Wednesday, 24 February 2016

Long Distance Love: A Grand Tableau

While it's a truism that love is the most asked about subject in readings, it's less common to have a man come requesting a love reading.  It makes a nice change, and I was grateful to receive permission to share this, with name's changed.

Keith explained that Tonya works in law enforcement, and travels a lot.  She is not very expressive, and although their relationship has become physical and they get along well, he isn't quite sure where he stands with her.  On top of that, his work as a salesman also requires him to travel, and sometimes seems a bit "sneaky" to Tonya, though he said "it's all above board".

We agreed to throw a GT, pictured below:

Below and diagonally behind him is the Burial Mound (Coffin), I ask if he has made a big change, recently, perhaps around how he sees things (Clouds at the start of that row, followed by Letter and Coffin, turning over a new leaf around some kind of uncertainty, seeing the writing on the wall).  He says he has long suffered from claustrophobia, but recently did some CBT-type exposure therapy, and explains that Tonya was a motivator for him to do so.  The consequence here: Cross and Book - a life lesson about secrets?  He laughs and says that Tonya guessed about his claustrophobia based on how he had reacted to her coming in to join him in the shower, that he had been trying to keep the issue a secret, but realised that it was only by talking about it that he could get help.

On the diagonals behind him we see the Clover and the Whips - there have been some small arguments between them.  The consequence (forward diagonal), a need for a choice (Paths).  When I ask about that, he says "work".  That fits nicely with what is on his mind (above his head): the Whips, the Anchor and the Cross, so I ask him about his work.  It is somewhat repetitive, and he has been feeling a bit bored by it.  The fact that it's an obstacle between him and Tonya is also a concern.  While he doesn't feel wedded to his work, he worries that she does, and isn't sure how they can reconcile their jobs.

In terms of the cards linking him and Tonya (the Woman), there is the Ship and the Storks (at the two points where their lines and columns intersect).  A change of career would be a big move for either/both of them, and yet the travel issue, meaning they don't get to see one another often, is really bothering him.

Reading the line backward from the Woman, her current sense of security, feeling at home in her job (House), is being challenged by her emotions (Heart).  She is very institutionalised (Hill Fort/Tower) as part of law enforcement, and yet Paths touches both the Hill Fort and the Man, and is followed by Storks - there is a potential for change there.  However, it would be a big ending for her (Burial Mound), there might be contractual issues (Letter) and it would leave her feeling very uncertain (Clouds).  Yet, looking at the column above her, the Key to her soul's journey (Ship) is around creativity (Flowers).  Does she feel creative where she currently is?  He is unsure.

As for the line moving forward from his significator, I list keywords as peace (Lily), community (Meadow/Garden - directly over the Hill Fort on the Woman's line), obstacle (Mountain), communication or gossip (Owls) and travel or soul's journey (Ship).  Her institutional group is a very tight knit one, that blocks him out and gossips about him.  He feels like an outsider (another word for foreigner, in some languages, connecting it to the Ship).  However, looking at his column, his work reputation (Moon/Anchor), is something he can change (Storks underneath him/his control).  The question being, what kind of change does he want?

From this, we move onto designing a spell/intention for him.  Keith says that, whether things between him and Tonya work out or not, he thinks he's ready for a change at work.  And certainly, making that kind of change is also a first step to working things out so they can see one another more.  So, he wants to gain insight into what else he could do, and open up to possibilities for change.  I suggest the cards: Sun, Clover, Key.  He says he also likes the Storks, and wants the Anchor to remind him what it's about.  Final spell:

If you are interested in having this kind of session with me - an interactive conversation with the cards, working towards a spell to keep your intention clearly in mind - hit the Paypal button below, or email me at  Session cost is £55 for an hour, or £75 for an hour and a half (good if you have a more complex situation you want to work on).  I offer concessions for students, pensioners, single parents, and anyone on benefits, as well as Canadians ;)  Please feel free to email me and ask if you'd like a discounted session - I'm always willing to make things work.

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Wednesday, 17 February 2016

A Celtic Cross Reading

Germany is the home of the Lenormand deck, the place where it was created by Johann Kaspar Hechtel, as well as being connected to the Austro-Hungarian court where it's precursor (the Coffee Grounds cards) were developed.  And there is a long tradition of reading with these cards there, as well as a huge number of books on the subject.  Interestingly, almost all of the general Lenormand books in German feature the Celtic Cross spread.  So, this week, that's what I'm going to do!

I asked about a new direction I'm exploring at work, and drew the following cards:

Central cross - Clover/Letter

This new opportunity requires some clarification.  It may well bring a little happiness, and journalling will help bring clarity around how to make the most of its possibilities.

Underlying - Meadow (Garden)

The driving force underlying this new move is related to my community - very true.  This will help me connect more deeply with my tribe.

Past - Woman

This is something I've been intuitively approaching for a while, but without taking it out of the personal arena.

Higher Self - Clouds

There is a degree of uncertainty around this work - and I will need to figure out how to deal with that if I want to move forward with this.  I know what this is about: how do I really feel about this area?  I flip-flop a bit around this - not sure what I believe, but knowing what works, whether I believe in it or not.  And how can I best explain it to others when I feel uncertain myself?

Near Future - House

Looks like the journalling will really work to help me feel comfortable and stable with this.

Self - Flowers

One of the things I love about this area is how creative it is, how it allows me to express a part of myself that other elements of my work don't, or not in the same way.  Doing this would be a gift I give myself.

Environment - Heart

This may be better received by those around me than I expect.  People feel when you put your heart into something.  This also reminds me that this work can bring up a lot of emotions in people, so I'd better be prepared for that - packet of tissues, anyone?

Hopes and Fears - Bear

I hope that this will bring me a greater sense of strength and independence.  I fear that I do not have all the resources that I need for this endeavour, yet.  Once again, journalling can help me clarify what I have and what I need to move forward.

Potential Outcome - Anchor

Looks like this could become a regular part of my work, a mainstay even that grounds and supports me!

Another thing you can do with the Celtic Cross is to take different parts and read them together.  For example, the Past, Central Cross, Near Future and Potential Outcome form a progression in time, and can be read as a line of five - Woman, Clover, Letter, House, Anchor.   Serendipitous intuition and happy journalling create a tangible sense of security at work, which does require some effort to achieve.

Equally, the upright column of the Celtic Cross can be read as another line - Flowers, Heart, Bear, Anchor.  Bringing creativity to an emotional environment requires strength and resources to work well.

I'd love to hear if you give this a go!

Wednesday, 10 February 2016

Are Yes-No Readings Pointless?

Last year, I posted about a way of using Lenormand cards for a yes-no reading, based on the playing card associations.  At the time, I was "lucky" enough to get consistent answers.  Now, six months on, I asked the same questions again.

Should I give up on X?  - Paths, Bear, Rider

In terms of yes-no, we have a strong yes (Heart), a weak yes (Diamond) and a strong no (Club).  So, yes to giving up, but with some reservations.

Looking at the card meanings, choices necesitate getting a move-on with your resources.  Or, choices should be made on the basis of strong information.  Or, resourceful choices send out a strong message. 

Bringing those together, giving up would open the possibility to move forward strongly in a different direction.  Such a choice should be made on the basis of gathering good information.  It would be a choice to use resources in a better way, and would help to send out a strong message. 

Should I carry on with X? - Heart, Cat, Man

Three Hearts, that's a big, fat YES!  So, a weak yes to giving up, and a strong yes to carrying on. 

Loyal emotions can be expressed rationally.  Independently balancing emotion and rationality.

The Cat is an interesting card.  The Dog is pure loyalty, whereas the Cat is both loyal and independent.  Some people see that as an oxymoron, but to me it makes a lot of sense.  If anything, the Cat's loyalty is worth more, because it is given less easily.  Once given, though, it is offered in a way that doesn't pander, but supports.  Sitting in the middle, it speaks of carrying on for the right reasons, rather than the wrong reasons.  And of finding these through balancing emotions and logic.  If I carry on, I need to do so in a way that suits me, not just because I feel I should or to do what others tell me I should be doing.

As for the larger question around yes-no readings, if I had done only the first of these readings, I would have a very different perspective than if I'd just done the second.  Which says a lot about the value of yes-no readings! 

How you ask the question affects the answer you get.  As with the Law of Attraction, where you put your energy influences what comes to you.  And I could also have asked something like: should I put my energy into Y (something different)?  Which would have given me a whole other set of variables to think about, even though indirectly it would be examining the same question of where my energy should be spent right now...

Thursday, 4 February 2016

Brigid's Awakening

Brigid by Joanna Powell Colbert
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A few days after Imbolc, or St. Brigid's Day, welcome to this seasonal Blog Hop.  Our topic this time around, which bloggers around the world will share their divinatory thoughts on, is Awakening the Heart.

Straight away, I thought about creating a spread with the Heart card at it's centre, to represent how the Goddess Brigid might awaken our hearts to greater compassion.  And the Nine Square is so delightfully versatile...

This version takes the top row as being connected to the healing aspect of the Goddess Brigid, the middle row as connected to her inspiration, and the bottom row is associated to the forge aspect where she brings those inspired ideas into manifestation.  And despite this Goddess-inspired interpretation, really there is a close connection to more traditional readings of the Nine Square.  Often, the top line is associated with our thoughts, and sometimes healing comes from releasing thoughts and worries that we somatise.  Inspiration is what we feel in the present moment, when we are in the middle of something engaging.  And manifestation is what we create, the actions we have control over.

For this reading, I shuffled up the Celtic Lenormand (U.S. Games, 2014), and then looked through the deck to find the four cards to either side of the Heart card.

Top Row - Healing - Moon, Female Rider, Stars

Information around life cycles brings spiritual clarity.

What cycles of uncertainty need healing, and what information will help foster spiritual clarity?  Oftentimes, we have all the information we need, if only we can access and acknowledge it.  Especially with issues that come around again and again, we already know what doesn't work, and probably what does.  A little spiritual clarity can go a long way to opening our hearts.


 Middle Row - Inspiration - Cat, Heart, Clouds

Emotional independence comes through being able to deal with ambiguity.

I read something recently that talked about how being able to sit with ambiguity is a sign of resilience, and how those suffering from depression often lack this trait.  Interesting, in that context, that the Clouds are associated both with ambiguity and with depression.

This leads me to the question: How can I express my compassion in a way that helps foster emotional independence?


Bottom Row - Manifestation - Shedding Snake, Fierce Snake, Bear

Manifesting strong boundaries can be transformational.

Compassion is multi-faceted: we can be compassionate towards others, yet often forget to offer the same gift to ourselves.  Being protective of our own space and needs can be a way to show that self-compassion.  However, it can feel hard to do, given the expectations others often have of us.  Something tangible can help make that boundary clearer to others, and act as a reminder so we maintain it for ourselves.  How can I manifest strong boundaries?

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