Janet Boyer

RIP Davy Jones

So sad to hear that the Monkees' Davy Jones passed away today from a heart attack at age 66. 

In memory of Davy:

-- Janet Boyer, Amazon Hall of Fame/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot,Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin

Tarot in Reverse News!

It's hard to believe that there's less than 10 weeks to go before the release of  Tarot in Reverse! I'm am getting so excited about my full-color, glossy-paged beauty, published by Schiffer Books on April 28, 2012.

Well, I have a few tidbits of news to share with you all! 

Tarot in Reverse just got a fabulous thumbs-up in the form of a review by Amanda Donnelly over at the 78 Whispers in My Ear blog. You can read the review at this link.

Happy dance!

The second bit of news is that I'm taking full advantage of the super addicting image-sharing site Pinterest, deciding to create a special board consisting of all the pop culture references in Tarot in Reverse! 

This means that you'll be able to view, at a glance, every pop culture reference in Tarot in Reverse in the form of an image or video. In fact, some cards will have more than one image or video.

For example, the 9 of Swords includes mentions of the Crawling video by Linkin Park, an image of Edgar Allan Poe's "Tell-Tale Heart" and The Scream by Edvard Munch. Below is a screenshot of a few of the pins I have up so far (all the Court Cards and 10s, with some of the 9s):

 

Feel free to spy on me working on this Pinterest board right here, where I'll be adding photos and videos of every pop culture mention in Tarot in Reverse...until I get all the way up to the Aces! You can even talk to me right there on the TIR board, image by image. What fun!

If you're as excited as I am about my upcoming book, you can pre-order it from Amazon.com, BN.com, Book Depository or your favorite bookseller (ISBN-13: 9780764341014). 

Don't forget, you can experiment reading reversed Tarot card with me on the Tarot in Reverse Facebook page at this link. Come on over to "like" and play!

Thanks so much for your continued support of my work!

 -- Janet Boyer, Amazon Hall of Fame/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot,Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin

Memba? Laverne's Milk and Pepsi

Was at my kitchen counter, scarfing down peach cobbler with Pepsi (with a splash of Jack), and I had a flashback:

Memba the 70s show Laverne and Shirley? I had the vision of Laverne drinking milk and Pepsi. Ugh! And memba how that was her favorite drink? Yikes!

What do you remember about Laverne and Shirley? (The ever-present L mongram! The bowling! Lennie and Squiggy!).

Please share your favorite and funny memories of those two madcap gals--or even your favorite episode!

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)

What a Catch!

Did you see this amazing footage? Holy cow, he probably saved that reporter's life!

For extra credit, let's do a BIT Tarot Snapshot: What card would you associate with this video clip? Why?

Thanks to my fellow Tarot Gal Gina Pace for sharing this on her Facebook page!

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013)

Rapture Coming! (What Book Do Want to Squeeze In?)

Apparently, Judgment Day is coming tomorrow--May 21, 2011.

Call me glib, but what's really on my mind is what book to squeeze in before I meet Jesus.

What book are you rushing out to buy or read before the big day tomorrow?

And for those out there frozen with indecision, how about some of you whip-smart readers recommend a book or two to devour before we meet our Maker (or, as Fate may have it, The Taker). (Sorry, the Bible or Christian material doesn't count. We'll get to see for ourselves, thankyouverymuch).

It must be engaging, escapist, entertaining fiction.

Ready...set...go! Share your recommendations before we fly or fry!

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013)

Step Out of Your Little World

I've just finished watching this fantastic TED talk by sociologist Sam Richards, an iconclast from Ohio that David Horowitz called one of the 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America. A professor at Penn State University, Professor Richards also heads up the World in Conversation Project which you can explore at this link.

After watching this 20 minute video, let me know what you thought about it in the comments section. If you're up for a challenge, provide some insights on how Professor Richard's idea of "walk in the other's shoes a few inches" form of empathy can be applied on a concrete, this-is-where-I-live basis.

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013).

Bionic Woman Season 1 Out 10/19/10

Holy cow, I just found out that The Bionic Woman: Season One DVD comes out 10/19/10!

For years I've been waiting for this!

Jaime was my childhood hero (as was Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman). What a kick-ass inspiration! She was compassionate, resourceful and smart school teacher (and secret agent!), not to mention a wonderful role model for girls.

Anyone else psyched? (And remember the fembots? LOL)

-- Janet

10/10/10 and the 10s of Tarot

Having just realized that it was 10/10/10 (smacks head), I thought it would be neat to examine the 10s of Tarot: Trump 10, Wheel of Fortune, and the four Minor Arcana tens (10 of Wands, 10 of Swords, 10 of Cups and 10 of Pentacles).

When I see the 10s in Tarot, I think of a spiral, with the 10 being the next step upward to another cycle. All of the single digits (1-9) have been completed and we’re now up to the first double digit. Because 10 reduces to 1 in numerology (1 + 0 = 1), the 10s also have something in common with the Aces (1s): new beginnings.

Let’s begin with the Minor Arcana cards.

In the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the 10s reside in the bottom sphere (sephirah) known as Malchut (pronounced malKOOT). This sphere, known as Kingdom or Manifestation, is the “heaviest” sphere because it’s the lowest on the Tree—the “down and dirty” realm of earthly life. The Aces reside at the tippy-top of the Tree in the sphere of Kether; straight from the Divine in seed form, the Aces are handed to us from the Universe to do what we will with them (or not).

Without getting too deep into the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, there are “worlds” that govern four areas on the Tree. Sephiroth 1, 2 and 3 are within Aziluth, the realm of “first causes” and pure light. It’s considered masculine and associated with the element of FIRE.

The next world is Briah, which contains Sephiroth 4, 5 and 6. This is the realm of intellect and ideals, so it’s associated with the other masculine element, AIR.

The third world is Yetzirah, a realm of formation. Sephiroth 7, 8 and 9 are found in this world, which is associated with the feminine element of WATER.

The last world, and the lowest on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, is Assiah. Only one sphere lives here: Malchut. This is the material world of the feminine element EARTH.

The majority of Tarot enthusiasts ascribe the Minor Arcana suits thusly: Wands=Fire, Swords=Air, Cups=Water and Pentacles=Earth. So, intellectually, you could transpose that association onto the Tree of Life where Atziluth is “like Wands”, Briah is “like Swords”, Yetzirah is “like Cups” and Assiah is “like Pentacles”.

Also, the number of each sephirah on the Tree of Life correspond to the Minor Arcana cards of the same number. Thus, Kether contains the Aces, Chokmah the 2s, Binah the 3s, Chesed the 4s, Geburah the 5s, Tiphereth the 6s, Netzach the 7s, Hod the 8s, Yesod the 9s and lastly—the topic of this post—the 10s will reside in the sephirah of Malchut.

Wands/Fire are fastest (like light), followed by Swords/Air. Things start become weighed down in the world of form (Cups/Water) and are at the heaviest as it enters the material world we live in—you know, the world of money, body, health, possessions, flora, fauna…pretty much everything you experience with your five senses. This last world of Assiah, with sephirah 10, Malchut, and all the Minor Arcana 10s, are heavy dude. Very heavy.

Now, instead of “worlds”, lets call those realms “homes” (to make it a bit cozier). As you well know, some “homes” are comfier than others are—especially depending on the temperament of the owner and the visitor.

What does this all have to do with the 10s in Tarot, especially when it comes to Rider-Waite-Smith decks?

Well, have you ever wondered why the 10 of Pentacles looks like a happy card, as does the 10 of Cups—but the 10 of Swords and the 10 of Wands look positively dreadful? I mean, they’re all 10s, right?

Seeing those cards through the lens of the four “homes” (worlds) of the Tree of Life gives us a clue as to why.

Wands/Fire is most comfortable in the upper “home” of the Tree of Life, the speed-of-light realm of Atziluth. Zip, zip, zip—WOW, talk about fast! Now, what happens when that fast, bright energy—most comfortable at the top with the Aces, Twos and Threes—suddenly has to slow waaaay down in order to manifest in the material world where the 10s reside?

Why, it’s downright burdensome, that’s what! Just look at that poor guy in the 10 of Wands! And why in the name of God is he carrying those sticks so awkwardly? He is cruising for a major backache—or worse. Instead of staying at the realm of the 9, getting healing for those wounds on his head and putting up a defensive barrier, he goes on out and grabs some more freakin’ Wands! And so, the Wands suit in the sephirah of Malchut, numbered 10, is the MOST uncomfortable in this particular home.

Next, we have the often-feared 10 of Swords. Ouchies!  Someone needs a chiropractor—or a good acupuncturist! (Or maybe even the undertaker? *wince*). But because the Swords are most comfortable higher up in the Tree, up in the sephirah within the “home” of Briah, they, too, get a beating in the material world of Malchut. However, the 10 of Swords is actually not quite as bad as the 10 of Wands, energetically speaking. Swords/Air are fast, too—as fast as the speed of thought and communication. But look closer at the 10 of Swords: there’s a new day dawning! The man with the swords in his back has nowhere to go but up—(spiraling up to the Aces where he, hopefully, gets a new, refreshed perspective…without the mental overkill).

Now, consider the 10 of Cups, often considered one of the most positive and lovely cards in the Tarot. Water/Cups are the third “home” down on the Tree of Life, encompassing the sephiroth within Yetzirah. Ahhh, now we’re talking. Yetzirah, the world of formation and containment, makes for a comfy home for Water/Cups. Thus, this joyful card is often called the “happy family” card (or, as Tarot author Nina Lee Braden calls it, the “Little House on the Prairie” card). The realm of emotions, intimacy and familial connection feels quite comfortable in the 10s, because it’s so close to its home base.

And now we come to the 10 of Pentacles. Money, land, a multi-generational gathering, luxurious clothing, pets, buildings, family crest, lush vegetation, solid foundation, abundance—this card is right at home in Malchut because, after all, this lone sephirah resides in Assiah, the material world of Earth.

And how about that Wheel of Fortune, Trump 10? Talk about a crapshoot! Nothing in life is guaranteed, is it? Up, down, up, down—ever tossed about by the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (to quote Shakespeare). Now, on the Tree of Life, the 21 Trump cards connect the sephiroth via paths. It just so happens that the Wheel of Fortune lies on path 21, connecting sphere 4 (Chesed) with sphere 7 (Netzach).

Interestingly, 4s are all about earthly stability (numerologically speaking), while the 7s often connote vacillation and DE-stabilization (not to mention spiritual truth, higher wisdom and refined intuition). And here’s a Hebraic “funny”: the Wheel of Fortune connects with the Hebrew letter Kaph, which means palm of the hand. I say “funny” because that ol’ Wheel of Fortune can often feel like a “slap across the head” when it barrels down our way! (Those 7s get a bad rap in the Tarot, but I’ll leave that for another post…)

Chesed in is in the world of Air, while Netzach is in the world of Water. Can you say “storm-tossed-freakin’-sea”?!

Actually, I was wrong about nothing being guaranteed in life. There is ONE thing that is guaranteed--the only constant: CHANGE.

So when the Minor Arcana 10s show up in a reading, or that gear-like pit-wheel (think grist mill!) known as the Wheel of Fortune rolls onto your table, take heart. You’re about to spiral up to a higher plane (if you choose) and a higher understanding of this material plane of Malchut.

I'll leave you with a video of The Larger Bowl performed by the best band ever, Rush. Click here for the lyrics.

-- Janet

Card images from the Universal Waite Tarot, published by USGS.

Deviant Moon Tarot in Oprah Magazine

Back in September 2009, I happened to pick up an issue of O Magazine and was thumbing through the pages during breakfast.

I saw a full-page review by Chandler Burr for Dolce & Gabbana's new five-scent Fragrance Anthology Tarot-inspired collection (click here to go to Dolce & Gabbana's site to find out more), but wasn't surprised since I had known about it for several months.

So anyway, I look closer this morning and guess what I see in the table reflection (where the perfumes are sitting in the photo)? Images of the Deviant Moon Tarot! Holy cow, I thought. So I scrambled to call Lynn Araujo at U.S. Games (she didnt' know about it) because I was so excited.  

Here's a closer view where you can make out The Magician, The Empress, The Lovers, The Wheel of Fortune and The Moon from the Deviant Moon Tarot.

 
Of course, flip it around and you see:

 Is that cool or what?! Congratulations Patrick Valenza, creator of the Deviant Moon Tarot! (To see my review of this marvelous deck, as well as 16 card images, click here.)

-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot

Tarot and Maxi-Pads?

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you.

A few years ago, I was thumbing through either People magazine or US Weekly--and came across this surprising ad.

The phrase below the "card" says Always Dri-Liners have unique, visible side barriers to help keep you protected, whatever the days may bring.

I'm thinking that the ad creators had to have some knowledge of Tarot because "The Protector" is assigned Roman numeral II, The High Priestess (who is, of course, associated with the moon).

Either that, or it was a very lucky guess!

-- Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book

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