Thisbe's Nemesis Oracle - The Creation Process

Thisbe's Nemesis Oracle 

One of my favorite love stories of all time is the story of Pyramus and Thisbe.

As told by the Ovid, This story is similar to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

It takes place in ancient Babylon, where these two children grew up in a one-room house that was connected to the other. Over the years, they fell in love with each other, but could only talk through a hole in their wall because their parents refused them to see each other.

Finally, Pyramus got fed up with his parents and so did Thisbe. They decided to run off one night and elope. Pyramus gave Thisbe the location of the place they would meet, and they agreed.

Thisbe was the first to arrive at the first Mulberry bush outside of the city, but as she was waiting, a lioness walked by with her jaws covered in blood from a previous kill that day. Thisbe, frightened at her sight, ran non-stop to the nearest cave. Soon after, Pyramus walked by and saw a cloak, his love gift to her, covered in blood and torn to pieces with the footprints of the lioness left behind. He immediately thought that his only love had been killed by a hungry lion, and unsheathed his sword (her love gift to him), letting the cold, hard steel pierce his broken heart. Thisbe, bringing courage to her heart, ran back and found her only love lying on the ground next to the blood-covered Mulberry bush with his sword impaling his chest.

She gasped in horror as she asked the still breathing Pyramus what happened. Barely able to stay awake, he told her what happened and she cried in sorrow. She took Pyramus' blood-stained sword and asked him to wait for her while she brought the blade into her own soft flesh. Thus they died together, in love and peace.

This is why the berries on the Mulberry bush are red, instead of their original white, in commemoration of the two young lovers and their great sacrifice.

Thisbe's nemesis was that she couldn't foretell her future. Had she been able to look into her future, she may have been able to change her fate, and have lived happily ever after.

This story is the inspiration for this new oracle deck that I have created. I used Pre-Raphaelite style paintings done by one of my favorite artists of all time; John William Waterhouse. His works have been used in other decks that I admire, so I thought I would try my hand at creating with them too. There may be a few images by other artists of the same era mixed in as well, if I liked them. They will be available with black borders & numbered or without borders & without numbers.

The cards above, when put together in a story (no question asked), they show a young woman who is saving herself for marriage, and is curious when her boyfriend might propose. :)

The cards that have numbers, I gave numbers simply to be able to add an extra layer of depth to a reading. If three cards are not enough to answer a question, you can add the numbers on them together, and find the card associated with that number for further information.

The cards above do not have borders, and are not numbered.

I have given names to the cards that either fit visually with the painting, or ones that go along with the story of the painting. There will be 54 cards total to a deck, and printed on very lovely linen stock, poker size; which is 2.5" wide  x 3.5" high. There will be an option to purchase a little zipped bag to match the cards & store them safely. As of right now, I have to wait on a test print of the cards to see if all is well before offering them to the public.

I have also been working on a rune card deck that will be available also, but I am not sure of the details just yet. They will come with black borders and extra cards with definitions of the runes in both upright, and reversed positions. Here is a small sample of what they look like without the words on them. I am adding the rune "title" to each card so that you will know when one is in reversed position or not during reading.

They would be read as:
Question: Will I get the new job?
Rune one: good fortune and advancement in career.
Rune two: good counsel from a respected person.
Rune three: a lot of positive energy.
Rune four: beware of some delays, and take precautions not to get sick because you don't want to miss too many days on the new job!

So, this is why I haven't been blogging much; I've been creating some new cards. It keeps me busy and out of the refrigerator. I am trying to drop some weight. Plus I have made the pact to myself not to sign onto facebook or other social media until I have exercised daily. ;)

Blessed Be.

The Therapeutic Shopper

Wings of Change Lenormand - top row

Today I drew from two different Lenormand decks. The first row is the Wings of Change Lenormand by Chloe McCracken. The second row is the Carta Mundi Lenormand.

The question: Why did she purchase the item from me?

Line one : Clouds + Anchor + Garden + Key + Lily.

Clouds - trouble, doubt, confusion, uncertainty.
Anchor - hope, stability, job, attachments, faithfulness, steadfast.
Garden - public, community, network, entertainment.
Key - access, opportunity, solution, important, certainty.
Lily - family, virtue, elder, healing, pure.

It looks like she may have had some uncertainty whether or not she liked the item at first (clouds). Perhaps she looked at it several times and had an attachment to it (anchor).
The item is located online, so it is easily accessible to her (garden).
She saw an opportunity to get it (key).
So she did get it, without any deceptive motive (lily).

Mirroring cards - she could be using the item for success at work, or perhaps it was on her wish list already and she finally had the opportunity to get it (anchor, key). Maybe she had nothing better to do (clouds, lily).

Line two : Mice + Garden + Coffin + House + Clouds.

Mice - theft, deterioration, loss, damage, anxiety, stress, pests.
Garden - public, community, network, entertainment.
Coffin - a box, ending, depression, sickness.
House - home life, family, property, real estate, comfort.
Clouds - trouble, doubt, confusion, uncertainty.

When mice, and garden are together I think of a stressful event (mice, garden), that
left her feeling depressed (coffin),
caused her to seek comfort (house) in the confusion & trouble (clouds).
Maybe she was shopping for therapeutic benefit?

Mirroring cards - networking from the comfort of her home (garden, house), looking for a way to replace a lost item, or to feel good for a minute (mice, clouds).

Sorry for the less than mediocre photo, I had a teenager trying to be a part of the picture. :) lol

Hope everyone is having a lovely week. I am quite thankful that it has been a little cooler outside. Quite beautiful weather actually. We have had some rain, but I like rain, especially the smell it leaves in the air when it passes. That, and it leaves everything bright green, and pretty.

Blessed Be.

Tarot Timing & I Miss You

Tarot Cards & Timing:

I thought that I would post today about timing in Tarot. I wanted to pull out the cards that symbolize timing for me, and what they say, then if anyone has anything to add to it, they can in the comments below. I'm always up for more learning, and I find it interesting to hear about other people's thoughts on this subject. 

It's always important to remember that our actions can interrupt these predictions though! Nothing is set in stone for as long as we continue having free will.

The 8 of wands is that card that foretells something fast, and without interruption (depending on the cards next to it, of course).If you are doing a reading, and someone is asking about timing, this is a good indication that their question will manifest rather quickly with little effort on their part.

The Magician on the other hand tells you that things will manifest in a speedy manner, but not without putting your mind to it. You will have to participate in making things happen.

The knight of swords whooshes in on his horse, hair flying in the air, bringing you something fast and unexpected! Sometimes this is welcomed, other times it isn't. It can be reckless and without a lot of thought. There's a good chance that you won't even be ready when it happens.

 
The Chariot, full steam ahead, being pulled by two powerful horses, rushes in to tell us that things will be moving relatively quickly, for as long as the two horses and their driver aren't disturbed along the way.

The ace of wands is also a pretty fast card. But remember to be watchful for the opportunity it brings, or else you will miss it. I think of this in terms of a wild flower. It grows quickly, but you will have to harvest it quickly before the farmer comes along and mows it down again.

 

Temperance is a card about finding the right mix. So if applying it to timing, it suggests that things will happen for you when the time is right, and not until then.

The Star is a wish card, and it tells you that you can be hopeful that things will work out in your favor, but again, the timing is up to the Gods themselves, or the Universe, whichever you prefer.

The Hanged Man says eventually, while he hangs in the balance, learning the lesson that he is meant to learn. This could be painfully hard to wait for, but you will walk away with a new way of looking at life.

The World, of course everything comes to a complete circle, just as the earth spins on its axis. You just have to wait a while for it to happen. Be patient, you have no choice.

The 7 of pentacles, a card that says it will happen your way, but not before you put in the effort to make it so. Be prepared to work hard.

These are just a few timing cards that I can think of at the moment. If you have more, do tell!

Over the last few days I've been able to reminisce about days gone by. (6 of cups to the left). My father came to town for a short visit. I had a nice time catching up with him. I am ashamed to admit that it has been a couple of years since I've seen him. It hits hard when you see your parents are older than you remember them as. Time moves quicker than we ever notice while we are going through it. You wake up, and one day you too are old. Anyhow, our visit was pleasant, but then it was time to say good bye. We both had a couple of tears in our eyes, hugged, and the visit was over. I could tell that he didn't want to leave, anymore than I wanted him to. (5 of cups, 8 of cups) I will cherish the memory of his visit, and hold on to hope that we can see one another again soon. Have a great week everyone.

Blessed Be.

Through Wind, Sand & Snow

I haven't blogged in a few days due to something that has weighed quite heavily on my mind.

To make a long story short, I went out with a friend last Friday, and when she didn't think I could hear her, I heard her tell the events of our evening together in a very negative light to her other "friend." She exaggerated many things, and put a twist on them so that I looked bad, and she looked like a victim for hanging out with me. Like who on earth would want to hang out with me, right?

When I confronted her about it, she told me that she didn't do what I heard her do. I think I would have found an ounce of respect in the situation had she admitted it and maybe given a reason why she twisted things in her conversation with the other person. But she didn't take the higher road here. It hurt, and it was quite disappointing for me to say the least.

This person is someone that I have shared many personal things with from my life, and I have come to rely on her as a true friend. When someone has me as their friend, I would do anything for them. They just don't build friends like me anymore, I guess.

The above three psycards are to represent what I need to embrace about this situation. We have prison, never and the home.

Together, they tell me that I need to embrace that I got out of the house, and into a very public place, pushing my boundaries of comfort. I have been a hermit for quite a few years, and being out in public like this is something I used to always do, but now find very difficult to do. So this is the positive for me out of the whole event that transpired.

The 5 of swords from the Bohemian Gothic Tarot is to show me what my friendship with this person actually is. The 5 of swords is traditionally about either feeling defeated, or victorious at the expense of another. This battle is usually not an even match. The outcome, most likely a surprise. Very clearly, not an even friendship. See the wolf behind my back? Waiting to bite me when I am not looking. How can I not be disappointed here? It makes my stomach ill thinking about it.

The three psycards to the right here represent what I need to let go of in this situation. We have fortune, the moon and the tree.

Together, they tell me I need to let go of placing such high value on this friendship and to let my instincts guide me into the future. I stand tall, even when I stand alone. Here is where I take the higher road, the one less traveled.

The knight of swords from the Bohemian Gothic Tarot is to show me what my friendship with this person isn't. The knight of swords is traditionally about a leader with high intellect, quick wit and someone that can be a great friend if you don't cross them. The shadow side of this knight is someone who has to get their way, and takes advantage of others by trying to be intellectually superior.

I find the knight of swords to be much like me. Quick wit, and not to be crossed. And ironically, now, as I have seen her in action, she matches the personality of the knight's shadow side. She has always talked about her other "friends" in front of me in a bad way, I don't know why I thought that I would be so special. So in regards to what this friendship isn't -- it's certainly not a balanced, healthy friendship, and even though we are both intellectual people, one uses this for bad. Just as a super hero and a villain. It isn't the friendship that I thought it was.

I've seen my answers here before me in the cards, yet they are not a magic pill. I have all these feelings that I don't know what to do with. I lost my potential romantic partner in the not so distant past, and now I have come to realize that a friendship that I have had since 2008 isn't what I thought it was. I am that tree, firmly rooted in the ground. The wind, sand and snow will continue to try to damage me, but in the Spring, I will still have beautiful green leaves. There is a reason and a season for all things, I suppose. (sigh).

Blessed Be.

Coffee Caravan Oracle Cards

Since I was asked to tell more about my Coffee Caravan Oracle Cards, I have decided to write this blog for those interested.

The Arabs discovered coffee beans around 600 AD. They were able to keep this beverage a secret for a couple of hundred years, and then after introducing it to the Turks, it became popular in the whole of Western Europe sometime around the late 18th century.

Certain coffee leaves a thick, muddy sediment at the bottom of your cup. If you swirl the cup and turn it upside down, the grounds will fall down leaving some patterns on the surface of the cup. There are a lot of people who believe that images and shapes created in the coffee ground in contrast with the white color of the cup have predictable future meanings.

The ancient art of coffee cup reading has been very popular in the Middle East & Greece for thousands of years. It is quite common to see friends sharing coffee and having a glimpse into one another's future at local cafes. It is a social ritual accepted by most everyone.

Each culture has its own rituals and traditions related to coffee prediction. Since religion is also involved in coffee cup readings, it is understandable that a few symbols are interpreted differently.

There are variations in symbols and meanings in both coffee cup readings, and tea leaf readings. I have taken these common symbols and added my own suggested meanings to them, turning them into a beautiful oracle deck. This allows for the same great readings without the mess, and they can be done at your convenience, in any location.

I am not the first person to incorporate similar symbols into cards, but I have created this particular deck to my own style and taste.

I have spent many hours collecting images via public domain and other paid stock image sites, in order to come up with this vibrant set of cards. There are 69 cards total and 3 that include suggested meanings to each of the 69 symbols used.

They are read similar to Lenormand cards, but unlike Lenormand, there are no rules. This is an oracle, so it is meant to be used in whichever way comes natural to you, and rings true to you. If you feel a certain image should mean something else, then by all means, let it represent what you want it to. These cards are just a tool, and you are the diviner. Your intuition is what will put meaning into your readings.

The title of my deck came to me through my own free spirit and desire to someday travel the world. I thought that it was catchy and inspiring. The backs of the cards show a map of the world in coffee beans, and a gypsy caravan setting up camp as they travel to wherever the wind takes them.

Thank you for inquiring about my cards. If you are interested in owning a deck of your own, you can purchase one through my etsy store HERE.

If you have an oracle of your own, and wish to swap a deck, I am open to that as well. Just message me on etsy, and we can negotiate. :)

Blessed Be.

Cold As Ice

I thought I would do a reading to see what is coming up for me in August. I am using my Coffee Caravan Cards.

The cards to the left are my present circumstances. We have Balloon, Elephant and Letter.

Balloon usually represents a celebration of some sort, releasing tension or having lofty ideas.

Elephant is about a heaviness, something big, a short delay followed by success.

Letter is mail, papers, or communication.

In order to read these cards we put them together, quite similar to Lenormand.

For me, these cards are saying that my thoughts are heavy, and it keeps me from saying what is on my mind, out loud anyway. This is very true at the moment. As past posts have stated, I am currently in the process of letting go of a friendship that was suppose to result in a romantic partner. There hasn't been any recent communication between us, and I am not convinced that there will be either. I think things are just what they are, and need no explanation. Short messages were exchanged a couple weeks ago, and they were precise and to the point. I should be celebrating and feeling lighter now because I am no longer standing still, but choosing to move ahead. There is something empowering about taking yourself out of the running for second best. I refuse to be any man's "option."

These three cards are my past. We have carousel, house and rabbit.

Caraousel represents an adventure, something fast, whirling out of control, and often times infatuation.

House is our home life, our family and the things that bring us comfort or stability.

Rabbits are fast, elusive and mostly shy. This card comes up when we avoid things.

Together these cards tell me that my past has been primarily about infatuation with someone familiar, and elusive. It started quickly, and ended just as fast. I didn't know if I was coming or going with him, and when I decided to get off the carousel, I was dizzy.

Three more cards here, in the position of advice.
They are mushroom, coffin and key.

Mushroom is about feeling small and insignificant. Usually when this starts to happen, it doesn't stop there, as mushrooms start popping up everywhere in proper conditions.

Coffin is headaches, feeling sick, endings or being stuck in a place for way too long.

Key is something important, an opportunity or a way out, a chance to advance.

As far as advice, these cards tell me that there is no logical reason to stick around in a place that makes me feel small, and insignificant. There is and will continue to be many opportunities that come up that are far better than what I am being offered right now!

In the position of obstacles, I have mask, volcano and wand.

Mask is about the things that are hidden from view. When we wear a mask, not only do we conceal our own self, but we also obscure our own vision looking out the holes.

Volcano, those dreaded emotions, usually anger seeping through. By the time they erupt, there is little we can do to stop the damage. This is life-changing.

Wand is a card that represents manifestation, or manipulation of the things in our environment to get what we want. Choosing to be in control instead of letting others control you. If accompanied by negative cards, it can be in the reverse, stating that someone else is controlling you!

The obstacles that I face currently, and through out the month of August are taking back what is mine, and not allowing another to control my emotions. To see through the deception and uncover the hidden.

In my future (August), we have iceberg, horse and moon.

Iceberg can indicate trouble, slow moving things, coldness, or being into something deeply.

Horse brings messages, a new lover or fast movement.

Moon tells of emotions, dreams, night, or a phase that is being passed through.

Coming up in the month of August, for myself, I see me continuing to avoid messaging him, even if it hurts. But I also see him doing the same thing, as the horse faces the slow moving iceberg. I don't think I will be open to receiving a new lover, at least for now, but I do feel that I will pass through the month of August rather quickly, and in control of my own self. Since I didn't let too much happen between us, the hurt will run its course, and then all will be well again. This is to be expected.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my Coffee Caravan Oracle Cards. Until next time.

Blessed Be.

My Victory Feels Hollow

Bohemian Gothic Tarot

Today I drew the knight of wands, 2 of swords, and 6 of swords.

The knight of wands is about passion and impulse. As a person card, this person is likely someone who has immense charm, but lacks commitment. Most of his ideas are in his head, and never quite make them out. He may be a passionate lover, but he isn't "the one" who will warm your bed for the rest of your days.

In this card we have a young man standing in an overgrown graveyard. He is dressed in his best for appearance sake. He looks a bit snobbish and sure of himself. His horse is behind him, waiting outside the entrance for him when he returns. He isn't carrying flowers or anything to adore the grave he visits, which makes me think that he is only visiting it to make sure that the person is really dead. I doubt he will be spending much time there, and is probably on a schedule. Planting flowers is not on his itinerary as it might cause him to get his hands dirty.

The 2 of swords is about choices, inaction, balance, and blocking emotions. The two swords to me have always felt like a barrier, but one that is there on purpose, as if defending yourself from an attack.

In this card there is a young woman standing on a balcony under the night time sky. She is blindfolded, with her hands gently crossing her chest. If she chooses to, she can use her hands to uncover her eyes, but she doesn't. It makes me think that she is covering her eyes to avoid seeing the truth of something.

The blindfold gives her distance from her troubles, and serves as a distraction, helping to calm her mind. Her hands protect her heart. She has waited until the dead of the night, and found a place that she thinks will give her the privacy she needs, deliberately making herself unapproachable. Maybe even hiding.

Maybe the blindfold is a muse, rendering her most vulnerable, so that when she takes it off again, she will see how much control she has. She can then move forward with confidence knowing that things could always be worse.

The 6 of wands is about public recognition, progress, self-confidence and victory.  There is always a risk of being over confident though.

In this card we have a strong, robust man dressed in armor riding a horse. He is accompanied by soldiers who fight along beside him through his many battles. They wear masks to hide there true faces, but he himself doesn't. The blood on his lance is fresh, reminding us that victory isn't without the cost of something precious. There is no doubt that when people think of that battle, they will think of him, because he shows his true self, victoriously leaving the castle that he just conquered. A soldier is never without mental fatigue though, and they carry with them the screams of war. Though invisible, they are still very much there.

I can relate deeply with the cards presented before me today. I know this knight, and very well. He is the man who professed his love for me many times, but doesn't give me any real hope to hold onto. Unfortunately for him, his charm is starting to tarnish. I am the 2 of swords here, protecting myself, taking time out to be alone.

It is very tricky though, as he was a best friend since childhood. I have never looked at him before as a potential partner, so I could easily overlook his flaws before. But when we look for a mate, we have to see the flaws,  and the inconsistencies in their actions. We have to shine a light on EVERYTHING so that we can be sure if we are willing to live with it or not; to make sure we think its worth it to stay together.

This is where I become the 6 of wands, holding my head up high, knowing that I showed my true self. I put forth the effort and reached for him. But it was he, who chose to keep his mask on. My walking away comes at a high price; our friendship. I'm having trouble distinguishing the man in the mask verses the one without. Neither face is pleasing to see anymore, because the lines have been blurred. I was awake late last night trying to convince my heart that I am going to be okay. Although I fought bravely, and shared my vision, my victory feels hollow.

I will spend the day washing windows to cleanse my soul. Only when windows are clean can we see through them at all the details of our surroundings.

Blessed Be.