Tarot Diva, page 5
Mystic Faerie Tarot by Barbara Moore and Linda Raven-
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Fey Tarot by Mara Aghem and R. Minetti
Fairy Ring Oracle by Anna Franklin and Paul Mason
Strength
The Strength card represents mental and physical stamina,
courage and energy. While gently holding the lion, the woman
proves subtle power presides over brute force. If roaming free
through animal kingdoms and running with the wolves is your
idea of fun. check out these zoological-themed decks:
Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Flunt
Fantastical Creatures by D. J. Conway and Lisa Hunt
Tarot for Cats by Kipling West and Regen Dennis
The Hermit
The Hermit represents solitude and silence. The Hermit embarks on a spiritual quest, then shares his wisdom with others.
If Holy Grail and Arthurian legend-questing captures your
fancy, seek out these fine decks:
Grail Tarot by John Matthews and Giovanni Caselli
Legend: Arthurian Tarot by Anna-Marie Ferguson
Magdalene Legacy Tarot by Casey DuHamel and Deborah L.
Shutek-Jackson
The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is a reference to life’s cycles and the
ups and downs of luck, chance, destiny, and fate. The symbolism of the wheel, a circle, reminds you all is connected eternally. Should you care to embrace the circular, cyclical nature of life, you may do so with these circle-shaped cards:
Tarot of the Cloisters by Michelle Leavit
Motherpeace Tarot by Karen Vogel and Vicki Noble
Circle of Life Tarot by Maria Distefano
Justice
The Justice card represents work, fairness, and the effort you
place into your endeavors, both personal and professional. The
Justice card maintains a sense of equality. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and want tarot inspiration for work, check out these enterprising decks:
Bright Idea Deck by Mark Me Elroy and Eric Hotz
Silicon Valley Tarot by Thomas Scoville
Management Tarot by Korai Peter and Ute Stemmann
The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man represents a pause, momentary suspension,
and seeing things in a new light. The Hanged Man hangs upside down and is able to view life with a new set of eyes. If you enjoy trippy, surreal visuals that cany you to altered states of
reality, plunge yourself into these mind- bending cards:
Phantasmagoric Theater Tarot by Graham Cameron
Tarot of Metamorphosis by Massimiliano Filadoro and
Luigi di Giammarino
Dante Tarot by Andrea Serio and Giodano Berti
Death
The Death card represents destruction followed by
regeneration. Death stamps out the old so new growth may
occur. If the eerie, grotesque, and gothic ignites yummy chills
underneath your leather bra, put down the black lipstick and
pick up one of the following decks:
Deviant Moon Tarot by Patrick Valenza
Bohemian Gothic Tarot by Alex Ukolov and Karen Mahony
Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo
Temperance
Temperance represents blending, honing, and transferring
energy. The deity on the card is Michael the archangel, working
diligently to achieve balance. If radiant, heavenly angels dapple
your universe and color your sense of sacred, then descend
upon these angelically themed decks:
The Angels Tarot by Robert Place and Rosemary Guiley
Dark Angels Tarot (by an unknown artist)
Shining Angels Tarot by Giuditta Dembech and Federico
Penco
The Devil
The Devil represents excess, enslavement, and a rip-roaring
good time. The Devil is often tied to the occult. If profound, esoteric matters keep you up late at night, peruse these occult decks:
B.O.T.A. Tarot by Paul Foster Case
Hermetic Tarot by Godfrey Dawson
Tarot of the Sephiroth by Dan Staroff
The Tower
The Tower represents a major shakeup, streak of insight, and
shocking new reality. Landscapes of stone towers and fortresses
summon dragons to mind at once. If you’ve a soft spot for these
scaly fire breathers, you've plenty of decks to choose from:
Celtic Dragon Tarot by D. J. Conway and Lisa Hunt
Dragon Tarot by Peter Pracownik
Dragons Tarot by Manfredi Toraldo and Severino Baraldi
The Star
The Star represents rejuvenation and clarity after the drama of
the preceding cards. The Star is inspiration from within and
above. If you have a knack for astrology, can forecast fate in the
heavens, and would enjoy cards linked with astrological information. look no further:
Celestial Tarot by Kay Steventon and Brian Clark
Elemental Tarot by Caroline Smith and John Astrop
Zodiac Tarot by Lee Bursten and Luca Raimondo
The Moon
The Moon represents sleep, our unconscious, wild dreams,
and hidden truth. The Moon is our lunar landscape, and there
is one creature that ventures into it while the rest of us sleep ...
the vampire! If your pulse quickens at the thought of fang
bangers and blood-sucking vamps, check out these drippinglv
delicious decks:
Vampire Tarot by Robert Place
Gothic Tarot of Vampires by Ricardo Minetti and Emiliano
Mammucari
Vampire Tarot of the Eternal Night by Barbara Moore and
Davide Corsi
Tarot of Vampvres by Ian Daniels
The Sun
The Sun represents regeneration, fertility, and abundance.
The Sun is glowing good health and the prosperity of nature. If
you live in sync with the seasons, have a gardener’s touch, and
worship mother earth, you’ll find a happy companion in any of
the following nature-themed decks:
Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert
Shining Tribe Tarot by Rachel Pollack
Spirit of the Flowers Tarot by Antonella Castelli and Laura
Tuan
Judgement
Judgement is the wake-up call and the transformation card.
Once you pass through Judgement, you are at the point of no
return. If cutting-edge, outside-the-box, new, and modern ideas
help to propel you forward, check out these amazing decks:
Transparent Tarot by Emily Carding
International Icon Tarot by Robin Ator
Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti
The World
The World heralds success, completion, euphoria, and travel.
The World represents the end of a journey and the beginning of
a new one. With that in mind, here is a selection of some of the
most popular, eclectic decks ever created that have found worldwide acclaim:
Maat Tarot by Julia Cuccia-Watts
Osho-Zen Tarot by Ma Deva Padma and Osho
DruidCraft Tarot by Stephanie Carr-Gromm, Philip Carr-
Gromm, and Will Worthington
Robin Wood Tarot by Robin Wood
[contents]
Creating Sacred Space
Something you should do, if you don’t already, is set yourself
up for success. Establishing beneficial habits that become second nature is a great gift to yourself. In the same way you establish excellent eating habits, brush your teeth, and maintain healthy exercise regimens or daily writings in gratitude journals, you can create successful tarot habits. Tarot habits become a welcome part of life. It begins with pulling a card a day, but it
goes further when creating your tarot space. Set your readings
up for success by taking some time to create a lovely tarot
environment. This is also a chance for you to get super creative
and have some fun.
The Importance o f Ritual
The importance of creating tarot ritual for yourself cannot be
underestimated. When you set the stage for a tarot reading, a
bit of care goes a long way in cultivating deep and meaningful
readings. As your tarot habits become ingrained, your unconscious and intuition unfold on their own. Every religious practice, from Christianity to Judaism to Buddhism, is grounded in ritual and rite. This is no accident. By creating a ritual, selecting
your tarot accessories, and opening sacred space, you are giving
your subconscious clues that you are opening up in a magical
way. Ritual activates our sensory7 perception, alerting us, awakening us.
Creating a Tarot Environment and Sacred Space
Sacred spaces can be created in any environment.
Christy Turlington
Ever notice the energy shift when you step into a church, theater, or yoga studio? Do you sense the calmness, the reverence?
This is because the environment is a sacred space. The collective energy7 of the people whoVe come to pray7, worship, and meditate creates a palpable electricity7. You can even sense the
energy shift on a palpable level when walking into different departments of a university7. Think of the energetic difference between the math department and the dance department, or the difference between the art studios and the anthropology7 labs at
any college. The energy7 is affected by the type of work taking
place.
You can discover naturally occurring sacred space outdoors.
Locations like Stonehenge or Malibu are well known for the
mystical, healing energy flowing there. Often, you can discover
your own sacred spots in nature—a special grove, a spot beside
a stream, a seat beneath a weeping willow. Seek out these
places, and carry your cards with you when you visit them. You
will want to encourage this same reverent energy wherever you
read tarot.
Select a Spot
Select the space in your home where you’ll perform regular
readings. It may be tempting to just whip out the deck and read
on your bed or any random place, but I advise you to pick a specific spot to read tarot and dedicate that space to readings. If you are fortunate to have an entire room for tarot, all the better. Create a tarot chamber—you can set up your tarot accessories, books, and decks all in one place. Don’t fret if there’s no extra
room. Any space in your home can work well. It could be on
your kitchen table, your desk, or in a special corner. You may already have a space where you meditate or journal, and you will find the energy there lends itself beautifully to creating your
tarot space. Ultimately, it is your mindset, not your physical surroundings, that is important.
I am not implying you can’t pull out your cards at the coffee
shop or other locations. You certainly can. In fact, I usually travel with a deck of cards. I’m suggesting that you create a special area in your home where you will work with the cards as a
home base—a place you can return to time and time again to
work with tarot.
Tarot Accessories to Help You Pierce the Veil
The accessories offered below are not requirements, merely
suggestions to include in your sacred tarot space. Some accessories can enhance the desired outcome of your readings. Look at them as power boosters to help you manifest your desires.
None of these accessories are required for tarot reading. They
will aid you in making your readings as powerful as possible.
And remember ... a tarot diva always sets herself up for success.
CANDLES
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or
the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton
Candles are sacred objects. Candle magic is an ancient practice dating back thousands of years. It is no accident that candles and fire play a major role in every religion known to humanity. I find candles indispensable when reading tarot (or
serving dinner, writing, playing a board game, or doing anything else, for that matter).
Light your candles. Use this act as a metaphor for igniting
your intuition. As the candle flickers, grows, and glows, focus
on it. Look for the heat waves emanating up. Imagine your
inner fire glowing. As the candle sheds its light, so do you shed
light on your current situation.
If you know ahead of time what the topic of your reading will
be. you may choose a candle of a specific color to aid you in
manifesting your desire;
White: Readings to do with good in all situations, purity, and
protection
Red: Readings to do with strength, vitality, sex, and courage
Blue: Readings to do with peace, healing, and joy
Pink: Readings to do with love and friendship
Black: Readings to do with endings and banishing
Yellow: Readings to do with power, movement, and creativity
Purple: Readings to do with intuition and spirituality
Green: Readings to do with prosperity and money matters
MUSIC
Music is powerful. It is mood altering, affects your heart rate,
and can soothe and inspire you. You may choose an uplifting
classical piece, a dramatic film score, techno or trance music ...
use whatever gets you in the mood, opens you up, and readies
you to pierce that veil. Perhaps the music you use is the sound
of the natural world around you—the sound of wind outside
your windows or of birds chirping. For added drama, use the
backdrop of a rolling thunderstorm to aid in your reading. Each
time the thunder cracks, pull a card!
INCENSE AND AROMATHERAPY
Incense and aromatherapy are wonderful ways to alert your
unconscious and the universe as to your intentions. It puts you
in the mood and alerts your senses that you are about to embark on a reading. Incense, along with candles, is another item commonly used in religious ceremonies, from the Vatican to
Buddhist temples. This can be a wonderful sensory clue to your
body that you are entering a sacred tarot space.
Light your incense with the same intention that you lit your
candle with: ignite and imagine that you are accessing your
higher self, your wisdom self.
TEA, COFFEE, AND OTHER TASTY BEVERAGES
Tea is a comforting and nurturing drink. Reading tea leaves is
a divinatory art in and of itself. If you are inclined to read tea
leaves, you may drink loose-leaf tea while reading your cards,
then look for an additional message in your cup. Besides being
full of antioxidants, sipping your favorite herbal tea while reading cards is another clue to your body that you are opening up a sacred tarot space. You may also prepare yourself a refreshing
water infusion. Choose a beverage to give yourself a magical
power boost whilst reading:
Coffee: Insight and energy
Plain Black Tea: Courage
Cinnamon Tea: Increases intuition
Chamomile Tea: Peace
Blackberry Tea: Attr acts money
Lavender Tea: Love and contentment
Mint Tea: Prosperity and safe tr avel
Cucumber Water: Fertility and healing
Lemon Water: Love, joy, and banishing bad habits
Important note: Do note consume alcohol before or during a
reading. Never, ever mix tarot with booze, beer, wine, or drugs.
FRESH FLOWERS AND HERBS
Fresh flowers and herbs contain a thriving energy of their
own distinct character. This energy is often connected to their
healing properties. Victorians created a language of flowers,
where, like a tarot card, each bud carries a distinct message. Notice how a vase of fresh flowers brings your room or dining table to life? You may choose flowers and herbal bouquets the
same way you choose colored candles or beverages. They are
chosen for the magical intention of the reading. This is especially easy to do in the summertime, when fresh herbs and flowers grow in abundance and are widely available.
Daisies: Love
Mint: Success, motivation, and money
Roses: Love
Sage: Fresh starts
Basil: Love and protection
Bay Leaves: Victor)7 and success
Snapdragons: Protection
Rosemary: Protection and memory
Thyme: Honor
Violets: Creativity
Parsley: Luck
Lavender: Specific answers
Foxglove: Thriving ambitions
Buttercups: Money
TABLE
Your reading table should be clean and clear. You wouldn’t
apply makeup on an unwashed face, you wouldn’t eat dinner on
last night’s dirty dishes, and you should never, ever read cards
on a messy table. If you do nothing else in the way of atmosphere, you should read on a clean, clear tabletop. You may also acquire beautiful and portable cloths reserved exclusively for
reading the cards on. Perhaps you will find different colors and
textures for varied readings: red velvet for love readings; spark-
ly, shimmer)7 fabric for part)7 readings; and so on.
ENERGY
When you really listen to yourself, you can heal yourself
Ceanne DeRohan
Opening your sacred tarot space is an important and enjoyable moment before you begin reading cards. Sacred tarot space is the energy you open and surround yourself with when embarking upon a reading. Your sacred space is portable. It follows you everywhere, because you manifest the energy around yourself when you read the cards. This is your chance to open up and connect with the divine forces that surround you. It is also
