Tarot Leaves by Beth Seilonen

Tarot Leaves

Explore the Tarot through the beauty of nature as seen in images drawn within the silhouettes of the Maple, Apple, Oak, and Birch leaves. Utilizing color to convey the meanings on 78 artistic Tarot cards, each card is represented by a leaf in which innovative images and symbols are hidden. Colorful and intricate, the leaf image overlaps the imagery message and vice versa. The magician phrase, “Now you see it; now you don’t,” surely applies as, with each reading, some images are noticed and seem to “pop” from the leaf, while other symbols are overlooked to be seen at another time. Enjoy the simple beauty of nature as you explore the roots of Tarot.

Following the tradition of the Major and Minor Arcana, Seilonen adds a new personality to the tarot with this deck. Showing the images through the silhouette of tree leaves, through a prism of nature, she takes one step toward making this deck unique, but goes a little further with her artwork. The soft pastel colors and the gentle scenery take the tarot to a new level.

The packaging of this deck is also an amazing aspect. The deck and accompanying book come in a hard cardboard laminated box, which closes firmly with a magnet. The sturdy book includes interpretations for both the upright and reversals of each card, along with suggested spreads. The cards are of sturdy card stock. And again, everything fits right back into the box for storage.

This deck would make a wonderful addition on any collector’s shelf. A tarot reader would also find joy with its images and soft pastel coloring. I wouldn’t highly recommend this deck to someone new to the tarot, but I also wouldn’t say a straight out no. The book’s interpretations and the images within the cards make perfect sense; it just may take longer to be able to do a reading without the book’s help.

It is suggested the images overlap within the leaf artwork giving hidden meanings that ‘pop’ forth when required. I haven’t had this happen yet, but do look forward to the excitement of such an occurrence.

ISBN: 9780764339035

Available for purchase: Schiffer Publication http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764339035

Numerology within the Tarot - One

There are many different aspects within the cards which can be pulled upon for stronger clarity. One of these aspects is the numbers on each card.

Cards from Legacy of the Divine Tarot

Today, I decided to look upon the One – Aces and The Magician – to gain more understanding of the connections numerology has with the Tarot.

Ones represent the seeds of life, the beginnings and the birth of a new direction.

The Magician uses his available tools and skills to create. This card suggests focusing your energy on your desired direction and taking those first steps toward achievement. It also signifies a good time for new projects and learning new skills.

The Ace of Cups suggests new love, a new emotional life.

The Ace of Coins suggests new money and new opportunities.

The Ace of Swords suggests new strength and new ideas.

The Ace of Wands suggests new life energy, the start of something new – business, creations, and a move forward.

As you look upon these cards, it is apparent all four cards relate to new beginnings in different areas of life.

Overview – (Magician) by taking the tools and skills one possesses and focusing it in one direction, greatness can be achieved. (Cups) new emotions, a new friendship or love affair is likely to begin. (Coins) money and career opportunities are available. (Swords) a charge of power and new ideas are at your disposal. (Wands) new energies bring a good time to begin something new.

Start something new today! Have a wonderful Sunday.

Justice

Legacy of the Divine Tarot

As I look upon the ladies of Justice, I wonder how blind we really are to our decisions.

The ladies stand together sharing the responsibilities of the verdict. One uses the scrolls for guidance, while the other holds a sword. The questions which need to be answered are - what do the scrolls contain - there are two, and what does the sword signify.

Scrolls - We would assume there is writing or images upon these important documents. Maybe the words share knowledge to help clarify the deed being judged, or offer rules of conduct. Another alternative, one two scrolls represent the subconscious and the super-subconscious.

Sword- A sword represents something solid and active. The sword could represent the resulting effects of the deed, or the weight of the conscious. The sword may also be the rules, while the scrolls are the wisdom and understanding.

Either way, these two ladies control the balance on which we make our decisions. With a heavy hand, one lady could cause the outcome to be unjust, unbalanced, or just wrong.

The justice system works upon this notion of fairness when they appoint jury members. As we all know this doesn't always work out to true justice. As humans, we have flaws and justice isn't always found.

In our life and journeys, we also fail at keeping a completely balanced vision upon Justice. Life hands us lessons and trials, and along the way balance is thrown off and one lady outweighs the other.

Over the next few days, consider what tools you use to make your decisions. Are they balanced? Should you touch up on one area to balance out the other?

Gaining Archetypal Vision by Toni Gilbert

Gaining Archetypal Vision

A Guidebook for Using Archetypes in Personal Growth and Healing

As a tarot reader, I picked up this book in hopes of gaining more knowledge on healing. I wasn’t disappointed and learned so much more.

Toni Gilbert has written a book which will be enjoyed by anyone with an open mind, not just those seeking to go into healing or gain personal growth. Toni’s story lives between the covers of this book, begging to be read and experienced. Your journey follows Toni through a life of tests and trial, and then into her destined path of becoming a holistic nurse.

Packed with information, this book is presented in a nature which will allow you to absorb the contents. Toni shares with you her own experiences and that of her clients. With different methods, she heals through the mind and makes it hard not to believe in all the possibilities.

My favorite client would have to be Nelson and his mysterious hiccups. Doctors couldn’t figure out what caused the condition. Toni went in, walked him through some meditational steps, and the hiccups were gone. Our energies can control much more than most realize, and suppressing them can cause a whole heap of trouble.

Chapter Three, Archetypal Growth and Development, presents charts and explanations to bring the understanding of Archetypes clearly into your mind. I would have liked this to have been at the beginning of the book. But as written, everything before this is a building of Toni’s journey toward this part of her life, and worth reading to get to this chapter.

The last chapter presents tools for healing in the 21^st century – dream work, guided imagery, tarot counseling, and humanistic astrology. I found this section to be informative, but would have liked more. The focus of this book wasn’t meant to be on these tools. The selected bibliography, at the end, offers multiple resources to further your studies in the methods of healing.

I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in personal growth and healing through archetypes, but also to those who are curious. Toni presents a wonderfully inspiring read on life, along with tools to achieve more.

Purchase Link

Tarot, Birth Cards, and You Keys to Empowering Yourself by Bonnie Cehovet

Bonnie Cehovet

A wonderful guide for those interested in using the tarot for personal/spiritual development: by using the archetypes of the tarot’s major arcana, one can empower himself and help others to do so.

At the beginning of the book, instructions are provided for calculating your birth cards. It is then divided into chapters, each devoted to a set of birth cards.

Within these chapters:

• Overview of birth card sets
• How each card affects you
• Affirmations
• Journeying with each birth card
• Gifts, abilities, and challenges associated with each card
• Suggestions for working with the cards to empower yourself

The book ends with a beautifully created section for quick reference to the tarot birth cards.

• Overview of each birth card set
• Birth card calculation chart
• Three pages for notes

This is a wonderful guide for personal development, a handbook for tarot readers, or a great gift for loved ones interested in the tarot. Bonnie’s book will definitely be used well in both my personal development and tarot readings for others.

Card illustrations provided by Karyn Easton – Tarot Lovers Tarot

Purchase link

About the Author:

Bonnie Cehovet is a professional Tarot reader with over fifteen years of experience, a Reiki Master, and author. Her reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on the Aeclectic Tarot (http://aeclectic.net/tarot), Meta Arts (http://metaarts.com) Internet sites, in the ATA (American Tarot Association), ATS (Association For Tarot Studies), and TABI (Tarot Association of the British Isles) newsletters. For more information: http://bonniecehovet.wordpress.com/, http://www.bonniecehovet.com/

September 11 - The Day We Joined Together

Ten years ago, the United States joined together as we lost our loved ones to a great tragedy.

Where were you when the moment of silence fell across the states?

At that time, I worked in a clothing factory in Tennessee. I don't remember who told us about the events, but as the word spread from one end of the building to the other, silence engulfed us all.

I didn't lose anyone in this tragic event, yet when I heard the news tears filled my eyes and I believe my heart stopped beating for a split moment. Tragic news such as this affects us as a whole. It is during times as such, we join together through a spiritual connection, whether we realize it or not. We are of one in this great big world and one day that togetherness will span more than a few minutes, hours, or days.

As we face a day ten years after the fact, please take a moment of silence to send prayers out to all those in need, all around the world.

Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) by Alan Jackson



Have a blessed day!

Five of Swords - Winner Takes All

“Winner takes all!”

I drew the 5 of Swords today as a summary of the ongoing events in my life.

The Rider Tarot Deck

The winner in the card wins at the price of others. The first is left upset and crying. The second worries over the other, but refuses to bow his head in defeat. While the winner is proud, he’s won more than he can carry, with the remaining two swords lay upon the ground.

The question this card brings to mind is, “Was the battle worth the prize?”

His winnings come with a price. Are these two people allies? Or, did he take back what was his in the first place?

Usually when this card appears, it indeed refers to three people being involved. I have to say I recognize these people and must ponder these questions. Is what I’m fighting for really worth the complete loss of these two people from my life? Or should I accept what’s being taken from me, and let them continue holding their swords?

Without happiness, one’s life is empty. Without companionship, there’s no one to share this life with. The problem comes when happiness and companionship do not join together as one.

If you are unhappy in your situation, the battle to be happy is worth losses. For if you gain happiness, there wasn’t a loss at all. I guess the main objective is to make sure the battle you choice to fight is the right one, and not a distraction from the real issue at hand.

As you fight your battle, pause for a moment and consider the outcome.

I leave you with Survivor – Eye of the Tiger. Enjoy!

Free Automated Tarot Reading

I don't put much faith in automated tarot readings, but they can be fun to play with at times. Sometimes they even seem extremely insightful. I was surfing around and happened upon a site I thought you might have some fun with.

The tarot readings are very detailed. There are also angel readings, horoscopes and more. So, if you are bored and just want to play around check out NewAgeStore.com

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Lightning Strikes

Lightning strike by Adam Weeden 

Monday night, lightning struck the phone box attached to the side of my house. The results: a destroyed modem, router, monitor, x-box, television, and a few other toys.

If you are a frequent visitor, you are aware of the other chaotic episodes occurring over the last few months.

Is the spirit world trying to tell me something, or was the lightning strike a freeing of the negative energies?

I just happened to be on the computer when the big bang came, and a current surged through my mouse and up my arm, stopping right at my elbow. The negativity had dissipated quite a bit by the time of this occurrence, but the morning after the shock was a complete turnaround.

Negativity is gone, and positive thoughts are at full strength. I'm back to my old self.

I just wonder if maybe the lightning bolt shot down to destroy the negative presence at my side. I haven't had time to do a reading on the matter, but no matter the case, I feel much better - energetic, in control, and on top of my game.

Now, I have to get caught up with all my projects and hopefully get back to my forward movement in life.

Happy Thursday!