Tarot Spread: Naughty or Nice? (The Santa Stocking Spread)

I created this spread on Christmas Eve, 2007. It was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame), and later published in the 2009 Tarot Lovers' Calendar. Here is the original post:

Okay, since it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd make up a fun little spread, as I didn't see any Santa-related ones out there.

It's meant to be shaped like a stocking. The "present" is sticking out on top, while the "lump of coal" sinks to the bottom of the stocking.

(I personally face my stockings the other way, but a quick Google search showed the majority facing right... so to appeal to the masses, I changed the layout for this post.)

xx4xxx
xx2xxx
xxx1xxx
xxxxx3xxx

1. Naughty: How have I been naughty?
2. Nice: How have I been nice?
3. Lump of Coal: What can I expect as payback for being naughty?
4. Present: What gift will I receive for being nice?

Cards 1 and 3 (Naughty/Lump of Coal) I pulled from the bottom of the deck.
Cards 2 and 4 (Nice/Present) I pulled from the top.

My reading with this layout was pretty funny and accurate.


© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 12/24/07.

Friday the 13th Tarot Spread

This is a quick spread I came up with many years ago, complete with original reading from way back in 2008!

~*~

I created a quick 2-card Friday the 13th spread. I don't believe this day brings bad luck with it. In fact, my son was born on the 13th, so it's always been a very lucky day for me. So this isn't your run of the mill spooky spread. Leave it to me to create a Pollyanna Friday the 13th spread!

1. What negative superstition (in this case, a belief which attracts bad luck) should I let go of?
2. What good luck is headed my way?


1. What negative superstition should I let go of?
The Secret Witch
The hallway that this witch glides down reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. It has a very mysterious and whimsical feeling to it. The kind of enigmatic feeling where you're not sure what's going on, but you're completely intrigued. I need to release the feeling I have that the answers I need are outside my grasp. There's something I've been trying to figure out, a method of manifestation, and it's so far eluded me, which frustrated me. I know there is an easier way to manifest what I want, a way that is far easier than anyone else is teaching. The fact that I have this inner knowing makes me believe wholeheartedly that what I'm looking for does exist. I feel like the answer is going to be so simple that I have probably overlooked it many times. The Secret Witch tells me to surrender the belief that this secret is beyond my ability to figure out. It will come to me, and will not remain a secret forever. (Kinda funny that this card spoke to me about manifestation, with the play on words ... The Secret Witch, and "The Secret" book/movie which is about manifestation.)

2. What good luck is headed my way?
The Eternal Witch
This witch speaks to me of unlimited possibilities. No goal is too far to reach, nothing is outside my scope of potential. The book says that when this card appears, magic is cast upon your dilemma, and your wishes will come true. It even says that eternal, light-giving forces bring you deserved luck! A luck card falling in the good luck position... I'd say that's lucky indeed! I get a very liberating sense from this card. The Eternal Witch is flying into space, and is free to go wherever in the world she wishes. I'd love the freedom to fly wherever I wanted to go! It'd be nice if this luck headed my way will give me some expanded liberty.

~*~

I wish you a Happy Friday the 13th, and hope you enjoy using the spread yourself!

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/twitter/webstite/insta/etc., please credit AND tag me. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 6/13/08.

Tarot Spread: Law of Attraction

I first created this spread back in 2009 on my previous blog. Last night I updated it and added a card. Previously it was a 3-card reading. I added an extra card to the beginning of the spread. (Past - Current Status - Action - Result)

1. At what level has my recent past vibe been? (What am I living now as a result of past vibes?)

2. What is my current vibe? (What am I attracting to me now?)

3. How can I raise my vibration to the next level?

4. What can I create/attract when I raise my vibration to this level?


Here's the reading I did last night (see the cards in the above image):

1. At what level has my recent past vibe been? (What am I living now as a result of past vibes?)
Ten of Cups
Contentment. A life at home with my kids. When I have everything I need to survive, I tend not to strive for more. I get comfortable with life as it is, as long as there is nothing insanely disruptive happening. It usually takes a Tower moment to get me to expand into something more. I love that I have been able to be at home with my kids and unschool them so we can all be together. It's what I've always wanted more than anything. So I realize that I haven't been vibing as low as I thought I was.

2. What is my current vibe? (What am I attracting to me now?)
Two of Pentacles
I am vacillating back and forth between my new-found high vibe flying, and my normal daily mundane way of looking at things. I have to keep reminding myself to vibe higher. But this at least is progress, because normally I wouldn't even remember that I want to vibe higher. So I should begin to start seeing things balancing out more... I should start seeing the fruit of my labor (if you can call being happy on purpose "labor"). I won't see a huge change right away, as the results will reflect the effort, which is a little bit here, a little bit there.

3. How can I raise my vibration to the next level?
Seven of Wands
When those negative thoughts and feelings start inching their way into my day, I need to be vigilant in keeping them at bay. I love how this guy is literally above the wands, naturally being in a higher vibe place than the attackers. When I notice a negative feeling or thought, I must acknowledge it and take control. Not let it bring me down to its level. Gradually I will become higher and higher, and further and further away from the negative intrusions. I will be in control of my reactions and feelings, rather than being a slave to them. I must choose how I want to feel. Eventually this will be my habitual way of living.

4. What can I create/attract when I raise my vibration to this level?
The Devil
When I turned this card over in this position, I heard in my head "wicked mastery". I don't know if I have ever looked at this card before from the devil's position. But that's how I saw it. I can be in control of my demons (negative thoughts/beliefs), taking the reins, instead of being the subservient one. All the power of my life can be in my own hands! What a novel idea! It's the very theme I was getting to at the end of the previous card's interpretation.


Good stuff! This is a reading that can be done on a regular basis, to check in with where you are and make adjustments to raise your vibe!


© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Tag me on Instagram: @thebohemianess . Thank you!

This spread was originally published, in a slightly different format, on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 9/6/09. The sample reading was added April 2017.

Deck: Vivid Journey Tarot by Jessica Alaire, published by Llewellyn.

Tarot Spread: Pros & Cons

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Recently a client came to me wanting to know if she should do this or that. The spreads I have used in the past for such an inquiry didn't feel adequate for some reason, so I scribbled in my notebook for awhile until I devised this spread. It provides pros and cons for both available options. It also shows what force is drawing you to each choice, as well as a "bottom line" and message of advice.

I wanted to share this spread here because I have used it many times since, and it always provides very clear answers. It's definitely become my go-to spread for this type of reading.

Pros and Cons Spread

Before laying out the cards, decide which of your options will be #1 and which will be #2.

Card Layout

1..........2
..6..5..7..
3..........4

1. Pro for Option 1 - The benefit of choosing Option 1.
2. Pro for Option 2 - The benefit of choosing Option 2.
3. Con for Option 1 (taken from bottom of deck) - The downside to choosing Option 1.
4. Con for Option 2 (taken from bottom of deck) - The downside to choosing Option 2.
5. Bottom line (taken from bottom of deck) - The single most important thing to consider when deciding.
6. What makes you lean toward Option 1
7. What makes you lean toward Option 2
5-6-7. Message to consider - Read these three cards together as a summary.

The above diagram shows the order in which I lay out the cards. However, when I read the cards, I usually read them in the following order:

Cards 1/3: Option 1 pros/cons
Cards 2/4: Option 2 pros/cons
Cards 6/7: The two "leaning" cards
Card 5: Center card
Cards 6/5/7: Three card message

Of course you can read it in any order that is most comfortable to you.

Here's a sample reading I did using this spread back in 2009 (sorry for the blurry photo):

I have a couple websites in mind to create, but want to focus on only one at this time. I wanted to know which option was a better one to pursue right now, if I have to choose only one.

Card 1 (Pro): Benefit of Choosing Website #1
Ten of Cups
This is a website that would begin with word of mouth from friends and family. The Ten of Cups shows a comfort level with the people I would begin working with on this site.

Card 3 (Con): Downside to Choosing Website #1
Strength
What stood out to me in this card was all the feline eyes on me. I will have the people closest to me watching me, seeing if I succeed or fail. That pressure will cause me to possess and display a certain strength. I will have to really believe in myself if choosing this option.

Card 2 (Pro): Benefit of Choosing Website #2
Eight of Cups
This website will be building on a business I already have been working on. It's not as new as the first one. This card represents the progress I hope to achieve as I take my work to the next level.

Card 4 (Con): Downside to Choosing Website #2
Ace of Swords
I don't know why, but I saw the eagles in the card as vultures... circling around, waiting for something to die. Looking at this card, I heard profound silence...the aura coming off this card was like the sound of crickets chirping. No business. No progress. It's a cold feeling card, with no human warmth to it. The sword has been placed, but there is nothing happening after that. It doesn't seem as though this option will bring in much more business.

Card 6: What makes me lean toward Website #1
Ten of Wands
I am struggling right now, which makes the comfort of the Ten of Cups very appealing. The hardship I am going through makes me lean more toward the business where I can rely on word of mouth from those who love me, because it feels more comforting and safe.

Card 7: What makes me lean toward Website #2
The High Priestess
I lean toward this option because I have more knowledge and experience invested in this business. It's not new to me. And it has more of a mystical side to it than the other one will allow me to have.

Card 5: The bottom line
Seven of Wands
What I saw in this card was a question: "If you had so much business that you had to beat people off with a stick, which business would you prefer doing?" If success came to me in such a rush, which option would be better for me? Financially, Website #1 would be slightly more advantageous for me. If I'm looking for a higher degree of fame or acknowledgment, it would be Website #2. So, if choosing between the two, I would probably go with #1.

Cards 6/5/7: Three card message
Ten of Wands, Seven of Wands, High Priestess
There is a man crawling on the ground under the weight of the wands on his back. His load is so heavy he can't even stand any longer. In the next card, he puts the wands down and keeps only one. The crystals at the end of the wands are glowing like candle flames. With just the one, he was able to light the others. When I make my choice, I will be able to eventually light the flames of other business prospects. But it starts with one. The man stands up straight now and is standing at the threshold of where he wants to be. The High Priestess awaits him beyond the doorway. She has the answers he seeks. This tells me that I need to meditate on it. I have recently begun my daily meditation practice after a long break. I believe this will be the key to confirming my final decision.

As it stands, from the look and feel of the cards, I think I will choose Website #1. I think ultimately it will be a bigger challenge for me, but will result in greater personal growth.

Looking at the cards again, the orange and furry warmth of the animals in the pro/con cards of Option 1 are in stark contrast with the cold water/air feeling of the pro/con cards of Option 2. This is another layer of depth to the reading pointing me toward Option 1. I will still meditate on it further and see what other advice I receive.

Deck: Legacy of the Divine Tarot (by Ciro Marchetti, published by Llewellyn)

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 10/8/09.

My Halloween Reading

This is the reading I did for myself this year on Halloween night. I used my Lifting the Veil - An Otherworldly Halloween Spread.

I was in awe as, card after card, I turned over images with the same beige color scheme. It wasn't until I reached the 7th card that color entered the reading. Then it was two green cards in a row. The final card I knew would have blue in the borders, but the inside colors fit pretty well with the first cards.

The last time I did this reading, I remember delighting in how the cards really connected with each other, and the same thing happened this time. In fact, there was so much synchronicity within the cards, and aligning with my recent experiences that it was overwhelming and I found myself lost in the tangles a bit.

1. Message from the Dead (Human spirit) 
Past Life Oracle Cards - Food and Hunger
When I first created this spread back in 2009, I knew it was my grandfather who came across in this position. This year, I didn't recognize the person leaving me this message. Since I decided to use the Past Life Oracle, I wonder if it is actually myself, from a past life, talking to me.

This card indicates that in the past, I lacked for sustenance. The message here is to release any fears I have of deprivation. To open up to abundance.

2. Message from your Spirit Guide 
Art of Life Tarot - The Sun
The quote on this card is from Friedrich Nietzsche: "Precisely the least, the softest, lightest, a lizard's rustling, a breath, a flash, a moment - a little makes the way of the best happiness." I am to delight in the small things.

3. Message from your Guardian Angel 
Angel Oracle - Courage
When I was shuffling these cards, I was thinking about how it is said that we always have at least two guardian angels. But here I was asking for a message from only one of them? When I turned the card over, I smiled at the magic. The card shows two guardian angels. Amazing.

Yes! I have two! And they are covering me from all angles. There is one to the left and one to the right. One is leaning forward a bit, and one back, so my front and back are covered as well. Also, one's head is tilting slightly up, while one is tilting down, so above and below covered.

I looked at the slumped human figure in the middle, and intuitively knew that the angels were not saying that there is no need to cry... they are saying it's okay to cry. It is safe to feel whatever I feel, which is very comforting. (I was later to find this same sentiment in another card in the spread, from the Faeries' Oracle.)

I feel like the girl in the card can't see the angels, and doesn't even know they're there. I can relate to this, as I have mixed feelings about angels. I don't believe or disbelieve in them. I can't see them or feel them. This card is saying that they are there either way, whether I believe they are or not.

Update 1: Four days after this reading, I was offered an angel oracle deck to review. Perhaps the angels are trying to reach out. A couple days later, I was offered two more angel decks to review!

Update 2: A couple days after that, I connected with two of my angels, for the first time. It was pretty incredible, real or not.

4. Message from an Ascended Master 
Kuan Yin Oracle - The Yin Empress
I no longer have my Ascended Masters Oracle* deck, which would have been my first choice for this card in the spread. So I selected my own Ascended Master and asked her to speak for ALL of the masters in her guidance.

The Yin Empress speaks of peace, prosperity and success, but most of all divine feminine empowerment. This is a great bit of synchronicity, as I am currently reading Rise Sister Rise, which is all about rising into your divine feminine power.  I can see that this will be a strong theme for me right now.

*I rectified this situation and ordered the Ascended Masters Oracle Cards so I could have it again.

5. Message from the Nature Spirits 
Earth Power Oracle - Uluru
The affirmations on this card are: "I have power and it is real. I create my destiny. I carry the greatness of my ancestors in my body and soul." This card is about creation, blood, magic, and fertility. Again I see the theme of divine feminine power here.

Update: A few days after this reading, I was on Instagram and looking through some random person's posts, when I clicked on a photo and saw that it was tagged #Uluru. The photo wasn't scenic, so I had no idea it was in the vicinity of Uluru until I saw the tag. I had never even heard of Uluru until I drew this card, and now it shows up twice in as many days? Amazing synchronicity and confirmation.

Second Update: A few days after that, I was watching Lost with my kids, and it was the episode where Rose and Bernard went to Uluru for healing. Uluru!

6. Message from the Faeries 
The Faeries' Oracle - The Lady of Harvest
The first thing I saw when I looked at this card was a lady sitting still while everyone around her brought stuff to her. I heard, "Sit, and everyone will bring everything you need to you." When I drew the next card in the spread after this one, and skimmed the companion book, I saw the same message. (More on that when I get to the next card.)

This card also  connected with a previous card! There is a passage in the the Faeries' Oracle book that says "Cry if you need to, be joyful if that is appropriate, but in either case trust the process, acknowledge what you feel, and prepare to move on." This was the exact sentiment I received earlier from the angel card in spot 3!

The next thing I felt from this card was that it has a very Autumnal feel to it, which is appropriate. It's a time between good harvest and things starting to die and rot. Leaves are falling, colors changing. It's a time for change.

Although this card speaks of harvest, it is a card of grief, loss and release. There was a lot of synchronicity when I drew this card as well. I haven't used this deck in awhile, so I skimmed through the book to see if something would catch my eye. What kept leaping out at me from the pages were the words "letting go". At the exact time I was seeing those repeating words, my daughter was singing the Frozen song "Let it Go". Three times, she actually sang the words "let it go" at the exact moment when my eyes were on the very words "let it go" or "letting go". If this isn't a sign, I don't know what is!

So I need to contemplate what seriously needs letting go of, and I need to let it go freely.

Update: The message of "letting go" is EVERYWHERE for me. I see it multiple times a day, every single day since I did this reading on Halloween. (And as I write this, it is November 12.) This is the strongest  and most persistent message I am currently in the midst of.

7. Message from the Animals 
The Animal-Wise Tarot - Four of Shapeshifters (Cups)
The stick bug or walking stick. This was the first spark of color in my reading. I skimmed through the book on this one too, as it's a fascinating book. This is where I found the synchronous message I received in the previous card. There is a passage in the book about how the walking stick has the ability to remain very still for a long time. The author ties this into meditation (which I had been practicing without fail for a couple weeks leading up to the reading, and continue still). He suggests that if you remain still, the right path or course of action will reveal itself. Meditation brings results. Something is being offered, and only from a place of stillness will we recognize it. Exactly the first message I intuited from the Faeries' card!

I need to prepare for what I want quietly. To continue my meditation practice. To keep my intuitive antennae alert. To allow things to come to me.

8. Message from the Magical Creatures 
Mythical Creatures Oracle - Western Dragon
The second card of color, also green. Here we have a card of action. The opposite of the message from the previous two cards. When the path is revealed to me through stillness, it looks like I will have a battle to confront. Great. I really freaking hate confrontation, let alone combat! This card promises conflict and struggle, an antagonist to face. Something must be defeated. I am the knight in the corner, and it feels rather like David and Goliath. But I must remember who won that fight. I will survive the challenge. I must be my own heroine. Again, embracing my divine feminine power will help me out here.

9. Message from the Dream World
Dream Inspirational Cards - Reading
The first thing I thought of when I turned this card over was the play on words. I was literally doing a "Reading". This card speaks of knowledge and learning. The guy is reading strange and wondrous and otherworldly things. I am so passionate about so many new subjects lately (mostly involving strange and wondrous and otherworldly things, as it happens). I feel like I don't have time to do it all.

This guy has spikes on his knees, a huge BACK OFF to anyone who tries to approach him and interrupt his reading. I can relate to this. I need to carve out time to read and study, and make it a priority. There appears to be a head on a spike next to this guy. He is not fooling around. This is what I feel like doing sometimes to people who interrupt my reading.

There is also an inside joke with my son that I see in this card (involving the Rubik's Cube being all one color), a private nod for me to lighten up and laugh more with my kids.

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There was a great deal of synchronicity in this reading, both with my current interests (what I'm studying, meditation, divine feminine power), and also how the cards confirmed each other's messages and my intuitive feelings so blatantly.

Though this spread takes a lot of time and energy with all the different decks, I feel it is well worth the time to invest on Halloween night.

Lifting the Veil - An Otherworldly Halloween Spread

It is said that Halloween is the night where the veil between our physical world and spiritual worlds is thinnest. I designed this spread to allow different spiritual entities to share whatever message they have this night. Feel free to adapt the layout to include other entities of your choosing (or remove ones you don't desire to contact.)

Lifting the Veil - An Otherworldly Halloween Spread

Layout Position:

......2........3......
1.....................4
...........9............
5.....................8
......6.........7......

1. Message from the Dead (Human spirit)
2. Message from your Spirit Guide
3. Message from your Guardian Angel
4. Message from an Ascended Master
5. Message from the Nature Spirits
6. Message from the Faeries
7. Message from the Animals
8. Message from the Magical Creatures
9. Message from the Dream World

I will personally be using a different deck for each position, utilizing decks that fit each essence.

Additional notes:

Position 1 (Message from the Dead) will most likely be a message from someone you personally know who has passed on, though I suppose it's possible to receive a message from someone you've never met. But in my experience, Halloween is a time where deceased loved ones reach out.

Position 9 (Message from the Dream World) is one that I placed in the center of the reading, as dreams often serves as a bridge between the physical (bottom cards) and spiritual (top cards).

Happy Halloween!!!


2009 Update: The reading I did with this spread on Halloween night proved to be very insightful, terribly honest and helpful. I don't have the time to post such a long reading right now, but thought I'd share which decks I used for each position, and the card I drew, along with a few quick notes.

The message from the dead was very clearly my grandfather. I found it fascinating that I drew three "Seven" cards, since I think of the number seven as being mystical, and this was a spiritual based reading. I drew the Seven of Cups twice, greatly deepening the message for me to make a decision and move forward instead of floundering. And the next day my son found a beetle in the car, iridescent green just like the one in the Seven of Cups I drew from the Animal-Wise Tarot! So that was yet another Seven of Cups moment for me. There was a lot of advice for me in several of the cards regarding getting out in nature more, and avoiding conflict.

It was fascinating how the cards played off each other, as none of the cards stood alone. I wrote my reading down in my notebook and drew lines connecting all the various cards in different ways. Every card connected to at least one other. This is definitely a spread I will use again.

1. Message from the Dead (Human spirit) - Legend: Arthurian Tarot (Seven of Swords)
2. Message from your Spirit Guide - Sacred Art Tarot (Five of Swords)
3. Message from your Guardian Angel - Saints & Angels Oracle (Stress Management)
4. Message from an Ascended Master - Ascended Masters Oracle (Green Man)
5. Message from the Nature Spirits - Tarot of Trees (Seven of Cups)
6. Message from the Faeries - Faeries' Oracle (Ffaff the FFooter)
7. Message from the Animals - Animal Wise Tarot (Seven of Shapeshifters/Cups - Beetle)
8. Message from the Magical Creatures - Fantastical Creatures Tarot (The Moon - Unicorn)
9. Message from the Dream World - Dream Inspirational Cards (Rain)


© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This tarot spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 10/31/09.

Tarot Spread: Birthday Spread

I wanted to do a birthday reading for myself, so I made up this spread...

Birthday Spread

1. The Birthday Girl: Where I stand today.

2. Past Growth: What I've learned over the past year, that I can take with me into next year.

3. Garbage: What I need to release from the past year.

4. Preview: What is coming up for me this year.

5. Future Growth: What I will learn this year; how I will grow.

6. Heads Up: (Bottom card of the deck) What I need to watch out for. Something I will deal with better if I am prepared ahead of time.


Here's the card layout that I used:

..........1..........
3....2......4....5
..........6..........


© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This tarot spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 10/25/09.

Tarot Spread: F-E-A-R Spread

I created a new spread, designed to expose and strip away one's fears. I used the acronym FEAR and its popular correspondence: False Evidence Appearing Real.

F-E-A-R Spread

1. False: A fear that you have which is false or unfounded.
2. Evidence: The proof you have that this fear is false.
3. Appearing: Why it appears otherwise (why this fear appears real to you).
4. Real: What is the real truth of the matter.


Here's the reading I did for myself today:


1. False: A fear that I have which is false or unfounded.

Caval di Bastone

It's amazing that this card came up, because it illustrates one of my largest and most consuming fears at the moment. Most specifically, this is the card that represents my desire to move out of state. I have, indeed, a strong fear, or series of fears, attached to this desire. I fear that I won't ever be able to make this move. Or that it won't it won't happen fast enough. Or that there are too many surrounding circumstances that need to change before it can happen. Or that I will never have enough money put together. Because it is something I want so much, my fears that it might not happen seem to reproduce and multiply like rabbits!



2. Evidence: The proof I have that this fear is false.

V Denari

This angel is holding a board displaying money growing on vines. The board is so big that it covers most of his body. His difficulty or problem appears to be that he has more money than he can handle, which seems a nice problem to have. So the proof that I have that my fears aren't based on reality is that there is always enough money circulating in this universe. I just haven't aligned properly with that vibration. The coins are growing on vines, so there is always potential for financial growth. People move every day. I, myself, have made countless moves from one state to another. This is not an impossibility. I have faced this challenge in the past before with ease. So clearly, it is something that I can do again. I also see in this card someone carrying a large, heavy box (one of the less joyful aspects of moving.)



3. Appearing: Why it appears otherwise (why this fear appears real to me).

III Denari

It's funny that this card showed up under "Appearing" because whenever I see this card, my first thought is "appearance". The keyword is "depiction", and I see items set up in and against the tree as props, set there as some sort of display. My fears appear real to me, because I have set things up to look as though this is the truth. I look around at my reality as though it is set in stone, rather than looking at potential and possibilities. This is something I struggle with, and am actively trying to overcome this year. I need to realize that what I observe is not indicative of where I am headed, provided I change my perspective and expectations.



4. Real: What is real. The truth of the matter.

I Spada

Another synchronous positioning, as I often see the Ace of Swords as a "truth". The wreath is a symbol of victory. This card is titled "conquest". The truth is, I can do whatever I set my mind to (and my heart on). Deep down, I know this. But for some reason, I have been choosing to focus on the opposite. I have been humoring my weaknesses rather than my strengths, allowing doubt to creep in and stomp on my confidence. But the reality depicted by this card is that I've got this in the bag! I just need to change my perspective on the whole thing. The sword is a symbol of power... however, it won't unsheathe itself. Its power lies in the hand that hold it, which means that this comes solely from within me, unrelated to outer circumstances. I must regain my confidence and knowledge that I can and will succeed.


2016 Update: This reading was done in 2010. I made the move out of state in 2011!


Deck: Tarot of the Master (Vacchetta) by Lo Scarabeo

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This tarot spread (and reading) was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 1/14/10.

Tarot Spread: Charlotte Mason Spread

This spread is one of my favorites to do for quick, practical guidance. I named this spread after Charlotte Mason because it's inspired by her belief that children need three things every day:

Something to think about, something to do and something to love.

I love this advice, not only for my children but for myself as well, so I turned it into a tarot spread. I use it when I want a focused direction for my day or week ahead.

1---2---3

1. Something to think about
2. Something to do
3. Something to love


© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 10/8/09.

Tarot Spread: 5-W Soulmate Spread

Haven't met your soulmate yet?  Grab your deck... here's a bit of help!

Five-W Soulmate Spread

1. Who is he?
2. What will this person bring to my life?
3. Where will we meet?
4. When will we meet?
5. Why haven't we met yet?

(Obviously, adjust the pronoun gender to match your situation.)

1. Who is he?
This card will reveal this person's personality traits. Maybe an astrological sign. What he believes in. What type of work he does. Who he is at heart.

2. What will he bring to my life?
What does this person bring to the table? How will he enrich and enhance and expand your life?

3. Where will we meet?
Let this card guide you to a place you are likely to find your soulmate. Use your intuition. Look at the imagery in the card.

4. When will we meet?
This card is about timing. If it's a Major Arcana card, maybe the zodiac affiliation with the card will give you an idea on the time of year. Or this card can indicate timing in a more abstract way, like "when such and such is done", or "when I find myself in this place/time in my life".

5. Why haven't we met yet?
What has prevented, blocked, or delayed your meeting thus far.

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 10/8/09.

Tarot Spread: Suckage and Excellence

Today I was getting frustrated about something that I have never been good at. I have grown tired of trying to make myself become good at something that doesn't come naturally to me. So I came up with this quirky spread to make myself feel better about the things I don't do well while appreciating what I do do well. What I love about this spread is that it can be done several times, addressing different areas in your life.

Suckage and Excellence Spread

1. What I suck at
2. Why it doesn't matter
3. What I excel at
4. Why this matters
5. Why "What I'm Great At" is more important than "What I Suck At".

*****

What I suck at and why it doesn't matter:

W

1. What I suck at
Queen of Wands
Ha! So true. The Queen of Wands has dynamic energy and loves to be the center of attention, the life of the party, feeding off the energy of other people and thriving on the attention. That is definitely not me. I see the woman in this card, conjuring up something magical. For some reason, I saw her as giving a demonstration to students. I am not comfortable with public speaking or getting up in front of a large group of people, all eyes on me. I do wish sometimes that I were more like this queen, that I were more comfortable with the attention, but it's not in my nature.

2. Why it doesn't matter
Six of Cups
This card is full of children. I am with my kids literally all the time. I don't need to be the dynamic and showy Queen of Wands around them. They love me just the way I am. My life is about family, so I don't have the need to scream "Look at me!" to everyone around me. I have a low key life which suits me beautifully.


What I excel at and why this matters:



3. What I excel at
Two of Cups
I am great at following my heart and finding the things in life that I click with. I know what work s for me, I know what I'm drawn to, and because I'm true to myself and what I love, I am able to live out many of my dreams on a daily basis. This card also reminded me that I am very affectionate and loving.

4. Why this matters
Ace of Cups
It's all about love. When you are true to yourself and love what you are doing, it doesn't matter what other people think. All that matters is living life with love.



5. Why "What I'm Great At" is more important than "What I Suck At".
Death
The skeleton woman in this card asked of me, "When you are dead, do you want people to remember your flashy leopard mini skirt or your loving heart?" Now, I don't have a leopard mini, but her skirt was representative to me of the Queen of Wands vs. the heart on her chest relating to the Two of Cups. So yeah, living my life with love and following my heart are not only important to me now, they are also attributes I want to be remembered for when I'm gone. So this is why the love in my life is more important than being more like the Queen of Wands, which now I'm not so bummed that I suck at. And that was the whole point of the reading!

Deck: Transformational Tarot by Arnell Ando, published by US Games Systems, Inc.

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 8/21/09.

Tarot Spread: Problem Solving

I threw together a quick Problem Solving spread to read on a situation that has been bothering me, and I thought I'd share. It's a simple linear 4-card layout.


.............Problem...........................Cause..........................Solution..........................Result..............

1. The Nature of the Situation (The Problem Itself)
Five of Cups
Wow, I love it when the cards do this. It's like talking to a person rather than a deck of cards when they throw the reality out at you like this. The Five of Cups is precisely the problem I'm reading about, and this card appeared in my daily draw this morning. I feel disappointed and betrayed because someone I counted on let me down.

2. The Cause of the Problem
King of Wands
Yes! It's this guy! Look at him... he's rolled the die and it has landed on K for Kiki!!! That's what he's supposed to be focusing on. But he's shifted his attention, and his eyes are now entertained elsewhere. He's not concerned about following through with his decision. He's decided that the K stands for King instead, and is off to go see to some other Kingly duty.

3. The Solution to the Problem
Ten of Coins
This card speaks of community. From the LWB: "The Earth Coin Village works as a community. Those who live in it share with each other, helping to build a better village..." It looks like I'm not supposed to give up on this King just yet. He may have more than one thing weighing on his mind, and though he wasn't able to come through for me when he said he could, perhaps I shouldn't rule him out altogether. His energy just may be spread out to more than he can handle in a timely manner right now. I'm being encouraged to believe that there will be enough resources to go around, and there will still be a way to get what I needed from this King, whether it comes from him, someone else in my community, or myself.

4. The Result of the Outcome
Six of Wands
Well, what have we here? The King is back (literally, the same character!) and he's delivering a vase of wands to... me?! I look back at the King of Wands card and see he has only one wand in his hand, with the number 5 on his hat. The hat tops his head, indicating where his thoughts are. He has abandoned my needs in search of something more important. He needs to get five more wands. So perhaps this King in my life has to make a detour first... maybe there is a more pressing need that he has to attend to, and he has to go relieve someone else's "pain" (which is either more urgent than mine or was first in line) before he can focus his energy on me and my needs. When the King finally gets around to the Six of Wands card, the 5 on his hat is gone, but there is now a 6 on the vase. He's moved on past the 5, and is now there for me.

So in the end, it looks like he just might come through after all. This was a really encouraging thing to see, and I will have to wait and see, and perhaps not give up all hope just yet. Because of the 6 on the vase of manifestation, I'm going to give this situation six days and see what more, if anything, comes of it. I also now see the 5 on the King's hat to mean that he hasn't forgotten where he has left me in the 5 of Cups card. And as long as I'm using hats as metaphors to what's on one's mind, have a gander at the future and my pink hat in the Six of Wands card. It's taller than my body, indicating that my thoughts on the matter continued to grow and grow and grow, until the King finally came through. So I will mellow out about it a bit, before my thoughts on the matter overtake me! And we shall see what happens.

Deck: Phantasmagoric Theater Tarot, by US Games Systems, Inc.

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you! 

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 7/9/09.

Tarot Spread: Uncovering the Muck

Last night I had the idea to scrape through some of the grunge... ya know, the icky stuff in life that you don't want to look at, so you shove it to the bottom of the deepest darkest hidden cavern. For some reason, I thought it was time to uncover some of that for myself, and see if I could get rid of some of it and make my life a little lighter. So I designed a spread, of course. :)

Uncovering the Muck Spread

Shuffle your cards, asking them to reveal the three muckiest parts of your life. When you're finished shuffling, turn the deck over and deal the bottom three cards.

1. The Bottom Card - (This is the bottom card of the deck) What you don't want to face or deal with. Something you are procrastinating or putting off.

2. The 2nd Card - (This card was hidden from view by the bottom card) What is hidden. What you don't see. You aren't necessarily intentionally denying this, you are just blind to it.

3. The 3rd Card - (This card was really hidden!) What is repressed. This card represents something you have purposely shoved down deep in the recesses of your soul. You have swept it under the rug and moved a heavy piece of furniture on top of the rug.

If you uncover a Major Arcana card, it would indicate a weightier issue than the rest. If all three cards are Majors, you've got some heavy furniture lifting to do if you want to sweep out what's under that rug!

Here's what turned up for me last night:



1. What I don't want to face or deal with.
Two of Swords
Laugh! There is something very specific that I have been intentionally procrastinating doing (dealing with a bank issue). Every day, and then every night, I tell myself I'll deal with it the next day. When I saw this card, I knew that's what it was referring to. I'm going nowhere fast on this issue, and I need to take care of it, if for no other reason than to clear it from incessantly popping up in my mind, taking up useful space!

2. What is hidden.
Nine of Swords
Hmmm... Since this is something hidden, it is something I am unaware of. There is mental anguish in this card. I think that if I allowed myself to detach from my usually-optimistic attitude, I would end up in this exact pose. I choose not to dwell on all the ways I wish my life were different, because I don't think that's any way to live. I purposely choose to focus on the good. This card tells me that I have hidden fears and anxiety and sorrow that I am not recognizing.

The idea of this exercise is to get rid of some of the muck, so instead of keeping this area of my life hidden, I think I need to take a piece of it and work through one of my fears so that it doesn't have to stay hidden any longer. And once I get through one fear, I can work on the next. This card was very enlightening for me.

3. What is repressed.
Five of Wands
The Five of Wands is about competition, something I have never been comfortable with. I never enjoyed sports as a kid because as a shy, introverted child, I desperately feared not being good enough. Looking at the lovely ladies in this card reminded me of how this insecurity carried over into my relationships, and I tended to have a jealous streak that would burn like fire through my heart. It wasn't something I ever consciously dealt with, so I can see how it came up as a repressed part of myself. Being a mom has transformed me into a much more secure person. I no longer wonder if I'm good enough, or unfairly compare myself to other women. Again, I'll have to give this card more thought, because of all the relationship cards that are coming up for me. Since I haven't been in a relationship in a long time, I wonder how I would approach a partnership differently now that I am more secure with who I am. Maybe this card is indicating that it is something I will need to be aware of... not to allow my insecurity to resurface and rear its ugly head.

Deck: Tarot of the Sweet Twilight (published by Lo Scarabeo).

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 10/17/09.

Giving and Receiving Blockage Spread

I made up this spread last night. It is designed to show you where you have blockages in your giving and receiving energies. A balanced flow in this area is important when trying to manifest or attract things that you want.

This spread gives you insight into where your energies are blocked and what you can do about it.


Giving and Receiving Blockage Spread


Giving...............Receiving
5--1/3--9.......6--2/4--10
----7----...........----8----



1. Your current comfort level with giving.
2. Your current comfort level with receiving.
3. (Crosses Card 1) What blocks/inhibits you from giving freely.
4. (Crosses card 2) What blocks/inhibits you from receiving freely.
5. How your past has played into this giving blockage.
6. How your past has played into this receiving blockage.
7. How to overcome this blockage (re: Card 3) to enable you to give more freely.
8. How to overcome this blockage (re: Card 4) to enable you to receive more freely.
9. Where the advice of Card 7 will take you if you follow through with it. (Your Giving Future)
10. Where the advice of Card 8 will take you if you follow through with it. (Your Receiving Future)

I laid the cards out in the order as described above. Then I read the two piles separately. I read the Giving pile first, then moved on to the Receiving pile. It found it to be a very honest account, and it gave me solid advice that I can act on, so that my energies in these areas can flow better.

Keep in mind the wording of the positions of cards 9/10. This is the outcome you will receive IF you follow through with the advice. Most likely, if you continue on the way you have been, making no changes, you will remain where you are now, carrying the blockages (cards 1/3 and 2/4).

Tips: If you have a positive card show up in the 3/4 position (the block), and all the other cards are super sunny, then you might not have a block in this area. However, if you feel that you do have a block, or if the surrounding cards indicate that you do, then you would read this positive card for its negative attributes. (Yes, you can find an up side and a down side to every card.)

If your outcome card is negative, then you may find yourself still blocked in the future, which would indicate a need to be more vigilant about overcoming the issue.

I hope this spread proves helpful for others besides myself!

(Card image shown above is the Six of Pentacles (the Giving/Receiving card) from the Paulina Tarot by US Games Systems, Inc.)

© This is my original spread creation. If you use it on your blog/website/insta/etc., please credit me and link back to this spread page on my blog. Thank you!

This spread was originally published on my previous blog (Tarot Dame) on 7/26/09.