Newbies with card insanity

High Priestess - odessasawyer deviantart

Thinking back many years ago, I was a 13 year old kid gifted my first Tarot deck. I was so excited to look at the images, to learn their meanings and to give readings for myself and my friends. I spent all my free time studying the cards and practicing with them. Sometimes too much. I would read myself into circles and ask the same questions over and over, but re-worded differently thinking that I wasn't "really" asking them the same thing and that it would some how be okay.

Now that I have been reading for years and have experience with the cards, I have come to learn things that you can do with Tarot, and things that you can't.

I haven't really thought about these things in a very long time. They are just part of me, and who I am now and no thought was necessary.

But recently I have encountered a very frustrated friend who is quite new to reading Tarot, and she has found herself even more anxious to learn another type of cards, Lenormand.

She is a wonderful person, and very smart. But I have also come to see myself in her.

I see that young girl I once was, who is using her cards for every single aspect of her life, and giving the cards all the control. This can be very dangerous territory.

Not to make light of her dilemma, I thought I would write a little bit about her situation since

it is something that all newbies go through. I am hoping to clear up a few things about the cards in general and maybe help those who struggle with the same issue, to see how you should really be viewing your cards. :)

Tarot is like a compass. It helps guide you on your way, but you can still pick the direction you are going. So stop looking at the cards as if they ARE your future. They are a useful tool for you to use to get to your future.

Also it is important to remember that Tarot and other cards are just images on paper. Yes, they are pretty, and you do develop a close relationship with them, but the cards are only going to have the power that you give to them! Without YOU, the cards are still just pieces of paper.

Everyone is born with an inner "knowing." Some of us are more sensitive to this knowing, and others need more practice to trust in it.

The cards are tools to help you use this knowing in your life. I guess you might say they are windows for you to look through. When you look out your window at the sun, you feel it's warmth even thought you are still inside right? Well if you look at the symbols and pictures on your cards, you can feel them too. They are showing you things that you already know exist, just as you know the sun exists. They are making you aware. If you had not looked out the window, you would not have been thinking about the sun at all. They bring to the surface things that you may not be looking at for some reason. Make sense?

If you want to use the cards usefully, I suggest putting aside your ambitions to "predict the future" and instead use the cards to learn more about yourself. Try not to see any of the cards as good or bad, but as advice for you.

Listen to the advice that you first hear the cards say instead of doubting your ability to read correctly. As I mentioned, it is inside of you already! It is your intuition.

Most importantly, if you feel that you can't do anything without consulting your cards first, you NEED to take a break from them. It's okay to do this. Put them away for a while, and just live your life for the moment. Come back to them when you feel you are no longer in "need" of them. Trust me, we have all been there before.

Deep breaths. Your future is in your own hands. You decide your path. The cards are just your compass. I hope this makes sense and helps alleviate some of your anxieties about the cards themselves.

Blessed Be

American Civil War Lenormand Deck

Drum roll please .......

I would like to introduce you to my latest Lenormand Deck.

Since I am a life time learner, and lover of all things history, I thought I would give this one an American Civil War theme. I think it has turned out very cute, and I hope you think so too.

For those who order, I wish you many accurate & wonderful readings with them.

You can order them at my etsy store at the link above, or by clicking HERE.

If you are still awaiting my most loved project of the year - my Mosaic Dream Tarot, rest assure that they will be available as soon as my proofs arrive and I have had the chance to look them over really well.

I wish you all a great week ahead.

Blessed Be!

York Lenormand - Free Notebook

I made a York Lenormand notebook today. Feel free to print and use it to help you remember your Lenormand cards. :)

If you use the cards, I would be interested in knowing how you like them. Have a blessed day.

Bridgett

Here is the link to the notebook. It is in pdf format.

Yorkist Lenormand - FREE

I spent the weekend making a set of free Lenormand cards for those who would like to print them out and use them. :)

If you use them, I would like for you to comment below and let me know how you like them. Also, I would be very happy if you would follow my blog.

I have been reading books lately about King Richard III of England, and decided to make this deck a "Yorkist" theme. It was a lot of fun, and I hope that you enjoy them.

Just click on the picture, and save them to your desktop & print.

Let me know if you have any problems so that I can offer my support.

Many Blessings!

Lakota Wheel - update

At the beginning of January I did a yearly spread. I want to make sure that I update what happens each month so that I can keep track of the actually reading and if it was accurate or not. To see the original post click here.

For January 2014 this is what it said would happen:

"January 2014 - This is the month that will bring lots of transformations for me. I will feel a little overwhelmed. There will also be some confusion about a relationship with a friend that I have, and will wonder which direction it is heading. Some secrets will be hidden from me, and this person will try to keep me feeling secure through messages. What a fox! This months virtue is about Respect."

This is what actually happened:

I met a guy online. He was THE GUY man. I was totally crushing on him. We chatted for hours when neither of us had anything else to do. We both looked forward to the time when we'd chat again etc. After two weeks, I talked to him on the phone. Did not go well. I realized a few things about him that made me feel uncomfortable. After that I did not feel the same way about him, and I was wondering where things were heading. I tried to like him still, but it did not work. I stopped talking to him. So there was the confusion about a relationship as well as secrets revealed etc. Ha! What an accurate prediction. So proud of myself! Loving it. Oh and Respect - It was definitely a lesson in that!

Blessed Be

Why did we break up exercise

I am so happy that I follow the blogs that I enjoy, for if I did not I would miss out on those wonderful posts that the writers share with us! Valentines Day was yesterday, and I have been single for three years, even thought the relationship was terrible, and totally toxic, this article made me wonder why the relationship did not work for him and I.

The article is fun and straight to the point. It uses the tarot brilliantly with the question, "why did he dump me?"

In my case, I am the one who finally left, but still I wondered his thoughts on the breakup. Obviously it wasn't working out and would have ended whether it was me doing the walking away, or him. We all play around with this question when the sappy day of love and chocolate comes up!

I thought I would pull a couple of cards to answer the question for myself. Wow! The cards were dead on, and it all makes perfect sense to me.

I pulled two cards with my druidcraft tarot. Not sure why I picked two. I guess because I wanted to know a tiny bit more.

This card according to the article posted by Cosmic Faery, tells me that he wanted to dump me because -

"He found it hard to compromise and balance his needs with my needs."

I totally get this! 

He even stated at the end of the relationship that we were two different people and he did not know how to bring me happiness, nor was he willing to try. Of course not, he was a narcissist. There was no room for any ones happiness but his own! At least he was honest about it, right? LOL

This card that he wanted to dump me because - 

"He needed to go away and think things through, but would be unlikely to come back, and he also thought that the relationship wasn't going anywhere."

Again! Dead on. I am the one who left once to clear my head and I know that he needed to do some thinking of his own. At the end of the relationship he also told me that he was sorry it did not work out between us, but after two years, it wasn't going anywhere. 

It amazes me how accurate the cards are. I would totally recommend this exercise to anyone who wants some answers on their past broken relationships! You only use the major arcana. 

Blessed Be!

Imbolc 2014

February 2nd marks an important Celtic holiday, Imbolc.

It is now the midway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Our days will now slowly gain more light for longer periods of time. I very much look forward to this!

On this day we honor the fire Goddess Brigid. Many will arrange an alter and invoke the Goddess through prayer.

Imbolc signifies a celebration of fertility, reproduction and the young -- all overseen by the Goddess Brigid.

Soon the snow will melt and we can once again welcome Spring. The Imbolc folklore is that if it is cloudy on the morning of February 2nd then Spring will come early. But if it is sunny, then we will have six more weeks of Winter ahead of us.

Burning candles, and other fire during this day is said to encourage the lengthening of our daylight hours. Planting a seed in a pot is also used to encourage Spring to visit sooner.

My alter dedicated to Brigid. Red candles for one of her preferred
colors as well as the element of fire, and a statue that represents her,
a shell for the element of water. I will also be offering her a
piece of the cake from the recipe below, and a glass of milk.

This is the time of year that I start spring cleaning and getting rid of the old stagnant air that winter has trapped in my home. Living in Northern NY doesn't exactly allow me to open my windows just yet, but I will prepare for the days when I can. It has been a rough winter, and I look forward to some warmth from the sun.

Here is a wonderful cake recipe to bake and celebrate the day with your little ones.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup quick oats, uncooked
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
Frosting of your choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Heat water until boiling. Add oats and stir. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 20 minutes. Melt chips. Stir and set aside. In a small bowl, mix flour, soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend oats and chocolate into creamed mix. Add flour mix.Pour into a greased and floured 13 x 9 x 1 1/2-inch pan. Bake 35-40 minutes. Remove and let stand 5-10 minutes. Then turn out onto a flat surface. When cooled, frost as desired.

NOTE: It looks particularly spectacular when iced with white icing only on the top, and dusted with cocoa!

Yield: 1 13 x 9 cake.

If you would like to know more about the Goddess Brigid, you can do so Here and Here.

If you would like to hear a song dedicated to Brigid, you can do so Here.

If you would like to hear a song didicated to Cernunnos, you can do so Here.

If you would like to learn more about Imbolc, you can do so Here.

Have a blessed Imbolc everyone! 

Blessed be!