about what direction to go with it so as not to become overwhelmed. I would like to get confirmation that that direction is an appropriate one and that I will find the resources I need to make it happen when I look for them.

We talked for a while about her various options, and she identified three paths she could go from here. She could take on a student, join a group, or start a group. So I will pull four cards for each path. The first will address the question "how will this path best serve me." The second will address the question "how will this path best serve the Goddess." The third will address "what is the disadvantage of this path." And the fourth will address "what do I need to consider before starting this path."

Here were the four cards for taking on a student:
Gift of Birds, reversed
Knower of Birds, reversed
Gift of Trees
20 - Awakening

All Vision cards, plus a Major Arcana! The Vision cards differ from suit to suit depending on the quality of the element belonging to that suit. Pollack states the Vision cards teach us more directly about the elements than the numbered cards do. How interesting that two Birds showed up, and two Gifts. The Bird suit corresponds with the Air suit in a traditional deck. Air signifies mind, prophecy, information, thought, and memory.

The first card addressed how this path will best serve you. If the card had been upright, it would be about passion, wildness, liberation, music, abandon, outpouring of ideas. But since the card is reversed, it speaks of conformity, resisting temptation, following a safe path. That says to me that choosing a student carefully, and defining a curriculum that you feel confident to pass onto someone else, will be the most rewarding. Don't try a student that sets off any alarm bells within you. Don't try to teach something you don't know well already, and assume you'll learn as you go along. You want to do something that you will find nourishing for yourself as well, not something that causes you stress.

The second card addressed how this path best serves the Goddess. The card's reverse meaning is about the need to seek knowledge, to investigate the source of ideas. To me, this speaks of not only helping a student to get the knowledge and experience she seeks, but also will teach you as well. You will have to learn how to eloquently communicate about experiences and techniques that often defy description. You will be asked questions you won't know how to answer, and you'll have to do some exploring on your own to find the answers. You will learn from your student too.

The third card addressed the disadvantage of the path. This is a very positive card upright, though. Its themes are confidence and power as gifts at this time in a person's life; eagerness, determination, leadership, belief. Perhaps what it means is that these are the things that will be most challenged by this path, that you will need to reach out to others for help, or that you doubt your abilities to be a good teacher. But since the card is upright, perhaps these are just mental barriers, and you really do have the leadership and confidence to be a good teacher.

The fourth card addressed the resources you need before starting this path. Awakening speaks of transformation, a moment that brings to life a change which has built up over a long period of time. This card also is about joining with others and responsibility. To me, this speaks again of being very careful to choose a student that you like and would be dedicated about working with you. You want someone that would make you look forward to getting together. Take your time to select someone. Don't rush to take the first willing person just to get started.

Here are the four cards for joining a group:
The Moon
2 of Stones, reversed
Temperance, reversed
The Devil

So many Major Arcana cards! The Major Arcana arouse in us a sense of who we are, and what we need to do to grow and to live our lives in a sacred way. But the particular cards pulled disturb me.

The first card addressed how this path will best serve you. This card's themes are mystery, inner journeys, dreams, creative impulse. Strange experiences, sometimes fear, even madness (lunacy). Female power, especially the rhythms of menstruation. To me, this suggests that if you do join a group, the best thing that you'll get out of it is learning how you would (or would not) run a group of your own. Perhaps it will clarify for you the kinds of people you'd want to have (or avoid) as students; perhaps it will be subject matter that you'll decide works (or doesn't work) in a group setting; perhaps it will be something else along those lines. If you do decide to go this route, perhaps sticking to a female-only group with individual goals (meditation, yoga, lucid dreaming) would be best.

The second card addressed how this path best serves the Goddess. Intuition, peacefulness, and withdrawal are the themes of this card. Perhaps if it's a meditation group, or something where you have individual goals, like learning to paint, it will be a good match. But if you're joining a group hoping to work toward a goal as a group, like writing and performing a ritual together, then I'm thinking the group experience wouldn't serve the Goddess in the way you had hoped.

The third card addressed the disadvantage of the path. Recklessness, taking chances, moving from one extreme to another. It doesn't sound like this path will meet your needs. It may not be as focused on the topic as you had hoped.

The fourth card addressed the resources you need before starting this path. Suppressed energy, denial of problems. Obsessions, expecially sexual. Illusions and oppression. Desire, seductiveness. Are there things along these lines that are distracting you now? A new relationship that is taking up too much of your mental and physical energy? Perhaps allowing you to be distracted from something else in your life that needs to be addressed before you take on something new? Look at those concerns and see if there's something you can do to get your life to a more peaceful place before adding something else.

Here are the four cards for starting a group:
10 of Birds
3 of Birds, reversed
9 of Rivers, reversed
4 of Rivers

Air and Water, images and feelings intertwined. No Major Arcana, no Vision cards. My first impression of these cards is not strong. There's no fire, no earth. Maybe this isn't the choice that makes you really excited either, or maybe this isn't the choice that you have the practical training already in place to make work.

The first card addressed how this path will best serve you. Upright, the 10 of Birds speaks of detachment, taking a high view, seeing the whole rather than the individual details. In examining this possibility, perhaps the best thing it can teach you is that you aren't ready yet to handle more than one student. With one, it's just your personality and hers. With more than one, your students nourish and clash with each other, and it's tough to coordinate. Plus they will all work at different speeds. Some will be able to keep up with the reading list, and some will not. What will you do with the faster students to keep them motivated? What will you do to inspire the slower ones to try harder? When the best thing about the path for you is "detachment," I tend to think that it's just not a great match.

The second card addressed how this path best serves the Goddess. Denial. Minimizing an experience. The hand pushes away the pain instead of taking hold of it. Again, whoa. How much clearer can the cards get to tell you this just won't serve the Goddess.

The third card addressed the disadvantage of the path. Focusing on what lies shattered. The need to recognize the possibilities of healing, or a fresh start. This seems to imply that running a group will emphasize your limitations as a teacher and make them even more apparent. A third warning not to pursue this path.

The fourth card addressed the resources you need before starting this path. New beginnings, casting off old limitations, admitting past mistakes. And the fourth warning that this isn't the path for you. Try something else.

Of the three paths, I see the individual student path as the most promising.

Would you please let me know if this reading was helpful?