Little Big Man = Future Bo Jackson?

Today I am debating the merits of the sports my Little Big Man plays.  The kid has a fire for basketball like I have never seen him have before, and that is going to be nurtured no matter what.  But he also loves football, and is much desired back on his team for fall.  We had originally agreed that two club sports at one time was too much for our family to handle, and he eagerly chose basketball, with no thoughts.  But last spring, when he was playing both, I was just out of a major surgery and barely getting to the bathroom alone, let alone all the running around two sports requires.  I may be able to manage it now, or at least I can try.

The Healing Tarot- Ace of Wands, Three of Pentacles, The Hierophant

I am using a simple three card Mind, Body, Spirit spread to see how this might affect my boy.  I want to see how the demands (and joys) of laying two competitive sports will play out for him.  These cards will not be the only factor in our decision, but they do shed light where I may not necessarily see it.

In the Mind position is the Ace of Wands.  My first thought was of burning the candle at both ends, so to speak, so I think his mind will be challenged, but it will also be kindled, because he loves these things, and doing what we love IS fulfilling our life's purpose.  The enthusiasm of the Ace of Wands is incredible, and he brings that to everything he works at.  The book says, "Everything is within you to succeed in your health and fitness goals: Go for what you want, think outside the box, and don't let anything stand in your way!"  He will set some goals and reach them, because he is driven.  There is also a little bit of ego and swagger indicated in this card, which I wrote about in my daily post earlier today, and in some cases that is a very good thing.  I have to be aware of the toll this could have on him and try to minimize it, but overall it is a positive card.

In the Body position is the Three of Pentacles, which I see as him working to perfect his skills and athleticism.  I see the two figures at the foot as two coaches pushing him to work harder, get better, go stronger.  This was the most important position to me as I am concerned with him putting himself through the rigors of two competitive sports again this season, as well as the fact that football is rough.  Kids get hurt.  But they also get hurt playing basketball and skateboarding and crossing the street.  As a kid, I broke my ankle tripping over a crack in the sidewalk.  You can't control everything, and in fact can only control very little.  We pad them up, make sure they have the right equipment, and train them well, then hope for the best.  Playing two sports will help him increase his skill in both, according to this card.

I am not so sure I like the look of that right leg, and the book, which I remind you is geared towards health readings, says watch out for broken bones, but I do not get a sense of dread from these cards.  The injury, of course, would affect both sports, and that was my argument against playing football at all- Why take the chance of injury if your love is basketball?  But this is not my life to live, just advise, and provide rides.

The Spirit card is The Hierophant, and I think this is so important.  We meet the Divine where our passions lay, because they were given to us to drive us to our purpose.  I don't know that Eli will be a professional athlete, or even that I want him to be, because that is a long, hard road to follow, but that there is a purpose in the deep desires of his heart I have no doubt.  He will draw closer to Loving Source through his pursuit of the game.  The Hierophant being a teacher points again to him learning more and more, which is the most important thing to me.

The Hierophant is also linked to Taurus, which rules pleasure, and there is deep pleasure for him in getting sweaty, working hard, winning, camaraderie with his teammates.

The Hierophant has authority, and a prime reason to keep kids involved with sports and other activities is to keep them involved with and active in their own lives, as well as giving them mentors to help them to stay on track.  While I adore, and he adores, his basketball coach, I think he may benefit from the coaching style of other people as well, although I can see in him a fear of disappointing the Coach he admires so deeply by pursuing his other activity.  That is in the Hierophant too, as representative of a jealous God here on earth.  Obviously I know, and Eli knows, that coach does not equal god, but in the minds of children, the parents, teachers, and people we surround our kids wear the face of God and Goddess for them until they are spiritually mature enough to seek it on their own.  That is something I need to remember more often, to keep my behavior on its' best.

Healing Tarot- The Tower

To conclude the reading, I asked how my Little Big Man would feel if I did not let him play football this fall.  I got The Tower, and my immediate sense was of stripping him of something that is vital to him.  Now this knife can cut both ways, and there is value in making him see that he is not just his athletic ability, but a whole person with a hundred, no, a thousand beautiful traits, but I am not sure it needs to come to a 13 year old young man quite like that.  I believe kids need to be built up as far as you possibly can, and be afforded opportunities to build themselves up, like in sports, as much as possible, and it is not my place to cut him down in any way.  Right now Eli gets his sense of self esteem from being good at sports, from setting goals and reaching them, and he will learn soon enough what it is to be stripped without me doing it for him.

To catch a possible glimpse into your future, or to discuss the pros and cons to various paths you may be considering, there is no finer option than a tarot reading, and I would love to be the one to offer you one.  Please contact me here if you are so moved!  Not only do I believe in tarot for myself, but for my most precious things in life, my kids as well.

These cards are from The Healing Tarot by Juno Lucina and Monica Knighton, published by Schiffer Books.

Daily Draw- The Tower, The Lovers, King of Swords

Knives abound in this reading.  They frame The Lovers and their perfect visions for each other.  The cute little kidney is warding off junk food, which is cute but deadly, with one.  Not all cute things are innocuous.

The Healing Tarot- The Tower, The Lovers, King of Swords

This deck is specifically geared towards physical health, which is every professional readers' bane.  I am not a doctor or a nurse.  I have intuitive feelings about what may be going on with you and when you should consult one, but that is never a substitute for health care.  There are often rigorous debates among readers about the morality of doing these kinds of readings at all.  But people want to know about love, money, their health, their kids, and their careers, generally.  It's important.

Because The Lovers are the middle of this reading, I immediately think to The Man, who has suffered from kidney stones with alarming frequency.  The last ultrasound he had revealed there were many, and much like childbirth, there is really only one way out of that situation.  I do not want him to suffer, and him getting sick right now could very well produce a Tower moment for us, because it is just not a good time.  Not that there ever is a good time to experience The Tower.

The King of Swords there shows me that there is a consequence to each choice we make, and the food we eat can be a great source of healing for our bodies, or it can poison us in increments.  I get frustrated with him, and with myself, reflected in The Lovers, because it is so simple to achieve and maintain health, but we still make poor choices.

The other thing this preponderance of cutting instruments makes me think of is that another surgery may loom on my horizon.  I desperately do not want that, because I thought I might be dying after I had the spinal fusion in March, but there is very little to be done with backs, and even with surgery it seems very much like you roll the dice and take your chances.  My surgeon has shown up as the King of Swords many times in the past year, and The Tower can certainly look like a spine. 

The best thing about readings like these is that forewarned is forearmed.  The future is never set in stone, and with this not so subtle reminder I can help The Man to eat better by cooking and providing that food.  We reflect ourselves to each other, and we can help each other be the best version of ourselves.  We also strive to be the best partner for each the other, and there is power in that, too.  We have to make positive change for our own good, but love often makes you place the good of someone else over your own.

The Healing Tarot- Three of Cups

The Shadow Card is the Three of Cups.  This card speaks to some underlying issues I have with food, health, love and body image.  My mom was a broken person, and I feel mostly sorry for her, but she had some clear lack when it came to parenting.  She called me Moo Moo Mandy until I was old enough to simply not talk to her at all anymore, and my handsome, adult cousin chimed right in, with a cruel song he made up about Mandy being a pig, a big pig, to the Davy Crockett television show theme.  To this day I will cry when hearing those words, and that is no longer their fault.  As an adult 30 years removed from the start of this, I should be able to process this in a healthy way.

I have some very entrenched ideas of food, and I feel immense guilt about eating foods I consider unholy, that add to my weight or (small) health issues.  This is also expressed in The Lovers, with the reflection of her just a little more perfect than the reality, although the reality is lovely.  I feel I cannot be worthy of love, as my name means, if I am fat, and that idea is so ridiculous I would snatch up and hug anyone else who expressed it to me.  We have to treat ourselves as well as we treat other people.

If there are some things in your life that need to be cut away, or that you need to cleave to, a tarot reading can help you get that clarity and offer advice.  If you don't know you are worthy of love, the tarot can show you different.  I'd love it if you booked one with me here.


These cards are from The Healing Tarot by Juno Lucina and Monica Knighton, published by Schiffer Books.

The Only Way Through It

Today's spread brings me three Major Arcana cards, which does not really surprise me, but I do think it is interesting to note.  Today I am asking about the state of this little blog.

The first card shows my relationship with the blog, the second is the way to get from where I am to where I want to be with it, and the third card is the result.  It is a basic three card spread meant to cast a picture and offer advice.

The Healing Tarot- The Sun, The World, The Empress

The Sun shows the joy I take in writing, in tarot, and in connecting with people who are interested in the same kinds of things.  I love it!  I feel good, and it is a happy place for me, or at least it always had been.  That is where the darker side of The Sun comes into play.  It is such a positive card that I generally read it as still pretty darn good, even when it falls in a difficult aspect, so I know that what has happened was still to the greater good, but that doesn't always feel good in the moment.  The Sun shines a light on everything, all of it, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and putting oneself on display in a public blog is a choice.  For the most part I do not mind, because I think tarot is the most intensely personal thing there is, and I strive to live my life in such a way that I do not feel any shame at my actions or words.  But the shining light Sun has left me feeling exposed at times.  My little bit of success, for which I am beyond grateful, seems to leave me a target for hangers on and moochers, not to mention the people in my personal life who do not wish me well (who are few and far between but incredibly tenacious).  I have been feeling tender and raw, and especially with the parenting time issue with The Man's kids, and his exes odd (to me) obsession with what I do online, I have not wanted to be so exposed.

But, as I said, I generally read The Sun as good, good, good, so it's still good.  The love is still there.  The Sun endures, and so does my delight in what I get to do in this space.  I firmly believe that where we feel joy is where we are meant to dwell.

The advice for getting through this difficult time is The World, and the skeleton inside the circle makes me believe the time has come to die to what anyone else may think and be self contained in my own little World.  I am whole just the way I am, and no one can take bits of me if I do not let them cross my boundaries.  I gotta do me, whole heartedly and with no regard for haters, clingers on, or the judgmental attitudes of other people, because what others think of me is really none of my business.

The result of successfully implementing the advice of The World is The Empress, a loving, wild card of abundant expression and joy!  Her beautiful world is sacrosanct, and her expression is inviting but does not invite ugliness into her precious creation.

From the companion book- "The Empress beautifies and sweetens everything she touches: health, happiness, success, pleasure, luxury, artistic value, finances."  That is a value I hold sacred, and to get there from here means living fully in my purpose.

I would be deeply remiss in not pointing out that this reading resonates so deeply with the reading I received from Mandy Flint of Greeneyedgypsy last week that I could have almost pulled the cards face up to reinforce her words.  She is tough, but in a way that makes you know you are loved.  Thank you, +Mandy Flint!

The Healing Tarot- Five of Cups

The Shadow Card is the Five of Cups.  The book describes it as "loss of pleasure or desperate avoidance of pain" which shows exactly how I reacted to having my personal space invaded.  I lost my pleasure in it and I avoided it in order to avoid more pain.  Well, the Five of Cups shows your spilled ones, and there is no sucking liquid back up off the ground to put back in the Cups.  It is immeasurably sad.  But there are two more perfectly good Cups, and my intention is to stop mourning what was lost and turn to what remains.

This fits in eerily well with the Daily Card I pulled and posted at the 78 Whispers Facebook Page and the Google+ Community Page, which was the Page of Cups from this same deck.  I tend to record these at Tumblr as well.  If you enjoy the blog posts you may like what you get over there, which tends to be shorter, pithier, and more frequent, at least as of late.  There is also a newsletter that comes straight to your email inbox, full of new content, and no spam, which you can sign up for here.

Have you lost your pleasure or engaged in a desperate avoidance of pain?  A tarot reading can help you find your way out again, and I would love to help you do it.  If you would like to work together please contact me.




These cards are from The Healing Tarot by Juno Lucina and Monica Knighton, published by Schiffer Books.

Daily Draw- Emperor, Four of Wands

Another pair from the Fairy Lights Tarot graces the blog today, this one led by the faithful Emperor.

Fairy Lights Tarot Pairs- Emperor, Four of Wands

How do you feel about setting boundaries for yourself?  Boundaries can be a word that puts people off.  They sound constraining, because they, well, they set bounds.  The Emperor is the master of this, right?  Here's the thing, though.  We aren't free to chase seagulls without having protection in place.  It can be a mark of immaturity to balk at the protections in place.  We have this amazing freedom to practically fly down the highway, and most of us have vehicles to do so in, yet we must obey the speed limit.  We must get licenses, insurance, and tags on those cars.  All of those are restrictions which are for our own good and serve us well, when we allow it, but it sure can feel like unwelcome restriction at times.

There are many opinions on the wars being waged, and none of them encompass the whole truth, because I doubt any of us know it to share.  Most of us, though, have freedom to dissent, freedom to disagree with our government, freedom to say anything we like (though that should not be mistaken as freedom from the consequences of that speech) and we owe those freedoms to the brave women and men who serve to preserve them.  An ugly example of lashing out at authority can be seen when our service people and soldiers take criticism and sometimes even bear the brunt of hate because of their service.  They deserve respect, even when we can't support what they have been ordered to do.

Are you the protector, the keeper of the bounds, or are you frolicking carefree on the beach?  Are you able to switch in and out of those roles as appropriate to your situation, or do you struggle with taking either of them on?


These cards are from Fairy Lights Tarot by Lucia Mattioli, published by Lo Scarabeo.

My Lens For the Week- The Hierophant

Fairy Lights Tarot- The Hierophant

The Hierophant can be one of those weird cards, and with so many people who read tarot feeling so conflicted about the church, traditions, and being asked to conform (or not feeling conflicted at all but just straight up not caring for any of it) it can be a difficult card for some readers.

I'm not one of them.  It might be that The Hierophant, with his structure and his love of doing things "just so" relates to my sun sign, Taurus.  It might be that I am not too angry with God so when this card strikes me as a mediator between earth and heaven I am not offended.  I think the most likely answer, though, is that in true Taurean form, I take a page from Robert Downey Jr's book, most days-

Maybe it is my Libra ascendant that makes this so easy for me, but I really just don't care what anyone thinks, and while this should never be mistaken for a lack of compassion, neither should my general good nature be mistaken for door mat-y-ness.  So, I respect traditions.  I even follow some.  But I have always understood that I could discard the ones that don't work for me while embracing the ones that do.  The same with all things concerning the Divine- I am absolutely comfortable with taking all of what works for me from different teachings, while leaving what just doesn't.

This requires a measure of integrity, to be sure I am not just leaving behind something because I just don't feel like it.  For example, I really believe that stealing shows a lack of trust in the Universe to provide, and a lack of faith in self to get what is needed and wanted, but it would be very easy to pretend that "Thou shalt not steal" didn't resonate with me.  Of course, I am pretty sure the authorities do not give a flying yahoo what resonates as long as we follow the laws.

The Little White Book addresses the issue of integrity when it comes to belief and imparting knowledge like this, "The Hierophant connects to ancient cosmic knowledge and passes it to those who seek his guidance.  The teachings you offer must be imparted with integrity and truth."

Fairy Lights Tarot pairs- Ten of Wands, The Hierophant

This deck has a unique slant, in which each card is part of a larger image which were cut in half and became a card in their own right.  As I examine the pairs, I believe this must have been a great work because the artist seems to have given a great deal of thought as to how to incorporate each card in both its' own meaning and in its' paired meaning.

In this case, the Ten of Wands and The Hierophant make up two halves of the whole.  The passage from the Ten of Wands is poignant- "Your essence has been scattered through too much outward activity.  Find a place of sanctuary where you can gather yourself together again."  When we want to approach the Divine, whether we feel strong, or we feel scattered and thin, we hope to meet kindness, integrity and truth.  I would put forth that whenever we don't find those things, we have to examine whether it is a false idol we are bowing to.

So, for this week, I am, as usual, going to listen, smile, agree, and then, well you know.  Anyone who treats me like a jackass is probably doing a little too much projection for us to be comfortable together, and likewise, when it is my turn to teach, I will remember to do so with integrity and kindness, just as I wish to receive.

I will strive to remember to run, not walk, to my sacred spaces when I feel heavy and world worn, because those healing waters never dry up.


These cards are from Fairy Lights Tarot by Lucia Mattioloi, published by Lo Scarabeo.

Daily Draw- Two of Pentacles, Four of Pentacles, Queen of Swords

I like to use Thorhammer's Daily Spread when I feel like spending time with my cards but do not have any pressing issues to work out.  I like the barometer check on life and it usually gives me something to think about.

The positions are:

• What I Did Well Today
• What I Need To Leave Behind From Today
• What I Should Carry Forward With Me Into Tomorrow

Dream Raven Tarot- Two of Pentacles, Four of Pentacles, Queen of Swords

What I did well today- Two of Pentacles.  Today I kept all my balls in the air.  There was a lot to do, and a lot of ways to do it, but it all came together, and I am grateful for that.

What I need to leave behind from today- Four of Pentacles.  Tomorrow may not be as smooth.  If things go south, I need to be gentle with myself,  Just because today I managed to balance the two Pentacles doesn't mean I can double my load tomorrow with no consequences.  Superwoman I am not.

What I should carry forward with me into tomorrow- Queen of Swords.  I have needed to set some boundaries, and they are for my benefit and the people I interact with.  I am not cold or cruel for doing so; it is actually a loving act.  I need to stick to my ethics and be bold and brave in my choices, because I know who I am and where I am coming from.  I try to express it in a loving way but I am not in charge of how anyone receives me, only how I express myself.

Do you know what you did well today?  Do you like to do any daily readings?



These cards are from Dream Raven Tarot by Beth Seilonen, published by Schiffer Books.

Opposite of Fear Spread

I love Danielle Laporte and getting Daily Truthbombs is a highlight of my morning (or my late evening if I am still up when they come in).  I saw this one on Pinterest and it resonated so deeply with what I am experiencing that I had to make a spread for it right away.  PS- that is how you can tell something really speaks to you, when you have to stop what you are doing to follow the voice.

"It's often best to do the opposite of what your fear is telling you to do." ~Danielle Laporte, Daily Truthbombs

• Card #1- What is my fear telling me to do?
• Card #2- How does acting on this fear manifest in my life?
• Card #3- What is the outcome if I continue listening to the fear?
• Card #4- What should I do instead?
• Card #5- What can help me putting this into action?
• Card #6- What is the outcome of defying my fear and successfully implementing Card #5?

I am using Beth Seilonen's Dream Raven Tarot to give this spread a test run today.  It may be best to give this spread a specific area of life to focus on because most of us don't only have one fear.  I am focusing on my work.

Dream Raven Tarot- Lovers, Hierophant, Seven of Swords

What is my fear telling me to do?  The Lovers- My fear is telling me to pretend I am happy and well content with the decisions I have made, to make a big commitment to those decisions because they were mine and I need to own them.  To admit I have changed, or the decisions were wrong in the first place, would be a terrible blow to my ego, and something I am having a really hard time dealing with.

How does acting on this fear manifest in my life?  The Hierophant- I have become intractable and ever more stubborn as I try to hold on to these beliefs, whether they warrant the adoration or not, I am growing fat (symbolically) and complacent, happy (or telling myself I am) to sit on this perch instead of exploring the big, beautiful world.

What is the outcome if I continue listening to the fear?  Seven of Swords- Listening to the fear is causing me to rob myself of experiences that I need to have, to grow, to make more money, and to live fully in this moment.  I have two Swords firmly in hand, looking back to the two figures on The Lovers, but five more (looking back to the Hierophant) are escaping and I will never be able to grab them all at once.  The trying is making me quite grumpy.

Dream Raven Tarot- Fool, Four of Swords, Five of Pentacles

What should I do instead? Fool- Something totally different!  The Fool is all about letting go, and this winged version can fly.  In introspective tarot readings, often each figure represents an aspect of ourselves, and this one is utterly joyous.  The Lovers are not able to fly, because they are so entwined together they are not making any progress, just as I am married to some mistakes I have made instead of just letting them go.  Letting go is my secret, and the Hierophant is not so much about any of that.

What can help me putting this into action?  Four of Swords- There is a difference between grasping and holding softly.  The Seven of Swords illustrates desperate, grasping energy.  This Four of Swords is a gentler, more intimate touch.  I need to find the idea I actually love, instead of the one I feel like I should love.  I need to utilize what I can hold on loosely to, not what I have to grasp and grapple for.  I also need to spend quiet time where clarity can find me.

What is the outcome of defying my fear and successfully implementing Card #5?  Five of Pentacles- I will learn to draw security from my own self, abilities, and creation, rather than continually looking for outside of myself.  I will be better able to compartmentalize work, putting away in the branches of the tree like these Pentacles have been so carefully placed when it is time.

When I total up these cards, I come to 13, Death, which makes sense as I look to my lens for the week, which is Death.  There are things that need to be let go of since they no longer work, to make room for new things to come in.  What is gone can create fertile ground for the future, like the mistakes I have made have set me up for success, even if only by ruling out what doesn't work.  Tarot is cool like that.

I have found this spread insightful and helpful.  I hope you will, too, if you get a chance to try it out.  We can do this spread, or any other, together if you book a reading with me.


These cards are from Dream Raven Tarot by Beth Seilonen, published by Schiffer Books.