Someday I'm Gonna Learn

Probably 99.999 percent of the time, I have no problem with delivering the message that the cards reveal. I can be quite tactful while being truthful. Sometimes, issues arise that any Southern girl worth her iced tea doesn’t want to…ahem…mention. Like jail time. Jail time in the rural South is as common as dirt—jail time or time spent in juvie—but these things aren’t brought up in polite company. So when the 8 of Swords comes up with supporting cards, that’s the first place my mind goes.

My heart dropped as that message came through loud and clear with the sweet young person sitting across from me. She was quite uncommunicative. Understandable, as it was her first reading. I don’t know why I didn’t ask about incarceration. She was young and sweet and looked frail. The reading flopped. She walked away without paying and that was fine with me. I felt like I failed her. We never managed to connect with her message. Later, her friend came through and paid for her reading. To assuage my guilt for taking his money, I gave him a free reading. He was very open to the cards and it came out that his friend had indeed been incarcerated. I’m still kicking myself.

Many times the cards will challenge the reader as much as the client. I know in this day and age that it is ridiculous to squirm about bringing up challenging topics. But this time my inner belle just clutched her pearls and felt a vapor coming on at the thought of being indelicate—especially to this young person. The mama in me got all protective. I have to think, though, that bringing up that topic with her would have shocked her out of her complacency about the reading.It would have brought her to the table. She would have listened intently to everything else the cards had to say.

My lesson: I cannot under any circumstances censor the cards. It’s not a pick and choose situation. How easy would it have been to ask, “Have you or anyone you know been incarcerated in the recent past?” Done. Easy. I let my own sense of social restrictions hold me back. The cards were telling me she had been in jail. My reaction to that information skewed her reading and prevented a powerful message from being delivered.

Sometimes the readings we give others are our readings too. For me, the message was to never, ever hold back information. This rarely happens, but when it does, it haunts me—and you are apt to get a blog entry. And this young lady can have a free reading if I ever run into her again.

Hard Truths are Hard

The moral of today's post is brought to you by the Moon. Tarot brings hidden things to light. Secrets are revealed. All is not as it seems. But if we are brave enough to face our fears, we can discover what is real and what is illusion.

Life has been a bit off kilter for me of late, and it was with some surprise that I realized I had not really actively booked any parties for the Halloween season. Sometimes our cocoons feel so snug that we are loathe to leave them. Thank the gods that one of my friends offered my services to a wonderful local business last night. It was hard to blast myself out of the house, but I dutifully donned my fortune- telling garb, hopped a broom, and was off. (Trundling out in my long dress, striped tights, shawls, and head wrap, I realized that I want to dress like that every day. Is that odd?)

My destination was an eclectic little coffee shop/hookah lounge owned by an amazing and creative young couple. I was tucked away in a perfect corner, away from the main buzz of the shop, and the readings commenced. They were wonderful and inspiring and (I’m told) spot on. As usual, I felt edified by the process and humbled to be part of each client’s journey.

Earlier, on my way to the shop, I said my usual prayer that I might be used as a vehicle to bring truth and enlightenment into each querent’s life. Sometimes it’s hard to deliver bald truths. If you know me, you know that I go to great pains to ease into bad news and put a lot of energy into not upsetting or offending. You can imagine my chagrin when the cards were blunt and unrelenting with one young person about their love life. Several times in the reading, I half apologized, saying that I would never be so bold. That’s right, I wouldn’t. However, when we don the mantle of seer and if we take the calling seriously, the cards will reveal many things that we would never discuss with strangers in polite company. While I recoiled at the bluntness of the message, I continued the reading, trusting the oracle. The client was rightfully upset, as they wanted this thing badly, but said later that they were getting the same message from friends. My magical friends often joke about the “Cosmic Clue by Four,” but this one didn’t feel funny. It was a painful truth, almost too real for the telling. My delivery would have been more tender, less abrupt. Apparently--and wisely--the cards SHOUTED IN ALL CAPS. Message delivered.

The beauty in messages like this is that after the truth is met, toe to toe, each individual can begin the task of rebuilding the relationship or situation. The cards reveal the future if things continue unchecked the way they are. If we make moves to rectify a bad situation, the outcome changes. Tarot offers a marvelous opportunity for self-correction and preventing derailments if we do the work required.

When something like this happens, I look my client in the eyes, and I tell them that they are perfectly whole and wonderful human beings who deserve good things. I try to pour all the love and understanding that I can into the hole in their hearts. I usually pull more cards for guidance and their best course of action. Then I have to send them off to deal with this new truth. I will probably never see this person again. This is the way of it. They may internalize the message and make changes or they may discount me as a fraud and ignore the words. I pray that they will open their hearts and minds to truth and align more closely with their soul’s purpose. To them and others like them, I send love and peace and passionate understanding. May they find healing and wholeness.

A Card for Your Day--> 6 of Cups

It's nice to see that you are back to love and emotion after that little scuffle with the 5 of Wands, readers. I had my share of skirmishes, too. I bickered with my grandson most of the evening. Would that I had remembered our card for the day!

Your card for this day is the 6 of Cups. I've used the Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo.

In this card is a lady ghost reading a book in a crypt. Maybe it's a photo album, maybe it's a journal, but she is remembering past times. Today's theme is nostalgia. Heartfelt memories and joyful reminders of the past may sneak up on you today. It's already happened to me. I woke up this morning to pictures from my past on Facebook. A friend decided to share some scenes from a shared experience in 1980. While the photos plucked my heartstrings, I was also reminded of the bittersweet memories of that time. It would be easy to dwell on that today. Remember, though, that the past is past. Don't let these sweet memories keep you from the work of today. Sometimes this card can be read as a karma card. Do some stressful situations seem to be happening over and over in your life? Do you find yourself involved with the same types of people? Examine these opportunities carefully because valuable soul lessons may be learned if you navigate them successfully this time.

We Interrupt This Program for a Message from Our Ancestors

A client asked me to do a reading about an ancestor of hers who she believes has been sending her messages all her life. It is a fascinating story involving dreams and synchronicities since childhood. The signs have really picked up lately, and she believes she is beginning to tie all them all together.

Ever had one of those dreams that sticks with you for life because you know it means something? This client has had several of those as well as some uncanny messages through divinatory sources since she was eleven years old. A recent dream pretty much tied them all together. A trip to her local genealogical library, a synchronous random passage in a book, and an Internet search verified her assumptions—that a family spiritual tradition died out in her family a generation ago. Her ancestor is urging her to research and regain her heritage. Can she trust this message?

This is just the kind of story we love, so we did a 10-card Celtic Cross spread to examine all the angles. I used the Radiant Rider-Waite deck. The Ace of Swords in the center is the truth card. She has wanted to get to the truth of these dreams and signs all her life. To know without a shadow of a doubt what these things mean. Crossing her is the Ace of Wands. This card speaks to the birth of a powerful inspiration. She, however, admits that she has resisted falling into impulse on this matter. She wants solid answers that what she believes is true, so this energy has indeed “crossed” her.

At the root is the Page of Swords. He is a clever thinker. He can put all the puzzle pieces together. He is all Air, all mind. He has keen insight as well. This represents my client. She has collected the pieces of the puzzle and can put them all together into a cohesive, convincing picture. She however lacks certain knowledge, so she doubts.

In the recent past is the Magician. These are the magical influences that have come into the client’s life. This issue is about a spiritual inheritance, so this card takes on a much deeper meaning here. She has been contacted through dreams, divination, random synchronicities, auspiciously timed gathering of facts, and more.

The 4 of Wands at the top gives us the general flavor of the reading. This celebratory card is often about rites of passage. These messages have been coming for a long time, but the client has just moved into a place where she can connect the dots. The next step is to accept where this is taking her—hence, the rite of passage.

The Page of Pentacles is in the near future. This card is the student/apprentice. Knowledge of the family tradition died with the ancestor. The client has resisted accepting her clues at face value because it is so easy to get lost in Fluffy Bunny Land in matters like these. Without concrete knowledge she doesn’t venture forward. But how can she get that knowledge? It has died with her ancestor. She must approach this with a more childlike, less severe attitude. If she wants the blessing, she will have to rely somewhat on faith. This looks like a good solid “yes” answer from the universe. In some books, I have seen this page connected to the solitary journey of the vision quest. I think that might apply here.

The client is represented by the High Priestess card. The HP trusts her dreams and intuition. She prompts us to look deep inside ourselves for our own answers. That’s a good message here.

The outward influence that is affecting the client is the taboo of veering away from standard spiritual practices, or a belief in surface matters rather than inner truth. She looks at things of this sort like a fanciful flight of whimsy that could steer her into some bad dodo. Her eyes got kind of big when I pulled that Devil card, though, so I pulled another for clarification (after I took the picture, and you know the trouble I have with pictures sometimes. I didn’t take another one.) The King of Swords is a person who relies over much on his intellect, but I think this card is also telling her to continue to read, research, and use her intellect. Just recognize that it can be an obstacle if held on to too tightly. At some point, intellect needs to merge with wisdom and faith.

Now for an interesting aside—she has gotten this card before when doing her own readings about this ancestor. The card that represented her ancestor was crossed by this card, and at the time, she felt that possibly her ancestor’s husband was against her spiritual gifts and insisted that she suppress them. This is quite possibly the reason they didn’t get passed down to the next generation in a God-fearing Southern community.

The 2 of Cups is a meeting of like-minded souls at the beginning of a fulfilling relationship. This is certainly what the client hopes is the case between her and her ancestor.

The Wheel of Fortune is a wonderful outcome for this reading. The wheel is turning and it definitely looks like the Fates are trying to nudge her into a new, important direction. All in all, I think this reading points to a positive direction in terms of stepping out into new spiritual territory.

A Card for Your Day--> Five of Wands

Competition is a fact of life, gentle readers. Your card for the day brings it front and center. Witness the Five of Imps from the Halloween Tarot by Kipling West. (Don't witness the bad photo. My life is an endless stream of dead batteries lately, and I am forced to rely on my camera phone.)

Advice: You may face some stiff competition today and have to fight for what you want. The rivalry is apt to get heated, but stand your ground. Be firm but play fair. Use the current political discourse as an anti-role model. Assert yourself but don't be vicious or catty about it.

Your Card for the Day--> The Lovers

Gah, readers. What's going on? So far all your cards for the day have been Cups cards and now you've drawn the Lovers not once but twice. This card is from the Gothic Tarot by Leilah Wendell. She photographed headstones from cemeteries around the world to create this tarot.

Advice for the Day: Cups have to do with the heart, emotions, and the psyche, among other things. The Lovers card has to do with Big Love (not the HBO show, but soupy, sloppy, big throbbing heart love). The Lovers also means there is a choice before you, but with all these Cups cards you've been getting lately, my bet is on the more emotional interpretation. So, listen to your heart, make the big gestures, and be awesome to one another.

What to Expect When Booking a Party with Tarot by Yvonne

First of all, if you are hosting a Halloween costume party, I will be happy to come in costume. In fact, I would love to come in costume. If you let me know what your party theme is in advance, I will try to dress the part.

I will bring my cards and other props, which usually include crystal balls, table spreads, candles, and various witchy trappings. You will need to provide me with a relatively quiet space (private or semi-private is preferred as people usually ask personal questions), a table and two chairs. I’m not picky. I have used a TV tray and 2 folding chairs before. You’re setting the stage as you see fit. If you want to create a gypsy fortune-teller or graveyard atmosphere, feel free. Many times I’m at the kitchen table or outside on a picnic table around a bonfire.

Let your folks know how long I will be there, then let them come one at a time for readings. I will do a basic 10-card spread for each person. The readings will usually last about 15-30 minutes. If you have lots and lots of guests, I can give 3-card readings. If you take a look at this blog, you will get an idea what the readings can entail. They can get really serious or be all in good fun. It all depends on where your friends take them. I can tell you that 9 times out of 10, people ask serious questions. That’s why I want to provide an atmosphere of fun and mystery, but I don’t want to demean the process in any way.

I am available to spend up to three hours at each party. If you’ve only invited five people, then I will leave when they have all received readings. If you’ve invited 100 people, I will read for three hours unless we have made prior arrangements. After that, my coach turns into a pumpkin and I must fly away home. And truly, much longer and your friends are generally sloshed, and nothing good ever comes from reading for drunk people.

I usually bring water, but it would be nice if you peeked in once or twice between readings to see if there’s anything I need. Doing many readings at once is demanding. Having a snack or drink through the process helps a lot. Usually people stream in the whole time I’m there and I don’t get a chance to pop over to the refreshment table. The occasional check-in is very much appreciated.

I prefer payment in advance. If you haven’t paid in advance, I expect payment during setup. If I wait until three hours in, you’re usually very busy with guests and sometimes forget that I need payment. That’s understandable, so let’s do it beforehand. It is best if I come at the beginning of the party. See the drunken friends comment above.

I believe in the power of tarot. It is a valuable tool for self-discovery. However, I will never tell you that you have a curse that requires more paid readings. I will never offer to work spells to remove said curses. I won’t try to scare you or coerce you into getting more readings. I will never encourage you to grow dependent on tarot readings. In fact, when I feel clients are leaning too heavily on tarot advice instead of making their own decisions, I immediately begin to “wean” them. Tarot should never take the place of legal, medical, or financial professional advice, however it can work in tandem with all of these.

That’s about it. If you have further questions, please ask. I will do my very best to provide great entertainment at your party! Believe me, people love to get readings and they will remember your party for a long time to come.

OBLIGATORY DISCLAIMER: These services are provided for entertainment purposes only.

RATES

Private consultation--$45 (Paypal payment must be cleared before phone or Web appointment)

Party--$150 for up to three hours

Other events--Priced on an individual basis