Tea Leaf Tuesday - November 8, 2011

Tea Leaf Fortune Cards

This week it seems like I need to pay close attention to my health, which my doctors have already told me.  I'm experiencing a lot of change and different ways of doing things and some of that is being forced.  Having said that, I ate chocolate cake for breakfast and cheese sticks for lunch.  This is not my normal way of eating, and I did so before this not so subtle reminder that a body is a temple, but eating this way is not fueling my tired body for success.  I prepare healthy meals for my family three times a day, and get them up and moving as much as possible.  I hope that firecracker of Excitement does not have to do with a health crisis, but I am a firm believer that forewarned is forearmed and now that I know I can be extra diligent.  Cards do not make my destiny.  I do, but not always wanting to make the best decisions for my body and my health could definitely be my Mountain, a major challenge to overcome.  It could also indicate my Karma, having reaped what I have sown in the field of my health, and they are not all good seeds.

The Sun card of happiness and well being is the first card, and I think it carries the most weight, although I recognize that two cards referring to health, side by side, means something.  I am ridiculously happy with my life, with my husband, my kids, my writing, reading tarot.  Those are the things that matter most to me, and they are immutable.  They cannot be taken from me.  It seems that my lot in life is to love and be loved by people I cannot physically be near, and I am thinking of my distant friend too.

I just wanted you to know that these cards are available again, beautifully reprinted by U.S. Games Systems, Inc after having been unavailable or ridiculously expensive on the second hand market for years.  I have received a set, and if possible they are even lovelier than the original version!  So if you have always wanted some, hie thee to Amazon and order some up!






These cards are Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn, recently reprinted by U.S. Games Systens, Inc.

Tea Leaf Tuesday - August 30, 2011

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Advice from a friend- now taking applications!  I AM paying attention to my health, or trying to do better anyway.  My stomach insists and so do my heaving lungs after hauling myself up and down the hills of San Francisco all weekend.  Zumba is in the hizouse and back to daily yoga practice.  I'm looking, looking for that path with money on it.  I shan't give up, though!  Family matters, and the security of my family is ALWAYS tantamount to me, and so I will be especially careful with my pennies this week, watching them and not making any investments until I have all the information.  Even so, I trust that evverything will be just fine, ad the Angel wants me to know that, too.

One of the great things about these cards is that I have definitely had mixed bag readings with them, and that is okay with me because life is a mixed bag, but they always seem to end with great advice or sweet promises that come true, so they knock me over, then pick me up again and say, "I got your back."  That is a special quality to me in a friend, in a deck, in anyone, really, so I thank the universe for that tonight.





Guess what... One of my most frequent requests is to either sell my Tea Leaf Fortune Cards or help people find some.  Well, U.S. Games has acquired the rights and will be reprinting it.  I have no idea what it will look like, but for the bold of heart you can preorder it on Amazon.  Let me know how you like it!


These cards are from the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn.

Tea Leaf Tuesday - August 23, 2011

I would be willing to bet that most misunderstandings rise out of great passion and people behaving stupidly.  I wish the gossip card could surprise me, but it doesn't.  I am well aware that there are people in my life, mostly remnants and hangers on, that do not wish me well, and that's okay.  They talk about me because nothing else in their lives is as interesting.  My little sister posted this on her facebook page the other day and I echo the sentiment- "I love all haters, fakers, pretenders, and backstabbers. I thank y'all for making me strong."  I am responsible for me, and the way I walk in the world, and everyone else is responsible for them.  At the end of my time here, when I make my accounting to the powers that be, I will not be trying to explain why they feel the need to be mean.  I'll be explaining how I reacted.

We are going to San Francisco on Thursday, so I am sure there will be some happy, light hearted fun mixed in, and I am sure we will make it on a boat at some time.  If there is a lottery or casino kind of thing there I will be sure to throw some money down on that lucky card.  I'm excited for the Chain.  I am ready for things to be happening!

Update: August 30, 2011- The misunderstanding happened here, wherein my gentle and soft spoken husband became quite irate with me for continually putting off needed doctor's appointments,  and I would be willing to go so far as to say that the great passion and someone behaving stupidly was there, as well.  I am not naming names, though... I am still not all that concerned about the gossip, because when you live your life with integrity you just don't have to worry about those kind of things, and as I said I am sure it happens all the time anyway, because I was not always good about surrounding myself with people who lived their life that way.

We had a beautiful time in San Francisco, with lots of carefree time as a couple and with friends, and I loved every single moment of it.  I can't wait to go back, and it is definitely on my list of livable cities, should we ever need a change of landscape.  I also believe that the act of attending San Francisco Bay Area Tarot Symposium has set into motion that chain of events that will affect my life, in no small part because I learned sooooo much and had such a fire lit under my behind to get in gear with my business pursuits.  It became very clear to me that while learning is lifelong, I am beyond ready to spread my wings in both areas I am passionate about- tarot and writing.  Now I just need to attend to the details.

The winning or windfall is The Man's to expound upon, as he has a lucky nature and works hard, which always ends up a winning combination.  He won a gorgeous Steele Wizard Tarot from the raffle at BATS, which is his first deck, as well as probably a HUUUUUUGE prize at work, which was performance based AND he won even missing two days at work to accompany me.  I'll let you in on the details after we know them, if you don't hear me screeching in delight wherever you are.

Another win for fortune telling with the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards!







These cards are the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn.

Tea Leaf Tuesday - August 16, 2011

Looks like a mixed bag week coming up!

 Well, new opportunities are always nice to have, and I love the thought of walking through an archway into such an open garden.  With five kids going back to school and a trip to San Francisco coming up, of course we are in a financial pinch, so no surprise there.  We like pasta and I have decks to last me into the apocalypse, so no real worries.  I'll look forward to a romantic celebration, which makes sense because since we can't agree what the true anniversary is we get to celebrate all of the ones in dispute.  No arguments here!  (Once the wedding anniversary rolls around I suppose I shall have to settle for just the one...)  There already is some family sorrow, sorry to say, and I can see where it may intensify over the coming week, so while I don't look forward to that it's part and parcel of the package of loving other people.  I feel vaguely uneasy about the karma card, reaping what you have sown, but I try to only sow good things, so it shouldn't be painful, and may actually be good, and although I do not want any wedges, I am confident in my ability to handle any that may pop up, and above all soars that Eagle card, with the promise of triumph over our troubles.

I shall be back to update next week!

Update, August 23, 2011:  Well, I definitely had a new opportunity open up, in the form of a MASSIVE writing project I have undertaken.   It really is huge.  I have had offers of, and probably need, a research assistant.  As I guessed, the kidtauplets school stuff was a small fortune, and The Man's surgery bills came in, not such a small fortune.  We will definitely be running a much tighter ship while we deal with those.  We had a great weekend, bowling with friends, and with two of the five kiddos hanging out with us and working hard.  The family sorrow probably comes from one of them not being able to join us, due to his own choices, and we felt the sting of that.  We also missed Miss Thang, the girl child, as it was her weekend with her dad.  My ever sweet husband keeps surprising me with little tasty treats and romantic text message notes.  It's cute.  I'm smitten.  I do not know who would be trying to drive a wedge anywhere in my life, or if I do I can't say it on a public forum, and I am not worried about it at all, because I have finally learned the trick of surrounding myself with good people.  I have my family, both the blood one, the married one, and the ones I have chosen, and every other little ol' thing ain't nothing to me.

I think the karma thing has to do with my poor choices in diet and exercise in recent months and how they are coming back as backlash now.  I have developed a painful stomach condition that I guess feels like acid reflux or heartburn, but it is constant.  The only time I ever had heartburn was at the end of pregnancy, so this is new.  I used to eat very little processed food and was quite active, but becoming a full time writer and tarot reader as opposed to a busy waitress has cut my activity level down quite a bit and I have to make an effort to get a workout in whereas before it was just part of my regular day.  I have also modified my diet and that of my kids to better fit in with what The Man and the stepsons are used to, but their diet sucks and now they are going to have to get used to mine, haha!  I  have started a full body cleanse and cleansing diet, and this morning I felt much improved, so I went for a long walk and did some yoga.  I am committed to reverting to my better eating ways and getting that yoga and walk in, at a minimum, every day.  This is also good for my mental health.  I will also get to the swimming pool and Zumba classes at least twice a week, so I should be better in quick order!





These cards are from the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn.

Tea Leaf Tuesday - August 9, 2011

I am going to be honest with you all again.  I stopped doing my Tea Leaf Fortune Card readings because I did not like the readings I was getting.  They were, for lack of a better word, icky.  Now this could be because my life in general was kinda icky then, or it could be that I was getting legitimate warnings, but I don't like feeling icky and generally go to great lengths to avoid it, and not using the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards was an easy way to do so.  I realize this is nonsensical in many ways, because forewarned is forearmed, but I never claimed to be the most completely logical being on the planet.  I mean, I'm a tarot reader.  I write fantasy fiction.  You had to know what you were getting into by reading this blog, right?

This weeks cards, though, are some cards I can get down with.  Honor and respect!  Excitement!  A dark haired woman!  Risk!  Happiness!  Reward!  And... a new job or a raise!  The neutral cards, Dark Woman and Tiger, are all surrounded by lovely cards, with promises of great things.

My prediction is that the job I have been interviewing for will start this week, depsite my difficulties with one of the interviewers, who may be the dark haired woman.  This is a great job situation for me as it will bring in steady, dependable income while allowing me to pursue tarot and writing, school, and of course allowing me to keep my schedule flexible, which is the most important thing to me in a job, because my family ALWAYS comes first.  It's a job doing what I love, and while I would absolutely do it for free, these kidtauplets do not buy their own food and school clothes, ya know?

We'll have to come back next week and see how accurate these cards were for me.  Cross your fingers and send me lots of good energy, please!

Update August 16, 2011:  Well, no progress on the job front, at least not the one I was hoping for, which probably means nothing good in that regard, but I was offered a waitressing job, which I do not want, however.  Not to look a gift job in the mouth, but I am too old and decrepit for waiting tables now haha.  There was lots of excitement, with the boys and their Magic: The Gathering tournament, and  the antics of The Floppy Haired One.  I am totally, utterly happy with life right now, even though it is not all perfect, and The Man gave me a sweet surprise in telling me one particularly low feeling day EVERY good thing he could think of about me, and it was a long list, bless his pure, sweet heart, which was honor and respect, as well as recognition.  Accurate, I would say, though not necessarily in all the ways I would have hoped for.  That's okay though.  I'll take what I can get.






The Tea Leaf Fortune cards by Rae Hepburn are currently out of print, but there are rumors they will be reprinted by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. in the near future.

Tea Leaf Tuesday - March 15, 2011

My intention is to draw seven Tea Leaf Fortune Cards every Tuesday to gain insight into what the week ahead may have in store for me.  Who knows how this will turn out, because I do not use cards for divination all that often; more like cheap therapy.

I will probably take whoever is leaving my life pretty hard, which is just like me, because once people are in my life, I like to keep 'em, but it is actually for the best, as I will  move forward spiritually through it and the problem will not be long lasting.

The "Broom" refers to the fact that this is spring cleaning week in my new-to-me-house.  Thanks, Tea Leaf Fortune Cards!  I knew that, though!

I'll be back next Tuesday to look this spread over and make comments on its' accuracy.

Update, March 22, 2011: My major challenge to overcome and sorrow over a loss manifested in the taxes not quite going the way I thought they were going to, but that is okay.  Something is better than nothing, fo' sho!  The person leaving my life is a social worker, who while sweet, compassionate, and doing a great job at what she does, I feel is unnecessary, and she has exited our family scene, forever, I hope, and I do wish her well!  It's good to have these kinds of services for people who need them, but I don't think that applies to my family.  Still, I am grateful that they came, even if I am resentful of the false claim that brought them.  The temporary problems speak of that, and the money situation, as well as a tiny misunderstanding type spat between The Man and I, but they were swept away quickly, like always with us.  My spiritual development is coming from committing to a course in study of The Inner Temple Of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation, and Psychic Development by Christopher Penczak, which if nothing else I believe will strengthen my reading abilities for tarot, and enhance my creative flow for writing.  I am also honored to be a student in my friend Joy's class, Intuitive Astrology, which seems to be the only way I can learn the stuff, and I would like to so that I can enhance my tarot reading as well.  Spring cleaning goes on, and on, and on...

I am most pleased with the Tea Leaf Reading for this week, and I think as I learn to speak the language of these cards I will get better at interpreting them in advance.  Stay tuned!

These cards are the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn and Shawna Alexander.

Tea Leaf Tuesday - Week One

Ahh, bummer.

The wish I did not know I wished will not be granted.  Actually, I have many wishes, so one will have to be let go of this week.  This will obviously lead to sorrow.  The Hammock is already set in stone as I leave for Niagra on Thursday.  Even though I will be sad I will still be strong enough to keep going and see that there are more and better things out there for me.

Next Tuesday we shall see how accurate this was and do another reading.  Stay tuned...





These cards are from the Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn.

Daily Draw - Ace of Pentacles

For Saturday, I have drawn the Ace of Pentacles from my Pictorial Key tarot. What a bright, happy card for a girl seriously contemplating leaving her fairly lucrative job! In this card, I see a large, magnanimous hand extended from Heaven, offering a large golden coin. The gorgeous garden below shows luxury and beauty.

I can't imagine for me that this card heralds a financial windfall, but I suppose it is called a windfall because it is unexpected *grin*. I would take one, if it came my way, but I think this card is showing me how I would best spend my time off from work. I work in a fairly busy breakfast restaurant, which is not what I envisioned when I took all those lit classes in college, but truthfully, I cannot figure out how to make the same amount of money in the same amount of time, in hours that basically allow me to be home with my kids when they are home. Unless I were to be a writer, at home all the time, which is what my true dream in life is. I write stories, specifically urban fairy tale types and high fantasy, and some modern fiction that I try to weave with the magical thread I see in my own life and I would like everyone to be able to embrace as well. The biggest problem with being a working writer, for me at least, is the discipline needed, and also that creativity can't be called just because the light bill is due.

I plan to take my time off from work to get my home organized and beautiful, and to instill the routine needed to be a productive writer, as well as a mom and a full time student, on top of doing what I have to do to keep the bills paid in the meantime. I am going far out on a limb here to make the assumption that if I do the work, I will be financially blessed to be able to follow that dream. Julia Cameron admonishes in The Artist's Way that we are to worry about the quantity of our art and to let God worry about the quality.

I don't want a lot of material things, just to know that the rent is paid, and my kids are going to eat, and that they can get new shoes when they need them, and a new tarot deck here and there would not go amiss. I don't long for designer shoes, or fancy cars, or even really a car at all, since I choose to ride the bus as often as not. I don't want a big house, just a cozy little one that holds me and the kiddos, and some lucky man, if he ever manifests, and our simple little things.

I am reminded of Sheryl Crow singing in Soak Up The Sun, "It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you got..."

Later on in the day, I was messing around with my Tea Leaf Fortune Cards, which is an adorable, but out of print, oracle deck of 200 hundred cards that brings the wisdom of tea leaf readings without the mess. I randomly drew two cards from the purple Crown Royal bag I keep them in (don't judge me...) and they were : Bridge - Successfully overcoming a problem. & Bowl - Plenty of material things. I love the synchronicity tarot and oracles offer sometimes! It looks like I am deep in a phase of making my life work for me, and I can expect to be comfortable, at least, while doing so. That is a just reward (an Ace of Pentacles keyword, by the way) for being authentic to one's self.

I spent the evening giving my gorgeous, evocative, surreal Archeon tarot a haircut (again don't judge me. I KNOW it was a Saturday night, but I am not feeling all that hot, in any sense of the word, except I am running a fever, and dating takes more time than I have), which for me has give the deck a new lease on life. Although I loved the images, I was not particularly fond of the large and overbearing borders, so I got brave and decided to take them off. This was my first experiment with deck trimming, although I am eyeballing a copy of the Thoth with scissors in hand now. I can see myself using this deck more often now, likely in writing exercises, as the images fit well with my slightly darker themes. I really feel this has opened the deck up and made it more readable. What do you all think?














These images are from the Pictorial Key Tarot, Tea Leaf Fortune Cards by Rae Hepburn, and the Archeon tarot by Timothy Lantz.