Azathoth Queen

©Nemo's Locker

Another Court card bestows her regal presence on us today, from the Book of Azathoth Tarot (Nemo's Locker, 2012). 

The Queen of Cups sits on an intersting rock formation by the side of the sea.  She holds a cup in her hands, and has a wave-crested crown on her head.  Her flippers dangle over the edge of the shore, and her tail reaches up behind her.  In the distance, a stark cliff rises above the waves, while some suspicious-looking tentacles reach up as though to tickle her flippers.

What those tentacles suggest to me is that, if we have good emotional balance, then we will be able to cope with the occasional encroachment from our unconscious. 

How can you best maintain your emotional balance?  What emotions lurk inside you, unacknowledged?

Azathoth Prince

©Nemo's Locker

Today it's the turn of a Court card from the Book of Azathoth Tarot (Nemo's Locker, 2012)! 

Here we have the rather devillishly charming Prince (Knight) of Wands.  He rides a dragon charger, and seems very confident with his mount, able to carry a long wand in one hand while reining in his stead with the other.  Behind him are pyramids in the distance, an expanse of wavy sand between him and them.  Dragons fly in the border around him, too.

The song that pops into my head with this one is another oldie: That Ole Devil Called Love!  The Prince of Wands may be less of a charmer than the Prince of Cups, but what he lacks in sweet talk, he makes up for in passion and enthusiasm ;)

What current project or relationship can you bring energy and dynamism to?  Who in your life might represent this aspect today?

Azathoth Maiden

©Nemo's Locker

On this Tuesday morning we have a superficially rather calm and pretty card from the Book of Azathoth Tarot (Nemo's Locker, 2012).

An elfin maiden lies, scantily clad, on a stone plinth.  Her hands are held as though in prayer above her chest, her eyes softly closed.  A single sword lies horizontally beneath her, with three more hanging over her forehead, chest and abdomen, points down.  The only creepy aspect is that, if we look closely, instead of a stainglass window in the wall, there is someone bound to a cross, being agressed by daggers from every direction, just outside.

The song that pops into my head is an old one, from Susanne Vega: The Queen and the Soldier.  The young maiden looks so sweet and innocent, yet she rests calmly while outside her room someone is tortured. 

And yet, if she's not the evil Queen who ordered the outside figure strung up, perhaps retreat is the better part of valour.  If there is nothing we can do, isn't it better to rest and save our energy for when it can be useful?

What can you do today to prepare for future challenges?  How might you rest and recuperate?

Azathoth Works

©Nemo's Locker

A Pentacles card, the Three to be exact, comes out to play today from the Book of Azathoth Tarot (Nemo's Locker, 2012).

As I mentioned before, the "people" on the Pentacles cards seem almost human, and yet they all have bald heads (at least the men).  Here, the twist on the RWS symbolism, other than the strange and fanciful border around the card, is found in the pentacles the craftsman works on.  Two look like the faces of some kind of amphibious creature or alien, with a tentacley mouth.  The third is an opened up pentacle symbol, which is also on the backs of all the cards.

These three pentacles act as gears and cogs, with smaller mechanical parts all around them.  What will this machine in an arch drive?  Is it some sort of mechanical temple that grinds up its victims?  Or will the mechanism run some fabulous device that makes the world better for all?  The latter would certainly fit better with traditional meanings of this card around team work and pulling together, creating something greater than the sum of its parts...

What are you working on today?  What help could you do with?  Or could you lend someone else a hand?

Azathoth Boredom

©Nemo's Locker

For this second day with the Book of Azathoth Tarot (Nemo's Locker, 2012) we have another Cups card.  It makes me realise that there is a unified border for each suit, while the Majors all have individualised borders - another level of detail!  It's also strange, because while the images for the Minors are entirely RWS, the keywords are from the Thoth Tarot...

A swamp creature sits leaning up against a tree, into which he seems to almost blend with his ridgey skin.  The tress appears to have a face looking left from it, and is overhung by somewhat slimey seeming branches.  Meanwhile, our swamp creature sits with arms and legs crossed.  There are three cups standing in front of him, while another is offered by a hand from a cloud, a la RWS.  With his bulgy frog eyes, it's hard to tell if he's looking at the standing cups, or the one being offered up to him - I'd guess the former.

The traditional suggestion of being bored and stuck, not seeing the opportunities for emotional fulfillment being offered us by the universe, is definitely here.  Our swamp beast makes me wonder, though, whether part of the problem is that he feels undeserving of anything good and beautiful.  His arms and legs are crossed, suggesting he himself closes his heart to new possibilities.

What opportunities might you be missing?  How can open your heart a little today?

Azathoth Ace

©Nemo's Locker

This week, I have chosen the Book of Azathoth Tarot (Nemo's Locker, 2012).  This self-published tarot is very striking, with its richly detailed, gold-on-black images.  It follows traditional RWS symbolism closely, yet with little gruesome and bizarre twists.  For example, the beings on the Cups cards are amphibious swamp creatures, the Wands cards show devils with curly horns, tails and hooves, Pentacles are represented by almost-human-looking beings, but with bald heads and heavily ridged spines, while Swords show elfin creatures with pointy ears.

For this first day, I drew the Ace of Cups.  A rather skeletal hand holds out a cup on which strange images writhe, while an equally skeletal bird drops a host into it.  Below the cup is the traditional, lily-strewn water, yet darker because of the black background.  Five streams flow from the cup, arching up unnaturally, while a total of 22 drops fall to either side. 

The card border, too, is strangely eery.  A many-toothed, serpentine monster on the left looks like it's trying to reach out of the card to eat us.  Meanwhile, smaller serpentine creatures swim in either direction along the top edge.  Some of the look as though they're swimming straight into the mouth of another big, hungry beast.  There is also a starfish, point down, in the left column, and a strange creature with four worm-like limbs on the right.  The word macabre springs to mind!

And yet, perhaps the message here is that there is love and a spiritual connection possible even in the midst of horror, fear and bare survival.  Even the ugly, disabled or monstrous (and there are days I would count myself among them) feel and seek joy.  And just because things look dark, we should not give up on the possibility of love, of relationship, whether to ourselves, others or the divine.

How can you seek joy today?  What darkness might you overcome by making a connection with someone? How do you touch spirit?

Lennie Week 3 - Cherry Twilight

This lovely deck is the companion to the Lilac Twilight, and is also available by emailing Anna Simonova. 

It's an interesting idea: you can use the decks together, either as a double deck, or for the mobile houses technique, or to draw clarifiers for a particular card or combo.  And they are complementary.  For example, the Lilac has Songbirds, the Cherry has Owls, the Lilac has a female Rider, the Cherry a male one, the Lilac an open book, while in the Cherry the book is closed.

Cherry Twilight

As for today's draw, we have the Tower, the Owls and the Clover.
A nervous corporation will have little luck.
The official spokesperson seizes an opportunity.
Corporate negotiations go well.
Talking with officialdom brings some happiness.

Looks like a good combo for anyone dealing with officialdom or involved in business, though perhaps not a great day.

Who do you need to speak with today?  How can you capitalise on those talks?

Lennie Week 3 - Lilac Twilight

This is another deck from the Russian publishing house that also did the Old Castle, and the Cherry Twilight, which I'll show tomorrow.  To order, the best idea is to write an email to Anna Simonova, who, I'm told, will answer in English.

This is the second edition of this deck, I believe, and has more prominent borders than the first.  The images may also be different (some people have said).  The backs of this and the Cherry are the same, though, so you can use them together if you want to.  I'll try to do a video review of them, as it's a very cute idea!

Lilac Twilight Lenormand

Today's draw brings us the House, the Birds and the Mountain.

Gossip at home is an obstacle.
Family talk is a burden.
Nervousness about stability is itself a challenge.
Moving from home to an outdoor environment happens through talking about what you want: I'm thinking holidays, here :)

What is your relationship to talk?  Do you see it as just gossip, or as something healing and connecting?  What do you need to talk about at home, and what stops you?

Lennie Week 3 - Isabel's Dream

For today, I thought we'd return to something more colourful and traditional, with playing card inserts in the German fashion (B is for Bube, equivalent to Jack; D is for Dame, Queen (actually Lady); K is König, King).  These cards are from Isabel's Traum (Büttner Verlag, 2006), a lovely deck by a German artist, Isabel Krsnic, originally born in Peru.  The deck is available through amazon.com, though within Europe it's also available direct from the publishers (see link).  Although the artwork is done on computer, it has a rather "painted" feel to it, and a lot of movement and texture.

Isabel's Traum ©Isabel Krsnic

So, to today's draw: we have Child, Letter and Bear.

Superficial naivety hides inner strength.
A letter about a child brings out protectiveness.
Feeling flat about a new project, it needs an injection of fierce energy.

The last of these feels meaningful.  Perhaps not so much that a new project leaves us flat, but certainly as we head towards February, many people seem to be feeling a bit listless.  So, maybe it's the new year that is leaving us flat...

Do you just feel like hibernating?  What could you do to tap into your strength and ferocity?

Lennie Week 3 - Old Castle

This lovely, gothic-themed Lenormand deck comes from the same company in Russia that also created the Lilac Twilight and Cherry Twilight decks (keep your eyes out for those later this week!)  However, the website is only in Russian, and google translate doesn't seem to work for the subpages where you order and so forth, so the only way I know to get them is via a group order with someone who speaks Russian (hence no link).

Being a fan of all things gothic, I was delighted when this deck arrived.  It has some nice, gruesome touches, like the skulls under the Fox, and the shadowy wolves in the clouds above the paths in the Fork card :)

Mysteries of the Old Castle Lenormand

So, today's draw is Lillies, Fox and Fork.  On a dark riff:

Skillful sexuality brings choices.
An elder makes instinctual choices.
In following your instincts, do you choose harmony, or to walk your own path?
Using cunning and the wisdom of your elders to make better decisions.

The last two, in particular, seem like they might be useful.  Should we be following our instincts, or considering what decision is "best".  And how is that "best" defined?

What choices do you face today?  What will serve you best: your instincts, a preference for keeping the peace, or some abstract notion of doing "the right thing"?

Lennie Week 3 - Revolution Again

Okay, so I used this deck last Lennie Week, but as Carrie Paris and Roz Foster were kind enough to say I could use more than just 10% of the deck, I decided to give this fabulous deck another outing!   You may see some of the other self-published decks back again in later Lennie Weeks ;)

Lenormand Revolution ©Carrie Paris and Roz Foster

Today's draw is less cheerful than yesterday's, but we can't always have love and happiness, right?  Here we have the Mice, the Stars and the Fish.

Technological losses bring freedom. (No Facebook would be a kind of freedom, n'est ce pas?)
A cold thief turns to alcohol.
Monetary losses spread like wildfire.
Tainted guidance regarding money.
Clear loss of independence.
Loss of faith in commerce.

Certainly, reading the papers is likely to encourage a loss of belief in the banking industry in particular, and large corporations in general.  And there are plenty of people out there giving very poor investment advice.  Still, that all seems rather distant.  Perhaps more to the point, is the question of how the plans we make might be undermined, and how money can help, or be the cause of that.

What plans do you have for the day, and what might interfere with them?  Would throwing money at the problem help?

Lennie Week 3 - Eclectique

On this snowy Sunday, I drew three cards from the Petit Lenormand Eclectique (Self-published, 2012).  This deck was created by various members of the Facebook Lenormand Cards Study Group.  As collaborative decks go, it is one of the best I've seen, working quite cohesively.  I believe Edmund Zebrowski may still have a few for sale if anyone is interested.  Myself, I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy by one of the artists: the multi-talented Alison Cross :)

©Various Artists

As for today's draw, we have Ring, Sun and Heart - what a lovely combination!  Riffing on these I came up with:

An energetic commitment brings love.
A happy engagement born of love.
Enthusiastic promise made in the throes of passion.
Bright promise of tender emotion.

Seems like a good day for love!  However, it does suggest it's not just gentle emotions that are called for, but also a dynamic commitment to put them into practice.  And, as my first sentence suggests, this reading doesn't only have a romantic interpretation.  It could be taken that today is a good day to commit our energy to something we're passionate about - maybe suggesting the action necessary to get a creative project moving.

What directed approach might benefit a loving relationship in your life?  What promise could you put into action on a project you love?

Lennie Week 3 - Crochet Lenormand

Crochet Lenormand

Today being the day I run my first Lenormand Workshop, I decided it was a perfect time to start another Lennie Week :)  For this first day, I decided to go with the über-cute Crochet Lenormand by Pepi Valderrama (The Game Crafter, 2012).

This is a somewhat non-traditional deck, in which various cards have been renamed.  Mostly, the changes are theme-appropriate, affected by what Pepi could crochet.  I am incredibly impressed that she actually designed and crocheted all the items that are portrayed on the cards.  And some of the changes are genius: the Cross is represented by a pair of open scissors crossed over a ball of yarn!  Another interesting one is the Scythe, renamed the Crochet Hook ;)

Anyhow, on to today's reading.  I drew the Star, the Cloud, and the Lollipops (the Anchor).  Okay, I don't really get how lollipops relate to anchors, perhaps Pepi will enlighten us.  However, in good Lenormand fashion, I shall simply treat the card as though it showed an anchor :)

©Pepi Valderrama

Uncertain technology brings work.
Stay hopeful despite bad weather, work will go forward.
A rash of bad weather creates work.
Lack of clear guidance at work.

On an incredibly snowy weekend in the UK, when many schools closed early or just plain didn't open yesterday, and traffic accidents and delays are to be expected nationwide, having the "bad weather" card should come as no surprise!

What work may you need to do because of the weather?  How can you clarify an uncertain situation?

Darkana Disability

©Dan Donche

For our last day with the Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012), we have a sadly evocative version of the Five of Pentacles.

A wheelchair sits in the bottom right hand corner, with three pentacles as the visible wheels.  In the top left corner, two more pentacles hang in the sky, overlapping each other.  The wheelchair suggests sickness or disability, though not necessarily the poverty or dearth of resources often associated with this card.  And those two floating pentacles suggest the hope and resources seen in the traditional stained glass window of a church, without the Christian associations.

In what way/s do you feel limited right now?  What hope might you find if you opened yourself to the kindness of others?

Darkana Quarrel

©Dan Donche

For today’s draw from the Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012), we have the Five of Wands.

In yet another change of ambience, here we see four gunslingers, a woman and three men. The woman in the back right corner aims at the man in the back left corner, while the man in the front right aims at the foremost guy, front left, who nonchalantly holds two guns.  The splatter marks on this image work well, reminding me of the “kapow”s, “splat”s and “boom”s of the old batman TV shows ;)  Or perhaps they represent the blood trail left from previous gun fights...

I rather like the cowboy feel to this card, and it certainly gets across the message of quarrels and competition.  There isn’t really a feel of working together which can sometimes be seen in the Five of Wands, though I guess they could represent outlaws and  lawmen, maybe depending on who’s wearing a hat :D  Overall, though, I get more of a sense of fighting your corner against all comers.

What might you need to fight for today?  How else might you solve a quarrel?

Darkana Magician

©Dan Donche

Today we have the Magician from the Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012).

At first glance, he seems more like a stage magician, a sleight-of-hand artist, than a master of manifestation.  And yet, holding cards in his hand to represent the four elements, he reminds us that we can use many different resources, and especially tarot cards, in manifesting our intent.  Though he has glitzy stars around him, and a top hat and tails, he also has glasses to sharpen his vision, and simple tools to work his will, nothing complicated or obvious.

This card reminds me of Derren Brown, who uses simple, psychological ideas to create huge effects.  So, too, we can affect ourselves and our environment with just the words we say to ourselves, for example.

What self-talk will you choose today?  What would you like to manifest in your life?  How could you make a start today?

Darkana Perseverance

©Dan Donche

Today's card from the Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012), while far from traditional, appeals to me none the less.

As soon as I saw it, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" popped into my head.  I can't believe this song has been redone and made Christmas No. 1, all without me even noticing!  Oh, well, I did try to avoid Christmas TV...

Anyhow, it's the bit about perseverance, about walking that road no matter how long, that sprang to mind.  Traditionally, the Seven of Pentacles has a more horticultural twist to it, the idea being we have to keep going if we're ever to reap the harvest we've sown.  Here, though, there is more of the sense given in the song, that we have to keep going even if we don't know where our current path is leading us.  There's a sense of duty, but also a hope for better times ahead, if we follow the pentacle-strewn path.

What do you need to persevere with today?  What do you hope to accomplish?

Darkana Empress

©Dan Donche

Not sure how I feel about today's card from the Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012).

The Empress herself isn't bad, with her pregnant belly and splatter-hair.  Though, how come there's what looks like a gas cloud or liquid extruding from her navel?  And more floating up from her backside?  Even freakier is the baby in a gas mask!

I guess, if I try to see the positive side to this, there could be something about doing our best to protect the things we create - totally going against the airline adage about putting on your own oxygen mask first ;)  And certainly she seems very creative - one babe in arms, another on the way.  It's interesting, because the keywords given definitely fit traditional ideas: nurturing, natural.  I also see the Empress as abundant and creative.

How might you express your creativity today?  What in your life needs nurturing?

Darkana Chainsaw

©Dan Donche

Okay, maybe the title's a little misleading, but I do love today's card from the Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012)!

Having the Ace of Swords represented by a chainsaw is certainly dramatic!  What an incredible tool for cutting through BS and trimming our problems down to size ;) Of course, we may also cut too deeply, remove too much in our zeal.  And that's always a risk when we think we hold the sword (or chainsaw) of truth, or when we have an idea we think is the be-all-and-end-all.  Likewise, in terms of communication, we would often be better served by a surgeon's scalpel than by a chainsaw! 

Still, oh the enthusiasm, the excitement, of having this powerful tool, this fascinating idea, this intriguing knowledge, this witticism that just has to be shared...

How can you encourage out-of-the-box thinking today?  What really needs to be said?  And how could you best say it?

Darkana Drama

©Dan Donche

Having received my Darkana Tarot (Dan Donche, 2012) just after Christmas, I decided to give this interesting deck a whirl this week.

As someone who loves crime dramas like CSI, this card appeals to me straight away.  Not only does it have the suggestion of something being quite clearly dead and gone, but it also taps into that "drama much?" aspect the Ten of Swords can have :D

The ten swords seem quite anachronistic, pinning down a chalk figure behind crime scene tape.  How could someone get stabbed by ten different swords, and why would the killer/s leave the evidence there?  For that matter, the crime scene techs wouldn't risk damaging or losing the evidence by taking the swords out of the body and plunging them in the ground where the body had been!  It shows the ridiculousness that can result when we over think things, rather than just coming to terms with the idea that things change and even end.

What might you have to accept the loss of today?  How can you let go of your thoughts around that loss?

Norse Passion

©Clive Barrett

What a lovely card to draw at the end of this week with the Norse Tarot (Clive Barrett, 2012).

I always love to see the Ace of Wands, sign of new inspiration, creativity and passion.  However, I'll admit I barely recognised this card at first glance.  From the colouring, I would have guessed the Ace of Swords!  Still, I do like the stag at the top of this wand, reminiscent of the Ace of Wands in the DruidCraft Tarot :)

Perhaps what the colouring shows us is that, even when sparked into enthusiasm, we can keep our cool and put our energy to work with clear focus.  Or maybe that blue is a reminder that Wands energy is like the sun on a clear, blue summer's day: it can warm us through, but it can also burn us if we don't take care.

Where will you direct your energy today?  How can you be both passionate and clear?

Norse Disks

©Clive Barrett

What a very unusual take on the Seven of Disks (Pentacles) from the Norse Tarot (Clive Barrett, 2012)!

A man sits crouched at the top of a grassy hill.  He wears a brown shirt and shoes, and blue trousers.   Below him, seven rather battered disks or shields lie in tall grasses.  However, I can't imagine that even planting them in the soil will help them repair or grow.  Perhaps, though, they will break down and fertilise the soil, preparing the ground for future crops.  A very long perspective, then!

Somehow, the sense I get of this is of a warrior who is giving up fighting, wanting to settle down and farm, connect with the earth, and enjoy a family life.  Which has nothing to do with the traditional man, his hoe and plant, yet somehow it fits this image.  Or else he could be thinking back to his "glory days".  Yep, this card definitely has different perspectives to the norm!

What seeds are you sowing, and what and when do you hope to harvest the fruits?  What time do you look back on as being your "glory days" or are those still to come?

Norse Blade

©Clive Barrett

Strangely enough, today's Queen of Swords from the Norse Tarot (Clive Barrett, 2012) seems far gentler than her Wands counterpart!

With long blonde hair held back by a circlet and in a loose ponytail, she stands in a field of waving corn.  The wide, clouded sky echoes her blue dress with white insets, and her necklace has yellow and blue flower motifs.  She holds the hilt of a sword in her right hand, the blade in her left, with the sword crossing her thighs.  It's hardly an aggressive position, more pensive, I would say.

I also like her expression, clear and direct, yet somehow gentle.  It seems to say, "Come, talk with me.  Let's share ideas and clarify things."

What do you need to clarify today?  And who might you support with a listening ear and some good advice?

Norse Destruction

©Clive Barrett

I have to say, this Queen of Wands from the Norse Tarot (Clive Barrett, 2012) is rather dark!

A red-headed woman stands in the foreground of a desolate scene.  All around her, the earth is blackened, the trees are burnt and flames still flicker in small patches, as though hungrily waiting for more fuel.  In the midst of one flaming patch, the Queen of Wands stands, wearing a dusky pink dress and a necklace set with red stones.  In her right hand she holds a spear-pointed wand taller than herself, and her left hand crosses her body to join the right on the staff of the wand.  It is a hard, closed position.

I normally associate this card with someone who has great strength of will, which I see here.  But also with warmth, sensuality and generosity, a nature that encourages enthusiasm and nurtures creativity.  Not something I see in this bleak and lifeless landscape.  Perhaps, though, this is a case of tough love, or of seeds which need fire and fresh earth in order to germinate... In which case, part of her strength would reside in having the ability to wait out the storm, strong in her resolve and her faith that something new and creative will blossom after this wildfire has burnt itself out.

What can you do today to nurture creativity?  Where might you need to show strength of resolve?

Norse Defences

©Clive Barrett

For today's draw from the Norse Tarot (Clive Barrett, 2012) we have the Nine of Wands.

On this version of the card, not one, but nine, figures stand holding wands in a rolling field.  From older men with white beards to the fierce, red-haired warrior in the card's foreground, all stand ready to defend their land, their families and their ideals.

I like the fact that these disparate characters all stand ready to act together.  It reminds me to ask, when feeling defensive or overwhelmed, who I can rely on for help and support.  In some cases it may be different aspects of myself I need to marshal, but oftentimes there are kind friends and family willing to step in when needed.

What kind of support might you need today?  What challenges do you have to push through?

Norse Burdens

©Clive Barrett

Oh, what an interesting version of the Ten of Wands from Clive Barrett's self-published Norse Tarot (2012).

A man stands at the bottom of a staircase.  He wears tan trousers, brown shoes, a blue tunic with white trim, and a red cape.  As for those ten wands, he holds them in two tidy bundles of five, one in one arm, the other over the other shoulder.  What a very organised way to deal with those responsibilities and projects!  Still, he is at the bottom of the staircase, and may still have a long way to go.  Even well-stacked wands will grow heavy with time...

What I see here is someone shouldering his responsibilities wisely and with forethought, being organised about what he takes on and how he manages it.  Even so, too much will still be too much.

This card, then, reminds us to be organised in how we deal with the projects and plans in our lives.  It also cautions that, no matter how well we plan things, we may still end up feeling overburdened if we take on too much at one time.

What projects do you currently have on your plate?  How could you best prioristise and organise them?  What would it be like to set a few of them down?

Norse Judgement

©Clive Barrett

This week, I will be drawing my daily cards from the self-published Norse Tarot (Clive Barrett, 2012).

Once again, Judgement shows its face. This is a very different image from last week's though.  Two sets of people approach one another across a grassy plane, one armed with a stone-headed axe, but which swings loosely at his side.  In The distance we see the silhouetted forms of two more people, one with a bow raised high.  In the sky above them are somewhat shadowy spirit figures, a white-bearded man with a hat and a staff in the forefront.

This deck doesnt come with a LWB, but what this card makes me think of are Norse tales of the Gods and Goddesses coming to claim dead warriors from the battlefield and transport them to different potential afterlives.  However, these people all seem alive and well.  Perhaps, then, these are the Gods, reminding us that to take a step in a new direction, to transform our way of being, we can call on their support.

What support might you need today to take things up a level?  How can you open yourself to spirit in your quest for transformation?

Dreaming Way Knight

©Choi & Shina

For this last day with the Dreaming Way Tarot (U.S. Games, 2012), I drew the Knight of Wands.

As with so many cards in this deck, there are some interesting twists here.  I love his red-and-white checked tunic, and larger checked saddle, as well as the warm orange of his horse, all symbolising the element of fire!  Okay, so that colour probably isn't called orange on a horse, but I don't know much about horses :) 

On the other hand, I was surprised to see him looking backwards, as to my mind this guy is all about forward momentum.  He may not have great follow-through, but while he's got the bit between his teeth, there's no stopping him!

Perhaps his positioning suggests he's easily distracted.  His eye caught by the next "shiny thing", even as he gallops on by.  Yeah, I can se that ;)

Where could you do with applying some enthusiasm and forward momentum?  What can you do to keep yourself on track?

Dreaming Way Judgment

©Choi & Shina

For this second-to-last day with the Dreaming Way Tarot (U.S. Games, 2012), we find another Major: Judgment.

It's interesting to have two angels trumpeting, with their backs partially turned to us.  Quite different from the traditional image of a single angel over  people rising from their watery graves!  It makes me think of the fact that we may hear more than one call, feel drawn in more than one direction in our lives.

Still, I like their green, leafy wings, suggesting these may be Earth Angels who bring us messages of growth and renewal.  I also like the sky, which looks like a gentle, summer's day to me.   Something there about moving in a direction that is warm and kind on ourselves...

Do you hear a call to something new?  What steps can you take towards that new potential?

Dreaming Way Sorrow

©Choi & Shina

Gah, what is the Dreaming Way Tarot (U.S. Games, 2012) trying to do to me?!  The Three of Swords is not one of my favourite cards!

A woman stands in a cold and snowy landscape, next to a tree with a few remaining leaves on a bush at its base.  She is dressed in old fashioned clothing, bindings around her head under a white bonnet.  Three swords protrude from her chest, where her gown is open to allow them access.  Her eyes are closed, and she seems quite calm, almost accepting...

This actually represents quite well one of the interpretations I often call upon for the Three of Swords.  I think it was Rachel Pollack who first suggested that with this card, we have to be willing to hold onto the pain, to sit with it, in order to work through it.  Railing against fate, crying and screaming, will gain us little in the long run.

What is causing you pain today?  What would help you to accept the hurt and move through it?

Dreaming Way Family

©Choi & Shina

Such a lovely card to start the New Year!  This Ten of Cups from the Dreaming Way Tarot (U.S. Games, 2012), is sweet and stereotyped, but also a little quirky.

A family stand together.  Mum has a little baby in her arms, and dad has their older child sat on his head.  They all appear to be in their pyjamas, dad in a blue striped nightshirt, and mum in a fancy white frilly nightgown.  Though I can't say mum's white pleated thing looks very comfy - okay, I'm more of a lounging-around-in-soft-pj's gal ;)  Above their heads float ten cups, in variations on black-and-white with polka dots, each one different.

This is definitely what I wish for myself for the New Year - a happy, relaxed family life, full of interesting and varied emotions.

What do you wish for this New Year?  And what will you do to try to make it happen?