Immersed in Brigid

Last night, I attended the monthly shamanic journeying circle hosted by Jeannette McCullough.  Because we’re approaching Imbolc, and because Brigid (the One who is most associated with Imbolc) is goddess of both water and fire, the questions we took into the first journey were:

1. How can a best tend the fire that I am?
2. How can I best take care of the waters that I am?

In my journey, I was immersed in a deep, quiet pool of refreshing water.  Brigid answered the questions simply:

Be still in my presence.

The tranquility and at-home-ness I felt was profound and moving.  Praise Brigid!

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Seven Whispers Study Circle begins Tonight

Tonight, eight of us will gather for the first time out of seven to discuss our personal spiritual insights and practices with The Seven Whispers, a book by Christina Baldwin, as our template.  The last time I was in a Seven Whispers study circle it was very early 2007, two years ago.  Time for a fresh one.  I’m interested to see how I’ve integrated these phrases of grounded spiritual wisdom into my life and psyche and what yet I need to learn. 

For those of you who are interested in this short but meaningful text, you can order it from the author at www.peerspirit.com .  There’s also a free downloadable study guide on the site to prompt your exploration. 

Tonight, we’ll be immersed in the phrase, “Maintain peace of mind”.  I”ll keep you posted.

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Which Tarot Decks Do You Most Use?

I have and use many tarot decks.  Depending on my mood, what literature I’ve been reading, the time of year, and other factors, I select different tarot decks for my own use.  When a person comes to me for a professional tarot consultation, I put about six or seven packs on the table for them to choose from.  It’s important for me to convey to the client that the session is about conscious choice.  This begins by something as simple as choosing a deck of cards.

Lately, the decks I’ve been using the most are:

• Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot
• Morgan-Greer Tarot
• Voyager Tarot
• Maat Tarot
• Tarot of the Crone
• Shining Tribe Tarot
• 1JJ Swiss Tarot

How about YOU?  Which tarot decks call to you the most?  It’s always interesting to hear what’s out there.

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Wanless Inspires Us

Last night, a group of us gathered in my home to watch 21st Century Tarot, a DVD featuring James Wanless, creator of the Voyager Tarot and author of several books.  The 55-minute video presentation inspired deep, and sometimes heated, discussion afterwards, which I loved.  Not only did tarot come up, so did old/new paradigm thinking, perception, art, literature, and much more.  We wrapped up by offering a couple of phrases each about what each of us takes with us about using tarot.  I wrote down more than I spoke.  Here’s what I wrote:

• A good reminder that the structure of tarot is a model for living holistically or ecologically.  Each section of the deck is a piece of ourselves.  The whole deck reminds us of our wholeness.
• “A card a day keeps the shrink away.”
• The bottom line use of tarot in the 21st century is INSIGHT.
• Choosing a card(s) at random surprises us into insight, takes us out of our habitual thinking patterns, and keeps us fresh in the present/now.
• A tarot session helps a person to realise that hir situation has a deeper, mythic resonance –> M.Y.T.H. = “make yourself the hero.”

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Hail to the Hierophant!

Today, Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States.  Using the numbers of this date, let’s see which tarot card corresponds to this new presidency.

1 + 20 + 20 + 09 = 50;       5 + 0 = 5

= Fifth Major Aracanum = The Hierophant

The Hierophant (or the Pope in older decks) indicates a presidency rooted in strong ethical, moral, or religious principles.  Its “pontifex” aspect connotes bridge-building.  There’s an emphasis on education and establishing core ethical precepts.  This new regime desires to think, speak, and act from its strongest truth.

The Hierophant’s correspondence to Taurus tells a story of stabilising growth in order to produce abundant resources.  Whatever philosophical bent that this Hierophant presidency comes from, it is grounded in reality.  Taurus also indicates reconstruction of American self-esteem based upon perseverence and listening.

The Hebrew letter associated with this card is Vav, meaning “hook”, “nail”, or “link”.  Yet again, we notice the concepts of connection, building, and unification.  It’s a government of “both/and-ness”.

I offer my best wishes to President Obama, his family, and the country he is called to govern.  May he, and all of my neighbours to the south, carry out the best qualities of the Hierophant in service to the greater whole.

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Reiki on a Sunday Morning…aahh…

This morning, a couple of other people and I got together for a Reiki Share.  This was time for us to talk about aspects of reiki as a spiritual practice that can help us hold things in a more centred way and an opportunity  for us to meditate, receive reiju (“booster” attunements), and offer energy treatments to one another.  Such a peaceful way to share a Sunday morning with good people.

This afternoon, musician friends will be at our place to rehearse for our in-home concert on the 31st.  Then I’ll make pizza and we’ll just hang out.  Should be fun.

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miscellany from the week

Just  a quick post to catch everyone up on what’s happening in Evolutionary Tarot (etc.) World. 

I’ve worked with several really conscious people over the cards this week.  Great questions, enjoyable interactions, and the use of a variety of delicious tarot decks.  I love my work!

On Thursday evening, the monthly tarot gathering did Mary Greer’s 3-card drawing process.  We asked the all-purpose question, “What do I most need to be aware of or learn right now?” then each picked three cards at random from our respective packs.  Using crayons and big sheets of paper, each person drew and coloured components from all three of hir cards to create an entirely new image.  I guided them through a discovery process in partners so that insight could emerge from their drawings.  For the full journey, check out Chapter 16 of Mary Greer’s “21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card”.  Fun and revealing!  I also showed the group the Transparent Tarot and the possibilities it could offer in such a self-exploratory journey. 

Last night, a group of us attended a Robert Burns dinner at the Faculty Club at the University of Toronto.  Splendid setting, lovely meal, fun speeches and recitations, and extraordinary Scottish dancing.

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Back from Daré Retreat

A small group of us who plan, host, and hold sacred space for our spiritual community, Daré, spent the weekend on 10 acres of lovely land near Orangeville, ON to reconnect with one another and to hold council around a vision for the next year or so for the larger group.  Moments of circle-based conversation and diving into deep realms through ritual were balanced with meals, laughter, and the odd glass of wine.  Walks in the snowy fields were counterpointed with songs in front of the fireplace.  Oracular tools such as I Ching and tarot enhanced the insights.  Authentic communication took place between us, and I feel that this energy will spill over life-givingly into the larger Daré.  Thank you, dear fellow hosts/conveners, for an enriching weekend.  Thank you, Life.  Blessed Be.

The day before I left for the retreat, my copy of the Transparent Tarot arrived.  Yum!  More about it later.

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Advance Notice: MARY GREER in Toronto in June ’09

Want to enjoy a tarot-ific Summer Solstice?  Then be in Toronto on June 20 and 21 for a weekend of tarot with Mary K. Greer, author, tarot consultant, teacher, and priestess.  There’ll be an all-day (9:30 to 4:00) workshop on Saturday and a half-day (10:00 to 1:00) workshop on Sunday.  Mary will also be available for private tarot consultations on Sunday and Monday.  Stay tuned for more details so that you can sign up ASAP.  How great is THIS?!

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Waiting for Transparent Tarot

My partner Steven ordered a copy of Emily Carding’s Transparent Tarot for me as a Christmas/Solstice gift.  Still not here, so I wait with trembling breath and twitchy fingers.  The Transparent Tarot feels like a new evolutionary step in the practice of tarot.  I already have some ideas about how I can use this innovative pack of cards:

• After discussing each Birth Card individually, we can stack one atop the other to discover their integrated message.
• By placing one’s Year Card onto the Birth Cards, one can gain insight about how the life lessons, challenges, and gifts might express themselves in the guise of the year’s energies.
• Couples counselling.  Place their Birth Cards  and Year Cards on top of one another (now, now…stop those naughty thoughts, my dears).  Do the same layout for each person so each can receive insights into their piece of the relationship, then superimpose one spread on the other for the story of the relationship itself.  Note:  This could be done not only for intimate romantic partners, but also for sex buddies, co-workers, parent-child relationships, client-practitioner relationships, friends, and more.
• Stack all cards from a tarot layout on top of one another.  Use the resulting image to summarise the session.
• Find your favourite card in the deck.  Describe its positive/evolved qualities.  What do these say about you?  Find your least favourite card in the deck.  Describe its challenging/unevolved qualities.  What do these say about you?  Now place one atop the other.  Describe as many of its qualities as possible.  What do these tell you about the integration of your more and less evolved qualities?

I’m sure that more applications will arise for me when the actual tarot pack arrives in the post.  Stay tuned!

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